DIGGING FOR

GOLD

SEAN MICHAEL

Amber Quill Press, LLC

http://www.amberquill.com

Digging For Gold

An Amber Quill Press Book

This book is a work of fiction. All names,

characters, locations, and incidents are products of

the author's imagination, or have been used

fictitiously.

Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead,

locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Amber Quill Press, LLC

http://www.AmberQuill.com

http://www.AmberHeat.com

http://www.AmberAllure.com

No portion of this book may be transmitted or

reproduced in any form, or by any means, without

permission in writing from the publisher, with the

exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes

of review.

ISBN 978-1-61124-319-2

Published in the United States of America

Also by Sean Michael

Dirty Kisses

Full Disclosure

Office Hours

Prologue

"What are you gonna fucking do, dude?"

Dave's voice cut across the room where Kenn sat,
head down, arm still propped up in a brace.

"I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to." Kenn hadn't

meant to in a deep, truly sorry sort of way.

"No shit you didn't mean to, you stupid fuck,

but you did. What were you thinkin', man? Surfing?
For fucking charity? We're a team!"

"I didn't think I'd wipe out." And shit, Steph'd

already come and chewed his ass like no other
coach on earth. Steph. Mom. Dad. Julie. Jennifer.
Pete, his dorm-mate. "I don't need this shit from
you, asshole."

"I know, but..." Dave plopped down beside

him. "Shit, you're my partner, dude. You got my
back. The World Cup Finals are in seven months.
They're saying you're in that fucking brace another
month."

Kenn nodded. He was. Then six weeks without

weight bearing. "I can do it. I won't let you down."

"Mercy's pregnant." Dave's head dropped into

his hands. "We're going to get married."

"Fuck. Damn."
Scared brown eyes looked at him, and

suddenly Dave seemed younger than him, even. "I
know, right? That and then this... We gotta make it
to the Olympics, dude."

"We will." They'd been on the competitive

circuit together since the day he turned eighteen.
Four years and two national championships.

"I still can't believe you fucked up your

goddamned arm."

"Me either." It was all just supposed to be fun-

-goof off, eat, ride a few waves. When the board
had flipped and come down on his head and
shoulder, the whole damn world had gone black
for days. Three whole days.

Shit, he'd missed fucking Christmas day.
Dave ran his hands through his hair, sighed

hard. "What're you going to do?"

"Get a trainer. Get better quick. Hope my dad

doesn't kill me?" He was pretty sure he wasn't

going to be graduating in May.

"A trainer." Dave nodded, looking more

hopeful. "You're going to work your ass off,
right?"

"No, fuckhead. I'm going to be the King of

Slack. I'm going to fuck off royally and bring you
down. Shitass." Like he'd ever fucked off. Ever.
He was a fucking Bio major with a 4.0, a world-
class volleyball player, a competitive surfer, and
he frigging volunteered with PETA, for Christ's
sake.

"Fuck you, asshole. It's not just me anymore, is

it?"

"No. No, but it's never just one of us."
Dave sighed, nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. I

just...worried, yeah?"

"I'll be back at drills in six weeks. Back at

practices right after that." A break was good,
right?

"You better be, dude. I need you at my back."
"Shit, man. That's what I do."
Dave was his fucking partner, his goddamn

best friend, and the best setter in the world, so long

as Kenn was there to dig for him.

"So this is it then? See you in six weeks?"
"Well, you could come have a beer with me

sometime. I'm not dead."

Dave laughed. "As long as you don't get drunk

and clip the other one, yeah?"

He lifted his right arm and flipped Dave off.

"Fuck you, buddy."

"Yeah, and you, too."
They laughed together and, for a minute, Kenn

could believe he wasn't screwed.

Chapter 1

Dusty parked his car at the beach and headed

out toward the waves. He loved the beach in the
early morning. The sand underfoot, the sound of the
waves. The only people around were the hard-core
surfers and a few runners. It was great. He walked
down by the waves for ten minutes or so, before he
started looking for his appointment.

Stephanie Connor had called him a week ago,

frantic about one of her athletes--Kenn Majors.
Everybody in the scene had heard what had
happened to him over Christmas, but Dusty, just
like everyone else, assumed the man was out for
the year. Apparently Kenn and Stephanie thought
that was a bad idea.

Dusty saw the man in the sling, jogging at the

edge of the surf, solid and stacked. Working hard
despite the injury. It was a good sign. As long as
the guy didn't overdo. It'd be a shame for that
beautiful body to be injured any longer than

necessary.

"You Dustin, man?" Sun-bleached blond hair,

huge green eyes--damn, that was a pretty man.

"I am. And you're Kenn Majors." He held out

his hand.

"You know it. Thanks for meeting me." The

shake was strong, sure.

"It's my pleasure. I've seen you play--you're

great." They started walking together along the
beach. "Frankly, I was surprised when Steph
called me with the news that you wanted to be
back in shape by Worlds. You ready for the work
that's going to take?"

"I don't have any classes this semester. I don't

have anything else to do. Moved out of the dorms
and everything."

"Girlfriend?" They could be huge distractions,

and if Kenn was going to make it to the Worlds,
there could be no distractions.

"That's between me and my coach."
"Sorry, Kenn, but if I'm going to be your

trainer, I need to know what else is going on in
your life." Food, social life, sleep--how long and

when--as well as exercise and training routine; he
was going to be in all of Kenn's business, and if
the man couldn't take it, then it wasn't the right
partnership.

"I don't have a girlfriend." There was a story

there, he'd bet.

"If we work together, I'll be setting your

schedule, your diet, your regimen."

"Whatever I have to do. I have to play."
"That's what I like to hear." He believed it,

too. You didn't get to where Kenn was before he'd
gotten hurt without having a lot of dedication.

The guy shrugged. "I have to play. When do we

start?"

"Right now works for me. How long have you

been jogging?"

Kenn's lips twisted. "Two miles or so. I

parked at Volente."

"How long do you usually do?" From what

Steph had said, Kenn had only just been given
permission to get back into training. That didn't
mean he'd been following doctor's orders, though.

"I haven't been cleared. I was just running."

"You always do things you haven't been

cleared to do?" He just wanted an idea of whether
or not Kenn was likely to overdo.

"They said I couldn't work out. No one said I

couldn't run."

His lips twitched. "So you're following the

letter of the law, if not the spirit."

"Nothing wrong with my legs."
Kenn was into rationalization. Good to know.
Kenn started walking. "So, what do we do

first?"

"I'd like to get you in the gym and assess you.

See what's still working, what isn't, where we
need to focus. I'll be putting together a meal plan
for you along with the exercise regimen. Can I ask
what your living arrangements are?"

"I'm staying with my folks until I find an

apartment."

"Then I have a proposal for you. Come live at

my place. I've got the equipment, a pool, a hot tub,
I can keep an eye on your diet that way, make sure
you stay focused until the Worlds." He'd done it
before, with folks who needed intense, full on

immersion.

He got a curious look. "Did you clear it with

Stephanie?"

One of his eyebrows went up. "She's putting

your training in my hands for the next six months.
We'll get better results this way."

"Okay." Kenn didn't look too worried. "I just

want to do what I need to."

"Total access means I can monitor your eating

and sleeping, as well as your training. It just makes
things easier. And if you haven't got a place of
your own anyway..." He shrugged. It just made
sense.

"I'm a vegetarian, that's cool, right?"
"Yep. I'm not but I enjoy the food and know

how to make meal plans to fit in with that. You do
fish?"

Kenn nodded again. "If it isn't nasty."
He chuckled. "No nasty food. Got it."
"Cool. So what weird-assed rules do you

have?"

"No drinking, no partying. You do what I say.

You tell me if you're hurting."

"No beer bashes. Got it."
Dusty chuckled. "I think you've got a big

advantage, actually, being done with school. It'll
really let you focus on your training."

"Yeah. It sucks. I'm so damn close to

graduating."

"What're you missing?" He turned them,

heading back up the beach in the opposite
direction.

"'Bout fifteen hours."
"No shit? Can we see about parlaying the

training into a credit or something?"

He got a head shake to the negative. "I have my

senior level stuff. My internship. Thanks, though."

"You can defer it until September?" That

would be a hell of a distraction from the training.
Not something they couldn't work around, but Kenn
had a lot of work to do.

"Yeah. They're all nice about it and shit." Kenn

shrugged, then winced. "I just need to get my shit
together."

"That's what I'm here for, yeah?"
"Nope. You're here for the shoulder."

"Well, training is more than just your shoulder.

I'm here to push you just far enough." He headed
them up toward the parking lot.

"I guess. What're you driving?"
"The blue Prius over there." He pointed.

"You?"

"Seventy six 'Vette." Kenn pointed over to a

beautifully restored car, shining bright blue in the
sun.

He whistled softly. "Nice."
"Thanks. She's a sweet ride. Dual packs,

nitrous injector."

"You rebuild her yourself?" Dusty ran his hand

along the finish.

"Me and my dad. He's a mechanic."
"That makes it even better, doesn't it?" It was

definitely a sweet ride.

Kenn grinned, the look lighting the man's face

up. "God, yes."

"You close with your folks then?" Good family

support at Kenn's back would definitely help get
him back into the game faster.

"Too close." Kenn winked. "After the accident,

they busted my balls."

Dusty laughed. "Good for them. I'm sure your

coach had a few choice words for you, too." Steph
had still been pretty teed off when she'd called
him.

Kenn's cheeks went bright red. "I was just

surfing, man."

From what he understood it had been a pretty

boneheaded move this close to the Olympics.

"Yeah, but when you're training, you need be

careful. No surfing, no stunt driving, no sky-
diving." He met Kenn's gaze. "You should know
there are sacrifices you have to make to be on the
top of your game."

Those pretty eyes flashed, pure anger in them.

"Really? Sacrifices? Well, shit. I'm out. I thought it
was all gold and fucking roses."

"So you know. So what was the surfing about?

You had to know you could get hurt."

"You can get hurt walking to the fucking store,

in the car, falling in the tub."

"Yeah, but the odds are higher with certain

activities. I'll make you a deal. You curb those

kinds of activities until after the Olympics, and
then you can have time off, finish your degree and
indulge yourself before you gear back up for the
2013 Worlds." Being an Olympian meant working
hard, focusing and not taking stupid risks.

"Look. I've already told Dave and Steph both.

I'm not fucking breathing without it being about the
fucking game. You tell me what to do, I'll do it."
Kenn rubbed the back of his neck. "Where are we
going?"

"We can either go back to your folks' place and

grab your stuff, move you in. Or you can follow me
back to mine and we'll get started on your
assessment and training regimen."

"I'll follow you." Kenn headed to the driver's

side without another word, lips tight.

It wasn't the last time Kenn was going to be

pissed off at him, Dusty was sure. As long as the
man kept working toward their goal despite that,
they were golden.

Dusty climbed into his car and pulled out,

checking the rear-view to make sure Kenn was
behind him before he pulled out onto the highway.

* * * *

Kenn followed along, earphone in as he

screamed at Barb, his oldest friend and the one
person on earth who didn't give a fuck about
volleyball. "I'm so fucking tired of getting my nose
rubbed in this like I'm a naughty fucking puppy. I
had an accident, for fuck's sake. I still fucking hurt
all the damned time, and no one cares!"

"Have you told anyone you're hurting, baby?"
"Why? So they can point out that I'm a selfish,

stupid fuck?" He was going to lose it. "You know,
I surfed in order to destroy Dave's career."

"They're hardly going to be sympathetic if you

don't tell them you're in pain. Or if you're going to
keep feeling sorry for yourself." She paused for a
half second before going on. "Kenny, is this what
you really want?"

"Of course it is. Well, not the constant

bitching." That was getting old.

"Then tell them that."
"Because that works." He sighed. Sometimes

she just didn't get it.

"Make it work, Kenny." She also believed in

him.

"I miss you." She'd gone to Boston for grad

school. Bitch.

"I know. You, too. It's just not the same without

you."

"Tell me you're coming home for the summer."

He knew she probably had an internship or
something, but still.

"You're not going to be there, babe. You're

going to be at the Worlds and then the Olympics.
I'll see you after exams, though. I'm coming back
for at least a week."

"Okay." They turned into a side street, heading

up into the hills. "This dude has money."

"He's expensive, huh? I guess that means he's

good."

"Guess so."
She giggled. "Your enthusiasm is

overwhelming."

"Fuck you." Kenn laughed, though. Relaxed.
Ahead of him, Dusty turned onto a quiet side

street and drove to the house at the end of the road
before turning into the driveway.

"I should tell him you're my girl, that I miss you

desperately."

Barb snorted. "Well, I am and you do, but ew,

boy parts. So, is he cute?"

"Cute?" He thought about that. "He's hot in that

Jesus-I-live-in-the-gym way."

"Hotter than Dave?"
"Oh, gross. Just... Ew."
Dusty parked his car and climbed out,

signaling for him to pull up behind the blue Prius.

"I should go." He pulled up, sighed. "Tell me

to just keep my mouth shut and my head down."
That was the plan, for the next few weeks. No
talking, no thinking, just doing what he was told.

"Do what you have to do to get what you want,

baby."

"I want gold." It wasn't the only thing he

wanted, but it was the next thing on the list.

"Then go get it, idiot."
Dusty had his hands on his hips and was

looking at Kenn strangely.

"Love you, asshole." He hung up on her foul-

mouthed response and slid out of the car.

"Come on." Dusty waved him in the general

direction of the house. "Mi casa es su casa."

Kenn locked his car up and grabbed his gym

bag.

Dusty put an arm around his shoulder, the good

one, and led him up to the front door. "I've got an
extra set of keys inside you can use."

He privately thought that was pretty trusting,

but whatever. He'd call Steph tonight, make sure
that this was all cool and shit. His folks only lived
half an hour away, barring traffic, so it wasn't a big
thing. The door opened up onto a large hall, that in
turn opened up to a hall on one side and a large
room with big windows on the other side.

"Nice place."
"Thanks. This is the living room. There's a

pool out back, kitchen, bathroom, gym and office to
the right. Bedrooms are up those stairs on the left."

"Cool." It wasn't real homey, really. In fact, it

reminded him of a model home like the ones his
mom showed. Still, it was clean, simple. Decent.

"Wanna see your room or the gym?"
"Let's work out." He still wasn't one hundred

percent sure he should move in with his trainer.

"Cool. Come on." Dusty led the way down the

hall, and Kenn reminded himself to just focus. A
couple of weeks of this, then maybe he'd be
cleared for normal practice. "Here we are. There's
plenty of machines. I'd like to test your mobility
with that arm first."

"Sure." He put his bag down, started working

his sling loose.

"You need any help?" Dusty came close. The

man smelled good.

"It's just a little awkward still." And sore.
"Are you taking anything for pain?"
"I have a prescription for Vicodin."
Dusty grinned at him, face lighting up with it. "I

didn't ask if you had a prescription."

"Sure you did." He got the sling off, careful

with the shoulder.

"No, I asked if you were taking anything for

pain. You can have prescriptions coming out of
your ass, doesn't mean you're taking them." Dusty
took the sling from him, hands warm on his arm.

"I take it when I need it." He couldn't help but

tense, the muscles screaming.

Dusty frowned, hands sliding along his skin.

"Like now?"

"Just tense. It'll be okay. I can't drive when I

take them."

"It'll take longer to heal if you're in pain,

though. And you're home now."

"So what do you want me to do first?" Kenn

was a little wigged. He'd known this dude a matter
of minutes.

Dusty took a couple steps back. "Show me how

much movement you've got right now."

Kenn set his teeth and started moving. He

hadn't been doing any motion at all, and it was way
harder than he'd thought it would be. Harder and
more painful and by the end of just two
movements, he was starting to sweat.

"On a scale of one to ten, how much pain are

you in right now?"

"Eig... Seven. Maybe six." Thirty.
"So a nine or ten?" Dusty helped him get the

sling back on. "You have the Vicodin with you?"

"In my bag." He was going to puke.

"Bathroom?"

"First door to the left from here. I'll get your

pills."

He nodded and jogged over, making it to the

toilet before losing his breakfast. Okay. Okay,
whoa. Focus. Six months. He had six months to get
perfect.

A warm hand landed on the back of his neck,

Dusty crouching down next to him. "It's okay, man.
I've got your pain pills here."

"'M okay." Dude. Dude, he was in the

bathroom! Puking!

"No, you're not." Dusty massaged the back of

his neck. "But you will be."

His body convulsed again, trying to get rid of

something that wasn't there. "Go on."

"You have to listen to your body, Kenn. If

you're in pain, you take a pain pill. It doesn't even
have to be the Vicodin, take a couple of Tylenol
and up it to the Vicodin if necessary. I was serious
when I said it would take longer to get better if
you're in pain."

Kenn just wanted to go home, go to bed for a

week, then start over.

"All right, let's get this pill into you and see if

you can keep some crackers down. Then you can
sleep it off."

"I haven't done anything. I can't drive when I

take them."

"You've got a bed here now. Look, you're in

enough pain that you're throwing up. You need the
pill." The pill was put in his mouth when he
opened up again, then the water bottle popped in,
then Dusty settled on the ground and pulled him
into the lee of his legs. "Just lie back and relax.
The pain should ease quickly."

"We're on the bathroom floor."
Dusty's hand supported his shoulder, keeping

the pressure off it. "So? I'm betting you're not up to
the trek upstairs right at this moment."

"'M okay." The pills hit him hard, with his

empty stomach, and his eyes crossed.

"I know. I've got you. Just relax." Dusty was

all muscles and warm skin.

"I..." God, he was tired. All of a sudden.

Boom.

"Shh." Dusty's hand slid along his side, up and

down, slowly.

He needed to call Steph. Or Dave. Mom. Barb.

Something.

Once he got his head back on.

Chapter 2

Dusty sat watching Kenn sleep. Poor man was

clearly hurting and exhausted and too stubborn to
admit it. After Kenn'd fallen asleep, Dusty'd
carried him up here and put him to bed and worked
the sling back on so Kenn didn't do anything to his
arm in his sleep. Dusty was going to have to watch
this one, make sure Kenn didn't push so hard he put
himself back. Of course, watching wasn't going to
be any hardship.

Jesus, the man was beautiful--even drawn and

on the thin side. Talk about your California boy.
The things he could do to Kenn...

He shook himself and went to sit on the edge of

the bed. Kenn needed to eat, get up and walk
around some. Kenn's bright green eyes popped
open, stared at him. He smiled down. "Hey, man.
You feeling any better?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. That was weird."
"That was you not listening to your body. You

can't ignore the pain and just push through--it's not
good for you in the long run. I need you to promise
me you'll keep on top of that." He wasn't always
going to recognize when Kenn needed a break.

"I have six months."
"Yeah, but if you do the shoulder more damage

because you're pushing when you should be
resting, you'll need more than that." He put a hand
on Kenn's good arm. "I know you want this. You
just need to work back up to it."

Kenn nodded, blinking at him. "Did I sleep for

long?"

"Four hours." He wrapped his hand around

Kenn's forearm and helped him sit.

"I'm sorry, man. You must think I'm a lazy

fuck."

Jesus, seriously? Did Kenn honestly think that?

"Christ, Kenn, you're in pain. It's not lazy to listen
to your body and let it heal. I know there's a lot of
pressure on you to get back in the game, but trying
to ignore the pain isn't going to get you anywhere."

"You're the trainer. You're supposed to push.

Pay attention." Kenn's eyes closed again.

He chuckled, like he was supposed to. "I'm

also supposed to know when and how you're
hurting and make sure I tailor your regimen to keep
you from further injury."

Kenn sighed softly, nodded. "I have to call

Steph. I'm not sure if she wants me out on the
beach this afternoon or not."

"On the beach doing what exactly?" The

afternoon was nearly half over. He grabbed Kenn's
phone and offered it over, though. "It fell out of
your pocket when I was carrying you up here."

"Thanks. I've been running laps while Dave

runs drills."

"I bet that jars your shoulder with every step."

And if Kenn hadn't been taking anything for the
pain...

Kenn shrugged, winced, dialed. "Steph. 'S me.

Huh? I'm at the trainer guy's. I don't know, am I
supposed to come to the beach?"

Dusty sat back, and waited. He'd talked to

Steph and he'd been pretty clear about how he
worked--he couldn't guarantee results if he wasn't
in charge.

"Oh. Yeah? Okay. I guess. I don't know." Kenn

sighed. "I am, damn it. Just stop it."

He let one eyebrow go up and held out his

hand for the phone. Kenn handed him the phone,
straightaway. Good boy.

"What are you telling my boy, Steph?" He

hadn't expected to feel this fiercely protective of
Kenn, but the man brought it out in him.

"Hey, Dusty. I was telling him to follow orders

and not be trouble." She chuckled, voice fond. The
woman had the reputation for being a hard ass, but
Dusty knew she had a genuinely good heart. "Not
that he is, as a rule."

"He doesn't like hearing it, though, I bet."
"No. And I want to make sure he doesn't get

stupid habits. I'm having to deal with Mr. She's
Having My Baby and We're Getting Married. His
head's wrapped in tulle."

Dusty laughed. "Trust me, Steph. He's going to

be focused and sharp. Look, if you want them
working together, we can set up a time to meet on
the beach every day and keep them in the right
headspace."

"He's about to go to fucking Minnesota for

three weeks for the wedding. After that, we'll do
that. Is Kenn staying with you or at his folks?"

"He's staying here." He'd make sure Kenn

stayed focused, was ready to go when time came.

"Cool. He's a good kid. Stubborn. He'll beat

this."

"I guess we should all just let him do that

then." If she'd only been telling him to follow
orders and not be trouble, and that was what had
aggravated Kenn, the guy obviously didn't need to
hear it yet again.

"You know it. Call me if you need me. He can

be quiet and stubborn; Dave's my wild one."

Not what he'd have guessed, but it was good

info to have. "I'll talk to you in a few weeks,
Steph."

"Let me talk to him. He'll run if I don't."
He wasn't so sure about that, but he passed the

phone back to Kenn.

"Hey. Yeah. Yes. Yeah, okay. I haven't done

anything but throw up. No. I am not. Fuck off,
Steph."

Dusty snorted. Kenn wouldn't be talking to him

like that. He was hoping Kenn wouldn't want to,
either.

Kenn chuckled softly. "Yeah. Yeah, me, too.

Soon. I promise. I will do this. I'll get on the
team."

"Of course you will." He wasn't going to let

Kenn doubt it.

Kenn hung up the phone. "She says I'm

supposed to stay here, that she's talked to the folks.
I'll go get some clothes and my laptop tonight."

"Sounds good. Apparently Dave is going to be

off doing the married thing for three weeks. So we
have a goal."

"I'll be ready for drills by then."
"Exactly my thoughts. We'll hit the beach and

show them what you can do in three weeks' time."
He stood and held out his hand. "For today, though,
we'll go eat and sit in the hot tub for a bit--it
should help keep your shoulder loose."

"I don't have a suit with me." Kenn stood,

stomach growling loud enough that he heard it.

"You can borrow one of mine with a

drawstring. Or we can go commando." He winked
and headed downstairs. "First we deal with the
beast living in your belly." It wasn't like the guy
didn't have board shorts on.

"So what kind of food do you like?" He'd do

his best to make sure Kenn's food plan fit in with
what he liked eating.

"I like cheese sandwiches best."
"Yeah? Grilled or just as is?" He could work

with cheese sandwiches.

"Grilled. I also like peanut butter sandwiches."
"So you're a sandwich man."
He pulled some twelve-grain bread out of the

breadbox and grabbed six slices. "You have a
favorite kind of cheese?"

"Yellow."
He chuckled. "You like other cheeses?" He had

some American cheese in the fridge, but he also
had brie and gouda.

"I don't know. I eat a lot of yellow cheese."
Dusty took out the yellow cheese and the brie.

He'd make two kinds.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Sit and tell me more about what you like to

eat."

"Cereal. Waffles. Pancakes."
"Fruit and veg at all?"
Kenn wrinkled his nose.
"Seriously? A vegetarian who doesn't like

vegetables? Is that even allowed?" He couldn't
help but tease.

"Consider it simple--I eat cheese and bread.

No worries."

"I'm pretty sure that's not the healthiest way to

eat." Not to mention boring.

"I'm good." Kenn got up and started wandering,

exploring the kitchen.

"So seriously, no oranges, no cherries, no

salads? How about fish? Seafood?" Kenn had said
earlier he'd eat fish if it wasn't nasty and Dusty
was not setting a diet of nothing but cheese
sandwiches for Kenn.

"Grapes are okay."
"Strawberries? Bananas? Do you like

smoothies?" He could pack a good protein wallop
in a smoothie or a shake.

He had the sandwiches made and he pulled out

the panini press he'd picked up at his last training
job.

"What's that?" Kenn's phone rang and he

grabbed it. "Hey, Mom. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I'm
over here at the trainer's."

What was a smoothie? Was Kenn for real?

Dusty grabbed the blender, tossed in some ice, a
bit of yogurt, a banana and some strawberries.
Then he added a tablespoon of protein power.
He'd wait to blend it until Kenn was off the phone.

"I'll be home tonight, grab some stuff, then be

gone for a couple days. Oh, yeah? Cool. No. No,
sure. I'll come water and stuff. Rock on!" Kenn
grinned. "Mom and Dad, going on a cruise."

"Sweet." He nodded and checked the sandwich

press to see if the light had come on yet saying it
was hot enough.

Kenn hung up, came to him. "Mom got a free

cruise from one of the agents in her office. They're
excited."

"Sounds like fun. Gimme a sec and I'll show

you what a smoothie is." He pressed the right

button on the blender.

Kenn was looking at him like he'd lost his

mind.

He hit stop, poured out the drink and handed it

over. "That is a smoothie."

"Duh. I did grow up here, the land of

smoothies." Kenn gulped it down without
hesitation.

Dusty frowned and put that one on the good

list; they could make up for a lot of Kenn's lack of
dietary variety with a few smoothies every day.
"Then why did you ask what it was?"

"I didn't. I asked what that sandwich deal

was."

"What the sand... Oh! The press." He shook his

head, chuckling. "I thought you meant the smoothie.
This is a panini press, aka a sandwich press." The
heat indicator light had come on so he opened it
up, put the sandwiches on it and closed the top
again. "It squishes and grills at the same time."

"Huh. Cool." He got a nod, a grin. "So the folks

are going to need me to come by and water and
stuff. Besides that, I'm yours. Can I have another

smoothie?"

"You can." Oh, this was so gonna work. He

made enough smoothie for the two of them this
time, pouring it out into two glasses before double
checking the sandwiches. Perfect. Cutting them into
two pieces each, he gave Kenn both halves of the
American cheese and one half of the brie. His
halves were all brie.

"Thank you." Kenn ate eagerly, devouring the

sandwiches like a starving man--brie included--
and downed the smoothie.

"More?" he asked, amused.
"I... If there is some, yeah." Kenn blushed.
He handed over the extra half from his plate

and then went to grab another slice of bread,
putting cream cheese on this one.

"Thanks, man. You rock." Kenn started to slow

down about halfway through that sandwich. "It's
good."

"It is. Good to know you like more than one

kind of cheese." He settled back down and
grabbed his iPad off the counter to make notes
about Kenn's diet. "So you don't like salads at all,

or you just don't usually eat them?"

"I don't eat them, I guess. I mean, that's not

beach food, man."

"I get that. Still, might be nice to have some

variety with supper when you're done beaching for
the day. How about watermelon slices--that's
beach food. And what about breakfast? You do
eggs at all or only cereal and waffles and
pancakes?"

"I am not eating slimy eggs." That was very

definite.

"I don't make slimy eggs. Hard boiled, hard-

scrambled, over hard. There's a lot of non-slimy
ways to make eggs, you know." Now what was
nasty was the fake bacon. He didn't like any of it.
Kenn didn't look convinced. He laughed. "We'll
play it by ear." Eggs were a great source of
protein. And Dusty liked them.

Vegetables were important, and they lowered

inflammation, which Kenn needed. He could
probably sneak quite a few into the smoothies and
he had a hunch that Kenn would at least try
anything he put in front of the man. "So are you a

sweets and soft drink fan?"

"Beer and chips are my vices, man."
"Probably better to stay away from those while

training."

"Probably." That wasn't an agreement.
"I can make it a rule if need be." He could lay

down a whole bunch of rules if need be.

"Rules?" One eyebrow went up, and if he

didn't know better, he'd swear there was frisson of
heat in the air.

"Absolutely." He met Kenn's eyes and didn't

back down for a second.

It was Kenn who looked away, looked down.

"I don't drink and shit during hard training."

Dusty licked his lips, still watching the man.

Was Kenn gay? Was that why he'd not wanted to
answer the girlfriend question? If he was and he
had a little kink in him, it was going to make him
hard for Dusty to resist, given how hot Kenn was.

"We gonna work out some more now?"
"How's the shoulder? And I want an honest

answer."

"Sore, but better than this morning."

"We can work out your core and lower body

with the weight machines." That would keep Kenn
in shape without putting undue pressure on his
shoulder.

"Okay. Can I have the other sandwich?"
"Of course." He passed it over. "How about an

apple for dessert?"

"No, thank you."
"An orange? A banana? Some ice cream?"

There was so much more to life than cheese
sandwiches.

"I'll take an orange, sure. Apples upset my

stomach."

"Does apple juice as well? What about other

acidic foods?" He kept making notes on his iPad.

"I don't know. I don't think so? I don't really

pay attention."

"That's okay--it's my job to pay attention, not

yours. You'll avoid constant questions though if
you let me know stuff like that whenever you
encounter it."

Kenn nodded. "I just want to make the team."
Dusty shook his head. "That's not what we're

going for. Oh, sure, that's one of your goals, but the
big prize? That's an Olympic gold medal."

Kenn stood, nodded. Started cleaning dishes.
He watched Kenn move, the way he favored

the shoulder--not as much now as he had earlier,
but you could still see it. That needed a couple
more weeks to finish healing up before they could
start the real conditioning, but as long as Kenn ate
right and didn't push it, they'd get there.

He stood and stretched and touched Kenn on

his good shoulder. "Come on, let's go work out that
core."

Chapter 3

Kenn got up at five-thirty A.M. and went to the

little gym, turned his headphones on loud, and
jumped on the treadmill. Five miles to warm up,
then maybe out to the beach. He was nearly done
when the lights flicked and then a moment later,
Dusty tapped his shoulder.

"Morning." He popped out an earbud. "Nice

treadmill."

"Thanks. Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Not before I run. You?"
Dusty had come over to meet the folks last

night, and Kenn had grabbed some stuff--iPad,
iPod, Netbook, clothes. He'd unpacked, checked
emails, whined to Barb for half an hour until she'd
called him a pussy, and then crashed like a lead
balloon.

"You need a smoothie or PowerBar or

something before you start. Eat, stretch for ten or
fifteen minutes, and then run." Dusty made sure he

was looking and then turned off the treadmill.
"Come on, let's get something and then maybe we
can hit the beach together."

"Sure." He was pouring sweat, heart pounding

away happily. "I could pound some sand."

"You want a smoothie or a PowerBar?" Dusty

led the way back to the kitchen, ass encased in a
tight pair of biking shorts and nothing else.

Oh, man. No looking. No springing wood.

None.

"Is the PowerBar deal nasty?" He kept his eyes

on the back of Dusty's neck, on the dark hair
curling there.

"Not the kind I buy." Dusty opened a cupboard

drawer, and Kenn saw several boxes of bars lining
the bottom shelf. "Here, try this one. Coconut
macadamia nut bar."

"Okay..." He opened it, smelled it. Okay, not

sucky. He ate it in two bites. "Is it cool to drink
your milk?"

"It's our milk, so yes, go ahead." Dusty tossed

him another bar and took one for himself.

Kenn poured a huge glass of milk, drank it,

poured another.

"Did you do any stretches before you hit the

treadmill?" Dusty asked.

"It was five-thirty." He didn't even remember

starting the machine.

Dusty shrugged. "You didn't have to get up that

early if you don't want to. It's important to stretch
before running, though."

"'Kay." He ran early before class. It was a

thing. Dusty'd get used to it.

"So you're a morning person?" Dusty stretched

his arms up above his head, fingers reaching for
the sky.

"I guess." Steph was a morning coach and he

needed his nap in the afternoon or else he turned
into Godzilla.

"You guess?"
"Yeah. I guess." It was too early to think.
"You don't have to get up at the crack of dawn

if you don't want, you know."

"I've been doing it a long time."
"Okay, well, the option's there if you want a

change. Now come on, stretching time."

"'Kay." He was stretchy, mostly.
Dusty led him through a series of stretches

anyway, about ten minutes worth. By the end, his
fucking shoulder was grumpy and he was ready to
stop.

Dusty gave him a look. "Problems?"
"Nope. I'm cool. Beach? Weights?"
One of Dusty's eyebrows went up, dark eyes

focused on him, then the guy grabbed a bottle of
Tylenol out of a cupboard and tossed it at him.
"Take two of those and we'll hit the beach."

"Cool." He dry-swallowed them, then headed

for the room he was staying in to grab a towel.

Dusty met him at the door, keys in hand. "We'll

take my car."

"Sure." He tightened the stupid sling and

followed the man out into the early morning
sunshine.

"It's a pretty morning isn't it? Should be perfect

at the beach for running." Dusty unlocked the car
with his fob and climbed in. Kenn slipped into the
car, humming along with the music in his head.

They headed for the beach, Dusty taking a

different route than they'd come by the first time.
"It's not even a five minute trip this way, and it's a
less populated section of beach."

"Cool. Do you like running?" He assumed that

was what they'd be doing.

"I do. Though I don't like the treadmill--I like

being outside."

"Yeah. I hear you. It's just easier in the

morning, when your brain isn't working anyway."
He smiled at Dusty, trying to work this new guy,
new thing into a life he wasn't used to really
thinking about.

Dusty laughed. "So you aren't really a morning

person after all."

"I'm just trying to do my job." And stay out of

trouble.

"And my job is to tailor your workouts to you.

If you want to sleep later we can make that work.
If the zombie running works for you--we'll leave it
as it is."

Kenn nodded. "Cool." He really didn't want to

think right now.

"So early to bed, early to rise. You know the

proverb says that makes a man healthy, wealthy
and wise."

They pulled into a small, deserted parking lot

overlooking an equally deserted beach.

"I nap." He sighed at himself. "God, I sound

like a jackass, even to myself. I'm not good at
being flexible these days, I guess. Everything's
weird."

"Well, schedules can work, especially if you're

injured. I think the big thing to start with will be
not overdoing--you're going to want to start
training hard sooner than you should. You do need
to keep the shoulder from getting worse."

Dusty got out and leaned his head back, long

throat exposed for a moment as he soaked up the
sun.

No looking. Dude. Kenn needed to go out, get

laid.

"You want to just meet back here in a couple

hours? I'm not running too fast." It joggled. Besides
that, if he got back early, he could get in the water.

"I'm gonna run with you." Dusty gave him a

warm smile that wasn't helping him not look at all.

"I'm sorta slow." And sporting a boner.
"Good. I imagine you can't run too fast without

hurting your shoulder. We can run for a half hour
or so and then cool off in the water. Sound good?"

"Sure." Half an hour? He wouldn't even notice

that.

"Great. You start us off and I'll match your

pace."

Kenn nodded. At least that way he'd be in

front. He popped his earphones in, set the music to
screaming loud and headed down the shore. The
sun was shining, the water was cool. He did love
winter in Southern California. Dusty appeared at
his side, jogging easily to keep up with him. It
helped that Dusty had several inches on him, all of
it in legs, from the looks of them.

Christ, no looking. He really needed a lover.

Maybe a fuck buddy.

"Closer" by Nine Inch Nails came on and he

dug in, moving faster, and Dusty kept up with him,
not seeming to mind the speeding up. Finally the
running became the thing, and he ran drills in his
head as he went, forgetting about Dusty altogether.

It was startling when Dusty touched his

shoulder and slowed him down. "We should turn
around and start slowing down before going into
the water."

He blinked over, completely caught in his

thoughts. "I. Sure. Okay." What?

Dusty grinned at him. "We've been running for

a half hour."

"Right. Sorry. I was thinking." He did that.
"'S okay. It's my job to make sure you don't

overdo."

They headed in the other direction, Dusty

moving at about half the speed they been running. It
was harder, this half jog, half walk thing.

"You doing okay?" The sun was shining off

Dusty's tanned skin.

"I need to go faster, I think."
"No, we're cooling down. That means slower."

As if to prove his point, Dusty stopped running
altogether, walking quickly instead.

Kenn headed closer to the water, letting it

splash his bare feet.

"We can go right in if you want." Dusty ran in

enthusiastically, then shouted at the cold.

Kenn cracked up, moved in slower, kicking up

the water.

"No swimming with that arm." Dusty was just

running and splashing, looking like the world's
biggest kid.

He snorted, splashed Dusty, then waded out

deeper. A wave of water came his way. Dusty
threw himself in next to Kenn and splashed him all
the way up to his head. He sputtered in the salt,
then let himself ride another wave out, farther from
Dusty's reach. Dusty started floating, and he could
feel the man watching him, keeping an eye on him.

Kenn's sling was soaked, the salt water

seeping in.

"The shoulder okay?"
"Wet." Sore.
"No shit." Dusty rolled his eyes. "You're

looking a little pinched. We should walk back to
the car."

"You done playing?"
One dark eyebrow lifted. "What--you didn't

have fun? The swim at the end was your reward

for the running.'

"I did. I love the water."
"Okay, good." Dusty waded out of the waves.

"I think that's enough for today, though. Wanna stop
for pancakes on the way home or do you need a
pill?"

"I'm cool, man." Hell, the fact was he wasn't

cool. This was weird. Like really. He hadn't felt
like he fit in his skin since the wipe out and it
wasn't getting fucking better.

"Are you? Really? If this is going to work you

need to trust me."

What? "I don't know you. I don't know dick

about you. I don't distrust you."

"It's a bit awkward, eh? Tell you what. Let's

take the weekend. I've got a friend with a cabin.
We can get away from it all and get to know each
other better. How does that sound?"

"I have to water Mom's plants." And he

couldn't just go away with some guy. "Can we just
go home?"

"Yeah, we can just go home. Come on."
"Thank you." God, he didn't know what was

wrong with him, not at all.

Well, that wasn't really true. He did. He wasn't

in school. He wasn't in training. Barb was in
Boston. He was in trouble with Steph. Dave was
off getting married and having babies. The
Olympics were coming and he was HURT! He
made it to the car, fighting the panic attack with all
his energy.

Dusty stopped him from getting in. "Look. I

know we've only just met, but something's clearly
wrong."

He looked at Dusty, heart slamming. In. Out. In.

Out.

Dusty's lips pressed together and then he

suddenly seemed just a little taller. "Tell me
what's wrong, boy."

He blinked. "I... I..." Wait. Stop. No passing

out.

"I said tell me. Now." There was something in

Dusty's voice. Something...shit, something
commanding.

"Just...everything is fucking wrong. Everything

is weird. I just... Fucking weird!" Once he started

talking, the words just poured out, waves of them.

"Give me specifics."
"You! And there's no class and I'm not in the

dorms and Dave's getting married and I haven't had
a boyfriend in a year and my shoulder hurts and
everybody's pissed at me and everything's fucking
DIFFERENT!" God, that felt good. To just scream.

Dusty nodded. "Keep going."
So he did. He told Dusty about going and

going, working at everything for years and how
pissed off he was that he had to have surgery.
Surgery! They'd put him under, to sleep, for hours!

Dusty didn't try to make him calm down or tell

him how to fix things, the man just listened. After
what seemed like forever, all his words ran out
and he leaned against the car, sweating hard. Dusty
smiled softly. "Better?"

"Uh-huh." God, he was hungry.
"Good. You want those pancakes now?"
"Uh-huh." Pancakes. Milk. Coffee. Nap.
Laughing, Dusty hauled him in for a hug, body

hard and muscled as they pressed together for a
moment.

"Thanks, man." He felt...better.
Hopefully it would last.

* * * *

Dusty lay out in the hammock in the yard,

swinging gently as Kenn napped. He'd learned a
lot through Kenn's rant at the beach today, but two
things in particular stood out in his mind. Kenn
was gay and he responded well to orders. Very
well.

The man had spilled his guts, opened up to

him.

He thought they could build a relationship on

that, and through that, they could get Kenn not only
into playing shape but into the best shape possible.
Everything had been tense, odd, and Dusty couldn't
blame Kenn for that. The man was definitely a
creature of habit. Dusty was changing all that,
twisting it up. Well, he was the one doing it now--
the injury had been the initial culprit. He knew
now that Kenn was much deeper than he'd
suspected.

This wasn't just some beach bum who had a bit

of talent with a volleyball. Dusty was looking

forward to peeling back the layers. He'd have to be
honest, he wanted to peel back more than that.
Kenn was just his type, and the hints of submission
in the man were absolutely delicious. Absolutely.
Delicious. Addictive. Dangerous.

Dusty had to admit he liked danger. His prick

was firming slightly as he thought about Kenn and
he swung the hammock a little faster, almost
reaching for his prick when heard the fridge open,
close, heard whistling. Someone was awake.

"I'm out on the patio," he called out. "I'd love a

bottle of water."

"Sure." Kenn peered out the door. "You want a

cheese sandwich, too?"

He had to laugh. He just had to. "There's a bag

of veggies in the crisper, all washed and cut--if
you could bring that, please."

"Sure." It took a few minutes, and then Kenn

came out--a huge glass of milk, a bottle of water,
three cheese sandwiches, and the veggies. The man
ate like a horse. Well, if horses ate cheese
sandwiches. He'd have to see about changing that.
The choice of food, not the eating part.

"Thanks." He managed to half sit in the

hammock.

"Sure." Kenn sat, put two of the sandwiches

away in a blink, then slowed down.

"Want a carrot?" He offered one over, trying

not to think about how phallic the little bites were.

Kenn took it, nibbled, then took another. Dusty

had a hunch it wasn't so much that Kenn was a
picky eater, and more that he followed the path of
least resistance. Which meant if Dusty put it in
front of him, he'd bet Kenn would eat it. He tested
that with a piece of bell pepper. Eaten. Celery.
Gone. Snap peas. Devoured. He tried a stem of
broccoli next. Same thing. Yep.

He could entirely rewrite his dietary plan and

just make sure Kenn didn't have to actually prepare
anything. They ate the vegetables, then Kenn
stretched with his one good arm. "What now?"

"Now we get to know each other a little better.

So it doesn't seem so strange being here with me."

Kenn blushed, but nodded. "Okay. Sure."
"So you're gay." He figured that had to be one

of the things Kenn was blushing about.

"Yeah." Kenn tensed, watching him.
"So am I."
"Oh." He could see Kenn's body relax. "Well,

that means you won't bitch at me."

"For what?" He tilted his head. "For being

gay? I'd like to think I wouldn't do that even if I
wasn't gay."

"Being queer and mostly naked around other

non-queer guys a lot."

"Are you hitting on them? Are you being

inappropriate?" He couldn't see that happening.

"Dude! I'm not a fucking asshole." The

affronted tone made him smile.

"Then why would anyone bitch about

anything?"

"It happens. You know, assholes assume that

you're going to hump any piece of ass that wanders
by."

"You've got to ignore the assholes, man.

They're everywhere." It was an important lesson to
learn.

"You know it."
"So you're not out, then?"

Kenn's lips twisted, eyes ashamed. "My folks

know, Steph knows, Barb knows. Dave knows. But
the sponsors? No way."

"You're worried you'll lose them. I'm not going

to lecture you, because I'm guessing you've had
enough of those since you hurt your shoulder, but
maybe you should think about whether or not you
really want a sponsor who would drop you
because you're gay."

Kenn gave him this look, almost like he was

out of his mind. "You don't have to count on them
for stuff, huh?"

"No, no, I don't." He'd have to look into the

companies that sponsored volleyball, see if he
couldn't find some that were openly gay friendly. It
would at least give Kenn options.

"Besides that, you don't have to worry about it.

That's Steph's job, not ours."

"Okay, no worries. I'm just thinking about

making your life easier, you know?" He knew
living in the closet was hard. He wasn't in one, but
it wasn't something he advertised either.

Kenn nodded, eyes on the garden. He'd never

met anyone so in his own head. Kenn needed a
way to come out of himself. To let all that go like
he had this afternoon. It made Dusty wonder when
the last time was that Kenn had done something
like that. "Tell me what you're thinking right now."

"Hmm? Just thinking, I guess."
That wasn't an answer. "About what?"
"Stuff."
Dusty set his hammock swinging again. "What

stuff? Come on, Kenn. Talk to me."

"Just stuff--I like the roses, my ass hurts,

there's an ant on my toe, I need to check my email,
should I buy Dave a wedding present, is it time to
change my oil."

"Why does your ass hurt?"
"I tore a hamstring a few years ago. It aches

sometimes. I bet it rains tonight."

"I can massage it for you. It's a great way to get

the blood flowing." Shit, had that sounded like a
come on? "Your hamstring I mean. Or your
shoulder. I'm qualified." Jesus. Smooth, Dusty.

Kenn looked at him, then cracked up, laughter

ringing out.

He chuckled, absolutely charmed. "Okay,

you're gay, I'm gay. Let's get this out of the way--
you're hot, and I'm definitely attracted, but I can be
professional about this. I know you're focused on
getting to the Olympics."

"Yeah. And it's not cool to get involved like

that now. I'll try not to spring wood, though."

"And I'll try not to notice." He thought about

that a moment and then amended it. "I'll try not to
say anything."

"Well, you know, wandering around and going,

'Dude, you have a boner,' doesn't come up in
conversation much."

"Well, it could. If you did. Okay, this

conversation is getting strange." He shook his
head, and grinned at Kenn.

Kenn nodded. "See? Aren't you sorry you

asked?"

"No, no, I'm not." He shook his head. He

wasn't. Kenn was sort of fascinating--focused and
smart, sure. He'd seen tape of the guy playing, but
he couldn't wait until he saw the real thing.

Kenn stood, stretched again, then started

walking the stairs. Up. Down. Up.

Dusty admired him, enjoyed the play of

muscles. "You ever just stay still?"

"God, no."
That made him laugh. "Why not?"
"I was the Ritalin kid. As soon as I could, I

said no."

"God, that stuff is endemic and it ought to be

banned. There are plenty of ways to tire a kid out
and make him still." He winked. There were plenty
of ways to make a grown man still, too. Dusty
could think of several that got him hot and
bothered.

"That's what my dad says." Kenn grinned.

"Mom said Dad worked all day and that, if he
wanted me off it, I could spend afternoons in the
garage."

"You ran her ragged, huh?" He'd bet the

volleyball started as a way to use up some of that
energy.

"You know it." Up. Down. Up. Down. Up.

God, he could harness that energy in bed and it
would be amazing. He'd bet it was pretty amazing

on the sand as well. "How long were you laid up
with the shoulder?"

"I had the surgery six weeks ago."
"I meant how long were you immobile."
"The arm? I got the brace off Monday."
He shook his head, guessing the answer

himself. Kenn hadn't been still for any of it. It was
amazing he'd healed this much already.

"When do you think they'll clear me to play?"
"When you can use that arm without wincing."
"So I need to practice not wincing."
Dusty laughed softly. "No, you need to heal so

that you don't wince."

"Picky, picky." The steps got faster, Kenn

starting to sweat.

"There are points where you need to rest, to let

your body heal. You also need to listen to it, too,
though, and if you need to move--you should."

Kenn nodded and started jogging the stairs.
He thought again about how he could use that

energy, and he was the one who had to adjust
himself. Watching Kenn move--even injured--was
pure sex. He licked his lips, unable to turn away

from the sight.

Sweat started to sheen Kenn's muscles. Soon

the T-shirt was tossed aside. Good God, Kenn was
a wet dream. The jog started heading all the way
down the steps to the gate.

"What happens when you run out of steam?"
"I take a nap."
"You just had a nap."
"So I can go a long time." Jesus, Kenn was

cute.

"You're the Energizer Bunny, aren't you? Wind

you up and you keep going and going and going."

Kenn nodded on his way back down the

sidewalk.

"Why do I think my job for the next three

weeks is going to be making sure you don't injure
yourself further?"

He got a wave. This time Kenn went around

the gate. Dusty had never had to motivate anyone to
stop working before.

It took Kenn a few minutes to get back this

time.

"Okay. Let's see you do some sit-ups. Both

arms across your chest--this is strictly core work."

"Here on the porch?"
He hauled himself out of the hammock and

grabbed the yoga mat from where it was propped
next to the door. "On this."

"Sure."
He knew he'd have to watch it. As soon as

Kenn's abs started to tire at all, the shoulder and
neck would come into play. He leaned against the
porch railing so he had a good view of Kenn's
muscles at work. As soon as Kenn started doing
the sit-ups, he realized the dangers of this--it was a
beautiful sight, miles of tanned skin covering
stunning musculature. Kenn got about fifteen full
sit-ups in before the shoulder rolled in. "Okay,
that's good."

If Kenn stopped pushing the shoulder, it would

be better that much quicker.

"That wasn't very many."
"You started using your shoulder on that last

one. We'll aim for twenty tomorrow." He offered
Kenn his hand to help haul him out.

"Dude, that sucks..." Kenn grabbed his hand,

rolled up.

"I know you find it frustrating and you just

want to get back to work--everyone wants you
training. But if you give that shoulder a solid week
or so of real rest, let it really heal, you'll be much
farther along than if you try to push through the
pain. Pushing through the pain? That's for the
Olympics themselves, or the Worlds. It isn't for
everyday training." Pushing through fatigue, sure,
but not pain.

"Okay. Okay, what's next?"
"How about we go into the pool? You can hold

a flutter board up against your chest with your
good arm and kick to your heart's content."

And he would make some supper. He had the

stuff for a nice salad with strawberries and feta,
and there was hummus and pita bread. Time to find
out if Kenn would eat it as long as it was
vegetarian and plopped down in front of him or if
the guy truly was picky.

"Okay, sure." Kenn nodded, headed into the

house, whistling away. The man was certainly a
contradiction. Easy-going and yet not. Picky and

yet not. Sexy and yet off-limits...

Before Dusty had finished picking up the

detritus from lunch, Kenn was splashing in the
pool.

He chuckled and shook his head, taking a

moment to make sure Kenn was using the flutter
board properly and not putting any pressure on that
shoulder. When he was satisfied, he headed to the
kitchen.

Well, it was certainly going to be an interesting

six months, that was for sure.

Chapter 4

Fridays were Dusty's days off and, after the

first one hanging around bored in Dusty's house,
Kenn spent Fridays on the beach. Swimming.
Walking. Tanning. Goofing off. He waved to a
couple of guys he knew out on their boards, then
turned over to get some sun on his back.

"You need some lotion on your back?"

someone asked in a voice that sounded an awful
lot like Dusty's.

"I'm tanned enough not to." He looked over and

grinned at the familiar face. "Hey, man."

"Hey. I should have guessed you'd come to the

beach on your day off." Dusty sat next to him,
looking studly in his board shorts and little else.

"It's a good place. You have a good morning?"
"I slept in." Dusty grinned, leaning back on his

elbows.

"Cool." He'd been out since six A.M. Hell,

he'd been for a long, unauthorized swim.

"How's the shoulder today?"
"Sore." He leaned his head in his arms.
Dusty frowned. "Seriously? It's been three

weeks. You haven't been using it. At least not
while I've been around." Dusty's frown deepened.
"What have you been doing when I'm not watching
you?"

"It's your day off, dude." La la la. Not listening.
"So we're not having a professional

relationship at the moment, huh?"

"Nope. Just two dudes on the beach."
"Okay." Dusty leaned in and pressed their lips

together. Kenn blinked, eyes and lips both opening,
and he'd be damned if Dusty didn't take advantage
of that to slip his tongue in. Dusty tasted so good,
like syrup and coffee. One of Dusty's hands slid
along his cheek, cupped it as the kiss deepened.

Oh, fuck. He scooted closer, moaning into the

kiss. He was going to get his ass kicked.

Dusty's other hand landed on his hip.
"Gonna get us in trouble." His cock was

drilling into the sand.

Dusty pulled away, looking around. "I think

we're okay."

"Okay." He grabbed Dusty and pulled the man

in for another, hard kiss. Dusty kissed him back
and, God, the man could kiss. Kenn felt it all the
way to his toes. Oh, shit. So good. So fucking hot.
His eyes crossed.

Dusty broke the kiss off and leaned their

foreheads together, breathing hard. "We should
move this somewhere more private."

"Uh-huh, 'cept I can't move."
Dusty pulled back, frowning. "What's wrong?"
"My dick is like a rock, man. I'm sporting

wood."

Dusty grinned. "You can use your towel to hide

the evidence of your excellent taste."

"Just go on, turkey. Let me thump it." He

snorted, tickled.

"Is that what you're into? Thumping your

prick?"

"Into?" Huh? "I just...it'll go down."
"Of course it will." Dusty stood and held out a

hand. "And then I'll get it up again."

Kenn took the hand, levered himself up, his

cock pointing right at Dusty. Smiling, Dusty handed
him the towel to carry. "Hold that thought. Come
on."

"Yeah..." He kept the towel in front of him,

walking slowly until his dick eased off.

They climbed into Dusty's Prius and he was

given a hot grin before Dusty started the car. The
man had terrible taste in vehicles.

"I can't believe you did that on the beach."
"You can't? I've been wanting to do it since

day one." Dusty glanced over at him and smiled,
and the look he got was hot.

He swallowed his groan, his cock jerking.
"We'll be home in two minutes. Hold that

thought."

"Holding." He didn't though, not really,

because if he touched himself right then, his prick
would go off like a bottle rocket. Dusty didn't say
anything more, just drove, and got them home in
record time, even for a smart car.

Dusty turned the car off, and they just sat there,

breathing. Then Dusty's hand landed on his leg,
Dusty turning and smiling at him. "Come inside."

"Yeah." Damn. This wasn't how his encounters

usually went.

Dusty got out and came around to open his

door, and he slipped out, keeping the towel in front
of him, even though he was flagging a little. Was
this cool?

Dusty's hand landed on his ass, caressed him,

and then grabbed his hand, tugging him along up to
the front door. They made it inside, his beach bag
hit the ground with a thud, and Dusty turned him so
they were face to face and cupped his cheeks,
tilting his head for another kiss.

Kenn's hands landed on Dusty's waist, palms

sliding on the soft T-shirt material. A low moan
vibrated his lips as the kiss got harder, deeper. It
felt like Dusty was consuming him. Kenn's body
was hard as a rock, his cock pushing at his shorts,
needing out. Dusty's hands slid along his neck,
over his shoulders and down his arms. They didn't
stop until they'd wrapped around his hips, pulling
him up into the strong body. Oh, God.

He jerked, rubbing hard, hard enough the tip of

his cock burned against the canvas shorts.

Dusty broke the kiss long enough to give

directions. "Put your legs around my waist."

"Huh?" His mouth questioned, but his body got

it right, legs climbing up to circle Dusty's waist.

Dusty's hands moved to cup his ass, and then

they were moving, going into the living room.

An embarrassing, deep sound left him. God, he

wanted.

Dusty sat on the couch, bringing him with, and

then they were kissing again, mouths devouring,
slurping. He moved against Dusty, driving hard, so
close he swore he could already feel himself
shooting.

One of Dusty's hands slid into his shorts and

wrapped around his balls, tugging. "It's not a race,
babe."

"Sorry." His body shivered. "Been a while."
"Damn, and here I was feeling very flattered."

Dusty winked, hand moving to wrap around his
cock. "Let's get you off and then we can take our
time."

"Dusty..." When that thumb nudged his

cockhead, his toes curled. "Soon, man."

"Come on, then. I want to smell you." Dusty

squeezed and rubbed that thumb back and forth,
and that was all it took; spunk poured from Kenn,
his balls emptying.

"Oh God, you smell so good." Dusty's voice

was a bit hoarse.

Kenn rode out his orgasm with Dusty's hand

moving on him, spreading his come over his cock,
making him shiver some more, his cock not even
trying to flag. Dusty's mouth covered his again, this
kiss no less intense, no softer, just hot and good.
He opened up and sucked on Dusty's tongue.

Dusty groaned and started working his shorts

off, pushing them down his hips and growling
when the way he was sitting stopped them. That
sound made Kenn shiver, made him smile. The
next sound was tearing, Dusty trying to rip the
shorts right off him.

"Fuck!" His cock jerked, and his eyes went

wide.

"I'll buy you a new pair."
Finally--after pulling and pushing and ripping

and one incredibly hot bite to his rib cage--he was

naked, ass on Dusty's thighs.

"Look at you. Fuck." Dusty leaned in and

wrapped hot lips around his right nipple.

"Oh, shit." He tangled his fingers in Dusty's

hair, body arching as he tried not to flail with his
hurt arm in the sling.

Dusty's hands came up along his back.

"Careful."

"Sorry. Sorry, 'S good."
"Steph'll kill us both if I injure your shoulder

fucking you."

"You know it." Sex was great, but volleyball

was better.

"No acrobatics." Dusty leaned back, bringing

him forward and taking his mouth again. No. No
acrobatics. Just need. Hard, deep, need.

"You're gonna ride me." Dusty slid a hand

across his belly and up.

"Am I?" His eyes got all heavy at the thought.
"You are." Dusty's long fingers slid up and

stroked over his nipple, which drew up tight,
almost like it was trying to call Dusty's attention.

"Mmm. The other one just as eager?" Dusty's

touch headed toward it.

"They're sensitive." He didn't mess with them

much.

"Oh, happy birthday to me." Dusty tweaked his

left nipple, fingers lingering.

Kenn gasped, pecs going tight. "Oh." Possibly

ow.

"They'd be so pretty with rings in them."
"With rings? That would sting." He'd actually

sat in the chair to have one done before he
chickened out.

"They would be amazing once they'd healed."

Dusty played with one and then the other.

"That burns." His cock was aching.
"Fuck, you are sensitive, aren't you?" Dusty

didn't stop playing.

"Yeah." Was that cool? Or weird? Dusty

leaned in and licked at one, then flicked his tongue
across the other. Oh, now that was sweet. It
tingled, but it didn't sting. Excited him, but let his
belly relax.

Dusty returned to his right nipple, mouth

closing over it, the suction soft and hot. His eyes

closed, and he started rocking, ass sliding on
Dusty's thighs.

"Fuck, that's pretty." Dusty kept one hand on

his back, helping to support him.

"Feels good."
Dusty's hand was solid, strong, and he knew

the man could hold him up.

"Get my shorts?" Dusty followed that up by

taking his other nipple in and licking it before
applying more soft suction.

Kenn fumbled with his good hand, unfastening

and tugging at the strings. Dusty's free hand moved
to help and between them they got Dusty's shorts
open and pushed off his cock.

Oh, man. Look at that heavy, fat prick.
"Like what you see, babe? Want to feel me

inside you?"

"Oh, God. Look at you." The size queen inside

him was just cheering. "Fuck, yeah. I... You're
stunning."

"Mmm, you do know how to make a man feel

like a stud. Don't move." Dusty leaned over to one
of the little side tables that framed the couch,

tugged open a drawer and pulled out a condom and
a little tube of the slick stuff.

His eyes went wide. "You do this a lot?"
"What? Oh!" Dusty laughed. "I put these in

there when I moved in. Swinging bachelor pad and
all." He got a sheepish grin. "The tube hasn't been
even been opened."

"Oh." Kenn relaxed. "That's cool. I mean, it

would be cool anyway, but... That's really cool."

"You're not just another conquest, Kenny."
"No?" God, he felt like such a girl.
Dusty shook his head. "I've wanted to kiss you

since I first met you."

"I'm not like a chick, you know. I just... I like to

know where I stand."

Dusty looked him up and down. "Nothing like a

chick, Kenn. Not one thing about you makes me
think you're a girl." Dusty settled back against the
couch, hands sliding on his sides. "I want you. I've
tried to ignore it, I've tried to fight it. But you want
me, too. And I'm not a saint."

"I want." He got his fingers around that fine

prick, his mouth going dry. "Oh, fuck. I so want."

Dusty's eyes dropped close, a needy moan

coming from him. "Fuck." The broad cock head
was almost purple, fat and swollen and glistening
with need.

"Not gonna last long if you keep doing that."

Dusty sounded like he wasn't going to last long
period.

"That's okay. I'd need some prep to take this."

His mouth was dry.

"I'll get it back up."
He could believe it; he was more than half

hard again himself.

"Good." He kept stroking, moaning as he filled

his fingers with hard cock. He wished he could use
both hands.

"Great touch," muttered Dusty, leaning his head

back, eyes closing. Every time Kenn worked his
hand up, he rubbed the heavy tip with his thumb. "I
take that back--fucking amazing hand."

The praise made him beam, made him wiggle.
"Fuck!" Dusty cried out and bucked, one hand

going to Kenn's back, making sure he didn't hurt
himself even as Dusty came. He stroked the man

all the way through the aftershocks, mouth watering
at Dusty's scent, and Dusty pulled him in for
another kiss, this one far more lazy and satisfied.

His hand kept moving, and Kenn was loving

the little shivers and moans it earned him.

"Keeping me hard." The whispered words

filled his mouth.

All Kenn could do was nod. Good.
Dusty's tongue moved through his mouth like

there was nowhere else Dusty wanted to be, like
exploring him took every ounce of focus the man
had. They sank together, his slinged arm trapped
between them. Dusty was gentle, careful with him,
but that mouth devoured his. By the time the kisses
ended, Kenn was breathless, eyes crossed, heart
pounding.

"Gonna open you up so you can ride." Dusty

sounded like talking was hard, and he was panting.

"Uh-huh." Kenn didn't even know what he was

agreeing to.

Dusty shifted, putting slick on his fingers

before pushing his hand between Kenn's legs, and
damn, his balls felt heavy, even though he'd come.

Dusty's fingers were hot and felt huge as they

rubbed against his hole, reminding him that it had
been a long time, too long, and he wanted it. The
tip of one finger pushed in carefully, sinking deep
once it had breached him.

"Good." He moaned the word against Dusty's

lips.

"You're tight." Dusty's finger wriggled around

inside him.

"Been a while." Too long.
"We'll take it slow. Can now that the edge is

off." Dusty's finger moved in and out of him, nice
and easy.

"Uh-huh."
"Another finger now." Dusty's mouth captured

his as the stretch in his ass increased, and he
grunted into Dusty's lips, body shaking with the
sweet burn.

Dusty moved slowly, fingers sliding in, then

out again, then back in again, the slow glide
continuing until the burn eased. He began to move,
riding the touch, up and down, in and out. Dusty's
free hand was around his back again, supporting

him. He felt like he could fly like this.

His chest heaved, in and out, working hard.
"God, you are just..." Dusty grinned, another

finger pushing in.

"Just... More. Fuck. So full."
"Uh-huh." Dusty sucked on his chin, stretching

the fingers inside him.

His eyes rolled back in his head, his entire

body awake, tingling. Dusty's fingers twisted and
stretched, then they found his gland, bumping
against it.

"Fuck!" He arched, his feet moving restlessly.
"You feel amazing, Kenn. Can't wait to bury

myself inside you."

"More. Do that again. Please, man."
"This?" Dusty hit his gland again, and pleasure

shot through him.

"Yes!" He arched, hips rolling furiously as he

tried to get that touch again.

"Careful." Dusty cradled him with the one arm,

while those long fingers hit his gland over and
over.

"Oh. Oh. Oh." Fire climbed up his spine and

his head tossed.

Dusty kept pegging that spot, supporting him as

he writhed.

"I." Oh, fuck. Fuck, he couldn't breathe,

couldn't think.

"Ready for me, Kenn? Ready for it to be my

cock?"

"Uh. Uh-huh. Oh, fuck." His head was spinning.
Dusty's fingers slid away and he was moved,

set into position over the thick cock. His hole
touched the wide tip as the hot flesh pushed at him.

"God. So tight, Kenn."
"You're big." He pushed down a little, jonesing

on the ache.

"You can take me." Dusty used one hand on his

hip to guide him slowly down.

"Oh, fuck." He was ruined for life, and it was

so worth it.

He just kept dropping and dropping, Dusty

filling him up more than anyone ever had. His hole
was stretched, his abs so tight.

"You good?" Dusty asked, voice husky.
"Uhn." That was the best he could do.

"That's a yes." Dusty jerked up, hips pushing

that wide cock even deeper, making his ass clench.
"Oh, fuck. Tight. Tight." Dusty leaned their
foreheads together, panting softly, as the hot mouth
took his, the kiss slow, intense.

His ass kept moving, taking Dusty in, shifting

that cock inside him. He was so fucking full.

"You feel amazing, Kenn. So tight around me."
"Damn..." He nodded. Full, tight.
"You ready to ride?"
"Yeah." He started to move with intent, using

his thigh muscles, and Dusty moaned, hands finding
a place on his hip and around his back. Together
they got him moving, driving down on Dusty's fat
cock.

They filled the air with their noises, Dusty loud

and eager. His ass ached, fuller than he'd ever
been, his cock hard and dripping.

"Yes! Come on, Kenn, take it."
His eyes went wide. No one'd ever spoken to

him like that before.

"Yeah, like that. Come on. You know you want

it." Dusty pushed up, adding force to their coming

together.

He did. More than anything.
Dusty found his mouth again, free hand moving

to wrap around his cock.

"Oh. Oh, fuck. I. So good." So fucking good.
"Yeah. You going to come for me, Kenny?

Gonna shoot up over my hand?"

Listen to that. Just... His belly went achingly,

almost painfully tight. All he needed was a little
more, just a little more.

Dusty gave him more, hand tightening on his

cock and pulling like crazy. "Yeah, you are. You're
gonna make me shoot, too, with your tight ass."

His balls let loose, spunk spraying from him,

pouring out.

"Fuck yes!" Dusty slammed up into him

throughout his orgasm, pegging his gland hard and
making it seem to go on forever.

At the end he was dazed and dizzy, clinging to

Dusty, swaying some.

Dusty thrust a few more times and then froze, a

low, drawn-out moan sounding. Collapsing against
the back of the couch, Dusty carefully drew him

down to rest against his solid chest.

"I. Wow, man."
"Yeah." Dusty chuckled. "We can't put that

genie back in the bottle."

Man, his brain was too fuck-addled to

understand. He wasn't sure how Dusty could put
that many words together in a row right now.

Dusty kissed the side of his head and patted his

back before stroking along his spine. Finally, the
wandering hand landed on his ass, the muscled
chest rising and falling beneath him.

He knew they needed to get up. Clean up.
"Shh. Just stay a minute." Dusty patted his

back.

"Stay. I can do that." He could so do that.
"Good." Dusty kept breathing, kept gently

touching him, eyes closed.

Kenn let himself relax, rest a second. He'd

figure out what to do next...later.

Chapter 5

Dusty dozed off, holding Kenn on his lap. It

had been intense, blistering hot, amazing. Possibly
a mistake. Kenn had just been so fucking hot, laid
out for him, spread wide. He groaned, his cock
pushing hard against Kenn's thigh as it woke up
again. He'd never had anyone look at him with so
much hunger in his eyes.

He probably shouldn't have started it, but he

couldn't say he was sorry. Not after the way Kenn
had responded. Not after the chemistry they'd
found together. Besides he wasn't Kenn's coach,
right?

Right.
He tried to shift so his cock got free, without

waking Kenn.

Kenn stiffened, frowned, then sat up. "Oh.

Right. We. Wow."

"Yeah. We did wow." He winked and patted

Kenn's ass, his half-full prick getting out from

under Kenn and sliding up against Kenn's inner
thigh.

"You're cool with it?"
"Babe, I started it." Kenn was stealing his

lines. "Are you okay with it?"

"Uh-huh." Kenn looked a little stunned.
He brought their lips together, sharing a soft

kiss. "Good."

"I should get up." His little Energizer Bunny.
"Or we could go another round. See if we can't

make it to the bed this time."

He got a happy grin. "Dude, we could try."
He laughed and took himself a kiss. "I say we

go for it."

Kenn stood, took the sling off. "Not wearing

this to bed."

"As long as you remember not to use your arm

for anything strenuous, that's fine." He stood as
well, and winked. "I guess that means we don't get
to play doctor, though."

"The shoulder's had enough doctors." The scar

was thick, red, still angry-looking.

"I was thinking more for the rest of you. Well,

certain parts." He took Kenn's hand and led them to
his room.

He hadn't invited a client into his bedroom.

Not ever. Kenn wasn't just a client, though. Not
anymore. Maybe not really from the start. His
room wasn't huge, but it wasn't tiny either. The bed
was by the window, so he could look out in the
mornings.

"I like all the blue. Why's the guest room red?"
"Because red and blue go well together." He

drew Kenn over to the bed, then explored Kenn's
collarbones, moaning as the sweet nipples drew up
tight, then Kenn's abs rolled. Kenn was so
responsive. It was sexy as hell. Dusty drew his
hands down, those hard nipples calling to his
fingertips.

"I..." Kenn arched a little, moved toward him.
"What?" he asked, licking at Kenn's lower lip.
"They get tender. And dark."
"So we'll have to leave them be when you're

back at the net, hmm?"

That would be hard. Really hard. He flicked a

finger across one nipple. He wanted Kenn's

nipples pierced, wanted them swollen and tender
and aching.

"You could wear a ring. Even two."
Dusty pinched both nipples at the same time.

God, it would be stunning. Everyone would see
them whenever Kenn took off his shirt, whenever
he played, and Dusty would know they were his.

"I... A ring? I tr-- I don't think so."
He tilted his head. "What were you going to

say? Before you said 'I don't think so.'"

"Huh?" Look at those big eyes.
"You said 'a ring? I tr--' and you didn't finish

that thought." Censored thoughts were often the
most interesting.

"I just. I went, you know? I mean, I tried to, but

I chickened out because, ow, and nipples and,
dude!"

Dusty was in love. That was a-fucking-

dorable. "You need to go back with a big strong
stud holding your hand."

"I just... I freaked."
"Too intense?" He really did think that Kenn

just needed someone to go with him, to make him.

"Scary." Kenn blushed dark, head ducking. "It

doesn't matter."

"It's okay. You can try again. Some other time."

He leaned in and tasted the right nipple, that hot
little bit of flesh. Kenn's reactions were all he
could ever ask for, and he sucked harder, his
fingers finding Kenn's other nipple and stroking it.

Soft sounds hiccupped out of his boy, so

different from the grunts and growls when Kenn
worked out. He lapped at the nipple in his mouth,
the little hard bit of flesh felt good against his
tongue.

"Mmm. So hot. Your mouth." Smiling at Kenn's

words, he scraped gently over the nipple with his
teeth. "Oh!" Kenn jerked, back arching.

"Careful now." Maybe it was time to get prone

so there was less chance of Kenn hurting his
shoulder.

"You shouldn't do that. It isn't safe."
He tilted his head, frowned. "What isn't safe?"
"Biting. It makes me a little stupid."
"I'm not breaking the skin, Kenny. And what do

you mean by stupid?" Stupid with lust wasn't a bad

thing. It wasn't a bad thing at all.

"Just... I... It's overwhelming a little. It doesn't

matter." Kenn pulled into himself.

"Sure it does. It's a shortcut to blowing your

mind." He blew over the nipple he'd been sucking
on, and eased Kenn onto the bed, propping the
shoulder up, bracing it carefully. "There. That's
better."

He slid his fingers back toward those pretty

nipples, and Kenn grabbed his wrist, brought his
hand to that hungry mouth. Chuckling, he let Kenn
get away with it. Of course he had a second hand,
didn't he? He slid those fingers over Kenn's abs
and then up toward the needy little bits of flesh,
even as Kenn licked and sucked at his fingers.
Kenn didn't have a second free hand to stop him,
either.

Groaning at the sensation of Kenn's mouth on

his fingers, he ran his own across one nipple, back
and forth, just lightly for now. Kenn grunted softly,
teeth scraping his fingers. The man's sensitivity
blew his mind. He could spend years exploring
Kenn, exploiting his needy body.

He took Kenn's nipple between two fingers and

tugged in a slow, steady pull. Kenn's response was
lovely, balls drawing up tight. He had clamps in
one of his drawers, but he didn't think they needed
them yet. He was going to be able to blow Kenn's
mind with his fingers, his lips, his tongue. He
licked the other nipple, then blew across it.

"Mmm." The sound tickled his finger.
He chuckled and blew again.
"Cold." That tiny nipple went rock hard.
"Uh-huh. This isn't." He wrapped his lips

around that hard little bit of flesh and sucked.
Kenn's hand dropped his, and his fingers tangled in
his hair.

He pulled back far enough to blow again,

knowing the contrast between hot and cold would
be enough to blow Kenn's mind, sensitive as he
was.

"Shit. Shit, you... Man."
God, he felt like a million bucks. He was going

to turn Kenn inside out, make this hot little stud
scream. He moved to the other nipple and ran his
finger back and forth over it, and Kenn's moans

came steady and constant, the man's eyes heavy
lidded as he watched.

Dusty changed it up, but never got too strong

with his touches, whether tongue, teeth, lips or
fingers. Slowly Kenn relaxed for him, body
undulating, cock hard and leaking between them.

They had a rhythm going now, tug and pull and

arch and curl.

Kenn's fingers trembled where they stroked

through his hair. He nuzzled into Kenn's touch and
nipped gently at the man's right nipple.

"More..." The word was whispered, so quietly.
He smiled and scraped his teeth over the tip of

the same nipple, and Kenn's breath caught. Dusty
flicked it with his tongue, making Kenn wait,
letting the anticipation build. Kenn began to tense
under him, muscles jerking.

That's when he bit.
"Fuck!" Kenn jerked, hips pumping violently

for a second.

He nodded. "Yeah, that's coming." He bit

again.

"Stop. Fuck, stop it." That didn't sound

incredibly sincere.

"Really?" he asked, half laughing.
"Yes. Don't laugh at me, dude."
"I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at the

concept of you really wanting me to stop."

Kenn stuck his tongue out, and Dusty laughed

again. Kenn was such a delight. Moving back up,
he touched his tongue to Kenn's. Kenn tried to
reach for him with his bad arm. This time the little
cry was true pain.

"Hey. Hey." Dusty wrapped a hand around

Kenn's shoulder. "You can't move that arm, babe."

"Sorry. Sorry. Ow. Man."
"I bet." He kissed Kenn's shoulder. "You want

something for it or is the pain backing off?"

"I'm fine. Promise."
"You'd better. Anything starts hurting, you need

to tell me. It doesn't matter what we're doing."

"I know. I jerked. It's your day off, man." There

was a hint of panic in Kenn's voice.

"Hey." He cupped Kenn's face, looked into his

eyes. "There's no day off from making sure you're
okay."

Kenn shivered, eyes wide, looking into him.
"Tell me you understand, Kenn. Tell me 'yes,

sir.'"

"What?" Kenn's cock jerked between them.
"I said, say 'yes, sir,' so that I know you

understand that there's no day off from making sure
that you're okay."

"Yes. Yes, sir."
Dusty nodded, smiled slowly. "Good boy."
He'd have to make Kenn choose a safeword,

too. So Kenn could tell him to stop biting those
sweet nipples as many times as he wanted.

"I think I need to get up." Someone was outside

their comfort zone.

"Is that it? The mood's ruined?" He rubbed his

chin back and forth across Kenn's nipple.

"I..." Kenn arched into the touch. "I just... Oh."
"Mmm...we might have found it again." He

turned to the nipple and took it back in his mouth.
He kept one hand on Kenn's side, keeping the man
still.

He pulled on his nip, sucking hard. He used his

teeth, just on the very tip, knowing the sting would

make Kenn gasp, need. He loved that sound, so he
did it again. He could keep Kenn like this for
hours. Days.

Dusty tickled Kenn's ribs with his free hand,

making Kenn shiver, hips shifting away. He
trapped them between his knees, keeping Kenn
right where he wanted him.

"Hey...I can't move." Smart boy.
"Uh-huh. You noticed."
"Weirdo." That was a nervous chuckle.
"I've been called worse." He kissed that hard

little nipple. "I tell you what, let's try something."

"Something?"
"Yes." He licked his lips, holding Kenn's gaze.

"Pick a word that means stop, I need your
attention."

"Like red light? That's what we say during

drills."

"Yeah, like that. But uh...you want a word

that's just for you and me, though?"

Kenn looked at him, lips twisting. "Sure. You

pick one."

He shook his head. "No. It's your word. You

should pick it."

Kenn stared at him for a second, then grinned a

little. "That's harder than you'd think, to think of a
word that means stop that isn't stop."

He grinned back. "Something you wouldn't say

during sex."

"Like oatmeal?"
"Oh, yeah, I think that works. If you're thinking

of oatmeal during sex, I'm definitely doing
something wrong." He grinned and rubbed their
noses together. "So anytime you really need me to
stop or to pay attention to you, I want you to say
oatmeal."

"While we're having sex."
"It'll stop me anytime, actually." He didn't think

it would hurt to have a word just for the two of
them if Kenn ever got in a situation he needed out
of.

"Except for at breakfast." Kenn was playing

with him now.

"Brat."
"Uh-huh." Kenn leaned up, bit his jaw.
Chuckling, he turned his head, taking a hard

kiss, and Kenn opened like a dream, tongue
slipping against his, the flame between them
burning hot and fast. Just like that they'd gone from
heated to teasing and back to heated again. He slid
his hand down to add a little more fuel, his fingers
tugging at one little nipple.

He'd never met a man who made him want so

badly.

"Want inside you. Want to fill you."
Kenn nodded, spread, offering him that hungry

little hole. He groaned, moving to kneel between
Kenn's legs, to tease the hot crease and the even
hotter hole with his fingertips. Hot and swollen,
the look of that hole made his lips dry. He'd love
to see how far Kenn could stretch. He'd bet Kenn
would love it--he had a bona fide size queen on his
hands here.

He pressed one finger from each hand in,

tugging a bit, just enough to make Kenn twist.
"Gonna fill you up so good, babe." He was gonna
make Kenn scream for him.

"Now is good." Pushy boy.
"Gotta prep you right first."

"Now."
Oh, he didn't think so. "Listen to the mouthy

boy I've got here." He slid his fingers out, pressed
them against Kenn's hole without breaching it this
time.

"Not a boy." Look at the flush crawling up that

belly.

"No?" He pushed his index finger back in to

the first knuckle. "I think you could be my boy."

"I..." Kenn moaned, lips opening and closing,

then those hips started moving, riding his finger.

"Mmm. Yeah, I definitely think you could be."

He pushed his finger deeper.

"Not a..." When he crooked his finger, dragged

the tip across that smooth spot inside Kenn's body,
Kenn grunted, legs sprawling.

"Mmm. Yes, there." He pressed again, and then

again, Kenn's body reacting like a dream. He had
Kenn, in just a few strokes, right in the palm of his
hand.

He spread more lube on his hand and pushed

two fingers in, taking his time as he stretched him.
It probably wasn't necessary, given his cock had

been in there earlier, but he wanted Kenn to have
the sensations. "Look at my pretty boy, with his
tight little hole."

Kenn whimpered at his words. Oh, yeah. That

was the reaction he was looking for.

He pressed his fingers in deep, hitting that

sweet spot again.

"Fuck!"
Listen to that filthy mouth.
He covered Kenn's lips with his own, taking a

hard kiss as he kept hitting Kenn's gland, and Kenn
shuddered and trembled against him, cries filling
his mouth. God, yes. So fucking responsive. He
made two fingers three, stretching them wide.
Kenn's grunt sounded like pure pleasure.

"You ever take someone's hand, Kenn?"
"Huh?" Kenn blinked at him, eyes dazed. "I'm

not married. I'm queer."

He smiled and rubbed their noses. "I mean

here." He pushed his fingers against Kenn's gland
again. "You ever have someone's hand inside
you?"

"What? No. No, that would tear me up."

He pushed against Kenn's gland again. "Not if

it's done right. You'd look amazing." He grinned.
"Maybe after the Olympics. A reward for my size
queen."

Kenn grunted, shook his head.
"We'll see." He took Kenn's mouth again,

tugging his fingers out of his tight hole.

Kenn's complaint vibrated his lips, body

arching up toward him.

"Needy boy." He grabbed a condom and

worked it on.

"Fuck me. I need you."
"It's coming. Like you will be soon." God, he

loved how pushy Kenn was, how needy.

"It's been a while, man. I like a hard fuck."
"You just had a good fuck, pushy boy." He

leaned in to bite at Kenn's earlobe. "Don't worry,
I'll take care of you."

"The first one was just to remind me."
He laughed, then kissed where he'd bitten. "I

think you and I are going to get along very well."

He pushed the head of his cock up against

Kenn's hole, rubbing it up and down, and the

swollen hole kissed the tip of his cock, seemed to
tug at it.

"Mmm." Oh, yes. Eager and wanton and all his.
He licked at Kenn's lips, waiting for his mouth

to open before he began to push inside the hottest,
tightest ass, the walls so close they scraped his
shaft.

"Fuck! Oh, fuck." He buried himself all the

way inside, his balls pushed up against Kenn's
skin.

"Jesus, you're big. So fucking good." Kenn

would so take his hand and beg for more.

"And you've got a sweet, tight ass." Kenn's

belly rippled, stacked body moving on him, and he
grabbed hold of Kenn's hips. "I'm setting the pace."
Kenn groaned, asshole gripping him hard, as he
placed a kiss on Kenn's lips. "And you're going to
need to breathe before I start moving again."

He watched Kenn gulp in a breath, moan.

When the heat around his cock relaxed a bit, he
started to move, pulling out slowly as Kenn's body
fought him, the entire way. He pushed back in,
Kenn letting him in easily before clamping down

around him.

Just before he started pulling out again, he

curled up a little, getting his teeth around Kenn's
left nipple and biting.

"Fuck!" Oh, yeah, that got Kenny's attention.
He pulled almost all the way out and then

pushed back in, hard, aiming to hit Kenny's gland.
Kenny groaned, good hand grabbing him, dragging
him closer.

"I can see I'm going to have to tie you down to

keep you from trying to take over." He punched in
again.

"Tie me up, tie me down."
"Tie you all around." He laughed and kept

thrusting. Kenn thought he was joking. He wasn't.

"Fuck, love your cock. Love it."
"Yeah, it loves your tight ass, too." So damn

tight and so damn good.

Kenny bared his teeth, started rocking,

slamming down against him. He growled and
stilled, his hands gripping Kenny's hips hard,
pushing him down against the mattress. "No. You
are not going to hurt that shoulder."

"I fucking need you!" Oh, fury. Delicious.
"And you've got me. Now let me do this at my

pace." He circled his hips, refusing to outright
thrust again until Kenn relaxed a fraction.

"Ass..." Kenny moaned softly.
"No, you've got the ass." He winked and

shoved in hard,

That made Kenn grunt and rock on his cock. He

kept thrusting, kept pushing.

"Yeah. Yeah, fuck. More. Fuck me."
He was going to control that filthy mouth, that

fine body. He slowed down again, taking long,
slow thrusts.

"No..." Kenny's head tossed, his throat

working.

"Let me lead, boy, and you'll get what you

need."

"Not a boy..." Kenny did relax, though.
"My boy," he insisted, his hips picking up the

rhythm again.

"Mmm." Kenn's eyes rolled, body shuddering

around him.

"That's better." He found a good, hard rhythm,

pounding into Kenny's ass. God, he could watch
that lean face lost in pleasure for hours. With any
luck he would.

He kept giving it to Kenny hard and fast,

eventually wrapping his hand around Kenn's cock
to add more stimulation. It didn't take long at all,
then, before Kenn was calling out, body milking
his cock as spunk shot between them.

He watched Kenny's face all through the

orgasm, and then he let go as well, pumping a few
more times before filling the condom.

A rush of possessiveness, of lust, of something

he wasn't ready to consider flushed over him. He
rested their foreheads together as they both panted,
trying to catch his breath and not lose their
connection.

Kenn moaned, one hand sliding over his back.

"Hey."

"Mmm." He smiled and took a kiss, blinking at

Kenn.

"We gonna get in trouble for this?" Kenn

asked.

"In trouble?"

"You know, with Steph and all."
"None of anyone's business but yours and mine.

It's not like I'm your coach." He was Kenn's trainer
and, well, lover now.

"No. No, your balls aren't anywhere as big as

Steph's."

He laughed, his prick jerking inside Kenn's

body. "Brat!"

Kenn winked over. "Just telling the truth."
He bit at Kenn's jaw in punishment and then

grabbed the base of the condom as he slid out.
Kenn watched him, still sprawled, cock on his
belly. Dusty looked his fill, enjoying the sight
before him.

"What?" Kenn's eyelids were heavy. Had he

worn his Energizer Bunny out?

"I'm just enjoying the sexy man in my bed."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Kenny was pleased,

though, his flat belly rippling.

He bent to kiss Kenn's belly and then stood and

disposed of the condom. There were tissues on his
bedside table and he grabbed a couple, passing
one over to Kenn.

"Thanks." Kenn sat up, cleaned up. "This is

always the weird part, huh?"

"Maybe this one time, but we'll push through

any awkwardness and get to the good part. So tell
me, are you a cuddler? A head hits the pillow and
you pass outer? Or a run awayer?"

"Usually I have to go, you know? Someone's

coming or we're on the beach."

Dusty nodded; he got that. "Well, now you

don't have to. This is our home, and we don't have
to run away from what we're doing together." He
rested a hand on Kenn's thigh, effectively
demonstrating that they could do what they wanted.

Kenn's muscles jerked and shivered, then the

man's leg pressed closer.

"I'm interested in you, Kenny. I want...I want

you here in my bed. I want to see where this is
going to go."

"Yeah? Really?" Kenny scooted over, patted

the bed. "Let's snuggle."

"All right. When given the opportunity you're a

snuggler. I like it." He moved in next to Kenn.

"Yeah? I could so give it a try."

"It's a good thing, boy." He kissed one nipple,

and then settled close, his head on the pillow next
to Kenn's.

"Not a boy." The words were soft.
"You're my boy," he answered just as quietly.
Kenn didn't answer, just drew his hand over

Dusty's belly, so Dusty slid his hand over Kenny's
and twined their fingers together.

It was a good word, together.
A very good word.

Chapter 6

Kenn woke up to his phone ringing from the

other room and he scrambled up to grab it. Shit.
Shit, it was early. Shit. Or late. Dark. And he was
naked. Fuck.

He grabbed the phone, flipped it open.

"Yeah?"

"Dude, what's up? I'm married!"
"Dave?" What the fuck time was it? He

searched around for a clock. Oh. Oh, eight thirty.
He'd slept all fucking afternoon.

"Yeah, man. I got married."
"Weren't you supposed to do that, like, a week

ago?"

Dave snorted. "Had to wait on her folks, then

there was the fighting and puking part. Pregnant
chicks puke a lot."

"Oh." Ew. "Good. I mean, congratulations.

Aren't you supposed to be, uh, honeymooning
now?"

"She's in the shower. I just wanted to check the

shoulder."

He rolled it--there was some soreness, but

nothing violent. "I'm healing. I'll be at practice
when you get back, I swear."

"I hope so. Steph's been bitching. Like a lot."
"Yeah, I'm working out. A lot. This guy's...he's

real good." Like whoa. Like yum.

"That's good, 'cause we're starting to run out of

time."

"I'll fucking be there. I swear. Go fuck your

wife." He hung up the phone, grabbed some shorts,
and headed for the workout room and the
treadmill. Sleeping all day. What was he thinking?

He had his Vibrams on in seconds, then started

a quick speed walk before a hard run.

"Hey, Kenny." Dusty came in some time later,

sliding on his T-shirt, giving Kenn a bright smile.
"I should have guessed this is where you'd gotten
off to."

"Hey." He pushed the speed up.
"How's your shoulder feeling? And did you

warm up before you started running?"

"It's okay." He didn't answer the warm up

question. "It's your day off still."

Dusty shrugged. "I'd like to spend it with you,

actually."

"Oh." That made him a little stupid, really.

"Cool."

"We can go for a walk on the beach when

you're done. Find some supper..."

"Yeah? Sounds great." It did.
"It's a date, then. After you've finished your

workout and have a shower. Which, if you want,
I'd be quite happy to share with you."

"Sure." He'd never done that before. Ever.
Dusty gave him a bright smile, gaze moving

over his body; he could feel the admiration like a
touch. His stride stumbled as his cock jerked.

"Careful," murmured Dusty, voice soft. "Are

you almost done?"

"I just...I hadn't worked hard today." He

wanted that shower.

"You've worked enough."
"I wish."
Daniel leaned over and checked his time.

"You've worked enough." He pressed a couple
buttons, and the treadmill slowed down. "Five
minutes cool-down."

"You're off work." Sweat was pouring off him.
"And you're working too hard."
His feet hit the belt, feeling suddenly heavy.

Damn. He was hungry.

"Okay, that's five minutes. Quitting time."
"It was? Are you sure?" Damn.
"If you're zoning out like that, Kenn, it's more

than past time to stop."

"Shh. You're off duty."
"There's no such thing when it comes to

helping someone you care for." Dusty hit the off
switch on the treadmill.

Oh. Oh, wow. He stopped, panted a little.

"Hungry."

"You didn't grab a PowerBar before you

started?" Dusty shook his head. "What am I going
to do with you?"

"You seem to have ideas."
Dusty's grin grew wicked. "I do have a few.

Come on. Let's get wet and I'll share one or two

with you." Dusty grabbed a bottle of juice on the
way past the door, handed it to him.

"Thanks, man."
"Next time down it before you start running."

One of Dusty's arms went around his waist,
guiding him back into the man's bedroom. "The en
suite shower is bigger."

"Okay."
Dusty's bathroom was definitely dominated by

the shower. It had two showerheads and plenty of
space.

"It's big." There was an...attachment on the

wall that looked like a cock. Weird.

"All the better to do you in." Dusty winked and

turned on the water, before pulling off his shorts.
Kenn stripped down, wiped the sweat off him,
drank his juice.

"You need a PowerBar before the shower,

too?" It didn't seem to matter what they were up to,
the man worried about him.

"Nah, I'm cool." He was enjoying being out of

the sling.

"No, you're hot." Dusty laughed at his own

joke, hands held out for his, the man gloriously
naked and wet now. He headed in, moaning as the
water poured down over him.

Dusty squeezed his hands and then let them go

to grab the soap. It made his hands slick as they
moved over his skin, washing the sweat away.

"Mmm." That felt good, decadent.
Smiling, Dusty kept cleaning him, slick and

soapy hands sliding everywhere. He reached out,
fingers trailing over the dark hair sprinkled over
Dusty's belly.

"I do enjoy your touch." Dusty's cock perked

up, giving weight to his words.

"Thanks." He stepped forward, fingers

wrapping around that amazing cock.

That earned him a groan, Dusty moving a step

closer as well. Kenn was a little stupid over that
cock. Dusty's prick was fat, long, perfect, and it
made him shudder. Dusty's hands stuttered, but then
kept moving over him. The long fingers found his
nipples, stroking lightly over them.

"They're kind of tender now." Achy.
"Good." Dusty grinned and kept playing with

him.

"Hey." He stepped back, leaned up into the

spray, so Dusty's hands moved down his body,
cupped his balls.

"Oh. Oh, man." Feel that.
"Spread those lovely legs of yours, boy. Let me

in." Every time Dusty called him boy, his cock
jerked.

Dusty pushed his legs apart, hand sliding

beyond them.

"I thought we were showering."
"I'm a great believer in multi-tasking."
Kenn thought he could get behind that. Or in

front of it.

Dusty's fingers slid to his hole, teased it gently,

and his body jerked, squeezed against the touch.
"Sore?" Dusty asked.

"Tender." It was a good sore.
"Mmm. That's a good word." Dusty tapped his

hole, and Kenn stumbled forward, ass cheeks
clenching.

Dusty took his lips, the kiss full of banked

passion. He couldn't believe they were necking

again, touching, wanting.

"So sexy." Dusty's voice made him feel like a

million bucks.

He murmured his thanks and grinned. The

warm water felt like heaven, falling all around
him, as Dusty bent his head and licked the water
from his collarbone. He wasn't sure what to do,
how this had happened. His previous experiences
had been quicker, less...intense. The licking
continued, became sucking kisses up his neck and
along his jaw, and his cock filled, beginning to
ache a little.

"Want you." Dusty's words were almost lost

under the sound of the water.

"You have me." He was right there.
"I do." Dusty smiled against his lips. "Lucky

me." Then Dusty kissed him, tongue pushing into
his mouth. The kiss stole his breath, made him
dizzy and stupid as he let Dusty's arms support
him, and Dusty let him feel how much he wanted
him. That thick cock rubbed against his belly.

He didn't get how Dusty could want him again.

Of course his cock was reaching up to his belly,

like it wanted to get with Dusty, too. They found a
rhythm, both of them rocking together, rubbing.
Dusty's kisses made him lose his mind and
everything else just added to it.

The water crashed over them, and he was

going to lose it, again. Working a hand between
them, Dusty grabbed both their pricks and jacked
them together.

"Man, I... Wow." His heart was going a million

miles an hour.

"Show me." Dusty met his gaze, looking right

into him.

"I... I'm..." He couldn't breathe.
Dusty took his lips again, tongue pushing into

his mouth, and his balls tightened, jerked, and he
came again, the pleasure making his knees weak.

"Mmm. Love that smell." Dusty jacked a while

longer and then more heat splashed for a moment.

"My nuts are going to fall off."
Dusty laughed. "I don't think that's possible."
"I'm not so sure. Three times today, man."
"Haven't you ever come three times in one day

before?" Dusty sounded surprised.

"God, no. I mean, I jack off every morning,

which I guess makes four for today."

"Every morning?" Dusty laughed, nodded. "I

should have known the Energizer Bunny would do
something like that."

He shrugged. "It's a thing. Wake up. Work out.

Shower and jack off."

"Good. I can help from now on."
"Help what?"
"With the jacking off." Dusty waggled his

eyebrows.

"If you help, it's not jacking off." Then it was a

hand job.

"Can't fault your logic." Dusty rubbed against

him.

His belly growled, deep and low, almost

snarling.

"And now we need to feed you." Dusty took

another kiss, tugging on his lower lip and sucking
on it.

"Uh-huh." Hungry.
Lips leaving his, Dusty gave him a bright smile

and turned off the shower. He leaned out and

grabbed a couple of towels, then tossed one Kenn's
way.

"Happy?" Dusty asked as he started drying

himself off.

"Yeah." A little wigged out, but yeah, basically

happy.

"Good. I'm going to throw together a salad and

make some grilled cheese sandwiches. That should
make that growling stomach of yours happy."

"Mmm. Sandwiches. Can I have three?"
"You can have as many as you want, babe.

We've got six different kinds of cheeses, so that's
how many sandwiches you can have without hitting
a repeat." Dusty moved into the bedroom and
tugged on a pair of board shorts without bothering
to put underwear on first. He also didn't bother
with a shirt.

Kenn found himself whistling as he headed to

his room to get some clothes. He felt loose in his
skin, easy. Dave was crazy. He could do this. He
could.

Man, he needed to call Barb.

Chapter 7

Dusty stood on the sidelines, keeping more or

less out of Steph's way as she put Kenn and Dave
through their paces. It was their first day back on
the sand, the guys working together, getting their
form and their rapport back. It was pretty cool
watching them play--it hadn't taken long for them to
be back in each other's pockets, knowing
instinctively who was going after which ball and
how.

Dusty'd called for a couple of water and

PowerBar breaks, which had made Steph roll her
eyes, but he'd just chuckled and pointed out that it
took a lot of fuel to keep Kenn, the Energizer
Bunny, working at optimum. They'd been very
short breaks, though, and he was a little worried
that Kenn was going to wind up tearing the muscles
in his shoulder again and put himself back a week
or so of healing if Steph kept pushing them at this
pace.

As he watched, Kenn dived for the ball,

landing on his bad shoulder and wincing hard. A
bitten off grunt sounded as Kenn got back up, face
pale. He tried shaking it off, but Dusty could see he
was hurting.

When Steph called out, "Nice try, come on,

keep it moving," he stepped into her space.

"I need to check his shoulder, Steph."
"He's fine. He's up." Steph looked over at the

sand. "Kenn? You cool?"

"Yeah. Yeah, Coach."
"See?"
"Of course he's going to tell you he's fine. As

coach it's your job to make sure he really is."
Dusty wasn't going to back down on this. Hell, it
was his job not to back down when it came to
Kenn's health.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Steph sighed. "Go on,

then. Dave! Five minutes!"

Dusty tried not to growl as he said, "Thank

you," and trotted over to Kenn.

"Hey." He put his hands on either side of

Kenn's shoulder. "How's this feeling, really?"

"It's okay." Kenn wouldn't look at him.

"Tender, maybe."

"So more than a little tender? Give me an

honest answer on a scale of one to ten how the
pain is." Damn it, he'd told Kenn that overdoing it
would make it take longer to heal.

"Seven?"
"Christ, Kenn. You need a break. You should

not be pushing through anything higher than a five."
He guided Kenn over to the bench. "Sit."
Rummaging through his bag, he offered over a
Gatorade and another protein bar.

Kenn shrugged, winced. "Doing my job." Kenn

ate eagerly and took an anti-inflammatory from
him.

"Hey, Steph. How about we break for lunch,

come back in a couple hours everyone good to
go?" Or at least a better facsimile of it.

"You okay, kid?"
"Just a little sore." Kenn was a little gray,

actually.

"He needs a break, Steph. Two hours here will

save you the day tomorrow. Come on. Day one of

training. Don't push him too hard." He was going to
beat her with Kenn's water bottle.

"Go on, pussy man." She winked at Kenn,

tousled his hair, then glared at Dave. "And you!
Three weeks off and you're wandering around
brain dead."

Kenn chuckled softly, sighed.
"Come on. I'll drive you home." It was only a

five minute drive and would get Kenn out of the
sun. He'd get some real food in him, and keep
Steph from hounding him into getting back to the
practice before his full rest time was up. "We'll be
back in a couple, Steph."

"Yeah, yeah."
They wandered off, Kenn quiet as they went.
"You okay? That pill should ease things a bit."

He opened the car door for Kenn.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
"Stop that. You need to be honest with me and

with Steph. Don't say you're fine when you're not."
He yanked on his seat belt, started the car, and
turned it toward home.

"What's for lunch?"

He grinned. "Not grilled cheese sandwiches."
Kenn actually frowned at him. "No?"
That made him chuckle. "No. I've got a lovely

tuna salad for us." He turned the car up the road to
home.

"Man, it's my first day back..."
Yes, and Kenn needed protein.
"Yep. And if you're still hungry after the salad,

I am more than happy to make you a cheese
sandwich." He waited a beat. "Or twelve."

"Twelve, huh?" It wasn't that far off. He'd seen

Kenn eat six at one sitting without slowing down.

"I swear you had twelve the other day, after

that full out beach race." Kenn had beaten his ass
at that run, too. He parked the car and turned to
face Kenn, grinning.

Kenn rolled his eyes. "Did I look okay this

morning?"

"You looked fantastic." Kenn had. In fine form

considering the shoulder and the lack of playing
the last few months.

"Thanks." Kenn headed in, went to the fridge,

grabbed the milk. Dusty pulled out the salad he'd

made before they'd headed off this morning, and
then opened three cans of tuna, adding them in.

"So what was the pain level before you made

that dive?"

"Four, heading up." Kenn looked at the salad

like it was going to bite him. "Is that good?"

"It's delicious." He shook up the dressing and

poured it on, then put the salad on the table. Kenn
poked around with a fork. He didn't look
convinced.

"Wait, I forgot the finishing touch." He went to

the fridge and grabbed a brick of yellow cheese
and grated some on top of the salad. "There."

"I don't know..." Kenn looked at it again. "It's

fish." Still Kenn took a bite.

"It's tuna. Tuna is inoffensive. Besides, the

vinaigrette rocks." He grabbed his fork. "You eat it
all up and I'll give you a massage."

"Yeah?" Kenn chewed his bottom lip, then

started eating.

"It's good," he said confidently
Kenn grunted and dug in. The man was easy,

Dusty would give him that. He let Kenn eat,

working on his own salad.

"So how did it feel being back out on the sand

like that?"

"Good. Me and Dave work together pretty

well."

"Did it feel like it used to?"
"No. I mean some, but my shoulder doesn't."
"It's not completely healed yet." That was

probably going to be the truth until after the
Olympics were over, and Kenn could truly rest it.

"They told me it probably would always be

different. I'll learn."

"Learn what? How to play through any pain?"
"Yep." The salad was devoured. "Can I have

more?"

He pushed the bowl over. "As much as you

want."

Kenn dug in, eating heartily, then going to get

more milk. Better. Dusty needed to make sure he
packed more protein for breaks this afternoon.
Maybe a half dozen cheese sandwiches the kid
could wolf down.

"Do I really get my massage?"

"You really get your massage." Like either of

them would say no to getting their hands on each
other.

"Good." Kenn looked at him. "I'm still good at

this, right?"

"Babe, you rocked it out there."
"Cool." Kenn put his dishes in the sink. "Where

to?"

"I've got to get you back there in just over an

hour, so we'd better go with the couch." Not that
they couldn't do it anywhere, but it would be less
tempting on the couch than their bed.

"Works for me. Shirt off?"
"Yep. I'll get the massage oil." He jogged up

the stairs, grabbed the oil out of the bathroom
cabinet, and hightailed it back downstairs. When
he got downstairs, Kenn was stretched out,
sprawled, snoring. He should have guessed.

He chuckled and sat on the big chair next to the

couch. He'd let Kenn sleep for half an hour and
then start the massage.

Either on or off, that was his boy.
He leaned back against the chair and watched

over Kenn's sleep.

Chapter 8

Barb had warned him that nothing went

smoothly. That's what the little bitch had said this
morning while he was telling her about Dusty,
about how fucking good life was. She'd warned
him. She'd cursed him.

"Son, we need to talk."
Dad and Steph motioned him over from where

he was brushing off the sand. Kenn groaned. That
was never good. Never.

He jogged over and found a grin. "What's up,

guys?" He'd been working hard, running drills.
Working out like a fiend. They'd played a
scrimmage with Ben and Andy and had wiped the
floor with them.

Dad met his gaze. "I have a question, son."
"Shoot." God, he hated those words.
"Are you sleeping with the trainer?"
"What?" Had Barb told? Dave? Shit.
Dad's eyebrow lifted. "Don't. Are you sleeping

with him?"

"What does that matter? You've never asked

before."

"That's a yes. Jesus, kid. What are you

thinking?" Steph growled at him and he backed up
a step.

"What business is it of yours?"
"Well, he's Mister Watch His Shoulder. Kenn

needs a break. Kenn needs a drink. Like we haven't
got your back. Jesus, he either wants you close
longer or he's soft on you. Either way, he's not
doing his job, man."

Where the hell was this coming from?
Dusty crossed the court over to where his Dad

and Steph had him cornered. "What's the
problem?"

Dad looked over at Dusty. "This isn't your

problem."

"Dad."
"Enough, son." He got pierced by that look. "I

expect you to use better judgment."

His stomach fell. He just wanted to play ball.
Dusty took a step forward, getting into his

Dad's face. "What's going on? And don't bother
telling me it isn't my problem. If it involves,
Kenny, it is."

"Bullshit." That was Steph. "You know, this

isn't working for me. I think Kenn's healed enough.
Thanks for all your work, man. Come on. I'll write
you a check."

Kenn shook his head, "But..."
"Do you want to be on this team or not?"
"Yes, but..."
Dad stared him down. "Then trust us. You want

to hook up, do it on your own time, kiddo. This
isn't a time for love affairs."

He was going to scream.
"Whoa, whoa, hold the phone." Dusty looked

about as unhappy as he felt. "You think Kenn's
ready to be going a hundred percent with that
shoulder? He's not, and it's got nothing to do with
anyone hooking up. You push that shoulder too far
before he's ready and you could cripple him."

"We have his back. Come on, Dusty. No

boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, lovers, fuck
buddies, whatever at practice."

"What the fuck are you two doing?" He stared

at his dad. "Pop? I've been giving a hundred and
ten percent. You know that."

Dad shook his head. "You have to do more,

that's what it takes to be the best. Dave's counting
on you, kiddo. You can't afford distractions right
now."

"Come on, man. This is your son." Dusty

growled the words. "He's the only one who can
know how his shoulder is feeling and if you're not
willing to give him a break with it now and then,
you most certainly do not have his back!"

"You're not an unbiased party, man. If you two

are serious, then don't fuck this up. We'll get to
know you after London."

"Stop it." Kenn waved his hand. "Don't I get a

say in this?"

Steph shook her head. "No. I hire your staff. If

you want to team with Dave, you don't."

Dusty got into her face again. "This is insane.

Steph, come on. Look at this objectively. They
played a scrimmage and won, easily. They're right
on target. Babying that shoulder now means it's in

top shape when it counts. Risk further damage now
and he won't be able to play come the Worlds or
the Olympics. You seem to think I'm not being
objective, but I think you're the one with blinders
on."

"We'll talk about it. Come on. Now." Steph

pulled Dusty away, talking hard, and Kenn
watched them leave, feeling sick.

"Don't pout, kiddo. If it's real, he'll wait."
"Don't romance novel me, Dad."
His ass was smacked hard. "Fine. Get your butt

out there and work, boy. This is your shot and we
both know it. That shoulder won't be up to this in
four years. Grab your gold ring and then you have
your whole life for everything else."

Dusty tromped over. "I've been fired, and

Steph won't let me stay and watch. I'll be at the car
to give you a lift home when you're done. Speak up
for yourself, Kenn. Anything higher than a five and
you need a break and an anti-inflammatory, okay?
The pills and your snacks are in the bag by the
bench."

"He'll be coming home with me."

Kenn shook his head. "Dad, stop it. Unless

Dave's going home to his folks, I'm going home
with Dusty tonight."

"You don't even know me, Mr. Majors. I'd

appreciate it if you didn't assume that Kenn getting
to the Olympics isn't on the top of my agenda as
much as it is yours."

Kenn could see Dusty's tenseness.
"It's not a good idea sleeping with your trainer.

He needs to focus."

Like he wasn't right here. Like he didn't give

his all.

Kenn met Dave's eyes across the sand and the

man lifted the ball, making the "come play and let
the brass fight" motion.

"He focuses plenty! Do you even know how

your son spends his days? How much time and
effort he puts into the training? Into keeping fit and
getting better? He's a star. I know that and I'm not
doing a single thing to jeopardize it. Just the
opposite!"

"Don't you yell at me, you son of a bitch!"
Kenn couldn't cope. He just couldn't. He

wanted only to play volleyball and make people
proud. He was so fucking tired.

Dave grinned as he headed over. "Ever wish

we could just play?"

"All the time."
"Me, too." Dave served him the ball. "Kim and

Mark are around the corner, waiting. We'll call it a
scrimmage. Let's go."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." He popped up the ball. "I

want to work on my digs."

Chapter 9

Dusty ran on the beach, back and forth along a

couple hundred yard stretch near the parking lot.
He was so pissed off it wasn't even funny. Steph
had fucking fired him. Claimed he was distracting
Kenn, claimed him sleeping with Kenn meant he
was no longer objective and he was being soft on
the kid.

Jesus Christ, like she wasn't gold medal blind

and pushing too hard.

The fact that he was sleeping with Kenn was

irrelevant. He'd have been pushing for the breaks,
for taking a little care with the shoulder, even if
he'd hated Kenn's guts. It was his job to look out
for his clients. That's what he'd done.

He hoped to hell Kenn would let Steph know

when the pain got too bad and he needed a break.
The shoulder was improving by leaps and bounds,
but this "playing while hurt" crap only made sense
during the Worlds or Olympics, not for practice.

He kept running until he couldn't anymore, and

then he started pacing. When he was too tired for
even that, he went up to Kenn's car and sat on the
hood, glaring out at the ocean as he waited for
Kenn to be finished for the day.

He could see Kenn now, finally, coming

toward his car, the streetlights outlining the lean
body. "Dusty? Man? That you?"

"Yeah, babe. Right here." He climbed off the

car and headed to meet Kenn, who kept his
distance.

"You mad at me?"
"Shit, no." He wrapped his arms around Kenn

and took a hello kiss to prove it.

Kenn pressed close. "I'm so sorry, man. I

swear to you, I didn't have anything to do with that
shit."

"I know. I could see how blindsided you

were." They'd sprung it on Kenn, just like they had
on him. "I'm pissed, don't get me wrong, but not at
you." He turned them toward the car. "Steph I get,
she's just so focused on the win at the Olympics
right now that it makes her a bit reckless. But I

would have thought your father would be more
concerned about your health."

"He is. He just..." Kenn shrugged. "He was

there after the surgery. They say this is it, huh?"

"What, that this is your only shot?" He opened

the 'Vette door.

"Yeah. That the shoulder won't hold for four

more years, not competitively."

"It's not going to last the four months you have

left 'til Worlds if Steph pushes it too hard." He
went around to the other side and climbed into the
car. "Did you insist on breaks when you needed
them?"

"Uh-huh. I have to be at the gym for weight

training with the new guy at six A.M."

Dusty closed his eyes and counted to ten. The

early wasn't going to be a problem. Weight training
and that shoulder could be. "Does she honestly
think you aren't doing everything you can to be in
top shape?"

"I think she's scared. Dave's got a pregnant

wife; I got hurt. Kim and Marc are hot, and
Valdiron and Reynaldo beat us three out of five

before all of it." Sometimes his boy showed
amazing insight. "This isn't about me. It's about
London."

"Well, she's not going to help herself by

pushing you too hard." He started the car and
headed them home. "You hungry?" He hadn't
packed that many snacks and it was getting late.

"Not really. I want a shower first."
"We'll be home in a minute. How's the

shoulder now?"

"Okay. I had a couple of good digs this

afternoon."

"Awesome. I missed watching you." He turned

the corner onto the road home.

"Yeah. I'm sorry."
"Not your fault, babe." They pulled into the

driveway. "You need a massage or a good fuck in
the shower? Or you just want to do your business,
and I'll get supper going?"

"I need... Just come take a shower with me?"

Kenn was on edge, Dusty could hear it.

"No problem." He squeezed Kenn's hand. "I've

got your back."

"Thanks." Kenn headed in and straight for the

master bath, head hanging a bit.

Dusty waited until they got into the shower and

then he wrapped around Kenn from behind,
holding on as the water splashed over them both.

"Hey." His boy leaned back against him.
"Hey." He pressed a kiss to Kenn's neck. "It's

all going to work out."

"Hope so."
He rocked them slowly, pressed another kiss to

the warm, wet skin. "It will. You're a fantastic
player and that's what will out in the end." As long
as Steph didn't push that shoulder back too far.

"Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course." Always.
"Now that... I mean, should I go now that it's

not a job?"

"No. What's between us was never a job. Not

for me." It occurred to him that maybe Kenn wasn't
feeling the same thing between them. "If you don't
want to stay, that's a different story, but I want you
to."

"I want to. I told my folks that... Well, I know

you haven't asked, but... Shit, I want..."

"I haven't asked you to move in? Then let me

rectify that. Would you officially move in with me,
Kenn?"

Kenn turned around, searched his eyes, then he

got a blinding grin. "Hell, yes."

He laughed and grabbed Kenn close, taking a

wet kiss. Kenny's arms wrapped around him, lips
parting, tongue fucking his lips. Fuck, this was
good. This was worth any amount of aggravation.
Hell, maybe this freed them. There were things he
wanted to do with Kenn that didn't have anything to
do with physical therapy.

He let his hand trail down to grab at Kenn's

ass, and Kenny stepped closer, hummed into his
lips. He could feel the heat of the man's prick
against him as it filled.

"I was so mad for you today." Kenn moaned

the words against his lips.

"Yeah? I was pretty pissed off on your behalf,

too. I still am, actually. Someone needs to be
looking out for you."

"I'll be okay."

"You better be." He squeezed one ass cheek to

emphasize his point. Kenny's glute tightened, and
they rocked together. "God, I want you. Want to
touch and kiss and fuck."

"I have no plans tonight, Dusty."
"You do now."
He almost got a smile. "Do I?"
"You bet. We might have to have a few cheese

sandwiches first, though." He winked.

Kenny's laughter filled the air. "You got it."
"I also have a vegetarian lasagna in the freezer

we could heat up." He was determined to expand
Kenny's horizons. And not just on the food front.

"Grilled cheese is fine."
"For tonight, sure. We'll have the lasagna

tomorrow then."

He grabbed the soap and made quick work of

actually cleaning Kenn. Kenny washed him, too,
rubbing against him. It was great, once they were
both soapy, to slip and slide on each other's skin. It
made it easier to let everything go, just for a while.

He found Kenny's mouth again, taking it, loving

on his boy. His fingers slipped down to Kenny's

crack as Kenny's fingers wrapped around his cock.

"Sexy. Hot. Want you." His soap-slicked finger

slipped into Kenn's hole.

Kenn moaned, wiggled, teasing him. "Are you

sure?"

Laughing, he tugged his finger out. "Nope, not

sure at all." Then he slapped Kenn's ass.

Kenny stilled, looked at him. "What was that

for?"

"Because I felt like it. Because you were being

cheeky so I smacked your cheek."

"Dork." Oh, someone was off-center. They

would have to explore that.

"You just want me to put my finger back in

your ass."

Kenn laughed. "I could put mine in yours

instead."

"You could. But then you'd miss out on the

stretch, the size..." Kenny loved that, the bigger the
better.

Kenny's lips opened. "Uh-huh."
He licked his way around them, and then

pressed his tongue into Kenny's mouth. Humming,

he pushed his finger back into Kenny's ass,
wiggling it around as Kenny moaned and rocked
back toward his touch.

"Want another?" he asked, teasing the little

hole with a second finger.

"Uh-huh."
"Good boy." He pushed the second finger in

with the first, moaning as Kenny propped one foot
up on the edge of the tub.

"Almost perfect." He took Kenny's hand and

brought it to their pricks.

"Almost." Kenny jacked them, fast and hard.
"Yeah, there we go." He pushed his fingers in

hard, deep.

"Oh. Oh, fuck. Dusty."
"Uh-huh. Yes." He was babbling a bit, his

fingers fucking the sweet hole, pushing in hard to
hit Kenny's gland.

"Oh, God. Oh, God. More. More, please."

Kenny worked the tip of his cock, thumb pushing
into the slit.

"Fuck." He jerked and shoved another finger

into Kenny's ass. Kenny arched, then spun, offering

him his ass, so he slapped it. Twice.

"I..." Kenny's ass rolled. Hell, yes.
"We need a condom." He slapped again.
"You're...stop that."
He didn't think Kenny wanted him to stop.

"Really? Stop?" He reached around to grab
Kenny's cock, stroking it as he smacked the lovely
ass again.

"Y...yes. Oh, please. I want your cock."
"You can have it." He kept jacking, kept

smacking. "After you come."

"Fuck. Fuck. You...I want it." Beautiful boy.
"I know. Come on. Show me how much." He

tugged harder, smacked harder.

Kenny arched, spunk splashing on the tile,

spraying before him.

"Fuck, yes." He put his head on Kenny's spine,

breathing with him.

"I..." Kenny moaned, shivered.
He slowly jacked Kenny's cock, kept it hard.

"Come on. Bed. Lube. Condom." He kissed
Kenny's spine.

"Uh-huh." Kenny responded so well, so easily.

He leaned over the man to turn off the shower

and then dragged Kenny out and tossed a towel
over him.

"Thanks." Kenn dried off, all loose-limbed and

lazy. All except for the hungry cock that was
reaching up for Kenn's belly.

Soon as they were dry, he grabbed Kenny's

hand and tugged him out into the bedroom, moving
to the bed. He pushed Kenny down onto the bed,
careful of his shoulder, and grabbed a cock ring.
He loved how the dark leather looked against
Kenny's skin as he ran it over Kenn's belly and
down the side of one hip.

"Hmm?" Kenn arched up, cock bobbing.
"I didn't say anything, though I was admiring

your sexy bod." He slipped the leather down to
Kenn's balls, ran it back and forth over them.
Kenny's legs spread, easy as warm butter.

"Can't wait to be buried inside you." He

looped the leather around Kenn's balls. He needed
to make his boy shave his pubes. No, he needed to
do it for Kenny.

"What're you doing? I want you."

"Cock ring. You've already come once. That'll

be it until I'm good and ready to let you come
again." He made sure Kenn's balls were nice and
snug and then snaked the rest of the leather around
the base of Kenn's prick.

"That's obscene." It was stunning.
"Imagine if we'd shaved you in the shower."

He ran his hands over Kenn's cock and balls, the
heat just incredible.

"What? I'm not a swimmer. It feels good

though, when you do."

He grinned. "So you've done it before?"
"Once or twice."
"I want to see you bare there. I want you to

think of me whenever you feel it."

"You want... I didn't show anybody, man."
"And you won't show anyone this time either.

Except me." He could imagine doing it, watching
Kenn's cock twitch and jerk as he shaved around it.
He kept touching that hot flesh.

"I won't?"
No. No, Kenny wouldn't. This was his. "You

won't. Nobody else gets to see you like this. Gets

to see this." He squeezed Kenn's cock on the last
words.

Kenn groaned, nodded, and his knees bent.

"Yes."

"Good." Bending, he placed a kiss on the tip of

Kenn's prick.

"Oh, fuck. Fuck. Your cock..."
"This?" He went up on his knees and stroked

his prick a few times. "Be patient, it's coming." But
first, Kenny needed a little decompressing.

"Patient..." Kenn's eyes were on his prick. His

size queen was focused. Kenn was going to have to
wait.

"Uh-huh." He reached up and tweaked Kenn's

right nipple. Hard.

"Fuck!"
He thought Kenny liked that. He slid his hand

very deliberately over to Kenny's other nipple and
twisted it just as hard.

Kenn grabbed his wrists, held on. "That

stings."

"That's the point, babe." He spread his arms

out, bringing Kenn's hands with him and bent in,

tongue flicking one hard little tit.

Kenny's arms were tired; he could tell because

the struggle was weak, almost gentle. He turned his
hands, taking Kenny's in his. The one attached to
the hurt shoulder, he put on Kenny's belly, the other
he pressed up over Kenny's head and pushed it
against the mattress.

"Dusty..." Kenny's words were a moan.
He licked one nipple. "Yeah, babe?"
"This is a little odd."
He let one eyebrow go up. "Foreplay is odd?"
"No!" Kenn chuckled, relaxed back. "The

tingling butt, the cock ring. Odd."

"Different but good. It's making you hot."

Kenny's leaking prick was more than proof of that.

"Yeah. Sometimes odd is good." Kenny

winked at him, then one leg slid along his.

"I want to do all sorts of things to you, Kenny.

Lots of kinky things you're going to tell me are
odd."

But things that Kenny was going to love.
"Kinky? You and me?"
The man had no idea. It was adorable, actually.

Dusty leaned in and wrapped his lips around

one sensitive nip, sucking hard. Kenny's toes
curled, a low groan filled the air. He put his palm
on Kenny's inner thigh and pushed, spreading
Kenny's legs wider apart.

He let his teeth scrape across one nipple, let

Kenny feel the burn, as he kept teasing, moving
between sucking and biting, licking and scraping.
His hand shifted, moved to palm Kenny's tightly
bound balls. When his boy leaned into it, let
himself feel the ache, Dusty almost lost it.

"Fuck me raw."
He bit down hard on Kenny's nipple, his hand

squeezing a little.

"Please!" Kenny's heels drummed furiously on

the mattress. "Oh, God. Oh, God, yes."

Nipple and ball play. Dusty was a lucky, lucky

man.

Groaning, he moved to the other nipple and

tightened his grip on Kenny's balls as Kenny
twisted, sobbing softly, that pretty cock leaking.
He could buy a special ring for Kenny's balls,
attach weights to them. God, Kenny was like the

best kind of playground.

He rolled the pretty sac, tugged it as he bit

again. Those sweet nipples were going to be
sensitive tomorrow.

He slipped his fingers down to rub at Kenny's

hole, teasing it, and Kenny pushed down. Good
Lord. So fucking eager and needy. Where had
Kenny been all his life and how come the man
hadn't already been snapped up by someone?

Growling, he pushed one of his fingers into

Kenny's body.

"Dusty..." That tight hole grabbed his finger,

almost pulled it in.

"Patience." He pushed his finger deep, then

tugged it back out again.

He needed to get a sling in the spare room,

bind Kenn's arms, and play with that needy hole
for hours. Fingers, tongue, cock, dildos, plugs,
whatever the hell they could find...

Groaning, he pushed two fingers in, spread

them while he gnawed on Kenny's right nipple.
Every bite earned him another moan. He worked a
third finger into Kenny's ass, groaning himself at

the heat, the way Kenny squeezed him.

"Want you. Bad."
Dusty knew. "You'll have me. I fucking swear."

He pushed his fingers in deep, and when they
brushed Kenny's gland, he heard it--the low moan,
the need. He kept his fingers there, bouncing
against that spot. He could watch Kenny like this
for hours--crying out, bucking, rolling on his
fingers. "Still want more, babe?"

Kenn's mouth just opened and closed, eyes

rolling in pleasure. He took that as a yes and
pulled his fingers out. Kenny found his voice to
protest as soon as his fingers pulled free.

Dusty chuckled. "I can't get my cock in if my

fingers are in there."

"Please. Please, I need to feel you."
He grabbed a condom and smoothed it down

over his prick. "P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E."

"Son of a bitch!" Kenny reached for him.
He grabbed Kenny's good hand and twined

their fingers together. "You gonna wait for my
prick?"

"Yes. Yes. Anything. Just fill me up."

"Pushy, needy boy." He leaned in to whisper in

Kenny's ear. "I love it."

He felt Kenny's moan in his balls, on the tip of

his cock as he rubbed along Kenny's crack. It
fucking fascinated him, how Kenny's body
tightened, how Kenny's focus sharpened when he
pushed against his little hole but didn't breach it.

They played that game for a while--Kenny

pushing toward him, Dusty backing off. Over and
over, until he couldn't hold back for a moment
longer and pushed in.

"Yes!" The single word was rejoicing.
Laughing, he pulled all the way out, panting

hard with the effort of not plunging back in again
right away.

Kenny groaned. "What's wrong?"
"Not a thing. I'm making it last." And making

Kenny a little bit crazy. He brought their mouths
together and kissed Kenny slowly as he pushed his
cock into the tight sheath of his boy's body. His
cock scraped through every inch, pushed deep into
his ass.

"Oh, fuck, yes." God. Kenny was... God. "So

tight. So good. Fuck, Kenny, could do this
forever." He so could.

He began to thrust, pulling his prick out and

sliding back in again, all the way in as Kenny
grabbed his shoulder and held on tight. He nodded
and kept moving. He would make Kenny fly, make
his eager boy scream for him.

Dusty swore the world was on fire, lit up and

wild. Kenny's muscles rippled around him,
fluttering wildly against his cock. He'd never felt
anyone so tight, so right. He kept moving, kept
punching into Kenny's body, driving his lover
higher and higher.

Kenny's cock leaked, and his package was

heavy and dark where it rested against the flat, cut
belly. It was stunning, all trussed up for him. When
they had the time, he would shave Kenny and then
do this and it would be even better.

Tonight though, he was going to make Kenny

mindless with pleasure, would make Kenny twist
and beg, and then eat and rest and forget about the
day they'd had. He shifted his angle, searching for
Kenny's gland.

When he found it, a sharp, desperate sound

escaped Kenny's lips. Fuck, yeah. He stayed right
there, hitting it with every fucking thrust.

Those pretty green eyes were just chips as

Kenny tried to focus on him. "P..." The open lips
formed an o and the word trailed off. Yes.
Speechless. Fucking yes. He pushed harder, his
hand finding Kenny's cock, fingers playing with the
leaking tip.

Every touch made that incredible ass squeeze

tighter. Fuck.

"Could do this all night long."
The only answer he got as an arch, a low

moan.

He bent and took one of Kenny's nipples into

his mouth, adding the hard suction to the
sensations, and spunk sprayed out of his boy's
bound cock, come painting his belly. Kenny's ass
squeezed all around him, and he thrust a few more
times before finding his own release and filling the
condom.

His sweet boy slumped to the sheets, breathing

hard, covered in sweat. Bending, he licked at

Kenny's neck, making a happy noise at the flavor.
Then he pulled out carefully and dumped the
condom before working off the leather from around
Kenny's genitals.

"So good." Kenny patted him.
"Yeah." He kissed one slightly swollen nipple.

"It was."

He flopped onto his back next to Kenny,

touched that nipple again. "Want to get these
pierced."

"Maybe." The nipple responded to him, so

well.

"You'll be the bad boy of the circuit." It would

be sexy as hell.

"That's me. The rebel." Kenny chuckled,

cuddled close. "Naptime."

"Yeah. Then we'll get some food in you and

tuck you away for the night." Morning started early
and he would not have Steph claiming that living
with him was making Kenny late for practice.

"Yeah." Boom. Like that his boy was asleep.
Chuckling, he pulled the blanket up over them

both.

He was still pretty pissed off at Steph and

Kenny's dad, but at least he and Kenn still had each
other.

Chapter 10

"Kenn?"
He sighed, wiped the sweat from his face.

"Yeah, Barb?"

"Are you okay?"
No. No, he didn't think he was. He was tired

all the time and he hurt. A lot. The new guy was
like this weird-assed Marine guy who screamed a
lot, got in his face, and called him names like
"Pussy Boy" and "Worm." It was getting old. Like
really, really old.

"I'm fine."
"You don't sound fine. You and your new guy

okay?"

"We're good. I mean, I miss him during the day

and shit, but... You know. I'm working out."

"I'm glad. I was worried that..." Her voice

trailed off and Kenn frowned.

"Worried what?"
"Oh, nothing, just that you two would break up,

after he got fired and all."

"Yeah." He'd been thinking about that a lot,

about how Dusty'd stood up for him, fought for him
and he'd just...followed orders. He was pretty sure
that he'd fucked that part up. Bad.

"You sure you..."
"Come on, asswipe. Your rest time is up. Quit

talking with your little friends and be a man."
Frank was loading plates on the bar, huge muscles
working.

Kenn was pretty sure he couldn't lift that. Pretty

sure as in really fucking sure.

"I'm fine, Barb. I gotta go."
"You...you're doing what you want, right?

You're in control here. It's your life. Remember
that."

"Uh-huh." He hung up and stood. In control.
He wished.

Chapter 11

Dusty held his tongue for over two weeks. He

loved on Kenn as hard as he could, he fed the man,
and he babied that shoulder any time they were
together. Kenn was starting to come back from
practices looking a little gray around the edges,
though, and he'd caught winces that Kenn was
trying to hide from him.

It was time to talk to Steph.
Dusty made his way down the beach about

fifteen minutes before he usually picked Kenny up,
intent on seeing her.

Steph was watching the boys play another

scrimmage, taking notes. "Kenn, you're slacking,
kid. Pick up your feet!"

Kenn looked like he was soaked in sweat;

Dusty didn't know how that could be called
slacking. He'd bet his right nut the man was hurting
badly, too. He bit back his growl, though. He
wouldn't get very far with Steph if he came in with

both barrels blazing.

Steph nodded to him as he sat. "He'll be done

in fifteen or so."

"Cool. You're the one I came to see today." He

winced as Kenn dived, landing hard on the
shoulder.

"What's up? You need a referral?"
"No, I'm good. I wanted to know how things

were going with Kenn." He wanted to know if she
actually gave a fuck if Kenn could actually still
play come the Worlds, let alone the Olympics.

"He's wearing down. He's tired. I'm giving him

the weekend off." She sighed. "Watch his left,
Dave! Pay attention!"

"Yeah, the Energizer Bunny is tired. What does

that tell you about his training?" She needed to put
two and two together. He hadn't been fucking
slacking or going easy on Kenn--he'd been playing
it smart.

"The arm's getting stronger, and he's down to

three percent body fat. Is he sleeping at night?"

"Like a fucking log." He fought with all his

might to keep the growl out of his voice. "Some

days he doesn't even make it to dinner before he
passes out."

"Yeah. He needs the weekend off."
Dusty drew in a deep, deep breath. "You been

keeping tabs on the shoulder?"

"Yeah. He's favoring it more. I hate how it's

stiff."

"You think maybe the new guy is overworking

it?"

"He's not your client anymore."
"That doesn't mean I don't want him to be at his

peak when the Worlds come around. I want to see
him and Dave go all the way, Steph, and I'm
worried that shoulder's going to get re-injured and
then they'll be screwed." He was trying really hard
here to keep from screaming at her.

"Yeah..."
"The kid will be fine. Quit babying him."

Frank, Kenn's new trainer, stood there, the military
looking man scowling down.

He stood and faced Frank--he was taller than

the man by a couple of inches. "I'm not babying
him. This isn't a matter of soldier on no matter

what--athletes save that for competitions. If he's
hurting, he needs to stop and rest the shoulder."

"He needs to push through and make it

healthy."

Dusty shook his head, frustrated beyond belief.

He knew if he stood there and argued the point
with Frank, Steph would kick him off the sand.
With Frank telling her what she wanted to hear,
she was hardly going to side with the guy she'd
already fired.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," he finally

growled, before turning his attention back to the
play.

Kenny dug again, landing hard. He got the shot,

but ended up crawling to the edge of the sand,
heaving.

That was it. Dusty trotted over to him and

crouched next to him, hand on Kenny's back.
"Jesus, babe, that looked harsh."

Kenn was ghost-white. "Hey."
"Steph, toss me a bottle of water." He kept

rubbing Kenn's back. "Just take it easy, you're done
for the day."

"Kenn, dude. You cool?"
Kenn nodded, but Dave frowned. "Dude,

Steph! This shit ain't right. We're going home;
we'll get back to it Monday."

"Someone get him some fucking water,"

growled Dusty. He was going to rip Steph a new
one if she couldn't find him some water for his
boy.

A bottle of water was pushed into his hand,

Steph right there. "Kenn? Look at me."

Kenn's eyes rolled back in his head and she

frowned. "Focus on me. Kenn. Do you need an
ambulance, man?"

"Leave me 'lone."
Jesus fuck. Dusty waved his hand in front of

Kenn's face and shook his head. Not good. "Call
the fucking ambulance, Steph."

"No. Leave me 'lone."
Steph nodded, called 911, and started talking

quickly.

Dusty sat behind Kenn and tugged him in,

holding on, supporting him. "Just relax, Kenny. The
ambulance is on its way."

"I want to go home."
Dave leaned in. "Is he okay?"
"My guess is he's hurting a hell of a lot and is

dehydrated. He's going to be just fine." Because
Dusty refused to believe anything else. If they'd
bothered to fucking listen to him...

Steph came back over. "They're on their way."
Kenn tried to sit up. "No. No, I just want to

play..."

Dusty held on tight and spoke into Kenn's ear.

"Babe. The day is over. Time to quit until
tomorrow." Or possibly for longer, goddamn it. If
they'd gone slow and steady...

"Oh..." Kenn relaxed against him. "'Kay. Take

me... Oh, God. Oatmeal. Oatmeal." Kenn started to
gag again.

"Jesus." He wanted to rail at Steph and Frank,

but that wasn't going to help Kenny any and his boy
had fucking safeworded. Here. He helped Kenn
turn his head so he could puke on the sand.

"More water? What do we do? Shit!"
Steph growled. "Stop freaking out, Dave. Go

home." She knelt down, grabbed Kenn's arm. "I'm

going to start a saline IV, get him hydrated. I need
to you be still, Kenn, okay?"

Dusty nodded. "I've got him." Then he turned

his attention back to Kenn, blocking everyone else
out. "Steph's gonna help you out, babe. Just lean
against me here and stay still. You'll feel better
soon."

Kenn frowned, then frowned deeper when

Steph said, "Here goes."

"Just stay still. It's only a little prick." He put

his mouth against Kenn's ear and whispered.
"Unlike mine."

It made him feel good when Kenn responded,

actually smiled for him.

Steph backed away a bit, the saline bag in her

hand. "You're going to feel better in just a few."

"You hear that? You'll be rehydrated in no time

and I bet that makes everything feel a little more
doable." Less overwhelming. Dusty figured that
shoulder had to be at about a fifteen, what with the
color of Kenny's skin.

"Yeah. Yeah. Let's go home."
Dusty could hear the sirens now. "Hospital

first, Kenn. We've got to get that shoulder checked
out."

"I want to go home..." Kenn's color was

coming back already.

He could see the EMTs coming down the sand.

"Just let these guys check you out, babe. I will
make sure you get home just as soon as possible."
He was here to fight hard for Kenny and this time
he wasn't backing off; Steph couldn't fire him from
being Kenny's friend and lover.

The EMTs got to work, leaving him and Steph

and Frank staring. He didn't even bother sparing a
glance at them. He could glower and glare later.
All his focus was on his boy.

"What do you say, guys?" Steph was pacing.
"He's severely dehydrated, and we need to X-

ray the shoulder." They started moving Kenn onto a
stretcher, holding the IV bag. "You did the right
thing, putting on the drip. He's dehydrated. That
shoulder needs looking at, though."

No kidding. Dusty tried not to snort.
"I'll go with him." Steph headed for the

ambulance with them. "Dusty? You'll meet us

there?"

"No, I don't think so. You can drive and meet

us there."

She looked at him. "Pardon me?"
"I'm going with him. I'm not arguing about it

with you, either." He pushed past her and went to
Kenny's side. Kenny's eyes were closed, but the
man's color was better already. Dusty went into the
ambulance with Kenny, not looking back to see
what Steph was doing. Frankly, he didn't care. He
nodded to the paramedic and pointed at Kenny.
"I'm with him."

The EMT's mouth opened and his hand came

up, but before he could say anything, Kenny called
out weakly, "Dusty? Dusty? I need you, man."

"That's me."
The EMT's hand dropped again and he shut the

doors as Dusty settled next to the stretcher.

"Dusty?" Kenny smiled at him. "Call my mom

and tell her I'm okay?"

"Yeah, I can do that. You're feeling better,

yeah?"

"Uh-huh. Just got a little dizzy."

The EMT nodded. "Your blood pressure is a

little low. I need you to just breathe."

"Got that, Kenny? Just breathe. You don't have

to do anything else right now."

"Yeah. Got it."
The EMT grinned at him. "An X-ray, another

bag of fluids--he'll be home in a few hours."

Dusty managed to smile back. "Good." He

nodded again. "Good."

He was going to kill Frank, and then Steph.

Then he was going to take Kenny home and love on
him until he had to stop.

Chapter 12

"How's the shoulder?"
Dr. Lynch sighed, stared at him. "You know,

you're trying to undo a lot of exceptional work on
my part."

Kenn sighed, glad as hell neither Dusty, Steph,

nor his dad was in here. "Am I?"

"You are. Overtraining would be my guess."
"The Olympics..." he started.
"Are in months." That was Mom. "And your

whole life is after that. Son, you're a champion.
You'll be a champion if you take care of the
shoulder."

"And if you don't take care of that shoulder

now, it's not going to make it to the Olympics."

"When can he get back to training?" And there

was Dad. Damn it.

"Well, right away, but he has to take it easy.

You're pushing too hard, Kenn." The doctor put a
hand around his shoulder. "If you're feeling pain,

you need to ease up, take a break."

He nodded, stomach sinking. There was no

way anyone was going to let him do that. That
thinking had already gotten Dusty fired.

"Funny, that's what I've been saying for

weeks." Speak of the devil.

Kenn looked over, offered Dusty a worried

smile. "Hey."

"Hey." Right there in front of his parents and

the doctor, Dusty came up to him and slid his
fingers into Kenn's. "How are you feeling?"

"I want to go home." He held onto Dusty's

hand, hard.

Dusty squeezed his hand and nodded. "Doc?

When can I spring him?"

"I'm going to check him out once I speak to

Stephanie. I want her to understand my orders."

Dusty nodded. "Good. Where is she? Kenn

wants to get out of here and I don't blame him. And
you should probably stay for the lecture, too, Mr.
Majors, so you get it."

"I'll go get her, boys. No fighting." Mom

looked stern as fuck.

Dusty was quick to answer. "Yes, ma'am."
His father looked less than thrilled.
"I'm sorry, Dad."
"For what? Surfing? We're past that." Dad

shrugged, rolled his eyes. "We just want you to be
your best."

"He was at his best until you and that trainer

from hell started pushing too hard." Dusty glared at
his father.

"Where is Frank?" Kenn asked. The man had

sort of...disappeared?

Dusty's hand tightened around his.
Dad shrugged. "I haven't seen him. Your mom

and I just hurried over."

"Hopefully Steph fired his ass." Dusty

squeezed his hand tight again, looking deadly
serious.

The doctor came back with Mom and Steph in

tow. "Okay, Kenn, you're good with everyone
hearing this?"

He nodded. Sure. This was his family, his

coach, his lover.

Dusty gave him a proud smile. "Go for it, doc."

"He's not got enough body fat on him to not

snack and drink almost constantly. Steph, you
know that, but with the shoulder pain, you have to
be more attentive. Give the shoulder a good, hard
rest for a week, then start training again.
Tenderness is fine. Stiffness is to be expected. If
you're still having pain, let's start cortisone shots.
Pushing isn't going to help anything."

Kenn swore he could hear Dusty's teeth

grinding with the effort not to say anything.

Steph sighed. "Are the cortisone shots going to

help?"

"I'd rather not have to start them, honestly."
"Save them," Dusty said. "If he needs them to

keep playing hard at the Olympics, you can use
them. But until then, listen to him. If he's hurting,
take a fucking break. His game is good, it's not
going to take him out of the running to take more
breaks in a day."

"I want Dusty back." The words surprised him,

stunned him, really, but they were the truth.

"Now, son." His father had his stern face on,

the one that said that Kenn needed to toe the line.

"No." He sat up, Barb's voice in his head. This

was his life. His. "I know what I want. I want
Dusty back." The sponsors were his and Dave's.
They hired Steph. He was a fucking grown up; it
was time to act like it.

His father's lips pursed and Dusty cleared his

throat. "He didn't get injured under my watch."

"Even if I did, I'm a fucking adult. I know when

to say no. I'm hiring Dusty back, Steph." God, this
was hard.

"I'm not happy about it, kiddo, but if you're set

on this."

"I am. It's right." He wasn't sure, but he thought

his mom was beaming.

Dusty definitely was, looking so proud and

maybe...something else, something good.

Steph sighed. "Go home, you have a week.

Call me Wednesday and we'll all talk."

Dad opened his mouth and started to bluster,

but Mom reached out, touched his arm. "Boys, I
expect you for dinner on Sunday, together. Do you
understand?"

Dusty answered for him. "Yes, ma'am, we do.

We'll be there. What should we bring?"

"Dessert, please. I'm making spaghetti. Let's let

Kenn get some clothes on and get the needle out of
his arm." She basically herded Dad and Steph out,
then kissed his cheek. "You stand your ground, son.
I love you."

"Love you, Mom." Wow.
Dusty leaned over as she went to say

something to the doctor. "Your mom is kind of
great," he whispered into Kenn's ear.

"Yeah. Yeah, she is." She was his biggest fan.
When everyone left, he slumped back in the

bed and let his eyes close a second.

A moment later Dusty kissed him softly.

"Alone at last."

"Hey. Sorry about all this."
"Me, too. I should have been more insistent. I

knew they were pushing your shoulder too hard."
Dusty's hands slid over him, like they were
checking him out for more damage.

"No, I'm sorry I didn't stand up for you before.

I should have."

Dusty gave him another kiss. "You just want to

get to the Olympics, I get that. Steph and your
father had you convinced I wasn't going to get you
there."

"No." He shook his head. "That wasn't it at all.

I just didn't know what to do. How to get what I
needed."

"You think you got it figured out now?"
"I do." He wanted to go home.
"Good. I know what I want, too. And you're it,

kid."

Like it was on cue a nurse came in. "I hear

someone's ready to go home."

"Yes, please. Now. I'm starving."
"Oh, I could have some Jell-O sent up for you."
"No." He shook his head. "Let me go home.

Dusty will get me what I need."

Something hot lit in Dusty's eyes. "You know I

will."

Chapter 13

Dusty got Kenn home, fed and medicated, and

back in bed. Then he turned off all but his cell
phone and crawled in with his lover. They both
slept like the dead until the sun crept back up into
the sky.

He knew Kenn really was wiped when he

woke up before his Energizer Bunny did.

He'd been so fucking proud of Kenny

yesterday, fighting for him, for them. Standing up to
Steph. It was so good, seeing Kenny taking control
of his life. And that was what was going to get
Kenny to the Olympics.

He slid his hand along Kenny's chest, admiring

the lean lines, and Kenny smiled, still asleep, and
pushed into his touch. Fuck, he loved that, the trust,
the need. Kenny. Kenny pressed closer, one hand
on his thigh.

"You smell good." Kenny turned toward him.
"Yeah?" He chuckled and wrapped his hand

around Kenny's hip, tugged him closer. "I
showered after you crashed last night."

"Mmm." Kenny's cock rested on him, quiet,

warm. He brought their lips together, tongue
sliding between Kenny's.

He loved knowing that his boy was his again,

to train, to care for. To work with. He was going
to get Kenny to the Olympics and he was going to
do it safely. He cupped Kenny's cheek, tilted his
lover's head and deepened the kiss. His boy
opened right up, hummed softly when he dragged
his fingers up along Kenny's spine.

"I'm piercing these." He pinched Kenny's right

nipple, then the left.

"Wh...what?" He felt Kenny's cock jerk.
"We've talked about it before, but now it's

more than just talk. I'm doing it."

Those big blue eyes met his, wide, shocked, so

fucking aroused. "S...says who?"

"Says me, boy." He grabbed hold of Kenny's

now fully hard prick.

"Oh, God." Kenny shivered, nipples rock hard.
"It'll take a bit for them to heal, but once they

have... I'll be able to twist and tug and you'll feel it
all in your cock."

"Dusty..." His name was a moan, whispered

against his jaw.

"Right here, babe. Right fucking here."
Kenn nodded, cuddled, cock like a brand as his

lover rocked, hips moving restlessly.

"Needy boy." He loved it.
"How could I not need you?"
"I do like the way you think." He bit at Kenny's

lower lip, tugging on it.

"Careful..."
He bit harder in response, and Kenn's leg

wrapped around his hip. That was his boy--eager
and wanton. He grabbed hold of Kenn's ass and
squeezed it.

"We have a whole week." Kenny looked

fucking blissful.

"That's right. Seven whole days for me to turn

you inside out and back again."

"Seven whole days for you to try." Oh,

someone was in a fine mood.

He laughed and rolled them, careful of Kenny's

shoulder. "Brat."

"Am not." Kenny bit his chin.
"Are too." He grinned and bit Kenny's lower

lip again, adding in a twist of one nipple. "But
that's okay. I like it."

"Mmm. Good." Kenny offered him a grin.
"Very." He kissed Kenny on the lips again, then

each nipple. "I have something for you." It was
time to break out the nipple clamps, time to play a
little harder.

"Something? Is it good?"
"Somethings, plural, actually, and oh yes.

They're going to drive you wild, babe." He slid off
Kenny's body and went over to the dresser.

Kenny sat up, stretched, and poured himself a

glass of water.

"You hungry?" He needed to make sure his boy

stayed fed as well as hydrated, no matter what kind
of activity was going on.

"Just thirsty. I mean, we'll eat after, right?"
"We will. We may be a while, though. Oh, I

know." He went to the closet in the hallway and
grabbed a couple bottles of Powerade from the

supply closet.

Kenny chuckled. "Working me out?"
"Not in the usual sense, but oh yes. You're

going to have quite the workout." He waggled his
eyebrows and couldn't contain his grin; he did love
that smile on his lover's face.

He grabbed the nipple clamps from his

underwear drawer and went back to the bed.

"What're those? Jewelry?"
"They're clamps. For your nipples." He tossed

them at Kenny.

Kenny caught them easily. "Clamps? That

sounds hurty."

"Yeah, some. Intense. They'll make you crazy--

in a good way." He climbed back onto the bed,
straddling Kenny's hips.

"Intense sounds bad..." Kenny scooted back a

little

"No, intense sounds good. Very good." He

reached out and slid his fingers along Kenny's
nipples. Kenny's chest sank in, trying to avoid his
touch, but it didn't work. He kept his touch gentle,
knew that would make the tweaks and the clamps

even more of a contrast.

"I don't think the metal things are for me." This

argument was a soft moan.

"Oh, I disagree. And as you're the boy and I'm

the me, we'll give 'em a try." He pinched both
nipples at the same time.

Kenny gasped, chest arching into his touch.
He grinned, pinched again. "Needy boy."
"Me?" Kenny leaned in and kissed him good

and hard.

"You. One of the things I love about you is how

good you need." He reached for Kenny's hand and
took the clamps while Kenny stared at him, lips
open, wet. "They'll bite." He clacked his teeth
together.

"No biting." That didn't sound particularly

serious as a denial.

"Not biting--clamping."
He winked and pressed the clamp against the

right nipple, letting Kenny feel the metal, as the
tiny nub went rock hard, puckering for him. "Good
job." He turned the clamp, opened it and let the
teeth have that little bit of flesh.

"No..." Kenny gasped, hips actually thrusting

up in the air.

"God, yes." He flicked the clamp gently.
"Dusty..." Kenny grabbed his wrist.
"Yeah?" He bit his lip on his smile.
"It aches." Kenny's prick was hard and hot.
"And you love it." He flicked his finger back

and forth across Kenny's unclamped nipple,
grabbing Kenny's wrist when he reached for the
clamp and pushing it up.

Kenny's gaze followed their hands, the look

sweet and shocked.

"We need ropes." He squeezed Kenny's wrist.
"Ropes?" Listen to his boy moan.
"Ropes to tie you down." He rolled, his ass

sliding on Kenny's cock.

"Oh. Oh, good. That's wild."
"I knew you'd like that."
"God, yes. I. Yeah. Fuck."
"That's on the agenda. Eventually." He flicked

across the unclamped nipple a few more times,
getting it good and hard. The wrist in his hand
tugged, chest pushing toward him. So needy; it was

heady, made him want his boy so much as he took
the other clamp and set it on the bare nipple.

"Don't." Kenny's head fell backward.
"Because you hate it so much." He rolled

forward and back, rubbing Kenny's hard prick
between their bodies.

"Uh-huh." That pretty cock leaked for him, and

he laughed; Kenny made him happy all the way
down inside. He flicked the right nipple clamp,
then the left, making them both vibrate.

"Don't. Burns. Aches. Fuck, so mean."
Right. He flicked them again, then dragged his

fingernails along Kenny's ribs, as the tanned skin
went pink, Kenny's abs tightening, hands reaching
for him. That wasn't going to work. He bent and
kissed Kenny, then got up again. "Don't go
anywhere." He had a tie somewhere that he'd be
more than happy to sacrifice.

"You keep leaving." Kenny's hands covered the

clamps.

"I keep needing things for you." He found the

tie in his closet, slung over the hook on the inside
of the door.

"I just need you."
He beamed at Kenny. "Thanks, babe."
Returning to the bed, he ran the tie through his

fingers, but Kenny wasn't looking at it. Those eyes
were on his. "I'm going to tie your good hand to the
bedpost. I trust you'll keep your bad shoulder as
still as possible."

"I'll try. I..." Kenny turned pink. "Can I have my

sling, so I can just rest it?"

He nodded. "Yes. Good boy."
Dusty grabbed the sling and, together, they got

it onto Kenny so the cloth wasn't interfering with
his access to the nipple clamp. He leaned in and
gave his lover a kiss, soft and slow, and Kenny
moaned, free hand sliding around his shoulder. His
tongue played with Kenny's, the heat between them
growing despite the sweetness of their kiss. He
could feel the clamps against his chest, caught
between them.

He grabbed hold of Kenny's good arm while

they were still kissing and worked the tie around it
blind. Kenny groaned into his lips, tongue pushing
hard.

Then he pulled Kenny's arm up and got the tie

looped around the headboard, his stomach muscles
complaining as he continued to hold himself up
without his hands.

"Look at those abs." Kenny groaned softly,

licked his lips.

"Almost as nice as yours, eh?"
He got the tie done, and with Kenny now

trussed up enough, he couldn't stop Dusty from
touching him how he wanted.

"I think yours are perfect. They should have

Olympic sit-ups."

He laughed softly, straightening and playing his

fingers over Kenny's abs. Those muscles clenched
and rolled, and he hummed as his fingers slipped
down to tease Kenny's navel. He spread his hands
on either side of Kenny's belly, his thumbs dipping
into his navel one at a time, while his cock nudged
his fingers, obviously trying to get his attention.
Grinning, he grazed it as softly as possible, the
touch barely there.

"Tease." Kenn was relaxing, though, breath

slowing.

"Yes. I'll eventually follow through, though."
"Feels good, really." Kenn's legs spread for

him.

"I know." He leaned in to nibble at Kenny's

ear, his neck. "Gonna make you crazy with how
good it feels."

"Is that bad?"
"I think it's a great thing--that's why I'm doing

it." He grinned, flicked one nipple clamp again;
Kenny was far too coherent. The gasp was damned
gratifying, so he did it again. "Just wait until I take
them off--that's when you really feel them."

"I feel them now. Touch me?"
"I will."
He ran his hand down along Kenny's

breastbone, and as he moved his hand, Kenny's
eyelids closed. He detoured to Kenny's right
nipple to tug on the clamp, pull long and slow,
groaning as he watched Kenny arch up. Oh, God.
So hot. Pure sex.

He rubbed his prick against Kenny's belly. He

eased Kenny back down, then moved to the other
nipple, repeating the motion. He was fucking in

love with the way Kenny responded; his boy was
starved for touch.

He blew over each wet nipple and raked his

fingers down along Kenny's ribs, lightly scoring
the skin with his fingernails again. He could see
Kenny trying to stay relaxed, focused. Still. So he
pressed their lips together, pushing the kiss deep
right away, so the headboard rattled, and Kenny's
entire body jerked and bucked under him.

He hummed with satisfaction, tongue fucking

Kenny's lips hard, while long legs wrapped around
him, squeezing him almost unbearably.

"So pushy." He growled and bit at Kenny's

lips.

"You're making me crazy!" Kenny's stomach

was streaked with dots of need.

"I said I would."
Kenny got a rhythm going, abs working as he

rubbed and humped.

Dusty shook his head. "You're not allowed to

come. Not yet."

"Hmm?" Kenny kept moving.
"I said, no coming." He pressed his body down

hard against Kenny. Big green eyes rolled and he
had to fight his laughter at the confusion on Kenny's
face.

He licked Kenny's lower lip. "You want a cock

ring on, babe? You need it?"

"I... Please... I want." Kenny took his lips, and

he fucked Kenny's lips with his tongue as he
wrapped his hand around Kenny's balls and tugged
them down. The cry that pushed into the kiss was
fucking perfect. He sucked Kenny's tongue back
into his mouth, tugged again, then let the globes go.

A cock ring, a fat plug for his size queen, then

he'd let Kenny suck him dry so they could play
longer. It was a good plan. He grinned. "I'm going
to have to get up again."

Kenny blinked at him and pushed forward for

another kiss. Dusty gave it, sucking on Kenny's
tongue for a moment before parting their lips and
getting up again.

"Dusty..." God, that was adorable.
"Yeah, babe?" He bent over, looking in the

bottom drawer of his dresser, and shook his ass for
Kenny.

"What are you doing now?"
"I'm getting a ring so you don't shoot and a nice

fat plug so you want to."

Kenny's hips pumped up, cock slapping his

belly. God, his boy was sexy. And he got to spend
the next seven days blowing Kenn's mind.

He grabbed the biggest plug he had and the

black leather cock ring.

"Uhn." That was an exceptional response.
He brought the plug over and laid it on Kenny's

belly. "What do you think of that, babe?"

"I... It's big."
Kenny wanted it.
"Is it big enough? I could order something

larger for next time." He teased Kenny's skin,
running the leather ring over cock and balls.

"Oh, God. Shut up."
"Why?" He was having far too much fun to shut

up.

"Because!" Kenny looked scandalized, which

was adorable. Ridiculous, but adorable.

"Because it turns you on? Because it makes you

want more? Because it's going to make you come

before I can get the ring on you?"

"No talking. I'm not listening."
"You are, too. You're listening with your ears

and your eyes and your body." Every part of Kenny
was straining toward him.

"Not... Fuck, I need you."
"There we go. That's more like the truth." He

grabbed the plug and then put a kiss right in the
middle of Kenny's belly. The wet, swollen tip of
Kenny's cock bumped his jaw, so he turned and
licked the salty goodness from there.

"Oh, fuck. Fuck..." Kenny humped up, trying to

get more, so he flicked the tip delicately, refusing
to give in. An amazing keening escaped Kenny, and
his hand pulled at the tie.

He slid his palm along Kenny's shaft, down to

the lovely balls, and rolled them gently.

"Please..."
No. No, not yet.
"I'll put the ring on. That way it won't be so

hard to hold back." He wasn't totally cruel, after
all.

Kenny groaned and spread wide for him, head

shaking.

"Ring first, then plug." He wrapped the ring

around Kenny's prick, making it nice and tight. It
made a lovely package, pushing the heavy, fat balls
up toward him. "Mmm. Look at that, babe. You're
stunning."

"Please. Please. Touch me, damn it."
"Pushy boy." He flicked one of the nipple

clamps.

"You're making me crazy!"
"Good. That's the plan." He slicked up his

fingers and slid his hand between Kenny's legs,
encouraging his boy to spread. Those muscled legs
spread wide, the look perverse, perfect. "Mmm.
My sexy boy." He could run his hands on Kenny's
muscles all day long.

"Yours. Yours. God, your hands."
"Made for loving you." He pushed one back

beyond Kenny's balls, heading for his hole. Kenny
pushed right down, taking him in.

Kenny was so hot and tight inside. It made him

moan and push in deeper.

"More. More, please." Sweet, sensitive little

hole.

He slipped a third finger into Kenny, then

stretching them all, opening him up.

"Yeah..." Kenny rocked on his fingers, hole

clinging to him. He leaned up and took another kiss
as his fingers pushed into Kenny again and again.
He loved hearing their bodies slapping together,
the moans that Kenny fed him.

"You ready for the plug, boy? Ready to have it

stretch you?"

"God. God, yes. Please."
"Good boy." He let his fingers slide away, and

he slicked up the plug, making sure Kenny could
see what he was doing. Every move his fingers
made were reflected in Kenny's body. Once
everything was good and wet, he put the head of
the plug at Kenny's hole. "Take it in, babe."

Dusty watched as the ring of muscles spread,

slowly let in the slick toy. "Oh, fuck, babe. So
damn sexy." He pushed a little, sending the plug
deeper.

Kenny's lips parted, tongue flicking out to wet

them. "Big."

"You like big." The bigger the better.
"Uh-huh." His ass took another inch.
"We can go shopping on the Internet later.

When you're exhausted from this." He gave Kenny
a wink and kept pushing.

"I... Shopping..." Kenny moaned, pushed more,

then backed off. Dusty chuckled and thrust more of
the plug in.

"Uhn." Kenny bucked and started fucking

himself faster. God that was sexy the way Kenny
responded to him, to the things he did. A dull flush
started climbing up Kenny's abs, the motions
wilder, and Dusty pushed the plug in all the way,
seating it. "No coming yet." He wanted that blow
job.

Kenny's heels drummed on the mattress.
"Sweet, needy boy." He put a knee on either

side of Kenny's body and started moving up, his
prick leading the way to his boy's mouth. "You
need my cock, boy? You going to suck it? You
need to suck it?"

"Please. Fuck..." They got Kenny's slinged arm

out of the way, gently shifting it so that he could

paint those open lips with his cock.

"You like it, don't you? Like how thick I am.

Gonna spread your lips so wide, slide right into
your mouth." He kept rubbing the tip against
Kenny's lips, teasing. The tiny sucking kisses to his
cockhead were maddening.

"Ready or not, here I come." He raised his

knees a little and pushed the head of his cock in.
Kenny moaned and opened right up, the suction
fierce and just what he needed.

"Fuck yes!" It went straight to Dusty's balls,

making them draw up tight against his body. He
held onto the headboard, his hand near Kenny's
bound one, and used it as leverage as he slowly
pushed in deeper. His boy took him in and in and
in, throat closing around the tip. Groaning, he
pulled back until just the tip was still between
Kenny's lips, his boy sucking hard, almost biting
down to keep him there. Taking a breath, he slowly
pushed back in again. No way was he letting
Kenny control this.

He kept moving slowly, pushing right into

Kenny's throat and then pulling back, and every

time Kenny fought, he slowed down more. It felt so
fucking good, having Kenny's mouth around his
flesh, Kenny's tongue slapping him and licking him.

"Easy," he groaned. "Don't want it to be over

too soon."

When Kenny slowed down, he almost sobbed.

Almost.

"Yes. Yes, like that." He kept moving, nice and

slowly. That mouth was pure heaven, tongue
fucking his slit on each slow pull away. Soon
Kenny's suction started strengthening again,
demanding his orgasm, his spunk.

"Pushy boy!" God, he loved it, loved the way

Kenny's eyes glanced up at him, so warm, so
happy, and he beamed back. He stroked Kenny's
cheek and Kenny swallowed hard, moaning
happily around him. "When I've come, I'm gonna
fuck you until tomorrow."

He'd bet his house that Kenny was working that

plug. The thought spurred him on and he began
rocking harder, cock hitting Kenny's throat over
and over while Kenny grunted, lips so tight,
keeping him in deep. He moved harder, groaning,

grunting as his teeth scraped along his shaft,
taunting and teasing.

"Evil." He growled the word out, feeling his

orgasm chasing through his veins and gathering in
balls. Then Kenny's tongue slapped his cock, hard.

"Ngh!" He shouted, hips pushing his cock in

deep as he came, pouring into Kenny's throat. The
room spun, everything focused on his prick.

It felt so fucking good and he moaned and cried

out, hips jerking a few times. When his cock
slipped from Kenny's lips, he groaned, then, bent
double, he took Kenny's mouth, tasting himself
there.

Soft and swollen, his boy's lips opened for

him. His tongue slipped right in, his hands flicking
the nipple clamps reminding Kenny they were
there. That earned him a wild cry, low and husky.

"You flying yet, babe?"
"Please."
He chuckled, and kissed Kenny's throat, then

licked around one clamp.

"Burns. Burns. Please..." Kenny took gasping

breaths, as he took one of the clamps in his mouth,

opening and removing it.

"Fuck!" The entire bed shuddered as Kenny

jerked. He laid his tongue flat on the newly
released nipple, flapping at it, tempering the pain
from the rush of blood flowing back into the little
nip of flesh.

"Help me. Oh, God. Dusty, help me." Wild,

shocked--Kenny sounded almost panicked.

He grabbed hold of the entire nipple and

sucked hard, his other hand moving to jostle the
plug, make sure Kenny wasn't just focused on his
nipple. The stream of curses spilling from Kenny's
mouth made him smile.

The other, he decided, was going to come off

while he was inside his lover. There was no way
he was missing this.

He kissed Kenny, cutting off the words, and

those pretty eyes stared at him, huge and needy,
begging him. He stopped fiddling with the plug and
got a good hold of the base, started tugging it out--
he'd never even gone soft after Kenny's blow job.
The tight hole fought him, leaking cock rubbing
hard against his belly.

He bit hard at Kenny's lower lip and

everything unclenched long enough that he pulled
the plug right out. It took everything he had not to
sink himself into that amazing ass, but he grabbed a
condom and gloved up first, making Kenny watch.

"You ready for me?" Like Kenny wasn't

drooling for it.

"Now. Fucking now."
"If you're sure." He gave Kenny a wink and

then pressed the head of his prick against the hole.
Kenny growled, shoved himself down and took his
prick in to the hilt.

"Oh, fuck, yes." Jesus, he'd never felt anything

like Kenny's ass, so tight and hot around his cock.
He'd never had anyone need him like his boy did.
He pulled partway out and thrust in, hard.

Keening, his boy took it and asked for more.
He got a rhythm going. He was going to send

Kenny into orbit. Sweat dripped down his face as
they rutted, stinging his eyes. He didn't close them,
though. He needed to watch his lover under him,
needing him, wanting him. His muscles gave out
long before his will did, and he bent to remove the

other nipple clamp, mouth closing over it. He
didn't do it right away, letting Kenny anticipate it.

Their thrusts slowed, hiccupped almost, as

Kenny watched. Once he knew he had Kenny's
total attention, he bit down on the clamp, opening
it. He heard Kenny's scream, distantly, but ninety
percent of his focus was on the pressure around his
cock, the way Kenny's body milked him. He stayed
buried deep, watched Kenny's face contort in
pleasure. The pressure of Kenny's body around his
cock pulled his orgasm from him, the seed pushing
from his cock.

Kenny sobbed softly, pulling at the tie. "Let me

go. I have to... Please. Please!"

"Shh. Shh." He slid his fingers down to undo

the ring around Kenny's prick. "It's okay, I've got
you." Poor boy. He made Dusty's mouth dry.

He wrapped his hand around Kenny's prick,

jacking hard as he stayed buried inside Kenny's
body. It didn't take long, five or six good tugs, and
his pretty boy gave it up, shooting hard.

He collapsed onto Kenny, face buried in his

boy's neck as he panted hard. Kenny sobbed softly,

breath hitching, and he cradled them together,
rocking Kenny slowly. He got the tie undone one-
handed, letting Kenny loose from the headboard
and leaving it at that; he'd take the tie off when they
were both ready for more than just holding.

"Love you," he whispered, the words the

absolute truth.

Kenn nodded for him, holding on tight. That's

all they needed to do to get through the next few
months, get Kenny to the Olympics--to hold on.

Together.

Epilogue

"Kid, you almost ready?" Steph stared at him

over the top of her sunglasses, yelling over the
music in his ears. He nodded, stretched out. Four
more games to the gold. Dave and him--they were
on fire.

"Ready, Coach."
"He's never been more ready, Steph." Dusty's

hand slid over his shoulder, warm, the touch light.
"Everything good, Kenny?"

"Great. We going sightseeing tonight?

Tomorrow's a bye, right?" He wanted to go see
Big Ben and the Millennium Wheel and maybe
have fish and chips.

"It is and we are." Dusty gave him an easy grin,

promises in his lover's eyes.

"Cool. Dave's hanging with Mercy and the

baby. It's just us." He took his headphones off, eyes
on the sand. "Argentina. Then China, Brazil, and
Kim and Marc."

He wasn't sure of the way it would go down,

but he'd bet it worked that way, just like in
Worlds.

"Yep. Smart money's on you and Dave. Of

course that's where my money'd be going anyway."

Kenn nodded. "Gotta work now. Go sit with

the folks and tell Barb I'm fine." The ball felt good
in his hand, right.

"I will." Dusty waited until he looked up and

then he got a special smile, the one that said Dusty
loved him and was proud of him.

That didn't have anything to do with medals or

volleyball or beaches. It just was.

He winked and grabbed his bag. "Let's play

some ball."

Sean Michael

Often referred to as "Space Cowboy" and

"Gangsta of Love" while still striving for the
moniker of "Maurice," Sean Michael spends his
days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense
gourd collection and fantasizing about one day
retiring on a small secluded island peopled
entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast
amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood
rings, Sean whiles away the hours between
dropping the f-bomb and pursuing the Kama Sutra
by channeling the long-lost spirit of John Wayne
and singing along with the soundtrack to Chicago.

A long-time writer of complicated haiku, Sean

is currently attempting to learn the advanced arts of
plate-spinning and soap-carving sex toys.

Barring any of that? He'll stick with writing his

stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together
to see if they spark.

To learn more about Sean, please visit:

www.seanmichaelwrites.com

* * * *

Don't miss Office Hours, by Sean Michael,

available at AmberAllure.com!

Thad Wells has had enough of lovers. He's

focused on his career--hell, that's hard enough,
being a young professor fighting for his spot--so
when he, literally, runs into Jay Banner on the
green, he finds himself saying, "No, no, he's not
interested," even as his body's saying, "Yes."

Jay Banner, on the other hand, knows exactly

what he wants and knows how to get it. He also
knows someone's hurt Thad--and not in the fun,
spanky way Jay does when he wears his leathers-
-and he's determined to get closer to the hot
professor.

Things heat up between them, but they both

have secrets, and no amount of book-learning
can educate two men who might have outsmarted
themselves.