Decisions Ch. 01

Note: In this story, Blue and Harley make an appearance, but only as secondary characters. We'll see how it goes and if the characters cooperate with where I want to go. I once again had trouble with my computer (the word processing program this time), but I got it sorted within a few days.

As always, your comments are very welcome, as are your votes of course!

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Riley Scott didn't think he was anything special. At twenty-one, he had been in his job as a clerk in the accounting department of a medium-sized legal text publishing business for a year. He was glad that he didn't have to wear suits, because they made him feel uncomfortable. Since people didn't often drop in, especially not in the accounting department, he could get away with a more casual dress. The company even allowed jeans, so long as it wasn't too often and they weren't ripped up.

If anything, Riley would say he was average, bordering just a bit too much on the cute side. He had light brown hair, which he wore short in the back and longer in the front. This allowed him to have his eyes hidden when he leaned forward, but not so much that it was inappropriate in an office setting. His eyes were green, and he thought his lashes were too long.

He'd inherited his mother's delicate bone structure. That was a curse when he was in school, as it garnered him attention he would rather have avoided. He never was much into sports, other than the occasional game for fun, so his delicate build, along with a lack of musculature, meant the jocks and other popular people targeted him as being gay. It was true, of course, but it wasn't something he would have advertised in school. Once it became clear to him that there was no point in hiding it, he admitted it and rode out the storm. He wasn't tall or short, being a respectable five foot ten, but when coupled with his build, he seemed smaller than he was.

Life for Riley Scott was pretty typical for a young gay man, nothing out of the ordinary at all. The other kids picked on him in school, though they didn't beat him up except for a few rare occasions that were more a punch or two than an actual beating. The taunts and teases he found he could live with. He had a best friend who wasn't quite as comfortable around him, but never completely dropped him. There were other friends who also stood by him.

His family didn't condemn him or throw him out of their lives, but they didn't know how to treat him and didn't understand his new lifestyle. All in all, nothing special. Some had it better than he did, while others were in worse situations.

A new friend of his, Blue Evans, definitely had it worse than he did. Some things Blue didn't talk about, but those he did mention were terrible enough. Riley couldn't imagine how he would cope if he had to deal with even a fraction of what Blue did. It all worked out for Blue, who was in a committed relationship with veterinarian Harley Barlow, who was as sweet a man as Riley ever met.

Ever since he was in school, and accepted that he loved other men rather than women, Riley knew what he was looking for. Not just the actual type of man he was looking for, but how that man would see Riley. The last thing, or almost last thing, Riley wanted was someone who looked at him as only a twink. He knew he looked like a twink with his slender build and cute looks, but that wasn't what he wanted people to like him for.

Six months after starting work at Legal Editions, one of the executives began paying attention to him. Hunter Nelson was one of the younger executives, a nephew of one of the two founders. He was smart enough to have gained his position on his own merits rather than because of family connections.

During the last end-of-year rush, Riley found himself working late for a couple of weeks, and ate his dinner at a nearby café. Hunter, also working late, joined him at a table after they saw each other for a couple of days. Rather than treat him as most did, a pretty face without too many brains, Hunter talked to Riley about work, asking his opinion on different aspects. That was the first time Riley felt that twinge in his belly.

A couple of weeks after those dinners, Hunter tracked him down in the cafeteria at work and discretely asked if they could meet after work. Riley turned him down. He didn't think it was a good idea for them to be involved outside of work. It therefore surprised him that after just a few minutes, he changed his answer.

After that day, things accelerated to a level Riley didn't think possible for him. He couldn't seem to control himself around Hunter. Halfway through their dinner, the two men found themselves in the bathroom of the restaurant, Riley sucking a beautiful cock. He'd barely finished swallowing when someone came in and the two men decided not to chance staying there longer.

The next Monday at work, Riley was in Hunter's office instead of going for coffee on his break. This time, Hunter was undoing Riley's trousers when the phone rang to interrupt them.

Since this was Riley's first real relationship, other than quick blowjobs in a bar, he had some trouble with the secretive nature. Their co-workers couldn't see them together, which meant neither could go to the other's apartment. Riley had two roommates, one also from accounting, and the other who worked one of the printing machines. Hunter owned a condo on his own, but his uncle lived on the same floor and often dropped by without any warning.

Some interaction between the two didn't matter, but they had to be very careful. Riley didn't really care. When they were together, there was time for some kissing and other intimate touching. Hunter always managed to make time for him and was very attentive during those times. He didn't ignore Riley when they encountered each other with others around, he just wasn't as open and touchy-feely.

The only person Riley told about the relationship was Blue. Blue worked for the call center that shared the building and they often met for lunch in the joint cafeteria when Riley wasn't otherwise occupied. Blue had some reservations about the relationship, but other than voicing his concern a few times, he didn't try and discourage Riley at all.

"Hunter told me last night that he has an appointment with a real estate agent on Saturday to find a new place," Riley confided to Blue. They were in Blue and Harley's home, so Riley didn't worry about someone overhearing him. "He said he's tired of us not having more time together than we do now."

"That's great. I honestly don't know if I could be as patient as the two of you have been." Riley saw Blue bite worriedly at his lower lip, but thought it was about the lasagne they were working on. "Hasn't he ever taken you to a hotel?"

"We discussed it, but he feels those beds aren't the most sanitary."

Blue nodded and continued biting his lip. Riley started to wonder what Blue was thinking. "And he didn't want to come here when I offered you the use of the place while Harley and I were away last weekend?"

"It's not that he didn't want to, but he had that meeting in New York with his uncle. Are you trying to say something, Blue? If so, I wish you'd just come out with it."

"No, not really, I'm just trying to imagine it. Have...have you two had sex yet?"

Riley blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment. "Well of course we have!"

"I'm talking about anal sex here, Ry." Blue turned away with a small smile when Riley's face turned a brighter red. With his past, Blue wasn't reticent about speaking bluntly but knew his young friend wasn't very experienced. "Have you guys gone there yet?"

"Um, yeah, just on our last date, actually. It wasn't what I expected. It was wonderful," he hurried to say, "just kind of awkward. Hunter was very careful and sweet with me. I can't wait until we can do it again."

It wasn't exactly a lie. Riley knew before pushing Hunter to take him that the backseat of Hunter's BMW wouldn't be the best place, but he was tired of having their intimacy curtailed. The limited space made it difficult to get comfortable, and the location, in the alley up the street from Riley's apartment, meant there was a good possibility someone could interrupt them.

It was fine at first, with Hunter giving him sweet words of encouragement. The first slick finger Hunter pushed inside felt wonderful. The second, while a bit uncomfortable at first, soon gave him thrills of pleasure. The third finger, however, made Riley bite his lip to keep from crying out. Before he could get fully accustomed to the stretch and intrusion, Hunter rolled a condom on and pushed inside. He apologized profusely, telling Riley that he was too beautiful, too sexy.

Riley didn't want Hunter to know how much it hurt and moved as he thought he should. Very soon, Hunter stilled above him, coming without touching Riley's cock at all. There were apologies and promises that they would make the next time somewhere better. All in all, nothing Riley really wanted to talk about to anyone. He knew it was his fault, for insisting that the car was fine, so he couldn't complain about the quickness. There was no need for him to bring up the bleeding to Hunter, who would feel terrible about the whole thing.

Harley's arrival put an end to continuing the conversation. It wasn't that Riley didn't like Harley, or trust him, but he didn't know him all that well to be as open as with Blue. "I must have been a good boy to have two gorgeous guys in my kitchen tonight. You're making me lasagne, Lovely? I must have been extra good."

"You're always a good boy, Harley, but last night you were exceptional. This morning, too." Blue grinned at Riley and then changed the subject before making the young man uncomfortable. "Jake will be here in about an hour for supper, and since you two are likely to disappear to tinker with the cars, I invited Riley to keep me company. We've decided to watch all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies."

"I couldn't turn down an invitation where I get watch both Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom together. Yum."

The three of them shared a laugh and Riley smiled wistfully when the two men kissed. It would be so wonderful to be able to be so open with Hunter. He wondered when it would happen for them. It didn't seem likely while they both worked for the same company, but perhaps he could do something about that. If he put out feelers for a new job, maybe he could find another position somewhere and the two of them could finally take their relationship public.

While Harley showered and dressed, and they waited for Blue's brother to arrive, Riley allowed himself to imagine the future. He saw himself going on long dates and weekend holidays with his lover. He saw Hunter invite him to move in together, where they would decorate the new space in both their tastes. He even saw Hunter give him a ring, similar to the one Harley gave Blue, so they could spend their lives together.

A new job was exactly what he needed to find. The solution to their problem was so obvious that Riley was surprised he hadn't thought of it before. Hunter would be so happy and pleased at the move, and praise him for thinking of it.

"How long have you and Harley been together now?"

"Just about five years. Well, it will be five years at the end of September that we're together as a couple, but we met five years ago in May."

"You're so lucky. How long before you knew that Harley was the one for you?"

Blue got a distant look in his eyes and his mouth turned up at the corners. "I think in some way I knew right from the beginning, even if I didn't acknowledge it. The third night I stayed with him, he stopped me from giving him a blowjob."

The doorbell rang and Blue went off to answer it. Riley stayed in the kitchen and frowned. Blue started to fall in love with Harley because Harley didn't let him give a blowjob? There had to be more to the story, but Riley knew he would never ask. It wasn't in him to question anything so personal and intimate. He didn't think he was a prude, but some things just shouldn't be bandied about.

Like Blue asking if he and Hunter were having sex. That kind of talk was just too far out of his experience. His parents were devout churchgoers, which was one reason they had trouble accepting his sexual orientation. They weren't fanatics, however, and their religious beliefs didn't mean they turned their backs on him or tried to make him change his ways. As a child, they dragged him along with them every Sunday, so maybe that was why he had so much trouble being open.

His father never gave Riley 'the talk'. Riley remembered that his parents sat him down, told him it was important to respect women, and handed him a pamphlet. The pictures and technical terms nearly made his eyes bug out of their sockets. In fact, that pamphlet first made him think he might be gay. He practically ignored the pictures of the female genitalia and focused on the male. He was fascinated and even a little aroused by them, even if they were only sketches.

It was during his first week of high school that he became certain he preferred men. Or boys, at the time. He caught sight of Jack Spencer, the senior class president. After that, Riley did all the research he could about what it meant to be gay. The descriptions and pictures he found, even as they embarrassed the shit out of him, enthralled him. Jack Spencer never knew that Riley had a crush on him but he played a huge part in his evolution as a gay man.

The oven timer startled him out of his thoughts and he hurried over to turn off the heat and take out the pan. It smelled delicious and he resolved to get the recipe from Blue to take home. He thought it looked easy enough while he was helping and could probably manage to do a credible job on his own.

He walked out of the kitchen when that was done to meet Blue's brother. The resemblance between the two men was a little startling, most notably Jacob was taller than both Blue and Harley by at least three inches and he had lovely copper-coloured hair. Of course, Riley had wondered what colour Blue hid beneath his blue hair and he figured it must be the same if he went by the eyebrows and eyelashes.

"Jake, this is Riley Scott. We met at work and became instant friends. He works at the other business in the building, but we use the same cafeteria. Riley, this is my brother Jacob Evans. He recently moved to the city and works at one of the law firms over on Jefferson Avenue. Isn't that near where you live?"

"I live near Jefferson, on 114th Street, but Jefferson is a big thoroughfare." Riley gave Blue a quick, confused, look. Blue knew exactly where Riley lived and should know himself if it was nearby or not.

Dinner was an...interesting experience. It wasn't until they were finishing their plates that Riley got an inkling of what was going on. Blue seemed to go out of his way to introduce topics that Riley knew a lot about. This looked more and more to be some kind of set up as the evening progressed and Blue often turned to Riley for confirmation, and got him and Jacob into a conversation.

Dessert over at last, which was a great relief to Riley, he excused himself to use the bathroom while Blue prepared the coffee. When he came back out, he could see Harley was already outside and figured Jacob was there as well. He was surprised, therefore, to hear voices from the kitchen. He didn't want to intrude and hesitated, unable to help hearing the conversation between brothers before moving. What he heard, however, rooted him in place.

"What's up, little brother? You couldn't have been more obvious out there if you tried."

"I got to thinking after you called and asked me all those questions about being gay, or in your case bisexual. What better way to be sure than to actually, you know, meet someone. Riley's a really great guy."

Jake chuckled for a moment. "He is a cute little guy. A pretty face and a sweet little ass. I've always appreciated beauty in both men and women, which is what got me thinking I might be bi."

"That's why I thought of Riley. You can ask him out, take him to dinner and see how things go."

Riley had never been so angry. He was also hurt that Blue thought of him as nothing more than someone he could loan out to people. He walked into the kitchen and fixed the man he thought of as a friend with a cold glare.

"Is this why you asked if Hunter and I had sex yet? You figured you could just offer me up to your brother to see if guys turn him on? I thought I could trust you. If you'll excuse me, I think I'll be on my way."

He turned and rushed out, barely remembering to grab up his coat. He ignored Blue's calls and didn't pay attention to Harley, either. To think that he thought they were his friends. Shame and embarrassment filled him. All those questions were only to find out what he could offer to Blue's brother. He'd opened himself up and this was what he got.

His cell phone rang on the bus ride home but he ignored it, turning off the phone. He had no interest in speaking to someone who was only interested in using him. His decision to find a new job was even more important now, so he could avoid seeing Blue at work.

The apartment was empty when he got there, which was just as well. Riley didn't feel like making small talk. As soon as he got to his room, he booted up his computer and started looking at employment sites. There were a few interesting possibilities, and even though he knew these sites weren't the best way to get a job, he nonetheless sent out his resumé to about a half dozen places. It was a start, at any rate.

Before heading to the shower, Riley checked his phone. There were three calls from Blue and one from Hunter. That gave him pause. Hunter hardly ever called him, especially when he was supposed to be in a meeting. He dialled the number and waited for it to connect.

"Hey Hunter, what's up?"

"Riley, great! Listen, my uncle had to duck out early tonight, so the meeting will finish up tomorrow morning at the office. Can you meet me there at about eleven?"

A meeting on a Saturday morning? "Yes, of course I can meet you there. Should I go up or will you meet me nearby?"

They agreed that Riley would go up and meet Hunter in his office. Riley felt somewhat better as he prepared for bed. Maybe Hunter's uncle was going out of town and Hunter planned on bringing Riley home. That would be wonderful. They would have a bed to make love in, which would be a wonderful treat.

Even though it was early on Friday night, Riley went to bed right after his shower and dreamed wonderful dreams. He would have a new job, Hunter would have a new place to live, and they would begin their lives together.

Hunter's office door was open when Riley got there a little after eleven. He hadn't wanted to arrive too near eleven, in case the meeting ran long and the others were still present. With a knock to announce his presence, Riley walked in with a smile and was met with a quick glance and a gesture at the chair in front of the desk.

This was strange. Usually when they met, Hunter smiled and said how glad he was to see Riley. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?"

"No, not at all. Riley, I called this meeting because there's something we need to discuss."

Something was definitely wrong. Why would Hunter call this a meeting? On the phone, there hadn't been any reference to this being anything other than getting together after a meeting. The way Hunter spoke, this had to do with work and his expression said it wasn't anything good. He took a deep breath and clasped his hands in his lap to keep them from shaking with his nerves.

Maybe he was reading too much into this. It was possible that someone from the meeting was still around somewhere and Hunter didn't want to take a chance until they left. The silence mounted, stretching out for so long that Riley thought he would scream from the tension. He tried to tell himself that nothing was wrong, that he was just upset because of what happened with Blue the previous night.