"It's right here. Lie down. I won't let you fall. But first, this." David felt clever fingers plucking his new cowboy hat off his head. "Don't want to crush your chapeau."

"Big word," David teased, easing himself down slowly.

Jory followed, as if they were connected with rubber bands that might stretch but held tight, keeping the two men together.

David landed on his back in something soft that smelled April-fresh. A worn old comforter, but clean.

"Nice place," he said, meaning the words.

Jory lightly draped himself on top of David, body to body. "I try." He wriggled. "Pull the lighter out of my back pocket.

You'll notice I'm giving you a chance to grope me. Actually kind of shamelessly begging for it."

"All you had to do was ask." David ran his hands down and over the twin mounds of Jory's a.s.s. He hissed in appreciation.

Jory had a great b.u.t.t for a big guy. Tight and shapely. "You are so --"

"Yeah?" David could hear the delight in Jory's voice. "Thanks. And you, mister ..." Clever fingers teased his shirt b.u.t.tons. "I want my turn to feel you up. Fair's fair, after all. But just a second."

He took the lighter David pressed into his hand and turned to one side. A rasp of flint later, and a flame lit up the small trailer. He touched it to a square candle next to the mattress, half-used and smelling sweetly of beeswax. "Let there be light."

"And there was light, and it was good." David ran his hands down Jory's arms as Jory sat up, knees to either side of David's hips.

The tenderness in Jory's face was almost unbearable as he spread his hands over David's chest. Moved, David reached up to touch him. "You're special," he said, hoping Jory would understand more than just the words. "I don't know how I can tell, but I can."

His hair dangling in wisps and curls around his face, Jory looked like an angel smiling down at David. "I'll try my best to live up to your expectations," he said. He played with one of David's shirt b.u.t.tons. "Do you only have the one condom?"

"Just the one." David sighed. Then he chuckled.

"What's funny?"

"It's just ... I never thought I'd actually get to use the one."

"A guy like you?" Jory set up a slow rocking, thrusting their groins together. David sucked in a breath, grasping at the comforter. "That feels good to you, huh? To me, too." He sounded breathless. "Okay. We've only got the one. I want to make it count."

"We can't both ..."

"I know." Jory sounded tender. "It's okay. David, I can wait. I want this to be for you."

David frowned. "What do you --"

"Ssh." Jory placed one finger on David's lips. "Let me do this, all right?"

When David nodded, Jory grinned like a boy and scooted further down David's legs. "Can I come in?" A little embarra.s.sed, David spread to let Jory between his thighs. And how strange was it, that taking it to another level made him blush all over again?

"You're so warm," Jory whispered, working his way down David's shirt. One b.u.t.ton at a time came free. "Do you know how good you feel?"

"As good as you do?"

Jory chuckled. "And it's a great view from down here." His hand hovered over David's zipper. "It could be a lot better.

May I?"

David's breath caught in his chest. "Yeah," he managed to say. "You're not ... by the ..."

"Hey. I said no more of those sorts of comments, and I meant it." Jory stroked David's stomach. "So you don't have a six- pack. You're just a big guy. I like big guys." He stroked a little lower. "Really big."

David closed his eyes in bliss. Having someone else's hand on him felt better than he'd ever dreamed. That the touch was gentle made it better still. When he did touch David at all, Tommy had always been rough, grabbing and stripping his c.o.c.k, not caring if he was pleasuring or hurting.

"Don't stop ..." he breathed.

"Don't plan to. Just going to take it up a notch." Jory slid the zipper down click by click, then undid the top b.u.t.ton. He paused for a long second, then drew out David's c.o.c.k. "Sweet mercy," he breathed reverently. "It's been worth the wait for both of us, yeah? But let's fix that, huh?" Jory moved still further down, stopping between David's knees. He held the foil-wrapped condom up to the candle light and squinted at it.Carefully, and all too slowly, he tore the packet open and pulled out its contents. "I want to ... let me put it on you," he said in a voice like rough, raw silk. "Please?"

David couldn't speak. All he was able to muster up was an eager nod. Then, thank G.o.d, fingers were on him, smoothing the rubber down his shaft. When Jory finished unrolling the thing, David felt a gentle kiss on the tip.

"Okay?" Jory asked. David nodded again. Finally, with a soft, appreciative murmur, Jory lowered his mouth over David's c.o.c.k and began to suck.

David arched, his back almost clearing the mattress. His hands reached out for something to grab onto and were rewarded by one of Jory's, flexing and gripping. The other kneaded his thigh softly, the way a cat would. All the while, that clever mouth kept on working and, d.a.m.n, it knew what it was doing.

"Harder," David begged. "Jory, please." His partner made a soft noise and increased his suction, flicking his tongue the length of the long vein.

Jory began to move like a G.o.d, like a wet dream, rubbing himself against the mattress, his mouth sliding up and down David's c.o.c.k as he did so. His tongue glided on the down stroke and it tapped on the way up, the sensation better than heaven could ever be to David. He circled the tip and bit ever so gently.

David clutched at Jory's hand. "Can't ... too long since --"

Jory lifted his mouth away. "It's okay. Everything's fine. You're covered. Let me have this." Then, he lowered and gave a hard pull, drawing David deep into his mouth, almost into his throat.

That was it. David gave a harsh yell and bucked again, feeling the o.r.g.a.s.m explode out of him. Pulse after pulse, like the rhythm of his wildly beating heart.

Through it all, Jory never let go of his hand, even when he himself stiffened and gave a deep groan. Their fingers were still entwined when Jory pulled off with a sigh. "G.o.d, that was ... you're beyond belief," he murmured. "Thank you."

David laughed sleepily in disbelief. "You're thanking me?"

"Yep." A little clumsily, Jory stripped off the condom, tied it in a knot, and dropped it in a box off to the side. "Trash can,"

he explained. "Well, close enough." He hesitated. "Can I ... ah, h.e.l.l with machismo. You want to cuddle for a minute before we have to go back to the real world?"

David's heart swelled so much that he thought it might burst. "Oh, yeah," he said, opening his arms. The other man curled against him, tugging David over onto his side. They spooned up just like they'd been made for each other.

For a few moments they lay there, their breathing settling down. David played with Jory's hand, splayed across his chest, and gathered his courage.

"So ... I can see you again?" he asked, keeping his voice steady. "I meant what I said. I'm not much on one-night stands."

"Yeah, and I told you I was into monogamy." Jory sounded drowsy. "Don't worry, David. I've been waiting for a guy like you to come along. I'm not about to turn my back on you now."

Closing his eyes in relief, David kissed the k.n.o.b of Jory's knuckle. "Good," he said simply. Then, he nudged the man in his ribs. "And I still want that trunk."

"It's yours." Jory wriggled forward, fitting them more closely together. "We'll go get it in a minute. After a change of clothes for me." They laughed at the same time.

"Fair deal," David agreed. "Less stickiness for you, a trunk for me. And ... your number?"

"Promise you'll get it."

"Good."

"We're going to move any minute now, aren't we?"

"Oh, yeah. Any old minute."

"Yep."

Liar, David thought fondly, holding Jory by the arm, tight as he could. But for once, I don't mind. G.o.d, it's unbelievable that I should have gotten so lucky, but you know what? As long as it lasts, I'm not going to question this. Liam's kiss did bring me good fortune.

Blissfully tired, he closed his eyes. He'd just nap for a minute ... just a minute longer ...

Chapter Five

"So this is Sweet Rose?" Jory, a little more mussed than before, helped David lower the tailgate on his truck. "She looks like a faithful old girl."

David tipped his slightly battered cowboy hat. "Been with me for almost ten years. That's almost unheard of for most relationships these days."

"I don't know." Jory took a glance around himself. The parking lot was almost empty and dawn wouldn't be far off. He and David had spent the rest of the night in his booth, selling off almost everything. "I might be around that long. Feel like giving me a try?"

"I could be persuaded."

Jory wound his arms around David's neck and gave him a hearty kiss on the lips.

True to his nature, David grinned and kissed back before scolding, "Public!"

"And your point is?" Jory didn't release him. He knew David better than that by then. They'd had the whole night to get to know each other. How fortunate was he that David hadn't taken off with his trunk as soon as they'd woken up from their brief nap? Nope, not his David. His good old boy had stuck to Jory's booth all night, helping him out.

And sharp? Talk about needle-keen. David knew the market down to the last cent value on everything from iceboxes to fainting couches.

Jory counted himself blessed in more ways than one. If he hadn't had the big man beside him, he'd have no doubt been fleeced countless times and made a pretty poor shake of the whole affair. He wasn't so much into antiques as he, well, was one.

Not that he planned on telling David ... yet. It was too soon. He couldn't believe he'd been able to coax the shy fellow into his bed. If only they'd had more protection, he might have kept David there all night long. Not that he could transmit diseases, but humans tended to insist on the little details, and he couldn't have explained without giving away a lot more information than he was ready to divulge yet.

The way he figured, getting David to accept the possibility of love was a great big step. Asking him to believe in vampires?

Jory whistled inside his head. Whole other ball of wax there. Can of worms. Whatever.

He'd just have to win David's trust as much as he could, and then ... and then tell him he'd been lying by omission the whole time.

"Hey."

Jory snapped back to attention, returning his gaze to his new lover's face. Boyish and good-natured to the last detail, and handsome? Lord, you'd have to travel far to find someone that cute. Jory hadn't been lying. He liked big men, close to his own build. They'd have to work on that self-esteem thing, but there would be time. He hoped.

"Hey," David repeated, so tender and gentle that Jory's unbeating heart ached. He reminded himself to keep breathing. So far David hadn't noticed the lack of a pulse, but he couldn't push the little things to the side forever. He had to keep his wits under control. "Where'd you go?"

"Go? I've been right here." Jory swung in David's grip around his waist. "Oh. Was I really a million miles away again?"

"You keep disappearing." David bent down for another brief kiss. G.o.d, they could barely keep their mouths, much less their hands, off one another. "Someday I'm going to find out where you go."

Try a hundred and forty-change years ago, on the battlefields of Gettysburg. Where I was wounded by a cannon blast and left to die, until the one who made me came walking through the carnage by night ...

"Nowhere special," he said, returning David's smile. With difficulty -- because he didn't want to let go -- he pulled away.

"Come on. Let's get this trunk loaded."

It had been his own, but he hadn't exactly lied. The key had been lost over a century ago, and he'd hung onto the thing for sentimental reasons. Somehow, though, it felt right to let it go with David. David would take care of the trunk and give it a good home.

If he managed to open it, though ... Jory winced internally. He was pretty sure there was a daguerreotype of himself inside, resplendent in his uniform. Also, probably the one thing he'd like to get ahold of again was a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles.

Whether hunting through rubbish bins or, nowadays, off the discount rack at drugstores, he'd never had been able to find another pair that worked right. And doctors tended to specialize in the living.

He would be the first to admit, though, that he made a pretty pathetic vampire. Working at the Red Cross and sneaking home outdated bags of blood so he wouldn't have to kill anyone. Coming out at night to volunteer at homeless shelters. There were only a few others of his kind in Charleston -- pretty much contrary to popular belief -- but now that Amour Magique had moved in, there would be more.

Jory really hated that club. The last thing he needed was the attendant crowd of paranormal creepy-crawlies invading the town where he'd made his home, possibly deciding to make him a target because he wasn't quite your ordinary flashy, capes and "doom-gloom squad" att.i.tude type of vampire. So the club was gay-centric, that was great, but was it appealing to a guy who liked the simpler things in life -- or an easy unlife? Not so much.

"You left again," David chided, bringing Jory out of his reverie. "Come on. Help me lift."

Jory gave David a sheepish shrug as he bent toward his trunk. Truth to tell, he could have raised the thing with one hand, but then again they would run into that awkward vampire thing. d.a.m.ned if it didn't seem to crop up at every turn of his thoughts and actions.

Screw it. He'd just enjoy the moment with his new squeeze -- hopefully, his new, long-term honey. That was one positive thing about living in the modern day and age; bashers aside, a gay man could live openly in society.

All the same, he sensed that David was more afraid than he was of an attack. Something about the way he held himself.

Also, there were the mended ribs Jory had felt while running his hands over the other man's chest.

He wasn't the kind of vampire normally inclined to violence, but if he ever came across the guy who'd dared beat up his David ... well, he just might break more than his own rules.

David wiped his forehead and patted the trunk with satisfaction. "I'll just tie her down so she won't go sliding around," he said, rummaging in a covered bed bin for some rope.

Jory's eyes almost crossed. Tied ... down ...

David elbowed him on his way back. "I know exactly where your mind just went," he teased.

"Mmm. Want to follow me there?"

"Don't tempt me. I have to be at work in a couple hours. Only a half-day on the weekends, though." David leaned against Sweet Rose's fender. "Lucky me. I need to catch up on my sleep."

His sweet smile was enough to make Jory fall with a crash that could be heard around the world -- if he hadn't already taken the plunge. "One more kiss for the road?" those sweet lips said.