All Night Long
Chapter Six: Page Two
"What would you like to eat?" Zell asked as he
glanced at the tray of finger foods he'd ordered from
room service earlier. He was sitting on Seifer's lap
in a chair at the dining table, both of them wrapped in
thick terry robes supplied by the hotel, replete and
relaxed after making love. "We've got fruit salad, cold
cuts, cheeses, chilled shrimp, and cheesecake for
dessert."
Grinning, he slipped his hand inside the front opening
of Zell's robe and rested his palm just above his knee with
his thumb stroking Zell's sensitized skin. "I'm starved,
and everything sounds good to me."
"That's what you get for not eating dinner before I
arrived at your office." He fed him a shrimp dipped in
cocktail sauce, and he insisted on licking his fingers
clean, one at a time.
"You've worked late nights before," he said with a
shrug. "And I know you've skipped a meal or two because
of a project with a tight deadline."
"Yes, I have." He wouldn't have moved up the ranks so
quickly without making late night sacrifices. "With
plenty more to come with the new job, no doubt." He
slipped a wedge of sweet cantaloupe into his mouth.
He chewed and tongued a dribble of juice from the corner
of his lips. "Speaking of which, tell me about your new
job."
Zell warmed to the subject, proud of his accomplishments.
"I'll be heading up the restoration division, which is
something I've been working toward for years now. I love
historic preservation, and while Corgan gave me a few
opportunities to dabble in that area with a few oddball
jobs they took on, it wasn't enough. When I received a
generous offer from Bennett to go to work for them, it
was something I couldn't pass up, personally or
professionally."
He reached in front of Zell and skimmed his fingers over
the array of foods on the tray, choosing a cube of
cheese. He took a bite, and lifted the other half to Zell's
lips, which he nibbled at leisurely until it was gone.
"So now you're going to spend the next few years making
a new name for yourself with Bennett," he said, and
licked the traces of smeared cheese from his thumb.
"More late nights and weekends filled with projects that
need to come in on deadline."
Zell picked up a cherry and plucked the fruit from its
stem with his teeth. "I don't mind." At least he never
had before. Now, the words stung his throat like a lie,
startling him, forcing Zell to truly acknowledge the fact
that the only thing he had in his life was his job. No
dog or cat because Zell was too wrapped up in his work to
give it the attention it deserved, and no special man to
spend time with because he feared where a relationship
could lead, of all that he could lose — his
independence and the security of knowing he could take
care of himself.
Zell swallowed hard, the cherry more bitter than sweet
because of his stunning thoughts. "Erratic schedules are
common. It's that way with any architectural firm I've
ever worked for. Besides, moving up as high as I can
within a company has always been my main focus. If I'm
offered something better elsewhere, I'll take it."
Seifer considered that while eating a rolled slice of ham.
"What about a social life and dating?"
"Most men don't seem to understand my dedication to my
job."
Chapter Six: Page Two
"What would you like to eat?" Zell asked as he
glanced at the tray of finger foods he'd ordered from
room service earlier. He was sitting on Seifer's lap
in a chair at the dining table, both of them wrapped in
thick terry robes supplied by the hotel, replete and
relaxed after making love. "We've got fruit salad, cold
cuts, cheeses, chilled shrimp, and cheesecake for
dessert."
Grinning, he slipped his hand inside the front opening
of Zell's robe and rested his palm just above his knee with
his thumb stroking Zell's sensitized skin. "I'm starved,
and everything sounds good to me."
"That's what you get for not eating dinner before I
arrived at your office." He fed him a shrimp dipped in
cocktail sauce, and he insisted on licking his fingers
clean, one at a time.
"You've worked late nights before," he said with a
shrug. "And I know you've skipped a meal or two because
of a project with a tight deadline."
"Yes, I have." He wouldn't have moved up the ranks so
quickly without making late night sacrifices. "With
plenty more to come with the new job, no doubt." He
slipped a wedge of sweet cantaloupe into his mouth.
He chewed and tongued a dribble of juice from the corner
of his lips. "Speaking of which, tell me about your new
job."
Zell warmed to the subject, proud of his accomplishments.
"I'll be heading up the restoration division, which is
something I've been working toward for years now. I love
historic preservation, and while Corgan gave me a few
opportunities to dabble in that area with a few oddball
jobs they took on, it wasn't enough. When I received a
generous offer from Bennett to go to work for them, it
was something I couldn't pass up, personally or
professionally."
He reached in front of Zell and skimmed his fingers over
the array of foods on the tray, choosing a cube of
cheese. He took a bite, and lifted the other half to Zell's
lips, which he nibbled at leisurely until it was gone.
"So now you're going to spend the next few years making
a new name for yourself with Bennett," he said, and
licked the traces of smeared cheese from his thumb.
"More late nights and weekends filled with projects that
need to come in on deadline."
Zell picked up a cherry and plucked the fruit from its
stem with his teeth. "I don't mind." At least he never
had before. Now, the words stung his throat like a lie,
startling him, forcing Zell to truly acknowledge the fact
that the only thing he had in his life was his job. No
dog or cat because Zell was too wrapped up in his work to
give it the attention it deserved, and no special man to
spend time with because he feared where a relationship
could lead, of all that he could lose — his
independence and the security of knowing he could take
care of himself.
Zell swallowed hard, the cherry more bitter than sweet
because of his stunning thoughts. "Erratic schedules are
common. It's that way with any architectural firm I've
ever worked for. Besides, moving up as high as I can
within a company has always been my main focus. If I'm
offered something better elsewhere, I'll take it."
Seifer considered that while eating a rolled slice of ham.
"What about a social life and dating?"
"Most men don't seem to understand my dedication to my
job."