“I’m gonna go and get the room ready. Come up in a few minutes, okay?”
********
“Sure.” Duke smiled slightly, then turning to gauge his friend’s reaction.
Quick paid them little attention as he put the dishes in the sink for the morning, locked up the house, and closed all the shades. Vaughan winked at Duke right before he disappeared up the stairs.
“You going to the office tomorrow?” Quick asked after everything was done.
“Hadn’t planned on it.”
“Good.”
“Excuse me?”
Quick gave him a stern look. “You heard me… Good. I need you to get better, man. Stay here and rest. Make sure my son doesn’t overdo it on the exercising again. You watch him and he can watch you. I know it’s the blind leading the blind, but I have work to get done now that I’m not playing you two monkeys’ game anymore.”
“Okaaay,” Duke drawled. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“Are you going upstairs to sleep with my son now?”
“Oh, god. Come on, Roman. You know I’m not—”
Quick put up his hands in surrender. “I’m just fuckin’ with you. Go on up and rest, dude. I’ll run over and get your stuff and be back in a few.” Before Quick could get out the door he added, “I got an early bond hearing tomorrow, then I’m going to the office. I’ll see y’all tomorrow night. I’ll call before I walk in the door though,” Quick said mockingly.
“Rome,” Duke griped tiredly.
“Okay. Okay, I’m done for real now.”
“Good,” Duke mumbled, walking towards the landing for the stairs.
“Son, a man’s coming up to your room,” Quick bellowed loud enough to wake the dead. Duke rolled his eyes so hard he thought he’d never see his irises again.
“Oh happy day, Father,” Vaughan crooned from somewhere upstairs. His voice way too sexy and deep to pull off a fair maiden’s tone. “A gentlemen caller of my very own.”
“You two are idiots,” Duke murmured, taking each step carefully.
“Night.” Quick laughed. “Hey! Remember, these walls are thin. Just to let you know.”
“Then keep your porn on mute and jerk off quietly, I need to sleep,” Duke bitched back right before he reached the top of the stairs. But he heard his best friend’s grumbled “Fucker,” before he got down the hall.
He chanted over and over in his mind. I’m gonna sleep with Duke, I’m gonna sleep with Duke. Despite the fact that he couldn’t fuck him yet, it was still going to be heady lying with him. Touching him, smelling him, caressing. Those weren’t off limits.
Vaughan had just finished brushing his teeth after he fluffed up the sheets on the bed, too tired and achy to change them. Since his father had done it for him the night before and Vaughan hadn’t beat off in ages, he felt it was good enough.
He’d heard his dad announce Duke’s arrival so tactlessly and he had to respond in kind. When Duke turned the corner into the guest room Vaughan’s heart skipped a beat, the lyrics to Etta James’ At Last annoyingly filled his mind, and he had to blink hard to banish them. He’d play it cool even though he wanted to pounce on the man like an animal would its mate. Vaughan was almost there, within reach of claiming what he’d waited so long for. They needed another couple weeks to heal completely, so he’d take the time to get to know Duke better.
“You look so tired, babe. Why don’t you take a quick shower and come join me.” Vaughan tilted his head towards the queen-sized bed in the center of the room. He loved the way Duke nodded his head once and headed towards the bathroom to follow his suggestion, a slight pinkish tone gracing his strong cheeks. So damn handsome. Vaughan pulled back the covers and climbed beneath the cool cotton sheets. He sighed heavily and sank bank into the pillows on his side of the bed. He was so excited and drained at the same time. It had been a pretty long day and he hadn’t realized how much he’d needed relaxation until he stopped moving.
When the shower turned off a few minutes later, Vaughan’s stomach fluttered and his cock twitched happily. It was obvious Duke had gotten the same post-op instructions as him, that showers were to be limited. Maybe turning on the television would derail his mind from the direction it was headed, as he thought about Duke next to him half-naked and smelling like his soap. Ah. The Late Show. That’s about as nonsexual as he could get at that hour.
“You don’t watch the news,” Duke said, coming out the bathroom, a billow of steam following him like he deserved to make a dramatic, sexy entrance. He had a long, soft white bath sheet wrapped around his lower half, tucked low enough that Vaughan could see Duke’s scar. Duke’s scars. Jesus Christ… my other kidney is in there. How did Vaughan not prepare himself for that? He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, staring at Duke as he rummaged through the top drawer of the one large chests Vaughan had in the room. His man pulled a pair of pajama pants out, but before he removed the towel and put them on, he turned and noticed Vaughan staring intently at him.