A Clean Break (Gay Amish Romance Book 2) (24 page)

“For the war. Vietnam.” Gary made David another drink, pouring the vodka with a high lift of his arm and not spilling a drop. “They drafted men—into the army, I mean—until the end of seventy-two, and I turned eighteen a couple months later. I hadn’t really wanted to go to college, but I thought I’d better. We still didn’t know if they’d extend the draft after all.”

It rang a faint bell. “So if you were drafted, you had no choice but to go to war?”

“That’s right.” Gary wiped the counter with a cloth. “Maybe it was cowardly, but I had no desire to go kill in the jungle. Or die there, thank you very much.”

“I don’t blame you.” David shuddered at the thought of war. “There’s so much I don’t know. We only go to school until the eighth grade, and we don’t learn much at all about the outside world. I’ve read English books in the last few years, but I need to read more, apparently.”

“No shame in that. Believe me, there are plenty of people who’ve had all the opportunities in the world to learn and can’t find their ass with two hands. Let me tell you about a guy I used to know in college.”

Laughing, David listened to Gary’s stories. When he finished his drink, he thought about getting another. He felt so content. But then he noticed the clock behind the bar. “Is it almost nine?”

“It is.”

David’s stomach dropped. He must have wandered the streets for longer than he thought. “I’m usually home by six-thirty. Isaac will wonder where I am.” He pulled money from his pocket. “How much do I owe you?”

“The first was on the house, so fifteen dollars for the others.”

Should I argue? Would that be rude?
“All right. Thank you very much.” He peeled off a twenty dollar bill. “Is that enough of a tip? I honestly don’t know.”

Gary smiled. “It’s more than enough. I’ll give you some change.”

“No! Please keep it all. Thank you.”

“Okay then. It was a real pleasure meeting you, David. Come back again soon. Oh, let me get you those directions.” He pulled out a pen and picked up a square paper napkin. “It’s real simple.”

“Thank you for your help, and for the drink. It was very good to meet you.”

“Don’t be a stranger.” Gary extended his hand.

They shook, and when David navigated the few blocks to where he could catch the bus, he found himself smiling, his whole body tingling and flushed. He stopped in a little bodega to buy a plastic container of strong mints. He didn’t want Isaac to know he’d been out drinking. English people did it all the time, but it might worry him. Still, David had needed directions, so it was a good thing he found the bar.

He sucked a mint as he waited for the bus. His earlier terror was distant now, and he hummed a nameless song. It was raining again, but it shimmered in the streetlights, and he didn’t care that his feet were wet.

“You’ve got the charger, right?”

“I do.” David drew his hand across Isaac’s back and kissed his cheek as he got up from his stool at the counter. “I promise I won’t let it happen again.”

Isaac scooped his spoon into his bowl. “I don’t mean to nag. It was just…” He crunched a mouthful of cereal and played idly with the zipper on his blue hoodie.

David knew Isaac had been worried sick by the time he’d come home. Isaac had even had Aaron drive him to the workshop to check for David. Guilt mingled with affection as he thought of how tightly Isaac had clung to him as they went to sleep.

The dishwasher was a contraption David hadn’t tried to figure out yet, but he squeezed in his spoon and bowl. That much he could do. He came back around the counter and wrapped his arms around Isaac, tucking his chin over Isaac’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Isaac leaned back, tracing his fingers over David’s hands. “All these terrible thoughts went through my head. If you’d been hit by a car, they wouldn’t even know who to call.”

Imagining that happening to Isaac sent an icy shiver through David. “We should get wallets, and we can write our numbers down. For an emergency.”

“That’s a good idea. I suppose we should get wallets anyway. Hopefully we’ll be able to get our ID soon.”

David thought of the bottle of vodka he still needed to buy, and was glad Isaac couldn’t see his face. Surely he’d find some place that would sell it to him, and he’d make sure he didn’t drink anymore and wouldn’t need to replace it again.

He ran his hands over Isaac’s thighs and hips, feeling his empty pockets. “You never carry the knife now.” Instead it sat on the little table beside their bed.

“I’m not allowed to bring it to school.”

It made perfect sense, but it still saddened David for a reason he couldn’t name.

“Hey, do you want to see a movie tonight?” Isaac asked.

“Sure.” A memory of Isaac beside him in June’s truck, staring rapt at the Sky-Vu screen made David smile. He wished San Francisco had a drive-in. Maybe there was one nearby in summer. Of course he’d have to get his driver’s license, and the thought of city traffic made his palms sweat and pulse leap.

“Chris said he’ll pick up tickets this afternoon, so we’ll just give him the money tonight.” Isaac scraped his spoon on the bottom of his bowl.

David’s smile faded. “Chris?”

“Yeah. Lola’s coming too. They really want to meet you. It’ll be fun.”

Fun
. David knew it should be, but thoughts tripped through his mind uneasily.
What if they don’t like me? What if I say something stupid? What if I embarrass Isaac?
With a kiss to Isaac’s neck, he went to the fridge and poked around.

He hadn’t really had friends in Zebulon. After he left school there was so much work to do at home, but more than that he’d started to realize that the unnatural urges that left him waking with shamefully sticky sheets were only getting stronger as time went on. What if his friends could tell? It was better to keep his distance.

Until Isaac changed everything. He was glad Isaac had made friends at school, but the idea of meeting them was daunting. He thought of something he’d seen on TV—making a good first impression, the English called it. He wanted to be at his best when he met Isaac’s new friends. His smartest. He’d meet them after he’d had the chance to read some more books. When he had more to talk about.
Soon
. Next week, even. Yes, he’d meet them next week.

“Oh, wait.” David opened one of the cupboards and took out a jar of peanut butter. He didn’t look at Isaac as he went about making a sandwich. “I just remembered I have to work late tonight.”

“You do? Why?”

David dragged his bare toe along the seam of one of the pieces of hardwood as he put two slices of bread on the counter by the sink. From the corner of his eye, he could see Isaac watching him, his spoon hovering in midair. “I have a new order I really need to work on. For one of Clark’s friends.” It was true that Clark’s friend had asked about a desk.

“Clark?” Isaac asked, and then mumbled something.

“He told a bunch of people about the table. He’s been really helpful.” David spread the peanut butter over the bread, making sure it reached all four corners.

Isaac snorted. “Uh-huh.”

“What?” David looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

Eyes on his bowl, Isaac shrugged. “Nothing. He’s just weird.”

David frowned. It was so unlike Isaac to talk of someone that way. “Why? I know the makeup and the way he dresses to go out is…different. But he’s nice. And he’s a paying customer.”

“I know.” Isaac shook his head. “I’m just disappointed about the movie. Do you want me to skip it and help you work?”

Yes
. “No, of course not. Go to the movie with your friends. Have fun.”

“Are you sure?”

No
. “Absolutely.” It wasn’t fair for Isaac to miss the movie because David was too nervous to meet new people.

“But I haven’t been doing enough. You’ve been giving Aaron money for the things he bought
both
of us.”

“Of course I have. You don’t need to worry about money.”

He pulled out the roll of foil from a drawer with a frown. Jen and Aaron had told him repeatedly to eat anything he wanted, but David knew he should be buying his own groceries. He was giving Aaron back as much money as he could as quickly as possible, but here he was eating their food.

Yet when he’d stopped at the grocery store on his way home one night, he’d only gone down one aisle before being completely overwhelmed. June had always stocked the little fridge in his workshop at her farm, and of course Mother had taken care of food at home.

Isaac huffed as he came around the end of the counter. “Yes, I do need to worry about money. I can’t just expect you and my brother to pay for everything. It’s not fair.”

David waved a hand. “Isaac, it’s fine. You should have fun.”

“So should you! But all you do is
work
.” Isaac yanked open the dishwasher. “And this is full. Why didn’t you put it on?”

“I don’t know how.”

“It’s not hard.” Isaac flung open the cabinet under the sink and pulled out the detergent. “Just fill up the little soap holder.” He squeezed the bottle violently. “Then close the door and press this button. See? Easy. If I can learn how to do it, so can you.”

As the sound of water flowing into the dishwasher hummed, David tried to keep his voice even. “Yes, I see. And we just went to the beach two days ago.” Although that hadn’t quite ended up being
fun
. “I have to make up the time.”

“I know! But…” Isaac shook his head. “Forget it.”

“Fine.” David yanked out the foil and ripped it off on the jagged edge of the box, wincing as he caught his index finger. Grumbling, he shook his hand.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” he muttered, swiping at the drop of blood on his finger.

“Let me see.” Isaac snagged David’s wrist and lifted his hand. He pressed his thumb to the cut.

“It’s nothing.” But David didn’t pull away, enjoying the warmth of Isaac being near. He wasn’t sure how they’d gone from a peaceful breakfast to sniping at each other. He rubbed his other hand over Isaac’s hip, drawing him closer.

A little smile flitted over Isaac’s face before he brought David’s finger to his mouth gently. “Kiss it better,” he murmured. “I saw it on TV.”

When David covered Isaac’s mouth with his own, he tasted a hint of his blood. Aaron had gone to work, and Jen wouldn’t be home from her night shift for a while since she was covering a few extra hours, so David gripped Isaac’s hips and pushed him back against the edge of the counter.

As he licked into Isaac’s mouth, loving the twist of Isaac’s fingers in his hair, everything else faded away. Here, he was back on solid ground—just him and Isaac, with no worries about money, or how to buy groceries, or work dishwashers, or new friends to impress. Here, David knew what he was doing. He sank to his knees and pulled up Isaac’s T-shirt and hoodie, kissing Isaac’s belly and tugging at the button on his jeans.

With the hardwood beneath his knees, he could almost imagine they were back in the barn, hidden away in one of the stalls with Kaffi nickering nearby. Isaac caressed David’s head and shoulders, his fingers dipping below the neck of David’s T-shirt. After peeling Isaac’s jeans down his thighs and nosing at his swelling cock through his underwear, David smiled up at him.

“Trying the briefs again?”

“Uh-huh.” Isaac licked his lips. “They feel tight. Especially now.”

“Mmm. I bet.” David sucked at Isaac’s cock through the gray cotton while he traced patterns on Isaac’s hips. David had taken to boxers, although at home in his sweatpants or pajama bottoms he didn’t wear anything at all. He mouthed at the wet head of Isaac’s shaft while his fingers explored the familiar landscape of Isaac’s thighs, connecting the dots of pale freckles and brushing through the sparse hair.

“
Please
.” Isaac groaned, thrusting his hips.

David teased him for another minute, inching the briefs down with more fleeting kisses and caresses. When he finally filled his mouth with Isaac’s cock, he moaned at the familiar taste. He loved the feeling of it stretching his lips, spit leaking from the corners of his mouth as he sucked.

Twitching, Isaac palmed the back of David’s head with one hand, the other clutching the counter behind him. “Yes, my David. It feels so good. Does it feel like this when I do it for you?” He gasped. “So perfect?”

Nodding, David sucked harder and reached for Isaac’s balls, done with teasing and desperate to taste his release—needing to be the one who gave it to him. He touched the sensitive places he’d discovered over the months, each cry and shudder from Isaac’s lips filling him with satisfaction and pride. This was something he wouldn’t get wrong. This would always be the same no matter where they were.

When Isaac came in his mouth, David swallowed greedily, his nostrils flaring. He was hard in his jeans, but he didn’t touch himself—concentrating only on Isaac and drawing out every last shiver of pleasure until Isaac pushed at his head.

“Okay, okay. Too much.”

Then Isaac was on the floor with him, kissing him deeply and tugging at David’s pants. They rolled around in the middle of the kitchen, laughing when Isaac swore at David’s zipper. They tasted and touched until Isaac was on his back and David’s jeans and boxers were around his shins. Isaac yanked David’s hips toward him until David’s knees were wide on either side of Isaac’s neck.