 Enjoy your weekend and to my U.S. friends enjoy your LONG weekend! Relax, recharge and whisk away with a good book!  “You… um… want a beer or….” Jay took the keys when Eric held them out to him, dropped them on the table, and led the way to the living room, stopping near the couch. His words trailed away when Eric moved behind him and slipped both hands over Jay’s shoulders. Warm air hit Jay’s neck when Eric breathed out, “I’m good. I have everything I want right here.” Jay swallowed and leaned back against Eric, delighting in that feeling of being surrounded again. Dragging one hand across Jay’s back, Eric paced away. He shed his leather jacket, draping it over a chair, and settled on the couch in front of Jay. He leaned back, let his legs drop open slightly with his hands folded between them. Jay stayed rooted where he was, standing there feeling on display and naked even though he still had his clothes on. “About that call,” Eric said quietly. “I’m sorry, that was wrong.” “Yeah, I got you’re sorry. I’m not angry, simply curious. Why, if you wanted to call me as much as you claim, didn’t you?” “I… it’s complicated and….” Eric’s tone hardened ever so slightly. “Explain it to me. I might understand.” “My father, he thinks it’ll reflect badly on him, how I am.” “You mean being gay? It’s not a disease. You can’t infect him. And it’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of.” “I know,” Jay whispered. “But he’s my father.” Eric nodded, expression softening. “I get that part. I understand about keeping things quiet and discrete.” “Well, there’s more. He found this woman, Kellie Bodnar. I’ve agreed to marry her.” Jay shrugged. “To keep up ‘appearances’.” He made quote signs in the air. “I know, this isn’t the nineteen-fifties, but appeasing him will help me own this business one day. I have no idea how she and my father met.” When Eric didn’t do much other than raise one eyebrow, Jay fumbled ahead, forcing the words out in a rush. “Look, it’s a fake, but I have to show up in public with her. I don’t think she even likes me much. He’s paying for her education, and when she’s done with that, he’ll give her money for research. I mean what man--Dom—in his right mind is going to put up with that crap?” “So, you decided for me?” “No. But, I didn’t think—” “No, you sure as hell didn’t,” Eric snapped. Jay opened his mouth and shut it again, not knowing what to say. He looked down, staring at the floor between his feet. After a few slow breaths, Eric continued, “How do you feel about this girl?” Rocking on his heels a few times, Jay clasped his hands behind his back and took another deep breath. “I barely know her. She’s polite to me. If you’re asking if I’m in any way interested in her as a partner, sexually, or otherwise, the answer is no. I’m not bi. I’ve never had her here. I never want her in my home.” He ventured a peek up at Eric. “She sure as hell is no underwear model.” Eric chuckled, nodded, and relaxed farther back into the couch. “And because of this—arrangement—you think you can’t have a real life? One you’d like? Be in a real relationship?” When Jay only nodded, Eric shifted on the couch, leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his knees. “What happens after you’re married?” “As long as we keep up the appearance of a couple, we go about our lives. Whatever she’s studying and her research will require her to travel.” Eric nodded. “So, what do we do about this situation? How do we handle this?” Taking a few tentative steps forward, Jay dipped his knees and knelt on the floor. Inching forward until he was close enough to rest both hands on Eric’s knees, he focused on the floor between them. “I don’t know. I guess I never gave it much thought. I figured no one would be interested in me after they found out.” “You wanted to call and felt you couldn’t?” Eric brushed his fingers lightly through Jay’s hair making his scalp tingle and sending little jolts of electricity down his neck and spine to rest near his tailbone. He tapped the back of one of Jay’s hands with two fingers. Jay pulled his hands away from Eric’s legs and clasped them behind his back. “Yes, sir.” “There’d be rules, of course, concerning what happens after one of your performances with her.” For the Long Run is available in eBook, paperback, audio book and through Kindle Unlimited.      Comments are closed.
|
 Welcome to My World
|
RSS Feed
