“He so fucking is.”
Scott laughed and cupped Tad’s crotch. Gave his cock a generous rub.
Tad moaned. “Shit yeah, Doc… Right fucking there…”
Scott growled and rubbed harder, moving his mouth to Tad’s neck.
Tad’s eyes rolled back. Oh, God… So good…
Until Scott cupped his balls and laughed, “Now cough.”
* * * * *
“Smile, Max.”
Max blinked at the bright flash of light. “Sean, stop.”
Sean grinned and snapped another.
“Sean.”
He lowered his camera. “Yes?”
“Stop. Taking. My. Picture.”
“I can’t help it. I love your face.”
“How ‘bout you love this fucking tree.”
Sean peered up from where he was sitting to the canopy above their heads. “Nah. Not feeling it.”
Max shook his head—pain in my ass—and scanned their surroundings. They were parked on a field, one on Mason’s campus. Just a couple of fields down, in fact, from Max’s building.
He frowned and looked at Sean. “Why are we here again?”
“I dunno.” Sean shrugged. “’Cause it’s peaceful? Makes you happy?”
Max looked around some more. “No. I don’t think that’s why.”
“Hmm. Guess it’s a mystery then.” Sean smirked and snapped another.
“Sean.” Max scowled. “Do that again and you’re getting it.”
Sean raised his brows and chuckled. “You threatening me, Sir?”
“I am.”
Sean’s eyes gleamed.
Max growled.
Click!
That. Little. Fucking. Shit.
Max lunged, fighting a smile, and tackled Sean into the grass.
Sean cracked up laughing. “I think you blinked. I need another.”
“What you need is a smack on the ass.”
“I’ll take one of those, too.”
Max tried like hell to glower.
Sean stilled and smiled up at him. “Kiss me, Max.”
“What?” Max frowned. “No.”
God, his head was suddenly killing him.
“Please? I gotta go soon. Just this once before I go.”
Max’s gut went cold. Sean’s words… Anxiety roused.
“Sean. I can’t—”
“Please, Max. Please.” A strange look flashed in Sean’s eyes.
Max stiffened. His head throbbed harder.
“Please,” Sean’s pushed. “Please.” His face was turning anxious.
Max’s stomach clenched. Goosebumps flared to life. Something bad was about to happen.
Sean sucked in a breath. Glanced around. “Oh, my God—Max, I’m sinking!”
Max shoved to his knees. “What?” Then froze in full-fledged horror.
The grass, the ground, it was pulling Sean under.
“Max! Oh, God!” Sean scrambled for purchase. “Help!”
But Max couldn’t fucking move, was utterly paralyzed, watching as the earth sucked Sean down.
“Max!” Sean reached for him, eyes wide as saucers. “Please!”
Jesus! He was sinking, sinking so fast.
No! This couldn’t be happening!
Rage roared through Max’s blood, hurtling him into action.
He threw himself forward and grabbed Sean’s arm. “Hold on! I’ve got you!”
But only his head and limbs were still visible.
“I’m scared!” Sean sounded different.
Max glanced at his face, then nearly froze back to stone. Because not only was Sean’s skin white and his eyes dark and sunken, but a deep purple bruise was encircling his neck.
No… Oh, God...
Max’s heart threatened to flatline. His face crumbled. “No.” He gripped Sean’s forearm tighter.
“Max!”
Max shook his head. “Please. Please, don’t go.”
Sean stopped flailing and just stared at him, the grass up to his chin. “I have to, Max,” he rasped out. “You knew this… You always knew.”
Max’s chest split open. Pain speared through his soul. “No!” he howled. “NO!! You told me you were different!” He tugged and yanked furiously, then tried clawing at the earth. “You told me you wouldn’t leave me! You fucking promised!!”
“Max! Max, please!”
Sean sounded different again. Back to normal.
Strong hands shook Max’s shoulders.
He belted out another shout.
“Max… Max, wake up…. Please. It’s just a dream.”
Head pounding, pulse hammering, Max sucked in a ragged breath. “Sean.”
Warm fingers touched his cheek. “Yeah… It’s me.”
Oh, thank fuck. It really was just a dream. Max slumped with a groan, but then immediately tensed back up. Lids still closed, he furrowed his brows. If it was all just a dream, then why in the fuck was Sean still there? Max peeled open his eyes.
Sean warily looked back at him. “Hi,” he murmured. “Are you… okay?”
Max blinked. Glanced around. Frowned deeper. “What are you doing here?”
Sean’s expression fell. He stared at Max. “You… don’t remember?”
What the fuck was he talking about? Max eyed him, confused.
“Last night?” Sean prompted.
What was there to remember about last night? Max got wasted and went to bed. Granted, that one dream with Sean had been amazing, but other than that, there weren’t—Max froze. Like a statue. Looked at Sean.
Oh, God.
He quickly sat up, then groaned and shook his head. “No… No way… That’s not possible… That was a dream.”
Sean’s lips fell open. “A dream? Are you fucking serious?”
“Yes, I’m fucking serious.” Max restlessly glanced around. This shit didn’t add up. How the fuck could that really have happened?
“But you were awake. We talked…”
Max shook his head harder. “No. This doesn’t make sense. I went to bed. Alone.”
“You woke up again.”
“No, I didn’t!”
Sean pointed to Max’s nightstand. “I brought you that water bottle, and you asked me to stay.”
“No.” More head shakes. “You couldn’t’ve gotten in. Scott left for the night, and he always locks the doors, so—”
“I stopped by as he was leaving. He let me in through the garage.”