Chapter Three

Robert glanced around inside the garage for Justin. The garage was empty, but he saw his car parked over in the area where interior work was done. Robert had dropped it off very early that morning and asked Doriano to get the old ragtop off and check the integrity of the frame. Fortunately, the man had some free time today and had called Robert a couple of hours ago before he left to say his baby was ready to go.

If the garage was vacant, then maybe Justin was in the office? Robert listened carefully, trying to detect if he heard any voices. Justin could be on the phone with a client or supplier. He put his ear against the closed door, but heard nothing. Robert gave a hard knock, and when no response came opened the door, but found no sign of either Joe or Justin. "Where the hell are they?" Then he remembered Justin said he lived in the apartment upstairs.

He probably ran up for something.

Since Robert hadn"t received an invitation to Justin"s home, he decided it would be best to wait in the garage. He didn't want to seem too eager. Casually leaning against a worktable, he waited. When fifteen minutes went by and there was still no sign of Justin, Robert clenched his fists and took a few deep breaths. Justin didn't seem like the guy to flake out on a commitment, but if Robert was honest, he really didn't know the man. One conversation and a fantasy jerk-off session did not an intimate knowledge make.

A few minutes later, he heard a car pull up and walked toward the entrance of the garage bay, but his disappointment grew when he saw Joe climbing out of his car.

"Hey, Robert. You all set to get the new top on?"

"Well, I was, until my helper didn't show. I guess I can do it myself. I just figured an extra set of hands would be helpful."

Just then, "Devil Went Down to Georgia" blared from Joe's hip. He looked down at his phone. "Hold that thought. It's Justin. Hello?"

Robert could only hear Joe's half of the conversation, but imagined he could stretch his hearing like some kind of superhero to pick up the sound of Justin"s voice on the other end. Joe walked away, and Robert couldn"t stop the grin from taking over, despite his aggravation. The man had a tendency to wander when using the phone. Robert thought it was funny, but he knew it drove his mom nuts, since she had a bad habit of wanting to overhear conversations.

Hmm, like mother, like son?

Maybe Joe had developed the habit out of necessity? Robert stood against the side of the building, waiting to hear Justin's excuse for not showing up. He guessed it would have been smart to exchange phone numbers so they could talk directly, but he'd been afraid that might tempt him to reach out and connect with the man for other reasons.

Joe hung up the call and walked over to where Robert was standing. "He says he's really sorry for being late. He had a really nasty accident, and it took longer for things to clear up than he expected. Well, I have to head home. Your mom is cooking lasagna tonight, and I have no intention of being late for that. Justin said he should be here in about ten minutes." He jumped in his 1957 Ford Thunderbird and waved as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Robert"s feet became frozen to the stained concrete pad. He stared at where Joe had driven off into the sunset after dropping a bomb. What the hell did he mean Justin was in a terrible accident? Was he hurt? Did they take him to the hospital? Didn"t Joe even care? Robert took out his phone to call Joe and give him a piece of his mind. But he knew Joe would never pick up a call when driving. The man didn"t believe hands-free systems belonged in vintage cars. He needed to give the man enough time to get home. Then he would ream him a new one! Here, Robert had been doubting Justin's integrity, and the man was in a car accident, for God's sake. Who was the asshole now?

Robert didn't know what he drove, but hopefully, it wasn't an irreplaceable classic. He knew he would lose his shit if anything happened to his Mustang. If Justin was as attached to his car as Robert was, then the man was probably going out of his mind. Assuming his mind was still inside his head!

He checked his watch. Joe had five more minutes; then Robert was going to get on the horn and demand Justin"s number. Maybe he could call and find out if he needed a ride? Robert didn"t want the poor guy to be forced to get an Uber or something. Then again, maybe he had a friend driving him?

He paced, eager to see Justin alive and in one piece. He kept looking down the street for a car that was heading toward the garage. After several minutes, he realized the pacing was pointless and frustrating. He needed to do something productive. Get his mind off unanswerable questions. He walked over to where his car waited. The top that he and Justin had unpacked last night sat waiting. He knew he needed to line up the old top over the new one so he could mark on the new top where the bolt holes went through the old top. As he finished double checking his marks, someone came into the shop. When he turned around, instead of seeing Justin's wide smile, all he saw was the blood covering his shirt.

"Oh, my God! Are you okay?" He raced over and grabbed Justin by the shoulders and looked him up and down. He ran his hands up and down Justin's arms and chest.

"I'm fine. It's not mine. It belonged to the victim," Justin said.

Robert took hold of one of Justin"s hands. He lifted their hands because he wanted to feel Justin"s heartbeat, but stopped when Justin took half a step backwards. "Victim? Aren"t you the victim?"

Justin came closer to Robert and squeezed his hand. "No. Oh shit, you don"t know. I figured Joe would have told you. I"m a paramedic. This happened at work, and I didn"t take time to shower at the end of my shift because I knew you were waiting."

Ugh, I"m such a moron!

He noticed about that same time that he still held Justin's hand. Letting go quickly, he spun around and tried to compose himself.

Nothing like making the guy think you"re some frantic dipshit.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had a day job, too. Joe just said you had an accident, then took off. I assumed you were in an accident, not working one. Now that I use my eyes, I can see that you"re wearing a uniform. So, do you work for the city or a private company?"

Justin bent down to unzip his duffle and grabbed some clothes. "I've been a city paramedic for six years. This gig at Joe's is just a part-time deal. I work three nights a week on whatever project the full-time guys need help with. I enjoy the work, and the cheap rent is a real bonus. Working on the bus is a rush, but I'm not buying my dream car anytime soon." He walked toward the office. "I'm going to change real quick. Then we can get started."

Robert watched Justin walk away. His keen eyes caught the sight of the door, slightly ajar, revealing a glimpse of the room beyond.

I shouldn't go look. I really shouldn't. Oh, who the hell am I kidding? I'm going to look.

Robert crept toward the office in time to see Justin strip the offending shirt over the top of his head, revealing the mouthwatering ridges of his stomach. The delineations of his triceps and biceps bulged as he stretched. Robert swallowed when Justin unzipped then shed the navy pants, which had hugged his hips and ass so perfectly. Robert"s eyes widened as Justin bent over and slowly removed his briefs, revealing his bare skin. Nothing covered that perfect skin now. He wanted to reach out and touch so badly, wanted to grab onto the perfectly round ass and pull their straining cocks together. He craved to clutch the winged trapezius muscles of Justin's back as Justin sank deep inside him with the impressive package currently on display. Justin turned and bent over to pick up his jeans, awarding Robert with a perfect view of the tight ring guarding his hole. Robert could just imagine what it would feel like around his fingers and cock. The soft, plush, hot channel clenching around him as he stroked deep. He heard a soft groan escape and hoped the sound didn't carry. He swiftly shifted his attention elsewhere, trying to subdue his excitement, before Justin emerged from the office.

"Okay, I"m ready."

Robert pointed toward the Mustang on the far side of the shop. "Doriano did all the prep work, so we only have to mount the new top."

"That was smart."

They worked quickly to install the pads over the frame of the canopy. It took a little longer to get the rear tack strip in place and secure it to the front of the frame. After about four hours, they had the new top in place. He stood back to admire the work as Justin slung his arm around Robert"s shoulders.

"Not bad, if I say so myself. Good thing you had the others remove the old one. Otherwise, we never would have finished tonight."

"Yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way when I did this on my first car. I appreciate the help tonight. Hey, look, if you're interested and have the time, of course, we could hit the pub down the street for a beer. My treat, you know, for all the help." Robert glanced over at Justin and back away, hoping the man didn't see the desire in his eyes.

"I could definitely go for a cold one right now. We can wash up, then hit the road. Too bad you can't put the top down for a couple of weeks. It's a great night for a cruise."

Robert turned, captivated by the deep, liquid-brown hue of Justin"s eyes. "Yeah. Well, I'm sure there will be plenty of nights we can go cruising in the future."

They were so close. All he would have to do was angle his head and tilt forward for their lips to meet. He saw Justin's nostrils flare slightly as he sucked in a breath.

Could it be that he wants me, too?Did Justin burn with the need to devour each other as much as he did? He didn't want to risk giving himself away more than he already had, so he took a step back and began clearing the debris from their project and putting away the tools.

Justin sucked in a steadying breath and tried to find his equilibrium again. For a moment, he'd thought Robert was going to kiss him. It wouldn't have taken much to complete the circuit. He could feel the electricity arcing between them, and for the first time, he didn't think it was all one-sided.

Was Robert bisexual? It was certainly possible that he'd kept that part of himself quiet from the public. As long as he presented a certain public image, he could seek other companions discreetly. Then again, if you followed that line of thought, it was theoretically possible that Robert was gay and the women photographed with him were friends or simply screens for his public image.

Perhaps I"m simply daydreaming, hoping for a celestial sign to guide me.

They found a small table in a dark corner of the pub down the street from the shop. The close quarters forced an intimate atmosphere. When Justin stretched out his legs, he encountered Robert under the table. It surprised him that Robert didn"t pull away immediately and let the touch linger a moment longer. After the server had taken their orders, Robert asked about the accident that had delayed him earlier.

Justin fiddled with the cardboard coaster on the table. "Semitruck versus compact sedan. The car got wedged underneath the trailer. The impact sliced off half of the roof. While he avoided decapitation, a piece of metal sliced the man"s neck open. By some miracle, it missed both his carotid and jugular. I had to crawl in and apply pressure to control the bleeding until the fire crew could pry open the door so we could get him out." The server delivered their beers, and he took a pull before continuing. "Part of the problem was that the dash had caved in, and he had a severely broken leg, too."

"Jesus. Is he going to make it?"

"Yeah, I think so. The man is seriously lucky. He should go buy a lottery ticket." After several moments, he asked, "So, when is your next fight?"

"You know what I do?"

Justin laughed at the shocked expression on Robert's face and flicked the coaster at him. "Yeah. I figured it out shortly after you introduced yourself. I'm a fan of mixed martial arts and have seen a couple of your matches. Your relationship with Joe didn"t click because he always addresses you by your first name. So?"

"I have a big match in Las Vegas in three months. If I win, it guarantees me a spot in the championship. I've already been training for the last several weeks. Between fights, I maintain myself, but you don't want to over-train, so only in the couple of months prior to a fight will I ramp things up to match level. I have a great sparring partner. James and I have been working together for several years now." He looked down to see that he had finished his beer and signaled for another. "So what's the dream car you're not being justly rewarded enough to get?"

"1969 GTO Judge Coupe. 335 horse Ram Air III engine, Rally II wheels, and Hurst shifter in carousel red. I'd like to find an unrestored original with low miles and do the work myself. Problem is, the best I've been able to find with at least a good bone structure is $43,000."

"Great car. Amazing performance. I saw a restored numbers-matching 1971 sell at Barrett-Jackson for 200,000 last year."

Justin set his beer down hard on the table and leaned forward. "You've been to Barrett-Jackson? Scottsdale or Palm Beach? Damn, I would love to experience that. It would be such a high to actually buy something there, but even to go as a spectator would be outstanding."

"It is definitely a lifetime experience. I went to Scottsdale. I feel it embodies the genuine spirit of the auction, whereas Palm Springs is more like a spinoff. You know there's going to be one in Las Vegas, same time as the championship?"

"I heard they were doing one there this year. If you play your cards right, you could win the championship and see some incredible cars all in one trip. So tell me about Joe and your mom. If you don't mind, that is."

"Nah, I don't mind. They're sweet together. My mom raised me by herself. A week before my dad was supposed to return home, an IED destroyed his AMRAP. I know it was tough bringing me up on her own, but we made the best of it. When I started fighting to make money in college, she stood beside me, even though I could tell she was worried I'd get myself killed." He laughed. "One time she slapped me upside the head after a match where I took a hard fall and was actually unconscious for a minute or two. She told me to never do that to her again. Five years ago, she met Joe, and they've been inseparable since. It's nice to see her happy. I know he loves her, and I think of him as a dad. What about your family?"

Justin sat quietly for a few seconds. "I left home at sixteen, moved in with my grandma. I don't speak to my parents, and they don't wish to speak to me. Gram was great, though. It was living with her that actually inspired me to become a paramedic. When I moved in, she was getting older, and one day, she fell while I was at school. As soon as I reached home, I stumbled upon a note penned by the EMT, informing me they had brought her to Providence. When I found my way over there, all she talked about was how nice that ambulance man was and how he took such good care of her. Knowing that someone was there to provide management care for her pain when she was scared opened my eyes. The only thing I truly regret about leaving home was losing my little sister. We were pretty close as kids, even though she's six years younger than me."

"I'm glad you found a stable home, but I'm sorry about your sister." Robert opened his mouth, then closed it, then glanced around the pub before asking, "Why did you leave home?"

"My parents and I didn't see eye to eye. They are extremely, almost fanatically, conservative. I just couldn't be myself in that household. It all worked out in the end. I have a good life, good friends and a great job. Mike is my bus partner. He and I have been riding together since I finished school. Great guy, but recently went through a very public and nasty split with his partner."

"That sucks. There"s nothing worse than everyone knowing about your business. It's the only part of my job I hate. The media scrutiny, while not as bad as some professional sports, can be stifling."

Justin reached out with his leg to find Robert's again and felt the heat emanating from the layers of cloth. They sat in silence, watching each other, sipping their beers. Their legs continued to touch underneath the table. His breath sped up at the way Robert's eyes burned. The bartender broke the spell when he shouted out last call. Justin looked down at his watch.

"It"s almost two in the morning."

"Holy shit, you"re right. I didn"t mean to keep you out so late after working all day. I"m sorry."

Justin finished his beer and set the glass down. "It"s not a problem. I have tomorrow off, and it was nice. How about you? Lots of training to do in the morning?"

Robert nodded. "Yeah, but I can adjust my schedule a little bit to make sure I get enough sleep. Can"t be in the ring with a foggy, sleep-deprived brain. That leads to bad things."

"Make sure you do. I don"t want our station to get a call that you need a ride to the hospital because you got your head bashed in."

They stood up, their footsteps in sync across as they made their way toward the exit. Despite the dropping temperatures, the cold hardly registered for Justin, standing so close to Robert. They"d chosen to walk to the pub because it was conveniently located just a few blocks away from the shop. While heading back, Justin couldn"t help but notice that Robert always positioned himself next to the street. It could have been an instinctive act of chivalry, or it could have been a mere habit, but Justin couldn"t suppress the smile that washed over him. He lightly grazed his fingers against Robert"s, gauging the fighter"s reaction. Robert neither pulled away nor grasped Justin"s offered hand, which left his stomach swirling in uncertainty.

All too soon, the illuminated sign of the shop signaled the end of their time together. Justin paused outside the exterior entrance to his apartment. "I guess this is goodnight."

Robert glanced around the parking lot; his eyes lingered on the Mustang with its new top. "Thank you again for all your help." He took a step closer to Justin, paused, but then backed away toward the car. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Robert," Justin said, softly.

He watched as Robert climbed into his car and started the engine. The machine emitted a deep, rumbling growl that made Justin curious about the sounds Robert made when turned on. He kept his eyes on the vehicle as it pulled out of the parking lot and disappeared into the pre-dawn darkness.