Short Stories [Man on Man]

Not His to Keep [2]

Sean looked at the man next to him. His skin had been so pale last night and was even paler now with the iridescent streetlights streaming in. Tom, he thought he'd heard. But he couldn't be too sure. They hadn't wasted much time talking.

The guy was lanky, tall with little muscle. So it was only natural that Sean had topped. He seemed to be doing that more and more with his random hook-ups. The last time he'd bottomed had been with...He pressed his palms to his eyes and shut off that thought. It'd been so long ago, yet, he couldn't seem to forget.

Tom had been good. Most of them had been good. But as he left the bed and put on his clothes, he didn't feel any sense of nostalgia or the feeling of even wanting to stay. Sure, he could probably get another blowjob out of the guy, which would be nice, but that was where it ended. He didn't want to spend the day with Tom, take Tom out to breakfast, or do whatever it was that people who actually formed emotional relationships did with their significant others.

Sean Martin wanted to be alone, so alone he would be. Again.

He didn't leave a note as he walked through the kitchen and out the door of the small studio apartment, not even bothering. He'd never felt an emotional connection with any of his one-night stands. They were all just a means to an end in order for him to get his physical release when he was too lazy to jack it...or when something pertaining to a certain someone came up.

It'd been hot news lately, not national stuff, but just something passing down the grapevine in the law world. A certain someone was at risk of losing his job. Sean pressed his nails against his palms. He'd worry about the man later. Now, he just needed to find his car.

He thumbed his key fob, hoping he'd been able to actually park the vehicle within an okay distance. He couldn't really remember much, but what he could was of him downing a few beers and then a little bit of wine at Tom's apartment. Then they'd gotten to it, and he'd passed out shortly after.

Thank God. His car was just down the street, a Lincoln SUV that he'd paid off just a few months ago. Just another perk of practicing law. He wasn't a millionaire, not by any means. But he raked in enough to afford the nicer things in life.

Without looking back, he made his way home, ready to start the day.

                                                                                 [o] [o] [o]

“Hey, Sean, wanna come out to lunch with us? We're going to that bistro down the street.”

He looked up at his secretary and smiled. Sophie Garcia was a lifesaver, his lifesaver, and he loved her like a sister, but he'd go out to lunch with her and the rest of his co-workers some other day. Today, he had important digging to do.

He shook his head. “Thanks, but no. I got some stuff I need to...catch up on.”

“Want me to bring you back anything?”

“Just the usual. Thanks.”

She frowned, then smiled, and walked out of his office, the glass door closing a moment later. He re-opened the tab on his computer, eyes scanning through the headlines. It'd been years since he'd last seen the man in person, but he still kept tabs on the guy. It was hard not to, when Beau was one of the most influential lawyers in health law.

But now Webster & Gallagher was just Webster.

He'd been following the story about Beau and Marla's divorce proceedings. Apparently, he'd caught Marla sleeping with another guy, one of the older lawyers at the firm, and he'd filed for a divorce almost immediately. Then it'd came out how she'd suspected him of having affairs. Fingers were being pointed. It was getting ugly.

Sean felt a little guilty, because he was, in fact, that affair that Beau's ex-wife was talking about, but they'd both cheated. It was both their faults. His, too. But Beau hadn't come out. Wouldn't come out. Sean was out, though. No way could there be any connections between them, unless if Beau spilled everything. Which was more than doubtful. The proceedings had been going on for weeks now. Beau refused to leave his house, Marla currently with her parents.

It didn't help that Randall Webster was friends with Marla Donahue's father. There was once again the politics of it all. Beau was out a job simply because neither of them had ever loved each other, neither could keep their pants on, and Marla had a dad who controlled the textile industry.

After reading through the article one more time, he e-mailed Andrew, one of the lawyers he still kept in contact with at the old firm. Sean refreshed the tab. No response.

He looked at the clock. It was already one o'clock. Sophie should be back with his lunch any moment now. He was getting too engrossed in all this, he knew, but he couldn't help it. It wasn't an obsession. It was just...Okay, maybe it was an obsession. He honestly didn't know. He just knew that Beau had ripped his heart out all those years ago, and he wanted the man to feel what he'd felt.

“So...” Sophie said minutes later, as she scooted her way through the opening in the door, two bags in hand. “You gonna be better now, or do I have to take your computer away?”

He looked at her. “What?”

“It happens every time, Sean.” She set the bags down onto his desk and slid the sandwiches over to him. “Beau Gallagher does this or Beau Gallagher does that, and you become this hermit that looks like he wants to murder somebody!”

Sean ignored her and unwrapped his two turkey and chicken breast sandwiches.

“Ugh...” Sophie threw her hands up and turned off his monitor.

“What was that for?”

For a long while, they both just glared at each other. He was just normal Sean. That was a fact. He didn't care about Beau Gallagher. He was over the man. Another fact. Hell, if he wasn't, would he have been with Tom last night? Yeah, that's what he'd thought.

“Okay,” he finally said and bit into a sandwich. “I'm sorry. Now, what do I got for today?”

She told him his schedule, a few meetings with clients, then he'd go home, stay up late working on some cases – a particular one involving a guy who was looking for quick cash suing his client – and then come back in the morning. It was hard work, but in the end, worth it.

“I'm fine, Soph, really. You can go, chat up Marcus, get lucky tonight.”

“We're engaged. I think I'll get lucky.”

She left. He waited a few seconds before putting down his lunch and turning his monitor back on. There weren't any pictures, and for that, he was glad. It'd been five years. He hadn't seen a picture of Beau's face in all that time, but the man's face was still clear as day in his mind.

The reply from Andrew's own intern had come sometime during Sophie's little rant at him. He sent a quick thanks to the guy and went back to his work.

Sure enough, the man was out looking for a job. He would have another one – not at all connected with Marla Donahue and Randall Webster – but that was besides the point.

How the tables had turned. Here he was, sitting in his very own office and quickly climbing the rungs of the corporate ladder. This was his second year at Habish, but he had a secure job, and people respected him more than one usually would a newbie.

He was twenty-seven now. No longer a kid. He'd be twenty-eight next month.

If he saw Beau today, he knew there wouldn't be a single shred of attraction left for the man. He'd spent too long with his heart ripped out to feel anything – not even hatred – for the guy.

He'd be defending his client, a middle-aged doctor who was getting sued because one of his patients had ingested too much of the medication, this afternoon. It hadn't at all been his client's fault. An easy case. Lately, it felt like life was getting better. Easier. More breathable.

“C'mon.” Sophie crooked her finger, and he followed her out to his car.

They went to the court.

This was life. He was happy. For the most part.  

P.S. I love comments. Even if this was kind of a filler chapter, it was necessary - to me, at least - and I love hearing from you guys, so please, comment!