by Cooper West
Gary opened his mouth to ask about Chuck’s brother Dave, but Chuck beat himto it, pacingthe small kitchenlike a caged animal.
“Dave moved to Charlotte with his wife, sure as hell the day he got back from his honeymoon. He’s set up there managing a local garage, fixing cars. No way he’s moving back, and my cousins and nephews all want to hack the business up so everyone gets to be king of his own little empire. I’ve got 1,357 employees on the books, all told, and nearly 1,000 of them are close family.”
Garyblinked. “Define ‘close’.”
Chuck crossed his arms. “Cousins, too, and families married in. We’ve been in Cornerstone since before the War, probably since before God.” He snorted, tappingthe chair withhis boot.
“Can’t youjust… sellit?”
Chuck looked at himblankly. “What?”
“Sell it. The business. Look, I’m a musician, so what do I know about this, right? But it seems most anyone in your shoes would just sell the business and get out.”
“It’d killDaddy.”
“Sounds like he’s doing that on his own. Hey, you’ve got two choices, right? Sell it, or let the family break it up. Which is more likely to kill Cornerstone off?”
Chuck looked thoughtful. “Good point. But right now… Daddy’s probably talking with our lawyers about how to buyme out.”
“Buyyouout?”
“You think I’m a fool? I figured I would be moving back, marrying up, and having kids. I wanted a stake, and more importantly, I wanted the authority to make decisions. It was easy to get the paperwork signed while Daddy was still in the hospital, and that year after the first heart attack he was in the hospital a lot. I’mwelland truly tied to that company, whether the Old Manlikes it or not.”Chuck’s grinwas slightlyevil.
“Yeah, but do you want to be?” Gary shrugged, because the answer seemed prettyclear to him.
Chuck blinked, opened his mouth, and then closed it. He went through a long pantomime routine of looking at the orchard, then back at Gary, opening his mouth every so often to just close it again. Finally he turned and put his hands onhis hips.
“What I want?”
Gary nodded. “Sure. What you want. I think that’s important, and—” He stopped talking when Chuck’s face mashed into his, kissing him breathless while holding him still with his hands on Gary’s shoulders. Gary shuddered, surprised and turned on, and it took only a second for him to pull himself together enough to kiss back. He reached out and snagged Chuck’s waist, pulling him down onto his lap. As thin as Chuck was, he was stilltaller and bigger than Gary, so he crumpled up a little as he settled on Gary’s right thigh, turning into him to deepen the kiss. Gary leaned forward so they could wrap their arms around eachother.
It was like being a teenager again, making out on a lazy afternoon. Every time Chuck made a move to get up or pull back, Gary held him tighter. It was unexpected, the way Chuck melted into him when he did, letting Gary lead and kissing him slowly, his mouth hot and soft and lush.
About the time Gary figured beard-burn was guaranteed, Chuck finally pushed off and stood up. He was smiling, though, flushed and dark-eyed with arousal. “We gonna stayhere allday?”
“Well, dunno….”Garymade a show ofstretching out in the chair, pretending that his hard-on was not trying to rip its way out of his jeans. “Was thinking about lunch.”
Chuck snorted, grabbed Gary’s arm, and dragged him out of the kitchen. They did not stop until they were in Gary’s room, kissing like adults who had a whole afternoon to be in bed. It was barely a week from the last time they were rolling around on the bed together, but Gary felt desperate to have Chuck naked and pressed up against him. He grabbed at Chuck’s clothes while theykissed, tryingto get at skin.
Chuck laughed, a deep chuckle from his chest that vibrated through Gary’s blood. Then he pushed back, looking up at Gary as he sat down on the bed to kick off his boots and unbutton shirt and jeans. Gary froze with his hands on his own shirt, his hunger for Chuck stopping him as he watched the other man strip down. Chuck did not play the tease, pulling off his clothes and throwing the articles off to land somewhere unnoticed. He glanced up at Gary again, his expression softeningto one ofworry. Garyfrowned.
“What?”
Chuck reached out, grabbing Gary’s shirt to pull himcloser. He shuffled backward as he pulled untilthey were stretched out on the bed, Gary fully dressed on top of Chuck’s naked body. He pushed his face into Gary’s clothed shoulder, tighteninghis arms around him.
“Chuck?”
Pulling in a deep, pained breath, Chuck moved his lips to Gary’s ear. “Fuck me. Own me.”
Gary’s whole body stuttered with want at the words. They had done this. In fact they had done pretty much everything at one point or another, but mostly as fun variations on a theme. Chuck’s arms were like bands of steel around him, holding off the trembling Gary felt deep under Chuck’s skin. He knew that Chuck needed more than a good lay, that stress and anger had pushed himto an edge he did not want to fall off of. He simply needed to be taken care of for a change. Chuck was beaten down by his family and had lived deeply in the closet for years, up to and including breaking up with a man he loved to move home and take care of people who hated what he was. Gary pressed himself down on Chuck, his full weight pinning himto the bed.
“Mine, all mine, and I’m going to make you feel it,” Gary whispered. Chuck shuddered and sighed, his hold looseningas he relaxed incrementally. Garydid not consider himself much of a top—Roger almost never bottomed unless he was falling-down drunk—but he always enjoyed it and tried to make it good for his partner. In this case, he wanted it to be more than good. He wanted to take Chuck past his worries and concerns to a place where all he would know was how much Gary loved him. Gary was not too sure he could do it, but he thought as he pulled up a little to look him in the eye that he would do anything to give that experience to Chuck.
Chuck was looking back with a mixture of vulnerability and sharp-edged doubt. Gary ran a hand over his cheek, letting his thumb rest on Chuck’s lips. “I’ve got you,” he whispered. Chuck closed his eyes in submission, his bodystartingto shake.
Gary did not even try to get himself undressed, the urgency of Chuck’s need too acute. He kissed Chuck, grabbing his wrists to move his hands up to the headboard. Chuck needed verylittle coaxingto grab on witha deathgrip, pushingup excitedly, followingGary’s mouth as he moved back. Gary petted his face again. “Shhh. Just hold on.”
Chuck nodded with a jerk of his head, his eyes stillclosed.
Gary kissed his neck with hard, openmouthed kisses, running his tongue over Chuck’s skin. Chuck tensed up under him, groaning, his fists going whiteknuckled as he clung to the wooden slats of the headboard. Smiling, Gary worked his way down Chuck’s chest, stopping to tease nipples briefly and tongue Chuck’s bellybutton playfully. Chuck grumbled, trying not to laugh, even while his body alternated betweentremors and clutchingup.
Gary was straddled over Chuck’s legs. A blowjob would usuallyentailspreadingChuck openand resting in-between, a position Gary loved selfishly because he could hump the mattress as he worked at Chuck’s cock. This time, though, he wanted to keep Chuck as hobbled as possible, to force Chuck to give up every ounce of control to Gary. He shifted down and squeezed his thighs together, trapping Chuck’s legs as Gary pulled Chuck’s ball sack up to safety. Chuck groaned again at the touch. Gary leaned down and kissed the thin, fragile skin where thigh met hip, slowly moving across to the base of Chuck’s cock. Chuck kept his thick, wiry hair trimmed short but not shaved, and Gary loved shoving his nose there to take in the musky male scent. The connection calmed Chuck down, his body falling down into the mattress as the stress left himfor a moment.
Gary moved to lick up Chuck’s cock slowly, lapping at skin. Chuck bowed up again, moaning softly, but this time the tension was made of pure arousal. Feeling smug, Gary sucked in the head of Chuck’s cock lovingly, using his tongue as much as his lips. Chuck’s moaning increased,
then stopped as he gasped for breath. His eyes were still closed, which did not bother Gary. He wanted Chuck to simplyget lost init.
Chuck did. As Gary worked his mouth over his cock, taking him as deeply as possible as slowly as he could, Chuck rolled his hips and strained at the headboard with increasingly loud, guttural noises of want and need. Gary felt Chuck’s cock swell and throb, alerting him to how close he was to coming. He pulled off.
“Fuck, Gary, don’t stop, come on,” Chuck said, his eyes flying open, demanding and desperate. Grinning, Garysat back onhis heels and pulled openhis jeans, taking out his hard and just as desperate cock. Just looking at it made Chuck groan and close his eyes again. “Jesus, you’re killingme.”
Gary laughed. He reached over for the lube and a condom, then finally pried Chuck’s legs apart, setting them up over his thighs so Chuck’s ass hung a little in the air.
“Oh.”
“Right, oh. Hang on.” Gary smiled as he talked, puttingthe condomonbefore lubingup his fingers.
“You’re stilldressed.”
“Not where it counts.”
Chuck laughed, a deep sound from his belly that shook the whole bed. “Wellget onit, then.”
“Pushy, pushy.” Gary slid fingers down over Chuck’s balls, causing him to suck in a breath, then kept gliding them down to the entrance to Chuck’s body. His hole was tight, and his muscles fluttered, but he opened up when Chuck pushed one finger in. “So hot, Chuck. Youare so perfect.”
Chuck snorted, smiling, but kept his eyes closed. The next moment he was gone again, his body undulatingas he tried to fuck himselfonGary’s fingers.
“Oh my god, you are… I can't wait, can you take it?” Gary’s words slurred with desperation as he pushed inanother finger, openingChuck up a little more ruthlessly than he intended, shoving up against Chuck’s prostate. Chuck let out an explosive sound, grimacing but pushinghis bodydownonGary’s fingers.
“Yeah, yeah, I'm ready already. Come on, baby. I need to feelit.”
“Right.” Gary scooted forward to raise Chuck’s ass a bit higher as he pulled his fingers out. Lining up his cock, he leaned forward over Chuck in a crouch and shoved his hips forward just enough to start the breach. It was like hitting Chuck with a live wire: he tensed, bowed up, thencollapsed as Gary’s cock entered him.
Gary’s arms were trembling from excitement. Under him, Chuck gasped and shuddered and let go of the headboard to grab at his own knees, pulling his legs up and wide. He was naked and openunder Gary, who was stilldressed, with his pants shoved down his thighs. It should have been some kind of power play, Gary thought dimly as he pushed in to seat himself inside of his lover, but to himit was simply a sign ofhow focused he was on Chuck over his own needs. He wanted to be naked, but he simply could not stop long enough to worryabout it.
Chuck was verging on delirious, his cock engorged and red, leaking pre-cum until it rolled down his skin. With his own heartfelt groan at the sight, Gary pulled out and slammed back in. Chuck nodded frantically, his body rising up to meet Gary’s. Gary moved his arms to set Chuck’s legs up onhis shoulders, thenpropped himselfonhis hands and beganfucking.
It was a long, hard ride, their bodies slapping together as Chuck’s noises changed from groans to gasps, as sweat drenched Gary’s clothes, as Chuck grabbed the headboard again to keep from being shoved into it. Gary was not surprised when Chuck made a desperate sound and used one hand to strip his cock, once, twice, and a quick third time before he came witha shout.
He was so focused onChuck shakingapart under him, Gary did not even realize he was coming until he did. His vision whited out as his body stuttered out a few final frantic thrusts. They both froze for a moment, caught up in each other. Chuck opened his eyes, his lashes wet with sweat and tears, smiling up at Gary like a foolinlove.
Garyknew he looked no different.
ChapterFifteen
Chuckrescheduled band practice for two days later
and arranged for them to meet at the store where the recordingequipment was. “You sure they haven’t changed the locks?” Gary asked, concentrating on the tune he was messing around with as Chuck put a new string on his fiddle. It was midafternoon on the second day they had spent with themselves, playing music and making love and eating a lot of sandwiches. Chuck had shown no interest in leaving the house even to get more groceries, and for the time being Gary was too fucked-out happy to argue.
“They could. But it’s legally my store, and I think Cousin Mark knows enough not to give Daddy that muchrope to hangthemselves with.”
Garylooked up, confused. “Huh?”
“They lock me out of my own store, and I have the legal right to go after them for… something. And it would be too much hassle for something Daddy despises, anyway.” Chuck plucked at the string, which was horrifically out of tune. They both winced. “Sorry. Hmmm.” He played with the tuning but continued explaining while Gary strummed a few chords randomly. “I told you, I made sure to protect myassets. Daddy can’t touch the store, my house, my rental properties, or mycars.”
Gary stopped playing, trying to imagine owning that muchstuff.
“The kids are withAunt Jess, and she’s about as neutral territory as I’m going to find right now—her grown daughter Kate is lesbian, moved to San Francisco a few years ago. Jessica was really supportive of her, all the way, even with the whole family breathing down her back to ‘set Kate right’,” Chuck snorted, propping the fiddle on his knee. “She’s seeing they get to school and do their homework. They stayed with her when me and Ellie were tearing at each other over the divorce, so the family can’t say much about it.”
Gary nodded, wishing he had thought to ask about the kids earlier. He heard Chuck on the phone withhis lawyer and some other people that morning, but Chuck kept that pretty far from Gary by making the calls from the guest bedroom, with the door closed. Gary respected that, despite his curiosity and despite a nigglingirritationat beingkept out ofthe loop.
“Right now the store is just closed up. I own the building, so there ain’t no landlord to piss off. It’s holiday season, so I’ll miss a few good sales, but until I can hire someone outside of Cornerstone to manage it, it’s better just to keep it closed.”
Which was something else Gary had not thought of. He stopped playing, considering how lucky he was to have Tally to handle the nitty-gritty of his career, because this was proof yet again that Gary was not cut out for business. Althoughhe did have one thought.
“Fran!”
Chuck looked at himlike he was crazy. “She’llbe there.”
“What? No, I’m not talking about practice tomorrow. I meanyour shop. She’s beenbitchingabout her crazy bar hours and how Harvey keeps promising her a supervisor position but stalling. She needs more hours and a steadyschedule. Maybe?”
Chuck chewed his bottom lip, bouncing his head around like he did when he was tossing an idea back and forth. “And she’s wanting to settle down with Teddy. Can’t do that when she’s out ’til 3 a.m. five nights a week, and he’s got a day job. She’s good with money, good withpeople. Hm, might be a bit boringfor her….”
“So give her part time. She can keep alternate Thursdays at the Lower Forty and a weekend shift at Brunhilde’s.” Gary smiled, proud that he figured out such a great idea and feeling stupid about being proud of something so lame. It must have shown in his expression, because Chuck laughed in a kindhearted waywhenhe looked at him.
“Good job. Now how about some music, maestro?”
Gary groaned but obliged. They had just worked throughanother new songwhentheyheard the car.
Chuck put his fiddle aside with a dark, angry expression and headed for the door. Gary moved a bit more slowly, assuming as Chuck did that the visitor wasn’t for him. Until he got to the door and saw the driver.
“What the hellis he doing here?” Chuck turned to ask him, his glare accusing.
“I don’t know?” Gary looked out to where Tally was parking his rental car. “I didn’t know h
e was coming back. He never mentioned it. I talked to him just a few days ago, before our trip to Braedon.”
Gary was quickly reminded of Chuck’s tendency for jealousy and possessiveness as Chuck stomped back into the house.
“Hey! Was that Chuck?”Tallyyelled over the top ofthe car as he got out. Garyput his face inhis hands.
Tally got his bag out of the trunk, and Gary’s hope that he was only in the neighborhood by chance evaporated.
“What are youdoinghere?”
“Coming to work on the recordings with you. You picked up the equipment on Saturday. I figured you’d have a few tracks laid down by now.” Tally smiled as he walked up the porch, but it faded by the time he was facingGary. “No?”
“Things got… complicated.”
Tally let go of his bag and folded his arms. “Define ‘complicated’.”
“Chuck’s a bit at odds with his family right now and is stayingwithme.”
Tally blinked, covering his surprise smoothly. “And by ‘staying with you’, you mean he’s moved in because…?”
“Because his father threw him out, and he’s staying with me while he dukes it out with him about the familybusiness.”
“Wait, he lives with his father? Really?” Tally looked horrified.
“What? No! His father threw himout oftown.”
“Faulkner has nothing on you people,” Tally picked up his bag and shoved Gary aside as he walked into the house. Garytrailed after him, feelinghelpless.
“So, Gary says you’ve been naughty, and your father threw you out of town. I’mnot one to judge, but you seem a little too graybeard for that kind of highschool drama,” Tally announced as he faced off with Chuck in the living room. Chuck had returned to his playing stool, holding his fiddle with what looked like malicious intent.
“Everything’s under control. I’mstaying here until tempers cool down,” Chuck said through clenched teeth. Gary tried not to stare, but he had never seen Chuck this jealous before, and it was disturbing.
