dirty.
The doc waved the phone at Jim. “Talk to you tomorrow. Ta.” He turned and strolled out of the building like some panther heading out to hunt.
“Man.” Just being near that guy made him antsy, but that didn’t stop Jim from saying he’d have lunch with him. Oh yeah, and his architect lover who was also gay. Jesus, was everyone he knew gonna turn up gay now? But maybe, just maybe, Tanaka might save his bacon.
He walked back into the suite, locked up, and headed home, trying to keep his thoughts on how he’d change the suite layout if he had to and not on lips that could give lessons in blow jobs just by showing up.
When he stepped into his apartment, he was greeted by smells that only occurred in restaurants and in his dreams. Jim followed his nose to the stove. “What are you making?”
“Pork chops with Italian sauce a la Ian. There are some browned potatoes and spinach.”
His mouth actually watered. “Is it illegal to chain your brother to the stove?”
“Only in some states, but it may go to the Supreme Court.”
Fifteen minutes later, Ian’s claims to chef status were verified. Pork chops juicy and packed with flavor. “This is amazing.”
“Glad you like it. I’ve gotta earn my keep somehow.”
“How did your day go?”
“I got a job.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. I’m a busboy at a Mexican restaurant.”
“Don’t you have to speak Spanish to hold a job like that?”
“I can manage a little since I took Spanish in high school. I think they’re pretty amused by me. I’m their token gringo.”
“Man, you don’t mess around. Can you bring food home?”
“Yep. And I signed up for community college.”
“Jesus, Ian, you make me feel like a slacker. No wonder you’re Dad’s poster boy.”
“Was. Was his poster boy.” Ian touched Jim’s arm. “You’re no slacker. Hell, man, you’ve been fending for yourself since you were sixteen. That’s not easy.”
Jim shrugged. “I chose it. They would have sent me to college if I’d just toed the line.”
“Toed their line.”
“Yeah.” He took another bite and chewed. “But don’t glamorize me, buddy. I’ve been getting by with the minimum for a lot of years. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It’s time I grew up.”
“How was your day? The new job?”
“Pretty wild. The building owner came in and said she may be changing the tenants and I’ll have to find an architect to sign off on new plans. The guy Billy uses is gone.” He didn’t want to worry Ian with the heart thing.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ve got a line on an architect that might be able to help.” Sort of.
“I’ll be glad to look at the plans for you too. Not that I can sign them, but I apprenticed in an architectural firm after school. It was supposed to give me good brownie points for getting into Berkeley.” He made a face.
“That would be great. I don’t know this guy at all. He’s just a friend of, uh, somebody I know. So maybe you can do some of the work, and he can just approve it.”
“Sure, I’d love to do that.”
Jim grinned. “You’re pretty handy to have around.”
Ian’s eyes got shiny. “Thanks. You don’t mind that I’m gay?”
Jim leaned over and slid his arm around Ian’s neck. “Hey, you’re my brother and I love you. Besides, these days it seems like all my best friends are gay.” He gave his brother a quick squeeze. “I’ll help you clean up, and then I need to get to bed. I didn’t sleep a lot last night.”
“No, I got this. You go to bed. I’ll turn off the lights.”
“I should keep you company.”
“Anderson will do that.” The kitten lay flat on its back in the middle of the ratty couch, sound asleep.
“Such a sparkling conversationalist.”
“He has hidden depths. Seriously, get some rest.”
“Okay. I’ll take you up on it.” He walked into his bedroom and closed the door. No lie. He felt like he could sleep a week. Still. He opened the box under the bed and
The doc waved the phone at Jim. “Talk to you tomorrow. Ta.” He turned and strolled out of the building like some panther heading out to hunt.
“Man.” Just being near that guy made him antsy, but that didn’t stop Jim from saying he’d have lunch with him. Oh yeah, and his architect lover who was also gay. Jesus, was everyone he knew gonna turn up gay now? But maybe, just maybe, Tanaka might save his bacon.
He walked back into the suite, locked up, and headed home, trying to keep his thoughts on how he’d change the suite layout if he had to and not on lips that could give lessons in blow jobs just by showing up.
When he stepped into his apartment, he was greeted by smells that only occurred in restaurants and in his dreams. Jim followed his nose to the stove. “What are you making?”
“Pork chops with Italian sauce a la Ian. There are some browned potatoes and spinach.”
His mouth actually watered. “Is it illegal to chain your brother to the stove?”
“Only in some states, but it may go to the Supreme Court.”
Fifteen minutes later, Ian’s claims to chef status were verified. Pork chops juicy and packed with flavor. “This is amazing.”
“Glad you like it. I’ve gotta earn my keep somehow.”
“How did your day go?”
“I got a job.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. I’m a busboy at a Mexican restaurant.”
“Don’t you have to speak Spanish to hold a job like that?”
“I can manage a little since I took Spanish in high school. I think they’re pretty amused by me. I’m their token gringo.”
“Man, you don’t mess around. Can you bring food home?”
“Yep. And I signed up for community college.”
“Jesus, Ian, you make me feel like a slacker. No wonder you’re Dad’s poster boy.”
“Was. Was his poster boy.” Ian touched Jim’s arm. “You’re no slacker. Hell, man, you’ve been fending for yourself since you were sixteen. That’s not easy.”
Jim shrugged. “I chose it. They would have sent me to college if I’d just toed the line.”
“Toed their line.”
“Yeah.” He took another bite and chewed. “But don’t glamorize me, buddy. I’ve been getting by with the minimum for a lot of years. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It’s time I grew up.”
“How was your day? The new job?”
“Pretty wild. The building owner came in and said she may be changing the tenants and I’ll have to find an architect to sign off on new plans. The guy Billy uses is gone.” He didn’t want to worry Ian with the heart thing.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ve got a line on an architect that might be able to help.” Sort of.
“I’ll be glad to look at the plans for you too. Not that I can sign them, but I apprenticed in an architectural firm after school. It was supposed to give me good brownie points for getting into Berkeley.” He made a face.
“That would be great. I don’t know this guy at all. He’s just a friend of, uh, somebody I know. So maybe you can do some of the work, and he can just approve it.”
“Sure, I’d love to do that.”
Jim grinned. “You’re pretty handy to have around.”
Ian’s eyes got shiny. “Thanks. You don’t mind that I’m gay?”
Jim leaned over and slid his arm around Ian’s neck. “Hey, you’re my brother and I love you. Besides, these days it seems like all my best friends are gay.” He gave his brother a quick squeeze. “I’ll help you clean up, and then I need to get to bed. I didn’t sleep a lot last night.”
“No, I got this. You go to bed. I’ll turn off the lights.”
“I should keep you company.”
“Anderson will do that.” The kitten lay flat on its back in the middle of the ratty couch, sound asleep.
“Such a sparkling conversationalist.”
“He has hidden depths. Seriously, get some rest.”
“Okay. I’ll take you up on it.” He walked into his bedroom and closed the door. No lie. He felt like he could sleep a week. Still. He opened the box under the bed and
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