Special Needs (19 page)

“Why so? The hair?” Ryan slurped his coffee through a straw, but he was getting increasingly tense. Didn't Stuart mind the wheelchair at all?

“I think it’s your eyes, they’re such a beautiful blue. Plus, you’re generally handsome.”

Ryan couldn’t help but smile. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
Where are your flirting skills now, Ryan?

“And there I was, so worried that you’d find me too plain.” Stuart shook his head.

Ryan played around with the ring in the middle of his lip, watching him. Stuart didn’t seem like a guy who could tie him to an office chair and stuff his face full of cock, but who knew?

“I don’t know you very well yet, but you’re brave enough to ask out a stranger. That’s good.” Ryan's heart leapt when a familiar, powerful frame appeared at the cafe entrance. Liam crossed the room holding a rolled up blanket under his arm. Ryan's face lit up to greet his savior. “Thank God!”

Stuart turned to look at Liam, furrowing his eyebrows, but Ryan didn’t pay much attention to it, overcome with relief. His caretaker joined them with a big grin and as he rolled out the blanket, it turned out it depicted a couple of zombies playing cards. “As ordered.”

“Stuart, it was great to meet you. If you still like me after this fail, I’ll leave you my number, yeah?” Ryan hastily put the blanket over his legs and grabbed one of the napkins to scribble his number.

Stuart’s eyes followed his every move. “Please do.”

Ryan handed him the number with a wide smile. “Sorry the date was cut short, but I really have to get out of these pants.”

“I don’t want you to catch a cold.” Stuart bit his lip again, took the napkin and put it into his pocket, careful not to crumple it. “Can I call you today?”

“Yeah, sure, why not. You don’t have to ask.” Ryan patted his hand.

“All right, hands up, mister,” said Liam, picking up the blanket Ryan carelessly tossed into his lap just to obscure the ugly stain. It was so thoughtful of him to get something that actually suited Ryan’s taste.

Ryan swallowed and couldn't help the small smile that tugged on the corners of his mouth as he put his hands in the air, so that Liam could tuck the blanket in place. Ryan looked down at the colorful print again. One of the zombies looked like one of those neo-greasers, with retro tattoos and hair slicked with brylantine. Ryan’s chest tightened.

“Perfect, you can use that on cool days,” decided Liam, stretching his hand towards Stuart who squeezed it reluctantly. “See you around.”

Ryan looked back at his date and said his goodbyes once more. The thought that Stuart liked him enough to be jealous of Liam was a huge boost to his battered gay man ego.

Liam pushed his wheelchair towards the exit, humming some obscure song beneath his breath.

“So what did you do?” Ryan waved back at Stuart once more, but he was mostly interested in Liam, who he abandoned in order to start a mating dance with a guy he just met. He started feeling guilty before Liam opened his mouth.

“I almost had sex, but then I had to get the blanket.” He started laughing and jumped behind the wheelchair. “I didn’t have any rubbers though, so you may have saved my junk.”

“You would have done it without rubbers? And... what? You talked someone into sex so quick?” Ryan tried to turn a bit to show him how shocked he was.

“Nah, I’d probably buy condoms in the restroom. It’s no biggie.” Liam seemed perfectly happy for someone who didn’t score because a paraplegic asked him for a blanket.

“You should have texted.” Ryan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I wasn’t dying.”

Liam shrugged. “She’ll be there next time I come over.
And
I’ve got her number. You seemed pretty desperate in that message.”

Ryan sighed and slouched in the chair. “Yeah, I guess in my situation, something spilled on the pants... you know, I’m actually so lucky to be able to control my bladder.” He talked about this disability so often that he almost made himself believe all these things. The inability to walk was a part of him, even if it wasn't real.

“Don’t worry about it Ryan, it’s not that hard to get laid if you’re me.”

Ryan could practically hear Liam’s self-satisfied grin, and it made him grab his head out of sheer frustration.

“I can imagine,” he muttered. Liam could probably have sex with a different girl every day until San Diego ran out of females.

“Anyway, how was your date besides
the
spill?” Liam leaned down, whispering into his ear from behind as they moved down the corridor, heading to the elevator that would take them to the underground parking lot. His warm breath tickled Ryan’s skin, making him involuntarily curl his toes.

“Good. He’s nice, likes alternative guys, just moved down here. It’s cool. I just got a bit anxious, so I ended it early, but seriously Liam. I’m doing this. It’s now, or never.”

“‘This’? You wanna sleep with him?”

Ryan swallowed hard, feeling a knot form in his stomach. “Yeah, that too, but you know, date him, give it a chance. He’s a bit shy, but I suppose I can work with that.”

“So... you find him attractive?” Liam stopped by the elevator and pressed the button.

“You don’t? The guy’s got nice arms.”

“I’m just asking you, cause you know, there’s plenty fish in the sea. You don’t have to fuck this one.”

“Yeah right. My life is testimony to it. But seriously, hell yeah! Good looking dude with a sexy accent.” Ryan rolled his eyes, making Liam laugh.

“I’m glad, you deserve it.”

Ryan’s cell chose this moment to buzz and it was a text.

‘Had a great time. Will I see you again despite the accident? - Stu’

Ryan felt his face heat up and he looked back at Liam. “See? He can’t wait to see me.” Even the wet trousers didn’t seem that lecherous anymore.

Chapter 11

Liam looked into the ceiling over his large, antique bed. He couldn't help the feeling that something was wrong, but the ceiling wasn't providing an answer. Plus, Cole didn’t reply to his message. With Liam's luck, maybe his brother was proposing right now, after having carried the ring in his pocket for almost a month. The lucky bastard.

And then there was Stuart. During the last few days, Ryan got increasingly agitated. He kept chatting to his new man-crush and wouldn't stop texting, even when they were having dinner together. When he wasn't texting, Ryan gave voice to his dilemmas. ‘When would we do it?’, ‘Would Stuart mind my disability?’, ‘When would he call again?’, ‘Should I call him first?’

Liam didn’t know how he felt about this whole thing. Of course, the guy wouldn't mind Ryan’s disability. With someone like him, it was easy to overlook the chair. He was handsome, smart, funny, had his own business...

“Come on, Cole,” muttered Liam, shooting his cell a hopeful look, but it was the door that gave Liam a signal. Someone banged on it.

“Liam! You dressed?” He heard Ryan from the other side and felt himself relaxing.

“Does it matter?”

There was a moment of silence before Ryan found his voice again. “Yes it does. I don’t want you flashing your butt like a piece of candy I can’t eat.”

Liam rolled out of bed and opened the door with a wide smile. Talking to Ryan did that to him almost every time. “You do look like you’re not eating enough meat.”

“Bastard. You’re the one who’s cooking, so you know, it’s up to you.” Ryan looked up at him, his face as smiley as ever. Liam’s stomach clenched.

“Are you telling me to feed you meat?” He licked his lips. His uneasiness grew with every passing second.

“Come on Liam. Stop poking fun at me. I’ve got news.” Ryan looked like he was close to jumping up in his chair. It was fucking adorable.

“Do tell.” Liam cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, but Ryan grabbed his wrist with warm fingers.

“Come on! I’ll show you.” He tried to pull at Liam’s hand and wheel towards his own room at the same time, but without much success. Liam rolled his eyes and eventually pushed him forward.

“Come on, what’s the big news? You and Stuart getting married?”

“Oh, shut up! Not just yet.” Ryan’s giggle sounded like wind chimes, which it definitely shouldn’t. Liam frowned and slowed down, making Ryan impatient enough to get away and wheel into the master bedroom on his own.

Liam followed him all the way to the computer where Ryan presented him with... a porn site named
Tats&Cocks
. He looked like a schoolboy showing off his best science project. Liam stared, his back breaking in cold sweat.

“Okay...?”

“They've contracted us. They’re gonna come next week and film in the Monster Lair!”

“Oh.” Liam wanted to kick himself in the ankle. He was acting silly and he knew it. It wasn’t exactly time for jealousy. “That’s great. But is that gay, or straight porn?”

“It’s gay,” Ryan whispered as if it was a secret. “And there’s this one actor coming. I can’t believe I’ll get to meet him.” His cheekbones got a lovely shade of pink. He clicked through to the profile of ‘Matt Powers’. In the main picture, the actor stood with a chainsaw in hand, wearing nothing but a pair of white briefs and combat boots. Tattooed tentacles wrapped around his arms in what seemed a deadly grip, and there were smaller designs all over his exposed skin.

Liam’s mouth watered. “You wanna fuck him?” He would almost want to watch that. Almost.

Ryan looked up at him. “How is that even a question? But it’s not gonna happen. It's more than enough that I’ll get to meet him... Watch him maybe...” He swallowed hard and looked down to his knees. “Damn, it’s gonna be so hot in here.”

Liam snorted and stopped himself from gritting his teeth. “Right.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I being inappropriate?” Ryan blushed in exasperation and closed the website. That didn’t help much, as he had the same porn star set as his wallpaper. The man’s dark piercing eyes and intimidating expression were really something. So was his dick. Fuck, was that thing huge.

“No, I just think that you should fuck him,” Liam blurted out, feeling even hotter and more miserable. What was wrong with him? That wasn’t the plan. The plan was to get over the attraction for another boss as soon as that boss got a boyfriend. It didn’t work out.

“No, no, I’m dating Stuart now. I wouldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be cool.” Ryan looked at his computer and turned the screen off whatsoever. “But thanks for the thought, Liam.” He laughed it off and waved his hand at the computer.

“You mean, for trying to pimp you out?”

“That’s horrible!” Ryan nudged him with an elbow. “And he seems to like, you know, able-bodied guys. That place is like a stud-factory.”

“I usually date able-bodied people, but I don’t mind a chair.” Liam spread his arms, helplessly drowning in Ryan’s blue eyes. God, he was so jealous. So jealous.

Ryan blew some stray hair out of his face and shrugged. “You say that ‘cause it’s your job, but it wouldn’t be so much fun to have to tug your date along everywhere. I can’t even go to the beach, cause the wheels would sink in the sand.” His face got a lot more serious all of a sudden.

“I could carry my date to the beach.” Liam snapped his t-shirt off and flexed all of his muscles. “I’m strong. Why would I mind?”

It got him the reaction he was going for - Ryan's pupils got wide enough to swallow the blue of his irises. “You wouldn’t be annoyed at some point?”

Liam sighed. He didn’t know for sure, but he wanted to believe that he wouldn’t. “As long as they weren’t a cunt.”

Ryan laughed out loud. “Wow. I know it sounds stupid in this context but... would you mind taking
me
to the beach? I was thinking about it for some time now.”

Liam swallowed, gently rubbing Ryan’s arm for a moment. All smooth skin and muscle. “Sure. Should I take anything special?”

“I kinda thought... It would be the first time. Would you mind filming some of it? So I can show my friends online?” Ryan smiled up at him.

Liam lifted an eyebrow, but didn’t comment on how weird that request was. “You never go to the beach? You practically live on the beach.”

“I can only go to the pier. I didn’t wanna bother you when you’re surfing and stuff.” Ryan’s face was so open and honest that it made Liam uncomfortable to think he was lying to him.

“Don’t be an idiot. Gather your stuff and call me when you’re ready, okay?”

“Mhm, sure! I’ll change and get the camera and everything! We’ll celebrate. This contract is gonna be some good cash and extra publicity. I’m so excited.” Ryan wheeled over to his wardrobe.

“Yeah.” Liam bit his lip, nervous and thrilled at the same time. There weren't that many people wandering around close to their beach, so they would most likely be alone, just the two of them getting warm in the sun and chatting. Maybe Ryan would let him carry him into the water? That would be cool.

Ryan looked back at him and took out the wetsuit pants out of the closet. With those custom stiff sides, they looked like an armor for a scuba diver.