Owen stood outside of the small ranch house on Main, plastic bag in hand. If he left now, he probably could…
The door opened, revealing a very amused Jonah. “Gonna stand on my porch all day or are you coming in?” He smirked, stepping aside.
Owen hung his head and laughed as he stepped past Jonah into the house.
Jonah closed the door and stood there with his hands in his pockets, still smirking.
Owen cleared his throat and handed Jonah the white store bag. “I was going through the boxes and I found these. You know I hate chickpeas.”
The man stared him for a minute before taking the bag. He narrowed his eyes, tilting his head as he studied Owen like he was confused. “You know you don’t need an excuse to come over here, right?”
Owen dropped his gaze. Damn it, the man could still read him. “I…uh…” He was at a loss. For the first time in his life, Jonah was making him nervous.
“Owen,” Jonah said, waiting for Owen to meet his eyes. “Let me make this easier on you.” He paused again and took a step forward, setting the bag down on the floor by the wall. “I know about you and Brody.”
Shit. Owen hung his head and sighed. Fucking small town. Didn’t even give Owen a chance to tell Jonah himself. And wasn’t it typical of Jonah to be worried about making things easier for him?
“Hey,” Jonah said, breaking through Owen’s frustration. “Can we not make this weird just because other people think it is? You and I both know Brody had nothing to do with us breaking up.”
Seriously, Owen had come here to break the news to Jonah, but Jonah somehow turned it into concern for him. Hell, I’ve barely said two words. “I could really use a drink.” Way to go, asshole. Not the words you planned on saying.
Jonah chuckled and nodded his head. “I think we both could use a beer. Why don’t you go sit out back, and I’ll grab them?”
“Yeah, okay.”
Jonah came out a few minutes later and handed Owen a bottle before taking a seat next to him.
The awkward silence was something Owen wasn’t used to with Jonah. It didn’t feel right, and he had to fix it. “I hope you know…” Owen said, finally finding some fucking courage, “I didn’t plan for this. Hell, I didn’t even see it coming.” Owen shook his head and took a swig of beer.
“I did.”
Owen looked at Jonah—really looked at him—and what he saw blew him away. Acceptance, understanding, even humor all played on his face. But the most incredible thing missing?
Judgment.
But then, Jonah was the most compassionate, most giving, most forgiving man Owen had ever known.
“You did see it before me, didn’t you?”
Jonah nodded his head and tipped the bottle back to his lips. “Never doubt me again,” he said with a wink and a cheeky grin.
Owen laughed, the sound leaving his mouth, carrying all his concerns with it. He stared at Jonah, this man he’d been through so much with. I have to keep this, no matter what, he’s important. “So, we’re okay?”
Jonah met his eyes, the solid confirmation Owen needed. He squeezed Owen’s shoulder, a move to, no doubt, comfort him—again. “Always.”
~ɤ~
“I don’t know about this Owen. Are you sure this is a good idea?” Brody paced Owen’s bedroom, his hands fidgeting, his head starting to hurt. He’d spent almost every night with Owen for the past week. And that had been amazing. But this…?
Owen stood in front of him and put his hands on his waist to stop the pacing. His thumbs slowly brushed over the skin under Brody’s shirt. “Brody, I told you. It was Jonah’s idea. He wants us to all be okay around each other, and I think he’s right. It’s going to be awkward unless we just get it over with. Did you text Gabe?”
“Yeah, I texted him. He’ll be there. Gabe doesn’t pass up a night out.”
“Neither does Leslie. This should be interesting.”
“That’s not helping.” Brody scrubbed a hand over his face and tried to calm down.
“It’s going to be fine, Brody.”
“Sure, you say that now, but Jonah could seriously kick my ass. The guy might be a couple of inches shorter than me, but he’s a personal trainer for fuck’s sake.” And he wouldn’t blame the guy if he did.
“Jonah wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Owen paused then laughed, humor flickering in those blue eyes. “Unless that fly was hurting a smaller fly. Then he’d squash it like a bug.” He smashed his hands together in demonstration.
“Oh, great, thanks.” Brody rolled his eyes and went to pull away, but Owen held tight to his waist.
“It’ll be okay,” Owen reassured him again. “Now, kiss me.”
Brody gave Owen a quick peck on the lips, and Owen smacked his chest hard. “What the fuck was that for?” Brody asked, laughing and rubbing the spot where Owen hit him.
“What the fuck kind of kiss was that? I said kiss me, asshole, now fucking kiss me,” Owen growled back.
Brody turned them both, backing Owen against the wall, and kissed the ever-loving shit out of him. Tongues crashing, hands groping, hips grinding—and then he pulled away, both of them panting.
Owen slowly opened his eyes, breathing hard. “I wanted you to kiss me hard, not make me hard,” he said in a provocative, deep voice.
Now, there’s an idea. “How much time do we have?” Brody reached his hand down, unbuttoning Owen’s jeans.
“Oh, no you don’t. We have to be there in fifteen minutes,” Owen warned, but the attempt to push Brody away was weak.
“Time me,” Brody challenged then dropped to his knees.
~ɤ~
The bar was packed for a Saturday night with locals and some people from neighboring towns. Owen and Brody found Jonah at a round table already with Gabe by the time they got there. Brody, managing to keep his word, had them walking in the door at exactly nine on the dot.
“Told you we’d get here on time,” Brody whispered in Owen’s ear.
“I will never doubt you again.” Owen leaned in and kissed him, and immediately Brody tensed as he looked over in Jonah’s direction. “Come on,” Owen said, rolling his eyes, pulling on Brody’s arm.
They walked over to the table, and Brody breathed a sigh of relief when Jonah smiled at both of them. “Leslie’s at the bar ordering a round.”
“Great,” Owen and Brody replied at the same time. They each pulled out a chair and sat down, Brody’s knee immediately set to nervous bouncing.
They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes until, thankfully, Gabe apparently couldn’t stand it anymore. “Oh, for the love of Versace, can we please stop with the uncomfortable silence?”
The table let out a collective sigh of relief as the tension broke.
“What’d I miss?” Leslie asked, dropping down into a chair between Owen and Gabe.
“Nothing,” Gabe said in derision. “Just grown men acting like children.”
“So…the usual, then?” Leslie teased.
“You’re one to talk, Red.”
“Me?” Leslie asked Owen innocently. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. I am the perfect example of a responsible adult.”
“Yeah,” Owen said. “Responsible for driving this adult,” he pointed to himself, “crazy.”
The other men cracked up, and Leslie playfully glared at Owen. “Okay, I didn’t want to have to do this, but it’s on.”
“What’s on?” Owen asked.
“I challenge thee to a game.” She hiked her thumb over her shoulder at the pool table. “Care to make a little wager?”
“Oh, you’re on.”
“Prepare to get your ass kicked.”
They both got up from the table, but when Gabe also stood, Brody widened his eyes. He wouldn’t leave me alone with Jonah, would he?
“I’ll be back in a bit, boys. I think this city boy is going to show them both how it’s done.” Gabe winked at Brody and walked over to the pool table with a confidence only Gabe possessed.
He really fucking left me here.
Brody looked back at Jonah and was met with a cold stare. He practically jumped out of his chair when Jonah barked, “Listen, you little shit…”
Brody stared at Jonah in shock. This was bad. Really fucking bad. He tried to find the right words to ease the malice in Jonah’s voice. “Jonah…I’m sorry. I…I just…” He ran a hand through his hair, his brow beginning to sweat.
Jonah busted out laughing.
“I’m kidding! Oh my God, Brody, chill the fuck out!”
He was kidding? Fuck, Brody didn’t know which way was up now, as he sat there and watched Jonah laugh. Slowly, the tension eased from his shoulders, and he sighed in relief.
“I’m sorry, I had to. It was too easy.” Jonah’s laughter died down a little. He stared at Brody and sat back in his chair. “Brody, Owen and I breaking up, first of all, was mutual, and second of all, had nothing to do with you.”
Brody tapped his temple. “In my head, I know that, but…” He leaned his forearms on the table, clasping his hands together. He shook his head, not knowing how to finish that thought.
“Do you know why you feel guilty?” Jonah asked.
Brody huffed out a laugh. “Pretty sure, yeah.”
“It’s because you’re a good guy.”
Brody arched a skeptical eyebrow at Jonah. All the shit he’d done in his life, the shit he regretted, the disappointment he’d caused, that was always on the surface.
“I’m serious,” Jonah said, as if sensing his disbelief. “If you were an asshole, do you really think you’d give a shit about my feelings?”
Brody still felt himself giving Jonah a skeptical look. “I think the fact that you’re this nice is freaking me out even more.”
“I’m not perfect. I have my days, believe me, but I’m a generally happy person. I’m not gonna lie and say this isn’t a little awkward, but I want that to stop. I don’t have much to complain about, and quite frankly, stress is a waste of energy―at least for me. My parents are two of the calmest people you’d ever meet.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Guess it just runs in the family.”
“So, you’re seriously okay with all of this?”
“I am on one condition,” Jonah said.
“What’s that?”
Jonah looked over at Owen playing pool then turned back to Brody. “That it’s okay with you that Owen is to me what Gabe is to you. He’s my best friend, and that’s why tonight was important, because I don’t want to lose that.”
“I get it.” Brody scrubbed a hand over his face. “Truth be told, this whole thing is a little…I don’t know…” He chuckled. “Just really fucking unexpected.” Hell, might as well go for complete honesty. “I’m happy though. More than I’ve ever been in my entire life. More than I ever expected to be. So trust me when I say, I want him to be happy too.”
Jonah nodded his head in understanding. “Me too.”
The two stared at each other, but the awkwardness from moments before no longer seemed to be there.
Brody flinched when Gabe dropped down into the chair next to him. “Brody, your boyfriend and his pixie cousin have been thoroughly schooled in how to play pool; I am twenty dollars richer,” Gabe said, waving the two worn ten dollar bills in the air.
Brody glanced at Owen as he sat in the chair on the other side of him, looking for his reaction to being called his boyfriend. They hadn’t talked seriously about anything like that, even though that’s how he thought of him. Owen’s laughter at Gabe was a good sign. At least he didn’t seem uncomfortable with the title.
“Who are you calling a pixie?” Leslie huffed, sitting between Gabe and Jonah.
“Oh, and feisty too!” Gabe squeezed Leslie’s arm. “We’ll get along just fine.” Leslie laughed and brushed her wild hair out of her face. “Now,” Gabe said, “someone needs to tell me who that hunk of hot man meat is over in the corner.”
Brody groaned, while the rest of the table laughed.
“Did you seriously just call that guy a ‘hunk of hot man meat’?” Leslie asked Gabe.
“No good? Beefy blond, perhaps? Sexy god of all that is lickable? Tasty―” Gabe was listing titles off, and the whole table was cracking up.
“Okay, we get it!” Jonah said.
“Are you sure? I could go on.”
“He really could. That’s the sad part.” Brody rolled his eyes.
“You’re right,” Leslie said between laughs. “We’ll get along just fine.”
“Is that the same guy that you saw the other night?” Brody asked.
“Hmm, yes. Yes, it is.” Gabe openly ogled the guy like he was going to order him off the menu.
Jonah glanced over at the guy. “Too bad, he’s wearing a ring.”
Brody put his head in his hands and groaned, “Oh, no. Here we go...”
“That’s part of the appeal, my friend,” Gabe said while Brody hit his head on the table a few times, wishing Gabe wouldn’t be so completely honest about who he was.
“You go after married men?” Owen asked with disbelief and what Brody hoped wasn’t too much disgust in his voice.
“Not always, no, but I can’t resist a man married to a beard. It breaks my heart, really. These men that can’t be honest about who they are, keeping themselves strictly hidden in their heterosexual, domesticated closets full of his and hers matching pajamas.” He sighed dramatically.
“How do you even know he’s gay? Won’t you be embarrassed when you find out he’s happily married to a woman?” It was Leslie’s question this time, and to Brody’s surprise, he saw that she was intrigued.
Gabe sighed and looked back over at the man sitting in the corner. “That man is no vagitarian.”
“Vagi—what?” Owen asked, confusion twisting the features of his face.
At that moment, Leslie burst out laughing, slapping Gabe playfully on the arm. “Vagitarian!” she said through gasps. Then she pinned her cousin with a look of disappointment. “Jeez, Owen. What kind of gay man are you?”
Brody wiggled his eyebrows up and down. “A very thorough one.”
Owen leaned back in his chair with a shit-eating grin aimed at his cousin and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Gross. TMI, dude.” Leslie wrinkled her nose in disgust. “But hey, at least Fake Tits behind you there now knows you’re not a vagitarian,” Leslie said loudly, giving someone behind Brody a dirty look. “That’s right,” she said as the woman flashed her an equally dirty look and turned around. “This whole table eats meat, so just move along.”
Jonah spewed beer all over the table, trying and failing to hold in his laugh. “Sorry,” he said, swiping the back of his hand across his chin and then wiping up the mess on the table.
“Okay, back to my original question. How do you know he’s gay?” Leslie asked Gabe.
“Because that man has been watching me all night, and not with disdain.” All eyes followed Gabe’s and, sure enough, the guy was looking right at Gabe. He must have realized they were all staring at him, as his eyes immediately shifted away.
“Huh. Normally, I’d be completely disgusted with anyone chasing a married man, but somehow, you’ve got me wondering now too.” Jonah shook his head and laughed.
Gabe looked back over to where the guy was sitting and frowned. “Damn, he’s gone.”
“Not surprising, when we were all staring at the poor guy,” Brody said.
“Doesn’t matter. I need something to do while I’m in Small Town, America. A little game of cat and mouse sounds like fun, don’t you think?”
“Did you just compare yourself to a pussy?” Brody asked, grabbing the back of Gabe’s neck. This time it was Leslie who spewed her drink while Owen and Jonah both howled with laughter.
Gabe smacked Brody’s hand away and looked at Owen with mock disgust. “Are you sure you want to be with this Neanderthal?”
Brody’s eyes met Owen’s and his heart soared when Owen responded, “I’m sure.”
~ɤ~
It was midnight by the time Owen and Brody got in, and as soon as the door closed behind him, Owen finally got to do what he’d been thinking about all night. As Brody started toward the stairs, Owen reached out and looped his finger in one of his belt loops, yanking him back. Brody’s broad back slammed into Owen’s chest as Owen reached around with his other hand and slid it over the bulge in Brody’s jeans.
“All night long, as you sat there in these tight jeans, I could only think about one thing.” Owen ran his palm up the length of Brody, gently squeezing.
Brody brought both hands back, gripping onto Owen’s thighs. “And what was that?” he asked in a husky voice.
Owen reached his other hand around, sliding them both up and under Brody’s shirt. He ran his fingers over the ridges of Brody’s abs before sliding his right hand back and down the curve of Brody’s ass. “Getting inside here.” He gripped between Brody’s legs from behind, enticing a groan, before dragging his hand back up. Guiding Brody toward the wall, Owen took both of Brody’s hands and flattened them against the hard surface. “Don’t. Move.”
“Fuck,” Brody moaned.
Owen ran his hands down Brody’s arms, trailing his fingers until he reached his waist. He grabbed the soft, cotton material and pulled it up, revealing strong muscles and tanned, smooth skin. With the material gone, he looked his fill, watching as the man took deep breaths in anticipation.
He ran his hand up Brody’s back, into his hair, pressing until Brody’s forehead touched the wall. “Have you thought about it, Brody? My cock, inside you?”
“Fuck, yes.”
Owen placed his fingers on the waistband of Brody’s jeans, right above his ass. Slowly, he slid his fingers to the front. He flicked open the button, pulled down the zipper, and slid his hand inside. “Oh, fuck. You’re leaking for me.”
A visible shiver ran through Brody as he nodded.
Brody sucked in a gasp as Owen pushed both jeans and underwear all the way down, revealing the perfect curve of his ass. He ran his tongue up one rounded muscle as he stood back up. Owen took a moment to trail his gaze over the gorgeous man in front of him. Brody was naked except for the pants pooled above his shoes—and he was waiting for Owen to do something.
Brody gripped his cock and began stroking.
“Uh uh.” Owen smacked his hand away. “I said, don’t move.”
“Jesus Christ, Owen.” Brody placed his trembling hand back on the wall.
Again, that power that Owen could have over a man—over Brody—made his cock twitch. It wasn’t just a need for control, it was a need for Brody to trust him. And the fact that Owen was still fully clothed while Brody was almost completely naked, made the blood pump all that much faster through his veins. Still, he waited to release his own cock from his jeans, for sweet relief.
Owen crouched down, moving Brody’s feet as far apart as they could go within the confines of his jeans. Running his hands up the back of Brody’s strong thighs, he brushed his thumbs along the inside of each leg until they grazed Brody’s sac. Brody hissed with pleasure. Owen could seriously listen to the man moan all day. Edge Brody until he was covered in sweat and shaking, begging for release.
But not tonight. Owen was too revved up, too anxious to be inside that warm heat.
His hands flattened against each full ass cheek then pulled them apart. He could hear Brody panting above him as Owen focused on that desirable area of a man, so completely hidden, so vulnerable. Gently, Owen reached his tongue out and licked a long line up from the sensitive area behind Brody’s balls, over his clenching hole, to the top of his ass crack.
After a few more passes with his tongue, Brody whimpered, his hands fisted against the wall. “Owen, I can’t... I’m gonna…”
“Not yet,” Owen demanded. “I’m not done with you yet.” He licked Brody again, this time opening him with his tongue. Not enough. He slid his own finger into his mouth, soaking it before sliding it into Brody. Oh, God, not nearly enough.
“Do you need more, Brody?” Owen kept up the movement of his finger as he rose. He brought his lips to Brody’s ear. “Because I don’t think I can wait anymore.” He licked the shell of Brody’s ear. Brody twisted his head, taking Owen’s mouth in a searing kiss.
“Do it.” Brody leaned his forehead back against the wall and pushed his ass back further on Owen’s finger.
Owen pulled his finger out, grabbing onto Brody’s waist as he thrust his jean-covered cock against Brody’s ass.
“Fuck, yeah,” Brody whispered.
Reaching in his pocket, Owen pulled out the two packets he needed, holding them while he unbuttoned his pants and shoved them down, just under his ass. “Kick your shoes and pants off.” Brody complied immediately, and without further command, placed his hands back on the wall, finally deliciously naked. And fuck if that didn’t make Owen harder.
He took the condom packet, holding the other between his teeth. He sheathed his throbbing dick, then opened the lube and got himself ready.
Owen rubbed the head of his cock over Brody’s hole, as Brody pushed back, trying to get closer. “Tell me you want it, Brody. Tell me to fuck you.”
“I—” Just as Brody was answering, Owen fisted his cock and brushed his thumb over the slit. Brody’s words slurred off into a groan.
Owen licked the side of his neck and whispered against his skin with a chuckle, “You were saying?”
“Fuck me. Now, Owen. I need you to…oh fuck,” Brody rasped out as Owen breached him with the head of his cock. Brody reached back and grabbed Owen’s thigh. “More. I can take it. Do it.”
Owen pushed, surrounding himself in pure heaven, until he was balls deep inside Brody. Simultaneous groans of pleasure echoed in the hall as Owen picked up a rhythm. “Goddamn, you feel so fucking good.”
Owen pulled back and slammed inside again, both of them crying out. He reached up and laced his fingers with Brody’s against the wall, kissing the back of his neck, the curve of his shoulder.
Owen knew when he’d hit the right spot inside of Brody. The man’s head fell back, his eyes and teeth clenched in ecstasy. Owen kept up the punishing rhythm, turning Brody’s face so he could kiss him.
Owen’s shirt stuck to him, sweat dripping down his back and temples. Owen reached around, taking Brody’s cock and stroked it fast, feeling his own climax barreling into him.
“I’m close,” Brody said with ragged breaths.
“I am too. Come for me, Brody.” Owen continued to stroke, continued to pump his hips, barely holding on until Brody cried out and his warm, sweet release coated Owen’s hand.
That was when he let himself fall, shuddering as he pulsed inside of Brody in a mind-shattering orgasm. His trembling arms wrapped around Brody and held on as Brody’s knees buckled. Owen swallowed hard, his mouth completely dry like he’d run a marathon. Carefully, he pushed off the wall and brought them both to the floor.
Chests heaving, they lay beside each other. Owen pulled the sweat-soaked shirt over his head, relishing the cool air on his overheated skin. They both looked at each other before laughing.
“Holy shit, Owen.” Brody looked at him in awe. “So that’s what you thought of doing while we were at the bar?”
Owen shrugged his shoulders. “Didn’t think it was appropriate to take you right there on the floor.”
“It really should be allowed,” Brody said with a chuckle. “You can bet your ass I’ll be wearing those jeans again.”
“You mean, bet your ass.” Owen said, wondering if he ever would get enough of Brody.