Electric Feel

Kay giggled, a smile spreading across her bright red lips. “You don’t like knowing you’re not the biggest and strongest around do you?” She asked as her eyes slid over to Gunner. He wasn’t doing anything special, just tending bar and talking to a few patrons, but even in his unspecial moments his size stood out and filled the room. “Can’t back up that big talk on the street now that you feel like you have him breathing down your neck?”

Kay didn’t really care about Gunner, he’d kick this guys ass if the need arose, but he wouldn’t do a gods damned thing if he thought he was interfering with Kay’s money. Gunner knew what was up and knew when to keep to himself. “Tell me, Luke,” she said with a purr as she leaned forward, “where did all your bravado just go?” 

Mark rolled his eyes at the way she treated him. The man didn’t like to be talked down and she did nothing but that the entirety of the night. What made this situation sadder was the woman was a whore and she wouldn’t even touch him. He didn’t talk to her, not at first, and kept his eyes on his beer while he visibly sulked. So what? He had some Hercules behind him tending bar and she was not at all intimidated by him. But, one thing she couldn’t actually get rid of; and the man behind him couldn’t take: his confidence. 

He brought his eyes back to her and smiled. “Well, Destiny. My bravado is right where it needs to be. It’s funny how as soon as you get some muscle behind you you’ve fine with getting up close and sassy.” She was sassy in the alleyway and he was sure she’ll remind him but he’ll brush it off. “If this is the way you treat most of your clients then it’s a damn miracle you make any money for you and your pimp.”

Shane chuckled a little. “Well,” he said with a shrug, “I wouldn’t mind being dicked around a little, just not the way my ex-wife did it.” The woman has been absolutely evil in every way. Why he’d even married her often slipped his mind. Truthfully, she had been good in bed and that was about it. He wouldn’t have needed to step out on her, though, if she hadn’t started using sex as a punishment. She didn’t get her way? No sex. Didn’t like something he said or did? No. Sex. Fine. Shane could find that somewhere else and suddenly she was useless to him.

“I’m Shane,” he said taking the other man’s hand in another firm shake. “You’re absolutely welcome to come celebrate my freedom with me. The more the merrier, but you have to drink with me. I can’t be the only one drinking and toasting to this new freedom.” 

Asher’s been on and off the wagon for years; in and out of AA meetings, too. He wasn’t a terrible drunk but he knew it wasn’t something he should get back into. Except this guy stuck him as in need of a drink and it was a celebration. He worked on all the reasons as to why it was a good idea to go forward with getting that drink and ignoring the ten days of sobriety he achieved this last month. Maybe it won’t get to be so bad this time. Things had calmed down at work and he wasn’t too hung up on any issues at the moment. The only thing that got him worried was his daughter but he was a good kid who was mostly unaffected by his drinking. That he knew. “I think that’s a great idea.” He said as he told himself that he’ll limit it to two. That he could do that. 

“Do you have a bar you like in the area? I think there are two around the corner.” He said as he knew there were in fact three within a one mile radius of the place they stood. “Think you’ve seen the last of your ex wife?” he asked after he moved away from the small crowd which remained at the scene of the accident. There was nothing there to look at anymore except for the tow trucks doing their job.

Philip made an Oh with his lips and nodded when the guy next to him explained why coffee would be a bad idea. It also explained how the guy had managed to miss his bus while sitting on the bus bench and why his brain seemed to struggle with comprehension. “Yikes,” he said with a grimace, “sorry dude.” He did look a little puffy, though having never met the guy before, Philip couldn’t actually say anything on that front. “Maybe you need a bit of help getting home. I know where Anderson is. Bus 305 is the one you want but maybe let me help you?” If he didn’t help, he was going to hear about a guy found dead in a ditch and when they show the picture of the guy it was going to be this guy’s handsome face. 

“I’m Philip.” 

Carson’s entire face felt unlike his own and he kept touching his cheek but not feeling anything. He looked at the guy who he didn’t know who offered help and he thought that either the meds conjured up some invisible guy. A type of guide. Or there actually was a nice enough dude who didn’t mind taking care of him, a person he didn’t know. At all. But it was the same the other way around. He felt foggy and groggy and all the gy words he couldn’t think of. “Yeah. Yeah, that’ll be good. I think it’s 305. That’s the number that keeps playing in my head. I can use my phone to figure it out, too.” He said as he brought it out and tried to remember his passcode but kept tapping it in wrong. “That’s a no go on the phone plan.” He set the useless phone on his knee and zoned until it registered a name was given. “I’m-I’m Carson.” This came out sounding slightly slurred and he placed his fingertips onto his bottom lip as if that’ll help.

Will smirked when Xavier commented on his nose but only shrugged. With his ability to heal faster than others, the ER was always a bad idea. He didn’t exist to the government anymore, and William wanted to keep it that way. He liked his solitary life on the side of the mountain an hour outside of town. He didn’t really want any of that to change, despite the fact that sometimes the solitude got lonesome. This sojourn into town would likely be enough to last him several years. All he would need to do was look in the mirror and see his nose to remember why town was a bad idea. 

He took his seat and reached for the beer when it was set in front of him. He thanked the guy that gave it to him and turned his attention back to his new friend. “I’m not,” he admitted. “I live up the mountain a bit. I needed a few things in town so I ventured down. That’ll teach me, won’t it?” His truck was full of odds and ends he needed. Tools, some food, clothing. Nothing he couldn’t have ordered. Lesson learned. “I’m Will, it’s nice to meet you, Xavier. Thank you for your help back there.” He was sure they had introduced themselves before but a lot had happened in a short period of time so he wasn’t completely sure. “It’s lucky you were there… It would have taken longer to beat the shit out of those guys.”

At the name introduction Xavier bowed his head and closed his eyes, a little nod to show he heard him before he slid the empty shot glass across the rickety table. Xavier, who had his hand up in the air and called out for another beer returned to Will and asked in awe. “You’ve got a place there. What are you? A type of mountain man?” He looked the part. Rugged, broad shoulders and strong arms; the type you can see bulking from chopping wood and doing the shit necessary to keep things going. 

“A guy like you? You were knocked off your feet but you’d have bounced back. Probably with more damage to your face but I only got you out of there sooner.” His beer came and he rose it to the mountain man. “Here’s to showing those fools they can’t gang up on someone without it sending them to the hospital.” He grinned before giving a chest-rumbling laugh. His body felt wrecked but none of that matter--he felt more alive than ever.

She chuckled a little and shrugged. “Few actually have that much knowledge around guns. Marines are supposed to know that much.” She missed her job in the Marines, but she liked her desk job a lot as well. It was easy, for the most part, and kept her solid. The moving around had been part of the problem when it came to her relationship with Connor. They just didn’t have the ability to stay in one place and actually get to know each other. So instead they fought. And fought a lot. “Regular civies really shouldn’t so it’s good that you don’t.” It was good for her position in her mission too, but teaching the guy how to defend himself was perhaps one of her stupidest moves thus far. 

She glanced back at him when he asked for a second demonstration, a smile gracing her lips. She would happily oblige his request for another demonstration. “keep your stance natural. Not too wide because you want it to feel normal, but not too closed off either because you don’t want the kickback to knock you off balance. Arm out, but not locked. Again, the kickback will destroy you if you lock your elbow, but not too loose that you end up hitting yourself with the gun when it comes back.” She turned around, cocked the gun and took aim at the target across the way and pulled the trigger. The whole thing took less than a second from the moment her eyes left Henry. She didn’t stop at one round, though. She unloaded the whole clip into the little black and white target before she set the gun down and turned back to her date. “Do you wanna try?”

This woman was a bad ass, this much Henry knew and for  her to even show a any sign of interest perplexed him. She stood before him, shooting a gun with an ease he’d never seen in person while most of the women he’d been with wouldn’t go anywhere near them. Which wasn’t a bad thing, because she had a point about civilians; which was weird to think of himself as but it was the truth. “How long were you in the Marines?” This was a new piece of information and which explained more about how she was so fucking awesome with the gun.

Henry, nervous about holding something so heavy and dangerous in his hand,” went to where she stood and duplicated the steps she described. It felt off in his head, that his arms were probably too loose or his stance not wide enough. He keep his eyes straight ahead and waited for the target sheet to be replaced; which gave him time to work on his positioning. As soon as a clean sheet laid before him he eyes the head and squeezed the trigger. The surrealism of the entire thing from the hard pull on the trigger, which he didn’t expect, to the way the gun moved backwards with an anticipated power she warned him about, kept Henry in a dreamlike state and as soon as the vibrations from the shot settled he looked ahead to find his bullet hole but the target was too far for him to see. “Holy crap. I shot a gun.” he said more to himself than her.

Ronan’s lips worked the skin to leave a mark, he was a naturally territorial creature, a hickey was something all of his lovers came away within one spot or another, possibly multiple spots. He hardly cared if the other minded, it was just something he couldn’t help. The spot on her neck was just one place his lips would touch during their adventures. Slowly the moved up, leaving a trail of warm kisses that cooled with the air. 

His groaned vibrated deep in his throat when his cock slid through her lower lips. Her hips worked to keep the sensation up, teasing him with what was to come. He liked the feel of himself between her legs, the way she moved against his, the warmth her body offered. If he moved just a little, met her own movements he could slip inside her with little effort, but his thoughts were diverted by the sound of a phone going off. He didn’t care for it, the tinny ring, interrupting what was an extremely sensual moment. 

His lips pressed a kiss to the shell of her ear, his warm breath ghosting over her skin. “Did you want to answer that or would you prefer that I fuck you into the bed?” He moved his hips a little, his hand reaching between them to guide himself against her a bit more firmly. If she really wanted to answer the phone, he’d let her, but he’d much rather stay right where they were. 

The ring continued and Chloe felt frustrated with it. Why would the person on the other end know she was seconds away from getting her fill of this gorgeous guy? Not that she broadcasted what her comings and goings were; then it clicked it might be her friend or mom checking to see how the photo shoot went. Either way, Chloe still trembled at his breath and words and the fact she could feel that tease between her lips. “What if you fuck me while I’m on the phone?” She asked, half serious though mostly joking. 

Drew gasped, his mouth hanging open in shock when Cason shot back at him. It wasn’t true shock, more of a mock shock, but there was a bit of truth to it. He hadn’t expected the shy man to be so blunt about his game. Clearly, Cason was just as competitive as Drew. “I am cute,” Drew said with a grin instead of commenting on the challenge. “I’ll let you buy me a drink, sure.” 

It had been so long since he’d actually had fun that this all felt so out of the blue but he was enjoying himself and the company he was keeping. He bounced away from his companion, turning to walk back so that he could still see his new friend. “I’ll even buy you a drink to celebrate my win. It’s no fun drinking alone plus, we’ll need to toast to the stunning upset.”

Oh wow...Here Cason was, about to buy a drink for the Drew Vance and not just a drink but one at an arcade. An arcade drink. Most would just go and do it but he had to think about the whole thing as this ginormous stroke of luck. Because, lets be real, most things that happened to Cason were awkward and embarrassing and typically people; especially his two older brothers, made his life either miserable or difficult. He supposed he included himself in that because instead of moseying over to the counter he was still there looking at Drew like a loon, that was under the gorgeous blond spoke. 

“Uh. What...” He asked, as if he had giant wads of cotton stuck in his ears and didn’t hear a word he sad. Oh, but he heard it. He saw it in the smirk Drew wore and Cason thought it was the most attractive smirk that ever smirked. “We’ll see about that. I may not look like much but believe me. Games are my life.” What the hell did that even mean but he just gave Drew a knowing a wink, which didn’t exactly make sense but oh well. Too late to explain his train of thought. “What do you want to drink?” He asked, the bar wasn’t too far from here and Cason pivoted on his heel to head towards in; going slow of it so Drew will walk with him.

Jonas kept his mouth gentle and relaxed as Mike moved his hips, he liked the taste of Mike’s skin on his tongue. The salty sweet taste of flesh and the firm softness of the man’s cock were a combination Jonas had always enjoyed, but coupled with the site of Mike himself towering above him, it was a sight to be held. One he’d imagined but never expected to have in real life. He relished it. He liked the sounds he got from his friend, though he hesitated slightly when he felt Mike clench from the path his finger had taken. 

He had no ability to speak, not desire to stop Mike while he fucked his mouth, but he wanted to ask if everything they were doing was alright. He didn’t get the chance, though. Mike spoke, though nothing changed. Jonas was doing all the work, but it hardly mattered to him. This wasn’t really about him after all. It was about Mike and showing him how could it was, being with a guy. They would go as far as Mike wanted and no farther. Even if it meant Jonas went home and finished himself off with a cold shower and stored images in his mind’s eye. 

Mike couldn’t honestly say it felt much different having a man’s mouth wrapped around his cock compared to a woman’s, but one thing for certain was Jonas wasn’t a slouch when it came to giving head. Fuck...no. He had Mike’s toes curled and him making those kinds of noises that he was sure people would think came from one of the animal’s cages if they happened upon them. His eyes watched this man’s mouth take him fully before easing up; going back in with another bob. He was getting close and he hated it because he’d want to do more but this was new and hot and...Jesus. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. With him. His friend.

Closing his eyes he grinned and breathed out a moan, “Fuck, Jo-” he started, unable to finish saying his name as he pressed his lips together and laid a hand against the back of his head and just kept it there; not guiding him in any way. “You keep doing that and I’m going to nut in your mouth.” There was a chuckle with this and Mike’s eyes opened again to look at Jonas, a low rumble of a groan showed that this was about to happen soon.

Ian smiled happily while he listened to her come up with ideas and way that they could see each other. He really didn’t mind that she wanted to see him again or that she was already making plans to do so. It meant that this… whatever it was, was going well. They’d met in such an unlikely way, but this was working out better than he could have ever hoped it would. He liked this, though. Their interactions were light-hearted and happy. He was having fun with her. 

“If you come to see me, just promise me it’s not in the patient capacity. I don’t think I could handle that.” He liked her too much to see her in pain in the hospital. He didn’t want to have to be her nurse because he’d just want to sit by her bedside and keep her company. “Also bring caffeine, because I will need it for sure.” 

Well, that wasn’t what she expected when she mentioned a trip to the hospital and it took a couple seconds before she shook her head and said, “I can’t exactly promise it won’t be under those circumstances, because I can be a bit of a klutz and give myself cuts while at work but I’ll say I’ll do what I can to not to land my butt there.” She said after she dropped her fork back into her container and went to finish the last of her drink; which was announced by the loud sound of her straw sucking up bits of liquid and air. 

Jasmine laughed at the sound and looked down, lifting her straw and trying to dip into the remaining liquid in hopes it was enough to satisfy her. “Have you ever been in that situation before?”  she asked, giving up the drink exploration and setting the empty cup down. “I’m sorry if you have. Working in a hospital is hard. I can’t imagine how it is with people but we got some terrible cases with animals.” She sighed and shook her head slowly. “Sorry. Shouldn’t bring up the sad stuff. Most people avoid these type of conversations.

Gunner’s fingers snagged the glass and set it aside. It was empty as was the rest of the place. Last call wasn’t necessary but it was law. He wiped down the bar with his rag, frowning when she mentioned a shelter. She really didn’t have anywhere to go? That was so lonely and sad. He brushed off the idea that she had kept him here too long. He had bar hours for a reason, plus, “I live upstairs,” he told her. “I own this place. I’m never very far away from it. Don’t worry about that. 

He knew he couldn’t do anything about her situation, though, so he didn’t really try. It wasn’t his place to get involved in the affairs of others. He was a bartender. He listened to the woes of his clients, took their money, poured them into a cab and let them be on their merry way. It was how life was. So when she got up, he simply waved and bid her goodnight. He did hope to see her again, though. 

He was just about to disappear into the back when the bar door slammed shut. It wasn’t the type of shut that signaled that a patron had left it was a quick, rushed slam and he turned back in time to see the woman push her back against the door. The panicked look in her eyes was all he needed to know to jump into action. He strode over to the bat he kept behind the bar and grabbed it before heading over to the door. 

Gunner was a big guy, 6′7 and nearly 300 pounds of solid perfectly sculpted muscle. His hand landed on the door, pinning it shut and keeping it shut. “Take this,” he said handing her the bat so that he could reach of the keys and lock the door. 

More and more shoves came at the door and the angered voice of her husband was muffled but very clear with his threats to her. Alessa breathe hard and knew she was about to lose her grip on the door but then then it stopped and she opened her eyes, which blurred her vision due to the tears which coated her eyelashes. The bartender held the door still and she took the bat, bolting from the door as if it were a pile of venomous snakes. “That’s my-” she stammered, bat wavering in front of her as she prepared from him to storm through that door somehow. 

“That’s my husband. I-I-I- can-can-can-can’t go back to him. He’ll kill me.” These weren’t words to just throw at him. These were words she firmly believed in. And the way she shook, unable to raise the words higher then a frightened whisper while the drunk man on the other side of the door yelled the most vile words at her was clear she wasn’t full of shit. The man on the other end was deranged and she was at the end of the road, one which was paved with people who refused to believed her.

She took a deep breath and brushed a few pieces of her stray blonde hair out of her face before looking over at the guy who was her unknowing savior. “Just a job,” she said as she shrugged the large bag onto her shoulder. “I’ve got a photoshoot and if I miss the bus I miss the shoot. No shoot no money. I’m sure you can see why that would be bad.” She lived in a house full of models each of the three bedrooms houses two to three girls. It was a madhouse, but eventually, she would make in the industry and not need to room with a bunch of people. She hated that she was so short. People constantly looked down their nose at her in the industry. 

The only good thing was that few in her house actually cared about print work, which meant Ever got more of those jobs than the others. It equaled out, but runway did and always would pay better. “So, again,” she said, “thank you for holding the elevator. I really appreciate it.” 

It wasn’t like him to want to keep something showing their gratitude when it was one of those acts that any decent person would do. Then again, when you lived in the city it was harder to come by nice people compared to the small town of Castlebury. Most of the issues that happened always surrounded the his trips into the city and he hated how it was a good place to live it wasn’t exactly the ideal location for him. Too many days did he think about how it would be nice to move to California and be close to the beach. Though, for now, this was where his dad was and it made it easier to get by with his money; which funded his apartment. 

“Yeah. Sure.” he nodded slowly, giving a raspy voiced response as he pulled a hand free from a pocket and dragged it through his hair. “What type of photoshoot if it’s alright for me to ask?” Their elevator beeped as it lowered one floor at a time. Soon it’ll open and he’d have to watch her run out or, “If you’re short on time I can have my driver take you?” 

Demitri’s hand lay on his chest, fingers spread wide while he stared unseeingly at the ceiling. His mind clouded over from time to time as he lay there. No thoughts floated through his head. Time passed without his knowledge. Was the room spinning… or was that just him? Demitri wasn’t sure of anything anymore. He blinked slowly, his brain registering that someone had spoken to him. It was Paul. It had to be. He was the only person there… if it wasn’t him, Dem was in for a truly bad night. He hadn’t taken any drugs, though. Just some whiskey. Okay, a lot of whiskey, but only whiskey. 

He turned his head in the direction of the voice and sighed. “Not falling asleep,” he said slowly. “I hate that you’re so hot.” Was out loud or in his mind? Demitri wasn’t even sure anymore. “Food sounds good. Do we have anything? There’s melted ice cream on the table?” Where had he put that? He couldn’t remember anymore. “You really don’t need to torture me, I’m perfectly capable of doing that on my own.” 

Paul walked back into the room, stuffing his face with the last of the crumbs from the bottom of a chips bag he found in the pantry. They were stale and the sour cream & onion powder was basically all that remained. Didn’t make for the most satisfying nosh but it was better than nothing. “Oh. But I must. That’s what I’m good that.” He leaned back and tossed the empty bag onto the counter and went back to the sofa and dropped down on it. If they managed to get that apartment downstairs occupied than the people would’ve though a body dropped hard on the floor with how he went down. 

He leaned forward, surprised he didn’t face plant with how spinny he was but this wasn’t his first drunken rodeo, and he pulled the container of melted ice cream his way, drinking from it. There was a dribble which came from this and it landed on his shirt. He looked down, while licking his lips, and ran a hand across the dot. “I know. Most people hate how sexy I am, too. But what can I do about it?” he chuckled setting back and leaving the ice cream container on his knee. 

She was in a strange town, without most of her stuff. She had a few cards on her because she hadn’t wanted to cart around her purse but her cell phone was in the door handle of the car that had just sped off. That would teach her to go on a road trip with someone she was considering breaking up with. James was an asshole, plain and simple, but he wasn’t supposed to be anything more than what he was. They’d been together so long she’d long forgotten what she even saw in the guy. 

“Mckinley High?” She’d never even heard of the place. She spun on her heels to look at the school that was behind her and sighed. “Those sound like terrible hashbrowns. That’s a travesty.” How could someone screw up hashbrowns that badly? Potatoes were perfection. 

She took a deep breath and focused on the guy in front of her. He was tall and cute, which wasn’t supposed to be the first thing that registered in her mind in a crisis, but she couldn’t help it. “I could call my sister… she might be able to help. She’s in Chicago. How far away from that are we?” Road trips sucked. She was never doing this again. 

@stories-with-jas​

“I-uh. Hmm.” He said as he shook his head and brought a phone out. “What brings you to Lima?” He asked as he got the Maps app up and typed into it. “Four hours. Give or take.” Sam looked at the woman and noticed her stance. She looked like she wasn’t at ease and he wondered if it had to do with him. Some people weren’t cool talking to strangers and he practically moseyed on over and talked to her as if they were friends or something. “Are you from there? Chicago there.” Sam, quit it. Play it cool. She’s just got the prettiest eyes you’ve ever seen and you’ve already made yourself look like an idiot with Quinn when you complimented hers in Na’vi a bunch of years ago. 

Sam looked at the phone in his hand and offered it to her. “You need to use it to call her? There’s a place close by if you want to use a pay phone or somethin’ if you rather not use mine.” Sam was on the verge of a ramble and he caught the tip of his tongue between his teeth and pressed onto it but managed to smile because that’s what came natural for him. 

Anna chuckled and shook her head. This guy was a bit of a joker and she liked it. For a doctor, he didn’t seem too keen on taking himself seriously, which, as a kindergarten teacher, she found very refreshing. She was sitting at a table with snot on her pants and paint on her shirt and still he seemed to want to go on a date with her. It was… more than she could have ever expected from the handsome man. “Oh don’t get me wrong,” she said sitting back in her seat, “I am his princess as well, but, we’re also very similar people and get along very well.” Her father was one of her favorite people in the world. She had a very special connection with him, one that was quite rare by most standards. 

Anna gave him her number as she stood from her seat and scooped up the plate that had held her lunch. It was time to go back to class but at least she had something to look forward to when she got done for the day. “Three, yes,” she said with a nod before vanishing to put the plate away. “Technically 2:20, but I won’t leave till 3.” She had to clean the classroom and get it ready for the next day, after all. 

“Ready to head out?”

Technically their lunch break didn’t take long but to Richard it gave him enough to learn about the teacher, who he didn’t plan to strike up a conversation with to the point he set his day to the side to get to know better. Now they were at a point of the afternoon where this must come to an end but there was promise for more later. With drinks and conversation to fill the night. 

“Yeah. I suppose. Not that I’m thrilled about it but the school might come looking for you if you don’t return to your students. The nurses with me if I don’t get back to the medical center.” he chuckled and picked up his case and went to the door. This place must cater to the teachers from across the street because now it appeared a ghost town when fifteen minutes ago it bustled with life. “So. The plan for later, if you’re still down. Want to meet around seven? Seven thirty? Can’t keep us out too late since it’s a school and work night.” He chuckled at this and hoped she wouldn’t see this as a pushy move on his part to see her again.

Lacy smiled softly when the guy realized he didn’t have his wallet in the back pocket of the boxer shorts he was still wearing. It was hardly the worst thing she’d seen someone wear while on the job. It helped that this guy was at least cute. She’d spent a decent amount of time at the gym checking the guy out. The gym clearly paid off. She, however, did not expect to ever be called to his home for a job. That was… shocking. 

She averted her eyes when he went to look for his wallet. A smirk spread across her lips. The guy was cute, albeit a bit awkward. It was endearing. She was so used to dealing with Aiden and his cocksure bullshit, she liked the shy cute one. She looked back up when he came back in, still in his underwear and handed her a license. “Well, Brian Clarke,” she said with a smile as she glanced at him, “It’s nice to finally have a name to go with the face.” She jotted his information down on the notepad before giving him back his license. “I’m Lacy. Most people call me detective Benson, but it’s Lacy.” She hoped the next time she saw him he would remember to call her by her first name and not her title. 

With his time away he could have grabbed a pair of jeans to at least make an attempt to be presentable but having the police in his house made his brain not work in the way it needed and he returned with his license, boxers still very much in plain view. “They don’t call you Detective Lacy?” Why did he ask that? In what movie or show did anyone get called Detective first name?” Brian let a chuckle loose to show this was a bad joke, even when it wasn’t meant to be. The license returned into his hand and he busied his fingers with it. 

“Is there much your partner has to do when it comes to the paperwork? I can take the cat and keep it here until I find the owner. I will hate for it to go to the shelter. Those places are rough.” He didn’t have anything here to take care of an animal and knew cats needed a litter box, at least. Brian thought about this while he looked at her, smiling at the woman because it was hard not to. “Sorry. Just. Small world, you know? From the gym to here. I should have introduced myself before but it’s hard to get a conversation going when you’re in the middle of your thoughts during a workout.”

Nick’s body melting into Jay for a moment, relishing in the firm warmth that radiated from the taller man. Arms snaked around his back and fingers splayed across the small of his back, holding him close. Nick would never tire of the feeling of Jay pressed against him. It was always the same and always thrilling. He could not help the attraction he felt for him, even if he wanted to. 

Nick returned his boyfriend’s kiss, a smile gently playing at the corner of his lips. Being home meant they were free from potential prying eyes. Nick was no prude when it came to his relationship but people talked, especially about same-sex couples. Nick wasn’t keen on being anyone topic of conversation. “Right, the beer.” He could have easily forgotten all about them.

While Jay went one way, Nick found his way down the hall a bit, heading toward their room to remove his boots. “I don’t recall turning it on this morning,” he said honestly. The TV wasn’t something that he watched much. “Why?”

Jay stood there, a hand on the top of his head while he held the television remote in the other. “It’s probably-” he said as he looked around the room to see if there was an open window or if they left the back door open but everything appeared normal. “nothing. The TV’s on. That’s all.” He clicked it off and set the control down on the coffee table. “I need to take a quick shower. Working in that house soaked me through.” He pinched the front of his shirt and moved it back and forth as if to aerate. 

“Think you’ve got everything handled before I get back?” Always one to give Nick a hard time, catching their reflection in the mirror next to the bed. He let his sister decorate the house for them and he usually hated that mirror there. It was hot some nights when he could watch what they got up to in this bed, but it always made it feel like a cheap motel.