Chapter Ten

It was a gorgeous day for running. Low 70s, a nice breeze, just a bit overcast. Brandon had settled into a solid run seven laps ago and was about to finish the second mile. A glance at his watch told him he had plenty of time for a couple more and a shower after. He could feel the stress sloughing off and told himself again that he had to make time for this. It cleared his mind, and he felt much better for it as his long legs ate up the track. Distracting himself, he composed a test in his head, working out essay questions. It would be simple to type it up later. He’d gotten a decent amount of grading done during tutoring this morning, and he thought he might try that more often to free up running time at night.

Striding past the press box, Brandon was oblivious to anything else but the asphalt. Kids began to filter out of the gymnasium complex in twos and threes, some carrying soccer balls or footballs and chattering happily, some looking around for a way to escape class today. The coach was the last one out of the building, his clipboard under his arm and his whistle in his teeth as he counted the kids. Not many were brave enough to try and escape Jake’s gym classes. He was one of the few teachers spiteful enough to track them down when they did.

Jake caught sight of the lone figure running the track around the field, long and lean and eating up the distance with graceful strides. He blinked at the unexpected pang of lust that shot through him and looked away quickly. Jesus, what was wrong with him? Another glance that he just couldn’t help, and an uncomfortable flutter of relieved emotions went through him as Jake realized that it was Brandon running.

The scattered sound of voices caught Brandon’s attention and he looked up to see students crossing the track to the football field, some already kicking soccer balls around. A gym class. Which meant Jake couldn’t be far behind. Despite the rise in his pulse, Brandon forced himself to keep drawing slow, easy breaths, never breaking stride as he raised a hand in answer to some of the students’ greetings.

Jake headed over to the benches that lined the football field and thunked down, his eyes barely ever leaving Brandon’s running form. He had to pass behind Jake on the track, and when he did Jake lowered his head and bit his lip, watching the disorganized soccer game intently. As Brandon hit the top of the track again and came into view, Jake’s eyes followed him. He had never seen him run like this. He had known he could, obviously, but sometimes only seeing was believing. He swallowed heavily and tried desperately to pay attention to the class.

Finishing his third mile, Brandon was aware of Jake’s presence, and he thought he might have caught the coach watching him. It was easy to keep going. He’d long ago perfected the art of staying in gear while his mind went other places. Now he was well warmed up, and he added a bit of speed as he started into the fourth mile. He wanted to finish strong so he’d be pleasantly tired tonight. Brandon wondered, idly, what Jake was thinking about if he was watching him.

If he had known exactly what Jake was thinking, he likely wouldn’t have been able to finish his lap.

Another seven minutes passed and Brandon finally slowed to a jog for half a lap, then a rolling walk, hands extending over his head in a cooling stretch, feeling much better than when he’d awoken that morning. He stopped to grab the towel he’d tossed over the fence so he could wipe away the worst of the sweat, and when he turned, it was impossible to miss Jake sitting inside the fence on the sideline bench. Brandon ambled in that direction, hanging the towel around his neck, arms dangling from each end.

Jake turned his head slightly to see Brandon walk up. He couldn’t help but smile when their eyes met. “I see you never got your run in last night,” he greeted in a knowing, intimate voice.

Brandon would have blushed if he wasn’t already flushed. He leaned on the fence, about ten feet away. “No, no, I didn’t,” he admitted. “Had other things on my mind, actually,” he said pointedly. To him, keyed up from his run, warm all over and now fighting the urge in his gut, Jake looked positively edible. Bad idea to have a hard on in running shorts, Bartlett.

“Oh yeah?” Jake responded innocently. “Have a hard night, did you?” he asked in the same tone, craning his neck to peer up at Brandon through the bright sunshine.

Eyes narrowing, Brandon’s answer was designed to hopefully make Jake feel the same way he did. “There were some things hard about it, yes. For a while, anyway. Then it was easier to sleep.”

Jake pressed his lips together to restrain the smile and nodded. “I had a hard night, too,” he countered, resting one ankle on his knee and holding his foot to keep his knee from bouncing.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Brandon said, deliberately playing it up, although he’d really rather stop talking so vaguely. He sighed. “I need to go shower. I’ve got about thirty minutes until class,” he said regretfully.

Jake looked down briefly before glancing back up at Brandon. He was no longer smiling, and his eyes had gone black and glinting. “You giving me a ride home today?” he asked in a low voice, mindful of anyone close to them.

Rather than waffling like yesterday, Brandon knew exactly what he wanted. The shine in Jake’s eyes was almost a promise. “Yes.”

“Good,” Jake murmured, lips curving crookedly in a pleased, slightly evil smile. “I look forward to it.”

Brandon knew he would think of that smile the rest of the day. “Good,” he said playfully, walking backwards away from the fence before turning to jog back to the gym and the shower.

Jake was careful not to turn and watch him go. Instead he turned his attention back to the kids and silently wondered how he would get through the rest of the day.

Confirming his thought, Brandon did indeed think of Jake’s smile through classes, lunch and practice. He packed up equipment along with Jonathan, thinking about that smile. He waited as Jake finished up, leaning on the fence as usual, contemplating how caught up he was in the other man. He felt like he wanted to change his whole life around just to keep Jake in it. Brandon was pretty sure it wasn’t transitory on his part. He wouldn’t tire of being around Jake’s frenetic energy and schizophrenic behavior. No, he was more concerned about Jake deciding he’d had enough of the admittedly geeky and focused science teacher who was taking a flying leap by trying to at least act like a coach.

Jake took one last look around the empty field before strolling over to the fence where the other coaches were all waiting for him.

“Whatcha think, Coach? You ran them hard enough. Have they got that defeated mindset out of their heads?” Troy asked seriously.

“No,” Jake answered, kicking the fence in frustration. “They will, though,” he added determinedly watching the last tired kid straggle out of sight. “Let’s go home,” he huffed. “I’m tired.”

Jonathan and the college guys said goodbye and wandered off, and Troy zipped off in his golf cart, leaving Jake and Brandon walking across the parking lot toward the Jetta. It was a quiet drive to Jake’s, even more so when Brandon pulled into the driveway.

Jake cocked his head to the side and looked up at his house. “So what am I doing wrong?” he asked out of the blue. “What am I doing different this year that’s fucking them up?”

Brandon glanced at Jake, a little surprised. “I’m not sure I can even come close to answering that, Jake. But I can tell you what I think,” he offered.

“Okay,” Jake responded with a nod, still looking up at his house.

“I think they’re nervous. They want to please you. They’re so tied up in knots about it that their focus is shot.”

Jake flinched and glanced over at Brandon. “That’s never been a problem before,” he argued weakly.

“They’ve never been this close before,” Brandon said in a quiet voice. “They want it, and more so, they know you want it. It’s not a bad thing, Jake. They’re just, well, they’re trying too damn hard. They need to relax and enjoy it.”

Jake was silent again, thinking. He would have to turn more of his concentration to this than he had been. He hadn’t even realized he had begun to slack until it was too late.

“Jake. You have got to relax. Every time you tense up, they tense up. The tighter you get, the tighter they get. Hell, the more you stress, the more they stress!” Brandon shook his head, seeing the dark look on Jake’s face. “Am I getting through at all here?”

“Yes,” Jake answered tightly.

Closing his eyes as Jake’s tense voice cut through him, Brandon tried to shrug it off as much as possible. “Okay,” he whispered, just sitting there. He didn’t know what else to say or do.

“Thanks,” Jake whispered, feeling guilty. He swallowed and nodded at the house with a small smile. “Care to come in?” he asked wryly.

Brandon’s eyes blinked open, and he relaxed a little as he looked over at Jake. “Yeah,” he agreed.

Jake had been watching him and he sighed. “I make you nervous, too, don’t I?”

“Sometimes,” Brandon admitted evenly, but he added a playful grin after. “It’s usually in a good way, though.”

“Is it?” Jake asked.

The moment tensed, and it felt like a turning point—like Brandon’s decision now would turn him right or left. One road steered him on his way alone. The other... He nodded, meeting Jake’s eyes, purposefully letting the emotions he usually quashed shine in his eyes. This was his chance. “Yes.”

Jake felt an unusual flutter in his chest, and he frowned at Brandon in continued silence. Then he leaned over the console between them and pulled Brandon closer to kiss him impulsively.

It was like the first time, that nervous kiss on the couch. Brandon’s surprise held him aloof for a few moments before he relaxed into Jake’s arms and returned his kiss whole-heartedly. Maybe Jake had glimpsed what Brandon felt.

When Jake finally pulled away, just a little, and rested his nose and lips against Brandon’s cheek, his chest was tight and his breathing was coming in slow, quiet gasps. “I could really get used to this,” he murmured.

Aching and swirling with heat, Brandon nodded his agreement. “Car’s probably not the best place,” he murmured, but he made no move to uncurl his hands from Jake’s jersey or pull away.

“You’re absolutely right,” Jake answered, kissing him again.

Brandon literally whimpered into Jake’s mouth, sliding one hand up to cup the back of Jake’s neck. He was swiftly losing any sense of propriety. “Jake,” he breathed as their lips parted for a bare moment.

“Inside?” Jake breathed in response, not removing his lips from Brandon’s as he spoke.

A moan caught in Brandon’s throat. “Inside ... inside!” he urged, deliberately acknowledging the double meaning, and he crushed his lips to Jake’s again for a heated kiss before pulling back and lurching out of the car.

Jake was left sitting in the car and swallowing hard when the door slammed shut. He sat for another moment, blinking and trying to clear the fog of lust in his brain, then he followed Brandon out of the car and caught him as he came around the front end. Jake grabbed him and threw him against the hood of the car, flattening him there and kissing him again feverishly in the semi-privacy of his large, wooded front yard.

Brandon’s breath whooshed out of his chest as he hit the hood, Jake’s weight atop him and around him and eating him alive, feeding the hunger that flared inside him. He clung to the other man, arms closing around wide shoulders and one leg curling around firm thighs, his other knee propped up so that Jake ground their groins together. He was only dimly aware of the light breeze blowing through the trees as the sun set.

Jake all but devoured him, pressing him against the hood of the car and kissing him as if he had been deprived of the privilege for years. His hands roamed over Brandon’s body, depending on the sheer force of his body weight to keep him from getting away, and he rocked against him, demanding more.

There was no way Brandon was going to summon the strength to resist this. It was everything he wanted to be reassured. Wanted. Craved. Oh God . His cock was rock hard and practically screaming at him, and he didn’t doubt for one second that if this went on much longer he was coming right then and there.

Somewhere in the distance a dog began barking, but Jake didn’t even lift his head as he continued to kiss Brandon with everything he had. He didn’t even part for air, instead forcing them both to breathe noisily through their noses as Jake’s hands dragged over Brandon’s body.

Brandon arched up against him, needy sounds garbled by their kiss. His hands gripped strong shoulders and started pulling the jersey from the back of Jake’s pants, then the Under Armour, digging for warm, smooth skin.

Jake growled aggressively and lifted Brandon up off the car just enough to slam him back into the hood with a clang and a rattle, pushing closer to him and insinuating himself between his legs as he did so.

“Jesus fuck !” Brandon cried out roughly in response, his hands sliding into the form-fitting pants to grip Jake’s bare hips as he went spiraling towards orgasm, desperately wrapping his legs around the other man and forcing his hips upward. He was so fucking close to losing his mind.

Jake rocked against him, one hand coming up to tangle in his hair and pull his head back to give Jake access to his neck. He pressed the length of his entire body down against Brandon’s and began to suck and nip at the most tender spots under his ear and chin.

A soft wail ripping from him, Brandon gasped wildly. “Jake—Jake!” he grated, teetering on the edge.

Jake moved his mouth back to cover Brandon’s with more hungry kisses. “Shh,” he urged, the sound muffled by Brandon’s mouth as Jake rocked into him rhythmically.

Brandon shivered hard in Jake’s arms. His fingers flexed and dug in as his vision went out of whack and he climaxed hard with a grunt against Jake’s lips, hips jutting upward with each pulse washing through him.

Jake finally lost his grip on himself and moaned against Brandon’s lips when he realized the other man was coming. He gasped into the kiss, hand tightening in Brandon’s hair. Under Jake, Brandon shuddered, head hanging back so that his neck arched as he sucked in breaths. His head was spinning. Jake’s movements finally slowed as Brandon’s breathing began to calm, and he kissed Brandon’s neck up and down in a random, almost frantic manner; following his jaw line and moving suddenly to his mouth again before nipping at his neck once more.

Squeezing Jake a little closer, Brandon sighed and tried to find some composure. “Jake,” he said softly. “Take me in the house. You can’t fuck me out here.”

“I bet I could,” Jake argued in a low growl before kissing him again.

Brandon’s exhale was a soft moan as desire continued to zip through him. “Ohhhkaaay,” he answered weakly, eyes rolling back into his head as he clung to the other man.

Jake kissed him again and slowly eased up on the pressure he was exerting, letting Brandon slide to the ground carefully while he backed up a step. Brandon reopened his eyes once his cleats touched the ground and he looked up at Jake with glazed eyes.

Jake licked his lips and cracked a smile through the haze of lust he was still battling. “You just gonna stand there or should I carry you?”

Brandon pushed himself up on his elbows, still bent back over the hood, chuckling. “You’re gonna carry me?” he asked in obvious disbelief.

“If you don’t move your ass inside I will,” Jake threatened with a point to the door, his voice taking on a decidedly impatient and hungry edge.

Not wanting to risk it, Brandon pushed himself off the car and wavered a little, having to catch himself against the fender for a second. Then he made purposefully for the stairs. Jake followed him, practically vibrating, and as soon as he made it through the unblocked front door Jake tackled him again. Literally tackled him, landing them both on the sofa as Jake began pawing at him yet again. Brandon yelped and turned just in time to catch Jake around the middle before he hit the couch on his back. “Damn, Jake!” he laughed, trying to help the other man get into his clothes.

“You asked for it,” Jake argued as he yanked at Brandon’s uniform demandingly.

“I asked for it?” Brandon repeated, pushing on Jake’s chest to get enough room to pull his own jersey and shirt off. “Tell me how you figure that,” he breathed.

“I’m not sure,” Jake huffed impatiently, pressing Brandon into the couch as soon as he had the shirts off and kissing him hungrily. “But I’m sure I’m right,” he murmured distractedly, tugging his own jersey over his head.

Brandon really didn’t care. He moaned instead as his hands came into contact with hot skin, and he worked on toeing out of his cleats, each one thumping to the floor so he could spread his legs for Jake to get closer.

And Jake took advantage of the invitation, grabbing Brandon’s thighs and tugging him until he was on the edge of the couch. Jake laid himself out over him, one knee propped on the frame of the sofa as he dove into another series of heated kisses. Thinking he might just melt, Brandon met each touch, each kiss with enthusiasm, arousal spiking through him again with a slow, simmering heat. He couldn’t imagine what Jake was feeling. He apparently had a hell of a lot more control than Brandon did. He groaned and bit Jake’s lower lip as one hand slipped around the back of Jake’s neck to hold him in place.

Jake actually whimpered, sliding his hands under Brandon to bring their bodies closer. “I didn’t exactly think this through,” he whined as he pulled back and looked up at the stairs, estimating the distance they had to travel to get to the bed.

Brandon grinned up at him. “Get off me, ya big lug. I promise not to run away,” he said. Jake stood and held out his hand to help Brandon to his feet. His entire body was practically vibrating. Brandon slid his hand into Jake’s and used the leverage to push himself off the couch to find himself standing chest to chest with him. It was difficult to resist kissing again. “C’mon,” he said. He could see how Jake shook. He pulled the bigger man behind him up the stairs and into the bedroom, where he started pulling off his socks.

Jake started on his belt and pushed down the baseball pants, only remembering when they pooled at his feet that he’d not yet taken off his shoes. He shuffled to the bed and began yanking off items of clothing haphazardly, tossing them to the floor and growling with each one that came off.

Shucking his baseball pants, Brandon grimaced at the damp, sticky mess of his briefs. “Look at this mess you caused,” he accused playfully.

“Better get even with me,” Jake told him with a smirk as he divested himself of the last of his clothing. Brandon huffed and shoved the briefs over his hips and down his legs, pulling them off and using them to wipe up a bit before throwing them to the floor and stalking toward Jake on the bed.

Jake’s entire body flushed with warmth and anticipation as Brandon got closer, and he found himself, for once, unable to move. Brandon stopped right in front of him and reached out to run his fingers through Jake’s hair. “You gonna be a good boy and clean it up?” Brandon rasped, curious as to what Jake would do; Brandon wasn’t usually this forward, mostly content to let Jake be the aggressor.

Jake’s shoulders stiffened and his eyelashes fluttered as he tried to maintain eye contact. He never knew which Brandon he was going to get, and God , there were two very different Brandons inside the man he was beginning to think of as his lover. After a brief, tense moment of pondering this, Jake reached out and dug his fingers into Brandon’s hips, sliding himself off the end of the bed to his knees in front of the man.

Swallowing hard when Jake got to his knees, Brandon petted his hair reassuringly. Hell, he’d have been thrilled if Jake stayed sitting to do this. The few times he’d taken the lead, Brandon had braced himself for Jake’s refusal, but it hadn’t come yet. Jake tilted his head into the strokes of Brandon’s hand and licked at the head of his cock slowly, closing his eyes and humming as he took it into his mouth. Brandon hissed and kept petting, caressing the curve of Jake’s skull as his hips shifted slightly.

Jake raised up a little, taking him further into his mouth and sliding his hands slowly around to pull at Brandon’s hips. He knew he couldn’t stay down there long enough to make Brandon come again. That wasn’t really his goal here anyway. He wanted Brandon to know that Jake wasn’t the only one in the relationship who should feel free to toss the other around. To be in charge.

Brandon groaned as the wet heat of Jake’s mouth moved on him, an interesting counterpoint to the soft hair that ruffled under his hands. But as good as it felt, he couldn’t let Jake stay on his knees. He didn’t want any part of them being together to be painful. He gradually pulled back, the sight of his half-hard cock sliding out of Jake’s lips enough to help him harden a little more. “C’mon,” he said, leaning over to slide his arms under Jake’s to help him to his feet. Instead of standing up, though, Jake pulled Brandon down with him, reaching up to him and tugging in an oddly sweet gesture.

Surprised, Brandon went down on one knee, pulling back a little bit, a slight frown on his face. Jake reached for him without a word, taking his face in his hands and kissing him. The gentle kiss kept Brandon off-balance, and he leaned into Jake’s arms as they kissed tenderly, oh Christ , almost lovingly. He had to stop thinking this way. It was a sure road to disaster, though he’d enjoy the ride. One of his hands sprawled across Jake’s chest, just touching.

Jake moved until his hand covered Brandon’s resting on his chest, and his other hand stayed at Brandon’s face, his thumb sliding over Brandon’s cheekbone. His entire body thrummed with the need for release, but he ignored it. This gentle kiss intoxicated him. For his part, Brandon was terrified of moving. He didn’t want to do anything that might end this moment. It was so unlike anything he’d felt before, his chest aching as he trembled under the gentle attention.

Several times Jake pulled back from the kiss, intending to end it only to tilt his head the other way and delve back into it for more, still gentle. His heart raced, but he didn’t know why. His breath was gone like it had been sucked out of him by a cold wind, but he didn’t know why. All he knew was that this felt incredible. Familiar. Right.

“Jake,” Brandon whispered in an aching voice. He wanted to know where this was coming from; he wanted to ask if Jake felt like he did. But the words wouldn’t come. He didn’t want to move an inch from Jake’s arms.

Jake pulled back just far enough to rest his forehead against Brandon’s, and when he spoke he was still close enough that their lips brushed. “Are you asking me to stop?” he asked quietly, heart in his throat.

“Never,” Brandon breathed without hesitation. They were so close that Brandon’s eyes were still closed, and his fingers clenched on Jake’s shoulder. Jake responded by merely pressing his lips to Brandon’s again, whimpering a little as the lust finally began to overpower whatever magic this surreal kiss had created. Brandon’s voice was almost inaudible between kisses. “Please don’t stop.”

Jake gasped out a breath and dragged the air back in, barely able to breathe as Brandon begged him. “I want you,” he rasped between kisses.

“I’m yours,” Brandon sighed against Jake’s lips.

Jake groaned against the gust of the words, surprised at the rush of emotion they caused in him. He hesitated, not wanting to end the moment, but his desire won out, and he urged Brandon to stand with him as he struggled to his feet.

Brandon shook so hard he had to hold onto Jake for balance once they got their feet again. He curled his arms around Jake’s neck, sliding close against him, clinging for all he was worth.

Jake simply turned them both, laying Brandon out on the bed beneath him; then began to commando crawl up the bed, sliding Brandon with him until they were close enough for Jake to stretch across to the bedside table. As he reached for the handle his fingers shook.

Feeling drunk on Jake’s scent, Brandon moaned and nuzzled his neck before he moved, hands sliding along his arms and back, pulling his eyes open to watch him longingly.

Jake grabbed the bottle and looked back down as he ran his free hand along Brandon’s chest. “When I saw you running,” he said before he could think twice about it, “I didn’t even know it was you and I wanted you.”

Brandon lifted his hand to slide his fingers along Jake’s chin. “Hmmm. Might make me jealous, wanting some stranger running around the track,” he murmured.

“I felt guilty for it,” Jake admitted breathlessly as he turned his head into the touch and closed his eyes.

“Guilty? For wanting a stranger?” Brandon asked, caressing Jake’s cheek with his knuckles. Jake nodded, not opening his eyes as he blushed slightly. His hand dragged down Brandon’s side, sliding under his hip. Brandon raised an eyebrow. “And when you figured out it was me?” he fished.

Jake breathed out heavily again and lowered his head, one hand working under Brandon’s thigh to lift his leg slowly and wrap it around Jake’s hip. “I was relieved,” he answered in a hoarse gust of breath.

Brandon tightened his leg around Jake, one arm sliding around his neck. He wanted to beg for clarification—relieved it wasn’t someone else? Or did that mean Jake felt something for him? Instead, he tried laughing it off. “Well, that does a lot of good for my ego,” he poked, smiling a little.

Jake turned his head and pressed his lips to Brandon’s demandingly, shifting his hips to settle between his legs. “Means that some time between Friday and this morning I fell pretty damn hard for you,” he breathed, his heart pounding.

Sweet Jesus . “Fell for me—me?” Brandon asked in surprise, fingers gripping Jake hard as he hoped with everything that was in him.

“Hard,” Jake breathed with a nod, his face pressed against Brandon’s cheek, unable to look at him.

Brandon moaned sharply as he clasped Jake’s face between his hands and pulled him up to kiss him, ever so lightly, gentle, like before. “Me too,” he whispered.

Jake’s breath left him in a little rush of air, and he kissed Brandon yet again, reaching between them with his other hand to slide a lubricated finger into the man little by little .

Shuddering, Brandon’s breath hitched, then relaxed utterly as he fell into the kiss. This was not ‘just sex’ anymore. Not to him.

“Christ, what have we done?” Jake panted as he kissed Brandon urgently and prepared him as quickly as he dared.

“Don’t know, just don’t stop, please,” Brandon begged as soon as their lips parted, writhing under him. Jake nodded obediently and lifted himself up, covering his cock in the slick lubricant and then lowering himself back down to capture Brandon’s lips as he guided himself in.

“Jake, oh God , don’t let me go,” Brandon whispered, closing his eyes as he welcomed the other man into his body, hitching both legs up around his waist. “Oh please...” He was out of his mind with what Jake had admitted. It exploded in his head and burned through him like wildfire.

Jake responded by rocking his hips and groaning as he slid his hand under Brandon’s shoulders to pull their bodies closer together. Brandon wrapped around Jake like a limpet ... he thought distantly that this was getting totally out of hand, echoing Jake’s most recent question. But he couldn’t bring himself to focus on it, not when he wanted this so much. “Now, Jake, now,” he breathed.

Jake pulled back and slammed into him, rocking deep inside before repeating the motion and falling into a punishing rhythm, whimpering and moaning Brandon’s name as he tried to keep the pace. Brandon’s abandoned cries of pleasure only served to encourage Jake further, and he gave up on any pretense of gentility. Brandon bit his lip against even more inappropriate words as the thrusts jarred him, almost as if each snap of his body was emphasizing what he felt.

Jake gasped now with each thrust into Brandon’s body, groaning as if the effort of not coming was too much for him to take without a struggle. He pulled almost entirely out of Brandon after every thrust, wanting to make damn certain Brandon enjoyed it. The pleasure and effort began to make him lightheaded, and with that came a complete loss of his considerable control. He cried out suddenly, pushing up to his knees and dragging Brandon’s hips up into his lap as he tried desperately to fight back his orgasm and fuck Brandon at the same time.

The lost sound wrenched from Jake made Brandon arch up against him. He gave a rough yell of strained pleasure as his entire body stiffened, and Brandon threw back his head and cried out his lover’s name as he slammed into orgasm, the proof of it marking them both with hot slickness. Jake’s body curled over his, hips losing their rhythm as his fingers dug into Brandon’s skin, and he came with a tortured shout.

His muscles twitched and clenched through the orgasm and Brandon was afraid he’d break out crying at the gorgeous pleasure of it, God help him. He squeezed his eyes shut and rode it out, wrapped around Jake as his shout echoed in his ears.

It felt like hours before Jake stopped shivering. He pushed up and looked down at Brandon finally, panting slightly, eyes screwed shut, skin glistening with sweat. Without a word he carefully pulled out, gasping at the over-stimulation of the friction, and lowered himself to his side next to Brandon.

Brandon didn’t even wait. He rolled over to wrap his arms back around Jake’s neck, curling as close as he could get while still trying to catch his breath.

Jake held him close, shutting his eyes as he tried to remember why in the hell he’d told Brandon what he had. And what was more, it was true. And Brandon had reciprocated, something Jake had never expected. “We’re in quite a mess now,” he murmured affectionately.

Tightening his arms, Brandon nodded against Jake’s chest. He didn’t trust himself to speak just yet. He was quite afraid of what might come out.

Not getting any response, Jake frowned, worried, and lowered his head to press his lips against Brandon’s forehead. “Did I hurt you?” he asked softly.

“No,” Brandon murmured, shaking his head to reinforce his response. After a few moments, he had to say something. “A mess, huh?”

“I’m a mess,” Jake responded with a nod.

Brandon smiled a little and chuckled, keeping his head tucked against Jake’s neck. “No, you specifically said we’re in quite a mess.”

“Well, now, we are,” Jake argued sensibly. “Doesn’t mean the inner Jake isn’t doing a Snoopy dance, but it’s still a mess.”

Pulling back to look at Jake incredulously, Brandon just barely held back a guffaw. “A ‘ Snoopy’ dance?”

“You can’t tell me you don’t know what I’m talking about,” Jake insisted haughtily, raising his chin to hide the smile that played at his lips.

“Ah, okay,” Brandon said. He was more interested in the rest of what Jake said anyway. “I’m glad I could make you dance inside,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Jake’s mouth. Jake responded in kind, pulling Brandon closer and turning his head into the kiss.

Brandon sighed, but didn’t want to let the question slip away. It would bother him all night. “Jake. Mess. Talk,” he murmured against swollen lips.

Jake groaned plaintively and sighed as he rested his head back on the pillow. “If we’re ever found out,” he murmured in answer, “it could ruin us. And now we’ve got the added bonus of getting our hearts broken if something goes wrong.”

Brandon drew in a slow breath. He really hadn’t expected Jake to put it so plainly. But there it was, clear as day. “So now what?” he murmured, huddling in closer with his forehead against Jake’s shoulder, afraid to look at the other man’s face. “Do we just stop?” His voice broke at the end, reflecting how very much he did not want that. Jesus. They’d been ‘together’ for three days. Only three days .

“Pfft. I’m cynical, not masochistic,” Jake answered with a small laugh, squeezing Brandon tight.

The breath audibly stuttered out of Brandon as he tightened his arms around Jake. “I’m glad,” he murmured against warm skin.

Jake ducked his head to nuzzle against Brandon’s temple and sighed. “I need to go get my pills,” he whispered regretfully. He didn’t want to get up, but he knew if he left it much longer he wouldn’t sleep at all.

Brandon sighed too and started to move. “Stay here. I’ll get them,” he murmured, rolling out of the bed and padding out toward the kitchen.

“Don’t forget the alcohol!” Jake called out as he lay in bed shivering at the sudden loss of warmth.

“Don’t get your hopes up!” Brandon yelled back from the stairs. Wincing a little at the cold tile in the kitchen, he opened the cabinet he’d seen Jake get into, frowned at all the little bottles, and started reading labels.

Thinking about the cabinet, Jake huffed and rolled out of bed, wincing as he stood. Adrenaline was a wonderful thing. After the fact was when it hurt to move. He padded through the hallway, down the stairs, and into the kitchen to slide up behind Brandon. Reaching into the cabinet for the large prescription bottle on the bottom shelf, he kissed the back of Brandon’s shoulder, then turned to the refrigerator.

“Jake, most of these are expired; why do you keep them? These types of drugs don’t keep their efficacy, you might as well be taking sugar pills,” Brandon said with a frown, poking around through the bottles. “And some could be dangerous if mixed.”

“The labels don’t mean shit,” Jake answered as he reached in for a beer and straightened back up to lean against the island.

Brandon threw an annoyed look over his shoulder. “Please tell me you don’t mix and match these. Really,” he asked.

Jake shrugged noncommittally and popped the two pills into his mouth before twisting open the beer cap.

Brandon looked nervous and on the edge of scared. He glanced back to the cabinet, then back to Jake. “If I quit giving you the eye about the muscle relaxers and the beer, will you let me throw the rest of this shit out?” he asked seriously.

“Maybe.”

“Jake,” Brandon protested, voice pained. “I really, really would like to know you’re going to wake up every morning.”

Jake sighed and his shoulders slumped. “It’s not that big a deal.”

Brandon literally flinched, and he turned his chin sharply away, unable to verbalize anything after what felt like it might as well have been a punch in the gut. He twisted his body away from Jake’s, gripping the edge of the bar to keep from reaching for him.

Jake watched Brandon’s reaction and his stomach turned as he stood there. He sighed softly and looked away, shaking his head as he tapped his finger on his beer bottle. “Brandon,” he finally said.

Forcing himself to take a breath and blink burning eyes, Brandon turned his chin just enough to acknowledge him. Jake took a step forward and slid up behind him, wrapping his arms around him and setting the bottle on the counter. He rested his chin on Brandon’s shoulder and looked up into the still open cabinet. “What do you want me to do?” he asked quietly.

He suspected Jake meant the pills, and Brandon did make his eyes focus on the several rows of bottles, but what he had inside had to come out. “I want you to wake up each morning,” he said in a fragile voice. “With me.”

Jake turned his head just enough to press his nose against the side of Brandon’s neck. There were a lot of different meanings he could take from that, he knew. Was Brandon still talking about the pills and the possible danger of taking them, or was he talking about something more personal? Either way, it was a tricky subject, wasn’t it?

“Then stay here with me,” Jake responded finally, not giving himself a chance to think it through.

Brandon relaxed back against Jake, sliding his hands over strong forearms to settle over Jake’s fingers. How they’d gotten onto such shaky ground, he didn’t know. Brandon cursed himself for getting too serious too fast, although Jake seemed to be right there with him. “I want to,” he whispered. Then his voice strengthened. “And I want to flush most of this shit down the toilet,” he added.

“That would make me mighty cranky,” Jake muttered with a sigh. “You do realize most of those aren’t even prescription pills, right? I’ve put over the counter stuff in the smaller bottles because the shelves are so small. And the prescription stuff I do take is the only thing keeping me moving at all,” he argued, trying not to get defensive.

Brandon’s eyes softened, and he turned his chin to rub his forehead against Jake’s chin. “I want you to take care of yourself,” he said helplessly, still frowning at the bottles. “I hate that you hurt.”

“So do I,” Jake laughed wryly, reaching out to pluck a bottle at random off the shelf. He opened and dumped several of the pills out onto the counter. “Tylenol Arthritis,” he said as he turned one of the huge white pills so that the name could be read. He reached for another and repeated the action, revealing a mound of little bitty pink Benadryl pills. Another container held blue and white Tylenol PM tablets. And another Jake pulled out revealed several Tylox. He pointed at them and said, “I’m allergic to those, but they’re stronger. If I’m hurting real bad I take one of those and two Benadryl with it.”

Surprised, Brandon watched in silence as Jake went through several of the bottles with him. It was more than he could have hoped for, considering. Matching up the number of surgeries with the pain and looking over the medicines spread across the bar, Brandon’s gut cramped uncomfortably. “I think I understand the beer a little more now,” he murmured. He didn’t like it. But he understood it. He was also more upset, because this revealed just how much pain Jake must be living with daily. Just living with. His hand curled into a fist.

Jake smiled a little, his chin still on Brandon’s shoulder. “And,” he held his breath for a moment, sighing heavily and pushing at the bottle of Vicodin. “If you really want me to give those up, we’re talking a few weeks of withdrawal. I’d rather wait till summer if it’s all the same to you.”

The anger drained away as Brandon comprehended what Jake was offering. His fist relaxed, and he reached up behind him to curl his arm about Jake’s neck. It was a hell of a peace offering. “How about we talk about it when school’s out?” he posed, knowing he was making several large assumptions based on Jake’s words.

“And until then you stop worrying?” Jake countered.

Brandon licked his bottom lip, looking across the counter and the host of pills. “I’ll try,” he promised in a hoarse voice.

Jake sighed again and nodded as he lifted his head off Brandon’s shoulder and kissed the warm skin gently. “I’ve been doing this for over ten years,” he murmured, “I’m okay. I’ll be okay.” His voice, although the tone was reassuring, sounded slightly bitter and tinged with sadness. It was obvious that Jake had long ago resigned himself to pain every day. He was willing to give up the prescription pills because the reality was that they didn’t help all that much.

Sighing and trying to push away his worry and uncertainty, Brandon looked over at the clock. “We didn’t have dinner and it’s still early. Want something to eat?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Jake answered, kissing Brandon’s neck one last time for good measure before he stepped back to let him move. He looked Brandon up and down appraisingly and smirked. “Want some clothes?”

Glancing down at himself, Brandon rolled his eyes. “What’s the matter?” he asked, his voice slowly going back to normal. “Don’t like the free show?”

“Mystery can be alluring,” Jake countered with a wag of his finger. “And cooking while naked is not recommended,” he added with a serious nod.

Brandon laughed at him. “You need to get yourself some clothes then, Thundercat. Because whatever I attempted to fix would not be edible. I wasn’t kidding when I said I couldn’t cook.”

Jake muttered and then took a long gulp of his beer. “Pasta?” he suggested after swallowing.

Nodding, Brandon leaned over to kiss him sweetly. “I’m getting in the shower. Want some clothes?” he asked, eyes brightening at his joke.

“Hmph,” Jake answered as he wrapped one arm around Brandon and squeezed his ass in a blatant move.

A little over an hour later, they were back on the couch, Brandon with papers and pen, wearing more of Jake’s clothes, Jake with the television remote and baseball. The science teacher glanced over his glasses in amusement each time Jake crowed or cussed, but held his tongue as he graded. It was comfortable. It was comforting.

When the game ended, Brandon glanced at the clock and groaned. 11:30. He started stacking papers and sliding them into his backpack in resignation. Jake had asked him to stay after Brandon had expressed his desire to wake up with him. But tonight it just wouldn’t work. He had no clothes for work and his tests for tomorrow were on his computer at home.

“Spring training games can bite my ass,” Jake grumbled as he clicked off the television. He looked over at Brandon and tried not to sigh. He knew Brandon had things to take care of at home.

Brandon chuckled and pulled off his glasses. “Opening day next week,” he reminded as he closed his pack and stood up. Jake muttered disconsolately and sulked on the couch. “Christ, don’t do that, Jake. I’ll be driving home and back at 4 a.m.,” Brandon said.

Jake glanced up at him in surprise and then huffed and stood up slowly. “You’d better get going if you’re going to get any sleep,” he said, stepping closer to slide his hands around Brandon’s waist.

“You know I don’t want to go, right?” Brandon murmured, leaning his temple against Jake’s lips.

“Mm hmm,” Jake responded with a little huff.

Brandon sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Wash my uniform, will you?” he asked. “At least the pants and briefs.”

“Oh sure, leave me alone and make me do manual labor,” Jake teased with a little kiss to Brandon’s ear before he pulled back. “Yeah, I’ll wash ‘em.”

“Thanks,” Brandon said, smiling. Reluctant to leave, he made himself step back, pick up his pack, and start for the door.

Jake watched him go with his shoulders hunched and his hands deep in the pockets of his sweats. It wouldn’t be fair to ask him to stay or come back. And since that was exactly what Jake wanted to do, he kept his mouth shut.

“Hey, Jake?” Brandon asked from where he stopped in the doorway, keys in hand.

“Yeah?” Jake answered, trying to keep his voice even.

Several things warred for the opportunity to be spoken, and for a moment Brandon was afraid it would all spew out. After a long pause, he settled on, “Miss you already.” And he was out the door before he lost the nerve to do what he had to do. Life had to go on, after all. Never mind that it hurt like hell to leave his lover.

Jake frowned as the door closed and sniffed loudly. He shuffled over to the front door and stood by the side window, watching as Brandon drove away.