Chapter Eleven

Blaze

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I woke up feeling warm and satisfied, and it took me a moment to realize I was cuddled up to a strong body. As I blinked my eyes open, the events of last night came rushing back to me and I smiled against Galen’s chest.

“Morning.”

I looked up, surprised to see Galen looking down at me with a smile on his lips. He looked like he’d been up for a while.

“Morning.”

A part of me was worried he’d immediately try to get away from me or say something about how he had to go, but instead he bent his head so he could kiss my forehead.

“What time is it?”

“Almost six.”

“And you’re up? What time do you get ready for work?”

“Not for a bit. I don’t sleep much.”

“No?” I shifted so I could put my chin on his chest.

“Insomnia is a bitch.” He tenderly brushed a lock of my hair back from my face and I sighed.

“I’ve never had that problem.” I grinned and kissed his chest. “I can sleep all day and night, not an issue.”

He laughed and then gasped as I ran my tongue over his nipple.

“I have to ask, do you shave? The hairless look usually doesn’t do it for me, but on you it’s hot as fuck.”

“I wax.” He ran his hand through my hair a few times before tracing his thumb over my bottom lip. “I have really patchy chest hair, and don’t even get me started on my back.”

“You have a man sweater?” I asked teasingly.

“More like a man quilt.”

“Yeah, not a sexy mental image.”

He laughed and yanked me up his body so I was face-to-face with him.

“I have morning breath so if you’re going to kiss me, it’s going to be a little dragony,” I warned as I shifted so I was lying flush against him and our erections lined up.

“Not something I’m concerned with.” He lifted his head and gently pressed his lips against mine in a sweet kiss. I sighed against his mouth as he wrapped his arms around me and held me close.

“Are you sore today?” I asked, pulling away so I could look into his eyes. “I’m sorry if I got a bit rough last night.”

“You didn’t, but I am a little. Is it weird that I kind of like it?”

“Not weird at all.” I kissed him again and used my knees to push his legs apart so I could settle between them.

He moaned as I rolled my hips, stroking his cock with mine.

“I love the idea that you’ll carry that around all day. That you’ll be reminded of what we did, how good I made you feel. It’s so fucking hot to know that even when I’m not around, you’re still mine.”

“God, Blaze.”

I could feel his pre-cum against my cock as it slicked our way, making it easier to slide our dicks against each other.

Galen lifted his knees so his hips cradled mine as his hands made their way to my ass. He gripped the globes as I thrust harder against him, and when one of his fingers traced over my crease, I caught his lips in a rough, hot kiss.

I slid my hands under his body so I could grip his shoulders, using him for leverage as I fucked his pelvis. When his finger found my hole and gently massaged it, I couldn’t help bucking my hips back.

Galen caught my hint and pulled his hand away from my crease as he shifted his lips from mine. I watched hungrily as he lifted his hand and sucked his finger into his mouth, slicking it with saliva before kissing me again.

This time, when his finger pressed against me, he pushed it in to the first knuckle, and then pushed it all the way in.

“God. Fuck!” I couldn’t concentrate enough to kiss him as he fucked me with his finger. My breaths were coming out in grunts and moans, and my hips moved at a frantic and desperate pace as I rutted against him.

I’d planned on torturing him with pleasure until he came, but Galen had turned the tables and now I was the one being tortured, and I fucking loved every second of it.

“Fuck. Oh god!”

Galen’s lips closed over my shoulder where it met my neck and he started sucking on my skin hard enough I knew he’d leave a mark. The thought that he was branding my skin the same as I’d done to him last night sent me over the edge.

I shouted as my orgasm hit me and cum spilled onto his stomach. He kept fucking my ass and sucking on my neck as I moaned his name over and over again, reveling in the aftershocks that wouldn’t stop.

He seemed to sense when I’d had enough and pulled his lips off me and his finger out of me at exactly the right moment so his ministrations didn’t become painful. It took me a moment to get my head back, and I immediately felt that he hadn’t found his pleasure.

With a growl I pulled off his body and knelt between his legs. I lapped at the tip of his cock, feasting on his pre-cum and my own essence before I sucked him into my mouth. I hollowed my cheeks as I sucked hard, but made sure to trace the tip of my tongue over the ridge of his cock, spending a little extra time on his circumcision scar.

Galen’s hips bucked up as he gripped my hair, holding me in place so he could fuck my mouth. I just relaxed my jaw and concentrated on controlling my gag reflex and let him go to town.

He bumped the back of my throat, causing my eyes to water, but the moment I felt him pull back I grabbed his hips and pulled them up, encouraging him to use my mouth however he wanted.

His pace was hard and fast and punishing, but after a few moments I felt his cock pulse and then he was using my hair to keep my head in place as he spilled down my throat. I greedily swallowed every drop of him, and when he pulled my head off him I climbed back up his body.

“Holy shit you’re good at that,” Galen panted as he buried his face in my neck. “I saw stars. Fucking stars!”

I laughed and held him close.

I let him roll us over so he was on top, and the slightly goofy grin on his face touched something deep inside me.

“Would you want me to do that for you sometime?” he asked tentatively, his finger tracing my eyebrow.

“I would, but only if you want to. I don’t want you to feel pressured, like you have to reciprocate. I do it because I enjoy it, and because I love giving you pleasure.”

“I want to try it, I’m just...”

“Worried?”

“Yeah.”

“If there’s something you want to do, or try, just tell me. I’m a pretty open minded dude, if you can’t tell, so don’t feel like you have to hold anything back.”

“What if I suck at it?”

“Well, practice makes perfect.”

Galen laughed, but then sobered quickly. “What if I don’t like it?”

“Then we won’t do it,” I said simply. “Like I said, I don’t expect anything from you. The fact that I get to touch you, fuck you, is enough for me.”

He smiled and bent down to give me a quick kiss.

“I need a shower, want to hop in with me?”

“Oh hell yeah.” I nodded enthusiastically and Galen laughed.

We climbed out of bed, but then he went to the night table and pulled out a condom.

“Galen?”

“In your apartment after you fucked me, when we took a shower together, I wanted you to pin me against the tiles and fuck my brains out. I’m thinking we should try that.”

“You’re not too sore?” I asked, my cock already starting to thicken in anticipation.

“I want to take a little bit more of you with me today.” His eyes were almost burning with lust as he looked me up and down.

I didn’t say a word, I just took his hand and let him lead me to the bathroom.

I’d like to say it was soft and gentle, but the moment we were both clean Galen pressed the condom in my hand and I managed to roll it on as he turned to face the tiled wall. I fucked him against it, my pace hard and fast, and when he came without me touching his cock, he shouted my name. I came a second later and his hands clamped over my ass, keeping me deep inside him even after the aftershocks had stopped while we’d traded sweet and languid kisses.

When we finally got out of the shower Galen was running late. We got dressed and he drove me home, stopping to grab us coffee at a drive thru. He kissed me when he dropped me off and told me he’d call me on Wednesday, since he would be in court for the next few days and I was working closing shifts.

As I’d made my way into my apartment I was half ecstatic and half worried. Things had taken such an amazing turn, but the cynical part of me was still waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Galen to realize that I wasn’t worth his time.

There were so many guys out there more suited to him, who were worthy of him. It was only a matter of time before he saw how tainted I was and he turned his back on me, just like everyone else.

* * * * *

“Your cab is here, Eddy,” I said as I hung up the phone. “All ready to go?”

“I didn’t settle up.”

“Yes you did.” I gave him a conspiratorial grin as I came around the bar to help him to the door.

“Now, my mind isn’t what it used to be, but I believe you’re trying to tell me you paid my tab again.” Eddy clucked his tongue as I helped him off the stool.

“Guilty as charged.”

“You don’t have to do that, Blaze. I appreciate it, but it’s not necessary.”

“You kept me company today, it’s been dead since my shift started.” I patted his arm as we made our way to the door. “I don’t mind. You’re my favorite customer.”

Eddy laughed and put his hand over mine where I held his arm. “And you’re my favorite bartender.”

“I’m your only bartender, unless you’re cheating on me and going to another bar.” I pretended to give him a shocked look and earned another laugh.

“Don’t you worry, my boy. I’m a one bar kind of man.”

Eddy’s usual cab was waiting and after helping him into the car I waved and waited for it to drive off. When it was out of sight I headed back inside.

“It really is dead in here,” Evan sighed as he came out of the back office. “I had to send half the kitchen staff home.”

“It’ll pick up at dinner. Wing night is one of our best nights, right?”

“Yeah. It just makes for a boring day.”

I grinned as Evan pulled a bottle of beer out of the cooler and twisted off the top.

Evan might be a sort of surrogate dad to me, but he was still a very attractive man. With his tall, athletic frame, perpetually sun-kissed skin tone, and dark brown hair, he was the epitome of sexy. Evan was in his early forties, but he could easily pass for someone in their mid thirties.

“That reminds me.” Evan put the beer down and went into the office. A moment later he came out with a half-eaten plate of food, and I looked at it curiously.

“Jorge experimenting again?” I asked as I moved forward.

Jorge was the head cook and he loved to come up with new menu items. Most of them were stoner food so Evan had made a late night menu especially for the creations that was pretty popular with the drunk crowd.

It looked like he’d put down a layer of fries, covered it in a layer of guacamole, added a bed of shredded lettuce, a layer of chopped tomatoes, then topped it off with ground beef, sour cream, and a drizzle of hot sauce.

“Taco fries. It’s not bad. Want the rest?”

I grabbed a fork from under the bar and gingerly poked the food. It was cold, but it did look interesting.

I took a bite and chewed thoughtfully.

“Pretty good, but not as good as his taco pizza.”

“Who would have thought that putting fully loaded tacos on a Hawaiian pizza would be our After Eleven best seller.” He chuckled and poured me a soda.

“It’s amazing what drunk people think is a good idea.”

“My business depends on those bad decisions.”

We laughed and I took another bite of the food. It was definitely growing on me.

“So, Cody mentioned you left here with some guy. I didn’t know you were seeing anyone.”

As much as I loved Evan, he could be a tad overprotective and he took his surrogate dad role pretty seriously.

“It’s nothing, really. I met someone, but it’s casual.”

“Really?”

I knew he was prying while trying not to pry, and I rolled my eyes even though I secretly loved that he cared so much.

“It’s that guy who helped me after I was jumped.”

“The lawyer who got your charges dropped?”

“The very same.”

“Oh...interesting.”

“What does that mean?” I raised my eyebrow at him as I shoved another forkful of food in my mouth.

“It’s just, a lawyer. Not exactly who I would have pictured you with.”

“Me either, but he’s...interesting.”

“Interesting.” Evan grinned and finished his beer.

“Interesting, and that’s all you’re getting out of me.”

“Fair enough.” He snagged my fork and speared some of the fries.

“Hey, I thought you were done.”

I waited until he’d taken another mouthful and handed me back my fork.

“I needed your young metabolism to save me from overeating.”

I laughed and moved the plate out of his reach.

“You want to get out of here early? I doubt you’ll make any more tips today,” Evan offered as I finished off the taco fries. They were addictive, I had to hand it to Jorge on another slam dunk.

“You don’t mind covering the bar until Rhys gets here?”

“I’ve been sitting in my office trying not to gorge on taco fries and playing on my phone for the last half hour.” He grinned. “I need something to do or I’ll go nuts.”

“Deal. Thanks, Ev.”

“No problem. You seeing sexy lawyer man any time soon?”

“Tonight.” I tried to keep my face neutral but couldn’t stop myself from grinning.

“You’ll have to bring him around so I can meet him. Make sure he’s good enough for you.”

“Yes, Dad.”

Evan ignored my eye roll and waited for me to grab my bag before he traded places with me behind the counter.

“I worry about you, Blaze. I can’t help it.”

“I know, and I appreciate that you care. You’re a good guy, Ev. You kinda saved my life.”

“I’m pretty sure you did that. I just gave you a job.”

“Nah.” I paused at the bar and touched his arm. “You gave me a family. You gave all of us a family.”

Evan flushed and nodded. I knew he thought of all of us as his family, especially after what had happened to him, but every once and awhile I think he liked to be reminded that we all thought the same way.

“Get out of here before you make me blush.”

“Pink’s a good color on you.”

I dodged the rag Evan threw at me and laughed as I shouldered my bag and headed to the door. “See ya,” I called over my shoulder.

“Later.”

Once I was outside I glanced up at the sky. It was a nice day but it was a bit overcast. It didn’t look like rain, which was good.

My car was still making funny noises and taking longer and longer to turn over every time I started it up. I knew I had to get it checked out, but my finances were a little tight and a mechanic’s bill would probably send me into the red. Besides, the car was a piece of crap anyway. I’m sure it would cost more to fix than it was even worth.

One awesome thing about Evan was that he paid our scheduled hours no matter what. If we called in sick or switched a shift, he would adjust our pay, but if he let us go home early he still paid us for the whole shift. He also didn’t take a cut of our tips like a lot of bars. He was the reason I could survive on a bartender’s wage, even if I wasn’t rolling in cash.

It’s a good thing I lived so centrally and I liked to walk, because a new car was way down on my list of things to buy. I still had some debts I needed to clear up before I could even think about looking for new wheels.

By the time I made it home I was feeling restless. It was only four in the afternoon and I had no idea when Galen would be calling. I didn’t feel like fucking around with my guitar, so I did something I hadn’t done for a long time.

I went for a run.

I’d never been an athletic guy. When I was younger I’d been small and thin, but after a few growth spurts I’d hit six-feet and had naturally filled out into a slightly muscular shape. There’d been a time right after I’d gotten sober where I’d worked out like a fiend to try and deal with the cravings, and I’d bulked up quite a bit. Now I relied on walking and working to keep me in shape, although I did hit the gym with Tristan and Rhys every once and awhile to do weights.

I used to love running. It was a way to escape and I enjoyed the burning in my lungs, the aching in my legs that told me I’d pushed myself. And there was nothing better than a runners’ high. It wasn’t the same as getting stoned or drunk, but it was a pretty good second.

Then everything had changed and I’d stopped going for runs.

I was starting to ease back into it, but by the time I hit mile two I was seriously winded and getting a stitch in my side. Thankfully I’d turned back after the first mile so I was almost home.

It was pretty sad. There’d been a time when five miles hadn’t even phased me, now I ran out of steam and started sucking in air like a dying man after two.

I made it home and stumbled up to my apartment. As soon as the door was locked I peeled off my clothes, dropping them on the floor as I made my way to the bathroom. The warm shower felt good on my tired body, and the blast of cold water at the end helped shock me back into reality. I didn’t know if it was true, but someone had told me that if you blast your body, especially your leg muscles, with cold water at the end of your shower after a run, it helped stop cramps. Maybe it was horse shit and I was freezing my ass off for no reason, but I had yet to get a leg cramp since I’d started doing it so I figured it couldn’t hurt.

When I came out of the bathroom I saw my phone light up. I had a text.

I’m bored. Entertain me.

I laughed at Galen’s text and sat down on the edge of my bed in nothing but a towel, with my hair still dripping wet.

What do you want me to do? Kinda hard to entertain someone through text.

Tell me a joke.

You’re ridiculous.

Please.

Fine. What did the ocean say to the shore?

What?

Nothing, it just waved.

Ugh. You fail at jokes.

What are you supposed to be doing right now?

Going over a deposition for a case I’m arguing next week.

Wow, you actually sound like a lawyer.

Ha ha. You at work?

Off early. Just got out of the shower.

Pics or it didn’t happen!

I laughed and switched to the camera on my phone. I was terrible at sending sexy face pics, but I had to admit, the towel and my wet body was looking pretty damn good. I snapped a photo and sent it to him.

That’s what I’m talking about. Now one without the towel.

What do I get in return?

I didn’t get a text as a response, I got a picture. I opened it and almost dropped my phone. He’d sent me a nude, and it was fucking hot. He’d taken it in the mirror in his closet while he was completely naked, hard as a rock and gripping his shaft right by the base so it looked flushed and full. The dick was hot, but the fact that it was a full body image made it sexy. I quickly saved it to my phone for later viewing and switched out of my messages.

I didn’t have a full length mirror, so I would have to do it a little differently.

I pulled off my towel and climbed into bed. I was already rock hard from seeing Galen’s picture, so I lay against my pillows so I was semi-prone, and held the camera up and a bit behind my head to get a downward angle. I took five shots just to be sure and then sent him the one where my dick and abs looked the best before deleting the extras.

Fair trade?

Thank god I’m sitting behind a desk and alone right now.

Too bad I’m all alone in my apartment...

Get your sexy ass dressed and meet me in front of your apartment in forty minutes.

What about your depositions?

Fuck them. I have more important things to do tonight.

Like let me fuck you into your mattress?

Yes, after I take you out on a date.

My brain almost short circuited when I read that last line. Galen wanted to take me on a date?

Forty minutes?

Forty minutes.

I confirmed the time, then bit my lip. I hadn’t been out on a real date in...well, ever. I’d met up with guys to hook up, and I went out with friends all the time, but the whole going out with a guy I was going to hook up with first ritual was foreign to me.

Dress casually.

Galen’s text made me feel a little bit better about things. I didn’t have much beyond casual clothes, and at least it sounded like we were going to do something a bit more low-key and my speed.

When he didn’t text again I tossed my phone on my bed and grabbed my towel. It wouldn’t take me long to get ready, but I didn’t want to risk being late.

I was going on my first real date, and it was with a guy I’d already slept with multiple times. It should be no big deal, so why the fuck was I so nervous?