By the Numbers by Chris Owen and Tory Temple Page A
Authors: Chris Owen and Tory Temple
Tags: gay romance
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slight face.
Deuce watched him go and went to the kitchen, realizing halfway there that he was wearing his goofy "just got laid" grin. He hoped he could lose it before Trey got back -- it was a lame look.
Then he shrugged, got his beer, and went to find something good on TV. Adult time was a very good thing, and it certainly boded well for their living arrangements. Deuce liked Trey, and it felt good to know that was returned.
"It's a good thing," he told Q as he sat back down. She didn't look impressed. She merely sighed and went back to sleep. Deuce figured he'd take that as a sign of enthusiastic agreement. "Yep. A real good thing."
Eight
Overtime was great money, but when it was his third shift in a row, Trey often found himself cranky and wondering why he needed the money so badly in the first place.
He lay on his bunk after lunch and wondered if he'd have time for a fast cat nap. The first night of his shift had been quiet, but last night was the opposite. Up twice in the middle of the night for one false alarm -- those security systems at the office buildings were too sensitive -- and one canceled call. Then he couldn't get back to sleep, of course, so he jerked off thinking about Deuce.
That was becoming quite the common occurrence lately. Trey didn't know how to feel about that. The guy was funny, cute, and really charming. He was a quiet roommate and seemed to like Lacey.
Lacey liked Deuce, too, which was definitely a plus. The only trouble was that she talked about him frequently when she was with her mother, and Trey had heard Holly's displeasure about that fact.
"So you have a boyfriend," she'd said when Trey had dropped Lacey off three days ago.
"No." He'd found it was smarter not to use extra words that she could twist around. Besides, it was true. Neither he or Deuce had said anything about being exclusive.
"Lacey said there's a man living with you. Who is it?" She folded her arms and looked up at him. Trey remembered once upon a time that it had been her petite size that had attracted him to her. "Pocket rocket", the guys had called her.
Trey rubbed a hand over his face and silently counted to five. "His name is Nathaniel, and he's not my boyfriend; he's my roommate." All true.
Holly squared her jaw. "How do I know that Lacey is safe there?"
It was a valid question, he supposed, but it touched a nerve. "Jesus Christ, Holly. You think I'd endanger her? Say whatever the fuck you want about me, but I'm not a shitty father, and you know it."
She had the grace to redden slightly. "Still, Trey. It's a strange guy in the same house as my daughter. One I've never met, and one you didn't tell me about. I had to hear about him from my child. She spent four days there with him and you never said anything. Why is he a secret?"
They'd gone on and on like that for almost twenty minutes. Trey ended up being late for work that morning. His captain had raised a brow when Trey had stalked in, but wisely refrained from asking any questions.
It had soured his mood for the entire shift, and knowing he was working two more days after that didn't help improve things. His one bright spot was when Deuce had texted him before bed each night, just a short good night note.
Thinking of Deuce now made Trey reach over for his phone. He scrolled to the last message Deuce had sent him and hit 'reply', then typed, "Bored. Tired. How's my dog?"
A few moments later he got one back that read, "Napping atm. Spent an hour in the yard playing. We won't discuss the mess on the kitchen floor. Bring home spray cleaner."
Trey wrinkled his nose and grinned. He could just imagine. He texted back, "Some in garage on shelf. Gloves too." He paused momentarily, then added, "Bring them by later to visit."
Almost immediately he got a reply. "3? Or just the pup?"
Shoot, what the hell. His crew would love it. "All 3. They can stay in the engine bay while we eat."
"What time? :D"
He checked his watch, then answered, "We eat at
Deuce watched him go and went to the kitchen, realizing halfway there that he was wearing his goofy "just got laid" grin. He hoped he could lose it before Trey got back -- it was a lame look.
Then he shrugged, got his beer, and went to find something good on TV. Adult time was a very good thing, and it certainly boded well for their living arrangements. Deuce liked Trey, and it felt good to know that was returned.
"It's a good thing," he told Q as he sat back down. She didn't look impressed. She merely sighed and went back to sleep. Deuce figured he'd take that as a sign of enthusiastic agreement. "Yep. A real good thing."
Eight
Overtime was great money, but when it was his third shift in a row, Trey often found himself cranky and wondering why he needed the money so badly in the first place.
He lay on his bunk after lunch and wondered if he'd have time for a fast cat nap. The first night of his shift had been quiet, but last night was the opposite. Up twice in the middle of the night for one false alarm -- those security systems at the office buildings were too sensitive -- and one canceled call. Then he couldn't get back to sleep, of course, so he jerked off thinking about Deuce.
That was becoming quite the common occurrence lately. Trey didn't know how to feel about that. The guy was funny, cute, and really charming. He was a quiet roommate and seemed to like Lacey.
Lacey liked Deuce, too, which was definitely a plus. The only trouble was that she talked about him frequently when she was with her mother, and Trey had heard Holly's displeasure about that fact.
"So you have a boyfriend," she'd said when Trey had dropped Lacey off three days ago.
"No." He'd found it was smarter not to use extra words that she could twist around. Besides, it was true. Neither he or Deuce had said anything about being exclusive.
"Lacey said there's a man living with you. Who is it?" She folded her arms and looked up at him. Trey remembered once upon a time that it had been her petite size that had attracted him to her. "Pocket rocket", the guys had called her.
Trey rubbed a hand over his face and silently counted to five. "His name is Nathaniel, and he's not my boyfriend; he's my roommate." All true.
Holly squared her jaw. "How do I know that Lacey is safe there?"
It was a valid question, he supposed, but it touched a nerve. "Jesus Christ, Holly. You think I'd endanger her? Say whatever the fuck you want about me, but I'm not a shitty father, and you know it."
She had the grace to redden slightly. "Still, Trey. It's a strange guy in the same house as my daughter. One I've never met, and one you didn't tell me about. I had to hear about him from my child. She spent four days there with him and you never said anything. Why is he a secret?"
They'd gone on and on like that for almost twenty minutes. Trey ended up being late for work that morning. His captain had raised a brow when Trey had stalked in, but wisely refrained from asking any questions.
It had soured his mood for the entire shift, and knowing he was working two more days after that didn't help improve things. His one bright spot was when Deuce had texted him before bed each night, just a short good night note.
Thinking of Deuce now made Trey reach over for his phone. He scrolled to the last message Deuce had sent him and hit 'reply', then typed, "Bored. Tired. How's my dog?"
A few moments later he got one back that read, "Napping atm. Spent an hour in the yard playing. We won't discuss the mess on the kitchen floor. Bring home spray cleaner."
Trey wrinkled his nose and grinned. He could just imagine. He texted back, "Some in garage on shelf. Gloves too." He paused momentarily, then added, "Bring them by later to visit."
Almost immediately he got a reply. "3? Or just the pup?"
Shoot, what the hell. His crew would love it. "All 3. They can stay in the engine bay while we eat."
"What time? :D"
He checked his watch, then answered, "We eat at