Chapter Eight

Glasses clinked in the enormous room as a low rumble of chatter filled the space between the tables. Waiters gently floated past as bottles popped open and the smell of food wafted through the air, enveloping the room like a warm blanket. Josiah sat in a chair across from Levi with a smile on his face and a hope in his heart that the night would go well.

“I'm glad you could come with me,” he said happily. “This is my favorite place for seafood.”

“Mine, too.” Levi grinned and shifted in his seat, adjusting the napkin on his lap. “How was work today?”

“Nothing special. I did some editing for a local new project.”

“It must be nice to work at home.”

“Often, it is. But sometimes I regret not having a real space in which to work.”

“There must be something appealing about creating your own schedule. I'd love to be able to do that.”

“I mean, it's great to a point. I procrastinate often and tend to fall behind on many things.”

Levi laughed. “That can't be good.”

“No, but I crank out my most incredible work under pressure.”

Smiling, Levi lifted his glass of water and raised it to his lips. Josiah couldn't help but watch this simple motion. Everything else seemed to disappear once that glass hit Levi's lips and Josiah watched intently as the water slid inside Levi's mouth. For a moment, a pink tongue made an appearance. Josiah swallowed hard.

“So, how's work going for you?” he asked while wiping his forehead. “The Manchester Theater seems to be chugging out some incredible plays these days.”

“It's just busy work. I really like working on movie sets.” Levi winked. “But it's still rewarding. My boss is incredible. I have my own workshop in the back and I get all this quiet time to myself.”

“That sounds lovely. I suppose, in a way, we both work in similar environments.”

“I guess we do. Though I don't think I'd be very good at keeping up with my own schedule. It's better when someone else tells me what to do.”

“You're a good listener. It's no wonder.”

“I certainly try.”

Josiah chuckled nervously. “I think you do well.”

When he winked, Levi flushed. Josiah chuckled with delight, feeling the warm sensation of the room fill his stomach with gleeful anticipation.

“Are you ready to order?”

“I think so.”

Josiah waved down the waiter and began ordering, holding his menu for reference. But talking was second nature at this point. He was really trying to steal glances from Levi over the posh menu. That adorable man could win his attention at any moment. It was proving truer with each encounter.

When the waiter turned to Levi, he seemed to have some trouble ordering. Josiah chuckled quietly to himself, never once breaking his gaze away. Levi turned when he was finished with more red in his face than ever.

“Are you all right?” Josiah inquired.

“Oh, I'm fine...I'm just fine.”

“Good. I was a little worried.”

Levi chuckled. “Seems like everyone is worried these days.”

“Why's that?”

“Oh...nothing. It's nothing. I was just making a light joke.”

Nodding, Josiah raised his beer to his lips. He savored the light wheat taste and smiled as he set the glass down, licking his lips. “You sure you don't want one?”

“Oh, I'm fine.”

“It's quite a lovely taste. Very light. Not at all imposing. Has a little orange flavor in the back, too. Here.” Josiah held the beer out to Levi. Smiling, Levi accepted it and raised it to his lips. He took a small sip and nodded. “No, a full gulp should do it. Take another sip.”

Still smiling, Levi held the spout to his lips and drank a longer gulp. As he passed the beer back across the table, he laughed. “Very lovely.”

“Would you like one?”

Levi rubbed his arm and glanced around. He offered another smile as he turned back to Josiah and replied, “I suppose when the food arrives, that should be fine.”

“Or before, too.” Josiah smiled. He took another sip of his beer and held it idly in his hand as his eyes wandered over Levi's chest. “You look like you work out.”

“Oh, have you been checking me out?”

Smirking, Josiah huffed with amusement. “Maybe.”

“I don't need to work out when I'm building magnificent sets for Manchester. They really put me to work.”

“I bet they do.”

“I'm also more inclined to be lean. I've always had this sort of build.”

“I think I remember that from college.”

Levi grinned. “College...It feels like it was decades ago, doesn't it?”

“I mean, we're not that old.”

“Nah, but we're getting there, aren't we?”

“Maybe I am.”

Levi guffawed. “You hardly look your age.”

“Well, that's a good sign.”

“It is.”

Josiah flashed a grin. “You're doing fine yourself as well.”

A chuckle took over Levi's mouth. Josiah felt the intensity of it take him over, practically sending a chill down to his groin. It warmed in his pelvis and inadvertently made his cock twitch.

“You're infectious,” he whispered.

“What's that?”

“I said, you're infectious. Your laugh is just...” He licked his lips briefly before raising the beer to the edge of his lower lip. “Delightful.”

Another flush of red filled Levi's face as the waiter returned with their order. Josiah prompted the waiter to bring along two more beers for them to drink. As the waiter retreated, Josiah noticed a change in Levi's features. The worry line on his forehead was pronounced.

“Is there something on your mind?”

Levi shook his head. “Not at all.”

“Are you sure? You look preoccupied.”

“It's nothing. Really.”

“Well, feel free to tell me at any point. I don't mind listening.”

Josiah motioned to their plates and winked, relishing the way Levi squirmed in his seat. Silence took over the table as Josiah dug into his food, savoring every bit of the crab slathered in butter. The succulent taste couldn't possibly compare to the other night. He recalled it with intensity, the way they were intertwined in Levi's workshop. Another pang rippled through his pelvis that was much more urgent.

He looked up playfully from his food. “I think I might have to take you home.”

Levi coughed. He patted his chest with one hand and covered his mouth with the other, clearly struggling to chew his food. Immediately regretful, Josiah reached over the table. Levi waved him away and laughed when he finally caught his breath. “You know how they say looks can kill?”

Josiah nodded.

“Well, I'm pretty sure your words about killed me, too.”

Almost instantly, Josiah broke into laughter. He held his stomach and bent forward as the jovial sensation filled his entire body. The feeling was beyond match to anything else he had ever felt. This was real. It was tangible and sitting right in front of him.

And it was Levi.

***

Josiah pulled his car up to the curb and parked before setting his hands on the wheel. The engine of the car idly hummed in the quiet cab as he turned to Levi with a curious gaze. Levi was tipping over in his seat.

“You all right?”

Levi perked up. “Oh, I'm great.”

A lazy smile took his lips and he reached over the center console, instantly tugging Josiah's hand into his lap. Josiah felt Levi's rock hard cock and snickered nervously. “Maybe we should get you inside.”

“I'd very much love to be inside.”

Smiling warmly, Josiah turned off his car and hopped out to walk around the back. He carefully peeled Levi away from the seat and helped Levi up the sidewalk to the porch of the dark house. It seemed lonely, looming in the dark suburban street. None of the other porch lights were on. The shadows seemed to grow and vanish underneath the sliver of moonlight shining above. Josiah noted this eerie scene with the curiosity of a director, wondering how he could recreate it for his film.

Levi teetered forward. Before he could hit the ground, Josiah caught him.

“Damn, you really put those shots away,” he grunted while shifting his weight. “We should get you hydrated.”

“Shots sound good.”

“Not now, Levi.”

Levi muttered something incoherent and laughed, prompting Josiah to laugh as well. A set of keys hit the first porch step. They glimmered in the dim moonlight. As Levi bent to lift them, he toppled out of Josiah's grip and plopped on the wooden porch. A slew of giggles rose from his unmoving body.

“God,” Josiah grumbled. “I shouldn't have egged you on.”

“I've...got...serenity!”

Curiously, Josiah stared at the drunken man rolling about on the wood. He chuckled quietly to himself before saying, “You've got something, but I don't think it's that.”

As he lifted Levi from the ground, the keys fell again. This time, Josiah grabbed them up before Levi could. He dragged Levi to the door and flipped through each key, attempting to find the winner among them. After a few tries, he found the correct key and hummed as the door slid open with a soft creak.

Moonlight spilled into the obscure space, hidden away like a secret waiting to be found. Josiah stepped tentatively into the room and searched the wall for a switch. He held hard to Levi's waist, intent on preventing the poor man from stumbling back to the ground. There had to be a switch somewhere…

His fingers met the familiar switch and light flooded the room, sending Levi to the ground despite Josiah's best efforts. Levi covered his face and groaned loudly.

“Turn it off!”

“I can't yet. I need to see.”

“I don't want to see.”

Sighing, Josiah took a quick mental picture of the room and flipped the light switch. The room plunged again into darkness. He shut the door gently behind him and locked it before gently stepped over Levi's legs that had somehow ended up in the middle of the floor. When he reached the kitchen, he felt his way around for a switch and flipped it, hoping the light wouldn't overwhelm the drunk Levi in the living room.

He paused with his hand over the switch. No sound rose from the sleepy lump on the floor. Somewhat satisfied, Josiah searched the kitchen for a clean glass to fill with water. This task wasn't difficult considering most of the kitchen was organized incredibly well. It looked like Levi kept his place spotless.

Josiah smiled when he found the cabinet of cups. He filled a glass with water, thought better of it, and then replaced the glass with a plastic cup. When he had it filled, he carried it into the shadowy living room where Levi was now sitting up.

“Here,” Josiah whispered as he extended the cup to him. “You should hydrate.”

“Will you stay?”

“Only if you hydrate.”

Hesitantly, Levi took the water. He took a few gulps before choking and sputtering some of it, folding forward as if he were about to vomit.

“Sorry,” he grunted. “I'm so sorry. Sorry...”

“Sorry for what? It's not like this is the first time I've helped someone who got a little too drunk.”

“—shouldn't be drunk.”

“But you are.”

“I'm sorry...”

Josiah smiled warmly at Levi. As he lowered himself to the ground, Levi held up a hand. “Could you help? To bed?”

“Of course.”

“Stay?”

Chuckling, Josiah nodded. He helped Levi from the ground and guided Levi to the bedroom—or at least what he thought was Levi's bedroom—where he carefully rolled Levi into the available bed. He pulled the sheets up and tucked them around Levi's shoulders, being careful not to tuck them too tightly. As he leaned over to kiss Levi's forehead, Levi pulled Josiah close.

“Stay...here.”

“I think it'd be best if I slept on the couch.”

“But...”

Josiah rested a finger over Levi's lips. “I'll be within reach. I just don't think it's a good idea right now.”

Nodding, Levi rolled over into the sheets and buried his face deep into the pillow. Within seconds, he was snoring. Josiah sat up from the bed and crossed the room. He left the door partially open and waded back into the shadows, scanning the wide living room for a blanket to go with his couch-bed.

Seeing as there wasn't much but a jacket, he snagged that and wrapped it around his shoulders as he cuddled into the cushions. It would have been better to have Levi, that was for sure, but Levi was beyond measure. He was in the land of the drunk and it wouldn't be wise to give him any inclination to do something he'd regret. It was better for Josiah to be on the couch.

As Josiah nestled deeper into the soft cushions, he noticed something glinted at him from the coffee table. It was perhaps a coin or a game piece, something shiny. He didn't suppose Levi would leave anything out of place, not something important such as a game piece, so it must have been a coin. But it was far too large and gold for it to be any regular change. He reached over and lifted it, rolling it gently between his fingers. In the center was a triangle with a Roman numeral three.

“What a curious coin,” he whispered. “Strange.”

Yet it was oddly familiar. He'd seen something like this before years ago in the hands of an old friend. It was that same someone who had gone through recovery. This was one of those coins. It dawned on him like the first few rays of sun breaking over the horizon. He had the memory now. He knew it.

And it filled him with absolute shame.