Chapter Twelve

 

I wasn’t surprised when I woke up the next morning to find myself alone. I sighed and buried my head in the pillow, wondering what to do. Was it worth it? Could I stay here with Tate and not miss city life and all it had to offer? What about when I wanted a night of relaxation at a restaurant or something? Just to get away. This was already as “get away” as it could get up here in the woods.

Yet, I realized that I wanted to be with Tate. I’d never met another man who understood my emotional needs as well as he did. I thought of his patience in teaching me how to shoot, after the fishing incident showed him how sensitive I could be to criticism of my manhood. Hadn’t he confessed to me who he really was and about his family’s death?

The more I thought about it, the more my heart was pushing me to stay but my heart was at war with my head. My head reminded me that I now knew this man for less than a week. Could it be possible to feel as strongly about Tate as I thought I did, in such a short space of time? He was an amazing man and I didn’t see how I could feel any other way about him? The man was boyfriend goals.

I thought of all the other guys I’d attempted to date in the past. Men who were more caught up in their ego than me as their partner. To my first boyfriend Jerry, who had been openly gay, I’d been more of arm candy for him. He would get overly affectionate in public to show how much of a cute couple we made, but outside of that, our relationship had been all about him and what he wanted.

Tate was down to earth and didn’t pretend to be someone he was not. Seeing him out here in the natural elements had shown me a depth in this man, that I saw in only a few. Wasn’t that worth me trying? I wouldn’t have a job working with Keith’s company anymore anyway. Maybe I could give it a try and see what it would be like. And maybe I could broach the subject to him about making a split. We could stay sometimes in the city and other times here in the mountains. That way, we would achieve balance.

That I was sure I could handle.

Excited that I had come up with some form of solution for us to continue seeing each other, I got out of bed. If Tate didn’t agree with both of us sacrificing a part of what we wanted, for us to be together, then the relationship didn’t stand a chance. I wanted balance and reciprocity in our relationship. Equal sacrifice— if there was such a thing.

A quick check of the cabin revealed Tate wasn’t around. I didn’t worry about this because sometimes he disappeared to find game, something he hadn’t been able to talk me into doing with him yet. It was one of the reasons he had been teaching me how to shoot. I smiled as I remembered him talking me into letting him teach me to shoot, stating that I should be able to protect myself, in the event he wasn’t around.

I took a shower, humming to myself and after washing up, I returned to the bedroom to get dressed. Either way, I’d need to get my stuff from Keith’s condo. I had a key and hoped he would be at work when I made the sweep to collect my clothes. I didn’t want another confrontation between him and Tate.

I was combing my hair when I heard the front door to the cabin open. I dropped the comb to the dresser and hurried to find Tate. I couldn’t wait to approach him with my idea and find out what he thought.

I stopped short outside the bedroom when I saw Keith was the one who had entered the cabin.

“What are you doing?” I asked in alarm because if Tate arrived and found him here, I knew they both wouldn’t be unscathed like the last time they’d faced off.

“I’ve come to take you home,” he answered, walking towards me. “Come with me willingly Bryan and I’ll forget you ever let him touch you.”

“Look, you need to let this go, Keith,” I told him. “I never loved you and you never loved me so we don’t have to pretend there was much of an emotional connection in our relationship.”

“Of course, I love you!” he declared.

“Really, Keith?” I scoffed at him. “You’ve a funny way of showing it.”

“What the hell does it matter if I love you?” he demanded. “We’re in a relationship. We are together and that’s the way I like it. That’s the way we’ll stay. Unless I say otherwise. Get your shit and let’s go.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I objected. “And trust me, you best get out of here before Tate gets back.”

“I’ve my boys watching the woods for him,” he remarked, smirking at me. “What? You think you in love with him or something?”

“I don’t believe you about your friends,” I answered. “You would never tell them you were gay and if you did, they wouldn’t be here with you.”

“They would if I’ve convinced them you were nothing but my little bitch,” he remarked with a snide smile. “We’re blood brothers. You think they’d care that I was smashing the fuck out of you. Now if our roles were reversed, then they’d have a problem.”

What a prick. I couldn’t believe I’d lived with this guy for even a day.

“I’m staying with Tate.”

Heat suffused his face at my words. Before I knew what to expect, he had landed a fist to my gut, that had me doubling over in pain.

“Fuck!” I cried out, grabbing my stomach. I could hardly breathe.

“Don’t make me get mad with you Bryan,” he declared, grasping my shirt front and pulling me up to face him. He slammed me into the wall at my back. “Did you think I was joking that your ass was mine and you’re not staying here?” His breath blew in my face from his nearness. “You let him touch you. You think I was going to let that slide? I’ll drag you down this mountain if that’s what it takes, boy.”

“Then drag me because I’m not leaving Tate.”