STORY EXCERPT

Graham Conner watched the guy sitting on the bench in front of the small, man-made pond. He had made sure he was at the park every day for the last two weeks, just to see the guy come out here in the late afternoon and sit on that bench, enjoying the shenanigans of the ducks. From his own bench further back under a tree, he had a clear view of the pretty man.

Graham knew who the guy was. His face had been plastered all over those tabloid newspapers that were next to the checkout stations in grocery stores. Graham himself had read an article in one while he was waiting for his sister to get out of surgery a little over two weeks ago. It was an exclusive interview with some model that claimed she dumped Tyler Hayward because he was gay. According to her story, Tyler sustained career ending-injuries when, in his sorrow over their breakup, he had jumped into a cab, which was T-boned by a car that had run a red light.

 In the article, she claimed to have waited the three months since the accident before telling her story, because she didn’t want to impair Tyler’s recovery. She went on to describe how Tyler begged her to stay with him, that he would change just for her. She told the reporter, that with a heavy heart, she had to let him go. She made sure that the article included how she was now so very busy with the love of her life, MVP Craig Clausen.

Money-hungry people were nothing new to Graham and he saw all the signs in the model. He thought if it were true that Tyler had somehow been involved with her, it was a good thing he wasn’t anymore. Graham himself had been drawn to the handsome ballplayer from the first moment he had seen him coming out of the rehabilitation pool area at the hospital. Later that afternoon, Graham had been walking back to the hotel he was staying at and had caught a glimpse of Tyler in the park by the pond. Graham couldn’t stop himself from watching the attractive man with the sad aura.

Now Graham had decided it was time to approach the pretty man. His sister was almost ready to return to training full time for the Olympics and he was ready to return home to Texas.

Graham walked over to the bench and sat down. “Do you mind if I sit?”

Big blue eyes looked up at him from under shaggy, light-brown hair. Graham wondered if his hair had even been cut since the accident that encased Tyler’s arm in a sling, with a belt strap that held his shoulder close to his body. Up close, Graham could see a deep, angry scar slashed across Tyler’s cheek under his right eye. To Graham, that didn’t take away how pretty Tyler was. Graham had heard the phrase pretty in a masculine way before, but never knew what that meant until just now, looking at Tyler Hayward.

Tyler’s attention was ripped away from watching his favorite white duck with huge black splotches on it, by the sound of a deep, gravelly voice. Next to him sat a real cowboy, with worn cowboy boots, blue jeans, and a plaid, long-sleeve shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to reveal tan forearms with ropey muscles, covered in a pelt of dark hair that looked so soft, Tyler wanted to run his hands over them.

Tyler dragged his eyes away from those arms only to be caught up in how wide the man’s shoulders were. Knowing he was making a fool out of himself, Tyler couldn’t stop himself from enjoying the thick, muscled neck, with a tuft of brown hair sticking out the top opening of his shirt. Lifting his eyes higher, he took in the chiseled, square jaw, full lips, and straight nose. Then he was completely caught in the warm gaze of startling green eyes with brown flecks in them.

Tyler had always been pretty good at reading people and in those eyes, he saw pleasure and possession, and then they started sparkling with humor. The humor brought Tyler back to the present.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“I wondered if it was all right to sit here by you,” answered Mr. Green Eyes.

“Oh sure, no problem.” Tyler was completely flustered. That of course didn’t stop him from admiring the shiny, short, dark brown hair that framed the handsome, tanned face. Tyler had never been drawn to another person this strongly before, not even Tony.

It wasn’t until he felt a muscled leg pressed against his knee, that Tyler realized that he had been gravitating toward the handsome man. Embarrassed, he slid back quickly, trying to put some space between them. Of course, with his arm incased in elastic wrap and strapped to his body, he lost his balance and started tipping toward the ground. Long, muscled arms wrapped around Tyler and pulled him close. Tyler found his face pressed tightly into the crook of the stranger’s strong neck.

Tyler was in heaven, enveloped in those warm, secure arms and surrounded by a fresh masculine smell. For one moment, Tyler didn’t feel so alone anymore. But, he grimly reminded himself, this was a stranger. Lifting his head, he used his free hand against the man’s rock-hard chest to push himself away.

“I’m sorry. Thank you.” Tyler shook his head, trying to clear it. He was starting to wish the ground would open up and swallow him. He couldn’t believe what a dork he was being.

“Hey, it’s okay. Anyone would be a little unbalanced if their arm was all wrapped up like yours is.” A strong, tanned hand engulfed Tyler’s face, tipping it so their eyes met. Tyler had never seen such pretty eyes before and he found himself again becoming lost in them.

ADULT EXCERPT

“Tyler, I know you’re stressed out, and a lot is going to be going on tomorrow. But for one moment, put it all aside. I know the bottom line is that you want to play baseball. I also get that baseball has been your whole life up to now. But the question is, besides baseball, what does Tyler Hayward, the grown man, really want in life?”

Tyler took a moment to think about what Graham was asking. He couldn’t stop the bitter laugh that broke out. Looking at Graham, he decided to answer him with complete honesty. “I know what I don’t want to do. I don’t want to live like I have been living for the last two years.” Taking a deep breath, he let himself sink into those beautiful green eyes for just a moment. “Putting aside everything else, what I do want is to be with you.”

Graham cupped his cheek and kissed him. He had kissed him before, but this time Graham’s lips covered his, firm and wet. He opened his mouth and let Graham’s demanding tongue in. Tyler felt himself sink into the kiss, tongues tangling, teeth clashing. He loved being taken over by Graham’s strong arms and demanding mouth.

The kiss went on and on, tongues tasting and exploring. Tyler reached down and cupped the hard, thick cock beneath Graham’s jeans. He wanted that cock in his ass and then he wanted his cock surrounded by Graham’s ass, just as his mouth and body were totally enveloped by Graham now.

Graham lifted his head reluctantly. Putting their foreheads together, he gave them both some time to catch their breaths. “I think we need to be getting back to the hotel. Will you stay with me tonight?”

“I’d like that.” Tyler gently kissed Graham one more time and then they headed to the hotel.

* * * *

The door to Graham’s hotel room was barely shut before the couple was in each other’s arms. Their kisses were deep and searching, bodies straining to be as close as possible.

Tyler reached down, opening Graham’s jeans and pulling his hard cock out. He ran his finger over the weeping tip, spreading the wetness over the swollen head. With a firm grip, Tyler started stroking Graham off, loving the feel of the firm, hard flesh under his hand.

Breaking their kiss, Graham made short work of the sling and strap that anchored Tyler’s arm to his body. Then he unbuttoned the two buttons that held the bottom of the shirt together under Tyler’s arm.

“Where did you find a shirt to accommodate your arm and sling?” Graham asked. His fingers never stopped moving as he pulled Tyler’s shirt off.

“During the weeks the doctors operated on my shoulder, elbow, and hand, my mom bought a bunch of shirts in different colors and modified all of them so I can easily wear them.”

“That was pretty ingenious.” Graham was impressed.

“Well if there is one thing to be said for my mother, it would be that she knows how to manipulate everything around her to suit what she wants.”

“How come that sounds like you’re talking about more than a shirt, honey?”

“Graham, can we talk about my mother another time?”

“How about you sit down on the bed so I can help you with your shoes and socks?”

Tyler was surprised to see that his pants were open and as he sat down, Graham pulled both his jeans and underwear down to the top of his shoes. Graham made quick work of his shoes and socks, and then he stood and quickly took off his own clothes.

Graham stood before Tyler. He was beautifully naked and miles of tan-skin-covered muscles had Tyler drooling. Graham’s massive cock was hard as granite and deep red with excitement.

“Please, I want you in my mouth,” Tyler pleaded.

Graham put his right foot on the bed at Tyler’s side. Bending his knee, he guided his cock to Tyler’s mouth. Tyler opened and let Graham in. Graham’s left hand sifted into Tyler’s hair, cupping the back of his head. To Tyler’s delight, he was completely surrounded and held immobile by Graham, except for his mouth. Tyler sucked and licked that cock as it pushed in and out. With each stroke in, he swallowed the tip, which brought out a groan from deep in Graham’s chest.

Tyler could have stayed in the circle of Graham’s body and sucked on his cock all night.