Page 6 of Joey’s Trick

6

T rick appeared in Joey’s view, a satisfied smirk on his face. He leaned down and kissed Joey sweetly. It made Joey’s heart ache because he would have given anything for this in high school. And the little voice in his head kept nagging at him, telling him he was making a mistake by letting Trick back into his life, and giving him the power to annihilate him once more. Joey liked to believe he was stronger than he used to be, but he knew Trick held him in the palm of his hand and could crush him with one thoughtless clench.

Joey forced the voice away, determined to enjoy the night even if it was only a onetime thing. He returned Trick’s kiss with passion, running his palms along Trick’s back, fingers trailing over the defined muscles. Trick stood suddenly, holding his hand out to Joey. He took it and Trick tugged him from the sofa, leading him into the nearby bedroom. A king size bed with a black metal frame sat against the far wall with a dark nightstand on either side. That was all Joey had the chance to notice before Trick pushed him onto the mattress, following him down to blanket Joey’s body.

“From the moment I saw you the other day, this is all I’ve thought about,” Trick said, his eyes liquid with heat. “Touching you is like touching the sun.”

Joey sucked in a breath at Trick’s words, his heart squeezing in his chest at the almost romantic words. He didn’t get to dwell on them because Trick captured his mouth once more in an almost desperate kiss, distracting him from his thoughts. Trick broke the contact long enough to strip Joey’s shoes, jeans, and briefs off along with his own.

His eyes widened when he saw Trick’s impressive size between his thighs. At least an inch or two longer than his own, and thick like a can of Red Bull. It had been a while since Joey bottomed and his hole clenched at the idea of taking Trick’s cock. Trick reached into the nightstand and pulled out a bottle of slick and a condom. He opened the lube, poured some on his fingers, and closed it, tossing it aside.

The bed frame creaked slightly when Trick lowered down onto him again and began to lick and bite along Joey’s chest. Joey couldn’t stop himself from tensing slightly when Trick’s fingers probed at his entrance. Trick stopped and looked up at him. “Okay?”

“Been a while,” Joey murmured.

Raising a brow, Trick asked, “Since you’ve had sex?”

Joey gave a husky chuckle and shook his head. “No, since I’ve been on the bottom.”

Understanding dawned on Trick’s face, quickly followed by tenderness. He leaned in and kissed Joey, his mouth soft and sweet. “I won’t hurt you,” he said.

Trick didn’t resume his explorations of Joey’s ass immediately. Instead, he pressed gentle kisses along Joey’s cheek, chin, neck, and throat. He traveled further still along Joey’s chest, navel and abdomen. Joey sucked in a breath when Trick flicked his tongue over the tip of Joey’s cock before swirling it around the head. The distraction proved to be what Joey needed as Trick probed the tight ring of muscles, carefully sliding a single digit inside. A groan rattled in Joey’s chest when one finger became two and Trick scissored his fingers, stretching him. Pleasure soared through him with each of Trick’s movements.

Once Trick seemed satisfied Joey could accept him without pain, he withdrew his fingers, rose onto his knees to slide on the condom, and spilled lube onto the length of his shaft. “Ready for me?” Trick asked, scooting closer until the head of his cock touched the entrance to Joey’s ass.

Joey nodded, grabbing the backs of his knees to lift his legs a bit more and open them wider. Trick eased the tip into Joey, pure pleasure etched on his face when the ring closed around the crown of Trick’s cock. “Jesus, you’re tight,” Trick moaned, inching further into him.

The stretch burned, but Joey pulled Trick down into a passionate kiss, ignoring the sensation. Both of them moaned when Trick bottomed out, balls deep inside of Joey. Nipping at Joey’s bottom lip, Trick undulated his hips, withdrawing a bit before pushing back in. Joey wrapped his legs around Trick’s waist while one hand gripped one of Trick’s biceps and the other remained locked around his nape. They never broke eye contact, just watching the other as the pleasure built higher and deeper.

Joey couldn’t stop trembling from the intimacy of the moment. Never in the seven years he’d been having sex had he ever felt such a deep connection with any of the men he’d been with. He didn’t know if it was because he wasn’t the one doing the fucking or if it was because it was Trick. The idea of the reason being Trick scared the shit out of him even more than before. If it felt this way between them, how would it feel when Joey headed back home? Or if Trick turned out to be the same jerk from high school?

He turned his head away, attempting to break the connection, but Trick wouldn’t let him. He cupped Joey’s cheek and urged him to look at him again. Trick gave him a tender kiss, still not increasing the speed of his movements. Perspiration had built on their skin and Joey couldn’t resist licking the bead of sweat that clung to Trick’s chin. The salt exploded across Joey’s taste buds, wrenching a groan from him.

Finally, Trick moved a little faster, increasing the intensity of his thrusts, until the bedframe was squeaking steadily. A grin broke over Trick’s face, and Joey furrowed his brows at him. What the hell was so funny? “Never realized how much I need to oil the hinges on my bed,” Trick said, his voice rough from their passion.

Joey couldn’t help it. He broke out laughing and Trick chuckled and collapsed on him slightly, both lost to the humor of the moment. When their mirth calmed down, Trick raised his body again and gazed down at him, running a hand along Joey’s cheek and brushing the hair away from his face. “You’ve never had anyone here?” Joey asked, brow raised.

“No. Never wanted anyone else here,” Trick said. Sincerity radiated from the dark blue sapphires Joey had spent so many years loving. It twisted Joey’s heart even further and Joey knew he would be missing a chunk of his heart once more when he returned home. He wrapped a hand around Trick’s nape again and yanked him down into a hard kiss, trying his damndest to ignore the emotions building between them.

Trick moved into an almost kneeling position, pushing Joey’s legs further open, his eyes trained on his cock plunging in and out of Joey’s body. For the first time in a very long time during sex, Joey fought off a blush. He’d been in a lot of erotic positions, but to know it was Trick’s gaze on his body caused him to feel self-conscious. “So goddamn beautiful,” Trick rasped and grasped Joey’s bobbing shaft, stroking lightly.

“Shit.” Joey groaned, gripping the sheets under him at the dual sensation of Trick’s dick stretching him wide with each deep thrust into his channel and the callouses of Trick’s work-roughened hand tugging on him. He could feel his balls tightening, ready to unload, and he couldn’t take his eyes off of the head of his prick surging in and out of Trick’s hand. “Fuck, I’m going to cum.”

“Do it,” Trick ordered. “Come while I’m inside you.” The sensual deepness of Trick’s voice washed over Joey, and he tensed up slightly, back arching a fraction as his seed rushed up through his cock and splattered across his chest, stomach, and abdomen. Joey shouted, his body shuddering with each hard spurt.

Trick followed him over the edge, grunting as he unloaded in the condom, his head tipped backward with his eyes closed. Joey could feel the heat of Trick’s spunk through the rubber, and he almost bemoaned the fact the man wore it at all. The idea of being marked on the inside by Trick sent tiny aftershocks rushing through him.

He gasped when Trick withdrew from him and discarded the condom. Trick collapsed to the bed beside him, wrapped an arm around him, and drew him close, nuzzling at his neck. “You okay?”

“I—” Joey cleared his throat, his voice hoarse. “I’m okay.”

Cuddling after sex felt weird and abnormal to Joey. Normally Joey ghosted the second he’d finished coming. He stared at the ceiling fan overhead, watching the way the lights from the courtyard danced across it, the breeze outside causing the palm tree fronds to blot out the light off and on. Trick didn’t speak again, just continued to hold him, lightly caressing his arm. The gentle touch, Trick’s soft breathing, and the release from his orgasm lulled Joey to sleep.

But his dreams didn’t allow for peaceful rest. Memories of waking up in the emergency room, the cruel tone in Trick’s voice as Joey heard those awful words over and over in his head, and his own insecurities about why Trick suddenly wanted him haunted every second. So when he woke to find himself face down, a slight gasp shaking his body, Joey’s heart beat hard at his rib cage. It took several breaths before he realized where he was.

A warm palm settling onto his back jolted Joey even more. “What’s wrong?” Trick asked, his voice sleep roughened.

“Nothing,” Joey whispered into the darkness. “Bad dream.”

He tensed when Trick traced the edges of the tattoo on his back. “Do you want to talk about it?”

At first, Joey thought Trick meant the tattoo, but then he realized Trick meant his nightmare. “No. It was nothing.”

Trick pressed a light kiss to the tattoo on Joey’s bicep, still trailing his fingers over Joey’s back tattoo. “You sure?”

Joey turned his head so he could see Trick. “I’m sure.”

Smiling, Trick ran his thumb over Joey’s cheek. “Okay. Why don’t you try to go back to sleep? I have to be up early to finish our latest project. I’ll wake you and we can grab some coffee before I take you home.”

“Maybe I should just go home now,” Joey murmured.

“Why?” Trick asked. “It’s the middle of the night.”

Joey studied Trick’s face for several long moments. He didn’t want to leave. No, he wanted to stay in Trick’s bed, in Trick’s arms, forever. Which is exactly why he should get up and leave. The weak part of Joey, the part he’d thought he’d banished for good, demanded he remain right where he was. “This can’t be anything,” Joey said.

Surprise and disappointment flashed over Trick’s features. “Because you live in Orlando?”

Sitting up, Joey moved to place his back against the headboard, a pillow stuffed behind him. “Mostly. My life is there. My job.”

“Mostly? You’re still angry at me for what I said to those guys in high school, then.” Trick sighed, shifting to sit beside him. “I promise you, Joey. That wasn’t me. It isn’t me. Why isn’t that good enough?”

“It’s not that it isn’t good enough, Trick. I just… it’s only been a day since my entire viewpoint of the last eight years has been knocked on its ass. I don’t know what the fuck I feel. I certainly didn’t intend on getting into bed with you tonight.” Joey ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “Eight years is a long time to believe you hate me then to suddenly find out you don’t? Fuck, Trick, I fucking loved you back then and you nearly destroyed me.”

Shit! Joey hadn’t meant to say all of that. He’d just been unable to hold his tongue any further. Confusion, shock, and sadness emanated from Trick. “I-I didn’t know that, Joey. I knew you had a hero worship thing for me and your brother, but I never imagined,” Trick breathed. “What do you mean I nearly destroyed you?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing. Just forget it.”

“No. You can’t say something like that and then not explain it.” Trick changed positions to face Joey head on, refusing to let Joey hide.

“I just went through a lot of depression,” Joey said. It was a half-truth. He had been very depressed and fought through that every day still. His therapist had diagnosed him with clinical depression and anxiety. He even took meds to control it. Either way, there was no way in hell he’d tell Trick of his suicide attempt.

Trick made a noise in his throat and reached out to yank Joey against him, hugging him hard. “I’m so fucking sorry, Joey. I really, truly am. You have to believe me.”

Joey tentatively returned Trick’s hug, his fingers digging into the muscles along Trick’s back. He knew he had to stop throwing everything in Trick’s face. He’d apologized more than once and he’d even said he’d tried to forgive him. But the intimacy during sex had opened more emotions than Joey could have imagined. The hole he’d felt inside of him for so long had shrunk slightly. Almost as though those moments with Trick were filling more than just his body. Truthfully, it scared the shit out of him.

Until these last few days, he hadn’t even realized just how much of a wall he’d erected to the world and the people around him. He hadn’t truly let anyone in over the years. No relationships beyond what someone could do for him in bed. Hell, he barely had any friends beyond his co-workers and those were only for basketball games and going out clubbing to find his next conquest.

Swallowing hard, Joey rested his forehead on Trick’s shoulder. “I’m not trying to guilt trip you, Trick. It’s just really hard to let go of what happened in a few days of hearing an apology and realizing things weren’t what they seemed back then.”

“I get it,” Trick said, his voice soft. “I’m not trying to push you, but I just need to know if you can give it a chance. You and me, I mean.”

Joey lifted his head to look at Trick, studying the firm lines of his tanned features. He knew he wanted to. God, how he wanted to. The question which chased its tail in his head was, could he? Could he let go of everything and give Trick that chance he asked for? Anger at Trick had driven him for so long. Now that his anger was fading, Joey’s insecurities reared their ugly head inside of him. Something which he hadn’t allowed to affect him since his first year of college before his trip to the hospital.

Hope warred with uncertainty in the deep sapphires Joey couldn’t get enough of. Despite everything, Joey knew he couldn’t hurt Trick. If Trick truly wanted to be with him, he’d try. Once. He wouldn’t have another one in him if Trick reverted to the boy he’d been in high school. “We need to slow down,” Joey finally said, his voice shaky. “Okay?”

Trick let out a deep breath and nodded. “I can do that. It really wasn’t my intention to get you into bed tonight, Joey. You’re just so fucking sexy that you make it hard to keep my hands to myself.”

Joey chuckled. “I think you’ve got that reversed.”

“If we hadn’t already said we’d slow down, I’d show you just how wrong you are,” Trick growled, his eyes almost glowing with lust. He nuzzled at Joey’s throat for a second, then released him, lying back down. Patting the bed, Trick said, “Lie down. I’ve gotta be up in a couple hours.”

Joey did as Trick said, biting back a groan when Trick wrapped himself around him. “What happened to slow?” he asked.

“Just wanted to hug my body pillow while I fall asleep,” Trick replied innocently.

He let the subject go and listened to Trick’s breathing even out while he remained wide awake. His mind raced, his anxiety level sky high, leaving him unable to sleep. Thoughts circled around in his brain like a toy train.

The alarm on Trick’s phone startled him, and Joey realized he hadn’t slept at all. Trick mumbled something, tightened his hold on Joey for a second, and then rolled over to turn off his alarm. “Morning,” Trick said, yawning.

Joey returned his greeting, watching Trick stumble into the bathroom. He slid from the bed, located his clothing and dressed, perching on the edge of the mattress to wait. When Trick exited the bathroom, Joey went in, relieved himself, washed his hands and used some of Trick’s mouth wash. Trick was already in the small kitchen when Joey left the bedroom. “Ready to go?” Trick asked.

Nodding, Joey headed toward the door, but Trick stopped him before he could open it. “Are we okay?”

“We’re good,” Joey said.

“We can hit the Dunkin’ Donuts drive through before I drop you at your parents’ place.”

“Sure.” Joey preceded Trick out of the apartment and a few minutes later, they were in Trick’s truck on the way to grab coffee before heading to Joey’s parents’ house. They didn’t speak much. Joey spent most of the time lost in his thoughts about the night before, the things they’d talked about, and what it all meant.

When they reached his parents’ place, Trick placed a hand on Joey’s arm to halt his exiting the truck. “Will I see you tonight?”

“I should spend some more time with my family,” Joey said, but when Trick’s face fell, disappointment clear, he added, “Come to dinner tonight.”

Trick brightened slightly. “Sure.”

Joey exited the truck and closed the door. When he reached the front porch, he stopped and turned to watch Trick leave. Once Trick disappeared around the corner, Joey sighed and entered his parents’ home. His mother was already in the kitchen, a cup of coffee on the table in front of her. She gave him a knowing look as he kissed her temple and bid her good morning. “Trick is coming to dinner tonight.”

“Sure, sweetheart. I’ll see if Anthony and Veronica want to join us as well.”

“I’m going to go for a run,” Joey said before heading upstairs to change. He needed to clear his head, and running helped when he couldn’t use sex. Sex had him in the discombobulated mental mess he found himself in, so it wouldn’t help.

The moment his sneakers hit the pavement, Joey heaved a deep breath and started jogging. What the hell had happened? He’d only been home three days and everything he’d thought of in the car on the way had gone out the window. His entire perception of his past turned upside down, and he didn’t have a fucking clue how to process it.

There was no way he and Trick could ever have a future together. Their lives were in two separate places. Joey shook his head, irritated at himself for even thinking some of the things he was. Sex was the simple part. It was all the other shit which complicated everything. He’d truly believed he’d eliminated the feelings he’d had for Trick. How could he not when he’d lived and breathed hatred for Trick for so long? But now… now he questioned everything he’d ever thought about himself and what he felt.

Sweat poured off Joey as he wound his way through the familiar streets. Cars passed him from time to time. He’d chosen his rock playlist on Spotify to run to. When Sign of Life by Motionless in White began playing, Joey’s pace slowed a fraction. The song embodied many of the emotions he felt toward Trick. He knew he’d done what he’d sworn he wouldn’t. Trick had worked his way back into Joey’s heart. But Joey had to be honest with himself. Had Trick ever even left his heart?

Sighing, Joey turned the corner and headed home. Maybe he was overthinking everything. It was just sex. Right?

After a shower and a change of clothing, Joey went downstairs to spend the rest of the day with his parents, much like the day before. He tried to stuff down his uncertainties and thoughts about Trick, but the man was never far from his thoughts.

Anthony showed up close to dinnertime, walking in and calling out a greeting. When he entered the kitchen, Joey stood at the counter cutting veggies. “Where’s Veronica?” their mother asked, frowning.

“She took an extra shift to help a friend at work. Smells good, Mom. Where’s Pops?” Anthony came over to snag a piece of carrot from the cutting board.

“He’s firing up the grill. We’re having chicken breasts, succotash, and baked potatoes.”

Anthony gave Joey a look. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Joey shrugged, set down the knife, and wiped off his hands on a towel. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Outside.”

Frowning, Joey followed Anthony out to the front porch. “What’s going on, Ant?”

“That’s what I want to know, Joey. Ever since you’ve been home there’s been something obviously going on between you and Trick. He wouldn’t tell me a damn thing when I asked him. Are you two involved?”

Joey raised a brow at him. “Would it matter?”

Anthony scowled. “I just want the damn truth.”

Shrugging, Joey replied, “I don’t know what is going on. That’s the truth.”

“What happened back in high school?”

Joey tensed in surprise at the question. “What do you mean?”

“I know something happened, Joey. You just suddenly stopped following us around. Did he do something to you?”

Snorting, Joey looked at his brother. “What exactly would he have done to me?”

“I don’t know. Assaulted you or something?”

An incredulous laugh burst forth from Joey. “What makes you think he’d even been interested in me enough to do that in the first place? Where the hell did you get that insane idea from? And why are you waiting until now to ask me this?”

Anthony grunted. “I knew you had a crush on him, but we aren’t exactly confidantes to each other. I knew something happened, but I couldn’t figure out what. When I asked Trick back then, all he could do was brush it off.”

“He didn’t know,” Joey murmured, brushing a strand of hair off his forehead. “He didn’t know I heard him.”

“Heard him what?” Anthony asked.

Joey hadn’t ever wanted to tell his brother about this. Not with the possibility of hurting Anthony’s and Trick’s friendship. Mostly not wanting to hurt his brother since he’d just been overall pissed off at Trick for so long. “It’s not a big deal. Things are different.”

“Tell me,” Anthony demanded.

Giving in, Joey explained what he’d heard Trick say to his football teammates. Anger built on Anthony’s face and Joey winced when Anthony punched the metal bar of the rocking glider. “He did what?”

“It was a long time ago and things are different. He apologized, Ant. It’s over, okay?”

Awareness and even more anger deepened Anthony’s dark expression. “He’s the reason you didn’t come home before now, isn’t he?”

Joey flinched and Anthony cursed, scowling. “Son of a bitch. Why didn’t you tell me this before, Joey?”

“Because I didn’t want to hurt you. I didn’t want to ruin your friendship either.”

“You’re my brother!” Anthony exploded. “You come first. Always. I would never have remained friends with him if I’d known he was such a homophobic prick back then!”

“But he wasn’t!” Joey said. “You know how his parents are… were… whatever. He was scared, Ant. That’s all. You know he’s not a homophobe. He’s gay, too, remember?”

A few days ago, if anyone had said he’d be defending Trick to his own brother, Joey would have laughed his ass off. So much had changed in such a brief span of time, Joey could barely catch his breath.

Anthony’s rage faded a bit, but Joey could see his brother was still angry. “We talked and cleared the air, Ant. I promise.”

“I’m still going to knock him on his ass,” Anthony growled.

Joey shook his head. “Please let it go. It’s over. I just want to move past this.”

“Are you and he… involved now?” Anthony asked.

“Hell, if I know what we are. Right now, I’m just trying to get my head wrapped around the eight years of believing he hated me for being gay. I spent a lot of time angry because of him.” And depressed, but Joey didn’t add that.

Anthony placed his hands on his hips and tilted his head backward, gazing up at the blue sky overhead. “Does this mean you’ll stop avoiding coming home? I’ve had to watch Mom cry almost every Christmas and Thanksgiving you weren’t home for.”

Not for the first time, remorse stabbed Joey hard. “Yeah, I’ll be home more often. I promise.”

Tilting his head so he could peer at Joey from the corner of his eye. “I’m glad. I’ve missed you, squirt.”

Joey rolled his eyes. “I’m the same height as you now and a bit more muscle. Don’t think you can get away with calling me squirt anymore.”

“You’ll always be a squirt to me,” Anthony said, grabbing Joey in a loose headlock and rubbing his hair.

Trick pulled into the driveway at that moment, and Anthony abruptly released him. Joey glanced up to see a deep scowl on Anthony’s face directed at Trick. “Come on, Ant. You promised.”

When Trick saw the way Anthony was looking at him, he exited the vehicle slowly. “Everything okay?” he asked.

Before Joey could say anything, Anthony strode toward Trick and popped him on the jaw, sending Trick colliding with the side of his truck. “That’s for my brother and for being an asshole!”

“Anthony!” Joey shouted, rushing to Trick’s side.

Trick rubbed his jaw and shook his head at Joey. “It’s okay. I deserved it.”

“You’re damn right you did,” Anthony growled. “If you hurt him again, I’ll kick your ass even harder.”

“If I hurt him again, I’ll let you,” Trick replied.

Anthony seemed mollified and nodded his head. “Damn right.”

After that, everything just went back to normal. A fact which just baffled Joey. He’d never had a friend who he could argue with that would just brush shit off after they’d had it out. Trick wrapped an arm around Joey’s waist on the way into the house and Joey didn’t know how he felt about that, but he just let it go, ignoring the warmth in his chest at Trick’s possessive move.