by J. P. Bowie
The phone rang almost as soon as I had put it down. Jesse was helping a customer, so I picked up. “Barnett’s Bookstore. This is Micah.”
“Micah, it’s Robert.”
I felt a prickle of irritation at the sound of his voice. “Hi, Robert.”
“Listen, we need to talk.”
“We do?”
“Yeah…why don’t you meet me in say, a half hour. I’ll buy you a beer.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“What d’you mean, you can’t?”
“I’m meeting Ron Hendricks for coffee over at his restaurant.”
Robert snorted rudely. “That loser! Tell him you’ll see him some other time. I really need to talk to you.”
My irritation turned to annoyance. “Robert, you can’t keep telling me what to do. Those days are over—at your insistence, if you recall. Sorry, but I can’t meet you right now.”
“Well, when then?”
“I don’t know. I’m meeting Joseph later.”
“Who’s he?” Robert sounded pissed.
I sighed. “He’s the guy I’m dating. I told you about him.”
“Micah…” Robert’s voice held a slight tremor. “I really need to talk to you.”
“What about?”
“About you and me.”
“About you and me,” I repeated slowly. “There is no you and me. You took care of that,” I added for emphasis.
“Micah, I’m sorry.”
“So am I. Now I really have to go.”
“Micah, wait—”
“No. I’m done waiting. Goodbye.”
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La Fortuna, the restaurant Ron managed, was within easy walking distance of my
bookstore. That’s what I loved about West Hollywood, nearly everything was walkable—and the eye candy on the sidewalks was always worth a second glance.
Except that, since I’d met Joseph, no one else seemed to compare.
Ron gave me a big smile as I entered the restaurant. I stopped for a moment, slightly taken aback by the way he looked. I really didn’t remember him being so handsome. The Ron I used to run around with was Mr. Average—good looking in a quiet, unassuming way.
Now, his dark brown hair had a lustrous sheen to it, his hazel eyes sparkled and his skin seemed to glow from within.
“Wow, Ron,” I gasped. “You look great.” And I meant every word.
“You too, buddy,” he said, wrapping me in a warm hug. His body felt hard and strong.
“You’ve been working out,” I murmured, running my hands over his muscular back.
“Not really…” He stepped back from our embrace and smiled at me. “I still run,
though. Keeps me in shape.”
“I should join you,” I said.
He took my arm. “Come on back. I’ve got a pot of coffee—and a lot of questions!”
Feeling his arm around my shoulders as he steered me towards his office made me
realise how much I had missed the easy camaraderie that had existed between us. Before Robert, Ron and I had clubbed together, gone on vacation together and met for coffee or lunch on a pretty regular basis. We had gotten to know one another’s little faults and foibles—when to tease, when to back off. We’d even slept together, once or twice. And even though it had been nice, we’d decided we’d rather be good friends, without the sex getting in the way.
“So,” Ron said, as we sat at his desk in the tiny office behind the kitchen. “Tell me everything.”
I laughed. “Everything? I don’t want you falling asleep in front of me.”
“There’s lots of coffee,” he said, chuckling and pouring us both a cup. “I’m sorry to hear about you and Robert.”
I sighed, but figured I’d better get that story out of the way as quickly as possible. He sat opposite me, his face clouded with compassion as I began to narrate my ‘tale of woe’.
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Suddenly, as I droned on with the same tired old story, I heard a voice inside my head say,
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, snap out of it!” As if I’d been slapped, I stopped mid-sentence and gaped at Ron. What had just happened? Had Cher walked into the room?
“What’s wrong?” He stared at me, half rising to his feet. “Micah, are you all right?”
“Yeah, yeah…I’m fine. But I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“I’m sorry.” Ron got up and walked round to where I sat. He rubbed my shoulders
with strong, comforting hands. “I should have known it’s still rough to talk about it.”
“No, it’s not that,” I said, looking up at him. “I think I’m finally over the whole sorry, pathetic episode. Robert called me the other night, wanted me to go out with him to the theatre. At any other time, I would have leaped at the chance, but I’d met this guy—this really great guy—the night before, and I found that I really didn’t want to ruin the opportunity to see him again. So I told Robert no, I couldn’t go out with him. Then he called me again, just before I came over here, as a matter of fact. Wanted to buy me a beer, and talk.”
“He’s persistent, at least,” Ron said, chuckling.
“But he’s too late. I never thought I’d ever say this, but I don’t want to hear from him ever again. And now, hearing myself start to tell you this…this crap all over again, it’s like I’m just over it.” I smiled up at him. “And boy, does it feel good!”
Ron grinned at me and patted my shoulders. “Was that what they call an epiphany?”
“Something like that, I guess.” I sipped at my coffee. “Mmm, good stuff.” I looked at Ron as he sat on the edge of his desk near me. “Tell me about you. Who’re you dating?”
His expression became one of complete satisfaction, and he smiled happily as he told me. “His name is Jean-Claude. We met six months ago last night—not that I’m counting, of course. And Micah, I have to tell you I am totally in love with him. It’s like I’ve been waiting for him all my life.”
“Wow,” I breathed, impressed. “I thought you looked different when I first saw you. If that’s what love does, I say, bring it on.”
“What about the guy you’re seeing?”
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“He’s terrific, and I’m in love with him already. But I don’t want this to be a rebound thing. Joseph’s very special, a real class act, and I don’t want to mess it up.” I winked at him.
“So when do I get to meet Jean-Claude?”
“Uh…well, he’ll be here later tonight.”
“Joseph’s coming over to my apartment later,” I said. “Maybe lunch this week?”
“He’s pretty busy in the daytime.”
I got the impression Ron was hedging, but I decided not to press the issue at that point.
I was just happy that he and I had reconnected. We’d have plenty of time to catch up and meet each other’s boyfriends.
“No problem,” I said, letting him off the hook. “I’m sure we can arrange something soon. This has been great, Ron. I truly have missed you. I guess until now, I didn’t realise just how much.”
He smiled and, reaching out, ruffled my hair. “Same goes for me, Micah.”
After I got home, I spruced up my place a bit, paying particular attention to the bathroom. I’m not much of a Susie Homemaker, but I figured for Joseph’s first visit, the place should look at least halfway decent.
I put the bottle of red wine I had purchased on the way home on the kitchen counter. I just hoped it was good enough for him. A wine connoisseur I was not. The phone rang, and I grimaced as I read the caller ID.
Robert…again. I hesitated. Should I just let the answering machine pick up? No, better not. If he called again later, Joseph would hear him berating me for not returning his calls.
Jeez, what a pain. I picked up.
“Yes, Robert?” My
tone was deliberately curt.
“Hey, why so hostile?”
“I’m not hostile. I’m busy. And Joseph will be here any minute.”
“Fuck Joseph!”
“I intend to.” I should have been ashamed of feeling quite so smug, but oh, it felt good.
“Micah…”
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“What do you want, Robert?”
“I told you, we need to talk.”
“And I told you, there’s no point. Look, I’m seeing Joseph now. I’ve moved on, just like you told me to do when you left.”
“I…I’m sorry about that. I made a mistake.”
“Well, I’m sorry too, but I really have to go.”
“Micah, please—”
“No, Robert. Now I think it’s time for you to move on. Goodbye.”
I put down the phone with a heavy sigh. Was I being too hard on him? I wondered.
He’d sounded so pathetic, so lost…
But then, I’d been pathetic and lost too—and he hadn’t given a shit about that.
Payback’s a bitch, all right.
At eight, a knock on my door told me my new boyfriend was there, and I couldn’t have been happier. He looked wonderful, standing there in his dark blue Armani business suit, carrying a six-pack of Michelob and wearing a great big smile just for me.
“For you,” he said, holding out the six-pack.
I grabbed it—and him—and delivered a big juicy kiss to his waiting lips. I dragged him into the living room, dropped the six-pack on the coffee table and yanked off his jacket, all without breaking our kiss. This guy drove me absolutely wild.
Joseph smiled as I snuggled into his arms and started to unbutton his shirt. “I met a neighbour of yours on my way in,” he said, kissing my forehead. “A remarkable person called Rhonda.”
“Rhonda’s great,” I enthused. “After Robert left me, Rhonda was here almost every night listening to my whining and giving me pep talks on how I’d meet someone ‘worthy of me’.”
“A good friend to have,” Joseph murmured, nuzzling my neck.
Whenever he did that, it gave me shivers—of the nicest kind. It was like the prelude to something even more incredible. For a moment or two, I stayed very still in his arms, DUET IN BLOOD
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pressing my neck to his lips…waiting. I felt his lips part. His teeth bit gently at my skin then he pulled back.
“By the way…” He cleared his throat, and his eyes as they met mine were slightly glazed and out of focus. “Are you free tomorrow night?” he asked, giving himself a little shake.
“For you? Of course.”
“One of my clients, who is also a close friend, is having a dinner party tomorrow night.
He asked us to join him, so I accepted. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not. Who is he?”
“His name is Marcus Verano. He and his forever…uh, I mean, his partner, Roger, live in the Hollywood Hills. We’ll get a cab there.”
“Sounds great,” I said. I pulled him closer. “Now, what would you like first? A drink or me?”
He took my hand and placed it on his crotch. “What do you think I would like first?” he asked, teasing my lips with the tip of his tongue. I shivered with delight as I felt the hard, long shape of his erection straining against his fly.
“Okay.” I was suddenly not at all thirsty—not for a beer, anyway.
It was so neat having him here in my apartment. It felt right somehow—just the two of us holding each other in the middle of my living room, the stereo playing softly in the background, the candles I’d lit giving the room a shimmering, romantic feel, and the greatest thing of all, Joseph’s soft, warm lips on mine.
I loved the way he kissed, the way he would start so slow and sensual, breathing softly into my mouth, the tip of his tongue tracing the outline of my lips before pushing its way inside where it would glide across mine, sending little electric tingles all through me. My knees grew weak from the sensations he created in me.
I collapsed against his chest with a groan. “Joseph, where did you learn to kiss like that?”
“You bring me inspiration,” he whispered on my lips, kissing me again and again.
Together, we sank onto the couch, Joseph on top of me, lying between my legs, which I curled around his torso holding him tight against me. He opened my shirt and began tonguing my nipples.
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“Mmm,” I murmured, stroking his short dark hair. “Feels nice…”
I pushed his shirt from his shoulders so I could feel the silky smoothness of his skin. I liked that we were going slower than usual. Sometimes, when we were together, we went at it so frantically, it seemed over too quickly—in a heated rush, just like the song said. This was nice. His lips gentle yet sensuous, covered my chest with tender kisses and nibbles, his fingers stroked my face, running through my hair and tugging gently as he raised his head from my chest to kiss my lips.
“Micah…” The sweetness of his breath as he whispered into my mouth made me reel.
His tongue slipped past my parted lips, delivering an electric jolt to my senses. What was it about him that made every touch, every caress he gave me feel like so much more? Was it because he was the most beautiful man I had ever been this close to—ever seen, for that matter? Or was it the innate goodness I intuitively felt deep within him that enhanced our most intimate moments together? I could have gazed at his face forever, lain in his arms, revelling in the vibrant strong flesh that enclosed me, until the end of days—and never tired of it. I was his, for as long as he wanted me to be.
“Micah,” he whispered again, the thrilling touch of his lips on my skin making me want to get lost in his arms, to melt into him, to be a part of him. He moved over me, sensually stripping us both of our clothes. He lowered his head to my crotch and took the tip of my cock between his lips. His tongue moved languidly around the head, teasing me with delicate caresses. I arched my pelvis upward, but he grasped the base of my cock in his hand, and continued his slow, deliberate, gentle torment until I thought I would scream. Just when I thought I couldn’t stand another second of this ecstasy, he pulled his hand away, and his lips slid down the length of my erection, bringing all of me into the heat of his mouth.
“Joseph,” I whimpered, feeling my control slip away. His hands cupped my butt, and he lifted me up, driving my cock down his throat. My orgasm came from so deep inside me, and with such intensity, it was almost painful. I grabbed his head, holding onto him as my body bucked and jumped under him, and my semen filled his mouth. I fell back on the couch, panting, my body slick with sweat. I reached for him, pulled him into my arms and held him tight against my trembling body.
Never had I been more in love.
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Chapter Five
The following night, Joseph picked me up at my apartment for our dinner date with his friends in the Hollywood Hills. I gaped at the beautiful mansion ahead of us as the cab sped up the long driveway that branched off La Verna Avenue. Every window was alive with light, and the grounds that surrounded the house were artfully lit, illuminating myriad trees and bushes scattered across the rolling lawns.
“Wow, this is some place.” I glanced at Joseph who squeezed my hand and smiled.
“This is one of your really wealthy clients, right?”
“Don’t be intimidated by what you see,” he said. “Marcus is a very modest man,
despite his wealth. You’ll find that he and Roger are very easy to get along with.”
Despite his words of assurance, I still felt a tad nervous as the cab pulled away, leaving us alone on the mansion’s steps.
“Are we the only guests?” I asked, noting the absence of cars on the driveway.
“There will be probably be a few more, but it looks
as if we are the first to arrive. Come on.” He took my arm and led me up the steps to the massive front door, which swung open as we approached.
“Good evening, sirs.” A young girl with a sweet smile beckoned us inside. She was wearing black pants and a white shirt that bore the words, Arnold’s Catering, embroidered on the breast pocket. I stood awestruck for the moment by the magnificence of the marbled foyer lit from above by a huge art-deco chandelier made of amber glass. God, but this place was incredible.
“Joseph!”
I stared at the tall, smiling man who strode across the foyer towards us. He wore a white tux shirt, open at the neck, and black jeans slung low on his narrow hips.
Oh. My. God.
No man had the right to be this beautiful! He was surely from some other dimension, some other world where only the genes of perfect people were allowed to mingle. I watched as he took Joseph into a warm embrace. Their lips touched in a tender kiss, and their DUET IN BLOOD
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foreheads pressed together while they smiled into each other’s eyes. I’d started to feel as if they’d forgotten I was there, when he turned his dazzling green eyes on me.
“You must be Micah,” he said, smiling and showing perfect white teeth. He held out his hand. “I am Marcus.”
I grabbed his hand. “I…I’m very pleased to meet you,” I stuttered, my voice sounding weird in my ears. His hand was strong, cool and strangely comforting. I hoped mine wasn’t clammy. I couldn’t take my eyes off his face. Those emerald green eyes held me in an almost hypnotic spell.
“You are very welcome, Micah.” His voice was low, husky, melodious…sexy. I
dropped my gaze, embarrassed to have been staring at him like some mesmerised
teenybopper.
“Where is Roger?” Joseph asked.
Marcus chuckled. “In the kitchen, annoying the catering crew I expect.” He took my arm. “Come, we’ll have some wine before the others get here.”
He led me into an enormous room, beautifully decorated with a stunning array of art-deco furniture and wall hangings. If I’d felt out of my depth in Joseph’s hotel suite, I was truly floundering now. I had never seen so many beautiful things all in one room before—