Claiming Cupid

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Chapter One

Max wrapped both hands around the warm

mug. He sighed with pleasure as he took a long
drink.

"This is some good stuff, Danny. You make

the world's best hot cocoa."

Daniel sputtered, joining his friend at the

table. "Oh yeah, it takes a master chef to heat up
some extra chocolate and add it to the powdered
stuff," he said with an exaggerated eye roll.

Max laughed. "You crack me up. Thanks for

letting me come over."

"Why wouldn't I?"
"Well for one, it's way too early to be

accepting visitors, especially complaining ones. I
know you must be tired of hearing me bitch about my
boyfriends after I fire them."

"You know my day starts early, so it's no big

deal. Besides, you knew I'd let you in. You wouldn't
have braved seventeen degrees for some hot
chocolate if you didn't."

Max snorted and toasted him with the cup.

"You got that right!"

"All right, you're all warmed up. Tell me what

happened this time."

Max's laughter continued as he shook his

head and lowered the mug. "I don't know, Danny. He
just wasn't right for me. Just like all the rest I guess."

Daniel sipped from his own steaming drink.

"Mmm."

He totally agreed, not surprised at all by

Max's words. None of the men Max dated were good
for him. They were either too young or too wild and
all of them only wanted to be seen hanging around
him because he was a rising star. No one wanted to
really be with him, just

with him. They preferred

that Max buy them expensive gifts rather than spend
any quality time with him, and none of them were
faithful. At the end of the relationship, Max was left
with a broken heart and a depleted bank account.

"All Nigel wanted to do was party," said Max,

breaking  into  Daniel's  thoughts.  "I  mean,  don't  get
me  wrong.  I'm  up  for  a  good  party  every  now  and
then,  but

every

night was just crazy." He paused to

blow and sip his drink. "He was just so high
maintenance. He wanted me to pay for everything,
he asked for everything he saw in every single store

he asked for everything he saw in every single store
window we passed, and he wanted me to introduce
him to everyone we saw at the parties, too. And he
dragged me around harassing other musicians and
singers when they were just trying to have a drink
and chill out." Max heaved a sigh and sank lower in
his chair. "It was just too exhausting."

Daniel nodded. "Hmm, so you fired him."
"Yeah, man. I'm getting too old to play that

game."

"Too old? Max, you're only twenty seven, a

year older than me."

"Well, I think that's too old to be single. Being

that close to thirty with nothing to really show for it is
kind of pathetic. Yeah, I got money, cars, popularity,
but none of that crap keeps me warm at night." He
looked down as he rotated the liquid in his mug. "I—
I want a family, Danny. Someone to come home to, a
man and a pet. Not a cat though, they're too damn
sneaky. I don't like them. Maybe a dog. Yeah, I like
dogs. Anyway, you know what I'm saying, don't you?"

Boy, do I!

"Yeah, Max, I know what you mean, but I

thought this Nigel was special to you. You were with

him longer than the last two. Weren't you going to
take him with you on tour?"

He sat up and waved away Daniel's question.

"Oh, that. I was only taking him because his photo
shoot was near Cleveland." He shrugged.

Hummph, another model. Imagine that

Daniel twirled the spoon in his cup trying not to roll
his eyes.

"That's not why I kept him around so long,

though."

Daniel lifted his mug. "Why, then?"
Max cleared his throat, but couldn't remove

the grin from his face. "The sex was good, Danny. It
was damn good! If that boy couldn't do nothing else,
he damn sure could suck a dick like a champ." Max
raised his mug and shook his head reminiscing.

Daniel groaned and rolled his eyes. "TMI,

Max, okay?"

"My bad, Danny." Max's grin turned into

laughter he couldn't hold back.

Daniel pushed his chair back. "I have to get

my day started, Max. I've got a lot of work to do. The
new spring line needs to be approved and in
production by April first and there's lots of sketches

to look through. "

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'm jacking up your morning

routine, ain't I?"

"Well…"
"All right, all right, but before I go you think I

could see the stuff you got coming out? I promise I'll
leave after that."

Daniel smiled. "Sure."
He loved that Max was so interested in his

work. Daniel fell in love with design while he was still
in high school. He used to make clothes in college,
and when he and Max became friends, he used him
as a model. It worked out for both of them. Max was
aesthetically perfect. His cheek bones were high and
sculpted,  his  lips  were  bow-shaped  and  a  lovely
blush color, and his jaw line was strong and squared.
His dark hair and eyes could look vicious or sensual,
depending  on  what  clothes  Daniel  put  on  him  and
the mood brewing behind his eyes. Daniel designed
the clothes and Max wore them. They complemented
each other's best qualities. When Max auditioned for
a  commercial  jingle  he  wrote,  it  was  his  big  break,
and  the  beginning  of  Daniel's  as  well.  The  more
exposure  Max  and  his  group  had,  the  more  Daniel

exposure  Max  and  his  group  had,  the  more  Daniel
got, because everything he wore was one of Daniel's
creations. Now, almost five years later, Max's band,
Next  Level,  was  a  household  name  for  the  young
generation;  so  was  Daniel's  company,  Sharp
Design. Articles on both of them frequently appeared
on  the  pages  of  Maximum,  Vibe,  Urban  Threads,
and other magazines geared toward the MTV crowd.

"These are fantastic!" Max exclaimed. "Oh

man, I've got to have this, dude. I love the shirt, and
these pants are definitely me," he said, turning a
page for Daniel to see. "The little chains are so
cool."

Daniel chuckled. "You know I will make

whichever one you want. I got my start thanks to you."

"Whatever, dude. You got a gift, Danny.

Anybody with some style and half a brain would sport
the clothes you make."

"Yeah, but when I needed someone good-

looking to wear them and show them off, you were
there for me. That's what catches the eye."

Max looked up from the pages. "That, my

friend, should have been you, then."

Danny looked blankly across the table.

Max chuckled and shook his head. "Clearly

you don't know how fine you are, Danny. You are one
of  the  most  handsome  men  I  have  ever  seen.  That
lean swimmer's body of yours makes everything you
wear  look  sexy.  Even  what  you’ve  got  on  now,"  he
said,  gesturing  up  and  down  at  the  simple  blue
pajama  pants  and  white  tee  shirt.  Then  he  leaned
forward  on  the  table  and  pointed  at  Daniel.  "You
know,  I  always  thought  you  had  the  same  kind  of
eyes as my mother's cat."

Daniel's eyes widened a bit before he

laughed. "No, no I don't. That would be totally
creepy."

Max grinned. "Oh, yes you do. Don't get me

wrong: my dislike for cats and the fact I think they're
sneaky doesn't extend to you just because your eyes
are similar."

"Ooowee, what a relief!"
"Yeah, well, don't get cocky. Yours may be

just as brown as your skin, but they're still feline-
shaped. So instead of creepy they make you look…"
Max's head tilted as he scrutinized Danny further. "I
don't know… kind of exotic," he said finally with a
shrug. "They look for tall men and you're just as tall

as I am. If you wanted, you could have easily been in
front of the camera instead of behind it." Max turned
his attention back to the drawings.

Daniel was shocked. Max had never said he

found  him  attractive.  He  didn't  even  know  Max
looked  at  him  like  that.  This  news  thrilled  him  and
gave  him  the  encouragement  he  needed  to  put  his
plan into action.

"I have the outfits for you to wear on your tour.

Whenever you're ready to pick them up."

"Thanks, man. I'll come by after lunch today."

Max  swallowed  the  rest  of  his  cocoa  and  dropped
the mug to the table with a soft thud. "Ahh, I love this
stuff. Hey, I have a suggestion. Since we're both solo
this  Valentine's  Day,  what's  say  we  just  hang  out
together? Me and you, Danny. Just two crazy guys."
He  rotated  his  arms  in  a  wide  circular  motion  and
bounced in his seat.

Daniel went to the kitchen and took a few

deep breaths, then returned with a small pot to refill
Max's cup.

"Umm, I may have a date for Valentine's

Day."

Max's brows shot up. "Say what?"

"Uh-huh, yeah. As a matter of fact, I wanted to

ask you for some advice."

"Advice?"
"Yeah, I need some ideas on how to nab him.

I want to make him my boyfriend instead of just a
friend."

Max's expression went blank. The color

drained from his face, leaving his usually perfectly
pink lips a bland pale shade. He lowered his drink to
the table with a thud.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. I guess I can do that for you."
Daniel reached out to tap his friend's hand.

"Thanks, Max. You're the best."

"Uh-huh. So who is this guy? Do I know him?"
He gave Max an exaggerated shrug. "I don't

know. You might. You know lots of people, being a
superstar and all."

"Whatever, man." Max leaned back, wrapping

his arms around his chest. "Do I know this guy or
not? I don't want you hooking up with some fool just
so you can have a date for Valentine's Day."

Max's sharp tone and change in posture gave

Daniel pause. During the course of their friendship,
he had seen Max go through many emotions, except

he had seen Max go through many emotions, except
for the one he wanted to see the most. As he eyed
his friend over the small wooden dining room table,
Daniel  saw  something  he  didn't  recognize.  Max's
ebony  eyes  flashed  wildly.  He  couldn't  help  but
wonder  if  those  shiny  black  discs  looked  the  same
way  when  they  danced  with  passion.  Max's  nostrils
flared as his breath filled, and he emptied his lungs
quickly.  He  was  angry,  for  sure,  but  if  Daniel  didn't
know better, he could have sworn there was jealousy
underlining it. The thought almost put a smile on his
face. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes.

"He's not a bad guy, Max. We've been friends

for a while."

Max turned on him with a scoff. "What does 'a

while' mean?" he asked with a raised brow. "We
have been friends for almost ten years and—"

"And what?"
Max pressed his lips together into a tight line

of defiance. "And— and I know all of your friends,"
he said, turning away.

"Well, not all of them. I meet a few people now

and then. You know, from the fashion shows. And the
fittings. You're not into all that, and—"

"Uh-huh. All right, I'll give you that. So what's

his name?"

Daniel blinked as his mind went blank.

"Reggie," he blurted out.

"What?" Max screeched, palming the table.

"Reggie? That jerk that works at the warehouse you
get your fabric from?"

Shit!

"No, no, not him. It's a different Reggie,"

Daniel retracted swiftly. "You don't know this one."

Max returned to his former position and rolled

his eyes. "Uh-huh, and you want my help to snag
him? This other Reggie guy?"

"Yeah. I just need a couple of ideas, maybe

even a few position ideas that will take him over the
edge when I do them. I want something more out of
our friendship."

Max's neck turned slowly to land an icy glare

that froze Daniel's blood. His voice lowered to a
sinister level.

"You're fucking this guy already?"
"No!" Daniel said quickly, shaking his palms

in the air. His heart thumped behind his chest at
heart-attack rate. "No, nothing like that. Okay, forget

the position thing. Just some advice is all I need."

Max's glare became less intense and Daniel

released the breath he was holding. He felt dizzy with
relief.

"What makes you think I can help?"
Daniel twisted his lips jumping back into

character. "Hello! You always have a man. Clearly
you know how to get one. I, on the other hand,
haven't been in a relationship in three years. I'm way
out of practice."

Max turned to face him. He slid his arms

across the table and the harsh edge was gone from
his voice. "Yeah, Danny, but those guys I dated
weren't—" He went silent, then turned back to his
previous position. "Never mind," he said tightly.

Daniel looked at him quizzically, but didn't

inquire. "So, will you help me get my man?"

Max glared at him for a moment. Then his

features softened and he sighed, throwing his hands
up in surrender.

"Sure. I'll be your personal cupid. What the

hell. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right!" said Daniel cheerfully.
Max rolled his eyes and stood. "Yeah. Look,

Chapter Two

Finally, Daniel's work was done. Thoughts of

Max  slowed  his  progress,  making  him  take  longer
than  usual  to  finish.  He  put  the  folder  into  the  black
wire basket at the edge of his desk then stood up to
stretch  with  a  loud  yawn.  Leaving  the  smaller
bedroom  he  used  as  an  office,  he  picked  up  his
empty  dishes  and  dropped  them  off  in  the  kitchen
before  grabbing  a  towel  from  the  linen  closet.  He
continued down the hall, discarding his clothes as he
went, turned on the shower, and stepped inside.

Daniel washed himself on autopilot. He

frowned  as  he  thought  of  the  lie  he'd  told  this
morning. It wasn't the greatest plan he'd ever come
up  with.  In  fact,  it  was  downright  underhanded  and
sneaky,  but  it  was  all  he  had.  He  was  desperate.
Now  that  Max  was  officially  single  again,  he  was
bound to seek out some man for instant gratification.
Being the lead singer provided him with lots of drop-
off  lovers,  sex  buddies,  and  groupies.  Max  Dailey
the  Hot  Rocker  went  through  more  men  in  a  month
than anyone else Daniel knew.

Daniel was sick of men dogging out

his

Max.

Max deserved better. He knew how lonely Max was.
Daniel  knew  him  well  enough  to  see  the  pain  that
was  always  in  his  eyes.  It  didn't  have  to  be
verbalized. He didn't really complain much; he called
it  'the  game',  but  a  million  groupies  and  booty-calls
were only a temporary fix. Daniel knew the life must
get to Maxim.

It wasn't like Max was asking for a lot from the

men  he  dated:  love,  sex,  faithfulness…  everyone
needed  that.  But  Max  kept  hooking  up  with  star-
fuckers  only  interested  in  the  sex  and  kudos  they
could extract from him. Daniel would gladly give him
all he asked for and so much more. He just needed
for Max to see him as more than a friend.

But what if Max doesn't take the bait? What if

he just doesn't see me as a lover? He said I was
physically attractive, but sexually is different. And
he sees beautiful people all the time. He probably
just wants to stay friends.

Daniel tilted his face to the source of the

water to drown out the side of his brain that played
Devil's advocate. He shook the excess from his face
and continued to soap his body with the cloth. Using

small, circular motions he moved quickly across his
chest and down the ridges of his stomach to saturate
the nest of dark hair at the base of his cock. The
pressure he used to cleanse himself mixed with the
thoughts of Max caused his hand to move slower.

His fingers wrapped around the soft flesh of

his  sleeping  penis.  He  moved  them  in  an  upward
motion,  leaving  a  film  of  white  soap.  Repeating  the
motion  made  his  member  thicken  quickly,  exciting
him  further.  Daniel  dropped  his  wash  cloth,  planted
his feet on the clear rubber mat, and leaned forward
to palm the wall before him for balance. A visual of
Max appeared in his mind's eye. Daniel smiled.

Max's hair was tussled from an earlier

wrestling match. He sat across the table with a cute
frown on his face because he was losing at
dominoes.

Daniel felt his cock expanding. He bit his lip

to muffle a groan. He had always thought Max's
crooked grin was so sexy. It gave him an innocence
Daniel was sure no one else saw but him. Daniel let
his fingers stretch out to grip his balls periodically as
he massaged his growing erection. The water

pounding on the back his head and neck added to
his stimulation.

Daniel slammed down a domino and

shouted  his  victory  and  Max  threw  a  tantrum,
knocking  the  game  pieces  to  the  floor.  When  he
bent over to retrieve them, Daniel pictured himself
driving  his  rod  into  him  until  he  exploded  in
ecstasy.

Daniel moaned at the memory. His cock was

rock-hard now. Water ran down the sides of his face
into  his  mouth,  causing  him  to  choke,  but  he  didn't
stop.  His  hand  slipped  over  the  firm  flesh  easily  as
he  pumped  it  fiercely.  The  stream  cascading  down
the curvature of his spine raced between his cheeks,
teasing  his  senses  further.  He  focused  his  mind  to
close  in  on  the  sight  of  Max's  ass  in  the  air  at  the
perfect level for fucking. His breathing grew harsh as
he coughed on water.

Pressing his mouth together, he concentrated

on getting much-needed oxygen through his nose
instead. His eyes closed of their own volition and his
grip tightened. Mist filled his nostrils, compromising
his airway. He opened his mouth to compensate and

a loud moan of pleasure rode his gasps for air, just
as he shot his load onto the shower wall. Daniel
squeezed his shrinking cock until his racing heart
calmed. With a deep breath, he righted himself and
stepped fully under the rushing water to wash again
and prepare for work.

* * * *

Daniel stepped through the wide doorway of

his  ground-floor  factory  just  after  one  o'clock  and
was  immediately  bombarded  by  people  asking
questions.  They  picked  their  way  across  the  floor,
stepping over tiny fabric swatches and strings cut off
of unfinished clothing. He barely had time to grab the
sketches from the fax machine before the first group
pulled him off to his team of seamstresses, where he
left  them  with  quick  notes  about  recently-made
changes. The next few took him to and fro to inspect
new  bundles  of  fabric  and  to  view  a  layout-board
exhibit of clothing they had just completed from last
week's mockup outfits. Another set shoved clipboard
after  clipboard  of  paperwork  at  him  for  signatures.
The afternoon dragged by in a similar way, filled with
the mundane details of his chosen industry, with no
sign  of  reprieve,  nor  of  Max.  Before  he  knew  it  the

day was done, it was after six, and he was the last
one left to lock up.

Daniel labored through the icy chill brought by

the night air. He adjusted his scarf to cover his face
and turned his collar up to block the blowing snow as
he crossed the parking lot to his truck. Biting the tip
of his glove, he pulled his hand free to dig the keys
from  his  pocket.  As  the  engine  roared  to  life,  he
rubbed his hands together in front of the heater and
wondered  what  the  fashion  scene  was  like  in
Florida.  Luckily,  he  didn't  work  far  from  his  house
and would be in the warmth of his home soon.

Less than fifteen minutes later he entered his

house  and  shut  the  freezing  elements  out  behind
him.  Daniel  shed  his  heavy  coat,  scarf  and  gloves
quickly  and  headed  for  his  fireplace.  He  threw  an
extra log on top of the two already in place and then
tossed a match on them. The flames flickered for a
moment before catching fire

Daniel sat on the floor

before them rubbing his hands to wait for the warmth
they would provide. As the room filled with heat, he
removed his shoes and started to relax.

When the fire had warmed him sufficiently, he

left the floor to go into the kitchen. He found a half-

filled pan of lasagna and an unfinished bottle of red
wine in the fridge. He slid the pan into the oven, then
took down a wine glass. In his room, his poured a
glass and drank it straight down, then removed his
clothes and grabbed his towel.

Not really needing another shower, he stood

under the water hoping the heat would remove the
chill from his bones. After a short while, a loud
banging disturbed his indulgence.

Who the hell could that be?

Daniel hopped out into the still-cold hallway,

muttering his way to the front door. He looked out
past the curtain with a raised brow. The pounding
continued.

"I come bearing gifts," grinned Max, holding

two bags aloft for Daniel, who peered through the
door.

"Come in. Hurry up!" Daniel opened the door

wider.

Max scurried in and Daniel leaned on the

door to close it.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it over there today. I

was working and then I was mad at you, then I was

mad at me and then I just let it go and said 'what the
hell. Stop acting like an ass, take your ass to
Danny's, go get that drink he likes, get drunk, and
help your friend'. So, here I am!"

Daniel wrapped his arms around his chest

and chuckled. "All that happened, huh?"

"Yup!"
Daniel shook his head and pushed himself off

the door. "All right. Apology accepted. What's in the
bags?" He reached for them.

"I got a couple of bottles of that spiced rum

you like. I figured we could warm some up while we
play some cards and I can give you that advice you
wanted."

Daniel took the bags into the kitchen and

unloaded them. "Okay, we can do that. I'm heating
up some lasagna. You want some?"

"Why are you asking me dumb questions,

man? You know if you cooked it I'm gonna eat it," he
answered with a laugh.

Daniel laughed. "Yeah, I know. You'd starve if

it weren't for me. Go warm up by the fire. I'll put some
pajamas on and get everything together."

"You don't have to get dressed on my

account!" he heard Max say as he entered his room.

Daniel dressed as fast as he could and

returned to the kitchen. He and Max ate the lasagna
and finished off the red wine. Then Daniel heated the
rum in a small pot before joining Max in front of the
fire with a deck of cards.

"Let's play high card. If the high card is a red

card you get to ask a sex question and if it's black
you ask a regular question. Okay?"

Danny nodded and put a mug of the warm

liquid on the coffee table before him. "All right. I'm
game."

Daniel pulled a cushion from the couch and

handed it to Max. As he settled onto his own pillow
and took a cautious sip from his cup, Max sat beside
him fiddling with the cards.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a

raised brow.

"Making sure all the red cards are on top!"

Max flashed him an impish grin.

"Give me that!" Daniel laughed and snatched

the deck from him. "No cards, cheater."

"Fine, fine, we don't need cards." He lifted his

drink. "After a few of these I'm only going to be

answering sex questions anyway. So you better get
to asking whatever you want to know."

* * * *

At the end of the second bottle of rum, the

cards were scattered across the floor, the coffee
table was shoved off the side, and Max and Daniel
laid on their stomachs pushing dominoes at each
other.

"You're so awesome, Danny."
"Don't try to butter me up, Max Dailey. It's not

going to help you."

"I'm serious. This new guy of yours is a lucky

man. I need to find someone like you. Why aren't you
with him tonight?" Max asked, refilling his glass.

Daniel shrugged. "When you need me, I'm

there."

"Yeah, but Valentine's Day is tomorrow, dude.

You should be spending time with your date doing
something."

"What do I need a date for when I have you?"
"So what are you saying? You'd rather be with

me than your date?"

Daniel shrugged, then held the mug up to his

mouth and stared at Max. Max returned the stare for

mouth and stared at Max. Max returned the stare for
a moment, then put his drink on the coffee table.

"Okay, along with all my other awesome

advice, I have something for you to try on your boy
when you next see him. I guarantee results."

"You do, huh? Sounds promising, if not a little

arrogant," he said with a laugh. He put his cup next
to its mate and turned to face Max. "What is it?"

Max tumbled forward awkwardly. He slipped

over  the  dominoes  into  Daniel  and  pushed  him
backward  onto  the  carpet.  He  smashed  his  lips
against  Daniel's,  kissing  him  hard  and  breathing
heavily.  Daniel  fell  back  with  a  soft  thud  and
accepted  the  kiss,  uncomfortable  and  surprising
though it was.

Max broke the kiss and leaned over Daniel

with a laughing grin.

"Okay, in my defense, I have been drinking.

I'm usually a lot smoother than that."

Daniel laughed. "You don't say." He sucked

his lip into his mouth. "I think I taste blood."

Max backed up off him and reached for his

cup. "Oh, it wasn't that bad."

Daniel sat up and stopped Max as he

grabbed the handle. "Let me see if I have the basic
idea."

He took a moment to adjust himself, then

crawled slowly over Max's torso, pushing him to his
back.  When  their  eyes  were  lined  up  perfectly,  he
lowered  himself  to  take  Max's  mouth  in  a  slow,
burning  kiss.  Daniel  loved  the  taste  of  him  mixed
with  the  cinnamon  flavor  of  the  warm  drink.  He
moaned erotically before sucking Max's tongue into
his  mouth.  Max's  cock  swelled  beneath  him  and
Daniel pressed his own against it. His hands moved
of  their  own  accord,  first  to  lace  his  finger  in  Max's
silky  strands,  then  to  caress  his  head.  He  was
ecstatic to feel Max's arms slink around his waist to
bring him even closer.

Daniel finally broke the kiss to look down at

him. Their noses brushed softly over one another.
The firelight in the room made Max's skin glow
beautifully.

"You mean I should do something like that?"

asked Daniel softly.

Light danced in the darkness of his eyes, but

there was also sadness… and unshed tears.

Max licked his lips and looked up at him for a

time before he finally spoke. "Danny, I— I don't want
to be alone tonight. I'm tired of being alone. Can I
spend the night with you?"

His eyes were wide with his plea and his

voice cracked with emotion. A tear slowly fell off the
side of his face when he blinked. The tender sight
tore at Daniel's heart. He gave Max a gentle smile
and let his hand slide down his face to curve around
his jaw.

"Of course you can. You didn't even have to

ask."

Chapter Three

Daniel led him to his bedroom, where they

stood by his bed quietly. He brushed his cheek over
Max's  and  let  his  lips  graze  the  skin  of  his  throat.
Max  swallowed  loudly,  but  did  not  protest.  Daniel
wanted to erase the pain he saw in Max's eyes, but
he was afraid to move too fast. Now that he had Max
near  his  bed,  he  wanted  to  make  love  to  him  and
give him a taste of what it could be like.

He pressed butterfly kisses along the pulse of

his neck up to his ear, across his jaw to his face and
then let his lips slide gently over Max's. His mouth
parted and short, hot breaths escaped.

"Let me take away your pain, Max, if only just

for tonight. Let me make love to you."

Slowly Daniel caressed his face and

connected their lips. He licked and sucked on Max's
lip  as  his  head  nodded  affirmatively.  Daniel  let  a
small smile curl his mouth, then he pulled Max's shirt
off and threw it across the room. A moan of approval
escaped  as  his  hands  glided  over  Max's  chest.  He
palmed the defined muscles of his pecs and let his
thumbs  play  with  his  perky  nipples.  Daniel  dipped

his head to take one of the rose-colored tips into his
mouth while still flicking the other. Max's chest rose
and fell quicker.

"Danny…" he panted out a whisper.
Daniel met his face again, quieting him with

another kiss. "Shh, I want to. Let me, please."

Max licked his lips and nodded again.

"Okay."

His voice was hoarse with his desire and

Daniel loved how it sounded. Daniel went back to
what he was doing and gave its brother the same
treatment. He felt Max's body wavering and gripped
his waist to hold him steady.

"I think it's time to lie down," he told Max with

a hint of humor in his voice.

Daniel used his shoulder to turn Max to the

bed. He opened his pants and then laid Max back to
remove them and his drawers at the same time.
Taking his eyes off Max to throw his garments aside,
Daniel turned back to face a completely naked Max
for the first time, and gasped. He had seen Max half-
naked plenty of times: topless during the summer
months, bottomless during several fittings and even
at the pool in a clingy, wet swim suit, but a full frontal

view of Max unmarred by clothing was magnificent.

His chest had always been a work of art, but

paired  with  the  long,  slender,  sinewy  flesh  that
wavered  just  below  his  belly  button,  the  view  was
breathtaking.  Daniel  wasted  no  time  devouring  the
smooth  skin.  He  licked  his  way  down  Max's
masculine curves, loving the way the sudden goose
bumps  felt  on  his  tongue.  The  soft  whimpers  and
noises  of  excitement  Max  expelled  urged  him
onward.  He  reached  up  to  pinch  and  tweak  Max's
hardened  nipples  as  he  lowered  his  kisses.  Daniel
buried  his  face  in  the  dark  nest  of  pubic  hair  that
brushed  his  chin,  and  inhaled. A  shiver  went  down
his  back  as  he  processed  the  smell.  It  was  musky
and manly and so very Max. He let his fingers drag
down Max's torso. Daniel's tongue darted out to flick
the  taut  skin  around  the  ridge  of  the  crimson  head
before him. His mouth opened wide to cover it, then
he closed his lips around it to pull on the tip over and
over.  Max's  breathing  was  erratic  and  loud.  It  was
music to his ears. Max's hand rose to rest gently on
top  of  Daniel's  head.  He  took  the  silent  hint  and
gripped  the  base  of  Max's  impressive  piece  and
swallowed it whole.

"Oh!" Max exclaimed. "Shit!" He ran his hand

over Daniel's close-cropped hair. "God, yes, Danny.
Damn that feels so good," he growled.

Daniel had wondered so many times what

this  cock  would  feel  like  in  his  mouth  and  now  he
knew  it  was  sheer  perfection.  Sucking  the  whole
thing into his mouth over and over did not gag him at
all. He let his tongue swirl around the head leisurely
and  let  his  lips  squeeze  the  base  with  each
repetition.  The  girth  felt  amazing  in  his  mouth,
stretching his jaw but not hurting him, and he tasted
delicious.  Daniel's  head  bobbed  up  and  down
repeatedly as he sucked nosily on the head, enjoying
every inch of his soon-to-be lover.

With a muffled pop, he rose off the hardened

member to give long lavishing licks along the
throbbing vein on its underside. His hand covered
the slick tip to continue the job his mouth had started.
Daniel lifted Max's full sac to give it attention as well,
and Max groaned his pleasure aloud.

"Danny! Oh yes, fuck! Suck my balls, baby!

Yeah!"

Daniel was more than happy to oblige, taking

each one gently into his mouth to give them both

each one gently into his mouth to give them both
tongue-play. He continued stroking his cock and
Max's screams got louder.

"Shit! Danny, stop!" he said gruffly and

pushed against Daniel's shoulders.

Daniel stopped immediately and backed up.
"I'm sorry. You're right. I don't know what I was

thinking. I crossed a line, didn't I? Please don't be
mad at—"

Max sat up and pulled Daniel to the bed then

rolled over on top of him.

"Stop it. It was good, damn good. I just

couldn't take it anymore."

Daniel looked up at him with wide eyes. He

opened  his  mouth  to  protest,  but  Max  crushed  his
lips  in  an  all-consuming  kiss.  It  was  dominating,
overpowering,  and  hot;  everything  Daniel  knew  it
would be. Max ate at his mouth like he couldn't get
enough of him. Suddenly, the kiss was over and Max
sprang up and away.

"Let me get these clothes off of you. I want to

see all of you when I make love to you."

Max frantically pulled and tugged on his tee

shirt, almost tearing it from his body. He gave his

bottoms  the  same  treatment,  but  Daniel  shimmied
out  of  them.  When  he  lay  before  him  nude,  Max
ogled him openly. He reached out to touch him as if
touching  his  skin  would  burn  him.  His  fingers
tentatively slid through the hair on Daniel's chest and
stomach.  Max  reached  out  boldly  and  grabbed
Daniel's  growing  erection.  Daniel  gasped  and
looked up to meet his gaze.

"I want to make you rock hard so that while I'm

fucking you, I can see you come."

He let go of Daniel's dick and fell forward

over him. Daniel jumped, not expecting Max to land
so close to his face.

"You got a problem with that, Danny?" he

asked. Max braced himself by the arms and grinned
wickedly down at him.

Is he serious? Oh my God, it is finally going

to happen. Yes, do it, yes!

Daniel shook his head. "No," he answered in

a whisper. "No problem."

"Good."
Max quickly scooted down his body and

wasted no time sucking Daniel's half-hard cock into
his mouth. It had been well over two years since he

his mouth. It had been well over two years since he
found his cock inside the molten heat of someone's
mouth. It was a feeling that could not be duplicated
with  toys.  They  offered  a  similar  sensation  when
accompanied  with  a  good  lube,  but  there  was
nothing like the feel of the real thing. The hot breath
blowing  along  your  raging  hard-on  when  it  is  being
licked  or  sucked,  the  wet  heat  when  a  mouth  was
closed  around  it,  then  the  coolness  of  the  air  when
the  mouth  is  opened  again.  A  tremor  of  delight
passed  through  Daniel's  body.  His  staff  stiffened  in
Max's  mouth  and  hand  and  all  thoughts  ceased  as
the feeling began to consume him.

His blood burned with a fire that only

someone  you  loved  could  light.  He'd  had  this  act
done  several  times  in  his  life,  but  he  would  never
forget  this  one,  not  because  it  felt  incredible,
although it did, but because Max was doing it…

his

Max.

"Oh!"
Daniel moaned shamelessly loud when Max

fondled his balls. He continued his expect suckling.
After a moment, he pulled his mouth away and
replaced it with hand so he could speak.

"God, you taste fantastic, Danny. I had no

idea," he said gruffly. "I want to fuck you. Tell me
where the lube is."

It took a moment for the request to filter

through  the  hazy  erotic  fog  that  Max  put  him  in.  He
tried to speak, but only incoherent sounds came out.
The  intense  stroking  kept  the  connection  between
his  brain  and  mouth  off.  Finally  he  just  pointed
toward the small table beside the bed.

Max leaned over, retaining his firm grip on

Daniel's staff as he rummaged through the drawer.
He returned to his spot between Daniel's legs, then
let him go and rose to his knees.

"I swear I'm gonna bust if I don't fill your ass in

the next few seconds," he muttered, fumbling with the
lid.

He squirted a dollop of the slick into his hand;

the bottle made a flatulent sound. Then he snapped
the lid and tossed it back to the table. Daniel's head
lifted from the pillow to watch as he slathered his rod
with the stuff.

"Lift your legs, baby."
Daniel complied, spreading his legs wide,

and Max used his fingers to play with his hole. His

digits  pressed  forward,  dipping  into  his  most
intimate spot to prepare him. When he was content
with the amount of lube, Max positioned his cock at
the  tight  opening  and  pushed.  Max's  beautiful  cock
stretched  his  ass  deliciously.  It  had  been  so  long
since  someone  had  made  love  to  him.  Daniel
grunted joyously, letting his fingers glide over the taut
skin of Max's butt.

"Damn, Danny, you're so tight. You feel so

good," Max panted pushing further.

"That's because you're so much bigger than

my toys are." Daniel pressed his fingers into the firm
tissue to urge him on. "Come on, Max, you know I'm
not going to break. Fuck me!"

Max bit his lip and nodded. With one powerful

thrust he was in, buried to his nuts.

"Yesss," Daniel hissed.
"Shit, Danny. Damn! I could get used to

fucking you."

If only!

Max moved back and forth inside him and the

fire  burning  his  blood  grew  hotter.  Max  was  an
amazing  lover!  He  ground  into  him,  dragging  his
cock  out  to  the  tip  only  to  plunge  back  into  him,

cock out to the tip only to plunge back into him,
dipping and rolling his hips and bending his back to
hit all sides. Daniel cried shamelessly, enjoying
every moment.

Daniel looked up. Max's face glowed with

pure desire. His eyes were closed at first as he bit
his lip to silence his of sounds of pleasure, but then
his eyes popped open and he looked down. Daniel
smiled as his earlier thought was confirmed. Max's
dark orbs shined back at him, gleaming with the fire
of undeniable passion. Daniel locked the sight in his
mind and his heart. Max smiled back at him and
leaned over to kiss him.

"Jerk your cock. Danny, I want to see you

come," he requested breathlessly.

Daniel took his fingers and gripped Max's rod

instead as it moved within him. The extra pressure
made Max cry out.

"Shit! Keep doing that for a little bit, Danny.

Damn, that feels good."

When enough slickness from Max's steel rod

was transferred to Daniel's fingers he used it to
grease his own staff. He pumped himself with a firm
grip, enjoying every drive Max gave him.

Max made incoherent sounds of pleasure as

he  pounded  into  his  hole  with  abandon.  It
accelerated  Daniel's  desire.  He  pushed  Daniel's
legs  as  far  as  they  would  go  to  the  east  and  west.
The stretch on his inner thighs burned like crazy, but
it  did  not  overwhelm  the  increasing  ecstasy  that
flooded  his  system.  His  end  was  near.  It  would  be
awesome. He knew it would be.

His nuts drew up tight, preparing for

ejaculation. Daniel held his balls up and pulled on his
cock  frantically,  screaming  his  joy  to  the  four  walls.
He  gasped  and  was  pulled  from  his  euphoria  for  a
moment  as  Max  abruptly  pulled  his  hand  away,
stunning  him  for  a  moment.  He  recovered  swiftly
when Max took over stroking his shaft to completion
while  he  fucked  him  for  all  he  was  worth.  Daniel's
head  exploded  moments  later.  He  shot  his  load
across his abs in hot, fast spurts.

Max released his shrinking hard-on with a

satisfied growl. He palmed the bed and fell forward
to dig into Daniel's ass with gusto. His body
continued to rock back and forth. Daniel didn't know
if his dizziness came from how wonderful and sated
he felt or the after-effects of his head banging

against  the  wall  under  Max's  lustful  administrations.
Luckily,  the  erotic  sounds  told  him  Max's  end  was
near.  He  kept  his  legs  aloft  to  give  Max  room  to
maneuver and then reached up to pinch his nipples.

"Danny! Ahh shit! Yeah, baby, yeah!"
Max let out a wail that seared a place in

Daniel's heart forever. He came with volcanic force,
shoving  his  cock  as  far  as  it  would  go  into  his  ass
with  a  long  drawn  out  'oh'  of  completion.  Seconds
later,  Max  collapsed  on  top  of  him.  His  breathing
was  harsh  and  loud  near  Daniel's  ear.  Daniel
lowered his legs and relaxed.

The gentle kisses Max left on Daniel's neck

were  sweet,  affectionate,  and  almost  loving.  Being
with  Max  was  more  incredible  than  he'd  imagined,
surpassing  his  dreams  tenfold.  Daniel  wrapped  his
arms  around  Max  to  pull  him  deathly  close.  He
wanted to hold onto the moment forever, although it
was fleeing fast.

Guilt and shame rose within him, threatening

to  overshadow  the  enjoyment  of  satisfaction  that
filled  his  being.  He  had  just  tricked  his  best  friend
into  bed.  Daniel  had  set  the  whole  scenario  in
motion. It was a shaky plan at best, but now he felt

horrible at its conclusion. What kind of friend did that
really make him? He muffled a sigh.

Exactly the kind

of person those groupies of his are.

He had done

the same thing, taken advantage of Max because he
was just off another break up, and vulnerable. Daniel
had always said he would be there for Max and do
whatever  he  could…  even  if  that  meant  offering  his
body  to  him,  no  matter  the  pain  it  brought  him
afterwards.  Isn't  that  what  he'd  done?  Max  needed
someone to comfort him. So maybe he was being a
good friend after all… wasn't he?

Daniel sighed in confusion just as Max finally

broke his hold to roll off him. He scooted to his usual
side  of  the  bed  and  steeled  his  heart  for  Max's
departure,  telling  himself  not  to  make  more  of  the
situation  than  he  should.  To  Daniel's  surprise,  Max
did  not  jump  to  his  feet  to  leave.  Instead,  Max
reached for one of the extra pillows and gave it a few
punches before he settled back down to pull Daniel
closer to him.

Daniel's heart raced and his spent cock

twinged. Max's torso and pelvis molded itself to his
body with a perfect fit behind him, like they belonged

together. Soon Max's breathing evened out, the
muscles in his body relaxed, and the arm draped
over his waist went limp.

What the hell were you thinking, Daniel?

Having Max play a fake cupid to claim an invisible
lover? That was just plain stupid! Now you've got
what you wanted so badly and you feel like shit!

Daniel let out an exasperated sigh.

How can I even

look at him and not want him to make love to me,
now that I know firsthand how exquisite it is?

He fluffed his pillow and let his head drop

back to it. "Damn it, Max. I love you so much. Why
couldn't it be me you want to be with?" Daniel
wondered softly before sleep took him as well.

* * * *

Daniel suddenly felt a chill. It roused him from

his sleep. He shivered and scooted back, looking for
the warmth of Max's body, but found none. Reaching
back, he found the other side of the bed empty, then
rolled over to confirm that he was, in fact, alone. The
pain in his heart was soul-crushing. He knew it was
coming and he thought he had prepared himself for
it, but in the face of the full reality, tears stung his

eyes.

"This is your own fault, Daniel," he told himself

with a sniff. "You knew what you were doing. Don't
you dare take it out on Max when you see him
again."

"Take what out on me?"
Daniel stiffened. He lifted his head. His eyes

darted to the left and right before he turned around.

"Do you always talk to yourself like that? Are

there any other 'under the sheets' secrets I need to
know about?" he asked teasingly. "You know, any
other strange stuff that only happens when you're in
bed?"

Max stood by the bed in his beautiful, naked

glory. He smiled as he sat. Daniel felt his eyes widen
in surprise. Max chuckled and reached out to touch
his arm.

"What's wrong, Danny?"
Daniel wiped away a tear. "What are you

doing here, Max?"

Max's smile grew and he tapped his cheek

pretending to think. "You let me stay the night last
night. That was you, wasn't it? Although I've never
seen that side of you, I'm pretty sure it was you."

Daniel just stared at him, blinking wildly.
"Don't you remember? We played dominoes,

had some spiced rum, got our freak on—"

"Yes, yes, I remember all that. We didn't have

that

much rum. We've had more than two bottles on

several occasions. What I mean is, why are you

still

here? Isn't it morning?"

"Yeah, it's morning," Max answered, then his

grin disappeared. "Wait. Do you want me to leave?"
His voice was filled with worry.

"No!" Daniel almost shouted, then took a

deep breath and softened his voice. "I mean, no. You
don't have to leave. I don't want you to leave. Not if
you want to stay. Do you want to stay?"

"I'd like to stay. I heard what you said last

night, Danny."

Daniel groaned and fell back onto the pillow.
"You said you loved me and you wanted me

to be with you. Is that how you really feel?"

"Max, we're friends. Of course I love you. I will

always be there when you need me."

"Oh. I see. So that's what this was, huh?"
"Well, yeah. Last night you needed me in a

different way and I was there for you. You are not
obligated to do or say anything," Daniel assured
him, looking back at the ceiling.

"So you're saying you don't love me? I mean,

you do, but you meant love like a friend. I'm just your
homie.  Is  that  it,  Daniel?  I  can't  even  get  on  for
homie-lover-friend?"  Max's  tone  had  changed  from
soft  and  questioning  to  stern,  merging  into  full-
fledged anger.

Daniel turned to him.

Daniel?

He hadn't

called him that since a week after we met.

And he

never used that tone with him.

"Are— are you mad at me?"
"Did you mean it or not?" Max snapped. "It's

a simple enough question. Do you love me, Danny,
or not?" he yelled.

What the hell just happened?

Daniel was stunned. Max glared at him over

his shoulder with intensity he had never seen before.
He was almost afraid to answer. His mouth opened
but no words came out.

"Fine. I guess I have my answer then."
Max crossed the room snatched his pants

from the chair. As he stepped into them Daniel's
mind went wild.

Max is leaving. Not only is he leaving, he's

angry and he may not come back. Get off your ass
and do something!

Daniel scrambled across the bed, trying to

get to him. He fell on the floor in front of Max as his
feet tangled up in the covers.

"Ahhgg!"
Max rushed to his aid. "Damn, Danny, are you

all right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he confirmed, kicking

his feet free.

"What the hell was that?" he asked trying to

muffle his laughter.

"I almost broke my neck trying to stop you

from leaving, that's what." Max helped him to his feet
and they stood before one another in silence. Daniel
finally spoke, but he couldn't bring his eyes up to
meet Max's.

"I don't want you to leave. I do love you. I have

always

loved you. I don't remember not loving you.

Not just as a friend, but for a lover."

Max tilted his face up and took his hands.

"Really? Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"What was I supposed to say, Max? 'Hey

Max, feel free to fuck me between boyfriends. I'll
always be there for you'?'" Daniel gave him two
hearty thumbs up. "I just didn't think that was a good
approach."

Max laughed. "You are so animated. You

crack me up. I love that about you."

"You love that about me?"
"I love you, Danny. Couldn't you tell that? I

thought I was going to bust an artery when you said
you had a date for Valentine's Day."

Daniel heaved a sigh. "Sorry about that. It's

just, we've been friends for years. I didn't want to
jeopardize that. I was just so tired of all these
undeserving men having you then hurting you, when I
know I can make you happy."

Max nodded. "So I guess it never occurred to

you to actually mention that to me. Like, say
something sooner, like maybe, oh I don't know, nine
years ago. Some kind of hint or something would
have caused us both less pain."

"I didn't think I was your type. You dated the

most amazing-looking people."

"That may have been, but I dated them all for

the same reason."

Daniel sent him a questioning look.
"Their sole purpose was to take my mind off

of not having you. I didn't think you wanted me like
that." Max's hand brushed across the new growth on
Daniel's face.

"I've always wanted you. It broke my heart to

see you with other people, especially when they
didn't treat you like I know you should be treated."

"It would seem we need to have better

communication over our years together as friends."

Daniel smiled. "That may be true, but I'm glad

that you know that you know that you know what you
want." His brows furrowed, as he went over the
words in his head for accuracy.

Max laughed and took both of Daniel's hands

in his. "Bet you can't say that again, but you are
absolutely right. I do know. It's been you all along.
You're the family I want to come home to."

"Are you sure this is what you want, Max? I

have no intention of giving you up once we're
together as an official couple, you know."

Max pulled him closer and wrapped Daniel's

arms around his waist. He lowered his head to brush
his lips over his cheek and then his lips.

"Mmm, God, I hope not," he whispered and

took his mouth in a delicate kiss. "I want this to be
the first of many Valentine's Days together."

Daniel chuckled. "So does this mean we go

puppy shopping tomorrow?"

THE END

About the Author

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York,

but I escaped and I now live in Indiana. My dream is
to buy a house near the beach and write all day and
make  enough  money  to  live  off  of.  I  spend  most  of
my time working a nine to five and traveling, when I
can,  to  new  and  wondrous  places  that  I  can
incorporate  in  my  stories  (or  that  will  at  least  spark
ideas for me). I do have love in my life thanks to my
life  partner,  Hou,  and  our  cat,  Judo,  who  graciously
lets  us  live  with  him  in  what  he  thinks  is  his  house.
So, all in all, I have a full and happy life.

Stop by my website to see what I have coming next.

www.jaxxsteele.com

Email:

jaxxsteele@gmail.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/jaxxsteele

Also by Jaxx Steele

Available at

Silver Publishing

Marked for Life

Claiming Cupid

Available at

All Romance Ebooks

The Devil Made Me Do It

After the Storm

Hot Summer Nights

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

A Knight at the Speedway

Papa Knows Best

Dreams Delivered

Dreams Delivered 2: Simon Says- Ahh

Indian Blood Moon

Healing the Beast Within

Christmas Nick for Everyone

Right Side of the Tracks

"A Year-long Valentine" in

Reflections of Love

Frozen Spring Break

Available at

Muse It Hot

Freed from Fear (Spring 2011)

Available at

Dreamspinner Press

By the Moonlight (audio and ebook)