Page 5 of In the Dark

Closing his eyes slowly, Key counted to ten, then shot them open when Charles chuckled. “What?”

“Did you reach ten?”

Sighing, Key smiled. “I didn’t meet anyone worth spending time with. I did have a good night with my friends and got drunk.”

“You’re not getting any younger, but I’m not going to give you that speech.” Charles meant the grandkids speech. Once was enough. “I want you to be happy and find someone who makes you laugh.”

“I want that too, but I’m not rushing to find it, either. If it happens, it happens.” Key shrugged and sipped his coffee, watching Charles as he moved around his kitchen preparing their meal.

Yep, Saturday night had been a bust, even though Key had seen plenty of great looking men. He hadn’t felt it, if that made sense. He’d gone out with friends with the intent of having fun, getting drunk, and finding a guy to fuck around with, and when they’d arrived at a club, he’d done the fun and drunk part, but the fucking around had fizzled out.

Sure, hot guys were everywhere and several had shown their interest in him, but he’d smiled and shook his head. Even now, he was puzzled by his own behavior. He’d wanted to fuck. He’d wanted to drink, and laugh, and fuck, and here he was now with a hangover and no orgasm, sitting at Charles’ kitchen table.

Licking his lips, Key stared at the table, his fingers following a grain in the wood. Maybe it was that man’s fault. His stalker. The one he’d decided to put a little show on for and then left him hanging. Maybe he should do more than touch his nipples in front of the window. Next time he should strip and let him see the goods, and… what the hell was he doing thinking this way?

This man was someone Key didn’t know, who followed him practically every night. He watched Key in his apartment, watched him as he moved around, and Key liked it. Maybe he had a wire loose in his brain. That could explain why he had this strange urge to tease his stalker. Tease and torment.

Did he want his stalker to snap and turn up outside his apartment one day? What if he did that? What if Key got home one night and as he was entering his home, the man who followed him came in after him and… Key squirmed in his seat. Fuck, maybe there was something wrong with him.

The idea of letting the man, this stranger, touch him and do things to him had him hard. In his dad’s kitchen. Not the place to be having these strange fantasies, but his mind begged to differ. Different scenarios rushed through his mind, all dirty, all filthy.

Key bound and gagged on his bed while this mystery stalker made Key’s body his plaything. Touching and licking and bitingand fucking. Or stripping Key naked by the door as soon as they entered and fucking him against it, making Key beg for more.

Damn, he really should have gotten laid last night. He needed a fuck, and he didn’t care who did what. As long as he was with another man, tasting their sweat on his tongue…

“Son.”

Key lifted his head and blinked at Charles. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted green beans as well, but your head is in the clouds.” Charles put the beef on the table in front of Key, who grimaced as his stomach rolled. He'd done it to himself and Charles had cooked, so he was going to eat even if he didn’t want to.

“Thinking about what you said.” Key shrugged. “When the right man comes along, then who knows what will happen, but I’m not settling because I’ve reached a certain age and it’s expected.”

“I met your mother when we were teenagers. I knew the moment I saw her, and she felt the same way, and that is why I find it hard to move on.” Charles gave Key a pointed look. “She’s a hard act to follow. I still miss her.”

“I miss Mom, too.” Key felt her absence every day, but looking at Charles, he knew he would find love again if he went looking for it. He didn’t want his dad to live the rest of his life alone when he deserved to be with someone. Charles was a great man, a pain in the ass husband, according to Janet, his mom, and a fantastic dad.

Key knew why Charles wanted him to find someone who made him happy. He’d had that for years with Janet until she’d passed away and he wanted the same for his son.

The table was soon filled with bowls of vegetables, enough to feed several people, and Key piled his plate. It smelled delicious, but his stomach still wasn’t quite on board, so he took his timeeating. Charles tucked in and Key wasn’t even halfway through his food by the time Charles was adding more.

“Dad,” Key whined as he watched Charles add more meat. “I’ve got enough.”

“You need feeding up and there’s plenty here.”

“Why is there so much?”

“I’m going to do a couple of plates for the Jeffersons down the road. They don’t have much money after the stunt their kid pulled, so I’ll do them a plate each and at least I know they’ve eaten today.”

Their kid, Eric, had taken all their savings and run, leaving them with debts Eric had built up and nothing to pay them with. The Jeffersons were lucky, though. They had great neighbors who had been there to provide advice and help and food when needed.

“Have they found Eric?”

“No. The bastard has dropped off the radar. When I get my hands on him…” Charles shook his head, his jaw hard. “How could he do that to them after everything they’d done for him? Got him into one of the top universities with the money they saved up, bought him that stupid car he’d begged for, helped him get that job he didn’t deserve. I hope they find him and bang him up. Bastard needs to be punished and I want to be there to see it.”

“Are things still that bad for them?”

“No, things are getting better, but every cent they make, they use to pay off the debts he’s left them with. Imagine retiring and planning your life and then having to find work again. Bastard needs his neck wrung. Apologizing isn’t enough for what he’s put them through.”

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