Hank’s mouth fell open. “What! Your birthday is Saturday?”
“Yeah,” Burke grimaced slightly, not liking to attract attention to himself.
“Well I’ll be fucked running with a jelly doughnut,” Hank looked stunned, shaking his head.
“What is it?”
“Friday is my birthday,” Hank laughed. “I’m turning the big three-oh!”
“Really?” Burke asked. “I’m going to be thirty-one.”
“How cool is that?” Hank said excitedly. “We need to really throw a party, then. Feel free to invite some of your friends to come along!”
“Um, I just moved here, and I really don’t know anyone.”
“Well, you do now!” Hank said, bumping Burke’s shoulder with his own.
“What was that thing you said about a jelly doughnut?” Burke asked, looking a bit confused.
“It’s just an old sayin’,” Hank chuckled. “I had an uncle that had a ton of ’em, and I guess I picked some of ’em up.” Hank looked at the puzzled look on Burke’s face and grinned. “Where you from, anyway?”
“Maryland. Gaithersburg to be exact,” Burked replied. “What about you?”
“I’m from right here in Atlanta. Born and raised,” Hank answered. “My family settled in the north Georgia Mountains in the early eighteen-hundreds. My grandfather moved to the city when he got back from World War Two; we’ve been here ever since.”
Burke couldn’t help but steal glances at Hank’s big hand resting on his thigh—a thigh threatening to burst the seams of the worn jeans the man was wearing. The bulge in the crotch of those jeans made Burke’s throat go dry. He longed to run his hand along Hanks furry forearm.
“What apartment you in?” Hank asked, jerking Burke back from his fantasy.
“Fourteen-thirteen.”
“Cool. You’re in the building across the pool from me! Is that the second floor?” Hank asked.
“Yes. It overlooks the pool,” Burke smiled. “Sparky likes the balcony.”
“Double cool,” Hank grinned broadly. “I think our apartments face each other!”
“Really?” Burke wasn’t so sure that was such a good thing. The last thing Burke needed was to be walking around with a perpetual hard-on knowing this hunky man was so close by.
“When we get back, go out on your balcony and I’ll do the same,” Hank seemed excited by the prospect.
“Um, sure,” Burke answered as he hoped that the apartments weren’t right across from each other. “I guess I need to get back and get started unpacking.”
“Understand,” Hank nodded. “Moving’s a bitch.”
“Um, yes, it is,” Burke said, standing up and calling to Sparky.
“I need to go, too,” Hank followed suit. “Come on, Daisy. That laundry isn’t going to do itself. Don’t forget to go out on your balcony when you get back to your apartment.”
“I won’t,” Burke assured Hank.
When he returned to his disheveled apartment, keeping his word, Burke went out onto the balcony with Sparky right on his heels. As luck would have it, Hank walked out onto his balcony about the same time, Daisy following close behind. Sure enough, Hank’s apartment was right across the pool from Burke’s. There couldn’t have been more than a hundred and fifty feet between them.
Sparky barked a greeting to his newfound friend, and Daisy answered back. Hank waved.
“See?” Hank called out. “I figured you were right across from me.”
“Great,” Burke answered. Just what I need, he thought, as he groaned inwardly. “I’ll catch you later,” he said, his voice slightly echoing across the empty pool area.
Sighing heavily, Burke went back inside and started to unpack and set up his new apartment. Sparky watched as Burke went about unpacking, tackling the kitchen first. Burke had a passion for cooking, so not only was the kitchen important to him, it was also the most difficult to unpack and set up. Before he knew it, it was dusk outside and he had to turn on some lights.
Burke’s stomach rumbled and Sparky’s head cocked sideways. “Guess it is time to find something to eat,” Burke said. Sparky agreed, jumping up spinning in circles.
Sparky had just finished chowing down when there was a knock at the door.
Opening it Burke saw Hank and Daisy, Hank with a pizza box and a twelve-pack of Heineken.
“Hey, I couldn’t help but notice you hadn’t stopped all day and figured you were about due for a break,” Hank announced. “Thought you could use something to eat ’bout now, too.”
“Um, wow…thanks.” Burke was once again blown away by Hank’s smile, framed by the closely trimmed beard. It was then he also noticed that he was slightly taller than Hank, putting him at about five-foot-eleven or so, compared to Burke’s six-foot even.
The smell of the pizza made Burke’s stomach rumble again. Standing aside, he let Hank and Daisy into the apartment. Hank set the pizza down on the kitchen counter, and held the beer out to Burke.
“I brought a bottle opener just in case you haven’t found yours yet,” Hank smiled broadly again.
“I’ve got one right here,” Burke replied as he opened a drawer pulling out an opener.
“Wow, you work fast,” Hank said. “It took me a week to find everything after I moved.”
“I tackled the kitchen first, since it takes the most time,” Burke said, as he opened two beers, handing one to Hank. He turned, putting the rest of the beer in the empty refrigerator, then opened a cabinet and took out a couple of plates.
The two men, followed by two dogs, walked into the living area of the apartment. There were several boxes stacked against one wall and a single chair and ottoman.
“Um, have a seat,” Burke invited Hank to take the one chair. “I’ll take the ottoman.”
“Is this all the furniture you have?” Hank looked shocked as he sat in the chair.
“I did bring my mattress,” Burke answered around a mouth full of pizza. “That chair was the only thing that wasn’t junk, so it was the only thing I moved with me. I figured I’d pick up a few things when I got here. Cut down on the moving costs,” Burked explained.
“What makes this chair so special?” Hank asked. “It is comfortable, I’ll give you that.”
“It is a Swedish-designed chair,” Burke said. “They cost a pretty penny, but I think they’re worth it.”
“Well it looks like you’re gonna need more than just a few things then,” Hank chuckled before taking a long swig of his beer.
“True,” Burke agreed. “I need to get a desk first thing. I work from home, for the most part. I will have to make an appearance at the office twice a week, though.”
“What do you do?” Hank asked as Daisy sniffed at his hand hoping for a scrap.
“I do Internet security programming.”
“Wow, that sounds intense.” Hank looked impressed.
Burke shrugged his shoulders as if it wasn’t that big a deal. “What do you do?”
“I’m a construction foreman,” Hank replied. “Nothing as high tech as you.”
Burke laughed. “I have a hard time with a screwdriver. Mechanical I’m not.”
“Hey, don’t worry; I can barely turn my computer on!” Hank said, joining in Burke’s laughter. “If you need any help in putting anything together let me know, and when I need help with my computer, I’ll know who to call.”
“Deal,” Burke smiled, knowing full well that he would need help if he had to put anything together in the near future. “Do you know of any furniture stores close by?”
“Yeah, there is this cool place not far from here, over on Sidney Marcus. They deal with all kinds of discontinued lines of furniture from all sorts of manufacturers. You can really get some good deals there.”
“That sounds promising,” Burke said.
“I’ve got some free time tomorrow. If you want, I can run you over there…show you where it is.”
“I don’t want to inconvenience you,” Burke hesitated.
&n
bsp; “No problem,” Hank grinned. “That’s what friends are for.”
“Thanks for the pizza,” Burke said appreciatively. “And the beer,” he added holding up the near empty bottle before stifling a yawn.
“Think of it as a housewarming present,” Hank answered casually. “I’ll get outta here so you can get some rest.”
“I am pretty beat,” Burke agreed.
“Eleven work for you tomorrow?” Hank asked as he approached the door.
“That will be fine,” Burke said as he opened the door. He stole a long look at Hank’s very fine ass as he bent over to put the leash on Daisy. If he hadn’t known better, he would have sworn that Hank took a little extra time hooking the leash to the dog harness, giving him plenty of time to admire the tight glutes.
“You got it then,” Hank said, and smiled, holding out his hand.
Burke took the extended hand, relishing the warm strength.
Hank said good night and left Burke and Sparky alone in the near empty apartment.
“Well there, Sparky, I’d say that Hank is about as straight as they come,” Burke sighed. “Just as well, I guess. He probably won’t be so friendly when he finds out I’m a fag.”
Sparky looked at Burke blankly, until Burke picked up the leash.
“One more quick walk and then it’s bedtime for us, boy,” Burke said to Sparky, yawning again.
The next day, Hank was good to his word, showing up right at eleven. He took Burke to the store he had mentioned, and Burke was able to get a complete office suite. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything that he cared for, otherwise. The good thing was that the office furniture that he got would be delivered the next day.
Later that day, Burke passed by a boutique-type furniture store on his way to a grocery store. He liked what he saw in the window, so he stopped in and was immediately glad that he had. Burke had always been partial to the sleek Danish modern design, and this store fit his style perfectly.
He spent much more than he had planned to, but he could afford it, and it was part of his moving-on phase. After two years as a recluse, it was time to start living again. Susan, his only real friend, kept reminding him that he was still part of the human race, even if he tried to not believe it.
“Wait ’til I tell her about this,” Burke smirked. “She’ll flip,” he said to himself as he drove back to his new apartment. For the first time in a long while—in almost a decade—Burke felt comfortable in his own skin.
The next evening, when Hank came over to help put the bookcases together, was almost Burke’s undoing. Hank showed up, toolbox in hand, wearing a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a tank top. His muscular legs and arms fully exposed, the hair on his chest jutting from the top and sides of his tank top, kept Burke off balance the entire time. It didn’t help matters that Burke had not been sexual with anyone but his hand since his breakup.
It was then that Burke decided that he needed to come out to Hank. The next day was Hank’s birthday bash, and he wanted to give Hank the opportunity to uninvite him.
“Hey, you got any of that beer left?” Hank asked as he lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead, exposing his furry belly to Burke’s hungry eyes.
Burke’s mouth went dry and suddenly the thought a cold beer for fortification sounded good. “Sure. Coming right up,” he said quickly as he headed for the kitchen.
Burke was shaking slightly as he returned to the second bedroom that he was using as an office. When he got to the door of the new office with the two beers, he stopped dead in his tracks. Hank was standing there without the shirt. He was using the balled up tank top to mop his hairy armpits.
Hank looked up and saw Burke standing in the doorway, his mouth slightly open. Hank turned to face Burke.
Burke’s eyes widened as he took in the muscular hairy man, muscles flexing as he moved. Although he was slightly taller than Hank, Hank probably outweighed him by at least thirty pounds, most of it muscle.
“Is one of those beers for me?” Hank asked, as he slowly walked toward Burke, a sly smirk on his face.
Not trusting his voice, Burke just stuck out one of his hands, holding a cold beer. Hank walked up to Burke and took the beer, his eyes never leaving Burke’s. Burke could smell the peppery natural scent of Hank, making his head swim. He felt glued to the spot as he watched Hank lift the green glass bottle to his full lips. Hank took a long drink of the cold beer, their eyes locked. With Hank’s arm lifted, his smell became that much more intense, especially since he was only standing six inches or so from Burke.
Burke took a step back, more to recover his balance than to get away from Hank. He was feeling light headed, off balance, as if he would fall over backward if he didn’t regain his equilibrium.
“Somethin’ the matter, Burke?” Hank asked as he propped his other arm up against the door frame, his hand shoulder level. Hank’s peppery scent, tinged with a slight hint of lemon, hit Burke full force, like a slap. As if Hank’s smell wasn’t enough, his deep baritone voice, vibrating Burke’s chest as he spoke, was the knockout punch. Hank’s eyes were drilling into Burke’s very being, and he felt his knees go weak. Burke could feel his mouth opening and closing, but no sound was coming out. He tried to take another step back, but his feet got tangled up in the strapping from one of the furniture boxes. With the beer in one hand, and nothing to really grab on to, Burke started falling backward. Hank reached out to try to catch him, but it was too late. Burke hit the floor, the beer bottle went flying behind him, the two dogs barking wildly, as he landed with a hard thump on the floor.
“Oh shit!” Hank was next to Burke’s sprawled body in an instant. “Man, you okay?”
Burke was looking up at the ceiling, his pride hurt more than his body.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Burke grumbled, pissed at himself.
“Hey, Burke, I’m sorry man.” Hank said, looking worried. “I shouldn’t have left all that trash out in the middle of the floor. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Don’t worry about it, Hank,” Burke grunted as he stood up. “I’m a natural klutz.”
“You sure you’re okay, man?” Hank had concern written all over his face.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be fine,” Burke grimaced as he saw the near empty beer bottle lying on the floor behind him. “Let me get that cleaned up.”
“I can get it,” Hank started.
“No, no…I can get it,” Burke said as he went to the kitchen to get some paper towels.
“Okay,” Hank sighed. “I’ve almost got this last bookshelf put together, but I’ll need to you hold this door while I get the hinges in place.”
“Sure, I’ll be right there,” Burke answered as he mopped up the spilt beer.
“The party is tomorrow night,” Hank said screwing in the hinges as Burke held the door in place. “You’re gonna be there, right?”
“Hank, I don’t know,” Burke started. “I won’t know anyone there but you, and it’s your birthday party.”
“Burke, you gotta be there, man,” Hank stopped, looking at Burke. “I really want you there. I can introduce you around.”
There was a look in Hank’s eyes that made Burke unable to say no. “Okay, Hank. I’ll be there.”
“Cool.” Hank smiled his killer smile, making Burke immediately regret saying yes.
“I bought some more furniture and they’re delivering it tomorrow, and I’m not sure what time they’ll get here,” Burke explained as Hank finished putting the door on the cabinet.
“I’m sure they’ll be done before the party,” Hank said as he tested the door. “The party doesn’t start until seven.”
“What do I need to bring?” Burked asked as he watched the still half-naked Hank put his tools away.
“Not a thing man. I got everything covered.” The hairy man spoke through the material of his tank top as he pulled it back over his head. “It’s casual, so just jeans, okay?”
“Okay, Hank,” Burke said, but cringed inwardly. I’ll be there.”
> “Cool.” Hank beamed.
If he only knew what that smile did to me, Burke thought, he would probably bash my head in.
“Can I pay you for all this?” Burke indicated with his hand at all the stuff that Hank had put together.
“Naw, man,” Burke scowled. “I may need some help with my computer next week. I’m supposed to be able to tap into the office’s system to input purchase orders and stuff, and I’m not having any luck getting in.”
“Sure,” Burke said, finally on secure footing. “I can help with that.”
“Good enough then,” Hank said. “We’ll call it even.”
“Okay,” Burke smiled, feeling much better at being able to reciprocate in some way.
“See ya tomorrow night then, buddy,” Hank grabbed Burke in a one armed hug and then was out the door.
Once Hank had left the apartment, Burke put his head against the door, his eyes closed. “Holy mother of god,” he whispered.
Sparky barked as in agreement.
“Yep, Sparky,” Burked looked at the terrier sitting on the floor looking back at him. “I’m so screwed.”
“Hey, come on in,” said a man who was, well, almost Hank.
“Um…thanks,” Burke stammered.
“Yeah, we get that a lot,” the man said with a laugh. “Hank and I are brothers, but not twins. I’m the older and better-looking one,” the not twin brother of Hank said as he extended his hand. “I’m Jack.”
“Nice to meet you, Jack,” he said, accepting Jack’s hand. “I’m Burke.”
“Ah, the new neighbor.” Jack nodded, surprising Burke.
“Um, yeah.” Burke lifted the twelve-pack of Heineken, a silent question as to where to put the beer.
“Just stick that in the fridge—if you can find room, that is.” Jack smiled Hank’s killer smile. “Hank! You got comp’ny,” Jack yelled out over the noise, closing the door behind Burke.
“Hey, you made it,” Hank exclaimed, surprising Burke with a bear hug.
“Hey,” Burke said, hesitantly. “I brought a little something,” he said, handing the beer to Hank.
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