by Roan Parrish
I square off with Leo, taking his coffee. He’s only an inch or so shorter than me, but being that skinny, you’ve got to look all kinds of threatening to be taken seriously. I remember.
Leo laughs nervously, scuffing the toe of his Vans on the pavement.
“I’ve, um, never been in a fight.”
“What about the day I met you?” I’d kind of assumed that getting picked on was a regular occurrence for him, but maybe not.
“Oh, yeah, well. I’ve gotten my ass kicked, sure. But I’ve never actually thrown a punch.” He blushes and his eyelashes lower.
“Well, you’ve done the hardest part. It’s a lot easier to hit someone than it is to take a punch. I can teach you, if you want.” Wait, no. Is that irresponsible? But the kid’s got to learn to take care of himself or who knows what might happen to him.
“Whoa, really? Hell yes. Teach me!” He does what is, perhaps, supposed to be some kind of martial arts punch-kick combination and nearly takes out both coffees again as he lurches toward me, light brown hair falling into his eyes.
“All right, Karate Kid. Some other time, though. If anyone sees us I’m going to look like I’m corrupting a minor.”
“I’m not a minor; I’m eighteen. Hey! Wasn’t his name Daniel?”
“Who?”
“The Karate Kid!”
“Call me Daniel-san and live to regret it,” I tell him with a growl.
I hand him his coffee and we keep walking. My phone rings and my heart lurches when I see that it’s Rex.
“Sorry,” I say to Leo and wave the phone, turning my back to him.
“Hi,” I say.
“Daniel.” Rex’s deep voice makes my heart pound. “I need to talk to you.” I don’t even realize my hand’s in a fist until I hear my knuckles crack.
“Mmhmm.”
“Listen, about Will. He showed up last night without telling me he was coming to town, okay. And you don’t have to worry about him. Not at all.”
“Look, Rex, it’s not a good time to talk right now, okay? I’m with Leo and I’m about to go to my office. Can we talk about it later?”
Rex’s voice is clipped when he answers. Annoyed? Anxious? I’m not sure, but I know I’m both.
“Yeah, of course,” he says. “Can you come over tonight? After you’re done with work? I’ll make us some dinner.” Damn it, the magic words.
“Yeah, I guess,” I say. “Hey, how’s your head?” I try to sound casual, like I’m just checking in on a friend.
“It’s much better. Thank you.” I can hear the smile in his voice and the knot in my stomach loosens a little. “Tonight,” he says again, as if he’s afraid I won’t remember. “Whenever you’re done, just come on over. You can work here, if you want. I’ll be home by three.”
“Okay,” I say again.
“Oh, and Daniel, I, um, I have the Internet—you know, in case you weren’t sure whether you could work here today because you need it. I have it now, so….” He sounds a little embarrassed.
“Oh, you do? Well, that’s… okay, cool,” I say. I guess he decided he needed it after all.
“I’ll see you later,” Rex says, his voice even deeper.
“Bye.”
I turn around to find Leo practically in my face. I forgot he was there.
“Are you dating Rex Vale?” Leo asks, his eyes wide.
“Would you quit eavesdropping!”
“I ain’t been droppin’ no eaves, sir, honest,” he says, in a dopey quasi-British accent.
“What are you—?”
“Hello! Sam, from The Fellowship of the Ring? Have you seen a movie released after 1985?”
I grumble something, feeling seriously old.
“So? Are you? Dating Rex Vale?”
“Kind of,” I mutter, more to myself than to him.
“Oh shit, you totally are.” He groans. “That is so incredibly hot.”
He looks me up and down and smiles that smile that’s going to get him laid or laid out, depending. Me, I kind of want to punch him, but part of me can’t help but be a little impressed. He’s really elevated this whole small-town-gossip thing to an art form. It’s like he watches television and movies and then goes out and slots people in his real life into the roles. Hell, it’s probably what I would’ve done if I’d grown up somewhere like this where nothing happens.
“What do you know about it?” I ask him.
“Um, just that Rex is, like, the hot carpenter and you’re the hot tattooed bad boy and I’m seeing tools and—”
“Stop, stop, stop! Jesus, Leo. Ground rule: don’t ever talk about sex with my boyfriend again, got it?”
“Oh my god, he totally is your boyfriend,” Leo says softly. “Okay, fine, sure, no problem. I will totally not talk about you and Rex having sex—whoa: poetry.” The look on his face says, very clearly, “You can’t stop me from thinking about it, though.”
“Whatever,” I mutter. “I think some old boyfriend of his is back, anyway, so it probably won’t last long.”
I sit down on the bench at the edge of campus, picking at the sleeve on my to-go cup, and Leo sits beside me, knee jiggling up and down. I can’t believe I’m talking about my romantic problems with an eighteen-year-old. Honestly, though, it’s like I’m talking to a younger version of myself, anyway. Besides, when I was eighteen, Ginger definitely told me about hers. Of course, at eighteen I had a job and my own apartment, hovel though it was.
“I don’t know,” I say. “I’m going over there after class today. I guess I’ll find out what the deal is then.”
“No way does he like someone else more than you, Daniel,” Leo says sincerely.
“Don’t say shit like that, man; you don’t know. No one knows why anyone likes anyone, and it’s a total fucking mystery why Rex likes me.” I shake my head, frustrated.
“Well, what’d he say on the phone just now?”
“That we had to talk.”
“That all?”
“That I didn’t have to worry about Will and that I should come over tonight. And that he has the Internet now.”
“He didn’t have the Internet? That is insane. Wait, is he, like, way older than he looks?”
“He’s not old. He just said he doesn’t need it that often so he goes to the library when he does. Watch it, kid.”
“So, why’d he get it?”
“How the hell do I know? He started using it more, I guess. Or maybe now that it’s winter he doesn’t want to drag his ass to the library just to check his e-mail.”
“Dude, he totally bought you the Internet!” Leo says, socking me in the shoulder. “That’s so romantic.”
I stare at him.
“Come on, it’s obvious. You use it, right? So, he got it for you. Aw, man, I thought you were supposed to be smart.”
I have to call Ginger right away and tell her that I have found the human being that we would create if we ever had a child.
Once I apprehensively gave Leo my phone number after he extracted a promise that I’d teach him to fight this weekend, I went to prepare for class. It’s a miracle I didn’t bungle both my classes given how distracted I was. I couldn’t stop thinking about Will, and wondering what Rex was going to tell me when I got over there this evening. And, I can’t lie: a tiny part of my brain kept running over and over Leo’s idea that Rex got the Internet for me.
As I leave my office around four, I can’t decide whether to take Rex up on his offer and go right over to his house or go home, change, and drive over later for dinner. I take two steps toward my apartment and then find myself reeling off in the other direction, toward Rex’s. It’s only a few miles, and a walk is just what I need to clear my head before I hear whatever he’s about to tell me. The air’s warmed up a bit and the sun is shining. The leaves are brilliant colors and everything smells clean. If there’s one thing I’ll say for Holiday, it always smells pretty good. There’s no stink of fumes or garbage, and everything smells alive.
I’m just thinking ho
w pretty the walk is when the skies open and it starts to rain. Then pour. Secure in the knowledge that my laptop won’t get wet—my case is waterproof—I kind of enjoy it.
But when I knock on Rex’s door, I know I must look like a drowned rat because he takes one look at me and pulls me inside, shaking his head.
“Daniel, don’t you ever check the weather?” he chides, and I shake my head. I’m shivering now, and he drops my bag on the mat and pulls off my sodden jacket. I kick off my shoes.
“Jesus, you’re freezing,” he says, eyes flashing. He shakes his head at me in frustration. “Come here,” he says and leads me to the bathroom, reaching over my shoulder to turn on the shower.
I’m having major déjà vu of the first night I was here, in February, when Rex took me into that bathroom to look at my bruises. My cheeks heat a little, still embarrassed at how strong I came on that night. Doubly embarrassed if it turns out that, not long after, Rex was fucking Will, probably telling him about the pathetic loser who threw himself at him. I can see Will’s perfect face smiling, enjoying the idea that his man is so irresistible. My hands fist and Rex jerks when I squeeze him.
“Sorry,” I say.
He sticks his hand in to test the water, then reaches for my sweater to pull it off.
“I can do it,” I say absently, pulling the sweater off from the bottom. He takes it from me and lays it out on the sink. Then he reaches for the buttons on my shirt. “I got it,” I say.
“Daniel, stop,” Rex says, his voice exhausted. I look up at him. “Please, let’s not be back here. This is my fault. Because of Will. I know. But, come on.”
I narrow my eyes at him expectantly. Rex looks at me exasperatedly, but there’s warmth there too.
He steps closer to me and closes the door so Marilyn can’t come in and drink the toilet water. He reaches for me and I step away from him.
“Well?” I finally say. Rex sighs.
“Will and I used to date. Years ago. But that was a long time ago. We’re just friends now. But, every now and again when he comes to town, we’ll—”
“Fuck,” I finish for him.
“Yeah. But that’s all it is.”
I look up at him, trying to read whether it’s true in his face. He meets my gaze intently, but he seems irritated or something.
“It didn’t seem like that’s all it was to him,” I say.
Rex snorts.
“Yeah, well, Will is contrary that way. But believe me, that’s all it is. He just likes to be alpha dog.”
“Hmm,” I say. “Interesting.”
Rex blushes.
“Look,” he says, running his hands up and down my ribs. “I know it was real bad timing last night. It must’ve seemed bad, what with everything you told me about Richard. But, Daniel, you have to know that I would never do that.”
I let out a breath and nod.
“I love undressing you,” he says. He kisses my neck, his mouth warm against my cold skin. “You always shiver just a little, and your nipples get hard.” He strips my shirt off my arms and pulls my T-shirt off. Then he runs his thumbs over my nipples and my stomach clenches. “You’re so beautiful.” He kisses my mouth and I put my arms around him tentatively.
He undoes my pants and pulls them and my underwear down. He nudges me into the hot shower but doesn’t close the door, and my eyes are glued to him as he strips and gets in with me.
He puts me under the water and rubs his hands up and down my arms to warm me up. Then he washes my hair, careful, as before, that no soap gets in my eyes. I lean back into him, my sleepless night catching up with me, and he wraps his arms around my waist. I turn in his arms to kiss him. As our mouths move together, Rex pulls me toward him, cupping my ass and squeezing with both hands. A bolt of arousal shoots through me. I press kisses up his throat, standing on my toes to reach his mouth again.
Rex kisses the same way he seems to do everything else: with a combination of confident power and gentle sweetness that completely gets to me. He pushes me against the wall with his body, tipping my head up so he can keep kissing me as we grind together. He cups my hip in one hand and runs the other between my cheeks to find my opening. His wet fingers slide inside me and I groan, the heat of his body and the heat of the water mixing with the heat of his fingers inside me to make me a little dizzy. Rex groans when I run my hands down his muscular back to pull him closer to me. His ass is tight as he rocks against me.
I look up into his eyes, the dark lashes clumped with water. I run my fingers across his hole and he shudders. I push gently and he winces. Is it in pain or arousal? His mouth is open and water is running down his jaw, glistening in his stubble. His thick hair is in dark swirls. He looks amazing, like he’s standing under a waterfall in some exotic vacation spot I’ll never visit. I rub a finger against his hole gently, just teasing, and he shudders and gasps.
“Good?” I say against his open mouth. “Or no.”
“Good,” he says, nodding, then he drops his head down onto my shoulder. A jolt of arousal rocks me. I reverse our positions, pushing him into the wall, and squeeze his ass in both hands. Like every other part of him, it’s meaty and muscular and gorgeous.
When I feel him relax, I delve inside him again, my finger sliding in as he sucks in a breath. We thrust together as the water falls over our shoulders like the rain outside. Rex’s hands are at the small of my back, as if to stop me from pulling away, and his head is lying back against the wall. I slide a second finger into him and he whimpers as I stroke over his prostate, his hole clenching down on my fingers.
“Oh fuck,” he says. “It’s been so long.”
Good. A picture of Will fucking Rex in this shower flutters through my brain and I shake my head to clear it, latching onto Rex’s nipples as I explore him with my fingers. His heat is addictive and I push closer to him, our erections sliding together and my fingers sliding deeper inside him. We both groan and Rex grabs our cocks in his big hand, bending his knees a little so we’re the same height. I take the opportunity to slide a third finger inside him and he cries out, his hand tightening on our erections. Everything feels liquid as he works us together, and I massage his prostate with my fingertips, his jaw clenching in pleasure.
“Kiss me, please,” Rex groans, and pumps us even harder. I can feel my orgasm creeping up the base of my spine. I grab Rex’s face in my hand and slam our mouths together, my tongue sliding into his mouth as I push my fingers as deep as I can. He gasps into my mouth and begins to tremble. His thighs are shaking and his stomach vibrates against mine as his ass spasms around my fingers. I press into his prostate and he tears his mouth away from mine, his groans echoing in the small shower. His hand stutters and then heat thicker than water hits my chest and drips down my stomach. Rex’s mouth is open and every one of his muscles is clenched, like some kind of glorious animal caught midjump. Then he lets out a shuddering breath and relaxes, his hole fluttering around my fingers.
“Daniel,” he breathes, and he pulls me flush against him and kisses me so sweetly. He twists one hand in my hair and keeps stroking my erection slowly, watching my reactions. His eyes are molten gold, framed by dark lashes, and he’s looking at me like he wants to eat me up. I lift my chin for another kiss, but he just keeps looking at me, his strokes getting harder and faster, and my breaths turn to gasps.
Just as I’m about to come, he slows down a little and I squeeze my eyes shut in frustration, reaching for him as I shudder back from the brink. Instead of keeping me upright, Rex lets me melt into him and pulls me up so I can thrust against his belly. He holds me up with a hand under my ass and seals his other hand over my erection, encouraging me to thrust against him.
The warm flesh and firm muscle drags over my shaft as I hump against him, and he pulls me firmly to him. I cry out, the feeling both familiar and strange enough that I can’t quite anticipate what’s coming. The stretch in my legs and ass is making my balls tighten and tingle. I reach up and put my arms around Rex’s neck so I can have mor
e control and he holds me to him with one hand, the other finally palming my erection and stroking me hard and fast. I gasp and bite down on his shoulder as my orgasm blasts through me, jumping in Rex’s hand as he strokes me through the aftershocks.
I can smell Rex’s scent even with the water rushing down, and his skin smells like home. I squeeze him around the neck and his arms come around me, pulling me into a hug.
We both let out deep breaths at the same time and slump against each other, our hips still flexing a little, drawn together. When I look up, there’s a soft look in Rex’s eyes and he pushes my wet hair back and kisses me on the temple and then the mouth. There’s just something about Rex that makes me feel so safe, so content. I’ve never felt anything like it. I know we have things to talk about, but in this moment, I’m so happy I can hardly breathe.
“Do you need to work?” Rex asks.
“Oh shit!” I run over to my bag. In my relief that there was no way my computer would be ruined by the rain, I didn’t think about all the papers I have in there. I pull open my messenger bag, which is sitting in a pool of rainwater just inside the door, and sure enough, some rain got in.
“Shit, shit, shit.” I pull out the stack of paper proposals from this morning, the papers clumped wetly together, and start to peel them apart, cursing myself for not springing for the bag with the roll-top. Fortunately, only the top third of the stack is wet and the ink isn’t smeared, but if I let them dry stuck together they’ll be unreadable when I pull them apart. I start laying out the wet sheets on the floor. Marilyn, curious, trots over and starts nosing at them.
“Here,” Rex says. He spreads two towels over the coffee table and moves the papers there, holding Marilyn off with a word.
“Thanks,” I say, grumbling at my bag and the papers and the rain.
Rex is laughing softly.
“What?” I say.