Horizons (Horizons Series Book 1) Read online

  Somehow, we’d still managed to squeak in some tutoring. He insisted that we keep that up, determined that I pass my class. It was easier to focus, now that all the sexual tension had dissipated somewhat. We were still acting like horny dogs, sniffing around each other as soon as we got together. It wasn’t unusual for us to go at it at least two times before settling down with the book between us. Then it was this constant reaching over to kiss or touch. It’s a wonder we read anything at all, but we were getting through the book, little by little.

  “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” I asked, interrupting our session once more.

  “Nothing…. I thought I was going to have to work that weekend, so I didn’t make any plans. It turns out that I’m free for three days.”

  “No shit! Come home with me. Spend it with my family in Folsom.”

  “Have you lost your mind?”

  “Come on. They won’t suspect anything. Hell, you don’t even look gay.”

  “Clark, I have no desire to spend three days with your father.”

  “I only meant Thanksgiving Day. We can drive up and back on the same day, and then we’d have the rest of the weekend to play.” I grinned, waiting to see his reaction.

  “You’ll do anything to get out of reading, won’t you? Even start an argument.”

  “Who’s arguing?”

  “I won’t hide who I am, regardless of how he feels.”

  “Well, I was hoping you’d leave your sexy-bitch shoes here.”

  “You’re an ass!”

  “Aww, come on, Jo-Jo. I don’t want you alone on Thanksgiving. It’s un-American.”

  He caved, as I knew he would. I was beginning to discover that this man was a big softie where I was concerned, never able to resist any of my requests. I knew this deep down inside and the knowledge that he cared so much turned me to mush. I was falling deeper and deeper under his spell.

  JODY and Lil sat on the patio of the Yank Sing restaurant at the Rincon Center in San Francisco. The empty plates, piled high on their table, created a testament to the mountains of dim sum they had consumed. They finished their meal with the delectable buns stuffed with a sticky, sweet yam concoction.

  Jody sipped his cup of black tea, sighing with satisfaction. “That was amazing. Thanks for talking me into this.”

  “You’re welcome, sweetie. We need to do this more often.”

  “I don’t think my stomach can handle this on a regular basis.”

  “Oh, you know we’ll be hungry again in an hour.”

  “This will have to hold me for a while. I’m meeting Clark at five for another session.”

  “Of what?” Lil asked pointedly.

  “Of tutoring,” Jody answered, doing his best to keep his face from revealing anything.

  “Honey, I’ve known you for a long time, and that look can only mean one thing. When did he cave?”

  Jody rolled his eyes, annoyed at being found out so soon.

  “Tell me!” Lil squealed, jumping up from his seat. “Was it bliss? Who made the first move?” Lil bent forward and whispered, “Is he hung like a horse? I want details!”

  “Lil,” Jody barked, looking around to see if anyone was observing them. “Keep your voice down.”

  “Come on! Stop acting like a prude and talk to me.”

  Jody fidgeted, uncomfortable under Lil’s gaze. They’d always shared information in the past, but somehow, this was different.

  “This is more than just sex, isn’t it?” Lil asked.

  “I don’t want to discuss it.”

  “You’ve really fallen for him,” Lil exclaimed. “I can’t believe it.”

  Jody sipped his tea in silence.

  “Sweetie,” Lil said, switching persona instantly from raging queen to serious architect and friend. “You need to forget about him.”

  “Why?”

  “You’re doing this to yourself again.”

  “What?” Jody sighed, knowing exactly where the conversation was headed.

  “It’s Rick, all over again.”

  “Don’t compare this relationship with the other one.”

  “Why shouldn’t I? You’re going into this with your eyes wide open, knowing he’s a closet case with major issues.” Lil’s normally cheerful face looked troubled. “Jody, this will not have a happy ending.”

  “It’s not the same at all, Lil. Clark’s not going to die on me.”

  “But he’ll deny you and walk away, eventually. Once he’s gotten the itch out of his system, he’ll go back to being Berkeley’s number one het stud.”

  “He’s not like that. He’s really struggling with his sexuality.”

  “And you want to be his first experiment? You’re fucking nuts!”

  Jody bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut, determined to stay cool.

  “You need to walk away!” Lil implored. “Now, before you’re in too deep.”

  “Too late,” Jody answered.

  “No.”

  “I’m in love with him.”

  “Fuck!”

  “I know,” Jody whispered, shaking his head. “I’m fucking crazy about him.”

  Lil sat back in his chair and gaped at his best friend.

  “What? Don’t tell me you’re all out of advice.”

  “I’m astonished at your eagerness to get your heart broken again,” Lil remarked. “You’ve always had a penchant for lost causes, but this is too much.

  “You’re overreacting, Lil.”

  “Sweetie, you really need to think this through. He’s not only in the closet; he’s got a father who’s demented, according to the rags.”

  “I know he’s sort of an ass, but demented?”

  “You know how I love football.”

  “Yeah, yeah, you jerk off to the pictures.”

  “Really, Jodes, give me some credit. I actually watch the games and read all the commentaries. Then I jerk off.” His queen-voice returned.

  Jody grinned. “And the point of this is?”

  “Many articles about Clark have mentioned his father. They say he’s controlling and rules his son’s life. A lot of teams who would normally be interested in signing him up are shying away from him.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong. There are still a lot of people interested and willing to overlook his dad. However, I don’t think they’ll overlook daddy and the gay factor—that would be a lethal combination.”

  “Lil, this is 2003, not the eighteenth century. Gay is very fashionable right now.”

  “Not in football, and not in his dad’s world. You’re opening yourself up for a massive dose of heartache.”

  “Don’t exaggerate.”

  “Oh my God! Has he even talked about coming out? Did he say he loves you?”

  “No!” Jody snarled. “It’s way too soon. I haven’t even told him how I feel.”

  Lil shook his head. “Jody, get away from him while your heart is still in one piece. It’s taken you years to get over Rick. I don’t think I have the strength to do that again.”

  “It won’t be like that. Now, stop being a drama queen and ask for the check. I need to go.”

  “Wait,” Lil reached out and stopped Jody from leaving. “Throw me a bone at least?”

  “What?”

  “You know…. How was it? Is he hung?”

  Jody paused for several minutes, knowing the suspense was killing Lil.

  “Let’s just say that he’s… magnificent.”

  “That good?” Lil asked almost reverently.

  “Better.”

  CUSTOMERS filled the tavern to capacity tonight, including Nikki and her cheerleading buddies. They were at a table, empty beer bottles lined up like soldiers on parade. The girls were loud and flirtatious, calling out lewd commentaries to some of my teammates who played pool on the other side of the room.

  “Clark!” Nikki yelled, waving to get my attention. Soon the chanting started, the singsong voices going, “He’s here! It’s Clark! Hey, Cla
rk!”

  I walked to their table and couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “You guys are shit-faced. How long have you been here?”

  “Many, many hours,” Nikki replied with a goofy look on her face. I hadn’t seen her much since our meeting at Round Table even though she’d called several times trying to set something up.

  “I think you’ve had enough to drink. Why don’t you let me take you ladies home?”

  “That’s so nice of you,” one of the girls said, and the chanting started again, the “Go, Clark” reverberating in the room.

  “Come on.” I pulled Nikki from the chair, and she latched onto my neck, pressing tightly against me. I gathered the group together while my teammates hooted and hollered, asking to share the wealth. I flipped them the bird and hustled everyone out of the bar.

  We piled into the Volvo, four in the back and Nikki up front with me. She struggled with the latch of her seat belt so I reached over to help, accidentally brushing her breasts with my arm.

  “Oh, sweetie, don’t try and cop a feel. These boobs are all yours, if you want them.”

  “Shut up, Nik. You’re wasted.”

  “She’s wasted… she’s wasted… she’s wasted.” The girls chanted, instantly grating on my nerves. I wanted to throw them out of the car, regretting my chivalrous decision to drive them home. Fortunately, they lived within a few blocks of each other, so I drove to the first place, saw two of them up to their apartment, and moved on to the next building, dropping off two more.

  When we got to Nikki’s place she could barely walk, so I hoisted her over my shoulder like a floppy ragdoll and made my way into the building. I took her key and fumbled with the lock, finally pushing the door open and making my way into her apartment.

  “Don’t leave,” she mumbled when I put her down.

  “You need to sleep this off, Nik. Call me in the morning if you want.”

  She sat up and pulled me by the arm, wrapping herself around me, whispering “fuck me” in my ear.

  “Nikki, come on.”

  “Please…. I’ve missed you.”

  “No.”

  She sat up and pulled off her blouse and her bra, flinging them across the room.

  “Look at me!”

  I looked, but didn’t see anything I wanted. Whatever feelings I had before had died. She couldn’t get a rise out of me, even if she tore every piece of clothing off her body. It just wasn’t going to happen.

  “I’m sorry, Nikki; I gotta go.”

  I walked out of the apartment, away from her weeping.

  Chapter 12

  IT WAS Thanksgiving Day, and they were on their way to Folsom. Misgivings about this visit filled Jody’s consciousness. He and Clark had talked it to death, and although he wasn’t going to lie if anyone asked him point blank, he wasn’t going to make the public service announcement either. Clark had pretty much convinced him to remain on the down-low for his sake.

  It was hard to resist such an impassioned plea while he had his cock in Clark’s mouth. The sexual energy between them remained at a high, each encounter better than the last. Jody expected him to be more reticent, considering this was his first gay experience, but the man was insatiable. He’d never been around anyone who needed as much sex. Clark seemed to have gotten around most of his self-imposed taboos when it came to man-on-man, adapting to every new position like a pro. The only experience yet to be conquered was his ass. He’d passed on that suggestion several times, considering it to be the ultimate declaration of his homosexuality, and Jody hadn’t pressed, more than happy to bottom for his incredibly sexy top.

  Clark’s hand, reaching across from the driver’s side and squeezing his leg gently interrupted Jody’s thoughts.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Well, we’re driving into unfriendly territory.”

  “I can handle it, Clark. I’m a big boy.”

  Clark moved his hand toward Jody’s groin and started a slow rub. “And getting bigger by the second,” his smile turning into that naughty grin, the one he got every time he was about to plow into Jody.

  “You’re a sex maniac, you know that?” Jody’s cock reacted at the first touch.

  “Oh, excuse me,” he said, with mock exaggeration. “Would you like me to stop?”

  “No, you big lug. You keep driving while I provide the entertainment.”

  Jody surprised him by bending his head and tugging on Clark’s zipper, freeing up his always-impressive cock. Jody couldn’t stop the whimper that leaked from his mouth, blown away by the size and the beauty of Clark’s penis, but more importantly, by the knowledge that it was his for the taking. “You’re fucking hot,” he whispered, pausing for one second before opening his mouth and taking Clark in as deeply as possible.

  “Jesus, Jo….”

  He put his hand up to Clark’s mouth, signaling him to be quiet, and he proceeded to destroy him with his tongue, loving the sounds that came out of Clark’s mouth, each sigh and huff, the only impetus he needed. Clark’s hips humped, rutting against Jody’s face, the cruise control keeping the car at a steady pace, the highway all but empty due to the holiday.

  “Fuck!” Clark exclaimed, his entire body going rigid as the sweet, hot taste of him filled Jody’s mouth in delicious, pulsing waves.

  “Oh my God, you are fucking insane,” he groaned as Jody finished him off, licking away any residue, putting his cock back in his pants nice and neat.

  He turned toward Jody with wonder in his eyes. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, beautiful.”

  He grabbed Jody’s hand and held it tightly all the way to his parents’ house.

  When they arrived, Jody pulled out the large bouquet of flowers he’d bought for Mrs. Stevens, and they walked into the house via the kitchen, bustling with activity and people.

  “Clarkster!” a young man in a Tony Hawk jersey and blue jeans called out. He had Clark’s height and blond hair, but was slimmer and not quite as dazzling. His eyes were a muted blue, but they sparkled with joy at seeing his brother.

  Clark hugged him and turned to Jody. “This is Jason, part of a matched set.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Jody extended a hand.

  “Hey,” Jason answered, giving him a squeeze.

  “Where’s Mike?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe watching the game.”

  “Clark, sweetheart!”

  Clark’s mother entered the kitchen, in light blue attire, a good color for her, accentuating the sky-blue eyes that were similar to her son’s, but less arresting. She wrapped an arm around Clark’s waist, her head barely reaching his chin, and stood there gazing at Jody with a pleasant smile. “You must be Dr. Williams.”

  “Please, call me Jody,” he said, shaking her hand, and passing her the bouquet of flowers with the other.

  “How lovely. Thank you.”

  “Thank you for having me over.”

  “Clark tells me that you’re from Chicago.”

  “Yes, but I’ve lived in the Bay Area for almost thirteen years now.”

  “Almost a native,” she smiled easily.

  “Not quite, but I’m getting there.”

  “He still talks funny,” Clark threw out. “He pronounces his Aaaa’s, like weird,” he teased.

  “Shut up, Clark,” Jody answered, “I’m working on trying to lose that.”

  “Well, come in please. Make yourself at home. It’s the least we can do for someone who’s willing to help this boy in school.”

  “He’s hardly a boy, Mrs. Stevens,” Jody said, staring at Clark.

  “Did I hear voices?” A man walked into the kitchen, making his presence known.

  “Hey, Dad.” Clark hugged his dad and received a back thump in return. Turning toward Jody, he made the introduction. “Dad, this is Jody Williams, the doctor that’s tutoring me.”

  “My pleasure,” Jim said, extending a hand. “Call me Jim.”

  Clark inte
rjected, “Who’s winning the game?”

  “Denver’s kicking ass,” Jim replied. “The Cowboys are going to be crying tonight.”

  “Tough shit,” Clark said. “They could stand to lose once in a while.”

  “What do you mean, once in a while? Those fuckers have lost their last four games.”

  The conversation erupted into a play-by-play between Jim, Clark, and Jason, turning into an animated discussion on who would eventually get to the Super Bowl. They may as well have been speaking Mandarin for all Jody knew. His knowledge of football continued to be bare bones. The only thing that interested him about the sport was Clark Stevens.

  “Would you like something to drink, Dr. Williams?” Mary asked.

  “Please, call me Jody.”

  “Of course. Would you like wine or beer? We also have soda.”

  “A glass of wine would be nice.”

  “I think we have a nice chardonnay from Napa. Will that work for you?”

  “Sounds great.”

  She pulled a bottle out of the refrigerator and a wineglass from the shelf, handing it to Jody. “Would you mind uncorking it?”

  “Not at all. Where’s the corkscrew?”

  “I think it’s over in that drawer,” she said, pointing to a drawer near the oven.

  The back door opened, and a young couple carrying a baby in a car seat walked into the house.

  Mary rushed over to look at her grandson. “Can I carry him for a while?”

  “Sure, Mom.”

  The obviously proud grandmother cuddled and cooed the baby, then introduced them. “Linda, Robby, this is Dr. Jody Williams. He’s Clark’s friend and tutor,”

  Robby eyed Jody and smiled. “She’s a sucker for babies.”

  “Isn’t everyone?” Jody asked.

  “I’m not,” a voice rang out, attached to a body that was obviously Jason’s twin, Michael. “Who are you?”

  “Michael! You are so rude!”

  “I’m not rude, Mom! I just want to know who he is.”

  Clark moved to where they were standing and got his brother in a headlock, giving him a knuckle rub on the head. “This is my brother, Mike. Hell on wheels and trouble with a capital T.”