Niall got out his phone and scrolled through. “Your timing couldn’t be more perfect. It so happens that I need a pianist. Well, not me personally…”

  “Then who? And what kind of job is it?”

  Niall put down his phone. “Did you know my sister and I run a dance school?” When Wayne blinked at him in surprise, he smiled. “I’ll take that as a no. We’ve just lost our pianist, although it would be better to say we lost him to his new husband. This has given us quite the dilemma. Is your musician friend any good?”

  Wayne beamed. “He used to teach music. In fact, he taught me music back in high school.”

  Niall peered closely at him. “And why doesn’t he teach music now?”

  Wayne didn’t want to betray Cole’s confidence. “Let’s just say his private life went against the school’s views. Their religious views.”

  Niall sighed. “I see. I don’t think I need to hear any more about that part. I do, however, need to know if he’s a paid-up member of the AFM.” When Wayne gave him an inquiring glance, Niall smiled. “The American Federation of Musicians. And I’ll need to know something about his experience. Of course, I would have to hear him play.”

  “That won’t be a problem.” Wayne smiled. “He’s an excellent pianist.” He couldn’t believe his luck. Cole would ace any interview, he felt sure. And as for that AFM business, Wayne would look into that.

  Niall peered at him. “You would have to impress upon your friend that this is a part-time position.”

  Wayne nodded. “He just needs a chance. He’s had a run of bad luck.”

  Niall said nothing for a moment. Finally, he took a drink of water and leaned back in his chair. “Consider me intrigued. How do you come to be in the position of looking for a job for him?”

  For a moment Wayne was torn. It wasn’t his story to tell, after all, but he did trust Niall. And if Niall really is able to help him… Wayne relayed Cole’s story. “So you can see how important this job would be to him.” In the past week, Cole had done nothing but read, cook and clean, and Wayne knew he was itching to do something more.

  “And to you,” Niall added. “He means a lot to you.”

  “Well, yes.” Why else would he be trying to help Cole out?

  “Have you always felt this way about him?” Niall’s eyes sparkled.

  Wayne frowned. “What way?”

  “You light up when you talk about him.”

  Privately, Wayne thought Niall was seeing things, but then, Niall had spent a good deal of time in college trying to fix Wayne up with some guy or other. It hadn’t helped matters that he hadn’t had the best taste in men.

  Niall cocked his head to one side. “Is he good looking?”

  Wayne didn’t see the relevance but answered anyway. “I think so.”

  “Aha. Is he sexy?” Wayne stared at him, stunned, and Niall beamed. “Then he is. Oh, this gets better and better. Tell me, is he as attracted to you as you are to him?”

  It took Wayne a moment to find his breath. “Why do you always do this? Assume I have the hots for every guy I meet?” And right then he was getting hot all right—under the collar.

  Niall laughed out loud. “Oh, methinks I’ve hit a nerve. Then you are attracted to him. Spidey sense strikes again.” He regarded Wayne closely. “I don’t see why you’re protesting so vehemently. You obviously had a crush on this man when he was your teacher. You’ve admitted that much.”

  “When did I say that?” Wayne demanded, aghast.

  “Why else would he have caused such an awakening in you? Not that there’s anything wrong in it. I think it’s delicious. Of course, if there’d been any goings-on between you back then, that would be quite a different matter, but it sounds as though everything was perfectly innocent.” Niall frowned. “There is one thing I don’t understand. If you’re attracted to him, as you plainly are, what’s to stop you from making your feelings known?” Then he widened his eyes. “Ah, I see. You feel unable to make a move because he would see it as you taking payment.” He leaned in. “I’m right, aren't I? You’ve given him a home, you’ve bought him clothes, and you’re trying to find him a job. So you feel he might see you wanting him in your bed as a way to pay you back.”

  Trust Niall to nail the situation.

  “Of course he’ll see it that way.” Then he glared at Niall. “And where do you get off, suggesting I want him in my bed? He’s only been under my roof for a week.” What shocked him more was to be confronted with his own desires. Because he did find Cole attractive. And as for wanting Cole in his bed… Wayne was as flesh and blood as the next man, and how could any man not want Cole?

  It has been way too long since I got laid.

  Niall blinked. “What does it matter how long he’s been there? This is the man you’ve wanted subconsciously since you were how old?”

  “None of that matters. He doesn’t want me, not like that.” Wayne knew why he was reacting with such vehemence. Niall had indeed touched a nerve.

  Niall settled back into his chair. “Has it occurred to you that maybe he needs this too? We all need intimacy. Touch. To feel wanted, desired…” There was that speculative gaze again. “Does it matter that he’s older than you?”

  Wayne frowned. “No.” Except that was too simple an answer. “When I think of him, it’s not in terms of his age. I’m the one who’s looking out for him, who’s providing for his needs, who’s trying to steer him in the right direction.”

  Niall nodded sagely. “You’re the daddy in this relationship. I like it.”

  Wayne stared at him. With that one word, Niall had steered into new territory. “That’s a term bandied about a lot nowadays,” he said slowly.

  Another careful nod from Niall. “And yet its meaning can change, according to how it is used.”

  Wayne was lost for words.

  Niall clasped his hands in his lap. “Be frank with me for a moment. You hook up with a lot of guys, right? You’ve said as much in the past.”

  Wayne shifted in his seat. “It has been known to happen.” Although not all that frequently of late.

  “Would it be too personal to tell me the average age of the guys you… meet?”

  Wayne considered the question. “Usually a little younger than me. I don’t tend to go for the really young-looking ones.”

  Niall gave another sage nod. “Every Friday night, a guy comes to my apartment. We enjoy several hours of hot, passionate sex.” When Wayne blinked, Niall laughed. “I’m not ashamed to admit it. But during that whole time, he calls me Daddy. I, on the other hand, don’t call him anything. I’m too busy enjoying him. But once we leave the bedroom, order is restored. I am definitely not his daddy.” Niall’s eyes twinkled. “He’s fifty-two, which sounds like a lot compared to my thirty-four years, but it works for us.”

  Wayne wasn’t about to share his own fantasies with Niall. “Seems like every gay guy wants a daddy these days.”

  “I’m merely pointing out to you that age is not a factor. But I digress. Let’s see if I’ve grasped the situation. Cole is living under your roof, you want him, and you’re too scared to make a move on him. Now the way I see it, you need to get laid, and he needs to get laid, if only to prove he’s still got it. So why don’t the two of you find a bed and just go for it?”

  “You make it sound so easy,” Wayne joked. He’d given up any idea of protesting that he didn’t want Cole like that. There was little point. Niall saw far too much.

  “But it can be that easy,” Niall retorted. “You’re the one who’s making it difficult, when it doesn’t have to be.”

  Wayne took a sip from his water glass. “All of this assumes you’re right, that he wants me. What if you’re wrong?”

  Niall leaned across the table until his face was about a foot from Wayne’s. “He’s gay, he’s probably not had sex in eons, he’s starving for intimacy… And for all you know, he’s probably going to bed every night, fantasizing about you. So go on, make his day.” There was that perfect smile again.

  Wayne couldn’t think of a suitable answer, but it didn’t matter. At that point the server turned up with their lunch.

  Niall picked up his phone. “I’m sending you my sister’s number. Call her, and she’ll set up a time to hear Cole play. Although it doesn’t sound like the job would be beyond him. We can work out hours after that.” His eyes glittered. “You never know. He might be so overcome with gratitude for you finding him a job that he drops to his knees.”

  Except that was the last thing Wayne wanted. He couldn’t deny Niall had seen right through to the heart of his desires—damn him—but that wasn’t the way Wayne wanted things to unfold.

  I can’t be the one to make the first move. That would be wrong.

  Then it occurred to him. If Cole is on his knees, it wouldn’t be me making the first move, would it?

  It didn’t matter. What he wanted was Cole making a move on him because he wanted to, not because he felt obligated. And Cole wanting him was about as likely as Oprah Winfrey becoming President of the United States.

  Chapter Six

  Three weeks later

  Cole stretched, and flexed his fingers. He’d spent the last hour reacquainting himself with Swan Lake, in preparation for his next session with a dance class. So far, he was loving it. He worked four days a week, usually in the afternoons, and always on Saturday morning. Each session would last about three hours, and he’d play a variety of pieces. The best part was being around kids again. Most of the students were girls, although a few boys attended. And what he liked most about that, was the fact that none of the girls seem to mind.

  Times are changing.

  He still couldn’t believe the trouble Wayne had gone to, to find him the job. Yet another thing to be thankful for. Someone had certainly been looking out for Cole that day.

  As usual, the thought of Wayne sent a rush of warmth through him. At least during the day, Cole was free to let his thoughts wander, to dwell on Wayne to his heart’s content. It was only during the evenings and at the weekends that he had to tread carefully. One lingering glance was all it would take for Wayne to glimpse what Cole was trying desperately to hide.

  He mustn’t know how I feel about him.

  Cole glanced at the clock on the wall. Another hour or so, and Wayne would be home. That meant Cole had time for his bath.

  In the three or four weeks since Cole had come to live in the house, they had slipped into a comfortable routine. They shared the chores, they shopped together, and they cooked together. That was one of Cole’s joys, to rediscover his love of cooking.

  It feels like I’ve always lived here.

  The only part of his life that gave him pain were those occasions when he ventured onto Castro Street. Seeing beggars lying on the sidewalk or standing at the intersection, gave him a pang. He had taken to going out with a handful of dollar bills, all of which he distributed. He couldn’t forget his former life, nor did he think it was right to do so. It was only good fortune after all, that had rescued him from that life. He couldn’t do much, but that didn’t mean he would do nothing at all.

  Wayne understood that, thank goodness. And when he expressed a wish to help in some way, Cole had been delighted. A new addition to their routine was to go to a nearby soup kitchen Sunday mornings, where they handed out meals.

  Yet another thing that makes it so easy to love him.

  Cole got up from the piano seat and walked to the open french doors. Outside, it was a glorious summer day, and the morning fog had long since faded. A gentle breeze swayed the trees, carrying with it the scent of jasmine and honeysuckle. Looking out at the neatly mowed lawn brought memories to mind of Sunday afternoon, watching Wayne working in the yard, dressed in a skimpy pair of shorts, the sweat trickling down his back. Wayne wasn’t blessed with an overabundance of muscles—which was no bad thing. Cole wasn’t into muscles—but watching Wayne push the lawn mower, his back flexing, his arms, his legs…

  Cole’s dick thickened in his shorts at the recollection, and Cole glanced down, amused. “So, you’ve decided to wake up. Not that I blame you. That was quite a sight, wasn’t it?”

  His cock twitched, as if in agreement.

  Enough. Time for his bath.

  Cole went upstairs and open the faucet, sprinkling bath salts into the steady stream of hot water that filled the tub. It wasn’t as if he needed a bath to soak away his stress and worries. He had none of those. Life was good. But it had become a routine, to have that time where he could close his eyes and drift away, letting his mind go wherever it wished.

  Wayne. It drifted continually to Wayne.

  He stripped off his clothes, dropped them to the floor, and climbed into the tub, his head resting on his usual pad of folded towel. He closed his eyes and relished the warmth, the scent that stimulated his senses, and the feel of the water against his skin. Almost immediately, what came to mind was that memory of Wayne. He stood at the far end of the yard, his chest as bare as it had been that day, wiping his face on a towel. He smiled as if Cole had just stepped into view. Then the smile became a grin as he walked slowly toward Cole, his arms outstretched.

  “Come on, give me a hug.” There was an evil glint in his eye.

  Cole laughed. “No way. You’ll get me all sweaty too.”

  Wayne’s eyes gleamed. “We can work up a sweat together.” And then he was kissing Cole, his damp chest pressed against Cole’s, his hand on Cole’s back, sliding lower, lower, lower until his fingers were exploring beneath the waistband of Cole’s shorts. His other hand covered Cole’s cock, squeezing gently, his eyes locked on Cole’s.

  As fantasies went, this one was delicious. Cole worked his shaft, gently squeezing his balls under the water before moving lower to explore his hole with a single finger. He kept his eyes closed, seeing only Wayne’s face, that sweet beautiful face, as they kissed. Feeling Wayne’s fingers dipping into his crack. Squirming out of his shorts, letting them fall to the ground as Wayne grabbed hold of his ass cheeks and pulled them apart, stretching his hole.

  “You want me in there?” Wayne asked, his breath warm against Cole’s neck.

  “Stop asking stupid questions, and fuck me.” Cole undulated his hips, trying to hold onto the fantasy as his orgasm drew closer, but the need to come was too great. He shot his load with a groan, his body shaking. He lay there, shivering in spite of the warmth, Wayne already fading from his sight.

  It wasn’t the first time he had fantasized about Wayne, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last.

  ***

  “It’s my turn to choose a movie,” Wayne called out as he filled the dishwasher.

  “Since when? You chose the last one.” Cole appeared in the doorway. “Or did you conveniently forget that part? Which I can understand, seeing as it was a dreadful movie.”

  Wayne gaped at him. “How can you not love Avatar?”

  “Is there some law I don’t know about, that says I have to love it?” Cole grinned. Wayne loved their banter. So what if their movie tastes were not the same? Don’t they say variety is the spice of life?

  He closed the dishwasher and set it going. “You know what? Life is too short to argue about movies. So pick one.”

  “How magnanimous of you, seeing as it’s my turn anyway.” From behind Cole’s back, he produced a DVD. “This one.”

  Wayne peered at the cover and groaned. “Marley and me—again?” Before Cole could protest, however, he held up his hands. “Fine. Fine. I’ll make the popcorn. Do you want butter, or one of those fancy flavors you’re so fond of?” It was a redundant question because he knew what was coming. Before the words had left Cole’s mouth, Wayne was already reaching for the box of caramel popcorn from the cabinet.

  Cole laughed. “I’m not sure I like being so predictable.” He went to the refrigerator and got the bottle of soda. “I’ll get these ready.”

  Five minutes later, they were seated on the couch, surrounded by pillows, their feet propped up on the coffee table, two paper cups full of soda nearby, and a large bowl of caramel popcorn nestled between them.

  “Before the movie starts, there was something I meant to tell you.” Cole helped himself to a handful of popcorn.

  Wayne waited until he’d finished eating. “Well?”

  “At the end of the dance class this afternoon, one of the parents came over to talk to me. It seems her son wants to play the piano, and she was wondering if I took students.”

  Wayne smiled broadly. “That sounds promising. What did you tell her?”

  “I took her number, and said I’d call her when I’d worked out my prices.” Cole chuckled. “Why? Did you think I’d turn down the opportunity to teach? What made it even better, was another parent overheard the conversation, and wanted to know if I only taught piano, because his daughter wants to play the clarinet.”

  Wayne couldn’t have been happier. “This all sounds fantastic.”

  Cole nodded happily. “Looks like my life is about to get a whole lot busier, and I’m absolutely delighted.” He picked up the remote. “And now… movie time!” Cole pressed play, and Wayne gave an internal sigh of happiness.

  As lives went, his was almost perfect. And it didn’t matter what Niall said. Wayne wasn’t about to rock the boat.

  ***

  Wayne wiped his eyes as the credits rolled. It didn’t matter how many times he’d already seen the movie, the ending always got him in the feels. When he caught Cole’s sob, he turned his head to find tears trickling down Cole’s face.

  “I don’t know… why I watch this movie… again and again,” Cole blurted out between sobs. “It always leaves me such a wreck. Watching someone die in a movie? Sure, I can cope with that. But a dog?”

 

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