Winter's Gamble (10 page)

Which was a surprise.

If anyone had asked him before the date, he wouldn’t have believed it. But Phil was charming, sweet, and funny. He was fun to be around. All the qualities that Neo had spotted in him so many years ago and had endeared Phil to him were still there.

Which put Neo in a great quandary.

What did he do now?

It wasn’t that he wasn’t convinced of Phil’s story, but he’d still walked away and allowed misunderstanding to cloud their relationship when a simple discussion could have solved the matter. He wasn’t sure about letting Phil in to do the same thing to Neo again.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
As Mama always said.

Yet Phil was someone he thought he could make something with. He’d thought it last time. Even with what Phil had done, that hadn’t changed. Neo had never met anyone else who’d gotten him thinking like that. Phil wasn’t even intimidated that Neo danced. He’d actually seemed proud when the man had brought it up. He’d dated men who had problems with what Neo did, so that was different. Phil was actually proud of his abilities.

Who would have thought?

Neo slid out of the car. “Thanks for the evening. It was nice.” Phil had paid for his ticket. At the time, Neo had started to tell him, it didn’t mean he’d be getting lucky later. Would Phil be willing to walk away without a nightcap? This would be a test.

Phil’s smile wasn’t forced or fake. “I had fun. It was nice. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

The man was going to leave without pushing it. Without trying to say he’d spent money and needed to get lucky. He was going to drive away without sex or using things against Neo.

And with Neo wanting him.

Neo’s hand tightened on the door frame. If only Phil had been this genuine after the sex they’d had instead of running away. “You know it’s early yet. I’m used to being out until the wee hours. You too, I guess. Why don’t you come in for a nightcap?”

Phil licked his lips. “You sure about that?”

Because it would go beyond a nightcap. They’d wind up in bed. They both knew that.

“Yeah.”

Phil cut off the car. That was one reason Neo knew he’d been serious about leaving and not playing him. He’d left the car running. “Okay.” He stepped out of the car and locked it before shutting the door. He stopped. “Hey, do you have any rum? Club soda? Mint? Powdered sugar? Lime juice?” He looked suddenly excited. “I could make you my mojito.”

Neo laughed at the expression on Phil’s face. So eager. And it wasn’t about getting into Neo’s pants but about showing off something to Neo that he could do. Of course Phil had already been there, but still, it left Neo feeling both a little put out and a little happy. He wasn’t sure what emotion was winning out on that. “Rum I have. Not sure about everything else.”

Phil glanced at his phone. “It’s probably pretty late for a grocery store. And not sure what a convenience store would have in the way of powdered sugar or mint…”

“Probably Pixy Stix and gum would be all you’d get. It’s okay. We’ll do that another time. But we can drink rum.” Neo started walking toward his door.

“Argggg. Pirates.” Phil fell into step beside him.

Yeah, they’d be dueling with swords before too long. Neo opened the door and led them into his mostly clean but somewhat dilapidated apartment. He lived downstairs, and no one was upstairs right now. The old house was many years older than him, and hell, probably older than Rose.

Who would love that they were together.

Why it had been so important to her, Neo didn’t know. But it had been. Silly bitch.

“So why did you move here?”

Neo put his keys on the table by the door and shut and locked it behind them. He had several locks. There had been some break-ins about a year ago, and he was taking no chances. He had too many electronics for his dance music not to take precautions. “My roommate and I had a falling out. We parted ways, and I went to New York. When I came home, I didn’t want a roomie again. Had a friend who knew an elderly man who owned a duplex and was looking for a good tenant.”

Phil nodded and followed behind Neo into the formal living room. It had a bay window and was full of plants. “Your greenery likes it here.”

“So do I. It’s quiet. Come on back to the kitchen.” Neo moved through the narrow hallway that ran between the rooms. The kitchen was behind the living room but only connected through the hallway. A small bathroom and bedroom were the next rooms past the kitchen, and again, the hallway connected them. It was an odd setup. The back door faced the front door on that hallway. It was almost like a shotgun house.

The wood floor creaked as Neo reached up for the cabinet that had the alcohol supply. The cabinets were painted a lime green that clashed with most everything, especially the gold countertops and gold floors. But the house hadn’t been redone in fifty years, more than likely.

Phil came in close behind him and leaned against Neo to reach up and grab the bottle of rum. “You have tequila too.” He pulled that down.

“You always did prefer tequila, didn’t you?” Phil had never drunk mojitos or any of the rum-based drinks.

“If I can’t have beer, tequila it is.”

“I don’t have any beer.” Neo couldn’t abide the stuff. He grabbed two glasses and walked back into the hallway toward the living room. Phil traipsed behind him.

Neo sat on the love seat that he’d acquired from his grandma, which was old and still reeked of smoke and dog after many shampoos.

He expected Phil to sit in the wood-back chair across from him, but instead Phil eased his large frame on the love seat by Neo.

Neo offered up a glass. “Pour yourself some. Bet you don’t play bartender for yourself often.”

“Nah. Not often.” Phil poured the tan liquid into the glass without spilling a drop. He took it and sat it on the table. Then he motioned for Neo’s bottle of rum. “Let me. Since I am the bartender.”

Neo handed it over. He watched as Phil skillfully poured the alcohol, his hand curled around the bottle. Those hands were full of strength. And careful deliberation.

The way they’d been around Neo’s cock.

Neo pulled on the neckline of his shirt. Had it suddenly become hot in there? He had radiator-based heat, old as the hills but would run him out of there in the wintertime even when snow was on the ground. His grandma always said it was the best heat there was. Wasn’t cool enough for him to turn the apartment’s heat on, but his interior furnace was in the on position and doing well at making him sweat.

Phil capped the rum back and set the bottle on the floor. He took his glass and held it out toward Neo’s.

After a moment, Neo pushed his glass toward Phil’s. They clinked together, sloshing the liquid but neither spilling it.

“To new beginnings.”

Amen. “To new beginnings.”

The fiery liquid burned Neo’s throat as he slammed it down. The fiery sensation rolled on down until it reached his stomach.

Phil took his time on his drink, taking many seconds to fully down it. “That’s good tequila.”

“Yeah. Course you know what tequila is good for?” Neo licked a drip from his glass, trying for the last drop.

“What?” Phil arched an eyebrow at him.

“Body shots.” Neo was tired of beating around the bush. He’d invited Phil in with ulterior motives. About time those got put into motion.

“Huh.” Phil’s brow lowered. “Wonder if rum is too.”

Neo’s heart pounded. That could only be taken one way, just as Neo’s comment. “Tequila is probably better with salt. Don’t know about rum.”

“You have sugar, don’t you?” Phil sat his glass down and cracked his knuckles as though getting down to business.

“Yeah. And lime juice.” Neo sat his glass down too. “But we shouldn’t do that here.”

Phil looked down at the beige carpet. “No?”

“No. Grandma’s couch. The bay window. Nosy neighbors.” Not that he cared about his neighbors. He’d had many a dancing session in his jockey shorts. The college students ogling him didn’t bother him, and the lone elderly lady had commented on his body, remarking she might be old but wasn’t dead yet, and it was too bad he liked boys and not girls, as she had a granddaughter.

Phil moved over closer to Neo. “So where should we do shots?” His closeness ignited things in Neo that pushed his internal furnace even hotter. His thermostat must be broken. Or maybe he was wearing too many damn clothes.

He was so close that Neo could smell him. “My bedroom. The kitchen’s on the way, you know.”

“I know.” Phil leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Neo’s lips. It was testing. Querying. And Neo gave him all the answers he was looking for. Phil got to his feet and pulled Neo up.

They each grabbed a bottle of liquor, leaving the glasses on the floor. Neo resisted the urge to pick them up. They would hold until morning.

Phil grabbed his hand with meaty fingers, and they meandered into the hallway and then into the kitchen.

Phil didn’t seem to want to let him go as Neo searched for the salt, which was easy to find, and the sugar, which was harder. He finally located a small bag of the white crystals.

Phil squeezed his hand. “Still not a baker, eh?”

“If I want baked goods, I go to the bread box around the corner.” He’d never liked to cook. “Be glad I have this.”

“Oh, I am. I wasn’t sure you would. I know you.” Phil gestured toward the door. “Lead on.”

Neo led them to his bedroom. He switched on a lamp, which illuminated all the corners of his room with soft white light.

Phil glanced around the room, taking it all in.

Neo tried to see what Phil would see. It was small. Somewhat spartan. A bed. A dresser with every drawer closed and clothes folded neatly. Not that Phil could see the clothes, but he’d put everything away. A small nightstand with a black clock. The lamp was the ruby slippers from the
Wizard of Oz
. Madonna’s face glimmered down at them from the single poster on the wall. The bed was made with hospital corners, covered in a black-and-white comforter and similar-looking sheets. There were several black-and-white throw pillows on the bed.

“You’re neat.” Phil slipped off his shoes and left them by the edge of the black rug that covered almost all of the room. Hardwood floors were cold in the morning on bare feet.

“You knew that. From before.” Neo hadn’t changed much since Phil had known him.

“Yeah. I’d forgotten. I’ve seen Rose’s dressing room. It always looks like a stripper exploded.”

“Oh, I know.” Neo slipped off his boots. He’d never be able to live that way. He set his bottle of rum along with the salt and sugar on the nightstand. He grabbed an end of the comforter and brought it to the foot of the bed.

After a moment, Phil set down the tequila and brought the other side of the comforter to the end too. “I do have to ask. Got lube and condoms?”

Neo went to the drawer of his nightstand and pulled them out with a flourish. He’d checked before the date to make sure they weren’t past the expiration. He hadn’t used them in a long time.

Yet you weren’t sure this was going to happen. You weren’t even looking forward to the date.

He hadn’t been sure what would happen or if he’d have fun. Yet this all felt right. And somehow he thought more of Phil for asking that. Phil had always liked to be prepared. So many men would have gone forward without making sure.

He didn’t like that he appreciated that about the other man. And it didn’t mean anything.

“Phil?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m still not sure where this is going. I don’t know if I can get past what happened before.” Neo lowered his knee to the bed and climbed in. Best to be honest about this relationship.

“I know that. I’m not looking for anything guaranteed yet. Just that you’ll give me a chance.” Phil still stood at the side of the bed. “That’s all I can ask you to do.” He put his arms behind his back.

“Long as you understand that.”

“I do.”

“Then come here.” Neo patted the bed beside him. He’d gotten the air cleared. Now it was time to do this. His mouth watered like it did before a big meal. Course Phil was a big meal in his way…

Phil slowly clambered up on the bed. He looked at Neo with eyes that burned with desire. The entire night had been for Neo and Neo alone. He’d fended off countless men who’d wanted to come over to Neo, and Phil hadn’t gotten cranky once. He’d treated Neo like a person, getting to know him, and not like a conquest.

That was how Phil had acted before. Why he’d intrigued Neo so much. Why it had hurt so bad when it had seemed Phil had been like the others.

Phil reached across and caressed a gentle hand down Neo’s face. “Neo.” His voice was so soft that Neo almost missed the comment.

“Yeah?”

“We gonna fuck or sit on the bed all day?” His cheesy grin was huge and glowing, probably due to the intent behind his teasing comment.

Not what he’d expected from the man. Guess he was full of surprises. “Fuck.” He stared pointedly at Phil’s crotch. “Why don’t your clothes come off? Then we can have rum and tequila the best way.”

Phil jumped from the bed and seemed to hesitate before he reached up to pull off his shirt.

“Slowly.” At Neo’s voice, Phil let go of the shirt and let it fall back around his waist. “Why don’t you strip for me?” Neo settled back against the pillows behind him.

Phil arched a brow. “You’re the stripper. Not me.”

“Hey now. I’m a
dancer
.” He managed to sound outraged. “And I never take it all off.”

“Point taken.”

“But I take enough off.” He waggled his brows, making Phil chuckle. “Any man can strip. You’re going to take it all off. Show me what you got.” This was going to be fun. He motioned with his hand before placing it on his thigh. His cock jerked as though maybe the touch was coming for it.

“Okay.” Phil didn’t look convinced. In fact, he looked like a man about to go to his execution. “Keep in mind, I’m a bartender, not a stri—dancer.”

“And another point taken.” That the man looked so nervous made Neo feel surprisingly tingly. Did Phil want to make it good for him? Didn’t he know that no matter what, it would be?