Blood Lure (8 page)
“Come …” Quince took both Jared and Marcus by the arm and led them from the chamber. “Share a glass with me before you leave. I have secured something rather sweet, and warm… I am only sorry that Joseph saw fit to leave in such haste.”
Jared would have liked nothing better than for him and Marcus to return to Los Angeles immediately, but Quince was not one he could refuse easily. He was, after all, their elected leader. Besides, Joey had left a message saying he’d gone home for a few days. A glass of Quince’s ‘wine’ to celebrate his vindication wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
From the other side of the council chamber Andrew watched Jared leave accompanied by Marcus and Joseph. His eyes welled with unbidden tears and the anger he’d held in his heart for so long evaporated, leaving him with a feeling of loss and emptiness.
What had he just done?
Apart from the humiliation of being proved wrong in his accusation, he had most likely alienated himself from Jared forever. He should cry out, stop Jared from leaving without giving him a proper apology. He had not missed the contempt in the eyes of Marcus Verano, a man whom Andrew greatly admired, when he had failed to do so earlier.
Oh, Jared, I am an unmitigated fool, and an even greater one for letting you walk away like this
.
Sensing Andrew’s despair, his uncle gave an impatient snort of displeasure. “You are too sentimental by half, Andrew.” He gripped Andrew’s arm, trying to lead him to the door.
“Jared Lantos is not worthy of your concern.”
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“Is he not?” Andrew jerked his arm free of his uncle’s grip. “Then why can’t I help but feel that in addition to losing my brother, I have also lost the dearest friend I ever had?”
When Joey awoke the following morning, his first thoughts were of Jared. He had dreamed of him all night. Dreams that seemed so real at times he imagined he would find Jared lying next to him, the erotic sensation of his cool, smooth body pressed to his, the softness of Jared’s lips nuzzling his neck and shoulders. The ecstasy that Jared had brought him. He groaned. His morning wood throbbed in his hand…
“Joey, breakfast’s ready!” His mother’s call from downstairs had him quickly jerking his hand away from his cock. He chuckled. Even now his mom could make him feel guilty about giving himself a hand job. He rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. A pee would help cool his carnal thoughts about Jared.
Wonder how his meeting’s going?
His parents were sitting at the kitchen table when he bounced downstairs.
“Morning, Mom, Dad.” He gave them both a hug then sat at the table, helping himself to a bowl of cereal.
“Did you sleep well, dear?”
He smiled at his mother and nodded. “Yeah, like a top.”
“Tops spin,” his father said. “Doesn’t sound like a good night’s sleep to me.”
Joey grinned. “Just an expression, Dad.”
“You had a vivid dream, didn’t you?”
“Huh? Oh yes, a dream. Funny, usually I can never remember what they’re about.”
His father fixed him with a look. His eyes had lost their usual vacant stare and seemed as sharp and focussed as they had been briefly the night before.
“You remembered this one though, and will for a long time.”
“Dad…” Joey forced out a weak chuckle. “What the heck are you talking about?”
His father sighed, his shoulders sagging as he looked away from his son’s puzzled expression.
“What were we talking about?”
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“Just finish your coffee, darling.” Arlene rose from the table pausing to stroke her husband’s hair as she passed by his chair. “It’s a beautiful day, so I thought we’d go sit in the park later. Will you join us, Joey?”
“Of course. I’ll just run upstairs and have a shower first. See you in a few minutes.”
His father looked up at him as Joey got to his feet. “Dreams,” he muttered. “Sometimes they’re all we’re left with.”
As he stood under the hot spray in the shower, Joey pondered what his father had been trying to say earlier.
‘Dreams—sometimes they’re all we’re left with
,’ and, ‘
You’ll remember this one for a long
time
…’
Could it be his dad was himself remembering something he’d dreamed of, or had a memory of, but in his confused state couldn’t quite bring into focus?
Damn, but he wished he could help him. Surely there was something that could be done that would bring him back from that twilight zone he lived in most of the time. Twice, Joey had seen a glimmer of lucidity in his father’s eyes. If only he could hang on to it long enough to say what he was so obviously struggling with.
Drying himself quickly and throwing on a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, he suddenly remembered he hadn’t checked his cell for messages. Darn it, but there was one from Jared he’d missed. He hit the voice mail button then smiled as the warm, sexy voice caressing his ear made his toes curl while he listened.
“Joey, my meeting came to an earlier conclusion than I anticipated. I will be in LA Friday night. I know you’re visiting your parents and I hope you are having a lovely time.
Please call me when you return. I miss your sweet lips on mine.
Csokolom
, Joey. That means, Bye, Joey.”
He sat down on the edge of his bed and replayed the message. He’d decided that not only could he look at Jared forever, he could listen to him for just as long.
I miss your sweet lips on mine.
No man had the right to have such a sexy voice. He was hard again. He quickly punched in the number he’d programmed into his cell. Disappointed to hear the voice mail service answer, he left a message.
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“Hey, Jared. I’ll be back Saturday night so if you’re not busy, I’d love to hook up. I’ll call you later. Miss your sweet lips too.”
He waited for his hard on to subside then ran downstairs to find his mother settling his dad in his wheelchair. “It’s too long a walk to the park,” she explained.
“Okay, I’ll do the pushing. Let’s go, Dad!”
His father raised a fist in the air. “
Charge
,” he yelled as Joey pushed him through the door and down the driveway at top speed.
“Boys, slow down,” his mother cried, but they were half way down the block before Joey slowed to wait for her.
“Good, huh, Dad?”
His father turned his head to look up at him. “Joey, son…”
“What is it, Dad?” His heart constricted as he watched the light of recognition die in his father’s eyes.
“Nothing. Something. I just can’t seem to remember.”
“Joey…” His mother had caught up with them. “You’ll give me a heart attack making me rush like that.”
“Sorry. I’ll slow it down.”
They walked at a leisurely pace for a while down the street lined with age old plane and cypress trees that towered over them. Joey could remember imagining these trees as giants when he was a little boy, and even now that he was a full grown man they still seemed majestic, and just a little threatening. How many times had he and Chris played hide and seek in and out of their immense trunks, leaping out at each other and giggling for hours when either one of them would shriek with feigned surprise.
Thinking of Chris, he asked, “Have you seen Chris’s mom and dad recently?”
His mother nodded. “We were over at the winery a couple of weeks back. Anita’s unhappy he’s gone so much. She said it was bad enough when he went to LA, now he’s halfway round the world all the time.”
“It’s his job,” Joey said. “He’s a lucky so and so to have such a great job, and a great boss, who is also his boyfriend.”
“Yes, Anita did say she was very impressed when she met, uh…”
“Carlos,” Joey prompted.
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“Right. Of course, Anita still has a hard time thinking in those terms. In her mind Chris is still going to get married, and get her some grandchildren.”
Joey grinned at her. “Well, he could adopt, I guess.”
Arlene smiled at him. “Have you got yourself a boyfriend right now?”
Not for the first time, Joey considered himself lucky that both his parents were so comfortable asking him about his dating habits.
“Well, as a matter of fact, I met someone a few nights ago. His name is Jared. He’s Hungarian. Strangely enough, the night I met him, he introduced me to two of his friends who just happen to know Chris and Carlos.”
“Small world,” his mother remarked.
“They’re preparing the way.” His father turned to look up at him again.
“’Scuse me, Dad. What did you say?”
“What did I say? I’ve forgotten…”
Arlene sighed. “Don’t worry about it, darling. Cross here, Joey, it’s safer.”
For the next couple of days, Joey spent as much time with his father as he could. He kept getting the impression that his dad wanted to tell him something. He would look at Joey, a momentary gleam of anticipation in his eyes that would fade as soon as the words he reached for failed to materialise. It was almost as frustrating for Joey as he knew it must be for his father.
On Joey’s final day at home, his father grew agitated. Nothing Arlene said would calm him down. Joey knelt at his feet and held his hands, urging him to tell them what troubled him. But Bob seemed to drift away, the only sign of whatever emotion he was feeling at that moment were the tears that squeezed from between his closed eyelids.
Joey left, promising he would return the following weekend. “If I can get off sooner, I will,” he told his mother as he hugged her goodbye. “And if he gets worse, call me right away.”
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Joey couldn’t get over the depression of seeing his once fun and athletic father reduced to a man who could no longer retain a coherent thought, and who was failing, physically, along with his deteriorating mental state.
As much as he wanted to see Jared he didn’t want to start their evening together looking gloomy and upset. Staring at himself in the bathroom mirror after he’d showered, his reflection attested to the fact he looked decidedly out of sorts. Maybe he should call Jared tomorrow when he might be feeling a little better?
His cell ringing made the decision for him. “Hi, Jared,” he said after glancing at caller ID.
“Joey, how was your visit home?”
As always Jared’s husky voice made Joey’s breath hitch in his chest.
“Okay.”
“I can tell from that tone it was not okay. What is wrong?”
Joey sighed. “Oh, Jared, I don’t want to burden you with my family problems.”
“But I insist you do. I’ll be over in a few minutes.” With that, he cut the connection.
Oh, God. Was there an easier way to lose a potential boyfriend’s interest than to regale him with a tale of family woe? If there was, Joey didn’t know what it could be.
Damn. He should call Jared back right now and beg off until tomorrow. By then, he might just be in a better frame of mind. He flipped his cell phone open, but couldn’t bring himself to punch in Jared’s number. He did so want to see him, for Pete’s sake. He wanted it more than he wanted anything else at that moment. Wanted to feel Jared’s hard, strong arms around him, and to kiss those amazing lips of his.
Okay, he’s on his way, so perk it up some
…
He pulled a T-shirt and shorts from the dresser drawer and dressed quickly. Maybe a martini would help put him in a better mood.
Nothing more mellowing than a martini
.
He was pretty sure he had some vodka in the pantry somewhere.
Yeah, there it is
.
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He poured a generous amount over ice, then added a whisper of vermouth and an olive.
Good
…
A knock at the door had him slopping the martini on his T-shirt.
Damn, that was quick!
He ran to the door and threw it open. “What are you?” he exclaimed, excited at the sight of the beautiful man standing in the doorway. “The Flash?”
“The who?” Jared asked, stepping inside and taking Joey in his arms.
The kiss he placed on Joey’s lips drove all rational thought from Joey’s mind. All he could think of at that moment was how incredible it was to be held in this hard, strong embrace and to have his mouth scorched by Jared’s luscious lips…
“The Flash,” Joey said weakly, when they came up for air. He was already intoxicated by Jared’s presence. “He’s a comic book superhero who can travel at the speed of light.”
“Ah, not quite the speed of light,” Jared said, kissing Joey again. “But I got here as quickly as I could.”
“God, you’re wonderful. I think I have my own superhero—Wonder Man.”
“I’m no hero, Joey. Just someone who cares for you very much, and who could tell you’re upset.”
“Oh, that.” Joey sighed and pressed his face to Jared’s chest. “You don’t want to hear about that.”
“Yes I do.” He place a finger under Joey’s chin and tilted his face up. His eyes were teasing as he said, “And if you don’t tell me all about it, there will be no more kisses.”
“Oh no, not that!” Joey buried his face in Jared’s chest again. “Okay,” he mumbled, “if you insist.”
Jared tilted Joey’s face to him again, and kissed him gently. “I do.”
“Okay. But first, can I get you something to drink?”
“A glass of red wine if you have it.”
“I think I do… somewhere.” He plundered the pantry again and came up with a bottle of cabernet someone must have brought him. “How’s this?”
Jared studied the label for a moment then said, “Very nice.”
Joey had a feeling Jared didn’t mean what he’d just said. “You sure?”
Jared nodded so Joey searched for a bottle opener.
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“It’s really nice that you dropped everything to come over so quickly.” He opened the bottle and poured Jared a glass of wine. “Cheers.” He handed Jared the glass.