Colorado Game (part)
7
By: Andr0gene
(andr0gene@hotmail.com)
**********DISCLAIMER**********
The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious,
any similarity to the name, character or history of any person is entirely
coincidental and unintentional. This story portrays, at times, strong erotic
content. If you are a minor, or in any other way not allowed to read it, you
are advised strongly to discontinue.
*******© andr0gene 2004*******
I actually winced, when I saw the shiner Ross had given
Kyle, the next day. His entire right eye-socket looked bruised but it didn’t
hurt, he said. Well, not much.
That whole day I tried to gather enough courage to call
Ross, to try and talk to him about all of this. I desperately wanted to talk to
him, explain why, because he’d promised me, just a few weeks ago, that we could
talk about anything. So why couldn’t we talk about this? But when I finally did
muster the guts to pick up the phone and called him, he didn’t pick up, and the
call went straight to voicemail. So I tried his office next, but Janice told me
he wasn’t in.
We talked a little, catching up on stuff and I told her a
little, but not all, about the fight.
“Right. Well, if you’re responsible
for this, you damn well make it up, okay?” she said, snickering. “It’s not only
you who has to deal with it. He’s been snapping at everybody all morning. Even
Andrew steered clear of him today. We all breathed a sigh of relief when he
left, about an hour ago.”
I promised her that I’d talk to him and hung up. It was
I ate a little and I was about to try another round of
messaging, when the phone rang. It was
She asked me how I was, what I’d been doing lately, and then
she unwittingly disclosed a piece of information she assumed I already knew but
which, in fact, took me by complete surprise.
“Oh, by the way, I’m still expecting you for the family
dinner in Saturday. There’s no reason for you not to come, just because Ross is
abroad. So I’ll see you Saturday evening, eight sharp, alright?”
Abroad?
I just muttered something that sounded affirmative and she
hung up.
Abroad? The only use of that word,
in the Forester family, was when they referred to Charles Forester, Ross’s
father, who lived in
**********
He didn’t call me that night. By the time he landed in
So the next day I called Warner Gaming, and said that I
wasn’t going to show up that day, and that I’d stay home to work. I wouldn’t be
able to get some work done anyway; I had hardly slept a wink. The waiting game
started around
**********
It was
“Hi,” he said, his voice sounding somewhat timid.
“Hi. How’s your father doing?” I asked, equally timid. I
definitely didn’t want to piss him off by immediately tearing into him.
“He’s fine… Mark, I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you that I was
leaving for
“It’s okay,” I replied, sighing. “Are you still angry with
me?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Would you prefer it if I still was?”
“Yes. I wish you’d be here and scream at me. I can work with
that. You leaving without a word, making me worried sick…even Janice didn’t
know where you were.”
“I know, and I apologized for it. It was kinda
last moment, so I called her during my stopover in LA. I told her not to tell
you anything, that I’d call you myself. Mark…it’s 3am
here, I didn’t call to fight.”
“And you couldn’t call me any sooner? Like, oh…say…when you
landed, to let me know at least that you were okay? Why call now?”
“Because I miss you, and I wanted to hear your voice. I went
to bed at
Damn it. Just when I was about to blow up, he goes saying
crap like that.
“During the flight over, I wanted to call. I wore out my
credit card, constantly using it, dialing and thinking the better of it,
because I knew you’d be upset. I figured you’d find out where I was soon
enough, and I won’t deny that I wanted you to worry, to get back at you. Petty,
I know…”
“Ross, can we try and have a normal conversation about all
of this?” I asked, sitting down on the couch.
“Yes,” he said, “we can. It’s just…when it comes to Kyle,
and you, I… ”
I waited for him to continue when he was silent for a long
time.
“I trust you. I want you to know that. And if you insist on
being friends with him, then there’s little I can do to stop you. So I’ll have
to accept it, if I don’t want to lose you.”
“You wouldn’t lose me,” I said, smiling. “Yes, I’d like to
be friends with him. I think he’s changed, a lot. I believe that he’s not who
he once was, but I won’t ask you to try and see that; I just want you to accept
that I want to make up my own mind about who I choose as friends. But if you’re making me choose… Ross, I don’t want to choose
between the guy I love, and a guy who will never be more than a friend. I need
you to trust me on that one. But if you are still going to make me choose…”
“Then…?” he asked slowly.
“Then I’ll do as you ask.”
“And resent me for it, for the rest of my life?” he answered
dryly.
”Pretty safe assumption, yes,” I said, grinning. “Seriously…
I wouldn’t like it but I’d do it. You’re more important than he whose name
shall not be mentioned.”
“Then… I’m asking. I’m sorry, Mark, but I can’t help it; I’m
jealous as all hell. I wish I weren’t, but the thought of you and him working
together…” His voice trailed and I could hear him swallow. “I can’t stand it.
Not him.”
“Okay,” I said softly, swallowing myself. He had the right
to ask me that. “I’m not liking you very much right now…”
“I know. I accept that, but I’m not sorry I asked. You’re
mine.”
He sounded so possessive that I expected rage or fury to
surge up, but none came. Instead, I felt something entirely different; if love
could be measured in depth, mine deepened, and not just a little, either! Yes.
I was his. And he was mine.
“Mark?”
“Still here, and remarkably calm at that,” I said, grinning.
“Actually, I’d give just about anything if you were here right now. So are you gonna come home?”
He softly chuckled, blowing out a relieved sigh.
“Soon. I have to wrap up some stuff
here. I did come here for a reason, you know. There are some business
transactions I have to be here for.”
“Can’t you just take that stuff with you and come home?
Like…now? Buy the plane if you have to,” I said, trying not to make it sound
whiney, barely managing it. “I really wanna make it
up to you.” I said that last with my best seducing voice and he softly groaned.
“Stop that.”
I smiled, satisfied. It didn’t hurt for him to know what he
was missing.
“Stop what?” I answered, innocently.
“That. You know damn well what I mean.”
“I have no idea. Shouldn’t you go back to sleep, since it’s
so late over there? You go to sleep, and I promise I’ll go to bed early. Take a
shower first, of course, and then slip between the cool sheets with nothing…”
“Yes you can stop now, thanks,” he roughly interrupted,
“Great, now I can’t sleep.”
“Awww, what is it? Did
something…um…come up?” I asked, smiling inwardly.
When he threateningly growled I laughed out loud.
“That’s low…even for you. I thought you didn’t go for this
kind of thing?”
“What kind of thing?” I answered, almost choking. This was
fun, actually.
“Getting me excited over the phone, that’s what,” he
replied, his voice deepening.
“Right, I think I’ll hang up now, and go take that shower.”
“Don’t you dare hang up now, Mister!
You finish what you started.”
I couldn’t believe it but I actually thought about it. I bit
my lower lip, thinking.
“How?” I finally asked.
“Tell me what you’re wearing, and I’ll tell you what that
does to me.”
CHAPTER *38*
I looked down, frowning. I wasn’t wearing anything special,
just a pair of old jeans and a clean shirt.
“Nothing special… jeans, shirt.”
“What kind of jeans? Color?”
“Stonewashed jeans, the one with the hole near my ankle.”
“The tight one… Mmm…”
“What are you doing?” I asked, a little uncomfortable,
because the sound of that was very intimate.
“Nothing…yet. What shirt?”
“The flannel black and white blocked one,” I replied, almost
whispering.
This was weird. My heart was beginning to thud like when he
was near me and we were about to…
“What’s underneath?”
“Nothing.”
The sound he then gave was just plain horny.
“Open it. The shirt. Close your
eyes and open it, imagine that it’s my hands doing it.”
I looked around, which was pretty ridiculous considering I
knew I was alone. Then I closed my eyes and did as he asked.
“Slide your hand onto your smooth chest and find your nipple…
rub it.”
I think I involuntarily moaned softly, but it could’ve been
him.
“Are you…”
“Yes. I’m imagining that it’s your hand around my…”
The phone slipped out of my hand and I barely prevented it
from falling to the floor, bringing it back to my ear quickly.
“…oing up and down slowly.”
Jesus… I was getting excited myself, hearing him whisper
like that. Somehow, he sounded closer than when he’d actually be here doing it.
I closed my eyes again and opened a few more buttons,
letting my hand roam over my chest and then down to my belly.
“It feels so good, your hand,” he whispered.
“Yeah,” I whispered back. “Yours too.
It’s now on my belly…”
“Mmm… Go further down, slip it into your jeans...” His breathing was as
intimate as when he was with me.
“I can’t, my jeans are too tight,” I sighed.
He softly chuckled and I grinned.
“Bastard,” he said. “Fine… my hand is going to the outside
of your jeans, and presses down on your hard…”
That damn phone slipped away again. This time, I stuck it
tightly between my ear and the cushion on which I put my head, scooting down a
little.
“…sing my other hand to open the button.”
I did as he said, closing my eyes again.
“Now my hand slides inside, touching you.”
It was real enough. I palmed myself, and it wasn’t hard to
imagine his hand doing it. I softly sighed.
“Wet your index finger and then touch your nipple with your
other hand. Imagine that it’s my tongue,” Ross’s voice continued.
I did it and softly hissed.
“Yes, you like that, don’t you?” He asked softly. “I know
you do.”
“Mmm, yeah.”
Now that I had both hands available, one stuck down my
pants, the other following his directions, I wanted to do something back.
“Are you wet?” I asked, whispering.
“Yes,” he softly replied. “Very slick.”
“Use your thumb on it; that’s my…”
I almost flew up a foot from the couch when the clock struck
nine.
“Jesus… shit, bugger, bug roll.”
On the other side of the world, Ross had a laughing fit,
even going so far as to bury his face in the cushions, the muffled sound of it
barely coming through.
“Oh my god,” he hiccupped, after about a minute, “that was
the funniest thing I’ve ever experienced.”
I started to chuckle myself.
“I thought the roof was coming down,” I said, sighing. “I’m
sorry…”
The moment was completely ruined, that much was clear.
“It’s okay. You know what? I should try and get some sleep,
anyway.”
“Right… And I’m going smash that damn clock into a thousand
pieces,” I replied, a little disappointed.
Ross snickered.
“I’m glad I’m not that clock, tonight. But how about
tomorrow; same time?” he asked, a small hint of intimacy still in his voice.
“I’ll remove any interrupting items,” I said, rolling onto
my stomach. “G’night, lover of
mine.”
“You too, cute stuff. I love you.”
I pressed the disconnect button and eyed the clock.
Thanks to that thing, I had time to kill. It would be slow
death.
CHAPTER *39*
I was in the kitchen doing the dishes when Ross finally came
home. I heard him come in, even over the clamoring of cutlery and dishes; I’m kind
of a loud worker in that department, but him barking
my name from the moment he entered the loft did help a little.
“Kitchen!” I yelled, grabbing a
towel to dry my hands.
I grinned when I heard his steps behind me, and when two
arms snuck around my middle, I never felt happier in my life. Yeah, I’m such a
sap at times.
Ross pushed his nose into my neck, and inhaled deeply.
“I missed you so much,” he whispered, kissing my neck. “I
missed your smell.”
From there, he quickly made his way down my jaw, finally
covering my lips with his for a hungry kiss. He allowed me to turn around, and
pushed me against the kitchen counter with his tall body.
“I missed you, too,” I whispered back, when he lifted his
head up temporarily for a breath of air.
“Care to show me how much?” he smiled, stealing another
kiss.
He didn’t really ask; his hands were already lifting up my
t-shirt. It wound up on the floor somewhere, while his hungry mouth peppered my
jaw and throat with little kisses.
“What are you doing?” I snickered, when he found a hardening
nipple with his long fingers. By now, his tongue softly licked the spot
underneath my ear, the tip snuggling right behind the lobe in…that spot, right
there.
“Demanding my full rights of your body,” he murmured against
the skin.
“Ah… Just checking,” I replied, leaning into him.
He caught my hand, guiding it to his rapidly rising flesh,
squeezing it softly through the fabric. He answered me with a deep grunt.
“You’re wearing that damn belt,” he said, his voice sounding
impatient as he fumbled with the buckle. “Were you trying to make me wait on
purpose?”
I started to laugh, and used my other hand to undo it for
him. From there it only took him a few seconds to open up my jeans, and finally
he really touched me, wrapping his fingers around me.
I let go of him for a few seconds, the dishes completely
forgotten, to pull down my jeans and shorts, kicking both to the side. By then
he had turned me around, and his mouth had traveled to the middle of my back; I
arched it when he reached the bottom, tonguing the top of my crack.
“Oh my god,” I sighed, yelling an obscenity when the tip of
his tongue found the center of pleasure. “Ross…”
He sent me through the roof, to the point where I begged him
to just take me, and the sound of his zipper right then was music to my ears.
He didn’t even take off any of his clothes, loathing the
time it would take, and I bit my lower lip when he teased me for a while. When
he finally came into me, I cried out in ecstasy, squeezing tightly around him
while he started to moan, and when the pulsing began, mere seconds after making
us one, he bit my shoulder, whispering that he loved me.
I reached up, cupping the back of his head when his lips
sought mine and we kissed, remaining still for a little while; then, when he
started to move again, he softly laughed when I made a sound of surprise.
“I missed you so damn much, it hurt,” he whispered, again
taking me on a journey to the stars. Well, I saw them anyway, but that might
have been the result of a bash against a cupboard. We were…pretty enthusiastic.
**********
“So…is it done?” he asked later in bed, with his head
propped up on his elbow. The back of his fingers softly stroked my arm.
“Is what done?” I asked, shivering involuntarily.
The vivid memory of our lovemaking was still fresh in my
mind, all three times, and he hadn’t shown any sign of tiring.
“Kyle.”
I bit my lower lip and nodded.
“Yeah, it’s done.”
He looked deep into my eyes for a long few seconds.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I answered, looking away uncomfortably.
Then I turned onto my side, pushing my back against his warm chest and sighed
deeply. He misunderstood that sigh, because he softly spoke my name.
“Don’t shut me out. I know I asked a lot, and I appreciate
it, more than you will ever know.”
I quickly turned to face him, sending him a reassuring
smile.
“Sorry, that’s not what I wanted you to think. I’m okay with
it. We’re cool.”
“I’d say we’re rather hot, not cool.” He grinned and wiggled
his eyebrows.
“That too,” I replied, wrapping my arms around his back when
he moved half on top of me.
“I love you.”
“Ditto.”
“That’s not good enough. Say it.”
“Would you just shut up and kiss me?” I grinned. “I thought
you said you missed me.”
“Insatiable,” he mumbled, but complied with enough
enthusiasm to make me say the word out loud anyway, several times.
CHAPTER *40*
Doing all the work at home took some getting used to. Not
having every tool available to me made the process very difficult, but Kyle had
spoken to Jodie and Mason, swearing them to secrecy. They had to be told, or
the whole thing would be blown wide open inside a week. So we established a
strict protocol to call, swap files and such. Most of it took place during the
day, when Ross wasn’t home, or at night, when he was working late and it was
safe for Kyle to come over and pick up material.
In the meantime, Ross went out of his way to make me feel
positive about breaking with Warner Gaming, and putting an end to the
friendship with Kyle. He never apologized for his request, but he made clear
that he appreciated it a lot, that I had done that for him, in turn sending me in a guilt spell or two.
Our relationship blossomed to full in that time. Sometimes
he’d come home early, which had me frantically covering up material and notes
in the nick of time; he took me on a trip to visit a friend of his in Las
Vegas, who owned a casino there.
His friend, Michael, recently got hitched to a very young
guy, and I hit it off with JJ before the first hour was up. When JJ told me
their story, it was hard to believe at first, but then, when I looked at the
two of them, it was obvious that those two were nuts about each other.
And other times, Ross just smothered me with TLC, and I
loved every minute of it. He even offered me a permanent job at FG, which I
declined before the sentence even fully left his mouth.
The other thing blossoming was my friendship with Kyle. At
first, the meetings had been somewhat awkward, with us putting so much emphasis
on the friendship part that it became stunted at best. It wasn’t until Kyle
invited me to his home one night that we finally settled into a comfortable
give and take. I felt guilty as all sin when I told Ross I was going out to
visit a colleague of mine, which wasn’t a lie really, but the feeling hadn’t
subsided by the time I rang Kyle’s door.
“I feel like I’m sneaking around,” I told him, when we sat
in his living room.
“We’re doing nothing wrong, Mark. He forced you into this…”
“No. I did.”
“We disagree, but fine. Shall we get to work?”
It took a while but for the first time I felt at ease around
him. He had some great suggestions for the score, rejected some parts but
approved most of what I’d done so far.
After about two hours of working he asked me if I wanted
something to drink, and I asked for a cherry coke; I’d taken a liking to it
since we visited Vegas. JJ gulped cases of that stuff.
As Kyle was getting the beverages, I looked around.
His house was decorated like an operating theatre; pretty
sterile. Expensive, yes, but sterile; no one actually lived here, it seemed.
Lots of glass and chrome had been used, as well as blocky furniture. It didn’t
sit too comfortable either.
“Would you like a tour?”
Not really. But I didn’t want to be a dick, so I nodded and
followed him around the house.
The only room that remotely gave a sense of warmth was his
bedroom, but other than that, it was clean shiny surfaces everywhere. Not a
plant in the house. There was lots of art, a hobby of his, he told me, which
also provided the only color. The rest was black or chrome, and marble tiled
floors.
“Not much, is it?” he snickered; I had frowned when he asked
me what I thought. I tried to be as polite as possible, but couldn’t find
anything to describe this tomb.
“I’m sorry but no, it isn’t. No one lives here. In the
immortal words of Sean Bean: this is no mine; this is a tomb.”
He smiled, catching the Lord of the Rings reference.
“I know. It needs life, but since I’m single, and there’s no
one to come home to…”
His voice trailed off and I felt for him. I nudged his
shoulder and grinned.
“Go out, score a guy. It’s not like you’re a dog, you know.
And try a few colored carpets, or something, for god sakes.”
He grinned as well.
“Yeah; it is a
tomb, isn’t it?”
“Duh. Dracula would be at home
here.”
“Oh, thank you so
much.” But he still smiled.
“Why do you think there’s no one in my life? One look at
this, and they all run like hell.”
“I don’t blame them,” I laughed. “Seriously though; It’s not that bad, you just need to make it your own. Buy
some stuff you feel at home with. Magazines, comfy chair, I dunno;
anything.”
“Hmm,” he said thoughtfully. “Would you go with me? I think
I’d like your style.”
“The thought here is your style, not mine.”
He snickered.
“Right. Still, would you want to?
Come on a little shopping spree to liven this place up a bit?”
“Sure. I love spending other peoples’ money.”
He laughed throatily.
“Alright, I’ll bring my pocketbook, you bring the taste.”
“Deal.”
**********
We actually did go on such a trip a few days later and I
have to admit; I had a blast! He bought new furniture when I told that couch of
his was a pain rack to sit on; he bought several carpets, thick and colorful;
some small stuff to put around the house, like plants and little trinkets. I
told him to pick out stuff he liked, personally, to add a touch of himself in ‘the tomb’, as I’d taken to calling his place.
“You have to get some painters in there, to get rid of all
the white walls. What’s your favorite color?” I asked, later in the day when
all of what we bought had been delivered. The old couch he’d given to one of
the delivery guys, who’d been ecstatic with a designer sofa.
“Well, for walls, I prefer white, actually,” he admitted.
“Hmm, try cream. It softens things up a lot. Less harsh. Other than that, your shag palace is coming
together nicely now. Notice the sound?”
“What sound?” he asked, frowning.
“Exactly. No echo!”
He laughed.
“Okay, I have to get going, or Ross is going to throw a hiss
fit for me being late,” I winked, looking at my watch.
He walked me to the door and thanked me for helping him. He
hugged me and I returned it, telling him the pleasure had been all mine.
But when I wanted to pull out, he didn’t move and I started
to feel a little bit uncomfortable.
“Kyle…”
“I’m sorry. I can’t help it, but I’m attracted to you. You
know that, right?” he whispered, right below my ear, pressing his lips to the
skin.
I shuddered involuntarily.
Then he continued down my cheek and I froze.
“You’re perfect.”
“Kyle, come on. You promised…”
“I know and I’m sorry, but this is the way I feel.”
A hand of his slipped into my neck and he sought my mouth.
CHAPTER *41*
I could say that I threw a hiss fit myself and pushed him
off of me immediately. I didn’t. I also didn’t kiss him back. The touch of his
tongue was very gentle, sweet even, as he tried to seduce me to open up for
him. That was a no go.
Pulling back, I gave him an apologetic smile.
“Don’t. You can’t, I can’t. You know that.”
He leaned forward and touched my forehead with his own, and
drew a shaky breath.
“Yes, I know. Obviously I wish things were a bit different.
Tell me; if you and Ross weren’t together, would you…”
I swallowed, knowing what he was asking me and told him the
truth.
“Yes. Probably.”
He tried going for it again, a bit more forcefully.
“He doesn’t have to know,” he whispered when I held him off,
which wasn’t easy because my back was against the wall and he was blocking me.
“We could keep it a secret.”
“I’m not having this conversation with you, Kyle. I love
Ross. If things were different…”
“So you want me too…”
“No, I…”
He pushed himself against me.
“I want you. Do you feel that?”
It was hard to miss.
“I’ve wanted you from the moment you stepped into my office.
I wanna take you to the bedroom; rip off your clothes
and fu…”
“Kyle! Stop it,” I interrupted, when he tried to kiss me
again. “I better go now, before something happens that we’ll both regret.”
He lifted his hands as if surrendering.
“I’m sorry. Oh god, Mark… I don’t know what came over me.”
Whatever. I didn’t look at him as I
made my exit.
**********
I was furious with Kyle for pulling that stunt on me, and I
guess Ross noticed that I was a bit agitated, after he came home.
“What’s wrong with you? You’re jumpy,” he asked, when I
startled as he hugged me from behind. “Did something happen?”
“Nah, it’s nothing. You just startled me.”
He grinned, and stole a long warm kiss that felt so much
better than anything Kyle could ever offer.
“Mmm.
What do you say to staying in, get some takeout, and me giving you a massage?
Get that tension out of you.” He winked.
“Sounds very good to me,” I grinned back, turning around in
his arms. I wanted him to kiss me again, and he happily obliged.
“Wanna hit the shower?”
“Yes…” God yes. I wanted to be with
him, and from the feel of it, that was his exact intention.
**********
That evening we had one of our more intense episodes of
passion. I just kept asking for more, and Ross was only too happy to oblige.
Three, four times we made love, and in-between I stayed as close to him as
possible, pressing my naked flesh to his, caressing him wherever I could touch
him. If he was surprised by my lack of restraint, he didn’t show it, instead
taking it all and giving it back equally.
“I love you,” he sighed deeply, after the fourth time,
softly kissing my painfully swollen lips. His hands were kneading my ass after
a workout that had us both panting heavily. “I wish you’d agree to marry me.”
I grinned lazily.
“Why? So you can legally assault me, like you did just now?”
“Hah! I didn’t assault you; you asked for it. ‘Harder’, you
said. ‘Take me’, you said. I only do as requested.”
I snickered.
“Right. Well, we can’t marry in
“Screw
I loved it when he talked to me like this, all possessive.
“Gimme a pen and paper, and I’ll
write you a note instead,” I said, kissing his collarbone.
“What would that note say?” he smiled, letting his hands
slide up to the middle of my back.
“Umm, how about; I, Mark Norcross, belong to Ross Forester,
from this moment on into eternity.”
He sought my lips with his for a long sweet kiss.
“Mmm, sounds good to me. Still, I want
an official document. Like Michael and JJ. They went up to
“Yeah, I know. It’s not recognized here, in the
“Yes, President Idiot and his…wait a minute. You’d do it?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll marry me?”
“Yes.”
He sat up, showing himself in full glory, making a winners
gesture into the air. I snickered.
“Finally! Did hell freeze over? I
thought you didn’t believe in that… what did you call it; crap?”
“No, pigs flew, about oh…ten minutes ago?”
“Calling me a pig, now?”
“Ross, you were a pig, ten minutes ago. Grunting like one,
more like, but st…”
He silenced me with a hot kiss, the prologue for the fourth
time. And the fifth, and the…
CHAPTER *42*
I didn’t see or hear anything from Kyle, the following days,
and maybe that was for the better; I didn’t want to think about him.
Ross was in full romantic mode, these days, even taking time
off to be together, and we spent days in bed, going even as far as blowing off
the, by now, mandatory dinner with Sofia. She wasn’t pleased. Ross didn’t care.
At long last, though, I knew I did have to face Kyle at some
point. I hadn’t told Ross about it, knowing he’d blow up, not to mention that
he’d probably pay his ex another visit. Little did I know that it would all blow
to hell anyway.
It happened during a late afternoon; both Ross and I were at
home, relaxing on the sofa, watching some sort of documentary, when the
intercom rang. Ross went to the unit, hanging on the wall beside the door and
answered it. I didn’t really pay attention, since it wasn’t all that weird; he
received papers and packages on almost a daily bases. I did look up when he
pulled the door sideways, and sure enough, I saw a young man handing him a
large envelope, after he signed for it.
He came back and sat down beside me again, eying the TV
while opening the envelope. He pulled something out, I could see what, but
whatever it was, it had some sort of effect because he inhaled sharply. He sat
forward, and I heard the rustle of thick paper, one shoved behind the other.
Then, when I put my hand on his back to rub it, I knew something was terribly
wrong; he tensed as soon as I touched him.
“Ross?” I asked, frowning. When he didn’t react, I said his
name again. Then he smashed the envelope on the coffee-table, its contents
spreading out in a neat row.
They were black and white pictures, five of them. I couldn’t
see exactly what was featured on them.
“Care to add anything to that, Mark?” he said, in a strange
low voice, gesturing to the pictures.
I frowned and leaned forward.
I wish I never had done that, lean forward I mean. The sight
of what was one the pictures sickened me like nothing else ever could; they
featured Kyle and me in Kyle’s hallway, kissing. I knew immediately when they
were taken, obviously, and they had had to be lifted from security camera
footage. I’d never even seen a camera in Kyle’s apartment.
“Th-that is not what it looks
like. I know how it looks, but it…”
“It’s you and my ex kissing,” he interrupted roughly, “and
from the looks of it, you weren’t exactly fighting him off, were you?”
Actually, I had!
“Ross, I…”
“Save it. Just save it. All this time, you promised me you
had called the whole thing off. You didn’t, did you?”
I slowly shook my head.
“Instead, you went further, didn’t you? You started to see
him behind my back, fooling around while I, idiot Ross, believed you. Believed that he was gone from our lives.”
“No! That… those…” I sputtered, pointing at the pictures,
“He attacked me! I pushed him off!”
“Oh really? And what’s that, then?”
He picked up a particular photograph, pointing out a
specific section, where it was obvious that Kyle’s tongue was halfway between
my lips, which were half opened.
“You’re not fighting him off. In fact, I’d say you enjoyed
it.”
“Ross…where are you, going? Ross! Ross!”
He’d risen from the sofa, throwing me a look that had the
effect of a punch straight into my gut.
“So that’s what your love really means. Absolutely
nothing. Sit! Down!”
I’d started to rise as well but his words hit me like a whip
and I froze.
“I don’t want to hear another word from you, I swear, so
help me god; I’ll kill you.”
He stalked straight towards the stairs and ran up, taking
two steps at a time. I blew out a shaky breath, and reached for the pictures,
looking at them one by one.
“Bastard,” I whispered at Kyle’s image. “Fucking
bastard. You’ll pay for this…”
**********
It took Ross all of ten minutes to gather his things. I’d
never forget it, for the rest of my life. He came down the stairs with his arms
laden; he’d gotten any and everything he’d brought here. When he stepped down
the last stair, he stood there, silently, watching me. The he croaked out the
two words I feared the most.
“We’re done.”