by Avery Ford
“Quip wanted me to hook up with someone tonight,” Arthur murmured. Dmitri took that as his cue to direct him to the car. “I think he thinks I’m lonely.”
“Are you?”
“… Yes.”
Dmitri pulled open the passenger side door. He guided Arthur down into the seat, made sure his legs and arms were inside the vehicle, then closed the door. Arthur let his head roll back on the headrest, and Dmitri was convinced he would fall asleep. That illusion ended the second Dmitri sank into the driver’s seat. Arthur perked up, his hand sliding along Dmitri’s thigh.
“Arthur,” Dmitri said unevenly. His resolve was wearing thin. The more Arthur touched him, the harder it was to remember he was too drunk to advocate for himself. “Come on, now.”
“Come where?” Arthur asked, his voice dipped low in a clumsy attempt at seduction.
Clumsy or not, it worked. Dmitri’s cock pulsed. He squeezed his eyes shut to try to do away with the temptation, then clutched the wheel with both hands and shifted out of park.
“Don’t you need to know where I live?” Arthur asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Dmitri barely kept his voice from shaking. “Because you’re not going home tonight,” he said. “You’re coming home with me.”
20
Arthur
Arthur didn’t get to take in much of Dmitri’s house. He didn’t care to. As soon as they were through the front door, he locked his arms around Dmitri’s neck and drew him into a crushing kiss.
Dmitri kissed back. His arms circled Arthur’s hips to hold him close.
It wasn’t fair how hot he was. It wasn’t fair that a man he’d despised so thoroughly was now the only one he wanted to kiss. The injustice of it compressed in Arthur’s chest and left him uncomfortable even as his soul sang from Dmitri’s touch.
It felt like fireworks when Dmitri touched him, each point at which their skin met an explosion that reverberated deep inside of him. Arthur never wanted to be without it again.
He moaned against Dmitri’s mouth, and when he did, Dmitri’s arms tightened. He guided Arthur down the hall, stumbling and blindly navigating, before Arthur felt something hit the back of his thigh.
A couch.
They sank down onto it together, their kiss so searing that Arthur’s toes curled. He was left breathless.
Once he was horizontal, Dmitri drew back. Arthur’s arms loosened, letting him part. Dmitri sat up.
“What are you doing?” Arthur asked.
“You’re going to sleep on the couch,” Dmitri said. His voice was husky, gritty like a piece of wood sawed against the grain. “I can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what?” Arthur asked. He was too tired to draw Dmitri back onto him, and a little too foggy brained to be sad that Dmitri was rejecting him. “Is it me?”
“You’re drunk, Arthur. I can’t take advantage of you.”
“I will sign a waiver saying you by no means are taking advantage of me,” Arthur said enthusiastically. He didn’t want Dmitri to go. “I just… don’t go.”
“I’m going to be upstairs,” Dmitri told him. “It’s not all that far. All you need to do is relax here and sober up, okay? Help yourself to any water you want.”
“No.” Tears dotted the corners of Arthur’s eyes. “Don’t go.”
“I’m sorry,” Dmitri murmured. He pressed one last, sweet kiss to Arthur’s lips, and Arthur tried his best to turn that kiss red hot. Dmitri didn’t fall for it. “You’re going to appreciate it tomorrow morning, I swear.”
So that was it? Arthur blinked the tears away.
“I want you,” Arthur said.
“You can want me later.” Dmitri got up from the couch. “Good night, Arthur. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Arthur watched, stunned, as Dmitri made his way through the dark room and up the set of stairs by the door. He waited another few minutes to give Dmitri time to change his mind, hoping that he’d come back and pick up where they’d left off.
He didn’t.
Arthur fell asleep still clinging to the hope that Dmitri would come to his senses. His dreams were heated, but by the next morning, he didn’t remember the naughty things he’d imagined Dmitri’s tongue would do, or how he’d cried Dmitri’s name as dream-Dmitri made him come over and over again.
Bacon.
Arthur opened his eyes and lifted his head. He had a dull, throbbing headache, and the light streaming in through the living room windows didn’t help.
Bacon?
Who was cooking bacon?
As his eyes adjusted to the light and he breathed in the bacon smell, Arthur started to piece together what had happened the night before. He’d called Harry from the party, and Dmitri had come to pick him up. He’d made a fool of himself and come onto Dmitri desperately. Dmitri had taken him home and teased him with a searing kiss before coming to his senses and pulling away.
Arthur covered his eyes with his hands and groaned. God, had he been insufferable. If Dmitri hadn’t had the strength to stop and walk away, Arthur would have—
“Good morning.” Dmitri’s voice carried from across the room. Arthur rolled over and looked over the arm of the couch, spotting him in the doorway. He had a pair of scissor tongs in his hand. “You’re not vegetarian, are you?”
“No.” Arthur paused. “But I’m lactose intolerant.”
“Shit. Don’t eat the toast then.” Dmitri leaned against the doorframe like talking to Arthur after a fumbled night of almost-sex was normal. “Do you eat peanut butter?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want peanut butter toast then?”
Arthur didn’t know what to make of Dmitri’s cool, collected exterior. He nodded.
“Good. I went out early this morning and got you some Gatorade for your inevitable headache. Do you want that now?”
“Yes.” Arthur’s mouth was dry and papery, and he wanted something to drink in the worst way. “Um, do you want me to get it?”
“Nah. I’m fine.” Dmitri disappeared back into the kitchen. Arthur heard the sound of a cabinet opening and the clink of ice cubes in a glass. He heard the plastic snap of a seal breaking, and then the sound of Dmitri’s footsteps as he made his way back toward the living room.
Dmitri put a glass of pale blue liquid on the coffee table within arm’s reach of Arthur, and Arthur observed it for a stunned second while his hungover mind tried to process what was going on.
Was Dmitri trying to take care of him?
“I’m going to turn the heat off on the bacon. We’re waiting on some coffee. While we’re waiting, do you want to have a tour of the kennels?” Dmitri asked.
“Are they nearby?”
“They’re actually built right next door.” Dmitri pointed. “We’re unincorporated property here, so the zoning allowed us to build the kennel close to home.”
“We?” Arthur sat up slowly. It felt like his head was going to split in two.
“Ah.” Sorrow glimmered in Dmitri’s eyes, but as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. “My mom was the one who built the kennels. I helped her all the way up until she died, and took over from her once she’d passed on.”
“Oh.” Arthur hesitated. “I’m sorry. That must not have been easy.”
“It was a while ago. It’s not so bad now.”
Arthur didn’t believe what Dmitri said was true, but he kept his opinion to himself. He reached for his Gatorade and took a sip. The chilled liquid swept across his tongue. Arthur felt it sink all the way down his throat and into his chest.
“I think I’m good to go now,” Arthur said. “I want to see. My head feels like it’s about to explode, but if there’s a chance I get to pet dogs, I’m not going to pass it up.”
Dmitri snorted. “Yeah, they’ll flock to you for attention, I’m sure.”
Arthur followed him from the living room into the kitchen. Dmitri flicked the burner off, then opened a back door. It let out into a forested backyard that r
eminded Arthur of the grounds Locust Hill Animal Shelter owned.
To the right, he saw a wooden privacy fence. It enclosed a large portion of ground, and was attached directly to the back of a drab looking bungalow. The building was almost too small to be considered a house.
“This is it?” Arthur asked. He squinted against the sunlight. It had to be nearing noon.
“This is it.” There was a side door, and Dmitri led him straight to it. Dmitri inserted a key into the lock and pulled the door open. He led Arthur inside.
The kennel was short on floorspace, but the enclosures were huge. Arthur counted five dogs, and each of them had a space large enough for a massive dog bed with plenty of room leftover to move around. Once the door was closed, Dmitri started to let the dogs out one by one.
“They’re pretty,” Arthur said. “What kind of dogs did you say they were?”
“Belgian Malinois,” Dmitri replied. “Some people mistake them for German Shepherds, but they’re their own distinct category.”
“I’ve never heard of them before.” One of the dogs made his way over and nudged against Arthur’s side. Arthur stroked his head.
“They’re the dogs the White House uses for security,” Dmitri explained. “They can be trained to be terrific guard dogs, but they’re also loyal and loving pets.”
Arthur knelt down so he was on the same level as the dog loving on him. The rest of the dogs remained in their kennels, likely waiting for Dmitri to release them.
“What’s this guy’s story?” Arthur asked.
Dmitri laughed. “That’s Poindexter. He’s… a little special compared to the other dogs, but he’s got the biggest heart I’ve ever seen.”
“He’s cute.” Arthur ran his hands down Poindexter’s neck, favoring the feel of his fur. It was a little coarse, but it was sleek. “I bet he’s a good boy.”
“Wait until you meet the others,” Dmitri said warmly. “Free.”
All at once, the remaining four dogs left their kennels and swarmed Arthur. Despite his splitting headache, Arthur laughed. Cold, wet noses prodded at the back of his neck. One of the dogs nudged his thigh. Another sat by his side, tail thumping.
“And you raised all of them?” Arthur asked.
“From puppies. They grow up fast. I have a small waiting list of interested clients looking to buy them when they’re ready for sale in the next few weeks.”
“That’s so sad.” Arthur reached out and rubbed another dog behind the ear. “Doesn’t it hurt to say goodbye?”
“It always does, but knowing that they’re going to a good home makes it easier.”
“Yeah…” Arthur sat on the floor. Two of the dogs immediately curled up beside him and rested their chins on his thighs. “I guess so.”
“The bitch with her head on your right thigh?” Dmitri pointed her out. “That’s Annie. She’s going to give birth to puppies in the next week or so, and the process will repeat all over again. I don’t have time to be sad when I’ve got new dogs to raise.”
“Oh.” Arthur scratched Annie behind the ear, and she looked up at him with pretty brown eyes. Dogs didn’t look pregnant in the way he was used to. Annie looked a little puffy, but if Dmitri hadn’t said something, he wouldn’t have known.
“I’ve got some work to do this morning for a client,” Dmitri said. “You’re welcome to stick around if you want, but if not, I’ll drive you home.”
Arthur didn’t need to think twice about it. “I don’t mind sticking around.”
“Then why don’t we head back to the house?” Dmitri asked. “We can bring the dogs, if you want.”
“Yes.” Arthur carefully stood. Annie mimicked his actions. “I’d like that.”
For a little while, in the unlikeliest of places, Arthur truly felt at home.
21
Dmitri
Dmitri had only been half truthful when he’d asked Arthur if he’d wanted a ride home. The fact was, he did have work to do — maybe half an hour’s worth — but the real reason he’d asked Arthur if he wanted to go home was because Arthur was still under his skin.
Cheeks pink, hair messy, eyes subdued and downy with affection, he was turning Dmitri on without even being provocative. After the kiss last night, Dmitri’s attraction to him had blown up.
Dmitri needed space to clear his head and get this thoughts in order, and he’d expected Arthur to want to leave. But Arthur didn’t. And in a small way, Dmitri was flattered.
He didn’t know what Arthur remembered or what he didn’t. Holding back from going all the way with him had taken Herculean effort, but Dmitri was glad that he’d persevered. To do something like that to Arthur wasn’t right, even if the kiss they’d shared still rattled him to his core.
If they decided to do anything more, Dmitri wanted Arthur to be in his right state of mind.
Dmitri’s office was on the ground floor, in a small room coming off the living room. Arthur was spread across the living room couch, watching television at a low volume while Poindexter laid on top of him. Jagger, Voss, and Lily had gone back into their kennels. Annie lay curled at Dmitri’s feet, sleeping.
There was a kind of bliss in this, Dmitri realized. A delight that he usually overlooked. To know there was another soul in his house, even if that soul wasn’t committed to him, eased the loneliness that had been building his whole life long. Every now and then, he’d hear the frame of the couch creak as Arthur changed position, or a muted laugh from Arthur at whatever was on the television.
The house wasn’t silent anymore. Dmitri hadn’t realized how much it bothered him until Arthur had shown him what it meant to have company.
Dmitri dreaded what the house would feel like after Arthur left.
The last few lines of code were complete. Dmitri looked them over and previewed his work on a few different browsers to make sure nothing was broken. When he was sure that there wasn’t anything he needed to fix, he sent the work off and charged his client what he was owed. For a while after that, he sat in his computer chair and listened to Arthur in the other room.
“Poindexter!” Arthur’s voice barely made it into the room. “Ouch. You have pointy elbows and you’re digging that one directly into my ribs.”
Dmitri held back a snorted laugh.
That sounds like my Poindexter.
“There you go,” Arthur praised. “Much better. You need to watch where you stick those elbows, boy. They should be categorized as lethal weapons.”
“Wait until he feels how sharp your elbows can be, right, Annie?”
There was no thump of a tail or movement of any kind from the bitch at Dmitri’s feet. He looked down, expecting to find that she’d wandered off without him noticing, but Annie was still there. She was curled into a tight ball. That in itself wasn’t alarming, but Dmitri saw how she shook and twitched.
Something was wrong.
“Annie?” Dmitri asked. He’d had epileptic dogs before, but the symptoms weren’t matching up. “Hey, Annie?”
Annie was awake. Dmitri reached down to touch her, running his hand along her snout and nose, to find that it was blisteringly hot. Annie whimpered low in a way that made Dmitri’s heart break.
She was in pain.
“Arthur!” Dmitri called from the office, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. “Arthur, you need to get Poindexter back in his kennel.”
“What’s the matter?” Arthur asked. He appeared in the doorway, frowning. Poindexter was at his side.
“It’s Annie. Something’s wrong.” Dmitri was already five steps ahead of the moment. They’d need to get her to the vet. The puppies she was carrying were in trouble, and if they didn’t find a way to stop whatever was going on…
“What do you need me to do?” Arthur asked. “What can I do to help?”
“Put Poindexter away. That’s all.”
“Are you going to the vet?” Arthur asked.
There was no doubt in Dmitri’s mind that he needed to. His dogs didn’t get sick like this. It
wasn’t like them. “Yes. I’m worried about the puppies.”
“Then I’ll come with you.” Arthur set a hand on Poindexter’s neck. “You get her into the car. I’ll put Poindexter away and meet you out there.”
Dmitri met Arthur’s eye, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. In his eyes, Dmitri read that Arthur was going to stay until things were okay. He wasn’t going to leave Dmitri alone.
For now, even if it was only for now, they were in this together.
Dmitri was grateful in ways he couldn’t hope to express, and he hoped that Arthur saw that in the same way that Dmitri saw that Arthur was there for him.
The drive was tense. Annie lay curled in the back seat. She’d started to lick at her stomach, the sound of her tongue lapping at her fur the only noise in the vehicle. It made Dmitri itch with discomfort. Annie was a terrific dog, and if something were to happen to her, he didn’t know what he’d do.
Rollins Veterinary Clinic was top notch. Dmitri had never had a problem with them before, and he hoped against hope that he wouldn’t develop a problem with them now. No one wanted to deal with an emergency, but Dmitri knew dogs, and he knew that there was something seriously wrong with Annie.
When they arrived, Arthur stood by the front door while Dmitri carried Annie from the car. Arthur held the door open, and Dmitri passed through and headed right for the front desk. The receptionist, Heather, was a familiar face, and her eyes widened when she saw him.
“Dmitri?”
“I need to see Dr. Gayle immediately,” Dmitri said. “Annie is a week from her due date, and something’s wrong.”
“There’s an empty examination room. Bring her over.” Heather jumped up from behind the desk and led Dmitri immediately into the back. She opened a door and let him into the examination room. Arthur followed them. “I’ll notify Dr. Gayle right away. He shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.”
Dmitri nodded. He set Annie on the table. He knew that his nervous energy was going to scare her, but he couldn’t get a grip on his emotions. After last night, Dmitri was emotionally vulnerable. The thought of losing Annie spooked him like nothing had in a long time.