Chapter 14
Besties
Carter
“Is this all you have?” I said, as Thorsen took the duffel bag out of the car trunk.
He chuckled. “I pack light.”
“You’re moving in, not going on a vacation. Where are the rest of your things?”
“I don’t have any. I left it all in New Mesa.”
“Jesus. It’s worse than I thought.”
The apartment he had rented was on the floor below mine. It had a functioning kitchen and a bathroom, but the furniture was scarce. The living room consisted of a pull-out sofa and a TV screen placed on the floor across from it. The bedroom was empty apart from an armchair.
“It could use a few improvements,” I murmured, looking around.
He closed the door behind us and dropped his bag on the floor. “Nah, it’s fine. Besides, it’s close to you, which is its main attraction.”
I made a face, wondering what possessed me to let him move into my building.
“I’m going to regret this,” I said with a sigh, walking up to the window. “I just know it.”
“No, you won't,” he whispered in my ear, sneaking up to me a goddamn ghost.
“Asshole,” I muttered, rubbing my ear. “Don’t do that. I have a gun. I could have shot you.”
He grinned. “I have a gun too, only bigger.”
“What are you? Twelve?”
I opened the window to let the air in when he stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Nice view, though, right?” he said, pointing his chin at the distance.
I put my hand on his arm to remove it when I became aware of his body behind me. Big. Warm. Strong. It felt like a large, muscular, comfortable cushion, and I didn’t entirely dislike it. I turned my head to look at him, only to see him staring into the distance thoughtfully. I followed his gaze, but I couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. A house across from us with too many balconies. A row of maple trees below the window. An old lady selling flowers on the street corner.
Suddenly, a strange sense of calm washed over me. Comfort. Peace. Those emotions were scarce in our line of work, but at that moment, I felt them. I forgot all about the large body cradling me and the strong arms around my waist, or my need to remove them. I just wanted to hold onto those emotions for a while longer.
“This feels nice, doesn’t it?” Tye said, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“Mhm,” I hummed, lost in thoughts.
I could see the buildings in the distance, brimming with life. A couple, kissing at the bus station. A pink-haired girl carrying a plate filled with donuts in the bakery across the street. It was strange how this town could sometimes look so… benevolent. Innocent, even.
“I’m so glad you helped me move in here,” Tye said, sounding satisfied. “Now we can really be besties.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “We will never be besties, Thorsen.”
He placed a big, wet kiss on my cheek with a loud “mwah” before I could stop him. “We already are.”
I stifled a smile and turned to look at him, not surprised that his hands remained on my waist. He was such a cuddly bear sometimes, but I kind of got used to it. When my gaze landed on a large purple bruise on his cheek, courtesy of one of Davidoff’s goons, I frowned.
“You should probably ice that,” I said, raising my hand to touch the injured area. “Does it hurt?”
He shook his head, never taking his eyes off me. Cobalt blue, this time. Hot, too. Golden blue.
Speaking of swollen things, I felt my dick hardening in my pants, which reminded me that Vic was coming over. Maybe we could finally have sex after all these months. On the other hand, maybe not. I was kind of tired.
“Anyway,” I said, looking around the place. “Let me know if you need anything. Like ice or… a toothbrush.” I chuckled, heading to the door. “I’ll be seeing you around, yeah?”
“Wait.”
I turned to look at him as he walked up to me. I couldn’t help but notice that he had a semi too, which meant both of us needed to get laid. Still, I didn’t want to tease him about it since he suddenly turned gloomy.
“Erm…” he murmured, rubbing his finger against the door frame absentmindedly. “Do you maybe want to stay? I mean, we could order in, or something. I’m starving.” He bit his lip, glancing at me. “Are you starving?”
I shrugged. “I could eat. Except… yeah, no. Vicky is coming over. I forgot.”
“Isn’t she supposed to come around nine? We still have an hour or two to grab a bite.”
“I guess so,” I mused. “How about I take a quick shower, and you order in a pizza or something?”
“Sounds great.”
“Perfect.”
After I’d showered and changed, I returned to Tye’s apartment in record time. We didn’t have an opportunity to hang out today, so I wanted to make up for the lost time. And I got used to that clown, so I kind of missed him.
When he opened the door, I made a face, visually offended by the canary yellow shirt he put on.
“Hello, Dorothy,” Tye said, grinning. “Welcome to the wonderful world of Oz. Try not to look so lost.”
“I’m not lost. I’m blinded,” I grumbled, shoving a bag at him. “Here are your clothes that we washed earlier. You can change if you want to. Please, change.”
“Right now? In front of you?”
“Yeah, no. I changed my mind. Has the food arrived?”
“Any moment now.”
“I brought you a housewarming bottle of wine,” I said, handing him the bottle of Chenin Blanc. “Just don’t offer it to me. The mere thought of alcohol makes me sick.”
He chuckled. “Same here. We’re going to save it for a special occasion. How is your head?”
“Fine. How is your cheek?”
“I think this bruise gives me character,” he mused. “What do you think? Am I prettier with it? Or without it?”
I rolled my eyes and walked up to him.
“Have you iced it?” I said, pressing my fingers to his chin and turning his head to the side so I could examine the damage.
“Yes, Mom.”
“Why does it look purple, then?”
“I don’t know, Mom.”
“Does it hurt?”
“No, Mom.”
“You’re lying to me, aren’t you?”
When his doorbell rang, he grinned.
“Saved by the bell.”
Thorsen
I really was saved by the bell, both literally and metaphorically. First, I was starving. The day spent chasing bad guys could do that to you. Second, Carter wasn’t drilling me with questions anymore because his mouth was full. Sadly, only with food.
We ate in silence, sitting on the floor, with our backs resting against the sofa. The TV was on, but neither of us watched it. It was just a hum in the background, like the rain last night.
After I threw the takeaway boxes in the trash, I noticed Carter rolling his shoulders and twisting his head from side to side.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I think that bald asshole dislocated my shoulder or something. It hurts like the devil.”
I walked up to him and felt his shoulder, careful not to hurt him. “No… it’s probably just a sprained muscle.”
“Do you have a painkiller, by any chance?”
“I have something better,” I said, sitting on the sofa behind him. “I’ll give you a massage.”
He burst into laughter. “No way in hell, Thorsen. I appreciate my bones too much for that, thank you.”
“I’m a trained semi-professional, Dominic,” I said, trying to reason with him.
“Since when?”
“I was massaging maman after she started her chemo. Her back hurt from lying in bed all the time.”
“Oh,” he murmured, and there it was—that damn pity.
“I don’t need your sympathy,” I growled. “I want to help you, so take it or not, but don’t act like I’m a lost puppy, okay?”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “What do I need to do?”
“Just sit still.”
“Anything else?”
“I’m going to unbutton the top three buttons of your shirt. Try not to cry like a baby.”
“Whatever, asshole.”
I always believed that mistakes were like dominoes. After the first one came the second, then the third, and so on. My first mistake was inviting him here. He was a bad decision waiting to happen, and the one I couldn’t afford to make, but my willpower had been dwindling lately. The massage was my second mistake, but I suggested it and had no choice but to go through with it. I only hoped this evening would end before I could make a mistake number three.
Eager to get it over with, I unbuttoned the top button on his shirt and then fumbled with the next one, cursing my fingers that wouldn’t cooperate. Clumsily, I undid the third button, but the simple task made me more breathless than climbing K2 would. When I started to knead the muscles in his shoulders, he let out a sound. Not quite a moan, but something.
“Does it hurt?” I asked him, massaging the tense area.
He shook his head, breathing deeply. “No. Don’t fucking stop.”
Jesus Christ.
“Ok-kay,” I stammered. “How about this? Good?”
“Mm-hmm.”
His skin was warm to the touch, his muscles stiff, but I could feel them relax after a while. When I moved my fingers to his neck, my gaze fell on his necklace. I reached for the cross pendant, glancing at him, but his eyes were closed.
“What does it mean to you?” I asked him since I knew he wasn’t devout.
“My roots. It represents that I came from somewhere, although it’s not where I belong.”
“Have you found it? A place to belong, I mean.”
He shook his head decisively. “Nah. Still searching.”
I lowered the pendant to his chest, allowing my fingers to graze his skin. “Maybe it’s not a place, you know? Maybe it’s a person you’re looking for.”
He hummed thoughtfully as I brought my hands to his back, kneading the muscles with slow, even strokes. When my thumb found his trapezius, he flinched.
“Ow,” he grumbled, frowning. “Take it easy, big guy.”
I grinned. “Sorry. I’ll kiss it better.”
“Don’t even joke about it.”
I lowered my head and whispered in his ear. “Maybe I wasn’t joking.”
“Maybe I'll punch you sooner rather than later.”
When I started to massage his neck, he closed his eyes.
“Fuck, this feels good,” he breathed. “Don’t… oh, my God, don’t stop!”
“I won’t stop,” I said hoarsely, shifting in my seat. Inconspicuously, I slid my hand to my crotch and rearranged my erection, ignoring the beads of sweat forming on my back. I was fine until I touched his chest. Well, I had a semi, but I was fine. Now, I wasn’t fine anymore.
“Mmm,” he hummed, unaware of my predicament. “Fuck… this feels amazing. Oh, my God.”
His words made me smile despite the fire burning in my groin.
“Are you always this loud, Carter?”
“Meaning?”
“Are you this loud when you fuck?”
“Drop dead,” he said through his teeth, but I could see him biting his bottom lip to stifle another moan.
“Maybe I’ll just ask Vicky,” I whispered in his ear, this time allowing my lips to brush against his earlobe.
“Knock it off, Tye,” he said, sounding breathless. “Or do you want a bruise on the other cheek too?”
I chuckled. “It might be worth it. Incidentally, I’m loud, too. And a bit of a dirty talker. How about you? Are you a dirty talker? Because those pretty lips of yours look as if they like a bit of filth.”
“Shut up. Last warning.”
“Only if you answer my question, Dominic.”
He was silent for a few moments before raising his index finger and motioning for me to come closer. I frowned in confusion and leaned in as he turned his head toward me. I felt his hot breath on my ear, just before his lips brushed against it, soft and wet. I almost got a heart attack, even before those lips moved against my earlobe and he let out a soft whisper, “You will never know, Tye.”
Well, fuck me.
And fuck him for screwing with me, because now I knew his answer without him saying it.
Yeah, he was a dirty talker.
And he liked the filth.
A lot.
Carter
I opened my eyes to the room enveloped in darkness except for the light coming from the TV screen. I reached for my phone, only to realize it was quarter to nine, which meant Vic would be here soon. Then my gaze fell on a blond-haired head in my lap and a large body sprawled on the sofa. So, Tye was using me as a cushion—again. When I noticed that my fingers were tangled in his hair, I made a face.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I murmured, yanking my hand away.
It woke him up. He raised his head and blinked in confusion.
“Where am I?”
“I have to go. Vic should be here at any moment.”
He muttered something unintelligible as I pushed him away and stood up.
“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you,” I said, heading to the kitchen. “Bruce will bring you some chairs tomorrow, and Adam mentioned he might have a table to spare. And Shelley filled your fridge earlier. I hope you don’t mind me giving her the key.”
I opened the fridge and looked inside.
“There’s milk, cheese, some veggies... The usual stuff.”
“That’s sweet,” Tye said, following me into the kitchen. “Shelly is a nice girl.”
I pointed a finger at him. “Don’t start.”
He shook his head. “You misunderstood me. All I meant was… she seems more like your type than Vic, that’s all.”
I laughed and closed the fridge. “You’re barking up the wrong tree, pal. She’s like a sister to me. Which doesn’t mean you can touch her either.”
He hummed thoughtfully as I headed to the door.
“Okay, I’m off. See you later.”
My hand was on the door handle when he spoke.
“You put them up to this, didn’t you?”
I turned to look at him.
“What do you mean?”
“Shelley, Adam, Bruce,” he replied, walking up to me. “Them helping me out was your idea.”
“They offered.”
“Yeah, but you made it happen. You told them I was moving in. You even spoke to Adam about it.”
I opened my mouth to speak when he added, “And for that, I’m going to hug you.”
“No,” I protested, but his arms were already around me. His body followed, and then it was just his heat, his size, and his scent. God, he was huge. I mean, I was huge, but he was bigger. And he was hard all over, making me realize I never hugged a man before. It was weird to feel his muscles flexing against me, and… God, that scent of his. What the fuck was it? Part washing detergent, part soap, but that “good” core of it was a damn mystery. I took a sniff at him, suppressing the need to… how to put it? If he were an apple, I would have licked him… just to find out what that scent tasted like.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let me. I counted to three and gave him a pat on the back when he pushed me backward until my back hit the wall.
“What are you doing?” I said, chuckling. “Don’t tell me you opened that wine while I was asleep.”
“Mm-mm,” he murmured, sounding strange.
When he rested his forehead on mine, I put my hands on his waist, now a little worried.
“Are you okay, man? Do you feel sick?”
He chuckled, but it lacked mirth. “That’s certainly one way of putting it, Dom.”
“Just tell me. You know you can talk to me.”
“I’m touched by what you did for me,” he muttered. “Fuck, I’m going to do something stupid.”
I laughed. “That’s nice, but I have to go. Move your feet, Mount Rushmore. Vic is probably already here.”
That brought him back from wherever his mind had wandered. He pulled away reluctantly, avoiding my eyes.
“Yeah… erm… Thanks for everything, Dom. I mean it.”
I smiled and winked at him. “No problem.”
“Say hi to Vic for me.”
“Thanks. I will.”