His Seduction Ch. 03

Scott's laugh seemed to echo around in Mike's head, even long after he'd left.

*****

Somehow, Keith managed to make it through his class, no one bothering him in the slightest with questions regarding his bruise or his limp. After drifting into the art room and painting for a few hours after class to let his mind drift away, he felt remarkably better.

Ms. Kisby looked over his shoulder to look at his work while her last class of the day worked on their paintings. The mirage of colors spoke volumes to her or torment and passion colliding. It was one of Keith's most powerful paintings yet. "You really are by far my greatest student, Keith. This is wonderful."

"Oh, thanks. I wasn't even really thinking about it, truth be told."

"Sometimes it's the subconscious that really lets your talent flow. It's beautiful."

Keith made it back to the house with a smile on his face. He was never happier than after he'd been painting. It was the greatest release he had.

"Oh, shit!" Glancing at his watch, he realized it was already six-thirty. The limo would be there in half an hour and he was covered in paint! Damn it!

Bursting into the house, Jason looked up from the couch where he was watching some football game. "Hey, dude. Mike was looking for you. Said something about how you were going to be late or something. He's upstairs."

"Thanks!" Dropping his books on the table, Keith ran up the stairs, stripping as he went. Off went the shoes and socks. Shirt flew off of his head by the time he'd reached he top of the stairs. He'd already unzipped Mike's jeans by the time Mike poked his head out of his room.

"There you are man, I was wondering where-" Mike cut off as his throat closed on him and his mouth went dry.

"What?" Keith asked as he headed for the bathroom. He had to have a shower. Somehow he didn't think his father would appreciate it if he met his fiancé smelling of turpentine.

His hair messed from pulling his shirt over his head, jeans hanging sinfully low on his hips showing a washboard stomach, and little splotches of paint on his cheeks, nose and forearms, not to mention the colors decorating his hands, Mike had never seen Keith look sexier. It actually felt as though his heart had stopped when he had opened his bedroom door to find Keith coming down the hall like that.

"I, uh, I, I forgot."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to hop into a quick shower," Keith said to Mike, walking backwards to look at him, his mind still on the dinner ahead. "You'd better make sure you're ready to go when the limo arrives, okay? It'll be here soon."

"Yeah, okay." Mike watched him disappear into the bathroom and listened to the shower turn on. It took every ounce of willpower he had to not join Keith in the shower. He didn't tin Keith was quiet ready for that kind of pounce yet, not to mention he'd kill him for making them late.

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang and Jason yelled up the stairs, "Your limo is here you lucky bastards! Hurry it up! I'm gonna go check it out for you!"

Keith grabbed a tie out of his closet and ran for the door. Mike was already waiting at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed and looking bored. He stopped Keith and took his tie from him, beginning to put it around his friend's neck. "You can't very well go have assed, now can you?"

"Thanks, Mike."

"It's just a tie, don't worry about it."

"No, I mean . . . well, coming with me tonight. Thanks."

"I'll always be there for you. Always have, always will." Mike ruffled his hair and smiled. "Come on, let's go save the driver from Jason."

*****

Mike mentally cringed as they walked into the immaculate dining establishment. Everything was in its place, chandelier gleamed with real crystal, every tablecloth was pressed, and the waiters were in tuxedos. Even the busboys were in crisp uniforms, for crying out loud! It was disgusting.

Keith, looking every inch the rich kid that belonged in a place like this, which was so unlike him, walked up to the head waiter and said, "Damon, party of four. Has my father arrived yet?"

The waiter had been looking at Mike as though he had stumbled into the wrong place until Keith had said the party name. A sickeningly sweet smile appeared and he began to simper as though he was in the presence of greatness. "Oh, young master Damon, it has been awhile, sir. No, you're father has yet to arrive. Let me have you seated right away, though, sir. Rodolfo!" He snapped his fingers in the air imperiously and a waiter came running.

Mike listened to murmurs behind them.

"But he told us we couldn't be seated until our whole party was here."

"What makes that kid so special?"

"Gary, I told you to tip him more. We'd be seated by now."

"Did he say Damon?"

"You don't think Mat Damon is here, do you?"

Mike followed behind Keith, laughter bubbling up in him.

They were seated at an overly large table for four. Pulling his seat closer to Keith, he ignored the look Keith gave him and watched the people around them. These were the posh of he posh. He knew Keith's family was well to do; he just had no idea of how well to do they were.

"You can't sit this close."

"Why not?"

"Because, you just can't," Keith whispered fiercely at him. "People will talk."

"Let them talk. Lord knows it's one of the few things they actually enjoy doing."

"But-" Keith stopped as he saw his father coming in with a brunette bombshell on his arm. She couldn't have been more than twenty-three. It was sickening. She was no more than a trophy, soon to be a trophy wife and they both knew it.

"Damn, your dad knows how to pick them, huh?" Mike followed Keith's lead and rose to meet them.

"Keith, I would like you to meet my fiancée, Sara. Sara, this is my son, Keith."

"Oh, how do you do? I'm sure you've heard all about me. Nicky is always telling everyone about how we met. It's embarrassing really, but I don't mind. Anything for my Nicky," Sara said with one of the falsest giggles Keith had ever heard.

Nicky? Since when had anyone ever been able to call his father Nicky? His mother certainly never did. "It's a pleasure, really."

"You wouldn't believe my surprise when Nicky told me I was going to meet his son tonight! I never would have guessed he'd had a son."

The pure glee in her eyes cut Keith to the quick, but nowhere near as deep as the fact that she hadn't even known he had existed until tonight. Why should he be surprised? His father always tried to forget he was there.

Mike looked across the table at her, wanting to yank her hair out. He hadn't missed the look she'd shot at Keith when she'd said the barb. He shrugged and said, "Probably no more surprised than Keith was to find out his father was engaged. He just found out today as well. Boy, Nick, you sure do know how to keep a secret, don't you?"

Sara's blue eyes turned to ice as she looked over at Mike. "And you would be?"

"Oh, that's right, I'm Mike, Keith's roommate and best friend. I'd say it was a pleasure to meet you, but I haven't seen anything pleasurable about this evening yet, so I'll reserve my judgment."

Keith groaned next to him. He reached under the table and squeezed his thigh, making Keith turn and glare at him.

"Shall we order?" Somehow Mr. Damon made it sound more like a demand than a request.

"Wonderful idea." Mike picked up his menu and looked at it, trying to find the most expensive thing possible.

Keith also moved his menu so it would cover his face. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Just having fun," Mike whispered back. "You don't have to take shit like that from this bitch just because she is going to marry your dad."

"Yes I do, you don't understand."

"I understand you've been afraid of him since you're mother died." He knew he'd hit the nail on the head when he saw Keith's hands jerk. "You don't have to be afraid anymore, Keith. I'm not going let you face this alone."

"Mike . . ."

The night went on fairly silent after that. Mr. Damon and Sara talked animatedly, primarily ignoring Keith and Mike after that. When dessert rolled around, Sara looked up at Keith and batted her eyes innocently. "You don't plan on coming home for Christmas, do you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I said you don't plan on coming home for Christmas, do you? Nicky and I are having a family get together and we both feel it would just be inconvenient if you come and we have to introduce you to my family. You know, having a stepson at my age? How silly would that look?"

Keith looked up at his father, hopping he would deny this horrible plan. "Father?"

His father looked at him with no emotion. "Perhaps it would be best for all if you just stayed at school this year, Keith. I want this Christmas to be as special as it can be for Sara."

"You bastard! You're throwing over your own son for some tart," Mike yelled, rising to his feet.

Keith placed his hand on Mike's arm to stop him from continuing. Not looking at anyone, he rose himself and said, "Yes, of course. We wouldn't want your new wife to have a bad first Christmas. There will be many more for that."

"But Keith-" Mike started, but Keith wouldn't look at him.

"Sara, it was an enchanting evening. I'm sure you will be everything my father was looking for in a wife, not that that is saying much, mind you." Taking a deep breath, Keith stepped away from the table. "Please, enjoy the rest of the night. I – I have to go."

Mike watched Keith leave, weaving in and out of waiters. He looked back at Keith's father and just managed not to punch him. The last thing he needed was an assult charge. "You disgust me. Money doesn't make you classy or kind or a good person like your son. How he ever came from you, I will never know."

Hurrying out the door he tried to catch up to Keith only to find him out on the sidewalk. It had begun to ran hard enough, people were running for cover. But Keith just stood there letting the rain beat down on him as though he didn't even feel it.

"Keith? Baby?" He turned Keith around to face him.

Keith just stood there with his head down, tears sliding down his face at full force, mixing in with the rain. His body shook with years of pent up emotion. "I hate it, I do. I hate all of it. I let him hurt me physically and mentally every time and I hate it."

Mike's heart began to break as Keith's head came up and looked him right in the eye. He could see the child Keith had been and the man he was now in that look, both of them hurting for so long with no one to turn to.

"Why can't I hate him, Mike? Why can't I hate him the way he hates me?" A gate broke inside of him somewhere and Keith began to sob uncontrollably. He couldn't remember crying like this since his mother had died, leaving him alone with his father.

Mike gathered Keith in his arms and rocked him, letting him cry. He found himself losing his heart to his best friend in ways he had never thought he would. He wanted to protect Keith however he could and in that moment when Keith's arms came around him holding tight, he swore he would. "It'll be okay, baby. I don't know how, but I know it'll be okay."