by Zane Menzy
Damon nodded like he wanted Keegan to continue.
“Mum and my grandparents raised me. They did the hard yards. Not him.” Keegan felt almost rebellious for saying things that could ruffle feathers. He knew Damon would not enjoy hearing negative things said about his best mate.
Damon leant forward in the chair, resting his elbows on his knees, looking at ease for the first time. “I completely understand where you’re coming from, K dog.” He nodded. “Honestly, I do. But sometimes there is more to a story than we may know.”
“What does that mean? Is there more to the story?”
“That really is a conversation for you and Matty to have,” Damon said. He saw the way Keegan was staring back suspiciously. “I’m not saying there is anything, but it is something you should ask him ya know. Find out his reasons. He won’t mind you asking. You deserve to ask whatever you like and he owes you the truth.”
“I don’t think I could stay with him though. That would be a bit weird. Don’t you agree?”
Damon bit down on his lip thinking it over. “Hmm.”
“It’s you I know, Damon,” Keegan said in a sweet voice. “Not my father.” He could see Damon thinking over the seed he had deliberately planted.
“You’re more than welcome to stay with me if you came up.” Damon clasped his hands together, nodding. “You can go spend as much time with Matty as you like and if it gets too much then you are always welcome back at mine.”
The idea of staying with Damon brought on all sorts of horny possibilities. Ones Damon would no doubt cringe at. “What I don’t understand though, is why are you so keen on me seeing my dad after all these years. You’ve never tried to get me up to meet him before now.”
Damon paused. His eyes spun with ideas of what to reply with. “Look. He has always wanted to see you, K dog. I was going to bring this all up my last visit but…” Damon didn’t need to finish the sentence. Keegan knew what had made him trail off. “Anyway. The reason I am pushing for it so much right now is that he isn’t too happy. Things are a bit sad for him, ya know.”
“How come?” Keegan asked, concern slipping into his voice. “Is something wrong with him?”
“No. no. Nothing like that,” Damon said. “It’s just that him and Karina have split up. She moved back to London with her kids six months ago, and he’s been moping about all lonely. I just think it would do him—do both of you—some good to hang out and get to know one another properly.”
Keegan felt bad for his father. But not enough to commit to living with the man.
Damon continued, “I wondered if you would be keen to come back with me. Just a few days. Like I said you can stay with me if you like. Tell your mum you’re coming up for New Year’s Eve. It will be a rocking New Year’s up there. I promise you’ll have fun.”
The word fun rolled off Damon’s tongue with frisky enthusiasm. Keegan discretely locked his eyes in on Damon’s bunched crotch. It was what was between Damon’s legs that was the only fun Keegan had in mind. He felt like he was violating a sincere moment between them with the filthy thoughts he was brewing. “You really want me to come up?”
“Yeah, K dog. It would make Matty’s fucking day.”
“Okay,” Keegan mumbled.
“Is that a yes?” Damon’s eyes lit up excitedly. “You’ll come up and visit your old man?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Damon smiled and quite innocently asked, “Is there anything I can do to help you decide?”
Keegan knew what he wanted to say. Yeah. You can let me fuck you again. Fuck you a thousand times. His inner sensible streak kept the dangerous words trapped in his mouth. All he managed was a feeble, “No. I don’t think so.”
“Okay. Let me know. It would be fucking primo if you do decide to come back with me.” Damon stood up and proceeded to take his top off. Keegan was dumbstruck by the spontaneity Damon was showing. He admired the dark hair matted to Damon’s perspiring chest. Keegan swallowed a lump of wanting in his throat. “Anyway, K dog. I am gonna go have myself a shower. Chat some more later, yeah?” He flicked his chin up and threw his damp shirt on Keegan’s lap. He gave Keegan a sly look that was friendly in nature but beneath the surface said don’t fuck with me. Damon tuned his back and walked away like he had all the control in the world.
How the fuck did that happen?
Somehow a shift of power had just happened and Keegan hadn’t even seen it coming. In the blink of an eye arrogant Damon was back. He fingered Damon’s damp shirt in his hands, desperate for them to make another mistake together. Last time he had been bold, driven by anger. Now the anger was gone and all he had was desire but he lacked the bravery to back it up.
Keegan heard the water pipe thrust to life. It was intoxicating knowing that only a few metres away Damon was getting undressed, about to step naked under the shower. He closed his eyes conjuring up the image. An image he knew the finer details of. The beautiful sight, musky smell and sexy taste that was Damon’s manly body. He contemplated barging in and asking Damon if he could join him. Soap each other down. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. The fear of how Damon would react overcame him. Keegan groaned aloud, annoyed by his cowardice. New battle lines had been drawn and Damon was the superpower.
Chapter Six
Matt couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing. Standing in his doorway was a bright blast from his past that he hadn’t seen for far too long. Nearly ten years in fact. Jason marched inside like a storm of colour, dressed in a tight yellow shirt and lemon-coloured pants.
“Wow. You sure did well for yourself, Matty Pie,” Jason said, swivelling his head and admiring the fancy home. “All that is missing is the Lamborghini you promised me.”
“I promised you no such thing. You just always assumed that you would get one.”
Jason eyed the clothes Matt was wearing; a plain white shirt and sleek grey pants. “It’s good to see you ditched the wearing-nothing-but-black phase for good.”
“Yes. And I see you ditched the PVC outfits to become the yellow wiggle.”
Jason laughed and whacked Matt on the shoulder. “Good to see your wit is still as tragic as ever.”
Matt motioned with his hand for Jason to follow him into the lounge. “Fancy a Christmas drink?”
“Sure. What are my options?”
“Normally I have quite a selection but I think my father has raided the liquor cabinet again so it’s just beer I’m afraid.”
Jason screwed his face up as he took a seat in the lounge. “If that’s all you have then I’ll just have to suck it up and be butch for a bit.”
“Okay. Coming right up.” He left Jason sitting while he quickly fetched two beers from the fridge.
“I still can’t believe how you wound up living on Beaumont Boulevard.” Jason shook his head. “You always said you would. I’m so proud of you.”
“Said like a mother.” Matt shot Jason a wink and gulped down on the cold beer in his hand.
“Speaking of mothers. How are your parents?”
“They’re both good. Mum is still with Stephanie and is living in Mt Albert. Dad lives around here just a few blocks from my place so he pops in way too much. Hence the emptied liquor cabinet.”
“I see,” Jason said, smiling. “Did he ever settle down again after your mother?”
“Nope. He’s like a bloody tom cat though the amount he gets around.”
“Oh god,” Jason muttered. “At his age?”
Matt nodded. “I think his entire diet consists solely of booze and Viagra.”
“I guess the man’s gotta eat something,” Jason said. “Even if it is lady bits.”
“Nice one, Jason,” Matt groaned.
“Sorry, I thought you were partial to a slice of fish pie?”
“I’m straight if that’s what you mean,” Matt said almost defensively. “But I don’t want to think about my old man crouched down on his busted knees dining out.”
Jason snorted. “Sorry. Probably
not an image you want.”
“Are you just back for Christmas with your Mum?”
“That was the plan originally but I am back for a little bit longer now.”
“Oh, how come?” Matt frowned.
“This is my BIG news I have to tell you.” Jason grinned ecstatically. “Will finally popped the question. And I said YES!” Jason stuck out his hand showing off a fancy ring on his finger.
“Wow. That’s awesome news. Congratulations!”
“Thanks, girl.”
“Boy,” Matt corrected.
“Out of the blue he popped the question two weeks ago and since Australia is still stuck in the dark ages with the whole gay marriage thing we decided why not come back home and do the deed.”
“You’re talking about the wedding and not sex I hope.”
“I was talking about the wedding but we will probably do the other a few times too while we’re here.”
Matt chuckled. “The bed is alive and well I see after so long together.”
“We had quite a big interim of not being together,” Jason said. He looked across at Matt who nodded to be filled in with the details. “We stayed together for about three years after I left here before splitting up. We got back together a few years later and split again and then just last year we mended the bridge—once and for all—and got back together for a third time.”
“You two sound like a pin ball machine.”
“Ha. I know right. I told Will he can’t get rid of me that easily. I’m his boomerang for life. I’ll always come back.”
“Yeah, bad smells tend to do that.” Matt laughed as Jason picked up a cushion he pretended to hurl at him.
“You’re lucky you’re in a rich house or I would throw this, but I’m too scared I’ll break something I can’t afford to replace.”
Matt smiled at his friend. It felt good that the two of them could fit straight back into how they had always been. As he went to take a sip on his drink he was caught off guard when Jason threw the pillow anyway. It landed straight in Matt’s face making him spill beer down his top and over the couch.
Jason squealed with laughter. “I’m still a good shot, Matty Pie.”
Matt wiped his hands down his top, mopping up the beer stains. “Oi, dick. I thought you were worried if you broke something you couldn’t afford.”
“Well it hit you and you always were a cheap bitch so I don’t imagine you would cost much to replace,” Jason teased. “Besides, even if I did break something I’m engaged to a man who can afford to replace it.”
“Well done on becoming a gold digger.”
Jason waved his hand in the air. “I prefer the term trophy wife. Well, I will be one as soon as the wedding takes place.”
“When is it?”
“We haven’t decided. I know its short notice but Will is coming over next week and we will have a look around and see if we can find a venue at such short notice. We both have work off till February so we can have a look around.”
“I guess you could always do it poverty peak styles and have it under a tarpaulin in the backyard.”
Jason laughed. “Oh god. That’s what my saddo of a sister—love her to pieces—did.” He smiled at Matt. “But to be honest I wouldn’t care even if we did do that. As long as I’m with Will I don’t care where it takes place.”
Matt felt jealous at hearing this. He envied his pal being so settled.
“I’ll let you know when we finalise the details. I expect you to be there, Matty Pie.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Good I want you looked all dashing and turning heads to make our Sydney friends drool over the kiwi talent.”
Matt blushed at the compliment. “I don’t think I’ll be turning many heads.”
“Probably not because all eyes will be on me,” Jason said. He winked at Matt. “But after they are done with me and Will they won’t stop looking at you.” He looked at Matt’s reluctance to accept the compliment. “You look great Matty. You almost look as young as me.” Jason smirked. “You still have that gorgeous complexion and against all odds you haven’t ended up a tubby monster like your dad.”
“Yeah, I managed to dodge that bullet and keep all my hair so far,” Matt said, pulling at his black hair.
“Anyway, enough with the flattery. Based on my Facebook stalking I gather you have a family so where’s the wife and kids?”
“Gone,” Matt said bluntly.
“Gone?”
“Yep. Gone. And Mason and Lance weren’t my kids.” Matt sculled back on his beer. He saw Jason looking at him wanting a further explanation. “Karina and I met while I was in London and she followed me over with her two boys. We were together about eight years but split up in June.”
“Sorry to hear about that.” Jason shot him a sympathetic smile.
“It’s okay. We are better off apart but I still miss them all like crazy.”
“What about Keegan. That’s your son’s name, isn’t it?”
“Sure is,” Matt said. He sat up excitedly in his chair. “He’s eighteen now can you believe it? Damon is down there at the moment visiting him and Marie and Keegan might come back for a holiday with him.”
“Damon,” Jason said in a dreamy voice. “Does he still look like sex on legs?”
Matt laughed. “I don’t know.”
“Well, does he? You’re the one who had sex with him. You should know.”
Matt cringed. Him and Damon had never ventured down that path again since that sultry summer of 1997. It was a topic they had never even spoke of and until Jason blurted it out loud Matt had all but forgotten it. “He still looks good if that’s what you mean.”
Jason narrowed his eyes and looked over like he was enjoying a scandalous topic. “Did you two ever do it again.”
“Nope. Never,” Matt said flatly.
“Really? Not even once? Not even a drunken brojob?”
Matt laughed out of nerves. “Nope. Nothing. We just stayed mates and moved on.”
“Interesting,” Jason said. He chewed down on his bottom lip. “So it was just a little phase you were going through, was it?”
“I guess so,” Matt said. He wished they could change the topic but he knew that Jason would only grab hold of it even more if he told Jason to drop it.
“Okay don’t bust my nuts about this but I just thought you were soooo into him that you were bisexual at least and would have done more.” Jason looked across like he was interviewing a murder suspect. “If not with Damon then at least with another dude.”
Matt coughed up a smile and sculled back on his beer, wishing he could hide from the shameful topic. “Nope. When it comes to that sort of thing I was a bit of a one hit wonder you could say.”
Jason laughed. “Better to have one hit than none at all. And even better to have that one hit with Damon Harris.”
“Fancy another beer?” Matt quickly asked, steering the conversation to safer territory.
“Not just yet. I’ve barely dented this one.” Jason lifted his bottle up expecting how much he had left. “But I could be up for another five or six yet. We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Do we now?” Matt laughed.
“Flat the fuck out we do.” Jason tipped the beer up and downed a hearty mouthful before letting rip a loud burp. “The night is young and so are we.”
Chapter Seven
Damon lay down on the bed in Marie’s guestroom. The small room with white painted walls was tidy enough and came with a comfortable double bed. The walls had a couple pieces of abstract art painted by Marie, hanging from them, crazy dashes of colour to brighten the sterile room. Marie was good with colours and had renovated the inside of her home brilliantly, Damon thought.
Creativity was a passion they both shared but in different veins of the beating heart of what art was. While Marie had a passion for painting, Damon’s passion was for photography. He had always felt bad for Marie not being able to finish her studies
like he and Matt had. Still, Marie had managed to make enough of a name for herself to sell her artwork locally and help fund her comfortable lifestyle, which was supplemented by her wealthy parents.
So far the trip had not been as difficult as he had first imagined. He had already raised the topic of Keegan coming back up with him for a trip. The boy didn’t seem sold on the idea, but Damon would continue to try and convince him. Matt needed something to look forward to. Something to take his mind off of his lonely and empty life. And if Keegan coming to stay helped offer Damon’s best mate a bit of sunshine in his dreary day then Damon would do all he could to make that happen. It wouldn’t have been quite so difficult had the small problem of the night in the cabin hadn’t happened.
Not small at all actually.
No, nothing about Keegan was small. Discovering Keegan’s same-sex desires had been a surprise. A fucking awkward one that dropped like a bomb. He had never once suspected the boy to be gay. Keegan had always talked about girls and for two years had dated the pretty Tess.
Damon covered his face and groaned when he thought about how he betrayed Keegan by sleeping with his girlfriend. It was a cruel move. Cruel to anyone but especially to someone so young, he thought. Damon didn’t know why he did it. He knew better. But in that moment when Tess had batted her eyelids under the dim glow of the bonfire, stroking his shoulder seductively, Damon gave in to the desire in his pants and let his cock do the thinking for him. He had felt rotten as hell for what he had done, not that Keegan would believe him.
Fate though had intended Damon be caught and pay for his sin. Keegan Andrews may have been a virgin but he had fucked Damon like some sort of crazed porn star, drawing the submission out and reducing him to a pathetic mess.
Little fucking prick really got the better of me.
Damon had been so fucking nervous about coming down for Christmas. He had worried Keegan might pull another stunt like he had at the cabin. Blackmail his way back inside Damon’s arse. When Marie had gone out leaving the two alone, Damon almost exploded from the awkward fear bubbling in his veins. This fear proved to be unfounded. Within a minute, he knew he was safe from Keegan trying anything. He had noticed the way Keegan looked at him, hopeful, not forceful. His eyes discretely dropping to perve at Damon’s legs and crotch.