Trist could have stomped down the steps and trumpeted like an elephant and Val wouldn’t have noticed him. He saw it the moment he stepped from the small upstairs office to glance around the store’s main floor and spotted how Val moved slowly around the shelves. The books had him now and there was no breaking into that.

“How long has he been browsing?” He nodded to the shelf Val was hidden behind when he rejoined Eshe at the counter.

“Oh, nearly an hour? Have a nice visit?”

Trist took up Val’s mug of forgotten tea and downed a swallow. “It was just what I needed.” He grinned. “So?”

“Hmm?” She pretended to confusion.

“What do you think of him?” Trist whispered out in frustration.

“Beyond what a cutie he is?”

He waved that off.

“The books love him, I haven’t seen them respond to anyone as strongly.” She patted Trist’s arm. “I like him. He’s solid, stable, but you’ll have your hands full with him.”

“Oh, I know, I like the challenge. He’s so…” He sighed looking for the word. “Proper, maybe? I want to rip his clothes off and lick him until he forgets his manners.”

She laughed. “Well, whatever is brewing between you two, it’s good for you. This is the happiest I’ve seen you in a long time, Trist. I‘m not wrong in saying it‘s his doing?”

“He’s the only change in my life. Don’t look at me like that, this isn’t going to last and I know it’s not but while he’s charged with being my babysitter, well, I’m not so proud as to let an advantage like that pass me bye.” He let his eyes trace Val’s back as the man slid from one shelf to another.

“You’re an evil man.”

“No, I’m a horny one. It’s been so long, I thought maybe my little friend had stopped working.” He glanced over at her and his head tilted to the side. “You read his cards, didn’t you?”

“Now, you now better then to ask that.”

“Did they say anything about me?”

“Trist!” She scolded but softened at the hopeful look in his eyes. “He’s inclined to indulge you, just he’s not some college bimbo. This is said as your friend, not his reader, this pretty one? If you want to get him into bed, don’t let him think about it and if he gives in, honor the risk he’s taking.”

For once, there was no teasing come back or mocking answer, Trist just nodded and thought for a moment. Gavan would be back tomorrow and when he returned, Val would disappear. His time was running out and he’d changed gears from getting closer to Val to getting Val into bed. “So,” he began as he slid a check from his pocket. “Which books are going home with him and how badly are you going to fleece me?”

Eshe smiled and shook her head. “There’s a good dozen or so that want him but there’s only three that need to be his.”

“Which three?” He narrowed his eyes as he felt his bank account grow a lighter by the glow from her eyes.

“The Life and Works of Thomas Paine and the Dumas series, both from the nineteen hundreds.”

Trist winced. “You’re sure?”

“Very, he wouldn’t even let himself open the covers, just brushed across them like he was touching a lover.”

“Now, who’s the evil one.” He picked up a pen and started filling the check out, and didn’t really mind the money but he did figure he’d better get Val out of the shop before he had to increase the amount on the check. “You’ll pull and wrap them for me?”

A paper wrapped bundle slid across the counter. “Already did, dear.”

“Evil! Strictly evil!” But he slid the check across to her without any real fuss. “Let me collect my duckling.” He moved to find where Val wondered among the books and when he finally located him, he was at the back of the store.

Trist grinned to himself, Val stood, stretching to place a book back on top of the top shelf. One of his hands gripped the shelf at shoulder level, the other reached high over his head. The sight made him so happy, Trist didn’t think about it. On silent feet he slipped behind Val and wrapped his arms around Val’s ribs and pressed himself along the taller man’s back.

Val jumped, startled but all that did was press him tighter against Trist. “What?” He struggled to glance behind him but he already knew who it was. “Trist?”

“Shhh, you’re irresistible like this.” The body he held stiffened in anger or embarrassment or denial.

“Let me go!” He hissed out, sounding vaguely like an angry and very put out cat.

“No.”

Val froze. “What?”

Trist let his face nuzzle against the back of Val’s neck. “No, I’m not going to let you go just because you told me to. God, you smell good.” The nuzzling turned into light kisses, Trist barely brushed his lips to the nape of the exposed neck but Val shivered at the contact.

The whisper of kisses was too much, and at the same time, not nearly enough. Val’s eyes shut, he wanted to fight, wanted to deny how good it felt, but here, with only the books as witness, he didn’t have the strength. He bowed forward, his hands gripping the wood shelf in front of him with frightened strength and Trist followed. The slender body bowed over Val’s back, pressing tightly against him, his back, his sides, his ass and the lips grew more demanding.

When Trist licked the curve of one of Val’s ears, his entire body shuddered. He moaned, just barely but it slipped from his control and earned an echoing chuckle from Trist. “Stop.” He forced out but there was no strength to his words.

Trist kissed the back of the Val’s neck again. “Your wish is my command.” He whispered and felt how Val trembled as he pulled the contact away. Just to be bad, Trist let his hands slide over Val before he removed them. Let them slide from the firm grip on ribs down over vulnerable stomach and over the curve of a hip, and just to show he could, one hand softly traveled over the half hard length in Val’s jeans.

“Oh.” Val moaned and twitched in uncertain direction, he moaned again when Trist full stepped away and his lust clouded mind understood that Trist really had stopped.

“Ready to go home? It’s getting late.”

Val glanced over his shoulder. Trist didn’t even look flustered, he smiled softly, in a secretive way that made Val shiver but there was nothing to the other man to even hint at what he’d just done. It wasn’t fair that such small things could leave him breathless and shaking and not even cause Trist to blush.

The startled deer look to Val’s eyes made Trist feel like he’d won some small battle. “I’ll meet you out front when you’re done looking around.” Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left.

It gave Val a few well needed moments alone to compose himself. When he finally followed Trist back to the front of the store, he was reasonably sure he wouldn’t embarrass himself.

“Sally is coming over in a little while with Paytah, they’re going to smudge the shop. You two should stay.” Eshe’s eyes narrowed a little at the deeper unease etched into Val’s face.

“Thanks, but we can’t, I need to get home. I’ve been out too much and well, you know, sunlight makes me smoke and catch on fire like a vampire.” Trist had already re-bundled himself into his coat and tucked the package under his arm. “Besides, our cab just pulled up.”

The large woman came back around and demanded another hug. “Don’t be a stranger, okay?” She moved from one man to the other and before pulling away whispered into Val’s ear. “Try to remember, it’s okay to be happy.” She patted Val’s arm and too a step back.

Goodbyes were said but Trist was obviously herding them out the door.

“Just, Trist,” Eshe’s voice stopped them. “Be careful, something’s brewing lately, a darkness and things like this are drawn to people like you. Promise me?”

He nodded. “I promise to try to be careful.” Which was all he ever did or could do.

“It was nice meeting you, Val.”

“And you as well.” Val nodded and let Trist tug him along until they were back in a cab again and heading toward the other side of the city. The silence in the car was good, it let him settle his thoughts. Trist was making a point to not talk, or touch him. The emptiness of the silent ride left Val uncomfortable, he found himself missing the easy voice and easier touches.

“Well.” Trist said as they waited for the elevator back inside their apartment building. “I’m going to take a nap. Would you come up and wake me in about an hour? If I sleep much longer then that, well, I won’t sleep at all tonight.”

Val just nodded. “Of course.” His thoughts were whirling but not making any logical sense, like random items throw into a blender. When the doors opened on the sixth floor he paused. “Trist, I…”

“About an hour.” Trist broke in. “Not less then okay?”

Val didn’t finish his sentence. “Okay.” He stepped into the hallway and let the doors shut behind him.

Inside the elevator Trist was laughing. “One hour and counting.” He shook his head. “See, things are fine, just fine.” He hour would go by quickly, he’d have to work fast.

 

Val had showered and changed and while the hot water washed his body, his mind settled onto the idea that things weren’t what he’d been told about his sister’s death. He rode the elevator up the two flights, wanting answers. At the apartment door, he didn’t knock, just let himself in.

The scent of spicy, freshly fried chicken hit him before he was even fully in the door and made his stomach growl. The lights in the living room were on and when he stepped inside Val froze. “What’s going on here?”

The sofa had been pushed back almost to the counter at the kitchen, chairs and end tables pushed toward the walls. A blanket was spread across the now bare carpet and pillows were tossed around it, to one side sat a wicker picnic basket. It made no sense and from the kitchen, Val heard a wine cork pull free.

“Surprise!” Trist came around the corner, pouring red wine and grinning.

“Huh?” He took the wine glass reflexively.

“It’s your birthday, silly, happy birthday.” He slipped over and pressed a quick, dry kiss to the startled lips before waving to the blanket. “Go, get your shoes off and get comfortable.”

Val stood there.

“Go!” Trist laughed and brought the flat of his hand down against Val’s ass in a light spank.

“Hey!” Val protested and jumped from the light contact with enough shock that he almost spilled his wine.

“Go!”

“Have I mentioned that I really hate making a fuss over my birthday?” He protested but went and settled on the blanket. “That I’d rather forget about it?” Especially this year, the only person that ever disobeyed him and fussed at him, his sister, was dead.

“Too late. Don’t look so glum I didn’t cook any of this so it should be edible.” Trist pulled the tin of spicy fried chicken tenders from the oven and balanced it, the bottle and his own wine glass on his way to the living room.

“But, how? I mean, it’s Valentine’s day, no one could deliver with this short of notice.”

“Oh, I called it in this morning. All I had to do was tell them when. Smells good huh?” He reached into the basket and started pulling out cold sesame noodles, a round loaf of crusty bread, a hunk of cheese and a plastic container filled with cut up pieces of fruits. “I thought, what kind of celebration could you have never’ve had for your birthday and thought, there’s no way you could have been on a picnic. So, here we are! I know, I know chicken doesn’t go with red wine but it’s your favorite so.” He shrugged and handed Val a fork and napkin. “Dig in.”

“But?”

“Oh!” Trist set his wine and chicken down and crawled on all fours toward the television. He didn’t have to turn around to feel Val’s eyes on him. It was going to be a long meal, but Trist was a man with a plan.

The TV flicked to life and the movie started playing, it took Val’s clouded mind to know what had been put in when it did he smiled. “Blazing Saddles! I love this movie.”

“Good, now eat.” It wasn’t fair, Trist almost felt sorry for Val. He had such an advantage, down to what movie would make the normally reserved man laugh and relax, to what wine he’d be sure to drink too much of. He should feel bad for Val, but, he didn’t.