Press Play

by Sam LaRose

  [KYLE] Mario said you haven’t been at the garage this week. Are you done working on the Henderson? Did the Senator like it?

  [KYLE] There’s no way you’re done with the bike. Did something go wrong with the machinist?

  [KYLE] It’s been a fucking month now, Jordan. What the hell.

  “You’re going to have to answer him at some point. You can’t ignore him forever.”

  “He’ll stop eventually.”

  Dylan raised an eyebrow, handing the phone back to Jordan. “It wouldn’t hurt to hear him out.”

  “Are you going to tell me about your new beau?” Jordan flipped the conversation. “He looked quite handsome, picking you up for the funeral. Is he accompanying you to the will reading as well?”

  “David would like him to,” Dylan nodded. “He doesn’t know we’re having sex, so it hinges on Benjamin being able to keep his mouth shut.”

  “Why is it taking so long between the funeral and the reading?”

  “There was some insurance thing they were waiting on,” Dylan answered. “I’m glad it’s almost wrapped up. I feel sick every time I think about what’s going to happen.”

  “How are your students taking it?”

  “The CSG students are doing better than the others,” Dylan said. “Overall, they’re resilient by nature.

  “Don’t think I don’t know you’re deflecting, by the way,” he continued.

  “I’m not done being mad,” Jordan replied. “Our relationship wasn’t fair. I deserve more, don’t I?”

  “You do,” Dylan nodded. “You also love him and you miss him.”

  “I do. It doesn’t mean I’m less hurt by what he said to me.”

  “He has a point. It’s been a month now.”

  “I’m fine being single and sexless. Life is simpler anyway.”

  “It isn’t nearly as fun.”

  “Says the guy sleeping with his bodyguard.”

  “He came on to me, not the other way ‘round.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Shut up and text Kyle back. He needs you, even if you don’t need him.”

  “Does he though? He has three other boyfriends who fuck him regularly. Sometimes all at the same time.”

  “I’m going to ignore that. He wouldn’t have texted you this many times if he didn’t.”

  “It’s late.” Jordan stood. “I better get back to my place. Don’t do anything dumb with the new guy.” He leaned over him, pressing a kiss to Dylan’s cheek.

  “I’m more worried about you doing dumb things,” Dylan told him, watching him move to the foyer. “You’re being stubborn and that isn’t like you.”

  “Maybe I am,” he admitted. “See you later.”

  Dylan frowned, watching him go. He couldn’t believe it had been over a month since the break-up. Jordan seemed to be doing better. His resistance to at least making up enough to be friends didn’t sit well though. The problem with being such an interconnected group was that it was impossible for him to avoid Kyle forever.

  “Any luck?” Jack popped his head out of the hallway. “Kyle has been begging me to say something, but I don’t really feel like it’s my place.”

  Dylan shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Fuck. This is the worst. This is almost worse than when K and M fight. At least in this scenario, I’m not completely caught in the middle. Just adjacent. It’s harder for Heath. At least he’s avoiding the drama, being on tour.” Jack came to sit on the couch, taking Jordan’s vacated seat. “I miss my boyfriend.”

  “Just a couple more weeks,” Dylan assured him. He reached over, patting him on the knee. “You can do it.”

  “Thanks.” Jack rolled his eyes, then deftly changed subjects. “Have you started working on anything new? My advisor loved the character art you’ve done for me. You should make up business cards and a simple website I can direct people to. I bet you’d get a lot of commissions.”

  “I actually have a website,” Dylan informed him. “Travis helped me set it up. It’s all ready to go. I haven’t been advertising it or anything. I just need to switch the sale page on and it’s ready to go.”

  “Why didn’t you say something sooner? I’ve been avoiding people for days now because I didn’t have details for them. Are you interested in commissions?”

  “I liked doing yours. I started doing animal portraits instead of humans.” Dylan picked up his sketch pad and flipped it open. He had started doing of small piece of Goliath, the last time he had been at Benjamin’s. “Drawing animals is a special kind of challenge. I am particularly proud of the texture of the fur.”

  “Holy shit,” Jack appraised it, “you’ve got mad skills as usual. Who has a cat? Did you find a picture online?”

  “It’s Benjamin’s.”

  “Oh, the security personnel that you shouldn’t be spending so much time with.”

  “Shut up. I’d rather willingly spend time with him than have him follow me around like a puppy. Ever since Stuart passed away, they think I’m more likely to relapse. Zero faith.”

  “Do you like him?”

  Dylan hesitated. Since the night he’d found out about Stuart’s death, he’d been spending a lot of time at Benjamin’s. He picked him up after school, they went for coffee at the Java Pub. When he was scheduled to clock-out for the evening, he’d text in that he was safe at home, and then they’d head back to Benjamin’s apartment. He found him to be comforting and he liked being with him. There was still part of him that held back, keeping his feelings in check.

  “He’s nice, but he’s not forever, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “How long are you going to lead him on?”

  “Lead him on? I’m doing no such thing. We have absolutely no definitions. I have explicitly told him I’m using him for his body and his cat. His body is okay, but the cat is adorable. Look at that face.”

  “Have you thought about having a more serious relationship?”

  “I thought about having a serious relationship with Jordan, but I didn’t want to compete with Kyle. I thought about Tyler, but I can’t do that again. Benjamin isn’t going to stick around. He’s sowing some oats before he goes home to Montana, marries a nice girl, and shoves his attraction to men deep down inside to pretend it doesn’t exist.”

  “That’s depressing.”

  “Do you think Heath does that with his feelings toward other people?”

  “I don’t think Heath would know how to do that. He sees a person, any person, he finds attractive, and he usually comments on it. He’s gone out with a couple of women since we opened the relationship. Nothing serious. No permission phone calls.” Jack pondered. “Well, he used his free pass. He wouldn’t tell us who.”

  “Are you worried about what he might be doing while he’s on tour?”

  “Did you ever worry about what Tyler might be up to, back then?”

  “No, but he used to call me every single night after the show to check-in. We’d fall asleep listening to each other breathe.” Dylan couldn’t suppress the twitch of a smile at the memory.

  “Do you miss that?” Jack didn’t miss the look.

  “I don’t miss waking up to a dead cell phone every morning and a crick in my neck.”

  “That isn’t what I was talking about and you know it.”

  “I know, and I’m pleading the fifth.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  [KYLE] I don’t know what to do. Please talk to me.

  [KYLE] I’ll keep texting you until you respond.

  [KYLE] Every minute until you respond.

  [KYLE] I’m serious. I can do this all night.

  [KYLE] Markus is out. I have no other plans.

  [KYLE] Fine. I’ll just say what I need to say. I’m sorry for everything that happened last month. I wasn’t in a good place, emotionally. I was afraid of what you wanting to sleep with Dylan again meant. It was unfair I overreacted. I immediately regretted letting you leave. I thought I was giving us space by waiting to conta
ct you. Maybe I waited too long.

  [KYLE] I love you and I miss you. I want to work this out.

  [YOU] I love and miss you too, but you don’t trust me. I feel like you’ve been trying to control me. I need to make my own decisions, even when it means upsetting you.

  [KYLE] Can we talk face-to-face please? I don’t want to do this over text.

  Jordan sighed. He knew it was better to sit down and have a conversation. Where they were now, it was over. He could move on. If they got into the same room together, it could only end in one of two ways. Positively, where everything would be fine, or negatively and it could set him back and he’d lose all the progress he’d made.

  [YOU] I’ll be down in a few minutes.

  Kyle met him at the door. He looked hopeful, but reserved, as he ushered Jordan inside. Jordan immediately noticed that he was wearing clothes. Unusual for Kyle, in his own apartment. The man was wearing jeans, which made him think he hadn’t been home for very long. Usually he would have lost the shirt and changed into sweats immediately.

  “What’s Markus doing tonight?” Jordan asked. More to gauge how long they’d be alone than because he had actual interest in what the man was doing.

  “He’s out with Jack.”

  “You didn’t want to go with them?”

  “I hoped with the apartment to myself, you would be more receptive to talking to me,” Kyle said. “Sit down? Do you want something to drink?”

  “I don’t want to sit. I don’t want refreshments.” Jordan shoved his hands into his pockets. “Fuck, Kyle, you broke up with me. I don’t know why I’m here, other than to stop the goddamn texting.”

  “That was wrong. I was angry and afraid. I made a poor decision without thinking about what it would mean. I wanted to call you immediately after you left. Then, I thought maybe we needed space. I didn’t think it would take this long for you to,” he stumbled over his words, “for you to forgive me enough to talk to me again.”

  “What have I ever done to make you doubt me?” Jordan asked. “Why do we have this double standard? I have never had a problem with you sleeping with other people. You’ve always been free to do whatever you want. After Dani, I never asked for anything outside our relationship, until Dylan.”

  “Maybe that’s why it infuriated me. We’ve been good, just the two of us. Suddenly, you had a new interest. I always expected you to find a woman at some point, but...it wasn’t. It was him.”

  “What’s your beef with Dylan? I know this can’t be about him being a cheater. Even Jack has put that behind him.”

  “I don’t know. I like him. He’s fine. He’s a little messed up and I don’t know...maybe I kind of want to fuck him too? To find out what the hell the big deal is all about. Does he have a nice cock? I know he’s got experience, so I suppose it doesn’t matter how big it is.”

  “Stop.” Jordan scoffed. Kyle knew full well that the condition of Dylan’s equipment held no bearing on the situation.

  “Cut to the chase. I can’t take it anymore. Can we put this behind us or did I really fuck it up?” Kyle couldn’t meet his eyes. He stared down at the carpet. His stomach churned.

  “I meant what I texted. I can’t do this if you don’t trust me.”

  “I do trust you,” Kyle promised. “You want free reign to sleep with whoever you want? You’ve got it. Go ahead. You know the rules.”

  “Kyle, it’s not that simple.”

  “Isn’t it? That’s the double-standard. I get to sleep with whoever I want but you don’t. Then go ahead. You want to fuck Dylan, do it.”

  “You don’t mean that.”

  “I do.”

  “It’s not about sex with Dylan,” Jordan answered. “Sex doesn’t equate feelings. Fuck. I love you! You’re the only person I want to be with, day after day. I might have fleeting inclinations for other people, but I always want to come back to you.”

  “What do we do? What do I need to change?”

  “Work on your jealousy for starters. This isn’t like you. It makes me worry.”

  “I know.”

  Jordan sighed. He stepped toward him and pulled him into a hug. “You’re not entirely to blame.” His arms tightened around the blonde. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have accepted it and left.” He felt the tenseness in Kyle’s shoulders begin to relax.

  “Does this mean we’re okay?” Kyle’s arms wrapped around Jordan’s waist as he looked up at the man. “Break-up cancelled?”

  Jordan pressed a brief kiss to his lips. “Break-up cancelled –If! If you can promise me that this jealousy thing is done.” He reached up, brushing his fingers through Kyle’s hair. “It’s not fair to hold me to different standards than you do the others.”

  “I know that,” he admitted. “It’s been so long since I had to share you. I thought Dani was perfect for you. When it didn’t work out, you didn’t show interest in anyone. I might have had an internal freak out when I thought you might be catching real feelings for Dylan.”

  “Dylan doesn’t like me that way, trust me. It was a quick and easy way to stress relieve. That’s what sex is for him.”

  “You say that like we’ve never done it for stress relief ourselves.”

  “We have,” he nodded, “but I feel closer to you afterwards. It wasn’t like that with him. It was fun, but something was missing. Maybe that’s why I wanted to do it again; to try and fill in the void.”

  “Did you?”

  “I haven’t slept with him again.”

  “Oh.” Kyle couldn’t hide his surprise as he took a step back. “Why not? We broke up. You could have done whatever you wanted all this time.”

  “Dylan is a better person than I am,” Jordan informed him. “I went to his place, I got naked, and he turned me down.”

  “Wow! You were naked and he said no? He has amazing willpower.”

  “He didn’t want me to do something I’d regret. He was right. I’m glad I didn’t sleep with him again. I like him a lot and he’s come to be a good friend. I’m not saying I’ll never want to sleep with him again, but not right now.”

  “You mean that?”

  “I do. I won’t be asking for permission again unless it’s someone I really have feelings for. Casual sleeping around isn’t a thing I’ve ever done.”

  “What if we looked for a third?” Kyle offered. “Someone to share?”

  “No, thank you.” Jordan was adamant. “You have all the group sex fun you want with the others. I like having you to myself.” He pressed a kiss to Kyle’s forehead. “I wouldn’t know what to do with another person in the room.”

  Kyle let a lazy grin spread across his face. “I could arrange a tutorial.”

  “No!” Jordan chuckled, pulling the man into a tight hug again. “Absolutely not.” He pressed his lips to his. “I would agree to some...” he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, choosing his words carefully, “reconnecting time? If you want to.”

  “It’s been a whole month.” Kyle wrapped his arms around Jordan’s neck, pushing closer to him. “Please rip this shirt off my body.” He was practically vibrating with excitement.

  Jordan looked down at Kyle’s chest. “That’s one of your good store shirts.”

  “Worth it,” Kyle assured him.

  Jordan sucked in a breath before detaching from him. He leaned down, pressing his shoulder into Kyle’s torso and lifted him into a fireman’s carry.

  “What the hell?” Kyle slapped his ass as he made his way toward the bedroom. “What is this bullshit?”

  “It’s faster to cart you around this way.” Jordan tapped the bedroom door open with his foot and deposited him on the bed. “Get naked.”

  “What if I want you take it off me?” Kyle declared, scooting up into the pillows. He watched Jordan kneel at the foot of the bed, opening the lid of the not-at-all hidden tool chest that contained his and Markus’s sex aids. “Ooh, toy box? Really?”

  “Are you already excited?”

  “A little bit,” Kyle admitted. “I
was almost hoping we’d have hot angry sex. I’ll settle for make-up sex.”

  “Does that mean you already have that black leather ring on?” Jordan poked around in the top trays. “Or am I just blind.”

  “That one had an accident...” Kyle trailed off in embarrassment.

  Jordan looked up. “An accident?”

  “The snap got stuck. I had to cut it off. Well, Markus had to help me.”

  Jordan frowned, disappointed. “That was a gift.”

  “I know. It was the last resort.” Kyle crawled over, leaning over the foot of the bed to stare into the box with him. “Here. These two and you can use the wand on me?” He grinned. “Markus doesn’t like the noise so I only get to use it by myself.”

  “Sure,” Jordan agreed, “but you really do have to get naked first.”

  Chapter Twenty

  ART NEWS EDITORIAL: Senator’s Son Inherits Artists Estate – Ian Waters

  The Manhattan art world was rocked by the news of Stuart Leeman’s death, attributed to lung cancer last month. The Leeman Foundation has been working the past 5 years to improve access to art and art education to the underprivileged youth of the New York City boroughs. Through a partnership with the Carnegie School for the Gifted (CSG), the foundation has made great strides toward their mission statement. Leeman himself said many times, he began the Foundation to leave a mark, as he “had never settled down and had a family.” News of his death left questions about what would happen to the Leeman Estate and Foundation after he was gone. Those questions have now been answered.

  The reading of Leeman’s will was a private event, held in the artist’s former home. According to sources, individuals were called upon to receive and walk away with individual paintings by Leeman, keepsake items. Several large donations were made to charities including the Rainbow Alliance, NYC AIDS Relief Fund, and Planned Parenthood. It wasn’t until the end that all in attendance were shocked with the last bequeathment of the will. A life-time priority seat on the Leeman Foundation Board, the remaining estate, a blank wall on the Lower-East Side and $10,000 to create a community mural. Everything left to 22-year-old New York native, Dylan Montgomery.