“Us?” I asked. Mitch hired Duncan Morgansen to represent me. I was grateful that the best criminal defense attorney in the country would be by my side, but I wasn’t sure why Mitch thought he needed to attend.
“Yes, us.” That was all he would say on the matter. I recognized that he had made a decision and that was final. I was learning to pick my battles with him.
The rest of the ride back to my home was silent. The fact that I insisted on a separate residence was another hot button issue between us. He wanted me to reside in his palace by the ocean like he felt his lead bodyguard should, but I refused. I knew he would wear me down if we lived under the same roof, regardless of how big the roof was. I suspected he knew it too, which was why he insisted for so long. In the end, I told him my independence and privacy was a deal breaker and he capitulated.
Richard pulled into the driveway of the home I had leased for the last few years. It wasn’t much, but it was mine. No more barracks. No more war zones. It was just a small Spanish style home that afforded me the peace and quiet I craved.
I looked over at Mitch as I reached for the door handle. “Thanks for the lift and… everything, really.” I turned to get out of the car but his sudden grip on my hand stopped me.
“It’s going to be okay, Mark. I promise.” His money couldn’t fix everything and I knew it, but I appreciated the sentiment.
I nodded at him and pulled my hand back from him. I tried to ignore my tingling flesh from where we touched as I made my way to my front door. As tired as I was, I expected to drop off to sleep right away, but I didn’t. My mind should’ve been focused on my interview with the cops the next day, but it wasn’t. Instead, my mind went back to the day I gave into my heart and pressed my lips to Mitch’s for the first time.
Howard and Dorey let us stay up later since we were the oldest kids. In fact, that night everyone was in bed, including the adults. We were watching Saturday Night Live and sharing a bowl of popcorn. I hadn’t been able to keep up my indifference to Mitch for long. He wormed his way into my heart with his soulful, sad eyes. I found myself wanting to take away his hurt and make him smile. Soon, I wanted that smile to be only for me.
I couldn’t recall who the host of SNL was that night or the skit that made us laugh so hard. I easily remembered the way my skin sizzled when we reached into the popcorn bowl at the same time and our hands touched. I recalled the shocked smile on Mitch’s face and how I couldn’t resist leaning over and kissing those lush lips out of pure instinct. I felt his surprised gasp against my lips and the same tremor of discovery ripple through him. I pulled back slowly and looked into his widened eyes.
A smile spread slowly across his face and then he whispered, “Do it again.” I did, for hours.
The memory of our first kiss changed to our reunion inside my restaurant. Neither of us bothered to tell Jackson how we knew each other and, of course, Jackson found it funny that Mitch called me Mark instead of Deacon.
“We go way back,” was all I said to Jackson. I realized that Mitch and I were still clasping hands and reluctantly pulled my hand back. My hand tingled where our skin had touched and I missed his absence immediately.
My eyes raked over his long body, cataloging all of the changes in him. He’d grown taller, wider through the shoulders, and his hot gaze was that of a man who would give me immense pleasure. We lingered over drinks long after our dinner plates had been cleared from the table and Jackson went home to his fiancé. The attraction we felt for each other as kids was a thousand times stronger as adults. I found myself staring at his mouth and his hands, wanting to feel both over my body. Mitch didn’t offer me the job that night; instead, he called me up a few days later. I often wondered why he delayed, but I never asked him.
I should’ve been sleeping, but there would be no sleep until I took care of the ache between my legs. I pushed the sheet down to my thighs and began working my cock with my fist. Thinking of all the things I always wanted to do with Mitch, but was never able to experience with him, would make me come fast. It always did, but maybe it would be just the thing I needed to relax me enough to sleep.
I pictured Mitch’s full lips and fantasized about them wrapped around my cock instead of my own hand. I instinctively knew his mouth would feed so good working my cock up and down, alternating between sucking and licking. Fuck! I could feel my orgasm building fast and worked my cock harder until I came all over my stomach.
Afterwards, I wasn’t in the right state of mind to pick up my phone and text Mitch, but I did it anyway. I wanted to thank him again for what he was doing for me and I didn’t want to put it off another minute. The exchange was short because I was exhausted from traveling and the orgasm I’d just had.
When sleep came, it was filled with dreams of happy times of Mitch and me. Some might think they were sweet or peaceful, but I thought of them as a cruel reminder of the one person I wanted more than life itself, but would never have. A peaceful sleep once again eluded me and I woke the next morning feeling as if I hadn’t slept at all.
Not for the first time, I wondered if I shouldn’t just give into my physical desire for Mitch. I could work to separate our past from our present, give him the fucking he so clearly wanted, and get back to being in control. My brain and dick were all on board with that plan, but my heart knew better. Once with Mitch would never be enough and I’d be damned if I let him use me like he did other men.
