Day, Xondra - Our Dirty Little Secret (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (8 page)

“
Did she?
”
He looked to Ann and smiled.

“
I did,
”
replied Ann.
“
You did a wonderful job with this place.
”

He had to agree with her. Their house hadn
’
t been much when they moved in. During the first couple of years, they redid the place from top to bottom and all points in between. He had reason to be proud of his house.

“
If it
’
s a problem, I can just hire someone to come in and do whatever needs to be done. That
’
s what I planned on doing anyway.
”

“
Not at all. It isn
’
t a problem,
”
he explained.
“
Not if you don
’
t mind me being a little slow. I can only work during weekends and after hours from my own job. Ann neglected to mention that, I bet.
”
Ann shouldn
’
t have made promises without consulting him first. He didn
’
t mind helping out a neighbor, and Mike seemed nice enough so far. But it was his time and not hers to dedicate to someone else. What if he had plans elsewhere with his spare time? It would have shoved him headfirst into one hell of an awkward situation having to refuse.

“
Slow is fine with me. I like slow,
”
replied Mike.
“
I moved here to be much
…
slower—pace that is.
”
He grinned.

Jeff laughed.
“
I can totally understand that. Some people love living right in the city. I never did get that scene. The hustle and bustle would be too much for me to deal with.
”

“
That
’
s exactly how I felt. I was totally ready to leave all that crap behind. My apartment was nice, a little small and not in a great area. It was okay when
we
moved in, but after a couple of years it all went downhill as a lot of crime started occurring around us.
”

“
You have a wife?
”
asked Ann, interrupting.

“
Not quite.
”
Mike placed his wineglass on the table in front of him.
“
I had a partner, Jackson. I
’
m bisexual.
”

All three went silent.

“
If that
’
s a problem for either of you, I can leave.
”

* * * *

Ann swallowed hard, her initial concern being how Jeff would react. She hoped he wouldn
’
t go ahead and say something stupid to embarrass them both.

“
God, no, it doesn
’
t bother me or Ann,
”
said Jeff.

Ann sighed with relief.
“
I think bisexuality is interesting,
”
she proclaimed, pouring another glass of wine.
“
You should have brought Jackson along. We
’
d like to meet him.
”

“
That would be rather hard to do. He died two years ago.
”

Again, silence.

“
I
’
m so sorry to hear that. It must be terrible to lose someone so close to you, someone you really love.
”
She hated death and dreaded the thought of eventually losing her father. Death was unavoidable. It would come to them all one day.

“
I
’
m fine. Really I am. It was two years ago, like I said. Time doesn
’
t heal everything as the saying goes, but it does help the pain subside. That was another reason for my move here. The apartment was our place. I needed a place of my own, minus the memories.
”

It was all so sad, just listening to Mike talk about his experience losing his partner. She felt as if she
’
d burst into tears. She didn
’
t, and she wouldn
’
t. That would just make her look like a crazy, emotional fool.

Jeff held up his glass.
“
Then let
’
s make a toast. To new friends and new beginnings. May life only get better for us all.
”

The clinked glasses and downed the rest of the wine.

Ann stood from the table.
“
On that note, dinner is ready.
”

* * * *

They were a lovely couple, very easy to be around.

After dinner, they adjourned to the living room where they drank coffee and partook of Ann
’
s delicious triple-chocolate cheesecake.

“
It
’
s store bought,
”
she explained.
“
I can
’
t take credit for it. I
’
m dismal when it comes to baking.
”

“
You did make the coffee?
”

Ann nodded.

“
Then you can take credit for that, and a fabulous dinner. That sauce was out of this world.
”

“
It
’
s her special recipe,
”
added Jeff.
“
One that she won
’
t even let me in on.
”

“
I can
’
t tell you what goes in it. If I did, it wouldn
’
t be special.
”
Ann rolled her eyes and placed her empty plate on the coffee table.
“
Men
…
Sheesh, sometimes.
”

He laughed, remembering Jackson and how the man would often hound him while he cooked in the kitchen. Ann and Jeff reminded him of them and their playful banter back and forth.
“
You
’
re so right, Ann. You can
’
t live with them, and
…
it
’
s pretty darned hard to live without them.
”

With a mock pout, Jeff put one hand up in the air to halt the conversation.
“
Hey, that isn
’
t fair. Two against one.
”

Good gracious, he was a cutie!

“
You
’
re right, Jeff,
”
he replied.
“
We
’
ll stop.
”
He glanced at Ann, and they both burst out laughing. Leaning ahead, he motioned for Ann to move closer. She did.
“
Is he always like this?
”
he asked, lowering his voice.

“
Like what?
”
Ann held a curious look in her eyes, a smirk painted across her lips.

He felt bold, very bold. He
’
d blame it on the wine later.
“
Cute.
”

“
I heard that,
”
announced Jeff.
“
And yes I am, or so I
’
ve been told many times over, in fact.
”

Ann sat back, amused.
“
By who?
”

“
By the secretary at work. I think I need more wine or beer. Do we have beer?
”
asked Jeff, standing.

“
That woman, the one with the moustache?
”
Ann laughed, one hand clutching her breast.
“
That isn
’
t something to be proud of, honey.
”

“
She doesn
’
t have a moustache,
”
muttered Jeff.

“
There
’
s beer in the fridge. Would you like one, Mike?
”

He shrugged and figured he may as well.
“
Sure.
”
These two were a hoot and a half. He was really enjoying their company. It was a nice change of pace.

Jeff backed out of the room, and he couldn
’
t help but drink him in, every single inch. The guy was everything he
’
d ever want in a man, a lot like Jackson. If he had a specific type, this would be it. When Jeff grinned and winked before turning to continue on into the kitchen, he thought he would faint dead away, right there on the couch across from Ann.

* * * *

Certain things hadn
’
t gone unnoticed by him.