Chapter 18

18

For twenty minutes, I sat on my usual bench next to the water fountain. Earth Mom had packed my lunch, and I wanted to offer Dustin a ham sandwich. Every time a door to the building opened, I perked up, hoping to see him. So far, no luck.

He had charmed Earth Mom, telling funny stories about growing up in Vanguard. I hadn’t heard her laugh that hard in years. He had slipped out the door when she threw her arms around me, telling me to visit more often. She had whispered a simple, “I like him.” When I responded with, “Me, too.” I think both of our faces turned red.

“I like him a lot,” I mumbled.

“Talking to yourself?”

I didn’t turn. If I ignored him, perhaps Zaster would find somebody else to annoy. At first, I thought I might have disliked him because he worked as a scientist. Earth Mom taught me to give everybody a chance. It had less to do with his job and more to do with his personality. Nobody had ever taught him manners. Rude shouldn’t be the first thing that came to mind when I thought of him. Something about him made my skin crawl, and I wanted to ask Arthur if this was one of those intuition moments.

“Can I help you?”

“No, but Mr. Supreme can.”

I tensed. Zaster took Dustin’s seat, staring at the water fountain. He was wearing a white shirt and a red tie. The usual coat dragged along the ground, but this time, he wore goggles. He resembled every other scientist in the building. It was the sharp nose and sneer that set him apart.

If I flew away, it’d only confirm his suspicion. I tried to remember everything Earth Mom and Arthur had taught me. Laugh about it. Deny it. Act surprised. Time to see if taking notes while they lectured would pay off.

“Har. Har. Har.” Did it work?

“You’re in the presence of genius. Do you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“Notice what?” Deny it.

“Wyatt Supreme , you’re not exactly discreet.”

“Oh, I see how you got confused. Supreme. Supreme.” I rolled my eyes. “That happens all the time.” Should I act more surprised?

“I suspected it when you lifted the vending machine. Super strength. And like every other hero, none too smart about using those gifts.”

A scientist poked at my identity. Flying away wasn’t an option. I poked at my glasses, pushing them further up my nose. How had he seen through my disguise? The button-down and tie were nothing like the spandex. I tried shrinking as his eyes narrowed. As he gave me the once over, I knew my cover had been blown.

“I’m flattered, but?—”

“The fight with Titan only confirmed my suspicions.” His mind had been made up. There were no white lies that would convince him otherwise. “I didn’t anticipate your sidekick being there. At least I didn’t have to pay him for services rendered.”

Wait. Had Orion been right all along? He claimed there was a conspiracy at play, which wasn’t surprising knowing him. He’d never let us live it down. For once, he had been right.

I should have gotten up and excused myself, but I had questions. A man working two floors beneath me had sent a brute to… to do what?

“You sent Titan?”

“It took you long enough to figure it out.”

“Why?”

“Science, of course. I wanted to test the limits of your abilities. You’re the first alien I’ve had under my microscope. Once I got your DNA, thanks for the hair, by the way… I needed to see your race in action.”

I jumped to my feet. The thought of being locked in a lab and having white coats poking at me was too much. Anger. Yes, definitely anger, but I was also feeling curiosity? If Dustin were here, he’d want to get to the bottom of Zaster’s plan.

“What are you talking about?”

“I should say thank you. The hair hadn’t been enough. I needed a blood sample. It was like you didn’t even notice the biker stabbing you with a needle.”

A hair? My blood? My jaw dropped as I remembered him plucking a hair from my beard. I thought the scientist had been obsessed with grooming. Instead, he wanted a sample for his experiments. I hadn’t even considered the biker at the bar doing anything dastardly. My distaste for these madmen deepened.

“All scientists are bad men,” I mumbled.

“Didn’t your mother teach you it’s rude to mumble?”

It happened without thinking. I lifted him by the shirt, his feet dangling above the sidewalk. He could harass me. Heck, he could hire supervillains to kill me. But nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody, talked about Earth Mom.

“Did I hit a nerve?”

I gave him a shake for good measure. His black goggles slid down his forehead until they sat crooked on his nose. My eyes widened. Just like that, he transformed from Zaster to… Disaster? I had flashbacks to the chemical factory. Our mysterious villain had revealed himself. I let go, dropping him as I took a step back.

“It’s you…”

“Honestly, I didn’t think you’d ever figure it out.” He pulled off the goggles, stuffing them in his pocket. “Wyatt Supreme, you don’t know it yet, but you’re the breakthrough I’ve been searching for.”

“I’m not helping you.”

“You already have.”

“Well… stop it.”

“Too late.”

Zaster took a step forward, his chest bumping against mine. His lips turned into a sneer. With a single punch, I could launch him across the city. My strength didn’t faze him. He didn’t seem afraid at all. He made me nervous. Nobody prepared me for this situation.

“You giant, beautiful idiot.” He leaned close enough that I thought he might try to kiss me. That’d be an awkward villain moment. “You are special, indeed.”

His words should have been a compliment, but they made the hair on my neck stand upright. There were no doubts; nothing about this man said heroic. I should have stated that I’d thwart his attempts at villainy. After Titan and the chemical factory, it wouldn’t surprise me if he had lured the sentient trees into the park.

“We’re done here,” I said. I stepped around him and headed toward the building. Walk, Wyatt. Don’t let him see you panic. Easier said than done.

“We’ll be meeting again,” Zaster shouted. It wasn’t quite a cackle, but he was only a few seconds from transforming into a mad scientist.

“I’m sure we will,” I mumbled.

Glancing over my shoulder, he gave a slight wave. We had a villain under our roof, but who did I tell? Arthur was the most logical choice, but how could I let him know his boyfriend hired a bad guy? That’d be an awkward conversation. Drew and Orion? They might know how I could handle it. Maybe I was making a big deal out of nothing? Maybe Zaster would be the first scientist to go down a road of villainy and decide he wanted to be a good guy? It could happen.

I need to talk to Dustin. I bet he’d have the answer.

“To the best employees a boss could ask for.”

“Weren’t we hired out of desperation?”

Arthur glared at Orion as he held his bottle of beer in the air. Drew stepped in, clanking in celebration. It took a moment before Orion rolled his eyes and joined in the celebration. I followed suit before having a drink of the vile liquid. I didn’t understand humans and their obsession with alcohol. Give me a juice box any day of the week.

We had taken up our usual table across from the bar. It wasn’t as busy, but the bartender moved at a brisk pace. Nobody stood at the bar very long as Mick flipped bottles in the air before popping the caps. It always amazed me to watch his dexterity, not just with the drinks but with how he handled patrons. I was envious of the way he moved in and out of conversations with ease.

“You doing okay, buddy?” Arthur gave me a nudge with his elbow. “You’re not your usual self.”

How did I say, “Your boyfriend is hiring bad guys to do who knows what?” Worse yet, I didn’t dare talk about going out and patrolling with a new sidekick without giving away Dustin’s identity. How did I bring up Disaster working for Ricardo without making it awkward or upsetting Arthur? I bit my tongue, keeping it to myself. Humans kept secrets, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t know for a fact, but I wanted to believe that Halorians were an open people. Did my parents speak without sidestepping conversations? This required a talk with the only person on Earth I didn’t have to speak in half-truths. Earth Mom would know what to do.

“It’s that beefcake he’s been hanging out with.”

Janet pulled up a chair, spinning it around and straddling it as she sat at the table. She threw a hand up in the air, signaling to the bartender to make her a drink. Mick slammed the beer on the counter, crossing his arms in disapproval. She got up and snatched it before returning to her seat.

“As I was saying—” She took a swig that nearly drained the glass. “Our friend here has puppy dog feelings for the security guard.”

“Janet,” Arthur said in his serious voice, “what have I told you about joking with Wyatt?”

She reached across the table, snatching his beer out of his hand. “Be nice to the extraterrestrial.” With a single gulp, she finished his bottle. “In all seriousness, I hope you’re tapping that sweet ass. Cause damn, he’s a tall drink of water, and momma’s feeling thirsty.”

Thanks to Janet, I better understood innuendo. I didn’t know if she ever spoke without making Arthur uncomfortable. I was about to ask if she learned the trait from her parents when she let out a low whistle. She had turned in her seat, staring at the door to the bar.

“Don’t think I invited the stud for you. When he gets over his fear of lady parts, I’m going to?—”

“Dustin!” I shouted. Shooting to my feet, I inspected my shirt for nacho crumbs. With a quick tug, I ensured my zipper hadn’t fallen. Though, maybe if things went well, he’d be pulling it down later. With every step toward the table, I feared he’d see the growing tent in my pants.

“The weirdest thing happened. A woman left me a voicemail demanding I show, or she’d wreck me. Scary part, I don’t think she meant violence.”

When I glanced over my shoulder, everybody had eyes on Janet. Her tactics might be unconventional, but I mouthed a silent thank you. She held up her empty bottle and shot me a wink as she wandered back to the bar.

“Have a seat,” Drew offered. “We’ve heard all about you. Good things, I promise.”

“Has Wyatt been spreading lies?”

Me? I didn’t lie. Sometimes, I didn’t tell the whole truth, but Arthur assured me it didn’t qualify as a lie. I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to say.

“It’s a pleasantry,” Dustin said. “You always assume people are saying bad things behind your back.”

I shook my head. “I told them how you saved my life. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell them everything.” Taking my seat, he rested a hand on my thigh. “I only told them about our date. And the sex.”

“Wyatt!” Arthur coughed. Orion and Drew broke out into laughter. “That’s not…” He looked at the others. “Is that not appropriate? I don’t even know anymore. You all will be the death of me.” Arthur got to his feet, shaking his head. “I need another drink.”

Orion snickered as he leaned forward on the table. “Wyatt, never change.” I hadn’t planned on it. “Now that we’ve made this awkward, I have some questions for you.”

“Orion, no…”

Drew’s pleas were ignored. “Since you have access to Synergy, can you confirm that they have a super-soldier program underway? How does the Illuminati play into it? Are they being funded by big pharma? Could you take photos?—”

“You must be Orion.” He held out his hand. “Wyatt’s told me plenty about you, too. I can neither confirm nor deny. Hudler. Subverting big pharma. They have scanners for recording devices.”

I had no idea what Dustin meant. Both their eyes narrowed as they stared at one another. Were they about to fight? Orion didn’t have super strength. A punch from Dustin would cripple him. If he had his?—

“He’s good people.” Orion reached out, shaking Dustin’s hand. What had just happened? I’d save my questions for when I had one of them alone.

“That would make you Drew.”

“Nice to meet you. I wanted to say thanks for keeping the office safe.”

Dustin froze. He probably thought I had told them about the rescue with Titan or Disaster. I rested a hand on his back. “He took on Prowler like a champ. Without him, Janet and I would have been crushed. He’s my hero.”

His body relaxed. “Oh, that? That’s my job. What kind of guard would I be if I let the sexiest man in the building get clobbered?”

“You two are sickeningly cute,” Orion said. “I need more beer.”

Was there such a thing as being too cute? Dustin came close, but I wouldn’t fault him for it. I watched Orion join Janet and Arthur. When I turned back to the table, Drew had his chin resting in his hands. He batted his eyelashes at me, the smile making his eyes thin slits.

“Dustin, I hope to see you around the office more.” Drew gave an exaggerated wink. “For security reasons.”

“That’s… that’s my job.”

Drew got up and didn’t stop making eye contact as he headed toward the others. Bumping into a chair, he nearly fell over as he gave me a thumbs-up. I might not understand many human customs, but I recognized they all made excuses to leave me alone with Dustin.

I gave them all two thumbs-up and a big wink. All four smacked their faces and turned back to the bar.

“Your friends seem like good people.”

“The best people!”

“Do they know…”

I nodded.

“And about being an…”

“Yup.”

“Well, in that case, I like them even more.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Why’s that?”

He leaned in and gave me a kiss. I wanted to hold his head and nibble on his lips. I resisted… barely. He kept his hand on my thigh, fingers kneading the muscle.

“If they accept you for you, they have to be good people.”

Glancing at the bar, I watched Janet and Arthur arguing while Orion and Drew talked with the bartender. I could hear Kiki telling me I needed to expand my social circle. I didn’t object to the idea, but I had what I needed with these four. They knew my secret, that while I looked like them, I wasn’t like them. Instead of making me feel weird, they treated me like one of their own.

“That makes you good people, too.”

“For you? I try my hardest.”

I had been fixated on how Dustin’s presence made me a better hero. Whenever I thought of him, my back straightened and I carried my shoulders a little higher. I hadn’t thought that me, a guy scared of a demon— mouse, could inspire him. Something about that statement brought a tear to my eye.

“Should we join them?” I gestured to the rest of Secret Identities.

“Or we could give them something to talk about at the water cooler.”

“We don’t have?—”

“I mean, head back to your place.”

“Why would we…” His hand squeezed my thigh. “Oh, for sex.”

“That’s if you want?—”

I jumped to my feet, jerking him upright. I gave him a slight shove to the door. Did we run to my apartment? Take a cab? I’d fly if it meant I’d get to undress him faster.

“Leaving so soon?” asked Drew.

I gave them all a wave. “Sorry, we have to go. It’s a sex thing.”

Dustin’s face turned red as I pushed him along. Janet raised a glass in the air. “That’s my boy. Take photos—no, video. I want a video tomorrow. Expect a blow-by-blow during the staff?—”

“Janet!” Arthur said.

Their squabbling started again, but we were already at the door. If we didn’t hurry, I’d rip another zipper, and there were only so many times I could take them to the tailor before she asked questions.

“Well,” Dustin said, “they’ll definitely have a lot to talk about.”

I’d make sure the sex exceeded expectations.

“Now, fly!”

Dustin’s legs hooked over my shoulders as I kissed along the inside of his thighs. Our clothes had been tossed in the corner of my bedroom. This time Dustin insisted we strip instead of tearing them off. I had gotten naked in record time. After spending time on his knees worshipping my cock, I tossed him on the bed.

With the shades closed, my room would have been pitch black if not for the orange glow from the unicorn nightlight.

I kissed along the muscles in his thighs, moving from one to the other. Whenever my beard caused him to squirm, I gripped his legs, holding him in place. He didn’t complain as I moved closer to his cock. While I wanted to study his body, my erection had a plan of its own. I’d get there… eventually.

I reached his knee, giving it a soft kiss. It wasn’t a spot I normally stared at, but belonging to Dustin, I wanted it burned into my memory. Every dent and each dark hair trailing down his legs. It might not happen this time, but in time, I wanted to know his body as if it were my own.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered.

My hands slid underneath his knees, pulling them back toward his chest. Seeing him lying on the bed, receptive to my every touch, I had to not squeal like a child. I had seen men in this position in videos. When I asked if he’d let me, he threw his legs in the air, saying, “Yes, please.”

Eager, my lips trailed down his skin until I reached the skin between his balls and ass. Dragging my beard up and down, he squirmed. I’d be lying if I said his gasps didn’t make me want to drag it out. There’d be time. I ran my tongue along the skin, the tip hooking underneath his balls. Dustin moaned, back arching. I’d take that as permission to do it again.

I had been curious how people had sex without a script. Without a list of approved positions and moves, I worried I’d do something he wouldn’t like. While Dustin’s voice had been reduced to sighs, gasps, and moans, his body spoke volumes. It wasn’t so different from learning English. Stay vigilant and watch for cues, and I’d be able to read his body language.

I gave one more lick before shoving his legs back. Dustin grunted as I followed the chasm of his ass. When I hit his hole, his body trembled, and I took over, supporting his weight. With no protesting, I continued. The videos hadn’t prepared me for the excitement. Last time he ran spit along my cock before I fucked him. I wanted to do that again, so I prepped.

“Fuck me.”

Oh? “But…”

He lifted his head off the bed. “I want you inside me.”

I wouldn’t argue. With a final kiss on each of those thick thighs, I stood up. His legs rested against my chest as my cock slid up and down the crack of his ass. As the head touched his hole, his head shot up again.

“Lube,” he said. “Definitely lube this time. Otherwise, I’ll be waddling the next few days.”

“I’d watch you waddle,” I said with a wink. He hooked his hands behind his knees while I rummaged through my nightstand drawer. When I found the bottle, I returned to my position, letting his legs relax against my chest. I eyed the bottle, trying to figure out the best way to apply the lube.

It felt foolish to ask. “How much do I…”

“A few drops along your cock and a few on my hole.”

Popping the cap, I squeezed the bottle and before I knew it, my shaft was covered and the crack of his ass glistened. I’d be cleaning lube off my floor later tonight. That’s a problem for another time.

Running the head of my cock up and down his ass, I closed my eyes, savoring the warmth of his body. Seconds later, I pressed the head against his hole, and the heat went from warm to hot. Tight, incredibly tight. I froze, not wanting to hurt Dustin. Unlike the videos, I knew if I shoved in and banged away, it wouldn’t last, and I never wanted to stop.

“More,” he gasped.

I pushed a couple inches into him, and he held up his hand. I didn’t try for more and instead reached for his cock, jerking him with slow tugs. Moments later, he gripped the comforter, pulling himself down so that more slipped inside. His erection thickened, and the precum leaked from the tip.

“You’re so big.” He reached for my chest, flicking a finger across my nipple. “Nice and slow,” he whispered.

“All of it?”

“Top’s choice,” he said, “slow.”

What did I want? I’d have been happy to stay buried inside Dustin, but I wanted to make sure he got what he wanted. This was less about me and more about wanting him to have an excellent time.

I started with slow, short strokes, not wanting to pull all the way out. Each time I slid inside, he grunted. If his cock didn’t jump with each stroke, I’d worry I hurt him. When his moans turned to whimpers, I pulled out more, waiting a moment before pushing back inside.

“Harder,” he said.

“Are you sure?” I didn’t wait for a reply when I slammed against his ass. His fingers bunched the comforter, and his back arched. I repeated the maneuver again, and his head rocked back and forth as he whimpered.

I gripped his cock, and he held my hand in place. “Don’t move it or I’ll come.”

Keeping my hand in place, I continued a steady in-and-out motion. Every few strokes, I’d slam all the way in, my balls slapping against his ass. If I had known it felt this amazing, I would have stopped watching videos and asked Dustin if he wanted to have sex sooner. None of the actors compared to this sexy man lying on the bed.

“You’re beautiful.”

His legs wrapped around my waist, and he tugged at my arm until I lay on top of him. Holding the sides of my face, I stared into those beautiful brown eyes. They still reminded me of the forest, but with a hint of feral animal. I continued bucking my hips as he pulled me closer, pressing his lips against mine.

As soon as we kissed, his arms wrapped around my neck and I lifted him off the bed. Hands cupping his ass, I lifted and pulled him down on my cock. He broke the kiss, throwing his head back as he howled. His cock jerked, and a wet warmth covered my stomach. His body tensed, and his hole gripped me like a vise. There was no holding back as a growl tore through my lungs and filled the bedroom.

“Breed me,” he cried.

And I did.

The electricity filled my body as I came, more than I ever had before. I collapsed with him on the bed, my cock still twitching inside him. He kissed the tip of my nose before rolling onto his back, letting out a long sigh. As soon as my cock softened, slipping out of him, I wanted a repeat.

“Can we do that again?”

Dustin laughed, holding his belly as his head rolled to the side, looking at me. “Oh, you’re serious.”

“That was amazing. Why wouldn’t I be serious?”

He patted me on the cheek. “Most guys need time to reload.”

“Reload?”

He pointed at my lube-covered groin. “Not everybody can get hard right away. We’ll need a break before I can do that again.”

I was going to offer he be on top next time, but I didn’t want to put him on the spot. How long did he need between orgasms? I could scratch a few more things off my list, but as quickly as I removed one, another sprang to mind. We’d be busy for a good long time.

“Oh,” I propped myself up on my elbow. I had almost forgotten to tell him about the weirdest part of my day. “Zaster knows I’m Mr. Supreme.”

His laughing came to a sudden halt. He rolled onto his side, an eyebrow dangerously high on his forehead. Dustin said nothing, but I felt as if I had stumbled into a social faux pas Kiki talked about.

“Isn’t pillow talk customary after sex?”

He shook his head. “Pillow talk is a bit more about the people in the bed. Intimate small talk. This is…” He sat upright. “Wyatt, this is a big deal. Why didn’t you lead with that?”

“I thought it’d spoil the mood.”

“Well, yeah, but… did he say anything else?”

The tone in Dustin’s voice suggested I shouldn’t have withheld the information. I imagined this would have been Arthur’s reaction. Janet would have told me to karate chop Zaster in the throat. Orion and Drew? They’d probably have shrugged it off. This ventured into the unknown, and I didn’t know how worried I should be.

“Not much, really. Oh, except that he sent Titan.”

“He was behind the attack?”

“And he was the scientist we encountered the other night.”

“So he’s a mad scientist, too?”

As he said it out loud, I realized this was not a good thing. The worry set in. Having an evil genius know my secret didn’t bode well. Maybe Janet could help me sort out how to handle an arch-nemesis?

“He said something about me being the key to his research.”

Dustin shook his head. I started thinking I should have said something before sex. Kiki would need to help me with suitable pillow talk. I’d get this right. Hopefully, this slip-up didn’t jeopardize our future naked time.

“What could he mean? I hate when villains are ominous.”

“Oh, no! He explained it. Something about my DNA is the answer to his research. He stole a hair from my beard this one time when I went looking for you in the Synergy offices. Then, on our ‘not date,’ he had a biker take a blood sample.”

“You didn’t think that was weird?”

“Everything about Zaster is weird.”

“True.” Dustin scooted to the end of the bed and got to his feet. “This isn’t good, Wyatt. I don’t like him treating you like a science project.” He continued shaking his head as he paced back and forth. “I don’t like it one bit.”

“Is this what Janet means about a jealous boyfriend?”

He paused. The worry in his eyes faded, and his lips drew back in a half-smile. “Jealous, no. I’m concerned for your safety.”

“You’re smiling. I’m confused.”

“You called me your boyfriend.”

The room went silent as every insecurity came to the surface. Had I overstepped a personal boundary? Would Kiki say I rushed to a conclusion? I didn’t know how to respond, but the butterflies in my belly stirred.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“Not at all. I just didn’t know you felt that way.”

I had a lot of worries. Would I be brave enough for somebody like Dustin? Would I make a good partner when we were out patrolling? Did he have any interest in a lost alien? The insecurities tried bursting from my brain, but they didn’t compare to the warm fuzzy feelings in my chest when I saw that smile.

“I like like you.”

He chuckled. “I like like you, too.”

When I didn’t know what to say, I defaulted to honesty. “I’m trying to be the man you want.”

Dustin held out his hand. When I took it, he yanked me to my feet and wrapped his arms around my neck. His forehead pressed against mine. This moment needed to go on forever.

“I don’t want the Wyatt you’re trying to be. I like the Wyatt you are.”

“Does this make us boyfriends?”

He kissed the tip of my nose before giving me a bear hug. Dustin’s superhuman strength showed, and I let out a grunt.

“I think it does.” He spun me about the room. “And don’t worry, I’ll take care of Zaster.”