Ellery Mountain 3 - The Carpenter and the Actor (9 page)

It took one hell of a lot of bravery to get himself out of the house and go with Kieran to Daniel’s place, which wasn’t that far from Jason’s cabin. Daniel and Luke appeared on the surface to be very much in love, as much as Finn and Max. He’d seen couples back home who had wonderful families, kids, pets, the requisite van—he’d just never thought he’d see it in Tennessee. They’d probably be encouraging him to get all serious with Kieran, unless, of course, Kieran had told them about the two weeks only thing. They’d been flirting last Friday and that much would have been obvious to everyone, but this was different. They’d been together nearly a week and Kieran had mopped him up after yesterday’s meltdown.

So not only did Jason have to face all of Kieran’s friends with their loved-up couple show but also take their ridicule after the whole drinking till he passed out crap.
Luke answered the door and that was Jason’s first test. Luke didn’t comment on what had happened yesterday, but then maybe he’d not heard about it. He also didn’t have anything to say about Kieran and Jason, which was cool. One down, three to go.
Daniel’s cabin was very similar to his, just smaller and a little more lived in and less pristine. There were photos on the walls of a younger Daniel, of Daniel and Luke, of Luke on his own and a diploma that was displayed centre stage with Luke’s name on it.
“Mom cooked!” Daniel shouted from the kitchen and Kieran immediately grinned.
“Brenda has awesome skills,” he announced before disappearing off to find Daniel. For a short time Jason hovered in the hall, pretending to look at photos, then he decided he hadn’t come all this way to not actually see anyone. Walking into the sitting room, he interrupted Max and Finn kissing and wondered if he should back out again.
“Hey, Jason,” Max said after releasing his grip on Finn. “How you doing?”
“Fine,” Jason answered quickly.
“Finn said you overdid it yesterday?”
Finn elbowed his partner, but to be honest Max wasn’t asking anything awful. Then he remembered Max didn’t drink and immediately wondered if maybe Max was making a veiled comment on the fact that he’d lost it. Well, tough. He was entitled to an off day. Everyone expected him to be Mr Perfect Actor and to hold true to the morality clause in his contracts for
Late Last Night
. So sue him for having one day when only alcohol seemed to help. Biting back the defence that was on the tip of his tongue, he finally decided he was being stupid. Max was frowning at him and Jason realised he was staring again.
Shit
.
“A bit,” he said lamely.
Max shook his head. “The last time I went too far was at the summer barbecue last year, back in K-ville before I came here. God, I was ill for days.”
“Heard it was whisky,” Luke interrupted. He offered Jason a drink, with a beer in one hand and a soda in the other. He laughed when Jason took the soda. “That stuff rots you from the inside out. Guessed you’d want a beer.”
And that was how the evening went. No one judged him, and the food, a big saucepan of chilli, was good. He didn’t care that Kieran snuggled up next to him, he wasn’t worried about being judged and he never for one minute thought he was being lulled into a false sense of security. Everyone here could be friends. He liked that idea. He had the idea again of buying a cabin here—he’d seen that some of them were for sale. Then he’d have a reason to visit Kieran. Maybe once or even twice a year. Kieran laughed at something and hung onto Jason as he laughed. The scent of his man reached him, a mix of the shower gel they’d shared, some tea tree mix and the shampoo that smelt of apple. Unconsciously, he relaxed, buried his face against Kieran’s throat and inhaled strongly. The smell of him, the taste of him…
Would once or twice a year be enough?
Would Kieran even be here waiting for the scraps?
Kieran’s voice broke through his inner realisations and he focused back on the conversation.
“We’ve been through this before,” Kieran huffed. “I’m not seeing the budget or the time to turn the staircase.” He was talking to Daniel who waved plans in his face with determination etched into his expression.
“Well, we have the money. A large donation actually. The mayor and council voted to release funds,” Daniel said smugly.
“They did? Dad didn’t say.”
“He didn’t want to tell us until it was definite. Anyway, look, if I have the money and you hire in a carpenter—”
“I don’t need another carpenter,” Kieran interrupted. “I need a labourer. Someone to hold things up and be my bitch.” He had leant forward as he said this and Jason missed the press of him against his arm. Kieran needed help and all he was doing for the rest of the short time here was sitting around. He wanted to be useful.
“I’ll do it,” he spoke up.
“You’re here on holiday, not to work,” Kieran said firmly.
“I want to help. I can donate money and I can donate time. I like the idea of doing something really physical for a change.”
“Clearly Kieran’s doing it wrong then if you’re not getting physical,” Daniel joked. He leaned away with a huff when Luke went to punch him on the arm.
Kieran turned to Jason. “And you’ll take my orders? Do what I say?” Evidently Kieran couldn’t believe for one minute that Jason would.
Jason waggled his eyebrows and deliberately lowered the tone of his voice to say, “You’d have to threaten to punish me if I don’t…”
Kieran’s mouth fell open and the rest of the group laughed, then it was Kieran who was being teased. Jason hadn’t realised how much saying that out loud would remind him of when they’d first met when Kieran had made it clear he wasn’t averse to switching and to other things that had had Jason half hard in his pants. He couldn’t wait to leave. He needed time with his sexy carpenter.
They left a little before midnight and when they reached home, Jason stopped Kieran at the door.
He stepped into his space, held him with his hands firm around the biceps and leant down to whisper in his ear, “You remember in the truck, when you said you wanted to control me? Tie me down? Suck me off then fuck me into tomorrow?”
Kieran made a sound, a cross between a groan and a whine. Jason’s dick went from zero to sixty in an instant at the sexy noise and his mouth was suddenly dry.
“I remember,” Kieran said breathlessly.
“The thought of you doing that, of not being able to move, or losing control? Who’s to say I don’t like being bossed around? But you won’t know unless you try.”
Kieran swallowed. “You’re hired.”
Jason stepped back and Kieran swayed towards the other man before catching himself. “Are we doing this?” Jason murmured.
“Now?”
“Do you have anything”—he clutched one wrist with the other—“to tie my hands?”
“Fuck, Jason,” Kieran snapped. “Now. You say that now… Wait.” In an instant he was back to his truck, then to the front door with a bag in his hand. With no further words, he followed Jason inside then pushed the door shut. Pushing Jason back deliberately until Jason felt the wall behind him, Kieran nudged his feet apart to get them on a level. The kiss they shared was electric, a mix of tender and hot then unrestrained passion. He could stand here all day doing this—letting Kieran kiss him and push him and make him come in his pants in the hallway. He wanted more, though, and Kieran was with the plan in more way than one. Stepping back, Kieran crouched down and opened his bag. He pulled out some rope, soft and pliable in appearance.
“I picked this up on my last trip to the wholesalers.” He stared down at it coiled around his hand. “It’s soft, silky—I don’t know why I picked it up that day.” He stood and stepped back into Jason’s space. “I just think I knew I wanted to use it on you.” He placed his hands on Jason’s shoulders and the rope in one hand brushed against Jason’s throat and the end of it touched his collarbone.
“Fuck, Kieran.” He couldn’t help the breathy whimper that accompanied the words.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” Jason said firmly. “Now.”
Kieran grabbed a hand and began to pull him along the corridor. “I only bought enough to… Look, I didn’t know if you would… I won’t…” Kieran stopped walking and rounded on Jason. “What I meant was—I remember what you said, but sometimes people say stuff that they don’t mean when they talk like that—”
Jason placed a finger on Kieran’s mouth to stop him talking. When he was certain that Kieran would be quiet, he set about making it obvious exactly what he wanted. First he toed off his boots then unbuttoned his fly. He pushed his jeans down and kicked them away. He’d gone commando by conscious design. He’d wanted to screw with Kieran’s head, but things had gone way too fast for teasing. He was so hard he had to touch himself and it was when he closed his hand around his own length that Kieran was galvanised into action. Far from wide-eyed overload, he was suddenly calculating and firm.
“Leave yourself alone,” he said quietly. Jason didn’t argue. Only the added breathy “Please” from Kieran told Jason that his lover was as close to losing control as he was. He took his hand away and let it dangle by his side. Kieran was in charge and
fuck
, from the look in Kieran’s eyes he was taking this very seriously. Placing a hand flat in the middle of Jason’s chest, Kieran gently pushed him back until the back of his legs hit the bed. With an “Oomph” he tumbled back onto the mattress and lay sprawled as Kieran stripped then picked up the rope.
“Scoot back,” Kieran said.
Jason awkwardly scrambled back until the pillows were under his head then waited. Kieran was naked with one knee up on the bed and examining the rope in his hand with a small frown. He was hard and ready and Jason didn’t think he’d ever seen anything so beautiful. He looked up at Jason and his eyes widened. The uncertainty that had marked his frown disappeared and he crawled up the bed to straddle Jason with determined focus. A few deft movements and he had a loop of the soft rope curled around Jason’s left hand.
“I won’t do it too tight,” Kieran murmured as he concentrated. When he moved, his knee brushed against Jason’s cock and Jason couldn’t stop the inhalation of breath. “Okay?”
Jason pulled at his wrist and his movement stopped as the rope extended to its full length. True to his word, Kieran hadn’t tightened the knot and if he really wanted to, he could unhook the wrist from the headboard. Kieran slid up his body again and reached over him to see to the other wrist. His nipple was in reach and Jason couldn’t resist a taste. He licked and arched his neck to get a proper suck. Kieran lowered himself a little then moved away as he fastened the rope on the other side. Jason tested the bond and closed his eyes. The sensual feeling of not being able to move was one thing, but Kieran kissing and biting a path of heat from one nipple to the next and stopping at each delineated muscle was more than he could take in silence. He alternated between cursing Kieran’s heritage to praising his tongue and it was nothing more than a torrent of babbling.
“Next time I’m gonna tie down your ankles,” Kieran murmured. He kissed his way around Jason’s navel then pressed his hands on Jason’s hip bones. “And across your chest…” He bypassed Jason’s hard cock and concentrated on pushing his legs apart to explore the weight of his balls with lips and tongue. “And across your thighs,” he added.
Jason heard the words and at the image of no movement at all, restricted and unable to do anything except feel, he was ready to come in that instant.
“Stop,” Jason whimpered. “I can’t… I’m close…”
Kieran moved to circle the base of Jason’s dick and tightened his grip. “Not yet.” Then in a smooth move he pulled the lube and condoms from the side and seemingly instantly pressed a cold, slick finger against Jason’s hole. Jason lost track of time, only knowing that he was desperate for Kieran to be inside. He pulled against his bonds and luxuriated in the feeling of the soft rope.
“Kieran…please.”
Kieran didn’t stop, but he certainly didn’t do what Jason wanted him to do. Instead he spent all of his time concentrating on the taste of Jason’s cock, until incoherency turned to pleas and demands. Finally, Kieran pulled on a condom, pressed the head of his cock against Jason then pushed inside. It was everything Jason had wanted and more. The strength of Kieran pushing him into the mattress, unable to touch when all he wanted to do was dig his fingers into Kieran’s ass and pull him closer, was frustrating and hot at the same time. He lasted literally no time at all. When Kieran upped the speed then rested back on his knees, he used his hand on Jason and it was game over.
“Fuck…” Orgasm wiped him out as he arched up into Kieran’s grip. Sensation flooded his body and when he came, it was the most intense orgasm he’d ever had. A few strokes later and Kieran shouted his own release and pressed deep before falling boneless on top of Jason. After a few seconds, he pulled out then untied Jason. He cleaned them with his discarded T-shirt, moved behind Jason and held him close.
“Okay?” he asked. His voice held uncertainty. Jason wished he was able to raise a coherent sentence. Instead he snuggled back against Kieran and sighed.
“Way past okay.”

All of week two and half of the third one passed by in a blur of building work, and by the time the next Friday came around, the old stairs had been dismantled and the new stairs were nearly finished. True to his word, Jason did as he was told and happily held whatever Kieran wanted him to. They hadn’t had a scene as intense as the last weekend, but their sex had taken on a desperate edge and they switched as often as not. Kieran couldn’t get enough of the sexy actor.

Max didn’t make it to the beer night. Neither did Finn. Something about a fire on a logging road. Daniel was in ‘serious’ mode and had plans spread around the table so the whole tone of the evening was quieter.

“Are you okay?” Kieran asked when he turned from the table to see Jason at the window looking out to where, during the daylight, there was a stunning view of the mountains. At the moment probably all he could see was his own reflection in the glass.

He turned and he was smiling. “I’m good.” He held out a hand and Kieran took it and entwined their fingers.
“I’m just covering some of the work we need to do. We don’t have to stay long.” Kieran lowered his voice. “We need to get you back to your cabin. I have things I want to do to you.”
Jason’s chest tightened. Kieran’s voice was deliberately light, but they both felt it keenly that Jason was leaving far too soon. What they had was passionate and sexy and fun, and if Jason could stay, or if Kieran could live in LA, then maybe they would carry it on. But Kieran wasn’t LA—he was Ellery and friends, and that made him the man he was. Whereas Jason was LA and acting, through and through. They were together for now, but they hadn’t contemplated a future past three days from now when he would be leaving.
“I’m happy staying. I like your friends.”
“I promise it won’t be long. Then we can get on to the fun stuff.” Kieran waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“I’m listening to what you’re discussing and I hear a lot of compromise on what you want to do,” Jason said softly. “I looked at the first draft of the house and there was a whole extension that’s not on the new plans.”
“We all started out with big ideas, but reality is that extensions, zoning, planning—it all takes money.”
“I have this idea. Maybe donating proceeds from an episode or something to the centre.”
The words were full of possible meaning. What was Jason saying? That he was willing to invest in the area? That he thought the centre was a good idea? That he had money to spare? Kieran had never really considered that he was sleeping with a rich guy—Jason was so normal here. Nothing like the stars with money on the TV shows. But he guessed he probably was one hell of a lot better off than most people in Ellery.
“You could talk to Daniel. I know he stresses over budgets and funding.” Kieran nodded towards Daniel who was deep in conversation with Luke.
“I will,” he nodded. “Not tonight, though.”
“How will you feel, though, investing in Ellery?”
Jason frowned. “I don’t feel anything in particular. You think I should do a good deed to maybe balance the guilt I feel at Ben’s death?” He huffed a laugh. “Is that what you’re asking?”
Kieran shook his head. “Not that. Never that.” He stepped closer and lowered the volume of his voice. “Although I like the idea of you being tied to Ellery on a permanent basis.”
Jason looked thoughtful and leant down for a kiss. “Maybe that isn’t a bad thing.”
“You only have this Friday,” Kieran said. He couldn’t help the twinge of sadness that he forced himself to keep hidden. This was a two-week thing. Not a forever thing. That was the deal.
“So let’s get a beer and enjoy this last Friday,” Jason said. His smile appeared a little forced, but Kieran pushed that impression to one side. He didn’t know Jason well enough to read all of the man’s facial expressions that well.
“You’re actually going to drink beer?” Kieran asked. “After the great whisky incident?”
“Well, beer for you, soda for me. I’m never drinking again.” Jason laughed and Kieran laughed alongside him. Everything was happy, everything was good. If Kieran could only rid himself of the unsettling feeling that the end was coming far too quickly. As speedily as it had started.