I’ll be there

Rowan could have pitched the disk into the nearest trash can. There were enough of the green bins waiting patiently at the curb. Only it was one of Keegan’s games and his stepbrother was in enough of a foul mood already. Doing anything for Keegan soured Rowan on a beautiful August day. Dropping in on Rey Dougherty set the butterflies going. He peddled on, it would only take a minute and then he could spend the afternoon with Hayden.

Davon was sleeping in his bed when he got back from his friend’s. That was not much of a surprise. He would have been at Keegan’s gathering drinking and toking. Davon was clutching Rowan’s long bolster in a disturbingly possessive manner. After a hesitation, Rowan stripped hastily and search out his swimming green trunks as quietly as he could. It was pointless. Keegan must have heard him chatting with Robert in the kitchen when he got home.

Rowan barely had his shorts up when Keegan interrupted him. “Where are you going?” Rowan gestured sarcastically at his swim suit. The answer should have been obvious. That earned Rowan a light slap across the face. He made the mistake of trying to dodge the blow. The burning rage in his eyes was his second mistake. Keegan towered over him while Rowan started to panic.

“Please.” Rowan shut his mouth, recognizing his third mistake.

“I fucking hate you.” Keegan hissed. Rowan trembled as he waited for the blows to rain down on him. The door was open. The monster stood in his way. He needed another door desperately. There was no way to grind through this unbeatable game Keegan wanted him to play. Then a hand pressed him helplessly into the wall. Fingers dug into Rowan’s neck and a hand patted his ass lightly. “Just take Call of Duty over to Rey’s place for me.” Keegan finished quietly. Rowan was sitting on the floor with his face buried in his arms when Keegan stepped back into the room to fling the game at him. “Get going.”

Rey’s mother met him at the back door. A couple sat at the kitchen table with a girl and twins who looked like family. He had interrupted their lunch. It was a relief to have them all staring at him. His swim suit pulled Rowan into a conversation about the civic pool schedule. Rowan tried to leave the game with Rey’s mother, but she sent him down to the basement. The twin boys followed him down the stairs.

“Hey, Rowan’s here!” Rey sat in an overstuffed chair. “And he brought us a game.” He added when Rowan pulled Call of Duty out of his bag. “Rowan, this is my cousin Cameron. Fuck, just give the game to Eddie and Chace.”

Cameron twisted around on the couch and looked Rowan over. Despite the twins and the parents close at hand, Cameron and Rey frightened Rowan. It was time to leave. “Okay, well, I’m off to the pool with some friends. See you around.” Rowan turned and headed for the stairs. Rey was quick. Fingers grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him playfully back down the stairs. Rowan could hear the parents chatting in the kitchen above as Rey patted him on the back lightly. His shirt was lifted along his side.

“Hmm... no belt. Cam, are you wearing a belt?” Rey’s cousin was just behind him, staring at Rowan, his thoughts completely transparent. Cameron slipped a black leather belt off his hips and gave it to Rey. The twins started arguing over the game. Someone called down to tell Cameron to watch his sister. Rey and Cameron backed Rowan into a wall. All he could do was stare at the heavy belt with its steel rivets and heavy buckle. The little girl stood on the stairs watching Rowan as Rey slipped the belt around his neck. “I don’t think you’ve ever seen my room Rowan.”

Rowan remembered Rey all too well and was grateful Rey had left him alone since the party. Rey wasted no time. He simply jerked the swimsuit down and bent Rowan over the edge of the bed. Why did it matter to Rey? His cock was buried in Rowan for the third time that summer and he still talked about the girls he wanted to hit on the first week of school. It was more humiliation. Rey had Rowan on his feet, which was the least comfortable way to receive him. He would not touch Rowan’s crotch, but he promised he would be rubbing his girl’s privates while he made her moan. He squeezed the boy’s nipples as if he had breasts. Rowan was lifted off his feet each time the taller boy thrust into him. There was not going to be a girl friend that Fall, there was only going to be Rowan. Rowan was old enough to understand Keegan would send him back every time Rey got horny enough.

“I forgot how tight your ass was Rowan.” Rey paused, his penis deflating quickly. “Cam’s waiting his turn.” He pulled away from Rowan, letting go of the belt. “Be nice to him and I’ll tell Keegan you were a good kid.”

Rowan fumbled anxiously with the lubricant in his bag while he waited for the other teenager. He pulled his shorts up. His phone chimed and he took a quick look. The guys were at the pool waiting for him. He should want to be there with them, but somehow, it felt as if he was where he was supposed to be. He was not one of them anymore. This was what he was. Rey was too quick. He wondered what Cameron would be like.

“I’m just going to the bathroom.” He stood in the bedroom door hesitantly waiting for permission. One of the twins glanced at him curiously. Rowan was conscious of the heavy belt possessing him and the stink of sex and fecal matter. It seemed so obvious what they had just done, yet the young boy just shrugged and pointed toward a door. Eyes followed his progress through the family room. The air was thick with Cameron’s anticipation.

The assault and Rowan’s nauseated reaction cleaned him out quickly. He flushed Rey away before hunching over on the toilet seat. He had left his bag in Rey’s bedroom, otherwise he might have just ducked up the stairs to the safety of the adult-filled kitchen. He thought about it as he carefully washed himself in the sink. Ditching Rey was not safe. Keegan would find out if he left too soon. Cameron was a mystery he had to face.

The teenager was standing right outside the bathroom door. Cameron loomed centimetres taller than Rey. A frightening prospect for any preteen. Cameron was like some adult and Rowan felt himself diminish as he looked into the hungry eyes. Everyone except the little girl playing on the floor ignored them as they went back to Rey’s room. Cameron locked the door then sat on the bed staring at Rowan.

“Jesus, I figured you were going to look like that Keegan guy. You’re nothing like him. You’re a hot little kid.” Rowan blushed. “A pig like Keegan must really hate your guts.” A rose bloom must be fanning out across Rowan’s chest. He suddenly did not mind being noticed by Rey’s cousin.  An awkward silence followed.

“What do you want me to do?” Rowan eventually whispered.

“You’re the first boy I've tried to have sex with. This is new to me. What should we do? Shit, how do we even do it little dude?” Cameron shrugged his shoulders. Rowan could see the teenager wanted to do it very much. Cameron’s cheeks reflected Rowan’s glow. “Take your junk off little dude. Let’s see your junk.”

Rowan stripped, the familiar confusion of exposing his immature physical attributes mingling with the secret thrill of being admired and wanted by the older boys. Cameron was another Davon. “You’re quite the little man.” Rowan looked down at himself shyly, and then shuffled in a circle. Cameron started touching him, shoulders, back, flanks, Cameron loved to touch Rowan everywhere. “You play sports?” Rowan shook his head shyly, knowing the teenager meant hockey. The fingers were gently rousing him. Rowan looked hopefully at the big teenager, wanting him to be safe like Davon.

Cameron stood behind Rowan now, both hands reaching down to his groin. The fifteen year old was the first boy who wanted to touch his cock. “Does that feel good? I like to do that. Yeah, that feels good to you.” It was a low chuckle in his ear. They exchanged shy looks in a mirror as strong fingers worked Rowan’s short cock. His erection reached out as the fingers began playing with his nipples.

Cameron checked the bedroom door once more and stripped. He was lightly built like Rey, but far better developed. “What now?” Rey asked. Rowan was afraid to answer. Cameron just needed to make them both feel good. Someone should have told the teen that a cunt’s opinion never mattered. Rowan hugged himself nervously. Don’t let him trick you into talking. Cameron could really hurt him if he got angry. “Touch me like I just touched you.”

Rowan could do that. He smiled hopefully up at Cameron. Cameron sat on the edge of the bed. He watched Rowan begin to massage the pliable length. Rowan felt him take the end of the belt. There was a playful tug. “You are my sex slave!” He intoned dramatically. It reassured Rowan that Cameron was in charge. Rowan was fascinated by the differences. It was a heavy veined uncircumcised tool. The hood slid back revealing the dribbling mouth. He used his fists to measure the length. It was longer than the others. His hand slid across the hairy ridge below Cameron’s scrotum.

“I've never had someone hold me. This feels weird.” Rowan’s hands froze. He stared at the oozing gland exposed by the withdrawn foreskin. “What, what else should you do?” Rey’s voice intruded on them, arguing playfully with the twins about the game. Rowan bit his lip and then wrapped his lips around the musky head of Cameron’s shaft.

It filled his mouth. He did not take too much down his throat. He let his fist do most of the work. The boys never took long. “God stop.” Cameron whispered hoarsely and a hand pushed his forehead away. Cameroon peered down at Rowan’s flushed face. “Stand up.” Rowan flinched when Cameron grabbed him by the waist and pulled him down onto the bed beside him. “Your turn.”

Rowan never got turns, not after the first time with Davon. Straight boys left cock sucking to pussies like him. Davon had explained all that patiently to him as he beat down Rowan’s self respect. His small cock was of no consequence to these big boys. It slipped easily to the back of Cameron’s throat. The teenager mangled it horribly on his first attempt and Rowan cried out.

“What? Did I hurt you?” Cameron asked.

“Your teeth, I'm sorry.” Rowan tried to judge Cameron’s mood. It was playful. He did his best to relax.

“Lips and tongue then, right.” Cameron kissed his cock. “Why do you keep reaching for your ass?”

Rowan went ridged. Had he been doing that? Shame flooded him. You know you want to do it. They sneered. He was such a slut. Cameron reminded him where he was with a tug on the heavy belt. He wanted to know. Rowan closed his eyes to Cameron’s innocence. “It feels good when I rub myself inside.” Cameron made him say this three humiliating times before he explained it clearly enough. It was unbearable. Rowan rolled over on his stomach and covered his face.

“It's okay little dude.” Cameron replied gently. “They never tell us shit like that in Sex Ed do they?” He probed Rowan’s ass searching for his small nut. “Help me find the spot, no wait. Wicked, I found it!”  He was not satisfied until Rowan responded helplessly to his finger. The humiliation fell away as Rowan’s frail ego shattered against the growing waves of pleasure. “You’re one sex-crazed little kid. Did you know that? Your brother is one luck son of a bitch.” Finally, Cameron pulled his fingers free. Rowan was drenched. He lay paralyzed on the bed uncaring. “My turn.”

Rowan turned his head toward the boy. What is he asking? Cameron pushed the damp bangs out of Rowan’s eyes.

“Get up lazy bones.” The belt choked Rowan till Cameron had him on his knees. “I want to know what it feels like.”

Rowan sat up against Cameron’s parted leg nearly catatonic with fear. He had put a generous slather of lubricant on his fingers, but he could not bring himself to start.

“What’s wrong?” The strange teenager twisted around to look at him. “Is it going to hurt?” Tears flowed and Rowan nodded his head. “Do it little dude.”

So Rowan did. Cameron broke down Rowan’s inhibitions. It was just as he hoped. Everyone had that spot and Cameron gave way to the pleasure for a bit. “Stop! Stop!” He panted before Rowan could bring him off. He snagged Rowan’s leash and pulled him down beside him. Rowan felt the teen’s erection on his belly as Cameron surprised him with a quick kiss.

It must have surprised Cameron too. He pulled away and traced Rowan’s lips with a finger as he frowned thoughtfully. “You’re a seductive little guy, you know that? Maybe it's a good thing I'm heading home.” The wet cock head rubbed along Rowan’s torso absently. A hand slipped under Rowan and squeezed a cheek.

“What’s the best position to fuck?” Cameron’s hands travelled constantly around Rowan’s tingling body. Cameron’s hard cock was anxious to continue. Rowan gave up on swimming with his friends. They had given up on texting him. He told Cameron to lie back, then straddled his thighs. He rubbed his hands with more lubricant. It did not matter if they soiled Rey’s sheets. He started massaging the cock. It was strong and hard. “Kiss it.” So he put his lips on the head and sucked until, once again, Cameron made him stop. “Time to fuck.”

Rowan eased himself down on the cock. Cameron’s eyes were watched his progress as he sank lower. He was not sure if he could do it. Centimeters short, Cameron grabbed his hips and pushed him down. He sat impaled on the teen’s cock gasping. He began riding the shaft up and down, testing his limits. Rowan knew his cunt had been abused enough for one afternoon, but he was compelled to search out his gay spot and punish it once again. It was excruciatingly sensitive now. Each time Cameron’s shaft made contact, Rowan spasmed. His moans ended in drawn out sobs. Cameron watched him shudder each slow descent. Sweat drenched him. Fingers probed his flat abdomen, as if the long penis would distend his narrow waist.

It did not matter if he was a slut now. Not at that moment when their eyes were locked on each other and his body had surrendered to the powerful shaft. Rowan admitted that he wanted Davon now. He wanted what Cameron could give him too. His supple body was vibrating along Cameron’s cock now. How many times had he impaled himself so far? It hardly mattered. It only mattered that he find the strength in his hips to keep rising up and the determination to keep pushing down. Rey Dougherty’s cousin could use his cunt anytime. Rowan smiled at him weakly through the hair trailing across his eyes.

Cameron wanted more control. Rowan showed him how to take a boy on his back, legs surfing broad shoulders. Rowan blacked out as Cameron started hammering into his sore bowels. He surfaced on his stomach, Cameron’s weight crushing him as the fifteen year old finally spent himself in Rowan’s burning belly. “You’re amazing. My balls are drained little dude. You’re ass is still locked tight on my cock. I don’t think it wants to let go.” Rowan nodded agreement. Cameron owned his pussy. A hand pressed into his abdomen, keeping him tight on the cock.

Rey pounded on the door to get their attention. “Open the door Cam.” Rey was put out with watching children. There was some sort of discussion about taking too long and having to be ready for a walk downtown to the civic pool with the young ones.

Rowan’s bike was propped against side of the house with a towel draped over the handlebars yet he had been completely overlooked by the adults upstairs. As long as nothing broke, or the little girl did not start bawling, it was best to leave well enough alone. Rowan got that. His mother and Robert never hovered either. Rey disappeared to run interference while Cameron cleaned up.

Cameron rolled off Rowan and began tossing clothing his way. He watched Cameron rummage around in a bag for a swim suit. The long penis vanished into baggy blue shorts. “Get dressed man!” So he did.

Rowan walked his bike slowly home leaning on the handlebars. A swim would have cleansed him, but Rey’s family would be there. That would have been too much to bear. He stopped to look at his phone. It was only 3:18. The house would be empty except for Keegan. He caught up on Hayden’s messages. A wave of nausea hit him. It washed away the idle daydream of spending more time with Cameron.

Was it wrong to want sex with Rey’s older cousin? Cameron would have found the beads and his dildo Peter interesting. Rowan was still wet. Each step reminded him of the big boy invading his pussy, forcing his body to welcome being taken. Life had become moments servicing the insatiable teenage boys with long painful interludes of self doubt about what he had become. Rowan did not want to be gay, but sex with another boy could feel so good.

Hayden was sitting on his bed reading a book when he snuck down the stairs. Rowan hesitated in the doorway, conscious of the rank smell of adolescent musk marking his body. It was infused with the toilet odour of anal sex and smeared semen. Everything tasted of secrets, lies, and an afternoon fuck.

“Hey Rat!” Rowan smiled at Hayden’s fresh face. In the last two years, just being close to Hayden left him with a feeling he could not put into words. Rowan kicked his sandals off and flicked them into the room. “Hang on a second, I'm just going to have a quick shower.” After a genuine smile, he escaped to the shower.

He shoved his shirt and swimsuit into the washer before escaping to the bathroom. While the water heated up, he twisted around and ran fingers between his cleft. They came away slick with evidence of Cameron and Rey. He felt swollen, very tender, but whole. Rowan smiled faintly, recalling Cameron’s strong hands and hard muscles using his helpless body. Rowan’s face drooped. He wished Davon could use him so honestly.

The water and soap could not erase the afternoon from his senses. He could scrub his skin and gargle the hot water around his mouth, but he knew Rey and Cameron’s cum was permanently with him. He would carry them everywhere now. He would not have to see the three friends about the hallways in a week, they would be at the high school. When they did meet, Rowan’s body would remind him that he was theirs, whenever.

He turned away from the water and noticed Hayden peeing in the toilet. Rowan smiled at his best friend. Hayden swung back and forth slightly letting his strong stream churn up bubbles in the bowl. The swell of his bum and familiar back warmed Rowan. It chased away thoughts of the older boys. Hayden tucked himself away and paused before flushing, eyes on Rowan.

Rowan screamed a protest when the water cooled on his back. Hayden stepped up to the shower curtain and leered evilly at him. That made him snarl. Rowan whipped a hand around the curtain and grabbed Hayden’s shirt. They wrestled for a bit but soon enough, Rowan had him trapped under the shower with him. Hayden cringed and giggled close to Rowan.

The water warmed up and they wrestled on. Hayden fought half heartedly as Rowan pulled his sopping shirt off. Rowan threw the wet clothes into the sink and resettled the shower curtain. A flood of purple body wash painted Rowan's chest when he turned back. That started a new wrestling match and a flood of grunts and giggles. The soap war made them both hard, but what did that matter to the friends? It was natural. Rowan thought nothing more than he was Pen and Hayden was Rat. They were always naked to each other. Nothing came between them.

“I'm sorry I ditched you guys.” The water was cooling now. For a moment they stood centimeters from each other, close enough for straining cocks to brush like scarred palms greeting each other, never saying goodbye. “Rey had cousins over and I got caught up with them.”

“Turn around Pen.” Rowan let Hayden rinse the soap off his back. “It was cloudy, you didn't miss much.” Hayden slapped a wet butt and they pirouetted so Rowan could rub the slick curves of his friend’s shoulders, arms, and strong back. He admired the swell of Hayden’s narrow bum. He let his cock accidentally slide across a smooth brown cheek. Hayden turned around and Rowan’s cock trailed over his friend’s hip until, once again, it met Hayden’s matching erection. “The pool’s going to close Sunday anyway. Time for school I guess.” Hayden brushed his chest with a hand, the other fondling his own cock for a moment. Rowan ran a hand over Hayden that trailed down to his belly button. “No soap.”

“Yes.” Rowan replied. He smiled happily at Hayden, feeling, just feeling so incredibly good standing close to him. Rowan shivered with excitement. Hayden was trembling too. Rowan realized cold water was sluicing over their chests. Reluctantly, Rowan concluded it was time to get out.

“God Pen, you keep taking that curve too fast.”

“Shit.” He saw six cars passed him through the newly cracked windshield. He gamely straightened his Porsche and headed after them.

“Well look at you two.”

Rowan’s eyes stayed on the track. “Hey mom! You got home early.”

“Yes, I'm done for the next week or so. Rob and I are going out tonight to celebrate. Maybe we will celebrate you guys starting school again too.” She came farther down the steps and inspected Rowan’s bare chest. Rowan tensed slightly. She was looking for bruises. “So are you staying for dinner Hayden?”

“I thought I'd sleep over, if that's cool.” Hayden replied. Rowan spared him a glance.

“Not a problem Hayden. Now that Rowan has his own room, it's nice to be able to pay your mom and dad back for all these years.” His mom sat for a while on the edge of the couch watching them play and answering Hayden’s questions. She asked Hayden questions about his dancing. Then she switched to his family.

Rowan’s mom reached down absently to brush his long hair off his forehead as Hayden talked about his dad. “Robert is going to take the boys hunting this fall. Honestly, it costs a fortune and takes days. I suppose it's just male bonding.” Rowan stared at the track without comment. She really thought that Robert could take the place of his father.

After she had left, Rowan muttered, “No way am I going anywhere near Keegan when he is armed.” Hayden seemed to lean in closer to him. His Porsche crashed again, so Rowan nudged him in the bare ribs and handed Hayden the controller. He settled back, taking his turn to back seat drive.

“Have you ever thought about one of us moving away?” Hayden asked quietly. Rowan could not breath. He shook his head slowly. Hayden’s eyes glittered as he stared at the TV, plying his car around the mountain curves. It was like waiting helplessly for Keegan’s stone fist to punish his stomach or his heavy belt flay his buttock, knowing nothing could ward the blow or ease the pain. Rowan found his voice.

“Are you moving Rat?”

Hayden’s car went through a guardrail and burst into flames as he turned quickly toward Rowan. “No Pen.” He smiled at Rowan, but there was a sadness to him Rowan rarely saw. “But it could happen, right?” Hayden’s voice was wistful. “Shit happens and one of us has to leave Kepler, even if it is down the road to St. George.” Almost as an afterthought, Hayden added, “The bank might move mom.” Hayden blinked his eyes rapidly. “So. Have you thought about it Pen?”

“No.” It was a cry of despair. Rowan could hear the panic in his own voice. Life in Kepler without Hayden. That would be no life at all. “Shit Rat, my mom is never going to leave this place. Don't worry, I'm stuck here.” His voice quavered as he spoke. He clung suddenly to Hayden’s words. “St. George, that's only an hour. St. George is not too far is it?” He needed reassurance badly.

“Sure! Kookum and nimosôm live in St. George.” Hayden smiled and Rowan grinned back weakly. It might not have made sense, but he felt better. It was as if they had just made a pact. Nothing farther than St. George. Rowan might survive if Hayden was only an hour away in St. George. Hayden held up his hand, the scar white across his palm. Rowan high-fived him with his own. Hayden restarted the game. Rowan grabbed his knees and watched, his hip glued to Hayden’s side, absorbing his friend’s presence like a life-giving vaccine.

Supper around the Bressler table with Hayden distracted Rowan from thinking about Keegan. Robert and his mom celebrated her return with a bottle of white wine. Robert gave Keegan a short glass and indulgently poured a few ounces into the younger boy’s glasses. They were celebrating the new school year, Robert explained. Hayden ignored his glass, so Rowan’s sat untouched too. Keegan was going to the high school so it was natural for the conversation to turn to that. Robert had golden memories of Kepler Composite High School. Rowan chewed on his mother’s meatloaf, wondering if Keegan really wanted to follow his father’s footsteps through life.

After giving Hayden a long stony stare at the start of dinner, Keegan chose to ignore both boys. If Rowan’s mother turned the conversation toward the the friends, Keegan used the time to fork food into his mouth. Hayden volunteered them for cleanup, so after poaching the boy’s untouched wine, he bolted from his empty plate to join the roaming pack of boys hunting down flocks of girls, envying the older boys with cars.

Hayden texted a few friends and filled Rowan’s basement with laughter. He chased Rowan upstairs to take a call from his dad. He sat in the kitchen looking at the face of the man who was a stranger, yet never could be a stranger. The laughter from below reached St. George and made Kort Pense smile.

“Hey Rowan, prop that thing somewhere and let me see you. I want to see how much you have grown.” Rowan self consciously adjusted the phone and walked away to lean against a counter. “Oh my God, I think you're as tall as I am.”

Rowan laughed. “I'm sixty-two inches dad, I hope you're taller than that!” The tiny face on his phone smiled back. Zander came up with his brother, scrounging drinks. He had to share his dad with them for few minutes until Hayden materialized to chase them away. “You know Hayden, dad.”

“Oh sure.” Hayden ducked out after giving Rowan a quick punch on the shoulder. Rowan returned to the small kitchen table. “So the house is yours for the evening?” That earned a mute nod. Five years and things were still that bad between his mom and dad. Kurt Pence knew they would not be having this conversation in the kitchen if Robert and Kim Bressler were around. How had his dad known it was a good time to call? Maybe his parents had some civilized signal between them. It was a comforting thought. It might have been easy to blame this selfish man for all his current troubles, but Rowan did not have it in him to do that. He had tried to hate him for his mom’s sake. Instead he was beginning to resent her.

He felt bad as soon as the thought slipped into his head. It was neither of their faults. He had brought this on himself in some way. Davon and Keegan were wrong about him, only maybe there was something twisted about him that he could not hide. The idea made Rowan so sad. His dad picked up on it right away and asked him if everything was alright. “I'll be okay dad. It gets me down sometimes.” Rowan could not explain. Kort insisted Rowan tell him if he needed anything, needed to talk about anything. “Sure dad.” Rowan shut him down. He was too ashamed to put his behaviour into words. “I guess I should go hang out with the guys. I'll tell you how my first week goes.” They signed off, too much left unsaid between them.

Rowan had his underwear off before he thought about what he was doing. It was a habit by this point. He stood with boxer briefs in his hands undecided. Hayden settled it for him by stripping down. They slipped into the twin bed from either side. Rowan turned off the light. “Dude, it’s like pitch dark in here.” Rowan was used to it. “I’ll kill myself if I have to get up and take a piss.” They lay silently beside each other. “It’s quiet, too quiet.”

Rowan felt Hayden turn toward him. Hayden was ticklish. He attacked. Hayden screamed. Rowan giggled as he zeroed in on all of Hayden’s most sensitive zones. “Do you have to piss now Rat?” Hayden tried to retaliate, but it was always a one sided contest. “How about now?” Hayden fell off the bed and Rowan slithered after him.

He woke with a start, heart pounding. Keegan was standing in the door, a shadowed figure in his underwear, the inevitable leather belt wrapped tightly in one fist. He was frozen, one hand on the door jam, the other by his side. Rowan could not move. How long has he been standing there? Hayden’s hand fell on Rowan’s bare chest possessively. It was like he was being drawn closer to his friend. He realized Hayden was sitting up, staring Keegan down, willing the older boy away with silent determination.

Rowan gave up. He rolled on his stomach and hid his face in the pillow. Hayden’s hand shifted to the small of his back, recognizing his tension. There was nothing to do but wait for Keegan to explode. He was grateful for Hayden’s loyalty, but Rowan knew there was no escape and he did not want to see his friend hurt on his account. He still owed Keegan for balking at going to Rey’s house. There was movement at the door and Rowan trembled.

Hayden sat with his hand on Rowan’s back for a long time after Keegan left. The tension drained away painfully. Keegan would not forget, but Hayden was safe. Rowan glanced at the empty doorway, and then rested his head on his arms. Hayden should not have seen that. Nothing could be done about it now. Rowan sighed softly. Hayden did a strange thing. His head dropped onto Rowan’s shoulders. He could feel the tears as Hayden’s cheek brushed his shoulder blade.

Hayden eventually lay down facing Rowan. He could hear the soft inhalations, feel a leg against his and a hand curled over his hip bone. It simply made Rowan more miserable than he thought possible. This was Hayden Ratt. Nothing was more important than protecting Rat. Rowan could not allow his best friend to be seduced. Rowan pretended he was sleeping.

A finger trailed up his back and lightly petted his hair. Hayden’s breath washed over him. Hayden’s erect cock brushed against his flank. Rowan shed hot tears. He deserved Keegan’s contempt because his own erection betrayed the truth. If Hayden had wanted to take his turn right then, Rowan would be his grateful slut.

Rowan opened his eyes to the early light. He could not feel Hayden. He rolled over and saw his friend peacefully sprawled on his back. Rowan smiled. Hayden needed to pee or he was dreaming of some girl. The smile fell away as Rowan felt the impulse to draw the beautiful hard shaft between his lips. He stared at his friend, allowing himself to look. It was too much temptation. Rowan eased himself out of the bed and retreated to the safety of the old couch where he started to scold himself. He was still awake, staring at the bedroom wall, when Hayden padded by on his way to the toilet. Hayden dragged a light blanket off the bed and covered them both. They woke together a few hours later in a comfortable tangle.