Next Time I Fall

by Jeff Erno

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Eric took both dogs in his car, and Steve followed in his own, stuffed-to-the brim car. He’d already made the same trip three times in the previous thirty-six hours, but for once was looking forward to arriving at his destination. It was already past seven o’clock in the evening when they pulled into the driveway of Eric’s condo—Steve’s new home.

  “Let’s get something to drink, let the dogs run a bit, and then we can unload your car,” Eric said, leaning over Steve’s open car door.

  “Okay. I was jamming out.”

  “I saw you in my review mirror, singing.” Eric laughed.

  “I don’t know…I just have this really super-excited feeling right here all of a sudden.” He held his hand over his chest. He slid out from behind the steering wheel and stood facing Eric alongside the car. “I think I’ve felt so burdened and depressed the past few days, and all that negativity has vanished.”

  “Good.” Eric leaned close and kissed him.

  “I’m not saying everything’s going to be easy. I don’t think all my doubts and worries will instantly evaporate. But I think what you and I have with each other is stronger than any of that.”

  “I do too.”

  Eric took Steve by the hand and led him inside. They got themselves tall glasses of iced tea and sat out on the porch while the dogs chased each other in the yard. “I hope Felix doesn’t get confused and take off sometime over to my old house.”

  “If he does, I’ll deal with it,” Eric said. “I don’t want you going near that place.”

  “I’m not afraid of Pastor Mathers. To be honest, he isn’t a bad person. He’s done a lot of wonderful things for the people of his congregation. He just sees things from a different perspective—a view I had myself for a really long time.”

  “But he also hurts people, and he hates gay people. He can’t even conceal his hatred.”

  “It’s because he tells himself he’s hating the sin and not the sinner.”

  Eric laughed. “I think he made it pretty clear that he hates me. He said he knew what kind of person I am.”

  “I know what kind of person you are, too.” Steve slid his hand along the inner side of Eric’s thigh. “Let’s not talk about any of that stuff for a while, okay?” He pressed his lips to Eric’s for a kiss.

  When he pulled back, he called for the dogs. “Come on guys!” then grabbed Eric’s hand and pulled him up. “Let’s go inside.”

  Eric didn’t resist but submitted to Steve’s lead, and when Steve guided him to the living room recliner and pushed him back into the seat, Eric smiled. “What’re you doing? What’s this all about?”

  “Shh.”

  Steve slid to his knees between Eric’s legs and looked up at him. “I won’t be as good at this as you are. It’s my first time.”

  “You don’t have to—”

  “Shh. You have no idea how long I’ve fantasized about doing this. I want to, and I’m so glad it’s with you.”

  He unbuttoned Eric’s pants and unzipped the fly. When he pressed his fingers against the fabric of the underwear, he thrilled to the hardness of Eric’s arousal. He was already throbbing. Eric thrust his pelvis forward slightly, allowing Steve to peel his pants and underwear down over his thighs. He pulled them all the way down, then removed Eric’s shoes and tugged off the pants completely.

  He stared for a moment at the erection, his own straining within his underwear. He didn’t touch himself, though, just admired Eric, then leaned forward and kissed it. He took hold of shaft by the base and licked it first like a lollipop. Though he detected the faintness of Eric’s musk, the smooth skin of the erection had no taste. He took the bulbous head into his mouth and slowly descended. He didn’t get far the first time. He had to stop midway to keep from gagging. He pulled back and started over.

  Using his hand at the base of the shaft, he stroked in rhythm with his sucking. Eric responded with moans, and he reached out, touching Steve’s hair and face, holding his shoulders. The way Eric spread his legs wide as his thighs twitched excited Steve. He loved Eric’s responses to his ministrations.

  “Oh yeah. Oh baby…”

  Steve looked up, his lips still wrapped around Eric’s cock. They made eye contact as Steve continued to suck. He bobbed up and down, used one hand to caress Eric’s balls, and stroked the base of the shaft with his other.

  “Ahh…ahhh…I’m so close!”

  Eric pushed against Steve’s shoulders, warning him the eruption was pending. But Steve didn’t want to stop. He wanted to taste Eric as he’d done to him Friday night. When Eric reached his point of no return and his orgasm crested, Steve first felt the pulse of Eric’s cock against his tongue, then the flood of semen into his mouth. He gulped, swallowing quickly, but not too fast to avoid tasting it. Though slightly salty with a mildly bitter, bleachy aftertaste, it wasn’t gross. Immediately after Eric came, Steve kissed his way up his body until he reached Eric’s lips, and they kissed passionately.

  Eric rose from his seat, grabbing Steve by the waist. He thrust him backward a few steps until he landed on the couch. Quickly Eric tore of his clothes, then proceeded to return the favor, so to speak. Though Steve tried to protest, to tell him no, Eric couldn’t be stopped. He dove onto Steve’s cock and sucked him off in a matter of seconds, after which they lay cuddled together on the sofa, totally spent.

  “We have to unload the car still.” Steve sighed.

  Eric shook his head. “Screw it. I’m taking a personal day tomorrow. Just leave it. We’ll get it in the morning. Right now, let’s order some food and relax together.”

  Steve laughed. “I’m a bad influence on you. I’m not even here one day and you’re playing hooky.”

  “You’re a wonderful influence on me. And what you just did…all I can say is wow. That was amazing.”

  “Remind me again why I always believed that was an abomination.”

  “It’s called being brainwashed.”

  “Hm. I thought washing something made it clean. I think that kind of hatred is about as dirty as you can get.”

  “I really do love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Eric loved Steve’s purity and transparency. He didn’t possess a single cell of pretentiousness in his body—well, other than perhaps his affinity for fashion. Eric didn’t see it so much as pretentiousness, though. Steve cared about his appearance. He wanted to look nice, and his extensive wardrobe reflected that. It was a good thing Eric had two spare bedrooms with huge closets. Steve’s car was still full of clothes, stuffed to the brim, and they’d have to get them out in the morning. Having been piled in the backseat and trunk of Steve’s mid-sized car, some of his suits might need to be sent to the cleaners.

  They’d stayed up late eating pizza—with no mushrooms. Eric had offered to order delivery, and pizza was what Steve chose. Steve then selected a movie from Eric’s DVD collection, Steel Magnolias—said it was one of his all-time favorites—and they snuggled together on the couch. Of course, Steve bawled non-stop from the moment Julia Roberts collapsed all the way through the climactic cemetery scene where Sally Field had her meltdown and Olympia Dukakis pushed Shirley MacLaine in front of her. “Here! Hit this! Go ahead and knock her lights out!” They laughed through their tears then cried again at the very end as Darryl Hannah was whisked away to deliver her baby.

  And then they went upstairs and made beautiful, passionate love, finally falling asleep after two in the morning, holding one another. Eric felt as if he’d died and gone to heaven. The way everything had changed so quickly, all within twenty-four hours, seemed surreal.

  He lay half-asleep, mostly-naked, with his arm around Steve, allowing himself to savor the warmth of the younger man’s body. He never wanted the moment to end. He never wanted to wake up completely and face the day—if only they could just lie here together forever.

  Rap! Rap! Rap!

  “Mmm.” Eric moaned and rolled over, glancing at th
e digital clock on the bedside stand.

  When a shrill shriek pealed through the room, Eric’s body jolted upright. Startled, he let out a whoop of his own, and he and Yolanda, his housekeeper, stared at one another for a moment, each not fully registering what they were seeing. Yolanda dropped the laundry she was holding and stepped back.

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Daniels! I’m so sorry!” She rushed out, slamming the door behind her.

  “Oh crap, it’s Monday.” Eric had forgotten his housekeeper was coming. He turned to Steve, who was rubbing his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on. He lay there, completely exposed. He must have kicked off all the covers as he slept, and was sporting a massive hardon. No wonder Yolanda had freaked.

  Eric laughed and pulled the sheet up over his lover. He leaned in and offered a soft kiss to Steve’s lips. Steve made a face, crinkling his brow. “I have morning breath.”

  “I don’t care. I gotta hurry and catch Yolanda before she rushes off.” He leapt out of bed and grabbed his robe. He then stepped into his slippers and scurried toward the door. “Help yourself to the shower…or sleep some more…whatever you want.” He rushed out the door, slamming it behind him. “Yolanda, wait! Wait! I’m sorry.”

  He charged down the stairs and rounded the corner to head into the kitchen where he found her standing with her hand over her chest. She wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Mr. Daniels. So sorry! So Sorry!”

  “Don’t be silly, Yolanda. You have nothing to be sorry for. It’s my fault. I should be apologizing to you.” She seemed on the verge of hyperventilation. “I think you should sit down.” He led her over to the table and pulled out a chair. “Can I get you a drink of water…or juice?”

  “Agua! Agua, por favor!”

  He quickly grabbled a glass from the cupboard and dispensed some ice-cold filtered water from the tap on the outside of the fridge. “Here,” he said. “I forgot you were coming today.”

  She grabbed the water and chugged it, then placed the nearly empty glass on the table in front of her. “I should have known. The car in your drive. The pizza box. The little black doggie.”

  “That’s Felix. He came with Steve—my friend.”

  Yolanda knew and loved Drake, and always walked him when she was there cleaning. She even took him to the basement and kenneled him before vacuuming because he didn’t handle the noise very well.

  “But when I knocked on your bedroom door, and heard no answer, I thought you had gone.”

  “That’s okay. Normally, I would be at work by now, but I’m taking the day off. I’m sorry I startled you.”

  “Your friend…” She picked up the water and finished it off. “He surprised me.”

  “Good morning.”

  Eric spun around to see Steve standing in the threshold. He was wearing one of Eric’s T-shirts and a pair of sleep pants. His bedhead hair made Eric smile, and he stepped over to wrap his arm around Steve’s waist.

  “Yolanda, this is Steve. Steve…Yolanda.” Under his breath he whispered to his lover. “She already got a good look at you.”

  Steve’s cheeks instantly grew bright red. “Oh dear.” He reached up and covered his face with one hand.

  “Steve’s going to be staying here for a while.”

  Felix lumbered in, sniffing at Steve’s pant leg, then sauntered over to Yolanda. She reached down to pet him.

  “I suppose I should take you out,” Steve said.

  “Oh, I already took them out, both of them,” Yolanda said. “I’ve been here about an hour. I didn’t even realize anyone was home. Let me make you both some breakfast.”

  “Oh, no, no, no,” Steve said, raising both hands. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “You need to eat! Look how skinny you are.”

  Eric laughed. “I wouldn’t advise arguing with her.”

  “How about a nice plump breakfast sausage? Salchicha, as we say.”

  Eric cracked up, laughing even harder as Steve hung his head. “And some huevos to go along with it?” Eric asked.

  This time Yolanda laughed, so hard she had to hold her arm over her stomach. “Just two huevos, senor?”

  Steve opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out. He shook his head. “I’m so embarrassed.”

  Eric leaned in and kissed him. “Don’t be. You look so cute when you blush.”

  “I’ve seen it all before,” Yolanda said, waving her hand dismissively. She walked over to Steve and patted his shoulder, then gently guided him back, away from the fridge. She opened the door and began using both hands to pull out food.

  “We better get out of here for a few minutes,” Eric said. “I’ve learned not to mess with Yolanda when she’s cooking.”

  “I can help!” Steve said. “I love to cook.”

  “Good. You can cook us dinner tonight, but right now, let’s let Yolanda work her magic. I need some coffee, and then we can start working on getting you unpacked.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  In the bathroom, on hands and knees, Steve scrubbed the shower. He reached up, with the back of his hand, and wiped sweat from his brow.

  “Mr. Steve, what are you doing?” Yolanda’s shrill voice echoed off the stall walls.

  “Oh, hi.” He rose to his knees and looked up at her. “Cleaning the shower.”

  “That’s my job!”

  “I’m sorry.” He rose to his feet, holding the sponge out, away from his body. “I don’t mean to take your work away from you. I’m just trying to help.”

  “I’ve never known someone to do this.” She shook her head. “In all my days…”

  “I’ll tell Eric to pay you for extra time. I’m sorry!”

  She waved her hand and spun around, exiting the bathroom. Dang it! He didn’t mean to offend her. Steve really was trying to help. He turned back to the shower and removed the detachable shower head, then rinsed out the base of the shower which he had just scrubbed. He then used one of his towels from his earlier shower to wipe it spotless.

  He and Eric had already transferred all of his clothes from the car to the closet in one of the spare bedrooms. They’d left a few of his suits out on the bed to take to the cleaners, the ones that looked like they might have gotten wrinkled in the car.

  It just felt awkward to him to not help with the cleaning when someone else was in the house working. He couldn’t just sit around while Yolanda worked. He would feel like a heel and a slacker. On the other hand, he did not want to upset or insult her by doing her job.

  Eric appeared in the bathroom doorway. “Honey, you don’t have to do that.” He nodded toward the towel Steve held in his hand.

  “I can’t just sit around while Yolanda works her butt off. What kind of person would that make me?”

  “An employer?” Eric laughed.

  Steve rolled his eyes. “I’m not her employer. You are. And please pay her a little extra for the work I stole from her. I’ll pay you back.”

  Eric stepped closer and grabbed Steve by the waist, pulling him in for a kiss. “You’ll do no such thing, and of course I’ll compensate her. Why don’t you and I take your suits to the cleaner? Then we can stop at the grocery store and get stuff for supper…that you can cook. Okay?”

  “I haven’t even started looking for a job yet.”

  “You’ve been here less than a day.” Eric laughed.

  Steve sighed. “I’m going to start by looking on the Internet, maybe applying through some placement services. I might be able to find something in the non-profit field where my degree would apply.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  “And I want to look for a church. I might not ever be a pastor again, but I still can be involved.”

  “Which could lead to something. You never know. Maybe there’s a church out there that’s gay-affirming and looking for a pastor or youth director or whatever. You don’t have to go back to working in retail, ya know.”

  “Well, I could take a retail job and go back to school for a more practical degree. But I�
�d have to take out loans and rack up debt.” He sighed.

  “You’re putting too much pressure on yourself.” Eric wrapped his arms around him and rubbed Steve’s back. “Let’s not try to do everything all at once. How about we just enjoy being together and stop worrying? And I have to ask you something.”

  “Okay.”

  “Will you go out with me this weekend? I was going to take Kathleen as my guest to a friend’s wedding, but she’s going out of town—Barbados or the Cayman Islands or somewhere. Anyway, it’s a gay wedding.”

  “Really?” Steve smiled. “I’ve always wanted to go to a gay wedding. They weren’t allowed in our church.” He laughed.

  “Maybe someday soon you’ll be officiating some of them.”

  Steve’s eyes lit up. “Oh…wow!”

  “What?”

  “Do you think…?”

  “What?”

  Something just dawned on Steve. “I’m still an ordained minister. Even if the local church kicks me out, it doesn’t strip me of my ordination with the denomination. I received that at Bible college. I can legally marry people.”

  “Are you thinking of…?”

  “Of possibly offering my services as an officiant. Now that same-sex marriage is legal, there’s probably a demand.”

  Eric smiled. “We should research it, You could start your own non-profit business. That’s something I could help you with.”

  “Or just find a church to associate myself with. I want to start researching it online.”

  Eric took his hand and led him out of the bathroom into the bedroom. “First we’ll do our errands. Then if you want to come with me to take Kathleen to the airport, you can, or you can stay here and do your research.”

  “Hm.” Steve thought about it. “I do want to meet your friend. You talk about her so much.”

  “Ok. So come with us, and then we’ll do dinner and then research.”

  Steve reached up and pressed both palms against Eric’s chest, forcing him back against the bed. They tumbled together onto the mattress, and Steve slid atop his lover, showering him with kisses. “You’re very bossy,” he whispered.