Knight of Ocean Avenue (28 page)

“You didn’t know who you were then.”

“I’m not sure that has anything to do with it.”

“Of course it does. You bought the bullshit some jealous idiots handed out because you didn’t know you were a knight.”

“You figure I can ride in there on my horse and slay that test?” He grinned, but it wasn’t easy.

“Yes. I know you can. Clancy, Yerby, and I believe in you totally.”

He sucked in his breath. There it was. Someone who believed in him. Someone who wasn’t his sister. Or a cat.

He slipped onto his knees and wrapped his arms around Shaz’s waist. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. For what?”

“Thinking I can do it.”

“No, I said I
know
you can do it. Tomorrow morning you send in the application. Pay the fee. How long does it take before the exam?”

He looked up into those green eyes. “About six weeks.”

“Good. Plenty of time. We’ll study together.”

Instant cold sweat. “I already know the answers. It’s taking the test I can’t do.”

“This time you can.”

Holy shit.

B
ILLY
STARED
at the computer, one cat on his lap and the other asleep on his feet. He knew this shit backward and forward. God, he’d been trying to force himself to take the test for most of the last year, but Shaz said he had to know it so well that no amount of fear or distraction would derail him. So he studied and studied every sample test he could find. He’d even signed up for an online tutoring class, but it was so simple he could have taught it. Now he was two weeks closer to D-Day. He went to work—where most of the guys were cool, or at least they didn’t say anything to his face—and then came home and studied. And he was just as scared.
Shit
.

He clicked on the link for his favorite porn. No pretense this time. No cocks and pussies. He went straight for the good stuff. The big cowboy pumped the ass of the redheaded twink. Funny, he’d picked the video where the guy was a redhead. Not as red as Shaz’s, but still.

“Unh, unh, unh.”

Billy held the forward arrow. There. They switched places. Man, he loved this part. The twink grabbed the big guy by his cowboy ponytail and started pounding into his butt. Jesus, what did that feel like? Shaz seemed to love it, but Billy remembered Shaz saying he liked to top too. Would he want to top Billy? How bad would it hurt?

He heard the door open downstairs, and his hand clicked back to the contractor’s exam. He chuckled.
Reflex
. It was now officially okay to watch gay porn. The cats heard the door too, and Yerby leaped off his lap and ran like tuna from heaven had arrived. Clancy ambled after him. Mr. Cool. But clearly, they loved Shaz as much as Billy. He smiled. Had to admit his own piece of heaven was here too, and his cock wanted to say howdy.

He walked out of the office and peered over the railing into the big open space below. Yes, Shaz’s home was pretty much his. Much as he loved his little place, a one-eighty view of the ocean from every window was tough to beat. So was the company. “Hey, beautiful.”

Shaz looked up at him. “Look who’s talking. Better come down and save me from this ravening herd of felines.”

He bounded down the stairs. “Hope you brought them a treat or they may eat you.” He wrapped his arms around Shaz. “Of course, I may eat you first.”

“Any time, sweetheart.” He stood on tiptoe and kissed Billy’s nose. “Come with me while I feed their majesties.” He rattled the bag in his hand.

Billy followed Shaz and the cats into the kitchen. Shaz rinsed the cat bowls and poured dark nuggets into each one from a package he took from the paper bag. “I hear it’s very gourmet.”

Billy grinned. “Have you been hanging out at the pet store again?”

Shaz put the bowls on the individual placemats he had purchased just for the boys, then walked over and rested his head on Billy’s chest. “I never knew how much I wanted pets until I had two gay cats in my bed.”

Billy tucked a finger under Shaz’s chin and brought his face up until he could see his green eyes. “You’re serious. You now officially have fur on everything.”

Shaz nodded. “I didn’t know what I was missing until you came along, Billy Ballew. I look forward to coming home for the first time in my life. Don’t you think we should stop pretending you live someplace else and replace my ugly dining room table with your beautiful one?”

Billy’s heart beat fast but he grinned. “Oh, so you only love me for my table and my cats, huh?”

“I love you for far more than that.” Shaz was serious. “And I totally understand if the idea of moving in with a man freaks you out. I don’t mean to rush you, and I get if you want your space.”

Whoa
. The idea of moving in with a man did freak him out. But this wasn’t “a man.” This was Shaz. “Yes.” Just saying it made him feel—right.

Shaz smiled, and it lit up all the angles of his beautiful face. “Yes?”

He looked down at Yerby and Clancy chewing and purring. “Let’s face it. You already own my cats. If I want to keep them, I have to move here.”

“You really want to?” Shaz looked anxious and maybe a little skeptical.

“Are you trying to talk me out of it? I’m the one who should be asking you if you really want a big clod like me hanging round all the time.”

Shaz gave him a wicked grin. “Well—if you bring your table.”

Billy grabbed him and lifted him off his feet, then kissed him thoroughly. Shaz wrapped his legs around Billy’s waist, which brought significant areas of anatomy into close proximity. Both of them were wearing jeans—of course, Shaz’s were chartreuse—and the slow grinding Shaz started with his hips rubbed denim in all the right places.

“You looking to get fucked, Mr. Phillips?”

“Ummm hmmm.” He humped against Billy’s cock. “Carry me.”

“With pleasure. But aren’t you hungry?”

“I had a big lunch. I’ll be happy with some hors d’oeuvres of cock and balls, baby.”

“Shit, sounds good to me.” He started up the stairs carrying his beautiful package.

“Billy?”

“Hmm?”
Mind firmly in cock
.

“What are you doing Saturday?”

“Working like always, then Little League practice.” He thrust his hips up to meet Shaz’s downward momentum.
Oh yeah
.

“Any chance you could get free about four?”

Hell, what wouldn’t he do for Shaz? “Sure. Anything you want.”

“Good. Then you can be my escort to the Fashion Institute Gala in LA.”

What?
“Hang on.”

Shaz tightened his legs and ground his erection against Billy’s. “I am hanging on.”

Billy stopped at the top of the stairs. “I’m no good for that kind of thing. Take Ru or somebody.”

“I’m taking Ru and the whole company. I want you to be my date.” He wiggled and dropped his legs until Billy let him slide to the floor. When Shaz’s feet hit the ground, he kept on going, slithering down Billy’s body until he was on his knees. With one zip, he had Billy’s cock in his hand and then his mouth and—
holy shit!
Shaz was the world champion giver of head, but he was outdoing himself. His tongue slid up and down Billy’s shaft, caressed the frenulum, and then bored into his slit like an erotic snake.

“Oh God. Jesus, Shaz.”

He popped off his lips. “Say you’ll go. Say ‘Yes Shaz, anything you say, Shaz.’” He sucked Billy’s cock to the back of his throat, then swallowed and swallowed.

“Oh my God, yes, yes, I’ll do anything.” His hips popped like a jackrabbit on six triple doppios. “Unh. Unh. Shit. Yes.”

Shaz grabbed his shaft and pumped while he sucked.

Billy gasped, “No. Wait. Don’t want to come yet.”

Shaz bobbed up, grabbed Billy’s hand, and dragged him toward the bedroom with his pants loose around his thighs and his cock dancing in front. Shaz let go and ran ahead of him. When Billy finally wrestled his cock and his pants in the door, Shaz was naked from the waist down, leaning over the arm of a chair, and shoving lube into his own hole.

As Billy struggled forward, Shaz threw him a condom. “Fuck!”

No asking him twice. He ripped off his clothes, pulled on the extra-large condom, and dove directly at Shaz’s perfect ass. No preliminaries. Shaz didn’t mind it rough and Billy liked to give it. He lined up cock to hole and shoved.

“Shit, yes.”

He pushed and Shaz howled as his cockhead scraped across his prostate. “Jesus. How did I ever survive all these years without that cock? That is the king of cocks. No, the knight of cocks. Fuck me!”

No thought. Fucking machine. Fucking forever. He threw his head back, watched the stars float through his brain, thrust five more times, heard Shaz scream, and went over the edge. “I’m so glad I’m gaaaaay!”

Shaz gasped for breath. “Me too, baby. Me too.”

When their hearts stopped pounding, they staggered to the bed and collapsed, laughing. Billy cradled Shaz against his chest. Finally he caught his breath, and they both nestled in quiet. Man, Shaz really yelled when Billy’s cock massaged his gland. “Uh, Shaz?”

“Yeah?”

“If I’m the knight and you’re the princess, does that mean I always need to be on top?”

Silence. Small chuckle. “Oh no. I’m a very bossy princess.”

“So, uh—”

“Are you saying you’d like to get fucked, my knight?”

“I might like to try it.”

“We’ll have to get you ready. Can’t just start shoving things in your butt with no practice.”

“Will it hurt?”

“Not if we do it right. Take our time.”

“Oh.”

Shaz rose up on one arm and looked at Billy. “So, we’re kind of anxious, are we?”

Billy shrugged and felt his ears heat.

“Okay. We will definitely get you ready to bottom. But I think it should be something of a reward.”

“Whadda you mean?”

Shaz’s eyes sparkled, and he looked totally evil. “Ah, my knight. You’ll see. Now let’s talk about your wardrobe for Saturday.”

S
HAZ
GLANCED
at Billy, who stared out the windows of the limo like a stranger in a strange land. Hopefully it hadn’t been a mistake to drag the guy here. Hell, he looked as uncomfortable as Shaz had felt in that blue-collar bar. But Shaz had ended up kind of enjoying himself—thanks to Billy and his kind friends. Sadly, Shaz’s friends weren’t all that kind. But one thing was for sure. Billy looked devastating. Shaz and Ru had dolled him up in the same tux he’d worn to the wedding, but with a superfashionable high-collared shirt and slim white tie. He could hold his own in any room, fashion-wise. But with the catty fashion crowd? Maybe not so much.

Shaz’s whole team crowded in the limo, chattering excitedly as the vehicle pulled closer to the brightly lit entrance, with its red carpet and line of reporters and fans.

Beside him, Billy took a deep breath.

Ru, who was sitting on the jump seat across from them, put a hand on Billy’s arm. “Easy, big fella.” He laughed. “You look great, Billy. Don’t let the folderol get to you. Picture them all in their Armani underwear.”

Billy grimaced. “Thanks. That’s just what I need.”

“Seriously, darling. You’re hot stuff.”

Billy tried to grin. “Not likely.”

Ru adjusted his bow tie. “Oh, you should be sitting where I am and you’d agree.” He waggled his eyebrows.

Shaz took Billy’s hand and waved a finger at Ru. “Are you flirting with my date, darling?”

“Harmlessly, I assure you.”

Shaz snorted. Despite his quirky nerd style, Ru was a sexy man.

Ru sat back and adjusted his round, black-rimmed glasses. “How does the formidable Mrs. Ballew feel about you two moving in together?”

Billy shuddered. “She doesn’t know. Rhonda and Mitch sent my parents on a cruise. She fought like a tiger not to spend the money, but I hear they’re having a great time. Anyway, it gives me a little breathing room.”

“Shaz says you’re taking the contractor’s exam so you can oversee the reconstruction of our new building.”

Billy frowned and glanced at Shaz.

Millicent leaned over and grabbed Billy’s arm. “That’s so cool. I’m really excited about the building, and Shaz says I can apprentice as a stylist.”

“I’m glad for you. But there’s no guarantee about me passing this test. It’s really tough, and I’m bad at tests.”

Shaz wrapped his arm through Billy’s. “He’s going to be great, darlings. No worries.”

Billy gave him a pained look. Shaz squeezed his bicep and got a little smile.

The limo finally maneuvered into position and stopped. The driver came around and opened the door. Billy was closest. He glanced back at Shaz.

“Just be yourself, darling.”

His big chest rose and fell as he stepped out of the car. Cameras flashed, and a ton of people squealed and cheered. Shaz grinned. They had no idea who he was, but Shaz had dressed him up like a rich rock star, so they must think he was someone important. For a second Billy looked stunned; then he turned and extended a hand to Shaz.

As Shaz slid from the car, the decibel level from the crowd went up. Most of them didn’t know who he was either, but what the fuck? Billy offered his arm and Shaz took it. The big guy leaned down. “You sure look great.”

Now that statement, more than the crowd and cameras, took his breath away. He gazed up into Billy’s blue eyes for a second and wished they were alone. “I’m sorry I put you through this.”

Billy shook his head and smiled, but it looked strained, and his eyes kept flicking to the crowd. “It’s okay. I want to do what’s important to you.”

“You’re important to me.”
But we’re here now, so make the best of it
. He raised a hand and waved to the crowd.
Hmm. How would the queen do it?

A woman reporter pushed forward with a microphone and a cameraman. “Good evening, Chase. Are you excited about tonight?”

Shaz slipped his arm through Billy’s and smiled at the camera. Billy looked relaxed, but the tension in his arm felt like a deer about to bolt. Shaz nodded at the woman. “Yes, this is always such a grand event. And for the best of causes. I’m honored to support it. I’ve brought my whole team tonight.”