Winter's Gamble (3 page)

“Yeah, the Svedish chef,” Carl had responded, which had caused Devyn to break out in gales of laughter that had been contagious. That had cemented the attraction like nothing else could have. “Actually, I’m Norwegian.”

“Like the Vikings.” Devyn had stopped laughing and looked serious. “Do you like to pillage and plunder? Bet you could plunder me in a heartbeat.”

It had been that moment that Carl had decided he wanted to be with this man. For the night. He hadn’t known what the morning would bring. As it turned out, that next morning had brought on many others.

Carl looked up into Devyn’s beautiful eyes and reached out to caress Devyn’s jawline.

“Put the glass down.”

Carl complied, setting the glass on a coaster on the coffee table.

“I’m screwing up.”

He blinked at the man as Devyn came close enough for their bodies to touch. “What?”

“You hit the coaster. Obviously, you aren’t horny enough.” Devyn’s
r
’s were accentuated by his half growl.

“Then make me.” Carl opened his mouth in anticipation of Devyn’s kiss and lay back against the soft pillows.

“Gladly.” Devyn ravaged his mouth over Carl’s with all the fire and brimstone that hell must be full of. Because hell couldn’t get hotter than that kiss.

Their tongues met in a duel that wouldn’t be won, that would last as long as they wanted it to.

Becoming more and more frenzied, they pleasured each other with their lips, tasting and playing. They didn’t act like they had all the time in the world. No, they each acted like this was their last exploit, and they might die from the loving.

Carl’s breathing was erratic and labored. His chest heaved as he rubbed down Devyn’s naked back.

Devyn moved and pulled at the buttons on Carl’s shirt. His usually nimble fingers fumbled.

Carl sat up and without a word, swooped in to help. He made quick work of the buttons that Devyn hadn’t gotten to.

He shrugged the shirt from his shoulders, the cool air soothing against his hot skin. Devyn always made him hot.

Devyn ran a hand down Carl’s chest, swirling around the hair. Due to his drag obligations, Devyn never had body hair, and his hands were smooth. Much silkier than Carl’s.

Devyn reached a nipple and tweaked it. He slipped a thumb up under and circled it roughly before pinching it between two fingers.

Carl let out a breath. His nerves felt strained, like a guitar string about to break in two.

Devyn paused before sliding his hand down Carl’s stomach muscles as they clenched in response. “Horny now?”

“Yeah.” Carl cocked an eyebrow. “But I’d be more horny if that hand went a little bit south.”

“Would you now?” Devyn’s teeth shone white against his lips.

“Yeah.”

Every time they were together, Carl thought he couldn’t possibly want Devyn more or that nothing could turn him on any further. Yet the next time they were together, something would happen, and Carl’s levels would rise. Exponentially. He might never find out how far his love and lust for Devyn would go.

Devyn inched his hand down that much farther and arched it under Carl’s khaki pants. He slid slowly around to cup Carl.

Carl parted his legs, trying to give Devyn as much access as possible. Devyn shifted his hand around and moved from tip to base of Carl’s cock.

Devyn rearranged so he was sitting by Carl on the large couch. Yeah, this was why they needed such a big one. And why they always put down blankets. He relocated his other hand to the top of Devyn’s pants. He flicked open the button of Carl’s bottoms and slid down the zipper.

“Tighty whities?”

Carl nodded. He sank back against the couch.

“Like you didn’t know this was going to happen? After what you did to me at the bar?” Devyn should have been a drill instructor. He had a tone of voice that left no prisoners.

Carl didn’t say anything. But he reached up to press a hand against Devyn’s curved ass. Yep, commando.

Devyn groused. “Now we gotta take both layers off.” He shook his head as he lifted Carl up slightly to pull both his pants and underwear from his hips. He carefully slipped them over Carl’s feet and tossed them in the corner.

“Easy peasy,” Carl said with false arrogance and leaned back against the pillow with his hands behind his head.

“No, easy peasy would be if I had a back door on my pants and you could lean me over whenever you wanted. And you carried lube and condoms everywhere.”

Carl nodded. “True.”

Devyn skimmed fingernails across the exposed skin of Carl’s thighs toward his erect cock. “Damn straight.” His hands moved away. “On that note…” He went to a special drawer in the end table and pulled out lube and condoms. “We best be getting ready.”

Weren’t they always? Devyn moved back and scraped his nails across the skin where he’d just been. They always seemed to be ready to do things, like today in the bar. In Carl’s office. Everywhere. The motion of the nails set Carl’s teeth on edge. His entire body tingled.

And Devyn knew it.

“You need to get nakeder.” Carl sat up a little and yanked at the button on Devyn’s jeans.

Devyn’s hands left him, and he shrugged down his denims in two seconds flat. He’d gone commando. The exposed skin took Carl’s breath away as it always did. The man was too rough to be beautiful in the classic sense, but there was a beauty that defied conventions there. His body was sort of like an Ansel Adams picture. Raw nature in all its glory.

Devyn wiggled his ass back and forth, making his cock jiggle. “Like?”

Carl didn’t have words to answer. Instead he grabbed Devyn and pulled him against his body. He ferociously ravaged Devyn’s mouth with his. He caressed Devyn’s smooth skin. It had been different to be with someone without body hair. Now he couldn’t imagine touching skin that wasn’t mostly hairless. He rubbed the rough hair on Devyn’s head.

Fireworks exploded behind his closed eyes as they continued to kiss. Carl pulled his mouth away, opened his eyes, and surveyed the lube and condoms. “Turn around. Put your knees on the cushions and your front on the back of the couch.”

“So specific.” Devyn lazily put down his eyelids as he looked at Carl from the slits. “So bossy.”

“And you love it.” Carl pulled at his lover’s hip. While Devyn had come earlier in the dressing room, Carl hadn’t. This had been building ever since brunch, as he watched him perform. He needed to be with Devyn now and ease his battered libido.

“Yeah.” Devyn didn’t sound guilty. He never did. He allowed Carl to turn him around. He placed his knees on the couch and his front on the back as Carl had ordered.

His ass was now in full view.

Carl ran his hands over the curve of the fine rump in front of him.

“I think my ass is your favorite part of me.”

“Nah. Just one of them. I also like your mouth.” He leaned over Devyn’s shoulder and gave him a kiss. “Your shoulders.” He nipped one of Devyn’s shoulders. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to make Devyn jump. “Your cock.” He slid his hand over Devyn’s hip bone to find his hard cock and run across it from stem to stern. “Your asshole.” Carl reached for the lube with one hand and uncorked it with experienced fingers. He dribbled some on the ass in front of him, aiming for the hole before taking one finger and swirling the oily substance around.

Devyn’s breathing was clipped as he leaned more forward, being careful not to bump his hand against the curtains that flowed between the sofa and the bay window. “I see.”

Carl slipped that one finger into Devyn’s asshole, finding him puckered and willing. “Oh, do I love your sweet ass.”

“So have my sweet ass meet your sweet dick.” Devyn let out a growl after the words as Carl pressed his finger in deeper.

Carl continued pressing and then added another finger, making circles around the sensitive flesh. He contorted his body, bringing his other hand to clasp Devyn’s cock and seize him before a gentle rub.

“Any day now.”

Devyn had always been impatient when it came to fucking. Carl would try to make it last, but Devyn could never stand it. He always wanted it right now. And Devyn usually won. “Fine.” He removed his fingers and slipped up tight against Devyn. He dripped on a little more lube, shrugged on a condom, and pressed his tip against Devyn’s hole. He moved slowly, sliding it in a little at a time. “Happy now?”

“Ecstatic.” Devyn’s voice came through gritted teeth. He pivoted his hips against Carl’s hand, which continued to fondle Devyn’s cock.

Carl steeled himself, trying not to let his reactions overtake him, making himself stand still, cock partially in Devyn, hand pleasuring Devyn. He counted patterns in the curtains.

“You could move!” Devyn sounded almost desperate.

The way Carl liked him. “You told me to meet your sweet ass and my sweet dick. You never said to move.” His heart pounded his chest. Beads of sweat pooled to the surface on his skin.

“Bastard.”

“Takes one to know one.”

“Fucking move!”

Carl moved forward with all his speed, taking his cock from only a quarter of the way in to fully seated. He continued to move, back and forth and back and forth, slipping in and out of the tight sheath.

“Yes.” Devyn seemed to almost strangle on the word. “Bastard, yes.”

Carl felt Devyn’s cock jerk, and soon it sputtered come all over Carl’s hand, all the while as Devyn cursed him and encouraged him.

He had pressed Devyn all the way into the couch cushions. He continued to move, almost pounding the other man.

So good. So tight.

The lube warmed to an almost intense heat. It was the kind that heated and made the skin it touched fire up to an almost uncomfortable level but not quite. It definitely stimulated.

Devyn keened as Carl’s pace grew even faster.

The wave passed over Carl like a tsunami. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think beyond the pressing of his hips against Devyn’s. He arched his back, making his head go up in the air.

His seed spilled as his orgasm roared across him. The swells kept coming, taking Carl each time they buoyed up.

Finally spent, he leaned against Devyn, trying to catch his breath and regain any sense of normalcy he had.

Devyn moving slightly made him realize he was probably crushing the lighter man.

Carl rolled away from him, careful not to touch his cock to the couch. No one wanted come on the cushions. He slipped off the condom before rushing away to drop it in the kitchen trash. It was one time he was glad their apartment was small and private. Walking around naked wasn’t an issue, and there were only a few steps between rooms. He sauntered back into the living room to Devyn, who was still in the same position on the couch.

At times, he loved just to look at his man. This was one of those times. Devyn was a sight—facedown in the top of the couch cushions, his body limp. Carl stayed there a few minutes watching him.

After a little bit, Devyn opened one eye and looked up at him. “Yes?”

“Nothing.” Carl marched back to the sink in the kitchen and quickly washed his hands. He also pulled out a washcloth from the laundry and went back to Devyn.

Devyn had turned but was still draped over the back of the sofa. “You should grow your hair out long.”

It was something he’d suggested a few times in addition to them getting hitched. Carl didn’t intend to do either one. He parted Devyn’s thighs and slipped the warm cloth against Devyn’s cock. He cleaned him slowly and thoroughly before proceeding to Devyn’s ass and doing the same thing. “Long hair and cooking don’t exactly match.” He got up to drop the washcloth in the washer and cleansed his hands again. “I don’t know how that would work.” Nor did he know how marriage could work when it wasn’t even legal in their state. They’d had this discussion yesterday, and it was still on Carl’s mind. How many times had they discussed his hair length and getting married? Too many to count. And Carl never changed on either platform. But neither did Devyn. A problem area for them.

“You could wear a hairnet.” Devyn turned around and sank down onto the couch. “I mean you already do, don’t you?”

“Most days.” Carl sat down beside Devyn, putting Devyn’s feet in his lap. He began massaging Devyn’s toes.

“So see? You’d have to stick it up in the hairnet, but not a big deal. I’m not talking like hair-band long. Just a little longer than it is.”

Carl rubbed particularly hard on the ball of Devyn’s foot but didn’t answer. He had no intention of his hair being any longer than it was. Heels weren’t good for a foot, especially the kind of dancing that Devyn did in them. His feet and calves often hurt. Amazing what women and drag queens did to look beautiful.

“I hope no one comes over.” Devyn mumbled the words as he closed his eyes. “We could stay like this forever.”

“You’ve jinxed us now.” Carl groaned, knowing how things like that usually worked out for them.

Forever turned out to be four minutes, as the timer to the turkey and stuffing went off. But it was four minutes longer than they usually had when one of them mentioned staying like that.

* * * *

Devyn hung up the phone. “Interesting.” He turned to face Carl, who raised one eyebrow from his place on the couch. Devyn re-joined him, taking the opposite side and entangling his legs with Carl’s in the place he’d vacated when the phone rang. It was odd. Most of their friends used their cell phones, so they had been curious to see who it was on their landline.

“So gonna share who that was and why it’s interesting?” Carl took a sip of his soda. He never had more than one glass of wine, unlike Devyn, who was on his third glass.

“That was an editor for
Pizazz
.”
Pizazz
was a well-known local magazine. They’d featured Rose once before in a drag-queen issue and included her in a best-of-the-town issue. “They want me to start writing a column. A love-advice column every other week.” He was still quite unsure what to make of that.

“You’re shitting me.” Carl sounded more incredulous than Devyn.

Which was not good. “Hey.” Devyn said it a little more sharply than he’d intended. “I’m a popular local performer.” He wasn’t national yet. Or even statewide. But most people in this area had heard of Rose Winter.