The Broken H (7 page)

Somehow the thought that Shane had looked after him, had cared for him enough to protect Gray even from Shane himself, made Gray feel much better about the situation. Ironically, what Shane had never understood was that the only person Gray had never wanted or needed protecting from was Shane.

Gray trotted back to Shane’s cottage, making a trip by the stables to see Thunder, then by the big house to retrieve his clothes for the following day. He wasn’t letting what he thought Shane felt run him off this time, and he wasn’t going to let his own insecurities do it, either. Shane was his, always had been, and Gray was going to make sure Shane realized it as well.

Chapter Six

Something disturbed him.

Shane blinked his bleary eyes open to find Gray removing Shane’s boots as he reclined on the couch. After Gray tugged the second boot off his foot, Shane sat up and yawned.

“Didn’t mean to wake you, chief.” Gray seated himself on the end of the couch.

“‘S okay.” Shane glanced at the clock.
2 a.m.
About a couple of hours after Gray stormed out. “You want to talk yet?” Shane stretched his hands over his head and twisted side to side, making his vertebrae pop.

Gray nodded. “I thought you were disgusted when you pushed me away. I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me after I tried to kiss you. I was embarrassed and I guess I let that color my perception.”

Shane grinned. That was his boy! Always so responsible. He’d never been one to not admit when he was wrong, but Shane wasn’t letting him take this one by himself. If there was blame to go around, then Shane had accept some, too. Probably more than Gray, if truth be told. “It’s my fault, too, Grayson. I could have done a lot of things differently. I should have sat you down and demanded to know what was wrong. I had plenty of opportunity to do so before you left, but I just didn’t trust myself to keep my hands off you. I didn’t want you to do anything you might regret, but I admit I also thought you were going through a phase or that I’d somehow projected my feelings and desires onto you.”

Gray shut his eyes briefly, a serene little smile on his face, and nodded. After several silent moments, he said, “You aren’t old.”

Shane wanted to crawl across the couch and kiss that grin from his mouth; instead, he found himself smiling back. That was all he’d needed, to hear Gray acknowledge he understood why Shane had done and said the things he’d did made him feel better about it. “Truce?”

Those green eyes blinked open, practically dancing. “Truce. Where do we go from here?”

“Where do you want to go from here?”

The grin Gray gave him should have clued him in, but Shane was just so thrilled to have that particular look turned on him for the first time in years that he didn’t see it coming.

“Bed.”

“Excuse me?” No way could it be this simple. Gray never did anything the easy way. Sure the younger man had always weighed the consequences before he acted, but he still did things
his
way. Which was not necessarily how others wanted them done, including Shane.

“Bed.”

“Bed? As in sex or as in sleeping?”

“Both, actually.” Gray got up and held his hand out to Shane.

Shane took it, letting Gray pull him up. He was as confused. He’d been positive Gray would want to take things slow, and he’d resigned himself to it. But damn if the man hadn’t just thrown him for a loop.

They stood there for several seconds, staring into each other’s eyes, then Gray leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn’t a deep kiss or overly lingering, but Shane was positive he’d never had its equal. Somehow the mood had shifted and everything felt…right. “Okay, let’s go.” He was surprised, not stupid; there was no way he was going to turn that offer down.

The smile Gray gave him was blinding. “I feel sticky from being outside. I’ll lock the back door while you go start the shower. I already went and got my stuff and left Mom and Aunt Tara a note saying we’d meet them at the hospital tomorrow around nine.”

“You’re gonna sleep here?”

Gray winked. “I plan on it.”

Damn, that look was enough to give a man a raging case of hormones. Shane silently told his libido to shut the hell up and beamed back at Gray.

“Be right back…old man.” Gray hightailed into the kitchen, trailing chuckles behind him.

Shane groaned and grabbed his boots.
The little shit!
He should have known better than to confess his insecurity to Gray. Now he was going to have to endure endless old men remarks and jokes.

He dropped his footwear by his closet, continued on to the bathroom and started the shower. It wasn’t long before he heard Gray fumbling around in the bedroom.

Shane laid out a couple of towels, stripped and got under the water. He tilted his face up into the spray and was reaching for the shampoo bottle when a small draft stopped him, followed by the
snick
of the shower door. Two arms soon wrapped around him from behind. Shane pulled his face out of the water and leaned back against Gray’s strong body, which fit against Shane like he was born to it.

Gray’s hard prick pressed against his butt and his chin came to rest on Shane’s shoulder. Shane reached over his head and wound his arms around Gray’s neck. His own dick stiffened at Gray’s nearness. The very knowledge that he had the object of his lust with him and all the time in the world to explore was a heady feeling. He dropped his head back and pulled Gray forward, then turned his head to kiss him. Gray opened right up, moaning when their tongues touched.

Gray ran his hands up and down Shane’s chest. Shane closed his eyes and relaxed. His lover’s hands felt so good; he had strong hands, big and calloused, like Shane’s own. They caressed over Shane’s chest and stomach, never quite straying where Shane wanted them to.

Just as Gray’s fingers skimmed over the tip of Shane’s fully erect cock, he stopped rubbing and reached over Shane’s shoulder, grabbing something off the shelf in front of them. A cap clicked open and the scent of vanilla surrounded them.
Shampoo
.

Gray kissed his shoulder and began to soap his hair. He massaged Shane’s scalp, fingers lingering. “Love your hair, Chief.” Gray’s lips met his shoulder again, then he continued to lather up Shane’s hair.

Shane couldn’t help the moan that escaped. Gray had great hands, gentle and firm at the same time. Even with an erection, it was relaxing. He could almost go to sleep right here.

“Close your eyes and tilt your head back.” Gray pulled the shower nozzle off the wall and rinsed Shane’s hair, then replaced it before picking up the mesh sponge and shower gel. “Turn around.” Gray tugged on his arm.

Shane stood there, eyes closed, and simply enjoyed feeling Gray’s hands on his body. The sponge traced his shoulders, pecs and stomach. Gray’s palm followed, exploring, learning.

“Got a great body, Shane. You always have. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. Just run my hands all over you, touch you.”

Oh, damn, what a confession. Shane moaned, leaning deeper into the caresses. Gray made him feel like a god. Soapy hands slid down his belly, stopping to circle his belly button, then toyed with the dark curls above his cock. “Oh…”

The adoration in that voice had Shane’s eyes opening. Gray was staring, apparently mesmerized, his hands roaming restlessly over Shane’s torso. He trailed one finger up Shane’s harder-than-nails prick, then back down before he enclosed his fist over it.

Shane’s stomach clenched, and his breath hitched.

Gray’s eyes flew to his: beautiful eyes full of awe. He held Shane in his hand—not stroking, not squeezing—just held him. His other hand rested over Shane’s heart. Surely Gray must be able to feel how hard Shane’s heart was pounding.

Shane reached up, trailing his fingers down Gray’s face. Sometimes it was hard to see the little boy he’d so adored in this adult face in front of him. He could almost forget who Gray was if it weren’t for the eyes. Those green, green eyes. Shane skimmed a finger over the his lover’s eyelids, along straight perfect nose, down to the shallow, barely there cleft in Gray’s chin. He traced his finger over Gray’s bottom lip.

Gray gasped, bringing Shane’s gaze back to his. He leaned into Shane’s hand, giving Shane no choice but to cup his cheek. When he spoke, his voice a whisper, almost a question, and it was full of wonder. “You think you aren’t good enough for me.”

Shane stilled. “No one is good enough for you, Grayson.” He brushed a kiss across Gray’s lips. “No one ever has been.”

Gray moaned and pushed into his arms, pressing his strong hard body against Shane’s, then devoured Shane’s mouth, pushing needy little sounds into it. The hand still on Shane’s prick stroked. Gray pulled back, biting Shane’s flesh between the neck and shoulder. Just like that, they’d gone from a slow, exploratory loving to this heated passion.

Shane shivered. “Jesus! Let’s get out of the shower before we fall down.”

Gray continued raining kisses and bites over his shoulders and chest. “Yeah, chief. Yeah. Want you.”

“Anything you wish, love.” Shane extracted himself from Gray long enough to hose off the remaining soap from both of them and shut down the water.

Gray opened the shower door and grabbed the towels, swiftly drying himself, then helping Shane dry his hair and body. Shane grinned and let him, watching Gray’s pretty cock bob with every move he made and the flex of those big thigh muscles as Gray bent. “Enough. Come on. We will likely need another shower after we get wet again.”

Gray chuckled, put his shoulder into Shane’s abdomen in a fireman’s lift and stood, carrying Shane into the bedroom. Shane sputtered, trying to decide whether to laugh or protest. But before he could do either, Gray dropped him onto the bed and immediately plastered himself on top of Shane, kissing the breath out of him.

Eventually, Gray sat up, straddling Shane’s hips and leaning over him toward the nightstand. He removed the lube and condoms, piling everything on the bed before contemplating Shane. “Do we need the condoms? I have test results, less than a month old, at home, and I haven’t been with anyone in well over six months or so.”

Shane closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Did this mean…“Grayson, if we do this, it’s just us…ever. You understand? Are you okay with that?”

Gray smiled. “Are you trying to tell me we’re an us? A couple?”

“I’m not telling you anything. I’m asking. ‘Speak now or forever hold your peace’ kind of asking.”

Gray’s lip quirked. “I do!” He picked up the condoms and flung them off the bed. They hit the wooden floor with soft sounds. He smiled widely at Shane. “Guess this means you’re clean?”

Shane nodded, unable to keep from grinning, too. “There should be a record in my office filing cabinet under ‘medical.’”

Gray kissed him, long and hard. When he came up for air, he raised his eyebrows. “You aren’t expecting me to actually get up and look, are you?” He frowned and his lips tightened.

Shane chuckled. He’d seen that look, the “I don’t wanna” look, off and on over the years ever since Gray was four. Just to be contrary, he really should make Gray go check, but that would be like cutting off his nose to spite his face. He reached up and wrapped his hand around the back of Gray’s neck, pulling him back down. As he did so, Gray’s hot, hard prick left a wet trail on his stomach. Oh, damn. He bucked his own hips, mashing his dick against Gray’s firm belly.

Gray gasped and nipped his jaw before moving upright again. Snatching the lube, he squirted some onto his hand, then tossed it aside. He gripped Shane’s prick, slicking him up, making his cock jerk at the contact.

Gray let go, then used his fingers to reach behind him to slick himself up.

Shane’s eyes widened, staring into the beloved face above him. He hadn’t expected that. He’d thought Gray was going to take him this time. Not that he was complaining; he’d always preferred to “top” his partners, but he would never deny his lover anything. “Grayson?”

“Yeah?” Gray scooted forward, positioning himself above Shane’s cock, then slowly sank down.

Shane groaned and willed himself to be still while that tight heat gripped him, took him in. “Oh, God!”

Gray bit his bottom lip, eyes closed, a blissful look on his face. Finally, after a long moment, his lids lifted. Gray’s ass rested on Shane’s hips. “Did you say something?”

Did he? He couldn’t remember. He shook his head and grabbed Gray’s hips, urging him to continue, to move. Whatever it was could wait until his brain was working again because right now all he could think about was the tight grasp of Gray’s hole squeezing him. He lifted his rear up and pulled Gray down.

Gray groaned and lay down over him, kissing his jaw, then he rolled them over so that Shane was on top. Shane didn’t waste any time; he got his knees under him while Gray raised his own. Gray’s thick, red prick was there between them, hard as you please, begging to be stroked. Shane clasped the throbbing shaft, pumping steadily, watching his lover’s face.

Gray was sprawled out beneath him, looking like a debauched angel, those lust filled green eyes glazed over. He pushed himself toward Shane, almost whimpering, and constricted his muscles around Shane’s dick. “Please, chief. Move. Fuck me.”

He did. He couldn’t have stopped himself after a plea like that. Shane used one hand to brace himself above Gray and the other to slide along Gray’s cock.

Gray moaned and squirmed, begging him and moving. “Oh, God, Yeah! Harder!”

Shane was happy to comply. He propelled himself into Gray harder and harder, reveling in the sensation of that firm ass squeezing him. His balls slapped against Gray at first, but then drew tighter. Every movement seemed new somehow. Not physically, of course, he’d done this countless times but, knowing that his partner was Gray,
his Grayson
, made this indescribably better.

“Now. Oh! Now, Shane. Now, now, now!” Gray’s back bowed off the bed, his mouth opened on a gasp. The throbbing in Gray’s hot flesh increased and it got more and more intense until finally he came, just like that. Semen splashed over Gray’s chiseled abs, mixing in the trail of dark hair leading to his groin even as he took Shane with him into bliss. Shane’s hips slammed forward one last time; he came—for the first time ever without a condom—into his lover’s ass, then collapsed on top of Gray, knowing Gray could handle his weight. His lover’s arms surrounded, hugging him like he’d never let go. Which was more than fine with Shane.