Chapter 4

To say that it was tense in the apartment for the rest of the week was an understatement. Seth never acknowledged Dean or said a word to him. If Dean came into the kitchen when Seth was there, Seth would walk out. If Seth was watching something on the tv and Dean came out and sat on the couch, Seth would get up and leave.

It was really the most uncomfortable feeling of not feeling welcomed in his own home. Dean was thinking that he should just break the lease and refund Seth his money and kick him out. He hated being at home and feeling as if he was walking on eggshells.

Dean talked the matter over with Mark before he left on Friday evening. Surprisingly, Mark had told him to apologize. Mark rocked back in his chair and clapsed his hand over his large belly. He knew Dean quite well and understood him better than the man himself realized.

" Why the fuck should I apologize Mark? I didn't say anything wrong." Dean stood with his hands on hips waiting for the answer.

" Dean, I understand that this Seth guy is a nuisance and he seems to have a stick permanently lodged up his ass. But I can bet you that his life isn't as sweet as he's making it out to be. Maybe he's the way that he is because that's how he had to be to survive out here in L.A. You and I both know that this city can eat you up and spit you out and then make the entire thing seem like it was your fault. I don't know. Maybe he was always a brat." Mark leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk. " Some folks don't have any proper home training. That's the way how life goes. All I'm saying is to apologize and give him a second chance." Mark looked up at Dean, his eyes twinkling. " I recall giving a chance to some skinny, rude white boy who was drinking illegally in my bar after Hollywood had broken him."

Dean pursed his lips ruefully.

" I haven't regretted my decision to this day." Mark leaned back in his chair and looked at him.

Dean smiled and shook his head. " I see what your saying Mark. Okay, I'll give him another chance but I swear if he goes off on me again, he's out."

Mark raised his hands as if he was backing off. " That's all I'm asking. If he turns out just to be another rude idiot, you have more than my blessings to kick him out."

When Dean arrived home on Friday evening, Seth wasn't there. In fact Dean didn't see him until he came out for breakfast on Saturday morning. Seth was about to walk out of the kitchen when Dean stopped him.

His fingertips pressing against Seth's hard abs. His eyes meeting steely brown ones. " Seth I want to talk to you."

Seth propped one arm against the counter and looked at him expectantly. The whole week he still walked around the apartment clad only in his underwear. This morning it was a pair of navy blue briefs.

Dean exhaled audibly before he started. It was hard to apologize when you felt that you didn't do anything wrong. " Seth I just want to say that I'm sorry for what I said on Sunday."

The coldness in Seth's eyes vanished but they were replaced with suspicion.

Dean continued. " I shouldn't have called you a whore. I didn't mean that. I was just angry."

Seth shook his head. " No you mean it." His voice was surprisingly calm. " It's probably what you think when you see me with Damien."

" No I don't." Dean's hand pressed flat against the side of Seth's waist. But it barely registered as he saw a flicker of vulnerability flash across Seth's face. "I just want us to have a clean start again."

Seth came closer to him until they were only a few inches apart. Dean's hand slipped down to Seth's lower back and it was only then that he realized the compromising position that they were in. Seth's eyes were searching his face as if he was looking for a sign that Dean was telling the truth. Dean was getting hard since he was so close that he could smell Seth's natural body scent. It was light and powdery. His skin was so soft to touch underneath his fingers that it was taking all of his willpower not to lower his head and place kisses along Seth's thick neck down to his collarbone.

" Okay. Fine." Seth took a step back and Dean's hand fell to his side. The connection broken. " I guess I should apologize too for coming at you the way that I did. I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Dean was almost rendered speechless. He never expected this pretty boy to apologize for anything. " Thanks. Apology accepted."

Seth gave him a small smile and walked away towards his bedroom.

Dean hadn't even realized that he was holding his breath until he released it. Looking down he saw the noticeable shift in fabric in his boxers. Just being so close to him turned him on like no other. He playfully mused that he should have pulled Seth against him to feel his erection but then what would that have solved? Seth would've probably freaked out on him but this time with a good cause.

Dean went and got his cup and poured himself some coffee. He was surprised to see that there was a good amount left in the pot. Maybe things could get better afterall.

The rest of the Saturday passed quietly enough. Dean did some errands while Seth remained at home. When Dean pushed the door of his apartment Seth was coming out dressed in a t-shirt, gym shorts and sneakers.

" I'm out." That's all he said as he pushed passed Dean and jogged down the stairs.

Dean shook his head as he entered the apartment and closed the door. Somethings never changed.

Seth's intention was to take a light jog around to get to know his new neighbourhood better. But as he came down the stairs he saw Roman walking slowly up the steps to his apartment, clutching his lower back, obviously in pain. He hadn't seen or spoken to the guy since Sunday but he was still interested in him. Straight or not.

" Hi," Seth said coming up to him. " Are you okay?"

Roman shook his head as he fumbled with his house key. " No. I pulled a muscle while using the pull up bar at the gym." The key clanged against the wooden floorboard as they slipped from Roman's grip. Seth quickly retrieved them and opened the door for Roman.

" Thank you," he said as he entered the apartment.

" So what are you going to do?" Seth was genuinely concerned as he watched the man almost limp to the couch.

" I'm probably going to put some ice on it." Roman replied as he plopped down on the couch.

Seth stepped inside the apartment shaking his head. " No that's not going to work. Trust me, I would know." Seth gave a short laugh. " It's one of the hazards of my job."

Roman eyed him skeptically. " So what do you recommend?"

" A hot shower to help loosen the muscles up." Seth ticked his fingers off. " Some muscle relief ointment and a massage to work it in."

" Are you sure this will work?"

" Well if you want to be in pain for the rest of the day, well you don't have to do it." Seth shrugged his shoulders. " Personally speaking I don't like being in pain but you can do you." Seth turned as if he was about to leave when Roman stopped him.

" Okay fine." Roman laughed and rose from the couch slowly as he made his way to the bedroom. " We'll do it your way. Make yourself at home."

Seth smiled as Roman left and locked the door. He looked around Roman's apartment. Lots of earth tones and clean masculine lines but not too much of a showcase that it lacked a lived in vibe. Seth settled on the couch and toed of his sneakers as he switched the tv on. Maybe all was not lost between him and Roman after all.

Dean was relaxing on his couch drinking a beer when he heard a hard knock on the door. He took his time walking to the door. He wasn't expecting anyone. Maybe Seth had forgotten his keys. Whoever it was, seemed impatient and knocked rapidly again.

" I'm coming!" Dean called out as he took another sip of his beer.

Much to his surprise when he opened the door, stood one Damien Sandow. He was wearing a dark blue polo shirt with some golf club logo across the left breast and chinos. Dean suspected that this was as casual as Sandow went.

" Ah good evening," Damien said obviously peering past him into the living room. " Is Seth available?"

" Nope." Dean took another swig of beer.

Damien edged his teeth and the corners of his mouth turned up in an obvious disgusted sneer at Dean's callous behaviour. But this time Dean was rather amused by it. This guy was so tightly strung that all it took was the right pluck and he would snap.

" What do you mean nope? His car is still here." Damien looked at Dean as if he was talking to a little child.

Dean took another drink of his beer before replying knowing that it would infuriate the man. " That maybe, but he's not here."

" I don't believe you. Now if you'll excuse me." Sandow pushed Dean aside and walked into the apartment.

" Seth!" He called out. " Seth!"

Dean leaned against the door grinning. He watched as Damien disappeared down the passage towards Seth's bedroom still calling out his name.

When Damien came back out he looked most confused and perplexed. " I don't understand. Where would he have gone?"

His brows furrowed deep in concentration. He looked at Dean. " Did he tell you where he went?"

Dean shrugged nonchalantly. " No. He just said that he was going out."

Damien walked with his hands on his hips to the front door. " Well this is quite strange."

" Did he know that you were coming over?" Dean knew that it really wasn't any of his business but right now he was bored and it was amusing him.

" Um, no." Sandow stepped outside and sighed. " He always tells me that I need to be more spontaneous. So I do that and come to see him and he's no where to be found. This is why I don't do spontaneous."

Sandow turned towards the stairs and then looked back at Dean. " He didn't leave with anyone did he?"

Dean knew why he was asking. He knew that there was a possibility that Seth could be cheating on him even though he was techincally already doing it to Seth with his wife.

" No I didn't see anyone."

Dean saw that it brought little comfort to the man. Maybe Damien cared more about Seth than he was willing to admit to himself.

Damien gave him a half hearted grin. " Well let him know that I stopped by okay?"

" Sure." Dean closed the door as Sandow made his way down the stairs.

Seth was still watching television when Roman came into his living room fresh from the shower. All he was wearing was a pair of grey gym shorts tied at the waist. His hair was still wet and it clung to his pecs and mid back. He was such a delicious sight that Seth couldn't help but to check him out. The man had no right being so damn fine and only playing for one team.

Seth noticed that he was holding a small tube in his right hand as he approached him. " So how are we going to do this?"

Seth reached for the remote and turned off the television and then stood up. " I guess that you lie down here on the couch."

" Hmm. But then you would only be able to reach one side properly." Roman turned on his heels. " C'mon."

" We're are we going?" Seth asked as he followed him down the hallway.

" To my bedroom."

That answer definitely put a spring in Seth's step.

Roman laid down on a large California king bed that was dressed in pale grey sheets. Seth's mind went to all of the naughty things that he could do on a bed of this size. Roman handed the tube of ointment to him and Seth knelt down on the bed beside him. He opened the tube and squeezed some of the ointment on his palm and then he rubbed both together to spread the cream feeling the cooling heat against his skin. He brought his hands down to Roman's lower back and started to work the ointment into the overworked muscles.

Seth wasn't lying when he said it was one of the hazards of his job. Almost every night he and the other guys that he worked with would take turns massaging down each other especially after a hard show.

" Mmmm, that feels good." Roman moaned appreciatively into the bedsheets. He pulled his long hair over his shoulder to keep it out of Seth's way has his hands moved further up his back. " So what exactly do you do at the club? Is it like Magic Mike?"

Seth laughed as he kneaded Roman's shoulders. " You watched Magic Mike?"

" A girl I was seeing at the time wanted to go see it, so I did."

" Did you like it?" Seth pressed his fingers along Roman's spine, trying to work all of the kinks out.

" It was cool. Not really my thing." He shifted his head so he could look at Seth. " No offence."

Seth chuckled. " None taken." His hands moved back down to Roman's lower back as Roman's head went back to its original positon. " Well I guess it's kinda like Magic Mike. It's more of a showpiece than a pure strip club but clothes do come off."

" Oh. So do you actually have to be naked on stage?"

" Nah. We only go down to thongs. We're a classy place." Seth laughed.

" That's interesting," Roman said. His voice sounding a bit sleepy.

" Why? Do you wanna come watch? Wednesdays are men only." Seth's thumbs slipped underneath the waistband of Roman's shorts. Massaging the area right at the curve of Roman's ass.

Roman's laugh was muffled by the bedsheets. " I think I'll pass."

" Well that's too bad. You're missing out on a good show." Seth straddled Roman's hips, sitting lightly on his thighs. His hands still working Roman's back even though all of the product was gone. He wasn't planning on stopping until Roman told him to.

" Mmmm." Roman groaned again as Seth slid his hands up and down Roman's back.

Seth feeling empowered leaned over and lightly pressed his lips in the center of Roman's back. He waited a few tense seconds to see what Roman would do but his eyes remained closed and his breathing steady. Seth's gaze shifted to Roman's left shoulder muscle. He worked the muscle with his fingers as he planted another kiss and then he did the same to the right.

Seth then lightly ran his fingers down Roman's back following them with a trail of soft kisses down his spine. Roman had to have noticed those.

" Seth," Roman finally spoke. " Do you give these sort of massages to everyone?"

Seth planted a kiss right where Roman's neck and back met. This time he flicked his tongue out and licked the soft skin. " Only to very special people."

He felt Roman turning so he raised up off his thighs until Roman was laying on his back looking up at him as if he was trying to figure him out. Seth settled right back down on Roman's thighs. He could see the outline of his shaft through the gym shorts and it looked pretty impressive. Seth ran his hands down the sides of Roman's torso, laying a kiss right in the center of his defined six pack. He looked back up at the gorgeous man. Their eyes locking.

" You know that I'm straight right?" Roman finally said.

Seth response was to close his mouth over Roman's bronze coloured right nipple, sucking it and twirling his tongue around it. He heard Roman inhale sharply and then his hand holding his head in place as Seth worked the nipple over with his experienced mouth.

" Fuck." Roman breathed out wearily as Seth pressed his groin against his as he continued to pleasure that tiny body part.

After a minute Seth held up his head. Roman could feel how hard Seth was and it was turning him on more than he would like to admit. Seth looked down between his legs and raised his hips so that he could admire Roman's hard length. Seth folded in his lips surpressing a whimper. He could tell that Roman had a huge cock to go along with his impressive body. It was taking all of Seth's self control not to peel off Roman's pants and suck his thick cock into his mouth.

Seth placed a kiss above Roman's well teased nipple. " Who are you trying to convince?" He grinned at Roman and then got off of him. He looked so damn appealing stretched out on the bed with his pants doing a poor job of hiding his excitement. But Seth knew it would be worse if he pushed for too much too soon.

Roman didn't answer him but turned around to look at him. Seth could see that he was debating whether to ask Seth to stay or not. Seth was in no rush now that he knew that he could get to Roman. He would have him wrapped around his finger soon enough just like Damien. Seth made up Roman's mind for him. As he walked out the bedroom he said, " See you around Rome."

A/N: Man, none of you felt sorry for Seth in the last chapter, lol. So how about now? Do you think Seth should've been forgiven?