“You can’t be serious.” Joe scrubbed his thin fingers over his forehead like he was warring with something in his mind. Not in a million years did Cayson expect him to say what he did next. “Okay. Fine, Cayson. I’ll penetrate you in the ass. Will that end all this mess you’ve caused?”
“Oh, god.” Cayson jolted so hard he may have thrown up some in his mouth. Please tell me no one heard that. Cayson was so offended he couldn’t move or speak.
“Leave. Now.” Quick burst through the front door and was in Dr. Joe’s face, fast and furious. He barked the orders more than spoke them. His voice was rough and full of venom. It was a sound Cayson found turned him on, but he was too mortified for his body to react. Humiliation trumped lust.
Quick’s chest bumped Joe’s hard enough to cause him to windmill off the top step, falling hard onto the cobblestone walkway. Quick crossed his bulging arms over his chest, succeeding where Joe had failed to make that gesture look threatening. “You won’t like how I remove you if you don’t go voluntarily.”
Cayson’s hands were still covering half his face, hopefully the part that was aflame with shame. “Dr. Joe, I won’t tell anyone. I promise,” Cayson muttered as Joe scurried out the gate.
“I have no reason to promise anything, so you’d better get the fuck out of here. I’m terrible at keeping secrets.” Quick sneered and Joe turned a disgusting shade of green as he scrambled to dust off his black slacks while he walked.
Cayson didn’t like the look in Joe’s eyes. It was a look he’d seen before, but he couldn’t say where. It unnerved him more than anything. It was a look that promised—
Quick gripped Cayson’s shoulder and kissed him on his forehead before he could finish contemplating that look. He turned them to go inside the house and Cayson went obediently, feeling shocked at having his dirty laundry tossed all over his yard.
“Roman,” Cayson whispered. “I wish you hadn’t said that to him. He’s really nervous about being outed. His parents are really important people in the Emory Healthcare Administration and in the state government.”
“Yeah?” Quick hung his own leather coat on some large hooks mounted on the wall behind the door before pulling off Cayson’s coat. “What the hell does any of that have to do with me?”
Hell. Joe wasn’t going to let this go. Cayson had a horrible nagging feeling in his gut. That’s what he couldn’t deal with right now. He needed to think. He needed to go into hiding for a few days. “Would you mind leaving me alone for a bit?”
“Not at all. I’ll go fix your dinner while you go up and take a long, hot shower. By the time you come down, it’ll be ready, then you can show me the rest of your place.” Quick smiled softly.
“No. I meant would you—”
“I know what you meant.” Quick cut him off. “I’m not leaving you alone. It appears that’s what most people do to you. But I’m not letting that pompous pussy steal the date I begged to get.”
Cayson actually chuckled at the crudeness of Quick’s language and what he’d called Joe. Of all the things Joe had called Quick, none had been accurate. But Quick called Joe one name and it was spot on.
“Don’t take my chance away because of that prick. I can see he’s put you in a mood, but you don’t have to stay that way.” Quick stepped closer to Cayson. “Damn that guy.”
“Are we gonna confront the elephant in the room?” Cayson asked, maintaining eye contact with Quick, even though it made his retinas burn. But this was best. Get it out and over with.
“Elephant?”
“Roman,” Cayson huffed.
Quick inched in closer. “I like that sound you just made.” Quick rubbed his roughened hands up and down the thin sleeves of Cayson’s dress shirt, making him drop his chin to his chest. The touch warmed him and irritated him. Was this pity? He couldn’t be sure. He hated how unsure he was lately. He was supposed to be changing things in his life. His breathing was coming faster and faster. Quick smelled like outdoors and man. A fragrance most women probably wouldn’t like, but it had Cayson’s dick perking up with interest the closer Quick got.
“If you want to talk about him, fine.” Quick held Cayson’s biceps and crowded into him until his back was against the wall where his television hung. Quick didn’t appear mad, but his movements were dominating and his tone was sharp. “I heard everything that asshole said to you. I wasn’t snooping, but I couldn’t walk away.”
“So you heard him say—?” Cayson choked on the words. He couldn’t even say it. It was too deplorable. A grown man not good enough to fuck. Joe revealing that fact only confirmed that Cayson was his dirty secret and all Joe allowed him to do was get on his knees for him, that Cayson took whatever scraps he was thrown. He grumbled deep in his throat at the humiliation. He was glad Quick was so close, that way he could keep his face buried in Quick’s armpit. Inhaling the virility. He wanted his head to stay buried there, like an ostrich… as long as he didn’t have to see anyone, then they couldn’t see him.