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CHAPTER 10 - FEELINGS

 

THE LOFT - NEXT MORNING

 

BEN

 

Every time we catch each other's eye, we giggle. There's been a lot of that and blushing, especially from his side. For a man who doesn't top that often, he left me more than satisfied. "So what's the plan for today?" I ask, smirking as he shifts slightly.

 

"Catch up on the sleep that I happily missed, and then, well in the evening, I've, well, I've got a dinnerandIdlikeyoutocomewithme."

 

"IsitblacktieandcanIstayatyours?" I raise an eyebrow.

 

"Yes and yes." He grins back. "Shall we go now? That way we can get settled and some food?"

 

"Yes, let me call Brian to let him know."

 

TED'S HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER

 

TED

 

I feel a little embarrassed as Ben looks around grinning. "I invested wisely," I murmur.

 

"Ted, this is beautiful. It feels like a mug of Ovaltine, it's so - yeah, I could easily not go out tonight, if I'm honest. The quietness is so welcoming after the noise I'm used to hearing. 

 

"That's one of the reasons I got it. I used to live near Liberty Avenue, first on my own, and then with Blake."

 

"I've been thinking about that. Do you think that maybe you should reach out to him and say sorry? I get the feeling that you're dwelling on that mistake." 

 

"Either you're incredibly perceptive or I'm an easy read!" I return, relieved that this has been brought up. "The anniversary of our breakup is soon, and my guilt makes my anxiety even worse. Do you think it's something Emmett can help me with?"

 

"No, not Emmett. Let me call Gus and Daphne."

 

"Why them?" I frown.

 

"Having gone through all of that with her parents, she knows lots of people in healthcare. If anyone can find him, it will be her."

 

BRIAN AND BEN'S HOME, NEW YORK - SAME TIME

 

LOUNGE

 

EMMETT

 

"There, that's better!" I smile, having put the copies of Ted's books on the shelf and tossed Novotny's on the table. "Did you get them?!" I call out to Drew. He nods as he comes in, eating an apple. "Okay, put them there, we'll make a nice fire."

 

"Thanks, Emmett." He sighs, sitting down. I retake my seat, he starts to tear the pages out. "I would be sounding off right now if it wasn't for you guys."

 

"What about Sienna?" He pauses. "She might, if you pardon the phrase, need to be muzzled."

 

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. We need to call her before they do."

 

"Good. We're meeting her tomorrow at 1100." I smile, he chuckles. "So, um, did you ever, you know, with her? You'd been with her for a while."

 

"Never. And as for Jerome, I always topped." My eyebrows go up. "Yep, still as pure as the day I was born. I really hope that he gets to Jerome before Michael realises, especially if Kip sees them. He goes to The Dome virtually every night." 

 

"Let me text Brian real quick." I declare. As per usual, his response is immediate.

 

"What did he say?"

 

"He's not the only person with clubs, I've got a gentleman's one in Pittsburgh, so I told them to take him there." I grin as I finally get a reply from Mel, she thinks the same as me, he's in deep smit. "And by they, I mean Brian, Justin, and Jerome." He stops tearing, I wait for him to speak, however, he pulls out his phone. "What's the matter?"

 

"Been thinking about the publishers." He nibbles a nail. "What else have they done? I remember the fanfare when his book came out. I've not been approached by them, not even to see the first draft of what Kip did."

 

"Why odd? He would control their access to you of course."

 

"Hmm maybe." He twirls his phone. "Wonder who else they've published." I give this some thought. "Wouldn't hurt to check, would it?"

 

"No, it wouldn't." I reach for the back cover, and ten minutes later, we're in agreement that it's very strange that the only books to have come from them are his and those of his clients.

 

MICHAEL AND LINDSAY'S HOME - AN HOUR LATER

 

MICHAEL'S STUDY

 

LINDSAY

 

There are times when Michael surprises me, this is one of them. He's admitted that he paid Leon the money back and renewed their agreement. When I asked him why, he said that he felt a sense of loyalty to him. However, when I saw that the money had been taken from the joint account and put back into his, I knew our partnership needed to come to an end.

 

"So you've not heard from Drew?" I repeat.

 

"No, thankfully we still have the last agreement, so that's something."

 

"How is that something? The time to say something would've been when he made that announcement. We've been silent too long!" 

 

"Yeah, maybe, but I've been thinking. We're going to announce his appearance on TV to explain everything." I gape at him. "I know, it's a masterstroke, isn't it?" 

 

"A masterstroke? No, this is absurd!" I seethe. "You seem to have forgotten the little matter of his autobiography, which we no longer have any control over!"

 

"We have control over it! It's us who are going to publish it, just like we published my book, remember?" I shake my head. "How can you have forgotten that?"

 

"We can't use ourselves, you fool!" I snap. He scowls and goes back to typing, I shut his laptop. "Who is going to represent them in the media?! And don't say we'll find someone, this is a more savvy age, people will google!"

 

"Why would they google?" He sneers, reopening his laptop.

 

"Let me see, they oversee the biggest selling love story of the modern age, but since then, nothing."

 

"Who said there's nothing?" His gaze is disparaging. "We've released a few more books since then, or don't you remember those parties and the money coming in?!"

 

"Michael, Michael, and Michael. I said at the time, we needed to keep that profile higher for longer. It's been years. Coming out with the great Drew Boyd autobiography is going to cause a ripple or three."

 

"All of which is good!"

 

"Bad! And when I said we're coming out with the great autobiography, I was being sarcastic, because we won't be able to publish the book. Or have you forgotten the small matter of his boyfriend, Brian Kinney, who you told me is hosting the launch party, so it stands to reason that his boyfriend, Brian Kinney, is going to get him to use another publisher!" He slams his laptop shut. "Finally, we're on, ironically, the same page!"

 

BOMBADIEER'S GENTLEMEN'S CLUB - EVENING

 

JEROME

 

This is so fancy! Now I know why he said to dress up! 

 

"May I get you a beverage?" A waiter asks, handing me the menu. Smiling, I check through their beers. I keep a tight grip on my smile when I see the prices, so order the cheapest one at $16, hoping that we're going to go halves at least! "Excellent choice, Sir."

 

"Jerome, so sorry to have kept you!" Justin smiles as he comes across, looking gorgeous! 

 

"Looking that good, I'll forgive you anything!" I smile. Standing up, I pull him into my arms and kiss him. "Now, come, babe, tell me about your day." I pull him, somewhat reluctantly, I feel, but we can work on that, down next to me. 

 

"It was fine. Busy, but fine." He replies, jumping slightly when I drape my arm around his shoulders. "Yours?" He shifts away slightly, I follow. "Okay, Jerome, this is not the place for PDAs."

 

"I'm a very affectionate man, and I mean extremely tactile" I stroke his lip, his beautiful blue eyes widen. "And judging by that reaction, you don't have a problem with that."

 

"You're a very good-looking man, that's true, however, I'm going to move to that seat and wait for my friend."

 

My smile widens at this unexpected development. "If he's as beautiful, and hopefully gifted, as you, then I can't wait to meet him."

 

"Gifted, what do you mean?"

 

"I like the way you move." I croon, "It's a lyric from Big Boi from Outkast, and my admiration of your dancing skills. You know what they say about dancing both in and out of bed?"

 

"I do." He smiles, it widens upon the approach of a guy I think I recognise. "Jerome, this is Brian, Brian this is Jerome."

 

"Hello, gorgeous!" I purr. 

 

"Hello, Jerome." His voice sounds like hot syrup. "Come, come sit between us." I vault over the table. "So what shall we talk about?"

 

"Anything, anything you want." I'm throbbing in anticipation of the dirty talk to come!

 

"Okay." Justin leans closer. "Let's start with you blackmailing Drew Boyd, and why shouldn't we tell the police that?"

 

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