His moan escaped him, but didn't escape Joey's attention. Or Travis'. Drake either hadn't noticed or was studiously ignoring him.
The kids were sucking on their Popsicles, watching Joey trim down Drake's hair. Maggie went and climbed into his lap, making him jump when her Popsicle landed against his chest.
"We'll have to spray Unca Drake down."
Drake shot him a look, eyebrow going up as Joey nodded vigorously at the suggestion. He licked his lips, went to grab the hose before Drake pounced him. Travis was laughing at him, he could tell. But he didn't care. He was going to enjoy wet Drake.
Christian and the girls were in to it, too, coming to help him, Christian turning on the water. He managed to get one shot off, spraying Drake right in the chest before the man tackled him.
They rolled on the ground, Drake grabbing his wrists in one hand and holding them up over his head. "Okay, Christian, get him!"
"No!" His scream was total melodrama, guaranteed to make the kids excited.
Both he and Drake were soon utterly soaked, the kids not at all discerning about which of their uncles got wet. Everyone was laughing, playing, Joey leaning in Travis' arms, applauding. They shifted and he could feel Drake starting to get hard. The man shifted again, hips sliding away. He kept playing, though, didn't retreat.
They ended up sitting on the patio, Jenny in his arms, Maggie clinging to Drake's back, soaking and hooting with laughter. Christian was running around with the hose, singing something about being king of the hose. Joey had his phone out and was snapping pics.
"If those end up on Facebook, Drake will beat you."
"I will. To death." Drake glared at Joey, who put up and flapped his hands.
"I'll send you copies, but I swear that's it."
"Uh-huh. Okay, kiddos. Baths. It's heading toward bedtime."
"Awww." The chorus was immediate.
It was Drake who stood, Maggie still clinging to his back. "I'll do it -- you visit with your friends."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. I'll send them down for goodnight kisses once everyone's ready." Drake held on to Maggie's arms with one hand so she wouldn't slide off and plucked Jenny out of Slayde's arms. "Come on, Christian. You know I need help with the bubbles."
"Coming!" They all trooped off and he stood.
"My turn for a haircut?" He sat in the chair.
"Yep." He could hear the wicked tone in Joey's voice. "And you're at our mercy now. Let the interrogation begin!"
"I like him. He seems solid." Travis sat in front of him.
"Me too."
"He's deep, deep in the closet though, baby. He's going to wind up hurting Slayde." Joey spritzed his hair down, fingers carding through it.
"I know that he's not serious. I know that this is like…shit, I don't know, like a soul vacation for him, but…" Slayde wasn't going to tear up again.
Travis reached out and took his hands, squeezed. "But you're in love with him."
"I am. Like whoa." He held on tight, the snip-snip of Jay's scissors familiar and comforting. "I'm going to lose everything when she comes home and, God, what kind of a selfish fuck am I, Travis? To be worried about me when she's been serving her country?"
"She's not going to just cut you out of their lives, honey. She's a good woman. And of course you're worried about her coming back -- those babies are your life. You've been with them since they were born." Travis patted his hands. "And you never know, maybe the stud will find his way out of the closet."
"He's going to go back to California. She's going to move from here; she hates Texas. I'll have to find another family."
"We're your family, honey." Joey patted his shoulder. "When he does his thing, you won't be alone."
"It won't be for months anyway, right? You've got time."
Travis squeezed his hands again. "Maybe you can fatten him up, take away some of the studliness, because honey, Joey's right. He's damn hot."
"He is and he's eager and funny and real and I'm so utterly screwed." He smiled through his tears. "But it's worth it, even when he leaves."
"So stop crying, honey. If you're going to play this out to the end, it only makes sense to enjoy it while you have it. You keep worrying on what happens later you haven't got anything to remember when later comes."
He nodded. "I know. I am. I'm not missing a second." Hell, he was playing house and he knew it.
"Okay. I can't say I'm happy about what I know is coming, but I've never seen you look so happy, so I'm not going to try to talk you out of it. And me and Joey have your back."
"And your head. Phew! You look so much better now." Joey laughed, fluffing his new cut with those clever fingers.
"Thank you, honey. I appreciate it." He stood up, brushed off, and hugged them both.
The kids came trooping out, followed by Drake, who'd changed in to a pair of tight jeans and a soft gray T-shirt that hugged his muscles like a lover.
"How do I look, guys?" Slayde asked.
"Like you need to change your clothes," Christian informed him while Jenny held out her arms and opened and closed her hands imperiously.
Drake snorted. "You look fine." The tone was every day, but the look in Drake's eyes was warm, directed at him, even if only briefly.
"I think you are pretty," Maggie intoned. "And I want to read a book."
"Okay. Okay, let's go get books and another shirt for me." He took Jenny. "Give good night kisses. We'll see Joey and Travis for pancakes in the morning."
"Pancakes!" Christian hooted and began running around them.
Drake grabbed him up and put him in a fireman's carry. "It's settling down time, Christian."
He took the girls up, Drake dealing with Christian, the actions familiar and wonderful and right.
***
They got the kids settled and Drake gave Slayde a few extra minutes to get down there so he didn't have to face Slayde's friends on his own. They seemed nice enough, but without the buffer of the kids, he wasn't quite sure what to expect. Of course, when he got down there, Slayde shooed him out of the kitchen with the bowl of fancy salad and the promise of a drink to come in a minute.
He put the salad on the coffee table and gave the couple a smile. "Hey."
"Hey." Travis grinned at him. "Gotta love Slayde when he's in dinner party mode."
"Frou-frou food." He shook his head and snagged a piece of salami off the meat tray, which was already on the table. He had to admit, it was pretty damn good.
God, they were something -- Joey was tiny and bouncy, white hair all spiky, while Travis was big, more relaxed, more…natural. Well, except for the rainbow colors streaked through his hair.
"So you guys have known Slayde awhile, huh?" He grabbed some cheese and another piece of salami.
"Ten years, almost." Joey grinned. "We met during a college football game in Chicago, of all places, and hit it off. Then, when he moved here to work, I came to visit, met Travis at a club, and boom. I never went home."
"You like football?" Jesus, Drake scolded himself. Don't be a jerk. Just because Joey was flamboyantly gay, didn't mean he didn't like football. Even if he did like something called Sheer Genius.
"I do. I was a cheerleader. I love football, basketball. Hockey. Hell, I'll watch tennis if there's nothing else on."
Travis groaned. Drake glanced over at the man, eyebrow raised.
"I'm not a sports fan, man. I mean, it's just not my thing. Give me a good book any day."
"Not even football?" He tried very, very hard not to be scandalized.
"It's okay."
Joey moaned, rolled his eyes.
"I thought you were the normal one!" The words were out before he could stop them and Drake closed his eyes and shut his mouth. "Oh, shit. That came out wrong, I'm sorry." He was being a rude asshole and he totally didn't mean to be. Where the fuck was Slayde?
Travis busted out in laughter. "I'm a hairdresser. I have a degree in poetry, a male lover, and season tickets to the Austin B
allet. I sort of am normal, right? Joey's the flaming queen who eats pork rinds and has a Dallas Cowboys tattoo."
Drake just stared, kind of stunned and impressed, actually. He knew he shouldn't be. The only reason he didn't know any gay people himself was because he'd never made the effort to get to know any, too worried his secret would get out. Man, he really was a jerk, wasn't he?
"You forgot that he's a jogger and you do yoga." Slayde brought the rest of the food, grinning wide.
"Neither of those things are natural," Drake noted. And that had nothing to do with people being gay.
Slayde chuckled. "No. I like playing volleyball, believe it or not. And swimming. I love the water."
"See? That's natural. Jogging, especially in Texas, is proof that they let crazy people out."
They all laughed, then Slayde opened a bottle of white wine, poured out. Drake helped himself to the salad, which he had to admit, for all its frou-frouness, was actually pretty good.
It was surprisingly easy to talk to the guys. Travis was a chess player and was in to motorcycles. Joey was more talkative, but was weirdly grounded, and funny as hell. Drake found himself laughing hard. It turned out he really liked Slayde's friends. Not as much as he liked Slayde himself of course, but he was having way more fun than he'd expected.
And if Slayde looked amazingly good and he couldn't touch the man, well, such was life.
Slayde reached over while telling a story about Maggie and how she'd finally decided Uncle Drake was okay and took his hand, squeezed his fingers.
His whole body went tight -- they couldn't do this in public. He slid his hand out from under Slayde's fingers, managing to make it slow, easy instead of jerking them away. He took a breath, and then another. These guys were gay, they wouldn't care. Except they didn't know. Nobody but Slayde knew, right?
"It's okay, honey. Me and Travis are totally safe." Joey smiled at him like some weird, gay benevolent being.
So much for nobody but Slayde knowing.
"Anyone need a drink?" Drake got up, heading for the kitchen.
He heard Slayde's voice, then heard soft steps. "You need any help?"
He shook his head. "No. I--." He wasn't even sure what it was he was supposed to be getting in here.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"They know." For a second that knowledge rose up and threatened to overwhelm him. Someone knew. Two someones. As well as Slayde. What if they said something to someone? What if? He took some deep breaths, trying to fight back the panic. He knew Joey and Travis weren't going to hurt him or make fun of him for it.
Slayde didn't answer, didn't touch him, just stood there for a second, then nodded. "They do. I told them that I was in love with you."
He jerked around at Slayde's words, his breath catching in his throat for a whole new reason. "You what?"
"I'm sorry. Joey's my best friend." Slayde's face was bright red.
"Guys." Travis looked around the kitchen door. "Joey's getting a headache. I'm going to take him over to the hotel."
Slayde turned. "But he doesn't want dessert?"
"No, honey." Joey had his bag. "I'll feel better in the morning. I swear. Call me?" Joey came over, hugged Slayde hard.
God, he felt like an asshole, driving Slayde's friends away. "I can go get out of your hair," he suggested, voice rough.
"No. No, the wine, huh? I know better. I just need a nap."
He stood there as they left, then Slayde went to the dining room, gathering the leftovers, the dishes.
Drake felt like an ass for ruining Slayde's evening, no matter what Joey'd said. And Slayde's words kept ringing in his head -- had the man meant them? Was Slayde really in love with him?
Shit. He was in the closet for Christ's sake; why would anyone be in love with him?
The kitchen was cleaned, coffee started, the silence in the house overwhelming. His thoughts chased themselves over and over in his head and all he wanted to do was grab Slayde up and kiss the man into next week.
"Would you like some dessert?"
He shook his head and reached out, grabbed Slayde's shirt collar and tugged. Slayde stumbled toward him and he pressed their lips together. Oh, fuck. Yeah. Nothing else mattered when he kissed Slayde. Not other people, not his worries, not whether anyone knew he was gay. All that mattered was the way Slayde tasted on his tongue.
Slayde cried out, arms wrapping around him, the kiss wild, almost desperate. One hand slid to Slayde's ass, wrapping around it and keeping him close. Fuck, he'd wanted to do this all day.
Slayde tasted like grapes, like good wine, and Drake dove in, tongue fucking those open lips. He rubbed them together, his cock full on hard in seconds and searching out its match through their clothes.
"Upstairs. Upstairs, Drake." The words were murmured into his lips.
He started moving them, pushing Slayde up against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, humping hard. The banister creaked, Slayde's legs wrapping around him. Fucking sexy asshole.
He started up the stairs, hands holding tight to Slayde's ass, leaning forward so they didn't pitch down the stairs backward.
"Oh, fuck. I need you, so bad."
"Uh-huh." He so got that. He so felt it.
They careened into the wall once they got up the stairs. He went back to tongue-fucking the lovely mouth.
"Uncle Slayde? Why is Uncle Drake carrying you?"
Christian was standing there, rubbing his eyes and he dropped Slayde, the man hitting the ground.
"I. Uh. He… Legs. Uh." Jesus fuck. Fuck.
"Drake." Slayde's voice was firm. "Christian, you okay?"
"Uh-huh. Tuck me in?"
"Absolutely, buddy."
He just watched, amazed, as Slayde followed Christian back into his room, like they hadn't just been caught.
God, what the hell was he doing? He was going to lose his fucking mind. He should just go to bed now, just walk into his room and shut the door. He didn't, though. He waited for Slayde to come out of Christian's room, meet his eyes.
"He okay?"
"Already back to sleep."
He shook his head. "Your room."
"Come on." Slayde reached back, took his head.
He wrapped his fingers in Slayde's, trying not to think on how good it felt.
Slayde shut the door behind them, looked at him. "We okay?"
"You're not telling everyone, right?" He needed to know this ended with Joey and Travis.
Slayde seemed to shrink a little bit. "I won't say a word to anyone, including anything else to them. I'm sorry. I'll be careful. I promise."
"I'm not out, baby." Just the thought of it scared him. He touched Slayde's cheek.
"I know. I won't fuck up again."
"I just don't want to lose this." He brought their mouths together. It was so good between them. If it got out, it would be over.
Slayde kissed him hard, hard enough that it shut down that worried, scared voice in the back of his head. He opened up and let Slayde take his mouth, drowned in how good it was. Slayde's hands moved over his shoulders, his head, his throat. Groaning, he leaned into the touches, needing the touches from Slayde, the care.
"Come to bed." Slayde locked the door.
He went, tugging his clothes off. When Slayde pulled off the T-shirt and turned off the light, he knew things were going to be okay.
Chapter Ten
Slayde woke up early-early, slid from Drake's arms and headed downstairs, a dull sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. What was he doing? Was he crazy? Falling in love with someone who was ashamed of him? Of being gay? This was a disaster looking for an idiot to destroy.
His phone was on the kitchen counter, message announcements blinking.
"I'm so sorry, honey."
"Call me?"
"Message me when you get up."
He texted Joey. "Up."
Joey's reply came right away. "Call me."
He poured a cup of cold coffee, nuked it for thirty s
econds and headed out to the backyard before dialing Joey.
"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"
"No. Yes. I don't know." He plopped down. "God, Joey, I fucked up so bad."
"What did you do that was so bad?"
"I told you about us. Him. If there's going to be an us, I can't tell. At breakfast, you both have to be careful."
"Well, honey, you're my best friend of course you told me -- but I'm gay, I'm not going to judge him! And what do you mean be careful? Is he going to hurt us for knowing or something?"
"No. No. He just… He's…" Ashamed. Scared. "…in the closet."
Joey sighed. "As hard as it can be sometimes to be gay, I think being in the closet must be even harder. How can you live your whole life as a lie?"
"I don't know, but it's only my life 'til Mindy comes home."
"I still can't believe she'll kick you to the curb, honey. You're everything to those kids."
"Oh, she won't. She'll let me have my room until the house sells." He sighed. "I'll start breakfast at eight."
"We're coming now. You need a hug, honey, and I need to give you one."
"Okay. I'll be in the backyard, that way we won't wake the kids."
"We'll be there in ten, honey. I love you."
"I love you." He sat there, sipping his coffee, watching the sky.
A few moments later Drake came out from the house. "Hey."
"Hey. You're up early. You going to say hi to Minds?"
"She calling in soon?" Drake yawned and rubbed his hand through his hair, shorts sitting low on his hips. Then the man came over and cupped his cheek, thumb rubbing over his lips.
"She should, yeah." He kissed Drake's thumb. "The guys will be here soon, if you want to jump in the shower."
"Okay." Drake bent, kissed him softly, right out there in the fucking backyard. Then the man turned and headed back inside.
Joey came in through the back gate. "Hey."
"Hey." He found Joey and Travis a smile.
Joey came over and knelt between his legs, arms wrapping around him and holding on
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