When Cal and Rob first met, they were star-struck, wet-behind-the-ears teenagers who thought all it took to make it in Hollywood was a great body and good looks. Cal eventually gave up the dream and became a reporter for an entertainment magazine, while Rob went on to become a major motion picture star.
Over the next few years, they broke up and got back together a dozen or more times. Then Rob hit a bad patch when Cal caught him with another man and kicked him out. Now, almost two years have passed without a word. Cal has no idea if Rob is even dead or alive, until Rob calls Cal’s boss out of the blue and offers to do an interview—on condition that Cal flies to England where Rob is living so they can talk face-to-face.
Because of their personal history, Cal knows he’s the best person to interview Rob, and so does his boss. But since Cal is still in love with the man, will the trip to London result in even more heartbreak?
NOTE: This story is part of the London Calling series.
Heat Level: 3
Length: Novella (19k words)
Read a short excerpt...
...My back was to the door, and I didn’t hear it open. The only the warning I received of Rob’s presence was a whiff of his signature cologne. I turned to find him standing less than a foot away. I had no idea how long he’d been there.
He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and I noticed he’d put on weight since the last time I saw him. Back then, he was thin as a rail, so the extra pounds were a big improvement. Apart from a few strands of silver in his otherwise dark brown hair, he looked pretty much the way he had before he’d started drinking liquor out of the bottle instead of a glass. For that I was glad.
“Hi.”
We both said it at the same time, then laughed. In spite of everything and my determination to keep my distance, I hoped he’d close the gap, take me in his arms and hug me as long and as hard as I wanted to hug him. I couldn’t believe it didn’t happen, and I didn’t understand why.
What was he waiting for? Rob and I were soul mates; two halves of a whole.
A tic started in my neck. My chest felt tight, I was having trouble with my breathing, and my cock was making its wants known by pressing hard against the zipper of my pants. This was ridiculous. The feelings were still there between us as hot and as strong as the day we first met. No matter what had happened in the past, or what promises I’d made about not getting involved again, I knew it wouldn’t take long before we forgot the unimportant things. We still wanted one another. No matter how we might pretend otherwise, it was as simple as that. We wanted to rip off our clothes, jump into the nearest bed and fuck our brains out.
At least that’s what I thought, until I noticed the tight, humorless smile on Rob’s face. The smile that said hell would freeze over before anything like that happened between us.
Then I remembered this was business. I was here in my professional capacity and at his insistence. If he’d brought me here for any reason other than the interview, it would be up to him to make the first move. And that showed no sign of happening any time soon.
My joy at seeing him again and every emotion I’d felt dissipated, fast. I should have expected something like this. It was almost two years since we’d split for good, and life moved on. His certainly had. He was back in England, living what appeared to be a very nice life in a better than average house. At a guess, I’d say he’d found someone new. He’d never liked living alone. But whatever! His personal life was no longer my concern.
I watched as he trailed a finger along the edge of the library table and wondered what he was thinking.
“So, when did you arrive? I expected you this morning.” His tone was cool, polite, and slightly chiding, like a doctor or a teacher letting you know you’d failed them in some way.
I explained about the unexpected length of the stopover in New York and then sleeping in until noon. I didn’t feel like apologizing, so I didn’t. None of it was my fault.
“Well, at least you’re here now.”
Rob hesitated, as if he didn’t know what to say next. Our final parting had been far from amicable. Things had been said that weren’t easily forgotten. In spite of that and the fact I was here on assignment and not as a friend, a brief hug would have cleared the air a little. But the moment had passed, and it was too late for that now.
“It’s nice to see you, Cal. I appreciate you coming over. How have you been? Well, I trust.”
I took a mental and then a physical step back. I hadn’t expected this to be easy. I knew meeting again was bound to feel a little awkward, maybe even downright difficult. If Rob thought we could avoid all that by keeping things formal, I wasn’t about to argue. Going by our history it was probably for the best...
No comments:
Post a Comment