Sorry this took so long, folks.
Here you go. Next shouldn't take forever... (I hope)
Chips
P.S. This Chapter is rated M for you know what...
x
{~}
Ste looked down at the list of names and numbers of the other seven clients he intended to call. They were the Dirty Dozen minus Kevin and his three cronies.
He had lied to Brendan. The Irishman had not been the last man Ste had called with his new number. Brendan had been the first and the thought of making any more calls to his other seven clients at the minute was unpalatable.
Ste had found the conversation with the Irishman more difficult than he had expected. Not for the reasons one might expect like feeling he was regressing rather than moving forward. It had been difficult because talking to Brendan had felt nostalgic and familiar, like trying to recapture something beautiful that had been lost.
Crazy that.
Mad.
Stupid.
It wasn't worth feeling any emotions for Brendan, positive or negative. There was no room for sentimentality. This period in their lives, where their paths were intertwining, was going to see an end. It wasn't going to be like Pretty Woman where client falls in love with prostitute. There would be no happily ever after.
Ste was determined to remain professional with Brendan this weekend. He had to deliver on his promise to his client that he would do his job right.
He crept up to Amy's room quietly so as not to wake up their children.
Her lights were off when he opened the door. "Ames?"
"Yep." She said groggily. She sat up and put the side light on. "What time is it? Are the kids okay?"
"Yeah. They're asleep. Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up." He took a deep breath and run his hand through his hair. "I couldn't sleep. My mind's all over the place."
"I know." She said kindly. "I'm not surprised. There's been a lot of stuff lately."
"Yeah. So basically I was thinking about getting away for the weekend. Clear my head."
"Where?"
"To see Fletch." Ste came up with the name of an old school friend. "Only if you are okay having the kids."
"You make it sound like a chore." Amy smiled tiredly and flopped back into bed. "I think that's a great idea, Ste. Have fun."
{~}
Brendan drove to the Kilner's house alone. Caden had rejected his offer of a lift which was hardly surprising. The escort was breaking one of his golden rules by taking this weekend call out. The country house was neither in Liverpool or Chester so Caden probably wanted the comfort of knowing he had an independent means of escape.
The house was located within an impressive estate; a large symmetrical vision of Georgian manor architecture situated in a picturesque English rural setting with vast acres of land that belonged to it. Stables, a lake and woodland broke the scenery.
His SUV drew to a stop in front of the house at the end of a long drive.
He was greeted by a member of the house's staff who introduced himself as Thomas.
"Mr Brady. A pleasure."
Polite. Effusive. Fit.
"If you don't mind, I'll take your car keys and park your car for you. Someone will bring your belongings up to your room. Mr and Mrs Kilner are waiting for you in the rose garden at the back."
Brendan looked down at the shirt, jeans and boat shoes he was wearing. Driving clothes.
"It's a casual affair." Thomas said, reading his mind. "Your partner...?"
"Is on his way." Brendan finished the sentence for him. "He'll be here in time for lunch."
"Very well. Let me lead the way."
He led Brendan through the entrance hall and out the other end into a well-tended English country garden complete with flowers in full bloom, nude statues and pond fountains.
A group of about twenty people were milling around eating canapés and sipping drinks. He recognised Ted, Victoria and Fredrick Kilner among them.
Given the way Freddy was looking at him Brendan hoped Caden came soon. He couldn't be dealing with the unrestrained crush of the man.
"Brendan!" Ted Kilner's wife, Victoria, exclaimed joyfully. She approached him with her husband and son. "Welcome. We are so happy you could make it out here for the weekend."
Brendan smiled politely. "Thank you for inviting me. Your home is stunning."
He firmly shook Ted's hand. He kissed Victoria once on each cheek and his effort at a handshake with Freddy ended up being a hug that lasted long enough for him to feel violated.
"The weather has been kind to us, Brendan. It shows the place in a particularly good light." Ted said. "Where is your better half?"
"Boyfriend, darling." His wife corrected. "He's called a boyfriend."
Brendan cringed at the term. "He's on his way. He had something to do in Chester this morning. He may have tried to call me."
What if Caden bailed on him? He checked his phone and noticed that it had no reception.
Ted smiled. "We're in the country here. the only bit of reception we get for mobiles is in a particular spot in the living room."
Brendan nearly had a heart attack. He couldn't function without his phone.
"I didn't catch his name." Ted said curiously.
"Who?" He said distractedly.
"Your boyfriend."
"Oh."
"Teddy, you have all weekend to interrogate the young man." Victoria admonished. "Why don't you offer Brendan a drink and introduce him to everyone first."
"Very well." Ted got the attention of the gathered guests. "Folks, you all know of Brendan Brady, the man who owns most of Chester... and the half of Liverpool that I don't own."
There was a ripple of laughter.
"As you know his expertise is turning land into cash and he hopes to do the same with the Kilner shipping property. Brendan, these are my nearest and dearest at Kilner Enterprises and their partners and spouses. You may recognise one or two of them from our first meeting. I'll walk you round and introduce you individually but let's not be too formal here. Folks, this weekend is a chance to kick back and relax. As always our house is your house. Feel free to use our gardens, the pool, horses and the lake if you wish. Thomas and Naomi will be of assistance if you require anything."
"We will be sitting for a long lunch in an hour. I hope you have come with empty stomachs!" Victoria added. "Until then please make yourselves at home."
Brendan felt like a prized bull as he was taken around and displayed to the guests. He had never enjoyed socialising but here he was gaining information as he went along. He played at being affable; rubbing shoulders, complimenting, flirting innocently with the women and having belly laughs with the men.
The guests were close to the hosts in a way that was totally foreign to him. It was clear, from Ted's interaction with his employees, that this sort of get together was not an unusual occurrence. Kilner practiced what he preached. Family and friends were dear to him. In contrast Brendan kept his own family and employees at arm's length. His own right hand man, Phil Campbell, had never been round to his home.
That was why Kilner had invited him over for the weekend, he realised. This was the deeper agenda. The old man wanted to know whether Brendan shared his values. Brendan had to prove himself a loyal 'family man' in order to be considered as a buyer of the waterfront property in Liverpool.
The champagne was helping. He was surprising himself by how congenial he was being.
"Brendan, is that young man over there someone you know?" Victoria asked with a soft knowing smile. "The one staring at you?"
His eyes joined hers in looking at Caden as he stood in the doorway that led to the house.
He was here. He hadn't bailed. Thank goodness.
Brendan shoulders relaxed.
The escort's hesitant demeanour was juxtaposed against his bold new look. It made him look older. Cooler. It was his hair. It was short all over. Not thug short just trimmed back. No fuss. Efficient.
He gave the lad an encouraging smile. Caden returned it and stood up straighter in the doorway.
"Go. I can see that you are dying to catch up with each other." Victoria said.
What gives you that idea? Brendan thought. "I'll bring him over. Please excuse me."
He didn't wait for a reply. He couldn't take his eyes off the escort as he walked towards him.
The lad's slim body was covered by a short sleeved untucked white shirt and knee length beige cotton shorts. Tennis shoes and aviator sunglasses completed his outfit. Crisp and fresh. Perfect for the occasion.
Brendan drew to a stop in front of him, close enough to feel Caden's body heat and smell his aftershave.
Caden smiled slowly and for a second Brendan thought the escort looked as if he had missed him. Just for a second. What a good actor, Brendan thought as his bigger frame shielded Caden from the garden.
"Hi." He said.
"Hi." Caden returned.
Brendan grinned. "Is there a reason why you are standing here all alone?"
"I just got here and…" Caden glanced around Brendan to see the other guests. He looked relieved when he said, "I don't know anyone, do I?"
"You know me."
"Yeah." There was that smile of his again. The one that made Brendan smile back and want to do things to the lad that weren't for public eyes.
"Yeah. True. Look, sorry I'm late. Every country road looks the same."
Brendan. "You got lost?"
"No!"
Brendan lifted an eyebrow.
"Okay. Maybe a bit." Caden replied. "I don't do the countryside. It's basically grass, trees, cows and shit smells in the middle of nowhere. Then I got stuck behind one of them tractors, you know the ones that go at, like, ten miles an hour. So really it wasn't my fault that …"
Brendan wasn't listening. Not really. He was too busy thinking about how Caden looked cute in his yuppie get up. Then he thought that actually Caden looked good in everything he wore. Then he thought that Caden looked even better when he was wearing little or nothing.
Brendan took the escort's sunglasses off him so that he could get a good look at his clear blue eyes under their fan of lashes.
Caden stopped talking and looked up at him in confusion.
Brendan placed a light kiss on his lips before he could stop himself.
Caden looked completely shocked.
Brendan was just as surprised at himself. He had never kissed another man in public before. It had come out of the blue; not premeditated and not half bad. Not at all. It wasn't as enjoyable as one of their full on kisses but it provided a decent appetiser for what was to come.
His hand played over Caden's hair; a single stroke from his forehead backwards. His hair felt softer than it looked; bending under the pressure of Brendan's fingers to expose the skin underneath only to spring back as his hand continued its journey down.
"New haircut?" Brendan asked as his hand continued its journey down the nape of the lad's neck and then pulled away.
Enough. No more pawing the 'boyfriend'. Not now anyway.
Caden self-consciously touched his own head. "Yeah. Fancied a change."
"Looks good." He waved his hand in Caden's general direction. "The whole thing."
Caden cleared his throat, snatched his sunglasses off Brendan and hastily put them back on.
"Thanks. I thought I'd go for something preppy, you know, given the company. So I was also thinking on the drive over..."
"When you weren't getting lost..."
Ste smiled... "Yeah. That. I just wanted to make sure I got something straight. When you said you wanted the boyfriend experience you meant …"
"It's to convince these guys." Brendan pointed behind him at the garden.
If he hadn't been looking at Caden's face so intently he would have missed the slow blink and the tick that went off in the lad's cheek. It was quickly replaced by a steady neutral gaze.
"Thought so. Yeah. It wasn't for you."
"No. I need you play the part for their benefit."
"It's for business, innit?"
"Yes."
"What are you trying to get from the Kilners?"
"What makes you think that I am the one that wants something?"
"Because you are trying to prove yourself by being someone you aren't. Someone with a boyfriend."
Brendan had underestimated Caden's intelligence. During their previous encounters he had been too distracted by his body.
"Not just any boyfriend, Caden. The doting kind. The long-term committed kind." Brendan was calculating what Kilner wanted to see. "Do you think you can fake that?"
There was a pause before the quiet reply. "Yes. I'm yours for the weekend. As long as you pay me I'll do what you want."
It was as if Caden had dropped his mask to expose the demon underneath. This soulless, cynical, money-orientated shell of a creature was the true man not the playful, solid, funny, young, coy guy who had acted indignant when Brendan mentioned cash and sex in the same breath.
"The money is yours."
Brendan studied the lad. How could he not have seen it sooner? Caden had an angel's face and body but a whore's soul. A slut's tongue. A greedy calculating brain. That was who Caden really was.
Brendan couldn't keep the disappointment out of his tone when he asked,
"Is that what makes you tick, Caden? Money?"
"Isn't that what makes you tick?" Caden whispered. "That's why you asked me to come here, int'it?"
Brendan couldn't argue with that. He lived and breathed his work at the expense of pretty much everything else. That is how he earned a shit load of money. But he had figured Caden was different; fresh and (the irony wasn't lost on him given Caden's profession) untarnished. Not jaded, the way he was.
"Yes." He said, then added harshly, "And to fuck you for a fee of course."
Caden dropped his gaze to study his feet. He took a deep breath then looked Brendan square in the eye.
"So this is the story. We've known each other a few years but vaguely. Friends of friends. Then a few months ago we got closer. You took me out to a steakhouse but refused to call it a date when it clearly was. That night we realised that there was something more between us and the rest is history."
"Are you referring to our meal in Liverpool?"
"Lies are easier to keep straight if they are based in reality." Caden paused for breath. "Do you want to use terms of endearment? 'Baby', 'babes', 'sunshine'… 'treacle'?"
Caden responded to Brendan's look of horror with a slight smile, "It's what couple's do."
"Treacle? Jesus. Do I look like someone you would call 'treacle'?"
"Maybe something else."
"Or maybe nothing else." Brendan leaked a smile. "Brendan's fine."
"Okay." Caden's grin broadened.
The lad might be a money hungry whore but Brendan still found him hard to resist.
There was a lash on his cheek. It could have been left well alone. It wasn't offending anyone but it provided Brendan with a perfect excuse to slowly brush his thumb against the lad's smooth skin to dislodge it. Just so he could touch him.
Stop acting like some needy pervert.
Caden whispered. "So. Um. The touching thing is good but don't overdo it. People get uncomfortable with PDA so they definitely won't want to see gay PDA."
Brendan dropped his hand. "You had a lash on your cheek…"
"Oh. Sorry. It's just. I thought you were..."
"… And I used it as an excuse to touch you." Brendan said honestly.
Caden grinned slightly. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Be 100% honest." The escort took Brendan's hand in his. He curled their fingers together. "'I say what I mean and I mean what I say. No bullshit'." Caden quoted Brendan, imitating his accent perfectly.
"Was that supposed to be me?" Brendan tried to hold back his smile.
"Yes."
"I don't sound like that."
"You do a bit. Anyway, it's good. Your honesty. People know where they stand with you." Caden brought Brendan's hand up to his lips and kissed his knuckles. " And maybe a little PDA isn't a bad thing."
{~}
Lunch was surreal. The English countryside setting brought to mind period dramas where women flitted around with heaving bosoms and breathy voices while straight laced men walked around in breeches and top hats and talked in stilted tones confined by social etiquette.
Ste and Brendan were sitting at a table with the Kilners and two other couples. The conversation was flowing surprisingly easily. It steered clear of controversial (sex, politics and religion) and dull (work) subjects and remained light and breezy; frivolous. Holiday destinations. Hobbies. Zany family members. Funny anecdotes.
It gave Ste no better insight into Brendan's background.
It's irrelevant, he reminded himself.
What was relevant was that he was doing his job properly; that the Kilners liked him. They engaged Ste in every bit of conversation, laughed at his jokes and listened to what he had to say.
Ste hoped he was nailing his role as boyfriend.
He looked at Brendan, who was sitting by his side, as their plates were taken away after their main course. This was his first time seeing Brendan interact with other people for a protracted period of time. He was relatively quiet but his presence was commanding so that whenever he opened his mouth everyone at their table stopped what they were doing to pay attention to what he was saying.
There was something unbelievably sexy and appealing about that.
"Caden?" Brendan nudged him with a smile on his face.
"Yeah?"
"Victoria was asking if you ride."
"Horses?" He said, embarrassed that he had been caught daydreaming and staring at Brendan.
Everyone at the table nodded.
"Oh. No. I'm a city boy, me. Never been near one."
"Well then you should try while we are here. We have a couple of training horses you can go on." Ted offered.
Caden tried to hide his fear over the thought of getting anywhere near one of those creatures. He felt Brendan's soothing hand on his thigh under the table.
"I think we'll give it a miss and stick to the pool or rambling." Brendan said.
"Yeah." He agreed.
"You're missing out." Ted said with a smile.
"Now tell me, Caden, how do you handle the fact that you don't see much of this man?" Victoria asked indicating Brendan. "I've heard he works even longer hours than Ted used to."
"I wasn't a workaholic, darling." Ted said.
"Yes you were." Victoria replied.
"Um." Ste straightened up in his chair, took a sip of his wine and then gave them all a conspiratorial smile. "Isn't that the best case scenario? We don't see each other much which means we don't have time to get bored with each other or get into fights and then he buys me amazing presents to make up for it. It's a win-win situation!"
The group laughed in agreement and recognition. Brendan's laugh was less free flowing than the others.
Was he offended by Ste's joke?
Ste hadn't been serious about it. It wasn't what he really thought. Ste couldn't give a shit about presents and luxury trimmings. As long as he had enough to live comfortably with the people he loved around him he would be a happy man.
"I'm joking, obviously." He said to Brendan and smiled softly.
Brendan's eyes were unwavering.
"The truth is even though Brendan works really hard he always makes sure we make time to be together. It a priority for both of us."
He linked their hands on the table and looked back at Victoria.
"This is going to sound corny but we make time and make that time count." He said. "It's what you do if you're in love with someone, int'it?"
"Aw." Victoria clasped her chest. "Who said romance is dead?"
One of the other women at the table quipped. "I'd still prefer the present!" which gained a raucous laugh from everyone.
"She got a car last week just because I was away for a month!" Her husband groaned.
Through the merriment Ste was sure he felt Brendan give his fingers a squeeze. They parted only to pick up their spoons when dessert came.
{~}
After lunch was over Caden was ambushed by Victoria into checking the stables to,
'Get over your fear of man's real best friend, darling'.
Ted took a group of male employees including his son and Brendan on a walk of the estate to,
'Walk off that mammoth lunch, fellas'.
Declining in favour of being with Caden was not an option.
"I think we are far enough away, gentlemen. Let's stop for a second." Ted said when the house was a small white speck on the horizon.
He looked at the men surrounding him before delving into his pockets. Out came a small leather case and a lighter. He opened the case to reveal seven fat Cuban cigars and looked at the men with a glint in his eye.
He passed them around and said, "Don't tell Vicky especially you Freddy. As far as she's concerned I quit six months ago!"
Ted made quick work, with the help of his son, of cutting the rounded ends and lighting up.
Tobacco wasn't really Brendan's thing but when in Rome…
He had a puff and then indicated that he liked it while blowing out smoke.
"I know." Ted said sombrely. "Heaven on Earth."
There was silence as the group of men stood in a circle, smoked and enjoyed the nature that surrounded them.
Eventually Ted spoke.
"I won't lie, Brendan. I can't say Caden made a whole load of sense to me. Scrawny fellow. Young. It didn't fit."
"I agree dad." Freddy chipped in.
Brendan coughed and spluttered and not because the strong smoke had filtered down into his lungs.
What. The. Fuck.
"Okay. I'm sorry to hear that is how you feel but…"
"I haven't finished. But having spoken to the young man he is a delight. Solid as they come, my friend. That is a good man with good values. You hold onto him, you hear me?" Ted said.
"I will." Brendan's heart was beating fast.
"How old is he anyway?" Freddy asked caustically. "He looks like he has just finished school if he even finished school."
"Don't be rude, Freddy. Your mother was just out of her teens when I married her. I was pushing forty." Ted said sharply to his son. "Age is irrelevant."
He turned back to Brendan who was feeling distinctly under the spot light.
"There is a knack to it, Brendan. Making a relationship go the distance. It is about compromise. Am I right, gentlemen?"
The other men nodded with varied degrees of enthusiasm.
"You don't just have to love each other. You have to like each other and keep finding things that you find attractive in the other person. You have to like the imperfections as well as what is perfect. Do you understand me?"
What the fuck? Where is all this coming from? Brendan thought uncomfortably.
"Life is hard enough as it is, Brendan. You want to make sure you make your journey through it with a companion. That's what I always say."
There was a murmur of agreement.
"One last thing, how long have you been together again?"
"Six months." Brendan's toes curled at the lie. "Officially."
"Start as you mean to go on. Make a gesture to show that you care every day. Big or small it doesn't matter but it will matter to him. It will prove that you are thinking about him and he will appreciate it." Ted waved his cigar around vaguely.
Brendan tried to make light of Ted Kilner's advice. "Didn't know you were a relationship counsellor, Ted!"
"It's the cigar in my hand. It makes me a wise old man."
{~}
By the time Brendan got back to the house it was after seven o'clock. The Kilners and their guests convened in one of the reception rooms. Caden wasn't there. He had been the only part of the day that Brendan had really enjoyed. His absence over the last three hours had been felt.
Talk turned to going for a swim in the indoor pool.
"You coming, Brendan?" Fredrick asked.
"I was wondering whether anyone has seen Caden." Brendan said, dismissing Ted's son.
"The poor man developed a vicious headache." Victoria said sympathetically. "I take the blame. I shouldn't have shown him the horses. He took himself straight to bed when we got back."
"I think I'll go up and check on him." Brendan said.
"Then come join us at the pool." Fredrick said hopefully.
"I might call it a day actually. I've had a long week and I don't think I'll be good company as tired as I am."
He had had enough. He wanted to spend a little time with Caden then he wanted to collapse into their bed like a felled tree since he felt shattered by lack of sleep and a day of forced talking, smiling and trying not to piss anyone off.
Victoria smiled, "I understand. You have a far more appealing prospect upstairs. We won't take offence!"
Brendan ignored the knowing looks and followed Thomas up to his room. Sex and intimacy was the last thing on his mind. All he needed was some shut eye. Perhaps tomorrow he would feel differently.
They stopped in front of a heavy closed mahogany door.
"I shan't come in and disturb you, Mr Brady. I brought your partner some water and paracetamol on Mrs Kilner's request earlier. Your belongings are on the ottoman at the foot of the bed."
"Thank you."
"Please call me if you need anything. There is no formal supper tonight but I would be happy to make you something if you wish. Just ring 'one' on the phone."
"I'll ask Caden if he's awake and let you know if he wants something."
God, I am sounding like a twat in a proper relationship.
"Very well. Good evening, Mr Brady."
Brendan stepped into the bedroom.
It took a moment to take it all in.
It was as if the Georgian period interior design had vomited all over it. The décor of the room remained almost too faithful to the house it belonged to. The wallpaper was busy. The carpet was over intricate and threadbare in places. There was a pair of upholstered carver chairs flanking a small round reading desk, a comfortable looking dark leather wing chair near the fireplace, an opulent low hanging chandelier, an ottoman that currently held their travel bags and Caden's black satchel, an obscenely large intricate gold colour framed mirror that occupied one wall.
The large four poster bed with white draping that was pulled back was Brendan's favourite bit of furniture.
Caden was lying right in the middle of it on his front, legs kicked out, hands tucked under his head. He had gone as far as taking his shoes and shirt off and then must have given up on undressing before falling asleep.
Brendan walked up to him and observed his peaceful expression in sleep; the slightly open mouth, the shadow his lashes cast onto his cheeks, the rise and fall of his chest which seemed to cause the tattoo on his flank to surge periodically.
Brendan wanted to wake him up but he didn't. He got his toothbrush from his travel bag and walked into the adjacent period bathroom. The scene stealer was the large asymmetrical clawfoot white bathtub in the middle of the room with another chandelier over it.
Brendan brushed his teeth clean of cigar smoke and lunch and moved back into the bedroom.
He stripped down to his boxer-briefs while watching Caden and crawled onto the bed careful not to make too much of a ripple in case he woke the man up.
The bed creaked loudly despite his best efforts.
Caden contorted out of sleep with all the grace of a cat slowly stretching itself out. His lean back muscles rippled with his movements. Brendan waited as he slowly turned around to face him.
The Irishman felt a thud in his chest when the escort gave him a gentle smile.
"You're back." Caden said full of sleep.
Brendan nodded as they settled onto their sides facing one another.
"I got lectured by Ted about how to treat you right."
"Huh?" Caden tucked both his hands under a cheek while Brendan bunched up a pillow under his head.
"Nothing. What's this?" Brendan flicked his finger against Caden's left nipple which had a stud piercing through it.
Caden flinched. "Don't. It's still a bit sore."
"When did you get it done?"
"Yesterday. It was impulsive. I might take it out. I'll see how I feel."
"They're supposed to heighten sensation, aren't they?"
Caden rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Maybe."
"Our hosts and all the other guests are still downstairs. They're all going skinny dipping in the pool soon."
Caden grinned. "You're joking."
"The pool bit is true." Brendan smiled.
"Hm." Caden closed his eyes and seemed to go back to sleep; inhaling then exhaling steadily like a human pendulum.
Brendan placed a hand on his waist and rubbed up and down over his warm inked skin. "Hey. You falling asleep on me?"
He tweaked the escort's pierced nipple again.
"No." Caden sighed and opened his eyes again. "Don't."
Jesus. So intense. Those eyes need to come with a warning, Brendan thought.
"I heard you had a headache." He shuffled in closer to bring their bodies into contact.
"It's gone now. I think it were the horses. They was neighing and flaring their noses at me. They wanted to trample me, I swear."
"I didn't know you were scared of horses."
"Why would you? It's not like we know much about each other."
It was said without bitterness. It was merely a statement of fact and that bothered Brendan.
"I have a thing about drains."
Caden's eyebrows creased. "Drains?"
"Yeah. The ones on the sides of roads, the open gridded ones that drain rainfall to avoid flooding. Can't look down them."
"Why?"
Brendan smiled wryly. "Monsters."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It was a book I read growing up."
"IT."
Brendan grinned. "Yeah."
"I read it when I was, like, nine. You're a right wuss."
"Oi. I'm a tough man."
Caden grinned broadly. After a moment the smile faded and Brendan thought the escort might be drifting off to sleep again but he wasn't.
He had gone pensive.
"I did okay today, didn't I?"
It took a second to catch his meaning.
"You did better than okay." Brendan said. "They love you."
{~}
Ste breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good."
Brendan touched his cheek. "Why? Did you doubt that they would?"
Sometimes Brendan could be an idiot. "Yeah. Of course. I'm a hooker, Brendan and I'm lying to them. I kept thinking that at any minute they would find out what I was and then they'd reject me and look down on me."
"They'd be stupid if they didn't like you."
"No they wouldn't. They'd be like everybody else. People don't like liars and also who would invite a rent boy round to their country house for a lunch of truffle risotto, venison and champagne soaked summer berries with meringue?"
"Did you like it?"
"The food? Why does that matter?"
"You left most of the meat on your plate."
"It was too gamey for me. And plus..."
"You prefer fish." Brendan finished with a wry smile.
"Exactly." Ste grinned back.
"I meant did you enjoy the day?"
Ste shrugged. "It were okay."
"It was like getting root canal surgery without anaesthetic. You can say it." Brendan played his fingers over Ste's skin, watching as goose pimples lifted off it.
"You cold?" He asked.
Ste shook his head but whispered, "A bit. Yeah."
"Are you still feeling sleepy?"
Brendan hooked his fingers into Ste's beige shorts tickling the hairs of his groin with their tips.
Ste swallowed hard. He knew where this was going.
He shook his head. "No."
He was wide awake now. Especially with Brendan's hand on him.
He placed his in the centre of Brendan's chest and murmured,
"Do you want to…?"
Their eyes connected to convey meaning.
Brendan pushed him onto his back and climbed on top of him. He leaned down towards Ste so that the warm breeze of his breath brushed against Ste's ear as he whispered,
"Do I want to fuck?" He kissed Ste's ear. "Yes."
Brendan gently nibbled his earlobe then sucked on it.
Ste's eyes shut under the ministrations of his mouth.
"Okay."
He moved his head to one side to allow Brendan better access to his neck as the Irishman followed a trail down the angle of his jaw, where his end-of-day peach fuzz was beginning to sprout. Then he worked over the heartbeat in Ste's neck.
Ste wondered how Brendan did that thing with his tongue that made him go legless. It was a mixture of wet heat, suction and ardent tactile caresses.
He brought his arms up to rest on Brendan's shoulders. His hands combed through his hair. Brendan had product in it but it was light; just enough to maintain shape without feeling like concrete.
They kissed.
Brendan's hands were all over him, creeping lower until one slid into the back of Ste's shorts over a bare arse cheek. He gave it a firm squeeze and brought their bodies together.
Ste tucked his face into Brendan's shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around the man pushing his body up into his.
"You smell of smoke." He said after inhaling deeply.
"Had a cigar with the boys." Brendan mumbled as he undid the button on Ste's shorts.
Ste lifted his hips off the bed to allow Brendan to pull them off with his underwear. That is when he caught his movements in the mirror.
That Ted Kilner was a dirty old dog. The mirror was perfectly positioned to capture the goings-on in the bed.
Ste looked up at Brendan and then at their reflection.
He was naked below the Irishman, embracing him while Brendan lay over him; flush against him, with his black underwear still on.
"Wrap your legs around me." Brendan said.
He watched in fascination as Brendan simulated fucking him. The smooth gyrations of his hips against his butt and the brush of the older man's stomach on his dick were driving Ste crazy. Brendan's cock felt rock hard through the cotton material rubbing against his arse; right over where he wanted Brendan to take him.
He moaned his pleasure and watched his body flush with heat and passion. His mouth gasped with each simulated pummelling. He licked his lips as he took in the reflection of Brendan's body; how it had complete control over his own.
"You like seeing us like this."
"Yes." He groaned as he felt and saw Brendan kiss the sensitive pierced nipple and run his hands over his hair.
Then Brendan pushed Ste's legs up over his shoulders.
"You like watching yourself getting fucked?" He gripped Ste's thighs firmly as anchors and pushed against him powerfully a couple of times. The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed in the room as he pushed Ste up the bed with the force of his thrusts. Then he settled back to more languid hip thrusts.
This is how we look when we are doing it, Ste thought.
Brendan looked so powerful, bigger than him; like he could break Ste with one hand if he wanted to. Like an animal driven by a primal instinct.
So fucking hot.
"Do you like it fast or slow?" Brendan asked.
Ste watched the mirror as he pushed his hands into Brendan's buttocks to draw him in closer. "Both."
"Look at me." Brendan whispered and forced Ste to turn his head from the mirror to look back up at him.
He was greeted with a kiss that was so deep it took his breath away. He groaned as Brendan's fingers reached his hole to rub it while they kept kissing. He coaxed Brendan's pants down as far as his arms could stretch; just below his buttocks.
Ste felt the firm meat of Brendan's penis nudge against his own balls. He grabbed it and stroked the head then rubbed their dicks together. He shuddered from the sensation.
He wrapped his hand around the taller man's shaft, reacquainting himself with its shape and dimensions. Brendan's head flopped forward to rest forehead against forehead. Their breathing became laboured and they shared air as Ste kept up the pressure.
He couldn't wait for Brendan's cock to be inside him; to make him go crazy.
"Get a condom." He said.
Brendan gave him a grin and a quick kiss. He reached over to the ottoman to grab the necessary from his travel bag taking his underwear off in the process.
Ste sat up, took the condom off Brendan and quickly rolled it onto him.
He gasped in surprise when Brendan then pushed him back onto the bed and brought his legs up. He felt a cool trickle of lube on him and looked back at the mirror as Brendan rubbed it over him. He watched himself get fingered. He felt opposing emotions. He felt wanton. Open. Unself-conscious. Yet a part of him was feeling coy and bashful.
Brendan's fingers pushed in deep and grazed against his prostate. Ste bit back a shout of passion and grabbed the sheets of the bed into fists. Brendan positioned himself between his legs. Ste felt the thick head of Brendan's dick push into him.
He let out a silent, 'Oh my god!', as he was filled completely with one smooth steady push.
He clung onto Brendan for dear life as he adjusted to the fullness.
"Oh!"
Brendan drove into him with slow measured pushes.
"I want you to see how hot you look when I am fucking you." Brendan whispered against his lips.
He repositioned them laying back and encouraging Ste to sit up on him at the same time without pulling out.
"Now turn around to face the mirror." He said as he held Ste's hips. "Easy. Don't want you twisting my dick off!"
He gave Ste a cheeky grin.
Ste carefully manoeuvred himself around, feeling Brendan's cock move inside him as he twisted around. He let his thighs settle either side of Brendan's and leant back so that his hands rested on the bed either side of Brendan's torso.
He looked at his reflection; impaled by his client. His back arched to lift off Brendan's dick only to sit back down on it and engulf it again.
He rode Brendan as if it was the last ride of his life. He got onto his feet to get more leverage. There was something about seeing himself that spurred him on. An extra dimension. He took it all in; his face bearing an expression of pure abandon, his body shining with perspiration, his thighs, abs and arms tensing and flexing, his piercing glowing in the lighting of the room, his cock bouncing rigidly against his stomach, his arse stretched around Brendan's thick cock.
He looked back at Brendan who was staring up at him with a glazed appearance. He dragged his hands up to cover every inch of Ste's chest as Ste continued to ride him. When Brendan's hands rubbed over his nipples the tenderness took backstage to the pleasure and Ste jolted.
"Yes." He groaned as his eyes fell shut and he bit hard on his lower lip.
"Fuck." Brendan forced out and gripped his hips firmly to limit his movements. "Slow down a second."
Ste leisurely rolled his hips back and forth on Brendan's groin. "Like this?"
Brendan sat up. His arms went around Ste and he got them both onto their knees. "Yes. Gissa kiss."
Ste turned his head around to allow their lips to meet. He ground back against Brendan's cock while they kissed feeling the full length of the man in him.
He groaned,
"Feels so good."
"Yeah." Brendan grabbed Ste's dick. "What are we going to do with this?"
He started to stroke it then whispered, "My turn."
Brendan took a firm hold of Ste's hips and rotated his pelvis against him; a delicious motion that got Ste whimpering.
The wet slap of their fucking and their individual sounds reverberated through the room.
Ste came just before Brendan did. Brendan held onto him as they convulsed together. He kissed Ste's shoulders as the lad gasped through his aftershocks.
Brendan pulled out, took off the condom and tied it off before tossing it into a nearby bin.
He lay back down on the bed next to Ste and wiped his brow. "Fuck."
Ste was on his front, facing away from his companion, spent and unable to move. He closed his eyes as he took big deep breaths in and out.
He wanted nothing more than to turn around and be in Brendan's arms. But that was just a symptom of what they had been through not just now but at lunch too.
He was taking this boyfriend thing too seriously.
It wasn't the reality of the situation. He had just had sex with a client because his client fancied it.
He slowly came off his high alone ignoring the tingling that coursed through his body and the sense of completeness he felt.
He stayed still as Brendan's hand traced his body from head to ankle before coming back up to rest on his butt. He felt his arse cheeks part.
"I could fuck you right now." Brendan whispered behind him. "Again."
"You're insatiable." He mumbled back.
"You make me insatiable."
Whatever. Probably lying. Ste thought.
"But I'm knackered now so you're spared."
Ste could hear the teasing in Brendan's tone so he turned to face him, "I did most of the work."
Brendan smiled. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself. I didn't want to disturb you." His kiss was playful and light. "Not that I'm complaining. Far from it."
Ste smiled. He couldn't help it. "So what do you want to do now?"
"Did you want something to eat? I could get something brought up."
Ste sat up. He didn't have the greatest of appetites normally but he was really hungry now.
"Like what?"
"What do you fancy?"
"Tuna sandwich." Ste said definitively.
"Why am I not surprised?"
"With sweetcorn, lettuce and lots of mayo, though... on brown bread... no tomatoes. Please."
"I'll join you. Let me give that fit servant of theirs a ring."
He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone.
"You think he's fit?" Ste shuffled up close to him as draped his arms over Brendan's shoulders from behind.
"You jealous?"
Ste pushed off him. "As if. You're welcome to him."
Brendan pulled Ste back to him and swiped his lips against each other. "He's not a patch on you, Caden."
{~}
While Brendan made the phone call to Thomas, Ste went to the bathroom to fill up the bathtub. He poured a generous amount of bubble bath soap into it and watched as the bubbles came up.
He climbed in when there was a decent pool of water but kept the taps on to allow the bath to fill up completely.
Brendan went to the door when they heard a knock. It took longer than necessary for him to collect their food.
Ste heard him speaking to Thomas in hushed tones. Maybe he was chatting up the cute home help.
'You've got to fucking trust me, Ste! It's not cool. All this sneaking around, spying on me. Acting suspicious of everything I do.'
He shook his head of those words from his past. He didn't care what Brendan did or with who so he ducked his head into the bath and stayed under for as long as his lungs would allow.
Moments later Brendan entered the bathroom. Ste came out of the water to see Brendan mimicking a waiter. He had laid the tray of sandwiches, wine glasses and white wine on a stand near the bathtub.
He gave Ste a smile and poured the wine into the glasses before taking off his bath towel and climbing into the water.
"God, I hate baths." He grumbled. "They remind me of my childhood. My mother would wash my sister and me in the same water that she and dad had washed in."
That doesn't sound like the upbringing of someone well off.
"You have a sister?"
"Yes." Brendan didn't look at him as he picked up a sandwich and took a bite out of it. "Eat."
The next half an hour to an hour was spent doing a mixture of eating, kissing, cleaning, talking, petting and touching.
They didn't get anywhere near discussing anything personal again and Ste felt that it was a deliberate move on Brendan's part.
When they got back to bed they were both ready for sleep.
Brendan turned the lights off. After a moment he said into the stillness of the room,
"I would like us to get up early tomorrow."
"Okay. What time?" Ste knew not to ask prying questions like 'why' and 'where are we going'?
"Seven. Out the house at seven thirty."
Ste closed his eyes. "No problem."
There. Civilised. Professional.
Brendan pulled him in closer to him. His arms lightly embraced Ste.
He kissed Ste's wet head and muttered, "Big houses. So fucking cold."
{~}
Ste had reached a realisation.
He wasn't as strong as he thought he was. He thought that he could be one hundred percent professional and detached this weekend. He had assumed that with enough determination he could separate his feelings from his work.
That wasn't happening.
In the darkness of the Georgian bedroom, in the middle of the northern countryside, he realised that he had balls up big time. With Brendan he could not delineate between moments where he was acting and those where he was just being himself.
Mainly, he knew that where he was concerned there wasn't a whole load of acting involved. Neither the haircut nor the piercing had helped in creating a new badass unemotional persona that was unfazed by the Irishman.
Brendan was asleep now. It was very early morning after all. One arm was still possessively wrapped around Ste's waist as they lay face to face.
It wasn't helping matters for Ste. The arm around him. It was confusing.
He had something to get off his chest. Something that he wanted to share with Brendan but he knew he shouldn't.
"Brendan?" He whispered.
The older man didn't flicker. His breathing remained even and somnolent.
If Ste revealed something out loud right now and no one heard it then it was as good as not saying it. Wasn't it?
And if no one heard it, specifically Brendan, then there was no harm done. Right?
He just had to say it out loud. He had to share something with the Irishman and relieve the pressure he carried in his head; the real reason for the headache he had earlier.
He was tired of lying to everyone around him and he particularly hated that he was lying to Brendan about something so fundamental.
"Brendan." He whispered again. "There is something I need to tell you and I am telling you because I like you. A lot. Which is stupid. I know. Even Doug says so. He says it is pointless and he is right because you don't like me the way I like you. Anyway, I like you and I wanted to tell you something I've never told a client before…"
He took a deep breath in and whispered even more quietly. "My name is not Caden. My name is Ste. Steven. Hay. So there. Now you know."
Only he didn't because he was asleep but it still felt like a weight was off Ste's shoulders. He breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes.
He fell asleep almost immediately.
He never saw Brendan's eyes opening slowly only moments later; his face registering a myriad of mixed emotions.
