High Test

by Elizabeth Noble

  “I can’t imagine why she doesn’t tempt you,” Hayden said.

  Neal snorted. “I’m so sorry. She had no right to speak to you that way. As I was saying, some people don’t always understand another person’s choice. In this case my choice to have a relationship with a younger man.”

  Hayden reached for Neal’s hand. “It’s not your fault, and I see how people look at us sometimes when we’re out together. I am a lot younger than you are.”

  “So I’m old,” Neal teased.

  Hayden shook his head, pushed up his glasses, and smiled. “I don’t think so. Not at all. I think other people see our age difference and—” He shrugged. “—and I don’t know, think all sorts of horrible things.”

  “They give me much the same look. It translates as I must be paying you. I ignore them, and so should you. It’s no one’s business other than yours and mine.” Neal paused for a few seconds and took a sip of his coffee. He set down his cup and folded his hands together, then rested them in front of him on the table. “I haven’t gotten where I have in life by caring what others may think of my personal life.”

  “I guess you’re right.” Hayden glanced away from Neal’s gaze and checked to make sure Maeve wasn’t lurking nearby. He spotted her at a table across the room with a group of people, but she didn’t seem to be paying attention. “When we went to the bistro, I have to admit I was self-conscious. I felt like everyone was judging me.”

  “Let’s give them a reason to be jealous.” Neal arched an eyebrow and moved his chair so he was closer to Hayden’s side. He reached out and curled the fingers of one hand around Hayden’s neck.

  Hayden shivered from the sensation of Neal’s fingertips pressing against his warming skin. As Neal massaged lightly, Hayden felt the tension leave him. He sighed and leaned in closer, meeting Neal’s lips in a kiss. Taking advantage of the moment, Hayden ran his tongue over Neal’s lips a few times before tenderly sucking on the lower one. Neal’s mouth opened slightly, and Hayden took advantage, sliding his tongue in and lazily moving it over Neal’s, then across the roof of his mouth.

  When they separated, Neal smiled, and Hayden whispered, “Is Maeve watching?”

  “Uh-huh, yes, she is. I believe the sucking on a lemon expression she’s wearing means she got the message.” Neal sat straight again and set his napkin on the table.

  “I’ve been trying to explain that—”

  “Hmm.” Neal held up one finger and said, “Before we get interrupted again, I wanted to ask you something. There’s a dinner party I’m hosting Friday evening. It’s being held at the Riverfront Hotel, family business sort of thing. Some of my clients and professional acquaintances will be there as well. It promises to be very dry and boring, and I’d love if you’d come and host it with me.”

  “Host it with you?” Hayden echoed. “Like, not just your date but….”

  “My very attractive and enchanting boyfriend. I was sort of hoping I could introduce you to everyone. Get it all over at once,” Neal ventured.

  “The same theory as pulling a Band-Aid off fast so it won’t hurt?” Hayden chuckled. He was trying to stay cool on the outside, but on the inside he was alternating between panic and mentally jumping for joy.

  “Exactly!” Neal fidgeted a bit.

  “Is there more?” Hayden’s panic ramped higher. Maybe Maeve’s words had more of an impact than Hayden thought. If that was the case, though, why would Neal invite Hayden to meet all the people he considered important either professionally or personally? Hayden’s internal scared rabbit climbed back into its hidey-hole and stopped bothering him.

  “Well, it’ll be a late night, and we might want to have a drink or two.”

  “Agreed,” Hayden said. He grinned broadly and nodded, having an idea where Neal was going.

  “I took the liberty of reserving a room for you. I couldn’t get one adjoining my usual suite. I could always take the couch if you’d rather not have your own room. But if—”

  “I’m sort of enjoying seeing you at a loss for words and bashful,” Hayden teased. Neal tilted his head and narrowed his eyes for a second. “Sorry. I’d love to host the party with you, and as for the room situation? Maybe we just see how it goes?” Because when you find out my family isn’t rich, it might go really badly.

  Neal nodded. “I like that idea.”

  Taking a deep breath Hayden decided he had to try to set the record straight with Neal. “My family… they’re not who you think they are.” There, he’d said it.

  Neal shrugged. “I’m not dating your family, now, am I? Just like you’re not dating mine. And by the way, be very grateful you’re not dating mine. I swear they’re all nuts. Or does that make me the nutty one, thinking everyone else is?”

  “I… uhm, don’t—”

  “Good,” Neal said with a quick nod. “At least that’s settled. Let me tell you a bit about the guest list.”

  Hayden spent another half an hour at least listening to Neal fill him in on some of the guests who’d be at the party.

  “I feel as if I’m in class and should be taking notes,” Hayden joked.

  Neal laughed. It was a rich, deep sound, and Hayden loved it more each time he heard it. As soon as their waiter arrived, Neal held his hand out for the small silver tray so it never even came to rest on the table. He winked. “I did the inviting.” It seemed Neal always had an excuse to pay the check.

  Neal put his arm around Hayden’s shoulders as they left the restaurant. Lingering beside Rick’s car, Hayden slid both arms around Neal and pressed against him, enjoying the feel of his rock-hard thighs. Then he rubbed against Neal’s firm cock, which elicited a groan from them both. Stretching to reach Neal’s mouth, Hayden treated himself to a deep kiss.

  Neal ran one hand along Hayden’s side while he held Hayden tightly with his other arm. Using the heel of his hand, Neal pressed firmly against Hayden’s groin, making him lean more heavily against Neal. Hayden inched his feet apart, giving Neal full access. Neal gripped Hayden’s cock through his pants and squeezed. At the same time, he bent and licked along Hayden’s neck, swiped his tongue over his jaw, and nibbled the lobe of Hayden’s ear.

  A minute later they leaned apart and rested their foreheads against each other, panting and trembling.

  “I, uh…think… we won’t need two rooms Friday,” Hayden whispered.

  Neal took a few deep breaths and hugged Hayden before stepping back a bit. “Are you sure?”

  Hayden nodded. “I’m more than sure.” What he really wanted was to go back to Neal’s house tonight and make love all night. However Neal didn’t offer, and Hayden certainly wasn’t going to suggest his place. “Call you tomorrow?”

  “Absolutely.” Neal leaned in and kissed Hayden’s cheek.

  Smiling, Hayden turned and unlocked the car door. Neal opened it for him and held on while Hayden climbed inside. “Will I see you for coffee this week?”

  “I’m planning on it. Drive safely. I’ll text you the details of Friday. I’m using a company driver for the evening. I can send the car for you.”

  Crap, crap, crap.

  “I actually don’t live far from that hotel, and I do have to take care of some things at the coffeehouse. How about I meet you at the hotel?” Hayden inwardly congratulated himself on such quick thinking.

  “You know, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re avoiding telling me where you live.” Neal pulled his eyebrows together and smirked. “Are you in a clandestine relationship?”

  Hayden laughed and shook his head. “No. It’s one of the older buildings and traffic is ridiculous, but it’s a joy compared to the parking in that area. And my buddy Rick often crashes there. I never know what kind of a mess he’ll make.”

  “Understood.” Neal bent and gave Hayden another kiss. “It’s probably for the best, I want you to myself.” He pushed the door shut and waved as Hayden drove off.

  It was almost impossible to concentrate on driving when the only thing he could think abou
t was his raging hard-on. Fortunately he didn’t live far. It was no exaggeration that Rick stayed with Hayden “often.” Rick lived with two other guys who were partiers, so he visited Hayden’s small place for peace and quiet. They’d discussed getting something together that was nicer, and Hayden thought it was a good time to revisit that idea. At least that way he wouldn’t have to keep dodging Neal’s attempts to pick him up or feel embarrassed by where he lived.

  Hayden took the steps to his studio apartment three at a time. Rick wasn’t there, much to Hayden’s relief. He undressed and laid his clothes over the kitchen chair before flopping onto his futon sprawled on his back. Without preamble he took a firm hold of his still-hard cock and closed his eyes. While he stroked up, giving a little twist then rubbing over his cock’s head, he remembered the feel of Neal’s hands on him. How it felt when Neal caressed and massaged his cock through the material of his clothes.

  Hayden’s legs trembled, and he stretched them out. As he dragged his hand down his shaft, he used his other hand to fondle his balls. He could still feel the heat of Neal’s breath on his neck and the strength of his grip around Hayden’s waist.

  “Gah… ahh…,” Hayden panted out. Swiping his thumb over the tip and through his slit caused him to arch his back and yelp. In the next instant, his entire body was consumed and quaking. His toes curled, and heat blasted up his cock and erupted in powerful spasms. His belly and chest were covered with his warm, sticky white fluid.

  Hayden wasn’t sure how long he lay there, gulping in deep breaths and shivering them out again. His body quieted, and he rolled off the futon and headed to the bathroom for a quick clean up. When he rolled up in the blankets of his futon Hayden’s final thought before falling asleep was Friday couldn’t come fast enough.

  RICK looked up from where he knelt in front of the stool Hayden stood on and groused, “If you don’t stand still, I’ll end up sticking this pin in your balls and not the material.”

  Hayden grimaced and glanced down. “Sorry. I’ve screwed this up. I said yes to Friday, and then I get put on the schedule to work. And I can’t keep meeting him places and putting him off. I told Neal you crash with me sometimes and that’s why I didn’t have him come to my apartment. If he sends some driver to get me, I’m still screwed because the driver will have my address and—” The pin pierced Hayden’s pant leg and grazed his shin. “Ow. Hey.”

  “Shut up,” Rick said. “Listen to me. And stand still!”

  Hayden nodded. He was grateful that part of what Rick did was tailoring. He’d donated one of his design project tuxes to Hayden and was trying to alter it.

  “At least you’ll have a designer, one-of-a-kind tux to wear.” Rick tugged on one of Hayden’s pant legs, sat back, put in more pins, then turned on the other leg. “You’re a man. I’m a man. Neal is a man.”

  “Where you going with this, Rick?” Hayden bent a bit to look Rick in the eye. He was rewarded with Rick pinging his knee. When Hayden reached down to rub away the offense, the back of his hand suffered the same attack.

  “I’m simply pointing out the obvious. The man has some serious hots for you. Seal the deal and he’s going to be far less concerned with what mundane details you did and did not tell him.”

  “You’re a pig.”

  “Am I wrong?” Rick pushed on Hayden’s hip. “Stand up straight. Look, hear me out. You never said you were part of the family that owns the company you work for.”

  “I never corrected Neal when he thought I was, either. I did tell him my family wasn’t who he thought, and he sort of blew it off.”

  “Did he actually say the words he thought you were part of that Owens family?”

  Hayden shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Maybe. I’m not really sure. He did say he wasn’t dating my family.”

  “But you didn’t lie to him—not really. You told him about your real family, and yeah, you let him go on thinking you weren’t a student, but you never said you weren’t.” Rick stood and walked around Hayden, pulling on the end of the jacket. “I think the cummerbund should be a dark blue, same with your tie. White shirt. I don’t suppose you own cufflinks?”

  “What do you think?”

  “No worries, I have a pair you can borrow. My point is the man likes you, is attracted to you sexually, and there’s nothing wrong with progressing your relationship and using that momentum to clear the air.” Rick completed his circle around Hayden and stood, arms crossed, looking him up and down. “Looking good. Get it off and I’ll get the alterations done and an A in my class. Two birds, one stone.”

  “You’re a pig.” Hayden stepped off the stool and began undressing, handing Rick the garments to be properly hung as he did so.

  “I’m also right. The more attached to you he is, the more likely he’ll accept all this as an innocent misunderstanding. It’s really nothing more, and you haven’t tried to take advantage of him.”

  “Is that how you’d feel if it was a girl you met?” Hayden asked.

  “Honestly? Yeah, I’d be pissed at first, but if it was a woman I was really into, then I’d calm down, see no harm was done, and work it out,” Rick said. “Not everyone who doesn’t divulge everything about themselves is a gold digger.”

  “Yeah?” Hayden put his own clothes on. “I tried to tell him. This guy, he’s special, and I’d think that no matter what. Money doesn’t matter to me. Not like that.”

  “Yeah, I know. Neal will see that as well. But don’t let it go beyond this weekend or it will seem like you are trying to take advantage of his money. And as for work, call off.”

  “I can’t do that. I need the job. I’ll find someone to switch shifts with,” Hayden said. When Rick raised his eyebrows, Hayden added, “And call off if I have to.”

  “Go get ’em, tiger.”

  Later that afternoon, Hayden arrived at the coffeehouse at the same time as Steffie.

  “Still no deliveries.” Jason was a student, like most of the baristas.

  “Don’t suppose you’d take my shift on Friday,” Hayden asked as he counted out his drawer. “Hasn’t anyone been to the bank? There’s not nearly enough change.”

  “I haven’t seen the manager in a week. She had the schedule done a month ahead, so I was the one who put it up the other day. We baked the last of the muffins and miscellaneous stuff in the freezer,” Jason said. “I will if you take my weekend shifts next week.”

  Hayden held his hand up and Jason gripped it, then let go and gave his hand a slap when Hayden said, “Done.”

  “What the hell? How can this place stay open without something to serve? We’d better get more supplies soon.” Steffie busied herself rearranging the muffins and pastries to make the cases look fuller. “Did our paychecks come in?”

  Jason shook his head, and Hayden groaned. “My rent is due in three days, and I was hoping to order what I needed to get my car running. I’d like to know the amount.”

  “I’m sure they’ll come in tomorrow. That is when we get paid,” Jason reminded them.

  “Yeah, but the statements are always here and in the safe by now,” Steffie said.

  Jason and the other barista finished up and bid Hayden and Steffie a good night before leaving. The night passed quietly, with very few customers to worry about. Hayden told Steffie all about dinner, Maeve, and the upcoming party.

  “So, he wants you to host with him? That’s so sweet and very cool. Are you going to spend the night with him?” Hayden glanced down at his feet. When he looked back up and smiled, Steffie squealed. “Amazing! I’m so happy, and of course you know—”

  “You want details,” Hayden finished for her. His phone vibrated, and he checked the message, blushing a bit when he read it. “Second one today.”

  Steffie gave him a silly grin and a thumbs-up.

  That night when Hayden fell into bed, he repeated what had become a habit the past week, jacking off to thoughts of Neal’s touches and the memory of their kisses.

  Chapter Seven

&
nbsp; HAYDEN reached out with one hand and slapped at his phone, again. It was the first time in a week he hadn’t needed to be up at something stupid o’clock, and now his phone demanded attention because someone was calling and endangering their lives. He’d opened one eye, peered at the clock then out the window and decided because of the time—still before 9:00 a.m.—it must be a wrong number.

  Now, not ten minutes later, there were two more calls, and he decided he should check for real to see who was trying to contact him. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the futon, scratched at his chest, and ran one hand through his hair. He fumbled for the light and looked at his missed calls—Steffie, Jason, and Neal. Three more calls came in while he was still trying to process the first calls. His mother, Neal, his father. Then two from other baristas he barely knew and Rick.

  “What the fuck?”

  Hayden went to the window and opened the shades, expecting to see the Apocalypse, or tanks driving down the street with armed soldiers on top. The section of Greenville he lived in looked exactly as it had the day before.

  Neal and Rick, then Steffie, called again. It dawned on him then that no one had sent a text. Hayden hit dial on the last number while he booted up his laptop in search of news.

  The call went to Steffie’s voicemail. “Hey, Steff, it’s me. Call me back.” Hayden hit End and glared at the phone. “You call me at the asscrack of the day and all I get is your voicemail?” He shook his head and scrolled to Neal’s number, preferring to know what was going on before he called his parents back.

  Opening a browser first, Hayden went to his favorite news site, then hit Dial on Neal’s number.

  “Hayden, are you okay?” Neal answered almost immediately and nearly shouted out his words.

  “Did we go to war?” Hayden asked.

  The news show finally began playing, and Hayden nearly dropped the phone as he listened.

  “The Owens Coffee Company declared bankruptcy and closed its doors on a seventy-five-year-long business. Workers all over the country arrived to man the stores and coffeehouses only to find doors locked,” the anchor said. Ignoring the rest of the story, Hayden dropped onto his futon, phone held between his knees. No job, no paycheck.