Chapter Two

 

“Oh, no, he didn’t!” Abraham Golden exclaimed, barely pausing in his application of the colorant as he gave his customer a nudge. “He did not have you pick him up from his boy toy’s house!”

He watched in the mirror as Kim, one of Golden Shears’ most loyal, and frequent, customers, gave him an immaculately arched brow over an evil grin. “Oh yes, he did. Granted, he had no idea that the little twerp would lock him out. Without his keys and wallet.” She blew out of the corner of her mouth at a strand of hair, and Abe deftly caught it with a finger, clipping it out of the way, as he waited for her to continue. “All he had was his iPhone and his pants. I have a feeling that if he’d had at least a shirt, he would’ve called the car service. But I imagine that he thought I’d be more discreet.”

Abe caught his tongue between his teeth as he gave Kim a wink in the mirror. “He so doesn’t know you, does he?” He finished the last section on auto-pilot, segmenting her hair and brushing on the gel while his mind was on Kim’s yummy boss, Geoffrey Radcliffe, who apparently occasionally took a walk on the cock side. He frowned as something occurred to him.

“Wait, so if his little friend had locked him out, how did you know…?”

“That he was a he? That’s the best part.” Kim turned clear around in her chair, her dark eyes snapping with delight.

Abe leaned forward in anticipation of the climax, stripping the gloves off his hands and making a blind toss to the trash can.

“Just as I pull up and Geoff is coming toward the car, the guy comes out of the house with nothing but underwear on and starts screaming all sorts of clichéd things at him, about how he was lousy in bed, a skanky cheat on the down-low, that he should go back to his mama.” Kim paused as Abe choked on a laugh. “Oh, it gets better. Then he starts throwing all Geoff’s things out on the lawn and yelled to me that if I was Jesse, I was welcome to him, and ended by screaming at Geoff, ‘Call me Jesse while you fuck me? Fuck you!’ What a scene! It was fantastic.”

Abe was rapt, his mouth ajar. Now this was the best dish he’d had in months. “Oops! Yeah, gotta keep those names straight. Okay, so who’s Jesse, the girlfriend?”

Kim turned back to the mirror with a giggle. “Nope. He hasn’t seen anyone since the divorce that I’ve known of. And I would know,” she added confidently. “No, apparently Jesse is his first love… his first guy.” She waggled her eyebrows meaningfully.

“He told you this? Boy, when he comes out, he shares all the way.” Abe finished wrapping her head and covered it with a towel before spinning the chair next to Kim around and perching on it. He really needed to get back to the office while her color set, but this was way too juicy a conversation to walk away from.

“He didn’t have to tell me. Just last week, Friday, he got an e-mail message from the guy. Jesse Sullivan. Let’s see.” She mentally searched the dead-on memory for detail that made her an excellent assistant. “He couldn’t believe it had been over twenty years since they ‘went their separate ways’.” She used her index fingers for quotes. “He just went through a divorce. He said that he was going to be home for the holidays and really wanted to see Geoff. Oh, and he mentioned that he’d be staying in a hotel. It’s gotta be him. I’ve been doing Geoff’s Christmas shopping and cards for him for over ten years. There is no other Jesse in his life.”

“Huh, over twenty years ago, so high school or college age? And you’ve been with him for over ten and have never seen him with anyone but his ex-wife, right? Guess the twink had a point.” Abe sat back in the chair and swiveled from side to side. “Heard from his old flame and had to go out and get some dick after all these years. Just wasn’t together enough to shout out the right name.” He tsked and shook his head. “Shame for a fine piece of man like that to be buried in the closet.” Abe sighed regretfully. Geoff Radcliffe was a seriously drool-worthy stud, but obviously conflicted. And hung up on his long-lost lover to boot.

“I agree,” Kim agreed demurely, and something about her tone had Abe looking at her sharply.

“Uh oh. Why do I feel like I should duck and cover?”

Kim shrugged as she studied her perfect nails. “I have no idea. I was just going to suggest—”

Abe had to nip this in the bud. He interrupted, “Time to rinse.”

“No, it’s not.” Kim slanted him a knowing look. “So what’s happening in your love life right now?”

“Sweetie, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Suffice it to say, I have more than my hands full.”

“Liar. I heard that Tyler moved to California last week.”

Abe felt a little foreign embarrassment shoot through him. “How did you hear about that?”

“Lula,” Kim replied smugly, naming Abe’s assistant manager.

Abe immediately sought out the tattletale with his gaze, spotting her at the till. She waggled her fingers across the room at him, and he gritted his teeth, returning his attention to Kim.

“Okay, I can see where you want to go with this, babe, but seriously, I don’t need those kind of complications in my life. I like my men gay, out, and proud to flaunt it.”

Kim shrugged, going back to examining her nails. “Well, it was worth a shot. Mmm, you should’ve seen him without his shirt on. All those lunch workouts at the gym sure have paid off.” She peeked up at Abe as he tried to tamp down the little shot of heat that zinged straight to his cock at the thought of Geoff Radcliffe shirtless and shoeless. He had only ever seen the older man coming and going in the building lobby, always immaculately turned out in a suit and tie, which was usually not Abe’s preferred style on his men, but was frankly sexy as hell on the guy. He wore a suit well. Very well. And Abe knew a lickable, ripped body when he saw one, covered up or not.

Abe closed his eyes and muffled a groan as a visual of that fine, slacks-covered ass popped into his head, then proceeded to morph into a delectable view of what Abe imagined Geoff’s naked backside would look like. He bit his lip and opened his eyes, meeting Kim’s knowing gaze.

“I’ve made his travel plans for the holidays, and he’s leaving in less than a week. Which doesn’t give us much time.”

Abe dreaded the answer, but felt compelled to ask anyway. “Time for what?”

Kim just smiled a little Mona Lisa smile. “Time for you to snag him before that divorced, rebounding man-whore on the prowl gets his claws back into him.” She leaned forward. “I have a plan.”

 

*  *  *

Geoff walked warily into the outer office, remembering with relief that Kim was going to be in late. Thank God. After the debacle this weekend, he wasn’t sure he would ever be able look her in the eye again.

Exhausted from lack of sleep, he suddenly wished that he had stopped for a coffee. Maybe he’d order in. He sighed. No, he’d run down to the coffee place on the shopping level. Usually Kim picked up his coffee fix for him, which he subsidized by paying for hers too. He hung up his suit coat and set his case on the desk, before patting his back pocket in what had become a very familiar habit over the past day, verifying that his wallet was there.

Geoff walked back toward the elevator as his mind inevitably went back to Saturday night’s nightmare. He had gone home as usual on Friday, planning to go out somewhere, but when he went through his closet, he was dismayed to realize he had suits at one end of the spectrum and faded jeans and athletic wear at the other end, but nothing in between. He hadn’t gone out to a bar or club, other than work events, since college.

So Saturday had been spent shopping. He had finally found a hip, expensive place with a sympathetic employee who made it her project to dress him out. Geoff had to admit that the form-fitting slacks and silk tops, the stylish jeans and tight T-shirts all fit him well and made him feel more confident. Geoff was almost ready to go Saturday night when he discovered a problem. The pants he chose were so tight that the bulges of his wallet and keys and phone were really noticeable. Then he spied a leather vest in the pile and slipped it on over his tight black T-shirt. Perfect. The inner pockets were just the right size to hold everything without being visible.

By the time Geoff had finished his first beer, he had two more beers and a shot lined up, and had stammered his way through rejecting several invitations to dance, or more, from both men and women. Flattered, but feeling wholly out of his element, he once again resolved to work on what he came here for, a little practice in the sexy, flirty chatting he’d been on the receiving end of all night. When Troy had approached him and made it very clear very quickly that he was interested, available, and willing, Geoff couldn’t help but respond to his blatant invitation. It had been nearly a year since anyone had touched him besides himself, and Troy had been squeezing and stroking him all throughout their conversation.

The elevator door closed Geoff in its comforting privacy, and he hung his head as he tried to block out the rest of the evening. When Troy had gone ballistic, Geoff knew that it was time to go. He had managed to pull on his tight, new slacks and had retrieved his phone from his vest to call a cab, when he was taken by surprise at the strength and intent of the smaller man as he manhandled him toward the front door, shoving him out and locking the door behind him. He had tried to get Troy to open the door for nearly twenty minutes, freezing his ass off, barefoot and half-dressed in the glow of the Christmas decorations, before he finally gave up and dialed Kim.

He walked off the elevator and crossed the festively decorated atrium area toward the coffee shop. “I definitely need to give Kim a raise,” he muttered to himself as he joined the line waiting to place their orders. Geoff shuffled forward automatically as the seemingly endless line moved in front of him. Lost in thought, his gaze drifted around the retail area, and he noticed an upscale hair salon in the far corner. One of Troy’s jibes from Saturday night suddenly rang in his ears, drowning out the cheerful Christmas Musak. Old man. Can’t even remember who you’re fucking.

Coffee in hand, he walked over to take a closer look. Golden Shears. Even if he didn’t get something done to his grey, it would a lot handier to get trims here in the building. He stopped in shock a few yards from the door. “Oh God,” he groaned aloud as none other than Kim exited the salon and began walking toward him, her eyes showing surprise as she registered his approach. As she reached him, she hooked her hand through his elbow and turned without a word, escorting him toward the salon.

“Kim, where are we going?”

“Where you were going in the first place,” she retorted as she became the second person that week to manhandle him past a door he didn’t want to go through.

Once inside, he opened his mouth to protest, and snapped it closed again as he beheld the sexiest man he had ever seen in his life. Standing well under six feet, he nevertheless carried himself in a confident manner that made him appear much larger in stature. He was lean and tightly muscled, as evidenced by his clingy, collared sleeveless shirt and tight jeans.

Oh my God, what’s happening to me? His cock stirred, and he tried to think of something deflating. Ah yes, Saturday night’s fun ending.

 Back under control, he was baffled by his response. Just looking at this guy made him hard, whereas it had taken Troy considerable groping and whispered lewd comments. First Jesse, then Troy, now this guy. What, am I going through a mid-life crisis? Focus, Geoff, you need to figure things out with Jesse before you go off on any more youthful tangents.

The man’s golden blond hair was arranged in a disheveled modern cut, and interested hazel eyes met his as he finished woolgathering and completed his assessment. Geoff flushed as he realized that he’d been checking the man out rather blatantly for some time.

“This is Abe Golden, my colorist. Abe, my boss, Geoff Radcliffe.”

“Hi Abe, good to meet you,” Geoff responded to Kim’s introduction automatically. Golden? Is that like a stage name? He matches his hair, or maybe he dyes it to match his name.

“Nope, it’s really mine. The hair color and the name. The greats shortened it from Goldenbaum to sound less Jewish.”

Geoff would have happily sunk through the floor as he realized he had said that aloud. Could this week get any more embarrassing? And what am I even still doing here?

“Okay, well, you already have your coffee, and no appointments, so I’ll head up and leave you in Abe’s capable hands.”

“What?” the two men echoed as Kim walked out the door, abandoning them.