Fluidity (Hearts Not Parts Collection Book 2) Page 2

  He shook his head. "No, like Axel said, we've been talking. I'm glad we met."

  "Good, so you won't be too upset if Carl and I head out? We thought we'd go back to our place for a few more drinks." Jeff met Les's stare with pleading eyes.

  "No, go and have a good time. I'll just finish off my drink and head on out myself."

  Carl finally spoke up. "We can drop you off at home on the way, Ax."

  Les shook his head. "I can give her a ride home. You two go."

  "You sure?" Carl looked at Axel, but it was obvious he hoped she would agree to get a ride with Les.

  "Sure, I don't mind. I trust Les to get me home safe. You two lovebirds go have your fun."

  Axel waved her painted nails at them as if to shoo them off. "Don't forget to be safe." She winked.

  "Ax." Carl rolled his eyes.

  "Go, babe. Have fun. Call me tomorrow and let me know what a tiger this one is in bed." She ran a finger down Jeff's arm.

  Les laughed. He loved that someone dared give these two a hard time, because he sure didn't. He didn't know if he was more jealous or angry that Jeff would have someone in his bed tonight.

  "Okay, then I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow." Carl pulled back and wrapped his arm around Jeff's waist. "And I guess we'll see you in the morning."

  "See ya." Les nodded.

  "Have fun," Axel called after them.

  "Well, guess we called that one right." Les sucked up another ice cube and chewed it in half.

  "You really don't have to give me a ride home. I can walk."

  "I'd rather see you home safe. This isn't the best neighborhood, and the way you look tonight, well, you look hot, and I don't want you attracting the wrong attention alone out there."

  "Ah, good to know I'm attracting someone's attention though. You really think I look hot?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder.

  "If you were physically a woman, I'd have already asked you out." Les smiled.

  "If I was a woman, I doubt I would have been in here and we would never have met." She pushed her drink away. "You want to go now?"

  He glanced at his phone seeing it was just after midnight. "Sure. Might as well beat the bar rush out on the road." He set a pile of ones on the table for the waitress.

  "You know what people will think about us leaving together."

  Living with Jeff, Les was used to gossip. "Let them talk. Hopefully, their imaginations are better than our night really was." He pushed his stool back and stood, dreading going home.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Axel leaned back in the seat as they pulled out of the bar, grateful for the ride home. Les was right, it was a bad area, and more than once she'd been hit on by creeps or mistaken for a hooker. That just pissed her off. She was careful to keep her clothes tasteful. She never went for the short skirts or slutty look. She liked looking good, but she had limits on what she'd wear out.

  Now in the bedroom, that was a different story. She smiled as she thought about the lingerie stashed in her dresser. Not many of her lovers in the past went for it, so it was more for her own personal enjoyment. There was nothing more erotic than dressing up in some nice little lace piece and looking at herself in the mirror.

  "What's the grin?" Les glanced over as they stopped at a red light.

  Les blushed, but recovered quickly. "Was just thinking how thankful I am you're giving me a ride. The last two times I've walked, I was propositioned."

  "That's bullshit. You don't look like a whore."

  "I guess to the guys who asked, I did, or maybe they just didn't care."

  "Remind me to leave you my number. You ever need a ride, give me a call."

  "That's sweet. Thanks." Axel reached over and gently touched his arm. "You're a great man, Les. I don't see how you're single."

  "Yeah, me either, but thanks. I'm just tired of seeing Jeff getting lucky all the time. I dread going home and listening to them fuck all night."

  "Jeff loud?"

  "Yep. Even had the neighbors complain a couple of times."

  "Shit, that is bad." Axel bit her lip as she looked at Les. She liked him. There was a connection there, one she'd like to explore, but since Les was straight, that wasn't going to happen, but they could still be friends. "Listen, I know we just met, but I'd like to think we are friends now. I've got a spare room and a pair of sweat pants you can borrow if you want to crash at my place for the night."

  Les glanced over at her. "I'm not sure…" He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

  "I know you're not gay. I'm not inviting you over to hit on you. I like you. I think we can be good friends. I swear I won't try anything."

  "Yeah, I'd like that too." Les grinned as the tension seemed to ease from him. "I don't want you thinking I have a problem with you being… What was it you called it? Gender something?"

  "Gender fluid."

  "Yeah, that's it. I mean I'm used to being around Jeff. I'm not paranoid or anything you're going to hit on me. What makes it hard with you is that you look so damn good as a girl that I have to keep reminding myself that physically you're not."

  Axel grinned and tapped her feet excitedly on the floor. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I work so hard to make myself look as feminine as I can. I never feel like I get it right."

  "Hell, if it wasn't for your voice, and you telling me, I'd have no doubt you were all girl."

  Axel sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, still fighting back a grin. "So, you're okay with me dressing like this? Cause I was really hoping we could be friends and hang out, but you never know one day to the next how I will look. It's why I don't have many good friends."

  She hated the insecurity times like this caused her to feel. The damn longing to be accepted just for who she was, no matter what appearance came with that. She lost count of how many people came into her life, both as friends or lovers, and then left as fast as they could when they found out she dressed like a woman half the time. Her parents didn't understand it, didn't approve of it, and they asked her to only come around when she was dressed as a boy.

  "How long have you…" He gestured at Axel.

  "I guess forever. Mom says I was always in her room trying on her clothes. I stopped for a few years when I was in school, but by my junior year, I started being more daring. I came out to everyone about the same time. Figured it would be easier to deal with the hate all at once." Axel wrapped her arms around herself as she remembered the way she was treated in school.

  "Bad?"

  "Guess it could have been worse, but it sure the hell wasn't easy."

  "Yeah, Jeff has horror stories he's shared with me. Guess he got beat up pretty bad."

  "I never got beat up, but the teasing and bullying got pretty intense." Axel sighed. "Anyway, that's all behind me. I swore after going through all that, I would never let anyone tell me how or who I should be again. I might not have many friends because of it, but at least I'm not suffering inside like I did before I came out." She pointed to the left. "It's the apartment right there. Just pull into that empty spot around back."

  It wasn't much, but it was cheap and close to work. She dreamed of a house somewhere outside the city limits, but one thing after another kept digging into her savings and keeping her stuck in the small apartment.

  Someday, she'd be able to have more.

  *****

  Les parked and Axel stepped out. She reached into her small handbag and pulled out her keys. "It's not much."

  "It's better than listening to Jeff all night." Les followed her up the steps.

  "True. Worst you get from me is you might hear me snoring from down the hall."

  "Ah, not worried about that. I'll just join your snoring and we'll cancel each other out."

  "Well, welcome to my abode." Axel pushed open the door and gave a flourished wave with her hand. "It's small, but it's semi-clean, and I promise you won't hear anyone getting pounded into the mattress while you try to sleep."

  "Thank God
for that." Les grinned as he stepped inside.

  The apartment wasn't very big. He walked into a small living room with nothing more than a couch against one wall with a beat up, small coffee table, and a big screen TV hanging across from it. The other half of the area was a small kitchen. It was tiny. Les smiled as he thought about how hard it would be for two people to be in there at one time without bumping into each other.

  Axel put her handbag on the table and turned to Les. "Let me grab you those sweats and show you your room. I'm going to grab a quick shower and get out of these heels. You want to watch TV, go ahead. When I get out, I have some cheesecake stashed if you want a piece.

  "Cheesecake sounds great."

  "Perfect. Follow me. Not like you can get lost, the place is pretty small, but I'm hardly ever home." She led him down the small hallway. "Your room is in here. Promise the sheets are clean. The bathroom is the next door, then my room at the end of the hall." She stopped as Les stepped into the guest room.

  A queen-sized bed sat against the back wall with a small dresser beside the door. "Thanks, this is great."

  "Let me grab you some sweats and I'll hurry and shower. You going to want a t-shirt?"

  It was pretty warm still. He didn't need it. "I'm good with just sweats."

  "Okay, I'll be right back."

  She disappeared into her room for a second then came back to his. "I had black or pink. Figured you weren't the pink kinda guy."

  "Not usually." He blushed as he caught the sweats she tossed at him. "Thanks."

  "Yep. Like I said, go find something on TV. I won't be too long." She gave him a huge grin before rushing off.

  He shut the door and kicked off his shoes. It was strange being in a place he didn't know. He'd just met Axel and here he was stripping down to spend the night. He'd done it once before for a one-night-stand, but this was different. Still, it was better than listening to Jeff all night. He pulled off the rest of his clothes, and pulled on the sweats. They fit as perfectly as his own would have.

  The shower was on, so he headed back out to the living room and sat down at one end of the couch. He sank into the soft cushions, and wondered for a minute if he could sleep out here instead of the bedroom. He set his phone on the coffee table and picked up the remote. It was late, so he didn't expect to find much on. He settled on watching motocross. He'd let Axel pick something once she came out.

  He closed his eyes as he laid his head back, thinking about Jeff. He needed to tell him that this couldn't keep happening. As happy as he was Jeff that was getting lucky, he was tired of sitting alone at the bar all the time. Thank God Axel had shown up tonight. At least she helped pass the time. Still, it was happening more often than not, and Les was done being the one always sitting alone.

  "Hey, ready for the cheesecake? Oh, motocross. I love it."

  Les opened his eyes and sucked in a shocked breath. Axel stood in front of him, his hair pulled back in a ponytail, a pair of basketball shorts on, and no shirt. His thin, hairless chest was flat, compared to the curved breasts he had earlier. The makeup was gone, leaving the smooth curved legs, long, painted fingernails, and those damn beautiful blue eyes the only signs that it was the same person as before. Les sat up straight, trying not to show his surprise.

  "It's okay. I know it's a shock when people see the other side of me. This is the me you get most of the time." Axel nodded to the TV. "So, you like motocross?"

  It took Les a moment to recover. When he did, he nodded. "Yeah, I love it. My dad used to take me years ago. He had a friend who rode."

  "You ever ride?" Axel moved to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

  "Nah, not really. I've been on bikes, but never anything other than up and down the road. You?"

  "A couple times. Some of the guys from work have dirt bikes and invite me when they take them out. I can't get the speed up they can, but I can make it around the track without killing myself." He started to slice the cheesecake.

  "Some of those guys are just insane, and the trick riders, don't even get me started on them."

  "No shit. I'm pretty brave when it comes to doing stupid shit, but even I have my limits."

  Les grinned. "Stupid shit? Sounds like there's a story there."

  "Probably several of them." Axel carried the plates in and set them on the coffee table. "You want beer, water, or soda?"

  "Water's good." Les didn't want to mix beer with his harder liquor. Even though he'd only had a couple glasses, he wasn't going to risk the hangover he got when he mixed the two. "So, you live alone? Just curious because you have two bedrooms."

  "I had a roommate. She moved out a few months ago." Axel set two bottles of water down, then tucked his feet under him as he sat down at the other end of the couch facing Les. "She was cool for the first few months, but then she started dating this guy. He had big issues with me, so she moved out."

  "Why would anyone have issues with you? I mean you're gay, right? It's not like you were a threat." Les just didn't get some people.

  "Oh, he didn't think I was going to steal her from him, but he said I was a freak and that she was better off keeping her distance. The fact that she chose to move out because of his opinion said enough. We haven't talked since." Axel cut into his cake and took a huge bite. Before he'd even swallowed it all, he moaned softly. "God, I love this stuff."

  "Me, too." Les licked his fork. "I'm sorry she was such an idiot, but I guess you see a lot of that. I know Jeff gets shit all the time for being gay. I try to stand up for him, but he just waves me off and lets it go. I hate it. Drives me nuts."

  "I think we just get used to it, and it's easier to walk away than risk a fight. Trust me, I've been in a few and I wish I'd just walked away."

  Les sighed. "It shouldn't be like that."

  "It shouldn't, but it is." Axel turned his focus to eating.

  Les turned his attention to the TV, but his mind was on Axel. It was so strange that the beautiful woman he'd been talking to all night was the same guy sitting beside him now. The conversation was still as easy, the friendship they were building felt right, but each time Les looked over at him, he was mesmerized by those eyes. It didn't matter that the make-up was gone or the fake eyelashes were replaced by shorter, lighter, real ones. He still couldn't get enough of staring at them. It was hard to wrap his mind around everything. He had no problem with Axel, but he was confused by his own attraction to him.

  "So, you into any sports?" Axel set his plate on the table.

  Les swallowed the bite he'd just taken. "I play a little basketball, but nothing serious. Jeff and I will play a few games with some other guys in the apartment down from us. I love to watch basketball and football."

  "Ever go to the games?"

  "Not often. Sometimes work will give out tickets as a thank you, but other than that I hardly have the money for nosebleed seats." Les shrugged.

  "Yeah, I know what you mean. Prices are insane."

  "You go?"

  "My dad gets tickets to the football games. I tag along once in a while. Not as often anymore. I think he's scared what I'll be dressed in when I show up." Axel took a long drink of water. "For basketball, my sister has season tickets courtside. She takes me when her husband can't go."

  "She doesn't worry what you will wear?" Les asked with a teasing grin.

  "Ah, hell no. She offers to let me come over and raid her closet before we go out."

  "She sounds great."

  Axel smiled and nodded. "She is. She's the first person I came out to. She laughed and said she already knew because I paid more attention to her boyfriends than she did most of the time."

  Les laughed. "My parents don't even like that I live with Jeff. They're very religious and not in a good way. It's hard because I want to include Jeff in things but can't. Most of the time I end up not going to family things just because I'm so pissed off at them over it."

  "How did you and Jeff get to be friends? You mentioned you met in college."

  Les nodde
d. "Wish it was some great story, but honestly, he was being picked on by some of the other guys and I got pissed. I went off on them, telling them what they could do with their hate. In the end, it didn't stop them from picking on him, and they started picking on me too, but Jeff and I bonded over coffee that afternoon. We've been best friends since."

  "Always the hero." Axel grinned.

  "What do you mean?"

  "You saved Jeff back then, and tonight you saved me from walking home. You're a pretty decent guy, Les."

  Les blushed. "I just try to do the right thing."

  "Well, thank you again for the ride. I appreciate it."

  "You already thanked me by letting me stay here and not making me go home to Sexfest." He stretched as he stood. "Not that I don't enjoy the company, but I think I'm going to turn in. Thanks again for everything. Especially the cake." He picked up his plate and empty water bottle and made his way to the kitchen.

  "No problem. If you need anything, just help yourself. There's not much for breakfast other than cold cereal, but you can have what's there. I tend to sleep late, so don't feel in a rush to get out of here. I have no plans tomorrow, and if I know Carl, Jeff and he will be going at it when they wake up too."

  "Ugh." Les groaned. "Thanks for the warning."

  "Anytime." Axel gave him a salute. "Sleep well."

  "You too." Les turned and headed for the bed.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Axel stretched as he pulled his pillow tighter to him. He didn't want to get up yet, but his bladder was having a good argument with him, and it was one he wasn't going to win. With a heavy sigh, he pushed out of bed and made his way out of his room to the bathroom.

  He hadn't slept that well in a long time. His body was relaxed for a change. He rolled his shoulders, finding the strain that he'd been carrying over the last few weeks was gone. One thing that did ache, were the balls of his feet. He needed to watch wearing those shoes when he went out if they were going to leave him feeling sore.