Adrenaline Junkies Read online

  October 2004

  "When was the last time you jumped?"

  "What?"

  Eli Marshal loved to put that look on Jed Thatcher’s face. They were still new enough together that he loved putting any look there, especially well fucked, but Jed was usually so with it that when he got that befuddled look Eli thought it was fucking hilarious. He repeated and expanded the question. "When was the last time you went skydiving?"

  The look went from befuddled to no way. "That’s your job, Mister. You and Ross. I fly the plane. I don’t jump out of it."

  "Oh come on." This? Was fun. "Are you afraid of it? I know you had to learn in the Army."

  "You’re right. I had to. Stands to reason I wouldn’t want to again." Jed flipped Jumbo the giant wolfhound a piece of bacon, making the rest of their menagerie wag their tails and drool. Those bright blue eyes met his, serious and repressive. "So no."

  "Oh." Well. Damn. Just like that. He hid his disappointment in his coffee cup. Fire season was over, but Eli needed to do some jump training thanks to being out half the season with his bad ankle. He’d hoped Jed would jump with him.

  Jed just put the leftovers on his plate down on the floor so the dogs could have at and peered at him. "You’re serious? You want me to jump with you?"

  "Well, I thought it might be fun to go together. But if you don’t want to." Eli grimaced. He sounded like he was whining. Jesus. He was a big boy. He could jump without help. Maybe Jed would fly him.

  "Well, I know a guy. He’d be willing to fly for us."

  The grin that spread over Eli’s face felt huge. "You’ll go?"

  "Yeah. If you want. Reckon it’d be cool to see you jump from up there."

  The man constantly amazed him. Eli often wondered if that would rub off when Jed got to know him better. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe that he got to sit and look at that lean, muscled, and at the moment mostly naked form over breakfast every morning. Even with scruffy blonde morning whiskers, Jed was a sight that made his belly tight and his cock stir.

  "So you want me to call Ed?"

  "Sure. Not right now, though."

  Jed looked over at him, grinning at whatever he saw. Eli decided he must have that look. The one that said do me do me do me. "Right. Not right now. If we let the dogs lick the plates they’ll be easier to wash and we can go get busy for a while."

  "Oh, good idea,"

  Eli stood, still savoring not having that damned cast on. He grabbed the plates and laid them on the floor before grabbing Jed and hustling down the hall. They’d had sex on the kitchen table more than once, but he really wasn’t in the mood for a canine audience this morning.

  They made the bedroom in record time, latching the door behind them because Jumbo had learned how to nose open the handle. Damned mutts. Eli loved them, but he loved having Jed to himself more and there was nothing worse that Ojo farting on you while you were trying to get it on.

  The bed squeaked as Eli all but picked Jed up and tossed him on it, making Jed oof and chuckle. They reached for each other, lips meeting in a playful kiss, licking and biting. God, he loved that Jed made him laugh. He hadn’t done enough of that in his life.

  Jed’s shorts slid off easily. His own robe was even easier, and they pressed together, kissing and touching, hands sliding over hot skin. Jed was so much leaner than he was, muscles tight and wiry where his were bulky. The hair on Jed’s body was about three shades darker than the dark blonde hair on his head, just little patches of it here and there. The most intriguing led from Jed’s belly right down to his cock, getting bushy right on top.

  Moaning, thrashing, Jed urged him on, and Eli stooped to lick the head of Jed's cock. That got him a grunt, along with one of Jed's hands sliding into his hair to move him down even more. God, Jed smelled good. Right. Strong and male. Those long legs wrapped loosely around him, holding him where he was. Eli went right down, lips moving on Jed's thick flesh, sucking all the way.

  "Fuck. Eli. Yeah."

  Yeah. Jed was sounding about medium rare. Eli wanted the man well done before he let him come, so he tugged on Jed's balls, weighing them, pulling a little at the base of Jed's prick. Jed bucked, feet coming back down on the mattress to scrabble for purchase and push up. Now there was his advantage in being bigger. Eli planted his arm across Jed's belly and held him down, sucking harder on his prize, tongue rubbing the underside.

  "Jesus!"

  He almost smiled. Right past halfway to medium well. Time to really turn on the heat. Eli pressed one finger against Jed's hole, pushing in just to the first knuckle. He pulled all the way up, letting his breath tease the wet head, then went right back down, pushing his finger all the way in. Jed made him feel like a fucking porn star. Especially when Jed made noises like that and spilled hot come right into his waiting mouth. Made him feel like a god.

  "C'mere."

  Pulling at him, Jed urged him up and took a hot kiss, hand wrapping around his cock and pulling. Eli jumped like water on a hot griddle, then grinned at himself for thinking in Thatcher phrases. He gave up thinking a few minutes later when Jed bit him hard on the neck and probed the slit at the head of his cock. Eli just felt after that, humping Jed's hand until he came, shouting, his hips arching back and forth.

  "Oh." Jed petted him, hands sliding on his sweat damp skin. "Good."

  "Yeah. So does this mean you'll jump with me?"

  Jed pinched him. Hard. "Yeah, Mister pushy. I guess it does."

  He didn't even bother to retaliate, so happy he was just humming with it. He kissed Jed, hard and deep. He couldn't wait to see Jed's ass out in the sky. It would be inspiring.

  ***

  Jed Thatcher hated jumping out of airplanes. He flew them and he did such a damned good job that he never had to worry about bailing out. He'd thought there was something unnatural about it in the Army, had thought his brother Ross was insane for joining the 82nd, and still thought Eli Marshall was a nutball of epic proportions. Not only did the man jump out of planes, he jumped into fires.

  It made Jed's teeth itch.

  The old plane Ed Morris owned and used for jump training rumbled on, vibrating beneath him. The day was crystal clear, not a fucking cloud in the sky anywhere when he'd prayed for rain. Jed shook his head at himself. This wasn't about him. It was about Eli. The man would never ask Jed to walk into a fire with him, so this was about the only way he could share what he did. No way should Jed begrudge him that.

  He glanced over at Eli and got a big old grin and a thumbs up. The man was an adrenaline junkie, no doubt about it. Eli vibrated about twice as fast as the plane, and Jed had no doubt it was with anticipation. Weirdo. Eli had asked him if he'd rather tandem jump, and the idea had appealed, but Jed figured it was better to have no distractions. Just in case.

  They got to the agreed jump point and Eli motioned for him to go. Smart man. If Eli went first Jed might just sit on his ass on the plane. He nodded, held up three fingers. On three he'd go. Eli nodded, the grin getting even wider, more knowing. Damn him. Jed got into position, counted down, and didn't let himself think too damned much about it as he cleared the plane. If he did his brain would just rabbit and he knew this, knew how to do it, knew how to let training override the huge sucking fear in his chest.

  As soon as he safely could Jed pulled his chute, the jerk of his descent slowing taking his breath. The rush of the wind was fucking loud, the taste of ozone strong and bitter. Eli plummeted past him, not too close, but close enough he could see the man waving at him before he started showing off. Much as it made Jed's mouth dry with apprehension at the chances the man was taking, it also made him proud. Eli was damned good at this. As good as Ross maybe and Ross had been up for the Golden Knights at one time, before he'd decided he wante
d to teach jumping instead of do it all the time.

  A gust of wind caught him, turned him in a slow, sickening circle and Jed decided he'd best concentrate on hitting his target, not on the man doing little somersaults below him. Damned fool man. He wasn't sure if he meant him or Eli, but his heart was in his throat until Eli pulled his chute and slowed down. After that it was just a matter of waiting, of making small adjustments so he didn't come down somewhere that would cause trouble, like on that power line, or that tree.

  The ground came up on him like it always did. Too damned fast. He automatically bent his knees to absorb the shock, only stumbling a little. He caught the parachute up like he was supposed to, did all the right things, and just sat down as his knees gave out and he crumpled.

  Damn, he hated that.

  He had no idea how long he sat there before Eli squatted in front of him, hands on his cheeks. "Hey, Thatcher. You all right?"

  "Huh? Yeah." Oh. Eli. Cool. He hadn't seen Eli land. "I'm just a little out of breath."

  "You're gray. Damn, Jed. I know you said you didn't like it, but you didn't tell me it made you sick."

  Jed sighed, shook off Eli's hands and struggled up so he could get out of the harness. "S'okay, Eli. I had fun watching you. You're damned fine."

  He got a grin and a kiss, Eli practically bouncing. "Yeah? S'fucking amazing up there. I love it. Makes me feel free."

  "You're a nut." Jed just laughed, shook his head. "I like it about you. Next time Ross comes to visit if he isn't laid up you'll have to jump with him. You two would have a time."

  Those dark eyes were serious as Eli looked him over, making sure he was steady. "Thanks, Jed."

  "You'll make it up to me." He'd see to it. As soon as they got home that fine ass was his. Hell, he'd go after it now except his knees were none too steady and they were out in the open waiting for Ed's son to pick them up. And there he was now.

  The ride home went smooth, Jed managing to laugh and joke with Jody, singing along to the George Strait cd and making Eli cringe. Wasn't until they got home and got the dogs and other animals fed and got changing clothes that Jed snapped. He just grabbed Eli and shoved him up against a wall, kissing him fiercely.

  Eli grunted, fought him for a minute, then just melted right into the kiss, lips opening up for Jed's tongue to push inside. Damn. Jed took advantage, pushing in to taste. Yeah. Hot. Spicy. Alive. Eli felt so solid against him. So real. Jed ran his hands all over that big body, stroking and petting, feeling muscles bunch and release under his fingers.

  "Damn. Jed."

  Eli pushed at him, moving them back, dragging him to the bedroom. Yeah, he'd need to be horizontal and naked to do some of the things he had in mind. Starting with Eli's shirt Jed began stripping them both down, savoring Eli's hot skin, the rough feel of Eli's body hair, the flat male nipples on Eli's chest. He was just wild with it suddenly, needing Eli so bad.

  Eli gave as good as he got, stripping Jed down just as fast, hands digging in hard enough to bruise. Jed felt the world tilt as Eli pushed him down on the bed, stripping off his jeans, and Jed let him get them both naked before attacking, pushing Eli down instead, straddling him. "I wanna fuck you."

  "Okay." Eli wasn't arguing, just feeling him up, hands sliding down his back to his ass and then beyond to cup his balls in one of those huge fucking hands.

  Moaning, bending to bite at Eli's lips, Jed rubbed, his cock sliding against Eli's washboard belly. The man made him crazy, no doubt about it. If he didn't get with it he was gonna come all over and that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted in, wanted to feel that incredible tight heat around him, affirming that they were both alive, both safe.

  Jed rolled off Eli, scrambling for lube, slicking up and spreading Eli wide so he could kneel between those heavily muscled thighs and slide two fingers right into Eli's body. Eli moaned, bucked, making harsh breathless noises. Stretching Eli carefully was hard. Jed didn't want to wait, especially when Eli grabbed the damned lube and used it on Jed's cock, getting him good and wet.

  "Come on, Thatcher. I won't keep if you… oh. Damn. Come on."

  That was all he needed. Jed nodded, moving into position, lining up with Eli's hole and sliding in. Eli moaned, Jed groaned, and somewhere beyond the closed door one of the dogs whined. Laughing, Jed started moving, in and out in short, hard jerks. No way could he take it slow and set up a nice rhythm. Eli seemed just as needy, knees drawing up on either side of Jed's hips, pushing up and up against him, trying to get more.

  They moved hard and fast, their skin slapping together. Jed dug his fingers into the skin of Eli's shoulders, bracing himself, pounding in. Eli panted under him, chest rising and falling, reaching down to stroke his own cock and Jed moaned as that made Eli ripple around him. He let go with one hand, reached down to help Eli along, and it took maybe three strokes for Eli to cry out and come over their joined hands, body clamping down so that Jed shot maybe five seconds later.

  "Oh," he said when he got his breath back. "Oh, damn."

  "Yeah." Eli stroked him, petted him. "That was wild. Looks like jumping makes you crazy."

  Jed snorted. "Makes me something. Don't ever ask me to do that again."

  Eli laughed, hugged him tight. "Deal."

  "Good."

  November 2004

  "Come on, baby."

  "Huh? Where are we going?"

  "To the sporting goods place." Ross grinned, watching Kev try not to look up from his spy novel. The sporting goods finally won, Kev looking up at him, nose wrinkled.

  "Ew. Why?"

  "Because we need bait. And I need a new reel for the pole you're going to use." He hid a grin. Kev was too damned fun.

  "I get the feeling you're not talking about your pole are you?" One dark eyebrow went up, a look Kev had perfected in their first month together, supposedly out of self defense. Ross thought it was more because Kev was determined Ross wasn't gonna do anything he couldn't.

  "Nope. Pole as in fishing pole. My buddy Ryan has a farm pond he's gonna let us use. Bass fishing. Come on, we're burning daylight."

  "You really are John Wayne."

  He laughed, the disgusted look on Kev's face at odds with the speed that Kev used getting up off the couch and getting his shoes on. His baby might complain up a storm, but he liked doing things with Ross, and Ross took shameless advantage of it. He liked spending time with Kev, too. Out of bed as well as in.

  "It's been a long time since I went fishing, baby. I might have to turn in my manly stud card if I don't go soon." Ross got his hat, plopped a floppy deal on Kev's head, too and headed out. The cooler, tackle box, poles and boat seats were already in the truck. Yeah, okay, he'd been pretty sure Kev would come along.

  They rode to the sporting goods store, Kev snarking at him the whole way. Ross figured he was just gonna bust something at the look on Kev's face when he answered the, "What kind of bait," question.

  "Nightcrawlers. I'm not much on spinners."

  "Nightcrawlers? As in worms?" Kev looked a little green around the gills. "Murderer."

  "Wait 'til you see me gut a fish."

  "Oh, God."

  Ross just laughed some more, pulling into the parking lot of the Sportsman's Warehouse. Paradise on a concrete floor. He could spend hours in there. Not that he would, because he wanted to get out on the pond before it got too hot and he had to stop by Ryan's and pick up the little boat first.

  They got inside and Ross immediately headed for the fishing section. He'd get the nightcrawlers out of the fridge right before they left, keep them fresh. He didn't realize he'd lost Kev until he was on his way back up to the checkout, and there was no tall, skinny shadow trailing along behind him. He should have wondered why it was so quiet. Ross went looking, finally finding Kev standing in front of a display, looking for all the world like he was gonna pass out.

  "What's up, baby?"

  "Injectable butter and bacon marinade."

  Ross looked. Sure enough, the brightly packaged boxes in front of Kev hel
d bottles of marinade, and great big plastic syringes kinda like turkey-basters so you could shoot the stuff right into a chicken or a turkey or a pheasant or something. Oh. Oh, God. Ross lost it, clapping Kev on the shoulder. "We should get some. I bet it'd be great lube."

  "Ew! Ewewew. I knew you were going to say it. I knew it! Next thing you know you'll want the ragin' Cajun, just because it will spice up our sex life."

  The big guy going by with his fishing vest and hat on gave them quite a look at that one and Kev went deep red as Ross chortled. Practically made him snort. Damn. That was just... too easy. "Oh, no, baby. We should get the Mexican chile. I can have a regular fiesta with your ass."

  "Oh, ha ha." Kev gave him such a look and stomped off, leaving him hanging on an adjacent shelf, wheezing for breath he was laughing so hard. When he finally recovered he grabbed some of the butter and bacon stuff and added it to his haul. He'd put it by the bed when they got home, watch Kev go round the bend.

  He checked out, found Kev outside on a bench, petting some random hound who was tied to a pillar. Ross grinned, reached down to scratch the mutt's ears. "You need a dog. You ready to go?"

  "I've been ready ever since the trauma of the marinade. Yeah, let's go"

  Grinning, feeling evil down to his bones, Ross handed over the container of nightcrawlers. "Cool. You hold the worms."

  "Oh, gross."

  "Somehow I knew you were gonna say that."

  He knew that despite Kev's protests, they'd have a hell of a good time, too. They always did.

  ***

  "I can't believe we fell in the pond."

  Kev couldn't believe it. And he'd been saying it all the way home, sitting in the truck smelling like Carolina red mud. He didn't mean to be, like, repetitive. But well, they'd fallen in the pond.

  "Well, baby. I'm not one to point fingers. But if you hadn't gotten so excited about that duck..."

  "He came in the boat with us!" And it was a very small boat, barely clearing the waterline as it was, and adding a surprisingly heavy duck had made it precarious indeed. Trying to shoo the duck away had rocked the boat more than it could handle and they both went ass over teakettle into the water, all of their gear and all of those poor drowned worms.