On Monday, Tyler resumed his duties as if nothing had happened. Clara went through the policy of stocking the pantry and buying other groceries with him. At present, this was mainly aimed at feeding the volunteers. It was well thought out. Tyler didn't foresee any problems with it. Today a new phase in the renovation also began. They would be connected to the new sewerage network. It was a project in which extra volunteers were deployed. With a bit of luck, everything would be settled before the end of the day.
Tyler was just making coffee when Nigel, the foreman, came in swearing loudly. He slapped soggy blueprints on the long kitchen table, grabbed his phone and dialed in a number. "We hit a main water pipeline," he answered Tyler, who looked at him curiously.
"I thought you were busy with the sewersystem?" he remarked, somewhat surprised.
"That's right," Nigel agreed. "Unfortunately for us, these blueprints are all wrong. We were digging in the wrong place. The havoc is enormous." He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. "Jared asked me to give this to you."
With raised eyebrows, Tyler took the piece of paper. Before he could ask the man anything else, the person on the other side of the line picked up.
A new group of people arrived, all covered in mud spatter, chattering away.
"Believe me, Tyler, we still look respectable," Dirk joked upon seeing Tyler's expression. "The group that was digging got the full hit. They went to the gym to take a shower and Nancy took their clothes to the laundromat."
"What does the note say that Nigel gave you?" asked Clara.
Caught, he snorted stubbornly upon seeing the expression on Clara's face. "Tyler?"
Inside, he grumbled, folding the note open. "He wants me to get him clean clothes."
His fingers closed around the paper. He knew that any kind of rebuttal would result in a loud sermon. Besides not waiting to hear Clara praise her boss, he knew that despite the large group present she would not spare him. Snorting, he stomped into Jared's office where he picked up the key to the car and front door.
The house was completely quiet. He turned left and reached a part of the house he hadn't been to before. A long corridor with a few doors gave access to what Tyler would call a 'Mastersuite'. The bedroom was generously furnished with fireplace, seating area and desk. The bed on the back wall was king sized and on the left the door to the bathroom was open. This too was generous and luxuriously decorated. Next to the bathroom was a walk-in closet.
It was here where his mouth really fell open. Handmade wooden cabinets gave space to rows of exclusive designer clothes. A boutique for the upper segment would be jealous of the collection. Everything radiated class. He let his hands slide past the hanging by color dress shirts. Ties, shoes, top quality suits. He could read "Savile Row" on the label.
Frowning, he reread the instructions. Third closet on the left. He opened the door by pressing it slightly. The contents of this closet were more what he was used to from Jared. Still no confection, but less flashy than the rest.
"Jared? Are you there?" he heard someone shouting in the bedroom.
Tyler cursed the guilt that struck him when he heard Eric's voice.
"No. It's me. Tyler."
"What are you doing here?", asked Eric, clearly pleasantly surprised. Without paying attention to the extravagant display around him, Eric walked into the walk-in closet.
Tyler had to admit that Jared's threatening words had more impact than he had imagined.
"A water main was hit at the construction site. Jared asked me to get clean clothes."
He looked into the closet and grabbed a shirt and jeans. In the course, he grabbed a pair of sneakers. He searched and searched but found no underwear. With a light blush, he turned to Eric. "Erm.... Do you know where his underwear is?"
"At the bottom left of the drawer," was the direct answer, so Tyler didn't for the first wonder what the exact relationship between the two men was.
Unabashedly flirtatious, Eric leaned against the closet. He was close enough that Tyler could smell the subtle smell of his cologne. "I haven't seen you all weekend. Was that intentional?"
"I've been asked to stay away from you," he replied honestly.
"By Jared?", it sounded with hopeful surprise.
"Yes," Tyler nodded. "He seemed pretty mad when he caught us."
Eric's eyes light up. "Do you think?"
Tyler touted his lips. "Oh, I'm sure."
Eric stood close to him. The proximity didn't bother him. The soft fingers that slipped through his hair and remained on either side of his shoulders did not bother him. Even the light kiss on his ear left him cold. He liked Eric. Under different circumstances, he would easily begin friendship with him.
"You're a treasure to give in to the vagaries of a flirt," Eric smiled.
"No problem, as long as Jared doesn't find out," he stressed.
"I won't tell him anything and tomorrow I'll leave. Your secret is safe with me."
Eric hugged Tyler tightly and planted one last kiss on his neck.
"Eric," Tyler complained loudly.
Laughing, Frenchman let him go. "Sorry," he said without a hint of regret. "Here, you forgot the socks." He pressed them in his hands. "Au revoir, Tyler. It was really nice to meet you. Don't let Jared bother you too much."
With those last words, Eric pushed him out of the closet.
Tyler quickly made his way back to the practice where he parked the car. The gym where they used the facilities was five buildings away. Across the street was a laundromat, and Tyler could see that a couple of men were inside waiting for their clothes to dry. The owner was talking to someone outside his field of vision. One of the men, Stefan, saw Tyler and seemed to say something. Immediately after that, he beckoned him. Hesitantly, Tyler crossed. He didn't know what Stefan wanted, but he hoped it wouldn't take too long. Jared was expecting him.
The door of the laundromat was ringing on entry. Now that he was in the room, he had a view of all those present. On the left were the men, on the right the owner and..... Jared. All the men were dressed in short red sports pants and flip flops. Tyler's mouth fell open upon seeing Jared's half-naked body. Like a bronzed god, he stood with his hands on his hips totally at ease talking to the owner. He was without a doubt the most beautiful man Tyler had ever seen, and every detail seemed to burn in his memory. The straight shoulders with protruding collarbone. A powerful chest covered with fine dark hairs that tapered down a flat stomach into a narrow stripe. A beautiful curvaceous back ran over in firm round buttocks and long, not too muscular legs. Even his feet in flip flops were a paragon of male beauty. Deep inside Tyler stirred something that did not yet manifest itself in his consciousness.
His gaze slid to the left where five scantily clad men awkwardly rocked back and forth. Stefan watched his gaze slip back to Jared over and over again.
"Just what every man fears. Half-naked next to a model," he said with self-deprecation. "Do you know his girlfriend, Fleur? Now she's drop dead gorgeous!"
The men stared at Jared and depicted his girlfriend. Tyler couldn't look past Jared's raw male perfection. This one finally seemed aware of his audience.
"Tyler!", it sounded commanding.
He reluctantly crossed the laundromat.
"You can use the back room to dress up, Dr. Evans," the owner said.
"Thank you, Mr. Burgess." Without taking his bag, Jared walked to the small hallway leading to the back room so Tyler was forced to follow him. He kept the bag pressed to himself, at any moment prepared to give hand it over. A table with four chairs and a sofa, were all the furniture that stood in the small room. Jared stood at the table with his arms crossed. Pectoral muscles and abdominal muscles were on full display. Tyler blinked his eyes at the slight shudder that this caused in his belly. He put the bag on the table. Very keen to leave he took a step back.
"Stay."
Tyler froze on the doorstep. "Why?"
"What did you bring?"
Tyler unzipped the bag and took the clothes out. A disgruntled trait lay around Jared's mouth. "I cut my fingertips." He raised his hands.
Tyler saw eight white patches that were sticking against brown skin. "Ah, shit. Buttons!", he uttered horrified.
He knew what Jared's injuries would mean to him. He quickly grabbed the shirt and started to close the buttons.
"What are you doing?", Jared shouted.
"You can see, can't you?"
Jared pulled the shirt out of his hands. "Separate my socks."
Tyler took a deep breath to give air to his indignation, but choked halfway when seeing Jared pulling down his tiny red sports pants without warning and then rummaging around naked in the bag looking for a pair of underpants. Unable to turn his head away, Tyler followed the acts. Jared snorted head-shaking. He stepped into the underwear and had the elastic pop around his hips. "Hello! Earth to Tyler! My socks!"
Caught, Tyler quickly took the socks apart and threw them towards Jared, who caught them effortlessly.
He watched Jared put on the socks and thought of the effort it would have spared if he had taken a shirt and sweatpants.
"Help me," Jared commanded pointing at the jeans.
"Don't be absurd," Tyler retorted. "I'll help you with the buttons, but I hope you can still put a leg in each pant leg yourself."
Jared looked at him mockingly, not affected by the rude fallout. With a thumb in each loop, he pulled the pants up.
"Do you want it loose or in your pants?", he asked Jared helping him in his shirt.
"In my pants."
"Of course you want it that way," Tyler muttered behind his back.
"Excuse me," Jared responded innocently, but Tyler had a heavy suspicion that he knew exactly what had been said.
At the front, Tyler pulled on the collar and lined up the two halves. Grateful for the many times he had helped his little sister with her tiny buttons, he now had the shirt closed in no time. Jared's head was bent down to follow Tyler's work. "It looks like you've done this before," he grumbled disapprovingly.
Tyler then tucked in the shirt, ignoring where his hands slipped between and over and closed the jeans. He congratulated himself on the cool way he had accomplished this challenge. Jared's loud snort didn't diminish his contentment. Unexpectedly, two hands grabbed his shoulders and pushed him hard against the door. His heart was raging at the sight of Jared's furious face. "Didn't I warn you to stay away from Eric?"
"What? How did you know... ?", asked Tyler. His thoughts were mixed up.
"I can smell him on you," Jared bit him. "And if you dare to deny it..." He let a finger slide over Tyler's neck. "Your lover left his mark on you."
"Hold on, wait a minute," Tyler exclaimed, ignoring the sensation that was caused by the touch of Jared's finger. His attempts to wrestle loose failed. "I have no idea what your relationship is, but I refuse to be used as a pawn."
"Explain," Jared commanded without reducing his grip.
"What?" he said angrily.
Fire ignited in dark eyes.
"He found me in the wardrobe. He helped with your underwear and socks. Then we said goodbye," Tyler recalled, as Jared's face approached. They were almost nose to nose.
"Explain," the demand was repeated, hoarse with restrained anger.
The toes in Tyler's shoes curled. Something had to be fundamentally wrong with him, because this situation and Jared's menacing attitude sent a tingle through his entire body. "He hugged me."
"No," Jared shook his head. "He touched you. Where?!" Hard hands grabbed deeper into his flesh.
"Hey, stop that. That leaves bruises. How am I supposed to explain that?"
"Tyler!", it sounded menacing.
"Yes, yes." Tyler kept his voice indifferent to hide his excitement. "He went through my hair with his hands."
"How?", demanded Jared.
"Now you really have to stop," Tyler said. "Your jealousy lets you see things that aren't there. Your Frenchman stroked my hair, gave me a feathery kiss on my ear, hugged me with his beard scraping my skin, and I left," he said firmly. "Now let me go, or I'll scream!"
As if burned, Jared pulled his hands off Tyler. "Go!"
"What? No excuse for the heavy-handed way you treated me?", Tyler spat incredulously.
Jared scanned him fleetingly. "Think of it as tuition. Now you know what happens if you don't follow my commandments," he said nonchalantly.
Tyler's blue eyes shot fiery daggers. "Everyone thinks you're so great, but you're nothing more than a big bully!" he loudly threw at him. He yanked the door open and ran down the hallway as he exited the property. Ignoring the cries of the men behind him he did his best to calm down before returning to practice.