Chapter Seven
Karma’s a bitch.
This was Tim’s thought as he woke up and saw the avalanche of text messages waiting on his phone. He’d been bitching to the group the past few months about always being left in the dark and excluded. Well, he sure wasn’t being excluded today.
Myles: Are you up yet? Brett wants you to cancel your normal work duties for a few days. Can Kip cover for you?
Brett: Hi Tim, please cancel your work for today. We heard from Baz and he’s agreed to meet this afternoon.
Elliot: Hey, Patterscum. Make plans to come over here today. Nolan’s working on cleaning up the footage and he might have found something.
Myles: Hey, don’t be mad, but Brett had me get in touch with Kip for you. He’s going to cover your duties this week. I know it’s invasive, but that’s how these guys work, sorry. They’re not very patient.
JT: Patterson, we need your ranger jacket. Don’t wash it or have it cleaned. Thanks.
Tyler: Are you up? I’m in the doghouse. JT’s mad I didn’t think to keep your jacket so they can test it for residue. Stupid error on my part. So we’ll need it today.
Christian: Did Myles tell you to cancel work?
Tyler: Baz is coming over later and they definitely want you here. Will you be okay with that?
Holy crap, these assholes were up early. Even Brett and Elliot, who’d been drinking martinis late last night. Well, he could certainly never call them lazy. They were up, and they were on it. Way fucking on it.
Tim sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his face and scowling at his phone. He focused on Tyler’s final text about Baz. ‘Will you be okay with that?’
The truth was, Tim wasn’t sure. He’d never actually conversed with the hybrid and based on his bad reaction last time he saw him, he was more than a little nervous. Tyler obviously anticipated this, which was actually really sweet.
It would probably be fine, seeing Baz again. He’d had time to get used to the idea now, and he wasn’t in that vulnerable place anymore. This time, he had advanced warning, some leeway to prepare himself. If anything, he was more nervous about acting nervous and embarrassing himself in front of the others. Having lost control of himself once, he feared it.
He felt okay at the moment, but what if it happened again? What if he took one look at the alien and started hyperventilating or something equally humiliating? Every terrible and extreme scenario flashed through his mind, from passing out on Elliot’s floor to involuntarily shitting his pants. It sounded like everyone and their mother was involved with this today. They’d all be there to witness if Tim fell apart again, not just Tyler this time.
“Jesus Christ, take a breath,” he muttered. He’d faced down an angry bear and not shit himself, he’d be damned if he’d soil his pants for some hipster martini-drinking alien. He texted Tyler back. ‘I’m up. Barely. As for Baz, I admit I’m nervous, but guess I’ll have to handle it. Sorry you’re in the doghouse. I’ll bring my jacket. What time?’
Stumbling into the kitchen, he dropped a tea bag in a mug. Dragging himself to the bathroom, he showered, shaved, then shuffled back to his bedroom to get dressed, checking his phone first. Tyler hadn’t responded to his text.
Since he’d been given no choice about skipping work today, he didn’t bother with the uniform, instead dressing in jeans and a tee shirt with a gray hooded sweatshirt thrown over. After pulling socks and boots on, he returned to the kitchen and made his tea, then sat down at the table, giving himself a pep-talk about today’s activities. I can handle seeing Baz. I can handle it. I’m a strong person.
Someone knocked on the front door, four hard raps.
Tim got up and left the kitchen. As soon as he stepped into the living room he saw Tyler through the window, standing on his porch with his head down. That damn flutter took up residence in Tim’s chest again. Tyler, with his hard-ass posture and his gorgeous olive skin, dressed in his camouflage jacket and looking all...Tyler. Affection bloomed in Tim, along with that excited buzz he’d experienced last night when Tyler showed up at the station. Fuck. I guess I really do like this weirdo.
When Tim opened the door, Tyler looked up. No smile, but his pretty eyes gave Tim’s body a once over before landing on his face again. “Hey.”
“Hi,” Tim said. “I didn’t know you were coming to retrieve me personally.”
“I need to get—”
“Hey, Patterson!”
Looking past Tyler, Tim saw Elliot sitting in his car on the street out front.
“Bring me your ranger jacket!” Elliot shouted through the open window.
Tim gave Elliot a wave. “Oh. You’re here with Elliot,” he said, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.
“If you go get the jacket, I’ll run it out to him,” Tyler said.
“Sure.” Tim went back inside, snatching his jacket from the closet and feeling grumpy. He’d thought Tyler was there for him, not his stupid jacket.
And seeing that Tyler was driving around with Elliot made him feel strangely inadequate. Because Elliot was more closely aligned with Tyler’s job. They had more in common. But mostly, Tim felt inadequate because Elliot made Tyler laugh last night. Granted, he’d been tickling him when it happened, but still. It was a real laugh, not the restrained chuckle Tim managed to pry from him now and then.
“Here you go.” He handed Tyler the jacket. “What’s going on today? What time do they want me over there?”
“Hang on,” Tyler said. “I’ll be right back.”
Tim watched, confused, as Tyler ran over to the car. After sliding Tim’s jacket through the window and a brief exchange, Elliot drove off. Without Tyler. Tyler returned to Tim’s front porch, expression blank.
“You’re still here,” Tim said. “Is he coming back for you?”
“No, figured we can ride over in your truck if that’s okay. I wanted to spend a little time with you first, help get you prepped for today. Can I come in?”
“Oh. Okay, sure, but be warned. I’m single and sloppy. It’s kind of a mess.” Tim stepped back and waved Tyler inside.
Tyler walked into his living room and did a slow stroll around the space, hands in his pockets. Eventually he closed in on the bookshelf, picking up a photo. “Is this you on the left?”
“Yeah, I’m about ten years old in that picture. Is it that obvious it’s me?”
Tyler glanced over with a grin. “Yeah. Same hair and smile. Guess you were always this ugly.”
“Ha. You’re definitely staying with Elliot. You’re starting to sound like him. That’s Myles standing next to me in the picture.”
Tyler’s eyes darted back to the photo. “This scrawny little kid is Sheriff Murphy?”
“I know, can you believe he grew up to be hot? Myles used to come up every summer, we attended Camp Singing Bear together. I’ve known him forever. I’m the one who talked him into moving from New Hampshire and taking the job here in the village.”
Setting the photo down, Tyler said, “Bet he’s thrilled about that now.”
“Yeah. When I talked him into moving here I didn’t know about the whole alien base thing, or I would have warned him to stay away. But then he wouldn’t have met Christian, so I guess maybe it balances out for him.”
Grunting, Tyler rolled his eyes. “If you consider living with Boucher a plus I guess. I like Christian a lot but he’s got way too much energy. I’d kill him in his sleep.”
“Me too. But Myles is addicted to that ass.”
Nodding, Tyler met Tim’s eyes. “Never expected Christian would go for someone in law enforcement. Heard he had quite the criminal past before he was assigned to the village.”
“Oh, that continued once he moved to the village. Myles arrested him three times before they eventually got together.”
Tyler chuckled. “That I did not know. Figures.”
“You look good, by the way,” Tim said. Risky statement considering how unpredictable Tyler’s moods were, but he couldn’t help saying it. Tyler was so hot it was making his pulse race.
“Thanks,” Tyler said. “You look really good too.”
Tim was surprised by the verbal reciprocation, especially considering Tyler’s conflicted expression. Tyler had a way of looking at Tim like he was a highly desirable snack that might possibly contain a deadly poison. “You don’t have to say it just because I did.”
“No, I thought it as soon as you opened the door. I like you better out of uniform.”
Tim smirked. “You can see me out of uniform any time.”
“I meant in casual clothes.” Tyler chuckled, turning away. “Can we sit down over there? I want to talk about what’s going down today.”
“Yeah, sure. You want tea or coffee or something?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
Tyler took a seat on the sofa. He sat right in the center, so Tim assumed he wanted it all to himself. Tim took the chair on the other side of the coffee table. “So what’s happening? I got a million texts this morning. Elliot said Nolan might have found something on the footage?”
“He’s working on it. Managed to clean up the first half when I left the house. But he thinks he caught something moving out in the woods, just for a few seconds before it gets distorted again.”
“What kind of something?”
“A shadow in the trees. He’s been glued to that recording all morning, trying to make it clearer.”
Wincing, Tim wrung his hands. “A shadow, huh?”
“Maybe. It’s hard to tell. The footage is still glitchy but he’s determined. Hopefully by the time we get back he’ll have cleaned up enough to identify something. Or best-case scenario, someone. I think we’ll all be relieved if it’s just a human person, like you said.”
“Yeah.” Tim laughed nervously. “I’d love to be able to just look at the screen and go ‘Hey, that’s Vinny from the village! What an asshole!’ so I can stop worrying.”
Tyler grinned. “Is there a Vinny from the village?”
“Probably. Fuck that guy. Fucking jacket-stealing Vinny.”
“Yeah, Vinny sucks. But I wanted to talk about Baz. He’s coming by Nolan’s this afternoon. You ready for that?”
Tim took a deep breath. “I’ll do my best.”
“Having anxiety?” Tyler’s eyes were wide and sincere. “Nerves jittery?”
Nodding, Tim sighed. “Yeah. All of that.”
Tyler removed his jacket, leaving him in jeans and a long-sleeved red tee shirt that hugged his lean, muscular frame. He pulled something out of his jeans pocket.
Tim’s eyes widened as Tyler set down a packet of rolling papers, then unfurled a hefty baggy of what looked like cannabis. The skunky scent immediately wafted through the air as he opened it up. “Um...Tyler? Is that what I think it is?”
“It’ll calm your nerves,” Tyler said as he commenced rolling a joint.
“I haven’t smoked since I was a lot younger. Not sure it’s a good idea. And it’s a fire hazard.”
Tyler laughed. “Don’t worry, Ranger Tim, I won’t smoke it in the forest. Trust me. It’s the best shit you’ll ever have. No mind-confusion or paranoia. It’s just pure body-weed.”
“Body-weed?”
“It means it won’t screw with your thoughts or anything. You’ll just feel relaxed, euphoric, and numb enough not to care if a pasty-white alien-hybrid sits down across from you. He won’t freak you out.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because.” Tyler finished rolling the joint and licked the seam. “This is my own supply. I use it to help me sleep.”
“Ogden doesn’t care if you smoke it?”
“Where the hell do you think I got it from?”
“You’re kidding. Ogden gives you weed?”
“Oh yeah, for years now. PTSD is a bitch, and Ogden ain’t got no time for that.” Tyler lit the joint, took a couple puffs, then leaned over the coffee table, offering it to Tim.
Silenced by the PTSD comment, Tim accepted the joint. He took the smallest puff he could manage without looking like a scaredy-cat, then handed it back. “So...we’re actually smoking government-issue weed right now.”
“Not exactly.” Tyler took another hit, and Tim was mesmerized that anyone could look so sexy blowing a funnel of smoke from his lips. “Ogden is not a government employee. He’s above the government. Or at least outside of it.” He handed the joint back to Tim.
Tim brought it to his lips. Since he hadn’t immediately felt anything uncomfortable after the first hit, he inhaled a bit more smoke this time, holding it in for a few seconds before exhaling. “So it’s more like...shadow-government weed.”
Tyler grinned. “Okay. Sure.”
“I think that’s enough for me.” Tim handed the joint back. “Like I said, it’s been a while, don’t want to get too fried.”
“Oh, what you had is plenty. This shit’s mellow, but it’s strong.”
Soon as the words left Tyler’s mouth, Tim began to feel incredibly good. He leaned back in the chair, his entire body relaxing. “Oh, wow. Yeah. I see what you mean about the body-buzz.”
“Right? It’ll just take the edge off of things for you today.”
“Yeah.” Tim nodded, smiling. “I like this shadow-government weed. SGW is the way to travel.”
Tyler smirked. “You’re assigning acronyms to things, I think your brain’s still functioning just fine. Okay, let me give you some prep for today.”
“What kind of prep?”
“Baz prep.” Tyler stubbed the joint out on the lighter, then slipped it into the baggy, rolling it closed. “I don’t know if you heard Baz speak the night of the wedding party, but he has an unusual, raspy voice. Uses a unique kind of broken English. You get used to it. He chooses his words carefully though, and Nolan says his English has gotten a lot better lately since he’s been spending time with them socially. But if you have any trouble following along with what he says, just nudge me and I’ll translate. I’ll make sure I’m right next to you the whole time.”
“You’re being really thoughtful. Thank you.”
Tyler shrugged. “JT and those guys will probably hammer Baz with questions a million miles an hour. They’ll want to make sure the Whites have nothing to do with whatever’s screwing with you up at the station. They have no patience, and sometimes Baz can get flustered. When he does, he rocks back and forth or bobs his head in a weird way. Don’t let it freak you out. It’s just how he expresses agitation.”
“Okay. Got it.”
“You’ve seen his height of course. He’s only about seven feet, but he’s skinny so it makes him look taller.”
“The height doesn’t bother me. I got a good look at that already.”
“Great. He has a lot of human-like features. But then there are the eyes. They’re bigger than human eyes. Not as big as the full Whites’, but noticeably larger. Double-iris, ring of blue and green. Slightly oval pupil. Lashes are pure white and super-long.”
“I saw Baz’s eyes the night of the wedding. And Joff’s.”
“But only for a second before you bolted,” Tyler said. “I was watching you.”
“Yeah. And?”
“And it’s different sitting there having an actual conversation with him if you’re not used to his eyes. He wears dark sunglasses to hide them a lot, but the guys like him to take them off because they can read his expressions better. But if you don’t think you can handle it, I can ask that Baz keep the sunglasses on.”
Still feeling pleasantly relaxed, Tim shook his head. “No, I don’t want to draw attention to myself. I don’t want everyone to know I’m a chicken shit. I’ll deal with the eyes.”
“Okay. But if at any point you start to get freaked out, just look away from him. And squeeze my hand if you need me to make an excuse to get you out of there.”
Tim knew he was buzzed, but he felt so much affection for Tyler right then that he didn’t know what to say. It bloomed in his chest, making him want to dive over and hug him. This guy cares about me. That was his gut feeling. Was he fooling himself? Possibly, but he let the feeling linger a bit longer, enjoying it.
Tyler smiled, then frowned. “Still with me? You got quiet. Questions?”
“I just want you to know I really appreciate you doing this for me. It’s really cool of you, Tyler.”
“It’s no problem. Just precautionary. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“I’m sure I will.” Tim smiled. “But regardless, you’re the first one to give a shit how I’m handling things. You took care of me that night I broke down. And you’re still taking care of me. I hate to say it makes me feel weak. But it kind of does. Elliot and those guys seem to take it all in stride, but here I need a coach and a babysitter.”
Tyler shook his head. “Every single person on that team, in one way or another, was eased slowly into this life. Recruited. Trained over a period of years. You had it sprung on you unexpectedly. You can’t compare yourself to them, it’s not the same.”
“And what about you?” Tim asked. “Were you recruited?”
He nodded. “When I was sixteen.”
“Why were you recruited?”
Tyler stared at him, silent.
“Does your black ops stare translate to ‘Shut up now, Tim’ or something like that?”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
“I see. Hey, I should be fine with Baz if I’m starting to understand your weird unspoken language. Just give me a hint. Myles said Christian got recruited after he broke into the Pentagon. You do something like that?”
“No.” Tyler smiled. “I wasn’t recruited because I had a crazy-smart brain like JT or because I was a talented child-thief like Christian or anything like that. I’m here because I survived something when all odds were against me surviving. Ogden decided I was brave and that he could use me. And that really is the last I’m going to say about it.”
“Okay, got it.” Tim moved to the sofa, sitting down beside Tyler. “But again, thank you for prepping me today. You didn’t have to.”
Tyler eyed Tim shyly, clearly not expecting him to suddenly be there, sidled up right next to him. He didn’t look disappointed, but perhaps a bit flustered, which pleased Tim. It wasn’t easy to catch Tyler in a moment of discomposure. “I just want this all to go smoothly,” Tyler said. His lashes dipped as he cast his gaze to the floor. “Brett wants you over there today. If you’re in a good state of mind, helps everyone.”
“I see. So it’s all just work-related.”
“What else would it be?”
Tim laughed. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you actually care for me?”
“Nonsense,” Tyler said, but his cheeks dimpled with a tight smile.
“Ah, okay, you don’t care. My mistake.” Resting a hand on Tyler’s thigh, he said, “Then maybe you just want to make sure I survive it all so we can have that casual sex you were talking about last night.”
“Hmm.” Tyler glanced at the clock on the wall. “Brett’s gonna want us over there soon. But we can probably spare a minute if you want to fuck now.”
“A whole minute, huh? Sounds romantic.”
“Who said anything about romantic?”
“I see. Then what, you want me to just bend you over and jackhammer you?”
“I told you last night. I’ll let you do whatever you want. So sure. Jackhammer works for me.”
“What if it doesn’t work for me? What if I want something else?”
Tyler looked wary. “Like what?”
“Ah, something with a bit more feeling, maybe?”
“Feeling?” Tyler huffed, but a pink flush climbed his neck. “You’ll get off. That’s a feeling.”
“Not just that kind of feeling.” Tim placed his hand flat on Tyler’s chest.
Tyler glanced down, then eyed Tim with amusement. “You want to touch my chest?”
“Uh huh.”
“Doesn’t sound nearly as fun as fucking, but okay. Whatever works for you.”
“Shh, be quiet. I’m checking for a heartbeat.”
“Oh you’re hilarious, Patterson.”
“No, it’s good news. I found one! You’re not a robot after all.”
Tyler grabbed Tim’s hand, but didn’t push it away, holding it to his chest. “Quit screwing around. What do you mean you want something else? We can do whatever you want. Long as it’s...different from last time.”
“Well I hope it’ll be fucking different from last time! I’m not having a mental breakdown for starters.”
“You know what I mean. We’re making a new memory here, doing a manual override. So tell me what you want.”
Tim wished he could say Tyler’s clinical attitude was a deterrence, but that would be a lie. Even the words ‘manual override’ sounded hot when Tyler said them. There wasn’t anything that could possibly stop Tim from wanting him.
Hesitating, he wondered if he could be honest about how he wanted him. Elliot got in his head last night with all that talk about how odd and unfeeling Tyler was. But fuck that. Tim wouldn’t walk on eggshells around Tyler. Maybe that was part of the problem. People thought Tyler was different, so they treated him as such. Everyone tip-toeing around him like he was some precious, breakable anomaly. Tim decided then and there he wouldn’t comply with those prejudices. For him, Tyler was just a man. A man he wanted in a certain way. And he’d tell him straight.
“Okay, Tyler. What if I want to spend time looking in your eyes. Touching you. Tasting you. Worshipping that amazing body of yours. And it is amazing. I remember that clearly, nervous breakdown or not. What if I want to do all that before I fuck you? And then what if I want to have sex hard and slow, making it last a good long time. Over and over until the bed breaks and the room gets hot and sweaty and the windows fog up and we’re both so dehydrated from fucking and coming that we’re drained of bodily fluids and need to order an entire keg of Gatorade to recover. What if I want that?”
Tyler’s eyes widened before he shook his head. “No. No way.” His hands slid to his groin, clearly covering something there. “That won’t work.”
“Why won’t it work? Just hearing me say it gave you a boner, I can see it.”
“Because that’s not gonna fix anything. That’s too much like last time.”
“Like last time? You’re joking.”
“No.”
“Tyler, last time, I pounced on you like a horny gorilla, had just recovered from a hyperventilating anxiety attack, and I cried like a drunken prom-queen after. How is the scenario I just presented in any way like last time?”
Tyler shrugged. “It’s intimate.”
“Oh, wow.” Tim stood and stepped away from the sofa. Chuckling, he rubbed his forehead, then pointed at Tyler. “I take back what I said. You actually are a robot.”
“I’m not a damn robot, Tim. What’s wrong with casual fucking?”
“No, you’re right. Nothing wrong with it.” Tim yanked his sweatshirt off over his head, swung it around like a lasso, then tossed it to the floor. “Yee haw! Casual fucking!”
Coughing, Tyler’s brows rose. “What are you doing?”
“What do you think I’m doing? I’m getting ready.” Unlacing his boots, Tim kicked them off somewhat dramatically, making Tyler jump when one hit the wall. “We’re gonna do it your way, tough-guy.”
“My way.”
“Yep.” Peeling his tee shirt off, he tossed it at Tyler. It landed on his head, covering his face.
Pulling the tee shirt free, Tyler blinked up at him. “I appreciate the striptease, but is something wrong? You’re acting weird.”
“Ha! Tyler says I’m acting weird. That’s rich.”
“Tim, seriously. You mad now?”
“Not at all.” He unfastened his belt. “Let’s get crazy!” The belt made a cracking sound as he whipped it loose in one pull, then flung it roughly to the floor. “We’ll just get right down to it. Come on then. Take your pants off and bend over. I’m gonna destroy that shadow-government ass.”
Tyler’s lip quirked at the corner.
“What? Why are you smirking? That’s not a sex face.”
“I said I wanted casual, not...whatever this is.”
Tim threw his arms up. “I just got halfway to naked in fifteen seconds! Is that not quick enough for you? What the hell am I doing wrong now?” He unzipped his jeans and shoved them down, stepping out of them and leaving him in his briefs. Hands on his hips, he asked, “Am I not fit enough? Is that it?” He grabbed his crotch then did a twirl, Michael Jackson style. “Does my body not meet your elite standards, Tyler?”
Tyler brought Tim’s tee shirt to his nose, inhaling. “You’re being ridiculous right now, but your body is actually making me drool a little in my mouth.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Problem is your stance says you want to fight me, not fuck me.”
“Nonsense, I’m gonna strap you and ride you like a wild pony. Saddle-up, baby!”
Tyler’s back jerked, and for a moment Tim worried he was about to vomit. But when he doubled over, it became obvious he’d been holding in his laughter. Face in his hands, Tyler let out a series of high-pitched cackles, shoulders shaking.
“Are you laughing?” Tim stepped closer to the couch. “Wow, you sure know how to hurt a guy.”
“I’m sorry.” Tyler glanced up, his face red and splotchy. “I’m...” More laughter shook him and he wiped his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, you just...” That high-pitched cackle came again, Tyler gasping as he tried to talk through it. “The thing with the...” He made a tugging motion with his hand over his waist. “The belt. Oh God.”
Tim knelt on the floor, resting his palms on Tyler’s knees. “Glad I could amuse you.” He stroked Tyler’s thighs over the denim. “Did you know I was lamenting just this morning that I couldn’t get a real laugh out of you?”
“Well you’ve got it now. Oh, Christ.” Straightening, Tyler wiped his eyes.
Chuckling, Tim studied Tyler’s flushed face. “Thought you were used to that SGW.”
“I am. That was all you.”
Grabbing Tyler’s chin, Tim allowed himself to really study his face. Look into his eyes close up, and without Tyler turning away this time. “You look gorgeous right now.”
“I doubt that.”
“No, really. It’s like that edge you’ve always got is softened.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“I won’t, believe me. I’m just happy I got to hear you laugh like that.”
Rolling his eyes, Tyler swiped away a tear with the back of his hand. “It takes a lot to get me there. You’re just ridiculous enough to do it I guess.”
“I guess. Hey, look at this.” He used his thumb to wipe the remaining moistness under Tyler’s eye. “You’re the one crying this time.”
“Right.” Chuckling, Tyler nodded and wiped his other eye. “Different kind of tears, though.”
“Yeah. Different kind of tears. In fact, this whole scenario is pretty different from last time, right?” Tim cupped Tyler’s cheek, leaning closer. “Isn’t that what you wanted? For it to be completely different?”
Eyelids fluttering, Tyler said, “I suppose.”
“And we’re not on the kitchen floor. That’s different.”
“Yeah. Pretty different.”
“Different enough that I can touch you now?” Tim whispered.
With no hesitation, Tyler peeled off his shirt.
Tim was more struck by the look in Tyler’s eyes than the sudden exposure of bare flesh. Tyler kept his gaze locked on Tim’s, an invitation in his eyes. His breath grew heavier as they stared each other down. Seeing Tyler aroused was the ultimate aphrodisiac, and before even venturing to touch his muscled torso, Tim was kissing him, grabbing his face and devouring his mouth.
Tyler breathed into it, managing to be both pliant and rigid. Tim knew Tyler liked kissing him, he’d felt it last night in the car, and he could feel it now. But for some reason, it also seemed to make him anxious, and just like last night, Tyler instantly began to retreat.
“Not yet,” Tim whispered. He kept his fingers hooked around the back of Tyler’s neck, holding him in place, their lips a hair’s breadth apart. “Kiss me just a little longer.”
Tyler’s breath hitched, then their lips met again. He came in hard this time, kissing Tim back with such passion it nearly knocked him over. His hands slid over Tim’s shoulders, fingers gripping tight. With what felt like a bit more reluctance this time, Tyler broke their kiss.
Tim allowed the retreat, and rather than grill Tyler about his mixed signals, he took a moment to trail fingers down his bare chest, over his rippled stomach, watching the flesh quiver in response to his touch. Perfection. Even Tyler’s navel was perfect, small and soft with a cute little ball in the center. As Tim circled it with his finger, he whispered, “Perfect. You’re perfect.”
“Don’t call me that. Please.”
Tim glanced up, surprised to see the pained look in Tyler’s eyes, the tension in his shoulders. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Just please don’t use that word. I don’t like it.”
Tim didn’t understand that at all, but he could see it bothered Tyler, so he’d respect his wishes. To quickly change the subject, he leaned over and used his teeth to pop open the button on Tyler’s zipper. “What do we have in here?”
Letting out a relieved-sounding chuckle, Tyler threaded fingers through Tim’s hair. “It’s a surprise.”
“Can I unwrap it?” Tim asked, nudging Tyler’s bulge with his nose. “Is it for me?”
“I don’t need all this foreplay.” Tyler unzipped his jeans the rest of the way, then grabbed Tim’s hand and pressed it down on his cock over his briefs. “I’m ready to go.”
Tim inhaled sharply. Tyler’s cock was stretched thick and long, hard and hot and pulsing up into his palm. “Damn. I guess you are.”
“How do you want me?”
“Um...to be honest Tyler, I’d like to feel like you’re not just trying to get this over with.”
“I’m not. I’m just letting you know. All this touching and kissing isn’t necessary.”
“No?” Tim squeezed Tyler over his briefs, making him jump. “Doesn’t feel like you mind it. Kind of what got you hard in the first place, isn’t it? The touching and kissing?”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” Tyler said, but his eyes closed and his hips tilted, lurching for more friction as Tim rubbed him.
“I’ve been wanting to touch and kiss you from the minute you walked into the station last night. If you think I’m not going to take a few minutes to do just that you’re fooling yourself.”
“Is that right?” Tyler hissed when Tim leaned over and nibbled him through his briefs, shifting his head to the side and teasing with his teeth.
“That’s right,” he mumbled against the fabric. “You’re so hard,” he whispered, and bit down again, still gentle, but with more hunger. “Dying to get this in my mouth.”
Tyler’s breath hitched twice. “That’s not necessary.”
“It is for me.” He mouthed the head of Tyler’s cock. “I wanna suck this.”
“You gonna insist on playing with me first?” Tyler asked. His tone tried for nonchalance, but his voice’s breathiness gave away the truth. Tim playing with him was having quite an effect.
“Yeah, I’m gonna insist,” Tim said, lifting his head and smirking up at Tyler, who watched him with heavy lids. “I want your naked cock on my hot wet tongue.”
Stomach shuddering, Tyler whispered, “Okay.”
“Oh, you’ve decided to allow that inconvenience?”
Tyler’s brows pinched, eyes closing. “Shut up. Please, just do it.”
“You want your cock in my mouth?”
“Yes! Jesus, yes.”
“Let’s go to the bedroom.”
“Got a couch right here.”
“Not good enough.” Rising off the floor, he grabbed Tyler’s wrist and tugged him to his feet. “I promise it’ll be quick because I’m so fucking turned on I won’t last long. And we probably won’t be at it long enough to steam up the windows. But you are coming to get in my bed with me. Right now.”
Tyler looked up into Tim’s eyes, that shy smirk back on his face. “I am, huh?”
“You are.” He walked backwards, leading Tyler by the hand toward his bedroom. “No complaints. No trying to rush things. And I say when it’s enough foreplay. Got it?”
When they crossed the threshold, Tyler wriggled his hand loose, and Tim was half-certain he was going to flee. Instead, he finished undressing in a flash, bending over and taking his boots off, shoving his jeans and briefs down, stepping out of them. “Understood.”
Tim’s jaw hit the floor with the sight of Tyler completely, gloriously naked, erection pointing straight up. “Damn. Get in my bed.”
Tyler threw himself down onto the mattress. Lying on his back, he stretched his body out, arms above his head. “I told you last night. You can do anything you want. So what are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna suck your dick then I’m gonna fuck the ever-living hell out of you.”
“Get to it then.”
Tim wasted no more time. He dropped his own briefs and crawled onto the bed. “Can we admit now that we both just wanted to be together again?” he asked as he moved slowly up the mattress, sliding his palms over Tyler’s legs. “And all your tactical nonsense about overriding the past was bullshit?”
“It’s not bullshit.” Tyler grabbed a handful of Tim’s hair, impatient to bring him closer. “This still serves a higher purpose.”
“Whatever you say, Tyler. I don’t even care anymore.”
The blinds were half-drawn so the room was mostly dark, the floor slashed with bars of yellow where the sun leaked through. Tyler’s olive skin was striped with shadow and light, eyes on Tim as he crawled over his body and came to a pushup position on top of him. “Hi there.”
Tyler grinned shyly. “Hey.”
Tim slowly lowered himself down, and a small sigh escaped Tyler as their warm flesh met. Tim kissed down his neck, over his chest, sucking his nipples, inhaling his scent, and just relishing in the bliss of having Tyler in his bed, naked and all his for as long as this lasted. For such a tough guy, Tyler’s skin was crazy-soft. He smelled fresh like floral soap, a spicy deodorant scent in the mix when Tim kissed closer to his underarms. But Tyler’s skin on Tim’s tongue tasted all-natural, salty and musky with a hint of sweat, and Tim wanted to spend hours devouring and exploring him.
But they didn’t have hours. Because Tyler had made clear they were expected elsewhere soon. And because despite how delicious this foreplay was, there was no way Tim could wait that long to get his dick inside Tyler.
There was little movement from Tyler himself while Tim touched and tasted and glided up and down his body. But he was yielding as Tim shifted him on the mattress and arranged his limbs the way he wanted them. When he got their erections aligned and pressed his hips down, he was rewarded with the softest of moans, and realized each small reaction from Tyler held extra weight because he was so passive. In the past, with a different man, Tim might have thought of this passive body beneath him as lifeless, dull, even insulting in its seeming lack of enthusiasm.
But while he continued to explore Tyler’s warm, nude body with his hands and mouth, something about his soft passiveness was sexy as hell. It felt very Tyler, his sexual personality aligned with every other facet of him—his mind, his body, his emotions, all seemingly eager to be penetrated whilst presenting as impenetrable. Maybe Elliot was right that Tyler sought to sabotage potential romantic connections. He’d been rude to Tim several times, so rude that another man might have thrown in the towel and flounced off, slamming the door on the way out. Maybe a small part of Tyler did want Tim to tell him to fuck off with his games and his coldness.
But maybe, either consciously or unconsciously, Tyler was testing him, wanting to see if he could handle him as he was, if he’d suffer the rough terrain in order to get to what was on the other side.
So what was on the other side? Tim wasn’t sure exactly, but felt he was getting a taste of it as he sucked and bit his way down Tyler’s ribs, getting rewarded with the sound of a breathy whimper from above. He relished the challenge now that he recognized it, the hard-won rewards, the tiny, barely-audible signals that indicated Tyler was responding. Those reactions were small but they were real, and that made it feel like Tyler’s coldness was a front, his words just boobytraps set out to discourage those unwilling to run the gauntlet.
Tyler instantly spread his thighs when Tim urged them apart. A quivering sigh when Tim’s tongue circled his hipbone. And finally, a growl when he took Tyler’s straining cock deep into his mouth.
Wanting to taste every ridge, he let go only long enough to glide Tyler’s cock up and down his tongue a few times, then he took him deep again, trapping him with a tongue-flutter so he couldn’t escape the pleasure.
“Shit,” Tyler whispered, his hips jerking once, heels digging into the mattress.
If he didn’t currently have a mouthful of cock, Tim would have smiled, proud of himself for making Tyler curse. He was becoming damn near obsessed with seeing just how much Tyler’s flesh could take before he was forced to respond. And as Tim softened his lips and lapped his way up and down Tyler’s cock, he also lapped up each little hiss and grunt like the precious gifts they were, even better when those reactions became steadily louder and more frequent.
“Stop...Tim stop.” Fingers tugged at Tim’s hair, and he finally released Tyler’s dick and peered up the length of his body. Tyler was breathing heavily, chest rising and falling, eyes closed.
“Too much?”
“Ah, yeah. I almost came.”
Tim chuckled. Even on the cusp of climax, there was attitude in Tyler’s tone. Tim climbed back up the mattress and hovered over him, staring down at that gorgeous flushed face in the shadows. He liked the small arrow-shaped scowl between Tyler’s brows, like he was concentrating very hard on not coming. Smiling, he used his index finger to smooth that place between Tyler’s brows. “Don’t you want to come, my robot?”
“Not until you’re inside me.” Unexpectedly, Tyler grabbed Tim’s face and pulled him down for a kiss. Linking legs around Tim’s, Tyler’s undulations urged him on, hot gliding flesh and soft tongue in his mouth. He dug his fingernails into Tim’s back, whimpering into his mouth as his hips bucked, begging with his body. Because of the slow buildup, Tyler’s wanton enthusiasm now had Tim so hard and throbbing he actually felt dizzy from pure anticipation.
“Damn,” Tim huffed when Tyler released his mouth. “You want me?” he whispered.
Tyler nodded, brows pinching tight “How long you gonna make me wait?”
“If this is what waiting does to you, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll make you wait a bit longer.” He stroked Tyler’s lip with his thumb.
Tyler sucked Tim’s thumb into his mouth before popping it back out. “You gonna be nice and use lube this time?” He sucked Tim’s index finger, swirling his tongue around it before sliding it out again. “Or do I need to suck your cock first so it’s not so dry?”
“Fuck. Yes, I’ll use lube and do you proper this time, but damn, stop sucking my fingers or I’m gonna come before I get inside you. You have any idea what that does to me?”
“Course I do. I’m trying to find the accelerator.” Tyler grinned, then fluttered his tongue along Tim’s palm. “Get your motor running so you’ll speed up and fuck me already.”
“Be careful what you wish for, because I’m ready to go full throttle now.”
“Show me.” Tyler lifted his hips, rubbing his cock against Tim’s. “I’ll let you do whatever you want.”
“Holy crap, Tyler.” Every time Tyler said that, starting with last night on Elliot’s front porch, Tim’s dick turned to granite. “I’ll let you do whatever you want.” It was just one more way his passiveness was sexy, almost aggressively so. Yeah, this guy had definitely figured out how to get Tim’s motor running.
“Tell me,” Tyler said. “How do you want me?”
Scrambling off the mattress, Tim dove for the supply drawer. “Well, last time you were on your back, and you said you want it different this time so—”
Before he could finish the sentence, Tyler had rolled over onto his stomach. Hugging the pillow with both arms, he smirked up at Tim, eyes flicking from his face to his cock as he got a condom on and lubed it up.
“What are you smiling at?”
“Your hands are shaking.”
“Yeah, well.” He slapped Tyler’s bare ass as he climbed onto the mattress. “I’ve got you naked in my bed. Kind of the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in...maybe ever.”
Tyler’s grin slid away. “Ever?”
Tim shrugged. “Honestly. Yeah. It’s in the running.”
“You really want me that much?”
Tim worried momentarily that he’d gone too far with his words, and now Tyler was going to start throwing up barriers in double-speed. But that look in Tyler’s eyes was not caution, it was something closer to pleasure, so Tim just went with it. “Yeah,” he said, nuzzling the back of Tyler’s neck. Hooking an arm beneath Tyler’s hips, he lifted his gorgeous ass up higher. “I want you that much. Now bend your leg so I can get in there before I explode.”
Tyler rested his forehead on his folded arms as though in prayer, then lifted himself up onto his knees, ass in the air. Tim groaned at the sight and ran his palm up over the bumps of Tyler’s spine, then higher to thread fingers through his short hair. Seeing Tyler in this position, just waiting for Tim to fuck him...it was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. Had he seen other men in this position? Sure he had. Lots of times. So why was this the sexiest thing he’d ever seen?
You know why. Because it’s Tyler. You like this weirdo too much and you’re fucked because of it. The realization almost made Tim change his mind about doing this. He was becoming obsessed with Tyler too fast, and maybe it was because of that night he’d fucked him during a nervous breakdown. Maybe this devastating attraction was all tangled up in fear and shock and things that made no sense. Maybe he wasn’t in control and should pump the brakes before he crashed into a tree.
“Please,” Tyler whispered, and that was all Tim could take. His doubts disappeared with that one whispered word, so without hesitation, he worked the head of his cock between those tight globes and found the right spot, pressing against Tyler’s hot entrance.
Shocking him, Tyler pushed back, impaling himself on Tim’s cock. “Do it.”
Gasping, Tim’s hand slapped down on Tyler’s shoulder. “Tyler, God...I wasn’t ready.”
“I was.” He pushed back again. “Stop hesitating. You didn’t need so much prompting last time we were together.”
Slapping both hands down on Tyler’s ass, Tim pushed into him, the pleasure so intense he saw little specs of light dancing in the air. “Thought you wanted it different this time,” he huffed.
Tyler whimpered, spine curling like a cat as he pushed himself up onto his palms. “Different sure but...” He gasped and threw his head back when Tim broke through and filled him completely. “I did like the enthusiasm last time.”
Pinching the end of the condom, Tim slowly pulled out.
Hissing, Tyler looked back over his shoulder. “Are you actually gonna start teasing me right now?”
“No. Turn over.”
“Why?”
“Because I love the sight of your ass, but I want to see you on your back with your legs in the air.” Like last time, he thought, but didn’t say so. Despite Tyler’s hellbent determination to override that memory, Tim had no problem separating the trauma from the sex. He had a perfectly beautiful recollection of how hard he’d come staring down at Tyler’s climaxing face, and he wanted to do it again.
Tyler complied immediately, rolling over onto his back, a gleam in his eye as he looked up at Tim. “Now what?”
“Now I’m gonna show you my enthusiasm.”
Hooking his arms around his own knees, Tyler held them against his chest, exposing all for Tim to see. “Show me then.” He smirked. “You’re the one in control, right?”
“Like hell I am. Manipulative little shit,” Tim muttered, but he was already diving in, like a man insane, unable to restrain himself as he plunged his cock deep.
“God, yes,” Tyler whispered. “Fuck me.”
“I am fucking you.” Tim groaned. “But say it again anyway.”
“Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me.”
And then Tim was lost. Lost as his hips pumped and the pleasure built, the sheath of hot flesh around his cock like a custom fit. And just when he thought his arousal had peaked to its maximum potential, Tyler gasped out, “Fuck me, deeper,” and wrapped his ankles around Tim’s neck.
“Oh, that’s hot,” Tim whispered. “Keep your legs there, just like that. If you can.”
“I can. I could do this all day.”
“Thought you wanted it over fast.”
Tyler chuckled, the movement sending ripples through his body, making Tim groan. “Try to go slow then,” Tyler said, using his ankles to tug Tim down, lifting his ass to meet his thrusts. “I dare you.”
“You know I can’t now.” Tim whimpered, orgasm tapping at the door as he fucked Tyler relentlessly. Leaning one arm on the mattress, he fumbled between their sweaty bodies and found Tyler’s cock, still hard and thick. Gripping it tight he jerked it, staring directly into Tyler’s eyes as he penetrated his body again and again. Tyler didn’t look away, and Tim’s emotions rose with the impending climax. Though he wasn’t confident he could follow through, he whispered, “I’m not blowing it ‘til you do. I wanna see your face.”
“You wanna watch me come?”
“Fuck yes, I wanna watch you.” They were both speaking through heavy breaths, each on the cusp. “I wanna see your face and look in your eyes the moment you blow your load. That too intimate for you?” Tim emphasized the word with a palm-twist around the head of Tyler’s dick.
Tyler hissed, lashes fluttering. “Maybe,” he huffed. “It’s pretty intimate.”
“You’ve got your ankles wrapped around my neck. That’s pretty damn intimate too.”
Laughing, Tyler’s brows pinched when Tim hit his prostate hard. “That’s debatable,” he gasped. “There are varying degrees of intimate.”
“Shut up and come.” Tim fucked him faster, nailing his prostate and tugging and twisting his cock. “Come for me right fucking now, Tyler. And don’t look away.”
Tyler took in a gasp of air, shuddered, then exploded. Hot fluid shot from his cock, painting his stomach and drenching Tim’s fist. His eyes stayed locked on Tim’s as his mouth opened wide, like a silent scream.
“That’s it,” Tim huffed. “Holy shit, look at you.”
Tyler’s neck flushed as he peaked, and Tim watched his face through all of it, until it triggered his own orgasm and he couldn’t hold back. Not giving Tyler a chance to think about what was ‘too intimate’ or any of that nonsense, Tim captured his mouth with his as he rode the bliss, kissing him with all the passion he felt inside.
Their lips finally parted as Tim came down from the orgasm. At some point Tyler’s legs had unhooked from around his neck and fallen back to the mattress. Tyler had his arms wrapped around Tim’s back, holding him close, bodies flush together. Then there was only the sound of his own heartbeat, gradually slowing, along with their quiet breathing. The scent of sex and sweat and floral soap. Perfect, contented bliss.
Cautious and cynical, Tim expected Tyler to break the bliss and wriggle free at any moment, but he didn’t move.
And neither did Tim, even as his cock softened and slipped out he continued to hold Tyler close, content to never move again. Let their sweat and Tyler’s cum dry and fuse them together like glue, Tim didn’t care. He felt too good to imagine anything better than this, so fuck it, let an asteroid hit the house now. He was fine with it. He’d lived a good life, and this was a satisfactory ending.
Then came the crying...but it wasn’t either of them this time. Through the window, outside, somewhere in the back yard, the high-pitched squall of an infant. Tim’s fantasy of lying forever in Tyler’s arms dissipated in a flash as they both disengaged from each other and sprang off the mattress. “Is that in your back yard?”
“That’s the sound,” Tim said as they both went to the window. “I mean, I know babies all sound kind of the same when they cry, but I swear that’s the exact sound I kept hearing up on the mountain.”
Peering through the glass, they studied the back yard, but saw nothing. The baby’s cry still wailed like a siren, somewhere close by. At the far end of his lawn, a copse of trees formed an entrance to the beach beyond, the pale sand and gray-blue of the water visible.
“How close are your neighbors?” Tyler asked.
“Not too far. About a quarter-acre between houses, one on either side.”
“They got kids?”
“No. But everyone in the village walks the beach. Could be a family down there.”
Tyler looked at him. “It sounded closer than that. I want to go outside and check.”
Tim nodded, feeling more panicked the longer he heard that infant’s incessant wailing. “Can’t be the same thing I heard on the mountain though, can it? I mean...down here? This is my home for Christ sakes. That’s gotta be a real baby. Right?”
“I don’t know.” Surprising him, Tyler grabbed Tim’s face and gave him a quick, hard kiss. “Get dressed, we’ll figure it out,” he said, and went scrambling for his clothes.
Tim smiled. The kiss still burned as he cleaned up and got dressed.
Ten minutes later, he and Tyler were standing on the beach beyond his yard. Way down the beach to their left, closer to the amusement park, they did see a cluster of what looked like children playing. But though the infant’s cry had ceased now, it had definitely not been coming from that far away.
Tim walked around the area, then spent some time checking the surrounding woods, just to be sure. Tyler stepped up behind him. “Anything?”
“Not that I can see. I just wanted to double-check, on the off-chance that was a real baby abandoned out here.”
“Sure sounded like a real baby to me.”
“Yeah, I know,” Tim said. “But it always does. Up on the mountain in the dark of night, sounds exactly like a real baby. Fuck. Why does it have to be a crying baby? That’s like the creepiest sound in the world. If someone’s doing it on purpose just to scare me, they’re an asshole.”
“Why would someone want to scare you, though?”
“I don’t know, Tyler! I don’t know what the deal is. I thought that’s what you were here to help me figure out.”
“I’m working on it. But we shouldn’t assume the baby’s cry is intended to scare you. It could have another purpose.”
“Like what?”
“Well, it managed to lure us out of the house just now, didn’t it? And managed to lure you out of the station up on the mountain you said.”
“That’s what you think? That something’s trying to lure me?”
“Maybe someone...or something just wants to see you. You’re the forest ranger and a decent human being, so of course you’re always going to go outside and check it out if you hear a baby crying. Especially in the woods up on the mountain at night.”
“You think someone’s faking a baby cry to lure me out so they can...see me.”
“It’s one possibility. Another is they’re luring you outside for a more nefarious purpose. Perhaps they ultimately intend to kill you or abduct you.”
“That’s great, Tyler. If you think you’re being helpful by sharing that idea with me you’ve got a lot to learn about regular people.”
“I’m sorry.” Tyler winced. “It’s just the way we’d theorize it back at headquarters, if there’s a chance it might be non-terrestrial. We go worst-case scenario first. I forget sometimes you’re not...used to this kind of thing.”
“No, Tyler, I’m not. I’m just an average guy who responds badly to casual conversation about my potential abduction and murder. Go figure.”
“I’m sorry. We should get over to Nolan and Elliot’s place. Maybe they’ll have some answers for us.”
Tim nodded. “Okay, good idea. Let’s go.”
“Can I drive?”
“You think I’m too hysterical to drive again?”
“No. I just prefer to drive.”
Tossing Tyler the keys, Tim said, “Sure. Take the wheel, Tyler. On everything.”
“You trust me now?”
Tim laughed as they headed back around the house toward the driveway. “Do I have a choice? I either trust you or I handle shit on my own. And I think we both know I’m not capable of handling stuff on my own.”
When they reached the truck, Tyler muttered, “You handled me just fine in bed.”
“Excuse me, what was that?”
Smirking, Tyler unlocked the truck. “Nothing.”
Tim hopped in, and once they were on the road, he said, “Did you actually just make a flirty comment?”
“No.”
“No? Sure sounded like it to me.”
“Just a fact.”
“A fact that I handled you just fine. In bed.”
“Yep.”
“So no complaints then?”
“Nope.”
“Can we do it again?”
“Why would we?” Tyler said. “We made a new memory. Didn’t we? Fixed the problem.”
“Yeah.” Tim laughed. “Got a confession for you, Tyler.”
“What’s that?”
“I never had a problem keeping the old memory. I just wanted to fuck you again.”
Tyler didn’t respond, but when Tim glanced over, he could see his cheeks dimpling the way they did when he was suppressing a grin. That was a satisfying enough reply.
When they got to the house, Nolan stepped out onto the porch, dark hair tied back in a loose bun, expression grim.
“Hey,” Tyler said. “Baz here?”
“Not yet,” Nolan said. “Should be soon.” He glanced at Tim. “Patterson. How you doing?”
“Not so good now that I’ve seen that look on your face.”
“Got some good news and bad news.”
Tim’s steps slowed. “What is it?”
“Cleaned up the station footage, and I’ve caught a clear visual of something coming out of the woods. That’s the good news.”
“What’s the bad news?” Tyler asked.
“I have no idea what the hell it is.”