L. A. Mischief (8 page)

Finally he put his tools away and left the bathroom. He glanced at his Timex. Seven-fifty-five. With stiff fingers he smoothed the cuff of his jacket down and brushed imaginary lint off his shoulder. Then he started pacing.

Sweeney followed him at first, trying to squirm around his legs, giving up only after David accidentally kicked him. Miffed, the Siamese left the room and disappeared into David’s bedroom. He almost followed the cat, then knew he didn’t have time. Apologies would have to come later.

He heard a vehicle turn up his driveway. He hurried to the front door, but refrained from throwing it open. When the doorbell pealed, he forced himself to take his time answering it.

The doorbell rang again.

This time, he did throw the door open.

CHRIS WAITED FOR David to buckle up before he headed south. Sticking to surface streets they neared West Hollywood.

“Where are we going? Or is it still a surprise?”

Chris only grinned at him. “You look nice.”

David looked over at him, his gaze raking Chris’s slim form. “So do you. Is that new?”

“Des just got a new shipment in from Italy. Couldn’t resist this.” He patted his pin-striped leg. “Ah, here we are.”

David was familiar with Melrose, but not this location. He glanced up at the impressive arched window overlooking Melrose. The sign said Xiomara. Chris parked his Lexus on Seward and waited for David to get out and led the way back to Melrose.

“What’s t his place?” David asked as they were led into the dining area by the maitre’d. They passed a massive black bar that took up nearly one whole wall and were led into an alcove and handed two menus.

“Neuvo latino—you have got to try their Mambo mojito. It’s to die for,” Chris said.

“You know I don’t drink things like that.”

“Honey, tonight, I’m in charge.”

David was visibly taken back. He had always been the take charge guy in their relationship. Chris had always wanted it that way. Well things were going to change, starting here.

“You’ll like it. Trust me.”

“Do I get to choose my meal?” David asked with an uneasy smile.

Chris scooped the menu out of David’s hands and handed them back to the obsequious waiter who had appeared moments after they were seated.

“Two Mambos to start. We’ll have a bottle of the Smith-Madrone Riesling with dinner, then the Pepper Crusted Goat Cheese and Red Beet Salad and Ceviche as appetizers.”

“Very good, sir.”

“I’ll let you know what we want for the main course in a bit.”

The waiter did everything but click his heels as he left the table. He returned within minutes with two tall glasses. Chris took a sip and sighed. Still as good as always.

Chris raised his glass and smiled. “
A su salud, a su amor y a nosotros
,” he said softly.

David touched his glass to Chris’s and brought it to his lips. “
Salud
.” He drank and at Chris’s look, nodded. “You’re right, it’s good.”

When the appetizers arrived David sampled both. He nodded. “Good.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“You’ve been here before?”

“Sure.” Chris didn’t say anything else. He could tell from the unasked question in David’s eyes that he wanted to know with who, but wouldn’t ask. And Chris wasn’t talking. He wasn’t about to tell David he’d been here with a client for a business lunch. Let David think the worst. Jealousy kept a man on his toes.

The waiter was back. Chris gave his order. “Charcuterie and Chino-Cubano Arroz Frito with Maduros.” When the waiter left he met David’s gaze. “Mixed meats done Cuban style. I think you’ll like it.”

“Well, you know me and meat.”

The obvious double entendre did what David intended, it sent a bolt of raw desire along Chris’s already sizzling nerves. He took a deep drink of mojito and ate some ceviche. He extended a forkful to David who took it. They stared at each other across the table then Chris offered him another bite.

Chris was aware of nothing else in the room, in the world, except David. He could see the wide pores on his rough skin, the green ring around his dilated pupils, a bead of sweat nestled in the silky black hairs of his mustache. His lips were slightly opened and Chris could see his pink tongue as it took in the ceviche and tasted it. A pulse beat in the shadow of David’s throat and Chris stared at it, mesmerized. David licked his lips and Chris almost came then and there. He looked away, a flush flaring up his neck, burning the skin of his face.

The wine he had ordered earlier arrived and was opened by the sommelier. Chris tasted it, nodded and watched as their two wine glasses were filled. The acidic wine had just the right flowery essence for the meal he had in mind.

And it was.

“So when do you go back to work?” he asked.

“Probably light duty starting Monday. The doctor wanted me to take a few more days off and Lord knows, I have enough sick time saved up.”

Chris topped their wine glasses. “What have you been doing to keep busy?”

“Picked up a Motorola Stereo Hi-Fi,” David said with sudden enthusiasm. “It’s in a Drexel Cabinet. Needs a lot of work but it’ll be sharp when it’s done.”

“I’d like to see it sometime,” Chris said. He meant it too. He’d always been impressed by the painstaking work David gave to his collection. “Maybe we can have a music night in.”

“Sure,” David said roughly, not meeting Chris’s knowing gaze. “We can do that.”

“I think I found the car I want,” Chris said. “It’s a Ford, like you suggested. And you always say we should buy American.”

“Sure, keep the jobs here.” David nodded. “What model?”

“An Escape. Lot better gas mileage than the Lexus. But there’s still room for me to bring equipment to a job site.”

“You still want me to go with you for a test drive?”

Chris nodded. “Yes. You know what I should be looking for better than I do.”

“I doubt that,” David said dryly. Chris grinned.

“So we’re on?”

“Sure. When?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Give me a time and place.”

“How about I pick you up,” Chris said, watching David’s face. “I’d like to go early.”

“Fine by me.” Again the tension Chris recognized. “Give me a call.”

“I will,” Chris said softly, knowing he wouldn’t be calling David. He wouldn’t need to.

They finished the meal with more easy conversation. Both of them declined dessert. Chris ordered coffee instead. They returned to the car and Chris headed back to David’s. Once there they both climbed out of the Lexus and stood in the driveway. Chris gazed up at the gabled roof over the front door. It had been painted recently.

“You’ve been fixing the place up.”

“Figured it was about time.”

“It looks good.”

David stared down at his feet, then back up at Chris. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“What now? You’re in charge, right?”

“Oh, that. Not anymore.”

“What?”

“The night’s over. I’m giving it up.”

“Oh,” David said. He thought for about a minute then a slow smile broke over his craggy face. “In which case, I’m taking over.”

Chris eyed him warily, not sure where this was going.

He pulled Chris into his arms. “Lock that thing up,” he said, indicating the Lexus. “You’re coming with me.”

He took Chris’s hand and led him up to the front door, unlocking it and then locking it behind them. He turned to face Chris in the tiny alcove. Chris stood motionless, his body vibrating with tension. David was so near, yet so very far away.

David bridged that gap. He reached up and cupped Chris’s face in his hands. Heat pooled in Chris’s gut and his legs grew weak. He leaned against the wall for support. Gently David pressed his mouth to Chris’s, his lips open. His breath was warm and his mouth tasted of coffee. The kiss deepened and he filled Chris’s mouth with his tongue, savagely plundering him, his hands closing into fists on his shoulders, shoving him back into the wall. He skimmed his hands down Chris’s side, gripping his ass and lifting him off the floor. Chris wrapped one leg around David’s hip and arched against him, slamming David’s hips between his legs, pressing against his hardening cock.

He broke away from David and gasped for air. “God, David—”

“Shut up,” David growled. “Don’t talk. Don’t move.”

He grabbed Chris’s hand and pulled him to the bedroom, pushing him on the bed and reaching for his shirt.

Chris raised shaking fingers to undo David’s shirt, but David brushed his hands away. “Don’t move.”

Chris froze and watched David shuck his jacket and shirt, dumping them over the only other furniture in the room, a ladder back chair. Mesmerized, Chris watched hard muscled flesh as it was exposed to his hungry gaze. David’s chest rippled and flexed as he stripped, only leaving his pants on, the fly opened, exposing his boxers. Chris stared at the raised red scar on David’s lower abdomen, sharply contrasting with his dark skin.

Ignoring David’s orders he sat up. “My God, David. Should we be doing this?”

“The stitches are out. It’s healing. The doctor told me to get some exercise.”

“But you said light-duty...”

“I’m fine, Chris.” He approached the bed, his eyes pinning Chris to the quilt covered mattress. He stopped beside the bed and reached into his bedside table for his lube and condoms. He pointed at the bed. “Down. Now.”

Chris subsided.

David set the items down on the table and turned back to Chris. Leaning over, his hot breath dancing over Chris’s overheated face, he began to skim the buttons on his shirt open, slowly, one at a time, with each button open he stroked the exposed skin. “This time you will do exactly what I tell you to do. No questions, no back talk. Understand?”

“Understood.”

“Good.” David wrenched Chris’s shirt off and threw it on the floor. After pulling off his shoes and socks he went to work on his pants, finally exposing the jockeys that barely covered his raging cock.

While Chris silently urged him on he slid stiff fingers down under the waistband and slipped the taut material off, smoothing his palm over Chris’s ass before he wrenched the material off and flung it after his other clothes. Chris squirmed on the bed, opening and closing his legs in need.

David stopped him with a firm hand on his hip. “Don’t move.”

“Oh, God, David—”

David put his hand over Chris’s mouth, stilling his moans. “Shhh.”

He straightened and under Chris’s glazed eyes, he finished stripping his own clothes off. He stood beside the bed, his hand on his cock, lightly stroking himself. Chris could see a drop of pre-come oozing from the bulbous head half-concealed by his foreskin. He pushed the skin back, revealing his swollen head to Chris’s avid gaze.

Chris licked his dry lips. He could barely breathe, couldn’t see anything but David. He watched as David knelt on the bed beside him, his mouth coming down to caress Chris’s throat. His mustache whispered over Chris’s supersensitive skin and sent waves of desire firing along his nerve endings. He moaned and bit his lips to keep from crying out. David pressed his mouth against his lips, sliding his stiff tongue past his teeth and tangling with his tongue. Then he trailed his hot wet mouth down Chris’s collar bone, tracing the outline of one nipple. With excruciating slowness he circled the rapidly hardening nub, only to move off it to the next one.

Chris would have ignored David’s injunction but David used the weight of his body to hold Chris in place. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t do anything but endure as his desire mounted and he thought he was going to die of need.

David’s mouth moved lower, tasting and licking every inch of his tight, vibrating body. Chris mindlessly thrust his hips up, blindly seeking release. He threw his head from side to side, fighting for breath, a low whine rising in his throat. His body was so tense he heard his muscles creak.

David shoved his legs open. Then he slipped to the end of the bed and took Chris’s foot in his hands. He wrapped his lips around his big toe, sucking it gently then moving on to slather each of his toes with hot saliva. He used his stiff fingers to knead his soles and his heel, replacing his fingers with his tongue and his teeth.

“David...” Chris broke through his self-imposed silence. But David had his own agenda. He ignored his plea and continued his painfully slow ascent, pausing to slake his thirst on each dimple of flesh and knobby joint.

David’s tongue slipped between his balls and stroked his hole. Chris lost it. He cried out and moaned David’s name, thrashing on the bed. When David reared up over him he opened his legs and welcomed his assault. This time it was David who lost his tightly wound self-control as he slammed his latex covered cock up Chris’s hole, filling him with one savage thrust. He levered himself above Chris and rocked into him. Chris met him thrust for thrust. He began grunting out Chris’s name and his thrusts grew erratic, as his control abandoned him. Then the only sound in the small bedroom was the sharp slap of sweating flesh and their moans.

David rammed his mouth down on Chris’s. His tongue delved into his hot mouth, wrestling with his tongue, lapping at his teeth. He gripped his hips so hard he left dimple bruises on his hips. Chris could feel David’s orgasm mounting. He wrapped his legs around David’s hips, thrusting up to meet his out of control movements.

Suddenly David froze. He cried out and thrust one more time, burying himself up Chris’s gut, his cock throbbing in release. He collapsed on top of Chris, who held him in trembling arms. David pressed his open mouth above Chris’s Adam’s apple. Then he reached down and gripped Chris’s cock and pumped it furiously.

Chris shouted David’s name and came, splashing hot come across David’s fist and his stomach. David collapsed, rolling at the last minute to take his weight off of Chris. He stripped his condom off and threw it in the bedside waste receptacle and rolled off the bed, coming back moments later with a damp towel which he used to wipe them both down. Then he settled back on the bed, folding Chris into his arms, nuzzling his damp chest.

“Jesus,” Chris inhaled David’s deliciously familiar scent. “Tell me why we stopped doing this.”