“That’s what I’m hoping for,” said Antonio as he turned around and locked the door. Amused, Marcus watched him walk behind the chair. His smile broadened and his head tipped back when Antonio’s strong hands began to massage his shoulders.
“I’ve been getting signals from you for weeks, and now that I’ve got you alone, I figured I’d help you relieve some of that stress.” Antonio bent over and kissed the side of Marcus’s jaw, then licked down his neck. “But keep the stiff part. I plan on using that in a while.” He reached down and gave Marcus’s cock a squeeze.
Marcus moaned and bucked into Antonio’s touch. It’d been so long since he’d been touched. He reached back with a hand and grabbed Antonio, bringing their lips together, even as he writhed under Antonio’s expert handling.
Their mouths clashed in a hard and brutal kiss. Antonio ate at his mouth; his tongue plunged hard and thick and normally he liked it fast and dirty. But now it seemed…practiced. Like a plan with steps to be checked off one by one. And Marcus expected softer lips and kisses that were sweeter and more searching. Confused, he broke away and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
Unheeding of Marcus’s internal warfare, Antonio spun his chair around. “Oh man, lemme me suck you off real quick.” He sank to his knees in front of Marcus, fondling himself as he spoke.
Typically Marcus would simply spread his legs and have the man go at it. He couldn’t remember how many times this scenario had played out in this office with too many men to name. From the moment Antonio had been hired, all Marcus had thought about was getting a piece of his ass.
But plans change, sending everything you thought you knew about yourself spinning out of control. Marcus knew if he fucked Antonio right now, any chance he’d have with Tyler would be lost. From that brief time in Tyler’s kitchen that had rocked Marcus’s world, when Tyler had entered his mind and never left, Marcus had been intrigued and entrapped; he wanted all of Tyler, everything he had to give.
Cupping Antonio’s jaw in his hand, Marcus kissed him slowly and not without some regret. “I may be the biggest asshole on the face of the earth, but I have to say no. At least for now.”
Antonio sat back on his heels. “You’re kidding right? I thought we were gonna get together.”
“Things changed, and I can’t.”
His cell phone rang, and seeing it was his home number, his heart began to bang against his ribs. “Ty? Are you all right?”
“Hey, um, Marcus? Sorry to bother you.”
“It’s no bother. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, I’m sorry, but Lillie made me call you. She said you told her she could buy something, but I’m not sure she’s telling the truth.”
Curious now, Marcus heard Tyler shush Lillie and her protesting. He couldn’t help grinning when Lillie came on the phone.
“Marcus?”
“Yes, who’s this?” He bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud. She really was a cute kid.
“It’s me, Lillie. Remember you promised me that I could order pink princess cups? Uncle Ty doesn’t believe me, so I made him call you.”
He chuckled. “Yes I did. Tell your uncle I said you could order as many princess cups as you want.”
The squeal of approval nearly broke his eardrum, but he couldn’t contain his laughter, even after he hung up the phone.
“It’s Ty, ain’t it?”
Marcus had completely forgotten about the sexy bartender he once couldn’t wait to get his hands on.
A light dawned in Antonio’s eyes. “I had a feeling.” He stood and adjusted his cock in the tight confines of his shorts. “I didn’t think you were into relationships and stuff. Everyone told me you were always up for some good times.” He walked to the door and unlocked it. “Lemme know when you’re back in the game, and we can hook up.” Then he was gone.
Marcus stared at the door for a long time afterward, wondering what the hell was happening to him.
Chapter Twelve
‡
Two weeks intorecuperation and Tyler was about to lose his mind. The walk up and down the six flights of stairs would’ve been brutal, and being stuck inside with Lillie, much as he loved her, for however many weeks until he healed, probably would have driven him mad. Yet even with that reasoning, living here with Marcus had him uneasy as to what the ultimate payback might be. Despite Marcus’s reassurances that he didn’t expect Tyler to sleep with him, doubt remained etched in Tyler’s mind.
Tyler shifted to find a more comfortable place on the sofa and reached for the remote; if another episode ofMaurycame on again he might blow his brains out. Doesn’t anyone in the country know who their baby’s daddy is anymore? Christ, and they call gays promiscuous. Everyone he knew always used a condom.
Food Network won out again, as usual.
No, none of that was the reason for his sleep-tossed nights and days filled with introspection. It was Marcus. God damn him. What he feared most about coming to live here was that he’d find out the man behind the smirk and glitter was so much more than he assumed, and he was being proven correct.
