Promises 2 (26 page)

Cayson

It wasn’t a long drive to Quick’s place, but he’d kept his hand on Cayson’s thigh for the short duration. When Quick got to the last stop light before his neighborhood, he turned to face him, but Cayson was looking straight ahead, afraid of what he’d see if he looked at Quick.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?” Quick asked, tightening the squeeze on his leg.

Cayson nodded his head.

“You are? Because you’re awfully quiet.”

“Just thinking,” Cayson said solemnly.

“Care to share?”

“Not particularly.”

Quick laughed under his breath. “Okay, then. Can I ask something?”

“Shoot.”

“Is it bad thoughts… or good?”

Cayson finally turned to look him. His bright blue eyes were radiant even in the darkness of the truck. “It’s good mostly. And part terrifying.”

Quick turned into his driveway, pushing his remote to lift the garage door. He shut off the engine, and before Cayson could go for the door handle, Quick clamped a hand on the back of his neck to stop him. The touch was hotter than a brand, but he still closed his eyes and leaned into the hold.

“I think I know what you’re talking about.” Quick stroked Cayson’s firm jaw with his thumb while he kept up the light massage. “Why don’t we just let things progress naturally? However slow or fast that is, we just go with our gut. Do what feels good.”

Cayson nibbled on his bottom lip, thinking that over, and next thing he felt was Quick leaning in and sucking his tender lip into his own mouth, giving it his own assault. Quick ran the tip of his tongue along the opening of his mouth, teasing and flicking at him to open wider. It only took him a second to do what Quick wanted.

“You don’t have to worry, Cays. Not about me hurting you.” Quick’s voice was low and husky, like he was struggling keeping his own fears at bay.

“We haven’t discussed anything serious, Rome. Or exclusivity.”

“I already told you… you’re mine.”

Cayson stared at him, waiting to see deceit or malice. But there was none there. He prayed Quick was old enough to know what he wanted, because he didn’t have time for games. It was unfortunate that games were all Cayson had experienced in the minimal amount of time he’d had to date, but he hoped Quick was ready to show him the way romance was supposed to be. Just like their song said. Quick told him he’d married right out of high school, so he probably hadn’t carved a ton of notches in his headboard, but he didn’t need to sleep with a bunch of people to know how to treat someone he cared about. Right?

Cayson finally smiled, and Quick inched in for one more kiss. “Now. No more worrying about what ifs, okay.”

“Okay.” Cayson opened the door and pulled the seat up to grab his bags. He had Sunday off but he usually went through his upcoming cases. He’d need to borrow Quick’s office for a while. He blew a tired sigh. He had to stop fretting over nothing. Quick had practically forced him here, so he should accept that he wasn’t an imposition. Especially since he’d only just gotten there. Maybe Quick would enjoy him in his house as much as Cayson liked having the big lug in his space. 

Quick opened the door which led into his laundry room. He had a newer model washer and dryer, and some products sitting on top of the machines. On the rows of shelves lining the opposite wall, were canned goods and other pantry items. Lots of green vegetables. So, he preferred Tide laundry detergent and had a thing for canned spinach. He was already learning so much about Quick and he’d only gotten ten feet inside his home.

“I like it when you smile. If it weren’t for the stubble, you’d almost look pretty.” Quick eased Cayson’s bag off his shoulder and took his hand, leading them through the long hallway into the living room. “Let’s put your stuff in the guest room and then we’ll decide on dinner.”

Quick was definitely a take-charge man and he found it easy to listen to him, do as he said. Joe had been annoyingly, unattractively bossy. Quick was the epitome of an alpha male, the one in the relationship who took out the trash and fixed the toilet. Cayson would bet his cable package consisted of all the sports channels and he was the kind of guy who never had a hand towel in his bathroom. Quick was the kind of man he’d stayed away from in high school and college. He guessed his neat khakis, collared shirt and wire-rimmed glasses weren’t a huge turn-on back then, and didn’t scream jock. What Quick saw in him, he wasn’t a hundred percent sure yet, but he did believe, now. That he turned the man on to some degree. He wasn’t as pessimistic as he’d been in the beginning.  

“Dinner sounds good. Then after, I was thinking….” Cayson’s words trailed off as he stood at the entrance to the door of what he assumed was the guest room, because Quick placed his bag on the bed and turned on a green porcelain lamp on the night stand. He had to admit he was shocked by the warmth. Even the curtains matched the duvet. Warm, earth tones surrounded him when he stepped farther inside. Deep greens and dark brown furniture coordinated nicely in the large space. A decent-size television sat inside a dark oak credenza, and Quick pointed to two drawers at the bottom.

“Those are empty down there. Feel free to use them.” Quick turned and opened the door closest to a double-paned window. “Your own bathroom. There’s a few toiletries already in there, mostly stuff Duke left, but I can get you anything you need.”

“Duke used to stay in this room?” Cayson looked confused.

“Only when he was too drunk to drive home after a game night or something, but that went for any of the guys.” Quick shrugged, turning on the light to a walk-in closet. “You’ll see at the next game night, which I’m hosting this coming week. There’ll be guys sprawled all over the floor and on any free space.”

Goodness. Quick talked like Cayson had just moved in. Since Quick was looking so comfortable and sure, he choose not to make any negative comments. Besides, game night sounded like fun. But he wasn’t moving in with Quick. Bottom line.

“You were saying something a second ago.” Quick stood in front of him with one hand on his hip, and the other curved around Cayson’s neck, pulling him closer to him. Oh, he smelled so good. Even though he’d showered hours ago, he could still smell his soap and shampoo in Quick’s long hair. Not thinking about it, he sunk into Quick’s embrace and ran his hand through his hair. The long, gray strands mixed with the dark brown made him look like a mature model. He hadn’t ever seen a grown man with hair that luxurious. “Why do you like your hair so long?”

Quick’s head jerked back in surprise. “You don’t like it?”

“You know I love it. I’m just wondering if I’m going to go to work one day, come back, and it’s all gone and you’re sporting a buzz cut talking about how you wanted a change.”

Quick laughed down in his belly. “No. That probably won’t happen. In fact, I’ll probably be one of those pathetic men who have a huge bald spot in the middle but are too stubborn to cut off the few long strands left hanging around the perimeter.”

Cayson had a good laugh in Quick’s arms. It felt so wonderful to laugh with a lover. “I won’t let you do that to yourself.”

“Promise.” Quick beamed down at him, his light, carefree smile transforming Cayson’s world right before his eyes.

“Promise.” Cayson’s voice had dropped low, his smile sliding off his face, replaced with a feverish seriousness. He went up on his toes and aimed for Quick’s mouth, wondering if he’d ever get tired of kissing him. Despite his ass being sore from only an hour ago, it was still greedy. He wouldn’t mind taking that cock one more time before bed. He had all day tomorrow to recover. Or maybe…
Maybe I can top him.

Quick groaned and pulled Cayson higher in his arms. He drove his tongue deep enough to taste all of Cayson’s nasty thoughts, and he couldn’t stop from grinding his erection on Quick’s solid thigh. Hissing, he stilled his hips, licking a path across Quick’s rough cheek. “Mmm. Rome. Why do I turn into such a slut around you?”

Quick’s laugh was sultry, a quiet rumble. “I’d be a little disappointed if you didn’t.” Quick said, squeezing a handful of Cayson’s rising cock.

“Fuck.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Later, maybe.” Quick held his fiery doctor to him. He needed to get himself under control and not hump all over Cayson like an unneutered dog. He didn’t want to scare him away. Although, he was having a time peeling Cayson off his thigh. He smiled the entire time, loving that his sweet doctor was full of surprises, and not so sweet behind closed doors. Fuck yes! “After dinner, you want to watch a movie?”

Cayson massaged Quick’s large pecs, licking his lips as he stared straight ahead. “Well. I thought maybe you could show me a few moves.”

“Moves?” Quick frowned, not sure what moves Cayson wanted to learn.

“Yeah. You know. So that if I’m pushed against a wall again, I can get…” Cayson began to turn an embarrassing shade of rose as he shook his head. “Never mind. That’s stupid. I was thinking stupid.”

“No, wait.” Quick pulled Cayson back to look at him. “Did he do more than push you around?”

Cayson’s mouth probably resembled a fish out of water. He closed and released his pursed lips as he tried to think of something to say. Quick was standing so tall, towering over him, his brow pinched and his massive hands balled into alarmingly sizeable fists at his sides. “I don’t want you to be upset. Or fly off the handle.”

“Cayson, tell me! What else did he do?” Quick yelled, just lower than a dull roar.

Cayson jumped, startling back out of Quick’s space. He hadn’t meant to yell that loud, but at least Cayson didn’t look scared. That’s not what he was going for. He closed his eyes and recited a couple of his favorite proverbs from his sensei, all the while Cayson stood off a ways, watching him.

Quick did his breathing and thought of a calming place. Not mindful of how many seconds passed, he opened his eyes, blinking as if he were coming back to reality. When his head pounded and his skin heated to the point he felt like he’d combust, he knew he was losing composure. It was terrifying and alluring when he crooked his finger, beckoning Cayson back to him. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to do or say. All he did know was that Cayson was going to tell him the whole truth. Did Joe do anything more beside push Cayson?

Cayson still hadn’t moved and Quick hurried to show him he was in full control. He felt a cocky grin play across his face as he began to walk slowly towards him. Cayson looked like he was going to bolt, and how much fun that would be. “If you run. I’ll catch you,” Quick said darkly and Cayson shook his head, finally smiling back at him. He’d backed him up to the wall, leaving him no room to flee. Quick didn’t rush him. He ran his hand up Cayson’s flat stomach and over his chest. He caressed the smooth skin beneath the top of his collar before he placed his entire palm over Cayson’s throat. He didn’t squeeze, just held it there, staring down into Cayson’s shocked eyes. No fear. Only desire. He fit himself against Cayson, giving him his brawn to show he was still protecting him… always. But right now, he wanted to push Cayson and see how far he could pull him from his comfort zone before he retreated. He needed his surgeon to trust him, but how could he ask that when Quick hadn’t told Cayson everything? He closed his eyes and breathed when he felt the fast thump of Cayson’s pulse and the nervous dip of his Adam’s apple. Quick breathed in through his nose and out through is mouth, feeling a coolness wash over the inferno that was his body. How did Cayson do that? He was calming him.

Cayson spoke and Quick felt each syllable under his palm. “Joe said he was going to do what I’d wanted him to do, and fuck me,” Cayson spoke hurriedly.

That was when his self-control went to hell… literally. It felt like Cayson had tossed him in a lake of fire. Quick’s body shook, but Cayson kept going. “He undid his belt and pushed me against the wall. I couldn’t, um… I couldn’t get loose.”

Quick grunted, the beast within scratching and clawing to be let free. To get even. His fingers twitched against Cayson’s damp flesh.

“I told him no, but he grabbed for my dick. I pushed him as hard as I could and when I raised my voice and mentioned sexual harassment, he left.”

Quick wanted to beat on his chest. How dare that son of a bitch. He went to remove his hand from Cayson’s throat while he processed what Joe did to his man.
His
. He’d kill him. This was fucking war. Before he could drop his hand, Cayson grabbed for it and put it back to his neck, pushing his fingertips closed firmly around the most vulnerable part of his body. He was showing Quick the extent of his trust in him. Cayson wasn’t afraid, no matter how angry Quick got. That was going to be critical in their relationship, because one thing was for certain, Quick could get extremely mad.

  “Look at me.” Cayson’s voice sounded far away, and Quick realized he had a decent grip on Cayson’s throat. “It’s okay. Look at me.”

Quick eased up, pressing his forehead down on top of Cayson’s head while he breathed through his gentle words. They were close enough that Cayson could pucker up his lips and kiss him right between his pecs. When he felt him pushing his throat against Quick’s hold, trying to get his mouth on Quick’s body, his nerves settled, and his ire fizzled to a simmering burn.

“I’m sorry he touched you. I hate that I wasn’t there.”

“Maybe it’s best you weren’t.”

Quick couldn’t help but agree. “I think you’re right.” He finally took his hand down only to stare at the faint handprint left there.
Jesus
.

“What?” Cayson must’ve read his expression. His delicate, expert fingers reached up and timidly touched the tender flesh over his throat. “Is there a mark there?” Cayson asked, almost wistfully.

“My handprint.” Quick swallowed a thick gulp of worry. He was embarrassed. He and Cayson hadn’t quite got that far in their courting yet. Before they could go there, they’d have to talk about boundaries and limits. Quick wasn’t thinking in terms of a D/s relationship, but he liked to play rough. Who didn’t sometimes?

“Good,” Cayson whispered. “I hope he sees your marks if there’s a next time.”

Calm
.