Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

New York State of Mind	By : JetpackAngel Category: 1 through F > CSI: New York Views: 8022 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: New York, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
NOTE: This is a crossover with my Miami fiction �Keeping the Faith,� and should be read after chapter 6, �Everybody Loves You Now.� You don�t have to read �Everybody Loves You Now,� but it�s kinda entertaining and I�m proud of it. This is also not the last crossover I have planned. The final one will come near the end of both series� and yes, all good stories will come to an end, but not before I leave the lot of you in drooling puddles on the floor.

Judging by the reviews, a couple of you thought that this story was over already. No, not yet, because it�s just not finished. But let�s not dwell on that right now, shall we?

Right now, it�s time for round two of Dr. Caine�s �love therapy,� and this time he�s brought reinforcements. I promise you, this ugly little rift between Mac and Danny will come to a hot, sweaty, and very satisfying end in this chapter. Oh, and a recent review for �Keeping the Faith� caught my attention, and I realized that the reviewer is right. So, part of this chapter shall be a preview of things to come.

And see? I do listen to my feedback.

Not only is it kiss-and-make-up time, but think of it as my personal apology for having them screw women earlier, even if it�s just implied. A friend of mine told me that while watching the show, she wanted to throw eggs at the writers for giving her the image of Danny and Lindsey doing the nasty on a pool table, so� Melissa, this is for you. Enjoy.

And this song� it's Mac�s Song, in reference to his relationship with Danny. It�s so perfect, it�s uncanny.

Anybody that speaks Italian, please inform me of any glaring errors that you find later. I don�t speak it and I had to rely on Babelfish.
I should hope my Spanish is accurate. I took five years� worth of classes in it� though it�s been about three years since I was in any of those classes.

SPOILER WARNING: (well, a small-ish one, anyway) for Season 2�s �Fare Game�

This chapter�s warnings: M/M, M/M/M/M, soloM, oral, anal, exhibitionism, voyeurism, angst, a little WAFF, and Danny�s afternoon snack

This chapter�s pairings: nearly all conceivable combinations of Horatio, Speed, Danny, and Mac

Didn't I say I wasn't ready for a romance?
Didn't we promise we would only be friends?
And so we danced, though it was only a slow dance
I started breaking my promises right there and then

Billy Joel � "This Night"

Horatio, Speed, and Mac were quiet on the flight to New York. They mostly slept on the way up; they knew they�d probably need it, to replenish themselves and also to brace themselves for more of the horror that was Henry Darius. Horatio was familiar with the case, but Mac filled in the blanks completely, giving the Miami CSIs every gory detail.

Horatio�s face was tight. Speed looked sick. They�d confronted sociopaths before, but few who would casually put bullets into a small crowd of young people and then play in their blood afterward. Darius never showed remorse or squeamishness. To him, carnage was as natural as breathing. He couldn�t stop. He didn�t want to stop.

They were going to make him stop.

�Okay, what�s the plan?� Speed asked. They were standing in the airport terminal, bags over their shoulders. Speed was the only one without a gun; he was still reviewing his old cases, and after that he had to take the firearms proficiency test again. He hated guns, and one of the more prominent members of Miami-Dade�s Internal Affairs had a personal hatred for Horatio and his �best friend.�

�Tim? Can you do me a favor?� Mac asked quietly. �I was wondering if you�d go to the crime lab and start going over the trace evidence we�ve collected so far. See if anything jumps out at you.�

Speed flicked a glance at Horatio and then nodded. �Sure thing. Do I need a voucher or something?�

Mac tilted his head. �Your badge should be good enough, but I�ll make a call. I�m also going to call you a squad car for a ride. When you get in, find Adam Ross. He�ll get you started.�

Speed nodded and Mac pulled out his phone, checking in with NY dispatch. A squad card was ordered for Speed, and someone from the crime lab would come for Mac and Horatio. The two Supervisors had a destination in mind: the townhouse of the Endecott family and the possible location of Darius and his hostage, Alexa Endecott.
�Townhouse? More like slaughterhouse,� Horatio growled, surveying the walls. The coroners had a single line of body bags, six victims in all. Young kids, popping pills in their own foolish idea of fun. Any one of them could have died from their little �pharm party� anyway, but Darius had finalized the process and then apparently decided that the Endecott den had needed a new crimson paint job.

Horatio politely renewed his acquaintances with Stella and Sheldon; he hadn�t met Detective Flack the last time he�d been here, and Lindsey was new. Danny looked like hell, but a brief glimmer of hope had shone in his eyes upon spying the redhead.

Horatio stole a moment to have a quiet word with the Italian. �How are you holding up?� he murmured.

Danny sighed and looked around the blood-spattered room. �I�m here, ain�t I?� he muttered. His gaze flew to Mac of its own volition, but the Marine was focused on the case. He�d barely nodded hello to the Italian before getting to work, but that was only to be expected.

They�d catch a killer first, and then they�d see about getting through to Mac. Horatio gave Danny an encouraging look. �Hang in there,� he whispered. �We�ll talk about you and Mac soon enough.�

Horatio went with the victims back to the crime lab, where he finally located Speed buried in evidence boxes in a quiet corner of the lab. Speed�s brown eyes were heavy when his lover poked his head in the room. �I heard he hit another house,� Speed said quietly.

Horatio gave a sad nod. �Stella found a lead on the gun from the Johnson murder, so she and I are going to chase that. Have you seen Danny yet?�

�Caught a glimpse of him,� Speed nodded grimly. �He looks like shit. I haven�t said anything to him yet, though. Does he know I came with you?�

Horatio shook his head. �Not yet. I want this case solved before we begin to work on that endeavor.�

�I hear that,� Speed agreed. �Not to make light of a mass murderer, but you were right about Danny being one hot son of a bitch.�

Horatio gave a tight smile. �Makes you wonder what�s been going through Mac�s mind, doesn�t it?� He looked up, catching a brief flash of the Italian with an armload of files, headed for the elevator. Danny was quiet and withdrawn but still dedicated to his job, and Horatio sighed. �How often are you going to need this �therapy,� Mac?� he muttered to himself. He couldn�t decide if the Marine�s emotional thick-headedness was amusing or frustrating.

HOURS LATER

It had been one hell of a chase but as the sunlight started to wane over the city, Henry Darius was once again behind bars. Horatio and Mac touched bases in the break room at the crime lab. �Dinner tomorrow night?� Horatio murmured.

Mac nodded. �What are you and Tim going to do tomorrow afternoon?�

Horatio tilted his head. �See the city, relive some old memories. I did have a few good years here, after all.�

Mac gave a wry grin. �I�m going to go home and sleep. Hopefully I won�t wake up seeing all that red.�

Horatio knew the feeling. �Will Danny be with you?� he asked casually.

Mac paused, and Horatio�s look changed. The redhead straightened, adding nearly two inches to his usual slouch, and his eyes grew stern. If there was one thing Horatio hated, it was being lied to. As usual, Horatio had figured out that Mac was not seeing Danny. What Mac didn�t know was that Danny had called Miami on his own. Mac straightened as well; it was his personal life, dammit! �No,� Mac said quietly, �Danny will not be joining me.�

Horatio stepped closer. �I�ve seen him, Mac. I�m worried about him. He�s not eating enough, and by the looks of it he hasn�t slept all week.�

Mac stuffed his hands in his pockets to keep them from twitching. �He�s a grown man, Horatio. He�s been taking care of himself just fine.�

�Until now,� Horatio said in an edgy rumble. �Have you looked at him at all, this past week?�

Mac sighed. �I don�t need to be looking at him,� he said quietly.

Horatio frowned, but allowed himself to relax. �We�ll talk over dinner, Mac.� It wasn�t a request.

Horatio unlocked the door to the hotel room he would be sharing with Speed. It was rather small, but good quality, with a small �living room� area and two queen-sized beds in the bedroom. It was more like a very tiny apartment, minus a kitchen. Speed bitched at that, of course; Speed loved to cook.

The man in question was standing on the small balcony that came with their room, watching the sunset. Horatio slid his arms around his lover�s waist. �You okay?� he murmured.

Speed tilted his head back, resting it on Horatio�s shoulder. �Why wouldn�t I be?�

The redhead nuzzled Speed�s neck. �Just wondering. It�s been a while since you were this far north, hasn�t it?�

Speed sighed. �Going on a decade,� he admitted. �And right now, my parents are only 200 miles away. It almost makes me nervous.�

Horatio decided to leave that one alone. �Minus my last two trips, it�s been about the same amount of time for me.� He hooked his chin over the younger man�s shoulder and joined him in watching the lights play over the city.

Speed tilted his head against the soft copper hair. �You don�t feel like fooling around tonight, do you?�

Horatio sighed. �No, not really. It�s been a long and bloody day, and I�d just like to rest and get it all out of my system.� He pulled back, tugging Speed with him. �Coming to bed?�

Speed nodded. �Yeah. I almost wish we�d invited Danny with us, so he wouldn�t have to sleep alone again tonight.�

�Well, if everything goes as planned,� Horatio began as he moved to the bedroom and started undressing, �this will be the last night he�ll spend alone.� He paused as he unbuttoned his shirt. �You bring your laptop?�

Speed nodded. �I brought everything that I felt comfortable passing through the metal detectors at the airport.�

Horatio gave a wry smile at that. �Well, let�s get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long and busy day.�

Speed started to climb into bed, paused, and slapped his pillow. Apparently he didn�t like the way it felt, because he tossed it onto the other bed. Horatio watched calmly. �Goose down?�

Speed nodded grumpily and poked the comforter, which told the same story. �Fuck,� he growled. He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the hotel phone. �Yeah, room service? Listen, I need a change of bedding; I�m kinda allergic to goose down.�

Horatio sighed. �My fault, Speed, I forgot to mention it when I got the room.�

Speed eyed his lover, listened to the phone, and hung up. �It�s all right. Not like we do much traveling anyway.�

Horatio smiled wryly and stripped to his shorts and undershirt, climbing into the empty bed opposite Speed and earning himself an extra two pillows and a comforter in the process. Several minutes later, a maid showed up with a pile of middle-layer blankets and some wood-husk pillows. Speed made his bed and dismissed the maid. As soon as he climbed into bed, Horatio slipped out of his and dove for his lover, capturing his mouth. �Love you,� he murmured, draping himself comfortably over the younger man.

�Love ya back, H,�

NEXT DAY
Mid-afternoon, Horatio and Speed�s hotel

�Ready to get this party started?� Speed asked with a devious grin, toying with the small webcam he�d sat on the dresser and hovering over it, checking line-of-sight to make sure it was pointed at the bed with the feather-free bedding.

�Mm-hmm.� Horatio was tapping away at the laptop, registering the camera on a discreet password-protected website. He wanted the footage to be seen, but only at a specific time and by a specific person. After the night was over, he�d terminate the account. �All right, it�s registered.�

�Okay, I think I�ve got it lined up right. I�m gonna hide it; you go downstairs and make sure you can still access it on a wireless connection.�

Horatio nodded and closed the computer, stuffing it into the carry-bag and draping it over his shoulder. �I�ll call you.�

Speed nodded as Horatio gathered his things and left the room. The redhead took the elevator down to the hotel dining room and selected a booth in the corner, pulling out the laptop and connecting to the web site.

Once he�d punched in the password to access the webcam, he halted. Speed lay on his back on the bed, his shirt off, his pants unzipped, and his hand stroking his cock. Horatio swallowed and plugged in his headphones, holding them to one ear, and sure enough he could hear the slight pants and moans.

Horatio pulled out his cell phone and dialed the room. On his screen, Speed paused and reached for the phone. �Tim Speedle.�

�Speed, stop that. You�re making me hard.�

Speed sat up, looked right at the camera, and grinned. �How�s the picture?�

�Picture and sound are both perfectly clear.� Horatio saw Speed nod and return to jerking his dick. �Speed� please stop.�

Speed shook his head and lay down fully, the phone to one ear while he stroked himself. �We gotta test this thing, H. Make sure it works,� he said softly.

�It works,� Horatio growled, setting down the headphones and flicking a cautious gaze around the room before reaching under the table to adjust his pants. �Keep it up, Speed, and I�m coming back up there.�

Speed was panting quietly. �No you�re not, because you have to go meet Mac.�

And so Horatio was forced to watch with wide eyes and quickening breath as Speed�s hand slowly sped to a blur on his cock, the younger man�s eyes closed, gasping softly. Suddenly Speed groaned as he came, and although Horatio couldn�t see the white droplets spatter onto Speed�s hairy chest, it was evident where they�d landed by the way Speed ran his hand over his belly, staring straight at the camera as he sensually licked and sucked his fingers clean.

�Now who�s being cruel and unusual?� Horatio growled when Speed calmed down, and he shook his head even though he knew Speed couldn�t see it. �Really, kids these days.�

Speed gave a bark of laughter. �Hey, Pops, before you go knocking my generation, just remember that yours is the one that raised mine.�

Horatio favored the screen with a patronizing smile. �And look how well you turned out. Thirty years old, and you�re already running your own orgies.�

�And you enjoyed every minute of it.�

Horatio sighed good-naturedly. �Guilty. Now, if we can get back to business?�

Speed nodded on the camera and stuffed himself back into his pants, rising to sit on the edge of the bed and looking at the tiny hidden lens. �How do you want to do this? I mean, timing�s gonna be everything.�

�I know. And if we keep calling each other, it�ll look suspicious. We�ll have to keep a schedule, and we�ll just have to try to stick to it as best we can.�

Speed checked his watch. �Okay, it�s about four o�clock now. You�re meeting Mac at the restaurant in half an hour, so maybe take another hour tops to eat, and then you�re back at his place?�

�Mm-hmm. And I�ll be generous and say half an hour for the screwing. I know it won�t sound like much, but I think I know how to get his motor running.�

Speed filed all that away as calmly as though Horatio had been talking about a trip to the dentist�s office. �I�ll go out in a little while and get to Danny�s place, get him to have a beer. We�ll go out and talk, but we�ll kill enough time. So, six is show time?�

�Six is show time,� Horatio confirmed.

Speed sighed. �The things we do for love. Speaking of which, love ya, H.�

�Love you, Speed. Now let�s take care of business.�

THIRTY MINUTES LATER

Speed took a cab to Danny�s apartment building and followed Horatio�s directions to the right door. He knocked, and was surprised at the sudden barking from the other side. He heard Danny�s distinctive voice yell �Comin�! Shaddap, Mook!�

Speed stuffed his hands in his pockets while Danny opened the door as wide as the security chain would allow. The Italian wedged his foot in the door, and behind his ankle Speed could see a scrappy little mutt yapping excitedly. �Yo, how you doin�?� Danny asked cautiously, not recognizing the tall, dark, unshaven man standing before him.

Belatedly Speed realized that they�d never met in person. �Danny, I�m Tim Speedle.�

Danny�s eyes widened and he slammed the door, only to open it again all the way. The dog bounced out into the hall, sniffing Speed�s shoes. Speed knew that it was always a good idea to make friends with the animals and so he squatted and offered the back of his fist for the wire-haired little fuzzball to smell. Danny seemed a little embarrassed. �Mook, knock it off.�

Speed smiled. �Locard�s the same way. My Border Collie.�

Danny shrugged and bent to grab the dog�s collar, tugging him gently back into the apartment. �Well, here�s The Mook, then.�

Speed snorted as he stood; it was a perfect name. �So, what is The Mook, exactly, as far as breeds go?�

�Who knows?� Danny mumbled, picking up the squirming bundle and tucking him under one arm. �C�mon in, pal.�

Speed stepped into the apartment and glanced around. It was small and not exactly what he�d call �tidy,� but it was definitely Danny�s place. There were pictures on the walls and posters from various sports teams, though it was obvious that Danny was a die-hard Yankees fan.

Danny locked the door behind the older man and then went for a battered recliner, sinking down in it and picking up a slightly frosty beer. Speed got his first good look at the Italian, and the already-empty beer bottle next to his current one, and his heart sank. Danny was pale and haggard, with dark circles under his eyes and a sunken look to his cheekbones.

Speed laid his jacket over the arm of the couch, revealing a long-sleeve black shirt that informed the world that �I reject your reality and substitute my own.� He sat, giving a scratch to The Mook. �Nice place,� Speed said quietly. Not much of an icebreaker.

Danny�s mouth twitched in a �yeah, right.� �So what�s your excuse for bein� up here?� he asked to make conversation. Speed had thought that the Italian would be thrilled at his presence in New York, but with the look in the younger man�s crystal blue eyes� it was almost like Danny had given up hope. He�d had to sleep alone last night, after all.

Speed shrugged casually. �H came up to help Mac catch Henry Darius, and I came with him. He�s technically up here on County time but I�m using a couple of vacation days.� His sharp brown eyes caught the momentary stormcloud that crossed Danny�s features at the mention of his ex-lover�s name. Christ� he�s got it bad. I hope H has good luck getting through to Mac, because I have a feeling he�ll need it. �Hey Danny, wanna show me around the city?�

Danny blinked at him, looking almost morose. �I wasn�t plannin� on goin� out,� he said slowly.

Speed leaned forward. �Come on, Danny. Please? I haven�t been to the city in fuckin� forever.�

�When were you ever up here in New York?� Danny asked with a swig of his beer.

�Well, I was born in Syracuse. My parents still live there, matter of fact. We didn�t come down to the city much.� Speed gave a too-casual shrug. �H spent so much of his life up here. And besides, New York�s in the news all the time but I can�t remember the last time I was up here to actually see it in person.�

Danny sighed and took another long drink. �I wasn�t really feelin� like goin� out,� he repeated. �I got booze here, though. If you�re hungry, I�m sure ya can whip somethin� up.�

Speed gave a sigh of his own and shook his head as he wandered into the kitchen. Who knew, maybe Danny would snap out of it after one of Speed�s home-cooked meals. The dark Irishman began browsing through the kitchen, and then� �Jesus Christ!� he roared.

Danny leapt to his feet. �What? Whassa matter?� He headed into the kitchen, where Speed was staring in horror at a Chinese takeout box sitting on the countertop.

The Miami man looked at him. �Clean your fucking kitchen once in a while!� he snapped with wide eyes, grabbing the box and aiming so that Danny could see the contents before he moved to toss it in the garbage.

�Hey, hey, don�t throw that away!� Danny swiped the container before Speed could dispose of it. �That�s still good!�

Speed gave him an incredulous look. �Danny, there�s roaches in it!�

Danny nodded and plucked one out of the box. �Madagascar hissin� cockroaches, for your information.� He popped it in his mouth and bit down with a satisfying crunch, then held another one out to Speed.

Speed just stared at him. �Roaches. In the food. You�re telling me they�re supposed to be there?�

Danny cocked his head. �They�re leftovers from a case I worked yesterday.� When it became obvious that Speed didn�t want the wiggling, hissing six-legged offering, Danny ate it, too. �I got some deep-fried Rosehair Tarantula onna stick, if ya want it.�

Speed honestly looked like he was about to be sick. The thought of people eating live insects was bad enough� but to cook them? �You know what? Let�s go grab a beer instead. Please.�

Danny finally agreed, and the two men collected their jackets and headed back out onto the street. Speed was used to the warm humidity of Miami, and he hunched his shoulders into his jacket. Screw the fact that it was August; he was cold. Danny gave his friend a wry look before something caught his eye.

�The hell is that, eh?� Danny plucked at Speed�s sleeve. The older man glanced down, noticing the small hole near the shoulder. Danny�s careful hands picked out a small piece of the jacket�s lining. �Wood chips?�

�Shavings from a South American Kapok tree,� Speed explained. �Warmest jacket lining you can buy that�s not goose-down.�

Danny cocked his head, silently asking the question.

�I�m allergic to down. I wear something lined with it long enough, it gives me the hives.� Speed adjusted the collar of his jacket, and Danny cringed. �Which reminds me, I had to get the bedding changed in the hotel room last night because those pillows and blankets had down, too.�

Danny eyed him for a moment. �So you�re sayin� that if we need to go anywhere to lay down for a little while, maybe if we�re drunk as shit, it�d better be at your place?�

Speed struggled to contain his glee; he�d have Danny right where he wanted him, and he didn�t even have to lie to him! �Yeah. Unless you want to slather me in cortisone cream.�

�Pass.� Danny�s face was the most lighthearted that Speed had seen so far. �Your place, then.�

Didn't I swear there would be no complications?
Didn't you want someone who's seen it all before?
Now that you're here, it's not the same situation
Suddenly I don't remember the rules anymore

Billy Joel � "This Night"

�Horatio, over here!�

The redhead�s eyes roved around the restaurant, where Mac had already claimed a table and was waving to him. Horatio nodded and moved to him and Mac half-rose to shake his hand, and then eyed the laptop carry-bag over Horatio�s shoulder. �You bring that for any particular reason?�

Horatio shrugged casually. �I�ll show you later.� He rested the bag on the floor next to his feet.

The slim waiter came up to them. �I see your companion has joined you. Think you�re ready to order drinks?� he asked in a surprisingly smooth Minnesota twang.

Horatio glanced up at the young man. �I�ll have the house wine, red if you please, and my friend would like��

�I�ll order my own drink, thank you,� Mac interrupted calmly, giving the redhead a pointed look.

Horatio chuckled. �Touch�.� He held up his palms, as though to reassure the Marine that he wasn�t holding another dose of Rohypnol.

Mac ordered a water, and the waiter disappeared. He reappeared a few moments later with their drinks, and Horatio decided that he already knew what he wanted to order: sirloin steak, rare and with all the trimmings. Mac lifted an eyebrow and ordered a chicken Caesar salad.

They made small talk as they waited for their food. Mac did his best to avoid the subject that Horatio most wanted to address, and the redhead decided that he�d have to take his time. The harder he pushed, the harder Mac would push back. Horatio could wait, though. If there was one thing he was known for, it was his patience.

Finally Horatio saw his opening when Mac mentioned some of the safety guidelines for BDSM that he�d learned while in Miami. �You know what I�ve been thinking about all day?� Horatio asked idly.

�What�s that?�

Horatio eyed him calmly over the rim of his wineglass. �I was thinking about going back to your apartment and having you slam me up against the wall and fuck me standing,� he murmured as he took an innocent sip of his wine. He saw the hunger, the predatory gaze as it crossed Mac�s features, and what Speed had overheard from all the lab techs was confirmed: Mac was seeing a woman right now, and evidently Mac had realized that he preferred to sleep with men even if he wouldn�t admit it to himself. Judging from the look on Dr. Driscoll�s face when Horatio had met her earlier, she blamed Miami for Mac�s sudden disinterest in her.

Mac�s trip down to Miami and his experience at Club Deviate had only served to reawaken that hunger, to reinforce the desire for cock and ass. �How about it, Mac? Sound good to you?� Horatio asked casually.

Mac swallowed. �I think it sounds good,� he agreed in a shaky voice, shifting in his seat. He paused, and took a glance at his water. �I did order this myself, didn�t I?�

Horatio gave a wry smile. �I didn�t drug you this time, Mac. It�s all your own hormones.�

Mac gave a long-suffering sigh. �I guess you can�t argue with biology. What I want to know is, what is it about violent crime scenes that makes me want to have sex with someone? Honestly, I think it�s a little disturbing.�

�It�s not about the sex, Mac,� Horatio ventured. �It�s about being close to someone, and showing them that people can be good to each other, and be good for each other.�

Mac had to nod at that, remembering that it was the argument he�d first used to seduce Detective Flack. He smiled a little at the memory.

Horatio caught the smile. �You up for it?�

Mac looked thoughtful, and then nodded again. �Sure, why not?�

They flagged a cab that would take them to Mac�s apartment, and they were mostly silent on the ride over. There wasn�t much that Mac felt like talking about, especially in front of an audience.

Everything changed when he�d closed and locked his apartment door behind him. Horatio set the laptop down and then slid his hands around Mac�s waist, nipping at his neck.

Mac froze and let out a quiet growl, his hand still on the doorknob. �Ever hear of foreplay?�

Horatio chuckled and released him. �Speed hates foreplay. And besides, I just thought you�d want to go ahead and get started.�

Mac shook his head and turned to face the redhead, sliding off his own jacket and moving to lay it neatly over the back of the couch. He bent to untie his shoes and pair them tidily behind the couch, and Horatio followed suit.

Mac had started to unbutton his shirt when Horatio�s pale hands moved to help him out. �Jesus, Horatio, haven�t you been laid enough already today?�

Horatio gave a thin smile. �No, I don�t believe I have. Shall we take this to the other side of the couch?�

Mac sighed and nodded and they moved around the furniture, Horatio sliding off his over- and under-shirt in the process, and they sat and instantly Horatio�s hands were working on Mac�s belt. �I�ve had the urge,� Horatio began in a low tone, �all day, to have you in my mouth. Would you mind?�

Mac gave a growl of arousal and let his head fall back. �No, I don�t think so.�

�Thank you.� The slim fingers fished around in Mac�s pants and found his thick cock already half-hard, and Mac groaned as Horatio sank down onto his side and took Mac deep into his mouth. The groan trailed off as Mac lifted his head to watch the older man and he beheld something odd: a bruise on Horatio�s shoulder that looked remarkably like a human bite.

�What the hell is that?� Mac growled, startled by the sight of such a deep and obvious mark.

Horatio snorted through his arousal, coming far enough up that he could speak. �That would be Speed�s doing,� he muttered dryly before diving for Mac�s cock again. Horatio and Speed hadn�t fucked yet today�amazingly enough�but Speed had still felt the urge to do that to his lover before they set their plans in motion. It was a personal thing for Speed, to �mark his territory,� and also yet another subtle reminder to Mac that Speed and Horatio were a couple, and deeply in love, and that in their world it was okay to love another man.

Mac banished that thought and went back to enjoying the redhead�s talented mouth on his dick. Horatio had years of experience with fellatio, and by God he was good. Mac found himself licking his lips and rubbing mindless circles on the back and arm of the couch with his hands, and he was fighting to keep from thrusting into that incredibly soft warmth.

Suddenly Horatio released him. �Still want to fuck me standing, Mac?�

It took the Marine a moment to adjust to the (comparatively) cold air hitting his dick, and he nodded. They climbed to their collective feet and Mac yanked his undershirt over his head and dropped his pants while Horatio climbed out of his own pants and fished around in the pockets for lube and condoms. He squirted some lube onto his fingers and then tossed the bottle and a condom to Mac, and Mac watched with dark and heavy eyes as he prepared himself, and he watched Horatio press his pale freckled back against the wall and reach behind himself to prep his own entrance.

Mac gave a lustful growl and dropped the bottle on the couch, stalking over to the redhead and suddenly grabbing one wrist and pinning it to the wall, his other hand aiming his thick cock toward the older man�s entrance. Horatio tilted his head back as Mac sank the head inside and then grabbed his other wrist, thrusting his hips forward until the redhead was pressed firmly against the wallpaper.

Horatio was two inches taller than Mac and he used it to his advantage, spreading his legs and tilting his hips toward the younger man for a better angle, and in very little time Mac was gripping his wrists hard and trying to nail him through the wall. Horatio groaned and gritted his teeth at the amount of force Mac was using, and was again thoroughly glad that he�d stretched and lubed before going to dinner. Mac rested his forehead against the wall as he hunched into Horatio�s slim frame, the Marine bucking his hips and pounding into the tight heat. Horatio made a low growling noise in his throat and managed to raise one leg enough to wrap it around one side of Mac�s waist, granting him deeper access to his insides. Mac gave an animal snarl and fucked him harder, pounding up into him.

Honestly Horatio wasn�t sure how much he could take, with Mac slamming into him as though he hadn�t had sex in weeks. Horatio closed his eyes and concentrated on the massive cock that pistoned in and out of him, squeezing the Marine at odd times and being rewarded with another snarl.

�You like that, Mac?� Horatio growled into the ear next to his mouth, and Mac�s hands squeezed his wrists tighter. Horatio frowned; either Mac was far too deep inside himself or the Marine had quietly asked him to shut up, and that wasn�t happening. �Is it good for you, Mac? To fuck me?�

Mac growled and reared his head back, only to open his mouth wide and tilt his head and take Horatio�s windpipe into his mouth. Horatio fought back the sudden thrill of fear that shot down his spine at the feeling of teeth surrounding his esophagus; if Mac lost control of himself, if he gave in to his animal lust, he could easily tear the redhead�s throat out. Horatio denied the sudden urge to swallow. He had to remain in control of this. �That�s it, Mac, fuck me hard,� Horatio rumbled. The trick was to go along with it, to make it seem like it was Horatio�s idea all along. �Harder, Mac. Give me everything you�ve got.�

Mac�s jaw twitched and he snarled, and Horatio groaned again as Mac thrust into him over and over and over again, sweat pouring from the Marine�s frame. �Fuck me, Mac,� Horatio grunted as Mac�s angle changed slightly, and Horatio couldn�t fight back the moan as Mac began nudging his prostate with every stroke. �Oh, Mac, fuck me,� Horatio growled. �Fuck me harder, Mac. I want you to come.�

Mac growled into Horatio�s neck as his thrusts somehow became even more forceful. �Good, Mac, come for me. Come!�

Mac gave a strangled roar as he came, slamming into Horatio with such force that the redhead nearly felt himself lifted off the ground. He squeezed Mac hard and he could feel the incredible girth of the Marine�s length throbbing and pulsating within him, shooting his seed into his Latex sheath, Mac�s shoulders trembling and sweating. Mac�s jaws released him and his chest heaved as he finally pulled out, making both men gasp, and as one they stood there with shaking legs and heaving chests.

Horatio�s legs shuddered dangerously; the price he paid for being fucked so hard, harder than his body had been ready for. He had a choice to make and a mere few seconds to make it in: he could collapse there and then, or he could order Mac to help him stagger over to the couch. Neither of them would help Horatio maintain his fragile control.

To his surprise, Mac released his wrists and grasped his waist, slinging one of the redhead�s arms across his sweating shoulders. �Sorry,� Mac growled softly.

Horatio decided to let Mac help him of his own will, and the redhead waited until the Marine lowered him carefully to the couch before replying. �No worries,� he panted. �Catch your breath, Mac, and then you�re going to finish me off.�

Mac cocked his head, knowing an order when he heard one. Horatio was looking at him with that tired, yet stern look, his skewed copper hair seeming to give him even more of an air of control. Still, Mac had to ask. �Is that an order?�

Horatio gazed levelly at him, breathing hard through his nose. �Yes, it is. I let you have me, and now you�re going to let me have you.�

Mac wanted to protest, to assert dominance, and then he suddenly decided Oh, to hell with it. �Fine.� It wouldn�t be the first time Horatio had fucked him. Mac stood there with his hands on his hips, catching his breath. �How do you want it?� he almost grumbled.

Horatio braced his arms on the couch, flexed his leg muscles experimentally, and then stood. �Hold on to the armrest,� he ordered quietly, gesturing to the arm of the couch.

So much for Mac�s dominance. �You want me to bend over?� he grunted. On the inside, he was still quietly pissed about Horatio and Speed�s constant nagging about Danny. And now Horatio wanted him to just bend over and take it?

Horatio nodded and went for the lube and condoms, sheathing his still-hard erection and capturing a large amount of the lubricant on two fingers. �I do. I want you just like that.�

Mac sighed and bent slightly to grasp the arm of the couch with both hands, and behind him he felt the cool, slick fingers find his entrance. He hadn�t bottomed to anybody since the redhead�s last visit and that night had been his first time in years, and so he wasn�t used to having someone else top him. Still, he remembered that he had rather enjoyed it last time.

He felt one finger breach him, then a second one not long after that, stretching and lubing him. He bit his lip to keep from groaning; he didn�t want to give Horatio the satisfaction. A third finger joined the other two as Horatio prepared him with a steady and experienced hand. Then the fingers disappeared as Horatio slicked up his own length and poised himself. �Ready?� the older man murmured.

Mac restrained a sigh and simply nodded, and Horatio grasped his hips. Rather than push into Mac, though, he pulled the Marine back onto him, and to Mac�s utter shock he found that he didn�t mind quite so much after all. Especially not when Horatio buried himself completely and gave a soft growl of approval. �Remind me to do you more often,� the redhead rumbled. �Speed is tight, but then again he does Kegel exercises. You, on the other hand�� and his voice trailed off as his hands pushed Mac away from him and then impaled him again, and Mac was chewing on his own lip before he realized it.

He thought about what Horatio had said back in Miami, how sometimes it was nice to just let someone else have control for a while. Mac sighed and gave up, pushing back against the redhead. Horatio gave a surprised grunt and thrust harder, and soon the two were slamming against each other with nearly everything they had.

Mac groaned suddenly as Horatio shifted his angle to hit his prostate, and Horatio gave a growling chuckle. �Speed calls this the �organ-grinder position.��

Mac snorted. He found himself getting hard again and he wanted to stroke himself but his arms were occupied. Horatio noticed and changed his angle again; he didn�t want Mac coming again so soon. He needed the Marine to stay frustrated for a little while. Mac gripped the couch and bucked back into the redhead�s steady thrusts, and in short order Horatio clenched his hands around Mac�s hips and growled and came, his legs shaking again as he buried himself in that incredible tightness.

He panted as he hovered over Mac�s back, and the Marine swallowed. �You okay?� he asked finally, feeling the older man trembling again.

Horatio gave a snort that came out as more of a wheeze as he staggered backward and free of his conquest. �I don�t do this standing up very often.�

Mac surprised himself with a chuckle as he straightened and turned to again help the redhead get safely to the couch. He was still hard but it didn�t look like Horatio was going to be active again any time soon, and he sighed and located his shorts. He held onto them and took the messy condom that Horatio held out to him with a wry face, headed for the bathroom to throw it away and to clean himself up a little.

While he was gone, Horatio slipped his pants and boxers back on again and then busied himself with setting up the laptop. He checked his watch.

It was almost Show Time.

This night is mine
It's only you and I
Tomorrow is a long time away
This night can last forever

Billy Joel � "This Night"

�Ya know, I like your eyes,� Speed said softly, and Danny blinked. They were sitting near the back in a dimly lit sports bar, Danny working on a second beer and Speed casually nursing a Bavarian Lager. Speed liked to drink but he didn�t have that much of a tolerance, and he needed to keep a clear head tonight.

��thanks, I guess,� the Italian mumbled slowly, obviously not used to that kind of thing.

�Don�t be embarrassed. I�ve kinda got a thing for blue-eyed guys.� Speed gave him a smile that was almost shy. �I swear, I just get lost staring at H�s eyes. His are more of a sapphire, but yours� crystal.�

Danny�s eyebrows lifted. The last person to tell him that he had pretty eyes was his mother. �Crystal, eh?�

Speed nodded firmly. �Crystal.�

The blond lifted an eyebrow. �And this is a good thing?�

�Danny, I just said that I like your eyes. It�s a compliment. Deal with it.�

Danny took a long swig of his beer, giving his drinking buddy a sideways look. �You�re flirtin� with me, ain�t ya?�

Speed gave a dark grin. �You bet your ass I am.� He let his eyes rove down the slim figure. �You bet your fine, fine ass.�

In the dim bar light, Speed could see Danny�s ears starting to flush. Speed knew that he would end this night with Danny in his hotel bed, and he was already looking forward to it. Danny was starved for affection, and underneath his scruffy and cynical nature Speed was a hopeless romantic. Well, Horatio was, too, but the redhead�s methods tended more toward demeanor and gestures, gifts and expensive dinners. Speed preferred to feed them home-cooked food, get �em drunk, and flirt shamelessly until they caved.

Casually Speed checked his watch. He�d been forced to suffer through over an hour of watching baseball on the bar�s TV�and listen to Danny rant and rave the entire time�and now it was getting pretty close to Show Time.

Speed got up. �C�mon, Danny, I want to go.�

Danny outright whined at him, jabbing a finger at the TV. �Game�s still on!� he protested.

Speed sighed and tugged at his sleeve. �Come on, you can watch the highlights later. I want to see more of the city.�

Danny bitched and moaned and was finally led out of the bar. Speed shivered into his jacket; it felt like it�d dropped ten degrees, but that was probably because he�d been sitting under a low-hanging lamp and drinking and watching hot-blooded Danny get excited about the baseball game. And when Danny got excited, he tended to flush and sweat and leave Speed with a pretty good preview of what the Italian would look like naked and tangled in the bedsheets.

Speed was forced to bring up a painful subject as they walked. �I can�t help but wonder what�s been going through Mac�s head.�

Danny blinked. �Whaddaya mean?�

Speed steeled himself for his next words: �Well, I think he�s an idiot.�

Danny halted in the middle of the sidewalk, staring hard at him. �Why ya say that?� he growled.

Speed stopped as well, and gave a one-shoulder shrug. �Well, because apparently he doesn�t do much thinking outside of the crime lab. I mean, what the hell crawled up his ass and died? You�re great, Danny, and I�ve only known you in person for less than three hours.�

Danny sighed and stared at the ground as he started walking again. �I don�t know, Tim, honestly, I� I don�t like ta say it, but I wish he�d get his head outta his ass. Or outta Claire�s ass, more like.�

�Well, they don�t call �em jarheads for nothing,� Speed said drolly, deliberately baiting the Italian. �Nothing in their heads but what the government puts in there.�

Danny took the bait. �Mac�s the smartest guy I know!� he snapped, defending his lover�s honor. Ex-lover. �He�s just��

�Blind?�

Danny gave a bitter laugh. �Yeah. Blind as a fuckin� bat.�

�I don�t know why he doesn�t see how hot you are, at least.� Speed let his eyes sweep over the Italian again. �If it was me, you�d have to shoot me to keep me from grabbing your ass every time I laid eyes on you.�

Danny snorted. �Mac wouldn�t do that even if we was still together.�

�Not much of a �public display of affection� type of guy, is he?�

This time Danny gave a raucous hmph. �Mac�s so far back in the closet, he�s diggin� out Christmas presents,� he growled.

They fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence as they kept walking, Speed wondering silently if he�d just blown everything. This had to work. He checked his watch again; he was going to be cutting it pretty close. He had to get Danny horny now, so he did the only thing he could think of and whipped his arms out to grab Danny�s lapels and yank the startled Italian toward him, planting their lips together and hoping for the best.

Danny froze for a long minute, and like a spring thaw he gradually warmed to the touch and even began pressing back against him, running hesitant-turned-eager hands up and down Speed�s back.

Finally they broke apart for air. �What the hell was that?� Danny gasped in wonder.

Speed shrugged a shoulder. �I decided to cut to the chase,� he panted. �Want more?�

�You bet your ass.� Danny latched onto him again, kissing him eagerly, almost desperately, and Speed found himself getting hard. Danny was one hot Italian man, and Speed was an exhibitionist, and the thought popped into his head about what this would look like if a cop decided to drive by.

And suddenly Speed pulled back. �We can�t do this here,� he puffed. �It�s kinda against the law.�

Danny nodded and huddled against his new friend, ostensibly for warmth but really to stick one hand in Speed�s pocket and run a taunting finger along his stiffening cock. �Your place?�

�My place.� Speed put his fingers in his mouth and whistled and then waved his arms, and like magic a taxi pulled to the curb next to him. �Shame that only happens to me when I�m on vacation,� he muttered, and Danny snickered and grabbed his ass.

The cabby�s eyebrows climbed to the ceiling as Danny squeezed in, then Speed next to him. Danny immediately latched onto his neck. Speed gave a throaty chuckle and gave the address, and added, �There�s an extra twenty bucks for you if you keep quiet on the ride over.� The driver nodded and remained silent the whole trip, but he was clearly unhappy at the sight of the two men making out like teenagers in his backseat.

The cabby made the trip in what felt to Speed to be record time, eager to get the men out of his car. Chuckling at the man�s misery, Speed gave him an extra $10 on top of his $20. �For making good time,� he explained. The cabby gave a humorless smile, took the money, and peeled away from the curb.

Speed paid utterly no attention to the looks (and remarks) he was getting in the hotel lobby as he and Danny waited for the elevator. All he cared about was how perfectly Danny�s ass fit in his hands, and that Danny had good taste in alcohol as evidenced by the particles Speed was sucking from his tongue. For his part, Danny seemed to be hanging on for dear life as Speed manhandled him.

The elevator doors finally dinged open, and all the people waiting for the elevator decided to let the �happy couple� have it to themselves. Speed backed into the little chamber with Danny still firmly attached and flicked a glance at the various faces over Danny�s shoulder as he let go of the taut ass long enough to slap his floor number and then �Close Door.� The minute the doors came together, Speed pulled back for air and started howling with laughter.

�What�s so funny?� Danny demanded.

It took Speed a moment to reply. �Did you see their faces?�

Danny froze. �There were people watchin� us?�

�Don�t let it bother you, Danny,� Speed said quickly. �Look at your watch. We made that trip in record time and got the next elevator all to ourselves, just because we were making out.� He relaxed against the corner of the elevator and grinned shamelessly. �Sometimes it�s great to be gay.�

Danny couldn�t help it; he burst out laughing as well. �You�re good, ya know it? I don�t even remember the last� however many minutes it was.�

Speed blinked. �You don�t?�

�Nope.� Danny moved forward slowly, seductively. �Nothin� but this.� And he leaned forward and captured Speed�s mouth again.

Speed barely noticed when the doors dinged open, but he definitely noticed the feminine throat clearing. He broke apart and the two glanced at the woman in the business suit who was standing there tapping her foot. Speed glanced at the level indicator and saw that this was his floor after all, and grabbed Danny�s hand and tugged him along the hallway toward his room.

When Mac came out of the bathroom, Horatio was standing over Mac�s desk and booting up the laptop. Horatio glanced over and saw the curious look on his face. �Sit down, Mac,� he said politely, indicating the chair in front of the desk and leaning over to tap on the keyboard and establish the wireless connection. �I have something I want you to see.�

Mac gave him a suspicious look as he sat. �What is it?�

�You�ll see,� was all Horatio said as he leaned over Mac to logon to the camera�s site and punch in the password. He straightened and looked at Mac, whose face became frozen in shock, then fury, and then anguish.

Mac couldn�t tear his eyes from the screen. �Why are you showing me this?� he whispered.

�Because you need to see it,� Horatio told him, using his commanding Master�s tone as he plugged in the speakers. �Watch, Mac. Everything will be explained.�

I've been around, someone like me should know better
Falling in love would be the worst thing I could do
Didn't I say I needed time to forget her?
Aren't you running from someone who's not over you?

Billy Joel � "This Night"

�Fuck, you�re hot, Danny,� Speed moaned into the Italian�s mouth.

Danny just moaned back and started grinding his hips into Speed�s crotch, or as much as he was able to considering that Speed had Danny�s back pinned up against the wall. Speed had made it back into the hotel room just in time, and was now making a point to ravish the Italian in full view of the camera.

Mac was going to realize how much he wanted Danny back, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Speed dug around in his pants pocket, finally pulling out a small bottle of lube and a few condoms. He tossed all but one of the foil squares on the nightstand, then yanked Danny down onto the bed on top of him, running his lips along the younger man�s throat and jaw.

�You always keep that in your pocket?� Danny asked, then was cut off as Speed began looking for his tonsils.

Speed gave an affirmative grunt as he mapped the inside of Danny�s mouth with his tongue, finally pulling back for air. �Only when I think I�m gonna get some of the hottest ass in New York,� he panted, diving back in for another �look.�

Danny moaned as he felt Speed�s hands all over him, helping the Italian to slide off his jacket and then his shirt. He arched his back and made a mewling noise as Speed�s fingers found his nipples, pinching and teasing them gently, the older man grinding up into Danny�s crotch. It took a while for Danny to come to his senses, and then only to sit up and gasp for oxygen and slide his hands under the hem of Speed�s shirt, pulling the fabric up. He dove down, latching onto one of Speed�s nipples amidst the dark forest of curls on the Miami man�s chest, laving at the little pebble with his tongue, and Speed growled and threaded his fingers through Danny�s dirty-blonde hair.

�Danny?� Speed rumbled.

�Huh?� Danny moved to the other nipple, sucking on it gently, and Speed�s hips bucked.

�Danny, get your goddamn pants off, now.�

Danny shivered and rolled off Speed, both men fumbling with their belts and flies, shoving the denim down and kicking the fabric off the bed, and Danny found himself yanked back onto Speed. The Italian�s mind was awash with pure pleasure as Speed ran his hands over his slim body, finding all his buttons and pressing them with mad abandon. The feel of those hands roughly caressing his naked flesh, the heat rising from both of them, the definite erection nestled between Danny�s ass cheeks that Danny felt every time he slid back, all made the Italian shudder and moan and lift up and back enough to sit down on top of Speed�s dick, grinding the flesh against his perineum.

Speed growled again and clutched at Danny�s shoulders, pulling the younger man down far enough to nip along the Italian�s collarbone. �I have to fuck you,� Speed panted.

�Oh, God,� Danny moaned, grinding Speed harder as the older man�s hand slapped around on the bed, searching for the lube and finally finding it, and handing it to Danny while Speed located the condom and tore it open with his teeth. Danny squirted a fair amount of the lube on his hand and rose up enough to find his own clenched, needy pucker, wasting no time in pushing a finger into himself, slicking up the hole.

Speed watched with glassy eyes as Danny fucked himself onto his second finger, twisting and scissoring and coating the tight ring of muscle with lube. A third finger was added, and Speed had to grab rough hold of his own cock and squeeze tightly at the base, trying to avoid coming at the sight. �Jesus, Danny, hurry up.�

Danny took the condom, reaching underneath himself to roll it onto Speed�s eager length, then slicked it up. He positioned himself carefully, Speed aiming, and both men gave identical, shuddering groans as Danny slid slowly down, Speed�s erection slipping easily into that incredible tight heat.

�Fucking Christ, Danny,� Speed growled once the younger man was sitting on his lap, Speed�s broad hands grasping hold of the firm, taut ass. �Move, please move.�

Danny moaned and ran his fingers through the tangle of hair on Speed�s chest, coming to rest on the older man�s pectorals as he rose up until he was almost free of Speed�s cock and then slammed back down hard, earning him a sharp intake of breath from the dark Irishman�s mouth. Speed licked his palm and wrapped it around Danny�s length, holding his hand steady and letting every lift and fall of the Italian�s hips stroke Danny�s cock into his hand, and Danny moaned long and low, bouncing over Speed�s hips, taking every inch of Speed that he could.

Speed chewed on his own lower lip; Danny was so tight, so hot, so eager for his cock, and Speed�s free hand moved up Danny�s hairless stomach to his lightly furred pectorals, teasing first one nipple and then the other as Danny rode him hard, fast, the Italian�s head thrown back and senseless curses spilling from his mouth.

�God, Tim, I� I��

�Oh, fuck, let me taste you!� Speed pleaded, urging Danny off him. Danny could only comply, eyes wide with lust and with a little confusion, before Speed flipped him onto his back and took Danny down his throat, milking his prostate with two fingers, and Danny arched his back and screamed in pure, mindless pleasure as he came, Speed gulping every single cell of Danny�s come as the younger man writhed and howled.

Finally Speed drew back, licking his lips as he crawled up Danny�s body to kiss him hard, sharing the taste of Danny�s come even as Speed�s cock found the Italian�s ass again, and he plunged in with a single slow thrust. Danny moaned and kissed him wholeheartedly, their tongues dueling as Speed sped up, greedily seeking his own friction, and it was with a sudden shout that Speed reared his head back and came, pressing hard into that sweet, tight darkness one last time.

Speed pulled out regretfully, pausing to peel off his condom and toss it in the general direction of a trash can before he flopped bonelessly on the bed next to Danny. The Italian turned to wrap his arms around the older man, but to his immense surprise Speed moved first, cuddling close to Danny and running appreciative lips over his chest and neck and jaw and cheek and finally his mouth. �Fuck, Danny, that was great,� Speed murmured, pulling the younger man close to him, and it was with something almost like a moan that Danny clung tight to Speed�s darkly-haired chest, laying his head down on Speed�s ribs and twining their legs together.

Danny had never known pleasure like this, to be so appreciated, and to have a sexual partner so concerned about Danny�s pleasure rather than their own. And to have someone else pull him into a post-coital snuggle was the icing on the cake.

�That had to be the best sex I�ve ever had,� Danny mumbled.

Speed craned his neck to look down at him. �Oh, come on, I�m sure you�ve had better sex than that,� he protested, rephrasing the comment for the microphone�s benefit.

�Well�� Danny thought a moment. �Maybe that one time, when it was me and H and� and Mac.�

Speed snorted and hugged the younger man tightly. �That�s a pile I would love to get in the middle of. Or the bottom.�

Horatio bit his lip to keep silent as he watched the Marine�s tight face. Mac hadn�t moved a muscle since he�d first started watching the camera, and his dick was definitely hard again, but his hands were clenched on the arms of the chair with the knuckles almost white. Was he angry with Danny, for sleeping with Speed? Angry with Speed for giving Danny the praise and affection that Mac never had? Or angry with Horatio for setting up the whole thing?

�Did you catch that, Mac?� Horatio asked calmly. �He said your name when he came. It�s been over a week since you broke up with him, and Danny is still calling your name.�

Mac�s hands trembled as he gripped the arms of the chair, his intense gaze still locked onto the sight of Danny being cuddled by Speed. His mind was at war with itself; half of him wanted to march over there and yank Danny away from Speed and fuck him into the mattress, and the other half whispered �just let him go, he�s not yours anymore.�

�He is yours,� Horatio insisted, and Mac realized that he must have spoken aloud. �Mac, isn�t it obvious that you still have Danny�s heart?�

Mac couldn�t stop staring at his ex-lover. �He can�t love me. He doesn�t need to be with me. I�ll just end up hurting him again.�

Horatio was surprised at that little admission of guilt, but he kept his control. �You might be surprised.�

�I can�t forget about �im!� Danny growled suddenly, and Speed�s head popped up again.

�Who, Mac?�

�Yeah.� Danny clutched the older man more tightly. �I miss him so fuckin� bad, Tim. I� I can�t sleep unless there�s somebody else there, ya know that? I can�t sleep anymore.�

Speed sighed and stroked the dirty-blond hair. �Does it help to remember him sleeping next to you?�

Danny shook his head.

�Well, I wish there was something I could do to help you forget him.�

Something clicked in Danny�s mind, and he sat up. �Why? Why do you want me to forget �im?�

Speed looked at him calmly. �Because remembering him hurts you too bad.�

�I work with the guy!� Danny growled, swinging his legs to sit on the edge of the bed. �I see him every day, and I just� I don�t know! It hurts too much to remember bein� so close to �im, ya know?�

�Then forget about him.�

Danny looked at Speed as though he was slightly insane, and abruptly the Italian leapt to his feet. He�d had it, had it! with Mac�s insensitivity and Speed�s vaguely conflicting answers. �Forget about �im, don�t forget about �im, make up your goddamn mind!� Danny was livid, fists clenched as he stared down at the dark-haired man.

Speed was completely calm as he raised up to sit on the edge of the bed. �I�m just trying to help.� He stared back at Danny�s wild blue eyes, his calm seeming to seep into the younger man, and slowly Danny�s fists started to unclench. �I�m just trying to help you figure out what you want.�

Danny swallowed. �You know what I want?�

�What?� Speed�s voice was soft, understanding.

Suddenly Danny turned and sat heavily on the bed, burying his face into Speed�s shoulder. Speed was ready for him, had seen it coming, and wrapped arms around the Italian. �What do you want, Danny?� Speed insisted as the younger man�s shoulders shook.

�I want Mac back!� Danny howled, his grip on Speed�s arms almost painful. �Just once, I wanna��

�I�m listening, Danny.�

Danny�s breathing started to ease, his sobs diminishing. �Just once, I wanna tell �im that I love �im, the way you and H do.�

Speed said nothing; he merely cradled Danny�s head against his shoulder as the Italian burst into fresh tears. One hand stroked the back of Danny�s soft blond hair as Speed raised his eyes to lock onto the camera, a protective anger darkening his gaze.

Mac knew that Speed was looking straight at him.

How many nights have I been lonely without you?
I tell myself how much I really don't care
How many nights have I been thinking about you?
Wanting to hold you but knowing you would not be there

Billy Joel � "This Night"

�He knows the camera�s there?� Mac asked.

Horatio nodded. �He helped me set it up.�

�Why?� the Marine repeated for the umpteenth time.

�Because you needed to see it,� Horatio repeated for just as many times. �You needed to see what you�ve been doing to him, and you needed to come to grips with just how much he cares about you. And how you care about him.�

Mac�s brows furrowed as he finally was able to tear his gaze from the screen. �What makes you think I care about him like that?�

Horatio went deathly still, his sapphire eyes beginning to smolder with their own icy heat, his lips curling with the beginnings of a snarl. �Don�t lie to me, Mac. Don�t ever lie to me. You may lie to yourself all you like, but do not ever lie to me, especially about something like this.�

�I�m not lying to you, or to myself,� Mac snarled back, the muscles in his bull neck starting to stiffen. Horatio had just called him a liar?

�Of course you are,� Horatio growled, straightening to his full height�something he only did with people that made him really and truly angry. Still sitting in the chair, Mac�s hands had started to clench again, the veins standing out on his forehead. Between them the air itself seemed to vibrate with barely-contained violence.

Had Speed and Danny been present, they would have been diving for cover.

Horatio made a visible effort to unclench his fists. �I love Speed,� he declared quietly. �If Florida would recognize the union, I would actually marry him. Some people would cheer us on, and other people would hate us. That�s the price we pay. Think, Mac, you didn�t become a criminalist to make friends, so why should dating be any different?�

�Because it�s�� Mac suddenly found himself unable to think of a good reason, and that only made him angrier.

Horatio went on. �Because he�s male? Maybe that�s just the way you both are, Mac. I prefer men, and Speed is gay. Bisexual people like you and I, Mac, we don�t exclude half the population from sex so why should they be excluded from love as well?�

Horatio�s words made sense, made so much sense, and Mac wanted to agree with him but there was still the matter of his wife. �I can�t be with him,� Mac insisted. �What about Claire?�

Horatio cocked his head. �What about her? She�s dead.� At Mac�s sudden twitch, the redhead stood straighter. �What disservice are you doing her? Are you going to stay celibate and miserable for the rest of your life, to honor her memory?� Horatio�s tone mocked the Marine. �She wouldn�t want that, Mac, and you know it.�

�You don�t even know her!� Mac was on his feet in one smooth, frighteningly fluid movement, his entire body clenched in anger. �I love her, goddamn you!�

�You loved her,� the older man corrected quietly, and his sudden passiveness managed to break through the Marine�s blind rage. �She�s gone, Mac,� Horatio reminded him gently. �She has been for how long now? How many years, Mac? I won�t doubt that you were deeply in love with her, but don�t you think it�s time you said goodbye?�

Mac�s hands trembled, though from rage or sorrow Horatio couldn�t tell.

The redhead pressed on. �Speed has a theory about death. He says that if you try too hard to hold on to someone that�s gone, all you�re doing is keeping them anchored to this world by your own regrets. Don�t make her suffer anymore by watching you, Mac. Move on. Let her move on.�

Mac�s eyes closed briefly, and then he looked at the laptop. Speed had coaxed Danny to lay back down with him and simply be held, and the sight of someone else holding Danny made Mac�s eyes close again.

There was a hollow look to his face when he finally gazed back at the redhead, and his shoulders slumped. All the anger had gone out of him, to be replaced with a sort of whipped guilt that looked distinctly out of place on the Marine. �Horatio,� Mac started quietly, �What do I do?�

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

Speed and Danny had moved to the couch in the main area of the hotel room. They both had put their jeans back on and Danny had put on his shirt as well, and the Italian was nursing yet another beer as he was trying to explain to Speed why baseball was so great.

Speed just didn�t see what all the fuss was about, but he regarded the younger man with amusement anyway. And then there was a knock on the door.

�Coming!� Speed called as he hopped up from the couch.

Danny blinked at him. �You order pizza or somethin�?�

�Nope.� Speed looked through the peephole, stood back, and flung open the door. In seconds Horatio was in his arms, kissing him madly.

Danny�s jaw hit the floor, his eyes locked onto the couple. Suddenly Horatio pulled back and gasped for air. �Hey, Speed,� he wheezed.

�Hey, H,� Speed growled, locking his mouth onto the side of Horatio�s neck, trying to work his tongue beneath the redhead�s collar. Horatio�s fingers threaded through the dark disheveled hair, pressing his lover harder into his neck, then just as suddenly urged him to draw back.

One arm around Speed�s waist, Horatio turned and beckoned into the hall. �Come on in,� he urged whoever was standing there. Danny wondered who it was, but then the Italian froze as he heard an achingly familiar voice that answered that question.

�I don�t want to interrupt anything,� Mac told the redhead wryly.

Horatio frowned, and Speed walked around him to grab hold of Mac�s lapels and drag him into the room. Mac wasn�t one to be dragged, but he went along with it anyway. �Get in here,� Speed growled. �I can�t fuck him while you�re holding the door open.�

Mac chuckled and entered the room, and Speed released him and fell into Horatio again. The Marine sighed and shook his head, closing the door behind him. �Lock it,� Horatio grunted out of the corner of his mouth as Speed�s hands wove through his hair. Mac simply looked at the pair for a moment before he turned and locked the knob, threw the deadbolt, and put the security chain into place. Then he turned, and he saw Danny.

Danny was staring at him, paralyzed, a look of helpless fear and longing on his face. Mac instantly hated himself, knowing full well that he had been the one to put that look on that face.

�I�ve been a real bastard, haven�t I?� Mac murmured, staring at the Italian.

�Yes, you have,� Speed growled as he slid his hands under Horatio�s jacket to peel it off. He started to say something else but then Horatio captured his lover�s tongue and sucked hard on it, and Speed gave an aroused groan and renewed his efforts to strip the redhead of any and all clothing.

Danny saw the pair coming his way and hopped up, getting out of the way as Horatio and Speed staggered backward to the couch, their hands all over each other, lips trying to devour each other�s tongue, shedding clothing all along the way. Mac and Danny could only stare, eyes wide and pants tight, as the two Miami lovers finally found the couch and Speed almost casually tossed Horatio down onto his back before swiftly covering the redhead with his own body.

Speed still had his pants on, and Horatio had only managed to lose his shoes, over-shirt, and jacket, but that seemed to make no difference to the pair as they kissed urgently, desperately, Horatio�s hands running up and down Speed�s back even as the younger man seemed intent on swallowing the redhead�s tongue.

Speed growled something that Mac couldn�t hear as the dark-headed Irishman locked his lips onto the side of Horatio�s neck even as his broad hands worked roughly at Horatio�s clothing, stripping him at a desperate pace. Speed yanked Horatio�s undershirt up the slim chest as far as he could, descending on a nipple without so much as a blink, and Horatio threaded his fingers through his lover�s hair and groaned.

Danny blinked at the couple. �That�s hot,� he said quietly, casually massaging the front of his pants.

Mac nodded. Having Danny nearby seemed so� familiar, and the little show that Horatio and Speedle were putting on was doing nothing to calm Mac�s libido. He wanted nothing more than to fling Danny down and fuck him like Speed was apparently preparing to do to Horatio, but he shouldn�t, he really shouldn�t, because�

�Mac?� Danny�s voice pulled the Marine out of his lust-distracted contemplation, and he turned to see that the Italian�s eyes had darkened considerably, his jeans looking painfully tight in the front. �Can I talk to you?�

I have to make things right, Mac told himself. Horatio is right, I have to let Claire go� but I�m going to need Danny�s help to do it. Mac nodded and allowed the Italian to lead him back to the bedroom. Danny�s sharp eyes noted that the bottle of lube and pile of condoms that Speed had produced earlier had migrated onto the other bed, the one without the special bedding, but he didn�t say anything.

They stood several feet away from each other, as though they were both desperate to throw themselves at each other but were afraid of the consequences. Drawn to the fire but still so afraid of getting burned. Finally Mac sighed. �Hey.�

�Hey.�

They eyed each other, and then suddenly they were both trying to talk at once. They paused and shook their heads and gave humorless smiles. �You first, Mac.�

Mac sighed and paced the room, and Danny stepped back to give him space. �About all those things I said� I don�t know, Danny, it�s like I just can�t let her go. I want to, but at the same time I know that if I do, I�ll� I�ll lose something. I�ll lose a piece of myself.�

Danny took a breath; Speed had told him that if he ever got a chance to talk to Mac like this again, he should tell it straight and stop trying to be delicate. In Speed�s words, �There�s a time for tact and a time for sledgehammers. Figure out which one will get you through his thick head the fastest.�

Danny made himself look at the Marine. �Ya lost that part a long time ago, Mac. You just ain�t wantin� ta admit it.�

�I know,� Mac said with a heavy sigh. �I just� I want her back so bad, Danny, you know?�

�Yeah, you want her back like I want you back. Difference between me an� her is that she ain�t comin� back, and I�m standin� right here. Ya act like you�re waitin� for her.�

Mac rubbed his neck. �I guess I am. I just never realized that I�ve been holding out hope all this time. She was never found, so there�s always that one astronomical chance��

�Which you know damn good and well that it ain�t gonna happen.� Danny hunched his shoulders and glared at him. �You�re always pushin� the science, Mac. What�s the science tellin� ya?�

Mac did something he rarely did, which was fold his hands behind his back and stare at the floor. �That I�ll never see her again. That she�s been gone for good this entire time, and I�ve been a hopeless fool to wait for her.�

Danny was getting a strange sort of satisfaction from standing there and berating the Marine, but now he was beginning to see Mac�s side of the story. �Hey� if you were ever in a buildin� that blew up, I know I�d never quit diggin� until I found ya,� he said softly.

Mac blinked rapidly for a moment. �I know,� he whispered.

�And would ya do the same if it was me?� Danny asked firmly.

Mac put his hands in his pockets and kept looking at the floor. �I�d do the same for anyone I cared about, Danny.�

Danny frowned. �Ya didn�t answer me, Mac. Would ya wait five years for me?�

Mac thought about it, thought good and hard, and finally he gave a single nod. �I think so.�

�Not good enough,� Danny grunted, and Mac looked up sharply. �I need a yes or a no outta ya, Mac.�

Mac spread his hands helplessly, feeling all the things he wanted to say building up inside of him like water behind a dam, a dam made by the lingering spirit of his wife. �I� I can�t , Danny. I just��

Something inside Danny finally snapped. �You know what, fuck you,� he snarled. �I�ve been tearin� myself ta fuckin� pieces over ya, and you just�� He snapped a hand up to scratch the back of his neck and spun to turn his back on the Marine, stomping over to another corner of the room, his free hand clenched into a shaking fist. Mac had never seen Danny so angry at him, and he was too stunned to give his usual irate reaction� until Danny crossed the line.

�You know what, Mac?� Danny growled into his corner. �You�re just afraid of your own goddamn feelin�s! You�re usin� Claire to keep everybody else outta your life, so you can be alone and feel sorry for yourself!�

That did it; the mention of her name was all Mac needed to focus his mind to razor�s clarity, to make a tiny hole in the dam within his mind, and then finally the wall came tumbling down. �All right, goddamn it!� he roared suddenly. �I love you! I couldn�t tell you, because I was just so��

The Marine trailed off as Danny whirled and his jaw dropped. The younger man�s lithe body shivered, his expression so blindsided that he was impossible to read.

Mac sighed and sat heavily on the bed closest to him�not the one that Danny had just been fucked on�resting his face in his hands. �I was so messed up inside. I didn�t know which way was up, and there were so many things that still seemed wrong, and I just� I ran away from it.� He scrubbed at his face with his palms.

�Say it again.�

Startled, Mac looked up at Danny, who was staring at him with a gaze so intense� Mac had never seen him so focused before. �Say it again,� the Italian whispered softly.

Mac sat up straight and opened himself to judgment. �I love you, Danny.�

Danny�s slim frame trembled. �You�re not� just sayin� that, are ya?�

�No,� Mac said firmly. �I mean it.�

Danny froze, and suddenly Mac was on his back with Danny on top of him, the younger man making up for lost time by kissing him hard, stealing Mac�s breath. Mac groaned and clutched at the Italian desperately, thrusting his tongue into the eager mouth, and Danny moaned.

�I�m so sorry, Danny,� Mac whispered, running his lips on the underside of Danny�s jaw.

�s�alright,� Danny whimpered, Mac�s hands tracing almost needy lines up and down his sides. �Just get in me, would ya?�

�No, wait, I need to apologize and��

�Shaddap and fuck me already!� Danny growled desperately. �Take me back, Mac, please!�

The words flicked a switch in Mac�s brain, and the Marine rolled so that he was on top of his lover, nipping at his throat and yanking at the shirt. Danny fumbled to help and as soon as he was shirtless Mac dove down and pressed his lips firmly to Danny�s neck, applying the intense pressure needed to mark him, darkly and visibly for all to see.

�I love you,� Mac rumbled again, running his lips up and down the younger man�s windpipe. Danny whimpered again and tilted his head back, baring his throat, and the sight inflamed Mac�s animal side and he rained kisses along that most vulnerable of areas, returning to his conquest on Danny�s neck to mark him more firmly. �Mine,� Mac growled.

An odd, repetitive sound permeated Mac�s consciousness and he paused to listen, realizing that it was the noises of Speed fucking the stuffing out of Horatio.

�Jesus, they�re goin� at it hard,� Danny muttered with a huge smile on his face, hearing the sounds of flesh striking flesh coming from the �living room� area of the hotel room.

Mac snorted. �I�m amazed Horatio can withstand that, after what he went through day before yesterday. Not to mention what I did to him less than an hour ago.�

Danny looked the slightest bit hurt at hearing that Mac had fucked Horatio, but he was still curious. �What happened to �im night before last?�

Mac explained, somehow able to maintain a straight face, about what Speed had done to the redhead: tie him down and have him get fucked by six different men, and then finish it off with a fisting. Danny�s eyes were huge by the time Mac was done.

�A whole arm?� Danny asked, his mouth hanging open.

Mac nodded. �Almost all the way to the elbow. I saw it with my own eyes.� He took advantage of Danny�s open mouth to shove his tongue inside it, and Danny moaned and grasped Mac�s shoulders hard. Then Danny remembered purpose, and he began working on Mac�s jacket and overshirt. Mac growled and did his best to assist while still licking the back of his lover�s throat, and finally he broke the contact to kneel up and undo the buttons and get himself shirtless.

Danny�s mouth watered at the sight of the muscular chest that he hadn�t seen in so long, and he slid out from between the Marine�s knees to sit up and capture a nipple in his mouth as he started fumbling with Mac�s belt. Mac�s eyes closed and he gave a soft sigh of approval, his hands finding Danny�s hair of their own volition.

�God, I missed you, Danny,� Mac rumbled, and Danny only gave a little moan and started yanking Mac�s pants and boxers down to his knees, and then Danny seemed to inhale Mac�s cock and the Marine groaned. He was already hard as steel, and Danny�s soft and familiar mouth on his aching length felt absolutely wonderful.

Mac suddenly and gently pulled Danny away, and the Italian gave a despondent whimper. �Easy, Danny, I don�t want to come yet.�

Danny�s eyes darkened as Mac released him to lay on his side and finish stripping. As Mac dropped his clothes onto the floor, something caught his eye and he lifted his gaze to find the lube and a few condoms lying so conveniently nearby on the pillow like some gaudy hotel service. Inwardly he nearly laughed; Horatio and Speed had planned this, down to every last tiny detail.

�What�s so funny?� Danny asked in a voice rough with arousal, and Mac realized that he�d been smiling broadly.

Mac shook his head and allowed himself to chuckle. �Tim and Horatio, and this� evil plot of theirs, I guess you could call it.� His broad hands reached for the bottle and a foil square, ripping the little packet open with his teeth and unrolling the Latex onto his roaring erection and then slicking himself up. �Danny, get those jeans off, please.�

Beside him, Danny promptly rolled onto his side for better leverage as he shimmied out of his jeans, and Mac curled up behind him, nipping at the lovingly bruised neck as his fingers explored Danny�s ass, finding it still lubed and stretched from Speed. The thought of another man fucking his lover sent a tremor through Mac�s muscular body, and he growled as he aimed his slick cock and sank a few inches into the writhing body next to him.

�Oh fuck, Mac, I missed ya,� Danny moaned, instantly pressing back onto Mac�s thick length. He still needed a little stretching but he didn�t care; it was Mac�s incredible rod that was wonderfully rearranging his insides, and his legs started shaking. �God, I love ya! Fuck me, Mac, please!�

Mac couldn�t find it in himself to disappoint his again-lover. He�d wanted to take it slow, to take his time to enjoy Danny, but there was a deep, burning need within him to take the Italian, to pound the slim body through the mattress and make sure Danny knew just who was fucking him, who was making him writhe and scream and howl with pleasure.

Who Danny belonged to. Who Mac belonged to.

Each other.

Mac buried himself in the exquisite warmth that he�d denied himself for so long. There was just something about Danny that set him apart from every other man Mac had fucked; he was sure that if the situation ever somehow came about that there was some sort of twisted lineup of asses, he�d know which one was Danny�s. They just� fit together perfectly. It was as though Danny was made for Mac�s incredible girth, like a key to a lock.

�Speed!� Horatio�s voice roared suddenly from the direction of the couch.

�Oh God, H!� Speed thundered a few seconds later.

Mac snorted and put a hand on Danny�s hip to push him away and then bring them back together, and Danny moaned loudly. �Oh, fuck, Mac, fuck me��

�Yesss,� Mac rumbled into his ear. God, Danny felt so good, so tight. �So good,� he murmured, and Danny whimpered again. That brought another painful fact to Mac�s attention: how often did he actually tell Danny how much he appreciated him? �Danny, you feel so wonderful.�

Danny�s head sagged, panting, and one hand clutched the bedsheets while the other reached behind him to Mac�s waist as though to beg Mac, and Mac slid out and pushed in again. Mac�s own hand on Danny�s hip moved down to his thigh, and without any further prompting Danny lifted the leg so Mac could grasp it and get a better angle as he slowly increased his pace until he was pounding into that blessed heat. Every stroke of that tight ring of muscle against Mac�s cock was so familiar, so achingly familiar, and it burned his soul to think that he had thrown it away. He�d tossed Danny away, and for what? Because of some goddamn rumors floating about them? Because of a dead woman?

It was with a startling burst of clarity that Mac reached a decision. He wasn�t dishonoring Claire�s memory by being with Danny. Claire would have wanted him to be happy, and if Danny made him happy then so be it. Danny loved Mac, and Mac realized that yes, he did love Danny back.

And in his mind, Mac gently kissed his wife goodbye for the final time.

�I love you, Danny,� Mac growled, nibbling on the Italian�s ear. Danny couldn�t reply; his brain had gone completely haywire, concentrating on one thing and one thing only and that was Mac�s thick cock slamming into him with reckless abandon. Mac fired his hips into that tight heat over and over, and began growling �Mine!� with every thrust, claiming the Italian. Reclaiming him.

Mac snaked one arm underneath Danny and around his waist, wrapping his hand around the younger man�s wildly leaking cock as his other hand grasped Danny�s leg and pulled the Italian back onto his powerful thrusts, stroking him inside and out.

Danny finally found his voice, and a litany of curses and praises and Mac�s name spilled from the Italian�s mouth in a stream that gradually increased tempo and volume until Danny was nearly screaming, and then Danny was screaming as he was coming, coming around Mac and squeezing him tight as though to hold him in and never let him go, and Mac came at nearly the same time and he shouted his lover�s name and slammed home one last time, burying himself to the hilt, glorying in the feeling that came from releasing inside Danny, stroking the Italian�s sputtering cock, milking him, holding him, loving him.

For one glorious, perfect moment, Mac and Danny were one, their minds shooting through the clouds, descending back to their bodies in lazy spirals. Then they were back to Earth, Mac still inside his lover, both of them covered with sweat and a streak of glistening come from Danny marring the bedspread.

�I love you,� Mac panted again, cradling the younger man. �I don�t deserve you, I really don�t.�

Danny reached behind him to run his fingers through Mac�s hair, and the Marine kissed him on the shoulder. �I forgive ya, Mac,� he gasped. �Just don�t ever do it ta me again, aright?�

�Never,� Mac growled. �Never again, Danny, I swear.� He rested his lips on his lover�s shoulder as they caught their collective breath. �I love you,� he murmured.

Danny smiled; now that Mac had finally allowed himself to say it, he couldn�t stop. �Love ya� jarhead.�

Mac jerked his head up in surprise. �Don�t tell me you�re going to start calling me that.�

Danny cocked his head casually, pressing his back into the firm chest behind him. �I might, if I think ya deserve it. You�re a good detective, Mac, but ya can�t read your boyfriend worth shit.�

Mac couldn�t help it; the sheer bluntness caused him to explode into laughter. He could feel all his worries, all his regrets dissolve at that moment, and he wrapped his arms around his lover in a fierce embrace.

Danny allowed himself to be cradled for a moment. �Hey, Mac?�

�Hm?�

�Ribs?�

Mac�s grip slackened instantly. �Sorry, I didn�t mean��

�Easy, amante, I�m jokin�.� Danny twisted his head around to give Mac a playful smile.

Mac kissed the smile; God, Danny�s smile. It was so good to see it again. �What�d you call me?�

�Amante. It�s Italian. Means, well�� and here Danny had the nerve to blush, a look that made Mac�s cock twitch while softening inside the Italian�s body. �Means �lover.��

Mac tilted his head. He tried out the word, and decided that he liked the way it rolled off his tongue. �Amante, huh? Okay.�

This night, you're mine
It's only you and I
I'll tell you to forget yesterday
This night we are together

Billy Joel � "This Night"

Speed poked his head up long enough to watch Mac and Danny head into the bedroom, then immediately dropped back down to fasten on Horatio�s other nipple. The redhead groaned and mustered enough brainpower to finish pulling off his own undershirt, then went to work on Speed�s nipples�rather hard to do while Speed had his lips to Horatio�s chest.

Finally Speed came up for air. �Did he tear you?� he growled softly, working on the fly of his pants.

�No, but it was a close call,� Horatio rumbled with a shake of his head, fumbling with his own belt. �Mark me, Speed.�

Speed�s eyes darkened with lust. �Oh, I�m going to.� He lowered himself carefully and swiped fingers underneath the couch, where earlier he�d stashed a bottle of lube. He found it and set it on the coffee table, suddenly forced to stand so he and his lover could finish getting naked.

When this was accomplished, Horatio spread his legs and Speed knelt between them, dribbling lube onto his fingers and then moving them toward the redhead�s entrance, and Horatio grunted.

�Easy,� he whispered. �I�m not sure I can handle being on the bottom for very much longer.�

Speed gave him a deep smile. �Just one more time, H, then that tight ass of yours can take a vacation. Sound good?�

�Does it ever,� Horatio affirmed, running slim fingers through Speed�s chest hair, appreciating the younger man that was working on his ass with strained patience. Horatio�s rear had been through quite a bit in the past few days and the last thing either of them wanted was an injury to such a sensitive area.

Right now, both of them were possessed by the same urge that always hit them after sleeping with other people: to have sex with each other, to re-stake their claim on the body of the one they loved. Speed declared his lover ready and slicked up his bare cock, aiming and sliding slowly in. It was one benefit of Mac having been Horatio�s most recent top: the only stretching Horatio needed was the kind he�d get from Speed�s slightly longer dick.

Speed buried himself, savoring the sensations of being inside his lover as Horatio wrapped his legs around the brunette�s waist. �Feels good, Speed,� he groaned.

�Feels damn good,� Speed concurred, pulling out and pushing back in and quickly establishing a quick pace. In no time he was chanting �mine, mine, mine, mine,� in time with his thrusts, the word like a mantra as he rocked his hips against Horatio�s ass, their stomachs grinding against the older man�s erection with blessed friction that had the redhead groaning in a disjointed rhythm to that of his lover.

Speed paused, suddenly, as a familiar voice roared from the bedroom �All right, goddamn it! I love you!�

Horatio actually snorted. �Well, that�s one way to tell it,� the redhead gasped as Speed resumed his movement.

Speed snickered and slowed his pace. �It�s a damn sight better than the first time we said it to each other, though. I was still a damn cripple, remember?�

�Mm-hmm.� Horatio licked his lips as the memory came back to him. �First time I�ve ever been pinned down and ravished by a man with one functioning arm.�

Speed grinned down at his lover and made a show of shifting his weight, both of his arms holding his torso above the redhead. �I�m think cured now, H,� he rumbled huskily, giving an extra-hard thrust of his hips for emphasis.

�That you are,� Horatio agreed, one hand sliding down his chest to stroke his own cock slowly.

�Mm, love watching you touch yourself,� Speed murmured, lowering himself to shove his tongue down Horatio�s throat. He almost immediately came back up, panting as he began to pick up his pace. �Mission accomplished?�

�Mission accomplished,� Horatio confirmed as Speed pounded into him. �Now fuck me, Speed.�

Speed nodded, his breathing too labored to talk, and he hooked one of his lover�s legs over his shoulder as he thrust into that dark heat again and again, scrubbing every trace of Mac away and replacing it with himself.

Horatio rested one hand on Speed�s free shoulder, the other hand stroking his own cock. �God, Speed, I love you,� the redhead hissed through his gasping breaths. Speed was really giving it to him hard, almost as hard as Mac had.

�Love� you, too� H�� Speed wheezed back, his hips slamming him into Horatio with loud slaps that couldn�t help carrying to the New Yorkers� ears. �H� mine��

�I�m yours, Speed,� Horatio affirmed, his strokes on his length getting faster. �God, I�m� coming��

�Come, H, come for me,� Speed growled through his last reserves of strength. �Come all over me, H!�

Horatio did, coming with a loud �Speed!� and a bruising grip on his lover�s shoulder, his back arching, eyes tightly closed as he shot between their bodies, the milky white fluid coating his and Speed�s chests.

The pressure, the emotion, was all too much and Speed gratefully slammed home one last time, screaming his lover�s name and releasing his seed into his lover�s body, coating him, marking him. He hovered over the redhead, gasping for air, his arms trembling. Horatio barely had the strength to catch him before Speed flopped down onto the sticky chest, still buried inside him.

�Mine,� Speed wheezed. They lay there for a while, panting. �Love you, H.�

Horatio wrapped his arms tightly around the younger man. �Love you, too, Speed. That was perfect.� Speed gave a sleepy mumble and made as though to fall asleep right there. �Don�t you dare, lover. The evening�s not over yet.�

Speed gave a grudging nod and pulled out slowly, and Horatio gave a pained groan as his abused entrance clamped closed and began to re-establish its hermetic seal. �That does it,� Horatio growled softly. �Remind me to have that looked at when we get home.�

�Definitely,� Speed murmured, bending to look at the damage. �You�re not bleeding and I don�t see any tears, at least.�

Horatio blew out a heavy breath as Speed bent down to lick the come from his lover�s chest. �And you want to know the worst part of it?� the redhead grumbled.

�What�s that?�

Horatio gave a dry smile. �I took a pill.�

Speed stared at him, then snorted. �Well, as soon as they,� and he pointed in the general direction of the bedroom, �get done, maybe one or both of �em can help you take care of that.�

The older man gave him a Look. �You took one, too.�

�Guilty, but at least all the important parts are still in business.� Speed had the nerve to smirk at Horatio and his well-worn backside.

Horatio growled, a sound that was far from amused.

Speed gave his lover a too-casual shrug. �You�re paying for your pleasures, H. I could�ve found a stunt bottom for that scene back in Miami.�

�It had to be one of us,� Horatio argued, �and Mac needed to see that I trusted you enough to let you do that to me. In my relationship with you, he sees me as the dominant one both in and out of the bedroom, and the prospect of letting you top me gave him something to think about.� Horatio thought for a moment. �I think I�m the only one that he�s ever really bottomed to, and in this situation I use the term very loosely.�

�Yeah? He actually obey an order?�

Horatio tilted his head before giving a grudging nod. �The first time, I got him to ride me without protection. Tonight I got him to bottom to me again after I bottomed to him.�

�Impressive,� Speed told his lover, and he meant it. �I�m amazed that you got him to obey any orders at all. I mean, sure, he�s had plenty of experience following orders, but when it comes to sexual orders, it�d kinda go against the grain. He might obey, but I doubt he�d submit.�

The older man chuckled. �It was actually a close call tonight. He slammed me against the wall and gave it to me so hard, my legs gave out. It took everything I had to keep control.�

Speed blinked, then he sighed. �When are you gonna learn, H? Those skinny little bird legs of yours aren�t made for standing fucks, especially when you bottom.�

Horatio grumbled something unintelligible.

�I�m sorry, what was that?� Speed asked in a teasing tone.

Horatio gave him a warning look. �I said, oh so kind and generous and strong young lover of mine, would you get off your lazy ass and get me something to drink?�

�See, was that so hard?� Speed asked innocently, climbing to his feet.

�Well, it was,� Horatio said casually with a nod to Speed�s now-limp cock. Speed frowned and flipped his lover a one-finger salute as he headed over to the mini-bar and came back with a pair of bottled waters. �Thanks, Speed,� Horatio said as he took one of them. �And don�t even think about playing with that on me. Not tonight.�

Speed grumbled�he liked playing with cold things, dammit�and padded into the bathroom, pausing to peer at Mac and Danny before heading back to his favorite redhead with a white hotel towel. �Here ya go, H. Clean up before you sit up. I don�t want to hurt Mac and Danny�s eyes if they ever have to use an ALS in here.�

Horatio nodded at that and folded the towel, laying it neatly on the seat and then raising to sit on it. He patted the couch to his right and Speed sank down next to him with a weary sigh. �It�s been a long night,� Speed groaned.

�It�s been a long few nights,� Horatio corrected. �What did you see when you looked in at our friends, by the way?�

Speed gave him a funny look. �You don�t hear that? They�re going at it like weasels in heat, H! Maybe you need to get your hearing checked.�

�Well, I can hear Mac moving just fine, but Danny�s being quiet for once,� Horatio explained. They listened for a moment, the repetitive sounds of flesh slamming together less than discreet.

Speed had to admit, his lover had a point. �Danny looks like his brain should be dripping from the ceiling, Mac�s doing him so hard. I�d be worried about him, but they need this. We can check on �em when they�re done.�

Horatio nodded as the pounding, slapping noises seemed to get louder, and Danny�s voice finally began to carry as incoherent babbling. �Sounds like they�re close,� Horatio murmured.

Indeed they were: Danny�s voice rose in volume and in pitch. �Ah God, Mac, fuck! Oh, fuck me, fuck me, I� Mac, I� Ah God, Mac!!!�

Mac gave an answering roar, consisting of Danny�s name and punctuated by one final thrust of his hips, the impact of flesh sounding out like the crack of a pistol.

Speed and Horatio winced at the noise. �Jesus,� Speed muttered. �I don�t think you�re the only one that�s gonna need to see the doctor.�

Horatio tilted his head and listened hard. �At least he doesn�t sound like he�s in pain. Danny�s not like us; he doesn�t like pain, and I�m sure he�d let Mac know if things got out of hand.�

Speed thought for a moment. �I know we went over it with Mac, but did you and Danny ever discuss safewords?�

The older man made a face. �No, but Mac said that he had. I think I believe him.�

Speed sighed and hooked a thumb over his shoulder. �We might need a refresher course after that.�

Horatio nodded, and they waited. Soon enough, they twisted to glance over their shoulders as Mac and Danny came staggering from the bedroom, both naked, tousled, and still faintly perspiring. Danny had an arm slung over Mac�s shoulder and was walking rather delicately, and Mac looked as though even his hard-developed stamina was wearing out. What caught the Miami pair�s eyes was the set of identical, soft and happy smiles on both their faces.

Speed and Horatio just waited, scooting over to make room as the New Yorkers sank onto the couch as one, Danny not quite muffling his grunt. Speed grabbed Horatio�s water and set it on the table beside his own right side as the redhead casually rested an elbow on the back of the couch next to Mac�s shoulder. �So?� Horatio inquired calmly.

For an answer, Mac scooped Danny into his lap and cradled him almost possessively, laying a kiss to the damp dirty-blond hair. Danny�s arm had never left the Marine�s shoulder, and now it curled around Mac�s neck to pull the older man down for a hug and a soft kiss.

Speed leaned over to press his own kiss to Horatio�s neck. �I think it worked, H.�

Mac heard him, and turned to look at his friends. �Thank you, both of you.�

Horatio smiled and gave a gracious nod. �I have to ask, Mac. Claire?�

�Gone, but not forgotten.� Mac sighed and tightened his grip around his Italian.

�Good answer,� Speed responded. �And Danny?�

Danny snuggled into Mac�s embrace, burying his face in the muscular neck. �Love ya, Mac,� he mumbled into the taut flesh.

Mac smiled and hugged him tighter. �Love you, Danny.�

�And that�s what we were waiting to hear,� Horatio finished, turning to give Speed a kiss.

There was a long and comfortable silence, and abruptly Speed slapped his thighs and stood. �Who�s hungry?�

This night is mine
It's only you and I
Tomorrow is such a long time away
This night can last forever

Billy Joel � "This Night"

Danny�s stomach growled; he and Speed hadn�t eaten anything earlier, and the Italian lifted a hand. �Pizza sounds good.�

After a moment, Mac nodded. �A little junk food can�t hurt. How does Meat Lover�s sound?�

Danny eyed him. �I like mine with extra pepperoni.�

�There�s pepperoni on a Meat Lover�s,� Mac insisted.

�You like peppers, Danny?� Horatio interrupted. Danny shook his head, and Horatio sighed.

They were all but squabbling over the toppings when suddenly Speed stood up. �All right, we can settle this the easy way. We can get one large pizza with extra pepperoni and with peppers on one side, and I�ll share a large Meat Lover�s with Mac. Sound fair?�

There were noises of grudging agreement, and Speed sat back down. �Okay, natives, where�s a good place to order these from?�

Danny immediately volunteered the name of a place, and Mac stood to find a phone book. �Who�s paying?� The Marine asked absently as he leafed through the pages.

�I am,� Horatio said firmly. �You paid for dinner, Mac, remember?�

Mac blinked. �I did?�

Speed snorted. �That�s H for ya. He gives you that look that gets you so distracted, you�ll do anything to get him home and fuck him six ways from Sunday.�

Horatio instantly turned to give a look very much like that to his lover, but Speed held a hand between his gaze and the redhead�s. �I have my ways of being immune to your sexy evil, foul creature!� Speed mock-growled.

Danny was clutching his sides and laughing at the exchange. �You clowns are gonna end up slayin� me!�

�You mean he actually has self control?� Mac snorted as he picked up the hotel phone. �Never mind, don�t answer that. Just keep it down for a moment.�

The group got quiet as Mac ordered, and then he hung up. �Half an hour,� he informed them, and then he paused. �And we�re all naked.� He and Danny immediately headed back into the bedroom for their clothes, and Horatio began browsing on the floor for his own.

�So, what�s wrong with being naked?� Speed lifted an eyebrow.

�Speed,� Horatio sighed, slipping back into his dress pants and undershirt.

Speed looked at him. �What?�

�Put some pants on.�

�Oh, come on,� Speed grumped. �What�s the point of getting up and putting pants on for just a few minutes? I�m gonna be yanking them off as soon as the delivery boy�s gone, you know.�

Horatio eyed him levelly. �Speed, Mac and Danny are prominent figures in law enforcement in this section of the city, and people still know me on sight. I don�t want to compromise anyone�s reputation.�

Speed grumbled and sighed and stood, headed for the bedroom and his flight bag. When he came back he was wearing a pair of sweatpants, and it was obvious from the slight twisting of the fabric against the inside of his right thigh that he wasn�t wearing anything else, either. �Happy?� he growled.

�Ecstatic,� Horatio replied drolly.

Mac and Danny followed him out of the bedroom, Mac in his pants and overshirt and Danny in his shirt and jeans. �What�s wrong with clothing?� Mac finally asked. �Unwrapping the package is part of the fun.�

Speed waved a hand dismissively. �Clothes get in the way, and to me it�s just a waste of time.�

Danny snorted. �Just don�t come bitchin� ta me when ya drop hot pizza on your dick.�

�Speed�s a very careful eater,� Horatio put in mildly.

They bantered back and forth until the pizza showed up, and Horatio paid the young delivery boy while Danny grabbed the warm cardboard boxes, and the pair made their way back to the couch. Speed immediately stood and was all set to yank his sweatpants back off when Horatio grabbed his wrist to stop him. �Your point is made, and wearing clothing is not going to hurt you.�

Speed sighed and relented. �Only for you, H,� he grumbled.

They resumed their earlier positions on the couch and began diving for cheesy handmade Italian goodness, and both Horatio and Speed had to give their dues to authentic New York Style pizza. Speed the cook took careful tastes as though trying to discern the ingredients and the processes used, so he could try to recreate the experience at home.

A wild thought launched itself into Horatio�s head, and he gave a mischievous smile. �Hey, Mac,� Horatio murmured, and the Marine leaned over. �Why don�t you feed Danny?�

Mac blinked, and a look of thanks crossed his face. He had a secret hot spot, and one he�d probably forgotten about for years� until he�d visited Horatio and Speed. The Miami lovers had discovered it purely by accident and they�d wanted to let Danny in on the secret but they didn�t want to insult the Italian. Mac and Danny had been sleeping together for nine months; Horatio had slept with the Marine on only three separate occasions, and Speed had only been fucked by him twice.

Mac pulled a small lump of sausage off his pizza and held it out to Danny. The Italian started to reach up for it but Mac drew it back, moving it closer to Danny�s face. An odd look crossed Danny�s features, but he obediently craned his neck forward and gently lipped at it, and Mac couldn�t stop his sharp intake of breath at the sight and the feelings that came from his lover�s mouth on his fingers. Danny�s eyes popped open, unable to miss the sudden look of arousal that crossed Mac�s face.

He drew back and waited. Mac took a small pepperoni and extended it, and Danny went for it but this time he sucked Mac�s fingers into his mouth, and Mac could barely stop the lustful growl. There was just something so� so sensual, so erotic, about having Danny�s mouth caress his calloused fingertips.

Danny blinked at him and released the thick digits. �You like that?�

�I�d say he does,� Horatio remarked drolly. �See for yourself.�

Danny couldn�t help his eyes widening at the sight of the bulge in Mac�s crotch. The guy had just come not forty-five minutes ago, probably one of the hardest orgasms of his life, and now this was getting him going again? �I don�t believe it,� Danny muttered.

Horatio chuckled. �Believe it. Some people simply have odd little quirks. Not all of them are points of arousal, though.� He paused for effect. �Take Speed, for instance.�

Speed eyed his lover warily. �Don�t you dare.�

�Dare what?� Mac and Danny wondered at once, and exchanged smiles as Horatio stood and crouched in front of his lover.

Speed put his palms firmly on his own pectorals as though shielding them. �Don�t you fucking dare, H,� he growled warningly.

Horatio gave Speed a steady look. �Please, Speed? Just this once, and I�ll never do it in front of other people again.�

Speed looked into his lover�s eyes, sighed, and dropped his hands. �Thank you,� Horatio said quickly, and darted in to wrap his lips around one nipple. Speed groaned, but suddenly�his teeth were chattering! Mac and Danny watched with wide, amused eyes as Horatio obviously nibbled on the tiny bud of nerves, and Speed�s jaw was clacking a mile a minute.

Finally Speed carefully pushed the redhead away and shivered. �I think they get the picture,� he grumbled. He took a glance at the New Yorkers and sighed. �Yeah, if I feel teeth on my nipples, I can�t keep my teeth from chattering.�

�Good ta know.� Danny�s look was positively evil as he glanced at Mac. �Ya like your fingers in my mouth, eh, amante? Gonna have to remember that.�

Mac gave him a Look and grabbed hold of his lover�s shoulders, twisting him so that Mac could tug his shirt up and then duck down and press his lips to the small of Danny�s back and run his tongue all the way up the Italian�s spine. Danny arched his back and moaned loud enough to be almost a howl, then collapsed against the Marine with a growl. �Jarhead,� he muttered.

Horatio tilted his head. �Amante?�

Speed grinned. �Means �lover� in Italian.�

�How�d you know?� Danny looked at Speed with new interest.

Speed just gave Danny a dark smirk. �Parlo un piccolo italiano. Avete un asino stretto.�

Danny ducked his head and blushed again, and Mac resisted the sudden urge to ravish him then and there. Instead, the Marine cradled his lover close again. �What�d he say?�

Speed grinned at Mac. �I grew up in Syracuse. I can speak a little Italian.�

�That�s not what you said, though,� Mac said with some confidence. �Is it?�

�No, it�s not,� Danny mumbled, sinking back into Mac.

Horatio leaned into Speed�s ear. �Te amo, y ame su culo apretado,� he growled sensually.

Speed tossed the redhead a sideways glance. �Viejo lascivo,� he muttered.

Horatio chuckled, nipping at the nearby ear and glancing at the New Yorkers. �Spanish,� he explained, then decided to run his tongue along the outer shell of Speed�s ear, and the younger man gave the tiniest of sighs�almost a whimper�and allowed his eyes to flutter closed. Suddenly Speed shot his hand out and grabbed a fistful of Horatio�s hair at the nape of his neck and craned his own neck to nip gently at the bare skin just below the copper hairline, and Horatio�s entire body went slack and Mac had (almost) never heard the redhead moan so loudly before.

Speed released his lover, and they all sat back and looked at each other. �Truce?� Speed asked dryly.

�Truce,� Danny agreed instantly, and the older men made noises of agreement.

The banter was friendly as they finished eating, and then Speed announced that he�d like to lay down for a while. Horatio said that he�d join him. Mac and Danny lifted eyebrows and followed them, and the two pairs settled on the separate beds with Horatio and Speed on the bed with the feather-free bedding. At Speed�s insistence, they all stripped again.

�I wanted to thank you both, again,� Mac said quietly. Danny was lying in front of him, and Mac slid an arm around his waist and kissed his shoulder gently. Over his lover�s shoulder, he saw Speed and Horatio give gentle smiles.

�That�s not necessary, Mac,� Horatio told him. He was laying flat on his back, and at his side Speed lay propped on one elbow and rested a gentle hand on the redhead�s stomach. �Mac, I did for you what I would do for anyone: I saw pain, and I knew I had a chance to fix it, and so I took the risk.�

�Well, I�m glad you did,� Mac told him firmly.

�Same here,� Danny seconded.

There was a long pause before Speed cocked his head. �You know, now that you two are back together, we need to celebrate.�

Mac was instantly suspicious. �How?�

Speed gave a too-casual shrug. �A foursome.�

Mac and Danny exchanged glances, and Horatio snorted. �Yes, and he means it. And I would like it as well, if that�s all right with the both of you.�

Danny gave his lover a long look. �Sounds like fun. That aright with you, Mac? I don�t see us gettin� a lotta chances for it down the line.�

Mac had to give him that one. �Why not?� he grudgingly agreed. �We are not leaving this bedroom, though.�

Horatio smiled wryly; of course Mac wasn�t about to let Danny out of his sight again. �There�s no need to go anywhere else,� Horatio reasoned. �I�m sure one of these beds can support four people.�

Speed lifted a finger. �Remember, H, �assumption is the mother of all fuck-ups.��

Mac and Danny chuckled at that one, while Horatio favored his lover with a tolerant smile. �That�s true, Speed. However, I distinctly remember that you keep a list of all the furniture you�ve broken.�

�And it�s still too damn short!� Speed declared.

Danny was chuckling as he turned to give Mac another kiss. �Sure you�re okay with this?�

Mac nodded. �I guess we owe them this much. Love you, by the way.�

Danny gave that dazzling smile. �Love ya back.� He then slid to the edge of the bed and stood, and Speed copied him. The two eyed each other for a moment and almost simultaneously stepped around each other, swapping partners.

Danny slid up next to Horatio and the redhead welcomed him, tugging him closer and running gentle hands over him. To Mac�s eternal surprise, Speed just tugged the comforter down and moved the pillow out of the way and then settled on his elbow to watch the other two.

Mac lifted a single eyebrow. �You�re an exhibitionist and a voyeur?�

Speed lifted both of his. �I�m less than ten feet from that,� and he pointed to Horatio and Danny now kissing and petting like a pair of old lovers, �and you think I�m not gonna watch?�

Mac scratched the back of his neck. �I�d gotten the feeling that you�re� well, always on, for lack of a better term.�

�Nah. I�m just practical.� Speed rolled on his back enough to give Mac a dirty little grin. �I�m with two extra hot men that I don�t see very often, why the hell wouldn�t I want to be naked and ready at a moment�s notice?�

Mac didn�t know why, but he felt oddly relieved by that. �So you do have control of yourself.�

Speed snorted. �Of course I do, but I think we�ve been over this already: you don�t come to a gangbang with the intent of keeping control of yourself, you know?�

Mac sighed and tilted his head and joined Speed in watching Horatio get himself worked up all over again, his hands all over Danny, petting and stroking and teasing his cock back to life. Horatio held one hand out behind him as though waiting for something to be placed in it, and with a dirty grin Speed located the bottle of lube and tossed it at the other bed. It landed next to Horatio, and the redhead grabbed it without breaking his contact with his lips on Danny�s nipple.

Mac chuckled. �Looks like you�re not the only one with control issues after all.�

�Oh, there�s no stopping him now,� Speed said with a theatrical eye roll. �He brought the pills.�

�The pills?� Mac gave Speed a long, hard look.

Speed nodded. �H broke down and got some little blue pills. No insult to him, but he is pushing fifty. He only takes them when he knows he�s going to be, uh, active for a long period of time, though. I figure he�s got one, maybe two orgasms left in him.� He shrugged. �Or until he gets tired, whichever one comes first. Oh, and by the way, I took one, too.�

Mac blinked. �That explains a lot.� They turned to watch as Horatio knelt between Danny�s widespread legs, devouring the Italian�s cock while pumping two slow fingers inside him.

Speed looked at Mac, a wry smile on his face. �So, while they�re busy, you wanna fuck?�

Mac should be used to the Miami couple�s eager and sometimes very blunt sexuality by now, he really should, but it still threw him for a loop every time he encountered it. �I guess,� he said finally.

�Cool.� Speed pounced on the Marine, devouring his mouth and running hands along the muscular body. Mac was so different from Horatio physically. Horatio was tall and slim and had some chest hair while Mac was stocky and smooth and a total hardbody, and that got Speed hot.

�So,� Mac murmured into Speed�s mouth, �how do you want it?�

Speed made a thinking noise while he performed a tonsil check on the Marine. When he pulled back for air, he grinned. �Honestly, I�ve kinda been wanting somebody to nail me through the mattress.�

Mac�s hands slid along Speed�s sides. �That can be arranged.�

�Think so?� Speed began to roll to the side, tugging Mac with him until the Marine took initiative and completed the roll so that he was on top. Speed reached a hand out toward the other bed and snapped his fingers, and the lube came flying back to land on the mattress behind Mac. The older man snorted and reached for it, and for one of the condoms piled next to Speed�s head.

�You two have a whole system worked out, don�t you?� Mac asked wryly, a slick finger finding its way to Speed�s entrance, and the younger man arched his back and moaned.

The moan became a sigh of arousal as a second finger joined the first. �Yeah��

Mac took a glance over at Horatio and Danny, and found his eyes heavy at the sight of Danny�s dick halfway down the redhead�s throat while one hand cupped his balls and the slender fingers of his other hand on Danny�s prostate. Smiling a little to himself, Mac copied the older man and knelt lower, taking Speed�s cock into his mouth, and Speed groaned. �Fuck, Mac, you�re good.�

Mac suddenly realized that he�d never given Speed head before, and resolved to make the experience a good one. He bobbed his head over the hardening cock, slyly adding a third finger, and in no time Speed was writhing and moaning.

�Mac, can you fuck me now?� Speed hissed suddenly. Mac found the idea to be a good one and sheathed himself, applying lube to his cock and then positioning it at Speed�s entrance and then sliding slowly in. �Oh, fuck, that feels great,� Speed growled, tilting his head back. Mac started a series of quick, short thrusts as he bent down to nip at the exposed windpipe. Mac had a thing for throats.

When Mac came up for breath, it became apparent to him that Horatio wasn�t going to fuck Danny but instead seemed content to use his hands and his mouth to drive the Italian wild with lust. Danny writhed and moaned on the bed as Horatio expertly manipulated his body, and just as Danny seemed about to come Horatio drew back, soothing the younger man�s outright whine with calming hands on his legs.

�I have a proposition for you, Danny,� Horatio said loud enough for the others to hear. �And for Mac as well.�

Speed craned his neck to look at his lover, while Mac slowed his thrusts and paid attention.

Horatio smiled. �Mac, why don�t you let Danny top you?�

Mac ground to a halt while buried completely inside Speed, and underneath the Marine Speed groaned. �I think he likes the idea, H,� he wheezed, shifting as if to prove a point.

On the other hand, Danny suddenly looked nervous. �Me, fuck Mac? I don�t� I can�t remember the last time I��

�Danny,� Mac interrupted, and instantly those blue eyes were on him. �I�d like for you to. Please?�

Danny still looked unsure, but at least he was still hard. Speed noticed. �C�mon, Danny. Spice it up a little. Complete the circle, and all that.�

Danny gave his friend a Look. �So where are you gonna be?�

�Right here,� Speed replied firmly, squeezing Mac�s waist with his legs. �You have room in the back.�

Horatio noticed the look on Mac�s face. �What�s the matter, Mac? Never been in a sandwich threesome?�

Mac coughed, giving his hips a few lazy thrusts to keep the blood moving. �Never in the middle,� he finally admitted.

Speed growled sensually at Mac�s movements before giving an exasperated sigh. �Jesus, H, we�ve got work to do. They�ve never been to an orgy together or tied each other up or played with ice cubes or anything the slightest bit kinky.�

Horatio shrugged. �As odd as it seems, Speed, some people simply don�t have kinks.�

Speed gave Mac and Danny an utterly disbelieving look. �Freaks,� he muttered.

Mac threw his head back and howled with laughter even as he gave an extra-hard thrust of his hips to jostle Speed silent. Speed groaned, then glanced over at the other bed. Horatio was talking into Danny�s ear and the Italian was listening hard and nodding nervously, and it almost looked like Horatio was giving the younger man advice.

Finally Danny steeled his nerves, balled his fists, and walked over to the bed where Mac had slowed considerably in his pace with Speed. �You sure you want me ta do this, Mac?� Danny whispered quietly. �Ya really want me ta fuck ya?�

Mac nodded. �Only as long as you�re comfortable with it, then yes.�

Danny swallowed. �What if I��

�Danny,� Speed interrupted, �the only way you�re gonna screw up is if you somehow manage to hurt Mr. Buns of Steel here.�

The Italian gave a nervous laugh, and impulsively reached out to slap one hand on Mac�s taut backside. �My buns a� steel!� he growled, then drew back his hand as if he�d been burned. �Sorry, Mac, I just��

�You�re allowed to do that, Danny,� Mac said patiently. �Like you said, it�s yours, remember?� He reached out and tugged Danny closer to him, giving his surprised lover a kiss on the lips. �I love you,� he reminded the younger man, �and I�m not going to dump you again. Especially not for something as petty as just smacking me on the ass.�

Horatio glanced skyward and smiled at Speed, who rolled his eyes and gave a silent but dramatic sigh. They�d thought that getting love back into Mac�s head would be the hard part, but it turned out to be only half the battle. Now they had to get Danny out of his �please don�t leave me� mindset and assert himself as a partner.

Danny swallowed and climbed onto the bed, and Mac spread his knees slightly so the Italian could kneel between them. For a moment Danny looked ready to rebel when Horatio stepped up near Mac�s head. �You don�t have to do this, Danny, if you�re not comfortable with it,� the redhead murmured, �but Mac wants you to. Don�t you, Mac?�

�Yes, I do,� Mac agreed. �Danny, please fuck me.�

Danny�s jaw dropped at hearing those words out of his lover�s mouth. He took a deep breath and reached for the lube, putting some on his fingers. He hesitated before reaching for Mac�s pucker, and he got a surprise. �You�re slick already� ya prep yourself?�

Mac tossed Horatio a chagrined look. �No, Horatio topped me earlier tonight.�

Danny�s look was hurt. �Ya� ya let �im fuck ya before me?�

Horatio started to explain when Mac interrupted him. �Don�t hold it against him, Danny. He was giving me a lesson in humility.�

�Know what I don�t get?� Speed interjected. �People take sex so damn personally these days. I mean, I know that sex is personal, but sometimes you just gotta let loose and fuck the next guy that walks into the room.�

�Says you,� Horatio growled. �I like to get to know someone before I do them.�

�Same here,� Mac nodded, and Danny concurred.

Speed sighed again. �Oh well, to each their own. Now Danny, quit stalling and screw him.�

Danny sighed and took the condom that Horatio held out to him, preparing his own length. He took a controlled breath as poised himself at Mac�s entrance and then he froze. �Mac� you sure?� What if he messed up, or what if he wasn�t good enough, or what if Mac didn�t like it, or what if something went catastrophically wrong and this whole night was just a dream, or�

Mac answered by leaning backwards against Danny�s cock, and Horatio�s gentle hand found the small of Danny�s back, and Danny closed his eyes and pressed forward. When he�d gotten the head in, things changed. Mac gave a low moan of contentment, and Danny�s hands found Mac�s hips and slid the rest of the way in slowly.

The world seemed to hold its breath; the New Yorkers wore identical eyes-closed, slightly open-mouthed faces of fulfillment. �Danny,� Mac murmured after a while, �it�s perfect.�

Danny rested in the tight heat, his hands trembling slightly. �Perfect,� he echoed quietly. �I love ya, Mac.�

�Love you, Danny,� Mac responded, pressing back against his lover and then pushing forward against Speed, drawing quiet moans from all three of them.

It was with a satisfied smile that Horatio crawled onto the bed with them, and it began to creak dangerously under the weight of four grown men in motion.

�We�re gonna end up bustin� this fuckin� bed,� Danny suddenly cackled, pressing against his lover�s back.

�Damn right,� Speed replied with a snort. �You know the sex is great when you end up breaking the furniture.� He let his legs fall open and spread them to the sides, giving Danny plenty of room, and the look on Mac�s face was pure erotic bliss.

�Still,� Horatio began in an amused tone as he knelt by his lover�s face, �I�d rather not have to explain to the hotel manager how or why we need to pay for a new bedframe.�

�Kinda hard to talk with my mouth full,� Speed said dryly, reaching for his lover�s erect cock, and Horatio took the hint and straddled Speed�s head, the younger man taking the redhead completely down his throat.

In that position, Horatio�s sun-starved ass filled Mac�s vision and made a perfect target for the Marine�s broad tongue. He wanted to spread the cheeks apart but support became something of an issue, and eventually they worked things out so that Horatio had one hand braced on the bed and his other holding one part of his ass, one of Mac�s hands cupping the redhead�s balls, and one of Speed�s hands holding his lover�s other ass cheek while he stroked himself with his off hand.

The world closed down to the four of them, and the air was filled with masculine gasps and groans and the smell of sex. Horatio threw his head back and moaned as Speed massaged his dick with his throat muscles while Mac�s tongue teased his entrance. Mac could still taste Speed�s come inside the redhead and he thrust his tongue deeper, seeking more of that flavor, and he was rewarded with a watery groan from the man whose entrance he now tasted. All the while, Mac fucked himself between Speed and Danny in a regular rhythm, and Danny was kissing his lover�s back and moaning even as he gripped Mac�s hips with firm hands, stroking into that wonderfully tight, hot, and long-denied body that he loved so much.

Horatio was the first one to come, trembling and groaning as he fired his seed into Speed�s mouth, and Speed came not long after. Mac paused as Speed�s entrance gripped him tightly, but he didn�t come from the sensation. Carefully Horatio disengaged himself and then helped Speed wiggle out from under Mac, leaving the New Yorkers alone on that bed while the Miami pair staggered back over to the other side of the room.

Now that it was just him and Mac, Danny picked up his pace. To the watchers� eyes, Danny wasn�t fucking Mac so much as he was bouncing off the Marine�s muscular buttocks but he had a look of such pure ecstasy on his face that Horatio and Speed couldn�t help running caressing hands over each other as the Italian gripped Mac�s hips and slammed into him for everything he was worth, a steady stream of moans and curses pouring from his lips.

For his part, Mac had his eyes tightly closed, leaning back and letting Danny impact against him, a noise not unlike a moan resonating quietly from his throat. His dick was definitely hard but he wasn�t stroking it; he seemed content to let Danny take him.

�Fuck,� Danny snarled suddenly, grinding to a halt.

Mac twisted around. �What�s wrong?�

Danny looked ready to cry. �I�m not sure I can keep goin� much longer, Mac. I feel like� like I ain�t doin� it right. S�been a while, ya know?�

�You�re doing just fine, Danny,� Mac soothed.

Danny almost pouted. �I wanna get ya off, though,� he mumbled.

Mac closed his eyes briefly and brought one hand off the bed to stroke himself. �Keep going, Danny. Please,� he murmured. �Please don�t stop, amante.�

Danny swallowed and leaned over his lover, gripping his hips and thrusting a bit more slowly, and he almost seemed to be experimenting with different depths and angles until he found the one that made Mac jerk and emit a long, rolling growl. Surprised pleasure crossed Danny�s face when he realized that he�d found the spot and he kept hitting it, and Mac lifted his head and groaned at the ceiling, his eyes tightly closed and his lip between his teeth, his hand moving along his own shaft in quick, firm strokes.

Horatio had never seen a man fight so hard for his orgasm before. Mac wanted to, craved to come around Danny, to show him that Danny wasn�t just a bottom but a partner. Unfortunately the Marine had already come twice that night, and both times from very hard fucks, and he was bound to be more than a little tired. Horatio lowered his lips to Speed�s ear. �Remember his trigger?� the redhead murmured, and Speed brightened at the sudden inspiration.

They exchanged mischievous glances and slid off the bed, heading for Mac. Speed climbed onto the bed beside the New Yorkers and flipped over onto his back, sliding underneath the Marine, mouth questing for the thick rod between Mac�s legs. Mac groaned and moved his hand out of the way to grant Speed access, and he started to put his hand down to the mattress for support before Horatio snatched it up, wrapping lips around a forefinger and staring into Mac�s eyes with his own sapphire eyes full of lust.

A haze passed over Mac�s face and he locked onto the sight of Horatio deep-throating his thick finger, and the sight of that and the feel of Speed�s soft hot mouth surrounding his cock and the feel of Danny thrusting against his prostate was all too much and he snarled and shook and clenched the bedspread with his support hand and clamped down around Danny and came, sparks flashing behind his eyes and an odd tingling feeling running up and down his spine, and he moaned when Danny kept going, the contractions of his lover around his cock driving Danny to the brink and then shoving him over, and Danny bruised Mac�s hips with his hands as he came, coming inside Mac for the first time.

The entire world seemed to freeze, to shrink until it was just Mac gasping and trembling while Speed milked his cock, and Danny�s rod quivering into Mac�s insides, and Horatio running soothing hands along Mac�s shoulder while he licked the finger, and then it was over and Horatio and Speed�s mouths were gone and it was just Mac and Danny, the Italian still buried inside his lover as though he had finally found Paradise and he never wanted to leave it.

Horatio and Speed were quiet, allowing the New Yorkers their moment and instead pressed their own lips together, sharing the salty fluid that Speed had picked up, smiling into each other�s mouths. �Mission accomplished,� Speed whispered in a voice that Horatio barely heard, and the redhead smiled broadly and wrapped firm arms around his lover, sharing a kiss that was both deep and sweet.

�Holy shit,� Danny finally gasped, and the Miami pair looked up in time to see the Italian slumped over his lover�s back. �That was� oh, God, that was��

�Incredible?� Speed supplied with a wryly-lifted eyebrow. �Great? Fantastic? Amazing?�

�Yes,� Danny wheezed.

Speed tried to restrain a grin. �Yes, what?�

Mac answered. �All of the above,� he groaned. �Danny, can you� it�s starting to itch.�

Danny sighed and pulled out, flopping onto his back and staring at the ceiling. His eyes closed and he licked his lips when Mac turned to peel off his condom and then bent down to clean the spent cock before he stood, tossing the condom away and locating the one that Speed had thrown earlier.

Speed rolled his eyes. �Oh God, he�s a neat freak.�

Mac lifted an eyebrow and sat carefully on the bed. �This, coming from the man who keeps his kitchen so clean that I could see myself in a slate countertop?�

Speed lifted a single finger�and not a friendly one. �I just have this thing about bacteria, okay?�

Horatio slapped his lover�s hand down and grunted in his ear for him to behave before raising his own voice. �Danny, you still with us?�

Still flat on his back, Danny lifted a hand into the air and gave a thumbs-up and a satisfied groan. Mac chuckled and swung his legs to lay next to his lover, laying a kiss on the side of his neck. �Thank you, Danny,� he murmured.

Danny waved the upraised hand before letting it flop to the bed. �Don�t thank me. They got you off.�

Mac blinked. �No, they just helped. Believe me, you were the biggest thought running through my mind.�

Danny lifted his head to give the Miami pair a hurt look. �I wanted ta do it myself,� he started.

Speed waved him off. �Mac�s not used to coming from behind, Danny. It�s not something that happens easily. Matter of fact, it takes practice and experience to get used to it.�

Horatio nodded in agreement. �And Danny, you�re not used to topping. Granted, I�m sure that you�re both happy with Mac on top, but it�s good to switch roles every now and then. You�re partners, remember?�

Danny sighed morosely, but some of his gloom disappeared when Mac reached over to wrap strong arms around him. �Danny, you did fine,� Mac murmured.

Danny leaned back into his lover. Quietly, almost too quietly for the Miami pair to hear, Danny whispered �Mind if I try again sometime?�

�Not at all,� Mac said instantly. Strange, he didn�t even have to think about it. Something had changed in their relationship, and not just the things they said to each other.

To be perfectly and brutally honest with himself, Mac had been treating Danny like a rented �man of the evening� as he held out that one astronomical chance that Claire would be found. Now that he�d accepted her death and officially paired himself with Danny, he found all those sorely underused feelings of love and affection beginning to stir. He wanted Danny to be happy.

Danny, he realized, had bottomed to him every single time and never protested anything Mac did simply because he�d been terrified that the Marine would leave him. Nine months they�d dated, and Danny had put his best foot forward every time he�d walked into Mac�s apartment. They�d been all but at each other�s throats when Danny had first became one of Mac�s CSIs, but it wasn�t until Sonny Sassone had been put away that Danny had realized that he really did respect Mac. He liked him. Even loved him.

Everything about Mac was strength. Strong hands, strong heart, strong mind, strong body, everything so strong. He�d built a wall around himself, a wall that no emotion could penetrate� but three words from Danny had sent that crashing down around him, leaving him defenseless. He couldn�t protect himself from Danny�s love and so now he needed something else to protect. True strength, he decided, came not from the ability to protect yourself but to protect someone else.

Now Mac didn�t know what to think, other than he was extremely happy that Danny had forgiven him. This was going to get complicated; he had to be Danny�s boss as much as he was Danny�s lover. At the same time, he also wanted Danny to feel appreciated and loved and yes, respected in their relationship.

�Love you, Danny,� Mac murmured yet again, holding his lover close.

�Love ya, Mac,� Danny responded, relaxing into that firm embrace.

�God, don�t tell me they�re gonna be doing that all night,� Speed grumbled from the other side of the room. Mac and Danny lifted their heads to see that Speed was alone in the bed. Horatio was standing nearby and giving his lover a look that was half amused, half reproachful. Speed saw the look and waved the redhead off. �Go take your shower, H. Leave me trapped here with the lovebirds.�

Mac lifted an eyebrow. �First you can�t wait for me to say it, and now you want me to stop?�

Speed shrugged. �I just wanna be able to sleep, is all.�

Horatio paused to slap his lover�s foot. �I recall you and I being the same way when we first said it, Speed. Now, come with me. You can scrub my back.�

Speed rousted himself from the bed and gave his lover a gentle kiss. �Be glad to, H. I could use a good scrub, too.�

Mac�s smile was bemused as the Miami pair headed for the bathroom. He shook his head and curled closer to Danny again. �You don�t mind, do you?�

�Mind what?�

�Me saying that all the time. Or acting like this.� Mac squeezed his lover again for emphasis.

Danny rolled his eyes and gave a patronizing smile. �He asks if I mind?� he grumbled. �Mac, I�m thinkin� that I�ve died and gone ta Hell, �cause there ain�t no way that anything this friggin� amazing is allowed in Heaven.�

Mac smiled and kissed him again, and the two just lay there and floated in the calm, enjoying being so close to each other. He was just starting to drift off to sleep when he heard the sounds of a hair dryer and he blinked himself awake.

A few minutes later the Miami lovers emerged from the bathroom, and Mac glanced at the clock with an eyebrow raised. He�d expected that they would be �showering� for a while, but to his surprise they emerged after a respectable period. Horatio�s hair looked freshly dried, Speed�s was still a little damp, and neither one was carrying that �I�ve just been fucked� look to their eyes. Speed caught Mac�s glance. �Honestly? I�ve had enough screwing for one night, and so has he. I have limits, too, you know. Now is the time for all the snuggling.�

Mac wouldn�t have started laughing so hard if Speed hadn�t delivered that line with a completely straight face and neutral tone.

Danny nudged his lover. �You wanna shower, too, Mac?�

Mac caught his breath and wrapped the Italian in a firm embrace, lying mostly on his side. �I don�t want to move, to be honest.�

�I hear a �but� somewhere.�

Mac sighed. �Need to hit the head� and brush my teeth.�

�Sounds good ta me.� Danny�s muscles twitched as though about to move, and he stopped. �You�re right, it�s too damn comfy.�

Still standing, Speed frowned and leaned over and delivered a sharp backhand to Mac�s ass, making both New Yorkers jump. Mac sat up and glared at him, and Speed shrugged. �You�re up now, aren�t you?�

Mac sighed and stood. �Thank you.�

�No problem.� Speed followed Horatio into bed and the two immediately tangled their limbs together in a comfortable pile. �You�re fucking me first thing in the morning,� Speed mumbled in the redhead�s general direction.

Horatio gave a tired snort. �Of course I am. Now go to sleep, Speed.�

Chuckling, Mac went to use the bathroom and realized that he didn�t have a toothbrush with him. He was sure that Horatio and Speed wouldn�t mind him using theirs, but he settled for rinsing with some mouthwash. Danny staggered into the bathroom and copied him.

They fell back into bed together. �Love you, Danny,� Mac murmured.

�Love ya, Mac.�

Speed�s voice came from the other side of the room. �Love you, H.�

�Love you, Speed.�

Mac sighed. �Good night, John Boy.�

�Fuck you,� Speed grunted.

�I will in the morning,� Horatio growled. �Now, let�s all go to sleep.�

Tomorrow
Is such a long time away
This night can last forever

Billy Joel � "This Night"

THE NEXT MORNING

Mac stirred.

He felt deliciously rested, totally sated� and warm. He opened his eyes slowly, finding the room still dark except for light shining through cracks in the window blinds. A heavy weight on his chest brought him closer to consciousness, and he lifted his head enough to see a tousled mess of dirty-blond hair resting comfortably over his heart.

Danny�

Suddenly Mac remembered last night, and everything that had happened, and he let his head drop back onto the pillow. Last night had been a blur of sex and heated words, of lust and pent-up feelings� and of Danny, and Mac�s heart skipped a beat.

�I love you, Danny,� he whispered in the quietest tone he could manage.

�Hey, Mac�s awake,� came an answering murmur from the other side of the room.

Mac blinked and turned his head, and sighed. �Do you two ever stop?� he growled softly.

Speed snorted and Horatio grunted. In the dim light, Mac could see Horatio�s pale hands gripping his lover�s ass, spreading the cheeks apart as the younger man rose and fell upon the redhead�s stiff length. Mac wondered how he hadn�t heard them sooner until he made out the hotel bedsheets that they�d pulled onto Horatio�s stomach and hips surrounding his cock, acting as a flimsy sort of silencer against the impact of Speed�s ass against the redhead�s hips.

�C�mon, Mac,� Speed murmured suddenly. �Haven�t you ever had a first-thing-in-the-morning fuck just for the pure hell of it? I mean, I could care less if I get off right now.�

Horatio agreed. �We�re just enjoying ourselves.�

Mac tilted his head. �Don�t you have to use the bathroom?�

Speed shrugged and bounced over his lover�s hips. �I already have this morning, but he hasn�t. Sometimes he has trouble coming when he�s gotta piss but that just means he keeps it up longer.�

�And who am I to refuse him?� Horatio put in with a smile. �Normally he hates morning sex.�

�Normally I hate mornings, period,� Speed grumped.

Mac shook his head and glanced down at his lover, who was still curled against him with his head on the Marine�s chest and still utterly unconscious. He thought for a moment. �Danny and I are both fairly regular, and if I remember right, his time is within an hour of waking up, so��

Speed snickered. �You don�t have to fuck to fool around, Mac.�

�Good.� Mac began ever-so-slowly rearranging his lover so that he could climb out of bed without waking him up. �Because my time is now.� He ignored the chuckles coming from his friends as he padded into the bathroom, and when he was done he came back to bed and was about to climb in when he saw the clock, and froze. �Oh, goddammit��

�It�s all right, Mac,� Horatio soothed. �I called Stella.�

Mac stood and whirled to face the redhead. �You what?�

Horatio sighed and tapped Speed�s leg, and the younger man grumbled and climbed off. Horatio sighed at the loss�God had given men a brain and a dick, and only enough blood to properly run one at a time�before sitting up to look at the Marine. �She knows about you and Danny. When I was with her looking for Rosie for Lydia Johnson�s murder, we started talking about you and it led to Danny, and she let it slip.� There was a twinkle in his eye. �I called her to let her know that you two were, ah, busy making things right.�

Mac put his hands on his hips. �And what�d she say?�

Horatio smiled. �She said that if anyone asked, Danny had had a nervous breakdown and you were discreetly taking care of him and making sure he didn�t hurt himself, because you�re a fine gentleman like that and you didn�t want it to go on his record that he�d checked himself into a private institution.�

Mac stared at him, incredulous shock plastered over his face. It took him a long time to find his voice. �You�re telling me,� he growled quietly, �that not only did you tell Stella that I�m sleeping with Danny again, but you two conspired an excuse that would give Danny a legitimate reason to move in with me?�

�More or less,� Speed told him with a grin, and then the grin faded. �Just seeing him in the lab, it looked like he was two steps away from offing himself. It�ll be believable if you�re letting him move in with you to keep an eye on him and make sure he gets healthy again. He�s too damn skinny as it is.�

Horatio nodded sadly at the pain that crossed the Marine�s face. �This is your chance to make it right, Mac. Take him home with you, and keep him there.�

�Hey, it works for us,� Speed argued. �Look at me. I�m still living with H even though I�m fully recovered from getting shot. I�ve just been with him so long that nobody�s really saying anything about it anymore. That, and I tell people that I have a mystery boyfriend that can�t afford to come out of the closet�which isn�t a lie, by the way�and H takes lesbians out to dinner every now and then so they can both cover their reputations.�

Mac thought about it for a good, long moment, and then he smiled broadly. �I don�t know how I can thank you both, for everything.�

Speed gave him a dirty grin. �You could always put on a show for us.� He was utterly shameless as he turned and began stroking his lover�s softening cock, bringing it back to full length. Mac watched for a few seconds before turning back to look at his still-sleeping lover. Danny just looked so peaceful, Mac almost hated to disturb him. Almost.

Cautiously the Marine crawled onto the bed and considered his best course of action. A long-buried mischievous streak managed to peek through, and he carefully turned and moved and shifted until his knees were on either side of Danny�s head and his hands on either side of Danny�s hips. Danny didn�t even move.

Speed was already back astride Horatio, and the younger man cocked his head. �He always sleep that soundly?�

Mac gave a thoughtful shrug. �He does when I�ve worn him out.� Ever-so-slowly Mac tugged the covers down to Danny�s thighs, revealing Italian�s limp cock and the nest of dark blond pubic hair. Mac smiled and leaned down, just breathing hot air onto it, and the cock twitched slightly.

Slowly and patiently he kept breathing on it, occasionally ghosting calloused fingertips along it, until it started to stand on its own. Danny shifted in his sleep with a dreamy smile on his face, and that made Mac break into a wide grin. Gently he flicked his tongue out to lick it, watching it bob a little, and ever so softly he pressed his lips to the tip. Danny shifted again and made a little noise as Mac opened his mouth and let the tip slide inside, the Marine barely touching it with his mouth, teasing the sleeper to the point where Danny started writhing gently, little humming sounds vibrating from his throat.

Mac let his lips press firmly around Danny�s shaft and began pulling up slowly. He could feel his own length growing hard as Danny�s newest angle began aiming hot air toward him, and he felt a flash of tongue; Danny had licked his lips.

�Mac?� Danny�s sleep-clogged voice finally came from somewhere around the Marine�s nether regions. Mac silenced him by nudging the Italian�s cheek with his cock even as he engulfed the younger man�s own now-throbbing member, earning a sudden startled groan from his lover.

�I think he�s awake now,� Speed said with a grin, straightening for a better look.

�I think he is, too.� Horatio grasped his lover�s ass with both hands, aiding in the lift and fall of the younger man upon his erection.

Danny flicked a glance at them, seeing Speed riding his older lover while the Miami pair stared at the New Yorkers, watching them with a mixture of lust and something almost like satisfaction. Danny rubbed his eyes and moaned as Mac let his lips slide slowly up and down Danny�s cock, worshipping the shaft, and Danny hissed and moaned. �Jesus, Mac, this is one helluva wake-up.�

Mac lifted his head enough to speak. �Do you mind?�

Danny yawned himself awake. �Hell, no.�

Mac smiled and took the opportunity to blow cool air on Danny�s dick before dunking it back into the hot depths of his mouth, and Danny groaned.

�Nope,� Speed�s voice came, �I don�t think he minds.�

Danny gave Speed a challenging look as he swallowed Mac�s length in one gulp, and Speed put a hand on the bedspread, leaning over to flick the bedside light on for a better look. �Jesus, H, he�s taking Mac all the way in!�

Horatio�s voice was husky with lust but he couldn�t help asking, �Mac, doesn�t he scrape you at all?�

Mac gave a negative grunt and buried his nose in the dirty-blond pubic hair before him.

Speed was impressed. �It took fuckin� effort for me to suck him off. You�re good, Danny.�

�Yes, he is,� Horatio agreed. �And believe me, that�s saying something when it�s coming from Speed.�

�Me?� Speed managed to look offended. �You�re one of maybe ten people at Deviate that can deep-throat Felix.�

Danny furrowed his eyebrows as he nosed his lover�s balls, and Speed explained. �Picture Mac, but about seven feet tall.� Danny�s eyes widened.

Mac snagged Danny�s attention back to himself, keeping a tight seal of suction on his lover�s shaft, appreciating him. He felt Danny do the same and he gave a sigh of lustful contentment. Sex was about giving as much as it was about receiving and here he was doing both. It was nice, to just have a lazy morning to wake up and enjoy a slow breakfast of Italian sausage.

Mac�s entire being was centered on Danny�s cock, but presently Danny�s own ministrations were beginning to distract him. He fought to stay on task, to keep going, and finally he won. Danny let his mouth go slack and nursed absently on Mac�s cock as the Marine doubled his efforts to pleasure his lover. Danny began to writhe and moan as Mac took him all the way down to the root, and it was with a muffled cry against Mac�s length that Danny came, and Mac greedily sucked down every drop.

Danny took a few moments to pant and wheeze before seizing Mac�s dick again, and this time he gave it his undivided attention. Mac gritted his teeth�God, why had they never tried this angle before? Deep-throating was so much easier when it actually followed the curve of the throat�and fought the urge to thrust into Danny�s mouth. He was doing well until Danny�s hands found his hips and hinted that he should do just that. Mac planted his elbows for a better angle and rocked his hips gently into that warm, soft mouth, and finally he jerked and gave a long rolling growl as he fired his seed down Danny�s throat.

Once his muscles stopped trembling, he carefully crawled off his lover and turned to lay fully on top of him, running fingers through his hair and giving him a long, sensual kiss, sharing the taste of their seed. Danny�s hands ran up and down Mac�s back, and there were satisfied groans from both of them.

When Mac came up for air, he paused. Odd, Horatio and Speed were strangely quiet. He turned to look, and saw with a smile that Speed had crawled off his lover and peeled off his condom and the two had started mimicking Danny and Mac. Speed�s head wasn�t moving much, and his eyes were closed as Horatio put his talented mouth to work on sucking his lover dry. Speed gave a strangled shout as he came and then swooped down on the redhead�s cock, returning the favor.

Danny was staring. �Jesus, how many times in a day do you two fuck? What the hell do they feed you guys down in Florida, anyway?�

Speed snorted and used every trick he knew and finally Horatio came, shaking and trembling. While the redhead was catching his breath, Speed lifted one hand to wipe his mouth on his wrist. �Told you H has problems coming when he�s gotta piss.�

�Speaking of which,� Horatio growled and gave a pointed shove at Speed�s hip, and the younger man rolled off so Horatio could stand and go to the bathroom. When he came back, he�d straightened his hair while he was at it. �There have been times where we�ve actually had to stop because I couldn�t come. We�d go so long that even Speed couldn�t take it anymore.�

�I resent those implications,� Speed muttered dryly. He stood and stretched. �Well, Mac, you want to give Danny the good news?�

Mac smiled and looked at the slim Italian laying next to him. �You�re moving in with me, Danny.�

Danny�s jaw fell open and he glanced at Horatio and Speed, and the Miami pair just smiled and nodded at him. �It�s true,� Horatio confirmed.

Danny�s mouth worked but no sound came out, and suddenly he swung his legs to fly off the bed and dive at the standing pair, wrapping both of them in a bear hug. �I don�t know how to thank you guys,� he started.

�No worries,� Horatio murmured. �Just promise that you�ll try not to drive Mac crazy.�

�Deal,� Danny said instantly. Speed gave him a pointed pat on the shoulder and the Italian released them. Danny paused, thinking. �How are we gonna get me moved? I mean, I got a lotta stuff, ya know?�

�Well,� Horatio started thoughtfully, �Speed and I don�t go back home until very early tomorrow morning. That gives us all day to help you get moved.�

Mac cocked his head, thinking. �Flack�s scheduled off today. I�ll see if he wants to help.�

�And of course we�re gonna pay �im back for his help, right, Mac?� Danny gave a devious grin, and Mac snorted.

The four of them cleaned up and got dressed and darted down to the commissary for a quick bite to eat. Mac called Flack and the detective was most agreeable, especially considering both his �payment plan� and the fact that Mac had finally pulled his head out of his ass. Flack told them that he�d grab a cab to meet them at Danny�s apartment and he�d pick up some boxes along the way.

No sooner had Flack arrived with a heaping armload of unfolded cardboard than he was right back out the door again with Speed in tow, going to rent a vehicle capable of holding lots and lots of cargo. There were a few pieces of furniture that Danny wanted to keep, but not many. Mac�s apartment was already comfortably furnished.

When Flack and Speed got back to Danny�s, a small tower of boxes was already waiting. Danny was bouncing around in a state that could only be described as �panicked glee� while Horatio and Mac were calmly and neatly packing Danny�s things in cardboard. They did a little switch-up; Danny was commandeered by Horatio to help Mac start moving boxes down the stairs. Danny needed a labor-intensive task, and working with Mac would help calm him down. It would also keep the Italian from nitpicking on how they were storing his sports collectibles.

Through it all, The Mook just sat out of the way and watched the five men strip Danny�s apartment nearly bare. Danny was amazed at how little time it took until he stood back and thought about the people helping him. CSIs tended to be very efficient and organized, and also very skilled at packaging things to both safeguard the objects and take up as little space as possible.

The lights were beginning to come on in the New York skyline when Danny locked his door for the last time. He�d deal with the paperwork later, but right now he just wanted to get to his new home. Mac smiled at him and put a casual arm over the Italian�s shoulder as they headed to the elevator, with The Mook in Speed�s arms.

Horatio smiled at Mac. �Any doubts?�

Mac shook his head. �Not a single one. This feels right.�

�Feels like it�s �bout time, too,� Danny mock-growled, and the quintet laughed at that. They piled into the little cubicle and Danny punched the lobby button.

The Marine cocked his head. �Horatio, Tim, would you like to check out of the hotel and spend the night with us?�

To his surprise, they shook their heads. Horatio explained. �We don�t want to intrude. This will be the first night that Danny lives with you. First nights are special, even if all you end up doing is sleep.� He paused to smile fondly at his lover. �Just remember, Mac, it isn�t your apartment anymore. It�s Danny�s, too.�

Mac nodded. �I�ll try to keep that in mind.�

Speed gave a devious grin. �On the other hand, we�ll help you get all the boxes from the truck to the apartment if you�ll feed us.�

Mac held his hand out to shake. �I could go for that. There�s a deli down the block that delivers.�

Speed looked at Horatio and shook his head. �I�m the only one here that�s never lived in Manhattan, and I still can�t get over that. You guys can have anything delivered. Hell, even McDonald�s delivers!�

Horatio hugged his lover. �I�d forgotten about that. I�m used to your cooking.�

Mac thought for a moment. �You know, every time I�ve come down to Miami, Tim always cooks. Why don�t you ever cook, Horatio?�

Speed answered for him. �Because H can�t cook worth a damn. I don�t get it. I mean, he�s one hell of a cop and he�s got a Master�s in chemistry, but cooking just� hates him.�

Flack gave the flushed redhead a look of camaraderie. �Hey, join the club, pal. You ain�t the only one.�

Speed shook his head at his lover. �He likes his steak a little rare for my tastes� or my comfort. I swear, with the right equipment, I think Alexx could make it get up and walk again.�

Mac leaned over to whisper to Danny and Flack that Alexx was the Miami CSI dayshift�s Medical Examiner.

Horatio stared at the floor. �Have I mentioned lately how much I like your steak, Speed?�

�Or my ropa vieja? Speaking of which, if you�re good, I�ll make a batch when we get home.�

The doors dinged open and the men headed for the curb. Here they split up; Mac climbed into the driver�s seat of the truck with Danny next to him while Horatio, Speed, and Flack squeezed into a cab. Speed didn�t mind being in the middle.

Danny lived halfway across the city, and when cab and truck pulled up in front of Mac�s apartment building, they were like a trail of ants carrying boxes up the elevator and piling them�neatly�in Mac�s living room. Mac and Danny�s living room.

When it was done, they slumped on various furniture. Speed lifted a hand. �Feed me.�

Mac laughed and went for the phone book. �While I�m looking this up, you guys figure out what you want.� He�d barely gotten the place on the line when orders began coming from all directions. He growled at them and made them slow down so the deli worker on the other end of the phone could keep up.

When the food arrived, they arranged themselves a bit more comfortably on the furniture. Danny hopped up to grab beers for everybody and they lapsed into friendly banter.

�Ya know,� Flack started, �this means that Mac�s gonna be halfway normal now.�

Eyebrows lifted all over the room, and Speed was the first to reply. �How do you figure?�

Flack shrugged casually. �Now when he can�t sleep, he�s got somethin� to do besides more work.�

Danny tilted back on the couch and clapped his hands, howling gleefully, and Mac just looked embarrassed. Horatio was smiling until he caught Speed�s pointed stare, and the redhead scratched the back of his neck. �I�m not really one to talk,� he admitted. �I�m the same way.�

�You used to be,� Speed corrected dryly. He paused and fixed his lover with a suspicious stare. �H, have you been sneaking around behind my back? Crawling out of bed in the middle of the night to go stare at some dirty evidence and incriminating photographs?�

Horatio�s reply was delivered in a perfect deadpan. �What can I say? Nothing better to put me to sleep than reading one of your chemical analysis reports.�

Speed frowned. �And here I was going to say nice things about your fingerprinting layouts.�

Danny lifted a finger. �You should try readin� some of Mac�s crime scene reconstructions. I swear, my CSI �safety first� orientation guide was more entertainin�. This angle from this direction an� this height and the bullet goes through this chair with legs of Douglas fir and tri-color upholstery and the stuffin� and the backin� and�� he trailed off and drooped his eyelids. Beside him, The Mook yawned. Danny snickered and handed his dog a small piece of pepperoni.

Mac cocked his head and an eyebrow. �What about your spreadsheets? I�ve seen more action while reading the stock reports.�

Flack shook his head and gave an elaborate sigh. �Friggin� scientists. Can�t you guys just catch a game or somethin�?�

Horatio and Speed looked blank, Mac looked bored, and Danny shook his head. Flack sighed. �What the hell is wrong with you people?�

�Get outta here,� Danny growled good-naturedly, �I can�t ever sleep after watchin� the game. You know that.�

There was laughter all around, and they finished their food. The skyline was almost dark by the time they�d gotten most of the boxes unpacked, and finally Horatio put his hands on his hips and looked around. �Gentlemen, I believe that�s about all we can get done this evening. Unfortunately Speed and I have to get back to the hotel. We�re catching the red-eye.�

Mac and Danny were sorry to see them go, but firm embraces were exchanged between the four of them, and Flack got handshakes� and a few sultry looks from Speed. Apparently the two had hit it off. Speed gave The Mook a parting scratch, and then they were gone.

Flack looked at his friends. �They�re right, guys. We�re up dark and early tomorrow, too.� He gave the lovers a meaningful look. �Try not ta keep the neighbors up, hear me?�

Danny waved that off. �Get outta here, ya clown. You�re keepin� us up.�

Mac just smiled. �See you tomorrow, Don.�

Finally it was just Mac and Danny and The Mook, and the dog looked up at Mac as if to ask where he could sleep. He didn�t have a doggy bed; he was used to sleeping either on the couch or with Danny.

The Italian sighed at his pet. �Ya ain�t sleepin� with us, pal.�

The Mook made a grumbling noise and hopped up onto a nearby recliner.

Mac extended his hand and let Danny to the bedroom and wrapped him in a firm embrace, burying his nose in the dirty-blond hair and drinking in the scent. �Love you, Danny.�

�Love ya, Mac.�

Still holding his lover, Mac sighed. �I hate to do this to you, but I�m going to be rather un-romantic and say that I�m exhausted.�

�Same here.� Danny kissed the older man�s neck and stepped back. �Wanna get some shut-eye?�

�Sounds good.�

They stripped to nothing and climbed into bed, immediately tangling together comfortably. Mac gave the deep-seated sigh of the truly content. �Good night, amante.�

Danny smiled. �G�night, Mac.�

Translations:
�Parlo un piccolo italiano. Avete un asino stretto.�
�I speak a little Italian. You have a tight ass.�

�Te amo, y ame su culo apretado�
�I love you, and I love your tight ass.�

�Viejo lascivo�
Lewd old person; basically, �dirty old man�

ropa vieja
Means �old clothes� in Spanish. It�s Cuban beef that�s cooked tender, shredded with the fingers, re-cooked, and seasoned. Can be served a variety of ways.
- 5
- 6
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

New York State of Mind