Chapter Four

Keyes

November

All the over-the-top feelings and sensations were there, driving Keyes’s hips to move faster, back and forth, in and out of Alec’s gorgeous body. He loved his guy with all his heart. Nothing had ever felt this right or as good as it did when he made love to his husband.

Love, devotion, and a forever commitment swirled in the air surrounding them. His thighs gave a decadent ache, the muscles straining under the tempo. He did his best to plow into his lover’s welcoming channel, just the way Alec wanted.

Alec lay on his back on the edge of the mattress, bottom lip tucked between his teeth. Keyes was on his feet, holding Alec’s thighs. Alec’s hard cock bounced enticingly with every snap of his hips.

Fuck, it felt good. He bent Alec’s knees to his chest to better cradle his palm around Alec’s five o’clock shadow. He swept his thumb the length of Alec’s plump bottom lip, grinning at the unexpected nip Alec gave to the tip of his finger.

“Kiss me,” Alec panted, then sucked Keyes’s thumb into his mouth.

Damn, he liked that move.

Keyes followed the directive, bending between Alec’s legs to reach his mouth. His love circled his neck, drawing him down for a proper and thorough kiss.

The sweet, velvety tongue slipped along his, guiding him deeper into Alec’s delicious mouth. The sweet moment felt so good. His heart leaped from his chest, tangling with Alec’s. The man captivated him body and soul.

With his eyes closed, he let go of any control he had, giving himself freely to the release building inside him. Alec owned him, and he knew it. His guy wrapped his legs around Keyes’s waist, holding him in place as Alec’s fingers tangled into Keyes’s long mass of hair. The gentle tugs Alec gave and the scraping of fingernails against his scalp were his undoing.

Alec moved his hips, pistoning against Keyes, matching him thrust for thrust. His captor opened his mouth wider, taking over the kiss as he fully explored Keyes’s mouth.

As fast as he’d claimed him, Alec let go of the kiss, drawing in a deep, stuttering breath. His eyes rolled into the back of his head.

“You’re fucking me so good,” Alec rasped, tightening his fingers into Keyes’s hair.

Goddamn, he loved a good hair pull, but that wasn’t what Alec was doing right now. Instead, his guy wanted him to stay right there.

Good thing Alec was so damn bendy.

Keyes slid his hands low, gripping Alec’s ass cheeks, pulling them roughly apart. The fraction of an inch he gained was everything right in the world. Darkness seeped in at the edges of his vision, causing him to lose control fast. “Fuck me.”

“I’m trying,” Alec murmured. His tease came out as a carnal, throaty sound. Alec tilted his head back, pressing it to the bed. Keyes’s lips touched the warm, sweaty skin of Alec’s neck. “You hit it every single time.”

More than anything, he wanted to respond with something cute and hot meant to tease his lover, but words and reason took flight, leaving him nothing more than an urgent mass of tingly nerve endings. His hips began the rough crescendo of release, slapping against Alec’s ass. His knees went weak at the stunning pressure.

The visual of the man lying underneath him, Alec’s gorgeous body moving back and forth in the rhythm Keyes created, was just the tip he needed, right over the edge. The war raging inside him to make this moment last forever was lost to each powerful thrust.

Alec lifted his head. The heavy, heady weight of Alec’s darkening gaze brought Keyes’s forehead against his husband’s. He inhaled Alec’s intoxicating scent, a rich, spicy cologne along with musky, delicious need. The smell drove him crazy. There was nothing that could stop him now. He dropped down to the crook of Alec’s neck, his lips pressed there, relishing the wildly thumping vein.

Breath became uneven and ragged. He reached between them to stroke the bobbing cock. How time and the right man had changed him. He wanted Alec’s orgasm before his own. The feel of Alec’s shaft sliding through his calloused palm felt more right than any other moment of his life. The soft velvet wrapped around solid steel was pure perfection.

Keyes rose a fraction to better see Alec’s beautiful cock driving into his fist. He flitted his gaze lower to where their bodies came together.

“I… Coming.” Alec rode his palm like a bucking bronco.

Fire licked along Keyes’s spine, setting him ablaze from the inside out.

“Yes!” Alec hissed. His ass clenched and spasmed around Keyes. Alec’s come shot between them, painting his chest and warming Keyes’s fist. Alec arched his back as a throaty moan slipped free.

His body shook and shattered, his release pumping freely into his love. Every muscle in his body tensed and seized, frozen in the moment as reality melted away. Keyes collapsed. Alec’s hard body welcomed him there.

“Jesus, Key. How’s it still so good?” Alec panted.

“Mmmph,” Keyes groaned, gasping for breath as sleep lured him into her peaceful warmth. Alec’s ass twitched, milking the last few drops free. “Sleep.”

“Mmm-hmm…” Alec agreed. His palms massaged down the length of Keyes’s back, then up again. A rubdown he liked a whole damn lot, almost purring at the sensation.

Making love to his mister was everything, regardless of the reason that got them in bed that night.

~~~

Dev

One week later

“Hmm. The designs are impressive,” the senior Mr. Layne said, moving around printed pages of the digital files Dev had sent last night.

Keyes and Dev sat in Dev’s workspace inside his ink parlor on one end of a video call. Mr. Layne, their latest client, was on the other. They were using a video chat program that Dev had arranged. The only problem was that Dev hadn’t properly anticipated the length of time of the call. And his cheap ass hadn’t bought full access to the app. Their allotted sixty minutes were running out. If they didn’t wind it up soon, the video call would cut off, making them look unprofessional. Buddha knew they needed no help in that category.

Dev’s tight schedule gave him five extra minutes between the video call and his next scheduled tattoo. Per his parlor manager, Millie, the client was already waiting in the reception area. Millie was hovering close by, disinfectant in hand. She wanted to clean before the client sat for the tattoo.

Besides all those obstacles, he couldn’t run late today. This was his evening to be with the girls. Mrs. Phiri ran a tight ship, with no leeway in the schedule. The disapproving stare she’d give him always had lingering effects. He’d feel bad all night. Better to just be on time and avoid disappointment.

Focus on the video, jackass, and close this bitch down.

Mr. Layne was Alec’s boss’s old man. He wasn’t old, per se. Probably Dev’s old man’s age. Oh man, his heart smiled at the reminder of what his father had gone through. The thought sent excited goose bumps springing up along his forearms.

At least the smile stayed on the inside this time. Not the giant grin he usually gave when he thought about his old man’s newest forever home.

Goddammit, Dev, focus.

Layne.

Age.

Right. Maybe the guy was closer to seventy than he looked. The bike he had commissioned was as extraordinary as it was pricey. Out of all the sales they had made, Layne’s new sled was by far the most custom and costly. Layne was easily spending a hundred large. And if he stopped with the simple tweaks, they might get a deposit for half the total cost. Layne wasn’t in it for speed. He wanted a flashy cruiser, decked out in silver and gray. It was quite a bit for a man who had never owned a bike before.

They had rules in place from a business perspective. The biggest one was the hardest for Dev’s continued understanding. The secrecy behind each project was to hide all their designs from Alec. Keyes wanted Alec to have a total concept surprise. It was getting old and more difficult to accomplish. Alec was like a trained bird dog, determined to sniff out the truth. The whole thing was ridiculous. And complicated. Lies stacking on top of lies. They were damn hard for him to remember, and he sucked at lying.

Keyes had insisted that all three of their new customers sign NDAs—a non-disclosure agreement on the details of each bike built until the beginning of next year. Keyes had an extreme talent. The designs would sell themselves if anyone had the chance to see them. Mr. Layne was chomping at the bit to show his friends and his brother the new ride to make them green with envy.

“I think I want the solo spring seat in matte black. How will that impact the overall look?” Mr. Layne asked. “I only need a single seat. My wife won’t ever get on the back.”

Dev quickly ducked his head and began changing the design on the digital pad.

“I like that change,” Keyes said, watching Dev work.

“It’ll be badass and more comfortable,” Dev answered. “I prefer a solo spring seat myself. I’m redrawin’ it now in black. I’ll toss in another drawin’ with the gray/silver seat color. I think both will complement the look you’re goin’ for. Think about it. We have time.” Dev worked the screen and sent the changes.

“Mr. Layne, our video’s runnin’ out of time. If we lose you, we’ll call you back,” Keyes said. Dev tilted his head toward his business partner. Why did they need to extend the time?

“What’s going on in here?” They both turned their heads toward the screen to see a man coming inside the room behind Mr. Layne.

“Shh. I’m in a secret meeting with TDTK,” Mr. Layne said, barely glancing over his shoulder. “Shut the door behind you. I signed an NDA.” The confusion on the younger man’s face was comical. “It’s only my son, Arik. He’s the one who pointed me toward your shop.”

“If you’re looking for privacy, you’ve failed spectacularly,” Arik added with severe sarcasm. Dev instantly liked him. The door shut with a slam. “You own this entire building. You have an office. A large one. Bigger than mine. And about fifteen conference rooms of varying sizes. Why’re you in my office?”

“I don’t want to alert anyone to my purchase. Your uncle’s gonna shit when he sees what they’ve done,” Mr. Layne said, an inner joy and prideful smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“There’s a flaw in your plan,” Arik said, coming to stand behind his father. “I’m seeing your project.”

“You don’t—”

Luckily, the screen went dark, and Dev shot out a hand to keep Keyes from reinitiating the video call.

“What’re you doin’?” Dev asked. “I got a client waitin’, and Millie’s gonna have a fuckin’ cow if she can’t disinfect where your big ass has contaminated my space.”

As if he hadn’t heard a word Dev said, Keyes sat back dejectedly, scrubbing a hand down his face. A disgruntled huff came next, making Dev take a closer look.

“In no more than sixty seconds, tell me what’s wrong.” Dev swiveled in his chair, tucked his arms over his chest, and gave Keyes a concerned stare. For the first time today, he saw the tiredness in his buddy’s eyes and the grim lines at the corner of his mouth. “Why’re you tired?”

Keyes dropped his brawny arms by his side in defeat.

“Times tickin’,” Dev said, his leg beginning to bounce. “What’s up?”

“Alec’s gettin’ harder to steer away from the surprise. I’m fuckin’ exhausted. The only way to take his mind off shit is to either ignore him, which I’m doin’ durin’ the day, but at night, Goddamn…” Keyes said, shaking his head.

“Just tell him. He’ll be happy no matter when you give it to him,” Dev said. It seemed dumb to have to deal with all the bullshit.

“Do you know how much he does for me?” Keyes asked incredulously. “I have a life for the first time in my life and as pissed off as he’s gettin’…”

Dev blinked, trying hard to follow the logic. “I’m confused. Is he givin’ you a hard time?”

“I’m fuckin’ givin’ him the hard time every single night. He never gets tired of being owned. My thighs fuckin’ hurt all the time. My dick’s gonna fall off. He takes a poundin’ and only rolls over and goes to sleep until we do it again,” Keyes complained.

Once Dev got the gist of the problem, he reached over and patted his friend’s leg. “You’re complainin’ about too much se—”

A loud, cleared throat came from the laptop. Both their gazes shifted to the darkened screen. “What’s happenin’?” Keyes asked nervously, lifting in the seat. His voice and movements were panicked.

“I don’t know what’s happening to keep us connected this way, but I’m Alec’s employer and I believe we’ve crossed a line. Since he’s my lead attorney, I can’t ask him for the law in this situation…” The dark screen made it difficult to know for sure, but Arik sounded like he had humor in his voice.

“Is your father still there?” Dev asked. Man, he hoped he wasn’t.

“I am.”

Dev dropped his head between his shoulder blades. There was no denying the amusement in the older Mr. Layne’s voice, even in the two words spoken. He rolled his head to look at Keyes, who had gone completely red-faced.

“Mr. Layne, I’m sorry. Please don’t share what you heard with Alec. Just until I give him the bike. It’s a Christmas present…” Keyes started.

Arik interrupted him. “I feel like I should tell Alec that he’s asking for too much in the bedroom…” Laughter had the rest of the sentence going unsaid.

“No. I’m embarrassed for Alec. I didn’t mean it like it might’ve sounded…” Keyes shook his head when Arik laughed uproariously.

“No need for embarrassment, son,” Mr. Layne said. “Arik and I will happily hold your secret until the first of next year, but I feel certain Arik’ll have to tease you both about the other someday. It’s a quirk in his personality. He never lets anything go.”

As if he deflated, Keyes’s elbows went to his knees, his hands splayed out as he mouthed, what the fuck .

“It’s okay. Alec’s gotta be used to the embarrassin’ things you do by now,” Dev said quietly, truly meaning to help. Keyes’s eyes widened as he reached out a foot and knocked Dev’s chair, rolling it a good distance away. Dev barely stayed upright and got to his feet.

“I believe we’re good to go,” Mr. Layne said good-naturedly. “Send me an invoice for the deposit so we can get this started.”

“Thank you,” Dev said, watching Keyes almost silently bang his forehead on the small tabletop. “When Keyes recovers, he’ll shoot the invoice over. Let me know about the seat design. We have time.”

Dev grabbed the back of Keyes’s T-shirt, pulling him to his feet. “Say goodbye.”

“Goodbye,” Keyes said as instructed. Dev pushed him from behind to get Keyes moving out of his space.

“Goodbye,” he heard both men say. Dev reached over and shut the lid of the laptop.

“Stay the course,” Dev said, trying for encouragement. “Forget all about that. And get to work. You have a lot to get done before January. And send Millie in. I got shit to do.” Dev shoved Keyes out the door, feeling his supportive friendship quota was met for the day.

Keyes dramatically rolled his eyes, his head following the exaggerated motion until his body rolled with it, turning to leave. His shoulders slumped as he walked down the hall to the reception area.

“Good sale,” Dev called out. “This one’s big.”

“Alec’s gonna fuckin’ die.”

Dev chuckled and began straightening his desk. There was no lie in Keyes’s words.