“About a year now,” Kyle said. “We have an open relationship. Ashton is into feet. He loves to suck toes and sniff socks.”
Luis pressed his palm to his chest. “Isn't that nice.” He didn't know what else to say. The guy was obviously coming on to him and he didn't know how to let him down gently. He wanted to reach over and slap him in the face. Luis didn't like to be manhandled unless he gave the man permission first. He didn't like presumptuous men who thought that just because they had an open relationship everyone else did. And he could have lived without knowing Ashton was into feet.
Kyle moved closer. He leaned forward and reached for Luis's hand. “You have such soft skin. Let's dance, baby. I have about nine inches for you.”
Luis glanced at the dance floor. It was still early and there were only a couple of people dancing to a bad version of an old Phil Collins song Luis had never liked. And there were no gay couples dancing; just a few straight couples. Though he would have danced with Jase if Jase had asked him, he wasn't in the mood to put on a show for the entire class reunion with this Kyle dude and his alleged nine inches. “I'd rather wait until Jase and Ashton get back,” he said.
Kyle moved forward and he grabbed Luis's ass. “What are you into man? You look like a bottom to me. I'll bet you know how to take real good care of a man.”
Luis felt like pouring a glass of water over his head. But he smiled and said, “I'm into my husband, Jase. He's the guy you just met.”
As Kyle was about to lower his hand and slide it down the back of Luis's pants, a man with a nice smile rolled over in a wheel chair and grabbed Luis's arm. “Benny,” he said, “I can't believe you're here.”
Luis's eyes opened wider. “I'm sorry. I'm not Benny. I'm not even one of the reunion people, seriously. I'm from Tennessee.”
The guy in the wheel chair said, “Don't joke around with me,” he said. “I'd know you anywhere, Benny. It's me, Alec; we had homeroom together all through high school.” Then he leaned over and hugged Luis. This time he whispered so Kyle wouldn't hear him. “I was watching that asshole grope you. I figured I'd come over and save you from him.”
Luis hugged him and laughed. “Thank you. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.” Then he sat back and said, “My name is Luis, and I'm here with Jase Nicholas.”
Alec released Luis and stared at him for a second. “Well, I'll be damned. You look so much like Benny I would have bet anything on it. Sorry I bothered you.”
Luis lifted his arms. “No. It's okay, seriously. I'm glad you came over.” He gestured to Kyle. “This is Kyle. He's with a guy in your class named Ashton.” Luis couldn't remember Ashton's last name. He was starting to wonder where Ashton and Jase were. Though Luis could handle Kyle alone, he was hoping Alec would stay there until Jase returned so he wouldn't have to. So when Alec reached to shake Kyle's hand, Luis sent Alec a pleading glance and nodded.
Alec must have read Luis's mind. When Jase finally did return, Alec was still there. Jase told Kyle that Ashton was waiting for him outside in the hallway, and then Jase said he wanted to take Luis over to the bar so they could get a couple of drinks. Before they left, Jase bent down and hugged Alec. Luis thanked Alec and hugged him again for coming to his rescue.
On the way to the bar, Luis asked, “What happened to Alec? Why is he in a wheel chair? He seems like really decent guy. And I think he's gay, too.” Luis wasn't certain, but he had a feeling he saw the same look in Alec's eyes that he'd seen in Ashton's. He didn't mention the way Kyle had come on to him. He'd tell Jase later, when they were home, so it wouldn't spoil Jase's evening.
Jase shrugged and said, “It's a tough story. There was a graduation pool party at Betsy Melchiorri's house that June and Alec dove into the shallow end of a swimming pool by accident and broke his spine. He hasn't walked since that day.” He gestured to a large photo next to the bar and said, “This was what he looked like back then.”
Luis moved closer to the photo and looked it up and down. The young man was running on a track, actually in motion, when the photo had been taken. He had thick brown hair and well proportioned legs with the right amount of hair. Next to Jase, Alec had probably been one of the best looking guys in Jase's class. If Luis had known Alec when he was in high school, he would have done anything to get into his running shorts.
“It's sad,” Luis said. “I'd like to get to know him better. He seems like a great guy.”
“We'll catch up with him later and find out where he lives,” Jase said. “I heard he's a novelist now. I'm not familiar with his work, but I'd like to read it.”
All through dinner, Ashton and Jase talked about their businesses and their plans for the future. When they weren't talking business, they were talking about their families. The other people at the table either talked about high school or listened to what Jase and Ashton were saying. Luis remained quiet, sipping his fourth martini and eating some kind of Alaskan king crab dish he couldn't quite place. Luis hated sugary foods but he loved all sea food, especially crab. This dish had a peculiar mix of olives and some kind of spice he'd never experienced before. There was a bitter under taste Luis couldn't figure out. While Luis gorged himself and listened to the pounding music in the background, Kyle sat to his right and tried to feel him up all night when no one was looking. At one point he even leaned into Luis's side and whispered, “I'd love to spread crab meat and cocktail sauce all over your ass and eat it off.”
After that comment, Luis got up to use the men's room because he was feeling a little dizzy. He was also having trouble breathing, as if his throat were closing. He blamed it on the last martini, but he had a feeling there might have been something wrong with the crab they'd served him. He didn't want to complain. He forced himself to be strong. Jase seemed to be smiling and talking more than he usually did at formal events. So Luis quietly excused himself from the table and went to the men's room alone.
But Kyle followed him into the men's room and cornered him at the end of a long row of stalls. Luis had just peed and he was about to pull up his zipper. Kyle walked into the same stall and locked the door. Then he pulled his dick out and waved it back and forth right in front of Luis.
Evidently, Kyle had been lying about the nine inches. Luis took one look at Kyle's little dick and lifted his arms at the same time. He was still having trouble breathing and his face felt hot. He felt panicky and helpless. The drinks had made him nauseous and the men's room was spinning. It felt like someone had wrapped their hands around his throat and he was being choked. He wanted to tell Kyle to stop, but he felt something unusual come over him and turned toward the toilet. As Kyle leaned back and waved his dick faster with two fingers, Luis leaned forward, pressed his palm to his stomach, and tried to throw up. But he only wound up gasping and choking the more he tried to purge. Instead of helping him, Kyle shoved his dick back into his pants and ran out of the men's room as fast as he could.