by Hayes, Lane
“Lombard Street. We’re close. You look hot, by the way,” I commented idly.
The truth was I couldn’t see very well in the dark, but he appeared to be dressed like me in designer jeans and a snug-fitted oxford shirt. Josh was six feet tall and lean with wavy brown hair that always seemed a bit unruly. He’d recently decided to let his beard grow out a little bit, which I personally thought was a great look for him. Josh was the first to say he had an “every guy” kind of face. He was nice looking but not special. The thing that truly set him apart was his sense of humor. Men and women loved him. He was an incorrigible flirt who was rarely without a date or a plan. In other words, he was the perfect wingman.
Finn sounded pleased to hear from me a couple of days ago. I had a feeling he was on to me when I switched topics from equipment and service pricing to the card he’d placed in my hand the last time we’d met. My conversational transition lacked finesse, but I couldn’t figure out how to stealthily ask for what I wanted: a meeting in a neutral spot with lots of people around where bringing my bi friend along wouldn’t seem awkward as fuck. I was thinking gay bar, but when he mentioned this private soiree, I figured that was even better.
“Gee thanks,” Josh huffed with a half laugh. He glanced at the street signs when the driver stopped at the light and turned in his seat. “Now might be a good time to explain why you need me tonight and what exactly I’m supposed to do.”
I scowled. “I don’t need you. I just wanted your charming company, asshole. And I’m trying to cheer you up.”
“Bullshit. Fess up, Jorgensen. You’re a big boy. You haven’t traveled with a posse since we graduated from college, and there isn’t one altruistic bone in your body. What am I walking into?”
“I don’t know exactly. I’ve never been to one of these parties. Finn said it was a benefit party but I think that was code for ‘sexual’ benefit.”
“What the fuck?”
I let out a heavy sigh, irritated that I couldn’t find an adequate explanation and equally as bugged that he needed one in the first place.
“Relax. It’s a small gathering at a private home to meet and mingle with other members of the same sex.”
“That’s what gay bars are for. Why is this spec—oh shit. This is one of those parties where the average age is somewhere around fifty, huh? Fuck you, Nick. I’m just coming to terms with being dumped by my twenty-five-year-old trainer and you think banging someone closer to my dad’s age is going to help?” He smacked his forehead theatrically. “No, wait…you weren’t actually thinking about me at all. You want something. Explain.”
I took a deep breath and winced, knowing Josh might turn me down flat, in which case I’d have to go alone and do my best to get answers out of Finn without taking off my clothes. I launched into my explanation and then flashed a winning smile at him.
“Trust me, Josh. You’ll thank me. Finn is tall and fine. The Irish accent alone will make it worth your while. All you have to do is be nice to him.”
“And…”
I sighed. “And if possible, wrangle another date or two. I need information for a deal we’re working on.”
“So, you’re asking me to whore myself out for a sale. Well, at least you’re an honest asshole.” He snorted derisively.
“Don’t come. I’ll go in for a drink and then meet you at a bar later,” I said, checking my watch. It was ten o’clock now. Perfect. I didn’t want to be too early or too late.
“No way. I’m not bailing now. I’m intrigued. Besides, you’ll owe me one, and that alone is too delicious to walk away from. But why me? Why didn’t you ask Grant?”
“Grant’s too hot. He intimidates guys without even opening his mouth. And he’s shy. He’d need five shots to walk into this kind of party, and we all know he can’t handle his liquor. I’d end up spending the night babysitting him.”
“True. What will you be doing while I’m getting to know your friend?”
“Gallagher isn’t my friend. He’s a business associate who may or may not have information I can use. That’s all.”
“Right. Answer my question.”
“I’ll be checking out the scenery,” I said with a wicked grin as the driver pulled in front of a three-storied home at the end of a steep hill. “This must be it.”
Josh reached for the door handle and glanced over his shoulder before exiting the vehicle. “If this sucks, I’m out.”
“Fine. Give me an hour.”
* * *
The house was located on one of the steeper streets in San Francisco where the maximum gradient pushed the bounds of reason. First-time visitors to the city by the Bay were usually awestruck by the towering hills that sloped into avenues worthy of amusement park rides. Photographs never did the streets, bridges, or the Bay justice. The city was unique and truly majestic. The incredible view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz from the huge picture window in the strangers’ opulent home was a humbling display of the ingenuity of man-made feats of wonder juxtaposed to nature’s brilliance. I shook the ice in my glass and nudged Josh, who was standing with his back to the window, staring at the crowd of well-heeled partygoers.
“This has got to be the weirdest thing you’ve ever dragged me to,” he said in a low tone before lifting his glass. “I’m not sure if I should thank you or kick your ass.”
It was tempting to argue because come on, we lived in the birthplace of hippies, beatniks, and free love. We were exposed to odd people and odd situations on a daily basis. A lux party thrown by a mystery gay man for his friends to gather outside of the bar scene wasn’t a big deal. Nor was it particularly strange to be one of the youngest men in a room full of business types in a lavish setting.
As an entrepreneur in a cutthroat field, I’d been duking it out with men twice my age for almost a decade. I’d been forced to prove myself over and over to egotistical jerks who didn’t trust my vision or my ability to execute my ideas because I was younger. It was gratifying to prove them wrong, but it was exhausting. Not to mention, counterproductive. Which was why I avoided socializing outside of a work environment.
Yet here I was. And no, age difference wasn’t the odd part. It was a toss between the colorful drag queens sauntering around the room in low-cut ball gowns, flirting shamelessly with the crowd, and the tiny young man with a shock of red hair tapping out show tunes on the baby grand piano. The ribald humor would probably be funnier after a few cocktails, but it seemed out of place somehow. The clash of atmosphere in the room was disconcerting. I felt underdressed, under-aged, and unsure if I was at a birthday party or a memorial service.
I checked the address Finn had given me on my phone for a second time before scanning the scene in the large elegant living area. I just had to find Finn, introduce him to Josh, and then mingle for a bit. Then we’d get the hell out and go to a dive bar in the Castro.
“This is surreal. See the guy standing next to the baby grand? The one in the V neck sweater?”
“The one with his hand on the twink’s hip? Yeah. He looks like a freaking creep. Please don’t tell me that’s your Irish friend,” Josh groaned.
“No. He heads international sales for one of our competitors. I’m pretty sure he’s married with kids.” My mouth twisted with distaste. I couldn’t remember the guy’s name, but I knew I’d never liked him.
“Ugh. Where’s your friend?”
“I told you he’s not my friend,” I hissed.
“Well, we can’t stand here like a couple of wallflowers or they’re going to think we’re on after the drag queens. I’m not taking off my clothes here. And seriously, Nick…if they take their clothes off, I may not finish this drink. That portly gentleman with the gray beard keeps winking at me.”
I snickered. “He probably thinks you’re cute. Let’s circulate.”
Josh glared before sucking back half of his cocktail and motioning for me to lead the way. I headed toward the bar. It was more crowded here, but I was relieved to note I didn’t know anyon
e. I smiled at a good-looking guy along the way and then winced when Josh pinched my bicep as we neared the kitchen.
“He’s famous,” he whispered loudly in my ear. “I think he just retired from the NBA. He’s gay?”
I did a double take and shrugged, pulling Josh with me into the next room where the lighting was better. The kitchen was ginormous by typical city standards. Two petite crystal chandeliers hung above the long marble-topped island and a larger one shone over a banquette at the other end of the space. The entire room was a study in whites, which made the people stand out like colorful flowers planted along a perfectly trimmed hedge. I spotted Finn chatting with a familiar-looking politician near a built-in bookshelf.
“That’s Finn,” I said, pointing clandestinely toward the two men.
“Wow. He is hot. Isn’t the guy he’s talking to a congressman? Geez, Nick, this place is crawling with famous people. I could make bank selling pics to People magazine here.”
I huffed a half chuckle at my friend’s awed tone. “Thus, the exclusive guest list, genius.”
“And us.” Josh gave me a fierce look I couldn’t quite read until he spoke. “Nick, I hate to break it to you, but this has the feel of a fundraiser. It’s too stuffy to be a ‘friend’ party. And it sure as hell isn’t a sex party. Your plan is a bust.”
“Maybe not. Just meet him. Where’s your sense of adventure?” I asked, pulling him by the elbow toward the two men.
Finn’s lips curled into a mischievous grin as we neared. “Well, hello. It’s good to see you, Nick. I’m glad you could make it.”
I shook his hand and muddled through a round of introductions with Josh and the congressmen, who politely smiled then lifted his empty glass meaningfully and mumbling something about a drink.
“A shy politician. That’s a new one,” Josh quipped.
Finn barked a short laugh. “I don’t think Kenneth knows the meaning of the word shy. He saw you giving him an interested sideways glance a moment ago and got a bit skittish.”
“I have that effect on some people.” Josh’s self-deprecating tone and goofy grin worked wonders.
We stood in a friendly triangle shooting the breeze about innocuous topics like how we knew each other and where we lived, which morphed into favorite travel destinations. I cast an amused look between the two men and sipped my cocktail. I had to give myself credit. Josh was definitely the right guy to bring along. He could literally talk to anyone about anything. And if he was remotely attracted to Finn, which he would be because come on…the guy was hot as hell, this night might be salvaged after all.
When Josh mentioned he’d visited Ireland recently and had stayed near Finn’s former home in Dublin, I figured I could safely leave them alone. I pulled the same trick Kenneth the congressman had and pointed at my empty glass before heading toward the bar in the adjacent room.
There was a traffic jam in the doorway. I was either going to have to wait in a makeshift line or find another exit. I backtracked through the kitchen and took a sharp right into a wide hallway just off the main entrance. And immediately collided with someone cruising around the corner. I paused to apologize. And froze.
Wes recovered faster than I did. His grin widened slowly as recognition dawned. “Hello, Nick.”
“Hi. I—what are you doing here?”
“I’m here for the same reason you are, I’m sure.”
“I doubt that,” I said, mortified when my voice squeaked.
Wes raised one brow. “Oh. Don’t tell me you were looking for me.”
“No, but…” I stalled when a waiter handed Wes a fresh cocktail.
I took the opportunity to study Wes while he thanked the young man. He was dressed like he was last weekend, in designer jeans and a striped button-down shirt paired with a navy sports coat, but something was different. He’d grown a light beard. Perhaps that was it. It gave him a rugged look that made my jeans feel a little snug. I wished I hadn’t gulped my drink so fast. It would have been nice to blame my slick palms on the condensation from a cocktail glass instead of my accelerated heart rate.
I didn’t understand why I had a hard time keeping my cool around this guy. Sure, he was good-looking, but I knew my attraction was based on something else entirely. Under his sexy exterior, I sensed a maelstrom of pent-up energy. Like there was much more to him than he let on. The computer geek in me felt a strong compulsion to figure him out.
And I could tell he was trying to do the same with me. Good luck, I thought sarcastically. I didn’t get myself half the time. However, I liked the gleam in his eye. It made me think this strange curiosity wasn’t one sided, and that he might not mind if I backed him against the wall in a stranger’s house and licked a trail along his stubbled jaw and down his neck then unbuttoned his shirt. I watched a bead of water slide over his finger as he lifted his glass to his lips. The urge to suck that single digit was so strong, I had to look away and caution myself to relax and concentrate. Shoot, his lips were moving. What was he saying?
“…friend of mine owns this house and since I was in the city—”
“This is weird. It seems like a crazy coincidence to meet you for the second time in one week at a random house party miles away from your home. Are you following me?”
The deep timbre of Wes’s chuckle moved through me like the first sip of a single malt whiskey. Heat and honey.
“You have a healthy ego, my friend. It didn’t occur to me to follow you. I think we’ll have to chalk this up to chance. Or cosmic interference,” he said with a teasing wink.
I huffed as I reached for the glass he was holding. I took a sip then pushed the cocktail back in his hand. “We must have acquaintances in common.”
Wes didn’t miss a beat. He took my over-familiarity in stride as though he knew my quirks and was ready for anything.
“I’m sure we do. I told you I was in the tech industry years ago.”
“I remember. But there isn’t a business vibe here. No one is talking shop. I thought there was a chance this was one of those ‘good-guys-behaving-badly’ kinds of parties. You know, like those commercials for a posh Vegas hotel where beautiful old women dance with handsome young men, and you’ve got a good idea they’re doing the nasty when the elevator closes.”
“The nasty?”
“Yeah. Sex against the walls, on the stairs, over the sofa. Instead, I got drag queens, a piano man, and a very elite crowd…with no sign of impropriety. My imagination is obviously out of control,” I lamented with a sigh.
“Obviously. But I like the way you think,” he drawled slyly.
I was saved from making an inappropriate overture when an older man interrupted us. He clutched Wes’s hand and tearfully offered his condolences. When another couple joined him, I stepped closer to Wes’s side and studied his profile while he spoke. I wasn’t following the conversation. Frankly, it sounded depressing. Something about a heart attack and a friend who’d passed away twenty years ago.
I was intrigued by Wes, though. The way he crooked his fingers over the edge of the glass as he bent his head to listen. He was open and yet guarded. Interested but not willing to commit. I was known for being terrible at reading people, but somehow, I could clearly see fragments of strength and vulnerability that made me long to know much more.
Wes flashed a smile at me just as a thin young man with a tousled head of brown curls joined our small group and slipped his arm around Wes’s waist. Wes gently removed his hand then whispered something that prompted the younger man to back up then move away a moment later. The brief exchange hinted at another curious sub-story. I forgot about Josh and Finn and the reason I was here in the first place. Wes and his friend had all of my attention now. Who was he? And why did I care? Curiosity was one thing, but I had no right to feel jealous.
I needed a drink. I started to reach for Wes’s glass but caught myself. I glanced toward the crowded bar area and then stepped sideways and peered around the corner, looking for Josh. Wes captured my wrist before I
got anywhere and wove his fingers through mine. I looked down at our joined hands in bemusement. What the hell?
“Thank you. I appreciate it. If you’ll excuse me, I need to find a drink for my date.” Wes squeezed my fingers meaningfully then pulled me behind him to a slightly less crowded area near the staircase.
“Your date is in line at the bar,” I said, shaking his hand away.
“Ryan isn’t my date. He’s my employee.”
I widened my eyes theatrically. “Like a rent boy?”
Wes huffed and shook his head. “More like he pours wine and gives tours at the winery.”
“I get the impression he’d like to have his duties expanded.”
“We tried that once, but it didn’t work out.”
“Hmm. He’s too young for you.”
“Ryan may look young and innocent, but he isn’t. And for the record, he’s your age.”
“Don’t tell me. He has a thing for daddy types,” I deadpanned. “Why did he run away? Did you tell him you were going to spank him if he didn’t keep his hands to himself?”
Wes choked on his gin and tonic and coughed. He gave me a faux dirty look when he recovered. “No. I told him the orgy was canceled tonight.”
I opened my mouth in exaggerated disbelief. “Damn, I’m disappointed. I thought I was finally going to get a front-row seat to a sex show.”
“Does live porn turn you on? I wouldn’t think you’d be happy being a voyeur.”
“Any kind of porn turns me on,” I retorted. “Well, nothing too hard-core, but hey…I like sex. But I’m not really the type to jump into bed with a stranger.”
“The very idea is an affront to your moral code, I’m sure,” he snarked.