by T. A. Chase
“Quit it. Come on, Kase. I’ve got to get home. I leave for Louisiana in six hours.” Garrett leaned on the corner of the desk, his patent movie star smile on his face.
Kasey met his brother’s gaze and saw Garrett’s concern. He knew they wouldn’t be going to sleep as soon as they got back to Kasey’s condo. Garrett would want to talk.
“Let me get my shoes on. Is the car here?” He slipped on his shoes and straightened.
Kasey hoped Gram wanted to see him again. He decided to take a risk.
“I’m going over to the arena about two tomorrow for practice. Maybe you could come over to my place for dinner afterward.” His palms were sweaty. He never asked men out, especially during the season.
Garrett’s eyebrows shot up and his mouth dropped open, but he stayed silent.
“I’d like that.” Looking relieved, Gram went to the desk and pulled out a business card. He wrote his number on it before handing it to Kasey. “Call me tomorrow and we’ll figure out what time I should come over.”
“Cool.” Kasey took the card, hoping Gram didn’t notice his shaking hand. After tucking it in his pocket, he hugged Gram.
Gram wrapped him in a tight hug, planting a gentle kiss on Kasey’s cheek before Gram stepped away.
“Go on. You both need to get some sleep.
“Night.”
Garrett grabbed Kasey’s hand, leading him away. He allowed it, nodding good-bye to familiar members of the club’s staff. He figured Garrett was going to explode. At least his brother waited until they got in the car before he said anything.
“What the hell are you doing?” Garrett flopped back against the seat.
Kasey shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He was stepping outside of his personal boundaries. Kasey had never been reckless enough to risk his career, not even in college. By starting any kind of relationship with Gram, he stood to lose everything he’d worked for.
“You don’t know?” Garrett reached over and slapped the back of his head. “You’ve never been the one who thought with his dick. Why start now?”
He glared at his brother while rubbing his head. “It’s not about the sex.”
Garrett snorted.
“Okay. We had sex and it was great.” He blushed. It’d been fucking fantastic, but he wasn’t going to admit it to his twin. “The thing is, I had decided to ask Gram out after the season was over.”
Garrett gaped at him again. “No fucking way. I thought you weren’t going to date anyone until you were closer to retiring.”
Kasey sighed and stared out the window. “I’m twenty-three, Garrett. My career’s just started. If I stay healthy, I can play ten or eleven more years before I think of retiring.”
“So?” Garrett frowned.
The car pulled to a stop in front of Kasey’s building. He climbed out and made his way to the elevator. The ride up was silent. He was tired, but it was a pleasant exhaustion.
Opening the door, he let Garrett go in first before he shut and locked the door. His brother glanced at him.
Kasey sighed. “Go change and make some eggs. I’m taking a shower. We’ll talk when I get out.”
Garrett nodded, making his way to the guest room he used while visiting. Kasey went to his room, stripped off his clothes and headed for the shower.
He’d soak his muscles for a few minutes before he tried to ease his brother’s worries.
The smell of eggs and bacon greeted Kasey when he stepped into the kitchen. Garrett had the table set. Glasses filled with orange juice and milk sat on the counter. Neither of them drank a lot of caffeine. Kasey rarely had alcohol and Garrett usually stayed away from it as well. Unless his brother was trying to drown his sorrows. Their bodies were their main source of money. They wouldn’t do anything to ruin them.
He grabbed the glasses and joined his twin at the table.
“We’ll talk after we eat,” Garrett suggested.
Kasey didn’t realize how hungry he was until he’d cleared two plates. He pushed the empty dish to the middle of the table, leaned back and groaned.
“You’re a good cook, brother dear.” He winked at Garrett.
“Someone has to be. Rich isn’t interested in cooking. He’d rather be seen at the best restaurants.” His brother frowned.
“I thought you said he didn’t like the tabloids.” Kasey stood, grabbing the orange juice carton and filling their glasses.
“He doesn’t unless they mention him. Rich loves the attention being my partner gives him. And he uses it to his advantage. Men throw themselves at him for a chance to meet me. He’s cheating on me, Kasey.” Garrett stared at his glass.
Kasey didn’t know what to say. He’d never gotten along with Rich. As long as Rich made Garrett happy, Kasey held his tongue. Kasey often thought Rich was more interested in himself than Garrett, but had always pushed those thoughts aside, attributing them to jealousy. The brothers had done everything together until Rich came along during their sophomore year in high school.
He squeezed Garrett’s hand. “I’m sorry.”
“We had a fight before he left. I told him I wouldn’t put up with his cheating. I wanted him to move out.” Garrett shot him a glance.
“You’re welcome to crash here for a while. There’s plenty of room.” Kasey didn’t hesitate to make the offer. He would never turn his brother away.
“You might not want me around now since you’re starting a relationship with Fletcher.” Garrett’s eyes gleamed and Kasey knew his brother wanted to change the subject.
If it made Garrett feel better, they’d talk about Kasey’s love life.
“You’re always away on location and if we want privacy, we can go to his place.” He fiddled with his silverware.
“Are you sure about this, Kasey?”
He knew his brother worried about him, but he wasn’t ready to discuss what might or might not be happening between Gram and him. He wanted to bask in the afterglow of the best sex he’d ever had.
“I don’t know. If I had to make a decision right now, I’d say to hell with everyone and run off with Gram. I like him, Garrett.” He yawned.
His brother pushed him toward his bedroom. “Go to bed. It’s pointless to talk to you when you’re asleep on your feet. We’ll see how you feel in the morning.”
Kasey mumbled a good night and stumbled down the hall.
Chapter Five
Kasey woke with a wince. Frowning, he wondered why his ass was sore. Sleep clouded his mind. His bedroom door slammed against the wall and Garrett strolled in, surprisingly cheerful for it being morning—and his brother wasn’t fond of early day.
Kasey groaned and pulled the blankets over his head. “Go away, Garrett. I’ve only had two hours of sleep.”
“I thought we could have a nice little chat about last night before I leave for the airport.” Garrett sat on Kasey’s bed, cross-legged and grinning.
Peeking over the covers, Kasey saw his brother held two mugs filled with hot chocolate.
“At least you came with a bribe,” he grumbled, easing up to lean against the headboard. He bit back a groan as he reached for one of the mugs.
Garrett laughed, handing the drink over. “Ass hurt?”
“Fuck you.” He shot Garrett the finger. “I know I didn’t drink last night, but I’m a little fuzzy on the details.”
“You must have been tired if you don’t remember getting fucked by Gram Fletcher.” Garrett’s eyes gleamed at him.
“Shit.” He closed his eyes and his exhaustion lifted. He remembered how full he felt while Gram fucked him. He felt Gram’s lips on his.
Opening his eyes, he glared at his twin. “Why the hell didn’t you stop me?”
“Stop you? I’m not getting between two men who want to have sex with each other. It wasn’t like he took you without your consent. You might have been exhausted last night, Kase, but I bet you knew exactly what you were doing.” Garrett squeezed his knee. “The question you have to ask yourself is this—do you wa
nt to see if last night can grow into something more with Gram? Or are you going to chalk it up to a good night and go back to being celibate for the rest of the season?”
He sipped his chocolate, letting the warm liquid spark his mind. “This couldn’t have happened at a worst time.”
“Why? I’ve never thought there’s a wrong time for love.” Garrett fluttered his eyelashes.
“Stop. It’s my second year in the pros. I’m finally establishing a reputation. I can’t be distracted right now. I want to prove I can play with the big boys.” Kasey slammed the mug on his nightstand and climbed out of bed. “Besides, I’m not sure I want to deal with my teammates. You know how some of them would react if they found out I’m gay.”
Garrett looked thoughtful. “You’re right. I’ve never gotten a ‘homophobe’ vibe from your coach though. He seems to be an asshole to everyone.”
His brother was right. Coach didn’t discriminate against anyone. He treated all his players like dirt, but no one complained because his techniques made them winners. Kasey wasn’t worried about him. It was his teammates he worried about. A few of the bigger stars were very vocal about their prejudices and gays were at the top of the list.
“Be careful. They won’t stick with calling names.” Garrett grimaced.
“Have you been harassed by any of them?” He grabbed Garrett’s arm. “Tell me.”
His brother looked away. “There might have been a comment or two, but I just ignore them. You’re going to have to learn how to ignore them as well. I guarantee what your teammates say will be nothing compared to what the fans say.”
Kasey bit his lip. There wasn’t any point in getting protective of his brother. Garrett knew what he’d been getting into when he went public with his sexual preference. Now it didn’t matter who Garrett fucked, as long as it wasn’t one of Hollywood’s beloved straight actors. Garrett had created his own legend.
“What was I thinking? Anyone could have seen us together.” He shot his twin a glare. “Reporters follow you around like you’re the next Messiah leading them to the Promised Land. What if one of them snapped a picture of us?”
“First of all, Gram doesn’t let those types of reporters in. Second of all, I feel compelled to point out that it’s too late for those worries. There’s nothing being reported anywhere. At least that I could find this morning.” Garrett stood, picked up his mug and headed out of the room. “Do you want Gram or not?”
“It’s not that simple.” Kasey climbed out of bed and followed his brother down the hall.
Garrett dumped the chocolate into the sink and rinsed out the mugs, setting them in the dishwasher. He leaned against the counter and started at Kasey. “There’s where you’re wrong. It is as simple as that. Every worry and doubt you have comes down to a single question and answer. Do you want Ingram Fletcher?”
Kasey couldn’t answer. He needed time to think.
“See, you were positive about it last night when we talked, but I figured it was the sex talking. Remember, you asked Gram over for dinner tonight. Think about it today. Don’t start anything with him you’re not willing to see through. Gram doesn’t deserve to be treated like that.” Garrett glanced at his watch. “I have to catch my flight. If you need to talk, call me as long as you don’t care when I call you back. I can’t guarantee when the director will stop shooting for the day.”
Kasey hugged his brother close. “Have a good trip, bro. Call me when you land.”
His condo took on a rather empty feel with his brother gone. He wandered around the living room for a few minutes, then threw on shorts and running shoes. Kasey always did his best thinking while his body was occupied with other activity. A decision had to be made. It could turn out to be the most important one of his life. Was he willing to risk everything—his career, or possibly even his life—to have an affair with someone?
He strapped on his watch and headed out the door. It wouldn’t be as fucking complicated if he loved a woman, even the wrong kind of woman. No one would call him names or try to injure him in some way. He was going to be ridiculed and threatened simply because he chose to have a relationship with another man.
Pounding down the stairs, Kasey burst outside and took off down the sidewalk. Frustration powered his strides. He would have to endure experiences he’d avoided for years. Was he strong enough to deal with the bigots and hatred he would face?
Kasey never believed he had the same amount of courage Garrett had. He always figured his twin was the strong one. Garrett had the wit and intelligence to turn the spiteful words on the speaker and confuse them. Kasey never knew how to react because he’d been hiding the truth and not ready to deal with anyone.
Sex for him had always been a hurried event, even when he was on a trip and knew he was safe. He’d joke with Garrett when his brother talked about how beautiful and how moving sex was. He’d never been moved until last night, though it might have been the fact he hadn’t had sex in a long time.
He turned the corner and headed down toward the local park. Clearing his mind, he focused on his stride. There was no way he could solve the problem in the next hour.
“Heads up, Johnson.”
Kasey looked up in time to catch the basketball hurtling at him. He dribbled, spinning away from a defender and shot. The ball made a perfect arc and hit the rim. It ricocheted off toward Paul Moorhouse, the team’s center.
“Get your head out of your ass, Johnson. That’s the third time you’ve missed that shot,” his coach berated him.
“You tired, Johnson? Have a late night with your boyfriend?” Oscar Festiv jeered at him as the veteran point guard ran past him. Kasey ignored the comments. They weren’t new. Oscar was one of the guys who felt threatened by him because of his talent and youth. Oscar was on the down slope of his own career and knew it was only a matter of time before Kasey took over his spot as star of the team.
He left the court and stood on the sidelines. Paul stood next to him and Eric Bansworth, their star power forward slid into the space on his left side. Kasey kept his focus on the drill Coach was running. Eric jabbed an elbow in his ribs. He took a step to the side, moving away from the shorter man.
“Hey,” Eric whispered, leaning closer to him.
Kasey stayed silent.
“Are you a cocksucker like your pansy-assed brother?”
Venom dripped from those words. He clenched his fists and thought about taking a swing at the man. Fighting among teammates was against the rules. There was no way he’d risk suspension because the guy was an asshole.
“Do you moan like a girl when some guy fucks your ass?”
“Why? You interested in finding out?” Paul replied.
Bansworth wasn’t going to start anything with Paul. Moorhouse was seven feet tall and all solid muscle. Kasey had befriended the center when Moorhouse had been traded from Chicago at the beginning of the season. Paul told him stories of running with a gang in high school until he wised up and realized basketball was the one thing he was good at and the only vehicle he could use to get out of the projects.
Paul nudged Kasey when Eric stammered and swaggered away. “Can’t stand the prick. It’s like playing street ball all over again.”
“I never played it the way you did.” Kasey relaxed his jaw enough to answer his friend.
“Good thing, too. There were a few games where it was life and death. If the wrong team won, someone was dying later that night.” Paul shuddered. “Those were rough times, man.”
Kasey nodded. He couldn’t imagine what it was like. He’d grown up in a small California town where gangs didn’t exist. Tolerance and diversity were vague concepts. Or they had been until Garrett came out. Every townsperson got a crash course on political correctness. For the most part, they didn’t hassle or harass Garrett. They were pretty much “live and let live” as long as he didn’t rub their noses in it. There wouldn’t be any PRIDE parades marching down Main Street any time soon, but no kid was going to be treated badly for his
choices.
“Saw your brother at Liverpool last night,” Paul mentioned as the next set of drills started.
“Yeah, we went there after I got home last night.” Kasey dribbled the ball, switching hands every tenth time. He tried to stay relaxed. Paul didn’t say he’d seen Kasey there, Hopefully his friend hadn’t glimpsed him there.
“Didn’t see Rich. They break up again?”
Kasey didn’t have time to answer. They did wind sprints and practiced rebounding. He managed to focus for the rest of practice and avoided getting chewed out by Coach.
After the coach called it quits for the day, Kasey and Paul hit the weights afterward. They had a two-day break before a three game home stretch.
“They break up?” Paul returned to their previous conversation.
“Guess so and it sounds serious this time. Garrett told Rich to move out. He’s never done that before.”
“Shit.” Paul grunted as he bench pressed the weights.
Kasey spotted him, making sure Paul didn’t hurt himself. “Every time before, Garrett’s come and stayed with me while their tempers cooled off. They’d get back together after a week or so, but things are different this time.”
“I’d never tell your brother this, but I always thought Rich was a gold digger.” Paul replaced the bar in its braces.
“You did?” Kasey traded places with his friend.
“Hey, it don’t matter. Male or female, I know a gold digger when I see one. Have to give Rich credit though.” Paul added twenty pounds to the bar. “He’s got an eye for talent. Got his hooks in Garrett before he was famous.”
Kasey took a breath and lifted. The muscles in his arms strained under the weight. He did three sets of twenty reps each. He felt the burn after the last three. Sitting up, he wiped the sweat off.
“You might be right. I think it has more to do with Garrett’s success than with any planning on Rich’s part.”
“Maybe.” Paul glanced at the clock. “Shit. I have to go. Taking Rhiannon out to dinner. Take care. I’ll catch you tomorrow.”