Nicole Edwards - Travis

♂♂

Gage waited until the front door closed behind Travis before he breathed. His cock was a fucking steel rod behind the zipper of his jeans and his chest felt as though his heart had swelled to ten times its original size.

Had they seriously just had that conversation? Granted, the words were spoken more in the native language of men who shared remarkably little, but in those few words, Gage realized they’d practically made a commitment to one another. He was tempted to pinch himself, see if he was dreaming. He didn’t though because if he was, Gage did not want to wake up.

He took the stairs two at a time, figuring if it was a dream, he was damn sure going to let it run its course. Once upstairs, he grabbed his duffel and the clean clothes Kylie had washed for him just that morning in the brand new washer and dryer provided by Lorrie and Curtis.

Once he tossed what he needed inside, he zipped it and slung it over his shoulder before returning the way he came. In the living room, he retrieved his dead cell phone before he snatched his keys off of the decorative ledge that separated the room from the dining room. With another deep breath, he was heading out the door.

Fifteen minutes later, Gage pulled up to Travis’ house, parking his truck beside the big Chevy with the dented front end and staring at the house, the structure looming in the shadowy twilight slowly descending across the horizon. The outside of the house was just as Gage had seen many times before. Because all of the brothers lived in separate structures on the ranch, Gage had passed them a time or twenty on his way to and from Kaleb’s over the years. He’d never been inside of Travis’ house though. Never expected to be invited either.

Was it normal for him to be this calm? Maybe this was a dream because Gage expected to be overcome with nerves, but he wasn’t. His only concern was whether Travis had had time to change his mind between Gage’s house and here. His stomach clenched, and his chest tightened, but he was more anxious than nervous. Excitement dripped in his veins.

Gage forced himself out of his truck. Once he made it up the steps, he rapped his knuckles on the door, figuring it was now or never. Either he’d walk inside, or he’d wake up.

Please don’t let this be a dream. Please don’t let this be a…

The door opened and Gage could’ve sworn there was relief in Travis’ eyes when their gazes met, but the emotion disappeared. He expected cold indifference, but that wasn’t there either. A simple head nod was the only invitation he received, so Gage moved forward.

“Want something to drink?” Travis asked as he headed through the small entry way and into what appeared to be the kitchen off to the right.

“Beer if you’ve got it,” he answered, noticing how his voice echoed in the rather open space.

Gage followed slowly, mentally documenting his surroundings, taking in the minimal décor and the lack of anything personal. Not on the walls, not on the counters. Hell, a furniture store had more personality than this place. Stepping into the bright white kitchen with its stainless steel appliances and gray and white granite countertops, Gage wondered whether Travis actually lived here or if he just slept here from time to time.

It seemed so… sterile.

The temperature in the room was comfortable, yet the space seemed entirely cold. The countertops were free of any clutter. Not a single cooking utensil or jar suggesting the man had ever cooked there. By the looks of it, the stove was brand new, and Gage knew for a fact that Travis had lived in the house for many years.

“You live here, right?”

Travis frowned at him as he flipped off the bottle cap with a bottle opener that doubled as a magnet. Well, if nothing else, the refrigerator was being used.

“When I’m here I do,” Travis answered, opening his own beer and then handing one over to Gage.

“Do you ever use the kitchen?” Gage asked as he brought the beer to his lips, staring down the amber bottle at Travis.

“Rarely. But feel free to cook anything you want. As long as you make enough for both of us.” There was a mischievous smile that tipped Travis’ lips before he turned and left the kitchen.

“Come on,” Travis nodded his head toward the other room and Gage found himself following at a leisurely pace. With Travis, it was quite possible that they were going to get right down to business, and Gage wasn’t sure he was ready for that just yet.

Then again, watching Travis’ powerful form move with such masculine agility and animalistic ease was a turn on if there ever was one. Six-foot-five-inches of sexy, potent male, padded with vigorous muscle and virile competence wasn’t easy to resist, no matter who you were.

Travis ended up moving to the single leather couch sitting in the center of the living room, facing an enormous flat panel television mounted on the wall. Gage eyed the thing as he lowered himself to the couch beside Travis.

“Man, how fucking old are you?” Gage asked as he tried not to snort beer out through his nose. There on the screen was the QVC channel and he couldn’t even attempt to identify what “As Seen on TV” product the two older ladies were boasting about.

“Shut the hell up,” Travis laughed. “I just turned the damn thing on when you knocked on the door.”

“Right. Is this what I have to look forward to? Finding you on the couch in the middle of the night watching the shopping network? Are we gonna get on a first name basis with the UPS guy?”

Shit! Shit. Fuck. Damn.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gage realized exactly what he had insinuated.

“Put the beer down,” Travis demanded, his face a stony mask, his blue eyes glittering by the light of the television.

Gage set the beer on the coffee table, and the moment it was resting firmly, he was flat on his back, and Travis was on top of him. Travis announced his intention with a familiar growl and Gage accepted his weight as he pushed him deeper into the cushion, the ridge of his erection pressing against his thigh. Without hesitation, Gage slid his hands into silky, dark hair, holding Travis back slightly so that their mouths hovered close together but didn’t quite touch.

He was tempted to control how fast or how slow they would take this, but the look in Travis’ eyes told him he didn’t stand a chance. Gage was going to give in, he was going to enjoy the hell out of it, and the glorious part of it all, he couldn’t fucking wait.

With their eyes locked, Gage lifted his head until their noses brushed, his tongue slipping between the smooth contours of Travis’ lips ever so slowly. He tasted of beer and lust and power, a heady mix that went straight to Gage’s head. Pulling him closer, Gage made sure their bodies touched from chest to knee although neither of them was entirely on the couch, their bodies much too large.

The kiss was a blast of urgency and passion that had been locked behind steel doors for much too long. The flex of Travis’ powerful frame sent shards of electricity humming beneath his skin everywhere they touched. They were separated by too many clothes, but Gage wasn’t in a hurry. He was banking on memorizing every detail of this encounter to last him.

When Travis’ hand slid down the front of his chest, pulling his t-shirt from the waistband of his jeans, Gage sucked in a sharp breath, ready to feel the warmth of Travis’ fingers against his bare skin. Despite his need to take things slowly, patience was scarce in their desire to be closer to one another, hands roaming, working diligently to free them of their shirts. As soon as they were both bare chested, their bodies realigning, Gage was moaning into Travis’ mouth, desperate to get even closer.

Their tongues dueled as Travis angled Gage’s head so that he could explore deeper. The temperature in the room soared as their body heat generated a combustible energy between them.

“Fuck,” Travis groaned as he pulled back. The intensity in his eyes sent a rush of lust straight to Gage’s groin and he shifted, grinding his hips upward against the solid column of Travis’ thigh.

Gage sucked in air. “Too. Many. Clothes.”

A wicked sexy grin tipped the edges of Travis’ kiss-swollen lips and Gage answered with one of his own.

“Come on,” Travis rasped, pushing himself up off of the couch and waiting for Gage to stand. “Not enough room for us here.”

That was an understatement. Gage wasn’t sure there’d be enough room in the whole damn house for what he wanted from Travis. Rather than hash out ideas in his head, Gage fell into step behind him as they moved through the living room and down a short, dark hallway.

Travis’ bedroom wasn’t anything like what Gage expected, although how he had any preconceived notions he had no idea. The room was just as barren as the rest of the house, but the bed was big enough to hold at least four people comfortably. He thought of Kylie and imagined her spread eagle on the bed, naked and gorgeous, ready for them both.

An electrical current of desire snaked through him making his cock throb. As much as he wished she were there, Gage wasn’t willing to let this be about anyone other than the two of them. He needed Travis. Needed to give in to this palpable energy that sparked between them.

He observed the room some more but ended up once again taking in the bed, topped with a bulky, black, microfiber comforter and black silk covered pillows. This was where Travis got down to business. Definitely no problems holding the two of them.

“I’ve never brought anyone to my bed,” Travis whispered the words, answering as though he’d read Gage’s mind.