Safe Harbor 2: Hiding in Plain Sight (15 page)

Joe tried to stay quiet, but finally said, “Well, open it.”

“What if they said no?”

“There might not be much you can do. But trying to mind meld with it isn’t going to change the words on the page.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Just open it.”

Vlad thrust the envelope at him. “You do it.”

Chuckling, Joe accepted the offering and ripped it open before Vlad could get even more nervous. Scanning the letter, he nodded and looked up at Vlad. “Your test is in three weeks. They fast-tracked you.”

The color drained from Vlad’s face. “Three weeks?”

“That’s what it says.”

“Not much time to study, especially when I start playing again.”

Joe laughed. “For one thing, I think they teach you more about American history in Russia than we do in this country. Plus, you obviously went to school here in the US once you came over. Are you really going to complain about how much time they’re giving you? You asked to be rushed if possible.”

“I know. I am just panicking.”

He turned what Joe figured Vlad thought were convincing doe eyes on him. Not likely, when those eyes are ice blue.

“Will you help me study?”

Joe responded with a straight face. “Will you blow me while I go over stuff?”

Vlad’s eyes widened. “You really want me to? How would I listen to what you are saying?”

“Do you listen with your mouth?” Fucking with Vlad was kinda fun.

“Well, no, but—”

“What’s the problem?”

“I…” Vlad ran a hand through his hair. “Nothing. If you want it, then okay.” He looked down and smiled a little. “I like sucking your cock. It’s not exactly a secret.”

Joe approached him, and Vlad looked up. “Oh babe, I’m not gonna sit there reading while you suck me off. Your mouth needs to be available for answering questions. Now, afterward is a different story.” He raised an eyebrow, and Vlad’s grin widened.

“I promise.”

“Where are you getting these things you have to study anyway? Should we go to a bookstore?”

“I have everything here. I, um, already bought them. There was a list of things online.”

“Aren’t you the Boy Scout?”

Vlad’s eyebrows drew down. “The what?”

“Never mind.”
He’s gonna kill me with this confused stuff
. Joey had never thought he’d consider another man, especially not one built like Vlad, to be so endearing, but he did.

After throwing Joe another perplexed look, Vlad left the room, returning shortly with several books and workbooks, dumping them on the coffee table. “This is all I have.”

“All?” Joe surveyed the pile in front of him. “I didn’t know we even had this much history. You know the US has only been around for a couple hundred years, right?”

“I wanted to be prepared.” Vlad dropped onto the couch next to him. “Now are we going to study, so you can get your reward, or are you going to make fun of me some more? I know that’s what you are doing.”

Joe saw his quiet afternoon vanish, but the open, happy expression on Vlad’s face made it impossible to say no. “Did they mention which one you should start with?”

Vlad reached forward and plucked a workbook off the table. “This has old tests in it.”

“Perfect.”

For the next few hours, Joe quizzed Vlad, who did remarkably well. It was clear he’d paid attention in whatever schools he’d been in.

* * * *

A few days later, Vlad was cleared to practice and ended up playing the next night when another player was injured. He wasn’t 100 percent, but Joe imagined he felt a hell of a lot better than the guy who’d ripped his groin trying to stay onside while the young hotshot on his line dipsy-doodled down the ice. The team left on a four-game road trip within hours of Vlad finding out he was playing, so Joe didn’t see him before he got on the plane. The damn plane was still in the air, and already he was missing the guy like crazy.

He’d worked an earlier shift, and now he sat home, alone. Joe considered going to Reggie’s, but the Phantoms weren’t playing until tomorrow night, and there were no other good sports on at this time of year. He most definitely was not a fan of basketball. Baseball would be starting soon. He could handle watching, but given the choice, he’d take hockey any day. His tab had been settled long ago when Joe had dropped by to take care of it, and he could tell Sal had wanted to ask him about Vlad, but the man kept his mouth shut. Thank goodness, because Joe hadn’t been forced to lie.

So instead of going to Reggie’s or even The Strike Zone, Joey stretched out on the couch at home with one of those meals you could purchase already made in the carryout area of the grocery store. He considered he really should cook more often, but what was the point if he was alone? Having Vlad there would make the effort worthwhile, but his boyfriend would not return for nearly nine days, so in the meantime, Joey figured he’d subsist on simple stuff—cereal, eggs, and takeout.

Finding a movie he hadn’t seen before, Joey ate his meal and silently made fun of a ridiculous plot about a bunch of aliens who looked like they couldn’t hold their own in a fight with a Chihuahua take over Earth in the first twenty minutes of the movie. Of course, in keeping with the spirit of such a movie, a ragtag team of men and women were assembled from around the world to fight back. Even to himself, Joey couldn’t hold in an eye roll.

He fell asleep on the couch, waking in the middle of the night with one arm asleep and the rest of him hanging halfway to the floor. Joe stumbled to the bathroom, took care of business, peeled his clothes off, and crawled into bed. The days continued much the same, the only real high points the unintentionally hilarious texts Vlad was sending him. Joe felt bad for the guy, but hearing him complain a couple of days before the team was set to return home about his roommate’s sudden penchant for gang-bang porn—heterosexual gang-bang porn, no less—made him laugh all night. He could clearly picture the shudder that had surely gone through Vlad as he’d typed out those particular texts.

Joe had a late shift the night Vlad was returning home, and when Vlad texted he was getting on the plane, Joe told him to come over later if he had the energy. He’d only been home about forty-five minutes when a knock sounded at the door. Grinning, he went to open it. There, on his doorstep, was the man he loved. Yeah, he could admit it.

Joey, old boy, you are done like dinner
. He chuckled when he realized he was starting to call himself Joey.

“Get in here.”

Vlad stepped inside, and Joey kissed him, pushing Vlad’s jacket off his broad shoulders, his suit jacket quickly following. Moaning into his mouth, Vlad kissed him back but then stepped away.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

He’d had no idea he would be so crazy for Vlad, but as the man stood in front of him, his massive chest heaving from Joey’s kisses, he was about the sexiest thing Joey had ever seen. Obviously the other man wasn’t on board with a sprint to the bedroom, though, so Joey bent to pick up his overcoat and suit jacket.

“You do not have to.”

“Can’t have this custom”—Joey checked the tag—“Hugo Boss suit getting dusty on my floor.” He turned to hang them both on the coatrack. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

“No, I’m fine. We ate dinner on the plane.”

Joey spun. “Really? Just how fancy are these planes you guys travel on?”

Vlad colored, and a hint of a smile appeared. “We have flight attendants who serve meals. Since it’s a private plane, the food is actually very good.”

“A long way from a C-130.”

“What is a C-130?”

Laughing, Joey said, “It’s a large transport plane. It can carry tanks. Or people. Or both. Or tons of other stuff, really. I’ll show you a picture if you want.”

“I just want to cuddle. I need to feel you.” He bit his lip. “I want to have sex, but I am really tired.”

“It’s fine. We don’t have to get naked every time we see each other.” His dick didn’t agree, but he ignored it.

“I would like to be naked. Maybe we could go to bed and just hold each other, maybe talk a little? I know you probably didn’t have that in mind when you invited me over. I’m sorry.”

“Baby, there’s nothing to be sorry for.” Joey couldn’t resist running his fingertips down the side of Vlad’s face. “Let’s get you lying down. You look completely beat.”

“You are not supposed to say such things out loud. It makes me feel like you think I look horrible.” Vlad’s eyes crinkled at the corners, and Joey rolled his eyes.

“Yes, you look so horrible the thought of getting on my knees and sucking the remaining energy out of your cock hasn’t even occurred to me.” Vlad’s breath caught, and Joey smirked. “I thought you wanted to cuddle.”

“Why can’t we do both?”

“You’re a brat.” Grabbing Vlad’s hand, Joey pulled him all the way into his bedroom and began to strip him.

“I could get used to this. Hey, did you eat?”

“When I got home.” Joey pointed to the bed. “Get in.”

“You’re like my coach,” Vlad grumbled. “Do this, do that. Don’t pass down the middle…”

Snorting, Joey stripped off his own clothes and climbed in after Vlad. “Aw, I bet you like being told what to do.”

Vlad rolled over to face him, his eyebrows drawn down. “Why do you think so?”

“I was teasing you.”

“You might be the only person who I’d never argue with if you told me to do something. I even argue with my coaches sometimes.”

“Reallyyyy…” Joey gave Vlad a smile with teeth. “Suck my cock.”

A laugh burst from Vlad. “Do you really want me to?”

“Just for future reference, the answer will always be yes. Always. What sane man doesn’t want a blowjob? Besides, if you haven’t figured out yet I have an oral fixation, let me clue you in. I do. Giving
and
receiving.”

“What’s an oral fixation?”

“I like things having to do with the mouth. Kissing, sucking cock, having my cock sucked. Some of my very favorite activities. Pretty sure you have an oral fixation too. You can’t get enough of my dick.”

Vlad stuck his tongue out, and Joey attacked. If the man was going to tempt him, he should expect to have to follow through. Rolling on top, Joey held Vlad’s head in both hands and plundered his mouth, his tongue thrusting in and out like he’d prefer to be doing in Vlad’s ass. With a moan, Vlad flipped them over. In the next moment, Joey’s hard and leaking cock was in Vlad’s mouth.

“Mmm…” He pulled off and looked up. “You might be right.” He continued his assault on Joey’s senses.

“Fuck!” Joey was about to come embarrassingly quickly, and he didn’t want this moment to end. At the same time, he felt like a selfish prick, since he knew Vlad was tired. “Bring your dick up here, big guy. I want to give you a proper welcome home. This is hardly fair.”

Without his mouth ever leaving Joey’s cock, Vlad twisted around, and Joey grabbed his erection, using one hand to guide it into his mouth while the other landed on Vlad’s hip to move him into position. Soon both were working each other feverishly, and the only sounds heard were moans, groans, and grunts one forced from the other.

Stiffening beneath Vlad, Joey came, barely managing to keep Vlad’s pulsing dick inside his mouth. He’d gone slack on it, but a man could only do so many things at once while his brain was being assaulted with pleasure.

Joey’s body finally relaxed, and Vlad took the opportunity to push farther inside. The only thing allowing Joey to breathe were his hands on Vlad’s thighs, holding the man off enough not to cut off his airway completely. Vlad gave a hoarse cry and came directly down Joey’s throat, and Joey swallowed. With one last guttural moan, the last spurts left Vlad and he pulled out, rolling off and to the side of Joey.

“Okay, I admit, that was better than just going to sleep,” Vlad said.

After reaching for a couple of tissues, Joey tossed one to Vlad. “Like I said, what sane man wouldn’t want to have his dick sucked as often as possible? An oral fixation seems completely normal to me.”

Vlad turned and scooted back up to the head of the bed, his expression turning serious. “Thank you for being here for me. I feel much less alone. I didn’t like coming home to an empty place at the end of every road trip. Now I have something to look forward to.”

Joey was surprised and touched by Vlad’s sudden sentimental outburst. “It’s my pleasure. I like being here for you.” Taking a deep breath, he said what he’d been chewing over almost constantly in the time Vlad had been gone. “Probably because I’m falling in love with you.” He was rewarded with a brilliant smile, and Joey let out a loud breath.

“I am the same. I was afraid to say anything. I thought I was just feeling like this, since you’re the only man I’ve ever had sex with.”

“Do you think that’s why?”
Please don’t let it be why.

“No.” Vlad palmed the back of Joey’s head and stared into his eyes. “I am falling in love with you because you’re the best thing in my life. Including hockey.”

Joey swallowed around a lump in his throat. “Goes both ways.” He cleared his throat. “Why don’t we settle down and get some sleep? I’ve got some time tomorrow before I have to be at work. I could help you study.”

“We are off tomorrow.”

“Good. Come ’ere.” Joey pulled Vlad into the circle of his arms, laying the man’s head on his biceps. “Sleep, baby.”

Within moments, they both were asleep, Joey dreaming of more nights like this with Vlad.

* * * *

Vlad awoke, not sure where he was. The feeling wasn’t entirely new, since the team was constantly in different hotels, but this was different. For one thing, there was something pressing hard and unrelenting against his ass.
Joey
. He smiled. Ever since Joey had fucked him for the first time before his road trip, he’d been thinking about it happening again, especially since he’d messed the whole thing up with his freak-out. Yes, he’d been sore for a day or two, but it was a weird kind of sore. Not even bad. More like he could still feel Joey throbbing inside him.

His morning erection twitched, and Vlad chuckled to himself. Stretching his arms over his head, he pushed his ass back, pressing on Joey’s dick.