Gabriel had insisted on driving him again, saying that being out of the house encouraged him to go to the office himself, and Joel didn’t mind obliging him. Thinking of the dark-haired man who’d swept into his life so unexpectedly, Joel reached down and rubbed his fingers over the worn leather of his new Rolex.
He barked out a laugh that echoed through the empty store.
He had a fucking Rolex.
There were few customers, and with his cell phone currently not working and in the bottom of his duffel bag at Gabriel's condo, he was running out of ways to entertain himself. He’d never had that problem before, but ever since he’d met Gabriel, Joel was experiencing an overwhelming urge to justbewith him. Time spent away from Gabriel seemed to pass with infinite slowness. It was as if his work day would never end.
With an hour to go before the end of his shift, the bells above the door chimed and were followed by the click-clack of high heels as someone entered the shop.
“I’m back here!” Joel shouted toward the door. “Let me know if I can help you.” He stood up anyway, intending to make his way over to properly greet the customer.
“You better be able to help me,” a familiar voice echoed back to him.
“Theenie!” Joel wrapped his arms around his best friend’s waist as they rounded the corner and ran into each other. She laughed and hugged him back.
“I missed you, too, Baby J.” She swept through the store with Joel plastered to her front, and maneuvered them both to the chairs in the back of the store. She pushed Joel down onto one, then sank onto another.
“How was your trip? I’m so glad you’re home, Theenie.”
“My trip was amazing. The photo shoots were out of this world, and the photographer ended up being kinkier than me! Jesus, Baby J, you wouldn’t believe the ways he tied me up and stuffed me.” Athena laughed, crossing and uncrossing her legs while offering Joel a suggestive eyebrow waggle. “But none of that’s important. Please, tell me you fucked the handsome stranger.” She leaned toward him, elbows on her knees. Joel's face turned as red as his hair.
“His name is Gabriel,” he murmured softly. “And, no. We haven’t fucked...” he trailed off.
“You haven’t fucked, but?”
“We haven’t fucked, but we have, well, done other things.” Joel fought the smile trying to form on his lips as it was at war with his embarrassment over telling this to Athena. Sure, she was his best friend, but he hadn’t been with anyone the whole time he’d known her, so this was new territory for both of them.
Athena shrieked and started to bounce up and down in her seat.
“Tell. Me. Everything!” She enunciated every word.
“Well, you know, we talked a couple of days ago, and I figured that maybe he did think I was cute, so I made him dinner.”
“What did you make?” Athena cut him off.
“Chicken parmigiana,” Joel answered, rolling his eyes at her before continuing. “Anyway, so I made him dinner and he was being really flirty with me, and I don't even know what came over me, Theenie, I fucking threw myself at him.”
Athena was out of her chair and she flung herself on top of Joel.
“Oh my God! No you didn't? You didn't! You did? Baby J, holy shit!” Athena bounced her weight on top of Joel and he pulled his arms out from under her so she didn’t smoosh him completely.
“I did. I don’t even know how to explain it. I’m still trying to figure it out. So we made out for a while and then we messed around and he made me come a couple of times. And he came too, obviously, and we talked a lot and then fell asleep. And two days ago he took me to The Getty for lunch, and then yesterday, Jesus, Theenie, yesterday.” Joel dropped his face down, letting his hair obscure his eyes, but held out his wrist for her to see.
“Are you trying to tell me your handsome stranger bought you a fucking Rolex? You cad!” Athena screeched, wrenching Joel's arm to take a closer look at the vintage watch adorning his wrist.
“Athena, it’s not like…” For the first time in their relationship, Joel struggled to find the words to explain his heart to his best friend. “It’s not like I expected. I wasn’t expecting him, or this, at all. He makes me feel like I’m better than I am. Like Iwantto be better than I am, for him.”
Athena leaned her head down onto Joel's shoulder with a sigh.
“That’s love, Baby J.”
Joel scoffed, pushing her off him.
Love? It was an insane thought. He had known Gabriel for a handful of days. It didn’t matter that Gabriel seemed to stir feelings like this inside him. Anyone could, Joel was certain. He simply hadn’t given anyone the opportunity to get that close before. Nothing if not practical, Joel was not about to make something out of a few sex-filled days and a four-thousand-dollar watch.
“That’s insane, Athena. I’ve known him for, like, three or four days. And now you’re home, I’m gonna go back to his place tonight to get my stuff and come stay with you. I’m sure he’s being nice to me and nothing more.”
Athena raised an eyebrow at him as the bell above the door went off again. Joel's eyes shot up to the clock on the wall. Fuck. This was not a conversation he wanted to have tonight.
