Friends and Lovers (10 page)

“What can I do to help?”

Tom shook himself. “There’s some corn in the fridge. You can shuck a couple of ears if you’re feeling ambitious.”

“Sure thing.” Jack got the corn from the crisper and brought them to the sink. He tore the husk from an ear and washed off the silk.

“So, what else is going on, buddy?”

Jack snapped off both ends, then went to work on the second ear of corn. “This is strictly between us, okay?”

Tom gave him a look.

“Okay.” Jack had the grace to appear sheepish. “One of my suppliers may be going belly up. Franklin and Son.”

“Franklin? Would the ‘son’ be Billy Bob Franklin?”

“Yeah.”

“I went to school with him. He was an asshole then.”

“He’s still an asshole. Old Mr. Franklin retired a couple of years ago. He turned the business over to Billy Bob and moved down to Florida.”

“Billy Bob always used to complain about having to help out. He liked having the cash to spend, but he hated having to get his hands dirty.”

“He still doesn’t like it. Since he took over, it’s been going downhill – supplies not on time, and when they are, really poor quality stuff, cheap and shoddy. I hate having to cut ties with them. Mr. Franklin was one of the first suppliers who came on board when I started the business, but…”

“You have your own customers you have to keep in mind.”

“Yeah. I can’t let them suffer because Billy Bob Franklin is a jerk.”

“Jack, will finding a new supplier be a scramble for you?”

“Not really. I’ve kind of been expecting this, and I’ve had my eye on another company. I really wish I didn’t have to do this, though.”

That was Jack, loyal to the bitter end. Tom came over and patted him on the shoulder. “The water’s boiling, buddy. Put the corn in.”

He watched as Jack obeyed him.

Jack was a big man, but that wasn’t why he’d always had to be in charge. His father had pounded that into him. It was his responsibility, as the man of the house, as the father, as the businessman. He’d never been able to let go, let someone else take control.

Even in school he’d had to be careful not to let go of that control for fear of hurting someone. The first time they’d met, during a football game of shirts and skins, he’d gotten caught up in the game and tackled Tom.

Tom grinned. He wasn’t much taller now than he’d been then, and Jack had been horrified that he’d done him a serious injury. Of course he hadn’t, beyond a scraped knee and both elbows. Tom was short, but he was tough.

Maybe he could offer his best friend a little space of time when he didn’t have to be in control.

“Jack? Do you trust me?”

“You know I do, buddy.”

Tom smiled. He turned down the flame under the chicken. “Sit down. I want to talk to you.”

Tom could never remember seeing that particular expression on Jack’s face. “You want to… want to fuck me?”

“Jack, you’re a handsome man with a fantastic body. I’d have to be dead not to want to make love to you.” Deliberately he used the same words Jack had used to him when he’d asked for a favor.

Jack seemed uncertain.

“You’ve liked having my finger up your ass.” Tom tried to reassure him.

“Ye-yes.” Jack licked his lips.

“You know I won’t hurt you.”

“Yes.” This response was more confident.

“All you’ll have to do is lie back and enjoy it. And you know I’ll make it good for you.”

“Yes. All right, babe. You’ve talked me into it. When do we get started?”

“Jack?” Tom blinked at him.

“Did you think I’d say ‘no’? Tommy, I’ll never say ‘no’ to you. I’ve sucked your cock, I’ve eaten your ass. To tell you the truth, I’ve been kind of wondering what your cock would feel like inside me. I wasn’t sure if you’d ever ask to do that.” Jack finished his wine, then set the glass on the table. “What took you so long?”

“What…” For a second, Tom couldn’t get a word out. Then, “
What took me??
” He leaned forward, grabbed Jack by the front of his shirt and dragged him across the table, and kissed him hard. “Y’know something, Jack Sweet? The only reason why I’m not taking you on this table right here and now is because I want your first time to be memorable.”

Jack grinned at him. “Does that mean we’re going to do this more than once?”

“Oh, Jack, do not toy with the Leather Daddy!”

Jack just kept grinning. “If you say so, buddy.”

Tom growled. “Let’s go!”

Tom lay on his back, gazing up at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath. His arm was around his lover, and he could still feel the aftershocks of Jack’s orgasm rippling through him. That had been…

“My… my god!” Jack’s head was on the pillow beside Tom’s, and his breathing was just starting to come back under control. “That… that was…”

“Fantastic? Marvelous? The best thing since sliced bread?”

Jack’s laugh blew across Tom’s ear, and Tom shivered, enjoying the feel of it.

“All that and more. Seriously, babe, you made it so good for me.”

“I’m glad, Jack.” He was especially glad he could put to good use all the things he’d learned over the years. “You’re not sore?”

“No. Oh, I know I’ve had your cock in my ass, but I’m definitely not sore. Thanks, babe.” He tipped Tom’s head toward his and kissed him, then sighed happily. “I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in a long time. How did you know I needed to be able to give up control?”

“Leather daddies know things like that.” He ran his palm up and down Jack’s arm. “You take care of so many people. You deserve to have someone…” He paused and sniffed the air. “Do you smell something?”

“Burning? Now that you mention it…”

“Oh, shit! The chicken!” Tom bolted out of bed, not even bothering to grab up his boxers from where they’d been flung on the floor. Jack’s laughter followed him into the kitchen, which was foggy with smoke. 

It wasn’t the chicken, although it was crispier than Tom normally liked it. He turned off the flame and moved the pan onto a different burner, then switched on the fan above the stove, hoping it would dispel the smoke and the odor.

It was the pot of corn, with its water evaporated away.

Jack stood in the doorway, looking shamefaced. He took some potholders and carried the pot to the sink. “I’m sorry, Tom. This was my fault.”

“No, it wasn’t. If you’ll remember, I forgot to turn off the chicken, and if that had burned, we would definitely have needed to get out of here until the place aired out.”

“But still…”

“Jack, weren’t you supposed to
not
be in control? Forget about it.”

“But you wanted to make corn with dinner.”

“I should have some Birds Eye in the freezer. That will do. Did I ever tell you about the time I started making hardboiled eggs, forgot about them, and went to class? Wow, talk about a stink!”

As he hoped, that made Jack laugh.

“Okay, people, that’s a class. Have a good weekend, and try to stay healthy.”

There were mild groans and halfhearted laughter, and Tom watched as the last of his students trickled out of the chem lab. Their numbers had been down by more than half this week, most of them out with the flu, and he had no doubt that even more of them would be out sick over the next few weeks.

This looked like it was going to be a nasty flu season, and it was barely November yet.

He packed up his books and papers and left Pulaski and Jasper College for the drive home.

Jack was supposed to come over for dinner, and he was in the mood to fire up the pressure cooker and make him beef stew. Having his best friend for a lover was the most amazing thing. Sometimes he wondered why it had taken them so long to hook up.

The phone was ringing as he let himself into his small house, and he went to the kitchen to answer it. “Hansom.”

“Tom, it’s…”

“Jack! Hi, buddy. I was just thinking about making you dinner.”

“That’s what I’m calling about. I won’t be able to make it. I hope it won’t inconvenience you.”

“Asshole. What’s up?”

“Reba’s going on a retreat, so I’ve got Teddy and Cath.”

“You… uh… you want to… uh… bring them over?” he finished in a rush.

Jack laughed. “They’re kids, Tom, not a wolf pack. They don’t bite.”

“I know that.”

“Sure you do, buddy. Thanks for inviting them, but not this time. Cath’s feeling a little under the weather.”

“Okay, Jack.” Tom told himself he wasn’t relieved that Jack wouldn’t be bringing his kids over just yet. He knew eventually they’d have to be told that he and their father were a couple, but he wanted to put it off as long as he could. “I hope Catherine feels better soon.”

“Thanks. Listen, Tom. I know we had plans to go out after dinner tonight...”

“It’s no big deal.”

“I just… Will you be going out?”

“Without you? I don’t think so.”

“Okay, buddy.” Jack blew out a breath.

“Did you think I’d go out without you?”

“No. That is… Well, I know how much you like to go dancing, and… well, you’ve been stuck with me for a couple of months now, and… and you’ve fucked me, and…”

“Jack.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up. I don’t want to go dancing with anyone but you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks, buddy.”

“You’re not gonna get sappy on me now, are you?”

Jack laughed, and the sound made Tom’s cock twitch.

“I’ve got to go, Tom. Have to make the kids some dinner.”

“Courtesy of Burger King?”

“Ha, ha. No, actually, courtesy of Banquet.”

“Well, enjoy. Jack, take care of yourself, okay?”

“Sure thing, Tommy.”

“I’ll call you during the week, and we’ll set up something for next weekend, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll tell the kids you said ‘hi’.”

“Thanks. Bye, Jack.”

“Bye, babe.”

Well, it sucked that he wouldn’t see Jack tonight, but the last thing he wanted to do was come between his lover and his children.

And since Jack wasn’t coming over, he’d probably have a frozen dinner as well.

An explosive sneeze took him by surprise. He pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose, then opened the freezer to see what he had.

Jack’s work boots were covered with the Georgia clay that a steady downpour of rain had turned into mud. The rain had finally stopped, but the construction site was knee-deep in the red stuff.

He looked up at the sky, at the sullen clouds that threatened more rain, and growled a curse. “All right, all y’all. Looks like we won’t be getting anything more done today, so I’m calling it a week. Go on home.”

“Okay, boss. See ya on Monday.”

He waved and watched as his construction crew locked their tools away in the gang boxes, slogged through the mud to their pickup trucks and four-wheel drives, and called, “S’long,” to each other as they drove off. 

Jack got into his own pickup. In spite of the damp chill in the air, he was feeling warm, and he turned on the a/c.
Sure am glad to have the rest of the day off.

He grinned. This gave him a perfect excuse to pay a surprise visit to his lover.

His lover. He and Tom Hansom. Who would ever have thought? Oh, they had been friends for a lot of years, best friends, in fact, but Tom, out-of-the-closet, in-your-face gay, and Jack, muff-chasing, beer-drinking, straight-as-an-arrow straight… It still surprised him that he could turn out to be gay.

Jack smiled to himself.

All it had taken was that unexpected request from Tom for him to realize it.

‘I want you to fuck me, Jack. Please?’

‘But … but I’m straight, Tom.’ He could see that Tom halfway expected a punch in the mouth, but Jack had been too stunned… and intrigued… to ever do anything like that to his best friend.

‘Look,’ Tom had said, ‘it would just be the one time, I promise, and it would just be between us.’

He’d agreed, more than willing to help a friend, but he’d been unable to resist asking for a blowjob in exchange. He’d always heard gay boys gave the best head.

It had been true.

But it hadn’t been just the one time, although it was still just between the two of them. Here it was, two months later, and they were still together.

And just when he’d thought there was no way for it to get any better, two weeks ago Tom had shown him otherwise. He’d decided Jack needed to not be in control for once. He’d… made love to him, had taken his time preparing him, and Jack had been reduced to begging and swearing and then begging some more.

‘I won’t risk hurting you, babe,’ Tom had whispered in his ear. Finally he’d put on a condom, lubricated it, and began a steady assault on Jack’s virgin asshole.