Chapter 9 – Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

I bought a red shirt for Bruce's annual "Lonely Hearts" Valentine's Day Party. No couples were allowed. Only singles.

Christian towered over everyone. He wore red pants, a white shirt, and a red bow tie. He looked like the Good Humor man.

I was surprised when Timmy showed up. I was standing next to Avery when he walked in, and I said "uh oh."

Avery responded, "Fret not, little flower. He's here for Bruce, not you."

"Really?"

"Yep. After that brunch you dragged him to, Bruce ran into him at the bar and took him in. They're kind of dating. They're sweet together, if Bruce is ever sweet with anyone."

"I thought no couples were allowed."

"It's Bruce's party. He gets to do what he wants. Besides, Christian's here."

"We're not a couple."

"If you're sleeping with someone exclusively and spending all your time with that someone . . . ."

"We're no longer sleeping together . . . ." I caught myself mid-sentence as Mace walked in. I had not seen him for over a month. He noticed me almost as soon as I noticed him. He cocked his right eyebrow, smiled, and gave me a little wave. I raised my hand back.

"Things . . . just . . . got . . . interesting," Avery intoned.

Just as I was about to make my way toward Mace, Christian settled next to me on the sill, put his arm around my shoulder, and stroked my scruff with the back of his finger.

"You look kind of like the devil, Juan. All dark smoldering sex in that red shirt."

"You look like you should be peddling ice cream," Avery said, beating me to it.

"Virtue on the outside. Vice on the inside," Christian responded. "I'm wearing a red thong, Juan. If nothing better comes along, I'll show it to you later."

Something better came along. Mace was in front of me. Neither of us said a word. I stood up, wrapped my arms around him, and buried my face in his hair. He held me as tight as I held him.

I whispered "I've missed you" in his ear.

He whispered "I've missed you, too" back.

"Hey Avery," Mace said, grabbing his hand once he let me go.

"Welcome back, Mace," Avery said, pulling him into a hug. "We've missed you."

"I've missed you guys."

"So," Christian interjected, standing up. "You're Mace. I've heard tons about you. It's good finally to meet you. I'm Christian."

"Me, too," Mace joked. "Actually, lapsed Catholic."

We all groaned. Mace had gone for the cheap laugh and missed.

"Christian," Avery suggested. "I think we should let these two boys catch up. Buy me a drink."

"They're free."

"Then, I'm the cheapest date you're ever going to have."

When they were gone, Mace and I just stared at each other. I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to ask any questions, because I didn't know if I could handle the answers.

I sat back down on the sill. Mace sat next to me. He put his head on my shoulder, and I put my head on his. He took my left hand in his right, wrapping his fingers in mine. I covered the back of his hand with my other one, and he put his free hand over mine. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. The revelry continued around us, but the room went silent for me.

I don't know how long we sat like that. Timmy popped our bubble with the flash from his camera.

"Do you want to get out of here?" I asked.

"Desperately."

We didn't say good-bye to anyone. I led Mace to the street. We held hands and walked. We didn't talk.

Inadvertently, we wound up in front of my building. We held hands and stared at each other.

"I hate when you're gone," I said.

"I know."

"Don't go away again."

"I won't."

I kissed him softly on the lips. "Do you want to come upstairs?" I asked.

"Yes. But, I can't. Not yet."

He kissed me softly on the lips and headed down the street. I fell asleep thinking about "not yet."

*****

My telephone started ringing at zero dark thirty. No one wanted to wait for brunch to talk.

Avery got me first. We spent twenty minutes speculating about the meaning of "not yet." We spent the the last five discussing Avery's disclosure that he had laid Christian. Apparently, Christian convinced him that he and I were not sleeping together any more, and Avery pounced.

"Dude's a great lay," Avery said.

"He is."

"I hope you don't mind."

"It wouldn't matter if I did."

"You're right."

"I don't."

Bruce got me second. We also spent twenty minutes speculating about the meaning of "not yet." We spent the next five discussing Timmy. We finished with me telling him to "be good to that kid." He promised he would.

Christian got me third. He didn't want to spend a lot of time on "not yet."

"It's not ambiguous," he said. "It means what it means."

"I'm not so sure."

"You should be. And, he's lucky. You're a catch, Juan."

"Thank you."

"I want to tell you something.'

"You don't have to. I already talked to Avery."

"Not about that. About you."

"What?"

"Hold on tight. Don't let go. Enjoy the peaks. Be strong in the valleys."

"Thanks, Christian."

*****

Mace was at the gym Monday night when I got there. I assumed we would hang out after, like we had before the interregnum. But, Mace told me he couldn't.

"You want to do something this weekend?"

"I can't. I'm going to St. Louis for Freddie's wedding."

I knew John would be going, too. And, I started seriously doubting our speculation about "not yet." All evidence suggested we were wrong. John was still there, Mace was going to see him, and Mace was not available to me. I pouted and went home.

I didn't want to be alone. I thought about calling Christian, but I wanted sex without any suggestion of more. So, I called Avery.

"Come on over," he said. When I got to Avery's apartment, Christian was there. Any sense of wonder as to what was up was resolved when Christian and Avery started kissing and stripping and headed toward Avery's king sized bed. We were going to have a three-way.

As hands and lips and tongues covered my body, I lost control of my senses. My tongue was in Avery's mouth and my cock was in Christian's. Then, Avery's tongue was in Christian's mouth and his cock was in mine. Then, Christian's tongue was in my mouth and his cock was in Avery's.

Avery penetrated me first. I was on my back, and Avery was over me. Christian was behind Avery, penetrating him while he penetrated me.

We changed positions. We were all in the bed, facing the same direction. I penetrated Christian while Avery penetrated me.

Christian was afraid to take Avery. Malabar intimidated him. We coached him through it, and I penetrated Avery while he penetrated Christian.

It was a round robin, and it just kept going and getting better. We came in and all over each other. It was by far the best sexual experience I had ever had. When we were finished, Avery pulled the comforter over us, and we slept, covered in each other's cum and wrapped in each other's arms.

While Avery made breakfast the next morning, Christian fucked me in the shower. He was so tall, I had to hang from his neck and take him with my back pressed to the tile. It was awkward and uncomfortable.

While I cleaned up after breakfast, Avery fucked Christian in the bed. I got hard listening to Christian gasp as Avery pounded Malabar in and out of him, so I moved to the door and jacked Pipi while I watched Malabar appear and disappear. I came when he did, filling my hand.