Foster Siblings 3: Brokedown Hearts (23 page)

Each whisper or bruising touch from David, every pant of humid breath from him that brushed against Ben’s face, each throaty moan… All of it mingled with the smells of new arousal and the old of last night and wreaked havoc on Ben’s senses. Fire licked along Ben’s flesh, close to consuming him, and forced him to pick up speed. No longer the slightest bit gentle or romantic, Ben rubbed his cock against David’s in a frantic rhythm stripped of all experience. With a breathless shout, David matched Ben’s pace, punishing their flesh, and sent Ben up in flames.

Without any warning, Ben’s balls swelled and lifted toward his body, slamming him into release. His gaze tied to David’s, Ben jerked, and David’s stare widened, and he shuddered too. Instant pleasure and connection flung Ben the rest of the way home. He cried out David’s name and shot his seed all over the man’s belly, just as David parted his lips and, without sound, spilled hot lines of cum on Ben’s balls and shaft.

Crazy-good waves of joy crashed through Ben’s system. Still breathing hard and riding the high of orgasm, Ben switched from pulling David’s hair to cupping the back of his head and tugged him in for another kiss.

Right then, the alarm went off—at exactly the time Ben knew David’s would across the way in his room.

David eased back, and he cocked his head to the side. “Hey.” He grinned. “You get up at the same time I do.”

Fuck
. The first pieces of reality plummeted Ben back to earth—to his work. “That’s my fail-safe,” Ben corrected truthfully. Like David, he would have gotten up anyway. The alarm was set to remind him when David got up, just in case Ben fell behind schedule. “Like this morning, I’m usually up a bit before it goes off.”

With a grumble, David withdrew and rolled out of bed. “I wish I could stay all day, but I have to work.” While hopping into his sweats one leg at a time, David shared, “I’m still so new at the shelter. I don’t want to hurt whatever goodwill I’ve earned by being late.”

“That’s admirable.” Ben waited for David to get his T-shirt over his head before adding, “And I understand.”

Dressed once more, David rushed to Ben’s side of the bed and sat on the edge. “Will I see you later?”

With a growl full of explicit intent, Ben drew David down to him and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Absolutely.”

David lingered, exchanging slow, nibbling kisses, but then popped up like a kangaroo. “I have to go.” At full speed, he raced back to the door and flung it open. “I need time to take a shower. Bye!”

After David stepped outside, but before the door started to swing closed, Ben shouted, “Have a good day!”

In response, David gave a thumbs-up and blew Ben a kiss, and Ben chuckled as warmth suffused his chest.

The minute the door closed, though, Ben launched out of bed and grabbed his phone.

Time to text Jonah again.

He jabbed the minimal amount of letters necessary to make his point to his client.

This time, he’d better fucking respond.

Ben had run fully out of patience with the man.

And soon, if he succumbed to another night like this one with David—after all, without thinking, he’d just agreed to see the guy again tonight—Ben would be out of time and excuses to make things right.

After sending the message, Ben threw the phone on the bed and grabbed what he needed to take a shower of his own. Fact was, while he was still in Jonah’s employ, he still had a suspect to tail.

Fuck.

Chapter Ten

Floating on a cloud, David finished getting dressed after his record-fast shower, brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and hummed an upbeat tune while taking care of Elsa’s food, water, and litter box.

To David’s mind, things could not have gone better with Ben last night. Not only did they have sex—great sex, even; he hoped Ben felt the same—but better, Ben had opened up to him about his brother, someone clearly very close and dear to him, and added another layer of intimacy and trust to their growing relationship. Beyond that, Ben hadn’t run from David’s confession of doing time, and he hadn’t freaked out when David had mentioned stalking or battling destructive thoughts and tendencies. And then this morning…
Wow
. David could get used to a wake-up call like that from Ben every day.

Plus, just as important for David, he’d beaten his urge to run away during a tough situation. And rather than getting passive-aggressive and snippy, he’d stood up for himself and once again conquered the destructive desires that would have dragged him back down into the mud, a place he’d nearly drowned himself in five years ago.

I think I’m doing well
. Walking on a trail of clouds, David gave Elsa one final scratch behind the ears, left her to her breakfast, and slung his backpack over his shoulder.
Maybe all that time I spent with Dr. Fariday really did sink in and grab tight. I think Dr. Bherr would feel positive about the choices I’m making too.

While the bulk of David’s initial recovery and ongoing dialogue and therapy remained with Dr. Fariday, his psychiatrist in Pensacola, Dr. Bherr, had played a huge role in helping him face his sexuality and disorders and had encouraged an immersive regimen of behavioral therapy. Dr. Bherr had moved on to another position a few months before David’s release from Pensacola, and while they were no longer in touch, she’d ensured the resident who’d taken over David’s therapy at the end had fully understood David’s issues, and had made the transition a smooth one for him.

I have people in my corner
. David swung open his door, and his attention automatically drifted to Ben’s room. His pulse fluttered. Even though Ben remained on the other side of the closed door, David’s cheeks heated as the events of last night and this morning replayed in his mind.
Maybe I found one really great guy who understands me and will always back me up.

Feeling better than he had in years, David spun to head to the bus stop but halted dead in his tracks.
What the heck?
Brittany was less than ten feet away from him. She had a huge, overstuffed floral fabric bag over one shoulder, a pink duffel over the other, and dragged a turquoise suitcase on wheels behind her.

Without thought, David rushed to Brittany’s side and took the duffel and suitcase from her.

Brittany looked up, and when her focus cleared, her whole cherubic face lit up. “Oh, hi. I was a little lugged down with stuff. I didn’t see you.”

“What are you doing?” David feared he already knew the answer, and the threatening letter he’d found in his room last night came roaring back into his brain. His breathing altered, and the back of his neck tingled, as if something inside him instinctually knew he was being watched. David looked over his shoulder, searching for suspicious vehicles in the half-full motel lot, but found none. Still, if he’d had hairs on his back, they would be standing on end right now. “Does Travis know you’re here?”

Brittany snorted and threw her hands in the air. “Oh, he knows, all right.” Chips of emerald iced her eyes. “We had it out all last night, going round and round in circles about all kinds of stuff.”

His heart seizing and sinking into his feet, David wanted to be sick. “About me.”

“Among other things,” Brittany corrected him. “Most of it was about Travis’s blind spot concerning the rest of the family. I couldn’t take it anymore. I started packing. He tried to stop me, but I’ve had enough.” Color pinched Brittany’s cheeks with health, but she rubbed her stomach, and David noticed her lips were pale. “I’m more emotional about the whole thing than I thought I’d be. I had a bad breakfast burrito on the way over and already puked it up on the side of the road. This might be making me sick”—she bucked her chin up high—“but I know I’m doing the right thing. It’s been a long time coming. We were fighting about this well before you got out of prison, David. Don’t feel guilty.” Lifting to her tiptoes, she rubbed the spot between his eyebrows. “I can see that you’re already worrying about it.”

No shit
. If David showed Brittany the threatening letter her husband had slid under his door, she might feel differently too. If he showed her the note, though, he could blow Travis out of the water for good with Brittany, and that might change Travis’s act from a juvenile threat to something more serious.

Before David could figure out the right step, Brittany jumped in front of the motel room door next to his and struck a
ta-da
pose. “Anyway, we’re neighbors now. This’ll be fun. And beneficial to you.” She drew a key out of a pocket hidden in the folds of her sundress and opened the door. From over her shoulder, as she entered the room, she said, “For as long as I stay here, you can borrow my car to run your errands, and I’ll give you a ride to work in the mornings.”

Lugging Brittany’s duffel and suitcase, David walked to the open door. “You don’t have to do that. It’s a long drive just to drop someone off.”

“True.” After taking the bags, Brittany lined them neatly next to her floral beach bag in front of the dresser. “But I don’t get to see Erin enough, so I can pick up coffee for me and her along the way and visit for a few minutes on the days you work in the morning. Today maybe she can fix me one of those herbal teas she’s always trying to convert me to.” Brittany made a face and touched her stomach again. “At least for this morning.”

Holding back at the door, David assessed the suitcase, as well as the picture of his sister-in-law in this dated, ugly motel room. David’s breathing kicked up again, and he started pulling on his band around his wrist. “Do you really think this is the right thing? I know you love him. And the one thing I know for sure about him is that he worships you.”

If anything, David’s comments pushed Brittany to stand up straighter. “Travis needs to understand he isn’t always right about everything. Every time he downplays or makes an excuse for a slight or rudeness aimed at me from the family, it feels like he’s choosing them and dismissing me. It hurts.” Her voice wobbled a bit then, but her stance held true. “I don’t want to be his second choice anymore.”

David rushed into the room and tugged her into a hug. “I’m sorry.” Rocking her in his hold, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I hope he wakes up and fixes things with you.”

She mumbled, “Me too,” into his shirt. Then she pulled away, offered a huge smile, and patted him hard on the arms, like a linebacker after making a game-changing play. “In the meantime”—she fished a small purse out of the beach bag—“let’s get you to work.”

Still uneasy about how Travis would react to all this, David smiled at Brittany anyway. She needed the support of a friend, not another Joyner male questioning her choices and opinions.

Crooking one arm out for her, David swept his other hand toward the exit. “If you insist on giving me a ride, I gladly and gratefully accept.”

“Good.” Brittany linked her arm in his and led them outside. After taking a second to lock the door, she took hold of his elbow again, got them strolling in the direction of her car, and smiled up at him. “Help me take my mind off Travis. Tell me what’s new with you.”

Flitting through the past few weeks in his mind, landing here and there over all the moments with Ben, David found a new bounce in his step. For the first time in his life, he could tell someone about a new man, rather than fearing any mention of a male “friend” might expose a level of caring and attraction that went deeper than friendship. Other than Christian—which David had ruined so irrevocably—Brittany was his first real, true friend. And he really, really wanted to talk to someone, other than a doctor, about Ben.

“Things have progressed with Ben,” David shared as they parted ways to get in the car. “And now I’m sure he’s pretty great.” After David got in the car and strapped himself in, he waited for Brittany to do the same and then grabbed her hand. “And I think he likes me too.”

Brittany squealed and did a little dance in the driver’s-side seat. “Spill. I want to know everything about him.” She put the key in the ignition and got the engine going, but before backing out, she pointed at him. “And don’t leave anything out.”

Well
… David chuckled. He would definitely keep a few things about Ben to himself.

“You already know his name is Ben Evans, and he’s staying at the motel too.” Fizzy bubbles of giddiness popped in David’s system, sending happy shots of endorphins all the way through his body. “And to start with the basics, he’s stunning to look at…”

* * * *

Elbow-deep in suds, David scrubbed down an easygoing mastiff-and-collie mix named General. The giant dog had a temperament perfectly suited for families with children, but due to his older age, nine years, he likely would live out his days at the shelter.

But maybe not
. If David could get the shelter website up and going, and if he could bring his rusty, outdated skills up to par enough to market the site and tag it in a way that would maximize traffic for people searching online for adoptable animals, then maybe the one person out there looking for a dog just like General would find him. David had to successfully build and make this website work on multiple levels, not only to prove his value to Erin, but also to broaden the chances for adoption for all these sweet, loving animals beyond the limited region of central Florida.

A knock thunked against the wall behind David. Without looking, his fingers still tunneling through General’s soapy hair, he called out, “What is it?”

Sam loped into the room and braced himself against the wall beside the big wash basin. “Hey, David. Oh.” Sam smiled, and with a soft laugh, he brushed his fingers across David’s nose and cheek. “You have soap on your face.” He wiped his hand on his plaid shirt and then reached in again and grazed his thumb over David’s chin. “There.” This time, he wiped the smudge on his jeans. “Got it all.”

Must have happened when I scratched an itch a few dogs back
. “Thanks.” David rubbed his chin against his shoulder as best he could, itchy again, and then went back to scrubbing General’s thick fur.

Sandy locks falling over his forehead, Sam dipped down and scratched the offending spot for David and then backed his way to the door. “Listen, finish this up and go find Erin. She wants you to take the van and go pick up some stuff in town.”