From Little Acorns Ch. 01

"Good morning."

"Oh, hi, your car wasn't on the drive, I thought you were out." Jayden blushed and Trent found himself becoming even more entranced with the appearance of his companion.

"My car went for a service last night. I'm in all day today but it's no problem, just come round and start whenever you get here. Drinks in the fridge like before and I'll put Lucy's bowl over here, in case she gets hot and thirsty before you do." Trent took the small bowl and placed it in the shade of one of the taller trees in his garden. He saw Jayden nod and smile and then turn to his work. Trent knew he had been dismissed and so went back inside the house wondering how to get the younger man to open up a little bit.

The day went by quickly for both men. Trent, knowing his home would be beautiful outside by the end of his holiday, decided to try and do something about the inside as well. He spent the time wisely, moving furniture, washing down walls and making sure the entire downstairs was clean, sparkling and tidy. Jayden had been busy too, but with work that didn't show as clearly how much had been achieved as the previous day. On closer inspection though, the beds nearest the house were weed and stone free. The path down the garden was clear all the way to the boundary line on one side, its edge sharp and defined. Jayden told Trent he was ready to begin planting and would do the two closest beds and finish the path the following day. By the time six o'clock came round he was ready to call it quits and head for home.

Trent walked around his garden after Jayden left. Getting to all areas was easier now and he realized how much he was looking forward to just lazing or pottering in it himself. He could see the grass would need to be replaced. Jayden had suggested waiting and seeing what to do and he imagined a complete returf would be the only way to bring it up to the standards of the rest of the garden.

The weather was still very pleasant and Trent went back into the house to pick up a bottle of wine and a glass. He made himself comfortable in the conservatory and enjoyed looking out and imagining how everything would have changed by the weekend. His thoughtful meanderings didn't even come close to how many alterations he would like to see made by then.

Jayden ate his breakfast very slowly the following morning. He felt lousy, achy and tired; his head was pounding. He wished he could go right back to bed but knew he couldn't. If he was honest with himself he didn't want to. Although they hadn't talked much he enjoyed Trent's company. Knowing the older man was in the house while he worked outside had been a very pleasant sensation and one he'd never experienced before. His mind had begun to wander a few times, trying to imagine what it was like to be in a relationship and have someone waiting for you to join them, whether just for a meal or in their bed.

He knew he was far more naïve than anyone could imagine. In his twenty-four years he'd been kissed exactly once and, as it had been by a girl, it had done nothing for him. Although he'd never even been on a date Jayden knew it was men who attracted him not women. When his peers at school had been eying up the girls in their own year, and the ones above, he'd found himself looking at the tall, sporty male students as he realized they set his pulse racing.

His mother had died a week before his eighteenth birthday in a car accident. He had finished his final year at school but all plans for a university education had been shelved indefinitely as he joined his father working at the garden centre. He'd taken over all the bookkeeping duties and the general everyday running of the place while his dad continued with the breeding and selling of a variety of different species of rose.

The older man's heart had no longer been in it however, and gradually he had spent more and more time inside the house with a bottle nearby neglecting everything he'd worked for. Jayden had taken over the running of the business and when, at age twenty, he'd found his father dead in bed one morning the distraught widower had been nothing more than a figurehead, a name to attract and keep loyal customers. So far removed had he become from the day to day running of things that, after his death, the garden centre had continue on as if nothing had changed. It had only been the life of the young man, left alone, which had done that. He now had responsibility for it all, and he'd realized his world was totally empty and bereft of anything other than flowers, accounts books and loyalty to a life he no longer had.

It had been after midnight before Trent had gone to bed and he lay there the following morning watching the clock tick round to ten o'clock enjoying the fact that he had nowhere to go and nothing to do if he didn't want to. The downstairs part of the house had looked great when he'd walked through it on his way to bed and he was determined, when he finally got up, to at least think about doing the upstairs too. However, he also had two new books, which had arrived the previous afternoon from an online bookstore, and he was looking forward to sitting and relaxing with them as well. He smiled and stretched out lazily, knowing he was lucky to be in the position where he was able to pick and choose what he wanted to do or do nothing if that was his choice instead.

He had heard Jayden and Lucy arrive and disappear into the back garden and felt no necessity to get up and rush to meet them. Jayden was more than capable of just getting down to work without him standing watching and, as much as he would enjoy the view, he had to get real and remember in two or three days the younger man would be gone. After that he would only return to keep things in good shape once or twice a month.

Trent ran his hands over his body, he knew he was a bit of a narcissist but he did like the feel of his own skin. He loved to touch and be touched as well, but if there was no one in his life to do that to or with then he was quite happy to stimulate himself. He ran fingers over dark nipples, tweaking them to hardness as he did so and moaning at the sensations it caused. His cock, long, he knew, at eight inches, and thick, began to harden and rise from his body. He kicked the covers off so he could see it and began to let his mind wander over the fit and sexy form of Jayden Parker.

His own chest was smooth and hairless, but Jayden had a mass of curls, which he longed to run his fingers through. They were bleached almost white, and stood out against the coppery brown of the gardener's tanned skin. Trent himself was almost black in colour. His hair was cut so close to his head it almost seemed as if it wasn't there. In contrast Trent had a goatee beard which, although neatly trimmed, stood out because of his almost baldpate. It was a look Trent cultivated and enjoyed. He loved the feel of the sun on his skin, just as it appeared Jayden did, and so he was darker during the summer than he was in the winter. He'd been known to spend a month in the Caribbean during January and February, when his workload allowed, and that had done wonders for his skin tones.

Trent got out of bed and made his way into his en-suite bathroom. He was still hard and his hand gently stroked his erection as he walked. He turned on the shower and stood underneath it, angling the head so the water pulsed needle-like against his chest, pounding his nipples and keeping them rock hard. His one hand continued to stroke his cock, his thumb flicking over the bulbous tip each time he reached it and then he moved so his other hand was behind him and pushed his middle finger through his tight rosebud and inside himself.

"Oh, fuck, yeah." The sensations he was creating made his knees feel weak and he leant back against the cold tile as he felt himself getting closer and closer to a climax. His hand sped up until he couldn't hold back any longer and a long rope of cum shot out across the shower cubicle. Three more followed, spurting out and causing Trent to shake with excitement and release. He slid down the smooth side of the cubicle and let the water pulse over his head. The young man in his garden could certainly ring all his bells, even if he didn't have any idea he was doing it.

Trent had finally made it downstairs in time to begin thinking about lunch. He walked through the lounge, still delighted with what he had achieved, and saw Jayden crouched down by a flowerbed, a tray of plants by his left hand. If he was honest apart from that the garden didn't look any different than it had the previous evening but he was sure Jayden had been working hard, even if he, himself, had been lounging around.

"Morning ... Hey, are you ok?" Trent had watched as Jayden turned and then got to his feet to greet him but darted forward as the young man swayed on his feet before collapsing down onto his hands and knees.

"No, sorry, sorr ..." the words disappeared as Jayden turned away, vomiting into the newly dug soil, once, twice, three times, before again slumping forwards.

"Jay!"

"Need ... please, Trent, so sorry." His words didn't make sense and Trent crouched down to place the back of his hand against the younger man's forehead.

"You're burning up, Jay. Come on, let me take you inside, man."

"Home, I can go home." He let himself be helped to his feet but Jayden wasn't feeling strong enough to walk unaided and leant against Trent, realizing, even through his fever, just how nice it felt to be helped and held.

"Is there anyone there? Wife, girlfriend?"

"No, no one."

"Then you're not going. Come on, inside, we'll work things out from there."

Jayden didn't have it in him to argue and so fell into step with Trent, the world spinning round him as he did so. Carefully he was eased down into a chair as he let out a groan of anguish. He felt himself begin to shiver and wrapped his arms around himself. Just now, out in the garden, he had been hot, now he was cold and knew something was very wrong.

"Ok, open wide." Trent put a thermometer under his new patient's tongue and waited. It was digital and would 'ping' when it was ready. He didn't like the fact that Jay had been burning hot in the garden but was now so obviously cold. He was definitely coming down with something and there was no way he could let him go back to an empty house.

The sound of the thermometer brought Trent back to the present and he carefully took it from Jayden's mouth. It read 102.7. Now the medical side of things was over he carefully handed the younger man a glass of water and waited while he drank from it.

"Jay. Jayden, look at me, buddy, just for a minute. I know you feel rough but you need to listen."

"'k. Can I sleep then, mum, please?"

Trent smiled. He guessed Jayden didn't live with his mother, but maybe he could call her later and get her to come pick him up. For now he was going to get him upstairs and into bed, although not in quite the way he had dreamt about.

"Sure, come on, up you get." Carefully, although Jayden didn't seem as wobbly on his legs as he had done, Trent guided him up the stairs and into the spare room. It was always ready for unexpected guests and so he pulled the covers back and then sat Jay on the side of the bed.

"You need to get undressed and then lie down. I can call your parents, or you can stay the night." Trent watched, horrified, as a tear slid down Jayden's cheek.

"They ... they're dead. I can't drive home, Trent, please. I ... I'm so sorry about this. Bloody cashier's duty, k ... kids sneezing everywhere. Ohhhh." The colour drained from his face again and Trent caught him as he fell forward.

"That's it, no more talking, or anything else for that matter. Here, let me." Trent carefully sat Jayden up again but left his head resting against his shoulder. He pulled his t-shirt over his head. Socks and steel toe capped boots followed before he unbuttoned Jayden's jeans and removed them and the work shorts he was wearing underneath. Trent gently pushed Jayden onto the bed and brushed his hair out of his eyes before pulling the bedcovers over him.

"Try and get some sleep, I'll be right here." He decided the less said about his faux pas regarding Jay's parents the better. He would apologise when it was obvious Jayden was feeling healthier. Trent sat down in the easy chair, which was positioned near the window. He could see the back garden and it was obvious to him now why it didn't look much different to the previous evening. Jayden hadn't been well enough to even come to work, let alone get anything accomplished.

Ten minutes later, when Trent was sure Jayden was fast asleep, he slipped out of the room and down the stairs. He heard a scraping sound and made his way towards the garden. Lucy was scratching at the glass and so he opened the back door and she scurried inside. He watched as she looked around for her master and then he picked up the two books he'd had delivered as well as the small animal and returned to the spare room. The dog leapt up on the bed, sniffed at Jayden for a moment without disturbing him, and then curled up at his feet. Trent smiled. Apart from the fact that Jayden was ill, this scenario was definitely one he could get very used to.

Jayden slept for almost twenty-four hours solid. Trent hadn't spent the entire time with him, retiring to his own bed for the night but leaving the doors open. Now, as he began to think about getting some lunch, the doctor watched his patient begin to stir. He had put a jug of water and a glass by the bed and, as he realized it would be needed, poured some out and waited for Jayden to become conscious of where he was.

Jayden, although not fully awake, was sure he wasn't at home. Every part of him ached and, as he gradually came too, he realized he felt dreadful. Groaning with the effort it took he ran his hand through his hair to move it back off his face and then opened his eyes.

"Hi, shhh, it's ok, you're still at my house. Take it steady." Trent spoke softly; he didn't want to scare the young man lying half naked in his spare bed. There were lots of things he did want to do to him, but that wasn't one of them.

"Trent?" Jayden pulled himself up in the bed as his body screeched at him to stop. "Ughhhh, God, what's wrong with me?"

"Well, I would say, in my professional opinion, you have the flu, and working in the heat all week probably hasn't helped."

"No, I'm used to that. Thanks." Jayden sipped from the proffered glass of water gratefully, moaning when it was moved away from him.

"Drink it slowly, otherwise you'll get stomach cramps. I want to take your temperature again and change your sheets, then you can get into a clean cool bed and I'll go and get some lunch."

"Yes, Sir." Jayden smiled as he spoke, it was nice to be looked after.

"Ok, carefully now." Trent pulled back the covers and Jayden swung his legs over the side He went to take Jayden's arm but saw him shake his head.

"I'm fine ... whoa." The room spun as Jayden got to his feet and he felt the strong arms of his protector guide him to a comfortable looking chair.

"Funnily enough, I do know what I'm talking about. Are you ok?" Trent crouched down and then looked up into Jayden's face. The younger man was very pale and all the strength he had shown as he worked in the garden seemed to have deserted him.

"No, I don't think I am. I'm sorry, Trent, I'm not used to being ill." Jayden leant forward so his head rested in his hands. He felt as if he was going to slide to the floor in a faint at any moment.

"No problem. Iam used to people being ill, so I'm happy to deal with it. Now, sit quietly, I won't be long." Trent picked up the white towelling robe that hung on the back of the door and draped it gently around Jayden's shoulders. Even though Jayden was hot the older doctor knew it would be easy for him to catch a chill. Once that was done he began to strip the bed of the sweat stained sheets. By his reckoning Jayden's fever had broken only a couple of hours earlier and the bedding showed just how much he had perspired before that. It didn't take more than a few minutes before Trent had the bed remade and he guided Jayden over to it. No words had been spoken by either of them and it wasn't until the ailing younger man was back in the deliciously feeling bed that he made any sound.

"Thank you. God, I feel so tired."

"That's understandable. Let me take your temperature then I'll leave you in peace. If you want anything just bang on the floor." Trent busied himself for a moment or two and then smiled. "It's dropped a little. I'd still like it to be a bit lower, but at least it's going in the right direction."

"Can I go back to sleep? I ... I'm sorry about your garden, I won't charge you from now until it's done." Jayden slid back under the cover as he spoke. He noticed it was just one sheet but it seemed to be enough.

"Don't worry about it. Just rest. I called your garden centre, explained what had happened, they aren't expecting you back for a couple of days. I've got dog food too, my neighbour brought it over. Everything is sorted, so, like I said, rest."

Jayden's eyes were already getting heavy and he just nodded. Somehow he knew words weren't necessary, but he reached out and touched Trent's hand with his own and then, a small smile on his face, he sank into a restful and healing sleep.

By the following afternoon Jayden was feeling well enough to come down and sit in the conservatory and he planned to maybe return home that night. He was enjoying Trent's company and ministrations very much, but wasn't sure how to go about explaining that to his gracious host. He also wasn't sure why it was, as he'd lain alone in the bedroom thinking about the doctor, he had felt a tingling in his groin and then the unmistakable hardening of his cock. That was something he had no intention of explaining, to anyone.

"Ok, don't laugh, but as the weather is still good, and those plants need to be in the ground, I'm going to do some gardening. This is twice in one week, you owe me!" Trent came into the room and Jayden swung round, gasping aloud as he did so. The doctor was dressed in a pair of quite tight jeans and a muscle vest, which showed off his dark skin to perfection. That wasn't the only reason for Jayden's reaction however.

"Wow, you're ... that's ... I'm sorry." A blush flooded Jayden's face and he turned away.

"What?" Trent looked concerned and the worry came over in his voice. "Jay?"

"That tattoo. It's ... did it hurt?"

"Like the very devil." Trent looked down at the lion's head with its flowing mane that adorned his left biceps and up onto his shoulder. Although there was very little colour in it the artwork was exquisite and he was enormously proud of it.

"I think it's wonderful. I'd never be that brave ... did you say you were going to do gardening?" The gist of Trent's conversation suddenly dawned on Jayden and he looked up with large brown eyes.

"I did. You can direct operations from here, but I'm right, aren't I? Those plants need to be put in?"

Jayden nodded, remembering the fact that his companion had once mentioned to him how if his hands were dirty it was more likely to be with blood than soil. He didn't think now was the time to mention it though.

The wicker chair Jayden had appropriated was very comfortable, it was also big enough for him to curl up in and so he wound a throw around his shoulders and did just that. Lucy looked at him for a moment and then at the open door before deciding there was no contest. She scampered after Trent, yapping around his ankles, and then darted back into the house just to make sure Jayden was ok with what she was doing before returning to the garden.

"So, direct me. I don't want the bit I do to become the only dead part." Trent turned to face his friend, enjoying the company and the prospect of a light-hearted if busy afternoon.