A Walk Through Fire

by Felice Stevens

  Minutes passed before Ash could catch his breath. He pulled up his pants, tucked in his shirt, then zipped himself up. Standing, the young man breathed heavily, lips pouting and gleaming wet in the hazy lighting of the hallway. With the pad of his thumb, Ash traced the seam of the man’s full mouth. “You were amazing. Thank you.”

  “Will I see you again?” The hopeful note in the young man’s voice gave Ash a momentary twinge of regret as the kid licked Ash’s thumb, then sucked it into his hot mouth. The guy had a very talented tongue.

  “If I come by and eat here again, I’ll make sure to look you up.” It was only fair of him not to string the kid along. He wasn’t made for relationships.

  A sound from farther down the hallway snapped Ash out of post-orgasmic bliss to full awareness of how open and foolhardy they had been. Although his table was the last one occupied in the restaurant, waitstaff still lingered about, and Ash hardly thought the management would appreciate one of their employees blowing a patron in full view of anyone who might walk by. He didn’t care who saw him, but he didn’t want to get the kid fired. Contrary to what people might think of him, he did have a conscience.

  “Well, see you around.” He rubbed the young man’s shoulder, then walked away. As he approached the entrance, he noticed the movement of the swinging doors to the hallway, as if someone had recently passed through them.

  Did someone see him with the waiter?

  Chapter Four

  After Jordan left the restaurant, Drew sat for a few moments, sipping his coffee, reviewing what they’d discussed. The night had been a success as far as he could tell, and now everyone was in place with their job to do. For a brief moment he wondered about Ash and his disappearance from the table, but Peter had been quite closemouthed about it, and Drew didn’t want to press the issue in case it was something deeply personal. Besides, he’d seemed back to his normal self when he’d returned, even so much as to flirt with the waiter. That hadn’t gone unnoticed, at least by him. Jordan was right. The man was an incorrigible tease.

  Time to head back home. Needing to make a stop at the restroom before he hopped on the subway, Drew headed to the back where he’d seen Ash disappear to earlier. He used the urinal and washed up. As he exited the restroom, he heard a noise behind him that sounded like a groan of pain. Drew stood still, his ear trained. Someone might be hurt and need medical help. Once again he heard the sound, like a drawn-out moan, then it cut off abruptly.

  Concerned as to what he might find, Drew hurried down the darkened hallway and turned the corner. His eyes widened in shock as he took in the scene before him. Instead of a potential medical emergency lying on the ground in pain, Ash Davis stood flat against the wall receiving an impressive-looking blowjob from the waiter he’d been flirting with earlier.

  Drew remained frozen in place. The air seemed to thicken, and the small gasps, moans, and pants echoed in the dark, all magnifying the illicit nature of the encounter. His eyes were drawn to the act, specifically the waiter’s mouth on Ash’s cock. He could see it gliding wet and hard between the man’s lips, and Drew’s response to the explicit picture before his eyes stunned him.

  Holy shit. This was what Jordan mentioned he’d seen. And damned if Jordan wasn’t right. Hell, Drew might be straight, but watching the erotic scene unfold before his eyes was sexy as hell and a turn-on. Gone was the man who’d bolted from the table, a pale, sweating mess. In his place stood a man in the midst of a sexual encounter that, from the sounds he made and the look on his face, had him hovering on the brink of a violent orgasm.

  Drew shook his head. What the hell was he doing standing here? He had to get out before Ash opened his eyes and caught him watching. Tearing his gaze from the scene, he turned on his heel and hastened back down the hallway and out of the restaurant. In no mood now to wait for the train, he hailed a cab and soon found himself speeding down Broadway. A sudden rainstorm splatted fat drops against the windows, steaming them a misty gray, cocooning him inside the cab, alone with his thoughts.

  Thoughts that revolved around Ash. Who was he? What kind of man had random sex in a hallway? He might have been impressed with his sharp business sense, but Ash’s personal life appalled Drew. And yet he couldn’t help wonder more about what made Ash tick, especially after he’d fled the table at dinner in an obvious state of anxiety. Ash might want to help, but he needed to work on fixing himself before he could think of assisting anyone else.

  The closer he got to home, the stronger his resolve grew. For this project, the focus needed to be solely on the center and Ash’s personal issues seemed in clear conflict with the clinic’s mission. What if the only reason he wanted to help was to meet people and have sex with them? Drew pulled out the business card from his wallet and, knowing it was the coward’s way out, dialed the office number rather than Ash’s personal cell.

  “Um, hello. This is Drew Klein. I was thinking, and I’m not sure you’re a good fit for the clinic, so I’m releasing you from your offer. I appreciate your willingness to help, though. So, uh, thanks and bye.”

  Smooth, Drew. Well, he never was great with words. It’s why he became a doctor. He paid the cabbie and ran into his building, only getting slightly wet. As soon as he opened the door, Domino greeted him, weaving his furry body between Drew’s legs.

  “Hey, big boy, miss me?” He picked up the cat, who head-butted him on his chin. Funny how he enjoyed having a pet to come home to. Despite the lousy start he’d had in life, Domino was a loving creature, always happy to see him come through the door.

  Drew gave the cat one more cuddle and placed him on the floor. Domino, proclaiming his displeasure, meowed loudly. Drew, who could deny the cat nothing, gave the cat a few more scratches, then stood and tossed his keys into the bowl on the table by the front door. As he passed through the living room to his bedroom, he dropped his jacket on the sofa. He couldn’t wait to get out of his suit and tie. Comfortable at last after changing into a T-shirt and sweats, Drew logged on to his laptop to check his e-mails. The first one that caught his eye was from Mallory Construction. Jason Mallory had e-mailed him to let him know the job would be finished Monday, and he would meet Drew at the site for a walk-through.

  Drew was thrilled. Not only was the job finished ahead of schedule, but it exceeded what he’d originally planned. Mallory had gone the extra mile to make sure the clinic looked welcoming and would be a place where disenfranchised young adults would want to come for help.

  Once Drew discussed the reason behind the clinic with Mallory, the man had confided he was bisexual and that he’d had a difficult time with some members of his family during his coming out. All that seemed to be behind him, though, as he introduced Drew to his partner, Ryder, whom he planned on marrying this summer.

  Closing down his e-mail, Drew rested his head against the pillows of his sofa and closed his eyes. Had he really loved Jackie, or was it his desperate need to have someone to come home to, someone to touch, to hold? Losing his parents so unexpectedly had left a hole in his heart he’d never been able to fill. He’d drifted through relationships, allowing his friends to set him up with woman after woman, but he’d never found that attraction or spark to take any of them seriously. Their main interest in him had been his profession. As he grew older and reverted back into his shell of loneliness, it became all too easy to let his friends and sister direct his personal life.

  Jordan had Keith, Mike was a party animal with more women than sense, and Rachel…well, Rachel was a mother hen who insisted she knew what was best for him. And Drew had simply stopped caring.

  When he’d ventured out and met Jackie, he’d thought she was the one, not heeding his friends’ and family’s warning that her only desire was to be married to a plastic surgeon with a lucrative career path. She’d been loving and supportive while they’d dated. Everything had been fine before they’d gotten married. He fell for her hard and fast, proposing marriage after only dating six months. But things changed soon after their honeymoon, sw
iftly going downhill. Once he’d told her of his plans to open a clinic for abused teens and young adults, she’d pulled away, uninterested in that or any other topic he brought up for discussion. Eventually she withdrew from their marriage altogether.

  It hadn’t even taken him three months of living with Jackie to realize what a vain, self-centered person she truly was. Shit, he’d obviously been a very poor judge of character, because seeing her on her knees blowing his friend had come as a total surprise to him. Once again, he thanked God the marriage was as short-lived as it was and they’d never had kids.

  Well, no matter, as he wasn’t ready for a new relationship or even to date right now. His sister was right. He had the clinic and those kids to think about. Hopefully they could find another lawyer to replace Davis. Jason Mallory had mentioned a Legal Aid attorney he was friends with who might be willing to help. Maybe Drew would give that attorney a call, as the legal work would likely be too much for Peter to handle on his own.

  His phone buzzed with a call. “Hey, Rach. What’s up? I was thinking of you.”

  “Great minds, big brother. Wanna meet for coffee Saturday? I haven’t seen you in a while since I was out of town and couldn’t come to Nana’s last week. We need a hang-out day.”

  Drew’s chest tightened. No matter how shitty he felt, talking to his sister always made him feel better. Not that he’d ever admit it to her. “Sure. Where and when?”

  “How about the new coffeehouse by Union Square? The one on 18th St. by the park? We can walk around the farmer’s market afterward.”

  An idea popped into his head. “Sounds perfect. I’ll get some fresh fruit and make Nana a cobbler for Sunday.” He hadn’t indulged in his love of cooking since his marriage, as Jackie barely ate anything. She’d always been on some diet or another.

  “Ooh yumm.” Her moan was long and drawn out. “I love your cobbler. Maybe you’ll be a nice big brother and make an extra one for me? Pretty please?”

  “You’ll have to help me carry the fruit home.” Who was he kidding? She knew he’d make it for her.

  “Not a problem. Gives me a chance to come over and see Domino. How fat has he gotten?”

  “He isn’t fat; he’s healthy.”

  After she stopped laughing, they agreed to meet at noon. “Save me a seat and get me a hazelnut latte if you get there first.”

  “If? If I’m there first? When have you ever been on time for anything?” He chuckled, even when she blew a raspberry in his ear and hung up on him.

  Swallowing the last of his beer, he closed his laptop and put it on the couch. When he got up, the cat followed him, waiting outside the bathroom until he finished and then trailing him back into the bedroom. No use in pushing Domino off the bed; he’d hop right back on.

  “Well, come on. Up you go.” Domino regarded him with those big yellow eyes, swished his tail, and jumped, stalking over to the foot of the bed and curling up. Feeling happier than he had in a while, Drew slipped into the bed, allowing his body to unfold. Toes curling, hamstrings tightening, and arms over his head, he enjoyed a full-body stretch before relaxing. It had been a long day of patients, then that bizarre dinner meeting. The back of his neck cracked. Well, he sure wasn’t twenty anymore. After he’d hit thirty, he’d taken up running to make sure he could stay in shape with his long hours and infrequent meals.

  His phone buzzed on the night table. Oh, Christ. Hopefully it wasn’t some emergency. He picked it up, his eyes squinting at the bright light in the dark of his room. Crap. Asher Davis.

  What the hell was that message about, Klein? Call me back.

  Screw him. He didn’t owe Ash Davis anything. He threw the phone on the opposite side of the bed and buried his head under the pillow. Of course, now that the guy had texted him, Drew couldn’t get that scene of Ash getting sucked off out of his mind. He understood what Jordan meant when he said it was hot to watch. He’d never admit it to anyone, but for just a moment while he was watching it…damned if it didn’t turn him on. Just a bit.

  Shit. There went his dick again. Fuck. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He liked women, for God’s sake. Even though there was no one else in the room, his gaze darted furtively from side to side. Drew touched himself through his thin sweatpants, groaning at the feel of his swollen cock twitching beneath his hand.

  A vision of the dark-haired Ash with the face of a wicked angel, head thrown back and gasping for breath, stirred a fantasy Drew didn’t know existed in the deepest recesses of his mind. Recalling the slick, liquid sound of the waiter’s mouth on Ash’s cock, as well as Ash’s harsh groans served as the impetus Drew needed to push himself over the edge. To his disbelief, he reached under his sweats, grabbed his cock, and pulled at the leaking head, stroking hard down the shaft. After only a few moments and several strong tugs, he stiffened and came, spurting into his hand, his rough, choked cry echoing against the walls of his bedroom.

  Unable to catch his breath for a moment, he reeled from what had occurred in his bed. Did he really jerk off, thinking of another man? Un-fucking-believable. What the hell was going on with him?

  His phone rang. Shit, nighttime calls were always bad news. What if something had happened to Nana? Without looking at the screen, he connected. “Hello? Who is this?”

  “Klein? It’s Davis. Asher Davis. You owe me an explanation for why you summarily dismissed me from the project.”

  “It’s almost two a.m. I don’t owe anyone explanations at two in the morning. Least of all you.” Yeah, he knew that sounded rude, but the fact that he’d jerked off to the vision in his mind of Ash getting a blowjob embarrassed him enough that he didn’t give a shit.

  A long expulsion of breath indicated how pissed off Ash was. “Why are you being such a bastard?” Now he merely sounded confused. “Can’t we talk about it?”

  Did he owe the guy an explanation? Not really. But maybe he owed it to Peter, since Peter had involved Ash. “Okay. Meet me at eleven thirty Saturday morning at the new coffeehouse on 18th and Broadway.” He clicked off and muted the phone. After cleaning himself up in the bathroom, Drew returned to bed and huddled under the covers, willing himself to go to sleep.

  On Saturday, a few minutes before he was to meet Ash, Drew entered the coffeehouse, ordered himself an iced coffee, and found a seat. Stretching his legs under the tiny table, he wondered why he’d made this appointment. He wanted this clinic to safeguard the kids from predators. While Ash wasn’t that bad, Drew didn’t need the distraction of wondering whether or not Asher Davis was behaving himself and not seducing the very people they were trying to protect.

  A shadow fell across his eyes. “Okay, Klein.” Ash dropped into the seat across from him, his silver eyes glittering like ice chips. “What the fuck happened between dinner and you coming home that made it so imperative for you to call my office at one thirty in the morning and dump me from the project?”

  Drew toyed with the lid to his coffee cup before answering, his gaze taking in Ash’s agitated state. “For the life of me, I can’t understand why you’re so upset. I had a change of heart.” He shrugged. “Maybe I don’t want to work with my ex-wife’s lawyer.”

  “I’m calling bullshit on that. You had no problem when we talked about it. You even liked my ideas.”

  Why would a man like this care so much about this project? Did he still have a thing for Jordan and hope to get through to him this way? “You are aware that Jordan’s in a committed relationship now.”

  A look of confusion crossed Ash’s face, before his lips drew up in a sneer. “You think I want to do this because of Peterson? Did he tell you that?”

  Nervous, Drew leaned away from Ash, craning his neck to catch the people walking in the doorway. For once in her life couldn’t his sister be early for something? His gaze returned to the angry man before him. “No, but I know you had a thing for him once.”

  Ash snorted. “Listen. Tell your friend with the overinflated opinion of himself that because I hit on him four or five years ago do
esn’t mean I’m still interested. Tastes change.”

  Rachel walked in and waved to him, then gave him a questioning look. Hallelujah. Before he could stop himself, the snarky comment burst out of his mouth. “Yeah, I know. You’re into waiters now, right? Or, I should say, they’re into you.” Getting up from his seat, he greeted his sister. “Hey, Rach, how are you?”

  Her eyes flickered from him to Ash, who sat stunned, frozen in place. “Um, do you want to introduce me to your friend?”

  “I don’t think so. We’re not friends, merely acquaintances. I don’t think we’ll be seeing each other after today.” When he looked at Ash over his shoulder, a momentary twinge of regret pricked him. “So long, Davis. See you around.” With his hand on Rachel’s back, he steered her toward the door, hardly paying attention to her complaining that she didn’t have a chance to get her coffee.

  “Forget it, Rachel. I’ll buy you lemonade. Now let’s go. I need to buy the fruit to make the cobbler for Nana tomorrow and don’t want to get stuck with all the bruised left-overs.”

  As he passed by the windows of the coffeehouse, he looked through and saw the empty table where he and Ash had sat. Guess he got the message.

  “Drew.”

  Or not. He turned to find Asher Davis right on his heels, a sheepish expression on his face.

  “Can we talk about it?”

  “There really isn’t anything to talk about.”

  Of course Miss Nosy Pants couldn’t be left out of the conversation. “Hi, I’m Rachel, his much more well-mannered sister.”

  In a surprising, old-fashioned gesture, Ash picked up Rachel’s hand and kissed it. “Lovely to meet you. Maybe you can convince your brother that I honestly want to help at the center he’s setting up.”