by Tara Lain
“I think the professor has tenure and is lazy, but I’ll take it up with him. At the same time, I must ask you not to foist your social agenda on your classes. Women’s place in society is not a foregone conclusion, as you suggested. Many women are happy to serve as helpmates and accede to their spouse’s wishes. Families that send their children to school here don’t do so to have them turned into, well, liberals. In addition, wasting their time on something like romance novels when they should be reading the required literature is frivolous. Until Professor Thurston comes back and I can speak with him, I suggest you stick with the curriculum.” He turned and walked out of the room.
Theodore slumped into the nearest chair. Okay, he already knew that Ashworth was an asshole. Stet. But if the department chair thought asking the class to read a romance novel was a frivolous waste of time, what the hell did he think of Theodore’s dissertation?
Very. Very. Very bad.
Chapter Eight
FOR TWO miserable, conflicted days, Theodore tried to teach by the professor’s syllabus. His students stared at him like he’d grown a different head, and he hated every minute of it.
When the last class finally ended, he gathered his crap and fled, practically running toward his office. He dropped his stuff—no papers to grade this weekend, not happening—and hurried into the hall, turning to lock the door. When he spun to leave, he ran straight into Rance, both of them bouncing back like a couple of bowling pins.
Rance slapped a hand against the wall to keep from toppling. “Whoa, fella. You’re in one helluva hurry. Must be that big hunka burning love that’s waiting for you.”
Lovely. Just what he needed. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh come on, Ted. That guy I saw you with looked like the cover of a damned romance novel—a gay romance novel, that is.” He laughed loudly.
Interesting he even knew there were such things.
“I’ll bet you couldn’t wait to get him in the sack. He’s got to be a stud—except for the whole gay thing, of course.”
Theodore crossed his arms. “Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Sean. He’s just a friend.” Think fast. “He’s helping me prepare for my orals.” Jesus, where did that stupid idea come from?
Sean laughed again. “I’ll bet he’s great at oral.”
Theodore felt his cheeks heat. The words tumbled out. “By the way, Sean, there’s at least one female student who’s getting the wrong idea when you suggest they meet you for drinks to discuss class problems. I’m sure you don’t mean it the way it sounds, but they’re getting upset and might go to the Dean of Students. I think I staved it off, but just be careful not to appear like you’re harassing them.”
Sean paled, then frowned. “I’ve got no idea what you mean.”
“I don’t mean anything. Just what I’ve heard. I wanted to let you know since we’re colleagues.” He smiled but his stomach clenched. Where the hell did this whole political maneuver come from? It’s not who I am. “I need to get home to my son. Have a good weekend.” He pushed past Sean.
“Yeah, I’ll have a great weekend—playing golf with Ashworth. And we can’t forget church on Sunday, right?” This time his laugh morphed from prurient to nasty.
Well, shit. Theodore hurried toward the door. Sean did it all on purpose? The golf. The church. It’s all to impress Ashworth, but it’s part of the game. They won’t let me teach, but becoming a master of politics is required. What a crock!
He rushed out into the afternoon sun and jogged to his car. A couple of students looked at him and then started whispering between themselves. Damn. He was letting down his students, which hurt worse than letting down himself.
After a half hour of craptastic traffic on the Laguna Canyon Road, he pulled up in front of his apartment. For a second he just breathed. I’ve got a date. I’ve got a date. Just the thought of Snake’s beautiful lips and undemanding humor jump-started his heart again.
He bounded up the steps and threw open the door. Andy looked up from the omnipresent homework. Theodore ruffled his dark hair. “Good boy. Get it done now and you’ll have lots of time to play.” He looked around. “Where’s Jillian?”
“Don’t know.”
“What the he—heck? Have you been by yourself?”
“Only a couple minutes before you came. Mrs. Burlingen saw me get off the bus and gave me a snack.”
“That was nice. Wonder why Jillian’s late? She’s always so responsible.” He shrugged and walked into the bedroom.
“You going out?” Andy called from the living room.
“Yes, a friend is making dinner for me.”
“Hey, that’s cool. You need to meet more guys who can cook.”
Theodore laughed, and a few pounds of crap slid off his shoulders.
“Who’s staying with me?” Andy scurried into the bedroom and leaped onto the bed.
“Jillian’s who I lined up.” Theodore stared into his closet. “I’m surprised she’s not here already.”
Like the answer of the oracle, his cell phone rang. He looked down with trepidation. “Jillian, are you okay?”
“Oh, Mr. Walters, I’m so sorry.” She sounded weak and awful. “I got something, maybe food poisoning, and they took me to the hospital. Mom didn’t know I promised to come to your place so she didn’t know to call.”
The sound of barfing echoed through the phone, and he held it away from his ear.
“So sorry.”
“No problem, Jillian. Just get better.”
“Th-thanks.” More barfing before the line went dead.
“Well, damn.”
“She sounded bad even from here.” Andy rolled on the bed backward and then forward like some armadillo and ended sitting on his butt.
Theodore sat on the bed next to him and started calling backups. Fifteen minutes later, he threw in the towel. Shitfire and damnation.
Andy rolled onto his side. “I’m really sorry.”
“Me too.” He sighed as he dialed the phone.
Snake’s voice danced with humor. “Hey, Teddy Bear, aren’t you supposed to be someplace now? Like here?”
“My sitter got food poisoning, and I tried to get a sub, but Friday night is too popular for the babysitting profession. I really am sorry. I was looking forward to it.”
“Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“Has Andy?”
“Uh, no. I’m just about to feed him.”
“This is totally up to you, and I won’t be offended if you say no, but bring him along. Food and a movie. Pretty harmless.”
Could he? Introduce his son to—Snake? He looked at Andy. The kid had a pretty crappy week too. “Okay.” He almost bit the words back, but his rebellious spirit wanted to go see Snake. Laugh and eat and forget the total crap of the week. “Yeah. Okay.”
“I’m cooking. See you in a few.”
He hung up and stared at the phone. “Want to go have dinner with my friend?”
Andy scooted so his face lay just beneath the phone. “You serious? He invited me?”
“Yep.”
Andy leaped up in one of those anime moves of his. “Dad, this is one cool dude, and I am majorly hungry.”
Theodore smiled—then laughed. “Yep, I’m majorly hungry too.”
SNAKE STIRRED the sauce and turned the heat lower, then added grated cheese to the salad—kids like cheese—and crossed to the fridge to check his supply of milk and soft drinks. Take a deep breath, man. How scary can one seven-year-old be?
As he hurried down the hall, he stopped to check the condition of the office. Nothing incriminating. Good. Then he moved on to the bedroom. Sadly his nice clean sheets wouldn’t get admired tonight, but this was more important. Teddy didn’t introduce just anybody to Andy.
He pulled his T-shirt over his head and replaced it with a clean one, then walked to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and checked his hair. It would get in the way of cooking and serving, so he pulled it back in a short tail.
He stopped and stared in the mirror. The person looking back was his own creation—the ultimate fantasy. You’re making a lot of compromises, man. You barely know this guy. Hell, you haven’t even had sex. What’s up? He snorted. Easy. There’s a chance he might know me.
The doorbell rang, his heart leaped, and with a quick grin at his reflection, he hurried to let in the maybe man of his dreams.
He paused at the front door to arrange his expression—friendly but cool. This was a kid, after all. He pulled it open. Teddy flashed all kinds of teeth. The kid next to him stared up at Snake with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth. Okay, Teddy didn’t tell him about the tats. “Hey, you guys, come on in.” He stepped back and let Teddy guide Andy into the entry that was divided from the living room by the furniture arrangement.
“Sure does smell good in here. Doesn’t it, Andy?”
The boy nodded but kept glancing at Snake’s arms.
Snake knelt beside Andy. “Want to see?”
Andy gave him a look like he was weighing to be sure Snake wasn’t pissed, then grinned and nodded. “Yeah. These are so rad.” He examined each pattern, animal, and flower individually, tracing some with his fingers. “How long have you had them?”
“All different times. I got some when I was a teenager and have been adding ever since.”
Andy bent his head over one pattern. “Man, this is like Alice in Wonderland stuff.”
“Yep. Good eye.” Snake glanced up at Teddy, who smiled softly. Interesting. Andy couldn’t look less like his father. Teddy’s curly blond hair, blue eyes, angelic features, and slim body contrasted with Andy, who was dark-haired, not a curl in sight, brown-eyed, and sturdier framed.
Teddy chuckled. “Uh, Andy, this is my friend Snake.”
Andy speared him with his dark, level eyes. “Yeah, what about that name?”
Snake stood. “Come sit down.” They all walked into the living room, and Teddy and Andy sat on the sectional. “I’ve got beer, wine, soda, iced tea, milk. Can I get you a beer, Andy?”
Andy howled. “Sure, I’ll take two.”
“How about some organic natural lime soda instead?”
Andy crossed his arms and made a big show. “Oooo-kay.”
“Teddy?”
“Beer, please.”
“You call my dad Teddy?”
“Yep.” Snake walked into the open kitchen. “He’s threatened me, but I still do it.”
“I don’t know. I’d be careful. He’s pretty hung up on his—” He lowered his voice and frowned. “—professional image.”
“Andy!” Teddy hollered but laughed just as hard as Snake.
“It’s tough for him since he looks like he’s twelve.” Andy rocked back on the couch and chortled. “He still gets carded.”
“Andy, I’m not going to have any secrets left.” Teddy looked at Snake and smiled.
Snake took a deep breath to keep his cock from rising. He poured the soda and beer for Teddy and himself, left one beer on the island, and carried the others to the coffee table. “My name was given to me by some friends.”
Andy took his soda. “Thank you.” He sipped. “Hey, this is good.” Then his face got serious. “You sure they liked you? I mean, snakes aren’t really popular.”
Snake snorted. This kid was a force of nature. “Uh, yeah, I think they liked me. I kind of like snakes. How about you?”
“Yes, I think I do. Haven’t seen too many.”
“Maybe we’ll go to the snake house at the San Diego Zoo sometime.” Snake glanced at Teddy and saw the slightest flicker of a frown.
“Oh man, that’d be rad. I love animals.”
Snake held out his arms. “Me too.”
“So what’s your real name?”
“Streams.”
“That’s unusual.”
Teddy put a hand on his son’s leg. “Andy, enough with the third degree.”
“Ooo-kay. What’s for dinner?”
Teddy raised his hands. “I give up.” They all laughed.
Snake walked back to the kitchen. “How does spaghetti with meatballs sound?”
“Rad.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Teddy asked, “What can we do to help?” He and Andy piled into the kitchen, and Snake showed them where the dishes were kept.
Fifteen minutes later, they all sat around the table chowing down on spaghetti.
“Snake, where are you—”
Teddy held up a hand. “Stop. Your turn to answer questions. So how was school today?”
Andy shrugged. “Okay. I mean, that kid Dixon still can’t keep his hands to himself, but I tried to turn the other cheek. That’s what Grandpa said I should do.”
Teddy’s lips tightened, but he didn’t say anything.
Snake glanced at Andy, who busily sucked strings of pasta into his mouth with accompanying sound effects. “Some other kid giving you a hard time?”
Andy shrugged. “Yeah. He’s pretty much a bully to everybody in class, but I guess his mother told him not to play with me since my dad’s gay. That made him even worse.”
Teddy looked like someone hit him with a stick. Hell, how crappy would it be to have someone treat your kid bad because of you? Shit! “So how do you feel about this kid?”
Andy chewed thoughtfully. “He makes me mad because he’s, like, dissing my dad, right? But I figure he’s got these really bad parents, so it’s hard to hate him. He’s got a few friends who are like him—mean and nasty. But I’ve got more. Friends, I mean.” He smiled. “Yesterday, he came up and punched me on the arm and called me fag and my friend Gemma, who’s bigger than either of us, went over and slapped him. Asked him how it felt? Man, he was really surprised. The teacher pretended she didn’t see. It was cool.” He laughed.
“Sounds like you’ve got this under control.”
“Yeah, well, my dad knows I’ll tell him if it’s not.”
How did this fifty-year-old philosopher end up in a seven-year-old’s body? Snake looked at Teddy over Andy’s head and mouthed, “Wow.”
The topic switched to soccer, which Andy loved, and baseball, which he didn’t. Snake took some plates to the kitchen and started dishing up cookie dough ice cream. He looked back at the table, where Teddy and Andy laughed over the total boredom of baseball. Like somebody captured a moment from his dreams and crystalized it into reality. A family who ate together, laughed, shared their days, teased, solved problems. An entity as rare as a unicorn in Snake’s life. He blinked hard against the heat pressing behind his eyes. Just dish dessert, man.
As he walked into the dining area, Andy looked up. “Hey, Snake, thank you for dinner. It was really good. Oh wow! Is that cookie dough?”
“Sure is. Want to take dessert to the couch and start a movie?”
“Yay! Yeah, what have you got?”
“What do you like? How many times have you seen Shrek?”
“Really? I love Shrek.”
“Okay. Shrek it is.”
Teddy said, “First let’s help clear the rest of the table.”
Andy glanced at his ice cream longingly but hopped up and had everything off the table except the wooden finish in a matter of seconds, and then he grabbed his dish and hurried to the couch.
Teddy whispered, “You’re pretty amazing.”
Snake gave him a gentle kiss. “I aims to please.” He didn’t say he would have happily given up a year of life just for the joy of the evening.
After an hour and a half of his sides hurting from laughing and raucous arguments over the relative superiority of Donkey and Puss as heroes, the movie ended with Andy sound asleep, head on his father’s lap and feet tucked against Snake.
Teddy met Snake’s eyes and spoke softly. “He’s so tired. They give these poor kids so much homework in the second grade I expect him to be writing a dissertation over the summer. Plus I think the bullying’s taking a bigger toll than he wants to admit. I need to talk to his teacher.”
“That’s probably wise,
but he’s an amazing kid. If he can work it out without adult intervention, it’ll be good for his self-confidence.”
“Good advice. I’ll just ask her to be vigilant.” He smiled softly. Butterflies in stomach time. “Thanks so much for having us.”
“Anytime. Seriously, I love cooking and, well, I love your kid, so if you want to include him in our clandestine dates, feel free.”
Teddy’s turn to blink against his shiny eyes. “Thank you. Not many guys would offer that.”
“I’m not many guys.”
He cocked his head. “No, you’re not, are you?”
Snake leaned over and latched his lips onto Teddy’s. So damned soft. He’d never kissed a girl seriously, but their lips couldn’t be any silkier. Teddy did have a tiny prickle of pale blond beard right around his lips that gave Snake shivers.
Teddy moaned. Not the first time Snake had heard that sound. The guy needed sex, and Snake more than wanted to give it to him. Not tonight, sports fans. Unless—
He whispered, “Any chance you’d want an escort home?”
Teddy’s eyes widened.
“No pressure.”
“The place is tiny.” He glanced at Andy. “But Andy’s a sound sleeper.”
“Okay.” He waited. Don’t expect anything.
“You’d have to hide the bike. My neighbors are, well, not exactly nosy but observant.”
“Not a problem.”
“You’d have to bring—” He waved a nervous hand.
Kind of cool that he didn’t have them. “Can do.”
Teddy’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Yes. Shit, yes.”
The smile spread across Snake’s face like melted cookie dough ice cream.
Chapter Nine
I’M GOING to pass out.
Theodore stood next to Andy’s bed and breathed. This is stupid. Foolhardy. Oh shit, my cock won’t go down. He looked at his sleeping son, breathing deeply with his hand curled under his cheek. How would Andy feel if he knew his dad was having sex with Snake? Well, he might not understand sex, exactly, but he’d know they were sneaking around. He had to consider that. Kids wake up. Kids always know more than we think.