Stormy Weather Read online

  "Okay, let's get this baby into the bay. Then I'll take a look at it and we'll see what her problem is. Want to give me a hand?"

  At least it was flat ground where the garage was and the two of them managed to get the car turned and headed for the bay. Once inside, Vic lowered the door to keep the rain out. Then he shrugged off his rain slicker.

  He looked at Drake and grinned. "You look like a drowned dog." He motioned to a door. "Through there's the office. There's a small bathroom and some towels. Why don't you try to dry off a bit. You'll find the coffee pot at the front, near the door. Help yourself and I'll take a look at your car."

  "Do you need any help? I mean is there anything I can do?" Drake felt totally out of his home pond here. He knew absolutely nothing about cars. Had never really wanted to. Even in his youth he hadn't been the type to tinker around under the hood of an old car. It was never his thing. He preferred analyzing a game of chess to replacing spark plugs. Stripping down a stereo to find out how it worked, to replacing a muffler. And right now he felt a little foolish and quite inept.

  "Nah, just give me a few minutes and I should be able to at least have an idea of what's going on under the hood. Go on, get some coffee to help you warm up."

  There wasn't much else Drake could do, at least for now, so he went through the door and stepped inside the office.

  A small, square room, smelling of motor oil and gasoline and age. Not a new building--one of those garages that had probably been around since the nineteen forties or fifties, sold and remodeled again and again. Red and white tin Coca-Cola signs littered the wall, yellow Pennzoil motor oil signs with fifties-era cars. In one corner a tall, scarred red soda pop machine and at the other end a table with a coffee maker setting on it.

  The room was lit by a naked, round fluorescent light fixture attached to the ceiling. Drake's gaze shifted to the front of the office. The glass front needed washing, with fingerprints and smudge marks quite visible against the darkened exterior. There was the glitter of wet pavement outside, a low hanging light that swayed back and forth as the wind played with it. One good gust had it shuddering and Drake thought for certain it was going to shatter.

  It felt surreal being in a rundown garage, out in the country, so far out of his norm. He tried to picture Aaron in a place such as this. But Aaron and he were so different, both citified, but still, Aaron could make himself at home anywhere and take right over.

  Drake was restless; he had been all his life. For the most part he'd achieved what he wanted as far as his career and lifestyle went. He had a good job, savings, a nice apartment, and some security. Everything was just as he'd mapped it out, nothing missing. All the "i's" dotted, the "t's" crossed. His life was predictable, safe and secure. He should qualify that statement. He'd had almost everything...until Aaron had left him.

  How had the world gone so gray with the loss of just one part of Drake's plan? Aaron had swept into his life and then he had swept right back out again. Maybe that was the problem, Drake hadn't yearned for something he hadn't experienced before that. Passion and love hadn't been something he'd known so he hadn't missed it in his well-ordered life.

  Suddenly he looked up as the light above his head flickered, came back on and then flickered again. Twice more and then he was plunged into darkness. Crap, now what?

  The beam of a flashlight tracked a path from the door to the bay area.

  "You okay?" Vic called out.

  Drake heard the tinkle of the bell as the door was shut.

  "I'm fine. Guess the electricity went out, huh."

  "Yep, guess it did." Suddenly, the voice was right next to him. "Don't know when the lights will be back on. Out here, it's hard to tell. We're not exactly a priority." Vic's breath feathered across Drake's cheek. His own breathing stuttered and his body suddenly was very aware of the man standing so close to him. He could move away, there was plenty of room to step back. But he didn't want to.

  The narrow beam of light highlighted both their faces. Light and dark. "What are you going to do?" Drake asked breathlessly, knowing what he wanted. Waiting to see if it would happen.

  "Well, Drake, there's something I've wanted to do since we got into my truck back near the bridge."

  "What's that, Vic?"

  Drake parted his mouth in hungry anticipation as Vic's face drew closer and closer to his.

  * * *

  Chapter 4

  * * *

  Vic pressed Drake back against the window. Thoughts fluttered through Drake's mind that anyone driving into the station could see them. And then the thought flittered away as he allowed Vic to enfold him in his strong arms.

  Almost of equal height, Drake pressed his body to the rugged man whose lips were plastered to his. Tongues dueled and mated. He tasted so different from Aaron. His lips full and demanding, his tongue speared through to invade his mouth, drawing deeply. Masterfully, in a way that had Drake gasping for breath. So sudden, so intense. So raw.

  What surprised Drake was that he wasn't brutal. Somehow he'd expected a man like Vic to take what he wanted in a forceful fashion. Yes, he was firm, he was strong, but he didn't claim him with pain and demand. Yet Drake did ache.

  When their lips parted, Drake gasped for breath. Vic's hands were splayed at his back. The squeak of wet cloth against damp glass was the only sound that broke the heavy breathing of the two men.

  "I don't know if you're up for this," Vic said. "But I want to take it further. Damn, you taste good enough to eat. You're damn sexy and I want to explore this more." Drake heard his deep chuckle in the darkness.

  Before Drake could utter a response, Vic's lips again clamped down over his. But it was slower this time, searching as his tongue brailled Drake's lips, circling and sucking. He pulled Drake's lower lip into his mouth and Drake couldn't stifle the moan that erupted from his throat.

  His own hand lifted to the front of Vic's wet, white T-shirt. Gripped and twisted, pressing and probing for Vic's tits through the material. They were hard little towers of flesh built upon a massive chest that Drake wanted to explore with rapt attention.

  Vic groaned as Drake flattened his palms and pressed and rubbed against the material.

  "Take it off me," Vic groaned. "Suck me, Drake. I can't wait much longer. Get this shirt off me so I can feel your mouth on me."

  Drake needed no second invitation. He grabbed a handful of Vic's shirt at the back and yanked it over Vic's head. For a breath their lips parted as he pulled the shirt off and then Vic's skin was a banquet bared for his pleasure.

  Drake pulled away from the window and swiveled around until Vic's back was glued to the wet glass. He heard him hiss, just before he lowered his head and sucked a tight nipple into his mouth.

  Vic arched up and Drake planted his hands on Vic's hips dragging him forward, pressing groin to groin as he suckled at Vic's skin. His tongue traced over a scar that crossed his ribs. He dipped and swirled to the other nipple, sucked it deeply into his mouth, and was shocked to encounter a circle of metal pierced through it.

  Oh, God, he was hot, so damn hot. He wanted to see the ring piercing Vic's nipple, but it was too dark. He could only hope that later he'd have a chance to really see this delicious man in daylight. For now he savored him like a rare delicacy. He was unable to unfasten his mouth from the heady taste of succulent flesh.

  He wanted more of the man, and his hands dropped to Vic's leather belt. Slowly he unbuckled it as he licked his way across hot, hard flesh. Drawing a line with his tongue southbound along Vic's abdomen, Drake encountered a patch of silky hair. He wandered through it with his tongue, painting a sensuous path to the rock hard promise nestled inside Vic's jeans.

  "Take it slow, sweetheart, nice and slow. We have all the time in the world. This storm won't be letting up for a long time."

  Oh yes, that's exactly the way Drake liked it. He memorized his way along Vic's body. Nothing flamboyant about this man. He didn't play pretty games, he got right to the point. And Drake liked that ve
ry much. One thing he didn't miss about Aaron was all the dramatic foreplay associated with making love with a man who must maintain center stage.

  This was basic, pure and sexy. God, he wanted to fuck this man. He was so hot for him, he didn't think he could stand it much longer.

  Instead of fucking, he was going to taste the essence of the man, and he released Vic's cock from the confining material. It sprang free of the cloth, not a speck of underwear in sight. A stalk of flesh, hot to the touch, dripping with pre-cum, pluming thick, and ready to be consumed. Vic's wet jeans clung to his thighs as Drake set to work.

  Drake hunkered down, anchored himself, and sucked the thick rod deep into his mouth, savoring the flared knob. He felt Vic shudder and heard his groan. His hands dropped to Drake's shoulders and fastened there, his fingers biting into Drake's flesh. The strength in that grip felt so good.

  He licked up one side of Vic's engorged cock and down the other. He dipped lower and sucked his testicles into his mouth, bathing them with his saliva. Releasing Vic's balls with a pop, he cupped Vic's ass, pressing his fingers into the firm flesh, separating his cheeks. Drake lifted one hand and sucked two of his fingers into his mouth, coating them well with his saliva before again claiming the bobbing slick prick for his tasty treat.

  His wet fingers found Vic's small, tight anus, swirled over the opening before delving carefully inside.

  "Oh, Jesus, baby. Yes. Oh, God, you know how to suck. I hope you're ready."

  Drake didn't pull back, he wanted to taste Vic, more, he thought than anything he'd done in his life. He wanted to swallow this man's cum. A stranger, someone he'd never met before tonight and he wanted what Aaron had always refused to give him. Complete surrender. He knew it was dangerous, knew he shouldn't, but right now, nothing mattered but tasting this man's pleasure.

  And then he was swallowing for all he was worth as Vic climaxed, filling Drake's mouth with his cum. Drake shoved his finger deeper into Vic's asshole, wiggled and curved the tip. Vic cried out, as again and again he pulsed and spewed into Drake mouth.

  "Oh, God, yes. I haven't come like this in a damn long time. Oh, Jesus, yes."

  Drake held Vic's prick in his mouth until he began to soften and then he allowed the dick to slip free. Vic slid to the floor and Drake dropped beside him, staring off into the darkness.

  Vic cradled Drake's head against his shoulder and Drake closed his eyes, sinking into the embrace. What happened now?

  * * *

  Chapter 5

  * * *

  Vic's fingers were stroking through Drake's hair. Beneath Drake's cheek, Vic's heart beat in slow, rhythmic beats. This was nice. Aaron had never allowed time for afterglow. For him, there was never any down time.

  Drake realized he didn't want to think about Aaron right now. For the first time since Aaron left him, there was another man who had overtaken his thoughts. But Vic was so different from anyone he'd ever been with before. Was there a reason Drake's car had broken down on this particular road?

  Drake didn't really believe in destiny, but he had to wonder what had brought him to this place on this particular night. Or maybe he shouldn't question it. Maybe for once in his life, he should just let it happen and let nature play its hand. He snuggled closer to Vic.

  "I was in a relationship until three years ago." Vic's voice came out of the darkness. Drake was afraid to move. Did he want to hear this?

  "What happened? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he rushed on. He didn't want to break the spell of the moment. The closeness that was developing between them. It was too new, too fragile.

  "He died. I swore I'd never allow myself to get that close to another person again. It hurt too damn much."

  Drake should have known this man was too good to be true. All Vic was after was a quick, one-night stand. No strings, no commitment. He shouldn't be surprised. Somehow, the men he seemed to get involved with, that's all they wanted. But then he and Vic were so different, how could he think there could ever be more?

  "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sorry you lost your partner. That really sucks."

  "Yeah, it did. I've never talked to anyone about him before. I never thought anyone would understand."

  Drake sat up. Somehow he knew this moment was important to this man. He wanted to give him his full attention. Even though he couldn't really see Vic--only a shadow now that his eyes had gotten used to the darkness--he turned to him and placed his hands on his chest, felt the thumping of his heart. He wanted to make the connection, to let Vic know he was there for him.

  For once, Drake set his own needs aside. This night was important. This moment was important.

  "Tell me about it, Vic. Tell me what happened."

  There was silence for a moment, the only sound the hard rain hitting the tin roof and concrete pavement. A whistle of wind, the creak of a sign swaying as it was battered by the storm outside.

  It all seemed far off, as though they were in their own place, protected from all the elements, bare and vulnerable.

  "I loved him more than I thought I'd ever love someone. He was on his way home from work and he skidded off the road, ending up in the river. They said he was killed instantly." He stopped speaking for a moment and Drake leaned over to wrap his arms around Vic's torso. He waited. There were some things that just needed to come in their own time. Sometimes actions spoke louder than words and he had a feeling this was one of those times.

  "Whenever you're ready, Vic. I'm here."

  "I was making dinner when I got the call. It was his birthday. We were living in the city at the time. He worked at the art gallery and I was working as a cook. I was making his favorite--lasagna. And I'd bought a bottle of the best wine I could afford. I remember every detail. I can't even look at lasagna anymore and not remember Kev. I moved out here because I couldn't stand being around the things that he loved, the people who kept coming by to check on me. I've always been pretty good with engines and things, and this place happened to be available. So I took it. I've been here ever since. It felt like my whole world was destroyed."

  Drake wanted to take the pain away. The ragged sound of Vic's voice let him know that Vic still mourned for the loss of his partner. It seemed to make his own relationship with Aaron appear so...shallow. There had never been that kind of commitment in their relationship. Compared to the pain he heard in Vic's voice, Drake and Aaron were only playing at being in love. Drake had cared for Aaron, but not in this deep, gut-wrenching way Vic was describing.

  "All this time, I haven't wanted anyone else. And then this city boy breaks down. And suddenly it felt like I wanted to live again. And I don't know why. I just met you and these feelings scare me."

  "I know what you mean. I felt it, too. I thought I was in love with Aaron, but listening to you, I'm not so sure. I think I was just having a private pity party and feeling ignored. Aaron was such a...a peacock. He needed to always be the center of attention. I thought my life was pretty dull and that he filled a void that belonged to him. But I was kidding myself all the time. It was superficial. Yeah, he added color, but there was no depth, no emotion. I think in one night I've felt more for you than I ever did for him. I was blinded. Can you understand that? I left the city to try to give myself some perspective. So I can definitely understand why you left." He paused because the realizations he was beginning to come to were too overwhelming. "And then you came along."

  "I know. It's like I've been waiting for you, stuck in suspended animation. And then you were there and it was okay for me to start to live again. I mean, I'm not asking for anything permanent here. I know we come from two different worlds so to speak. But there's something here." Vic leaned up and grasped Drake's forearms. Slowly he pushed him back onto the hard cement floor.

  He began to undo the buttons on Drake's shirt, then leaned down and kissed him. In the darkness Vic's eyes glittered as he looked down at Drake. "I want to take this slow. It's been so long and I don't want to rush this. We could go back to my hous
e. It's out behind the garage, but I don't know if I can wait. Now that the gates are open, I'm afraid they'll close again."

  Drake reached up and gripped his shoulders. For some reason, he wasn't quite sure why but he wanted Vic to make love to him right here. In this place.

  "Let's do it here, Vic. We can go to your place later. Do me now, baby. Do me here."

  * * *

  Chapter 6

  * * *

  This was a place so far removed from his ex-lover. It was earthy and rough. And that's what Drake wanted--no, that's what he needed right now.

  He needed Vic.

  Cupping the back of Vic's neck, he dragged him down, plastering his mouth to the other man's, sucking and thrusting his tongue deep inside his mouth. Vic tasted wonderful and hot. Drake wanted as much as he could get. More.

  He wanted Vic to wash away the memories, to deluge him with new ones. To cleanse him in the most primal way possible. And he knew Vic was the man to do it.

  Vic pushed him back to the cold floor. "What do you want, Drake?"

  "I want it different. I want you to make me forget. I'm hungry, Vic. Make me want it till I can't think straight."

  "It won't last, you know. Morning will come. Believe me, I know all about that."

  Drake gripped his shoulders and dragged him down again. "Morning is a lot of hours away. Tonight I want to think only about you. About what you're going to do to me. Will you do that, Vic? Make me forget. Drown me in sex. Your sex."

  When Vic ground his hips against Drake, Drake thought he was going to cream his pants right there. Vic reached down between their bodies and molded his fingers around Drake's erection. He rubbed him through the material, up and down, creating great flares of hungry lust throughout Drake's body.