An Artist's Touch - Part Three Continued...
Jack watches James' hands move over his skin as he rubs the bar of soap over his stomach, suds mixing with the bright colors of the paint and thinning in the water, rinsing down his thighs and swirling down the drain of the shower.
“Think we got it all?” James whispers in his ear, setting the soap down in the dish and opting to rinse away the last remainders of color on Jack's body with the tips of his fingers, dipping low and grazing through the tangle of dark hair between Jack’s legs.
“Yeah,” Jack murmurs, feeling so relaxed underneath the hot and steady stream of the shower and the soothing feel of James' hands massaging his body that he would probably agree to anything James said. He lets James turn him around and press him back against the wall, James kneeling down and continuing his thorough exploration of Jack, cleaning every last inch of his entire body.
He kisses the inside of Jack's thighs as he snakes a hand between them, chuckling lightly when he cradles Jack in his palm and a faint trace of blue paint washes over his fingers and down his forearm.
“First time I've ever seen a pair of actual blue balls,” James teases, wiggling his blue-tinted fingers at Jack when he looks down, confused.
“Funny,” Jack mumbles, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall. Rinsing him clean with a smile, James then bathes the area with attention, his tongue running over the freshly washed skin, tasting soap and water and something that's still Jack underneath it all.
“Do you think it would be possible...” James starts, beginning to kiss his way up Jack's body. “For you to be naked all the time?” He laughs against Jack's stomach, running his hands up to Jack's shoulders and using them as leverage to pull himself up from his knees. “Maybe we can have a no clothes rule in this apartment?” James smiles and brushes his lips over Jack's as he nods, while Jack shakes his head no.
“Being naked is...not really my thing,” Jack replies awkwardly, not sure how else to say it.
“You're naked right now.”
“In the shower...you have to be naked in the shower,” Jack points out and James chuckles.
“Unless you’re a Never Nude,” James kids but it only earns him a bewildered look from Jack. “It’s this joke from…nevermind. Point is, it’s someone who's scared a bein’ naked and wears clothes in the shower.”
“I’m not scared of being naked, I just don’t-“
“I didn’t mean you personally, Doc,” James laughs. “Though I do fucking hate it when you put your clothes back on.” Jack blushes faintly and glances down for a moment before meeting James' gaze again. James is waiting for him to look back and when he does he kisses him gently, letting his tongue dance across his lips before seeking entrance.
“What are you doing on Friday?” Jack asks when James breaks the kiss, his voice wavering just a bit as if he's nervous.
“Hopefully you,” James retorts with a wink and kisses him again. Jack tilts his head up to avoid his kiss, wanting an answer, but James doesn't seem to notice, attacking Jack's arched neck instead.
“I'm serious. I was thinking we could go out.”
“Out where?” James' voice is muffled against Jack's collarbone and Jack tries not to melt into the sensation of James' mouth on his skin, wanting to follow this through.
“I don't know. To dinner. A movie. Something like that.” He wants to sound off-hand and casual but he knows that it isn't working. James lifts his head and eyes Jack skeptically.
“Dinner and a movie?” He pauses like the words make no sense. “You wanna go on a date?” James scoffs and Jack nods, feeling embarrassed now that James is looking at him like he's absolutely nuts. “What, you getting bored of screwing me already?”
“No,” Jack states sharply, annoyed. “I just...I thought it would be nice to get out of your apartment for a change and do something...different.”
“Like public sex? There a rest room you want to get busy in?” James taunts and Jack pushes him away, having had enough. He turns off the shower and slides the curtain open, stepping out and grabbing a towel roughly from the rack.
“Nevermind. Forget I said anything.” Jack rubs the towel over his short hair and then over his body, drying off haphazardly and then quickly tucking it around his waist. Again, he's stuck in the same situation, at James' mercy. “Can you just get my clothes from the roof for me? I should get going.”
“Jack, I was just teasin', don't get all pissed about it. And don't go.” James sounds like he really means it but Jack really doesn’t feel like staying anymore, suddenly feeling out of sorts, no longer able to brush off James’ joking words because he had so desperately wanted him to be serious.
“I should. I have to be up early tomorrow.”
“I thought tomorrow's your day off.” James leans back against the shower wall and crosses his arms, knowing full well that Jack's full of shit.
“Yeah. Well.” Jack flounders, not having expected James to remember that. “I should go anyway.”
“Jaaacck,” James drawls out his name like a whining child, stepping out of the shower and hooking his fingers into the waist of Jack's towel, tugging Jack back toward him. “What’s goin’ on?”
“Forget it. It’s only me being stupid.” Jack mumbles, forcing an awkward smile and then trying to turn away from him again. He can’t look James in the eye because he knows everything he’s feeling is written plainly on his face and he doesn’t want James to see. “It was silly of me to ask.”
“It wasn’t silly. I just didn’t think…” James falters, shrugging his shoulders. “With Connie and all…”
“I broke up with Connie.”
“What? When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“Why didn’t you say nothin’?” James asks, surprised by this news and not all together sure he likes what it might mean. Jack doesn’t answer his question, too preoccupied with one of his own.
“Is that why you won’t go out? You’re afraid of getting me caught?” Jack finally looks up at James, his gaze softening, but now it’s James’ turn to look away.
“I didn’t think you’d even want to, Jack. All things considered.”
“What things?” Jack is genuinely confused and James wants to hit him and kiss him all at the same time.
“You know, with Connie…and the fact that you ain’t exactly…out and all.” James feels confident in hiding behind Jack’s insecurities, knowing that they’ll keep Jack busy for awhile, less likely to force James’ own hand. “I don’t mean ta sound condescendin’, Jack, but you ain’t exactly…”
“What?” Jack sounds a small bit panicked and offended, assuming James is about to drop some terrible criticism upon him.
“You’re new at this whole thing. Me. You. Guys.” He clarifies bluntly and Jack sighs. He turns away from James and leans his weight against the counter, lifting his eyes to stare at his own reflection in the mirror. “I didn’t want to push it if you weren’t ready.”
“Is that why you won’t fuck me?” Jack blurts out quietly but forcefully. James is too taken aback to reply, that question not at all what he expected to hear Jack ask. “I mean…you say you want to but you never do. I’m over here every night and…” Jack trails off, embarrassed, but he quickly forces himself to continue. “If that’s what you’re waiting for, then I’m ready, James. I want that.”
Silence fills the small room for what seems like an eternity as James stares at him, so many responses filling his head that he can only choose the one that encompasses them all. He steps forward and grabs Jack, pulling him close and kissing him passionately. “I want it too,” he whispers, cupping Jack’s face and guiding the kiss deeper, turning and tilting Jack’s head at all the right angles to meet his searching mouth. “I really want it, Jack. Are you sure?”
Jack hears something in James’ voice, feels something in his kiss that makes his worries about things between them fade away. James doesn’t speak to him like it’s only about sex, doesn’t touch him like his only goal is to get off. He seems to care at least a little and for now, that’s more than enough.
“I’m sure.” Jack kisses him in response and lets out a breathless moan when James pulls the towel from around his waist and carelessly drops it to the floor. He sets his hands lightly on Jack’s hips and kisses him gently, leisurely, taking his time. James’ tongue dances against his, swirling slowly and exploring every inch of his mouth, his touch still a light caress over the sharp angle of Jack’s hip bones.
“James,” Jack eventually whimpers against his lips, needing more, wanting more. James nods slightly and draws away, his eyes closed for a moment before they flutter open, taking in Jack’s flushed face and freshly kissed lips. There’s no hint of play in his manner now; he’s taking it slow and serious like the first time they had sex, treating Jack like something easily broken. Jack reaches up and runs his fingertips over James’ lips, feeling closer to him now that the wall of teasing sarcasm built up between them has once again been set aside.
James finally hitches his hips forward just a little, purposely letting Jack feel his arousal.
“Did you really think I didn’t want this?” James whispers, his hands sliding from Jack’s waist to his ass and back again in a slow, repetitive motion, pressing Jack just a little closer to him every time. “Just thinking about it makes me want to-“ He groans lightly instead of finishing his sentence, his thoughts interrupted by Jack grinding against him, inviting him to move harder. He hesitates a moment before doing so.
As badly as he desires what Jack is now offering, James hadn’t only resisted out of thoughtfulness toward Jack. He’d held off for so long because of what it would mean for Jack that it had begun to mean something to himself as well. What could have been a simple fuck with a beautiful man who happened into his life now is anything but simple.
It’s not that he doesn’t care for the people he falls into bed with; he cares about making them feel good, taking care of their needs, having fun until it all comes to an amiable end and they mutually part ways. No matter what, no matter who, he always has control over his feelings - how much he cares, what he lets himself feel, how attached he allows himself to get. He’d learned long ago never to feel anything against his own will, without his own permission. He gives all his dreams and demons to his art and has no desire to share them with anything or anyone else.
With every passing night with Jack, he can feel that control slipping away. With each shy smile, with each touch of those perfect hands to his skin, he can feel himself falling and he can’t make it stop. He can’t tell himself no, can’t warn against it. He’d forgotten what it felt like to be head over heels and now he remembers that it turns everything upside down.
But it’s too late to pretend. He can joke his way out of a date but he can’t turn away from this, nor does he want to. The thought of being inside Jack is too much and before he knows what he’s doing, he’s turning Jack around to face the mirror and pressing himself tight against the curve of Jack’s lower back, his cock throbbing and leaking against Jack’s skin.
“Tell me if you need me to stop,” he murmurs and Jack nods quickly, clearly nervous but excited. James rubs the side of his hip with one hand to keep in contact as he bends down to retrieve a stash of lube he has underneath the bathroom sink. “We’ll start like all the other times, okay? And you tell me when you’re feeling ready for it.”
“James, I appreciate this, but god damn it, if you don’t get the fuck inside of me soon, I’m going to explode,” Jack begs, glancing over his shoulder at James, whose face spreads in a wide grin of surprise.
“My god, you’re impatient. And here I am tryin’ to be a nice guy,” James replies, coating his fingers with the cold liquid and sliding a finger inside Jack to punctuate his last words. He brushes his lips over the back of Jack’s neck as he strokes his entrance and then slides in and out, repeating it again. “That feel good?”
“Hmmm-hmmm,” Jack mumbles and then lets out a sharp breath as James adds another finger. “Really good,” he sighs, his own hand drifting down his lower stomach and brushing against the base of his cock, wanting desperately to touch himself. James reaches around and covers Jack’s hand with his own, guiding it the rest of the way down and curling his fingers around his hard length.
“That’s it…” James breathes out slowly as they stroke downward together, matching his other hand’s rhythm inside of Jack’s body. “Keep doin’ that.” He runs his tongue over the edge of Jack’s ear before pulling away, grabbing the lube from the countertop and squirting some into his hand, grunting slightly when the cold hits the warm skin of his dick and he spreads it over his entire length.
Drawing in a deep breath, he positions himself at Jack’s entrance, his tip brushing close to penetration before he finally pushes in, just slightly. Jack sucks in sharply in anticipation and James covers his hand once again, his touch meant to be more reassuring then arousing.
“I’ll go slow,” he whispers, not knowing how he’s going to manage it but knowing he has to. Gripping himself firmly he guides himself inside Jack’s tight entrance as carefully as he can, feeling Jack’s body stretch and then clench around him as he pushes in, inch by inch. Jack is breathing in short ragged breaths and his fingers grip the counter so tightly that his knuckles are turning white; James almost stops, afraid he’s hurting him, but then Jack begs him to keep going.
“Fuck, James…” He moans and James can see it on his face in the mirror, the pleasure mixed with pain, the pleasure slowly starting to take over. Jack’s jaw loosens and his eyes flutter open, the noise escaping from his throat no longer a hiss of discomfort but a throaty groan. James stops there, feeling Jack’s body give around him, welcoming him in. He’s still so tight, so hot, and James doesn’t know how he’s going to last; his body is already begging to come, heat and tension building in his stomach.
Willing himself to calm down, he strokes Jack lightly, trying to get him even more relaxed before he moves again. Jack reaches back and twines his fingers in James’ wet hair, tilting his head back and capturing James’ lips with his. His kiss is saying things that James can’t understand but he feels them there, reminding him that he was right about this, about crossing the line between casual and…something else. He pushes the fear aside and kisses Jack back, moving his hips just a little to test him. Jack kisses him harder, his moan reverberating down James’ throat and James can’t stop from thrusting in response. Jack tears his lips from his with a small grunt, tensing up, though he quickly relaxes again.
“God, James……James….” Jack kisses him again before giving up on it entirely, letting James lean him forward slightly as he begins in earnest, pulling almost all of the way out and then sinking in again. “You’re so fucking hard…” Jack gasps, the burn of James stretching him from the inside out spreading throughout his entire body, warming him from head to toe.
“Fuck, you’re tight, Jack…you’re…fuck…does it feel good? Do I…oh god…” James loses the ability to speak when Jack pushes back, meeting his thrust for the first time. He watches Jack in the mirror, his eyes shut tightly and his mouth parted as he lets out tiny whimpers and gasps, his face so perfectly erotic and sensual the James simply has to snake his hand up Jack’s neck and hook a finger into Jack’s mouth. Jack sucks hard, letting out his pent up desire by twisting his tongue around it eagerly. Swearing harshly, James’ hips buck forward of their own volition and Jack cries out, his eyes flying open.
It takes a moment for James to realize that Jack’s reaction is a good one, too worried to realize that Jack is pleading for him to do it again. James does so with more control this time, angling to brush against the exact right spot that he knows will push Jack toward the edge. He locks eyes with Jack in the mirror, finding Jack’s gaze as dark and hazy as his own. Jack stares at him for a moment and then he seems to lose focus.
“I can’t…I can’t hang on,” Jack whispers in between gasps for air, rocking back against James and then into his fist. “I’m gonna…”
“Please, Jack, please…” James begs, closing his eyes as Jack’s muscles tighten around him. “I can’t either…please, Jack.”
A strangled moan pushes past Jack’s lips and then he’s coming, pumping himself into the sink and clenching around James, giving him no choice but to follow him right over the edge of oblivion. For a moment James thinks he’s going to lose consciousness, his world dimming and spinning around him but the feel of Jack’s body underneath his hands anchors him; he holds on tightly, not wanting to let go.
James lets himself lean against Jack, his chest against his back, molding to him perfectly as they both tremble in the aftermath, trying to regain control of themselves before attempting to move again. James’ hands drift over Jack’s spent body, loving the feel of his muscles quivering, his chest rising and falling quickly as he breathes in and out.
“You okay?” James asks softly, not looking but feeling Jack nod.
“Yeah. Good. Better than good.” Jack mumbles, sounding spent but satisfied. “You?”
“Good. Wondering how we waited so long to do that.” He smiles against Jack’s back and he feels Jack laugh lightly, his chuckle interrupted by a small choked noise when James pulls out slowly. He feels strangely empty now without James inside and Jack turns into James’ embrace, eager to connect again in another way. “You still have to go home?” James asks and Jack shakes his head before their lips find each other’s again, hands trying to pull one another closer even though they are already wrapped tightly together.
“Not unless you want me to go.”
“What I want is for you to come to bed,” James responds, pulling back and taking jack’s hand, brushing his thumb over his knuckles. Jack hesitates, glancing down at the mess of wet towels on the floor. “Leave ‘em.” He tugs Jack’s arm and leads him out of the bathroom, unable to remember a time when he’d felt so excited about the idea of curling up in someone’s arms and falling asleep.
*******
“James?” Jack looks around the empty loft, surprised to find James absent. Usually this time of day he can always be found working, standing in front of some painting or drawing in the middle of the room and studying it with intense concentration or throwing himself into it completely. But there’s nothing but silence in answer to his call.
Jack balances the bag he’s holding on his hip as he hides the spare key back in the crack in the wall where James keeps it and then walks inside, shutting the heavy door behind him with a nudge of his hip. He heads to the kitchen and sets his bag of groceries down on the cluttered counter before taking another look around, still expecting to find James somewhere.
As he pulls his jacket off and throws it onto James’ mattress, he hears the faint sound of water running in the bathroom and realizes James might be here after all.
“Hey James? I bought stuff for dinner tonight, I hope you don’t mind. I just didn’t feel like eating Chinese takeout again for the millionth-“ Jack pushes open the door and stops in his tracks, finding someone decidedly un-James on the other side. A half-naked woman, to be precise. “Time.” He finishes, stunned. “Um…sorry.” He quickly steps back out, not knowing what else to do. He starts to pull the door closed when a hand pulls it back open.
“It’s okay.” The woman smiles at him, friendly and open, pulling a loose orange t-shirt over her bare upper body without a hint of embarrassment. “You must be Jack.”
“Um…yeah, I am.” Jack’s brow furrows in puzzlement. “How do you…”
“I’m one of James’ regular models. Well, used to be anyway. I just got back into town a few weeks ago. I’m Kate.” She offers her hand to him, her green eyes shining brightly. “He said you might be stopping by.”
“Yeah…where is he?” Jack asks, glancing around. He sticks his hands in his pockets and shifts on his feet nervously.
“He had to go run and pick up some supplies or something. He said if you came around to tell you he’d be back soon.” Kate runs her fingers through her long curly brown hair, still damp from her shower, and then pulls it up into a loose ponytail, twisting it tight with a rubber band from around her wrist. Jack rubs the back of his neck as he watches her awkwardly. Being outgoing and friendly around people he doesn’t know has never been his strong suit.
“Um…so, I just brought by some groceries if you want something to drink. I mean, James didn’t have anything besides beer so…”
“What’d you get?” Kate inquires with a hint of mischievous curiosity, tugging her hair tight and then walking toward the kitchen, glancing back at Jack over her shoulder. She rises on tiptoe to peer into the top of the bag. “There’s green stuff in here. I didn’t think James ate anything that could remotely be qualified as a vegetable.”
“He usually doesn’t, but I try anyway.”
“You’re a doctor, right?” Kate asks, taking out a few of the top items from the bag and setting them on the counter. “I guess it’s your job to try. Make people eat healthy, live healthy, all that kinda stuff. You on him about quitting smoking?”
“He doesn’t listen.”
“No, he doesn’t.” Kate shakes her head and then wrinkles her nose as she takes out a plastic wrapped and plastic bagged package of meat from the bottom of the bag. “Vegetarian,” she says in explanation when Jack gives her a questioning look.
Jack moves to help her unpack his bag, opening the fridge and placing things on James’ nearly bare shelves.
“So…did you sit for James this morning, or…?”
“Actually I’m supposed to sit this afternoon - I had a morning shift at the diner - I work at a diner - and then I ran over here. James let me clean up while he went to go get his stuff.” She brushes past Jack and grabs a beer, one of the few things James already had, from the top shelf.
“You’re a waitress then?”
“Sometimes.”
“How did you get into modeling, if you don’t mind me asking? I mean, it’s not something that…”
“What makes a person randomly want to take her clothes off for a stranger so they can draw you, you mean?” Kate laughs, knowing what Jack is trying to get at. She cracks open her can of beer and takes a sip. “Oh, I’ve known James forever. And he’d seen me naked plenty of times already, so when he mentioned he needed people to work with…I figured what the hell.” She shrugs.
Jack casts his gaze down at the floor, wondering exactly why James had seen Kate naked before she became his model - well, not really wondering, but trying to ignore the obvious truth. He coughs lightly and shuts the fridge.
“How long have you known James?”
“When I was 15 I ran away from home…I got as far as Tennessee.”
“Where were you trying to go?”
“Florida. But I ran out of money outside of Nashville and when I was hitchhiking, his aunt picked me up. I stayed with her and James for a week before my friend’s parents tracked me down and brought me home.”
“Your friend’s parents?”
“Uh, yeah,” Kate buys a minute by taking another drink and Jack gets the distinct sense that she might have revealed more than she intended to about that particular story. “Anyway, James and I kept in touch. When I came to the city…” She shrugs again, the rest of the story obvious.
Kate plops down on the edge of James’ mattress and looks up at Jack.
“So, how did you meet James?”
“I came to look at his artwork.”
“And stayed for something else?” Kate winks lasciviously. Jack colors pink and kicks at an imaginary piece of dirt on the floor, shoving his hands back in his pockets.
“Guess you could say that.” He falls quiet and he can feel Kate looking at him.
“It’s been what now, over a month now with you guys?” Kate asks and he nods. When he finally gets the courage up to meet her gaze, she smiles knowingly. “He likes you, you know,” she says. “A lot.”
Jack doesn’t reply immediately, blushing again before he does, feeling as timid and hesitant as a teenager.
“How do you know?” He asks unsurely. Kate sets her beer on the ground and leans back on her elbows, raising her eyebrows at him.
“How do you not know?”
Jack doesn’t have a chance to answer, as the door opens and James walks into the loft, carrying a large plastic bag. Both he and Kate twist to look at him, smiles gracing both of their faces. Kate clambers up from her seat on the mattress as James heads over to them.
“Hey there sweetcakes,” James greets Kate with a grin and then turns to Jack standing off to her side, like he's just noticed him standing there. “Hey Doc.”
“Hey.” Jack doesn’t know why his smile suddenly turns forced ; it just gets hard to keep it there. James drops his bag to the ground and takes Kate’s beer from her hand to help himself to a drink.
“See you’ve met Freckles here. ” James jerks his head down in her direction. “She give you any grief?” Kate nudges him in the ribs, almost causing him to slosh the beer.
“Jack and I were having a perfectly pleasant conversation.” She informs him.
“You talk about me?”
“Not at all,” Kate shakes her head. “There are more interesting things out there to discuss than you, you know.”
“Sure there are, dollface.” He hands her beer back to her and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “I thought you might swing by.” He says to Jack, stepping toward him. “I tried calling your cell to tell ya I’d be busy but it just kept ringin’.”
“Something’s wrong with my voicemail,” Jack replies, taking a step away, not even knowing why. He gestures to the fridge with a half-hearted smile. “I got you some stuff.”
James raises his eyebrows and opens the fridge door partway, eying the items inside. Jack can tell James is holding something else back when he turns back to him.
“Well, thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I was gonna cook something for dinner, that’s why I…” Jack doesn’t finish, knowing he shouldn’t have to explain himself. “I didn’t know you were going to be busy. I’ll just get out of your hair so you and Kate can…” He waves his hand toward James’ easel and then brushes past James toward the door, keeping his gaze locked on the ground and away from James.
“Jack, are you coming to the gallery tomorrow night?” Kate asks and Jack stops, puzzled.
“Gallery?” From the look James shoots Kate, Jack realizes that whatever Kate is talking about, it’s not anything she was supposed to share. He glances at James and raises his eyebrows. “What gallery?”
“I just got some stuff on display in this show they got goin’ on,” James mumbles, waving it off as nothing. “It’s not a big thing, it’s just like three paintings in this tiny place downtown, they're showing with a whole bunch of other artist's work. They’re not even gonna sell.”
“The opening of the show is tomorrow night.” Kate cuts in, ending James’ attempt to downplay the entire thing. Jack is grateful because with every excuse James made, he just cut him deeper. “You should come. James is going to be busy kissing asses, I need someone to hang with.”
Jack’s smile is tight but Kate’s is genuine so he tries to keep his eyes locked on her, knowing if he looks at James he won’t be able to keep up his front.
“I’d love to, but I have to work,” He apologizes to her, not to James.
“On a Saturday night?” Kate inquires.
“Hospitals are open 24/7, genius,” James reminds her, his tone clipped, warning her to stop pushing the issue.
“My shifts are never normal,” Jack says more kindly, shooting James a look. "All part of the job."
“Must suck.” Kate replies and Jack nods.
“It does sometimes.” He takes another step toward the door. “I should really go and let you guys do your thing. It was nice to meet you, Kate.” He reaches out and shakes her hand and she seems surprised by the polite cordiality, considering he’s already seen her naked.
“Nice to meet you too, Jack,” Kate replies, sounding pleased. “Hope to see you again soon.”
“I’ll walk you out, Doc,” James tone is uneven, awkward, and Jack doesn’t wait for him before turning and heading for the door. James follows him, stepping out into the hall and hesitating in the open entryway in surprise when Jack walks to the stairs without looking back. “Hey, Jack.” He says loudly, getting his attention.
Jack stops at the top of the staircase, looking at James, struggling to make his face look completely neutral.
“Yeah?”
James comes toward him, letting the door fall closed behind him gently. He sets his hand on the top of the railing and stops next to Jack with a heavy sigh, a strand of hair falling into his eyes. He pushes it back and frowns when Jack looks away.
“Listen…about the gallery thing…”
“Forget it,” Jack interrupts quietly, forcing his gaze up from the floor to look at him, trying to pretend he’s not bothered. “It’s no big deal.”
“It’s not that I don’t want you to go, it’s just-“
“If you wanted me there, you would have invited me,” Jack states more sharply than he meant to, then eases off. He moves down a few steps and tilts his head back up to look at James. “You don’t need to explain, I get it.”
“Jack.”
“I really do have to go, James, and Kate’s waiting for you, so...” He nods toward James’ loft.
“I’ll call you when I’m done, okay?” James offers, trying to relieve the tension building between them. “Maybe you could come back over later, we can do that dinner like you wanted-“
“I think I’m actually going to hit the movies tonight with Marc instead,” Jack tells him, nervously tapping the palm of his right hand against the top of the fist he’s made with his left. James’ face is blank, no recognition of the name, and the question is obvious there. “My best friend?” Jack supplies and James nods.
“What are you going to see?”
“I don’t know,” Jack says with a hint of exasperation. “I’ll talk to you later.” He makes it down a few more stairs before James’ voice stops him again.
“Hey, Jack?” James looks down as Jack looks up. James knows his question is ludicrous but he asks it anyway. “Are we cool?”
Jack hesitates a moment before nodding.
“Yeah. We’re fine.”
James watches Jack until he disappears from sight, wondering if he’s just made a mess of it all. The sound of the front door of his building slamming shut echoes up the stairwell loudly, but not loud enough to drown out the deafening noise of the lie that still hangs in the air.
TBC
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