High Test

by Elizabeth Noble

  Jumping up and down and rubbing his own arms, Hayden muttered, “Damn, I’m cold.” He heard nails clicking on a floor and soft woofing from somewhere in the house.

  “I’ll get a fire started.” Neal led Hayden into the house, shedding his jacket and shirt as he went. He pointed to a hall on the right. “There’s a spare bedroom and bath that way with some extra clothes in the closet. Help yourself. Plenty of towels in the bathroom, so get a hot shower. You won’t warm up and get dry if you leave your clothes on.”

  “Thanks.” Hayden hugged himself and made his way down the hall, looking forward to a warm shower and something dry to wear.

  The bedroom was bigger than Hayden’s entire apartment. There was a king-size bed with no headboard, a half-dozen plump pillows, and a thick dark green comforter with burgundy trim. Hayden hurried to the bathroom, not wanting to drip all over the hardwood floor.

  The bathroom had a stone-tile floor with swirls of green, gray, and blue throughout. Hayden stripped and dumped his wet clothes there where they wouldn’t do damage. A raised sink with gold fixtures was set into a long marble counter. Behind the toilet were shelves inset into the wall bearing stacks of plush washcloths, hand towels, and bath towels, all in dark green and burgundy.

  The shower was the same stone as the floor, with glass doors. Hayden stepped in and turned on the water, grateful for the hot spray. There was a selection of shampoos and soaps on a corner shelf. Hayden put a very sparing amount of shampoo in his hand and washed his hair. He was a little more liberal with the liquid soap.

  The entire time he showered, he repeatedly peeked out the door, wanting—willing—Neal to join him. Hayden closed his eyes and leaned against the shower wall, enjoying the hot water. His dick started to pay attention when he pictured Neal—naked, tawny skin glistening wet, little streams of water winding paths along the lines between his abdominal muscles—after he stepped through the shower door.

  Hayden’s legs trembled as he took hold of his cock and stroked. He bit his lip to stifle a moan when his hips stuttered faster. His mind filled with images of the long, sinewy muscles of Neal’s arms holding Hayden tightly. He could almost feel Neal’s fingertips massaging Hayden’s back and wandering down his spine to circle his entrance.

  Thumping his head back against the wall a few times, Hayden squeezed his cock harder, gasped, and came. He shoved the wrist of his other arm against his mouth to muffle his shout. He wasn’t sure where in the house Neal was, and the last thing he wanted was to be overheard.

  It took a few minutes before Hayden was able to do more than stand there, stroking his fingers over his softened cock. He straightened, testing to see if his legs would support him. There was still plenty of hot water streaming out of the showerhead. Finally, reluctantly because he didn’t want to leave its warmth, Hayden turned off the water. He grabbed one of the thick, soft green towels, dried off, then wrapped it around himself. Not sure what to do with his soaked clothes, Hayden settled on hanging them over the top of the shower door.

  He went into the bedroom. There was a long, low dresser—perfect for Hayden to sprawl across while Neal pumped into him—against one wall and a series of closet doors on the opposite side.

  Opening the closet doors, Hayden considered his choices. To the left were hangers with various styles and colors of tuxedos. Beside that were formal suits, not the sort he’d seen Neal dressed in when he was heading for work. A floor-to-ceiling set of cubbies held shoes as varied as the suits. Next to that were longer shelves with shorts and sweatpants folded neatly in stacks by color. Hayden pulled a pair of sweats down and held them against him. He was shorter and thinner than Neal, but the waistband and cuffs were elastic. He’d have to go commando since he wasn’t borrowing boxer shorts. A quick search of some drawers beside the shelves turned up a T-shirt and pullover hoodie. He didn’t find socks and figured those were probably in the dresser, but he was warmer now, and if he didn’t want to go barefoot, he’d ask about them later.

  Just as Hayden poked his head out of the bedroom door, there was a soft clunk and the house went dark. He froze and put one hand out to use as a guide against the wall. A soft glow emanated from the end of the hall, presumably the fire Neal had promised to start.

  “Hey… ow. Shit!” Hayden heard Neal’s voice, then saw him hopping into the hallway on one foot. “You’d think I’d remember the chair was there since I put it there.” He held a flashlight in one hand and reached out to Hayden with the other.

  Neal enclosed Hayden’s hand in his long fingers and guided him down the hall. “Power’s out,” Neal said as they headed to the living room with the enormous fireplace. He snorted. “Which I guess is pretty obvious.”

  He led Hayden into the room. The stone fireplace took up the center of the area and was accessible from every side. There were couches on either side of the room. Behind them and against the wall wooden shelves reached from floor to ceiling. A few deep, extrawide chairs and dark wooden tables were placed in conversational groupings. Large pillows lay scattered closer to the fireplace.

  The room had two solid walls of windows, one facing out the front of the house and one overlooking the back of the property. An enormous flat-screen television sat on a low stand at an angle between the back window and the adjoining wall.

  At the moment, the dark sky, intermittent flashes of lightning, and trees heavy with leaves whipping in the wind all conspired to create an air of creepiness. But a bottle of wine and some glasses on the closest table made for a homier touch.

  Two large dogs were sprawled near the fire. They weren’t any specific breed Hayden could identify. One was black-and-white, the other a solid brown. Big, plumy tails thumped the floor softly. The brown dog had ears that stood up and the other dog’s ears flopped down.

  “They’re very sweet and friendly.” Neal motioned to the dogs. “Boys, this is Hayden. Hayden this is Royce.” Neal pointed to the black-and-white dog. “And Marty.”

  Hayden burst out laughing. “Good choice of names.” He let go of Neal and took a few steps closer to the dogs.

  Neal waved his hand at Hayden. “Say hi, boys.”

  In one enthusiastic movement, both dogs jumped up and trotted to Hayden, their nails clicking on the floor. “I can’t have dogs at my place in the city,” Hayden said while he petted the dogs.

  “Wine?” Neal settled on one of the pillows and poured two glasses. He patted the spot beside him before picking up one glass and holding it out to Hayden.

  Neal was barefoot as well. He wore a pair of black cashmere lounge pants and a light blue herringbone pullover shirt with a few buttons down the front. The material clung just enough to his body to show off his broad chest that tapered to his waist. There was the barest hint of the muscles of his thighs through his pant leg. Neal’s hair was damp; he must have showered as well. Hayden bit his lip. Neal looked spectacular. The best part was that he didn’t seem to have the slightest clue how sexy he was and how he affected Hayden.

  “Thanks.” Hayden accepted the wine, folded one leg under himself, and leaned back on the pillow. “This is nice. Very relaxing.”

  “I can throw some chicken breasts on the grill in a bit.”

  Lightning lit up the sky, followed by a crack of thunder so loud Hayden could feel the vibrations. He started and looked up when rain pelted the roof with even more force and the wind howled.

  Hayden sipped his wine. “This is the same wine we had the other night.” He hoped Neal hadn’t noticed him jump at the sound of the thunder, but of course he had.

  Neal rearranged the pillows so they could lean back against them before he put one arm around Hayden, drawing him in closer. Hayden wasn’t in the least afraid of thunder or storms, but what was the harm in letting Neal offer comfort if he thought Hayden needed it? He was two thousand miles from home, and a comforting shoulder to nestle against was more than welcome.

  They chatted the bottle of wine away. Hayden heard the stories of how Neal came to have Royce, then Marty,
who was named for the Back to the Future character and Aston Martin cars. Eventually the storm moved on, but the power remained out. Filled with good wine, warm and comfortable against Neal, Hayden dozed off.

  Chapter Five

  THE sound of voices woke Hayden with a start. He glanced at the dogs who were lying on either side of them, sound asleep. He’d have thought one of them would at least bark if there was an intruder. Neal stirred then stretched and sat up. It took another few seconds for Hayden’s brain to register the fact the lights were on in what little of the kitchen he saw and the voices came from the television.

  “You look adorable in the morning,” Neal said softy.

  Hayden chuckled. “It’s not morning.”

  “Details.” Neal climbed to his feet and held out his hand for Hayden. “I believe I promised dinner. Fortunately for us I managed to get some rub on the chicken before the power went out and I became distracted.”

  “You don’t have to—” Hayden’s words were cut off as he was pulled to his feet and into Neal’s arms.

  Drawing him in and holding him close, Neal kissed him. At first it was soft and sweet. Hayden leaned into it and slipped his arms around Neal’s waist. He ran his hands over Neal’s back and down toward his ass. Getting a handful of Neal’s firm, round ass, Hayden squeezed tenderly. Neal moved one hand to the back of Hayden’s head before sliding his tongue into Hayden’s mouth and holding him even tighter. There wasn’t anything Neal’s arousal left to the imagination. Hayden felt it through the soft material of Neal’s pants. He was sure Neal felt Hayden’s growing hard-on with no trouble as well. God, he wanted Neal inside him.

  They were nearly knocked down when Royce jumped on them. Marty trotted in a circle around their legs, woofing softly. Still holding each other, they broke their kiss and looked down at the dogs.

  “I think the kids are hungry,” Neal said with a short laugh. “Sorry.”

  “Na, don’t be.” Hayden was secretly relieved. He was well on his way to falling for this man and diving into bed with him was something Hayden didn’t think he should do—yet. “We should probably do something about that.”

  Royce pushed off Neal’s hip and ran to the kitchen then back again.

  “I think we don’t have a choice.” Neal let go of Hayden slowly. “You feel good.”

  Stretching to plant a kiss on Neal’s cheek, Hayden smiled. “So do you.” He glanced down at his feet and wiggled his toes. “I’m going to see if my socks are dry.”

  “Oh, hell, I’m sure they’re not. We can throw your stuff in the dryer. I’ll get you something for your feet.” Neal scooped up the empty wine bottle and glasses. “You want to go grab all those wet clothes and meet me in the kitchen?”

  “Um… sure.” Hayden, with Marty’s assistance, gathered up the clothes he’d left in the bathroom then went to the mudroom they’d come through on the way in. Marty stood by the back door wagging his tail and gazing longingly at the door. “Marty looks like he wants to go outside,” he called.

  Neal appeared in the doorway, Royce pattering after him. “Release the hounds.” He nodded toward the back door.

  Hayden grinned and opened the door. Both dogs rushed forward, knocking into Hayden’s legs and causing him to drop the pile of clothes.

  “Whoa,” Neal exclaimed and darted forward. He caught Hayden before he seriously embarrassed himself.

  Laughing, Hayden got his feet under him, but not before he managed to press against Neal’s very firm groin. Neal took the opportunity to slip his palm over Hayden’s rear and rub the soft material of the sweats across his skin a few times. “We should… um… the clothes.”

  Neal held Hayden at arm’s length and rubbed his shoulders a few times. “Right. Dry clothes and dinner.” He stooped and snatched up the wet clothes. Dipping his head toward the kitchen, Neal turned, and Hayden trailed after him.

  “I’ll get you some socks.” Neal ducked out of the kitchen and was back a minute later with a thick, woven set of socks. Hayden hopped around on one foot then the other, pulling them on and looking around the kitchen at the same time.

  Neal’s kitchen was sleek and modern. Everything was stainless steel and black. It was spacious and clearly well used. Off the kitchen was a laundry room. Neal packed their clothes into the washer and started the machine. “Better wash them first.”

  There was a door to the outside, and Neal opened it to let the dogs in. He scooped food from a plastic bin into bowls for each of them.

  “So, you like to cook?” Hayden asked. He’d moved back into the kitchen and continued his visual examination of the room.

  “Oh yeah. I get tired of eating out all the time, and it’s relaxing. I’m no gourmet, but I can put together enough of a meal to not starve. I’m more of a basics man—meat and potatoes.” He went to the refrigerator, took out an armload of containers, and set them on the large central island. “It was the fireplace that sold the house for me, though. That and the location. Close enough to the city so it’s not a total pain in the ass getting to my office and far enough it’s quiet and private. How about you throw us together a salad and I’ll get the meat going.”

  “Okay.” Hayden grinned and pulled a large bowl from an open rack beside the refrigerator.

  The island had a chopping block embedded in the top and a bar along one side with stools tucked underneath. He set about mixing spinach leaves, mandarin oranges, pears, strawberries, pecans, a few types of cheese, and olives. Neal had taken a platter with large chicken breasts outside. Through the window Hayden saw a deck and a grill that could hold enough food to feed a decent-sized neighborhood. When he opened the door and carried the platter back inside, Hayden’s mouth immediately started to water.

  “That smells amazing!”

  Neal smiled. “Thanks. It’s much more fun to cook when I can share with someone.” He set the platter beside the salad bowl and gathered plates, silverware, and glasses, setting them on the island. “More wine?” he asked, and he put another bottle of the same sort of wine into a wine chiller without waiting for an answer. He moved to a spot farther down the counter to a coffee maker and loaded that up with Hayden’s favorite coffee, purchased from the coffeehouse. “That should be ready by the time we’re finished eating.”

  Hayden arranged their place settings and moved two of the stools close together. Neal poured glasses of ice water and took the wine from the chiller.

  “This looks great. Thank you.” Hayden slid onto a stool, and Neal took the one beside him.

  They dug into their dinner. Hayden realized he was ravenous. For a bit there was no conversation between them, but the silence they shared while they ate was comfortable. Hayden felt as if he’d known Neal forever and could talk or not. He could tell Neal anything, talk about any subject.

  “What was it you wanted to tell me before Mother Nature interrupted?” Neal asked.

  Anything except one subject.

  Hayden swallowed a bite of chicken and took a big swallow of wine. “I… um….” He shrugged. “The thing is I’m not….” A quick, short laugh and he continued, “It’s really just a silly—”

  Neal arched an eyebrow and cut Hayden off. “Hold that thought.” He stood up and crossed the short distance to the counter, talking over his shoulder as he walked. “I think I forgot to start the coffee brewing.”

  “Deal.” Hayden speared some salad and shoved it into his mouth. From the way Neal sometimes appraised Hayden and how he’d prevent Hayden from confessing, it seemed almost as if Neal knew the truth. Or, at the very least, knew Hayden hadn’t been completely honest.

  “I have to go into the city tomorrow,” Neal said as he gathered their empty plates. “You’re welcome to stay the night. Or if you have to get back tonight, I’m happy to drive you home.” He made short work of loading the dishwasher.

  Hayden had a moment of sheer panic. No way was Neal ever getting near the crappy hovel of an apartment Hayden lived in. “I don’t have…. I don’t want to put you out. Tomorrow
is fine. I need to go to the coffee shop anyway.”

  “Good. Don’t feel we have to share a bed, but I was hoping you’d take up my offer of my spare bedroom and we could still spend more time today together. I’ve enjoyed your company more than I have anyone’s in quite a while,” Neal confessed. “You can laugh at me and call me old-fashioned, but I think it’s a little too early for us to share a bed.”

  Relief washed over Hayden. “I don’t think that’s old-fashioned at all, and I believe two people need to get to know each other first.”

  Neal pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Whew. Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

  “Me too,” Hayden added quickly.

  Neal gave the dishwasher dial a turn, starting the machine. “I’m afraid I don’t have much in the way of dessert.”

  “That coffee will be perfect.” Hayden pointed to the pot of brewed coffee. “It smells amazing, and I love that flavor.”

  Neal grinned. “I know.”

  They finished cleaning the kitchen and went back to the living room with large mugs of steaming hot java. Hayden happily nestled against Neal on one of the large couches, and they whiled away the hours talking and binge-watching the first season of a show they discovered both of them had wanted to see.

  “I can’t believe they ended it that way,” Hayden exclaimed.

  Neal laughed. “The great thing with these streaming services is not waiting for the next season. Except it’s after two in the morning. I’m not sure I’ll stay awake much longer.”

  “Confession time. Me either.” Hayden yawned and stretched.

  “So, I have the perfect thing to entice you back here another day,” Neal said. He leaned to the side and took Hayden’s hand. Easing closer, he kissed Hayden softly. “Time to say good night, I think.”