Title: Never Too Late

Author: Sparkle731
Type: Slash
Summary: Starsky comes to terms with his rape and his new feelings for his partner.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Starsky and Hutch, just having fun with them for a while.
Format: Story

Category: First time, Starsky H/C, Hutch H/C, some violence

Rating: NC-17

Sequel to: Too late in the telling by Stella


A/N: This story is a sequel to Too late in The Telling by Stella. She graciously gave me permission to write this story and I would like to thank her for being allowed to continue with this tale.

 

Beta read by ProvencePuss

 

 

NEVER TOO LATE

By Sparkle731

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

 

            Bright sunlight streaming in through the window awoke Hutch from a sound sleep. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at the ceiling above Starsky’s bed. A faint smile tugged at his lips when he felt the warm presence of his partner curled up against his back. Easing himself over onto his opposite side, moving carefully so as not to disturb his bed partner, he smiled at his peacefully slumbering friend. He felt his heart soar with delight when he remembered Starsky’s words from the night before. He wanted be with Hutch, not just as his friend but also as his lover. For Hutch, it was the fulfillment of a dream he had thought was impossible. He had carefully hidden his true feelings about Starsky for so long, while struggling to acknowledge his confusion about his own sexuality. Hutch let his thoughts drift back over the events of the past few weeks.

 In a vain attempt to control his increasingly disturbing urges, Hutch had secretly taken a male lover; a man named Greg who had bore a strong physical resemblance to Starsky. For months, Hutch had convinced himself that his affair with Greg was enough, that eventually he would learn to love the other man the way he did Starsky. Greg had introduced Hutch to all the pleasures of loving another man. He was Hutch’s first male lover. But, his lingering feelings for Starsky, his longing to be with Starsky instead of Greg, could not be denied. Hutch had finally decided to tell Starsky the truth and had tried to break off his affair with Greg, realizing that he wasn’t being fair to his lover. But, before he could do that, four men had attacked Starsky. He had been viciously beaten and violently raped.

            Hutch had immediately gone to the hospital to be with his injured partner. In the exam room, Starsky had confronted Hutch about Greg. He had uncovered the secret that Hutch had prayed he would never find out. Angry and in pain because of what had happened to him, Starsky had struck out at Hutch. Cruel, hateful words had been said that could not be easily forgotten. Hutch was devastated when Starsky shut him out. Over the next few weeks, their relationship had deteriorated. Hutch had been terrified that their friendship and their partnership had both been damaged beyond repair because he had not been honest with Starsky from the beginning.

            Starsky’s current girlfriend, Annie, had moved in with him and Starsky had announced their engagement. Hutch had never felt more lost and alone. To compensate, he had turned to Greg for comfort and had continued their affair even though he knew he was simply using Greg as a poor substitution for Starsky. Then Starsky had told Hutch he was leaving the force and moving to Oklahoma with Annie after they got married. He was taking the vacation time he had coming instead of continuing to work until the wedding.

            For two long weeks, Hutch did not see or speak to Starsky. The pain of the separation felt almost like withdrawing from an addiction and the only one Hutch had to turn to was Greg. Then, one evening without warning, Starsky had turned up on his doorstep. Starsky had apologized for his behavior since his rape and the two partners had spent the entire night talking and sorting things out. By the time the sun came up, their friendship was back on solid ground.

Starsky had broken off his engagement and Annie had moved out of his apartment. Hutch felt nothing but relief at the news. He had known all along that Annie was not the right woman for Starsky and that the brunet didn’t actually love her. Starsky admitted that he had been intending to break up with her the night he was attacked but after the rape, he had been so confused and in so much emotional pain that everything had spiraled out of his control.

 Greg was not happy when he found out that Hutch intended to remain on the police force and continue working with Starsky. Hutch and Greg had talked about going into business together with Hutch leaving the force to work with Greg in his Greenhouse. When Hutch discovered that Greg had made plans behind his back to purchase an existing business in another city and expected Hutch to move there with him, Hutch had realized that he had to end his affair with Greg before it went any further.

 Greg had reacted violently, going to Starsky’s apartment and attacking him. He had admitted to Starsky that he had hired the four men to attack and rape him, hoping to turn Starsky against Hutch when Starsky found out that Hutch had a male lover.  Greg had blamed Starsky for Hutch not being able to fall in love with him. Greg’s plan had been to rape Starsky again and then to kill him, making it look like one of the original attackers had returned to finish the job. He might have succeeded if Hutch hadn’t shown up and stopped him.

Hutch would have killed Greg that night if Starsky hadn’t stopped him. After scaring the hell out of his former lover, Hutch had ordered him to leave town and never to return. He had warned him if he ever came near Hutch or Starsky again, Hutch would kill him. Greg had seen the cold hard truth in Hutch’s eyes and had been glad to escape from the big blond’s rage.

After Greg was gone, Starsky and Hutch had a long talk. Starsky told Hutch that after he realized that Greg was Hutch’s lover, Starsky had started wondering what it would be like to be with Hutch himself, as his lover and not just as his friend. Starsky had told Hutch that he still wanted to be with Hutch but because of what had happened to him, they would have to take it slow. They had sealed their future with their first kiss and Hutch had spent the night in Starsky’s bed, simply holding the smaller man in his arms as he slept.

Hutch was pulled out of his thoughts when Starsky stirred and blinked, smiling sleepily at Hutch. “Morning, Blondie.” he said in a husky, sleep-drugged voice.

“Morning yourself, Gordo.” Hutch said with a tender smile, reaching out to twist an unruly curl around his finger. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Never better.” Starsky told him with a lopsided grin. “Best sleep I’ve had in weeks. I could get used to waking up beside you like this.”

“So could I.” Hutch replied, brushing his lips lightly over Starsky’s mouth.

“Mmmmmm, that’s nice.” Starsky murmured in a contented voice. He lifted his left hand and gently traced his fingertips around Hutch’s mouth. “You make me feel safe, Hutch….and loved.”

“You are. More than you’ll ever know.” Hutch whispered. Their eyes locked, communicating silently between themselves, silently expressing their newfound love for each other. After a moment of hesitation, their lips met in a long, lingering kiss, their arms slipping around each other. Hutch felt his cock jerk in immediate response to the sheer pleasure of the kiss. Starsky’s mouth was just the way Hutch had always imagined it would be, soft and firm, yet warm and yielding. When Hutch gently ran his tongue across Starsky’s bottom lip, the brunet willingly opened his mouth.

Their tongues met, twisting and teasing, as they leisurely began to explore each other’s mouth, learning each other’s unique taste. Hutch reached up with his right hand to tangle his fingers in Starsky’s thick dark curls, holding his head steady as he deepened the kiss. Starsky responded with a soft moan, his hands clutching at Hutch almost desperately.

Reluctantly, Hutch pulled out of the kiss. “Easy, babe…easy…” he whispered in a soothing voice. He could feel Starsky’s muscles trembling beneath his touch and hear the brunet’s unsteady gasping.

“Wow…” Starsky whispered in a husky voice, still shaken by the emotions that the simple kiss had aroused deep inside of him.

“Yeah. Wow.” Hutch agreed in an affectionate voice. He smiled at the expression of childlike wonder on Starsky’s face. Hutch’s cock throbbed in arousal but he knew it was too soon to suggest anything more than a few gentle kisses and some tender caresses. This was all still new to Starsky and because of the rape he was nervous and scared. Hutch wanted to make everything perfect for him and not give him any reason to regret making a conscious choice to be with Hutch sexually. “How about some breakfast?” he suggested. “I’ll make it while you take a shower.”

“Sounds great.” Starsky said, snuggling up closer to Hutch. “In a minute. I’m too comfortable right now to move.”

“Hedonist.” Hutch chuckled

“Hedo what?” Starsky said in a puzzled voice. When Hutch used words that Starsky did not understand, it made him painfully aware that he only had a high school education while Hutch had three years of college to his credit. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that your main goal in life is pleasure.” Hutch explained patiently.

“So? What’s wrong with that?” Starsky asked, relaxing when he realized that Hutch had meant it as a compliment.

“Take your shower while I start breakfast.” Hutch told him with a gentle slap on that gorgeous ass. Even covered with the bikini briefs that Starsky preferred to boxers, Starsky’s sensuous ass, and well-endowed package was clearly displayed.  Starsky gave a surprised yelp as Hutch tossed aside the sheet covering them and swung his long legs over the side of the bed. His teasing laughter filled the air as he left the bedroom.

Starsky climbed out of the bed and stretched to work the kinks out of his muscles. Stripping off his underwear, he went into the adjoining bathroom and reached out to turn on the shower, adjusting the water to a comfortable temperature. Humming under his breath, he stepped underneath the spray, letting the needles of hot water soothe and relax him. Vivid bruises along his ribcage bore mute evidence to the beating by Greg during his aborted attack. A shallow cut across his chest was sore and tender to the touch but it was not a serious injury.

Starsky closed his eyes and turned his face up into the spray. So much had happened to him in the past few weeks that his mind was still reeling. The only thing he was sure about was his feelings for Hutch and the new direction that their relationship was taking. He had never imagined himself being with another man sexually and the idea still scared him but he knew that Hutch would never hurt him, not the way that the men who had raped him had. Realistically, Starsky knew that rape had nothing to do with love or even sex; it had to do with control and domination. And the four men who had assaulted him had intentionally inflicted as much pain as they possibly could. They had enjoyed hurting him and humiliating him.

Physical pain, Starsky could handle. It was the emotional pain resulting from the trauma that he was having trouble dealing with. He had promised Hutch that he would make an appointment to talk to the rape counselor that Doctor Franklin had referred him to. Greg had given them the names of the four men involved and told them where to start looking for them. Starsky finally felt like he had some control over his life again.

Lathering up his body, Starsky washed himself and rinsed off. He winced as he shampooed his hair, his fingers carefully examining the knot on the back of his head where Greg had hit him with a beer bottle. He had been terrified that Greg was going to succeed with his plan until Hutch arrived like an avenging angel and rescued him. Starsky admitted to Hutch that he had called out for Hutch the night he was raped, praying that Hutch would arrive in time to rescue him that night too, even though he knew how unlikely that was.

Starsky shuddered as his mind briefly slipped back to the night, the terror when he realized what they intended to do, the agony when his body was violently violated, the pain as he lay there after they were finished, wondering if anyone was going to find him or if his attackers would return to finish him off. He remembered lashing out at Hutch in the hospital after the doctor had examined him, his tormented mind comparing the pain of his attack to Hutch doing the same thing to another man and enjoying it.

In the weeks following the rape, he had done everything he could to push Hutch away even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. He just could seem to help himself. He had needed Hutch there to help him deal with his pain but every time he thought about Hutch being with another man, he felt sick and remembered the pain he’d felt that night. His torment was compounded by the confusing feelings he’d been having before the attack when he’d figured out that Hutch had been secretly having an affair with another man behind his back He was angry and hurt because Hutch had never told him he was bi-sexual, while at the same time, he had found himself wondering if Hutch had ever been attracted to him. Starsky had been shocked when he realized that he could imagine himself being with Hutch sexually and enjoying it. That was until he was raped and everything was so screwed up in his head. He knew now that was what Greg had intended when he had paid the men to attack Starsky that night.

 Rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, he turned off the water and stepped out of the tub, grabbing a large fluffy towel from the rack. Drying off briskly, he wrapped the towel around his waist as he stepped up to the sink and reached up to wipe the condensation off the mirror. After brushing his teeth and shaving, he went into his bedroom to get dressed for the day. Rummaging through his dresser, he pulled out a faded blue tee shirt and slipped it on, along with a pair of his favorite threadbare jeans. Stuffing his feet in his Adidas, he tied the strings and headed for the kitchen where he could smell the aroma of bacon frying and coffee brewing.

Hutch was standing at the stove, barefoot and shirtless, dressed in his brown cords. He turned his head, smiling warmly, as Starsky came out of the bedroom. Starsky felt a sudden lump rise into his throat as he looked at those familiar beloved features. He had come so close to throwing away the best friendship he had ever had. Hutch already fulfilled all of his emotional needs, the only thing they hadn’t done was have sex with each other. A flush colored his cheeks as he realized that was about to change.

Starsky had always known that Hutch was a handsome man with classic features set off by ice blue eyes and that headful of golden blonde hair. He could have any woman he wanted and had bedded more than his share over the years. Hutch had never shown an interest in other men in the past, at least not as far as Starsky knew. Now, Starsky found himself wondering how many other secrets Hutch had kept from him over the years. Starsky had always considered himself tolerant and liberal when it came to alternative lifestyles, even if they varied from his own.

John Blaine’s murder had forced Starsky to take a close look at his own sexuality and his feelings about gay men. In Viet Nam, he had discarded his more conventional attitudes towards homosexuality. In a combat situation, traditional societal norms were often ignored. Although Starsky had never participated in a sexual relationship with any of his comrades, he knew other men who had. That had been another world and another lifetime, one best forgotten as far as Starsky was concerned.

“Hungry?” Hutch asked as he set the bacon to one side to drain.

“Always,” Starsky said with a grin. “You know that.” He got a pitcher of orange juice out of the refrigerator and poured two glasses. Grabbing the plates and silverware, he sat the table for two. Within a few minutes, Hutch had their breakfast ready; bacon, scrambled eggs with mushrooms and cheese, and wheat toast. The two men sat down at the table to enjoy their meal and each other’s company.

 

CHAPTER 2

 

            Captain Dobey leaned back in his chair and looked at his best team of detectives. He trusted their judgment. They had the first names, descriptions, and the last known location for the four men who had raped and beaten Starsky. Even though two other detectives had been assigned to the original case, Dobey knew how important it was for Starsky and Hutch to go after the four suspects themselves. For Starsky, it was part of the healing process. Hutch’s motives ran much deeper, fueled by the guilt he felt at not being able to protect his partner. Dobey knew they hadn’t given him all the details about how they had uncovered their information about the four suspects and the burly black man knew not to pry.

            “Alright,” Dobey said after a moment of silence. “How do you want to play it?”

            “Go to Oakland and check out The Yellow Crocodile.” Hutch said, naming the bar where Greg had told them that the four men hung out.

            “I’ll have to coordinate the operation with the Oakland P.D.” Dobey reminded him needlessly.

            “Then do it.” Hutch said, a bit more sharply than he intended to. His eyes flashed with anger. “We need to find this scum and get them off the streets.”

            “I agree.” Dobey turned his attention to Starsky who had remained silent. He lowered his normally booming voice. “Dave, are you sure you’re up to this?”

            “I’ll be okay.” Starsky assured him. He glanced at Hutch for reassurance. “As long as Hutch and I are together.”

            “You’re still the victim in this case. That’s makes it a lot more personal than usual.” Dobey pointed out.

            “I know that, Captain.” Starsky snapped in an irritated tone. “That’s why we’ll do everything by the book right down the line.”

            Dobey nodded solemnly, apparently satisfied with Starsky’s answer. Hutch leaned forward and looked at his Captain somberly. “Captain, Starsky’s been through enough. Is there anyway to keep his name out of it when we bust these turkeys?”

            “I’ll do my best.” Dobey said “But I can’t make any promises. You know that.”

            “That’s all we’re asking you to do.” Starsky said, throwing a grateful glance at his partner for bringing up the subject. He knew that he would have to testify in any trial that might occur if they found the suspects and arrested them but he didn’t relish the thought of having his personal life spread all over the newspapers and the evening news.

            “Give me a couple of days to get things set up. I’ll get back to you.” Dobey said, dismissing them. The two detectives rose to their feet and left the office, Starsky hooking his foot around the door as he went out to pull it shut. He grinned at Hutch as Dobey’s voice bellowed from behind the closed door, “Starskyyyyyyyy….”

            “So what now?” Starsky said

            “Let’s go see Huggy.” Hutch suggested, pushing open the squad room door and gesturing Starsky through first.

            Twenty minutes later, the two detectives slid into their usual booth at the Pits. Huggy spotted them immediately and sauntered over to their table with a huge grin on his face. “Well, well,” he said with a smirk. “It looks like you two lovebirds kissed and made up.”

            Hutch almost choked at Huggy’s teasing remark, a deep blush creeping into his cheeks. He knew that there was no way Huggy could know about the fledging relationship that was developing between the two partners. He hissed as Starsky kicked his shin underneath the table. The brunet looked at the tall thin black man and grinned.

            “You could say that, Hug.” Starsky said with a smug look across the table at Hutch, who ducked his head to hide his embarrassment. .

            “What can I get you two fine police officers today?” Huggy asked, wisely choosing to ignore the glance exchanged by his two friends. He had known them long enough to know that the two men often communicated silently with each other, sharing private secrets and inside jokes that nobody else was privy to. They could carry on an entire conversation without saying a word aloud.

            “How about two specials and a couple of beers?” Starsky said, ordering for both of them.

            “Coming right up.” Huggy said, walking away to get their drinks.

 As he moved out of earshot, Starsky looked at Hutch with a crooked smile. In a voice that only Hutch could hear, he said in a slightly mocking tone, “You’re really gonna have to work on that blush of yours, Blondie.”

“Starsky!” Hutch said in a warning tone, pointing his index finger at his chuckling partner.

“Hey, you don’t see me blushing, do ya?” Starsky said with a giggle.

“Not yet.” Hutch said ominously “But, I bet I could find a way to make you blush if you push it.”

“Okay, okay…” Starsky said good-naturedly, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Hutch grinned back and relaxed. It felt good to be bantering with Starsky again, to have their relationship back on solid ground. He had to suppress a sudden urge to lean over the table and kiss Starsky right then and there. Hutch took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to bring his raging hormones under control. He found himself wondering if he had enough stamina to survive an affair with Starsky. Just dealing with his dark haired whirlwind of a partner on a day-to-day basis kept Hutch on his toes, throwing a sexual relationship into the mix was bound to make things intriguing.

Huggy picked that moment to return with their drinks. He smiled as he put the tall chilled mugs of beer down on the table in front of the two men. Pulling up a chair from the adjacent table, Huggy straddled it and looked at his two friends questioningly.

“So, come on…tell me all about it. You two okay now?” Huggy had been concerned about the distance between the two friends in the past few weeks. He was glad to see that things seemed to have been straightened out between them.

“We’re fine, Hug.” Starsky told him “Never been better as a matter of fact.”

“Glad to hear that. You two are a matched set. You don’t look right all by your lonesome.” Huggy said with a chuckle. He looked at Starsky closely. “How are things going with you and your fiancée?”

“They aren’t. The wedding’s off.” Starsky told him. He lifted his mug and took a long swallow of his beer.

“I can’t really say I’m sorry to hear that.” Huggy said dryly. Huggy had never held his tongue when it came to his feelings for Annie. He hadn’t liked her and didn’t care who knew it.  “Should I be?”

“Naw,” Starsky said with a grin. “I guess I was thinking too much with the wrong head for awhile.” Hutch choked on the sip of beer he had just taken, coughing violently, at Starsky’s off color remark. “You okay, Blintz?” Starsky asked in a concerned voice, tossing his partner a worried glance. Hutch nodded as his coughing tapered off.  

“How’s everything else going?” Huggy asked. “Any leads on the four dudes that tried to pound you into the pavement?”

“As a matter of fact we have some names and a lead on where we might find them.” Hutch said. “We’re just waiting for the green light to go after them.”

“You know anything about a bar called The Yellow Crocodile in Oakland?” Starsky asked.

“I’ve heard of it.” Huggy said slowly. “Pretty rough place. Caters to the leather set if you catch my drift.”

“Bikers?” Hutch asked

“Bikers, the S and M crowd, guys who get off on playing down and dirty.” Huggy replied. “If you’re going to be checking it out, you better watch your back…and your ass…and every other part you care anything about.”

“We’ll keep that in mind.” Hutch said grimly. “Thanks for the warning.”

Diane, one of Huggy’s best waitresses, interrupted their conversation as she arrived with their food. She smiled brightly at her two favorite customers as she sat the plates down in front of them. She leaned over, giving them both a good view of her amble cleavage.

“Thanks, Diane.” Huggy said, dismissing her so the three men could return to their conversation. They watched as she walked away with an exaggerated swing of her hips. “Mmmmmm,” Huggy said with a leer “Damn, she sure has a nice swing to her caboose.”

“That ain’t all that’s nice about that ass…” Starsky said with a mischievous grin, ignoring the glare the remark earned him from the big blond sitting on the other side of the table.

“I better get back to work before my employees steal me blind.” Huggy said, standing up and putting the chair back in place.

“Take care, Hug.” Hutch said as the black man walked away to tend to other business. Starsky was already busy devouring his hamburger and the fries that he had smothered in ketchup. The two men ate in silence for several minutes. Finally, Hutch glanced at his partner and said in a quiet voice, “After we eat, what do you say we log out and go back to my place?”

“Yeah?” Starsky said with a ghost of a smile “What have you got in mind for the rest of the afternoon?”

“A long talk.” Hutch said, pushing aside his half-eaten food he was no longer interested in eating.

Starsky looked at him with an alarmed expression on his face and a trace of fear in his eyes. “About us?” he asked somberly. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“No!” Hutch said adamantly, reaching out to squeeze Starsky’s hand reassuringly. “But we still need to talk…to decide what we both want out of this.”

“Yeah…okay.” Starsky said with little enthusiasm. He pushed aside his plate. “Let’s get out of here.”

Hutch stood up and dug in his pocket, tossing some bills on the table to pay for their food. Starsky slid out of the booth and they left the bar, heading for Hutch’s apartment. Half an hour later, Starsky pulled up in front of Venice Place. Silently, the two men climbed out of the Torino and climbed the steps to Hutch’s second floor apartment.

“You want a beer?” Hutch asked as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed two beers out of the refrigerator without waiting for Starsky’s answer. Starsky slumped down on the sofa and accepted the drink that Hutch handed him. Hutch slumped down beside him, close but not quite touching.

“You wanted to talk, so talk.” Starsky said, taking a long pull of his beer. Although his voice was calm and level, Hutch could sense the tension in the compact body of his friend.

“Relax, babe.” Hutch said in a tender voice. “I love you. You know that. More than anything else in this world. I just want to make sure you’re really okay with this whole thing…that this is what you really want.”

“I’m sure.” Starsky said confidently, looking deeply into Hutch’s eyes. He sighed heavily. He had never been as good as Hutch was when it came to expressing himself and verbalizing his feelings. “You mean everything to me, you always have. I just never realized how much until everything got so screwed up between us because of what happened to me.”

“Because of me.” Hutch said glumly. “What happened to you because of me? It wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t gotten involved with Greg in the first place.”

“It’s not your fault, Blintz. You didn’t know he was going to pull something like that.”

“I guess I can really pick ‘em, huh?” Hutch said with a rueful smile.

“You? What about me?” Starsky said with a decisive snort. “Look what I almost did. I almost married a woman I knew I didn’t love because my head was so fucked up.”

“You were raped, Starsky!” Hutch said sharply. “Raped and beaten and then left there like a piece of trash that somebody just threw away!”

“Gee, Blondie, did anybody ever tell you that you really have a way with words?” Starsky said dryly. “It’s kinda hard to forget, ya know?”

“I’m sorry.” Hutch said apologetically, feeling regret at having brought back painful and unwanted memories for his best friend. “It’s just when I think about those men hurting you like that…” his voice trailed off as his eyes filled with tears.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m still here, that’s the important thing.” Starsky said, reaching out to squeeze Hutch’s denim covered thigh. “I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

“You had a right to. I should have been honest with you a long time ago.”

“Why weren’t you?” Starsky asked in his usual direct way.

“It’s not like I ever meant to lie to you. I always meant to tell you. It just never seemed like the right time.”

“How long have you known that you liked guys?”

“Not guys, Starsk…just you.”

Starsky was silent for several minutes, thinking about what Hutch had just said. “So you’ve never been with any other guys besides Greg?”

“No…and the only reason I got involved with him was because there were certain things about him that reminded me of you.” He looked at Starsky, his ice blue eyes pleading for understanding. “If I couldn’t have you than I guess I thought I could settle for second best.”

“How long were you with him before I found out?”

“About six weeks. He knew how I felt about you from the beginning. I never lied to him about that. I just never realized how jealous he was of you.”

“Because he knew that you loved me in a way that you could never love him.” Hutch gave a simple nod of his head without replying. “How long have you felt that way about me, Hutch?” Starsky said, sounding like a child who was trying desperately to understand something they didn’t quite know how to accept.

“I’ve always loved you. You know that.” Hutch said, choosing his words carefully. “I guess I started to realize that the way I felt about you had changed after you got poisoned by Vic Bellamy.” He took a deep shuddering breath at the memory. “I came so close to losing you that day. After that, all I wanted to do was take care of you. I wanted to wrap you in my arms and keep you safe, make sure nobody could ever hurt you like that again. I didn’t just love you anymore; I was ‘in’ love with you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Starsky repeated.

“I was afraid to. I didn’t want to admit to myself at first that I wanted to be with you like that….or any man for that matter. And I was afraid of losing you as a friend if I told you how I felt and you didn’t feel the same way I did.”

“So, what changed? Why did you suddenly decide to take up with Greg…and don’t just tell me that it was because he reminded you of me.”

“Because not being able to tell you how I felt about you was driving me crazy!” Hutch declared. “So when I met Greg, I decided to find out once and for all if I really wanted to be with a man or not, or if it was just some kind of fantasy that I only had about you.”

“So, I guess you found out you that liked it.” Starsky commented dryly.

“Yeah, I did.” Hutch admitted with an embarrassed flush. “There’s no way to describe what it feels like…how different it is from being with a woman.”

“I think I got a little taste of that when you kissed me.” Starsky said with a faint smile.

“Kissing is nothing compared to the rest of it.” Hutch sighed heavily and looked at Starsky intently. “What about you? You said you started thinking about what it would be like after you found out about Greg. Why?”

“I guess because I never really thought about it before….being with you like that. Then the more I thought about it, the more I found myself wanting to find out what it would be like. How it would feel to have you touch me like that. It was starting to make me a little nuts too.”

“Then those guys raped you.”

“Yeah…before I ever got the chance to find out what it would be like with you.” Starsky said in a sad, forlorn voice. “They took something away from me that I can’t get back….something I would never have voluntarily have given to any man….except you.” Starsky lowered his eyes self-consciously. “They made me feel dirty…like I was damaged goods.”

“Never!” Hutch said, reaching out to wrap his arms around Starsky and pulling him close. “Not to me. Never to me.”

Starsky leaned his head against Hutch’s shoulder and choked back a sob, feeling safe and secure in his arms. “I just want to feel normal again.” he whispered in a broken voice. “Is that too much to ask?”

“No, it’s not.” Hutch said, gently stroking Starsky’s hair. “If I could take it all back, you know I would. I’d rather take a bullet than see you get hurt.”

“I know.” Starsky tilted his head back so he could look into Hutch’s eyes.  “I trust you with my life and my soul, Hutch. That’s why I need you to make me feel whole again.”

“I love you, David Michael Starsky.” Hutch whispered “And I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much if you’ll let me.”

Starsky made a feeble attempt at a smile. “Make me feel good again, Hutch. Make it stop hurting so much.”

“We’re still gonna take this slow, buddy. Baby steps. Remember?” Hutch whispered. “I don’t want you doing anything you’re not ready for or don’t feel comfortable with.”

“I pissed you off at Huggy’s when I made that crack about Diane’s ass, didn’t I?” Starsky asked, changing subjects abruptly. Luckily, Hutch was accustomed to following Starsky’s train of thought when it suddenly decided to take a detour.  

“Okay, I was jealous there for a minute. I admit it.” Hutch said with a soft smile. “I guess I’m a little insecure.”

“About us or about me?”

“Both I guess.” Hutch admitted. “I mean face it, Starsk. Your reputation precedes you when it comes to women. Are sure you really want to give that up for me?”

“If you’re asking me if I want us to be exclusive, then the answer is yes.” Starsky said quietly with a firm conviction in his voice. He leaned closer and gave Hutch a tender kiss. “I’m here right now because this is where I want to be…with you.”

What am I gonna do with you, Starsky?” Hutch said with a chuckle, needing to lighten things up his emotions got the best of him.  

“Love me.” Starsky replied with a wicked grin. “Show me just how good you can make me feel, Blondie.”

“Let’s go to bed.” Hutch said, rising to his feet and grabbing Starsky’s hand to pull him to his feet. Wrapping his arm securely around his partner’s waist, he led Starsky into his bedroom and eased him down onto the side of the bed.

Starsky looked up at Hutch, his eyes filled with trust and anticipation. Hutch slowly unbuttoned his own shirt and slipped it off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor at his feet. When Starsky reached down to pull off his tee shirt, Hutch put out a hand to stop him. “Let me.” Hutch whispered, slowly pulling the tee shirt up over Starsky’s torso and head, his fingertips brushing lightly against Starsky’s skin as he did. Starsky trembled, excited by the touch.

The two men had always been physical with one another, touching and hugging, wrestling and playfully swatting each other on the ass, but there was something so much more intimate about this touch. Something that made Starsky’s heart soar with joy and pound with excitement. Hutch tossed the tee shirt to the floor beside his own. He let his eyes sweep over Starsky’s muscular, well-defined chest, then back up to his sapphire eyes. The hunger in the blond’s eyes made Starsky blush nervously. He felt like a virgin again anxious to get laid for the first time. The thought made him chuckle when he realized that that was exactly what he was, at least in all the ways that really counted.

“You’re so beautiful.” Hutch said, a crack in his voice betraying his emotions. “Can I touch you, Starsk?”

Starsky nodded, not trusting his own voice to speak. It felt strange to hear Hutch calling him beautiful and asking for permission to touch him. Over the years, they had both touched every part of each other’s bodies at one time or another, just never in a sexual context before now.

Starsky jumped slightly when Hutch began running his fingers through the soft fur on Starsky’s chest, his touch both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. A lightening bolt of pleasure shot through the brunet, setting every nerve ending in his body on edge. A soft whimper escaped from his lips as Hutch’s fingers found the small brown nipples hidden beneath his chest hair. Starsky moaned as Hutch gently pinched and rolled the small nubs of flesh between his fingers, making them hard.

“Oh, God…Hutch…” he choked out as another wave of pleasure swept over him.

“Lay down on the bed, baby.” Hutch said softly “I want to hold you in my arms while I kiss you.”

Starsky scrambled to do as Hutch requested, centering himself on the bed, his breathing coming in short pants, watching with half closed eyes as Hutch climbed onto the bed beside him. Without any reservations, he moved into Hutch’s arms, their mouths meeting in a deep, lingering kiss. It was strange to feel the hard muscular build of another man lying in his arms instead of the soft, feminine curves that Starsky was accustomed to feeling. Starsky had to admit that he had never felt so turned on before in his life. It was erotic as hell knowing that it was Hutch stirring up these new feelings and desires deep inside of him.

Starsky’s jeans suddenly felt two sizes too small as his cock responded to the stimulation. When Hutch’s groin pressed against him, he realized that Hutch was just as hard as he was. Starsky moaned and began to grind his crotch against Hutch, his aching cock demanding more attention. He felt lightheaded and dizzy when Hutch moved his lips away from Starsky’s mouth and began to nuzzle the side of his neck. Starsky cried out in pleasure and tilted back his head to give Hutch even more access to his throat when his partner’s lips found a particularly sensitive area just beneath Starsky’s left ear.

“Hutcccchhhhh….” Starsky whimpered as he felt the pleasure mounting almost unbearably, centering squarely in his groin. He was going to come without Hutch even laying a hand on his throbbing cock. A ragged cry ripped from deep within his chest and his muscles stiffened as his body exploded in ecstasy.

“Easy, baby, easy…” Hutch whispered tenderly, the warmth of his breath tickling Starsky’s ear.

Starsky collapsed in Hutch’s embrace, drained and sated, his heart still pounding and his breathing heavy and erratic. When he finally caught his breath, Starsky looked at Hutch with a stunned expression on his face and said, “Jesus Christ, Hutchinson, what did you just do to me? I haven’t creamed my jeans since I was thirteen.”

“That good, huh?” Hutch said with a pleased, satisfied grin on his face.

“Good? Hell, you barely touched me and I came so hard I thought my cock was going to explode. What’s gonna happen when we really get serious?” He frowned and looked at Hutch intently. “What about you? You gotta be hurting.”

“Don’t worry about me. This was all about you, Starsk.” Hutch said lightly. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up?”

“I don’t think I can move.”

“Take your time.” Hutch said, “I’ll be right back.”

Starsky smiled as he watched Hutch climb out of bed and hurry towards the bathroom, his own erection still painfully evident in his corduroy jeans. Starsky had no doubts about what Hutch was going to the bathroom to do. Starsky closed his eyes, letting himself float on the sexual lethargy that always followed a good orgasm. When Hutch returned to bed, dressed in nothing but a pair of cotton boxers, Starsky reluctantly shoved himself to his feet. He went into the bathroom to wash and changed into a pair of sweat pants. Returning to Hutch’s bed, he curled up beside his partner and they both drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.

 

CHAPTER THREE

 

            Two days later, Captain Dobey gave them the green light to go to Oakland to check out The Yellow Crocodile where they hoped to find at least one of the men who had attacked Starsky. The Oakland Police Department had been notified and would be available for any assistance they might need. A room had been reserved for the two detectives at a motel not far from the bar.

            They returned to their individual apartments just long enough to throw some extra clothes in an overnight bag and then they headed for Oakland. After a few minutes of arguing back and forth, they decided to take Hutch’s car since Starsky’s Torino was much too distinctive. It was over three hundred miles from L.A. to Oakland and they plAnnied to take their time, combining business with pleasure, on their impromptu trip.

            It was the perfect day for a leisurely drive. The sun was shining and there was a mild breeze coming in from the ocean. Hutch had the radio turned to a station that was playing soft rock. Starsky was slouched in the passenger seat; his head leaned back with his eyes half closed. Hutch stole glances at his partner as he drove, feeling a swell of pride that this man was finally his, all his. There was an almost feline grace to Starsky, even when he was relaxed, that Hutch had always admired.

            They still had done nothing more than lay cuddled in each other’s arms and share deep, lingering kisses that set their souls and bodies on fire, as their hands ran over their bare skin in gentle caresses. Hutch still refused to rush things, even though Starsky had made it perfectly clear that he was ready for more action. He hadn’t even touched Starsky below the waist yet, except to rub against him through their jeans. Once they got to their motel, Hutch had a few surprises plAnnied for his hyperactive partner.

            It was early evening when they finally pulled up in front of the Starlight Motel, after stopping for a long leisurely meal when they reached the outskirts of Oakland.. Starsky waited in the car while Hutch went into the office to check them in and get their room key. The room was reserved for a week but they hoped to have things wrapped up sooner than that. Starsky smiled as he watched Hutch through the plate glass window of the office. The florescent lighting inside the building reflected off Hutch’s hair like a halo. His own private Golden Angel. Starsky squirmed in his seat, his cock twitching in response to the images that filtered through his head. Erotic images of Hutch suckling at his nipples the night before as they humped each other frantically, their cocks separated only by the denim of their jeans. It took a lot to make Starsky blush but he was blushing now at the memory of how good it had felt.

            As Hutch came out of the office, Starsky opened the car door and stepped out to join him. They walked down the covered walkway to room 22. Hutch unlocked the door and they went inside. The room was small but neat and clean. Starsky looked at Hutch with a surprised expression on his face when he saw that there was a queen-sized bed. Hutch grinned wickedly and said, “I changed our room so that I didn’t have to sleep without you in my arms tonight.”

            “Jeeze, Hutch,” Starsky answered with a wide grin “You getting all romantic on me?”

            “Are you complaining?” Hutch asked as he closed the door and made sure it was securely locked.

            “Never.” Starsky said, moving easily into Hutch’s arms where he belonged. Their lips met in a gentle, loving kiss. Since they had eaten before checking into the motel, they had the rest of the evening just to relax and enjoy being with each other.

            “Take a shower with me.” Hutch whispered.

            Starsky nodded, surprised at the sudden flutter of butterflies he felt in his stomach. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d taken a shower with Hutch, usually when they had overslept and were running late. But, this would be the first time they had showered together since the shift in their relationship. Hutch took his hand and led him into the adjoining bathroom. They smiled at each other shyly as they stripped off their clothes, tossing them in the corner of the room. Hutch reached over to turn on the shower and adjust the water to a comfortable temperature.

            “You get in first.” Hutch instructed Starsky. Starsky did as Hutch requested, moving forward as Hutch stepped in behind him. Starsky shivered in anticipation as Hutch slid his arms around his waist and leaned against him from behind. Starsky could feel Hutch’s flaccid cock pressing against his ass. It was the first time they’d had this much intimate contact and Starsky felt his cock twitching in response. Instinctively, he leaned his head back against Hutch’s chest and closed his eyes.

            He felt Hutch’s hands moving over his chest, lathering him up with soap, while making it a sensual act that made Starsky’s cock harden immediately. He tried to control the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, a confusing mix of excitement, arousal, and fear. As Hutch continued lathering up his chest, Starsky’s knees felt weak and he would have fallen if Hutch hadn’t been there to support his weight.

            “You like that?” Hutch whispered, his breath tickling Starsky’s ear as he spoke.

            “Yeah…” Starsky gasped breathlessly.

            “Can I touch some more?”

            Starsky knew what Hutch was asking and all he could do was nod, not trusting his voice. He cried out when he felt Hutch’s long slender fingers wrapping around his cock for the first time. Moaning softly, Starsky instinctively began bucking his hips, his aching cock slipping easy through the tunnel formed by Hutch’s fingers. “Oh, God…that feels so good…” he whimpered. “Don’t stop…”

            “I wasn’t planning on it.” Hutch chuckled, feeling an overwhelming burst of satisfaction with the knowledge that he was the one giving his partner so much pleasure. He tightened his fingers around Starsky thick, long cock and began pumping the shaft firmly while his other hand slipped down to fondle the heavy lightly furred sac hanging between Starsky’s legs. Starsky made a soft sound deep in his chest, a cross between a whimper and a moan, that made Hutch’s own cock thicken and harden. He latched on to the side of  Starsky’s neck, nipping and sucking as he began to stroke even harder, bringing the other man closer and closer to the edge.

            Hutch felt Starsky’s body stiffen, as a gasp escaped from his lips, and then the warmth of Starsky’s seed spilling out over his hand. Starsky screamed Hutch’s name aloud, his entire body trembling, as he was caught up in the rapture of his orgasm. As Starsky’s spasms started to ease, Hutch quickly wrapped his arms around the slender waist to keep him from collapsing.

            “Jesus Christ…” Starsky whispered when he found his voice again. “That was unbelievable.” He turned around in Hutch’s embrace and wrapped his fingers in Hutch’s hair, claiming his lips fiercely and aggressively. Hutch moaned, his own aching cock demanding attention, as he returned the kiss with equal passion and desire. He began humping against Starsky’s thigh, desperately seeking his own release. It only took a few minutes for Hutch’s come to bathe Starsky’s stomach and thigh.

            “Good thing we’re already in the shower,” Starsky quipped, his eyes dark with lust and sparkling with pleasure, “Sure saves a lot of time.”

            Hutch laughed, his heart filled with joy and an overwhelming love for this man in his arms. They finished bathing each other with gentle loving caresses that kept the fire between them simmering. When they were finished, they went back into the bedroom and sank down on the bed, lying nude in each other’s arms for the first time. Starsky sighed softly as he lay beside his lover, feeling at peace with himself for the first time in weeks. They lay there for a long time, just relaxing and enjoying the closeness.

            “Happy?” Hutch asked, playing with one of Starsky’s curls. He had always loved to run his fingers through Starsky’s hair, it was so thick, and the curls felt like silk against his skin.

            “Yeah, I am.” Starsky said in a contented voice. He cuddled closer to Hutch and let his fingers run lightly over the smooth golden chest of his lover.

            “Touch me, Starsky…” Hutch whispered, “I wanna feel your hand on my cock.”

            Slowly, Starsky let his fingers drift down below Hutch’s waist, tentatively touching the flaccid cock. Even when he was soft, Hutch was still big. Starsky caught his breath, holding it for a second, as he gently wrapped his fingers around Hutch’s penis. He felt Hutch’s cock twitch and then start to thicken. Hutch moaned softly and said, “Go ahead, Starsk. Make me feel good…”

            “Tell me what to do,” Starsky whispered in a husky voice. “Tell me how you like it.” Even as he spoke, he left his fingers wander up and down the shaft, learning the feel of this part of Hutch.

            “Fast and hard.” Hutch hissed, as he felt Starsky’s fingers tighten around his rapidly increasing erection. Starsky followed Hutch’s instructions, starting to pump the shaft firmly, moving his wrist faster as Hutch began to moan in pleasure, squirming on the bed beside him.. It felt strange to being doing this to another man, the angle was different than Starsky was used to but it didn’t take him long to get the hang of it.

            “Come for me, Blondie.” Starsky encouraged his partner. “I wanna watch you.” Hutch gasped, arching his back into Starsky’s touch, enflamed by his partner’s words.

He’d always known that Starsky was a considerate and passionate lover. They had both dated the same woman more than once in the past, even indulging in a threesome a few times. Hutch had soon discovered that most of Starsky’s castoffs had been more than willing to rave about how good Starsky was in bed. Now Hutch was finding out for himself just how good Starsky really was. It was an exquisite experience after lusting after his partner in silence for so long.

            As Starsky’s strokes increased in speed, Hutch began bucking his hips frantically. He heard Starsky chuckle softly as he tightened his grip around Hutch’s monster cock. Hutch felt the need for his release increasing as his cock began weeping copious amounts of pre-cum. He had never felt so aroused before by any of his previous lovers, all it took was a simple touch from Starsky or a smoldering look of desire, and he was ready for action. He groaned and reached out to grab at Starsky’s shoulders as he felt the familiar tingling sensation building in intensity deep inside of him. He screamed Starsky’s name hoarsely as he started to come, his seed pouring out of his cock like molten lava. His climax seemed to go on forever before finally tapering off.

            “Jesus, Blondie,” Starsky said in a teasing voice, wiping his hand off on the corner of the sheet. “You went off like a fucking fountain. You get to sleep on the wet spot tonight.”

            “Fuck, Starsk,” Hutch said breathlessly, collapsing back against his pillow, and trying to catch his breath. “I’ve never had a hand job like that before.”

            “Glad you liked it.” Starsky said with a grin “But you’re still sleeping on the wet spot.”

            Hutch laughed, playfully ruffling Starsky’s curls as he pulled the lithe body into his arms. Starsky snuggled closer, resting his head against Hutch’s broad shoulder. “Let’s get some sleep.” Hutch suggested. “We need to hit the streets first thing in the morning and find those turkeys.”

            “We will.” Starsky murmured sleepily, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, safely tucked in his lover’s arms.

            Hutch lay there for a while, staring into the darkness and listening to the soft even sound of Starsky’s breathing. His life had changed so dramatically in the past two months. Everything he had ever wanted, but never thought he would be able to have, was now within his grasp. Still, the fear lingered in the back of his mind that something would happen to take it all away from him. Finally, he fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

 

CHAPTER FOUR

 

            The next morning, the two detectives had breakfast at a local Denny’s Restaurant and then they went to the Oakland Police Department to see if they had any pertinent information on any of their four suspects. After introducing themselves to a Sergeant Harrison, they followed the older man into a private office.

            Lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag, Harrison gestured at four files lying on the desk. “We know all your boys intimately. They’re all bad news. Especially Andy Randall and Rick Hunter.”  He leaned back against the wall to enjoy his smoke while the two Bay City detectives made themselves comfortable at the desk and began looking through the files.

            Starsky identified Andy Randall and Rick Hunter as the two men who had raped him. The other two men, Tony Mitchell and Larry Cox, were the ones who had beaten him so savagely, both before and after his rape.

Andy Randall had an extensive criminal record with charges raging from simple assault to suspicion of murder. Not surprisingly, he had several convictions for rape. He was the oldest of the four men at thirty-five.

The second man who had participated in the rape was Rick Hunter. He was the man that Greg had told them had found the others who had participated in Starsky’s attack.  He was thirty-three years old and had a long criminal record too, although most of his charges were of a less violent nature, ranging mostly from theft and burglary to passing bad checks.

The two youngest men were both twenty-nine years old. Tony Mitchell’s record consisted mainly of assault charges from local brawls. The last man, Larry Cox also had several charges of assault, along with charges of sexual abuse and child endangerment. Starsky and Hutch both knew that all the men were probably guilty of a wide range of crimes that they had never been charged with. Tony Mitchell and Larry Cox were cousins, while Rick Hunter and Andy Randall were close friends. They all hung out together at the Yellow Crocodile.

“None of the addresses listed for any of them are current.” Harrison told them, stubbing out his cigarette in an overflowing ashtray sitting on the desk. “There’s an active warrant out on Rick Hunter for a Parole violation.” He lit another cigarette, inhaling deeply. “And there was a girl raped down by the docks two days ago that ID’d Andy Randall as the man who attacked her.”

“Just regular choir boys, aren’t they?” Hutch said sourly.

“Yeah, well if you two are planning on trying to take ‘em at The Yellow Crocodile, you better take some help with you. They got a lot of friends there if you know what I mean.” Harrison warned them.

‘How many men can you give us for backup?” Hutch asked, not willing to take any chances with this quartet of criminals.

“Five, maybe six.” Harrison told them offhandedly. “Depends on when you wanna go after them.”

“The sooner the better so we can get ‘em off the streets.” Starsky said dryly.

“Tonight?” Hutch suggested.

“Okay, tonight it is. I’ll set it up.” Harrison said in a bored tone. “If I were you I’d wait until about midnight to go after ‘em, by then they should all be there. How do you wanna play it?”

“Let me and Starsky go in first so we can see if we spot ‘em.” Hutch said. He didn’t add that they needed Starsky’s positive ID for their warrant on rape and assault. Although the Oakland PD knew that the four men were wanted in Bay City for severely beating and raping an off duty police officer, they didn’t know the officer was Starsky. They didn’t even know that the victim was a male and not a female. “If they’re all there, we’ll signal you and your guys can come in.”

“Okay. How about if we team up two blocks away at the corner of Alameda and Wood at eleven-thirty tonight?” Harrison suggested.

“Great. We’ll see you then.” Hutch said, rising to his feet and shaking the other officer’s hand. The two Bay City Detectives left the office gratefully, both bothered by the smoke from Harrison’s chain smoking. As they left the police department, Hutch looked at his partner and said, “So, what do you want to do until eleven-thirty tonight?”

            “We could get something to eat and go back to the motel.” Starsky said suggestively.

“Oh, lord,” Hutch chuckled. “I’ve created a monster.”  If they hadn’t been on a public street right in front of a police station, Hutch would have put his arm around his partner’s waist as they walked back towards his car.

Once they were safely inside the car, Starsky looked at Hutch and said,

“I can’t help it, Hutch. I love it when you touch me. You have no idea how it makes me feel.”

“Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea.” Hutch said with a grin as he started the car and pulled into the street. “I feel the same way every time you touch me.”

“I’ve never felt like this before, Hutch.” Starsky admitted “Not even with Terri.” His sapphire eyes softened with sadness when he spoke his deceased fiancée’s name. She had been the one woman he could have married and had kids with. But that dream had been cruelly snatched away from him by another lunatic with a grudge against Starsky who sought revenge by viciously murdering the woman that Starsky loved.

Hutch looked at his lover, his eyes filled with love and understanding. Starsky had no idea how much his admission meant to Hutch. Hutch knew how Starsky felt when he lost Terri. For a while, Hutch was terrified that Starsky wasn’t going to be able to deal with the overwhelming grief that had consumed him for months after Terri’s death. Hutch had done everything in his power to help his friend overcome his depression and move on with his life. Still, there were times when Starsky got a certain faraway look in his eyes and Hutch knew he was remembering Terri and the incredible love that they had shared.

Starsky was silent for several long minutes, lost in his memories. Then he looked at Hutch with a tender smile and said, “I think she’d understand, Hutch…about us…and approve.”

“Yeah,” Hutch said, his own voice cracking with emotion. “I bet she would.” Terri had been Hutch’s friend too and he had grieved right along with Starsky when she died. She had been one of the few women who had truly understood the unique friendship and partnership between the two men. And accepted it. Both men missed her terribly. They fell into a comfortable silence that lasted until they reached the motel.

They lay down on the bed, with the TV playing quietly in the background, and spent the afternoon talking, stealing kisses, and making out like two teenagers on a date. There was an erotic, almost forbidden thrill, in petting each other without removing their clothes, teasing one another as the fire inside of them slowly built to a simmering flame. Hutch knew that in order for Starsky to respond sexually, without freezing up, the curly haired man had to be significantly aroused and caught up in the pleasure of the act. 

At one point during their make out session, Hutch brought up a subject that he knew had been preying on Starsky’s mind. “Starsky, you know what we’re doing right now it good enough for me…just being here with you like this, being able to hold you in my arms, and wake up beside you in the morning. If we never do anything more than this, I’ll be okay with that.”

Starsky looked at his partner, his eyes filled with love and trust. Finally, he said softly, “I’d be lying if I said that the idea of making love with you that way didn’t scare the hell out of me after what happened. Just idea of anyone, even you, touching me there freaks me out.”

“It’s okay, babe,” Hutch said, gently brushing back a curl. He kissed Starsky’s forehead fondly. “I realize that and I understand….that’s why we taking baby steps, remember?”

“Yeah, baby steps.” Starsky replied with a faint grin. He reached out to run his fingers through Hutch’s hair. “Hutch, I know that you would never hurt me but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do that with you…”

“If you can’t, you can’t.” Hutch said firmly. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You were the victim here, Starsky. And those men deliberately hurt you as much as they could. They wanted you to feel pain, not pleasure. They wanted your mind to remember it as an act of violence, not one of love.” He smiled fondly. “Besides, I know a lot of other ways to make you fly, Gordo. The only thing that matters to me is knowing that you love me and that you’re here with me because you want to be.”

“Don’t ever doubt that, Blondie.” Starsky said, stealing a long, slow kiss.

“Maybe, someday you’ll feel differently than you do right now but if not, I don’t care.” Hutch said, as he slowly started undoing the buttons on Starsky’s shirt and pulled it open to expose his chest. Starsky moaned softly, arching his back slightly, as Hutch’s fingers sought out his nipples and began playing with them. Although Starsky’s nipples had never been particularly sensitive before, when Hutch touched him or suckled at him, the feeling was incredible, sending chills down his spine and making his cock twitch with excitement.

Hutch moved his head and let his tongue slide wetly over one tiny brown nub and then the other. His mouth closed around Starsky’s left nipple, sucking and nipping gently, then licking the nub lovingly to ease the mild sting of his teeth.

“Oh, Jeeze…you’re driving me crazy, Babe…” Starsky whimpered, his fingers unconsciously pulling at Hutch’s hair to hold him close. His breathing quickened into short gasps as the pleasure mounted, centering in his groin. His hips began to thrust involuntarily as his cock thickened and hardened.

Hutch chuckled softly as he continued tormenting his partner. He loved finding Starsky’s erogenous zones, all the hidden spots on his body that drove the brunet crazy with lust and desire. Hutch felt Starsky’s hands sliding inside his own shirt, the nimble fingers seeking out Hutch’s larger copper colored nipples. Slowly, the two men let their arousal mount until they both lingered on the edge of completion. Their clothes lay scattered on the floor around the bed and they lay in each other’s arms, rocking frantically against each other, their cocks rubbing together in a highly stimulating mAnnier. They came almost simultaneously, their hot cum coating each other’s stomach and groin. Hutch had left a message at the front desk for someone to call them at ten pm in case they fell sleep. Too satisfied to move, they both decided that a shower could wait. A quick nap sounded good to both of them.

They arrived for their meeting with Harrison and the rest of the team from the Oakland Police Department shortly before eleven-thirty that night. They held a quick meeting and worked out the fine details of the plAnnied raid on the bar around the corner. As agreed, Starsky and Hutch would go in alone, followed fifteen minutes later by the rest of the team.

Starsky and Hutch sauntered down the street towards the rowdy bar. They were still half a block away and could already hear the jukebox blaring. They paused outside the entrance and glanced at each other briefly.

 

You ready for this?

            Yeah, how about you?

            Let’s do it.

Watch yourself in there.

You too, buddy. You too.

 

With a nod, Hutch pushed open the door and the two detectives stepped into the interior of the bar. It was dark inside the bar, the only light coming from some dim overhead lighting. And it was crowded, mostly with men, but Hutch picked out a few skimpily dressed women with heavily painted faces. When one of the women came up to the two detectives and gave them each the once over, Hutch realized with a start that the ‘woman’ was actually a man dressed like a women. He glanced at Starsky uneasily. Starsky glanced back, just as uneasily. The dark haired man could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing on end, warning him of impending danger.

The ‘woman’ apparently decided the two men were no threat. She turned and walked away, her broad hips swinging back and forth. Both detectives had been in both biker bars and gay bars before when they were working undercover but this bar didn’t meet either criteria. This bar was in a league all it’s own; an odd mixture of gays, the leather set, the S and M crowd, cross dressers, and brawlers with a few good ole fashioned drunks thrown in for good measure. The noise level in the bar was deafening, voices raised almost to a shout to be heard over the blaring of the jukebox.

The two men made their way to the bar. The bartender, a heavily muscled man with tattoos covering his burly arms and a heavy growth of beard on his face, glared at them suspiciously. Their fairly normal appearance made it evident that they weren’t part of the bar’s usual clientele. “Two drink minimum.” He growled at them, showing a mouth of rotten teeth. “What can I get you two?”

“A beer.” Hutch said, ordering for both of them. Unconsciously, he stood shoulder to shoulder with his partner, clearly staking out his claim and his territory. At any other time, Hutch’s possessive gesture would have irritated Starsky, but under the circumstances, he was relieved to have his partner at his side. The bartender sat two mugs of beer down in front of them.

“That’s ten bucks.” he said in a bored voice.

“Five bucks for a piss-warm beer?” Starsky said, taking a sip of the beer and immediately pushing it aside.

“Yeah, you got a problem with that?” the bartender snarled, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

“No, not at all. My friend just doesn’t like warm beer.” Hutch said quickly. He pulled out his wallet and paid the man to pacify him. He glanced in Starsky’s direction when he felt an elbow jab into his ribs. Silently, Starsky jerked his chin towards the end of the bar. Turning his head enough to look in that direction, he saw two of their suspects at the end of the bar, Rick Hunter and Larry Cox. The two men were deep in conversation, oblivious to their surroundings. Cautiously glancing around the crowded bar, Hutch spotted the other two suspects near the rear exit, playing pool.

“We need to take ‘em all at the same time.” Hutch whispered to Starsky. “Who do you want? Frick and Frac or Goofy and Dumbo?”

“I’ll take Frick and Frac.” Starsky said, nodding towards the two men at the end of the bar.

“Watch your ass.” Hutch said, as he slid off his stool and slowly began making his way towards the pool table. If the back up team was on its toes, they should be busting in soon.

Starsky waited until Hutch was almost to the pool players before making his move. Sauntering to the end of the bar, he pulled his Berretta from underneath his jacket and stepped up behind Rick Hunter, who was too busy talking to the other man to notice Starsky.

Jamming the barrel of the gun into the small of Hunter’s back, Starsky hissed, “Nice and easy, don’t try anything stupid and you’ll walk out of here alive.” He paused, every sense on high alert as Hunter visibly stiffened at Starsky’s words of warning. “Put your hands on the bar where I can see them and tell your friend to do the same.”

Glancing at Cox warily, Hunter growled, “Put your hands on the bar, Larry. We got company.”

Glancing over Hunter’s shoulder, Cox’s eyes widened when he saw Starsky and obviously recognized him. As he slowly raised his hands and placed them palm down on the bar, he said to Hunter, “It’s the nice piece of ass that Greg put you onto back in Bay City.”

“Shut up,” Starsky snarled, digging his cuffs out of his jacket and tossing them on the bar between the two men. “I’m sure you both know the drill. Put ‘em on, one bracelet on each of you.”. Hunter obeyed, snapping one metal cuff around his right wrist and then, without warning, he whirled around and slammed his left fist into Starsky’s mid-section. Starsky grunted as the air was forced out of his lungs but he kept hold of his weapon and kept it leveled at his two prisoners. Luckily, none of the other customers had noticed anything out of the ordinary, assuming that Hunter and Cox were just engaging in another barroom brawl.

Cox swung up his foot, his steel-toed boot connecting with Starsky’s wrist and kicking the gun out of his grasp. Starsky immediately fell into a defensive stance. Both men were taller than Starsky and outweighed him by at least twenty pounds but this time Starsky was ready for them and the odds were more evenly matched. Using a combination of defensive combat maneuvers he had learned in ‘Nam and the down and dirty street style fighting he had learned in his youth on the mean streets of New York, Starsky quickly knocked out Hunter with a spinning back kick.

Cox smiled menacingly and circled his adversary. “Pretty good moves for such a pretty boy.” He sneered, his eyes narrowing as he watched Starsky’s every move, quickly blocking a left jab to his stomach and following through with a right cross to Starsky’s jaw that sent the smaller man to the floor. With a gleeful gleam in his eyes, Cox moved in for the attack. As he drew back his foot to kick Starsky in the ribcage, the front door crashed open, and the Calvary burst in. Momentarily distracted from his target, Cox glanced towards the door to see what the commotion was all about.

Starsky immediately swept out his left leg, hooking it behind Cox’s ankles and bringing him to the floor. Before Cox could get his bearings, Starsky was sitting on top of him, punching him in the face. All the rage and the anger stemming from his rape and beating centered in Starsky’s fists as they slammed into Cox’s face. Suddenly, Starsky felt hands grabbing his shoulders and trying to pull him away from his target.

Springing to his feet, he drew back his fist to strike until he realized it was Hutch that had pulled him away. He relaxed his hand, shaking it to loosen it up and to release the pent up energy still strumming through his system. Hutch slung an arm around his partner’s shoulders and said quietly, “You okay, buddy?”

“I will be now.” Starsky answered. There was no need to say more. Hutch knew what he meant. With the four suspects arrested, Starsky could finally start to heal from his ordeal and not worry about them coming after him again. The two Bay City detectives watched in silence while the Oakland officers escorted the four prisoners out of the bar to the waiting squad cars.

“Come on, pal. Let’s get our statements out of the way and then we can go back to the motel.” Hutch said, leading his partner out of the bar. The other patrons stepped aside to let them pass. Hutch could still feel the bunched up tension of Starsky’s muscles and he knew the effort that Starsky was making to remain rigidly in control.

They were stuck at the Oakland Police Department until almost four am, filling out reports, giving their statements and arranging to transfer the four prisoners back to Bay City. Finally, they were finished and could go back to their motel. They would stay in Oakland until late the following afternoon when two squads from Bay City would join them to transport the prisoners back to the city for arraignment. That gave them a little over twenty-four hours to relax and enjoy each other.  

 

 

CHAPTER FIVE

 

            Forty-eight hours later found them back in Bay City and relaxing at Starsky’s apartment. Starsky was in the kitchen fixing them something to eat while Hutch glanced through the evening paper. Starsky had been quiet and withdrawn since their return to Oakland. Whenever Hutch tried to ask him what was wrong, Starsky simply shrugged and told him that everything was fine but Hutch knew his partner had something on his mind. He would talk about it when he was ready but not before then. Hutch knew there was no use pushing it. If he did that, Starsky would just dig in his heels and refuse to talk at all.

            After a supper of Starsky’s five-alarm chili, the two men watched a movie on TV. As the credits ran at the end of the movie, Starsky glanced at his partner and said, “You staying the night?”

            “I was planning on it.” Hutch said in a slightly hurt voice that Starsky had even asked. They hadn’t spent a night apart from each other in the past two weeks, not since they’d become lovers.

            “Sorry,” Starsky said with a shy smile. “I wasn’t sure you’d wanna stay. I haven’t been very good company the past couple of days.”

            “Hey, you’re entitled.” Hutch said, slipping an arm around his lover and giving him a comforting squeeze. Starsky sighed softly and leaned his head against the big blond’s shoulder. He was so quiet that at first Hutch thought he had fallen asleep until he spoke.

            “I guess I’m still more fucked up then I realized.” Starsky said in a voice so low that Hutch could barely hear him. Hutch felt his stomach clench with fear, suddenly terrified that Starsky was going to tell him that he’d had second thoughts about their sexual relationship.

            “What’s the matter, buddy? Talk to me.” Hutch encouraged him.

            “Hutch, I love you…you know that…” Starsky said in a forlorn voice, looking at his partner with tear filled eyes. “But….” His voice trembled and he began to shake, his body wracked with sudden sobs. Worried now, Hutch wrapped his arms around Starsky and pulled him close.

            “Shhhh….it’s okay…talk me, babe. Talk to me.” The big blond said soothingly.

            “Seeing those guys again…” Starsky whimpered between sobs “It brought it all back. God, Hutch! It hurts so much! I just wanna stop hurting!”

            Hutch held Starsky as close as he could, gently murmuring comforting words to his distraught partner. How much could a man take before he broke down completely? Starsky had finally reached that point. That moment when he didn’t have to stay strong and pretend like everything was okay, when he had to face the pain…the moment when he was smacked in the face with the reality that he was a victim. A rape victim.

            Finally, Starsky seemed to regain his composure but Hutch could still feel the slight tremor of his muscles. Without a word, Hutch helped Starsky to his feet and led his unresisting partner into his bedroom. Starsky stood passively beside the bed and let Hutch remove his shirt but when he reached for the buckle on Starsky’s belt, the dark haired man reached out and grabbed his wrist firmly, stopping him.

            “I can do it.” Starsky said with a hard edge to his voice that made Hutch arch his eyebrows questioningly. Hutch stepped back and let Starsky finish undressing himself. When he had stripped down to his bikini briefs, Starsky opened the dresser and took out a pair of sweat pants, pulling them on, before crawling into bed and curling up on his side with his back to Hutch.

            “You want me to sleep on the couch?” Hutch asked, trying to keep the quiver out of his voice at the thought of not being able to comfort Starsky when he needed him the most if he was banished to the living room couch.

            Starsky shook his head negatively. “No, you can sleep here.” he told Hutch. “I don’t wanna be alone.”

            Hutch hesitated for a moment, then stripped down to his boxers and slid into the bed beside Starsky. He spooned up against the smaller man, wrapping one arm around Starsky’s waist. He felt Starsky tense up momentarily but then he relaxed and leaned back against his partner. “It’s okay, babe.” Hutch whispered, wanting desperately to kiss Starsky’s neck, to love away his pain, but realizing that Starsky didn’t want to be touched in a sexual context, not tonight. “Just try to get some sleep. We’ll get through this. The same way we always do…together.”

            Hutch lay there, listening until Starsky’s ragged breathing evened out and deepened as he drifted off to sleep. Hutch found himself praying that this setback would only be temporary. In the past two weeks, he had become hopelessly addicted to his partner and couldn’t imagine his life without Starsky by his side and in his bed. He had tasted the forbidden fruit and didn’t want to give it up now.

            Sometime in the early morning hours, Starsky’s terrified screams jolted Hutch awake. Starsky was twisting in Hutch’s embrace, trying to fight, his voice ragged with fear, caught in the depths of his nightmare. “No! Leave me alone! Don’t touch me! Don’t fucking touch me!”

            “Shhhhh….Starsky, it’s okay. It’s just a bad dream. Wake up for me, buddy. Wake up.” Hutch said softly, not wanting to speak too sharply and agitate the burnet any farther.

            “God, please don’t hurt me! It hurts! God, it hurts! Hutch! Where are you! Help me, God….please help me!” his voice trialed off to a defeated whimper, the sound tugging at Hutch’s heart painfully. Hutch remembered Starsky telling him how he had called out for Hutch while he was being attacked but to hear him reliving that night in his nightmare was almost more than Hutch could bear.

            Instinctively, Hutch wrapped Starsky in his arms tightly to keep him from hurting himself, and began to rock gently back and forth, all the time speaking softly and tenderly to his lover, trying to coax him out of his nightmare without agitating him any more than he already was.

            Starsky’s eyes flew open and he looked around the room wildly, his gaze finally settling on Hutch’s face. As Hutch loosened his grip, Starsky’s hands clutched at Hutch desperately as he buried his face against Hutch’s shoulder, sobbing loudly. Hutch held him and gently rubbed soothing circles on the other man’s broad muscular back. He made soft crooning sounds designed to comfort Starsky as the brunet gave vent to his emotions.

            “It hurt, Hutch. God, it hurt so fucking much.” Starsky muttered in a flat, toneless voice. “I thought I was going to die. I was so scared and it hurt so bad!”

            “I know, babe. I know.” Hutch said quietly. “Let it go, Starsk…just let it go. Get it out.”

            “It still hurts, Hutch…I close my eyes and I’m right back there in that stinking alley with them on top of me.” Starsky sobbed. “Make it stop…please, make it stop!”

            “I can’t do that, babe.” Hutch said sadly, “I would if I could. You know that.” Hutch tightened his hold around his partner’s shaking form, “All I can do is love you…the only way I know how. I’m here, Starsky. I’ll always be here.”

            Starsky continued to sob, his cries finally tapering off and then stopping. Still he stayed securely wrapped in Hutch’s arms, drained emotionally and physically from his outburst. Finally, he drifted back to sleep, feeling secure as long as Hutch was by his side.

Hutch gently eased the two of them back onto the bed, letting Starsky sleep in his embrace until morning.

            Starsky was still sleeping when Hutch opened his eyes the next morning. Carefully easing himself out of the bed, Hutch went into the bathroom to take his shower and get dressed. As he went into the kitchen and began to cook, he knew that the smell of food would soon arouse his sleeping partner. He decided to surprise Starsky with one of his favorite breakfasts; blueberry waffles with frozen strawberries and whipped cream. It wasn’t long before he heard Starsky moving around in his bedroom and then the sound of the shower running.

            Fifteen minutes later, Starsky joined his partner in the kitchen, a towel wrapped snugly around his slender waist, while he used a second towel to dry his unruly curls. Hutch smiled as the way Starsky was dressed, or more aptly wasn’t dressed. The simple fact that Starsky felt comfortable enough to approach Hutch with nothing covering the important parts of his anatomy except a towel told Hutch that things were going to be okay between them.  

            “Nice outfit, Gordo.” Hutch commented lightly with a huge grin. “How do you expect me to keep from burning our breakfast with you running around here half naked?”

            “Figured maybe we could go back to bed for awhile after we ate.” Starsky said with a shy smile as he sat down at the table. “Seemed a waste of time to get dressed if I was just going to get undressed again after I ate.”

            “You sound awful sure of yourself, buddy.” Hutch said with a chuckle, as he sat a plate of waffles down in front of his unpredictable partner. “You must be feeling better this morning.”

            “I do” Starsky admitted, taking a huge bite of his breakfast and chewing slowly, enjoying his meal. For a moment, he seemed lost in his own thoughts, and then he looked at his partner and said, “I couldn’t make it without you, Blintz. I know that. I’ve always known that. I still want us to be together…the way we have been for the past couple of weeks. When I’m with you…when you touch me…it helps me forget and it doesn’t hurt as much anymore.”

            “I’m glad to hear that, Starsk. You had me worried there for a while last night.”

            “You thought I was having second thoughts, didn’t you? That I was shutting you out.”

            “Yeah, I did.”

            “I was…at least until I lost it after that nightmare.” Starsky admitted, as he finished eating and helped himself to seconds. “Even before I was completely awake, I knew I was safe because I knew you were there. I knew that you saved me this time.”

            “You still need to talk to that rape counselor. I think it’ll help.”

            “I already told you that I would and I will. I gave you my word and I’m not going to start breaking my promises to you now.” Starsky assured him.

            Hutch sipped his coffee, gazing at his partner with eyes that were filled with love and longing. Leaning over towards Starsky, their lips met in a tender, loving kiss. A kiss that reaffirmed their feelings for each other. Hutch leaned back and waited patiently for Starsky to finish his second plate of waffles. When he gave a contented sigh and pushed his plate aside, Hutch stood up and held out his hand. Without any hesitation, Starsky grabbed it, letting Hutch pull him to his feet.

            Leading Starsky back into the bedroom, Hutch said,

            “Take off your towel and lie down on the bed.”

            Starsky whipped off the towel, posing seductively for a moment, before breaking into laughter and climbing onto the bed. Hutch smiled and watched as Starsky stretched out in the middle of the bed, his flaccid cock starting to show interest. Hutch slowly stripped off his clothes, feeling Starsky’s eyes on his body as he did. Hutch knew that it turned Starsky on to watch him undress and Hutch enjoyed watching Starsky’s eyes darken with lust as he watched Hutch’s body being slowly revealed.

            When he was nude, Hutch climbed onto the bed beside Starsky and stretched out beside him. When Starsky turned, reaching for him, Hutch held out his hand to stop him.

            “I want you to just lay there and let me do everything.” Hutch said “I don’t want you to move. Can you do that for me?”

            “If that’s what you want.” Starsky said with a puzzled expression in his eyes, wondering what Hutch was up to.

            “One more thing…you can’t touch me…or yourself.”

            “Huh?” Starsky said looking at Hutch with surprise and a bit of apprehension.

            “You can talk, moan or whatever, you just can’t move. Understand?”

            “Okay…” Starsky said with a hint of suspicion in his voice. “Do I get to touch you eventually?”

            “Eventually.” Hutch told him with a chuckle. “Later…much later.” He looked at Starsky with a grin, knowing how hard it would be for his hyperactive partner to follow the rules. “One more thing…you can’t come until I tell you to.”

            “What?” Starsky yelped, his eyes widening in alarm. Before he could argue, Hutch silenced him with a deep kiss, while his hands traced graceful patterns through Starsky’s chest hair. Finally, coming up for air, Hutch trailed soft kisses across Starsky’s cheek and jaw to the hollow of his neck. He could feel the pounding of Starsky’s heart at the pulse point in his throat as Hutch nipped at Starsky’s Adam ’s apple.

            “Ahhhhh….” Starsky moaned, tipping his head back to give Hutch more access to his neck. His fingers clutched at the sheet beneath him, trying not to move as Hutch had instructed. Starsky wasn’t sure what the point of this game was but he was starting to enjoy it.

            Hutch moved his lips to that sensitive spot just under Starsky’s left ear, making him squirm as shivers of pleasure raced through his body. His cock hardened almost immediately. While his lips teased at Starsky’s throat, his hands moved over the lithe body, tracing Starsky’s ribs, and sliding down over the sharp planes of his hips. Starsky gasped in surprise as Hutch’s hands slid under Starsky’s body, grapping his ass and squeezing the cheeks firmly.

            “You make me so hot,” Hutch whispered in a husky voice as he trailed kisses down the side of Starsky’s neck to his shoulder and then across his collarbone to the center of his chest.

            “God, Hutch…” Starsky hissed, as Hutch slowly ran his tongue down over Starsky’s sternum to the flat planes of his stomach. “You’re making me crazy…”

            “That’s the idea,” Hutch said with a chuckle, as he twirled his tongue around the inside of Starsky’s naval making his lover’s body quiver in delight. “Remember…you can’t move.” Hutch warned him playfully.

            “Shit,” Starsky moaned “Don’t remind me…” Another shiver ran thought his body as he felt Hutch’s fingers dipping down to fondle his balls. “Fuck!” Starsky yelped, trying desperately not to reach out and grab Hutch’s head. It was becoming more and more difficult not to touch the big blond the way he was used to doing, especially in the past two weeks.

            Hutch raised his head and gazed at the erection standing proudly in front of his eyes. The heavy shaft was flushed a deep red and drops of pre-cum were starting to gather in the center of the circumcised head. Hutch felt a sudden desperate need to taste Starsky’s cock. Leaning forward, he tentatively ran his tongue through the coarse nest of curls at the base of the shaft. Starsky cried out in surprise, startled by Hutch’s unexpected move.

            Slowly, Hutch ran his tongue up the underside of the shaft, following the thick pulsating vein just below the surface. Starsky’s breathing quickened as Hutch licked around the ridge at the base of the head, concentrating on the sensitive scar near the back from his circumcision. “Hutchhhhh…” Starsky cried out in a strangled voice, his cock throbbing with need. His head was reeling with the rush of feelings that were washing over him; arousal, intense pleasure, and a sudden overwhelming need for release. Starsky bit down on his bottom lip to control the urge to let himself go and come, remembering Hutch’s instructions that he couldn’t come until Hutch told him he could.

            Hutch’s tongue flicked out to lap up the drops of pre-cum gathered in the slit, tasting the true essence of Starsky for the first time. A deep moan rumbled deep in Starsky’s chest and his heart began to pound frantically as he anticipated Hutch’s next move. A ragged scream was torn from his throat as Hutch’s mouth engulfed the head of his cock for the first time, the sheer pleasure of that warm wet mouth surrounding his organ almost overwhelming him. “Oh, god, oh god, oh god…” he muttered, tossing his head back and forth on the pillow, sweat beading up on his head and dripping down his face. His knuckles turned white from clenching the sheet so tightly.

            When Hutch began applying gentle suction while running his tongue around the thick shaft, Starsky began bucking his hips involuntarily. Hutch immediately put his hands on Starsky’s hips, stilling his frantic need to participate. Hutch knew how close Starsky was to the edge and he wanted to prolong the pleasure as long as he possibly could. Hutch kept his left hand firmly on Starsky’s hip to keep him still as he reached out with his right hand and wrapped his long slender fingers around the rock hard shaft. He squeezed firmly, just hard enough to keep Starsky from coming until Hutch was ready for him to.

            Starsky hissed and made a frustrated sound deep in his throat as he felt his impending orgasm held back. His entire body was screaming for release and his cock was throbbing almost painfully but Hutch was relentless. He continued sucking at Starsky’s cock, taking more and more of the shaft into his mouth until the tip touched the back of his throat. Beneath his hands, Starsky was trembling and shaking, his body ready to explode.

            “Please…Hutch…” Starsky gasped breathlessly, his chest heaving with each breath he took. “I need to come so bad…”

            “Soon, baby….soon.” Hutch promised, returning to the task at hand. Taking the shaft deep inside his mouth again, he consciously relaxed his throat, resisting the urge to gag, and let Starsky’s cock slip down his throat. He heard Starsky scream and felt the compact body arch off the bed as Starsky’s hands reached up and grabbed Hutch’s hair, forgetting that he wasn’t supposed to move. Hutch loosened his grasp from around the bottom of the shaft and immediately felt Starsky’s come flooding his throat. Hutch swallowed all Starsky had to offer, milking him dry. Finally, needing to breath, Hutch let the softening cock slip from his mouth.

            Starsky had collapsed on the bed with his eyes closed, his chest heaving, and his body trembling in the aftermath of his orgasm. Hutch smiled as he stretched out beside Starsky and pulled him close, letting the dark head rest against his broad shoulder, as Starsky’s breathing and heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

            Finally, Starsky opened his eyes and looked at Hutch with an expression of pure, untainted love. In a shaky voice, he said, “Jesus Christ, Hutch…where the hell did you learn to give a blow job like that?”

            “You like that, huh?” Hutch asked with a grin.

            “Like it? Hell, I loved it. That was the best blowjob I’ve ever had. No woman’s ever been able to swallow my cock like that.” An anxious look crossed his face as he added, “I hope you don’t expect me to be that good.”

            “I’m not worried about it, Starsk.” Hutch assured him. “I’m sure you’ll do fine but I don’t want you to think you need to blow me just because I did you. Right now, a hand job will suit me just fine.”

            “Are you sure?” Starsky asked in a hesitant voice. “Cause I don’t mind trying…”

            “No, Starsk.” Hutch said firmly, taking Starsky’s left hand and guiding it to his aching cock. “You’re not ready for that yet. Just jack me off, babe before my cock explodes.”

            “Okay,” Starsky said, leaning in to steal a kiss from his lover’s lips as his fingers wrapped around the long thick cock of his partner. He could taste himself in Hutch’s mouth, as his hungry tongue probed deep inside Hutch’s mouth. He was not unfamiliar with his own taste, he’d tasted himself in his female lover’s mouths before, but the simple thought that it had been Hutch who had done it this time was enough to drive him to new heights of arousal and sexual aggression.

He continued kissing Hutch deeply, even as his left hand stroked Hutch’s shaft firmly, while his right hand reached down to fondle the heavy sac between his partner’s thighs. Hutch moaned his approval as he arched his body into Starsky’s touch. It only took a few minutes before his hot thick come poured out of his cock as his body exploded in ecstasy. The two lovers cuddled in each other’s arms, relaxed and satisfied.

 

CHAPTER 6   

 

            At work, Starsky and Hutch’s relationship didn’t reflect the change in their personal lives. Since they had always been exceptionally physical with each other, nobody even noticed if those touches lingered just a little longer than usual or noticed the new light in their eyes when they looked at each other. They were careful to keep their professional and personal lives separate and apart.

            They spent their off duty time together, at one apartment or the other. They had decided that for the time being, it would better to keep their own apartments for appearances sake. But, the one thing they both agreed on was that they wouldn’t continue dating women just to keep up appearances, that wouldn’t be fair to the women or the unspoken commitment they had made to one another. They continued to flirt with the women at work, only because flirting was deeply ingrained in their personalities and the harmless flirting kept the rumors at bay.

            As their love for each other deepened, Starsky became more comfortable with their affair but he still wasn’t ready to do more than they already had with each. Hutch understood and accepted that. He knew Starsky may never be able to take their relationship to an even deeper level but he understood and could accept that too. Any fears that still lingered in his mind about losing the person who meant more to him than life itself, he pushed aside and tried not to worry about. He longed to make plans for their future but he knew that it was too soon for that. Starsky was still healing emotionally from the rape and its tragic aftermath.

            Starsky was alone in Hutch’s apartment, relaxing and watching TV while his partner ran to the store for some groceries. A knock on the door broke into his concentration. Shoving himself to his feet, he walked to the door and opened it, surprised to find his ex-fiancée, Annie, standing there.

            “Annie?” he said in a surprised voice “What are you doing here?” Their parting had not been exactly amicable. Annie had gone crazy when he called off their engagement just a week before the wedding. She had broken half the Mexican pottery in his apartment throwing it at him as she screamed at him for breaking her heart.

            “I was in town and I thought I’d look you up and see if we could make amends.” She said in a tightly controlled voice. “Imagine my surprise to find out that you’ve taken up playing house with Hutch.”

            Starsky’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “What are you talking about?”

            “Don’t lie to me, David. It wasn’t hard to figure out what’s going on between you and Hutch.  I’ve been watching you two for the past week! Tell me, David, is that why you called off our marriage? Is it because you decided you’d rather fuck your precious partner than to fuck me?”

            Instinctively, Starsky grabbed her wrist as she raised her hand to slap him. “Don’t!” he warned her coldly, his eyes glittering with anger. “I called off the marriage because I wasn’t in love with you!”

            “No, because you’re in love with him!” Annie hissed. “Because you were fucking him behind my back!”

            “That’s not true and you know it!” Starsky snapped, his anger starting to get the best of him.

            “Are you going to stand there and try to tell me that you don’t love him?” she snarled, her anger making her features twist unattractively.

            “No,” Starsky said coldly, standing his ground. “I’m not going to tell you that. I do love Hutch. I always have.”

            “So how long have you been fucking him?” she screamed, not caring who heard her. Her mouth twisted into a mocking smile. “I bet those other guys fucking you didn’t hurt as much as you let on cause you were already used to getting it jammed up your ass!”

            “What the hell is going on here?” Hutch’s angry voice said from behind her. He had come up the steps in time to catch the last words that she had screamed at his partner.

Annie turned around to stare down the outraged blond.

            “You disgust me! Both of you! You deserve each other! I hope you both rot in hell!” She shoved her way past Hutch and ran down the steps. Hutch watched as the downstairs door slammed shut behind her before stepping into the apartment and closing the door. Quickly setting the bags of groceries he was carrying on the coffee table, he turned to his visibly shaken partner. Annie’s last comment had cut him deeply and brought back memories he’d tried so hard to forget.

            “What happened, babe?” Hutch asked gently, as he wrapped his arms around Starsky and held on tight.

            “She just showed up. She said she was in town and looked me up, hoping to make amends.” Starsky’s normally olive complexion paled. “She said she’d been watching us for the past week. She thinks I broke off our engagement because I was fucking you behind her back.”

            “It’s okay, babe. She was mad, that’s all. She can’t prove anything. Besides, you and I weren’t even together when you broke up with her.”

            “I know…” Starsky said in a choked voice, resting his head against Hutch’s shoulder. “She just caught me by surprise, that’s all. She made everything sound so dirty.”

            “You can’t let her get to you, Starsky. She’s going to believe what she wants to believe. She has to have somebody to blame. She’s never going to accept the fact that you broke up with her because you realized you di