Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs - 15. Back In The Saddle

Chapter Fifteen – Back In The Saddle

Jared pushed his hands into the pockets of his jacket, adjusting the bag on his shoulder, and walked purposefully into the bar. Yes, it wasn’t the one with the awful beer, but it didn’t look any better. The same blue-collar workers populated the pub, and there were some people there who looked like they had just gotten back from working the fields. Maybe it was a look that was coming back in fashion, Jared mused. The difference was that no dance ring was in sight. Per se, he had nothing against the audience, but he couldn’t see how he and Shane could get acquainted in that kind of place. He suspected that public displays of affection between two gay guys wouldn’t be a welcome sight.

He scouted the area for Shane, and when he didn’t see him, he decided to take place on one of the tall stools and order himself a beer. No, he would make it a tequila. Maybe a stiff drink would make the bad taste in his mouth after meeting with Chris’s husband finally go away. The bartender was a morose man in his fifties that served him his drink without the faintest shadow of a smile. Jared wasn’t bothered by it; probably, the bartender wasn’t exactly into that rowdy atmosphere and hated his workplace. There was some sports match on the large HDTV mounted on a wall, and the audience was being part of it all.

He grabbed his shot and grimaced. Then he gestured for the bartender to hit him again. The man gave him an unreadable look, and then he put a half-full bottle in front of him. That was bold of him, Jared thought, but he decided to leave the man a tip. Maybe he would smile a little then.

The booze, on the other hand, was good. Jared didn’t quite recall when it had been the last time he had done shots. If Shane didn’t show up, at least he would have a good time by himself. He reached for the bottle so that he could fill his glass again, but a rough hand covered his. “Have you started partying without me?”

There was an unmistakable drawl in that voice, and Jared smiled, despite himself. He tried to turn, but Shane’s warm body kept him a prisoner. Talking about bold, for real, this time. “I didn’t see you, so I thought you’d bailed on me. Or that you’re running late. Take your pick.”

“Bail on you?” Shane was talking into his hair, and Jared felt a bit overly conscious. They weren’t in a gay bar, after all.

Or were they? Jared tried to look around, but Shane was still keeping him trapped. If he recalled correctly, he hadn’t seen any women inside. It looked like there was an all-male audience. Was it a gay bar? What kind of gay bar was that?

“Um, would you mind allowing me a bit of space?”

“I do mind. I have to stop you from bailing on me.”

“Why would I bail on you?” Jared wondered out loud.

Shane spoke into his hair again, “Because you surely look like you’re not too happy to be here.”

Oh, damn. Jared knew that he was an easy to read kind of guy, wearing his soul on his sleeve and all that. He used to believe it was a positive trait, but now, he wasn’t so sure. It meant that he was easy to take for a fool, too.

But that would end tonight. He was at that bar, with Shane seriously crowding his personal space because he had chosen to be. Now all he had to do was to avoid getting involved. Easy-peasy. It was just a hookup, although it seemed to start in a weird place, with an odd bartender, but with pretty damned good tequila.

“It would be easier to talk if you just sat by my side.” Jared patted the empty seat next to him.

“I have a table. Let’s go. And take the bottle with you.”

“Then let me pay for it first. The bartender might think I’m trying to run away with his booze, and he looks like a guy who doesn’t take such things lightly. I don’t want to be responsible for being the guy who ruined his day completely.”

Shane burst into laughter. “Old Charlie? He wouldn’t think that. And I’m sure that if he left this bottle here, he has serious doubts you’d be able to finish it. It’s his way of weighing the clientele.”

“Old Charlie might just be surprised,” Jared replied, feeling a bit competitive. “I must ask, though. Do you come here often?”

“It’s close to where I live, so yeah.” Shane wrapped one hand around his and pulled him from his seat.

“But it’s not,” Jared leaned in so that he could whisper in Shane’s ear, and still somehow manage to beat the loud noises around them, “gay, is it?”

Shane chuckled. “I don’t know. Some guys might be, though. I’m not judging.”

Jared had a feeling that Shane was pulling his leg. “Really? You’re not one? Then what are you doing, holding another dude by the hand like this? Experimenting?”

“I think I’m past that stage,” Shane replied.

They sat at a table in a corner, Shane plopping down next to him on a wooden bench. They had no glasses, Jared noticed. “Hey, maybe we should --”

Shane took the bottle and took a hefty sip.

“—get glasses,” Jared completed his sentence, his eyes never leaving his date for the night.

Shane was dressed pretty much the same as the other night when Jared had met him, although it could be a different checkered flannel. But the hat, and the tight jeans, and the boots were all there. For a moment, Jared wondered what he was getting himself into.

“Booze is better straight from the bottle,” Shane explained with a sly smile.

Jared could feel his lips twitching. There was something about Shane’s smile that was infectious. “Not any booze.”

“Any booze,” Shane said with conviction.

“Even champagne?”

“Yeah, even champagne.”

“Of course, if you’re some racing champion who just got first place,” Jared retorted. “And now, how am I supposed to drink after you?”

“What? You’re worried I might give you the cooties?” Shane asked, and his grin grew bolder.

“It’s not exactly hygienic,” Jared pointed out.

“Ah, then when I’m going to kiss you, you’re going to think the same?”

Shane sat close to him, and Jared was overly conscious of his body heat. There was something about that man that made him pretty weak to his knees. He was truly masculine, with his shiny belt buckle and his cowboy hat, and his sexy grin. Maybe it was the shot making its way into a kick, but Jared felt like licking Shane’s lips, just to learn how they tasted like.

Right now, maybe of the probably expensive tequila that would go on Jared’s tab. Not that Jared could hold that against Shane since he had been the first to start drinking by himself.

“You’re quiet, so that’s a bad sign,” Shane said with a small sigh. “All right, I’ll use a condom on my tongue. Would that work for you?”

“A condom on what?” Suddenly, the idea of seeing Shane trying to fit the rubber on his tongue seemed awfully funny to him, so he burst into laughter.

“Hey, don’t make fun of me,” Shane complained, but his eyes were twinkling. “And what’s to laugh? I’ll do anything it takes to kiss you tonight.”

Jared reined in his laugh, with some difficulty. “What makes you think you’re going to kiss me tonight?” For some reason, he felt like being a bit of a tease.

“A man can hope,” Shane offered. “Right?”

“Sure,” Jared said and grabbed the bottle to take a sip, too. Man, that was sure to make them both drunk, even faster than shots.

“You drank after me,” Shane said, and he seemed happy when saying that. “So, after all, I don’t have to put a condom on my tongue?”

Jared snickered. “You’re funny, you know?”

“I’m trying,” Shane said.

“But it’s not like we can kiss here, right?” Jared gestured around.

“Everyone’s watching the game,” Shane replied. “I don’t think anyone would notice.”

“Yeah, right,” Jared said with a snort. “So you won’t mind being burned at the stake tonight, huh? Just for the record, I don’t like to live dangerously.”

Shane laughed. “Then, we’ll go somewhere else we can kiss.”

“Your place,” Jared said, feeling emboldened by the tequila in his system.

“Sure, why not?” Shane took the bottle again. “It surely tastes sweeter now.” He winked at Jared and drank.

Jared liked how easygoing Shane was. That was what he needed, and Mike was right. Shane was fun, and they wouldn’t see each other after tonight. “You said you lived close?”

“Yeah,” Shane said, “it’s because --”

“Then let’s go,” Jared said. There weren’t many times when he felt this courageous. Most of the time, he wasn’t the initiator. But that, too, would change tonight.

“Right now?”

“Yes. Is there a problem? Are you all talk and no action?” Jared teased Shane again.

Shane pushed his hat back and looked at him. “Me? No action? It looks like you want me to prove myself to you.”

“Sure thing, that’s what I want,” Jared said. “You might look like a cowboy, Shane, but I’m not sure that you know how to ride.”

Shane gave him an almost serious look, but his eyes were laughing, as much as it looked like he wanted to keep a straight face. “That hurt, you know?”

“You also look like you have tough skin. I think you’ll manage,” Jared said and added a wink since that seemed to be part of Shane’s way of communicating.

“Hmm,” Shane said.

Hmm? What’s that supposed to mean?

“Let’s go,” Shane said and pulled him up.

Great, he was a bit tipsy now. But he had used to be a champion at doing shots, and that wasn’t supposed to fade with time. It was like riding a bicycle, right?

“Wait, I need to pay for the bottle,” Jared said as he followed Shane through the crowded pub.

“Don’t worry; I have an open tab here. Old Charlie will take care of it.”

“So, you really are a regular.”

“Would I lie to you?” Shane asked and gave Jared a smoldering look.

Damn, the guy was a complete charmer. Good thing Jared had sworn he wouldn’t be as stupid as he had used to be. Now, he was all in for the fun, and not something else. Shane could lie to him all he wanted because it didn’t matter. Jared had no plans for the two of them beyond tonight. And if Shane was as handy with certain parts of his body as he was at making charming conversation, it was a win-win situation. Jared would get over his nasty breakup and have fun while at it.

***

Shane was quiet on their way to his apartment, which, indeed, was close, and Jared felt a bit overly-conscious. But Shane’s hand holding his was warm and reassuring, and that meant that they were both into this.

Jared had to lean against the doorframe, as Shane opened the door. He took his time looking Shane up and down. Everything about his body made Jared feel a familiar, yet new, heat in the lower part of his abdomen. Shane was lean and strong, and Jared could already see himself wrapped around that sinewy body, enjoying its strength.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” Shane said with a smile and invited him in. “And, please, stop biting your bottom lip. I had an entire complicated plan of seduction in place.”

“You did?” Jared walked inside and smiled as he took in the small, but nicely appointed place.

It was a bachelor’s pad all right, but it looked comfy with the plushy carpets and the cozy sofa Jared could see in the living room. It also seemed like Shane really was into that cowboy stuff since there were pictures of horses hanging on the walls. He got closer to examine them; they were really good photographs, he could tell.

“Do you happen to like taking pictures of horses?” he asked directly.

“No,” Shane replied and squeezed his shoulders shortly. “I’m just the guy hanging them on the walls. Please, make yourself comfortable. This time, I’m planning to bring glasses.”

Jared turned and caught Shane by one arm. “I think the earlier tequila already did its trick. Come here.”

Shane gave him half a grin, but he allowed Jared to pull him close into a kiss. It was like instant electricity, how their lips fit, and their noses didn’t collide, and Shane knew precisely how to angle his head so that they could kiss completely.

Jared’s bag slid from his shoulder and fell on the floor with a small thump, taking him by surprise. He accidentally bit Shane’s bottom lip. And that was all about the perfect kiss. Some seducer he was, Jared thought, feeling a deep need to roll his eyes at his own clumsiness.

“Please, let me get that for you. And your jacket. I’ll hang them both in the hallway, is that all right?”

“Sure.” Jared cleared his throat and tried to hide his sudden nervousness. Did he really know what he was doing? There was a bit of tequila in his system, but it was only liquid courage, so it had to work with him, not against him.

Shane came back right away. “Please, sit down, Jared.”

Jared followed the invitation. The way Shane spoke was so interesting. He was polite, but he didn’t lack boldness. And when he was saying Jared’s name, he let the rhythm drop, allowing his voice to become more quiet and thick.

Jared wanted to taste Shane’s mouth so badly. He waited until Shane was next to him on the sofa to attempt a second kiss. This time, to steady himself, he caught Shane’s cheek in the palm of his hand and went straight for the prize. There was a promise in what he was doing now, a promise that he was finished being the guy who always waited on the sidelines, always allowing others to give him what they wanted to give.

Shane didn’t shy away from his kiss. On the contrary, he deepened it, exploring Jared’s mouth slowly, with soft rolls of the tongue. Jared felt like he could come from kissing alone, with a man like that. Rough on the outside, sweet on the inside; were such men even real?

No, he needed to get a hold of himself. Shane was an amazing seducer, that was what he was; he was also a fantastic kisser, which only meant one thing: he must have had a lot of practice. And Jared now knew a thing or two about seducers. They weren’t a likable bunch. They took advantage.

No, tonight, he would take advantage. He moved so that he could straddle Shane’s lap, and that without breaking the kiss. A small moan of frustration escaped his lips when he needed to let go of Shane’s mouth so that he could adjust his position. But Shane caught him by the waist and pulled him close. Jared pushed away Shane’s hat and ran his fingers through the dark mane of luscious hair. How could he look so much like a cowboy, and so much like a dream man? Not that the two things excluded one another, Jared had to admit. The rough sexuality coming off Shane was enough to make his head spin.

That, or it was a combination of that and tequila. It was a good combination, the kind of thing that could let him go wild a little.

Shane teased his lips, biting them softly, more with his mouth and less with his teeth. Jared grabbed a hand full of hair and forced himself on Shane. Their kiss was suddenly up a notch. With that, the rhythm of their bodies changed, too. Jared was struggling a little, wanting fast out of his clothes so that he could feel Shane’s rough hands all over him. By how he kissed, Shane had to be an awesome lover.

Their mouths were welded together, though, and that made any move close to impossible. It looked like neither of them wanted to let go, and that meant that they needed to give up at one point. It couldn’t be soon. They were practically breathing through one another.

Jared felt the tie keeping his hair being pulled away, and next, a hand was buried in it, the roughness of the gesture making his desire increase tenfold. They pulled away from one another at precisely the same moment and looked into each other’s eyes.

“We better take this to the bedroom, right?” Shane asked with an almost sheepish smile.

This tall, strong guy couldn’t be shy, right? Jared pushed the thought away; was he being silly now? “Yeah, this sofa is way too small,” he replied.

Shane stood up, and Jared hooted as he was hiked up in his partner’s arms and carried with ease to the bedroom.

He took little in as he was placed carefully on a large bed. Now it was no time to admire the furniture. His eyes set on Shane. The look in his dark eyes was unreadable. Jared could swear Shane looked a bit nervous as he unbuttoned his flannel shirt with brisk moves. He was soon distracted from such thoughts by a beautiful hairy chest and a suggestive treasure trail pointing at the treasure guarded so well by that shiny buckle.

Jared licked his lips as Shane got rid of his shoes fast, and his hands went for the belt. He even pushed himself up on his elbows so that he could see the show. There had to be no better man for him to get back in the saddle with, after that fiasco with Chris. Rebound sex clearly had its perks.

Shane had to be a man sure of his raw sexuality. He exuded it through all his pores, and Jared wanted to drown in it for one night, one hour, one minute. Shane pushed down his jeans and underwear in one go.

“Wow,” Jared said as his eyes fell on the magnificent erect member. “Locked and loaded.”

“You can bet,” Shane replied. “I get it that you want me to undress you, right?”

Jared laughed. “Sorry, I was too caught up in the show.”

“Do you like what you’re seeing?”

“Are you kidding me? You’re like a walking wet dream, for both men and women.”

“I’m a bit shy of the idea of shaving,” Shane said and rubbed one hand over his chest.

“Are you kidding me? You’re perfect as you are,” Jared replied.

“Ah, you’re just saying,” Shane drawled playfully. “I bet you’re all smooth under those clothes.”

“There’s only one way to find out, right?” Jared suggested teasingly.

Shane jumped on the bed like a playful kid ready to unwrap his Christmas present. He moved slowly as he began to pull at Jared’s t-shirt. His fingers were rough, indeed, but they were kind, and Jared trembled when they started to caress the skin on his lower abdomen. He reached between Shane’s legs and caught the beautiful cock in one hand.

“You’re not playing fair,” Shane complained. “I should tell you, Jared --”

“Don’t tell me anything tonight, Shane,” Jared stopped him. “You’re a handsome man, and I want you, madly. There’s no need for any seduction or artifice. This is between you and me, all right? Nothing else matters.”

He couldn’t explain why it felt as if Shane was having second thoughts, but Jared was eager to put his mind at ease. To make sure that he wouldn’t back down, Jared changed his position and buried his head between Shane’s thighs. Not only was his cock beautiful, but it smelled and tasted nice, oh so nice, too. Shane replied with a small desperate grunt at having Jared’s lips wrapped around his manhood.

A sudden thought stopped Jared. He wouldn’t make the same mistake, right? He stopped and looked up at Shane. “Are you married, Shane?”

“Married?” Shane seemed genuinely surprised. “No.”

“No lover, either? Boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Good. Just checking. I’ve had enough of two-timers in my life.”

And if Shane were one of them, it would be totally on him. Jared wouldn’t see him again tomorrow, so it didn’t matter. He grabbed Shane’s cock with one firm hand and pushed it into his mouth completely. Even Shane’s cock fit well in his mouth, as impressive as it looked. Jared was happy with what he was given. Shane began pulling at his clothes again, and Jared stopped only so that he could allow his partner to undress him. Soon enough, he was as naked as Shane was. The rough hands were on him, on his back, caressing it, then grabbing his ass, while Jared did his best at giving Shane a blowjob.

“As I thought, you’re so smooth,” Shane whispered.

Jared stopped for a moment. “It’s just something I got used to. You don’t have to do it. Actually, I think it’s better if you don’t. You’re all so fully male like this that you must get hit on a hundred times a week.”

Shane replied to that with a chuckle. “Your lips are so good on me. And you’re so beautiful.” Again, the last word was like a breathed whisper, as if Shane was happy to let it out. Such an absolute charmer, Jared thought with his mouth full of the said man’s cock. But he wasn’t being used, and that was all that truly mattered. He was exactly where he wanted to be and nowhere else.

He increased the pressure and the rhythm, but a hand on the back of his neck stopped him.

“I want to be inside you,” Shane said simply.

“Sure,” Jared replied and pushed himself up. He wiped his mouth with the back of one hand and then caught Shane staring at him. “What?”

“You have a wonderful mouth.”

“Um, thanks?” Jared said playfully.

Shane reached out for him and brushed his fingers against Jared’s lips. The gesture felt so intimate.

Such a charmer. Jared needed to hold on to that thought, or else he would make this more than it was. And that wasn’t at all what he wanted it to be. He was done jumping to conclusions. Now all he wanted was to jump back in the saddle, as Mike had put it.

“Well, condoms, lube?” he asked, moving slowly away from the touch.

Shane smiled at him. “Sure.” He was quick to bring everything and place it on the bed.

Jared picked the box of condoms and ripped it open. “Wow, new.”

“Yeah,” Shane admitted. “And I thought I was getting my hopes high. But at least I’m well prepared now, so I should pat myself on the back for doing the right thing.”

Jared didn’t quite understand what Shane meant by that, but he was more than eager to start. Valiantly, he grabbed the lube, too. “How do you want me?”

Shane blinked a couple of times.

Jared rolled his eyes. This shy act had to be a killer; not that Shane needed it, but it definitely made a tall guy like him look as gentle as a lamb. If anyone ever thought of resisting him and his looks, that must have been the finishing blow to that guy’s resistance.

“Do you like me on my back? On all fours? Up against the wall?” Jared joked and wiggled his eyebrows at Shane.

A short laugh was the reply. “Yes.”

“Hmm, and by that, you mean … what should we start with?”

Shane reached for him and touched his cheek. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to ride you from behind first.”

“Ride, right,” Jared said with a small snicker. “I suspect that you didn’t forgive me for provoking you earlier. Then doggy style it is.”

Jared placed himself on all fours and wiggled his ass. “Well, is this what you want?”

Shane gulped audibly. Jared bit his lips not to laugh. Shane really didn’t have to act like such a virgin. A man like that couldn’t be one; it had to be against the laws of nature and men.

The rough fingers he knew so well now touched his backdoor, coated with lube. Jared shivered, but he reined in the wave of sensations threatening to make him lose his head too soon. Shane made a small strange sound as his fingers delved into Jared’s heat.

“Are you okay, there?” Jared felt compelled to ask.

“Yeah, more than okay. You’re so wonderfully tight. Will my cock really fit in you? You have such a pretty little thing here.”

Jared shook his head and let out a sigh. “Well, we should see soon enough, right?”

He heard the condom wrap being ripped and steadied himself. After a few moments, his buttocks were caressed gently. “Damn, what an ass,” Shane whispered reverently. “So tight and round.”

“And it really wants your juicy cock now,” Jared encouraged him.

“Is it all right, so soon?”

“Just go slow. There’s only this much you can do with your fingers, and I like being opened by a cock more than anything.”

“Here I come, baby,” Shane said softly.

Jared was pretty sure Shane wasn’t ironic at all when saying that. A small shock of pleasure mixed with a bit of pain short-circuited his brain for a brief moment as his tight ring of muscles was attacked. “That cockhead,” he murmured.

“Is it too much?” Shane asked, his voice a bit strained.

“No, just go, don’t mind me too much. I’ve seen your cock, and it’s all expected, I promise.”

Shane caressed his back, tracing invisible lines down to his ass. When he pulled apart the buttocks to make more room for himself, Jared wiggled his ass a little and then squeezed the cock inside him.

A small hiss was the immediate answer to his actions. “Are you really trying to make me come fast? You don’t play fair.”

“I didn’t promise you that, did I?”

Jared gasped as he was grabbed by the hair. It was clear that Shane knew what he was doing because it didn’t hurt; still, he couldn’t move as much as he wanted.

“Now this is what I call riding, baby,” Shane said with a small laugh.

“Oh fuck me,” Jared let out as Shane bottomed out inside his ass. That would admittedly seem like less of a good idea tomorrow. But tonight, Jared was all about having his body wrecked by that handsome man.

“I am fucking you,” Shane replied playfully. He pulled Jared by the hair so that he lifted him off the bed. Jared angled his head, aware of Shane’s intention. Even in that uncomfortable position, Shane’s kisses were the best. “So damned beautiful,” Shane murmured. He used his free hand to caress Jared’s chest and touch his nipples.

“You could be rougher,” Jared asked as the fingers brushing his chest were doing nothing short of teasing.

“I don’t want to be rough. You look like you could bruise easily.”

“A little bit of nipple pinching never killed anyone,” Jared replied.

“Like this?”

Jared’s answer was a small moan. “Yes.” Damn, he was drooling; it was like Shane knew what was going on with him because he brought his fingers to Jared’s mouth and wet them. After that, he moved them back to Jared’s nipples.

It was an unconscious move, but Jared became aware of how he was slamming back into Shane as he was fucked and teased like that. Shane whispered into his ear, “Easy, hot thing. You’re going to burn us both too soon.”

“I thought you were the guy with his hopes high and an unopened box of condoms. Are you trying to tell me that this is all I get?”

“Oh, damn, baby, I hope you know what you’re saying, ‘cause it’s only this much a man can take.”

Jared moaned loudly when Shane’s hand moved to his cock and began pumping it. The cock inside him was hitting him at the right spot, hammering it over and over.

“Is it any good like this? Do you like it, baby?”

“Can’t you tell?” Jared barely managed through gasps and moans. “I’m so close; I think I’m going to pass out.”

“That’s nice to hear, ‘cause I’m at my wit’s end here, too.”

There was a simultaneous cry of victory coming from both of them. Jared couldn’t believe his rebound sex was happening with a guy with whom he seemed to be so compatible sexually. It wasn’t just a thing of giving and taking; they moved like they had been known each other since forever.

Jared plonked down on the bed, face first, and let out a long satisfied moan. A kiss on his sweaty shoulder made him shiver in the aftermath. He was so sensitive now; maybe he should drink tequila and go to bed with cowboy wannabees named Shane more often.

No, he wasn’t an alcoholic, nor planning to become one. And he didn’t plan on getting high on Shane, either. A little buzz was all right, but nothing more.

He felt Shane moving about, probably to get rid of the condom. That didn’t take long because Shane was soon on the bed, next to him, pulling him close and giving him a sloppy kiss. Jared giggled and rubbed his mouth. “I don’t know why I’m drooling so much.”

Shane laughed. “I was thinking the same thing. Baby, you were great!”

“Thank you for the compliment, but I don’t want to steal all the credit. After all, you did all the work.”

Shane nodded and grinned. “Should I get it that you liked it then?”

“Liked it? I loved it. You know how to have fun, Shane. I’ll give you that. Are all cowboys now all down with the Brokeback Mountain thing?”

Shane shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t see the movie.”

Jared lifted his head so that he could stare at Shane. “Are you kidding me? Get out of here.”

“I don’t know. And I think I was about twelve when it came out and all. Is that a serious offense or something? Can you forgive me?”

Jared slapped Shane’s chest playfully. “Of course, I forgive you. I mean, I guess that plenty of guys didn’t see it, no matter how much they must be into the alternative lifestyle. Also, I had to fight my friends Mike and Adrian to have them watch the movie with me when I got my hands on it. So, I guess you’re off the hook.”

“Are Mike and Adrian your best friends?”

“Yes. Mike, you know him.”

“From the other night, yeah. He looked like a guy who would watch tearjerkers.”

“Yes.” Jared smiled. He had no idea conversations could flow so quickly with someone he barely knew. “Maybe I didn’t have to fight him that much. Adrian, on the other hand, ugh. He’s a tough guy. You wouldn’t catch him shed a tear if he were to cut a ton of onions.”

“I can cut onions without shedding one tear,” Shane bragged.

“Good for you. So, you’re a home cook, too?”

“Yeah. You’ll see it all when I serve you breakfast in bed tomorrow.”

“Hmm,” Jared cleared his throat. This was a one-night-stand, and one-night-stands usually didn’t include breakfasts, even when served in bed. “I don’t know. I still have to work tomorrow and --”

“It’s okay,” Shane stopped him.

Right. Why was he apologizing now? Shane knew it, just as well as he did that all they had was a night of steamy sex, and then they would both be on their merry ways. Therefore, he didn’t need to apologize at all.

“Ready for round two?” Jared asked as the silence was starting to get uncomfortable.

“Ready when you are,” Shane said with a smirk.

This time, he didn’t need to offer suggestions. Shane took it upon himself to climb on top and part Jared’s thighs with his. Being held down like this would have typically made him a bit uneasy, but, with Shane, all that strength wasn’t intimidating; it was reassuring. By his side, some might feel like they could take on the entire world.

And he was projecting again, Jared chided himself. Shane was good in bed, and he knew how to use his body so that he didn’t make his partner feel overwhelmed or intimidating. So unlike Chris, who had seemed to have a purpose in life to make the other submit.

No, he wouldn’t think of Chris tonight. What was with him, running those comparisons?

“Are you okay, baby?” Shane asked softly and caressed Jared’s lips with his.

“Sure, why are you asking?”

“For a moment, there, you had such an intense look on your face that I thought I might be doing something wrong. I’m not crushing you, right?”

“No. Actually, I’m surprised. A guy like you could easily do that. Not that you’re fat or anything. You’re the opposite of fat. I’m sure you have a very low percentage of body fat. Not like a bodybuilder … oh, no, why am I blabbering, and why aren’t you stopping me?”

Shane shut him up with a kiss, and Jared felt his worries melting. There was no better rebound sex like good rebound sex. No, excellent. No, fantastic. Out of this world, amazing … Shane deepened the kiss, and Jared forgot what he was thinking, or why he had been bothered by anything just earlier. All that mattered was tonight.

“Will you take me like this, please?” Shane murmured as he struggled to put on another condom without getting too much away from Jared.

“I remember you saying ‘yes’ to taking me on my back, so knock yourself out.”

“Don’t mind me if I do.”

Jared embraced Shane tightly and let his mind go. This time, there was less of the urgency from earlier, and more of how Shane could move. And what moves he had. Jared lifted his knees as far up as he could and pulled them toward his chest so that Shane could have a better angle.

“Oh, damn, oh, fuck,” Jared moaned as Shane took advantage of that right away to begin pounding him into the mattress.

So they were back in urgency mode, but Jared had no regrets. Maybe he would have some tomorrow, but he could live with that. Shane had great stamina, although he was getting all sweaty, too. Jared licked his throat, letting his tongue flicker over Adam’s apple.

“You’re killing me here,” Shane whispered. “You’re killing me, and you know well what you’re doing.”

Jared used a bit of teeth to tease the skin. That seemed to send Shane into berserk mode because the bed was starting to make the sounds of rickety old bones at high frequency. He gave up on the teasing, not because he didn’t want to see how far he could push Shane, but because he couldn’t keep it in himself. Coming without hands involved, he voiced his pleasure out loud. Shane stilled inside him and growled like a victorious barbarian. Jared was supposed to find that funny, but he didn’t. He found everything about Shane so damned good.

“Baby, baby, baby,” Shane sang as he kissed him. “So hot, this time, too.”

Jared felt flattered. But Chris had flattered him, too, and he didn’t want to walk the same path again. As amazing as the sex was, he needed to convince himself that it was nothing but sex.

He remained in Shane’s arms for a while, as they both fought to regain their lost breath. Later, he wouldn’t recall when he fell asleep.

***

Jared woke up some many hours later and only because someone was kissing him on the cheeks, the neck, and the shoulders.

“I know that you said you had work tomorrow, so I thought I should steal some time. Can I?”

“You’re asking me for permission, but you’ve already started,” Jared chided Shane teasingly.

“I have,” Shane admitted. “It was nice waking up with you in my arms, but I thought it would be nicer if I got a taste of you again.”

“You’re the greatest seducer ever, Shane.”

“I am?”

“Don’t play the modest. What time is it?”

“A bit after five. I guess you don’t usually wake up this early, so can you forgive me?”

“Only if you complete the last part of the agreement.”

“Which was?” Shane asked, seemingly busy with kissing Jared’s body everywhere.

“I think it was taking me against the wall.” Jared yelped as Shane grabbed him and climbed out of bed with him like that. “I was just kidding!”

“I’ve never been one not to rise to a proper challenge. If that’s what you want, then sex against the wall it is.”

Jared didn’t believe that it was possible except for short scenes in porno movies, but Shane looked like he could, indeed, rise to any challenge. Shane supported his body with his strong arms as he pushed him into a wall and then bit his neck. Jared cursed under his breath. It was funny to feel Shane moving around while holding him with one arm so that he could grab a condom.

“I really don’t think you will be able to put it on like this. Let me help,” Jared offered.

With a short grunt, Shane put him down gently. Jared got on his knees and took the condom from Shane’s hand, while, all this time, he kept eye contact. Shane had an intense look of his face, so intense that it made him shiver a little.

To stop himself from thinking anything, Jared got handy with the rubber. As he began rolling it down on Shane’s hard as a rock cock, he used his mouth, too.

“Oh, you have such a sweet mouth on you,” Shane whispered. “Even through the condom, I can feel your heat.”

Jared looked up and stuffed his mouth as much as he could. Shane gave him a smirk, but his eyes were warm. A hand rested on the back of Jared’s neck.

“Yes, baby, you know how to polish that cock,” Shane continued to praise him. “Now, get your gorgeous ass to me to get it ready.”

Jared obeyed and stood up, then turned. Shane worked one hand between his buttocks, going a bit lower to play with his balls, too. That was enough to make him push his ass back in the hope of getting more of that. Shane kissed his shoulder and then began applying lube. He was so gentle when he did that; Jared closed his eyes and let himself prey to the sensation. He could already feel the effects of their earlier lovemaking that night, but he didn’t mind being taken one more time.

Shane stopped for a moment before entering him. “And this one’s for the road, baby. Just so that you don’t forget me.”

Jared squeezed his eyes shut; this was, after all, about forgetting, but saying anything could ruin the mood, and he didn’t want that. What he wanted was right now.

“Brace the wall and keep tight,” Shane asked.

Jared didn’t need any more indications at this point. He was ready for being sent up to high heavens again. Shane held him with both hands planted on the hips and began slowly. There was a sense of rhythm in anything Shane did. Jared had no idea what the man did for a living, but if he ever wanted to offer his services as a lover for hire, he could be a top seller.

The rhythm intensified. It was so easy with Shane to follow him into what he did. It could only mean that he had a lot of experience, as expected from someone looking as yummy as him. Jared moaned and cursed as his body was shaken like a building in an earthquake. Shane hadn’t forgotten the lessons from their previous lovemaking. One of his hands went rogue to tease and pinch Jared’s nipples and then directly for the cock bouncing freely.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck,” Jared said under his breath. “I can’t anymore, Shane --”

“Don’t worry, baby, I got you,” Shane whispered into his year. “I got you.”

Shane just knew how and when to say the right words. Jared’s body shook, and he registered, through the waves of his release, as Shane did the same as him. Could it be that Shane always waited for him, for the right moment, so he could let go, too? That was the most endearing thought.

***

“Too bad you can’t hang around for breakfast. I make some killer pigs in a blanket.”

“For breakfast? Wow,” Jared said as he hiked his bag on one shoulder. He was ready to leave, but yet, he didn’t feel like doing it.

Shane only had a pair of loose-fitting pants on him, and he looked still as delicious as last night, with his bed hair and warm dark eyes. Jared didn’t even dare to stare lower; he couldn’t trust himself not to rush into Shane’s arms and rub his cheek against that manly chest.

“So, I guess this is it,” he said brightly and offered Shane his hand.

Shane looked a bit puzzled at the offered hand, but then he took it, only to pull Jared into a tight embrace right away. “You were awesome, baby. The whole night.”

Jared patted Shane’s back, wanting to make this last gesture something of a friendly thing, not the warm, definitely more than friendly, thing that it was. “Gotta go.”

“Sure.” Shane released him. “I’ll send you a picture with my pigs in a blanket. Maybe it will change your mind for the next time you’re sleeping over.”

Next time. Right. Well, it was pretty standard to mention future meetups that would never materialize. Was it? Jared thought. He didn’t quite remember. One-night-stands had made so much of his love life for as long as he could remember – with a few exceptions and one he didn’t want to think of right now – and yet, he couldn’t recall whether people used to say that.

“Maybe. Who knows?” Jared shrugged. He was about to leave when he noticed the longing look in Shane’s eyes. He hurried and kissed his cheek briefly. “Just for the record, you were the awesome one last night, Shane.”

Shane laughed, pleased with the praise. “Just like with dancing, it takes a good partner to shine.”

Ah, and that made Jared recall how Shane had danced with that woman the night they had met the first time. Maybe Shane was batting for both teams; Jared didn’t care to know that. Also, that was his cue that he wasn’t supposed to overstay his welcome.

“Bye,” he said with a broad smile he didn’t really feel.

“Bye, baby,” Shane drawled as he held the door.

***

He had lied about having work to do in the morning. For him, it was back in bed with a cup of tea after taking a long hot shower, which he needed terribly. There wasn’t much he needed to do today anyway. Just lying in bed and having a day off sounded like a plan. Well, not for the entire day.

His phone chimed. Jared took it and stared at the picture.

Don’t they make your mouth water?

Jared chuckled. Yes, they did, and if Shane was as good a cook as he was a lover, then he was quite the man. He began writing a reply, and then, he stopped. It had been only a one-night-stand. An awesome one-night-stand, but nothing else. He turned off his phone and went to sleep. Waking up at five and getting fucked against the wall weren’t usually part of his modus operandi.

TBC