The Ties That Bind Read online

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  MLR Press, LLC

  www.mlrpress.com

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  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

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  What ties you to your lover?

  Love, need, desire, scarves, rope, ribbons or something else altogether?

  Five short stories of love and lovers that explore the bonds that bring them together both figuratively and literally.

  Key To Me

  by Jet Mykles

  Roughly Tied Together

  excerpt from the novel A Bit of Rough

  by Laura Baumbach

  The Gift of Eros

  by Kimberly Gardner

  Rough Ride

  by Laura Baumbach

  One Good Favor

  by J.L. Langley & Dick D.

  +

  + Other Erotic Tales from MLR Press

  + An Adrien English Mystery #1: Fatal Shadows

  An Adrien English Mystery #2: A Dangerous Thing

  An Adrien English Mystery #3: The Hell You Say

  Boy Meets Body Partners in Crime #1

  I'll Be Dead for Christmas Partners in Crime #2

  Fearless

  Goldsands

  Diary of a Hustler

  Love Hurts

  Ardennian Boy

  Bond-Shattering

  California Creamin’ and other stories

  A Bit of Rough

  Out There in the Night

  Details of the Hunt

  Blood Desires

  Coming Soon:

  Blood Claim

  Man, Oh, Man Writing M/M Fiction for Kinks & Cash

  SUCKS!

  Lola Dances

  Kingsley & I

  Footsteps in the Dark Partners in Crime #3

  Kimberly Gardner

  J.L.Langley & Dick D.

  Jet Mykles

  and

  Laura Baumbach

  Ties That Bind

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright 2008 by Kimberly Gardner

  Copyright 2008 by J.L. Langley & Dick D.

  Copyright 2008 by Jet Mykles

  Copyright 2008 by Laura Baumbach

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction

  in whole or in part in any form.

  Published by

  MLR Press, LLC

  3052 Gaines Waterport Rd.

  Albion, NY 14411

  Visit ManLoveRomance Press, LLC on the Internet

  www.mlrpress.com

  Cover Art by Deana C. Jamroz

  Editing by Maura Anderson

  Printed in the United States of America.

  ISBN# 978-1-934531-45-7

  First Edition 2008

  The Ties That Bind

  Table of contents

  Key To Me

  Jet Mykles

  Roughly Tied Together

  Laura Baumbach excerpt from A Bit Of Rough

  Gift of Eros

  Kimberly Gardner

  Rough Ride

  Laura Baumbach

  One Good Favor

  J.L. Langley & Dick D.

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  * * * *

  Jet Mykles

  Key To Me

  "Can't I stay?"

  The pillow beneath Noah's face smelled of sweat and musk with faint traces of citrus shampoo. Breathing it in, he let his straight blond hair obscure his face as he twisted his neck slowly so he could see the man sitting beside him on the bed. Big, almost stocky, with a thick thatch of dark hair covering his chest that was a few shades darker than the short buzzed hair on his head. He was mostly in shadow since the only light in the room came from the open door behind him, but Noah knew well enough what his big blue puppy dog eyes looked like. A good looking guy. But not the one he wanted. How did I ever think he might be the one?

  "Probably not a good idea."

  Bob's eyes wandered from Noah's face to his bare back. He reached out to pat Noah's shoulder. The pat turned into a caress. The caress spilled down the curve of his shoulder, down Noah's spine, to the dip of his lower back, right next to where the green sheet lay over his ass.

  Noah's skin tingled but he was sated enough not to respond. He squirmed aside, not quite out of reach. “Bob."

  The hand stopped. Bob heaved a sigh and pulled back, standing. Jeans and dress shirt were back on. He'd even buttoned up. “Yeah, I know. Time for me to leave.” His attention returned to Noah's face. Despite the shadows blurring his blunt features, Noah could see the open longing in his face. “Can I see you again?"

  No. Guilt tugged at Noah. “Bob, we talked about this.” And that should have been Noah's first hint. Noah should have trusted his existing instinct about Bob.

  Bob nodded, his face showing that he heard the unspoken negative loud and clear. “I know, I know.” He ran a hand over the buzzed dark hair on his scalp. “You're a beautiful man, Noah."

  "Thank you.” He resisted the urge to pay back the compliment. It'd only give Bob hope where there was none. Stupid to sleep with him. You knew he couldn't be the one. But it was too late now.

  With a little smile, Bob lifted his hand in a wave. “See you around.” He turned and left.

  Sighing, Noah closed his eyes and snuggled back down on the pillow, resting for just a bit before he went to clean up. His soft sheets were damp from exertion. The sex had been good. He'd enjoyed it. He knew Bob had enjoyed it as well. He did not have to feel guilty. He'd been perfectly upfront with Bob, just like he was with all of his lovers. Bob didn't have to know that Noah had held out a secret wish that he might be someone far more intriguing to Noah's heart.

  The sound of voices in the kitchen reopened his eyes. They were faint, but he heard the words loud and clear.

  "Hey, Mitch."

  "Hey, Bob."

  Mitch?! Noah pushed up to his elbows, eyes wide on the open bedroom door. The door that had been open the entire time he and Bob were ... “Ah, shit.” He scrambled out of bed and snatched up the soft ivory lounge pants draped over his desk chair. As he stepped into them, he heard the front door open and close. Spearing two hands through his hair and tying it in a quick, loose knot at the nape of his neck, he checked to make sure there was no stray spunk on his skin before heading for the kitchen.

  His roommate, Mitch, sat at the kitchen table in one of the uncomfortable plastic and metal chairs, face and remote control aimed at the 13” television seated on the table against the wall. His dark brown curls were freshly trimmed, revealing the back of his neck, and the blue plaid flannel shirt he wore was new. A plastic tub with the familiar pale shapes of lemon bars in it sat at his elbow. So he had gone to see his mother.

  "What are you doing here?"

  Mitch glanced over one big shoulder at him and smiled. “Hey."

  Noah stalked over to the table to see Mitch's face properly. Strong square chin, long-ago-broken slim nose, and thick black brows over steely gray eyes. Only the absurdly long eyelashes and curved sensual mouth saved that face from looking too harsh. “What are you doing here? What happened to your mom?"

  Mitch continued to channel surf, the smile still playing around his sharply defined lips. “She's fine. She got called in
for a late night shift so I came home instead of staying over.” He nudged the plastic bin closer to the empty chair beside him. “She sent the sweets you love so much."

  "Oh.” It was a measure of Noah's distress that he didn't pounce on the plastic tub. He glanced back toward his bedroom, chewing his bottom lip. How had he not heard Mitch come through the front door? “How long have you been here?"

  Mitch chuckled, tossing chin-length black curls back from his face. “Long enough."

  "Oh. Shit. I'm sorry.” He grimaced. “You said you weren't going to be home."

  "No sweat. My fault.” Mitch paused to listen to the football scores. “Sounded like you enjoyed it.” A sly look. “Or, at least Bob did."

  Noah went to get a glass from the strainer on the counter by the sink. “Yeah. He's loud."

  "I'll say. Damn. He thinks you're something special."

  Noah winced. Never having slept with Bob before, he hadn't known how loud he was. And descriptive. Even Noah blushed at hearing some of the ways Bob had described him. He filled his glass with milk from the refrigerator. “Yeah."

  Mitch turned in his chair, draping one arm over the back as his steel-gray eyes regarded Noah. “I'm kind of surprised. You don't usually bring your dates home."

  Noah put the milk back and closed the fridge. “You weren't supposed to be here."

  "Do you bring them back when I'm not here?"

  Noah drank down half of his glass then sat in the chair beside Mitch. “Not usually, no.” He set the glass down and reached for the tub of pastries.

  "That was that guy, Bob, right? The one you said's been after you for years?” Although Mitch was straight, he'd often gone with Noah to his favorite gay clubs. He claimed to like the atmosphere more and was easygoing enough to be flattered rather than offended when guys hit on him. Bob frequented the same clubs, so they had met.

  Noah paused to inhale lemony goodness, his mouth watering as he reached for a sticky sugar-powdered sweet. “That's the one."

  Mitch leaned forward on the table, setting the remote down and reaching for a bar. “What made you decide to finally fuck him?"

  Noah eyed Mitch as he chewed. “You're full of questions tonight,” he observed, mouth half-full as he licked sugar off his fingertips.

  Mitch's gaze dropped to the treat in his own hand as he lifted it. “Not every night I get to hear you getting pounded into the mattress.” He laid the whole bar on his tongue then shut his mouth over it.

  Noah flushed, but laughed. They'd been roommates for seven years, three in college and four since, and in all that time Noah rarely brought his dates back to the apartment. Mitch was mostly the same way. “Hey, if I'd known that's what you'd wanted to hear, I'd bring back dates more often."

  Mitch laughed, chewing. “Nah. I'm just curious why you'd finally let Bob have you after all this time."

  Let Bob have you. It fit. Noah had fended Bob off for years. But tonight he'd taken a chance. Tonight, he had hoped that Bob would turn out to be...

  But he wasn't.

  Noah shrugged.

  "Is he your mystery man?"

  Noah slanted a scowl Mitch's way.

  Mitch grinned as he sucked sugar off his thumb. “That is why you slept with him, isn't it?"

  Noah sighed, reaching for another bar. “Yes."

  "Is it him?"

  "No."

  "You sure?"

  "Yes.” He held the bar up before him, carefully breaking it in two before bringing one half to his lips. “I thought it made sense for it to be him but...” He popped the treat into his mouth then shook his head.

  Mitch laughed. “How did a doormat like Bob make sense?"

  Noah winced. “He's the only one I know who's really after me."

  "You have tons of guys after you."

  "To fuck me, sure. But none of the guys I know have the romantic streak to pull off the gifts."

  "True. Actual thought went into them. Other than just getting in your pants, I mean."

  Noah stuck out his tongue at Mitch before putting the other half of the lemon bar into his mouth.

  Mitch's eyes glittered with mirth as he reached for Noah's glass of milk. “It's driving you crazy, isn't it?” He took a drink.

  Snatching the glass back, Noah pouted. “Yes!"

  Laughing, Mitch switched off the television and stood. At six foot two he towered over Noah's mere five foot seven, but Noah had never once felt intimidated by his friend. “Cheer up,” he said, patting Noah's bare shoulder before he started toward the door to the bedrooms. “I'm sure the mystery man will arrange for you guys to meet soon."

  "God, I hope you're right,” Noah muttered, reaching for another treat as a balm to his frustrated desire.

  * * * *

  "Oh No-ah!"

  Hearing Kenneth's voice, Noah glanced up from the tequila he was pouring. The hotel clerk was approaching the bar, a familiarly wrapped box in his hand.

  Noah's heart thudded in his chest. Nodding to Kenneth, he finished pouring the margarita and lifted it and the glass of Chardonnay onto Rachel's tray.

  Rachel's full attention was on the package Kenneth set on the bar. “Damn,” she pouted, hefting her tray. She pointed at Noah. “Don't open it until I get back."

  Hearing her, Kenneth chuckled as he set the box on the bar. Hitching the legs of his smart gray suit, he slid onto a barstool. He smoothed his tie with one manicured hand and unbuttoned his jacket with the other. “Judging from the last few gifts, you shouldn't open it out here at all."

  Wiping suddenly sweating hands on his embroidered pants, Noah tipped a wide glance at his friend. “You think?"

  Kenneth shrugged, tapping the little gold box. His gold college ring gleamed softly in the diffused lighting over the bar. “I don't know. After the last one..."

  Noah waved his hand to shut Kenneth up, his attention back to the box. “Point taken.” The last box had contained an exquisite piece of jewelry, but the fact that it was a nipple chain made it not quite right to display in public. Even if “public” was only The Matador Bar in the Season's Inn hotel at two in the afternoon. He flipped away the long stray hair at the side of his face and leaned his hands on the bar, staring at the box. “It's probably jewelry again.” The hair, predictably, fell back against his cheek. He really did need to get that trimmed someday. Either that or let it just grow long enough to reach the tail at the back of his head.

  "Yeah. The cuffs were in a larger box."

  He scowled at Kenneth. “Say it a little louder, would you?"

  Kenneth's hazel eyes lit up as he laughed. He draped one forearm across the padded edge of the bar and arched one perfect brow. His beautiful lips pursed slightly over his smile. “You could get me a drink while you're deciding."

  "Aren't you on duty?"

  "Nope. Just got off."

  Noah raised an eyebrow and gestured at the box. “How long have you been holding on to this?"

  Kenneth chuckled. “Just a few hours."

  Noah pushed back from the counter and turned to grab a tumbler. “For that, you have to pay for your drink.” He scooped ice.

  "If I must."

  Rachel returned, pressing up against Kenneth's back and peering over his shoulder at the bar. “What's in it? Oh,” she pouted at the box as she stepped over to a stool for herself, “you haven't opened it yet."

  "You told him not to,” Kenneth pointed out, smoothing his hair straight with one hand.

  She adjusted the frilled off-the-shoulder sleeves of her blouse as she sat. “Oh please, like Noah ever listens to me.” She set her tray down and pulled the box closer to her. “It's probably jewelry."

  "That's what we suspect."

  Rachel leaned toward Kenneth, lowering her voice. “Do you think it's another nipple chain?"

  Kenneth leaned closer to her. “No. Noah's mystery man wouldn't be so gauche as to give the same gift twice."

  "Maybe it's a cock ring,” she murmured, eyeing the box. She'd been absurdly delighted with the ni
pple chain, proclaiming it delightfully naughty. Noah had caught her eying his chest once or twice since then.

  "No. That would be in a much smaller box. Although,” Kenneth pulled the box closer, eyeing it with new interest, “it could be a ‘Gates of Hell'."

  Rachel's eyes went wide. “Ooooh! What's that?!"

  "Never mind!” Noah snapped, setting the bourbon and club soda on a cocktail napkin before Kenneth. He'd never worn one, but he knew the contraption was a bondage prop consisting of a set of metal or rubber rings that, when worn, would space out evenly over a penis shaft. They didn't need to discuss it here.

  Kenneth laughed evilly and patted Rachel's hand. “I'll send you an email with a link."

  Noah eyed the box, disagreeing with Kenneth that the box could contain one. Unsure whether he hoped Kenneth was wrong. Although, in the right circumstances...

  Rachel grimaced. “You'd better,” she told Kenneth. Then she pushed the box closer to Noah. “Open it, already. What is that? Like a dozen gifts?"

  "This'll be number ten,” Kenneth supplied.

  Noah eyed him. “You've been counting?"

  Kenneth lifted his drink, tilting it in a salute toward Noah. “You're my friend. I need to watch out for you."

  Noah and Kenneth had known each other for two years, both working in the same hotel and both sharing a certain sense of style as well as a liking for men. As two of only four openly gay men who worked in the entire hotel, they had banded together as friends. Luckily, their friendship had progressed beyond just that one tie, although it had never ventured into the sexual. Not that Kenneth wasn't attractive. He was. Tall with straight, light brown hair that he kept in a neat, short cut and devilish hazel eyes over a matching smile. He was probably the best dressed man of Noah's acquaintance, despite the fact that he wasn't the richest. But Noah and Kenneth were not to be an item. They caught on to each other's tricks too quickly.

  Drink delivered, Noah had nothing to distract him from the box that lay before him. He bit down on his bottom lip, staring at the box as though that would somehow tell him who had sent it.

  "No-ah!” Rachel practically bounced on her barstool, leaning forward so that her ample breasts bunched up against the side of the bar. “I'm dying here!"