Heart on the Line (Black River Bend Book 2) Read online

  He checked his cell phone and noticed James sent him a message made up of a bunch of emoticons. Kurt had been keeping tabs on James the entire week and they’d been exchanging messages daily. They were only four years apart but Kurt felt old.

  He didn’t get emoticons.

  Why couldn’t James just tell him outright what he was feeling and what he wanted to say?

  There was a knock on his office door. Before he could tell whoever it was to enter, his best friend Preacher strolled in and held up two brown bags with the logo of their favorite sandwich shop on it.

  “Hungry?” Preacher asked him.

  “It’s lunchtime already?” He asked.

  Kurt was supposed to be checking his accounts this morning. Preacher came by his scarred desk. Kurt hadn’t changed anything in his dad’s old office, mostly because he was broke. It still contained the old furniture his dad picked out when he first opened the Hard Iron Gym.

  “What’s up with you? You look zonked out lately,” Preacher said.

  Kurt finally looked at his best friend. He’d given Preacher hell for a time because Preacher had started dating Travis without telling him. In his eyes, Preacher broke the best bro code. Kurt had been against Preacher and Travis getting together initially. Kurt knew Preacher never took relationships seriously. They were both alike in that sense.

  Kurt eventually eased up when he realized Preacher was serious about Travis. They weren’t just fooling around. They even moved to a new place together. Their friendship had been shattered when Kurt found out the couple been lying to him but they were slowly building that bridge again.

  “Nothing,” he muttered.

  “Huh. Really?” Preacher plucked his phone from his desk without his permission.

  “Hey. Give that back,” he said, grabbing it but Preacher had already put some distance between them.

  “You’ve been messaging someone a lot lately. Seeing someone new?” Preacher asked.

  Kurt crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. It wasn’t like Preacher was going to figure his password anyway.

  “Hah. Your birthday,” Preacher said smugly. To his annoyance, Preacher unlocked his phone. “Told you, man. You should just use face recognition.”

  “I’m old fashioned. So what? Give that back.” He tried to snatch his phone again but Preacher dodged.

  “Who’s James?” Preacher drawled. “Your new boyfriend? Ooh, he sent you plenty of hearts.”

  Kurt finally grabbed his phone. He socked Preacher in the shoulder just for being a busy body. “None of your damn business.”

  “You’re acting defensive. Look, I’m just happy you dumped Seth. That guy was the worst,” Preacher was saying.

  “James is different from Seth,” he said. “He got shot right outside the gym.”

  Preacher raised his eyebrows. “So, he’s the guy everyone’s been talking about.”

  “What?” He snapped his attention back to Preacher.

  “Yeah, the guys downstairs mentioned you saved this guy from bleeding out.”

  “James got shot in the shoulder and he fainted from blood loss. He was lucky the shooter didn’t manage to hit bone or muscle,” he said. “We knew each other back in high school. I saved him from some bullies.”

  Preacher took a seat on the nearest swivel chair and studied him far too closely for Kurt’s liking. “You like this guy.”

  “What gave me away?” Kurt asked.

  “The way you talk about him. When was the last time you saw him?”

  “A week ago. He’s at home, resting.”

  “That long? Why don’t you go over to his place and hang out?”

  Kurt ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Because I haven’t done anything like this before.”

  “What do you mean? You’ve screwed plenty of guys before.”

  “There’s a difference,” Kurt muttered.

  He knew he made that deal with James but he felt like a dick for agreeing to it. He didn’t need James to pay him back with his body.

  Well, Kurt had plenty of filthy ideas he wanted to make a reality, but he hated how he acted at the hospital. A bastard. Too late to take back anything now.

  Kurt wasn’t a nice guy by any means. He still intended to claim his payment. Hell, he looked forward to it.

  “You’re afraid of screwing up. I get it. I was worried about messing things up when Travis and I were in the dating stage. He was just so wilful, so resistant, you know?”

  “Please stop talking,” Kurt said.

  Preacher had more to say. Preacher went on, “Travis was scared I’d end up breaking his heart but I sure proved him wrong. Once we starting fucking like—”

  Preacher trailed off, probably realizing he said too much.

  Kurt glared at Preacher. He loved Preacher like a brother but Preacher needed to learn to keep his mouth shut on some matters. “I don’t need to hear about the intimate details of your relationship.”

  “Sorry. What I’m saying is, you’ll regret it if you don’t take the chance,” Preacher said. “Did you know I had to beg Travis so he’d go out on a date with me?”

  Good for his brother.

  “You’re right,” he finally said. “I need to make a move.”

  Kurt might just swing by James’ place around dinner time. He knew where James lived because he caught a peek over James’ shoulder while he was filling out a form at the hospital. Kurt memorized it.

  He felt a little like a stalker but who cared?

  He was just going to surprise James with some Chinese takeout, ask how he was.

  Maybe get a taste of him again. Just one. Kurt only had good intentions.

  He felt better already.

  “Good talk but let’s eat. I’m hungry,” he announced.

  * * *

  ****

  “Do you think I should call him?” James asked Whiskers.

  His pet tabby cat stopped licking her paws to look at him disdainfully for a few moments, before resuming her task. James sighed and took another scoop of his mashed potatoes. He looked at his TV, which was playing one of his favorite historical Korean dramas but he wasn’t really into it.

  James turned the TV off and suddenly had no appetite. He looked at the container on his lap. His microwaved dinner looked like mush and it was always tasteless.

  James sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. What a sight he made, a grown-ass man in his Aquaman PJs, eating alone and talking to his cat. He opened his eyes again.

  Yup. James was still in his apartment. He looked at his phone, which was right next to him. No new texts from Kurt. This sucked big time.

  Couldn’t his damn shoulder heal any faster?

  James was full of pent-up energy. If he wasn’t thinking about the asshole who shot him, he was daydreaming about Kurt. Kurt leaning down over him in bed, then straddling him, kissing him, undressing him.

  How would Kurt want him? On his back, on all fours?

  James conjured up the erotic image of himself on his hands and knees. Kurt would be smiling down at him, gloriously naked, hand on his thick cock .

  James set his tray of food aside, only for Whiskers to jump on his lap. It was as if she could sense his distress. He stroked her thoughtfully.

  The hell with waiting. He was going to call Kurt tonight. He checked the time. Eight in the evening.

  Did Kurt work late hours?

  He never got to ask. James reached for his phone, about to text Kurt, asking if he could call him but the doorbell rang. He looked at Whiskers, who moved to the unoccupied space on the couch.

  “I didn’t order pizza tonight,” he told his cat. She meowed softly at him.

  James should probably just ignore whoever it was outside. Maybe it was just someone trying to sell him something. James scoffed.

  It was probably Mrs. Grubber from the third floor, trying to convince him to join her strange cult which believed aliens lived among them.

  The doorbell rang again. James summoned his courage and j
ust called Kurt. Someone’s phone rang outside. Kurt answered him right away.

  “Hi,” he said, unsure of what to say next.

  Just tell him you want to see him, he told himself. James couldn’t open his mouth..

  “Hi, back. Can you open your door?”

  It took him a few seconds to connect the dots. James was on his feet in seconds. This wasn’t happening.

  Kurt was outside his apartment?

  How did Kurt even know where he lived?

  “James, you in there? Let me in. Some crazy woman’s coming this way and she’s holding a bunch of fliers.”

  James finally walked to the door. He opened it only to remember what he was wearing. Kurt beamed up at him. His heart fluttered as Kurt looked James up and down like he was good to eat.

  “Come on in,” he stammered, hearing Mrs. Grubber’s voice in the corridor.

  He stepped back so Kurt could enter his apartment. James locked the door behind him.

  “I got you these,” Kurt said, holding out a dozen roses. “You’re looking well.”

  “How?” James accepted them.

  He felt like punching himself. Here was Kurt, acting all sweet and unlike him. They might be strangers but Kurt had a reputation in town for being a playboy who never settled down.

  James spoke again, “I meant, doesn’t Mrs. Rossi close her flower shop at seven?”

  James checked the wall clock in the living room.

  “It’s eight now.” James added.

  Kurt came all the way here to see how he was doing. James was acting like an ungracious host. James didn’t mean to.

  James felt a little daunted, truth be told. Back in high school and even now, it seemed they came from two different worlds.

  He was the kid who never fit in while Kurt was the jock. Kurt ran his own business now but what about James? Ever since returning to Black River Bend after college, he felt like he’d been stuck in a bad place. Limbo.

  “Mrs. Rossi has a soft spot for me. She and my dad were good friends.” Kurt explained.

  “Thank you, the roses are beautiful.” He blushed. “I’m not good with words. This is the first time a guy gave me flowers.”

  “That’s good.” Kurt cleared his throat. “Hope I didn’t interrupt your evening.”

  “Not at all. I wasn’t doing anything important.”

  If James knew Kurt was coming over, he would’ve changed into a clean shirt and jeans. He wouldn’t be caught dead wearing his stay-at-home PJs.

  “Have you eaten dinner?” Kurt asked him, scratching at his head. “Do you like Chinese? I called Wong’s Paradise on my way here and ordered a bunch of stuff.”

  “I love Chinese and um.” Kurt followed his gaze, to his unappealing food tray in the living room. James continued, “I could still eat.”

  Whiskers jumped from the couch and padded towards Kurt. She hissed at him.

  “Who’s this?” Kurt asked, sounding amused.

  Kurt bent down and offered her a hand. To his surprise, Whiskers meowed at him, before letting Kurt rub her ears.

  “Wow. She’s usually not fond of strangers. Not that I’d know. No one else has ever been here.” Stop babbling, he silently screamed at himself.

  Kurt stood up, looking at him. Whiskers started to weave between Kurt’s legs. It was a really cute image. With the way he was acting, James might just run off the only decent guy he’d met his entire life. Not to mention sexy.

  Kurt wore a plain white tee, black pants, and a dark brown leather jacket. Kurt had combed his hair back before coming here and he smelled good, a mix of cologne and soap.

  James on the other hand felt unattractive. Way out of his league. James busied himself by putting the roses in a vase.

  Did James seriously believe he had a chance with Kurt?

  4

  “So, kitchen’s over there. My living room doubles as my dining area and over that partition is my bed. It’s not much,” James was saying.

  Kurt looked around the tiny space and already felt a little claustrophobic. James didn’t live in a good neighborhood either, which explained why James offered his body to pay for their private lessons.

  James looked jittery and nervous since he arrived, so Kurt touched his arm.

  “Hey, why don’t you relax a little? I promise I’ll behave,” Kurt said, grinning.

  James finally curved his lips upwards to a small and hesitant smile. “It’s just, I don’t get visitors. Ever. You’re my first.”

  “I’m honored.” The doorbell rang and Kurt went to answer the door.

  It was the delivery guy from Wong’s Paradise. He paid for their food and returned to James, who was making space for their dinner.

  Kurt set the brown paper bags on the low table in front of the sofa. He joined James on the two-seater. Kurt could’ve taken the armchair but he preferred sitting in close quarters. James looked unsettled. Cute, Kurt decided.

  They started bringing the food out. To his surprise, James grabbed a carton containing some lemon chicken and started attacking it with chopsticks. Huh. Maybe James was more hungry than he thought.

  Good. Kurt could eat and he liked guys who had an appetite. Seth always worried about his weight and it was hard to take him anywhere because Seth always insisted on eating at the more expensive, health-conscious restaurants in town.

  Forget about Seth, Kurt told himself. That guy was old news. Seth was plastic, all shiny and fake but James was the real deal.

  Sitting this close, their shoulders and bodies couldn’t help but touch. Kurt was tempted to take James’ mouth. Kurt only wanted another taste.

  Soon, he told himself. Dinner first.

  Besides, his stomach was growling and his last meal had been the sandwiches Preacher bought for lunch. Kurt grabbed a container with some fried noodles and started to devour it.

  “How did you know where I lived?” James asked after they demolished all their food. Kurt started cleaning up and putting the containers back in the brown paper bags, along with their chopsticks.

  “Confession time. I looked over your shoulder back in the hospital, while you were filling in some forms,” Kurt said.

  “Oh. That’s alright then,” James murmured. “I wish you messaged me earlier so you didn’t need to see me in these.”

  James gestured to what he was wearing.

  “Wanted it to be a surprise and besides, you look cute.”

  “What?” James scowled. He seemed offended by the word. “I want to be more than cute.”

  James muttered those words under his breath but Kurt heard them just fine. He rested his hand on James’ knee and squeezed it. James stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights.

  “I like you, James,” Kurt said softly. He tipped James’ chin with his fingers, forcing James to look right at him. “This is the first time I wanted to be serious with someone and that’s you. I admit I’ve only fooled around in the past but you’re different. This, us, there’s something there.”

  “I’ve had a massive crush on you back in high school,” James whispered. “But our paths took us to different directions. The night I was shot, I thought I imagined running right at you. You don ’t know how happy I was in the hospital when I saw you.”

  Kurt couldn’t hold himself back any longer. He took James’ mouth, closed his hand behind James’ neck, preventing escape.

  James responded, kissed him back hungrily, eagerly. Kurt could feel his dick pressing up against the zipper of his jeans.

  He moved his hands under James’ pajama top, touching heated skin. When he pulled away from the kiss, James moaned. James looked good like this, with his pupils dilated, his mouth parted slightly.

  Kurt leaned in, thrusting his tongue down James’ throat. He shoved his other hand down the hem of James's pajama bottoms, past underwear, and curled his fingers over James’ shaft.

  James was getting hard for him. He started stroking James’ cock, still enjoying the sweet taste of him. Kurt withdrew his mouth.
<
br />   James panted, practically thrusting his hips towards Kurt while Kurt worked his prick.

  “God,” James whispered.

  “I want you to come right over my fingers like a good boy,” Kurt said by James’ ear.

  James shuddered as Kurt quickened the pace. In his mind’s eye, Kurt imagined himself ripping off all of James’ clothes, bending him over this sofa and rutting him like an uncontrolled, wild animal.

  James let out a quiet cry, then he erupted, spilling his load right over Kurt’s fingers. James leaned against the pillows, sighing.

  “Felt good?” Kurt asked.

  James nodded, then asked him, “Are you going to fuck me now?”

  Blood surged to Kurt’s cock. He let out a groan. James was temptation of the worst kind and yet Kurt was considering it.

  Clothes got in the way of them touching. It would be easy for Kurt to send the buttons of James’ top flying, for him to get James under him. He’d give James a night to remember, make James addicted to his dick so no other man would ever come under James’ radar.

  Possessiveness rode through his entire body like a fierce storm and that scared him a little. Kurt had never been obsessed with anyone like this before.

  He never committed to a relationship that lasted more than a few weeks, because he couldn’t open his heart to anyone. Kurt was willing to cross that bridge for James.

  “We’ll get to that stage eventually,” he finally said, reeling in his desire.

  “Is it because I’m not like the guys you used to date?” James asked.

  Kurt frowned. “What?”

  “I’m not that good looking. I’m socially inept and awkward—”

  Kurt silenced James with another rough and wet kiss that left both of them only wanting more.

  “Don’t berate yourself like that again,” he said. “You deserve more than a one-night-stand. Let’s get to know each other better.”

  James bit on his lower lip. “I’m just scared if I don’t make a move now, someone else will come along and steal you right under my nose.”