by Sky McCoy
“I guess I’m happy now that I’ve gotten over the trauma that your father is dead, and my sons are no longer around. I made myself busy with charity events and socializing with women and men my age.”
“Will you marry again, Mother?” Now is the time tell her.
“For heaven’s sake, no. Once is enough for me. After your father, how can I expect to find a more loving and decent man like him?” His mother stood. “You’re in luck. I just cooked your favorite meal.”
“Pot Roast?” Payton asked with his mouth watering.
“With potatoes and carrots.” She looked at the suitcase setting near the sofa. “Just put your things in your room, wash up and come to the kitchen, I’ll have your food ready.”
When Payton walked into his room, he smiled. It was as Taylor had said. Posters of models and actresses, and rock stars. Who would have thought that I married a tall sexy man?
PAYTON FELL INTO HIS bed as if he was a boy still in school, and when he woke his mother was standing over him. “I wondered what happened to you. I came and saw you sleeping and I decided to let you have your sleep. You must be exhausted flying from New York. You have to tell me about that big cold city. It’s not as friendly and nice like here.” Her voice changed from lively to a soft pleading one.
“Why don’t you move back, son? I have no wish to go to New York to be with you, and it seems that that will be the only time I’ll get a chance to spend time with you.”
“Mother, I have something to tell you.”
“You’re not sick, are you? I saw that look on your face. It said something is wrong with my beautiful boy.” She clutched his hand tightly. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Mother. I’m not a boy. I’m a man. There’s nothing wrong with me. I didn’t know when to tell you,” Payton said hesitating as he looked into his mother’s curious amber eyes, “I’m married.” She plopped down in the chair across from the bed as Payton sat on the corner of it.
“That’s wonderful, son. When? Why didn’t you tell me? I’m sure your brothers and sister would want to know the news. Brian is stationed in Germany and Edward’s in Hawaii and Noreen, she left for Seattle. I see her often when she sends me a plane ticket, or comes down here on vacation.
You need to write them or call them. They’ve been trying to get your address, but since you moved to New York no one gets any mail from you, except your law firm sends me a check twice a month.”
Is this a good time to tell her when she’s so happy for me? Payton thought.
“Come on, let’s go to the kitchen. You can tell me all about your wife while you eat.”
“Go, Mother. I’ll be there shortly.”
Payton needed those few moments to prepare his speech. He should have had it down with all the time that had passed and him thinking about it. Why did he have to come here to burden his mother with his problems like he was a child? And just when he declared to her that he wasn’t a boy but a man.
He’d behaved like a child running home to Mommy when he skinned his knee after a fall in hopes that she would kiss him, and put something on his scraped knee that didn’t hurt, and make it better.
Payton had stalled enough and now it was time. He changed into sweats and walked into the kitchen to see and smell the wonderful aroma of his mother’s pot roast. He sat down to his mother’s eyes looking at him. He knew what she wanted. She wanted him to say something. He took a bite after cutting the meat and placed it in his mouth and smiled. Then he leaned over and kissed her softly on her cheek.
“Mother this is the best I’ve tasted.”
“Oh go on, and since when have you called me, Mother? I guess those big cities you’ve been living in has changed you a lot.” Payton knew he’d changed more than his mother could ever have imagined. “You haven’t had food like this in that big city, so how do you know if it’s the best?”
“Trust me, Ma. It is the best. In New York they specialize in pot roast and I’ve never tasted anything that could rival what you’ve cooked today.” Payton glanced at his mother as he shoveled another fork full of beef into his mouth.
She put her head down and smiled to herself. When his mother raised her head and aimed a pair of clear ambers at him, she said, “Then when are you going to bring your wife for me to meet her?”
Payton lowered his head.
“Don’t tell me, you’ve broken up already. That’s it, isn’t it? You’re too young to be married anyway. You need to give yourself time, and make sure she’s the best person you can find. I know you. You were always so kind and considerate. Not like the rest of my boys. You had a gentle nature about you that no one could understand but me.”
Payton wanted to believe that about himself and it was probably true because Taylor had said the same thing to him when he tried to get him to quit his job as an attorney, and go into private practice. Anything that would take him away from the people he found himself defending, Taylor had said to Payton.
Jane Bailey looked down at Payton sitting at the table finishing off his favorite meal. “Why don’t you see a marriage counselor? I hear they do wonders for a marriage.”
Payton hadn’t thought about that. He just never met anyone who had been to one. Maybe his marriage to Taylor could be retrieved from the marriage hell he was responsible for putting them into.
“If that doesn’t work out, there is always Isabella Brice.”
Payton’s eyes lifted. “Ma. I’m still married, and here you are telling me about her. We were high school sweethearts. She married right out of high school and probably has kids by now.”
“She was married and that ended abruptly and she never had children. I guess she never got over you. Why don’t you call her up? After all you were good friends when you left to go to San Francisco.”
“We were not friends, we were dating when she threw me over for that jock what’s his name.”
“Zac Brower? Oh that’s been over for years, and now they’re divorced I think.”
“Yeah, right out of high school,” Payton added shaking his head. “I was so distraught because she was supposed to go with me to the senior prom, and she called at the last minute and said that she was going with Zac.”
“She asks about you all the time. It seems you two have grown up and moved on. Now you can be friends. Why don’t you go and talk to her.”
“Not now, Ma. I have a couple of weeks here, and I want to hear all about what’s been going on around this happy place, and what you’ve been up to since I’ve been away. Right now, I just want to sleep and rest my mind.”
Chapter Eleven
IT HADN’T BEEN A WEEK since Payton left Taylor asleep in their bed. Before Payton left, Taylor had been wrapped securely in Payton’s arms. Now with that empty spot in his bed, he didn’t know how much longer he could stand being away from him. Taylor tossed around trying to find comfort and warmth that he had once expected, but nothing was coming now that Payton had walked out on him, and he didn’t know how to reach him, or where he had gone to.
When he first met Dylan, he had lived alone, and Dylan moved in with him, but it was just like being alone because Dylan was away ninety percent of the time he knew him, after being away on model shoots, but it never bothered him because he liked his solitude as long as he knew Dylan would be back.
Taylor made himself busy by working, going to class, and always coming back to an empty house, and an empty bed.
Since he’d met and married Payton, he couldn’t imagine living like that again. And now he was there again. Alone.
Being near Payton and snuggling up to him at night, had made him feel as if his world would be better because he could wake up with him and share his happiness and his pain.
Being alone now was a bitch. He had felt alone in San Francisco but he knew that wouldn’t last because he’d been on a mission to win Payton’s heart, and he did. It changed overnight for him and he walked around with a permanent smile etched on his face. Nothing bothered him then and especially that
aching feeling that he wouldn’t find someone he loved.
He had found him, but he’d had to make him his, and he did and now he was gone and Taylor’s heart was aching.
It felt like a lifetime since Payton had been away from Taylor, especially since he hadn’t called or said if he was okay. He tried texting and calling Payton, but it went straight to email or voicemail.
Taylor managed to drag himself into work, but didn’t get much done, and then Max called as he was at his desk late one night. Since there was a hell of a difference in the time from Venice, Italy to New York, Taylor estimated that Max was in Venice, and if he had arrived there, it may have been one a.m., and for him to call at that time of the morning it had to be serious. Serious was an understatement, if Max took the time to get out of his bed with Jami, while on his honeymoon, to call Taylor.
Taylor stared at his phone thinking that he could postpone this conversation, but he knew Max to be a persistent bastard, and he would continue calling until he answered. He sucked in his breath and let it out and said, “Max, how’s it going?”
“What the fuck is going on over there with you and my company? I give you an opportunity that few people have in a lifetime, and what are you trying to do? Fuck up everything? If I can’t trust you for a few weeks running my company, then who can I trust?”
“I know I fucked up, but I had personal problems.”
“I put this company in your hands because I thought you were stable and married. You don’t fuck around on your partner, and God forbid if Payton is fucking around on you. Is that what he did?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
“Then what happened, what the fuck is wrong?”
Taylor took a long breath and exhaled, and almost didn’t answer Max.
“Talk to me, Taylor. Do you want someone else to take over?”
“He walked out on me. Payton walked. And no I can handle this.”
“What for? What did you do? For fuck sake, Taylor, how did this happen?”
“We just had a disagreement. But I’m going to get myself together. You know how it is, Max.”
“All I know is my company is faltering. My people are calling because you haven’t been handling their issues as you said you would since you’ve been at the helm, and all because you can’t handle being alone for a few mornings? Something has to be done. There are rumors swirling around about me choosing you and you being a poor choice because your lover, and your husband came to blows in your office, over you. For God’s sake, Taylor do you know how that looks to investors? Like no one’s in control.”
Taylor could hear Max breathing hard. “It wasn’t like that, Max.” It was probably worse than that, Taylor thought, but he had to hold it together before Max realized just how bad Payton had affected him.
“I know but once rumors get out like that who knows where the truth begins and where the lies end. I just can’t take any chances. Do I have to come back from my honeymoon and find you still in a funk, or are you going to get yourself together, and deal with whatever is causing you to become a weak leader?”
Taylor didn’t answer. His headspace was full thinking about Payton and what Max had said about him being ineffectual. He had become weak and unable to function, and if he was a drinking man he would be on a binge right now.
The call ended right after that question. Max had to have been beyond pissed, Taylor thought. The last thing he wanted to do was let Max down especially since he had agreed to bring him to New York, and pull strings for Payton as well.
TAYLOR WANTED TO GET Payton out of San Francisco and to New York with him because after Payton moved in and married Taylor, they began to develop friendships with others within the gay community and frequent gay clubs.
Payton appeared to enjoy that new lifestyle and the nightlife that he had put on the back burner for far too long. Taylor noticed that he enjoy clubbing a little too much, and he took fewer cases so he’d have time to party more.
However, that wasn’t the main motivation for Taylor marrying Payton and getting him out of San Francisco, he didn’t want anyone else to have him.
As Taylor gathered his work to finish it at home, he placed it in his satchel and thought about that night.
It was a Saturday night and Payton had gotten off work early and agreed to go ahead of Taylor to their nightspot where they would dance, drink, and enjoy some evenings together. Payton had made it there before him, and when Taylor walked in he saw a group of men circling his tall, incredible handsome, flirtatious man on the dance floor.
One guy in front dancing, and the other in back appearing to almost dry fuck Payton from the back. As Taylor approached him, Payton had been gyrating on the dance floor dressed in a pair of tight black leather pants. When Taylor’s cock twitched at watching Payton, he knew by the look on the men’s faces what those men wanted with his beautiful looking man.
But those men couldn’t have him because he belonged to him.
The leather pants looked as if Payton had been poured into them. He found them in Taylor’s closet, and with only a leather vest and newly tattooed arms, Payton looked amazing from where Taylor stood. He was dancing and spinning his body, and the sweat that poured from his hair and chest made Taylor’s cock throb because Payton had to be the sexiest and hottest man in the place with his model good looks.
All the men moving on Payton instinctively knew he was new to this lifestyle, and they wanted a piece of his sweet ass, Taylor thought. And because he appeared to be alone, they were all vying for his attention like roosters circling a hen.
At first Taylor stood back admiring what was his and his alone, but then he thought it best to claim what was his before someone else tried.
Taylor moved quick closing up the distance between him and Payton. He pushed a twink out of the way, and danced closer, but he wasn’t yet behind Payton because of the crowd of men trying to get Payton’s attention.
Taylor saw Payton lean his shoulders back as he punched his hips front and back and side to side flirting. A tall husky guy with thick hair on his chest and impressive tattoos eased closer to Payton, and Taylor reached and pulled the man’s arm as he made a move on Payton, tossing him near a table.
The guy Taylor had tossed to the side was shorter and a twink trying to get noticed. He was trying to pick up the newest and hottest guy in the place and crossed his arms, standing on the side, and just looked at Taylor.
Then Taylor move to the back of Payton, eased his arms around him, and brought his hard throbbing cock to rest on Payton’s amazing ass cheeks.
“Hi, baby, I was wondering when you’d get over here.”
“Can’t leave you for a minute without some twink on your ass,” Taylor whispered into Payton’s ear.
Taylor jerked Payton around and put his large hand around Payton’s neck and aimed his long tongue at Payton’s lips and Payton’s mouth parted for him, and his tongue snaked through his mouth and flayed around as he corralled it by sucking it hard. And he steadied his erection by grinding on Payton’s aroused cock.
When Payton opened his eyes, he smiled at Taylor. “What took you so long?”
“I had work to do. Some of us do work. And what were you doing on the floor?”
“Making you jealous,” he said turning back to the man he was dancing with before Taylor came up. Then he twisting his hips as Taylor held onto them and from the feel of his ass on Taylor’s cock, Taylor flicked his hips into his ass hard, and then kissed him on his ear as he trailed his tongue under his day old beard which looked sexy as hell on Payton.
“I’m already jealous,” he whispered into his ear. “I don’t need to be fighting in here because you’re twirling your ass around like a twink or submissive.”
“Well aren’t I? Didn’t you take me and make me a bottom?”
“Where did you hear talk like that?”
“Look around you. That’s what gays talk about. Whether I’m a bottom or I’m a top. I didn’t know what it was until someone mentioned
it in passing. But then I’m a quick learner.”
Payton had stopped dancing to talk to Taylor on the dance floor when the guy who had been dancing with Payton tapped Taylor on the shoulder.
“Hey. I saw him first,” the tall handsome blond with long pink streaks in his hair with muscles and tattoos covering his arms and chest said when the music paused for a moment.
“No. You’re wrong. I saw him first,” Taylor said never releasing his hold on Payton and Payton looking into Taylor’s eyes as he ground away on Taylor’s expectant cock.
Payton’s mouth quirked up to the right enjoying the attention he was getting, and how that was pissing Taylor off.
“Let him decide who he wants to dance with,” the persistent blond guy the height and size of Taylor said standing facing the back of Payton.
Payton didn’t say a word and reached for Taylor’s face and brought it to his, and kissed him as he moved to the music flexing his hips into Taylor’s hard cock.
As he and Payton continued dancing and talking, and the blond with the pink hair and hard-on stood there waiting, Taylor, said, “Have you seen enough? He made his choice. Now get lost.”
And that was the absolute moment that Taylor realized that he didn’t want to lose Payton to anyone. If it meant coming to blows with this blond, he would have. Payton would pull these stunts just to get Taylor’s attention.
“I don’t like you behaving like a twink. You’re not like those guys over there waiting for some guy to pick them up and then fuck them for the night.”
“Then what am I?”
“You’re mine and I want you.”
“For what?”
“Forever.”
And Payton stopped dancing and looked up at Taylor. There weren’t any words exchanged between them at that moment. Taylor had said it all. He wanted Payton forever and he had meant it.
“Let’s go home.” That was all he had to say. And Payton had never been away from him until now.