Open Seating (21 page)

Soon he’d have to make a decision regarding the house. Did he want to stay, or would he be too creeped out every time he walked into the master bedroom? He’d been sleeping downstairs in the guest room since the coroner took Mark’s body away and had only used their room to dress. Seth had also stopped using the en suite bathroom until he realized it was impractical to be carting his toiletries back and forth, but even when he caved and began using it again, the feeling of unease persisted. He kept looking over his shoulder, expecting Mark to appear. Not that he believed in ghosts or anything, but his death was too recent, and being in the same location didn’t help one bit.

Throwing in the towel and selling the place had crossed Seth’s mind on several occasions. There was no mortgage, and they’d purchased shortly after they moved in together twenty years ago, so the value of the property had certainly doubled, if not more. Whatever he got from the sale would tide him over for years if he moved to a less affluent neighborhood. A two-bedroom condo or townhouse was really all he needed. Daily expenses would be drastically reduced, and he’d never have to contemplate a day job to augment his income. The idea of working eight to five, or even part time, was disheartening. If he had to write ten hours a day to increase his production, he’d do it. Anything to avoid the evil day job.

And on that positively repugnant note, he got up and headed for the bathroom. After he showered and shaved, he threw on his white robe and stepped out in time to hear room service knocking on the door. Seth poured the strong coffee into his mug and sighed contentedly after he took a tentative sip. The croissants were warm to the touch, so fresh they practically melted in his mouth. He felt spoiled and decadent, but he couldn’t muster up a shred of guilt. What was it Bryce said about that useless emotion? The guy had more layers than an onion, and each one was as intriguing as the next.

Licking the last of the chocolate off his lips, Seth paused when he heard the beep of the key card announcing Bryce’s return.

“You look refreshed,” Bryce noted with a wry smile. “I ran five miles around the open track above the pool and must stink to high heaven.”

“I don’t smell anything,” Seth said. “How did you know it was five miles?”

Bryce lifted his wrist, and Seth saw a watch-like gizmo with a yellow band.

“What is it?” he asked.

“It’s a Fitbit,” Bryce informed him. “It calculates your running or walking distance.”

“That’s easy.”

“Right? You should buy one,” Bryce suggested.

“What part of
I don’t exercise
didn’t you understand?”

“Come on, babe. It’ll do you good.”

“There you go calling me babe again. Makes me feel like a boy toy.”

“Does it bother you that much?”

Seth shook his head. “No, it’s rather amusing.”

“Because—?”

“I’d use it to describe someone young and hot.”

Bryce frowned. “I seem to have gotten over my age phobia with you. In any event, you’re not that old, and I think you’re hot.”

“You’re saying that because we’re the same age.”

“Yup, forty is the new thirty.”

“News flash, Bryce. We’re closer to fifty.”

“So. We’re finally almost forty,” Bryce teased.

Seth laughed. “Get in the shower.”

“Wanna join me?” Bryce asked, waggling his eyebrows.

“I just got out.”

“You can soap me down,” he suggested helpfully.

Seth scrunched up his face. “It’s too cramped. We’ll end up with a charley horse or a stiff neck.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” Bryce asked.

“Simmering,” Seth replied. When he realized what he’d admitted, he blushed like one of his virginal heroines.

Bryce grinned. “Like that, is it?”

So busted. “Yeah,” he said softly. “By the time you get out, I should be moving on to a slow boil.”

“And what’ll that get me?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Statements like that can get you in trouble,” Bryce warned.

“I trust you.”

“I appreciate it, but you should be careful in the future, Seth.”

“Okay,” Seth said.

“Be back in a flash.”

As soon as Bryce entered the bathroom, leaving a trail of his clothes behind, Seth took several cleansing breaths. Where in the fuck did he get off being so bold? After having a taste of sex without frills, he was behaving like a glutton, wanting more and not ashamed to admit it. At this rate, he’d be unrecognizable by the time they got home. Would Mark be shocked or jealous? Screw Mark. He’d given up his rights the moment he decided to check out. Seth had to stop thinking about him as if he were in another room. He was gone, gone, gone!

He heard the click of the bathroom door, and when it opened, a cloud of steam escaped along with a very naked Bryce. He hadn’t bothered to throw on a robe, and he was sporting a semi that proved he was more than ready for anything Seth had planned.

Seth’s brain shorted out when he zeroed in on Bryce’s thick cock, and he involuntarily clenched his asshole, imagining what it would feel like to have eight inches of Bryce stuffed inside of him. Conversely, he was so hard he was afraid he’d blow before Bryce even touched him.

“Did you mean it when you asked me to fuck you last night?”

“Did I?” Seth squeaked. Now that his head had cleared, he was having second thoughts.

“You said you wanted me to be your first.”

“Technically, you wouldn’t be, but it’s been so long since I attempted it, you might need dynamite to get through.”

“I’m up for it if you are,” Bryce challenged. “Or not. We don’t have to do this, Seth. I’m only bringing it up because you asked.”

“That monster you have between your legs is obviously on board with the idea.”

“Why wouldn’t it be? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you’re hot and I want you.”

“You should have done it last night when I was too drunk to be scared.”

“That’s precisely why I didn’t.”

“You want me to be afraid?”

“Hell no. I want you to enjoy it and remember every detail so next time you’ll be begging for it.”

“And you’re sure I’m going to like it?” Seth asked, dubious.

“Everyone’s different, but you won’t know until you try.”

Seth sighed. “We’ve had so many firsts on this trip, I might as well add one more.”

“You’re making this sound very clinical,” Bryce said. “It won’t be good if you don’t let yourself go.”

“Go where?”

“Out of your head, which is too full of preconceived ideas.”

“Right. Okay. Let’s do it.”

Bryce went to the minibar, selected a tiny bottle of whiskey, and poured half of it into a cup. He then added some coffee from the pitcher on the table. It was still warm, and he handed it to Seth.

“What’s this?”

“Irish coffee to numb you up.”

“You need cream.”

Bryce grinned. “Trust me, babe, you’ll be getting lots of cream.”

Seth rolled his eyes. “Can you get any cheesier?”

“I can, but I won’t.”

Seth picked up the cup and took a few sips. “It’s not as bad as I expected.”

“And taking it up the ass will be even better,” Bryce confirmed. “I promise.”

BRYCE DREW
the curtains, giving in to Seth’s whispered request to make love in the dark. He’d emphasized the
make love
part so Bryce was clear on what was about to happen. Seth didn’t want to go down as another one of his hookups, he’d murmured before stripping off his robe and climbing onto the bed. He looked like he was about to be guillotined instead of fucked into the mattress. And yet he lay there, spread out like a delectable treat, guilelessly wanton. Bryce’s mouth watered at the thought of what was coming next.

He was brought up short by his conscience telling him this was a bad idea. Not because he’d fail, but because it would be a resounding success. Seth was too responsive, and he wanted this despite his fears. If all went according to plan and Bryce succeeded in awakening the walnut-shaped organ from its virginal slumber, Seth would go off like a rocket and, consequently, view Bryce through a lusty veil. Would he still think of him as a friend, or would good sex put ideas in Seth’s head that might lead to more heartache?

Playing his own devil’s advocate, he asked himself why it would have to end badly. He was already invested in their nonrelationship, no matter how much he tried telling himself otherwise. Seth had awoken a side of him that had been in hiding for years. He genuinely cared for the guy and wouldn’t mind seeing more of him once they got home if he could get past his own stringent rules.

Back in his college days, Bryce had been a different man. Coming out to his parents and dealing with their horror and disgust had made him a little wary of revealing his orientation to his new roommate, Owen, who was a typical jock. He never would have guessed the big linebacker was gay until he pushed Bryce’s hand aside one night while he was jacking off and asked to join the party.

After that, they grew close and spent free evenings experimenting. Owen had sworn him to secrecy, telling Bryce he couldn’t afford to come out to the team or he’d lose his scholarship, a reasonable fear in those days. So Bryce played along, allowing himself to become the butt of team jokes when he showed up at Owen’s games, listening to the usual bigoted banter warning Owen to keep away from his homo roommate. At night things were radically different, and they freely declared their love and swore they’d be together long after college was over.

Admittedly, Bryce had been naïve and taken Owen’s words as gospel. He could have forgiven Owen for continuing to play straight when he was approached by the Chicago Bears and coaxed into joining their practice squad to see if he’d make the cut. Those kinds of lies Bryce understood. What he couldn’t forgive was walking in on Owen while he pounded his own agent in their bedroom. Blows had been exchanged in addition to hateful words that could never be taken back. Bryce decided then and there that he’d never put himself in a similar situation again. Any kind of commitment between two men outside of business was unrealistic. Guys were animals drawn to the scent of sex the way a shark smells blood miles away. It was the nature of the beast, he’d convinced himself, and Bryce had accepted this theory as his truth. It was safer to seek out physical release without the emotional entanglement, then move on to the next warm body. Until now.

Being around Seth twenty-four hours a day had forced him to face the possibility that he might have been wrong. The man was living proof that relationships between two gay men could actually exist, and although his partnership with Mark had ended in tragedy, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Fate and bad genes had broken up the union, not a third party. Perhaps there
was
another way, and the only reason he refused to accept it was because he’d been burned once before. Which was rather pathetic considering his attempt at a relationship had been a zillion years ago. A lot had changed since that time, and even Seth, who’d been stuck in the same place for twenty years, was willing to broaden his horizons. If Seth dared to trust Bryce, couldn’t he reciprocate and remove the subconscious stumbling blocks that were in the way of happiness?

“Are you having second thoughts?” Seth asked, apparently noticing Bryce’s hesitation.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Just working out my strategy.”

Seth chuckled. “You mean there’s actually some method to your madness?”

Bryce crawled onto the bed and lay on Seth, supporting his full weight on his elbows. “I’d like this to be good for you, babe. How far did you get the last time?”

“What I did when dinosaurs roamed the earth has no bearing on the here and now. This thing we have going on—whatever you want to call it—is better than anything I’ve known in the past. Giving you details about failed attempts would be irrelevant.”

“You and Mark had lousy sex?”

“No,” Seth said. “I don’t want to bash him, Bryce. I loved Mark, and everything we did together was special, but I have to be honest. Toward the end it became mechanical.”

“He was my friend too. No bashing intended. I’m only trying to figure out your limits.”

“I’m willing to try anything once,” Seth said. “You haven’t disappointed me yet.”

Bryce kissed him and, in doing so, made the decision to shed his fears. He dropped the walls around his heart and gave in to his feelings with unguarded enthusiasm. Not that he’d held back in the past few days, but there was something liberating about his change in attitude. Working through his concerns made this session feel more like an act of love rather than a scene from a porn flick.

He licked his way down Seth’s torso, lingering a few minutes on each nipple; they were super sensitive, as Bryce had discovered the other day. Throaty murmurs from Seth urged him to suck, bite, and twist each tiny nub until they were as hard as pebbles. Bryce couldn’t believe he was already on the brink just by listening to the sounds pouring out of Seth. In an effort to forestall his own orgasm, he moved away and headed south to concentrate on more important things. He pushed Seth’s legs up and apart and buried his tongue in his asshole.

His newbie yelped in shock, and Bryce couldn’t stop the chuckle vibrating out of him, making Seth squirm and spread his legs even wider. He arched his hips and began rutting frantically against Bryce’s face. It was so fucking hot to feel Seth’s loss of control as his inhibitions slowly dropped away. Bryce slobbered over that enticing pucker, poking his tongue in and around the tight muscles that clamped onto him like a sucking vise. Seth was shuddering and digging his heels into the mattress, churning his lower half like a pro, all the while begging Bryce to fuck him.

Bryce was close to losing his own shit, so he grabbed the small bottle of lube he’d laid on the mattress and rolled on a condom as fast as humanly possible. He added more of the lube to his sheathed cock, and he squirted Seth’s asshole with a healthy glob, turning the tight furl into an oil slick. He hoisted Seth’s legs over his shoulders, positioned his dick, and paused.

“What’s wrong?” Seth asked.