Guys on Top 02 - Guys on the Side (13 page)

Brooks waited until they’d passed, then got up in Zach’s face. He grabbed Zach’s arm. “When are you gonna tell Corey about us?”

Zach took a step back, tugging his arm from Brooks’ grasp. “What are you talking about?”

“When are you going to tell him?” Brooks’ expression was strange. His eyes were fiery with anger, but he wore a pleasant smile. “You should do it sooner rather than later. No need to drag this out.”

“Drag what out?” Zach tried to step away, but Brooks grabbed his wrist.

“That we’re together. You’re with me now. You have to tell him.”

Brushing Brook’s hand off his wrist, Zach shook his head. “I’m not telling Corey,
anything
. You and I are not together. Tonight was a mistake.”

Brooks’ lower jaw pulsed, his sugary smile gone. “You would actually go back to him. After this? After you’ve seen who I am? I brought you here to show you what you were missing. Don’t tell me you’re gonna reject
me
for that fucking massage whore.”

“He’s not a whore,” Zach said.

“Yeah? Well,
you
are. What do you think that money I gave you was for? Did you really think your
bartending
skills were worth a thousand bucks?”

Zach went still. “You entitled little piece of shit. How dare you?”

“How dare I? Who the fuck are you? You’re nothing. You’re some skid row hooch slinger from the fag ghetto. I was willing to give you a better life because you’re the hottest piece of ass I’ve ever seen. The offer still stands, but only if you tell me right now you’re gonna go back to that joke of a boyfriend and call it off tonight.”

Letting out a shocked laugh, Zach took a step back, pointing. “You are a fucking psycho. Stay the hell away from me, I don’t
ever
want to see your face again.”

Brooks strode toward him. “You liked my face just fine when you were fucking it, you white trash piece of shit.” Brooks grabbed Zach’s wrist, squeezing.

“Brooksie! Let him go.”

Zach tugged out of Brooks’ hold and looked up on the steps. The older man in the black suit stared down at them, hands in his pockets.

Brooks looked over his shoulder. “This is none of your business, Uncle Joe.”

The man trotted down the steps and approached. “I said leave the boy alone. Don’t make me go get your father.”

Brooks glared at the man, then turned and pointed at Zach. “You better hope Corey’s the forgiving kind, because I can’t
wait
to tell him how good your dick tasted.” He whirled around and brushed past his uncle, running up the stairs and into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Trembling, Zach stared at the closed door, then his eyes shifted to the older man, who looked at him with compassionate eyes. “You a friend of Brooksie?”

“No. He comes into the bar where I work.”

The man nodded. “Go on home. If I can offer a bit of advice? Stay away from Brooks Carmichael. That kid’s never been quite right.”

“You can count on it.”

Zach left the property, and found his car. Once inside, he locked the door, rested his head on the steering wheel, and struggled not to vomit.

I am so fucked
.

He knew what he had to do now. He had to go tell Corey what he’d done with Brooks. And pray—as that scumbag Brooks had suggested—that Corey was the forgiving kind.

Chapter Eight

The night crowd was festive, music vibrant, and the atmosphere? Fragrant smoke from the Tiki torches, lanterns strung through the trees, live jazz drifting over from the bandstand, and the dots of lights from boats out on the pond. Pure bliss.

Corey sat on the bank of the pond, Doug bedside him. It was one of those perfect nights, with the right people around him, and Corey felt deliriously happy. His face actually hurt from smiling so much. There had been so much humor and comfortable banter tonight, it was hard to believe he was with his ex-boyfriend, his ex-boyfriend’s
new
boyfriend, a man he’d hooked up with once, and
that
man’s new boyfriend.

Such a tangled web, but those details seemed irrelevant now. The walls had tumbled down, the categories blurred, and tonight? He was simply enjoying a festival at the pond with
friends
. He gazed out at the water, and wished Zach was here to enjoy it too. But next time Zach would be, he’d make sure of it. He wanted his boyfriend to let go of the past and become comfortable with these guys, because Corey liked hanging out with them. It was like they’d all been through a battle or something, and had come out the other side strangely bonded.

It’s been a rocky year, but it’s not such a bad life right now.

“I’m glad you came with us tonight,” Doug said, wrapping an arm around Corey.

Corey smirked at him. “You’re fucking drunk, Crandall.”

“Only a little,” Doug said. “But my house is...” He twisted his body and looked behind him. “Right up there, and I’m not driving.”

“Why are you so happy tonight? Aside from the abundance of alcohol.”

Doug grinned, his eyes on the cluster of their friends down on the grass a few feet away: Stewart, Jairo, and Rod. “I’m moving in with Stewart in a few weeks.” He looked at Corey. “I’m sorry, is that weird for you?”

Corey laughed. “It’s not weird, it’s awesome. In fact...I’m thinking of asking Zach to move in with me.”

Doug’s brown eyes widened. “For realzies?”

“Since when do you use words like ‘realzies’ with any seriousness?”

“Since beer,” Doug said. “But seriously, you think you’re ready for that?”

“I do,” Corey said. “He’s really responded to our talks. Things are getting better. Don’t get me wrong, it’s far from perfect and I know it’s still gonna be work. But bottom line is I love the little bastard. I want to be in a secure relationship. I’m ready to take things to the next level.”

“Wow,” Doug said. “That is fucking awesome.” He peered down at their group on the lawn. “Look at Stewart. Is he fucking amazing, or what?”

“Yeah,” Corey said. “We’re not quite there yet though, so shut up about it.”

“Oh.” Doug looked at him. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Corey flicked Doug’s forehead. “It’s all right, Drunky. Yes, Stewart is perfect. And you’re a lucky prick. And that’s all I’m gonna say about it. So drink your crappy beer and shut your sloppy mouth.”

Doug took a swill of his beer. “I can do that.”

“I think I’m gonna go back to the house,” Corey said. “Zach should be back soon.”

“You gonna ask him tonight?”

Corey smiled, considering this. “Yeah. You know what? I think I am gonna ask him tonight.”

Doug snickered. “Oh, man. I’ve gotta make sure to turn on the sound machine in my bedroom later, because you are getting
so
laid tonight and I don’t want to hear it.”

Chuckling, Corey slapped Doug’s shoulder. “Later.”

“Bye!”

As he strolled up his street, Corey spotted Zach’s car parked in front of the house, and he smiled. Good, he was home already.

When he unlocked the door and stepped into his apartment, he spotted Zach on the couch. Corey flipped the light on. “Why you sitting in the dark? Hey, I want to talk to you about something. Something good.”

Zach looked up, and Corey went still, noting his tear-stained face.

“What’s the matter?” Corey shrugged his jacket off, then went and sat next to Zach on the couch.

“I have to talk to you about something,” Zach said. “Something bad.”

****

The look of pure worry and compassion on Corey’s face nearly killed Zach. Lovingly kneading Zach’s shoulder, Corey said, “What’s wrong, baby? Tell me.”

Zach took a deep breath, wiping his eyes, then shifted so he faced Corey. “You know Brooks Carmichael?”

Corey’s face changed in a flash, brows pinching. “Brooks Carmichael? How do you know that little piece of crap?”

“He comes into the bar.”

Corey stiffened. “Has he been bothering you? I’ll fucking kill him.”

“You...you slept with him, right?”

“
What?
”

“It’s okay,” Zach said. “I know you slept with him. I don’t care about that.”

Corey stood, running fingers through his blond hair. “Zach. I did not sleep with Brooks fucking Carmichael. Ever. Not that he didn’t try. The kid stalked me last year for weeks, I had to get a restraining order against him. He’s fucking psychotic.”

A fist twisted in Zach’s gut.
Oh, God
. So it had all been a lie from the start. “You...” Zach bent over, holding his stomach. “You never slept with him.”

“You don’t believe me? Ask Dewey. Ask Stewart! They both know all about it. I’ve still got the paperwork from the restraining order. Come to the bedroom, I’ll show you.”

“No.” Zach shook his head. “It’s okay. I believe you.”

Corey sighed, and sat back down, rubbing Zach’s shoulder. “Okay, good. Is that it? You’re upset because you thought I slept with Brooks?”

Zach bit his bottom lip. He couldn’t look at Corey.

“Zach. What’s going on? You’re scaring me.”

“Something happened with him,” Zach whispered.

“What did you say?”

Zach finally turned and met Corey’s eyes. “Something happened with Brooks. And me.”

Corey went very still. He didn’t seem to be breathing. His nostrils flared. “What do you mean something happened? What
happened?
”

Trembling, Zach forced out the words. “I fooled around with him.”

He watched the blood climb Corey’s neck, then redden his cheeks. “When?”

“Last Saturday,” Zach said, his voice shaking. “Then...again tonight.”

Corey stood, backing away from the sofa, his mouth open.

“I’m sorry,” Zach said. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. He pushed himself on me. I should have stopped him, but I...didn’t.”

“You...” A breath deflated out of Corey. “You fucked
Brooks Carmichael
? Is that what I’m hearing right now?”

“No,” Zach said. “It was just a blowjob, and I—”

“
Just
a blowjob?” Corey’s voice bellowed with such volume it made Zach jump.

“I’m so sorry, Corey. It’ll never happen again.”

Hands on his head, Corey paced in a circle. “This is not happening.” He let out a sharp laugh, a mad sound. “This
cannot
be happening. This is a bad dream.”

Zach had never seen Corey like this, and it was scaring the shit out of him, fear and remorse wrestling in his stomach, making him sick. “Corey, please believe me when I say I am so sorry, and I regret it to my core. I don’t even like the guy, it was a dumb mistake.”

“Then why did you
do
it?” Corey whirled around. “I was gonna ask you to move in tonight. Did you know that?”

“Corey, I—”

“Instead I come home to hear you’ve been out cheating on me? I was faithful to you! I put up with all your shit, did everything I could to make this work because I
loved
you!”

“I know.” A sob escaped. “And I love you. So fucking much.”

Corey laughed, but his eyes were glassy with unshed tears. “You love me. Love me so much you had to go and screw around with
Brooks-fucking-Carmichael?
After you left my home this afternoon? My home where we made love in my bed this morning? For Christ sakes, you blew me before you left the house! And what, two hours later you had another guy’s dick in your mouth? Look at me!”

Zach flinched. “I didn’t...it was the other way around.”

“Oh, I see. He blew
you
. Well, that makes it all right then. Fuck you, Zachary! Why? Why, Zach? Why did you do it?”

Zach looked up at him, shaking his head. “I don’t
know
.”

“You don’t know.” Corey turned away, hands on his head. “He doesn’t fucking know.”

“Corey, please. Can you sit down for a minute? Just let me talk to you.”

Corey remained where he was, his back to Zach, and his hands dropped to his sides. “Get out of my house,” he said softly.

“Corey...”

Corey turned and faced him, eyes blazing. “I said
get out of my fucking house!
Get out of my house, and out of my life, Zachary. I don’t want to see you again.”

Zach stood on shaking legs. He watched Corey storm down the hallway, then jumped when the bedroom door slammed loud enough to shake the walls.

Swallowing down a sob, he opened the apartment door, and left Corey’s house.

He made it to the front porch steps before he broke down. Sitting on the bottom step, he held his face in his hands and wept.

****

Doug sobered up on the walk home from the pond, and he was glad, because Stewart was looking particularly yummy tonight and he couldn’t wait to get him naked and pounce on him.

As they approached the house, they saw Zach on the steps, head in his hands. His back jerked, heartbreaking sobs echoing in the night.

“Shit,” Stewart said. “This doesn’t look good.”

They both stopped on the sidewalk. “No,” Doug said. “It doesn’t. Corey was supposed to ask him to move in tonight. I wonder what went wrong.”

“Something sure as hell did,” Stewart said.

Doug sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets, then turned to Stewart. “Why don’t you go on inside? I’ll talk to him.”

Stewart nodded. “Okay. But I’m exhausted, I might be asleep by the time you come in.”

Doug smiled and kissed Stewart. “It’s okay. I’ll attack you in the morning.”

Stewart smiled. “I look forward to that.”

Zach looked up when Doug and Stewart approached. He wiped his nose. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m leaving in a minute.”

“It’s okay.” Doug sat down beside Zach, and Stewart went inside and closed the door. “Why are you crying?”

Zach shook his head. “You don’t have to talk to me. I know you don’t like me.”

“Zach! I like you just fine. Come on, tell me what happened.”

“I fucked up,” he whispered. “I fucked up so bad. It’s all my fault. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve been doing all this stupid shit and I don’t even know why. Maybe I’m just a bad person.” His back jerked, but he tightened his lips, seeming to try and hold his composure.