Polar Reaction (9 page)

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Tuck listened to the sound of running water, marveling at the turn of events. If he hadn’t fallen and hit his head, would this even be happening? He touched his bandage. The wound throbbed dully beneath it, the numbness of the Novocain having mostly worn off.

Oddly, he didn’t mind the pain. Or, more accurately, he felt so keenly alive and so grateful for that life, the pain was simply a testament to it. Having brushed death, however briefly, he felt this life was all the sweeter, even if they were stranded on the edge of the world.

He thought about the two very sexy men now showering, each no doubt in a separate stall. Jamie was definitely ready to play. Though by far the youngest of the three, Jamie was surely the most sexually experienced, at least where guys were concerned. He imagined Jamie would teach the two of them a thing or two. His cock tingled at the thought and he slipped his hand into his jeans, idly stroking it.

Brendan’s reaction was uncertain, but based on their brief but very hot tryst of the night before, he was also ready and willing to learn. The thing was to keep Brendan feeling comfortable. Not to rush the action and make him retreat back to the safety of his definition of himself as straight.

How did a person get to his mid-thirties without ever connecting to a side of himself that was obviously there? Brendan didn’t suddenly turn bi when Tuck kissed him. The feelings were there. They were there the year before, and no doubt had always been there, dormant and ignored.

He guessed he shouldn’t really be surprised. Most guys ignored their feelings, and not just their sexual ones. Society certainly didn’t encourage men to connect, especially with homosexual desires. In fact, they were soundly discouraged. Maybe the real wonder was how many guys did actually find the courage and honesty to explore their true natures, even in the face of discrimination and rejection.

Jamie was the first to emerge from the bathroom, toweling his wet hair. “Did you conserve water by showering together?”

“What do you think? We’ve got ourselves a live one, Tuck. A virgin.” Jamie shook his head. “Ironic, isn’t it? He’s the oldest, the head of the team, a natural leader, but now things are kind of turned on their heads.”

“Yeah. It’s good to keep that in mind too. We want to help him explore, but not scare him to death in the process.”

Jamie moved toward the footlocker at the end of his bed. He dropped his towel to pull on his underwear. Tuck noticed for the first time the small tattoo of a snake curling around Jamie’s left hip, its red, rippling tongue pointing toward his ass.

As Jamie pulled on a pair of jeans, Tuck realized he didn’t want him to add a shirt. He wanted to admire that sexy physique, to run his hands over the skin and the muscles beneath, to taste the flesh and flick the nipples with his tongue.

He sat and swung his legs over his cot, pleased there was no accompanying wave of dizziness. “Let’s turn on both space heaters. Make it warmer in here so we don’t need all these damn layers.”

He stood carefully, still experiencing no ill effects. He retrieved the second space heater and turned it on, watching a moment as the oil-heated filaments turned from silver to red.

“You don’t think we should conserve in case…?” Jamie didn’t finish the sentence.

“Nah. Not tonight. Let’s make tonight perfect. For all we know, it’s our only chance.” This was true. The winds might die down sufficiently that they’d be rescued the next day. How strange to realize he no longer wanted that. At least not yet. There was too much at stake here. Too much he wanted first.

He unbuttoned his flannel shirt and pulled it off. Jamie, still bare-chested, watched him with unabashed desire, the bulge at his crotch rapidly rising. Tuck pulled his thermal shirt over his head and moved closer to the space heater.

Jamie approached him, his blue eyes flashing. “I want you, Tuck. You said no secrets. I have to know. Be honest with me—trust me, I can take it. Am I just thrown into this mix as an afterthought? Or do you want me too?”

Tuck moved closer, so they were standing face-to-face, only inches apart. He put his hand on Jamie’s hip and pushed at the waist of the jeans so they slid lower, revealing the snake tattoo.

He drew his thumb over the ink, a bright green diamond pattern outlined in black, the whole thing no larger than a man’s finger. It seemed almost alive, twisting and undulating along the curve of his hipbone.

He looked up from the tattoo into Jamie’s eyes, while he drew his palm along Jamie’s skin from his hip to his flat belly. The jeans hung loose and he slipped his hand into the front of Jamie’s pants and beneath the elastic of his underwear.

Jamie’s cock was erect. Tuck curled his fingers around it and gripped him hard. “I want you too. Don’t doubt it for a second.” He kissed him on the mouth and then stepped back, letting him go.

Jamie leaned forward, rubbing his erect cock through his jeans. “You can’t just do that to a guy and then stop.” His eyes were narrowed with lust.

“Only for the moment, Jamie. I don’t want to start something with you, only to have Brendan come out again and freak out, you know?”

Jamie dropped his hand to his side. “Yeah, you’re right. We have enough real-life drama with this storm without adding any more of our own.”

Tuck nodded, relieved Jamie understood. “Now, let’s go see what’s taking Brendan so long.”

“Yeah. If he’s wasting water, we might have to spank him.”

Tuck grinned back at him. “Hey, remember, we don’t want to totally freak the guy out.”

Jamie winked broadly and licked his lips. “Not right away, anyway.”

Chapter Nine

Brendan stepped out of the bathroom just as they turned to enter. He was fully dressed, not that this surprised Jamie. Brendan smiled and ran his fingers through his hair, which was dark gold when wet.

Jamie hooked his thumbs into his back pockets, aware this dragged his jeans down enough to reveal most of the snake tattoo. He stared at Brendan, daring him to notice. Brendan’s gaze swept over both men’s bare chests and he caught his lower lip in his teeth.

“We wondered if you were ever coming out.” Tuck’s voice was teasing. “Looks like you’re all dressed up and no place to go.” Tuck sidled closer to Brendan and tugged at the top button of his outer shirt. “We turned on both heaters. You won’t need all these layers.”

Brendan stood stiffly, allowing Tuck to unbutton his shirt and push it from his shoulders. If Tuck was aware of Brendan’s discomfiture, he gave no sign. “Let’s watch a movie. We can use your laptop.”

They walked into the sleeping quarters. Having something to do seemed to ease Brendan’s anxiety. He went to the laptop and flipped open the lid. “I should check the weather too.” He sat down and began to type. His brow furrowed and he frowned. “Fuck.” His voice was quiet, but Jamie heard the anguish in it and glanced up sharply.

Brendan looked from him to Tuck with a pained expression. “We lost it again. The satellite connection.” They were all silent. What was there to say? Jamie took a deep breath and exhaled. He was done panicking over the situation.

When he’d cried—something he hadn’t done in years—it had somehow cleansed him, not only of his sorrows, but of his fears. Whatever was going to happen, he wouldn’t change it one iota by flipping out. What Tuck said was true—this was all they had. Today, this moment, this life—this was it. No dress rehearsal, no do overs.

He looked from blond, sexy Brendan to dark, handsome Tuck and smiled, surprised that his calm wasn’t forced. He shrugged. “We know they’re monitoring the situation. They aren’t going to forget about us. It’s not like they could get through now anyway. We might as well relax and enjoy the time we have together, right?”

Tuck’s expression eased, the worried pucker between his eyebrows smoothing. “You’re right, Jamie. Where’s that Southern Comfort, anyway? It’s kind of growing on me.” He turned to Brendan. “What DVDs do we have that we haven’t already watched six hundred times?”

“Steve had the big collection.” Brendan paused, pursing his lips. “I actually have a few old movies you might like.” He moved toward his cot and opened his footlocker, rummaging through piles of rumpled clothing. He held up a DVD case. “How about this? A classic.”

“What is it?” Tuck asked.

“
Lawrence
of Arabia
.”

Tuck raised his eyebrows. “With Peter O’Toole?”

“Yep.”

“That’s a great movie. I heard he’s gay.”

Jamie, not familiar with the movie and barely aware of who Peter O’Toole was, perked up. “Who, Lawrence of Arabia or Peter O’Toole?”

Tuck laughed. “Both, actually.” Jamie found himself more interested in the movie.

Brendan popped the DVD into the laptop and turned it toward the sofa, their usual spot for watching movies. Tuck touched his bandage and made a face. “I think I should probably lie down, don’t you? Why don’t we set up the laptop so we can see it from my cot? We can keep this double bed setup.”

“Yes, of course. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Brendan shifted the card table so it was facing the cots, while Tuck winked at Jamie, who grinned. The situation was funny in a way—the two of them plotting to seduce the straight guy, everyone tiptoeing around what they knew was going to happen.

Jamie still held himself back. He wasn’t going to push himself between those two, but he wouldn’t be a jerk either, playing hard to get. He’d just go with the flow and see where it took him. He busied himself with pouring portions of the sweet, strong liquor into the juice glasses. Tuck, meanwhile, rearranged the pillows so they were resting against the wall.

The three of them settled in, leaning back against the pillows, their drinks in hand. By unspoken agreement, Jamie and Tuck lay on either side of Brendan. They watched the movie awhile, sipping their drinks. After their second round, they set their glasses aside and focused on the film, which so far, to Jamie’s surprise, was pretty good for something made forty-five years before.

“Hey,” Jamie observed. “That O’Toole guy actually looks like you, Brendan.”

“You think so?” Brendan shrugged.

“He does look like you.” Tuck turned from the screen to examine Brendan’s features. “It’s your wavy hair. And also the sensual mouth and the strong jaw line.” He ran a finger along Brendan’s jaw. Jamie watched, fascinated, as Brendan actually shivered to Tuck’s touch.

Jamie scooted closer so his leg was touching Brendan’s. He dared to drop his hand to Brendan’s thigh. Brendan turned toward him, his gaze moving from Jamie’s hand to his face. Tuck’s hand appeared on Brendan’s other thigh. Brendan’s head whipped in his direction.

Tuck’s voice was soothing. “Relax, Bren. We aren’t going to eat you. We just want to touch you. To explore a little. That’s okay, isn’t it? We all agree we want this, right?”

“Yeah.” Brendan’s voice was soft. He allowed Tuck to push at his shoulder until he was lying flat between them. On the screen, Lawrence appeared over the top of a huge simmering sand dune, his white robe whipping in the wind, but Jamie stopped even pretending to pay attention.

He slid down beside Brendan, moving his hand along Brendan’s thigh to his crotch. Boldly, he cupped the inviting bulge, delighted to feel it harden beneath his fingers. He met Tuck’s eye and they smiled complicity. However nervous Brendan was, he wanted this.

Tuck tugged at the hem of Brendan’s undershirt. Jamie took the other side and together they pulled it upward. “We need to even the playing field,” Tuck asserted when Brendan offered a very mild protest. He lifted himself enough to allow them to remove the shirt.

“Nice.” Tuck ran his hand over Brendan’s curling blond chest hair. Brendan closed his eyes, his cheeks turning pink. Tuck grinned over him at Jamie. Jamie moved his hand from Brendan’s jeans to his broad chest. He licked his finger and used it to circle a nipple. The nubbin stiffened and rose at his touch. He did the same to the second nipple.

“Hot,” Tuck whispered. He was leaning over Brendan so his face nearly touched Jamie’s. All at once they turned to one another over Brendan’s body, their lips meeting. Jamie’s cock responded like an inflating balloon, lengthening and engorging, catching uncomfortably in his underwear. He wanted to take off his jeans but didn’t quite dare. Not yet. He did open his fly, reaching in his underwear to free his bent cock.

Tuck drew back from the kiss, his eyes fixed on Jamie’s crotch. Jamie removed his hand. The elastic from the waistband of his underwear was cutting into his skin, just below the head of his swollen cock, which was hidden in the shadow of his open jeans.

Brendan lay inert beneath them. Tuck glanced at Brendan’s face and Jamie followed suit. Brendan was watching them, his eyes hooded, his lips parted. Jamie stroked Brendan’s chest, resting his hand over Brendan’s heart, which was thumping rapidly beneath his fingers.

Tuck unbuttoned Brendan’s fly. Jamie grasped the metal tag of the zipper and dragged it over the bulge straining at Brendan’s crotch. He noted with some amusement Brendan’s baggy boxer shorts, and resisted the temptation to reach inside the open fly.

“Hey.” Brendan lifted his head, his hand moving to cover his crotch.

“Hey, nothing.” Tuck pushed his hand away. “It’s good, Brendan. Remember, it’s all good. We’re not doing anything we don’t all three want.”

“Yeah,” Jamie echoed.

He watched with mingled lust and jealousy as Tuck lowered his head until his mouth was on Brendan’s. Brendan’s chest was heaving but he didn’t push Tuck away. Jamie’s gaze traveled down Brendan’s body to his open jeans.

He had to swallow to keep from choking on the saliva that rushed to his mouth at the thought of taking Brendan’s hard cock down his throat. What had the two of them been up to last night? How far had their fumbling beneath the covers gone? Would Brendan let him suck him off?

There was only one way to find out.

While the other two kissed, he tugged at Brendan’s jeans, managing to push them aside enough for access to the fly of Brendan’s shorts. He placed his hand over the blue cotton that was all that now stood between him and Brendan’s cock and balls. Brendan made a muffled protest, his hand again moving to cover his crotch.

Jamie watched with wry amusement when Tuck blocked the apparently anticipated action. He kept his own hand in place, enjoying the heat and throb of Brendan’s erect cock beneath the thin fabric.

While the two men kissed, Jamie’s cock strained in its confines. Emboldened by his lust and the sexy scene before him, Jamie slipped off the bed long enough to pull off his jeans and underwear.

Despite the best efforts of their heating system, the room still wasn’t warm enough to prevent the shudder of cold that undulated through his body. He realized for the last half hour or so he hadn’t even noticed the howling wind, which now cut through his consciousness like a knife. Forcing himself to ignore it, he turned his attentions back to Brendan’s erection, which beckoned like a Siren.

He crouched naked on the bed at Brendan’s side. Reaching into the boxers, he wrapped his hand around the erect shaft. Pulling it through the fly, he squeezed the head between thumb and forefinger and lowered his mouth to lick away the drop of pre-come his action produced.

So sweet, so inviting—it had been far too long since Jamie had tasted cock. Hungry for it—starving would be a better word—he lowered his head, taking the shaft as far as the constrictions of Brendan’s clothing would permit. Brendan groaned and Jamie was vaguely aware Tuck had pulled back from their kiss.

Tuck’s hands were suddenly in his way and Jamie raised his head, mildly annoyed to be interrupted. Then he realized what Tuck was doing. He was pulling Brendan’s boxers down his narrow hips. The shy, virginal Brendan, to Jamie’s pleased amusement, lifted his ass to help out. Jamie helped too, dragging the pants down Brendan’s legs. Between them, they had him naked in a moment.

Eager to return to his task, Jamie lowered his head again, sucking the length of Brendan’s long, hard cock deep into his throat. He wasn’t interested in teasing Brendan, in making it last, in running his tongue under and around the shaft until he made him cry with sexual frustration.

No, this was about Jamie. Hungry, horny, needy Jamie. He gripped Brendan’s balls, eliciting another groan.

“Jesus, that’s hot, Jamie.” Tuck’s voice was husky. “Do you like it, Brendan? Do you like what Jamie’s doing to you?”

“Mmph,” came Brendan’s inarticulate reply. Jamie grinned against Brendan’s cock and slipped a hand down below the balls. He ran his fingertip in a light circle around Brendan’s asshole, his own cock tingling at the thought of plunging himself into it.

He glanced upward. Tuck was draped over Brendan, his mouth covering one nipple, his hands moving over Brendan’s bare torso. Brendan’s breath was ragged, a series of syncopated gasps, his hips thrusting up to meet Jamie’s kiss. Jamie slipped his other hand beneath Brendan. Cupping each cheek, he gripped Brendan’s ass to hold him in place.

Bobbing like a piston, he reveled in the hot, smooth steel of Brendan’s shaft, purposely choking himself on it until his nose rested against Brendan’s pubic bone. As he suckled the cock with his throat muscles, Brendan’s gasps shifted to a long, drawn-out moan. He tensed, the globes of his ass tightening in Jamie’s cupped grip.

Jamie felt powerful. He felt alive. Brendan and Tuck might be older and certainly professionally more accomplished, but they had nothing on him when it came to sucking cock.

With a cry, Brendan released his seed. Greedily Jamie swallowed the bittersweet jism, milking Brendan’s cock until his rigid muscles eased and Brendan sagged limply against the mattress. He held the shaft in his mouth another several seconds before letting it go.

Satisfied, he knelt back on his heels, his own erect cock jutting proudly from his belly. Brendan’s eyes were closed, the skin over his cheeks, throat and chest flushed from the orgasm.

Tuck’s dark eyes were burning. At some point he too had pulled off his jeans and was as naked as the others. Jamie’s gaze traveled down Tuck’s long, hard body, stopping at the erect, thick cock pointing toward his in invitation.

“Jesus, Jamie. That was something to watch. I guess you’ve done that a few times before, huh?”

Jamie laughed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “A few times, yeah.”

He looked toward Brendan, who had opened his eyes. “Jamie.” His deep voice was throaty. “That was
incredible
.”

“Now, wait a minute.” Tuck put his hands on his hips, the gesture made silly by his erect, bobbing shaft. “What about me? You’re not saying he did a better job, are you?”

Brendan looked stricken and began to blush, the color darkening his cheeks from orgasmic pink to brick red. Jamie quickly realized the extent, or rather twofold nature of his embarrassment.

By asking the question, Tuck was admitting outright in front of Jamie that they’d had sex the night before, something Brendan had apparently been trying to conceal. In addition, he was being put on the spot, forced to compare lovers and, by definition, find one of them wanting.

Jamie knew Tuck was only teasing, and he waited with some amusement to see how Brendan would get himself out of this one. “What? I, uh, no. I didn’t mean that. That is, you were great too…”

Tuck began to laugh and Jamie joined him. Brendan glared from one to the other for a several seconds before a smile curled over his face and he too began to laugh. He lunged toward Tuck, catching him in a playful hold, pulling the taller man down in his strong grip.

They tussled, each grappling for a superior position. Jamie’s laughter died as his cock hardened at the sexy scene. He grabbed his shaft, stroking the length of it. His balls ached and he still hungered for them both.