The following fictional narrative involves sexually-explicit erotic events between men. If you shouldn't be reading this, don't.
In the world of this story, the characters don't always use condoms. In the real world, you should care enough about yourself and others to always practice safe sex.
The author retains all rights. No reproductions or links to other sites are allowed without the author's consent.
The first scene in this chapter was suggested by Evan. Much of the rest of the chapter is improved because of his insightful suggestions. Thanks, Lion! Thanks as always to Tom W., my patient, hardworking editor, and to Patrick, Ash, and Mickey.
Timmead88@yahoo.com
Chapter 28: Black Coffee
MAX:
One weekday evening after I had eaten supper, the doorbell rang. When I answered it, there stood Ced, looking sexy in a black tee and white cargoes. He was obviously wearing white briefs under them. He had on sandals with no socks.
"Max, sorry to come without calling first. You got a minute?"
"Of course, Ced. Come in." I wondered why he was there, especially since he was without Tim.
I offered him a beer or a glass of wine, but he refused, so I invited him to sit on my sofa, while I took one of the chairs.
"What's up, Ced?" I asked.
"Max, now that I'm here, I'm not sure how to put this."
I thought I didn't need to say anything, so I waited.
"First of all, I want to thank you for what you said the other day."
"What's that, Ced?"
"When I came in and you told me to take care of my man."
"Well, Ced, we both love Tim, but he is your man. I know and honor that."
He seemed relieved. "Max, I saw you kissing Timmy on the forehead, and I wasn't even jealous. I know what you two share, man, and I honor that. I just want you to know that I'm glad Tim has a friend like you. He needs you."
"But -- "
He held up his hand. "Yeah, I know he needs me, too. I am his lover. I have to tell you that I am sorry I was such a bastard with you a while back. I'm over that. I know what a great guy you are and how important you are to Tim. I love you for that, you know, and I want you to be easy with both of us. OK?"
I had been tense, but now I was relaxed. It was such a relief to hear Cedric say that.
"Ced, you're being very kind, very generous. I love Tim, but I don't want to get between you in any way. I just wouldn't do that, you know?"
"Yeah, Max, I think I do know. You are a man of integrity. That's just one of the things that Timmy loves about you. He says you helped him become a person like that, too."
I was overwhelmed. Tim had never said that to me. Sometimes it's better to hear things like that second-hand.
"Thanks for telling me that, Ced. Tim and I learned a lot from each other back in college."
"Max, there's something else I want to say."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Tim told me about Andrew. Man, I had no idea you'd had to deal with anything like that." He looked very serious. "You know, I love Tim so much, I just don't know what I'd do if I lost him. But even thinking about it makes me have some sense of your loss."
"Thanks, Ced. That means a lot to me."
"Well, listen, it must be really tough trying to get through each day without Andrew. Like I said, I don't know how I'd manage in a case like that. But to have had a guy who was your whole life and to lose him suddenly and totally must have been and must keep on being awful."
"Ced, you touch my heart. It's been difficult, I admit. But it feels so much better now that I've shared it with you, Tim, and Trey. And, look, Ced. It was, uh, above and beyond for you to come and tell me this."
"Max, just one more thing."
"Yeah?"
"This has nothing to do with Tim, OK?"
"OK." I was puzzled.
"I, well, I just want you to know that I admire and respect you a lot. And I hope we can be friends. I'd like you to think I'm here for you if you ever need me." He looked at me very earnestly, and I had to love him at that moment.
I stood up, and so did he.
"C'm'ere!" We hugged.
"Tim's very lucky. He's got himself a great guy. And I am lucky to have you as a friend, Cedric. Thanks for coming to me this evening. It's a beautiful thing that we can be friends and that it's not just because of Tim."
He gave me his sunny smile and said, "Yeah, Max. It is, isn't it?"
We hugged again. "Now," I said, "go home and take care of your man."
He grinned, kissed me on the forehead, and left.
TIM:
I had Suze's number in Morristown, but I hadn't called her in a year. We had last seen each other when we were all in Asheville for the previous Labor Day weekend.
Cedric, who had come home from Max's, was sitting across the living room reading. I grabbed the phone and punched in the eleven digits.
"Hello?" It wasn't Suze, but rather someone with a Virginia accent a little thicker than Trey's. I suspected it was Frankie, her new mate.
"Hi, you must be Frankie?"
"Who's asking?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Tim Mead, Suze's cousin."
"I don't think Susan wants to speak to anyone named Mead, and I'm sure I don't."
"I can understand that, but if you tell her it's `the twerp,' I'll bet she'll talk with me.
"Oh, you're 'the twerp.'"
"Yep. And, Frankie, welcome to the family, such as it is."
She laughed. "Thanks for the welcome. Hang on, and I'll get Susan. You may be the only person named Mead she'll talk to."
A pause.
"Hello, Twerp! Or, I suppose I should say Dr. Twerp."
I laughed. "No, Suze, you're the only real doctor. But you can call me Professor Twerp if you want."
"Oh, Timmy, it's so good to hear your voice. You've obviously heard the news and you don't hate me?"
"Suze, I love you like the sister -- or big brother -- I never had. How could I hate you?"
"Well, you wouldn't believe how frosty Mom and Dad have become, and, I'm afraid, there's been a deathly silence from the rest of the family, including your parents, since we told the folks about us."
"I know, dear, I know. That's why I'm calling. I want to tell you I hope you and Frankie have a long, wonderful life together."
I heard a sniffle on the other end.
"Here, now, is my lifelong pal and sometime nemesis crying? DOCTOR Mead sniffling? What's with that?"
"Oh, Timmy, knowing me, you won't believe this, but I'm such an emotional basket case right now. I love Frankie so much, and we're so happy, and yet it really hurts to think I've lost the whole damn family. Can you understand that?"
"Well, yeah, I think so. But, you know, your folks and my folks love you, Suze. Maybe if we give them time, they'll come around. Have they met Frankie?"
"No, they don't want to see her."
"Well, I want to see her. I hope we can manage to get together soon. And with the old folks, I think we just have to let time do its thing. When they've had a chance to get used to the idea, they may soften."
"Yeah, I hope so."
"How are your patients taking the news? Any repercussions?"
"No, not really. Oh, there was one woman who told me I was accursed by God and then left me, but all the others have hung in there. Both Frankie and I have lots of social friends as well as professional acquaintances here in town, you know, and they've been great, for the most part."
"For the most part ain't bad, but then I expect New Jersey's more enlightened than the area around home."
"Yeah, Tim, Frankie and I don't have any complaints, except about my folks and your folks. I'm SO glad you called, sweetheart."
"How about Frankie's family?"
"Well, she's been out since she was 13, and her parents are wonderfully accepting of her -- and of me. That's helped a lot."
"I know what you mean."
"I heard that you broke up with Amy last spring. Word was you'd found somebody else. Wait a minute! What do you mean, you know what I mean?"
She couldn't see me grinning at Cedric when I said, "Oh, my new lover's parents have been great to me, too."
"Timmy, you do have somebody new! That's wonderful! Well, tell me all about her. What's her name? Where's she from? Did you meet her there on campus? What's she like?"
I chuckled. Cedric, who, despite the book in his lap, was listening to my end of the conversation, looked up.
"HER name is Cedric, SHE'S from Shaker Heights, SHE is a former student, and SHE has a big chocolate-colored penis."
I was really laughing by that point, Cedric was giving me the strangest look, and Suze squealed so loud I had to take the phone away from my ear.
I could hear her yelling to Frankie, "OOOH, I told you. Timmy's gay. I knew it. And he has a black lover named Cedric!" Then to me she said, "Tim, I have wondered how long it would take you to realize that you were gay. I'm SO happy for you, baby!"
"Wait a minute! You knew?"
"Let's say I've been pretty sure for ten years now."
"I think, doctor," I said, giving Ced a wink, "that your diagnosis is only partly correct. You would have had trouble convincing me I was gay while I was boffing all those girls at Kenyon, or Amy at home in Belpre."
"OK, professor. I stand corrected. You are bisexual. But let me ask you this. Are you happy with your man?"
"Deliriously."
"Do you think this is a permanent thing?"
"I know it is."
"And you're sure he's making you happy?"
I grinned at Cedric.
"Yeah, even when we're not having mad, passionate sex."
"QED. I rest my case. You've got something with this Cedric you never had with a woman, even Amy. So, face it, you're gay. And, Timmy, I'm really happy for you. I'm dying to meet your Cedric."
"Yeah, and we're eager to meet Frankie. Think you two could fly out for a football game some weekend this fall? We have an unused bedroom these days."
"I'll talk to my better half, but I think that sounds great!" Pause. More seriously, "But, Tim, you haven't said anything about your folks' reaction. I take it you've told them."
"Same reaction you and Frankie got. They were concerned about what the news might do to their position in town, at the country club, at church. You know how they are. No thought about how happy I am. I didn't even stay the night. Drove home through torrential rain just to get out of there."
"And you are counseling patience? That's more optimistic than I feel, baby."
"What else can we do, Suze? They're our family. You know I'm not religious, but I'm almost ready to pray that they come around eventually, your folks and mine."
She laughed. "Yeah, we've got to do something about getting you into the church, you heathen."
"Don't count on it. But, in addition to Ced, there's another good influence on my life these days."
"Oh?"
"You remember my old Kenyon friend Max Hewitt, don't you?"
"Sure do. He was a cutie."
"Well, Max is now Father Max. He is an Episcopal priest, and he's the curate and campus minister here at St. Peter's. I run with him every morning, and Ced and I see him several times a week."
I glanced at Ced again and waggled my eyebrows at him.
"Once Ced realized that Max and I weren't making the beast with two backs every time we were out of his sight, he decided he likes Max, too."
She laughed. "Well, Timmy, it has given me a real lift to hear from you. Thanks SO much for calling, dear. I'm very happy for you and the lucky Cedric. What's his last name, by the way?'
"Jones. And Frankie's?"
"Merritt."
"Where's she from?"
"Roanoke."
"Yeah, I should have guessed that from the accent, come to think of it."
"So, email me your home football schedule, and we'll find a date when we can come for a game. I'm looking forward to seeing you and to meeting Cedric. The four of us will have so much to talk about, Tim."
"Yes, Suze. I hope you two can make it. I want to meet this remarkable woman in your life as soon as possible. Give Frankie a hug for me."
Cedric added, "And from me!"
Suze laughed. "I heard that and will tell her. Thanks for calling, Professor Twerp. And give Cedric a hug from us. Hey, I'll email you a pic of Frankie and me, and you must send us one of you two, OK?"
"Right," I said. "I love you, Dr. Mead."
When I had put down the phone, Ced looked at me very seriously and asked, "She calls you `twerp'"?
"Yeah, she's called me that since we were little. She was always taller than me."
"Don't you find that offensive?"
"Ced, I don't find it offensive when you call me little man.' And I don't find it that way when Suze calls me twerp.' It's done with love, and I know that. Now, no one else had better call me either of those names, or they're in big trouble."
He grinned. "OK, twerp."
I went over to where he was sitting, grabbed both nipples and pinched hard. "Suze may call me that. You may not. Get it?"
Still grinning, he said "Yessir!"
DAVID:
Trey called me one evening and invited me to join their group at the football game that coming weekend. He said I'd know everybody except for Steve's date. I was about to ask who the guy was, and then I remembered that Steve was straight. He also mentioned that the little priest would be there.
"Hey, Trey, it's great of you to ask, but I have to be out of town this weekend. Rain check?"
"Sure, David. We'll have to get together soon."
"Right. And, uh, Trey?"
"Yeah?"
"It was decent of you to call, man. Makes me think there are no hard feelings, no jealousy?"
He laughed. "Definitely no jealousy, David. But I get `hard feelings' every time I think of you and Chaz getting it on. The way the big guy describes it in his diary is pretty hot!"
"I'm going to have to get him to let me read that thing one of these days."
"Yeah, you should."
So, I thanked him again, and we hung up.
Damn! Max was going to be with them. And I had to be in Milwaukee almost all day Saturday for a workshop, so there was no way I could get back on time. But that Max, I couldn't get him out of my mind. Like I said, I knew he was trouble. He was too short. He was a priest, for Christ's sake! (Woops. No pun intended.) There was no way he and I could have enough in common to become even close friends. But, God, I wanted to get that little hunk into bed! Maybe it would take several weeks to satisfy my curiosity. But I knew I'd be in big trouble with Chaz and that bunch of friends of his if I did anything to hurt him. They all seemed very protective of one another. And, you know, that was nice.
Well, Father Max might be trouble, but I could feel that we were going to get together. And I figured it was up to me to arrange it.
TREY:
A Prayer:
Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man, Love to forgive him, And Patience for his moods. Because, Lord, if I pray for Strength, I'll beat him to death. Amen.
We had big plans for the first home football game of the season. The Flashes were playing Ohio U, and there was actually a chance we might win the game. (That's Ohio U in Athens, not Ohio State in Columbus.) As varsity players, the guys and I had the opportunity to get good tickets, and we got tickets for everybody on about the 45 yard line, high enough up in the stands to see well, but not so high we couldn't recognize our buddies on the field. Mark, Lori, Steve, and Rebecca Stein were going to have dinner together someplace casual and then meet us at the game. Tim, Cedric, and Max were going to eat together and said that they, too, would meet us there. Which left Chaz and me.
I thought Chaz was being romantic. He said that this was more or less our third year anniversary as roommates and our third-month anniversary as lovers. Which was true. So he wanted to take me to Stefan's for dinner. He said we'd have time to go home and change into more casual clothes before we went to the stadium.
He'd checked with Ced, who'd told him we'd better wear jackets, though ties weren't absolutely required. Come to think of it, I don't remember ever seeing Chaz in a tie except at sports awards banquets. He said he'd made reservations early enough that we'd not be rushed. And he wanted to do this for me to show me how much he loved me.
Since this was a special occasion, I wore my cream-colored Armani slacks, my camel blazer, and an olive green silk shirt, open at the collar. Chaz managed to clean up pretty well in his navy blazer with light gray slacks and a light blue silk tee that went beautifully with his pale blue eyes.
Stefan's was busy that evening, even though we were early. The valet who parked the Tahoe was a guy we both knew from the wrestling team. The maitre d' was a smooth character who, Ced and Tim had told us, was named Maurice. Chaz had requested the table in the alcove that Tim and Ced liked because it was very private. Maurice led us through the restaurant. The white table cloths and the silverware gleamed in the subdued lighting.
When we were seated, Maurice left, and we were looking around as Kent Statten came up. We had hoped he'd be our server. "Hi guys! Woops, I'm supposed to say, `Good evening, gentlemen.' Don't tell Maurice I goofed."
"Hey, Kent! Good to see ya,' Chaz said.
"You guys celebrating some sort of special occasion, a birthday or something?"
Not about to tell Kent why we were there, I said, "No, Kent, we just wanted a change from our own cooking."
"Yeah," Chaz said, "and we've got to get home afterwards and change for the game with OU, so will you keep that in mind, buddy?"
"Sure. Let me tell you about the specials, then I'll bring you whatever you want to drink while you are making up your minds."
As we had been told he would, Kent recited the specials in considerable detail. I sensed that he had tasted them all at one time or another. Chaz ordered a draft beer of some kind, and I asked for a Jack Daniels. After all, it might get chilly at the stadium.
When Kent got back with our drinks, I ordered Veal Oscar, and Chaz ordered -- you guessed it -- a steak
By the time I had sipped part of my whiskey and Chaz had glugged half of his beer, we were sort of looking into each other's eyes, and I was feeling mushy. Then I felt something rubbing my crotch. I almost dropped my drink. Chaz had slipped off his loafer and had put his foot between my legs. He was wiggling his toes around, rubbing my package.
I was about to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing when Kent returned. He set down our salads, a silver basket of rolls, and a dish of butter pats. Then, with a smirk, he asked if there was anything else we needed right then.
"No, everything's just great, Kent, couldn't be better," Chaz said as he leered at me. I think I must have been blushing.
He had wiggled his toes around to a purpose. He had managed to flip my cock up against my belly, owing, I suppose, to the fact that my slacks fit a little looser than jeans or even my khakis. Then he was able to rub the underside of it.
"Chaz, you idiot! What are you doing? People will see."
"Nah, that's why I asked for this table in the alcove. Hardly anyone can see back here, and the table cloth hangs down a ways, and it's kinda dark. So I don't think anyone can see what's going on here."
"Well, I'm pretty sure from the look on his face Kent knows what you are doing."
"Yeah, well, Tiger, Tim and Ced say Kent's pretty discreet. And I'll give him a real big tip, so that should persuade him not to say anything. Besides, he wants his customers to be happy, right?"
I looked at him with the steeliest look I could manage. "Greeley, I love you, but this is not the place for what you are, uh, doing." I gasped as he hit a particularly sensitive spot with those practically prehensile toes.
"Woops!" he said. "We don't want to rush things." He relaxed the pressure on my cock and balls a little. "Better eat your salad. Kent will be here with the main course soon."
I tried to enjoy the salad and rolls. At one level I knew they were delicious, but I was mostly focused on the feeling in my groin. It was incredibly erotic to sit there not only in public but in the area's most upscale restaurant having your dick massaged by your companion's foot. But as good as it felt, I was worried about the inevitable consequences if he continued what he was dong. My dick was already rock hard and leaking.
Sure enough, before long, Kent returned with our entrees. He asked if we wanted him to leave the salads so we could keep on working on them. "No, Kent," Chaz said, "that's OK. Trey and I want to get to the meat now."
All three of us knew what he meant by "meat." Kent looked at me sympathetically.
When Kent left, I tried again. "Look, big guy, a joke's a joke. But you're spoiling what was supposed to be a nice dinner. I'm serious, you've got to cut that out. I'm leaking so much I may stain my pants."
All of a sudden I remembered last spring and what we had done to poor Tim. I was mortified to think how he must have felt that night in his office when I made him come in his pants.
I took a sip of water, and then a taste of the veal. I don't even remember what it tasted like.
"Chaz, are you trying to extract some weird vengeance for what I did to Tim last spring? You were very much a part of all that, you know."
He grinned at me as he forked in a mouthful of steak. He chewed a while and then said, "I hadn't even thought of that. But I'll bet Tim gets a real laugh when we tell him about this."
"You wouldn't, I mean, you aren't . . ."
"Oh, of course I am, Tiger, of course I am. Now, eat up." He began to vigorously wiggle his toes against the under side of my cock, and I gasped again. "Enjoy your veal, Henry Lee."
He never let up the pressure, and he kept massaging me with his toes. I was amazed at what he could do with them, as I became more and more aroused. I wanted to moan because it felt so good. I wanted to yell at Chaz to stop.
He kept on eating his steak and potatoes and stir-fried veggies, obviously enjoying them as he smiled at me across the table.
I was beginning to breathe hard, and we both knew what was going to happen. I'm sure he could feel my body begin to tense up with his foot.
"What's the matter, Tiger?" he asked. He abruptly quit rubbing me, and relaxed the pressure. At that point I think I wanted him to keep going almost as much as I wanted him to stop.
"You damn well know what's the matter! What in hell has gotten into you? You're gonna make me come in my pants. Do you want that? Here, of all places?"
He grinned wickedly. "Oh, yeah, babe. That's exactly what I want."
"But why?"
"Do the words `meat loaf' ring any bells?" Let me remind you that last June I puked my guts out after eating a dinner of meat loaf that you told my Ma and my aunt I just loved."
"Oh, come on, Chaz, you were sick because you were hung over from the night before."
"That's as may be, but it was the meat loaf I remember. And that's not the only time I've had to pretend I like that shit because of what my dear, sweet, loving roomie told Ma. So this is payback, Tiger. I warned you I'd get you for that little joke. You've got it coming." He chuckled at the pun. "Enjoy it."
I figured I had two choices. I could make a scene by jumping up and leaving the table with a big boner tenting out my pants or stay there and let him go ahead with his plan. I was pretty well fucked either way. But I waited too long. Suddenly I was held in place in my chair by that size 13 foot in my crotch. I would probably have turned the table or my chair or both over trying to get away from it. If I stayed put, however, there was only one possible outcome. And it came out. I wanted to scream, but managed not to, though I did grunt and shudder as I pumped my load into my shorts.
Chaz had finished his potatoes, eaten three of the rolls and most of his veggies. As he took his last bite of biftek au poivre, he smiled sweetly and said, "I think we have time for dessert. We can do that and still get home in time to change clothes, unless you want to just leave on what you're wearing."
"Come on, Chaz, I don't want any dessert. Let's just get out of here as inconspicuously as possible."
He caught the eye of Kent, who immediately came over. I suspected he had been watching us anyway. "Would you guys. . ." He sniffed a couple of times and shot me another concerned look. "Er, would you like to see the dessert menus?"
"No, thanks, Kent. You can just bring us both some coffee. Black We won't be needing any cream."
Kent couldn't help himself. He sniggered before he managed to say, "Two black coffees coming up."
By this time the load of jizz in my pants had soaked through my boxers and was making a big spot on the front of my slacks. The odor of cum was pretty strong at our table.
"Henry Lee, what am I gonna do with you? I can't take you to a nice place without you making a mess in your pants."
"I can't believe you'd do this to me."
He grinned. "Why not? You had it coming. Oh, thanks, Kent. Now, man, could you bring the check and also ask one of the guys out front to bring my Tahoe up?"
Kent, glancing at me, said, "Yeah, I don't imagine you guys'll want to stand around out front very long waiting for your car. I'll take care of it."
"Thanks, guy," Chaz said.
Well, I didn't drink any of my coffee, as you can imagine. I was thinking about sneaking out through the kitchen, but then I'd be outside and would still have to find my way to Chaz's SUV, so that wouldn't really help. Besides, the kitchen was brightly lighted, and everyone in there would see my plight.
Kent brought the check. Chaz looked at it and put a pile of bills in the folder. As we stood, I tried to pull my jacket closed in front of my stained pants. Kent said, "I hope you gentlemen have enjoyed your evening." Then he looked at me and slowly shook his head.
"Kent," I growled, "if you tell anyone about this, man, you are dead meat!"
"Relax, Tiger. I'll never tell anybody. I'd lose my job. Just see if you can get outside without attracting too much attention."
I think I may have actually gotten out of the restaurant without anybody seeing the big, sticky, glistening wet spot on the front of my pants. I feared those slacks would be ruined. Maybe they could be dry cleaned, but I was sure I didn't want to take them to the cleaners because the person behind the counter would know right away what the stain was.
Anyway, after we had passed one table, I heard a woman's voice ask, "What is that peculiar odor?. It smells like bleach."
The man with her said, "Maybe they had to mop up a spill. But you wouldn't think they'd use anything that smelled like that in a place this pretentious, would you?"
Chaz chuckled as he walked in front of me out to the car. He stood and chatted with the valet for a few minutes as he gave him his tip, leaving me in the car fuming.
I didn't say a word to him on the way home. My brain was teeming. Was THIS the way Tim felt that night I'd done something similar to him? How totally humiliating! And did Chaz have a clue about how I felt? If so, did he care? He had this smug look on his face as he drove into town.
Back at our apartment, I took a quick shower, we both changed into jeans, sweaters, and sneakers. I put the ruined slacks in the trash. Chaz filled a thermos with coffee. I filled a smaller thermos with bourbon, and we set off for the stadium.
We decided to walk to avoid the parking nightmare that always occurred after the games. As we moved along with a constantly-increasing flow of people headed to the game, Chaz put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Babe, I'll owe ya for the pants."
I didn't say anything
STEVE:
Wow! What a great evening! Definitely the best time I've ever had here at the university.
Mark had asked me to drive. He said his SUV was at his house in Meadville and that his other car wouldn't carry four of us. I'd seen that other car. It was a classy and classic Mustang convertible. So, even though I was embarrassed by my shabby Taurus, I said I'd be glad to drive.
I picked up Mark first, and then we went to get Lori and Rebecca.
Since it was a football Saturday, Mark had made reservations at the restaurant.
I hadn't seen Rebecca since the spring, and I had forgotten how great looking she was. Nearly as tall as I am, she has very dark brown, almost black hair which she had pulled back into a bun. This accentuated the bones of her face and her dark eyes -- and her ethnicity! One fine looking Jewess, I must say!
I didn't know any of these people very well, so I was just a bit nervous. Yeah, I know, Steve Metz, smartass, nervous? I could do the smartass thing because I didn't care what people thought. Or told myself I didn't. But I wanted these guys to like me.
I was comfortable with Mark, even if I didn't know him well yet. I felt he and I had sort of bond because we were the two straight guys in that group they called "The Brotherhood." No one had ever told me I was now a member, but they treated me like one of them. I had always thought Mark was pretty quiet, mostly because he was usually with Lori when I had seen him, and I think he tends to take a back seat to her. But that evening at the restaurant, he was full of fun. He told jokes, teased us all, and seemed to be smiling most of the time. Even with all my new gay friends, I don't usually get into guy's looks, but Mark has great blue eyes. And dimples. OK, enough of that.
Lori scares me a little. I mean she's never been anything but nice to me. After all, it was her suggestion to set me up with Becca and for us to be out together that evening. But she is really a forceful person. She seems to have a very strong sense of what she believes, and she acts on those beliefs. Sometimes, when someone else was talking, I'd find her looking at me. I wondered what she was thinking. But she's beautiful and friendly and good natured, and she and Mark seemed to be really into each other. Lori had some interesting news for us, too. She said she had met Jessie Cousins, the twin sister of Jared Cousins, one of the guys that attacked me. She said she was going to get to know Jessie better to see if she could find out anything. I wished her luck and thanked her for wanting to help me.
And then there was my date for the evening. What can I say? I've already said she's gorgeous. I got hard about as soon as I sat down next to her in the restaurant, and I stayed that way. It's the strangest thing, too. I felt from questions she asked and things she said that Becca knows me better than I do. Sort of as if we understood each other from the get-go. She teased me about being "aloof," as she put it, in Tim's class last spring. And she told Lori (Mark had heard the story) about my comment about the stupid main character in "M. Butterlfy" fucking a man for months and thinking it was a woman the whole time. She wasn't really making fun of me. And once while she was telling me something, she put her hand on mine. I know my cock lurched when she did that. I don't think any woman has so excited me that much without seeming to try. And I know I've never enjoyed a first date like I did that evening.
Mark suggested that we drive back to his place and park, since it was an easy walk to the stadium from there. Rebecca teased him because that apartment building he and Trey and Chaz lived in was reserved for varsity jocks. He laughed. "You're just jealous, Rebecca. Come out for the baseball team, and if you make it, maybe we can get you an apartment in our building."
Lori fussed at him for saying that, and he winked at Becca and apologized. I don't think Becca was offended, but Lori is perhaps more pc than the rest of us.
Anyway, dinner was lots of fun. It was great, too, to see all the others at the game. Back in my loner days, I'd never gone to see the university's football team play. In fact, the only varsity sport I'd ever attended at the U was swimming. Now that I had good friends on the basketball, baseball, and tennis teams, though, I figured I'd be going to a lot more events. I just hoped Becca would go with me.
The only damper on the evening was that Trey seemed really down. I don't know what the matter was, and it just wasn't possible to ask him there, with everyone around. Trey is not usually a moody guy, and it worried me that something was bothering him. I decided I'd call him the next afternoon and ask if everything was OK with him.
TREY:
The university band was just leaving the field after its pre-game show, and the others were in their seats when we arrived. There was a big round of hugs. I introduced Becky Stein to Chaz. She had already been introduced to Max, and she knew everyone else.
Ced leaned over and asked if we had enjoyed our dinner at Stefan's. "Isn't that a great place?" Tim asked. I smiled sweetly and said, "Oh, it is a fine place indeed. And it was so great of Chaz to take me there on our anniversary." Tim gave me a puzzled look and then seemed to accept that, so apparently Chaz hadn't told them about his wicked plan. Chaz looked at me and smirked.
It was a beautiful evening, crisp without being too cold, with a big harvest moon. A perfect night for football. The others obviously enjoyed chatting, comparing notes about what they'd been doing lately, catching up. Steve told me that he really liked Rebecca and that he hoped to be seeing lots of her as the semester went on. He also told me that Lori had met Jessie Cousins, the sister of one of the guys everybody thought had attacked him. Lori knew her through the German club at the high school. And, Steve said, she insisted that Jessie was a really nice girl. But she also said that she was going to try to get to know Jessie better to see if she could find out anything about Jared.
I didn't pay much attention to the game, or, for that matter, to the others. I responded when spoken to, but I was, I confess, preoccupied, hardly in the festive mood the others seemed to be sharing. I just sat there and sipped bourbon and thought about how disillusioned I was with Chaz -- and how guilty I felt over Tim.
It was a close game, but the Bobcats beat us in the last two minutes with a field goal. The score was 31-28. Well, we never expect to win too many football games anyway. For some reason, we're better at other sports, especially basketball, baseball, and tennis. And no, I'm not being partial.
There were more hugs before we split up after the game. The two straight couples went off together. Max said, "Hey guys, all the bars will be mobbed. Would you like to come back to my place for a beer? It's still early."
Tim grinned. "I take it, Max, that you don't have the early service tomorrow."
"No, I'm assisting at the 10:30 service, so I can actually sleep in tomorrow."
Tim looked at Ced and apparently got an answer. "Yeah, Max, we'd like to come by for a while."
"How about you guys?" Max asked us.
Chaz said, "Hey, sounds great! Did you guys bring a car?"
He hadn't even looked at me, but I decided not to be a spoilsport.
"Yeah," Cedric said, "I've got the 4Runner. Why, did you guys walk?"
Chaz nodded.
"Well, we can all pile into my car then."
On the way to the stadium parking lot, I was able to talk with Chaz without being overheard by the others.
"Chaz, you aren't planning to tell the guys about , er, what happened at Stefan's, are you?"
"Sure I am. That's part of the payback."
"Look, I hate to spoil your revenge, but think for a minute about the effect that would have on Tim. It's bound to bring back very painful memories for him."
The grin left his face. "I hadn't thought about that, but --"
"Besides," I continued. "I don't think Tim has told Max about any of that. Max doesn't know how Tim became a part of the Brotherhood."
He was quiet for perhaps ten paces. "Then all that's left of that anniversary dinner is the memories?"
"And a pair of ruined Armanis." After a pause, I added," You don't seem to realize how different your memories will be from mine."
"OK, Henry Lee, you win. But I'll never forget the look on your face as your realized what was happening and what was gonna happen at Stefan's."
"And that makes you happy?"
He gave me a puzzled look but didn't say anything.
The four of them had a great time at Max's. Max seemed like a member of the Brotherhood. We all liked him. And we had come to respect him, as we respected Tim. At one point, while I was talking with Ced, I overheard Tim saying to Max, "You know, Maxie, I hope I am like you when I grow up." Max laughed and said, "Watch it Mead. You are three weeks and two days younger than I am, so don't give me any of that growing up shit."
We talked about the game for a while. Then Max asked Chaz and me if we'd had a good time at Stefan's. Without even looking at me, Chaz said we'd had a great time. Then he grinned at me and said, "Things came out even better than we expected, didn't they Tiger?" He emphasized the words "came out" just slightly.
Tim told us about his cousin and her new partner and said he and Ced had invited Suze and Frankie to fly out from New Jersey for a football weekend.
"Yeah, Tim," Chaz laughed, "you and Ced could take them to Stefan's and pretend you were two couples."
"We WOULD be two couples," Tim said, grinning.
"Well, yeah, OK. But you know what I meant."
"Actually," Tim said, "it might be nice to organize another outing to Nighttown."
"Hey," Chaz said, "if we wouldn't be horning in, we'd love to go along. And we'll have to take Max. He hasn't heard Geoff's trio play, or eaten that great food."
Max looked puzzled, so they took turns explaining all about my friend Geoff and his trio and the restaurant where they played on weekends. He said that sounded like fun, but that, as a single, he'd feel out of place going with us. They all shouted him down on that and said he had to come with us.
When we got home, a little after 1:00, Chaz was ebullient. He hadn't had that much to drink at Max's, so I figured he was just high from the evening, having his fun at my expense, seeing the whole crowd at the ballgame, and having a good time at Max's.
I remembered my mother saying once that a couple should never go to bed angry with each other, that they should work it out before they slept. Emotionally, I felt more like sleeping in the other bedroom, but my brain was telling me to follow Mom's advice.
Pulling off his sweater, Chaz said, "Tiger, you've been acting pissed with me all evening. What's the matter, babe, can't take a joke?" He dropped his sweater on the sofa and punched me lightly in the stomach.
I took a deep breath. OK,' I said to myself, here we go.'
Before I had a chance to say anything, though, Chaz sat down, looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face, and said, "Tiger, you've always been able to take a joke before. What's with you? You're obviously still pissed."
I kicked off my shoes and sat Indian fashion in one of the big chairs, facing him.
"You really don't get it, do you? I'm not so much pissed as really hurt, Chaz."
"Yeah, I guess I don't, babe. It was all in good fun. You know I love you."
"Well, leave the love out of it for a minute. We'll get back to that. Can you remember how you felt when you got shaved all over last spring? How you were too embarrassed to take showers at the gym and came back here really rank sometimes so no one would see you?"
"Oh, yeah."
"How would you describe that feeling?"
"Damned humiliating."
"Was it just the gym thing?"
"No, it was being there naked in front of you and Tim and Ced while I got shaved, that was part of it, too. I was almost freaked out with embarrassment."
"And those were our friends."
"Well, yeah."
"OK, now think about this evening at the restaurant. If Kent could see what you were doing with your foot, and he obviously did, people sitting across the room could, too. And the people here at the apartment were friends of ours, in on the `game.' At Stefan's there were university faculty members plus who knows what other kind of people from around the city. You've got to remember, Chaz, that you and I are high visibility people in this town because of our roles as athletes. Lots of people we don't even know recognize us. Besides that, don't you understand how humiliating it was for me to have to walk away from that table, across the restaurant, and out front to the car with that huge mess in the front of my pants, sick at the thought of being seen by anybody, even if they hadn't a clue who I am? And it would be worse if they recognized me as a member of the university tennis team because that would reflect not only on me but on the university."
"Aw, come on, babe, I --"
I put my hand up to stop him. "No, Chaz. Let me finish, please, and then I'll listen to whatever you want to say."
"OK."
"When we got shaved last spring, it was humiliating, but it was in our apartment among friends. What you did this evening was to humiliate me in public. And it really hurts me that you would do that. This wasn't just some fraternity prank. This was public humiliation."
"You know," I continued, "if a friend humiliates a friend, something good is diminished -- maybe destroyed. But humiliation just isn't compatible with love, Chaz. You've said you love me. I don't want to, but I'm having to doubt that."
I had sort of been talking to my hands, which were gripping each other tightly in my lap. When I looked up, he was staring at me.
"Of course I love you, Tiger. I just don't see what the big deal is. You've never been a spoilsport. Who got hurt? Probably nobody saw you when we came out of the restaurant. I'll get the damned pants out of the trash and take them to the cleaners. If they can't get the stain out, I'll pay for them, for cripes' sake!"
"The pants aren't really the issue. And, in answer to your question about who got hurt, I did!"
Chaz toed off his sneakers and put his legs up onto the sofa, stretching out to fill it up. He looked puzzled. "You know, Trey, you used to be a lot of fun. Lately you've gotten real serious. What's happened to you, babe? Has Tim done this to you?"
"You're trying to make this about me? If I've changed, maybe it's just that I've grown up. I don't see much evidence that you have. I have learned something this evening, though. I see now just how cruel we were to Tim. I understand now how he felt. And we made him suffer for two more evenings after the scene in his office."
"That's water under the bridge, Tiger, and Tim's our buddy now. Why rake all that up again?"
`Because what you did to me this evening made me feel awful about what we did to him."
"So let me understand, Trey. Are you pissed with me because of what I did to you this evening or because what I did to you made you feel guilty?"
"Don't you see it's both? Now that I see how sick I feel when I think back to this evening at the restaurant, I feel so bad for being the one who did the same sort of thing to him. But, Chaz, there is one major difference. You claim to love me. I just don't see how you could have done that if you loved me."
"Aw, Henry Lee, don't be that way."
`Sorry, Mom,' I said to myself. I picked up my sneakers. "I don't see any point in continuing this conversation. We obviously aren't getting anywhere, so I'm going to bed. I think you had better sleep in your room tonight. Is there anything you need to get out of my room before I turn in?"
He shook his head no, staring at me.
"Good night, Chaz."
"Don't do this, babe."
"Good night, Chaz."
At about the same time, Kent Statten, who had worked all evening and stayed for a drink with the bartender after Stefan's closed, was just getting back to his efficiency apartment. Six-two, with brown eyes and brown hair with blond highlights, Kent currently had a fuckbuddy, but it was nothing serious to either of them. As he was getting out of his server's attire, he was thinking back to the scene earlier.
`So Greeley and Withers are gay. Aren't they friends with Mark Mason? Man, Mark's old man is hot, hot, hot. I'd love to be his boy! Mark's straight, but his dad is gay or my gaydar is totally worthless. Stan, the dad, was in Stefan's one evening last summer with "The Iceman," what's his name? Mead. Yeah, Tim Mead. And I hear that Mead is now living with Ced Jones, Mark's former room mate. Oh my God! Except for Mark, that whole bunch is gay. They're all hunks except for the little prof, and even he's cute.'
Naked, Kent hung up his dress slacks, put trees in the shiny black shoes, took the studs and links out of the shirt and put it in the laundry basket, and put the tie and cummerbund back in a dresser drawer. Naked, he leaned into the shower and turned on the water. When it reached the temperature he wanted, he stepped in.
As the water poured over him, he mused. `Trey Withers is a great guy. I can't understand why Greeley would have done anything like that. Those two have been roommates for their whole time here. And I always thought they were pretty good buddies. They were both all dressed up. Wonder what the occasion was? And those expensive slacks of Trey's were a mess when he got up to leave. I felt so sorry for the poor guy. He looked like somebody had punched him in the gut'
Kent began to rub his hands over his pects, playing with his nipples. Then he let them slide down his soapy chest, across his flat abdomen.
`Trey's seriously gorgeous. In those tennis whites, he's hotter than jalapenos! But when I look into his eyes, I feel as if I could tell him anything, muy simpatico. Maybe I'll have to see if he's looking for a friend. This thing with Halifax has been fun, but with Tiger it might be the real thing.'
Kent grabbed his tumescent cock and began to pump it slowly.
[Chapter 29 will be posted in about a week.]