Chapter 2

I used the money left over from the sale to buy this duplex and advertised for a tenant as a way to keep costs down. Damien was the fourth tenant I’d had in ten years, and the most reliable. Aside from his nails-on-a-chalkboard love of loud music, he was pleasant, courteous, and paid the rent on time. He was also sexy as all get out. And younger than me by nine years. What would a hot, young, twenty-five-year-old want with a washed up, retired cowboy, anyway? I should be put out to pasture.

Finally, after tossing and turning a bit, I fell asleep until the alarm went off too damn early. Bleary-eyed, I showered and got dressed in fifteen minutes then headed to the kitchen to make some instant coffee. I left the house at five o’clock and drove Rusty, my beat up, old Ford truck, to the store.

* * * *

“Forgot to shave again, I see. Late night?” Wade, one of the other assistant managers asked me while we stocked the equine section. I worked on fly spray and repellant while he did the liniment.

“Yeah. Damien forgot the headphones again,” I said in a huff.

Wade chuckled. “As much as you complain, I know you have the hots for the man. Maybe if you fuck him, he’ll show some restraint.”

“Are you kiddingme? That might make it worse, because then he’ll deliberately be a pain in the ass just so I come knocking on his door. Not going there.”

“Like that’s a bad thing. I think you should. It’s not healthy to live like you do. You need more in your life. Companionship. Maybe expand your music horizons.”

“This again. Look, I’m on the downside of thirty. My chances at companionship are long gone. And I know you.” I stopped stocking shelves for a minute and gave him a knowing stare. “Just ‘cause you’re like a pig in slop with your new boyfriend don’t mean everyone else has to be hitched up to a wagon, too. Leave it alone, Wade.”

“Methinks he doth protest too much. I might just go over to see Damien myself and get him to loosen you up. You’re too uptight, man. You need some release, and not just the solo kind.” He demonstrated the universal motion for jacking off with his fist.

“Please. You just want to meet the guy so you can have fantasy material for sex with Curtis. That’s what porn is for, remember?”

“Whatever.” Wade went back to stocking the shelves, and I went back to earning my keep.

* * * *

Several days later, on a Sunday morning, someone knocked on my door. It could only be Damien.

I opened the door. “Hey.” He looked really good in cargo shorts that exposed his fit calves, and a muscle shirt that, well, you get the idea. “Got the rent?”

“Yeah.” He handed me a sealed envelope.

“Thanks,” I said as I took it. Usually Damien would turn around and leave with a wave, but this time, he just stood there.

“Anything else?” I asked.

Damien cleared his throat. “Can I come in? I want to talk to you about something.”

I stared at him for a second. He looked so serious. I stepped aside so he could enter. I had a George Strait song playing on low volume in the living room. Damien walked past me and took a seat on the couch. I sat in a chair to his left.

“Okay, what’s up?” I said.

“I was wondering if it would be okay for me to have a roommate for a while. A guy I know needs a place to stay right now while he gets back on his feet. He’s a good friend and I wouldn’t feel right having him roam the streets when I have a spare bedroom. If you need more rent, I can do that. It’s just, I’d really like to help him out.”

I sat there and studied Damien for a minute. Huh. Never would have expected that from him. I guess I should stop judging people.

“Les?”

I snapped out of my thoughts. “Sorry. Yeah, that’s fine, man. No problem. And, no, I won’t charge you more rent for him staying with you. Same rules apply to him as you, of course.”

“You’re still giving me this weird look,” he said.

“I don’t mean to. It’s just, I’m seeing another side of you that surprised me, and that’s probably because I made a judgment about how you do things based on my own preconceptions.”

“I get that about you,” Damien said. “It’s okay. I like to surprise people, shake ‘em up a bit. You could use a little shaking up, Les. My door’s always open, you know.” He smiled and winked at me.