Bases Loaded Page 14

  “Start cooling down,” he called out.

  The hard-driving rhythm slowed, turning into a lazy, slow jog halfway around the track.

  Ralph started rehearsing what he was going to say in his head and then stopped. He and Brett seemed to speak different languages, and he imagined he’d get further playing it more off the cuff. Men don’t have emotions, he reminded himself with a chuckle. Brett liked to pretend he didn’t, anyway.

  Brett finally came to a stop, breathing hard. “You have a good nap, man?”

  “Yeah, and I feel a hundred times better. The question is, why didn’t you stick around?”

  “Uh… you were all sleeping?”

  “So? You could have slept too, or just sat and relaxed, moved to one of the lawn chairs for extra comfort if you’d wanted. I was hoping you’d get a couple of hours of relaxation, of not thinking about your shoulder or baseball or much of anything, really.”

  “I wasn’t sleepy. I was bored.”

  “Have you never sat quietly—just for the sake of the quiet, or the sitting, or to have a few minutes of peace?”

  Brett looked at him. “Sure. A few times. I’m not much for sitting on my thumbs.”

  “Your body needs rest as much as anything else, though, Brett. I’m not saying you’re not expected to work out, to run the regimen that I’ve drawn up for you—but did you notice there were plenty of places for rest and relaxation too?”

  “I was relaxing.”

  “If you’re sweating—which you are—then you’re not doing it right.” He winked to show he wasn’t trying to be argumentative.

  “Look, man. I need things to do. I don’t nap.”

  “Do you whittle?”

  “Do I what?”

  “You know, carve things out of wood with a knife? Or read, or whatever. Something hobby-ish so you can relax without it being ‘napping.’”

  What the hell did Brett do for downtime?

  “I told you, man. I’m a painter. I went to art school.”

  “Well, all right, then. Make me a list of what you need, and I’ll order them for you. You can spend a couple hours a day painting.”

  “The club’ll pay for it?”

  “It’s part of your therapy, so yes.”

  “Yeah?” Ralph almost stepped backward. Brett looked… tickled.

  “Yeah. Hell, if I said truffles were necessary for your therapy, the club would pay for it, so if you’ve a hankering for something fancy for dinner….” He offered Brett a wink with the words.

  “I wouldn’t mind some more grapes.”

  “I’m pretty sure Jean already noticed you ate all of those every time he served you fruit, but I’ll be sure to mention it to him. Now, is there any other hobby you’d be interested in pursuing?” Ralph was jazzed that he’d managed to have a conversation that included Brett smiling, and that they’d found something that might encourage him to take it easy.

  “We like to play cards, me and Benj.”

  “Yeah? Jean’s a wicked rummy player, but we also enjoy euchre, hearts, bridge, all sorts. Maybe we should play some afternoons.” Anything to get Brett to not push his body as hard as he could.

  “Sure. We play a lot of spades.” Brett nodded. “Benj is good at it.”

  “Cool. I can be a little competitive,” he warned. “Though I do try to not make it a big deal.”

  Brett chuckled. “I’m not a competitive man. Not at all.”

  “Uh-huh. I bet you’ve got a bridge or two to sell me too.”

  “Hmm?”

  Asshole. Ralph chuckled at the look on Brett’s face.

  “Come on. How about we go see what our two guys are up to? I do believe we’ll have to eat the results of whatever it is.”

  “Oh God. Benj is not a cook, man.”

  Ralph laughed. “Jean might change that.”

  “That bodes well for the rest of my life.”

  This time he nodded. “Yes. That’s the whole idea of this place, you know.”

  “Yeah, I know, man.” Brett rubbed his forehead again.

  “Brett, is your head bothering you again?” If a couple more days of including good food and relaxation in his schedule didn’t ease Brett’s headaches, Ralph was going to recommend a CAT scan.

  “Yeah. It always does. Don’t stress it.”

  “Always? Like, since your shoulder got screwed up, or before that?”

  He slowed their pace, wanting to keep talking, keep it casual.

  “Before that. Years. Shit, man, look at that.” Brett pointed at a deer on the very outskirts of the property.

  They both stopped to watch as the deer foraged for food, and Ralph mulled over Brett’s admission. Years. The man’s head had hurt for years, and he was more or less just ignoring it.

  “Years, huh? Like since when?”

  “I don’t know, man. A long time.”

  “Did you get hit by a baseball or have a fall or something?”

  “Uh… I’ve been hit by a lot of balls.”

  “Occupational hazard, huh?” He chuckled, and they started walking slowly again. “Can you remember about how old you were when you started having the headaches?”

  “Midtwenties, I guess. Before Benj.”

  Shit, and Brett was just living with it? “You ever tell anyone about it? Does Benj know?”

  “That I have headaches? Sure.”

  “Have you been tested for anything? Had a CAT scan, that kind of thing?”

  “Huh? Why’re you worried about my head, man?” Brett frowned, shook his head. “Don’t stress it. It’s a headache.”

  “A headache that you’ve had since you got here. A headache that’s been recurring since you were in your early twenties. That’s not something you should just ignore.”

  “Eh.” Brett brushed it off. “I’m used to it.”

  Ralph shook his head. He’d talk to the doc, get some tests, and see what was going on with this.

  The smell of Jean’s food hit him as they walked into the house. Spicy, rich, good. He approved.

  “Babe, it smells like heaven on earth in here.” He led Brett into the kitchen. When he had a chance, he’d have to tell Jean about the headaches—how long they’d been going on. Meantime, Jean’s white willow bark would do.

  “Me and cher there been cooking up a storm.” Jean offered him a grin, a wink.

  “Oh, I’ve just been chopping.” Benj smiled shyly at Ralph and more widely at Brett. “I’m not much of a cook.”

  “You do fine, baby.” Brett’s response was completely automatic.

  It was nice to see how devoted they were to each other.

  Benj beamed at Brett and came over for a kiss. “Jean’s trying to teach me.”

  “Cool.” Brett brushed his lips over Benj’s hair, patted the man’s butt. “How long ’til food? I could grab a shower.”

  “Jean was saying it can sit, so we could go and get you unsweaty.”

  Ralph grinned and left them to it. “Hey, babe. I think supper’s going to wait a half hour or so.”

  “It’s soup. It’ll wait.”

  “Cool.” He watched from the corner of his eyes as Benj and Brett made their way out of the kitchen. “You got any magic in here for headaches?”

  “You got one?” Jean moved to the cabinet, started digging. “Stress, sinus, or pressure?”

  “No, not me. Brett. He’s had headaches for years, babe. He can’t even remember when they started.”

  He still couldn’t believe the man was just living with that.

  “Huh. That needs a doctor, chou. That’s serious.”

  “I know. I’m going to talk to Trelaine and see about setting him up with a battery of tests. Whatever the doc thinks would be worth checking out. But in the meantime, some white willow bark might help. I gave him some once before, but he might resist since I pressed him about the headaches.”

  “I’ll put some in the coffee. No one will know.”

  “You’re the best, babe.” He kissed Jean’s nose. “You busy?�
��

  “Nope.” Jean leaned against him for a moment. “You?”

  “Not right now. I could be, though. I’d like to be busy with you.” He slid his hand over Jean’s belly.

  “Chou….” Jean grinned at him, pleased, cheeks pink.

  “Yours.” He grinned back, rubbed their faces together to feel the heat in Jean’s.

  “Mmm. Mine. Come to the room?” Jean turned the stove down low.

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Dark, heated eyes pinned Ralph. “I always ask.”

  Ralph’s cock, already half-hard, surged in his sweats, tenting them. “You do.”

  “I want your cock.” The quiet, bold words made him shake.

  “Come on.” He held his hand out to Jean, eager to drag his lover up to their room like a caveman.

  Long fingers slid into his hand, Jean acquiescing easily.

  “My sexy Cajun.”

  “Yours, chou. Take me upstairs.”

  “I am.” He was doing his best not to grunt and throw Jean over his shoulder.

  Especially as Jean started bumping and rubbing, pushing against him.

  “You’re playing a dangerous game today, babe.” He growled the words, and once they were up the stairs, he tugged Jean to him to steal a kiss, right there in the hall.

  “Like to play, chou. Fuck me.” Oh. Oh fuck.

  “Bedroom. Now.” He did pick Jean up this time. He threw his lover over his shoulder and hightailed it to privacy.

  “Damn. Damn, chou.” Hot hands landed on his ass.

  “This is what happens when you say stuff like that.” Ralph got them into the bedroom, closed the door firmly, and then tossed Jean onto the bed and began stripping.

  Jean sat there and watched him with hungry, needy eyes.

  Watched him but didn’t undress. “Naked, babe. I can’t fuck you with clothes on.” At least, not without ruining said clothes.

  “Huh?” Jean’s eyes were on his cock, his belly.

  Ralph laughed and tossed his jeans at a chair before climbing up onto the bed. He grabbed a handful of Jean’s shirt. “I said, take this off.”

  “Oh.” Jean slipped out of the shirt, then reached for him.

  “The pants too, babe.” He leaned in and licked at Jean’s right nipple.

  “Uh-huh….” Jean nodded but didn’t move.

  He growled and went for the other nipple, sucking that one into his mouth.

  “Oh fuck. Chou. Need.” Jean arched, hands shoving at his pants.

  “Me too, babe.” Ralph helped tug them down, baring his lover.

  During his shower, Jean had shaved, cleaning up the area around that long prick.

  It made Ralph whimper, and he felt Jean up carefully, loving the smooth texture, loving even more the way touching it made the most amazing noises come from his man.

  “Present for you, eh?”

  “And it’s not even my birthday.” He gave Jean a kiss and then went down on his lover, nuzzling all that smooth flesh.

  “Fuck. Fuck, cher. Want you and your cock.”

  “Gonna have me, babe. Hard and fast.” He pushed Jean’s legs apart and pushed his face against his lover’s ass.

  Jean groaned, and as soon as Ralph’s tongue touched that tight hole, the groan became a cry.

  Yeah, that was what he wanted to hear. He began to lick and lap at that sweet pucker. It wasn’t long before Jean was humping, fucking the air, begging for him. He pointed his tongue and pushed it in, fucking Jean with it.

  Jean grabbed his knees and pulled them back, muttering at him in incomprehensible patois, begging him.

  He loved being able to make his lover crazy like this. Lived for it.

  Once Jean was good and wet, Ralph dragged the lube from under the pillow and slicked himself up, got his cock right where he wanted to be.

  “Fuck me. Now, chou. Hard and deep.”

  “Just like we both need.” He pushed into Jean’s body; that tight heat felt so good.

  So right.

  The warmth and pressure made him gasp, made his eyes roll back in his head.

  “Jean. Jean. Oh babe.” He pushed all the way in. All the way.

  Jean’s body held him like a fist, rippling and moving around his cock. He found Jean’s mouth with his own. He swallowed each and every one of Jean’s moans, loving how his Cajun clung to him.

  He began to hump into Jean’s body, to drive into his heat over and over.

  “Love. Harder. More. Come on.”

  “Yeah, babe.” He moved harder, pushing eagerly.

  Jean took him in and in, grunting and grabbing at his arms.

  He loved this man. Loved everything about Jean. Ralph lost himself in Jean, in the tight channel and delicious mouth. The bedsprings were singing, squeaking, and ringing.

  “Love you,” he managed to gasp out.

  “Mmmhmm. Love. Don’ stop.”

  Ralph laughed breathlessly. “No stopping.” Like the thought had even occurred to him.

  “Good. Good man. Lord.”

  “The best.” He wrapped one of his hands around Jean’s cock and pulled on it as he fucked him.

  “Mine. Fuck yes.” Jean went up on both elbows, hips slamming against him, driving faster and harder.

  “Yes. Yours.” He managed a nod and a whimper. God, Jean was one sexy Cajun.

  He watched a single drop of sweat slide down Jean’s chest, slip into the indented navel. Groaning, he pushed harder and shifted. He wanted to find that special spot—he wanted to make Jean scream from it. Jean moaned, started moving too, helping him.

  “Yeah, babe. Yeah. Love you.” He found Jean’s gland, and they met in the perfect rhythm, rocking together.

  Jean’s cries grew in speed and volume, Jean squeezing around him.

  “That’s it, babe. Come for me.”

  “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.” Jean’s gaze fastened on him; he was red-cheeked and grinning. “Chou!”

  Then heat poured over Ralph’s fingers.

  Fuck, he loved that smell. Jean’s pleasure.

  Of course, that sweet, tight ass working his cock didn’t hurt either.

  “Soon, babe.” He was really close; he could feel his orgasm gathering in his balls.

  “Uh-huh.” Jean grabbed his hips, pulled him deeper.

  “Babe!” he cried out, hips grinding against Jean’s pelvis. With a shudder, he came, pouring himself into Jean.

  “So good.” Jean groaned, sounding happy and lazy and sated.

  Ralph rested against Jean, letting him feel his weight. “Yeah.” He grinned. “Just what the doctor ordered.”

  “Mmm. Maybe you need another dose?”

  Laughing, he kissed Jean hard. “Definitely.”

  Jean rubbed their noses together. “Better, chou?”

  “I’m just right, now. You?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Good. Gonna cuddle you ’til we have to go play nice with our guests, okay?”

  “Sounds like a plan, chou.”

  “Cool.” He stayed buried inside his lover and let his eyes close. Relaxing into Jean’s welcoming body, he drowsed off.

  Chapter Fifteen

  FUCK, BENJ’S hands felt good.

  Brett had woken up to a slow, deep massage, Benj working his lower back but good.

  “What did I do to deserve this, baby?”

  “Mmm… you were lying there all sexy and beautiful. I couldn’t keep my hands off you.”

  He chuckled. “Whatever you say, so long as you keep going.”

  “I’m going to keep going.” A soft kiss landed on the top of his neck. “I love your skin so much.”

  Brett grunted, closing his eyes again. “Ralph said they’re going to bring in art supplies so I can paint.”

  “Oh, won’t that be cool?” Benj laughed softly. “You haven’t painted in so long.”

  “Yeah. I’m looking forward to it.” That wasn’t a lie at all. He could spend the winter painting again.

  “Good.”

&nb
sp; That sweet massage kept going; there was no way he could have tight muscles with Benj working his magic.

  “God, baby. You rock my world. You… did we miss supper?”

  “No.” Benj giggled, fingers stuttering a little. “Jean and Ralph were… busy.”

  “Ew.” He wrinkled his nose. “You know, I don’t see Ralph’s appeal.”

  “No? You’re not into big studs like Jean and I are, though.”

  “I have this serious thing for brown-eyed massage therapists.”

  “Yeah?” He could hear the pleasure in Benj’s voice. “Still?”

  “Yeah, Benj. Even when I’m old and hurt and grumpy.” He reached back with his good arm, patted Benj’s leg.

  “You’re not old, love.”

  “I feel old, baby.”

  “You’re not old—you’re hurting. And I would do anything to make that go away.”

  Brett nodded. He knew that. He did. “You’re here, baby. You’re the best thing I got going for me, ball or no.”

  “Long as you don’t forget that I’m in it for the long haul.”

  That made him chuckle. Right.

  Forget?

  Not fucking likely.

  There was a light knock on the door, and Ralph called out, “Hey, guys, are you about ready for supper?”

  “Can’t it wait for another fifteen? I’m getting a rubdown.” See him. See him be reasonable and explain.

  “Fifteen it is.”

  “Good deal.” He grinned. “So, I get to enjoy you for ten more.”

  Benj leaned in against his back, warm and cuddly. “I’m all yours.”

  He knew. He grabbed one of Benj’s hands, kissed the knuckles. He so knew.

  Chapter Sixteen

  BRETT HAD to have a couple of tests at the hospital. He had resisted, but Benj joined in with Ralph and Jean to convince him to do it, as did Dr. Trelaine. Jean drove Brett to the hospital, and Benj went along. He and Jean were going to go shopping and then come back and pick Brett up.

  Benj had a list of stuff to get: pumpkins, carving tools, decorations, and maybe something fun for him and Brett to dress up as. It didn’t matter that they were out in the middle of nowhere. They wanted to have fun.

  “So where to first, cher?” The air was crisp and cool, and it felt good to be out.

  “Well, my list includes the grocery store, the craft store, and a party shop with costumes. So as long as we get to those, I’m easy.” Once the last words were out of his mouth, Benj blushed slightly and then giggled. “But clearly not cheap,” he added.