Personal Best III

Jessy filled a couple of glasses with juice and headed for the deck. He frowned at himself in the mirror. His hair was getting long and showing the grey. Time for a cut. He didn't want people thinking he was Mike's father. Chuckling at himself, he put their juice on the patio table and went and sat in his deck chair, watching Mike swim laps.

Mike was looking good, pulling strong through the water. Jessy could see it was getting close to time to rein Mike in, though. The kid's form was just a little sloppy, Mike getting just a little tired.

He went and turned down the music Mike swam to, crouching near one end of the pool.

Just like clockwork, Mike's head popped up when he hit the wall, dark eyes blinking up. "Yeah, Coach?"

"That's enough for today, Mike. Come have a juice and sit a spell."

"But..." Mike pulled himself up. "What kind of juice?"

He chuckled. "Orange." He wrapped Mike in a towel and led the kid over to the patio table.

Mike drank deeply, throat working as he drained the glass. "Oh. Good."

"Speaking of good, you're looking great out there. You're going to be at the top of your game for the National Qualifier."

Truth was, Mike swam like a dream on an off day, when he was happy and working hard and concentrating, Jessy didn't believe anyone anywhere in the world right now could beat his swimmer.

"Yeah? Cool. I haven't had pizza in days." Mike grinned, plopped down into a chair. "What's on tonight's agenda?'

"Not pizza," Jessy teased. He leaned over and spiked up Mike's blond-tipped hair. "I was thinking we could watch a movie or two. See what came up."

Mike leaned into the touch, humming softly. They'd been lovers so long, and Mike was still eager for each touch. "No. I took the stuff out for chicken sandwiches earlier."

"Sounds good. I've got some sponsor agreements to go over with you as well, but it can wait until tomorrow if you want to relax for the rest of the day."

"Does that mean I have to eat weird stuff or hawk cell phones?"

"Not this time. I told Sunkist you drink orange juice by the crateful and they were immediately interested. And there's a camera company and Speedo wants to see you."

"Oh, cool." Mike grinned over, eyes twinkling.

"They said something about making a Mike Gauliet line."

"They did not..." Mike, his sweet 'just let me swim' lover, just had no clue. None.

"They did too. They wanted to talk to you, though, about what you like, your favorite colors and stuff. Something about getting you together with a designer." Sponsors were sometimes a pain, but that's what let them live where they did, paid his salary, took care of Mike's needs.

"Weird." Mike grinned, shook his head. "Like anyone wants swim trunks with my name on them."

"Just you wait. All the kids are going to want to be you when they grow up." Christ, Mike was cute. Adorable really. "We've got a bit of time before we make supper. Unless you're really hungry."

One eyebrow raised and Mike smiled wide. "Yeah? You wanting to play, Jessy?"

He shrugged casually. "If you do, baby."