Free On the Streets of New Orleans by Lynn Lorenz Page B

and, for a moment, Scott wasn’t sure he’d continue.
    “The levee broke at night. We were sleeping, me in the front room on the sofa, the boys and Baby Girl in the back on the beds. The water hit the house so hard, the whole thing shook. I think it shifted off the piers, and the windows blew in. Fuck, before I knew it, there was water up to my neck coming through the windows and the front door, and furniture swirling around.” He took another shuddering deep breath, and Scott braced himself for what he knew was coming.
    “I never got to them. I couldn’t , man. The water was rushing around, things were breaking, and next thing I knew, I was floating outside the house and down the block. Shit, I wound up on a rooftop.” A strangled sob broke the quiet. “I couldn’t see a damn thing. I couldn’t even see my house. I called for them for hours, ’til I couldn’t make a sound, but I couldn’t find them, Scott. I couldn’t find them.”
    Another sob that broke Scott’s heart.
    “No way you could, baby. Not with the water.” Scott pulled Tony into his arms and petted his back with long, soothing strokes. “It’s not your fault. You did your best. No one could’ve saved them.”
    The big man sobbed into Scott’s neck, letting out all the fear, the grief, the guilt he must have been feeling for so long.
    When he quieted, Tony continued, “Two days later, the National Guard pulled me off the roof in a boat. I was supposed to get on a bus and go to Houston. New life. Fresh start.” He shook his head into Scott’s chest. “But I couldn’t go. I couldn’t leave them . I’d left them inside, and they died, and I couldn’t just leave them and have a life when they didn’t. See?” He raised his head, staring at Scott in the darkness.
    “I know. I understand, Tony.” Scott sniffled, his own tears burning tracks down his face.
    They held each other for a long time.

Chapter 11
     
     
    SOMETIME IN the night, Tony’s arms wrapped around Scott and pulled him to him. Tony rolled over, bringing Scott on top of him. Naked, warm under the blankets, their bodies responded like the healthy young men they were.
    Tony arched up into Scott, a hard pressure stabbing Scott’s belly. Scott pressed back, returning the gesture. Tony’s hands ran up and down his back.
    “Damn, you’re skinny, baby boy.”
    “Thought you liked that. And what’s with the ‘baby boy’?”
    “Well, you’re my baby, aren’t you?”
    Scott laughed. “I guess I am.” He figured if Tony had loved his little sister and called her Baby Girl, maybe, just maybe, that meant he loved Scott too.
    “Besides, you need a little fat on you. If you eat those candy bars I bought you….”
    “Those are for me?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Okay.” Tony chuckled, then caressed Scott’s ass. “But your ass is fine, man.”
    “Glad you like it.”
    Tony squeezed each cheek, pulling them open, his fingertips brushing just barely into the crevice. Scott moaned. Right, he’d bought something just for this.
    He reached over the bed, felt around for the longer of the two boxes, touched the box of condoms, smiled, then located the lube. He tore it open and handed it to Tony.
    “Here, we’re going to need this.”
    “What is it?” Tony took it from him.
    “Lube. I want you inside me.”
    Scott rode the shudder of Tony’s body. “Damn, man.”
    For a moment Scott thought he’d made a mistake. “That’s okay, isn’t it? You want to fuck me, don’t you?” he whispered.
    “Oh yeah, baby boy. So much.” Tony’s breath puffed on his neck, then he reached up, took Scott’s head in his hands, and brought him down for a kiss.
    They kissed for a long time, dueling with their tongues, their bodies rubbing and pushing against each other. If they kept this up, Scott would come too soon. He wanted to come with Tony inside him. For once he wanted to really enjoy, not just tolerate, having sex with another man.
    He came up for air. “Lube,