If You Just Smile

Matt left the house very quietly this morning, and didn�t look at the bruise on his face again until he was halfway to work. Matt felt bad for Kent. Kent had watched as Matt had earned promotion after promotion, and was now very well respected in his chosen career and was also earning a six figure salary, while Kent was still bartending at the same bar and grill where he had worked for six years now.

Matt stopped at the park on the outskirts of town and did his best to cover up the bruise that was already beginning to change colors. It looked darker than it had when he had first seen it this morning. �Maybe no one will notice,� he lied to himself. Matt had already used every excuse he could think of when he had come to work with a bruise. He had no idea how he was going to explain this one.

******

Matt kept as busy as he could for most of the morning, not wanting to talk to anyone today. �Knock, knock,� Linda said. �These are for you, Matt.� Matt made a half turn in his chair. �Thanks, Linda.� The sweet woman left Matt�s office, and once he was sure that she had gone, he turned and looked at the beautiful flowers that had been delivered to him. He opened the card, though he knew who they were from. �I love you. You are my life.� They were signed, �Love, Kent.� Matt knew that the words on the card were true. Kent just feels bad about himself and about his work situation, Matt had told himself often. He knew that Kent felt trapped in a dead-end job, and that Kent�s father had been an abusive alcoholic. Kent had told Matt that he had gotten his bad temper from his father. �I can�t help it, Matt. That�s just the way that I am. It�s in my genes.� �He just needs to know that I love him,� Matt said, trying to convince himself.

******

It was a little after midnight when Kent walked in. �Matt?� �In here, Kent.� Kent walked into the den and kissed Matt on the lips. �I love you, baby. Oh, no. I�m so sorry.� He held Matt�s bruised face in his hands. �You know I don�t mean to do it,� he said. �I know you don�t, Kent. The flowers were beautiful.� Kent smiled, and left the room. Matt heard the shower running, and he knew that Kent expected him to join him. Matt was tired and needed to sleep, but would avoid another scene like last night�s at almost any cost.

Kent opened the door of the shower and pulled Matt inside. �I love you, Matt,� he said, and kissed his neck. He kissed Matt�s chest and caught the droplets of water that landed on Matt�s nipples. Kent was a damned good lover, and Matt was aroused by his slightest touch. Kent kissed his way down Matt�s flat stomach until he reached Matt�s cock. Matt�s entire body responded to Kent�s touch and to Kent�s lips, and Matt moaned. Kent held the top of Matt�s cock between his lips and held Matt�s balls in his hand. He seductively slid Matt�s shower wetted cock into his mouth, and looked up at Matt. Matt looked at Kent, and then closed his eyes. His body shuddered. �Oh, Kent,� he moaned. Kent opened Matt�s legs and held the cute little butt that had been the first thing that he had noticed about Matt when they had met. Kent wrapped his arms around Matt and looked up at him.

******

Linda brought his coffee in to him, and also his airline ticket. �Isn�t John something? He put you in first class. Guilt is a wonderful thing sometimes,� she said. �Are you serious? I�ve never flown first class.� �Well, it�s only about an hour and a half flight from here, so don�t get too excited."

Matt thanked his nice secretary, and then thought it all through. I have to work tomorrow, and Kent works Saturday night, so Sunday morning will be our only time together. Kent hates being alone. He is not going to be happy about me being gone on Sunday. Matt held his head, but touching his face hurt, so he leaned back in John�s comfy chair. He couldn�t think about that now. He had work to do. He just wished that Kent understood the demands of his job.

Kent surprised Matt that night with the promise of a Saturday morning breakfast. They were both exhausted and went to sleep very soon after Kent came home. Matt was glad that Kent wasn�t upset about him working Saturday, but he still hadn�t told him about his trip to Denver. It was one thing at a time with Kent. The memory of their last fight was still too fresh in Matt�s mind, and still too fresh on his cheek, to risk angering Kent again. He planned to talk to Kent at breakfast in the morning.

******

When Matt entered the lobby of the hotel, Dustin was waiting for him. �Here we are again. How was your first night in the Mile High City?� �It was good. Thanks.� Dustin was his usual upbeat chatty self, just as he had been last night. �Come on. Let�s get some breakfast. That�s one thing I should warn you about these conferences. You might put on a few pounds. That�s what I�m told, anyway.� Dustin continued to talk, and didn�t seem to mind if Matt didn�t respond right away. He seems so sure of himself, Matt thought. �Well, are you up for your first ski lesson this afternoon?� Dustin was serious. Matt had thought that he was just being polite to the newcomer when he had made the offer to him last night. �Sure,� Matt said. �Great. You can come with me after the meetings this morning, to my house. I�ll need to pick up my skis.� �Okay,� Matt said, and they settled in for the morning�s session.

******

�You can see that not much has changed since yesterday,� Dustin informed, as they walked into his house. �I doubt if your house ever looks messy, Dustin. It�s beautiful.� Dustin smiled. �At the risk of sounding like an alcoholic, would you care for a glass of wine?� �Love one,� Matt said, with a laugh. �And I don�t think of you as an alcoholic,� he added. �One drink a day is about all I can handle, if that much,� Dustin assured him. �What do you think of Denver, Matt?� �It�s beautiful, Dustin. I love the view of the mountains, but what I have noticed more than anything is how much better I sleep out here than I do at home. It must be the thinner air.� Dustin knew that this was his chance to say what he thought, and that if he didn�t do it now, he never would. �Perhaps there is less stress here,� Dustin said, looking right at Matt. �I do have quite a drive each day, and long work days.� �How much sleep do you get, Matt?� �Depends. Most nights I get enough.� Dustin somehow doubted that. �Why do you ask?� �If you don�t mind my saying, Matt, when I first met you it appeared to me that you had a mark under one eye, perhaps what we like to call �bags� from too little sleep?� Matt carelessly touched his eye. Had Dustin noticed the bruise? Did Dustin suspect? �It seems to be going away the longer you are here.� �Oh,� Matt said, not offering anything further.

Dustin could no longer ignore his own desires. He set Matt�s wine glass down with his own. He gently ran a finger along Matt�s lips, collecting the wine that lingered there. He kissed the wine from his finger, and then pressed his finger to Matt�s lips. Matt closed his eyes. His lips parted automatically. He wanted Dustin to kiss him. He wanted Dustin to take him to places that he had never been before. He felt the heat of Dustin�s breath as it neared his lips. Dustin�s arm around him caused Matt to gasp. Then he felt the gentle touch of Dustin�s lips on his own, and he could not resist. He did not want to resist Dustin. Matt�s arms went around Dustin, holding him, welcoming his body to his own.

******

Looking directly into Matt�s eyes, Dustin finally said what he had waited all week to say to him. �If you ever need someplace to stay or someone to talk to, you are always welcome in my home, Matt.� Dustin gently touched Matt�s cheek where the bruise had been. �I would hate to lose you, Matt.� Matt�s eyes were fixed on Dustin�s obviously all seeing and all knowing eyes. He almost hated to return to his former life of loneliness and very little sleep. Matt looked at Dustin�s hand holding his tightly. �I�d better get going,� he said. �I know, Matt. I know.� Dustin gently pressed his lips to Matt�s cheek, the cheek where the bruise had been, and then he gently kissed Matt�s hand. Matt swallowed hard. They said goodbye in the parking lot, and Dustin watched as the huge airport swallowed the man he had known for only a little while. He waited for nearly thirty minutes before driving away, hoping that Matt would come running back to him, but knowing that he would not.