Straight Up

by J. S. Finley

  “I can’t wait—” Jake glanced up and froze as his gaze met his boss’s eyes. Fear filled him, turning him cold. His boss sneered before stepping into the building. A harsh shiver raced through him.

  “You okay?” Brent asked.

  “Yeah, good. Listen, I need to head up to work.”

  Brent tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Okay, are you sure you’re okay?”

  He nodded and stepped away from Brent as ice filled him. Something was wrong, very wrong, but he needed to find out how bad it was before he told Brent about his fears. “Yeah, I need to go in.”

  “Hey, Jake.”

  He paused and stared into Brent’s eyes. He calmed, and his fear lessened.

  “I’m fine. I need to head up.”

  Brent gave him a quick nod. “Okay, I’ll see you later.”

  Jake leaned in and brushed his lips over Brent’s. “Bye.”

  Jake entered the building, going straight to his desk. Nothing happened and he relaxed as the hours ticked past. He half expected to get called into his manager’s office and reamed for something stupid he’d done though he couldn’t imagine what he’d done wrong. He couldn’t think of anything he’d made a mistake on, but something was wrong. His boss had given him a go-to-hell look, which he’d never seen from the man before. He checked his work, making sure he’d done everything correctly. He couldn’t find any glaring errors, which gave him a little relief. He turned off his computer and was getting ready to leave the office when his desk phone buzzed.

  “Jake Wilson here.”

  “It’s Pete, get in here.”

  The words from his boss had been clipped, but maybe he was imagining things. He had no idea why his boss was mad, but he would do whatever it took to make it right. He needed this job.

  Jake was ready to talk about a deal he was closing soon, but when he stepped into the office, he noticed a security guard next to his boss’s desk. Fear rolled through him, and again he thought about his work and what he’d been doing. He hadn’t screwed anything up. He was sure of it.

  “Jake, it has come to my attention you lied on your application when we hired you.”

  The words were a shock and he drew in a sharp breath. “I didn’t lie on my application.”

  “You are no longer employed here.”

  Jake stared at his boss, unsure what exactly had happened. He opened his mouth to say something when the security guard grabbed his arm. He glanced up at the man then shook off his hold.

  “Don’t touch me.” Jake turned to exit the office. His anger was so hot he feared he might punch the next person who spoke to him.

  “Don’t take anything,” his boss yelled.

  Jake spun around, his whole body shaking. “I’m taking my computer because I own it, and I’m taking my cap and the other things I own. You try to keep them, I’m calling the cops.”

  He grabbed his computer and his ball cap along with the plant he’d brought in. There was a photo of him and his friends at the cabin, and there wasn’t any way he was leaving the snapshot behind. His boss had followed him to his cube and stood in the entry, watching him the whole time. The office had cleared out, so there were only a few people who were witnessing the event.

  A sinking suspicion filled him, but he wasn’t sure he could voice his concern. When he had everything packed, he met his boss’s gaze and cold realization washed through him.

  “You’re firing me because you saw me with my boyfriend, aren’t you?”

  His boss didn’t confirm his suspicions but he didn’t deny them either. Jake knew he had guessed right. What the hell was he going to say to Brent? He’d moved here, and now Jake had no job. His stomach dropped, and a sick feeling washed over him. He was being fired for being gay. Anger rolled through him and his head ached all the way home. He kept the tears at bay, but once he parked his truck at his apartment he couldn’t hold back. Fear and uncertainty filled him. He had no idea what the hell he would do.

  Brent opened the apartment door, his gaze on Jake. He couldn’t hide any longer. His hands shook as he moved to open the door of his truck—his very new truck with its new loan payment. His heart pounded as he took the first step toward Brent. Fresh tears gathered in his eyes, and they wouldn’t be stopped.

  “Jake, are you okay?” Brent moved close, his brows bunched together. “What’s wrong?”

  “I-I was—” Jake looked around and shook his head. “Inside.”

  Anger still churned in the background, but numbness had taken over. Pete had been pleased with him earlier in the week, telling everyone who would listen what a great employee he was. But seeing him kiss Brent had been enough to get him fired.

  The door shut behind him, and he had no idea how to tell Brent what had transpired. He’d wanted to be strong when he faced Brent, but everything had fallen apart so fast, and his emotions were all over the place.

  “Hey, come here.” Brent wrapped his strong arms around Jake and held him tight.

  Brent’s compassion made more tears flow. He was standing in his den, sobbing uncontrollably in the arms of his lover. He’d worked so hard to get here, but it wasn’t enough. Had he moved from this shit place, he would be homeless in weeks. How had this happened?

  Brent smoothed his hand over Jake’s back and whispered sweet words in his ears. Jake’s cock stirred and he sniffled, wondering how he could be turned on when the worst thing in the world had happened to him?

  “What happened?” Brent asked.

  “I-I—” He gulped in a breath, trying to calm.

  “What?” Brent leaned back, his hands gripping Jake’s arms.

  “They fired me.”

  “Oh God, what happened?”

  Jake met Brent’s gaze, and his stomach twisted. If he told the truth it would hurt Brent. He knew Brent better than he knew his own family. Hiding this from him wasn’t an option. They’d spent years together in the worst situations possible, and without a doubt, keeping something like this from Brent would be impossible, especially after the way they’d bonded in Tennessee.

  “You’re scaring me. What happened? Why did they fire you?”

  Jake sniffed in a breath, trying to say the words. “We kissed in front of my office building.”

  Brent’s face went pale. “Oh God. What happened? Are you okay?”

  “I’m…I’m fine.”

  “Oh shit, it’s my fault. I never should have—”

  Jake placed his fingers over Brent’s lips and shook his head. “You can’t blame yourself for this.”

  “If I hadn’t—” Desperation filled Brent’s face and Jake wanted to comfort him. They clung together, holding on tight. “I’m so sorry.”

  Jake shook his head. “I don’t know what to do.”

  The timer on the oven rang, and Brent pulled back, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “Let me get this, then we can talk.”

  Jake followed him to their tiny kitchen, unsure about everything. They’d kissed close to his office. His boss had been near and seen them kiss. God, he’d been a fool to think there wouldn’t be any repercussions to being with Brent. The man had warned him not everyone liked gay men, but he’d never experienced any of the hate before now.

  Brent set the hot dish on the stovetop and turned to face him. “Okay, tell me what happened.”

  His stomach rumbled. Not eating wasn’t going to fix his problems.

  “Food smells really good,” Jake said.

  “I’ll set the table, and we can eat.” Brent found two plates after opening the wrong cabinet, then he found the silverware after two tries. Jake could have helped him, but he was numb and barely able to move; his focus was shot.

  Brent took the casserole pan to the table, and he followed, dropping into a chair. His arms didn’t seem like his, and his brain spun with random thoughts, which popped up every few seconds. Suddenly there was food on his plate and a glass of water next to him.

  “Thank you.” Jake took a bite of the food and moaned. His gaze connec
ted with Brent’s, and he had to fight not to cry. “You’re a good man, Brent Maxwell.”

  “So are you, Jake Wilson. So are you.”

  Jake took another bite of food, and chewed slowly. After he swallowed, he looked up from his plate. “He saw us kiss.”

  Brent paused, the fork in midair. “I feel terrible.”

  “Don’t. He would have found out on Friday because I was going to take you to the company Christmas party.”

  Brent blew out a breath. “It sucks.”

  “It sure does.”

  Jake ate some more, his gaze unfocused. “I got fired for being gay.”

  Brent shook his head. “I feel terrible.”

  “Don’t. I chose to love you. You didn’t make me do this. I want you. No job is worth losing you. I’ve lived without you in my life long enough. You know, back when we were in the military, I had a thing for you, but I knew not to say anything. When we argued and then didn’t talk to each other, I felt terrible. I don’t know if we would have lasted back then. I wasn’t ready for you or a relationship with you, but Brent, I can’t give you up because other people don’t like me being gay. I can’t allow anyone to think they can dictate my life.”

  Brent’s lips twisted into a watery smile, and he glanced down at his plate. “You’ve always been so strong.”

  Panic made his heart clench. “What am I going to do?”

  Brent’s gaze met his. “Put out your resume, interview, and get a new job.”

  “You make it sound so easy. What if we have to move?”

  “My job goes where I go. I have clients in New York, Virginia, and Texas. I’m talking to a company in London next week. Then I have a new set of programs I can market, which are less intense but still secure. I have about three, maybe four months of testing to get through the bugs and then I’ll roll them out. So I don’t have to be in any one place. We can go where your job takes you.”

  Jake took another bite of food, wishing his first day with Brent could have turned out differently. “What if I’m fired from another job?”

  “I don’t know.” Brent ate some more then looked up, his gaze serious. “There is one person who could never fire you for being gay.”

  Jake’s heart thudded, and he leaned in, unsure what Brent was going to say. “Who?”

  “You.”

  Jake let go the breath he’d been holding. “Yeah, but how am I going to do that?”

  “Same way I did.”

  Confusion filled him. “But you’re smart.”

  “Jake, so are you. I served with you for years; you’re a smart guy. Don’t give up because it gets hard. You made it through four years in the Marines and lived. You went to college after and finished fast. Then you interned and got a job.”

  He shook his head. “Which I lost.”

  “But only because they are bigots. It has nothing to do with you. They fired you because they were assholes, not because you did something wrong. Find five companies, submit your resume and then see if you can figure out what you can do on your own. You can come up with something.”

  He drew in a slow breath and let it go. Being fired hurt. “I don’t have the confidence.”

  “Right now, but things change. You will gain the confidence.”

  Jake stood and took his plate to the counter. He pulled out a plastic container and pushed his leftovers into the storage dish as he wondered how he would afford food since he didn’t have a job. What if he never got another job? He’d worked hard in school so he could graduate early. Would he have to join back up with the military? He couldn’t do that. They would take him away from his love.

  Brent helped him store the rest of the food, putting some in the freezer. They cleaned up the kitchen and wiped off the table.

  He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “I feel like I can’t breathe.”

  “That’s understandable. When I lost my first contract I wanted to cry.”

  Jake met Brent’s gaze. “Wait, you lost a contract?”

  “Sure did. It happens. I had a client in the bag and then something happened that wasn’t my fault. Another vendor came in and screwed up their system. I told them not to go with the vendor. They didn’t have the proper security measures to ensure compliance, and boom, their company was messing up left and right with secure government contract information. I was fired two days later. It hurt, but I recovered. Just like you’ll recover from this.”

  Jake shook his head. “I never imagined anyone would fire me because I’m gay. I mean, I don’t really even think I’m gay.”

  Brent chuckled. “Babe, you slid your dick into me last night and you’ve sucked my cock.”

  “Okay, maybe, but I’m still me. I still scored high in my classes, and I work hard. I’m not running around being wild and partying all night and coming in drunk or high. I don’t even do drugs on the weekends. I’m me, and that hasn’t changed no matter what I do with you.”

  Brent came close and wrapped his arms around Jake. “I know you are a great guy, but this is what discrimination is and why I fight so hard against it. Yes, some gay dudes are idiots but so are some straight guys. Most of us are people who work hard and want to be happy.”

  He rested his head on Brent’s shoulder. “This sucks.”

  “It does. How about you pull out your resume, and I’ll go over it with you. Then you’ll be ready to send it out tomorrow.”

  He nodded but didn’t let go of Brent. “What if I don’t get a job?”

  “We’ll figure out something.”

  “The rent here is low. I should be able to float for a month or so.”

  “What is the rent on this place?” Brent patted him on the back before he moved to the den and pulled out his computer.

  Jake grabbed his computer and opened it, setting it on the coffee table. “Nine hundred a month.”

  “It’s okay. Mine was eighteen hundred a month in Florida. We’ll be fine for more than a month. And I know you’ll find something quickly. You’re smart.”

  He shook his head as desperation filled him. “I feel like a total failure. And you shouldn’t have to pay my way on everything.”

  “Nope, not going to allow that.”

  Jake wasn’t sure what Brent was talking about. He cocked his head to the side and narrowed his gaze. “Allow what?”

  “You’re not a failure. Things knock us back, but we don’t fail. You’re a Marine. I know you. You’re not a failure.”

  He drew in a slow breath then let it go. Brent was being nice to him, and he wanted to show his appreciation, but depression was taking over. “I’m having issues believing I’ll ever be anything.”

  Brent shook his head. “That’s the desperation talking. I don’t accept the negativity as truth. I’m going to help you stay positive.”

  Jake covered his face with his hands. He had been so hopeful; now it seemed like everything was falling apart.

  Brent squeezed his knee. “We’ll get through this together.”

  “I failed at this job.”

  “No, you did fine. It was your boss who failed. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  His heart hurt, but having Brent near made a difference. “You’re too good to me.”

  “No, babe, I’m just how I’m supposed to be. This is how relationships work.”

  Jake stared at Brent for a long moment before he pulled up his resume. He was pissed that he was already having to use it, but Brent’s words were soothing. Only a few months had passed since graduation. He’d gotten his job because he’d interned with the company. He’d not really even needed his resume because he already had a relationship with the company. How had he not known they were so backwards?

  Brent was right; he had to keep pushing forward. He couldn’t give up because some stupid idiot didn’t like gay men. This was just another minor setback, not anything life defining.

  15

  Brent woke with an unbelievable hard-on pressed up against Jake’s ass. Part of h
im knew he should roll away and let his wood go down, but the rest of him needed contact.

  He reached around, finding Jake’s cock hard. He groaned with pleasure as he slid his hand down the shaft. His body heated, and although he thought he should stop, he was having a hard time pulling away. Then Jake rocked his hips, his ass grinding against Brent’s dick. It felt incredible, and he clutched Jake tighter.

  Jake arched and rubbed his ass against him again, sending shivers down his spine. He loved the way his cock fit against Jake’s butt cheeks. If he angled a little more, he would slide right in. He wasn’t going to, but the feel of Jake against him was driving him over the edge.

  “I want you,” Jake breathed out.”

  “Let me get a condom.”

  Brent reached for his bag and pulled out a condom and lube while Jake headed to the bathroom. He only had to wait a few minutes before Jake reappeared, his chest still damp after a quick shower. They kissed before dropping to the bed. Brent spread lube over his fingers and reached for Jake’s ass. He toyed with the opening, pressing in gently.

  Jake gasped and arched back, pushing his finger deeper. Jake was so tight. Brent couldn’t wait to slip in and experience the heat. Jake was rocking, fucking himself on his finger, and it was a major turn-on.

  Brent pulled his finger out and Jake complained. It felt good to be with a guy again. Since hooking up with Jake at the cabin, he hadn’t done this, and he missed the contact.

  His fingers were shaking as he rolled on the condom. He spread more lube and wrapped an arm around Jake.

  “I’ll go slow, but Jake, you’re a sweet treat. I may not be able to control myself.”

  Jake arched his back, pressing his ass against Brent. “I’m ready.”

  Heat filled Brent. “Oh fuck, you’re hot. Let me line up.”

  Brent hooked his arm under Jake’s knee and lifted his leg. He stared at Jake’s ass, looking at the way his balls sat above the smooth patch of skin separating his ass from his nuts. He reached down and ran his finger over the smooth space, causing Jake to buck.