The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, of continents or islands, in countries, counties, cities, towns, villages, neighborhoods, streets, cul-de-sacs, nor governmental or non-governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then why are you here? Seriously, if guy-to-guy sex stuff makes you barf or is going to screw up your mind, you should not read this story.
Various states and countries have various rules regarding reading or viewing adult material'. It is up to the reader to research this subject, abiding by their own laws. The pages of this story contain adult material', intended for an `adult audience'. Bypass this warning at your own risk.
% Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection.
Hey dudes, if you have enjoyed reading NiFTy stories as much as I have, over the years, consider adding some support for `internet $pace'. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html
^o^ Concluding remarks ~ reading this story could make you stiff or gooey, so I would suggest not reading it at work... just sayin'! :)
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FiRE iSLAND BiKiNiS ~ `beLLyhOLe ALeRt!' 07 WriTten by T. Chase McPhee
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Leaving Justin at The Nook, Sean hurried to the meeting with his boss, at Westside Marketplace.
Sean did `hear about it,' reprimanded for not conferring with Jared about shelling out $28,000 for a wheelchair, even if it was for Jay's behalf. Though, 28 G's wasn't much to cry about, when compared to the Evans family holdings.
Jared went light on the reaming out, "Next time Sean, before you lay out cash to buy a Trump casino, make sure you check with me?"
He knew, by the very tiny curl of Jared's lip, he wasn't head over heels angry at him, nor felt like stomping his balls, Sean learning a valuable lesson from this, "Like, where's the cut off?"
"Cut off?" Jared asks, holding the blueprint for Westside Marketplace in his hands.
"A dollar amount, which I should use as a ceiling for making judgement?"
With others being held up by him speaking to Sean in private, Jared says, "For the moment, give me a call if it's over a hundred bucks?"
"That's it?" Sean hoped he would be trusted with more. Though, after this mornings blunder, he caved "Yes, sir."
Doubly sure Jared wasn't bent out of shape, he says, "Wanna knock all the `executive' stuff?"
"Okay, Jared," Sean smiles, one which didn't require many facial creases!
Sensing Sean not the bulwark he was yesterday and the day before and the before that, Jared mellows out, "Why don't you grab your laptop, come over and take some notes for me?"
An arm around Sean's back, he would have been completely enveloped, if Jared hadn't realized the should height ratio.
Half the distance to the others, Sean asks, "Are we cool then, Jared?"
"Totally frigid," Jared replies, adding a toothy smile.
Many were gathered in a circle, Pinto, Homer, sign-man, Jarrod Harrison, store manager, Terry Vaselino, Jared's architect, Johnston Mc Seain and his apprentice, Carlos, attorney, Karl Jarlsberg and floor plans expert, Patrick McElroy, known as `Elroy', first at the company picnic, while playing touch football, then elsewhere and thereafter.
Approaching the group, Jared says, "See the man with the red beard and baseball cap?"
"The hot one?" Sean replies.
"Yeah, that's him. That's Elroy. You should get to know him."
"How do you mean that?" Sean asks.
"From a business perspective, he has designed all the buildings housed by J&J Marine, the renovations to both Jay's Surf Shop and Warrior One, is still engaged in remodel of The Nook. From rumor, I hear he's hot in bed!"
Smartly, Sean hits Jared with, "Only from rumor?"
Ready for the punchline, Jared slaps Sean on the back, "Only rumor. I leave the short guys to you!"
"Bigot!" Sean says softly, so only Jared could hear.
Breaking away, walking ahead of Sean, Jared places his hand on his lower back, as if he had an ache, folding all his fingers into his palm, except the middle one!
It wasn't much payback exchanged for the slur, the finger Sean forgetting it, moving on, paying more attention to, this Elroy'. According to perspective vs. distance, Elroy wasn't getting any taller. From a distance he looked interesting', red baseball cap over his brow, red beard encrusting his chops, Sean couldn't get much more bearings, unless up closer.
Not leaving his new righthand man on the outside circle, when he is a foot away, Jared announces, "Everyone, meet Sean Hardy. For some of you this will be news, Sean is my strategic assistant,' more commonly known as my righthand man." Being way up front, "Having the title of strategic assistant,' I advise everyone to be on your toes. Sean will be my liaison with the surf shop, Warrior One, The Nook, the marketplace and another business venture I'm still considering."
Sean was gloating, knowing something no one else, except Jared. Investing in a tattoo shop Jay had pestered Jared about, on behalf of his friend Adam Jenrett, it made him feel important to have the information kept secret. So much so, it gave him chills thinking about it, being given the responsibility to hold such trust.
Everyone at the meeting had offered a handshake or visual welcome, except when he got to the `shorty' of the crowd!
"A hug is okay with you?"
Jared allowed Sean and Elroy's hug to linger. For one thing, even though Sean held the title, Elroy was a very important component to the Evans echelon. Trusting him with a million dollar invested in design and architectural duties, Elroy has always come through. Brought on board when Johnston had a heart attack and now back in full swing, the duties are divvied up.
Not only from professional perspective, but Elroy has been super kind to Jay. Knowing some professionals in the sports venues, when Jay was flat on his back for 24 hours a day, visits from the surfing and other celebrities of the sports world helped in his recovery.
Facing Elroy, Sean says, "A hug sounds like a start!"
Though the hug was much more than what Sean anticipated, the 28-year old's hands rubbed Sean's back for quite a duration of time.
Having stalled long enough, covering responsibilities of all those on board, Jared need to break up the two, "Ahem! And now we'll take our walk, if Elroy can tear himself away?"
Sean, still feeling like an outsider, just stood there, smiling while light laughter filled the room.
In the middle of his initial explanation, of something being replaced by something, Elroy interrupts himself, calling over, "Are you coming, Sean?"
It's the first time he can recall, ever acting not in control, "Sure, I'll be right there." Catching up to the group, about ten feet away, he starts taking notes on his laptop, which had a different sense of balance, than sitting and typing on a table.
They all had to watch, Elroy saying, "Close that dinosaur up, Sean. Here, take this!"
It's then Sean notices someone else, not only Elroy, each one having a tablet, except Jared, the reason for his being there.
"What are you going to use, Elroy?" felt funny to Sean, first time using the name.
Handing over his tablet to Sean, Elroy says, pointing to his brain, "I've got it all up here!"
Jared, standing to Sean's left, leans into his left ear, "Which maybe someday you will too!"
Little did Sean know, before he hit the market, Jared had already had it out with another worker in the upper roster of management, Terry Vaselino.
It was already known to Joseph, Hans Hobstaken, who was perfectly contented with the job aspects, security manager for CK, had wanted an out, for the sole purpose of settling down and not so on the move all the time. Two days ago, Joseph, after finding out what Hans had in mind, brought him over to the market.
Terry, he knew Joseph and Jared were friends from way back, had a trusting relationship, so took Joseph's word, when he said, `Just put him to work and I'll let Jared know.'
Well, Joseph never got back to Jared!
As Jared looked at the whole picture, it wasn't Terry's fault totally. More angry, it was directed at Joseph, for pulling a stunt like that,' and taking advantage of Terry, new at his position.' So, Terry got a nice slap on the wrist and suggestion to speak to the boss before making any decisions like that.
Where Joseph was concerned, Jared didn't call him, wanted to make his friend `walk on hot coals', bust his chops in person, watch him squirm. Jared knew all this would culminate, resulting in Joseph promising to do something, just to cover himself. What he also knew, a good trait in his friend, Joseph would do or say anything to coverup for a nice lad like Terry. If Joseph did something wrong, he would own up to it and not let another take the fall on his bad behalf.
It was right around this time, the group getting off to a good start, Joseph enters the market.
A soft whistle, Joseph, walking towards the group, stares at the boss, "Jared, I've gotta talk to you."
"Likewise," Jared thought this more important. Also, he could catch up on things, by way of Sean, later on.
Keeping a smile on his face, walking away from the group, arm at Joseph's back, Jared made like everything was copacetic. However, his words made known what this was all about, "Another fuck up, buddy?!"
"Shit, did I mess up that bad?" Joseph said, like worried.
In a place, under construction, corralled in by empty shelves still waiting to be removed, "Worse, Joseph. You're my third problem today, so I'm not in such a happy frame of mind, so I hope you are in a repentant mood. You want to tell me what's going on?"
Being he was called over to the marketplace, Joseph could guess what this entailed, "I was just trying to do good for someone and I suppose I overstepped my boundaries," he was serious for once.
"I realize that Joseph, but to come in here, to my new store manager, who is still getting his feet wet and `order' him to hire Hans?"
Worrying, Joseph was, "You didn't fire him, did you?"
Jared didn't say, first acknowledging, "Joseph, whether you realize it or not, hiring new people is based on sales. If you're not selling the goods, you don't have the salary to hire. The marketplace is at capacity and you put us over the edge."
"I did, did I?" Joseph has lost his dominant edge, becoming meek and mild, much like Superman in Clark Kent's shoes.
"You did and for that you must pay."
"What?!" Joseph took a little leap. "Like, how would that go?"
The dominant attitude, lay in Jared, informing Joseph, "Since the marketplace doesn't have the sales right now to hire Hans, I'm sending him over to the house I'm having remodeled. He'll be put on salary, Pinto having made a call to the construction company."
"Bless your little heart," Joseph says, like a Southern belle at a church meeting.
"You from Georgia, Joseph?" Jared darn well knowing Joseph from the metro area.
"Uh, no," Joseph gains composure, doing what you're supposed to do in situations as such, change the subject, "and what of me?"
"While working the overnight shift, our remodelers busted the freight door. It's open and won't come down. Therefore, I'm electing you to stay here throughout the night and guard it," Jared let it sit with Joseph.
It was at the worst possibly time, "You can't mean it?"
"You owe me Joseph and as I've already mentioned, the store cannot afford to hire overnight security."
"Ugh," Joseph thought, of having to cancel out on some cub he met in the street today.
"If you have other plans," which Jared was sure he did, "you'll have to change them."
Stepping up to Jared, Joseph was about to make one last ditch effort of repentance, even if it would get him out of watching out for bad guys, "Why are you being so mean to me?"
"Stop being so immature, or I'll take you over my knee and give you a spanking...which, who knows, you might like."
It had started out and continued on an even plane, Jared's voice being serious, not all that different from the attitude Joseph would put on for a client at The Spin Club. However, not claiming to be an actor or anything close, Jared couldn't keep up the act. Too, he couldn't really be mad at Joseph. Like he had said, Joseph was just trying to do a good thing. He just went about it the wrong way.
"`Like?' I doubt it, but if it'll get me out of being an all night security guard."
"Oh, I didn't say it would get you out of it, Joseph."
"Right," Joseph thought it would!
"Listen, I need to catch up with the others. Anything else on your mind?" Jared begins a slow detachment of steps.
Lighthearted, Joseph says, "Well, I could grab you, overpower you, tie you up, toss you in the storeroom and pretend we never talked?"
Walking back to Joseph, Jared had an out for him, "Let's just put it this way Joseph. If you don't show up tonight, it will be your responsibility to make sure someone reliable shows up in your place?" he tidies up Joseph's leather vest, trying to pull it together.
"I could go with that," Joseph felt more cheery, not having to give up on his cub, the poor lad's first time in a dungeon, having to disappoint!
"Someone that you know, Joseph?" Jared holds both sides of Joseph's leather vest, peering at the dark fur, while lecturing, "Not someone who is going to do the opposite of what his purpose is, Joseph?"
"Think about it, Jared, would I do that to you?"
Letting go of the vest, Jared says, "If I think too long on it, I might discover something I wish I hadn't!"
Turning around, Jared walks away, saying, "Don't disappoint me, Joseph."
Joseph felt so, so bad, walking out of there. He had made up his mind, next time he caught Terry in private, he would apologize, maybe give him a complimentary ticket to The Spin Club, to alleviate paying the cover charge. His loins started going, when he thought of even allowing Terry to team up with him, a mentor to allowing him to work a boy. Then he thought, what he was thinking, was it for Terry or his own amusement?
Walking out of the marketplace, up the main drag, who should he run into, but Ian Collins, which made Joseph think out loud, "Oh goody!"
In the middle of chatting with Officer Collins, they hear, "Hey Joey, watcha doin'?"
Joseph leaves Ian with, "Be there by closing," and heads across the street.
He's greeted with, "Don't let me keep you from getting arrested, Joey!" Jay laughs.
"What are you doing here by yourself?" Joseph inquires.
"I'm not by myself. Peter ran into the hardware store for a minute. He's checking out some supplies with Homer."
"I see. Well, you should at least get out of the hot sun," Joseph's hands are on the chair.
Back across the narrow divide, Joseph sees the perfect solution, "Oh look, Tam's has little tables outside his place."
"Cool! I was hungry for an eggroll anyway!"
Parking Jay outside, Joseph goes in, returning with a tray, loaded with the eggroll, as he knows Jay would like, vanilla shake, some white rice and, "I hope you get a good fortune," he hands him a handful of the hollow cookies.
"Wow, thanks Joey!" Jay says.
"No problem," Joseph tells him, even though, inside, he's informed of table service, "and don't worry about Peter. I'll go over to the hardware store, scout around for him and tell him where you're at."
"Cool! Thanks, Joey!"
It was cool, relaxing, Jay looking up and seeing the umbrella above his head, food on the table in front of him, what more could a person ask for!
Little did Joseph know it himself, he was being extra especially cordial, to make up for his transgressions. Also, meeting up with Peter and Homer, he invited them over to Tam's, where he will be sitting with Jay, for a cool drink, on him.
Pretty smart, when Joseph gets settled at the table, Jay asks, "So, how come you're being so nice to me, Joey?"
"I'm always `nice' to you. Want am I doing that's different?"
"Joey, whenever Jare takes us out, you're always looking for someone else to pay. You aren't broke or anything, are you?"
"Oh man, Jay, you hurt me right here," Joseph slaps his hand, inside, up against his furry heart-center, with proudness.
"Indigestion, Joey?"
"Never mind," Joseph says, "it's not worth the effort, explaining something to you. Hey, I've got to go. When your buddies come over here to join you, tell them it's on me."
That was all fine and good, only what was Jay supposed to pay with? Realizing it too late, calling after his good buddy and friend, "Hey, wait a minute, Joey..." Out of earshot, seemed to be the case. Regardless, Jay knew, if he had to pay, retaliation would siphon back to Jared!
"Where's Joseph?" Peter asks.
"Gone. Where's Homer?"
Sitting, Peter replies, "He offered to carry what he could and take back to the house. Something I learned about Homer, when he gets his mind set on something, he doesn't hesitate until he can get the project started."
"What about the stuff you can't carry?"
"The wood will be delivered after closing, a special favor to Homer. If I'm not mistaken, I think he has an in with the owner," Peter picks up a one-page menu. "So, what do you have there?"
Concerned, Jay says, "Y'know, Joey bought me lunch, but didn't leave any cash for you."
"Oh, forget it," Peter swats away the idea, "I can pay for myself."
"That's not the point. I could be wrong, but I had this strong feeling that Joey is broke."
It hit Peter, turning it into a joke, "Strange, he didn't look broke!"
With Peter laughing his ass off, Jay, sat there with a straight face.
"Oh," Peter calms himself, "I guess you don't appreciate my sense of humor?"
So cute to begin with, Jay couldn't help but cave in, mock, "what sense of humor?" cracked a little smile.
After the fact, Peter figured Jay was trying to be forgiving about it, reason why he changes things up, "Why are thinking Joey is in the red?"
Saying it again, "He was supposed to pay for you and Homer's lunch. Instead he leaves it for me."
"You know something?"
Having his arms up on the table, it felt like nothing to Peter to meet Jay's hands halfway, coupling up.
"What?"
"I wouldn't worry about it."
"Joey is our friend. He's done a lot for Jare and me."
Again, the fatherly care kicks in, "And you've done a lot for Joey, haven't you?"
"I suppose," Jay replies, but still with concern.
"Who else is Joey close to, besides you and your brother?"
Thinking on it, Jay comes up with, "Only person I can think of, isn't even a person!"
Keeling to one side, Peter stares at Thor, "Must be nice to be wanted and loved!" Righting himself, "Other than dogs?"
"I can't think of anyone who is close to Joey, except us. No, wait, I have to take that back. Lately Joey has been hanging around with this dude, Justin?"
"I really don't know," Peter gestures. "Having known Joey, I'm sure you're a better judge of that."
"I suppose. You know, I think Joey has a thing for Justin and vice versa?"
Peter liked this diversion, it pepping up Jay, staying on topic, "And what is your opinion of Justin, other than being drop-dead gorgeous?"
Seeing a good stab at humor, Jay asks, "Is there reason why I should think about being jealous?"
Not expecting this, Peter says, "To be jealous, two people need to have a bonding and then the third person enters the scene, seen as a threat to breaking that tie."
It hadn't gone unnoticed by Jay, in the past few days, Peter gaining closeness, but in a subtle way. Jay was scared to say anything about it, afraid he would jinx the whole thing. Still holding onto fingertips, he dares to tread, "Do we like, have something going here, Peter?"
Letting go of Jay's fingertips, leaning back against his chair, Peter exclaims, "Oh no! We just broke up!"
Squinting eyes, Jay says, "You're weird!"
"I know," Peter sits back, folds hands in his lap.
Sitting up straight and tall, as best he could, Jay let things process.
"I don't think it is the case where anyone is weird, but rather our situation is weird." Changing thought, "Or more, unique?"
"I suppose," Jay was lost for words.
With boyish attitude, Peter asks, "So, how do you feel about what I've said?"
"I'm okay with it."
Joking, Peter says, "You're okay with `weird'?"
"No. I'm okay with `unique'!"
Knowing the waiter, not formally, a dude he went to high school with, but wasn't buddy-buddy friends with, Jay notices him hanging, "Hey, Owen, can we have the check?"
When he comes to the table, Jay introduces him to Peter, but he didn't know the last name, "Peter, this is Owen. We went to high school together, but didn't see each other until now."
The nerdy type, glasses, bushy brown hair, beard, he introduces himself, "Hi. I'm Owen Meade."
"Nice to meet you," Peter replies, taking the wimpy handshake.
"My food is paid for, but Peter needs to pay up," Jay says.
"No he doesn't. Your friend paid," Owen replies.
Turning slightly red, on Peter's behalf, Jay questions, "Uh, but how did you know what Peter was going to order?"
"I didn't. Joseph and I did a little transaction `under the table'. Tonight when I see him at the club, I'll tell him and then slip it into the till tomorrow."
"Club?" Peter says, even though he knew what meeting up with Joseph at either the upstairs or basement meant.
"Uh, yeah," Owen had a reluctant disposition, "me and Joseph like to go dancing."
"I see," Peter looks to Jay, like they `knew.' Getting up, "Well, it certainly was nice to meet you Owen. Have a good time with Joey tonight."
Strolling down the street, Jay asks, "That's something I don't remember."
"What?" Peter asks.
"In high school, I thought Owen was in the drama club, but I guess not, because he's a very poor liar!"
"Oh. That," Peter laughs along with Jay.
Halfway down the block, 2 doors down from The Nook, Jay exclaims, "Hold it, hold it. Stop!"
"Whatsammatter?" Peter asks, coming right around the chair, which made Thor scoot out of the way.
"I suddenly feel like I'm going to barf!"
Looking around, Peter saw the destination, "Out of the way, Thor!"
Cutting down the street, Peter had to excuse Jay and himself about 30 times. Rushing right up to the door to the Nook, Peter goes in first. Leaning over, he pulls Jay in, using his ass for a battering ram, "Hold on Jay."
All was abuzz, some patrons stopping conversation.
Sensing a problem, Giles comes from behind the counter, "What's up?"
"A big one. Jay is nauseous and could upchuck at any minute," Peter says, already at work unbuckling the straps.
They were both surprised, though Jay too concerned with himself, to think, Giles bending over, "No problem. I've got it," he meant the situation, not that he reached under Jay's pits and was hoisting him out of the chair.
Giving him a bear hug, Giles clung to Jay, whisking him over tops of heads, holding him like lovers would cuddle, headed towards the mens room.
It then hit Peter, Jared saying, if any problem arose, he was to be notified. That's when he got on his cell and touched the most important space on the screen.
All Jay could think of, like he was in a carnival ride, a fast one, "You're...strong," he could `taste' the upchuck rising.
"Yeah well, I eat my Wheaties every morning!"
Busting in the door, Jay directs, "You need to hold me over the toilet."
Just getting to the black and white fortress was a fortunate thing, let alone the porcelain throne. With upheaval, Jay's lunch comes out in gobs, right before Giles had a chance to pry Jay off his chest. Fortunately, a chasm had opened up in between.
Right now, there was no point in trying to make it to the toilet bowl, instead, turning Jay around over the sink.
He coughed, spat, threw up, coughed again and repeated the whole process two more times.
Peter comes in, saying, "I hope you don't mind, but I stole a bottle of ginger ale?"
"Might help in a minute," Giles says.
"You need me to take over?"
"Might be best," Giles replies, especially since there was now Jay's lunch covering the front of his apron, some of it seeping down behind it. "Before you do, though, just run out to the counter and tell Jerald and Yoshi I'm on an `extended' break?"
"Will do," Peter says. Half out the door, he sticks his head back in, "And oh, I've spoken to Jared. He's on his way."
Right now Jay was a mess. Coughing and spitting, he was also crying, which caused his sinuses more grief.
Trying to make a bad situation brighter, Giles says, "Hey, Jay, trust me, things aren't that bad."
Since his apron was mostly messed up, Giles had pulled the strap over his head and used it to help clean Jay up.
"I've messed everything up," he was still bawling.
"Nonsense," Giles tries again to lift Jay's spirits, "I love the smell of reheated lunch!"
It didn't even phase Jay, in one ear and out the other, "I ruined your clothes and messed up mine and look at the floor!"
Having for a while, trying to leave his job at HOODWINK'd, Marco Vincente landed a job at The Nook, chief bottle washer. He was about to get a surprise, on his first day, "Hey, what the fuck is happening in here?" he walks in and lets the door close.
Half-cynical, Giles says, "What the fuck do you think is happening, Marco?"
The way it came across, is not how Marco meant it. Upon seeing a situation arise, he addressed it, "We need paper towels."
"No kidding?" Giles replies, "I already used them. Dispenser was half empty."
"Oh," Marco replies, knowing it was his job to keep it filled, slipped up, it being his first day and all. "Well, I suppose this will have to do." They all wore bright, white dress shirts, `uniform' for those who worked there. "This is probably going to reek anyway," he tears his shirt down the middle, buttons popping everywhere.
No one but Jay would know, looking upon such a finely sculpted chest, how it could behave like therapy, which helped to sober Jay up some, "What are you doing?" his eyes were glued to the swimmers-build, light chest hair, stripe, bellyhole swirl.
"My job," Marco figured it, since he didn't `do' his job!
While Giles held Jay in place, using the sink for a seat, keeping him erect, Marco wiped Jay off.
One thing Jay got a tickle over, he was sitting on the spout, not which he could feel it on his asscrack, assumed, based on where he was sitting.
Marco needed to wet his shirt, saying, "Giles, I need some water."
"What do you want me to do about it?"
"Just fuckin' turn it on, idiot!"
The `idiot' turned it on.
"Don't think I'm getting fresh, Jay," Marco says without smiling, though if it were one of his buddies, reaching under a guy's crotch to absorb some water, it might have had different meaning.
Too upset, Jay wasn't thinking about hands touching underneath his balls.
"I think we did a good job," Marco didn't only include himself in Jay's cleanup, "but you should really get out of that shirt, Jay."
"Hey, what's up? How's Jay?" Jared arrived on the scene, holding onto the door, stretching himself inside. First thing he does realize, "Oh man, this place reeks!"
"Me too," Jay says. For a few minutes there, a hand reaching under his crotch seemed weird and funny, but with Jared there, Jay slid back down the hill, "I'm sorry I had to bother you again, Jare?"
Four guys in the mens room was testing the limits on occupancy. Jared had fit himself in, back almost pinned to the door.
Peter wanting entry, it just didn't jive, "Can I come in?"
He got a three-man response, "No!"
Jared then makes an about face, pries the door open, "I'm coming out," already knowing Peter's shirt is soiled, "and you come in." Before leaving though, Jared says, "I'm going to find you guys some clothing. You'll be okay until I get back, Jay?"
"Yeah," Jay said, feeling better, but still as sick as a dog...a sick dog!
"Sure?" Jared felt bad leaving him.
"Go...go!"
Exiting, Jared was on his way to the surf shop to do some `shopping.'
Slipping out, Peter slips in, saying, "We really need to stop meeting like this, guys?"
Weak, in no joking mood, Jay felt like not disappointing Peter for the second time today, cracking a little smile.
Marco, barechested, says, "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting cleaned up."
"Like, how?" Giles asks, with no paper towels.
There was toilet paper, realizing how fragile it is, turning it to mush.
A better idea, Marco takes the shirt he used to clean Jay off, walks over to the urinal, saying, "Desperate times need desperate measure."
"I know someone important said that?" Giles asks.
Peter shrugged both shoulders, "I dunno."
Flushing the urinal and holding his shirt under the waterfall, by the collar, Marco, paying attention what he does, says, "No one said it, or they don't know who, it being an old, old proverb. They liked using it at seminary, because it makes people wonder, without leaving anything conclusive."
"Seminary, Marco?" Giles asks.
"Yeah," Marco flushes, rinses again, "something I don't really want to get into right now." Instead of fielding anymore questions, Marco says to Giles, "Gimme your shirt."
Giles says, "Hold Jay, Peter?"
"Sure." Exchanging places, from `door guard', to Giles standing in front of it, Peter asks, "Aren't you a dancer at HOODWINK'd, Marco?"
"Was."
"Oh right," Peter recalls, "that's why you're working here and not there," right after, attends to his patient, "okay, Jay?"
"I just want to get home. Where's Thor?"
Patronizing Jay, Peter says, "One of the employees is caring for him. No need to worry."
"Okay," Jay says, voice trailing off in a low tone.
Giles, having stripped down, eyes wandered, him asking Marco, "So, how did you get from seminary to go-go dancer?"
Jay says, "He doesn't want to talk about it."
"Thank you," Marco cracks his first smile, meant for Jay.
"Sorry," Giles says, handing his shirt to Marco, "I do remember you saying something like that."
Peter adds, "Like, 2 minutes ago, Giles?"
Jay, right now he wasn't too much in a bad way, looking upon Marco and Giles, making frontal comparisons.
"I said I was sorry," Giles replies, laughing, "and I'm not going senile!"
Showing he's not perturbed, Marco says, "You're older than me?"
"Yeah, but I'm only 29," Giles replies, "which is still not considered over the hill?"
"I can vouch for that," Peter says, "being equal in age to you!"
Even though under the weather, Jay could tell Peter was flirting.
"Oh really?" Giles says. Spotting some `drool' on Peter's shirt, "You better have Marco wash that shirt out!"
"That's okay. It's not really that bad," Peter says, turning right to Jay, "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Jay says, but thinking it would really be horny, three half-naked guys hanging around, "but you're shirt. It really does smell?"
Pulling it up a little, crocking his head to smell, Peter says, "Yeah it does."
A taste of honey worse than none at all, Peter's shirt hike reveals some of what could be more!
Throwing his own wet shirt over the stall wall, Marco says, "C'mon, strip, Peter. I'll take care of our buddy here."
Unlike the other two, holding Jay from the side, Marco places both hands on Jay's shoulder, asking, "I never took care of a guy like you. Is holding you like this okay?"
"Fine," Jay was feeling and looking more upbeat, especially with such fine pecs and taut abs staring him in the face. "You must work hard to keep yourself chiseled like that?"
Hearing the urinal flush, Marco says, "No, not like that, Peter!"
Forgetting about Jay's disability, letting go, Jay falling back, Marco yells, "Oh shit!"
Grabbing him, the only recourse was to have Jay fall forward, into the cavity of Marco's chest, "I'm so, so sorry!"
"I'm not!" Jay says, seemingly fully recovered, palms bracing himself against Marco's obliques.
Peter makes comment to Giles, "I think Jay's getting better!"
Sure, he paid attention to Jay when it happened, but Giles returned his gaze upon Peter, "Me too!"
It's not which he wasn't feeling the same, "Right."
Apologetic, Marco says to Jay, "Hey, I hope you didn't get the wrong impression."
"Wrong impression?" Jay rebounds.
"When I was wetting my shirt...under your, you-know?"
"Why would I?" Jay puts it to Marco.
"Eventually you'll hear it from one of the guys who work here, I'm gay?"
"Oh really?" Jay is remarkably improved, "I didn't think any of the dancers at HOODWINK'd were straight?"
Bopping himself in the head, much like Jay would do himself, Marco says, "Oh man, I'm such a moron!"
"I know," Jay leaves it, adds, "but a cute moron!"
Now that it's out of the bag, Marco reflects, "Oh, you are too?"
"Yeah," Jay takes the liberty of allowing his fingertips touch, slip up and down the sides of Marco's obliques. "You sure have smooth skin!"
Even if he wanted to make a quick getaway, from Jay's fingers, gently massaging the flanks of his taut abs, "I do, do I?"
Being Marco's strong hands still braced him from falling forwards, nor backwards, Jay takes liberties, "I like this too," the back of his fingers graze up and down Marco's treasure trail.
Instead of feeling like some guy has overstepped boundaries, Marco smiles, instead of grimacing.
Staring at each other, looked like they were both headed for a full blown lover affair.
Peter and Giles were having a merry ole time, washing shirts out, by now familiar with full frontal anatomy, until Jay notices too much touchy-feely, "Hey, what's up with you two?"
Marco, always carrying himself like he had a chip on his shoulder, responds, "Got those shirts washed out yet?"
Ammunition for how playful he was getting, it wasn't the shirts which drew Marco's attention.
"Just about," Giles replies, yet not doing much to hide his erection, other than holding Peter's shirt in front of him, pretending to iron out some creases.
Likewise, Giles' shirt was looking as straight as can be, hanging from Peter's hands, "Just getting some of the crinkles out!"
Marco did slip, looking down into the sink, Jay getting wise, "Y'ain't gonna see anything happen down there, except water going down the drain, moron!"
Rather than back away from his find, or rather what he didn't find to be the same case as Peter or Giles, Marco says, "Yeah, you snagged me."
Tough-guy attitude fading, was replaced by Marco's smile.
Fair trade off, Jay asks, "How about you? Feeling any reaction to me?"
"Of course," Marco's curtness returns, though a little more subtle, "I'm hard as a rock!"
"Lemme see!" Jay says, looking down.
It was a godsend for Marco, Jared busting in the door with shopping bags, "I hope I got everything in everyone's size."
Marco, glad of the diversion, because Jay didn't make him inflate too much, "I hope you got me black."
Not saying it, thinking it, Jay kept it to himself, Marco's hard nips would show, no matter what color. It's only too bad, able to touch his sides and not those pec-bumps!
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Not only at The Nook, things happening fast in the mens room, but over at Westside Marketplace, Sean was paying keen attention to Elroy, left in charge when Jared had to dash.
First time he lay eyes on Elroy, Sean was wowed. As a result of Elroy lending him his tablet, Sean was able to get `the full picture', Elroy's full physique, which not paying attention once, had Elroy dressed down to nothingness.
All it took was one slip, Elroy saying something, which made Sean answer regardless.
Elroy had asked something regarding Sean having to run himself ragged, driven between Jay's Surf Shop, Warrior One, Westside Marketplace, The Nook and the future, secret project, which had Sean remarking, "Sounds good to me," when he missed the question all together!
He wondered if he responded correctly, seeing Elroy giving him a strange look.
Others not catching on, one says, "Well then, if you're willing to put in all those man-hours, Jared is sure to like you!"
It got Sean to thinking, he hoped he didn't commit himself to something he was going to live to regret. Not one to lose his cool, Sean kept it, making sure, for the rest of the tour, he kept Elroy fully clothed!
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Peter, saying he had everything under control, Jared returns, which could have been awarded as perfect timing, the tour over.
Dismissing all the others, Jared says, "Except Elroy and Sean, will you hang for a minute?"
Not meant to kiss ass, Sean says, "My whole afternoon is for you, Jared."
Elroy didn't say anything to that, only thought, how he'd like to cut in on some of the boss' time!
Sitting at a makeshift table, the three begin to gab. In walks Nash, a tray, three coffees on top, "Terry thought you might need a wakeup call?"
All three said they sure could use it.
"5...4...3...2..." Jared counts, which the other two just wonder. "This man is never late. You should take some lessons from him...1!"
In the door, walks Adam Jenrett. At one time he fell head over heels in love with the drummer of The Foot Doctors, since, going their own way, "I hope I'm not late."
Jared replies, from experience, "You never are!"
Both Sean and Elroy, without a mention to each other, tried to rationalize if Jared knew Adam beyond the business aspect of relationship.
Though, they shook hands, which told something!
"Well, I've thought a lot about what you said and I'm in," Adam replies.
Jared, knowing Adam was on his way, gives him the coffee destined for his own lips, "Have a seat. Sorry it couldn't have been a beer!"
"Just the same," Adam says cheerfully, "thanks."
"To conclude our business, I'll fill you in in a nutshell. Adam is a tattoo artist, as you can tell from his arms, but there's more underneath the shirt..."
"I can show them?" Adam stands.
"No. That's all right. They can get an idea from what they can see."
Though, Sean wondered if Jared had gotten the full picture!
"Another time is good, Adam, perhaps at the company picnic?"
"There's a company picnic?" Sean and Adam ask at the same time, like wired twins.
Adam remarks first, "I can't believe we were thinking the same thing."
"Me neither," Sean replies.
Elroy calls it, "Deja vu!"
"Uh, can we do the clairvoyance testing later, gentlemen?" Jared tries getting them to refocus.
It felt strange, being a `gentleman', Adam was thinking, at the ripe old age of 19!
Often spoken, "You have the floor, sir!" Elroy says, a smile attached.
Adam wondered what was up with that, the pause, smiles exchanged?
Sean, he didn't intend on losing any sleep over it!
"The purpose of this meeting is to put you two in touch with Adam. I'm also placing the full project in your lap, men and assigning you a budget."
Inside info, Elroy asks, "I hope more than the surf shop fiasco?"
"What happened at Jay's Surf Shop, that I don't know about?" Sean asks.
Back in the day, the incident occurred, before Sean's appointment, Jared already getting his ass kicked by his own personnel manager. Thinking he had the expertise, Jared hired some boys at the surf shop on his own, without Clark checking them out, screening their paperwork. One wound up stealing from them, two with hot tempers, fighting it out during business hours and worst part, Jay's friend was the one stealing, which made Jared more than blush. Out of it all, it's not like something positive didn't come, finding Jay's friend, `Terror', to be a valuable employee. He can still remember, Wayne Terrabold, each arm, elbow as a noose around the necks of the two disgruntled employees, herding them into the stockroom like a shepherd and his bad sheep.
As he talked his way through it, Jared envisioned it happening, which had him concluding, "Therefore, for now I'm assigning Wayne to keep an eye on things over there."
Handing Sean a folder, he says, "You and Elroy can fight over the responsibilities. I need to hear from Sean daily."
"What about me?" Adam asks.
"In the folder is a budget. My advice is `think' before you spend. Communication is key, Adam."
"If you say so," it was good enough for Adam, artist before business management.
That was all they saw of Jared for the rest of the day, except his back, walking away.
Sitting back in a creaky, wooden chair, placing hands behind his head, Elroy's shirt contorted to his sleek bod, "Well, boss, what do you want me to do?"
It was a trick question, Sean wanting to answer it properly', but they were still on the clock', "I think we need to powwow."
"I'm staying at Korbeau's," Elroy suggests with a smile.
"Takes a lot of loot to shack up at that place," Adam says, rubbing his index finger and thumb together.
Able to relate, Sean says, "With 5-figures, are we going to worry about that, Elroy?"
Not meaning to gloat or cause jealousy, Elroy says, "5, Sean?" laughs hardily.
It worked, the way Elroy didn't want it, "Really, Elroy?"
"Sorry," Elroy says, glee still in his eyes, trying to hold back on the smile.
Breaking the ice, Adam says, "Nice. I pull in 3 digits a week, if I'm lucky."
Standing, taking Adam under his wing, Elroy says, "I think your luck is about to change, Adam. Stick with us and we'll get you up there in the 6-digits!"
Sean mentions, "4, first though, Adam!"
Of course Elroy was pulling in the big bucks, man with a designer's degree, with the company for years, worth his weight in gold to Jared, "Still, you do your job and learn as you go, you guys can earn top dollar. However, as you will also learn, Jared's a fair person to work for. Work hard, learn new things to gain the expertise, you could go far."
Sean smiles, saying, "I have a feeling you two are going to go very far, Elroy, with the length of time you've been touching Adam's shoulder?"
"Oh," Elroy drops his arm down Adam's back, "I didn't mean anything by it."
"Why not?" Sean says, "I think you make a cute couple!"
Putting ideas into Sean's head, hoping Adam will catch on, Elroy says very plainly, without emotion, "Oh darned it, I thought you might be into some 2-on-1 action, Sean."
Adam already had his impressions, "With you as the `1', Elroy?"
Elroy cheerfully says, "Hmm, I don't know why, but suddenly I'm famished!"
Packing up, Sean learns how generous a 6-figure guy can go, "Here's your tablet, Elroy."
"Keep it. I've got a couple back at Korbeau's."
Adam asks, "Can I have one?"
"Sure," Elroy replies, smiling, "but remember, in business you don't get something for nothing!"
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Copyright 2015 T. Chase McPhee
FiRE iSLAND BiKiNiS, and developing segments of this story, may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.