2016 Top Ten Gay Romance

by Snyder, J. M. ; Black, Becky; Creech, T. A.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here earlier, Tabitha. I had a work thing where I had to make an appearance.” Tabitha headed up this branch of the program. I’d been volunteering here for years, and it meant a lot to me to spend time taking care of the elderly and others in desperate need of assistance.

  She gave me a quick hug. “You know you don’t have to apologize, sweetie. Anytime you can help us out, we’ll take it.” She moved away to grab a sheet of paper, which she quickly perused before handing it to me. “You have three residents this afternoon with requests for some light housekeeping, and a fourth with a clogged sink and toilet.”

  “Happy to do it.” I grabbed a bagel and a cream soda as lunch, kissed her cheek, and headed out.

  My first stop was Mr. Fellows. He was eight-nine years old, partially blind, and wheelchair bound. He was as sharp as a tack, though, and his hearing and sense of smell were pretty darned good.

  “You smell like you’ve been outside most of the morning,” he said as I dusted around the living room.

  “Yes, sir. Company had a picnic, so I made a brief appearance.” Sang like a fool. Made an ass of myself in front of my man-crush. Why did I care? I didn’t know, but likely, deep down, I did. I emptied a vase of dead flowers and hoped the evening meal delivery person would bring some fresh ones.

  “You don’t sound too happy about that, son,” he replied, propelling the chair forward with a button to be closer to where I was now dusting his bookshelves.

  “I’m not, Mr. F. but it’s over now, and I get to visit you, so that makes up for it.”

  He gave me a dry, rusty chuckle. “Nice try, but I’ll take it.” He was silent for a little while, and when I was finished, he asked, “How about you read me some more of that Bester book?”

  “The Stars My Destination? Sure.” I always tried to finish my tasks quickly enough so I’d have the time to spend either talking to or reading to the people I cared for.

  I read Chapter Four, which was where we’d left off previously, then, after checking that he felt okay, had what he needed until his evening meal arrived, I went to the next house on my list.

  The rest of the visits were in the same vein. It was sad, yet heartening to see these people who’d lived such full lives still hanging on, despite the direness of their circumstances. I’d watched my dad die slowly of cancer, and without my mom and me, he wouldn’t have had anyone. We couldn’t afford the kind of care he’d needed at the time, so we did what we could. When he died, Mom couldn’t stand the house anymore, so she left it to me, used her savings, and retired to Mexico. I sold the house and bought a condo. We email each other once a week, and I call her every now and then.

  I got home after eight that night, and I was starving. Apparently so was Voldemort, who simply sat by his bowl and meowed until I gave him his dinner. At least I had my priorities straight.

  After a meal of stir-fried chicken and rice, I sat on the couch, determined to bury the day in a movie of some sort on TV. I was in the middle of Children of Men when my cell phone buzzed. The first thing I thought was that something had happened at work.

  I snatched up the phone and swiped the screen so I could read the text. It was from a number I didn’t recognize. What are you doing on Memorial Day?

  I replied, Who’s this?

  Guess.

  I was too tired to play games. You have the wrong number.

  I set aside my phone and went back to my movie. Half an hour later, I received another text. It’s Titus, from work.

  Shit. I thought about how he might have gotten my number, but then I remembered that the contact information—including cell phones—for department heads was available on the employee portal. So why was he bugging me at close to ten at night?

  It’s late, I typed, hoping he’d get the hint.

  Can we meet somewhere tomorrow or Monday?

  What the…? I texted back. Why?

  Why not?

  This conversation needed to be over. Don’t you have people you can hang out with?

  None of them can sing better than Timberlake.

  I reluctantly smiled. He didn’t give up easily, did he? Against my better judgment, I sent back, Monday. Meet me at 54 Hill Crescent, 9 am. It was the address for Meals on Wheels.

  Done. G’night, Ed.

  Bye, Titus.

  Jesus, what had I just gotten myself into?

  * * * *

  Sunday afternoon I spent delivering meals and doing safety checks on the elderly. One of the oldest residents on my roster fainted while I was visiting, and by the time the ambulance arrived, he had slipped into a coma. I carried that event with me for the rest of the day.

  Voldemort actually lay across my lap that evening, perhaps sensing how down I was. I petted him lightly while I watched On Golden Pond, a favorite movie of my father’s. I fell asleep near the end, and when I awoke the next morning, my neck wasn’t happy with me.

  I took a really hot shower to loosen things up, then got ready to head out. It would be interesting to see Titus’s reaction to my choice of meeting places. Whatever he wanted from me, he’d have to prove himself first. I dressed in worn black jeans and an old green T-shirt. I wasn’t dressed to impress, deliberately. I did a final check of my face in the mirror, since I’d nicked myself with the razor earlier.

  I had my dad’s light brown skin and my mom’s inky black wavy hair from her Mexican ancestry. My brown eyes looked ready for anything. Dad was of mixed race. His father was German and had just arrived in America before falling in love with my grandma Mel, an African American jazz singer who’d swept him off his feet.

  I parked in front of the building with five minutes to spare, next to a dark blue Mustang with tinted windows. I got out of my truck, then noticed Titus exiting the sports car. He was early.

  “Morning, Ed.” He came up to me and smiled. “When I asked if we could meet, I was hoping for breakfast or lunch, preferably dinner.”

  “That seems rather personal, since I hardly know you, Titus, and this is what I do in my spare time. If you want to talk to me about something, you’ll have to do it while we’re working, unless this isn’t your scene, then I’ll see you at work tomorrow.” It was a challenge. I wanted to see what he would do.

  “Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything.” He gamely smiled, and I led the way inside.

  Tabitha was busy with the other volunteers who would be working today. “Hi, love,” she said when she finally caught my eye. “Who’s your handsome friend?”

  “This is Titus. I invited him to help out today, since I knew you had that big event at the community center, as well as the regular meal deliveries to get done.”

  “Fabulous,” she exclaimed. “I could really use both of you at the center today. We need people to work the buffet and to act as gophers whenever needed. Think you can handle that?”

  I glanced at Titus, who nodded slowly, bemused. “Sure thing. We’ll head on over there right now.”

  “Bless you both,” she replied, and handed us some T-shirts and aprons to use before sending us on our way.

  “Do you want to follow me in your car, or car pool?” I asked as we stood between our vehicles.

  “I’ll follow you,” Titus replied, looking a little uncomfortable, though I wasn’t sure why.

  “You okay there, buddy?”

  He looked startled for a second, then pasted on a smile. “I’m fine, thanks. Lead the way.” I had to be satisfied with that.

  * * * *

  It was hard work, but the guests at the community center had a great time, as far as I could tell. There was a lot of food, activities, performances, and even bingo and poker. One of the seniors suggested strip poker, but that didn’t fly. Whew! As for Titus, he looked the worse for wear, but by the end of the day, he seemed to have gotten into the groove of things.

  We walked together to our vehicles when it was over, a little sweaty and tired, but pleased with our efforts. “You do this sort of thing all the time?” Ti
tus asked as he unlocked his car trunk and pulled out a fresh shirt.

  I watched as he stripped out of the stained one he’d been wearing and pulled the fresh one over his head. And no, I will not comment about tight abs or lickable nipples or anything along those lines.

  “Pretty much whenever I have free time. I find it very rewarding.” I would wait until I got home before I changed. I certainly did not look as good as Titus did shirtless.

  “Don’t you ever do anything else? Hang out with your peers, or whatever?” He slammed the trunk closed, then unlocked the driver’s side door.

  “My staff and I have a get-together once a month at a bar or restaurant somewhere.”

  “Why don’t you tell people about the stuff you do here?”

  “Why should I? I’m a private person. What I do on my own time is my business. I don’t need to have my fucking ego stroked.” Okay, that was a little pissy of me, but it was a sore point.

  Titus raised his hands in surrender. “Sorry, didn’t mean to upset you.”

  I took a deep breath. “I apologize for snapping at you. Look…it’s something I do, just for me, and I don’t share those things often, unless I feel I have a connection with someone, or in rare circumstances. With you, I dunno. Maybe it was a dare, but you came through with flying colors.”

  I expected Titus to grin and preen, but instead he looked, shaken. “I…thanks.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey, how about a meal? My treat? What would you like?”

  “You sure you want to be seen with me? I’m stained and sweaty.” I tugged at my T-shirt. Maybe I should just find a restroom and put on a clean top or change in my car.

  He frowned. “Why wouldn’t I? How about the steakhouse downtown?”

  I shook my head. “Too fancy. There’s a bar and grill around the corner from here. Decent food, down-to-earth people. If you’re buying, then that’s what I want.”

  * * * *

  We got into our vehicles, and I led the way to Hank’s. It was busy, what with it being a holiday and all, but we were able to find a booth almost immediately since a couple left as we arrived.

  “Hey, Ed, how’s it hanging?” Larry, one of the waiters, said a few minutes later as he placed water before us.

  “Hiya, Larry. I’m good. This is Titus. Treat him right, now. I’ll have whatever the special is this evening. Titus?” He looked at the menu, then decided to have the same thing I ordered.

  “Wonderful!” Larry took our menus. “Beer?”

  I figured one wouldn’t hurt. “Sam Adams.”

  Titus asked for a Red Stripe.

  “Thanks, guys. Back in a bit.”

  Titus sipped his water, then leaned back against the leather cushions and stared at me.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You’re different outside of work. You let your hair down, you’re relaxed. It’s weird.”

  “Not really. My work life is separate from this, and I like to keep it that way.”

  He leaned forward. “But why? They’re not all bad at work.”

  Yeah, well, you wouldn’t know, would you? You’re one of them. “This is how I prefer to deal with things.”

  Larry returned with our beer and a wink, then disappeared again.

  “So, you don’t date, either?” Titus asked before sipping his beer.

  “None of your business.”

  “But what if I wanted to date you?”

  My eyebrows raised as high as they could go. “You don’t even know if I’m gay.”

  “I made an educated guess, based on the fact that we’re in a bar where there’s a little bit of everything on display here, and Larry is a card-carrying member of the rainbow gang.”

  “I could be bisexual, or curious.”

  “Either way, it would be a win for me. Would you date me?”

  “I don’t know you.”

  “We can get to know each other over time.”

  I snorted. “Technically, you’re my boss.”

  “This would be separate from work.”

  Whatever. “This is a ridiculous conversation.”

  Larry chose that moment to deliver our meals. Everything looked delicious.

  “Thanks, hon,” I said.

  “Anytime, sweetie. Enjoy!” He was gone in a flash.

  “We don’t have anything in common,” I continued.

  “We both love Justin Timberlake.”

  I sighed and focused on my food for a while. Titus kept bringing up the notion of dating throughout the meal, but I deflected his questions the entire time.

  When we were finished, Larry appeared and asked if we wanted dessert. I quickly said “no,” and Titus paid, leaving a nice tip, then escorted me outside. We arrived at our vehicles, and I turned to him, leaning against the door of my truck. It was full dark now, though the lights in the parking lot made it easy enough to see his face.

  “Tell me why it’s all of a sudden so damned important that we go out on a date?” I asked, my hands crossed on my chest.

  “Isn’t that what people do who like each other?”

  “I don’t like you,” I lied, hoping my body wouldn’t give itself away.

  “I think you do, but you’re being stubborn. Or afraid.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, though my heart hammered at his every word.

  He stepped closer. “You think I didn’t see that hungry look you gave me that first day in the introductory meeting? It may have been brief, but I caught it. You want me, but you’re denying yourself.” He stepped even closer. “Why?”

  I turned my head and gazed across the parking lot. “I can be attracted to someone and still say ‘no.’ Choice is a thing, you know.”

  Titus moved close enough that our chests touched. I breathed him in, unwillingly. “Look at me, Ed.” When I didn’t, he grabbed my chin and turned my head. “What are you afraid of?”

  I searched his eyes, hoping to find truth, to be able to trust him. I didn’t know if I could. “You have the power to hurt me, and I’ve endured enough of that in my life. One more time would likely break me for good. After what I’ve gone through, it would take something drastic for things to change.”

  He hesitated a moment before cupping my cheek. “Take that leap, Ed. Let me kiss you. You’ll see.”

  Was this the definition of madness, then? This duel of tongues, slide of lips? Gentle nips that led to bites on chins and a nip to the tip of the nose. I wanted to melt into him, this stubborn man who broke through my barriers. If he hurt me, I didn’t know what I’d do.

  “It’s just a date, Ed,” he whispered against my forehead. “Say ‘yes.’ We’ll go to that steakhouse and we’ll have a great time. And then we’ll go bar-hopping and out-sing everybody at karaoke. Say ‘yes.’”

  God, he was making me weak, his words making me burn. I should say “no,” but I hadn’t been touched like this in a long time and it was hypnotic. So naturally, I fell under his spell.

  “Yes,” I murmured, rubbing my cheek against his.

  “You mean it?” He leaned back, hands on my face as he peered into my eyes.

  “Absolutely. In for a penny…”

  He beamed at me. “Excellent. How about Friday at seven? Can I pick you up at your place? Or do you want to meet somewhere central?”

  “Stop by my place. I’ll text you the address.”

  “Great.” He gave me one last kiss, making my cock throb, then jumped into his dick on wheels, and headed home.

  I placed shaky hands on my face. My body felt flushed, and my skin seemed to be on fire. I actually had a date with the hottest guy I’d ever met. It seemed almost too good to be true.

  * * * *

  Tuesday was ridiculously busy, as I knew it would be. Plus, there was the weekly staff meeting in the afternoon. I sat in the back, as usual, and noticed Titus at the front, talking to two managers, Bryce and Gus. One of them patted him on the back, and the other gave him a high five. Both of them handed Titus cash. What on earth
was going on?

  Just then, Barb came in and the meeting got underway. Titus hadn’t seen me as he immediately took a seat at the front, but Bryce and Gus sure did. Their smirks were not encouraging, and it was becoming annoying. All throughout the meeting, they would turn around and look at me, then chortle like I was the best joke they’d ever heard.

  By the time the meeting was over—none of which I actually heard—I’d had enough. I watched Titus run out of the room like his ass was on fire while I went up to the two men and demanded to know what was so funny.

  “Aw, man, aren’t you the sweetest thing ever?” Bryce insincerely asked. “You feed the elderly on your time off? God, if you could be any more boring, I think I’d gag.”

  Gus chimed in with an ugly sneer. “And you dragged Titus into it? Don’t you know he’s one of us? We bet him that he couldn’t get you to loosen up a bit, and find out what you, Mr. High and Mighty, ‘my shit don’t stink,’ did with your spare time. We swore you were hiding something.” He snorted in disgust. “We should have saved our money.”

  It was the last straw. Apparently I’d taken all the abuse I could handle because my mind went blank, then rage surged through me. I punched Bryce in the nose—instant gusher, by the way—and when Gus came toward me to defend his friend, I kneed him in the groin. I stood there, panting and fist throbbing, as both of them left the room, limping and swearing. People were staring at me now, but I ignored them as I tried to get control of myself.

  I’d never been so angry or humiliated. Betrayal washed over me as everyone emptied the room, whispering back and forth. They wanted to know about me? Well, now they knew. God, had it all been a lie? The karaoke thing; Memorial Day; the date on Friday? What I did know was that I needed to end this right the fuck now.

  I made my way to the property management office. I stalked past the receptionist at the front desk, who gawked at me, likely having heard through the rumor mill what had happened. I headed to Titus’s office. Barb was in there, twittering like a bird as usual, while Titus typed something on his keyboard. I knocked on the doorjamb to get their attention.

  Barb turned to me, and at the look on my face, her eyebrows rose. “Something wrong, Ed? I heard something about a fight—?”