Page 143 of Rhymes with Metaphor
“It isn’t fair to you—to us.”
“Sometimes, life isn’t fair,” said Reg.“You’ll learn that as you get older.”
They finished their meal in silence.When the bill came, Joel paid it.
“Thank you for dinner, cariad.”
Joel took Reg’s hand again as they walked to the car park, reminding him uncomfortably of their encounter with Martin all those months ago.When they reached the car, Joel pulled Reg into a romantic kiss.
“Let me take you home, my little fox,” said Reg.
In the car, Joel was vibrating with excitement.He put his hand over Reg’s on the gearshift.In the elevator on the way to the loft, Joel unbuttoned his coat.He was wearing an expensive black T-shirt with the wordTouchin silver cursive written across his hip suggestively.
“I haven’t seen that shirt before,” said Reg.
“I bought it after work,” said Joel, attempting to sound casual.He leaned against the mirrored wall of the elevator, put his arms over his head and stretched elaborately.He regarded Reg with a calculating look.Reg was fully aware Joel was trying to seduce him, and he was enjoying it immensely.Reg held Joel’s flanks and kissed him deeply, and Joel became so worked up, Reg thought he might come in the elevator, but he broke the kiss with a sharp gasp and held there, eyes shut, panting, until the elevator pinged and the doors opened.
At the door to the loft, Joel leaned against the wall while Reg, whose hand was shaking, punched in the key code.
“No poetry this time?”said Joel quietly.“Or are you waiting till you can write it all over me in come?”
Reg pulled Joel inside and pinned him against the door, pressed his lips to the wordTouchon Joel’s hip, inhaling the chemical smell of new fabric.
“Fuck,” Joel breathed.
Reg touched Joel, who was palpably excited, but Joel moved Reg’s hand away.
Reg looked up.“What’s wrong?”
Joel pulled a box of condoms from his coat pocket and dropped it onto the table by the door.
“You’ve developed a penchant for safe sex?”said Reg.
Joel put his hand in his pocket again and produced a tube of lube, which he placed on the table beside the condoms.He looked at Reg.“Well?”
“Well,” said Reg.
They’d been moving toward this moment since that day at Dunraven when Joel had first made his request.
“Are you going to fuck me?”said Joel.“I’m sure it won’t take long, for either of us.”
“Jesus, Joel.”
“Does that mean ‘no’?”
“Yes, it means ‘no.’” Reg stood.
“Why not?”said Joel.“You got me drunk.You got mestoned.You gave me a blow job at a train station.You gave me a hand job in a fucking restaurant.Why not this?Don’t you want me, Reg?”
Reg’s heart broke.“How can you doubt that, cariad?”
“Because you won’t do this for me.”
“I’ll hurt you, Joel.”
“Not if we’re careful.”
“There are other ways of hurting someone than physical ones.I don’t want to hurt you, Joel.”
