Games Boys Play Read online

  GAMES BOYS PLAY

  by

  FAE SUTHERLAND

  Amber Quill Press, LLC

  http://www.amberquill.com

  Games Boys Play

  An Amber Quill Press Book

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author's imagination, or have been used fictitiously.

  Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

  Amber Quill Press, LLC

  http://www.AmberQuill.com

  http://www.AmberHeat.com

  http://www.AmberAllure.com

  All rights reserved.

  No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

  Copyright © 2012 by Fae Sutherland

  ISBN 978-1-61124-266-9

  Cover Art © 2012 Trace Edward Zaber

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  For the Cheeky One. Give us this day our daily sparkle. Much love for all your inspiration.

  Also by Fae Sutherland

  Gambling On Maybe

  Letting In The Light

  With Marguerite Labbe

  629 Miles To Love

  Entanglements

  Fortunate Son

  The Mask He Wears

  Taking Chances

  With Chelsea James

  Blue-Eyed Soul

  GAMES BOYS PLAY

  "If you're not wearing these, I'm stealing them."

  Zachary West turned to find his best friend, Jordy, sitting cross-legged on the floor in the dressing area, a pair of silver jeans in his lap and a hopeful look on his face.

  Zach laughed. "I'm not wearing those. You can borrow them." He pointed a finger at his friend when Jordy began to beam. "Borrow, Jordy. That implies giving them back at some point."

  Jordy nodded and grinned, hugging the jeans to his chest. "Swear to Gaga," he promised, face earnest.

  Well, that was as good a promise as it got. Zach turned back to his closet and pursed his lips in consideration, flipping through the hangers. "It's got to be sexy, duh, and kind of trashy."

  "So, like ninety percent of your wardrobe?"

  "Whore," Zach snapped back, throwing a hat at Jordy. "And no. It has to be special." He grinned and spun around to hold up a frayed, repurposed denim jacket with an epaulet on one shoulder. "I have a tryst."

  Jordy giggled. "You just like saying that." He wrinkled his nose at the jacket. "Not that."

  Zach stuffed the jacket back onto the overflowing rack of the closet and let out a frustrated sigh. "I have nothing to wear."

  Jordy jumped to his feet with a happy sound. "That means one thing--shopping!"

  Zach shook his head with a wrinkle of his nose. "Can't. My cards are maxed out. Again."

  Jordy slumped and sat back on the floor, reaching for a pair of Zach's boots. "Bummer. So, where are you meeting him tonight?"

  Zach grinned, bouncing a little as he pulled out another potential outfit to try. "Him" was Sergeant Stephen Miranda, Zach's big, brawny, ever so butch, in the closet police officer boyfriend. "Oh God, it's this totally sleazy motel out by the airport. Pay by the hour and everything!"

  Jordy shuddered. "I have no idea what you find hot about banging that man in every dark, trashy dive you can find. When you have a perfectly good bed right here!"

  Zach tugged on a sheer white top, turning this way and that in the mirror. "Oh, you have no imagination. It's like...forbidden! Naughty. I'm his dirty little secret and it's crazy sexy." Zach tingled all over just thinking about it.

  "Yeah, but he'd totally be perfectly content coming here every night to be with you."

  "Psshh," Zach scoffed. "Who wants content? Content is boring. Besides, if I have to hang out with him in the closet sometimes, it might as well be a closet that turns me on." Stevie might be happy to forget the games and just meet at Zach's place, but Zach had promised himself weeks ago, when he and Stevie had met, that he was going to sparkle and spice up that man's life.

  Zach took his promises very seriously.

  "Why don't you just talk to him about not hiding? It's 2011, you know, not 1911."

  Zach gave Jordy a stern look. "That is not anyone's business, not even mine. Stevie will come out when he's ready. I'm not going to pressure him, not even a little."

  Besides, Jordy didn't know all the details. It might be 2011 in their world--and even still that wasn't always pleasant--but Stevie's world was lost in some kind of time warp where society was still supposed to be the idyllic illusion...like the entire police force had watched one too many episodes of Mad Men. Not that Zach could blame them. Don Draper was one sexy son of a bitch.

  Zach had gotten a taste of the difference in their worlds almost two months ago when they'd first started dating and one of Stevie's coworkers had attempted to give Zach some "friendly" advice. In other words, basically told him to back the fuck off and not ruin things for Stevie with his faggotry. It'd come close to being the end of them, but luckily for Zach, his Officer Hotness wasn't nearly as brainwashed as the Stepford Police Force seemed to think.

  All in all, Zach didn't mind. They had fun, they had lots of hot sex and they liked spending their time together holed up in Zach's little apartment making out and ordering in and who the hell cared what the Bigotry Police thought about "their kind"? They were too busy enjoying each other.

  Which was exactly what Zach intended for today. He turned back to the closet and pondered his wardrobe choices. He needed to knock that man's socks off, as Tim Gunn would say. Suddenly, he grinned.

  He knew just the outfit for the job.

  * * * *

  Stephen shook his head as he shut the motel room door behind him, glancing around the shabby little room. Zach certainly had imagination, if he could find this place sexy. Stephen knew, though, that it wasn't the seedy room or the location that was sexy to Zach; it was the adrenaline of sneaking around.

  Zach had decided that if he was going to be a secret lover, he was going to do it all the way and have fun with it. Which translated to quick, fast fucks in all sorts of unsavory places. Bar bathrooms. Motels frequented by hustlers and johns. An adult bookstore. And each time, it was every bit as heart-pounding as the time before. Zach had an imagination that'd put any porn star to shame, and Stephen was the helpless, but very grateful, recipient of all the benefits.

  He had just tugged off his jacket to drape over the lone, rickety chair in the corner when there was a knock at the door. Stephen's heart raced as he hurried to answer it, chuckling as Zach slipped in wearing a black trench coat and a jauntily cocked, plum-colored fedora.

  "Channeling the Rat Pack tonight?" he teased, as he shut and locked the door before turning to Zach.

  Zach's lips curved and he tossed the hat onto the dresser. "Not exactly," he said with a wicked little half-smile, fingers plucking at the knot at his waist. "Unless the Rat Pack were a lot naughtier than we give them credit for."

  Stephen didn't have a chance to ask what he meant because Zach had gotten his coat open and let it fall to the floor, and Stephen had his answer.

  "Jesus fucking Christ," he breathed, eyes widening.

  Zach stood there, wearing nothing but a pair of boots that would make Julia Roberts proud, and a knowing smile on his face. "Yes, I drove all the way across town like this."

  Which had been exactly what Stephen was asking in his head, but his words had failed him.

  Words weren't necessary, as evidenced half a second later when they both moved at the same time and the resulting collision ended with Zach wrapped ar
ound Stephen, lifted off his feet, and Stephen stumbling toward the bed as they kissed.

  Holy hell, the man drove him crazy. Only Zach would show up all but naked, and only Zach would decide dating someone in the closet meant a chance to play naughty sex games. He was like no one Stephen had ever known and, truth be told, he prayed he never got used to it. He got as much of a thrill out of Zach shocking him as Zach did.

  Zach moaned as Stephen tossed him onto the bed and then followed him down, pinning him there and dipping his head to devour the smooth arch of his neck.

  "Ohh, fuck yes, more." Zach panted, then laughed breathlessly. "I couldn't decide on an outfit," he explained with a wicked laugh. "I take it you like my solution?"

  Stephen growled, pushing Zach farther up on the bed and nudging his slim thighs wide with his knees. "Like might be an understatement, brat." His voice was rough, one hand sliding down Zach's thigh to encounter shiny black leather. "Where the hell did you get these boots? A hooker shop?"

  Zach giggled, arching under him and slinking one booted leg up to rest against Stephen's shoulder in a show of flexibility that made Stephen's cock ache. "Something like that," he teased, circling his hips. "Are you going to take them off or fuck me in them?"

  Stephen groaned and shifted to flip Zach onto all fours, hauling him up to his knees. "I think I might make you wear them for the rest of your life, actually. Jesus, you make me crazy," he whispered, bending to nip at the nape of Zach's neck, the tender skin sweet smelling and so soft.

  Zach bit his lip, rocking back against Stephen, eyes closed and breath panting. "Mmm, that's exactly what I was going for. Stevie, damn it, you're wearing too many clothes," he complained, circling his hips against the bulge in Stephen's jeans.

  When Stephen knelt up to fumble with the button and zipper, Zach was impatient as always and scrambled around to bat his hands away and get the job done, jeans around Stephen's knees, in under five seconds. Impressive little thing.

  Stephen was in the middle of tugging them the rest of the way off when Zach got impatient again and nudged him off-balance enough to send him tumbling back onto the saggy mattress as his lover pounced on his cock like it was his favorite treat. Stephen's pride swelled a bit because really, it kind of was. Zach didn't even try to pretend otherwise.

  But then, Zach didn't pretend much of anything. The man was as free and unapologetic and uninhibited as anyone Stephen had ever met. It was the thing he liked best about Zach, to be honest. Among many, many others.

  "Goddamn, don't suck it off, Zach." He laughed, managing to kick the jeans, along with his shoes, the rest of the way off, while Zach worked the kind of magic Stephen had never even known existed before he'd met him. Zach had opened his eyes to a hundred different things, not the least of which was the joys of having a twenty-six-year-old lover with an insatiable appetite for all things pleasurable, whatever they may be. A true hedonist, and damned if Stephen wasn't falling for him more and more every day.

  Zach lifted his head with a cheeky smile. "Are you giving me directions, Stevie?"

  Stephen laughed. "Hell, no," he said, lifting his hips to bump the head of his cock against Zach's damp mouth. "Just saying..."

  The last time he'd tried to give direction in bed, it had resulted in Zach deciding his new favorite game was long, drawn-out teasing and tormenting while Stephen cursed him to hell and back. His lover didn't take well to being given orders, even when it was something they both wanted. Stubborn brat, Stephen thought with a grin.

  Satisfied, Zach took Stephen's cock into his mouth again and went right back to what he did best--driving him crazy. Magic, that's what his mouth was, and Stephen had been addicted from minute one. His Zach was a candy drug, and Stephen was a fucking junkie.

  "Little bitch, you think you get to have all the fun?" Stephen teased, rolling them and hauling Zach up to pin him face first against the wall at the head of the bed. He knelt behind the young man, hands locked firmly, but gently, around Zach's wrists, caging them against the wall. "Maybe I want to play."

  Zach shivered, glancing back over his shoulder. "Mmm, Stevie...I love when you get all alpha on me. I take it I'm forgiven for the other afternoon?" His brown eyes sparkled with mischief.

  Stephen groaned, shifting his hips down to rub his cock between Zach's widespread thighs. "Forgiven? I ought to have you arrested."

  Zach just laughed, a fearless, airy sound. "Only if you're my cellmate, officer. I'm far too pretty for prison, and we both know it. Besides...I seem to remember someone other than me turning that peep show stall into a real life porno."

  Stephen growled, bending his head to scrape his teeth along Zach's shoulder, up toward his neck. "I won't be your cellmate, but I'll make sure I'm the one who--" He cut off when, abruptly, his cell phone began vibrating on the dresser across the room.

  "Noooo, no, no, no..." Zach whined, glancing back over his shoulder. "Don't you dare. Stephen!"

  Stephen gave him an apologetic look. "I have to, Zach. Hold that thought." He gave Zach a hard kiss and scrambled out of the bed. It took him a few seconds to find his phone hidden under the fedora Zach had tossed on the table, finally dragging it out from under the hat and to his ear. "Stephen Miranda."

  * * * *

  Zach pressed his forehead against the wall, panting and trying to catch his breath. For a second, he let himself think it was going to be nothing. A wrong number or a fellow cop wanting Stevie to meet for drinks or something. But then Stevie got that tone. That very serious, brisk tone, and Zach glanced back over his shoulder to see his lover grabbing for his discarded clothes.

  Shit. Shit, shit.

  Part of him wanted to sulk. Flop down on the saggy mattress and settle into a sulk of extraordinary proportions. But he didn't. Because one of the things he found most endearing about Stevie was how dependable he was, how trustworthy and earnest. Zach adored that about him. Even when it fucked up his carefully laid plans to get himself thoroughly debauched this afternoon.

  "I'm sorry," Stevie began as he hung up the phone and shoved it into the pocket of his still-unfastened pants.

  Zach gave him a small smile and shook his head. "It's okay. Go...it sounded important." Zach grabbed for his trench coat and slipped it on.

  Stevie slid his arm around Zack's waist and pulled him close, free hand tilting his face up to meet Stevie's eyes. "So are you. I'll come by tonight after work, okay? It might be late though..."

  Zach smiled and slid his arms around his lover's broad shoulders. "Late's good."

  Stevie grinned. "Good." He bent and gave Zach a firm, lingering kiss before letting him go with a groan. "I have to get out of here before I change my mind. You can get home okay?"

  Zach nodded, tugging the coat around himself more tightly. "Of course. Go on, babe. I'll see you tonight."

  Another quick kiss and then the door shut behind Stevie. Zach sighed, glancing around. The room, which had seemed so darkly sexy just minutes before, looked like what it was now--a dingy, faded, cheap motel room. He sighed. Oh well, he'd just have to make sure the next tryst was even better--to make up for this aborted one. He had a million ideas; it was all a matter of choosing the right one.

  Stevie wasn't going to know what hit him.

  * * * *

  "No. Absolutely not. Zach, I mean it. No."

  Stevie was using his "serious business" tone and the face to go along with it. It was very hard not to giggle when he did that. Mostly because Stevie kept on thinking it might work when all facts--and past attempts--pointed to no.

  Zach let out a sigh. "It's kind of your own fault, you know. It was basically your idea."

  Stevie's eyebrows shot up at that. "Now I know you've lost your mind. At no time did I ever suggest role-playing a hustler and a cop, with uniform and my patrol car included, Zachary!"

  "Oh, I think you did." Zach crossed his arms in a huff. "You said my boots were hooker boots. Then you said you ought to arrest me." He gave Stevie an expectant look.

  Stevie just
gave him a blank one back. "How is that me suggesting you pretend to be a hustler, I pick you up for soliciting and then 'let the charges slide' in the backseat of my patrol car?"

  "Well, what did you expect? The dots connected in my mind."

  Stevie laughed, shaking his head. "Of course they did. But no, Zach--A, it's too dangerous and B, it's too freaking dangerous. Also, illegal."

  Zach wasn't sure whether to go for a scowl or a sulk. Both worked equally well to get him what he wanted, usually. He went for the scowl, since he was already huffing and was legit a little annoyed Stevie wasn't seeing how amazing this idea was. "Um, maybe you've forgotten the sex in the bathroom at O'Malley's last week. Or the very tryst you said you should arrest me for--the peep show at the adult bookstore? Pretty sure there's some law against that."

  Stevie wanted to give in, Zach could tell, and that was the crack he needed. Now he just had to wedge his idea in there until the whole wall came tumbling down. Kind of like how he'd gotten into Stevie's life in the first place--sheer will power and determination.

  "The patrol cars have GPS, Zach. Even if I wanted to use one off-duty for...personal use, I couldn't."

  Zach pursed his lips, pondering that. Stevie wouldn't ever lie to him, so Zach began to rethink his plan. "Okay...what if you were an undercover cop? What do you call it, plain clothes?"

  Stevie relaxed a little, and Zach knew he had him.

  "Yeah. That could work...except I'm not a very good actor, Zach. I don't ever do undercover for that exact reason."

  Zach laughed and slid his arms around Stevie's neck. "You don't have to convince the Academy, Stevie. Just me."