After The Flames (Hope Harbour #2)

Chapter Eleven

Ash

W aking up in a big queen-size bed is a luxury. Stretching, I roll onto my back. The light is peeking through the gap in the curtains, creating a pretty shadow on the wall. I feel like maybe some of my dark shadows are leaving and being replaced with nicer ones. It’s a good feeling. Grabbing my phone to check the time, I see I’ve missed some texts and calls from Jace. Once my head hit the pillow last night, I must’ve gone out like a light.

Jace:

Hey man, how was the shift?

Are you on a late one tonight?

You okay? Text me back.

Dude, I’m starting to worry. Text me asap.

I’m here, I’m fine!

Jace:

What the hell, man? I was about to jump in the truck and come find you. What took you so long?

Sorry, I promise I’m okay. Actually, I’m more than okay. I have a place to stay!

Jace:

What? Where? That’s great.

I’ll call you

Clicking on his name, it doesn’t even ring before he picks up.

“What’s going on? How did you find somewhere so quickly?” he asks.

Laughing, I say, “Take a breath, man, and I’ll tell ya!”

Once I’ve filled him in on the events of last night’s chance meeting with Gage and Max and how I came to end up in the comfiest bed ever, he’s still not said a word. “You still there?”

“Yeah, just taking it all in,” he says in a strange tone.

“You okay? You don’t seem as happy as I thought you’d be.”

Clearing his throat, he mumbles, “I’m fine. Just wondering if it was a good idea to move in with someone you don’t know.”

“Earlier, you were happy for me, and now you’re not. What’s going on?”

“Nothing, but, um... you said these guys are gay? Aren’t you worried about that?”

“No, why would I be?” What does sexuality have to do with me moving in with someone? “Didn’t take you for a homophobe,” I say, irritation flashing through me. “You of all people should... I mean, I did think maybe...” Trailing off, I realize my mistake.

“What did you think?” he raises his voice slightly.

Clearly, this is not the time to voice my thoughts to Jace about his sexuality. And to be honest, it’s up to him to feel comfortable telling me anything about himself. My thoughts are my own and I could, after all, be totally wrong about him.

“Nothing. I must still be tired. I’m sorry, just ignore me. How’s Jim?” I ask, changing the subject.

I hear him blow out a breath. “Dad’s good. I think he’s met someone.”

“Yeah? That’s great.”

“I keep overhearing him on calls that don’t sound like he’s selling cars,” Jace trails off, his voice still sounding a bit off.

“But that’s a good thing, right? Jim deserves to have someone in his life.”

“Yeah, I know he does. He’s taken care of me all my life. It’s just weird, ya know. Not something I’ve been used to. I mean, he wasn’t one of those guys that had a string of women around. It was always just me and him after Mom passed. Well, till you joined us too.”

“It’s okay that you feel that way, but Jim’s a good guy, and he deserves someone. Bring it up with him; I bet he has similar feelings about it. Perhaps he’s anxious about sharing it with you.”

Not being there to return the support he’s always given me tugs at my heart. I can’t change it, but I’ll make sure he knows I’ve got his back.

“Yeah, you’re totally right. I knew talking to you would make me feel better.”

“I’m here for you Jace. You know you can tell me anything, right?”

“Yeah, the same goes for you.”

“Okay, well, I gotta go. I start work soon, and I’m desperate for a hot shower first. I think I even had a dream about it,” I chuckle.

“Now you mention it, I thought I smelled something funky. Now I know it’s just you and your stench, making it all the way back to Perry.”

“Fuck you!”

“Go wash up and hit me up when you’re free.”

“Sure.”

“Ash?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not a homophobe.”

The clarification eases the awkwardness left by his comment about my story of Max and Gage. I want him to know I’m making good decisions and thriving on my own. I guess I was being touchy about it, thinking he was being judgmental. Now, I know he was just worried about me rooming with a stranger. I can’t imagine I wouldn’t be paranoid about him if he’d been the one to up and leave on his own. This is all new for both of us. He’ll see I made the right choice.

The smell emanating from my armpits is all the motivation I need to hop in the shower before even thinking about breakfast. Grabbing my wash bag from the top of the dresser, I pick out a clean pair of black jeans, a blue tee, and fresh boxers before heading out in search of the bathroom.

The hallway is quiet. I notice two doors—one on my side and another at the end of the hall on the opposite side. Because Gage’s tour consisted of, ‘ This door is my room, and that door is the bathroom ’ while he stood in front of me obstructing my view, I’m not sure now which door is which.

I decided to go with the closest one first. When I push the door open, what I find is definitely not the bathroom, but Gage’s untidy bed. Great. Fifty-fifty, and of course, I end up in his room!

Fortunately, Gage isn’t here. How embarrassing would that have been, walking in on my new landlord naked—or worse? With a quick look around from the doorway, I see the room’s bigger than mine. Gage has a large closet, whereas I only have a set of drawers. The guy’s clearly a lover of mirrors, as he has an entire wall dedicated to them. The room smells like him, all manly and musky, with a touch of vanilla. Okay, I need to get out of here in case he catches me and thinks I’m snooping.

The huge washroom features two sinks, a large wall mirror, and a toilet with a bidet. That’s some fancy shit; I’ve only ever seen one in pictures. The shower itself is like a fantasy come true. This thing is luxurious. Floor-to-ceiling white tiles and chrome fixtures; it’s even got two shower heads. Makes me wonder if Gage has shared this shower with anyone before. God, I don’t know why that thought popped into my head. What do I care?

Leaning in, I rotate the handle to allow the water to warm up, eagerly looking forward to the feel of the hot water on my body. Washing outside the van was a pain in the ass, not to mention the anxiety of being seen partially dressed if someone walked by. It’s been weeks since I’ve had a proper one, and even that was only lukewarm.

I set my stuff next to the sink, but then realize I forgot to bring a towel. It’s in the front seat of the van where it will do me absolutely no good. Shit. I’m not going all the way down there now to get it; there must be a spare one around here.

There’s a small guest towel next to the sink, so I can make do with that if I have to. Deciding to check under the sink, I find a bunch of larger ones, though. Hopefully, Gage won’t mind me using one.

Pulling out a fluffy navy-colored towel from the pile, I put it with my stuff, but then my curiosity gets the best of me, and I can’t resist opening the drawer under the first sink. Inside, I find an assortment of Gage’s toiletries. Body sprays, shavers, and his toothbrush. Closing the drawer, I pull open the second one.

Instant regret washes over me.

Something skin-colored catches my eye, but instead of closing the damn thing, I pull the drawer all the way out. What in the giant pink unicorn is that?

Is that what I think it is? A dildo ? Holy shit, the thing’s massive! I’ve never seen one in person before, so of course I need to touch it.

Reaching out, I stroke its soft texture with one finger like it’s gonna grow teeth and bite me. When the teeth don’t appear, I add a second finger while I continue to stroke. Why can’t I stop touching it? It’s like I’m spellbound by this... I don’t even know what to call it… this… Godzilla of dildos.

Even though I’ve never seen one in the flesh before, I can tell it looks high quality, with realistic veins and a suction-cup base. Does Gage use this while showering? Why do I feel turned on by the thought of that giant, god-like man fucking himself? My cheeks heat and my dick gives a lonely twitch.

I’m invested in the beast now. I mean, when will I ever get the chance to view something this unique in private again? So, I pick it up to have a better look, my hands wrapping around it like they’ve never done anything else before. They’ve taken over faster than my brain cells, which are still trying to catch up with the fact that I’m holding a big rubber dick that doesn’t belong to me.

Twirling it around, giving it a proper 360-degree look, I run my fingers down the defined vein. It’s gotta be three times the size of my cock, and I wince at the thought of why anyone would want something this big up their butt. And yet, it’s so soft and smooth. I give it a little wiggle.

The thought of Gage backing up against it, swallowing it with his powerful body, turns my dick from twitching to hard. What in the ever-loving fuck? Where are these thoughts coming from? I’m into girls, last time I checked. I like women. I love everything about them. Their curves and their softness. How they smell. How they sound. So why am I getting hard from holding this thing while envisioning my roommate getting off while fucking himself on this monster cock?

Lost in my daydream, fondling Gage’s dildo, a knock on the bathroom door startles me, causing me to lose my grip. The dildo slides out of my hands, and it lands with a loud splatter in an upright position, the big pink cockhead bouncing left and right in all its glory!

“Everything all right in there? I thought I heard something. You didn’t fall over, did you?” Gage jiggles the handle.

Fuck, that’s all I need. Gage walking in here now. Rushing to make sure I’d flicked the lock shut, I nearly stumbled over the dildo. C’mon Ash, think! Say something! “I’m good,” I manage to croak, swallowing a curse. “I... um... I dropped my shampoo. Won’t be long.”

“Save me some hot water, will ya?” he calls through the door.

“Will do.” I rush back over to the offending object and try to pick the damn thing up, but it won’t budge from the floor tile! Holy shit, it’s fucking suckered to the damn floor like a giant missile ready to launch!

No matter how hard I pull, it refuses to give way. How in the hell am I going to explain this if I can’t pry it loose?

‘ Sorry Gage, but I manhandled your rhino cock, and now its new home is in the middle of the bathroom floor. You’re welcome .’

Panic starts setting in. What am I gonna do? I gotta get this thing up. In my search for something useful to help me, I open the other drawer and grab the toothbrush. Then, dropping to my knees, I use it to try to pry a gap under the suction cup. I spend a solid five minutes stabbing at the bottom, about ready to give up. But then, with one hand gripping it tightly and the other jabbing the toothbrush, it finally lets out enough air to release. It pulls up in one quick motion. The domed head of the monster dong is the last thing I see before it connects with my skull. Ouch !

Jesus, this is something that I’ll have to throw aside in the deepest, darkest corner of my memory. Quickly stuffing the dildo back in the drawer, I look up and catch my reflection. Fantastic! There’s a big red mark in the middle of my forehead. How the fuck am I gonna explain that away?

Note to self: Don’t open the damn dildo drawer!

Jumping in the shower, I try not to take too much time as I know Gage is waiting his turn, but it’s so good. The warm water feels like it’s washing away my troubles… well, at least while I’m under the hot spray. It’s better than I expected; the jets hitting just the right spot on my lower back is absolute heaven. I plan on making the most of this every day. Washing my body and my hair as quickly as I can, all while trying to forget about Mr. Dildo in the drawer. I feel like it’s watching me, which is ridiculous. But I still whip my head around in case that pink tip has made its way out. Brian. That’s what I’m gonna call him: Brian the Beast .

I finish up, turn off the water, and dry myself with the fluffy towel. After I’m dressed, I can’t help taking a peek to double-check that Brian hasn’t somehow run away. He freaking attacked me, after all. I’ll never underestimate him again. Nope, he’s still there.

Picking up my dirty clothes and wash bag, I quietly head back to my room, thankfully avoiding running into Gage. Sitting down on the bed, I think about the clusterfuck of a morning I’ve had. Well, at least I’ll have a funny story to tell the grandkids one day.

After I’m dressed and ready, my growling stomach takes me to the kitchen. I find the stuff to throw together a peanut butter sandwich. Gage walks in, his body still wet from his recent shower, and wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, expertly drying his shoulder-length hair with another. His bronze body gleams with droplets of water, and one of his upper arms is adorned with an intricate tribal tattoo. On his other arm, a tattoo featuring a glass of red wine with a date along the stem is displayed proudly. I force my gaze away from his chest before I’m caught in the act. Gage’s lower arm is still covered in gauze and plastic wrap.

Approaching me, he asks, “Have you seen my toothbrush?”

My mouth goes impossibly dry. Heat rises from my toes to the tips of my ears.

Fuck.

Fuck.

FUCK.

Lie.

“Um no, sorry,” I mumble. To hide my guilt, I quickly avert my eyes back to my sandwich.

“Huh, I must’ve accidentally thrown it in the trash while I was tidying up. No worries, I’ll buy a new one.” When I glance back up, I see he hasn’t moved, and his eyes are locked onto mine. “You sure you didn’t fall in the shower? Your forehead’s all red.” Of course, he would notice. It’s smack in the middle of my forehead, like a burning scarlet D. I'm a Dildo Desecrator. That’ll be my name from now on.

Please floor, open up and swallow me whole. My hand instinctively goes to the tender spot. “Shampoo bottle,” I croak.

We both just stand there looking at each other, Gage tilting his head slightly, his eyes narrowing just a tad as he takes me in. Thinking on the spot of a way to break this awkwardness, I start rambling. “Thanks again for letting me stay here. If I become too much or you change your mind, just give me a heads up and I’ll figure something else out. I know your friend put you on the spot last night, but I really appreciate you helping me out.” I shift on my feet.

Please don’t kick me out.

“Like I said, it’s not a problem,” his deep voice wafts toward me while he massages the back of his neck. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone to share space with. Just gonna take some getting used to, is all.”

“I won’t bother you while I’m here. I work at the store most days. Another thing I wanted to mention is that I’m broke, so I can’t even offer you anything for the lodging right now. I mean, for now at least.” And just when I thought my face couldn’t get any redder, my shame doubles. Fuck.

“Doesn’t Marie pay you?” he says, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“I’m paid for two days, but for the rest of the week, she provides me with a food allowance by loading it onto my card.” Retrieving the card from my wallet, I hold it out for him to see. As he approaches to examine it, the scent of his body wash engulfs me. It’s unusual that I’d pick up on something like that, but all my thoughts have been random and out of the ordinary since meeting Gage.

“Basically, I don’t have much money to pay for rent or utilities, but I can contribute by buying groceries from my card and helping you in the bar after my shifts. I have one day off each week which I usually use for laundry, but I can manage both tasks.”

Gage appears completely bewildered, staring at me and my word vomit. I think I’ve overwhelmed him with my rambling.

“Sorry, I really don’t want you to kick me out. The bed here is so much more comfortable than my van, and your shower is incredible.” I can’t help but notice the pleading edge to my voice, but I feel desperation taking over. “Plus, I like it here,” I murmured, wringing my hands. The thought of being out on my own again makes my chest tighten. It’s not just the luxury of sleeping in a real bed. No, it was falling asleep to the quiet. No loud, angry voices ringing through the house. It’s the feeling of a good—no, a great—night’s sleep without being woken in the middle of the night by fighting or worse.

The furrow between his eyebrows deepens. “You don’t have to worry about leaving; groceries will be enough payment. You can also use the washer and dryer in the kitchen downstairs to do laundry. As for the bar, it’s currently closed because of the fire. However, if you’re willing to lend a hand with cleaning up, I would appreciate it.”

For a few seconds, I just stare at him in disbelief, but before he has time to change his mind, I rush out, “Deal! I’m glad I won’t have to go back to the freezing van.” Smiling, I extend my hand for him to shake, sealing our agreement.

Gage takes it gingerly, almost hesitantly. The moment our skin touches, his eyes widen in surprise, and he quickly pulls his hand away, as though it’s been scorched. Maybe he has an aversion to physical contact. I know some people can’t handle it.

“Why were you sleeping in your van?” he blurts.

This town is so nosy, but I owe him something, so I’ll just give him the basics like I did when I first met Marie.

“Living at home just wasn’t working out, so I left and ended up in Hope. Staying in my van was uncomfortable, but free.” I shrug. “Passing through after a wrong turn, I went to the grocery store for a drink and ended up with a part-time job.”

Speaking of work, I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone to check the time. Twenty minutes left till I need to be there. Thankfully, it’s just a ten-minute walk from here.

“Would it be alright if I leave the van parked out the back? I’ll walk to work from here, so it saves me money on gas.”

“Yeah, it’s fine, but I’ll drop you off today. I need to swing by the store and grab a new toothbrush.”

Clearing my throat, I push half of my sandwich toward him. “Here, have this.”

“Thanks,” he says with a grateful smile as he takes the sandwich.

We both walk back to the hall and I go to my room while he goes to his. Munching on his sandwich, he casually throws over his shoulder, “Give me ten minutes, and I’ll be ready.”

Nodding, I head to my room. So far, every encounter I’ve had with Gage has been weird or slightly awkward. Maybe he’s just shy. Or maybe he’s still upset about the fire and the state of his bar. I know I would be. Hopefully, things will get easier once we know each other better. Adding my charger to my bag, I throw it over my shoulder and make my way to the living room to wait for him.