Once Burned

by Alexa Land

  Christopher and his husband Kieran joined us a few minutes later, followed by Charlie, Jayden and Joely, and Maya. She turned out to be a tiny nineteen-year-old with unruly, dark hair, an obvious attitude, and an even more obvious baby bump. Kieran handed around glasses, and as Christopher poured champagne for the grown-ups and sparkling cider for the teens, Ignacio came up behind me and slipped his arms around my waist.

  We all drank a toast to my boyfriend, and I twisted around to give him a kiss. Then I said, “Wait until you hear what happened with your paintings.”

  Christopher clicked his tongue and pointed at Dante. “You were supposed to keep a lid on it! I was looking forward to telling them myself!”

  “You can still tell Ignacio. I only told Doyle,” Dante said.

  Ignacio asked, “Tell me what?”

  Jayden blurted, “Every painting sold like, right away, at twice your usual price! You just made a big, huge boatload of cash. Cha-ching!”

  Christopher frowned at Dante, who added, “And Jayden.”

  Ignacio’s eyes went wide, and he asked, “Is that true?”

  “Yup. I think it’s safe to say the show is a smash hit, and I’ve heard nothing but overwhelming praise from everyone I’ve spoken to tonight,” Christopher said.

  Ignacio looked dazed, and he murmured, “I feel like I’m dreaming. I was approached by reporters from three different magazines who want to do stories on me, and by the woman who’s the head of acquisitions at SFMOMA. She said I still owe her a meeting. I couldn’t believe she remembered. And now to find out all the paintings sold….” He shook his head in disbelief.

  “Maybe you can do some of those interviews over the phone from Dublin,” I said, “in case they don’t want to wait until we get back.”

  Charlie glanced at his watch and said, “Hey, speaking of your trip, we should probably get going so you don’t miss your flight.”

  Jayden said, “Aw, do you have to go tonight? I was hoping we could all go out and celebrate with some ice cream.”

  “We do, because it’s my dad’s birthday tomorrow, along with the grand re-opening of his pub, and we don’t want to miss it,” I said. “But you’re coming with your dads when they drive us to the airport, so let’s turn it into a portable party and grab some ice cream on the way.” That seemed to make him happy.

  Nana and Ollie hurried over to us just then. They looked like they were going to prom. He wore a dapper tuxedo, and she was dressed in a sparkly yellow cocktail dress, which she’d paired with a tiara, white elbow-length gloves, and a corsage. Nana exclaimed, “You boys need to get your asses in gear, or you’re gonna miss your flight! My limo just pulled up out front. Who all’s going along to SFO?”

  I echoed, “Limo?”

  “Yeah, I figured we should travel in style, so we borrowed Nana’s ride,” Charlie said. “Let’s all go. Dombrusos, assemble!”

  We hugged Christopher and Kieran, and Ignacio thanked them about six times before we headed to the door. On the way out, we left our glasses with one of the waiters, and I grabbed a couple of the keepsake programs. As we jogged down the stairs to the 1980s-era, rainbow-colored stretch limo, along with Nana and Ollie, Charlie and Dante, and the trio of teens, Joely asked, “Why does it take this many people to drive two guys to the airport?”

  “Because this is what we do when our family members travel,” Ollie said. “We go along and give ‘em a nice send-off.” Ignacio glanced at me when he heard the word family, and his face lit up with a glorious smile.

  *****

  We went straight to the pub when we landed in Dublin, since it was nearly nine p.m. with the time change. It was crowded with customers. Recessed lighting gave it a soft, warm glow, and comfortable new booths lined the caramel-colored walls, which were covered with historic pictures of the neighborhood and finished off with a trio of flat-screen TVs.

  An attractive sign that said ‘Doyle’s’ hung behind the gleaming, newly refinished bar. Next to it was a picture of my dad and me and Ignacio, which we’d taken while we were cleaning up the fire damage. My boyfriend and I both felt a little emotional when we saw that.

  Dad had been thrilled when I’d called and told him everything had worked out between Ignacio and me, and he greeted both of us with big hugs. We gave him his birthday present, which was a bottle of very nice, aged whiskey, and his eyes lit up. He poured all of us double shots and hid the bottle behind the bar. He’d filled a fourth shot glass, and before I could ask who it was for, an attractive, curvy woman in her mid-fifties joined us.

  As she swung her long, dark hair over her shoulder and slipped an arm around my father’s waist, he said, “Boys, meet Minerva Bakshi. Mimi, this is my son Cameron and his boyfriend Ignacio.”

  Her warm, dark eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled, and she shook our hands as she said, “It’s a pleasure to meet both of you. I know you’re headed to your cottage in the country tonight, but I hope you’re planning to spend some time in Dublin at the end of your vacation so we can all get acquainted.”

  “We’ll definitely plan on that,” I said.

  One of the waitresses called her name and signaled to her from across the pub, and Mimi said, “All of you stay right here.” She tossed back the shot, then said, “That’s quite good,” before slipping through the crowd.

  I turned to my dad with a big grin and asked, “So, when did that happen?”

  “Mimi and I started seeing each other in mid-January. It was meant to just be a fling, seeing as we were both getting over break-ups. But somehow, it’s becoming a lot more than that.”

  Ignacio and I exchanged a look, and my boyfriend grinned at me and said, “We know how that goes. Sometimes love finds you anyway, even if it’s the last thing you’re looking for.”

  I said, “I’m really happy for you, Dad.”

  “Thanks, son. I gotta say, I’m pretty happy for me, too. Mimi’s one hell of a woman. We’re not rushing anything, but I feel more optimistic than I have in a very long time.”

  His smile lit up his eyes, and I said, “Happy looks good on you.”

  “Right back at you. I bet you’re looking forward to a romantic Valentine’s Day out at the cottage.” He fished in his pocket and pulled out two keys tied with a red ribbon, and he handed them to me as he said, “That reminds me, you’ll be needing these. Mimi and I were out there last weekend. It rained for three days straight, which was grand. It meant we didn’t have to do a thing but lounge in front of the fireplace.”

  “I’m glad you’ve been enjoying it, and we really have been looking forward to spending the week there,” I said as I pocketed the keys. “It’s a shame I only have a few days off from work. It would have been nice to stay a while.”

  Just then the lights dimmed, and Ignacio pulled me close and nuzzled my hair. The wait staff wheeled in an enormous cake that was ringed in sixty candles, and all the patrons broke out into a loud, tone-deaf rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’. Then Mimi popped out of the top of the cake. She was laughing and waving a couple of pompoms, and she was wearing a T-shirt that hugged her curves and said ‘make a wish.’

  Dad looked happier than I’d ever seen him, and he applauded and murmured, “Like I said, a hell of a woman.”

  *****

  It felt wonderful to wake up in that warm, comfortable bed in the cottage the next morning. Ignacio was sleeping soundly beside me and snoring just a little. I grinned at his handsome profile before rolling out of bed.

  After I used the bathroom and showered, I rekindled the fire and got breakfast going. Our housekeeper, who we had yet to meet, had done a great job stocking the refrigerator for us. We’d also asked her to pick up a few other essentials, including the shiny new coffee maker, which I wasted no time in starting up. I liked the fact that she’d picked out a red one.

  Eventually, Ignacio wandered out of the bedroom, looking adorably rumpled in his green flannel pajama pants and long-sleeved thermal shirt. He grinned at me when I handed him a cup of coffee. Th
at turned into a smile when I pulled out the stack of pancakes I’d been keeping warm in the oven. Then he looked at them more closely and asked, “Why did you make those in the shape of ball sacks?”

  I burst out laughing, and then I picked up one of them and turned it the right way around. “They’re meant to be hearts. They kept spreading out, so I couldn’t quite form the point at the end. I know Valentine’s Day isn’t until Wednesday, but I’ve decided to turn it into a week-long celebration. Apparently we’re kicking it off with ball sack pancakes.”

  Ignacio kissed my cheek and said, “Works for me.”

  After entirely too much breakfast, he said, “I know we’re on vacation, but I’m feeling really inspired after my show. Would you mind if I spent some time sketching?”

  “I’d love that. Actually, I have something I can work on as well. Is it going to distract you if I play the violin while you draw?”

  “Far from it. I’m sure it’ll be very inspiring.”

  “The first part, maybe. Less so when I try to work on the new song I’m composing.”

  I half-expected him to use a hotel notepad, but Ignacio curled up on the upholstered chair by the window and began filling a very large drawing pad with sure, confident pencil strokes. Outside, the flock of puffy sheep practiced their quasi-military maneuvers. They moved as a group to the left, then hung a sharp right before settling down to eat some grass.

  Given how little time we’d spent there and how wrong everything had gone on our last visit, it was surprising how much the cottage felt like home. While Ignacio drew, I tuned my violin, then stood near the crane-lined mantel and played a few pop songs. Every time my boyfriend recognized the tune, he’d call out the name triumphantly, like he was on a game show. It always made me chuckle. Later on, I switched to roughing out an original composition. When I ran out of ideas, I began working my way through Prince’s catalog.

  After a couple of hours, Ignacio got up and stretched, and then he said, “I propose a walk and a picnic.”

  I’d set aside the violin a few minutes earlier, and I looked up from my notebook, where I was writing down a few lines of musical notes. “Sounds great, even though I’m still full from the carb mountain we demolished at breakfast.”

  “Well, then we’ll just have to work up an appetite first.” Ignacio crossed the room to me and ran the back of his hand over my cheek. “Can we go back to the ruins? I really blew it last time you took me there, and I’d like a do-over.”

  I smiled at him and said, “Absolutely. Also, the phrase ‘do-over’ would have sounded bizarre when you were rocking that thick, Spanish accent.”

  He raised an eyebrow and grinned at me. “It’s nice we can joke about it now.”

  We made lunch and packed it in a backpack, changed into jeans and hiking boots, and zipped our warmest jackets over our T-shirts. Before heading out into the brisk February day, Ignacio grabbed a wool blanket from the closet and tucked it under his arm. Then we headed for the door.

  When we opened it, we found a dozen sheep standing right outside. “Uh oh, they’re trying to surround the cottage,” I said. “Let’s hurry, so they don’t see us making our escape.” Ignacio chuckled as we squeezed past them, and we took off across the fields.

  I loved the fact that he seemed so carefree. He’d spent the past month and a half working tirelessly on those last four paintings and worrying about how the show was going to be received. Now it was as if a weight had been lifted.

  When I mentioned that to him, he said, “I might not get off scot-free. Art critics sometimes smile to your face, then stab you in the back. Also, the gallery in L.A. should have received my letter today, along with a check for what I made during the international exhibition. It’s anyone’s guess how that’s going to go over. But I feel good knowing I did what needed to be done. I told the truth. What people choose to do with it is up to them, and I have no control over it.”

  “That’s a remarkably mature perspective.”

  “It’s still a work-in-progress, but I’m trying. I think I’ve come pretty far over the past several weeks, and I know I’ve learned a lot,” he said. “For one thing, I always thought I had to play the game if I wanted to succeed in the art world. But look at Christopher. Instead of waiting for someone to give him a chance, he created his own opportunities. I’m beginning to realize I could follow his lead and make up my own rules.”

  “Very true.”

  He took my hand and said, “The biggest revelation was finding out I have people who truly care about me. I always felt so insecure, because I was sure I’d lose everything and everyone when my lies were exposed. But the exact opposite happened. You and Ollie and Christopher stood by me, and I feel so much stronger now that I know I’m not alone.”

  “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” I said. “I feel a hell of a lot stronger knowing you’re in my corner, too.”

  It started to drizzle as we climbed the hill, so we picked up our pace. Just as we reached the ruins, the rain started to come down heavily, so we scrambled over some fallen rocks and ducked into the closest of the three towers. Surprisingly, it contained a fairly intact room with a cracked stone floor, the better part of three walls, and a ceiling that mostly consisted of overgrown vines.

  “This’ll work,” I said, as I peered out the jagged gap where the fourth wall should have been and watched the rain darken the ancient structure.

  Ignacio slipped the backpack from my shoulders and set it aside, and then he put his hands around my waist and said, “It’s perfect.” He kissed my neck, and I turned to face him and kissed him deeply.

  We spread out the blanket, and he knelt down on it and pulled me into his arms. I dropped to my knees and ran my fingers into his hair as my tongue slid between his lips. While we kissed, we caressed each other through our clothes, since it was too cold to take them off.

  After a while, he pulled lube and a condom from the pocket of his black leather jacket, and I grinned and said, “You came prepared.”

  He gave me the supplies with a playful wink, and I kissed him passionately. Then I put the condom and the little plastic bottle in his palm and gently closed his hand around them. The questioning look in his eyes became one of understanding as I turned my back to Ignacio, pushed down my jeans and briefs to mid-thigh, and met his gaze over my shoulder as I got on my hands and knees.

  My boyfriend was infinitely patient. He worked me open while I jerked myself off, and when he knew I was ready, he rolled on a condom and pushed into me slowly. It definitely hurt a bit, but I didn’t have a problem with that. Once he was all the way in, I relaxed and dropped to my elbows, and he slid in and out of me with a couple of long, deep thrusts.

  He was careful at first, and as he felt me responding, he gradually picked up the pace. When I started rocking back to meet his thrusts, he took me harder. Our moans and gasps and sounds of pleasure mingled with the steady patter of rain, pushing away centuries of stillness in what I’d always think of as our castle.

  Ignacio began to jerk me off as he fucked me, and after a few minutes, he came in me with a low moan. He clutched me to him with an arm across my chest and stroked me faster and harder, and soon he brought me to orgasm with his cock still in me. I cried out and reached back for him with one hand, tangling my fingers in his hair as I shot across the stone floor. It was so intense that my body shook and my head spun, but he held me securely and brought me back down gently.

  Afterwards, we cleaned up quickly with some wipes from the backpack as we caught our breath. Then we zipped our jeans and curled up on the blanket with my back to his stomach. He wrapped himself around me, and it felt so fucking good, so warm and safe and exactly right. I couldn’t seem to do anything about the big, goofy grin on my face.

  Ignacio pulled the edge of the blanket over both of us and kissed my earlobe before whispering, “It means everything to know you trust me.”

  “I really do.”

  He nuzzled my hair, and after a moment, he said, “I
have something for you. I was going to save it for Valentine’s Day, but I don’t want to wait.”

  Ignacio took a red envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it to me. On the outside were two words: Be mine. I rested my head on his arm and said, “That’s already a done deal.” Then I slid a tiny, watercolor painting from the envelope. It was a portrait of the two of us, wrapped up in each other’s arms, and I whispered, “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  “That’s not actually the gift. Turn it over.”

  On the back, he’d written: This certificate entitles the bearer to one year as a kept man. Benefits include unlimited, all-expenses-paid travel, plenty of time to become a virtuoso violinist, and the constant companionship of a dorky Star Trek fan from Inglewood, who happens to be madly in love with you. In small print at the bottom was an asterisk, followed by the words: One year offer happily upgraded to one lifetime at bearer’s request. If you let me, I’ll take care of you forever, Cameron.

  He said softly, “I love you more than anything, and I want to show you the world, Cam. Along the way, I want to learn everything there is to know about you, and let you learn everything about me. Then, when the time is right, I want to marry you and come back here to honeymoon in our little sheep-infested cottage before we settle down in San Francisco, or Dublin, or anyplace you choose.”

  I whispered, “Oh my God.”

  “I know this is asking a hell of a lot because of your job, but—”

  I rolled over in his arms and kissed him before saying, “It’s not even a question. I’ll call my boss as soon as we get back to the cottage and tell him I’m taking an extended leave of absence.”

  His eyes went wide. “Really?”

  “Of course. I adore you, and I can’t imagine anything better than spending the next year traveling with you.” I brushed his hair from his eyes and said, “I’m all for upgrading it to a lifetime too, but with one addendum: we’ll take care of each other, Ignacio, not just financially, but in every possible way.”