Matchmaking

And he'd been putting the make on Kurt for some time, although he'd known Gabriel for several years before Kure met him, became his patient, and got the impression the doctor enjoyed putting his hands on Kurt in the nude more than the younger man did--not that Kurt didn't enjoy it enough to be aroused by it. He invariable went hard during his appointments with Ledderman and that was something neither one of them could ignore. Kurt just thought that going with him would be too close to home, since he and Gabriel were such good friends. Kurt had never asked Gabriel if he'd mind if he tried their doctor out.

It was quite a loud party. It was mostly for the doctor's gay clientele, and as the liquor continued to flow prodigiously during the evening, those staying on--all gay men--were becoming increasingly intimate with each other.

Kurt had been one of the centers of attention, as one of the younger and best-looking men there. He hadn't seen Gabriel in a while and, when he did, the older man was hunched over in a chair and looking washed out. Doctor Ledderman noticed him at the same time.

"How much has Gabriel been drinking?" he asked Kurt. It was obvious that Gabriel had been drinking. He was clutching an empty high-ball glass.

"I don't know. I've been circulating."

"Does he drink at home like this? Are you letting him drink?"

"No. He's been off it for months. Said it doesn't appeal to him anymore. But why is it a case of me letting him drink? Gabriel and I do as we like. We don't babysit each other."

"Well, maybe you should. He needs to lie down. Help me get him back to a bedroom. We'll put him on my bed. Do you mean he hasn't told you yet?"

"Told me what?" Kurt asked, as he helped get Gabriel between them and down a hall to the master bedroom, which was large and plush, and that had a balcony overlooking the river. Gabriel was out of it as they took off his shoes, loosened his clothes, and put him on his back on the bed.

"Hasn't told me what yet?" Kurt asked.

Ledderman slid open the sliding glass door to the bedroom balcony and went out on it. Kurt followed him.

"Hasn't told me what yet?"

"He's my patient. I really shouldn't tell you. But maybe if..."

"Maybe if what?" Kurt asked. But then he knew. Ledderman was up close to him, an arm wrapped around Kurt's shoulders as they leaned into the balcony. His other hand was roaming over Kurt's body, testing at the close-fitting, sexy black silk trousers and billowy blouse-like shirt, open most of the way down the younger man's chest.

"You know I've lusted after you for years," Ledderman said. "I didn't want to cut in on Gabriel. But now... afterward... maybe you might be interested."

"Interested in what?"

"I know I arouse you. Admit it."

"Yes, you arouse me. What are you talking about, though."

"Shush. Go with it. Afterward I'll tell you." Ledderman already had a hand snaked around Kurt's belly, the young man unzipped, and Kurt's cock, hard already, out and was slow jacking him. Kurt was moaning and swaying in front of the doctor, who was covering him close from behind, bending Kurt over the balcony railing. Kurt was lost to him, and they both knew it. Kurt relaxed, as the doctor covered him close, unzipped himself, pulled his erection out, put it in position, and mounted, penetrated, and started the slow, deep rhythm of the bareback fuck. Ledderman had pills that negated the effect of barebacking. He'd made Kurt quite aware that he did. He knew the doctor would take care of him now.

Kurt moaned and moved in the doctor's embrace, as Ledderman rode him and breeded him.

Afterward, Ledderman told him what was what with Gabriel.

* * * *

Kurt left Gabriel at Doctor Ledderman's that night. They had driven separately, as Gabriel had come from his boatyard down river from St. Michaels and Kurt came from the bookstore in Easton. Beyond that Ledderman wanted Gabriel to stay under his observation for the rest of the night and wanted to read the riot act to him the next morning on Gabriel having been told not to mix alcohol in any volume to the meds for his advanced-stage prostate cancer.

Kurt had thus finally been told that Gabriel was in the late stages of prostate cancer. Thus the changed moods and the avoidance of full-out sex.

The next morning, Kurt called the assistant manager of the Easton bookstore and told him he'd have to open the shop up on his own. Kurt drove to Gabriel's boatyard. This was going no further without the two of them meeting face to face and letting it all out.

But it didn't happen that way. Gabriel hadn't arrived at the boatyard yet. But Zoltan Kaya was there, and Zoltan knew so much more about Gabriel's condition and what Lockwood was trying to set up for the future than Kurt did.

Zoltan wasn't just at the boatyard. He was walking around giving workers their working schedules for the day.

"Gabriel's not here yet," he said as Kurt got out of his car. He didn't seem at all surprised to see Kurt--or for Kurt to see him here.

"You've certainly made yourself at home here," Kurt said.

"Gabriel's taken me on as manager here. He's cutting me in on as a partner. He says it's getting to be too much for him to contend with--him being sick and all."

"So, he told you about the cancer, did he?"

"Yes. So you know now too. I kept telling him he needed to bring you in on this."

"So, you and Gabriel?"

"No, it's not like that," Zoltan said. "It started with him trying to get you set up because he couldn't give you what you needed anymore."

"So, it wasn't just an accident that we met at Baltimore Eagle and then at Leon's the next weekend?"

"No. Gabriel went looking for a match for you--someone who could give you what he couldn't and who was compatible with you. The sailboat interest was the gravy on the top. It also was got me this job and partnership. My background on sailboats suited Gabriel's need as much as my sexual profile suited yours. Does that make you mad?"

Kurt chewed on that a few minutes. "It made me angry that Gabriel didn't tell me about the cancer. And then it made me love him all the more knowing what he'd do to try to get me fixed up before he was gone."

"And me?" Zoltan asked.

"No, you being brought in was just fine."

"Good, because I see Gabriel pulling up in his car now. The last thing he needs is to have you angry or resistant over this."

"Agreed," Kurt said, lacing his arm in with Zoltan's. "Shall we go greet him together?"

"Yes. But are you going to tell him--that you know about the cancer?"

"He's worked so hard to keep me from knowing," Kurt said, "let's let him think it's still a secret for as long as he wants it that way. We'll let him go out on his own terms."