Decisions Ch. 02

Jacob Evans pushed back his plate and leaned back against his chair as he extended Blue a compliment for the fine meal. It never ceased to amaze him how wonderful a cook his brother was. His talents surpassed their mother's, who had taught Blue when he was younger and unable to work on the farm. Blue invited him over at least once a month for a home cooked meal, although work had kept Jacob from accepting the past few months.

His reputation in the law firm was growing and the partners assigned him more cases, important cases. They kept him busy with interviews and depositions, but he loved every minute. Rumour had it that he might get to work as co-counsel on the Baxter murder case, if the motion for dismissal due to a possible illegal search fell through.

Pushing thoughts of work away for the moment, Jacob noticed once again that Blue seemed distracted. "What's up, baby bro? Missing your man?" Harley was working late tonight and wouldn't be home until nine.

"Harley and I had a fight last night that continued this morning," Blue sighed, looking more dejected than ever. "We've had fights before, but not like this one."

"Everyone has fights, even bad ones. Tell me what it was about and I'll see if I can help."

"We fought about Riley. We ran into him yesterday after we left the restaurant."

They moved to the couch while Jacob listened as Blue related the encounter. It was the first time in nearly a year they saw Riley and his appearance was rough and ragged. Riley wore torn up clothes and looked like he'd been drinking. The smell coming from the younger man seemed to confirm that suspicion.

When Blue invited Riley to come home with them for the night, Riley refused and told them to leave him alone. He tried to walk away and got angry at the hand that grabbed hold of his arm to hold him back. Riley hissed that he could take care of himself and that he didn't need their interference in his life. Blue, getting angry by then, argued back that apparently Riley needed someone to take care of him if he'd taken to drinking so much.

"Well, Riley really got mad then. He yelled that he didn't need me to take care of him, because all I would do was pimp him out. I lost my temper and said nobody would want him the way he looked. Harley tried to get us to calm down but in doing so, Riley ran off. I didn't think and started yelling at Harley about not caring about what happened to Riley. I didn't mean it, but we kept arguing until bedtime.

"Our arguing wasn't even about Riley anymore, but about silly things that don't matter. Like how I don't fold the laundry the right way or he doesn't help with the dishes. Stupid things like that. He slept in the living room and was gone when I got up this morning. I don't even know if he's going to come home."

It came automatically to hug his sobbing brother close to his chest. Jacob remembered this from when they were children. Whenever Blue hurt himself or broke something due to his clumsiness, Jacob always did his best to console him. All the siblings cared for Blue, aware that he never did things on purpose, but Jacob and Lily, their younger sister, were the closest to him.

Harley came in unnoticed by his partner, and took in the sight. Jacob gestured him over and relinquished the care of his brother. Blue lifted his red-rimmed eyes and clutched at his partner tightly, crying and saying he was so sorry and didn't mean any of it. Knowing his presence was no longer required, Jacob took his leave.

He walked slowly to his car and thought about Riley. Even now, a year later, he clearly remembered what the young man looked like. Clear green eyes, light brown hair that held strands of gold and red, visible if the light hit them right, and one dimple on the left side of his mouth. The mouth in question was made to be kissed, not overly plump but beautifully curved.

If things had worked out differently, Jacob wouldn't have considered it a hardship to take Riley out on a date or two. He'd learned since that night almost a year ago that he did enjoy the company of men and he would have enjoyed Riley very much.

It was too early for him to think about going home to his apartment. Jacob turned down a road that would take him to the restaurant he knew Blue and Harley preferred. Even though it was unlikely that Riley would still be hanging around, Jacob felt like he had to look. He felt partly responsible for the events of that disastrous evening and hoped to talk to the young man and try to put things right.

Parking up the street, Jacob told himself he would walk around for a while before heading home. It was an enjoyable half hour, watching the people who passed him and looking into the store windows. The antique store, tucked between a gym and a coffee shop, showed promise. He spotted a clock that looked identical to one Blue broke years ago. That clock had belonged to their great-grandfather, and losing it had upset their mother terribly.

"Well, if it isn't the man who would be bi." The voice startled him, coming from the shadows next to the antique shop. He wasn't surprised to discover the voice belonged to Riley, even though he'd given up finding the man. "Is it all an amazing coincidence that the day after I run into Blue you show up too?"

Jacob shrugged and moved closer. Unlike Blue's description, the man in front of him was dressed in clean, if extremely tight, black jeans and a green sweater. His hair was brushed back neatly, although one long piece slid down to cover the forehead and one eye. There was nothing to indicate Riley might be down on his luck at all. As Jacob moved even closer, he couldn't detect any hint of alcohol.

"If you're asking whether Blue sent me, the answer is no. I decided to come and see if you needed help all on my own."

After a long moment, Riley seemed to sag against the building as he exhaled long and loud. "I wasn't very nice to him yesterday. I didn't mean to be so rude, but I was following someone and he was getting away from me. Please apologize for me."

"Blue would probably appreciate it more if you called him yourself. When you took off last year, he was down for a couple of months. He really didn't mean anything bad. He wanted you happy, and didn't stop to think what would happen if I wasn't bi, let alone that you were already seeing someone."

Something dark blazed in the depths of those green eyes, there and gone as quickly as it came. Riley waved at someone and Jacob turned to see a young woman waiting to cross the street.

"After Hunter, I made some decisions about my life," Riley told Jacob, voice low as though afraid someone would overhear. "I decided to do something about the way people see me. I changed my job and moved to a new apartment. Then I decided that..."

The words were lost as the pretty brunette wrapped her arms around Riley and kissed him soundly. She giggled and turned to Jacob. "Hi! You both look very mysterious, skulking in the shadows like this."

"Sara, this is Jacob Evans, the brother of an old friend of mine. Jacob, this is Sara Ward, my fiancée."

To say that Jacob was shocked would be an understatement, but he was able to control his expression. He smiled and murmured his congratulations and admired the lovely ring

Sara wiggled in his direction. Riley sent her off to wait for him in the coffee shop and waited for Jacob to say something about the situation, arms crossed protectively over his chest.

"Wow, a fiancée. I can definitely say that this is the last thing Blue will expect. I don't think he knew you were bisexual." Jacob was sure that Blue would have mentioned that to him if he'd known.

"I'm not. After Hunter used me, I needed some help dealing with everything. Speaking with the therapist made things so clear. While I do find men attractive, the actual sex act itself is not pleasant, nor something I would actively pursue.

"Don't get me wrong, she told me that a few unpleasant encounters didn't mean I wasn't gay, but it was more than that. I didn't enjoy it at all. I couldn't...you know. I'm much happier now with Sara."

Jacob figured that whoever the therapist was, she hadn't tried very hard to convince Riley about anything. People didn't just become gay or just become, well, not gay. They could avoid the truth, deny it for all they were worth, but nothing more. At best, someone could be bi, like himself, with a strong leaning towards one sex or the other.

Some new theories said that certain people, while not being gay, could fall in love with a person of the same sex, and only ever be interested in that person. Jacob didn't know where those people fell in the gay/straight spectrum. It might prove interesting to research the matter. Not that he had the training to do it, or the time really. Now was definitely not the time for this, anyway.

"If you're happy, then that's the most important thing. But will it be enough? What will you do when the attraction to a handsome man becomes strong? A regular admiration might not test your resolve to think yourself straight, but attraction, real attraction, might be harder to resist."

Riley stared at him, green eyes widening as Jacob moved forward to loom over him. He knew he shouldn't do this, but he couldn't seem to help himself. "You're so beautiful," he murmured as he touched his lips to Riley's, mouth slightly open so his bottom lip fell slightly below Riley's. Gently he closed his mouth, sucking that delectable morsel in.

Tingling sensations jolted through Jacob as he pulled back then moved in again. Kissing Riley was amazing. Jacob cupped the back of Riley's head and tilted his head to fit their mouths together tightly. He wanted more; he wanted everything he could get. It didn't matter that they were in plain view of the street and anyone passing by. It didn't matter that no other man, even one he was interested in, had ever aroused him so thoroughly.

What did matter was that Riley wasn't responding to Jacob's ministrations. Jacob lifted his head and looked into the flushed face before him. Judging from the narrowed eyes, the heightened colour came from anger rather than passion. Riley took two quick steps back as soon as Jacob dropped his arms.

"I will resist it in the same way any decent person does when they are in a committed relationship, Mr. Evans. If you would excuse me, my fiancée is waiting for me." Jacob watched as Riley straightened his appearance and began walking away. Just when he thought that would be the end, Riley turned and glared at him. "Contrary to popular opinion about me, it takes quite a bit more than a compliment to get me to fall on my back. You're just like everyone else, never taking the time to see what's beneath the surface."

There wasn't anything else for Jacob to do but to go home. He stood watching until Riley went into the coffee shop. If his car weren't in the other direction, he would have an excuse to walk by and look inside to see the younger man again. It surprised him that he didn't want to let Riley out of his sight. They'd only been in each other's company for less than half an hour and already he missed Riley. It didn't make sense.

The only other person he'd ever missed in this way, and it was for totally different reasons, was his brother Blue. Those years when Blue vanished from their family were difficult for him. Jacob remembered coming home from college to find that Blue was gone.

At the time, the explanation was vague, neither one of his parents willing to discuss it. More information came from Franklin and Lily. They told Jacob how they heard their parents talking about Blue being attacked in the old barn and taken to the hospital.

It was Franklin who found him later that night and whispered about how their father discovered Blue was gay and that was the reason they sent him away.

Unlike what he told his brother Blue, Jacob suspected since he was about sixteen that guys interested him as well as girls. Learning how their father treated Blue, even if it wasn't the real reason for sending him away, made Jacob keep his suspicions to himself and try to bury them. He couldn't know that the men responsible for beating Blue threatened the Evans farm and family. Home was different with Blue gone. It felt empty somehow and Jacob realized how much he really loved and missed his baby brother.

Jacob pondered Riley's parting words as he entered the elevator in his building. He felt they were important. 'You're just like everyone else, never taking the time to see what's beneath the surface.' It was true in a sense. What did he really know about Riley? They had conversed together over the whole course of their one dinner together at Blue's and yet...he remembered nothing. If asked, Jacob knew he could accurately describe what Riley looked like. Anything personal, such as what he did for a living, had flown right out of his head.

Was he really so superficial? Jacob frowned and leaned against the door to his apartment after locking it. He didn't like to think what it meant that he'd dismissed the 'regular' details of Riley in favour of his looks. No, that couldn't be right. They'd had a single conversation more than a year ago; he couldn't be expected to remember things after that long.

The phone rang, jolting him from his thoughts. A quick glance at the caller id showed it to be from the office. Who on earth could be working this late, and why were they calling him? It was David Foster one of the partners of the Foster, Delaney and Foster Law Firm. Jacob had an idea what this was about and he was right.

"Evans? Good, good, I'm glad to catch you at home. Listen, you're up for co-counsel on the Andrew Baxter case."

"The motion for dismissal didn't go through?" He shrugged out of his shirt and undid the button on his jeans as he talked, ready to jump in the shower. He had a feeling he might have to go into the office for a late night and long weekend. "I'll get in touch with Johnson and get started right away."

"I sent Johnson out to talk to all the witnesses again and get ready from that angle. I'm taking the lead on this one. What I need from you is to read over the documents I've just couriered over to you. Baxter says the real killer is someone called Shane MacCready and everything Baxter knows about the guy is in those documents, along with a brief on the case so far.

"I've contacted a private investigator to work on this with you. Any information we can dig up on this guy will be helpful for the case. I've made an appointment with the PI for ten tomorrow morning at diAngelo's. Ask for Scott."

"I'll work on that tonight and be ready for the meeting in the morning. I'll bring you everything I find on Monday, unless you want it ASAP."

"Monday's fine. Johnson will be in then as well, so we can all sit together and work on a plan of defence. Let's say we meet in the conference room at nine sharp."

After a few more amenities, Jacob hung up the phone and sagged back into the chair. Co-counsel on a murder trial! He wanted this, wanted to help build a case that could free an innocent man from prison and possibly put the guilty party away. It had nothing to do with the attention and praise that would follow. He wanted this for the sake of justice.

Many of his old classmates would scoff at his idealism. For them, the goal was to make partner in some firm before they reached thirty-five, at the latest, and make lots of money. Certainly, the money was nice, but he wanted to help people. He wanted to make a difference.

A shower would be nice right now, but he knew the messenger would be there at any time. He looked around at his living room and the frown from earlier came back. Everything was perfect. The shelves had a scattering of books, movies and knick-knacks, courtesy of his mother and twin sister. A nice balance, each shelf full without being crowded, each item carefully arranged according to size. The paintings and pictures on the wall were perfectly straight, placed where they would have the most impact. His black leather couch and chair had accent cushions that matched the area rug, the coffee table matched the shelves and the lamps fit in well with the style of the room.

It was a showcase, he realized. He didn't spend all that much time at home, and had happily allowed his mother and Rose free-reign in decorating. Nothing was really 'him'. Except for the actual books and movies, and you couldn't really see them as anything other than the décor, there was nothing to say that he, Jacob Evans, lived there.

Generic, that was the word to describe it. It was the living room of an up-and-coming lawyer. Someone else could move in tomorrow and nobody would tell the difference. He thought about Blue and Harley's home. Hundreds of little touches that reflected their personalities; it was definitely their home and was decorated to their taste.

A mental catalogue of the rest of his apartment proved that it wasn't any better. Except maybe his bedroom, but only because of the clutter of his clothes and work papers. Funny, he'd never noticed that when he worked at home, it was only in his bedroom.

The doorbell announced the arrival of the courier. Jacob smiled at the appearance of Stan, a cute little blond barely five foot five, who always tried to be available for his deliveries. They had enjoyed each other a few times since Jacob admitted his liking for men.

"Here you go, Jake. Mr. Foster said to get this to you as fast as I could. Must be important?"

"Very important, thanks Stan. You have time for a cup of coffee or something?"

Stan grinned and slipped inside. "Absolutely. I'm done for the night so I have time for coffee and more." He brushed his arm against Jacob's chest and his grin widened.

Jacob wrapped his arms around the small man and pulled him tight against his chest. He let his hands move down touch the front of the jeans, and felt the flesh beneath immediately respond to him. Stan's head fell back and a small moan of pleasure sounded.

Soon enough, Jacob had Stan's pants down around his knees and he walked them backwards until he could sit in the chair, Stan on his lap. He didn't bother with taking off the other man's underwear, just pushed the waistband down until the hard cock was free from its prison. The silky skin felt delicious in his hand, getting slick from the liquid he gathered from the leaking tip. One thing about Stan, he could go from zero to sixty in less than five seconds.

The slim body draped over Jacob, ass grinding into his erection as Jacob pumped him. "Yes, Jake, oh that's so good!"

It upset Jacob a little that while he had the hot little handful in his lap, it was someone else on his mind. Growling a little, he whispered hoarsely in Stan's ear, asking what he wanted.

"You! Please, God, I want you to fuck me!"

With a few careful movements, Jacob had Stan kneeling on the chair, underwear down just enough to reveal his pretty ass. He reached over to one of the end tables and got a condom and some lube. He squirted out some of the lube at the top of the exposed crack to a hiss of delight, and then used his fingers to work it in.

By the time he had three fingers moving in and out easily, Stan was almost screaming in pleasure, fucking himself on the fingers. Jacob slicked himself out and rammed in, not taking any care at all, knowing that it was how Stan liked it best. He set up a harsh pace, snapping his hips to encouraging cries.

He reached forward after a few minutes and grabbed the neglected prick. Stan was too busy clutching the back of the chair to touch himself, hardly able to meet and match Jacob's urgency. At the second stroke, Stan tensed, his entire body going rigid before he blasted loose, whimpering as he came hard. Jacob groaned as the ass he fucked tightened up to an almost painful degree, but he held on in the face of his growing orgasm. The tingling pressure threatened to overwhelm him when Stan finally collapsed and looked over his shoulder.