No One But You Read online

  I said his name, and his eyes opened, bright and curious, full of love and of hope that the tensions of the last week wouldn't come between us again. Slowly, I undressed for him. Not a striptease, I peeled off my clothes as though I had all the time in world, actually unbuttoning my shirt instead of pulling it over my head.

  "Mrs. Gilcrest will be so proud," Stacy murmured, his soft voice full of amusement.

  I smiled as his penis moved on his belly, giving away that first telltale sign of his interest. I'd wondered if he'd be too worn out, too stressed, to think about sex, and was relieved to know he wanted me. I folded my jeans over the back of wing chair, then knelt on the bed, wanting to touch him, but I waited for him to make the first move. He reached out and ran the tip of his index finger along the underside of my cock. The light touch tickled, and my penis tightened, then lengthened when the stroke ended. Stacy held out his arms to me, and I slid down into my lover's embrace.

  We pressed close, holding each other. I nuzzled at the soft skin where his neck met his shoulder, sucking gently. His hand cupped my buttock, squeezing. I slipped my knee between his thighs, edging even closer, nibbling on his ear.

  "I was afraid I'd never hold you again."

  Stacy took a deep, ragged breath. "I should've told you what was going on. You're no longer some kid I have to protect."

  "Maybe not. Think you're ready for a more mature me?"

  He tipped my chin up and smiled at me. "Darling, I've seen it coming." His hand found mine and guided it to his erection. "Wanna fool around?"

  The last bit of tension snapped and vanished inside me. "There's no foolin' to it, Mr. James. I want you, tonight, tomorrow, always."

  His mouth found mine, seeking a renewed trust. I gave it to him, and the kiss filled with his urgency, calling to me to meet him as an equal. I caressed every bit of him I could reach without giving up his lips.

  He shivered under my touch, restless, quivering, his strong hands cupping my ass. I teased between his buttocks, running my middle finger over sensitive flesh. Low sounds of encouragement rumbled in his chest, vibrating out of him to be swallowed by my kiss. I wanted to taste every inch of him, but couldn't tear myself away from the lure of his tongue licking mine. My pulse soared as thoughts of what he could do to me with his mouth teased my brain. Groaning, I finally wrenched away, sliding my lips down his neck and chest.

  I licked his belly button, then blew over his wet skin. Stacy always liked my warm breath moving over him, and he stretched and flexed as I teased him, showing me where he wanted it to touch him. I ran my tongue down the length of his swollen cock, then exhaled. His teeth nipped a path across my hip and down the outside of my thigh. Tipping my pelvis forward, I coaxed him to suck me. He licked the tip of my penis, moving back my foreskin. I moaned his name, needing him to take me in his mouth. Stacy smacked my ass and rolled away from me. I made a grab for him, but he was fast.

  With a move that would make his old sensei proud, Stacy pinned me beneath him. I grunted with the effort to move him off. I bucked beneath him, but he only laughed and bit my ass check. I tried to talk my way off my belly because I had no intention of giving it up to him doggie-style tonight. When he was stressed over something, and needed some emotional distance, he made that move. I wasn't going to let him get away with it tonight.

  "I thought you were tired, old man."

  "Ah, lover, there's something about your naked ass that rejuvenates me."

  I yelled at him as he nipped my butt harder. "Don't make me hurt you, Stacy!"

  He laughed louder. I fumbled in the nightstand drawer and found the lube. He tried to take it from me, and suddenly I was lying sprawled across him.

  "Right where I want to be!" My victory was short-lived. Stacy rolled us again. He shook his head as my knees gripped his ribcage, looking down at me with smoky blue eyes. "You're driving tonight, Levi."

  I knew better. He'd never relax enough for me to get inside him. I shook my head. "Not like this."

  Pulling his lips down to mine, I took us into a kiss that spiraled on and on in the flickering candlelight, until my groin ached with each rapid beat of my heart.

  The sexual tension in him now matched mine. I heard it in his quick, short breaths, and felt it in the strong grip of his hands on my hips. We wrestled, melding touch and taste. With fingers, tongues and breath we pushed each other into sensation until I panted to draw air into my lungs, and my name was a mantra on his lips. I pushed him back on the pillows and stretched out full length on his body, my lips at his ear. The moment was upon us. Did we trust each other as before? We held each other tightly, all hurtful words, all shadowy doubts, dissolving in the strength of our love for each other.

  "I love you, Stace. I've never had any man but you."

  "I know you haven't, Levi. I know."

  I fumbled the drawer of my nightstand open and pulled out the condoms. Stacy's gaze searched my face. I took a deep breath and slipped a packet in his hand.

  "If you say we need these for you to be comfortable with me until our next blood tests, I'll understand. We can go for them tomorrow, if you want to. A few weeks early won't matter."

  His hand cupped my face as his love and trust shone in his eyes. "No, Levi. I don't, but do you?"

  "Let's not get all stupid with each other again, Stace. Neither one of us has been unfaithful, so we need to let it go."

  Stacy pulled my lips down to his, and I gave myself over to his kiss. Sweet arousal renewed within me, rising up from my balls and spreading outward. Stacy took a quick, short breath and I knew it flowed through him, too.

  I grabbed the lube and rolled to my knees, straddling him. Stacy's chest rose and fell, sucking in deep breaths. The candlelight flickered in his eyes, gone black with desire. I wrapped my hand around his cock and stroked, spreading the lubricant as I pleasured him. He slicked his fingers and teased between my buttocks. My body knew his touch, remembered the sensation of taking him, the tight ring of muscle relaxing. I shifted my weight across his pelvis. His strong fingers gripped my hips, steadying me as I slowly eased down over him, taking my time so my body would adjust. Inside me, dozens of tiny muscles twitched in delight as the pressure increased. My eyes closed.

  "Look at me, Levi!"

  I couldn't disobey my lover, but I couldn't focus on him either. Stacy's fingers laced through mine and his arms supported me.

  I relaxed fully, and Stacy's pelvis flexed up. He stilled as I began to move, slowly and carefully, savoring each shifting sensation. Stacy moaned, long and low in his throat. His hands clenched mine. I squeezed his fingers in return, and released his right hand. As good as it felt to have him like this, tonight, it wouldn't take me over the top with him. He knew my responses, my needs, and he caressed me with warm fingers.

  His middle finger and thumb rested lightly on my hard-on. Stacy knew how sensitive I was around the rim as his fingers slid my foreskin back and forth over it. My lover was as familiar with my body as he was his own and used that knowledge well as my strong thighs drove our private ride in the candlelight. A warm cocoon of pleasure enveloped me as the whisper of that slight movement lifted me to the threshold. I moaned, a desperate sound my lover echoed.

  Maybe I called out to him, or perhaps it was my spirit reaching for his. I hit the finish line, breathless as my semen pooled on his belly. Then he was coming, a startling, hard upward push into me with the wet heat of his climax waking me from an orgasmic haze. I leaned forward, my hands splayed on his broad chest.

  "God, it's hot in here." My eyes burned from the salt of my own sweat.

  Gingerly, I moved off him, falling to the bed next to him. Stacy rolled toward me, and we settled chest-to-chest and thigh-to-thigh. It didn't matter how hot and sticky we were. Holding each other was the most important thing I could think of.

  "God, I love you, Levi. I can't believe I was so stupid..."

  I put my fingers over his lips. "Not telling me what brought you back from the coast early was stupid."
>
  "Yeah." He sighed and batted his eyelashes at me. "I'm limp. Do you think I could convince you to go get us a big glass of ice tea?"

  I'd get him anything he wanted tonight. "Sure, but you need to kiss me first."

  His hand cupped the back of my head. He ran his fingers through my damp hair. "You're very oral."

  I raised my eyebrow at him. "If that's a complaint, you can lick your own balls."

  Stacy chuckled softly, then pressed his lips to mine. I kissed him back, unhurried, without the grinding urgency of before. He pulled away, licking his lips.

  "Do you want to tell me about Aaron?"

  "Like...right now?"

  His head cocked to one side, his gaze curious. "You offered to tell me yesterday. I said I didn't need to know, but the curiosity might drive me nuts. He cruised you?"

  "Yep. In his motel room. Aaron kissed me, gave me a little feel, and nothing happened. And I mean nothing, Stacy. No tingle, no nothing."

  "He's a good-looking man, Levi, but if all you feel for him is friendship, then accept it."

  He didn't understand, so I plunged forward. "Stace, when I say things are different for me...well, it's really different. He felt me up pretty good, and my dick was just dead to him."

  It had taken five years, but realization dawned on Stacy's face. "You're saying...never? You never get hard when you're out and meet some attractive guy?"

  I sighed. "Depressing, isn't it?"

  Stacy drew me closer to him. "Well, darling, it's not too depressing for me. Remind me to smack that boy for putting his hands on you."

  He'd never do that, but I bet he'd zing Aaron with little remarks every chance he got. Chuckling, I slipped out of his arms. "I need a rinse, and you need something to drink. I'll be right back."

  Stacy stretched, groaning. "Maybe I can manage to get the shower going for us."

  "Cool. Be there in a sec." I rolled out of bed, my knees protesting for a few steps. I heard Stacy opening the drapes to the moonlight as I left the room.

  It didn't take me long in the kitchen. I fixed two tall glasses of tea, set them on our respective nightstands, and stepped into the shower behind Stacy. Yes, money did buy good plumbing, and even two fellows our size had plenty of room to move about. We soaped, then leaned on each other as the water sluiced the suds off. The release of pent-up stress left me falling asleep on my feet.

  Tired, and clammy from the shower, I stretched out on my side of the bed and watched Stacy in the moonlight. He gulped down half his ice tea, then flopped flat on his belly and looked at me. My name was an endearment on his lips.

  "Levi."

  "You should go to sleep, so I can go to sleep."

  "Yeah, I should, but I missed almost a week of your life. God, how stupid can one man be?"

  I took his hand. "Let it go, old man. I have. I've got people to see and stuff to do. I'm not going to waste time and energy on things that can't be changed."

  "Oh?"

  "Tomorrow, Stace." I rolled and draped my arm across his back. Stacy's eyelids fluttered closed. I kissed his forehead.

  "I love you, Stacy James."

  He didn't reply, but he went to sleep smiling.

  * * *

  Chapter 11

  * * *

  The next morning, I was in the middle of outlining a segment on blueprinting engines with Aaron and Dad when the garage went quiet. Even the guys over in the regular business shop stopped working and shut up.

  My director tapped my hand, rolled his eyes in the direction of the bay doors, and tried not to grin at me. He knew I'd not been at the motel last night because he'd stopped by my room. When he asked this morning, I'd confirmed Stacy and I had moved past our stupidity. Aaron had squeezed my arm and settled down to business without a word.

  I looked over my shoulder and grinned. Stacy stood just inside, looking lean and mean in black jeans and a black T-shirt. I flipped my ink pen onto the bench and crossed the concrete floor to him in a few long strides. Slipping my arm around his waist, I eased him back outside and away from the interested, watchful stares of everyone. I barely got us around the corner and out of sight before he kissed me, then ran his thumb over my lower lip.

  "You snuck out this morning, lover."

  Knowing how tired he was, I hadn't had the heart to wake him just to kiss him goodbye. I knew he'd show up at the shop this morning.

  "Sure did. I've met you at five o'clock in the morning. You're not friendly."

  He laughed. "Like you are? I'm taking Jeremy and Stuart to lunch at one. Can you meet us?"

  "I can't promise, but I'll certainly try. I'll call ya either way."

  Stacy put his hands on my shoulders. "Levi, the magazine called for you again."

  I nodded and took a deep breath. Could my story really make a difference to someone? I didn't think I was special. I was just me. Stacy's hands squeezed as he gave me a little shake. A huge grin split his face. "My God, you're gonna to do it!"

  "Yeah, it feels like it's the right time to be all out and proud. I'm not what people think of as the stereotypical gay man, and if I can help people to see our diversity, then I guess I should do that. I hope you'll be there with me."

  "You know I'll be there. Levi, I'm really proud of you and of that decision." He gave me hug, and I was glad for it. "Darling, lunch is important. Jeremy wants to sell Mayfield James. We--and I mean Jeremy, too--would like your input."

  Mentally, I shuffled around the day's schedule and knew we could do it if I wasn't gone all afternoon. I knew why Mayfield wanted me there. He could watch my reactions to Stacy and glean more about how Stacy really felt about some things. But that was okay. It was helpful to the overall process.

  "Come inside. I'll talk to Aaron about the schedule. His head won't explode, not today. You can talk to Dad and let him know we're okay. He's probably busted a gut by now."

  Stacy kissed me again, teasing me with a little tongue this time. I'd repay him for that...later. We went inside, and he cocked an eyebrow at Aaron, then wiggled his index finger at him. My director blushed. I knew Stacy wouldn't let the opportunity pass. He leaned in close to Aaron's ear.

  Aaron's eyes widened and he stared at me, mouth open. Stacy winked at me.

  Heaven only knew what he said, but I suspected stallions had something to do with it. His joke sprung, Stacy extended his hand to my father like always.

  "How's the coffee today, Luke?"

  Dad shook his hand. "Better. Someone brought in a bag of that fancy stuff you drink at your place. Don't tell my wife, but I had a cup. Ready for another one, too." Dad grinned at him. "Let's go in my office so we can talk privately."

  Someday I would hide an electronic bug in there, but not today. Today, I had work to do.

  Stacy paused in the doorway to the office, coffee mug in hand. Framed by the light behind him, it struck me again how lucky I was to have him in my life. He smiled and said my name, softly. "Levi."

  I held his shining gaze, and smiled back at him. His name held my world. "Stacy."

  He left the office door open.

  * * *

  KC Kendricks

  Best-selling author KC Kendricks makes her home in Maryland. A 2008 Amber Heat Wave Winner, and a 2008 CAPA nominee, KC writes contemporary gay romances that while are adult in nature, celebrate love and hope for mature readers.

  Writing more traditional romance under a pseudonym, the author is a two-time EPPIE Finalist, and a 2005 CAPA nominee. With one contemporary title a #1 bestseller, several other top-ten list titles, and a few more recommended reads, the author has established herself as a storyteller that delivers rich, satisfying romantic stories that feature strong themes of love, hope, and redemption with positive, upbeat endings.

  * * * *

  Don't miss Shining Victory, by KC Kendricks,

  available at AmberAllure.com!

  Stacy James survived a life-shattering accusation to become a successful businessman with a lot to offer a partner. He's finally put his ghosts to
rest, and is ready for someone in his life, if the right man comes along.

  Young and wild, ace mechanic Levi Wright builds engines made for speed. When Levi's volatile temper lands him nose-to-nose with trouble, Stacy ignores his own rules and steps in to save Levi from making a big mistake. But Stacy can't ignore Levi's smoldering sexuality as the younger man then pursues him.

  And Levi has made it clear he's out to get his man.

  * * *

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