Chasing the Rainbow (11 page)

              Bobby let go of Jody’s ankles. Jody took hold of his knees and pulled them wide. “Fuck, that’s right. Open up for me, Babe.” That was the second time Bobby had called him that. He’d never used the endearment, wondered if Bobby had, with anyone else. Bobby probably hadn’t even realized he’d said it. But Jody didn’t mind as much as he thought he might. Especially not with Bobby fucking his brains out.

              “Kiss me,” Jody begged. Bobby complied, dropping down on Jody, thrusting short and hard. The new angle wasn’t perfect, but it still felt amazing and Jody almost shot out of his skin as Bobby started stroking him between them as he fucked Jody’s ass with his cock and mouth with his tongue.

              The rough scrape of Bobby’s hand on sensitive head of his cock was enough to do Jody in, and after a few strokes he yelped into Bobby’s mouth as his cock spurt between them.

              “Fuck,” Bubby grunted. He thrust once, twice, three times then buried himself, pressing their mouths together hard, but unable to actually kiss as he spilled in the condom inside Jody.

              They stayed locked together like that for a moment before Bobby said, “We should have disagreements all the time.” Bobby sounded so serious, draped over Jody, mouth beside Jody’s ear.

              “What? Why?” He wished he could see Bobby’s face so he could understand.

              “We have the best makeup sex.”

              Jody practically rolled Bobby off him, he was laughing so hard.

Chapter 13

BOBBY SMILED AT Jody, listening to him hum his approval at the late lunch Bobby’d cooked for them.

              “It’s good?” Bobby asked.

              “Are you kidding? This beats takeout any day. Where’d you learn to cook like this?”

              Bobby raised a brow at Jody. “Italian mothers won’t let their children leave home unless they have a wife or know how to cook for themselves.”

              “Silly me. Well, my thanks to her.” Jody laughed, but it quickly turned into a grimace. They didn’t talk much about Bobby’s mother. In the last couple weeks since his big announcement, she’d not called and he, in turn, had left her to her own devices. Carlo assured Bobby she was coming around, but after two ignored phone calls, he decided it was best to let her get her head around it instead of going in like a bull in a china shop.

              Since he and Jody had made it official, their time together had been… boring. Which wasn’t to say it was unpleasant, there just hadn’t been any skies falling or major dramatics. They’d gone to work, gone on a few dates, had amazing sex, and talked. A lot. They talked about college and books, and Bobby had finally broken down and invited Jody over to his house.

              It was the first time he’d brought a guy home, and it’d certainly been the first time he’d introduced a guy he was involved with to his brother. He’d given Carlo a heads up. Carlo had been a little incredulous to find out it was Jody he was seeing, but hadn’t made a huge deal out of it.

              There they sat, in Bobby and Carlo’s home, eating something Bobby had cooked, enjoying each other’s company. It was so normal. Bobby was immeasurably pleased, more and more grateful as each day passed that he’d given Jody a ride to the subway all that time ago.

              He’d even come clean about his insecurities about Jody’s having so much money, to which Jody had scoffed. He then proceeded to give him a lecture about macho pride, and rambled about some story line in one of his romance novels—the ones that he’d gotten Bobby hooked on lately—and somehow the silliness of being compared to a character in a romance novel had made Bobby feel dumb. He wasn’t magically over it, but Jody had rolled his eyes and let Bobby pay for things here and there so Bobby’s pride wasn’t too wounded.

              It was amazing how easily Jody could make Bobby feel good about things, about himself. Jody was in awe when Bobby showed him plans and measurements from a work site, had been impressed with how well he’d handled his business. Jody made Bobby feel big and important.

              Bobby couldn’t remember anyone ever making him feel special for just being Bobby. Not that people in his life hadn’t treated him well, it’s just that Jody had this easy acceptance of Bobby that he hadn’t experienced before. No need for castles or babies—yet. The thought made Bobby shudder.

              “What just passed through that head of yours?” Jody asked. “You look like someone walked on your grave.”

              “I was thinking about kids.”

              Jody laughed at whatever expression Bobby made—probably one of fear, if Bobby was honest. “Well, I don’t think you’ll be knocking me up any time soon.”

              “Thank God for small favors.”

              “So no adopting babies from China. Understood,” Jody said, gravely.

              Bobby paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. “Is that… Is that gonna be a problem?”

              Jody’s serious expression melted away pretty quickly. “No. Not hardly. I’ve never wanted kids. No worries about me flushing my birth control.”

              “You’re an idiot,” Bobby said, fondly.

              They ate for another moment in contented silence, swapping winks and playing footsy like a couple of lovesick teenagers. At least, this is what he assumed what lovesick teenagers had felt, and he was sad he’d held himself back from feeling that way for so long. For a minute anyway. Because holding out had given him Jody, so far. It was hard as hell to consider that a waste.

The front door closed, drawing their attention. Jody squirmed in his seat. Bobby’d assured him Carlo had seemed okay with the idea of them dating, but he understood why Jody was nervous. It was his first time meeting a guy’s family, too. And Bobby was sure Jody was as surprised as Bobby that it was something Bobby wanted.

              Carlo came to the kitchen and came up short when he saw Jody. Jody sat still in his seat and Bobby smiled at the two of them.

              “So…” Carlo drawled, face devoid of any emotion. “You’re the guy my brother’s been seeing.”

              Jody looked to Bobby, who gave him an encouraging nod.

              “I guess.”

              Carlo looked at Bobby. “Well, that clears things up.”

              Bobby laughed. “Don’t be a wiseass.” He put a hand on Jody’s, noticing the way Jody’s cheeks pinked when he did. “Jody, this is my brother Carlo. I don’t know if you two ever met.”

              “No. Nice to meet you, Carlo.”

              “You too,” Carlo said, studying Jody like he’d never seen a gay man before. More than likely, still being a wiseass.

              “Carlo…”

              “What?” Carlo shrugged. “I was just thinking how much Ma’s gonna flip.”

              At Jody’s flinch, Bobby said, “Thanks for that.”

              “I’m just fucking with you,” Carlo assured him, walking forward with his hand out, much more like his usual self. “Nice to meet you, too, man. Ma’s gonna be weird either way.” His easy grin put Jody at ease, if his shoulder loosening a fraction was any indication. Bobby mouthed a “thank you” to his brother, who waved it off.

              “So you run that fancy bookstore he was dragging me to for months?”

              “Oh,” Jody said. “Yes. Well, my mother does anyways.”

              Carlo snorted. “I’ve heard about your mother. Hey, she still need her kitchen redone?”

              “You’re a perv, Carlo,” Bobby observed, knowing the real reason Carlo’d asked. Jody looked between the brothers, then laughed.

              “Enter at your own risk, man.” Jody shuddered. “Though, I’m pretty sure she only did that to hit on Bobby.”

              “It’s the suit, Bob. I’m telling you,” Carlo said. He walked over and started dishing out a plate of food from what Bobby had made for their lunch.

              “Yes, Carlo. You’re welcome to this food I cooked for my boyfriend,” Bobby snarked. He ignored the expressions both men made at his use of the word boyfriend. He’d not really tried the word out yet, but it was the right choice for what they were. Right?

              Judging by the sweet smile on Jody’s face, he’d done alright. Carlo winked at him.

              “Oh, Bobby. You would fall for the guy who broke poor Izzy Fiorino’s heart.” Bobby scowled at Carlo. “Both of you breaking women’s hearts all over Bensonhurst.”

              “Shut up, Carlo,” Bobby gritted out through his teeth.

              “Well, we do have so much in common,” Jody admitted. “That being first.” Bobby blinked; surprised Jody would tease, since he’d been concerned how people would accept their relationship due to that particular thing.

              Carlo looked pleased Jody wasn’t backing down from him. In fact, Bobby recently noticed subtle changes like that in Jody. Gone was the shy bookish guy he’d first flirted with. Of course, now he’d been around Bobby enough to know how to deal with a Gugino.

              “Made for each other,” Carlo teased. Jody’s cheeks pinked again.

              “Maybe,” Bobby said. The pleased look in Jody’s eyes told him he was getting this right. And he was happy to report; he meant it. He was still finding his sea legs, but Jody was fitting in his life well enough that he’d stopped over-thinking and worrying about what he might miss out on.

              “Anyway. Carlo, leave us be. We have to eat and then I have something to show Jody.”

              Carlo groaned. “I don’t want any part of that.”

              “Oh, fuck off, pervert.” Bobby tossed a roll at his brother’s back as Carlo beat a hasty retreat. He looked at Jody. “That’s not what I meant.”

              “Too bad,” Jody said, licking his lips, eyes full of lusty promise.

              Bobby was nervous about how well this was all going. It was almost like waiting for the other shoe to drop. But no one knew you couldn’t take life for granted like Bobby. He’d learned the hard way that even your own body can betray you, so taking the good stuff when you can was the only way to live.

              “Hey, when you finish up, I want to take you somewhere.”

***

JODY WASN’T SURE where Bobby was taking him, but the energy radiating off the man vibrated. It felt like an amalgam of excitement, and judging by the occasional glance thrown Jody’s way, nervousness. He wouldn’t ask, though. The silence in the cab of Bobby’s truck wasn’t loaded, but seemed to be letting Bobby work out his feelings about whatever he was doing right now. Jody had learned early on you had to let Bobby do things in his own time. He sometimes got whiplash from the start-and-stop of their entire relationship, but lately it’d all been going exceptionally well.

                  The request to come to Bobby’s house had been a surprise. He wasn’t sure what had prompted it, but he wasn’t complaining. Bobby’d apparently started finding his legs. He seemed lighter since he’d come out to his mother. Jody felt bad that it seemed to have caused a rift between her and Bobby, and if anything had been said between Bobby and his elder brother, Jody hadn’t been told.

                  Jody’s interest was definitely piqued when Bobby merged his truck from the BQE to Gowanus Expressway. “Uh, Bobby? Are we going to Bensonhurst?”

                  Bobby cleared his throat. “Yeah. I wanted to show you something.”

                  “So you said….” After a few more miles, Bobby exited onto surface streets, directing his truck through residential neighborhoods with homes very similar to Bobby’s mother’s. In fact, after noticing the street sign, Jody realized they were only a few blocks down from the Guginos’ home.

Jody’s attention turned to the house where Bobby slowed to a park. After putting it in park and switching off the truck’s ignition, Bobby stared at the building for a moment; then turned one of those rare, shy smiles Jody’s way. Damn the way those smiles made Jody’s heart flutter, his breath catch. Bobby was something else. And Jody was still having to remind himself the man was his.

                  “This is it.”

                  “What’s this?” The sardonic lift of one of Bobby’s thick brows made Jody roll his eyes and sock Bobby in the shoulder. “I know it’s a house, jerk. Why are we here?”

                  “It’s my house.” Bobby said the words like Jody should have figured it out on his own. Jody gave him a level look for his trouble.

                  “Pardon my inability to read minds. As much as I wish I could with you, sometimes.”

                  Bobby chuckled. “Come on. Let’s go in.” He unbuckled and was out the truck’s door, loping toward the front entrance of the brick home before Jody even opened the passenger door. Bobby’s energy still had a nervous hum to it, but he had that sparkle in his eye he got when he was excited about something.

                  Jody made it to Bobby just as the lock clicked and Bobby pushed open the front door. Jody followed him inside, taking in his surroundings. He was quiet for a moment, before meeting Bobby’s happy gaze. “It’s… nice?” Bobby laughed, head thrown back, more like himself than he had been since they’d gotten in the truck.

                  “I know the place looks bad right now. It’s a work in progress.”

                 
I’ll say.
Jody surveyed the room again. The walls were bare, mostly fresh drywall. The hardwood floors were completely pulled up in some places. “How long have you owned this?”

                  Bobby’s face scrunched up, thoughtfully; fingers flicking as he counted quietly. “‘Bout eight years, or close to.” Jody knew his brows must be in his hairline, earning a hearty chuckle from Bobby. “I know, I know. Slow going.”

                  Jody looked down at his hand where Bobby’d come and taken it to lead Jody around. Each room was as unfinished as the last, though most all at least had the fresh drywall. The kitchen had new tile flooring; pointed out by Bobby, and was the only room with paint on the walls. The cabinets were new and varnished, but the counter hadn’t been added yet.

                  “I still don’t know what style I’m going for in here. It’s been such a long process, I’m in no real rush,” Bobby said, distractedly. He pushed through a door leading to a sunroom. Jody blinked as he stepped in. “This is the only completed room in the place.”

                  “Wow.” Jody knew it sounded dumb. The sunroom wasn’t necessarily impressive, so much as incongruous with the unfinished rooms they’d just come from. Picture windows stretched from side to side, looking over a very small, but private, backyard. Even if it was littered with lumber and other building materials, this was the first backyard Jody had seen in years.