By: Anthony Corona
I wanted to bring something different and unique to this special Issue and to BPI in general. I am a writer and using my talents an idea was born. This story is part 1 of 10 and I plan to release one part per month to the BPI membership going forward.
Nick and Jason are characters I am deeply fond of and I hope you all will enjoy them. Romantic with erotic undertones this is their story…
Best Friends Brother
Five long years may have changed Jason in many fundamental ways but as he crossed the bridge taking him back into town, he could not name even one of them. That is what his hometown always did to him, slapped him right back to the angry boy who roared over this bridge with the intention of never returning. When his best friend first asked him to be in his wedding, he knew at least one more time he would have to face the place he had ran from determined to show them all. Show them he was not his father, the town drunk, was not trash, show them he could make something of himself. Intellectually he knew he had gone way beyond what most of the town had predicted but he still dreaded the stares and the whispers, dreaded the questions. Taking a deep breath, he reminded himself for the thousandth time he was here for the one person in this town who had taken the time to see the real Jason, who had been a friend most of the time his only friend. He would stand at the alter with Mike and his brother, celebrate his best friends’ marriage, and get out as fast as he could. Determination crept slowly through his body as he turned onto main street. A throaty chuckle rumbled through his chest as he realized the small town centered on one avenue that was not even half of his NYC block.
A loud clanking with rocking shudders and a big white cloud of smoke ripped through the car just after he made the turn onto main street. “Seriously” Jason screamed slamming his fist against the steering wheel. He angled the car into the first available spot a moment before the car gave one last sad shudder and died. The burning oil smell was overwhelming and making him tear up, it was not embarrassment he swore to himself. “Dam car,” he muttered getting out praying no one would notice him. No such luck, pulling up beside him was one of the towns two cop cars. So much for grabbing his stuff and sneaking away before anyone spotted him and discreetly arranging a tow. The sheriff had hated his father and made it his mission to broadcast every embarrassing trouble the drunk found himself involved in; it would not be long before the town was buzzing about this.
It was not the old sheriff that got out of the cruiser though, that was clear the moment the driver’s door opened. The old sheriff was large, hell large was polite, he was enormous and the officer stepping out was anything but judging from the coiled arm and tight-fitting shirt this man was built. Recognition dawned for Jason as the cop turned toward him.
“Afternoon,” the hunky Sherriff greeted Jason with the million-dollar grin he remembered so well. “I’d bet this week’s paycheck your gonna need a new head gasket, mechanics a few blocks from here’ I’d be happy to give u a lift there”
“Gee Nick… or Sherriff Miceli now I suppose…” Jason grinned at the look of confusion crossing the cops face. “I know it’s been some time, but I remember where Maynard’s is. ”
Nick’s cop eyes scanned Jason over trying to place the face and suddenly recognition dawned. “Holy shit…. Jason Davenport” Nick rushed over pulling Jason into a crushing bear hug. “dam NYC been really good for your bro, I hardly recognized you.”
Relaxing now Jason smiled and returned the hug with vigor. Maybe his luck was not running out after all, but he wondered why Mike had never mentioned his brother was now the town sheriff. They settled into a comfortable catch-up small talk while the smoke cleared and Jason grabbed his bags from the back seat.
“Where are you staying?” Nick asked.
“I figured I’d grab a room at the bed and breakfast.” Jason said as he opened the passenger door of the cruiser.
“Leave it to Mikey,” Nick replied with a chuckle. “Both the BnB and the motel are fully booked with wedding guests.”
“Fuck!! How long do you think Maynard will take with my car? ‘ Jason asked while mentally calculating his options to the motel in the next town.
“Monday at best. It is too late for Maynard to get a parts order out today. ” He explained as Jason’s apprehension grew. Glancing over at Jason he saw the concern etching across his brother’s best friends face. The protective instinct kicked in along with flashes of memories from the past. Nick had always thought of his brothers’ friend as an un-official little brother. “But I happen to know of a rather comfortable room.”
Where,” Jason asked in apprehension.
“I guess Mike didn’t fill you in about me at all “
“I wouldn’t let him talk about the town at all,” Jason replied sheepishly. “but I didn’t mean you”
“Well, when I took over as sheriff, I celebrated by buying the old Preston place,” Nick said pulling into Maynard’s garage parking lot. “I’m still renovating but I can offer my pull out.”
It did not take long to decide for the car, but Nick had been right about the timetable. While he was waiting for the weather worn mechanic to work up a price Jason casually studied Nick. Five years had not changed the cop much, at least not physically. Tall, dark and handsome would be a weak description, he was all that yet so much more. The confident way he carried himself did not make the softer moments seem odd at all they seemed natural. Jason remembered all the times Nick has stood up for him when they were kids, and how the summer before high school when Jason wanted to be on the baseball team both he and Mike spent an entire summer helping him train. Compassionate jocks were a rare breed yet that is exactly what the Miceli brothers were.
When they finished with the mechanic, they headed over to the old PRESTON place. It was an old corner lot Victorian that had been vacant for as long as Jason could remember. A big sprawling house on an overgrown lot it was the kind of house that courted haunted rumors while also the host of many a teenage party. Jason’s first kiss was at one such party his freshman year of high school with a sophomore goddess named Kelly. He was not surprised Nick would buy and restore the place, since they were kids Mike and his brother had been fascinated with the house and its legend. In the late 1800s Eliza Preston had inherited the house from her preacher father. It was said that the elder Preston was a fiery preacher that ran both his congregation and household with iron fists and sharp tongue. Three years to the day Eliza inherited the house the shy demure girl vanished. When the county searched the property the bones of fourteen men who had gone missing over the three years were discovered. The ghosts of Eliza and her men were said to roam the old house. None of the owners since had ever lived in the house for more than three years. Jason wondered and then asked how long Nick had been working on the house.
“Last week was my third-year anniversary,” Nick turned onto his home street. He chuckled and his trademark grin spread across his classically Italian face. “Not afraid of a few ghosts are ya J?”
Jason’s jaw dropped as they pulled to a stop in front of the old Victorian. Nick had obviously invested a lot of time, energy, and money over the last three years. The facade was painted in a cheerful blue and white gingham with sunny yellow accents that gave it a happy storybook feel. The old saggy front porch gone and replaced with a sprawling wrap-around complete with the requisite rocking chairs. There was not a trace of spooky or rundown left about the house or gardens surrounding it, Jason let out his breath and followed Nick up the path towards the house.
“It’s stunning….” Jason said looking around the great room off the foyer. “If walked me in here blindfolded then took it off in here I would never be able to guess this was the old PRESTON place “
Nick glowed with pride as he gave Jason the penny tour of the first floor. The kitchen was all chrome and marble with a glass enclosed breakfast nook. In the formal dining room Nick had restored the black walnut to its glory, polished to a gleam it was perfectly complimented with a long table and breakfront made from recycled black walnut and accentuated with antique lace. A full butler’s pantry and office were done up modern but in keeping with the style of the house, but it was the library that had Jason’s jaw dropping all over again. There were two humongous built-in bookshelves on either side of a long-distressed leather couch, situated under a big bay window. Two more flanking a mounted 82-inch lcd while the other two walls were lined with books and DVD’s. Jason had forgotten that about Nick, his love of reading. The packed shelves were just shy of overflowing, one whole wall of hard covers and the remaining three stacked full of paperbacks. A quick glance showed him a few of his favorites and some he had never heard of.
A memory blanketed him, of Nick reclining on the couch while they waited for Mike to finish his chores. He had been absorbed in some science fiction book, had not even noticed Jason standing in the doorway, and he had had the luxury of just watching him. A little smile had slowly crept across those full lips and Jason had tried to imagine what he was reading, what could make him smile like that. Then he had scratched idly at his stomach, and he had started watching his long fingers instead, as they curled slightly onto his hard stomach. When he had sighed Nick looked up and broke the spell. The sight of all those books in his house made him glad… and a little hopeful.
“Wow Nick….” Jason shook his head to clear the memories and the shot of lust. ‘This place is…. amazing.”
“Thanx,” he said softly looking at Jason with new eyes. “The first floor is done but I’m afraid my bedroom and bath are the only finished rooms upstairs.” He moved out of the library and back into the foyer where Jason’s bags were waiting. “Let’s get you settled into the guest room; Mikes bachelor extravaganza starts in just over an hour”
A quiet contemplative mood seemed to have settled over both back in the library, and although he did not quite feel uncomfortable, Jason was suddenly nervous around his old friend. They both reached for one of the bags and as their hands grazed Jason felt a jolt of electricity run up his arm and land in his heart and loins simultaneously. He followed Nick up the stairs and into a room that obviously had not gotten any attention yet. Old and fading wallpaper covered in dandelions and butterflies on the wall, and very careworn mauve carpet blanketed the floor. The guest room was not dirty, although a thin layer of dust covered the exposed surfaces, loud flowery linens covered the bed and matching easy chair. An old-fashioned washbowl and pitcher centered on an old, battered chest of drawers was the only nick-nack and there was one sad print of a sailboat centered above the bed.
“This was my aunt Bet’s housewarming gift,” Nick said grimacing. “She insisted and I didn’t have the heart to tell her no. The wallpaper you might remember the rest my aunt’s attic treasures.”
“It’s great,” Jason’s voice hitched in his throat with the obvious lie. “I’m so grateful you’re giving me a place to stay.”
“I should let you settle in and get ready. You can use my bathroom, I’m gonna grab a quick shower now …should be done by the time you unpack.”
“Thanks,” Jason said stepping towards Nick extending his hand.
A casual handshake was not in the cards however, as he stepped forward, he tripped over his duffle bag and would have ended up face first on the floor if Nick did not react quickly. Before he could take a breath, he was wrapped in the sheriff’s powerful arms, face pressed literally up against an extremely hard cloth covered chest. Jason began to tremble as he sucked in air and slowly looked up. He was as sure as he was the sun was yellow that his face was painted a lobster red, yet right at that moment in Nicks arms a safe, calm feeling crept down his spine. Nick’s hand instinctively cupped the back of his neck and when their eyes met Jason was sure the intense look behind the eyes staring into his was desire. A sigh escaped as Jason felt those strong fingers against his tender flesh. The eye lock just seemed to go on and on and Jason did not dare to even take another breath.
“I uhm…….”, “Are you ok?” They both blurted out simultaneously effectively breaking the spell, but Jason would swear on a stack of King James that Nicks fingers gently caressed his neck as he released him.
“Ok, yeah…. shower….” Nick said shaking his head as he drifted out the doorway.
“Oh my god….” Jason whispered sinking to the bed still slightly trembling.
Stay tuned next month for part 2 The Bachelor Party (the stripper is not the only one getting naked)