about to tell David he’d been here with a client for a business lunch. Let David think the worst. Jealousy kept a man on his toes.
The waiter was back. Chris gave his order. “Charcuterie and Chino-Cubano Arroz Frito with Maduros.” When the waiter left he met David’s gaze. “Mixed meats done Cuban style. I think you’ll like it.”
“Well, you know me and meat.”
The obvious double entendre did what David intended, it sent a bolt of raw desire along Chris’s already sizzling nerves. He took a deep drink of mojito and ate some ceviche. He extended a forkful to David who took it. They stared at each other across the table then Chris offered him another bite.
Chris was aware of nothing else in the room, in the world, except David. He could see the wide pores on his rough skin, the green ring around his dilated pupils, a bead of sweat nestled in the silky black hairs of his mustache. His lips were slightly opened and Chris could see his pink tongue as it took in the ceviche and tasted it. A pulse beat in the shadow of David’s throat and Chris stared at it, mesmerized. David licked his lips and Chris almost came then and there. He looked away, a flush flaring up his neck, burning the skin of his face.
The wine he had ordered earlier arrived and was opened by the sommelier. Chris tasted it, nodded and watched as their two wine glasses were filled. The acidic wine had just the right flowery essence for the meal he had in mind.
And it was.
“So when do you go back to work?” he asked.
“Probably light duty starting Monday. The doctor wanted me to take a few more days off and Lord knows, I have enough sick time saved up.”
Chris topped their wine glasses. “What have you been doing to keep busy?”
“Picked up a Motorola Stereo Hi-Fi,” David said with sudden enthusiasm. “It’s in a Drexel Cabinet. Needs a lot of work but it’ll be sharp when it’s done.”
“I’d like to see it sometime,” Chris said. He meant it too. He’d always been impressed by the painstaking work David gave to his collection. “Maybe we can have a music night in.”
“Sure,” David said roughly, not meeting Chris’s knowing gaze. “We can do that.”
“I think I found the car I want,” Chris said. “It’s a Ford, like you suggested. And you always say we should buy American.”
“Sure, keep the jobs here.” David nodded. “What model?”
“An Escape. Lot better gas mileage than the Lexus. But there’s still room for me to bring equipment to a job site.”
“You still want me to go with you for a test drive?”
Chris nodded. “Yes. You know what I should be looking for better than I do.”
“I doubt that,” David said dryly. Chris grinned.
“So we’re on?”
“Sure. When?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Give me a time and place.”
“How about I pick you up,” Chris said, watching David’s face. “I’d like to go early.”
“Fine by me.” Again the tension Chris recognized. “Give me a call.”
“I will,” Chris said softly, knowing he wouldn’t be calling David. He wouldn’t need to.
They finished the meal with more easy conversation. Both of them declined dessert. Chris ordered coffee instead. They returned to the car and Chris headed back to David’s. Once there they both climbed out of the Lexus and stood in the driveway. Chris gazed up at the gabled roof over the front door. It had been painted recently.
“You’ve been fixing the place up.”
“Figured it was about time.”
“It looks good.”
David stared down at his feet, then back up at Chris. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“What now? You’re in charge, right?”
“Oh, that. Not anymore.”
“What?”
“The night’s over. I’m giving it up.”
“Oh,” David said. He thought for about a minute then a slow smile broke over his craggy face. “In which case, I’m taking over.”
Chris eyed him warily, not sure where this was going.
He pulled Chris into his arms. “Lock that thing up,” he said,
The waiter was back. Chris gave his order. “Charcuterie and Chino-Cubano Arroz Frito with Maduros.” When the waiter left he met David’s gaze. “Mixed meats done Cuban style. I think you’ll like it.”
“Well, you know me and meat.”
The obvious double entendre did what David intended, it sent a bolt of raw desire along Chris’s already sizzling nerves. He took a deep drink of mojito and ate some ceviche. He extended a forkful to David who took it. They stared at each other across the table then Chris offered him another bite.
Chris was aware of nothing else in the room, in the world, except David. He could see the wide pores on his rough skin, the green ring around his dilated pupils, a bead of sweat nestled in the silky black hairs of his mustache. His lips were slightly opened and Chris could see his pink tongue as it took in the ceviche and tasted it. A pulse beat in the shadow of David’s throat and Chris stared at it, mesmerized. David licked his lips and Chris almost came then and there. He looked away, a flush flaring up his neck, burning the skin of his face.
The wine he had ordered earlier arrived and was opened by the sommelier. Chris tasted it, nodded and watched as their two wine glasses were filled. The acidic wine had just the right flowery essence for the meal he had in mind.
And it was.
“So when do you go back to work?” he asked.
“Probably light duty starting Monday. The doctor wanted me to take a few more days off and Lord knows, I have enough sick time saved up.”
Chris topped their wine glasses. “What have you been doing to keep busy?”
“Picked up a Motorola Stereo Hi-Fi,” David said with sudden enthusiasm. “It’s in a Drexel Cabinet. Needs a lot of work but it’ll be sharp when it’s done.”
“I’d like to see it sometime,” Chris said. He meant it too. He’d always been impressed by the painstaking work David gave to his collection. “Maybe we can have a music night in.”
“Sure,” David said roughly, not meeting Chris’s knowing gaze. “We can do that.”
“I think I found the car I want,” Chris said. “It’s a Ford, like you suggested. And you always say we should buy American.”
“Sure, keep the jobs here.” David nodded. “What model?”
“An Escape. Lot better gas mileage than the Lexus. But there’s still room for me to bring equipment to a job site.”
“You still want me to go with you for a test drive?”
Chris nodded. “Yes. You know what I should be looking for better than I do.”
“I doubt that,” David said dryly. Chris grinned.
“So we’re on?”
“Sure. When?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Give me a time and place.”
“How about I pick you up,” Chris said, watching David’s face. “I’d like to go early.”
“Fine by me.” Again the tension Chris recognized. “Give me a call.”
“I will,” Chris said softly, knowing he wouldn’t be calling David. He wouldn’t need to.
They finished the meal with more easy conversation. Both of them declined dessert. Chris ordered coffee instead. They returned to the car and Chris headed back to David’s. Once there they both climbed out of the Lexus and stood in the driveway. Chris gazed up at the gabled roof over the front door. It had been painted recently.
“You’ve been fixing the place up.”
“Figured it was about time.”
“It looks good.”
David stared down at his feet, then back up at Chris. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“What now? You’re in charge, right?”
“Oh, that. Not anymore.”
“What?”
“The night’s over. I’m giving it up.”
“Oh,” David said. He thought for about a minute then a slow smile broke over his craggy face. “In which case, I’m taking over.”
Chris eyed him warily, not sure where this was going.
He pulled Chris into his arms. “Lock that thing up,” he said,
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