Green's Thumb (Men of Retail) Page 4

  “My parents divorced when I was just a kid, and I haven’t seen my father since. My Mom is 85, and lives in a nursing home about an hour’s drive from here. She has Alzheimer’s, and doesn’t know who I am any more. She and I were close at one time, but she didn’t approve of me being gay, so Doug and I stayed away for the most part. Just about the time she was warming up to me again, her mind started to go. Her health is up and down, but her mind is already gone.”

  When I asked him about siblings, he hesitated before answering. “I have an older brother and sister here in town, but we rarely see each other. I was the youngest by several years, and I never really got to know them growing up. They felt the same way Mom did about me being gay, and didn’t bother to attend Doug’s funeral. I finally decided to quit trying. What’s your family like, Mitch?”

  I felt sorry for Karl being rejected by his own family, recognizing my situation wasn’t nearly as bleak. “My parents retired to Arizona a few years ago, but they come back a couple times a year. We’re pretty close I guess, and stay in contact on a regular basis. They were a little hurt when I came out after the divorce, but we’ve worked it all out since then, so it’s not a problem. I have an older brother who lives in DC and works for the federal government. He has a wife, three kids and four Grandchildren so far. We get along, but I don’t get to see them very often. They rarely visit these days, and I can’t afford the flight out there.”

  Karl thought for a moment. “What about your kids? What are they like? What kind of relationship do you have with them?” I’m glad he mentioned the kids, as I needed to talk to him about meeting them. “Grant is my oldest, and he’s married to Katie. They have a six year old daughter names Alyssa who could charm the pants right off you. I usually get to babysit when her folks go out for the evening. We make sundaes and watch a movie. You should join us next time – I think she’s going to love you. Grant and I stay in touch during the week, and often run together whenever our schedules allow it.”

  “Lisa and Robb have four year old twin boys named Cody and Cole, and those two will run you ragged if you let them. She and I have a regular dinner date every Wednesday at my place. It gives us a chance to catch up, and she gets to escape the madhouse for a couple hours. I feel really blessed to have a great relationship with my children and their families, and I can’t imagine my life without them. They don’t care I’m gay, they just want me to be happy. Which brings me to you.”

  He looked puzzled. “Me? What do you mean?” I shook my finger at him. “Now don’t play innocent with me, young man, you know exactly what I’m going to say. I haven’t told either of the kids much about you yet, but I can guarantee I have multiple messages waiting on my phone demanding all the juicy details. You make me happy, therefore they will want to know all about you, therefore I want you to meet them. If you are free Wednesday evening, would you join us for dinner?” Karl shifted in his seat and set his empty wine glass down on the coffee table, then reached over and did the same with mine. He pulled me into his lap and kissed me long and hard. I was gasping for breath when he released me, and got caught in his beautiful blue-eyed gaze.

  “I’m glad to know I make you happy, Mitch, and I would love to join you on Wednesday. I knew when we started this it was going to be a package deal. Do you think they will like me?” I smiled at him. “Hmmm, let’s see. I haven’t got the time to list all of your attributes, but as long as you treat me right, they will welcome you with open arms. Will that do?” Karl chuckled and kissed the end of my nose. “I’m a little nervous about meeting them, and I hope we all get along well. If they are anything like you, I can’t imagine we will have any problems. Bring it on, my dear, and I shan’t embarrass you!”

  An evil thought struck me, and reached around him to test my theory on his ribs. He jumped and I dove back in for more. The man was ticklish! I enjoyed torturing him for a few moments until he used those wonderful muscles to pick me up and throw me on the couch face down. He landed on top of me and held my arms down so I couldn’t get to him. “No fair! You’re bigger than me.” He just laughed at my predicament. “That’s what you get for stooping so low as to attack without warning. Next time, I may have to do something more drastic in retaliation.”

  Right about then I noticed his erection was planted firmly in my butt crack. I couldn’t help but arch up into him and wiggle my ass a little bit. We groaned at the same time, and he began kissing the back of my neck and licking my ear. He continued to grind his cock into me and I could feel his pulsing heat through the layers of clothing. I started to come undone, breathing hard and shaking with need.

  Fortunately, Karl noticed in time and stopped moving. He quickly got off of me and pulled me up and into his arms. “It’s OK, babe, I’m sorry. I didn’t hurt you did I?” I shook my head, but stayed wrapped in his arms for another minute until my blood pressure returned to normal. I pulled back and leaned up to kiss him tenderly. “Karl, I’m almost afraid of what will happen when we let ourselves go. I feel like I’m just going to...explode. You have no idea.” He grunted and shook his head. “I have a very good idea, because you have the same effect on me, you naughty man. When we make love it’s going to be out of this world.” I was certain he was right, but it was dangerous to keep talking about it. I hugged him once more, and sent him home with a scorching kiss.

  ..................

  Wednesday came around quickly, and for this occasion, both Lisa and Grant were coming over for dinner to meet Karl. After he went home on Sunday night, I spent the hours before bed returning both of their calls. I told them what they needed to know, but left out all the personal details Lisa wanted to hear. To say they were excited for me was an understatement of monumental proportions. It warmed my heart they were so concerned about my happiness, and I loved them all the more for it.

  I had to work that day, of course, and things were getting even more ridiculous at the store. Not only was Roger finding fault with everything I did, he began browbeating our part time employees. Two were reduced to tears, and I found myself trying to protect them from his abuse. Sales were down, so in a knee-jerk reaction, Roger raised all of our prices and cut everyone’s hours. The timing could not have been worse, as a new competitor named the Garden Mart just opened up a mile down the road. They offered lower prices, a better selection, and friendly employees. It was just a matter of time before our store went under, and though we could all see it, Roger Green didn’t have a clue.

  When I got home on Wednesday, I took a hot shower to try and relax after another stressful day. I had already picked up what I needed for dinner, and Lisa promised to help me with the cost. I was making one of the kid’s favorite meals from when they were young; fried chicken, real red-skin mashed potatoes, and broccoli with cheese sauce. For dessert I mixed up a dark chocolate mousse with real whipped topping. It was something of a caloric nightmare, to be sure, and I warned Karl we were going to have to watch what we ate for the rest of the week to compensate. I always said getting old was no fun, and no one can convince me otherwise!

  Dinner was set for 6:00, so I asked Karl to come over at 5:00 to keep me company. He arrived right on time carrying a bag of my favorite croissants and a bouquet of flowers. I couldn’t recall a time when someone gave me flowers, and I almost cried. Instead, I just kissed him within an inch of his life and put them in a vase on the table. He joined me in the kitchen while I made preparations, telling me about his day and the project he was working on. When he asked me about my job situation I almost didn’t tell him. Mostly, I wanted to avoid spoiling the evening by dragging it all back up. His look of concern prompted me to sketch out the major details, and then I changed the subject. He seemed to understand I didn’t want to discuss it right then, and said nothing more about it.

  Just before the kids arrived, Karl said he needed to ask for a favor. “I’m required to attend an out of town seminar this weekend for work, and I need someone to dog sit for me. Would you be willing to stay over at my house and take car
e of them? I have to leave Saturday morning and won’t be home until late Sunday afternoon.” I thought it sounded like fun. “I wouldn’t mind at all, Karl. It will be a nice change of pace to get out of the apartment. I have to work a half day on Saturday, so they would be outside until lunchtime. If you feed them before you leave, they should be all right until I can get there.”

  Karl wrapped me in a warm hug and kissed me thoroughly. “Thank you, Mitch. I feel a lot better leaving them with you than in a kennel. Besides, when Blaze finds out you are staying the night, she’s going to think she died and went to heaven. Of course, I would feel the same way.” He winked and I slapped his arm. “Don’t get me all riled up just before the kids get here. You have no sense of propriety, you naughty man.” Just then the doorbell rang, and as I turned to answer it, Karl gave me a vicious pinch on the butt. I squawked in alarm and gave him the evil eye, which did nothing to hide his cheeky smile.

  Grant picked Lisa up on the way in, so they arrived together. I made the introductions, and we settled down in the living room for a few minutes to get acquainted. They asked Karl about his job and he inquired after their children. I gave Karl’s hand a squeeze, and excused myself to get supper on the table. Lisa decided to join me, and though I could use a little help, I was sure she had an ulterior motive. Before I could even grab a pot holder, she was giggling with excitement. “He is gorgeous, Dad! I’m so excited for you!” I smiled and asked her to set the table. “He’s nervous already, Lisa, so be nice – got it?”

  The mischievous look on her face was making me uneasy. “Oh, stop worrying! I promise to be on my best behavior. I only have one question, for now. Is he a good kisser?” Determined not to feed the fire, I simply waggled my eyebrows at her and started pulling things from the oven. We gathered around my tiny dining table, Karl’s thigh pressed firmly against mine, which meant we were both uncomfortably hard for the entire meal. If the food was flavorful, I didn’t notice, though Karl complimented me more than once.

  After dinner, we returned to the living room to chat and enjoy our dessert. True to her word, Lisa hadn’t said anything to make Karl uncomfortable, and the three of them seemed to get along like a house on fire. When she started to explain what life with four year old twins was like, I asked Grant to help me with the dessert dishes. As soon as we were out of earshot, Grant spoke up. “He seems like a great guy, Dad. Do you see this relationship going anywhere?” I nodded. “I do, Grant. I can’t explain it, but we just clicked right from the start. Would you mind if I invited Karl over on Friday night? I’d like him to meet Alyssa.” He just grinned at me. “No problem. She’s going to be so excited, the poor guy probably won’t get a word in edgewise. Katie wants to meet him too, you know, so don’t keep her waiting too long. I’m really happy for you, Dad.” When it was time to go, both the kids got a hug from Karl instead of a handshake. As meet-the-family things go, I think this one was a success.

  When I asked him about coming over on Friday night, he agreed without hesitation. I kissed him, and led him over to the sofa for some snuggling. It had been a long day, and I was tired, but I needed a few minutes just to be with Karl before he went home. I lay with my back against his chest, arms cradling me from behind, his hands resting on my stomach. For several minutes we said nothing, exchanging gentle caresses. It startled me when Karl finally spoke. “You have a couple of great kids, Mitch. It’s obvious they really love you. You must be proud of them.” I turned so I could see his face. “Thanks, babe. They both like you, too. They seem to think I have won the jackpot, and I agree with them.” We kissed and nibbled for a while, until it was clear we would fall asleep right there on the couch if we didn’t get moving. I sent Karl home and went to sleep, as I always did lately, thinking of him.

  CHAPTER SIX – KARL

  ..................

  MY TIME AWAY FROM MITCH became an almost physical ache, and I realized I was falling in love with the man - hard. It kind of scared me, since we hadn’t known each other for very long. How could I be this far gone in a week’s time? Part of my doubt was the fact I hadn’t expected to love again so deeply after Doug died. Mitch wasn’t anything like him, really, and it wasn’t fair to compare them. On second thought, it hadn’t taken me long to fall in love with Doug either. The important thing was we fell together, and welcomed it with open hearts. It was the same with Mitch, and meeting his kids on Wednesday night confirmed what we had was special.

  The next day began the transformation of my pathetic yard. Mitch came over after work and began creating the first of the new flower beds. I gave him an open ended budget to work with, so he was free to turn my lump of coal into a diamond without restrictions. I trusted him to make it look great and kill-proof it as much as possible. I was still finishing my work for the day when the dogs jumped up and looked out the office window. I got up to take a look when Blaze began to whine, tail wagging furiously. There was Mitch, hauling supplies from the trunk of his car with a satisfied smile on his face. He was wearing a pair of patched up jeans, a ratty looking shirt, and a ball cap. When Nike barked, he looked up, spotted us behind the glass, and waved. He chose not to disturb me, so I sat down at the computer and slogged through the rest of the files I needed to finish. I was done in about an hour, though my mind was on the handsome man digging up my lawn. I left the office, let the dogs out into the back yard, and took Mitch a glass of cold water.

  He accepted the drink without comment and handed the glass back to me. He was all sweaty with a streak of dirt across his forehead, but he was still beautiful. I lifted him up in a bear hug and swung him around, lips locked in a warm kiss. Someone passing by on the street honked at us, and we were giggling like kids by the time I set him back down. He left his hands on my hips and smiled up at me. “You’re going to get all dirty, Karl. It’s so good to see you though. How was your day?” I kissed him again, feeling his body respond to me, a soft moan rattling in his throat. “I would get dirty with you any time, Mr. Graham, which you already know. I’ve had a very good day. Missed you something fierce though. I’m going to take the dogs to the park for a while and let you get some more done. Be back in about an hour.”

  It was strange not having Mitch with us as the dogs played. I was used to our ritual and felt the loss of his company. By the time I got back, I could see a difference in the yard already. I put the dogs out and started fixing a simple dinner of sandwiches, sweet potato fries, and fresh fruit. I opened the side gate to let Mitch into the back yard, and set up the meal on the patio table. Blaze parked herself at Mitch’s feet, while Nike tried to climb up on the table to get at the food. I made him sit next to me, one hand on his collar to keep him still. Without batting an eyelash, Mitch held my sandwich so I could take a bite without making a mess. He even wiped my mouth for me, and I got hard at the contact. He filled me in about the happenings at the store, and the frustration of trying to put up with his boss. Reading between the lines, I could tell he was expecting to be out of a job soon. While we talked, an idea formed which sounded better by the minute, but I was going to have to recruit some help. I knew just the right person to ask.

  Mitch continued working for another hour or so, while I played fetch and carry. He explained what he was creating and how it would look when he was finished. He wouldn’t be able to work on the project tomorrow, since we were babysitting Alyssa at his place, but I wasn’t concerned. It would take as long as it would take – I wasn’t in any hurry. He intended to start planting on the weekend, while I was out of town, assuming the weather cooperated. The forecast called for thunderstorms, so I told him not to worry about it. Mitch put his tools in the garage and then slipped off his muddy shoes to get cleaned up a little. I dug up an old t-shirt which he could wear home, and was just bringing it to him when the bathroom door opened.

  Mitch was naked from the waist up, and my mouth fell open as I looked at him. His skin was pale, unmarked, and naturally smooth. His nipples were large, round, nut brown, and pebbled in the cold air. He was sl
ender and lightly muscled, with just a little extra flesh at the waist – in other words, very damn sexy. When I finally looked into his eyes, he turned red, the flush extending down his neck and upper chest. I imagined he looked this way in the throes of orgasm too, and I couldn’t wait to see it. He cleared his throat and extended his hand. “Is the shirt for me?” Instead of answering, I pulled him into my arms, running my hands over his beautiful bare skin. I kissed his neck and shoulder, licking and sucking up a small mark where no one else could see it. His arms broke out in goose bumps, and I ran my fingers through them and the fine soft hairs you could barely see. He shivered, and I pulled back far enough to run the pads of my thumbs over his stiff nipples, eliciting a strong reaction. He moaned, arching his back and rubbing his lower body against me.

  We were both breathing heavily now, and I knew we needed to stop before we got too carried away. I reached down to pick up the shirt I dropped on the floor, and carefully pulled it over his head. We maintained eye contact while he slowly pushed his arms through the holes, and then I kissed him. He still looked a little shaken, so I took both if his hands in mine and held them. “I’m not sorry, Mitch. You are so sexy, and I needed to touch you. We are going to be great together, you’ll see.” He blinked a couple of times and then gave me a soft smile. “I have no doubt. Tonight wasn’t the time, but soon. I don’t think I can resist you much longer.” I gave him a wicked grin. “Good. Shows I’ve still got it. You’re going to do wonders for my ego!” He smacked me on the shoulder and turned to go down the hall, mumbling something about me having enough ego already. I caught up to him in the garage and waited for him to put on his shoes. After another hug and kiss, we said goodnight.