Chapter 3
The plane touched-down at ten twenty-one in the morning, Eastern Daylight Time, in JFK airport. By the time the pair of them had sleepily exited the plane, claimed their baggage, gone through customs and then grabbed a large coffee and a muffin (double chocolate for Stuart, blueberry for Vince) from the huge Starbucks built into the airport it was eleven forty-two. They headed for a table in a quiet corner of the café, Stuart balancing the tray elegantly on one hand, with Vince lugging they're bags behind him. After dumping the bags on the floor, Vince slumped onto one of seats on one of the two squishy leather sofas framing the low coffee table, jet lag showing clearly on his features. Stuart set the tray down on the table top and slid onto the sofa next to him. They sat quietly for a moment, sipping their coffees and picking at their muffins, neither one of them very hungry. After a few moments Vince broke the silence.
"So what do you want to first then?" He tried to force a little excitement and enthusiasm into his question, but Stuart could tell that Vince was too tired, and too in awe of what he'd done in the last twenty-four hours, to enjoy anything that they did straight away.
"I thought it best we check into the hotel first and get some sleep. Then I thought I'd take you out to dinner and then give you the Stuart Allen Jones tour of New York Club life." He gave Vince his most sparkling smile, one that could have made a hundred men strip naked on command. It only ever managed to draw a bright blush from Vince though.
"Sounds fantastic" breathed Vince, sounding a little relieved and starting to gain enthusiasm. He quickly downed the rest of his now lukewarm coffee, took one last mouthful of his muffin and then followed Stuart, who was already stalking off with their luggage, towards the Taxi ranks.
Stuart hailed one of the characteristic yellow New York cabbies that sat waiting patiently in the ranks. They loaded their bags into the boot of the car and then slid into the backseat of the taxi.
"The London hotel, off central park" Stuart directed the driver. The car eased out of the taxi lane and into the midday airport traffic.
"I did say that I was going to go to London" he smirked, teasing Vince. Vince just laughed, the sound of it and the light in his eyes sending Stuart's spirit soaring. There was no better high.
About thirty minutes later the cab pulled up in front of a very sleek, very new looking hotel. Vince eased himself out of the cab and stood staring at it for a moment with his mouth hanging open. The place was amazing. He was only pulled out of his gawping-induced-trance by a voice in his ear.
"Best shut your mouth unless you want someone to put something in it" Stuart breathed in his ear in his sexiest, huskiest voice. Vince visibly shivered so Stuart couldn't resist liking his ear for good measure.
"Cut it out Stuart" Vince said, wiping at his ear and turning red again. It was so easy to make him blush. He grabbed his bag out of Stuart's hand and noticed that the cab had already driven off while he was transfixed by the hotel.
"So how much was the cab, I'm paying half at least. And this place, we're not really staying here are we? I read somewhere that they have Gordon Ramsey here as a chef. It's got to be mega expensive. There's no way I'm letting you pay for all this."
"We're staying here and I am paying for it all. And that's final" Stuart said, grabbing Vince's free hand and dragging him towards the large glass doors of the hotel reception.
"But Stuart-" Vince started to protest again, but was soon silence when Stuart grabbed him by the waist, pulled him in close against his side and whispered in his ear as they passed through the doors.
"I'm sure I can find some way in which you can repay me." Stuart grinned to himself as Vince was left at a loss for words, a rare occurrence considering what a babbler he was. He pulled the now somewhat more compliant Vince with him towards the reception desk. The man on the desk looked up with a somewhat bored but professional look, until he clapped eyes upon Stuart.
"How can I help you sir?" he oozed, eyeing Stuart up and down, failing to be discouraged by Stuarts grip tightening around Vince's waist.
"We have a reservation, booked under Jones-Tyler" making sure to emphasise the 'we'. Vince was a little puzzled as usually Stuart would have flirted with half the staff if they showed any interest, but he was practically telling this guy to fuck off. And the guy wasn't even ugly, he was pretty damn hot in Vince's opinion. Maybe he's finally tired of it all, thought Vince. He decided to worry about it later. He didn't notice that Stuart had hyphenated their last names or he would have thought about it a bit longer.
((Author's note: The London Hotel was not established until 2006. I just thought it was too cool not to base they're stay in 'London', so sorry for the conflict in time-setting as QAF UK was filmed in 1999. Just take it that QAF is based in the present.))
