The Other Side (closed for Mav Unlimited)

[tamgreen]

Jamie and Kelly were the picture perfect high school power couple. Prom Queen Kelly was widely considered the prettiest girl in school, the perfect cheerleader with the perfect smile and perfect reputation. Other girls both envied and adored her. Guys spoke longingly amongst themselves of her sexy body and wished she'd show off her curves a little more - Jamie defended her honour, and refused to be drawn into any braggartry. This only made the eighteen-year-old blonde and blue-eyed track star more attractive to the opposite sex, but he didn't have eyes for any of them.

Of course, he didn't exactly have eyes for his girlfriend either. Kelly brought him legitimacy. No one questioned his masculinity as long as he had the hottest girl in school on his arm.

He tried to like her the way he was supposed to - he truly did. It sure didn't help that she was kind of an idiot and coasted by on her looks and force of personality. He should have at least been able to appreciate her looks, but he didn't dare admit to the truth. They lived in a very small town where, if you didn't show up to church on Sunday, someone noticed and asked you about it. Anything perceived as off the beaten track was ostracised, and Jamie, for all his outward confidence and success, was terrified of the whole community turning on him, like the weak member of the herd.

Back in junior high, a gay kid had tried to come out and later ended up committing suicide. It was the biggest news in town and people still talked about it - it had scared the hell out of Jamie and pushed him way, way back into his own closet. This was a matter of survival. His position was weak even without his undisclosed attraction to men - he was the son of a single mother, and this town definitely looked down its collective nose at single moms, without even bothering to find out whether they'd had a child out of wedlock or experienced a tragic loss. For Jamie's mother, it was the latter - his dad died when he was barely two, and he hardly had a single memory of his father, but still felt like the loss of him had left a massive hole in his life.

At any rate, he and his mom were a "non-traditional family", and that was one of the things he and Kelly had been able to bond over, even if their relationship was otherwise completely superficial. Kelly's mom was a driven career woman who was queen of her own castle, and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Her dad was mostly a stay-at-home dad, which was practically unheard of here. Kelly seemed to think he was kind of a pathetic loser, but Jamie always wondered about him. They'd never had opportunity to meet each other's parents in any formal way.

How much longer could this relationship be sustained? High school would be over soon, and Kelly was breathing down his neck about college applications, trying to drag him wherever she was planning to go. Jamie had assumed the relationship would end when school did, but Kelly seemed to really have her claws in him, for reasons he couldn't figure out. Maybe she just wanted to follow the patterns she'd grown up with - pin down a doormat of a man who would stay home quietly supporting her while she went out into the world to do whatever the hell she wanted.

Kelly really did find him attractive, and enjoyed treating him like her life-sized dress-up doll. The one thing she routinely criticized that he wouldn't budge on was his hair. He kept his blonde wavy locks at a length just past his shoulders - Kelly said it was a little girly, and wanted him to look more masculine. He liked his hair the way it was, perhaps especially so because she wanted him to cut it. If he couldn't be himself in any other way, he at least had his hair. Like the biblical story of Samson, it was as if his power would be taken away if he ever cut it.

Hair disagreements aside, lately Kelly was increasingly clingy with him and was trying to push things further, physically. They were known as good, well-behaved kids, and didn't want to jeopardize the goodwill of the community, but Kelly was getting very impatient. She pulled him into the backseat of her car sometimes on dark evenings and he went along with the makeout sessions and light petting. What would happen when that wasn't enough?

Jamie found out soon enough. What happened was that she decided she would sneak him into her bedroom one evening.

"My mom's not even home, and my dad's clueless," she promised, squeezing his thigh with her free hand as she drove. "He'll probably be hiding in his study pretending to write some stupid book. He won't pay much attention when I come home. I'm his perfect little princess - he won't suspect a thing."

Jamie clenched his jaw, staring out the window at passing buildings and trees, and trying very hard to pretend he was into this, like any red-blooded all-American eighteen-year-old straight guy should be. Getting laid.

"You're sure?" he asked. "I wouldn't want you to get into any trouble."

"Stop worrying - god! Man up, would you?"

"I'm just thinking of you, sweetie," Jamie sighed, feeling deflated. "If someone should find out... it might be really hard on you. This world isn't very kind to... to..."

"What, sluts?" Kelly said brashly. "I'm not a slut - do you think I'm a slut?"

"No! I just..."

"Is this about your mom?"

Jamie clenched his jaw. "How would this be about my mom? What, because people think she's some kind of loose woman for having a son and no husband? My dad died - you know that! Why would you even say that?"

"Oh, don't get worked up about it, I didn't mean to get you all upset," Kelly sighed, patting his leg in a condescending way. "Just forget it. We'll go to my place and have some fun. Don't you think it'll be kind of exciting to be in my room, in my bed? Having to be quiet so we don't get caught...?"

She squirmed in her seat and gave him sultry looks, obviously trying to turn him on. It wasn't working. But maybe he was supposed to pretend it was. He always feared that at some point she'd suddenly conclude he must be gay if he didn't want to jump her bones.

"Yeah, I guess that's pretty hot," he lied.

He wasn't sure how he was even going to get it up enough to give her what she wanted. Maybe he could just put his mind somewhere else. Like on Mr. Weston, his 40-year-old PoliSci teacher, who looked like one of these guys who would be in commercials for designer colognes or expensive watches. He wore sweaters like a huggable dad, but obviously had a well built upper body beneath. And sometimes he wore jeans that hugged his behind....

"Oohhh, you're getting into this, aren't you?" Kelly purred, her hand creeping further up his thigh. "Hello there, baby. Oh, and I see that little smirk on your face. Thinking about finally getting in my pants?"

Trying not to....

"Just... please focus on the road for now," Jamie said softly, carefully moving her hand away from his groin and onto the steering wheel. "All in good time."

"Oh brother," Kelly huffed. "Okay, Captain Caution. Real big turn-on there. I'm about to give you my cherry and all you can think of is road safety? Do you have any idea how many guys would kill to be in your position right now?"

Jamie closed his eyes and wondered what would happen if he just dumped her now. Maybe they actually would get into an accident. Things would be so much easier that way, wouldn't they? Bam, traffic accident, out like a light.

The same way his father had gone, when he was just a little tyke.

Yikes, that was dark.

All too soon they'd arrived at Kelly's place without incident. She grabbed his arm with almost bruising pressure, whispering to him to keep his mouth shut and walk softly as she let them in a side door. His eyes darted nervously around the interior of the house. He definitely should not be here.

Maybe he'd break up with her once they made it upstairs to her bedroom. But would that just give him away? What kind of guy bailed right at the point his girlfriend was pulling him into her bed to pop her cherry?

A gay one...

 

[Mav Unlimited]

"I am working on it, Tim."

"Nick, you promised me it would be complete by the end of the month."

"I did not promise anything like that. It is what you wanted. Don't rush me, okay?

...

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow."

Nick slammed the receiver down and put his face in his palms. He had just finished a long and tiring conversation with his publisher. Tim had been getting impatient with him recently and that had put more pressure on Nick to finish his book. His mind had been occupied with thoughts of how Jack, the main protagonist of the story he was in the process of writing, would find a way to solve the mystery of the stolen art collection. That is until his publisher had called and distracted him. He got up from his desk and walked over to the kitchen to grab something to eat. He had been in his study all day and had forgotten how hungry he was by the time the sun had begun to set. His first two books, both love stories, had been total disasters. Even though he was still proud of them, the audience had thought otherwise. He was extremely hopeful about his third book, which was supposed to be a mystery or thriller of some kind.

This book is going to be a huge success.

Nick knew it in his heart this time. As long as he didn't compromise on his writing and let the publisher dictate terms, they would have a winner on their hands. If only he could make them understand and be patient with him. It was the big break he needed. Not just for the money. He had enough of that thanks to his lovely bitch of a wife who brought home the bacon and put food on the table. He needed some validation in his life. He was lonely.

Nick had been a stay-at-home dad for as long as he could remember, raising three daughters almost entirely on his own while their mother worked long hours and was often away on business trips. The hours had gotten longer, and the number of trips had increased when the kids were growing up and when he had most needed her help. When the kids had needed their mother. Nick always thought his kids never got the time, attention and love they deserved from her. They received plenty of gifts from her though. Expensive ones. And he could do only so much to make sure they didn't end up being spoilt. Or have a good role model in their life.

Connie, Kelly's mother, had never been very bright, although she had been the head cheerleader when they were dating in high school and a personality to reckon with. He had found that out early when she had begun asserting her dominance in every aspect of their relationship. Not to mention that she was stunningly sexy. And although in her forties, she still turned heads in that small town. Nick had often wondered how she had managed to climb up the corporate ladder so quickly. If she treated her co-workers the way she treated him, which was basically like garbage, they would quit the next day. Or maybe not. Everyone had their own reasons. Why else hadn't he left her yet inspire of years of getting zero respect for being a faithful husband, an attentive father, and an all around nice guy.

Nice guys finish last. Didn't anyone tell you that, loser?

Nick was an athlete in high school. The years had taken a toll on him. More mentally than physically. Not only did he ever gain respect at home, but the traditional values centric community in the small town they lived in, did not exactly look up to a man who stayed home while his wife was the bread winner. It was not as if Nick did not have any income of his own. He did freelance work in his spare time. But raising three kids on your own is not a walk in the park. Especially when you have no support and are looked down upon constantly by everyone, including your own daughters. All three of them. Kelly was the youngest and still staying at home. She was a beauty just like her mother. Unfortunately, all her other qualities were also acquired from Connie. Nick's thick dark hair had started to gray. His body was not the same as it had been twenty five years ago, although not bad for a guy in forties. He attempted to maintain himself with regular exercise and a healthy diet. The emptiness that he felt in his life, and the lack of validation, however, had no solution. At least none he could envision.

Nick was planning to head back to his study and continue writing. He closed the refrigerator when he heard the door open in the room adjacent to the kitchen. Who could it be at this time? His wife was not supposed to return until much later that night, and even if she did, she always came in either through the front door or the garage. His daughter, Kelly, never came home this early. He wished she did and spent some time with her father, like they used to when she was a little girl. She was all grown up now, and would leave the home soon just like her older sisters did.

Time flies.

Dressed in his pajamas, Nick immediately placed the sandwich and the glass of milk on the counter top, disappeared into another room and grabbing a baseball bat in one hand, walked back into the kitchen and tip-toed cautiously towards the side door entrance from where he could now hear footsteps. Grabbing his cell phone in the other hand, he started dialing. There had been a few burglaries reported in the neighborhood recently and he didn't want to take a chance. As he approached the doorway of the dark room, he noticed two silhouettes approaching the staircase that led to the upstairs bedrooms. He knew one of them. It was his daughter. Why was she sneaking into the house like a thief? And who was the person with her? He had to find out. Nick shoved the phone back into his pocket, turned and took another step towards the side door, flipped the light switch, bat still raised. For a person whose home had just been broken into, even if it was by his own daughter, he was strangely calm.

"Good evening, princess."

He was looking at two startled teenagers who turned and stared back at him as if they were two deer caught in the headlights. He had just caught his eighteen year old daughter sneaking into his home with someone. A boy. At least he was dressed like a boy, even though his hair was past shoulder length. He stared into those blue eyes for a few seconds more than he should have, not exactly sure why, before lowering the baseball bat and turning his attention to Kelly. He then placed the bat in the corner and took a few steps forward towards his daughter, opening his arms for an embrace.

"I am sorry. Did I scare you? I thought someone was break...never mind..."

He smiled and hugged his daughter, instinctively knowing what was going on, even though he didn't have all the details about what their story was. And he knew everyone assumed he was a clueless idiot who had no idea what his daughter was up to. He had raised her for god's sake! Had she done this before behind their backs? Did her mother know? He had enough sense not to freak out or panic. Besides, the boy seemed harmless for now. Nick took a step back, pulling his hands away from her and turned to face the boy.

"Don't you want to introduce me to your...friend? I don't believe we have met."

 

[tamgreen]

As Kelly groaned inwardly and swallowed back her frustration, allowing her father a courtesy hug, Jamie's heart leaped up into his throat. So many emotions flooded through him at once. He experienced the completely normal reactions of being freaked out as well as embarrassed by being caught doing something wrong. He was nervous about consequences. But he was also massively relieved that they'd been cockblocked.

Kelly's dad looked right at him. Jamie's heart leaped and started to pound. It was still in his throat, and was now thoroughly choking him. He saw immediately where Kelly had gotten her good looks. The older man had killer bone structure, dreamy eyes, perfect lips. He was every bit as hot as Mr. Weston, and then some. Oh boy, this was trouble.

"Da-a-ad!" Kelly groaned. "Do we have to do this now? You're in your pyjamas - it's embarrassing! Can we just go... do our homework?"

Ignoring her, Jamie shifted forward and held out a hand that betrayed a slight tremor.

"Jamie Koskinen," he said softly. "Pleased to meet you. I'm so sorry if we worried you."

Jamie's breath caught in his throat as the man's large hand enfolded his. Such a nice big hand. He held on, reluctant to let Kelly's dad go.

Don't leave me alone with her, he begged with his eyes, though he was sure he wouldn't get the message.

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick glanced down at his own attire before looking back at Kelly. He had been writing all day sitting in his study. Of course he was in his pajamas. Ignoring her comment, he said hesitantly,

"You want to do...homework...upstairs? Yes, of course."

Nick knew quite well what homework meant. He was not born yesterday. And Kelly knew the look in his eyes, even though he didn't make it obvious to the boy what he was thinking. He turned his attention to her friend who had just extended his hand for a shake.

"Nice to meet you, Jamie Koskinen. I'm Nick. Kelly's father. And I accept..."

Nick paused as he said those words. When Jamie Koskinen's trembling hand came in contact with his, it was as if Nick had just touched a live wire. The feeling was almost electric. His handshake was firm enough even though he had soft hands, but he could sense the...fear? No. It wasn't just that. The boy was holding on to his hand as if he was drowning and wanted the man to save him.

What the fuck was that?

There was something the boy was trying to tell him. With his touch. And his eyes. But what? He obviously had plans to do "homework" with his daughter. He certainly wasn't asking permission to do that right in front of her father after being caught sneaking into their home. Nick decided to find out. But when he tried to loosen his grip, he sensed the nervousness in Jamie's demeanor.

"I accept your apology, Jamie. Make sure you ring the doorbell next time."

He placed his hand on the boy's arm, looking straight at him with a slight reassuring smile, glancing at his daughter in between. The last thing he wanted was to scare the kids any further. Not that he was a typical father who might have chased any boy who sneaked into his home with a baseball bat. But he was still a father. And they were not going upstairs before he had gotten to know Jamie better.

"Well, I am starving. I was actually just about to grab a sandwich when you...Anyway, why don't the two of you join me in the kitchen? I'll prepare something for you before you go tackle those difficult math problems?"

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie very much wanted to pretend Kelly didn't exist right now. The little smile from Nick made his heart skip a beat.

"We don't need anything," Kelly grumbled. "Dad, just go back to your writing, or at least get dressed for god's sake. Holy...!"

Jamie stepped in front of her, keeping his eyes on Nick. "That's really nice of you. I'm happy to help out."

Before he could go into the kitchen, Kelly grabbed him by the back of his t-shirt and placed her lips next to his ear, whispering: "You don't have to suck up to him. We can try going somewhere else..."

Jamie gave his head a little shake and pulled himself free, not even bothering to respond to her. He'd pay for that later - she loved to give lectures about his behaviour if she felt she wasn't being treated like Princess Boss - but at the moment, he didn't give a shit.

"Kelly tells me you're a writer," Jamie spoke up, following Nick like a puppy into the kitchen. He glanced over the man's pyjamas, appreciating the view from the back. And the comfortable, around-the-house attire made him feel better about the fact that he was still in his track shorts from an after school practice.

God, he probably should stop perving on hot dads, but.... God, he didn't want to.

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick patiently listened to Kelly as she chittered only to be cut mid sentence by Jamie who was now standing like a wall between father and daughter.

Now that's a first!

If the men in this house, which was basically just him, had done that more often, maybe things would have been different. Maybe. Nick chuckled to himself.

"Well, that's settled then. Jamie here will help out..."

He said with a reserved smile, staring at the boy who was intently gazing at his girlfriend's dad. Nick wasn't able to figure out if there was just something creepy about the boy, or was he genuinely trying to be nice. He doubted the latter, especially since he was dating his daughter. He was a good looking guy. He had the body of an athlete, which was clearly visible to anyone who had eyes. Some might even call him pretty, if that was the right term to label a man. Nick shook his thoughts and came back to reality before his mind strayed further. He then turned to Kelly once again.

"And we are all going to the kitchen now. I know you don't need anything. But it is not wise to study on an empty stomach. And I am dressed very comfortably, thank you. What do you think, Jamie?"

Nick turned away from them as he said that and started to walk towards the kitchen without waiting for an answer. He could hear the muffled sounds and whispers behind his back. Why was he so eager to accompany him into the kitchen, when his daughter clearly as he had expected, had no interest in spending any time with her dad. If he was trying to suck up to him so that he could gain brownie points and obtain approval to date his daughter, he was in for a surprise. It wasn't his approval that had any sort of importance in this household. He could go suck up to Connie. Nick would have enjoyed watching his wife's reaction if she had been home when her daughter snuck up the side door into the home along with a boy.

"Yes I am. I write in my spare time, which is pretty much most of the time nowadays that the kids are almost out of the house, all grown up. If you can call it that."

He responded to the boy before glancing at Kelly who was now fuming for some reason as she followed Jamie into the kitchen.

"Would you like something to drink, Jamie? And how about you, princess?"

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie smirked at Nick's remarks, and it grew into a full smile as he was offered a beverage.

"A glass of water would be just fine for me, thanks," he replied.

Kelly, on the other hand, made a scoffing noise and looked as if she'd never been so humiliated in her life. "I'm going to go change out of my school clothes," she muttered and, shouldering her backpack, stomped up the stairs.

Jamie watched her go out of the corner of his eye and visibly relaxed when she was gone, leaning against the counter.

"You seem like... a pretty cool dad," he remarked between sips from the water glass Nick handed him. He looked torn between several emotions for a few moments, struggling within himself over what to say to the man.

"I... should have been a lot classier," he finally spoke up. "About, like... meeting you. Introducing myself. Rather than... letting myself be secreted in here like a thief. This really isn't the way I wanted things to be. I'm not... I'm not that guy."

He bit his lower lip, wincing inwardly. He wasn't sure if he was making any sense, or any kind of positive impression.

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Jamie didn't follow his daughter upstairs like a puppy. Something Nick wasn't used to, when it came to his daughter's former boyfriends. Or friends. Or his wife for that matter. He knew he'd have to pay if he ever acted the way the boy was acting. His daughter seemed visibly upset and he knew exactly why. What he couldn't figure out was why the boy continued to stay and apologize to him when he should have been...Well, maybe he was different than the rest of the breed. And wasn't going to be pushed around. Good luck with that in this family! Nick was thankful he stayed. He'd rather have him in front of his eyes than the two of them upstairs in a closed room.

Nick offered him a glass of water. He was listening intently, even a bit amused, although he didn't let it show, as Jamie tried to make his case, glancing at the boy curiously from time to time while he prepared his special home made smoothie. The boy looked more relaxed than he was previously. And Nick couldn't deny he was slightly impressed by the way he was conducting himself given the situation. He definitely seemed mature for his age. And pretty. His eyes travelled along the lines of his perfectly smooth face, the straight nose, the beautiful blue eyes and long blonde hair. When he bit his bottom lip, Nick could swear he felt something stir within him. He had no idea what it was, but it felt strange and exciting at the same time. And wrong. Very wrong. Again, shaking his thoughts away, he proceeded.

"Look, Jamie, let's forget about what happened, alright? You apologized. I accepted. We're good. You don't need to explain yourself. Not anymore."

Not to me anyway. But if he continued to see his daughter, he would have some explaining to do to her dear mother.

Speaking of Connie, she wouldn't be home for another hour or two. Nick glanced at the wall clock before pouring the smoothie into a tall glass, and sliding it over the counter towards Jamie along with a sandwich, and a warm smile. He wished Kelly would come down and join them, and even thought of heading upstairs and talking to her, but he knew in his heart that effort would be futile. It was funny that neither of the men were eager to go upstairs, each having their own reasons. Only one of them knew however what the other's reasons were.

"So, tell me Jamie..."

Nick slid on to a bar stool and stared at the boy before taking a bite off his sandwich.

"What kind of a guy are you?"

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie thanked him for the smoothie and sandwich before following Nick's lead and settling on one of the stools. His eyes followed the man's hands as they gripped the sandwich and then set it down. His eyes shifted to the man's strong, stubbled jaw, and examined other little details - the curves of his cheekbones and brow, the flare of his nostrils, the shape of his lips.

Shit... the guy had asked him a question.

"Me...? What kind of...? Oh. Um...."

He took a long drink from the smoothie glass to give himself a few moments to think.

"Well, I'd like to think I'm someone with integrity," he murmured thoughtfully, his eyes now looking blankly off into the distance. "I dunno. I guess I'm not doing such a great job of that. I'd like to be... just, honest and real. Myself. Whoever that is. There's not a lot of space to be yourself in high school, when everyone's always telling you who you should be and correcting you when you're not what they expect."

His gaze flicked back to Nick and he caught his breath when their eyes locked. His cheeks flushed when he realized that he might have completely missed the point of Nick's question - what if he'd meant it a lot more casually, like what were his interests?

"Uh, I'm on the track team, and sometimes I play soccer," he rambled on. "I think my favourite subject is English. I like pizza. Kelly's got me applying for colleges. I'm not... quite sure what else to say."

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick caught the boy watching his every move and then staring at him as if he was having a day dream about something before finally regaining his senses and comprehending the question that was posed. When words finally began flowing from Jamie’s lips, it was Nick’s turn to stare back at him. His initial answer touched him at an emotional level, bringing back memories of when he was a student. Be yourself. That’s what everyone always told you. But when you actually tried to be yourself, the same people chastised you. Ridiculed you for being different. The boy was expressing his feelings to a complete stranger. And that stranger was his girlfriend’s dad. But why was he saying all these things? Brownie points? Most probably not. What man would display his emotions to his girlfriend’s father in their first meeting? Jamie had that same look he had a few moments earlier when he was observing Nick, except this time it was more sad than it was dreamy, with an emptiness in those eyes.

Nick did not say anything. Only listened. He wanted to hear the boy out. Let him speak his mind. Express himself in whatever way he wanted. From the moment they had shaken hands, he had a feeling as if the boy was trying to tell him something. When Jamie came back to reality for a second time in a span of less than five minutes, Nick couldn’t take his eyes off him. Not because he found the boy physically attractive or pretty, but he noticed the sudden embarrassment that was clear on his face and was getting curious by the minute about his daughter’s friend.

Their eyes locked when Jamie blushed and almost started reciting his resume as if Nick was conducting an interview. This time, Nick couldn't help but smile to himself. He concluded not to embarrass the boy any further. If he wanted to share his feelings, Nick was more than happy to lend an ear. But it was too early. They hardly knew each other, even though he felt a strange bond between them, something that could not be described in words. Nick was going to continue the casual conversation Jamie had steered towards for now.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, Jamie. But I'm happy to listen if you want to tell me something."

With a warm reassuring smile, he walked over to Jamie's side where the refrigerator was and marked something on the calendar, before putting a few things back in the refrigerator.

"You know, I used to be on the track team in high school. And English was my favorite subject as well."

Nick returned to his seat, just when he heard someone coming down the stairs. He knew it was Kelly. Taking a sip from the glass, he asked Jamie.

"So, where do you want to go to college? Have you thought about it?"

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie followed his movements, his eyes tracking and drinking in everything Nick did, every facial expression. He glanced over the calendar he'd jotted a note on, on the square representing that upcoming Saturday, and mentally cached the information he saw there:

Brown's Books 6pm

He knew Brown's Books - it was a wonderful, sprawling old bookstore, one of those rare privately owned ones. He knew they had special events from time to time. He knew immediately he'd be looking them up later to see what was happening Saturday at 6.

"College... yeah, I think about it. I kinda think I... don't necessarily want to... at least, not..."

He didn't manage to finish his halting thought before Kelly waltzed into the room, her head high in the air as if she were about to step up to a podium and seize hold of the attention of everyone present. Jamie's posture and expression visibly shifted at her presence. He sat up straight and smiled in a way that did not reach his eyes.

"College? He'll go where I go," Kelly announced. "We're applying to the same places, so we'll stay close. Right, Jamie?"

Her eyes bored into him. Ugh... that look. It made his balls shrink right up into his body. He couldn't handle her right now, but he also couldn't spark some kind of scene in front of her dad.

"Yes - exactly," he said wanly, once more pasting on his paper smile. He shifted his attention to his sandwich and took a big bite.

Kelly's intense look shifted to Nick.

"Excuse us, dad. I think you've given him the third degree quite enough for today. We have homework."

Jamie's jaw shifted, discomfort clearly written all over his face, but he said nothing.

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick observed the sudden difference in Jamie’s demeanor. His tone changed. It was as if he was a different person in front of her. Nick felt for the boy. He was too young. He had so much to look forward to in life. For a moment, he remembered when he had first met Connie. No! Jamie wouldn’t end up like he did. Even if it was his own daughter he had to disappoint. But it could be just his imagination. Maybe they were actually happy together. And Jamie was just having a bad day. He was after all caught sneaking into his girlfriend’s home by her father.

"Yes, he did say you were helping him apply to colleges. I was just..."

Jamie's pale face and forced response to Kelly's question interrupted Nick. As soon as Kelly had entered the kitchen, he shriveled and all the enthusiasm vanished into thin air. Nick’s eyes darted back and forth between the two teenagers for a few seconds as his daughter tried to make eye contact with her boyfriend, while he tried to hide his emotions by focusing on the sandwich. It was quite obvious who the boss was in their relationship. For a fleeting moment, when Jamie had stepped in between father and daughter, Nick had hoped at least one of her boyfriends had balls. He was wrong. Even if Jamie had balls, they were probably locked up in a cage. Just like his own.

"Well, Jamie, it was wonderful talking to you. I hope we can continue our discussion some other time."

He gave the boy a knowing, slightly sympathetic smile before sighing inwardly. He then glanced at Kelly and continued.

"I believe you have homework to do, and I have a book to write. I will leave the two of you alone now."

Nick rose from the bar stool, planted a kiss on his daughter's cheek, picked up the dishes and walked towards the sink.

"I hope you liked the sandwich, Jamie. There's one in the fridge for you if you're hungry, Princess."

He turned around and smiled at the boy one last time.

"Oh and Jamie, one more thing. Remember to ring the doorbell next time."

That was just as applicable to his own daughter as it was for the strange but interesting friend she had brought with her today.

"And don't ever sneak up my backdoor. Is that clear?"

He meant it when he said the words. He was confident it would be his daughter who would ignore his request before the boy ever did. Nick had no idea how wrong he would be proven.

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie gazed after him, feeling he was losing his grip on a lifeline he sorely needed.

"Yes sir," he replied, his cheeks and neck flushing dark and hot. "I understand. Thank you... for the sandwich, and everything."

He had to struggle to swallow the remainder of his snack, as good as it was.

"What the actual fuck was that all about?" Kelly hissed once her father had left the room. "Why are you acting like such a fucking retard?"

Jamie frowned at her. "I wish you wouldn't talk that way to me. To anyone, really. It's not okay."

"Oh, cry me a river! I really don't like this side of you, Jamie. I don't like it at all."

"What, the side that wants to be a decent person?"

"The side that's a fucking pussy. I'm the one with the pussy here, okay? I don't need another one. Seeing you kiss up to my fucking dad doesn't exactly make me wet. What a pathetic display."

Jamie clenched his jaw and stood up, taking his dishes politely to the sink to wash them. "Yeah, well, this little dressing down isn't exactly turning my crank. Neither is being unexpectedly confronted by one of your parents when you assured me we'd be left alone. I intend to make the best of this, okay? And the best is not getting on your parents' bad sides."

Kelly crossed her arms and stuck her chin out, glaring at him very much like an offended toddler. "You're my boyfriend, not theirs. I'm the one whose bad side you need to worry about. Leave that shit, and come upstairs."

Jamie argued with her a little more but ultimately trailed after her up the stairs to her bedroom, which looked like it had been modelled after the bedroom of a teenage Kardashian. Expensive, ugly decor, designer clothes showily hung in strategic places, flashy jewelry arranged in deliberate little displays. It was totally unappealing and not the least bit comfortable or inviting.

She shut the door behind them and yanked his backpack almost violently off of his shoulder, throwing it aside. She stood in front of him, striking a pose that she must have thought was sexy but just irritated the hell out of him. When he didn't get the message, she raised her arms.

"Well, are you going to undress me?"

Jamie shoved his hands in his pockets and stood frozen, totally torn.

"What is the fucking matter with you?!" she hissed.

"Kelly," he sighed, staring down at her feet. "I... well, you know he's not going to buy that we're doing homework up here. If he comes in after we get going... well, that's not exactly romantic or sexy, is it?"

He flicked his eyes up to hers, desperately hoping that she'd buy what he was selling. "We wanted our first time to be special. This isn't special. We got caught, we could get walked in on, and we've had an argument.... I'm sorry. We should save this for when we've had a happier day, and when we have a little more privacy. I don't want you to regret this."

Kelly dropped her arms with a huff and sat down on the edge of her bed, crossing her legs. "Well, you sure have ruined the mood, that's for sure. Fuck. I could just punch you right in the balls right now, but I might need them later."

Jamie gritted his teeth. Kelly was like a sociopath - when had things gotten this bad? Why couldn't he have found a fake girlfriend who was just... nice?

"Let's just actually do some homework," he muttered. "You were having trouble with your Beowulf paper. Do you want me to have a look at it?"

"Smartass," she snapped. She stood up suddenly and started to undress.

Jamie stood morbidly fascinated until she was naked as the day she was born. She stood in front of him like a swimsuit model without the swimsuit, thrusting her chest out at him expectantly. He might as well have been looking at an anatomical drawing, for all the effect she was having on him.

"You're so hot," he whispered, to appease her. "I know how lucky I am to be with you. That's why I want to wait until the time is right."

He picked up his backpack. "I'm gonna go. Okay?"

Kelly looked incredulous, and a little embarrassed. She sat down and held a pillow in front of herself.

"I'll tell my parents you took advantage of me," she hissed, her expression turning ruthless.

Jamie felt choked for a few moments. "If you're going to lie to get back at me, there's nothing I can do about that. I can only control my own actions. And right now, I'm going to do the right thing."

He opened her door and fled down the stairs. If she was going to follow him in a fury, she'd at least have to get dressed first. He paused at the lower landing and looked back, waiting and listening, feeling a little like Indiana Jones trying to escape from a deadly temple.

He hurried down the hall and stopped when he noticed the light beneath the closed door of what was presumably Nick's study. Breathing hard, he stepped forward and rested his forehead against the doorjamb.

Nick. Oh Nick. It would be so tempting to just dump Kelly for good after tonight, but... now there was Nick.

Jamie straightened and raised a hand, knocking quietly.

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick left the kitchen and made his way towards his study as the kids continued to argue among themselves. Jamie had been nothing but polite with him from the beginning till the end, no matter the reason. His daughter, as expected, had been the exact opposite. Opposites attract, right? Not like this!

Nick liked the boy. Not only because he seemed like a nice guy. There was something else. Something he couldn’t put his finger on. It started with the handshake. Then his eyes. The hair. His lean, taut young...

Stop it! Get a grip on yourself, Nick. You are acting like an old, lonely, pathetic fool. And you’re straight for god’s sake. So stop thinking about that boy!

It wasn’t like Nick hadn’t noticed pretty guys before. But he had never looked at or thought about them in a way he found himself thinking about Jamie.

Nick returned to his study just as the phone rang. Was it his publisher again? Ugh. Without bothering to look at the caller id, he picked up the receiver.

”Tim, I already told you...”

The voice on the other line cut him off with an authoritative tone before he could say anything else. It was a voice he had listened to for the past...oh...how many years? He didn’t care to count. It had been too long. His ears had become numb to it. His brain would go into an automatic I-don’t-give-shit-please-kill-me mode when Connie started to talk. Especially when she was either condescending or just plain rude. Like mother like daughter. He wasn’t sure what he had gained by putttibg so much effort in raising her. It is true that kids pick up their parents’ traits, but some characteristics are just inherent. At least they were in Kelly’s case.

”Tim? Do I sound like Tim to you? Don’t you ever see who’s calling before you pick up the damn phone, Nick?”

Nick's senses stood to attention, however exhausted he was mentally, as soon as Connie started talking. He sighed and pursed his lips until Connie was done before he sat in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment, then took in a deep breath and continued.

”I’m doing alright, thank you for asking, darling. How was your day?”

”What? Don’t be a smart ass Nick. I’ve had a fucking awful day. I am still stuck in a meeting and won’t be home for at least another couple of hours. Maybe more. I called to ask you about this charge on my credit card that just popped up. What the hell did you spend so much money on? I have to hang up now, but you better have a good reason for this kind of expenditure. Money doesn’t grow on trees.”

Before Nick could respond to her tirade, Connie hung up the phone. He placed the receiver down in slow motion and sat back in the chair, staring at the ceiling. He knew this was going to happen. He had booked a trip for the two of them. He wanted to attend this convention and he thought it might be a nice surprise for her if they could both go and spend a few days together after the event, away from home and the daily grind. Just the two of them. He had gotten a great deal and used the wrong credit card while booking the flight and the hotel for the convention.

Fuck! That was brilliant, Nick. Now what are you going to do!

He figured he would either have to tell her what he had spent the money on and ruin the surprise or take more crap by lying to her and somehow not let her find out. Maybe he would just not tell her. He knew if she dug a little deeper, she would probably figure out where he had spent the money. He decided to forget it for the time being. There was too much on his mind at the moment. It wasn’t like the trip was going to be fun anyway, with her by his side all the time. But he was a hopeful idiot. Maybe he could try to kindle some of the missing romance and passion between them. Now that the kids were out of the house, he was hoping they could spend more time together. Perhaps that would change things. There had been no change in all these years. But Nick never said never. Maybe it was his desperate loneliness talking.

There was a knock on his study door. Nick turned his head towards the door with a weary look on his face.

“Come on in honey, the door’s open.”

He thought it might be his daughter. Nick prepared himself for some more bullshit. He was in no mood to listen to her, but she was much more tolerable compared to Connie. Had Jamie left already? A part of him was relieved that he had. Not only because that meant they hadn't engaged in any activities upstairs that Nick didn't even want to imagine, but also because he sensed Jamie wanted to get away from her for some reason. Another part of him wished he had gotten another chance to see the boy before he left.

Well, perhaps, next time. If there would be a next time.

With all that had happened and after talking, no, listening to his wife, he had forgotten that if it was indeed his daughter outside that door, she wouldn’t have knocked and waited for him to allow her inside.

 

[tamgreen]

Honey....

Jamie bit his lower lip and turned the handle, pushing the door open only a few inches and peeking in.

"Sorry," was what he led with. "It's... me. Jamie. I just wanted to..."

To what? Why the hell was he here? Think of something logical!

"...To let you know I'm heading out. Homework was kind of a bust."

He said 'homework' in a tone that suggested he was quite certain that Nick had known what 'homework' meant when they'd snuck in like thieves.

"Things are a little tense," he admitted, having no idea why - he just needed to talk to someone, maybe. "I just... well, I'm sure we'll talk things out, but... tonight's just... not been good. And the worst thing about it was making a bad first impression with you."

Thud, thud, thud.

Why was his heart thumping so hard? It made his sternum ache. And why was he still talking?

"I really am glad that we could meet, though... and I think you're a really cool dad. I don't... I've never had a dad around, so...."

He swallowed hard, his throat making an audible click as he fought to swallow back the word vomit. Nick's very presence was turning him upside down, and it was weird and scary and embarrassing and he did not want it to stop.

 

[Mav Unlimited]

It was him. He was still here. Nick felt a bit relaxed to see him again instead of dealing with his daughter. He had not imagined that Jamie would come knocking on his door. But he got a pleasant surprise, and proved to be just the distraction he needed after talking to Connie.

"You can come inside, Jamie. And relax. I won't bite you."

But the boy was leaving and had come to say goodbye. That was very...decent of him? No surprise there. Again, Nick's instincts were correct. Jamie had just admitted, although not explicitly, what homework really meant. He admired the honesty in the young man. He was only partly right in thinking that his daughter's boyfriend was trying to make an impression on him. He did not seem weird, or creepy in any way. Not anymore. Nick flashed a smile at him.

"Well, okay. If you have to leave, I won't keep you waiting."

Cool dad huh! I like that. I wish my own kids thought the same way this boy did.

No one had called him that before. Some of his daughters' friends sometimes thought he was pretty cool when his girls were in elementary school and he was the one who did everything from cooking, cleaning, appointments, soccer practice, parent-teacher meetings and play dates. But nobody else in town would have ever called him 'cool'. Sometimes he wished his kids never grew up.

"And thank you for the compliment. I figured there was something going on between the two of you. I'm sure you will sort things out. I know Kelly can be difficult sometimes."

Who was he kidding? Difficult!? If he was in Jamie's position, Kelly would be the devil.

Nick was sincere when he said that, except the last bit about his daughter. He then paused, eyeing the young man. He had that feeling again that Jamie was nervous. Was he having an anxiety attack or something even as he continued to speak? And his daughter wasn't even around.

"Look, Jamie. I don't want you to feel tensed around me just because I am Kelly's dad, okay? I am not the meddling types. But you can tell me whatever is on your mind if you wish to. If you two are having issues, and you need someone to talk to, I'll always be here."

He knew if he had said these same words to his own daughter, she would have either rolled her eyes at him or done something similar. Jamie was mature enough not to do any such thing, even if he wanted to. Nick ended his speech and got up from his chair, walking towards the door slowly.

"Do you have your car with you, or someone picking you up? Or is Kelly driving you home?"

Nick grabbed the door handle and pulled it open, standing in front of Jamie, smiling into his eyes.

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie was touched that Nick seemed to actually appreciate what he'd said, and... did he actually understand? He hadn't expected the father of his girlfriend to admit she was "difficult". And when Nick said he'd always be here, Jamie felt such a powerful pang inside that he had to slouch over and hide his face for a few moments, his long hair slipping down to shield his suddenly misty eyes. He wanted this - he wanted a man to talk to, a man to be here for him.

Quickly he ran a sleeve across his face, knowing how pathetic and embarrassing it was to be so affected this way by just a few words from someone he'd just met. He was only just beginning to understand his own needs and desires. He wanted Nick in his life - that much was certain.

He managed to look up, peeking out through a few lingering strands of hair as Nick approached him, standing so close he at least imagined he could feel the man's body heat.

Fuck...

His whole body felt electrified. What would happen if he just took a step forward and pressed himself against the other man? He smelled so good. He smelled like a dad. Safe and good and strong and masculine and important.

"I...," he stammered. It took him too long to remember he didn't even own a car.

"No car," he finally managed. "Kelly drove. I don't think, um... well I was going to ask if there's a bus stop nearby."

He dared to lock his eyes tightly on Nick's, which was dizzying at such a close range.

 

[Mav Unlimited]

The young man faltered as he spoke, standing at arms length from him now as Nick approached the study door. They were so close, it was a strange, almost unreal feeling. He had never experienced something like this before. And the annoying thing was that he had no idea what the fuck it was.

"There's no bus over here at this time, Jamie. Didn't Kelly tell you that? Speaking of her, why isn't she driving you ba..."

Nick paused and thought about it for a moment. If Kelly wanted to drive him home, he wouldn't have asked Nick about the bus stop. Or was he just being too nice, not wanting his girlfriend to go through the trouble of driving him back home? Nick shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment and staring down before his eyes roamed over Jamie's body from toe...back towards his face with an empathetic smile. It was clouded by his hair which kept sliding over his eyes. Nick took a deep breath.

"Give me a minute to change. I'll take you home."

Nick smiled warmly, then gently patted his arm before opening the door wider and stepping out of his study.

"Have a seat. I'll change, grab the car keys and be right back."

He disappeared into the upstairs bedroom. For a moment, he thought about asking Kelly what was going on, but then decided against it. Maybe a conversation for another time. Not tonight. Tonight, he would drop Jamie home, come back and go to bed early. The book could wait. He was not going to be able to focus on it anymore anyway after working all day. He was not looking forward to Connie coming back home either, whenever she managed to. He needed to get a good night's sleep.

 

[tamgreen]

"I'll take you home."

Jamie's heart fluttered. What a damned nice thing to do. He was quite overcome for a few moments and it took him too long to realize he might have made the guy feel obligated, and that wasn't a good thing. He was starting to care less and less about pissing off Kelly, and the last thing he wanted now was to annoy her dad.

"Oh... you don't have to...," he attempted, but his voice was weak and Nick was already out of earshot.

He sat down as instructed and waited for Nick, trying to get his breathing under control all the while. Why did this feel like a first date or something? God, what if Kelly swooped in and ruined everything? His best hope right now was that she wanted to punish him by pushing him away for a little while, and that she wouldn't realize how much he genuinely wanted to be around her dad.

What if he made things weird? A parent of teenagers didn't want some random other teenager hanging around being all obsessive. At least he could pass off his smittenness as an innocent desire for a father figure.

God, he did want a father figure. What a figure.

A sweater hanging on a hook nearby caught his eye. Jamie stood up and stepped over to it, running his fingers over the soft weave. He probably wore it while writing when it was cold. He probably looked amazing and totally huggable in it. Jamie lost himself in a fantasy and leaned in, pressing his face into the sweater and inhaling, filling himself with the scent of Nick.

Fuuuuuck....

It might as well have been a drug, the scent of this man.

Quickly he stepped back when he heard Nick's approaching footsteps, not wanting to be caught doing something totally freaky. He smiled when the man appeared and smoothed his hair back.

"Thanks so much for offering a ride," he said. "It's really super cool of you. I appreciate it so much. You're just... really cool."

For fuck's sake, would you find some other word than 'cool'...?

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick left Jamie in his study and headed upstairs. He could hear his daughter speaking angrily with someone on the phone as he passed by her bedroom door. It wasn't the first time he had heard her talking in this manner, but this was different. Her boyfriend was downstairs and her own father, who had only met him a few hours ago, was about to give him a ride, while she apparently did not care where he was or how he got home. Something was surely wrong between the two of them. And Nick had a feeling that his daughter, no matter what kind of person she was, was not the one hiding something in this relationship.

Once he entered his bedroom, Nick glanced at himself in the mirror, running his fingers over the stubble on his chin and his cheeks, before quickly changing into a pair of denims and a black t-shirt. Grabbing his wallet and keys, he walked back down the stairs and into the study where Jamie was waiting for him. When he stopped talking, Nick gave him a smile.

"Yes, yes. I know. I am the coolest. You are welcome."

He stared at the young man as he talked, telling Nick how cool he was. It almost seemed like Jamie was trying too hard or overdoing it, trying to impress his girlfriend's dad. Kelly was the one who he needed to sort things out with, not him. Maybe her mother, but certainly not her father.

"Now, let's go. It is getting dark and I don't want your folks to be worried."

They both walked towards the front door before turning off the lights in the study and the kitchen. As Nick led him towards the vehicle that was parked in the driveway he realized how dark it had gotten. He had forgotten to turn on the lights outside. It was enough for them to not bump into a tree or a person.

"Hop in. Where are we going?"

Without waiting for an answer, he opened the door to his car, got inside and turned on the ignition. He noticed some papers and a book lying on the passenger seat and reached a hand to pick them up just as Jamie opened the passenger door and was about to slide into the seat.

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie kicked himself inwardly for gushing, knowing that he was probably alienating him by being weird instead of making a good impression.

Brown's Books, Saturday at 6, he reminded himself, remembering what Nick had put on his calendar. He had some time now to get his head together and hopefully make a better impression over the weekend.

He swallowed audibly when Nick said "folks", trying to find the guts to tell him there was only a mom at home, and no dad. He'd mentioned earlier he didn't have a dad around, didn't he? If he said it more that once was he being too obvious?

The moment passed. He waited for Nick to clear the front passenger seat and slid in with a smile. He explained the neighbourhood he lived in and gave basic directions as he strapped in. His eyes roamed over Nick in the glow of the streetlights. Fuck, he looked great in those jeans.

"Kelly's lucky to have you... I mean, a writer in the house," he said after a minute or two of silence. "She struggles with her English homework. She doesn't always let me help her. I guess she doesn't come to you much for homework help either...? She should. I definitely would."

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick backed the car out of his driveway as Jamie slid in next to him and provided directions on how to get to his place. He kept his eyes on the road as he drove, occasionally glancing at Jamie who seemed to be a bit more comfortable now than he was earlier, although there was that hint of anxiety or nervousness, Nick wasn't really sure what it was, as he kept talking.

“I’m not so sure about lucky. She usually doesn’t like to discuss homework with me.”

Nick wanted to say that his darling daughter didn’t discuss anything with him anymore, let alone homework. But he said no such thing. He kept listening intently to the young man.

As Jamie admitted he would have come to him for help with his English homework, Nick stared at him curiously for a few moments longer than he should have considering he was in the driver’s seat. It was a good thing there wasn’t much traffic at the time. Besides, Nick was taking the back roads since he knew the neighborhood Jamie lived in quite well. Staring back at the traffic light ahead which suddenly seemed to have turned red, Nick slammed the brakes as the car came to a halt. He then turned to Jamie and said,

“So, tell me Jamie. What do your parents do for a living?”

 

[tamgreen]

Jamie felt his heart race every time Nick looked at him, and it raced even faster when Nick nearly missed the red light. He wiped his perspiring hands on his shorts and tried to breathe normally as the man faced him. He made firm eye contact and offered a tiny, slightly melancholy smile.

"Well... my mom's a nurse," he explained. "She's great at what she does, but the hours are long and kinda unpredictable. She's always taken good care of us. And by 'us' I mean, her and me. It's just the two of us. My dad died... a long time ago."

He saw the concerned look on Nick's face and tried to smile more confidently.

"I don't really remember him - I was just a baby," he continued onward. "Maybe sometimes it's better when you don't know what you're missing... yunno? It's worst for my mom. Not just because she lost her husband, but like... people can be super judgey. They see a single mom and make negative assumptions. I really hate that. Even if she actually was some kind of tramp, which she's not and never has been, why do people need to tear each other down about the choices they make about like... sex and stuff...? Who would she even be hurting? Anyway... sorry about the off-topic rant. I guess I don't have a lot of people to really talk to."

 

[Mav Unlimited]

Nick realized a few moments too late that perhaps he should have apologized to Jamie for not keeping his eyes on the road. The young man was sweating, slightly shaken as they came to a sudden stop. It was too late now. Jamie started talking and Nick stared at him, his eyes wandering again down his long blonde hair, his lean body and the shorts riding up his thighs as he sat next to him, before moving up to fixate on his face, making sure he didn't notice his girlfriend's dad looking at him in such a manner. Fuck! Nick himself wasn't sure why he was looking at the young man in such a manner.

It was the honking of the car behind him that made Nick realize the light had turned green almost a minute ago. He was tuned in listening to Jamie, not to mention, leering at him, if someone else could describe what he was doing.

You should be ashamed of yourself, Nicholas! What has gotten into you?

Nick did feel ashamed. Not exactly for staring at the young man or having inappropriate thoughts about him, but for the timing of it. Jamie was trying to tell him about his mother and father. When he realized there was no father in the picture, his tone and demeanor suddenly changed. But there was a strange feeling that came over him. Again, he wasn't sure what it was.

"I am sorry. I did not know...about your father, Jamie."

Nick apologized sincerely. He continued to listen to Jamie as he spoke about how he was raised by a single mom and the difficulties they had faced, and still faced. He realized how lonely the young man was. It was clear in his voice. The way he had been trying to connect with Nick ever since they met in his house a few hours ago. And who else knew what loneliness meant better than Nick.

His rant may have been off-topic, but Nick heard every word he had said. And he knew there was more to it than what appeared over the surface. It was not just the loneliness, or the fact that people always made assumptions about others. There was more. Nick wanted to find out what. But he decided to wait before saying anything that might seem like he was prying, even though Jamie seemed more than happy to discuss, or rather rant about it with him.

"It is alright, Jamie. You don't have to apologize to me for expressing your thoughts and feelings. I understand."

Nick gave him a warm smile and extended his hand to touch his shoulder, his other hand firmly on the wheel as they approached the street where Jamie lived. Nick was surprised by the next words that came out of his mouth as their eyes met once more.

"You can talk to me. Anytime. And if you ever need help with your English homework, I would be glad to assist."

 

[tamgreen]

The concern and genuine caring in Nick's voice touched Jamie deeply. He felt a warm rush of pleasure course through every inch of him. Some of it concentrated in his groin, and he was suddenly very self-conscious about his shorts. He had never crushed on anyone this hard, and it was turning him upside down moment by moment, especially when Nick's eyes locked on him, now and then travelling up and down. Was it even remotely possible that the feelings he was having could be reciprocated, even a little?

"I'd like to take you up on that," he said breathily, "the talking... and the homework. If you really don't mind."

He directed Nick into a driveway that led into a small townhouse complex, and pointed out the unit he and his mom lived in. The space where she usually parked her car was empty, so Jamie told him to pull in.

"Looks like mom's still working," Jamie said softly, sounding more forlorn than he intended.

Nick shut the engine off, and it was suddenly very quiet. Jamie imagined he could hear his own heart pounding. The parking space was mostly in shadow, but there was a light nearby that shed a gentle glow, illuminating one side of Nick's face in a rather artistic way. Jamie gazed at him, feeling that this moment was beautiful and full of electricity. He took his seatbelt off and shifted a little closer to the man.

He knew he was really pushing it now. Surely at some point he would be scaring Nick away. But the number of times the man had reached out and touched his shoulder in a warm and comforting way made him feel like he had a chance of getting away with this. He reached out and wrapped his arms around Nick, pulling him into a hug. His nose pressed against the man's hair and he breathed in, filling himself with the scent of a warm, comfortable, sexy dad. He felt a scrape of stubble against his cheek and his half-hard cock throbbed.

"Thanks for the ride," he whispered next to Nick's ear.

He loosened his grip on Nick just enough to get face-to-face with him, close enough to feel the warmth of his breath, and searched his eyes, hoping to find something there he could read.