Travis (36 page)

A
shift of power occurred and Travis was damn near knocked off of his feet when
Gage easily twisted their bodies until Travis was the one against the wall,
their mouths breaking apart in the process. Opening his eyes, he stared into
Gage’s turbulent brown eyes and recognized the look on his face.

Things
were about to get real.

“I’m
so tired of temporary,” Gage growled, his tone reflecting more emotion than
Travis had ever seen from the man.

Gage’s
fingers tightened in Travis’ hair until he had to lean forward to relieve the
stinging pain that shot through his scalp.

“Do
you understand what I’m saying?”

Crystal.
Fucking. Clear.

Travis
squinted his eyes, replaying Gage’s words over and over in his head as he
stared the man down. They were both sucking in air like they’d run a marathon,
their chests pressed firmly together, their arms intertwined around one
another. “I understand,” Travis answered, holding his ground and not giving in
to the overwhelming lust although the temptation was strong. He sensed that
Gage needed this moment, needed the opportunity to express what he was feeling
although he was about as adept at it as Travis.

“What
do you want from me?” Gage’s question took Travis by surprise, but he masked
his expression, unwilling to let him know he was a little off kilter. It could’ve
been the kiss or even the feel of Gage’s rock hard body pressed against his
own. Either way, Travis knew what he wanted from Gage surpassed anything he’d
ever wanted before.

“Everything,”
Travis growled, realizing he was dangerously close to losing his shit. Emotions
weren’t easy for him, expressing them verbally even less so, but he wanted – no
he needed – Gage to hear him out. “I want anything and everything you’re
willing to give me,” he said past the lump in his throat. “And it far surpasses
anything physical.”

Gage’s
eyes widened, but he didn’t pull away. There was a long period of silence
between them, and that’s when Travis realized Gage was too shocked to speak.

Travis
got it. He’d shocked the shit out of himself, actually.

“Spend
the night with me,” Travis breathed the words between them, barely recognizing
his own voice. “Come back to my house. Stay with me tonight.” Travis felt as
though he’d carved his own chest open, seared straight down the middle, leaving
himself entirely too vulnerable.

“Your
place?” Gage asked, appearing as though he were regaining control of his mental
faculties.

“Yes.”
Travis was laying himself completely bare for this man, and he knew Gage could
easily tell him to fuck off and get the hell out. At least if he did, he’d know
where he stood with him. Right here, right now, Travis needed to know. He
wasn’t interested in a one night stand, but they’d already surpassed that
milestone already, hadn’t they.

“Why
your place? I’ve got a perfectly acceptable bed here,” Gage said, pointing
toward the ceiling as though he were directing Travis to where his bed actually
was.

“Because
I want you at my house.” Ok, so now Travis was about to start hyperventilating.
He was praying Gage wouldn’t reject him, but had a feeling that’s exactly what
was about to happen.

“What
about Kylie?” Gage asked. “What will she think?”

As
though Gage had doused him with ice water, Travis acknowledged that his lover
was dancing around the subject.

His
lover
.

God,
he’d never even referred to anyone in that context before, and… well, it felt
damn good.

“We
have nothing to hide from her,” Travis explained, ready to bolt because he
wasn’t sure he could listen to any more excuses. He wanted to be with Gage,
alone. The two of them establishing that bond that he and Kylie had already,
the same one Gage and Kylie had built.

Putting
his hand on Gage’s chest, he gently pushed him back so he could step away from
the wall. He turned his back on Gage, but continued, “I want to be with you.
And tonight I want to be with just you.” Turning to face him once more, Travis went
on, “I won’t lie. I want you both. I’ve loved her damn near all of my adult
life, but what’s happening between you and me is...” He paused because he didn’t
know how to explain it. “With her or without her, I still want you.”

Gage
stared at him from just a few feet away, one hand thrust in his hair as though
he was having an internal battle with himself.

“Will
you tell her about us?” Gage questioned.

“Yes,”
Travis admitted.

Hell,
he’d call her right now if that would make Gage happy because Travis knew what
Kylie’s reaction would be. Even if she said she didn’t, she understood the dynamic,
knew how things happened. There’d been no questions when Travis walked in on
her and Gage in her bed making love without him. The same could be said when
she had made love to him in the same bed Gage was sleeping in after the three
of them had been together.

“Fuck,”
Travis exhaled as he took a step closer. He leaned down and picked up his hat
before propping it on his head once more. “Like I said, I’m not playing games
here. Either you’re all in or you’re not. As for me, I’m all in, Gage. More
than I’ve ever been in my entire life.”

Realizing
this wasn’t going to go the way he hoped, Travis needed to retreat before he
lost it. Hurt and anger started boiling in his gut, and he’d never been the
type to handle either emotion well. As he turned on Gage once more and headed
toward the front door, he fully expected to be able to escape without another
word, but Gage’s comment pulled him up short.

“I’m
all in.”

Travis
stopped mid step, but he didn’t turn around. Closing his eyes, he sucked in a breath,
held it, and waited. Long seconds ticked by as they stood in the dimly lit
room, neither of them saying a word. Travis was trying to come up with
something more to say, but he felt as though he’d bled himself dry. He had
shared more with Gage tonight than anyone else, and he needed some reassurance.
He refused to beg.

Just
when he thought there were no more words to be said, Gage spoke up once more.
“I’ll follow you to your house.”

Like
a horse at full gallop, Travis’ heart kick started in his chest, and he opened
his eyes releasing the breath he had been holding. Lifting his eyes skyward,
Travis sent up a silent thank you before he nodded and continued to the door.

♂♂

Gage
waited until the front door closed behind Travis before he breathed. His cock
was a fucking steel rod behind the zipper of his jeans and his chest felt as
though his heart had swelled to ten times its original size.

Had
they seriously just had that conversation? Granted, the words were spoken more
in the native language of men who shared remarkably little, but in those few
words, Gage realized they’d practically made a commitment to one another. He
was tempted to pinch himself, see if he was dreaming. He didn’t though because
if he was, Gage did not want to wake up.

He
took the stairs two at a time, figuring if it was a dream, he was damn sure
going to let it run its course. Once upstairs, he grabbed his duffel and the
clean clothes Kylie had washed for him just that morning in the brand new
washer and dryer provided by Lorrie and Curtis.

Once
he tossed what he needed inside, he zipped it and slung it over his shoulder
before returning the way he came. In the living room, he retrieved his dead
cell phone before he snatched his keys off of the decorative ledge that
separated the room from the dining room. With another deep breath, he was
heading out the door.

Fifteen
minutes later, Gage pulled up to Travis’ house, parking his truck beside the
big Chevy with the dented front end and staring at the house, the structure
looming in the shadowy twilight slowly descending across the horizon. The
outside of the house was just as Gage had seen many times before. Because all
of the brothers lived in separate structures on the ranch, Gage had passed them
a time or twenty on his way to and from Kaleb’s over the years. He’d never been
inside of Travis’ house though. Never expected to be invited either.

Was
it normal for him to be this calm? Maybe this was a dream because Gage expected
to be overcome with nerves, but he wasn’t. His only concern was whether Travis
had had time to change his mind between Gage’s house and here. His stomach
clenched, and his chest tightened, but he was more anxious than nervous.
Excitement dripped in his veins.

Gage
forced himself out of his truck. Once he made it up the steps, he rapped his
knuckles on the door, figuring it was now or never. Either he’d walk inside, or
he’d wake up.

Please
don’t let this be a dream. Please don’t let this be a…

The
door opened and Gage could’ve sworn there was relief in Travis’ eyes when their
gazes met, but the emotion disappeared. He expected cold indifference, but that
wasn’t there either. A simple head nod was the only invitation he received, so
Gage moved forward.

“Want
something to drink?” Travis asked as he headed through the small entry way and
into what appeared to be the kitchen off to the right.

“Beer
if you’ve got it,” he answered, noticing how his voice echoed in the rather
open space.

Gage
followed slowly, mentally documenting his surroundings, taking in the minimal
décor and the lack of anything personal. Not on the walls, not on the counters.
Hell, a furniture store had more personality than this place. Stepping into the
bright white kitchen with its stainless steel appliances and gray and white
granite countertops, Gage wondered whether Travis actually lived here or if he
just slept here from time to time.

It
seemed so… sterile.

The
temperature in the room was comfortable, yet the space seemed entirely cold.
The countertops were free of any clutter. Not a single cooking utensil or jar
suggesting the man had ever cooked there. By the looks of it, the stove was
brand new, and Gage knew for a fact that Travis had lived in the house for many
years.

“You
live here, right?”

Travis
frowned at him as he flipped off the bottle cap with a bottle opener that
doubled as a magnet. Well, if nothing else, the refrigerator was being used.

“When
I’m here I do,” Travis answered, opening his own beer and then handing one over
to Gage.

“Do
you ever use the kitchen?” Gage asked as he brought the beer to his lips,
staring down the amber bottle at Travis.

“Rarely.
But feel free to cook anything you want. As long as you make enough for both of
us.” There was a mischievous smile that tipped Travis’ lips before he turned
and left the kitchen.

“Come
on,” Travis nodded his head toward the other room and Gage found himself
following at a leisurely pace. With Travis, it was quite possible that they
were going to get right down to business, and Gage wasn’t sure he was ready for
that just yet.

Then
again, watching Travis’ powerful form move with such masculine agility and
animalistic ease was a turn on if there ever was one. Six-foot-five-inches of sexy,
potent male, padded with vigorous muscle and virile competence wasn’t easy to
resist, no matter who you were.

Travis
ended up moving to the single leather couch sitting in the center of the living
room, facing an enormous flat panel television mounted on the wall. Gage eyed
the thing as he lowered himself to the couch beside Travis.

“Man,
how fucking old are you?” Gage asked as he tried not to snort beer out through
his nose. There on the screen was the QVC channel and he couldn’t even attempt
to identify what “As Seen on TV” product the two older ladies were boasting
about.

“Shut
the hell up,” Travis laughed. “I just turned the damn thing on when you knocked
on the door.”

“Right.
Is this what I have to look forward to? Finding you on the couch in the middle
of the night watching the shopping network? Are we gonna get on a first name
basis with the UPS guy?”

Shit!
Shit. Fuck. Damn
.

As
soon as the words left his mouth, Gage realized exactly what he had insinuated.

“Put
the beer down,” Travis demanded, his face a stony mask, his blue eyes
glittering by the light of the television.

Gage
set the beer on the coffee table, and the moment it was resting firmly, he was flat
on his back, and Travis was on top of him. Travis announced his intention with
a familiar growl and Gage accepted his weight as he pushed him deeper into the
cushion, the ridge of his erection pressing against his thigh. Without
hesitation, Gage slid his hands into silky, dark hair, holding Travis back
slightly so that their mouths hovered close together but didn’t quite touch.

He
was tempted to control how fast or how slow they would take this, but the look
in Travis’ eyes told him he didn’t stand a chance. Gage was going to give in,
he was going to enjoy the hell out of it, and the glorious part of it all, he
couldn’t fucking wait.

With
their eyes locked, Gage lifted his head until their noses brushed, his tongue
slipping between the smooth contours of Travis’ lips ever so slowly. He tasted
of beer and lust and power, a heady mix that went straight to Gage’s head.
Pulling him closer, Gage made sure their bodies touched from chest to knee
although neither of them was entirely on the couch, their bodies much too
large.

The
kiss was a blast of urgency and passion that had been locked behind steel doors
for much too long. The flex of Travis’ powerful frame sent shards of
electricity humming beneath his skin everywhere they touched. They were
separated by too many clothes, but Gage wasn’t in a hurry. He was banking on
memorizing every detail of this encounter to last him.

When
Travis’ hand slid down the front of his chest, pulling his t-shirt from the
waistband of his jeans, Gage sucked in a sharp breath, ready to feel the warmth
of Travis’ fingers against his bare skin. Despite his need to take things
slowly, patience was scarce in their desire to be closer to one another, hands
roaming, working diligently to free them of their shirts. As soon as they were
both bare chested, their bodies realigning, Gage was moaning into Travis’
mouth, desperate to get even closer.

Their
tongues dueled as Travis angled Gage’s head so that he could explore deeper.
The temperature in the room soared as their body heat generated a combustible energy
between them.

“Fuck,”
Travis groaned as he pulled back. The intensity in his eyes sent a rush of lust
straight to Gage’s groin and he shifted, grinding his hips upward against the
solid column of Travis’ thigh.

Gage
sucked in air. “Too. Many. Clothes.”

A
wicked sexy grin tipped the edges of Travis’ kiss-swollen lips and Gage
answered with one of his own.

“Come
on,” Travis rasped, pushing himself up off of the couch and waiting for Gage to
stand. “Not enough room for us here.”

That
was an understatement. Gage wasn’t sure there’d be enough room in the whole
damn house for what he wanted from Travis. Rather than hash out ideas in his
head, Gage fell into step behind him as they moved through the living room and
down a short, dark hallway.

Travis’
bedroom wasn’t anything like what Gage expected, although how he had any
preconceived notions he had no idea. The room was just as barren as the rest of
the house, but the bed was big enough to hold at least four people comfortably.
He thought of Kylie and imagined her spread eagle on the bed, naked and gorgeous,
ready for them both.

An
electrical current of desire snaked through him making his cock throb. As much
as he wished she were there, Gage wasn’t willing to let this be about anyone
other than the two of them. He needed Travis. Needed to give in to this
palpable energy that sparked between them.

He
observed the room some more but ended up once again taking in the bed, topped
with a bulky, black, microfiber comforter and black silk covered pillows. This
was where Travis got down to business. Definitely no problems holding the two
of them.

“I’ve
never brought anyone to my bed,” Travis whispered the words, answering as
though he’d read Gage’s mind.

The
thought of no one else having ever been with Travis here had an extremely satisfying
effect on Gage’s ego. And that strange possessive instinct he’d been battling
lately.

“No
one. Until you.” Travis said the words, but he said more with his eyes than
anything. Gage understood the meaning. This hadn’t happened before, and if Gage
was lucky, he’d be the only male ever to be in this bed with Travis.

 “Clothes
off,” Travis stated firmly with all of that powerful energy now focused solely
on Gage.

Rather
than removing his own, Gage moved forward, reaching for Travis’ belt buckle and
making quick work of releasing the solid metal and moving on to the button and
zipper of his jeans. Within seconds, he had Travis’ cock freed, his hand
stroking slowly over the smooth, heavily veined length.

Travis
groaned and dropped his head back on his shoulders, his hips thrusting forward,
his cock spearing against Gage’s palm. “I’ve waited to feel your hands on me
again. God, yes.”

In
his haste, Gage somehow managed to maneuver them toward the bed, stopping only
when the back of Travis’ knees hit the mattress. He didn’t stop stroking him,
but he slowed his pace, not willing to let this go too far too fast. “Lie
down.” His words were clipped and laced with a frenzied craving, belying his
need to go slow.

Travis
tilted his head slightly to the side before lowering himself to the bed, as
though accepting for now that Gage was the one in control. Gage squeezed his
hand around Travis’ cock until the man was fully prone, bronze skin glowing against
the deep ebony beneath it, his body vibrating as he continued to pump his hips.
Once he was laid out before him, Gage allowed Travis to toe off his boots
awkwardly before he rid him of his jeans, exposing even more hard planes and
angles.

Once
Travis was naked and sprawled on the bed, Gage took his time admiring the man’s
perfect body. Gripping Travis’ erection firmly, Gage toed off his own boots,
refusing to relinquish his hold on Travis because the smooth, steely length of
him felt too good.

“Fuck,”
Travis groaned. “Don’t ever fucking stop.”

Gage
grinned, working to free himself of his jeans at the same time he stroked the
velvet length of Travis’ beautiful cock, watching him writhe and moan before
him. He was a sight to see, his chest heaving, his washboard abs tightening,
the corded muscles in his neck straining as he fought the pleasure. Without
warning, Gage leaned forward, slowly licking the thick vein on the underside of
Travis’ cock with the flat of his tongue, reveling in the way his strong body
came up off the bed.

Rough
hands latched onto his hair, pulling him in closer as Gage sucked the swollen head
between his lips.

“Sonuva…,”
Travis moaned. “Mother fucking hell. Goddamn, it feels so good.”

Travis’
vulgar words spurred Gage on. As he sucked Travis fully into his mouth, he
watched him up the length of his impressive chest, gripping his thighs as he
stood beside the bed, slowly lowering his mouth over him, taking him as deep as
he could until Travis was panting. Holding him firmly, Gage didn’t allow Travis
to thrust upward, and his neck muscles screamed as he fought the pull of
Travis’ hands in his hair.

He
was not relinquishing control just yet.