A New Path To Walk: Chapter 3

Chapter 31

Jake threw his duffel bag in the trunk of his silver Lexus and got in the car, shutting the door after him with a sigh. Turning on the radio he began to drive, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. His whole body felt like it was in knots, and as if the tension could never ease. When a song came on the radio station that he knew, he began to sing, singing and dancing always seemed to calm him down, though he doubted it would this time. After about a twenty-minute drive, which took longer than usual because of traffic, he pulled into Chris's driveway. The house looked pretty inviting on the outside and even more on the inside. It was this house that had become a second home to Jake over the years. Unlocking the trunk, he grabbed the duffel bag and headed up the walkway.2

Chris, seeing him from the bay window in his living room, opened the door before Jake even got to it. Inwardly he winced, Jake looked like he'd been dragged through hell and back and it made him ache in sympathy with the tension he saw in every nerve of his friend's body. Gently he guided the tired twenty-one year old through the door and shut it behind them. "Mother night! Jake you look like-"3

"Hell," Jake finished for him. "I know I'm not looking my best at the moment. Honestly I feel like I've aged about ten years in the past month due to lack of sleep and stress."4

Seeing the dark circles underneath Jake's eyes Chris inwardly agreed that at the moment, Jake looked like he had aged that much. Resisting the urge to pick Jake up and carry him, Chris simply put one hand on his shoulder blades steering him toward the couch. "Sit down, and I'll get you something cold to drink." Crossing into the kitchen Chris yanked open the refrigerator and pulled out two beers, before slamming the door shut. He was angry, very angry. James had once again riled him with what he had put his son through. Like Jake didn't have enough emotional strain to deal with, but Chris knew more would come once James found out Jake had broken off the engagement to Lydia.5

While Chris was in the kitchen, Jake leaned his head against one of the couch pillows and shut his eyes. He knew Chris was worried about him, he could always tell. Much as he hated making him worry, he couldn't hide the state he was in, even if he had attempted to Chris would have seen right through it. Once his friend returned, he gratefully accepted the cold beer he was given, uncapping it. He forced himself to sip at it and not chug, but it was difficult.6

"Hey Jake? Do you want me to give you a massage? You could use one, I can tell, it's making me hurt just watching you." Chris sat down beside Jake and drank some of his own beer before putting the bottle on top of a coaster on the coffee table.7

Wearily Jake looked at Chris with gratitude glimmering in his eyes. "I will forever owe you one if you do that for me."8

"No you wont, I'm doing this not because I expect to be given anything in return, but because I want to." He rose to his feet stretching his long legs. "I'll go get everything set up, you just finish your beer and don't think about anything, you'll only make yourself feel worse if you start to think."9

In one of the spare rooms of the house was Chris's massaging table and a cabinet filled with lotions and oils. Drawing the drapes over the windows he twisted the light switch making dim light flow around the room. Moving over to the closet in the corner he pulled out a clean sheet and spread it over the table. Thinking for a moment he grabbed a robe from the closet as well and headed into the bathroom, hanging the robe on a hook attached to the door. Getting a folded towel he put it on the counter and filled the good-sized tub with hot water.10

Jake finished off the beer, setting it down on a coaster. When he looked up, he found Chris standing in the doorway. "I think perhaps you should have a good soak first, I filled the tub with hot water, there's a robe on the door, and a folded towel on the counter. This may help loosen you up slightly, so it won't hurt as much when I unknot those muscles of yours."11

"Chris my friend, what would I do without you?" Jake stood up, a smile crossing his handsome face.12

To this Chris only chuckled. "Probably go out of your mind, now are you going to get in that tub or must I carry you into the bathroom and undress you myself?" One wing shaped brow arched as he said this. The thoughts running through his mind were mischievous however, but he managed to shove them aside.13

Jake simply rolled his mysterious eyes. "All right, all right I'm going! Not that you wouldn't enjoy that I'm sure!" With that graceful walk of his he made his way to the bathroom,14

Chris's eyes widened once Jake was out of sight. It was as if his friend had read his thoughts. What am I getting myself into? I'm going to be giving him this massage for at least two hours, that means my hands will be moving all over that body of his. How am I supposed to keep my self-control? He growled slightly and scolded himself. What are you six? You can handle this Chris!15

Shutting the bathroom door behind him, Jake flicked on the light. He raised his arms over his head, his broad shoulders and muscled back rippling as he removed his black sweater. Balancing on one foot he removed his socks. His strong hands moved to his belt and he smoothly slid it from the belt loops of his close fitting jeans in one motion. Undone came the button on his jeans and he slid them down past his hips so they dropped to his ankles revealing well muscled thighs, calves, and legs gained from dancing. His boxers soon followed and he kicked the garments at his feet out of the way. Slowly he eased his body into the hot water, hissing as it hit a sore spot. When he finally was comfortable, he let out a sigh tipping his head back. Here was his sanctuary, at last with the help of Chris he had a bit of peace.16

Chris paced in the hallway trying to make the fantasies going through his head go away. He had heard the sensuous hiss of clothing leaving skin, and had heard them hit the tiled floor. His mind pictured Jake panning slowly from the raven, slightly spiked hair, to the tan handsome face from which peered bewitching, alluring violet eyes. Then the strong neck, broad shoulders, muscled torso. 'Stop!' he fiercely told himself but it was no use. Still images floated through the block he was trying to put on his mind. Chris forced himself to think about Vicky and instantly the fire running through his blood ebbed. Suddenly he heard the bathroom door open and all breath was stolen from him, as he saw Jake standing there in the smoky gray silk robe, running a hand through his damp hair.17

"Chris, you okay?" The timbre of Jake's voice sounded like a warm fire on a cold winter's morn. Those eyes were sparkling with contentment, and he stepped forward hesitantly waving a hand in front of his friend's face, which held a dazed expression. "Hello Chris? You still there or have you gone far away on me?"18

Those words impacted Chris in a way that it shouldn't have, but he shook off the image of Jake falling back against soft, white sheets, his warm body wrapped in Chris's arms. "No I'm here, I was just thinking." He cleared his throat and smiled. "So what do you want? Full body, back, neck?"19

"Full body please." Jake moved into the room where the massage table was set. "So which way do you want me?"20

Chris's eyes clouded for a moment. "Huh?" His conjuring mind was screwing up his common sense, so automatically he thought the worst of a relevant question.21

"For the massage, do you want me on my stomach or my back?" Jake asked this with a concerned look on his face, and his tone held question within it.22

"Oh, uh back first please. I'll leave the room while you disrobe." Chris cleared his throat and was mentally kicking himself for sounding like such an idiot.23

Jake looked at him, tilting his head slightly to one side. "Why do you have to leave? We are best friends we've know each other for what, three or four years now?"24

"It's just the professional thing to do." Chris commanded a particular part of his anatomy to heel as he said this though it was protesting mightily, as a stirring began within him once more. "I'll turn my back at least." He turned around, going over to his oil and lotion cabinet to distract himself. Searching eyes finally centered on a bottle of almond oil and he pulled it out.25

"Okay Chris," Jake said softly when he was underneath the sheet, and his arms were at his sides.26

Chris twisted the cap off the container of almond oil and rubbed his hands together so they wouldn't be cold. His hands slid the sheet down slightly, and came to rest on Jake's tan skin. Then those hands began to move pressing gently over his skin, and gliding over the muscles of his chest. All the while he kept thinking, 'I wonder what it would be like to touch him like this in a situation where I wasn't giving him a massage.'27

At one point when his fingers probed the top of Jake's shoulders his friend let out a grunt of pain, as he worked to unknot them.28

Jake tensed as Chris grabbed hold of his left wrist and stretched his arm out slightly.29

"Don't tense up I'm not going to hurt you. I should be able to lift your arm and meet no resistance from you. Picture in your mind that your arm is very heavy, like lead perhaps."30

After about an hour Chris had Jake flip over onto his stomach. Using the edge of his palm he worked into a muscle in the middle of Jake's smooth back right between the shoulder blades, moving in steady circles.31

"Hey Chris? Why did you propose to Jessica?" This question Jake voiced drowsily.32

"I guess I thought my family would accept me if I did, and I tried to convince myself that I could make it work. He sighed and moved down Jake's back.33

"What happened with your family Chris?" Jake asked drowsily.34

Chris flinched before answering in a slightly choked voice. "I'll tell you some other time Jake." His deft hands continued their work.35

When Jake let out a soft moan of pleasure it sent tingles up Chris's spine and made gooseflesh become visible on his arms. "Feels good doesn't it?"36

"Mm-hm," Jake murmured. "You have about a hundred years to quit doing that."37

Grinning Chris continued to knead Jake's back muscles before moving down. Gently he pulled at Jake's sides, releasing tension and then worked on his hips. Then smoothly, his fingers worked into Jake's long legs. By the time he had finished he knew Jake was completely content and relaxed. "I'm going to turn around again, when you get up I'd advise you do so slowly, otherwise you might get a bit dizzy." Chris put the robe in Jake's outstretched hand and turned around. Suddenly the sound of the phone ringing sent him running into the kitchen to pick it up.38

Jake eased himself up slowly, shutting his eyes for a moment, before pulling the robe on and getting off the massage table. He could hear Chris talking in the kitchen and wondered whom he was speaking to. A moment later he heard him hang up, and he looked up as Chris came back into the room. "Who was that on the phone?" 39

"Oh don't worry it wasn't your father, it was just your sister Vicky."40

Arching an eyebrow he looked back at Chris. "Oh really? What did she want?"41

Chris looked at him with twinkling eyes that made him look as if he was laughing. "Well she called from the studio saying that she needed your help with one of the classes today."42

Jake groaned loudly. "Did you tell her that I broke off the engagement to Lydia?"43

"Yes I did and she said that she wasn't going to let you use that as an excuse, that you dance your best when you're under stress." He chuckled. "Also she said if you continued to mope around I was to, and I quote, 'drag your ass down there by whatever means I have to.' "44

"I guess I have no choice then, I'll go get dressed. What time does she want me there?"45

"In an hour. By the way Jake, mind telling me what happened this morning when you told her?"46

Jake sighed heavily. "I'll make you a deal, let me go get dressed and then I'll tell you, if you tell me what happened at Jimmy's party."47

"Done!" Chris said this with a visible wince, nervously running his fingers through his hair.48

Soon after Jake had pulled on a black shirt and jeans, he returned to the living room taking a seat on the couch.49

Chris, who was already waiting there, removed his hands from behind his head and sat up, for he had been positioned in a lazy slouch. "So what happened?"50

After clearing his throat, Jake answered. "Well I was practicing some of the routines I teach my advanced students and suddenly Lydia was standing there in the doorway. Apparently my father made her a copy of my apartment key, and neglected to tell me. She comes over and starts trying to seduce me again, so I was basically trying to stop her and think of a gentle way to break it to her, but I finally just blurted it out."51

Chris interrupted him quietly. "And I'm guessing she thought you were joking and then when she knew you were not, tried to convince you that somehow it would work."52

"Right, so then she burst into tears and I spent a good hour or so trying to comfort her. After she calmed down though she took it pretty well and thanked me for being honest with her." Jake ran a hand through his hair. "It was so hard though I never wanted to hurt her, but after I told her she was the way she used to be before this whole mess came about."53

Chris squeezed one of Jake's shoulders gently. "You did the right thing. No matter what anybody else thinks, at least you know it was the right thing to do."54

A slight smile crossed his face. "Thanks Chris, now what happened at that party?" Jimmy was Jake's sister Vicky's boyfriend; they'd been seeing each other for four years. It was known that Jimmy threw the best parties around, but this year Jake had not gone there was too much going on.55

"It's so humiliating! But a deal is a deal so I'll tell you. I got there, had a few drinks and started talking to people, anyway a few hours later I was having a good time and I got pretty lit. Then who should come swaggering over but Tom's best friend Mike. Now mind you I'm so drunk at this point that I wasn't able to think too clearly, suddenly Mike just starts making out with me! I-"56

Jake's jaw dropped at this point and he interrupted Chris with an exclamation. "I didn't know Mike was gay! Obviously Tom doesn't either being the homophobic bastard that he is."57

"Trust me I had no idea either, anyway I was so out of it that I just went along with it. Next thing I know I'm upstairs in Jimmy's house in one of the spare bedrooms, and well I think you can figure out what happened next. The next morning Mike starts yelling, woke me right up, pure terror in his voice."58

"Let me guess, Mike doesn't want anyone finding out because he is in love with Tom, and Tom's homophobic and wouldn't want anything to do with him if he found out."59

Chris arched a brow. "Yeah actually that was the reason. Before I could stop him Mike goes bolting out of the house and I hear him yelling about how I seduced him! I wanted to disappear, I mean I understand Mike's reasoning but here the guy is tearing my reputation apart to keep his secret safe. I have never felt so humiliated in my life! Somehow, and don't ask me how I don't quite remember, I made it back to my place without anyone noticing me leaving."60

Jake winced in sympathy and embraced his friend. "I can understand how you feel, I'd probably feel the same way."61

"I'm going to have to talk to Jimmy and find out how much of my dignity he managed to salvage, I'm almost afraid to ask!"62

Closing his eyes Jake thought for a moment. "Well you could come to the studio with me and talk to him there, besides you've been learning some of the steps anyway."63

"That sounds like a good idea actually." He glanced over at the clock. "What do you say about getting some lunch and then driving over there? We've got about a half an hour of time to kill."64

As if on cue, Jake's stomach growled loudly. "Sounds like a good plan, I'm starving."65

Chris chuckled. "When was the last time you had something to eat?"66

Jake answered ruefully. "To tell you the truth I don't quite remember."67

"Then get up and let's go!" Chris said this sternly. "I don't care how stressed out you get, you take the time to get something in your system three times a day, do you hear me Jake Evans?"68

Rising to his feet Jake answered in a mirth filled tone. "Yes Mom."69

Chris looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "Ha ha Jake very funny!" Grumbling as he practically pushed Jake out the front door he added, "I'll give you yes Mom! Now move it!"70

Laughing Jake made his way to motorcycle while Chris gave him a quite murderous look but you could tell he was trying not to laugh himself.71