his drink. “You want something different?”
“Yeah, this is horrid.”
She smirked. “Manny made it. There’s water, juice. Coke if you want it.”
“I’ll take a coke,” he said, reaching for the fridge. He pulled one out, opened it, and took a
long gulp. “Damn, that’s good.” He wiped his mouth. “I’d forgotten how good.”
“What, you never drink cokes? At all?”
“No, water.”
“Purist.”
He looked through the window again. “Guilty.”
“Oh, go on out there with him. I’ll make sure no one bothers you.”
Gev felt a little sheepish. “Thanks. I don’t know how to thank—”
“Oh, stop.” She came around and hugged him, then held him back to study his face. “Are
you sure about this? You and Lee?”
“How do you mean?” he said, confused.
“Nothing, really. It seems kind of funny that he was gone all these years, and then
suddenly he’s sticking to you like glue.”
“I tried to get rid of him,” he admitted. “Told him he should leave, but he refused.”
“Stefan the reason he stayed away all these years?” she asked.
He leaned against the counter. “My mom made sure he knew he wasn’t welcome, both
back then and when we went over to tell them about Chad.”
“Why isn’t he welcome there? He was a kid when that happened. It wasn’t his fault.”
He grimaced and took another sip of the coke. It fizzled in his stomach, and he knew he
would regret this, but it really was good. “Tell
her
that. She was always weird about Lee.”
“Maybe she suspected something was going on between them.”
“You scare me sometimes.”
“I’ve seen parents do stupid things, unbelievable things, to their kids. If your mom found
out things were going on—and they were, right?” He hesitated, then nodded. “She’ll probably
always resent, if not all-out hate, Lee. She could make life miserable for you, you know.”
Long Way Home
153
“I know,” he said softly. But he wouldn’t stand for it. He needed to read that journal and
then confront her. If that didn’t resolve things, he was done with her.
“Well, go on out there.” She pointed at his feet. “It’s starting to get chilly out. Don’t you
want your shoes?”
He pulled her into a hug. “I’m okay. I am so glad you’re around to look out for me,” he
said and gave her a kiss.
The door opened, and Drew came in, carrying a bag of ice. “Hey. Whoa, there. That’s my
woman, dude.”
“Sorry, sorry.” Gev let Trish go, took the ice from Drew, and set it in the sink. Then he
grabbed her and kissed her too, making her squeal and bat at him. “Assault! Assault! I am
gay
!
Boy cooties! Stop!”
As she tried to smack him, he darted away, grabbed his coke, and escaped outside. Behind
him, he heard Trish forbid Drew to follow, and then they closed the door.
Standing on the back stoop, he scanned the backyard. Trish and Drew were lucky; they had
a pretty sizeable lot, with lots of trees and bushes. At first, all he saw was Khyra darting in and
out of shadows. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, as the only light into the tree-
shaded yard was coming from the kitchen window. “Lee?” he called out.
“Back here.”
Gev crossed the October grass, cool beneath his bare feet. Lee wasn’t on the phone—he
was at the back of the yard, almost hidden in the shadows, sitting on top of a picnic table and
apparently throwing a ball for the dog. He had the ball in his hand but threw it when he saw Gev.
Khyra took off running. Gev joined him, climbing up on the picnic table.
“Sleep good?”
“I think I passed out the second I lay down. You okay?”
“Yeah.” Khyra ran up and plunked her feet on the bench, chomping on the ball in her
mouth, begging Lee to throw it again. He reached for it, and she pulled back, then let him take it.
“Ready?” Khyra bounced down and whirled around in a circle. Lee threw the ball again.
Silence fell between them. Gev realized he was nervous. “Lee—” he started, but at that
second, Lee turned to him, cupped Gev’s face, and kissed him. Relief flooded through him. He
sank into the kiss, clutching at Lee until he pulled back.
“Come here,” Lee said, tugging Gev off the picnic table. Gev was confused, then realized
what Lee wanted. A shiver ran through him as he slid between the bench and table, between
Lee’s thighs, and rested his hands on them, his cock pushing against the edge of the table. He
wished Lee would scoot forward. And then he did, pressing into Gev’s crotch, sending Gev into
raging hunger as he felt Lee’s cock twitch against his own despite the layers of clothing.
Hot, hot,
hot
. Damn. He was going to hyperventilate if Lee didn’t kiss him again.
Lee slid one hand around Gev’s head and drew him closer. For a long moment, he just
looked at Gev, the near darkness shielding them, though the light from the house was enough for
Gev to see his glittering dark eyes. Lee’s silence made him squirm. His breath quickened; his
cock throbbed, trapped in his jeans. Lee looked at him, his breath even, his gaze caressing Gev’s
face with steady thoroughness, as if he were studying and memorizing every inch. Lee’s thumb
moved over Gev’s lips; he opened his mouth, capturing Lee’s thumb, sucked it, tasted it, the
roughness of it. Claimed it.
154
Carolyn Gray
Fucking hell, he was turned on, losing himself, closing his eyes as he sucked on Lee’s
thumb, his face heating as he knew that that intense gaze hadn’t wavered.
Lee pulled his thumb out, making Gev’s eyes fly open. Lee grinned almost ferally. Gev
dropped his head. Lee tipped up his chin and held him again, and Gev was trapped, caught
between Lee’s hand and his steady gaze. Words were definitely not necessary now as Lee’s
mouth captured his, devoured him, lips soft yet demanding, forcing Gev to give in to whatever
Lee wanted. A thrill raced through him, a surge of happiness and excitement—he loved how Lee
took command, feeding his basic desire to be dominated like this.
Oh hell yes.
Lee’s free hand reached behind Gev, lifted his shirt, and slid into his jeans, cupping Gev’s
backside. Gev rutted against him, desperate to be free of his clothes. Lee dug his fingers into
Gev’s backside. Damn, he liked doing that. Lee paused with a laugh of surprise.
“What?” Gev said, then saw Khyra was back, ball in mouth. She jumped up on the bench
and pushed it at Lee’s arm. Gev took it, not wanting Lee to move his hand, and threw it. “Pest.”
“Me or the dog?” Lee said, tightening his grip and making Gev fall against him.
“Both, definitely,” Gev said hoarsely.
Lee touched his forehead against Gev’s. “You don’t mind.”
“Nope.”
Lee removed his hand. For a heartbeat, Gev was disappointed, but then Lee moved his
fingers around to the front of Gev’s jeans and unzipped them, making Gev drop his head to Lee’s
shoulder in shock.
“Lee,” he gasped out as Lee pushed aside Gev’s boxers and found him, stiff and weeping.
“Fuck.” He groaned as Lee rubbed his thumb over Gev’s cockhead, toying with his foreskin. Lee
turned his head and nipped Gev’s neck. Gev’s legs turned to Jell-O, totally melting as Lee’s
hand, hot and slightly rough, rubbed up and down his shaft, capturing the moisture leaking from
the tip.
He pushed into Lee’s hand, half scared someone would catch them but not really giving a
damn, either. Khyra came back, but Lee’s “Go on” sent her away. Gev loved obedient dogs. He
sank his fingers into Lee’s shoulders, losing himself to what Lee was doing. Thank God no one
but Trish and Drew knew they were out there.
All thoughts fled as Lee pulled Gev’s jeans down around his hips, then turned him around
so he was leaning back against Lee, his arms wrapped around Lee’s legs. He gasped as Lee
pulled his shirt up, one hand moving to tweak Gev’s nipple while the other hand stroked Gev’s
shaft freely, firmly, thumb skating over the tip.
It was wicked and wanton and the hottest thing Gev had ever done. His balls crawled up
into him from the chill, and almost as if Lee knew, his hand slid down to hold them, testing their
weight. His fingers, hot and rough, felt incredible. A breeze chilled the air, and the cold grass
beneath his bare feet tickled, but Gev didn’t care.
He tilted his head toward Lee, and Lee met his mouth, let Gev kiss him almost desperately
as his hands continued to play. He released the one nipple and caressed Gev’s stomach, fingers
playing over his muscles as they explored the lines of his body, then slid up to his other nipple to
pinch it so hard that a loud groan escaped him.
Long Way Home
155
Lee quickened the pace as he pulled on Gev, and Gev lost all awareness then; it was only
him, cradled and helpless against Lee’s chest, Lee stroking him faster and more firmly,
demanding his release.
“Come for me,” Lee whispered hotly into his neck. It should’ve sounded silly, but all Gev
wanted to do was obey. Lee varied his strokes, teasing him, the unexpected rhythm messing with
Gev’s mind as he tried vainly to handle what Lee was doing to him.
But it was useless to try.
With a cry that Lee muffled with his own mouth, Gev pumped hard into Lee’s hand,
wanting this to last, dammit, but he couldn’t hold on any longer. He reached the point of
explosion and came hard, his cum shooting out into the grass and over Lee’s hand, which kept
milking him until he felt as if he would explode again.
He collapsed back against Lee, his breath coming in loud gasps. “Fucking hell, fucking
hell,” he mumbled, his gaze drawn down to his cock and the hand wrapped around it. He
trembled as Lee continued to stroke him, more gently now, as the shudders ripping through him
steadied, calmed.
Still holding him firmly in hand, Lee turned Gev to face him. Gev started to pull away, but
Lee held on, not letting him go. Draping his arms over Lee’s shoulders to brace himself, Gev
fought to stand still, his mind whirling, wondering what Lee wanted from him. A groan escaped,
and he fisted his hands in Lee’s shirt as Lee ran his fingers over the hypersensitive skin of Gev’s
cock, making him squirm.
The relentless touching continued until Gev’s legs started to tremble and borderline
discomfort had moved to bolts of pleasure-pain rippling straight through his cock.
“What the fuck?” he said as Lee finally stopped.
Lee wiped his hand using Gev’s boxers, then tucked Gev back in and pulled his jeans up.
“Liked that?”
“Yes,” Gev whispered. He pulled back and looked at Lee. “I can’t believe I didn’t think
you were gay.”
The corner of Lee’s mouth lifted. “I tend to keep things under wraps.”
“Does anyone know? I mean, besides me. And now Drew and Trish.”
Lee’s eyes hooded, and he looked away, then back again. “No.”
“Why not? You do work with one of the gayest men in the world.”
“I know. I—” He rubbed his hand—the hand that had brought Gev to the best explosion of
his life—over his chin. “I have a lot of regrets, and that’s one of them now.”
Gev slid his hand down Lee’s thigh. “Don’t you want me to—”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Lee captured him with that gaze again. “I’ll wait until I can take you.”
Gev groaned. “Did I mention Chad was always prepared for a good time? I found some
lube and condoms in that bag.”
“No, you hadn’t mentioned that.”
156
Carolyn Gray
Gev sucked in his breath, let it out in whoosh. “Don’t suppose we can sneak upstairs, do
you?” He motioned toward the house. The look that came over Lee’s face stilled him. “Oh, you
have to be kidding. Just walk past—”
“What would they do? Your friends?”
Gev felt his face heat, but damn, what
would
they do? “Uh, cheer?”
Lee slid off the table. “Want to find out?”
“You’re joking, right?”
Lee pulled Gev up to him. “I want to lose myself in you, forget about everything for a
while. I’m tired of being around people.” He kissed Gev. “I want to be with you.”
“Okay.” Gev’s knees felt weak. “Maybe if we ran real fast…”
Lee kissed him again, lips firm and warm against Gev’s. “No, I plan to walk through that
room, proudly dragging you behind me.”
Gev gulped at that, his body heating. “Fucking hell.”
“You got it.” Lee grabbed his hand and headed for the house.
“So much for keeping things under wraps,” Gev muttered. He knew he would never live
this one down, though he didn’t much give a damn, even as they entered the house and went
through the kitchen with him trailing Lee, who had his hand in a firm grasp. His face had to be
bright cherry red. Drew stared after them, then grabbed Trish’s arm, making her turn around and
look. They both clapped their hands together in approval.
Shut up
, he mouthed. Fortunately, no one stopped them; Lee must have had quite the look
in his eye. Gev felt the gazes on them. Manny whistled behind them as they started up the stairs,
and Gev stopped and made a face at him before Lee yanked on Gev to keep him moving.