Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs - 11. Hurtful Truths

Chapter Eleven – Hurtful Truths

Adrian traced invisible lines on Edward’s hand, profiting of the fact that it laid flat between them, like an invitation. Edward smiled as he stole a glance at him, but one of his fingers began tapping, so Adrian placed his entire hand on top to stop it. “You can’t be nervous,” he said matter-of-factly. “These are your people, right?”

In the backseat of his luxury car, in his luxury clothes, spelling privilege, and money from head to toe, Edward Hastings was nervous. Adrian couldn’t quite believe it, but it didn’t take a psychic to realize that a lot went through Edward’s mind at the moment.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t like it,” Adrian added, seeing how Edward remained silent, lost, most probably, in his own head.

A short laugh was the answer. “There’s nothing I like more in the world.” The voice inflections were a tad harsh, and, for a second, there was a glint of something foreign in Edward’s beautiful eyes. From smooth green, they turned to cut emerald, and Adrian looked engrossed at the transformation. Edward was, undoubtedly, a man with layers and shadows, too.

“All right. If you say so. What am I supposed to do, again?”

“Be polite. Tend to me and only me. Refuse any invitation, even if it may sound harmless. These are not ordinary people.”

“Am I joining the Freemasonry or something? Now I get why you wanted me to wear better clothes,” Adrian joked. “I would appreciate knowing about it in advance.”

Edward laughed, but it wasn’t his free laugh from before when they had been at the house. “Nothing of the kind. But rich people, Adrian, are in the position of enjoying freedoms like no other. That means they mostly believe that they have a right to treat others like objects or pawns for their little games. I believe you have the mental strength to resist. Others have failed before.”

“Damn. The plot thickens. All I have to do is to stay true to you, right?”

Edward confirmed with a small grunt as he kicked off some invisible lint from his suit jacket.

“Then, it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

Edward stared at him for a long second.

“What?” Adrian asked.

“I was expecting a follow-up to such serious words.”

Adrian laughed. “You won’t get a confession out of me so easily, Your Majesty.” He relaxed and stretched like he was already bored out of his wits. “I’m a tough one, and I’ll show it to you.”

“Counting on it, Adrian.” Edward leaned in and placed a small kiss on the corner of his mouth.

Adrian cursed inwardly for not catching the move so that he could enjoy kissing Edward thoroughly.

“We’re almost there,” Edward said, straightening back into his place and looking ahead like he was expecting to go to war.

The moment was lost. But there would be plenty of other moments, and right now, Adrian didn’t mind. Edward had given him some heavenly head just earlier so he couldn’t complain. Whatever Edward thought was so important about this stupid sex club, he would forget about in due time. Adrian had a plan to make Edward spill out ill-timed confessions. And, when that happened, he would have the man all to himself to do as he pleased.

“Man, are we in Monaco?” Adrian whistled as he looked at the rows of expensive vehicles that had to be all limited editions or something. No, limited couldn’t cover what he was seeing. Exclusive sounded more like a term that fit the fleet of cars already parked in front of what seemed to be an old, but majestic building. “Are they really okay with having sex at the museum? It doesn’t sound that kinky to me. More like creepy.”

Edward smiled. “I love your sense of humor, Adrian, but let’s just keep it to ourselves. And, of course, it’s not a museum.”

“Right. It’s more like a crypt for vampires. Wait, is that why you’re so sexy? Are you secretly a vampire?”

“If you haven’t noticed, I have no trouble walking in the sun.”

“You’re a hotshot vampire and a doctor on top of everything. In all your thousands of years of existence, you might have found a cure to that.”

Edward shook his head. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Hopefully, I’m not as pale as those creatures of the night.”

Adrian caressed his lover’s cheek briefly. “Maybe you could use more time in the sun.”

“Well, it’s already evening, so let’s plan such an outing for a different time. Now, let’s face the music.”

“As you say, boss. Your wish is my command.”

The chauffeur came to hold the door for them, and Adrian somehow expected to be welcomed by the harsh lights of cameras when he climbed out of the car. Luckily, there was no such thing, and there was no red carpet, either, which was, again, something he had expected.

The impressive marble staircase that took the guests inside the belly of the beast was just the beginning. Adrian leaned and whispered into Edward’s ear, “Am I supposed to act impressed? Because I am, and trying to keep a straight face might make my muscles hurt.”

“It’s your first time. All is forgiven.”

“All right, then. Wow.”

“Duly noted.”

Adrian noticed the somewhat rigid stance of Edward’s body but didn’t comment on it. Before getting to know the guy better, he had thought him to be a cold fish. It was all right. Edward could be as much of a cold fish as he wanted with anyone but him.

It was a bit childish of him, but when the back of Edward’s hand brushed by his, it took him some effort not to grab it so that they could walk inside holding hands.

At the entrance, he allowed Edward to walk in front of him, but he kept one possessive hand on the small of his back. Already, Edward was greeting all kinds of nobodies, and Adrian felt instantly territorial.

Everyone seemed rich, dressed nicely, and by how they greeted Edward back, they might have had more than friendly interest. Something in their eyes told Adrian Edward was a prize, whether he knew it or not. Lingering stares were aimed at him, as well, but he focused on Edward, not wanting to gawk like a child taken to see the circus for the first time. Also, he wasn’t entirely sure he could control a teeth-showing snarl if he looked too hard around.

The place had a vibe, and it wasn’t a pleasant one, Adrian could tell. It wasn’t creepy, or a museum, or a crypt, but it was cold. It might have had something to do with those tall granite walls. The interior was lit a giorno by impressive candelabras and chandeliers that appeared to take up more real estate than it was physically possible. The light came out of everywhere, and yet it still felt like there was something inside sucking it in.

It could be the heavy burgundy curtains draping the large windows, but Adrian doubted that. The place was supposed to give the illusion of warmth, but it performed poorly. Around them, people have already started to mingle, and Adrian allowed himself a few looks around.

There were clearly at least a dozen people who looked striking and as they had just descended from the covers of fashion magazines. Adrian noticed a man in his late fifties who was quite clearly showing his age, touching the ass of a twenty-something who laughed and threw his head back, for the instant delight of his handler.

He shrugged. So rich people came here to flaunt their young and beautiful lovers. Was that the only thing he was to Edward? He could playfully ask, but that was a question for later. For now, he needed to act like he wasn’t that impressed at all by the lavishness of the place or the behavior of the guests.

“And who is this handsome fellow you’ve brought with you tonight, Edward?” A man in his thirties, just expensively dressed as the whole lot, approached them.

His angular features made him unique, and Adrian supposed that some would consider him handsome, but, instinctively, he felt put off. Maybe the man used too much hair product because it shone a dark blue in the bright lights.

The way he held his lips as he talked was presumably pleasant, and it could be a method to sweeten the poisonous words spewed if Adrian’s intuition was correct. Everything about him was too studied, to the point of looking fake. Probably, even his icy blue eyes were contacts, not real.

“William,” Edward greeted the stranger politely. “This is my companion, Adrian.”

William offered a meek hand, and Adrian took it, stopping right in time from grimacing at the sensation that he held something wooden and at least partially dead in his hand.

“I was hoping to see you tonight alone for a change. It has been a while since that pretty thing you used to bring along – what was his name? Raphael something? --”

“Ralph,” Edward corrected the other promptly. “His name wasn’t that exotic.”

“But the things he did with his tongue surely were,” William replied, his full lips stretching into a strange smile.

Edward made a small grimace. Adrian frowned. Hadn’t Edward said something about how he didn’t allow his lovers to service anyone with their mouths? Apparently, a pretty thing called Ralph had broken that rule.

“I found him boring,” Edward said. “And I supposed you did, too, since I haven’t noticed you bringing him around, either.”

“Oh, Edward,” William placed one hand on Edward’s arm, holding on to it like he was about to fall and needed the support, “don’t tell me you’re still mad about that. Here, at The Awakening, it’s all about awakening one’s true nature.”

“In Ralph’s case, his true nature was that of a whore,” Edward said in a light tone.

William seemed taken aback by Edward’s words. “I had no idea you used such words.”

“One learns,” Edward replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Adrian didn’t suppress a smirk as they left William there, staring after them, like a child after the ice cream truck. At the last moment, William’s eyes shifted from Edward’s back to Adrian, and his expression hardened. Adrian showed a bit of teeth and quirked an eyebrow. Whatcha gonna do, punk?

William pursed his lips and set his chin high as he turned on his heels.

“Adrian?” Edward’s call made him turn, too.

“Who’s the creep?” Adrian whispered.

“William? He’s not a creep.”

“So you say. He stole your last boyfriend and fucked his mouth of something.”

Edward cleared his throat discreetly. “Let’s not talk so freely here.”

“I’m whispering so low I can barely hear myself. This party sucks already.”

Edward stopped and faced him. A smile never leaving his lips, he fixed Adrian’s tie. “Then, please forgive me. I will make it up to you.”

“Promise?”

“I always keep my word, Adrian.”

Adrian caught Edward’s arm before they would start walking again. “You know, the rule you told me to play by? It goes for you, too. No fooling around.”

Edward patted his cheek. “No need to worry. I’m a very selective man, and my tastes are not easy to match by what’s on offer.”

“Some dudes around here look like frigging supermodels.”

“I’m not interested in them,” Edward replied. “I’m only interested in you. Better?”

“Much.”

Edward freed his arm but only so that he could wrap it around Adrian’s. “William is a poor, tortured soul. So that you know.”

“He’s in love with you,” Adrian said.

“Hmm,” Edward offered in reply.

“You know it.”

“And there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“You know, you sound a little cruel right now.”

“Do I? I’m only fair.”

Adrian shrugged. Edward was right, after all. If it was not reciprocal, it wasn’t, and that was all there was to it. “Has he been in love with you for long?”

“I don’t know exactly. It could be years. But he will only be a friend. What? Do you feel threatened already?”

“Already? Hey, is this secretly your fan club? I swear, everywhere I look, people look at us like they want to fuck you. What am I talking about? They’re eye-fucking you, for real.”

“You’re mistaken, Adrian. Everyone you see here has secrets and hidden agendas. When someone looks at you like they want to fuck you, it’s one of two things: they really want to have sex with you, or they want to screw you over. I belong to the second category — you, to the first. And make no mistake. I bet most of the looks you noticed were aimed at you, not me.”

“What a fucking clusterfuck,” Adrian murmured under his breath. “Why are we here, again?”

“Because it’s fun,” Edward replied with a small shrug.

The way Edward hanged on Adrian’s arm, he was close and warm. Adrian felt a sudden urge to embrace him, kiss him, and drag him out of there. “If you say so.”

“Edward!” Another man smartly dressed, shouted from across the room.

He was in his thirties, tall and lean, and the feline grace of his walk put him Adrian on guard right away. His face was smoothly shaved, and Adrian could swear his eyebrows must have been manscaped. His most striking feature was his platinum blond hair that looked almost white. In contrast, his eyes were dark, and they appeared almost unnatural on his pale face, but dangerously appealing nonetheless. He was followed closely by another man, a slightly older one, shorter, and plain-looking. However, there was something dignified in how the second man held himself that made Adrian pay attention to him more.

“Ben!” Edward let go of Adrian’s arm so that he could share an embrace with the tall man. “Mr. Wright.” He bowed politely toward the other.

“Wow, new boy toy!” Ben exclaimed, and he shamelessly guided his attention toward Adrian.

“Oh, Ben, please, don’t do it,” Edward said.

“Do what?” Ben pretended not to understand as he moved to stand in front of Adrian. “Oh, he’s so exquisite! Such a beautiful complexion! May I touch him?”

“Hey, jerk,” Adrian said as he kept a cold smile on his face. “Keep your hands to yourself, or we’ll have a problem.”

Ben gasped exaggeratedly, placing one hand over his mouth.

“Adrian,” Edward said in warning.

“Hey, I can’t keep being polite if he treats me like I’m a monkey or something.”

Ben seemed to have recovered from the earlier shock. He snapped his fingers, which, for Adrian, at least, seemed like a strange thing to do.

“I like him. Does he have a name?” Ben asked, never removing his eyes from Adrian.

“He also has two mean fists if you care to know,” Adrian replied, his grin broadening.

Edward cleared his throat, but Adrian wasn’t going to let anyone walk over him.

“Benjamin,” Ben said and offered his hand. “Call me Ben.”

“Adrian.” He shook Ben’s hand and enjoyed the firm grip. “So, did I pass the test or what?”

Ben laughed and placed his other hand over Adrian’s, holding it. “Did I tell you how much I like him?” He directed his question at Edward.

“Only seconds earlier,” was the wry reply.

“Finally, you realized that looks aren’t everything,” Ben said. “Adrian,” he turned toward Adrian again, “I’m glad Edward finally went for wits, too, not only for a pretty face. Not that you’re not pretty.”

“Hey, I take offense to that,” Adrian joked. “I’m not pretty. I’m not a butterfly.”

“Of course not. You’re a bull. A fighting bull.”

Adrian burst into laughter. “Then, don’t flaunt anything red in front of my eyes.”

“Not even if there’s a sexy thong?” Ben leaned in, and his eyelashes batted in an exaggerated gesture of seduction.

Adrian shook his head in mirth and laughed. “Not unless it’s someone I like wearing it.” He stole a glance at Edward.

Shadowed eyes stared back at him.

“Good answer, Adrian,” Ben congratulated him. “We should mingle a little more, right?”

Adrian shook hands with Mr. Wright, too, as Ben whispered something to Edward that he didn’t catch.

“Are they together?” Adrian asked as the couple was out of earshot.

“No. Just close friends.”

“What did Ben tell you?”

A small smile lit up Edward’s lips. “I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.” His genuine smile faded fast as another man approached them.

Adrian looked at the stranger, more and more curious about the crowd. This one was in his forties, and he appeared strong and bulky under his nicely tailored suit. His entire demeanor expressed aggressiveness, and Adrian felt an itch like he needed to take a fighting stance. His eyes and hair were both dark. The hair was cut short, military-style, and he didn’t appear to manscape like Ben. The planes of his face were harsh, and his lips were turned outwards, in an almost vulgar manner. As he got closer, he towered over both of them with his height. In a nutshell, he was intimidating, and Adrian didn’t like Edward’s reaction to him.

“If it isn’t Eddy boy,” the stranger said as he stopped in front of them, both hands in his pockets, making no sign that he even noticed Adrian’s presence.

“Brown,” Edward acknowledged the newcomer stiffly.

“Hmm. I see you have a new plaything with you.”

Adrian made a small move, but Edward caught his arm. “He’s not a plaything. Feel free to mistreat your partners as you see fit, Brown. Now, we have things to do, and you’re standing in our way.”

Brown didn’t appear to care about Edward’s words and moved toward Adrian. Then, abruptly, he grabbed Adrian’s crotch. Just as fast, Adrian closed his hand on the massive wrist and squeezed.

Edward was scandalized. “Brown, cut it off,” he whispered angrily.

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll break your fucking arm,” Adrian said calmly.

To his surprise, Brown let go of his crotch. An ugly smirk split his face. “I thought playthings were to be used. I like the strong ones best. A real challenge to break.”

“He’s not a plaything,” Edward said again.

“Let’s go,” Adrian said and took Edward’s arm. “He’s not only an asshole, but he’s also mentally challenged.”

“What did you say?” Brown pushed himself in his face.

“I will call security if need be. You know the rules, Brown.” Edward began to scout the room and raised his arm.

Brown caught it and pulled it down. “No need to get your panties in a twist, Eddy. I was just messing around with you.”

“And I’d rather you didn’t.”

“I bet.”

Edward didn’t care to reply to that and just walked away. Adrian kept the staring contest for a few moments until Brown moved, too.

“What the fuck was that?” Adrian asked.

They were now climbing the grand staircase to the first floor, where music and laughter could be heard.

“An unfortunate incident. Let’s not make too much of it. He’s just someone who enjoys testing boundaries.”

Adrian wanted to know more, but then he realized what all was about. “I can’t believe it. It’s fucking high school all over again.”

“High school?” Edward appeared surprised at his words.

“Well, so far, we’ve met the guy who’s been crushing on you for years, your BFF and his quiet companion, a frigging bully … What’s next?”

“Next is some real fun, the kind I can bet you never had in high school,” Edward replied.

They were now on the first floor, and Adrian stopped dead in his tracks. Sex club was, after all, a good definition of the place. There were dancing poles around which sexy dancers floated, a real sex show on what looked like a stage with couples in various positions of intercourse and images projected on the walls with close-ups of sex acts, as well.

“Oh,” Adrian managed to say. “Okay. Just like any sex club in the world, I guess.”

Edward laughed. “Right. Let’s get to our places and enjoy the show.”

“You won’t let me fuck you. How the hell am I supposed to enjoy this?”

“I’m certain you can show restraint. And we’re here also to find a few things about your true nature.”

“There’s hardly any need for that,” Adrian replied. “I can tell you directly. I’m a horny dude who wants nothing but to get into your pants and stay there for a while.”

“Around you,” Edward gestured, “do you see anything you like?”

Adrian shrugged. “They’re all fucking sexy. But I’d rather do you.”

“Good,” Edward said shortly. “Now, let’s take place at our table.”

They had a table. Adrian just shook his head. All right, he had seen striptease shows, pole dancers, and people fucking. But everything around them right now was much more than that and far beyond.

He joined Edward at a table on which expensive drinks were neatly arranged. He sank into the plush loveseat and enjoyed the proximity he had to share with Edward. “Can I at least kiss you?”

Edward seemed amused. The light was subdued here, making everything look more erotic. “I took care of your needs at home. And I hope you don’t intend to take me in front of everyone.”

Adrian sighed. “You have a point there. I wouldn’t want these perverts to start looking at you, thinking they could have a piece of you.”

“You assume that I’m more liked than I actually am. Poor William is not the norm; I can assure you.”

“Why does Brown have it in for you? Did any of his boyfriends run to you in the past?”

Edward sighed. “He’s like that toward everyone. It’s what he does.” He shifted in his place and looked away for a moment.

Adrian could bet there was more to that story, too. But he pretended not to care, anyway. He was there to run some serious research.

A pretty twink dressed in a skimpy outfit made from a tight pair of shorts and a top that stopped just above his perky nipples materialized to their table and placed menus in front of them without a word. Strangely enough, he bowed rather stiffly, a contrast to his provocative clothes. He walked away, and Adrian started curiously after him. He didn’t make an effort to swing his hips.

“Why is he pissed?” he asked the first thing that came to his mind.

“Normally,” Edward replied, “the waiters would wear their normal uniform. Someone seems to have been in the mood for a little practical joke tonight. They wanted to make things a little kitschy. You know, like we’ve just walked in the gay version of Hooters.”

“So that little waiter is pissed about having to walk around in those tight shorts?”

“You can say that. Germaine is a perfect waiter. He doesn’t appreciate such jokes.”

“Then why is he here?”

“Just like anyone else, for the money.”

Adrian shrugged. He then noticed that there were two pairs of menus, one with royal blue covers, and another the color of red wine. “Why are there so many menus?” he asked.

Edward smiled enigmatically at him. “Let’s see, shall we?”

Adrian picked the red menu. A cursory look over the words in there made his eyes as big as saucers. “Wow.”

“I knew you would say that. Shall we pick something?” Edward winked at him.

***

Mike stood there, motionless for a while, taking in his own reflection in the glass doors. Jared had been right about everything, down to the last details, such as the way his hair curled right above the collar of his shirt. He looked good, better than he ever recalled, and it made him feel a little out of place like he was no longer living inside his own skin.

“Going in, Mike?” One of the guys in Accounting who had always been friendly toward him as that appeared to be his natural personality, patted him on the back.

“Yes,” he murmured and joined the flock of employees flooding the venue booked for the event.

He sat at the table with some guys from the IT department, as it appeared to be some unwritten rule about sticking to the people who were in the same field, but paid little attention to the food or the conversation, the humming of bees around him.

All he could think about was Ryan and the promised dance. He couldn’t fathom how they were supposed to dance together in that room fully packed with people. Also, there was no music and no dance ring. When Ryan took the mike and began congratulating everyone for a job well done, regarding a big project the company had been involved with for the last few weeks, Mike became suddenly focused.

Not that he listened to the words. A few employees were called forward and presented with accolades for their activity, a sign of appreciation from the management. There was a bit of a ruckus as the respective employees expressed their delight and gratefulness at being singled out. Ryan insisted that the whole team, the entire company, was responsible for their latest resounding success, without making everyone feel left out. At the same time, he let everyone know, between the lines, that hard work would always be rewarded.

Mike was thankful for not being called out. He didn’t know how he could manage shaking hands with Ryan, touching him, in front of everyone. Yet, a feeling of excitement nestled in the pit of his stomach. Tonight, at some magical moment, like Cinderella, he would dance with the prince. Details didn’t matter.

Apparently, there was a dance ring, only that it was located in a different room where everyone started to move as the food began to settle in their bellies, along with the exquisite drinks served. While some couples courageously attacked the dancefloor, showing off their prowess in more than just business matters, others prefer to mingle. Mike gravitated between groups, not that he liked to do that on purpose, but because different people called him out, asking him this and that. A few of his female coworkers congratulated him on his new look, which left him embarrassed and a bit flushed.

He had no recollection of how he ended almost bumping into Ryan. His boss turned graciously around and asked him in a loud enough voice for everyone to hear, “Are you okay, Mike?” He had no chance to reply, as a gentle whisper followed. “Meet me on the roof.”

The words had been spoken so softly that he was not entirely sure he had heard correctly. What was the way to the roof? He murmured excuses to no one in particular as he found his way out of the ballroom.

An employee in impressive livery was tending the crew in charge of clearing the tables. After a few moments of hesitation, Mike dared to ask him if there was a way to reach the roof.

“Would you like to admire the stars, tonight, sir? We have a few astronomy binoculars installed on the roof.”

Mike just nodded and swallowed nervously.

“Right this way, sir,” the employee said politely and gestured for him to follow.

He walked out of the elevator and then up the few stairs leading to the door to the roof, barely hearing the latest of the employee’s instructions on how to identify the most visible constellations. Inwardly, he felt a bit guilty about not paying attention to the free astronomy lesson generously offered by the employee on their way up.

His heart was in his throat, and as much as the Cinderella comparison have been swirling around in his mind like a broken record, he knew he was just that. For one night, he had transformed, and he was about to dance with his Prince Charming.

It was a bit windy on the roof, and Mike shivered slightly. Noticing the binoculars mounted where the employee had told him they would be, he walked over to them. Maybe he would do a little bit of stargazing while waiting for Ryan.

Adjusting the focus proved to be a bit of a technical challenge, but with all things technical, Mike found pleasure in discovering how they worked. Not the same thing could be said about his interactions with other human beings. People were unpredictable, intimidating, challenging.

His fingers played with the center knob. Ryan hadn’t said a thing about when to meet. Maybe he had said something, and Mike had missed it, too busy to listen to the pounding of his heart? There was no sure way of telling, and, right now, Mike felt a bit stupid and childish. He had rushed to the roof with one thing on his mind.

The stars were bright tonight, or the pollution wasn’t as bad as usual. Mike sighed. Through the lenses, they seemed so close, yet they were so far away.

“Are you interested in astronomy?”

Mikee turned on his heels at the sound of that voice, managing to smack one shoulder against the mount. “Not until tonight.”

Could he be any more nervous? The warm wind brushed Ryan’s hair, played with it, as the distance between them grew smaller and smaller.

“Can I have this dance?” Ryan offered him one hand.

Mike took it, wondering briefly if his palm wasn’t too clammy already and whether Ryan would be put off by that. “There’s no music,” he pointed out.

Ryan smiled and, even in the blue light that shone on them from the roof illumination system, drawing shadows around them, Mike could tell how gorgeous the man in front of him was. Now he understood that expression, ‘so happy you could die’. It was fitting. Mike couldn’t care about anything in the world right at that moment. He was swept off his feet, hopelessly in love.

Ryan didn’t let go of his hand as he used the free one to pull a small white case from his pocket. Wireless headphones. Sure, how obvious was that? Mike wondered and took them. A closer look told him that Ryan already had his on.

Only for a couple of moments, Ryan let go of his hand to select the song they would dance to.

“I should warn you,” Mike said. “I have two left feet, and they are bad left feet.”

Ryan caressed his cheek briefly and pushed his phone back into his pocket. “Just follow my lead. You’ll be all right.”

Mike nodded. Ryan circled his waist with one arm, resting his palm flat against the small of his back. He took Mike’s hand with the other, linking their fingers together. The music flooded his ears, and Mike’s eyes grew wide. “Are we really going to waltz?”

Ryan couldn’t quite hear him, so Mike did what he had been told. He leaned into Ryan’s first move, and his feet, his two left feet, the bad ones, suddenly were touched by magic, because they fell in synch with Ryan’s rhythm and with the sound of music.

They were swirling around, and Mike didn’t feel dizzy at all, even if he had never liked getting into a Merry-go-round, not even as a kid. His gaze was drowning in Ryan’s dark one, and for now, they were connected, moving like a single body, in complete harmony.

He was either uncovering a hidden talent for dancing, or Ryan was a master of the waltz. Most probably, it was the latter because Mike was pretty sure he had no superpowers.

Everything was perfect, the sweet air of the evening, the warmth of Ryan’s body, their eyes never leaving each other. Mike felt, deep in his gut, that this would be a memory he would fondly recall for years and years.

The music stopped, and so did Ryan. And Mike crushed into him, as he failed to realize he was supposed to stop, too.

“Sorry,” he said, and he looked up.

Ryan kissed him, and Mike’s mind exploded to smithereens, incapable of dealing with the assault. It was a deep, passionate kiss, and he couldn’t recall anyone else ever kissing him so completely. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was the fusion of two human beings, and they were there for each other like all the lovers of the world had always been.

And then the kiss was over. Ryan removed the headphones from his ears, and Mike mimicked his action, offering the tiny pods back to their rightful owner. The headphones disappeared into one pocket, and Mike followed the gesture.

“Mike,” Ryan started.

Mike looked up, afraid of what he might see. Ryan was serious, the corners of his mouth dropping. The magic from their dance on the roof was gone.

“I can’t be with you.”

He nodded, not knowing what he could say to that or what was expected from him.

“No, you must listen.”

“All right,” Mike murmured.

“I want you like I can’t recall wanting someone,” Ryan said. “But there is something you need to know. Where I worked before, there was a scandal.”

Mike’s ears perked up. “What sort of scandal?”

Ryan took a step back as if he needed to put some distance between them for what he was about to say. “A sex scandal. The worst type. I was accused of sexual harassment.”

Mike licked his lips, feeling them dry like paper. Hadn’t his friends alluded at the possibility of people seeing them together as some sort of precisely that? But Mike knew that wasn’t it. He was shy and awkward and remote from social life as one could possibly be, but he knew what was happening between Ryan and him. “That’s not what’s happening here, with us,” he said with a stubbornness he had no idea he possessed.

Ryan let out a small frustrated sound. “Mike, you’re not listening. I was accused of that.”

“I don’t believe it,” Mike said with conviction.

“You don’t know me. Are you going to tell me that you would believe me if I said I was innocent?”

“Yes.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that. I know you enough.”

Ryan laughed softly. “Never change, Micah, please, never change.”

“My friend Jared says the same.”

“He’s a smart one then.”

For a few seconds, they remained silent. Mike pondered over his next few words, but then he asked, “What happened?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

“Yes.”

“All right.” Another sigh followed. “I made the mistake of dating an employee. He told me to keep it a secret, arguing that others would think he was privileged by his relationship with me. I agreed. At the time, it didn’t seem like such a big deal, and I didn’t need disruptions at the workplace. And, then, quite suddenly, he turned on me. Or maybe not so suddenly. Things had started to grow stale in our relationship. No, he didn’t come to me to break off the relationship. He sent his lawyer.”

“What a jerk,” Mike murmured.

Ryan rewarded him with another smile. “I thought I knew him. But, apparently, that wasn’t the case. Secrets have a way of being found out. When some other employees confronted him, he blamed me, said that I was the one forcing myself on him. At first, I was angered. But, at the same time, I didn’t want to destroy his life, as much as he wanted to destroy mine. Actually, that wasn’t quite true. He only wanted money.”

“And what happened after that?”

“I settled.” Ryan pushed one hand through his hair. “God knows how awful I still feel about it. It was an admission of guilt, and I had to do it so that I didn’t hurt the company’s reputation. At least, that was what my lawyer convinced me to believe. There was also the matter of the other employees who knew about the so-called sexual harassment. So, part of the deal was for me to transfer to another workplace.”

“That’s unfair,” Mike said, a bit too loudly.

Ryan snorted. “Are you telling me about it? It feels like I didn’t learn my lesson, though. The first thing I do once I land here is to pick you up from a bar.”

“I would never do this kind of thing to you,” Mike said stubbornly, closing his fists and taking a stance.

Ryan shook his head and looked down, his shoulders slumped. “It doesn’t matter. As I say, things like this, they always come to light.”

“I would never accuse you of anything,” Mike said, with growing desperation.

“Yet, others might. I’m sorry, Mike. You don’t even know how much. But in the world we live in today, rumors spread like wildfire, and the truth is weak and can’t put it out, no matter how much you struggle.”

Mike swallowed, feeling a little sick to the stomach. “Then why did you call me here? Why did you dance with me? Why did you kiss me?”

Ryan pushed both hands through his hair and pulled at it to the point that it looked painful. “Because I wanted this memory with you. I can’t abandon my position. My family made it clear that I should keep clean of any scandals and that I need to make things work.”

“They don’t believe you?” Mike shouted and then covered his mouth quickly.

“They do. But they also care about the business that made the Armstrong family into the wealthy influential name it is today. For everyone’s sake, I need to give up on you, but I wanted you to know that it’s not with an easy heart that I do this. Goodbye, Mike. I wish I could have come to know you better.”

Ryan caressed his shoulder in passing as he walked away. Mike stood there, petrified. Was that it? Everything? The end? Ryan hadn’t even asked him if he would move to another company. For him, it felt like a given that they needed to go their separate ways.

It wasn’t fair. It sucked like hell.

***

“You’re busy? On Saturday night?” Jared didn’t like the sound of his own voice as he said that.

“I wanted to see you just as badly,” Chris replied.

Jared would have liked to see Chris and look him in the eyes when he came up with these excuses. That would have given him the chance to see if they were just excuses or the truth. But, over the phone, he had to settle for whatever Chris wanted to happen.

Maybe he was getting a bit paranoid. Or maybe he wasn’t paranoid enough. Just as he wanted to talk to Chris about the nature of their relationship, this had to happen. It was like something always slipping through his fingers.

“All right. I suppose it can’t be helped,” Jared said, trying to make his voice sound light and unworried.

There was a small silence at the other end. “We will see each other soon.”

How soon? As much as he wanted to ask that, he decided to keep his mouth shut for the moment. There was no point in getting pushy or clingy. Jared hoped he wasn’t this pathetic. He had wanted a relationship, and relationships were work. That was something he really needed to keep in mind if he wanted to make things work. They were just at the beginning of their relationship, whatever it was.

“All right. Have fun working or something,” Jared joked.

Chris chuckled. The sound of his laugh was making Jared feel as if something was tickling his ear. Maybe he was too serious for his age.

“Will you be all right? Will you find something to do since our plans fell through?”

“Are you kidding me? I’m a young dude in a city filled with possibilities.”

“I hope you’re joking,” Chris teased.

“Yeah, you caught me. I have Internet access. There’s always something to do.”

“Just make sure not to tire your pretty eyes.”

“Okay, mom. Just go to work already.”

“See you soon, beautiful.”

Jared sighed after he finished the conversation. That was great; what could he say? Mike was living his fairy tale, Adrian was living his kinky fairy tale, and he was stuck at home on Saturday night.

As if someone could read his mind, his phone rang. Jared stared for a second at the caller’s ID and then took the call. Chris wasn’t the only one who could brag about having to work on that Saturday evening.

“Jared, hey, long time no see,” the energetic voice he knew quite well began.

“Hi, Sam. What’s the deal?”

“Straight to business, right?”

“I know how much you hate wasting time.”

“Great. I know it’s a long stretch, but do you think you have the time for a little meeting?”

“As it happens, my plans for the evening didn’t happen, so I’m free.”

“Excellent! Then, here’s the deal. I have this little sunshine with me --”

“Oh, this is bad,” Jared moaned.

“No, no, she’s a darling, really, but she has this idea that she should meet the photographer who will take her pictures before --”

“Wait, I didn’t agree to anything,” Jared said and smiled. It was fun to tease Sam once in a while.

“You’re killing me here. Please say ‘yes’. She’ll pay for your time, including tonight. Plus, she’s paying for dinner,” Sam said cheerfully. “And not just anywhere. Let’s just say that this restaurant has one shiny Michelin star, and it just got it.”

“No way. So I should dress nicely, then.”

“Put on your best suit. And, of course, keep your hopes low about the food. Some people might survive on leaves, but I’ll gobble a burger before going.”

“That’s a good idea,” Jared admitted. “So, do you care to share more details about this job?”

Sam began talking quickly, and Jared listened carefully. As usual, the guy had a penchant for mixing gossip with technical details, and he had to pay attention if he wanted to do his job well.

***

“You’re so young and pretty,” the lady who was picking the tab for the dinner said in a falsetto voice.

Little sunshine. Yes, it sort of worked for her, seeing how sparkly she was. But Jared knew exactly what he needed to do to make sure that her pictures turned out all right. In a way, Sam’s idea hadn’t been bad at all. Jared also liked to get to know his clients a bit, especially when they were supposed to sit in front of a camera.

“Will you show me to the little girls’ room?” The client batted her eyelashes at him.

Jared exchanged a glance with Sam, who shrugged and sipped from his glass like it was entirely reasonable for middle-aged ladies to ask such things.

“Sure,” Jared said and stood up. He also needed to ask one of the employees to guide them in that direction, but he didn’t want to offend the client.

As they were there, Jared chose to remain at a respectful distance. He studied the large fern that served as a functional divider so that nobody could observe the clients going in and out of the toilet. From behind the greenery, however, one could have a good look at the reception desk; behind it, a man with a caricature mustache was inspecting the patrons quietly and wrote something in a little book.

For Jared, it was a common pastime to observe people. As he tried to say stories when taking pictures, it helped him to note down mentally the tiniest transformation that happened on a human face.

In this case, the caricature mustache stretched and curled up as its owner smiled affably. A couple of men in suits then blocked Jared’s line of sight.

“Oh, certainly,” the mustache man said in an exaggerated voice. “A table for Mr. Reeves and,” there was a short pause, “Mr. Reeves.”

Jared froze and took in two strangers. No mistake, that was Chris. Was he there with a business partner? But Mr. Reeves and … Mr. Reeves?

The other man turned, and Jared stared at his profile. He was handsome, as they say, in a classic way, and he could be in his thirties by how he carried himself. He leaned toward Chris and laughed. “I’ve always loved the sound of that. Mr. and Mr. Reeves.”

When Chris turned, any doubts Jared might have had disappeared from his mind. “As I do, too.”

The two shared a smile that spoke of a long relationship and tacit understanding. Jared felt the ground under his feet shaking. Chris and the other Mr. Reeves followed the receptionist’s indications to reach their table, luckily in a part of the restaurant that was out of sight.

“Are you all right, dear?”

Jared shook his head and turned to face his client. The lady seemed genuinely worried.

“I’m fine, Mrs. Daniels,” he murmured.

“You look a little pale. Please don’t tell me you can’t hold your liquor. I should have never forced you to drink with me.”

“No, no, I’m fine, please don’t worry,” Jared said politely.

Polite. That was what he was. So polite that he had failed to ask Chris for some semblance of commitment, the way he saw it. And now, Chris was sitting somewhere in the same restaurant, with his – what? Husband? – having the time of his life.

He could confront him, make a scene, but that wasn’t him, Jared thought. No, for now, he would go back to his table, see about his business meeting, which was real, and pretend that all was fine in the universe. His crumbled dreams played no role in all of this.

TBC