Page 15 of Grind
They joked around a bit, but Ezra was done fast and rushed out to prepare their meal. Left in the large stall on his own, Frank took his time, enjoying how the warm water relaxed his muscles. The rain shower at home was too low for him to use comfortably, due to the low ceiling, so he once again found himself wondering if a little remodel of his home wasn’t in order after all.
Eager to get his fill of Ezra’s company, he eventually left the bathroom, dressed in the fluffy black robe that appeared in Ezra’s bathroom after their second night together. It was his size, and he appreciated the gesture too much to not use it.
He found Ezra wearing only light pajama pants that hung low on his hips and showcased the round shape of his buttocks. The air smelled of fragrant meat, and there were already two plates with potatoes and salad waiting on the counter.
“This smells so good,” he murmured and stroked Ezra’s ass in passing. This was the best gift Frank could have gotten himself. Even if their conversations rarely went beyond casual topics, for obvious reasons, being around this man was pure comfort. In his presence, the fatigue and tensions of real life melted away, letting Frank recharge away from worries and responsibilities.
Ezra had also offered him a birthday gift earlier, a thick brown leather belt, embossed with tiger silhouettes similar to the ones on Frank’s skin. It wasn’t flashy but of good quality, and while the present had been purchased with money Frank had paid Ezra for the time spent together, it was a nice gesture, which showed that Ezra really did pay attention to what Frank was saying, and to his taste.
Ezra looked away from the pan of sizzling chicken breast and grinned at him. “What exactly?”
Frank stood behind him and smelled Ezra’s wet hair. “I especially likethissucculent piece of meat,” he murmured, stroking Ezra’s side.
“Not this one?” Ezra asked, fitting his pert ass against Frank’s groin with an elfin smile. He might have the beauty of an ice sculpture, but over time, he’d melted in Frank’s presence and sometimes let that perfect mask slip.
Frank went to his knees and pressed his teeth to Ezra’s ribs in a mock-bite. “Oh no, definitely this piece,” he mumbled, rubbing his lips over the smooth skin.
He could sense the warm body react to his touch as Ezra rose to his toes, gasping. His fingers dove into Frank’s wet hair and held him in place, as if he wanted something more intense, like a love bite, which Frank knew very well were not allowed. After all, it would have spoiled someone else’s fantasy.
“Prime rib?”
“Better than any I’ve had.” He sighed and pressed his forehead against Ezra’s spine to not disturb his cooking too much. They were joking around, but after a year, he could confidently say that Ezra was the most beautiful man Frank had ever been with, and the best fuck too.
“Oh I bet it is. I’m a rare breed,” Ezra whispered, switching off the cooker and placing the meat on both plates. His eyes flickered with amusement as he shook his hips, bumping them against Frank.
Frank groaned and got up. “Do you know it’s been a year since we met?” he asked, wanting to lead into his gift. He’d been planning to give the Rolex to Ezra over dinner, so he could fuck him again while he wore the expensive piece.
Ezra turned and tidied his damp hair. It was dark as night, a strong contrast with those bottomless eyes that still hid a secret Frank itched to ask about. “Feels like it’s been only a moment, doesn’t it?” whispered the smooth lips.
“It does. I know you’ve got other… things,”men“going on in your life, but you’ve really changed mine for the better. Seeing you is like a breath of fresh air every time.” He gave Ezra one more kiss before sitting at the table.
Ezra didn’t answer right away and placed the plates on both sides of the dining table by the balcony. His hand slid to Frank’s nape and lingered there for a moment. “You know, maybe I shouldn’t be saying this, but in the past year, your visits have been somewhat of a highlight of the month for me.”
Frank snorted in disbelief, but something warm still curled in his chest. “Flattery. But I appreciate it. Do tell me what you like about my visits.” He reached over to the duffel bag he’d come with and pulled out the small box he’d wrapped and finished with a ribbon, because Ezra appreciated such things.
His partner settled on the other side of the table, but his foot met Frank’s on the floor, like it did each week. He picked up the bottle of white wine and poured some into glasses, taking his time to think over his answer. The flame of the candle he’d already lit earlier made his eyes flicker as if they too held real fire when he looked up. “Nothing was ever an act with you. I was wary when I was asked to meet up with someone I haven’t vetted myself, but it just worked from the start.”
Frank swallowed, frozen to the seat. He wanted to believe it. Ezra never talked much about his private life, not beyond things that were amusing or pleasant, but there likely was a good reason for why he’d chosen this profession. It was fair that he took the money they’d agreed on, but it wasn’t impossible that he actually enjoyed his time with Frank.
His hand curled over the box as he struggled to find the right words. He’d never been good with those. “That’s really sweet. It’s one of my biggest pleasures to see you lose control and just feel, but I also love to see you happy. Like when you caught that fish. I wish I’d taken a photo, because your smile was so big. And since it’s been a year… I got you a little something.” He slid the watch over the table, unbothered that his food was waiting.
Ezra froze, staring at the box, then at Frank, before returning his gaze to the gift. “It was a great weekend. I liked doing something different,” he said, putting down his cutlery to accept Frank’s present.
His tongue briefly parted his lips, as if he was nervous, but when the golden surface of the watch glinted in the flickering glow of the candle, he let out a soft sigh. “It’s… beautiful.”
Frank rubbed his chin nervously, but then grabbed the fork to do something with his hands. “I hope it goes with your style. You’re always so elegant.”
Long fingers fished the watch out of the box, and Ezra rubbed it with both thumbs, as if he were caressing the segmented bracelet. But there was something dim in his smile, and Frank’s heart sank when he realized that maybe this gesture spoiled the relationship they’d built so far. His breath burned when Ezra leaned back in his chair and looked up.
“I need to tell you something.”
Frank froze with a potato half-way to his mouth. “What’s up?” He didn’t like the tone of Ezra’s voice one bit.
He’d assumed Ezra had been nervous when they first met, even though he hid it well, and back at the lake he’d been unsure about being in a boat after dark, but this was the first time Frank saw him in true discomfort. A maddening tension squeezed Frank’s back muscles when Ezra gently put the Rolex back into the box and had a sip of wine. His perfect lips opened wider than usual to take a long, ungentlemanly gulp from the glass.
“I wanted to tell you in the morning, but I think... given the circumstances, I should do so now. This is... difficult,” he admitted, biting his lip.
Oh, God. He hates the watch.
