Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela (21 page)

slipped into Room 9.

Nine it was; Logan put a hand to the dashboard and took a deep

breath to quell his nerves.
This is it—you go in that room and you’re

gonna… you’ll really be… with a man… with Nick.

Ten seconds later, he was knocking softly on a weathered brown

door that opened quickly. A strong arm yanked him into the room and

right into Nick‘s embrace. Logan felt his back hit the door and then

knew nothing else except Nick, who was all over him, who was

pushing against him, who was as frantic as Logan to kiss and lick and

bite and thrust.

No words were spoken or needed; they seemed to be of a single

mind, both pursuing the mutual goal of skin on skin. Logan hardly

noticed Nick unbuttoning his damp workshirt, so occupied was he in

ripping off Nick‘s T-shirt and shorts. When Nick pushed Logan back

onto the gaudy bedspread and pressed him into the bed with his

welcome weight, when Logan felt their bare bodies lined up, felt Nick

grinding and pumping against him, when their naked cocks met at last,

Logan felt pleasure burning through him, intensity bringing it near

pain, didn‘t even know he could feel like that, didn‘t think anything

could feel better—until Nick reached down and gripped their dicks

with his hand.

Nick started pumping slowly, then faster; Logan had to look at

Nick, glad to see his eyes open, see dark fire blazing back, wanted to

say—to tell him… what? He didn‘t know, too lost in the overwhelming

sensation. Logan knew he was close, could feel the tightening low in

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his groin,
gonna come… so fuckin’ close… yeah, Nick, just like that, oh

God….

And then he was shooting all over Nick hand‘s, relief and release

shooting out of him, pulling out of him all that hidden longing, all that

tamped-down, blocked-up desire, free at last, and goddamn it, nothing

had ever felt so good. He was thrilled to feel Nick join him seconds

later, thrilled to see Nick‘s face mirror his own elation.
’Cause of me,

’cause of us, what we just did, he looks like that.

Gulping air like he had broken the surface after a long time

undersea, Logan stared up at Nick and felt no regret but was shocked to

see Nick suddenly frowning down at him. ―What? What‘s wrong?

Wasn‘t that—‖

―The best sex… ever?‖ Nick interrupted archly as he rolled off

Logan. He propped himself on one elbow, explaining, ―Yeah, but

wasn‘t ‘xactly smart.‖

―Smart?‖

―Yeah, we should‘ve talked some, maybe even gotten some

condoms.‖ Logan was still processing that idea when Nick put a hand

to Logan‘s chest and added, ―It‘s okay, what we did was pretty safe,

and I‘m clean—you should know that. I‘ve been tested.‖

Oh, that.
Logan gripped Nick‘s hand, though he shifted his gaze

to the curtained window. ―Umm…. Yeah, me too. Clean, I mean.‖

When Logan peered back at Nick, he saw a full-force smile aimed

his way. ―Good to know.‖ The smile faded as Nick continued, ―But I‘m

still sorry. I should‘ve—‖

Logan rolled on his side, leaned into Nick and stopped him with a

quick kiss. ―Nah, playin‘ it completely safe don‘t seem right for us.‖

―No?‖

Grinning widely, Logan teased, ―Nope, you‘re the most

dangerous man I know, Nick Zales.‖

―Likewise, I‘m sure,‖ Nick shot back with a yawn.

―You tired?‖

―Yeah, I ain‘t been sleeping much.‖

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127

Logan felt an answering yawn pulled out of him, too. ―I know

what you mean.‖

Having at long last given his body what it craved, Logan was

rewarded with loose muscles, relaxed nerves, and a quiet mind; he felt

himself drifting off as Nick did the same. He took a second to

acknowledge that when he awoke there would be questions, problems,

maybe even awkwardness, but for now, there was only the sound of

rain against the window and Nick‘s warm body snug against his.

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Chapter 10:

A Man‘s Errors

A man’s errors are his portals of discovery.

—James Joyce

NICK‘S eyes blinked open, slowly focusing on the ugliest curtains he‘d

ever seen. The brown, orange and pink-flowered cloth put to shame

even some of the ruffled monstrosities his mom used to hang in their

house in Kittanning. His mind skipped from contemplation of the

curtains to his present location.
Where the hell am I?
A soft snore from

the other side of the bed sent a wave of memories crashing through his

mind.
Logan! What the fuck did I just do?

Rolling gently to his other side, he was presented with the sight of

Logan, sound asleep on his back. Despite the surge of shock and

dismay he was fighting through, Nick took a moment to admire the

masculine beauty of his bed partner, contrasting with the dowdy

bedspread crumpled underneath them.

The blond-haired man, body open and face softened by sleep,

looked more at peace than Nick had ever before seen. The realization

made his breath catch in his throat. He reached out, unable to resist the

urge to run his hand lightly over the supine body. As Logan stirred

slightly beneath his touch, Nick tried to ignore the rush of tenderness in

his veins, stubbornly calling it desire and jeering at himself.
Whaddya

want, Zales? Another quickie before he runs back to his wife? Wife!

Shit—I’m an adulterer…. Great, can add that to my long list of sins.

Nick paused briefly in his mental tirade, trying to remember how

it worked. Was he an adulterer? Or was it just Logan? Sunday school

was too long behind him for Nick to be sure.
Bet my mom would know.

Great idea, I can ask her at the hospital, that will sure perk her up.

“So, Mom, I slept with this married guy. Did I commit adultery or

what?”

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129

He couldn‘t help smirking slightly at that imaginary scenario,

though the thought of his mom left Nick wondering about the time. He

slid off the bed and went in search of his watch. Collecting his clothes

from random spots in the small, musty room, Nick checked the time,

gathered his things into a ball under one arm, and scooted quietly into

the bathroom.

When he emerged a few minutes later, dressed in his still-damp

clothes, Nick saw Logan yawning wide enough to crack his jaw, his

eyes fluttering open. Feeling suddenly awkward and confused, Nick

murmured, ―Hey, you awake?‖

Logan closed his eyes again and stretched while answering,

―Yeah. Umm, what time‘s it?‖

Trying unsuccessfully not to stare at Logan‘s muscular body

arching off the bed, Nick answered, ―Little past one.‖

A frown clouded his face as Logan muttered, ―Hell, I slept like

the dead.‖ He swung his legs over the side of the bed and flicked the

bedspread over his groin, saying, ―Sorry ‘bout that.‖

―For what, fallin‘ asleep? It‘s okay, I been out, too. Just woke up

a few minutes ago.‖

Nick thought he detected a blush as Logan nodded and rose to his

feet, quickly slipping on his discarded boxers. The pink was heightened

as Logan hurriedly gathered the rest of his clothes before disappearing

into the bathroom.

Nick was still tying the laces on his sneakers when he heard the

door open; he looked up to find a fully-clothed Logan standing in the

bathroom doorway, hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans. ―Ready

to get to work?‖ Logan asked.

Nick assumed the question was directed at him, though Logan

seemed to be asking the bedside lamp. ―I‘m afraid I can‘t.‖ He watched

Logan‘s frown deepen, so he hastened to explain, ―I gotta get to the

hospital.‖

―Oh yeah, your mom.‖ Logan seemed to relax a bit and met

Nick‘s gaze as he offered, ―Don‘t worry ‘bout it. I can take care of

what little bit needs doin‘. You go on and see her.‖

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―Thanks.‖ Nick rubbed the back of his neck as a thousand

questions jockeyed for position in his mind. The unlikely winner turned

out to be, ―So… how‘re you feeling?‖

―Good,‖ Logan answered in anything but a convincing tone.

―You?‖

―Great,‖ Nick laughed, finding Logan‘s solicitous inquiry

surprising.
Ain’t me that just had sex with a man for the first time.
At

least he assumed it had been Logan‘s first time; there was so much he

didn‘t know about his companion. Nick stood up, saying, ―I really hate

to run off on you, but… we‘ll talk more next time, okay?‖ When

Logan‘s only response was a sharp intake of breath, Nick immediately

amended with a sinking heart, ―That is, if you want… if there‘s gonna

be a next time.‖

If the pause that ensued wasn‘t pregnant, it was at least trying to

conceive. ―I… yeah….‖ Logan swallowed before clarifying in a

murmur, ―I do want… um… want… that.‖

―Good.‖
Sure about that, Zales?
Ignoring his doubts, Nick

suggested, ―I gotta be at the hospital next couple nights…. Why don‘t

we just meet right here next Sunday mornin‘?‖

Logan chewed on a hangnail before saying, ―Can‘t, I‘ll have my

girls next weekend. Pickin‘ ‘em up on Friday night.‖

―Oh.‖

Nick felt slightly foolish and was beginning to wonder if Logan

really
wanted a next time when the other man blurted, ―We could get

together Thursday night, couldn‘t we? We don‘t have class no more.‖

As he was about to agree, Nick smacked his forehead. ―Shit, I

can‘t. That‘s the night me and Adam‘re takin‘ the kids to the Pirates

game.‖

―Adam, huh?‖ asked Logan, voice filled with gravel and ice. ―So

you‘re gonna keep on…,‖ he waved his hand vaguely before

continuing, ―with him?‖

―We‘re
friends
, Logan.‖ Nick pivoted on one foot and ran his

hand through his hair before turning back and saying, ―Besides, we‘ve

had this game planned for weeks. You think I should just let the kids

down?‖

Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela

131

―No, I—‖

―And what about
you
?‖ Nick challenged. ―Are you still getting

back with your wife?‖

―Yeah….‖ Logan‘s brow furrowed as he added, ―I guess.‖

Arms akimbo, Nick spat, ―You are?‖

Logan threw up his hands, protesting, ―I don‘t know. Fuck, Nick,

you gotta give me some time….‖

―Yeah, okay. I need time, too,‖ Nick admitted more calmly. ―I

don‘t know what to make of this, any more ‘an you do.‖

His disclosure seemed to amuse Logan. ―You don‘t?‖ He grinned

as he nodded at the bed, saying, ―You sure
seemed
to know what you

were doin‘.‖

―I don‘t think sex is our problem,‖ Nick retorted with a chuckle.

More soberly, he added, ―It‘s just… everything else.‖

―It sure is.‖ Logan drew his hand across his mouth before saying,

―Like you and that Adam guy, me and Linda, Trudy….‖

Nick‘s head whipped up at that name. ―What about her? You‘re

not plannin‘ on tellin‘—‖

―Hell, no.‖ He studied Nick briefly before adding, ―I was afraid

you might….‖

―Tell
my boss
I‘m screwing one of her patients?‖ Nick asked in

disbelief. ―Um, no, not a good idea.‖

Logan nodded thoughtfully, saying, ―Uh huh. Guess I can see

that.‖ His frown returned as he asked, ―What about Adam?‖

With a shrug, Nick answered, ―I should say somethin‘. He always

tells me….‖

―Tells you what?‖

―‘Bout other guys.‖ He saw Logan‘s eyebrows shoot up, so he

explained, ―See, we don‘t have that kind of relationship—you know,

exclusive.‖ He came close to laughing out loud at the very idea of

Adam being monogamous.

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Logan was staring at his wedding ring as he twisted it idly on his

finger. ―That means… you both have other guys?‖

Nick was almost tempted to lie and say yes—it seemed easier

and… safer, somehow. Instead he found himself saying, ―Adam does,

but I….‖

Bright blue eyes betrayed intense interest as Logan prodded,

―Yeah?‖

―Don‘t.‖ With an ironic smile and a slight toss of his head, Nick

amended, ―Didn‘t.‖

―But he‘s gonna expect—‖

With a protesting hand raised, Nick interrupted, ―He‘s not gonna

expect anything on Thursday except a baseball game.‖

―Okay.‖

Nick tried to guess what was going on behind that pensive frown

and that clipped retort but failed. ―Guess we can talk more—‖

―When?‖

―You tell me.‖