Halos and Heroes Ch. 28

Thank you all who have been reading and following along. I always appreciate getting feedback. It helps with becoming a better writer and it's always an ego boost, so feel free to reach out. I will always respond!

The usual spiel: This isn't a stroke story, (more porn with plot.) Be warned, it's very long. 33 chapters, and many sexless ones before it gets sexy, which is why it was originally published under novels/novellas, but readers asked for it to be put under gay male due to content, so here we go.

This book is dedicated to all of the brave service members and their families who sacrifice so much every day so that the rest of us can enjoy the liberties that they swear to protect and uphold.

Although references in this novel may be made to actual places or events, the names, characters, incidents, and locations within are complete works of fiction. They are not a resemblance to actual living or dead persons, businesses, or events. Any similarity is coincidental. In an effort to do the United States Army justice, and to show my respect to my country, I have applied all possible efforts to merge fact and fiction to entertain, while portraying the military, and the hardships and achievements of soldiers, with respect, dignity and accuracy to the best of my abilities. It's my hope that I've done you all justice, and that all of the creative licenses taken with this novel are understood to be the efforts of imagination, and not any judgment or disrespect against the U.S. military. Thank you all for your service.

***

I'll never stop dreaming that one day we can be a real family, together, all of us laughing and talking, loving and understanding, not looking at the past but only to the future. —LaToya Jackson

"So, how did it go last night?"

Tara and Sofia had been talking at the island counter when I came into the kitchen enticed by the scent of fresh coffee, but they stopped immediately when I asked the question. Tara grinned at me, and I could've sworn that Sofia looked vaguely guilty under a blush that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Oh boy.

I grinned as I helped myself to a full cup of the still warm brew from the pot, even though I could tell by the scent that it was hazelnut flavored. I preferred the strong Espresso Ben made, but I couldn't function without some kind of caffeine, even if it was crap. I just didn't add any sugar since it was already sweet. I took a sip from my new, 'World's Best Uncle,' mug—another gift from Emma—and then sat in the stool directly across from the two of them so that I could see their reactions to the inquisition that was coming.

"Start talking."

Tara's grin deepened until her eyes turned into little half-moons of glee behind her glasses, and she looked over at Sofia who was suddenly very interested in the piece of soggy looking bacon on her plate that couldn't even pretend to crunch when she bit into it.

I could've just let it go, but this level of avoidance was extreme even for my sister-in-law, and she and Tara meddled in my life all the time so any opportunity for payback mean it was on. I waited them out, enduring the insult to good coffee while I watched Sofia try to figure out some way to avoid the question. Her pretty face declared defeat when she sighed and offered a shy, lopsided smile.

"I kissed Tara yesterday."

My eyebrows shot straight up and held as soon as her words registered. I glanced over at Tara who leaned her chin into her hand, and smiled at me like a pretty barracuda. "You made a pass at my sister?"

"Did you not hear what this amazing creature just said? She kissed me." She wiggled her eyebrows at me impishly. "Best twenty-three seconds of my entire life."

Sofia's voice sounded strangled as she peeked through her fingers at Tara. "You counted? Dios Santa Virgen!"

"Of course I counted. And I'll always remember each and every sweet, cherry gloss flavored second."

My lips twitched as I tried not to laugh. Tara was teasing her, but Sofia didn't seem genuinely upset, just sheepish.

"Don't worry, Sofia. We've all had those regrettable drunk moments." I did grin this time when Tara shot me a dirty look.

"Hey! There was absolutely no alcohol involved, jerk! I'd never take advantage of an inebriated woman. Well not since college, but I was a horny kid back then. I've evolved."

She tossed a balled up napkin at my head and when it missed, she stole the piece of bacon I was reaching for instead and licked it before she stuck her tongue out at me.

"That's attractive."

"Play nicely kiddies." Sofia smiled, and then shook her head. "No, Sam, she wasn't a drunk pass. I was curious and a little lonely, and Tara made me feel wanted... I haven't felt that way in a long time."

"Because Connor was an asshole." Tara and I blinked at each other, then smirked when we responded in unison. Great fucking minds.

"So are starting a two mommy household now?"

"No," Tara said with a gentle smile at Sofia, helping her off the hook I'd put her on. "As beautiful and special as this woman is, I have to release her to the world of really big penises, and bigger hearts."

I snickered as Sofia covered her face again. Revenge was anamazing thing.

"So whenever you feel ready, Sam and I will launch operation, Find Sofie-a-Sweetie."

I threw up my hands immediately. "Oh hell no. Not having any part of that. I have enough problems navigating my own love life. Max is going to be retiring and coming home in a few months. I'm sure he'd be happy to be your wingman. I know for a fact that he briefly dated one woman he met at a supermarket, and a guy he shared detergent with at a laundromat."

"I'm sure that's not the only thing they shared," Tara said with an unladylike snort. "Last night at the club...Dr. McFreaky was up in the house."

Sofia looked amused and shot Tara a pointed look. I'd seen the look many times before. It was the mommy, big-sister hybrid of, 'you've been caught, now confess,' and apparently Tara was familiar with it too because she cleared her throat. The uncharacteristic hint of a blush on her cheeks inspired my own version of that look, and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine, I admit that I was straight for about five seconds because the boy knows how to drop it like it's hot, and I've been single and horny for almost six months." She paused before she looked over at Sofia and grinned. "And then I was reminded by the flavor of sweet cherry Chapstick of just how delightfully dykey I am."

She took a sip of her coffee and Sofia smiled. "He was just having a good time," she said, coming to Max's defense like she had since we were kids.

I'd loved Max most of my adult life, but Sofia had adored him since we'd all met in high-school, and protected him like a momma grizzly, especially because Connor had always ridden Max about being gay. She'd been the most supportive person in both my life and Max's about our sexuality, and apparently still was. She grinned at me.

"No one was complaining.No one."

The emphasis she put on those two words made Tara smirk, and she answered the silent question I asked with an arch of my eyebrow.

"I've been to Roman's other club a few times with Ben, and Roman has never gotten on the dance floor. That man has a major stick up his ass when he's on the clock, but he was working awhole other angle last night when he cut in while Max was dancing with a few different men." She paused and her glee about the good gossip was obvious. "It was like Moses parting a very freaky Red Sea, and everyone else just sort of scattered. I was taking bets that he was going to break his own house rules about no sex in the club the way they were grooving on that dance floor."

She and Sofia looked at each other and in unison said, "Despacito!"

My eyebrow went up again. Tara grabbed her cell phone from beside her coffee mug, and quickly found what she was looking for. The music video on YouTube was fairly tame, but I was able to translate the Spanish song quickly enough in my head to understand the explicitly sexual lyrics that made me whistle halfway through. If Ben ever needed Max's number for anything, this was definitely Max's ringtone.

Before I could say anything though, I heard footsteps, and Max did a little bump and grind step into the kitchen with an unabashed grin.

"I guess I know what the morning topic of conversation is. Good morning friends and fans."

"There's coffee in the pot. I also bought the mocha creamer that you like."

Sofia smiled when Max came over and bussed her noisily on the cheek.

"Sofia, if I was a smarter man, I would've married you years ago."

The smile Sofia graced him with was like sunshine, giving me a glimpse of the girl who'd always tried to look at life positively, even when it had started to fray at the edges. For a few heartbeats, I felt like we'd time warped back to a simpler period in our lives before we'd all started getting in our own way and complicating life. But for once we seemed to be living in the moment together, and I felt like I could kick off another layer of a lifetime of baggage.

"Surprised to see you here," Tara said by way of greeting, interrupting my thoughts. "I thought Roman would've had your heels up by your ears within 15 minutes after we left you alone at the club last night."

Max's smile was slow and lazy, the one that I knew got him into pairs of panties and boxers alike with ease. I was surprised I didn't feel even a hint of the usual jealousy I used to before I'd met Ben, but it was both relief and proof that I'd made the right decision last night by choosing this new life, even though it still terrified me.

"Nah, not I'm not that easy."

He grinned at me when I snorted. "Not what I was in the mood for last night, though it would've been a good time had by all."

His tone was casual, that usual magnetic smile in place, but when our gazes met and held there was a hint of more problematic emotions in those blue eyes. The tension we'd tried to avoid last night was suddenly thrumming quietly between us.

Sofia didn't notice, but I knew Tara caught it when she looked back and forth between us, finally settling her gaze on me. Her eyes narrowed in silent, curious question. I just shook my head slightly, and thankfully she let it go. It was a mistake that I wasn't ever going to make again, so I didn't plan on telling her about what had almost happened last night. Out of loyalty to Ben she'd have to tell him, and though a part of me wanted him to know so the guilt wasn't weighing on me, clearing my conscience at his expense wasn't fair. I had to deal with it on my own. He was already insecure when it came to Max and I wasn't going to add to it. Granted, some people would probably accuse me of just saving my own skin, but because of what Connor and Devlin had done to me, I'd never been a cheater. Max and I were just complicated, and in a way it'd just been something that had to happen to close that chapter of my life.

And it was closed now. Airtight.

Tara's gaze lingered on me for another few seconds before she turned away to include Max in a new conversation. "We should all go out tonight. Do something to reunite old friends, and maybe create new ones." She cut a look over at Max and grinned slowly. "The way you attract people, maybe you'll meet a nice girl who likes other nice girls."

"Sofia doesn't like girls," he said without missing a beat, and I smirked as Tara and Max grinned at each other with twin wolfish expressions. One smartass, libertine soul meeting another—the start to a beautiful friendship which probably meant I'd have to start sharing my two best friends with each other. But as my cell vibrated and I saw an emoji loaded text message from Ben, I was alright with that.

* * *

My mouth watered as Ben grinned across his kitchen island at me, working on mixing the seafood into the rice of the paella he was making. The chicken and sausage were already interspersed throughout. It seemed an unnecessarily complicated dish for just two people, but I wasn't going to rain on his culinary parade since he was practically vibrating with excitement like a kid on Christmas.

"That looks good. Sofia makes paella, but I never learned how. Happy to be a taste tester though."

Ben hummed in contentment. "Mami taught us all how to make it when we were old enough to be trusted to wield a knife without attacking one another."

"Did that happen often?" He snorted. "Growing up in a house of seven kids, we were lucky to make it through the teenage years with minimal carnage."

I grinned and reached for my water glass as I watched Ben work. Comfortable in his own space, he moved like one of the works of art he created. I'd never been a wordsmith, but adjectives like graceful and beautiful threatened to fly off my tongue as he moved around the kitchen. Stuffing a chip from bowl into my mouth stifled the urge, allowing me to admire the view in silence. Some things didn't need words to describe them.

Like the way my pulse quickened when Ben shuffled in unselfconscious rhythm to the salsa beat on the radio, adding a little spin when he reached the refrigerator. Or how my mouth went dry when he bent down to get something from a lower cabinet and his jeans dipped low on his narrow hips, revealing bronzed glory. There was a lickable sheen dappling his skin because of the heat radiating from the oven, but I didn't mind the warmth. It gave me a legit reason to sweat.

"I'd like to meet your family one day," I said casually, watching for his reaction.

Ben stopped working, turning to hand me the jar of red peppers he was trying to open. It popped for me immediately, but instead of making the clichéd wisecrack about having loosened it for me, he said, "Really?"

"Sure, unless they're in the same boat as your mom and it'd be uncomfortable for them."

Ben shook his head. "Except for Michael and Rebecca, they're all pretty accepting, but they live in Miami and that city brings up bad memories for me."

"So invite them here."

"Maybe I will, as long as you don't mind some nosy questions. Latin families don't have a real sense of boundaries when it comes to the people they love." He grinned. "Like you probably know from Sofia."

"I'll answer any questions they have. If you can put up with my crew, I can handle yours."

I stood so I could back Ben up the few steps to the refrigerator. When I braced my hands beside his head on the stainless steel door, he smiled and I knew I'd said the right thing.

"When will dinner be ready?"

"It has to simmer for about an hour. Why?"

"I've always preferred showing to telling."

Ben met me halfway when I leaned down, his mouth warm and slick, and everything that I needed. It was tempting to tear his clothes off and go straight for the gold, but there was no reason to rush. We hadn't seen each other in three days because he'd been busy with state inspections for Maplewood, and I'd been spending time with my family and Max.

Thankfully, not once during any of the days we'd spent together this week, had Max and I talked about what almost happened on the porch. Things between us had fallen into the routine we'd always followed when we were on leave at the same time; we shot the shit, caught the occasional movie, and spent time with the girls and Sofia. Max had been away from Florida as long as I had, so he was a brand new toy they wanted to play with constantly. He didn't mind, and we'd managed to be one big happy family lacking our usual level of dysfunction. But tonight the girls were at the movies with friends and were staying at their house afterward for a sleepover. Sofia had gone with Max and Tara to a sushi place they'd wanted to try in Miami, so there was nowhere for me to run off to. Ben and I had all night, and potentially the morning. Judging by the unhurried way he kissed me, we were on the same page.

Tangled up in each other's arms, we eventually moved down the hall, kissing and touching our way to our own slow boil. My shirt hit the floor after Ben scooted it up past my ribs, leaving little lines of fire behind as he dragged his blunt nails up along my skin as it became exposed. My belt buckle jingled as I abandoned the rest of my clothing to the floor. Ben's jeans followed, and by the time we reached the bedroom, there was nothing left between us.

My arms wrapped around his neck when he lowered us to the bed and kissed every inch that he could reach. Even after all the times we'd been together, I doubted there would ever be a time when I tired of the flavor or heat of Ben's mouth. It promised a good time now as he scooted lower on the bed, leisurely mapping a scenic tour that paused at all the spots he found interesting. His teeth closed around my nipple, tugging it until I hissed. It hurt in the best possible way, but he'd already moved on. His tongue swirled around my navel. It tickled and I twisted up. I didn't expect the warm tunnel of his mouth to close around my cock when it rose toward his face. He kept it captive as he swirled figure eight patterns into my skin, and I closed my eyes when my brain started to overload from the visual stimulation. Ben had learned to read some of my body's responses, and he pulled back just before I popped. His cock left a damp trail of promise along my abdomen when he slid back up my body with a smile that warmed me to my toes.

"What are you in the mood for tonight?"

"You?" I said helpfully. "In me. Like now."

I turned into the warmth of Ben's free hand when he stroked it down the side of my face, and sucked his index and middle fingers into my mouth. I treated them the way he had my cock, and grinned when the torture proved too much for him and he pulled his damp fingertips free to trail them across my lips.

"Your mouth should be registered as a lethal weapon." "We'll have to sign up the same day."

Horny inspiration struck me as Ben's laugh rumbled against my chest. As much as I wanted him peeling me apart, my brain overpowered my dick, deciding now was the perfect time to enforce "the do unto others" dogma. Ben's protests when I rolled us and slid down his body quickly converted to speaking in tongues when he felt the first stroke of my tongue.

His accent swallowed up syllables when I licked around his thick flared head, and then stroked the flat of my tongue firmly along the underside of his cock all the way down to the soft curly hair at the base. That lick was followed by a second, and then a third; all good things were supposed to come in threes. The moment I finished my last pass downward, I stopped completely.

Ben struggled against the hand I splayed across his abdomen to keep his hips still so I could keep toying with him. His moans tormented me with 3D fantasies about straddling his body and turning his cock into my own personal plaything, but that would've meant I'd have to stop sucking him, and I didn't want to relinquish my prize. His skin alone—warm velvet over the steel strength of his shaft— was something to savor. It was a warm study in taste and texture that gave me power over every groan and plea Ben made.

His thighs trembled as I licked away the pearly beading at his tip that tasted of ocean brine. It had a heart of subtle spice, like the cinnamon mints he loved so much had absorbed into his pores.

"Sam, baby...please..." Ben's desperation was the sweetest possible sound so I finally pulled away and climbed up his body so I could spread out over him.

His hands curled tightly around the base of my neck immediately like he was afraid I'd pull away and resume my torture. I dropped down a little closer and supported my weight easily with my hands, sinking them into the sheets on either side of his hips. I was never more thankful that I'd kept up my habit of doing shitloads of push-ups every morning even after leaving the military.