Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 03 - Of Dark and Bright (7 page)

“It’s nice to see you’ve found a hobby that lets you relax and enjoy yourself,” Jeff said as he eased himself onto the stool next to Evan’s.

“They’re going to be croissants, right?” Evan wanted to be supportive. “If you want, I can just go pick some up at the bakery, and we can slop the onions and bacon on top—it’d work.”

“That’s not what they’re supposed to be,” Dan said. “The onions and bacon are supposed to go inside.” He frowned at Evan, and it was clear that he was trying not to admit to his own absurdity. “
Inside!
” he insisted.

“Well, this
is
serious,” Jeff agreed. “Evan—get me some coffee. Dan—I think the butter’s good right now. Go to it.”

Evan was off his chair and moving toward the coffeemaker, but Dan just stared at Jeff. “You really have no idea what state the butter’s in, do you?”

“None whatsoever,” Jeff agreed easily.

 

“So you’ll take full responsibility for any greasiness?” Dan raised an eyebrow challengingly. “
Full
responsibility?”

 

“You bet,” Jeff said.

 

“Coffeeboy,” Dan barked. “Refill me while you’re at it. I have butter to spread.”

Evan did as he was told, and when he returned to his stool, Jeff rewarded his obedience by reaching a hand over and resting it on Evan’s thigh, a finger’s breadth away from his half-hard cock. Halfhard, but working its way up, if Jeff’s fingers kept moving like that. Evan shifted a little to give Jeff better access, but Jeff moved his hand just enough to maintain some distance. Evan’s cock twitched enthusiastically at the same time that he bit back a groan of frustration. More teasing from Jeff. The bastard was really good at it.

By the time Dan had finished whatever the hell he was doing, Evan was achingly hard, even though his cock had yet to be touched. Dan put a tray in the fridge and turned toward the breakfast bar. “That needs to chill for half an hour,” he said. Then he grinned. “And judging by how quiet you two have gotten, there’s something we could be doing with that time….”

“Get over here,” Evan practically gasped.

 

“Bedroom,” Dan said firmly. “Tat’s at a friend’s house, not out of town. She could come back at any minute.”

“It’s eight in the morning,” Evan objected. “She won’t be awake for hours.” Still, he appreciated the caution, and eased to his feet. He saw Dan grin at the bulge in his pajama bottoms and reached a hand down to cup himself. “While you were cooking something for us, we cooked up something for you,” he said. He tried to sound seductive, but there was no way
anyone
could carry off a line that cheesy, and he wasn’t hurt when Dan snorted a half laugh at him.

Then Dan’s expression changed, got sharp and almost dangerous, and Evan felt a chill go down his spine as his cock hardened even more. It was going to be one of
those
times, was it?

“Get your ass in the bedroom,” Dan said. His voice was quiet but firm, and Evan didn’t even think about objecting.

 

“Yes, sir,” he agreed.

He started moving, but stopped abruptly when Jeff’s hand clamped down on his shoulder. “Strip first,” Jeff ordered. “I want you naked when you walk down that hallway.”

Evan’s arms were moving, pulling his shirt off over his head, before he was even aware of it. They had him well-conditioned, he guessed. And it wasn’t like he ever really objected to getting naked. He shoved his pants down without any fanfare, taking his underwear with it, and then stepped back. He smiled a little to himself as he bent from the waist to scoop up the pile of clothes. He knew both Jeff and Dan were in position to get a good view. But he wasn’t supposed to be in charge of this, so he didn’t push his ideas any further. He just started walking, one hand wrapped around his cock, the other holding his laundry, and he knew damn well that Jeff and Dan were behind him.

He’d known they were there, but he hadn’t known how close. And he hadn’t realized that they were shedding their clothes too, not until two bare chests pressed up against the sides of his back, until two hot mouths found his neck. And then two strong hands reached forward, one from each side of his body, and tangled their fingers together, wrapping around his straining cock. He dropped his clothes as his hands clutched at the air, trying desperately to find control in a world that was spinning wildly, deliciously sideways.

“You want both of us, Evan?” Dan asked, and Evan knew exactly what he meant. They’d done it before, a couple times. It was intense, almost too much. Almost, but not quite. “You want us?” Dan’s voice was rough and demanding, but Evan knew that there was no way Dan would go ahead if Evan was even a little hesitant.

“Fuck, yeah,” Evan said.
“You’re sure?” Jeff always had to be the careful one.

Evan turned in his direction, brought their lips together, and made the kiss deep and wet. “Absolutely,” he said.

Dan’s hand was already working down to Evan’s ass. Just kneading the muscles, for now, but it was all part of the process. Maximum relaxation. Jeff smiled as he slid a finger into his own mouth, then pulled it out, slick and glistening. Evan stared at the finger as if it was hypnotizing him, following its slow descent until it was out of sight between his legs. Jeff’s mouth followed his finger partway, but stopped at Evan’s cock while his finger continued farther back. Evan knew what was coming, but he still gasped at the first wet touch against the sensitive skin of his hole. His body shuddered its acceptance as the finger eased inside, and Jeff’s mouth rewarded him with firm suction and quick tongue flicks. The sensations were already almost overwhelming, but Evan knew that he was about to experience even more.

“Bed,” Dan said, and Evan could tell he was speaking to Jeff because it sounded like a suggestion instead of an order.

Apparently Jeff agreed, because his mouth slipped away reluctantly, and his finger eased out of Evan’s ass. “Me on the bottom?” Jeff asked as he started for the bed.

“Worked last time,” Dan agreed. “Do you want to switch it up?” He was still next to Evan, still kissing his neck, running his hands all over his body, and when Jeff leaned back on the bed and wrapped his hand around his own cock, the combination of physical and visual stimulation was almost too much.

“Nope,” Jeff said simply. He reached his free hand over to the bedside table and retrieved the bottle of lube. He squirted a little into his hand and ran that over his cock, smiling at Evan’s expression.

“Okay,” Dan said into Evan’s ear, the proximity sending shivers down Evan’s spine. “Let’s go.”

So they did. Evan let himself be guided over to the bed. He let himself be arranged, massaged, explored, and stimulated. He let his mind float away beyond rational thought, beyond anything but sensations and love and trust, and when Dan guided him over to straddle Jeff, he went willingly. When Jeff eased his cock between Evan’s cheeks, found the hole and worked his way in, there was barely even a stretch, just a pleasant friction and fullness.

Evan let Jeff pull him forward, bending at the waist and finding Jeff’s lips with his own. He wasn’t surprised to feel Dan’s slick finger playing over Jeff’s cock, easing inside the ring of muscles to continue its exploration inside Evan’s body. Another finger, and a third, and there was stretching now, absolutely. Evan let himself move, let his body adjust and start to enjoy the extreme sensations, and when he knew he was ready, he kissed Jeff deeply and then turned his head. “Do it, Danny,” he said.

And Dan did. The first time they’d done this, there had been hesitation. Jeff had almost gone soft, he was so worried about hurting Evan, and Dan had pushed partway in only to pull out immediately and then start the whole process over again. Finally, Evan had convinced them that the tease was more painful than the stretch, and they’d gotten down to business. This time, Dan was confident. He was taking what he wanted, and Evan was happy to give it to him. He arched his back as Dan slid inside, breathed in an almost gasping breath at the stretch, and then braced himself.

He was dimly aware of Jeff, one hand on Evan’s face, the other on Evan’s cock, jacking him slow and firm in time with Dan’s movements. But mostly, he was lost. It wasn’t painful, it was just too much, too intense, and he felt like his world had simultaneously narrowed down to an incredibly bright point of pleasure and expanded to a diffuse, incomprehensibly large wash of sensation and brightness. He had no idea how long they were joined like that, no idea of the actual words that Jeff and Dan were saying in their quiet, husky voices. Even the orgasm that he could feel building seemed somehow inconsequential; it would release a tiny bit of the pressure building in his body, but not enough to make a difference. Evan didn’t know what
would
make a difference. He didn’t want the feeling to end, not ever, but at the same time, he needed it to. It was getting too intense, too extreme, and he wasn’t sure his body could handle it for much longer.

He heard a new sound and realized that it was his own voice, high and strained. He wasn’t saying words, wasn’t trying to express anything. He heard the volume building, heard Jeff’s words of what had to be encouragement, and then his orgasm washed over him, through him, and swept him away.

He came back to himself as he was being shifted gently to the side, snuggled in next to Jeff, whose body was almost as sweaty and spent as his own. “You okay, kid?” Jeff asked with a gentle kiss to Evan’s temple.

“Fuck,” Evan said. He was pretty sure there was more, but he didn’t have the words.

Dan had been tidying up a little, and he pulled the blankets up over them all before sliding in on Evan’s far side. “Yeah,” he agreed. He kissed Evan’s neck. “You get
two
croissants, after that.”

“I don’t know,” Evan managed. He was feeling more like himself. “I heard they were maybe going to be greasy. The butter wasn’t soft enough. That’s what I heard.”

“You heard
wrong
,” Dan said with another kiss, this time to Evan’s temple. “They’re gonna be delicious.”

“Okay,” Evan agreed, and he snuggled in and let himself drift off to sleep.
“
B
UT she
wants
to go fast,” Tat said, only a hint of a whine in her voice. “That’s good for the cross-country, right?”

Jeff smiled at Dan’s patient nod. “Yeah, it’s good for the crosscountry.” Dan raised his eyebrows and tilted his head back far enough so he could see Tat, on her horse, from his spot on the ground. “But, Tat… are you currently
riding
her across the country?”

Tat rolled her eyes a little. Not enough to be insolent; as far as Jeff knew, she’d never tried that with Dan. And he’d never objected to her displays of independent thought. “No.”

“So don’t worry about what’s good for cross-country. Worry about stadium jumping. And for that, I want her controlled. Maybe even relaxed.” He reached up and gripped Tat’s knee, shaking it gently. “Might help if her rider was a bit more relaxed,” he suggested, and he looked pointedly at the reins. “If you keep pulling on her mouth, I’m going to make you ride her without using your hands.”

Tat gave him another dirty look. “Just because
you
can do that doesn’t mean that normal people can.”

“Ride with your seat, Tat. All the time, not just for dressage.” Dan stepped away and said, “I’m going to set up some trotting poles. You need to get her calmed down before you let her jump any more. Do the poles until she’s bored of them, and if you’re a very good girl, I’ll set up an X at the end of them for a few rounds before you cool her out.”

“Dan,” Tat whined.

 

“Tat?” Dan’s voice had just a hint of warning in it. Not heavy, but enough for Tat to hear, and she responded with another eye roll.

She leaned forward and patted the mare’s neck. “Trotting poles will be fun, won’t they?” she said. She scowled at Dan, smiled sweetly at Jeff, and headed back to work.

Jeff leaned his arms on the top rail of the fence as Dan ducked through and came to stand beside him. “She never pulls the ‘it’s my barn and I’ll do what I want’ trick?” Jeff asked.

“Not once,” Dan said. He sounded proud. “She’s a good kid. If the biggest fight I have with her is about rushing jumps….” Jeff nodded. “Yeah. You’re good with her.”

 

Dan gave him a funny look. “You think so? I don’t know. I just try to tell her what’s going on. Why we’re doing stuff.”

“That’s what’s good. You treat her like an adult, right up to the point where she acts like a child.” Then Jeff grinned. “Listen to me, talking like I know what I’m saying. I’ve never raised a damn kid.”

“Even if you had, I wouldn’t say it was enough to make you an expert.” Dan shook his head, and Jeff was pretty sure he was thinking of somebody other than Tatiana. “Shit’s complicated, man.”

“Yeah.” Jeff wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Wasn’t sure if it was respectful to start worrying about what to do with a baby that was not yet born, that might not be Dan’s problem, and that Dan hadn’t asked for any help with. “But you’re smart. And you’ve got help—as much as you want.”

Dan didn’t shift away like Jeff had thought he might. There had been a time when any move toward intimacy, any expression that could be seen as acknowledging that their relationship was long-term and meaningful, had inspired Dan to look for escape routes. The behavior had faded, thankfully, but Jeff could still see it sometimes, when Dan was feeling stressed. Apparently he was okay for the time being, though. “Thanks.” Dan looked out at Tat, dutifully taking the mare over the trotting poles, and then said, “Is it something… something you’d be okay with? If I had to look after the baby for a while?”

Jeff frowned. “Not on those terms. I mean, we’re not talking a few weeks, Tex. If Krista asks you to help with the kid, that’s going to be a multiyear commitment. Very long-term.”

“Too long?” Dan asked, his voice carefully non-committal. “You’d be okay with something short-term, but you don’t want a permanent change?”

Jeff turned to look straight at Dan. “No. That’s not what I’d have a problem with. Long-term is fine; it’s the ‘had to look after the baby’ that doesn’t work for me.” He shook his head. “That’s not going to work, treating it like you’re babysitting. Babies need to be loved, and they need to feel like they belong somewhere. They need a family, not a caregiver. If you take this baby, you need to think of it as a permanent commitment. A serious, life-changing relationship.” He reached out and laid his hand along Dan’s jawline, tilting his beautiful face just a little. “And I would be happy to be there for you as you go through that. But, no, I’m not interested in watching you fight to stay detached from a kid who’s going to be desperate for your love.”