by Z. Allora
A breathy “Keith” escaped Jax. Whether it was a plea for more or something else, he’d never be certain.
Keith took it as an invitation and covered Jax’s tip with his mouth, continuing to do a slow slide down until his nose touched pubic hair. His angle allowed him to keep his gaze on Jax’s reactions.
“Fuck.” Jax’s head dropped back, but he kept staring.
He was deep-throating Jackson Davis.
Jax entwined their fingers, and the rubbing of their palms together made Keith’s heart scatter love throughout his body.
“Damn, both you and Corey can deep-throat.”
Mmmm, something to look forward to if Corey ever stops hating me.
After a few more bobs, Jax pulled him off. “Let me taste you again.”
Keith kicked his jeans to the floor, giving freedom to his hard cock. He crawled onto the couch.
Jax frowned. “I can’t deep-throat but—”
“Try faking a yawn or wrap your left thumb in your fist… though be careful with that one because the pressure on your thumb can trigger the gag reflex… not that you have to do that.” Not sure why he was turning this into an oral sex tutorial.
“Where did you learn these little nuggets of knowledge?” Jax’s words were wrapped in a bit of jealousy, which gave Keith more confidence that he did care.
“You’d be surprised what teenagers talk about these—mmm.” Keith always tried to be quiet. It always seemed unnecessarily dramatic to be loud, but oh my God! That was—
Jax handled Keith’s cock like he owned it. He sheathed him with a hand around his shaft and gave him a stroke while he tugged his balls away from his body.
“Yeah,” Keith growled.
Granted, the glory hole blowjob was less than a day ago, but this time he was fully aware who worked him.
Jax bobbed his head. He pushed his mouth down to the root, then gagged. The sound combined with the tight rhythmic squeezes were sensational. Jax held his head in place, and tears ran out the corner of his eyes.
As incredible as it felt to be buried completely in Jax’s mouth, he didn’t want him suffering for him, so Keith tugged him off.
Jax slowly jacked Keith’s dick as he recovered. “Thumb thing doesn’t work. I’m going to try to yawn.”
Taking a large gulp of air, he tried yawning, and impaled his mouth. He started dragging his mouth up and down on the shaft.
Keith broke out in a sweat. He tried to make his mouth say, “So good,” but only a moan came out.
Jax gave him a dreamy look before his eyes slid shut. He stroked and sucked with a desperation that spoke of not only his desire but outright need.
His mouth was the embodiment of perfection to Keith, who wanted the suction to last forever, but that wouldn’t be possible.
Jax needed him. Keith could almost feel a pull to give him what he required.
Desire pooled in his balls, making them feel full and heavy. The mind-bending thought of him feeding Jax what he needed to survive from his own body liquefied his brain.
Orgasm was the only option.
He came hard. The sharp and intense pleasure was softened and made rich by his growing affection for Jax.
Jax moaned around him and jacked his own cock.
Musk and the delicious smell that must have been Jax’s orgasm filled the room.
9
Running Away… Together?
Corey flung open the door as if he were trying to catch Keith and Jackson doing something wrong. Grimacing at Keith, Corey did one of his infamous door slams that rattled the windows. “You’re still here? I’d thought you’d have hurried off to wherever… by now.”
Keith opened his mouth.
Jackson put a hand on his shoulder, hoping to still him. “I got this.”
Or so I’d like to pretend. Though he’d never seen Corey so furious. Usually Jackson could sex and love him out of his short-lived fits of temper.
Eh, maybe trying was worth a shot. Jackson spread his arms.
Instead of falling into the offered embrace, Corey put his hands on his hips and narrowed his gaze. “Oh, so you’ve got this, huh, Jackson? How exactly do you have it?”
Nudging away the hurt that threatened to color the situation, Jackson tried to soothe a hand down Corey’s back, but his angry mate shifted out of reach. Keeping his voice even, Jackson asked, “Where else do you want him to be, Corey?”
Corey pasted on a fake smile and poked a finger against the evidence on Jackson’s neck of his make-out session with Keith. Corey’s gaze skirted over to Keith’s hickey. Longing, hurt, and rage flashed across Corey’s face in rapid succession. “I see you two have been busy. What, did you get lost on your way to his dick?”
Keith sputtered as if being Jackson’s mate was something to apologize for. “Corey, I—”
Holding up a hand, Corey shook his head and said, “Don’t even.”
“Corey!” Jesus, sometimes Corey’s tone sliced more than his words. Jackson counted to ten.
Keith stood and moved toward the door. “Maybe I should—”
What? No! “Where are you going, Keith?” Jackson didn’t bother to keep the desperation out of his voice. They had just found their third mate, and there was no way Jackson would allow him to disappear.
Keith shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe the beach….”
“Random much,” Corey snarled.
Jackson tried to piece this together. “The beach?”
“I’ve got a condo on Folly Beach… but it feels like anywhere away from here would be good.”
“Away from me, you mean.” Corey’s words were clipped, and the jagged edges ripped into Jackson’s heart.
“No.” Jackson didn’t give either of them a chance to make this worse.
Shaking his head, Keith pressed his lips together. “Corey, I—”
“You what, Keith? What?” Corey scrunched his face and tilted his head. “And wait, how do you have a condo on the beach? That’s expensive real estate.”
Frowning, Keith shrugged, thankfully ignoring Corey’s tone. “When my mother died the summer after graduation, she left me some money. Between that and my grandparents’ house, I invested in a property at the shore.”
Jesus, Jackson hadn’t known Keith had lost his mom. First Perry, then Jackson vanished, and then Keith’s mom died. The poor guy must have felt totally alone.
Jackson threw an arm around him. “I knew she was sick… and I know how close you two were. I’m sorry, man.”
Ducking his head, Keith’s shoulders sagged, and he bobbed his head. His voice broke over the muttered, “Thanks. It was a rough time.”
Man-slapping his back, Jackson released him.
Corey’s expression softened. “I’m sorry about your mom too.”
Keith glanced over at Corey. Heat, need, and something Jackson couldn’t name danced between them, giving him hope. Then Corey’s expression turned from sadness, jumping right to scowl.
Jackson cleared his throat. “That’s cool about the property.”
“Is that what you do for a living? Real estate?” Corey asked, attempting not to sound interested.
“Pretty much. It allows me a lot of free time to give back to the community. And with the right property manager, I’ve been able to upgrade and get other rental properties over the years. I now have three properties I rent out. One of my usual renters for my Folly Beach condo canceled, so it’s available for a couple of weeks.”
“So you’re just going to run off there… and leave us? I mean, leave Jackson…?” Corey’s voice broke, but his expression hardened as a wall of rock surrounded him.
“You can’t go.” Jackson didn’t want to let his unprotected mate out of his sight, and he didn’t care how crazy possessive he appeared.
“You going to stop me, Jax?” Keith folded his arms. The bastard knew Jackson could never take him in a fair fight.
There was no missing Corey’s sharp inhale and the interest that flashed in his gaze as
it ping-ponged between Jackson and Keith. This scene played into Corey viewing himself as the fair prince awaiting knights to do battle for his favor.
Jackson wanted to tell Corey to bookmark that fantasy, because he was pretty sure Keith would be on board with making Corey’s fantasies come true… starting with making Corey come. But first things first….
“Yeah, he is.” Corey could deny it all he wanted, but he not only needed Keith, he wanted him… bad.
A squawk followed by “Key-Key” came from the corner of the room.
Corey turned and pointed. “What’s that?”
“My bird, Ruffles.”
“Is it okay if I take a peek?” Corey reached out for the blanket that covered the cage.
Keith nodded. “Yeah, just go slow so he doesn’t get scared.”
“Well, hello, pretty one.” With extreme care, Corey lifted the corner of the blanket.
Ruffles put the side of his face to the cage as if he were proceeding with caution too. “Pretty boy. Pretty boy.”
“Aw, you are a pretty boy,” Corey muttered to him.
Keith shook his head and grinned. “I think he’s talking about—”
“Sexy man, pretty boy, Key-Key. Key-Key.”
“I’m here.” Keith stepped over so he was in the bird’s view.
“Night, night, Key-Key. Night, night.”
Jackson chuckled. “I’ve never been chastised by a bird before.”
“Ohhhh, sorry, sweet bird. I’ll keep these two alphas quiet. Night, night.” Corey re-covered the cage with care, then waved them away from the travel carrier. “Now, without disturbing the b-i-r-d, you two need to work this out.”
How did Corey become the reasonable one?
Jackson grinned at Keith. They needed to handle this right. “I’d appeal to you and your own desire to make things better.”
“And what if that doesn’t work?” Keith’s challenge almost made Corey cream his jeans, if his moan meant anything.
Keith’s gaze darted to Corey, and he had to have noticed the reaction. He returned his attention to Jackson, telegraphing a change and a realignment of what the play was—the way he’d done in every high school football game they’d played together. Keith had always been smart enough to see the big picture, and it wasn’t about winning small battles, but claiming total victory. In this case that meant Corey’s heart.
Failing to restrain his smirk, Jackson stated the obvious, more for Corey’s benefit than Keith’s. “I’ll remind you there’s the whole need you to survive.”
Corey folded his arms over his chest. “You have me. We can do without him.”
Keith flinched but recovered his game face.
A huff of annoyance from Corey was the distraction Jackson needed to finally pull Corey into an embrace. Instantly, Corey’s body relaxed into his.
“I do have you,” Jackson said, “but you know as well as I do that having both our mates’ essences is essential to function fully.”
“I know nothing of the sort. Since he’s not my mate.” Corey’s lower lip pouted out.
Ignoring the need to kiss and spank him at the very same time, Jackson sighed. “Not officially… though if you want me to forego—”
“No, that’s not fair. Just ’cause I—” Corey shook his head, gesturing toward Keith.
Keith’s slight nod told Jackson they were on the same page.
“Maybe if you stop being a brat, Keith wouldn’t mind us joining him on his adventure,” Jackson suggested.
“I’d love you both to come.” Keith’s smile lit his face, making him appear to be the same high schooler who’d stolen Jackson’s heart.
His word choice seemed to compel Corey to snark, “Well, I do love coming… but not with you.”
“I remember a time when you did….” Without flinching this time, Keith held Corey’s gaze, daring him to deny the truth of their past.
Corey gasped, his hand touching his heart, and a moment later the zinger seemed to make him rut his hard dick against Jackson’s thigh.
Keith’s slow smile turned into a grin. “Though in this case, I was suggesting a trip to Folly Beach.”
Corey kept shifting in Jackson’s arms until he settled. “I don’t know if I want to go,” dropped out of his mouth.
For fuck sake! Corey wasn’t going to make this easy for anyone. Jackson counted to thirty. “Wouldn’t it be nice to hang out on the beach? Besides, you and I haven’t been away from Club Zombie in forever.”
“It has been years, but I just got back from my road trip,” he muttered.
“Ruffles loves the beach.” Keith shrugged. “Maybe you’d consider going to the beach for Ruffles… if not me.”
“Thanks for packing, Corey.” Jackson was grateful for the many things that Corey simply took care of for him.
A quick stop at Keith’s to gather his stuff and more bird supplies and they were finally on the road.
Keith’s assumption that Corey would enjoy Ruffles was a major understatement.
Peeking in the rearview mirror, Jackson watched Corey and Ruffles singing to the Beach Boys again. The parrot totally charmed Corey when they sang the Bermuda, Bahamas song, with Ruffles piping up, “Come on, Pretty Papa…” for the tenth time.
Jackson looked over at Keith, who had taken shotgun.
Keith stopped singing long enough to admit, “I got the change in lyrics from Corey in high school, and it stuck with me. I taught it to Ruffles.”
Jackson grinned. “That checks out. But Jesus, I feel like Corey and your bird must have known each other in a past life.”
Keith smiled and touched Jackson’s hand for a moment. His determined expression reassured Jackson that between the two of them they were going to make sure everything worked out.
Something Jackson didn’t even know was out of whack realigned, allowing him to breathe deeply for the first time in what seemed like forever.
The ability to leave Club Zombie without feeling guilty about not looking for his mate breezed through him. His second mate was right fucking here, and that made him euphoric. Everything they’d ever wanted was in their reach. He just needed to make sure Corey was willing to grab it with him.
As the song ended, Corey asked, “Come on, Ruffles. Who is a pretty boy? Corey is a pretty boy.”
On the tenth try, Ruffles squawked the right answer. “Corey. Corey is a pretty boy.”
“E-hee-hee! At least your bird knows. Good job, Ruffles. Ruffles is a pretty boy too,” Corey bubbled.
Jackson peeked in the rearview again to see Ruffles grooming Corey’s hair.
Keith glanced over into the back seat. “I know too.”
Corey’s eyes widened, and he shivered at the strong dominance in Keith’s voice. Geez, the guy didn’t even have to try. Everything about Keith had always screamed alpha, which was probably why both he and Corey had been drawn to him.
“Oh, is that why I wasn’t good enough for you back in high school?” Corey’s hurt bled all over his words.
“Corey, you know that’s not true. I was young and stupid. I didn’t know how to handle how I felt every time you were near me.”
“Sure you did. You ignored me. You laughed with them at me. You—”
“I was going crazy. You were perfect like the sun… I’m so sorry. You can’t know how bad I felt… how awful I still feel.”
Corey opened his mouth but turned and stared out the window until Ruffles hop-walked over his arm and shoulder to nuzzle under his chin.
Jackson didn’t know what else to do, so he played Cher. That usually worked. Though asking if he believed in life after love through the song “Believe” might not have been the best choice, Corey snapped out of his funk.
Corey sang the lyrics with a vengeance. Then he took control of the playlist. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor came blaring through the car next.
Keith rolled his eyes and commandeered control of the music and chose “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison. He turned to the back sea
t and sang the lyrics.
Corey queued up “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” by Great White and growled the title lyrics as loud as he could.
“Any Way You Want It” came tearing through the car stereo next. Ruffles started weaving and bobbing on Corey’s shoulder.
“Traitorous bird.” Corey tried to glare, but Ruffles just kept dancing and squawked a time or two in Corey’s ear.
“You two are killing me.” Jackson took control of the music and played Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”
Corey leaned forward from the back seat and rubbed Jackson’s neck as Keith covered Jackson’s hand that rested on the gear shift with his own.
“I don’t know how, but we’ll make this work,” Jackson vowed.
When the three of them finally got to Keith’s condo, Corey gasped as he walked through to the balcony. “Your place is beautiful.”
Jackson followed, noticing the color scheme was the same one he and Corey had picked out for their apartment. Though the blues and greens were probably coastal colors, he couldn’t ignore the connectedness. There were threads that had been sewn between them, and no matter how long it had been, they were still there.
The saltwater breeze eased over Jackson, calming his worries, until Corey asked, “So what are the sleeping arrangements?”
“Um, well, there are three bedrooms. Two kings, and the other has twin bunkbeds.”
“Good for renting,” Jackson surmised.
Corey nodded. “I’ll take the twin so you guys can—”
“You don’t have to do that,” Keith reassured him.
Corey shrugged and stared out at the ocean. “I want to.”
And just like that, Jackson’s worry resurfaced.
“At least take one of the king beds….”
Jackson felt split in two, but he left Keith, dragging Corey to one of the king beds. After a few cuddles, Corey kept shifting against him. “Did he taste good?”
What did he say to that? “Um… yes.”
