Free Jake's Thief by A.C. Katt

finger around the rim of his glass.
    “Brian Murphy, if you start making a squeaking nose with that glass I’m going to get up and throw you out of this room.” Jim lifted an eyebrow at Brian. Brian took his finger off of the glass.
    Davey blushed for the umpteenth time today. “He said something earlier today about spanking and I sprouted wood. I tried to figure it out and the only thing I could come up with is parents spank their children because they care about them. I’ve never had anyone care about me.”
    “As they may have told you, I’m a psychiatrist. I think you stumbled upon as good a motive as any. Are you willing to try it?” Greg asked.
    “I don’t know yet. I’m attracted to Jake but he’s helping me out right now and I don’t want to mix up gratitude with caring.” Davey put his elbows on the table. “I don’t know what to do.”
    Brian waved his hand to get Davey’s attention. “Just give him the time he needs to get to know you and that you need to get to know him. Jake is eminently lovable. He is already in deep like with you.”
    “Well, I guess I really like him too. No one I know would take someone who tried to pick their pocket, give them a job and let them move in their home. He bought me clothes and three suits.” Davey sighed.
    “You didn’t refuse the suits did you?” Danny asked nervously.
    “I didn’t feel like I could refuse. He gave me a job. When we got to my apartment, he looked in my closet and told me that my one suit wouldn’t cut it at his firm. It would embarrass them and put off the clients.” Davey scrutinized Danny trying to figure out what was the deal with the suit. “Why?” He asked.
    “The only fight Gary and I ever had begun over a suit. He said I needed it to go on television with him, I said I couldn’t take his money. I behaved like such a goof. I was already living in a house he paid for, with furniture he bought and had a car sitting in the driveway that he gave me and I made a fuss over a stupid suit. He was so angry he couldn’t even stay in the house with me. He went home to Princeton and didn’t call me for two days. Those two days were the worst days in my life. Thank God, I had these guys to set me straight.” It seemed that Danny got tears in his eyes just thinking about it.
    Davey’s eyes circled the table. He had made seven friends tonight. So far, he felt closest to Brian and Greg. Brian seemed to understand what he’d been through more so than the others. As far as Greg was concerned he thought Greg was as meticulous as he was; Harry called it prissy.
    Davey thought keeping things in order was sensible. That’s why the law fascinates me. It’s logical, changes when necessary and keeps impeccable records. He laughed at himself—he knew his own failings well.He even knew some of his strengths. This is really a first for me. I usually look ten times before I leap and never jump without a net. I neither looked nor arranged for a net this time. I just fell in with his plans saying, Yes, Sir. Does that make me a submissive—Maybe a submissive to the right man. Could Jake be the right man for me even if it meant getting spanked on a regular basis?
    The party broke up at eleven. About nine-thirty, the subs ordered chicken wings, nachos, spinach and artichoke dip, tortilla chips and salsa, and to Davey’s surprise, he ate a lot of what was there.
    Robbie took him aside. “When Danny found me I had been living on the streets for seven years. I know hunger when I see it because I’ve seen it before, on my own face. Don’t be embarrassed about eating your fill. You’ll exercise with Jake and won’t get fat, but what you will never get over is there is so much food just for the taking and so much waste.”
    “Jake told me this morning, if food comes too close to its expiration date, Marla, the housekeeper, donates it to a homeless shelter. Jake doesn’t waste leftover food.”
    § § §
    Robbie smiled and went over to talk to