Sweet Southern Comfort

At first, all there was was pressure. Then his lips opened, pressing deeper against mine. My body shuddered again and my mouth opened under his. His tongue barely flicked against mine when I heard him moan deep in his chest. The next few minutes were a blur as we left the jeep and walked into my house. When I shut the door, he was against me, pushing me into the door, putting his lips against mine. I moaned this time, long and deep. It had been so long since I'd felt like this.

My hands roamed his body, under his shirt, filled with the warm skin and taut muscles of his back. When he pressed his hips against me, I knew that what I'd felt digging into me before was no illusion. This man was hot and hard. I caused this. He wanted me, me, Liam McCoy. The mad rush of desire, the warmth of touching someone, the thrill of knowing that I had this power thrilled me, made me feel all powerful.

I got bold, pressing my hips against his, rubbing them once back and forth against his erection. His groan was torn from him as he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine, breathing deep. I heard him mumble, low and raspy. "I knew it. I knew it would be like this." He looked into my eyes, and grinned at me devilishly. "Come here."

Before he could do more than brush his thumb against my cheek, I heard a loud beeping. Jackson turned and muttered 'fuck' under his breath before turning to me, and smiled sheepishly. "I have to call. I'm sorry. Where's your phone?"

After I showed him to the phone, I moved towards the kitchen. "Don't go too far."

I turned and tried to smile, confused and more than a little weirded out. "I'm getting some water."

Once in the kitchen, I drank two full glasses of water, my hands shaking the whole time. What the hell had just happened? My God! I'd kissed the Chief. What the hell? Boy, it had been so good. My knees still trembled and there was no way my hard on would go away anytime soon. I turned when I heard Jackson clear his throat.

The look on his face led me to believe that whatever had just happened would go unfinished. "I'm sorry. There was another victim at the club we were at. They rounded up a bunch of people, I need to go back, see if I can find out who was near that person, perhaps see if I recognize anyone."

I nodded my head, disappointment filling me. This wasn't what I wanted, why was I so upset? "I understand."

Something akin to regret flashed over his eyes and I looked down. He was still as hard as before and it gave me the courage to look at him again. "I'm sorry."

My smile came out after a humorless laugh. "I know. Me too."

I watched, helpless as he stalked up to me, kissing me hard on the lips. "I'll pick you up tomorrow night at eight." My confusion must have been obvious. "I gotta see you dance again. It's hot."

I know I flushed ten shades of red. With one final brief kiss, he was out the door. I stood there for a few moments after he left, aching, trembling from what had just occurred. Exhausted, I made my way towards my room, shedding my clothes as I did. The act of sleeping naked was still new to me. My mother, being so ill, often required my help in the middle of the night. For her sensibilities and my own modesty, I kept my shorts and a tee on while I slept. But now that she had died, I luxuriated in sleeping nude. At first, all I could do was lose the shirt, because my new silk underwear felt so good against me. Now, I take it all off, loving the freedom of motion, the lack of cling to my body as I moved naked amidst my sheets.

It was a long, long time before I fell asleep, my mind racing with the memories of the night. To calm my heated body, I finally took matters to hand and relieved some pressure. It was with a contented sigh that I drifted to sleep.

*** Villain ***

God Damn it! My latest plaything collapsed before I could even get him out of the club. He took the drink, swallowed it down, then went out and danced. Usually they felt tired or nauseous and tried to leave. But no! He decided to dance and keep going. Fucker!

When another brawl started because he'd collapsed and knocked into some people, I hightailed it out of there. Because I was so furious, I drove recklessly. A cop pulled me over and my anger couldn't be contained. He pulled me out of the car and demanded to search my car. He found my bag and tasted it. Within seconds, the simple taste he'd taken took affect, not enough to make him pass out, but enough that when I suggested he have some more, he did. A willing slave was in my hands.

I ordered him into my car and I drove away, into the hills, towards the mountains. I found a secluded spot, the cop blathering incoherently the entire drive. He hadn't had enough to pass out, just become horny as hell. He kept chanting about how much he wanted his wife. When I'd stopped, I told him to get out and go towards the trees. He did everything I said and it pleased me. I was already hard and leaking. In a secluded spot, I told the cop to strip. Once naked, I told him to lie flat on the ground, on his belly and to spread his legs. Fuck the condom. I undid my trousers and pressed against him.

Once I popped in, fear and pain woke him up, not enough to fight me, but to fight the drug. I took the bag from my pocket and told him to swallow it all. The drug took effect as I pounded into him. His cries of pain became silent. When I shuddered into his body, shaking from it, more replete than I'd been since the first time, I felt for a pulse on the cop, but there was none. Whether he'd died earlier or later didn't matter. Now he wouldn't be saying anything.

I laughed all the way home after I'd covered the body with tree branches. It wasn't my car. I'd stolen it weeks ago. I'd miss the car, but I needed a new one. Oh well. Stupid cop.

*** Liam ***

I awoke early by Claire honking her horn in my driveway. I rolled out of bed and dragged my jeans on, not bothering to button them as I made my way to the front door. I wanted to yell at her as I yanked it open, but couldn't when I saw her enthusiastic grin.

"Hello sleepyhead. Time to go car shopping!"

I rolled my eyes and pointed inside. She followed me in while I dumped coffee grounds into the machine and turned it on. I said not one word as I trudged down the hall to the shower. Once washed, clothed and filled with caffeine, I was able to turn a civil smile to Claire's smiling face.

"What are we doing?"

She punched my arm. "Come on silly, you know we're going to go get you a new truck."

My sigh was heavy. I liked my truck. But she was right; it only had perhaps a year more to it before it'd give out. "Fine. But I pick... everything." When she laughed, I quickly added. "I mean it."

"Of course." Her giggle followed me all the way out the door and to the car.

By the end of the day, I was glad I'd brought my cousin with me. She let me pick out the brand, model and color that I wanted. Where she helped out was when it came to purchasing. I had planned on paying in cash, but she talked me into financing a part of it, so I could establish some credit. Hell, I didn't have a credit card. With the house coming to me once probate was over, I'd have more money than I could shake a stick at, but without any credit rating, even traveling would prove difficult.

On the drive home, Claire started talking to me. My giddy, new toy smile faded quickly. "So Liam, any prospects?"

My blush was obvious, but I didn't mention the Chief's name. When I didn't say anything, she kept talking. "So... have we been playing safe?"

My eyebrows drew together in consternation. "All I did was dance, Claire."

She put her hand on my arm. "I know sweetie, but you're gonna meet someone soon."

I shrugged my shoulders, feeling bad because I wasn't mentioning whom I'd met. But then again, we weren't really doing anything. "Perhaps Claire. Why are you asking me about this?"

"I want you to be safe. Do you have some condoms?"

I actually took my eyes off the road to stare at her. I know my face turned an interesting shade, somewhere between deep red and purple. "No."

She chuckled, but there was iron behind it. "Then I suggest you go buy some. Don't you agree?" To which I could only nod.

I put it off for three hours. I weeded a flowerbed that didn't need it. Hell, I even stopped by Mrs. Samuels's house to take care of her yard. But once it was all done, I couldn't put it off any longer and headed over to the drugstore. Ten thousand different kinds of condoms filled the aisle. Jesus! What kind did I need? The lambskin I immediately dismissed. Those did no good. I remembered that one time and how snug they felt, so I passed that box up. Would ribs be good? I didn't think so. Finally, I settled on a box of polyurethane, larger sized. Now... how many would I need. At the rate I was going, I'd only need a box of three. I left the box with a gross behind and chose something in the middle.

I only blushed a little bit at the checkout counter. This wasn't so bad. I could handle this. The walk back to my new truck was a good one. I had my new truck, I had a box of condoms so when I did meet that right guy I could have some serious fun with him, and life was great in general; at least until I heard that slow, sexy, deep voice behind me. Damn!

"I'm glad we're thinkin' along the same lines."

*** Jackson ***

When he whirled around on me, I actually took a step back. Boy, that man gets riled so easily. My humor was about ready to burst out into a chuckle, but I schooled it. Didn't want him to blow up too soon.

"I didn't buy them for you, Chief."

Chief? What was it about him not using my name? Damn but it pissed me off. Of course, I didn't want to analyze too closely how my stomach fluttered whenever he did say it, but he could at least call me by name.

"Ah, cher, you're breakin' my heart."

He clenched his jaw and shut his eyes; I swear I could see him counting to ten. "They're still not for you."

I chuckled deep down. "Well, I still have ten or so at home, but that won't get us through the evening."

His eyes got real big, and then he smiled a purely evil smile. "Oh Chief, I'm sorry you're so quick on the draw."

My scoff came out more like a snort. "Once I get you into my bed, sleeping won't happen, and ten times wouldn't be enough."

His blush became very endearing. Then he turned away and went over to a shiny, brand new truck where he laid his head on his arm against the roof. "All I wanted was to meet a nice man."

"I'm nice."

"Someone single and honest."

"I'm single and very honest."

"Someone to hold me, make love to me."

"I'd like to apply for that job."

"Someone to settle down with, perhaps eventually raise a family with me."

He hadn't heard me, but I'd heard every word. When he got to the settling down and family, I couldn't help my response. "Whoa!"

He looked up at me. "Yeah, whoa." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I think we want different things Chief. You're sexy as sin, and I know we'd have a lot of fun together, but..."

The thrill that ran through me when he admitted that he felt this too almost completely overshadowed the shock and panic I'd felt at the other. "We would have a lot of fun together. A lot, Liam."

His eyes were so sad when he looked at me. "And after the fun?" When I had no response, he smiled sadly at me. "That's what I thought." With that he got in his truck and drove away.

How come every perfect response to every argument always comes after the person has left? It happens every damn time. No one ever knows what you'll end up with when you meet someone who attracts you. Hell, I'd gone to bed with more men who attracted me to only to find that in the morning, they were no longer as attractive. It's a crapshoot when it comes to finding someone. Liam's naïveté was endearing, because deep down, there was such blind hope. Perhaps I'd become jaded. I'd only had two relationships that lasted more than a few days. The first was in high school. I'd gone away to school; he'd become a petty criminal who died a few years ago from a drug overdose. He hadn't been able to deal with being gay, so turned to drugs. The second had lasted for six years and ended a few months before I left New Orleans. The first time, I thought it would last forever. The second, I never thought it would last longer than a first date. You can never tell.

What I felt with Liam was brand new. I'd never felt this before. The raw lust and desire was familiar, but seemed to be magnified a hundred fold. Liam was bound and determined to find 'Mr. Right' immediately. I knew it wouldn't happen. Perhaps I didn't think in terms of forever, a house, and kids, but I wanted to let what was between us develop, no matter how it might conclude. Just because I knew that most things ended, didn't mean that I would deny either of us the journey. What had arced between us was too strong, too powerful to deny.

The kiss we'd shared the previous night was proof that we were combustible. When my lips had pressed against his, it'd nearly blown the top of my head off. I had left his house hard and stayed that way all the way back into the city. Only the horror of the hospital room in which the latest victim had laid calmed me down. I had seen him in the club. He'd danced, he'd drunk, he'd flirted. In no way did he go near any one man. Of the forty-seven men who'd been arrested, four I had seen dance with, talk with, or drink with the victim for any longer than a few minutes. None of them were our perp, they'd left his company far too long before he'd passed out, fallen to the ground, and caused the second riot.

The idea of Liam falling victim to this asshole had me in the grips of such incredible fear, that it would take wild horses to keep me away. Why I felt so deeply protective of him, I couldn't put my finger on. Somehow I knew that if we were to actually sleep together, that feeling would swell until it swamped me, took over everything. Normally, that would have made me run. But I wouldn't this time. There was something so strong in this that I was powerless to resist. Thankfully, the club was shut down for the night; I wouldn't have to watch over him. Instead, we could do what almost every other flirting, courting young couple would do. I couldn't wait to see him get riled up over it. With a happy chuckle, I got in my car and drove home, to count the hours until I could see him again.

When I got home, a package waiting on my doorstep greeted me. The smile I hadn't been able to dim all day grew bigger. My mama had sent me a care package from New Orleans. I ran inside and got a knife to open the box. I might have moaned when the box opened and I could see what was inside. Bless that woman. I asked for her to send me a box of spices for the crab boil and she went to town buying out Central Grocery in the quarter. Liam didn't know it, but we were gonna eat good tonight. There were three boxes of boil spices, two jars of spicy Cajun mustard, five kinds of pepper sauce, ten pounds of Andouille sausage, six pounds of Boudin, and four whole Mufelatta sandwiches. That boy was gonna be mine soon if I kept feeding him so good. As I put the things away and took out the butter and flour to start slow-cooking a roux, I called my Mama.

"Hey Mama."

"Jackson love, where y'at?"

My laugh was warm, tinged with sadness at how much I missed my family at times. "I had to stop saying that up here, they'd look at me funny and actually answer."

Her laugh was warm and like always, made me think she'd wrapped her arms around me. "I take it you got my care package."

"Yeah, Mama. You're way too generous."

"Bullshit. You're my baby, and a long ways from home. I know you miss the good stuff."

My grin was broad as I kept stirring my roux, getting it ready to go into the oven and bake for a while. "Well, the Mufalettas are gonna be good eating tonight."

"So you gonna share them?"

"Perhaps."

Her chuckle knew far too much. "You say that with that voice of yours, makes me think you have someone particular to share with."

That made me pause. "I'm not sure how 'particular' this person is yet."

Her scoff made me cringe. If I'd been ten years old, that wooden spoon of hers would have rapped against my backside. "He's obviously special, or you wouldn't have mentioned him."

"Mama tonight is our first date. Don't have us married before we've even seen each other."

Her chuckle meant she was in a better mood. "Okay, I won't push. But I want details if there is more than one date." Her voice got kind of quiet. "He's gotta be better than that bastard Nolan."

It hurt to hear his name still. We hadn't been in love for a long time when we broke up, but how we broke up will always stay with me. You should never have to walk in on your bed partner gagged while in a sling with your work partner fucking him silly. No one should ever have to see that, although it did make it easier to make a clean break with him. "He's a heck of a lot better than Nolan."

"That's all that matters my boy."

"Thanks Mama. I'll call you soon."

"I love you baby. Always."

After the call was over, I slipped the browned roux into a low heat oven then got showered, dressed, and the picnic basket and blanket together for our evening. I had some carrots and celery chopped up, some olives and pickles which would compliment the Mufaletta nicely, and I filled a cooler with beer, soda, and ice.

When I pulled up in front of Liam's house, I was over ninety minutes early. No one answered the door, but I heard music playing from the back. The side gate opened easy enough and I stepped through. What I saw nearly took my breath away. His backyard was almost identical to mine. Lots of trees and flowers, plants, ferns, planters covered the patio. Sitting in one corner of the patio was a hot tub with Liam sitting in it with his head back, listening to the classic rock playing out of a radio. His clothes were in a rumpled pile by the steps. By the fact that I saw jeans, socks, and underwear in that pile, I knew that Liam was naked. Damn but if my pulse didn't race and my cock try to leap out of my pants at the idea of getting to see all of Liam.

I cleared my throat and watched as Liam practically jumped out of his skin in fright.

*** Liam ***

I had left Jackson with a mixed feeling of relief, dread, and strangely, sadness. He was looking for fun, and he didn't disguise it either. The fact that I was looking for more, made it difficult to just give in and have fun with him. Each time I saw him though; it got more difficult to keep away. What he offered, what his kisses and long, hungry looks gave me, became harder to resist.

To work off my confusion and frustration, I went and took care of seven yards and got back to my place in plenty of time to meet the Chief by eight. Deciding that the warm day and my sore muscles could use it, I went out back and turned on the radio before shucking my clothes and lying back in the hot tub. Now before my mother died, I'd never have even considered sitting out there in my altogether. But now that she had died, I had a lot more freedom in my life. Not that I didn't love my mother. I did. Now, I could do all the things in life I wasn't able to do before.

I had shut my eyes, relishing how the bubbles pounded my sore muscles and gently caressed all the other parts of me, when I heard the cough behind me. My pulse went into immediate adrenaline overload. When I spun around and saw Jackson LeDeux behind me, I got pissed.

"Jesus Christ, Chief! You scared the hell out of me."

His relaxed stance, leaning against the house with his arms crossed across his chest, made me even angrier; at least until he chuckled. It was rich and smoky and made me think of tangled sheets and more of those long, drugging kisses. "Sorry, cher. I only hoped to catch you at home." His eyes tracked all across what was visible above the waterline. "I had no idea I'd get to catch all of you."