His indulgence was interrupted in spectacular style when someone careened into his back. Isaac was shunted forward, his bag flying off his shoulder and onto the damp pavement. He was thankful his laptop was packed on top of his clothes in the bag, so it should be unscathed. Only his superior reflexes saved his phone from being flung onto the ground, too.
“Hey,” Isaac said, spinning to meet his assailant. But by the time he’d said the word, it had already been drowned out by the other person’s “Shit, I’m so, so sorry.”
Isaac was facing a man who looked to be the same age as him—well, the age he told people he was, anyway. He wore jeans and a shirt, no tie, and carried a large bag similar to Isaac’s. He, too, clutched a smartphone. “It’s totally my fault—I wasn’t looking where I was going. I was looking at this bloody thing,” he brandished his phone, “to find out where I’m supposed to be going. I’m really sorry. Are you all right?”
By now, Isaac was smirking. There had been no harm done, and he’d quickly come to the conclusion the stranger was cute. Very cute. He shrugged. “Don’t worry about it—these things happen. I was probably standing in a stupid place. I’m trying to find where I’m going, too.” He picked up his bag before the wetness from the pavement soaked through into the contents, or some opportunistic passing thief scooped it up.
“No, it really was my fault. Sorry again. So, where are you headed?”
Isaac gave the name of the hotel and the other man’s face lit up. “You’re here for the medical conference?”
Nodding, Isaac couldn’t help feeling surprised the attractive stranger was heading to the same conference as him. He didn’t look like a doctor, not one bit. He had black curly hair, big blue eyes, and cheekbones you could slice cheese on. After a beat, he mentally scolded himself, both for checking the guy out and for being so judgmental about his looks and profession not going together.
“Cool. Shall we attempt to find it together? I’m Aaron, by the way.”
Isaac took the hand that was offered and shook it. “Isaac. And yeah, that would be great. Two heads are better than one and all that.”
He shouldered his bag, then looked at his phone once more. The map had finally loaded, and had put them less than a two-minute walk away from their destination. “Okay,” he said, glancing back up at Aaron. “I think I know where we need to go.”
“Uh, okay. More than happy to take your word for it, as map reading is definitely not my strong point.”
With that, they fell into step together, making their way in the direction Isaac’s phone pointed them. Soon, they stepped into the lobby of the conference hotel and made for the reception desk and its solo member of staff.
“After you,” Aaron said, indicating Isaac should go first. “I crashed into you, then you saved me from a fruitless wander of London’s streets in the rain. It’s the least I can do.”
With a smile and a murmur of thanks, Isaac moved up to the desk and the pretty young woman behind it. “Hi, I’m here to check in. I’m one of the delegates for the conference. Name’s Isaac Adams.”
“Thank you, sir,” the receptionist said, beaming at him. “I’ll just get that taken care of for you.” She put her fingers to the keyboard in front of her, typed quickly, then paused as she seemingly found what she was looking for. Another couple of button presses and she produced a key card, slipped it into a tiny folder emblazoned with his room number, and handed it over. “Here’s your key card, Mr Adams. Anything you want, you just charge to the room. Food, drinks, items from the shop. We already have your credit card on file, so when you check out, you just need to sign for your purchases and we’ll deduct the amount from your card.”
Taking the tiny folder, Isaac nodded. “Fantastic, thank you very much. Do you know where we have to be for the conference tomorrow? And at what time?”
“There should already be a folder in your room with the full schedule and map of the hotel. If not, please call down to Reception and we can have one sent up.”
“Great, thanks.” He turned away from the desk and caught Aaron’s eye. “Your turn, mate. See you around tomorrow.”
“Hang on,” the other man said. Isaac halted in his tracks. “I was wondering if you wanted to grab a drink and something to eat this evening?”
“Uh…” Isaac had been planning on room service, a long shower, and an early night. The long journey had made him weary, and he wanted to make sure he was rested for the conference—there would be a lot to learn, a lot to take in, and he didn’t want to miss out. But something made him say otherwise. “Yeah, all right. Meet you in the restaurant at seven?”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
Smiling, Isaac turned and headed directly for the bank of lifts, then pressed the call button. He still had time for a shower, albeit not a long one. But it would do—and he’d definitely have to get into some smarter clothes. Checking in to a hotel in crappy clothes was one thing, but using their bar and restaurant dressed that way was another matter altogether.
A ping announced the arrival of the lift. When the doors slid open, he stepped into the car, pressed the relevant button, and stood back as the machinery did its job. Soon, having exited the lift on his floor, he peered at the sign on the wall opposite, detailing which room numbers were in which direction, then followed the corresponding arrow.
He was in his room and had dumped his bag within minutes. Spotting the folder on his bedside table, he checked that it was indeed the details for the conference before unpacking his bag and putting away his clothes and shoes—with the exception of the ones he was going to wear after his shower. As he’d suspected—and hoped—his laptop had survived the incident outside the train station.
He stuffed the holdall into the bottom of the wardrobe, crossed over to the window and drew the curtains, then got undressed. Then, after grabbing his wash bag from the bed, he made for the bathroom and showered and brushed his teeth in record time. He’d shave in the morning.
He towel-dried his hair, then his body, before putting on deodorant, aftershave and moisturiser. He hung the towel on the rail and padded naked into the bedroom, where he got dressed. A blast with the supplied hairdryer and a quick comb through and his hair was done.
After stashing his dirty washing away, he collected his phone, wallet and key card, and headed out of his room and back towards the lift. He’d be a few minutes early, but it didn’t matter. It’d give him the opportunity to scope out his surroundings a little before his new friend arrived.
As it happened, that wasn’t the case. When he stepped into the restaurant, Aaron was already there. His mop of curls looked damp, and when Isaac got close enough, he could smell shampoo—something fruity yet masculine. Yum.
“Hey,” he said, stepping around the table to take his place opposite Aaron. “You beat me.”
“Yeah,” Aaron said with a grin. “I don’t take long to shower and change.”
“I didn’t think I did either, but apparently I could be faster.”
“We all have our skills. Shall we order drinks first? I have to say I need one—all that rushing around London has made me thirsty.”
“Yeah, it has that effect on me too. Maybe a pitcher of water for the thirst, and something a little stronger afterwards?”
“Sounds like a plan.” Aaron signalled the waiter, who also brought menus. He disappeared to get their pitcher, leaving them to decide what they wanted to eat.
“Oh my goodness,” Isaac said after reading a few lines. “How am I supposed to decide? This all sounds delicious. I want one of everything.”
Aaron chuckled, a deep yet joyful sound that sent a jolt to Isaac’s gut. “You’re right, it does. At least we’re here tomorrow night, too, so we’ll be able to get two of these meals in before we go back to reality.”
“True.” They fell silent for a while as they contemplated their choices, and by the time the waiter came back with a carafe of iced water and two glasses, they’d narrowed down what they wanted considerably.
>
“Okay,” Aaron said, twisting his face into a pondering expression. “I don’t want a starter, thanks. But for the main course, I’m teetering between two, so I’m going to go ahead and have the… beef Wellington, please. Write it down quick before I change my mind.” His tone was light, polite, and he was grinning, but the waiter didn’t seem to notice. He simply scribbled down what Aaron had asked for, then turned to Isaac.
“No starter for me either, thanks. I’ll have the fillet steak, please, with the blue cheese sauce and sautéed potatoes. Thanks.” Given the waiter’s non-reaction to Aaron’s comment, he didn’t even think about joking around. He handed the menu over with a smile, then raised an eyebrow at the man’s retreating back and turned to Aaron. “Someone’s had a sense of humour failure, haven’t they?”
Sniggering, Aaron nodded. “He bloody has, hasn’t he? A sense of humour failure and a stick shoved up his arse. I know this is a nice hotel, but come on, you still have to employ humans, not robots. Good customer service. He reminds me a little bit of one of the receptionists at my surgery. Right stick in the mud, she is.”
The conversation took a turn for the amusing, with a discussion about their grumpiest, craziest and funniest colleagues and patients, and their chatting went off on several tangents before being brought to a halt by the return of the humourless waiter. He placed their meals down in front of them and asked if he could help them with anything else.
“Yes, please,” Isaac said. “I’d like a beer. Whatever’s on tap and recommended.”
“Make that two, thanks,” Aaron added.
The man gave a mock bow before heading to the bar to get their drinks.
They watched him leave before turning to each other, sniggering. “Christ, he hates us, doesn’t he?” Aaron said, picking up his cutlery.
“I don’t care if he does,” Isaac said. “We’ve been nice and polite—the ideal restaurant patrons. I don’t know what his problem is. And I’m not going to waste any time worrying about it, either. My fillet steak is much more important.”
“As is my beef Wellington. Yeah, let’s dig in.”
They did just that.
“Good God,” Aaron said. “This is so good. The chef is an absolute genius.”
Isaac smiled as he remembered a similar conversation between himself and Nathaniel, talking about the chef at the Miners. The smile died on his lips. Damn, why did he have to go and think about Nathaniel now? He was having a delicious dinner with fun company and his brain had presented him with thoughts of a man he knew he could not have. How was that fair?
“Ah, here’s our beer,” Aaron said as the waiter returned with two glasses on a silver tray. “Thank you.” When the waiter left again, he picked up his drink and raised it in Isaac’s direction. “Let’s have a toast. To a delicious meal, which will hopefully be followed by a delicious dessert, and to a weekend that’s supposed to be work, but will no doubt be a lot of fun, too.”
Isaac raised his glass. “Yeah. To all that.” He wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as he could have been, because his brain had now gone into overdrive. Was he mistaken or was there a mischievous, flirtatious look in the other man’s eyes?
And if there was, should he do something about it?
Chapter Twelve
Isaac and Aaron fell silent, digging into their meals with gusto and exchanging the occasional glance and smile as they enjoyed their food and sipped their drinks. Before long, their plates were empty and they were sitting back in their chairs, rubbing their bellies and commenting on how delicious the dishes had been.
“Luckily,” Aaron said, reaching for his pint, “that portion was just right, so I’ve still got room for dessert. You?”
“Hmm, I think so. Let’s ask grumpy guts for the menu and I’ll see if anything takes my fancy.”
“I hope so.” Aaron met Isaac’s gaze and held it, clearly attempting to emphasise the alternative meaning of his words.
Isaac stared right back, not sure whether to drag the other man up to his room and get him naked immediately, or run away screaming. He was attracted to him, no doubt about it, and he’d already ascertained that he lived miles and miles from Eyam, so there was no danger of any lasting entanglement if they happened to hook up. And it had been so damn long since he’d last been with anyone… what the hell was stopping him?
Aaron was busy trying to get the waiter’s attention, so Isaac looked at him openly as he mulled over his reservations. He was loath to admit it, even to himself, but it was likely something to do with Nathaniel. Isaac had to hold back a derisive snort. There was no way he and Nathaniel could even sleep together, much less anything else. It just wasn’t a good idea, for so many reasons it was ridiculous. So why did he feel some kind of loyalty to the man?
Downing the rest of his beer, Isaac made a choice. He’d already decided to put the crush on Nathaniel out of his mind, move on. Occupying himself with someone else in the meantime was as good a way as any to do this—and Aaron was a willing partner, it seemed. So if Aaron wanted to have sex with him tonight, maybe tomorrow as well, Isaac was definitely up for it. He needed the release, both physically and mentally, then he could go back home and get on with his life.
That sorted out, he smiled at the waiter as he handed over the dessert menu, and quickly read through the options. The sooner they decided what they wanted, the sooner they could eat their next course, pay up, and skedaddle. Making his choice, he slapped the menu down on the table, causing Aaron to look questioningly at him.
“Sorry,” Isaac said, abashed. “Didn’t mean to do that.”
“You’ve decided then?”
“Yup.”
“Me too. You go first.”
“Uh, okay. I’ll have the waffles, please. Plenty of chocolate sauce.”
The waiter made a note. “Very good, sir. And for you?” He turned to Aaron.
“The sticky toffee pudding, please.”
“Excellent. Thank you, gentlemen. I’ll get that order put in for you straight away.” He took their menus and dashed away, his back straighter than ever and his expression to match.
Aaron shook his head. “God, I hope he’s not here again at breakfast time. I’m not sure I can cope with him when I’m half asleep.”
Grinning, Isaac replied, “No, nor me. Let’s hope someone else is on that shift.”
They continued chatting as they waited for their desserts, though it was clear it was just to fill the silence. There was a tension in the air, thick, expectant, and Isaac knew he didn’t have long to back out now. They were already creeping towards the point of no return, despite the fact they were nowhere near a bed, not even touching. It was odd, but really sexy at the same time. He wondered if perhaps Aaron was lonely too, and that was why, with so much in common and having been thrown into the same place at the same time, they were so ready to take advantage of the fact.
Quiet reigned again as their desserts were placed in front of them and they immediately started eating them. The muttered compliments and contented sounds were frequent, and Isaac figured Aaron, like him, had a sweet tooth. Munching on the chocolatey goodness, he hoped his nerves wouldn’t give out on him. He wanted Aaron, he really did, but he hadn’t had nearly enough to drink to make him bold—because of his supernatural metabolism, alcohol didn’t affect him as readily as it did humans. Therefore, one pint of beer was not going to help him loosen up, not even a little.
When he finished his waffles, Isaac asked, “Shall we take some wine upstairs with us?”
Appearing a little startled, Aaron hastily gulped down his mouthful, nodding. “If you want. I’m not fussy when it comes to wine, so just order whatever you like. Red or white, I don’t mind.”
“Okay.” Isaac waved for the waiter again and, when he arrived, said, “A bottle of white wine, please. Whatever you recommend, and two glasses. We’re going to take it upstairs. And if you could charge everything from this table to my room, that would be wonderful.” He gave his room number.
“Very well.” The waiter headed off to get the wine and glasses.
“Hey,” Aaron said, having just finished his pudding, “what did you do that for? I’m more than happy to pay my way. It was my idea, after all.”
Isaac shrugged. “Why not? It’s just easier, isn’t it? You can get the meal tomorrow—if you want to join me then as well, that is.” The truth was, he wasn’t entirely sure why he’d done it either. He hadn’t been looking to impress or embarrass the other man. Maybe he just wanted to be nice, to look after him or something. Or just speed up the payment process so they could get out of here. Who knew? It was too late in any case.
“Okay. Perhaps we can go out somewhere—depending on when the conference finishes. I haven’t even looked at the schedule yet, have you?”
“No. Didn’t have time.”
“God, we’re awful, aren’t we? So-called medical professionals sitting in a restaurant feeding our faces and drinking when we should be preparing for a day of learning.”
Isaac snorted. “I suppose we are. We’ll just have to be extra attentive tomorrow to make up for it.”
“Don’t forget we’re going to bed soon, too.” He glanced at his watch. “I’d say it counts as an early night for me. What about you?”
His tongue and brain were so tied in knots at the other man’s words that Isaac couldn’t formulate a reply. Instead, he forced himself to nod and was saved from any further embarrassment by the arrival of their wine. “Thank you,” he managed to choke out. “Do you need my key card? Or just the room number?”
“Just the number is fine, sir, thank you.”
Isaac gave the required information to the waiter, who thanked him and left. He pushed his chair back and stood up. Grabbing the wine and the two glasses, he said, “Ready then?” He sounded brave to his own ears, confident even, but that definitely wasn’t the case. It was more that he wanted to firmly jump over that line of no return before his nerves failed him altogether. He was going to have sex with a hot almost-stranger, and that was that. Christ, he hoped Aaron had condoms and lube.
The Persecution of the Wolves Page 9