Free King Cobra (Hot Rods) by Jayne Rylon

lair. After pulling back the black silk sheets, he’d tuck himself in to steal some of his friend’s warmth.
    Sleepy, Alanso wouldn’t stand a chance at resisting. He adored morning sex.
    Of all the Hot Rods, he was one of the few likely to invite a woman to stay overnight. Probably because he liked opening his eyes and seeing his date hadn’t left.
    Eli slapped the mattress a few times, gearing himself up to action. Just when he had committed and kicked off his blankets, the rush of water hitting the tile of their shower stopped him short.
    What the hell? Alanso didn’t open today. Or ever, really. The rest of the guys knew he preferred a lazy start to the morning and left him to the late shift most times. Eli generally stayed the whole day, opening and closing, no matter how often they told him to get the fuck out of his own business to enjoy some time off.
    Truth was, when you loved what you did, and who you did it with, it hardly felt like a job at all. This—making things right with the guy who mattered most to him—was hard work. And he was prepared to do whatever it took to fix the damage he’d inflicted.
    He staggered into the bathroom, surprised by how stiff he was. Christ, he’d had massive hangovers less painful. Had he lain there completely tense all night?
    The running shower made wet noises as Alanso got clean. The splashes guaranteed Eli had to use the facilities before confronting his friend.
    This was familiar ground. Ten years of sharing a bathroom meant someone often had to take care of business while the other was occupied in the shower. Usually it was the other way around. Eli preparing for the day while Alanso relieved himself of some of the beer they’d chugged the night before then stumbled back to bed for another nap.
    “Hey.” Eli tried not to startle Alanso as he made his way to the toilet. He wondered if Al was imagining his hand holding his dick when he didn’t answer immediately.
    “Look who it is… Asshole, party of one.”
    Eli didn’t laugh along. The truth stung.
    “Didn’t hear your alarm go off. Thought you were still sleeping,” Alanso finally responded. “Was it the shower that woke you? Sorry.”
    “Nah.” Eli didn’t bother with pajamas so it wasn’t more than ten seconds before he tugged back the curtain and joined his partner in the shower, despite the sputters of outrage coming from the shorter man’s luscious mouth. “I haven’t really been to bed. Couldn’t manage to doze off with the memory of your mouth on that dude’s cock.”
    “Disgusted you that much, huh?” Alanso glanced away or he might have spotted Eli’s hard-on. Even the chilly secondary splash from the shower spray didn’t wilt the damn thing.
    “Hardly.” Eli had done so much harm. He knew one thing that would convince Alanso he was serious about changing the course he’d taken so far. “I think you should be on the lookout. My dad is likely to pay you a visit today.”
    “Why?” Alanso’s breathing grew faster. He ignored the droplets forming on his mocha skin, streaming down his bald head, the powerful cords of his neck and onto his chest. The barbells in his pebbled nipples decorated his pecs, making Eli long to lean forward and lick them like Phil had done the day before.
    They stared into each other’s eyes. “I told him about us.”
    “You did what ?” Alanso might have slipped and cracked his thick skull open if Eli hadn’t lunged for him when he jerked. He banded his arm around Alanso’s trim waist and tugged him close until they aligned, torso to torso. “Is he going to ask me to leave?”
    “Jesus. Would you quit that? He’s not your mom. He won’t ever abandon you.” Eli grabbed Alanso’s chin with his free hand and angled the guy’s face toward his. “No one thinks less of you for being honest about what you want. I should have done the same. A long time ago. My dad had it right. There’s a reason I’ve never had a girlfriend. I couldn’t stand the