Irons and Works: The Complete Series

by E M Lindsey

  Chapter Fourteen

  Derek got a text from Basil saying he was late, and that he’d meet him at the restaurant. The place he’d picked—an out of the way little Moroccan shop complete with shin-high tables, floor poufs, and baskets full of bread instead of silverware—was just on the outskirts of the Cherry Creek mall to really be considered hole-in-the-wall, but it still had an old-world, almost indie feel to it which Derek loved.

  The place held twelve tables, which meant they could only seat by reservation, and it meant that the entire meal wouldn’t be overwhelming with noise. He found it funny—the place was dimly lit with no windows, covered in tapestries and artwork, and it should have made his claustrophobia rear its ugly head, except it never did there. Maybe it was the gentle music, or the hands-off demeanor of the service, but he was excited to be able to share the place with Basil and not run the risk of a panic attack settling in.

  He arrived a little early, shedding his shoes at the door before he was seated, and he ordered some tea to soothe his nerves as he waited. He toyed with the edge of the menu, then nibbled on some of the bread in the center near the little candles, and he checked his phone obsessively like he was almost expecting Basil to cancel.

  He hadn’t seen him since the morning after—way too early to feel properly human. But he’d still dragged his ass out of bed to make sure Basil had breakfast and coffee and a long kiss before he had to run out and open the shop. He’d gone back to bed when Basil had gone, wrapping himself in the blanket that still held the faint echo of Basil’s floral scent, and he wanted to keep the other man there every night, so he’d never lose it.

  Just when twenty minutes had passed and he started to really panic, he saw Basil’s head poke around the side of the wall and spot him immediately. The relief was almost visceral as he rose, beckoning Basil over, and for just the briefest second, he was captivated by the soft, socked feet padding across the floor. Derek met him with a hand to Basil’s cheek, drawing him in for a soft, chaste kiss.

  It felt right again, like a puzzle piece slotting into place where it always belonged. From the faint pink on Basil’s cheeks, he thought maybe the other man felt it too. They settled together, side by side on their cushions, and Basil’s gaze roamed around for a moment, taking it all in.

  When he returned his attention to Derek, he laughed quietly and shrugged. ‘New place for me.’

  Derek nodded. ‘No one really knows about it, but I like it. The food is good. We can share.’ He held up the menu and tapped on the vegetarian five courses. ‘They play music and have dancers between the entrée and dessert.’

  Basil’s eyebrows rose. ‘You take dates here?’

  Derek felt himself blush. ‘No. You’re my only date.’

  At that, Basil’s lips lifted into a pleased grin, and he nodded, tapping the menu with his long finger. Derek fought the urge to lift his hand, to bite the tip of that finger just to see if he could make Basil’s cheeks go darker, make him squirm a little in his seat. But there was time for that later. Derek was feeling bold, but also romantic. He desperately wanted to give Basil a reason to say, and he knew that was his abandonment and fear talking, but it was also want.

  Luckily, his swirling thoughts were interrupted by the server, and Derek checked with Basil to make sure it was fine before he ordered the five courses for them to share. Basil seemed utterly unbothered by Derek taking the lead, and when the server left, Basil even shifted a little closer and instead of saying anything more, he just leaned his head on Derek’s shoulder and relaxed against him. Their hands found each other’s and fingers linked, and Derek felt the soft, beating pulse in Basil’s wrist against his thumb.

  ‘Long day?’ Basil finally asked, shifting so his hands could be seen properly.

  Derek shrugged. ‘No. I had ASL class this afternoon, but I didn’t do well for my presentation.’

  Basil’s eyebrows lifted. ‘You’ve been signing very well.’

  Derek cleared his throat, flushing a little. ‘I got nervous,’ he admitted. ‘I was…thinking about you.’

  Basil seemed to understand, and his face pinked just the slightest bit, his mouth twitching at the corners. ‘Our night?’

  Derek shrugged, but he knew his face had given it away. He tried his damndest to pay attention in class that afternoon, but every time he was idle, his thoughts kept drifting back to before, to the feeling of his fingers inside Basil, to the way he surrendered with open mouth and warm tongue under his pressing kisses. The teacher had noticed his distraction and admonished him in front of everyone, and Derek wanted to care, but more than that he just wanted to get out of there and get the day over with so he could be with Basil again.

  And now they were here. ‘I missed you,’ he said instead of answering him.

  Basil looked startled, but he smiled all the same and shifted just a fraction closer. ‘I met your boss today.’

  Derek, who had just taken a sip of his water, choked on it. “What?” he couldn’t help but voice, then swiped his mouth with the back of his hand before he signed, ‘What?’ to clarify.

  Basil chuckled and shrugged. ‘He was nice. I met Jasmine, she is so sweet. Very smart.’

  Derek felt himself puff with a little pride, and he nodded. ‘So smart. She’s going to be president one day. Or maybe an evil dictator. Either way, I plan to be on her good side.’

  Basil laughed louder, shaking his head, but he looked so damn happy and Derek wanted to keep that look there. ‘Do you want to meet my friend after we eat.’

  Derek’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘Your friend?’

  ‘You know him,’ Basil clarified. ‘Amit. He gets tattoos from your brother. He works at a bar and I’ve told him about you.’

  Derek felt something hot and uncomfortable in his gut, and he realized it was jealousy. He knew Amit—the guy Basil had been on a date with the night the date with Niko had gone poorly. ‘Your ex?’ he couldn’t help but ask.

  It was Basil’s turn to choke—just a little—on his small bite of bread he’d dipped in his soup. ‘My ex?’

  ‘I saw you,’ Derek admitted. ‘The night of my bad date. You were with him at gelato.’

  Basil blinked, then threw his head back and laughed. ‘Not a date,’ he insisted with very clear signs. ‘Only a friend. Promise.’

  Derek hated that he’d made an ass of himself because he knew his expression had given him away, but he couldn’t help it. ‘Sorry.’

  Basil shook his head, then laid his hand on Derek’s cheek and drew him in for a kiss that was mostly chaste, but a little deeper than he was expecting to have in the middle of a restaurant. ‘It’s okay. But not a date. Friend only.’

  Derek sighed, then nodded. ‘Yes. I want to.’

  Their conversation went quiet when their meal came, and he discovered that maybe this restaurant wasn’t entirely the best idea. Eating with their hands and no utensils and trying to sign made the multi-tasking a little difficult. And yet, the silence between them was just as comfortable as it had been before.

  After they’d finished their entrées, the little show began. It was the same every time—the dancers, the music, the routine. Derek had been coming here a while with everyone at the shop, and yet the routine still got him every time. He and Basil both leaned back as the two women began to sway their hips and balance swords on their sides. He felt Basil shift, looked over and saw that he had his hand pressed to the wall to feel the vibrations playing through the room, a small smile touching his lips.

  Derek moved closer, let their thighs press together, let himself lean in and kiss the underside of Basil’s jaw softly. It was nice to feel comfortable like this. Basil was shorter than him, and smaller, but he never looked at Derek like he was intimidated or afraid, never looked at him like he was some big, hulking monster. He just…looked at him.

  He wasn’t feeling very hungry by the time they came around to serve tea and baklava, but he nibbled anyway and then waved Basil off as he slipped his card in the bill fold. He laughed
a little at Basil’s disgruntled glower, so he told him, ‘You can pay for drinks,’ which only earned him an eyeroll.

  ‘My friend is the bartender, we drink for free. Next time me.’

  Derek shrugged, too caught up in the thrill that there was the idea of next time, that this was turning into something maybe real, and maybe great to care about arguing over money. They left not long after, and Derek let Basil take his hand and lead the way to the car.

  Amit’s place wasn’t far, but parking was a bitch and he ended up at the curb right near a strip club which looked unsurprisingly dead for a Tuesday night. They made their way through the empty sidewalks, and up two blocks before they reached the little hipster college bar nestled between two other themed bars on the little strip.

  Derek felt a small wave of anxiety as they stepped in, but the music wasn’t overwhelmingly loud, and the place was spacious enough. There was a decent crowd there, at least half the tables full of patrons, though none of them looked interested in doing more than drinking their whiskey flights and talking through their curly mustaches. Derek almost wanted to people watch, but instead he let Basil lead him to the near-empty row of barstools.

  Amit was there, looking frankly gorgeous in a tight mesh tank-top and dark jeans. He perked up instantly when he set eyes on Basil, then turned a curious and somewhat amused stare to Derek before raising his hands to ask, ‘Date?’

  Derek braced himself for Basil to minimize it, and though Basil’s signs were way too fast for him to catch it all, he saw him tell Amit, ‘Finished dinner,’ so he didn’t think there was any denial there. Especially after Basil moved into his side and tucked in a little closer.

  When Amit finally approached, Derek raised his hand in a hello. ‘I’m Derek.’

  ‘Sage’s brother,’ Amit signed.

  Derek could see hearing aids over the guy’s ears, and he knew that Amit spoke, but he had no desire to break their non-verbal night now. ‘I’m learning sign. Sorry I’m slow.’

  Amit’s smile widened, almost surprised as he gave Derek a look, then turned his attention back to Basil. ‘Good. Lucky.’

  Basil shrugged, but he glanced over at Derek and his face was telling. He was happy, and Derek had done that. ‘Two drinks. Whatever,’ Basil told him, and Amit gave a wink before he wandered off. ‘Is that okay? I let him choose for me.’

  Derek nodded with his own soft, easy smile. ‘Whatever you want.’

  Basil stepped in closer, bringing one of his hands to Derek’s waist, holding him tight there. ‘Thank you,’ he signed with his other hand. ‘Tonight was good.’

  ‘Yes,’ Derek signed in response. He fought the urge to take Basil’s face between his hands and kiss him, but he didn’t want to make a big show of it. When Basil licked his lips though, Derek couldn’t help himself and he leaned in, just brushing their mouths together for a brief moment before pulling away. ‘You’re beautiful.’ His bladder decided to join in on the fun right then, so he sighed and stepped back. ‘Bathroom. Wait for me.’

  Basil pointed out the restroom sign, and Derek made his way around the tables to the small hallway. Like most men’s bathrooms, it smelled like old piss and axe body spray, but it wasn’t as overwhelming as some places, and there were private stalls which always helped him feel a less anxious than the open urinals. He took his time, mostly gathering himself and he was happy to note his anxiety hadn’t overwhelmed him too much in spite of subverting his routine to the point he no longer recognized his day. But it was good. It was wonderful. It was the perfect end to the shake-up, and he couldn’t regret a second of it.

  As he stepped out to wash his hands, he came to an abrupt halt at the sight of a man standing against one of the sinks, arms crossed, very obviously watching him. Derek swallowed thickly, feeling an urge to confront the stranger, and to turn tail and run warring equally in his head. After a beat, he broke eye-contact and walked to the sink.

  “Haven’t seen you here before,” he said.

  It was a fucking cheesy movie-line opening and he felt a rush of irritation build in his gut. “You got a problem, man?”

  “I just saw you come in with Basil and I thought I’d introduce myself. Save us all from an awkward conversation at the table you probably couldn’t follow.” The guy’s tone was smarmy and a little threatening which told Derek he was either an ex or an interested party, which he was so not in the mood for. Tonight had been going so well, he didn’t know why the universe wanted to test him after all this.

  “Look, man, if Basil wants to introduce us, that’s fine with me,” Derek told him.

  The guy held up two hands. “Hey, I don’t have a problem with it, I just noticed your signing is a little…slow.”

  Derek fixed him with a flat look as he finished scrubbing off his hands, then brushed past him for the bin of paper towels. He debated answering, debated trying to defend himself, but what was the point. This guy was going to act superior either way, and Derek wasn’t going to defend his territory like some piss-happy alpha trying to protect his boyfriend.

  He fixed the guy with a last, quick stare, then pushed the door open and walked out. As much as the urge struck him, he determinedly didn’t look behind him. He could tell, though, from the look on Basil’s face when he glanced up from his conversation with Amit, the guy had followed him out.

  Derek shook off his irritation and affected a smile instead, reaching for the second, untouched beer waiting for him on a little coaster. He downed a third of it, and by the time he set the pint glass down, he could feel the guy behind him, his arms moving in rapid signs. Derek was still learning about the Deaf Community, but he was fairly sure the guy was breaking some sort of social etiquette by doing this where Derek couldn’t see.

  At least by the look on Basil’s face, he knew it wasn’t going to be well received. ‘Not now,’ Basil signed, and Derek recognized that one, even as fast as Basil signed it.

  From his place behind the bar, Amit caught Derek’s gaze and offered him a wink and smirk of solidarity. ‘No worries,’ he mouthed.

  Derek cleared his throat, then stood up and backed away so he was no longer the physical barrier between the guy and Basil. ‘Sorry,’ he signed. ‘I met him in the bathroom.’

  Basil’s hands flew, and Derek caught, ‘What,’ and ‘you,’ several times.

  The guy’s hands were just as fast, his gaze flickering to Derek with a smug grin because he knew Derek had no hope of following. This had to be the guy from Basil’s bad date—the guy who’d ruined his night right before things had changed between them.

  ‘Should I go?’ Derek asked.

  Horrified, Basil’s full attention was back on him. ‘No. I’m sorry, please don’t go.’

  Derek reached for him, touching his arm gently. ‘I’ll wait at the bar if you want to finish talking to him. I can’t understand, so you can fill me in later?’

  Basil fixed him with a fierce, determined look and nodded. ‘Yes. I promise.’ He gently pulled away from Derek, but then as an afterthought, surged forward and kissed him, one slow kiss followed by lingering pecks as he pulled back. ‘Soon.’

  Derek nodded and as much as he wanted to look back at the guy, he snagged his beer and moved to the end of the bar instead. Amit was already there waiting for him, leaning in close as he kept one eye on Basil and the dickhead who moved to a quiet corner.

  “Do you want me to fill you in?” Amit asked aloud, his voice startling Derek after so much voiceless conversation.

  Derek couldn’t help a grin, but he shook his head all the same. “Basil told me he’d let me know everything when he was done. I trust him.”

  Amit considered him a long moment, then shrugged. “I think I like you. I mean, I was pretty sure I liked you before, even if we didn’t properly meet, but I’m glad I was right. Do you want something else to drink?”

  “No. I have to drive back,” Derek told him. He was watching as subtly as he could—which wasn’t really subtle at all—and he was fascinated by the way both
men’s hands flew. There were no spoken words exchanged, but Derek could all-but feel the way they were shouting at each other. He could see the guy’s face getting redder, getting more insistent, could see Basil holding his ground. “Do you know that guy?”

  “Not before he went on his one shitty date with Basil,” Amit confessed. “I think he saw Basil meet me here one day, but when he realized I was hard of hearing, he backed off. With you though…”

  Derek sighed. “Is he deaf?”

  Amit snorted. “No. He’s CODA. Like the worst kind of CODA.”

  “Uh,” Derek said.

  “Deaf parents,” Amit explained. “Most CODA are chill as fuck, but there are the occasional ones like him that are total dicks. They like to speak where they’re not welcome.”

  Derek’s brows rose in understanding. “Like white dudes with black friends who think they can tell other white people about the black experience?”

  Amit’s grin widened. “You know those guys?”

  “We live in Colorado. Everyone here knows those guys,” Derek said a little flatly, though he was smiling. His grin didn’t last long as he watched the guy and Basil’s signs start to calm down. Their conversation looked far from over, and Basil was looking a little uncomfortable now as he glanced back at Derek a few times. “Do you uh…I mean…would Basil be better with a guy more like him?”

  “Like that douche?” Amit asked, his tone surprised and a little offended.

  Derek shrugged. “Okay, maybe not him specifically, but someone who gets it. Who grew up around signing and…and everything. I don’t know shit.”

  “Saw you talking to him just fine,” Amit replied.