Walking The Edge Page 3

  "All right, I'm going. But I'll be watching you."

  The flame suddenly burned brighter.

  Moments later, Brett entered his apartment, his laptop under his arm. Lisa was just coming out of the kitchen with a mug in hand, wrapped in her heavy bathrobe and her hair still wet.

  "I was about to come get you,” she said when she saw him. “Did you even have lunch?"

  He wasn't sure whether to roll his eyes at her mothering or enjoy the attention. “I did. I dropped by a subs shop on my way to the dealership."

  Her eyes sharpened, glimmering with as much excitement as though the motorcycle had been for her. “What did you get him?"

  "Come, I'll show you."

  He sat down on the sofa, the laptop on the coffee table in front of him. A quick search brought up the page from the bike's manufacturer. Seated next to him with her legs tucked beneath her, Lisa leaned forward and whistled softly.

  "Nice."

  A knot of tension in the pit of Brett's stomach loosened. “You think he'll like it?"

  She ruffled his hair, pressing her forehead to his temple. “Of course he'll like it. He'd be a fool not to."

  With a quick kiss to his cheek, she stood and crossed the room to the bedroom, her steps quiet on the wooden floors. Brett watched her go, and saw her wink when she looked back.

  "Believe me, he'll be very grateful."

  Brett's cock gave a jolt at the promise of what was to come. He hadn't really thought about what would happen after he gave the bike to Leo. He supposed Leo would take it for a ride, and Brett would tag along for it, but after that ... He couldn't wait to see how the night would go.

  * * * *

  Lisa took her time getting ready, drying out her hair thoroughly then rummaging in her closet for an appropriate dress. She finally settled on the tight, red leather halter dress that she knew both Leo and Brett loved. She and Leo didn't exchange gifts anymore, but that didn't mean they didn't have other ways to celebrate.

  She expected Brett to still be having dinner when she walked out of the bedroom again. He seemed to be done, however, and back to the sofa where she had left him. She approached from behind him. The computer in front of him now showed the familiar composite image of the clubs surveillance cameras. She was about to tease him for continuing to work even now when he shifted the view, bringing the image of Leo at the bar full screen.

  Standing behind Brett, she watched along with him as Leo leaned against the counter, smiling brightly at the lone customer he had just served. She shifted forward on her high stool, and Lisa snorted at Leo's quick downward glance. From the side, the camera did not pick up on it, but she would have bet the woman's dress revealed quite a bit of cleavage when she leaned forward. Lisa was sure she had seen her flirt with Leo before. She had probably arrived at the club that early to have him to herself for a bit.

  Without warning, Brett reached for the laptop and flipped it shut. When he stood and turned around, she noticed his frown and understood what the acrid scent coming from him was. She wasn't used to jealousy from him. She wasn't used either not to receive compliments when she dressed in a way he liked.

  Puzzled, she sat down on an armchair and followed him with her eyes to the kitchen, where he poured himself a glass of cold water from the fridge, then to the bedroom, where he got rid of his shirt before coming back to the sofa. Predictably, he flipped the laptop open again. The image that popped back up on the screen didn't appease his mood, far from it. The woman's hand was now on top of Leo's on the counter.

  "Did you ask him not to flirt with everything that moves?"

  He looked at her, tilting his head just a hair. The first night they had met, she had thought he looked cute when he did that. She still thought so.

  "Of course not, he's free to—"

  "Trust me, just ask him."

  She felt a flash of impatience when Brett didn't react at once. She wondered if he doubted her. He ought to have known better by now. She had proved, more than once, that she knew Leo as well as she knew him—she prided herself on both things. As such, his next question took her by surprise.

  "Would you stop if I asked you?"

  She gave him a hard look. Maybe he didn't understand her as well as she had thought he did, after all, if he could even ask. Or maybe he thought she had opened the door with her suggestion. If that was the case, she needed to make him understand it hadn't been her intention, far from it.

  "We're different."

  Brett started shaking. Lisa needed a second to realize he was repressing a laugh. She rolled her eyes at him.

  "I had noticed,” he said with he had regained control over himself. “But even so...” He clearly struggled to keep a smile on his face. He looked and sounded as though he were miserable but didn't want to show it. “You two like hunting too much for me to ask either of you to stop."

  "You men...” Part of her wanted to roll her eyes at him again; the other part wished she could have given him what he needed herself rather than having to resort to a proxy. “You can be so blind, sometimes. Haven't you learned anything about Leo in almost six months?"

  After a beat, he raised an eyebrow at her and attempted to give her a wicked grin. She could see all too well where his mind had taken him. “Other than what he likes in bed,” she started, but changed her mind. “Actually, no. Tell me. What does he like in bed?"

  More than a year and half had passed since she had first met Brett. She'd never tire of his enthusiasm for sex—and she wouldn't tire either of how he still blushed, after all these months. She joined him on the couch, sitting sideways next to him.

  "Come on, you sleep with two vamps, don't be a prude now. Didn't you pick up on a trend?"

  She continued to watch him closely and could see when he finally got it. His eyes widened, his pupils dilated and swallowed the bright green of his eyes, and a spicy note of lust peaked in his scent.

  "Well, he likes me to take charge, but..."

  She nodded, encouraging him, but he shook his head.

  "I'm not into domination games, if that's what you're suggesting."

  "Not exactly. He's not into that either, strictly speaking, but if he likes to be shown he's cared for. And you..."

  She raised her hand to his face and touched his cheek lightly. The beginning of stubble scratched at her fingertips. She had never been able to decide if she liked him best when he was clean-shaven or when his cheeks started getting rough against her skin.

  "And I what?” Brett's arms encircled her loosely and he rested his forehead against hers.

  "And you ... You really care about him, don't you? You wouldn't be jealous when he flirts with other people if you didn't."

  He kissed her, his lips barely brushing against hers before trailing down her jaw and to the crook of her neck. “I do. And you know I don't only care about him."

  If his voice had been just a little louder, or if he had looked her in the eyes as he said those words, trying to convince her of their truth, she might have managed to ignore them. Whispered as they were against the sensitive scars on her neck, however, they sunk beneath her skin, warming her from the inside out until the gentle hold of his arms became too much to bear—until she wanted him to hold her tighter. She had to bring things back to safer grounds. She rubbed her hands against his arms before gently pushing him back.

  "Stop pretending you don't mind his flirting. Tell him you want him to stop. Trust me, he'll like that even more than the bike."

  She could see the hesitation on his face, still, but he nodded.

  "Good. It will go well, you'll see."

  Something flickered in his eyes, part hope and part desire. She chuckled and kissed his cheek lightly before standing.

  "It'll go more than well, I promise."

  She could feel his eyes on her as she went to the entrance. Resting a hand against the wall for support, she stepped into a pair of flat red sandals. They'd be best to walk on the cliff, later.

  "When are you giving him th
e bike?” she asked, glancing back at Brett.

  He was watching the surveillance feed again, now running through the different cameras around the club.

  "I knew he wouldn't leave Daniel alone at the bar, so I called Joana. She can't come before nine thirty or ten."

  She sighed. In this, at least, Leo and Brett were the same, although it had been quite a shock to discover Leo had a work ethic. He seemed to have become quite invested in his bartending job; from what Brett was saying, he was quite good at it too. She had never really thought about it, but she had a hunch the both of them worked so hard because they were successful at what they did—she couldn't really begrudge them for enjoying their success.

  "You two are workaholics. When you do give it to him, ask him to take you to the ocean. He'll know where."

  Brett looked back at her over the back of the sofa. “The ocean? Why?"

  "Just trust me on that too. You'll understand. Oh, and—"

  She came back toward him and leaned in to kiss him. He hummed lightly, unaware that her hand was searching in between the seat cushions next to him. She finally found the slim tube of lube and straightened again. She grinned as she handed out the lube to him.

  "You'll need that."

  * * * *

  Joana, the part-time barmaid who joined Leo and Daniel behind the bar on weekends, stepped behind the counter at nine forty two according to Leo's watch. At nine forty three, Brett was leaning against the counter and calling Leo's name.

  Leo nodded in his direction to show he had heard him but continued to pour juice into the mixer. He'd just finish that one drink—

  "If you don't put that mixer down right now, you're fired."

  Startled, Leo looked at Brett. The teasing smile he expected wasn't there, and instead Brett looked all too serious. Joana pulled him out of his stupor by prying the mixer from his finger and giving him a gentle push toward Brett.

  "Bad idea to make the boss wait,” she said, laughing. “Go. Have fun."

  Feeling a little annoyed at the abruptness of it all, Leo swung the counter open and stepped out from behind the bar. Rather than moving out of the way, Brett stood in front of him, blocking his path. Before Leo could say a word, Brett's hand was at the back of his head, pulling him down for a kiss in an all too familiar gesture. The last kiss they had shared earlier in the office had been sweet, almost innocent; this one was pure fire, leaving Leo almost lightheaded.

  "Let's go,” Brett said, wrapping his right arm around his waist.

  Leo allowed himself to be pulled away, his annoyance forgotten in the light of this display of affection. Brett had never made their relationship a secret, but he seldom was so demonstrative in public.

  "Here."

  He handed Leo the leather jacket he had brought down from the apartment. Leo had rarely worn it since coming back to Haventown. He took it after a beat and slid it on, though he asked:

  "It's not that cold out, is it?"

  From the corner of his eye, Leo could see him smile for just a second before he shrugged. “It might be. Why don't you drive tonight?"

  Leo took the car keys he was being offered and pocketed them, his attention still fully on Brett. He clearly was scheming something. Despite himself, Leo felt thrilled at the idea of being offered a proper birthday night. It had been far too long since anyone had cared to make an effort to surprise him or please him.

  "So, where are we going?"

  "Lisa suggested the ocean. She said you'd know where."

  A flash of desire ran through Leo at those words. The ocean ... He and Lisa had spent some very nice evenings in a little cove hidden by trees and rocks, just minutes off the highway. He could imagine already having just as good a time with Brett—or the both of them. It didn't seem like Lisa would be coming this time, though. He had seen her go down to the dance floor earlier.

  They walked out of the club side by side. The autumn air didn't feel cold to him, but he noticed how Brett zipped up his jacket. They turned to the right and passed the service entrance. The club had been built out of an ancient factory, and the garage, although only accessible from the exterior, was part of the building.

  Someone, probably a customer, had parked their bike in front of the garage door, ignoring the clearly marked no parking zone. It was one of the latest models to have been released on the market, and the reviewers were raving about it.

  "A pity we need to get it towed,” he said, walking around the motorcycle and detailing it with the eyes of experience. “It's a beauty. Looks new, too."

  By the changing light of the club's sign, the black and silver paint gleamed with red then blue accents. Two matching helmets were padlocked to the body. He glanced back at Brett, expecting him to have his cell phone out already to call for a tow truck. Instead, he found him standing a couple of feet away with his hands in his jeans pockets and a self-satisfied look on his face. Leo wondered what made him so happy. And why wasn't he saying or doing anything?

  Understanding struck like lightning, blinding him for a second and leaving his ears ringing with thunder. Afraid to hope too much, he looked down at the bike again, then up at Brett.

  Brett's face split into a wide grin. “You didn't even look at the keys I gave you."

  These keys seemed to weigh a ton in Leo's pocket suddenly. He pulled them out, his movements slow and deliberate. He knew, already, but he wanted to savor the moment. He'd never received anything like this. He had never even imagined receiving such a gift. The keys on their enamel and gleaming metal key ring, however, left no doubt.

  Leo's fingers itched to push the longest of the three keys in the ignition to feel the engine come to life and hear it purr. He needed to do something before that, though. Fisting his hands on the sides of Brett's jacket, he pulled him forward until their bodies were pressed together. With the kiss from earlier and now the gleaming beauty at his side, Leo's cock had grown hard. He bucked against Brett, wanting him to know how aroused he was for him, because of him, and quickly realized that Brett was just as hard. Unable to repress a grin, he buried his face at the crook of Brett's neck and scrapped his blunt teeth against the bite marks he had left there months earlier.

  Brett drew in a shaky breath. His cock twitched against Leo's. “Maybe ... maybe we could go home for a while? Try the bike later?"

  Chuckling, Leo pulled away. His fingers shook from excitement when he found the key for the locked chain that secured the helmets. “I don't think so. You said you wanted to see the ocean."

  * * * *

  For the entire ride, Brett clung to Leo. He had both arms wrapped around his waist and his head turned sideways against his shoulder blade, so he wouldn't see the road coming at him much too fast for comfort. He had never been on a motorcycle before that night, had never felt the urge to ride one, and he now knew he wouldn't do it all that often—or at least, not unless Leo promised to slow down.

  To his credit, he did slow down once he drove off the highway. Twenty minutes of small, back way roads later, he pulled onto a dirt path and, slowing to a crawl, put a foot down. In front of them, visible through the branches of a few scrawny trees, the ocean gleamed beneath a sliver of moon. Leo killed the engine and took off his helmet, hanging it from the handlebar. Brett imitated him, passing the helmet forward, and gingerly dismounted the bike. The smell of the ocean jumped at him, fresh and heavy with salt. The crash of the waves, somewhere behind the trees, announced that the water was closer than it seemed.

  "Did you like the ride?” Leo asked, turning a bright smile toward him. He put up the kickstand and swung his leg over, but remained on the bike.

  Brett grinned, his discomfort forgotten in the face of Leo's obvious pleasure. “I don't need to ask if you enjoyed it."

  He gave a pointed look at Leo's crotch. The leather of his pants was stretched to its limits, defining his confined cock as clearly as if he were naked.

  "That looks painful. Would you like some help?"

  Leo pushed away from the bike and sh
ed his jacket. He threw it over the helmets before he replied.

  "If you're offering, sure."

  He stood there, immobile, allowing Brett to carefully undo his pants and guide his cock out. He only moved, shuddering, when Brett ran a finger from the root up to the wet tip.

  "Know what I was thinking about while buying your present?"

  Two fingers followed the same path down until the pants blocked their path. Leo pushed the pants down to his thighs, freeing the way to his balls.

  "If I've got to guess,” he said, very low, “you were thinking of fucking me."

  "Close. I was thinking about you, naked on that bike."

  He cupped Leo's balls in his hand, feeling the weight of them, letting his warmth sink in the way he knew Leo enjoyed so much.

  "You were thinking of me naked, and you weren't thinking of fucking me?” Leo let out a choked laugh. “There's something wrong with that picture."

  "Well, the logistics of it—"

  He never managed to finish his sentence. Leo grabbed his wrist and gently pulled his hand off him. Without letting go, he turned away from Brett and faced the bike, leading Brett's hand to his hip. While Brett pushed his t-shirt up and over his head to reveal more of his flawless skin, Leo wrestled his pants down until they pooled at his ankles. When he bent forward, leaning his forearms on the seat of the bike and pushing his ass up in the air, Brett's cock gave a painful jolt in his jeans. This image was a definite improvement on the one he had had in mind.

  "How is that for logistics?” Leo asked, looking back over his shoulder.

  Brett was too busy shoving down his own pants to come up with a coherent reply. It felt as though he had been hard since the treadmill kiss that morning, and he had waited long enough. All he wanted was to feel Leo around him.

  In record time, he managed to take off his jacket, drop it to the ground, pick it up again with a curse, retrieve the lube from the pocket and discard it once more. His hands were shaking when he flicked the tube's end open and squeezed a liberal amount onto his fingers. Leo bucked back against him at the first touch against his asshole.