by Solet, Trina
Chapter 19
Soon enough Jake got another chance to prove himself as he walked in on a crisis in progress.
“You know, you’re making me sad,” Tyler was telling Julie, trying to guilt her a little.
“You’re making me sad!” Julie shot right back at him.
“What have you done now?” Jake asked him while Julie ran off to her room.
“I wouldn’t let her go to a sleepover at a friend’s house.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know these people. I can’t just let her go over there.” When Julie asked, Tyler wasn’t sure what the right answer was. He just went with his gut, and his gut said no.
“So are you planning to get to know her friends’ parents?”
That was not a suggestion Tyler wanted to hear.
“Oh, crap. Never mind that now. Go do your magic. Explain everything so she’ll come running to me all ‘sorry I was mean’ and that whole thing. Go!”
Jake had his doubts this time, but he went anyway. He sweet-talked Julie into letting him join her in her room. That turned out to be the easy part.
“Dad said Sarah’s parents are bad people,” Julie told him.
“No. He just doesn’t know them. You know how you’re not allowed to talk to strangers? Sarah’s parents are strangers to your dad.”
“No. They are not. They are Sarah’s parents.”
Today, Julie wasn’t in the mood for explanations. Her mind was made up. After going a few rounds with her without getting anywhere, Jake gave her the bottom line, “You dad is your dad so what he says goes whether you like it or not. Be mad at him if you want, then get over it and make up. OK?”
Julie didn’t react to this. She just continued to look mad.
“Remember, your dad just wants to keep you safe because he loves you. Don’t be mad at him too long. He misses your sweet, little smile,” he told her before he left.
At this she grumbled a little, maybe feeling a tiny bit guilty but still holding on to her grudge.
Jake hated to give Ty the bad news, but that’s all he had.
Tyler waited for Julie to come running to him, but only Jake showed up.
“It was a no go. Sorry. You’ll just have to let her be mad at you for a while,” Jake said to him.
Tyler didn’t hide his disappointment.
“The great explainer fails again?”
“I’m not magic. The last time was a misunderstanding. This time she just doesn’t like your decision, which will happen every time you decide to say no to her.”
“No! I want her to like me all the time,” Tyler whined, then he remembered, “Actually, Leslie was mad at me a lot too.”
“You were a bad boyfriend,” Jake said like that was a given.
“I was not. Except for being secretly gay.”
“Ahh. Yeah. Anyway, feed me something.”
“You know where we keep the menus.” Then Tyler thought about Julie sitting in her room. “Get Julie in on it. See what she would like.”
After some initial resistance from Julie, Tyler could hear them discussing dinner options. Then he tuned out their chatter and did some work. Soon, noises from the kitchen got his attention. He went to see what Jake and Julie were up to. It looked like they were making dinner.
“Can I help?” Tyler asked.
“Did you forget you don’t know how to cook?” Jake said to him.
“Julie will teach me.”
“No,” Julie said.
“Can I watch?”
Another “No.”
Tyler watched anyway, worried about what he might have to eat when they were done turning his kitchen upside down. Julie kept stealing glances his way. She was cute even when she was mad at him. He did win some points when he said how much he liked the baked pasta they made.
Chapter 20
Later that night, Jake tried to talk Tyler into going out. There was no way Tyler was going to agree, not when he was on his way to complete forgiveness from Julie. Tonight he wasn’t leaving her for anything.
“Man! What happened to you?” Jake said feeling neglected.
“Julie happened to me.”
“You still need to live your life.” Jake sat in a chair facing Tyler who was at his computer.
“I think my life is about Julie now.” He didn’t intend to give up his nights out, the clubs, the men, everything that Jake represented, but Tyler was already living a different life.
“Come on. Julie will be asleep soon. Call Jo or Mrs. Neiman to come over, and we can party,” Jake said, pushing a little harder.
“Should I let Jo and Mrs. Neiman raise my kid?” Tyler asked.
“Ugh. You want to give me nightmares? Jo is like a puppy. One that’s not housebroken,” Jake said making Tyler wonder if he was just jealous. If he was, it was mutual.
“He’s been a great help with Julie. And that’s worth a lot of points in my book,” Tyler said.
“What’s with you? You like everyone now. You used to hate that Mrs. Neiman and now...”
“Now she takes good care of Julie. Notice a pattern?” Tyler asked him.
“Yes. I guess I’m lucky Julie likes me.”
“You bet you are. Damn lucky,” Tyler confirmed. “Now go and have fun.”
“And who is going to drag me away when I’m out there ready to kick somebody’s ass?” Jake asked.
“You mean when they’re ready to kick your ass?”
“Come on. Do you know how long it’s been?” Jake asked.
“No. And stop being a bad influence,” Tyler told him.
That’s when Julie popped up wanting to know, “Are you a bad influence on my dad?”
“Yes, I am. And proud of it,” Jake said to her.
But Julie wasn’t willing to believe it even if Jake said it himself.
“I think you just want my dad to have fun and not be stuck with me all the time,” Julie said making Tyler wonder how much she had heard.
“No, not exactly,” Jake stammered. “I just like his company when I go out. But he likes you better.”
“Poor Jake,” Julie said and hugged him.
“Don’t worry about me,” Jake told her. “I don’t need that guy to have fun.”
When he got up to go and prove it, he kissed Julie goodnight and ruffled Tyler’s hair.
Jake had left hours ago. Tyler woke up to the sound of his doorbell ringing over and over again. He thought about calling the police rather than opening the door until he heard Jake calling his name. When he opened the door, drunk Jake dropped into his arms. Tyler cursed, burdened with his weight. Pressed against him, Jake came to life. Tyler could feel Jake groping him, nuzzling his ear, and generally giving him a hard-on. After holding on to Jake for purely personal reasons, Tyler switched to being practical. He pulled Jake’s arm over his shoulder and maneuvered him to the sofa. Then he had to arrange him so he wouldn’t just slide off. Jake just kept looking up at him and smiling but not helping. He looked like he enjoyed being manhandled by Tyler. If he was in a better mood and not frustrated by his aroused state and Jake’s uncooperative body, Tyler might have thought his smile disarming. But it was like Jake was disconnected from his limbs, and they moved on their own. Tyler finally just took his hands and held them for a while to keep him still. Jake squeezed his hands in return, and Tyler watched him slowly close his eyes and go to sleep. He then checked to on Julie. To his amazement, he found her sleeping peacefully. After all that exhausting work, Tyler was too awake and decided to get some real work done.
A little later, Tyler heard Julie get up.
“Dad!” Julie squeaked as she came running to Tyler at his desk.
“Hey, what is it?” Tyler asked her.
She turned to look behind her.
“There’s a... Jake. It’s Jake?” she said seeing him on the couch, where he barely fit.
“Yeah. He’s sleeping.” He was sprawled halfway on and halfway off the couch and snoring really loud too.
Julie seemed
astonished for some reason.
“It’s Jake? He’s making the bad noise?” Julie said.
“Yes. He’s snoring,” Tyler said realizing now what the problem was.
“So loud! He scared me.”
Tyler went over to wake up Jake.
“Your snoring scared Julie.”
Jake was confused until Tyler pointed at Julie standing there in her pajamas with her Sleepy Doll under her arm. She was looking at him reproachfully.
“I am why God made earplugs,” Jake mumbled with no remorse. He might have even been proud.
Tyler decided to put Julie to bed first.
“I thought there was a monster,” Julie said as Tyler walked her to her room.
After tucking in Julie, Tyler came back to drag Jake to bed to sleep with him. Jake smirked at him. In Tyler’s bed, Jake wrapped his arms and legs around him. But before he could do anything more than that, he was sound asleep and snoring again. With the door closed, the noise shouldn’t wake Julie again. For some reason, it never bothered Tyler much to hear it, even right next to his ear.
~*~
The third time he and Jake had sex they were both drunk. It was about a year after graduation when they drove down to the Keys. They went there because Jake needed some R & R. He had a hard time breaking up with a cute guy he was seeing casually when it looked like the guy wanted to get serious. Feeling bad for hurting him, Jake wanted to get drunk and drown his feelings of guilt. Tyler was keeping him company and matching him drink for drink as they stumbled from one bar to another. Then Tyler said enough and decided to take Jake back to the hotel. They got a little lost and walked sometimes along the beach, sometimes between unfamiliar buildings. Just as it seemed hopeless, the garish hotel sign loomed in front of them like a beacon.
Tyler wasn’t sure when they started, but he and Jake were all over each other once they got to their hotel room. The details were fuzzy, but Tyler’s need was overpowering. They fumbled and groped trying to kiss and do everything else at the same time. Despite their lack of coordination, they were soon naked and rolling on the bed.
Tyler got a condom on, but they were both in a hurry to get Jake lubed and ready so they got in each other’s way. They couldn’t stop laughing like idiots. Then they both moaned through the first feeling of entry. They were loud, and the glass doors leading out to the balcony were open. They didn’t care. After going at it for a while, Tyler stopped seeing they were almost off the bed.
“Out there,” Jake said.
Tyler saw that he was pointing to the balcony and laughed. The breeze carried the scent of the ocean. They could hear the waves, the murmur of conversations, and further off, music from some bar. Standing on the balcony, Tyler and Jake kissed, naked and unconcerned.
When Jake turned him around to face the ocean, Tyler was surprised and pleased. He hadn’t noticed Jake grab the lube and condom, but he was now putting them to good use. As he felt Jake’s slick fingers inside him, Tyler couldn’t stop smiling to himself as he gasped. He thought of getting fucked as a treat, something special he only did once in a while. And Jake knew how to fuck him better than anyone else. He proved it now, but he wasn’t as cautious as their first time. It was heaven. Their bodies felt like one. Feeling Jake’s thrusts pushing him forward, Tyler strengthened his stance and pushed back. They were slamming together now, united in their striving for pleasure. Then Jake lost it, and Tyler loved his wild side coming through as he came and Tyler followed.
As Jake took him in his arms and their breathing slowed down, Tyler was surprised to see that dawn was breaking over the ocean.
Their third time was unexpected, a muddle of drunkenness and the need to forget. Jake couldn’t find the light switch because Ty wouldn’t stop kissing him. He seemed a little drunker than Jake and that much more aggressive. With the light on, Jake lurched around the room until Ty caught him and started kissing him again. There was more lust than comfort in his kiss, but Jake didn’t mind. He preferred it. He had some lust of his own to answer with. Groping Ty hard, all over, he was desperate to get under his clothes.
At his suggestion, they went from the bed to the balcony. Inspired by the view of Ty’s ass, Jake wanted to fuck him again. Ty was more than willing. Jake loved how eagerly he took him in. They were a perfect fit. Ty was too sexy as he leaned forward to give Jake access and to hold on to the railing to anchor himself. The dark ocean and the star studded night sky were nothing compared to him. His muscles stood out as he braced himself for everything Jake could give him. As they came, Jake saw a bright line appear along the horizon. In his state, drunk on booze and on Ty, he thought that they made it happen. They lit the horizon on fire.
Jake woke up and looked around, feeling like crap. The sights of the ugly hotel room, and especially the hideous curtains, didn’t help. Worst of all, the curtains weren’t closed all the way and too much midday sunshine came into the room. But then Jake turned his head and saw who was sleeping next to him. The intruding sunshine made Ty’s skin and hair glow. Jake still felt like hell, but Ty was a sight that could heal all wounds. He was on his stomach and turned toward Jake. His hair was messed up and falling over his eyes. He was nearly naked and beautiful. Though Jake didn’t remember him getting them on, Ty was wearing his boxers. Jake had to smile. Ty’s skin, the muscles of his arms, the dip in his back before the curve of his ass were all calling for Jake’s touch. If Jake wasn’t feeling so bad, he would have jumped him.
~*~
Before he opened his eyes, Jake could hear voices that told him where he was. He kind of liked those two voices as long as they stayed in the background, but then he heard Ty say, “Jake needs to go to work. Go wake him. But stay back. He bites.” That’s when Julie came into Ty’s bedroom and prodded Jake awake, showing no fear.
“Don’t you dare wake me, girl,” Jake told her.
“You are awake.”
“No. And fair warning. If you wake me, I won’t like you any more.”
She did not take the warning to heart.
“Yes, you will. Wakey, wakey,” she said and poked his shoulder with her little finger.
“Did you by any chance bring me coffee?” Jake asked her.
“You’re funny,” she said as she scampered off.
Jake growled unhappily behind her. He got up and got cleaned up a little, including using Ty’s toothbrush without asking him. He let the smell of coffee lead him to the kitchen. Julie was eating cereal at the counter. Jake sat down next to her.
“So much for fun,” Ty said as he poured him coffee in the biggest mug he had.
“This is the aftermath of fun as you well know,” Jake claimed, but Ty knew better.
“I know the aftermath of fun, and this isn’t it.”
Jake grumbled. Ty knew him too well. As he already figured out, Jake’s state was the result of trying too hard to prove he could have fun without Ty and failing. Jake leaned his big head on Julie’s shoulder.
“Your head is heavy,” she said, but she kindly didn’t push him off.
“It’s full of suffering,” he told her. “Your dad is being mean to me.”
“Dad!” she said without even getting both sides of the story. She was so nice. Ty was a lucky guy.
Chapter 21
A few days later, Jake came over after work to stay with Julie while Tyler accompanied his mother to a doctor’s appointment. He came back home to find a big mess in his kitchen.
“What have you done?”
“We’re cooking. We’re making chili,” Julie said, but all Tyler could see was the mess.
“You’re demolishing my kitchen.”
“Are we in trouble?” Julie asked Jake.
“Jake is. He’s the one in charge,” Tyler told her.
“No. I was in charge,” Julie claimed.
“Isn’t she the best?” Jake said seeing how she was ready and willing to take the blame for him.
“Don’t spoil Jake,” Tyler warned her.
“I won’t.”
<
br /> “That man doesn’t even know what a kitchen is for,” Jake said to Julie behind Tyler’s back. “Don’t worry. He is just jealous because he can’t cook.”
“Dad knows how to make sandwiches,” Julie said to give Tyler some credit. “Even grilled cheese sandwiches.”
Tyler waited till Jake was free then called him over into his office. Then he gave Jake the bad news, which he didn’t want Julie to hear. “About the wedding on Friday. You know how we agreed to sort of go together?”
“Now it’s sort of?” Jake was not happy that Tyler was ditching him again.
“Now it’s sorry, I can’t go. And don’t flip out on me,” Tyler warned him since he was about to do just that. “Mom is having a little spot removed from her shoulder. They don’t think it’s anything. Just a precaution. But I want to be there. She’s kind of nervous.”
“You’re off the hook. That’s what you get for having a wedding on Friday. There is a reason God set aside Sundays for gay weddings.”
“It’s the day Larry and Keith met. It’s special to them. It’s about romance. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Look who’s talking.”
