What did you do to your hair?” Cal’s jaw dropped. He’d scooped up Bruiser the minute he walked through the door, but now he had to put down the tiny dog to avoid squishing him as he tensed up. “Hunter. Your hair.”
This was a nightmare. Hunter looked like a frakking Neo-Nazi with that haircut, and the bleach job didn’t make it less severe. He was still beautiful—it would take a lot more than an unfortunate hairstyle to diminish the power of that face and body—but Cal couldn’t introduce Barnes to Hunter looking like that.
“Hunter. Barnes is coming for dinner tonight. He rescheduled. This is…” Cal exhaled, a heavy sigh, and rubbed his hands over his face in disbelief. “What prompted this? What were you thinking?”
“Tonight?” Hunter ran his hand through his hair, seeming a little surprised that he came up short of its usual length. “What, you think he won’t like my hair now? Did you two have some sort of dirty old man conference about it?”
It was Hunter’s usual puckishness, but he seemed to have a slightly angry edge, as if he was upset. Was it possible that Hunter thought Cal would be into this look? What the frak was he wearing? A white polo? Cargo pants?
Sure, Hunter had those things in his wardrobe, but all of it put together was troubling.
“You just…” Cal trailed off and gestured at Hunter. “What are you wearing?” He’d never imagined he’d demand Hunter change into bondage pants for a visitor, but this was not his Hunter. “Are you a pod person?”
Bru twirled in a circle and bumped up against Cal’s legs as if begging them not to fight. Breathing noisily through his nose, Cal went looking for the doggie treats and picked up Bru again to feed him a couple, trying to make it up to him that things were so tense.
“I was following up on something for work.” Hunter followed Cal into the kitchen and paused in the doorway to look at him. He looked…well, mostly Hunter looked very tired. “Can we put Barnes off? I need to talk to you about something.”
“No, I can’t put Barnes off.” A headache formed in the front of Cal’s skull, throbbing and stabbing. He raised a hand to his brow and pressed it as if he could force the pain back inside. “I tried to text you, but I guess you didn’t get it? While you were ‘following up’ on whatever. Look, I’ve only got like half an hour before Barnes gets here. He’s bringing wine. I got takeout.” Which bag he’d left with his attaché case by the door. “You’ve gotta change, Hunter. I can’t… I can’t even talk to you when you look like that. What, were you hanging out with Nazis?”
He laughed. Even Hunter wouldn’t do something like that. Maybe on 4chan or whatever, but not in meatspace.
Hunter paled, which wasn’t a great response. He exhaled loudly. “Yeah, I was.”
It was hard to tell if he was joking, because Hunter liked to troll. As much as Cal wanted to ask, there wasn’t time.
Hunter looked down at his clothes and shrugged. “I need to change anyway. I smell like dog farts. We had a very long walk; I think Bru’s got most of it out of his system.”
Then Hunter ducked out, presumably to change.
“What?” Cal set Bru on the couch as he followed Hunter. “Did you just say you were hanging out with Nazis? Are you shitting me?” He winced as he caught himself cursing, but he wasn’t about to apologize, not right now. “What is going on, Hunter?”
Bru yipped and raced around his legs before darting over to Hunter and capering, trying to cheer them up.
Hunter turned with his arms out in full display of his look. “Do I look like I’m shitting you? Anyway, Bruiser’s the one who’s been shitting everyone the most. This is going to be a longer conversation than we have time for.”
He pulled the polo over his head and tossed it into the hamper. “What kind of dinner thing is this? Am I supposed to wear a tie or something?”
Jesus. They probably didn’t have time to discuss it, but Cal felt the gripping need to figure out exactly what Hunter had been up to. As for poor Bru… “He’s only pooping so much because he ate that darned pizza. I still can’t believe you left it lying around like that. You know he has a delicate constitution!”
Ugh, it was so beside the point, but Cal was revved up and wasn’t in full control of where he directed his frustration.
He raked his hand through his hair and gestured forcefully at the closet. “Literally anything but the White Nationalist uniform is okay. Literally. Come out in your boxers. I don’t care. Just look like my Hunter and not this bizarre Pepe the Frog imposter.”
“With pleasure.” Hunter paused, his irritation seeming to subside briefly as he crossed to Cal and wrapped his arms around him. It was an unexpected moment of neediness. Maybe this was a reaction to Barnes coming over? Hunter had seemed jealous when they talked about it. “You’re a good man, Cal. I know I’m lucky to be with you.”
Caught off guard, Cal sighed and melted against Hunter, his body hungry for contact as his mind reeled. “Oh, Hunter. You’ve just…”
Cal trailed off as his cock throbbed, and he wrapped his arms tight around Hunter’s middle, lifting him off his feet and giving him a bear hug. “Promise me you’re not going dark side. I love you, so much, but if you… I couldn’t be with someone like that. I couldn’t. I stop people like that.”
Or he had, in previous administrations.
“You know Nikki would kill me, right?” Hunter nuzzled his face against Cal’s neck. “I just went to a thing to see if there was anything bad happening and nothing bad happened.”
He let go of Cal and gazed at him. Again, that weariness entered his expression. “It’s a long story. We can get into it later.”
“Okay.” Cal lifted his hand to caress Hunter’s cheek. “But you can’t just… You can’t just go to things, Hunter. It’s not safe. And you reflect on me.” Cal hated to say that last, but it was true. His career was in enough trouble without Hunter doing something crazy and it getting back to the bosses.
“Can’t help but think that if the current administration saw me hanging out with Nazis they’d give you a promotion.” Hunter frowned, looking sour as he ever did when it came to white supremacists. That was heartening, even if what he said had a foul ring of truth to it. He exhaled again, heavily, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Then he hugged Cal again before turning to get dressed.
Just in time, too, because the doorbell rang. Cal should’ve known Barnes would run early. He had that slightly annoying motto that being early was being on time, being on time was being late. That was true for operations, but dinner?
Cal hadn’t even had a chance to change out of his work clothes or put the takeout in the kitchen. He rushed to the door on Bruiser’s heels, closing the bedroom door behind him. He checked through the peephole to confirm it was Barnes and exhaled to steady himself. Wearing his best “good host” expression, he opened the door.
“Barnes. You’re early.” Cal shook his hand and stepped backward, drawing Barnes in with him, and then closed the door before Bru could dart out. “Hunter’s changing his clothes. He’ll be out in a moment.”
Picking up his all but forgotten case and bag of takeout, Cal headed for the dining room, leading the way for Barnes as Bruiser sniffed him curiously and barked.
Bru and Barnes had never been close. The sporadic affair hadn’t led to much off-the-clock togetherness. Bruiser barked and snarled, just short of nipping at Barnes.
“Sorry, the thing I was at broke up a little early. I can come back if it’s a problem.” Barnes looked down at Bru, sniffing the air briefly. “Uh, nice to see you too, little guy.”
He bent down to pet Bru, but the little dog had other ideas, backing up and barking instead.
“No, no problem, if you can be patient a moment.” Cal had just finished setting the table with takeout, so he rushed to scoop up Bru and carry him to the bedroom. “I’ll just put him away until we’re done.”
Bru struggled and squirmed, trying to get at Barnes as if that would help anything. Cal sighed.
“Hunter, I’m coming in.” He opened the bedroom door and set Bru down on the bed before looking to Hunter. “You ready?”
Much to Cal’s surprise, Hunter did put on a suit to meet Barnes. After the whole polo thing, it was still a little jarring to see him in something other than his usual borderline fetish-wear, but he supposed Hunter was trying to make a good impression.
Perhaps he’d taken to heart the idea that he reflected on Cal? That was hard to imagine, but Hunter was behaving so strangely.
Hunter tidied his tie but mussed his fashy-do, making him look more hipster than Nazi. “Yeah, let’s go sell our souls to some contractors.”
“No soul-selling. Just dinner.” Cal tugged Hunter by his tie, brushed a quick kiss across his lips, and then headed for the door. As Bru barked and tried to follow, Cal held up his hand and then pointed. Bru sat obediently. “Good boy. You wait here for us.”
Bru tilted his head to the side, so cutely put out that Cal almost relented. Then he ushered Hunter out the door and closed it behind them, leaving Bru to run around the room to his heart’s content.
As he moved toward Barnes, he slipped his arm around Hunter’s waist and guided him toward their guest. “Barnes, this is my boyfriend, Hunter Walsh. Hunter is a freelancer. Hunter, this is my former partner, Justin Barnes. Barnes works for Dark Sun.”
Barnes’s gaze on Hunter was slightly unsettling. His expression remained blank, but his eyes raked over him before he stepped in to offer his hand. Perhaps Hunter wasn’t what Barnes was expecting, or maybe he was thrown off by the suit. Certainly, Hunter being accommodating wasn’t included in anyone’s profile of him.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Walsh.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it is.” Hunter smirked as he shook Barnes’s hand. “Cal here says good things about you, so I’m sure you’re not an amoral corporate sleaze sucking off the teat of a corrupt fascist U.S. government.”
Barnes’s brows raised briefly. “Not sure what Riggs said to make you think that, but I can assure you, I’m plenty amoral.” He shook his head before meeting Cal’s horrified gaze. “You weren’t joking about him, were you?”
“Did you think I’d turned into a prankster on you?” Cal chuckled as he shepherded two of the most important people in his life to sit around the table. Cal took his usual place at the head, with Hunter on the right and Barnes on his left. “I got Indian food. There’s Tikka Masala and Vindaloo and Butter Chicken, lots of rice and naan.”
He shot a glance toward the bedroom door, where Bru occasionally whined, and then looked to Hunter. “Which Bru will not have a single bite of, no matter how much he begs.” He smiled as if that wasn’t a dire warning.
Then he looked back to Barnes before spooning food onto plates. “Glad to finally have the two of you in one room together. This feels overdue.”
Hunter picked up the wine bottle that Barnes had brought and started peeling the foil. “I didn’t give him pizza on purpose. He’s very sneaky. You want to think the best of rat dog, but he’s a dawg when it comes to snacks.”
“Rat dog.” Barnes chuckled as he eyed Hunter before turning his attention back to Cal. “Guess Bruiser approves of Hunter more than he does me.”
“Bruiser’s an excellent judge of character.” Hunter twisted the screw into the cork and slowly pulled it out. “I’ll ask him what he’s got against you later, Barnes.”
Cal frowned at Hunter, trying to project a cease and desist. Of course, with Hunter sometimes that look just led to more of the undesirable behavior. It was a crapshoot.
When the food was divvied up, Cal motioned to them to start eating. “Let’s keep this civil, shall we?”
Barnes appeared charmed, taking the bottle from Hunter to pour them each a glass. “I’ll even drink it first, so you know that Bruiser wasn’t warning you that I was here to poison you.”
“Oh good, I was trying to figure out a polite way to ask.” Hunter grinned. He appeared amused, but it was sometimes hard to tell.
“So, you’re the troubled hacker I’ve been hearing so much about.” Barnes pointedly took a sip of his wine.
Seeming to accept that the wine wasn’t poisoned, Hunter took a sip before adding more butter chicken to his plate. “That’s me. You looking for someone to break into the FBI to tell you how much the other contractors are making?”
Barnes chuckled. “Not what we had in mind, but it’s good to know that’s a service you provide.”
“Hunter!” Cal knew Hunter had broken into the FBI databases before, but it didn’t sit well with him that Hunter was all but admitting it to Barnes. Not that Cal didn’t trust Barnes, but it was bad form to joke about it.
Scowling, Cal sipped the wine and tried to get control of his features and his tone, so he’d sound less like a disappointed dad and more like a boyfriend. Sometimes it was difficult. “What were you looking for, Barnes? You may be amoral, but you know I’m not. I won’t allow you to drag Hunter into some nefarious scheme.”
“Allow, huh? How do you feel about that, Hunter?” Barnes grinned, daring Hunter to defy Cal.
“Cal knows my interests.” Hunter was surprisingly frosty in his response, and shockingly didn’t go for being goaded. Or maybe not surprising. He probably knew a troll when he saw one. “I have to keep in mind how my doings might reflect on him.”
Sure, Cal had said that to Hunter about a million times, but he never knew Hunter listened.
Barnes eyed them and then leaned in. “Sure, that’s the company line, but how deep do you get into things? We both know that some of hacking means social engineering. Are you a spy, Hunter?”
“No.” Hunter didn’t even hesitate, which was suspicious on its own. “What I do is under my own power. The FBI doesn’t use me to do undercover operations, nor would they approve it. Honestly, most of what I do in an official capacity is break into phones or systems, get a preview of what might be there. I’m expensive enough to only use in extreme cases and extra-judicial enough to not be used in a case. But you know that. You do some of the same things.”
“Barnes.” Cal narrowed his gaze on his former partner. He projected authority into his voice. This was his house. “Are you trying to homewreck intentionally, or have you just forgotten your manners?”
Barnes’s antagonistic behavior caught Cal off-guard. Maybe he intended it in play, but he’d never played like that with Cal. Not really. Maybe he knew better than to try.
Barnes’s dark eyes clouded momentarily before he eased into a smile. “No offense meant. Just trying to work out the dynamic. There might be things I’d want Mr. Walsh to do that we’d need to keep you ignorant of. By reputation, he is known to be able to work with autonomy.”
Hunter eyed Cal, one brow up. It seemed as if he was looking for guidance on how to respond. The tightness of his lips told Cal that Hunter didn’t like this; neither did Cal.
“I brought you here to get to know my boyfriend and maybe—maybe—hook him up with some work.” Cal’s temper flared, his tone growing flat and dangerous. “Hunter isn’t a criminal.” Anymore. “He operates autonomously, but only when he believes in a cause. His causes are very important to him.”
Cal bit into the lamb vindaloo, letting the fiery spice burn his tongue as if that would subdue his irritation. After chewing and swallowing, he added, “You know you’re important to me, Barnes. We’ve meant a lot to each other over the years. But I won’t tolerate anyone undermining me in my own home.”
“I apologize, Cal. That was not my intention. I’ve probably spent too much time being boss and have forgotten how to be a friend. Forgive me?” Barnes gave Cal a pleading look. He started to reach for Cal until Hunter narrowed his eyes on the gesture. “Sincerely, I got ahead of myself. Can we start this over?”
Hunter didn’t appear in a mood to start anything over. He dipped his naan in the butter sauce, folded a bit of chicken into it, and ate it like a sandwich.
Starting a fight would have been impolitic for him, but Hunter was rarely known for reading the room. He had said he had a long day. Maybe he was just tired.
Hunter shrugged. “Sure.”
Cal relaxed and nodded. He even gave Barnes a smile. “You’ve saved my life, and I’ve saved yours. It’ll take more than that to change my good opinion.” He stuffed his mouth with some vindaloo, chewed and swallowed, and then, somewhat more collected, said, “So what were you working on that you wanted to share with Hunter?”
He reached out to touch Hunter’s hand gently to check in with him. It was unusual for Hunter to be subdued, and he wasn’t sure how to take it.
“We might have a developing situation that would require someone working with Antifa. I was under the impression that Mr. Walsh had a very different look.” Barnes eyed Hunter as he moved food around his plate. “I know he’s very picky about what he involves himself in. Even if the current project doesn’t suit him, his skills would be helpful if he’s open to hearing them. They may be things that you might want plausible deniability in, Cal.”
Hunter tilted his head, eyeing Barnes. “I don’t subscribe to a particular ideology. If there’s an imminent threat, I evaluate that. Some things I’m asked to do don’t rise to the level of urgency required for me to break the law.”
“You’re pragmatic. That’s good. I like that. We can’t be running around doing everything extra-judicially in a way that compromises privacy in the name of safety.” Barnes watched Hunter carefully. “But you have to weigh the needs of the many.”
“Sure.” Hunter sipped his wine. “That’s the problem with the law sometimes. It can’t be applied to all situations. There’s often a very broad brush of protections. That’s why I do what I do. I just don’t do it every time, particularly if it’s in the name of politics and nothing else.”
“So, if Black Lives Matter was planning to attack people…”
Hunter’s jaw tightened. He glanced at Cal, then finished his glass of wine. “If, sure. That’s not who they are. I’m not going on a fishing expedition to prove otherwise.”
Hunter was, for Hunter, being exceptionally reasonable. Cal squeezed his hand and gave him a warm smile before looking to Barnes. With another squeeze, Cal released Hunter. He ate another bite before clearing his throat and studying Barnes.
“If you want to talk shop without me hearing, I suggest you exchange contact details. I’m not going to go in the other room at my own dinner party.” Although Bru’s occasional whine suggested he’d like that, and Cal wasn’t made of stone.
“Tell you what,” Barnes reached into his jacket and pulled out a card. He held it out to Hunter between two fingers, smooth, as if he did this all the time. “Here’s my contact information. If you’re interested, let me know. If not, no problem. I’ll never bring it up again. You look like you’re doing well for yourself.”
Barnes peered around the condo. “I know this isn’t the home of a federal employee. You’ve got your system, and it’s working for you. I just think we could help each other.”
Hunter eyed the card and then took it gently. After he read it, he placed it beside his plate. “Sounds good. I’ve got some other things going on right now, so I’ll let you know.”
“Do you?” Barnes’s eyes sparkled.
“Yeah.”
“Care to share?” Barnes sat back in his chair, again focused on Hunter.
“Not sure what it is yet.” Hunter glanced at Cal. “But it seems like a good opportunity to use my skills.”
“Great. Then just let me know when you’re available and we can talk.”
Cal pursed his lips, not sure how he felt about that. He supposed he’d have to trust Hunter to make his own decisions. So far, that had been a mixed bag. Sometimes Hunter made amazing, selfless choices to do good work on behalf of vulnerable groups. Other times he broke into the FBI’s confidential records to go looking for Deep State, and that could turn their world into one big poop storm.
Really, with Hunter, Cal never knew what was coming next. It was simultaneously infuriating and sexy as hell.
He looked between Hunter and Barnes and shoved in another mouthful of vindaloo. When he finished his bite, he thought he’d collected himself enough to talk. “I expect you both to make me proud, even when operating outside of traditional channels.”
Jeez, Riggs, what a parental thing to say. He recalibrated and added, “I appreciate that not every outcome is adequately provisioned by the type of work with which I am most comfortable.”
“Does he always talk to you like he’s your dad?” Barnes leaned in conspiratorially with Hunter. “He used to do that to me, too.”
Hunter leaned in and nodded. “Yeah, but I like it. Sometimes when I’m bad, he spanks me.”
“Does he?” Barnes sat back, chuckling. “You win that round.”
Barnes eyed the two of them. “Mr. Walsh, I bet we’re going to get along very well. I hope you’ll contact me.”
“Maybe I will.” Hunter polished off his plate; he always ate so quickly. “Do you two have some work things to talk about? I can go check on Bruiser.”
Cal hesitated to let Hunter flee the scene, but it was obvious he wanted to get out of there. Maybe sitting down to dinner with someone Cal had been with was too much for him. He was young, after all, and passionate. Maybe this had been a bad idea. That Hunter was behaving as well as he was seemed a blessing.
Better not to push Cal’s luck.
“All right, Hunter. Go check on Bru. We’ll try to wrap things up.” Cal reached over to touch Hunter’s arm, a fleeting sign of approval and sympathy. Then, when Hunter stood, Cal tipped up his face in request of a kiss.
Hunter grinned and leaned in, gripping Cal’s cheek, and kissed him possessively. It was a statement kiss as much as anything else, claiming, and perhaps to remind Cal who was waiting for him.
Bruiser sounded beside himself, and maybe that was why Hunter was determined to slip away. Breaking the kiss, Hunter smiled. “I should get in there before rat dog tears apart the bed. That’s my job.”
He slipped away after a nod to Barnes and headed down the hallway.
Barnes raised his brows at Cal. “He seems…attentive to your needs.”
Cal grinned, flush-faced and simultaneously embarrassed and proud. “Yeah, Hunter’s a better boyfriend than people expect him to be.” He chuckled and ducked his head, having another bite of vindaloo before sighing and making eye contact with Barnes. “I’m happy with him. He loves me.”
Saying it like that eased Cal’s mood, making him smile wider as he toyed with his rice. “Whatever people think he’s gonna be like… That’s not who he is with me.”
“That’s good. You deserve a good boyfriend who really does it for you.” Barnes drank his wine as he toyed with his food, preparing for another bite. “I seem to recall you dating some pretty boring guys before. Nice, attractive, professional, but you’ve got a wild streak in you. And you are a bit of a daddy type. I can see how that works.”
Barnes gestured with his fork as if he were slotting things together. “He’s a good asset. Healthy dose of skepticism, which is good for watching your back.”
“Yeah, he’s a good fit.” Cal smiled even wider, face hurting a little, and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. Then he relaxed and looked to Barnes. “I needed someone a little less uptight. What I thought would fit my life and what actually makes me happy turned out to be two different things.” He paused and then asked, “What about you? Did you ever find someone?”
“You know me. Married to my work.” Barnes didn’t appear mournful. Some things never changed. “Wouldn’t be fair to try and tie someone down. Metaphorically. Plus, leave me free to grease the wheels when necessary.”
“Mm.” Cal grunted and stabbed a piece of lamb. “You’ve always been like that. Guess I’m not surprised.” Cal tilted his head to the side, studying Barnes. “You never get lonely living that way?”
Cal couldn’t imagine it. He’d always needed to be part of something bigger than himself. Barnes’s independence and colder nature had prevented them ever getting truly close.
“I don’t have time to get lonely. A blessing and a curse. Maybe when things are rolling with the DOJ and I can delegate, I’ll have time to think about it. Until then, I can always visit old friends and grab dinner. Go golfing. Every day is a new adventure. Not ready to settle down.” Barnes finished his masala and set down his utensils. “But who knows? Maybe I’ll happen upon just the right person for me. I’ve heard it happens when you’re least looking for it.”
Cal laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, that’s about right.” He finished his meal and sipped his wine as he considered how their paths had diverged. “I hope you find someone right for you, Barnes. You’re a great guy.”
He stood and started clearing the table. “I hope you don’t think Hunter hates you. He’s just like this.”
“For a hacker, he’s positively amiable. He cares about you; that much is obvious.” Barnes blotted his mouth and set down the napkin, sitting back to let Cal pick up the dishes. “I have a feeling he and I will be working on something sooner rather than later. Can’t wait to see his capabilities.”
Barnes rubbed his hands together. If it had been anyone else, Cal might have felt a twinge of jealousy, but he knew Barnes; he was speaking in a strictly professional capacity. “Thanks again for having me over.”
He stood and helped clear away the glasses, taking them to the kitchen behind Cal. As they put everything in the sink, Cal looked at his old partner and gave him a knowing look.
“You’re welcome, Barnes. I look forward to seeing you more often. Just promise me you’re not going to make me regret introducing you to Hunter.” Cal studied him intently. “I’m trusting you here.”
Barnes put his hand on Cal’s shoulder. “Even if he weren’t your guy, he’s way too valuable an asset to put in harm’s way.”
At that, Barnes chuckled and gave Cal’s shoulder a squeeze. “Seriously, nothing he does for me will put him in danger.” He glanced down the hall before meeting Cal’s gaze again. “He’s a much bigger danger to himself. I’ll keep an eye on him, all right?”
“Thanks.” Cal took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he turned toward Barnes and squeezed his shoulder in turn.
Cal showed Barnes out and locked up behind him before going into the bedroom to find Hunter and Bru. Bru darted out the moment Cal opened the door, and he bent down to scoop him up.
“Hey, little man. I’m sorry you had to stay in the bedroom. Who’s my favorite little man?” he crooned, ruffling Bruiser’s ears. “Who’s my little boy?” He peppered Bruiser’s head with kisses and then looked toward Hunter. “You doing okay? You seemed a little subdued, for you.”
Hunter was laying on the bed, stripped down to his boxers. “You said you wanted me to play nice, I was trying to be your favorite little man. Looks like that ship has sailed.”
He smirked, rolling onto his side. “Besides, I knew I was going to need you to be in a good mood.”
Seeing Hunter half-naked and smirking always did something to Cal, something visceral that left him lightheaded with want. He set down Bruiser and started undressing, gaze never leaving Hunter. “What do you need me in a good mood for? You going to break some bad news?”
Hunter bit his lip playfully as he reached for Cal. “Just about my hair, I guess. But we can talk about that later if you’ve got something else in mind.”
“Mm, well, I did have some thoughts.” Cal finished stripping down to his boxer briefs and climbed onto the bed beside Hunter, moving into his grasp and gazing down at him intently. He reached up to touch the short, bleached cut Hunter now sported, furrowing his brow as he combed his fingers through. It would take some getting used to.
Hunter tensed like he was working up to something, but then he relaxed into Cal’s grip and scooted closer. “Have I been a bad boy? Do I deserve some spankings?”
He snaked his hand between them and traced Cal’s cock. He was always so good at changing the subject when he wanted to, but this time, Cal was all for it.
“You were such a bad boy.” Not really, but if Hunter wanted to play… Cal raised a brow, reached out, and rubbed his open hand over Hunter’s pert ass, caressing and squeezing. He shifted to rub against Hunter’s body and leaned in to bite at his full lips. “Distracting me. Making me hard. What am I supposed to do with you, Hunter? Going to have to put you over my knee.”
Hunter squirmed. Cal wouldn’t spank Hunter out of anger, at least beyond how the anger got them both worked up. If they both enjoyed it, it was a good game.
He moved his ass against Cal’s hand, teasing before he rolled over onto his stomach. He pushed down his boxers, leaving those pale cheeks vulnerable. Sometimes he did seem to be paying some inner penance when he asked for punishment. When Hunter was ready, he’d talk about it.
Cal moved to sit on the edge of the bed and manhandled Hunter onto his lap. Then he stroked Hunter’s bare cheeks before he pulled back his hand to deliver a quick, firm swat to the underside of his left cheek. Biting his lip in excitement, he slapped the other before rubbing them apologetically, soothing away the sting. “Is this what you need?”
Hunter whimpered, shifting to enjoy the feel of Cal’s hand on him. “Yeah.”
He turned his head to the side, peering up at Cal. “I did all right with your friend?”
Ah. Maybe that was it. Hunter was seeking intimacy.
Hunter was sweet, really. Cal stroked his beautiful ass and then spanked him again, feeling the thrill course through him. He loved disciplining Hunter, loved that he could be this for him, that he could make Hunter feel cared for and close and under control.
“You were good,” Cal assured him as he swatted him again. “You just need a little discipline, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I do.” Unnerving as Hunter appeared with that Aryan look, he was still extremely sexy. Feeding him well had put a little weight on him, in long, sinewy muscle. He stretched out, flexing and jolting with each hard slap on his ass. Bright red handprints began to show, making the possessiveness in Cal surge. “Need to know I’m yours.”
“You are mine. All mine.” Cal rubbed his cheeks thoughtfully, kneading the flaming flesh and worrying his bottom lip as he watched Hunter writhe. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, wanting to affirm that Cal still wanted him. “But don’t change your hair again without talking to me.”
They both knew Cal couldn’t control Hunter, especially not when it came to his bodily autonomy. But really, hadn’t Hunter settled down so much?
“You don’t want more spankings, do you?” Cal asked before swatting Hunter again, reveling in the heat brought to the surface of the once-porcelain skin.
“No. I want you.” Hunter rose up from Cal’s lap to straddle him. He’d probably be uncomfortable laying back, but he could still go ass up. For the moment, though, Hunter faced him and wrapped his arms around Cal. “It’s just hair. It’ll grow back. I’ll put some color on it soon. You want to pick the color?”
He slid his fingers through Cal’s hair. It was a little startling Hunter was giving Cal options, but then, he did seem genuinely surprised Cal was distressed about his hair.
Cal nodded. “I’ll choose,” he said, delighted Hunter would grant Cal so much power. He slid his hands up into Hunter’s hair and drew him in for a slow, deep kiss. Between kisses, breathing hard, Cal rubbed their noses together and mouthed at Hunter’s chin, his jaw, down his neck. Pulling Hunter’s bleached locks, he bit his already bruised throat and growled his pleasure, rocking his hips up to grind his underwear-clad cock against Hunter’s ass. “You’re a good man, Hunter. I’m proud of you.”
“Yeah?” Hunter ground back, teasing before reaching past him to get the lube. He nibbled Cal’s lower lip, then nuzzled his face. He’d apparently spread lube on his fingers and was fingering his own ass, preparing for Cal. “That’s not usually what anyone says about me. You’re going to ruin my bad boy image.”
“No one else has to know.” Cal laughed softly and then bit at Hunter’s jaw, amused and excited. There was joy to their lovemaking, even when it started with discipline. Hunter’s spirit was bright and unquenchable, intoxicating. Cal rubbed his evening stubble against Hunter’s skin and then lowered his head to mouth Hunter’s pierced nipple.
Hunter groaned, his hips rocking against Cal. He slid his hand under Cal’s boxer briefs and pulled out his cock. It seemed again like he wanted to say something; instead he kissed Cal deeply. He lined up Cal’s cock with his opening and teased the head, letting it slide in, then out again.
Such a brat.
Cal groaned and dropped his hands from Hunter’s hair to his hips to pull him down hard, forcing himself into Hunter with a strangled sigh of pleasure and relief.
“Oh Hunter.” He shivered and wrapped his arms around Hunter tightly, clinging to him as he arched up into him. “Mine. All mine. Say it.”
“All yours.” Hunter panted, overfull with Cal’s cock. He wrapped his arms tightly around Cal, leaned in, and whispered into his ear. “And I’m not sharing you. You’re all mine.”
His nails sank into Cal’s back, like he wanted to pull him open and slide in through his skin. Cal loved the primal need. Hunter radiated intensity, and Cal responded utterly, losing himself.
“Yours always, Hunter. Just for you.” Cal sounded like he felt: vulnerable, laid bare, with his heart exposed. It left him simultaneously elated and uncomfortable. He thrust into Hunter as best he could and then fell back against the bed, pulling Hunter down with him. Cal braced his feet against the floor and changed the angle, getting leverage as he took Hunter deep and slow.
Hunter placed his hands on either side of Cal’s head and moved with him, driving Cal deeper as Hunter gazed into his eyes. They’d fucked countless times, but there was something different about this.
He tightened around Cal, drawing him in and grunting with each thrust met. “All mine.”
Was this because of Barnes? Cal hadn’t imagined Hunter would be so worked up.
He couldn’t say he regretted it.
Cal basked in the attention, glorying in Hunter’s possessiveness. “You gonna come for me?” he asked, voice raspy with arousal. “What do you need?”
“Roll me over. Fuck me from behind?” Hunter slid off Cal and got on his hands and knees. He lowered himself to his elbows, hands clasped together, leaving his ass up.
It was still pink from the spanking, but he was open for Cal, lubed and ready. Hunter looked over his shoulder and gave Cal a sly smile. “I won’t last long like this.”
“I know you won’t. You’re such a little slut for me, aren’t you?” Cal raked his teeth over his lip and knelt behind Hunter, teasing his slick entrance with the fat head of his cock, giving him just a little before pulling out to make Hunter squirm.
Hunter let out a whimper of frustration as he spread his legs wider, proving how much he needed Cal. Sometimes it was unbelievable how much Hunter wanted him. It was always so sexy, particularly now as he mewled for more, shifting his hips as if trying to capture Cal’s cock. “Please.”
Cal could never resist Hunter’s begging, the way his whole body pled for mercy. He eased forward, stretching Hunter without penetrating him, and then thrust all at once, taking him with a smooth, deep stroke. It stole Cal’s breath to be enveloped in that tight heat, the slick, delicious suck of Hunter’s body. He collapsed forward onto Hunter’s back and wrapped his arm around him.
It was almost holy, the way they joined. Even Hunter stilled for a moment. Then, with a shuddered breath, he gave in to the need to feel Cal moving inside him.
Cal let Hunter control the movement, listening to his desperate gasps as he shifted and stretched. Cal could probably let Hunter fuck himself to satisfaction, but soon enough, he grasped Hunter’s cock, stroking him as Hunter worked up to a steady rhythm.
“Hunter,” Cal sighed. He wanted him to know Cal wasn’t thinking of anyone else, that Hunter was who Cal desired. “My own, my only.”
He followed Hunter’s movements, putting his back into it and giving it to Hunter harder than Hunter could take it for himself. Every stroke felt like a miracle, the two of them in sync. Cal’s heart throbbed with how he cherished this impossible, beautiful man beneath him.
A few more hard strokes and then Hunter started to shudder. He made that choked, loud wail as he started to come. He moved faster, pumping into Cal’s hand, slicking it with his release as he bore down hard all around him. Feeling Hunter’s pleasure always made Cal’s insides twist and pulse, and he groaned at the clench of Hunter’s walls around his cock as he powered through the squeeze to keep fucking. It was so tight, too tight, and perfect.
“So good,” Cal gritted out, muscles trembling as he fought for release. “Oh, Hunter.”
He clung harder and then, as Hunter went slack, Cal rose on his knees and pulled his hand from Hunter’s spent cock, smearing the spunk over Hunter’s face and chest as he took him faster.
Every swift thrust took Cal closer, but there was no need for self-control. Cal released his tight hold on himself and let Hunter’s aftershocks quake through him too, let every blessed movement of that lithe body take him to the edge. Then it hit him, that taut-stretched cord within him snapping and recoiling, making Cal double over until he was clinging to Hunter with both arms as he pumped hard into his yielding flesh and grunted with the effort of spilling into him.
By the time he finished, Hunter had fully collapsed onto the mattress under Cal’s weight, slick with sweat. If he’d seemed tired before, the last of his energy was just fucked out of him. How satisfying. He relished leaving Hunter quiet simply because he was so spent.
When Cal leaned in to catch Hunter’s lips, he received a wet, passionate kiss, no less loving for how sloppy it was. “All yours.”
“I love you,” Cal whispered, meaning the words so absolutely in that moment that it hurt his throat to say them. It was so earnest, torn from the middle of him. “You know that, don’t you?”
He eased out of Hunter slowly and rolled off him to let him breathe, only belatedly realizing that Bruiser had been quietly watching. Cal was tempted to strip off his sticky boxer briefs and chuck them at Bru’s head, but knowing dogs, Bru would just start licking them, and that was gross.
Hunter beamed at Cal. Even with the spooky new hair, that goofy grin lit up Hunter’s whole face. “I love you, too. So much so that I didn’t tell your creepy contractor friend to go fuck himself. That was some real restraint. You handled him well. Telling him you weren’t going to tolerate him trying to get between us. What a weird dude.”
Cal groaned, not wanting to think about Barnes in the afterglow. He extended his arm across the pillows to invite Hunter to snuggle in and then sighed. Might as well accept the situation. “Thanks. He was being weird tonight. He’s usually… Well. Not like that.”
He studied Hunter and pulled him close, ignoring the mess to go in for another kiss. Nuzzling Hunter’s face, he whispered, “You were very pleasant. I appreciate it. And no one is getting between us.”
“Maybe he was jealous.” Hunter smirked, squirming so as not to lay on anything wet. “We’ll see how he treats you with the FBI. If he’s really got your back, I’ll consider it.”
Even though Hunter said that, there was something behind his eyes. Hunter seemed to instinctively dislike people until they won his approval. “There’s just something not right about him. Something doesn’t add up.”
Sighing, Cal threw his forearm over his face and closed his eyes. Seriously, Hunter?
“I’ve known Barnes for years. He’s saved my life. Can we give him the benefit of the doubt? I don’t know if I have it in me to litigate his character to you. Your standards are nigh impossible to meet.” Cal paused and lifted his arm to look at his boyfriend. “I don’t think I have to tell you that.”
“You meet them.” Hunter pouted in a way that he knew was irresistible. “And I like Sam. And Nikki.”
Sometimes Cal wondered if Hunter trusted him as far as he could throw him, but he supposed that he must’ve passed muster.
Hunter sighed. “I am glad he saved your life. So, he’s good for at least that much. And if he helps you work on the gun control issue, then I’m not going to be mad. Just vibes me wrong.”
Cal grunted acknowledgment and dropped his forearm back over his eyes. This was exhausting. “Your concerns are noted.”
After all, Hunter had good instincts, generally. As much as Cal liked to think he did too, he wasn’t as in touch with his emotions.
Then Cal heaved himself up and swung his legs over the bed. Looking back at Hunter, he smiled and changed the subject. “Looks like it’s time for a bath.”