There was a beat of silence before he said, “Somebody’s peevish this evening.”
“Al, please. I can’t with this right now.”
“Then why on earth did you invite him to move in with you?”
I huffed out a frustrated breath. “Because he needed my help. I know what rent is like around here. He wouldn’t have been able to get an affordable apartment anywhere near where he works.”
“And why is that your problem?” he asked.
“Because he’s my friend,” I ground out. “I would have done the same thing for you, and you know it.”
He softened his voice. “I know you would. I’m just worried about you. You have it bad for Zach, and he’s oblivious. I’m still not getting a good read on him. You could get really hurt, and then you’d have to live with him at least until the lease is up.”
“I’m aware of the risks,” I said. I let out a resigned sigh. “I’ll get back on the dating apps after Easter. Will that make you happy?”
“It’s not about making me happy, Miguel. It’s about you protecting yourself. The world is full of gay men pining after straight men. It doesn’t usually end with a happily ever after.”
“I know. I know.” I rubbed my eyes. It wasn’t even five o’clock, and I was already dragging. “I’m going to go home, get takeout, and watch movies until I pass out.”
“We just ate,” he said. “How can you be hungry again?”
“I’m not yet. I’ll get takeout later. I just want to curl up on my couch and not think for a while.”
“Well, you go and do that. I have a show to plan. Thanks again for getting me the connection to Moonlight. It might just be the break I’m looking for.”
“You’re welcome. I hope it is. I know how hard you work.” I unlocked my car and got in. “I’m pretty sure Jeremy Fitzgerald will be inviting his fancy New York friends. You’re so talented. They’ll fall in love with you right away.”
“Thank you, darling. You’re the best. Have a good night.”
“You too,” I said. As I drove back to my apartment, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d made a mistake by inviting Zach to move in with me. Only time would tell.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
ZACH
I unlocked my apartment door and tossed my keys into the bowl reserved for them. My whole body ached. I was just happy it was Friday, and I didn’t have to go into the shop tomorrow.
Even though I’d had a four-day week, it felt like it had lasted an eternity. Jeff had been in a foul mood, like he always was after I came back from a weekend training, so he gave me the shittiest jobs. I had no idea why he resented my time in the National Guard so much. But I’d had just about enough of his shit. Miguel had been right. I worked my ass off for Jeff, and he still treated me like I was that sixteen-year-old kid who was trying to put food on his parents’ table.
I finally decided to call Marco’s friend, Tommy, and set up a meeting. We agreed to meet on Saturday at his Harley repair shop. I still wasn’t confident I would get a job, considering I wasn’t certified to work on late-model Harleys, but Marco seemed to think Tommy would give me a chance.
I slowly made my way to my bathroom to shower. Because I was going to have dinner with Miguel, I took extra time to make sure my fingernails were as clean as I could get them. The hot water pouring down on me helped my body relax after a long day. I thought about Miguel and wondered what he’d wear tonight. He always looked so nice, even after a long day at work.
My mind drifted back to the outfit Miguel wore the night we went to the drag show. He’d looked so…sexy, if I was being honest. Apparently, my dick agreed because it thickened and lengthened. What the hell was going on with me? It was true that it had been a while since I’d had sex with anyone but my right hand, but still…
My cock was quite insistent, so I grabbed my body wash and slicked up. I closed my eyes, replaying my favorite scene from my spank bank as I fisted my cock and tugged on my balls. It didn’t take long to feel the familiar tingle at the base of my spine and for my cock to go rock hard in my fist as I drove through it. Just as my orgasm reached its peak, the pretty blonde woman on her knees morphed into Miguel. It was too late to do anything but ride out the wave of pleasure that crashed over me. I gasped, trying to get air into my lungs while my legs trembled so much I had to hold on to the shower wall for support. What the fuck was happening to me?
I finished rinsing and turned off the water. I was just tired, that was all. It was early enough that I could take a nap before going to pick up Miguel. Some sleep would straighten me right out. I dried off, grabbed my clothes off the bathroom floor, and headed to my bedroom. I pulled my phone out of my pants pocket and set an alarm for thirty minutes later. Then I crawled under my covers and was out three seconds after my head hit the pillow.
After my alarm woke me up, I dressed in a blue Henley I’d bought in an effort to spruce up my wardrobe a bit. I checked my phone for the time. I still had half an hour before I had to leave to pick up Miguel. I’d just decided to get something to tide me over until dinner when someone knocked on my door.
I opened the door to find my landlord’s son standing there. I frowned when I saw him. I hadn’t heard from him since Tino sent him the letter telling him it was illegal to try to force me out with only two weeks’ notice. It turned out there was a “termination due to sale” clause in my lease, which still gave me sixty days from the sale of the house to move. As far as I could tell, the house hadn’t even been sold yet.
“Mr. Peterson,” I said. “What can I do for you?”
To my surprise, he looked nervous. “Zach, I wanted to apologize for sending that letter. I took the advice of an acquaintance of mine, but I should have known better.”
“Okay,” I replied. “I appreciate your apology.” It was all I could think of to say because I was still pissed at how he thought so little of how good a tenant I’d been for the past seven years.
