Chance Encounter

by Alex Tempera

  “Are you sure you want to be friends with someone like me?”

  “A cop?”

  “A loser,” Chance grunted.

  “You’re not a loser and I’ll prove it to you. Baby, take a chance with me,” he grinned.

  Chance laughed. “Cute,” he smiled.

  “I knew I could get you to smile,” Evan said. “So, since we both have the night off, what do you want to do?”

  “Well, I do have to feed my dog, but if you want to get a pizza or something, we could talk, unless you don’t want to.”

  “For one, don’t look to me like I’m the boss.”

  “You technically are my boss,” Chance smiled.

  “Yeah, but when we’re hanging out, I’m not,” he said. “I’m only the boss when I’m acting as the mayor.”

  “But you’re the mayor no matter what,” Chance sipped his beer.

  “All right. If we’re in each other’s homes or just hanging out somewhere, no roles. Just friends, Baby.”

  “Fine,” Chance said. “Just don’t call me baby at the precinct. I’ll never live it down. I barely …”

  “It’s all right. I promise. Now, I want to meet your dog.”

  “Barney,” he said. “Come on. I’m sure he’ll like you.”

  “Barney?”

  “Yeah, like in Barney Miller. You know, that old retro cop show.”

  “I get it. I do, my father loved that show. He loved every damn cop show they ever made,” Evan followed Chance across the street to his home.

  “He still alive?”

  “Yeah, and was very pissed that I went to law school rather than became a cop.”

  “He was a cop?”

  “Nope, General in the Army,” Evan sighed.

  “Hmm, interesting,” Chance said. “I guess I have a lot to learn about you, too.”

  “Like I said, I’m an open book,” Evan said. “And you?”

  “I’m like a diary.”

  “A diary?” Evan raised an eyebrow as Chance opened his front door.

  “Only those with a key can get in,” Chance sighed.

  “Maybe someday, I’ll get a copy of that key.”

  “We’ll see,” Chance sighed.

  8

  Chance knocked on Evan’s office door. “Um, Agnes said I could walk in as long as your door was open,” he smiled.

  “Yeah, it’ll only be closed if I’m in conference,” Evan smirked. “Can you close the door?”

  Chance laughed slightly as he closed the door. “You summoned me?”

  “Um, summoned?”

  “Well, requested, summoned, whatever, Boss,” he licked his lips.

  “I did have some business to go over with you, but I thought later, we could have lunch together.”

  “Sure,” he said. “What are you working on?” he pointed to the three new whiteboards that were hanging on the walls, covered in green and red marker notes and columns, and charts.

  “A kind of census,” he said. “If I like this town, I just may run for office in November. I need to see numbers before I meet people. It helps me get a feel for the town. I did want to discuss our ride-along, if we can still do that.”

  “Sure. I have to tell you that it can be boring,” he said. “Most nights it’s boring.” His eyes caught the pile of files on Evan’s desk and he noticed his name. “What the hell is this?” he grabbed the folder.

  “What?”

  “My divorce file? You’re checking me out? I thought … I fucking thought we were … goddammit!” he tossed the file across the room and turned toward the door.

  “Don’t even walk out on me!” Evan’s tone turned low and dominant.

  Chance stopped immediately and turned around. “What?” tears streamed down his face.

  “What the hell did he do to you, Baby?” Evan walked over to him, his voice calming.

  “I can’t discuss it, your fucking rule, not mine,” Chance said.

  “Do what you want,” Evan sighed. “Leave, if that’s what you want. Stay, if you want.”

  Chance turned to leave and grabbed the doorknob. He stopped. “Why did you do that to me?” he sniffed. “Why? I thought we were friends. Why, Evan?”

  “I’m sorry,” Evan said. “I truly am. Will you let me explain? Please? It’s not a command, it’s a request.”

  Chance let go of the doorknob and crossed his arms. “Why do you have my divorce file?”

  “For one, I had no idea you were divorced,” he said. “You don’t wear a ring and there is no tan line where a ring would’ve been.”

  “I wasn’t allowed…” he took a breath as he choked on that word. “Go on.” He couldn’t believe he even said that out loud. He hoped Evan would just forget it. He hated that he reacted to Evan’s command, but he loved it that he reacted to Evan. How could he check up on me? Damn, I did the same thing. His file is still in my drawer.

  “Well, to be honest, I requested records from the past five years. Marriage. Divorce. Births, deaths, whatever,” he picked up a report off his desk and handed it to him. “I didn’t know you had a file in here. When I saw the name, I opened it and saw the first page, so I closed it. I like stats. Once I have a feel for the statistics of the town, then, when I go out and meet people, I won’t feel like an idiot. I’ll know that Mrs. Jones just lost her husband and is in danger of losing her home or something like that. Then, I can see what I can do to help. I don’t want to just be the mayor who sits on his ass and lets the town fall apart. I want to do some good around here.”

  “Mrs. Jones could lose her home?”

  “I’m taking her case pro-bono,” he said. “I already talked to her and took her on as a client. I can’t say anymore but what I just said is of public record.”

  “I’m sorry I got angry,” Chance said.

  “Chance, I wasn’t checking up on you. If I want to know something, I’ll ask. If you want to tell me, tell me. If not, don’t. That’s all. You checked up on me, right?”

  “Well, kind of but it was more of a background check for the town,” he sighed. “I know you come from a military family, but you told me that. I know you were a partner in a big law firm in the city. You have two brothers and a sister. You were never married.”

  “Is that all?” Evan asked.

  “That’s all I know, except for what you tell me,” Chance said. “I’m sorry. I really am.”

  “Listen,” Evan said. “We’re just getting to know each other. I know that trust takes time, love takes even longer. I’m not asking you to love me; I just want the chance for us to be friends and to learn to trust each other. Can we try?”

  “Yeah, and I’m sorry,” Chance said.

  “Good. Let’s go for a walk. I have to talk to you and I don’t want it to be here.”

  “Oh, sure,” he said. “We can go to the park.”

  “There’s a park around here?”

  “It’s near this end of the river,” he said. “It’s a few blocks west of here.”

  “I really have to explore this town more,” Evan said.

  “Well, I’ll give you a better tour,” Chance said. “You’ll see it during the day, and at night. We can walk to the park now.”

  Evan grabbed his keys, cellphone, and wallet out of his desk drawer and put them in his pocket. “Let’s go,” he followed Chance out of his office. He closed and locked his door. “Agnes, the chief is going to show me the park. If you need me, call my cell.”

  “Yes, sir,” she smiled as the two men walked out of City Hall.

  Chance and Evan walked down the street together and smiled and waved to the passersby. “You’re famous now,” Chance said.

  “Why? Because I’m walking with the sexiest man in Round River?”

  “First of all, it’s the other way around, and second of all, you’re the mayor. Everyone loves a hot looking mayor,” he said.

  “And they don’t care if the mayor is gay?”

  “Oh, I’m sure there are bets going on,” he laughed.

&n
bsp; “Bets?” Evan smiled

  “Yeah, at the bar,” he pointed across the street. “The Rogue Bar and Grill. The barflies in there. Placing bets as to whether you really are gay or not. If you’re going to be a good mayor or not and who you may or may not be sleeping with.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Like I said, small town. You can go in there on a Friday or Saturday night and get all the gossip. If you want votes, hang out there at least once a month and see our town in its glory.”

  “Do you go?”

  “Twice a month as a patron, a few other times as the patrol officer. I usually have to break up an argument between Lloyd Henderson and Tom Stratford,” they continued walking toward the park.

  “The barber and the veterinarian?”

  “You know them?”

  “I’m slowly getting to know everyone,” Evan said.

  They crossed the street to the park. “Over there,” Chance pointed to the benches that were positioned on a concrete barrier that overlooked the portion of the river.

  Evan sat next to Chance on the bench. “This is nice.”

  “Yeah, we all call it the overlook. The water is way too rapid to be a lake, but it’s round like a lake. Funny,” Chance sighed.

  “You’re nervous again,” Evan sighed.

  “Something happened back at the office,” he said.

  “I know. I was wrong,” Evan said. “I shouldn’t have ordered you to stay.”

  “Why did you?”

  “Because I had to see something about you,” Evan said. “I want you to know that I’ll never do that again.”

  “What did you want to see?”

  “I don’t want to pry, but before you said you weren’t a slave or a submissive.”

  “I’m not,” he grunted.

  “I think someone told you that you were,” he said. “I think someone tried to make you feel like you were. That’s why you didn’t keep walking out. Now, I’m glad you didn’t. I’m glad you listened to me, but I wished you stayed because you wanted to stay and hear me out and not because I told you to stay.”

  Chance stood up and walked over to the railing that overlooked the water. “Todd,” he gulped the name out as if it were stuck in his throat.

  Evan knew who Todd was but that’s all he knew. He wasn’t sure what Chance would say next. He just knew Todd did something to him. He stood up and walked over to Chance. His arm lightly brushed up against Chance’s. “Todd?”

  “My ex-husband,” Chance said. “He said I was his submissive.”

  “Oh,” Evan said. “You’re not a submissive, Chance.”

  “I don’t even know what the hell I am. He was into that S&M stuff. He was a serious sadist and he wanted me to be his submissive. His slave. I didn’t want to do that, but he said I had to follow his orders. I was his wife.”

  Evan gulped and lightly touched Chance’s hand. “How did you get out?”

  “I talked to a friend of mine,” he said. “We used to go to this club in Lewiston. My friend, Ed, is the owner. He’s also a Master.”

  “It’s an S&M club?”

  “More like BDSM,” he said. “Anyway, I told Ed I needed help but wasn’t sure what he could do.”

  “Ed helped you?”

  “He explained that we had to both be consenting and all that stuff,” Chance said. “Todd was pissed when I told him I wanted a divorce. So, having to be in control, he filed for divorce and moved out of my house. He tried to get my pension and everything else, but Ed is also a lawyer and he specialized in stuff like this. Anyway, that was two years ago.”

  “Chance, are you part of that lifestyle anymore?”

  “No,” he said. “I don’t want to be. It’s fine for Ed and others who want to do that, but that’s not me. I just … I like having sex. I like sucking …” he sighed.

  Evan smiled. “Me, too,” he said. “I may be a top, but I’m not a Master or whatever they call it. I know about the lifestyle and I have represented cases where my clients were in different forms of the lifestyle, but I’m not in it. It’s just not for me.”

  “Evan, thanks,” Chance said.

  “For what?”

  “Being my friend.”

  “I’m here to listen. I may be a control freak and I like things a certain way, but in our … friendship, there is no boss. It’s you and me,” Evan held Chance’s hand and pulled it to his mouth. He kissed the back of Chance’s knuckles. “Now, I do want to be with you, but not until you realize that being the bottom is just as important as being the top.”

  Chance looked into his eyes. “How do I learn that?”

  Evan pressed his mouth against Chance’s wanting mouth. “I so want to be with you,” he licked his lips. “I want to show you everything that is right about us.”

  “Show me,” Chance said.

  “Later,” Evan kissed his cheek and started to walk away. “I need to get back.”

  “Oh, right, work,” Chance said. “Are we still on for lunch?”

  “You tell me,” Evan smiled. “If you want lunch, meet me at my house in two hours.” He turned around and walked down the road.

  Chance adjusted himself and stared out at the river. “I’m fucking starved now,” he turned his head and watched as Evan strutted down the road. “And that’s what I want for lunch.”

  9

  Chance walked up the steps to Evan’s house as Evan opened the door. Chance looked into his eyes. “Are you sure you want me here?”

  Evan put his hands on Chance’s waist and gazed into his eyes. “Chance, we’re friends. I want you, badly,” he said. “When I say I want something from you, I’m always sure.”

  Chance nodded and followed Evan into the house. Chance looked around nervously. “Here again?”

  Evan smiled. “No, it’s too dusty. Excuse the mess and plastic covers. The construction workers started tearing down the walls but upstairs is finished. Come on, no one is here right now,” he took Chance’s hand and led him up the staircase. “So, what do you think?”

  “It’s one big room?” he smiled.

  “Yeah, well, two. The bedroom and the bathroom,” he smiled.

  “It’s beautiful,” Chance said.

  “Thanks,” he said as he led him over to the four-poster queen-sized bed that was in the middle of the room. “Please, sit.”

  Chance sat down and Evan sat next to him. “I guess I’m nervous.”

  Evan looked at Chance. “The first time was a spur-of-the-moment-give-in-to-attraction thing and it was wonderful, but I want more than just sex from you.”

  “Oh?” Chance asked. “I don’t know what more I have to give.”

  Evan stood up and then straddled Chance’s lap. “You have a lot to give, Baby. I’ll show you. I promise,” he whispered as he kissed Chance’s jawline. “I won’t be fucking you right now.”

  Chance looked in his eyes. “But…”

  “You want me to?” Evan asked. “Or can I just do this?” he kissed his neck and ran his tongue over his collarbone.

  Chance looked into his eyes. “What do you want from me?” he asked quietly.

  “Every inch of you, inside and out,” he kissed Chance’s forehead. “What do you want from me?”

  “I’m scared,” he said.

  “Baby, one day at a time,” Evan pressed his mouth against Chance’s wanting mouth. “I want us to do this one day at a time. Friends. Getting to know each other. I’ll prove to you that I want you for more than just sex. Please lay back. Unless you don’t want to.”

  “I want to,” Chance said as he lay on his back.

  Evan held on to his shirt and pulled it off Chance’s body. He lightly ran his hands over Chance’s bare chest. “You are so beautiful,” he said.

  “No,” Chance sighed. “Not beautiful.” His hand quickly covered a scar on his stomach.

  Evan pulled his hand away gently and looked down at the scar. “What’s that from?” he asked.

  “Brand,” he said. “It was suppos
ed to be a T. I wish it wasn’t there.”

  “Did you agree to that?” Evan asked, as he ran his fingers lightly over the thick scar.

  Chance leaned up on his elbows and looked at Evan. “No, I didn’t,” he said. “Todd branded me when I was asleep. Obviously it woke me up.”

  Evan kissed the scar lightly and then smiled. “May I make an adjustment?”

  “An adjustment?” Chance cocked an eyebrow.

  Evan walked over to his desk that was at the far wall of the room, overlooking the large picture window into the backyard. He grabbed a black magic marker off his desk and walked back to Chance. “May I?”

  “Um, depends, what are you going to do?”

  “Claim you,” he said.

  “Oh, so you own me?”

  “Nope,” he smiled. “You own yourself.” He drew a C in a Script letter over his scar. “Chance.”

  Chance looked into his eyes. “No,” he said.

  “No?” Evan asked. “I’m sorry.”

  “Add an E, please,” he smiled.

  Evan added an ampersand and then the E in script letters. “I like that,” he said. “Now, me,” Evan pulled his shirt off.

  “Where?” Chance asked.

  “Where my scar is,” Evan pointed to his stomach. “It’s it strange how are scars are in the same place,” he smiled.

  “I bet yours isn’t a burn scar,” Chance said. “From an ex-husband.”

  “Nope, stab wound from a, um, I guess, um, ex-lover,” he sighed.

  Chance looked at the pain in Evan’s eyes and wondered where it had come from. He never saw that look before but he took the marker out of Evan’s hand and scripted E & C on Evan’s scar. He looked up at Evan and smiled. “You OK?”

  “Yes,” Evan tossed the marker on the floor. “Chance, I just want to show you how you are not worthless. You are so much more. Will you let me?”

  “Will you tell me about that scar?”

  “Not now, but soon,” Evan said. “I promise.” He laid his body on Chance’s. “May I touch you?”