Chase paused at a closed door. “We have arrived.” He shook Samson’s hand, his eyes hot with desire. “Until next time.”
“Until next time.”
Chase walked away and Samson stared after him. His loins sizzled at the prospect of returning to this place. Would he come back? Chase seemed convinced of it.
Clearing his mind as best he could, Samson knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
He entered the office and closed the door. Gideon rose from behind the desk. “Have a seat.” He motioned to the leather cushioned chair before the desk.
Samson crossed the room and sat down. He looked around the office that seemed more like a study. “This is nice. Seems like a room where a man could come to gather his thoughts.”
“It is.” Gideon smiled. “I do my best thinking in here.” He rested his elbows on the desk. “So, let’s talk about your disoriented feelings.”
Samson leaned forward and slid his fingers through his damp hair, his eyes drifting to the floor. “I’m not really sure where to start,” he murmured. “It’s like . . . my thoughts are suddenly jumbled, tied in a knot, and I don’t know how to untie them . . . or even what’s causing the knot in the first place.”
“May I ask a straightforward, blunt question?”
“Yes.”
“Isit possible that you’re gay?”
Samson raised his head. “People don’t justturngay . . . do they?”
“No. But it’s been known to lay dormant for years, even decades, without a person even knowing it’s there. Many people have been shocked to learn they were gay after years of living a hetero lifestyle.”
Samson frowned. “How is that possible?”
“I don’t know,” Gideon admitted. “But I’ve witnessed the revelation in others many times over. Cynics of homosexuality insist it’s just a phase, but not once have I heard of a person going back to the straight lifestyle once they indulged in their gay tendencies.”
Samson rubbed his mouth. “And you think that’s what’s happening with me?”
“I can’t make that call. Only you can decide who you are and how you feel. Iwillsay that I’ve never met a straight man who could so readily have sex with another man and not have issues with it. Even gay men whothoughtthey were straight had their doubts and struggles when it came right down to performing sex with other men.”
“What’re you getting at?” Samson whispered.
Gideon smiled small. “Youdidn’t struggle at all. At least, not that I observed. You immediately assimilated with the boys—all of them, not just the twins. You didn’t hesitate to let them touch you in the most intimate of ways. Even a secure straight man wouldn’t feel comfortable with that kind of interaction.”
Rising from the chair, Samson paced the room, his steps slow, unsteady.
“My observations are simply my observations,” Gideon murmured. “In the end, you follow that path that you’re most comfortable with. A person’s sexuality is a very intimate, personal matter. No one has the right to tell you how to feel or how to live your life.”
Samson paused at the window and stared out at the large rear lawn, bordered by trees. “I think . . .” He cleared his throat. “I think I need some time to figure it out.”
“Of course. I understand.”
Samson turned from the window and returned to the desk. “Thank you. This whole experience has given me a lot to think about.”
“If you ever need someone to talk to,” Gideon said. “Please feel free to call, or visit. You’re always welcome here.”
“Thank you.” Samson shook the man’s hand. “May I . . . say goodbye to the twins?”
Gideon looked at him for a long moment as if he had more to say, then smiled. “Of course.”
•?•
Samson was left at the twins’ bedroom door while Gideon went downstairs. He knocked softly and Mickey opened the door.
