A Betting Man (10 page)

“I rather liked your punk rock look.”

I blinked.

“Pardon me?”

“You didn’t really think we wouldn’t come looking for you, did you?” my father said with a grin.

My mother chuckled. “Your father loved playing ‘spy’ in New York. He became quite good at it.”

I opened my mouth to speak and my mom put her hand up.

“We love you, Terry. We just wanted to make sure you were all right. Your father and I had a long talk after you left. We realize we didn’t deal with your news very well. We both love you very much and if you want to stay in New York and dye your hair pink, well, we’ll be fine with that, too.”

I smiled. I couldn’t help it. “I’m not
that
gay, Mum.”

“You look tired, darling. Why don’t you go on up to bed?”

I looked at the time. I’d forgotten England was six hours ahead. I
was
tired. Emotionally and physically. I said my goodnights and went to my room. My parents had left it just as it had been and my heart ached thinking about Mary and Carl. I took a shower and fell into bed, staring at the ceiling. My cell rang, which surprised me and I looked at the caller ID. Spencer was calling me. I hit ‘talk’ and rolled over on my side.

“Hey, Spencer,” I said.

“Hey, kid. How are you?”

“Exhausted.”

“Um, I don’t know if I should tell you this or not, but I did kind of say I would.”

I sat up in bed. “What is it? Is everything okay?”

Spencer sighed loudly on his end.

“Kent Samson came by this morning. I hate to say this, kid, but he looked like shit warmed over.”

I chewed on the end of my nail. “What did he say?”

“He said he loves you, Terry, and dammit, I believe him.”

“I was a bet, Spencer.”

“Maybe at first, but the man I saw this morning was broken. He even brought his juicy sidekick with him to vouch for him.”

I started. “Did you say his juicy sidekick?”

“Did I?”

I grinned into the phone. “Yes, you did.”

“I must be high,” Spencer laughed. “Anyway, Kent Samson is in love with you, Terry, it was all over his face. So what are you going to do about it? I can’t have my best guy in jolly old England. I need you here.”

“Just…give me a couple days, all right? I promise I’ll come back. I love my job and my boss rocks,” I chuckled.

“Damn straight I do. Sleep tight, Terry.”

“Night, Spencer.”

I hung up the phone and shut it off. My bed felt weird. I missed Kent’s Sleep Number bed. I missed Kent. Did he truly love me? Or was this just wounded pride? I closed my eyes. I’d think about it in the morning.

* * * *

I woke up at least three times during the night. By seven in the morning, I gave up trying to sleep. I trudged downstairs to the kitchen and found my mother and father at the table with cups of tea. My mother gestured to the coffeepot with one hand and I smiled and kissed her head. They weren’t coffee people, but I always had been. I poured a cup and turned to see a package on the table.

“What’s that?” I asked, taking a seat.

“It arrived this morning, addressed to you.” My mother pushed the box towards me.

My father gestured to the box. “Well, open it. I’ve been dying to find out what it is.”

I pulled the tape off the box and opened one side. The smell of a Gray’s Papaya hotdog floated into the room. An envelope sat on top of the hotdog and I opened it. It was a picture of Kent and me at the awards ceremony. It was when he’d won. He was smiling at me, his hands cupping my face and our foreheads pressed together. My heart ached. That had been a wonderful night up until…

“He’s very handsome,” my mother said, leaning over to get a better view. “He looks like Beckham.”

I snorted and then laughed. I turned the picture over and read the words.

Terry,

God knows I screwed up. What started out as a bet became the best thing to ever happen to me. I wasn’t lying when I said I love you, because I do. I know you may never forgive me, but the man who fell in love with you is the one you met in Alabama, not in New York. You make me want to be Kenny. I won’t pressure you; I know I don’t deserve another chance. Just know that I fell in love with Terry, purple streak and all.

Always, Kenny.

I realized I was crying. Damn that asshole for making me weep. My mother palmed my cheek and I lost it. I cried in her arms like I was twelve all over again. Once I had calmed down, I told them everything. My mother smiled at me and ran her fingers through my now-short hair.

“Do you love this man, Terry?”

I nodded slowly.

“It seems to me that your decision has already been made then.”

“But he
lied.
”

“Yes, he did.” My father folded his hands together. “But he also came clean and sent you a hot dog. This man went to great lengths to look up our address, not knowing if you would be here and sent a hot dog from New York City all in a matter of days.”

“Who would have thought a hot dog could convey so much?” My mother shook her head with a smile.

I looked from my mother to my father. “So you think I should forgive him? Take him back?”

“The question is,” Mum took my face in her hands. “What do you think?”

I didn’t have to think. I knew.

~KENT~

I woke up to find Harrison Ford staring at me. I groaned and rolled over, hiding my face in the pillow. I’d come home. I hadn’t told my parents what had happened yet—the shame of my actions kept me silent. My mother could tell I was upset. When she’d picked me up from the airport and noticed I was alone, she put two and two together. She didn’t push, just left me to myself. I felt like hell. The sounds of pots and pans forced me from bed and I dragged my ass to the kitchen. My mother was throwing bacon into a pan and my father was making coffee. I pulled the chair out from the kitchen table, sat down, and banged my head on it.

“Good morning, Kenny.” My father put a cup of coffee down in front of me.

“Eh,” I rolled my head to the side and noticed them both looking at me. “I’m going to tell you what happened, but I want a solid promise that you won’t stop loving me for being an asshole.”

“We haven’t stopped loving you yet, and you’ve been an asshole for five years,” my father drawled.

I winced. Yeah, I deserved it.

“Fair enough,” I said and then continued. “Blaine and I made a bet.” My mother frowned and I swallowed hard. “He bet me that I couldn’t make the next person who walked into my office fall in love with me. I had to make it look like I loved them, too, and people had to believe it.”

“Oh, Kenny,” my mother shook her head sadly.

“Terry found out about the bet the night of the awards ceremony, but I swear Mom, I love him, I really do.”

My mother came to the table and sat down, taking my hands.

“I know that, I could see it whenever you looked at him.”

“I screwed it all up! I just want him to know how much I love him, Mom.”

“Well, you’re going to have to suck it up, son. You don’t have control of the situation, Terry does. If he decides you don’t deserve a second chance, well, you’re going to have to take it like a man,” my father said.

Ajax started barking outside and I eyed my parents.

“Didn’t you feed him?”

My mother stood up and shot me a look. “Of course we did. He never barks unless we have company.” She pulled the curtains back.

I stood up and stretched my back out. “Well, the mailman has been known to come early… at least he did when I was living here.”

“Yes, he has, and he still does. I think he’s got a package for us. Could you go help him with it, Kenny?”

“Mom,” I put my hands on my hips. “I’m in my pajamas.”

“It’s not like they’re Scooby Doo footie pajamas! They’re flannel. Now shoo!”

My mom swatted me in the ass and I huffed out the front door. I bounded down the steps and stopped at the bottom of them. Terry was crouched down petting Ajax.

“Terry?” I swore it was a mirage, my eyes just playing tricks on me.

Terry stood up and half waved at me.

“Hi. I did have a hot dog but Ajax molested me.”

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and took a few steps closer. Terry took a few as well.

“I’m so sorry, Terry, for everything. I can’t tell you how much I regret what I’ve done. I was planning to tell you the night of the awards banquet, but by the time we spoke I figured you would think I was just trying to cover my ass. All I do know is that I fell in love with you, and I want to be the man who I hope you fell in love with, too.”

I waited tensely for Terry to say something, anything. He walked closer to me still and stopped right in front of me.

“I do love you, Kent.” Terry took my face in his hands. “I’m in love with you.”

I grabbed Terry and kissed him like I needed him to live, because I really did. His arms wrapped around me and he returned the kiss. I couldn’t get enough of him. God, I had missed him so much. I heard sniffling behind us and I broke the kiss. Terry and I both looked over at the front door. My mother was wiping her nose with a napkin and my father was grinning

“Oh, don’t mind us,” my mom waved the napkin at us. “Please, continue.”

Terry laughed and ran for my mother. Both my parents enveloped him in a hug. I watched the man I love get squeezed to death by my parents. I looked down to see Ajax watching the scene. I swore he was smiling.

* * * *

We’d been back in New York for a week. Terry moved in with me, but we were planning on finding another place to live. I wanted us to be on neutral ground; besides, Terry hated my refrigerator. It talked to you and the first time it’d spoken to Terry, juice had flown all over the kitchen. He still came by every day with lunch for me and Anna, and was now working on planning her wedding. Terry had insisted that I go out to lunch with him and Spencer so that I could smooth things over with his boss. I’d brought Blaine as back-up. That had been interesting. Blaine barely spoke four words the entire meal and I swore he was nervous. If you knew Blaine, you’d know that’s, like, one of the signs of the apocalypse or something.

I heard the front door open and looked over my shoulder. Terry was walking his bike onto the balcony. Damn he looked good today. He looked good every day. We were making plans to be in England over the summer. His parents wanted to meet mine. That should be…well…interesting.

“Hey you,” I smiled and put my arms out for a hug.

Terry walked into my arms and snuggled into me. God, but he smelled fantastic. I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him lightly.

“I made dinner.” I motioned to the hotdogs on the table.

“Aw hunnyyy, you shouldn’t have!” Terry drawled.

I winked at him and bent over the table. “Guess what I’ve had all day?”

Terry’s brows furrowed and then his eyes widened.

“Really? You want to?”

“I haven’t been walking around like I’ve got a corncob up my ass for nuthin’!”

Terry cracked up, then sobered.

“Are you sure?”

I walked over to him and took him in my arms.

“I’ve never been more sure.”

The lamp was on, casting a glow around the room as I removed my pants. Terry sat on the bed, clasping his hands, watching me remove my clothing. I bent over in front of him as I slid my boxers down my thighs and I heard a small gasp. My butt plug was wedged nicely inside my ass. I moved to straighten up and felt Terry’s warm hand slide up my spine.

“Hold onto the dresser,” he said quietly.

I leaned over and put my hands on the dresser. Hands slid up my spine, then caressed my ass. I held my breath as Terry’s fingers brushed the plug in my ass. A shiver ran down the length of me as Terry pulled it out slowly and then pushed it back in. A warm moist heat surrounded one of my balls, as Terry mouthed it, all while pushing and pulling the plug. My legs were already shaking; Terry’s expert fingers were trailing across one of my cheeks, as the other hand kept a nice slow rhythm with the plug. I swore under my breath as the plug was slowly removed. Terry’s tongue glided across my ass cheek and fluttered over my hole. My fingernails dug into the wood of my dresser as Terry slowly fucked my asshole with his tongue. It was the single most erotic thing that’s ever been done to me. I was going to marry this man. Terry’s tongue slid all the way up my spine and then he was breathing in my ear.

“Ready?”

Terry nudged my hole with his cock and goose bumps broke out down my arms.

“Yes.” I held my breath.

Terry inched in, his free hand stroking my now flaccid cock. I wasn’t used to this, and the pressure mounting in my chest as Terry slid in further was becoming almost unbearable. Terry kissed my shoulder, whispering words of comfort to me as he slid back out slowly, his hand keeping that stroke on my cock. Little by little, as Terry pressed into me then retreated, I felt the pleasure taking place of the pain. Terry slid in, bottoming out and I let out a gasp.

“Okay?” Terry tried to comfort me.

“What...what is that?” My cock was now at full mast. Terry had hit something inside me.

“That is what I’m going to drive you crazy with,” Terry whispered in my ear.

And oh God, he did. Terry had a grip on my hips and was thrusting into me. I didn’t think it was possible to feel so much pleasure. I came all over my dresser. Terry shuddered behind me and fell over on my back, breathing hard. I felt him pull out of me slowly and then heard him tying off the condom. I slid down to the floor and flopped on my back, staring at the ceiling. Terry came to my side and ran his fingertips down my chest.

“How do you feel?”

“Is that a trick question?” I chuckled. I looked up at Terry’s face and reached out to caress his cheek. “It was perfect. I love you, Terry.”

“I love you, too.”

We showered and fell into bed. I looked at the time and closed my eyes. I laughed as Terry’s stomach growled. We’d forgotten about the hot dogs.

“Hungry?” I asked.

“Yes.” Terry sat up.

“No, stay here,” I said.

“No, don’t go.” Terry took my hand and pulled me back. “At least not yet.”