by A. P. Eisen
THE BARBECUE
A Paul Monroe Mystery Short Story
A.P. Eisen
Contents
Chapter 1
The Barbecue
* * *
“Are you ready?” Paul cut the engine and they sat in front of Rob’s house for a moment.
“Always, when I’m with you.” Cliff joked but took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You don’t have to do this, you know. I don’t want you to think there’s a time clock for you to come out to your friends.”
Paul ran his hand through his hair. The whole night he’d tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Having Cliff there to hold him was the only good part.
“I know. But it’s time. I-I want people to know who I am. My life has plodded along all these years, and then you showed up and bam! it’s like a rollercoaster.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t look like that.” Paul leaned over and kissed the corner of Cliff’s mouth, loving how his breath hitched at the touch of their lips. “I’ve always loved amusement parks. The faster, the better.”
“Adrenaline junkie.” At Cliff’s teasing smile, Paul relaxed. There wasn’t a need to be afraid. Rob had all but guessed, Annabel would be fine because she was a great person, and as for Rob’s family…well, it didn’t matter to him what they thought. He only saw them a few times a year. Rob wouldn’t let things get out of hand. He had nothing to worry about.
Cliff unclipped his seat belt. “Let’s go. We’re already late.”
They exited the car, Paul leading the way, walking the familiar path to the backyard. “And whose fault was that?”
He’d been so nervous, actually practicing what to say to people. Cliff had grown tired of waiting, pushed him down on the bed and given him a spectacular blowjob that nearly blew his head off. An hour later and his dick still ached.
“Are you complaining?” Cliff licked his lips and Paul groaned under his breath. The man was too fucking sexy, and it made it hard for Paul to concentrate on anything else.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” Cliff grinned and widened his eyes, but Paul wasn’t fooled.
“Like you want to rip my clothes off and get busy.”
“Tough shit. Never going to happen.” They reached the backyard fence and they could hear the sound of laughter and smell the food cooking on the grill. Cliff grabbed Paul’s hand before he could pull the door latch open. “Being with you after all these years is the endgame of all my fantasies. It’s never going to get to the point where you don’t turn me on.”
Now it was Paul’s turn to find it hard to breathe. He wasn’t used to declarations like that, but with Cliff the words came naturally. “I’m learning to open up and be who I am. It’s still going to take me some time.”
Cliff’s fingers brushed his jaw. “I’m here. And not going anywhere.”
Allowing himself a smile, Paul nodded. “Okay. Here we go.” He opened the door and immediately Annabel spotted them.
“Paul.” She waved. “You made it.”
Cliff closed the door behind him and they approached her. “Annabel?”
“Yeah. She’s a good person.” “Hey Annabel, how’s it going?”
“I was afraid you’d stand us up, you big lug.” She hugged him tight and whispered. “It’s all good. Always.”
A rush of emotion swelled his throat tight, but he should’ve known it would be okay. He held her close for a moment. “Thanks.” He stepped back and touched Cliff on his shoulder.
“This is Cliff Baxter. Cliff, this is Annabel, Rob’s wife and I’m damn lucky she still talks to me after all the late nights and early mornings we pull when we’re on a case.”
With his easygoing, naturally friendly personality that enabled him to excel at his job, Cliff extended his hand. “Hi. Nice to finally meet you. I’m sure you have other names for Paul besides Bull Dog when that happens.”
“Rob and I are so happy you’re here.” She hooked her arm through Cliff’s. “Come, meet everyone. Paul, you too. Rob’s over this way.”
Chuckling, Paul followed a step behind. He’d already met most of the people sitting around on the lush green lawn with drinks in hand, and greeted them as they passed. Rob stood at the grill and waved his spatula.
“Bulldog. You made it.” He flipped the burgers, closed the lid, and faced them with a grin. “Cliff, nice to see you again. How’re you doing? Your neck okay?”
Cliff touched his neck where Amy Parsons, the murderer who’d held him at knifepoint last week, nicked him. “Yeah. I don’t think there will be a scar.”
“Good. Paulie, grab two beers from the cooler. I’ve got mine here already.” With the flush of good cheer on his cheeks, Rob pointed at his feet.
“I’m sure you do.” Paul did as Rob requested. He opened them up and handed one to Cliff. “To good health.” They clinked for the toast and Paul drank deeply. “Big group today.” He gripped the neck of his bottle. Was he supposed to make an announcement? Or let it all happen naturally? Dammit, this shouldn’t have to be a thing.
Perhaps sensing his distress, Cliff murmured, “Calm down. Whatever happens, happens, you know? Rob’s the only one who really matters.”
He gave a quick nod but he needed to tell Rob in his own words. It shouldn’t be something Rob guessed. “Can we talk a sec?”
“Yeah, definitely.” Rob rested his hand l on Paul’s shoulder, his eyes warm and serious. “Let me get someone to watch the food. “Andy,” he yelled to a group sitting on lawn chairs, beers in hand. “C’mere and make yourself useful instead of drinking all my beer. Take over the grill for a sec. I gotta talk to Paul for a few.”
Andrew, Rob’s brother, was a fireman and they’d always joked about their friendly rivalry. He and Rob shared the same easygoing smile and dedication to service.
“Hey, Paul, how’s it going? Fantastic work on solving that case.”
They clasped hands and Paul pointed to Cliff. “Well, a little credit has to go to Cliff for all the help he gave us. Cliff Baxter, Andy Gormley, Rob’s brother.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve seen you before.” Andy’s brow furrowed in thought. “Oh, yeah. You’re friends with Ryan McNamara, right? I saw you both at the Fire Department’s Pride Night celebration.”
“Yeah. He’s my best friend.”
Lines fanned out from Andy’s eyes as they crinkled shut from his laughter. “Ryan’s a great guy, even if he does cheat at pool. Next time you see him, tell him Andy said that.” He grabbed the spatula from Rob. “I’m gonna taste-test to make sure you know what you’re doing, here, Robbie.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Come on, guys. Let’s go inside for a sec where no one will bother us.”
There’d been so many signs pointing to what Paul had to tell Rob, it should have been easy to say. Yet when the three of them sat around Rob’s kitchen table, Paul needed a moment to gather his thoughts. Sensing his mood as he seemed to do automatically, Cliff pressed his leg against Paul, acknowledging he understood how momentous this was for him. His hands shook and he wrapped them around the cool, wet beer bottle.
“So. It’s already been alluded to, but we’re too close to let it go unsaid and frankly, I’m tired of keeping the door shut on my life.”
Rob nodded but said nothing.
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Paul spoke the words it had taken him over five years to say out loud.
“I’m gay. Always have been, but I didn’t feel comfortable enough with myself to talk about it or think I could have a relationship. And the fact that it took a knife at Cliff’s neck to make me see that is all kinds of fucked up, but we’re working on that. I wanted to tell you first, because besides being my work partner, you’re the person I t
rust with my life every day. My best friend though I doubt I’ve ever said it. Keeping you in that dark about the most important part of myself is wrong. I-I can’t hide anymore. It’s not fair to Cliff.”
Rob held his gaze. “And if you think for one minute this is going to change anything about our friendship, I’m going have to kick your ass. You’re my best friend. I don’t care who you date.” A smile lit his eyes for a moment. “Although Annabel might. She had her heart set on fixing you up with her best friend’s brother’s sister’s friend...Dude, don’t even ask.” Chuckling he held up his hand. “It took me ten minutes to figure that one out.”
Lighter than he’d ever felt, Paul could take a deep breath for the first time in years. “Thanks. You have no idea how much this means to me. I had no idea…” His voice failed him for a moment, and he shook his head. “Sorry. It’s a lot to handle after all this time.”
“You take all the time you need. It shouldn’t have to be like this. It shouldn’t matter, and I’m sorry it still does. But not with me. Never with me or Annabel or anyone in my family. We’ve got your back. Both yours and Cliff’s.”
“I appreciate it. We both do, right?” He nodded at Cliff who gave him a smile of freedom and peace.
“The first time is always the hardest. I remember telling my parents.” Cliff’s lips tightened to a thin line. “They weren’t pleased, to put it mildly.”
Rob’s face darkened with anger. “I couldn’t imagine turning away one of my kids. I made them, so a part of me is part of them. How can you deny who they are? People are fucked up, man. I’m sorry that happened.”
“I’ve learned to live with it. But it hurts never seeing them. I thought maybe now that I’m back here living things might’ve changed but the last time I tried, they wouldn’t talk to me unless I assured them I’d given up that ‘lifestyle.’”
Paul hadn’t known Cliff’s parents disavowed him. “I’m sorry. You never mentioned it.”
Cliff shrugged. “It isn’t something I like to talk about. It hurts, you know? When I told Harley he said I’d always have a place with him no matter who he was with. Losing him hurt almost as much as my parents cutting me out of their lives.”
Pain sheared through Paul as it always did when Harley’s name came up in conversation. “He was a great kid…a great man.”
“And he would’ve been proud of you, no matter if you were straight or gay. He didn’t believe in judging others, and I know he loved you for who you were as a person then and he’d love you now.”
Choked up, Paul could only nod. It took several deep breaths before he could speak. “Thank you for telling me that. I wish I could’ve had more time with him. But I know Harley would want me to be myself.”
“Always. Paul Monroe is a great guy.” Cliff winked. “I can testify to that.”
“Me too,” Rob said. “All joking aside, I bet my life on it every day and I wouldn’t trade you for another partner. There’s no one I’d rather have by my side.”
“Thanks, Rob. That means more than I can ever put into words.”
They stood and Paul walked side by side with Rob out of the house, Cliff a step behind them. Before they opened the back door, Rob stopped and put a hand on his shoulder.
“I always knew something was bothering you. I’d talk to Annabel and she’d say ‘When Paul’s ready, he’ll tell you. Don’t push him.’
“Annabel’s a smart lady.” Paul said and allowed a hint of a smile. “We can forgive her one mistake for marrying you.”
“You’re a riot.” Rob shoved him gently. “But seriously? It wasn’t until I saw you with Cliff after Amy was arrested that it hit me. And it all made sense.”
“I’m not sure what to do at work. I’m thinking it’ll take time. I don’t know how the others will handle it.” The logistics of his coming out to the whole department could be a potential nightmare and was part of the reason Paul had trouble sleeping.
“Fuck them.”
“Uh, no thanks. I’m with Cliff now, remember?”
“Comedy isn’t your strength, Paulie. Good thing you’re a crack detective. But when it comes to the department, you do it on your own terms. I never believed anyone needed to know who I had in my bed in order for me to do my job.”
Why hadn’t he ever known Rob to be as passionate about this issue before? “I have to say I agree with you.”
“Time to go back outside and get something to eat.” Rob pushed open the door and took over the grill, leaving Paul behind with Cliff, who nudged him and chuckled.
“I think this might be the first time a coming-out was celebrated with a burger.”
Paul held his arm. “It went well. I knew Rob would be okay.”
“Yes, he’s a good guy. Sometimes we work things up in our heads and they turn out to be nothing. We don’t know what we waited for.”
“Oh, I do.” Paul slid his arms around Cliff’s waist. “I was waiting for the right reason.”
Cliff shifted closer, the heat from his body enveloping Paul. “And you think you have it now?”
He cupped Cliff’s ass for a brief moment, giving it a squeeze. “I know it.”
At nine o’clock that evening, Paul, a bit buzzed and definitely horny as hell, shuffled into his apartment with Cliff holding his arm. They made it to the living room when he pulled Cliff to his chest and kissed him, pushing his tongue into Cliff’s open and eager mouth.
“Mmm. I waited all day for this. Wanted to kiss you so bad. Fuck you too. You were too busy playing Frisbee.”
Cliff laughed. “Are you pouting?” His fingers brushed against the fly in front of Paul’s shorts “I’m not playing Frisbee now.” He kicked off his flip-flops and wriggled out of his shorts, leaving himself naked from the waist down. “And I want you too.”
Paul’s breath caught, as it always did when he saw Cliff naked. Those flat, sculpted abs and firm round ass were an immediate turn-on, and Paul fumbled to unzip his shorts. Cliff had other ideas, it seemed.
“Let me. Stand still.”
“Giving me orders?” He quirked a brow.
“Yeah. I’m in charge.” Cliff’s sure fingers unzipped him and tugged the shorts down, letting them fall to his ankles. “Take them off. Right now.”
Cliff’s strong voice giving him commands sent a bolt of white-hot lust through Paul, hardening his cock even further. He kicked the shorts off to the side and hooked his fingers over his briefs, but Cliff shook his head.
“Nope. That’s for me to do.”
He sank to his knees and mouthed Paul’s bulge through his briefs until the fabric became wet with saliva and pre-come. Swaying on his feet, Paul gasped, so turned-on he thought he might liquify into a puddle. He leaned against the wall for support.
“Fuck, Cliff. Let’s go to the bedroom.”
“No.” From his position on his knees, Cliff caught his eye. “Stay right there.” His voice softened. “Let me take care of you.” His fingers played lightly over Paul’s cock and he thickened even further.
All his life Paul had been in control—of his emotions, his job…everything. He’d had no one to depend on or to lean on but himself. A funny feeling lodged in his chest hearing Cliff say he wanted to take care of him. Unable to speak, Paul nodded.
Cliff peeled off Paul’s briefs and his reddened, thick cock sprang free. “Beautiful,” Cliff murmured and licked delicately at the tip, causing Paul to hiss.
“Feel good?” Without waiting for an answer, Cliff held him at the root and slid down his entire length, engulfing Paul’s raging hard-on in his hot, wet mouth. His tongue licked and slurped, his lips clung and sucked, and Paul stood helpless to do anything but thrust his hips while Cliff swallowed him down like a fucking candy cane.
A painful yet pleasurable ache built up inside him. “Oh God, oh God.” Paul flailed and slapped his hands against the wall. His hips flexed and though hazy with lust, he didn’t want to hurt Cliff and tried to pull away, but Cliff held him tight, his mouth creating a wicked suct
ion while his tongue flirted and twisted around his shaft.
“Ungh, please. Oh. Fuck.” He broke apart and came hard enough to see stars. Somehow he remained on his feet, but it took him a moment to recover. When he struggled back to awareness and managed to open his eyes, his breath caught in his throat.
Cliff sat back on his knees, his mouth red and swollen, curved in a supremely satisfied smile. He gripped his own erection and lazily stroked himself.
“Oh, no way. My turn now.” Paul joined Cliff and took his cock in his mouth, loving the salty, musky taste of him that was fast becoming his favorite cocktail. He wrapped his tongue around the rigid shaft and sucked hard, bobbing his head up and down, while Cliff’s fingers trailed up and down his back.
“Mmmm, that’s amazing. Your tongue should be a lethal weapon.”
Paul lapped at the swollen head and flicked around the sensitive frenulum, causing Cliff to writhe and groan beneath him. Paul increased his pace, wanting to see Cliff lose control.
He didn’t have long to wait.
Cliff leaned back, bracing his hands behind him, and Paul began to suck him in earnest, moving up and down on his cock, lips clinging and sucking hard with every stroke. Incredibly, he grew hard again and he pulled off, wanting to get Cliff in his bed and under him.
“What the hell?” Cliff cried out. “I was almost there.” He grasped himself, but Paul took his hand and pulled him to his feet.
“I want inside you. Now. Please.”
Wild-eyed and breathing heavily, Cliff nodded. “Okay, hurry.”
Together they stumbled into the bedroom and fell onto the bed, kissing eagerly. Their slick tongues met and parried. Velvet stroked velvet and Paul shivered, his aching cock leaking against his thigh.
Cliff lay panting beneath him, legs splayed wide, and Paul grabbed the lube and condoms from his bedside table. He slicked his fingers and sank a digit past Cliff’s puckered hole. The tight passage clamped around it and drew him in, and Cliff moaned and wriggled beneath him.
