I was happy, a little excited even, to provide a night of lodging to Rod, the fellow from the home office, upstate.I was happy, a little excited even, to provide a night of lodging to Rod, the fellow from the home office, upstate. We had been working together on the new facility design for months. He was gorgeous and I enjoyed the few opportunities I had to be with him outside of the office -- lunches and on one occasion a late night cocktail at my apartment. Not wanting to put him off or give him the wrong idea, I offered to sleep on my couch. Rod laughed looking at the loveseat that I called a couch. Not necessary, he said. I didn't dare assume anything from his casual observation that my king size bed looked like it could easily accomodate more than just the two of us. I crashed early, freeing the bathroom for my guest and creating what privacy I could by my sleep. I lay quietly for over an hour before I heard him snap off the t.v. and come in to the bedroom. He stood in the doorway, framed from behind by the light in the bathroom and gently illuminated from the front by the lamp near my closet. I feigned sleep, watching him closely through thin, veiled slits. I don't know if I was hoping to see him undress, maybe, yes, that was a hope but one that I wouldn't let get too high. He peeled off his slacks, shrugged out of his shirt and stepped out of his sleek briefs. My throat tightened. God, he looked terrific. He pulled a dacron night shirt over his head adjusting it around his hips. After a few moments in the bathroom the light went out and he padded across the room. I felt the bed adjust itself as he lowered himself gently, even cautiously, into bed. It was clear he though I was asleep. Minutes passed, maybe an hour, I couldn't tell. His breathing slowed, went deep and more quiet. Eventually I drifted off, too, full of notions and feelings that I refused to try and articulate for fear of what I might find. At some point I was wakened by Rod's movement . I was still lying in the same narrow corridor of the bed that I had clung to before sleep fell over me. But Rod had moved. His body cradled--mirrored--mine so that we were lumped together like spoons. |