Back at the warehouse they were berated as Stefano's Pa sanctimoniously indulged his Angry Boss routine. If he had even the slightest notion of what really took place that afternoon, his fury would have been limitless and only too real (and, Dan was careful to remind himself, very possibly murderous). But in the end everyone just clocked off and went home like usual. Then Dan spent a weekend in Hell.
He worried from minute to minute that Stefano's Dad would discover the truth, and would unleash his Sicilian wrath. The man was no great threat in himself, but the extended Liotta family had terrifying connections. There was even this evil uncle with a fucking hook-hand who used to visit the shop. Dan dreamed all kinds of nightmarish scenarios, involving secluded basements and rusty implements of torture. He was playing with fire right now.
He wanted desperately to call the boy, or send a text, or facebook messenger, or anything to make sure they were cool. He imagined Stefano was suddenly regretful or distressed. What if the lad hated him now? But he couldn't bring himself to make contact, afraid he might somehow make things worse or betray their secret. His nights were sleepless and his days were long.
Stefano on the other hand had a blast of a weekend. Like any regular teen, he didn't give a thought about how anyone else might be doing, and having refused to take his Pa's disciplinary seriously, he went forward riding on a high. His mad encounter with Dan made him feel like a different person. He was no longer a virgin. No longer a child. He was a red-blooded, sexually active, full-grown male. Cocky in every sense of the word.
He swaggered about like he owned the place, making hotshot jokes with his mates, and snubbing his girlfriend like he had attained some kind of Stardom. Later, when she confronted him about this arrogant display he had nothing to say for himself, and tried to patch things up by getting sexy with her. She was having none of it tho, and spun on her heel. Didn't dampen Stefano's spirits though. He knew he could get all the sexual attention she denied him from Dan instead.
When he got back to work Monday morning he was ready to flirt. Danny looked kind of apprehensive and mysteriously forlorn at the start of the day, but Stefano soon put him at ease with a few dirty remarks. The Big Man was clearly infatuated. He could hardly keep his eyes off the boy, and Stefano worked it with winks and smiles.
By midmorning Dan was placing cheeky slaps on teenager's ass, and before lunch hour came around he'd already pulled his sweetheart close by the waste in a loving embrace. Stefano stared deep into Dan's eyes, waiting for his Buddy to take the lead. He thought they might kiss, but Dan let him go again, saying,
"Later, babe."
A Grown Man was calling him babe now. It felt so dangerous and sinful. He liked it.
They were both unsure of how to leave things at the end of the day.
"Hey, you wanna come back to mine?" Dan suggested conspiratorially, glancing down the hall to check they weren't being overheard.
"Um, Mum's cooking dinner..." the teen mumbled ambivalently.
"Yeah, right, of course," Dan nodded, remembering just how crushingly inappropriate his affections were. "Listen, I probably shouldn't..."
"Tomorrow." Stefano interrupted, "I'll say I'm going round a mate's house."
Their grins lit up the warehouse, and Stefano watched Dan mount his motorbike and skid away with heartbeats pounding in his ears.
The Sicilian teen was so anxious thinking about calling on Dan that he left the house without making himself ready. He was already halfway across town when he suddenly realised he hadn't changed out of his work clothes. He often wore his work gear into the evening if he was just lounging about at home. But never if he was leaving the house. Dan would think he was such a dweeb showing up in his shabby work shirt! He should definitely have put fresh underwear on at least, but it didn't make sense walking back now. Did it?
