Seducing Jordan: A Second Chances Novella
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Authors: Andrea Dalling
Seducing Jordan
A Second Chances Novella
by
Andrea Dalling
Published by
Artesian Well Publishing
www.ArtWellPub.com
Learn more about
Andrea Dalling’s books
.
Visit
Andrea Dalling’s website
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This
gay erotic
romance
novella is intended for an
adult
audience. It contains scenes of groping, fumbling, wet kisses, angst, shirtless volleyball, sex toys, and two-man showers.
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Seducing Jordan
© 2014 Andrea Dalling
ISBN 978-1-942198-00-0
Cover stock image
© Stockbyte / ThinkStock
Any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
This ebook is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, and subject to criminal prosecution. An ebook format cannot legally be loaned or given to others. No portion of this literary work may be sold, manipulated, transmitted, copied, reproduced, or distributed, in any form or format, by any means or in any manner whatsoever, without the express written permission of the author, except for brief excerpts used for the purpose of review. To request written permission, contact Artesian Well Publishing at
www.ArtWellPub.com
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All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.
Published in the United States of America
First edition, September 2014
Table of Contents
2008
Jordan Callahan braced against the dashboard, the SUV lurching as Rick Ferguson pulled hard on the steering wheel to navigate around the hairpin curve. His heart slammed into his ribcage and beat double.
His frantic breathing steadied as Rick regained control. “Slow down, shithead.”
“Sorry.”
Typical Rick, pushing the boundaries until they pushed back. Maybe it hadn’t been a big risk when they were playing on the monkey bars in first grade. These mountain roads were less forgiving.
Rick’s silence and the tightness at the corners of his mouth showed his consternation. Jordan chewed his lip to keep from smiling. He couldn’t stay angry when Rick knew he’d screwed up.
He clenched his fist to hold back the urge to clutch his friend’s hand. The longing washed over him to stroke the tension from Rick’s body, fingers exploring the arcs of solid muscle. He leaned forward, forearms on his thighs to hide the rising bulge in his crotch.
A lump gathered in his throat. Would this be the last weekend he and Rick spent together? College started in two weeks—new places, new people, new priorities. What would happen to their childhood friendship now that they’d grown up?
He sat back and gazed over the rolling Pocono Mountains. Green slopes rose above the haze cloaking the valley in the August afternoon. The SUV’s motor chattered, climbing toward the campground. Not like they’d be roughing it—Rick had rented a nice place, he said, for this last trip together before they left for campuses in different states.
The truck pulled into the driveway in front of the cabin, grinding gravel under tires. The cedar siding made the A-frame look like part of the landscape, bushy conifers softening its lines.
He hopped out of the SUV. From the ridge, the campground sprawled below them: tennis courts, hiking trails, a lake for kayaking. Plenty of activities to distract him from the decadent things he wanted to do to Rick’s body.
Right?
Rick came and stood by him, patting his back. The warm sensation sent shivers through him.
“What do you think of the view?” Rick asked.
“Beautiful.”
He wasn’t talking just about the scenery. He pretended not to notice the shine in Rick’s brown eyes, or the way the breeze tousled his wavy dark hair. A smile brought Rick’s face to life. He burned to kiss that mouth, to nibble the cleft of his chin.
“Cyn doesn’t mind you going away this weekend?” Jordan asked. Cynthia Darlington, the most popular girl in school, had been Rick’s girlfriend for three years.
“Cyn and I aren’t a couple anymore. I mean, we’re still sort of dating, but we agreed to see other people.”
“And that includes me?”
Rick’s cheeks flushed crimson. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
Of course he didn’t.
What a fucking stupid thing to say.
“Just kidding.”
Smiling, Rick punched his arm, and Jordan pushed him away. The awkward moment passed. Jordan would have to control himself better this weekend. If he said out loud the things he felt, he could lose Rick forever.
***
Rick popped the hatch so they could get their gear. The tension in his stomach wound into a knot. In a few minutes, Jordan would know what he had in mind for the weekend. He couldn’t hide it once they got inside the cabin.
He stole a glance at his friend. Jordan had lost the bulk from weight training during football season, but a summer job at his uncle’s landscaping business had given him a lean, hard physique. His toned body would get him noticed when he arrived on Princeton’s campus in two weeks.
Hot fingers gripped his heart. Jordan hadn’t had many opportunities to date in their semi-rural hometown, since none of their other classmates was
out
. The thought of strange men cruising him, only interested in a blow job, raised the bile in his throat.
Jordan leaned inside to pull out his bag, offering a view of hard, round glutes and thick thighs. He swallowed and adjusted his jean shorts.
Jordan slid his duffle over his shoulder, the slanting light of the afternoon sun kissing his blond hair. He was tan from working outside. The darkness of his skin made his eyes shine even bluer. No wonder all the girls at school had lamented he was gay.
Rick retrieved his bag and a small cooler, then led the way along the wood-chip path toward the cabin. It was cleaner here, away from the city. Pine spiced the air. The hills of eastern Pennsylvania stretched for miles below them, filling him with a sense of freedom, like standing on top of the world.
But the next moment, an image of Cynthia encroached on his mind, and anxiety bit his gut. Agreeing to see other people hadn’t silenced the voice that told him to escape that trap. Why was he staying with her at all?
Maybe his feelings for Cyn were as good as it got. In the three years they’d been together, he’d never been tempted to cheat on her. Other girls didn’t cross his mind. Was that love?
“The view of the lake from here is fantastic.” Jordan’s voice broke through his worry. Water shone like silver in the valley below. “I see why you chose this cabin instead of our usual one.”
He nodded. He and Jordan had been to this campground a few times since they’d gotten their licenses. They’d been in Boy Scouts together as kids, but Jordy wasn’t welcome after he came out. Rick had quit in protest, even though he was well on the way to Eagle Scout. Anger throbbed in his chest. Jordan was an all-star running back headed to Princeton, yet he wasn’t good enough for that stupid organization. What a bunch of turds.
They reached the door, and he fumbled for the key. The view wasn’t the reason he’d chosen a different cabin. Jordan would see that soon enough. Still, he wasn’t ready to give up the charade. He clung to the last moments of normalcy between them. “This place has a bigger kitchen, too.” He tried to sound natural, but his fingers trembled as he slid the key into the front door.
Jordan followed him inside and let out a whistle. “You’re not kidding.”
He shut the door, and his eyes scanned the open space. Off to the right, the black granite countertops of the modern kitchen reflected the shine of the overhead light. To the left was a sitting room with an overstuffed sectional and a big-screen TV. Dominating the room was the king-sized bed on the far wall, the white bedspread contrasting with the dark walnut headboard. How would he explain, when Jordan realized the cabin didn’t have another bedroom?
He dumped his luggage at the foot of the bed, then took Jordan’s duffle and set it beside his own bag. Apprehension surged through his belly. He wasn’t ready for this conversation. What if he was wrong about Jordan’s feelings for him?
“We should get some groceries,” he blurted, “then, uh, maybe some sandwiches for dinner.” He needed to get them out of the cabin.
“It’s only four o’clock.”
“Right, but, you know how long it takes me to pick out the perfect variety of potato chips.”
Jordan arched his brows, then shrugged. “Okay.”
***
Jordan leaned over the shopping cart at the Acme, pressing the heel of his hand into his forehead. The muscles around his eyes were tight, forming a dull ache. The disco music playing through the speakers overhead didn’t help.
It wasn’t just the potato chips this time. Rick lingered over every selection…cookies, soda, cereal. They’d been in the store almost an hour, and they had four items in the cart.
“Ooh, pancake mix,” Rick said. “Maybe we should have that instead of cereal.”
He clenched his jaw. “I will fucking kill you.”
“Why?” Rick scowled.
“It took you fifteen minutes to decide on Frosted Flakes.”
Rick set the pancake mix into the cart. He took out the box of cereal and slid it onto a shelf at random. “We’ll need eggs and milk, too.”
Jordan massaged his temples, to stop his head from exploding.
He followed Rick to the back of the store where the milk was. “What do you think?” Rick asked. “Whole, two percent, one percent, skim—”
“Just pick one.”
“Gallon, half-gallon, quart—”
Jordan grabbed a half-gallon of two percent and dropped it into the cart. “We’re done here.” He pushed the cart toward the far corner to get the eggs.
“Jordy, are you mad at me?”
He clenched his fists and glared. Rick’s eyes were large, his mouth frowning. He looked upset. Jordan looked away, his anger softening against his will.
Rick pulled at the hem of Jordan’s T-shirt. “Don’t be mad. I know I’m a pain in the ass sometimes, but I want this to be a good weekend. I spent a lot of time planning this trip. After we leave for college, I don’t know when we’ll be able to hang out again.”
His heart swelled and hurt his chest. He wanted to kiss that sweet, stupid face, thread his fingers through that wavy hair. The heat from Rick’s body washed over him.
Fuck
. He was so screwed.
Rick patted his back. “See, I knew you weren’t mad.”
A jolt of electricity shot straight to his cock. He swallowed hard, getting a grip on the shakiness that had taken over his insides. His neck and cheeks warmed, and his breath deepened. Surely Rick could tell the effect he was having. Yet he didn’t pull away. He met Jordan’s gaze. Rick’s brown eyes darkened, his pupils dilating.
Jordan stepped back and forced a grin. “Want to get some sandwiches at the deli?”
“How about burgers instead?”
***
They stepped into the burger joint, one of Rick’s favorites because it wasn’t a chain. It was popular among the locals, and tourists flocked there, too. The place wasn’t crowded yet because it was early. The staff all wore cowboy hats, and the corny Western theme was reinforced with appliqués of saddles and horses spattered across the wood-paneled walls. The aroma of frying beef and melting cheese made his stomach rumble.
He laid his hand on Jordan’s shoulder. “Know what you want?”
Jordan stepped back. “Usual, I guess. Burger, fries, Mountain Dew.”
He swallowed. “Yeah, me too, except I think I’ll get a Coke.” Why had Jordy pulled away like that? He looked like he was in heaven when Rick touched him back at the grocery store. A crimson blush had covered his cheeks, making him look sweet and vulnerable. Rick wanted to wrap protective arms around him, tell him everything would be okay. Whatever Jordan wanted, Rick would give him. He didn’t have to be afraid of his feelings anymore.
A group of younger teens rushed inside, giggling. They crowded toward the counter. A big kid bumped into Rick’s back, pushing him into Jordan. Their chests brushed together, and he grabbed Jordan’s arm to steady himself.
“Sorry,” the kid said.
“S’okay,” he replied, still holding on to Jordan. When he’d fallen into him, he’d felt a bulge in Jordan’s shorts. He looked over. Jordan’s eyes were wide, his lips parted. Rick’s body tingled, wanting to kiss that waiting mouth. He was getting to Jordan. Maybe tonight would work out okay after all.
He let his hand linger, hoping Jordy would get the hint. But there were too many people crammed into the place now to risk looking like they were a couple. Rural Pennsylvania wasn’t known for its open-mindedness.
Pulling back his hand, he missed the warmth of Jordan’s skin, the softness of the fine hair on Jordan’s arm. He could never get enough of him, that beautiful face and body, the flashing of his eyes when he was mad, the sound of his laugh when he was happy.
Rick had never felt that way about Cyn. Pretty and so sweet, she delighted in taking care of him. Kissing her turned him on. Yet he had never ached for her like he did Jordan.
They got to the front of the line and ordered their meals. They carried their trays to a two-person booth by the window, with a view of the sun glimmering over the mountains. His watch read six o’clock. They had almost two hours of daylight left.
In the small booth, their knees rubbed together. “Want to sit somewhere else?” he asked.
“Don’t think there is anywhere else.”
Rick looked around. The group of teens had claimed the last two tables. “S’okay,” he said. “I don’t mind being close to you.”
Jordan’s eyes widened. He pulled back, his body shrinking.
Warmth crept up his torso toward his face. Man, he was making a fool of himself! Jordan must think he had lost his mind.
He slid his Coke back and forth across the tabletop. He leaned down and took a sip. Anything to avoid Jordan’s eyes.
Finally, he looked up. He needn’t have worried. Jordan was staring out the window.
“Pretty here,” Rick said.
“Remember the last time we went camping with Boy Scouts? We hiked down to the lake and caught tadpoles and crayfish.” The lines of Jordan’s jaw hardened. “Do you ever miss it? I mean, feel like you gave up something because of me?”
Jordan’s words shot through his heart. Had Jordy been carrying that burden all these years? “I didn’t quit because of you. I quit because of them. All that time I’d worked hard to follow their rules, to win their approval, only to find out their approval wasn’t worth having. They made me feel dirty. I’d let them become part of my identity, but I never really knew who they were. It was like finding out they were part of the KKK.”