Brothers by Bond (8 page)

"We're good." Mike replied. "Oh where are those manners Mrs. B. taught me? Would you like something to drink?" Mike was already standing and heading toward the kitchen when Mr. B. replied.

"No thanks, son." Mr. B. stood and Mike turned back to him. "I'm going to get back to the house. Sophie will likely call you boys tomorrow."

Mike walked Mr. B. to the door and his adoptive father turned back to him.

"You're doing a good thing for your brother, Mikey," Mr. B. said and that cops instinct of Mike's flared again. Mike had no idea what was going on all the sudden so he just nodded before bidding his adoptive father good night.

***

The first thing that Mike became aware of was the unbearable urge to piss. The next was his sore body from sleeping on his sectional. First as long as he owned the couch, which was only under two years, he had never slept on the damn thing. Mike sat up with a groan, rubbed his face to wake up, and swore he would never crash on it again. Unfortunately he knew better. As long as Johnny was staying with him, he would be on the couch.

Slowly he ascended the stairs and listened for any signs of life from Johnny. The soft murmur of some sports report reached his ears as he entered his bedroom. Mike had expected to see Johnny lying awake in the bed when he heard the TV on. Instead his brother was sound asleep. Two empty cans of diet soda and last night's dinner plate were on the nightstand but Mike left them there as his full bladder urged him toward his bathroom.

Mike sighed in genuine relief as he watched his steady stream hit the target that was the toilet bowl. He gave a shake or two and then without thought, stripped out of his T-shirt and pajama bottoms and climbed into the shower.

For the longest time, Mike stood under the hot spray and tried not to think of the night before when his best friend was in the shower with him. It was no use. Even as Mike pressed his palms flat on the steadily warming tiles, he didn't feel them. Instead he felt the firm skin of his brother's hips. He tried to force the image from his mind by telling himself how wrong, how depraved, and how disgusted Johnny would be to know he felt this way but nothing he told himself seemed to stop his cock from growing hard.

Mike gave into the feelings of lust for his best friend that were building and lowered his hand to grasp himself. He was so hard that the first tug he gave himself was almost painful and he let out a quiet sound of anguish.

In Mike's mind he felt Johnny's back pressed against his chest as they backed into the tiled wall of the shower. Mike could feel the taut muscles of Johnny's six-pack pressing into his arm as he held him close. Their wet bodies molded to one another as they began to slide down the wall and Mike imagine Johnny pressing back to feel more of him. More of his hard body...hard cock as he ground into Johnny's backside.

Mike was lost in the memory of the shower with Johnny and the fantasy in his mind merged with the images. His breathing was harsh as he stroked himself and his sweat merged with the hot spray of the shower.

The memory played out and the fantasy continued as they sank to the tiled floor of the shower. Johnny's hands flailed about for purchase until they eventually grasped Mike's hard thighs. Mike could practically feel Johnny's rough fingers digging into his legs as they came to settle on the floor of the shower.

In Mike's mind he was brave enough to pull Johnny tighter against himself and felt his best friend relaxed into the embrace. The action of pulling him closer caused Mike's arm to brush against Johnny. He was hard too. The thought, no the memory, made Mike's eyes spring open but only for a moment before his orgasm slammed out of him and he had to steady himself against the shower wall.

Did that really happen
? Was the first thought that registered in Mike's mind. He had fantasized about turning on his best friend so many times over the last six months that he doubted his memory from their shower together the night before. Mike steadied himself and pushed off the wall and not a moment too soon, as Johnny called out.

"Damn, bro, it's a sauna in here." Johnny was barely visible through the thick glass blocks that made up the shower wall.

Fuck
!
How long had his best friend been standing there?
A moment of panic flashed through Mike as he tried to recall if he had made any noise louder than the shower. Reality settled on Mike as he reminded himself that Johnny was a ladies man. His brother had no reason to stand in Mike's bathroom and watch him beat off through the shower's glass blocks. Even if Johnny
had
seen him, he would likely think Mike's fantasy involved some big breasted blonde.

Mike would know soon enough if Johnny had seen him because he would never hear the end of it. Johnny was infamous for his ball busting and this would be one opportunity that would be too good to pass up for his brother.

"You saying I need a cold shower?" Mike replied without thought then cringed when he realized what he'd said and the opening it gave his best friend.

"Just saying I won't need to pay for the gym sauna now that I know what the hot water heater can do," Johnny replied and Mike could see Johnny's outline through the glass as he stood before the toilet.

Mike felt sure there was no risk of becoming aroused again as he turned off the shower.

"Hand me a towel," he asked Johnny as he heard the flushing of the toilet. Johnny balanced on the walker and tossed the towel to Mike before he spoke.

"Going to need to grab some stuff from my place."

"Your dad brought a bag by last night but there are new razors in the drawer." Mike wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped from the shower. Johnny retrieved the new razor and shaving cream and Mike watched as he tried to balance on the walker in front of the sink to shave. "You sure you should be doing that?" Mike met Johnny's eyes in the mirror.

"The stubble is driving me crazy, bro." Johnny scratched his jaw for emphasis. "Plus, it's a safety razor. Not like it will slit my throat."

"No, just make your face look like it went through a meat grinder." Mike grinned at his brother. "Sit down," he indicated the toilet and Johnny raised a blond brow. "I'll be right back."

Mike ducked out of the bathroom and threw on his briefs and jeans. When he returned, Johnny was still standing in front of the sink and had applied the shaving cream to his face.

"Damn it Johnny, I told you to sit down," Mike growled at his best friend. "Before you fall on your ass."

"Fuck, Mikey, I'm not an invalid," Johnny growled right back and glared at him through the mirror.

"Fine," Mike replied and leaned on his bathroom wall behind Johnny with his arms folded across his chest. He knew this was an intimidating posture, used it all the time with suspects, but doubted it would have any effect on Johnny. He continued to stare at Johnny through the mirror but his brother no longer stared back. Shaving was a two-handed process and Mike knew it was only a matter of time before his stubborn best friend would let him help.

Johnny turned his head to the side and drug the razor down his face. The first nick happened midway through the stroke but Mike didn't say a word. Johnny shot him another glare in the mirror but Mike didn't meet his stare. His eyes were focused on the small bead of blood that had formed and was now running down Johnny's cheek, to make a smudge in the white shaving cream.

Johnny raised his hand and drug the razor down his face next to the smooth spot he had already shaved. When a second nick appeared, Johnny cursed and glared at Mike again through the mirror.

"Minced meat," Mike said flatly.

"God, I hate it when you're right," Johnny mumbled and held out the razor.

Mike pushed himself off the wall and took it gracefully. Johnny maneuvered his walker into position to sit on the toilet and grimaced in pain as he lowered himself down.

Mike didn't say anything and just waited for Johnny to slide the walker away. He grabbed Johnny's chin and tilted his head but before he could lift the razor to his best friend's face, Johnny grabbed his wrist to stop him. Mike was looking into Johnny sky-blue eyes that looked back at him through blonde lashes.

"You do know what you're doing, right?" Johnny asked and sounded nervous.

"No," Mike replied seriously and gave Johnny a crooked grin. "I only do this on my own face everyday. What kind of question is that?"

Mike didn't give him time to answer as he brought the razor up. He had a firm grip on Johnny's chin and couldn't help but think of how intimate shaving his best friend was. Johnny's lips were slightly parted and for a moment the urge to close the distance between them and taste his brother was strong. Mike pushed his desire aside and concentrated on not nicking Johnny. But thoughts of how erotic this was kept entering his mind, especially when Mike bared Johnny's throat.

After each pass of the razor, Mike ran his thumb over the area to ensure it was smooth. He knew he would not likely get another chance to touch his best friend's face and neck like he was doing now. Unless it was to shave him again and there was no guarantee of that happening once Johnny started rehab.

If Johnny noticed his lingering touches, he didn't say anything and it wasn't until Mike was turning his head from side to side to inspect his work, that Johnny opened his eyes. The sky-blue eyes froze Mike to the spot and made his gut cinch. He thought for sure that his best friend knew what he was thinking and was going to call him out on it. The tense moment between them seemed to go on forever but then Johnny grinned.

"Done?"

Mike's throat was dry and he fought the urge to clear it when he swallowed. Instead of offering his brother a reply he grabbed a towel that Johnny had left on the sink and handed it to him. Mike couldn't meet Johnny's gaze when he left the bathroom.

"Gonna make some grub." Mike called from his bedroom as he threw on a T-shirt. "You need help getting downstairs?" Mike turned and focused on Johnny's walker as his brother made his way across the room.

"I should be good with the crutches if you take this monstrosity." Johnny rattled the walker as he grabbed the crutches.

Mike waited until Johnny was settled with the crutches before he folded up the walker and headed for the stairs. Johnny was right behind him and moved better on the crutches then the walker. But the crutches defeated the purpose of making him
actually
use his new hip. Mike took his time ascending the stairs, staying only a few steps ahead of Johnny. He figured that if his best friend wiped out, then at least he would cushion his fall... Again and probably break his own damn hip in the process. Once downstairs, Mike unfolded the walker and looked at Johnny.

"At least let me get to the couch, bro," Johnny said giving the walker an evil glare.

"Cough over the crutches or no grub for you," Mike threatened.

"Holding food hostage? That's just not right!" Johnny said before reluctantly moving into position within the walker and letting Mike take the crutches.

"Good boy," Mike grinned and headed toward the kitchen.

"I ain't your fucking dog, bro." Mike heard Johnny yell after him before the sound of the TV filled the other room.

Chapter 7

They sat on the couch finishing their omelets and talked about the PT that Johnny was starting tomorrow. Mike had already decided he would return back to work after Johnny fell into his PT schedule. There was no sense being at the house by himself while Johnny would be gone for five or six hours each day. He could use the time to work on the house but that would require tapping into what small savings he had. No, it was better to stick to his plan and budget where his home was concerned.

Once he finished the second bedroom and bath, he could rent out the room to speed up the rest of the renovations. There was always some rookie cop or someone getting divorced on the force that would need a place to stay. Renting the room to another cop or even someone in EMS was the plan. At least they would understand the stress of the job and give him his space when he needed it.

A silence had settled between them as ESPN rattled on the TV over the coffee table in front of them. Mike had just set his coffee mug down when Johnny started in on him.

"So," Johnny began and would've sounded casual to anyone else but Mike knew what was coming would be anything but casual.