Jamie - The Journey Begins - 33. Chapter 33 - Lights Out

Yes, I was just finishing in the bathroom… yelling out is how we groove in ‘Spence land’, haha.

“Ben, can you drive me to work, please? The guys from the dealership messaged me - my truck’s not ready. They’ll drop it off to me at work… pretty please?” I asked in my most convincing whiney voice possible.

In the distance, stern footsteps were growing louder - okay, stern, maybe not too much, “definitely walking with purpose,” I whispered to myself, lol. “What the hell am I saying? Obviously, you walk with purpose, else you’d be standing still or sitting, right?” My mind was saying, ‘No screaming, Jamie - back on the page, please.

Ben was close. Next he let out a quiet curse. “Ah shit!” I thought to myself. “I left stuff on the floor again, didn’t I? Oops… my bad.” Shaking my head, ‘he’s gonna roast me… again!’

“Jamie, seriously… after all this time, we still have cross-room conversations, and abandoned clothes, sneakers everywhere… Skip!” A look of resignation was over his face. Looking me dead in the eyes, he continued, “You know, ‘others’ are learning this habit! Please, can’t you be…” pausing for a moment where he gets this look, hands out front like he’s holding a basketball, intensely staring at me. I could feel myself just melt before his eyes. “Please,” placing his hand cupping my jawline, he said, “I love you to death, but sometimes…”

I cut him off leaning and kissing his beautiful, totally kissable lips. “I’m sorry, Ben,” giving him puppy dog eyes with my apology. It worked.

His face widened into this beautiful smile. “Please Jamie, come into the same room when you want to talk to me… ok, Skip?” I nodded and kissed him again.

The whole yelling out habit, that was something all us Spence siblings - Lucas too – inherited. I guess it was like ‘damn walking into the room – if you wanted to ask someone something, just raise your voice a little and talk across the house.’ It really freaked Ben out - most people, too, that didn’t know what the heck we were doing.

I’d made an effort, so didn’t do it all that often now. I was making a real effort to stop. Just, it was fun sometimes to do it, you know, set him off, plus I love THAT look he gets at times - somewhere between ‘OMG what have I done now? to ‘I’ma gonna rip your clothes off you right now and throw you down.’ It’s so worth it.

“Sorry Tex, I just-.”

“You just do it sometimes to wind me up right?”

I looked my most cute, including batting my eyes at him with a sexy smile. “No, beautiful man,” I sighed, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Why would I ever tease you, hmm?” I kissed the tip of his nose gently, in between looking into his sexy-ass eyes.

“You know if you keep that up, you’re gonna be late for work.” Ben's hands slipped around and over my hips gently, yet firmly, gripping my ass while letting out a small moan. Well, we both moaned. "Come on you'd better get going," he continued, grabbing my hand as we walked toward the front door. I pulled up short of the doorway.

Ben turned around looking a little confused, surprised maybe, as I stepped in close to him. Our chests touched as I drank in his beautiful face, his eyes, the way the summer sun had given his eyelashes highlights almost. He smiled his signature half-sexy smile, with a bit of lower lip biting, the one that just makes me… “That’s all I need.”

Quickly my mouth covered his, the gentle prickle of his two-day growth scratching my lips, the sensitive skin around my mouth - yeah I was clean-shaven for work, but fuck me, it felt good.

His strong hands pulled me hard against him. I felt the subtle movement of his lips allowing my tongue to spear into his mouth with little resistance. ‘Man, I love that new toothpaste we're using: it tastes yummy, mixed in with the warmth and flavor of his mouth’, I thought, as our tongues danced their familiar sexy dance. "I'm gonna-have-a-red-rash-after-this," I managed to gasp out between him plundering my mouth. It was such a turn-on, so worth it.

But seriously, Jamie, where the fuck is your mind today? my mind asked. I’m all over the place.

“Yeah! Oh fuck, yeah!” I managed to get out as our bodies pressed against each other. The fire and passion we have for each other is still as strong as the first time we made out. We were beyond being slow and gentle this morning: there was an urgency, a desperate desire today as we ground against each other. I could feel his hardness against my leg, I was having enough trouble staying focused today - his hard cock was just making me hungry, almost desperate.

Grabbing his hands, I pinned them above his head with one of mine. The other slid down his face, tracing his neck and Adam's apple as it moved up and down while we were kissing. Such a turn-on feeling - his body responding to mine in so many ways. A deep moan escaped both of us, just feeding the blazing fire more so.

I pressed firmly against his chest and pecs. He let out another small groan. I sought out his nipples through his tight-fitting tee. Finding my target, I gave it a gentle squeeze between my fingers, then rolled it between them.

“Oh Fuckkkk, Jamie … you are the...” words escaped him.

I was plundering his mouth again with mine, ‘I guess, like Burke and Wills at the Cooper Creek. ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake, Jamie! No Australian history lesson today’. His tongue speared in and around my mouth, wrapping itself around my own almost like a snake…

“Snake… I want your trouser snake.” I managed to get out in between kissing.

Ben let out a deep almost guttural moan into my-our mouths, as he started to rub against my hard cock. My uniform wasn't at all good for keeping it hidden or restrained in any way. I didn’t stand a chance with the sounds Ben was making, murmuring, moaning, almost grunting, the sounds were penetrating my body from every direction, mouth, ears, chest.

I was nearing sensory overload. “Sure my heart is gonna burst clean out of my chest in a moment, but it will be so worth it.”

“Fixed it before, I’ll do it again,” he panted while pulling his hands free. He rushed to the hem of my shirt, pulling at it like an attack dog pinning its prey. His hands slipped along my spine, gently feeling the muscle and vertebrae leading along my upper body, finally coming to rest in the nape of my neck, pulling me a little closer.

“Nnngh… you’re so lean now that you’ve started running again and in the gym… so hot… so sexy. Don’t take your shirt off around anyone - they’ll eye fuck you.” He managed to get out in broken breaths.

“They can eye fuck me,” I managed to eke out, "but-I-only have eyes for you, this - all of it-yours." His hands were working me. It was almost burning my skin where he touched.

“Jamie, I can’t help it - you’re making me so hot. I can’t get enough of you, your taste, that smell, that is just you, so you.”

Without warning, his hand pressed against my shoulder blade while the other had hold of the hair at the back of my head, pulling it, but also pushing toward me at the same time somehow. ‘Oh fuck!’ His hands slipped down my body like water on a pane of glass, coming to rest at the waistband of my pants, he had them undone and was pulling me out before I realized what he was doing with his other hand which had a fistfull of my hair, holding me in place.

I was so caught up in the sensations of that delicious warm mouth of his, his body touching me, his hard cock grinding against mine, I almost didn't realize he pulled his mouth from mine. "Jamie, I-just-got-to." His eyes were full of passion and want, as he broke our kiss - sucking, nipping, and kissing his way down my chest.

“Oh.. fuck me!” I cried out, as he diverted to one nipple sucking it into his mouth flicking it with his tongue – ‘hey, when did he pull my shirt that far?’ My crazed mind pondered.
Then just to throw me off guard again, leaving a faint trail of kisses and licks against my skin leading across to my nipple, he gently licked then blew before sucking a nipple into his mouth, quickly switching to the other, rinse and repeating wordlessly.

“Ben, fuck - you’re gonna make me cum before …” a shock of pain ripped out of my nipple, as he bit – “damn!” - it stung for a second in a kinda good way. I looked down at him - nothing! He just returned to kissing and sucking it again, before heading over to the other … it got the same treatment.

My hands were pretty much useless. All I could do was gently hold his head – okay, one hand was slipping down his back, running up and down his spine, feeling the vertebrae, his muscles flexing and moving as he worked his way down me.

I was desperate to play with that sexy ass of his to the point where I was almost going insane with desire, but just couldn’t, wouldn’t, risk interrupting him, which now consisted of tracking along my stomach muscles then dipping his tongue in and out of my belly button.

When he’d had his fill of that, he gently nipped at my treasure trail with his teeth, inching slowly, painfully south.

“I swear to god Ben, we are… you are… getting better and better at this if that were possible, I’ve never had such a good…” mind went blank.

Over the quiet moans emanating from us both, plus the rising chorus of “Fuck yeah’s” and “Oh fuck me’s” we both were letting slip, I didn’t even know my pants were now well below my knees – “the man is magical.”

“Oh BEN, yes!!” I let out, throwing my head back as he choked himself on my hard leaking cock. He’s a master at deepthroating me. He’d even been coaching me over time. I was a great student - always ready to do more study. I’ve gotta say I’m pretty good at it now, but Ben was the fucking (or should I say, sucking) master.

Thank god we were alone in the entryway of the house: as long as that front door stayed closed, we were all good. I fell against the wall. I don't even remember coming out here: last I knew we're in the bathroom, hallway then … yeah, I love losing time like this!!

“Fuckkk… Jamie! You taste so fucking good. I can’t get enough.” Letting my cock plop out of his mouth for a moment, he buried his face in my groin, breathing me in.

“Ben, that’s so… no fair,” I panted out.

“Don’t care,” his tongue wrapped around my balls and snaked one, then he was at the base of my cock tracing along the veins on the side till he got to the tip. “I’m not sure. Fuck I’m horny today. Let me be your dirty cocksucking slut.” He looked up at me … those eyes … that look … my knees gave way a little. “Make me choke on that fat cock.”

OMG, it must be one of our birthdays or some special holiday... I totally love it when he goes all dirty on me. I wish I could - I'm just lame at it. I still get all 'but I love him,’ yet it feels weird when I try to talk dirty. Like I'm just so shit at it, overthinking it, lol! Me overthinking stuff... never gonna do anything to hurt my guy.

What made it worse is the guys at work caught me one night shift outback trying to use some shitty porn as a tutorial. Fuck, they didn't let me forget it for MONTHS… MONTHS, I tell you.

I gave up.
But when I told Lucas what happened, he offered to help, coach me. Seriously I remember hearing him sometimes when he'd hooked up, he was very smooth and wow … dirty. I'll admit - it a couple of times I was, ‘Damn, whoa!’

Apparently, he’s still got the potty mouth on him, according to Hailey, she loves it. Yeah, she was there when he offered to coach me: she's all ‘Oh yes you should, Jamie. He's so good at it,’ while she shoots him one of those ‘Talk dirty and I'm gonna fuck you right now’ looks.

I almost felt like I needed to excuse myself from the room- the heat between them … whoa! They are such a great match, we, Lucas and I, have been so lucky with our partners. I love Hailey to death. But really, the thought of Lucas saying that stuff to her - it’s just weird, and we've done some pretty weird stuff together, both when we were teenagers experimenting with girls, toys and each other.

Without warning, Ben snapped me back out of my own head, his tongue ran the length of my cock coming to rest at my balls, licking and sucking at them, "Hmm, you smell like body wash and … you, Jamie … that smell that is just you … I could just live off this forever.”

Damn, he's back down there, it feels so damn good, almost disarming. "God you're driving me insane Ben," it felt good - he felt good. It took me all my strength not to grab his beautiful face and plow my cock into that beautiful hot mouth of his and skull fuck him till I came down his throat.

Then it came to me just say that! “Fuck Ben,” my mind was saying ‘NO, NO … don’t you dare’; my sex was saying, screaming, ‘YESSS’ and chanting, ‘Do-it! Do-it!’

“It's taking me all my strength not to grab your beautiful face, plow my cock into that hot, warm, tight, mouth of yours and skull fuck you till I choke you on my cum, let it rip down your throat.”

I looked down at him, as these words were pouring from my mouth. Hot and dirty in a strange voice that sounded smooth, firm, full of passion. His eyes flung open so wide, with his mouth full of me. It was like I’d just given him the… something, a gift, present? Pulling off me for a moment, he cleared his throat while still pistoning my cock with his hand, “Oh fuck Jamie, that was the sexiest dirty thing you’ve said to me. Love it, more say more!”

“Oh-FUCK Ben! You’re driving me crazy, let me-.” I was lost for words again, he was sucking one of my balls into his mouth, gently wrapping his tongue around it then popping it out and starting on the other. All I could do was look down at the amazing sight before me: his summer bleached hair bobbing back and forth sucking me in, those almost sky-blue eyes looking up at me with a cheeky sparkle to them.

A high low-pitched siren started to ring, filling our quiet space. Both my cell and pager were going off. Oh, fuck me, no!! I’d been paged or something. Ben started to slow then pull away, letting my left nut drop out of his mouth. The loss of warmth and contact made me shiver. "Please don't stop," I begged as he looked up at me. The device had served its purpose - I could feel the moment slipping away from us both. We both knew what it was... "Fucking tones!” Frustration with a double of future blue balls filled my voice, “Sometimes I hate those damn things so much."

He stood, crushing my lips with his with a little more force than I was ready for, making my head bang into the drywall. "I was so enjoying that too - being your little cock sucking slut. You are so going to skull fuck-" looking at me, I nodded ‘yes’. "-me when you get off shift."

Running my hands through my hair with my pants still around my knees I reached to the hall stand and snatching up both evil devices that killed our moment.

I so wanted to throw them both at the wall for the rude interruption but guessed how that conversation would go with the director down from DC. “Oh, so Jamie, how did you manage to break both your cell and pager today?”

“Well, you know, I was getting one of the best blow jobs of my life when y’all paged and called me before I could shoot my load down my husband's willing throat, not able to finish skull fucking him, so you know I was a little upset by the interruption.”

“Oh of course Jamie, completely understand….”

Yeah, that’s never gonna happen.

Message: Spence J respond to offices 11:30h meeting with Rgnl Drtr sending car at 11:00h.

“Ah fuck, I’ve gotta meet with the regional director at 11:30, but they're sending me a car it will be here in 5 minutes." I looked at Ben who was standing there with that look like someone just broken his favorite toy on his face.

“Fuck it,” I dropped both hated devices on the hallstand, and reached out to Ben grabbing his arm.

"What Jamie?" He looked at me with a mix of desire and frustration in those beautiful eyes. Without a word, I pushed him back a few steps till his back came to rest against the wall.

“What are you doing?”

I just smiled, “You’ll see. I’ve got five minutes. Start the clock.” I grasped a handful of his shorts and pulled them down with one swift movement. His still hard cock sprang free from its prison, greeting me with its precious clear liquid dripping as I dropped to my knees.

Poking out my tongue, I licked the clear nectar that was slipping from him, salty and delicious at the same time. “Hmm, sorry Tex, this is gonna be a quick one, but I’ll get you on the flip side.”

“Ahhh do me … do whatever you want … I’m yours.” I didn’t even look up at him, I was totally focused on one thing and one thing only; taking as much of him in as I could in one go, not even letting my body really adjust. My hand joined the party wrapping around his beautiful hard cock pistoning it in and out of my mouth, while I caught my breath. I dived back on it like my life depended on it, opening my throat enough to take him in. The soft skin of his pelvic area pushed against my nose, his scent filling my brain. “Touchdown!”

It wasn’t long before those little moans escaped his mouth letting me know that he was being carried away on a cloud of desire. His hips gently rocked forward, pushing deeper into me with every movement. “Oh God, Jamie, I’m gonna, but I want you to fuck me.”

His body went rigid. I could feel his cock expand a little as he hit the climax. "Oh fuckkkk…”

“Yes… give me your cum, all of it. Choke me with your salty hot giz,” I got out seconds before slamming him all the way back in. Shit, I saw stars for a moment as his hot cum flooded my mouth, charging down my throat. God, I loved the feeling when he came in me, mouth or ass – yeah I was a lot more vers these days, although Ben preferred to bottom mainly.

We both paused, panting, almost falling to the floor. The side of my face was against his thigh, I could feel his legs shaking, we were exhausted like we’d just run a marathon.

“Oh fuck, Jamie! That was amazing! Just fucking amazing! And the talk! You are so going to fuck me when you get back.”

As I stood up, still a little unsteady on my feet, my hands ran up his body as my mouth homed in on its mate, kissing him deeply, slowly still with some of his cum in my mouth.

Okay, it's such a turn-on when you can taste yourself in the other's mouth. I fucking love it. His juices mixed in our mouths: Ben was tasting himself in my mouth and he loved it. I know I do when he does it to me - it's just the most fucking sexy thing out, a bit dirty I guess, but hands down fucking hot as!

“Warrppp!" a short blast of the siren outside broke our kiss.

"Your ride is here, my lover, husband, best friend.” Ben smiled, “Ok, maybe Lucas has the best friend thing going, but can't be all thing to all people right, hmmm?”

I smiled, taking in the look on his face. I just wanted to call in sick-dead-deported… whatever. “Can't wait till you get off shift."

“I’m starting the clock. Be naked and ready for me when I get home, ok!?!”

He saluted me with a sexy smile. “You might want to pull your pants up before you go, Skip.”

Looking down, I saw that my cock was still standing to attention., “Sorry buddy - you’re gonna have to wait till we get off work.” Guess it's back to high school days of tucking it up under my waistband behind my shirt. With a quick kiss, I was out the door "Bye, love you."

“Love you too, Skip.”

“Ben!” I stopped lightly grabbing his arm.

"Yeah Skip?"

“Has it been too long since we fucked last? My mind’s wondering?"

His reply was that knowing smile.

“About the craziest shit,” I suddenly felt nervous - maybe even unsure, “I was so into what we were doing. I don’t get why?”

“You know, Skip, it’s because you’re trying to hide how much you’re enjoying it, right?”

His hand held my chin for a moment. His soft easy eyes looking straight into mine… my soul almost. He has this ability-skill to look at me and say so much without uttering a single word.

“You’re not a kid anymore, Mason isn’t teasing you, ok!”

“Fuck,” I forgot I told him about that. “Yeah, I know … it’s … sorry.” I felt a pang of regret in the pit of my stomach. Why did Mason still have that-this hold over me, and now to make it worse, it was hurting Ben, maybe.

“Don’t! Don’t be sorry, ok? It’s part of what I love about you.”

Confused as fuck now, right. I questioned him. “My mind wondering makes you love me?”

"No … well, yes." Ben rolled his eyes somewhat. "But more than … you're so honest with me - you tell me your deepest thoughts, even the darker ones. It's so damn sexy - you have no idea."

I leaned in and kissed him again. "Love you, Tex. I promised after Sam, I’d never fuck up again. I mean it - you are my world. And if I don’t go in a moment, you’re going to be keeping me, coz I’ll be unemployed.” I kissed the tip of his nose.

Turning toward the front door, I stopped to grab the pack of mints I had in the hallstand drawer. “Can’t expose Jeff to cum breath. I’ll brush at work, but for now…” I threw a handful in my mouth, smiling and heading out the door - pants up too!

..o0o..

As I climbed into the work truck, Jeff’s happy face greeted me. “Hey Jeff-o! Thanks for the lift man. How’re you going?”

“All good, Jamie. You and Ben?”

“Yeah, all good. He’s starting to decorate the yard for the July 4th weekend. His and mine have invited half the state, no-the country! Did you guys get an invite?”

“Not sure. I’ll ask the boss tonight.”

“If y’all missed out, let me know. Oh wait - I’ll just add you to the chat group I’ve got going.”

“Let me know what we can bring, ok? Cathy will pitch a fit if I don’t have that info straight up, you know, right!”

Laughing at Jeff for a second, I replied, “Man, these wives-partners are all obsessed with what to bring. It’s not like the whole thing isn't going to be over-catered already. I've never in my entire life left a family event and been hungry. Most of the time I'm like, ‘stomach pump now for the love of God,’ but I hear you. I'll ask Ben - see what he says.”

Jamie: Hey you.

Ben: Hey you back. Are you coming home so I can finish you off, please say yes. 

I couldn’t help the smile and sudden blush. My mind switched to what we were up to just before Jeff arrived.

Jamie: OMFG love too but work right. Grrr hey.

Jeff looked over with a smile on his face. “That’s a lot of typing there, Jamie. Shit - how much does he want us to bring?, Cath will be up for it, but…”

Oh, shit. I blushed again. “Umm, sorry Jeff. Haven’t gotten to that that yet. Just had some housekeeping to settle on, kinda.”

“Damn, Jamie! Ben seemed like a nice guy. He’s busting your balls over housekeeping?” Exhaling a little, he continued, “That’s tough right there.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that, bust my balls. THAT was exactly what he wanted me to come home for… “Umm yeah… Ben can be a bit of a ball breaker sometimes.”

It seriously was getting super hard not to laugh. I didn’t want to freak Jeff out, so kept the conversation private and light. We’ve only been working together for three weeks, and yeah, he was totally okay with us, me and Ben, being gay, lol. He thought Lucas and I were a thing the first time they met. Lucas called into work one day, funny.

Jamie: Shit man, Jeff thinks you’re being a ball breaker because I said we were talking housekeeping.

Ben: See, you need to come back home and go in a little late. So what if the regional director is having meetings with everyone. Offer is there… all day.

Instantly felt my face - it was like it was on fire. I’m sure my neck was glowing red hot as well. Desperately, I snatched up my drink bottIe, chugging down half of it. ‘Well, if it works at work…’ and yeah, almost dropping my cell too.

Okay deep breaths…

Jamie: I’ve invited Jeff and Cath to ours for the 4th. What can they bring?

Ben: Cookies and some table sweets if they like. Thank them, please.

Jamie: Love you.

Ben: Right back at you.

Damn Ben’s using one of my lines on me -right back at ya.

"Ok Jeff, Ben says cookies and table sweets if you like."

"Thanks, Jamie, I'll let her know when we get to the station house."

The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful. “Oh damn, need coffee!” The thought raced through my mind and out my mouth before I could pull it up. “Only problem - there’s no pods for our 'fancy' coffee machine, Jeff.” A few of us had chipped in for it and I needed a coffee to distract me from Ben… man he was in my head today something bad, yeah and on my clothes too, I could smell his faint musk on my collar.

“I guess after the meetings, we can go get some Jamie, yeah?”

“Thanks Jeff, fantastic idea.”

..o0o..

"Morning, sir," I cheerfully greeted the boss who was set up in the meeting room. As he stood wearing a smile and sticking his hand out, he made me feel like a kid almost. I’m 6'2" isn't super tall, but wow, at 6'5" and close to 180lbs, Jack was a huge man and still built. He might look like some big guy, but he was smart, I mean stupid smart: free tuition offered at Stanford and Berkeley, a bloody honors student. His scholarship was academic, although he played football and baseball. I’m telling you - for a big guy he's quick on his feet, and they‘re slow compared to his mind.

“Jamie, please… for like the twentieth time, Jack will do.”

I felt a little weird with how casual ‘Jack’ was - unlike most of the command I’d encountered - casual to say the least. “Oh sorry, Jack. How was the flight down from DC?”

"Uneventful, but look what I get in return - warm Texas sunshine, all these smiling faces, and, if I'm lucky, maybe a going job or two, dust off my turnouts.”

My eye caught his gear bag off to the side. I could tell by the way it was filled out, it had been packed with care and set to go.

“Well, Jack,” shit it feels weird, “I’ve arranged with a local ranch to do a controlled burn with us and a few of the local FD guys. We need a superintendent to run one of the fire flanks. If you're interested, you know..." I nodded.

His eyes lit up, no pun intended. “Oh no, Jamie. I just can’t come in and take someone’s place, can I?"

“Yeah, of course you can, Jack. We haven't assigned anyone that sector, so if want you to. Can you be back, say, in 5 days? It's yours."

He was smiling on the inside, try as he may, I could tell. "Very kind of you. I'll see what I can do." His face changed a little, just subtle enough for me to know he was super excited. The thought of being back on the fire ground slipped away, he was back in boss mode now, sitting back a little in his chair, hands in front of him with fingers interlaced. "So, Jamie, the department is going through a management shift."

I took a breath. Oh fuck, here we go.

“I can see from that look that swept across your face, you’re not a fan?”

Keeping my face as neutral as possible this time, fuck it. “Um... no sir… I mean, Jack. It’s just when there is a restructure, sometimes we lose more than we gain in the long run." Shit, Jamie, what if it's his idea and I've just shit in his lap?

“That’s true. That has been the outcome before, but this is a little different. Look at this.”

A map of the lower part of the US appeared on the wall behind me. With his pointer, Jack explained.

“So, the issue has been that the whole lower southern region was too big and resources hungry for little return. Plus, Florida, stuck out on its own, was often neglected." Pausing for a moment to take a sip of his water, Jack pressed on. "The current region was going to be reorganized, re-aligned if you like. Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona would become the Southern Central Region, with Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama becoming the Lower Mid-Region. Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas would become the lower Southern Region."

I just sat there for a moment in silence. It’s actually a good idea putting similar fire topographies together and aligning them. "It's a pretty good idea, Jack. Wow! Has DC signed off on it?"

There was that smile again. “Yes they have. There will be a few new positions coming up, and that’s where you come in!”

“Me? How so, sir… Jack, sorry.” I shook my head.

“I’d like you to consider applying for the Deputy director role for Southern Central. That’s unless you can’t tear yourself away from the trucks. Anyways, with new interagency arrangements, you'd most likely end up as a Sector-Superintendent or running the job in Ops."

I started to search my mind. It would be nice to advance along a bit. I'm getting older now, right - in my 30's, so … "Yeah," I nodded, "that sounds like a great idea, but where is it based?

“There is a position here in Texas, the other in Arizona with the Regional Director for the moment based at the Offices in New Mexico. But at the end of the day, remote workplaces mean you can be anywhere and, if needed, catch a flight as we do now out of Georgia."

I nodded my head a little. Sounds like a great chance to start the climb up the ladder. “Sure, Jack - I’d like to apply. Sounds like a great idea.”

"Excellent!" And with that, he closed the laptop and looked finished.

“So, do I have to apply or sit an interview?” I was a little lost as what to do from here.

“Hm…ok, sure. Sorry, I should have said. There will be an application form in your email. Just get it back to me by Friday, please. The Interview… well, we've just finished that."

I laughed a little – well, it was more of a quiet snort. “So how did I go with the interview?”

“Very well, but let's talk about that over a coffee. You've run out of pods and I'm not drinking that other stuff. You've ruined my coffee taste buds now. It’s totally your fault, Jamie. Come on, let's head out and talk about that burn and your new job."

..o0o..

As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw Ryan, one of my colleagues, and his partner Dillon pulling in behind us. “Hey Jamie,” both guys yelled out. Ryan’s face tightened to see that Jack was with me.

"Hey guys. Down for coffee before your shift, Ryan? Hey Dillon, how's things?" Jack looked over his shoulder and waved to the guys. He’d been on the phone sorting something out.

As I climbed out of the truck, I said to Ryan and Dillon, “Been on that call the entire way over,” I thumbed at Jack, pulling on my Tom Brady Jersey - the Pats aren’t my team, but Tom and Gisele are, OMG - I have a crush on both of them - who doesn’t, right? I don’t walk around outside the station in uniform - just something that was drummed into us as recruits in Australia. Anyways, Ryan walked up beside me, chatting as we headed across to the café on Montopolis Drive, when some dick from across the lot yelled out, “Brady’s a fag! The Pats are fags!”

Ryan shot me a look of surprise. “Guess the local rednecks are out,” he said at barely more than a whisper.

I nodded in agreement. “Five rings AND Gisele!! Fuck, I’d be a fag for that! Oh wait, I am, right? Hahaha.” I replied at a conversational level, waving over my head in the direction of the voice.

As we got close to the café, the smells of the amazing food in this place, plus the coffee – yes, here for the coffee, but the place was just an explosion on my senses. “Dillon off to work after here, Ryan?”

“Nope - he’s on afternoon shift. Starts at 16:30h. He’s heading over to my mom’s place to help her with the dressing on her ribs after the fall last week, then I think he’s catching up with Billy and Ben for a coffee.”

"Oh, nice. These lazy men of leisure - taking coffee all day while we're hard at it working." At that, we both started to laugh.

My regular wait staff and barista were on today, so the order was easy, just adding “an extra macchiato double shot to the list for Jack, please”. Yeah, okay, that's totally my doing. I've got him hooked on these now.

After chatting to guys in the café for a bit, we gathered our goodies and headed out the door back across to Jack, who was still on a call. Dillon was quietly standing next to their car having a smoke, or a 'nail' as I call them. "You'd reckon that a cardiac nurse would know better than to smoke, hey," I joked with Dillon as we got back to the cars.

“Says you. Alcoholism is a much bigger problem, hmm...” He replied, giving me a smart-ass answer.

Jack, by the way, was like a bloodhound, sniffing the air for the coffee when his big-ass hand stuck out the window for his hit of caffeine. I turned and headed over to the work truck. “Back in a sec, Ryan. Better keep the caffeine up to the boss, else we both get stationed in the Artic Reserve, hey.”

"Ok," Dillon held up his free hand in mock surrender. "Ryan, you want me to drop you at work, or you going with the guys?"

“Jamie, Can I get a lift with you guys to work?”

“Sure Buddy, I called out over my shoulder. Damn… still on a call. I leaned in the cabin. “Here you go boss - coffee and a little something to go with it.” I offered, handing over the little pastry creation with his coffee.

“Thanks, Jamie,” he replied as he went back to the call.

“I’ll just chat to Ryan and Dillon for a moment.” Jack smiled and gave me the thumbs up, returning his attention to the call. Taking a sip of his coffee, his face instantly wrapped in a smile.

"Hey Ryan, plenty of room in the back seat. Chuck your bag in the tub." As I turned, seeing Ryan nodding as he moved over, pulling open their car door whilst giving Dillon a quick peck on the cheek when all hell broke loose. I didn't understand for a moment what had happened. All I saw was a quick movement… something … then Ryan fell sideways, away from their car, as I heard a screaming voice: "FUCKING FAGS."

As my mind's eye caught up with what was going on, I realized it was the loudmouths from earlier. They'd driven across the lot, jumped Ryan and Dillon, knocking Ryan out cold.
Instantly my eyes were drawn to the pieces of 2x4 in their hands. They looked like off cuts from a building site.

“Hey, what the hell!” I yelled out, dropping my coffee, quickly closing the gap between me and the thug that was kicking Ryan who was passed out on the ground. “Try that shit on someone that can fuck’n hit you back, you gutless prick!" I dropped to my knee for a second, dodging the piece of lumber that was swung at my head as the redneck turned around. ‘Oh shit, really?’ I laughed to myself. ‘That's the best these guys can do? Fuck, Mason fights better than this and he's an ass.’

“Hey, dickhead - I could see that move coming before you even thought about it, dumb ass."

Using his weight and stupidity against him, I sent him crashing to the pavement with a crunching sound. “Yeah okay, that’s gonna hurt.” There were sounds of people, passers-by, yelling out to call the cops in the background, like a muffled crowd.

Like a dog whistle almost, redneck two - 'red hat' we'll call him - looked over his shoulder, looking at where his buddy was.

"Hey, dickhead!" I called out, trying to get his attention before he killed Dillon. I could see his bloodied face and head just lolling around with each blow directed at him. The bastard had him pinned against his own car. "Come on, you pussy! Want some? Come get yourself some faggot, hey! Come join your boyfriend on the ground. Come get yourself some, hey!" I blew him a kiss.

Yeah, I was pissed off, really pissed off. I've not been that pissed or in a fight like this since… that fight Mason I had in the kitchen back home when I was 16, deciding that I'd had enough of his bully-boy shit. Yeah ok, so mom and dad grounded me – I’m still grounded technically - guess that’s why I had to leave the country, haha?

Ok, but I was freaking worried about Ryan. Glancing at his lifeless body over to the side, at least I could see his torso rise and fall a bit, but he was in a bit of a bad way.

A loud ‘crack,’ followed by a whole heap of hurt, loss of breath hit me, well, courtesy of the piece of lumber that hit me in the stomach causing me to double over and lift a little off the ground with the force of the blow.

“You gonna pay FAGGOT!" Redcap yelled out as I took another hit to the ribs. Okay so don't take your eyes off these guys. Jeez Jamie, such a dick move.

“Oh fuck, that’s gonna leave a mark!” I managed to get out as I moved forward head down into him, kicking out his leg as I collided with his fat gut, sending his ass over to the ground. Pinned to the pavement, I screamed at him, "Had enough of getting your ass handed to you in a hat by a faggot, hey?"

“You gonna pay pretty boy, he squeaked out," looking at something behind me. Without warning, I felt the impact of a fist to my jaw just below my cheekbone. Damn, I could hear the crack from inside my head.

‘Hope that didn't break’ was all I could think. I tried to deflect the blow by tumble turning off 'red cap'. Thankfully absorbing some of the mystery hit, I scrambled to my feet as I saw 'new guy.'

“Fuck, how many are you? Did someone open the zoo gates or something?” ‘New guy’ was a whole different problem - the stance, that look in his eye, he wasn’t a hack like his buddies.

Taking a deep short breath whilst holding my ribs, I prepared to get my ass handed to me in a hat when there was a blur from the side with an almighty crunch and muffled cry.

"Oh! Awesome!” Jack had smash tackled 'new guy' to the ground, hard. "Fuck boss!” I yelled with a mix of breathless ‘Awe shit!’ He was good. So, my boss was an outside linebacker when he was at college, played baseball too - so strong and fast. Yeah ok, that was 15 years ago now, but unfortunately for 'new guy', Jack was well into his pre-season and was literally a man-mountain. He still played football and baseball with a couple of local clubs outside of DC and was always trying to get us guys to come up and play.

"Yeah, well…" Jack managed to get out while subduing ‘new guy'. "Guess you didn't think that through too well, boy, hey?" Yeah, the last bit was through gritted teeth and a bit of spittle. "These boys, my boys,” he was pointing to us with one hand while the other was busy holding new guy in place, “put their lives on the line for dumb shit like you. You call ‘em fags! Try to beat their ass? How’s that going for you? They’re MY BOYS! You touch them, you have 185lbs of ME ON YOUR ASS!”

Okay so my boss was pretty pissed off. He looked fucking scary as shit too. I'm not sure if 'new guy' pissed his pants, but I almost did. My head turned in the direction of the rapidly approaching whaling sound of sirens. Man, that was never so welcome. A few of the locals pinned these meatheads down while I went to check on Ryan and Dillon.

Dillon was conscious and moaning a little. He looked like shit, face all bloodied up. “Jamie,” he croaked out, “is Ryan OK? He hit the ground hard when he fell back.”

I scrambled over to Ryan, checking for vitals. “Pulse, a little slow but strong,” I yelled out to Dillon. Ouch, that hurt! I winced a little with the sharp pain in my side… Jamie, no yelling for a day or two, okay? “His airway is clear. Gonna leave him in safe position till the crews come.

..o0o..

“Dispatch, 7-Michael at Montopolis, Fire, and EMT on-scene."

“Roger 7 Michael.” I heard someone yell out. “Pulse, a little slow but strong.” I knew that voice for sure. Stepping through the gap between the old Chevy pickup and the Mustang, I saw him. “Jamie! The hell!”

Aiden was all up in my face for a moment, looking me over as if I had a lucky ticket or something on me. The EMT guys dropped down beside me.

“Spence? You ok?” The paramedic asked, looking between Aiden and myself. Aiden’s face was a mix of ‘cop on duty’ and worried about his little cousin maybe, haha.

“I’m ok, Honré.”

“Yeah?” he nodded.

“Alain.” I’d met most of the guys over the past year or two through Ben. “Oh shit, I’ve gotta call Ben,” I said, rubbing my face with my hand. “He’s gonna have a fit.”

Looking at Alain while he was starting to assess me, I realized I hadn’t told him who Aiden is. "Sorry, Alain, this is my cousin Aiden Spence … Lucas' brother." A look of ‘oh yeah’ washed over his face.

Aiden looked at both of us, offering that not-surprised look. “Of course he knows Lucas, right? You two are tied at the fucking hip! I swear, Jamie.”

“Ryan here,” I placed my hand on his shoulder gently as he was still lying face down a foot or so from me, “is a 28yo male, suffered blunt force blow to the back of the skull, losing consciousness while falling to the ground. I’ve checked his airways-clear, most likely broken nose. Hasn’t regained consciousness - not been moved.”

"Thanks for the handover," Alain replied. I let out a long breath, feeling a little happier that the guys were looking at Ryan and Dillon now. The whole scene got busy pretty quickly. Cops had taken our rednecks away and were loading them into what we would call ‘a brawler van‘ transporter.

Aiden grabbed my arm, helping me up. “Whoa!” I was a little unsteady on my feet for a second.

“Jamie, the EMT guys are going to take you to the ER just to check you over. We’re collecting witness statements, but it seems that these guys jumped Ryan and Dillon?”

I nodded.

“From what I’ve been told so far, you did you, come busting in and went all ‘Jamie - kick your ass’ on them, right?"

I just nodded again.

“Then Jack, your boss, slam-tackled guy number three?”

“New Guy,” I replied, somewhat dejected.

“You had time to name them?” Aiden laughed a little. “Fuck Jamie, you haven’t changed since freshman year.”

My massive cousin pulled me into a gentle hug. For such a big guy, he could be very gentle. "Come on out with it - I gotta know the names.” A big smile wrapped his face.

I took a breath. "There was redneck, red hat, and new guy," I replied, without any real emotion.

“Ok. So, redneck was that guy?” pointing to the first guy that hit Ryan.

"Yeah. He hit Ryan with the lumber, out cold." My stomach ran cold for a moment reliving the moment when Ryan crumpled like a bag of grain.

Pointing at the next guy, I continued, “That’s redhat - he was wearing a cap. He was belting the crap out of Dillon when I distracted him, and he got me… more lumber.”

Aiden frowned at me for a moment. “Yeah, we'll get you looked at, I think. I don't want my brother-in-law all over my ass."

He’d given up years ago calling me his cousin and just ran with brother - said Lucas and I have always been inseparable, so what the hell?

“And Jack cleaned up ‘new guy’.”

“New guy?” looking puzzled at that one.

“Yeah - ‘new guy’. He came from nowhere and was about to shred me, I think.”

"Well, they’re not going anywhere for a while - with some hate crime charges, assaulting a federal public servant, state public servant, straight-up felony charges for assaulting Ryan, Dillon, you and Jack too - they're in deep shit. Come on let's get you checked out so you can call Ben."

Like a kid that was being made to do their homework, head down a little and shoulders slumped forward, I followed Aiden and headed over to the bus.

"Hey, guys - you too busy to look at me, right?” I cheerily asked the EMT crew, hoping they’d say ‘yeah’, and I could go back to work, swallow a handful of Advil and rest till I had to face my husband. They looked up, smiling patting the trolley in the back. ‘Damn - that didn’t work.’

“Just for you, Jamie. If we let you go, Ben will have our asses - or Billy - he’s our shift super. They both will have our asses for a year.

‘Damn - does everyone know me and my husband… Where’s the fun in that?’ With a sense of resignation, I climbed in and let them do their checks.

..o0o..

"Hey, Ben, when you get this message, call me please, not super urgent." Okay, so I lied a little on his voicemail, but what do you say? ‘Call me - I'm with your co-workers. They're taking me to the ER after I got the crap beaten out of me’?

Buzz… my cell vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw Ben's smiling face. "Hey, Tex,” I texted!

I tried my best to hide the truth.

My cell rang as I tried to reply. Ben's smiling face was on the screen. "Jamie, what's going on? Billy and I were having a coffee when we heard on his radio about three firefighters getting jumped." His voice was escalating with each word. "Are you ok? Do you know who it was?" he was clearly getting amped up.

“Ok, so-”

Ben cut across me. “Aiden is calling me.” He sounded distracted, very distracted. “Can you hold on a moment, please? I rang and left him a message when I couldn’t get hold of you, I’ll just let him know I’ve got hold of you.”

"NO, please Ben-." Okay, I might have said that a little too loud. There was silence on the other end. He didn't wait for my reply, I rubbed my face with my hand, he’s gonna hear it from someone else, and then lose his shit at me. I too well remember how shit goes working when only half the story gets out. That time with Sam still haunts me, for both Sam and Ben. “FUCK!!”.

Click. “Jamie, what the fuck? Are you ok?” His voice was much quieter. I could feel the apprehension in it, the urgency.

I took a breath and looked up to the sky – well bus roof lining - then down to my feet. “Yeah, I’m ok. These guys pulled up and assaulted Ryan and Dillon and me,” the last bit I offered meekly.

“YOU? Are you ok? You in a bus?” no pausing between words now, he was all up and about now. Simply, I’m royally fucked now. “Put-em on, Jamie, please.” The last bit was clearly through gritted teeth.

I looked at Tyler, the paramedic that was sitting in back with me. “It’s for you… Ben.” I handed him my cell.

“Hey… Ben,” Tyler paused for a few seconds. He sounded like he had a stutter, trying to speak, but Ben must have – nah, he was - firing questions without letting the guy answer.

Finally, he did. Tyler calmed him down saying it was precaution only, maybe a couple of cracked ribs at worse.

“Bloody hell, Aiden, do you always have to rat me out?” I guess I shouldn’t have said I’d call Ben later when he was pestering me, “but I didn’t want to worry Ben till I knew what was going on.”

So, Aiden said ‘Now’. I replied, ‘Ok, soon’. Yeah, he gave me that look - should have known.

Ben slipped into the ER like a ghost almost. "Hey!" I exclaimed as someone tried to lift my bedsheet, I opened my eyes. Yeah, it was Ben. I didn't even hear him. He continued to lift the sheet. He'd drawn one of the privacy curtains around. Man, I didn't hear that either.

“I’m going to check you out for myself, ok.” He was in full work mode, eyes were full of compassion, with a dash of fear and side of shock.

I just lay there while he checked me over, in almost silence, just the occasional “ouch” and “Fuck Ben! that hurts.” Yeah, it was nice to feel his hand on me, and the look on his face. I have never doubted that he loves me, not from day one, even when we broke up and stuff. I just knew.

“Ouch, fuck, BEN!” Okay, he was poking and pushing on a few spots. Yeah, my ribs hurt like a SOB. Surprisingly, when he pushed on my hip bones, it was like that knee - leg hammer trick, except it was my cock - it sprang to life in an instant.

"Hmm, seems someone is very happy to see me," he smiled a little and gave me a little tug. "Ok, I'm going to find your doctor." And with a kiss, he was gone, leaving me with some pain spots over my body and tenting the bedsheet. I could feel the embarrassment creep up my neck like a slow burn.

I could hear Ben’s voice slowly growing louder - he was in conversation with someone. I couldn’t make out who, but he was clearly in work mode by the tone. “Thank you, Robert, really - thank you. Yeah, he’s very lucky that it’s not worse.” I could hear the sounds the other guy was making but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. “Yeah, he’s been on a huge health kick for the last month or two, not that he needed to, but you’re right, it was definitely a factor in the lack of injuries he’s sustained… thanks again.” There was some more mumbling, “Yes, I will make sure he rests.”

Ben’s hand appeared at the privacy curtain opening it quietly as he slipped in.

“Hey, I’m happy to see you, too,” I offered in a solemn voice.

"Hey, you," he walked back over, gently cupping his hand around my jaw, his thumb resting between my chin and bottom lip. "I'm so happy to see you, and that you're ok. You frightened the hell out of me, Jamie. I just needed to, had to make sure you were ok. I was going out of my mind driving in here." He kissed me, slow, deep, packed with love. “The doctors said that your physical shape saved you somewhat. They were surprised how well you are, compared to the other guys that started it. Clearly they came off second best.”

Ben stepped back and looked at me, then smiled a little, leaning back in. “See I told you that if people saw you with your shirt off now, even more than before, they’d eye-fuck you.”

I giggled a little. “Why? Did the doctor want to make a house call… hmmm?”

Ben shot me a look. “No - the nurses, all of them drawing straws to give you a sponge down, clean you up a little.” He smirked, “I told them that you’re coming home now, I’d take care of it myself.”

“Aww, Ben, you stole their fun.” I played cutie.

“No Jamie, MY fun. No touchy-touchy.”

..o0o..

By the time we got home, it was close to 2200h. The house was silent except for Lucas and Hailey's voices in the front room. Lucas was trying his best to watch baseball without screaming the house down. Hailey, I think, was having more fun watching her husband try to be quiet, hand over mouth and muffled screams and all, lol.

“Hey, you!” Lucas jumped up as we came in the front door. “Nice bruises, fat lip, hey. How’d the other guys come off?” he smirked as he shadow-boxed his way up to me, all smiles.

“He clocked the sonofabitch good.” Aiden said. “Our own ‘Aussie Jeff Horn’ apparently. Two guys came at him and he floored both. Jack, his boss, took out the other one. My big strong brother-in-law, haha.”

“He was pretty good at it in Senior High school. I remember a few guys from the football team went four-on-one with Aiden after a practice match. One came from behind, knocked him out.

This one,” pointing at me, “jumped the last three rows in the bleachers and took on two of them before the rest of the team ran over. These guys had six inches and twenty pounds on him, and they came off second best.”

Ben looked at me in total shock, mouth open.

"He also went at it with that guy from Ohio State that jumped you, Lucas, right?" Hailey added.

“Yeah, saved my ass a few times.”

“Jamie, this is a whole other side of you that I didn’t know existed. It’s a… surprise.”

“And a bit of a turn on too, hey,” Hailey smiled.

"Hey guys, please." I held my hands up in surrender. "It's not like I go looking for fights - or want to - I hate fighting - I just…"

“Can’t stand by when someone is being bullied, right?”

"Yeah, Lucas. How many times did my dad say we had to stick up for each other no matter what?"

“Yeah, true, but at least you’re good at it.” Mumbling so only Ben could hear, “wouldn’t have had to if your brother wasn’t a total bullying dick when you were little. Should have kicked his ass some more.”

Lucas smiled brightly, “So Ben! He hasn’t told you about the black belt and stuff.”

"No, not a word. Lucas. Tell me more. Seems my husband is keeping a secret - a whole other side to him." Ben looked between Lucas, Hailey and me.

As they turned facing each other on the lounge, I was just trying to lower myself without letting on that the pain meds had worn off. Fuck, I have forgotten how much-cracked ribs hurt. I just smiled an uncomfortable smile. “Ok, there had been a few times when people I know or family were getting the crap beaten out of them, beyond a few punches.”

I spotted Lucas rolling his eyes. Something was eating him up, clearly.

"Because they might have pissed someone off or deserved it a little, hmm? Hey, how many times did Mason do you over? Ass!" Lucas fired back not at me, just out into the air really - point made.

"Yeah, well, Mom and Dad had us all take up Karate and a little boxing. So, see Ben, no biggie." I tried with a disarming smile that didn’t work.

“Some totally deserved it - still do if you ask me! Ouch, what the-Hailey?” Lucas grabbed his arm.

“Don’t, Lucas!” She shot him a look that would stop the rivers from running.

Was like he didn’t hear her, or could see the look I was giving him, the SHUT THE FK UP one. “Come on, Ben. I’ll tell you about how he got his 3rd Dan blackbelt and how a few of the local bullies back in town thought they'd try him on and failed badly while we get some food and beers that we brought over."

“Oh fuck me, no, Lucas, don’t!” I cried out as they headed off toward the kitchen looking for food. “Stop, guys! I’ll go, ok?” I got up stiffly, trying not to show any pain.

“No. Come on - sit down, Mr Horn. Ben and I got this.” Lucas joked.

Ben wandered back in. "You ok? You're looking pale. Need some more meds?"

I shook my head. Hailey shot me a short look. “I’m gonna be fucked after this, I'm sure.” I mumbled walking into the kitchen, leaving them free to plan my untimely death, lol.

..o0o..

Hailey looked between her husband and mine, gently rubbing her belly. Her job was to stop Lucas selling me out. "Now, you be nice to momma, ok? Stay off my bladder, please, and let's ask Uncle Ben what's got him looking a little lost. It’s time for your daddy to be quiet now." As her eyes drifted toward Lucas, stopping him mid-sentence.

"Hmm, what? What's up, honey?" Hailey asked Ben.

“Nothing, well… not much. I’m just a little surprised about Jamie having a blackbelt and all that stuff at work today.” There was a hint of sadness, or maybe feeling lost that Ben was wearing across his face.

"Have you ever seen him hit anyone or get into an argument, Ben?" She offered with a warm smile.

A look of pure shock came over his face. “No - never Hailey! That’s what makes it such a surprise. I’m not mad at him or anything, just surprised that he never mentioned it or talked about it. He is always the joker, and the clumsy ninja still.”

"Yeah, I was a little surprised too when Ann Marie mentioned it in passing about three months ago, plus I interrogated Lucas. Took me taking a sex holiday for three days until he told me the whole story." There was a look of… something going on in the background of Hailey’s mind.

“Damn Hailey, that’s some tough lovin’ right there! Shit - three days? Jamie goes stir crazy AFTER TWO,” we both said at the same time, laughing a little.

"Lucas, the same," she said, laughing. “End of day two, he's like on the edge and all,” she said, pulling a crazy face. “Haha, they are so alike. Anyways, years ago, when Jamie was here as a Freshman, the story goes, it all kicked off. Aiden used the story as an ice-breaker during a school visit last year talking to some local kids about bullying and how it can affect anyone. The kids didn’t believe anyone would bully Aiden – like, look at the size of him.”

“I know, right. Imagine if our boys were that big. Oh fuck, that’s hot as…” Ben’s face drifted off to some distant place where Jamie had about 25lbs of extra muscle on him.

“I know,” Hailey had the same thoughts and recognise that look. “Plus, our boys - they’re a bit taller than Aiden. Hmmm okay, maybe we’ll convince them to bulk up, hey?”

Both Hailey and Ben let out a laugh at the thought of converting their men from tall and lean like swimmers to quarterbacks: their faces gave away that they’d drifted off to muscle land and Jamie and Lucas were standing at the gates for them.

“So … he, Aiden, told them about his cousin that was younger than him and was easily twenty pounds lighter, jumped in to help him when he was being bullied. I wasn't sure who Ann Marie was talking about. I thought it was Mason or one of their mom's cousins, but no, it was Jamie. She told me all about it," she said, shaking her head.

“Huh… wow!” A mix of disbelief and intrigue was all over Ben.

"Yeah. When Lucas came home later, I asked him about it. He was all non-fussed and ignored it really. So, after some thinking time…" she smiled, nodding a knowing look.

“Three days, yeah?”

“Yep - three days in the cooler did the trick,” Hailey laughed.

“He started off about the whole black belt thing – it was to ‘walk quietly with a big stick’. Couldn’t tell me fast enough, hoping the holiday would end right there.”

“Did it?” Ben smiled.

“The holiday, yeah. Look, to be honest, I was getting a little antsy too, sitting on the sofa when Lucas walked past me, stopping right next to me, asking if I was ok. He was being so sweet, thought something was wrong… yeah they’re both a little slow on that right?”

Ben laughed, “At times, for smart guys, dumb as stone sometimes.”

“Anyways, I reached up, unzipped him and took matters into my own hands,” she laughed, giving Ben a sly look.

“You didn’t.” A half-smiling half-surprised Ben replied.

“Yeah, so once I got his full attention, I asked again about what Ann Marie said. To his credit, he didn’t give it up straight away. I had to stop and look like I wasn’t playing anymore.”

“OMG Hailey - you’re my hero.”

Smiling at his sister in law’s tactics, he asked, "What the heck is that - a Teddy Roosevelt saying, yeah?"

“Yeah, Lucas said it means to not raise your voice - go quiet, and I guess, but, if shit starts, use the big stick.”

"Have to say, is it wrong, in a way, that it's kind of a turn-on?" Ben flashed his eyes.

Hailey laughed. “Not wrong at all. It’s kinda hot in a dirty way, right?” Both nodded in their dirty pleasure. “The rest of it was a surprise, but not when you think about it.”

A little concerned, Ben offered, “So what do you mean the rest of it … what did he do?” Ben put his hand to his mouth involuntarily, trying to hide a sudden fear about what she meant.

"No, Ben, relax!" She placed a steadying hand on his leg. "Mason is at the center of it all. No surprises there, right?”

"No, none," Ben answered suspiciously, unsure. "Look… he's been nice to me, but honestly over the last few years we've not really had much contact with him or Kate. Jamie keeps in contact with Steph, Todd, and Katie's kids, but not his twin siblings."

“Ok, I’ll tell you, but you got to promise me that you won’t lose it, ok? No southern justice ok? Promise, Ben?”

“Cross my heart - but why?” A look of concern, mixed with ‘someone hurts my man, they will pay’ swept his face.

“Ok, so when Jamie was little and until he was about 14 years old, Mason used to bully him. Beat his ass all the time when the parents weren’t home or Stephanie.”

“Yeah my brother did the same, but we were pretty equal. Did the 18 months between Jamie and Mason, you know, make such a difference? Shouldn’t have, you know, been much?”

“Jamie was pretty quiet, almost timid, Lucas said. Mason, according to Lucas and Ann Marie, was a bit of a predator - would take any opportunity to stand over Jamie, super jealous of Jamie because he was so liked by everyone - made friends easily, good at sports, you get the picture.”

“Total opposite of Mason, right?”

"Yeah, so Mason full-on watched everything Jamie did, always looking for and, unfortunately, finding his weakness' apparently … like when he liked a toy, Mason would bust it all up."

“Doesn’t surprise me, my poor baby.” I’m gonna kick his ass when I see him.

“Yeah, or if he liked someone, like a girl, or made new friends at school or home, he’d make it his life goal to stuff it up for Jamie.”

“BINGO! That’s why he does it at times…” it dawned on Ben.

“Does what,” Hailey asked quizzically.

“Not as much now. When we first got together, but, well yeah for the past few weeks too, since there has been talk of Mason coming over for 4th July.” Ben paused, “He- Jamie - gets all distracted… weirdly, when it’s something that he’s really into, you know, likes!”

"Yeah, Lucas said that Jamie learned to hide stuff from Mason - most people, really, except for Steph and him - so Mason didn't wreck it."

“What did his folks do? Why didn’t they stop him? It just doesn’t seem like Robert or Kate.”

"Mason had them all fooled. And most of the time, Katie sided with Mason, said it didn't happen, wasn’t as bad as Jamie said they were just playing around or said she didn't see anything. They thought the bruises and withdrawn behaviour sometimes was some other kids at their school bullying Jamie."

Ben’s face just dropped, shaking his head, a mix of anger, sadness and a dose of bloody-minded revenge flowing around his body in an instant. “I thought Katie was so nice. I know Jamie and she aren’t that close, like his other sister.”

"Lucas said that the school counsellor here in the states,” Ben looked shocked. “Yeah… Lucas and Aiden made Jamie see the school counsellor when he was here studying. Apparently, back in Australia, they didn't have counselling services in the schools. But, the counsellors here helped him, really helped him. The year here in the States helped Jamie a lot in so many ways it seems."

A tear slipped from Ben's cheek. "I had no idea. Jamie never said… told me. Why, Hailey?" Feeling a little heartbroken that his husband hadn’t said anything about this ever, not even hinted.

"Hey, it's ok sweetheart." Hailey gently rubbed Ben's back. “It’s pretty sad really. I cried a bit when Lucas told me, too. I wanted to kick Mason’s ass, still do really, but Lucas made me promise, like you did to me.” She looked blankly at Ben.

Ben looked up. “Want to, my blood is boiling at the moment, no, yes … want to, yes.”

“You promised, Benjamin - no Southern justice.” Hailey pointed at him with a look that could bend steel. He said, "Ok! No!”

“Lucas says that he just wanted to put it behind him, plus he kicked Mason's ass pretty good a few times, so lesson learned. Then there was some huge fight between Jamie and Mason when Jamie was around 16-17. Lucas said Jamie whooped him good. After that, there has been this nervous truce between them."

“If he comes here and starts on my husband…” Ben’s face flashed all red, not from embarrassment, but a good deal of anger, “…I’m not the type to get angry, Hailey - this angry - but at the moment…”

She cut him off. "If he does, Lucas and Aiden will beat his ass. Apparently, they've waited years for the… an opportunity to get some revenge for Jamie. Mason's too smart for that. He won't cause a scene." Ben raised his eyebrows in thought. "Hopefully, Ben, he's matured a little - your brother-in-law, that is."

Ben pulled a face like he’d just bit into sour fruit. “Brother-in-law - don’t remind me.”

..o0o..

Hailey and Ben both laughed as I came back, breaking the tension. My eye was drawn to the partners who had been in deep conversation for far too long.

"Everything ok with you two? Should we be worried?"

“No Jamie, we're just talking about you, not to you."

Looking at Lucas, he sighed, “I’m a goner, aren’t I, Luc?”

“Probably, but if he’s been here this long, I think you’re safe, buddy.”

“Pay no mind to them. Anyways, I asked Lucas if he had a black belt somewhere, but sadly no, he stopped at brown belt. Jamie was too good at it. So was Katie. Said he just got Jamie or his brothers to fight his battles, didn’t you, honeybun?" she teased, looking at Lucas, who was looking all shy.

"That's so Lucas, right? But you mean my sister-in-law Katie?"

"That's the one. Apparently, she, Jamie and his friend Sean were very good at it."

“Hmm, I wonder if that’s why he never mentioned it or the whole Mason issue?”

“Not sure. It’s so just not the Jamie we all know, well, before … I guess it’s just part of his background.”

“You guys know I’m standing right here yeah!” Ben and Hailey just smiled.

..o0o..

After a few hours of quiet laughter and deep conversations with the three best people in the world, my body was screaming for bed. “Hey Ben,” I quietly interrupted.

“Yeah, honey? You ok?” Ben was giving me that look, like he was conducting a full body-scan with his eyes, looking for issues.

"Think I need to go to bed.” My body was hurting like fuck. The meds wore off about an hour ago. I was trying to push through it, but fuck, I was close to tears. “I’m sorry to be a pain in the ass. Could you show me where the meds are, please?" I stiffly got up. “Fuck,” it was like lightning wrapping around my body - lots of places were sore - they all yelled out in unison.

Hailey and Lucas stood up. "We're gonna go too. See you later in the week. You need to get some rest, ok?" Lucas’ eyes were searching me also, - he spotted it, the pain that is. Quietly, he walked over to me “Don’t be a hardhead, Jamie,” his voice just above a whisper. “Let me help you.” Gently grabbing my forearm and steadying me on my feet.

“Thanks,” I replied breathlessly.

Out the corner of my eye, I watched Hailey grab Ben's arm, whispering just loud enough for me to hear, "If you're worried, need a talk, call me, ok? Don't stress, ok? He’s the same guy, right - just with an added serve of edginess?" She kissed Ben's cheek.

Like the ninety-year-old version of me would do, I slowly walked out to the kitchen and left it to Ben to see them out. “Bye guys, and thanks!” I waved without turning around.

..o0o..

Thankfully, my husband grabbed the meds and handed them to me with some water as I sat on the end of the bed. I was wearing some sweatpants and a loose tee which Ben quickly, but so gently, helped me out of. He gently pulled me up for a moment, slipping my sweatpants down.

"Trunks or no?" he asked, with his fingers in the waistband.

"No please. I want you to cuddle up to me. I need to feel you." The drugs were kicking in. I was a mix of sad that I'd never told Ben and he was hurt by it, sore because of those dickheads, and horny because… my husband is so fucking hot.

"Sure!" And with that, I was standing there naked, a few bandaids here and there, and a light bandage protecting my right side, oh and yeah my cock that has its own mind - it wanted to play, hard as a rock I was. Damn - those drugs were good, like real good.

“Hmmm … someone is a little worked up. How about you lie down and I’ll get you all sorted… him too,” he replied, giving my cock a lick from midway to tip.

As we lay down, my mind was full of the day's events, but even more – yeah, I was in pain - but fuck, I was still horny as hell.

“Ben,” I asked quietly.

“Yeah?”

I could feel his heat. I was laying on my back, stiffly. He was side on, not quite touching me, but our breathing would sync, and we’d touch for a second here and there.

“Love you. I’m sorry.” My voice sounded washed out, even from my side of it. The ‘sorry’ sounded mournful almost.

Sounding a little surprised, he questioned, “Why are you sorry? You’re amazing, jumping in to help friends, beating two guys in the process. I’m just glad you’re not seriously hurt, Skip.”

Looking sideways at his beautiful face, all I saw looking back at me was compassion and love. I’m so fucking lucky to have this guy. “Thanks. It’s not that.” I couldn’t help the involuntary sigh. “It's that I never told you about the self-defense stuff. I'm sorry. I just put it to the back of my mind and forgot about it, really."

“And the Mason stuff too?” He sounded a little mad, but I didn’t feel like it was directed at me.

Normally I’d feel tense even thinking about my dick of a brother, but this was stoned Jamie - I could give a fuck really. "Lucas told you, huh?" I was sure I felt for a moment the sick feeling that started in the pit of my stomach, but it passed pretty quickly… the drugs for sure. "I still hate … nah, I can’t say hate … my brother. Mom and Dad would lose it at us if we said we hated one or the other.” Ben just shook his head - I could see the thoughts running through his mind: yeah, Ben hated Mason, of that I’m sure. “I just dislike him a lot - I mean a fucking lot - like a hair’s width less that hate. Just that, all that stuff as a kid, the thought of it makes me angry, no matter how much I tried to get over it. So, I just pushed it, all of it - even the martial arts stuff - to the back of my mind.” I turned my head slightly, looking directly at Ben. He’d slid over closer to me. I could feel his warmth along my side, like a sexy heater radiator. “Ben, I can't forgive him. I’ve tried to, but I just can’t. I know it’s weak of me.” I paused for a second. I could feel some emotion, “I really want to laugh for some reason… hmm drugs. Ben, this shit is good!” I felt the stupid smile wrap my face. “I can’t forgive Katie fully either, if I’m being honest."

Ben looked at me, placing his hand on my abdomen, just below my belly button. He knows I like it when he does that. What a sweetie!

“No, Jamie, don’t be pissed at Lucas. He told Hailey after Ann Marie let it slip, and Aiden confirmed it, too. Hailey got it out of Lucas - she put him in the sex cooler for three days.”

My eyes widened at the thought. “Man … three days no sex … banned. Poor Lucas! Are they ok? Are you ok, Ben?”

“It’s all good, Jamie, all good.”

“Ben,” my thoughts were getting slower, the drugs were taking over. “Drugs kicking in big time, but damn - still horny.”

“Yeah, Skip? What’s up? You hurting too much?”

"Nah - I just wanted to say, I love you so much.” I could hear myself talking but I was not in control: the guys in my head pushing the buttons and levers - they had control. “I feel weird when I talk dirty, like I'm disrespecting you. I'm sorry, I know you like it and I’ma gonna try, ok." I could tell my words and thoughts were in a fog now. “No more secrets, ok.” I nodded at my own comment, like it was affirming it, I was totally stoned.

A smile that warmed my heart wrapped around his face. "No secrets, ok. I got yah."

“There’s one more.” I was looking straight at him. I didn’t even know what was going on now. Seriously, the guy in my head with the microphone, someone cut him off!

“More what?” He looked puzzled.

“Secrets.” My voice sounded like I was about to say, “Duh..” yep, there it is. Ben half-smiled. I think more at the stupid sounds I was making more than anything else. “Lucas and I, we jerked each other off when we were younger, just once. Todd was all pissy for months when he found out, he wanted in too! Mind you, Stephanie had already told me how big he was, and stuff, he’s packing some heat, Benny,” I answered with a look of honesty on my face, sure I was about to cross my heart and stuff. “We’d compared our cocks after watching some of Aiden's porn, and noticed that they looked the same, like identical, even down to the weird little veins wrapping up the sides you know, my dick spider legs,” nodding at Ben. He just smiled. “So, we wanted to see if they felt the same since they looked the same.”

Ben tried not to laugh. "Damn - those drugs are good, Skip." Curiosity got the better of him. “So, did they feel the same?” Ben thought, ‘Jamie’s talking so cute like, it’s taking me all my strength not to laugh at him.’

“On the outside, yeah, same - so weird, like… I stroked mine a few times then Lucas’ then mine again. In my hand they felt so much the same, Lucas did the same, he said it too - it just felt different, someone else holding it, though. We didn’t do anymore - it was just a curiosity thing. Please don’t think bad of me or Luc, please Benny.”

‘Oh yeah, Jamie's out of it now. “Benny” only when he's smashed.’ "It's ok Jamie. I wouldn't be surprised if you guys had done more. You’re so close. It's ok - don't worry."

"Love you, Benny,"

"I don't want you to EVER do anything you don't like, ok, between us, in the bedroom?" He leaned in and kissed me, a gentle loving kiss. "I know you'll never disrespect me or hurt me, Jamie."

“I still wanna skull fu…”. The words faded on my tongue.

“Yeah my prince charming. You will get to skull fuck me, but for now I’m going to get you off.”

He took my hard cock in his mouth, suctioning it just the way he likes it. I swear I was almost floating.

“Jamie, I want your last memories of today to be happy ones.”

I couldn’t even answer. My breathing was level now, a few little moans of pleasure escaped my mouth. My arm lazily draped over his hip as he was holding me.

"Oh god – yes, Benny!" And with that, I came. It all went black.

Ben lay there thinking. Jamie needed to rest, looking at his banged-up husband, so strong in so many ways, but so vulnerable too. ‘I’ll let him know that he told me about him and Lucas and be chilled – it’s nothing to stress over.’ His mind was fixed on something else, totally focused. ‘I’m going to protect him from any and all.’

..o0o..