AUD SORENSON stepped into the shower and began to wash off the sweat from his workout. It had been a long day at the art gallery he owned. One of the artists arrived earlier and spent three hours rearranging her paintings, claiming her sales had dropped over the past six months, and it was all because of the way the lights were hitting her work, and she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Aud didn’t have it in him to explain to her that even though her paintings of flowers had been all the rage two years earlier, most of the regular customers with the money to afford her overinflated work had bought what they were going to buy and considered her “last year.” He decided to simply give her a few more months of low sales and hoped she’d pull her work and move on to a different gallery. A couple of new ones had gone in a few blocks down from his on Colorado Avenue.
The warm water cascaded over the hard planes of Aud’s body, helping to sweep the stress of the day down the drain. Unlike in his small house, at the gym he could stand for as long as he wanted and let the water work its magic on him. Unfortunately, tonight I need to get moving. Aud turned off the water and grabbed his towel. He managed to get back to his locker before anyone came into the room.
“Hey, Aud,” Randal Hudspeth said, coming toward him.
Inwardly Aud groaned. He’d seen Randal across the gym from him earlier and hoped he’d manage to miss yet another encounter with the man.
“Randal.” Aud pulled his jeans up. He had to adjust himself to get tucked into the tight fabric.
Randal pulled off his sweaty tank top, revealing the chest so many of the guys at the gym, including Aud, had straddled at one time or another. He was a hot guy, with a nearly perfect physique, but his personality fell short of dull. “I was hoping I’d catch you while you were in the steam room or the shower.” Randal yanked off his shorts. His half-hard cock swung out, bouncing off his large, well-groomed balls.
“Sorry Randal. I’ve got plans tonight.” Aud grabbed his blue polo shirt and pulled it on.
“Didn’t we have fun a few months back?” Randal pouted as he rubbed his exposed crotch. “I thought you’d be interested in doing it again.”
Aud shook his head. Their encounter had been hot—and not because it had been in the steam room. Randal was good with his mouth and body. It was when that sexy mouth didn’t have a cock in it that he was irritating as all hell. “Not tonight. Enjoy yourself in the steam room.” Since then Aud had gone out of his way to avoid Randal, even not stopping at the gym if his shiny BMW was out front. Tonight he hadn’t been lucky enough to miss him, and the satisfaction he’d felt from his workout and the hot shower afterward drained away. He slammed his locker shut a little harder than he meant to.
“Give me your card. I’ll call you,” Randal shouted after him as Aud hurried from the locker room.
The sun hung just above Pikes Peak as Aud cleared the door. He slowed to a stroll on the way across the crowded parking lot to his blue Jeep Wrangler. There was a bit of a cool breeze, but in September in Colorado Springs, it was to be expected. It wouldn’t be too long before the weather swung from fall to winter. The aspens would paint rivers of gold down the mountain for a week or so before the snow started to fly.
He got into the Jeep and started it. It’s just shy of five. I’ve got time to run by the gallery and see what the closing numbers were, or I could stop for some dinner before class. Heather can handle things just fine. I could definitely use more than a protein bar right now. Traffic was light enough he managed a leisurely dinner before arriving at the library in time to get set up.
“IS THIS the drawing class?” A middle-aged woman with slightly graying hair and the beginnings of a paunch asked, acting like she didn’t want to step into the door.
“You’re in the right place.” Aud gestured for her to enter. “Come on in and have a seat. We’ve still got a few more minutes. The library said there were ten people signed up for the class.”
“Thanks.” She came in and walked around the tables so she sat closest to him.
Aud was used to people trying to get as close to him as possible. It didn’t bother him unless it was guys like Randal.
Several more folks trickled in as the clock clicked closer to seven. A brunette woman came in with her cell phone to her ear. “Tell Felix not to kill both of you with his driving. I heard those tires of his screeching.” She walked over to the table and set her large bag of a purse in a chair. “Fine.” She hung up and smiled at Aud. “Sorry about that. Two of my friends are on their way and running a little late.”
“No problem. We’ve still got a few minutes.”