Changes - 7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Things hadn’t been so good at home, so if overtime was available at work I took it. Currently a big case needed extra investigation, so I volunteered. In my position as a paralegal, I often did research for my bosses. My additional two hours on this Friday were just about to begin when the phone rang. I picked up. “Jackson and Montague. How can I help you?”

“Louis?”

The voice was familiar. “Yes? Can I help you?”

“I hope so. It’s Harry.”

Shit! And worse, just the name gave me the beginnings of a hard-on. Breathe, Louis!

My mouth was dry. I reached for my water and sipped it. I slapped my turgid and traitorous member. It retreated somewhat.

“Louis? You there? You okay?”

“Yeah … yeah, I’m here. Sorry.”

“No problem. Listen, I was wondering if I could take you to dinner?”

“Dinner?” The r came out as a squeak! “Um … well, I don’t know, Harry.”

“It’s important. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Important? “There is? Like what?”

“Well … I need to talk to you about Don.”

“Is something wrong, Harry?” I felt some rising panic.

“No, nothing too serious, but well, I need your help.” Harry coughed. “It would help if you were onside.”

“Well, okay. I guess that means you don’t want me to tell Don then?”

There was a short pause before Harry spoke again. “That would probably be for the best.”

My boss, Frank Jackson, was looking at me. So I thought I’d better wrap this up. “Um, Harry, when were you thinking of?”

“Tonight any good for you? Say about 7:30? I know a nice little Italian place; it’s very quiet and private.”

“Yeah … sure. Tonight would be fine.”

“I can pick you up.”

“No, I’m in town. Have a couple more hours of work to do. Just text me the address and I’ll be there.”

“Sure, no problem. I’m glad we can do this.”

“Right, okay ….”

“I’ll see you later then.”

“Yeah, see you soon.” I hung up and smiled at my boss. “Dinner….”

“Work first please, Louis!”

“Yes, sir.”

Mario’s Bistro wasn’t too far from the office. I saw Harry waiting for me as a waiter showed me to the table. Rising as I neared, Harry reached for me and kissed my cheek. He ordered me a drink.

“You look like you could do with one.”

He pulled me around to the bench seat and tugged me down next to him.

God, he looked good, and smelled even better. Suddenly I wanted him, his mouth on mine, and his dick in me. It had been so long.

Harry gazed at me. “Louis? Relax.”

“Sorry. I ….”

He took my hand and held it. Squeezed. “Have a sip of your drink. Breathe. It’s okay.”

“Sorry. I guess I seem nervous.” I picked up my wine, but my hand was shaking.

Smiling, Harry replied, “Pretty much.”

“Christ, sorry. Look, I should go.”

“Why? You’re fine. Just relax, Louis.” He finally released my hand. “Don doesn’t know you’re with me, right?”

“No. Shit, did he tell you to call me?”

“No. Why would he do that?”

“Because he thinks I should sleep with you.”

Harry’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. “What?”

“Yeah. He thinks you’d be the perfect lover for me.”

“I … um. Not sure what to say.”

The waiter appeared then with two salads. “Would you care for fresh pepper?”

Harry looked at me, and I shook my head, while he replied, “No, thank you very much.”

“Very well. Shall I put the order in for your mains?”

Harry ordered the lasagna, and I ordered spaghetti with meatballs.

“But put them in in about fifteen minutes, please.” The waiter nodded at Harry and excused himself.

“Now, Louis, what’s this about you and me? I mean, I can’t say I’ve never thought about it. You’re a very sexy man.”

I sighed and speared a piece of tomato.

“Louis, is it something you want?” My handsome companion pushed the salad around in its bowl.

“Yes … no, I don’t know, Harry. I want it; I miss sex; I miss being held.” Damn it, I felt hot tears on my cheeks.

“Hey. Hey … shhh. It’s okay, Louis.” Harry’s warm hand patted my thigh. “I’m not so sure that us being together, under these circumstances, would be a good thing for either of us. But I can hold you.” And he did; he pulled me close and held me as I sobbed on his shoulder.

Once I’d finally quieted, he sent me to the restroom to wash and collect myself.

The restaurant was very low key, filled with plants that provided privacy between each table. I could hear Harry talking as I returned. He was on his phone. Okay, I’m not proud, but I did listen from behind a ficus.

“He’s fine. Don, if you say that to me again, I’m going to hang up and do what you are accusing me of. I have zero intention of sleeping with him, especially now. It would be a wrong and a horrible thing to do.”

There was a pause, and then Harry continued. “I wasn’t going to tell you but that felt wrong. I just wanted you to know he’s safe and not to worry. I shouldn’t have bothered!”

It was quiet except for Harry’s fork dinging the salad bowl. I brushed the large plant aside, entered our little plant cave and sat down.

Harry looked concerned. “Okay? Feel better?”

“Yes. I’m sorry … I ….”

“Don’t worry. You and Don are both under a lot of strain. It can’t be easy for either of you. So much change.”

“No. It’s not easy. I don’t know if I can keep this up, Harry.” I sipped my wine. “I overheard you on the phone with Don.”

Harry looked sheepish. “Yeah, I was feeling a bit guilty.”

“No reason to feel like that.” I finished the last of my salad before asking, “So, why dinner? Why did you want to see me?”

“Oh, Don’s writing but not producing much, or at least he’s not sending it to me. I wondered if he’d said anything to you. I know you always read his work before he submits it.”

“He rarely talks to me. Especially not about his work.”

Harry took my hands in his. His eyes found mine and held real concern. “Louis, you and Don … you were the most in-love people I’ve ever met. You have to save this … you can’t just let it go.”

“I’ve tried talking. We went to counselling one time, but Don cannot get over the fact that we may never have sex again and refuses to go back. I can’t live with him if he won’t even hold my hand, let alone do anything else.”

“That would be hard to come to terms with. Especially for a man like Don.”

“I know and I’ve tried to be understanding, be patient, and thoughtful, and do whatever he needs. But it’s not working.”

The waiter came in with another bottle of wine, rolls and our plates of pasta. After giving us a bowl of fresh parmesan and dried hot peppers, he left us alone.

Harry spooned some cheese and peppers over his food, and poured us more wine. I added the same flavours to my own plate. We were quiet for some minutes while we ate.

“You, we, need a plan!” Harry waved his empty fork. “Something that will bring you two together.”

I nodded. “Yes, but what exactly?”

His fork safely back on his plate, Harry covered my hand with his. “Look at all the things he used to do, Louis. What did most of them have in common?”

“Um … Ironman, the bikes of course, fun runs, marathons: races!”

“Yes. He needs a challenge. Something he can do in a wheelchair.” The editor smiled and squeezed my hand. “You need to help him. Train with him, be there through it all.”

“He’d wanted to do the Fat Dog 100 this year. You can’t do that from a wheelchair.”

“No, he’ll have to change his expectations. What about a marathon?”

“That’s fine as long as I don’t have to run.”

“But you will have to run.” Harry’s eyes locked on mine.

“I can’t run down the street!”

“You need to train with him. Essentially, he’ll be training you as well as himself.”

I let this sink in for a few minutes. Me, run?

Harry ended the silence. “Let me talk to him. You need to keep quiet. I’ll bring it up to him like I used to. He did Ironman because I suggested his training and experience preparing for it would be a good story. And it was. I’ll do the same thing this time. Tell him we want him to do a hands-on story for New York or London. The Magazine will pay for his new chair, don’t worry about that.”

“Okay, thanks.” I felt stunned. Run a marathon, me?

The waiter returned, cleared the table and we sat and had coffee, chatting easily about one thing or another.

Harry took the bill when the waiter returned with it. He handed the server his credit card and signed the bill when it printed from the hand-held payment machine.

“Thank you, gentlemen. Please, there is no rush for you to leave.”

We finished our coffee and Harry walked me to the car. I unlocked the door and turned around.

“Thanks for dinner, Harry.” I smiled at him.

“You’re welcome.” My companion put a hand on the car and leaned toward me. His voice was low. “Louis, now isn’t the time. But if you ever change your mind ….”

Then his soft lips were on mine. I didn’t resist; in fact, I kissed him back. I welcomed the arms that encircled me and held on to Harry’s wool pea coat. It felt so good, and it had been so long.

Finally, I think we both realized what we were doing, what could very well happen, and who could get hurt. With his hands now on my shoulders, Harry broke our embrace.

He spoke first. “I guess I should apologize, but I don’t want to. I’m not sorry for kissing you and I wouldn’t be sorry if you came home with me and we made love. But I know I don’t want you to regret it, so it’s best we don’t act on how we feel right at this moment.”

My eyes held his. “You don’t need to apologize, there’s nothing to be sorry for. I’m not sorry either. But … but I am married to Don. I promised—”

“I understand.” Harry pulled me into a hug. “I’m here for you and Don, Louis. I am attracted to you, but more than that, I’m your friend.”

I clutched Harry tighter, while tears fell again. We just stood in the parking lot and rocked together. Finally he bundled me into my car and kissed my cheek.

I worried on the way home. I’d overheard Harry’s conversation with Don. What was Don thinking? I really didn’t want to go into the house, but I knew Harry was right. I couldn’t give up on Donny—on us—not yet.

Steeling myself after I’d parked and locked the car, I entered the house, hung up my coat and did what I normally do; shouted hello.

“Don? I’m home!”

“I’m in the living room.”

I walked in smiling and moved to kiss Don. He pushed me away.

“Shit Don, what is wrong with you?”

He glared at me. “You were with Harry.”

“How did you know?”

“He called and told me. Was he a good fuck?”

I stared down at him and shook my head. “Seriously? I was out with him, yeah. For dinner, that’s all. I did not sleep with him.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Whatever. I’m going to shower and go to bed.”

“You’re damn lucky I can’t get out of this thing!”

I whirled around. “Am I? Well, I’ll tell you, I sure do feel lucky. My husband hates me, refuses to touch or kiss me. I’ve lost my best friend, the man I love, to that fucking chair. So yes, I feel wonderfully lucky!”

I walked away but stopped and turned back. “And another thing. I’ve never cheated on you. Never lied. Always supported you, and I still do even after you fucking ruined our lives.”

My heart hitched when I saw the pain on his face after hearing that. I pretended I hadn’t seen it and walked away. The tears started about halfway up the stairs. To cover up my sobs, I put on the shower and climbed in.

I don’t know how long the shower ran. I finally got out, dried myself and pulled on some boxers. Exhaustion made me feel like I was walking in mud. The bed looked inviting, so I just climbed in.

***

Don’s voice woke me.

“Lous … Lous? Please wake up.”

Dim light spilled into the bedroom from the hall. I felt Don’s presence before I saw him.

“What is it? Are you okay?”

“Sort of … no. Lous, please. Please, can we talk? I’m sorry.”

He sounded so sad and miserable. I pulled myself up onto my right elbow and reached out to touch him. “Sure. Of course. I’m sorry too, Donny.”

“I hate that you’re in here.”

“So do I.”

“Then please come back to our room. I want us together. This is no power trip, I promise. If I could get into bed here, I’d join you.”

He probably could have gotten into bed with me, but without the trapeze, it was definitely hard.

“Okay. You go on. I’ll follow.” I got up, sliding my legs over the side. I stopped and looked at them for a minute. What would it be like not to have them, and not walk again?

Don had stopped and was watching me. “It’s hard, Lous. Really fucking hard.”

I could only gaze at him and nod. I got up then and pushed him back to our room.

We lay face-to-face, once we’d both settled into our wonderful bed. Don put his arm over me and pulled me close. He kissed me, softly. His lips were like down on mine. My heart quickened and I couldn’t breathe. Then his tongue found mine and the hunger was alive. It was our first kiss all over again, only ten years later.

***

I first saw Don outside of Rider’s Pub. Lots of hot and sexy biker types hung around there, and lots of wanna-be girlfriends did too. Then there were a few of us gay-hopeful types as well.

The idea of a tough, sexy man gave me the shivers back then. I was eighteen or so, finished high school, enjoying my last summer before college. I’d never had a boyfriend, never been kissed either, and that was something I wanted so very badly. Me and my buddies, too young to drink anything but Coke, hung around for a few weeks every Friday and Saturday night that July. There were a lot hot guys around for me to ogle. A few of my friends got laid, pairing up with girls left behind by the older bikers, but not me. I had no interest in the girls.

One Friday night he showed up. I’d never seen him before. My jaw dropped. He was gorgeous, muscular, tattooed, and I wanted him. I could not take my eyes off him as he sauntered from his parked bike up the path. He must have felt me staring because he turned his head, pushed his dirty blond hair off his face, met my eyes and held them. Brazenly, I didn’t drop my gaze. He reached the door, and just before entering the bar, he smiled at me and winked. Then he slipped inside.

I promised myself I would not leave until he came out.

The reward for my patience left the bar about an hour later. I watched him, this time though, he made his way to where I sat alone on the wall. My eyes never left his; in that light they had looked golden.

He smiled and said, “You gonna be here next week? He slid his hand onto my right thigh.

I decided to be cool. “Maybe.”

“Hope so. See you later.”

“Later.” My thigh felt like it had been seared. It took me all my time not to jump down and do a jig.

That week was the longest of my life at the time. My dick was permanently a semi and my mouth was dry constantly. Finally, Friday rolled around and I sat on the brick wall outside Rider’s, waiting. I nursed a coke and my patience was again rewarded when Don pulled in around 7pm.

He straddled the bike and waved me over. I did my best to be as calm as possible, and went to meet him.

Indicating the helmet behind him, he spoke loudly over the bike’s engine. “Put it on.”

I picked up the spare helmet and did up the chinstrap clumsily. Then I climbed on behind him. I was close. He smelled like cinnamon and pear.

“Hold on to me.”

I put my hands on his waist. He rolled the bike back and then pulled out of the parking lot, heading left onto the road. I slid my arms farther around him, more out of fear than desire.

It had been early evening, so the sun was just setting. We roared up the road. I had no idea where Don was taking me, but I didn’t care. I’d never been on a bike and I was loving every exhilarating moment!

About twenty minutes passed, and Don slowed and turned off onto a dirt road. We sped up there, after another ten minutes, Don slowed the machine again, and we pulled up to the edge of the Doncaster Quarry.

I climbed off, and found my legs a bit shaky, but missed being close to Don. Don turned off the engine and settled the machine onto its kickstand.

I put the helmet on the seat beside Don’s. Well, I didn’t know his name then, we’d never traded our monikers at that point.

He grinned at me. “Like the ride?” He removed his black leather jacket and laid it on the seat.

I nodded. My mouth didn’t seem to want to do anything and got dryer after seeing how his t-shirt clung to his muscles.

“I’m Don.” He reached for my hand and held it as we walked over to the quarry. Don found a rock big enough for us to share, and we sat down. “You have a name?”

Nodding again, I swallowed and managed to say, “Louis.”

“Nice to meet you, Louis.” He looked away, and our gaze swept over the pit before us and the trees on the other side. There was splashing and voices down below. Kids partied here and did other stuff too. “I like it up here. It’s quieter and private. At least for now, there’s a party up here tonight.”

“It’s nice. I’ve never been up here before.” I’d been to the quarry, just never to the top of it. The water was the big draw here.

Don removed his sunglasses, and turned to me, his golden-amber eyes were beautiful. “No? Well, I’m glad your first time was with me then.”

I swallowed loudly when I heard that. I wanted my first time for everything to be with him.

We had sat there for a little while, when I heard bikes in the distance. I knew our alone time was over and the party was about to start.

Don took my hand and pulled me along as riders, some with their girls, drove in. We walked around and said hello. Beer and food was put out and piled high. No one seemed to care that I was with Don.

A fire was built and burgers and hot dogs were cooked. Don sent me to fetch us some. As I put condiments on, a young man stood next to me doing the same.

“He won’t keep you long.”

I frowned and put the top on the burger. “What?”

“Don … he won’t keep you. Once you let him fuck you. He’ll dump you.”

I stared for a moment. Then I piled the food on a plate, grabbed two beers and returned to Don. What the boy had said frightened me. What if it were true?

He opened our beers, grabbed a burger and ate it like he’d not eaten for a day. After the second one, he drained his beer, looked at mine, then at me, and smiled. I couldn’t help but grin back and nod. I’d only had a sip or two.

“Thanks, Lous.” He picked up the brown bottle and swallowed the contents. Afterward, he licked his lips. I stared at them, wondering what they would feel like when pressed against my own.

The party went on. The boys were a bit drunk and several of them started their bikes and performed some stunts. Don joined them.

I was terrified when one stunt didn’t quite work, the bike slid away from him and he jumped for safety. He picked up the machine and parked it.

“Hey. Don’t worry, Lous. It’s okay. Come here.” He wrapped his arms around me and held me close for a few minutes. I could feel him harden as he embraced me. I know I did too. Don reached for my butt and squeezed, pulling me in and grinding against me gently. “Oh, baby, you feel so, so good.”

I groaned softly and held on to his hard body.

Finally, he broke away and said, “You know the sun will be up in an hour or so.”

What? My parents were going to kill me.

“I’ll take you home, baby. Don’t worry. You’re safe with me.”

He did take me home. He walked me to my front door and held me close. I breathed him into me as much as I could. Then his generous soft lips were on mine. I moaned; as we connected. I hung on as he held me tight, deepened the kiss, until I was hard and wanting. I sucked his tongue and groaned as he grabbed my ass, lifted me and thrust against me. Finally, he released me and smiled. I missed him already.

Then reaching for my hand, he ran it along his length, and it was hard. “That’s what you do me, Lous. You did this. You do this to me.”

I sighed as he pulled me back into his iron embrace. “Say you want to see me again, Lous.”

With his tongue deep against mine I mumbled, “Yes, yes, yes.”

***

I opened my eyes. Don was looking at me. “Wow, where were you?”

“Oh, just daydreams. I’m right here.”

“Okay.” We hugged, and Don said, “I miss this baby. Your kisses.”

Our lips touched again and we necked like kids, his hands on my ass. I let my hand slip, hunting for his cock. I found it and stroked it. It twitched and thickened slightly.

Don groaned as I touched him. His eyes flew open and he grinned.

***