“Hello?”
The doc’s voice was low, rough with sleep. Max could imagine what he looked like right now. “It’s Max.” There was rustling on the other end, as though Patrick had turned over in bed.
“Max, it’s late. Is everything alright?”
“Yeah. Sorry to call you so late. Just wanted you to know that I want to take that chance. The chance for us to get to know each other.” There was silence for several heartbeats. Max held his breath, thinking Patrick was going to say it was too late and he’d already moved on.
“Come over tonight for dinner. Seven o’clock.”
Max let out a breath of relief. He wasn’t too late. “I’ll be there.”
The next evening Max was up front, closing down his accounts for the day. He was leaving earlier than usual to meet Patrick for dinner. The bell over the door rang and Max looked up. His friend Nate was walking towards him, a great big grin on his face.
“Hey man, no appointments tonight?”
“Not for me. I’m taking off early. You caught me as I was about to head out.”
“Where you going?”
Max avoided eye contact. “Nowhere, just seeing a friend.”
Nate frowned at him. Max knew it was because he was being evasive, but he didn’t offer any more information. “Well, I won’t keep you then. Was going to see if you wanted to get a drink, but I’ll just say thank you and go.”
“Thank you for what?”
“For sending me that cute little geek with the dreads.”
Max had to think for a moment before he realized what Nate was talking about. “Oh yeah, Kevin, with the X-Men piece.” He shook his head. “You know I wasn’t sending him over there for you like that.”
Nate laughed. “If you say so, my friend. But I don’t care either way. All that matters are the results.”
He stopped him as Nate was about to head back out. “I’ve gotten to know Kevin a little in the two years I’ve been inking him. That shyness ain’t a front, Nate. Don’t expect him to fawn over your ass like those club boys you meet.”
Nate nodded. “I’d be disappointed if he did.”
Max shook his head as his friend left. Nate had said he wanted something different, so he was glad he’d reached out and taken it when it fell into his lap. Now he just needed to get the balls to do the same thing for himself.
****
Max walked into Patrick’s apartment building. He was determined to reach out and take what had fallen into his lap, just like Nate was doing. Stopping by the desk, he saw the same lady as before sitting behind it. “Hello. I’m here to see Patrick Bishop.”
The desk monitor gave him a professional yet friendly smile. “Good evening Mr. Stovall, Dr. Bishop is expecting you.” She typed in a few numbers on a key pad and the elevator doors slid open.
Max thanked her and went over. He was nervous as he rode up. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. The doors opened again and he went out and to his right. The apartments on this floor were huge so there weren’t that many doors. Three down he reached Patrick’s. He took a moment before he knocked. The wait for Patrick to open the door felt like forever, even though it was only a few seconds. And in that time, he considered a dozen reasons why he should turn around and leave. Before he could, the door swung open. Patrick stood there, dressed in a silky looking polo shirt and khakis.
“You came,” he said with a smile.
Max nodded.
His smile turned knowing. “And you’re thinking about leaving.”
Max huffed a short laugh. “Yeah.”
“No pressure, Max. Come in if you want. Or you could stand out in this hallway and I’ll bring your plate to you.”
Max laughed again, but this time it was much more relaxed. He stepped into the apartment, Patrick watching him with a smile on his face. He shut the door behind him. Patrick asked to take his jacket and Max shrugged out of it, handing it over for him to hang up in the small closet off the entry way.
Patrick closed the closet door. “Come into the kitchen. I’m just finishing everything up.”
Max followed him into the kitchen. Pots were on the stove. A basket of bread was on the island in the center of the room. A bottle of red wine sat next to it, with two full bodied glasses waiting to be filled. Max looked across the kitchen and saw a small table set with two place settings.
“I thought we’d be casual and eat in here tonight if that’s okay.”
“Fine by me.” He leaned back against the island and nodded at the stove. “You look like you’re a pretty good cook.”
“Not to brag, but I am. I enjoy cooking. It’s always nice to have a chance to do it for a guest.”
“It looks good.”
“Yes, it does.”
Max looked up to see Patrick staring at him, not the food.
“What I really meant to say is, you look good.”
“Thanks. So do you.”
The doc did look good. Casual, yet still cool and neat and crisp. A pulse of heat went through him as he thought that by the end of the night, the doc wouldn’t be looking so cool. As he watched, Patrick turned the burners off and approached him. Max stayed there, and let Patrick come to him. He stopped when he was right in front of him, Max’s slouch putting their faces at equal height. Patrick stepped between his legs and kissed him once. A short kiss. With a teasing flick of his tongue and the barest hint of suction on his bottom lip. Max returned the light kiss, his hands braced behind him on the counter. Their eyes locked as Patrick’s hands slid under his shirt and up his sides, his thumbs brushing against his nipples. Max breathed out a low moan and straightened so he could press closer.
The doc’s gaze grew heavy-lidded. He pinched Max’s nipple hard, rolling it between thumb and forefinger. His other arm went around Max’s waist, yanking their bodies tightly together. Max gripped Patrick’s hips, digging his thumbs into his skin as their mouths crashed together in a storm of passion. Their lips clung, only parting for tongues to take hot desperate licks against each other. Max’s cock filled, growing hard. He pushed his hips into Patrick’s feeling his erection also. The doc’s hands locked down onto his ass, holding him close to heighten the friction as their hips thrust and rolled, grinding their shafts together.
Patrick pulled back, his chest heaving. “Do you mind microwaved food?”
Max shook his head, already reaching to bring the doc back to him. “No.”
“Good.”
They kissed again, separating for a moment to yank their shirts over their heads. When they came back together, the crisp hair on Patrick’s chest abraded his sensitized nipples. He cursed softly and Patrick grabbed him by the waist of his pants, pulling him along to his bedroom.
Once they were there, Patrick dropped to his knees, opened Max’s pants, and took his cock into his mouth. A curse burst from Max’s mouth. He loved the firm grip Patrick had on his shaft, and the hard, eager sucking of his mouth. He reached down, grabbing a handful of that thick silver hair, moving his hips in rhythm with him. Patrick moaned, his other hand coming up to grip Max’s ass. He squeezed several times before a finger started to slide between his cheeks.
Max panicked. He pulled Patrick to his feet. “Do you bottom?” he asked.
Patrick looked at him for a moment before he answered. “I do. Is that what you want?”
Max opened the condom. “Yeah.”
Patrick went to the nightstand and took out a condom and lube. Max followed. He took the items from him and tossed them on the bed. Max undressed the doc, slowly. He licked at the creamy skin he uncovered, running his fingers through the hair on his chest. He traced his fingertips down the doc’s stomach, following the sexy trail of hair. The hair thickened again as he reached his cock, Patrick shuddering as he took him in hand. They stared at each other, chests pumping as Max stroked him. Patrick groaned, hips thrusting forwards as Max’s hand slipped further down to cup the heavy weight of his sac. He squeezed once.
“Nice and full.”
He rolled the protection on then dripped some of the lube over it. Patrick lay under him. He reached for his cock, and gripping him tight, pumped him off several times. Max thrust his hips forward, groaning as he enjoyed the caress. He pulled away before he could get anymore worked up. Rolling Patrick to his front, he cupped the firm curve of his ass, feeling the crisp yet soft hair beneath his palms. He lowered his body until they were pressed together and eased inside. The doctor was tight. If he bottomed, he didn’t do it often. A rough groan slipped from his throat as he pushed all the way in. A matching one came from Patrick.
“That feels good.”
Max pulled back, then slowly slid forward again, holding himself braced over Patrick with both hands on the bed. He rolled his hips forward again and again, smoothly sliding into the ass gripping him so tightly. Patrick raised his hips, pushing his arm beneath him so he could get to his cock. Max rose up onto his knees, pulling Patrick’s hips even further off the mattress.
“Is that better?”
His only answer was a low moan. He took that as a yes. They moved well together, Max gliding forward when Patrick rocked back, so that he pushed deep with every thrust. Max licked his lips as he watched his dark hands smoothing over the doc’s back, pale except for the bright spot of color that he had inked into his skin. He lightly traced his fingertips down his sides to grip his hips. Holding tight, he sped up his thrusts, watching as the doc’s arm kept pace with him. He knew when his climax was approaching. He could feel it in the way his ass tightened on his cock.
He continued sliding deep, his balls drawing up tight. Beneath him, Patrick groaned. “I’m coming,” he said in a husky whisper. Max pushed harder, deeper until with another groan, Patrick squeezed tight around him as his body rocked with his climax.
Max slid a hand up to tangle with the doc’s, wanting to feel the creamy slick of his release and his pulsing cock. Patrick eased down onto the bed, trapping his hand beneath him. Max lay on top of him, holding on tight to the still hot, hard cock in his hand. Rubbing his face against the side of the doc’s neck, he breathed in the scent of his cologne, the smell of pine and sex and man flooding his head. He pushed deep one last time, his body stiffening, his cock throbbing as he came.
Max carefully withdrew. He went into the bathroom to dispose of the condom. When he came back out, Patrick was reclining on the pillows, the sheet pulled up to his waist. He held his hand out.
“You’re not gonna run out on me like you did the other night are you?”
Max went towards the bed. “I don’t think so. You haven’t fed me yet.”
Laughing, Patrick grabbed his hand and pulled him down onto the bed.
CHAPTER 8
A few weeks later, Max lay back in Patrick’s big bed. The sweat had already cooled on his skin after their latest round of insanely good sex. But his body still responded as he watched the doc walk naked from the room. Max had been seeing Patrick steadily. It was on the down low of course. No one knew, not even Whitney. Patrick had agreed to keep things secret, and Max appreciated that. He knew it wasn’t easy for Patrick. They couldn’t go out the way he wanted to and they didn’t see each other often. They made good time with what they had. Max always went to Patrick’s apartment. They watched sci-fi movies curled up on the couch or lying against each other in bed. And Patrick was teaching him how to cook more advanced meals than spaghetti and meatloaf. They had fun and he would have liked to go out in public with the doc. But he just wasn’t ready to come out. He didn’t know if he ever would be.
Even his two best friends didn’t know, which was crazy. Nate had been out as long as he’d known him. And Gage, always the wild one, had been try-sexual since their early twenties. He knew he’d have their support if he were to reveal his true sexuality. But he just couldn’t do it. There was just so much stigma attached to being a gay man in the Black community. And he knew he’d disappoint his grandmother. She always asked for great grandbabies. She’d missed out on experiencing his babyhood and childhood, thanks to his mother. And as she was an only child, there was no way Maxine would get a second chance. He didn’t want to find his blood, only for them to reject him because he was gay. So he chose to stay firmly in the closet.
Maybe one day he’d have the courage to come out. But for now, he’d have to stick with his superficial dates with women in order to keep suspicion away. That had been the plan until the doc came along, complicating things.
They were having a good time. But he knew Patrick wanted more, and honestly so did he. Plus, that wasn’t the only thing he wanted. He wanted to have sex with Patrick in a way that he hadn’t before with anyone else. His hang ups on what it meant to be a man were preventing him from going for what he wanted. Max blew out a frustrated breath. All this nonsense in his head was stirring the normally calm waters of his life.
Patrick came back into the room with two glasses of red wine.
“I’m having a cocktail party next weekend,” he said as he handed Max one of the glasses.
Max sat up to take a sip. It was good. The doc always chose the best wines. “Alright, I can make other plans.”
Patrick smiled. “No, don’t make other plans. I’m telling you because I want you to come.” He paused for a moment. “As my date.”
Max tensed. “That’s not exactly keeping things secret.”
“There won’t be anyone there you know, I promise. It’s just a bunch of my colleagues and their partners.”
“What about Whitney?”
“She hates these events.” Patrick sat on the bed next to him. “Says there a bunch of self-important people talking to each other about how important they are.”
Max grinned. “If they’re that crummy, why are you inviting me?”
Patrick traced a fingertip over his jawline. “Because I want you there.”
Max looked into Patrick’s eyes, seeing the hope in their blue depths. He knew Patrick wanted more from him. He wasn’t able to give him everything he wanted, but maybe he could at least give him this. “Alright, I’ll come.”
Patrick’s smile lit up his face. “Thank you, Max. You’ll have a great time.”
Max looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
Patrick laughed. “You’ll have a nice time,” he amended.
****
Saturday evening, Max walked up to the door of Patrick’s apartment. He was dressed in a short-sleeved black button down and black pants. He carried a bottle of red wine, the doc’s favorite. And he had butterflies in his stomach. This was the first time he’d ever be out in public where he was obviously on a date with a man. He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to leave and text Patrick later that he’d come down with something. Since trying to fake sick to a doctor probably wasn’t all that smart, he went ahead and knocked. Patrick opened the door, immediately smiling when he saw him.
“Max!”
Patrick took the bottle of wine from him, kissing him on the cheek. Max froze for a moment, but Patrick carried on like it was nothing.
“Come in and meet my friends.”
Patrick introduced him around. He somehow managed to avoid using the words date or boyfriend, while at the same time making it clear that they were a couple. Everyone seemed nice as he shook hands with them. Bonus, he didn’t know any of the people there. Max started to relax and enjoy himself.
“So tell us Patrick. How did you two meet?”
A group of them were standing in the kitchen, glasses of wine in hand as they talked. Patrick caught his eye.
“Should I make up a cute story of us meeting in the freezer aisle of the grocery store or should I let people in on my se
cret?”
Max shook his head, a smile on his mouth at the doc’s teasing. “It’s up to you.”
“Well, as I said, Max is a brilliant tattoo artist. And we met …” He took a sip of his wine, drawing out the suspense. “We met when he gave me my first tattoo.” His friends’ faces showed their surprise. There were lots of wide eyes and open mouths.
“You got a tattoo?” his friend David asked. “You have to show us.” He pretended to grimace. “Unless it’s on your rear. Then keep it to yourself.”
One of the women in the group laughed. “I want to see it even then. Come on, Patrick. Show us your tattoo!”
Laughing, Patrick handed Max his glass. He undid the first few buttons on his shirt, shrugging it off his shoulders to show the now completely healed caduceus.
Max stepped back to let the crowd that had gathered around get a closer look. Patrick grabbed his hand, preventing him from going too far. “
I’ve never seen anything like that. Who came up with the idea?”
“It was all Max. I just told him I wanted an evil-looking caduceus.”
David looked at him. “Evil-looking is right. But it’s also beautiful.” He laughed. “Just like medicine I suppose. That was really clever the way you used the scalpel and the syringe. Perhaps you could give me a tattoo like this?”
Max was flattered that the design was appreciated, but he had to turn the request down. “I’m sorry, but this design was a one-of-a-kind. But if you’re interested in getting anything else, I’d be glad to help you out.”
The man’s eyes flicked over to Patrick, who was watching him with a smile on his face. “Oh, I understand. And I probably just violated an artist’s code.”
Max didn’t say anything. He wasn’t offended, and the guy seemed genuine.
“Do you have a card? That way I can call you once I come up with an original idea.”
Laughing, Max took one from his pocket. He always had them on him, although he’d never expected to hand any out here. They talked about tattoos for a while longer, until the group naturally dispersed. People migrated to different areas of the apartment in smaller conversation groups. Patrick came up next to him.
Bad Boys Need Love Too: Max Page 5
