Sunset Hearts Read online

  “Like what?”

  “Did you go to school?”

  “I have an English degree, if that’s what you mean.”

  “What about your family?

  Her face clouded. “I don’t have any.”

  “None?”

  She shook her head.

  “What happened to your parents?”

  She took a deep breath. “My mom and dad died in a car wreck. I was ten and sitting in the backseat. Guy fell asleep at the wheel and hit us head-on. Not drunk, just exhausted. I lived with my mom’s aunt through high school. She died when I was seventeen. I stayed with my best friend’s parents until after I graduated, then I lived on my own in college.”

  “What did you do for a living before you met Scorsini?”

  “I graduated this past spring. I waited tables and tended bar. I tried to find a job as a teacher, but with all the budget cuts and hiring freezes, I didn’t have any luck.”

  “That’s how you met Scorsini?”

  “Unfortunately.” She studied the puzzle magazine in her lap. “He finally talked me into moving in with him. I wish I’d never done it,” she softly said.

  From the look on her face, he sensed she’d had all she could tolerate on that subject for a while. He left her alone as they sat there working their puzzles.

  Something else they had in common, he realized.

  They were both orphans.

  * * * *

  Alan called from the marina a little after twelve. By the time he returned home, Jerald had lunch waiting on the table. He’d also made sure Daphne took her medicine.

  Alan leaned in and kissed Jerald, worry on his face. “Everything okay?”

  “I played nice.”

  “Not a single rubber hose in sight,” Daphne joked from where she sat at the table.

  They had a good lunch, then while Alan went to take a shower and clean up, Jerald started gathering his things.

  Daphne tried to return the Sudoku magazine to him. “No, you keep it,” he insisted. “I have a lot of them. I’ll bring you some more, if you want.”

  She offered him a hesitant smile. “Thank you.”

  He decided to test the waters. “Is it helping you keep your mind off your troubles?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t think anything but a lobotomy could do that, but it is distracting me.”

  * * * *

  Jerald returned later for dinner and brought a pizza and large salad. While Daphne acted a little more relaxed around him, she offered no new information on her situation. After they finished eating, she went to take a shower before going to bed.

  Alan leaned in and deeply kissed him. “Spending the night?”

  Jerald’s dick throbbed. A deep kiss, hell, even a sultry look from Alan could make him hard. “Not tonight, I’m sorry.”

  Jerald didn’t have to be psychic to read the disappointment on Alan’s face. “Why not?”

  They’d had a good dinner and Jerald didn’t want to start another fight. “I’m really tired.”

  Alan crossed his arms. “Explain why my bed isn’t just as good or better for sleeping in than that shitty trailer?”

  “Just give me some time with this, please?”

  Alan looked like he wanted to argue the point, then let out a long, sad sounding breath. “Fine,” he quietly said. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  Jerald hated that tone of voice. He knew it meant Alan wasn’t happy about him leaving, but he wouldn’t fight him on it either.

  Fuck. “Sleep late. Then I need to mow, the grass is nearly up to my knees in some places.”

  Alan turned back to the sink and started wiping down the counter. “Okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Love you.”

  Alan nodded, but didn’t turn. “Love you, too. Be careful driving home.”

  Jerald didn’t want to leave things like that, but wasn’t sure how to fix them and damn sure didn’t want to prod Alan about it and start a fight with him. Jerald drove home kicking himself all the way. Why not spend the night? Turn around and go back and be able to sleep in together tomorrow morning, enjoy relaxing with him on a rare morning they both didn’t have to get up earlier than hell.

  He couldn’t bring himself to do it. And as he lay in bed and tried to sleep, he wondered if he was strong enough to stand by Alan in this relationship, be the kind of partner Alan deserved. Someone not terrified of their relationship.

  Someone proud to admit that man was his partner.

  He rolled onto his side and tried to sleep.

  Chapter Seven

  Jerald gave up trying to sleep a little after six the next morning. He’d tossed and turned all night and kicked himself in the ass for not staying at Alan’s. He couldn’t get Alan’s sad, quiet voice out of his head.

  He hated hurting him like that.

  Alan deserved better. He deserved a boyfriend who could man up and not be afraid. He wanted to be that man, he’d just have to figure out how the hell to do it.

  He spent all morning working at home, ran errands, went shopping, and played catch-up on chores he’d put off. He needed to do laundry, then decided to bite the bullet and took it over to Alan’s.

  He found Alan and Daphne sitting and talking on the back deck. Shirtless, Alan looked like he’d been doing yard work of his own. When he saw Jerald he smiled and stepped inside the house to talk with him.

  “Glad to see you.” He kissed Jerald. “Missed you last night.”

  Jerald studied his feet. “Missed you, too.” He prepared for an onslaught of see, I told you so’s, but none came.

  Instead, with a knowing smile, Alan tipped his head toward the full laundry basket. “Washer’s empty. Help yourself.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You staying for dinner?”

  Jerald forced his gaze to Alan’s face. “Yeah.”

  Alan nodded. “Okay.” He stepped outside again without asking if Jerald would spend the night.

  Jerald didn’t know if that made him feel better or worse.

  He spent the afternoon helping Alan, feeling more nervous as the day lengthened. Alan still hadn’t pressed the issue about spending the night.

  Jerald helped Alan fix dinner. Daphne had volunteered to help, but both men ordered her back to the couch. Alan didn’t want her to hurt herself, and her feet still obviously bothered her.

  Jerald wanted nothing to impede her healing. The faster she could get out of there, the better.

  “Would you please go out with me tomorrow night?” Jerald asked Alan. He hated that he sounded like he was begging, but dammit, he wanted time alone with him.

  Alan glanced at the living room, where Daphne sat on the couch and worked a Sudoku puzzle. She’d really gotten into doing them.

  “I don’t know. I don’t feel right leaving her alone.”

  “I can hear you, you know,” she said. She looked up and smiled. “Please, go have fun. I’ll be okay by myself. I really would rather not go out anywhere. Besides, I don’t have any clothes to go out in.”

  Alan looked torn. Jerald pounced on the opportunity. “Please? You and me. She said it’s okay.”

  Alan looked from her to him and back again. “You’re sure you don’t mind being home alone?”

  “Not at all. Seriously. I’ll sit here and watch TV and do puzzles. I’m not much of a socializer anyway.”

  “All right.”

  Yes! Jerald would have jumped up and down, but that would have looked undignified. “Tomorrow night, once I’m off duty, we’re going out. You and me.” He stepped forward, forcing Alan behind the kitchen wall. Jerald leaned in and growled in his ear, “Maybe after, we can have some fun if she’s asleep when we get back.”

  Alan slipped his arms around Jerald’s waist and pulled him closer. Jerald felt Alan’s hard cock through his shorts. “Who gives a shit if she’s asleep?” he whispered. “I need a good, hard fucking, buddy. You haven’t given me one in several days.”

  Jerald was getting to the point ma
ybe he could overlook someone else in the house. “We’ll see.”

  Alan planted a kiss on his lips before turning him loose.

  After dinner, Daphne retired early, leaving the men alone in the living room. Alan sat next to Jerald on the couch and snuggled close.

  Before he knew it, he had Alan in his arms, kissing him.

  Alan’s hand trailed down Jerald’s torso, until he slipped it between his legs and squeezed, making him moan.

  “Come to the bedroom with me,” Alan whispered. “I have something I want to show you.”

  “What?” Jerald gasped.

  Alan stood and dropped his shorts, leaving him standing naked in the middle of the living room. “Me.” He picked up his shorts and quickly walked down the hall without a look back.

  Jerald’s mouth dropped open. Finally, once he made his brain start working again, he followed.

  Why the fuck not.

  Alan waited on the bed, stretched out and naked. When Jerald walked through the bedroom door, Alan crooked a finger at him. “Come here, tough guy,” he quietly beckoned.

  Jerald shut the door behind him and stripped. No, he couldn't turn his back on Alan tonight. No fucking way in hell.

  He crawled onto the bed. “You still in the mood for a good, hard fucking?”

  Alan’s eyes lit up. “Oh, man, when am I ever not in the mood for you?” He reached over to the bedside table, where he grabbed the bottle of lube before handing it to Jerald. Without prompting, he flipped over onto his hands and knees.

  Firm thighs dusted with golden hair tapered into the slightly pale, deliciously tight ass now presented to him. Jerald bent down and swirled his tongue around the indentation behind Alan’s right knee.

  Alan moaned as Jerald teased him, tickling the spot that could drive him nearly crazy with need. Alan’s hips bucked against thin air. “Dude, please,” he hoarsely whispered. “Don’t leave me hanging.”

  Jerald smiled as he sat up. He reached between Alan’s legs and palmed his sac. His balls already felt tight and firm, drawn up, begging to be handled. He reached further and gripped Alan’s cock. A drop of pre-come had already formed at the slit. Jerald rubbed it all over the head as Alan shifted his hips against his hand.

  Without letting go of Alan’s cock, Jerald leaned in and kissed his right ass cheek before biting down, hard enough he knew the impression of his teeth would remain until at least the next day.

  Alan moaned into his pillow as his cock twitched in Jerald’s hand.

  With his free hand, Jerald stroked Alan’s back. “You like that?”

  Alan moaned in response, well past the point of coherent speech. Jerald continued biting and nipping Alan until the man begged to be fucked. Jerald slicked himself with lube, drizzled some down the crack of Alan’s ass, and pushed his finger into the other man’s rim.

  “Right there? Is this what you want?”

  “Jesus Christ, you goddamn tease, stick your cock in my ass and fuck me!”

  Jerald laughed. “All righty then.” He pulled out his finger, replaced it with his throbbing cock, and thrust home hard and deep.

  Alan slammed his hips backward, meeting him stroke for stroke. “Goddammit, yes!”

  With his large hands clamped around Alan’s hips, Jerald fucked him hard and fast, enjoying the sound of Alan’s loud moans. When Alan reached between his legs and fisted his own cock with his hand, Jerald knew he was close.

  He tried to hold back, wanting Alan to finish first. That proved difficult considering how good it felt having Alan’s tight ass muscles deliciously engulfing his cock. He slowed his thrusts a little, while increasing the force, their flesh loudly slapping together at the bottom of every stroke.

  Then Alan threw back his head. “Oh, fuck yes!”

  Jerald took that as his cue. Feeling his lover’s muscles spasming around him, he pumped his cock into him until his own climax felt like it would split his cock in two before it finally exploded. He collapsed on top of Alan, both of them breathing heavy. He laced his fingers through Alan’s and kissed the back of his neck.

  “You okay?”

  Alan laughed and squeezed Jerald’s hand. “I’m sooo fucking okay. That was fantastic.”

  “Why didn’t you wait?”

  Alan turned his head so he could look at Jerald. “For one, you had me too fucking horny to wait. Not to mention what you did to me felt too damn good. For another, I didn’t mind doing it so we could cut down on the noise a little, end things sooner.”

  Jerald felt heat rush to his face. Holy fuck, they had been loud. Now with his cock finally happy to have received some action, he realized unless Daphne was asleep or comatose, there was no way in hell she couldn’t have heard them.

  He rolled off Alan and went to clean up before returning to the bed with a washcloth for Alan. With a little more time to ponder the situation, he realized he couldn’t face her right away. Damn sure didn’t want to look across the breakfast table to see a knowing smile. Even a smile as cute as hers, when you could coax a smile out of her.

  Alan frowned. “Uh oh. What’s that look for?”

  “I’d better go,” he mumbled as he reached for his clothes.

  Alan touched his hand. “Why?”

  “Give me some time with this, please?”

  Maybe Alan was just happy to have won this battle. He kissed Jerald before smoothing his hair back. “Maybe you’ll feel more comfortable staying tomorrow night.” A playful smile crossed his features. “Or maybe I’ll fuck you cross-eyed and you’ll fall asleep after and then it won’t matter.”

  Jerald let his forehead rest against Alan’s for a moment. “Thank you for understanding.”

  Alan kissed him one more time. “Please be careful driving home.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Don’t forget I’ve got two charters tomorrow.” Jerald dressed and left after one last kiss.

  Alan lay there in bed for a few minutes. He hadn’t counted on Jerald going through with anything tonight.

  Progress. Give and take. Begging him to spend the night would have pushed Jerald into an argument. Maybe by tomorrow night he’d have himself talked into staying.

  * * * *

  From her room just on the other side of the wall from the master bedroom, Daphne listened to the men as they made love. Part of her envied them, how good they sounded together. Part of her wanted to join them. Then a few minutes after the noises ended, she heard the front door open and shut, followed by the sound of a car starting and leaving.

  She couldn’t sleep. Why would Jerald leave? It was only nine o’clock.

  She decided to get a glass of water and a snack. Alan must have heard her because a few minutes later he walked out to the kitchen.

  “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?” she asked.

  He smiled. “No. I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Neither could I.”

  “Want to watch a movie with me? I’ll make popcorn.”

  She couldn’t refuse that offer.

  They snuggled on the couch together. She loved the way he smelled, between his cologne and clothes detergent and even a hint of musky after-sex scent she didn’t want to contemplate, because the thought of what he’d been doing a little earlier made her horny.

  “Why did Jerald leave?” she asked as a distraction more than anything.

  He obviously didn’t want to answer at first. “He decided to put off moving in for a while. He’s got to work tomorrow.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Crap, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “No, that’s okay. It’s the truth.” She glanced at Alan. “He’s not comfortable with me here, is he?”

  He snugged her tighter. “He’s coming around.”

  She bit her tongue to keep the bad pun in her mouth. “I should be able to leave in a few days.”

  “Let’s not talk about that tonight.” He pointed at the TV. “I want to enjoy this. I got laid, I’ve got a cute girl to cuddle with, and life�
��s good.”

  She laughed and nearly choked on her popcorn. “I wasn’t going to say anything about that.”

  “What, cuddling with a cute girl?”

  She laughed again. “The getting laid part.”

  “Nothing to be ashamed of. Why, it didn’t bother you, did it?”

  “You want the truth?”

  “Yes.”

  She looked into his eyes. “It sounded like you two had a lot of fun. I wish I could have watched.”

  He grinned and nuzzled her nose. “Well, sugar, maybe we can arrange that one day.”

  He had to be joking, teasing her, but the thought dampened her panties as she settled in without further comment to watch the movie.

  Later, after she went to bed, she lay there and played the sounds of the men’s sex over in her mind, recalled the feel of Alan’s warm body on the couch.

  She rolled onto her stomach, plunged her fingers between her legs and imagined not one but two hunky guys making love to her. A deliciously naughty fantasy. Thinking that, it didn’t take long before she moaned into her pillow as her own orgasm flooded through her. As she drifted to sleep, she thought maybe staying with Alan, for a while at least, wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.

  Chapter Eight

  Jerald arrived at the marina at his usual time on Saturday morning. He wished he’d spent the night at Alan’s. He’d barely slept and felt like a grouchy bear.

  Goddammit.

  Yes, Daphne seemed sweet and nice. Still, something did not set right with him. She’d practically wrapped Alan around her finger in just a few days. Nothing he said about her even slightly negative would go over well. Alan felt bound and determined to take care of her, regardless of the circumstances.

  As much as it aggravated Jerald, it also warmed him. Alan, a truly nice guy and a kind-hearted man, would go out of his way to help others.

  And he was his boyfriend.

  Now if they could only get some time to themselves now that he’d managed to wrap his mind around that little factoid, life would be just skippy. At least they’d go out tonight. Alone.