Jake and Mike (Part One)
My arms were tired from holding up the sign. The airport was crowded in anticipation of loved ones coming through the gates. I eagerly waited to see my friend, Jake, whom I haven’t seen for three years. It would be amazing to see him and see how he’s changed.
My imagination ran wild. I imagined his eyes with a haunted looked from having to deal with the rough terrain of the amazon. I could picture his arms, buff from working out and going through the hard world by himself. In my mind’s eye I could see him being the sexy man that I’d known since birth.
I sighed as I thought about all of the years that have passed and how I still haven’t told him how I feel. There were so many moments when it was possible. For example, when we danced with each other during prom because we didn’t have dates
I still remember the moment we had together. His hand was holding mine, and the other holding my hip. I felt so nervous with him holding me like that and almost passed out. It was a steamy moment, especially after we’d been staring into each other’s eyes and couldn’t look away. I almost confessed my feelings, but the song changed and the mood I’d felt was ruined.
From sheer exhaustion, my arms lowered the sign from above my head to in front of my chest. I continued to wait for him to come through. I watched as people flowed from the exit of the tunnel and into the warm and loving embrace of loved ones. I heard screams of excitement while I continued to watch in torment.
Why was he taking so long? I was beginning to wonder if he’d told me the wrong date or time, or even the wrong airport. I checked my phone for the time. 12:42 A.M. Only three minutes since the last time I checked it.
My eyes wounded around, looking at the other people surrounding me, also waiting for loved ones, and spotted a few shops. My vision narrowed in on one particular store and wondered if it would be too late to buy something for Jake. I thought against it since his tastes might have changed.
I kept thinking about the possibility of shopping for something for a quick second when I heard his voice call to me. “Mike!” My body quivered at the sound of his baritone voice. Everything inside me tightened as I turned and saw him. He was in a wheelchair. My eyes widened, and he didn’t look surprised.
“Notice anything different about me?” He was still joking around, even with him being in the wheelchair.
“Yeah,” I responded, in shock. “What happened?”
“I got into a skiing accident. Took a turn too soon and slammed into another guy. My spine got severed and now I’m paralyzed from the waist down.” He didn’t sound remorseful, but this was major. Jake was the kind of guy who loved doing things with his hands and being outdoors. This has to be killing him. “Thank God I didn’t hurt the other guy though. He’s fine. And, at least the ‘you know what’,” he winked, “still works.”
“That’s good at least. Are you ready to go?” He nodded and we left the airport.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that he was paralyzed, but also the fact that even though he’d been in the wheelchair he still looks sexy to me. I could barely focus on the road long enough to not get us killed, but I took advantage of every red light and stared at him.
He was still the ruggedly handsome man that I’d remembered. His face looked rough with his five o’clock shadow, and it made me really horny thinking about rubbing my face on his. I could see the muscles under his shirt and I was aching to touch them.
My daydreams took over, and the visions of my fantasies flashed before my eyes; us rolling in the sheets together, us kissing the in his truck, and us making love in a fancy hotel room. All of the broken dreams that I’d had before he decided to travel the world.
Eventually, after many stolen glances and “accidental” feels, we made it to my home. I looked up at my house and was proud of myself. I made a career and a home that I could live in without having to worry about. I was living comfortably in two-story house with four bedrooms and three baths. Living here since getting my degree has been a blessing in disguise.
Jake whistled at the sheer size of it. I’d pulled his wheelchair from the trunk and set it up for him to sit. After I opened the door, he rolled his way into my home. I could hear his gasps and sighs as he took in the look and feel of the house.
“Mike! This place is amazing!” I took tentative steps into my house and spotted him in my foyer, examining his surroundings.
I stood next to him and placed my hand on his shoulder. “Thanks. Let’s get you settled in.” He nodded.
Since he couldn’t climb the stairs, I had to carry him, and I had to admit that his physique was amazing. All of his muscles felt like hard iron and I enjoyed feeling them under my fingertips as I pulled him up from the wheelchair. Even though he was heavy, I didn’t mind having his weight in my arms.
His eyes shined with the lights from the chandelier, and I became mesmerized. With every step, I pondered the idea of his sleeping arrangements. Instead of the guestroom, he could sleep in my bed.
At the top of the stairs, I made the decision to put him in my room. I already had a million excuses for why he would be there.
I laid him down in my bed. I wondered if he liked the silk sheets I’d chosen for myself. I fingered the fabric, feeling its soft texture. I could imagine him and I tangled in these sheets and me crying out in ecstasy.
I shivered with the intensity of my desire for him.
Although I wanted to do nasty, naughty and disgusting things to him, I decided that tonight I would not try anything since he’s had a hard day of travel, but really I knew that I was still making excuses for myself not being brave enough to tell him the truth, so as I laid down in the bed next to him and turned off the light, a lone tear slowly fell down my face. When would I ever be brave enough to confess my love?
Probably never, and the thought scared me.
I woke up in the middle of the night to Jake’s squirming. He was mumbling under his breath and tossing around. I shook his shoulder and called him out of his sleep. After a couple of minutes, he finally woke up and looked at me through gazed eyes. Even foggy, his eyes were like beautiful green crystals. I gazed into them as he blinked the sleepiness away.
“What’s going on?” he said softly. He voice was rough and gravelly; my stomach turned within itself.
“Nothing. It just looked like you were having a nightmare,” I said softly into his ear. I stroked his arm like I used to do when we were kids. The memories of us flashed in my head. After both his parents died and my parents took him into our home, he would wake up in the middle of the night and I would go to his room and cuddle with him, rubbing his arm up and down to comfort him.
“Mike?”
“Yeah?”
“What’s the real reason that you wanted me to be in here with you?” His question shocked me. By body froze, my hand on his arm.
“What are you talking about? I told you-…”
“Don’t give me that bullshit about it being easier for you to take care of me. Tell me the truth.” My mouth was suddenly as dry as a barren dessert. I couldn’t speak, and all of my worst fears came to light. Should I tell him; should I not?
When his voice came again, my heart raced in my chest. I imagined it pounding like in cartoons. “Are you in love with me?” My body ran cold. My eyes watered at the thought of rejection. What if he didn’t feel the same way?
I did the only thing that came to my mind; I nodded, and his lips pressed against mine.