by Unknown
Soon to change, he hoped. Terence and Evan flirted and hinted enough over the years, and it was long past time to align their stars and bodies to a perfect match. They owed it to each other to try.
“I appreciate your helping me out. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, but I still don’t understand all this deception,” Reid said. “Why not tell Evan that we’re over and you want to explore possibilities with him? I bet if you said you were single he’d have been on the next flight.”
“Maybe, but I want to do this right. Not that the way we got together was wrong,” he added quickly when Reid demurred, “but look at us now. Evan shouldn’t think he’s a rebound or placeholder. It’s why I didn’t call him six months ago.”
Reid looked at the bottle like he intended to drink directly from it, but set it on the ground. “What if he gets mad that you said nothing for six months? Or if he doesn’t want to move to Delaware?” He chuckled. “I’d be pretty impressed if a guy bought a damn winery to win my heart, but Evan’s not like other guys. He loves California.”
“I wish I did, too.” Terence was done with big-budget Hollywood. After sustaining an injury on his last film the safer stage seduced him, and when a producer with a deal at DemandFlix saw him performing in Speed The Plow she offered him the lead in a TV show she was developing for the streaming site, called Thicker Than Blood. With the first season filmed in New York, he could enjoy the accolades from his beach home until it was time to go back to work.
He hoped to share his success with Evan, his closest friend and the one constant in his life. His flight couldn’t get here sooner.
* * * *
After layovers in Houston and Baltimore, then a harrowing thirty-minute ride in a prop plane powered by rubber bands, Evan landed in Salisbury, Maryland ready to drain Archer Ridge dry.
Terence greeted him in sunglasses and a Yankees cap pulled low on his brown hair, presumably to keep a low profile. Evan spotted him immediately at Arrivals parking, and his heart leaped. His friend looked tan and sexy, his cargo shorts showing off lean legs and a firm ass. Evan spent much of the Houston to Baltimore leg dreaming of his face buried between those fleshy cheeks, licking Terence’s hole down to his balls then around to take in his cock.
They shook hands, Evan biting back a moan. “You look like a TV star.”
“We’re about an hour away, can you wait to eat? If not, I know a good seafood place not far.” Terence grabbed his duffel and loaded it in the trunk.
Evan placed his shoulder bag with it before joining him in the car. No Reid. Perhaps he was preparing things at home. “I’m good.”
“I thought we’d stop at Archer Ridge first, since it’s on the way. I closed the tasting room temporarily, until I have some renovations done. Also, I don’t feel right being open for business with a few things in limbo,” Terence said.
“Like an open winemaker position.” Made sense to him. Tasting room assistants handled customer service and samples, but ultimately they got their information from the people with their hands on the vines. Terence needed to hire somebody soon.
He stole a glance at Terence as they turned onto Route 13 North toward the state border. Terence looked younger than when Evan last saw him in person—vibrant and happy. The upswing in his acting career obviously worked wonders, to say nothing of the less hectic atmosphere of his new home. He and Reid probably spent their evenings walking along the beach or huddled together before a fire pit in the sand, kissing and exchanging stomach-churning baby talk.
Bleh. If he really wanted this job, he’d have a cottage built on the winery property so he wouldn’t have to see it all the time. Still, Terence was easy on the eye and didn’t mind looking at him.
“When do you start filming the next season of Thicker Than Blood?” he asked. “I promised several of your fans back home some inside gossip.”
“Late summer, but you’re not getting any spoilers.” Terence laughed. “Not that I can give them. I haven’t seen any scripts yet, so I don’t know what’s happening.”
“Fair enough. So you don’t intend to take a hands-on role in running Archer’s Ridge? You’ll need a good vintner.”
“I know a great vintner. Convincing him to move…that takes talent.”
Evan said nothing, but smiled. They passed a billboard advertising the winery and Terence turned onto the county road leading there.
“Is Reid meeting us?”
Terence shook his head and added nothing to the conversation. Evan, uninterested in furthering the subject, switched to the usual catching-up talk until the car rolled past opened gates bordering a long driveway to a stately two-story house in the foreground of many rows of grapevines.
“This used to be a bed and breakfast, back in the eighties,” Terence explained as they strolled up to the porch. “The wine started as a hobby for the original owner, and when Judi and Ed took over they converted it to a full-on winery and lived upstairs. I plan to convert the second floor, get rid of the bedrooms and make it an event area for weddings and such.”
Evan admired the American Colonial home—the gables with their painted shutters, the red brick exterior, and the wide porch spanning the width of the house. Six white rocking chairs invited guests to relax with a glass of wine and watch the sun set. “Can’t imagine why they’d move away from the B&B model. I haven’t been inside yet and I’m ready to move in.”
“People want to stay at the beaches. They’re still a fair drive from here. Anybody driving on the main roads will stop at the chain hotels.” Terence unlocked the door and pushed inside. “Welcome to Archer’s Ridge.”
The tasting room didn’t continue the Colonial style of décor. It was spacious and nicely appointed with an oak bar in the center and shelves of wines and knickknacks along the walls. Archer’s Ridge kept more of a tourism motif with posters of Delaware points of interest like the casinos and beaches, and the nearby motor speedway. He spotted a stack of postcards on the bar for the Sylvester Street shopping district near Terence’s condo and studied one.
“First event we’re hosting after the grand reopening is for The Raymond Project. It’s a local gay teen crisis hotline,” Terence told him. “If anybody has a problem with Archer’s Ridge being LGBT friendly, they don’t have to drink our wine.”
“Was it not gay friendly before?”
Terence shrugged. “Nothing like that. Ed was cool, and Judi still is.” Terence didn’t hide his sexual orientation from the press, and Evan thought of potential backlash. Eh, he shrugged and shook his head. His friend was right—anyone offended could go somewhere else to drink.
“Who’s taking care of the vines now?”
“I kept on the whole staff. Ed’s assistant has the bulk of the workload right now, and before you ask he turned down my job offer,” Terence said. “Do you want to inspect the grapes? It’s starting to dim outside, but there’s time.”
“It can wait until tomorrow. I’d like to sample what’s available.” Evan leaned on the bar for support. “Damn jet lag. That flight took more out of me than I realized.”
Terence went behind the bar for glasses, then set up a short flight with the bottles available. “Jeez, I forgot. You’ve been here an hour, yet every time we get together it feels like you live next door.” Terence slapped his shoulder, but his hand remained there a moment. The man’s touch heated his skin and Evan wanted to lean in for more intimate contact. The thought of Reid kept him from moving closer.
He wouldn’t be that guy, he decided long ago. It pained him to see Terence’s smile and the light in his blue eyes, but he wouldn’t mess around with an attached man.
Terence rubbed down his arm, stopping at the elbow before releasing him. “In that case, how about I show you the upstairs after we’re done drinking?”
* * * *
Their weight on each step released ominous creaking more suited to a horror film. He hadn’t intended to lead Evan slowly to the second floor, but he wanted to think carefully before doing s
omething rash, like grabbing the other man for a passionate kiss and shocking the hell out of him.
The moment he caught sight of Evan at the airport, his body tingled. The man looked incredible—short black hair and defined body. His cock ached and stiffened, and he longed to hold the man tightly to him and let their surroundings muddle in the back of his consciousness. If a stranger snapped a photo of the TV star for social sharing, so what? He loved Evan, always had, and who cared what the rest of the world thought?
The words spilling now from his mouth, the half-hearted explanations of his plans to completely gut Judi and Ed’s living quarters, sounded different to his ears. Evan’s presence scared him a little. No, the possibility of Evan rejecting him—there was the source of his fear. Reid’s earlier admonishments echoed in his mind, further irritating him. You should have told him sooner…he’s gonna be pissed and think you didn’t care for him.
“It occurred to me,” he said by way of ending the tour, “I should have paid for your flight. This is a business trip of sorts, a job interview.” He caught Evan’s smile and his love for the man surged through his blood.
“Don’t be silly. I got a deal on the ticket, and I’m happy to visit.”
Terence ushered him into the last room on the right, a guest room with the bare essentials—bed and sheets, and a matching curtain to block the sunlight. “At least write everything off when you do your taxes.”
Evan stood by the window and scanned the cream-colored walls. “Not as exciting as the rest of the place,” he said. “I still can’t envision this floor opened up to cater to weddings.”
“I’ll show you the after photos the contractor e-mailed me. They’re amazing.” He perched on the bed, his dying resolve weakening him. What kept him from coming out and saying it. I’m single again, so are you. Come here and kiss me! The fear touched his throat, threatening to squeeze if it perceived the wrong words forming. He had to shake this paranoia. Evan would know soon enough—his ex-lover could break the news anytime in a text message. Evan expected to see Reid tonight, but he had gone to New York with a friend for the weekend.
“Evan, I need to tell you something. I should have said it months ago when it happened, but it was a crazy time with the TV series and buying Archer Ridge…and to be honest I’m surprised a wire service or gossip site didn’t boost the signal.” He stared down at his hands, twisting his college ring and watching the glint of the sapphire brighten and dull as it moved. “I hope you won’t be upset.”
Evan had been studying the outside scenery when he slowed turned toward the bed. “Terence, this sounds dark.” He sat close on the bed so that their arms touched. “Is it cancer? Something else? I remember your dad had Alzheimer’s.”
“Not like that, no. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to scare you.” He blew out his frustration and smiled. “It’s Reid. We actually…called it quits a few months back.”
He waited for Evan’s reaction. Anger? Shock? It was difficult to read his friend’s face for a moment because something on the wall caught Evan’s attention. The man stood and paced to the window before speaking.
“He called…”
“I asked him to help.”
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out, Terence. You two seemed pretty happy.”
Terence relaxed, sagging in place. “I thought for a moment you’d be upset.”
“It’s your personal life, not my business unless you make it so.” Evan returned to the bed. “I take it, then, he didn’t invest in the winery with you.” When he nodded, Evan added, “I understand why you called now.”
His heart swelled. “I needed the time to think everything through, Evan. We’ve known each other forever, and though we don’t speak every day I consider you my closest friend.”
Evan draped his arm around his shoulders in a sideways hug. “I’m here to help any way I can.”
“Good,” he said, “because I could use this.”
And he kissed Evan full on the lips.
* * * *
Evan cursed his traitorous body. How long had he fantasized about kissing Terence Jaeger? Most of his life, he’d say, so why did he want to pull away? The moment their lips touched and slid against each other he watched the sparks explode behind his closed eyelids. Marching bands, angelic choirs, a cascade of butterflies…it all swarmed through his brain as it might for a love struck teenager on prom night, but his shoulders tugged back on their own. He forced himself to stay put.
If he moved, he might break their kiss. He preferred to keep going, hold Terence closer and fall to the bed while fumbling for buttons and zippers.
Terence ended up tapering off, but he pressed his forehead to Evan’s rather than separate. “Evan, we’ve known each other forever. You’re the only one I’d trust with running this place, and I wouldn’t tempt you to leave a good job if I didn’t think I could make it worth your while.”
Evan listened. I hope you didn’t buy a winery specifically to bring me here, he wanted to say. He needn’t have gone to the expense. It would come up eventually, but he chose to hear out his friend.
“Reid’s a great guy, but after a while we realized we were better friends than lovers. You and I have always been sympatico, and with my career settled I’m ready to do the same with my personal life,” Terence said. “I don’t know why we never got together in the first place, as much as I think about you and wonder how you’re doing way out there in California.”
Terence’s laugh disarmed him. His clothes should just fall off with one command, but Evan took a breath before injecting some common sense into the discussion. “I have an idea.”
Terence waited.
“Each of us had relationships, the longest lasting a few years at best. We say bad timing kept us from hooking up, but maybe deep down, we both fear we won’t work out as a couple… and never be friends again.” The more he thought about it, he’d take being friends with Terence over risking a love match that might go bad. He wanted to remain in touch with his friend until the end.
You could live happily ever after, though. Why so negative? taunted his conscience. Would he know how to cultivate a solid romance, even with the guy he deemed as “perfect”? One of them also needed to make a huge sacrifice to make it happen.
Him. Terence no doubt earned good money with his show. He’d be the breadwinner.
Terence seemed to read his thoughts. “I never want to lose touch with you, Evan,” he said, “but I like to believe we can move beyond friendship.”
They sat together, fingers twined now, cheeks brushing. Evan relished the nip of stubble on his skin and inhaled the wine on Terence’s breath. They’d only sampled small pours downstairs, so they entered this conversation sober. The moment intoxicated him, as though he’d drunk an entire bottle.
“Reid?” he began.
“Reid’s cool. He’s on a weekend trip with a new friend. He’s our greatest champion, if you can believe that.” Terence kissed the corner of his mouth. “Please say you’ll stay. I’ll always take care of you.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
Terence reached up to stroke Evan’s cheek and he grasped the man’s fingers. He turned his head to meet Terence’s lips and deepened their kiss. Everything felt right—Terence’s body against his, the steady rhythm of their breathing—yet his mind reeled with questions. Terence never told him how much he put into the vineyard, and what if he couldn’t produce quality wines here? What if they weren’t compatible in close quarters, or bed? They hadn’t lived together, only visited for a week at most.
When Terence touched him, though, the dissenting voices in his head faded. Perhaps Michelle did him a favor, arranging for that wannabe actor to go out with him. The disastrous ending with Nico reminded him of how much he missed, and wanted, Terence.
They broke free again and Terence cocked his head toward the mattress. “C’mere.” He moved away and guided Evan to lay back on the bed, then eased on top of him for more intense necking. Hands groped and denim-clad legs
tangled, and Evan breathed in notes of aftershave and white table wine. Eyes closed, he committed Terence to memory with his hands, rubbing down his back and cupping his ass to grind him against his cock. Something would give soon. Either they would make love right here or he’d jump from the bed and bolt into the first bathroom he found to relieve himself.
He hoped for the former.
Fingers poked his belly and he looked down to see Terence tugging on his jeans zipper. Caught up in the moment, he helped undress his friend and both managed to discard their pants and underwear while kissing. Terence wrapped a hand around Evan’s cock and the heat of his touch spread all over.
“I’d love to ride you,” Terence murmured, his lips scraping Evan’s face. “Please.”
Evan pulled away and nodded his consent. Terence fished through the pile of clothing next to them for his wallet, then a condom. He took Evan’s cock by the root, caressing his balls before his fingers slid up to tease the tip, and smiled. His expression radiated a desire Evan hadn’t seen before on his friend, not even in the few love scenes he performed on film.
He’s not acting here.
Terence bent down and took his cock, sucking up and down a few strokes to ensure Evan remained hard. The warmth and the suction stirred up dormant sensations he thought he wouldn’t experience again, and he arched his hips to meet Terence’s aggressive touches. Finally Terence released his cock and rolled on the condom. Evan smelled the tang of lubricant and savored the remnants of wine and kisses while he watched Terence remove his shirt.
He looked strong and cut—a movie star body, though Terence hardly stripped down on his TV show. Maybe in the next season, but Evan preferred to concentrate on the sight of Terence straddling him, knees boring into the mattress, in order to ride his cock.
Terence rocked forward, pushing down on Evan’s prick while his balls and erection pressed on Evan’s lower abdomen. Evan spat in his hand and rubbed Terence’s cock as they fucked. Words formed in his mind and throat but stuck in place—he’d fantasized a number of scenarios leading to this, and refused to spoil the moment with nonsense and jabber. He loved the tightness of Terence around his cock, the gentle squeal of bedsprings underneath them, and how his lover’s eyes softened and imprinted on him. Yes, they were lovers now, and he’d focus on that instead of unanswered questions.