Rough [02] - Roughhousing (22 page)

He broke the kiss just as the blindfold slipped away. Blinking hard at the sudden light, James held Bram close, looked him in the eye and whispered a raw, throaty, “Love you."

"Good.” Bram placed a chaste kiss on each of James’ fluttering eyelids. “Because I love you, too."

James nodded shakily and buried his face in Bram's neck, savoring the warmth of the big man's embrace as Bram wrapped around him, plastering him to that broad chest. James’ arms were leaden. He had to look at his fingers to know they were still attached. He felt exhausted, dizzy, and faintly terrified by the warmth and happiness filling up his chest, shoving his stomach up next to his wildly pounding heart.

"Coming home with me?"

Numb, James merely nodded again.

"No argument?"

He shook his head.

"No second thoughts?"

Again, a shake of his head.

"We'll split groceries, utilities, and chores."

James nodded. The sound of footsteps outside the door made him freeze, but Bram ignored it, even when the doorbell rang.

"We talk if there's a problem, not accuse and run, right?"

"'Kay.” His voice sounded raw and unnatural. The doorbell rang again. James jerked his head around to glance at the door.

Bram touched James’ chin and turned James back to face him. “I'll get the guys to help us move again this weekend. Pack whatever you need for the rest of the week and we'll take it with us now, okay?"

Nodding, James flinched, startled when a knock on the door vibrated through his back. He looked down at his naked abdomen, the come-splashed floor, and Bram's still open pants. A smile broke out on his swollen mouth and he licked the last taste of Bram's mouth off his lips. “Think I should answer it?"

"Only if you want to be arrested for indecent exposure."

James kissed Bram again, the passion threatening to rise. “Why don't I let you take me home and I'll show you what ‘indecent’ really is?"

"You,” Bram said, and kissed him until he was lightheaded, “have got a deal, baby."

Chapter Fifteen

"So, you want the couch or the bookcases moved next?” Buck stood by James’ open apartment door, fists curled on his lean hips and muscles flexing under the sweat-soaked, white t-shirt stretched across his tall, V-shaped frame. His red hair was a deep copper color in the afternoon light.

Without commenting, James wiped the sweat from his face and glanced out his door. Out in the hallway, two more of Bram's construction crew mates trekked out to the waiting pickup trucks loaded down with the last of the cartons of small belongings.

Dressed in snug, worn jeans and an old, denim work shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows and button front open enough to reveal the smooth, firm bulk of his muscular chest, Bram looked like the god of the blue collar workers as he straightened up from moving a chair to one side and looked at James. James moved to collapse his workstation desk next. It was large and awkward. He struggled with the locks that held the top angle motionless.

"What do you think, Jamie? Bookcases last so they come out first?” Bram moved to help James, quickly unlocking the large drafting table. It unexpectedly snapped closed, catching the meat of James’ right hand in the joint.

"Shit! That hurt.” James yanked his arm back and sucked on the torn web between thumb and forefinger.

It had been a week since his fight with Nick Ellwood and most of his injuries were healing well. The worst of the bruises were fading to yellow-purple and the laceration over his temple was just an angry slash of red/pink. The last thing he wanted was a new hurt to slow him down again. This one wasn't deep, but it was going to leave a ragged mark on his hand.

"Christ, I'm sorry, Jamie. I thought your hands were clear. Let me look at it.” Bram leaned the table against the nearest wall and grabbed James’ bleeding hand. He wrapped a handkerchief from his back pocket around the wound and the bleeding stopped after a few moments. “I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it.” He pressed the cloth to the jagged abrasion, gave a sardonic smile, and winked at Bram. “I've had worse."

Bram ran a fingertip lightly over the yellow-purple bruising surrounding the healing red gash on James’ face and nodded. “Yeah, I know. But I'm not responsible for those."

"You didn't cause this one, either. Just an accident, don't sweat it, really. I'm okay.” He pressed the cloth more tightly to the wound until it went numb, pushing down the pain, masking it so he wouldn't have to deal with it. It wasn't important. James allowed himself to enjoy the feel of Bram's tender-rough hand as the other man soothingly rubbed his wrist above the handkerchief.

Buck waited until they stopped consoling each other before asking again, “Couch or bookcases, guys?"

Throwing Buck a disgruntled stare, Bram growled, “Bookcases. But get someone to give you a hand. They're black walnut, antiques and heavy."

"Mitch hasn't done shit since we got here.” Buck wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. “I'll get him to do it."

James glanced up and let his gaze wander around the rapidly emptying space. No one would know he had ever lived here. This place was nothing more than a small blip on the map of his life's travels. One he wasn't sorry to leave behind. Thankfully the apartment next door had been eerily quiet all morning. He was surprised to find the silence more disturbing to him than the fighting had been. It was like the calm before the storm from his childhood memories. The fighting always started again if you waited long enough.

Oddly, even Macy hadn't stopped by. With all the activity and mountains of buff, muscular men milling around, James was surprised the blond hadn't materialized at his doorstep seconds after the crew arrived.

Frowning, James looked out the living room window at the line of pickups parked outside the building. Only Marty and Mike were in sight. “Where is Mitch? I haven't seen him in a while."

Grinning, Bram moved to James’ side and slid his arm around his lover's shoulders. “He's getting your security deposit back."

"How? That was a non-refundable deposit.” James gave Bram a suspicious frown. “I'd already accepted the fact I was going to lose the cash."

"Two grand is a lot to lose, Jamie.” He squeezed James’ shoulder. “Especially for a few days rent.” He dropped his arm down to wrap around James’ waist. “Besides, the super lied."

"Lied?” James relaxed a little into Bram's hold, willing himself to ignore the teasing grin on Bram's face. “When?"

"When he told us the police never got called here much. Both the officers at the hospital and Macy can testify the police are regular visitors here."

Snorting, James wiggled out of Bram's embrace and picked up some trash off the floor, suddenly in a hurry to leave this place. “I wish it mattered, but I don't think the threat of legal action over a casual comment is going to convince him to give my money back."

The low, nerve-shattering wail of a distressed baby split the air and James shuddered. A tan and charcoal-tipped streak shot into the room. All three men tracked Kitty's progress as the kitten briefly roamed the room then entwined herself around James’ ankles. James reluctantly reached down and scratched her ears. She rubbed her snub face against his leg and purred like a racecar.

Kitty's contented, rough trills were drowned out by the heavy stomp of work boots and the click-clip of familiar high heels. A deep, gravelly voice started booming before its owner even crossed into the room. “Maybe the threat of being sued to cover all your extensive medical costs and traumatic, mental anguish caused by the owner's nephew and tenant will work instead, pup."

Mitch strode through the open door with Macy, in a light gray business skirt and matching jacket over a lacy, pink, low-cut, satin top of some kind, miraculously attached to his arm. She looked like a Barbie doll dressed for a day at the office, very high heels and all. She flirted with Mitch with every bat and wink of her long, dark eyelashes. Mitch appeared to be similarly smitten with Macy.

"I found a couple of
fine
looking things at that superintendent's place.” He spared Bram an admonishing glare. “You didn't say the pup was living next to an angel, Bram.” Mitch patted Macy's hand, which she had wrapped around his arm, and tucked it close to his big, flannel-shirted side as if for safe keeping, marking his territory before the other interested men in the group.

The pony-tailed, beefy man grinned and pulled a piece of paper out of his shirt pocket to wave it in the air. “Ellwood's got a long police record of abuse and assault. This was easy."

"Hi, Mitch, Macy.” Bram winked at Macy, clapped his friend on the shoulder, and watched as the big man slapped a check into James’ hand. His grin widened. “Knew you'd come through for us, buddy."

"Hi Bram, Jamie!” Her soft, whispery voice had a seductive tone to it. James smiled and assumed it was for Mitch's benefit.

"Hey, Macy, morning!” Stunned, James stared at the slim rectangle of paper then slowly unfolded it. “This is my check.” He looked from Bram to Mitch, a grimace of confusion on his face. One hand rubbed at the crack at the corner of his mouth. “The one I gave him for the deposit. He never cashed it."

Mitch chuckled and tapped the paper, making it shake and rattle. “Nope. Seems like you're not the first tenant in this apartment to want to leave a few days after moving in. The building sup is learning to wait for a while before cashing the checks. Easier to just rip it up than to do all the paperwork needed to write a new one!"

"It's a shame he's had to learn that the hard way, but if he doesn't like it, he could quit.” Bram shrugged and glanced at the check over James shoulder. He squeezed James’ neck and lightly shook the man. “You get to pay for the beer when we're done moving your things to the house."

"Deal. It's worth it.” James jammed the check into his pocket and held out his hand to Mitch. “Thanks. I appreciate it. He wasn't too interested in talking to me about it. I tried last night on the phone."

Mitch shook his hand, gripping it hard over the wrapped cloth. James grimaced and Mitch let go. “Hell, didn't see that. Hurt yourself?” James pulled his hand away before Mitch could grab it.

Bram frowned, reaching for his hand again, but James suddenly crouched down out of reach to pay attention to the insistent kitten still at his feet. “I closed his hand in the table joint by accident."

Talking to the floor, James said, “It's nothing. A scratch. Looks worse than it is, guys. I'll be fine."

Kitty meowed and tried to climb up James’ leg. He reluctantly picked her up to escape being used as scratching post and stood, Kitty firmly seated in his injured hand to prevent any further examination of it. He hated being the center of attention.

"Why is this troublemaker here?” He playfully shook the kitten, then tucked it close to his chest and petted it until it curled up, closed its eyes, and purred so loud James entire body tingled with the vibrations. “Are you babysitting for Sheila Ellwood again, Macy?"

"Oh, no.” Macy's eyes got even bigger than usual and she disengaged from Mitch to shimmy over to James to pet the kitten. “You've been gone so you couldn't know."

She nodded wisely and included Bram and Mitch in her story, dropping her already soft voice into a conspiratorial tone.

"Nick's in jail for the next thirty days. Sheila finally got her act together and moved out. She said she wasn't going to tell anyone where she was going and didn't think it would be fair to Kitty to take her on the road when she didn't know where she was going to end up.” Macy's eyes were as large as saucers. “Wasn't that brave of her?"

Swallowing hard against a sudden lump in his throat and the one memory he had of his mother packing a suitcase that had never left the bedroom, James nodded and tried to keep the catch out of his voice. “Trust me, it was. And it was the right thing for her to do. Not every woman has the courage to do it.” Bram gave him a funny look so he must not have succeeded in keeping his tone neutral.

James gestured at the uncharacteristic outfit Macy was wearing. “Look at you, Macy. All business-like. You look great.” He smiled and teasingly added, “You just need a briefcase and you'd be all set."

Expression serious, Macy pointed one long, pink nail at the hallway, and solemnly informed him, “I left my case by my door. It's too heavy to carry around if I don't need to.” She shifted her weight on her four-inch heels and struck a cover girl pose. “A girl has to watch her balance in these shoes."

Flashing a glance between the other two men, James looked for clarification, but Mitch was staring at Macy's ample breasts and Bram wore a similar confused expression as James knew he did. He searched his memory and came across a possible explanation.

"You said something about taking classes before. Is that what you wear this to?"

Macy nodded vigorously. She attached herself to Mitch's arm and gave him an adoring gaze before turning back to James. “Uh-huh. I have morning classes in Long Term Retirement Investment Counseling and Understanding Annuities. Every Saturday morning."

All three men gave her a surprised stare. Bram recovered first. “You're a very ambitious woman, Macy. Most young ladies your age don't plan ahead for their futures."

Mike and Marty walked back in from their extended cigarette break to take a silent stance against one wall and ogle Macy's long legs and ass. Mitch glared at them. Grinning, Marty flipped him off.

"How are you doing in the classes?” Recovering slightly, James was suddenly curious. Macy didn't give anyone the impression she could make correct change let alone take investment courses and understand them. “Financial matters take a lot of concentration. I have trouble with them myself."

"I love working with numbers and finding the best way to make my money work for me. I mean, a girl's looks will only go so far and last so long, you know? Exotic dancing is a very limited profession. If I don't plan for my future, who will?” Macy suddenly seemed wiser and more mature than anyone else in the room. “I haven't met the right person to help me make a stable, secure future like my parents have.” She stared up into Mitch's face and added, “Yet."