"'Deee-lahn' That's how he says my name, all exotic-like! Not 'dill-un' like everyone else calls me. That Arabian accent and super deep voice make me melt. He's like a man-man," I told Wes.
"Well yeah. You're gay, you like men." Wes rolled his eyes.
"No! It's different than the other guys I've dated. It's like all these years I was plain little dill-un, and now... I'm special! I can't go back now that I'm Deee-lahn!" I swooned and clutched the dish towel against my Muffin Manor apron.
"No offense, Dylan, but you're kind of an idiot. Plus you're hot. Hot and dumb, that's a dangerous combination. I love you, but you need to get real." Wes wiped down the counter as the morning rush cleared out.
"I know. It's only been a few weeks and I've already planned our wedding, but he's so hot and so into me. His eyes are this deep shade of brown that just sucks you in. And his body. He's a muscle god and not even stuck up about it. And he's tall and I feel so safe when I'm next to him like he would kick anyone's ass to protect me." I rubbed down the coffee nozzles with the clean towel.
"So sleep with him and move on. He's just here temporarily on business and looking for a pretty boy to play with. Then he'll go back to his home country. He probably hasa wife and kids there. Don't get too set in him. You'll get hurt. You fall for a-holes." Wes put away the cold brew pitchers.
"I wish I could just sleep with him! He's a total gentleman though. We haven't even done stuff yet, just kissing, no tongue. He's definitely not a virgin... maybe he's not that interested in me." I refilled the coffee lid dispenser and reached for the sugar packet bowl.
I knew exactly what Wes was thinking. I tend to get myself into dumb situations, but Tareq was unlike any guy who'd ever paid attention to me.
"Of course he's into you, but c'mon. You met this hot, rich, Arab, muscle guy who showers you with attention and hasn't even tried to sleep with you. He wants to take you to some country you've never heard of in the Middle East to meet his family, in a place where gays are most definitely not welcome. This sounds perfectly normal and safe to you?" Wes went to open a new box of strawberry muffins to refill the bakery case near the register.
"Well not when you put it like that, but... well, you have to come tonight. It's the first time he's meeting my family, and that includes you. He's taking us to Luca's. You love their pasta... and Jared will be there." I was doing my best to tempt him.
"Jared's going?" Wes had been obsessed with my cousin since we were kids.
Jared was the golden boy, the alpha sports jock my aunt loved to brag about. He'd gone full scholarship to Arizona State for Lacrosse. He was a few years older than us, but a total boy scout with impeccable manners that Wes interpreted as interest. He was most definitely not gay, and would probably go for another jock-type even if he was. Wes was cute, but not in his league.
Wes and I grew up close to each other. By divinely dumb luck, two twinks were dropped on the same block to loving families and grew up as inseparable best friends. We'd had our fights, but we'd always had each others' backs. He could be mean and vindictive, but he guided me through things like we were twins. He even got us the jobs at Muffin Manor.
"Yep! Jared's home for the break. Plus, his girlfriend didn't come with him, so you'll get to sit right by his side. I think you'll really like Tareq." I did my best to look pitiful. I needed Wes to be there.
"Of course I'll go. Someone needs to snoop this guy and your aunt loves everyone. Jared and I will put him through the questions to make sure you don't end up in some sex cult." Wes collected the empty mugs that customers put on the tray near the trash bins.
+++--+++
"My beautiful boy. I missed you," Tareq said when I answered the door. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek as I waved him inside from the blazing afternoon sun.
He put an arm around my waist and pulled me against his side when he saw the living room was empty and quiet. He moved in for a kiss on the lips then rubbed his nose against mine.
"Wes should be here soon. My aunt is getting ready and my cousin is on the phone. I'll go tell them to hurry." I started to pull away, but he kept a firm grip on me.
His dark, bulging muscles stretched a tight white t-shirt made out of the softest material I'd ever felt. He had on dark pants and black leather shoes. A silver chain and a healthy spritz of cologne hung around his neck. He always looked expensive, important.
Tareq had the body of a prize fighter with a confident air and gentle, deep voice. His large, brown eyes drew you in and made you feel important. He was the type of guy who'd look just as natural kicking a ball across a packed stadium as he would strolling into a red carpet premiere. Wherever he went, he belonged, he dominated, he conquered.
He'd shown me pictures of his sprawling desert estate, his vacations in Europe, and his catalog perfect family. He was visiting Arizona to inspect two resorts his family was building on the developing side of the Catalina mountains.
I couldn't imagine why he liked me. I know I'm cute, but I'm also a small, thin, poor, unathletic, uncoordinated guy who had no idea what to do with his life. That's not a rare commodity around here. Throw a rock.
I am a good dancer though, and I can draw pretty well, mostly anime fantasy stuff. I just didn't know what he could possibly value in me. But that's depressing, and currently, the man of my dreams is paying attention to me so let's get back to that.
"There is no rush, unless my angel-boy is hungry. You did eat lunch today?" He rubbed his hand up my back as if I'd hidden food there.
He was checking on me. He'd done that since our first date when he interpreted my lack of hunger due to extreme nervousness as me not liking food or having some eating disorder. I do like food, but my body burns it off pretty quickly. I have trouble sitting still and I like running. I'd always been small but healthy.
"I did. I... Oh, Aunt Hilda, this is Tareq." My eyes turned towards the hallway where my aunt was emerging with her purse on her shoulder which meant it was time to go.
"Hello, Ms Davis. I am Tareq Zakar. I have heard so much about you. It is a pleasure." Tareq let me go and went to shake her hand.
"Oh my. Dylan didn't tell me how handsome you were... enchanting." My aunt eyed him with interest as he leaned down to kiss her hand.
"And this is my cousin Jared." I waved at Jared who came in and gave Tareq a respectable bro nod as he finished his phone call.
"Hey, bro." Jared came over and shook his hand before Tareq turned his charm-ray back towards my aunt.
"You have a very lovely home." Tareq said this with as much sincerity as one can fake about a simple, three-bedroom, tract home on the betterside of Tucson.
"It was my brother's home with his wife. Those were Dylan's parents. When they passed suddenly, my son was heading off to college so I thought it would be better to keep a stable place for Dylan and give up my small condo. This is the only home he's known so I moved down from Phoenix and transferred to a better job position here." She put her hand on my right shoulder and sighed like she hadn't intended to bring down the mood in the room.
"He is blessed to have you. Shall we go?" Tareq hugged me to his side.
As if waiting for his cue, Wes came in the front door looking ready to make soft boy fashion posts for his social media. He'd gone all out for Jared who didn't even look up from his phone.
"So Dylan is turning 20. How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" Aunt Hilda went for the tough questions after we piled into the large SUV Tareq had rented for his business trip to the American Southwest.
"Of course. You are his care-taker. All questions are welcome. I am 27." Tareq was ready for her inquisition.
"About time to start a family, no?" She was being bold tonight.
"Hopefully when I have the right partner and we are both ready. I want large family like I grow up with." Tareq looked over at me.
"Dylan will be great with kids. He's very patient." I have no idea why she said that. She was trying to sell me here.
"I do no doubt this. He is gentle boy." Tareq agreed.
"So how did you two meet?," Aunt Hilda asked.
"I told you already," I laughed. She is a bad listener.
"I want to hear HIS side of it," she replied to cover her lack of listening skills.
"One morning, I am on my way to the construction site and I need coffee. As I leave coffee place, my father is calling me and I do not think. I put the coffee on top of the car to answer phone and then begin to drive away. I forget the coffee is on the roof! Of course, it does not stay put and my front window is soon painted in coffee. That is when I see the Muffin Manor and decide to try again on the coffee and find towel to wipe my window," Tareq began.
"That's the day I went to Phoenix for the concert?" Wes asked.
"Yeah, I was working with Nisha." I nodded.
"I could have been Misses Tareq Zakar? It wasn't even a great concert," Wes lamented.
"Actually Nisha called him next. So..." I shrugged.
"So I go inside." Tareq ignored our side dispute over his affections. "I ask the young woman at the counter for a coffee and paper towels, she tell me they are only to give two per coffee so I need to buy muffin if I want more. I tell her what happen, but she is unmoved."
"She is so rude! I love it," Wes chimed in.
"Dylan appears with a roll of towels and spray. He goes to parking lot while the lady make my coffee and he clean my windows." Tareq reaches over and squeezes my hand.
"There were zero customers so we weren't busy. I felt so bad for him and it was 100 degrees out. The coffee was plastered on there." I laughed.
"He is my little angel. I demand to take him for dinner to give thanks for him." Tareq beamed.
"He tried to give me 40 bucks, then offered dinner when I declined the money." I put my head against his shoulder.
Tareq continued to charm them throughout dinner. Even Wes lost interest in Jared as Tareq told them of his travels and adventures. He'd been to every continent, even taking a penguin sighting cruise to the tip of Antarctica. I felt so unworthy of him, but so grateful every time he touched me.
After dinner, he took us back home then asked my aunt if it was ok to take me out for the night.
"Well yeah, Dylan's an adult. Bring him back tomorrow," she joked.
"He will be cared for. I assure you," Tareq said as if there were dragons flying about.
He bid them a good evening, and then started to drive away.
"I want to show you this spot I found up in the mountain. Your city is so beautiful," he told me.
There are five big mountains around Tucson, and it certainly has its charms. Though the flat areas are filled with tweakers, soldiers, and honky tonks; the foothill areas are downright beautiful.
Our house is somewhere in the middle, where the Catalinas roll into gentle hills before settling into the urban concrete and cacti. Tareq took a wide boulevard that headed straight for the mountains. We were winding up to the expensive areas when his phone suddenly rang.
"It is my father. I must answer," Tareq said before switching over to Arabic. He argued with an older version of his voice coming through the car speakers before settling into a quieter tone and then finally hanging up.
"Is ok we go to my hotel? I forget to send the papers he needs. It is morning in my country and my father waits." He reached over and put his hand on my knee.
"Of course." I shrugged because I had zero interest in what we did so long as we did it together.
Tareq took a turn and then raced up a hillside that wandered into Oracle canyon. He wound his way up into the mountain then down a winding boulevard that climbed between rows of giant saguaro cacti until we arrived at a resort my parents once took me to for a fancy brunch with their friends.
"Oh wow, the city! Look!" I pointed out the window to the dramatic views of the valley, a million little lights glittering below us.
"It is beautiful, but my angel-boy is the better view," he offered.
We drove right up to the entrance where a valet was waiting to take his car.
"I will only be a short time, please park it away from cars?" Tareq pulled a 20 from his wallet and the valet lit up happily.
We went through a grand lobby with a huge fireplace surrounded by oversized leather couches and ornate Western decorations to a cluster of elevators. His room was on the top floor with four other suites.
He put a hand in the center of my back and guided me to the end of the hallway to the grand double doors.
I was going to see his room, and maybe more of his body.