night at the hotel, always in the same room. During that short time, they'd learned nearly everything about each other. They'd also spent a good amount of time exploring each other's bodies. As a result, Justice now had every one of Ashton's erogenous zones burned into his memory. A new skill he hoped to put to use for a very long time.
Ashton's lips kicked up into such a lazy grin that it made Justice glad he wore his ugly, green work smock. Otherwise, the feeder rats in the tank a few feet away would have known how happy Justice felt at the moment.
"No cat, I promise you. I'm allergic," Ashton replied in the same teasing tone.
Justice nodded over to another tank, this one containing a gecko. "How about one of these little guys, then? You can snuggle up with it every night."
Ashton reached out and grabbed the front of Justice's shirt, pulling him in close. "You're the only one I want to snuggle."
Justice shot a glance through the large paned window, worry slicing through him. While various displays blocked most of the view, years of paranoia still left him leery. Ashton brushed the back of his knuckles against Justice's jawline.
"Easy, babe, it's just us, the rats, and the gecko," Ashton soothed. "I even had my driver park a couple of blocks away, so nobody passing by will see my car out front."
The term of endearment set Justice's heart pounding. Before he could worry himself out of it, he leaned in and pressed their lips together. As soon as the intoxicating taste of Ashton invaded his sense, Justice's fears flew out the front door. In fact, they became so caught up in the moment, that Justice almost missed the sound of tires crunching on the gravel of the parking lot.
Tearing himself away from the kiss, Justice peered through the display items to peek outside. His stomach seized in fear as he recognized his brother's sports car.
"Shit, it's Craig. What is he doing here? He's never shown up at my work before," Justice hissed, his chest tightening in panic.
Ashton cupped Justice's cheek. "Calm down, it'll be okay. I'll just hang out in the back of the store until he leaves."
A full-on body tremble set in as Justice barely repressed a whimper of fear. He hadn't been exaggerating when he said his brother had never visited the store before. In fact, Craig often made condescending remarks about the place, calling it dirty and disgusting. For him to show up now spelled all kinds of bad news. Justice took several deep breaths as he tried hard to calm his racing heart. Even though he tried hard to hide it, Justice knew his confusion and fear showed on his face, which is not how he wanted Ashton to see him. Ashton didn't appear to think less of him, though. He just gave Justice a kiss, maybe to reassure him, before he ducked out of sight.
Just as Ashton disappeared from view, the front door opened. While earlier, the bell had sounded so light and cheery, it now seemed to have an ominous feel to it. Justice's heart sank even farther when he spotted the angry glint in Craig's eyes. Justice still forced himself to plaster a smile on his face.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Craig's answering smirk immediately let Justice know he was in major trouble for something. His chest constricted even tighter as he fought to keep his breaths steady and even. The last time he'd hyperventilated in his brother's presence, it'd only made things worse.
"Dad called your apartment phone the past two nights and you didn't answer," Craig announced.
It took every bit of Justice's willpower to school his features so they remained innocent. Damn, he realized his dad would figure out that he'd been going out a lot, but he hadn't imagined it'd be so soon.
"It's the end of term. I've been putting in a ton of extra hours at the library."
Craig leaned in closer, so his beer infused breath brushed against Justice's cheek. Although every instinct in Justice's body screamed for him to back away and retreat, he forced himself to stand still.
At the
Ashton's lips kicked up into such a lazy grin that it made Justice glad he wore his ugly, green work smock. Otherwise, the feeder rats in the tank a few feet away would have known how happy Justice felt at the moment.
"No cat, I promise you. I'm allergic," Ashton replied in the same teasing tone.
Justice nodded over to another tank, this one containing a gecko. "How about one of these little guys, then? You can snuggle up with it every night."
Ashton reached out and grabbed the front of Justice's shirt, pulling him in close. "You're the only one I want to snuggle."
Justice shot a glance through the large paned window, worry slicing through him. While various displays blocked most of the view, years of paranoia still left him leery. Ashton brushed the back of his knuckles against Justice's jawline.
"Easy, babe, it's just us, the rats, and the gecko," Ashton soothed. "I even had my driver park a couple of blocks away, so nobody passing by will see my car out front."
The term of endearment set Justice's heart pounding. Before he could worry himself out of it, he leaned in and pressed their lips together. As soon as the intoxicating taste of Ashton invaded his sense, Justice's fears flew out the front door. In fact, they became so caught up in the moment, that Justice almost missed the sound of tires crunching on the gravel of the parking lot.
Tearing himself away from the kiss, Justice peered through the display items to peek outside. His stomach seized in fear as he recognized his brother's sports car.
"Shit, it's Craig. What is he doing here? He's never shown up at my work before," Justice hissed, his chest tightening in panic.
Ashton cupped Justice's cheek. "Calm down, it'll be okay. I'll just hang out in the back of the store until he leaves."
A full-on body tremble set in as Justice barely repressed a whimper of fear. He hadn't been exaggerating when he said his brother had never visited the store before. In fact, Craig often made condescending remarks about the place, calling it dirty and disgusting. For him to show up now spelled all kinds of bad news. Justice took several deep breaths as he tried hard to calm his racing heart. Even though he tried hard to hide it, Justice knew his confusion and fear showed on his face, which is not how he wanted Ashton to see him. Ashton didn't appear to think less of him, though. He just gave Justice a kiss, maybe to reassure him, before he ducked out of sight.
Just as Ashton disappeared from view, the front door opened. While earlier, the bell had sounded so light and cheery, it now seemed to have an ominous feel to it. Justice's heart sank even farther when he spotted the angry glint in Craig's eyes. Justice still forced himself to plaster a smile on his face.
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Craig's answering smirk immediately let Justice know he was in major trouble for something. His chest constricted even tighter as he fought to keep his breaths steady and even. The last time he'd hyperventilated in his brother's presence, it'd only made things worse.
"Dad called your apartment phone the past two nights and you didn't answer," Craig announced.
It took every bit of Justice's willpower to school his features so they remained innocent. Damn, he realized his dad would figure out that he'd been going out a lot, but he hadn't imagined it'd be so soon.
"It's the end of term. I've been putting in a ton of extra hours at the library."
Craig leaned in closer, so his beer infused breath brushed against Justice's cheek. Although every instinct in Justice's body screamed for him to back away and retreat, he forced himself to stand still.
At the
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