Question Mark (15 page)

The look Zane turned on him made Mark’s toes curl and started a very pleasant stirring south of his belly button and north of his knees. “That’s good ‘cause I sort of prefer to do that kind of thing in private.”

Mark was so busy busting a sweat staving off his erection that he almost missed their turn. Zane followed his jerky pointing and made it without a problem, braking, downshifting, and rolling through without missing a beat. His forearms flexed as he gripped the steering wheel and his perfect hand was enticing on the gear shift. Mark wanted to reach out and stroke that skin so badly, but…

No games, right? Why hide that you want him? He thought to himself.

Without taking time to convince himself to stop, he reached out and smoothed his fingertips over the firm skin of that forearm, the slight roughness of the arm hair causing him to grit his teeth against another wave of
oh yeaaaah
. Zane gave him a startled look and sucked in a breath through his teeth. He didn’t pull away and the temperature in the truck’s cab seemed to leap several degrees.

Neither of them said a word the rest of the trip to Reid’s, Mark’s hand still light on Zane’s arm—now at his elbow, now gripping his wrist. Zane moaned low in his throat at the silken pressure. Good grief, his skin was so warm beneath Mark’s hand.

He released Zane only when they had to park in the driveway. Popping open his door, Mark stepped out of the cab with shaking legs and a near crippling hard-on in his shorts. He didn’t look at the other man as he led the way inside, using the spare key that Reid hid on the porch. Each step Mark took, Zane was there, that signature saunter following right behind him. His body was like a scorching brand near Mark’s back and goose bumps skittered over his flesh in anxious anticipation.

Mark headed straight for the guest room, unable to even point things out around the house on the way. His heart was grooving in his chest, his skin was tight over his body and the tension in his muscles was making him restless; he was totally on edge.

Mark froze a few feet from the bed he’d haphazardly made that morning and couldn’t even turn when he heard the sound of the door latching shut behind him. There were footsteps drawing closer and that glorious heat near his back as his eyes flickered shut. It’d been so long since anything like this had happened.

“Look at me, Mark.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Zane’s voice was low and level as he spoke—the absolute opposite of how he felt inside. Mark was driving him out of his mind! How could he keep his hands off him now? Zane wanted to be a gentleman; give them time to take it to the next level. He didn’t think he could resist anymore, even knowing Mark might not be single.
Fuck!

That earlier kiss, as childish as it was, was meant to be a punishment for Mark daring to have another man in his life. It was stark jealousy on Zane’s part. Nothing more. The picture flashed through Zane’s head for the hundredth time—that black-haired, ice-eyed man smiling into the camera while Mark stared up at him so obviously in love. It was bothering Zane because that photo was clearly recent—within a year maybe?—and all he wanted was to crawl into Mark’s memories and wipe that slick-looking guy away. Thinking of it again had the possessive monster rising in his chest.

Mark still hadn’t moved and Zane’s eyes narrowed. He knew the attraction was deepening between them and all day Mark was stealing looks at him, stirring him up with casual touches. So why wouldn’t he turn around? Why wouldn’t he face him?

God. He’s really not single. He’s been jerking me around.

In a voice that was rough with emotion, he spoke again.
“Look at me.”

Mark stiffened for a second before he lifted both his hands and ran them through his hair, turning to face him. His chest was heaving with each breath and with a quick flick of the eyes, Zane took it all in: The arousal straining against Mark’s shorts, the uncertain expression, the uneven breathing… His own cock went taut.

“Tell me one thing,” he ordered as Mark’s eyes looked everywhere but at him.

Mark only nodded back and Zane, tired of working for his attention, snapped an arm out and tugged Mark up against him, his shirt fisted in one hand. The other man was so surprised that he finally met Zane’s narrowed gaze.

“Are you still with him?”

Mark’s eyebrows shot up as he swallowed and sputtered, shaking his head. “N-no. We broke up a long time ago. Ra—”

“Don’t tell me his name,” Zane said softly, his lips drawing closer. “Do you still want to be with him?”

Mark licked his lips and Zane caught the quick flash of pink tongue. “Not anymore.” His words were solid and unwavering as he gently placed his hands on Zane’s waist, fingers curving through his belt loops.

In a sudden surge, Zane stalked forward until Mark fell onto the bed. He was shocked at this feral streak running through him; it was so unlike how he normally was with men. Leaning over Mark, he caged him in with his arms and with a mouth still hard with the desire to possess, he ground out, “Prove it.”

Mark moved fast, pulling Zane’s head down until his mouth was hot against his. Their tongues met in a wet glide and their lips slid together. The buttons on Zane’s shirt popped apart, one by one,
Pop, Pop, Pop,
as Mark gave it a good yank. Then sitting up, he was at the perfect height to lay kiss after kiss over the sensitive skin of Zane’s chest and stomach. When searching fingers found his belt and undid it, Zane jolted and his head shot back.

He was euphoric as he wrenched Mark to his feet and brought his mouth down hard. There was no timidity in the meeting. The desire was boiling within him and he thought only of kissing deeper, touching more. His hands roamed Mark’s body, completely taken by the soft hair sprinkled over his abdomen.

Zane lifted Mark’s shirt in one move, pulling it off over his head. The lean muscles of Mark’s stomach and chest grew tight as he ran his hands up over Zane’s back and shoulders, eliciting a moan as their chests crushed together.

There was too much material between them as Zane’s hips jerked against Mark, the evidence of their arousal meeting. Zane nearly barked with pleasure as Mark rode his leg in a tight advance.

“God,” Mark whispered, his lips breaking away from Zane’s to run across the skin of his chest. “So warm…”

Enough!
Zane thought, totally overcome. Wrapping one arm tightly around Mark, he lifted him and slid him across the mattress, hovering over him. Zane let out a heavy gasp as he arched back and ground his hips against Mark, breaking into a sweat when the beautiful man reciprocated and bolted his body upward.

With Zane’s strong hands, Mark left a blazing trail up Zane’s chest until they were braced on either side of his neck. “Kiss me,” he demanded.

Zane immediately dipped back down and licked into his mouth, growing harder when Mark trembled beneath him. “You feel me?” he said, releasing his lips and staring into those green eyes as he pulsed his hips against Mark.

“Y-yes…” Mark jacked upward again and reached down between their bodies to undo Zane’s button fly. His fingers grazed the tip of Zane’s cock and Zane hissed, moving to give him better access.

This is too soon. Happening too fast!
Zane thought frantically, the weaker part of him fighting for control.

He forced the internal warnings away and was about to return the favor with Mark’s zipper when a voice shouted down the hallway toward the bedroom and they both froze.

“Reid! Mark! Where are you bastards?”

Mark’s eyes widened and he covered his face with one hand. “Shit! Holy shit,” he snapped. “Sean’s here.
Son of a bitch!
”

“Whose truck is that in the driveway? It’s nice,” Sean called out again, his voice sounding closer.

Zane started to back off the bed, knowing Mark probably didn’t want his brother seeing him sprawled out under some dude, when the door flew open hard enough to slam against the wall. Zane moved in a flash to hide Mark with his own body.

“What are you—oh mother of God! My eyes!” Sean yelled, covering his face and giving them his back.

There was no way to hide they were on their way to some amazing fucking sex, so Zane didn’t waste time pretending they were talking about the benefits of a quality bedspread. He backed off slowly. Mark was mouthing an apology over and over as they stood up and Zane shook his head, trying his damnedest to look accepting as he buttoned his shirt and pants. The jangling of his belt buckle pealed like the goddamn closing stock market bell.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to be here until, like tomorrow, or something,” Mark choked out, sounding breathless in a way that had Zane clamping down on his bottom lip. He was overloaded on arousal right now.

Sean Newland and his terrible fucking timing, Zane thought. He was destined to live with these blue balls. And what a way to meet his boyfriend’s oldest brother.

“I managed to settle a couple of the contract issues and snag an extra day off.” Sean’s hands were still covering his eyes and he was facing the door. “Dude. I didn’t know you were in here getting it on. Obviously I would’ve given you a two or three house berth,” he semi-apologized. “That was sort of the worst thing to see.
No offense
.”

“Forget it.” Mark mumbled, trying to talk around tangled up t-shirt as he tugged it over his head. At least Sean didn’t show up five minutes later when they were really into it. As it was, the two of them hadn’t made it far and didn’t have a lot of clothing to throw back on. “You can uncover your eyes; we’re decent.”

“I’m not sure, but I might be permanently blinded.”

“Oh screw you for ruining the moment,” Mark snapped and Zane reached over to squeeze his hand.

“It’s okay,” he mouthed. “Later.” Zane wished he meant it. He wanted Mark now and later he’d be carting his tented pants back to L.A.

Sean turned, ready to block his eyes or eject himself from the room if he needed to and they all stood there self-consciously.

“Well?” Sean blurted. “Give me a hug, kid,” he said, managing to smile. He still hadn’t met Zane’s eyes, which was good because Zane wasn’t sure he could keep from strangling him with his bare hands.

Mark gave a crooked smile and finally moved to hug his brother. “Really am sorry,” Sean mumbled against his shoulder.

When they broke apart, Zane stepped forward, clearing his throat. “I’m Zane, by the way.”
You nearly saw my bare ass.

Sean stared for a long minute and paled. “Hell,” he grumbled, shaking his hand. “Zane Whitlow, Mark? Seriously? You little hussy.”

“What about it?” Mark grunted, looking pissed, while Zane’s brow darkened.

Sean broke and dissolved into laughter, eventually stumbling to take a seat on the weight bench Reid kept in the guest room. “This is terrible! The worst cockblock of all time. It’s probably like a record what I just did. Zane Whitlow…” More laughter punctuated with some wheezy breaths and Sean tried to speak again. “I’m so sorry, guys. Damn,” he coughed.

Zane wanted to keep glaring, but his lips began to move into a smile. “Well, I’ll never forget this meeting,” he admitted and Mark dropped his head into his hands.

Sean wiped at his eyes and stood up. “I need a huge fucking beer, preferably kiddie pool-sized. You guys want one—or do you wanna get back to—I mean, I can turn on some music really loud or something. I’d go somewhere else but a cab dropped me—”

“Sean,” Mark snapped. “I think that ship’s sailed for now. These nuts ain’t gonna be busting while you’re in the next room.”

His brother winced and shook his head apologetically. “So…beer?”

“Beer,” Mark exhaled, shoulders sagging pathetically.

“Zane?”

He gave a negative shake of his head and waited until Sean left them before he turned to Mark, running a hand wearily over his mouth. Mark sank back onto the bed and stared at his feet.

“This was the worst idea ever, wasn’t it?” he blurted. “I mean, I wanted to see you, but meeting my family—especially meeting them
this
way—I am so totally embarrassed. It’s like I’m sixteen years old or something and my mom walked in on me jerking off.” He shrugged dejectedly and looked up at Zane with pained eyes. “This isn’t at all realistic is it?”

Zane frowned at him, not following. At first he thought Mark was talking about sex, then…not so much.

“You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about this, too,” Mark demanded. “Even if we spent every waking moment together between now and when I have to fly home, we’d still be living completely different lives. You’d be this totally famous movie star in L.A. that I stumbled upon when I was on vacation, and I’d be regular old me, living in New Mexico, working and playing in a police department softball league. Are we seriously going to try to start something like this?”

The blood drained from Zane’s face and the frustration simmering beneath the surface finally boiled over. “Don’t be a coward. Tell me you’re fucking joking right now, Mark. Tell me you’re not ending this before it even starts because of my line of work.”