Aftermath

by Bailey Bradford

  Laine finally nodded. “All right, for now, but we will be having a talk a little later, Mr.…”

  “Lee Bausch.” Darren shivered when Lee’s breath whiffed over the back of his neck.

  “Laine Stenley. I’ll be looking for you to stop by and see me”—Laine hitched a thumb in the direction of the Sheriff’s Office—“two blocks that way. Before noon.”

  Darren didn’t hear a reply but Laine nodded again then sat down and took a drink of his coffee. Lee tugged at Darren’s hip. “Can you take a break?”

  Darren glanced around at the diner, blushing all over again as he saw the curiosity on the customers’ faces. “Maybe. Let me refill a few cups and make sure everyone has what they need then I’ll ask.” He turned and walked around Lee, telling himself the man’s hand did not linger, it was only Darren’s pathetic wish that it had.

  Lee trailed his fingers over the sharp blades of Darren’s hip. Even through the apron and jeans, he could feel the prominent bone. Darren had always been thin, but now he had more of a lean athlete’s build. And that bruise… Lee wanted to know how Darren had got hurt, and if there was anyone he needed to deal with over it. The protectiveness was sudden and fierce, so much so that Lee hadn’t been able to sit there and watch the sheriff touch Darren, even if it was just a loose hold on the younger man’s wrist. If Lee hadn’t been used to keeping his emotions buried he’d have snarled at Laine and likely threatened to rip the man’s hand off if he touched Darren again.

  It was an unreasonable reaction and Lee didn’t understand it, but as he’d struggled to hide his shock at finding Darren working in the café, Lee had also found himself battling a jolt of desire that seemed to slam right into his marrow. He’d somehow pictured Darren as the same gangly kid he’d been the last time Lee had seen him, but Darren wasn’t. No, the boy had grown into a man so stunningly attractive that Lee had had to use every ounce of his control to will his dick to behave.

  And Darren was exceptionally handsome, his hair a slightly darker shade of brown than Lee remembered, more of a chestnut now than the light brown it had been. The roundness of Darren’s face had faded as he’d matured, making his cheekbones more prominent. Lee was sure Darren’s lips hadn’t been that full or that deep rosy pink, but then again, he hadn’t looked at the kid the way he was looking at the man. Darren was almost the same height as Lee, less than an inch shorter, just the right height to kiss and—

  Lee stopped that train of thought and returned to his seat. He nursed his cup of coffee, sneaking sly peeks at Darren’s ass as the man bent to do one thing or another. Lee didn’t pay attention to what Darren was doing except to make sure no one messed with him.

  But all of Lee’s training in the military wasn’t strong enough to keep him from getting hard as he watched that firm ass flex, imagined pulling those taut cheeks apart and licking deep into Darren’s body. Lee couldn’t even blame the desire raging through him on lack of sex, because he’d gone without for long periods before, a necessity when he’d planned to make the military his career. He’d never felt such an intense need before.

  It should have made him cautious, made him question, since Lee rarely did anything without running it through his head a hundred times, examining his plan and looking for flaws. But it didn’t. What that need did do was make Lee determined to fuck Darren long and hard, if that was what the man wanted. Lee had seen the desire in those brown eyes, had felt Darren quiver with it under Lee’s hand. He was certain Darren wanted the same thing he did, but that might change once they talked. Lee hoped not, but he had to consider the possibility.

  And plan a counter strategy if that possibility became reality.

  Lee drained the last of his coffee as Darren came out of the kitchen, his gaze bouncing around the diner before settling on Lee’s. Fisting one trembling hand in his apron, Darren walked over, his body a contrast of emotions. Those long legs moved in steady strides, but the hand twisting in the apron was white-knuckled and a fine sheen of sweat glossed his forehead by the time Darren was close. He cleared his throat a couple of times, a sign of nervousness that reminded Lee of the skittery teen boy Darren used to be.

  “Virginia—she’s my boss, well, and she’s the owner, obviously,” Darren began, stuttering every third word or so. “She said we can use her office, if that’s okay with you?”

  Was Darren scared or turned on or both? Lee was leaning toward the latter, but a little clarification would be nice. He let his lips spread in a slow smile that he’d been told made a man want to drop to his knees. Darren’s eyes widened, his pupils dilating to chase out all but a thin ring of chocolaty brown to frame his pupils. His full lips parted on a gasp as his slick pink tongue darted out to wet the tempting flesh. Lee could easily spot the throbbing pulse at the base of Darren’s neck, and the hand that had been bunched in the apron was now splayed open over a place Lee would love to touch himself.

  And Darren was definitely aroused, not afraid, at least not now. Lee wanted to keep it that way for a while, if he could. His smile stretched wider, became more genuine and less calculated as he cupped Darren’s elbow possessively. “Lead the way, Darren. I think it’s best that we do this without an audience.”

  Chapter Four

  Uncertain of what, exactly, Lee meant by that comment, Darren nonetheless agreed. He knew that first smile Lee had given him was calculated to make Darren melt into a puddle of lust, and he did. Internally, everything was heating and going soft on the inside while his dick was so hard he ached from it.

  But that second smile, the one that seemed genuine and maybe a little smug, and was definitely loaded with a measure of the lust Darren was feeling—that smile had pretty much guaranteed Lee could have Darren, any way he wanted him. Darren had been alone too long, lonely too long, to say no to the offer that’d been in Lee’s smile. So, if Lee meant it, if he really wanted Darren, he was more than willing.

  “It’s just up here,” Darren murmured, surprised his voice was steady when his heart was racing like a spooked thoroughbred. Lee didn’t speak, merely grunted, a soft, guttural sound that spawned images in Darren’s head of being bent over Virginia’s desk and taken hard and fast. His steps faltered as they neared the office. As much as he wanted Lee, this wasn’t the time or place, and Darren wasn’t entirely certain either of those things mattered.

  “Don’t stop now,” Lee said as he tightened his grip. He pulled Darren along when he hesitated, stopping only when they came to the open door. “Is this it?”

  “Yes,” Darren whispered, unable to think past the riot of need spiraling from his groin to his brain. He shouldn’t go in the office with Lee, should stop him from closing the door. The sound of the lock being set sent a shockwave through Darren, his little fantasy from a moment before suddenly turning into a very likely—and dangerous—reality in his mind. He jerked against Lee’s hold on his elbow, surprised when Lee let him go. Darren looked at the man, fear and desire tangling together.

  Lee stared back at him with a blank expression, which confused Darren to no end. He’d been sure the man wanted him, but maybe it’d only been his own lusty thoughts that had made it seem so. It wasn’t as if he knew Lee well enough to know if that second smile had been just another tool to manipulate Darren into being alone with Lee. He took a step backwards, then another and another still until his back hit the door. Lee frowned but didn’t come any closer.

  Darren stood waiting, little shivers racing up his arms and legs as he wondered what Lee was going to do.

  Lee wasn’t sure what had happened to send Darren from aroused to afraid so quickly. He tried to figure out where he’d gone wrong in the last six feet or so of their walk to the office. Darren had seemed willing—eager, even—to be alone with Lee, right up until Lee had forced himself to tamp down the desire that had threatened to shatter his control. If he hadn’t, he’d likely have had his cock buried balls-deep in Darren’s tempting ass already. So maybe the rapid switch on his part had triggered the fear he could almost scen
t in Darren?

  Lee took a cautious step forward and Darren tensed, his shoulders hunching as he clenched his hands together until the knuckles looked so sharp against the skin Lee wondered how they didn’t break through.

  “Are you afraid of me?” Lee asked, taking another step closer.

  Darren’s eyes flared, widening as he shook his head. “No, no I—I just…” Darren shifted his weight from foot to foot, looking at some point over Lee’s shoulder. “I don’t know,” he confessed softly, tipping his head down, a thick fringe of hair tumbling free to hang over Darren’s eyes.

  Lee felt an odd tug in his chest as he closed the distance between them. He started to reach for Darren’s chin then settled for placing his hand along the satiny smooth skin of his jaw. A little pressure had Darren lifting his head, and Lee gently brushed the hair away from Darren’s eyes. The confusion and fear he saw in those brown eyes made Lee want to make all sorts of rash promises, but Lee knew better than to let his emotions make him stupid. Instead he slowly traced the bruised skin, feeling a slight bump under Darren’s chin. “What happened here?”

  Even if he hadn’t been touching Darren, Lee thought he would have been able to feel the heat of the man’s blush. “I fell,” Darren mumbled. “Got spooked and dropped the eggs then ended up doing this.” Darren’s fingers ghosted over his own, setting a fire blazing along the nerves in Lee’s skin. He caught Darren’s hand before the man could let it drop to his side. Darren’s gaze shot to his and Lee leaned in cautiously, not wanting to scare him, not when he ached to feel those parted lips against his.

  Darren’s blue-veined lids dropped closed as he tipped his face up. The silent offering was all the permission Lee needed. He lifted Darren’s hand, pressing it to the door beside Darren’s head while sliding his other hand down Darren’s elegant neck. The skin was so soft, like warm satin under Lee’s palm. He thought he’d never feel anything smoother until his lips touched Darren’s, then Lee knew he was in trouble, his tenuous grasp on his control shredding as Darren moaned and opened wider for Lee’s probing tongue.

  Like a switch flipped inside him, Lee’s cautious approach vanished as lust thrummed through him with every heartbeat. He pressed against Darren from knees to chest, pinning him roughly as Lee claimed his mouth. Lee pushed at Darren’s jaw, tipping his head for a better angle, then he swept his tongue in and tasted every bit of Darren he could reach.

  Darren clutched at Lee’s shoulder with his free hand but didn’t try to move the one Lee had in his grasp. Lee slid a thigh between Darren’s, or tried to, only to become frustrated when the apron got in the way. Cursing as he brushed his lips over Darren’s, Lee trailed his hand down from Darren’s wrist, wishing the man hadn’t worn a long-sleeved shirt. Wishing he wasn’t wearing anything at all. Lee wanted to feel more of Darren’s soft skin, wanted to lick every inch of it and listen to the sounds Darren made each time Lee discovered his erotic spots.

  Darren whimpered and touched his lips to Lee’s as Lee traced the ribs he could feel through Darren’s shirt. Lee couldn’t stop himself from sliding his hand around to grab Darren’s ass. The taut mound fit perfectly in his hand, and Darren shuddered from head to toe when Lee squeezed, his fingers pressing hard against the seam covering Darren’s crease.

  “Jesus,” Lee muttered, his cock spurting a knee-weakening burst of pre-cum as Darren writhed against him. “You’re going to burn me alive, you’re so fucking sexy.” Lee didn’t care if they weren’t the smoothest words—they were the truth and that was what mattered. No one had ever brought him to the edge so fast before.

  Darren opened his eyes as Lee found the hem of the apron with his other hand, completely unwilling to let go of Darren’s ass. Lee shoved the apron aside and immediately found Darren’s long, thick erection. Lee hummed his approval as he palmed the length, almost grinning at Darren’s whimpered, “Yes, please!”

  “I’ve got you,” Lee promised, because for now, he did. He felt the warm moist spot soaking the denim where Darren’s cock had leaked. Lee was sure he had a matching spot of his own. “How much longer do you have to work?” He pressed the tip of Darren’s dick with his thumb, pleased with the way Darren moaned and thrust into the caress. “When do you get off?”

  “Oh, God,” Darren gasped. “Soon, if you keep doing that!”

  Lee chuckled and repeated the touch, his other hand clenching the swell of Darren’s ass hard enough to bruise. He murmured and licked Darren’s jaw, the smooth skin tasting even better than he’d expected. Lee inhaled deeply, drawing in Darren’s scent. The musky, tangy aroma matched the man’s taste of sweat and desire, hitting Lee’s bloodstream like a potent drug. He groaned and bit at the supple skin below Darren’s ear, sucking the tender flesh between his teeth. Marking him, and doing so with enough fervor that Darren had to know it.

  Darren tipped his head back and to the side, giving Lee more skin to explore. He smoothed his hand up from Darren’s cock, his lips tracing the line of Darren’s neck to where it joined his shoulder. Lee nipped the spot, then sucked hard, adding another mark as he found the button to Darren’s jeans. He slid the button free as he continued working Darren’s skin. The coppery tang of blood so close to the surface of Darren’s pale skin made Lee moan even as he grabbed the tab of Darren’s zipper. The hiss of the metal teeth separating was matched by Darren’s hissed, “Yes,” then stifled by, “Touch me, please, God, Lee!”

  Lee licked the tangy skin as he shoved at Darren’s jeans and underwear. When the task to lower them proved too troublesome with one hand, Lee dropped to his knees, finally releasing that perfect ass cheek to free Darren’s dick from his clothes. Lee grabbed Darren’s jeans, catching the elastic band of his underwear as well and jerked them both down to Darren’s knees. He shoved the apron up with one hand and reached for Darren’s bobbing cock with the other, his mouth watering as he looked at the wet tip. Darren’s slit was wide, tempting and Lee didn’t hesitate to lean forward and lap at the moisture before prodding the opening with his tongue.

  Darren keened, his hands gripping Lee’s head, pushing him forward even as Darren thrust his hips, seeking more. “Lee! You don’t have to—”

  The words were in direct contrast to what Darren’s actions were telling him. Darren’s fingers fisted in Lee’s hair, his cock pushing at Lee’s lips. Lee shut off his protests by opening his mouth and sucking the broad cap in, sealing his lips tightly around the red crown. He felt Darren’s cock pulse against his tongue and the fingers he had wrapped around the base of Darren’s shaft. Lee pressed his other hand flat against Darren’s stomach when Darren tried to thrust.

  “Please, please,” Darren whispered brokenly, over and over as Lee forced him to be still and teased the bundle of nerves beneath Darren’s cap with his tongue. When the desperation in Darren’s pleas increased, Lee let go of the base and cupped Darren’s balls. He then dove forward, swallowing the fat cock, his nose tickled by the thick nest of dark brown curls.

  Darren wailed, the sound cut off so quick Lee had to glance up. Darren was looking down at him, a stunned expression on his face. Darren gasped, then bit at his lower lip. Lee smiled around the mouthful of cock. He hollowed his cheeks, sucking hard as he slid back up the length, his tongue flicking over a thick vein that lined Darren’s dick. His teeth scraped lightly over Darren’s frenulum, and Darren’s head fell back, thudding against the door as he moaned long and loud. Lee had the wicked thought that he hoped everyone else heard the sound, knew he was taking Darren, making those sexy noises slip from the man’s lips. Before Lee could examine why the thought pleased him, he engulfed Darren’s cock, moaning himself when the broad crown slipped into his throat. He swallowed as he palmed Darren’s sac, and Darren came apart for him beautifully, shuddering his way through another of those sexy moans as Lee pulled back to catch the first jet of cum on his tongue.

  The salty-sweet flavor of Darren’s seed made Lee hungry for more. Darren tasted different, it was that hint of sweetness, and Lee was afraid h
e wouldn’t be able to get enough of it. He sucked and laved Darren’s cock, letting the spunk roll over his tongue and coat his mouth, swallowing only to make room for more as he massaged Darren’s balls, wanting every last drop of the man’s seed.

  Lee’s own dick was pinched painfully in his jeans and he felt about ready to explode with the need for release, but he would wait. He didn’t want to come from his own hand, not when he could wait just a little while and bury his cock deep in Darren’s ass. Just thinking about it made Lee moan, anticipation causing more moisture to leak from his tip.

  Darren whimpered and tugged at Lee’s hair. The message got through to Lee’s lust-hazed mind. Darren’s cock was too sensitive for any more, so he forced himself to let the tasty treat slip from his mouth. Lee pressed his forehead to Darren’s groin, the smell of cum strong and enticing. He closed his eyes and held onto Darren’s slender hips, his thumbs tracing over the sharp pelvic bones as he fought the urge to spin Darren around and take him right now.

  A hard slap from the other side of the door had Darren squeaking and jumping forward, almost knocking Lee onto his ass. He struggled to keep them both upright as the sheriff’s angry voice sliced through the thin wood. “Bausch, I suggest you get your ass out here now!”

  “Oh sh— Crap,” Darren rasped as he flailed.

  Lee leaned into him and managed to get hold of Darren’s jeans and underwear. He nudged Darren back a step then stood, pulling Darren’s clothes up as he did so. Darren looked at him with a mixture of fear and something Lee thought might be awe.