Love Match (Love Match 1)

Luke stood up and brushed himself off. “It’s okay, Jesse. I’m afraid Aaron is on to us.”

Jesse looked back and forth between them. “He is?”

“Sorry, honey, no pulling the wool over this queer’s eyes.” Aaron laughed.

“Oh.” Jesse’s face flushed.

“Well, Luke, are you ready for your workout? Unless the kid’s already tired you out.” Aaron winked at Jesse, whose blush deepened.

“I’ll meet you in the gym.”

Aaron nodded and waved to Jesse before jogging up the steps to the house.

“So, has he always known?”

“Yeah. Took him about five seconds to figure it out, to hear him tell it. I’m not convinced; I think I fooled him for a good half hour.”

Jesse smiled. “I guess our secret is safe with him?”

“Yeah, I trust him. Don’t worry.” Luke glanced around at the deserted beach before quickly pecking Jesse’s lips. “I’d better go. Think you can keep yourself busy for a couple of hours?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve got to practice my serve or Jeff will kick my ass this afternoon.”

Aaron was waiting in Luke’s home gym, which featured ceiling-to-floor plate glass windows and a killer view of the ocean. “So, he’s the new guy, huh?”

Luke lay down on the bench press and waited for Aaron to load up the barbell. “Yeah, that’s him.”

“Cute as hell. And nice ass.”

Luke started his chest presses, heaving the weight up and down while Aaron hovered overhead. “You have no idea.”

“Seems sweet, too.”

“Yeah. He’s …” Luke grunted as he lifted the weight up, his muscles fatiguing. Aaron took the barbell and put it back in its holder. “Great,” Luke continued as he sat up.

“It’s nice to see you like this, Luke.”

“Like what?”

Aaron handed him a dumbbell and Luke dutifully started his bicep curls. “Happy. Relaxed. You’ve had a tough couple of years, and you deserve some happiness.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Aaron wandered over to the window. “You know, I could use some happiness myself these days, so if you get sick of him …” Luke threw him a look and Aaron raised his hands. “Okay, just kidding.”

As he stretched his arms, Luke joined Aaron at the window. Jesse was down below on the court, a basket of balls beside him at the baseline. He served one ball after another until they were all gone and then collected them from the other side of the court. Luke watched him until Aaron cleared his throat pointedly.

“Hmm?” Luke glanced at him.

Aaron laughed and looked at his watch. “Three minutes, twenty-three seconds.”

“What?”

“And if I hadn’t interrupted you, you’d still be staring at him.”

Luke shook his head and stalked over to the leg press. “You know, I don’t pay you for commentary.”

“Then I am really undercharging.”

They laughed, and Luke went to work on his legs while Aaron counted out the repetitions and urged him to keep going when he got tired. When Aaron started telling him about a new low-carb diet, Luke’s mind drifted back to the court below.

Later, he and Jesse made lunch in the kitchen. Well, Luke made lunch, while Jesse leaned against the counter and watched.

“Luke, trust me. You don’t want me to cook.”

“Hey, I’m no Julia Child. I’m making sandwiches.”

“Who?”

Luke stopped chopping a tomato and fixed Jesse with a glare. “Okay, I am not that much older than you!”

“I know. I’m kidding.” Jesse giggled. “She’s the bitchy one who just went to jail, right?”

“That’s Martha Stewart and you know it.”

Jesse’s innocent expression slipped away and he laughed again. “Okay, okay.” He reached over and grabbed a piece of cheese before Luke could stop him.

“Hey, watch your hands, or you might lose a finger.” Luke playfully brandished the knife.

“I’d prefer it if you spanked me.”

Luke’s throat was suddenly dry, and he looked at Jesse with hooded eyes. “Would you now?”

“Um, I mean,” Jesse stammered, his eyes wide. “I was just kidding.”

Luke set the knife down, and in an instant had Jesse pinned against the counter. “Well, it’s not such a bad idea.” He licked the side of Jesse’s throat slowly.

“Uhhhh …” Jesse started breathing heavily as Luke squeezed his ass. Then Luke pulled him away from the marble counter and smacked his ass, making Jesse yelp. He stared at Luke for a second before bursting out laughing. Luke joined in and they were soon giggling helplessly between kisses.

When the doorbell rang, Jesse quickly extricated himself from Luke’s arms. Luke kissed him again quickly before heading to the front door, opening it to find his mother. “Mom! Fancy seeing you here.”

Stephanie smiled. “I was just in the neighborhood and…Luke, don’t look at me like that, I was in the neighborhood. Susan Deravish is living over on Woodlawn Street now.”

“Sure, sure, whatever you say, Mom.” Luke kissed her cheek, smiling. He took a breath and said, “There’s someone you should meet. Someone I want you to meet.”

She smiled again. “That would be lovely.”

Luke led her into the kitchen, where Jesse was making a mess of the cucumber. He shrugged. “I told you I can’t cook.”