Alex & Clayton (16 page)

When they were done eating, conversation was reduced to moans and groans about how full everyone was after eating practically everything. This pleased Alex immensely as he knew his buddies liked good food, and if they didn’t like something, they wouldn’t eat it.

“Gentlemen, looking over the table, I’d say you enjoyed dinner. Please move back to the living room now so that I can do some cleanup, and then I’ll join you.”

As his four old friends moved ever so slowly toward the living room, Alex and Clay began to clear the table and load the dishwasher. Alex wrapped up what few leftovers there were and turned the dishwasher on.

“Thank you for helping, Clay. I appreciate it. I think the guys really enjoyed dinner, and I hope you did too.”

“I did. You’re a very good cook, and while I normally eat a lot less than your friends, I enjoyed every bit of it. You’re not mad at me, are you?” he asked.

“Mad? For what?”

“For the crack I made to Adam about zooming?”

“Oh, hell no! It was perfect, and it was funny! He didn’t know whether to shit or go blind,” Alex said, and began to laugh all over again.

“Shall we join your guests in the living room?”

“By all means. I may need a crane to get me out of that chair at the end of the evening, though,” Alex warned.

T
HE
evening moved on with great conversation and war stories about the Capitol Hill Police. By a little after eight, the guys were ready to make the drive back to Washington. The snow had stopped, leaving about one inch of snow covering everything.

The departing visitors hugged both Alex and Clay and promised to return in the spring. Alex and Clay watched them get in their car and drive off. Alex closed the door and they went back to the sofa.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” Alex asked.

“Yeah, I really did. It was nice to see the love and friendship you guys share. I had the feeling that any one of your friends would take a bullet for you.”

“You’re right. We’d all sacrifice our lives for each other if it came down to it. That’s part of being a cop, I guess. I think they all liked you as well. I’ve known those guys long enough to know that if you didn’t sit right with them, they would have ignored you most of the evening without being overtly rude. Even Adam likes you.”

“Thank you for inviting me for Christmas and sharing your friends with me. You’re a good man, Alex, and I feel lucky to have met you.”

“You know you don’t have to go home tonight, right?”

“Ah, yeah I do. It’s better this way,” Clay responded.

Not wanting to push the subject, Alex replied, “Okay, up to you, but you don’t have to go.”

“Thank you,” Clay said as he stood. “I’d better be going now unless there’s something I can do around here.”

“No, I have everything under control. Call you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

Alex gave Clay a quick kiss at the door, and Clay left without looking back. As Clay drove away, Alex closed the door and decided to have one more drink and go to bed early.

Chapter Ten

T
HE
next morning, Clay woke up thinking about Alex and how gentle and considerate he was with him. Maybe this was a guy he could trust not to hurt him or make fun of him for being so inexperienced in everything to do with proper dating.

He recalled the fun he enjoyed with Alex’s friends and thought how blessed Alex was for having that many close friends in his life. In the end, though, the memories of their close relationships made Clay feel sad, for he had nothing of that sort with anyone.

He got out of bed, made coffee, and drank it while looking at his small Christmas tree. Clay made an attempt not to become depressed and decided to spend the day cleaning his house and checking on his online business to see how it was functioning.

A
LEX
got out of bed a little later than usual. He had a slight headache from mixing wine and drinks.
Ugh, I should know better by now!
He stepped into the shower and let the water run over his head for ten minutes until he finally began to feel a little better. He washed and shaved and got dressed for the day after taking a couple of aspirin. By the time he hit the kitchen, he was ready for a minor breakfast.

After breakfast, he finished cleaning up from the day before, emptied the dishwasher, and grabbed his current book. He sat down in his favorite chair, but when he tried to read, his mind drifted to Clay and the day and a half they’d spent together. He remembered how good Clay’s ass looked in his dress slacks. Even Adam had been checking Clay out. When Alex had noticed Adam’s admiring stare, he’d felt a flash of resentment even though he had no right.

He wondered when would be a good time to make that all-important invitation to Clay to spend the night with Alex in the king-size bed. Alex figured that New Year’s Eve would present the perfect opportunity to advance their relationship a couple of notches.

Alex smiled. He had a mission. Now to figure out how to accomplish that goal. As shy as Clay was, Alex needed to carefully plan the details. He would have to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for Clay to follow into Alex’s bedroom. Clay wouldn’t find a big bad wolf, but a caring, loving, potential mate.

Alex and Clay talked a couple of times during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, confirming that they were going to wear tuxedos. Clay said he would drive over to Alex’s for the date since it didn’t make any sense for Alex to go in the opposite direction from the Blue Moon to pick up Clay.

At five o’clock on New Year’s Eve, Clay knocked on Alex’s door as he watched his breath become visible in the frigid air. Alex opened the door wearing everything but his tuxedo jacket.

“Come on in, gorgeous! Damn, you look fantastic! A tuxedo really suits you.”

“Thank you, sir, and may I say that even though you’re minus a jacket, you look stunning too. Ah, I see you’re wearing a very nice watch this evening.”

“Oh yes, a kind man saw that I didn’t have a decent watch and took pity on me and got me one for Christmas! Doesn’t it look great?”

“It really looks good, Alex. I’m happy you like it so much.”

“Oh, I do, believe me. Drink or snack?” Alex offered.

“Hmm, how about a soft drink and whatever you have to nibble on?”

“Coming right up. Why don’t you take off your jacket, and we’ll eat some cheese and leave for the Blue Moon in about thirty minutes,” Alex suggested as he left for the kitchen.

When he came back, he found Clay sitting on the sofa looking very relaxed. Clay offered to help set up the cheese board while sipping his soda. When snacks were ready, Alex sat down next to Clay, noticing the way Clay’s hair made his face look so handsome. Before he could get caught staring at Clay again, Alex put some cheese on a cracker and popped it in his mouth.

“Do you suppose it’ll be packed tonight?” Clay asked.

“I would think so. The Blue Moon is the only decent gay venue around for this kind of party. They do great food, and their drinks are good too. I’m really looking forward to having a great time tonight. I hope the music is smokin’ ’cause I wanna do some dancing. You do dance, right?”

“Yes, but not the kind of dancing you’re talking about. I doubt very much that ballroom dancing will be on the menu this evening.”

“Aw, if you can do that, you can dance freestyle to modern music. If not, just follow my lead, and I won’t steer you wrong,” Alex said.

“Okay, as long as I have a couple drinks first to loosen me up.”

“I intend to see to it that you have all the drinks you want tonight,” Alex said with a smile.

After chatting for a few more minutes, they decided to leave for the Moon. Alex retrieved his jacket, and they looked into the mirror together. Staring back at both of them was a pair of very well-put-together middle-aged men. They made a very handsome couple and were sure to turn the heads of the older gentlemen at the club.

When they arrived, it was precisely seven o’clock. Alex presented the tickets at the door, and they were shown to a table near the dance floor.

The entire dining room and dance area was festooned with balloons and the other usual New Year’s Eve decorations. Only about half the tables were filled, but by eight, the house would be packed.

“Can I get you a drink from the bar?” Alex asked.

“Yes, now I’m ready to drink. I’ll have a Southern Manhattan on the rocks please.”

“Really? I’ve never seen you order anything stronger than wine or a screwdriver.”

“Tonight is special.”

“Yes, sir, be right back.”

As Alex walked over to the bar, he drew the eyes of some men who were admiring the way he looked and walked, oozing sex appeal. He got Clay’s drink and ordered a scotch on the rocks for himself. As he walked back to the table, he smiled at his admirers.

“Thank you,” Clay said as he sipped his drink. “That was an interesting reaction you got from the peanut gallery.”

“Ah, you noticed that, did you? I told you we’d be appealing to others.”

“I guess in these outfits most men look good.”

“I beg your pardon! I happen to be a nice-looking guy no matter what I’m wearing! I even look good in no clothes at all.”

“I didn’t mean it that way. I meant that almost any guy looks good in a tux—even me!”

“Clay, you look good in a tux, a T-shirt, or your underwear. You are a good-looking man, and if you don’t know it, that’s a pity.”

“You’ve never seen me in my underwear!”

“Oh, but I did. When you went into your bathroom at my place, I accidently caught a glimpse of you in your shorts. Looked quite nice, actually.”

“Stop, you’ll make me blush. Course, I’m not some twenty-year-old whose head you can turn with a line like that, but I’ll take it, I guess,” Clay said smiling.

Alex leaned over and kissed Clay on the cheek.

“Why did you do that?” Clay asked.

“Because I wanted to. You are a dear friend who I’m quite fond of, and it’s a festive evening, and I fully intend to give you a proper kiss at midnight. Objections?”

Clay shifted in his seat and replied, “No, I guess there are no objections.”

For the first time, Alex caught a bit of a twinkle in Clay’s eyes that might have indicated some easing of the rigidity within the closeted Clayton. Alex took this as a sign that he was on the right path.

“Do you realize that at midnight, my fiftieth year on Earth will have arrived? I’m going to be fifty years old, and I have so much left to experience. I wonder if I’ll get to do it all?” he said with a touch of sadness.

“Tell you what, after you enter that year where you’ll turn fifty, we’ll talk about what you still haven’t experienced and what you want to do about it. Deal?”

“We’ll see….”

Alex looked around and saw that most of the tables were now full with couples and foursomes. Drinks were flowing from the bar and the noise level amped up when the music started. Waiters began to come around with salads, and dinner had begun.

As he ate, Clayton looked around the room to see if he knew any of the men or ladies from his shop. He spotted a couple of his regulars and nodded cordially to them. What surprised Clayton was that many of the others were staring at him and Alex.

“Don’t look now, but we’re being given the once-over by more than a few people.”

“I told you that would happen. We make a good-looking couple, so naturally the guys are checking us out. Wait until the dancing starts, and we’re all close on the dance floor. We’ll see whose ass gets bumped more—yours or mine,” he said with a laugh.

When they finished their salads, Clayton stood up. “This time, I’m going to get the drinks, and I’ll bet no one’s eyes follow me back and forth!”

Alex smiled and turned his chair slightly so that he could watch. As he’d predicted, heads turned to watch Clay go to the bar. While he waited there for the drinks, his admirers looked over at Alex who smiled knowingly. When Clay returned from the bar, more heads turned to watch.

“There, see, I told you no one would even notice me!”

Alex laughed out loud and shook his head.

“What’s so funny?” Clay asked.

“Honey, many eyes watched you every step of the way. They’re as interested in you as they were in me. When are you going to admit we make a good-looking couple and are nice-looking on our own as well?”

“Did you call me honey?”

“Um, lemme think,” Alex said as he pretended to rewind the tape in his head. “Yep, I did in fact call you honey!”

A smile crept over Clay’s face, and he took a large gulp of his drink just as the main course was set down before them. Prime rib with thyme au jus, mashed garlic potatoes, and string beans.

“This looks wonderful!” Alex exclaimed.

They both began to eat while Clayton mulled the word “honey” over in his mind. Was Alex trying to tell him something, or was he just calling a friend honey without any meaning beyond familiarity? The latter seemed unlikely, which left Clayton to assume the word was meant as an endearment. He found he didn’t mind so much.

It took them twenty minutes, and they were finished with the entrees. The dishes were removed and coffee and dessert was served. Another round of drinks had been acquired at the bar, and as they finished their desserts, men began to slowly drift to the dance floor.