Sandpipers' Secrets (9 page)

“Ahh…oh…La…Lark…so…” Brody’s praise was lost in the dizzying climb to ecstasy.

He felt Zak’s broader hand push their shirts roughly up out of the way then wrap around them, taking over from Lark and completely engulfing their cocks in perfect pressure and friction. Zak tongued Brody with small, wet swipes at the sensitive spot just below his ear, and Brody thrust up into Zak’s hand, tossing his head back in the final throes of their delicious euphoria.

“Come for me,” Zak rasped.

As Zak leaned into him, Brody could feel that Zak had his own cock well in hand and was jerking himself off at the same time. With that thought, Brody exploded in a burst of white-hot pleasure. His shaft shot long bursts of seed that splashed up between them. The spray from Lark’s cock bathed his belly an instant later, then Zak, too, shuddered against him.

Zak caught what he could in his hands and continued to pump and milk them all until he had coaxed out the very last drops. Then he put both his dripping hands together, mixing all their cum, and drew them back apart to look into his palms. As if he couldn’t believe what he held there.

Lark dropped to his knees to lick their combined cum from Zak’s hand. Zak stared at Brody, raising a questioning eyebrow as he raised his other hand and began to lick. Brody leaned in to flick his tongue over Zak’s palm and taste the flavour of all three of them mixed together. It was sharp and sweet. It was nectar. He licked at it hungrily, then, occasionally tangling his tongue with Zak’s as they worked together.

Finally, when Zak’s hands where all clean, Lark stood back up and cuddled into Zak’s side, closing his eyes even as he reached out and dragged Brody into the embrace.

As Brody leaned against the wall of Zak’s broad chest, still panting for breath and fighting for control, he realised he had absolutely no idea where to go from here. What now? Were they lovers now? Or were they playing at hot, heavy and slightly kinky? Would he be able to live with that? Would he be able to live with only that, because as Brody looked between the two men, equally breathless and sated, he realised with disturbing clarity that their coming together had meant more than just getting their rocks off. At least it had for him. He had a true, deep and burning desire to get to know these beautiful, very different men.

To spend time, not just in their bed, but getting to know and appreciate every aspect of them as individuals.

Brody had never felt that way before. Ever. He treated most people with suspicion and mistrust. He liked to keep them at a distance. But looking at Lark and Zak now, all well pleasured and smiling, he felt a tug in the region of his heart that demanded more from him than he had ever given before.

Oh, fuck!Now he really was in trouble. If he had been uneasy and confused before, his mind was damn near shutting down on him now, refusing to deal with any of it. He needed time. He needed space. He needed to get back to work.

“I…ahh…I better—”

Lark kissed Brody softly on the lips, smiling at him sweetly, and against all probability Brody felt his cock begin to stir weakly.

“It’ll be okay, Brody. One day at a time.”

Brody looked into Lark’s huge, dark blue eyes and couldn’t help but relax under his gentle, reassuring gaze.

“Sure,” he murmured.

“Good man,” Zak rumbled above him

He could do this. Whatever this was. He could do one day at a time. Sure. No problem. Sighing, he closed his eyes and rested his head back down on Zak’s shoulder.

Brody knew he had to go or risk being caught by one of the others still working away in the kitchen, but he found he really didn’t want to leave Zak’s strength or Lark’s warmth. He desperately hoped his heart got the memo about taking baby steps before it got all carried away. Unfortunately, he had the rather disturbing feeling it was already too late.

“They’re sick!” Gus spat as he threw another dirty pan into the sink, slopping water over the edge and wetting the front of Brody’s shirt in the process.

Brody closed his eyes for a second and clenched his jaw as he struggled not to react. He was still too new in the kitchen to make waves, and calling the mains chef an asshole right to his face probably wasn’t ever going to be a good move for a lowly kitchen hand anyway.

“Just shut up, Gus,” Dave shot back.

Ducking his head, Brody, began to scrub the bottom of the dirty pan industriously.

Tension had been running high this evening. It had been a long, difficult shift, and Gus was more vocal than usual because he’d somehow messed up a stock order. They’d been forced to cancel one of their most popular dishes. Needless to say, Zak had not been happy, and Gus had been lashing out at everyone else in retaliation for the dressing down he’d been given. Brody couldn’t wait for the shift to finish.

“I’m just saying they’re fucking sick,” Gus continued irritably.

“You got a problem with them being gay?”Rio demanded, the tall, tanned man bristling and readying himself for a fight.

“Don’t get your panties in a knot. I got no problem with ‘alternative lifestyles’,” Gus said, using his fingers to add little quote marks—which made him look utterly ridiculous, Brody thought as he continued to work on the pan.

“My problem is that they’re brothers,” Gus announced, and Brody froze mid-swipe of his scouring pad.

The entire kitchen froze. Absolute, unnerving silence fell over the area that was usually replete with a
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baffling array of sound.

“What the hell are you on about?”Rio finally snapped angrily.

“I said I don’t give a shit that they’re gay, but it’s fucking sick that they’re brothers.”

Brody could hardly breathe.No. It’s not possible. It’s just…is it? Could Zak and Lark be brothers?

They didn’t look—

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,”Rio said, turning away with a sneer of disgust.

“Hey! I’ve been here a hell of a lot longer than you have. I worked with their old man before he was killed in a pileup three years ago, and I know old man Piper always said his sons would inherit the place after he was gone.”

“That doesn’t mean that Zak and Lark are brothers,” Dave interrupted, actually stopping what he was doing for once to join in on the conversation.

“You don’t think? What about the fact they have the same last name. That didn’t clue you all in?” Gus shot back, obviously thrilled to have an audience listening to him at last.

“They could be married,”Rio suggested.

“They’re not married, you dipstick. They’re fucking brothers. Ha! Literally! Get it?”

Gus looked around, apparently pleased with his spontaneous wit and expecting everyone to appreciate it.

Brody clenched his jaw to stop himself from saying anything. What was going on? Was it true? And if it was, how did he feel about it? Hurt that they hadn’t said anything? Angry? Disgusted?

Brody remembered the look that had passed between the two men when he had first met them. A look of utter love and contentment. And the passion he had witnessed as they made love in the office. No way could he think that was disgusting. In fact, it had been beautiful—and damn hot. Then there was the passion they had all shared in the storeroom this afternoon. He’d been thinking about little else all evening, wondering when he might have a chance to be with them both again. Had that suddenly changed for him? Would this news make a difference?

“Shut up, Gus. You don’t know shit,” Dave said.

“Gus wouldn’t know shit from sugar. Why haven’t you said anything before now if that’s true, huh? ”

Andy added in a sarcastic drawl.

Gus’s expression turned belligerent and mean. “Didn’t want to say anything before now because I got bills to pay, and I don’t mind taking their money. But I’m over it. I’d rather move back toSeattle and crash with my sister and her brats than put up with this shit!”

“Yeah, right, Gus. Whatever!” Andy replied. He turned away, too.

Brody tried to disappear into the background. He didn’t want to be dragged into the whole, messy scene he could see unfolding before his eyes. He just needed a few seconds of peace to sort it all out. He
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wasn’t sure what to believe. And what fucking business was it of anyone’s anyway? Zak and Lark’s personal life shouldn’t be the subject of malicious kitchen gossip just because Gus was having a bad day.

If only Gus would shut up, or at least leave him out of it.

Of course, his luck came up trumps again when Gus spied him standing quietly, scrubbing away at the already clean pan.

“What do you think, Brody? Don’t you think it’s fucking sick that Zak’s screwing his baby brother?”

Brody shrugged absently, still struggling to work out what he felt. Two things sprang to mind immediately, however. One, he wasn’t likely to get Gus to shut up by replying. Dickheads only feed off that sort of thing. And two, in his experience there were a whole lot more sick things in the world than two brothers loving each other.

Suddenly, Brody realised the kitchen had gone deathly silent again. With a sick sense of dread, he turned around and saw Zak’s back as he stomped away. Lark stood in the doorway, his face a mask of barely restrained fury.

“Anytime you fuck-heads want to find yourselves another job, you go right ahead! In the meantime, you can all fuck off! Zak and I’ll finish up. You all go home now and decide if you want to come back and keep your fucking mouths shut! Or you can pick up your paycheques at the end of the week.”

Everyone stood and stared at the normally happy, laughing man that never had a cross or offensive word to say to anyone.

“I mean it. Get the fuck out. I don’t want to see any of you till Tuesday. If then.” With that Lark stalked away after Zak.

Brody felt as if his heart sank through his boots and seeped away across the floor into a puddle of shame.

“Oh, well done, shithead!” Dave shouted at Gus once Lark was gone. “Now we’re all in trouble! Why can’t you keep your big fucking mouth shut, asshole?”

“Why should I have to keep my mouth shut? And they didn’t deny it, did they?” Gus tried to bluster, but his face was ashen and guilty.

“If I lose my job over this, you won’t have to worry about keeping your mouth shut! It’ll be wired closed because I’ll break your stupid fucking jaw!” Dave screamed back.

“Okay! Everybody just cool it!”Rio yelled. “You heard the man! Everybody out!”

“They might be just a touchy-feely kind of family, dipshit,” Andy broke in, angrily throwing a cloth he had been using to clean his hands down on the counter top.

“Oh, I’ve no doubt of that at all!” Gus said.

Riopushed up his sleeves as if anticipating having to going toe-to-toe with Gus. “Shut up. Now, Gus.”

“Just goes to show you what sort of a fucking mess the country’s in when freaks like that can walk around owning businesses,” Gus mumbled. He threw another dirty pan into the sink, splashing more
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water down Brody’s front, and stormed off.

Brody just wished Gus would shut the fuck up and go home.

* * * *

What was done was done, however, and Brody couldn’t change that. But he knew he would drive himself absolutely insane with worry if he didn’t go to them now. Brody couldn’t leave things as they were for that long. He had to apologise. Explain. He needed to know what Zak and Lark were thinking.

He had to talk to them now.

But, as Brody climbed the stairs on the outside of the building leading to the pair’s apartment above the restaurant, he still wasn’t exactly sure what he was going to say to them. What was there to say?

He was worried about losing his job. Sure. He could admit that. But that wasn’t what was driving him on to what could turn out to be a very ugly scene with the two men. Brody couldn’t let them think he thought they were disgusting. He didn’t. Not in any way. Seeing the two of them together in the office had been one of the most beautiful, erotic things he had ever laid eyes on. And what they had shared with him earlier…there were just no words to describe how incredible that experience had been. Just no words.

Growing up he had been exposed to some truly horrible things—at home, on the streets and in the various institutions that were supposed to be caring for him. Sex had often been a rushed, rough and mercenary affair, especially in the early days. But seeing Zak and Lark together, that had been something else entirely.

He’d begun to hope that maybe he’d be able to have a tiny taste of that difference himself. He was scared, but he wanted it.

Hesitantly, Brody knocked on the door and waited, holding his breath when he heard heavy footsteps on the other side. He knew it would be Zak. Lark’s slight frame wouldn’t be capable of such loud footfalls, no matter how angry or hurt he was. But it was still a shock when he was confronted with Zak’s angry, stormy eyes looking down on him.

Looking up into Zak’s hard, closed face, Brody realised no matter what he said he might not get a second chance. Perhaps he didn’t deserve one. The sudden awareness made him feel physically ill.

“What?” Zak barked, completely blocking the doorway so he couldn’t see whether Lark was there or not.

Brody swallowed. Hard. “Is Lark…I mean…I just—”

“Spit it out. If you’re here to quit, fine. Just do it and get out.”

“No! I mean, I need…I don’t want to quit. I came to say I’m…I don’t…I just…”

Brody wished he could see Lark. Talking to Zak like this was proving even more difficult than he had first thought. He really didn’t want to have to do it all over again with Lark.