Saved by the Pitcher, page 8
“Um, that is…hot,” James managed to say, his excitement evident.
“I’m not as big as you,” Mike stated, taking his seat once more. “I can tell. I’m kind of average-sized. I’ve been told that’s a bigger deal to guys than it is to girls. Is it?”
James snickered. “Don’t perpetuate the stereotypes against the LGBTQ community. No, I’m not disappointed. It looks nice and…it works, right?
Mike laughed. “Oh, it works, James. It’s always up for what needs to be done. In fact, it’s wanting to put in a shift right now.”
“Ah. Back to that, are we?” James mused.
“Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to show me anything else. I’ve decided I don’t want to see any more of you,” Mike declared.
James jerked his head back with surprise. “Ouch. Is it something I said?”
Mike shook his head, holding up his hands in the air. “You misunderstand. I want to see everything. Just not tonight. I’d rather wait until I can see you naked in-person instead of through a dimly lit blur.”
James laughed. “Clean your screen sometime. And we’ll see how things go before we talk about getting naked.”
Mike grinned with confidence. “James, don’t fight it. You know you’ll show me everything and you can’t wait. But as for tonight, I thought maybe we could jerk off together. We can just look at each other’s faces and chests while we do it.”
“Ha! I knew that’s where this was leading.”
“Hmm, another thing that draws me to you. You’re smart and perceptive. So, what do you say? You know if we don’t, you’ll end up whacking alone in bed when we disconnect anyway. Don’t deny it. I know I would. So, why not do it together instead?” Mike reasoned.
James blushed with a shy smile. “God, you’d think I was the same-sex virgin and you were the experienced one.”
Mike ignored James’ procrastination, reaching down to start stroking his cock through the fabric of his boxer-briefs. “Mm, so good, James. I wish you’d join me.”
James’ eyes hazed—he couldn’t hide his desire at watching Mike pleasuring himself. Mike knew he’d won when he saw James’ hand slip below the view of the camera. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”
“Take your trunks off,” Mike commanded. “I want to know your hand is stroking your bare skin.”
James seemed past protests as Mike watched his partner bend forward, using his arms to push down the unseen fabric. James sat back up with a dreamy expression. “They’re off.” He held them up with his right hand to prove it to Mike.
“Oh my God,” Mike muttered, before reaching down to remove his own underwear. He grabbed onto his engorged dick and began stroking it, watching the panting and chest-heaving on the other side of the camera.
“I won’t last long,” James whispered. “I haven’t jerked off in a couple of days.”
“Me either,” Mike concurred. “Brush your fingers over your hole. It’s how I pictured you stroking with me when I masturbated to images of you.”
James blushed. “Jesus. Are you sure you’re a novice at this?”
“Just do it,” Mike growled. “I want to see your face when you’re touching your most private places.”
James hesitated, but Mike knew he had given in when James’ eyes fluttered and he emitted a soft moan.
“Are you doing it?” James ventured after a moment
“You want me to?” Mike asked. “You want me to breach myself?”
“God, yes!” James replied as he leaned back in the chair. Mike used the index finger of his freehand to penetrate his hole. “You’re so fucking hot,” James managed through his pants. “My dick is leaking like a burst pipe.”
“Mm. I wish I was there to see it. To lick it,” Mike gasped.
That statement put James over the edge, and he shot several hot spurts up his belly and chest. Mike was in awe, seeing the white cream splattering James’ torso, propelling his own intense orgasm. He felt the liquid creating mini-puddles into the crevices of his six-pack abs.
“Christ!” James shouted as he finished his orgasm.
Mike gasped as his ejaculation was ending. “Fuck. I needed that.”
Both sat looking at each other, watching the other’s breathing begin to slow. After a couple of minutes had passed, James managed to smile. “You need to clean the cum gutters now.”
Mike chuckled in return. “I’d say I hate when that happens, but I promised no more lies.” He looked at James’ messed-up stomach and chest. “And speak for yourself. You shoot high. That’s fucking sexy. I can’t wait to see you come in-person.”
James gave him the bashful smile that Mike was starting to love. “Maybe.”
Mike pursed his lips. “Nah. It’s a definite. And you know I’ll savor licking every drop.”
James was wiping himself dry with tissue, but he looked up with eyes wide at Mike’s comment. “Don’t get me hard again.”
“Why not?”
“Because, there’s a matinee tomorrow and I should be in bed already,” James reminded him. “Then I have an evening show, too.”
Mike frowned, beginning his own clean-up. “So, I can’t see you tomorrow, can I?”
James shook his head. “It wouldn’t be possible. Sorry. It’s more than just the two shows. I have rehearsals and physical therapy between performances.”
“Injury?”
James shook his head again. “No. The show is so rigorous, it’s just a good idea to keep my body limber so I don’t get hurt.”
“Well, you having a limber body just adds to your appeal. I’m not sure I like picturing someone else rubbing you down every day, though.” Mike frowned.
James sighed. “Mike, it’s a professional physical therapist. She’s massaging my muscles, not giving me a blow job.”
“Bet she wants to.” Mike pouted. “Don’t make me brand you so she knows you’re off limits.”
James raised an eyebrow. “Okay, that’s wrong on so many levels. Nobody brands me, I say when I’m off limits and I’ll remind you that I don’t do relationships.”
Mike swallowed hard. “James, I was playing. Your father may be a controlling jerk, but I’m not. And I won’t push you on the relationship stuff.”
James looked skeptical. “Are you sure you can refrain from trying to control me? Yesterday you said you have connections—people who’d help me get a gig singing the national anthem at Yankee Stadium.” Mike remembered the displeasure James seemed to have when Mike made the offer. “That’s something my father would do if he wanted to encourage my singing career. I don’t want your help, at least not like that. I’ve worked for everything I have, and I don’t need someone pulling strings trying to control me or my career.”
Mike nodded. “I understand. Thank you for telling me, James. I wish you had said something yesterday. I respect how you’ve carved out your own life, even in your father’s shadow. I don’t want to be someone else who is trying to bend you to their will.”
That seemed to cut the edge from James’ expression. “Thanks.”
Mike felt a bit shamed, but also relieved that he was beginning to understand what was behind some of James’ troubled expressions. “Hey, go shower and get into bed. I don’t want to be the reason you’re off your game tomorrow. Maybe I could see you Thursday?”
“What time?” James inquired. “I need to go in for rehearsals by early afternoon.”
“Perhaps I can bring breakfast over? I’ll wear a nondescript hat and clothes and sneak in. Nobody will know it’s me.”
James laughed. “Just know, we’re not having sex Thursday morning. I’ll need energy for the show, which is already tough on Thursdays because of the two shows each Wednesday.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior,” Mike promised.
James gave Mike a side-eye again. “Well, I’m not saying you have to go that far. I think you owe me a kiss that you withheld when we parted yesterday. I don’t care what Billy texted. A kiss is just a kiss. That was cold of you, man.”
Mike’s expression dipped. “I didn’t mean to be. It took everything in me not to kiss you.”
“So why didn’t you? Was the limo driver a homophobe?”
Mike shook his head. “Carl? Nah, he’s cool. He congratulated me on my announcement. I didn’t kiss you because I knew if I did, there was no way I’d be able to resist going inside with you and doing what Billy warned me against.”
James nodded. “Okay. I would have had a difficult time refusing, too. Listen, if I have time tomorrow, I’ll text you. It will be hard since I’ll be on the stage most of the day.”
“I understand. Hey, speaking of you being on stage, I’d like to see the show again. Next time, I want you to do your sexy parts knowing I’m watching you.”
James moaned. “Christ. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Do you want me parading a boner on stage?”
Mike chuckled. “Oh, yes. I want that very much.”
James shook his head with a grin. “You’re a voyeuristic perv. Do you realize that? I’m seeing a pattern. I can get you a ticket for the Sunday show. There’s only a matinee. Then I’m off until Tuesday.”
Mike was excited at the prospect of that much time with James. “I like the way your head is thinking. I can accompany you home after the show is done?”
James nodded. “Sure. Now, let me go to bed. And you can go shower and think about what you’ll surprise me with for breakfast on Thursday morning.”
Mike’s face fell. “Now you just put pressure on me. I don’t know what you like.”
“You’ve implied you know everything you need to know about me.” James grinned. “I’m sure you’ll come through.”
“But…”
James smiled. “Goodnight, Mike.”
Mike snickered to himself after James disconnected from their chat. James wasn’t going to be a fawning groupie like so many others had been. Mike had a secret weapon, though—he had Billy’s phone number from the text the man had sent. He would check with Billy about James’ likes and dislikes, then surprise him on Thursday with his favorite breakfast food.
Mike was thrilled that his conversation with James had gone much better than expected. He hadn’t thought they’d end up having online sex, and it made him hopeful that things would progress quickly.
Mike knew he’d have to tread carefully, though. That meant finding out as much about Charles Vicksburg as possible. He didn’t want to be in reaction mode if the senator attacked him. He had to be ready to launch his own offense. Mike figured he had better warn his agent and publicist, as well. If it was his character that Vicksburg attacked, Mike wanted them ready to respond.
Chapter Nine
James wasn’t as tired as he usually felt on Thursday mornings, buoyed by the knowledge that Mike would be stopping by for breakfast. James was committed to abstaining from sex, but he brushed his teeth twice, flossed and gargled mouthwash—anticipating his first kiss with Mike.
When he had awoken, James had searched for images of Mike online, finding the one where he was shirtless from many years earlier which had been made into the famous poster. James was impressed that Mike hadn’t changed much at all. His hair was a bit shorter and had sprinkles of silver near his sideburns, and the skin at the edges of his eyes had faint crows’ feet. The aging hadn’t detracted from Mike’s attractiveness in James’ opinion. As for his body, from what James could tell from the online chat, it was as fit and beautiful as ever.
James studied his own image in the mirror. He knew he had great hair and enviable dancer’s legs. As for the rest of him, he was never quite as sure how he felt about it. James always thought his chin was a bit too strong, his forearms weren’t thick enough and his butt might be too full and muscular. If fan messages were any indication, it seemed James might have been overly critical—and he never had an issue finding a willing bed partner. But Mike was a god in James’ eyes. Every feature was perfect. James wondered if Mike’s attraction was based on James being the first man he had noticed after planning to come out, and James worried the man’s infatuation would end once they had sex. James knew it was ironic that he was now the one worrying that moving too fast would cause the other to dump him.
The loud buzzer snapped James from his daydreaming. He ran a hand through his hair one last time to pat it in place, then scurried to the door so he could buzz Mike up. Within a couple of minutes, James heard the approaching footsteps and knock on his door.
“Hey.” James smiled upon opening it and seeing the handsome athlete grinning on the other side.
“Hey yourself,” Mike replied, leaning in for a quick peck on the lips. “Mm. Minty fresh.”
James blushed. “Come in.”
Once Mike walked into the apartment, he looked around and nodded his approval. “It’s nice. Charming.”
James rolled his eyes. “Is that code for the place is small and quirky?”
Mike laughed. “It’s code for the place is cozy and full of character.”
“Oh,” James responded with some surprise. He looked over to the bag of food that Mike had brought and gave Mike a side-eye glance. “McDonald’s? You’re going to woo me with a McDonald’s breakfast?”
Mike laughed. “It is an egg McMuffin, a hash brown potato, and a Starbucks Americana sugar-free iced coffee with non-fat milk. While I would consider this a diet breakfast, I sensed this was a guilty pleasure that you don’t allow yourself often.”
James stared at Mike with disbelief. “It is. Right down to how I like my coffee. How did you know that?”
Mike grinned. “You were worth doing a little research.”
James connected the dots, realizing Mike had used his possession of Billy’s cell phone number to make the inquiry of his brother. He appreciated the effort. “Well, I’ll thank Billy for being so observant. I’m starved.”
* * * *
After they had both devoured their meals and cleaned up, James took Mike’s hand and led him to the sofa. Once they were parked side-by-side, James leaned over to kiss his date.
“Mm. You taste like your breakfast now,” Mike whispered.
“Oh, sorry,” James murmured.
“I’m not sorry,” Mike assured, pulling him back for a deeper kiss. He thrilled at James offering his parted mouth and the soft darting of his tongue. James’ lips were full and sweet, and his breath was warm. Mike relished the vision sitting next to him.
Mike raked his hands through James’ luxurious mane, then began moving his mouth over James’ chiseled facial features, over to his right ear and down his graceful neck and throat. James’ soft moans egged him on enough to undo a few of the buttons on James’ shirt as he pushed him down on the cushion. Seeing James’ beautiful chest up close, heaving under his touch, was arousing Mike and it was killing him that they wouldn’t be able to take the action too far. Still, he couldn’t resist licking and sucking on one of James’ perky, soft pink nipples. The man tasted fresh and clean, and there was a slight fragrance of spice and vanilla. James began squirming under Mike, moaning loud enough that they didn’t hear the door to the apartment open.
“Hello?”
Mike popped his head up to look over the back of the couch faster than a jack-in-the-box. “Nadia?”
James squirmed out from under Mike and looked over at Nadia with surprise. “Nadia? What are you doing here?”
Nadia looked embarrassed, then amused. “Oh, sorry. James, I thought you would have left for the theater by now. I forgot my chemistry book here over the weekend when Billy and I were visiting. I need it for class today.” She looked over to the kitchen counter where the textbook was sitting. “Um, I’ll just get it and be on my way.”
Mike was still blushing. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”
Nadia paused halfway to the counter, looking back with a quirked eyebrow. “It’s not? Because I was thinking you’re mauling my boyfriend’s brother. But please, set the record straight.”
Mike glanced at James, who still seemed discombobulated. Not wanting to concede, Mike opted for humor instead. “James was bitten by a rattlesnake. I was sucking out the venom.”
Nadia laughed, retrieved the book, then paused again to study the two. “Yes, I can see that James’ lips are swollen. Those apartment rattlesnakes have a pesky way of biting peoples’ most sensitive areas. Well, carry on.”
With that, Nadia exited the apartment, leaving James and Mike looking at each other with a mix of embarrassment, annoyance, and amusement.
“Your family members don’t have boundaries, do they?” Mike asked.
“No,” James acknowledged, buttoning his shirt. “I should get going anyway.”
Mike touched James’ chin and pulled it toward him. “Hey, I don’t care that she caught us. It was worth it. I loved kissing you and I can’t wait to do it again.”
James smirked. “Who knows how many will be in the audience watching us the next time?”
Mike chuckled. “Zero, I hope. It will be my first time trying to suck venom from a guy’s dick. I don’t need spectators.”
James gave the side-eye look that Mike was beginning to realize was James’ flirting. “Oh, you’re sure that will be necessary, are you?”
Mike nodded. “Mmhmm. You heard Nadia. It’s only a matter of time before those pesky apartment rattlesnakes find their way to a man’s most sensitive areas. I will save you, James.”
James shook his head. “Apartment rattlesnakes. I thought you said you were done with lies.”
Mike shrugged. “I’m done lying to you. Lying to everyone else is fair game.”
Just as James was rising from the sofa, Mike pulled him in for another kiss. Once Mike pulled away, he looked into James’ eyes and was happy they had clouded once again with lust. “Does my kissing make up for the lie?”
James pulled him back for a deeper kiss to give him his answer.
Chapter Ten
Mike had enjoyed the last few days of texting back and forth with James, learning a little more about his crush each day. James was becoming more and more comfortable revealing his snarky sense of humor, and Mike saw that as a positive sign that James’ walls were coming down. Mike noticed too that James was even more sensitive than he’d first realized, and he imagined that resulted from James having lived a lifetime of being criticized and experiencing worse for being out of step with his father’s thinking. But Mike also learned just how many sacrifices James made for his friends and co-workers while asking and expecting nothing in return. Contrary to James’ prediction that Mike would tire of him once he got to know him better, the opposite had been true. Although there had been no more sexting or sexy video chats, much of the back and forth had been flirtatious, leaving Mike wishing there was a way to skip the Friday and Saturday that kept them apart.
