CHAPTER TEN

Jeo

 

God, how fucking hot had that been? I’d done some weird shit in my life, but sticking my toe into a guy hadn’t been on the list.

Until today.

And hadn’t Nick looked delectable, cheeks pink, trying to get off on my leg? Hot damn.

I’d imagined bedding Nick would be like breaking in a wild colt, taming the little diva who had shrieked at me on more than one occasion to get my lazy ass out of bed. Hell, after what we’d just done, I could easily throw back in his face all his taunts about what a kinky bastard I was.

But I wouldn’t do that. The way he’d trusted me and done exactly what I’d asked of him had been nothing short of beautiful. I’d slept with a lot of people, and many, no matter how experienced had never reached the point where they could do that. I damn well knew Nick had never done anything remotely that kinky with vanilla Royce.

So, instead of taming the colt, it looked like I was the one being roped in.

I lay there next to him marveling at how, as soon as he’d made up his mind I was serious and he was going to do this thing with me, he’d been all in. He’d claimed the Daddy/boy dynamic was only a bedroom thing for him, but I’d found him more than willing to accept it outside the bedroom too. I knew I’d enjoy myself, but I hadn’t expected that every time he deferred to me in anything, I’d get so worked up, I’d have to fuck him that minute or rub one off in the first private place I could find.

What they say about the sub having all the power is so fucking true, but I didn’t think I’d ever fully realized it until I began sleeping with Nick. I was beginning to realize that, with him, I didn’t have to switch partners to try all the dirty things I wanted to. He seemed more than willing to try them all with me.

Hell, every pout of his lips, bat of his lashes, catch of his breath, wove me more and more around his little finger.

Someone was going to get hurt at the end of this affair, and gazing at Nick—face flushed from his orgasm, dark hair falling over his high forehead, and naked, toned body sprawled out next to me—I realized it was more than likely going to be me. How had things turned upside down so quickly?

I was still staring at him when his eyes fluttered open.

“Sorry I passed out on you,” he said, scooting closer so he could rest his head on my chest. I hoped he couldn’t hear how my heart was galloping.

“S’okay,” I drawled, bringing my arm around him and flicking his hair out of his eyes with my finger. We were covered in cum and sweat, and I wanted him again so fiercely, I couldn’t breathe.

“You hungry? I could make us something,” he offered.

“Sure. Sounds good.” I’d shared a pizza with some of the residents of Rainbow House before I’d left, but I wanted to spend more time with him before I went back home. I watched as he rose from the bed and gave me a flirtatious smile before walking into the bathroom. He returned with a warm cloth and gently wiped the evidence of what we’d been up to from my body—a considerate and sweet act that hit me hard. Almost as hard as the way he looked at me sometimes during sex. I studied his face. He had to be one of the most beautiful men I’d ever seen, and for a moment I was confused as hell at what he was doing wasting his time with me. His lips turned up, and the tenderness in his expression made my heart hurt.

He stepped back to toss the cloth into the hamper and then wiggled into a pair of sweatpants.

“You sure you don’t mind going with me on Saturday?” he asked.

“Of course. It’s no big deal.”

His eyes met mine. “It is to me. I don’t usually have backup.”

I reached for my underwear. “Well, you do this time. Why do you hate your old man so much?”

When I turned to look at him, Nick was staring out the window, eyes far away. For a minute I thought he wasn’t going to answer, but then he said, “Since my mom died, Grandma’s always been there for me. Mom was my biggest supporter when I came out, although coming out wasn’t really necessary. Everyone knew.”

I guessed it was a little difficult for guys like Nick to hide their sexuality. I’d never had that problem, but since the day I’d come to the states, I hadn’t tried to hide it. Being pansexual might have made it easier. I slipped on my jeans and sat down on the bed.

“After Mom died, Dad was free to show how much I disgusted him. Year after year, he’d held in his contempt because he’d loved my mother so much. Fortunately for me, before living alone with him became too unbearable, Grandma asked me to come live with her.”

“Did your dad ever hurt you?” I asked, tensing.

Nick’s blue eyes met mine. “Not physically. At least, other than a few bruises from grabbing me too hard. I bruise easily.”

I knew that from the marks my fingers left on his hips, and damn if that didn’t get my cock interested again. I was fucking depraved.

“Verbally—emotionally—he hurt me plenty,” Nick said, and my heart clenched. I wanted to kiss him, hold him, but I froze, unsure of what exactly my role was. We weren’t in the middle of a fuck, and I wasn’t sure he’d want comfort from me right then.

Before I could work it out, Nick said, “I’ll go make some eggs and toast,” and left the room.

More than a little confused, I took a few minutes to compose myself before following him.

 

****

On Saturday, I arrived at Nick’s apartment early, wearing my leather as promised. As the weather was hot, I’d worn my vest with the Hedonist devil patch on the back rather than my jacket. A white T-shirt and my black leather pants and boots completed the outfit. I must’ve looked badass, as a group of middle-schoolers hanging out on the corner near Nick’s building stared as I got off my bike.

When I entered the building, I waved to security and headed for the elevator, pushing my mirrored shades to the top of my head. When I knocked on Nick’s door, he called for me to come in. His living room was a mess, every piece of furniture covered in clothing, and Nick looked agitated as he stood in the middle of the room wearing only a red Speedo. He had his little gold nipple rings in, making me wish we had time for me to tease him by tugging on them with my teeth.

“You’re not ready?”

He turned dismayed eyes on me.

“I don’t know what to wear.”

I wanted to laugh, he looked so fucking upset over clothes, of all things, but I had a feeling if I did, he might burst into tears.

“You look good,” he said, gaze flicking over my leather-clad form.

I flashed a smile. “Thanks.” I picked up a pink romper. “What about this?”

Nick frowned. “I don’t know.”

I put it down and chose a pair of jean shorts. “These?”

He frowned and glanced worriedly around the room at all the clothes. He was wound tight, obviously nervous about seeing his father.

“Nick,” I said firmly. “Calm down.”

His shoulders slumped. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” Obviously, I was going to have to make the decisions for him and maybe exert a little ownership.

“We’re going to be late if we don’t get going,” Nick said, following me.

“You have any swim trunks?” I asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Get them.”

He pulled a pair out of a drawer and tossed them onto the bed.

“Climb up on the bed and stand.”

“Jeo, we don’t have time, and why do you want me to wear trunks?”

I gave him a steely look. “Now, boy.”

His eyes flashed, but he did as I said, steadying himself with a hand on my shoulder. I pulled down the Speedo, and he stepped out of it.

“I don’t want you showing off your tight ass and sweet cock in that Speedo,” I told him.

Nick stared at me with wide eyes but didn’t argue.

I helped him into his swim trunks and off the bed before grabbing him by the hair and giving him a searing kiss, loving how disoriented he looked when I pulled back.

“Wear these.” I threw the jean shorts to him and chose a T-shirt with a unicorn on it that read “I’m horny” in sparkly letters across the front.

“Put them on,” I said.

I’d made the right choice. He seemed relieved at having the decision taken from him and quickly got dressed. The shorts barely covered the swim trunks, and I could see the thought flit over his face, but he kept quiet.

“Shoes on,” I said.

“These?” he held up a pair of pale pink Converse, and I nodded. While he put them on, I gathered the discarded clothes and carried them to his room.

“Ready?” I asked when I returned.

“Yeah. Okay.”

We left the apartment for the elevator.

“You’re gonna have to be careful of the exhaust pipe in those shorts,” I said as we walked out into the sunshine. The middle school kids were still sitting where they’d been when I’d arrived, and I wondered what they thought of us. Was it evident we were a couple? What did today’s youth think about two men being romantically involved? Were they surprised to see a gay biker?

I passed Nick the baby blue helmet I’d bought for him that Katy, a girl at Rainbow House, had bedazzled with gems the night before.

Nick gave me a bright smile as he put it on, then climbed up behind me on my hog. I thought nothing had ever felt so right when his arms circled me from behind and his chest pressed against my back. I programmed the address he’d given me into my GPS and headed out.

Nick’s cousin Morris lived in a fancy neighborhood just outside the city. I shouldn’t have been surprised, as I’d figured Nick came from money, but I was. I pulled up in the circular driveway and parked the bike, again warning Nick to be careful of the exhaust pipe when he got off. He handed me his helmet, and I hung it on the bike with mine before swinging my backpack containing a towel and change of clothes over my shoulder.

“They’ll be around back,” Nick said, leading me toward the side of the house. He still seemed nervous, and I wondered exactly what we were in for. I grabbed his arm and slid my hand down to lace our fingers together, giving him an encouraging smile and a wink when he looked at me, gratified when he relaxed a little.

“Nick!” A young boy around ten ran toward us, dripping water from the swimming pool. “You’re here! You missed the cannonball I just did!”

“Hey, Gavin.” Nick ruffled the boy’s wet hair. Julianne walked up behind him, a teenage girl closely following.

“Glad you could make it.” Julianne smiled at Nick and turned to me. “Jeovanni, this is a nice surprise.”

“We’re dating,” Nick told her.

“Really? Well, that’s…uh, new information.”

“Not many people know,” I said, wrapping my arm around Nick’s neck and pulling him over for a kiss on the head. He pushed me off, blushing.

He wasn’t the only one; the teenage girl’s face suffused with pink.

“This is my son, Gavin, and my daughter, Claire,” Julianne introduced them.

“Nice to meet you guys.”

“You have an accent,” the girl said.

“I’m originally from Brazil.”

The girl nodded, turned even redder, and transferred her attention to her phone.

“So you speak Brazilian?” Gavin asked.

“Portuguese,” I corrected.

The scent of grilling hot dogs and hamburgers drifted over to us on the breeze. A couple of men were standing at the grill, with a few other people lounging in chair in the shade of the trees. Behind them was a kidney-shaped pool.

“We’re the only kids here,” Gavin complained.

“I’m not a kid; I’m fifteen.” Claire shot her brother a caustic look before going back to her phone.

Ignoring her, Gavin continued, “Uncle Eiji didn’t even come, and he’s the most fun.”

“I’m insulted,” Nick said. “I thought I was the most fun.”

“You’re second,” Gavin said, grinning.

“I’ve been known to be pretty fun myself,” I said. “Maybe we can get up a game of chicken later in the pool.”

Gavin’s eyes lit up, and Julianne gave me a soft look over her son’s head. I’d heard something about her adopting the kids after her cousin died and thought she was a brave woman to take them on by herself.

As we ambled closer to the crowd, Nick leaned in and said, “Both Julianne’s brothers are gay. Jim never brings his partner, Eiji, to family events because our fathers, who are brothers, are homophobic assholes.”

“Which one is your dad?” I looked over at the group underneath the trees. I didn’t see anyone who looked remotely like Nick.

“The one in the blue Polo and shorts.”

My eyes fastened on the large man sprawled out in the lounge chair, an imported beer in his hand. He didn’t have Nick’s fine bone structure, and his hair was lighter.

We paused by the grill.

“Morris, Jim, this is my boyfriend, Jeo,” Nick said, and I shook their hands.

“You’ve never brought a date to one of these,” Jim said to Nick.

“That’s because I’ve never dated a man with enough balls to come, no pun intended.”

Both men took in the sight of me in my leathers.

“I heard your bike pull up,” Morris said to me. “What kind is it?”

Always happy to talk about my hog, I launched into a full description. Morris knew something about bikes, and we had an animated discussion until I noticed Nick’s eyes kept flickering over to where his father was sitting next to an older lady and a middle-aged couple.

“Sorry,” I told him. “You probably want to say hello to your grandmother.”

Nick smiled, and we left his cousins, Nick visibly tensing the closer we got to the group under the trees.

He greeted the woman, hugging her warmly before kissing her on the cheek.

“Grandma, happy birthday. What are you now, sixty?”

The woman laughed and patted Nick’s cheek. “Oh, you sweet-talker.” She looked at me. “I’ll be eighty-five on Monday.”

“You certainly don’t look it,” I said, gripping her hand gently in mine.

“Why, thank you. I’m Violet.” Her gaze ran over me with interest.

“Jeovanni Mendoza, ma’am,” I said.

“And you and Nick are seeing each other?” she asked. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Nick’s father taking us in, but when I looked his way, he immediately shifted his attention to the man beside him.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Be good to him. He’s a sweet boy.”

“I will.” I patted Nick’s hand. He was staring at his father.

“Aren’t you a little old to be dating Nick?” The man who was not Nick’s father asked, voice dripping with judgment.

“No,” I said simply. The man seemed ruffled by my simple answer but didn’t say anything else, and I realized he had to be one of the people Nick had wanted to shock.

“Nick, where are your manners?” Violet asked, smiling at me.

“Sorry,” Nick said. “Jeovanni Mendoza, this is my grandmother, Violet Carpenter; my father, Nicholas Carpenter; and my uncle and aunt, Linus and Tina Carpenter.”

We exchanged hellos, although Nick’s father never spoke or even looked our way. I wondered why his surname was different from his son’s. Although the two didn’t look alike, I noticed they had the same blue eyes.

“What do you do for a living?” the uncle asked me.

Julianne walked over with a beer for me and some kind of fruity alcoholic drink for Nick.

I thanked her and turned back to Linus Carpenter’s hard gaze.

“I work at an LGBTQ center,” I said, then added, “I used to be an actor. Of sorts.”

Behind me, Julianne choked on her beer.

“How interesting,” Violet said at the same time Tina murmured, “That’s disgusting.” But her eyes were glued to the bulge in my pants. When she caught me looking, she turned beet red.

I grinned and winked at her, which made her quickly look away.

“Nick, this is too much, bringing a leather-clad reprobate to your grandmother’s birthday party,” Linus said, but he shut up when Violet shot him a cold look of warning.

“Jeo’s my boyfriend.” Nick lifted his chin. “And Grandma isn’t judgmental. If it bothers you, maybe you should go.”

“Why don’t you two have a swim before the food’s ready?” Julianne suggested quickly.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Nick tugged me toward the pool where he stripped out of his clothes and dove into the water.

I pulled off my cut and T-shirt, then stripped out of my leather pants, glad to be rid of the hot, restricting fabric. I sauntered toward the glistening water, treating anyone who might be looking to a view of my bare ass in the thong Nick had requested I wear. Shocked murmuring from behind me told me there were quite a few watching.

Slowly, I walked down the steps into the shallow end until the bright blue banana hammock that cradled my cock touched the surface of the water. Like some mystical water nymph, Nick swam effortlessly toward me from the deep end, hair a dark cloud about his head, and tugged at my legs until I sank down and floated out with him into deeper water. Surfacing, he wrapped his arms around my neck and murmured in my ear, “Oh my God, you wore it!”

“I promised I would.”

Nick and I stared at at each other, faces barely an inch apart, until Nick wrapped his legs around my middle and kissed me lightly on the mouth.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome, boy.”

The cold water felt pleasant on my heated skin, and Nick’s body felt even better pressed against mine. Our eyes locked, and I leaned in to kiss him.

Gavin shouted, “Cannon ball!” and a cascade of water splashed over our heads. Nick laughed and pushed the wet strands of hair out of my eyes.

“Give us a little warning next time!” I called to Gavin. When I looked at Nick again, he was smiling, and I couldn’t resist pecking him on the mouth. “Your grandmother seems like a very nice lady.”

“She’s the best.” Nick pressed his forehead against mine.

“Your dad, on the other hand, seems like a douche.”

“That’s a pretty accurate assessment too. Thanks for coming with me today.”

I squeezed Nick’s ass under the water when Gavin was busy diving for a penny.

The afternoon wore on. Morris good-naturedly agreed to a game of chicken, and he hoisted Gavin onto his shoulders while Nick climbed on mine. The ensuing battle finally ended with Nick knocked off my shoulders into the pool.

After the game, Julianne and Jim hung out in the water with us, chatting. I would have forgotten the presence of Nick’s father if it hadn’t been for the occasional glances Nick shot the man’s way.

By the time we ate, I was famished.

If it weren’t for the kids, I would have walked around in the wet thong just to irritate Nick’s father. As it was, I secured a beach towel around my middle before heading for the picnic tables.

“This is quite a spread.” I looked over the bowls of slaw, potato salad, baked beans, and other dishes.

“Julianne, you brought a cold watermelon!” Nick exclaimed.

“Well, I didn’t want to hear you whining about it if there wasn’t one here,” she teased. “This early in the season, I hope it’s good.” She seemed more relaxed than she’d been when we’d gotten there, but occasionally I’d catch her eying her cousin like she expected him to do something crazy.

We filled our plates and took seats near Julianne and her kids.

Julianne’s parents immediately began regaling her with questions about work, which soon verified Julianne hadn’t told her family Steel and Velvet produced porn catered to women. As far as I could figure, the thought it was a men’s and women’s body care company. How she’d pulled that off, I wasn’t sure. I’d have to ask Nick later.

“Why’s your last name different than your dad’s?” I asked in a low voice as conversations floated around us.

“I didn’t want to be Nicholas Carpenter, Jr.” He made a face and fed me a piece of watermelon, which was pretty good. “As soon as I was old enough, I changed my name to my mother’s maiden name.”

I glanced over at Nick’s father, who was still pointedly ignoring us. When Nick had invited me, I’d expected there to be a scene—and Julianne had evidently felt the same—but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen. I wasn’t sure why Nick had wanted to provoke the man with my presence if he wasn’t going to rise to the bait. He acted like Nick and I weren’t even present.

We finished eating, and the party wound down.

“Is there somewhere I can change?” I asked Nick. “Unless you want to swim again…”

Nick shook his head. “You can change in the pool house.” He indicated a small building on the other side of the swimming pool.

I felt better when I emerged a few minutes later wearing a pair of jeans, a form-fitting Harley-Davidson T-shirt, and my boots. It looked like several people were getting ready to leave, and if that’s what Nick wanted to do, I wouldn’t argue. The day hadn’t been a bad one, but the sun and all the food had made me tired, and I didn’t think I was imagining the tenseness in Nick’s shoulders and jaw.

He’d slipped back into his shorts and shirt while I’d been changing and stood talking to his cousins.

“Gavin, come dry off!” Julianne called to her son when I approached. The preteen had jumped into the pool as soon as he’d finished eating. His sister sat on a lounge chair taking selfies in her bikini.

“Better hope she’s not going to post those,” I said to Julianne, who immediately raced to her daughter and snatched the phone away. I turned to give Nick an amused look to find him staring at his father with a stony expression on his face.

“You okay?” I asked.

Abruptly, Nick turned and, grasping my neck, stood on his toes and kissed me deeply. I went along with it for a minute before pulling away, grasping Nick’s hands as he tried to lure me in again.

“Not really the place for this,” I said softly.

“That’s the point,” Nick said, anger and hurt in his eyes.

“It’s enough,” I said firmly.

“It’s time I go.” Nicholas Carpenter said. He rose to his feet and turned to his mother. “I hope you’ve had a lovely end to your birthday, Mom.”

Violet frowned. “I thought you were going to take a look at my leaky faucet.”

“What’s the hurry, Dad?” Nick asked. “Are you trying to get away from me? Aren’t you going to tell me how disgusted you are I showed up here with a man? No derogatory names you’re just dying to call me?”

“Nick, don’t,” Julianne said softly. She stood close by with an arm around each of her children.

Nicholas slowly turned his head, and when his eyes met his son’s, the hatred I saw in them was jolting and immediately brought my arm around my boyfriend. Nick swallowed and his nostril’s flared, but he stood his ground.

“Want to know why I ignore you?” Nicholas asked, looking as condescending as I’d ever seen someone look. “Because I can’t abide looking at you.” His eyes roved dispassionately over Nick’s face and T-shirt with the unicorn on it. “You utterly disgust me. Take your trashy boyfriend and get out of my sight.” He turned away.

“Oh, no. Call me anything you want, but you don’t get to call Jeo trash,” Nick said angrily, pushing closer to his father who stepped away like he was trying to keep from touching his son at all costs. He headed for the house.

“He’s ten times the man you are!” Nick yelled after him, and my heart clenched. I was so glad I’d gone there with Nick.

I was sickened and angered by what his father had said to him, but I knew from experience there was no dealing with his kind. It was obvious Nick wanted to force his father to acknowledge him any way he could, and my heart went out to him. I wanted to punch Nick senior in his smug face, but this was Violet’s birthday, and that took precedence.

I tugged Nick back under my arm as Julianne said quietly, “Kids, get your things.”

“But I don’t wanna—” Gavin began, but one look from his mother, and he headed to the pile of bags and towels by the chairs.

Turning to Violet, I said, “It was nice meeting you. Nick speaks so highly of you. Thank you for the delicious meal, and happy birthday.”

Violet smiled at me sadly. “I’m sorry for my son’s behavior. Every year I hope something will be different.” She sighed. “Maybe this should be the last family get-together.”

Nick looked very close to either bursting into tears or flying into a rage.

“Don’t,” Julianne said angrily to her cousin. Coming closer to him, I heard her hiss, “Not everything’s about you, Nick.”

Nick flinched as though she’d hit him. “If you didn’t want me here, why did you call to remind me about the party?”

“I needed to know what to expect.”

“Oh, I get it,” Nick said venomously, and I tightened my arm around him. “If I’m here, the event automatically goes to shit. I can’t help it that he hates me, you know.”

Julianne’s eyes flashed, and I got the idea she’d been holding in her anger for a while. “No, but you could stay away from him. He ignored you. You could’ve ignored him right back, but instead you caused a scene. Like you always do.”

“Well, I’m sorry I ruined your party,” Nick said caustically. He turned to his grandmother and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Grandma.” He strode off, and I followed, grabbing up our bags. Julianne caught up with us as we rounded the house and grabbed Nick by the arm.

“I have children now. Why does every family get-together have to turn into a war zone? It’s unhealthy. Why can’t you understand that?”

Nick jerked his arm out of her grip and continued walking to where I’d parked my bike.

Julianne turned to me. “I’m sorry my uncle insulted you,” she said.

“Are you sorry he continually insults Nick by treating him like less than garbage? And have you considered what your kids might be learning from him and his brother?” I turned and walked after Nick.

When I got to my bike, Nick was fastening the blue helmet under his chin. He didn’t meet my gaze. I figured he needed some time, so I didn’t say anything as we mounted the Harley-Davidson. But I planned to have a talk with him when we reached his apartment.