The shower ran for over twenty minutes. Richie gaped at the bathroom door with his arms across his chest and wide eyes. He felt a little insulted that Toby hadn’t tried anything with him that night. The least Toby could have done was try to grope him. Richie didn’t take rejection well because he usually didn’t have to deal with it. Then he wondered how on earth Toby could stand in a cold shower for so long. He knew they’d lost power sometime during the night. He’d gone to the bathroom in the middle of the night and all the lights were out. He knew the water was still running because he’d been able to flush the toilet. But there hadn’t been hot water, wouldn’t be any until the power was restored.
By the time Toby came out of the bathroom, showered and shaved and ready for work, Richie was sitting up in bed trying to conceal his erection with a pillow. He was still a little angry, but he didn’t want Toby to know this. He had one of those solid dicks that stick up straight and it was hard to control it. And once he was hard the only way to make it soft again was release. Toby didn’t help matters. He had a short white towel wrapped around his waist; his legs were smooth and silky and he had those cute little chest muscles that popped and rounded out slightly. The thought of rubbing his dick up and down Toby’s smooth thighs only made Richie hold the pillow tighter.
“Good morning,” Toby said, without looking at Richie, reaching into his closet for clothes. “The electric is out. I’m going down to the corner for coffee. This is perhaps the only building in New York with electric ranges and hot water heaters. I’m pretty sure the store will have power. It’s usually just these old buildings on this block that lose power during storms. I’m used to it. Sometimes all we need is one crack of thunder and we lose power.”
Richie watched him grab a dark gray suit and a white shirt and a tie. Toby couldn’t have cared less that Richie was in bed, with a full erection, watching him dress. He grabbed a fresh pair of boxer shorts from his top drawer and dark socks from the drawer beneath that. When he bent down, with his arms full, and reached for his shoes, Richie leaned over to see it he could get a glimpse of his ass and said, “Wasn’t it cold in the shower?”
Toby shrugged and stood up before Richie could see up the towel. “I needed it. It woke me up.” He turned toward the bedroom doorway and stepped into the living room with his clothes pressed tightly against his body. “I’ll just get dressed out here so I don’t bother you. How do you take your coffee?”
“I’ll go to the store,” Richie said. “Just give me a minute and I’ll get dressed. I’m fast.” He had no idea how he was going to get out of bed with the flagpole between his legs. Though Toby wasn’t his immediate boss, Toby was higher in rank than Richie and Richie felt obligated to make this one small gesture. Besides, he’d been squatting in Toby’s apartment with Brad…for free…and he felt a little guilty about making this his love nest.
“I don’t mind,” Toby said. “I’m practically dressed anyway. How do you take your coffee?”
“Black is fine,” Richie said. His balls tightened and his dick jumped. The towel had separated and Richie could see all the way up Toby’s left thigh. His skin looked so smooth and soft Richie pursed his lips without even realizing it.
Toby sent him a clueless smile, turned to leave, and closed the bedroom door so he could get dressed alone in the living room. By the time he returned from the store, Richie had changed the sheets, made the bed, and cleaned up the bathroom. He’d also jacked off into one of Toby’s socks real fast, too, thinking about Toby’s smooth legs. He was dressed in his regular clothes and he’d have to borrow a uniform from one of the guys at work. When he heard the apartment door open, he walked out to the living room and found Toby standing there with a white paper bag in each hand.
Toby lifted the bags and smiled. “I got a few doughnuts, too.” He shrugged and looked down at the floor. “In case you were hungry or something.”
“Thanks,” said Richie. “That was nice. I’m always hungry.” He rubbed his stomach and laughed. “I’m a growing boy.” Then he walked over to Toby, took the bags, and carried them to the small table near the kitchen. “How is it out there now?” Toby had gone out in the cold to get him breakfast. The least he could do was set it up and serve it.
“It’s not that bad,” Toby said. “The streets are pretty clear and so are the sidewalks. It’s warmer, too. People are still shoveling, but it’s passable.”
Richie removed the coffee from one bag and reached for the other. He knew where everything was in the apartment by then. He was about to start arranging the table when Toby picked up his coffee and said, “Well, I’ll see you at the office.” Then he turned and headed toward the door.
“You’re leaving already?” Richie asked. “It’s still early.” He’d never met such a cold, disinterested person. The least Toby could do is sit with him and keep him company. Did he have to insult him by leaving this early?
“I’ll have my coffee on the way,” Toby said. “I’ve been working on something at the office and I’d like to get an early start.” He seemed to have trouble looking Richie in the eye, as if he knew a secret Richie didn’t know.
“I see.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Toby said. He opened the front door and smiled. “Stay as long as you like.” Then he left without sending him as much as a backward glance.
* * * * After the night they spent together, they went back to their regular routines. Brad and Richie would hook up in Toby’s apartment one or two evenings a week and the only time Richie saw Toby was when he’d run into him at the office. They never spoke; just a nod or a smile. They never told Brad about the night they’d spent together. Richie didn’t want Brad to get jealous and jump to conclusions. Brad usually clenched his teeth and made a face when he heard Richie just talking about other guys.
Richie continued to leave small flower arrangements in Toby’s apartment and he went to extra lengths to make sure Toby’s apartment was perfect when he left. He even started doing little things in Toby’s office, too. When he cleaned it at night after everyone left, he used a special cleaner he only used for the big bosses. It had a fragrance that reminded him of fresh salt air and it lingered for at least a day. He also left a fresh bouquet of flowers on Toby’s desk all the time. Though Richie knew Toby never mentioned any of this special treatment aloud to anyone, he always winked and thanked Richie for the flowers the next day when he passed him in the hall.