Chapter 2

Gabriel

I never came out as gay or confessed my crush on my best friend in college. I suspect he knew, but I knew he was straight. I even introduced him to his wife who he has been married to for nearly twenty-five years now and I am genuinely happy for him, but I wish I had someone in my life I could share it with. I have always been too busy with school or the business. 

I gave up partying and playing my guitar when I took over the business, or at least I gave up the dream of playing it professionally. I was never superb anyway. I still love music and I fiddle with my guitar or piano. My father had me learn piano when I was young. He told me it would teach me the fundamentals of music and make me cultured, but rock and roll, especially hard rock, metal and alternative were my loves. I still love to rock out, in private.

I was always a bit socially awkward and shy. I can manage business. I’ll tell you all about the kinds of roasters we use, where we source our coffee beans, the methods, the flavor profiles, company policies and projected sales. I can talk for hours about drink concepts and my new concept store I plan to open here in Boston next summer, but I can not, for the life of me, talk to a man I find attractive about mundane things. 

My best friend and I became friends because he heard me playing guitar and asked me about it on my first day of freshman year. I never would have approached Thomas otherwise. I talked to him about guitar. He told me he always wanted to learn, but his father was against it. Thomas, despite the American name, is half Japanese. I thought his father was the hard ass, and he was, but his mother drove him just as much as his father. She was always on him about getting good grades and bringing honor to his father. My parents let me just be myself, but when they died I put pressure on myself to step up and make them proud. I have been doing that ever since.

Thomas’s daughter, Arianna, is a pretty and overly flirtatious girl who has been chatting my ear off and twirling her long dark hair for over half an hour. I arrived earlier than anticipated and this is the price I pay. 

“I’m studying economics and business and daddy said you might come do a lecture at the school, if you will agree. The dean is keen on it and it will help keep my trouble maker brother from being expelled,” Arianna twitters as she leans forward exposing cleavage that does nothing to excite me, but suddenly my eye catches something that does.

Framed in the doorway is a gorgeous man with a squared off jaw and green eyes. His hair is messy and his jeans are tight, while his loose button front shirt exposes a muscular, tattooed chest and his rolled up sleeves show more tattoos. Our eyes meet and I can’t help my thoughts as they go to the naughty things I want to do with him. He is the sort of guy I wanted to be and wanted to fuck when I was young and judging by his growing bulge as I continue drinking him in, he likes what he sees too. Too bad no words come from my mouth and all I can do is stare.

“Gabe, I’d like you to meet my son Rhett. Unfortunately, he has a tendency of trying to embarrass me,” Thomas says as he nudges the sex on legs who stands beside him. 

“Hi Gabe, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I see my sister is already all up on your junk, so fucking typical,” Rhett grumbles before striding away.

“Please excuse him, Gabe. He and I had an argument on the way here,” Thomas sighs.

“Oh, dear! Please tell me you didn’t tell him he is moving home just now,” Claudia says, looking over at her husband, my best friend.

“Yeah. I didn’t mean to let it slip, but after that last stunt and the debauchery…I can’t let it continue,” Thomas sighs. “I won’t even tell you what I walked in to see at his apartment.”

“Dad! It’s just my best friend and I fucking,” Rhett laughs from down the hallway before disappearing out onto the terrace. 

“I feel as if I should not be here for this,” I say, softly.

“It’s always like this. Dad lays down a rule or expectation and Rhett rebels or blows up. He is trouble and he’ll never stop being a fuck boy, that’s all,” Arianna says with a shrug and a flirty flounce in my direction.

“He’s a smart boy, but he thinks partying, sex, art and music are all that matter in the world, I swear!” Thomas groans. 

“I’m not very good with anything besides business and music, but if he likes music, maybe we can talk. Find common ground, at least,” I offer awkwardly.

“Thanks, if he’ll open up to you, maybe we can figure out his real problem, “ Claudia says.

I make my way out onto the terrace and spot Rhett with the tight jeans that hug his perfect ass, leaning over the railing looking out at the garden and smoking.

“Rhett?” I chance it and he glances over his shoulder at me.

“What do you want?”

“I hear you are into music. Do you play any?”

“I play the fucking guitar when my old man isn’t on me about how art and music are not career options,” Rhett grunts.

“I have played piano since I was a kid, but I play guitar as well. I’m kind of shit at it, but I love music,” I say, searching for that thread that will reel his attention in.

Rhett flicks his cigarette over the railing and turns to me and then pins me against the wall with his tall, muscular body and snarls, “ I don’t like you, old man! I don’t like corporate stooges and uptight dicks! I don’t like any of my father’s friends, especially closet cases!”

I feel my dick get harder with each syllable he utters and something kicks in within me as I grab his firm arm and twist it behind him, looping underneath him to pin his chest against the wall while my hard cock presses against his firm ass. 

“And I don’t like little boys who disrespect the family who love them and put a roof over their head while they play games, but here I am trying to be friendly. Maybe, I need to teach you some respect for your elders,” I hiss against his ear. “Maybe then, you’ll live up to the potential your parents see in you.”

I take in a deep breath and enjoy the fresh scent of his aftershave and minty breath and then lean forward to plant a firm, aggressive kiss on his lips as I shove him further against the side of the house. Before I release him I smack his ass. 

“Maybe, a spanking will get you in line,” I say, finding boldness in one of the areas that is familiar to me.

“It’ll take more than a spanking, old man,” Rhett says through clenched teeth.

“Challenge accepted,” I chuckle before reentering the house and joining my friends at their dining table.