Can't Buy Me Love

Part 6

It was a few days later when Rami had invited Joe out. Lucy was throwing some party and he wanted him to come. Joe agreed and even asked Ben to join him, but the man declined, saying he had to work. Joe wanted to back out, but knew if he did Rami would never let him live it down.

So he showed up, dressed in a plaid shirt and denim blue jeans. He stood around on the roof top where the party was held. He had a drink in his hand and found a corner to stand in. He watched Rami and Lucy on the dance floor and thought back to when he was young and he would clear the floor to show off his moves.

He downed his drink and looked at his phone. Ben and he were texting on and off. He knew the man was busy and he didn't want to bother him. But he hated being in places like this and with Rami busy with his lady love and mingling around, he more alone than ever.

Rami tried to get him to talk to people, tried to set him up with this person and that person. He was trying to sell something. Sell the person and sell Joe himself. Eventually it got to be too much and Joe had to pull Rami aside.

"This whole matchmaker thing is becoming too much, Ram." He told him over the music. "Besides, Ben and I are...." Are what? Dating? Was he dating Ben? They went on dates, but they weren't boyfriends.

"Oh come on! You can do better than that pretty boy." Rami insisted. He took Joe in his arms and pointed around the room. "Look at all these faces, Joe. They will never be like us. We're on the top of the world. You could go home with any of these people. Why not give it a shot?"

Why not? Because Joe didn't do one night stands. Joe didn't like the idea of being with somebody for just one night. Joe was an old soul. He wanted to fall in love, wanted to mend his broken heart, wanted to have the life his parents had before it all turned to shit.

And he thought he had that but then it did all turned to shit. His former girlfriend fucked his former friend on repeat for weeks. Maybe even months. He didn't get all the information. Joe cut them from his life and stuck with Rami because Rami cared about him.

Even now when he was trying to push him in a direction that Joe didn't really want to go into, Joe knew he was only doing it out of the kindness of his heart. He wanted Joe to be happy and while he still felt like he was walking on egg shells, Joe found that maybe this time around it was possible.

Joe promised Rami he would try, he really would but not before putting his heart on his sleeve. He sent Ben one last message, telling him that he didn't need to reply but that he just wanted to get it out in the open. He missed him and this party was supposed to be fun but he wasn't having fun. But he was going to try. He just really wished Ben was there.

Turning his phone off, Joe left his corner and went off to be social. Thanks to his career, Joe had become very good at putting on a good face. He could talk even if he didn't want to and he would listen and make it seem like he actually was interested.

In the corner of his eye he caught Lucy and Rami smiling and he knew he was doing a good job. He spoke of five or six different people. None of them made him laugh, so he faked it. None of them were telling him anything he really cared to hear, but he bobbed his head along like he gave a shit.

He did this for almost an hour, finally deciding it was time to call it a night even if the party was nowhere near ending. He went off to find Rami, to thank him for the amazing night and to tell him that he did in fact have a good time.

Rami was lost in the crowd somewhere and Joe was about to skip it and just head out when he found somebody else. A familiar blond head of hair and a gorgeous face to go with it. Ben was dressed far better than himself and Joe was suddenly wondering if he left an award show to be there. Joe walked over and Ben, finally finding him, did the same.

"What are you doing here?" He asked when they met in the middle.

"You said you wanted me to be here. So, here I am." Ben shrugged. When asked how he knew where he was, he just laughed. "Lucy has the tendency to tag her location on her social media post. Quite dangerous actually."

"I can't believe you're actually here. Why are you dressed like that?" He was wearing all black. A nice suit with undone buttons instead of a tie. He must have left some work event if he was looking like this.

"I wanted to look good for you. Are you pleased?"

Joe was very pleased. He looked like a fucking lumberjack compared to Ben, but the blond didn't seem to mind. Some song came on that Ben seemed to like and the man was smiling in a way that made Joe very nervous. He began shaking his head. No, no. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't dance.

Ben refused to give up however and took his hand, pulling him onto the dance floor. Ben could dance, annoyingly well. Joe mostly just stood there until finally the blond broke him down and he began to move. Joe let the world around them disappear and just focused on the man before him.

He was dancing without a care, singing along with whatever song was playing. Joe didn't even know he knew the lyrics to it until he and Ben were practically screaming them on the top of their lungs. They stayed a little bit longer, drinking and dancing and having the time of their lives. Joe was wrapped up in Ben's arms, slow dancing with him to something sweet and smooth.

He had never danced like this with another male. Doing things for the first time made Joe feel better. Repeating the same old shit, it didn't change anything. But being with a guy like this, so close and content, being with Ben like this, it challenged Joe to fully break down the walls and he was okay with that.

He didn't say goodbye to Rami when they left. They didn't say goodbye to anybody. They walked out hand in hand, leaving the party to head to Joe's place. They were kissing along the way, practically throwing themselves at one another in the back of Joe's car.

When they got to his place, Joe pushed Ben up against the door, kissing him endlessly. It was Ben who pushed him away, insisting that they didn't have to do this. That just because they danced and had fun, they didn't have to go all the way.

Joe knew that was true. They didn't have to do anything like this, but Joe wanted to.

He really, really wanted to.

He didn't have condoms or lube or anything of the sort, but he had money and with enough money you could have people bring you shit like that. They were kissing on the couch as they waited for the delivery. Joe was the bold one. He was sitting on Ben's hand with Ben's hand on his lap. He was kissing him with tongue and swallowing all their moans.

He completely wrecked Ben's hair and he didn't give a single fuck.

When the kid arrived with the order, he tossed him a twenty even if he already tipped him on the app. Joe felt like a wild man, finally feeling something other than anger and regret. He was so fucking into this man and now he was so ready for this man to get the fuck into him.

He pulled Ben into his bedroom by the front of his shirt and Ben was laughing at how incredibly out of character he was acting.

Truth was this was who Joe used to be. Someone so happy and carefree. Someone who adored sex and kissing and being around someone who made him happy. When they were finished, they laid together in bed, just basking in the joy of it. Joe had never been with another guy, but he truly liked it. A lot. Maybe a little too much.

When asked if he had been with other people, Ben admitted he had been. With guys and girls and everybody in between. He watched Joe carefully and then finally broke it down. Asking if he would judge him, but Joe just shrugged.

Who is he to judge what somebody else does? Ben didn't even blink when Joe confessed that he basically locked himself away from the rest of the world so why should Joe judge Ben for being with multiple people?

They were adults, they could do what they wanted. All that mattered was that they wanted this. Them. Together.

And as the night ended with them wrapped up in one another, Joe realized he really, really wanted it.