Getting Through (Only You Book 3) Read online

  “Sorry I woke you so early.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m resilient.”

  “You’ve always been. I’m impressed with how cool under pressure you are.”

  He chuckled and thought about how many times he’d lost it at work. “I’m not that cool.”

  “Sure you are.”

  “No, there was this one time at work I freaked out. Actually, there have been a couple of times involving body parts which have detached.”

  “Damn. You’re allowed to freak out then.”

  Lane chuckled. “Not if you’re a nurse. You learn to just deal with it.”

  “Ha, I bet you are much more controlled on your job than you’re letting on. I’m sure all the other nurses and doctors love working with you.”

  He chuckled and his face heated. The other doctors did request him, and he was a favorite with the nurses. “Perhaps. I just know my faults.”

  Mike laughed. “I’ve got plenty.”

  Mike laid down and he did too, resting his head on his hands. He chuckled, thinking back to when they were serving together. Mike was always ready to joke around, but he was more serious than some of the other guys. They all had their flaws, but Mike’s weren’t overly pronounced. He’d been a steady guy, someone who didn’t freak out. He seemed to always have a level head. There were a few times Mike had gotten angry. He wasn’t mean, he just had a flash of anger, which had shown up a couple of times, but overall, Mike was solid. Of course, after what had happened with Benjamin, it had been difficult for a while. Seeing their friend blown up had to have changed him. Benjamin’s death had rocked everyone in their unit, but it had devastated Mike.

  He must have closed his eyes and drifted off because Mike grabbed his arm, squeezing it. “Hey, what time do you have to head over to the hospital?”

  “Hmm…” He wiped his hand over his face and blinked up at the sky. “I have to be on the floor at seven. I should be at the hospital by six thirty though.”

  “It’s probably later than you think. It’s five forty-five.”

  “Jesus! How long did I sleep?”

  “About an hour, maybe more.”

  He sat up, wiping his face again. “Oh God, I’m sorry. You should have woken me up and we could have done something.”

  Mike shook his head. “Naw, you were tired. I woke you earlier today, and besides, I figured you needed some sleep.”

  They both stood, and Mike reached up, pulling a piece of grass from his hair. He brushed off his rear and then stretched his arms over his head. For a moment, he thought he'd caught Mike watching, but he wasn't sure. He needed to grab something to eat before his shift so he didn't really have time to think about it.

  “I'm hungry. What are your plans for the evening? Do you have a hot date lined up?”

  Mike shook his head and he chuckled. “No, no hot date. I was going to grab something to eat then head back to your place and work a little.”

  He glanced at Mike, his gaze sliding from his eyes to his lips. For a second, he wondered how soft those lips were, then he pushed the thought away. “Oh, you aren't going to go out and party?”

  Mike shook his head. “No, I need to catch up on some stuff. That way we can spend some time together tomorrow after you wake up.”

  “Okay. Um, I was going to grab a pita from a place near the hospital.”

  “I'll walk over there with you then head to a restaurant I wanted to try.”

  “Which one?” He was curious. Though he did go out every once in a while, he certainly wasn't a foodie.

  “A place called Forty-Four and X.”

  “I haven't heard of it.”

  “It's supposed to be good, and it's not far from the hospital.”

  They headed out of the park, and he pointed out a few local landmarks. Too soon they were at the place where he wanted to grab some food. He didn't want to say goodbye to Mike, but there wasn’t any reason for his buddy to stick around. At least Mike would be staying for a few days. He really wanted time with him, just relaxing and hanging out.

  “This is me.” He felt incredibly awkward. Did he hug Mike or just say bye? Mike didn't step away or wave. Instead, the man glanced to the ground before meeting Lane’s gaze.

  “Thanks for letting me stay at your place. I'll see you in the morning.”

  “Yeah, in the morning.”

  Mike gave a little wave before he took off. Lane watched for a few seconds, his gaze traveling over Mike’s back and lower before he lost him in the crowds. He pushed away the weird thoughts and stepped into the restaurant. He picked up a premade pita from the refrigerator near the door, paid, then headed to the hospital to start his shift.

  The night was uneventful and seemed to drag on. He wanted his shift to be over quickly, but time didn't seem to be his friend. Finally, the night was over, and he grabbed his things, catching a train south to Times Square then a bus across the river to his stop. It didn't take too long, but he was getting tired of the commute. Maybe in a year or two he would be able to move to the city. His apartment in Jersey was small. Living in a tiny place in Manhattan would surely be better than having to do this stupid commute every time he worked.

  When he opened the door, he was expecting to find Mike, but the man wasn't in the den or kitchen. Lane wondered if Mike had stayed out late partying. Then he wondered if Mike had found someone. Anger twisted through him, coiling around his heart, increasing his blood pressure. He was breathing hard, his head pounding as thoughts of Mike with some woman flashed in his mind. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. Why was he getting so mad? He shouldn’t care if Mike hooked up. The man was free to do as he wished. Lane pulled a bowl from his cabinet, remembering Mike had promised to cook for him. The thought pissed him off. He poured cereal into his bowl as anger aimed at Mike grew. It was irrational, and he knew it, but knowing it was dumb didn’t stop him from being mad.

  His front door opened, and he abandoned his cereal, wanting to see if Mike looked guilty. He hoped the guy was miserable and had a terrible hangover. It would serve him right for being such an asshole, staying out late, hooking up with God only knew what.

  Mike stepped in, circles showing dark under his eyes. Their gazes locked, and Lane couldn't explain the anger rolling through him. Without thinking, he moved close to Mike and was about to say something when Mike grabbed his wrist and spun him around. Pushing him up against the door, holding him in place with one hand. Neither of them spoke as Mike stared into his eyes. His mouth dried out as thoughts he shouldn't be thinking about Mike surfaced. What did it mean that he was angry Mike might have been with someone?

  Then Mike closed the distance. His lips brushed over Lane’s, and his lids drifted closed. Fireworks exploded and excitement buzzed through him. Mike trapped his arms against the door, holding him still as their tongues twined together.

  Was this really happening? Had he gone crazy? Was Mike really kissing him like this? Mike didn’t let up. His tongue was sliding around Lane’s when he stepped even closer, their bodies brushing together.

  Lane felt the hard length in Mike’s pants and groaned. He pumped his hips forward, and Mike let go of one arm before reaching between them, finding Lane’s nearly hard cock that was growing harder by the second. He whimpered as Mike tugged at the tie holding up his scrubs before shoving his hand into his pants.

  Mike’s fingers grazed over his cock, and he shivered. It felt delicious. He wanted more and pumped his hips. Mike chuckled and tightened his grip. Both of them were breathing hard, and it wasn’t going to take much before he came. He moaned and Mike squeezed harder.

  Lane’s hips were rocking, and he was fucking Mike’s hand, enjoying the sensation. He was going to come. There was no holding back. He shivered and Mike changed his angle.

  Their kiss ended, and their gazes met and held. He was so close, his body vibrating with desire. Mike let go of his cock and then fumbled with the front of his jeans, pushing them low before pulling Lane’s cock out. Mike tugged their shir
ts high so their chests were pressed together. The skin-on-skin contact felt amazing as they ground together. Lane let his head fall to Mike’s shoulder. He grunted, his fingers twisting in the fabric of Mike’s shirt as he came.

  Bliss flowed through him. He gasped and shivered, sucking in air as he recovered.

  “Fuck, Mike, that was fucking amazing.”

  Mike grunted as he came. He reached up and grabbed Lane around the throat, holding him against the door. His hold didn’t hurt, but it was rougher than Lane was used to. He expected Mike to say something, but only silence passed between them. Then Mike leaned in and pressed his lips against Lane’s in a near punishing kiss.

  When the kiss ended, he gasped for breath. Mike was still holding him around the throat, and he was starting to feel a little uncomfortable when Mike spoke.

  “Jesus, Lane, you taste better than I thought you would.”

  He let go of Lane’s neck then leaned in and kissed Lane’s skin where his fingers had been, licking up the column of his neck, before nibbling on Lane’s ear.

  Mike’s words filtered through him and he shook his head. “Wait, you were thinking of kissing me?”

  “Mmm, yeah. I just always thought you would end up with Thomas so I didn’t try.”

  His head buzzed, and he wasn’t sure if he was insulted or just shocked. “What?”

  “I didn’t think you’d want me.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything last week?”

  Mike blew out a breath and stepped away. Lane caught his arm and didn’t let him go. Mike stopped walking but didn’t turn to face him.

  “Talk to me.” Lane moved to stand in front of Mike, wishing he would look up.

  Mike closed his eyes and shook his head. “I didn’t mean to kiss you. Can we forget about it?”

  Another round of anger flashed through him, and he squeezed Mike’s arm harder. “No, you weren’t making a— I’m not a mistake.”

  Mike’s eyes flashed open, hurt showing in their depths. “No, never.” Mike moved quickly, turning them as he shoved Lane against the door. Their gazes held. Mike was breathing heavy, his eyes searching. “You so aren’t a mistake. I’m the mistake.”

  “Mike, what the hell do you mean?” Lane couldn’t make heads or tails of Mike’s reaction. The man was throwing off a strange vibe, and he couldn’t keep up.

  2

  Mike stared into Lane’s eyes, knowing he was too screwed up to be in a relationship. It wasn’t fair to Lane to take this any further.

  “Listen, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

  Lane shook his head. “Why shouldn’t you have?”

  “It’s complicated.” He hated himself for being a jerk. The hurt in Lane’s eyes was almost enough to make him cave. Being involved was fucking tough, and Lane deserved the best.

  Mike stepped away, ready to grab his bags and go when Lane got in his way and didn’t move. He was exhausted after working all night. Someone had fucked up the reservations for the celebrity he was guarding this weekend, and he had to go fix the situation to ensure his client had a safe place to stay. When he kissed Lane, it had been in a moment of weakness where he’d forgotten who he was and what he was doing.

  “No, this is bullshit. Tell me what’s up. You don’t just kiss me and…” Lane waved his hand between them. “…you know, the other stuff we did then act this way.”

  He closed his eyes and let his head drop as he tried to come up with a way to explain. “I’m sorry. I suck at relationships. There are so many bad relationships I’ve been in that I’ve kept from you guys. I’ve fucked up so many times, and I didn’t mean to do this. I didn’t mean to kiss you.”

  “What do you mean? You think you can kiss me then just say you didn’t mean to? Don’t treat me like shit. I’m not one of your hookups you can blow off.”

  He met Lane’s gaze, and pain knifed him. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to treat you like one. I didn’t mean for all of this to happen. I just… Jesus. I’m exhausted and starving. I’m sure you are too. Can we eat?”

  “First I need to know why you’re exhausted. I don’t—I’m not— You owe me nothing, but if you were out fucking—”

  “I wasn’t. I had to work. Someone screwed up; I had to fix hotel reservations and transportation for the woman I’m guarding this weekend.”

  “Oh.”

  Mike ran his thumb over Lane’s lips, his heart squeezing. “I’m a dick. I know that. I’m sorry. Can we make some eggs or something and talk? I swear I won’t run out, I just—”

  Lane nodded. His lips parted just a little, and Mike couldn’t stop himself from leaning in and kissing him. The soft slide of Lane’s warm lips set his brain to buzzing, and his thoughts stalled. Peace flowed through him, and he wanted the feeling to stay. He leaned in, pressing their bodies together. It felt good, like he should hold on and never let go.

  At the end of the kiss, Lane didn’t pull away and neither did he. He had no idea how to make this right, but he knew one thing, he never wanted to hurt Lane, yet it seemed like that was exactly what he was doing.

  “I’ll make eggs and sausage. Could you toast some English muffins?” Lane asked.

  “Sure.”

  Lane handed him a kitchen towel and he wiped the remaining cum from his belly and shirt before washing his hands. Lane’s scrubs had wet spots showing from their fun, and he guessed he should have thought about them getting dirty, but he hadn’t cared at the time.

  He watched Lane out of the corner of his eyes as they worked together in the kitchen. He felt terrible. Lane was the nicest man alive, and he’d not respected his friend enough. Had he not been tired and horny as hell, he never would have kissed Lane. It wasn’t fair for him to kiss then say never mind. He wanted more, he just wasn’t sure if he could ever actually be in a relationship, not after everything that had happened. He sighed, pushing away the problems and the pain he’d caused and focused on getting breakfast made.

  With the eggs cooked, they settled at the table. Uncomfortable didn’t even come close to describing how he felt.

  “Just spill it. Tell me what the hell you were thinking and what you meant by you didn’t mean to kiss me.”

  He took a bite of eggs and chewed, stalling for as long as he could. “I’m sorry. I…I’ve always thought…I really suck. I’m sorry. I’m an ass.”

  Lane shook his head. “Nope, you’ve got to do better than that.”

  “I’ve always thought you were different.”

  Lane narrowed his eyes as he took a bite of his English muffin and chewed but didn’t say anything.

  “I suck. I’m sorry. I can leave.”

  Lane shook his head. “Don’t you dare get up. You’re not running out on me. Explain.”

  Mike nodded and took another bite of food. He didn’t say anything else as they finished their breakfast. His head was buzzing, and he knew he’d really fucked up.

  “Here’s what we’re going to do,” Lane said as he stood. “We’re going to wash off the plates, then we’re going to take a shower. After we shower, we’re going to go lay down in bed and sleep until later this evening. You aren’t allowed to leave. If you wake up before I do, you stay. You got it?”

  Mike nodded and stood, helping Lane clean up from their breakfast. Before they left the kitchen, he put his hand on Lane’s shoulder, stopping him from moving. “I’m sorry.”

  “Let’s not get into that right now.”

  Mike focused on just breathing as he followed Lane to the bathroom. “We showering together?”

  Lane turned and lifted his brow. “You got a problem with that?”

  Heat filled him and he shook his head. “No. No problem at all.”

  Lane pulled off his shirt then shoved his pants and underwear to the floor before reaching into the tub and flipping on the water. Mike was growing hard looking at Lane.

  “I’m going to get hard.”

  Lane glanced over his shoulder and lifted his brow. “Then maybe we�
�ll have to take care of it.”

  Mike shuddered and pulled off his shirt before kicking off his shoes and pushing his jeans low. Lane’s ass was perfect, and Mike wanted to grab both globes and squeeze them hard.

  Lane stepped into the tub and pulled the curtain closed. Mike pushed the curtain out of his way as he followed, his gaze on Lane’s body. He was a total asshole, and Lane deserved better, but Mike couldn’t help himself.

  “Fuck, you’re sexy,” Mike whispered.

  Lane turned to him and fixed the shower curtain before handing him the soap. “Clean me.”

  His hands shook as he took the soap from Lane. “You are testing me.”

  “Oh yeah, I sure as hell am. I’m not going to let you get away with kissing me like that, holding me up against the door while you stroked my cock. Get your shit together and do this.”

  Mike got the soap and his hand wet, working it into a lather before he ran the bar over Lane’s chest, watching as his hand smoothed over his friend’s muscles. He glanced up and saw the heat in Lane’s eyes. Then he looked down and saw Lane’s cock lengthening. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever witnessed.

  He ran his hand lower before moving up to wash under Lane’s arms. He was supposed to be getting his friend clean, and he would accomplish the task, but he wanted to be so dirty.

  Once he was done under Lane’s arms, he moved to his back then made him turn around. He scratched Lane’s back and shoulders after he got him soapy. Lane moaned, which made Mike’s balls pull tight.

  When he finished with his shoulders, he moved to Lane’s ass, loving the way the man’s cheeks felt in his hands. He slid one finger then two between his crack. Lane put both hands on the wall and leaned over a little, exposing his pucker. It was the little temptations like this that got to him. Mike ran his hand over Lane’s crack, brushing his fingers over his opening. They were both panting when Lane turned around and pressed him against the back wall of the shower.

  He thought he was going to get a kiss, but Lane didn’t move closer. They stared at each other for a few seconds. Eventually Lane moved under the spray and washed his hair. Lane traded places with him and took the soap before washing Mike’s body. After cleaning his ass, Lane spun him and moved in close before grabbing both of their hard cocks.