Find Me in July (Mesa Boys)

Chapter 12

twelve

T roy walked over the speckled linoleum to the bar set against the back wood-paneled wall at The Commander . “I’ll help you with the drinks.” He stepped up behind Jake and flagged down the bartender, then ordered four beers. “So, you from the Twin Cities like the rest of us?”

“No, man, I live up here.” Jake paid for the beers.

“You do?” Troy lifted his brows. “I think you might be the first person I’ve met who actually lives up here.”

Jake sipped a beer and turned to him. “Yeah, well, somebody has to.”

“So, do you work up here or something?” Troy took in his large, brown eyes, then focused on his mouth. What would it be like to kiss another man besides Jessie? He licked his lips. But Jessie was the only one for him, and right now, he wanted proof that Jessie felt the same.

“Yeah, I work at a boat repair shop over in Pequot Lakes.” Jake eyed him, then searched the bar area. “I think they got the table set up.”

Troy looked over at the pool tables. Jessie and Donna were watching them, cues in hand. “Guess so.” He grabbed a bottled beer in each hand and strolled to the pool tables with Jake following.

Jessie bumped Troy’s shoulder. “What were you two chatting about at the bar?”

Troy handed a beer to Jessie. “Just getting to know him. He’s a local.” He glanced at Jake, now talking with his sister.

Jessie blinked. “Like, he lives up here?” He peeked at Jake.

“Yeah. Guess somebody has to.” Troy chuckled. Wasn’t that Jake’s line?

“So, who’s going to break?” Donna lifted her brows, spinning her cue in her hand.

“Why don’t you go ahead?” Jessie gave her a sly grin. “Maybe Jake will kiss you for every ball you get in by yourself.”

“Oh, shush.” She glanced at Jake.

“Another dare?” Jake held up his beer to Jessie.

“No, more of a bet.” Jessie sucked in a breath. “Damn, I didn’t realize how much I’ve been having to kiss your sister this summer.”

Troy leaned in and whispered, “You’ve been kissing both of us.” He snickered. Though, good thing it wasn’t Donna he was kissing anymore.

Jessie wrinkled his nose. “Dude, that’s kind of perverted.”

“I didn’t say at the same time .” Troy held his index finger out from the beer bottle, pointing at Jessie. “Now that would be perverted.”

“What is perverted?” Donna stepped to Jessie and Troy.

“Do you have hearing like a dog or something?” Troy scoffed. How the hell did she hear everything ? “Would you break already?”

She huffed and stomped to the other side of the pool table, then struck the ball with the cue and a crack rang out. The balls scattered across the table.

“Wow, good one.” Jake patted the small of her back and smiled at her. “I wasn’t sure what to expect.”

“Don’t listen to my brother. He’s a dork.” She flashed her eyes at him.

Troy lowered his voice. “What does that Jake dude see in my sister?”

“Come on, man. She’s not that bad.” Jessie released a quick chuckle. “I’ll go next.” He walked to the table, scanned over the balls, then lined up a shot and hit a solid red ball into a corner pocket.

Troy strolled past Jessie and slapped his ass. “Good one.”

Jessie jerked forward. “Dude...” He shook his head with a wide grin on his face.

“You love it.” Troy widened his eyes. Shit, did I say that out loud? He glanced from Donna to Jake.

Donna was rattling on, holding Jake’s full attention, his arm spread wide around her.

Jessie straightened, frowning, then smirked. “I do, but you need be more careful.” He bent over the table and missed his next shot. “Your turn, Jake.”

Jake focused on Donna.

Donna sipped her beer. “And then he said?—”

“Jake.” Troy stepped to him with Jessie following and placed his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Your turn.”

“Oh.” Donna gave Jake a quick smile.

Jake tore his gaze from her, then grinned at Troy. “Sure.” He stepped to the pool table and walked around, surveying the balls, his fingers tapping his chin.

“He’s a fox. Isn’t he, Troy?” Donna, swaying with her beer, watched Jake.

“Yeah. I even think he’s a fox,” Troy said, making sure Jessie could hear. A pinch jolted his arm. “Ouch.” He lifted his arm, then turned to Jessie.

Jessie stood beside Troy, pursing his lips.

“What was that for?” Troy raised his brows. Did it work? Was Jessie jealous?

“You know what that was for.” Jessie glared at him.

I think he is. Troy let a faint smile grace his lips. If he was, then he definitely had some strong feelings for him. Let’s just see how strong . Troy smirked and stepped to Jake, edging up beside him. “Looks like you have a shot there.” He pointed to a striped, blue ball sitting outside of the middle pocket.

“How would you go about hitting that one?” Jake glanced at Troy, then focused on the table.

Troy touched the cue ball. “If you hit the cue right here, then maybe it’ll hit the ball here.” He touched the blue, striped ball. “And it should go in. But hit it soft, and it needs a good angle.”

Jake nodded slowly, grinning at Troy. “Okay, I’ll try that.” He bent over the table, stretching his hands out with the cue, pulled back and softly struck the cue ball. It hit the blue striped ball, tapped the bumper, and dropped in the pocket. “Damn, you were right. Thanks, man.” He held up his palm.

Troy slapped his palm, then held his hand a moment, shaking it. “Anytime, man.”

Jake walked around the table, scanning over the balls. He pointed the cue at a yellow striped ball resting toward the center of the table. “What do you think about this one?”

“That one?” Troy studied the angles of the ball to the corner pockets, rubbing his chin. “Maybe hit it from over here.” He walked to the other side of the table, then pointed at the cue ball. “Hit it right here.”

“Troy, why are you helping him? He’s on the other team.” Jessie huffed and shifted his weight, crossing his arms over his chest.

Troy hung his head a moment, hiding a smirk. When he lifted his head, he smiled at Jessie. “I’m trying to be nice here. We just met him. Don’t want him to think we’re dicks.”

Jake released a quick laugh. “Oh, I don’t think you’re dicks.” He peeked at Donna.

Troy rested his hand on Jake’s shoulder and came close to his ear. In a soft voice, he said, “Thanks, I don’t think you’re a dick either.” He laughed and let his arm drop to his side. “Anyway, I would try the shot like that.”

“Okay.” Jake set up the shot, hit the ball and missed the pocket.

Troy patted Jake on the back. “Better luck next time. That was a hard one.” He glanced at Jessie.

Jessie clenched his jaw.

“Yeah. Guess it’s your turn, Troy.” Jake walked over to Donna.

Troy took a quick shot and missed. “Damn. Your turn, Donna.”

Donna handed Jake his beer along with her own. “Let’s see if I can do as good as you.” She beamed at him, then walked around the table, looking for a shot.

Troy stepped to Jessie’s side. “Jake’s not a bad player.”

“Yeah.” Jessie thinned his lips, then sipped his beer.

Troy watched him, tapping his beer bottle with his index finger. “You mad or something?” Would he admit he was jealous?

Jessie scoffed and flashed his blue eyes at Troy. “No.”

“Okay.” Troy smirked—he’d have to keep going.

Donna took her shot and missed. “Damn.”

Jake handed her beer to her. “That was a hard one to make in. Next time.”

Jessie walked to the table and stepped around it, surveying the balls.

Troy gulped his beer down, then sidled up to Jake. “Let’s go get more beers.” He held his empty beer bottle up, tilting it. “I’m empty and it looks like everyone else is getting close.” This would fix Jessie. He peeked at him.

Jessie glanced at them, then narrowed his eyes.

“Sure.” Jake grinned at Donna. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Troy set his cue against the table, grabbed Jake by the arm and led him to the bar. “I’ll buy this time.” Maybe this would set Jessie off.

Jake glanced behind him, walking next to Troy. “Sure.”

As they reached the bar, Troy held his hand up to the bartender, then focused on Jake. What else could he do to make Jessie jealous? “Hey, want a shot?”

“A shot? Of what?” Jake gave him a sly grin.

Troy gnawed his lower lip. What could they order...”How about a Sex on the Beach ?”

Jake chuckled, tipping his head a moment. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

When the bartender arrived, Troy ordered four beers and two Sex on the Beach shots.

“Hey, Troy, I really like your sister.” Jake studied him. “I know she doesn’t live up here, but I get down to the Twin Cities pretty often.”

Troy widened his eyes. Jake must think he was being pulled aside so he could make sure he was serious about Donna. Jake had it so wrong. He quirked a corner of his mouth. “Do you?”

The bartender set their drinks in front of them, and Troy paid, then held up his shot. “Well, here’s to you and Donna then.”

Jake lifted his shot. “Thanks, man.” He slugged it down.

Troy gulped the sweet shot. Warm pressure wrapped around his bicep, yanking him around.

Jessie stood beside him, his mouth pinched, his eyes a darker shade of blue. “Come with me.”

“Wait.” Troy set his shot glass on the bar, peeking at Jake.

Jake lifted his brows. “I got the beers.”

“Good.” Jessie said, through his teeth. He hauled Troy across the linoleum floor, slapped the brown metal door open on the men’s bathroom and shoved him inside. “What the fuck are you doing?”

Troy dropped his mouth open. It worked. Jessie was furious. He twisted his head, tensing his lips to hide the smile spreading over his mouth. “Having a shot with Jake.”

Jessie shoved him into a green, metal stall, slammed the door shut, then twisted the lock. “It was more than that.” He slapped his hand to the wall of the stall at head-level, coming chest to chest with him.

“What are you talking about?” Troy’s heart fluttered. He’d make Jessie admit his feelings.

“You were flirting with that dude. I fucking saw it.” Jessie clenched his jaw, the muscle bulging.

“Are you jealous?” Troy’s breath became heavy. His heart pounded. Jessie was so close. His gaze fell to his lips.

“Yes, I’m fucking jealous. I don’t want to see you digging on another dude.” Jessie widened his eyes and stepped back, dropping his hand.

“Why? How do you feel about me, Jess? Tell me.” I said it out loud. What would he say? Troy held his breath.

Jessie stared at the wood-paneled wall behind the toilet. “I like you. You know that.”

Troy frowned. “How much, though? How much do you like me?” He was all in now. No going back.

Jessie looked him in the eyes, wrinkling his brow. “A whole fucking lot, okay? Why are you even asking?”

“Because you keep talking about going back to New York. What am I supposed to think?” Troy’s heart ran wild. This was it.

Jessie creased his forehead. “Is that what this is about? Troy...” His eyes grew glossy. “I don’t know what I’m going to do after this.”

Pain pierced Troy’s chest. “You can’t leave me.” Tears clouded his vision. He needed to stop right now. He couldn’t force him into a decision. Jessie didn’t want to stay yet. That much was clear. He still had to work on him. He wiped his eyes.

Jessie searched around the stall, then caught his gaze on Troy’s. “I need time to figure things out.”

Under his breath, Troy said, “Shit.” Now he was getting the same answers Jessie gave to his father. “Okay.”

Jessie wrapped his arms around his shoulders and dragged him close. “If I do stay here, it’ll be because of you and only because of you.” He kissed his cheek, then placed a long, deep kiss over his mouth.

Troy closed his eyes, his heart aching. He’d make him stay. I’ll make him love me and then — Love? Yes, he loved Jessie. He knew that now. There was no other explanation for how much this hurt. He broke the kiss and forced a grin. “I guess I needed to hear you say that.”

Jessie nodded, his gaze fixating on Troy’s. He worked a swallow down his throat. “We have to be more careful, Troy. Your sister is out there, and she seems to pick up on everything.”

Troy offered a quick shrug. “I know.” He probably shouldn’t have pushed him like this in front of everyone. But when else would he have had the chance?

“I don’t know how to explain me bringing you into the bathroom. Got any ideas?” Jessie released a long breath and backed up to lean on the wall across from Troy. “It’s a good thing Donna didn’t send Jake in after us.”

“Not yet.” Troy tapped Jessie’s arm. “We should probably get out there before she does.”

“So, what do we say?” Jessie lifted his brows, his gaze searching his face.

“Tell them we had an argument. It’s the truth.” Troy twisted his mouth. He had to think of something. “Tell them we were arguing about... shit, I don’t know.” He raked his hand through his dirty-blond bangs.

“Fuck.” Jessie opened the door on the stall and stepped out. “Just tell her we had an argument and it’s none of her business.”

Troy chuckled. “Yeah, that’ll work.” He followed him out of the bathroom and to the pool tables.

Donna was chatting with Jake, her eyes twinkling, her face animated, holding Jake’s full attention.

Troy slapped Jessie’s arm. “Hey, maybe they didn’t even notice.” He smirked.

Donna’s gaze caught on Troy. “Oh, you’re back. Had another lover’s quarrel?” She sniggered, then glanced at Jake.

“Stop it, Donna.” Troy shook his head. No such luck. Of course, she’d noticed.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, don’t tell me you both had to take a piss together. What happened?” She tapped her index finger on her arm.

“We...” Troy glanced at Jake. “We had a private discussion about Jake and we both decided he’s cool. So, you can keep going out with him.” He freed a nervous laugh.

Jessie stared at Troy, lifting his brows.

“Really? Like I need your permission.” She scoffed.

Jake slapped Troy’s shoulder. “Thanks, man. I think you’re both cool, too.” He offered Troy a wide grin.

“Okay, so, who’s turn is it?” Jessie looked them all over.

“Mine, I think.” Troy grabbed his cue, resting against the pool table. He stole a peek at Jessie and smiled. He’d gotten at least some of what he’d wanted out of him, but he still had work to do.

Troy followed Jessie to the van, parked outside his family cabin. The lone streetlight hovering at the edge of the woods lit up the side. The cool night air, still heavy with the threat of rain, shivered over his skin. As he grasped the door handle, he glanced at him.

Jessie gazed at him with wide eyes, holding a canvas bag in one hand and his boom box in the other. He licked his lips.

A rush of desire worked up Troy’s spine. Tonight, he was willing to take things further. He slid the door open and crept inside, his cock swelling with anticipation. He’d been looking forward to this all day, and after what Jessie had said in the men’s bathroom, things seemed different. They were closer.

Jessie stepped into the van and shut the door, then crawled to him and sat on the shag carpeting, his legs tucked underneath him. “So, do you want to get high first tonight?”

“I don’t know. Do you?” Troy placed his hand on Jessie’s cheek. He would if he wanted to.

Jessie brushed his cheek against Troy’s hand, focusing on him. “Yeah, I do.” He slid his baggie of joints out of the canvas bag.

“Okay.” Troy tugged the circular table out of the floor, then set it behind the front seats and pulled on the couch frame, making it into a bed. As he sat on the bed, Jessie handed him a lit joint. “Thanks.” He took a long drag, then freed a plume of smoke. His head buzzed. He gave the joint back.

Jessie sucked on the joint, held it, then released it. “So, I told you I wanted to try something tonight.” He held the joint to Troy.

Troy dragged off the joint a second time, then handed it back to Jessie. “That’s enough for me.” He had an idea what Jessie wanted to do. He was pretty sure he was ready.

Jessie took another hit from the joint, pinched it out and tucked it into the baggie, then set it on the cabinet counter. “So, I brought something.”

“You didn’t bring your Playguy again, did you?” Troy released a soft giggle and covered his mouth with his hand. The weed was getting to him.

Jessie smirked and shook his head once. “No, I didn’t. You goon.” He reached into the canvas bag and pulled out a jar of Vaseline, then held it up. He spread a broad grin over his face.

Troy widened his eyes. “I see...” It was what he’d thought. Every night, Jessie had been going on about how good it felt. “Okay, so who goes first?”

“Troy, you know I know what I’m doing, right?” Jessie rested the Vaseline jar in his lap.

“Yeah.” Troy gnawed on his lip. “So, you want to shove your finger inside my ass.” He burst out giggling. Maybe he shouldn’t have had the second hit on the joint.

Jessie joined him in a round of giggles. “Do you have to say it like that?” He wiped his eyes and calmed. “Damn, man.”

“So, what is this supposed to do?” Troy fought to keep a straight face. This was serious to Jessie for some reason. He squirmed. This conversation was not a turn on.

“You have a bunch of nerves in your uh, ass, and when you stroke them, it feels good.” Jessie freed a quick giggle. “I can’t even talk about it now without laughing.” With a smile he drew a deep inhale, then let it out. “Okay, there.”

“How about we make out and let it happen instead of talking about it?” Troy climbed on the bed and shimmied his shirt off. Why did Jessie have to talk about sex so much?

“Good idea.” Jessie hit the button in the cassette player and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon album started up. He turned the volume down a notch, then undressed.

Troy skimmed his shorts and white underwear down and off his legs, then lay on the bed on his back. As a wave of lust washed over him, heat filled his cock.

Jessie set the Vaseline on the carpet by the bed, then crept next to him on his side. He brushed his hand over Troy’s chest, down his hips and over his erection.

As sensation hummed through Troy, he rocked his hips, freeing a soft gasp. “That feels pretty good.”

Jessie pressed his solid cock into his thigh and wrinkled his brows. “I could totally rub off on you like this.” He thrust his hips against him, then came closer, crushing his lips with his own.

Troy moaned inside Jessie’s mouth, slipping his tongue past Jessie’s lips, deepening the kiss.

Jessie slowly stroked Troy’s hot, firm shaft, rubbing against him, then rolled over him and placed needy kisses on his neck, down to his chest, nibbling along the way.

Troy groaned and shut his eyes, losing himself to the wet heat of Jessie’s lips and tongue.

As Jessie came to his nipple, he sucked on it, then flicked his tongue over it.

Pleasure pulsed from his chest to his groin, jerking his cock. Pre-cum dribbled out the tip, slickening his stomach. “Go lower.” He wanted that mouth on his dick. He pressed on his shoulders.

Jessie kissed and sucked over his taut abdomen, then licked at the slit of his cock. “You taste good.”

Troy freed a choked gasp, then looked down. He’d watch him do it.

Jessie grabbed the base of Troy’s shaft, then plunged his hot mouth over it, all the way to the root and back up, swirling the head with his tongue.

Pleasure shuddered up Troy’s spine. “Oh, shit.” He thrust into him. He loved having his mouth on him.

Jessie bobbed up and down over his hard cock, his tongue lapping at the underside, diving into the slit.

Sensation coiled inside Troy’s gut, tightening his sac. He released one soft moan after another. Jessie could do whatever he wanted now. “Do it.”

Jessie slowed and tipped his head up.

Troy peeked down at him. “I said, do it.” He wanted to know what this was all about, how much better it could feel.

Jessie freed his cock with a pop, stretched for the Vaseline and opened the lid. He dipped his fingers in it. “Lift your legs.”

Troy raised his knees, placing his feet by his ass cheeks. “Like this?”

“Yeah.” Jessie raked his teeth over his lower lip, then gave his own hard cock a few strokes, swiping his thumb over the head, taking a shuddering breath. “Sorry, but seeing you like that is a real turn on.” He set the Vaseline on the floor, then swiped his slickened fingers over Troy’s entrance. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Troy gazed at the carpeted ceiling of the van. It wasn’t a bad sensation.

“Tell me if you want me to stop.” Jessie licked Troy’s shaft and slowly slid a finger inside.

Pressure filled Troy at the same time Jessie’s wet tongue glided over his cock. He bit his lip. Still not so bad, but he didn’t know what all the—“Oh, holy fuck.” A pulse of intense sensation jolted inside his body, making his cock twitch. His gaze darted to Jessie.

Jessie smiled over his shaft, gliding his finger in and out.

Surges of sensation wound through Troy’s insides, making his thighs shake with each one. He definitely knew what Jessie had been talking about now. He gasped. “M-more.”

Jessie lifted his head. “You want more?”

“Yeah, yes, fuck yes.” Troy thrust his hips in time with his plunging finger.

Jessie added a second finger and sucked his cock all the way to the back of his throat.

Troy groaned as the pressure and friction heightened. He might let him fuck him. That would be even better. “J-Jess.” He freed a choked moan as pleasure pulsated his cock.

“What?” Jessie stopped and raised his head. “You okay?”

“What if I want you to fuck me?” Troy gulped hard, looking down at him. Would he do it?

“Right now?” Jessie licked his lips, then peeked at Troy’s groin. “I uh, didn’t think you’d be ready for that.”

“Why does that matter?” Troy furrowed his brows, huffing.

“Because I’m so fucking turned on, I’d come before I got it all the way in.” Jessie flashed a shy grin at Troy. “Sorry, but you make me really horny.”

“So you said.” Troy glanced at the ceiling. “Well, make me come then, doing that.”

Jessie slid his mouth over his solid cock while gliding his fingers inside his entrance, quickening the pace, sucking on the way down, lapping on the way up.

Troy thrust his hips, pleasure knotting to a sweet peak. “I’m coming.” Intense sensation surged through his shaft, his sac and deep inside his groin, pulsing wave after wave over his body. His toes curled into the mattress, and he cried out, arching his back.

Jessie stayed on him until it slowed, then shifted to lie beside Troy, his eyelids heavy with lust, his breath thick. “Troy...”

Troy rolled him over and crawled to his groin, took his weeping cock between his lips, and pumped.

Jessie freed an open-mouthed gasp. “Oh, shit.” He slapped his hands to Troy’s head. “I-I’m coming.” He thrust into his mouth.

Troy took him in fully, stroking his shaft with his tongue, sucking over the head, fondling his sac. His cock jerked in Troy’s mouth and hot cum erupted, coating his throat, and he swallowed it all down until it slowed. He released his spent cock, licked his lips, and lay over the top and to the side of him, resting his head on his chest.

Jessie panted, raking a hand through his hair, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “I come really hard with you.”

“Yeah, me, too.” Troy skimmed a palm over Jessie’s chest.

Jessie shuddered. “Don’t tickle me right now.”

“I wasn’t going to.” Troy chuckled. That was a good idea, though.

Headlights flickered through the van windows.

Troy lifted his head. “Shit. Who’s that?”

“Didn’t Donna go to the drive-in tonight with Jake?” Jessie shifted. “Get up.”

Troy sat up and peered out the window. A Chevelle parked on the other side of the drive and the headlights cut. “It’s fucking Donna and Jake.” He smirked. “They’re probably going to make out in his car.” He kept his attention on the vehicle. The doors opened. “Shit, they’re getting out.” He stared at Jessie.

Jessie widened his eyes. “Get dressed.”

They scrambled for their clothes, tossing t-shirts and underwear, shoving limbs through holes.

Jessie said, “You locked the doors, right?”

The van door slid open with a woosh and a thunk.

Troy sat on the carpet cross-legged, frozen, his shorts unfastened, his head stuck in the arm hole of his shirt. “Fuck. I thought you locked the doors.” Guess both of them had other things on their mind. He righted the shirt, pushing his head through, then tugged the hem down over his open shorts. His gaze caught on Donna.