© 2014 ChicosTodos. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the Author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
If you are a minor, or if it is illegal for you to read material containing sexual activity between male adults, please refrain from reading any further.
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NOTE: this story is the sequel to "Roberto the Mechanic Stud".
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It was Friday, one week before Christmas.
Simon was swamped with work at the Queeries office. The back catalogue database was recently updated, and at the beginning of the week, his boss Luke asked him if he was up for working overtime to check and sign off on all entries before the holidays. Simon readily agreed.
It had also been a week since that surreal and ultimately heartbreaking incident at Jae's birthday party. The scene with the birthday boy and Tyler coming on to him, naked, replayed incessantly every night as Simon tried to fall asleep. What could've been a very arousing scenario was instead a disappointing shock. He felt misled, as if the bond he felt with Jae was fake...but at the same time, he knew he himself was also responsible for the consequences. He willfully led himself down a painful path, so he had no one else to blame when he fell down and hurt himself.
For his part, Jae was trying to make things right. He called and texted every other day, asking first for forgiveness, then any kind of communication -- face-to-face, phone, even text -- that Simon was willing to partake. But the damage was still too raw, and the musician honestly thought he would probably fall into the same trap again should he acquiesce and talk to Jae, so he never responded back. The athletic Asian was still the same sexy, positive, friendly, funny guy; Simon was sure he would develop feelings for him in a heartbeat if they started hanging out again.
He didn't want to cut Jae out of his life, but at this stage, when he couldn't trust himself to be strong and sober enough to just be friends with the Korean hunk, burning the bridge might be the safest, most logical thing to do.
In the office, Simon was working hard, working hard to block Jae out of his mind. He didn't even notice he'd been at work for eleven hours until he felt a chill and sneezed, then paused and looked at the clock on his computer. He knew the coworkers in his row of desks had gone home hours ago; as he stood up and stretched, he realized the office was empty.
Empty except for Luke's office, where the lights were still on. Simon saved his work, then put his computer to sleep.
"Luke, I'm gonna head home. I'll come in around eleven tomorrow," he said through the editor-in-chief's door. Though the next day was Saturday, he had to go into work since the deadline was fast approaching, and he kept running into unexpected issues that took up extra time.
Luke's door opened as he walked away.
"Can't wait to get home, huh?" his boss asked, putting on his coat.
"It's been a long day," Simon replied, nodding. "I'm sure I can get everything done on schedule though."
"I have absolute faith that you will. And, thank you for staying late, again," the husky, impeccably-groomed, and always charismatic editor-in-chief said, shutting off the lights in his office.
"No problem."
"So, are you really going home, or are you going to see your boyfriend?" Luke asked slyly.
Simon's eyes bulged. "Uhh..."
Luke waited patiently for his response.
Simon shuffled awkwardly. "I don't have a boyfriend."
"Oh," Luke remarked with a glance as they began walking out of the office. "Well, all that texting you've been doing lately must've been for someone else."
At this remark, Simon held his breath but kept walking, looking straight ahead.
"I'm so sorry, Luke, I..."
Luke chuckled. "I'm not reprimanding you. I know you're a hard worker, don't worry," he affirmed, patting Simon's shoulder. "I've just noticed you've been coming in with these slick, fitted ensembles, and I thought you finally found someone worth your time."
It was too late: Simon was full-on blushing at this point.
"I'm so embarrassed..." he muttered.
"Of what?" the editor-in-chief questioned as they headed downstairs to the street. "You're smart, dedicated, and attractive. Own it."
"Thanks," Simon responded shyly.
When they walked out onto the busy gay village sidewalk, Simon turned around and said goodbye to his boss.
"Come have a drink with me," Luke offered.
Simon looked at the debonair bear. "I shouldn't," he said.
"Why not?"
"I should go to bed."
"Are you really going to sleep, though?" the editor-in-chief asked with a glint in his piercing eyes. Simon was caught.