Released September 26, 2013 from MLR Press
Pairing: m/m
Available now in ebook from MLR Press
Available in Nook and print at Barnes & Noble
A little story inspired by events that really bear little resemblance to the story.
BLURB
Bryce is the adorable young thing that Dustin knows he shouldn’t want. He should be looking for a man his own age. Someone with a future. Someone with a real job. But no matter how hard he tries, no matter how much he knows that it just won’t work, he can’t resist those big blue eyes.
Dusty is an adult. So unlike any of the party crowd that Bryce hangs around. But after just a brief taste of Dusty’s so-called boring, normal life, Bryce is more surprised than anyone to find out that that’s the life he wants.
No wonder they just Can’t Fight This Feeling.
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©2013 Jet Mykles, all rights reserved
“I told you you’d like it here,” Danni proclaimed as she mounted the empty barstool beside him. It was after midnight and around them, the party was clearly dying down, the crowd about a third less than it had been only a half hour before. The music was still going and the bar was still open, though, so there was still some life left in this sucker.
Grinning, he grabbed her arm to help steady her. This, of course, was the other reason he was here. He had to drive since Danni was clearly three sheets to the wind. While she kept drinking with her friends, he’d switched to cola about an hour ago. “Yes, you were right, oh wise one.”
Scowling, she slapped his arm. Then she ruined the effect by breaking into a delighted laugh. “So,” she tried to contain herself and primly folded her hands in front of her on the high table. They were alone for the moment. “What are your plans for the evening?”
He frowned. “Other than getting you home safe?”
“Yes.”
“Nothing that I know of. Why?”
Her predatory grin was frightening. “Have you, by chance, noticed the young man over there?”
He didn’t look. She was pointing in the general direction of Bryce and his bevy of women. Besides, there was only one ‘young man’ that any of them had been talking about. “What young man?”
He didn’t fool her. “He’s cute, isn’t he?”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Liar. You’ve been watching him all night.”
“Kind of hard not to watch him. He’s been on display since we got here.”
“So you did notice him.”
“I’m not blind.”
She stared. He stared.
“Dus-tin,” she sing-songed.
“Dan-ni,” he sing-songed right back.
The avid glitter in her eyes might have sent him running. “Wanna meet him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“No. We’re here for you. Not for me.” No matter how delicious the prospect.
“He wants to meet you.”
Well damn, there went his dick. Perfectly well behaved all night and at the mention of the young stud’s interest, it fills up and makes itself known. Down, boy! “Me?”
She leaned toward him with a lewd grin. “Mmm-hmm.” Now, this was a first. Danni had never tried to set him up before. But then, she’d never known so many gay men before. He hadn’t accounted for that. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Too young.”
“He’s not that young.”
“He’s not my type.” A blatant lie if he’d ever told one and she would know it, but he said it anyway.
“What?” Blustering, she shoved up straight in her seat. Unfortunately, her balance was off and he had to shoot to his feet to catch her before she toppled in a drunken heap on the floor.
“Oh no! Danni, honey.” A sweet tenor dripping southern charm sounded behind Danni just before graceful hands clasped on her shoulders to help Dustin steady her. “Are you o-ka-ay?” Three syllables to the last word, no doubt about it.
Caught off guard, Dustin couldn’t prepare himself before his eyes darted up to be caught by the most amazing blue irises he’d ever seen. The sky in Neverland had to be that perfect and clear so it was right that it was reflected in the eyes of the most compelling Peter Pan Dustin could ever have imagined. Oh God. Dustin was aware of the crowd that now surrounded them. Bryce had led his entourage to the table and now a bunch of hens were clucking around Danni as she laughingly righted herself in her seat.
“I’m fine,” Danni proclaimed, hugging her friends.
Dustin shook himself and sat back on his own chair. A surprisingly muscular little body pushed her way up under his arm and he gladly hugged Kasey when he looked down to see her frosted chestnut hair and laughing green eyes. “Hey, sexy,” he greeted, giving her an extra squeeze. Kasey was one of those people who you talked to for fifteen minutes then felt you’d known her for years.
“Hey, yourself.” She squeezed back, rubbing her free hand over his chest. “Why are you still tucked up in this corner?”
“I told you I’m shy.”
She snorted. “Bullshit.” She raised a hand to indicate the women surrounding them. “Let’s see, have you met everyone?” He knew what she was doing before it happened but was helpless to stop her. Across the table, Danni grinned. “Tammy, Sue, Susan, Elisa, Amy… Oh, wait.” Her hand landed on Bryce’s arm. “Have you met Bryce?”
She knew damn well he hadn’t. Everyone there knew damn well he hadn’t. Their collective hush was painfully obvious. Caught, all he could do was man up. So he smiled, lifted his arm from around Kasey and extended it across the edge of the table to the boy with the wicked smile. “Hi, I’m Dustin.”
Bryce held his hand in a firm grip and closed the distance between them by taking two steps to bring him up against Kasey’s other side. “I know.”
The collective “ooo” was even more obvious than the staring. With a grin, Kasey ducked back a step and patted each of them on the arm. “Why don’t we just leave you two to…get better acquainted?”
Dustin blinked once and the women were all gone, including his sister. He was suddenly stranded facing one of the most beautiful creatures he’d ever seen without the wall of females who’d surrounded him all night. It was okay for him to panic. Just a little. Even if his dick had better plans. I said down, boy!
“Well,” he said, realizing that Bryce still held his hand, “that was subtle.”
Bryce might not have heard him. The music wasn’t that loud, but he had a dreamy look on his slender features as he studied Dustin’s face. Up close, Dustin could see that his skin was perfectly smooth with just the barest hint of stubble along the sharp line of his jaw. Those lips, good God, those lips were made for kissing and their smile was simply intoxicating. “I don’t go much for subtle.”
“I meant the girls.”
Bryce nodded, dislodging a curl of blond hair to waft over his eye. Even if it was a little lank and sweaty from dancing all night, it was still lusciously wavy, inviting Dustin’s fingers to comb through it. “I know.” Bryce reached up to tuck the errant lock away, flashing nails painted electric blue. “I meant me.”
“Direct, huh?”
He nodded. “Saves time.”
“Good.” Gently, Dustin pulled his hand free. “Then I’ll be direct too. I’m not interested.”
That got him. The sunny, seductive facade cracked to reveal an uncertainty that Dustin wouldn’t have thought possible given his earlier behavior. Good thing his back was to the bar so the gathering of women watching about twenty feet away couldn’t see it. Otherwise they may have swooped in to rescue their ‘darling boy’. “What?”
Dustin smiled. He was very cute and the thought of that southern drawl coloring cries of passion made Dustin squirm a little in his seat. Still… “I’m flattered. But I’m not interested.”
To his credit, Bryce recovered quickly. He leaned an arm on the table and the frown he wore as he tried to figure Dustin out was very fetching. “Why not? Danni said I was just your type.”
He smiled. “I’ll have to remember to kill my sister.”
It must have been the way he said it, because Bryce laughed. The movement of his head loosened the falling curl again and Dustin’s fingers itched to brush it back. Jesus, up close he was downright dangerous. How was this child not locked up in some golden tower or black dungeon for safekeeping? Black dungeon, yes, with all that pale skin displayed nicely by snug leather straps and plush red velvet. Damn, been reading too much of Danni’s BDSM.
Bryce sidled in a step closer, not touching but damn close. Those blue eyes danced over his smile. “Don’t be too hard on her. I asked for the introduction.”
“Why?”
“Why?” He chuckled. “Because you’re fucking gorgeous, for one.”
It was a heady thing when a beautiful man finds you attractive. “For one,” he parroted, more for something to say than anything.
“Mmm.” Taking his cue from Dustin’s surprise, Bryce stepped yet closer. Now his thigh brushed Dustin’s and two of his long fingers traced over the back of Dustin’s knuckles. “And your sister says you’re a pretty amazing guy.”
Okay, maybe it wasn’t so bad to have his sister take point for him. He kept telling his hand to move away from Bryce’s light caress but it kept not happening. The light press of his thigh was an oh-so-gentle suggestion of what that firm muscle might feel like wrapped around his waist. Okay, stop. Damn. Now his sister’s stories were suggesting fantasies in his head. Not. Normal!
“Mmm.” Bryce leaned in so he could angle a look up at Dustin’s face, his left eye shadowed by that errant curl. “She thought maybe you’d take me home tonight.”
“You live around here?” Dustin asked, keeping his tone light.
“I meant your home.”
If Dustin wasn’t a mature man in charge of his own sexuality, that low purr and the look that went with it would have caused an accident in his pants. As it was, it made him swallow as his gaze dropped all on its own to take in the plump pink curve of Bryce’s bottom lip. “I think you’re dangerous.”
The lip curled into a deceptively innocent smile, parting enough from the upper to display a flash of white teeth. “Me? I’m a sweet little lamb. Ask anyone.”
Dustin snorted. “I’m not sure I can handle you.”
Bryce’s hand smoothed up his forearm in a bold caress. “I’m quite sure you can handle little ‘ole me.”
He saw it coming. He should have stopped it. He wasn’t here to perform or give a show. He’d seen what would happen when those women got a look of kissing men. But as Bryce’s face got closer and those lips honed in on his, Dustin found it difficult to remind himself that they were being watched, that Bryce was acting out for his audience. All he knew was that the warm, silken softness of Bryce’s lips pressed to his in what was quite possibly the sweetest kiss he’d experienced since he graduated high school. Dustin parted his lips to accept Bryce’s tongue and couldn’t help a small moan of appreciation at his light, sugary taste. The little devil tasted good. Sure, some of it was the ridiculous fruity cocktails he’d had all night, but much of that was just him. Hot damn! The background whoops were unappreciated but couldn’t be helped. When Bryce’s arm slid up and around his neck, he found his own arm snaking around Bryce’s slim waist to pull him closer. Damn, he fit nice. Slim and firm, a perfect armful.
Eventually, unfortunately, Bryce pulled back. He made no effort to pull away, however, and remained in the circle of Dustin’s arm. “See?” he cooed softly, thumbing Dustin’s lower lip. “You can handle me just fine.”
He was lost in bright blue eyes surrounded by light brown lashes. “You’re playing into every fantasy they have about guys like you. You know that, right?”
Bryce grinned, a tiny bit of pink tongue peeking between luscious lips. Up this close, Dustin could tell that he was wearing makeup. Eyeliner and a little mascara at least. “Guys like me?”
“Young. Gay. Pretty.”
“You think I’m pretty?”
No sense denying it. “I do.” He rubbed his hand across Bryce’s lower back, just because he had to. The boy was wearing a silky dress shirt that invited petting.
Bryce purred. No doubt about it, he fucking purred as he cuddled closer. “Then what’s the harm in letting them watch a little?” He traced the line of Dustin’s jaw. “It makes them happy and it doesn’t hurt anyone.”
“Might hurt me a little,” he heard himself saying.
A small crack in the confident innocence. “How so?”
Dustin boldly adopted Bryce’s Texas twang. “Sweet young thing like yous like to break my heart.”
After a surprised blink, Bryce broke into delightful laughter before he angled Dustin’s head for another kiss. “Not you, precious,” he proclaimed, piling on the charm. “I could never hurt you.”
As they kissed again, Dustin hoped that the girls were getting what they paid for, so to speak. He didn’t want to look, sure that they had the rapt attention of every drunken female in the place. Instead, he let Bryce kiss and pet him.
“Where are you staying?” he asked, lips just a few breaths away from Bryce’s.
“The hotel down the street.” Bryce’s soothing fingers stroked his neck. “But I’ve got a roommate.”
“Mmm.” There went that. Unfortunately. “I’m a half hour away.”
Bryce’s thoughtful “mmm” rumbled during another kiss. It gave Dustin a chance to regret that he didn’t live closer. Then it occurred to him what he was thinking and he pulled away. “Wait.”
Fingers now tunneled into his hair, Bryce blinked at him over a lazy smile. “What?”
He felt his own fingers dig into the small of Bryce’s back. “Are we doing this?”
“God, I hope so.” Bryce kissed him. “Yes?” Another kiss. “Please.”
How the hell was he supposed to resist? Especially with that sweet little whimper only he could hear. “Are you even legal?”
Bryce’s laugh wafted over his jaw. “I’m twenty two. Honest. You can check my license if you want.”
“Fuck.”
“Yes, please.”
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