Diego snorted, but it was a hollow bark. He shared this part of the story with Ash, and it felt good to be able to express himself and let out some of what he had been keeping inside. Not all of it, though. The bad stuff that was yet to come—the part that really made him ashamed—he kept hidden within himself.
There was more left to tell in his story, but for now, this was enough.
Maybe he’d tell Ash about that another time. “So that’s why we looked at each other funny. But there were a couple of kids in the back seat of his car, so I guess he found someone and settled down. I’m happy for him.” And strangely, Diego was happy that Brody had made it.
No need for both of them to live their lives alone.
Enough of that. “You mentioned when you moved in that you work with a cat rescue. Tell me about it,” Diego asked. Anything to get his mind out of the past and the boy he’d loved years ago.
Ash glanced over Diego’s face, as if checking to make sure he was okay, but then grinned. “We’re called the Mad Cats. This rich old lady had a big house over near Sugarland and owned a dozen cats. When she died, she left the house for them as long as they lived. But even after the last one died, her family kept up her wishes and turned it into a shelter for cats. A couple of caretakers live there full time, with other volunteers that go in during the day and socialize with them and clean, groom, shit like that. It’s an amazing house with so many sweet little babies.” Ash’s face went soft and dreamy as he talked about the cats.
“That’s cool. In all the years I’ve helped my friends with their rescue projects, I’ve never fostered or worked with cats.”
“It’s a really incredible rescue. So much has to be done online because they don’t have a place where large numbers of people can just come see the cats who are ready to be adopted. And then there’s an entire room for cats who’ll never be adopted out because of their disabilities.”
Diego had a new respect for his roommate. This might have been the first conversation they’d had that didn’t end up talking about sex. “Have you thought about living there? Not that I want you to move out or anything.”
Ash’s eyes lit up. “Oh, my name is on the list, but it’s a highly coveted job. Lots of people ahead of me. And—” Ash hesitated before he continued. “I’m still in that party phase of my life. Taking care of those little souls is an enormous responsibility that I’m not ready for. Too many menfolk out there that I haven’t fucked yet.”
And there it was. Diego barked out a laugh that turned into a cough. “Jesus, Ash, the things you say.”
Ash grinned. “I know.”
As they continued their drive, Diego found himself relaxing a little more. Chatting with Ash had been a welcome distraction from his thoughts of Brody and his past. For now, it was enough to listen to Ash talk about the cats and their quirks.
Maybe it was time to foster some animals in need again.
Cats might be fun.
Chapter Five
Brodywasn’tsurewhowas more tired - the puppies who’d fallen asleep in a tangled pile in their enclosed pen he’d set up in what used to be the dining room, or the two boys who’d fallen asleep on the sofa watching a movie on the Disney Channel. All five of the creatures had a long day of playing, romping, and getting to know each other. Even Peach got into the fun, playing with the new puppies before retreating to her special dog bed in the corner of the living room.
With Aaron and Audra’s blessing, the three new dogs were re-christened Peanut, Penny, and Pete, and even though he’d just had them a few hours, Brody felt confident that these dogs would make excellent service animals.
But now the house was quiet, and it was just Brody and his thoughts.
Diego.
Brody padded barefoot into his bathroom and turned on the shower and let the warm water cascade down his body, soothing away any aches and pains from sitting in the car for nearly four hours. A wave of warm steam enveloped him in its embrace. Inhaling deeply, he let out a groan of pleasure. His right hand drifted to massage his lower back, kneading up and down along its length with soft yet steady pressure. The left hand slipped around to the front to grip his flaccid cock.
Diego. He couldn’t help smiling as he leaned against the cool tile. Memories flooded through his head. The first time he sucked on Diego’s cock, those soft pants of delight that Diego made, the way Diego gripped Brody’s head when he was about to come. When Diego took Brody’s cock into his mouth for the first time…
Brody squeezed his cock again, half-hard, almost there. He wanted to come; he could feel it inside, that desire pooling in his belly, ready to shoot his spunk out all over his hands. But his body denied him, all traces of any arousal he had felt slipping away as it always did. He was angry and frustrated at his own lack of control over the situation; no matter how hard he tried to concentrate and will himself into arousal, his body would refuse to comply.
He hated having to face this inadequacy every single time; it filled him with embarrassment and shame that no-one else ever seemed to understand.
After a quick wash, Brody reached out and turned off the water. He wrapped a towel around his waist and stood in front of his bathroom sink. His gaze fell on a bottle of prescription medication, the one he needed to manage his seizures. Important, essential for his overall health, yes, but with an unexpected and undesired side effect—an inability to maintain an erection. That made it tough to find a boyfriend or keep a relationship.
Not that he had time for that now.
The transport document that Aaron shared with him earlier had Diego’s phone number and license plate number. After his shower, Brody opened a beer and pulled out his laptop, sitting back on his bed as he scrolled. He used that, along with Diego’s name, and found a wealth of information on the internet. Diego lived in Houston and worked as a tattoo artist, and a good one, from the reviews on various sites. He also played bass guitar in a band called Steel Horse. Brody located the band on Spotify and wasn’t surprised to hear Diego’s voice in some of the songs. Pictures from the band’s Instagram gave him a good look at the man himself: Diego in a tank top and jeans, his arms and shoulders covered in intricate designs of colorful ink, hair that hung long and curly down past his shoulders. He looked like someone who was not afraid to be loud with their expression, showing everyone who he truly was inside.
Another bit of information that caught Brody’s attention—Diego worked with the End of the Rainbow Rescue group out of Houston, and was good friends with Chance Edwards, one of the directors of the Edwards Charitable Foundation, who funded the rescue’s work in the Houston area.
Brody recognized that name. He and Aaron had looked into applying for one of their grants to expand their business.
He scrolled back through the photo feed until he found a picture of Diego and his roommate at someone’s birthday party. Diego was beaming with a smile that seemed to bring the room alive with laughter and joy. Brody's finger couldn't help but reach out and touch the screen, as if trying to get closer to his friend once more. He felt a pang of longing in his heart.
