Nothing Special V, page 31
part #5 of Nothing Special Series
Tech
When the bosses are away, they never hesitated to play. Syn wasn’t to be screwed with, but he was also a big pushover. He loved them too much to not give them what they wanted.
“Come on, Syn. God and Day come back on Sunday, we’ve been sitting around here doing shit for three days. Just say yes.” Green was practically whining.
Syn was at his desk flipping through a magazine, eating a bag of chips like he was barely listening. But they all knew he was.
Tech was sitting with his back to his desk, smiling longingly, his feet propped up on Steele’s lap while he massaged them. They didn’t hurt, but for whatever reason, Steele had started rubbing them.
“I can’t sit here with these two another minute.” Ruxs pointed at Steele. “It’s getting on my nerves. Why don’t they run off and start a ‘love is grand’ cult or something? It’s nauseating.”
“Don’t be jealous, Ruxs… it’s not attractive.” Steele smiled, but never took his eyes off Tech.
“We haven’t had a four-day weekend in a year. Come on, man. God won’t care. When they get back, they’re going to be so well rested and high off newlywed crack, they won’t care you gave us a few days off.” Ruxs kept hammering away at Syn’s resolve.
Syn turned to face them. “What if a department needs back up and you guys are… who knows where, huh? Then what?”
Ruxs looked like he was contemplating that. “Call Hart. He’ll cover for us.”
Syn nodded like that was a reasonable solution.
Free leapt up from his chair. “I’ll go ask him. Be right back.”
Tech shook his head at his best friend, watching him hurry through the bullpen to the elevators to head upstairs to Hart’s department.
“Shouldn’t someone tell him Hart’s not even bisexual?” Ro looked at Tech before he tossed the small rubber ball to Michaels. Yeah, they were really bored.
“Hell no,” Green piped up. “Let’s see how this plays out. Hart has been acting a little strange if you ask me. I’ve caught him staring at the guy more than once.”
“Me too,” Ruxs agreed.
“That’s only because he’s sexy. Doesn’t mean Hart wants to do him.” Ro shrugged. “I just don’t want Free to get his feelings hurt.”
“He is an adult, right?” Tech glanced at his brothers. “Let him decide.”
They all looked at him with sour expressions. “Well, fuck us for caring.” Ro threw the ball at Tech, but Steele reached up and intercepted it.
“My hero,” Tech said softly.
“Okay. Be back on Monday,” Syn blurted. “Hell, even I don’t wanna watch them any longer.”
“Yeah! Way to go, Tech!” Ruxs ran over, high-fiving him and Steele.
They had been playing up the lovey-dovey to annoy everyone, especially Syn. When Ruxs said Syn had mentioned their terms of endearment and overly obnoxious affection were driving him crazy; Ruxs and Green asked them to turn it up a notch more so they could start hammering at Syn to get off early Thursday for a four-day weekend. Looked like their devious plan worked.
Tech walked with Steele to the parking lot. He leaned against his driver’s side door waiting for Steele to light his cigar. “So we have four whole days. What do you wanna do?”
“You.”
Tech rolled his eyes. “Obviously. What else?”
Steele shrugged, taking a deep inhale. “I didn’t have shit else planned. Wanna grab some grub tonight, hang out?”
“You sweet talker, you. How can I refuse, since you asked so nicely?” Tech looked indignantly at his boyfriend, his arms crossed over his chest.
Steele eyed him for a few seconds, a sexy quirk curving his mouth. He moved closer until he was pressing Tech into the door. “Armastaja. Will you let me take you to dinner tonight?” Steele kissed Tech’s chin, leaning back for his answer.
Tech smiled. He enjoyed giving his lover crap about his roughneck ways. Steele was a wonderful man, a great boyfriend, and Tech was turned on by every aspect of him, even his rough demeanor, but he still liked ribbing him on it sometimes.
“Yes, I’d love to, thank you,” Tech teased.
“Then, after dinner… will you let me fuck you until you scream my name?” Steele thrust his hips hard enough to make Tech grunt.
“You couldn’t resist, could you?” Tech laughed, pushing Steele back before he caused some permanent damage to his pelvis or the door of his truck.
Steele flicked away the last half of his cigar and crowded back against him. Gentler this time, he dipped to kiss Tech just under his nose, making his way to his mouth. Steele held Tech’s face in his hands, tilting his head and smoothly sliding his tongue inside. Tech closed his eyes and moaned, quickly sucking on that smoky tongue, riding high off it.
“Steele! Bring your ass. Let’s go before Syn changes his mind,” Ruxs yelled after bringing his truck to a jerky stop right behind Tech’s truck.
“I’m going to wait on Free.” Tech pecked him one more time.
“Okay. You want to take my bike out tonight?” Steele grinned. “Furious has it riding nice.”
“Hell no. It’s too cold. I’ll pick you up.”
“That’s cool. Later.” Steele turned and jumped into the backseat. Ruxs sped off before Steele even had the door closed all the way.
Tech was thumbing through his phone while he waited for his friend. He jumped at the sound of loud knuckles rapping on his window, his hand instinctively going for his 9mm. He turned, frowning at Vasquez. He hit the button and dropped the window down halfway.
“Don’t kill me.” Vasquez smiled. “That Marine of yours has you jumpy.”
Tech didn’t bother to respond or appear receptive to conversation. Free had ended up telling him how shitty Vasquez treated him at the bachelor party and why Hart intervened, so Vasquez was officially on Tech’s shit list. “Did you want something?”
Vasquez looked taken back, his eyes squinting like he was pissed off. “Damn. I just wanted to say hi to a friend. We used to be close, now you act like you can’t stand me. What’s up? Since you got your little boyfriend and your new job title, you act like you’re too good to speak to anyone.”
Tech wanted to roll his window up in his face. Was he for real? Vasquez’s posture was defensive. His thick arms crossed over his chest, the dark blue uniform stretched to the limit over his straining biceps. “First of all. There’s nothing little about my boyfriend. And two, me being a field officer has no bearing on anything. I’m still me. I haven’t had much to say to you Vasquez, because of how you treated my best friend.”
An angry frown penetrated Vasquez’s tan forehead. “Did Hart tell you a lie?”
“This has nothing to do with Hart,” Tech said. He was done with this conversation because it wasn’t going to go anywhere good. “I’ll see you around, Vasquez.”
“Here comes Free. I’ll clear this up right now.” Vasquez backed away from Tech’s window but paused when he noticed Free wasn’t alone. He was followed by Syn and Hart.
Free’s steps faltered when he noticed Vasquez walking around the truck. Syn leveled a hard look at Vasquez before putting his hand on Free’s shoulder, moving him forward again. When they got to Tech’s truck, Vasquez tried to speak, but Syn gave him a look that implied, “You better not say a fuckin’ word.” Hart’s posture was very similar. Tech wondered if Free told Syn what had happened. Maybe Syn just picked up on Free’s unease. One way or another, it looked like Syn knew because he opened the door for Free and ushered him inside, closing the door when he was fully seated. Syn hit the hood a couple times, signaling Tech to drive off.
Looking in his rearview mirror, Tech saw that Syn didn’t bother acknowledging Vasquez, who was still standing there looking disrespected. Syn shook Hart’s hand and both men gave Vasquez their backs as they turned and walked off in different directions.
Steele
Steele reclined in his chair and clenched his hands in his lap. He was full, but he was far from relaxed. His full rack of ribs was delicious, but it was the bottle of Stella that was keeping him from jumping up and shouting for the staff to turn the goddamn music down. He could barely hear his own thoughts. Tech was still working on his burger while flipping through the dessert menu. Steele watched the people come and go in the brightly lit, too loud, overly decorated Hard Rock Café in Downtown. Tech chose the place, contending he’d been wanting a good burger for days and this place had the best. Whatever Tech wanted, he’d do. But if he never came back to this restaurant, he was good with that.
Tech turned to him, wiping his mouth. He had to practically yell his question to be heard over the incessant chatter around them. “You good? You want dessert?”
“No.” Steele mouthed.
Tech frowned, pushing his plate away, leaving only a couple bites of his huge burger. Steele didn’t know where he put all the food he ate. “What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to fight someone.”
“Nothing. It’s just extremely loud and bright in here.” Steele leaned over so Tech could hear him over the classic Aerosmith song blaring from the sound system. Multi-color, crazy strobe lights, people toe tapping, singing, and customers bumping into his chair every five minutes while he ate wasn’t the way he liked to dine. It was too much going on and he felt out of control. Being disoriented wasn’t good for him. He looked around again, his eyes darting to the front door every few minutes. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw Tech’s hand go up, signaling the server for the check. Steele rubbed his palm on his jeans when he was jolted again, a server bumping his chair when he tried to ease through at the same time a customer did. Steele gritted his teeth, closing his eyes against the harsh light and taking a slow breath. Next thing he knew, Tech’s hand was in his and he was being pulled from his seat and out the front door. Tech didn’t stop until they were around the corner and away from the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk.
Tech stopped them against the side of the restaurant and turned to look at him. “Babe, are you okay? Why didn’t you tell me you were uncomfortable in there?”
Steele’s jaw was locked tight while he tried to calm himself down. He didn’t have full on episodes, he knew how to prevent them, but it was good he got out of there when he did; he simply wasn’t at ease in environments like that. It was amazing, he could efficiently move through a chaotic war zone but he couldn’t sit in a crowded restaurant full of over-stimulated patrons and servers.
“Okay. I got it,” Tech whispered, wrapping his arms around Steele’s neck and pulling him close.
Steele gripped Tech’s waist, tucking his face into his neck, rubbing his cheek against his soft, clean-smelling skin. Steele didn’t need to voice anything, admit anything. Tech already understood, and Steele loved him even more for that. He could feel his body relaxing under his lover’s touch. A partner was supposed to be able to do that for you. Put his hands on you and make the discomfort disappear. Tech could already do that to him.
“I’m all right.” Steele turned his mouth into Tech’s throat, just barely brushing his lips across the skin so opposite from his own bristly stubble. “I hate that fuckin’ wild lighting.”
Tech squeezed him harder as if apologizing for taking him there. Steele rubbed Tech’s back, bringing one hand up behind his head, smoothing down the already neatly arranged hair. He took Tech’s chin between his thumb and forefinger, applying a bit of pressure to open his pretty mouth. He slowly placed his lips on his, closing his eyes at the first touch of those tender lips. The feeling just as incredible as the first kiss he’d stolen in the equipment room. Tech moaned lovingly, burying his fingers in Steele’s hair. He kissed him until he felt Tech shiver in his arms. He couldn’t resist swiping his tongue across a couple more times before pulling back. “Come on. You’re cold.”
“Hey.” Tech leaned in, his lips curved in a sensual smile, breathing his warm breath against Steele’s oversensitive ear. Tech’s lips brushed his lobe when he spoke, his sexy armastaja knowing what it did to him. “Why don’t we go someplace a little darker and quieter?”
Steele held Tech’s narrow waist in a death grip, his groin pressed firmly against him so he could feel exactly what Tech’s sly move was doing to him. He felt the moist tip of Tech’s tongue, drag across the outer rim then gently dip inside.
“You must want me to fuck you right here in this parking lot,” Steele hissed, grinding their pelvises together. It was dark outside and the parking lot was small, tucked farther between the buildings, but it wasn’t that isolated. Someone would probably walk by any minute.
Tech’s lips curved again, and just like that, Steele had long forgotten his anxiety.
Tech
“Where are we?” Tech asked Steele, looking over at him. He looked a lot more relaxed and content now. He couldn’t believe he’d misread Steele’s mood the entire time they’d been in the restaurant. He noticed he didn’t talk much, but Tech had just chalked it up to him enjoying his food. He’d pay more attention to Steele when they were in new surroundings. But now he knew: his boyfriend didn’t like those types of places.
“Didn’t I ace my quiz? Why do you still ask me where we are?” Steele grinned over at him.
Tech shrugged. “Yeah, you passed it, but I only had a hundred questions on it. I didn’t cover everything.”
“You covered enough.” Steele looked out the window. “We’re on Mooreland. If you turn right up there on Fayetteville and take Constitution, the Metro detention center is on the right… no, left.”
Tech nodded his head in approval. He knew his map had been a good idea, regardless of how the guys on the team had ridiculed him for it.
“But I still don’t know where we’re going. You said someplace dark… I thought you were talking about your bedroom.”
“Free has a business call tonight with a company in San Diego, so I don’t want to disturb him. He’s going to be helping the tech team troubleshoot a system he set up there last year. It might be a tad unprofessional if the client heard sounds of hot sex going on in the next room.”
“I told Green and Ruxs I’d be out the rest of the night. I think Green wants Ruxs to fuck him in the kitchen.” Steele cringed.
“What?” Tech choked on a startled laugh. “Did he say that?”
“No. But it’s probably still true. I need to give them their privacy back.”
“So we’re both homeless tonight.” Tech shook his head. “Great.”
“We’ll think of something.” Steele shrugged like it was no big deal.
Tech turned into the entrance of the Starlight Drive-In, shooting Steele a devious smile. He told the attendant after he paid that he’d been there before and didn’t need the instructions. He pulled into the spots designated for large vehicles. He put the truck in park, turned off his lights, and killed the engine, turning it to accessory mode. He quickly tuned into the drive-in’s FM station and adjusted the volume to low. He looked over at Steele. “Dark and quiet.”
Tech adored the way Steele was gazing at him. There was no mistaking the love in his beautiful gray eyes. Tech reached over the console and laid his palm on Steele’s cheek. “You like drive-ins?”
“I do. Haven’t been to one since before I enlisted.” Steele chuckled, turning to look at the screen. “Nice idea, baby.”
“Come on, let’s get in the back.” Tech grabbed his remote and anxiously jumped out of the truck, ignoring Steele’s questioning look. Tech tilted the driver’s seat all the way forward, motioning for Steele to do the same. When they climbed in the back, Tech took his shoes off and reclined back, propping his feet up on the front seat. “This is better, there’s no huge console between us. A lot more room.”
Steele spread his legs wide and leaned back with him, opening up his arms so Tech could rest his body against him. The movie was just beginning and Tech saw a few more trucks had pulled into the back row. Didn’t matter, his windows were entirely too dark to see inside. “Let me know if you get cold. The back rows have warmers, too.”
Steele somehow pulled Tech even closer, nuzzling behind his ear. “I’m plenty warm enough.”
With his back against Steele’s chest, Tech leaned his head back, resting it on Steele’s shoulder, letting him drag his nose along his neck. “We’re going to at least watch the opening of the movie, right?” Tech said, stretching his head higher to give Steele more room.
“Mm hmm. Maybe,” Steele murmured, his teeth grazing Tech’s delicate flesh.
Tech let Steele have his fun. With his head all the way back, Tech pushed a button on his remote and the cover of the moon roof slid open. Steele stopped his ministrations and looked up. The air was crisp on the beautiful fall night and the stars were bright high up in the sky.
“That’s cool as hell. You have a remote control for this thing?” Steele took it out of Tech’s hand, looking it over.
Tech put his hands up in a take it easy gesture. “Careful. You don’t want to shoot the missile and take out the screen.”
Steele jerked upright. “What?” he barked.
Tech laughed hysterically. “Kidding. I’m kidding.”
Steele grabbed Tech and yanked him against him, gripping his chin and laying a brutal kiss on his mouth as punishment. “That wasn’t funny.”
“It sort of was. Why in the hell would you think I have a missile in here?” Tech managed to say between laughs.
“You have every-fucking-thing-else,” Steele argued, finally relaxing in his seat. “You have a shitty sense of humor, you know that?”
“You love it.” Tech reached up and cupped the back of Steele’s neck, directing his mouth to where it was on his neck before the moon roof opened.
The movie was five minutes in and they settled down to watch. Tech had paid for whatever the next movie was that was starting, which ended up being some type of drama. Steele had clearly lost interest about midway through. Tech felt Steele’s hand inching under his sweater.
