Jase put his hands in his pockets and walked up behind him. He leaned forward and said, “I’ll rephrase the question. Did Melvin actually tell you he loves you more than anything else in the world, that he wants to share his life with you, and that he wants you to wear his ring? Will you be living together and sleeping together in the same bed?”
Luis hesitated for a moment. His face felt warm and he had trouble speaking. “Well,” he said, still smiling, “we won’t actually be living together. His family wouldn’t approve. But he’s purchased a wonderful new loft for us on the outskirts of Vancouver and he’ll be there often.” He opened the bottle and laughed. “Did I tell you how absolutely happy I am?”
“Yes, you’ve mentioned how happy you are.” Then Jase looked at the stove and said, “Is the oven supposed to have smoke seeping out of the door?”
Luis blinked. “Oh shit, no,” he said, running into the kitchen. “I can’t believe I did it again. I knew I didn’t set that damn timer right.”
While Luis opened the oven door and a puff of smoke hit him in the face, Jase stood there laughing.
“It’s ruined,” Luis said. “I wanted to cook you a nice dinner and look at this mess. I thought I followed all the directions so carefully. It’s an Alaskan salmon dish I found in the library at the Alaska Frontier . And now it’s ruined.”
Jase walked into the kitchen and looked down at the roasting pan on top of the stove. The fish was black, the carrots were dark and shriveled, and there wasn’t an ounce of liquid at the bottom of the crusted, blackened pan. He laughed and said, “Why don’t I just take you out to dinner? I’m doing well with my latest invention. I can afford it.”
Luis shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the burnt pan. “I guess we don’t have any choice,” he said. He pulled the front of his shirt out and inhaled. “Just as long as there’s a place casual enough to let me in smelling like burnt fish.”
Chapter Sixteen
Jase found it interesting that whenever he and Luis were together there were never any mistakes about their individual roles. Things fell into place without a discussion; they each knew which position to assume both in the bedroom and out in the real world. When they walked up to the entrance of an Italian restaurant on West End Avenue, Luis instinctively stepped to the side and allowed Jase to hold the door open for him. When Luis was inside, Jase placed his hand on Luis’s back and guided him to a small table in a dark corner. Jase even pulled the chair out for Luis and waited for him to sit down first. And when they were finished eating and it was time for the waiter to bring the check to their table, the waiter placed it in front of Jase instead of Luis without giving it a second thought.
Luis didn’t seem to mind that Jase liked taking control and being their guide. Perhaps it was because Jase was older than Luis and he had more life experience. Perhaps it was because Luis came across as the gentler, quieter one. In any event, there were no awkward moments between them. It occurred to Jase that being with Luis, after not having seen him for so many weeks, felt more natural than anything he’d ever known in his life.
In fact, it felt so natural Jase had an erection in his pants most of that night. After dinner, they crossed back to Riverside Drive and took a long walk through Riverside Park. While Luis talked about his plans for the future, Jase kept shoving his hands in his pockets to readjust his rigid penis so it wouldn’t rub against the same section of his underwear for too long. The more Luis talked, the harder Jase became. At one point, when Luis jerked to the side to avoid walking into a biker, his arm brushed against Jase’s arm. When his flesh touched Jase’s, Jase’s balls jumped up so fast he had to stretch his legs and lean forward to keep them inside his scrotum. It finally reached a point where Jase stopped walking and suggested they sit on a bench for a while.
The head of his dick was rubbing against the waistband of his underwear and it burned so badly, his left eye was twitching. He said he wanted to relax and enjoy the view of the river. But he really wanted to just sit down and give his dick a chance to recuperate.
“Are you okay?” Luis asked. “You seem uncomfortable.”
“I’m fine,” Jase said, moving his legs around to find a position that wouldn’t smash his dick. He shouldn’t have worn the tight low-rise jeans that day. He’d been wearing them since he’d left Alaska. They had a tendency to smash his cock and leave temporary indentations.
Luis reached out and touched his forearm. “Are you sure?” It was an innocent gesture.
Jase took a quick breath and exhaled. He decided to be honest; he’d never been this attracted to anyone and he doubted he’d feel this way about anyone in the future. “Actually, I’m in a little discomfort right now.”
“You are? What’s wrong? Did you eat something at the restaurant?”
“My cock is so hard it’s starting to get painful. And I think I’m getting blue balls now.”
He stretched out his right leg, slipped his hand down the front of his jeans, and grabbed his dick.
He pulled the shaft up and to the right, then adjusted his balls to the right. “Ah,” he said, “that’s much better.” Then he sat back and crossed his legs to cover the bulge in case anyone walked by.
Luis looked down between Jase’s legs and laughed. “I had no idea,” he said.
“I can’t help it,” Jase said. “I guess I’m just a horny old man.”
Luis looked into his eyes and said, “No, you’re not. You’re just plain horny, is what you are. And you’re far from old.”
“It’s your entire fault,” Jase said. He looked into his eyes and smiled.
Luis looked down at his lap and frowned. “I’ve had a wonderful time tonight,” he said.
“But we can’t talk this way. I’m leaving on Sunday to start a whole new life in Vancouver, and I want us to always be friends. And no matter how much I’d like to pull you into the bushes and get you off right now, we can’t. It would be a huge mistake we’d both regret.”
“Speak for yourself,” Jase said. He nodded at a tree. “I’m ready to fuck that tree right now.”
“Don’t be vulgar. You know I’m right.”
Jase sighed. “I know. I’m not trying to suggest anything. I swear I’m not. I just couldn’t walk anymore.” For a second, he wondered if he should tell Luis about his real identity. Then he decided it was a bad idea.