Dead Heat: Forged in Fire

:: Robby ::

I couldn’t believe that I was a nervous wreck. Why, you ask? Mike’s coming home today. After ten long days in the hospital, he was coming to my house, to finish his recuperation and to hide out until we could catch Conrad Bass. I had cleaned the house from top to bottom and had the guest room prepared, secretly hoping that it would never be used. I wanted Mike in my bed, in my arms. He was already in my heart.

I’d been thinking more and more about him, I found. Nights of patrolling were interrupted with my calls to the hospital and he always answered with laughter in his voice.

You’re such a mother hen!

Clark laughed his ass off, thoroughly enjoying the sight of his usually super-masculine partner in the grips of love. He thanked me for the entertainment, saying that he now knew what he had looked like when he courted his wife. My spare hours were spent at the hospital, either watching Mike sleep or grabbing a few Zs in the chair, next to his bed. My partner was right. I was in love.

I went over the preparations in my mind again. I had a bouquet of roses in his bedroom, new soap in the shower and fresh towels there, too. The fridge was full of chocolate milk, his favorite and two snowy bottles of champagne were in the freezer, chilling nicely. Did I forget anything?

The doorbell startled me into motion and I almost tripped over my feet as I sailed to the door. Mike and Clark stood on the doorstep, Mike’s injured shoulder in a dark blue immobilizer. “Hi.”

“Hi. Come on in.” I wanted to kiss him but I didn’t want to gross Clark out. My partner softly snickered as he entered, setting several bags and a suitcase on the floor. “Want a beer, Clark?”

“Naw. I can’t stay. Sondra’s making chateaubriand for two tonight.”

“For two?”

“Yeah, the kids are at her mother’s, so … “ He winked. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Make sure you’re able to walk tomorrow. I don’t want to have to carry you around all night.” I called as he ducked out.

He laughed. “Yeah! And make sure you take your own advice.”

:: Michael ::

I didn’t know what to expect from him so it was a shock when he closed the space between us and pulled me into his embrace, his mouth devouring mine with authority. I couldn’t help the tremble that snaked down my spine and I put my good arm around his waist, pressing my body against his. I sensed a difference in him and something in the way he responded to me partially wiped the uncertainty from my mind. I had worried that he was only interested in the sex and not in me. Now …?

“That’s a hell of a welcome.” I breathed, catching his dark sparkling eyes. He lowered his gaze, clearly uncomfortable with the passion he’d expressed.

He needs control.

The answer suddenly struck me.

He can’t control his feelings for me and he doesn’t know how to deal with that.

“No one’s ever accused me of being inhospitable.” He joked awkwardly, letting me go and taking a step back. I sensed the protective cop persona slipping back into place. “Are you hungry?”

“No, but I could use a drink.”

“Would champagne be okay? I bought a couple of bottles … “ He shrugged his shoulders, avoiding my eyes and stubbing the toe of his loafer into the carpet.

Oh, God! He’s nervous!

“Champagne would be marvelous.” I replied. “Champagne and a bath. A

real

bath.”

“That can be arranged.” His smile was genuine. “How about we get your bath started and pop the champagne?”

“Okay.” He gave me a quick tour of his house and I was surprised to find that it wasn’t overly masculine, like many apartments’ I’d seen. The furniture was tasteful. A bamboo couch, ottoman and armed chair occupied most of the living room along with bookcases filled with leather-bound books. I paused to read some of the titles, amazed to find Dostoevsky and Thoreau huddled on those shelves.

The kitchen was spartan, a lone non-stick pan on the stove’s top. Green and red apples were perched in a teak bowl on the island and I noted that he liked green apple Palmolive to clean his dishes. The basement was musty-smelling and carpeted. A big screen TV was in one corner surrounded by comfortable chairs and a bar was just opposite. An upended bongo drum held cue sticks for the forest green-felted pool table and the other corner was occupied by a treadmill, weight machine and rowing machine.

There were three bathrooms, one each in the basement, main floor and second floor. The top floor contained three bedrooms. The first room was an office workout area, complete with computer. The second room was the master suite, done in varying shades of blue. The king-size bed had an inviting plump comforter and loads of pillows. The side wall held a grouping of watercolors, mostly of water scenes, fishing boats and one of an elderly woman holding a dog.

“My grandmother, Elisa.” He offered. “She sat for that just before she died.”

“Did you do these?” His silence gave me an answer. Robby Munroe was such a conundrum. Hard on the outside, soft as a gooey caramel on the inside. I scrutinized the paintings, amazed at the emotion that oozed out of the watercolors. “You should show these, Robby. They’re magnificent!”

He nodded slightly and moved through to the next room. Another room, again tastefully done and colorful, especially with the dozen roses in the dresser vase. “Are these for me?”

“Yes.”

I slipped one out and inhaled the gentle scent. I broke the bottom of the stem off, tucking it into a buttonhole of his shirt. “How about that bath?”

:: Robby ::

I opened the champagne, put the frosty bottle into the steel bucket and placed it on the tray beside the chilled glasses and carried it up to my bathroom. Mike was soaking in the water, his eyes closed and his injured shoulder above the water line. I set the tray on the rattan stand, his eyes opening lazily at the noise. I opened the bottle, handed him a glass and poured the foamy liquid. I filled my own glass and looked at him.

“To us.” Our glasses clinked and I watched, hypnotized by the sight of his soft lips on the edge of the glass. “Thank you for becoming my protector.”

I didn’t know what to say. He was talking to the cop in me and the cop responded in kind. “It’s not a problem.”

“Would you protect everyone like this?”

I answered truthfully. “If that’s what was required, yes.”

Mike took a sip of the champagne and set his glass down, turning his back to me in the tub. “Thanks. I can take it from here.”

My grand romantic ideas deflated like my cock and I pushed the chair back, rising. “See you in the morning.”

This is why you’re alone

. I told myself, putting the unopened bottle in the fridge.

And you deserve it.

*****

Clark and Agent Morton arrived early in the morning and I was surprised to find Mike awake and hanging out in the privacy-fenced backyard. He welcomed my colleague and the FBI agent with respectful handshakes but ignored me.

Morton had gotten some new information about Bass. They were able to trace a rental car to him and forensics had found a shell casing in the gear box that was going to be tested against the slugs we already had. The shop was being dismantled and the contents of his apartment were being placed into storage. Mike’s face fell with every revelation and I wanted to reach out to him but I knew that he wouldn’t accept my consolation. He said that his office was working hard to locate Bass and expect to find him soon.

“Can I move to a hotel?”

Morton glanced at me, then turned to Mike. “I thought we’d already settled that.”

“No,

you

and Officer Munroe settled it, but no one asked me. I want to be moved to a hotel.”

“Well, we’ll think about it.” Morton arose, packing his paperwork away. “Robby, I’ll give you a call when the forensics exam comes back.”

“Thanks.”

I shook his hand and watched Clark and him drive away. Mike had already gone inside, completely ignoring me. When I went to find him, I found the guestroom door closed and the muffled sounds of his soft sobbing. I wanted to knock but found myself unable to. My heart was a rock in my chest.

*****

When I went on shift that night, all I could think about was Mike. I kept asking myself serious questions. What did I really want from this relationship? What did I want from life? Did I want to be alone forever? Did I want to ignore the feelings that I had for Mike? For the first time in years, I let Clark drive because I was unable to keep my mind on the road. Clark tried to talk to me but I couldn’t seem to form a coherent sentence. He decided that we should stop at Lori’s Diner for a quick meal and a little conversation. He was astounded to find that I couldn’t eat. So was I.

“Okay, Robby. Spill it.”

It took fifteen minutes for me to explain everything I was feeling. By the end, I was so distraught that I was close to tears, something that had never happened to me before. My partner listened quietly and let a bit of silence pass before he spoke.

“I cheated on Sondra once.” He chewed a bite of his cheeseburger, following it with a slurp of chocolate malt. “Guess it was a combination of stress and arguments and I went out one night and didn’t come home until the next morning.” He paused to dump a load of ketchup onto his fries and black peppered them thoroughly. “When I came home, she knew what I’d done and she wasn’t angry. But she wouldn’t talk to me any more. She wouldn’t let me touch her. She wouldn’t even look at me.” Clark looked at me. “Can you imagine what that’s like? Having the one thing that you want the most in the world and you can’t have it?”

Yes, I knew. And it was my fault that I couldn’t have it.

“The thing that really killed me was when I got her to look at me. Her eyes were empty, hollow. There was no love for me in her eyes and I had never seen that before.” He cleared his throat. “That broke my heart.” Silence fell between us as he bit off a few more bites of burger. “I tell you, Robby, I don’t ever want to see that again.” I nodded.

I had wanted hot sex but I’d been kidding myself. Mike had grabbed me at the convenience store with his expressive eyes. The fear when he was in the perp’s grasp and the shyness and appreciation after the rescue. Then, the pure lust when I sucked his dick and the despair from this morning. Finally, what I’d seen when he walked into my house yesterday.

Love

. And I remembered how I had felt, knowing that it was all for me.

He loves me.

And I love him. The admission crushed the walls I had built and I felt naked and free. I grabbed a bunch of Bristow’s fries and shoved them into my mouth with a smile.

“We’d better get going.” He shoved the plate away and stood. I told him that I’d pay for the meal in exchange for his advice and he just laughed, heading outside. I went to the register and waited patiently for the change when I noticed that Clark was talking to someone. Probably a tourist asking for directions.

The waitress counted the change into my hand and I turned to leave, just as Clark’s visitor turned his head, heading down the sidewalk as Clark moved to the car.

Conrad Bass!

“No!” I screamed.

Our police car exploded.

:: Michael ::

I didn’t hear him come into the room but I felt his weight on the edge of the bed.

I flicked the lamp on and turned to him, frightened to see that his uniform was ripped and covered with blood and a square of gauze was taped to his left temple.

“Robby! What happened?”

He raised red watery eyes to mine. “Clark is dead.”

“Oh, Robby!” And he cried. I pulled him down into my arms and held him close while his tears poured out. In between sobs, he told me about the explosion. Clark had been killed instantly. He had had a good-sized chunk of glass removed from his forehead and a few other patrons had glass injuries also.

“Mike, I’ve been so afraid.”

“Afraid? Afraid of what?”

“You.” He sat up, his hand on my hip, his dark eyes searching mine.

My cock pulsed in my pajamas. “Why would you be afraid of me?”

“Because of what I see in your eyes.”

He lowered his face until his lips brushed my cheek. I raised a hand to his cheek, closing my eyes in pleasure. “And what do you see in my eyes?”

Tears brimmed in his eyes as he sought mine out again. “Me.”

He turned his face so that our mouths connected like pieces of a puzzle and I groaned at the feel of his tongue pushing against mine. My body relaxed under his pleasant weight and I wrapped my arms around him, trying to draw him closer. For several long minutes, he ravished my mouth, face and neck, licking and nibbling as he went.

“Come on. Let’s take a shower.”

:: Robby ::

The shower was heaven. I felt raw and bruised but I’d never felt so alive.

I wanted to crumble to the floor in a pool of tears but another part of me wanted to grab Mike and fly off. I wondered if schizophrenic people experienced the same disjointedness. I took a deep breath and swallowed my pride and fear.

“I love you, Mike.”

“Wha-what?” He opened the shower door, his delicious eyes bright with tears.

“You heard me.” I yanked him in, pulling him against me. “I love you.”

:: Robby and Michael ::

Mike was stunned to hear the words, words he had ached and dreamed of hearing, but Robby had really said those words.

I love you

. And he meant them. Could forever be far behind? He stumbled into the shower fully-clothed and met Robby’s mouth in a bruising, passion-filled kiss. Sleek, wet skin and muscle met his questing fingers and he moaned at the feel of Robby’s majestic body.

“My PJs … “ Mike whispered.

Robby released his mouth long enough to slide the wet pajamas to the shower floor and pulled Mike against him, moaning as their sleek, wet skins slid together. Mike felt so good against him, his hands raising goosebumps as they roamed over Robby’s skin. Soft fingers traced the hard planes of his back and buttocks, delving into the cleft and drawing circles around his pucker. Robby moaned again.

“Mike, make love to me.”

Mike pulled back, surveying Robby’s face. “Robby, you don’t have to … “

“Yes, I do.” Robby knew how important this was. He had always been the one to top, always the one to dominate. He didn’t want that now. He wanted to feel Mike inside him, to feel him cum deep inside him. “Please, Mike.”

Mike couldn’t resist the plea in Robby’s fathomless eyes. He leaned forward and kissed him again, his tongue tangling with Robby’s as he reached for the hot and cold knobs. The water ceased with an errant drip. He didn’t want Robby’s first time to be in the shower, like some crude gym fuck. He wanted him in bed and that was where he led his lover.

Robby lay back on the bed, welcoming Mike into the circle of his arms. He couldn’t seem to get enough of kissing and touching Mike. His hands learned every inch of the blond’s athletic body while his tongue mapped every inch of his soft mouth. Mike purred like a cat when his hands grasped his globes, his fingers pulling them apart and sliding down into his hole. Mike’s body jackknifed, grinding their hard cocks together, his moan echoed by Robby.

Mike broke the kiss, flipped Robby over and began to kiss his back. His entire body was a monument to exercise and he intended to make sure that Robby knew that he was grateful. His lips started at his neck, biting the tendons and causing Robby to respond with a guttural hiss. “Oh, God, Mike. Yes.” Robby’s gasp was a sweet caress, urging him to continue and Mike did, moving over sculpted back muscles and down to his luscious ass.

Robby felt Mike’s hand underneath his groin and he heard a gentle whisper in his ear. “Assume the position.” His entire body trembling, he raised up on all fours, his aching prick and waiting asshole exposed. His heart slammed in his chest as Mike’s fat tongue laved his asscheeks, slowly and completely, then slipped into the crack, sliding down until it reached his grasping hole. The breath left his lungs as Mike’s serpentine tongue pressed inside, spreading his sphincter wide.

“Oh, fuck yeah!” Mike grabbed Robby’s hips and started his assault, systematically tongue-fucking, then rimming Robby’s asshole, drawing hisses and grunts of pleasure. His finger quickly followed, then two, opening Robby farther. Robby groaned. “Fuck me, Mike.”

Mike turned Robby back over and pushed his legs up, aiming the fat head of his prick at Robby’s well-lubed hole. He leaned down so that he could kiss Robby’s lips, pushing forward slightly so that the head popped in. Robby’s body went taut and a whimper escaped their connected mouths. He held still for a few moments, allowing Robby to get used to his size, then gently moved forward again, sliding in to the hilt.

“Oh, Mike.” Robby groaned. He had never felt so full before. Electrical tingles shot from his asshole directly into his straining cock and he fought the urge to cum just from the feeling alone. Then Mike moved and a shout of pure delight erupted from his throat, his penis leaping as ropes of thick cum sprayed onto his chest. He had never cum so hard or felt something as wonderful as that. And to look up into Mike’s eyes and see him smiling was the icing on the cake.

Mike was surprised that Robby had cum so quickly and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from following. Robby’s velvet, hot passage massaged him like a snake digesting its food and he fought his lust down, waiting until his muscles relaxed again, then moved again. He felt so good. So hot, so deep. He groaned, feeling the walls grasp and surround him. “Oh, Robby.”

“Yeah, Mike, fuck me.”

Mike started moving faster, his eyes heavy-lidded with pleasure, watching Robby’s semi-hard cock come to life again. “Yeah, I’ll fuck you, Robby.” He pushed the words through gritted teeth. “And when I finish, you’ll know you’re mine.” A bolt of pleasure streaked down his spine. “Say it.”

“I’m yours.” Robby’s brain was fogged with sex and he let himself succumb to the building pleasure. He wrapped a hand around his tool and pumped it in his hard fist.

“Say it again.”

“I’m yours!”

“Oh, fuck! I love you!”

Spots of white flared behind his eyes as he poured his seed into Robby’s clutching ass, his gasp matching Robby’s. Robby’s cum spurted again, covering his chest with a veil of white. Mike fell sideways, his pulsing dick slowly wilting within Robby’s body, then finally sliding free. Robby’s voice was low and breathy.

“That was the most incredible thing that I’ve ever felt.”

Mike moved up alongside him, rubbing his hand across his quivering stomach. “Me, too. I guess it’s different when you have feelings for someone.” He pushed up on one elbow, looking down into his eyes. “Did you mean what you said?”

“Yes.” Robby ran his hand through Mike’s tousled curls, cupping his cheek. “I’m yours and I love you.”

Mike let the tears fall and proceeded to kiss them both into a place far from the danger that waited outside.