Racing the Sky Read online

  “Funny,” Gray said as he hugged Nicky. “I’ve known a lot of popular people, but only one you. I gotta say, I prefer you.”

  Nicky looked up at him with wide, startled eyes, blinking several times as he studied Gray.

  “What’s wrong, Nicholas?” Gray asked as he reached out to stroke Nicky’s hair.

  “No one ever prefers me,” Nicky said softly.

  Gray hauled him flush against his body and kissed him thoroughly.

  At first, Nicky didn’t respond, but as Gray deepened the kiss and stroked a hand down his back, Nicky yielded to him and eagerly gave in.

  “You are remarkably unique and sinfully sexy,” Gray told Nicky when they broke apart. “There isn’t a moment that I’m with you that I don’t want to strip you naked and taste every inch of you. I’m starting to feel like a teenager, always sporting a hard on whenever you’re around.”

  “Like this one?” A sly grin crossed Nicky’s face as he reached out and cupped Gray through his pants.

  “Oh yeah,” Gray groaned, head tilting back. His eyes drifted shut and his hips lifted, seeking more friction, and Nicky was happy to give it to him, rubbing over him several more times before sliding to the floor at Gray’s feet.

  On his knees, Nicky’s slid his hands up Gray’s thighs, running his tongue lightly along his upper lip as he gazed into Gray’s eyes.

  “I want to taste you,” he purred as he yanked at Gray’s sweatpants.

  Lifting his hips, Gray helped Nicky push them down his legs, chuckling when Nicky tugged them all the way off and tossed them carelessly behind him. He took a moment to caress Nicky’s cheek before Nicky leaned forward, the warm spill of his hair lightly brushing against the tops of Gray’s thighs. As Gray reached to move the silky strands, Nicky flicked out his tongue, licking over the tip of him, and Gray groaned.

  Liking the sound, Nicky did it again, then kissed his way from tip to root before lapping back up again, lavishing attention on Gray’s cock before taking it into his mouth.

  “God…damn.”

  Nicky began to bob his head on the shaft, humming when he reached the bottom, then pressing his tongue to the underside as he came back up. Gray’s hands fisted in Nicky’s hair.

  Nicky hummed again, and Gray let out a loud groan, lightly tugging the strands.

  Nicky lifted his head, grinning. “Too much?” he asked as he licked his lips.

  Gray pulled him up and kissed him roughly. “I could get lost in the feel of your mouth.”

  “Really?” Nicky slid down and licked over him again. “I think I like the thought of that.”

  Sighing, Gray watched with a heated gaze that made Nicky shiver as he slowly took Gray in his mouth and hummed.

  “FUCK!” Gray growled and hauled Nicky up again. “I don’t wanna finish in your mouth.”

  Nicky just flashed him a wicked grin and flicked out his tongue.

  “Ride me,” Gray pleaded, his fingers fumbling with the button on Nicky’s jeans, jerking it open and carefully peeling down the zipper. He slid his hand inside Nicky’s pants, palming his erection, and Nicky’s breath hitched as he choked out a moan.

  “Fuck yeah,” Nicky said, kicking off his jeans.

  “Supplies are in the drawer beside the bed,” Gray told him, and Nicky hurried into the little curtained-off area. When he returned moments later, Gray had peeled his shirt off and flung it at the chair, affording Nicky the sight of his strong, muscular chest and the treasure trail that led to his eagerly waiting cock.

  Nicky froze as his eyes raked over Gray, who smirked and stroked his cock, clearly knowing exactly what he was doing to Nicky. The smirk only grew as he watched Nicky struggle to put one foot in front of the other on his way back to the couch, a low groan spilling from his lips when Gray reached out and ran his fingertips down his chest, then tweaked one of his nipples.

  “You like that, do you?” Gray asked as he did it again.

  “Yeeeeaaaahhhhhh.”

  Gray took the condom from Nicky and tore the wrapper open. “Prep yourself,” Gray instructed. He rolled the condom down his length.

  Nicky eagerly did just that, moaning at the sensation of his fingers sliding inside himself and scissoring apart, getting himself ready to take Gray. Eagerly, he slid into Gray’s lap, but Gray stilled his enthusiasm by trapping him on his thighs.

  “Are you sure you’re prepped enough? I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I’m good,” Nicky panted, wiggling a bit and trying to get closer to where he wanted to be.

  Gray studied him for a moment to be sure, then let him move forward and lift up, positioning himself over Gray’s cock as Gray held it steady for him.

  “Slowly,” Gray cautioned as Nicky began to lower himself, head thrown back, lower lip held between his teeth. A low hiss escaped him as he eased down inch after inch.

  “G-god,” Nicky stuttered, refusing to admit that maybe some more prep might have been in order. The stretch and burn was a little much and…. “Ohhhhhhhhh,” he gasped out as he finally came to be seated on Gray’s thighs, with the man balls-deep inside of him.

  He wrapped his arms around Gray’s shoulders and lowered his head so his forehead rested against Gray’s. He felt Gray’s breath on his cheek, and then his lips and teeth against his throat, nipping, sucking, kissing, patiently soothing him until Nicky was ready to move.

  He rocked carefully in Gray’s lap, then raised himself a little, listened to Gray groan, and raised more before sliding back down. Slow. Sensual. He took his time finding a rhythm, loving the way Gray’s hands felt on his hips and the wild kisses they shared.

  “More, Nicky, please,” Gray gasped, urging him with his hands to ride him faster, and Nicky was more than happy to oblige.

  His fingers dug into Gray’s shoulders until the echo of Gray’s shout rang in his ears. Gray gripped Nicky’s hips tight as he came hard. Seconds later, Nicky flung his head back and cried out Gray’s name as he came all over their chests and stomachs. The harshness of their breathing filled the room, and for several minutes, neither of them moved. Nicky was slumped with his head on Gray’s shoulder, while Gray had one arm loosely wrapped around Nicky, holding him in place.

  “That… was amazing,” Gray said when he could speak. “You are amazing, Nicky.”

  “Felt so good,” Nicky murmured.

  Gray lightly caressed Nicky’s back. “We need to get up and shower,” he prompted. “Then we can sleep in the bed.”

  “Mmmkay,” Nicky slurred and slowly stood, feeling Gray slip out of him.

  Gray sighed and rose as well, following Nicky to the bathroom.

  Gray got the water on warm and urged Nicky underneath it, letting him lean back against the wall while Gray cleaned him, then quickly cleaned himself. He maneuvered a sleepy Nicky out of the shower and got them both dried off and into bed, chuckling at the way Nicky curled tight against him, head resting just over Gray’s heart.

  “Goodnight,” Gray murmured, and kissed the top of Nicky’s head.

  ***

  Morning seemed to wake them both far too soon. The sunlight streamed through the trailer’s windows, slashing across the figures entwined upon the bed. Gray was the first to stir. He tried to sit up and found that he couldn’t move. Nicky lay on one of his arms and had draped one of his legs over Gray’s, effectively pinning him to the bed. He turned his head and saw Nicky still burrowed against him, his hair having spilled across his face like a curtain. Gray reached over and gently brushed it back, revealing Nicky’s sleeping features.

  God, the man was handsome; Gray never grew tired of looking at him. His eyelashes were a little long for a man and brushed like a fan on his cheeks as he slept. His tanned face was sprinkled with freckles and there was a faint scar that ran from his temple to his ear. Gray wondered if it had happened in a race. Maybe one day Nicky would tell him how he got it, and several others he’d noticed while he’d explored Nicky’s body. Hell, he still found it hard to believe that all of this was rea
l. Nicky staying that first night had been way beyond Gray’s expectations, but Nicky coming back time and time again, it was just…things like that never happened to him.

  So beautiful. Gray stroked Nicky’s face and knew that Nicky could have had anyone he’d set his sights on. If only someone hadn’t done a number on his confidence. How long before he realized his own worth and decided he was wasting his time with an older guy like him?

  Gray softly called Nicky’s name until he blinked sleepily at him.

  “Good morning,” Gray whispered, chuckling low as Nicky muttered something unintelligible and pressed his face to Gray’s side.

  “We can sleep a little longer if you want, but I need to get up for a moment,” Gray prodded, and, with a groan, Nicky wiggled around until he was no longer pinning Gray to the bed, allowing him to get up and use the restroom. When Gray returned, he found Nicky facedown and tangled in the sheets, sprawled out like a starfish.

  Shaking his head, he moved an arm and leg enough to make space for himself and cozied up beside him, soon falling back to sleep too.

  By the time they were ready to start their day it was almost noon. Nicky sat finishing his plate of bacon and eggs, with his long hair pulled back in a ponytail.

  “Is it, um, really hard learning to cook?” Nicky asked after he’d swallowed a bite.

  “Nope, not really. Mostly it’s just timing and directions. As long as you follow the measurements, have your stove or oven at the right temperature, and do what the directions say, things tend to turn out just fine.”

  Nicky raised an eyebrow at him as he cocked his head, thoughtfully. “Even baking?”

  Grinning, Gray placed his hands on the table and stood to wash his plate. “Seems like you have something in mind.”

  Nodding eagerly, Nicky smiled across the table. “Pie, actually. More specifically, Boston Cream.”

  Gray couldn’t help laughing at that.

  “What? Don’t think I can manage it?”

  “It’s not that,” Gray replied with a shake of his head. “It’s just that Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake. Not sure how it got its name, but the idea is that it is cake filled with custard and topped with a chocolate glaze.”

  “Oh….” Nicky said, a slow flush reddening his cheeks.

  “Hey, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about, and it’s really not that hard to make. I can show you, if you’d like.”

  A huge grin split Nicky’s face and brightened his eyes. “Really? That would be awesome. Can…do you have time today?”

  “Awfully eager, aren’t you?” Gray laughed. “Yes, I have time today, and I really wasn’t in a big hurry to see you go.”

  “I wasn’t in a hurry to leave,” Nicky admitted.

  “Well then, come over here and wash your hands and we’ll get started.” Gray began pulling down bowls. “We’ll make the cake first, then the filling and glaze.”

  A confused look crossed Nicky’s face. “You mean you don’t need a mix?”

  For a moment, all Gray could do was laugh, until he saw the hurt look on Nicky’s face and the way he’d shut down, shoulders slumping and eyes downcast as he fiddled with his clothes. Gray froze, and realized that at some point someone had humiliated and put down this young man to the point where he didn’t understand that not all laughter was meant to ridicule him.

  Gray quickly crossed the room and caressed Nicky’s cheek, feeling him nuzzle his palm a little bit. God, it seemed as if the kid was attention starved, and Gray found himself wanting to make up for all the affection Nicky’s ex had never given him.

  “I’m not laughing at you,” Gray assured him. “I’m laughing because you remind me of myself when I was younger. I always just assumed my old man was dumping things out of boxes, adding a few things and, bang, they were ready for the table. I just...it was a fond memory is all.”

  All Nicky could say was, “Oh” and drop his head again.

  “Please, don’t do that either,” Gray said as he tipped Nicky’s face up so their eyes met. “Don’t be ashamed of the way you feel, and don’t be afraid to talk to me if I should say or do something that hurts your feelings or makes you uncomfortable. We’re still getting to know each other. In time, I hope you’ll see that I’m nothing like some of the other people you might have been with.”

  “I’ve, uh, only ever been with Terry,” Nicky reminded him.

  Gray paused, studying him intently. “Even dating?”

  “Yeah, I, um, never really dated anyone before Terry either. We were always hanging out—him, me, and Vic—but, um, yeah, I never really liked anyone enough to date them, except Terry.”

  There was something about the way Nicky told the story that made Gray pause, but now didn’t feel like the time to press, so instead, he brushed a gentle kiss across Nicky’s lips and held him close for several moments.

  “Ready to get started?” Gray asked at last, gesturing to the forgotten bowls on the counter.

  “Yeah,” Nicky said, his smile firmly back in place.

  “Good.” Gray led him over to the counter. “Now, the first thing to remember is to keep wet and dry ingredients separate until you’re ready to mix them.”

  “If they’re all gonna end up in one bowl, why make a mess of a second one?”

  “Keeping them separate allows you to make sure elements like baking powder, salt, and baking soda are evenly distributed throughout the flour before you start adding things together and making everything sticky. Wet ingredients have to be mixed more thoroughly than dry ingredients; then you can add the dry ingredients to the wet. It helps things from getting all lumpy too, which can really mess something up. You don’t want to overwork the flour, so trying to add little bits of liquid at a time means only small bits of it get absorbed. In the end, it’s always better to just keep them separate until the final step.”

  Nicky worried his bottom lip. “I didn’t think it would be so complicated.”

  “It’s easy, don’t worry; you’ll do just fine. I’ll talk you through every step.”

  The smile Nicky bestowed upon Gray made Gray’s heart beat a little quicker. This cooking lesson might be the best way of getting to learn a few more things about Nicky. Gathering together ingredients, Gray placed them neatly on the counter and grabbed the measuring spoons. Before long, he was instructing Nicky in how much flour to add, and the proper way of cracking and whisking eggs. The best reward, however, came when they were able to sit down at the table and enjoy a slice. It pleased Gray no end to see how proud Nicky was of the desert, and he vowed there would be many more cooking lessons in their future.

  Chapter Five

  Over the next two weeks, Nicky raced three times, won twice, and endured looks of hatred from Terry, who didn’t even place in any of the races he’d competed in. Nicky had placed third in the race he hadn’t won, with Terry coming in two bikes behind him. He hadn’t been able to resist smiling in the face of Terry’s glares, having a hard time feeling bad for his ex when he was acting like an ass.

  He’d spent four nights with Gray in those two weeks as well, the older man quickly bringing him to the realization that there was a lot that he’d missed out on by being with Terry. It was nice to be with someone who wanted to talk about more than just racing and who seemed genuinely interested in talking to him about Native American legends, and mythology in general: two things Nicky absolutely loved.

  He wasn’t sure who’d been more shocked at first—Gray, when Nicky had sat reading a book of Hopi myths while waiting for him to finish his shift, or Nicky, when Gray had asked if he’d ever read The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo.

  “No, I haven’t seen that one.”

  Gray grinned as he wiped down the counter. “I just finished it. You can borrow it if you like.”

  Nicky had hardly been able to contain the surge of anticipation that ran through him. “Thanks, Gray. I’d like that a lot.”

  It had been a good book too. He’d sat up reading it instead of watching cartoons, and Vic h
ad suggested, not for the first time, that Nicky should have studied cultural anthropology. Nicky had just laughed and waved him off, reminding Vic that he was the one with all the brains. Later, when he’d returned the book to Gray, they’d talked about going hunting for arrowheads in this dry creek bed Gray knew, and Nicky told him about finding a bison tooth once, when he was a kid.

  Looking back, Nicky couldn’t even remember if he’d ever shared that moment with Terry. Most times, it was Terry who talked and Nicky who nodded and followed along or tuned him out if he’d clearly been exaggerating. He found he enjoyed the silences with Gray more than he ever had with Terry, especially when his ex had felt the need to fill every crevice with bragging and boasting and aspirations far grander than any Nicky ever had.

  He could see it now, far clearer than he’d been able to when they’d been together: Terry had never been content with the lives they’d had, everything with him had been about bigger, better, more, and Nicky had allowed himself to be swept along, to be pushed until he’d lost track of the line between racing for the love of it or some desperate need to be the best. As the days wore on, he began to realize getting dumped by Terry might have been the very best thing that could have happened to him.

  The only downer was that he and Vic really weren’t speaking much, but Nicky chalked that up to finals and the fact that Nicky was training his ass off for the big qualifier. He was shocked as hell when the big race came and Vic met him downstairs, dressed and ready to go.

  “What’s up?” Nicky asked as he checked his bag one last time.

  “Got everything done, figured I’d come see you race,” Vic told him.

  Nicky grinned happily. “Awesome.”

  Climbing into the truck, Nicky took a deep breath and drove.

  “Nervous?” Vic asked.

  “Hell yeah. The sponsors are counting on this.”

  “You’ll do good; you always do.”

  “Thanks, Vic,” Nicky said as he glanced over at his friend, “and if you’re still planning on going into the mountains, I’d love to come.”