Chapter 7
“This is perfect,” Frankie remarked, looking around.
Caleb grinned. “Thought you might like it,” he replied cheerfully.
Frankie walked over to look at a black-and-white photo hanging on the nearest wall. It was of a glacier, the stark white of the ice towering over a frozen lake. The gallery that Caleb had brought him to was all photography, and encompassed everything from portraits to landscape shots and beyond. The gallery was warm(literally) and inviting, with padded benches along the length of it so that the potential customers could sit down and rest. They were wandering along, looking at the photos, taking their own sweet time and enjoying themselves. Frankie really liked this date. Caleb seemed to know him pretty well already.
He came to a photo of a wrinkled old man, seeing wise bright eyes staring out of that ancient face. “Just think of all of the things that he’s seen,” Frankie said, looking up into those eyes. “I don’t think that we cherish our older people the way we should.”
“My Grandpa would be happy to hear you say that,” Caleb said behind him. “He likes to tell long-winded stories that bore everybody around him into catatonia within a few minutes. It’s hard to conceal your yawns when you get trapped in the same room with him.”
Frankie giggled. “I never had that problem,” he noted. “Both sets of my grandparents died when I was young. I think I’d be happy to have a grandparent bore me.”
“Maybe I’ll introduce you to him sometime,” Caleb replied. “Give him a new ear to bend. He’d love it. But you might be sorry…”
“Probably. Wow, I like this one,” Frankie said, coming to a photo of a man with his shirt off. A buff, muscular chest gleamed in black-and-white. He ogled this nice chest openly, hearing a sigh from behind him. He grinned evilly to himself. “If I had the money I’d buy this one,” he decided.
“I’ve got that same photo in my bedroom,” Caleb said.
Frankie’s head whipped around, and he gave the larger man a suspicious look. “You do?”
“Sure. I like photography,” Caleb said with a straight face.
Frankie frowned, looking very cute when he did so. “Are you going to show it to me?”
“Sure. One of these days.” Caleb’s eyes had a distinct gleam in them.
Frankie sniffed. “Whatever you say.” He moved on to the next photo, and Caleb chuckled very softly before trailing after him.
After the gallery, Caleb took Frankie to dinner. The food was really good, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Until Caleb sighed and said: “Tomorrow’s Saturday. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to take you anywhere this weekend.”
Frankie’s face fell, although he tried to conceal his reaction. “Why not?” he asked.
Caleb shrugged. “I usually go into work on the weekends just after I get up; they’re our busiest days so I have a ton of stuff to do before we even open. Sorry.”
Frankie accepted this manfully, although he was dreading the weekend with his crazy family. He’d sort of been counting on being able to flee the house, at least for a little while each day. What was he going to do now? If he hung around Seth, all his cousin would do was try to hit on him. He very much doubted that Elena spent much time at home on the weekends. Roger seemed wrapped up in his sculpture, Meredith was so depressing, and Rena was both weird and morose. And he wasn’t even going to get started on Aaron or the creepy Eric. He’d probably have to lock himself in his room for most of the day all weekend. Lord, he was feeling depressed now.
Caleb had been studying his face. The bigger man spoke up: “I could try to make it up to you on Monday,” he said.
Frankie sighed heavily. “My classes start Monday,” he said moodily.
“Well, I could at least come and pick you up at school when your last class gets out. We could go somewhere. Best I can do,” he added.
“I know. Somehow I’ll survive,” Frankie said glumly.
“You can do it. I have faith in you,” Caleb said, a slightly teasing note in his voice.
Frankie gave him the glad eye. “It’s not nice to make fun of someone when they’re feeling sorry for themselves,” he pointed out tartly.
Caleb’s lips twitched. “What can I say? I’m a bad boy,” he remarked.
“Hmm. I can only hope,” Frankie replied dryly. “Anyway, maybe I’ll ask my cousin Seth to do something with me this weekend,” he said, a sly gleam in his eyes. “I’m sure he’s lots of fun.”
Caleb scowled slightly. Frankie concealed his smirk only with difficulty. ‘Take that, Mister! Make fun of me, will ya?’ he thought in glee. Then Caleb’s face smoothed over, and he said blandly: “I’m sure you’re right. You and Seth should do something together this weekend.”
Frankie gave him a narrow-eyed look, but Caleb’s handsome face was expressionless. He sniffed. “Maybe I will,” he said.
Caleb’s eyebrow lifted. “You two enjoy yourselves,” he said. “But think of me once in awhile – I’ll be working hard at the club. Talking to the customers, making sure that they’re happy and…well taken care of…” there was an insinuation in his voice that Frankie didn’t like at all.
“You haven’t said what kind of club it is,” he remarked suspiciously.
Caleb’s lips lifted in a small, evil smile. “It’s a dance club…mostly for gay men, although we get some lesbians and a few straight people in sometimes,” he purred. “On weekends especially, the place is packed with horny young guys looking to hook up. It gets pretty wild in there sometimes.”
Frankie could feel a scowl moving over his mouth. He knew that Caleb was deliberately baiting him because of what he’d said about Seth, but it still kind of irked him. “I’m sure your customer service is impeccable,” he growled.
“It is, yes,” Caleb replied smoothly.
He’d had enough. He stood up. “Could you take me home?” he asked rather stiffly.
Caleb snagged the check and stood up. “Just let me pay this,” he told Frankie.
He waited for Caleb to return, moving from foot-to-foot. Darn it, he shouldn’t have made that crack about Seth! It wasn’t as though he’d actually intended to do anything this weekend with his over-sexed cousin…he’d be fighting off Seth’s hands the whole time. He sighed, feeling depressed. This was going to be a lousy weekend.
Caleb drove him home. Neither said much of anything until he turned into the driveway and stopped in front of the farm house. Then he turned to look at Frankie, who was slumped in the passenger’s seat. He said unnecessarily: “We’re here.”
“Yeah,” Frankie started to get out, but was stopped by a big hand on his arm. He looked over at Caleb in irritation. “What?” he snapped.
Caleb studied his face, then grimaced a bit and leaned over. Before Frankie could get out of the way, his mouth was covered by Caleb’s. He started to protest, but it turned into a moan when a tongue licked at his lips and then wriggled inside of his mouth when he opened them on a small gasp. Caleb’s big hand moved up to cradle the back of his head, keeping him in place for the amazing kiss that just went on and on. He forgot why he was upset, and just about everything else, as Caleb kissed him senseless.
He panted lightly when Caleb finally parted their mouths once more. The other man’s thumb stroked along his jaw as the dark-blue eyes gazed deep into his. “Frankie, I don’t like it when you talk about your cousin,” he remarked softly. “I’m sorry, but it makes me jealous when I see you with him. I can’t help it. I know his type –and I’ve seen them leave the club with a new guy every night. Nobody seems to be able to resist that kind, even though he’s nothing but a player. I’m just afraid that you’ll fall for his line, too, and I wouldn’t like that at all. In fact, I’d hate it. I really would,” his voice was somber, and his eyes were darkened with emotion.
Frankie suddenly felt terrible about using Seth against Caleb earlier, especially when he hadn’t meant what he’d said. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. “I was just teasing about Seth. I wouldn’t touch him with a hundred-foot pole, I swear. I know his type, too, I and I’ve always hated those kind of guys. While I kind of like Seth, I’d never, EVER sleep with him.”
He tried to project his sincerity, and after a moment Caleb nodded. He looked relieved. “Okay,” he said gravely. “I believe you. I’ll try not to be jealous of him anymore, I promise.”
Frankie studied his face in turn, but Caleb looked entirely serious. “So we’re still on for Monday?” he asked hopefully.
Caleb’s lips moved into a small smile. “Of course,” he said. “Here,” he dug out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote down a number on it. “This is my cell phone number. Call me when your last class gets out.” He handed it to Frankie.
“I will. I’ll see you then,” he darted forward and placed a last light kiss on Caleb’s sensual mouth, then got out of the car. He waved at the other man, who returned the favor before he drove away.
Shivering, Frankie walked into the house. At least he’d gotten to eat dinner with Caleb, so he didn’t have to brave the dinner table tonight. Small favors, Frankie thought. Small favors.
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“This is perfect,” Frankie remarked, looking around.
Caleb grinned. “Thought you might like it,” he replied cheerfully.
Frankie walked over to look at a black-and-white photo hanging on the nearest wall. It was of a glacier, the stark white of the ice towering over a frozen lake. The gallery that Caleb had brought him to was all photography, and encompassed everything from portraits to landscape shots and beyond. The gallery was warm(literally) and inviting, with padded benches along the length of it so that the potential customers could sit down and rest. They were wandering along, looking at the photos, taking their own sweet time and enjoying themselves. Frankie really liked this date. Caleb seemed to know him pretty well already.
He came to a photo of a wrinkled old man, seeing wise bright eyes staring out of that ancient face. “Just think of all of the things that he’s seen,” Frankie said, looking up into those eyes. “I don’t think that we cherish our older people the way we should.”
“My Grandpa would be happy to hear you say that,” Caleb said behind him. “He likes to tell long-winded stories that bore everybody around him into catatonia within a few minutes. It’s hard to conceal your yawns when you get trapped in the same room with him.”
Frankie giggled. “I never had that problem,” he noted. “Both sets of my grandparents died when I was young. I think I’d be happy to have a grandparent bore me.”
“Maybe I’ll introduce you to him sometime,” Caleb replied. “Give him a new ear to bend. He’d love it. But you might be sorry…”
“Probably. Wow, I like this one,” Frankie said, coming to a photo of a man with his shirt off. A buff, muscular chest gleamed in black-and-white. He ogled this nice chest openly, hearing a sigh from behind him. He grinned evilly to himself. “If I had the money I’d buy this one,” he decided.
“I’ve got that same photo in my bedroom,” Caleb said.
Frankie’s head whipped around, and he gave the larger man a suspicious look. “You do?”
“Sure. I like photography,” Caleb said with a straight face.
Frankie frowned, looking very cute when he did so. “Are you going to show it to me?”
“Sure. One of these days.” Caleb’s eyes had a distinct gleam in them.
Frankie sniffed. “Whatever you say.” He moved on to the next photo, and Caleb chuckled very softly before trailing after him.
After the gallery, Caleb took Frankie to dinner. The food was really good, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Until Caleb sighed and said: “Tomorrow’s Saturday. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to take you anywhere this weekend.”
Frankie’s face fell, although he tried to conceal his reaction. “Why not?” he asked.
Caleb shrugged. “I usually go into work on the weekends just after I get up; they’re our busiest days so I have a ton of stuff to do before we even open. Sorry.”
Frankie accepted this manfully, although he was dreading the weekend with his crazy family. He’d sort of been counting on being able to flee the house, at least for a little while each day. What was he going to do now? If he hung around Seth, all his cousin would do was try to hit on him. He very much doubted that Elena spent much time at home on the weekends. Roger seemed wrapped up in his sculpture, Meredith was so depressing, and Rena was both weird and morose. And he wasn’t even going to get started on Aaron or the creepy Eric. He’d probably have to lock himself in his room for most of the day all weekend. Lord, he was feeling depressed now.
Caleb had been studying his face. The bigger man spoke up: “I could try to make it up to you on Monday,” he said.
Frankie sighed heavily. “My classes start Monday,” he said moodily.
“Well, I could at least come and pick you up at school when your last class gets out. We could go somewhere. Best I can do,” he added.
“I know. Somehow I’ll survive,” Frankie said glumly.
“You can do it. I have faith in you,” Caleb said, a slightly teasing note in his voice.
Frankie gave him the glad eye. “It’s not nice to make fun of someone when they’re feeling sorry for themselves,” he pointed out tartly.
Caleb’s lips twitched. “What can I say? I’m a bad boy,” he remarked.
“Hmm. I can only hope,” Frankie replied dryly. “Anyway, maybe I’ll ask my cousin Seth to do something with me this weekend,” he said, a sly gleam in his eyes. “I’m sure he’s lots of fun.”
Caleb scowled slightly. Frankie concealed his smirk only with difficulty. ‘Take that, Mister! Make fun of me, will ya?’ he thought in glee. Then Caleb’s face smoothed over, and he said blandly: “I’m sure you’re right. You and Seth should do something together this weekend.”
Frankie gave him a narrow-eyed look, but Caleb’s handsome face was expressionless. He sniffed. “Maybe I will,” he said.
Caleb’s eyebrow lifted. “You two enjoy yourselves,” he said. “But think of me once in awhile – I’ll be working hard at the club. Talking to the customers, making sure that they’re happy and…well taken care of…” there was an insinuation in his voice that Frankie didn’t like at all.
“You haven’t said what kind of club it is,” he remarked suspiciously.
Caleb’s lips lifted in a small, evil smile. “It’s a dance club…mostly for gay men, although we get some lesbians and a few straight people in sometimes,” he purred. “On weekends especially, the place is packed with horny young guys looking to hook up. It gets pretty wild in there sometimes.”
Frankie could feel a scowl moving over his mouth. He knew that Caleb was deliberately baiting him because of what he’d said about Seth, but it still kind of irked him. “I’m sure your customer service is impeccable,” he growled.
“It is, yes,” Caleb replied smoothly.
He’d had enough. He stood up. “Could you take me home?” he asked rather stiffly.
Caleb snagged the check and stood up. “Just let me pay this,” he told Frankie.
He waited for Caleb to return, moving from foot-to-foot. Darn it, he shouldn’t have made that crack about Seth! It wasn’t as though he’d actually intended to do anything this weekend with his over-sexed cousin…he’d be fighting off Seth’s hands the whole time. He sighed, feeling depressed. This was going to be a lousy weekend.
Caleb drove him home. Neither said much of anything until he turned into the driveway and stopped in front of the farm house. Then he turned to look at Frankie, who was slumped in the passenger’s seat. He said unnecessarily: “We’re here.”
“Yeah,” Frankie started to get out, but was stopped by a big hand on his arm. He looked over at Caleb in irritation. “What?” he snapped.
Caleb studied his face, then grimaced a bit and leaned over. Before Frankie could get out of the way, his mouth was covered by Caleb’s. He started to protest, but it turned into a moan when a tongue licked at his lips and then wriggled inside of his mouth when he opened them on a small gasp. Caleb’s big hand moved up to cradle the back of his head, keeping him in place for the amazing kiss that just went on and on. He forgot why he was upset, and just about everything else, as Caleb kissed him senseless.
He panted lightly when Caleb finally parted their mouths once more. The other man’s thumb stroked along his jaw as the dark-blue eyes gazed deep into his. “Frankie, I don’t like it when you talk about your cousin,” he remarked softly. “I’m sorry, but it makes me jealous when I see you with him. I can’t help it. I know his type –and I’ve seen them leave the club with a new guy every night. Nobody seems to be able to resist that kind, even though he’s nothing but a player. I’m just afraid that you’ll fall for his line, too, and I wouldn’t like that at all. In fact, I’d hate it. I really would,” his voice was somber, and his eyes were darkened with emotion.
Frankie suddenly felt terrible about using Seth against Caleb earlier, especially when he hadn’t meant what he’d said. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. “I was just teasing about Seth. I wouldn’t touch him with a hundred-foot pole, I swear. I know his type, too, I and I’ve always hated those kind of guys. While I kind of like Seth, I’d never, EVER sleep with him.”
He tried to project his sincerity, and after a moment Caleb nodded. He looked relieved. “Okay,” he said gravely. “I believe you. I’ll try not to be jealous of him anymore, I promise.”
Frankie studied his face in turn, but Caleb looked entirely serious. “So we’re still on for Monday?” he asked hopefully.
Caleb’s lips moved into a small smile. “Of course,” he said. “Here,” he dug out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote down a number on it. “This is my cell phone number. Call me when your last class gets out.” He handed it to Frankie.
“I will. I’ll see you then,” he darted forward and placed a last light kiss on Caleb’s sensual mouth, then got out of the car. He waved at the other man, who returned the favor before he drove away.
Shivering, Frankie walked into the house. At least he’d gotten to eat dinner with Caleb, so he didn’t have to brave the dinner table tonight. Small favors, Frankie thought. Small favors.
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