Too bad he wasn’t a cranky New Yorker.
****
Ryker
Revisions, revisions, and more revisions.After four hours at his laptop, Ryker finally took a break and wentfor a walk with Spock, the warm spring air and sunny skies liftinghis mood.He tried not to think about Wes, but that was futile.They were testing their writing partnership and would becorresponding a lot, especially if they signed an agreement, sonaturally, Ryker would be thinking about him.Them.Together.
No, not them together.Working together.Work only.
Ryker just needed to avoid flirting withWes, though that could be a tall order.Wes was a natural tease, soit was bound to happen occasionally.Unless Wes had otherdistractions to keep him happy.Ryker winced at that thought.Hedid not want to think about Wes fucking other men.
Shit.I never do this with any of my otherhook-ups.What the hell is wrong with me?
Searching for a distraction, Ryker decidedto check out Grindr to see if there was anyone nearby looking for alittle playtime this week.He needed a release with a new man.Thenhe could get back to his usual self.
Ryker headed back home, wrote for anothertwo hours, then searched the kitchen cupboards for something tosnack on.He texted Javier, and they agreed to meet at the Gambitpub in a few days to discuss the benefit for the shelter.Ryker wasstill determined to make a donation in place of attending, but hedidn’t want to offend Javier and preferred to tell him in person.Plus, Ryker decided to meet a guy later that night at the same pub.Life was back to normal.
He checked his phone again, but there wereno further texts from Wes.Rationally, Ryker knew it was a goodthing, but his chest still tightened a bit in disappointment.Heshook it off.Wes’s schedule for the next few weeks was insane, soRyker would let him reach out when he had time.
Ryker made his daily call to Cal to see ifhe’d had any further texts from his anonymous creeper.
“Hey, bud, how are you?Any more messagesthis week?”Ryker asked, grabbing a cracker to munch.
“Nope, all quiet, thank God!Hopefully,that’s the end of it.Now on to some good news.Mac told me you andWes are working together.Congrats, man.”
“It’s not a done deal yet,” Ryker mumbledand shoved another cracker in his mouth.
“That’s not what Mac seems to think.Anyway,I think working with someone else will be good for you, you know,shake up your creative juices.Though you might have a hard timeconcentrating since Wes is quite the distraction.Funny,good-looking, and that deep voice, hmmm, fuck me,” Cal said with achuckle.
Ryker inhaled too quickly, and he coughed ascracker crumbs hit his throat.He exhaled, then took another deepbreath to gather himself.A vision of Wes from last night flashedthrough his mind.Fuck me, indeed.Funny how talking aboutWes made him nervous now instead of irritated.
“Yeah.”He coughed.“We’ll see.He’sactually a pretty decent guy so far.We chatted Monday night overwine at my place, and we’re going to see how the next few weeksunfold.A test period before we sign.Did I mention he came over tomy place before he left?Yeah, he met my mom and then came with meto the shelter and adopted Rudy, you know, the dog we rescued amonth ago?My cats love him, too, which is odd.And then he tookSpock for a walk Tuesday before he left, and…” Ryker’s babblingcame to an abrupt stop when he realized his mistake.
“Wait.Rewind, my friend.He was over onMonday night and then he was there Tuesday morning?Well, well,well, you naughty boy.Did you two fuck?You did, didn’t you?”heteased Ryker.
Ryker’s face heated at the thought of Wes,memories of their night together resurfacing despite his bestattempts to forget.
“Yes, okay?We fucked.We spent hours invarious sexual positions.It was fucking awesome sex and now it’sover.Neither of us are into relationships, so it all works out.With that out of our systems, we can focus on writing.We’re ongood terms.We understand each other.No worries.”Christ, he wasbabbling again.
“Mmm, yeah, I don’t know if I buy that, Ry.I think there’s more going on here than a quick roll in the sheets.You met him at Mac’s and gave him the evil eye.Then he charmedyou.Twenty-four hours later, you’re introducing him to yourmother.He adopts one of the dogs you rescued, and you celebrateyour ‘soon-to-be partnership’ with wine, music, and a night offucking?You know what?I smell a Hallmark movie!Ooooooh, Ry’s inlooove,” Cal sang out.
Ryker rolled his eyes and ran a hand throughhis tangled hair.
“Gimme a break,Callum.Mom came byto interrogate him, and the dog adoption was just the right place,the right time.Wes and I fucked.That’s it.Now he’s on his tour,probably off having sex with a different man every night of theweek.”Ryker’s stomach clenched.“And I’ll hook up with someoneelse when I have time, and that’s that.I feel nothing.No feelingsof any kind.No feelings.Except nice ones—friendly, good feelings.But notthatkind of good.More like warm, but notthatkind of warm.Nope.”Ryker shut up as he flushed andpaced the floor.Shit.Incoherent much?
Cal was silent for a moment.“You know, I’venever heard you talk so much on one phone call.Like, ever.You’renormally ‘hi, how are you, bye.’Something is up with you and yourreaction to Wes.You know, it’s okay to have feelings.”
Ryker laughed out loud.“This from a man whohas never had an intimate relationship that lasted longer than anhour.What do you know about love, Cal?”
“I said feelings.You said love.”
Ryker paused his pacing and suddenly feltlightheaded, like he was going to pass out.It’s just hunger.Eat another cracker.
“And I don’t know any more about feelingsthan you do, my friend, but I know you’re behaving differently andit’s all to do with Wes.Anyway, I’m glad you had a good time.Andthat you two are okay to test out your work partnership now thatyou’ve seen each other’s naked bits.”Cal cackled.
Ryker took a deep breath and pressed hisfingers to his eyes.“Don’t say naked bits.Jesus!And what aboutyou?Didn’t you go home with someone, or several someones, afteryou left the club on Saturday night?”
“Who told you that?There was no one.Nothing happened!”Cal said vehemently.“Hey, someone’s at thedoor.Gotta go!”
