Bovian Image - 14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

After waking up alone in a bed he was sure he’d occupied with Savan, it had felt necessary to drive down to Bovian Image to make sure he hadn’t been hallucinating last night. Savan had felt real, and so perfect. Parking his car, Cole stared at the time on the dashboard and sighed.

It was six-thirty in the morning. The salon wasn’t open yet. He got out of the car and stalked to the front door. The glass doors were locked.

Great, he sighed.

Cole knocked on the glass, searching for a doorbell with his gaze, anything to get the occupants’ attention.

When he found no doorbell, he used the tip of his car key to tap on the glass. He figured if he kept at it long enough, he might annoy someone enough to come checking. He rather hoped that it would be Savan. The satisfaction of that would be welcome right now.

How could Savan leave without even a good bye? A note maybe, a text message, even a tap on his back.

“Cole, this way.”

Cole stopped his tapping on the glass to glance to his right.

Liang stood at the corner of the building leaning lazily against the wall. He was dressed in sweat pants and a sleeveless t-shirt.

“Come on already, you might get arrested beating down the business doors that way.”

Cole hurried after Liang only after he rounded the corner did he see the hidden side entrance. He entered the building and Liang pulled the door closed. The lock engaged automatically.

“Morning,” Liang said, leading the way down a well lit hallway to a service hallway. “What brings you here this early? Did your house burn down?”

“Very funny,” Cole sighed, as they boarded the elevator. “I need to see Savan.”

“Is it something to do with work?” Liang asked, watching the elevator doors close.

Liang didn’t press any buttons on the console. Liang leaned on the wall and kept his gaze on Cole clearly expecting an answer to his question.

“No, this is personal,” Cole replied, leaning on the opposite wall. It looked like he was in for a third degree from the best friend. “Does that bother you?”

“Actually, yes it does,” Liang replied without hesitation. “Savan came back last night looking more than disturbed. Then you’re here in the morning looking troubled as well.”

“How is this any of your business?” Cole asked with a frown.

What he did with Savan was private. He didn’t appreciate people meddling in his private affairs. It didn’t matter that he was angry at Savan right now, there was no way he was going to allow a comment against what they had together.

“The wheels are already turning in your head,” Liang cut into his thought process. “I’m not against the nature of your relationship, Cole. I know everything about Savan and it doesn’t bother me one bit. What does bother me is you, Cole. I think you should walk away.”

Cole frowned surprised by that last statement.

Was Liang warning him off?

A laugh bubbled up and he shook his head at the absurd idea.

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“No,” Liang said, his tone alerting Cole to the severity of the situation.

Liang wasn’t joking. He was dead serious. Cole was being warned off!

“I think you should tell me where Savan is and he can include his opinion.”

“Savan is never going to tell you to leave,” Liang replied with a shrug. “Which is why he left you last night. I can only guess what happened between the two of you. I don’t want to know,” he said when Cole started to speak. “What I do know is that Savan was scared enough to come back home and spend the entire night prowling the loft. I’m doing you a favor.”

“By warning me to stay away from him,” Cole scoffed, irritated. “Are you his watchdog?”

Savan’s leaving was starting to take second place on the scale of annoyance.

“I’m not walking away.”

Liang narrowed his gaze at him as though to scare him away, and Cole wondered whether that look was supposed to freak him out.

He wasn’t the C.E.O of Niad Fashions for nothing. Cole met Liang’s hostile gaze not ready to back down. He had faced down scarier people in his time.

Liang was only protecting his best friend.

“Liang—”

Liang reached out to press an unmarked button on the elevator console.

“I want you to remember this moment in future, Cole. If you hurt him, you’ll have to deal with me. I won’t be pleasant. If he hurts you, tough luck, Lucianne. Remember that I warned you to walk away.”

“Fair enough,” Cole said.

The elevator was very fast, it opened almost five seconds later to a very short hallway that led to a set of black double doors with an automatic lock fitted on them. Liang pressed a pad that ran a laser light on his index finger. The security was unexpected but Cole ignored it when the lock beeped and the doors swung open.

“He should be in the kitchen,” Liang said.

Liang pointed to the left indicating an open dining area that led to a kitchen separated with fogged-glass. Clean counter tops were visible from where Cole stood but not much else.

Cole looked around the rest of what he could see of the loft. The décor was an eclectic mixture. He’d half-expected Savan’s dark style to take over the place. Instead, the loft was bright and spacious showing off a living area with floor-length windows on the east and south sides. Antique furniture mixed in with modern plush couches, drawings done by famous manga-ka on the wall, mixed in with stunning photographs of Tokyo city.

Removing his shoes, Cole walked on socked feet on the highly polished wood floor to the dining room. The dining table was laden with magazines and files.

Liang disappeared down a corridor that went beyond the living room.

Cole paused at the kitchen entrance, his gaze immediately finding Savan seated at the island table sipping coffee. Savan looked handsome in a black t-shirt, his hair sticking up all over the place. The earrings were back, and those dark eyes were shadowed, from lack of sleep.

“How could you leave like that?” Cole asked. “You didn’t even leave a message.”

Savan dropped his mug on the table not caring that the mug precariously balanced at the edge before it tipped over and fell to the floor. Savan was already walking past him to the living room.

“How did you get in?” Savan demanded, his gaze looking around the living room.

“I let him in,” Liang called from down the corridor, and Cole frowned when Savan whirled around to stare at his best friend with an unreadable expression. “He says he needs to talk to you.”

Savan stood so still, Cole started to move to touch him but then stopped when Savan looked at him. He was starting to think these two needed to take yoga class to control their paranoia. Savan was always so on edge.

“I’m gonna take a shower now,” Liang said in general, before he disappeared again leaving them alone.

Savan stared at him for a second before he walked back to the kitchen. He passed by Cole without stopping and went to retrieve a mop from a cupboard in the corner of the kitchen. Getting a dustpan as well, Savan went to clean the mess his mug had made without saying a word.

Frustrated, Cole decided to get a cup of coffee. He could play the stupid silent game too. Walking to the coffee pot brewing fresh coffee on the counter, he opened the cupboard above and was glad to find mugs. Taking one, he poured himself coffee.

Savan came to stand beside him, and reached for another mug. Cole couldn’t help noting the small tiptoe reach he did. Savan was bare foot. He wasn’t surprised when the memory of Savan naked on his bed filled his mind. Cole smiled, wondering if Liang would mind walking in on them in the kitchen.

He would love nothing better right now than to pull the black sweats Savan was wearing off and find out whether he was naked under them.

Savan dumped sugar and creamer into his coffee and moved away from him. He took back his seat at the island table.

Leaning on the counter, Cole sipped his coffee trying to figure out the best way to handle this. Obviously, a confrontation wasn’t going to work here. Savan was definitely not the morning types. Pushing off the counter, Cole slid on to the seat directly across Savan.

“What are you doing today?” he asked.

“Not much,” Savan replied. “I’m taking the day off.”

“Really,” Cole frowned. “Can I join you?”

Savan shrugged and continued sipping his coffee.

Well, he was going to have to change that answer, a whole day with Savan sounded way too good to give up. Thinking through the list of things he needed done in the office today, Cole reached for his cell phone and dialed Miaka, his assistant.

He rescheduled appointments and meetings, made excuses for requests from his mother. Cole hung up ten minutes later with a free day and a very wide grin. He wasn’t going to allow anything to spoil today. He’d kept watch of Savan through the phone call and some of the expressions that had passed over his lover should be immortalized. Savan was hardly unaffected, as he wanted to appear.

“What are you smiling about?” Savan asked, pushing his mug to the middle of the table. “You’re not staying here.”

“Were you staying home on your day off?”

“I didn’t get much sleep last night,” Savan answered. “I’ll try and get in a few hours. That means you have to leave right now.”

“Go ahead and sleep, I’m not stopping you,” Cole replied, picking up his mug of coffee. Taking a sip, he grimaced at the lukewarm taste and got up to pour the coffee out in the sink. “It will give me a chance to look around your loft. You are surprising me every day. Do you know that? You’re like an onion.”

“You just likened me to a vegetable,” Savan said, getting off his chair. He left his mug on the counter and started for the door.

“If it fits,” he said, his gaze fixated on Savan’s enticing ass. The man had a beautiful body. “Aren’t you going to rinse your mug?”

“Later, housekeeping police,” Savan headed out into the living room and Cole chuckled at the answer. He was getting used to that awful attitude.

Cole leaned over and took Savan’s used mug, and the bowl beside it. Cleaning up the few dishes in the sink, he left them drying on a rack then poured himself a fresh cup of coffee. He followed Savan to the living room.

Sipping his coffee leisurely, Cole paused when he found Savan stretched out on a wide black leather couch his head buried in a fluffy pillow. Savan was deep asleep. Unable to resist, Cole lifted Savan’s head and sat down, gently settling him on his lap. Tracing the dark circles under Savan’s eyes, Cole pushed soft dark hair back and leaned down to press a kiss on Savan’s forehead.

***

‘SarEr, my darling,’ a woman’s voice said.

Her voice was so full of love it pained him.

‘Happy birthday, be anything you want to be but don’t ever leave Papa alone.’

Her words echoed in his heart, her eyes shining with such warmth... He reached out a hand to hold on to her but she was disappearing. Her voice fading….he couldn’t reach…

Soothing murmured words, followed with a comforting caress in his hair. Savan opened his eyes to Cole watching him intently. Blinking sleep away, he sat up, surprised. He remembered falling asleep on the couch, but Cole on the couch with him, that wasn’t too clear.

“Are you alright?” Cole asked, squeezing his shoulder. “You were having a nightmare.”

“I’m fine.”

Savan yawned, shifting on the couch so that he sat beside Cole, his feet tucked under him yoga style.

Rubbing his eyes to clear the cobwebs, he frowned.

“What time is it?”

“Ten o’clock,” Cole replied, studying him. “You were pretty wiped out.”

Savan shrugged and leaned his head back.

“You never told me why you came this morning.”

“I was very angry with you when I woke up to find you gone. But, it doesn’t matter anymore. You’re a skittish one, I’m gonna have to adjust as we go.”

“Go where?” Savan asked with a chuckle. “Cole, you really are pushy. Do you know that?”

“I’m dealing with an idiot like you, what do you expect? I’m not the kind to let a perfectly good attraction go to waste. Unlike you, I value that kind of thing.”

“Oh, really,” Savan yawned again. Stretching his arms above his head, he glanced at Cole with another yawn. “I’m hungry. Can you cook?”

“Are you asking because you can’t?” Cole asked.

“Liang cooks, or calls for takeout,” Savan said with a shrug. “If you can’t, I can go across the street to Ahmon’s. He always has a chef cooking in club kitchen. I’m sure they still have breakfast.”

“Him again,” Cole said, giving Savan an irritated frown.

Cole truly disliked any mention of Ahmon, Savan smiled. It was fascinating actually, considering the fact that Ahmon hadn’t done anything. Curious as to the limit of Cole’s jealousy, Savan cocked his head to the side and continued.

“I’ll call Ahmon and see if he’s free to have breakfast with me.”

“I can cook,” Cole snapped.

Savan laughed at the priceless expression on Cole’s face. It was so priceless he couldn’t resist leaning forward to press a kiss on those snarling lips. Cole moaned into his kiss and reached up with his right hand to touch Savan’s jaw with gentle fingers. Breaking the kiss, Savan leaned back on the couch his gaze on Cole’s mesmerizing eyes.

“I couldn’t resist,” Savan confessed with a small smile.

He didn’t know why he needed to explain himself, but Cole’s gaze demanded he do so. Looking away, he settled his head on the back of the couch again.

Cole stood up and walked around the couch.

“I’m going to have to find ways to adjust your horrible attitude.”

“I’m sure,” he said.

Cole leaned over the couch so that he was looking at his face upside down.

Savan gasped. Cole was handsome at any angle.

“Whoa, you’re a sight and a half.”

“What do you want to eat?” Cole asked.

“Surprise me,” he said. “By the way, you carried my dessert home, and I didn’t get to eat it. You just wanted to see my body.”

“Your body was more interesting than the dessert. It still is, may be, we should forget the cooking, and christen your couch,” Cole replied without missing a beat.

Savan couldn’t stop the blush that rose up. The memory of Cole kissing him all over, driving him mad with pleasure flooded his senses and the only thing he could manage to answer with was a moan.

Cole smiled and kissed Savan’s forehead.

Cole disappeared and Savan lifted his head and turned around to see him walking to the kitchen.

Bloody bastard really knew how to get him going, didn’t he?

Savan couldn’t believe he’d fallen asleep so easily. All the anxiety that had kept him up all night seemed to have disappeared. The moment he’d seen Cole standing in his kitchen, his entire system had jumpstarted.

The worry was gone. He knew then it was because Liang had let Cole in, most likely after a talk that should have sent Cole running.

Savan sighed and stretched his arms above his head.

The fact that Liang had let Cole into the house was enough for now.

Standing up, Savan headed to the kitchen, helplessly drawn to the man in there. Cliché lines filled his mind: moth to a flame, etcetera, what an idiot he could be.

At the kitchen entrance, he leaned on the doorjamb to watch Cole crack eggs into a bowl. How had he known where to find them? Yet another puzzling piece about his lover. Cole looked at him and gave him a warm smile. That irresistible warmth drew Savan closer to Cole.

He didn’t stop until he was standing right behind Cole. Not caring that Cole was busy mixing eggs, Savan wrapped his arms around Cole’s waist and pressed his face into Cole’s warm back.

“I won’t fight you anymore,” he said. “I couldn’t sleep last night, thinking about you. It drove me nuts, and at six this morning I was sure I had the answers. But then you walked in, and they were all wrong. I don’t care anymore.”

Cole covered Savan’s hands with his.

“Does this mean you’re giving us a chance?”

“Day by day,” Savan said. “I promise not to run again.”

Cole patted his hands gently and they stood like that for a few minutes, then Cole had to keep cooking.

The day was strange for Savan.

Mostly because he was so used to making his own decisions, on what to do with his spare time, having Cole around was a new experience. After eating a very delicious omelet, Savan took a shower, while Cole explored the loft.

Pulling on his usual garb, a white and black t-shirt, and blue skinny jeans, he gathered his hair into a stubby ponytail on top of his head using a rubber band to secure it.

Cole entered his bedroom as he was rummaging in his closet for socks.

Savan frowned at Cole’s clothes.

“You should change out of those clothes. I think you and Liang are the same size.”

“Are we going somewhere?”

“I have to run an errand. If you’re coming along, you can’t look like that.”

Savan found black socks which he pulled on quickly. Taking Cole’s hand, he led him out of his room and across the hall. Liang’s bedroom was neat and organized unlike his room. Flinging the closet doors open, he had no trouble locating a black t-shirt and black jeans that would be the right size.

“Change into this.”

“What kind of errand is this?” Cole asked, as he pulled off his dress shirt.

Savan couldn’t resist running his hands down Cole’s chiseled abs. Leaning up, he stole a kiss, before he handed the t-shirt to Cole.

“I have to see a man about a boat,” Savan said, refusing to say any more.

Savan wished he didn’t have to go to the docks today, but he’d called their contact earlier when he’d been in alert mode at six o’clock in the morning. He couldn’t cancel. Glancing at the clock on Liang’s bedside table, he sighed. As delicious as it was watching Cole remove his suit slacks, they had to hurry.

“Put your clothes in my closet, I have to get something from the study.”

Savan left Liang’s bedroom and rushed to a small room next to the kitchen. He didn’t want Cole to find him so he moved fast. There was a large mahogany desk in the room with a chair behind it. Walking around the desk, he crouched down on the floor, and pulled out two wooden planks. Reaching in to the gaping hole on the floor, he retrieved a small roll of cash, and an envelope with two pictures. Replacing the planks, he stuck the envelope into his pockets and straightened up.

“Savan,” Cole said, his voice too close.

Taking in a deep breath, Savan stuck the roll of money into his front pocket and hurried out of the study. Cole was in the hallway adjusting his belt.

“After your errand, can we go somewhere? It’s going to be a nice day.”

“Sure,” Savan replied, leading the way to the living room.

At the front door, he grabbed an old leather jacket, pulling it on, he watched Cole take Liang’s jacket from the closet. Hiding a smile at how ruggedly handsome Cole looked, he pulled his boots on, and waited for Cole to wear his shoes.

They took his motorcycle, although having Cole wrapped around him had him thinking he was turning into a sex addict. He could barely breathe when Cole wrapped his arms around his waist. He ached for Cole. Now that his brain was no longer protesting the issue, he felt like a deranged man. It took all the concentration he could muster to keep his attention on the road.

Cole sat too close, his scent enveloping him.

When they got to the docks, Savan parked the motorcycle and insisted Cole wait for him. It took less than ten minutes to meet with his contact. He handed over the money and the envelope ensuring that he and Liang would have an escape route. It always served to get more than one, in case things got difficult. He walked back to the motorcycle slowly to find Cole waiting patiently.

“Ready?” Cole asked.

Savan nodded and gave him a small smile.

“It’s your turn, where are we headed now?”

Cole scooted back, allowing him to get on the motorcycle. Cole leaned into him and hugged him from behind.

“Let’s go to the beach,” Cole said. “I want to see if you even know what the word relax means.”

Sliding the key in, Savan gave the boats at the dock one last glance before he started the motorcycle. He wasn’t sure about relaxing, but he was sure about secured transit. That would have to be enough for now, he thought as they left the parking lot.

They spent the day at the beach lazing around.

Cole told him stories about growing up in Italy. When those were exhausted, they discussed random topics. Savan discovered Cole had a healthy sense of humor. Savan sunk his toes into the sand watching the horizon. At some point, Cole lay back on his coat, with his head resting on Savan’s lap.

Savan spent another hour playing with Cole’s wavy hair while he watched Cole sleep. Cole had a handsome sleeping face. A group of kids ran past screaming and Cole jerked awake. It was already four o’clock by then. Savan didn’t want to leave. He liked being with Cole. He loved the peace it brought him.

Cole stood and held out his hand to Savan. Cole pulled him up leading him straight into his arms. Wrapping his own around Cole’s neck, he ignored the curious glances from the few people still walking on the beach. They stopped existing when Cole captured his lips in a deep kiss.

***