by G. A. Hauser
“Don’t you ever think of me that way?”
Gavin had to tread lightly. The last thing he wanted to do was insult her and have her storm out. Though he did not think of her sexually, he lied. “Sometimes. You’re the most beautiful woman I know. But I would never do anything to jeopardize our friendship.”
It seemed to appease her. She snuggled back where she was on his chest. “Text him.”
“I don’t think it’s right.” He rested the phone on his leg.
“What would you say if you were me?” She held the phone like a toy car, and ‘drove’ it from his knee to his crotch and back.
“I don’t know.” Her actions began to distract him.
She drove the phone up over his crotch and said, “Speed bump.”
“Funny. Now stop.”
“I’ve never seen you naked.” She stared at his bulge.
“You just got laid. Why are you imagining me nude?”
“Oh, God, my brother’s friend isn’t anything like you.” She waved her hand in a gesture that confirmed her words.
“Then why did you sleep with him?”
“Because I can.”
“Trina…” he chided. “What would Toby say if he knew you did that?”
“I don’t think he cares. How do I know he’s not sleeping with someone? Maybe like you said, he has a girlfriend in Corvallis.”
“Okay. Text him, ‘do you have a girlfriend in Oregon?’”
“No! What if he does?” Trina sat up.
“Don’t you want to know?”
“Do I? Do I want to know he’s committed to some blonde bimbo?”
“I would.” I do want to know. He went for the phone. Now she was playing coy, holding it out of his reach.
“You can’t ask that. I don’t want to know.”
“Come on. Let me text him.”
Trina laughed and curled up in a ball, protecting the phone. He tickled her and she groaned loudly. “Not fair!” she said,
“I’m too full!”
Gavin let up and leaned on the back of the sofa, smiling.
“Why aren’t you a guy?”
“Oh, Gavie. Wouldn’t it be perfect? We get along so well.”
She caressed his jaw, running the tips of her nails lightly over it.
“Yeah. Grow a dick, will ya?”
Her smile faded and a strange look of melancholy replaced it. The wheels were turning in her head. He could tell. “Don’t. There’s no sense torturing ourselves. You and I are best friends. Trina, I’m good with that.”
The mask of aloofness returned and she sat up straight. “I’ll probably move to Hawaii anyway.” She stood, fixing her blouse.
“I would if I had the opportunity. Can you imagine being a lineman in Maui? It beats Rain City any day.”
She picked up her purse and put her phone in it.
“You sure you don’t want the pie?” He pointed to the fridge.
“No. Bring it to work. If I do, Brook and I will end up eating it.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Gavin pocketed his key, opened the door to his condo and allowed her to pass. They were both tired and quiet. He accompanied her to her car, waiting for a gap in the traffic to open the door of her Camry for her. She climbed behind the wheel and met his eyes.
“Don’t be sad, Trina.” He caressed her milky white cheek.
“I’m not sad. It’s just been a long day.” She started the car, rolling down the window so he could shut the door.
He leaned down so they could talk without shouting over the cars moving along Phinney Avenue. “You know I adore you.”
“I know, Gavie.” She gave him a smile but he could tell she was upset.
“Kiss goodbye?” He pointed to his cheek.
She cupped his face and kissed him on the lips. He made a noise in surprise and gently leaned back.
“You have lipstick on now.” She giggled. “Bye.”
“Bye.” He wiped at his mouth absently as she drove off, making his way back to the lobby door. As he put his key in the lock, he got a very odd feeling in his gut. Trina has always had a boyfriend. Ever since he had known her, she overlapped men so she never was alone.
This was the first time she hadn’t snagged an aggressive suitor. Never before had Trina been so overt in her attraction for him. She had teased him, flirted innocently, and joked about him being straight so she could play with him, but now? A kiss on the lips?
Trina Yamagachi, I have to find you a man.
Chapter 9
Friday came and went, and Gavin was glad for the weekend off. He was on-call at work, but with overtime at Seattle Power Source, he could say no if he don’t want to go. The money was great, but he felt extremely fatigued. For two days the journeymen had made him climb poles manually and did not allow him to use the bucket truck. Though he was upset about it, he shut his mouth. They evaluated him. He was still a trainee. The treat of the sweet potato pie was eaten and enjoyed by his crew, but it didn’t buy him any favors. He didn’t think it would. As he drove home his thoughts turned to Trina. With the strange kiss yesterday, Gavin wondered if they should cool it, not see each other every day. The minute Trina found herself a real steady boyfriend, his time with her would be limited to a phone call a night.
Trina liked to bounce her interactions with her boyfriendslash-fiancés against him. ‘What do you think he meant by this?’
or ‘What should I do if he asks me to marry him?’ He didn’t mind. It made him feel needed. Ironically, she never listened to his advice, but that didn’t stop her from asking him twenty questions about what the male point of view was for every comment or reaction from her men.
He pulled his car close to the gate and depressed the remote button, waiting for it to open. As he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, he leaned closer to the windshield and had a look at the third floor balcony. It was empty. Putting the transmission into gear, he drove down the slight slope to his assigned spot and parked, shutting off the car. While the engine cooled and made ticking noises, Gavin sat still, thinking.
Timing in life was everything.
And his timing presently sucked.
If he had met Toby first, he could have easily found out if he was gay and available. Now that Trina had met him and started a relationship, Gavin was stuck.
If he were to place this decision on a scale—try to date Toby
‘if’ he is gay, or lose Trina if he did date him—there was no decision. He would not jeopardize his relationship with his best friend for a remote possibility of a date or two . Right? Isn’t that sensible? But what if Toby is the one?
Exhaling loudly at his dumb luck, Gavin grabbed his empty lunch bag and thermos, getting out of the low slung car. He shut the car door and straightened his back, seeing Toby exit the lobby door, smiling at him, looking like a model out of an International Male catalog.
Gavin’s heart stopped.
“So. We meet again.” Toby didn’t hesitate as he closed the gap between them.
Black, curve-hugging spandex bike shorts and a blue and white cycling jersey clung to Toby’s body like a second skin. Immediately Gavin’s gaze was drawn to the bulge between his legs. It wasn’t until Toby was right next to him that he met his smoldering brown eyes.
Toby tapped Gavin’s chest, saying, “Seattle Power Source?
Yeah? You fix power lines?”
As if just coming out of a daydream from the sight of Toby’s unbelievably toned legs, narrow waist and large package, Gavin felt as if he was drunk. “Yeah. I’m a hot primary apprentice.”
“I’ll say.” Toby smiled. “But, uh, what does that mean?”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m a lineman. Power lineman. Apprentice lineman. I fix things.” I’m an idiot.
“You work on high power electrical lines?” Toby’s eyes widened as if he were impressed.
“Yes.” Gavin shifted his weight side to side, feeling nervous.
“Wow.” Toby took another look at Gavin’s body. It was so sult
ry it made Gavin’s throat dry up when he tried to swallow.
“You…uh…going riding?” Gavin pointed to Toby’s outfit, but ended up gesturing to Toby’s crotch.
“Yes. Would you ever consider a bike ride?”
“I should. But the work is so physical.” Gavin put his lunchbox and thermos on the car. “I do go to the gym a few times a week.”
“I’m a pencil pusher, or should I say, computer keyboard tapper.” Toby smiled, showing perfect teeth. “I need to make an effort to keep fit.” Toby’s attention moved to Gavin’s car. He smoothed his hand over the silver paint. “She’s a beauty. Did you restore it?”
“No. Just took great care of it.”
“Did you buy it new?”
“No. My dad did.” Gavin cleared his throat. He should be thinking about Trina, but at the moment he was thinking about how amazing Toby’s balls looked in black spandex.
“Yes. Duh.” Toby hit his forehead with the heel of his palm in a cliché gesture of sounding stupid. “If you bought it new you’d have to be in your mid to late forties.” Toby gave Gavin another once over. “And you’re not in your forties.”
“If we used that logic, you’d be in your sixties.”
“Sorry. I’m not usually this dumb.” Toby appeared to become distracted by Gavin’s biceps. He smoothed his hand over it and asked, “How much can you bench press?”
At the touch Gavin nearly swooned. His cock throbbed and he looked at Toby’s crotch out of reflex to see if he was interested as well. “Um…bench press? Uh…” Gavin watched the nicely shaped bulge in Toby’s pants grow larger. He had to shake himself out of his daydream and stop staring as the outline of Toby’s cock became visible.
“It wasn’t a trick question.” Toby laughed.
On the tip of Gavin’s tongue was Trina. Asking Toby about knowing Trina. But it didn’t materialize. Selfishly Gavin didn’t want to change the subject and didn’t it sound stakerish if he knew anything about Toby’s personal life? “Nearly three hundred pounds.”
“No!” Toby appeared suitably impressed.
“One time.” Gavin held up his index finger. “But I don’t work out that heavy.”
Toby ran his fingers across Gavin’s chest. “You have amazing pecs.”
Gay. No question whatsoever. What are you doing with my Trina? Bi? No. Oh no, not bi. Gavin didn’t even want to speculate what Toby’s motivation was with leading Trina on. If he was. Maybe Toby wanted to be friends with Trina, like he was.
“Are you out?” It seemed like a safe question for Gavin to ask. Now that Toby had made the advance and touched him rather intimately. Not to mention his raging hard-on—over six inches and cut, if Gavin had to guess. And he had to. Gavin could see the distinct outline under the material and the urge to stroke his hand over it, the way Toby had done to his chest, was nearly irresistible.
“Yes.”
That puzzled Gavin. Toby wasn’t ‘out’ to Trina. “Out to everyone?”
“Yes. Why? Should I not be?” Toby crossed his arms, a defensive pose. “Am I embarrassing you?”
“No. I just…” Gavin kept hitting a wall in how to handle a very sticky situation. Why would Toby lie?
“I take it you’re not?”
“No. Not at work. All my friends know.”
“Ah, macho linemen? Really? I never would have guessed in this town.”
“Not like Corvallis, huh.”
The look on Toby’s face changed.
Gavin realizes his faux pas. Toby had told him he was from Oregon but not Corvallis.
As if trying to determine if he had told him, Toby asked, “Did I tell you that?”
Lying, Gavin said, “Yes. The other day by my deck.”
Toby tilted his head as he thought about it. “Oh. I can’t remember anything anymore.” He let it go and his smile returned. “Are you dating anyone?”
“Not at the moment. Are you?” Gavin enunciated his words. Toby echoed his comment, but in a more seductive tone, “Not at the moment.” He straightened the collar of Gavin’s shirt totally on a pretext of touching him. “Hot lineman.” He purred. Gavin wasn’t prepared for the advance. He had no time to think things through.
Toby backed off. “Am I being too forward?”
“I’m not sure.” Gavin was battling his desire. Here it was. Sex. A potential partner. End of best friend Trina. Toby appeared perplexed again. “Not sure.” He laughed nervously. “I guess I should go and ride. My luck if I don’t, I’ll catch the rain and get soaked.”
Gavin didn’t want him to go. He took a few steps closer to Toby as Toby backed up slowly. Again Gavin’s gaze was drawn to Toby’s crotch. The urge to cup his hand over it was intense.
“No. Don’t walk away.”
“You’re giving me mixed signals. I’m sorry if I’m reading them wrong.”
“You’re not reading them wrong.” The battle inside Gavin was fierce. He didn’t meet many men he was completely smitten by. Toby seemed so amazing. Gavin understood what Trina saw in him, why she was so attracted to Toby. “So, you’re completely gay. Not bi.”
Toby shook his head, laughing in confusion. “Did I have a conversation with you that I don’t recall?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t remember telling you I was from Corvallis. I thought I just said Oregon. And now you think I’m bi? Why?”
Gavin bit his lip as he thought things over in a split second. Then, he just said, “Trina.”
The shock on Toby’s face was instant. It was as if Toby didn’t know how to respond. First he looked surprised, then suspicious, then downright annoyed. “What the fuck is going on?”
“Trina and I are friends.”
Toby put space between them and did not look happy. “I’m going to go ride.” He thumbed over his shoulder at his garage.
“Toby, wait.”
He did not wait. He walked to the far end of the parking area and used his key to open the garage door. Gavin stood still, struggling with what had happened and how to interpret it. He wasn’t getting anywhere with either.
Wearing a blue and white racing helmet that matched his shirt, Toby emerged from the garage riding a white street bike with the brand ‘Cavallo’ in bold letters on the frame. He used a remote to open the gate, and didn’t look back as he left the under-building lot. Gavin picked up his lunch bag and thermos and headed inside the building. His stomach felt like he’d swallowed an ice pick. He was sick and nauseated. And of course, what was he supposed to tell Trina?
If Toby told her first, he’d be dead.
He opened his condo door and said, “I already am dead.”
~
He showered and changed into a pair of faded jeans and a threadbare t-shirt with a silkscreen of Jim Morrison on it, which he had cut the sleeves off of years ago. His nerves were shot. He didn’t want the phone to ring because he knew it would be Trina. Since his stomach was in a knot, he grabbed a beer and hung out on his deck—yes, waiting to see Toby when he rode back to the condo.
The sky appeared foreboding with a line of black clouds looming against what was left of a clear evening. Toby was right. He would probably be racing against the coming rain. Gavin had to decide what to do. He had to tell Trina. Not telling her was worse, wasn’t it?
He drank more beer and heard his phone ring. “Well, here goes nothing.” Pushing the sliding door back, Gavin picked up his cordless phone from the kitchen and said, “Hi.”
“Hi, Gavie. Well, no calls, no texts, nothing.”
He returned to the deck, keeping a close watch on the main street for Toby. But of course, the man on the bicycle could come from behind the condo and he’d never see him. “Trina, I have something to tell you.”
“You sound so serious.”
“Toby lives in my building.”
Silence followed.
“Trina?”
“How…how do you know? I don’t understand.”
“I was in my parking area under the condo and
we had a conversation.”
“About me?”
“Not at first. But, yes. I told him I knew you.”
“What did he say? Did he say he liked me? Gavie, this is so cool! You can have the inside scoop now. And when I go to visit you, I can see him.”
Gavin sank inside. “Trina…I think he’s gay.”
She made a choking laugh of sarcasm. “That’s not funny, Gavin. He is not gay.”
There was no going back now. Gavin was in trouble and had no idea what to say to not make Trina angry with him.
“You’re just saying that to get back at me.”
“Get back at you for what?” Gavin felt a drop of rain and looked up at the threatening clouds.
“For…I don’t know. For being happy I found a new boyfriend?”
“You’re being silly. Why would I be upset with you? I always support you.”
“You obviously have your eye on my boyfriend. Don’t you dare talk to him again!”
“Trina, calm down. Okay? Can you calm down?”
“I can’t believe you would try to steal my boyfriend. He’s not gay, Gavin, so don’t try to turn him into one.”
“Turn him?” His blood began to boil. “Did you really just say that to me?”
“Now I know why he isn’t calling me! How long have you two been friends? Huh? How long has this been going on behind my back?”
“Trina, please calm down. I am not doing anything behind your back. I just—” He heard the line go dead. “Hello?” He disconnected the call and sighed. The rain increased in intensity until it was a blinding sheet. Gavin folded up his little lawn chair and rested it against the glass of the sliding door. Just as he was about to go inside, he spotted Toby racing towards the condo, speeding by and moving towards the underground gate. Gavin entered his unit, sealing out the wet weather. He set his beer bottle and the phone down, taking a towel out of the bathroom.
~
Toby coasted his bicycle down the slight ramp and rolled to a stop next to his garage. He hit the remote and waited, wiping his face off on his shoulder because he was dripping wet. He walked the bike next to his Corvette, and used a rag to dry it off. Once he leaned the bike against the wall, he placed his helmet on a shelf and ran his hand through his wet hair. As he spun around with the intention of leaving the garage, he noticed someone standing at the open door. Gavin was there, holding a towel. Toby melted at the sight. “You didn’t have to do that.”