Page 15 of Fruit and Flash

We make it through the main show and are watching the after show where they show all the behind the scenes drama when Kai makes a comment. “Hot take, but I don’t think queens on the most recent regular season should be on all stars.”

“But she’s my favorite queen,” I argue. “Even though I liked the winner, too.”

Kai scoots back to respond with some witty retort, but then he stops and stares at my head. I wonder if I have terrible hat hair and rub at it self-consciously.

“You took off your hat,” Kai comments. “I’ve never seen you without it before. I was starting to think it was permanently attached.”

“Oh, no. I can't sleep in it. But I usually wear it outside of the house.”

“It suits you. But I like how you look without the hat, too.”

“Yeah?” I scoot closer, hoping we’ll kiss again.

Kai nods, “Yeah.”

The buzzer goes off on the washing machine, breaking the moment. Damn. Can a guy catch a break? I have to wonder if he’s as hard as I am as Kai hops up, and I sit there watching him go. Based on his bulge in the sweats, I think we’re on the same page.

“No need to pause. I’ll be right back.”

It takes everything in me not to follow Kai’s swaying hips into the kitchen, and when he looks back, I give in to the temptation.

Chapter nine

Kai

WhileIdon’tnormallyget turned on watching TV, I know it’s not the drag queens doing it for me. No, I’m into masculinity. I like to blur the lines sometimes, wearing feminine clothes and makeup, but I usually pick hookups that are all rough edges and big hands.

Even not wearing his cowboy hat, Hayes is a cowmanin his plaid shirt, tight blue jeans, and full facial hair. I could feel him getting hard under my leg, and I’m holding out hope he wants to fool around again.

After a few days in Foggy Basin, I find the social media work for Ezra engaging, but not particularly time consuming. And all the queer men in town seem to be partnered up. Even my roommate, Avery, is interested in a guy who raises bees or something.

Sure, I have gone weeks without sex before, but I prefer not to. And I already know Hayes is into me. Should be an easy hookup while I’m in town.

Tossing my wet clothes, plus a few towels Hayes already had in the wash, into the dryer, I hear footsteps on the old wood floors. Closing the machine, I turn to find Hayes staring at my ass with lust in his eyes and Shadow looking up at him expectantly.

Yes, this will be an easy, uncomplicated bit of fun.

“Like what you see, Farmboy?”

Hayes nods and steps closer. He looks like he wants to ask for more but isn’t sure how. I’m happy to be the outspoken one.

“Can I kiss you again?” I ask, knowing this one will likely lead to more.

“Yes.” Hayes leans in to pull me closer, but as soon as he has me in his grasp, Shadow lets out an excited yip. “Damn, I almost forgot her dinner.”

Letting me go, Hayes reaches past me to a bin of dog food in the closet, tucked beside the dryer. “She’s used to you feeding her when you do laundry?”

“Yeah, Pavlovian response and all.” Hayes pours a scoop of dry food into a metal bowl against the wall. “It helps remind me to check the laundry every morning and night in case I forgot to change it over.”

“No one wants mildew-smelling clothes,” I say as Hayes takes my hand. He’s got the lust-blown pupils again and I’m glad we’re getting back on track despite his dog’s interruption and my very unsexy comment.

“Come to my bedroom so the dog doesn’t interrupt again?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely!”

Hayes chuckles and pulls me through the kitchen, past the living room into a hallway. “The bathroom is to the right, I’m here at the end.”

We go into the last door on the left and I wonder what he does with the other rooms. I’ve never lived alone, except for a few days here and there at places I couch surfed or hotels when I can afford it. I’m the middle child of ten, and my parents had usstuffed into a three bedroom place. What does a single man do with a whole house to himself?