In The Mountains

Chapter 5: Staying.

Chapter 5: Staying.

As Paxton ate breakfast, Tennessee sat across from him and sipped from his coffee mug. The man simply watched Paxton eat like he was consuming every nuisance of Paxton's movements. As far as Paxton was concerned, there was nothing straight about how Tennessee stared. Paxton was halfway through his eggs when he realized he had not buttoned up his dress shirt. He quickly dropped his fork and slipped the buttons through the loops.

As if it dawned on Tennessee that he was gazing at him with barely hidden longing, he coughed and then quickly got up from the table.

“More coffee?" Tennessee asked as he poured the liquid into his mug. When he finished, he leaned against the counter and focused his attention on the wall.

“No, I'm good. In fact, you didn't need to make me breakfast," Paxton murmured to this plate, “But thank you for this. If I don't get a chance to eat on the road, I'll be happy I had this before I left."

Paxton knew that sentence was a true one. He wouldn't have any money, so stopping to eat again wouldn't happen for a while. He guessed that he could have s*x with someone and get some cash that way. Isn't that what hookers did? They f****d for money. Suddenly the warm biscuit in his mouth tasted like sawdust.

“About that." Tennessee sipped on his mug. “I'll drive ya anywhere ya wanna go. Just tell me where."

“All the way to Alaska?" Paxton took a sip of his coffee and smiled sadly into the cup. He wasn't even sure that Alaska was far enough away. Keyon would probably find him there too.

“If that's what ya want."

“Uncle Cletus is right." Paxton rose and handed his empty plate to Tennessee. “This is a pig pen. I'm a mess, and you don't want that in your house. Trust me when I say you'll be happy when I'm gone."

“I gathered that ya might've heard us takin'. Cletus is damn loud." Tennessee blushed slightly, took the plate, and then plopped it in the sink. “If it's me likin' ya that's got yer dander up, ya ain't need to fret. I'm not fixin' to hit on ya or nothin'. I won't even look at ya if ya want. I promise ya can simply stay here, and when yer ready to go, I'll take ya any old place."

Paxton leaned back against the kitchen table and crossed his arms over his chest. Huh. That was interesting. Tennessee thought Paxton didn't want to stay here because the man was attracted to him. Tennessee was worried about making Paxton feel like a piece of meat. That was funny, but he didn't laugh.

“I don't want anythin' from ya if that's what yer thinkin'." As Tennessee spoke, his eyes traveled down Paxton's body, but he quickly looked at the wall like that was vastly more fascinating.

“That's not what I was thinking at all." Paxton shook his head. “What I was thinking was that my boss, Keyon, will come here and find me and kill you. I'm not allowed to leave my job. I'm property. I am…" Paxton hunted for the right words. “I'm a kept escort, and I'm trying to protect you."

“Ah-huh." Tennessee chuckled as he washed out his coffee mug. “So, yer tellin' me that yer boss is just gonna know where we are?" Tennessee rolled his big gray eyes to the ceiling like a child who thought his parents said something dumb. “He's just gonna know that a beat-up pickup took his boy on a back county road, and he's just gonna know where I drove to fer eight hours in the dead of night?" Tennessee laughed. “He'd have to be one of them-here psychics."

“Keyon isn't to be underestimated. I really am trying to do what's right here."

“And leavin' is doin' what's right?" Tennessee grinned but then wiped the smile off his face as quickly as it appeared. “What if Keyon comes lookin' fer ya and yer all alone out there? Ya got a plan fer that, cowboy?"

“Yes. I can hide. I can blend in." Paxton notched his chin higher. Blending in is what he did as an escort, good-looking enough to pass as a date, not so handsome as to stand out in the crowd. He was trained to fit in at a nightclub or a fancy dinner. He could go anywhere, meet someone, and then be forgotten.

“Blend in?" Tennessee asked with a chuckle as he started to wash out Paxton's coffee cup. “Lookie-here, if someone were lookin' fer a cute twenty-somethin' man with thick black hair and pretty green eyes, yes, to a regular guy at a bus station, ya might blend in with all them other people he sees all day long. He might say I've not seen him." Tennessee's eyes scanned him again. “But if I were lookin' fer a cute twenty-somethin' man beaten and with two black eyes? Welp, now that ain't somethin' ya see every day. I'd be noteworthy. Yer boss would find ya in a New York minute."

“You think I'm cute?" Paxton bit his bottom lip to keep from smiling. As hard as he tried not to warm up to the idea of Tennessee liking him, it wasn't working.

“Yer missin' my point, cowboy. If ya leave here lookin' like ya do, yer gonna be spotted everywhere ya go. I'm a-sayin' heal up and then leave when ya can blend in a little better. I'm not stoppin' ya from goin' yer own way, but if-in ya ain't interested in bein' kept again, then run away with some smarts."

Paxton had to admit Tennessee had a point there. If he was going to do this, he should think about it before he made a move. He was aware that he still looked awful. Glancing down at his bloody suit, he shook his head at the red splatter on his white shirt. His outfit would be something someone would notice in a heartbeat. Also, he had no money. Maybe if he stayed here, he could get some cash from Tennessee and something other than this to wear.

“I can see what you mean. Someone would look at my clothing and ask what happened."

“Alrighty." Tennessee pointed to a box on the floor. “That's old clothes that Cletus brought over fer ya. It's smaller stuff that'll fit ya better than wearing my britches. He was gonna donate it."

“He brought me clothes?"

“Uncle Cletus had a son that died long ago. I think there is some of Dean's old clothes. I didn't press Cletus 'bout why he's donatin' it now. It's a sore topic."

“I understand." Paxton nodded. “I really don't want to be wearing this suit, so I'd probably put on anything at this point. Even if it's Dean's old clothes."

“Yer shoes are by the door, but I think there's old boots in that there box. That'd be better out in the woods." Tennessee strolled over to one of the dogs and stroked the animal's fuzzy ears. “I reckon it's time I head to work. I'm down at the bottom of the hill if ya need me. The dogs know where I am, so if ya wanna find me, let them out, and they'll take ya right to the shop. It's just over yonder."

Tennessee finished petting his dogs and then strolled to the exit. He turned around and scanned Paxton again.

“I'll be home fer dinner," Tennessee said as he reached the door handle.

“Wait." Paxton glanced at Smith and Weston and then back at Tennessee. “Thank you, Tennessee. I won't be a problem here. I promise. You won't even notice me."

“I ain't sure ya can do that." Tennessee glanced over his shoulder with a small smile playing on his lips. “Cowboy, I think I'm always gonna notice ya."