He practically lived with me on the weekends. I picked him up Friday after work then dropped him off at home Sunday night. Leaving him in that dump was the worst, but moving in together was a big step. Just like meeting the parents. I’d hated leaving him alone for Thanksgiving while I enjoyed the holiday at my parent’s house. We’d talked a little more about our plans for Christmas and he seemed sure he was ready to meet them.
He laughed softly. “You’re such a horndog.”
I gasped. “I’m sorry, whose idea was it that I nut inside you?”
He smiled shyly and tried to hide his face, but I guided him into a sweet kiss. We took a shower and tossed on the barest amount of clothes then enjoyed a light lunch of scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.
“What do you want for Christmas?” He asked suddenly.
“Christmas is only a few days away. Don’t tell me you’re one of those last-minute kind of shoppers?”
He bunched his shoulders up and said meekly, “I don’t normally have anyone to shop for.”
I went around the table to meet him. “Just you, baby boy. All I want for Christmas is you.”
“Yes, but… I want to get you something. I just…don’t have a lot of money and you seem to have everything already.”
“You’re going to kill me, you know that? I’m going to die from diabetes because you’re too damned sweet and adorable.”
He beamed like the sun, making everything right in the world. It surprised me how fulfilling it was making him happy. My phone started ringing. I supposed it was from Mom or Dad wanting to rehash Christmas dinner plans. I looked at the screen and frowned.
“I need to answer this,” I said and pecked his lips.
I retreated to my bedroom and picked up the call. The only clients that had my personal number equaled exactly one and he only called on me once a month or so. The conversation was short and to the point. I was slightly annoyed, but it was what it was. When I returned to the kitchen, Jake was sitting at the island, doodling on a piece of printer paper.
“I have to take care of this. He is the type of client you don’t say no to. Not for what he’s paying me, anyway. I’ll only be gone a few hours, okay?”
“Okay,” he said, his attention on his drawing.
He’d shown me more of his doodles. Some were charcoal drawings of everyday life, others fantastical things like robots and dragons. I’d particularly enjoyed the sketches of comic panels that told a story about a boy that had superpowers but just wanted to be normal.
“I have an idea.” I raced to my bedroom and dug behind my rack of designer shirts for the box I’d wrapped the other day. When I returned with a brightly colored package, his eyes lit up and he smiled shyly.
“What’s that?” He asked coyly.
“Your Christmas present. I want to give it to you now,” I said and set the box in front of him. “Don’t be shy. Open it.”
He was smiling like a kid on Christmas morning as he tore through the paper, and I silently promised I’d make up for all the Christmases he’d never had. I watched as his expression went from surprise to shock as he revealed the full set of artists markers.
“These…are Copic markers. They’re very expensive… Like five-hundred dollars…”
“You’re worth it, baby boy. Now I can see myself on paper in technicolor.” I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck.
He gathered the box in his arms and held them as if they were precious. “I don't know how to thank you…”
“Well, I could think of one way…” I sang.
He huffed in mock indignation and tried to hide his smile. “Thank you…so much.”
I turned him to me, took his face between my palms and kissed him thoroughly until I couldn’t breathe. Words hovered on the edge of my lips, but it was too soon, wasn’t it? He blinked at me with glittering eyes and all I could think wasI love you so much.
“Let me take care of my client. Relax and recharge. There is a pool and gym downstairs if you’d like to check it out. And when I get back we will work on load number two.”
I tried to pull away, but he clung to me and kissed me back, his tongue controlling mine. There was the sex-beast I’d freed. It was difficult leaving him, but the sooner I got this over with the sooner I could get back to him. On the drive to the Illinois-Wisconsin border, I thought about everything, from the upcoming Christmas dinner with my parents to Sean. We’d briefly discussed doing a double date soon. Jake could use a friend like Matteo who was his own age. It wasn’t lost on me that we’d both fallen for younger guys.
I recalled the conversation I’d had with Sean last year after he realized he’d fallen in love with Matteo. He’d been conflicted about telling him. Deep and meaningful things had been shared and we’d come to an understanding about our own relationship. I couldn’t help feeling like I was walking in his shoes now. I’d insisted he tell Matteo, but it was easier said than done.
I’d meant to have the talk with Jake about my proclivity for public sex but kept putting it off. Things were good right now and it was only a matter of time before that need rose up. With Sean it had been nine months, and I knew I could denythe urge for a while if I needed to. But it wasn’t fair to either of us. Jake had trusted me with his fetish. I knew I could trust him, but finally telling Sean the truth had ended our romantic relationship. I was terrified Jake couldn’t accept that part of me. I was tempted to call Sean but as I pulled up to the gates of the mansion, I filed that thought for later.
