I could a tale unfold - 5

"Drew, it's a foil, not a damned battering-ram," Newt said tersely as he adjusted the actor's hold on the hilt. "Try to remember this is supposed to be artistic and theatrical, not a back-alley brawl."

Kirk would have laughed except he had the feeling Newt would lay into him next if he did. For the last week, the man seemed to take special pleasure in finding fault with every move he made, correcting his footwork and his stance every chance he got. He knew why and mentally damned Hildie for telling her husband about their brief dalliance.

"Again!' Newt barked out. "And for God's sake make the sword exchange look unplanned the way I showed you."

For the next hour, Newt ran them through their paces until both men were drenched in sweat and panting for breath. Finally he deemed that they'd practiced enough for the day, sending them away with a few brief words of praise and the admonishment that they still had a way to go to be perfect.

"I'll settle for almost perfect," Kirk said once he and Drew were in the hallway.

Drew chuckled. "No you won't. You'll do your damnedest to make certain he can't find any fault with you. And next time, keep it in your jeans when it comes to Hildie."

"Hell, does everyone know what happened?"

"Umm, I don't think the janitor does, but I wouldn't count on it." Drew ducked away when Kirk took a swipe at him. "Kidding, man. I didn't really know anything for sure until just now. I did wonder though, since he's being really hard on you and usually he thinks you're practically perfect…"

"In every way. Yeah, yeah. Mary Poppins I'm not, smart ass."

Drew snorted. "Not with that build you aren't. More like, humm." He tapped a lip as he looked at Kirk.

"I don't even want to know." Kirk opened the door to his dressing room. "Tell Chandler I'll be up in a couple if he wants to know. I need to change shirts."

"And he will." Drew laughed as he headed on down the hall, stripping his shirt off as he did before disappearing into the men's dressing room.

"Damned shame you're straight," Kirk murmured watching him. "Not that it matters, I've got the best of the lot," he added—smiling as he thought of Ross. "Most definitely the best."