Burning Bright (5 page)

“Good-bye,” Faust called as Sasha preceded the doctor into the hall.

“I’ll have my assistant call you in a couple weeks, once the regents make up their minds,” the doctor promised. “Same number?”

“Yes, please,” Sasha agreed. He offered his hand and the older vet took it.

He skipped down the steps to the car. Marty waved and his whole face brightened as he read the answer from Sasha’s body language. Dr. Salisbury could probably hear Marty’s loud whoop in his office.

“Shh.” Sasha laughed. “Lunch?”

“Yeah. Vince is cooking. How’d it go?”

“It went really well. We hit it off, and he has a Scarlet Macaw.”

They talked the entire ride back, about the job and the bird, and Marty seemed excited about the possibilities for Sasha. Marty pulled around behind his building and parked the Mustang in a reserved spot.

“Hey, guys,” Vince called from the kitchen.

The whole apartment smelled like garlic and oil and Sasha’s stomach growled loud enough to hear across the room. “Hey. Smells fantastic.”

Sasha set his things on the table and sat down while Marty gave Vince a hug and kiss hello.

“It’s a veggie stir-fry,” Vince answered, turning to serve the mixture onto plates he had set up on the counter nearby. He wiped his hands on a towel slung over one shoulder and gazed with wide eyes at Sasha. He approached slowly and then cupped Sasha’s face with warm hands. “Wow. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Sasha sighed and laid his hands over Vince’s. “Yes, I’m fine. I have a few cracked ribs and the bruises look bad, but they’ll fade fast. I’m not made of china, I promise.”

Vince puffed out a small laugh that seemed involuntary and released Sasha. “Yeah, yeah. Tough guy.”

Sasha grinned and winked. The stir-fry and rice smelled incredible, a myriad of vegetables and thick garlic sauce. His stomach gurgled again and Marty laughed.

“Was that you?”

Sasha grinned, cheeks warm. “It really smells amazing.”

“Dig in. What can I get you to drink?” Vince asked, handing Sasha his plate.

“Iced tea is fine,” Sasha answered. He put a bite in his mouth and closed his eyes, savoring it.

“Well?” Vince asked, sitting down. He set the tea near Sasha’s plate. “How is it?”

“Awesome, as always,” Sasha told him. “This is really good.”

“No meat at all?” Marty asked, poking at his plate.

“There’s some chicken in ours,” Vince told him, taking a bite. “But I want to hear about the interview.” He turned to Sasha. “Marty already told me what happened in the alley and I’m sure you’d rather focus on the interview than remember it.”

Sasha smiled, grateful as ever for Vince’s insightfulness.

“He met someone,” Marty interjected before Sasha could speak.

“Oh?”

“That club owner.” Marty swallowed his bite. “Sasha let him
top
him, right after the attack.”

Vince’s eyes widened. “No kidding?”

“It was actually the next day. Whose story is this?” Sasha demanded before Marty could say anything further.

The massage therapist flushed. “Sorry.”

Sasha told Vince about the interview and the parrot, and Vince seemed pleased for him. “When do you find out?”

“A couple weeks, tops,” Sasha responded. “Doctor Salisbury said the Board has to meet.”

“Bureaucracy,” Vince snorted. “Never fails.”

“Can you stay?” Marty asked as Vince got up to clear the plates. Marty’s hand quested across the table to Sasha’s wrist. “Maybe fool around?”

Gods knew, the offer tempted him. But the memory of Neal’s hands on him chased the anticipation back. No matter how fun playing with Marty and Vince might be, it wasn’t the same as his own lover. “Maybe another time.”

Marty withdrew his hand. “Oh.”

Vince got some sherbet and served it in large dessert glasses. “Marty got a movie for us…”

“I’m sorry,” Sasha told him. “I am. It’s just…”

“Neal,” Marty said in a bitter tone.

“Are you jealous?”

“Of what?”

“I don’t know…”

“Yeah, maybe.” Marty flared. “I mean, you only just met the guy.”

“Marty, let him be,” Vince soothed.

Vince served dessert and they talked little. Marty dropped him off at his apartment and zoomed away, the big motor growling. Torn between the two, he regretted not saying yes to Marty but at the same time, wanted something to develop with Neal.

He trudged up his stairs, alone.

That part, of course, sort of sucked.

Chapter Six

Making New Friends

Sasha woke around ten on Wednesday morning, still too sore to go jogging. He stared at the ceiling, trying to talk himself into it, but his chest ached and the whole front of his body had stiffened while he slept.

Dammit.

It was time, instead, to go about retrieving his truck.

Had nothing to do with wanting to call a certain hot-looking club owner. He smirked at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. He wandered back out and grabbed his phone and the card Carlos gave him.

“This is Neal.”

Gods, he sounded sexy even on the phone. “Hi,” Sasha squeaked, then cleared his throat. Must sound manly. “This is Sasha. I need to pick up my truck, and I wanted…” His mind went blank. What was he supposed to say?
I want you to top me so hard I come for a week?

What would Neal do if he
did
say that…

“You have lunch yet?” Neal asked.

“Um, actually, I haven’t had
breakfast
yet.” In fact, he stood there in the nude…

“I can pick you up and we can grab a bite, if you want.”

Like a date? Sasha sat down like his strings were cut, heart pounding. “Sure,” he said in as casual a tone as he could manage.

“Sounds good. What’s your address?”

Sasha gave it and hung up. He fell back against his bed and grinned at the ceiling.

After his shower, he used the balm that Brock made on his bruises. His old top used to call it “butt balm”, which he loved to say because it made Sasha blush. But Sasha couldn’t argue, the stuff soothed tissues irritated from lots of sex. He hoped to have a reason to need it soon.

He managed to dress without giving in to the temptation to jack off, but only just. He sprayed his cologne and spent extra time arranging his hair. Then he changed clothes again, tossing the jeans aside in favor of black slacks. No, the jeans would be more casual…

In the end, he donned the black slacks with silk briefs that caressed him like a pair of lips. He wore his favorite rayon shirt, a dark red that brought out the dark chocolate of his eye color. On a whim, he unzipped and slipped a gel plastic cock ring onto his dick and zipped up, all nice and clean. Not too tight, the ring encircled the base of his shaft and his balls enough for him to remember its presence.

He almost blew it all when Neal drove up, his cock hardening with excitement. He ordered it to behave and came down the steps to the Charger. One of the new, redesigned models, it growled like a tiger as Neal motored to a stop next to the curb. The deep blue of the paint sparkled in the sun and Sasha fell in love with it.

“Hey, Doc,” Neal greeted. “How you feelin’?”

Sasha walked around the car and climbed into the black leather seat. His ribs twinged a little but he repositioned his arm and the pain eased. They continued to heal, at least. “I’m good. Sore, but definitely better.”

Neal started out, concentrating on the road and giving Sasha the profile of that jaw to admire. Sasha swallowed, mouth dry.

“What do you have a taste for?”

“You?” Sasha blurted.

Neal’s eyebrows shot up and he glanced at him. “You’re not shy, are you?”

“Yeah, well, I figure it’s better to ask for what I want than never get it, you know?” He kicked himself.
Finesse, Sasha, finesse.

“Food first. I’m starving.”

He said
first
. Sasha wanted to shout with excitement, but he looked out the window instead.
Act casual
. His cock ignored him and bumped against his waistband, fully erect now and aching to be touched. He hoped Neal didn’t notice him adjusting himself.

“You’re somethin’ else, you know that?”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. You
look
like a twink, but you’re as tough as one of my guys. Paul says you did Alyosha’s knee and disarmed another one, that true?”

Sasha shivered, some of his arousal dampening. “Yeah. The other one hit me in the head and I got all dizzy. I couldn’t take them all at once like that. My training is more one-on-one. Drinking beforehand didn’t help, either.”

“But you sure tried.”

“Yeah.”

“Impressive.” He pulled into a Leona’s parking lot. “You up for some food? Or you want me to fuck you against the side of the Charger?”

Sasha’s eyes widened and his lips parted.

Neal laughed and leaned over to slip his hand around Sasha’s head. He kissed him, his mouth tasting like peppermint. He moved his lips to Sasha’s ear. “All in good time, Doc. All in good time.”

“Good thing I have a cock ring on,” Sasha murmured back.

Neal snorted. “Come on, you raunchy ass fucker.”

Sasha’s eyebrows disappeared toward the top of his head. “What did you call me?”

Neal winked and got out of the car.

They got a booth in the back corner along a long exposed-brick wall. Sasha got diverted from flirting more by the huge menu. Neal watched him and chuckled.

“Kind of a lot to choose from.”

“Yeah.” Sasha eyed his menu. Usually, all he had to pick from were a couple afterthought vegetarian items. This menu had a slew of tasty-sounding choices. “What are you getting?”

Neal shrugged. “I like their burgers.”

He eyed the large salad section. “They have a lot of salads.”

“Go for it. They’re awesome. I like the Buffalo Bleu and the Salmon Caesar.”

Sasha shuddered. “No Caesar dressing.”

“Have them put something else on it.”

“Hmm. The chopped salad looks awesome. I wonder if they’ll give me the salmon instead of the chicken.”

“You’re not vegan?”

He shrugged. “I don’t mind eating fish and shellfish. Nothing with a face. I’m an animal empath.”

Neal studied him. “What does that mean, exactly?”

Sasha blinked. In a big city like Chicago, that boasted being the home to three werewolf packs, his minor magic would be commonplace. Other towns didn’t have as many witches as Madison, but he’d never gotten asked that before. “I have an affinity for animals, and they have one for me.”

“What, like Doctor Doolittle?”

He barked a laugh. “That used to be my nickname, actually. It’s not quite like that. I kind of like Saint Francis better.”

“Aren’t you Wiccan? I noticed the ‘Gods’ and ‘Hades’ that you use.”

He frowned, confused. “Yeah…”

“But you model yourself on a Catholic saint?”

Sasha shrugged. “If the shoe fits… But he’s always pictured with animals around him and could reportedly talk to them and heal them. It fits.”

“You don’t mind cutting on them in surgery?”

“If I can help them, no. Animal testing, I wouldn’t do.”

The waiter returned and Sasha ordered a chopped salad with salmon and Neal got an avocado burger. He almost teased the big Marine about getting such a pansy entre, but didn’t quite dare. Sasha wasn’t sure where the big man’s lines were and didn’t want to ruin their first date.

They talked about their childhood and Sasha told a few funny stories about growing up on a farm. Neal had a deep belly laugh that Sasha enjoyed.

“Sounds like you had a great childhood.”

Sasha smiled. “Yeah, it was. My parents were overprotective, since I was a late baby in their lives. They were in their forties when I came along. My dad would let me get away with more than my mom.”

“‘Would?’ He’s not as indulgent now?”

“Actually, he passed when I was in college from a bad heart. I felt guilty since I wasn’t at home any more, maybe I could have…”

“Don’t. I know how that feels. I was away overseas during a tour when my parents were in a car crash driving to our vacation cabin. I used to drive the last few times, so always wondered if me behind the wheel could have made a difference.” Neal paused. “The thing is, we’ll never know, and we can’t keep carrying that around.”

Neal reached across the table and covered his hand. Sasha smiled back, pushing away his sadness. It pleased him that, when the waiter appeared at their table, Neal did not slide his hand away. The waiter collected their plates and disappeared with them.

Neal eyed Sasha. “You want dessert?”

“The one we discussed in the car?”

Neal grimaced. “Would love to, but I have to go to a meeting in a half hour.”

“What?”

The big man nodded. “I do. Shitty timing, I know.”

“Gods.”

“Rain check?”

“Maybe.” Sasha mock glared at him.

“I’m sorry, Doc, I am.”

In spite of himself, he laughed. “You are
so
gonna have to make it up to me.”

Neal leaned forward so fast it took his breath. “Count on it.”

Well okay then.

Chapter Seven

Sweet Release

Neal dropped Sasha off at his apartment. He didn’t invite the top, whom he hoped would be
his
top, up to see the place. He’d managed to find something in his price range; the rents in Chicago cost a
lot
more than the ones back home. Never more aware of the appearance than when Neal drove up, Sasha tried to ignore the peeling paint on the window frames and door and unlocked the big double deadbolt and went in.

He did turn and wave once. Neal waited to see that he got inside safely and then pulled away from the curb, big motor rumbling like a huge cat.

Gods
, but Sasha had fantasies about what Neal could do to him on the hood of that thing.

Of course, he’d
still
failed to pick up his Chevy.

Slick. Did Neal do that on purpose?

As he craned to see the Charger disappear down the block, the back of his neck prickled. He eyed the street, and the feeling of being watched grew. No one appeared as he closed the door, stomach tight.