Page 10 of Julian Shared (Secret Lives of Hot Twinks #2)

Julian

I see Joel’s jeep long before I hear it.

I’m staked out in the living room, cozied up in a chair right near the bay windows with the curtains wide open. The second I see him, I’m out the front door, rushing to meet Joel in the driveway before he’s even had the chance to open up the garage.

He idles the jeep in place as I pop up to the driver’s side. The windows are already rolled down but Joel also turns down his music, the cherry Spanish crooning turning into a hum.

“I found it,” I tell him, almost breathless with excitement. “There’s a hobby dancing club that meets every week in town.”

“That’s great, Julian, when—”

“Tonight,” I interrupt with a pleading look, “they meet tonight and this week is salsa.”

Joel looks reluctant for a moment, glancing at the time, but then he looks back at me with a raised eyebrow. “Got your dancing shoes on?”

“I already packed us a change of clothes.”

I dart back inside the house just long enough to grab the bag and lock the front door. We drive off post and into the neighboring town of Paradise Palms. Despite the ritzy name, it’s more of a sleepy small town than a destination playground.

Still, like so many towns that spring up under the shadow of the military, it has an avid nightlife. It’s main street is dotted with bars and diners, each one boasting its own gimmick, and somehow Paradise Palms manages to support not only one, but two, bowling alleys.

Joel drives us past all that and takes us to the local community center. One of the few buildings that was here long before the army showed. It was built back in the gold rush days.

“You sure this is the place?” Joel asks, peering through the windshield to look at the weather-worn stone and peeling paint of the old-fashioned wooden false front.

“It is,” I confirm while throwing open the passenger door. “Isn’t it…quaint?”

“You sure it ain’t line-dancing?” Joel jokes as he motions for me to hand over our bag of clothes to him. I let him carry it for us.

The scenery doesn’t matter. The music is the important thing.

And tonight is salsa night.

◆◆◆

The club’s hosts and instructors are a lively married couple, so old their gray hair is turning white, but combined they have a spitfire energy and passion of a couple decades younger.

They’re even dressed on theme. The wife has a red rose pinned in her hair along with a long dress with tassels and her husband wears a matching shirt.

I look at my polo shirt and cotton shorts. I’m absolutely basic compared to them. Oh well. For the next meeting, I’ll make sure both Joel and I have something a little more dressy and much more colorful.

At least we aren’t the only ones dressed on the casual side.

There are plenty of soldiers mingling around. None dressed in uniform, but with their distinctive buzz-cuts and ram-rod straight postures, they stick out like sore thumbs. They look more dressed for the gym than for dancing.

The beginning of the evening starts with a brief spiel on the history of salsa dancing and a quick demonstration of the basics, but after that’s out of the way the music is turned up and the dancing begins.

Tables and chairs and even a pool table have been pushed along the walls to make room for a dance floor.

There’s a lack of women in the crowd. Not that it matters for Joel and me.

While the rest of the men practically fall over themselves to try and court one of the single ladies for a dance, Joel and I simply turn to each other and get to it. He takes the lead while I follow along dutifully.

We might have met in a raunchy gay club blasting techno, but Joel’s a wonderful dancer across multiple genres.

After we got together, he introduced me to a host of moves beyond grinding in place.

Salsa is his favorite. The rest of the room falls away amid the heavy and warm sound of drums, bongos, and trumpets booming from the speakers.

Joel and I lose ourselves in the music.

And in each other.

I was right. It’s perfect. Even among a crowd, we only have eyes for each other. Our bodies move in sync as Joel takes us back and forth and back again. We only stop when there’s a lull between songs. We’re both sweaty and breathless, hearts pounding and smiles wide.

While Joel pops into the restroom, I get myself some water, and a familiar face emerges from the row of wallflowers.

“Good evening, Buddy,” I greet between delicate sips of water.

“Hey, Julian.”

Buddy's the sort of guy they put on military recruitment posters. Tall, square-jawed, broad-shouldered. Always clean-shaven and with a buzz-cut that's so natural to him it's hard to imagine him with any other style.

“I didn’t know you could dance,” I say, trying to make polite but idle conversation while I wait for Joel to get back. I very, very carefully try not to remember Buddy screwing Cameron in the pool. Tonight is supposed to be about forgetting all about that.

“Well, I’m trying to learn.” Buddy scratches the back of his neck. The next song starts to play, but my feet are firmly planted to the floor. “So, you’re being a girl tonight, right?” he asks, the corners of his mouth tilting upward.

I clear my throat. “It’s called lead and follow.”

“Sorry,” Buddy says, but sounds half-hearted about it. “You’re a follower then?”

“Yes,” I admit. “I don’t like to lead. Besides, Joel is the best lead in the room.”

And he’s all mine, I can’t help but think with a swell of pride in my heart.

“Why are you even asking?” I confront Buddy directly. I stop favoring my plastic cup of water and look right at him. “Are you only asking so you can make fun of me?”

“No. Sorry.” Buddy finally loses that insufferable smirk on his face, but there’s still a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Yet it’s more boyish than malicious. He leans in close to whisper in my ear.

“You’re kinda a hot commodity, Julian. You’re the only guy here who actually enjoys following.

The rest of us are leads. Think I could steal a dance with you? ”

I consider Buddy’s request. Despite the friction between us, I don’t dislike him. Not really. And he’s a…friend of a friend. One dance wouldn’t do any harm and it’d be the proper social thing to do.

Yet I hesitate. I can’t decide.

And more importantly — I don’t want to choose.

“Ask my husband,” I decided on the spot, nodding my head in Joel’s direction as he emerges from the restroom. Someone has intercepted him on his way back to me and he’s been pulled into a conversation.

“Oh, I gotta ask your daddy first?”

“Yes,” I say, flat and cold. No humor. No sarcasm.

“Damn,” Buddy says, all the humor wiped off his face. “All right. I’ll do that. Hey, you know I only mess with you ‘cause I like you, right?”

I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean by like?”

Buddy rubs the side of his neck. “All the homemaker shit you do is impressive. And how you’re not scared to do it even if you’re a dude. I don’t know. I’d never have the balls to live as openly as you and First Sergeant Flores.”

“Good to know,” I nod. “Thank you.”

I help myself to some more water while Buddy finds Joel. My husband glances over to check in on me. I keep my face perfectly relaxed and neutral, my mouth set in a line. While Buddy and Joel chat, I watch and sip. I only stop when I see Joel look toward me and watch as he nods his head at Buddy.

Permission granted.

◆◆◆

“That was so fun.”

I drop into the passenger seat of the jeep with a happy sigh. My feet ache and I’m sweaty in all sorts of unmentionable places, but I feel…lighter.

Clearer. Brighter. Free.

The sort of release that only comes from heavy physical activity. Like a good workout. Or dancing. Or sex.

Not that that happened tonight. Though it might.

I watch out of the corner of my eye as Joel slips into the driver’s seat.

Joel and I stayed until the very last song played.

The evening is late now. Both the stars and street lamps are starting to flick on one by one, but Joel isn’t in any rush to drive us home.

He hasn’t even put the keys into the ignition.

“Look like you’re wilting.” Joel chuckles and leans over to fasten my seatbelt for me. And then uses the back of his hand to brush my sweaty bangs off my forehead. “My overheated little rose.”

“I’m fine,” I protest with a smile. I’ve always adored all the nicknames Joel’s given me over the years. Both the ones in English and Spanish. “Just a little tired…and hungry.”

I chew on my bottom lip.

While I danced the most with Joel, he and Buddy weren’t my only partners this evening. I played follow for over half a dozen happy soldiers. But I made each and every one ask for Joel’s permission before granting them a dance.

And that’s…done something.

I can’t explain it.

It’s more than just a physical reaction. Far beyond the tightening behind my briefs. Something’s been stirred in my brain. And my heart too. I want Joel so damn bad, I don’t think I’ll be able to wait until we get home.

“We’ll stop and grab a bite to eat.”

I put my hand on the steering wheel before he pulls out of the parking lot.

“Not that type of hungry, Joel,” I admit with a flushed face and pleading eyes. Oh, this is bad. Joel and I haven’t done anything public since…well since that whirlwind period while I was finishing college and he was between deployments.

“Oh.” Joel’s mouth forms a perfect circle before slinking into a smirk.

He kills the ignition and glances into the rear-view mirror.

The lot hasn’t cleared out yet. There are still some people pulling out, and a small group speaking with the dancing instructors in front of the community center door.

“Look under your seat,” Joel orders.

My eyebrows knit with confusion, but I obey without commentary. I lean forward and wave my fingers into the darkness beneath the passenger seat until they hit something. Something that crinkles as I grasp it.

It’s a bow…on top of a wrapped box. “We weren’t doing anniversary gifts this year!”

“It ain’t,” Joel counters, still smirking and his dark eyes glittering, “this is a just because I love you gift. Go on. Open it.”

I carefully open up the present, making sure to peel off the tape instead of letting it tear. I love this wrapping paper. I’ll save it so we can reuse it again.

My eyes widen as I realize what’s inside…it’s a sex toy.

“I figured you ought to have something to keep you company while I’m away at work. Something real nice and real big. That’ll keep your hole all snug and stuffed when I'm there to tend to you.”

“Joel,” I murmur quietly, my face growing hot as I look over the image on the packaging and its boasting about the dildo. Yes, that’s very big. Maybe even too big. Both the length and the girth. No human man is that long or thick.

“What?” Joel chuckles. “Am I wrong?”

“No,” I admit. He’s right, as usual. “This is…it must have been expensive.”

This toy comes with all the bells and whistles. Vibrating with thrusting action. Waterproof. Multiple speeds with a variety of settings and pre-made patterns to select along with a timer to automatically turn it on or off.

There’s even a remote play option.

“Where did you even get this?” I ask. There’s no sex shop in Paradise Palms. And Joel definitely wouldn’t order it online and have it delivered to the command office.

Joel shrugs. “I know a guy. Does sin-runs into Canyon City to pick up liquor and party favors and, well, sex toys. I saw this one and knew you had to have it. You deserve it, love.”

“Well, thank you,” I tell him with a flushed face as I delicately tuck the package back behind the wrapping paper. I wouldn’t want any of the neighbors to see it when I take it inside after we get home. “I can’t wait to try it out.”

It’s been a while since I’ve played with any toys. Our closet has a few. All bought and used while Joel was away on deployments, but ever since we moved to Camp Cactus, I haven’t had that urge to use any. Why play with toys when Joel is home to play with me?

Though I have to admit this new toy…I am eager to break it in.

But tonight.

Right now, I only want Joel.

“Good,” Joel chuckles, “I want you to use it whenever you want.”

I nibble on my bottom lip again and look over at the community center. Finally, people have stopped milling about and gone to their cars. The parking lot is empty. I look back at Joel.

“Please?” I ask him.

“For what?” he teases. I understand the unspoken order. He wants me to say it. He’s going to make me use my words to get what I want.

“Let me suck you,” I murmur, “please, Joel.”

“Well, why not? Since you asked so nice.”

Joel grins as he pulls down his fly and pulls out his cock. He’s already at full hardness and the tip glistens with a pearly bead.

I don’t wait. I don’t try to tease or make a show of it.

Right there in the emptied parking lot, I simply lean down and start sucking. My eyes stay shut. Joel groans, his fingers tightening in my hair as my head bobs up and down.

It feels like our first time all over again. That spike of excitement. Something brand new and almost deeply dangerous.

“Fuck, that’s good,” Joel praises me, his hips jutting upward. “That’s so good, baby. Keep sucking it. So slutty tonight, ain’t you? Don’t stop.”

I don’t. I don’t stop until I’ve swallowed each and every last drop of Joel’s pleasure. And the entire time I’m blowing him, I think about having the toy thrusting in and out of me, dominating my ass while Joel claims my mouth.

Taken from both ends. Both holes used.

And being…shared.

Even if it’s only with a toy.