“Goodnight, baby boy,” he murmured.
I hung up and melted into my mattress. I never wanted to leave this paradise he’d taken me to.Please, whatever gods are out there, let me stay with him forever.
CHAPTER TWELVE
GABRIEL
Despite staying up late last night, I awoke energized. Sunday’s heavy traffic did little to phase me. Everything was sunshine and rainbows as I headed to the pick-up point Jake had decided upon. I was curious about where he wanted to go and when pressed he would insist it was a surprise.
Last night was a bit weird for both of us. Opening up and talking about oneself usually was. I was surprised how easy it had been for me to admit I’d been a fat kid. It was something I was sensitive about and didn’t normally share it with my lovers. He’d been a good sport and tolerated me droning on about losing weight in my teens, getting healthy, and working out. The icing on the cake was our combined invented fantasy of adventures in gay-land. I was glad he was opening up to me and I was ready to declare us as an item.
As I turned the corner, I spotted Jake standing against a convenience store. The breeze had gotten into his hair, tousling it and his cheeks were mottled from the autumn chill. The moment he spotted me pulling along the curb, he smiled something beautiful, and I knew I was in trouble.
“You’re late,” he said as he slipped into the car.
“But fashionable,” I countered.
Passing me a shy once over, his smile widened. “You always are. Should I start calling you Bond?”
“I’m surprised you know that reference. Unfortunately, If I want to masquerade as Bond, I’m going to have to drop about 25 million on a DB5. Until then, I dress to impress.” When he was belted in, I pulled back into traffic. “Are you going to tell me where we're going?”
“Harlem and 79th,” he said.
“Hm, fine. Keep your secrets,” I teased. His cheeks lifted as he looked out the window. Feeling ballsy, I took his hand in mine, his skin warm and soft. That smile I loved so much widened. “Did I keep you up too late last night? Sometimes I can’t stop gabbing once I get going.”
“I like listening to you talk,” he said. “You have a nice voice. And you’re exceptionally creative.”
“Cock-shaped trees that secrete their own flavored lube was your idea.”
The drive to the south suburbs of the city was quiet and calm. We traded smiles, seemingly just enjoying each other’s company. Kids were out trick-or-treating in large groups, and I wondered if my parents were doing the same with Amelia. She’d been disheartened to find out I wasn’t tagging along this year, but I’d promised to bring her something special the next time I stopped by.
“It’s there,” he said, pointing to the side. A flush crept up his neck. “We can go somewhere else if you want. I thought it might be fun and low key enough for the both of us. Besides, I’m pretty good at Skee-Ball.”
“Are you kidding? I love Haunted Trails.”
“You do? I’ve never been, but always wanted to go.”
“Absolutely. We need to have a Skee-Ball match.”
“They have go-karts too,” he added, his gaze filling with interest as I pulled into a parking spot. “And a haunted house. But, ah…I don’t know if I want to go in it.”
“I’ll protect you, don’t worry. Now I know what I should have dressed up as for this year. A knight in shining armor.” I gasped in realization. “We could play out a fantasy. You get to be the maiden in distress and me the ravishing knight who rescues you and takes you back to the castle for—”
He laughed and quickly exited the vehicle. It was probably for the best because once I got on the horndog train, itwas hard to stop. We hadn’t talked about the other night when we’d had phone sex, which wasn’t a bad thing. It made the occasion feel natural. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. He didn’t try to move away.
“They have miniature golf too,” he murmured. “And we have to go on the go-carts. It’s a must.”
The light in his eyes was lovely. I very much liked this easy-going side of him. We bypassed the haunted house and entered the main building. A burst of chimes and bells greeted us as endless arcade games flashed and whirled. It was a little busy, but not suffocating.
“This is your idea, so you lead. I follow.”
He withdrew his wallet. “I think we need to get game cards.”
“I’ll handle that,” I interjected. “You find a game you want to start, and I’ll go get the cards.”
“But I—”
I didn’t let him finish. I wasn’t going to have him spending his much-needed cash. Besides, I liked the kept boy idea. I found the vending machine and got two game cards worth $100 each. I figured that would keep us busy for a while. I rushed back to Jake who was eying the Skee-Ball machines with interest.
