Before You

Working on 23 for this evening, as well.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO


Roth’s vision dimmed. The universe narrowed to the savage satisfaction tearing out of him and the hot bursts of Adam’s climax inside him. On his back, arms and legs wrapping his lover, he savored the sensations. Adam’s weight pressed down a bit. It added to the sweetness of his orgasm knowing he’d sapped the strength from his partner.

Minutes previous, Adam’s mouth had nearly devoured his. The kissing continued, slow and tender.

“I console myself,” Adam murmured, lips moving to Roth’s jaw, “knowing if the force of my orgasm stops my heart, you can revive me.”

“If I’m not in the same shape.” He always suffered a little stab of loss when their bodies parted. Having Adam still kissing his face and neck eased it some.

“I’ll get the water running. Come join me.”

Roth sighed, letting his lover go and watching him get from bed. He wondered how Joseph’s night had gone. Nathan had an air about him that would make most men reluctant to look him in the eye, let alone sit in his lap and kiss him. How Joseph had just known he could get away with it amazed Roth.

He rolled out of bed, muscles loose and warm from sex. Maybe tonight he could take Adam to dinner and let Joseph and Nathan have the place to themselves for a while. If Nathan accepted that job today, Joseph would probably have a good deal to say about it.

The contractor and his small crew arrived mid-morning to finish the last work on the pool. Joseph, so bold with Nathan, didn’t stray more than a few feet from Roth’s side. He watched through the sliding glass doors, warily tracking the men’s movements.

“No one’s going to hurt you,” Roth told him.

Joseph exhaled a shaky breath. “Habit.”

“Not everyone’s a predator.” He got up from the bar stool where he’d sat reading the paper, walked into the kitchen and refilled his glass with iced tea.

“You might be surprised.”

“My brother’s boyfriend is built a little like you. Required effort, but he learned to defend himself. I could teach you.”

Someone dropped something heavy and metal on the patio. Joseph practically levitated from his seat at the bar. “I’ll be so glad when they leave.” Clearly still shaken, he sat back down, perching on the stool’s edge as if poised to bolt. “I don’t have the muscle.”

Roth walked back to him, setting down his drink. “You don’t need much if you have the right technique. But, I’ve considered turning the third bedroom in here into a workout room. We could do it together.”

Joseph didn’t answer right away. As Adam returned from a quick trip to his apartment, the younger man leaned closer to whisper, “Do you think Nathan would mind the change?” Joseph blushed. “He looks at me like I’m beautiful, and I don’t want to lose that.”

Despite the attempt at confidentiality, Adam had overheard and replied, “In a single night you bagged a man so straight he squeaked when he walked. If you turned purple, he wouldn’t care.”

At Roth’s insistence, Nathan had driven his car to the interview. At the sound of the garage door lifting, Joseph rushed to meet him. Roth heard the door from the garage to the laundry open and Joseph wasted no time. “Did you take it?”

His deep, gravelly voice emerged low and gentle. “I couldn’t turn down the money. It’s too good.”

“Nooo.”

“Don’t cry. Jesus, please don’t. Nothing’s going to happen to me. Especially now I have you to come back to.”

“Why can’t you just not go? I’ll get a job outside the shelter. I’ll -”

Roth glanced at Adam. He had a pretty good idea how Nathan cut off that turn in the conversation. After a long moment, the man’s deep voice rumbled. “This is what I do. And, I’m goddamn good at it.”

“But -”

Quiet again, then Joseph moaned. Nathan continued, “Baby boy, I’ll pull down six grand a day. The risk is acceptable in comparison.”

“Not to me.”

Hearing the fear and dread in Joseph’s voice broke Roth’s heart. It must have shown on his face. Adam stepped closer. His hand settled at the base of Roth’s back. “Don’t you get upset, too,” he murmured.

“I just don’t want him sad.” Roth reached over and pulled him snugly to his side. “Let me take you out tonight.”

“If it’ll make you smile.”

Roth made reservations at the Bull Street Chophouse. One of his favorite eateries, it offered upscale food and beautiful surroundings without the stuffiness of many restaurants of its caliber. Fine food, not fussy food. He ordered a steak. Adam settled on lobster. It certainly made for a splendid view during a meal to sit across from his lover.

Afterward, Roth called around and found a movie that had garnered good reviews, and they made the ten o’clock show. Since they’d dressed for dinner, they each took off their jackets and ties. Adam held his hand, making Roth have the fluttering school girl thing again. He realized he’d forgotten how it felt knowing he wouldn’t go home to an empty house and his own painful memories.

Adam picked up his hand, kissing the back of it, then placed their joined hands on his hard thigh.

The next day, Roth and Adam took the Maserati, Nathan and Joseph the Saturn. They met at the shelter. Roth knew how proud Joseph felt about what he did there. He hoped the big guy realized it, too, and found something to praise. However, rather than artificial indulgence, he seemed genuinely impressed and interested.

Glowing, Joseph excused himself and Roth watched him head toward the men’s locker room. A lanky white fellow Roth had never liked the look of, rose from the table, leaving what looked like coffee and went the way Joseph had. He followed, thinking he’d probably let the younger man’s fear color his own judgment. However, as he entered the locker room very quietly, he learned otherwise.

“Bitch, open that fuckin’ mouth and suck.”

“No.” Joseph struggled. His assailant had him on a bench, straddling him and trying to shove his erection into Joseph’s mouth. White hot rage swept Roth. He grabbed the guy just as he looked up, jerked him off Joseph, slinging him against the tiled wall.

“You sorry sonofabitch,” Roth snarled. “Make you feel like a man picking on someone unable to protect themselves?” He grabbed the asshole, dragging him out and down the hall toward the back door without even allowing him to pull up his pants.

“Man, what the fuck do you care? He’s just a suck whore bitch boy!”

Roth shook his head. “You better be glad I got hold of you before his lover. The mouth your dick would be in is yours.” He opened the door and rolled the bastard onto the asphalt parking lot.

The scream brought on by bare ass and genitals meeting paved surface proved truly gratifying.