By the Numbers Read online

  "Yessir," Trey mumbled. Chance was right. His job was too important to let anything distract him, even Deuce and Holly.

  "Thank you." Chance pushed off the lockers and looked as if he was about to say something else, but a soft buzzing noise interrupted him. Trey looked over in time to see him take his phone out of his pocket and study the text message on the screen.

  When a corner of Chance's mouth curved up in a soft smile, Trey raised a brow. He would bet his left nut that he knew who'd sent it. "Tell Tucker I said hi." Block out relationship crap, indeed.

  "Okay." Chance smiled again before blinking and looking up at Trey. The smile vanished from his face and he looked slightly abashed. "Just call your guy," he said sharply, and then left, presumably to answer his text.

  Trey rolled his eyes. Seemed as if no one was that successful in blocking out relationship crap, even Chance.

  Might as well follow orders, though. Trey dug his phone out of his pocket and called Deuce's office line.

  "Good afternoon, G2G Systems. This is Nathaniel." Deuce sounded ever so slightly distracted, but possibly only Trey would notice. "How can I help you?"

  "Yeah, I have a problem with some code you guys helped me install last week." Trey hoped that sounded close enough to what Deuce actually did at work.

  "That's not good. What project is that, sir?" Deuce sounded like he was suddenly paying attention. "Was it something to do with idiot boyfriends who don't know when to shut up?"

  "More like idiot boyfriends who expose their partners to bitchy ex-wives." Trey looked at the ceiling of his dorm and played with a belt loop on his uniform pants. "I'm sorry. She was awful to you."

  "That's hardly your fault." Deuce sighed. "For some reason I keep expecting her to act like a rational adult, despite all the evidence to the contrary. I should have just let her spit venom -- it's not like I actually care what she thinks about me. Although, to be honest, if she's going to tell Lacey that kind of anti-gay bile, you're going to have to do something. That's just not cool."

  Trey went over the conversation from that morning in his head. He remembered Holly saying something about telling Lacey that Daddy liked to kiss boys, but Lacey had already been told that when Holly had said he was gay. "She's not anti-gay," he said slowly. "She's just anti-me. She'd behave the same way if I told her I was a communist or a lumberjack or a white collar criminal."

  There was a long pause before Deuce replied. "This morning she made it about telling Lacey that you like to kiss and hug me instead of her, and that Daddy likes boys. Then she said that she will tell Lacey what she thinks and feels. Given the high feelings and the level of her disdain, it sounded and felt very anti-gay to me."

  Trey considered how to answer. There were so many variables and details that Deuce didn't know, and that wasn't his fault. Now was probably not the time to get into them, though. "I know what she said," Trey finally replied. "She's unhappy I'm gay. That doesn't mean she's homophobic. She's already told Lacey that Daddy likes boys instead of girls, and judging from how calm Lace was about that when she and I talked, Holly didn't make it into something disgusting or wrong. I can't defend Holly on much, but she's a decent parent and she loves Lacey. She knows Lacey loves me, and she won't do anything to jeopardize our relationship. I won't jeopardize theirs, either. It's in writing." God, that court and custody battle had sucked so much.

  "I can only tell you what I heard and how I heard it, Trey." Deuce sounded tired. "I'm not going to yell at her again or anything -- in fact I'll just do my best to never even see her. But that's what it felt like to me. I'm not used to feeling like a bug under someone's shoe. All of that aside, it wasn't your fault and I don't want you to say you're sorry. We've learned our lesson, and we did the right thing by telling her, even if she doesn't see it that way."

  "It sounds like you're trying to explain something that I don't see. It's not like that." Trey felt even more miserable.

  "Don't worry about it, all right? Just let it go, honey. It doesn't matter."

  "Of course it matters. That leaves you with a perception of me that I don't like."

  "My perception of you hasn't changed at all. My perception of her has, but since I don't actually have to deal with her, that's fine. I'll stay out of the way, and I'll only ever say nice things about her to Lacey."

  Trey supposed that was all he could ask for, at this point. The fact remained that Holly was showing Deuce nothing but her bitchy side, and Trey would always have lingering guilt at the way they'd left things at the end of their marriage. "All right," he sighed. "I'd like it if you could come by for dinner tonight. If you want."

  "Of course I want." Deuce sounded pleased, or possibly relieved. "I'll come from work. I have to stay an extra half hour because of this morning, but I should be there about six. I went home at lunch to let the dogs out, so they'll be okay."

  "That's fine, we never know when we're going to eat around here anyway. I'll see you tonight. Thanks." He really, really didn't like the fact that Holly had come between them, however briefly.

  "I'll see you tonight. Count on it." Deuce was positively warm as he hung up.

  It was a relief to hear Deuce sounding so calm, so maybe things would work themselves out. As much as Trey would have liked to promise him that they'd avoid Holly forever, it just wasn't possible. She was going to be part of their lives. Trey was still unsure about how long this relationship thing was going to last, but right now he hoped "a long time" was a good estimate.

  He rolled off his bed and shoved his phone back in his pocket, then went to see if anything needed to be done around the station.

  The afternoon passed more quickly than the morning had, so by the time six p.m. rolled around, Trey barely had time for a quick shower and a clean shirt. He had just wandered into the kitchen to see if he could help the other crew cook when he heard the doorbell.

  "I got it," he announced casually, and made himself walk to the door instead of bolting there. He opened it and smiled. Deuce hadn't had time to change, so he was still dressed in work clothes and looked delicious. "Hi. I'm glad you came."

  "I'm glad you invited me." Deuce gave him a smile and very briefly touched his arm. "How was your day? Any calls this afternoon?"

  "Always. This station is busy." He'd actually been thinking about transferring somewhere quieter for a while and applying for paramedic school. "Hopefully we'll be slower tonight. It's just spaghetti for dinner."

  "Spaghetti is good." Deuce nodded. "I'll cross my fingers for a restful night for you."

  Trey glanced around and, seeing no one else in the hallway with them, leaned in for a fast kiss. "Restful nights are always better for my attitude the next day. We're both home tomorrow; you want to go out and do something? Go down to the beach, maybe?" They hadn't really gone out together as a couple too much.

  "I'd love that. Maybe have lunch out, wander around? Do you want to go to a movie tomorrow night, too?"

  Trey thought for a moment. Other than grabbing a quick burger once in a while at their local place, they hadn't been out for a real date. The relationship had fallen into place easily, but Trey figured there should be a little courting, too. Better late than never.

  "Okay, let's do this. We'll grab sandwiches and go the beach for a while. I do a little body boarding once in a while, so we can swim, too. And then maybe dinner out and a movie after." If we get that far, he added silently. Mostly they seemed to cut their time out in public short and go home and mess around.

  Deuce beamed at him. "That sounds like a wonderful day. It's a date." He winked one eye slowly. "So, this is a lovely hall we're standing in, but maybe we should move out of it."

  "There are other people around. It's quiet here." Trey knew he was taking a risk, though. Twelve other guys in one station house meant someone was going to come along any minute. "But okay." He leaned in for one more kiss and then pushed off the wall. "Let's go see if we can help cook."

  "Sounds good to me." Deu
ce followed along behind, and Trey felt a hand on his ass for a few steps, Deuce laughing softly behind him. "You're very cute," he whispered.

  Trey's cock hardened instantly, and he stopped short in the hallway. "Nathaniel," he warned.

  "Sorry." Deuce sounded anything but. The hand went away, though not immediately. "Carry on."

  It took a moment for him to get himself under control. His uniform pants weren't very forgiving in terms of walking around with a stiff dick. Now, his turnout pants were different. Those hid everything, and thank God for it. More than once Trey had been woken up at night from a dirty dream by the paging system. He'd pulled on his turnouts and no one knew he was hiding a hard on under them.

  When his cock had finally gone down, Trey brought Deuce into the kitchen. The men greeted him courteously, and Chance gave him a handshake and a, "Hey, how's it going?"

  "Well enough, thanks. And thanks for dinner, too." Deuce spoke to a couple of the guys by name and made himself at home, helping to set the table and offering to help out with the chopping.

  Trey was pleased by the easy familiarity Deuce had with Trey's crew. It was nice to know that Deuce could drop by to say hi and no one would disappear into their dorms or find something to do in the garage, as so often happened with visitors that no one wanted to be around. Holly had been one such example.

  "Chow," Eric Dayton announced, a captain on the truck. "Call it, Trey."

  Trey handed Deuce two tall plastic cups of ice water and nodded toward the end of the table. He picked up the paging system handset and made the chow call to the station, then joined Deuce at the table. "There's plenty, as usual. Take as much as you want." He indicated the two heaping pots of spaghetti and the bowls of sauce.

  Deuce dug in with the rest of them and for a few minutes there was just eating; apparently sitting at a desk all day wasn't that far removed from more physical labor, and Trey wondered if Deuce had even eaten when he went home to let the dogs out at lunch. Just as he was wondering, someone asked about the puppies and Deuce entertained them all by telling of Pi's latest escape attempt and the reaction of the next door neighbors, who had been a little startled to see a dog's face suddenly appear behind their garden.

  "We had no idea that dogs could even climb that high," Deuce told them, indicating how far up Pi had scrambled in order to clear the fence. "So now Pi doesn't get to go out alone. Six, on the other hand, is a perfect angel."

  By the time they were done eating, Deuce had passed around his phone twice with photos they'd asked to see, and all three dogs had admirers. Other phones appeared, and pet photos of dogs, cats and one horse were all shown off.

  "Let me help clear," Deuce said when they were done eating. "It's the least I can do since you fed me."

  His offer was met with immediate denials. "Guests don't work," Chance informed Deuce, and Trey nodded in agreement.

  "Sorry." Trey gave Deuce a smile. "It's true in any station you go to. Guests are guests. Hang out here at the table, and I'll grab dessert for us when we're finished."

  Deuce nodded, smiling. "Okay. I can sit, I suppose. Thanks." He looked around. "Although, to be honest, it feels odd, watching you guys clean up."

  "There's thirteen of us," Eric announced on the way to the sink. "We'll be done in five minutes. Takes longer when there's a rookie, because none of us help."

  This was true, too. Trey rolled his eyes and wondered what kind of impression Deuce was actually getting. The inside of a fire station was not unlike a fraternity house sometimes.

  The cleanup was finished in eight minutes, not five, but Deuce didn't seem to mind the wait when Trey brought over two ice cream sandwiches made with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. "There are more of these, too."

  "Oh, I think one will do," Deuce said with a laugh. "I'm going to have to run to work on Monday instead of bike, just to work off the pasta."

  "We'll swim tomorrow," Trey promised. "Or, you know." He lowered his voice as he watched Deuce lick ice cream from his spoon. "Other stuff."

  Deuce's eyes widened, and he looked around. "Why, Trey," he whispered. "Whatever do you mean?"

  The words were out before he could stop them. "I'll show you. Hang around for another hour or so."

  "Are you going to get us in trouble?" Deuce looked deeply amused. "Because I'm all for that, aside from the actual getting in trouble. I like the wild side of you." He grinned and licked his spoon again.

  Trey couldn't tear his gaze away from Deuce's pink tongue. "No trouble. We'll be careful." And keep themselves away from Chance, who was already looking at them suspiciously. Trey wished he knew Tucker's phone number so he could call and tell him to keep Chance busy for half an hour.

  "Cool." Deuce finished his ice cream and started a conversation about baseball, but he clearly had no intention of rushing home, which was good. The talking seemed even to soothe Chance a little.

  They moved to the recliners in front of the television for a while, and around eight o'clock people started appearing in the common room in shorts and Ts instead of uniforms. Trey got up from one of the comfortable chairs and looked at Deuce. "Come on, I'll walk you out." He had no intention of letting the man leave, however.

  "Sure thing." Deuce stood up and said good bye to the room at large, waved his thanks at Chance, and followed Trey out. "So, you'll be home on time tomorrow morning, you think?" he said as they left the room.

  "Hopefully." Trey let the heavy door close behind them. They were alone in the quiet of the cavernous garage that housed two fire engines and a fire truck. "Come here," he whispered, taking Deuce's hand. He led him around to the back of one of the fire engines. "Can you climb up?" he asked, pointing to the top of the engine where the hose lay neatly folded in its bed.

  Deuce climbed, not bothering to say anything. His grin was answer enough, and his speed was flattering. "How far away from the edge?" he whispered, getting himself over the top.

  Trey climbed up behind him and crawled to the middle of the bed. "Here's good. Lie down." He knelt and found himself already reaching for Deuce's fly.

  "Oh, man." Deuce fell back, his hands helping. "This is the best idea ever. I swear to God, you'll never have a better one, and I've never had one even come close."

  "Shhh." Trey started laughing; he couldn't help it. "You echo in here. Remember that when you come." He shoved Deuce's slacks down and felt warm skin beneath his hands. "The hose bed's a little rough. Try not to move too much." He buried his head in Deuce's crotch and nuzzled there.

  "That's easy for you to say," Deuce whispered. He was wiggling, trying to spread his legs. "Just... yeah." His hand was in Trey's hair, petting. "Oh, yeah."

  Trey started out by trying to keep an ear open for people entering the garage, but the way Deuce tasted and smelled and the sounds he was making soon made Trey forget about it. They were being as quiet as they could, anyway.

  Deuce was hard enough to have his cock nearly touching his own stomach. Trey licked at the head and took the tip in his mouth, swirling his tongue around and tasting all of the sweetness that Deuce was leaking.

  "Trey." Deuce was whispering, but the word sounded rough. His hips rocked up and he slid into Trey's mouth; the hand on Trey's head was a steady pressure, keeping him there, like Deuce wanted him in exactly that place, not even a half inch out of position.

  Eager to please, Trey kept himself right there. He let Deuce guide him while keeping his mouth warm and wet, tongue sliding along the shaft and adding a bit of pressure now and then. He would have liked to draw it out for Deuce, to make it last as long as possible, but it was too dangerous. If they were caught now, Trey would be fired, and he knew that was a risk neither of them wanted.

  Increasing the suction a little, Trey moved down further onto Deuce's prick. He sucked and licked and Deuce grew even harder in Trey's mouth.

  Deuce's hand grew heavier, and Trey could hear him beginning to pant. There weren't any words but the way Deuce's hips were rising fas
ter, snapping a little as he thrust into Trey's mouth, spoke just as loudly. Deuce's other hand joined the first and Trey found himself being held in place as Deuce fucked his mouth, driving himself toward orgasm.

  It felt as if Deuce was teetering on the edge for several moments, his body quivering and his shaft hard as steel in Trey's mouth. Trey brought up a hand and squeezed it down in the crack between Deuce's legs. With one completely dry finger, he teased his way into Deuce's hole and sucked as hard as he could.

  "Oh, fuck." Deuce went tight -- his hole, his legs, his cock, his abs. Every single part of him that Trey could feel got hard as rock and then started to spasm as Deuce came, jerking into Trey's mouth and curling up around him. It wasn't silent but it was sure not as loud as Trey thought maybe Deuce wanted to be.

  Trey caught everything in his mouth except for one droplet he could feel trickling down his chin. He licked and cleaned and gentled his sucking, and it was then he became aware of his own erection. It had never completely gone away since Deuce had grabbed his ass in the hallway, but Trey had been able to ignore it through dinner. It caught his attention now, though, and he couldn't help rubbing his palm over the outside of his pants.

  "Come here." Breathless as Deuce was, it sounded like an order. "Let me."

  "Oh, God. Hurry. Hurry hurry hurry." Trey was desperate both for release and to finish up their forbidden tryst. He was so hard and wanted Deuce so badly, and not for just a quickie on top of the engine. Trey tore open his pants and withdrew his cock. "Here, touch. Please."

  Deuce rolled, pushing him down onto the hose. "No mess, no evidence, more fun for me." He kissed Trey hard and then moved down, his mouth eager. He didn't tease, not the Trey was in a position to take any teasing anyway, but started to suck with something not unlike true hunger.

  Trey sucked in a breath and rolled his eyes back in his head. He arched his neck and tangled both hands in Deuce's hair. He was about four seconds away from coming and he hoped he had the control to keep it as quiet as Deuce had.