Page 45 of Vodka And Virtue

Gordy smirked. “Yeah, it’s on my ass. Still want to see?”

Shannon rolled his eyes. “Nah, I’m looking at your ass right now,” he quipped as he stared at Gordy’s face.

“I’m busy. Fuck off.”

Shannon grabbed his shoulder. “Not so fast, Gordo. Since when do we sell meatloaf?”

“It’s his favorite, and he gave me a steep discount on the ink. Why don’t you mind your own business?”

“Because mindingyourbusiness is so much more fun. You got any more of that meatloaf left for my break?”

“I’d let you starve before I served you my meatloaf.”

Gordy retreated to the kitchen without another word, leaving Shannon to scowl at his back. And then at me when I snickered at him.

“He was flirting, right? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Gordy flirt,” Shannon asked.

“What do you care? I thought you said it was nothing.”

“It is nothing. Aries is just a friend. A really good looking friend.”

I patted him on the back. “Sure, Shannon. And I’m smiling today because I won the lottery last night. Enjoy your break.”

On my lunch break, as I sat and finished off Gordy’s last serving of delicious meatloaf, much to Shannon’s disapproval, I filled out an online order to stock my home with some essentials for Carlisle‘s next stay.

I added a toothbrush, some T-shirts and boxer briefs in a smaller size, a pair of sweatpants and a package of socks, and a few varieties of herbal tea to my shopping cart.

As an afterthought, I added a few packages of seeds to my cart, in case Carlisle was interested in planting his own section of my garden. It would give him a reason to come by on a regular basis, and it would give us a shared activity to enjoy together.

God, he was so pliant and eager as he kneeled before me and allowed me to jack him off into the dirt. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him again. It’s a good thing my job didn’t require a lot of brain power, because I could think of little else but him. The way he sucked me noisily and gagged as I came, shoving deep down his throat. His perfect ass as he stepped into the shower, hiding his dick from me.

He was fucking perfect. Not innocent. Carlisle wasn’t a virgin, after all. And he seemed plenty eager to learn new things. He was just…virtuous. He was morally and ethically rich. Proud and self-sacrificing. Loyal and brave. Carlisle was a mix of everything that was good and pure. And somehow, some way, God had seen fit to give me a chance with him.

I couldn’t screw this up. It was vital that I make the most of my opportunity with him. This was the single most important task I’d ever received, and my future depended on whether or not I got it right.

16

CARLISLE

My mother’skitchen hadn’t changed in twenty years. She still had the same brown refrigerator—and no, it was definitely not energy efficient—the matching brown stove, and the fake granite Formica countertops and oak cabinets. It was dated, but it was home. Carson and I were sitting around her kitchen table, waiting for her to sit so we could dig into the homemade shepherd's pie.

“Don’t wait for me, it’s getting cold.”

Carson peered over the casserole pan. “Ma, it’s bubbling on the top. It’s plenty hot.”

“You shush your sassy mouth, Carson Carrick. Serve yourselves, and I’ll be there in a minute.”

She continued fussing with the salad at the counter. Carson and I helped ourselves, and by the time our plates were heaping with food, she sat down and joined us. I grabbed the salad bowl and added some to my plate.

“So, where is Ryan?”

Carson took the bowl from me. “He had to study tonight. He has a big test tomorrow.”

My mother gave him a stern look. “When I say, I want my boys to come for dinner, I meanallmy boys. Including Ryan. You tell him that next time.”

“I will, Ma.”

“Besides that, what’s new?” she asked him.

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