CHAPTER 4 - QUICK, QUICK AND IT’S WHO SHE KNOWS

THIRTY MINUTES LATER

JUSTIN

I take great, heaving breaths before I sit back on the sofa. “What the hell was that?!” 

“I don’t know, but it was fun...right? You thought it was fun. I am basing this solely on the squirming in my lap, you allowing me to palm your ass, which, by feel alone, Mel is right about. Mighty fine.” He rakes a look down my dishevelled self. “And that…”

“What?” I demand.

“Wet patch.” He whispers.

“I think it’s best if you…”

“Get you where you need to be.” He murmurs, and before I could stop him, not that I was going to, his large warm hand is down my boxers. “Want me to stop?”

“No, but kiss me at the same time!” I plead.

“Nope, I want to hear what you sound like since I fully intend to hear that again.” He rearranges us so that I am spooned against him. “Ready?” 

“Wait! The door...Daph and Mel, they could…”

“Been her best friend since forever, they won’t. Now, back to this.” He whispers before kissing my ear. Then his hand starts to move, at first it's good, then it is great, and then excellent! 

“Oh God! Oh God!” I alternate between grinding my ass and pumping my hips. “Please, please, kiss me! Please!”

“No.” He growls before he speeds up his strokes,

“Why?!” I wail, before thinking 'fuck this' and yanking his head down so I can kiss him instead. That’s when everything changes. His hand goes in tandem with his tongue, everything pools in the base of my spine. I maneuver myself so that we are chest to chest, but with my leg over him. He covers us with the blanket. “Slower.” I moan, and for the next thirty minutes he brings me to the brink and back before finally tipping me over. “Aieeee!” I shriek, then shudder out my release. I am about to say something when he growls into my neck. “So, again, what the hell was that?!”

“A kiss, a handjob, more kisses, tossing, then we came…” He lifts his head and puffs the damp hair off of his forehead. “...but as to why the hell? Well you pounced on me! Ah-ah-ah, you did. I was sitting here, meek as a little lamb, just talking about the twins, suddenly you clambered over me like some voracious wolf and started to kiss me. I was shocked, stunned into submission.” His eyes dance with laughter and I snort. 

“Well that’s a reaction I have never heard to fainting before. You okay?” Mel asks...Mel? When did she return, and how long has she been back?! “Justin, are you okay now?” Mel looks so worried, I slowly nod then look down, I am on the sofa still dressed and dry!

“Now? What do you mean now? What time is it?” I croak as I try to sit up, but am stopped by who I am resting on. “Why?” I repeat as I  look into hazel eyes.

“You fainted.” Brian slowly helps me into a better position. “Drink this. By drink, I mean sip.” He orders before handing me some water.

“I did? Why? And thank you.”

“You were telling Gus about the twins, Zeus and Odin…”

“I was…”

“And Gus was jumping up and down with excitement. You joined in, then fainted.” Mel continues.

“Oh shit! How’s Gus, where is he?!” 

“Calm down, he’s fine. He's gone to muck out the stables, couldn’t stop him. Ronald and Nancy’s attorney is talking with Daph. They were going over paperwork when you passed out. I am going to join them, are you two going to be okay?”

“Sure.” Brian answers. “But if he could have the pants, that would be good.”

“Oh yes, of course!” She goes to hand them to me, but he takes them.

I wait for her to leave before he puts them on the back of the sofa. “Gonna put them on, or would you like to continue to subtly rut against my hand?”

“Rut against…” I trail off mortified and stop rutting. “...I am so sorry, I…”

“Don’t apologise, it’s a compliment that you were subconsciously thinking about me like that, after just one meeting.” He drops the pants in my lap. “Need help, or will you be able to get the beast back in the cage by thinking of snatch?” I am saved answering by his phone ringing. Quickly, I scurry around behind the sofa to put them on and calm myself down...thank goodness the majority of that was a faint-dream! 

“Hi, what’s up? Oh you have, have you? She made you, did she? Well tell her that we Kinney men honour our word, and we will be there. What time? Yes, I double chocolate cookie promise. Stay there, I will pick you up.” He has such a sweet look on his face, before turning to me. “Beast back in the cage?”

“Yes.” I can’t help return his grin. “I am not normally…”

“Like I said, a compliment.”

“So, um, double chocolate cookie promise?” I question. Now it is his turn to blush. 

“My son, Hunter. He wants to go see his Grandma for dinner this weekend. We’ve not been in a while. Can’t really refuse, specially not this week.”

“This week?”

“Anniversary of his mom’s death. She had a choice: take the treatment to cure the cancer, or go ahead with the pregnancy and take a chance that she and Hunter would survive. She did for three days; saw him, held him, then died.” 

“I am so, so sorry! How old is he?”

“Fourteen. Loves horses. Is gonna be sad to see Zeus go, he’s been looking after him.” He looks very proud. “But you are now both ready for…”

“He can visit, if you would be okay with that.”

“That’s very kind, but you don’t need to…”

“Want to.” I interject, then sigh as my phone beeps. “Sorry, I have to reply to this, she will only keep texting until I do.” But before I can, an exasperated Gus comes storming in. “Let me guess, she’s texted you.”

“Seventeen times! Just tell her that we can host it here! You know that’s what she wants to do, then that’s the end of it!” He grumbles, but is smiling. “She’s not been here in months. Please.”

“I suppose a couple of hours won’t hurt, and besides, it will provide some amusement as she slaps him around the head!”

“Exactly! He’s due a few!” Gus chortles, before running back out. 

“So who’s pitching, and who’s receiving?” Brian twirls his phone. “The head slaps I mean, obviously.”

“My ‘Ma’. See, Lindsay is Gus’s mother, and my “Ma” is the mother of her best friend. I can’t stand him, but I adore her. My Ma, not Lindsay. She can be a bit bossy, but like I said, I adore her.”

“Hi, guys, is everything okay?” Mel asks, as she and Daphne return.

“Yeah, fine. Justin has said that Hunter can visit Zeus when he’s back here.” Brian smiles and stands. “Gonna collect him now...he’s at the diner.” 

“Oooh. Can he order take out?” Daphne pleads.

“Could I stop you two?” Brian puts on his jacket.

“Nope, but at least I asked first! Let me call him! Getting you a loaded hotdog and fries, end of.” 

“Fine, but no onion and extra bacon!” 

“Why do you feel the need to tell me that? Remember, best friend, I know this! You wrap this up, will be in the car.” She tells him with a smile. “Ah, Hunter darling, take out order, you ready?” 

He chuckles, then nods down at my phone. “Oh, for heaven sake!” I gripe as it beeps again. “Mel, can you give Brian my number so we can arrange visits for Hunter?”

“Sure.” Mel smiles as again it beeps. “Now answer her before she comes to the house and brings that with her!”

DINER - TEN MINUTES LATER

DEBS

Oh, I love that boy! I almost hug myself as he finally replies, saying we can all come to his for dinner on Sunday. I head to the table, where Hunter has tucked himself, and put down his drink. “Here you go, sweetness, one coke float. Your Dad or Daph coming in?” 

“Dad.” He replies, which makes me smile wider. “You know he likes to check the order before we take it home.”

“That he does.” I chuckle. “How you holding up? This is me, so don’t be saying okay. Be honest!”

“Better. You heard about Zeus?”

“Yeah, Ted told me. How do you feel about that?” I sigh, disbelieving that this is part of my life. 

“He doesn't go until next week, so I'm going to spend as much with him as I can.” 

“Good. Now we’ve had a few new intakes this week. What people do to animals is horrific, and then have the nerve to call themselves human. They have been kicked off of LA!” 

“Ben and I will be there tomorrow, is that alright?” He asks between sips. “What are they?”

“Two wolf dogs, a bengal, a parrot, an owl, and three ducks.” He stares at me for a few seconds. 

“Ducks?” He repeats.

“Ducks. All male, and…”

“Debs!” Kiki hisses, which means only one, or maybe two things. Michael and Lindsay. 

“Be right back!” I whisper before heading to meet the banes of my life! 

“Hey, you two, you staying long?” I gesture around. “We’re pretty rammed right now, and…”

“Ma, come on, I couldn't walk another step!” Michael dramatises before wilting like a flower! “I just want a coffee and a burger. Look, that table there is free.”

“No it isn’t…” I assert. “...twinks have just gone to the bathroom.” The disdain ripples towards me, he hates twinks. “You can use the ante room, or…”

“I can drop you off!” Sirius, one of the busboys, declares. “My shift is done, and you are on my way.”

“What do you think, Lindz?” He asks then she pretends to dwell on his question. 

“Can we order and get it delivered? By the time we get wine…”

“Fine. Thank you, Sirius.” I make a mental note to add $50 to his tips. I decide to make $70 when they take ten fucking minutes ordering what they normally do!

“So, where are we on Sunday?” Michael asks.

“Britin.” I reply.

“How did you persuade Wheelie Boy to...ouch!” He rubs his shin where I kicked him; have taken to mixing it up as to where I nail him.

“Told you about that!” I snarl. “I am throwing a thank you dinner, and mine is too small, so he said we could come there. And I would advise you two to be super duper nice to all of us, or those keys won't be returned anytime soon!” 

“Let’s get you home, Michael, so we can put some ice on that.” Lindsay orders, then helps him to hobble out. “Sirius, are you parked far?”

“No, just coming.” He grits out.

“Whatever you put in his tips, here’s another $20.” Kiki declares. “Anyone else?!”

HUNTER

I have sent the text to Ben. He is, as usual, down for anything that involves animals. I feel the relief sweep through the room as those two leave. I don’t understand why she doesn’t kick his ass more, am just grateful I have never met them!

My phone beeping heralds a text from Dad to say they are stuck in traffic, to get Grandma to hold off the order for another forty minutes...and I am not to load up on fries or cheesy toast in the meantime! I am about to ignore that when Grandma laughs. “I can’t believe he texted you too!” I grumble as she comes back with...cheesy toast. “Thank you!” 

“So about Sunday. Look, we’re going to be at the place of a friend of mine, known him for years, but he was in an accident and is in a wheelchair.” 

“Okay, so why do I need to know that?”

“The Wheelie Boy comment. He has a good head on his shoulders. He knows about my animal rescue service, why wouldn’t he? And has always wanted to help me, but in order to do that, I would need to disconnect from you guys. I don't want to, but it is too far for me to go every weekend, and with the diner…so I figured, maybe you all could just meet and work something out.”

Before I can answer,  the diner goes quiet, which means one thing: Dad has arrived. “You told him forty minutes.” `Grandma states heading towards him whilst I hide the plate.

“I can deadlift you!” He smirks, before proving his point. “Is there any left? He queries as he sits down, I take the plate out of my lap. “Another order of these for Daph, please. You know she will be pissed if she doesn’t get it, and get it hot!” Grandma nods and heads, smiling, to sort out our order. “You okay?”

“Yeah, but Grandma’s doing that nervous-weird thing, so be nice, please?”

“What about?” He looks worriedly at her. “She seems fine.”

“We’re not at hers for dinner, some friend she’s known for years, but is also talking about splitting from the rehab centre. She doesn’t want to, but you know what little space she has, and where the centre is, it’s too far for her to travel to check on them as much as she’d like, and with the diner…”

“She has no time. Alright, leave it with me.” He kisses my cheek just as she puts the bag down. “So the address for Sunday is, and what do I call our benevolent host?”

“Thank you, Hunter, I knew you could say it better than me! I gabble when nervous, which is never often, but you, Mr Kinney, have the ability in the two years I have known you to make me nervous!” Dad doffs his imaginary cap. “So I call him Sunshine. He’s got a smile that could light up the universe, but his actual name is Justin Taylor. He lives in this wonderful mansion called Britin, so nice! But you also get to meet Michael, Lindsay and Mel. Oh, he has a son called Gus, so at least there will be someone your age, Hunter.”

“Dad, are you alright?” I shake his shoulder.

“Oh yeah, everything is perfect. Ready to go?”