I'm Into You

by Kris Sawyer

  He got his son sipping on the broth pretty soon and also made sure he ate some crackers along with it.

  Alec decided to make a quick call to the gym. “Hey Joey, everything cool?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Slow tonight. There’s no one here now; what’s up?” he asked.

  “It looks like a couple of people who have been through the gym are coming down sick. Could you be extra careful with the disinfectant on the equipment tonight? Just a precaution,” Alec said.

  “Sure, I’ll get on it now. I hope it’s nothing too bad.”

  “It's a cold—fluey thing. Janey’s got it and now Sean has it too. I just wanna cover all the bases,” he explained.

  “Okay, tell them I hope they get better,” Joey said. “Anything else you need done?”

  “Nope, that’s all. Thanks, Joey, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Alec said, and hung up.

  “Hey son, when you're done with that I think you should take a couple of aspirin and call it a night, okay?”

  “Yeah, dad. I was actually thinking the same thing.”

  Alec nodded and went to change out of his gym clothes. He knew he would be up worrying all night. He took his fatherly duties seriously. He made sure Sean got tucked in for the night but couldn’t help asking about his workouts with Neil.

  “How has your training been lately, son? I’m sorry I’ve been too busy to be in on them. Is Janey treating you right?” he asked. That got a weak chuckle, but at least Sean perked up a little.

  “She’s a hard ass, Dad. It’s going great. Neil and I’ve been getting a lot done and having fun. We miss you there, but Janey is good. She has us doing different things every day,” he said.

  “Switching things up can put a new excitement into a routine. I need to keep that in mind,” Alec nodded. “I’m glad you’re having such a good time with Neil, son. Now get some sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Night,” said Sean. Alec shut off the lights and closed the door quietly. He felt a little strange. He was glad Sean was enjoying the workouts, but part of him was jealous. He wanted to be the one spending time with Neil. It was pathetic that he’d be envious of his own son. But that’s how he felt at that moment.

  Alec sighed and went to get a drink.

  He checked on Sean twice before going to bed and found the young man sleeping soundly. When Alec went to bed, Neil came to his mind pretty quickly. As much as he tried to shoo those thoughts away, they came back with force. Once he let go of his struggle, images of a sweaty Neil flashed through his eyes. He closed his eyes and his hands crept under the sheets. It took only seconds for him to get rock hard. He imagined Neil walking up to him. First, he wore his sexy gym clothes that showed off his round bottom in all its glory. Later, though, his imagination ran wild and he thought of the young boy naked taking a shower. Touching himself. Running his long fingers over every inch of his body while his eyes stared sensually at Alec. They implied something naughty. Suddenly, Alec increased the pace of his strokes and envisioned Neil doing the same. Neil’s chest rose and fell and Alec knew he was close.

  Alec was pulled back to reality when he climaxed. He quickly cleaned himself up fearing his son might walk in on him like that. Thoughts of sexual longing were now replaced with immense regret. Alec drifted off into a dreamless sleep reminding himself that this was wrong.

  The next morning, he went in and opened shop. Janey was out and his son had decided to stay home for the day as well. He did some extra cleaning to back up what he was sure Joey must have already done and then turned everything on. He got a rare rush first thing that kept him busy. Four guys trying out the gym. It turned out to be a good thing because when Neil came in unexpectedly, he was able to keep himself busy. Not having Sean there left a big opening for him and Neil. He knew part of his ability to show resolve around Neil had always been the presence of his son.

  Alec had figured since Sean was Neil’s ride, he’d have skipped the gym that morning.

  “Hey, Neil, why don’t you get going on the triceps routine Janey had you doing? I’m showing these new clients the equipment right now, okay?” Neil agreed, and Alec threw himself into the new clients’ needs. He managed to avoid looking over at his crush too much.

  Chapter Five - Neil

  Neil got on the treadmill and started it up. He was feeling put out and a little annoyed. He jogged, looking over at Alec with the new clients. He was laughing and instructing them on the power rack. Neil wanted to be the one laughing with Alec at the power rack. Neil had come to the gym even after Sean had called to let him know he was sick. He’d been looking forward to having Alec all to himself and now Alec wouldn’t even look at him. He felt confused and a little ignored by the one person whose attention meant the most to him! After a few minutes on the treadmill he called it a day. He didn’t want to be there anymore.

  In the shower, he kept thinking about Alec touching one of the other men while he adjusted their stance with his hands on their hips. He knew it meant nothing, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted Alec’s hands on his hips and he was sure Alec wanted it too. He finished up with turning the water on cold and flushing his system before getting out and drying off.

  “How come you quit early today, Neil?”

  He heard Alec’s voice from behind him. Neil looked at him a little angrily and shrugged, pulling his pants on. “Just wasn’t feeling it, Alec,” he managed to say.

  “That’s a first for you. Are you sick, too?” Alec asked, concern apparent in his voice.

  Neil knew he could use that as an excuse but let it go. “No, just not feeling it, not like you were either,” he said to his own surprise and turned away from the man. Looking at him at that moment was unbearable.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Alec said sounding surprised and Neil felt Alec’s hand on his shoulder. Neil trembled and turned quickly to face Alec. Jealousy was peeking its head out. Standing close, face to face, made his temperature rise.

  “I’m old news for you, aren’t I? The new clients are the ones you’re so concerned about. You’d rather have fun with those guys than hang out with me,” he said, and heard his voice scale up embarrassingly.

  “Oh, come on, Neil. Janey’s out, what I was doing…it’s my job, you know that.” Alec tried to reason, but Neil wasn’t ready to bow down.

  “So, my training goes out the window then? I guess I can see where your priorities are,” Neil said, and tried to turn back to his locker. Alec put a hand back on his shoulder, making him turn back to face him.

  Alec looked a little hurt when he said, “That’s not fair, Neil. I, was-was...” He began to stammer, but with their faces inches apart and his green eyes shining, neither of them knew exactly what happened next. Before he could make sense of things, he watched Alec leaning forward and Neil happily accepted the invitation. Their lips met and every other thought went flying out the door. For a shining few seconds, Neil's heart melted and his body reacted to the kiss, because it was the best kiss he’d ever had.

  As quickly as it started, it also came to an end. Each of them backed away from the other at the same time; their eyes were wide in shock. Immediately, Alec turned and walked out. Neil got dressed in a hurry, cleaning out his locker and left through the back door. He was embarrassed as hell and more than that, he was shocked by his jealous behavior. He’d risked his friendship with Sean now.

  ***

  It had been a week since he’d gone to the gym after the incident and Neil was in a funk. Even his roommate who was barely around, noticed the change and mentioned it.

  “Relationship problems, buddy?” John asked.

  “Yeah, something like that,” Neil replied, dejectedly.

  “Bummer man, can I get you anything?” John asked, kindly.

  Neil shook his head and John shrugged leaving for the weekend. Neil was relieved and lay back on the couch. He’d blown off his classes for the day. He hadn’t been able to get himself out of his funk all week. He dreamt of the kiss with Alec at nig
ht and cursed himself for it during the day. Alec’s eyes had called to him before they kissed and in his mind, they were still calling him. He hadn’t heard from the man though and Sean was worried. He was back at the gym and missed having Neil there, but if only Neil could gather some courage to go back. He didn’t want to be anywhere near the place. Part of him felt like he was the worst friend Sean could ever have, but part of him felt like he deserved the time to himself.

  So he spent the day eating crappy food and drinking soda. He tried to watch daytime television and ended up streaming an old drama. By the time night fell, he’d slipped into a state of depression and felt exhausted after all the eating he did. Somewhere around 9-ish, his phone rang and he saw it was Sean’s number. He hesitated for a bit, then answered. No reason to make Sean feel miserable, too, he reasoned.

  “Hi Sean,” he said.

  “Hey buddy, I haven’t seen you at the gym. What the hell’s happening, man?” he asked. He could hear the worry in his best friend’s voice.

  “I just needed a break for a while. I’ve been hitting it hard and heavy,” he began. “I decided to back off for a bit, you know? How are you doing? Feeling better after the flu I hope?” He found focusing on his friend helped him feel better.

  “Yeah, that was rough. It even knocked Janey down for a few days and that never happens. You didn’t get it?” he asked.

  “No, I’ve been feeling a little funky, but not coughing and sneezing funky. I think I dodged it,” he answered.

  “Well, that’s good, I’m glad,” Sean said. His voice still sounded unsure. “Hey, how about you come over to my place tomorrow night? We could watch a movie, get some popcorn, maybe a few beers too. Dad’s out of town for some business and I could use the company,” he said sounding hopeful.

  Neil opened his mouth to turn him down and then shut it. If Alec wasn’t going to be around, it could just be a fun night and he owed Sean that. Neil hadn’t been a good friend to him lately.

  “Sure. You know what? That sounds good. I could use that kind of break. Thanks, man, how about seven?” he said, feeling a little enthusiasm for the first time in days.

  “Seven sounds good. See you then,” Sean said, and they said their goodbyes before hanging up. He felt better. He had a beer and watched a comedy before going to bed that night. He was definitely looking forward to something for the first time all week. Neil felt the call from Sean was the best thing that could’ve happened. Soon, he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

  ***

  The following night, they decided to watch an action movie and called out for pizza. Sean would bring up the gym during their conversation, but Neil managed to change the topic pretty smoothly.

  As they sat on the couch, they discussed the action sequences and had a few beers. Things were going well and Neil felt like maybe he could easily get control of his life back again.

  Out of the blue, Sean put his hand around him and caressed his bicep. Neil gave him a hesitant smile and sat up straight. “What are you doing, dude?”

  He chuckled. “Nothing that we haven’t done already.” Sean leaned in for a kiss and Neil had no idea how to react.

  Before they could kiss, however, the moment was interrupted by the sound of the front door lock opening and Alec entered. Both the boys jumped away from each other. Sean looked startled and a little let down.

  When Neil’s eyes met Alec’s, Neil looked away in embarrassment.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt you guys, but my trip ended early. I got the investors lined up, so I came home,” he said awkwardly and went into the kitchen. Neil immediately felt uncomfortable and Sean picked up on it. He drank his beer quickly as they watched the last of the movie in silence. It was getting late and Neil wondered if he should ask for a ride home.

  “I made up the spare room for you, Neil. I see you guys have had a few beers and I’d rather you didn’t drive, Sean.” Alec said from the kitchen.

  “He’s got a point,” Sean said. Neil was beginning to feel a little buzzed from the beer and agreed. With his love life in a shambles, the last thing he needed was to be in a car wreck. They sat looking through the list of shows to watch and finally gave up.

  “Let’s hit the hay,” Sean said.

  “Yeah, might as well. Not much coming on TV,” Neil said, and they got up in unison and headed down the hall toward their respective bedrooms. Neil saw no sign of Alec until then.

  Probably best, he thought. Things had gotten way too uncomfortable for him to handle any more.

  He said goodnight to Sean before heading into the bathroom. After taking care of his usual business, he went into the spare room. He undressed down to his shorts and got under the covers. He fell asleep for a little while but soon found himself awake and unable to get back to sleep.

  Lying there, thoughts kept hitting him hard. That one night with Sean. The kiss with Alec back at the gym. The almost kiss with Sean that night. None of it should have happened, he knew. Spending just guy time with Sean had been fun and he didn’t want to hurt his friend. After tossing and turning for about an hour, he was just debating getting up, when the door opened quietly.

  It was Alec.

  “I thought I heard some movement in here. Can’t sleep?” Alec asked, and Neil shook his head. The man stared for a moment and then sighed. “We need to talk about what happened,” he said and closed the door behind him. Neil took a deep breath and sat up slowly. Alec was right. This could end any possibility he might ever have of being with Alec but this was for the best, he told himself desperately.

  “Yeah, I know, Alec. Our kiss…it should never have happened. Not saying that it wasn’t good. It was…hell, it was the best. But…” His voice shook with nervousness. The man’s presence made him feel that way. But Neil managed to get hold of himself and firmly said, “I’m sorry about the way I acted and I really don’t want to hurt Sean in any way. It would be like betraying his trust. He’s been too good to me, as a friend.”

  Alec nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed. His tank top was tight, showing his amazing body. Neil forced himself to meet the older man's eyes, but that didn’t seem to help either. Everything about Alec was mesmerizing.

  “I’m glad you feel that way, Neil. And I agree. My son’s happiness is all that matters to me. I apologize for my actions, too. I was the one who initiated the kiss, and I was way out of line,” he said.

  “I know how much you care for Sean. You’ve done so much for him,” Neil spoke softly, feeling great respect for the man.

  “Yes, well, I know how much he cares for you, too. I’m trying not to be greedy and think only of myself,” Alec said with some difficulty.

  “I get it, so am I. It’s just, I was jealous the other day in the gym; it was wrong of me. I’m trying to make that feeling go away.” Neil blushed.

  “We can’t control how we feel, Neil. But we can control our actions for sure. Feelings aren’t wrong and I don’t want you beating yourself up over it. Me neither, now that I said it,” Alec said, and Neil was amazed that such a strong man could feel the same as him.

  “You're right, I know. It’s just hard,” Neil admitted.

  “Yeah, it sure is,” Alec said, and his voice trailed off for a moment as they looked into each other’s eyes. Neil could see Alec’s feelings shining in them. “Alright then, I’m glad we talked,” Alec finished softly.

  “Me too, Alec,” Neil said. “It’s late. I should try and get back to sleep.” He actually didn’t know how long he could sit so close to the man he’d come to love.

  Alec nodded. “Good night, Neil,” he said and out of habit, he leaned forward to kiss Neil’s forehead. He usually did that with Sean after they’d had a heart to heart. So, it was mechanical for him.

  However, Neil felt a tremble and he heard Alec’s sharp intake of breath. Something about the way he said ‘Neil’ touched something deep within. When Alec moved away, their eyes met and he captured Neil’s lips with a passionate craving. This time when they kissed
, they didn’t pull away. As a matter of fact, neither of them felt the need to pull away.

  Neil had a brief thought of stopping, but it faded when his hand ran over the strong shoulders and back of the god-like figure in front of him. Alec’s hands were gentle, yet firm as they pulled him closer and within moments, they were lying next to each other giving each other little love bites.

  The room filled with the noises of their pleasure. Neil's heart pounded with joy; something like he had never felt before. As they entwined their bodies, he was filled with an unexpected bliss.

  The thought of anything but each other fled from the men’s consciousnesses. Neil kissed the heavily muscled chest and enjoyed how Alec ran his fingers through his hair. Neil felt his member swelling with his passion and could feel Alec's filling with his own. The dim light from the outside street lamp was more romantic than he could ever have imagined.

  Having Alec above him, looking passionately down through the dim light felt like heaven. He stroked the man’s arm, reveling in their togetherness. They were in their own small world: a world that Neil had come to cherish.

  Alec leaned down and kissed his cheek, then nibbled his earlobe. Neil shuddered and moaned loudly, then resumed kissing Alec's neck. He felt him shudder as well which made both of them smile.

  “Ahhh Alec, you’ve no idea…I’ve dreamt of this moment every night. It feels so, so…” He trailed off as Alec kissed his lips and then his throat.

  “Yes, for me too. Let’s make the most of it, okay?” Alec whispered in his ear and Neil agreed wholeheartedly.

  He had a tough time with words, so he used his lips and hands to show Alec how he felt. He groaned, holding himself tight against the big man. With Alec’s arms around him, pulling him, he could feel his urgency. Neil also felt safer than he ever had. Alec's arms were a palace for him and he reveled in that kind of safety and love.

  Alec rolled to the side, taking Neil with him. This time Neil was on top and began to kiss his chest while Alec stroked every inch of him. When his hand went down Neil’s shorts, he felt himself stiffen with the touch.