Bringing Home Danny (8 page)

Today he was back to his old stomping ground checking out firsthand what he left behind. It was familiar territory with his old self, and he was enjoying every minute of it. He couldn't believe his luck at being granted permission to visit his old friends in Florida. He was there to attend a wedding that began with a bachelor party weekend. It was sure to be a wild week of catching up and going out. Although he was away for almost two years, it was as if he never left. Old friends came out to see him. Others, who heard stories, wanted to meet him. TJ was once again the center of attention, and he soaked it up for all it was worth. He was staying at the home of his old childhood friend, Emmett. The night was young, but the house was already packed for a party in honor of their good friend Jerry's upcoming wedding. While chatting about old times and embellishing stories about New York City, TJ caught the eye of a shy young man wedged between two extremely inebriated people.

He sat uncomfortably with a beer bottle twirling between his hands. TJ smiled. He was used to people watching him. It obviously embarrassed the boy to be caught, as he quickly looked away. TJ wasn't going to be deterred that easily. He was intrigued by the kid and began to study his movements.
What was he doing here anyways?
He didn't seem to fit in, and the longer TJ observed him, the younger he appeared.

“
Who's that?” TJ asked Emmett, pointing to the young man in question.
 

Emmett peered around the crowd of people. “Who? Those drunk girls?”

“
No, the kid in the middle.”
 

“
I'm not sure. He came with the crew over there.” Emmett jerked his head towards a small gathering of obnoxious drunks playing drinking games around a table. “The big one is Jerry's soon to be brother in-law, Greg.”
 

“
He seems young.”
 

“
What?!” Emmett shouted, cupping his ear to indicate how hard it was to hear over the noise.
 

TJ inched in closer. “I said the kid looks young!” he shouted back.

“
I hope he's not too young,” Emmett said, taking a step in his direction. “I don't want to be responsible for any underage drinking.”
 

TJ didn't want Emmett to get in any trouble, but he also didn't want to see the young man kicked out. “I'll go find out,” he said, without waiting for a response. When a spot opened up next to him, TJ walked over. “Hey, kid, you come here often?” He conjured up a cheesy grin to match his corny pick up line.

Danny
was shocked when the good-looking guy approached him. He saw him talking to the host, and he wondered if they would force him to leave. He continued to fiddle with the beer he was nursing. “I came here with some friends I'm staying with,” he offered as a way of an apology. “Honestly, I'm not really sure where I am.”

TJ laughed at Danny’s attempt at a small joke. “So, where are your friends? Did they ditch you?”

“
I dunno. They're around somewhere, probably trying to get drunk or laid.” Danny gave a bashful grin. He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.
 

“
Well, they came to the right place. Mind if I sit down?”
 

“
Sure, if you want,” Danny said with an air of indifference, hoping to squelch the flutter in his stomach.
 

TJ sat down on the sofa and turned to face him. “You don't seem to be having a good time here.”

 
“
I don't really know anybody,” Danny admitted, with a shrug.
 

TJ put out his hand out and introduced himself. Danny bit his thumbnail out of nervousness before offering his own hand. “I’m Dan.”

 
“
Nice to meet you, Dan. Now, if anyone asks, you can tell them you know TJ.”
 

 
TJ couldn't help but find the blush adorning the young man's face endearing. Danny would have been put off by the arrogant wink that followed, but the slightly exaggerated swagger in his speech revealed that TJ was only poking fun at himself. It put Danny more at ease. “Will that get me any extra favors?” he asked facetiously.
 

TJ laughed appreciatively, causing Danny to blush more.  “You know it, baby. It might even get you laid.”

Danny offered a crooked half-smile showcasing one of his deep-set dimples. TJ was bewitched. After noticing him blush again, he asked, “How old are you, Danny?”

It didn't take Danny long to realize he was the youngest person in the room, and he wondered if it would cause a problem. He glanced guiltily at his drink. “Twenty-...”

TJ quirked a suspicious eyebrow.

"Okay, I'm only eighteen."

“
Are you in school?” TJ was trying to gauge whether he was talking to a senior in high school or a freshman in college.
 

“
No,” Danny answered simply, not wanting to elaborate.
 

He had dropped out of school shortly after leaving home. Danny was currently living with his supervisor at the loading dock and another man he shared the apartment with.

“
Dan, there you are! You have to try this drink,” came a boisterous request from across the room. Danny lifted his bottle indicating that he already had a drink.
 

“
Try this one. I promise you'll like it. Besides, Ashley here wants to meet you,” enticed the loud bull of a man who appeared to be in his late twenties. He wore a muscle tee-shirt showing off the lines of a work tan that accentuated his huge biceps. It was obvious he spent his days doing manual labor. Typically, that was something TJ admired in a man; but there was something about this guy that rubbed him wrong.
 

Sighing, Danny pulled himself off the sofa. “See ya,” he said, trying not to show his disappointment at being called away.

TJ nodded as he watched Danny slowly walk towards a rowdy and unfamiliar crowd. He couldn't help but keep a protective eye on him all night. As TJ was mingling with his buddies half his attention was on tracking Danny's moves. He was mistrustful of the people Danny was talking to and anyone who approached him. He particularly didn't like the men he came with. Some girl with big breasts was making a show of throwing herself at him. TJ assumed it was the Ashley chick. He continued to watch as the girl propositioned Danny with a body shot, and couldn't help but be pleased when he declined.

“
What's the matter, are you shy?” goaded Ashley.
 

Danny didn't answer. When some other guy took her up on the offer, he used the opportunity to slip away. TJ decided it was time to intervene when he saw another of Danny's "friends" force another drink on him.

 “
Could you make one of those for me?” TJ asked, grabbing Danny's cup and pretending to be interested in its contents.
 

“
Sure, you can have this one,” Danny's roommate said, handing him a similar cup.
 

“
Great." TJ grabbed both drinks. “Come on, Danny, I want you to meet a friend of mine,” he added, before briskly walking away.
 

Stunned that TJ was seeking him out again, Danny followed without question. While being lead to a quieter room, several people tried to stop TJ along the way to say hello. Not slowing his pace, TJ made quick small talk. As he walked and talked, he kept checking to make sure Danny was right behind him. The last person to interrupt him made a sloppy attempt at a drunken hug. TJ hastily sidestepped him to avoid spilling the drinks, and the man fell clumsily to the floor. Without skipping a beat, TJ stepped over the man who claimed to be too comfortable to get up.

Danny carefully walked around him and asked, “Is that the friend you wanted me to meet?”

TJ smiled at Danny's cheekiness and motioned him to an empty chair. Taking a seat on the arm, TJ peered skeptically into their cups. “What's in these things?” he asked.

“
I'm not sure,” Danny confessed.
 

TJ placed both drinks aside on a table adjacent from them. “It seems your friends are trying to get you drunk."

“
Yeah, I think they’re trying to get into my pants.”
 

TJ laughed at his joke, but was secretly worried the truth might not be too far off. “So…eighteen, huh?”

Not sure how to respond, Danny bit his lip nervously.

“
You look young for eighteen.”
 

Danny shrugged. “I'm just small.”

“
You're not that small."
 

TJ stopped Danny from rolling his eyes in a self-deprecating way by leaning in closer. He tipped Danny's face up under his chin, and whispered, “You have a baby face.”

It was the second time that night TJ had used the term baby in reference to him. It made Danny turn red.

“
There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I like your face.”
 

Danny could feel his whole body go flush. His heart began to race. He had started to wonder if his attraction towards men could be more than just admiration. TJ was convinced there wasn't anything sweeter than the constant blush on the charming boy's face. He tilted Danny's chin up a little bit higher, and placed a soft kiss on the top of his lips.

Danny froze. It was the first time he had ever been kissed by a man. TJ pulled back to take in the expression on Danny's face.
My god,
he thought,
this boy is beautiful
. Big green eyes with long lashes stared back at him. He appeared anxious - scared actually. Surprisingly, he didn't pull away, and TJ took that as a good sign. He put his hand through Danny's soft light-brown hair, and played with a loose curl. Danny blinked and unconsciously licked his lips. TJ couldn't help but chuckle. He kissed the tip of his cute, delicately shaped nose. Danny would have panicked if it weren’t for his alcohol-induced bravery. Instead, he let a small nervous giggle escape.

TJ smiled broadly, lowered his lids, and then leaned in for another kiss. Except, his intention was much less chaste this time. He waited patiently for Danny to part his lips, and when he did, TJ forged his eager tongue inside the perfectly bowed mouth. Danny closed his eyes and allowed TJ to take charge. TJ thought he might be imagining it, but he could almost swear the boy tasted like buttery liquor, only sweeter, like honey. Danny tentatively began to reach out his tongue to meet TJ's as he pushed back the thought that he was kissing a guy. The kiss was bold and inviting. It was the best kiss he ever had. It certainly felt better than being kissed by the girl who was trying to get him to take a drink between her boobs.

“
Mmm," TJ encouraged. “That was nice.”
 

He pulled away reluctantly. TJ was in a committed relationship with two men he was content to stay with, more than content. He certainly wasn't going to jeopardize it by cheating on them, and he knew he was already crossing the line. But kissing Danny was intoxicating, so he told himself he wasn't trying to seduce the boy; he was just trying to keep him from drinking too much. He examined Danny's face again, only this time focusing on the lips. They were wet and slightly swollen, and TJ knew he was completely smitten. There wasn't anything particularly unusual about his lips. They weren't too big or too small; to TJ, they just seemed perfect.

Danny felt increasingly uncomfortable with TJ scrutinizing his face and turned away.
Why would someone like TJ, who could have anyone he wanted, be interested in someone like me?
He briefly wondered if he was just being kind, or if the sexy older man was toying with him.

“
Are you okay, Danny?”
 

Danny gave an unconvincing nod.

“
Did it bother you that I kissed you?”
 

“
Um, n-no.”
 

“
Was that the first time a guy ever kissed you?”
 

“
I only ever been with girls,” he said quietly.
 

“
You never know what you're missing until you give it a try,” TJ answered, with a flirtatious wink.
 

Not that long ago, TJ would have gotten a rush out of the conquest of making a young man question his sexuality. With Danny it was different. Even if he hadn't been in a committed relationship, he wouldn't have pushed the boy any further. He felt an overwhelming compulsion to protect the innocent young man, not take advantage of him.

There was an awkward silence between them that was broken by an acquaintance of TJ's.

“
Dude! I thought that was you! Who's that cute little boyfriend of yours?”
 

“
Not a boyfriend, just a friend,” TJ answered, without bothering to hide his annoyance.
 

 “
So, just a friend,” the man continued, oblivious that his interruption was not welcomed. “I haven't seen you around here before. What's your name?”
 

The man ogled Danny, and it felt creepy.

 
“
Dan,” he answered, with no intentions of returning the question. He guessed the man to be about thirty, and the way he overtly examined him up and down made his skin crawl.
 

The man wasn’t fazed by the snub, and persisted with a condescending smirk. “You’re awfully young, Dan. Does your mother know you're here?”

Not willing to let the man rile him, Danny responded by saying, “I didn't mention it to her.” He turned back to TJ. “I'm gonna see if my friends are ready to leave.”

TJ wanted to stop him, but a couple of his buddies came over, and TJ could tell Danny was uncomfortable hanging around. “Hey, Danny!” TJ called after him. Danny glanced back to hear TJ caution, “Do me a favor, and don't go drinking anything if you don't know what's in it.”