Warm oil traced along his back. Victor smoothed it into his skin, his thumbs working, digging into his shoulder and neck muscles.
“What do you do, Blake, that you’re so tight?” Victor tapped his fingertips on Blake’s back. “You’re one big, tense knot.”
“I’m a CPA, and it’s tax time now, so…ohhh, that feels good.” He arched up into Victor’s hands. Under the expert pushing and prodding of Victor’s knowing fingers, a bit of the earlier tension wore off and with it rose the hopes that he could return to himself—the man who got hard from Jeremy simply looking at him.
“That’s tough. My brother’s an accountant, and he never sees his wife and kids from February through April 15th.”
“It sucks, man,” Jeremy said, the petulance in his voice kicking up Blake’s guilt again. “I feel like a single guy sometimes. But I’m not really complaining because I know how important Blake’s job is to him.”
Blake said nothing, his anxiety returning to choke him.
“If he continues on this track, I bet they’ll make him partner, right, babe?” Not waiting for a response, Jeremy kept talking, tightening the rope around Blake’s neck. “Once that happens, then it’s a whole different ball game.”
“Hey, relax. You’re stiffening up again.” Victor’s hands checked on Blake’s lower back. “Partner, huh? That’s pretty cool. Lots more money for sure.”
“Uh, yeah.” He closed his eyes and faced away from Jeremy, willing the massage to do the trick and bring him back to the man he’d been only a few short months ago. Kyle’s angry warning replayed in his head, and Blake vowed to redouble his efforts to look for another position while continuing to work at the storefront. He might like Oscar and George, but the overall environment was toxic, and Blake could feel it slowly sucking the life out of him.
“Hey.” Someone shook his shoulder. “Wake up.”
“Hmm? What? Oh.” Muddled and bit fuzzy-headed, Blake blinked. He reached for his glasses and slipped them on to see Jeremy dressed and sitting on the sofa. “I’m sorry.” He sat up quickly, then hopped off the table and picked up his shorts. Once he was fully dressed, he joined Jeremy on the sofa and watched Victor fold up the table and put away his bottles of oil and warmed stones.
“You looked so comfortable, I hated to wake you.” Jeremy played with his fingers. “Feeling better now that you had a little nap?”
“Uh-huh.” Blake yawned and sank back onto the sofa cushions. “I’m totally relaxed now.”
“That’s what I was hoping to hear.”
Recognizing the familiar gleam in Jeremy’s eyes, Blake tensed. What if it happened again? He refused to think about it. All he wanted was to have Jeremy kiss him and take him to bed.
Finished with their packing up, Mikey and Victor put on their coats.
“Let me know what’s going on with the space and the juice bar, Jeremy.” Mikey opened the door, and Victor walked out first. “I’m gonna give Carter a call in the next day or two. I’m sure we can work something out.”
“Take it easy, guys. I’ll call you tomorrow. Thanks for everything. This was fantastic.”
“Yeah.” Blake agreed. “Best massage ever. Thanks.”
“G’night.” Mikey closed the door, and before Blake could move, Jeremy pounced, pushing him down on the sofa, kissing his neck while he rubbed his already hard cock against Blake’s softness.
“Mmm, I’ve been waiting all night for this. All I could think of while Victor was massaging you is how I wanted to be the one touching you.” Their lips met, and while Jeremy’s tongue played in his mouth, his hand slipped inside Blake’s shorts. Blake winced at the quizzical expression on Jeremy’s face, knowing he couldn’t understand why Blake wasn’t hard.
Jeremy withdrew his hand and sat back on his heels.
“Talk to me. What’s going on?”
Uncomfortable under Jeremy’s scrutiny, Blake shifted on the sofa but couldn’t escape. “I don’t know. I don’t understand.” He sat up and reached for Jeremy again. “Let’s go to the bedroom. Maybe it’ll be better there.”
Giving him a thoughtful look, Jeremy let him stand but remained seated. “I don’t know. Last time we were in bed, and the same thing happened.”
His face burning, Blake trembled and began to sweat. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why this is happening. Please, can we go lie down?” He held out his hand, beseeching Jeremy. “I’d really like you to hold me now.”
Wordlessly, Jeremy followed him into the bedroom, and they lay together, Jeremy’s strong arms wrapped around him.
“I know what it is.” Jeremy’s arms tightened around him, and Blake shivered.
“You do?”
“You’re taking on so much responsibility at this job, trying to show them you can handle it. Stop stressing about it.” He kissed the top of Blake’s head. “I’m sure you’ll get a big promotion. They know you’re a superstar for them.”
