by K. C. Wells
“Whatever you feel like making is good for me. Want any help?”
“Well, if you’d like a glass of wine, you could pour one for both of us.”
He showed me where to find glasses and a wine opener while he presented a bottle of pinot noir.
“Everything goes with a pinot, I always say.” He turned his attention back to gathering ingredients for an omelet while I poured the wine.
“I say that about beer, but this is good too.” I winked at him and offered a toast.
“I’m not a beer drinker. Too many calories for something I just never really got a taste for. I tried to like it in college, but I couldn’t get there. Ended up drinking shots of tequila before I realized it was out ‘to kill ya’,” he quipped, making a silly face.
I almost spit the pinot out. I was sure his wine appreciation didn’t extend to showering the veggie omelet. His joke wasn’t particularly funny, but his timing and the expression on his face was unexpected and endearing.
“That was bad. Warn a guy, would ya?”
“Impossible! I’m unpredictable, Matty. Who knows what I’ll say next?”
We both chuckled softly. Aaron suggested I turn on some tunes. I knew we didn’t have the same tastes in that realm, so I asked what the chef requested. With the faint sounds of music in the background, I studied my companion busily sautéing veggies and cracking eggs. It was a homey, comforting atmosphere with easy company.
Aaron brushed his hair from his eyes, using the back of his hand to do so. His sweats hung low on his hips, accentuating the curve of his delectable ass. I’d never been the type to stare at a lover before, to just take in their beauty. But I found myself admiring his small, fit form, beautiful eyes and skin. I watched his graceful movements and felt a rush akin to gratitude that we had physically connected. It seemed like an over-the-top sentiment, but a true one nonetheless.
“Are you sore?”
Aaron looked over at me in surprise as he folded a huge omelet onto a plate. He turned to grab utensils and napkins before waving me toward a seat at his small kitchen table. I took my seat and another sip of wine while I waited for my host to join me. The omelet looked fantastic. I was famished.
“Cheers!” Aaron toasted as he finally found his chair. “And the answer is yes, I am a little bit, but don’t freak out. It’s normal. Anyway, I’m one of those weird guys who likes it.” He winked at me before turning his attention to divvying up our dinner.
I was glad I hadn’t taken another sip of pinot.
“Huh? What do you mean? I hurt you, didn’t I?”
“No, idiot. I’m trying to tell you, it was fabulous. But it’s natural to feel a little sore afterwards… for the bottom, at least. And feeling it is a total turn-on to me. No more questions. Eat. No, wait….”
I waited for him to continue for a few quiet seconds. He looked agitated and I was beginning to worry.
“Look, Matt. I need to know something.”
“What?”
“Are you okay? I just need to know if you’re going to freak out.”
I wanted to pretend I didn’t know what he was talking about, but he deserved honesty.
“I’m… I don’t know how to describe what I am, other than… definitely not freaked out. Aaron….” I hesitated. Words failed me, yet I knew I had to try to communicate. “I feel alive for the first time. I know that sounds ridiculous. Maybe it’s the result of post-orgasm euphoria, who knows? I just feel great. I can’t promise that this whole—” I waved my hands between us when again I lost the words. “—us… doesn’t freak me out a little. I’m being honest. I just know that it feels right. You feel right.”
“You too, Matty.”
We ate in silence, staring at one another over the rims of our wine glasses with Adele serenading us softly. I gave into impulse, leaning over to place a chaste kiss on his sexy mouth.
“Thank you. This has been a really amazing day.”
Aaron rewarded me with one of his glorious smiles. Yeah, it was a great day.
WINTER passed a bit more mildly, with cool days and chilly nights. But other than a flurry of snow to complement the occasional rain, it looked like a safe bet that spring would be timely. I saw Aaron as much as possible. We were both swamped with work, and I still had school and a bar exam to prepare for. If we didn’t see one another, we talked on the phone or sent texts daily. He sent me silly messages that left me with a goofy smile on my face a few times a day. Curt caught my shit-eating grin a couple times and gave me an inquisitive look, but I didn’t share. I wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed of my new relationship or whatever it was Aaron and I had. I was protective of it. I didn’t want to share him with anyone else. The time we had together was special. We still saw our own friends, but more and more often, I spent at least one night of the weekend at his place. He lived alone, so there were no explanations required. Plus we could be as loud as we wanted.
My roommates, of course, noticed I wasn’t sleeping in my own bed on weekends. I decided to just answer with the truth. Or at least a half-truth.
“I met someone.”
“Yeah, Einstein. We figured that out. Who is she?” Dave asked one late Friday afternoon in March. I had stopped by my place to shower and change before going over to Aaron’s. He was having a few of his friends over. He claimed it would be very low-key, but I was feeling a little nervous nonetheless. I hoped Peter and Jay would be there.
“Aaron.”
“Erin….” Dave drew the name out like he was talking about a porn star. “When do we get to meet her?”
I raised my eyebrows, grabbed my bag, and made a speedy exit. Half-truth. I got angry with myself for not telling Dave and Jason about Aaron, but the whole situation was new to me on so many levels. Aaron was so full of life, easily excitable, and charming. I wasn’t sure what he saw in me. We didn’t have much in common on paper. Our tastes in music, movies (he loved romantic comedies, of course), and hobbies were polar opposite. However, we never ran out of things to talk about. He loved to debate the merit of what made something or someone interesting, be it a musician/pop star or a politician. He was well-informed and well-read. I suppose I was attracted to his intelligence and the fact that he was an avid learner. If he didn’t know or understand something, he researched it so that the next opportunity he had to debate, he was better informed. He asked me questions about cases I read about or that I might be involved in someday. It was intoxicating to be with someone who always seemed interested in you. Aaron was intoxicating. And fucking beautiful.
He opened the door for me, wearing the tightest leather pants I think I’d ever seen on him, with a designer-label blousy white shirt with only a couple buttons fastened. His hair was disheveled, like he’d just blown it dry but hadn’t bothered with product, his feet were bare, and yeah, he looked sexy as hell. I swallowed loudly, making him laugh with pleasure as he took the wine bottle I’d brought from my hand and danced away, leaving me staring after him in the doorway.
The music was blaring. Some techno-pop mix that set my teeth on edge. I needed a drink and to get to the volume control without him noticing. I did both while he finished primping in the bathroom.
“Bad boy! I can’t hear a thing!” Aaron reemerged looking even more gorgeous. His eyes were sparkling with amusement. Thankfully, he didn’t readjust the sound. I had poured him a drink, which I handed over quickly to keep him distracted.
“Thank you. What? No hello kiss?”
He leaned toward me, offering me an exaggerated kissy mouth. I laughed. When our lips met, though, he licked a seductive trail along my lower lip before opening his mouth to mine. We moaned in unison, our drinks forgotten. We were interrupted by his cell phone playing a Lady Gaga tune. He laughed and skipped away to answer it while I adjusted myself and picked up my cocktail.
As he answered the phone, I watched his expression go from pleased to exasperated and maybe a little hurt within a few minutes. He had switched from English to Spanish. Maybe family? The conversa
tion wasn’t long, but it had left him deflated. I moved toward him, wanting to offer comfort or an ear if he wanted to talk. However, the doorbell buzzed before I had a chance. In an instant, I watched Aaron transform his features from angry and hurt to gracious and welcoming host. All traces of his earlier distress were gone as he opened the door for the first of his guests.
Aaron had invited six people for a small dinner party. I’d already met Peter and Jay, so that meant four other of his close friends would be joining us. He’d left work early that day to prepare the food himself. His theme was Puerto Rico. Every party needed a theme, according to him, and he’d been completely mortified to hear I didn’t know if I’d ever eaten Puerto Rican food. I figured it was probably like Cuban or Mexican, right? Wrong. And after Aaron got over being insulted by my ignorance, he decided to cook a traditional Puerto Rican feast to enlighten me. He claimed he was scaling it back a bit, but from what I could tell, there was a ton of food prepared and ready for eight of us to enjoy.
The first guests to arrive were a young man named Ben and his older boyfriend, Mark. There had to be easily ten years difference between them. Ben looked to be younger than me. He was stylishly dressed in tight black jeans and a slim-fitted black V-neck sweater. Aaron commented on his Goth look, which earned him a halfhearted slap on the arm and a grin from Mark. Mark was nice looking in a professorial, unassuming way. I later learned he was a professor at American University, which is where the two met. Aaron had told me they’d been together forever. I wondered what their story was. Ben worked at the magazine with Aaron, and they’d known one another through work for a few years.
Katie, Jay and Aaron’s best “girl” friend, was next to arrive, with a guy named Glen. Aaron obviously adored Katie. He fawned over her choice of outfit and gushed over her handbag. She was pixie small, with long auburn hair and a fair complexion. Her features were sharp, a pointed chin and heart-shaped face with high cheekbones, but they suited her. Poor Glen barely got the time of day. Apparently Aaron and Jay didn’t bother getting to know her boyfriends because they didn’t stick around for long. Katie was fun and boisterous. She seemed a little wary of me, but since I was new I took it as a normal reaction of a protective friend.
Jay and Peter rounded out the party. They were the last to arrive. Aaron didn’t seem surprised. Peter made a comment about them being on “Jay time,” so I assumed late was his norm.
Aaron outdid himself in the kitchen. He accepted help only from Jay and Katie when he was ready to present his masterpiece Puerto Rican fare. He’d made a few dishes using plantains and a rice and chicken dish called arroz con gandules with a secret sauce called sofrito. Everything tasted amazing, and I admitted I was more than a little impressed with his culinary expertise. Jay made a batch of sangria to complement dinner, and before long everyone was relaxed and enjoying themselves, perched around the living room coffee table. It was homey and comfortable. I tried to help clear away plates but was ushered out of the kitchen with a kiss from the chef.
It was a nice evening. I liked Aaron’s friends. Conversation was easy at dinner and everyone was friendly and outgoing. I had been talking friendly politics with Mark in the living room when it occurred to me I hadn’t seen our host in a while. I excused myself and made my way to the kitchen, stopping to pick up a depleted pitcher of sangria. I rounded the corner and found Jay with his arm around a visibly upset Aaron. Aaron had tears in his eyes and it looked like Jay was comforting him. The rest of the party was chatting in the living room, oblivious to any upset. I was a little confused by the turn in his mood. He’d seemed fine all evening.
“Hey there. You okay?”
He wiped his cheek and gave me a reassuring smile.
“Yes. I’m fine. Jay was telling me a sad tale.”
Jay looked at Aaron for a long minute before excusing himself to check on the masses for the host. The look was one of silent communication. My immediate reaction was irritation, but obviously something had bothered Aaron earlier and he’d confided in Jay. That was probably natural, but I couldn’t help wanting it to be me comforting him.
“Tell me, babe. What is it?”
“I will. Later, okay? I promise it’s nothing big. Just the frustrating norm.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah. Come on. Let’s make sure they aren’t reorganizing my DVDs.”
I watched Aaron closely after that exchange in the kitchen. The only thing I noticed, though, was how much he was drinking. The guy was downing sangria like he might never get another glass. I knew there was a potential for real danger, however, when Ben brought out a bottle of Patrón. I’m not a big drinker, really. I tend to stick with beer or the occasional glass of wine or a vodka tonic. Tequila just makes people do stupid things. I wasn’t going to partake. Besides, I wanted to keep a watchful eye out for Aaron. He had brushed off his party hat and was definitely ready to wear a lampshade. One of us should be halfway sober.
An hour later, with the lights either dim or off, the small apartment resembled a small dance club. Someone had a Rihanna song playing so loudly the speakers were vibrating. Shot glasses littered the coffee table, and Katie was dancing up a storm with Jay, Ben, and Aaron. I stood next to Peter, wondering where this night was going. Suddenly, Aaron stopped dancing and ran over to turn the music down so he could be heard.
“Okay, friends! Shot time! And then clear them away! It’s time to dance on the tables!”
Aaron got busy serving up another round of tequila while I looked on helplessly. I turned to Peter to get his reaction to the drunk-fest.
“Matt, my friend. Sometimes, you just got to go with it. They are way too hard to handle when they get like this. Trust me, Aaron and Jay are bad enough together. With Katie in the mix, it’s a done deal. A hurricane. Just wait for it to run its course.”
Katie’s date was trying to hang with the four dancers, but Mark, Peter, and I retired to the kitchen area, taking turns trying to keep the music at a reasonable volume. One of his neighbors had already knocked on the door. When the same neighbor came by, Peter and I assured him there was no need to call the police. Peter took over, turning on the lights and suggesting they maybe unwind with something less noisy. I had to admire how he handled them, making it sound like it was part of their itinerary. Aaron squealed in delight.
“Great idea! Wii!” Katie, Jay, and Ben were in, except there were only two controllers.
“Rock, paper, scissors to see who plays first.” Jay was practically swaying on his feet, but Aaron, Katie, and Ben were game to keep going.
I found myself back in the kitchen with Peter and Mark, sipping from a bottle of water while we listened to the rowdy group egging one another on playing video games.
“Are they always like this?” I nodded toward the other room.
“Not always, no. I suspect someone needed some cheering up and the other two came to the rescue. It’s how they work. Ben is just being a good sport.” Peter craned his head around to check on his partner. “We’ll let them run out of steam and get out of your hair.”
“Not my place. I’m cool.”
“Maybe not, but if you aren’t staying with Aaron, then Jay and I should probably stay the night. Aaron is going to be sick, judging by the amount of alcohol that kid consumed tonight.”
“No, I’m planning on staying. I just meant you didn’t have to run. If you want to stay, that’s cool too.”
“No, I’d rather sleep in my own bed. Just checking to see how the wind blows here. You like him, don’t you?” Peter didn’t necessarily look surprised that I really liked Aaron, but maybe he wasn’t expecting me to take on the mess that was surely coming when Aaron sobered up.
“Yes. I like him. A lot,” I confirmed, taking another long swig from my water bottle.
Mark sighed heavily, as if bracing himself.
“Well, we are getting out of your hair, so to speak. I’m tired. I’ll get Ben and see if we can give Katie and her guy a ride home too.”
I stra
ightened away from the counter and offered Mark a hand.
“Great to meet you, Matt. Aaron is a great guy. A handful, maybe, but a great guy.” He shook my hand, said good-bye to Peter, and left to round up some drunks.
I hoped he was successful. Truthfully, it had been a long day and I was tired. Plus there is something about returning to a sober state when everyone around you has moved on to inebriated. It was exhausting.
Mark had Ben by the arm and was directing him toward the door. He somehow talked Katie and Glen into joining them. He must have convinced them they were off to another party because they certainly didn’t look ready to stop. Jay and Aaron had their arms around one another and were laughing hysterically as they waved to their buddies. Fuck only knew what the joke was. I caught Peter’s attention and rolled my eyes at our dates.
Peter and I made small talk and cleaned up a little bit while Jay and Aaron sat on the sofa doing a rendition of “man, you’re so my best friend.” They seemed to alternate between manic mirth to heartbreaking melancholy and back again.
I was stacking some glasses into the sink when Jay came into the kitchen, looking for Peter.
“Where’s Aaron?”
“Passed out on the sofa. Keep your eye on that one, though,” Jay warned me with a hiccup. “He is foxed!”
“And you aren’t?” Peter brushed his fingers through Jay’s thick dark-golden hair, making Jay purr like a kitten.
“Take me home, lover. I am ’xhausted!”
“Yeah, I bet. Let’s go. Good luck, Matt.”
FINALLY, they were all gone. The only sounds in the apartment now were Aaron’s soft snoring with Pink singing about being sober in the background. I tried to nudge Aaron awake, but he was having none of it. He twisted away from my voice, curled into a fetal ball, and put a pillow over his head. Okay… this was going to be difficult.
I went back into Aaron’s bedroom, turned down the sheets, and then went back to scoop him into my arms. I gently laid him in bed, taking off shoes, socks, and belt and undoing his leather pants. He rolled away from me, impeding further progress. I gave up for a minute, deciding to lock the place up and grab him some water and aspirin. I thought about getting a wastebasket to put next to him just in case he didn’t make it to the toilet, but I knew Aaron was particular enough to not dare get sick on his own high thread count sheets and comforter. I finished undressing him and took care of myself before joining him in bed. I kissed his sweaty forehead before tucking him in.