Hunting for Clay

by N. J. Nielsen

  Clay moved until he was sitting on the couch beside Hunter. “Have you ever tried handcuffing angel boy to the bed to spice things up? Maybe he would be up for the challenge. We can even lend you some handcuffs if you need some; we have a variety of different sorts.”

  “Babe, you do know you are giving away our secrets now?”

  Giggling, Clay leant against Hunter’s side. “No I’m not. Mar was with me when I bought most of them. He even picked out the Velcro ones.” Clay sat up clapping his hands. “They would make perfect beginner cuffs — easy for him to get out of if he needs to.”

  “Um, I don’t know about this.”

  “It will be fine.” Clay jumped up and went and got the cuffs from their room. He dumped them in Marlowe’s lap before sitting beside Hunter again.

  Marlowe stared at the cuffs with a dubious look in his eyes. “What if he hates it?”

  “Give it a try,” Hunter said, “at least you will know one way or the other if he is willing to play or if he is only a vanilla guy.”

  “You know it isn’t as bad as you are making it out to be. Angelo is very good at what he does,” Marlowe defended.

  Clay sniggered. “Yeah he is good, but boring.”

  “You two are so mean. I should tell Angelo how mean you both are.” Marlowe pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

  Hunter threw his head back and laughed. “And that brings us right back to the whole you not being able to keep secrets.”

  “Dumbarse,” Marlowe retorted.

  “Wanker.”

  “Fidiot.”

  “Drop kick.”

  Clay laughed as he listened to his lover and his best friend play the insult game.

  Chapter Three

  Hunter stood there, perplexed by what had happened. He knew he should have been excited that he had gotten the Davenport Diners account, but part of him was amazed the upgrade project manager had hit on him. Well, at least he seemed like he had. With a shake of his head, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Hunter pressed speed dial and waited for his lover to answer.

  “Hey babe, I got it, so we are going to celebrate tonight. I am heading over to The Cube right now, so make sure you have a drink waiting for me…Yeah, I love you too.” Hanging up, he slipped the phone back into his pocket, not even realising his conversation had been overheard.

  By the time he could hear the music pounding from inside the club he was back to being excited about picking up a new client and their huge account. He couldn’t wait to get to his friends and celebrate. Every time he had thought he was flubbing the interview he had looked down at the cufflinks Clay had given him and that boosted him enough to get through the interview. He couldn’t wait to thank Clay properly for them. They were now his good luck charm.

  Grinning, he crossed the dance floor to where Clay and the others sat. Clay was sitting beside a younger guy who looked so much like him it had to be his brother Jayden. Their heads were close together as they talked. Marlowe was right, even sitting down the guy still towered over Clay.

  Coming to a standstill beside the table he waited for Clay to even realise he was there. The eyes of the guy sitting beside Jayden lit up and it made Hunter think there was something off about him. Or maybe he was really friendly. There was no use jumping to conclusions before he even got to know the guy. Smiling he placed his hands on the table and leant down to Clay. He shook his head in wonder when it still took Clay a few more seconds to realise he was there. The joy on his lover’s face was worth it when Clay finally became aware of him. Hunter was rewarded with a deep kiss when Clay stood up to meet his lips. Clay’s mouth tasted of Baileys – delicious.

  “Hunter, I would like you to officially meet my brother Jayden.” Clay beamed before continuing, “And this guy is his partner, Bryan Cornwell.”

  Hunter shook both their hands, but felt uneasy when Bryan’s fingers lingered a little too long on his. He had an inkling that he had seen some sort of interest when they had first seen each other. He would have to show this Bryan his heart belonged to Clay and no one else. The smirk Bryan was flashing was a tad creepy.

  He couldn’t help but notice Jayden’s eyes widened as he walked around the table and sat in the chair Clay had used, while Clay plonked happily on his lap. Hunter winked at Jayden as Clay launched back into the story he had been telling before he had turned up.

  “So Clay told us the interview went well,” Angelo said beside him.

  Nodding, Hunter grinned. “You are now looking at the designer for the Davenport Diners project. Not only will I be designing their digital menu boards for all fifty-three Australian stores, I have been commissioned for some additional digital art displays.”

  “Awesome. I knew you could do it,” Marlowe said as he leant around Angelo and punched Hunter playfully on the arm. “Your shout for the next round then?”

  Laughing, Hunter slapped his hands away. “Only if you are going to fight your way to the bar to get them.”

  “Not me.” Marlowe snorted. “Why do you think we brought Angelo along? He is crazy enough to wade through all of them.”

  Angelo laughed, downed the last of his drink, and stood up. “You know me well, Silver,” he said as he held his hand out to Hunter for money.

  Reaching for his wallet, he pulled out the money and handed it over. “Remember, it’s a boomerang and comes back to me.”

  “Ha!” Angelo blurted out, “My name is Angelo, not Clay.”

  “Hey!” Clay glared at Angelo when he heard his name mentioned. “I resemble that remark, dork.”

  Angelo laughed before he turned and headed for the bar.

  Hunter realised Angelo must have known what everyone drank as he hadn’t asked anyone what they wanted. Laying a kiss on Clay’s cheek he whispered, “Don’t worry, love. You are still the man who owns my whole heart, no matter how much I spend on you.” Clay rewarded him with another heated kiss.

  “I missed you today,” Clay said when he finally broke away. “I was so nervous waiting for you to call and tell me if you got the contract or not. In my heart I knew you could do it, but I was still a wreck waiting for you to confirm it.”

  “I was pretty nervous myself. The weird thing is, I think the project manager may have hit on me. I wasn’t sure if he did or didn’t so I ignored it. Other than that Damon was a real cool guy.”

  “Is he good looking?” Clay asked a little stiffly.

  “Not as sexy as you and he definitely isn’t my type. You, my love, are my type, and we fit together perfectly.” He rubbed his hand over Clay’s back.

  “So there is no possible way he could tempt you away from me?” Hunter saw a little bit of worry in his eyes.

  Hunter cupped Clay’s face. “No one,” he said forcefully, “will ever tempt me away from you. I fell in love with you the first moment I laid eyes on you. You’re it for me, love.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes really, I don’t want anyone other than you.”

  § § § §

  Clay sat back in the chair and watched Hunter and Marlowe on the dance floor. It still amazed him after all this time how well his lover moved. Whoever said white men couldn’t dance had never seen Hunter in action; he looked like a wet dream. Jayden had gone to get them all drinks when Bryan moved closer.

  “How long have you two been together?”

  Clay turned toward Bryan as he spoke. “Just over two years now.”

  “So it is a strong relationship then?”

  Wariness filled Clay. “What do you mean?”

  Bryan shrugged, glancing back to the dance floor, a surge of coldness raced down Clay’s spine as he recognised the lustful gaze Bryan had aimed at Hunter.

  “I was wondering is all.” Bryan shrugged again.

  The unease he had begun feeling doubled when Bryan excused himself to use the bathroom and Clay got a glimpse of the hard bulge in his jeans. He knew it was from watching Hunter. Anger rushed through him. How could Bryan claim to be with Jayden while lusting after ot
her men? He didn’t know whether he should tell his brother or not. Jayden needed something way better than what Bryan was offering.

  He was still fuming when Jayden came back and sat down.

  “Are you okay?” Jayden asked as he handed over his Baileys.

  Clay was silent for a long moment before he asked. “How well do you know Bryan?”

  Jayden choked on his drink and Clay felt bad. “We have been dating for about six months now, so I know him pretty well, I think.” Jayden laughed. “Why, did he hit on you?”

  He shook his head. “Not me.”

  Jayden’s eyes clouded over. “I – I, who?”

  “He hasn’t yet. It is just a feeling I have.” Clay winced as they both looked across the room and Bryan was leaning against a table talking to some guys. It was easy to tell they were flirting and Bryan seemed right at home.

  “Fuck!” Jayden spat. “I thought we were over all this shit.”

  “What?” Clay demanded. “He has done this before?”

  Jayden nodded. “About a month after we got together I caught him kissing one of my friends.”

  Clay glared at his brother. “And you’re still with him, why?”

  “Better than being alone,” Jayden sad sadly.

  Fury at his brother putting up with Bryan’s behaviour was overridden by the anger over Bryan caressing the guy’s face tenderly. Standing up, he strode across the room and punched Bryan straight in the nose. He may have been smaller than the man, but he wasn’t about to put up with the way the man was treating his brother. He was about to hit the stupid arse again when he felt arms wrap around him and pull him away. Clay was handed off to Hunter as Jayden stood in front of him and faced his boyfriend. Clay hoped it was his soon to be ex-boyfriend. The guy was a total dick and his brother deserved so much better.

  “Do you mind telling me why you are over here flirting up a storm, while I am left sitting across the room to watch?” Jayden said in a forced calmness.

  Clay could hear the underlying anger in his brother’s words and knew Jayden was holding back so he didn’t cause a public scene. It was something that had been ingrained into them from a very young age. In the last two years Clay had learnt to get past it. Now if he was pissed, everyone was going to hear about it.

  “Jay-Jay, it is not what it looks like.”

  “Then tell me what it is Bry, because from where I was sitting it sure looked as if you were flirting.”

  The smug look on the other guy’s face must have gotten to Jayden as he didn’t even let Bryan answer before he turned and asked. “Tell me, was my boyfriend hitting on you?” The hurt washing across his brother’s face when the guys nodded and said yes, even going so far as admitting it wasn’t the first time he had hooked up with Bryan almost broke Clay’s heart.

  “Jay-Jay?” Bryan’s eyes filled with uncertainty.

  Shaking his head, Jayden turned and headed for the doors. Clay broke out of Hunter’s arms and ran after his brother. He had just gotten him back he didn’t want to lose him again. He found Jayden outside leaning against the railing staring out into the night.

  “Are you okay?” he said as he wrapped his arms around his brother from behind and leant against his back. “You know he really isn’t worth it, right?”

  “I am nineteen-years-old. Crap like this was only meant to happen when you were younger.”

  Clay tightened his arms a fraction. “Jay, there are wankers at every stage in life; the young don’t hold the monopoly on that.” Clay felt his brothers vibrate with laughter. “Do you wanna come and spend the night at our house? No use being around Mum and Dad when you are feeling this way.”

  “God yes, I don’t want to be home tonight. Dad already has the shits about you and I going out together.” He stilled within Clay’s arms. “I didn’t mean it how it came out. Fuck, I’m such an idiot.”

  He let go as Jayden turned around. “Jay, I know Dad loves me. I have always known his love for me was real. It’s the reality of what I am he can’t understand, and it freaks him out.”

  “Give him time; he will have to come around eventually seeing as both his sons are gay.”

  “He has to realise Hunter is the best thing to happen to me in my whole life. I won’t be giving him up ever. If he gets that through his stubborn head then we will be hunky-dory,” Clay said strongly. “Until then I guess we will agree to disagree.”

  “Honestly, I don’t think he knows how to make things right between you two. Dad knows he is being a wanker about it. But you know he never backs down once he has taken a stance on something.”

  “See, I told you he was stubborn.”

  Jayden snorted. “Hello pot, you are just as stubborn as Dad is.”

  Clay was saved from answering as Hunter, Angelo, and Marlowe came out of the nightclub. He leaned into Hunter’s body as Hunter wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “What are we doing now?” Hunter asked.

  “We could all go back to our place and watch a movie,” Clay answered.

  Nodding, Hunter agreed. “Can we grab some take out on the way? I haven’t had a chance to eat yet. The interview ran a little longer than I thought it was going to.”

  “What do you feel like?” Angelo asked as they headed out to Hunter’s car.

  “Burgers will do. I am starving. I could eat the battery out of a shit cart.”

  “Man, that is so gross.” Marlowe grimaced as he climbed into the middle of the back seat so Jayden could still fit in beside him.

  “Blame Aunt Cyn, I got the saying from her.” Hunter grinned at him in the rear-view mirror.

  Marlowe gave a whole body shudder and Clay giggled. “It doesn’t mean you have to repeat it.”

  “Love, you know Aunt Cyn has some wicked awesome sayings.” Hunter chuckled.

  Jayden piped up. “Maybe we should introduce her to Dad. Seems they might have the same sense of humour.”

  “Ha!” Clay blurted. “Aunt Cyn’s hubby Frank is twice as bad. Now he and Dad would get on like a house on fire.”

  “Maybe we will get to introduce them one day,” Hunter said as he pulled into the Hungry Jack’s drive through and placed orders for all who wanted food.

  Clay didn’t answer because he was in no way going to get his hopes up about anything.

  Chapter Four

  Hunter made sure Clay was occupied with his brother. It was great having Jayden help him out on his plans because Clay was eager to spend as much time with his brother as possible. He never hesitated when Jayden suggested that they do something. Hunter had laughed his arse off when he found out they were spying on Angelo to see if he was cheating on Marlowe. Boy were they going to be embarrassed when they found out the truth. Why Angelo didn’t tell Marlowe was beyond him, but he couldn’t say anything, as it wasn’t his story to tell.

  Today he had his sister, Dextra, helping him pick out the most important part of his future plans. She had all but told him his taste was in his arse and he would need her so he didn’t stuff things up royally. Hunter wasn’t going to argue with her or he would never hear the end of her bitching. Dex’s fiancé Gene had laughed and wished him luck. He smiled as he thought about Gene. In the last month he had proposed and moved in with Dex. Actually, they had bought a house together and had moved only a few streets away. Dex hadn’t mellowed any — his sister was still willing to jump in and meddle in everyone’s lives. It was one of the reasons he had never mentioned what he was planning to Gene, because Gene would have told Dextra everything. The funny thing was, she had found out anyway.

  He pulled his keys out of the ignition, and then put on his happy face as he walked into Grand Central to meet up with Dex. He had barely enough time to try and get Angelo to see sense before the others began their spying mission.

  “Hey angel boy, are you ready to tell Mar, what you are up to yet?” he said as he walked into Sanity and leant against the shelf as Angelo knelt while restocking it.

  Angelo frowned up at him. “I don’t want to say anything in ca
se it doesn’t happen.”

  “You do realise he thinks you are cheating on him?”

  “What?” Angelo stared at him, looking shocked.

  Hunter nodded. “All your secret phone calls where you walk out of the room, plus all the times you go out by yourself. Also, not coming home when you say you will. What did you think he was going to make of it all?”

  “Crap!” Angelo ran a hand through his hair. “I’m going to have to tell him, aren’t I?”

  “Yup,” Hunter agreed. “I don’t see why you were keeping it from him; he is meant to be your life partner. He is the one you are meant to share this with. Mar won’t care if you tell him. More than likely he will want to help you.”

  “That’s what I am afraid of. You know what my parents are like. I would never forgive myself if they hurt Silver. Dimmy said they have been making threats again. I know we told Silver and Clay it was a maybe thing, but really it is going to happen. He plans on leaving today.”

  “Think about what I said. Don’t let your parents’ bigotry destroy your relationship with Mar. Secrets are not usually a good thing. I have to go meet Dex now.” Hunter strolled to the exit. “By the way, just so you know, Clay is coming here later to spy on you to see if you are cheating.” Hunter winked as Angelo groaned.

  Walking toward the car park he laughed when he saw Dextra was already waiting beside his car.

  “It’s about time you got here. I have been waiting here for hours,” she complained.

  “I call bullshit on that, I was only inside for,” he looked at his watch, “twelve minutes.”

  “Well it seemed like hours. Why couldn’t we shop here?”

  Hunter rolled his eyes at his sister. “I told you I didn’t want to run into Clay. He is coming here today to spy on Angelo.”

  “And why is your boyfriend spying on Angelo?”

  Hunter laughed. “Because he thinks Angelo is cheating on Marlowe.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Is he cheating on Marlowe? Do I need to go and cut his balls off?”

  “No, but if you want to find out you are going to have to ask Angelo. I promised I wouldn’t say anything. I’m not even sure if he has told Gene anything.”