Page 80 of Steady Stroke
He saw a guy who’d been caught.
The prosecutor spoke the most, offering up evidence and witness statements. Pete Monroe was called to make his statementabout the night of the fire. No one called Emmett to speak, and he was told later that his words would hold more weight at the sentencing hearing, which would be scheduled for a later date, after the judge had time to sort through the evidence.
In the end, Chandler Gunn pled guilty to three counts of aggravated assault and one count of arson. The judge accepted the plea, and that was that. Emmett walked out slightly nauseated, but also relieved that Chandler was safely in lockup until sentencing.
One reporter had approached them on the walk to the car, and Emmett had stopped long enough to look into the local news camera and say, “I’m thankful the truth has finally come out, and that perhaps my family can find peace.”
He’d slept on the ride back, his head in Lincoln’s lap, so he didn’t have to talk about it. He wouldn’t know what to say.
Lincoln puttered around in the kitchen before returning with two beers. “I think we deserve these, especially you.”
Emmett clinked his bottle’s neck against Lincoln’s. He’d taken a Xanax that morning, hours ago, so one beer should be okay. He sucked down the cheap, yeasty liquid. Lincoln rearranged them so that he was leaning against the corner of the couch, with Emmett lounging on his chest, their free hands tangled together over Emmett’s belly.
They didn’t talk for a while. They drank their beers and Emmett enjoyed the simplicity of sitting in silence with his boyfriend. Of being cared for without asking.
“I thought I would feel more today,” Emmett said. “About the hearing.”
“I don’t think anyone expects you to feel any certain way. It’s pretty huge, them finally putting Chandler behind bars.”
“I know it is. Maybe that’s why it feels weird to be so calm. Shouldn’t I be celebrating or something?”
“Hmmm.” Lincoln’s thumb caressed his palm. “Know what I think? I think you are such a sensitive, caring human being that you can’t celebrate another person going to prison. You want justice, but you don’t want to cause another person pain, and prison probably won’t be a fun place for a guy like Chandler.”
“What kind of guy is that?”
“Soft. After the thing with my parents, and after my collarbone healed, I moved to Philly to make my own way. I lived in some dumps, and I saw a lot of shit. I learned how to protect myself. I taught myself how to look at a guy and know if he was someone who’d take a swing, or who’d duck for cover. Chandler? He’d duck.”
“So would I.”
“So would a lot of people.”
“Not you.”
He felt Lincoln’s shrug. “Before the accident? No, I’d have come out swinging, especially to protect someone I care about. But now? I have to be a lot more careful.” Lincoln laughed. “I can’t afford to get hit in the head anymore.”
That dinged Emmett’s guilt bell hard.
“That being said.” Lincoln put his empty beer bottle on the floor, then flattened both his palms over Emmett’s lower belly. “I will do everything I can to protect what’s mine.”
Heat surged through Emmett, a heady mixture of arousal and joy that made his dick take notice of the hot guy in proximity. “Oh yeah?”
“You up to it?”
He pushed one of Lincoln’s hands lower so he could feel his growing erection. “What do you think?”
Lincoln rubbed him through his dress slacks until he was fully hard and alternately pushing up into Lincoln’s palm and rutting his ass against Lincoln’s own thickening cock. Lincolnkissed along his jaw and throat, licking and nibbling, while his free hand pinched at Emmett’s nipples. Emmett gasped and writhed, loving the way Lincoln played his body so perfectly. Creating an achingly slow buildup to what Emmett knew would be a deafening crescendo.
“Please,” Emmett whispered.
Lincoln nipped his earlobe. “Please what?”
Emmett wasn’t entirely certain what he wanted until the words slipped out. “I want you in me.”
The talented hands strumming notes on his body stilled. Emmett twisted his neck, his own words burning brightly inside of him, setting off a need that wouldn’t be quenched by anything other than what he’d asked for. Lincoln’s unprotected eyes gleamed with desire and need and something so tender that Emmett’s heart rolled over completely.
“Are you sure?” Lincoln asked. “Absolutely sure? This is your limit, babe, and I don’t want you to regret it.”
“I’m positive.” He rolled over so they were chest-to-chest, hard cocks grinding together through layers of fabric. He showed Lincoln how ready he was with a long, lazy kiss. Slow licks into Lincoln’s mouth, a gentle chase of tongues. Maybe a soft bite or two.
