Chapter Two

Justin heard the tone signaling that the front door to Fitz's Restorations had opened. With twenty-five bays in the shop, he didn"t have a line of sight, but he glanced at the monitor above his workbench. Every bay had one, so employees could pull up the security feed. When he was in the shop alone at night, Justin preferred to always have his running. A rather imposing guy walked right past the service desk and headed for the door that led to the garage.

"What the hell?"

Justin jumped up and jogged toward the entry. Luckily, Joe assigned the car he was working to the bay only five spots away. He dashed around the 1947 Ford pickup that was almost ready for paint in bay one, and got his first clear look at the nighttime visitor.

"Can I help you with something?" he called out.

The man looked as if he was casing the joint. His eyes kept shifting from each of the current projects being worked on.

Good luck stealing them, buddy. Most are in pieces.

"We're going to be closing in a few minutes. If you're looking for Joe, he's in the office. Just go back through the door you came in and turn right."

Joe had left a short while ago, but Justin didn"t want to admit that he was alone to the big guy. The shop was currently home to a variety of cars, including a 1949 custom Mercury sedan, a 1959 Ford Edsel, and a 1955 Mercedes Gullwing. Each project had a dedicated area and work station. Justin rolled his eyes and sighed. There was nothing more annoying than being ignored when someone you were talking to was right…well, okay, not in front of him. Maybe the guy was hard of hearing?

"I'm sorry. All this beauty distracted me. The cars, I mean. I'm Robert Lansing. Joe said the top for my Mustang came in, and I wanted to look at it before installing it tomorrow night. I"ve never done a top before, but it should be within my range. I"ve already done a lot of research, but you know how it is, when working on a part that you"ve not done before. You spend the first hour trying to figure out exactly what you need to do. So, I thought if I could get a preview of what I"m up against, it might make the installation go smoother. Sorry, I'm Joe's unofficial stepson, for lack of a better term. He said I could use the garage. You're welcome to go home, though. No need to babysit me. He lets me use the shop after hours all the time. Hell, I practically built my entire car in here. You see, I have…"

Well, either he"s trying to talk me into a trance before attacking or he"s harmless.

It was a good thing the man before him seemed to babble, because Justin couldn't take his eyes off him. His laser-blue eyes put Chris Pine and Tom Hiddleston to shame. His shaggy, hair was the perfect length for Justin to run his fingers through. Pretty eyes and dark scruff aside, the body before him deserved to be worshiped. And Justin was more than willing to kneel at Mr. Beautiful"s feet. When he wasn"t kneeling, Justin knew he"d be able to tuck his head right into the curve of Robert"s neck and inhale his seductive scent. Justin had no problem spinning up some dirty fantasies of the two of them locked together. Their sweaty bodies gliding against one another. Tongues tangling as Mr. Beautiful thrust his undoubtably perfect cock into Justin, fucking him senseless. Whoa, he needed to save these images for later. Otherwise, his body would reveal Justin"s thoughts. Probably something Joe wouldn"t appreciate in the shop. Maybe he should actually pay attention to what Tall, Built and Hot was saying.

"Wait, did you say you're Robert Lansing?"

Robert stepped further into the garage. "Yeah."

Justin walked over and put his hand out to shake Robert's. "Oh man, I'm sorry. I'm Justin Floyd. Joe said you would come by tonight. I'm going to help you install your top tomorrow if you need an extra set of hands. I'd offer tonight, but I already have plans."

"No worries about tonight. I can't either. I was just excited and wanted to take a peek before embarking on the adventure tomorrow. If you need to leave and get cleaned up for whatever, don't let me keep you."

"It's cool. I live in the apartment upstairs, so I only have to run up, shower and change. Let's look at the top. I put it over on the shelves earlier." As they walked over to the counter, he looked back over his shoulder and smiled. "You know, when you first came through the door, I thought you looked like you were casing the joint." He laughed.

"Really? That's funny. I guess when I come in here, I do look around a lot. The shop always has such incredible machinery to salivate over. The owners of these vehicles are lucky bastards. It was only when I found out that Joe owned a custom restoration shop, I gave him permission to date my mom. You know, they just laugh when I say that. I don't think they take me seriously."

Justin"s laughter escaped despite his best efforts to hold it in. Robert squinted and growled deeply. The rumble reverberated in Justin"s chest, and he smiled. His breathing eased when Robert returned the grin and shook his head. Knowing his boss, Joe undoubtably humored Robert"s assertion, but once the man set a goal, there was no stopping him. In this case, the goal had been winning Deb Lansing"s heart. Robert"s love for both Joe and his mom was clear, despite his attempt at sounding annoyed. It seemed big, bad, and beautiful, had a soft center and a sense of humor. It was too bad his comment earlier about being mesmerized by the beauty couldn't be referring to Justin. He would love to be the object of Robert's fascination.

"Here"s the box. So, a 1970 Mustang?"

Robert helped Justin get the box down, and they set it on a workbench. "Not just a 1970 Mustang. A numbers-matching cobra jet, with the original convertible option from the factory."

Justin whistled as he carefully sliced into the sealed box. "Very few of those around, I bet."

"They only made 130 that year. You should have seen my baby when I first got her. Some idiot had tried turning her into a Frankenstein version of 1980s Mach One. Right down to the red-and-white rattle-can racing stripes."

"Why?"

"Who knows? I guess they thought it looked cooler. But when I found out the drivetrain was all original and only had 45,000 miles, I knew there was only one way to move forward. She needed to be brought back to her original glory."

He took out the instructions and handed them over to Robert. "How long did it take you?"

"About three years. I"ve spent more time and money than I"d ever get out of her, but it"s been a labor of love. Have you ever tried to find an NOS set of chrome moldings? I sourced rust-free doors and fenders from California and restored everything to factory condition. Even the paint daubs and date-coded components."

"That"s what we do, though. It"s why I love working for Joe. He never takes the easy way out with the work we do here. And our clients appreciate it. See that Gullwing over there? Its owner had it shipped all the way from Zurück." Robert"s jaw dropped, and Justin nodded. "You heard me right. Fitz"s Restoration has reached international recognition as the place to send classic cars. We"re not a massive commercial operation like some shops in California or Vegas, but we have jobs booked out for a year. And Joe just got write-ups in Classic Motorsports and Hemmings."

"I had no idea. He never said a word."

Juston shook his head. "No, he wouldn"t, would he? Not his style. But make no mistake. Your stepdad is the real shit with this stuff. I"m damn lucky he saw something in me, and I have this opportunity to learn from him." Justin looked up at the ceiling. "Not to mention he"s just a fucking nice guy. I mean, I"ve had a lot of bosses in my day, and none of them have treated me with the respect and decency that Joe has." He was getting dangerously close to revealing more about his story than Robert was probably interested in. Justin needed to rein things in and get back on track. "Sorry. I"m sure none of that is news to you." He helped Robert take the top out of the box, and they carried it over to the section of the shop designated for interior work. It was a "no grease and oil" allowed area. "I"ve not done much work with our interior guru, Doriano, but this seems pretty straightforward. I think we can manage."

"Yeah, I mean I"ve hired out some of the more complicated parts of this restoration, but mostly figured it out along the way. And watched a lot of YouTube videos. I think we can do this. You should know Joe spoke highly of you, too."

Justin tried not to give it away how much that validation meant to him, but judging by Robert"s expression, he didn"t pull it off. Oh well.

"It was nice to meet you, Robert, but I have to run now. Do you mind locking up on your way out?"

"Not at all. It was nice meeting you, too, Justin. I'll see ya tomorrow."

Robert sighed as his body sank into the soft mattress, and his pillow cushioned his head. God, it had been a long day, but now he had some time to close his eyes and picture the best part. Meeting Justin and having the chance to talk to him had lifted the stress and exhaustion that seemed to hover perpetually over him after training. The man was the perfect height for Robert to gather in his arms, but not loom over. He had the most incredible liquid-brown eyes that Robert knew he would be helpless to. Staring into them had been like swimming in dark chocolate. Thick, dark blond hair fell in sweeps from his forehead and stopped just short of his collar. The baggy coveralls he wore had concealed most of Justin"s lower body. But he had the top half pulled down and tied around his waist, revealing the ropey definition of his arms and firm chest beneath his T-shirt.

He had tried to avoid staring in adoration every time Justin bent over, but he had a feeling Justin caught him at least once. Robert"s hands itched to grab that ass and press up against it, wanted to feel the round curves cradle his cock. Did his ass have some bounce or were the muscles tight? Justin seemed like the type of guy who took care of himself, but wasn"t obsessive about tracking workouts. Did Justin"s legs have the same level of toning as his arms? Did his thigh muscles bulge? Were his calves carved like stone? Were they lightly or heavily furred? But most of all, how would they feel wrapped around Robert or propped on his shoulders?

Robert's cock quickly hardened as his thoughts continued to wander. Reaching into his bedside table, he grabbed his trusty lube. Tipping the bottle, he let a small puddle form in his palm. It was time to let his imagination take over. Justin sauntered into Robert"s bedroom. He crawled on all fours across the bed and covered Robert"s naked body with his. Justin"s fingertips dug in, testing the strength of the muscles in Robert"s chest, shoulders, and arms. Robert hissed when Justin"s hot mouth latched onto his nipple and sucking hard, front teeth tugging on the nub, soothing it with his tongue a moment later. Justin slid his hands down Robert"s abs; his tongue traced the defined ridges. Robert squirmed when he imagined Justin"s fingers caressing the indentation of his hips. Despite his job demanding, rough physical contact, Robert had always been sensitive to a lover"s touch. Justin would spread Robert's legs as he settled himself between them. One of those large hands would start kneading his sack and the other would stroke the pulsing column of his cock.

Robert fisted his cock just like he imagined. He lightly pulled down on his sack and let out a groan. Gripping his cock tight, he stroked the rigid flesh. How long had it been since he allowed a specific person to drive his fantasies? His dick was clearly excited about the program as Robert passed his thumb over the leaking slit. Using his nail, he flicked the small opening and hissed at the combination of pleasure and stinging pain.

In his mind, Justin leaned over Robert's cock. His eyes were fiery with desire, his mouth smirking as he teased Robert with the promise of his hot mouth.

"Do it! I beg you."

Robert continued to stroke himself, increasing the pace. Could Justin take all of him? Robert knew he was long, but more than that, he was thick. A few of his past hook-ups had claimed their talents allowed them to deep-throat Robert"s dick, but decidedly feel short of the mark. Fantasy Justin, though, was a master. He knew exactly how and when to suck, lick, nibble, and drive Robert out of his mind with pleasure. Robert held his breath as Justin lowered down over the head and lapped with his tongue before sinking down his length. Each inch disappeared slowly. The hot cavern of Justin"s mouth had him panting. When the head of his cock met the resistance of Justin"s throat, he sucked in a breath. The anticipation made his blood rush to his throbbing dick, and his hips drove into his fist. His climax built in his balls. Bending his knees to plant his feet on the mattress, he reached beyond his sack and felt the smooth skin of his perineum and the tight circle of his opening. It fluttered at his touch. His other hand was furiously pulling tight on his dick now, and just as he sensed his orgasm closing in, he pushed two fingers deep. He cried out Justin's name as cum shot out and coated his stomach. He rode out his orgasm, and slowly, the fantasy dissolved.

He hadn"t had a jack-off session that good in a very long time. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath and his body slowly cooled, leaving him aware of the sticky mess his left behind. Getting out of bed, he padded to the bathroom and wiped himself up with a wet cloth, then climbed into bed and plunged into an exhausted sleep.

Justin sat at the small table in the restaurant, valiantly trying to focus on his date's conversation, but his mind kept roaming toward the image of Robert in the garage earlier that evening. He'd smelled so good when they had been standing close, reading the directions for his top's installation. It was the scent of a hot-blooded, clean, testosterone-filled man. If Justin didn't know better, he would have thought Robert purposefully had placed himself slightly behind him so he could look over his shoulder and press into Justin's body while reading. Alas, he knew Robert was straight.

Joe had often talked about Robert. He had always talked about him in vague terms as his girlfriend's son, whom he loved as his own, but with no specific details. When Justin's brain had kicked on, he'd realized just who Robert was. Robert Lansing was ‘The Robert Lansing.' A mixed martial arts ultimate competitor. Record of twenty-four and five since turning pro at twenty-two years old. Everyone who followed the sport knew that Robert Lansing was polite, well-mannered and almost ego-free. He grew up supporting the Seahawks and had a weakness for a good microbrew. When he won his first world championship five years ago, he'd dedicated the win to the local gym, where he supposedly still trained. Women flocked to the man, and he often socialized with them before and after his matches.

Oh well, a man can dream, can't he?

He heard a voice far away calling his name, and he looked across the table to his companion, Brian. "Sorry, what was that?"

"Where were you just now?" Brian laughed and shook his head.

"Sorry, I have a lot on my mind tonight. I don't mean to be poor company."

Justin looked over at Brian and felt bad for fantasizing about another man while dining with him. Brian was a good guy. He was nice, attractive, intelligent, and Justin had enjoyed himself the handful of times they'd gone out. The man knew how to kiss and gave a fantastic handjob.

"Anything I can help with?"

"No, just tired. You know, two jobs and all. Don't get me wrong. I love working at Joe's and still get a high working in the ambulance, but it doesn't leave much time for relaxation. Sometimes stuff just builds up."

Brian stood up from the table and held out his hand. "Come on, let's go. I know a surefire way to release stress."

Justin stood and preceded Brian out of the restaurant. He felt Brian's hand on the small of his back. It slid over and gave a little squeeze on his hip. Justin knew where this was leading. Most likely, they would go back to Brian's place and fuck. Maybe he could get a blowjob? That would be nice. No effort, pure pleasure and a mind-numbing orgasm.

Yeah, that's what I'll aim for.

As soon as they entered Brian's apartment, Justin went on the offensive, pushing him against the wall next to the door and kissing him hard. Their tongues lashed, and their teeth clicked. Justin angled his head and grabbed the back of Brian's, holding him in place. When they had to separate for air, Brian was already jerking at Justin's belt and trying to open his jeans. Brian's hands dove inside and surrounded Justin's rapidly hardening cock. Justin shoved his jeans and underwear down with one hand and pushed Brian's shoulder down with the other, making his desire clear. Brian sank to his knees and wasted no time sucking the head into his hot mouth.

Suddenly, Robert's image popped into Justin's head. Looking down, he saw not Brian's short, spiky, blond hair but Robert's closely shaved, dusky-skinned head. It wasn't Brian's green eyes looking up at him, but Robert's laser blue. Groaning, Justin closed his eyes and tilted his head back against the wall. Although part of him knew it was wrong fantasizing about one man and being with another, he couldn't find it within himself to stop either the fantasy or Brian's hot mouth that was deliciously sucking. Hands grabbed his ass as the hot mouth pulled him deep. Justin's mind conjured up Robert's large palms. He knew they would grab him tight. Robert's fingers would meet in the cleft between his cheeks and separate them. Maybe one finger would circle his hole and the tip would dip inside. Justin's balls churned with the need to come. Clenching his hands into fists, he groaned out, "Faster, faster. Suck me."

A hand joined the lips, sliding up and down his cock. The hand sped up and, at the top of each stroke, gave the head of his cock a squeeze.

Not long now… Just a little more…

The hand disappeared, and the mouth slammed down to the root. Justin felt throat muscles close around his tip, and it was enough to send him over the edge. He heard himself cry out and hoped to god he didn't say Robert's name aloud. A couple of minutes later, he looked down to see Brian's very self-satisfied grin.

"Thank you."

"That was hot. You were primed to blow, weren"t you? I barely touched myself and spewed all over the floor. Just out of curiosity, who were you thinking of?" Brian saw the deer-in-the-headlights fear come over Justin's eyes. "Yeah, I thought so."

"Fuck, I'm so sorry, man. Did I say something?"

"No, I could just tell you weren't with me. It's really okay, though. You were great, and we both got off. It's not like we're serious or even exclusive. I was just wondering."

"Ah, shit…"

They put their clothes back together, and Brian went to the kitchen to grab a beer. Justin declined, sank into the sofa, and tilted his head back to close his eyes. Brian flopped down on the other end.

"I just met him tonight. I honestly don't even think he's gay, but fuck, the man was hotter than Hades in summer."

"You know, there's only one way to find out," Brian said.

Rolling his head, Justin looked at the other end of the sofa. "Yeah, I know. As much as my libido wishes, I really don't think it's a workable thing with this guy. I want you to know that I have had fun with you. You're a great guy to hang out with."

Brian saluted him with the beer bottle. "Ditto. Let's face it. We have fun, but we're not soulmates. So, go after this guy. If he can inspire a response like that, imagine what you would do with the real thing."

"He could be a real asshole."

"Yep, he could."

"Fuck."

"If you're lucky."