|
|
| Fandom: | Houston Knights |
| Series: | Playing For Keeps |
| Rating: | NC-17 |
| Pairing: | Joe/Levon |
| Archive: | Starwinder's |
| Title: | Kiss the Past Goodbye |
| Author: | Starwinder |
| e-mail: | starwinder2of7@gmail.com |
| Standard Disclaimer: Houston Knights belongs to Jay Bernstein and Michael Butler and Columbia Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. This is fan fiction, written out of love for the shows. I am making no money off this. I have no money so please don't sue me. Any original characters who may appear in these stories are the property of the author. | |
Author's Note: Rusty the bartender at the Eagle still belongs to James Walkswithwind and is used with permission. Thanks James.
Author's Note2: The 'song' that is playing on the stereo, at the end of this story is an original poem by the author, so don't go running out to the record store to look for it, 'cause it's not there.
Kiss The Past Goodbye/ Crime Spree Missing Scene
By Starwinder
Joanne Beaumont, sat in the Emergency Room waiting area. She had, ordered Lundy and LaFiamma to go there then ended up bringing them herself to make certain that they did. They would be out soon. The doctor had confirmed that neither was hurt badly. The bump on Lundy's head was just that, a bump. He'd been awake and active nearly twenty-four hours since it happened with no indication of concussion so the doctor wasn't worried about it.
The deep cut on LaFiamma's ankle was the worst of the injuries. It would require stitches and he'd be on crutches for a while. What had really made him unhappy though was the doctor's insistence that he have shots. Antibiotics and tetanus. Even when the prettiest nurse in the ER had showed up to give them he'd still been argumentative. Lundy said that proved that there wasn't anything wrong with him, long as he could argue he was fine.
They were still fussing at each other when they came out. Lord only knew what about. Whatever it was, it wasn't important enough to keep Lundy from holding the door for LaFiamma while he maneuvered through on his crutches. They fell quiet before they got in earshot of her, so whatever it was, it was personal.
She sighed. The two best detectives in the unit, the best team she had but all they ever did was argue. They'd split up as partners over this case.
They stopped in front of her.
Lundy said, "If it's all right, Joanne, we'd like to get cleaned up before we come down to the station and fill out the report on alla this."
[We'd? He's talking for both of them again?] She glanced at LaFiamma.
He looked back at her.
She looked back at Levon.
He looked at her.
[Great! I just rearranged the whole damned duty roster to get them split up and suddenly they're partners again.] She shook her head. "I figured you would. I had Carol bring Joe's car over. It's outside." She held out the keys.
Lundy looked at LaFiamma.
Joe looked down at his crutches. "You drive."
Lundy took the keys and they headed out.
Joanne trailed behind, watching them.
Lundy walked ahead of LaFiamma, going to the passenger's side of the Cobra, opening the door. He held it, taking first one then the other of Joe's crutches while his partner winced, grimaced and occasionally cursed trying to get into the little sports car. When he was finally settled, Levon placed the crutches in the car. Closing the car door, he went around to the driver's side.
At Joe's apartment, Levon parked in Joe's spot. "Why don't I run up and get you a change of clothes. Be easier for you to get around at my place than here." He said, starting to get out.
LaFiamma stopped him. "No. I'll change here. You go on to your place. Drop by on your way back and pick me up." He started struggling to get out of the low slung car.
Again, Lundy started to get out, "Here, let me--"
"I can manage, dammit!" LaFiamma snapped, "Just give me a minute! Okay?"
"Okay," Lundy snapped back at him. If the man wanted to be stubborn ... .
It took several minutes for LaFiamma to get out of the car, but every time that Lundy moved to offer any assistance he was met with a glare.
He turned away, staring straight ahead out the windshield. [Dammit!] They'd just decided to stay together as partners and the man was being impossible again already!
Finally LaFiamma made it out of the car. He started up the sidewalk, not looking back. Angry, Lundy gunned the engine, roaring out of the parking space. The tires spun before they caught, squealing and slinging gravel.
LaFiamma turned to watch the car speed off. He knew that he was being difficult but he was really not in the mood to make an effort to be civil. In spite of Lundy's more or less apology while they were being hunted by the men in the woods, he knew that Lundy had been right. It had been wrong of him to lie to his partner to get the money from him, wrong to expect him to let it go when he found out. It wasn't his partner that he was angry at, it was himself. He'd risked losing the stubborn cowboy as a partner and friend for the sake of a few lousy dollars.
He went in, struggling up the stairs to his second floor apartment. By the time he reached it he was exhausted, but in some way he felt that he deserved to be, felt that he needed to be punished for betraying Lundy's trust. [Not that Lundy has ever really trusted me. The distrust is always there, right under the surface, waiting to pounce on me over any little thing.]
He got undressed, hobbling into the bathroom to clean up. He wanted a shower, but the doc had said not to get the stitches wet, so he settled for dragging a chair in and sitting in front of the sink, bathing with a rag. He left his half erect cock for last, knowing that if he wanted to get through the rest of the day with Lundy without breaking down, begging for sex, he'd have to deal with it. Get himself off.
That made him think about that part of their relationship. The personal part, the sexual part, volatile ... painful. There would be weeks when they couldn't get enough of each other, when they made love-- no, had sex-- every day, sometimes two or three times a day then there would be weeks when they barely saw each other outside of work. Weeks when Lundy wouldn't even touch him. Weeks when he spent every night either lying awake, staring into the darkness, thinking about Lundy or slept, fitfully, dreaming about the man. Weeks when his only relief from the burning need inside him was his own touch. Satisfactory but not satisfying. In the end he always crawled back to Lundy.
They'd been apart nearly a month before this case came along. He couldn't even remember what they'd argued about. It didn't matter. He didn't care. All he wanted was to go back to the other way. Go back to having Lundy touch him, hold him, move inside him with bone jarring thrusts.
Maybe that was why he'd borrowed the money, intent on investing it and repaying it ... doubled. Money was important to his partner. Being able to give him money might make him important to the man. He'd wanted to make Lundy need him. Because Lundy had never needed him, not the way he needed Lundy. He never apologized, never came around begging for forgiveness.
He didn't have to and he knew it. He could come around, wanting to go to bed and Joe would let him in, glad that at least he hadn't had to go begging. Because Joe needed him. Joe needed him but he didn't ... .
LaFiamma balled a fist, pounding it against the sink. Then leaning forward, resting his forehead on the sink he began to cry. Helplessly. Hopelessly. He'd failed. Again. Nothing left to do, but crawl back to Lundy. Beg the man to forgive him, take him back. Touch him. Hold him.
He was still there weeping almost hysterically when Lundy opened the apartment door and called his name.
"LaFiamma, you in here, Boy?" He called, pushing the door closed behind him, surveying the apartment. Seeing the light on in the bathroom he tapped on the door. "You ain't through yet? Need some help?"
There was no answer. Slowly the sound of Joe's weeping penetrated, suddenly concerned, he shoved the door open. "Joe!" He knelt beside his partner, reaching up to smooth the dark hair back from his partner's face. "What's wrong? Is it your ankle? Are you in pain?" He reached out to try to get Joe to sit up and suddenly found himself with an armful of naked, weeping, almost incoherent partner.
Joe threw his arms around him, burrowing into Lundy's shoulder, sobbing, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please, please, please." Then his mouth was seeking Lundy's, desperately, hungrily.
Levon let him have the kiss, kissing him back, firmly but more as a way to calm him than anything else. He brushed a hand across Joe's cheek. It felt hot and dry. Sitting in the bathroom naked he should have been cold. The doctor had warned that there could be infection. That Joe might become feverish.
He began to stroke Joe's hair, whispering softly to him, knowing that what he said probably wasn't important. In the state Joe was in the only thing that mattered to him was having Levon touch and hold him. But he needed to be put to bed, given the antibiotics that the doctor had sent home with him.
Levon began to maneuver them out of the bathroom and upstairs. It took some doing what with Joe's ankle still being unable to bear his full weight and him being determined to kiss and cuddle.
Finally Levon had him upstairs, lowering him on the bed. He tried to pull away to go get the medicine, maybe call Joanne, let her know that Joe was too ill to come in, but LaFiamma wouldn't let go.
He dragged Levon down on the bed with him. His touch was desperate but skilled. He knew from long practice exactly where and how to touch his partner to arouse him, make him forget everything except the heat rising in him.
Surrendering, Lundy reached down, opening his jeans, releasing his rapidly hardening cock. He slid between Joe's legs. Maybe afterwards, Joe would relax, then he could get his medicine in him, call Joanne.
Joe arched up, wrapped his legs around Levon's waist, seeking to be joined with him.
Lundy hesitated, there'd been no preparation, no lubrication. He didn't want to hurt Joe.
His partner wasn't waiting for any of that. He twisted, somehow capturing Lundy's cock between his ass cheeks and wiggling around aligned it with the pucker between them. He managed to work himself down on the head of it, whimpering impatiently as he did so.
Once the head was in, he humped up against Lundy working to get the rest.
Lundy began pushing forward with short, slow thrusts that worked the length in gradually, giving the tight unlubricated passage time to adjust to it. When it was all in he paused, letting his partner get acclimated to it.
Joe groaned, writhing on the cock embedded in him. "Fuck me. Fuck me. Please." He begged.
Lundy began to thrust. Slowly at first then gathering speed as the pre cum leaking from his cock began to provide a bit of lubrication and Joe encouraged him, with both action and words.
LaFiamma arched up to meet every thrust, driving himself onto the impaling shaft with frantic vigor. As the fever burning in him loosened his tongue, he urged Lundy on, too uninhibited to care what he said. "Come on, Cowboy! Ride me! Screw me! Fuck me like a hound fucks a bitch in heat! I'm yours! Yours! Use me! Use me you bastard! Use me!"
Lundy was shocked by the words. Joe had never said anything like that during sex before. He was on the verge of cumming, couldn't stop now but ... dear God! Was that really what Joe thought; that Levon was using him? At the moment it felt more like Joe was using him. It'd been Joe who'd started this, who'd demanded to be taken.
He came, feeling Joe's cock throb and jerk between them, soaking his shirt and Joe's belly. LaFiamma's legs released him, sliding down to flop limply to the sides. With a sigh, Joe's eyes closed. He slipped away into sleep.
Lundy rolled off him. Got up from the bed. Stood staring down at his partner's limp form for a long moment, then after arranging the covers over him, went downstairs.
He went into the bathroom to shower, staying in the water a long time. For some reason he felt dirty. Finally he got out and dried off, putting his jeans and boots back on. He washed his shirt out in the sink and hung it over the shower rod to dry.
Going back to the living room he called Beaumont, telling her that Joe was feverish, that he'd put him to bed and was going to stay and look after him. He told her he'd be in, in the morning then hung up.
Sitting on the couch, Lundy leaned back, staring at the ceiling. What was going on? Why had Joe been crying in the bathroom when he got there? What had he been talking about when he said he was sorry? Why'd he wanted sex, now? When they hadn't done it in over a month. And what he'd said during sex. [Use me.] [You bastard.] Why'd he said that? Did he really feel like that was what Levon was doing? Using him?
He reached up to run his hands through his hair, encountering the bump on his head. Was this connected to what had happened in the woods? Those guys trying to kill them. He'd held Joe most of the night. Joe'd been cold, shivering. When Levon had wrapped his jacket around his shoulders on top of the suit coat Joe had on, he'd tried to snuggle, nuzzling Levon's neck, kissing lightly. Lundy had pulled away, had told him to go to sleep, to get some rest that it wasn't the time or place.
Joe's been trying to make up. But he'd still been upset about the money. He'd apologized for making a big deal out of it but he'd still been upset. He'd rejected Joe's attempt to make up. Was that why Joe'd been crying?
He straightened up, suddenly remembering what else Joe'd said. [I'm yours! Yours!]
What if ... what if Joe felt like he belonged to him. That, somehow, he was Lundy's property ... but that he didn't have any hold on Lundy. That could explain everything. The tears, the desperate need to get Lundy to have sex, the demand to be 'used'. Even the money. Maybe especially the money.
They hadn't had sex in weeks before LaFiamma had borrowed the money. Maybe ... since he hadn't been able to hold Lundy with sex ... he'd tried to do it with money. He'd planned to pay it back double. Like he'd been saying [I know money's important to you. Here's the money I borrowed. I doubled it for you. See, I'm good for something. I can make money for you.]
He sighed. He loved Joe. He loved Jamie, too ... and it'd be nice to be a dad. Her son, Eric was a great kid. When had life gotten so complicated? He felt like he was trying to haul a load of nitro down a thousand miles of bad road ... in a truck with no shocks and bad brakes.
He looked at his watch. He really needed to get Joe to take his antibiotics. He got the pills, a bottle of aspirin and a bottle of water out of the fridge and went back up stairs.
Joe was still asleep. He'd curled into a tight, fetal position, knees drawn up, arms crossed protectively across his chest, head bowed, chin tucked in. Lundy looked at him for a long moment. He was beautiful, beautiful and vulnerable. He remembered the desperation that he'd sensed earlier when Joe had clung to him, drawing him down onto the bed.
He leaned down to shake Joe, knowing instinctively that calling him wouldn't wake him. It took several shakes to rouse him up.
Finally Joe opened his eyes, uncurled slightly, mumbling. "What's't?"
"Your medicine. Time for your antibiotics and I want you to take some aspirin, too. You've got a fever. Come on. Sit up."
Groggily, Joe obeyed. He took the medicine, then immediately curled back up. He was asleep again instantly.
Lundy helped himself to a couple of the aspirin. He had acquired quite a headache himself. On second thought he made it four aspirin, washing them down with a swig from Joe's water bottle.
He stood beside the bed for a long moment, trying to decide what to do to keep himself busy till time to rouse Joe up to give him his medicine again. There really wasn't anything. Joe kept the place neat as a pin. No dirty dishes waiting in the sink. No scattered magazines, etc. to put up. Even the daily paper was already tucked into the recycle bin.
He sighed, deciding to rest. He sank down into the chair beside Joe's bed and sat watching his partner sleep. Joe alternated between sleeping like the dead, curled up in the fetal position and sleeping fitfully, rolling onto his back, moaning and crying out, his hands knotted in the covers.
He couldn't help but wonder what Joe dreamed about that prompted the moans and cries. He'd heard them before. Not like this, not this bad. But there had been nights when he'd slept beside Joe only to be awakened by his partner's crying out in his sleep. On those nights he'd reach over and touch Joe and the man would quiet, snuggle against him, drifting back into peaceful sleep.
It was already dark out when he gave Joe the third dose of his medicine and Joe drifted back to sleep. The moaning and thrashing had started almost immediately, worse than ever. Unable to watch any more without doing something, Levon undressed, slipping into bed beside him. He spooned himself up against Joe's back, placing an arm around his partner's waist.
Joe hitched back against him, pressing his buttocks into Levon's cock, sighing contentedly.
Lundy gasped as his cock went rock hard from the contact.
Joe pushed back again, moaning softly, his hips beginning to rock in a fucking motion.
Lundy's hand drifted down to touch, Joe's cock. It was fully erect.
Joe murmured his name, pushing back again.
Levon let his hand move slowly around to his partner's buttocks, gently stroking, caressing him. He slipped a finger in between the ass cheeks, found the pucker and worked the finger in.
Joe moaned his approval, pushing back on it. He was slick and stretched from the earlier encounter, ready and willing to be taken again.
"Joe? Are you awake?" Levon whispered, wanting to be sure before he went any farther.
"Yeah," Joe replied softly.
"Do you want this?" He asked gently as he withdrew his finger and pressed the head of his cock in its place.
"Yes! Oh, God! Yes!"
Satisfied that his partner was awake and aware, Lundy moved forward, carefully thrusting into Joe's hot passage. He took it slow and easy. The earlier urgency seemed to have evaporated. Joe rocked back on Levon's cock, moving and writhing to pleasure his lover but not slamming back with the desperation he had evidenced before.
Levon planted gentle kisses along Joe's neck and shoulders, whispering to him softly, caressing him tenderly as they moved slowly toward completion. They moved together for a long time, in a steady, gentle rhythm before coming. Levon filled Joe, with two mild spurts. Joe spilled his seed across his belly, to dry there with the earlier load.
They drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep, Levon still curled around Joe, his now limp cock still firmly grasped by Joe's sphincter muscle.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lundy awoke alone. Momentarily disoriented, he sat up, blinking and looking around. He was at Joe's.
The smell of coffee drifted up to him from the kitchen below. Getting up he looked for his clothes. Not finding them he threw on a robe that he found across the back of the chair and went downstairs.
LaFiamma was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. He poured Lundy a cup of coffee. Setting it on the table, he motioned for his partner to sit down.
Levon regarded him as he pulled out the chair and sat. Joe looked much better this morning. His eyes were clear and he didn't appear to be feverish. He was also completely dressed for work. He had on navy slacks and a turquoise tank top with the blue sweater, the one with the turquoise design, draped over the back of one of the chairs ready to be put on over his guns. He was hobbling around the kitchen without his crutches. Looking down to check out Joe's shoes, Lundy saw how he was managing that. He was wearing his high top running shoes, snugly laced around the bad ankle, they gave it enough support for him to get around.
"Your clothes are in the dryer. Be ready in a few minutes." LaFiamma sat a plate in front of him.
Lundy glanced at the food. It looked like an omelet of some kind. "I told Joanne, we'd be in this mornin' to fill out the reports."
"I've already called her." Joe remained standing, looking down at Lundy. "I told her that we'd be in after a while." He took a deep breath, "I also told her that I was going to take some of the sick days I have coming."
Lundy looked up sharply, there was something in LaFiamma's voice that told him that he had more to say, and wasn't sure how it would sit with his partner.
Joe looked away then back. "I don't know how to say this other than straight out. I think that it would be best if we ceased to have a sexual relationship."
Lundy stared at him. The words seemed to hang in the air. He could almost see them. [I think it would be best if we ceased to have a sexual relationship.] Red letters. Color of blood. He couldn't believe it. Not after yesterday. Joe'd been desperate to have him. Would have done anything.
His partner was still speaking, "I'll leave it up to you if you want to try and remain partners. The sick days I'm taking will give you time to make that decision with out any pressure." He turned away, walking over to the sink, starting to wash up the few dishes in it. Apparently he'd eaten before fixing Lundy's meal.
Rising Levon went to him, reaching out to put a hand on his back, "Joe, if I've done something ... ."
LaFiamma pulled away. "No." He shook his head walking away from his partner. "No. You haven't done anything wrong, Levon. I ... I really think it would be best for both of us." He turned back, frowning slightly, his face serious. "You've got a chance with Jamie, a chance to have a good life. Maybe you oughta take it. I ... I need to get my life back. Find myself again."
Lundy tried to reach out to him again, and again Joe shook him off.
He stopped a few steps away, turning to face Levon, "You don't know me, Lundy. Really you don't. The guy you've known since I've been in Houston, that's not me. Dependent, needy, weak. That's not me. Somehow, between Chicago and Houston, I got lost. I have always been in control of my life. Always. But ..."
He shook his head, gesturing with his hands, "But since I left Chicago, I've felt like I've been in limbo. I can't go back there but I'm not really here. I'm suspended waiting for the word to come that I can go home but it isn't home anymore and I don't know if I even want to go back. I feel like I don't have any control over my life, like I'm helpless ... I've let life push me around. I've let myself become dependent on other people for ... everything. Mostly I've been dependent on you. I can't go on being."
He paused, his face softening. "I'm not saying that I don't care about you, Lundy. I do care. I care a lot ... but I need some time, some space to make decisions without any pressure from anybody ... especially you. Everything that has happened in the past few days has made me realize exactly how dependent on you I've become and I don't like it. I hardly have any life that isn't connected to you. I'm sorry if this hurts you but ... it's what I need."
Lundy looked back at him, anger starting to flow through him, then he saw Joe's eyes. Scared. Pleading for understanding. He remembered again the desperation that had been there the day before. He knew suddenly that if he reacted with anger, Joe would crumble, return to being the desperate, needy, weeping man that had dragged him down into the bed with him yesterday ... and he didn't want that Joe.
He struggled with the anger for a moment then pushed it down and away, "All right."
He looked into Joe's hopeful eyes and repeated it. "If that's what you need. All right ... as for the partners question, I thought we'd already settled that. We are partners. We'll stay partners."
With a quick nod of acceptance, from Joe the matter was settled.
They were still partners. Maybe they were still friends. As for the rest ... . It was over.
Lundy went to get dressed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Several hours later, LaFiamma finished typing his report on the computer and printed it out. Taking it in to Lieutenant Beaumont he handed it to her, dropping into the visitor's chair.
She gave him a curious look, "What is it, Joe?"
He hesitated a moment before saying. "I'd like the whole ten days of sick leave that I have coming, Lieutenant."
"The doctor said that you should be back to full duty within a week, Sgt. I'm not sure that I can justify letting you have the whole ten days."
"Then I'll take some vacation days. I haven't used any this year."
"Joe, what I'm trying to say is that as short handed as we are, I don't see how I can let you take more days than the doctor said you needed." She explained patiently, trying not to sound harsh.
"Would you rather I turned in my badge?" He looked up at her defiantly.
"LaFiamma!" She sounded shocked. "You wouldn't!"
"Yeah! I would ... but only if you make me." He looked up at her with a serious expression. "I don't want to quit, Lieutenant but I have some things I need to take care of. It's going to take a certain amount of time." He paused. giving her that charming smile. "Look, Lieutenant you don't really expect me to believe that the place will fall apart because I take a few days off. " He paused, "You know, I haven't taken any time off, other than regularly scheduled days and those five sick days I took when I got shot last year, since I've been down here. Cut me some slack. Will ya? I've earned some time off."
She hesitated but he was right. He and Levon were the two most dependable officers she had. Sometimes she had to order them off duty. They worked every scheduled day plus more overtime than any other team. If anything, Joe put in even more time than Levon. They were the unit's top team as well, having the highest case clearance rate and the highest conviction ratio in the department. With a sigh, she nodded. "Ten days, though. Not a minute more. Monday week. Nine o'clock you're at your desk. Understood?"
He smiled. "Thanks, Joanne. You won't regret it."
Rising he went out into the bullpen. Stopping in front of his desk, he picked up his sweater, slipping into it. Looking over at Lundy he said. "I'm outta here, Cowboy. I'll be taking the Cobra. You'll have to check out a plain wrap from the garage."
"All right," Lundy looked up. "I'll drop by after work, okay?"
Joe looked down at the floor then raised his head his face set in a carefully neutral expression, "I'd rather you didn't."
His voice was calm.
Lundy looked down at the report he was typing on, to hide the flash of hurt at the words. "Okay, whatever." He said in a carefully casual voice.
Joe nodded and left.
Half an hour later he walked into his apartment, tossing his keys on the table by the door. Going to the couch he sat down. [What now?] He leaned back, tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. He hadn't really thought about what he was going to do. He'd woken up with Lundy beside him on the bed and remembered what had led to that. Disgusted with himself for being so weak and needy he'd made the decision to break off his sexual relationship with Lundy but he hadn't thought past that.
[I need options ... and right now I don't have any. I'm neck deep in debt and sinking fast. Without Lundy bailing me out all the time I wouldn't even be able to stay even.] So, that was the first thing that he had to address. How to get out from under financially. There was really only one answer. [The Cobra.] He'd told himself when he bought it that it was an investment, that it would increase in value and could be sold when need be. [Well, it's time.]
That decision made he reached for the phone. There were a lot of arrangements to be made.
After work Lundy pulled out of the police garage, turning on to the street. He was three blocks from the station before he realized that he was on his way to LaFiamma's. He slowed, starting to turn around then decided to go on.
Driving slowly past Joe's place, he saw the Cobra parked in it's regular spot. The light was on in Joe's apartment, through the window he could see LaFiamma moving around in the kitchen. He forced himself to keep driving, heading for his place. He couldn't explain the feeling gnawing at him. It was an emptiness, as if something very important was missing.
He slept fitfully that night.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
LaFiamma spent all day Saturday arranging to get the Cobra ready to sell, making appointments to have the police radio and the car phone taken out, arranging to have it detailed then carefully removing all his personal stuff from the trunk and interior.
Monday morning he went to the bank to made arrangements to have a bank representative meet him in Austin on Saturday with the title to the Cobra and authorization to sell it. The bank officer would be able to transfer the funds from the sale electronically to pay off the note on the car and deposit the remaining funds to his account.
By Tuesday he was able to walk pretty well without even a cane. He started gathering up the information he needed to pay off his debts. He hadn't really taken a good look at his finances in a while and was stunned to realize how much he actually owed.
Looking at the amount he understood why I. A. had been on him about it. He was in serious financial trouble. Selling the Cobra was the only way out. He was sure he'd get enough to pay off the debts but how much would be left was another matter. In any event he would be debt free for the first time since he'd moved to Houston.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Thursday morning Lundy sat at his desk, doing paperwork. He looked over at the empty chair across from him, scowling.
Joe had done the paperwork on the case then he'd left. Lundy hadn't seen him since. He either wasn't home or wasn't answering his phone. Every time, since Monday, that Levon had tried the car phone he got a recording saying that the number was no longer in service.
Joe had said he needed space, well he was sure as hell taking some. To tell the truth, Lundy hadn't expected LaFiamma to be able to stay completely away from him. It was disconcerting.
He scowled again at the thought. Maybe Joe wasn't the only one who was a little too dependent on a certain someone in their life.
He sighed. Three more days. After today. Then LaFiamma would be back at his desk. Things would be back to normal ... at least as far as work. He went back to trying to read the report in front of him. Trying because, having thought of LaFiamma, his body was betraying him, distracting him. His cock was hard.
[Dammit!] He'd thought it was bad when Joe first came down, when all he had to do was walk past Levon to make the cowboy's cock start to rise. But now he had a hard-on just from looking at the damned empty chair that the man used to sit in! This did not bode well for the no-more-sex clause Joe had come up with.
He shifted, trying to find a position that would give his now rampart cock a bit more space in the tight confines of his jeans. It wasn't working ... and he knew from experience that the damn thing wouldn't go down on it's on, not when he kept thinking about LaFiamma.
Still, he couldn't stop thinking about the man. Hell, yesterday he'd gotten hard looking at the damned Bonsai tree. Carol had come over to snip off the dead leaves and mist the thing, 'cause Joe'd asked her to look after it. He'd looked up and seen her but his mind had remembered Joe, tending the tree. Remembered Joe's hands caressing the branches, feeling for the dead leaves and pinching them off between, thumbnail and forefinger. Stroking the tree. His cock had translated it to stoking it and jumped to full attention. He'd ended up having to go to the bathroom toting a report to hide the hard-on with so he could jack off.
Looked like he was going to have to do it again. He sighed and flipped the folder closed. Rising he picked it up, holding it in front of his crotch, he headed for the men's room, trying to ignore the way Joe Bill was rolling his eyes at him. He and LaFiamma had fooled a lot of people about their relationship but the lanky hillbilly hadn't been one of them.
He was glad when the day was finally over and he could head home.
Home however wasn't the haven it'd once been. While Caroline's ghost seldom disturbed him there anymore, he saw Joe everywhere.
Tending to Fooler, he looked along the line of the fence, remembering Joe, laughing like a kid, leaning with his back to the fence, apples in his pocket, while Fooler nuzzled and pushed at him, demanding them.
In the barn, sweeping out the stall, he heard something behind him and turned, half expecting to see Joe, laughing silently, wearing nothing but his boxers as he sneaked up behind him to steal a kiss, but it was only a stray cat, scurrying across the floor. He sighed, glancing up at the loft, remembering how Joe'd danced away, laughing aloud and fled up the ladder. He'd followed and half way up, Joe's boxers had drifted down past him, motivating him to climb faster, knowing his lover was naked and waiting for him. Joe'd been a beautiful sight, lying back in the loose hay, that come hither smile on his face, languidly caressing his cock. Beautiful, wanton and his.
He shook off the memory and finished up his chores before heading for the house.
Stopping at the side of the porch with the trellis to water the climbing Joseph's Coat rose, he remembered the day that Joe had brought it over, just assuming that he'd do the planting and tending. Remembered how he'd looked away, shyly, when telling him the name of the rose. Joseph's Coat named for Joseph's coat of many colors in the bible. Bicolor blooms, shades of yellow and pink, ranging from dark at the heart to pale on the outer petals. It'd bloomed within a month of planting although the tag said it probably wouldn't bloom the first season ... and it'd grown too. Damned thing already covered the trellis and was headed for the porch roof. He probably ought to prune it.
He crossed the porch and went through the living room. The phone rang and he picked it up. "Hello?"
He sighed when he heard Jamie's voice on the other end. "Hi, Jamie."
She wanted to know if he would be able to drop by on Saturday. She was planning a small get together with Joanne and her husband.
"I'm sorry, Jamie, but I'm pulling a double shift Saturday. Joe Bill's gone to Dallas to see about his mom. She's in the hospital, not doing well. Everybody's putting in overtime to cover for him."
She said she understood but sounded annoyed.
When he hung up the phone he stood a moment staring down at it. The fact was that he was glad he was working. Which was curious. [I care about Jamie. I really do and Joanne and Brad are old friends yet ... I really don't want to be there.]
He walked into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. [I oughta fix some supper.] He sighed. [Wish Joe was here. He'd fix me something ... special. We'd talk and laugh ... .] He let the thoughts trail off.
He needed a drink. No. What he needed was bottle of knock out drops. The only way he was gonna quit thinking about LaFiamma was if he was unconscious.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
End of Part One