The Square Peg (26 page)

local news. The last few weeks, we’ve been doing articles on this area and how it’s

experiencing an upswing. The factory on Stevenson Street that’s been converted into

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high-end lofts. The creation of the park down by the river. That kind of thing. Have you

read them?”

“Been a bit busy, love,” Shane said, saving Ben from a polite lie. “Not sure us

doing the place up a bit is going to make much of a difference to the area though.”

“I hear you’re providing homemade food, locally sourced and organic.”

Shane’s eyes widened. “We’re doing what?”

Ben, more used to buzzwords, nodded. “I suppose we are, yes.” There was a

farmers’ market not far away that was close to Dave’s house. It sold vegetables, cheese,

and meat. Dave planned to buy what he needed fresh each day and bring it in to work

to cook with. Shane and Ben’s idea of food had been considerably more basic, but

Dave’s enthusiasm had changed that.

“I spoke to a few of the local businesses, and they feel that might increase their

customers too. People shopping want to take a break to eat, and until now, the options

around here have been limited. Having an exciting lunch menu here will encourage

them to stay in the area longer.”

“We’re a bar, not a restaurant.”

“Of course you are!” She turned her smile onto Shane. “A gay bar, is that right?”

Shane nodded. “Has been for over a decade. Not just for gays, of course. We get

plenty of straight customers too.”

“We welcome anyone who’s open-minded,” Ben chimed in. “But one of our

priorities is definitely making sure that gay people who live locally have a safe,

comfortable place to have a drink or a meal.”

“And what about drag shows?” Mary asked.

Ben glanced at Shane, not sure how to answer that.

“It’s a gay bar,” Shane said, frowning at her, “not a club. We haven’t got a stage,

so where were you imagining these drag shows would happen? On the pool table? The

bar?”

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Mary shrugged. She seemed unconcerned by their reaction to her question. “Oh

good, here’s Josh. Hmm, maybe we could get some pictures of you behind the bar?

Maybe with a few of the employees? Gay ones.”

The look on Shane’s face might have been a mystery to Mary, but Ben could read

it in a glance. Shane was pissed off. No, Shane wasn’t just pissed off. He was working

his way to furious, and if Ben didn’t do something to stop him, this was all going to go

down very, very badly.

“Why don’t you ask Vin—the guy behind the bar, with the black hair and

tattoos—a couple of questions, and we’ll be right back,” Ben said and dragged Shane

toward the office. As soon as they were out of earshot, their voices swallowed up by the

sounds of the bar, Ben turned and spoke into Shane’s ear. “We need this, Shane. This

publicity could make a difference for us, so just keep it together.”

“She’s a fucking bitch,” Shane snarled. “We’re just some fucking joke to her. I can

just picture her saying,
Let’s write an article about the queers
.”

“Not the point.” Ben clenched his jaw and thought for a few seconds. “Don’t talk

to her—do you hear me? Not another word, and as soon as they’re gone, I’ll take you in

the office and give you the best blowjob of your life.”

“I’m not a fucking kid you can buy off with a toy or a trip to the zoo,” Shane said,

stiffening up. “Don’t bribe me with sex.”

“Why not? It’s going to work.”

For a moment it hung in the balance; then Shane grinned, his ire melting away.

“Can I hold out for a fuck?”

“You in me?” Ben shook his head. “Not in the office. And not yet.”

“What, I’ve got to earn that or something?” Shane was so close, so warm. Ben

wanted to touch that hot skin and taste Shane’s mouth, kiss the last of Shane’s bad

temper out of him. “Want to see me be good? Seems a waste when we both like it better

when I’m a bad boy.”

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“You’re perfect either way,” Ben said with conviction, then shook his head. “God,

Shane, shut up before I lose it.”

“I like that idea even better.” Shane undid the top two buttons of Ben’s shirt and

bent his head to kiss the exposed skin. “Lose it. Blow me right here and tell me I can’t

move, not a muscle, can’t come until you tell me to. And I haven’t, you know.”

“Haven’t what?” The silky tickle of Shane’s lips and tongue was distracting. And

his hair was getting longer.

“Come. You wouldn’t let me, remember?”

“Huh? That was days ago!” Ben had jerked off plenty since then, Shane in a

starring role every time, each climax explosive and still never enough.

“Yeah.” Shane breathed the word against Ben’s skin. “Believe me, I know.”

“You’re unbelievable.” Ben ran both hands up over Shane’s shoulders, pushing

him away to see his face. He slid his hands along Shane’s throat until both thumbs

rested on Shane’s pulse points. The steady
thud-thud
was reassuring; Ben squeezed a

little bit, watching Shane’s face for a reaction, but all that happened was Shane’s eyes

went darker and his pulse quickened. “You have no idea how much I want you.”

Shane swallowed, and Ben felt that in his thumbs too. “It can’t possibly be as

much as I want you right now.”

“Then be a good boy,” Ben said. “Come out and smile pretty for the camera, and

I’ll make it worth it to you.” He wouldn’t let Shane fuck him, not yet, but the thought

that Shane had been waiting all this time for an orgasm because of a casual comment on

his part was arousing beyond belief. He’d have to untuck his shirt to hide the evidence

before they went back out there. “Can you do that?” No, that was the wrong question.

“Will you?”

“I’ll do it for you,” Shane said, meeting his gaze. “God knows I wouldn’t for

anyone else.”

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“Okay. Let’s get this over with.” Untucking his shirt, Ben headed back out into the

relative chaos of the bar, Shane at his heels.

Mary was still jotting down notes and nodding at whatever Vin was saying. Ben

should have realized someone from the paper might come to the opening, and he

should have coached the staff on what to say. Who knew what the hell Vin was telling

her? And God, if she got hold of Patrick—indiscreet, giggling, and distressingly frank

Patrick…“There you are!” she said brightly when she caught sight of them. “Can we get

a photo? I thought maybe sort of behind the bar…”

“No, over here,” Josh said, gesturing with the camera. “That way we can get

customers in the background.”

“Right, good.” Mary stood behind Josh and looked over his shoulder. “Maybe try

to get those guys over there? The one with the blue hair and all the chains.”

“Maybe ask if they want to be in it first?” Shane sounded as if he was rapidly

sliding back into annoyance, but as Ben opened his mouth to say something

conciliatory, Shane pasted on a smile. “Just saving you from some legal problems. For

all you know, the guy wearing the leather straps and studded collar over there could be

your boss’s son.”

“Right,” Josh said, drawing the word out. “Because that’s what this day is all

about, yeah? Freedom from inhibitions, celebrating the coming of spring…”

“Getting drunk and puking in shades of green,” Shane added into Ben’s ear,

making him laugh.

Everyone, when asked, seemed happy to be included in the photographs. There

was even some reasonably good-natured jostling from people who really wanted their

picture in the paper. Ben and Shane were placed front and center, their staff around

them, the customers framing them, and Ben smiled as naturally as he could for an

interminable length of time.

“That’s enough now,” Shane said. “People are getting thirsty.”

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“Thank you so much for coming,” Ben added, shaking Mary’s and Josh’s hands.

“We appreciate it.”

It was a relief when they left, and Ben jumped in behind the bar to help Vin and

Shelly get caught up. He might not have known what he was doing, but any idiot could

unload and reload a dishwasher. He was aware of Shane standing at the end of the bar

making conversation with two young men. Both of them were beautiful enough to be

models—thin, though. Ben suspected with their shirts off, it would be clear they could

stand to gain twenty pounds.

He remembered being that age, his metabolism so high he could eat four thousand

calories a day and not gain an ounce. He’d slowed down some since then, but his

stomach was still flat. Not like those boys, though. They were both blond, and Ben was

pretty sure they were flirting with Shane. It was provocation enough for him to say to

Vin, “Shane and I have some things to go over. We’ll be in the office if you need us.”

Stopping at Shane’s elbow, Ben smiled at the boys—which was what they were,

even if they were old enough to drink—and said, “I’ve got to borrow him, sorry.” Into

Shane’s ear, he said, “Come with me. Now.”

They went into the office, Shane silent, walking a step or two beside Ben. Ben

gestured at the door. “Lock it.”

Shane did, and when he turned to look at Ben, opening his mouth to say

something, Ben hit him across the face. Hard enough to hurt, not hard enough to leave a

mark. Shane went with the slap, a smile flickering across his face, his eyes serene, no

hint of shock showing.

“Is that what you call being good?” Ben spat out. “Flirting with kids? You’re old

enough to be their father.” He moved closer and pulled Shane to him, then kissed him.

The kiss went on for a long time, Ben opening Shane’s mouth with his and licking his

way inside, hands on Shane’s ass. Shane tasted like beer, and he kissed back eagerly,

arms locked tightly around Ben. Ben could feel Shane’s erection through their clothes,

solid and as eager as his lips. It belonged to Ben as surely as the rest of Shane did, and

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Ben didn’t like to share. He didn’t want anyone else so much as looking at Shane with

interest, and the knowledge he couldn’t stop it made him angry. It made him blame

Shane even though there was nothing Shane could do about it either. The whole thing

was ridiculous, but Ben’s emotions were stronger than his ability to think right then.

“Take off your clothes and sit on the desk,” he said in a low voice, and Shane

pulled back far enough to look at him with wide, surprised eyes.

“What?”

“You heard me. I want to fuck you, and I want to fuck you on the desk.”

For the first time there was uncertainty in Shane’s eyes. “People will come looking

for us. The place is packed, and they’re going to need every pair of hands out there.”

“If you had time to flirt, you’ve got time to be fucked.” It came out as an

accusation, not an observation, and Ben bit the inside of his cheek, well aware he’d

given a lot away in a few words.

“So that’s it.” Shane sounded thoughtful, calm even, and it was maddening when

Ben was desperate with jealousy and lust. “We’d better get a bed in here if you’re going

to want to go all caveman on my arse every time I’m chatting with a customer, because

it happens a lot.”

“Not chatting. Flirting. There’s a difference.”

Odd how even when he knew he was being ridiculous, he couldn’t stop.

Shane snorted with amusement. “Those two? They’d snap if I breathed on them,

and they’re barely legal. And yeah, I carded them. They’re not my type, okay? And

even if they were, well, I’m taken.” Shane raised his eyebrows. “Still want to do this?

Because I will. Hell, I’d let you do it out there or in the fucking ladies’ again, if it’s what

you fancy. But you don’t need to prove anything. I’m yours. I know it. I’ll get it tattooed

on my arse if you want.”

It was impossible to doubt Shane’s sincerity. Ben kissed him hard, craving another

taste, then said, “No. Get your nipple pierced instead and let me watch it being done.”

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“Christ.” Shane shuddered and mouthed at Ben’s jaw, the edge of his teeth

dragging over skin. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes.” Ben pushed Shane’s T-shirt up to his armpits and looked at both nipples.

They were small—did that mean it would hurt more when a needle went through?—

and seeing them made Ben’s cock ache. He leaned in and licked one, sucked at it,

worried it with his teeth. Shane moaned softly and slid a hand up into Ben’s hair. “Will

you?” Ben asked.

“You’re a hard man to say no to, Benedict.” Shane sighed as Ben turned his

attention to the other nipple. “And I fucking love your hair, in case I never told you

that. I’ll grow mine if you promise not to cut yours.”

Ben didn’t answer that. He knew Shane was going to grow his hair out either way.

He teased both of Shane’s nipples between thumbs and forefingers, pinching them. “I