Lover Boys Forever (13 page)

“
Oh.” Storie pressed his hand on his chest, “Vince, you scared me.”

“
Where were you?” Vincent repeated, “It’s not like you to just leave like that.”

“
Sorry, I went to get something to eat. I would’ve picked you up something, but I assumed you already ate,” Storie didn’t look at him when he spoke. He sat on the nearest chair and slipped out of his boat shoes.

“
Oh. It’s just not like you to disappear. Usually you call or leave a note.”

“
I was with Pierre,” Storie blurted out, staring at the floor. He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t tell Vincent. Besides, if Vincent would have found out without him confessing that would only push Vincent further away.

“
Pierre?” After a pause, Vincent spoke in a cold tone, “Oh. Him. It’s been a while.”

“
I’m sorry,” Storie quickly said.

“
What did he want?” Vincent’s calm words poured out as his face twisted in disgust.

“
Why won’t you marry me?”

“
Where did that come from?”

“
It’s just a question. Why won’t you marry me? Is it because you’re not serious about me? Am I not good enough for you?”

“
What are you taking about? After three years together, you have to question how I feel?”

“
Well, I don’t know what you feel for me anymore. You haven’t touched me in a while.”

“
Yes, I have.”

“
Not like you used to. When we were first together, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. Is it because I bore you now?”

“
You’re ridiculous,” Vincent said and a sigh followed, “You’re still going on with that marriage babble. I told you; we don’t have to get married to be together.”

“
I know we don’t have to but I want to. Why can’t you understand?”

“
No. Why can’t you understand? You expect me to change for you, but you won’t change for me.”

“
Vince, you’re being ridiculous. You’re beliefs are ridiculous.” After Storie said that, Vincent walked off into the bedroom.

“
You’re a jerk.” Storie shouted from the other room. He didn’t believe his own words, but he said them anyway. Pierre would have married him as soon as same-sex marriage was legal. Did that mean Pierre loved him more or did Pierre just feel the same about a commitment? A few hours passed, and neither of them spoke.

Storie turned the faucet
, and the hot water stopped flowing out. He submerged his body in the water until it made a meniscus around his neck. A relaxing bath was what he needed. He would have asked Vincent to join him as a form of apology, but Vincent was already sleeping. Just thinking about the way Pierre hands used to feel crawling up his skin made his penis beg to be touched. It was a long time ago, but his body remembered the way Pierre made him glow. Even if he fell in love with Pierre all over again, he could never give up Vincent. Time had diminished their attraction, but nothing could ever rid him of his love for Vincent. It was difficult because he once felt this way for Pierre as well. He stroked his penis underwater until he felt the muscle grow firm. He was masturbating more than ever with so much pent-up. As his penis became a fleshy red color, his phone rang. It wasn’t smart to have the phone in the bathroom, but like most people he felt a strange insecurity if it weren’t by his side. He saw the number and felt awkward answering while he was naked and wet.

“
Hello?”

“
Ah. Storie. I didn’t think you would answer … I’m sorry about what I said earlier.”

“
I really have to go.”

“
I know it’s late, but I couldn’t stop kicking myself for what I said to you.”

“
I’m hanging up now.”

“
Please. Storie. Can we talk? I really need to tell you something. It’s urgent. Meet me outside in ten minutes.”

Storie was silent on the line. Urgent or not, it was none of his business. It was this rekindled attachment to Pierre that made him agree to it.

Storie waited outside in a fleece jacket with nothing but his bare chest underneath. He was going to make this quick. Pierre’s blue Pontiac pulled up next to him.

“
Hi,” Storie greeted in a dry voice.

“
Get in. It’s too chilly to stand outside and talk.”

Storie sat in the passenger seat, staring at him with pensive eyes.

“I’m just gonna come out and say this. I was supposed to tell you earlier.” Pierre looked away, but Storie saw his strangely sad expression reflected on the window pane.

“
Seeing you opened up a wound. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I had to see you before I leave.”

“
Leave?”

“
Yeah. I’m leaving for Paris next week. The next time my feet touch the streets of New York, I’ll be a famous fashion designer.”

Storie fell silent. Neither of them spoke for a moment
, and then Storie said very quietly, staring at the dashboard, “Pierre … I already said goodbye to you once before like this, so why are you doing this again to me? Out of the blue you come – just when I am in rut.”

“
I thought you would want to know. I didn’t mean to hurt you back then.”

Even Storie was surprised with the tears streaming down his cheeks. He was reliving their departure all over again. His voice was reduced to sobs. Pierre drove his face closer with half opened lips and pressed them on Storie
’s. Storie became paralyzed at the warm touch. A strong shuddering controlled his body. He didn’t want to give in, but he was unconsciously succumbing to the dominating man. A small cry weaseled from between his lips as Pierre’s tongue filled his mouth. He felt the warm soft muscle roll over his tongue. As Pierre’s tongue lashed out, a thin trail of saliva crawled from the corner of Storie’s mouth. A jolting feeling filled his body. He was shocked by his docile reaction.

“
I love you,” Pierre quickly said when their lips parted. A faint dizziness crowded Storie’s mind. He wanted to push Pierre away. Pierre always had a way of seducing him that he couldn’t resist. Pierre’s tongue slid down his neck. His teeth bit the zipper and unfastened it until Storie’s bare chest was revealed. The powerless Storie looked at him as the words fell from Pierre’s mouth, “I’m not gonna stop until I devour every inch of you.”

With that said, he planted tiny kisses all over Storie
’s neck, leaving the skin red wherever his lips had touched. The truth was he wanted Pierre’s penis deep inside him. He wiggled his hips, embarrassed that Pierre aroused him so much with just his tongue. He flinched when Pierre’s tongue caressed his sensitive buds that were a bright pink color. The warmness gathered on his skin and his nipples became so hard. He wanted to say stop, but even if he did, Pierre wouldn’t. With Pierre’s hand slipped into his pants, Storie attempted to gain control over himself. His member was throbbing for a release the more Pierre hand stroked it. He was going to lose himself further if this continued. His body was already drowning out any control.

“
Pierre. We have to stop,” he mumbled.

“
You can tell Vincent, I forced you.”

“
No,” Storie struggled to move. Pierre’s mouth covered his collarbone in light red marks. Pierre’s hard member brushed up against Storie’s thigh. When Pierre pulled back to undress the struggling man, Storie’s hand collided with the persistent Pierre’s face. Storie’s chest heaved up and down as all of his thin body was on display.

“
I can’t believe you.”

“
What about you? You want me,” the irritated Pierre said as he regained his posture.

“
I’m going now,” he said. He pulled on the door handle. He violently flinched when he felt Pierre’s hand touch his shoulder.

“
I’m sorry. I went too far. I lost control,” Pierre said. He then revealed a plane ticket from his jacket pocket, “A one way ticket to France. Take it,” he shoved it into the puzzled Storie’s hand, “think of it as my proposal.”

Storie didn
’t feel right the next day. He kept running his fingers along the edges of the ticket. One way to France. A chance to revisit the past. But then there was, of course the love of his life, Vincent.

He wore a turtle neck sweater to hide any marks. Vincent sat on the bed with his arms folded and a sour gaze locked on him. He sat on the floor with his back pressed against the bed.

“I’m sorry,” he said with this being the third time he apologized.

“
You know, you we’re very discreet about meeting with him last night,” Vincent said.

“
I didn’t mean to be.” Storie had told Vincent everything as soon as Vincent came home from work. There was no way he could keep this a secret, but he didn’t say anything about the ticket.

“
I’m sure you can imagine how I feel right now.” Vincent’s voice was cold. Storie didn’t flinch when he felt the new warmth of Vincent’s hand rest on his shoulder. Vincent pulled him closer by the arm, “The thought of his hands on you drives me crazy. I feel if I saw him now, I’d kill him.”

“
Vincent …” Storie’s words drowned out.

“
The thought of you being with him makes me sick.” Vincent’s grip tightened. He was keeping up a good charade of remaining calm. He pressed his damp lips on Storie’s and held him. His hot breath tickled Storie’s skin. Goose-bumps sprang on Storie’s body as their tongues wove together. He tasted coffee on Vincent’s lips.

He then pulled away
, but Vincent pulled him closer.

“
Vincent … wait,” he said with his voice pouring out in chunks, “My phone is vibrating.”

Storie pressed his phone to his ear,
“Hello?”

“
I have to see you again.”

Judging by Storie
’s terrified facial expression, Vincent roared, “Hang up on him.”

“
I can’t Vincent. Please.”

Vincent grabbed the phone from Storie
’s hand. Pressing it to his ear, he said, “I forbid Storie to ever see you again. He’s mine.” Although Vincent couldn’t forbid Storie from doing anything, he said it anyway.

“
I won’t let you influence his decision. I proposed to him last night.”

Vincent dropped the phone. He looked at Storie,
“Is this true? He proposed to you?”

Storie looked down,
“It wasn’t a traditional proposal.” The words weaseled out of his mouth, “He asked me to go Paris with him, and I don’t know what to do. I could let him go again, but then what will I have? A dying relationship. It’s not your fault, but I can’t live like this. You’re always at work, and it can’t be helped but I have needs, too.”

“
What the hell is wrong with you?” Vincent said as he shook Storie’ shoulders.

“
I don’t know how you feel about me anymore,” Storie said. He regained himself and picked up the phone. Indeed, he was confused but the sacrifice was just too great. He jumped at the spur of moment, “Pierre, can you come get me? I want to discuss things.”

Vincent sat in disbelief. Storie stood up. He assumed Pierre was probably on his way already because that was how impatient Pierre was at times. A choice like this was something Storie had dealt with once b
efore, but it hurt all the same. Pierre would’ve have married him already – something Vincent wouldn’t do. He didn’t look at Vincent. He didn’t even close the door behind him.

The cold air of the outside had no feeling on his skin. He walked a little ways past the alley where he and Vincent had once made love. He didn
’t know what he wanted right now. When the Pontiac pulled beside him, he felt a jolt of reality in his chest. Suddenly, nervousness rendered him paralyzed. He paused, hesitant to even touch the car door. Maybe it was because if he got into that car, he’d never see Vincent again.

Pierre stepped out of the car. He slipped his hand around Storie
’s waist and kissed him. The spot from where their lips touched tingled. He looked back, but Pierre grabbed his chin and directed his face toward him. This was it. He could find out what he missed out on a few years ago.

Before he could go any further with Pierre, he noticed Vincent storming down the sidewalk. He knew Vincent would come
, but somewhere in his mind he was trying to prepare himself for what if Vincent didn’t come.

“
Let’s go before he catches up. Don’t let him persuade you. He’s not gonna marry you. I will.”

Storie snatched his hand away from Pierre,
“No, I want to hear what Vincent has to say.”

When Vincent reached Storie, he didn
’t bother to speak; instead he lashed out at Pierre, grabbing him by the cuff of his shirt and raising his fist. Storie grabbed Vincent by the waist and tried to pull him back, but Vincent’s strength was far more powerful.