Crossing The Border

TITLE: Crossing The Border
AUTHOR: XScribe
PAIRING: Dom/Brian
RATING: NC-17
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to the very talented Khaleesian for her wonderful words of praise on this fic.
DISCLAIMER: No infringement intended on the legal ownership of these characters, story, etc.
FEEDBACK: Please! Without it, why post?
SUMMARY: Approximately a year after The Fast and the Furious, Brian goes looking for a place to open that garage with Rome. Only that isn't all Brian is looking for.


MAY
MONDAY

On the third day, he stood in another dirty, sweltering garage, leaning into the engine compartment of a tricked-out, white Honda Prelude. Gallo, the mechanic who'd invited him there, proudly showed off the stand-alone fuel injection system he'd recently installed in his ride.

The garage was larger and not quite as filthy or hot as the others Brian had visited the last two days. The shadows of sluggish attic turbines could be seen on the oil and coolant-spotted, rough cement floors. Considering the lack of wind he'd encountered through much of his trip into Mexico it was amazing that they turned at all. At least in this garage several twenty-four inch fans were set strategically around to keep the hot air moving. With vehicles like restored Monte Carlos and Camaros and later model Hondas and Toyotas, it was evident the garage and car owners here had a little more money than the previous places he'd visited. He'd had to earn some trust as a serious fellow gearhead mechanic and street racer before someone had finally directed him there.

Unlike the weather his reception through Mexico had been lukewarm. He was glad he'd had the foresight to bring V-neck t-shirts for trip but had soon found the short sleeves too much fabric and ripped them off with the help of his utility knife.

The Mexicanos hadn't been all that friendly though he'd pretty much expected that. After all he was a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed gringo. Once they discovered that he spoke and understood more Spanish than expected of a gringo they seemed all the more annoyed with him. Despite that, using diplomacy and determination along with his adequate communication skills, he'd managed to talk his way to that back street garage.

Leaving his fully restored Nissan Skyline and the Mitsubishi Evolution he'd been offered first bid on at police auction back in Los Angeles Brian had brought his latest project. It was a 1970 oxidized-blue Challenger. He and Rome had replaced the engine with a larger Magnum, boosting the horsepower, and replaced the transmission to improve torque but it still needed a lot more work. That made it a perfect candidate for the trip--the exterior looked pretty crappy and therefore wouldn't court theft.

Once they'd discovered the visitor, the other workers in the garage started in on the comments. The crude kissing noises and lewd gestures were the same, though the words were spoken in another language--rude references about his looks. Having heard that kind of crap all his life, Brian ignored it.

Abruptly, the razzing died off. So abruptly that he glanced up to see why. He heard heavy footsteps masked only by the buzz of the running fans. Gallo looked out, too.

Shocked, Brian started at the sight of Dominic Toretto. He made just as powerful a figure as ever in an open denim vest over his bare skin, and jeans.

They locked eyes.

"Brian."

"Dominic."

Like the moment between a flash of lightning and the anticipated rumble of thunder, the formidable atmosphere of tension seemed tangible to everyone around them. For a few suspended moments, the buzz from the fans remained the only sound in the garage. Then one by one, the others went back to work.

Defenses raised, Brian took a step back from the Prelude to observe Dom's actions.

Slowly, methodically, Dom circled Brian, sizing up the intruder.

Having been the one to invite the trespasser onto the territory, Gallo leapt to cover his ass, apparently sensing he may have made a mistake. "You guys know each other?" he continued in Spanish. "Hey, I thought he seemed all right, man. He street races, too, you know?"

"I know who he is," Dom said, dark gaze still riveted on Brian. "And I know what he does, too."

"Yeah," Brian responded, guarded. "I was the one who bought you your freedom."

The muscular shoulders relaxed a degree. "C'mere," Dom said in English. He placed a strong, steady hand on the back of Brian's neck and steered him into the office.

Lit only by a work lamp and a computer screen, the office was much cooler than the garage. A window box air conditioner blasted from the wall where it was mounted. Otherwise the office was decent. A calendar with a candy apple red Ferrari 350 adorned one wall and one with a photo of a nude female that tended toward pornographic hung on another. Between a file cabinet and a steel bookcase, a moss-colored, vinyl bench sofa slouched. Dom gestured at it.

"How 'bout a Coke?"

Coke in Mexico tasted nothing like the Real Thing. Nothing did. Which explained why it was practically a mandate from the Surgeon General in the U.S. not to drink anything but beer. "Um yeah sure," Brian said, taking a seat.

Dom stepped out into the hall then returned with a green glass bottle of what was supposed to be Coca Cola. He watched Brian take a drink. "I know," Dom remarked. "It tastes like someone took a piss in it but everything else in the vending machine tastes that way too."


"I'm getting used to it," Brian allowed.

After shutting the door, Dom approached the couch and stood over it in silence.

"I suppose," Brian began, looking up Dom's commanding form, "you're wondering what the fuck I'm doing in Mexico…"

The inscrutable countenance softened to a smile.

Before Brian could react, he was snatched to his feet into a crushing embrace. Cradled against Dom's huge chest, in his strong arms, Brian was so surprised, he almost couldn't catch his breath. To hell with that. He hugged Dom with equal enthusiasm and patted him hard on the back. "God, it's good to see you again."

"Same here, man."

On parting, they exchanged the ritual male handshake.

Dom was genuinely beaming by then. "So what the fuck are you doing here, snowman?"

"I came down here to check out the local racing scene. Things were getting stale in the States, you know?"

"I doubt that could ever happen. Now tell me the real reason you're here. It better be that you came to find Mia."

Although Brian had considered the possibility that she may be around since she'd pulled up stakes from Echo Park, he wasn't looking forward to dealing with Dom's wrath over that dicey issue. It would seem to him that Brian had abandoned her. "She-she's here?"

"What else was she gonna do? She couldn't keep the business afloat on her own, selling lousy tuna sandwiches. Plus stay in college. Apparently you didn't tell her shit." Dom sobered. "You just disappeared."

"I-I didn't have a chance. They were after me as much as they were after you. Aiding and abetting. Obstructing justice. You know that."

"You should have found some way to tell her. I warned you not to break her heart, didn't I?"

"There wasn't shit I could do," Brian countered defensively. If Dom thought he could intimidate his guest he was about to be put in his place. "I knew they'd have her on round-the-clock surveillance to see who contacted her. The only thing I could do was get the fuck out like you did."

Dom looked away. Nodding once, he relaxed to pick up his own bottle of Coke on the desk. "You must not have heard what happened to the team since you were God-knows-where."

"Actually, I checked up on them as soon as I could. I was really relieved about Jesse; all the time I was out of touch, I was afraid maybe he hadn't pulled through. I know Leon and Letty were picked up. With the trucker's description and the partial plates, it couldn't have gone down any other way. And Vince was busted, too, but he's been too busy going in and out of hospitals and getting physical therapy to see the inside of a jail, so far."

"Did you see any of 'em?"

"No, I didn't." Brian brushed at his lower lip in uncertainty. "I wouldn't know what to say."

"How 'bout, 'how the hell are you?'"

"They had to have found out I was a cop, way back. They wouldn't want anything to do with me."

"They did. Mia said you were all over the news."

"Yeah," Brian admitted. "I know."

"I'm gonna shock the fuck out of you. Even after he found out you were a cop, Jesse considered you a friend, anyway. And Vince--he like did a one-eighty. His whole attitude changed about you. He didn't give a damn what you did for a living--he decided you were his guardian angel or something."

Stunned, Brian blinked at Dom. "What? Did Mia tell you that?"

"You think I'd make up something that off the chain?"

"I-I don't know. That's just pretty unbeliev--"

"So you didn't come down here to find Mia."

"I didn't exactly say that…"

"You couldn't have made it any plainer by the way you didn't bother to ask where she was."

"To be honest, I came down here for a couple of reasons. I didn't know for certain where you or Mia had gone. I took a guess. While I was guessing I came down to maybe find a place and open my own garage."

Momentarily distracted, Dom's gaze refocused on his guest. "A garage? Are you serious?"


"Yeah, I'm serious." Brian kept his own frown fixed in place. "Obviously it's not that expensive down here. And there's plenty of street racing. Plus there're a lot less regs on the cars. But, seeing as you got your own place, maybe we could consider going into business together--"

"Oh, this ain't my place. It belongs to one of my tios. He just happens to be on vacation, as usual."

"It isn't?"

"Nope." Pushing away from the desk, Dom went around it to take the seat. "You got money to open this garage or are you just talking shit?"

"I got something or I wouldn't be checking into it."

"Yeah?" Dom leaned back in the chair and locked his fingers behind his head. "You know, you can't buy a garage with just a pretty face. Unless maybe you got a sex change to go with it."

Brian exhaled. "I said I was serious didn't I?" He considered. "So like ...if this ain't your place...and I do open a garage...would you be interested in a job?"

Sitting up, Dom placed his elbows on the desk and thoughtfully rested his chin in one of his hands. "I don't know...you're not the most honest person I know...First, you pulled that 'undercover' crap on us, then you looked me straight in the eye and assured me you wouldn't break my sister's heart...and where the hell did you get the money to buy a garage, anyway? What have you been doing since you've been on the run from your own people? You don't look like you've been pushing around shopping carts full of cans." He leaned back again, propping his feet up, beneath the desk.

"I've been racing." That was no lie.

The phone rang. Looking up through the plate glass windows, they saw one of the mechanics approaching the office door.

"Uno momento," Dom said, holding up a finger to answer the phone. He took the call while the mechanic ducked his head in with a question on a shipment.

The mechanic left. The hold button blinked while Dom scribbled out an address on a notepad. "Here. This is where Mia and I are living now. Go see her. I'll be going home in about three hours and we can talk there without interruption."

Hesitating Brian blinked at the address.

"What?" Dom prompted. "Oh shit. You've got another woman."


Complicating the situation with further lies would do more harm than good. "No. I mean I didn't know if I was ever going to see Mia again. I haven't exactly been holding out."

Instantly Dom launched into a stream of fluent curses in Spanish.

Though Brian could understand a lot of it he couldn't help but laugh. "Come on. Given the same circumstances are you going to tell me you would have been a monk?"

"Sin verguenzo!" Dom finished off. "How the fuck--?"

Another phone line rang.

"You're going to explain it to her," he stated in no uncertain terms. "Go on. Get out of here. I oughta kick your ass. You fucked her over now take some responsibility for what you did." Picking up the receiver, his tone resorted back to business and he thrust a finger toward the door, glaring at Brian.

~~~

The various maps Brian had managed to acquire along the way had served him well. He found the area. Unlike in the States, the houses and buildings weren't all plainly numbered. After one inquiry he found the house.

The neighborhood wasn't anywhere as neat as the one in Echo Park where the Torettos used to live. A wooden fence around the yard had been mended with different means but he'd seen a lot worse. The porch creaked. The screen door also needed repair. A couple of barefoot children--the eldest around four--came to the door to gawk at him through the torn screen when he knocked.

"Hola." Brian bent down to address the kids. He knew they couldn't belong to Dom or Mia; they must live with local relatives. "Esta Mia Toretto aqui?"

The eldest one gawked a moment longer then dashed off calling, "Prima Mia! Prima Mia!"

"Ay chavalias!" she groaned from somewhere inside the house. In a second, she appeared through the dirty screen. Her dark, gleaming tresses were tied up on her head and she wore baggy shorts and a rumpled, loose tank top. The notebook she held fell to the floor on sight of Brian. "Dios mio..." she murmured.

She was on him, pulling him just inside the door to wrap around him, kissing with desperate, passionate hunger.

As happy as he was to see her, he fully understood then why Dom had left the reunion to Brian to handle on his own. The presence of the children--particularly the eldest one who began to chant a rhyme about Mia's amante--seemed a good excuse for his tentative response compared to her enthusiasm. Gently, he unwrapped her from him and set her on her feet, allowing at least an inch of daylight between them, for the sake of the impressionable kids. That was when he saw the tears streaming down her pretty face.


The situation was turning critical. "Is anyone else here besides the kids?"

"N-no," she sniffed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "My cousins--the girls' parents--are at work. I-I watch them when I come home from escuel--classes."

Imperceptibly Brian breathed in relief. "I guess we'd better do that, then--watch the kids till their folks get home."

"But, Bri..." she looked tragic. "You're right." Still sniffing, she retreated to pick up her notebook. Stooping over, a suggestion of her supple breasts was revealed down the front of her shirt, sparking Brian's interest. When she straightened, however, the tragedy in her expression had been reinforced with determination. Without warning, she sucker-punched him.

****

Hand smarting, Mia shook it. At her feet, her young cousins stared in awe.

Leaving Brian holding his mouth, Mia swept up the youngest, Aracelia, doing her best not to look at him. "Venga, Gabriela," she instructed Aracelia's older sister, on their way to the back of the house. "I've got homework to do," Mia further explained in Spanish.

"Mia," she heard Brian call when he could speak again.

Ignoring him, she turned on the radio in her room. "Oh--" she bit off a curse in front of the children. "I left my books on the table."

"Mia." Brian appeared at her open doorway.

He was tanned, his blond curls longer and radiantly sun-bleached. Even the perspiration on his forehead and chest visible through the V-neck of his shirt was tantalizing. Rotten son-of-a-bitch. Could he have been any more beautiful?

"Give me a chance to explain--" he began.

"We're supposed to be babysitting, remember?" She pushed past him to return to the kitchen. "That means only appropriate discussion."

"You know what happened," he followed her.

"Don't leave the babies unattended. I'm just getting my books."

"But Mia--" He hung back. "They would've come after me. I was just as much a fugitive as your brother."


"We're not going to talk about this right now. Not in front of mi primas."

With her books, she returned to her room to find the girls jumping up and down on her bed. "Stop it," Mia scolded them in Spanish. "How many times have we told you not to jump on the beds? Anyway I've got to do my homework." She looked to Brian, smirking.

He blinked innocently, his shapely mouth just beginning to exhibit slight swelling where she'd struck him.

"This is Brian." She formally introduced him to the girls. "He used to be my friend. Now he's going to be yours okay? He's going to play with you while I do my homework."

"W-wait a second," Brian interrupted in English. "I don't know the first thing about taking care of kids."

Turning back to him, she raised an eyebrow. "You understand Spanish?"

Appearing wary, he regarded her steadily a moment. "Some."

"Good. At least you'll know what the kids need. Do you speak any?"

"S-some."

The thought was too amusing. "Oh, now this I've got to hear."

Instead of being properly rebuffed he managed a slight, though crooked smile. "You'll probably get the chance; Dom invited me to stay for dinner."

Immediately affronted Mia drew herself up. And was reminded of her frumpy, unflattering clothes. In other words Brian had come down to Mexico seeking her brother--not her. Despite that he'd sworn everything he felt about her was true this fact already belied it. "Look, just take the kids into the front room and entertain them; I've got homework." Lifting Aracelia off the bed Mia thrust her at Brian.

Without choice he took her awkwardly. "Honest I don't know a thing about babysitting."

"You're not far removed from childhood, yourself; it shouldn't be hard for you to relate."

~~~

Through the bathroom window, just as she turned off the shower, Mia heard Tia Esperanza chatting with a neighbor on the driveway. Perfect. Wrapping in a towel, Mia peeked out the high window in time to see her tia enter her house through the side door, carrying her grocery bags back from marketing.

Rushing to her room, Mia rifled her closet like a windstorm, trying to find something to wear that would be subtly sexy but not too obvious. Zipping up a pair of semi-fitted chino shorts under a tight knit tank, she was arrested by a knock on her bedroom door.

"Mia," Brian called.

"Just a second." She stepped into her chancletas and drew the heel straps in place as she balanced first on one foot, then the other on her way to the door.

"The baby needs a diaper change."

Opening the door, she blinked at her guest. Surprisingly, he held Aracelia on his hip, not away from himself, the way she'd envisioned. "Oh. Here's where the stuff is." Squeezing past him, she led him to the other room.

"You didn't say you were gonna shower," Brian said, following. "What if there had been an emergency? I told you, I don't know what--"

"You seem to have done fine, so far." She set the things on the chest of drawers with the blanket spread over it that her primos used for a changing table. "Here you go. Diaper wipes, diaper rash cream, powder...there's a container in the bathroom to throw the dirty diaper in." She pretended to straighten the hem of her slim-fitting tank. "I'm going--"

"Now, wait a second." He caught her elbow. "You can't expect me to do this. I don't know where to start. And what would your cousins think if they knew a total stranger had changed their daughter's diaper? Come on."

That's right, he was a policeman and therefore practical. One would think he would be honest, too. On the other hand, he'd do lousy undercover work if he couldn't lie, which he'd done too all well. "All right," she sighed. "We'll do it together."

~~~

With Aracelia tucked neatly into a fresh diaper, and nearly an hour left until Reina, the girls' mom came home, Mia ran next door and arranged for Tia Esperanza to mind the children. The excuse Mia gave was that she'd not had adequate time to study, which was no lie. However, Tia Esperanza was no fool.

"Whose car is out there on the street?" she asked.

"Car?" Mia feigned partial stupidity. After all, she'd not seen any car--she'd been so idiotically blinded by the sight of Brian.

"Yes, yes. That beat-up heap out there." Tia Esperanza gestured with the knife she was using to cut vegetables. "You have a visitor? A young man, I hope?"

Considering how she often harangued Mia about dating ever since she'd come down to Mexico, it would do no harm to concede. She lowered her gaze. "Yes. I know I should be helping you with dinner right now--"

"It's about time." Tia Esperanza cut Mia off then crossed herself with a prayer. "You go visit with your boyfriend; Gabriela enjoys helping her grandmother cook."

~~~


Sitting on the sofa with bottles of Dos Equis, Mia heard out Brian's story; he'd quit the police force before he could be charged with an official, lengthy investigation, which could only ultimately lead to dismissal and incarceration, and become a fugitive. From then, he'd dodged police and sunk every cent he'd saved or could make into purchasing and outfitting cars for racing to generate money. Eventually, he'd wound up in Miami, Florida, where the law had caught up with him. Then, he'd done a job for the FBI and succeeded, which had exonerated him from any charges. When she asked if he'd resumed his career with the police department, he wordlessly drew out a detective's badge, slid a little closer, and handed it to her.

It was her turn to be nonplused, though not for long. "So, they sent you here to track down Dom."

"No." He put the badge away. "I came down here on my own time. I'm seriously thinking of quitting the force and opening a garage with a friend of mine I grew up with. We couldn't open the garage in the states 'cause the money we're going to use...well, we skimmed it off that bust in Miami. I had to look elsewhere to open this garage, or eventually I'd be confronted by IA over the funds, you know?"

"IA?"

"Internal Affairs."

She'd seen enough police programs on TV to know what that meant. She nodded. "But still, you came down here, suspecting Dom might be here. If you opened a garage, you knew he'd make an ideal racing partner and mechanic."

"Even so, I had no idea where to look." He thumbed off the label on his bottle of Dos Equis. "I had no idea where you were. I went to your house--the tune-up shop. They said you'd left no forwarding address. I guess aside from looking for a place to open a garage, I was hoping to get lucky, in the way-off chance that I might find one of you. If I found Dom first, I knew I could get him to tell me where you were."

Cocky shit, Brian was. No one else would or could claim that Dom would tell them anything. Only Brian. Playing with her own bottle, Mia smirked to herself. She remembered telling him that Dom was like "gravity", referring to his charisma. What she'd realized later was that Brian had his own charisma--one that had charmed the fuck out of her and Dom. No one else had ever tricked her brother to such an extent before. Only Brian.

"Okay." She released her breath. "The question is, which comes first with you?"

"Actually, the question is, do you understand why I did what I did? Or is the swollen lip you gave me my keepsake to remember you by?"

The long months of heartache could go to hell; Mia leaned to him and kissed the intact side of his mouth. Pain or not, he met her tongue with his, deepening the kiss with an unrestricted hunger, now that there were no children watching.

Neither demanding nor insistent, he let her catch her breath. Except for his scratchy five o'clock shadow, he was the closest man she'd ever met to perfection, though he still had a ways to go. "You're quite remarkable, Detective Spil--sorry--O'Conner." She raised her forefinger against his mouth, to hold off any more kissing. "If mi primos weren't about to come home any second, I'd take you into the other room and rape the hell out of you."

~~~

Fucking Spilner. No, wait--what had he said his name really was? Some Scottish shit. O-some- fucking-mierda. Este condenado pinche gringo.

By the way Mia was all over him at dinner, it was evident he'd not informed her he'd been casually fucking around while she languished over him. When he took his knife and fork to his carne and spent more time dissecting than eating, Dom wanted to slam his fist on the table. He was even further provoked when Mia saw what her guest was doing then quickly took over the task for him.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "Here: let me."

Oh, yeah. The spoon-fed girl thought he was too good to eat bread crust let alone a fiber of sebo. Then even after Mia went through the trouble of cutting up his food for him, he left a lot on his plate. Evidently, the arrogant trailer trash stock he came from never taught him what a fucking insult that was to the hosts of a home-cooked meal.

Something kept Dom from lunging to slap the knife and fork right out of Mia's hands. It didn't take much introspection to recall that that something was all around him. His freedom. He would have lost it again, if not for Brian.

Getting him away from her afterwards was a hell of a task. Especially with Tia Esperanza and Prima Reina in Mia's corner, doing their best to insure the couple some time alone. If they only knew the crap her alleged Don Juan had really pulled, they'd all throw him out of the house, together.

Like all well-meaning Mexican women, Tia Esperanza welcomed them to go sit on the porch of her otherwise empty house, rather than finish cleaning up the kitchen. Dom gave them all of two minutes. If that long. Then he lit out after them. They couldn't even wait to get into the house; they were already passionately necking in the side yard, by the door.

"Bri-an!"

They exchanged some words Dom couldn't hear. Then Mia slipped into their Tia Esperanza's house and Brian casually walked over to Dom, as if he had all the time in the world and wasn't about to have his throat ripped out of that long, slender neck of his.

"What's up, cuz?" he asked, softly.

"Don't 'cuz' me," Dom growled. "What the fuck did I tell you about Mia?"

"We talked."

"But, you didn't tell her everything, did you?"

In the streetlights, Brian's eyes glinted violet. He pressed Dom back toward the other house. "I talked to her, but I couldn't tell her everything. Not because I meant to be dishonest...Look, no matter what you think, I do care about her. Are you gonna pretend that women have never come onto you when you've been involved with someone?"

"I don't give a shit about other 'someones'; this is my sis--"

"It don't matter who she is to the ones coming onto you. When you try and ignore them, do they magically disappear?"

"Still, that doesn't make it all right for you to fuck--"

"You weren't married to Letty; are you gonna tell me you never strayed on her?"

Damn, Brian's logic was annoying. "That was differ--"

"No, it wasn't. You've just got a different perspective, because you're Mia's brother. Man, you know how it is; you don't even have to have sex with other women to be pronounced guilty."

Pointedly, Dom looked over his guest. With his left hand still shoved down the pocket of his jeans, Dom saw the definitive rise of an erection. "Yeah, you're right. Once you get that horny and the prospect of beaver gets flashed, why the hell not, you know? It don't mean nothing..."

"Exactly," Brian concurred.

"You want a flash? Here's one." Dom seized Brian's hard-on right through his pants, enjoying that his pupils dilated in mortal shock. "Touch my sister again and I'll rip this thing right off."

~~~

In his black, extended-cab Dodge Ram pickup Dom waited, pulling on a bottle of Jose Cuervo. Next to him, Brian recovered. Dom had derived more satisfaction than he'd expected taking Brian to his knees, extending the full grip to include the testicles. The summit of that triumph had to be feeling everything turn soft.

"Fuck," Brian panted, leaning back in the corner of the cab. "I'm gonna kill you when I can, and you know it, Toretto..."

"I'm looking forward to it," Dom said.

"I hope you know...what the fuck you're gonna tell Mia..."

"Oh, I do." Dom settled in the opposite corner, shifting his right knee up. Re-establishing his alpha status with the horny Lothario who'd thought he could mess with Mia had given Dom his own hard-on. "I'm gonna tell her that ever since you ditched her, you've been fucking every hole you came across without so much as a second thought about her. From the beginning of your undercover operation, all you ever saw her as was a prospective piece of ass."

"That ain't true, you son-of-a-bitch."

"That's exactly how it looks to me. And I can be a lot more objective than Mia."

A hand between his legs, Brian glared at Dom. "Like shit. You're just as biased."

Shrugging, Dom took another drink. "Excuse me, but she is my sister, you know? It's pretty fucking hard for me to give a damn about your side of any issue where she's concerned." At length, he held the bottle out to Brian. "Want a drink?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Brian snatched it from Dom to take a pained pull.

"So let's just get this shit out of the way. I like you, Spilner or O'Hara or whatever the hell your Mick cop name really is. I could like you a lot better if you left Mia alone. I don't give a damn how many women you've fucked, but stop messing with her. I warned you."

"O'Conner," Brian winced.

"Whatever."

After a couple of pulls, Brian finally relinquished the bottle. "Before you start making accusations, maybe you ought to ask her for some history. She started on me the very first time I walked in the door. I was undercover; I wasn't looking for a date. *She* hit on *me*."

"Mia? Like hell," Dom scoffed.

"Your sister's a beautiful lady. How could I ignore her?"

"Yeah, I know she's fucking beautiful but you should have left her alone. Once you started messing with my blood, you set yourself up to deal with me."

"Things just worked out that way."

"No, you made them work out that way. Shit. Don't they have a course at the police academy about keeping your dick in your pants?"

"Look, I don't need no lessons on self-control; I do the best I can to take care of my own. And believe me, I'm sick and tired of--"

"If you did, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

Sliding up in his seat, Brian reached for the door handle. "I'm going back in and talk to Mia. I'll diplomatically explain to her that the way things worked out, I didn't and couldn't exactly go celibate--"

"Like hell, you will." Dom hit the childproof lock mechanism on his armrest. "I know what'll happen if you go back in there: you'll charm her and fuck her and that's all you'll do."

"Actually," Brian winced and cut a glance at Dom's hands. "I don't think I could after essentially being crushed in a scrap metal compactor."

Pleased, Dom laughed. "Shit. I should have done that before." He nudged Brian with the bottle. In the front window of Tia Esperanza's house, they saw the curtain move. "Uh-oh. Mia's looking for you."

Though Brian hesitated, he took the bottle. "Like it or not, your sister's got the hots for me. You're just going to have to learn to deal with it, cuz. Unlock the door."

"Welcome to Mexico, white boy; if I ripped off your ayotes because you touched my sister when I told you not to, it ain't no crime. It's all about la familia down here."

They saw the front door open. Mia stalked out, wrapped in one of Tia's black embroidered shawls.


"Seriously," Brian said. "Unlock the doors. I need to go talk to her."

"I want to hear what you tell her." Dom flipped the ignition on accessories and lowered the passenger window.

Glowering, Mia strode up to the truck. "What the hell's going on?" she demanded.

"I'm coming right in," Brian said. "Soon as your brother here unlocks the door."

Gripping the exterior handle, she struggled to open the door.

"You see, Mia," Dom began. "Your so-called 'boyfriend' ain't being very honest with you."

"What?" Since coming to Mexico, Mia had taken to wearing her long hair done up in a clip. No doubt to impress Brian, she'd fixed it in an alluring fashion that evening, with several loose strands falling about her shoulders. She swept one of them behind her ear. "What's he talking about, Brian?" she accused.

Passing the bottle back, Brian attempted to reach for the lock mechanism on the driver's side door. His inseam must have dug into him, because he winced again and abandoned that idea in a hurry. Instead, he fell back in his seat, and fixed his gaze down the street. "Look, I'm sorry. I fully expected to remain a fugitive for at least the next seven years till the statute of limitations ran out. I didn't have much hope of ever seeing you again. I haven't exactly been holding out, faith-wise, you know?"

For a startled moment, she was speechless. "You goddamn, mother-fucking bastard!" she spit. "Get the fuck out of here!" She glanced back at the thrashed 1970 Dodge Challenger that Dom had noted on the street. "Get yourself and that pile of shit the hell out of here and don't ever come back!" Wrapping the shawl tightly around herself, she started back for Reina's house.

Before Brian had to ask, Dom popped open the door locks.

Leaping out as well as he could, Brian limped after Mia. They got to the corner of the fence between the two yards where he took her arms and turned her around.

Silently, Dom got out of the truck to stand by at a distance close enough to hear their hushed voices, though he couldn't understand any of Brian's words, as he was turned away.

"Mentiroso," she hissed at him. "That's all you've done since you first showed up."

They had a few more exchanges then Mia nearly cuffed him. He caught her arm before she succeeded. Dom started, ready to pounce should Brian dare counterstrike. Glaring, she yanked her arm free. "Go to hell and take your stable of whores with you. I never want to see you again." Using the driveway in between, she fled to the side gate to get to the back door of Reina's house.

"Mia," Brian called and tried to follow, but Dom intervened.

"Go after her now," Dom warned, "and you'll cause a scene in front of everyone."

Frowning, Brian paused, considering. "I'm going back to the motel. I'll come by the garage tomorrow."

Thoughtfully Dom rubbed the corners of his mouth and eyed the '70 Challenger. "Is that what you're driving now?"

"No, that's what I brought. I've only had it a couple of months. You think I'd bring any of my other rides down here to Mexico?"

"Rides?" Dom raised his eyebrows. "How many do you have?"

"Three with this one."

"Let me have a better look." Casually, Dom strolled to the Challenger. It was in need of a paint job, some bodywork, and rims, he detected even in the dark. But the main body was good and straight. "What's she got under the hood?"

"Not here. I'll show you at the garage."

Folding his arms, Dom continued to look over the vehicle. "How 'bout this? If you promise to stay away from Mia, you can hang out here with me at my Tia's. It'll be cheaper than a motel plus you'll get free meals."

"I'm not gonna impose on your aunt for the sake of saving a few bucks."

"Please," Dom heaved, exasperated. "Tia Esperanza's already all enamorada over you. I don't know what it is about blond-haired, blue-eyed boys but they make all women go orgasmic."

"I'm not expecting to be here long."

"So stay here. We'll go pick up your stuff at the motel and check you out. At least here I can guarantee there ain't no chinchis or cucarachas; me and Rogelio take care of the pest control, ourselves."

Once more Brian hesitated, glancing up and down the street. "Mia just threw me out. It may not be her property, but she still has every right--"

"You won't be staying in the same house with her, you'll be staying at Tia's with me. Hell, you think I'd let you sleep under the same roof with her? In a few hours, when your cojones stop throbbing, you'll try and sneak into her room. You bat those long eyelashes and give her one come-hither look and she might very well throw back her sheets for you."


Heaving, Brian shifted. "Let's go ask your aunt, first. Much as I like your sister I promise--since that's what you want--to back off. I never meant to hurt her. That's the truth. But like I said, I also never expected to see her again. Shit, in seven years I had no doubt she'd have a great career, a husband, and a family. She wouldn't even remember who the fuck I was."

Heading back into Reina's yard Dom took his time, allowing for Brian's limp. "Guaranteed, she'll have a good job. And I hope she does have a husband and family, but from the way she's been acting, I don't know. Since she got down here, she's never dated anyone. Tia Esperanza hasn't let up on her about going out and meeting guys, but Mia never does. She don't talk about you, but I haven't seen her light up the way she did this evening, since we were back in Echo Park. Hopefully, now that she knows what a dog you are she can get over you and start living again."

~~~

How ever the heck Mia explained her rude behavior to the family in avoiding their guest the rest of the evening, Dom didn't worry about. In contrast, Tia was absolutely effervescent about having Brian stay at her house. She thought she was going to help play matchmaker for Mia; Dom would straighten her out over that notion later.

After that, he took a ride in the Challenger with Brian to his motel. The deep, throaty thrum of the engine was telling. "That's got to be a brand-new 440," Dom observed.

"Mm-hm," Brian confirmed. "When we found her, she was a 340. We managed to get a hold of a brand-new 440 Magnum at about two-thirds the price."

"Tomorrow, let's see what's lying around the garage she can use. I know you said you're not staying long, but what do you say about smoothing out some of her wrinkles? Paint's a lot cheaper here than in the States."

"Is it as good?"

"I can get you the same quality at a way better price."

Brian ran a hand over the covered steering wheel. "I was only planning to stay until next Sunday, but I might reconsider..."

"That depends on your agenda. You must have some kind of job to get back to."

"I do." He shifted off from the last stop. "But I'm thinking of quitting."

"What do you really do now?"

Leisurely, Brian switched his gaze to Dom, then back to the road. "Like I told your tia--I'm a cop again. Or to be more specific, a detective now."


Over dinner in her very broken English Tia Esperanza had made the same inquiry. She'd wanted to know all about Mia's prospective suitor. His response had gone over impressively; he'd told her he was a police officer and had done so in surprisingly decent Spanish. "You mean you weren't just telling my tia that to charm her?"

"No, it's true, man. I've got my badge. You want to see it?"

"Well, now how the hell did you manage that? Damn straight I want to see this badge. I don't know what the hell to believe, coming from you."

Brian drew out a black case from the rear pocket of his jeans, silver chain dangling, and passed it to Dom.

Under the lights on the street, he peered at the tin piece with the identification "LAPD" and "O'Conner". "Who'd you give head to get this? I didn't know the LA police commissioner liked boys."

Angering, Brian abruptly snapped the badge away by the chain. "You know, I'm getting really sick of hearing that tired shit. And I've heard every version of it. I busted my ass for exoneration--I didn't do it for any badge. I did a job for the Miami police department and the feds. The agreement was that they'd drop all outstanding charges against me."

"What kind of a job?"

"Some major kingpin in Miami they'd been after for years. I helped bring him in."

"Oh, yeah? So did they send you down here to bring me in, too?"

"No, man." Brian looked to Dom. "If that's how it was, I've busted you back in LA and avoided all this shit. I've been wondering--you still got the Supra?"

The Supra had been one of the most difficult cars Dom had ever given up. He'd never understood why. Sure, he'd let go of plenty and regretted it, but something about the Supra was different. "It was too distinctive. I had to ditch it. I drove it off the side of the road and left it where it wouldn't be seen right off. On the way, I managed to find this vintage Chevelle SS. It's in the garage at Tia's."

Appearing affronted, Brian's eyes widened. "You ditched it? Man, that car--" He checked himself. "It couldn't have taken long for someone to find it and boost it. It would have been picked up by the police immediately."

Shaking his head, Dom said, "Yeah, I know. That's why I had to let it go."

"That's not what I'm talking about, man. Once the police got a hold of it, it was impounded. We might be able to get it back."

~~~

Though she owned both houses, the one Tia lived in had two bedrooms, which was just as well; that way, Dom could keep track of their guest, should he get any ideas about sneaking out to climb in Mia's window.

Right away, Tia offered to fix up the new front room sofa for Brian, but Dom rejected that plan. The old one that had been moved to his room would have to do, even though their guest was clearly too tall for it.

"Take your pick," Dom offered, standing in his cluttered room, between his double bed and the fossilized couch.


"You mean you'd give up your bed?"

"Hell no," Dom smirked. "You sleep on one side of the bed or that sofa." He pointed.

"But, the one in the living room's bigger--"

"I don't give a shit. You're not sleeping out where I can't keep an eye on you."

"I should have stayed at the motel; they had king-sized beds. How do you expect me to sleep on that dinky thing?"

"There's always the floor."

"Come on," Brian laughed. "You're shorter than me--you sleep on the couch."

"Sure. When we stay at your place, I'll sleep on your dinky couch."

After showers, they prepared for bed. Since moving in with Tia, Dom had had to give up sleeping in the nude for the most part. It was pajamas pants in the winter and sport boxers in the summer. In the bathroom, he pulled on the boxers, noting that Brian was having some minor difficulty brushing his teeth, owing to the bruise on the side of his mouth.

"How'd you say that happened? The trunk of the Challenger sprung on you?"

"Mm--yeah."

Leaning next to Brian by the mirror, Dom peered closer. "Looks more like you were in a fight."

"I was." Brian removed the toothbrush from his mouth to tenderly rinse out. "It wasn't the trunk--I didn't want to alarm your family. Mia socked me."

"She did?" Dom was amused. "Good for her." Laughing, Dom headed back to his room.

~~~

Aching, tired, and mildly injured, Brian joined his host in the bedroom. Dom was kicking it with the bottle of tequila on the bed, watching a twenty-seven inch TV perched on a chest of drawers.

"I take it you don't do much racing any more," Brian observed, tossing his clothes for laundering on the floor to dig through his duffle, wrapped in a towel.


"What makes you say that?"

"'Cos if you did, you'd have a better place than this."

"I don't know if you oughta walk around the house naked like that," Dom remarked. "If Tia Esperanza gets an eyeful of you, she'll say to hell with Mia and go after you, herself."

"Yeah, right," Brian laughed.

"Hey, don't laugh. She threw Tio out of the house and has had her share of novios, ever since. I don't blame her--he started it."

"Even so, I'm young enough to be her son. And anyways, I'm covered." He indicated the towel.

"I'm just warning you."

"It was your idea for me to stay here. I was okay at the motel." Finding his lightweight sport pants, Brian drew them out of the duffle to exchange the towel for them. "Least I wouldn't have to sleep on no five foot couch," he muttered.

"You can sleep on the other side of this bed, remember? I won't tell nobody."

"Thanks just the same, bro, but I don't sleep with guys."

"It's a little different down here in Mexico; a lot of families are so poor, the only thing they can do is share beds. That can't worry about that kind of shit."

Once dressed, Brian took a seat on the couch Dom's tia had neatly made up with sheets and a pillow, while they were showering. At that angle, Brian noted four familiar-looking photos tucked in the mirror frame of an old dresser, across the room.

Rising, he approached the dresser. "Hey, check it out." They were familiar because he had copies of the same prints of the Supra Mia had taken, after it had been restored. She'd insisted on getting shots of the car with the team who'd worked so hard on it. That Dom kept the pictures posted where he could see them all the time was cool; Brian did the same thing. At that last moment when he could pack only the minimal essentials to flee, of all the crazy things he couldn't leave behind were those photos. He even kept two of the Supra, sans the team, in his locker at the station. The ones with the team, he posted similarly in his room. He hadn't been able to let go of that brief period of time, either, that had turned out to be a major pivotal point in his life.

"Oh, yeah." Dom glanced away from the TV. "You remember when Mia took those pictures? She brought them down with her. Those were the last ones of the team, together, you know?"

"Yeah…she gave me copies, too."

"You kept 'em?" Dom sounded mildly surprised.

"Well, yeah. Sure." The ensuing silence from Dom made Brian wonder if that didn't seem too overly sentimental. "Hey, we busted our asses on that car. And it did look good."

"It was a nice piece of work," Dom agreed, relieving Brian of his apprehension. "Probably one of the finest jobs I've ever had the pleasure of working on."

Returning to the sofa, Brian sat down again to watch a few moments of the "The Enforcer" dubbed in Spanish. "You didn't say whether you were racing or not."

Gaze on the TV, Dom waited for a commercial to come on before he answered. He hit the mute button on the remote control. "Sure, I do. And I'd have my own place, but right now, I'm paying for Mia's schooling and stuff, some rent to my tia, plus I haven't decided exactly what the fuck to do. I'm not entirely without--I bought the TV, the DVD player, a new sofa and junk for mi tia, Mia, and the kids. This is all temporary."

"Yeah, me, too. I've been pretty much living on the fly, myself. I won't have to any more if I decide to stay on at the Department. But, I don't know, man. My hobby's too risky, and it's a lot more important to me than the job..."

"There's plenty of legal racing you can get into."

Shaking his head, Brian lay back on the couch. "There's no money in that, bro. Not until you start winning big. In the meantime, it takes a lot of work to get sponsors for capital."


"Isn't a steady paycheck as a cop good enough for you? Aside from racing, a cheap studio apartment is all you need. You don't have to support anyone but yourself. Unless there's more about your background than I know..."

The only way Brian could lie down was with his knees bent. He tried his back, with one leg against the backrest and the other thrust out past the sofa cushions. Not exactly comfortable, but it might work for a while. "No, I got nothing else. No alimony or kids. And my folks are fine. Being a cop just don't do it for me no more. It's not even about the money--I think it's the bullshit. The bureaucratic bullshit. It used to give me a rush, but that's all gone. Now that I know about the bullshit and what a rush really feels like."

Turning off the TV, Dom got up and lowered the setting on the window box air conditioner. "You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that."

"That's what it's really come down to. I've always loved cars and driving, and I've always been mechanically-inclined, but it's like racing is what it's all about. Those things are the gateway to the ultimate purpose."

"You get it."

"I wasn't kidding about the garage. I've got a partner back in the States who's all into it, too. He told me to go ahead and check out the scene down here where we won't have to worry about the shit considered illegal, stateside. He's got money, too. We figured we could set up something really smoking down here. I did think of you. I didn't mention it, but I thought of you. You're fucking good, Dom. I didn't know if you were here or not, but if you were..."

Back in bed, Dom covered up with the sheet then turned off the lamp. "Theoretically, it sounds interesting, but I'd have to see a lot of proof up front before I could even consider anything. We can easily get that Challenger in shape, but after the shit you pulled with Mia, I don't know..."

Sighing, Brian turned onto his side, closing his legs. Instantly, he regretted crushing his tender genitals between his thighs and jerked onto his back, again. "All right, okay, fine. I'll cross you off the list. Rome and I got enough capital; we can do this with or without your help. From what I've found, there are other good mechanics around, and I'm sure plenty of good drivers."

"Then you don't need to worry about proving shit to me, and you can just go on your way."

~~~

Some time later, Brian finally gave up trying to get comfortable on the couch. Several times he attempted to turn to his side in his sleep then woke in abrupt discomfort. When he fell off the sofa, he conceded the fight and slipped onto the edge of Dom's bed, salvaging the pillow Dona Esperanza had provided. The cool sheet and mattress felt like heaven compared to the lumpy, prickly sofa.


There, Brian had room to sleep on his side, turned to the edge toward his belly and slid a knee up. That much closer to the air conditioner and infinitely more comfortable, he started to drift off, immediately.

"Brian..." Dom murmured quietly.

"Mm...Couldn't sleep on the couch..."

"That's cool…"

Finally asleep, Brian lapsed into a deliciously erotic dream. He knew Mia was in no way involved, despite the fact that he couldn't see the girl performing the administrations. Behind him, the unknown party stroked his waist, hip, and ass. The tickling that teased all the way from his tailbone to his testes was so intense, he woke up--or at least he thought he did-- throbbing. Not from literal discomfort, but an aching erection.

It felt so damn good, opened his legs to encourage the irresistible stroking.

The soft cotton and elastic waistband of his sport pants were tugged downward and he instantly complied, taking his pants to his knees, then reopened his legs. The handling started all over again--this time from anew, stroking and strongly cupping his ass, fingering down his cleft.

From close behind, Dom's uber-deep, throaty voice whispered, "Does your stateside partner do this?"

Startled, Brian froze--momentarily. He couldn't believe what was happening. No, it probably was a crazy wet dream after all, but it was incredible.

Beneath the sheet, Dom tugged at Brian's sports pants to get them all the way off. To hell with it; Brian relinquished the pants. In his dream, anyway, he didn't seem to be tender from being crushed. He was so erect, his testes were pulled up out of any danger of further injury, no matter what position he took.

"Fuck, you know, you really are beautiful...I mean, like no one else I've ever seen..."

That seemed incongruous--even for a wet dream. Still, dreams weren't known to follow logic...He pushed back.

Without missing a beat, Dom drew Brian up to his knees, prodding in place with a hot erection. "Is he good in bed?"

Rome was Rome. He'd done for Brian. Lots of things. Just like he'd done for Roman. It had been give-and-take all their lives. Which was what made him so damn bitter when he'd got sent up. It hadn't been Brian's fault--he'd done everything he possibly could at the time. Rookie's had zero clout and had to mind their previous affiliations or risk immediate review and possible discharge from the force.

The question of whether he was good in bed or not was a loaded one. And one never shared with anyone.


Blindly, he sought and found Dom's right hand. Even if it was a queer dream, it felt too good to give up. Brian closed that hand over his cock for satisfaction. "Show me what you got."

The large, strong hand that wrapped around him sensuously pulled, seeking and exploring every detail. By pumping into Dom's grip Brian indicated his desire. Beyond cooperative, Dom's fist tightened and his rhythmical pulling quickly accelerated.

In seconds, Brian felt that hot erection poke against his entry in an effort to mount. God, he was so horny, and he totally appreciated getting finger-fucked during oral and manual sex. Why not? It was only a dream.

Eagerly, he reached back to help guide Dom on target.

But when it began to force in, Brian started in alarm. Oh, no, wait. It was way too fucking big.

With a start, he knew then it was no dream.

In the minimal light seeping into the room, Brian looked down to see Dom's right arm around him from behind.

"Oh, shit," Brian began to panic. "What are you--?"

Not missing a beat, Dom retreated just enough to thrust against Brian's crotch instead. Bucking toward climax, Dom continued to wildly, aggressively stroke Brian.

Stunned, gripping the pillow, Brian succumbed to titillating orgasm in that criminally tight hold, uncontrollably pumping semen onto the bed.

First of all, he was straight and second he hated all the feminine innuendo. But Dom? If ever anyone ever epitomized the definition of ultimate, admirable masculinity...

In the next thrust, Dom hit his own orgasm. There was no mistaking the hot flood that Brian felt drench his crotch and contracting testicles.

Utterly expended, they both sank down on the mattress on their sides, panting wordlessly, Dom tucked behind Brian.

It could have--should have--been awkward and uncomfortable once they both recovered. In the heat of the moment, still drunk from tequila, judgment could get pretty screwed up. Dom dragged his hand slowly from Brian's spent cock, across his belly, to slide down his hip and over his ass. "You know you really are fucking beautiful..."

Closing his eyes, Brian wondered why Dom would say a thing like that.

~~~

TUESDAY

In the morning, Dom awoke on the other side of the bed. Instead of the night table and clock radio, he was confronted with diffuse daylight entering between the vertical slats over the sliding glass doors. And the old sofa, spread with sheets, all mezcolanza.

Seeking the clock, he turned back. Upon sight of Brian, sleeping on his back, semi-covered beneath the sheet, Dom started. Not out of surprise, but recall. He remembered then why he was sleeping on the wrong side of the bed, and why he was lying with a bulky towel between himself and the mattress.


Yeah, it was weird. Fucking weird that he found himself literally attracted to Brian in a sexual way. Even in the light of day and sober. Even with the dark growth of beard, the mild bruising on his lower lip, and his golden curls a sexy mess.

It was 7:50 a.m. and Dom should ideally be at the garage by 9:00. He got up to go shower and shave.

In a clean pair of pants, he returned to the room. Brian hadn't moved.

Quietly dressing, Dom debated waking his guest. Enjoying the opportunity to look him over unobserved, Dom didn't want to disturb Brian's sleep. El sueno de los angeles. He looked like an angel in his sleep.

With classes that morning, Mia wouldn't be around for Brian to pester. And he'd agreed to go to the garage. What the fuck would Dom say about his actions last night, anyway? At the garage, they'd have every excuse not to talk about it. They'd hardly exchanged a word afterwards, when Brian had covered up with the towel again and withdrawn to wash up. Then Dom had replaced his boxers to collect more towels and cleaned up the flat sheet and mattress as quickly and as well as he could without making such a production of it that Tia came to ask questions.

Before long, Brian had returned in a fresh towel, waited tiredly on Dom's side of the bed a few moments, but fell asleep before long. That was it. No discussion, no explanations.

Last night when Brian had abandoned the couch for the bed, Dom had stirred from dozing. As expected, Brian made sure to occupy the far edge of the mattress, facing away. In the dim light from outside, the profile of his broad shoulders, slender waist, and narrow hips was arresting. Ordinarily, Dom only noticed the profile of women's bodies--not men's. Why the hell Brian's struck Dom was puzzling. Why the hell did it piss him off that Brian had another friend he thought worthy of a joint venture in racing? Somehow, it seemed imperative Dom prove himself to be the more ideal partner.

To insure Brian didn't misconstrue Dom's unannounced departure, over a hasty breakfast of coffee and pan de Mexicana, he left word with Tia Esperanza to remind their guest that he was expected at the garage.

~~~

In the midst of dressing after another shower, Brian was interrupted by a knock on the bedroom door. "Oye, Bry-on!" Dona Esperanza called in Spanish. "Mia's leaving for class soon. If you want to talk to her, you better hurry."

Uncertain, he hesitated. In light of the peculiar occurrence the night before, it might be the best thing for his confused psyche; at the same time, Dom would really freak once he learned he was being defied. Not that Brian was afraid of Dom or ever had been. However, Brian hadn't yet decided what the fuck to do about anything. "Later," he answered. "I'll talk to her later."

If there was a later.


Repacking, he considered simply slipping out to continue his survey for garage sites, elsewhere. It was very likely Dom would prefer that; he'd quietly and discreetly taken off that morning, probably too ashamed to face his guest again. Dom had only practically humped a guy. Behavior like that between two straight males just wasn't done. Not that Brian hadn't been approached and harassed by members of the same sex plenty of times before, which was why he'd learned to defend himself, with Rome's help, a long time back. Brian's height--when he'd begun to gain some--gave him a much-needed advantage. That he'd given in and hadn't bolted off the bed or elbowed Dom was strange. Sheer lust wouldn't have been enough the reason. Last night, it had just seemed okay, somehow. How it felt that morning, though, was another matter.

On entering the kitchen, Brian found Dona Esperanza awaiting him with a lot more breakfast than he had an appetite for. Knowing it was rude to turn it down after she'd gone to so much trouble, he sat down at the table to down the bitter coffee and attempt to eat something off the plate she served him. And for sure her homemade tortillas kicked ass over any in the States.

"Do you like it?" she asked him, seating herself at the table with him.

"Mucho gusto," he replied politely. Not that it didn't taste good, but he wasn't used to dealing with the gristle, bone, and fat that was left in a lot of true Mexican fare. In the few days he'd been in the country, he'd taken up a quest to find nothing but dishes that couldn't contain those ingredients by default. Ceviche was one of them, and he was developing a real taste for it.

"Reina, she's a good cook," she went on. "Mia, too. A very good cook."

"She is," Brian agreed. Better yet, she used nothing but lean meat and removed any skin or fat. "I've tasted her cooking. It runs in the family."

Flattered, Dona Esperanza smiled. "Thank you. You need food. You're too skinny."

"What time does Mia come home from school?"

"One-thirty or two. The only day she stays later is Thursday. Then she stays to three or three-thirty. If you hurry, you can be back here when she comes home."

"Excuse me." Brian wiped his mouth with his servilleta. He hadn't told her he was planning to leave. "Did I say I was going somewhere?"

"Dom's waiting for you at the garage. He told me to remind you."

~~~

For the first five minutes or so, they were both uncomfortable and unable to look directly at each other. Once Dom got under the hood of the Challenger, though, they set the incident aside and went to work.

Evidently, he'd also been considering some garages he knew to be up for sale. Between working on the Challenger and ordering parts for it, he arranged for them to drive by one of the sites on the way home. It was after five before they knew it, and Brian had forgotten all about rushing back to talk to Mia without Dom around.


Leaving the Challenger at the shop, they took Dom's pickup and drove to the garage site. The owner was awaiting them. After he showed them around the ill-kept, small building, he quoted a ridiculously high price. Though it was cheap by American standards, it was still absurd. That was part of the art of negotiation, Brian understood, but in that particular case, he could easily afford to walk away.

Scoffing, he wandered off, while Dom continued to haggle with the garage owner. On his own, Brian had come across much better prospects than that place, though none he was certain about. He returned to the ongoing bargaining, thanked the owner for showing them the property, then led Dom off.

"What are we doing?" Dom asked on the walk back to his truck. "I'm sure we could have talked him down to a lot less. The place is a piece of shit--we all know it."

"I don't want a piece of shit. I want at least six bays, I told you. We can't make any money with less."

"Yeah, but we can fix this place up. There's room to knock out that wall," Dom gestured, "and add at least a couple more bays, eventually. I got a primo who does construction--"

"Fuck that," Brian said. "I don't gotta settle for a piece of shit. I've got the money, Rome's got the money--believe me, we can afford better than this."

"Man, for what you want, you're talking over sixty grand. Don't tell me you got that much from racing. And what the hell does this Rome guy do? Is he a drug lord or something?"

Brian laughed. "No, man. If he was I'd tell you. But he's nothing like that. He's cool, really. I've known him since we were kids."

"So what's he do?" Unconvinced, Dom vehemently punched off the keyless entry for the truck.

"Right now, he does part-time racing and works part-time as a mechanic. He's really excellent, too, man. You'd have to see him drive to believe it."

"If he's so hot, why didn't he come down here to prove himself?"

"He's kind of vacationing right now. And he don't speak Spanish, so he figured it wouldn't do much good for him to come along." Brian slid into the cab of the Ram.

Glowering, Dom got in behind the wheel and slammed his door. "So, where'd he get the money? Obviously not sitting on his ass vacationing."

"Hm. How do I put this without making us sound less than copacetic? You know that job I said I did for the Miami police and the FBI? The perp had hundreds of thousands of dollars he'd been laundering. When Rome and I collected the money, we kinda both skimmed some. Since no one but the perp and maybe his people knew how much money was involved, it was like up for grabs. And they weren't about to say."

Stunned, it took Dom a moment to respond. He cranked the engine and began to laugh. "You did that?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck. That's fucking dope. Even after the shit you pulled for me, you still had the balls to do that."

"Yeah," Brian nodded, laughing.

"Wait. Was this your idea or your pal's idea?"

"Both. We didn't even know we'd each done it, till after the fact."

"Shit, O'Conner, that is fucking dope," Dom reiterated, seeming doubly impressed.

~~~

The atmosphere over dinner, however, was somewhat strained. Mia outwardly avoided Brian, Reina had turned frosty but polite to him, and Dona Esperanza had also become less gregarious, though she more seemed more bewildered than irate. Still, the kids clamored over him and Rogelio was interested in hearing more about Brian's business venture.

Pointedly, Dom cut off even rough estimates, when it came to monetary figures. Following his lead, Brian was equally vague. He had the rest of the week to check into more prospects.

It pained him that Mia wouldn't speak to him, after flashing her eyes and dazzling smiles at him the day before. She was wearing a sundress, too; it wasn't outright revealing, but it showed off a fair amount of her bare shoulders and legs and flattered her trim waist.

Much as he was ready to offer to help the ladies clean up in the kitchen, one sharp glance from Dom and Brian withheld the proposal.

Everything he'd been learning in Mexico had been something of a culture shock for Brian. What he thought he knew of the customs paled in comparison to reality. Sitting out on the back porch, in the warm late spring evening, drinking, bullshitting, and chasing off the children for no explicable reason while the women worked inside, was apparently perfectly acceptable behavior. Whereas Brian would have been happy to play with the kids and thought Rogelio would want quality time with his daughters, a suggestion to that effect was spurned. Shit, in the States, the women would have come out and lynched the men for being so lazy and thoughtless.


It was Dom who chose when to end the drinking session and it didn't take long. When Rogelio suggested that Brian hang around and wait for Mia to finish up in the kitchen, Dom instantly intervened. For someone who'd been so discreet when it came to business, he pulled no punches when it came to gossip. He presented the case bluntly to Rogelio: Brian had been indiscriminately untrue to his novia, even while she waited for him. Dom wasn't about to tolerate any kind of mistreatment of his sister.

Brian braced to defend himself.

To his surprise, Rogelio simply blinked and shrugged. He waited a moment. "Y que?"

"Y que nada!" Dom jumped to his feet. He went on in Spanish. "She's my sister. How would you like it if someone fucked around on your sister?"

"If it was me and I met a good-looking woman, I would have done the same thing--I wouldn't care who my girlfriend's brother was. But if my sister had a boyfriend she loved and he went out and fucked other women, I'd beat the shit out of him."

"Wait," Brian pointed out. "I never expected to see Mia again. We were forced to go separate ways."

"What I've seen," Dom countered, "is that even though Mia never expected to see you again, either, she hasn't dated anyone else. I've seen how crazy she is for you and that you've hurt her." He looked to Rogelio. "Unless Brian can prove he's willing to be faithful to her, don't let him near her. If he does anything to seduce her, not only will I beat the shit out of him but I'll come and beat the shit out of you, too, if you let it happen. Understand?"

Patience lost, Brian got up kicking his chair away. He reverted back to English. "This is bullshit. You turn your family against me and we should just forget about being business partners. It'll cause nothing but animosity between us."

"I'm not turning them against you," Dom explained calmly in English. "What I'm doing is buying insurance that you won't hurt Mia again. That'll be your call."

"Then let me talk to her. Really talk to her--"

"No."

"I've got to. Don't you see? I can't leave it like this between us. Then she'll really hate me. She'll totally believe I don't care about her, and that's not how it is. Let me apologize properly, now that she's had a day to cool off."

Deliberating, Dom lowered his eyelids and folded his arms. "All right, but out here--not at the other house where we can't keep an eye on you. And only if she wants to talk to you. She may prefer to slug you again, for all you know. And don't you dare think you can resume things with her, then start fucking around again when you go back to the States."

~~~


In an apron and rubber gloves beside her tia and prima at the sink, Mia was resistive. Like her brother she kept her gaze lowered, avoiding Brian's eyes or anyone else's for that matter while she refused any private conversation with him.

Finally Dona Esperanza took the pot Mia was scrubbing in exchange for a few soft words in Spanish, which Brian didn't catch. Whatever Dona Esperanza said, it worked.

Taking off her gloves, Mia draped them to drain in the sink and allowed him to lead her out the back door to the porch.

The rear porch was in better repair than the front with a fairly recent paint job, clean though mismatched furnishings, and tended pots with different plants and herbs. The rear property, however, was mostly packed dirt with patches of scrub grass, and a few trees for shade. Beside a covered carport area and garage, a cactus garden grew.

Going to the farthest corner of the porch Mia began. "There's really nothing--"

"I just want you to know that I meant what I said about being sorry." Brian followed her. He didn't have to see Dom to know he was hovering by the kitchen windows with a Dos Equis, watching. "It wasn't just a line." Brian leaned on the rail. "I don't expect you to forgive me." With summer approaching, sunset lingered on the horizon, despite the evening hour. The orange-gold glow glinted off her loose strands of hair.

She folded her arms. "So what's that supposed to do for me? What are you saying?"

"It means contrary to what you think, you do matter to me."

She thought. "Only in that if you and Dom wind up working together, we'll all have to deal with each other in the future. It would be a lot smarter if you started your enterprise without any bad blood between you and my family."

"That's not all there is to it, but that's a start."

"But you've got someone back in the States. The someone who gave you that friendship bracelet that you always wear. So you can't promise me anything."

"No, not really." He glanced down at his right wrist. "I mean I don't have any special girl back in the States."

"Then it must be that you're not interested in committing yourself to anyone right now."

He shifted. "I didn't exactly say that either."


Taking a moment, she sniffed, apparently trying to control herself. "Okay. If you want us to get along, there are other ways we can go about it. I have a request. If you don't like it, I reserve every right to continue despising you. Don't even ask me to be your friend." Though she still didn't look at him, she cast a searing glance toward him. "If that winds up causing problems with your business venture with Dom, I don't give a shit."

Curious, he studied her while she kept her gaze averted. He tried to guess what her request was going to be. That he never mention or openly date other girls around her? As he'd not yet decided whether to pursue Mia or not, it was way too early to know if he need even make such an agreement. "What is it?"

"First of all, could you buy yourself a decent razor for once? I don't care if you want to go back to using plastic Playskool scissors to shave with after you leave. But just once I'd like to see what you look like with a nice, clean shave. Hell, I'll buy you a pack of razors, myself."

Laughing, Brian brushed at his jaw. "I use an adjustable electric. You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that. But I'd like to see what you look like underneath that razor stubble."

"Pretty much the same…"

"I've never seen a man who looks the same with and without five o'clock shadow; there's no way in hell you'd look the same, either. Once before you go, I'd like to kiss you without having my face and mouth raked to shreds."

He waited. "Is that it?"

"No," she enunciated with annoyance. "When Dom leaves in the morning for work, unlock the door of his room." She went on with quiet determination. "He always locks up."

Brian perched on the rail. "I don't get it. You don't have a key to the house?"

"Not for that door. And I don't want to announce my entry to Tia."

"Now, I really don't get it."

"It's simple," she said softly, still gazing across the back yard. "I want to watch you dress. So after you shower in the morning, wait for me in Dom's room."

"You want to watch me dress?" Brian laughed.

"That's all I want. It'll only be for a few days since you're going back to the States this weekend so this may very well be the last time I'll ever see you. Is that so much to ask?"

"It's just kind of weird is all."

"I guess it sounds a little strange…" She ran a hand over the wood grain in one of the porch roof posts. "From your point of view, anyway."

For a moment, he debated then released his breath. "Look, even if I agree to it, I can't."

Her anger flared again. "Why the hell not?"

"I don't have a car. I left it at the shop. I'm going to have to leave with Dom in the morning when he does, so I can work on the Challenger."

She heaved crossly. "Well, I've got a car."

"You need it to get to school."

"I can give you a ride to the garage on the way."

"You do that and everyone will think we made up. Did we?"

"Hell no."

"Then I'll be leaving with Dom tomorrow morning. Sorry, but I won't be able to hang around."

Only then did she meet his eyes for a second to glare. "You can't get the hell back to California soon enough for me, you inconsiderate creep!" She slammed the door on her way back in to the house.

~~~

Apparently, Dom quickly sized up Mia's scowl when she and Brian returned inside. That was enough; Dom made sure there was no further interaction between them and hastened Brian back to the house next door.

Having left Dona Esperanza at the other house, they drank more Dos Equis in the kitchen.

Before Dom could bring up the conversation with Mia, Brian launched into his plans to locate the Supra.

"Check it out," he explained. "I could call straight to my division and get a trace going, but I'd rather not have any of this get back to you. All I need's internet access and I can log in and do the trace, myself."

"That's it?" Dom was impressed.

"That's it. I've got the license plate number and even if it's changed hands and been reregistered by now, I can get the VIN from the case file. All's I gotta do is go buy it off the new owner."

"You'd do that?"

"Sure. It's your car, remember? I'd like to get it back to you."

"Well, hey, my sister's get a computer. I bought her one for school. I pay for her internet service."

It was better not to bring Mia into the equation at all. "No, man. I don't want this to ever come back around to you in case anyone ever figures out I might have found you down here. I suppose I could go to the local comisaria and use their network. No reason I couldn't look up the car. I bought the brand new Mitsubishi Evo I drove for the job I pulled in Miami for cheap, after the GTS was pulled out. The department may not have put the Supra up yet, for all we know."

"Evo?" Dom questioned. "What the hell is…? Wait a second. You mean that brand new four-door sports car Mitsubishi's putting out? The Evolution?"

"The very thing."

"Fuck. I just read some articles in the car magazines about it. It's supposed to kick ass."

"It does."

When Dona Esperanza returned, they retreated to Dom's room. Neither of them told her otherwise about making up the couch in the room again, other than for Brian's insistence at doing the job, himself. He was an American; women were way too liberated in his culture to be expected to perform menial tasks when a man was perfectly capable of doing the job, himself. He took the sheets from her and sent her away.

Rather than fix the sofa, Brian joined Dom on his bed after a shower. He seemed to be waiting. Wearing only a pair of sport boxers, his well-defined, buff physique couldn't be ignored. That was the kind of body women went orgasmic over. Even as a male it wasn't impossible for Brian to fathom why.

They watched a Spanish-dubbed movie in the dark, finishing off their beers.

During a commercial break, Dom hit the mute button on the remote. "What happened between you and Mia? What'd you tell her?"

Sitting against the headboard, Brian played with his bottle, knees raised. "I think she pretty much understands I really am sorry for hurting her."

"You didn't promise her any bullshit?"

"No."

"Good. I saw she wasn't happy. But if you'd tried to make up with her, I wouldn't have let you leave Mexico without locking you in a chastity belt."

Brian scoffed. "Oh, that's good."

"Don't laugh. I happen to know someone who could do it. He knows how to do some pretty serious leather and metal work. He's made and sold chastity belts for women. They're pretty damn effective from what I've heard. I think he's made them for dick, too."

"We didn't even get anywhere near promising each other anything. I wasn't going to lie to her, and after what we've been through I'd have to rethink things. Don't think I don't like her--she's great. But if you'd been where I was you couldn't have resisted either."

"Don't even go there." Dom waved a hand at Brian to cut him off, gaze on the TV screen. "We're talking about my sister. If you'd like her better if she had boob and lip jobs, I don't want to hear about it. Because if you tell me you do, I'll kick your ass."

"No, nothing like that. I don't care about that. Look, just forget it. If you're expecting me to totally commit to Mia, I just can't do that right now. If that's going to be a problem between us then fuck it--we don't gotta go into business together."

"Oh, you promised to commit to one of your other girls back in the States." Dom took a drink from his bottle.

"I don't got no other girl I'd commit to anywhere."

Reactivating the speakers on the TV, Dom fell silent, apparently involved in the show.

Interest lost, Brian slid down on the mattress away from the TV and set what was left of his drink on the floor. He pulled the sheet up to go to sleep.

Several moments later, the TV went silent again. "The only thing I'm asking from you," Dom said, "is either all or none. People should either commit or not commit. I'm not presuming to advise you how to run your life--only that you're a hundred percent in what you do. You don't have to get back together with Mia. That's your decision."

Considering Mia's bizarre request, Brian wasn't sure a definitive break-up would be necessary. Only he couldn't find out what her real intent may have been. A couple of possibilities had occurred to him; fortunately she didn't in any way fit the profile of a bipolar or schizophrenic. The other possibility was probably more wishful thinking on his part than anything else. Dom's reasoning did make sense. "She did ask me to do something for her," Brian allowed. "Just one crazy thing. I told her I couldn't do it anyways so it didn't matter."

"A crazy thing? That doesn't sound like Mia. What was that?"

Tucking the pillow under his head, Brian paused. It might be a good idea to warn Dom that his sister may be getting a little overstressed. "She wanted to watch me get dressed in the morning. After you left. She told me to unlock the back door in here so she could sneak in without your tia knowing."

Probably more alarmed than Brian had expected, Dom didn't say anything right away. Then he started to laugh. "Oh, Mia knows a good thing when she sees it. She ain't stupid."

"What?" Brian glanced back over his shoulder. "You don't think that's weird?"

"Not in the slightest."

Hearing the audio on the TV come on again at a quieter level, Brian relaxed. As long as Dom wasn't worried about Mia, that was sufficient. He knew her a hell of a lot better. Evidently, he was so unruffled, he went back to watching the movie.

Whatever the hell had happened the night before had been an errant fluke; Brian was prepared to write it off and forget about it. It seemed they'd both managed to achieve that goal. Though every now and then he'd find himself looking after Dom and recall would hit. A warm arousal would course through him--enough to stir up an erection and leave Brian confused all over again.

The bed moved behind him when Dom lay down to go to sleep, leaving the TV on. Minutes later, he slid up behind Brian and slowly tugged the sheet down.

What the fuck? They were considerably more sober than they'd been from the tequila the night before. Yet despite Brian's start and intent to intervene, he found himself at a loss. He should probably knock Dom across the room--or at least across the bed. That should take care of the situation.

But Brian couldn't. First off, the gesture wasn't overtly sexual. Instead it was lingering, allowing him to hold his breath a couple of times. He could always try making a joke of it and then securely cover up and pull away, if not forsake the bed for the half-made sofa. Worse, he knew the longer he waited to react, the more awkward and difficult it would become to get away.

When Dom took Brian's waist to sensuously explore, it seemed time to intercept. With one false start Brian finally located his voice. "Hey," he began just when his bare shoulder was caressed by Dom's warm breath and full, yielding mouth.

In shock, Brian fell silent. The hand that glided over his side and lowered his pants was strong and powerful, the sensuality behind the touch deep and permeating.


Protest arrested, he lay still in the blue-cast light from the TV. Dom shifted closer and Brian felt the heat as well as the incredible brawn in that muscular body pressing against him. Swallowing, he was aware of his arousal and that the closer Dom's hand ventured toward his groin, the more he responded. The evident prodding of his ass from Dom's clothed hard-on had the same effect. And those full lips. Grazing Brian's upper arm, over his shoulder, beneath his hair. The breath at the nape of his neck and ear shot right down his spine to his testicles, making his cock jerk.

The forceful fingers teased at the line of hair from Brian's navel, downwards, and sought out his lower abdominal muscles. Dipping past the waistband of his pants, Dom discovered the hard-on and let-down he'd nurtured. Once more, Brian held his breath. All right, it was gay, but shit--who wouldn't get wood after being fondled in that strong touch and kissed by that outrageously sensuous mouth?

Drawing Brian out over the waistband, Dom pulled like no woman could--that was for sure. Along with that, he felt Brian up, tickling and teasing in all the right ways and places that only a guy would know. To hell with it, he couldn't keep from wantonly thrusting in Dom's tight grip. Again, Brian surrendered his pants then impatiently waited, still facing away, for Dom to get out of his own. Next, the mattress gave, indicating Dom had climbed off the bed.

Throbbing, Brian got to his back, seeking Dom. Totally naked, he was rifling through the closet. This gave Brian a chance to survey his companion in the diffuse light from the vivid picture tube.

Fuck, was he built all over. Powerful, massive form through his back, loins, ass, thighs...Now, he was fucking beautiful. Holding a couple of towels, he headed toward the TV. Catching a glimpse of hefty, long erection, Brian turned away again, hugging his pillow. Something was tossed onto the bed--probably the towels--then a drawer opened.

In the interim, there was time for his apprehension to reconstitute. He covered up with the sheet, tucking it over his chest. Okay, so he liked and respected Dom as a person and a friend--but that was it. Hell, it was easy to see why women were so attracted to the guy. He was like a Greek god. Plus, he was generously endowed. Then there was his overwhelming charisma. A charisma Brian wasn't immune to, either. In hindsight, it must have sounded pretty outrageous when he'd defended Dom's character on the case. What the heck was it about the guy? Flippant as he'd put it, police training did stress the importance of maintaining proper emotional distance from the public in general, in the line of duty. So why had Brian jumped at the chance to come down to Mexico? He and Rome could set up a garage in lots of other places. The unspoken truth was, Brian's underlying motive was based on the wild hope that he might find Toretto. As best friends, Rome had understandably assumed Brian's sympathy for the mark who'd destroyed his career lay in his former ties. That had sounded like a good enough assessment, and even though Brian wasn't sure it was accurate, he'd let Rome believe that.

It didn't take long before the bed moved again as Dom crawled across it, from the foot. That time, he just pulled the sheet down. A moment later, he was on his knees over Brian, kissing his shoulder again.

"Vengo," Dom murmured.

Holding his ground, Brian didn't move.

"C'mere," Dom reiterated in English.


As straight as Dom came off, he must have learned to accept bisexuality when he'd been in prison.

He slid up behind Brian, taking his waist, tucking them close. The kissing resumed on his neck and upper back. The scratch of whiskers and the crushing embrace way too brutal for any woman to exert kept reminding him that even though it felt good, it was a guy performing the intimacies.

Memories flooded back. Only Rome did those kinds of things. Only Rome. But it was understood. All understood. They were straight.

Before he had time to rethink, Dom slid two lubricant-coated fingers between the cleft of Brian's ass and teased at his rectum. Oh, fuck. Brian was well educated on the receptive pleasures of rimming, finger-fucking, and internal massage. Instinctively, he drew his right knee up a little higher to give his partner accessibility.

One finger slid in and Dom worked it, expertly.

Holding his breath, Brian pressed back to subtly zero the pressure in on his prostate. It was great; no pokes from long fingernails or feeble, weak strokes. If anything, the heavy-handed milking evoked fluid from Brian, making him bite his pillow case in ecstasy. Unfortunately, after just a few passes, Dom's forceful finger withdrew.

Fuck it, then. Never mind. Brian should have put a stop to it, anyways.

With uncertainty, he rearranged his pillow to sleep. Except Dom wasn't doing likewise, but he was doing something, all right. The quiet TV and the air conditioner hum about drowned out the slight rustling going on.

Brian promptly opened his eyes when he thought he heard the very familiar sound of tearing foil.

Oh, wait. Shit. Scrambling to an elbow, he tried to turn back, just as Dom locked Brian's hips in place to repenetrate--only with something a hell of a lot bigger.

Disconcerted, Brian didn't know how to react. He'd never expected things to go like this between them. He had the deepest respect, concern, sense of friendship, loyalty for Toretto, but--

Oh, hell no. The sensation of anything that large being forced in was all Brian needed to feel. He struggled to get away and was instantly reminded of Dom's strength. With the scuffle, at least the hard-on was skewed off course.

"Chiflado!" Dom hissed by Brian's ear. "No me jodas!"

Though Brian didn't know the first word, he well knew the rest. "Es tu, es tu! What the hell do you think you're doing to *me*?"

Though Dom let up some of the exertion, he remained atop Brian, pinning him in place. When Toretto responded, it was deep, seductive, and bantering. "If you don't like it, why didn't you stop me, yesterday?"

"Fuck...I'm not gay."


"Neither am I."

"Okay, I'm not bi, either."

"Then why didn't you stop me?"

Heart pounding, Brian shut his eyes. "I don't know," he replied, stupidly. "It felt…fucking good..."

"How, if you're not into guys? I'm a guy."

"I don't know."

"That's interesting; I got the same problem with you."

Brian opened his eyes again to blink at the vertical blinds over the sliding glass doors.

"Well, maybe not exactly the same." Dom backed off enough to let the cool air from the air conditioner hit them. "See, I don't know what it is about you, either." He backed to his knees then slowly ran a hand down Brian's back and over his ass. "I've never been attracted to a guy before."

Attracted? Dom was literally attracted? And Brian was the first? "Uh...I don't know...maybe the problem ain't all that different, between us..."

"Ain't it?" Sliding down on the mattress, Dom settled right up beside Brian, head on his pillow. They were touching, but he was no longer held captive.

"I don't get it, either...If another guy tried that, I would have done him some serious damage...it's different with you...it's like...like the way I consider you kind of goes beyond the ordinary stuff. That's why I didn't stop you. I was surprised, but I didn't want to stop you."

The TV went off and Dom settled closer, still. He toyed with Brian's curls. "You stopped me right now..."

"I never had no beer can shoved up me before."

Dom laughed softly. "Well, if you're a virgin boy and with that tight little ass of yours, you gotta expect some discomfort."

"What you were doing before...that was different...I'm not into masochism."

"Does that mean you *are* a virgin? What about your boy you left stateside--the other business partner you had in mind?"


Shut down. "It's not like that with him, man."

"It isn't?" He didn't sound particularly convinced. Maybe he was kidding, because he dismissed the subject. "What is you liked that I did, in particular?" Instead, he focused on fondling Brian's ass again. With the lube already present, he toyed at entering. "Did you like this?"

Brian lifted his hips slightly toward Dom's fingering. That had to be answer enough.

"Oh, so you do like anal penetration."

"Mm," Brian responded.

"How 'bout this?"

~~~

Like? Why, the pretty, white boy got up on his knees and panted and postured like an alley cat in heat when Dom spread those sculpted, round cheeks and licked and tongued as deep as he could. Feeling up between the long legs, he found the plump huevos taut, the dick long and hard, like it had been last night.

Oh, he liked. With the way he moved, it was obvious he was so ready to hump. He must have been one hell of an impressive stud with the ladies. However, Dom's agenda was different by nature. That incredible body looked too good, and he'd only been dying for the opportunity to get at it again, all day.

Having lost the first condom somewhere among the sheets, he grabbed another one from beside the towels. He knew he was clean, but considering Brian's track record of lying and fucking around, there was a chance he wasn't no virgin and slept with his boyfriend, despite what he said. And being that HIV could be picked up from women, too, along with everything else, it was better to play it safe.

When Dom paused to rip open the package and sheath himself for the second time, Brian caught on all too quickly. He turned over instantly, backing into the pillows. Too bad it was so fucking dark in there and Dom was blocking the light from the TV, because he was suddenly granted the first real full frontal look he'd ever got of his guest. Ai chingaso, what a body.

"Hey, now wait a second, man," Brian protested, eyeing Dom up and down in restrained panic. "This is going a little fast. I'm still trying to get used to this whole idea. From the sounds of it, you are, too."

"I thought you liked going fast." Dom crawled over Brian to mouth the perfect, lean washboard abs.

"Not to feel pain."


Perhaps his ass *was* virgin. Otherwise, when Dom continued to nuzzle that chest and those sweet, tanned muscles, Brian probably would have gone on protesting. Instead, he lay back tentatively at first, then eventually let himself enjoy it. The cute, little male tits certainly stood up when sucked on.

When Dom reached Brian's abdomen again, his cock wasn't showing any signs of aversion. Nicely aroused, his breathing became deeper when Dom nudged and brushed against it while his exploration proceeded over the awesome plane and contour of sleek, hard muscle, past the tan lines.

For the first time in his life, he was tempted to take cock in his mouth and taste it. He couldn't see it very well in the light from the neighboring yards through the loose-weave curtains, but it seemed like a handsome, alluring candidate. Not imposing in size, and aptly lesser than Dom's in circumference.

On the other hand, the cop was probably right in suggesting they slow things down. It was new to both of them and pushing too hard could be a mistake; it could make or break his decision about returning to Mexico or Dom's about venturing into the territory.

Reaching back, he grabbed the towels to have them close by. He didn't want to have to clean up a wet mattress again. Lying on Brian, Dom trapped their erections between them. He was amazed at the erotic thrill it gave him to press into rock hard muscle and hot, throbbing dick. Brian started to protest, but that gave way to ecstatic gasps in a hurry as Dom's grinding worked into coital rhythm. It didn't take much to coax slippery lube from both of them, creating an even more titillating effect.

The sexy tomcat didn't lie still, either; he raised his knees, instinctively creating a cradle, writhed, gasped, panted. Son-of-a-bitch, it was fucking better than Dom could have imagined. Facing each other, there was no question Brian didn't seem to have any more qualms about the gender difference. Which couldn't have been better, because just looking at him under any circumstances was a hell of a pleasure, in itself.

Heels digging into the bed, Brian started to buck then quietly gasped, "Oh, fuck!" Catching his breath, a shudder seized his whole set and his milk began to pump out.

Oh, fuck was right. The whole goddamn experience with the piece de resistance of the warm, pulsing bath was too much; Dom spontaneously did the same, his ejaculate mingling with Brian's.

Having towels on hand worked much better. Before anything hit the sheets, Dom had it mopped up. Recovering, Brian silently lay still. As Dom dried off his guest, he slowed; no longer blocking the TV, the added illumination improved the view of that beautiful body. Tossing the towels off the bed, Dom found he wasn't ready to go to sleep.

In searching for the remote control, he found the small jar of Vaseline and the condoms. He set them on the night table then lay back on the pillows to channel surf.

Brian sat up and slid to the edge of the bed.

"Where you going?" Dom asked.

"Gotta take a piss," Brian dug amidst the sheet and bedcover. "Where're my pants?"

"Fuck your pants--you don't need to get dressed."

"You're the one who told me not to go naked in front of your tia."

"Just open the door and piss out there." It would give Dom a better view of his guest in the lights from the neighboring yards. Goddamn was it worth watching when Brian drew aside the vertical blinds to stand in the open doorway.

Upon his return to the bed, Dom switched on the bedside lamp. He sat back to find Brian covering up with the sheet.

"Now what are you doing?" Dom demanded. "What do you think I turned the light on for?"

"How the heck should I know? I'm going to sleep." Brian settled on his side, away from the lamp, covered to his shoulder.

Sliding up behind him again, Dom took the slender waist. "Not all covered up, you ain't." He drew the sheet down, ready to hear the protest.

It came. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Mia's right; I like you even better naked."

~~~

WEDNESDAY

They spent the morning working on the Challenger. They'd been making a list of parts to purchase that weren't in Tio's inventory. As it was nearing lunch, Dom figured they could leave for an hour or so to make some of the purchases. Sure, he could send Brian off in the pickup to do it, but the gringo turisto would be overcharged if he went alone.

The weather had turned hot since April or so, and the closer it got to summer, the hotter it became. Any time he took a step out of the path of one of the fans, it was like walking onto the threshold of hell. The locals were used to it. They unbuttoned their shirts, but were otherwise unfazed. Dom and Brian, who was even less accustomed to such heat, were sweltering.

By 11:00 in the morning, Dom had stripped down to his undershirt. Despite Brian's V-collar and the evidently hacked-off sleeves, the front and back of his shirt were damp from sweat. The hair around his face and the back of his neck had separated into individual, golden rings. They'd take occasional breaks to step into the air-conditioned office and down quarts of the bottled water stocked in the refrigerator. It helped, momentarily, and kept them from becoming dehydrated.

At around 11:30, Dom was back in the office, taking a phone call, when Brian came in to help himself to another bottle of water. He drank it in front of the air conditioner.

Ending the phone call, Dom regarded his guest. "Why don't you take off that fucking shirt?"

"This is a place of business," Brian laughed, "not my back yard."

Snatching the scissors from the desk, Dom handed them off. "At least cut the collar off. It's probably locking in ten degrees of body heat, right there."

Shrugging, Brian took the scissors and set the near-empty bottle down on a file cabinet to do so.

Dom opened the refrigerator for another bottle of water, himself, trying not to blatantly eye Brian, as anyone in the garage could easily see into the office through the plate-glass windows. Carajo, that body.

The supply of water in the refrigerator was running low, Dom was reminded, when he took out one of the last few bottles. Until the sight of Brian's naked chest, tits sticking out from the cold blast from the air conditioner, distracted Dom.

The office door opened abruptly, and Gallo looked in. "I'm going over to Montoya's to pick up the parts for the Impala, then I'm going to lunch."

"Wait." The stenographer's book where Dom and Brian had been listing the parts for the Challenger, lay open on the desk blotter. Dom grabbed it and a pen to add another item to the list on his way to Gallo. "Why don't you pick up some of these things for Brian's Challenger, too, while you're at it? You got some money, Dorado?"

Involved in tailoring his shirt, it took Brian a moment to look up. Or maybe he didn't know what dorado meant. Sure as hell, Gallo didn't fit the description. "Huh? Yeah. We going to get the parts now?"

"I'm sending Gallo and Tomas. It'll be on my uncle's account, only you're going to have to pay your part before you leave. If you don't, he'll dock my paychecks, until the bill is settled. Or I could just kick your ass."

"No problem. Just bring back the receipt," Brian told Gallo in Spanish. "I'll cover it by the end of business, today."

Dom turned back to Gallo. "Tell that bastard I'm buying the parts--not my uncle. If he overcharges me on one thing, I'll go over there and loosen his nuts with a pneumatic drill. He knows I will."

Following Gallo, Dom sent the other mechanics out to a leisurely one-and-a-half hour lunch. They were so pleased, they didn't ask questions. While they packed up to leave, he shut the bay doors.

Because the garage hadn't closed at lunch the day before, Brian was confused, of course. He came out in his newly cropped t-shirt to watch the proceedings.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Are you closing up early? Is it a holiday or something?"

"No, we're just having a siesta," Dom replied. "Don't worry about it."

Once Dom had seen the crew off, he locked the rest of the doors then headed for the office again. However, he saw Brian leaning into the engine compartment of the Challenger, again. "Mierda," he muttered, going to his guest, instead. "Hey. C'mere. We're on lunch, remember?"

"I'm not an employee here, bro. I work my own hours."

Looking over Brian from behind, Dom's cock, already aroused in anticipation, further tented the front of his pants. That little waist and trim hips; the promise of that round, shapely ass under the loose denim.

He raised Brian's shirt and bent over to blow on the tanned, bare skin on the small of his back.

Nearly hitting his head on the underside of the hood, Brian instantly backed out. "What're you doing?"

Without bothering with a verbal answer, Dom reached around Brian to unfasten his pants.

"Hey, come on." Still holding a wrench, Brian seized Dom's hands. "Don't. Not here."

"I do whatever I want, wherever I want," he said by Brian's ear. "I got rid of the crew."

"They don't got keys?"

"Tio don't give out keys. He don't trust no one but familia."

"Still. Shit, Dom."

"What? You don't want any more?" Judging by Brian's two orgasms the night before, Dom no longer had any doubts. Shaking off Brian's hands, Dom gripped the loose genitals through the denim, instead. One squeeze and Brian's limp hose started to fill out.

"Not here, man," Brian stated again. "It ain't right." He set down the wrench and struggled to remove Dom's grasp.

Embracing Brian, Dom mouthed that neck and the curls, damp from sweat. "If you think it's so wrong, how come you're getting wood?"

"Fuck, with what you do, anyone would."

Slowly, Dom unzipped Brian's jeans. As he was naked underneath, his hot, sticky, good-looking hard-on emerged as the zipper gave way. Dom pumped it, and Brian released his breath along with some of his reserve.

"Dammit, Dominic," he murmured.

Hell, yeah.

The utility lights hung from the hoods of the cars and the turbine fan and bay openings generally provided sufficient light in the garage during the day. In shutting the bay doors, a great deal of light had been cut off, but what was left over was fucking sexy. With a little struggle, after ripping open the scissored t-shirt, Dom finally coaxed Brian from his jeans, leaving him in only his Converse sneakers. He was a hell of a sight, his smooth, toned chest shiny, his tanned, muscled legs apart, and his penis in full erection, as he leaned against the front of the Challenger. If that wasn't awesome enough, when Dom pulled off his undershirt, Brian placed his long-fingered, gorgeous, though somewhat greasy hands on Dom's pecs, and bent down to mouth.

Oh, Christ--the kid liked a lot more than he'd let on.

The only other time a man had touched Dom like that had been in prison; he'd been repulsed by the strong, callused grip and knocked the asshole back a few years of his life. The queers had learned not to fuck with Dom, pretty quick. This was different, however. This was Brian. Somehow, there was a world of difference in his hale, slightly rough touch. A difference that suddenly put that of any woman's that Dom had ever enjoyed, to shame. It drove to his spine--his cojones. Looking down at those glowing, golden curls made it almost ethereal.

Straightening against the nose of the Challenger, Brian drew Dom close, one hand on the back of his neck, the other gripping his ass through his pants, to grind their hard-ons against each other. Though nothing was said, the full hard-on and soft gasping by Dom's ear were eloquent enough; Brian wanted. That became even more apparent when Dom unzipped and dropped his pants so their bare hard-ons could grind in direct contact. Upon which Brian's powerful hands took Dom's ass to help pump.

It wasn't exactly what Dom had been planning, but he couldn't resist, either. Kissing the prominent shoulder muscles, he found himself bucking instinctively. Something more happened that was instinctive; his kissing grazed Brian's jaw and whiskers. Then sought his mouth. For a second, Brian resisted. Then his shapely, supple lips yielded, and he kissed back in voracious response.

Madre de Dios, Dom about came. He had to turn his head away, pull back so their cocks were no longer touching, and pant to collect himself. He had no idea it could be like that with a guy. It was crazy.

Brian dipped his head and tried to pull away. Evidently, the poor kid had thought Dom didn't like it. "We better get dressed," he mumbled.

"Dressed, my ass," Dom said, crushing Brian against the car. His erection had daunted. "I just never expected kissing a guy could feel like this." To establish his frank sincerity, Dom smothered Brian in another kiss.

Though he hesitated, he finally kissed back with growing passion. Between them, his cock responded.

~~~

Shutting the hood of the Challenger, Dom pressed Brian back on the clean, dull surface. Dom's fatigues had fallen to his knees by the time he lay over Brian to ravish. This time, with the utility light hung from a nearby hoist, the view was incredible. His beautiful, smooth, blond chest heaved while Dom ran his lips over the breastbone and pecs. Under the buzz of the fans, he worked his way down, kissing that sweet, flat belly, through the strip of sparse, dark gold hair to the full nest over the pubis. The cock awaited him, standing up, exposing the pair of taut, firm testes. As Dom took the erect penis, his thumb on the underside, his fingers on the upper, Brian gasped and whined barely audibly, in his throat.

As if he was begging.

Overcome with temptation, Dom opened his mouth and took the organ in. Despite the gorgeous rounded head designed for penetration, in his mouth, the size felt more imposing than expected. Nevertheless wanting, he took in more, savoring the salty flavor.

Brian's reaction sent another immense erotic surge through Dom, making his own erection lunge. Beneath him, Brian writhed and lifted his knees wide apart, struggling to get his heels up on the front end of the Challenger. Dom hastened to accommodate, shoving Brian far enough onto the hood to accomplish this. The soles of the sneakers provided good traction on the unpolished surface and he was able to hold his arrestingly long legs apart and lift his trim hips.

Gripping the base of that handsome cock, Dom pumped it in his mouth, toward the back of his throat, ramming it against his palate. Just as he was becoming more intrigued with the very subtle undercurrent of male spice, he pumped too deep and nearly gagged.

Backing to the head, he recovered. How the hell did women do it? Damn. He knew lots of women who could and had seen countless others in porno flicks who did huge ones. There may have been some cinematographic fakery there, but not in Dom's personal experience.

Oblivious of the incident, Brian gasped louder and lifted his hips, wanting more. More? He wanted more?

Taking a new hold on the shaft, Dom coursed it back into his mouth, taking care not to go too deep. Blindly, he considered a source of lubricant within reach. His fingers were too dirty from the general filth in the garage to lick.

On the fender of the Saturn in the next bay, their water bottles had been set aside. Releasing Brian, Dom instructed. "Don't move." He hiked up his pants enough to allow him to get to the bottles.

"Huh?" Brian queried.

In front of Challenger again, Dom took one slender shin and flexed that knee further, toward Brian's chest. This revealed a slitless male crotch. The phenomenon had been encountered the night before, but it was hard to see much in the dark. While marveling over that, he caught a glimpse of the picture perfect entry.

Until Brian slipped free and put his heel down.

"Get your knees up," Dom reprimanded.

"My knees are--"

"Like this." Dom tried to flex both Brian's knees in the same way.

At last, he seemed to fathom, and drew both knees toward his chest with uncertainty.

What exposure. Dom spilled a ration of the warming water on himself then on Brian, with only inches between them.

He startled and put his legs down, instantly. "Hey, wait--"

"Don't start with me, Brian." Dom argued.

Obstinately, Brian got to his elbows, frowning.

"There you go again, chingaso chiflado."

"What'd you call me?" Sitting up, he yanked Dom close. So close, that when Brian stood, their erect genitals deliberately collided.

Confronted by the unwavering, brilliant sapphire eyes, Dom relaxed some, realizing Brian wasn't dead serious. Bemused, Dom smiled. "I called you what you are."

"You called me a fucking something. The same thing you called me last night."

"You haven't changed since last night. A prick-tease. A fucking prick-tease."

"Hey, I'm not the one who started anything. You did."

"You don't have to do shit. All you gotta do is sit there, and you're a prick-tease."

That shut him up. He just tipped his head back and said nothing, the way he did whenever anyone teased Brian about his looks.

Pushing him back into a seated position on edge of the front end, Dom bent down and wantonly kissed. "In case you don't know," he murmured, "that's a compliment."

Unresisting, Brian returned the kissing with surprising passion. During which he tugged Dom's fatigues down, then seized his hips and pulled him forward, simultaneously lying back. By the way Brian positioned himself up on the car again, knees up and apart, and yanked Dom's hips in place, it was obvious what the kid wanted. His strong thighs held Dom tight so their genitals ground against each other's. How the hell he wound up tummy-fucking a beautiful blond police detective in a hot garage in Mexico was an unbelievable kick in the ass.

~~~

The atmosphere at the house was more strained that evening. Mia wouldn't eat at the table, placing Brian in the uncomfortable ambience of her aunt's and cousin's resentment. He had to trim his own food that evening.

Rather than put Mia out of her own home, he decided it would probably be better if he either stayed strictly at Dona Esperanza's or moved out to a motel. That would depend on whether or not her tia would allow him to remain under her roof any longer.

He probably should have been the one to leave the dinner table, as the imposing guest but he was too hungry and the homemade meal too delicious to pass up. The hard work he'd put in on the Challenger, along with the crazy sex at the garage had burned a lot of calories.

As soon as he finished eating, he dismissed himself from the table and took his own dishes to the sink. In Dom's room, Brian began to repack. He was running out of clean clothes and would have to get to a Laundromat.

In moments, Dom came in. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Gonna get a room at a motel. Your family ain't happy about what's going on with me and Mia. You couldn't tell how much they resent me now?"

"They'll get over it."

"I won't be here that long. Just long enough to piss 'em off worse. You know any motel around with a Laundromat next door? I need some clean clothes."

Deliberating, Dom paused then stepped to Brian. "Tia's got a washer and dryer. Why don't you put your stuff in the hamper?"

"I'm not making her wash my stuff."

"She would, you know."

"She's not my slave."

"All right, then I'm giving you permission to do your laundry here."

"It's not yours to give; it's her house. She doesn't like that I'm not dating Mia, either."

Impatiently, Dom exhaled. "Okay, so if I do the laundry, she can't get pissed off about it. But since I ain't your slave either, we'll do the laundry together." Espying the separate bag in Brian's duffle, Dom snatched it out. "Bring everything else you see around that needs washing." Without looking back, he left the room.

In a utility area next to the kitchen door, Brian took over sorting his own laundry. Like Dom had said, he wasn't Brian's slave, either. With Dom right there, though, should Dona Esperanza return and find her guest taking liberties with her appliances, her sobrino's presence should suffice. Before leaving, Brian would leave her with some money to pay for his food and board, as he was no longer a welcome guest.

"I don't feel right about staying here any more," he explained, when Dom had returned with a couple of beers.

"Is that so? Well, I'm all the more convinced I want you here." Slipping a hand around Brian, Dom nuzzled at his ear.

"Shit!" Brian pulled away. "She could come up to the back door any time and see you through the window."

Dom laughed. "As long as I say you're gonna stay, she's not gonna throw you out. She might want to, but she won't."

Dryly, Brian remarked, "Oh, that's a real consolation, man." He measured out the unfamiliar laundry detergent.

"You fucked yourself. You'll just have to give them time, like I said."

After pouring the powder into the old machine, Brian shut the lid, then started the first cycle. "Look, what if I just do what Mia asked? She probably won't be as mad, if I do. Then everyone else will chill out once they see she has."

"You mean a strip-tease? Well, yeah, seeing you naked would charm anyone. The only thing is, I don't trust you. You get naked with her, she'll get excited then you'll take advantage of her."

While that hadn't exactly been Brian's plan, if Mia did give in and want to make love, he couldn't imagine turning her down. Not just because she was beautiful with an incredible body, but he wanted to make some sense of his bizarre, erotic attraction to her brother. A woman was exactly what Brian needed at the moment to assure himself he wasn't turning gay. "She's gonna hate me from now on, you know."

"And she'll hate you even worse if you take advantage of her then dump her when you go back across the border and start humping whores again."

Incensed, Brian shoved past Dom and headed from the room, turning off the light. "I don't do whores. I've never done a whore in my life. I wish you and Mia would quit saying that."

Following, Dom went on, sounding perfectly calm. "Pardon me. Sluts, then."

"Why is it women get labeled with insults just because they like sex and they're cool about it, but someone like you who must have had plenty of different women, doesn't call himself the same things?"

That time, Dom laughed heartier. "Whoa. I never said guys can't be called sluts, too. I've seen other girls since Letty. I guess I've been something of a cusca, myself. And you--you're a prime example of one."

"Oh, yeah?" Brian stopped in the hall to turn back to Dom. "How many girls have you been with since Letty? Let's see if you even have the right to rag on me."

Accepting the challenge, Dom paused to count. "Three--no, wait four. Okay, four. How 'bout you?"

"Same." Feeling victorious, Brian continued on into the bedroom to search for any overlooked laundry.

"Four?" Dom marveled. "You're lying. I'm supposed to believe that?"

Finding his missing sports pants, Brian took them back to the utility room. "Hey, I'm being on the up-and-up."

Again, Dom followed. "How do I know? How ever many there really were, I hope you used a jacket every time. You better tell me you did."

"I always do," Brian snapped. "What about you? You better tell me *you* did."

Once again, Dom drew close to Brian at the washing machine where he added the pants to the load. "Don't worry, I don't swim without protection. And you've got every right to ask. Okay, so neither of us is a saint. That's precisely why I don't want you touching my sister again."

Abruptly, it occurred to Brian that he might be expected of the same fidelity--if not a stricter one--to Dom. Oh, fuck. He slammed the lid shut. "Fine. I was only trying to figure out a compromise. I don't like antagonizing your family, so I'll just get out. Later when we go into business together, it's going to be a point of contention forever. If I leave now, at least they can't accuse me of not knowing when I've overstayed my welcome." He withdrew for the kitchen to get another beer.

"All right, if you're so insistent," Dom said, gesturing with his own bottle, "I'll go with you."

That solution seemed even more inviting, for some reason. Away from the family or detection. Crap. Once back on his own, wasn't Brian supposed to find himself the first good-looking woman and fuck the hell out of her? With uncertainty, he cracked open another bottle. "I-isn't that going to seem weird? How are you going to explain why you'd want to come and stay with me when you've got a great place, free food, and family?"

Dom shrugged. "It'll only be for a few days. Until you leave. I take off all the time. I go hang with other relatives or friends at the beach. For New Year's, I spent four days in Cabo San Lucas. In March, I went to Mazatlan--"

"And you probably took off a few times to shack up with girlfriends, too."

Finishing off his own beer, Dom laughed again. He took another one out of the refrigerator. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Suddenly, Brian saw a new opportunity arise in evading the scrutiny of the relatives. Leaning against the counter, he tipped his head and smiled at Dom. "What do you say I get us a bitchin' room at a four-star hotel and we do some serious partying?"

~~~

The blond bombshell hadn't been lying about having some money. When he'd paid for the hundred of dollars worth of parts for the Challenger, he'd done it with an ATM transfer from a savings account without breaking a sweat. After the laundry had been folded and packed, Dom drove them to the best hotel within reasonable distance to commute back to the garage, and Brian appropriated not a room, but a suite.

It wasn't bad, either. It had cable TV, a pool, Jacuzzis, king size beds, complimentary continental breakfast, a kitchenette with a refrigerator and coffee maker, laundry and dry-cleaning service--the works. Though there were two bedrooms, Dom had no intention of sleeping alone. And Brian didn't suggest otherwise. All they did that night was crash.

While a king size bed wasn't as sexy as the hood of an automobile, it made up for what it lacked in style with comfort and room to stretch out. Overriding his roommate's attempts to leave for the garage, Dom wordlessly convinced Brian to stay by mouthing and sucking on his soft dick until it filled out. After that, he surrendered, knees raised, head tipped back. Strategically, Dom had appropriated the Vaseline and condoms from his luggage, when Brian had gone to shower. Leaving them on the bed, Dom had stepped into the relatively sumptuous bathroom to play voyeur through the clear glass shower enclosure. Hijo le, could he appreciate Mia's request.

Fully equipped for pleasure, in the muted daylight through the drapes, Dom rapturously primed the entry with his tongue while his grip remained wrapped around that blond cock. So eloquent were Brian's quiet, desperate gasps. Once the entry was wet, Dom single-handedly reached for the Vaseline, keeping his subject occupied with the other hand. On sliding his Vaseline-lubed finger into the tight canal, Dom saw Brian's eyes shut in dizzy ecstasy.

Again, it was while Dom ripped the condom package open with his teeth then struggled to get it onto his leaking hard-on--in that unavoidable window of wasted time--that the moment was lost.

Brian's overall body language shifted visibly. His pelvis relaxed, suddenly making entry less accessible. "Look." He eyed Dom's erection. "You're not putting that thing up me."

In a dominating gesture, Dom crawled over Brian so their like organs touched. "You like it ramming you here."

"That's all different."

"Sounds like you're afraid of my penis. Are you?"

Despite Brian's instant sexual response to the stimulus, his gaze remained warily fixed on Dom's erection. "I told you already--I ain't into pain and that thing's gonna hurt."

"Are you sure? Why don't take it and show me you're not afraid of it?"

Without missing a beat, Brian seized and proceeded to pull and stroke avidly. In such close confines, his heavy strokes crashed into his own erection, but it was clear where his fascination lay.

The sight of and exertion that handsome, powerful hand wrapped around Dom rapidly threatened to be too much, too soon. Laughing, he had to arrest Brian's enthusiasm. "Okay, I get the picture. Don't make me come already." It took a minor struggle to get him to let go.

Trying to figure out what was going on in that pretty blond head was one hell of a complex game. Giving up for the time being, Dom thrust his hips against Brian's and crushed them together. As Dom built up the friction between them, Brian responded with evident and unabashed desire. His pupils dilated against the crystal blue topaz of his eyes, his breathing accelerated, the blush of arousal reddened his shapely mouth and dusted his high cheekbones. Once more, his strong thighs locked Dom in place.

Unaccustomed to dealing with a lover who packed that much raw strength, it took Dom a few tries to back just enough to aim at the Vaseline-slicked entry.

Like a spring-loaded mechanism, Brian abruptly released Dom and fought to put some space between them.

For sure, Brian had always been a great source of entertainment in any situation; it wasn't surprising that quality would be any less manifest in bed. Dom laughed again. "All right, officer. We'll play it your way." He crawled off to sit against the headboard.

Legs apart, penis standing, Brian looked after Dom. That priceless, heated expression soon faded to angry confusion when Dom casually took himself to masturbate. "What? Is that it?" Brian demanded. "You're going to jerk off?"

"What do you expect? You get me all hot and bothered, then you fight me off so all I can do is look."

Getting off the bed, Brian picked up one of the damp towels from the shower and wrapped it around his hips. "Well, fuck you. Why'd you go and get started when you weren't gonna finish the job?"

"Oh, I meant to finish. You're the one who stopped me."

Picking up his duffel, Brian started for the door. "Then how 'bout I just go finish up myself, in the other room?"

Scrambling up, Dom lunged after his roommate. "Oh, no you don't!" He managed to catch one tanned, sinewy arm, and pinned Brian against the open door. "If you're not gonna let me touch you, I better at least get to watch."

Beneath the towel, Brian's standing cock drove into Dom's. "Does it seem like I don't want you to touch me?"

"Pinche chiflado," Dom growled. "Come back to bed and I promise I won't deflower your little virgin ass if you play with yourself for me."

"But it ain't gonna be like that, man. I didn't say I didn't want--"

"You don't really think I'm gonna be able to keep my hands off you, do you?" Snatching the towel away, Dom pressed Brian back to the bed.

~~~

Later that evening, they took the Challenger out for a test drive. The new intake manifold and dual exhaust system performed as hoped. The accuracy of the timing gun left a little room for doubt, though; Brian detected an infinitesimal miss in the steering wheel in idle that Dom concurred with.

On the drive back to the hotel in the Ram, they stopped at a market to stock the refrigerator with cerveza. In the hotel parking lot, as they collected the twelve-packs from the extended cab, the reverberation of muted bass could be heard emanating from the on-site bar.

Brian gestured toward the source of the music. "Check it out, Dom. What do you say we come down here to the bar after we shower?" When he'd stated his intent to party, he'd meant to include women, too. After that morning's lengthy, incredible session in bed, his sexual id could really use some readjustment.

"What for?" Slamming the cab door shut, Dom nodded at the beer they carried. "We just bought all the drink we could need."

"Yeah, I know. But one thing in that bar we don't got is girls."

Once the truck was armed, they headed for the hotel. Dom clucked. "And you wonder why I want you to stay away from Mia…"

"If you'd let things progress between us the way they were going, I wouldn't have to look nowhere else."

"Bullshit," Dom scoffed. "If I'd let you, you'd still chase snatch."

"I wouldn't need to do any chasing."

"Don't be so sure. She socked you, remember?"

"Yeah, but then she wanted me to do a reverse striptease for her."

"You know why she did, blondie. It meant she likes lookin' at the merchandise, but she don't want you near enough to break her heart again."

In the lobby, with staff and a few other guests in earshot, they fell silent until the elevator doors slid shut on the otherwise empty car. "Look," Brian continued quietly, "I'm respecting your wishes. I'm keeping my distance. I'm all for finding other prospects."

Watching the elevator panel, Dom shifted impatiently. "My sister's not good enough for you?"

"What?" Stunned, Brian nearly dropped the 12-packs he held. "What the fuck kind of twisted double-standard bullshit--?"

"And I must not be getting it done for you, either," Dom interrupted calmly. "You sure fool the hell out of me, the way you mess up the sheets when we're together. I'm sure the hotel maid here can vouch for that."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Brian hissed. "God, are you kidding? I can't even think straight after what you do to me."

"Then? What more do you need?"

On the walk to the suite, Brian had time to ponder the question. What the fuck more did he need? He'd thought that the anticipation of having sex with a woman had been stirring his libido, but in fact, the sight of the bulging muscles in Dom's arms, his scent, and his striking, sensitive Latin looks and dark, seductive eyes were actually pumping the most fuel to Brian's testes.

In the suite, as they loaded the under-counter refrigerator, Brian finally pieced together some sort of an answer. "The thing is, we both like women. You must be dying for one by now."

Crouching before the refrigerator, Dom systematically arranged the bottles that Brian passed to him. "Oh, I see." Dom feigned pleasant surprise. "The real reason you want to go down to the bar on a beaver hunt is for my sake. That's pretty damn thoughtful of you, Officer O'Conner. It's that good-cop humanitarian nature of yours. You think I must be suffering, so you're taking it on yourself to fix me up with some female companionship."

"It's Detective O'Conner now," Brian sighed.

"Oh, excuse me. Detective O'Conner."

"You know damn well you didn't change overnight."

Instead of loading the last bottle, Dom paused to crack it open. "Believe me." He took a drink. "If I wanted chocha, I could get my own. I sure as hell wouldn't need your help."

"I'm not implying you do. If you got some girls in mind, let's do it."

Removing one more bottle, Dom got up and passed it to Brian. "You don't need my help to get any dates, either, Dorado."

"Yeah, I do." Brian opened his own bottle for a drink. "I don't know anyone out here."

Dom occupied himself with a long pull. When he lowered it, gaze averted, he gestured with the bottle. "Is that what you really want? 'Cos if it is, I know plenty of women who'd die to go out with a good-looking white boy like you. Or is it that you're in a panic over what's going on with us? And you think everything will be smoothed over and restored to normal if you just have sex with a woman again. You think I understand this any better than you do?"

Reinforcement for Brian's effort. "No, I don't. That's what I mean. I think we're both confused about what's going on. I think we both need this."

"Oh, yeah? And who died and made you my psychoanalyst? If that's how it is, I'm firing you right now, 'cos I sure don't think pussy's the answer."

"Look, I don't profess to understand it, but there's something about you. We're tight. What you do--it turns me on--gets me excited. I can't help it. Believe me, you get it done. So good, I'm getting kind of worried. Like I might not be interested in women anymore. If the thought of being with a woman doesn't do anything for you, I'd be tripping worse if I were you."

Tiredly, Dom ran a hand over his scalp. "That ain't it. I'm not worried about what I like--It's you I'm worried about. What you're doing. Whether or not I should trust you. Which fucks with my head, 'cos after what you did for me, I owe you that and a hell of a lot more."

"So…" Brian studied Dom as he took another drink. "Is that what this is about? You're trying to repay me with pleasure..?"

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he laughed. "You know, that didn't even occur to me. That's not a bad idea, if that's the only way you want it between us."

"No way, man. That's not what I want."

Sobering, Dom's dark eyes swept over Brian. "Yeah, I know what you want. Well, I can do that, too. I'll make some phone calls. You don't gotta go downstairs and get no puta."

Hesitating, Brian took a step closer. "I-I'm not sure I want that, either. I'm gonna go take a shower. Why don't you come take one with me?"

The anger dissipated from Dom's expression and he reached to Brian. Taking the hem of his t-shirt, Dom tugged Brian close. "C'mere. Lemme tell you something. This ain't about repaying anything. All I know is, since I met you, I've haven't been able to stop thinking about you." Sliding a hand to the nape of his neck, Dom tentatively touched his mouth to Brian's.

Shutting his eyes, Brian found himself easily persuaded by the soft, full lips. He pressed deeper. At the small of his back, under his t-shirt, he felt Dom's strong hand slide into place to hold him. Their hips met, and that healthy bulge crashed into Brian's. Everything about being with Dom was unprecedented and yet somehow made the attraction of finding a woman fade to a fleeting triviality.

Setting the beer down, Brian traded the icy glass for the contour of massive, developed muscles through Dom's arms and back. "Come on."

When they parted, Dom still appeared perturbed. "I don't know about you, Brian."

"I don't know, either." Brian tugged his partner toward the room they'd been sharing. "I'm just playing it by ear."

"At the street race Saturday night. I don't even want to imagine what you're gonna do there. The women are always dressed to fuck and are all hot and horny as hell. I can just picture it: while I'm busy making negotiations, you'll slip off to go dip your stick under all the hoods you can. With those looks, you won't even have time to get a raincoat on between all the women who'll be lined up."

Switching on only the vanity light in the bathroom, Brian chuckled again. "I hadn't even thought about that."

"You would have the second we got there."

Closing the lid on the toilet, he momentarily perched on the seat to unlace his sneakers. "Don't even trip about that right now."

Instead of undressing, Dom leaned against the glass shower enclosure. "Yeah, but tomorrow?"

Bemused, Brian looked up. Barefoot, he got up to pull off his shirt then did the same for Dom. "I just gave up two opportunities to have a woman tonight. What do you think that means?"

~~~

With a couple more beers, they reclined on the cools sheets in lamplight. Both were erect from the foreplay in the shower. The sight of Toretto's body slick with soap and water was irresistible. It was only the fluctuating water temperature and pressure in the hotel pipes that chased them out.

Before Dom could take the initiative, Brian did, grazing his partner's body with mouth and tongue. While Brian had appreciated the sexual aspect of Toretto's charisma, he never would have thought it could incite desire in him the same way it affected women. Damn, those massive thighs and pecs made Brian crazy. That all the impressively defined secondary characteristics turned him on was a marvel. Despite the gay connotations, he couldn't pretend otherwise.

The same was true of Dom's fundamentally male sex organs. Thick and powerful-looking, even soft, it was an impressive piece of equipment. Standing up like it was Brian could admire it in its full splendor. The flare at the base of the chiseled head. The alluring cleft, wet with precome. He hadn't tasted it yet out of uncertainty.

Lying between Dom's legs, Brian manually stroked it to brazen arousal. That had drawn the sac tight over the nuts, displaying their healthy size. Overwhelmed by lust and curiosity, he took the impressive hard-on in his mouth. He was immediately rewarded with a groan of pleasure from Dom.

It wasn't as though Brian hadn't tasted cock before. All along, their flirtations with sex had been voluntary for both of them. Had Brian really wanted to stop the first incident he could have and knew it.

Rather than resist, he wrapped his hand around the thick base to experiment with how much he could take into his mouth and a method for stroking.

"Shit," Torreto moaned, seizing Brian's hand, halting him. "You're gonna make me come already."

Excited by Dom's evident pleasure, Brian went at it with mounting fervor.

"I'm serious!" Laughing, Dom's hold promptly switched to his partner's nose.

Unable to breathe, Brian was forced to back off and was released in turn. "You don't want me to learn how to do it?"

"Oh, yeah, but I can see we're going to have a problem here; technique or none, just seeing you and feeling you on me is too much. And I don't want to choke you your first time or you might never want to do it again."

Flustered by the flattery, Brian was at a loss for response. Still, his cock hadn't stopped throbbing. He crawled over his partner between the muscular thighs and sunk his hips down, his cock instinctively desperate to find entry. Not from that position.

Scrambling into a kneel, he forced his knees under Dom to cradle his ass.

"Now, wait," Dom warned.

Too impatient to go for the Vaseline, Brian lunged to force in, using only the let-down from his arousal.

On the first poke on target, Dom started. "You don't got no jelly."

"Are you kidding? I'm fucking dripping here." Aching for satisfaction, Brian drove harder, blindly seeking penetration. Like the rest of Dom, the entrance was rock hard.

"Ow!" he protested. Getting to his elbows, he backed out of reach. "There's no way you're doing the job without the right lube." Sitting up, he went for the nightstand.

With effort, Brian fought off his imminent orgasm. Heart pounding, cock still throbbing, when he was able to catch his breath he crawled after Dom. "All right already," Brian snapped. "Just give it to me."

Holding the Vaseline and a condom packet, Dom eyed Brian. "You were about to come, weren't you?"

"Hell yeah, I was. What'd you expect?"

"I like it. I like that I turn you on as much as you turn me on."

"Give me the stuff." Brian made a grab for the Vaseline jar.

Dom blocked the move. "Lie back."

"I already told you--"

"Is this the way you treat all your bed partners? Is this how you treated Mia?"

Maintaining an upright posture, Brian sat but wouldn't lie. His erection relinquished some of its urgency. "No, not at all. See, she wasn't no smart-ass, buffed-out dick with a big-ass schlong who'd better be ready with a drum of axel grease and a general anesthetic if he thinks he's gonna pork me."

Dom chuckled, not remotely offended. "Now lie back."

"You lie back. Give me the Vaseline." Brian made another grab for the jar.

"What about the jacket?"

"Fuck the--Fine. Give me the jacket, too."

Once more, Dom looked over Brian. This time, it was with deliberation. "You know, you are fucking beautiful…"

"Why do you think you get me so excited? Give me the stuff or I swear, I'm gonna jack-off, looking at you."

Without another word, Dom turned over the supplies and lay back on the king-sized bed. That big-ass dick was still standing up, the opening and cleft wetter than ever.

Once more, Brian insinuated his knees between Dom's legs to get him into position. On coating him with the Vaseline, his cock jerked and he released his breath in ecstasy.

Oh, fuck. With one hand particularly slippery, Brian ripped the wrapper open with his teeth. He had that maneuver down. Depending on the situation, once in a while getting the thing on could be a little tricky. This was one of those times. Dom had submissively raised his knees and opened them in anticipation. Brian's fumbling at the head of his primed hard-on nearly made him come. Fuck the jacket, as he'd almost said. Poised to enter, he dropped the condom and plunged in.

The strength of the crush on his glans was so unreal and unexpected, he spontaneously climaxed. His hot, slippery semen provided more than enough lubricant to ease his introduction the rest of the way through the canal, some of it spilling from the tight anal rings, as they forced open. Driving deep into his lover, he worked out the rest of his fantastic orgasm.

To Brian's further surprise, with the onset of his climax Dom grunted, pelvic muscles seizing. That made his cock lunge and he pulled on it, inducing gushes of his own semen all over his himself. The contractions inside his body were cataclysmic.

Afterwards, he collapsed on top of Dom, awe-struck, shaking, and panting. Brian was ejected almost as rapidly as he'd plowed in.

Dom moaned. "Ay, chingasao."

There was only one way to consider what had just happened, Brian realized through his recovery. The way things had started, he had no idea where they would have gone. He never would have foreseen that he'd wind up essentially "taking" Dominic Toretto. Unlike with women, the connotations of the act were a lot stronger and with far greater meaning, in their situation. They were both straight. He could have just as easily put up a fight and won. But he hadn't.

~~~

SATURDAY

Standing beneath the Chevelle up on the rack, Dom watched Brian loosen the bolt on the oil pan. His T-shirt inadvertently hiked up with his arms over his head, exposing his supple washboard abs. That morning after Dom had neatly reshaved his head in the shower, he'd taken his quadruple-blade razor to Brian's beard. He'd protested then finally gave in and let Dom finish the job. The result was stunning. The grease and oil smudges on his smooth jaw were cute on his extraordinary looks without the rugged quality.

Aware some of the mechanics knew snatches of English, Dom spoke quietly. "You know, if you're really serious about the garage, I'll start scouting for property in some decent areas. I'm talking beach areas, if you got that much capital."

"Why wouldn't I be serious?" Dropping the bolt in the reservoir, Brian glanced to Dom as the thread of oil began to spill out.

"People say shit all the time," Dom allowed. "It usually winds up meaning nothing."

"Well, yeah, but I'm not talking shit."

He resumed lubing the front end. "You got enough resources of your own? Without your pal's kick-in?"

Thoughtfully, Brian took the rag draped over his shoulder to wipe his hands. "Beach property's always more expensive. He'll have to get a look at it before we make a final decision, but I know he'll be cool with a place by the beach; he's just as excited about the prospect."

"What'd I just say?"

"Just start lookin'." He passed Dom that patent, cocky O'Conner smile. "I'll take care of Rome."

Instantly, Dom's radar triggered. "What does that mean?" His eyes narrowed. "You got some special modus operandi reserved just for him?"

"What?" Brian laughed. "It's just a matter of appealing to his sense of logic. He ain't about to pass up a good opportunity."

"And you happen to be damn appealing."

The humor instantly drained from Brian's expression as he studied Dom. "I told you before, man; it's not like that. Rome and I grew up together. We went to school together. We're old homeys. You know how straight I was? Well, that's how straight he is."

"Yeah, well, I'm warning you right now. I'm gonna be pissed off if you make me waste time checking out property for nothing. If I'm gonna go to the beach, I'd rather go to party, not to hang around hot garages and sit under fluorescent lights." Pausing, Dom feigned concentration on his job. "What time are you planning on leaving tomorrow?"

"I don't know. Afternoon, I guess."

"I'm off tomorrow, plus my tio will be back from vacation. Why don't we go out to the coast tomorrow morning? Not to look at property, but so you can see what it's like on the beaches down here. If we make out good at the race tonight, we can consider it a victory celebration; if not, it'll be a consolation trip."

Brian nodded. "Sounds cool."

"We'll pack the rest of the beers from the room in a cooler and go swimming."

"I don't got a suit."

"We'll just have to pick one up for you when we make the trip to the comisaria." Stepping past Brian to get to the other side, Dom quietly murmured, "Of my choice."

"Oh, you know what? I decided against going to the comisaria. If they get the least bit suspicious about it, it would be way easy for the LAPD to find out where I was staying down here. I'll just wait till I get back to Los Angeles. Before I leave, we'll set up a way to contact each other while I'm gone."

Warily, Dom quirked an eyebrow. "Like how?"

"An email box."

"You said email can be traced too easy."

"This is different. It's like a post office box on the Internet. A lot tougher to trace. When we set it up, we'll share the password."

~~~

They broke for lunch after 1:00. On the drive in the pickup to one of the favorite nearby cafés, he introduced a thought he'd been mulling over the last couple of hours. "What do you think about inviting Mia to come with us to the beach tomorrow?"

Behind dark sunglasses, Brian's expression was partially masked, though not enough to hide some restrained surprised. "What for? She's pissed off at me. You don't want me anywhere near her…even less in a bathing suit…"

"Because I've been re-thinking the whole thing with you and her." Dom pushed his own pair of shades up on the bridge of his nose. "I think I've changed my mind."

"Wait a second…What's this about? What's she got to do with anything?"

"You want a woman. I know you like her. It'd be different with her."

"Are you trying to unload me now?"

Sliding his hand down to the bottom of the steering wheel, Dom released his breath, keeping his gaze averted. "That's the last thing I'm trying to do. Soon as you get back to your crib, you'll put in double-time reassuring yourself that you're still the man. Since it's inevitable, it may as well be with Mia. Her, I respect and trust. If I send her back up there with you, she'd keep you out of trouble. And hopefully, she'll insure you come back."

Brian laughed. "It ain't gonna be that way, so don't even trip. Besides. You seem to have a well-stocked crib of your own and you don't hear me getting on your case."

"Maybe I'd feel better if you did."

As soon as Dom parked the truck, Brian handed off some money. "Lunch is on me."

"What do you want?"

Brian shrugged. "Whatever you're having." He popped open his door.

"Oh, hell no. I'm not sitting in the same restaurant with you while you pick through your food, let alone the same table."

Laughing, he responded, "If they don't got ceviche, get me camarones."

Inside the modest café, the air conditioners rattled, but kept the temperature reasonably comfortable. They'd removed their sunglasses. The shredded beef tacos Dom had ordered would have had his partner rummaging through the tortillas, tearing his meal apart. He seemed to appreciate the delicious camarones as Dom knew them to taste, so it had worked out for the best to leave well enough alone.

"I don't get it." Evidently, Brian hadn't forgotten the previous conversation, which meant he'd been paying attention. "You wouldn't really yank Mia out of school and send her with me like some kind of a chaperone, would you? You were kidding, right?"

"Try girlfriend."

"Yeah, but you see, the chaperone idea is the only one that makes sense." Brian bit into another camaron.

"A few days ago you were ready to jump her. What are you talking about?"

Leaning towards Dom, Brian smirked. "I don't need nobody else. You're my woman now."

Flinching hard, a surge of killer instinct shot through Dom. It took a lot of self-control to play it cool and not seize that slender throat into a crushing grip. Regarding Brian, Dom smiled, repressing his real sentiments, and ran his tongue inside his cheek, raising his eyebrows. "What was that? I'm your woman? Is that what you think?"

"Well, yeah. That's how it went."

"Oh, yeah?" Dom gestured with his bottle of beer. "Ask anybody in here. Between the two of us, if they had to guess which one was the woman, they'd say it was you."

Smirk fading half-way, Brian paused, eyes still glittering in triumph. "Hey, I'm the one who took care of business last night."

"Because I let you."

"You got it wrong--you didn't have no choice."

As far as Dom was concerned, he'd vowed never to let himself to fall victim to a situation without option again. The problem was he couldn't bring himself to take that alternate option with Brian and lose him for certain. "You better watch it, blondie. With those looks and beautiful baby blues, I'd keep my mouth shut. The team thought all you'd need was a dress and you'd make one damn fine-looking woman."

"Uh-uh." He remained unperturbed. "That was Vince and he was just being an asshole."

"Huh. What do you know? You weren't even there."

"He said shit like that only 'cause he was trying to look tough in front of Mia."

"Oh, he did, did he? Well, that only proves he really thought so, or he wouldn't have pointed it out to the rest of us. Mia wasn't there then, so you can't say he was trying to impress her." Dom swept his gaze up and down his partner. "And you know what? The team all agreed. Now what do you think that meant?"

The smirk was gone, but the glint of determination and pride enhanced by a spark of humor smoldered in the blue topaz eyes. "Let's go back to the hotel after lunch, and I'll prove 'em wrong all over again."

The thrill of the aggressive overture washed over Dom in a rush. He downed the last of his beer. "You're on."

~~~

Back behind the tinted windows of the cab of the Dodge Ram, Dom cranked the engine and the air conditioner back on. It was blistering hot within the confines of the virtual black-coated steel oven.

In the other seat, Brian shoved his shades onto his perfect little nose.

Checking the onboard clock, Dom was reminded of the work awaiting them back at the garage. "Shit," he muttered.

"What?" Brian glanced over.

"We still gotta get to those brakes on the Chevelle or we'll never make the races tonight."

"Oh, yeah…" Brian exhaled and shifted his inseam. "I'll just have to prove it, later, and believe me, I will."

~~~

Street racing was way different in Mexico. There were endless stretches of road outside the city that seemed to lead miles from any civilization. It might take days before any authorities noticed that they'd been cordoned off. Drivers didn't have to worry about keeping tabs on police scanners and remain prepared to bolt at any second. Evidently the policia didn't give much of a damn about them. They were run much more like Race Wars, only without the legal formalities. And without the impending pressure of being run off, the races went on all night. This gave drivers the luxury of taking their time in choosing what or who they raced. Furthermore, they could compete as many times as their cars and money held out. That was what Dom had been talking about, Brian discovered.

A different element of hazard existed in Mexico; the roads were in poor repair. So many of the streets had never been repaved since they were first lay. Hitting a pothole, gravel, or dirt at high speeds could easily rob control of the car. That put an even greater demand on the skill of the drivers. It should have, anyway, but according to Dom, over the short year that he'd been street racing down south, he'd witnessed way more crack-ups and roll-overs than in the States. The fact that alcohol was openly shared around like bottled water or cans of Pepsi probably played another major factor in the high rate of wrecks.

Almost immediately after they reached the location, a shapely girl in a tight halter blouse and painted-on pants strolled up to Dom and insinuated herself against him. Surprisingly, when she tried to kiss him, he turned his head aside, acting as though he hadn't noticed her move.

"Brian," Dom introduced. "This is Yolanda Veracruz."

She wasn't much like Letty. She was taller, built, and gorgeous. The blonde streaks in her dark hair added to her allure.

As he'd pointed out, Yolanda wasn't the only fantastic looking lady there, either. Great as the eye candy was, Brian didn't respond, despite numerous flirtatious calls, whistles, and gestures. Whenever he did look after some of the girls, he'd feel Dom's steady gaze.

By sticking close to Dom, Brian had no problem proving where his loyalty lay. He certainly didn't have to force it, either. It seemed Toretto was already earning himself a name on the street racing scene in Mexico; he had a lot of acquaintances and was known on sight. Introduction as his friend immediately bought Brian honorary status.

Unexpectedly, Brian felt his temper flare when he saw Yolanda's hand on the rise of Dom's muscular ass. Much as Brian tried to write the emotion off as something--anything else--his contempt escalated in proportion to her innuendo. He had no trouble interpreting almost all of her words, though she spoke strictly Spanish. From the sounds of it, she and Dom had apparently shared some pretty hot sex together and she was trying to get him in the mood to get together after the races.

It was when he glimpsed that Dom's hefty cock had gone hard in his leather pants that Brian couldn't refrain from laying down the law.

"Dominic," Brian stated flatly and gestured his partner aside.

Out of earshot of the general crowd, in case any of them understood English, Brian beckoned Dom away from the roadside, toward the shadows of one of the sparse thickets of pepper trees.

"You planning to go home with your girl tonight?"

"I haven't made up my--"

"Yeah, well apparently your dick made up its mind and it's gonna drag you along with it. Call her off."

They were both somewhat drunk. Dom started to laugh. "Excuse me? You're think you're gonna start telling *me* what to--?"

"Call her off," Brian reiterated leaving no room for doubt. "If you make me do it, I'll tell her how I made your ass mine."

Instantly, Dom sobered. Then took another pull from his beer. "You'd tell anybody else, let alone my girl?"

"Hell, yeah, I would. I was gonna cut you some slack. You're straight and she's a good-looking woman. But I just can't do it."

"Is that a fact? Even though I offered her a ménage a trois with you and she accepted whole-heartedly?"

Brian startled, anger redoubling. He headed back for the girl where she chatted with a group of her friends, her ass parked on the front left fender of the Chevelle as casually as if it was her property, too. "Oye!" Brian called. "Yolanda!"

With all the music and partying going on, it took until he whistled before she finally jerked her head up.

Just as Dom caught up. "Dorado." He said by Brian's ear. "I'm fucking with you. I never would have thought to imagine you jealous. It's a beautiful sight."

~~~

So not to compete against each other, they'd chosen a team race. There was nothing shabby about the vehicles of the other contestants, either. A '71 Mustang Mach I, a '69 Firebird, a '66 gold Sting Ray, a '67 Cougar…It was the first time Brian had ever raced against drivers who'd grown up in a country where the road rules and regulations were so lenient.

They were wild, all right. They had skill, but they were sloppy. The loss of purchase in the dirt and gravel at turns and curves set some of the drivers back, just as Brian had predicted. From the looks of it, though, Dom had been practicing cornering.

From the first turn, Brian easily swept up the lead. On the straight-aways, the competition picked up again. Approaching the last turn, he knew he and his partner should be able to take the race. Checking the rearview mirror, Brian quickly ascertained where the other drivers stood and ensured that his partner was close by. "Come on, baby," he murmured. "Stick with me."

The only cars that flanked them at that point were the Sting Ray and Cougar team. Not only were their cars fucking fast, the drivers were better than the others. Once again, coming out of the turn with a whoop, Brian found he'd left the glaring headlights behind. But where the fuck was Dom? For a moment Brian panicked. All he could see in the rearview mirrors was dust lit by a distant set of headlights coming up. Was it the Chevelle? The terms of the race were that both team members had to cross the finish line first in order to take a win.

"Come on, baby, come on, baby," Brian prayed at full throttle.

As the lights neared, through the haze caused by the dust he recognized the front-mounted, in line parking lights, a configuration impossible with hidden headlights. Yes! Ramming through the gears, the other vehicle quickly gained on him. "Bring it home, Dominic. Come to papa!"

The Challenger, then the Chevelle flew past the finish point, only seconds apart.

As always, Brian had a pounding hard-on from the race. The loose cut of his jeans were comfortable under those conditions, even if they didn't hide it like tight fabric did. Even better, when he and Dom hugged in mutual congratulations, their hard-ons brushed. The rush of the sensation was intense. On the rare occasions that happened with another guy, the best thing to do was pretend it hadn't and pull away as quick as possible. It was only because of the cheering spectators that he and Dom released each other, and that was only after a second hug.

~~~

A lavish victory kiss was shared by Dom and Yolanda amidst cheers from their friends in the crowd. Collecting the cash winnings, he was distracted.

Brian stole a moment to take Yolanda's elbow and draw her aside. Her perfume, he noted, hovered on asphyxiating. "Estancia lejos de Dominic. Entiende?"

She laughed in disbelief. "Que dice?"

Brian pointed after Dom. "Es mi novio."

~~~

With the money locked in the safe, they kissed wildly, entangled on the bed, half-undressed. Through his leather pants, Dom's erection strained, trapped between them where he was equally aware of Brian's denim-clad one.

Sliding a hand in back, Dom felt out the firm, round curve of his lover's ass through the heavy fabric. The loose cut of the jeans made it possible for Dom to tuck that hand down the waistband to tease the cleft. He was going to have the delectable ass he'd many times cupped his hands over that very night, if it killed him.

With difficulty, he slowed their impassioned kissing down a moment to unzip and loosen Brian's pants. His fervent erection forced its way out, lowering the zipper the rest of the way of its own volition. In turn, he unfastened Dom's leather ones and manually eased his hard-on to do the same.

Instantly, they were entwined again, shirts raised, hungrily kissing, cocks crushed between their bare bellies.

As their breathing heated up, Dom realized they were both edging toward climax. He tore himself away and scrambled for the nightstand. No explanation required. Brian was right on him from behind, fighting for custody of the lubricant.

Before the contest escalated, Dom knocked Brian aside and got up off the bed to face it. Pants undone, cock standing in flagrant erection, leather vest hanging open over the thin undershirt, Dom regarded his partner. Guarded, frowning, panting, equally erect so it held up the hem of his de-sleeved t-shirt where he knelt on the bed.

They were too dressed. Dom shrugged out of his vest then peeled the thin cotton off over his head. He found Brian standing in front of him, stripped of his own t-shirt, waiting. Drawing close, Brian tipped his head to the side for another kiss. Once more, their warm breath intermingled as their mouths pressed against one another's. For a rapturous moment their tongues met, then Brian seized the top of the lubricant bottle and Dom's fist.

"Let go, Toretto," Brian teased.

"Nah-ah. Get them pants off and get on the bed."

First a seductive smile, then Brian slipped around Dom, behind him and slid the leather pants down. Before he could protest, he felt Brian's large hands sensually exploring, setting off a new arousal. A long finger stroked Dom's cleft this time. Deftly, Brian's embraced to grasp Dom's erect genitals possessively, still stroking in back. By his ear, Brian whispered, "Let's get the rest of your things off and get you on the bed."

With brute strength, Dom knew he could overpower O'Conner. Warily, Dom eyed his slender, steel-muscled partner, assisting with the removal of his clothes. Once Dom was naked, Brian pressed him toward the center of the bed, intending to crawl over him, thus re-establishing his alpha dominance.

Dom resisted. "You get your pants off now; I wanna see all of you."

While Brian complied, Dom stood again. When his partner was naked, Dom growled, "It's my turn now, O'Conner. On the bed."

"I don't think so, man."

Running his tongue inside his cheek in impatience, Dom hesitated a moment, then headed for the bathroom. "Is this how it's gonna be from now on, O'Conner?"

"Without the contention, I hope." Brian followed.

Just inside the bathroom doorway, Dom turned back. "Oh, yeah? Contend this." He slammed the door in Brian's face.

"Hey!" Brian pounded on the door and rattled the knob. "Damn it, Toretto, open up! Don't pull this shit!"

"You're the one pulling shit." Going to the shower, Dom turned on the taps to drown out the noise and bathe.

The warm spray was rejuvenating. Closing the faucets, he listened. No more banging or rattling. Only the soft hum of the air conditioner and the murmur of the TV. A towel around his hips, he looked out into the bedroom. The TV was on and Brian was nowhere in sight. His clothes were missing.

Shit.

"Brian?"

The living room suite stood equally as empty. Fuck. Heaving, Dom returned to the bedroom to finish drying off and dress. The son-of-a-bitch had probably gone down to the goddamn cantina to find a cusca willing to let him play stud.

Like hell. Dom set about quickly dressing. He'd go down and drag Brian out by the ear from whatever stank putas he'd found.

In a clean pair of cargo pants, Dom was about to yank on a clean shirt, when Brian came in, curls dripping wet, clad only in a towel.

"Hey." Brian said. "You going somewhere?"

"Crap!" Dom released his breath. "I was sure you'd gone down to the bar, you chingason."

"I just went to shower in the other room, being as you locked the door on me."

Feebly, Dom gestured. He returned to the bathroom for the bottle of lubricant.

Back in the bedroom, he sat against the headboard, watching Brian dry off and blot his hair. He never toweled it dry.

It didn't take long for Dom's resistance to give way to his partner's aggressive kissing. All right, so the pretty white boy had to make his statement. He wasn't no girl. Eventually, Dom allowed himself to be pressed back on the bed. It turned out well worth it, too, to have his body made love to by Brian's tender, yet passionate mouthing and nuzzling. By the time he settled on Dom's cock, the sparkling golden curls were only damp. Burying his hands within them, Dom ascertained just how damp.

Aware Brian was new to the practice, Dom employed caution in his guidance and thrust. His partner did pretty good, up to a point. Then he bolted back in a shot.

Knees apart, erection faltering, Brian leaned back on an arm coughing. "Fuck, man. You about choked me."

"Mm," was all Dom could bring himself to remark. Nicely lubed for action, he crawled forward. Between Brian's thighs, Dom kissed the high cheekbones and handsome jaw, grazing his lips over rough stubble. "Mmm," he remarked with growing conviction, attempting to press Brian onto his back.

Cough easing, he braced himself with his other arm to keep from being forced into a submissive position. "Get the lube," he said.

It was a rouse, Dom knew. During which Brian would gather himself. "Don't need it," Dom said. "You got me good and wet."

"Not in the right place, you aren't."

"In exactly the right place." A hand on Brian's smooth chest, Dom shoved hard.

Arms buckling, the blond fell back, looking surprised. He was in perfect position then, bony knees wide apart.

Sinking down, Dom probed beneath the testicles in their sac with the head of his throbbing hard-on. His forefinger found the way first, making it easy to drive his cock in, right after.

"Wait--no!" Pupils dilating, Brian thrust an arresting hand against Dom's chest this time. "No, I told you. It's gonna hurt!"

"Now, I know you ain't no pussy," Dom bantered.

Protest silenced, Brian withdrew his obstructing hand to cooperate.

The small entry resisted intrusion like impermeable steel. The struggle to get in soon had Dom panting laboriously and Brian hyperventilating. Before drying completely, Dom flexed the long, slender legs up and dove to wet the tight muscle with his tongue.

Damn, did that work. Dorado's hyperventilating turned to deep, shuddering breaths. His sac tightened, delineating his shapely huevos as they engorged and slid upward to expose his strong, solid crotch. When Dom broached the entry with his tongue, the tight ring loosened enough to let him tease.

Far sexier than any woman Dom had ever been with, Brian's gasps and moans of ecstasy were criminally titillating. The octave gave away the extent of his pleasure. In the full heat of sexual euphoria, he'd lapse into his true voice which was actually pitched higher than he let on.

Working a finger inside, Dom warmed his partner to the sensation of penetration, seeking his prostate. Demonstrating no surprise at the well of fluid Dom's heavy stroking coaxed forth, Brian gasped harder and caught his erection adroitly to masturbate. Evidently, it was a practice he knew and enjoyed. No sense in wasting opportunity; Dom swept the precious fluid up with his other hand to apply to the head of his throbbing cock. Removing his right forefinger, he shoved his penis in.

Instantly releasing himself, Brian's gasps turned to panicked discomfort. He seized Dom's hips as if to stop him, but just took a firm hold. Which was really the only thing he could have done, because even an act of God couldn't have arrested Dom at that point.

Slick with Brian's own juices, his resistant muscle succumbed. The result was phenomenal; leaning forward on his hands, Dom madly pounded into the crushing canal. Focused on his actions, he couldn't help but see that Brian's arousal diminished with each thrust. Only it didn't take many for Dom to reach satisfaction. Either it wasn't long enough for Brian to completely fade or he actually reaped some pleasure from the experience because he still had a partial erection by the time Dom drew his lover to their sides to collapse, facing each other.

The expected tirade of pained curses didn't ensue; other than for quiet panting, Brian was silent.

With hooded eyes, Dom regarded his partner. Brian's long eyelashes were lowered, as well. "What?" Dom posed. "You're not going to bitch and threaten to kick my ass?"

Lifting the corner of his mouth in amusement, Brian pressed forward for a kiss, instead. He took Dom in embrace and welcomed him to do the same. "No, man," he murmured when their mouths briefly parted. "It was worth it."

~~~

SUNDAY

The only way to find a fairly secluded beach in Mexico in the spring on a Sunday was through friends and relatives. On previous visits, Dom's had directed him to some of the best nearby locations.

At 10:30 or so in the morning, they sipped Coronas on the white sand. Brian had unwillingly given in to a pair of infinitesimal aqua suit after some pressure from Dom who'd brought his own very brief black Speedos.

Under the bright sun, the curly hair on Brian's head, arms, and legs sparkled like spun gold.

"You know, Dorado," Dom said, "I'm not kidding about Mia."

"What about her?" Brian's voice was blissfully relaxed.

"I don't like the idea of pulling her out of school. But under the circumstances, I like the idea of you slutting around back home even less. If I could I'd go with you, myself, and deal personally with your crib of women."

Unperturbed, Brian chuckled. "Don't even trip. I can handle things."

"I hope so. Still, you're overlooking the satisfaction I'd savor in taking care of them in my own way."

He chuckled again, eyes shut. "Mia's not going to agree to quit school, anyways and she shouldn't."

"No, she wouldn't. At least, not for an insincere cabron who broke her heart. But if I tell her the only reason you backed off was because I made you, that would change everything. She couldn't drop her classes and pack fast enough to go with you."

"You'd tell her that?"

"Yeah, I would."

He fell silent a moment. "I don't think it would be fair to her."

"Why not? You planning to dump her the minute some other pretty girl walks by?"

"No, man. She's great. She really is. She's smart, she's cool, she's gorgeous, she loves cars, and she's a helluva driver. But I don't want her to think I'm in love with her or could fall in love with her, now."

"Good. I wouldn't want have to compete with my own sister."

"That's funny. First you told me I'd better be serious about her or you'd break my neck; now you're asking me to use her."

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind."

"Fuck that. You were right then and the same is true, now. For a few moments there, I was so tempted, yeah, I would have slept with her. Even though it wouldn't have been with the intention of getting serious about her. You yanked me back to reality. I'll gladly take her back to LA with me if she wants to go, but I won't sleep with her."

Finishing another drink, Dom lowered his bottle. "Don't fucking pretend you're gonna turn into some kind of a saint overnight. You're gonna go back to LA and fuck your other women but not Mia because she's my sister? I don't think so. I'll explain it to her. That way she won't expect you to fall in love with her, but she'll be welcome to enjoy the merchandise all she wants and make sure you don't fuck no one else, at the same time."

"Hey, wait a minute." Brian started to sit up, hissed, then leaned back again. "How much are you planning to tell her? You're not gonna tell her about last night, are you?"

Amused, Dom checked his response while trying not to openly admire his partner's long, lean lines. Bantering, he queried, "What? You don't want me to tell her how I had your tight, perfect little ass? The one she's been lusting after, all this time?"

Frowning, Brian kept his gaze on the Pacific panorama where a couple of colorful catamarans could be seen off in the distance. "Yeah, well you just make sure you tell her I had yours first."

Dom laughed quietly to himself. "I wasn't gonna tell her every little detail. Enough so she knows what's going on. And it's not gonna be a matter of 'using' her, 'cos she'll be doing the same. As long as everybody's on the same page and we agree all the way around, nobody will be using anybody."

"You're crazy, dude. You really think she's gonna let that fly?"

Focusing out on the same catamarans, Dom nodded. "Yeah, I think she might."

"I got a better suggestion. Why don't we leave her out of the equation altogether? So she can get on with her life?"

Exhaling, Dom toyed with his bottle. "You know what I think? I think you're hedging. Either you're completely turned off by her now or your afraid of what she'll report back to me. Don't fuck with me."

Bottle empty, Brian made an attempt to get into the ice-packed cooler for another beer.

The discomfort Brian had been experiencing since the night before, had provided Dom a great source of entertainment all morning long. "Having some trouble there, Dorado?" In need of another beer, himself, he sat up to uncover the ice chest for another couple of Coronas.

"Fuck…Look, I really wasn't planning on sleeping with anybody else while I was gone." Taking the beer, the corner of Brian's mouth lifted. "But if you're gonna insist I sleep with her, hell, I don't want to disappoint you…"

Once again, Dom weighed the prudence of such an arrangement, now that Brian had agreed, joking or not. Within sight of the plot of beach they'd staked out, a small group of sunbathers consisting of two girls and a guy stripped off their bathing suits then lay back on their towels. It was common practice in Mexico. A lot of outrageous stuff was common practice in Mexico.

There was no missing when Brian's gaze shifted to the naked sunbathers. "Is this a nude beach?"

"Let's put it this way--it ain't a non-nude beach."

"Oh…Then what are you doing dressed?" He looked to Dom.

"How 'bout this? I'll strip, but you gotta strip, too."

"Yeah, but…" Hesitantly, Brian checked around the beach. Rocks and embankment hid them from the very few other groups of sunbathers they'd seen on the walk down from the road. "You sure we're not gonna get busted?"

"And who's gonna bust us? You're probably the only cop who's been anywhere near this beach in the past ten years if not longer. They don't waste their time hunting down for partiers on the beach."

"Okay, okay." After setting his Corona in the sand, Brian carefully pulled off his brief suit, minding his sore ass. Naked, he resettled with his knees up and retrieved his beer.

In turn, Dom took off his own swimwear. Then casually kicked back with his outside knee slightly raised, thighs apart. The sight of Brian's nudity and the very act of getting naked in public aroused Dom and he meant for his partner to know it.

"Damn, Toretto," Brian commented.

"What? Am I embarrassing you?"

"Oh, no way." Promptly pressing his knees together, he quickly looked away.

"Then what are you hiding about? Like I've haven't seen your dick yet. Why do you think I told you to get naked, too?"

"It's just that…You want to attract those girls over here? They see your hard-on and the dude they're with won't have a prayer."

Not having really noticed any of them, Dom briefly glanced over. The girls' tits were nice. The guy was nothing special. Dorado, on the other hand, boasted a superbly beautiful, perfect, lean body. "I don't give a shit about them."

"You don't gotta; they see your wood and that's all it'll take."

"How do you expect me to help it, looking at you?"

"You want me to put my swimsuit back on?"

"Fuck no. You'd have to hide in a goddamn tent, anyway, not to look good. You're the one likely to attract them over here. Muy bonito gabacho del oro..."

Brian began to laugh. "You're so full of shit, Toretto…"

"Like hell. I told you before how much Mexicanas appreciate white boys. Un Americano mango like you is tantamount to waving a million dollars under any bitch's nose."

At last he relaxed enough to lower his knees and reveal the contrast of his untanned skin and the golden-brown strip of hair from his belly button to his pubis. Though he was soft, his circumference suggested the potential of his erection.

Getting off the lounge, Brian provided a jaw-dropping view of himself. "If we're gonna get all-overs, we've gotta tan our asses. I'll do you if you do me."

No argument. It wasn't long before Dom was luxuriating on his belly on the lounge, beneath the massage of Brian's large hands and long fingers coated with tanning lotion. When Dom could catch a glimpse of his partner, he saw a semi-erection. Ooh.

In the middle of the rub down, Dom felt the cleft of his ass teased and his entrance coated.

"Dorado--"

"They took off, man. And I fucking want you."

The chaise lounge creaked as Brian added his spindly weight to it, straddling Dom, then stabbed in. Somewhere along the line, Brian had attained full erection and there was nothing spindly about that. Despite the lotion, it still hurt. Even so, Dom was aroused, throbbing into the towel on the plastic weave of the aluminum beach lounge.

Gripping the frame, he tilted his hips up enough to give Brian access. The untried position felt different but incredible, despite the deep thrusts and jarring of his entire pelvis beneath the hot, tight body.

Furthermore, in the heat of coitus, Brian bit Dom's shoulders, neck, and ears. "Come on, baby," Brian panted. "Do it to me. Oh, yeah…oh fuck, yeah…" His bucking ground Dom into orgasm. Which set Brian's off. "Oh, God, yes, baby…do it to me…That's what I want…"

There was no guesswork involved; Dom felt each shot of ejaculate flood inside him.

~~~

MONDAY

Pinche cabron Dominic, Mia fumed, sitting on the floor by her bed with her homework. Her brother and his cop friend had taken over her computer. Tia was home, watching her granddaughters at her house, so Mia didn't even have the excuse of attending them to be somewhere else. Brian was at the keyboard. She didn't really care what they were looking for or doing. Still, she couldn't help overhear something about establishing a joint email box.

They both looked good. Like they'd been getting more sun. Brian's golden curls glowed and his radiant tan that near rivaled the natural deep shade of the locals' skin, was gorgeous. Aside from hating him worse, she was furious at Dom for hanging out with the enemy. Pinche cabron.

"Mia."

Her brother's voice once again interrupted her concentration on her textbook.

"Brian's leaving tomorrow morning."

She looked up to see that Dom was the only other one in her room, then. He was by the door which was nearly shut.

"I thought you might want to say good-bye to him for now."

Throwing her loose hair back, she tried refocusing on the page. "Yeah, well you thought wrong. He can't get the fuck out of here fast enough for me."

"Is that so?" Dom sounded amused. "I offered him to take you along."

She threw him a glare. "To start with, you have no right to offer me around like a slab of meat. And second, what the hell for, anyway? He doesn't give a shit about me and we both know it. I guess you don't give a shit about that, either, considering the way you've been acting like his butt-buddy--"

"I'm about to surprise the fuck out of you." He perched on the corner of her bed. "In the past several days, I've discovered that he does give a shit about you. In fact, he cares a hell of a lot about you. It surprised me."

Stunned, she looked at the door, then at Dom. "What? Did he tell you that? Why would you believe--?"

"What he said was, he thinks you're great, smart, cool, and absolutely gorgeous. Plus, he really admires your love of cars."

The last thing she wanted to do was raise her hopes over that Brian again. She jerked her book up between her knees to bury her nose in it. "He was just saying that shit to be polite."

"I assure you, he was being completely honest. It was because he didn't want to jerk you around that he wouldn't tell you those things. He's got a couple of girls in LA he hadn't ended it with before he came down here. Remember, he didn't know if he'd find us for sure. So not to be an asshole to them or lie and pretend to commit himself to you when he knew he had to break it off with them first, he did what he had to."

Bravely, she raised her head. "I figured as much." As always, her brother was doing the honorable thing and giving her the facts, even if they hurt.

"Yeah, but see, he's not romantically involved with those girls." Dom sunk down on the floor beside her. "So in honor and good faith, we've decided we want you to go with him."

She almost choked. "What? You're forcing him to take me with him? Because we slept together one time? I'm not having no shotgun wedding." She scrambled to get up, finished with the conversation.

"And I wouldn't make you." Dom caught her wrist to gently ensure she heard him out. "As well as I've come to know Brian, I don't doubt for a second he was good to you."

Blushing, she looked away. How many times had she fantasized over the events of that evening that wound up in the backroom of an auto parts shop? Oh, Brian had been way past good--incredible, wonderful, sweet, and caring. And God did he know how to make her feel good.

"There's a whole other reason we want you to go. First of all, neither of us want to take you out of school, so we're leaving you have the last word." Releasing her, he raised his knees and rested his arms on them. "This is gonna seem crazy… I swear to God, I don't want you to think I stabbed you in the back. Because I didn't. The thing is, it all started some time ago. Only we were torpe and didn't get it."

He frowned, looking across the room. "You know Brian and I…we clicked. I thought he was kind of an arrogant dick, but we clicked, anyway."

There was no arguing that fact.

"He's smart, clever…we got along really well. It occurred to me it could have just been an act for the job, you know? Like he put it, to get in my good graces. But he went above and beyond for us, proving it wasn't just an act. By coming back here, he proved it all over again. I care about him, Mia. And I don't mean just as a friend."

She blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…I mean we've been together. He's fucking attractive. You know I don't notice how guys look…but him, I was already crazy about in every other way."

Whoa. Feeling dizzy, she ran her hand through her hair and shut her eyes. She couldn't open them. "You? You slept with him?"

It took him a moment to answer, but when he did, his voice was quiet; he sounded like a reprimanded schoolboy. "Yeah…"

Tossing her book aside, she got up, unimpeded that time. And paced, still nervously sweeping her hand through her hair. "It's fucking hot in here." Going to the air conditioner in the window, she cranked it up to the next setting. Then stopped in front of the dressing chest to clip her hair up. "So…the thing is, you had a hard-on for him, so you kept us apart."

"No, that's not…Well, maybe…Look, I don't know. But, it's not like I just now started feeling this way. I felt it before--I just didn't get it, I told you."

"When did you first fuck him?"

At least she wasn't the only nervous one. She saw him perform the same, inherent gesture and rub his scalp, as she'd been doing, more or less. "Actually, that's a good one…Let's just say that the first time we actually did anything together was the first night he stayed here."

Standing in the line of the blast from the air conditioner, she folded her arms. "You mean nothing was going on between you two, before? Back in L.A.?"

He shook his head.

"Then technically, you didn't have sex with him until well after I did. Not only are you queer, but you have the nerve to take Brian away from me. And you know--you knew how I…" she faltered. In fact, she hadn't wanted Dom or anyone else to know how much she missed Brian.

"I didn't take him from…Shit. Maybe I did." He rubbed his eyes with one hand. "Listen, Mia, I didn't think about this before, but maybe that's why I told him when he takes you back to L.A., you two can sleep together all you want. I don't know. I've been going through a lot of crap--a lot of changes. What I know for sure is that I don't want him screwing his cuscas anymore. I want him with you. You're familia."

"And you'll get normal again. You're thinking that by putting me and Brian back together, that'll straighten you out and you won't be a homo any more."

"No." He looked to her. "I don't give a fuck about straightening out. The thing is, I trust you. I trust you implicitly. And I know how you feel about him 'cos I feel the same thing."

"Madre de dios," she cried. "I don't believe you! You mean you don't give a damn about this queer thing? You're okay with it?"

"You think I'd be saying this shit to you if it bothered me? You got no idea. I don't even know how many times I got propositioned when I was in jail. It's so commonplace in there, if you don't change your attitude about it, you'll go insane. Believe me, I did a whole lot of thinking while I was inside.

"O'Conner's everything anybody could want. If any guy could do it for a het, it would be him. You know what went down, so don't play stupid. You fucking fell in love with him. You think he wouldn't have any effect on me?"

Disturbed by her brother's astute assessment of her feelings, Mia looked away. As profoundly as Brian had affected her, she knew that Jesse had developed a great affinity for him, and Leon had quickly accepted him into the fold as a trustworthy friend. Vince's distance was only because of Mia, and Letty--well, it wasn't likely she really gave a shit about anyone. Not even Dom. "You-you mean you want to share him?"

"I can't make that decision. That's up to him."

Perhaps it was her skewed state of mind, but she suddenly recalled sharing Icees, dulces Mexicanos, the swings at the playground and park, the Etch-A-Sketch, the road race set--so many pleasant things with her big brother. He'd start out adamant--it was his and she couldn't have any. Then he'd always give in and wind up sharing with her. Was this situation any different? Had Dominic initially wanted Brian for his own, but because of circumstance, deferred to her? And what had Dom just said about Brian's feelings for her? That he cared and he thought she was great. He hadn't changed his mind about her or stopped caring for her. Over the year in which he'd not known if they'd ever see each other again, being a healthy adult male, of course he couldn't resist the females who must have chased him. He was so outrageously good-looking, it would be ridiculous to imagine he wasn't constantly pursued. Now that she thought about it, if there had really only been two women since then it showed a remarkable capacity for self-restraint.

Stepping around Dom, she took her place on the floor, against her bed again. "I want to talk to him, myself, before I make up my mind. I'm not quitting school unless it's for a good reason. A damn good reason"

"I'll get him."

~~~

Expecting to find Brian kicking back in the bedroom with the latest car magazine, Dom was surprised to find him playing in the living room with the baby girls, Gabriela and Aracelia. They had toys scattered around on the floor where Brian knelt with them, making them giggle and laugh. Obviously, this had nothing to do with working undercover; he was just charming, endearing, and cool by nature.

After Dom watched them a few seconds, Gabriela noticed her sobrino and jumped up to run to him. He swung her up into the air to greet her and noticed Brian struggle to get to his feet. To comfort Aracelia who wanted her sobrino's attention, as well, Brian lifted her and carried her to Dom. "What's up? What'd Mia say?"

While the girls were occupied in the kitchen with their abuela, Dom ushered their guest back to his room for a private word. "Mia wants to talk to you before she makes up her mind. She's waiting."

"What'd you tell her?"

"About us. That we've--you know."

"How'd she take it?"

"She freaked. At first. Once she calmed some, she wouldn't say nothing more until she talked to you."

Brian gave a quick nod in his usual self-assured manner. "'Kay." He let himself out through the patio doors in Dom's room.

~~~

With both her sobrinos still at work and their girls next door, Mia was alone in the other house. And waiting. Brian found her drinking a beer, her hair clipped up. He followed her to her room with the Corona she insisted he take. It was the only room in the house with an air conditioner; the rest of the family didn't believe in them.

After taking a good swallow, she finally went on. "All right. What's this shit about you and Dom?"

"No shit," Brian answered calmly. "I've never been into guys before, but Dom--well, he's different."

"Then you do like him."

"Yeah."

"I mean, not just as a friend, but like--you slept with him?"

"Yeah."

Her eyes swept over him critically. "You're queer now?"

"I don't know. All I know is, I got a thing about him. If I didn't have to go back, I wouldn't."

"What about me? How do you feel about me?"

"Are you kidding? I've always been attracted to you. Since I first walked into the shop. You're better than just beautiful. You're a Toretto. What can I say?"

Going to him, she slipped her arms around his waist and tentatively rested her head on his shoulder. "What about your girlfriends in LA?"

"Dom mentioned them? They're not girlfriends. There're only two and they're like--friends, I guess. I'm not going to lie and said I never slept with them, but…They're nothing compared to the way I feel about you guys."

As expected, Mia stiffened and drew back. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you going to go on seeing them when you get back to LA?"

"No. I'm gonna break it off with them soon as I get back."

"That's the idea, if I go with you. That's why he wants me to. Do you want me to go?"

"I want you to do what you want. I'll gladly take you with me, but you get the final word."

"What about this other stuff Dom said?" She took a good swallow of her drink. "This thing about sharing...Are you both serious about that?"

"Only if it's cool by you."

"It's crazy. People don't do things like that--it's not normal."

"Wasn't my idea, it was his."

"And I suppose you welcomed it."

"I'm not gonna go into the details," he equivocated. "All you need to worry about is what you wanna do. This part is about you and only you. I argued that you wouldn't and shouldn't pull out of school when you're almost done with term. Whatever you decide, I'll completely back."

~~~

TUESDAY

The vivid shades of approaching sunset glowed on the horizon when Brian arrived at the curb outside his apartment complex. After collecting his bags from the trunk of the taxi, he paid and tipped the driver well for the haul from LAX. Choosing to leave the Challenger with Dom in lieu of Mia, Brian had taken an airline ride to get home, buying himself that much more time in Mexico and saving himself a lot of fatigue.

Once through the gate, he heard music from someone's stereo on his walk to his apartment. Before he got there, he went by the covered garage to check on his babies, the Skyline and Evo. The landlord had bitched but relented another parking space when Brian laid out an extra hundred dollars for each month's rent.

The reassuring sight of the silver rear end of the Skyline and the metallic lime green Evo were overshadowed in the next heartbeat; next to them a red-orange, Toyota Supra with a wide racing spoiler was parked. The license plate read 3NTQ305.

-end-