The Right Time

by Lane Hayes

  It happened so fast I didn’t have a chance to hold on to steady myself. I flew backward, slamming my shoulder hard into the wall. Instinctively I leaned forward to correct my balance and ended up banging my forehead into the corner of the machine. Un-fucking-real. I sat in defeat, cradling my aching head as a chorus of “are you okay?” sounded from above.

  I started to speak, but Alex was suddenly at my side, assuring the worried bystanders I was going to be fine.

  “I got it. Marco, tell Tomás to bring the first aid kit to my office.”

  His warm hands caressed my forehead. I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes for a second until a woman’s voice cried out, “Oh my God, he’s bleeding!”

  “He’s fine. It’s just a superficial wound,” he responded in a placid tone. “You okay, baby?” He kissed my temple as I nodded slowly. Then he switched to Spanish and whispered in my ear, “You idiot! What the hell were you doing?”

  “Oh. Alex, I didn’t know he was your boyfriend. I’m sorry. I hope you feel better, honey.” She might have kept talking, but Alex had pulled me to my feet and was guiding me out of the main gym area.

  I held the fresh towel he’d pressed against my head and followed him wordlessly. The combination of mortification and physical pain was humbling. I wanted out, but I wasn’t going anywhere until I at least got a Band-Aid and an explanation. Muffled voices of concern finally faded as he led me into a private office. He alternately scolded me one second, “you could have been seriously injured! And for what? A pair of tits?” then asked if I was okay before instructing me to sit on the ultramodern black leather sofa across from a sleek glass and steel desk.

  “Here you go, boss. Is he okay?”

  “He’s fine.” His tone was uncharacteristically brusque, but it had the desired effect of sending his employee away quickly.

  I flinched when he set a chilled towel on the wound. I shifted away from him and glared for good measure.

  “That’s cold!”

  “It’s supposed to be.”

  We stared at each other for a long moment. Alex broke the connection and pointed to a door near the far side of his desk.

  “Your boo-boo is a scratch. I’ll put a Spider-Man Band-Aid on it after you rinse off. The shower is through there. It’s private, so take your time. I’ll be back.”

  I sighed heavily but decided to do as I was told. Making the twenty-minute drive home sticky with sweat held no appeal. The bathroom was tastefully appointed with large opaque white glass tiles along the walls offset by gray tile flooring. The entire space was open with only a narrow piece of glass separating the shower. I grabbed a fresh white towel and set it on the nearby bench, then quickly disrobed. I left my glasses on top of my clothes before turning on the overhead spray and finally stepping under the warm water.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”

  I jumped, completely taken off guard by a very irritated looking Alex. He stood with one hand on his hip as he raked his eyes over my naked body from head to toe and back again.

  I pumped some body wash into my hand and lathered it into my skin as I turned toward him. I loved seeing his Adam’s apple convulse as his hungry gaze strayed to my cock. It gave me a strange sense of power I used to my advantage as I splayed my hands over my chest and rubbed my way slowly south.

  “You were busy.” I stilled my hands near my belly button and looked him in the eye. “With a client.”

  I don’t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t the lecherous half grin he gave me as he reached out to pinch my left nipple.

  “You were jealous, eh? That’s why you got all chatty with Jenny the gym bunny. You got flustered and pissed, and maybe those tits started looking kinda sexy for a hot second. Did they?”

  “The gym bun—what are you doing?”

  He leaned farther into the shower to trace a seductive line down my chest. His sexy tone was like a siren song. Mesmerizing and yet charged with erotic promise.

  “Don’t get shy. And don’t try to tell me I don’t know what’s going on. You might not like it, but be honest, were you pissed?”

  I rubbed more body wash over my stomach before letting my hand dip to my traitorously half-hard prick. “At myself. Yes. Not you.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. Before I could respond, his hand shot out again to grasp my cock. I hissed in surprise at the unexpected assault, but I didn’t pull away.

  “Liar,” he taunted as his clever fingers reached lower to fondle my balls. “You were jealous. Admit it.”

  I swallowed hard but kept my eyes on his. “Fuck you. What do you think you’re doing? And how private is this shower exactly?”

  He grinned at me mischievously but didn’t bother removing his roving fingers.

  “I’m feeling you up. But don’t worry. No one is going to barge in. Too bad. Ever have one of those fantasies, Nate? You know, the one where you and the quarterback are the only two guys naked in the locker room shower after practice. You look over at his fucking huge dick and get hard just as he innocently glances at you.”

  Alex eased his grip slightly as he twisted his wrist to stroke me. I threw my hand against the wall to prevent myself from falling over from unexpected sensory overload. He licked his lips and continued.

  “You think there’s a good chance he’s gonna kick your ass, but he doesn’t look angry at all. He looks really fucking horny. He steps under the water with you and starts doing just what I’m doing now. Turn around.”

  “Alex….”

  “Do it. Put a little soap in my hand. Good. Now spread your legs. I want one hand on the wall and one on your cock. Got it?”

  “Al—”

  “Do it!” he commanded.

  Unbelievable. I’d walked in here with blood on my forehead and a bruised ego feeling unsettled by jealousy. I’d wanted nothing more than to be alone figuring out how to compartmentalize my feelings for this Latin hunk. How I wound up naked in the shower with my achingly hard shaft begging for release as the man I lusted after fed me fantasy lines worthy of a poorly scripted gay porn scene, I couldn’t begin to guess. I was completely on edge now. Too horny to do anything but obey. I licked my lips as I placed my left hand on the wall and gripped my throbbing dick with my right.

  “That’s it, baby. You have a beautiful ass, Nate. I bet that’s what the quarterback would say too. Stick it out for me. Very nice. Relax, and lean back on my hand.”

  He slipped a soap-slicked finger between my crack. I screwed my eyes shut when his talented finger found my hole. He kept a steady dialogue, interrupting his dirty story to demand I stroke myself harder and keep my eyes open. When I felt his finger finally breach me, I gasped and leaned forward.

  “No. Back up, and try it again. How is that fútbol star gonna get his thick cock in your ass if you don’t cooperate?”

  “Fútbol or football?” I glanced over my shoulder, desperate to see this very naughty man in action. “I thought I was the quarterback.”

  His longish hair fell over his eye as he looked up at me. Sex was all I could think about. Sex and temptation. He smirked playfully as he once again set his finger at my entrance and pushed inside. I swallowed a groan and tried to relax my muscles.

  “Does it matter? We can take turns. It’s one of best things about sex with guys. We’re equal. We know what feels good. No question. That feels good, doesn’t it, Nate? Go on. Ride it. Get used to the feeling so I can give you another one.”

  Fuck. He was too tempting. There was no point resisting. My hand flew over my cock relentlessly as I backed onto his finger begging for more. When I felt the stretch of another digit, I stilled for a moment, listening to the steady stream of smutty direction.

  “Fuck yourself on my fingers. Just like that. Think about how good it’s going to feel to have my cock in your ass. So fucking hot.”

  When he reached forward to roll my balls in his other hand and switched to Spanish, I was done for. It wouldn’t have mattered who walked into
the imaginary locker room just then. My ass was on full display, and my lover’s fingers were buried deep inside me as I rode wave after wave of an intense orgasm, shooting cum against the shower wall.

  I let go of my spent cock and braced my weight on my hands as I leaned facing the tiled wall. Water sluiced over me, soothing my muscles and washing away evidence of what had just happened here. I looked over my shoulder at Alex. His shoes and shirt were soaking wet, but the grin on his handsome face told me he really didn’t give a shit.

  “Time’s up. I don’t want my employees thinking I’m having sex back here with my boyfriend now that Jenny’s probably outed us to the entire gym. Meet me in the lobby. Don’t make me wait.” He smacked my ass hard and stepped back.

  I watched him walk away, too dazed to respond. I didn’t understand my reactions, and I could barely keep up with him, but I couldn’t stop trying.

  ON THE drive back to Santa Monica, I’d tried hard to set aside the gnawing jealousy. If I concentrated on the memory of the fantasy he conjured in the shower I could almost get there. But I wasn’t stupid. There was much more between us than sex. I knew it, and I was pretty sure Alex did too. I just didn’t want to talk about it.

  I gave him an absent smile when he jumped out of his car in the condo’s parking garage.

  “Are you hungry?” Alex closed the door and slung his duffle bag over his shoulder.

  “A little.”

  “Let’s go for a walk.”

  “You just said you were hungry.” I squinted at him in confusion, aware of our voices echoing in the garage.

  “There’s a diner up the street. They have great salads but even better burgers. I’m sick of Mexican food. I feel like a fat cheeseburger with fries. Let’s leave our bags with the doorman and take a walk in the moonlight. What do you say?”

  I gestured for him to lead the way. “Why not?”

  It was a glorious evening. The full moon bathed the Pacific with a luminous glow and the boardwalk was quiet, giving the impression we had the beach to ourselves. There was an almost magical quality in the fragrant ocean air. I breathed in deeply and stuffed my hands in the pockets of my pullover as I walked beside Alex.

  “How far is it?” I asked casually, thinking we’d walked further than “up the street.”

  “Another block away. You can tell me about your day.”

  “And you can tell me about Marco.”

  “Ah! You are jealous!” He grinned gleefully as he nudged me with his elbow.

  I shrugged. I didn’t bother denying it, but I didn’t want to dwell on it either. “What’s the story? I remember him from the bar. The night we—”

  “Gave each other hand jobs in the dark? That was fucking hot.”

  “Geez!” I looked around anxiously, but no one was anywhere remotely within hearing. Alex laughed and called me a name in Spanish, then looked over to study me for a moment.

  “Marco is a client, who happens to be an old….”

  “Flame?” I supplied when he went quiet.

  “Yeah, I guess. We met at UCLA.”

  “He told me. He mentioned something about biology classes and you wanting to be a doctor.”

  “Oh did he now?” He rolled his eyes dismissively.

  “Was that supposed to be a secret?”

  “No. There’s nothing between us, you know.”

  “Except his hand up your shorts.” I held up a hand and stopped as we neared the brightly lit pier. “Hey. I’m not in a position to ask for anything from anyone, but I’ll admit, I didn’t like seeing him grope you. If there’s something more going on with you guys, I should back off. I can’t compete, Alex.”

  “Compete?”

  “I’m not good at multiple partners.”

  “Me either.” He stopped in front of a diner and made a gesture indicating we’d arrived at our destination.

  The restaurant was a 1950s-style burger joint with bright red vinyl booths and checkerboard flooring. The décor paid homage to the era with photos of old movie stars and automobiles. It was pure kitsch. The kind of place that appealed to kids, not grown-ups. I gave him a funny look while we waited for the smartly dressed young man in khakis, a crisp short-sleeved shirt, and a pointed paper hat on his head to seat us.

  “What? They have good burgers!”

  I could have sworn he blushed, and for some reason I found this new facet of Alex really fucking cute. He was like an overgrown kid. And yet, this was the same sexy man who’d had his fingers in my ass talking like a porn star less than an hour ago. My cock twitched at the memory, making me grateful we were immediately shown to our table.

  Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue” played in the background as we perused our laminated menus in the mostly deserted restaurant. I snorted a short laugh noting the list of burgers literally took an entire page while the salad selection was anemic at best. I made a quick choice and replaced the menu at the end of the table next to the ketchup, salt and pepper shakers, and the single faux red carnation that graced every table.

  “Do we get to color while we wait for our food?”

  Alex’s face lit up, and his eyes twinkled merrily as he brushed his legs against mine under the table and leaned forward.

  “Yes, honey. And if you’re a good boy, you can order a milkshake too,” he whispered lasciviously.

  I gulped. Why did the smallest things make me fucking crazy about this guy? I adjusted my dick for the second time in less than two minutes, wiggling in my seat like a five-year-old.

  “Thanks, Daddy. Or should I say Papi?”

  “Touché. No more.” He averted his gaze and set his menu aside. “You play dirty.”

  “Me?” I asked incredulously.

  He raised his hand in warning. “Your brand of dirty is unexpected. It’s worse.”

  “So, no calling you Papi?” I teased.

  Alex’s eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a clean-cut kid who came by to take our order and leave us with ice waters. When our teenage server left us with the promise to hurry along Alex’s order of onion rings, I shook my head at him in wonder.

  “Onion rings and a… what was that burger called? A Colossal? I thought you said something about healthy choices.”

  “They have salads too.”

  “They have three.”

  “Whatever. I’m splurging. I’ve burned more calories than I’ve put in my body today, and yeah, I know this isn’t exactly fit food, but tonight I don’t give a shit.” He picked up his water glass and raised it in a toast before taking a big gulp from the red and white striped straw. “And yes, I’ll share the onion rings. Just don’t get greedy.”

  I chuckled at him, not really sure what was funny. I realized almost immediately that the stupid grin on my face had more to do with just being happy.

  “Before your fat-laden food gets here, why don’t we get the Marco conversation out of the way?”

  Alex rolled his eyes and leaned forward with both elbows on the table. Again he reminded me of a kid. I wasn’t buying the act, though.

  “Not gonna work. Tell me.”

  “There’s nothing to—fine. But it’s boring.”

  “It’s too bright and peppy in this diner for me to be in danger of falling asleep, so spill it.”

  He sighed as he slumped back against the booth. “I met Marco when I went back to finish my degree, like he told you.”

  My heart sank when he paused. Jealousy prickled at my skin all over again. I looked away and concentrated on the cheery scenery around us, hoping to keep my mood light.

  “Nate, there’s nothing between Marco and me. He’s just a guy I used to have sex with. We’re friends now. He trains at the gym and yeah, every once in a while he makes a play to continue where we left off. But—are you listening?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m not interested in him.”

  “So his hands crawling up your shorts is a nuisance you’re forced to deal with every once in a while?” I hated my scathing t
one and the fact that I obviously couldn’t shrug it off like a big boy and move the fuck on.

  “First of all, fuck you. And second, what he was doing was the same shit Jenny was pulling at the treadmill.”

  I made a face, though I supposed he was right.

  “Here you go, guys. Ketchup is at the end of the table. Can I bring you anything else?” We thanked our bubbly server as he delivered Alex’s aptly named colossal burger and my Cobb salad.

  I set my napkin on my lap and peeked over at Alex, who was busy dissecting his burger. He took out four rings of the red onion and one large piece of lettuce before picking up the ketchup and slathering it all over the melted cheddar cheese on the burger. Then he painstakingly reassembled the burger before cutting it in two. Once he was satisfied the condiments and vegetables were evenly placed, he took a huge bite. I snorted at the blissed-out expression on his face as he closed his eyes in rapture.

  “Are you having sex with that burger?”

  “Jealous again?”

  “Yeah, maybe,” I replied wistfully.

  Alex’s eyes widened with humor. He threw his hand over his mouth to keep from spitting out food while he laughed.

  “I never eat like this. I bring my nephews and my niece here once in a while. They’re the best beard for eating onion rings and drinking milkshakes with no guilt!”

  “You don’t look like you feel guilty with me either.”

  His smile dipped slightly as he used his napkin to wipe at the corner of his mouth. “I don’t.”

  “Don’t what? Wait. C’mere.” I gestured for him to lean toward me, then dabbed at the other side of his mouth with my napkin. “You missed a spot.”