by Leta Blake
“Oh. Uh, okay.” Trevor turned toward the stage and blinked. “Which one is your, um, lover?” He sounded confounded, like the word itself was foreign to him.
“The hot one.”
“I meant, girl or guy?”
At that moment, RJ’s eyes opened and, like he’d suddenly felt Aaron’s presence, they landed directly on him. Aaron raised a glass. A smirky smile twisted RJ’s lips, but he didn’t miss a beat of the song. His eyes took on a gleam.
“That one,” Aaron said, lifting his chin toward RJ. “In the reindeer antlers.”
“Hot damn,” Trevor said, laughing. “You had me all confused. Normally, I can spot a member of the family pretty easily, but you gave me a scare just now.”
“Oh no, you had me pegged from the start,” Aaron replied a bit flirtatiously, feeling RJ’s eyes on him and liking that. He touched the man’s forearm. “If I weren’t here to watch my lover, I’d absolutely be the man to buy a drink.” He watched Trevor’s eyes widen. “Unfortunately…” He shrugged.
“So, you’re saying another night when he’s not around I might have a chance?” Trevor grinned, eyes crinkling handsomely at the corners.
“Maybe.”
No reason not to flirt. When this fling ended and RJ left town, Aaron would need an option for getting off. So long as Trevor wasn’t a student’s father or stepfather or uncle or brother or cousin…
A weird twist in his stomach made his smile falter. He took a fast sip of his whisky to cover it up. The truth was, he didn’t want this man as a future option for sex. He didn’t want him ever.
Shit. What had RJ done to him?
Aaron glanced toward the stage again and found RJ watching him closely, an expression on his face Aaron hoped might be jealousy. His twisting stomach unclenched into a whirl of excited butterflies. He wondered how a naughty elf might be punished for flirting with a hot man who wasn’t Santa. Aaron’s blood rushed wildly, and he smiled up at the man beside him.
“Trying to make him jealous?” Trevor asked, glancing toward the stage with a laugh.
“Why not? Might make for a fun night later.”
Trevor laughed heartily and leaned closer. “Is that how it is with you two?”
Aaron shrugged. He didn’t know how it would be. He hoped it’d be good, but who really knew? He was pretty excited to find out.
Trevor grimaced. “My ex was a real dick when he was jealous. No fun at all.”
Aaron met RJ’s gaze again. He wasn’t singing now, just strumming some steady chords while their pianist took a turn being the one to carry the melody. RJ lifted a brow at Aaron, a warning or scolding, maybe both, but his eyes sparkled with a dangerous humor.
“I think it’ll be okay.” Aaron patted Trevor’s cheek, feeling his smooth goatee beneath this thumb. “Thanks for sharing a drink with me. It’s been fun chatting.”
“Is that a dismissal?”
“It’s a ‘see you another time’ Maybe.”
Trevor laughed even harder, and Aaron slipped from his barstool to move closer to the stage, and closer to the man who was going to take him home tonight. And, with any luck, break him apart on his dick.
He couldn’t wait.
RJ kept an eye on Aaron throughout the rest of the show. The little shit was definitely trying to make him jealous with the slick-looking older guy at the bar. Which was hilarious. Mostly because it was working.
He didn’t know what kind of game Aaron was playing with him—hot and cold, pull and push—but he didn’t mind it. It probably had to do with all that shit Aaron had told him about his mom earlier in the day and the divorce, and maybe it had to do with his father too. Though RJ hadn’t quite worked that out yet. But whatever the case, RJ dug it.
Maybe it was the caveman in him, but he enjoyed the chase. Especially when his prey wasn’t really trying to get away but was simply making sure that he would definitely be caught. Because Aaron really obviously wanted RJ to catch him.
RJ grinned when Aaron abandoned his flirtation with the dude at the bar and brought his sexy ass closer to the stage. Something had changed in him tonight. Aaron was on fire with a wild light that RJ hadn’t seen in him outside of the bedroom. His eyes glowed, and he stared up at RJ with a defiant, challenging bravery that made RJ’s dick hard. Good thing he held his guitar slung slow.
Aaron sipped his whiskey, shimmying his hips every once in a while, and gazed up at RJ with eyes that were nearly as adoring as the ones Casey always had turned on Joel twenty-four-seven.
But there was something else in them too. A kind of mischievous gleam that hooked into RJ’s heart, tugged, and ripped it open to expose a hitherto unknown treasure trove of glee and affectionate anticipation.
Mr. Danvers was a hell of a tease.
But he wouldn’t be teasing for long.
When the set was over, RJ cleared out his stuff, loaded it out to the van, and said bye to his bandmates alone. Aaron had disappeared into the crowd as soon as the last song finished and seemed to be avoiding him now. All the better for the chase, RJ supposed. It was clear Joel and Becca, and even Madison, had noticed Aaron in the crowd and wondered why he wasn’t glued to RJ’s side now that the show was over.
“Cold feet?” Madison asked with a raised brow, bumping against RJ with her pointy shoulder.
“Too late for that,” RJ said.
She grinned. “Ah, so he’s already jumped in with both of ’em?”
“You could say that.”
Becca smirked. “More like he’s realized he’s bitten off a bit more than he could chew.”
“Nah. He’s playing a game.”
Becca laughed. “What game is that? Cocktease?”
“Basically.” RJ waggled his brows and located Aaron near the bar, chatting up another guy. Christ, he was asking for it, wasn’t he? “Let’s just say he’s trying to get on my naughty list.”
The girls burst into gales of laughter, but Joel blushed, and Casey winked at RJ before flinging his arm around Joel’s shoulder and ruffling his hair. Guess RJ knew who the sexually shy one was there. Not that he hadn’t already guessed. For all Joel’s ramblings about girls back in high school, they’d all been a cover for his deep, secret homosexual urges. Apparently, he still wasn’t entirely open about discussing them yet.
After loading up the van, a few fist bumps, and making plans for rehearsals the following week, RJ headed back inside the pub to collect his naughty elf.
He found Aaron’s perfect ass up on a barstool, looking round and delicious, while his dimpled cheeks shone up at yet another hot guy around RJ’s size and build. Fuck that.
“’Scuse me,” RJ said, stepping in between them to wrap his arms around Aaron’s waist and lift him from the chair.
Aaron’s surprised laughter should have cut off any protest from the chump Aaron had been playing as part of his game. But the dupe muscled in anyway, asking Aaron, “This guy bothering you? I can deal with him if you want.”
“No,” Aaron answered, drunken laughter bursting free. “He’s my lover. Isn’t that a phenomenal word? Loverrrrrr.” He practically purred it, like a cat. After patting RJ’s chest, Aaron rested his head on RJ’s shoulder and grinned with delight. “He’s going to take me home now. Bye.”
The guy scoffed but moved aside. RJ swooped Aaron up and carried him bodily from the pub while Aaron giggled and clung to RJ’s shoulders. He was heavy, and it wasn’t easy, but there was something to be said about literally sweeping a man off his feet, and Aaron’s glowing eyes made the strain worth it.
As they burst through the front doors out into Market Square, RJ dropped Aaron’s feet to the sidewalk with a huff of exertion but didn’t take his arm from around Aaron’s waist. The Christmas lights and decorations sparkled in the night, and the music from the skating rink filled the air. “What were you doing in there? Trying to make me crazy, Hermey?”
Aaron laughed. “Hermey? Who? What?”
RJ bent close and whispered in his ear, “The naughty elf who
wanted to be a dentist. Remember?”
Aaron’s smile grew wider, and his dimples dug in even deeper. He shot a coy glance up through his lashes. Oh, he was really playing his game tonight. Flirty, naughty, asking for it. “That’s right. He was a very bad elf.” Aaron pressed closer, heat from his body blazing against RJ’s side. “Like me.”
RJ wrapped his arm around Aaron’s shoulders, the sports coat stiff under his palm. His own leather jacket kept the cool night air from chilling him deeply, though it stung his cheeks and chin. He directed Aaron toward the apartment, his blood pumping and plans unfolding in his mind for all kinds of kinky ways to make Aaron pay for teasing him tonight.
“Why were you flirting with asshole guys like that when you can get a good, hard spanking from a nice guy like me?” RJ hissed in Aaron’s ear. Their breath puffed from their mouths in soft clouds, and Aaron’s laugh was a stream of them.
“Because guess what? I’m allowed to have both,” Aaron said, still sounding quite drunk. He tilted his head to the side as RJ moved behind him, wrapped his arms around his waist, and kissed the side of his neck. They walked together that way, a bit awkwardly, until RJ moved back to Aaron’s side again.
“You’re a tease, Mr. Danvers,” RJ muttered. “Push, pull. Hot, cold.”
Aaron’s shoulders shook with laughter, but he didn’t deny it.
RJ added, “I liked you being there tonight.” He put his arm around Aaron’s shoulders again, nuzzling his ear, as he whispered, “I even liked you flirting with those assholes.”
“Did you?”
“Knowing I’m going to take you home? Yeah.”
Aaron glanced up at him, his eyes shining. “You were so sure?”
RJ narrowed his gaze. “You know there was never anyone else you were going home with tonight.”
Aaron shivered against him and angled his body in to snuggle closer. “I know.”
RJ unzipped his leather jacket and pulled Aaron close to his chest, kissing the top of his head as he tried to wrap the leather around the both of them. The fizzy, thrilling rush of whatever was happening between them—and whatever else was going to happen tonight—propelled them through Market Square.
“Mr. Danvers!”
Aaron stiffened in RJ’s arms. They stumbled to a halt, and then Aaron slowly turned to the patio area outside the Tomato Head restaurant. RJ didn’t release him and was surprised when Aaron didn’t shrug him off or leap out of his embrace in a panic either.
“I knew that was you, Mr. Danvers.” A young man, probably a college freshman by the gawky look of him, so not that much younger than RJ to be honest, slipped from the crowded patio full of people eating pizza.
Wearing a black apron around his waist, the guy looked like he was on the waitstaff there. He had a hippie, maybe-he’d-showered-this-week-maybe-not look about him. Typical for the Tomato Head servers. The kid smiled widely at Aaron and put out his hand.
“So good to see you, Mr. Danvers. It’s me, Ephraim Freemont?”
“Right. Of course. Sorry. It’s been a few years. I remember you now. It’s wonderful to see you.”
“It’s great to see you too. I won’t keep you. I just wanted to say hi.”
“Hi.” Aaron smiled and stepped away from RJ a bit. He put out his hand to Ephraim to shake. Ephraim clung to Aaron’s hand longer than necessary, and seemed tempted to go in for a hug, but restrained himself.
Grinning, he looked toward RJ. “Yeah, so, uh, I saw you walking here with your boyfriend and I just wanted to tell you I’m proud of you.”
Aaron tilted his head, bright eyes dulling slightly. “Thank you? For what?”
“For being out now. That’s awesome. So many kids need to see that, you know? That teachers can be out, that people they look up to and admire are gay.” Ephraim lifted his hand for a high five. Aaron gave him one but looked more confused than anything.
“Ephraim! They need you in the kitchen!” Another member of the waitstaff called to him.
“See you, Mr. Danvers. And thanks for being brave.”
Aaron stared after the kid for a minute, and then turned to RJ with a stunned twist to his features. “I don’t understand.”
“You’re his hero. For tonight anyway.” RJ shrugged. He was used to being someone’s temporary hero. Admittedly rarely for being gay, more often for being the guitar hero of their dreams. As a teacher, Aaron couldn’t be entirely unaccustomed to the feeling, could he?
“I don’t know about that.” Aaron started off toward his apartment again. The teasing, fun spell between them felt suddenly irreparably broken. RJ didn’t know whether to thank Ephraim for the truth bombs exploding in Aaron’s mind right now or smack him for ruining what had been a very long set-up to a very fun game.
RJ walked beside Aaron, but reading the signs Aaron was giving off, he kept his hands to himself for now.
“I don’t want to hide,” Aaron said, as they crossed the street and entered the light-filled path of Krutch Park. “I’m not embarrassed to be gay,” he said urgently. “Or I guess, well, I shouldn’t be.”
“No,” RJ agreed, reaching out for Aaron’s hand and tugging him to stop.
They faced each other with the Christmas lights brightening their faces. Other walkers passing them on the path. RJ tightened his hold on Aaron’s hands and waited. He could feel the words bubbling up in Aaron. He just needed to wait and hear them out.
“Tonight felt different for me,” Aaron said slowly, glancing down at the ground before meeting RJ’s eyes again. “Tonight, I pretended that I didn’t have to hide. I didn’t quite believe it, but I pretended it was true.”
“You were gorgeous, babe,” RJ said softly, not wanting to be overheard by the passing families. He wasn’t ashamed either, but this moment felt fragile. “The men flocked to you.”
Aaron nodded, eyes distant, remembering. “I felt gorgeous. I wanted them to see me, RJ. I didn’t hide.”
“No, you shone. Like a star. Brightest light in the room.”
Aaron shook his head, a shy smile blooming. “That was you.”
“No, Aaron. That was you.”
Aaron snorted, but suddenly moved closer to RJ, burying his head against RJ’s chest. RJ wrapped his arms around him, and they held each other in the park.
Families passed, couples old and young, and still they held each other in silence, letting the mild, winter night cradle them both.
When they made it back to the apartment, RJ walked a circle around the utterly fantastic silver tree. “Where’d you get the lights?” he asked, admiring the way the colored strings reflected off every silver needle, sending spangles of magical, holiday color everywhere.
“Ran down the street to Mast General. They wanted an arm and leg for them, but it beat driving out of the city to Wal-Mart.” Aaron refilled Constance’s water bowl and went to scoop the litter by the back door.
RJ stared at his bent-over ass and licked his lips.
They hadn’t quite achieved the same level of sexual promise that had been lost when Aaron’s former student had called out to them, but RJ knew they’d recapture it sooner rather than later.
“Constance is staying away from it?”
“She thinks it’s evil.” Aaron smiled. “The citrus is doing the trick.”
“Good.” RJ sat down on the sofa, glad to see a cozy quilt laying across the back. “Mind if I kick my shoes off and get comfortable?”
Aaron smiled over his shoulder at him as he shoveled some clumps of litter into a bag. “Go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”
While Aaron finished up and washed his hands, RJ settled back on the sofa, shoes off, quilt over his shoulders, and a slow, steady thrum under his skin. He could get used to this. He wondered if Aaron had any snacks around. He wasn’t usually munchie after a show, horny being the operative word for his post-show yearnings, but he wasn’t ready to rush anything tonight. They had time. Tomorrow was Sunday, and he was pretty sure Aaron wouldn’t be waking early to head to church. They h
ad the whole night to spend together.
As Aaron dried off his hands, he turned to the fridge and called over his shoulder, “Lemon seltzer water or regular tap water? That’s what I’ve got at the moment. Sorry, I should have picked up some beer. Or wine.” He scratched at the back of his head. “Or maybe some liquor. I don’t really drink at home.”
“Lemon seltzer water is fine.”
Aaron poured them both a glass and brought it over along with a bag of corn chips and a bowl of salsa. “I’m starving. Dancing and flirting make me a hungry boy,” he said, and RJ wasn’t sure if he was glad that flirtatious tone was back, or disappointed that Aaron was signaling that serious discussion was now shelved in favor of advancing toward sex.
RJ put a chip in his mouth, crunching as he watched Constance stalk over to the tree, hiss at it, then flee again. “She really hates it,” he observed.
“Perfect.”
“So, why’d you come tonight? I thought you needed some time alone.”
Aaron dipped his chip in salsa, chewed it thoroughly, and swallowed before answering, obviously weighing what he wanted to say.
“I could tell you that I got horny again, which wouldn’t be a lie. We’re good together. In bed, I mean.” He glanced up at RJ. “And maybe out of bed. I don’t know. But…” He swallowed hard and darted his eyes toward the Christmas tree again before pulling his gaze back to RJ. “I decided I’d like to find out.” He put out his hands. “Look, I know you’re not staying. That you’re not looking for anything long term. But like I said earlier tonight, I’ve never allowed myself to have anything real. This”—he gestured between them—“is real. It’s messy and complicated and not going to last. But real.”
RJ’s tongue felt stuck to the top of his mouth, so he just nodded and was grateful when Aaron went on talking without requiring a real response.
“I don’t expect anything out of you. I promise. But if you want… If you feel the same, I mean.” He blew out a breath, obviously trying to get his words in order. “If you’d like to see what happens between us whenever you’re in town, I’d like that too. Because I genuinely like you, and I think…” He blushed. “I think you could be good for me, RJ. An inoculation against the fear of letting myself have what I want. Fear that I don’t deserve it.”
