Men of London 05 - Cross to Bare (17 page)

Blue green eyes regarded him appraisingly. “Hello. Laverne, remember? Unless you have a skirt and blouse and a pair of silk stockings in your wardrobe I can use, I need to go home first.”

“Oh, I forgot.” Brook said shamefacedly.

Maybe I need to stock up on some women’s clothing in case this happens again. Or perhaps Lenny can leave some of his stuff here. I need to get over this whole him going out in public dressed as Laverne thing. Lenny isn’t going to change his mind.

Lenny sat up, covers dropping to his waist, and damned if Brook didn’t feel the heat again.

“You still okay with everything?” Lenny asked. The uncertain look on his boyfriend’s face made Brook want to pull him close and not let go. “I mean, we haven’t really talked about the other night much, and I know how you feel, but I need to know you understand my point of view.”

“I’m trying.” Brook said quietly. “I mean I’ll still worry about you, don’t get me wrong, but I’m hearing what you’re saying about being able to look after yourself.”

Lenny looked relieved. “Thanks, love. That means a lot. I give you my promise I won’t put myself in bad situations where I can help it.” He swung his legs out of bed, sat and stretched. “Right. Time to get back to normal I guess.” He stood up and padded into the ensuite. Brook admired his arse and sighed for lost opportunities.

Lenny came out a minute later. “Are we still okay for next Friday to go to Delish? Ryan was asking me if we were still planning on it.”

Brook nodded. “Sure, should be fun.”

Lenny cleared his throat, seemingly totally unaware that his nakedness was causing Brook to squirm. “It might be a bit more than a bit of fun. Ryan wants me to do a bit of a thing with him on stage, just a short drag skit, and I wanted to make sure you knew that beforehand.”

Brook frowned. “What kind of skit? Will there be any nakedness involved between you two?”

Lenny spluttered in laughter. “Oh no. We’re not sluts on stage—well I’m not anyway. Ryan is a law to himself. It’s a few minutes of drag and that’s it. Delilah Delish and Laverne Debussy-Smith having a laugh together with some raunchiness directed at the poor unfortunates in the audience.”

Brook didn’t want to say the wrong thing and have Lenny go off in a huff again. “Oh. Yeah, of course it’s fine with me, if it’s what you want to do.”

The blinding smile Lenny threw Brook’s way before he disappeared back into the bathroom made his stomach squirm in a good way.

Minutes later Brook heard the shower going. Usually he’d get up and join Lenny for a long, leisurely, steamy bout under the water but today they were short of time. It was already past ten and both of them had places to be. He’d probably regret it later when he was sitting on the train, but right now? He had plenty of good memories to get him through the day. And all of them involved Lenny James.

Chapter 13

Friday. The visit to Ryan’s club rolled round fairly quickly. Lenny sat in his office, squirming because his lacy pants were stuck to his arse with the heat of the early August summer. There was a heat wave at the moment—if it could be called a heat wave. Twenty-eight degrees in UK terms was designated as such when the whole country came to a standstill, trains couldn’t run and people ran the risk of becoming lobsters in the overzealous sun-worshipping that ensued. Lenny wasn’t fond of heat unless it was in the bedroom. He swore as he stood up and wrenched his underwear away from his backside, snarling under his breath.

“Stupid bloody lacy crap, I don’t know why the fuck I wear this stuff.” He was irritated, sweating and grumpy. He’d taken clothes to Brook’s place last night to change into this morning—a real coup for both of them in terms of Brook’s acceptance of Laverne—and he wished he’d taken different underwear.

“Is that any way for a lady to talk?” His boyfriend’s amused tone jolted Lenny out of the gym session with his arse, and he looked up in surprise at the grinning figure of Brook in the doorway.

Naomi stood beside him with a smirk. “You have a visitor, boss,” she said slyly. “I’ll get you something cold to drink. You look as if you’re going to self-combust.” She gave an evil chuckle. “
This
is why we keep telling you we need to get air-conditioning in this building.”

Lenny scowled. “My lovely, for the sake of a week every three-hundred and sixty-five days when the weather heats up enough to warrant it, this lady is not using her hard-earned cash to pander to the needs of the suffering masses—of which I am one, I might add.” He tossed his head back in mock disdain, causing a curl of his wig to fall over his face. He blew it back huffily, seeing Brook’s eyes widen and his lips curve in a smile. “I bought all my ungrateful minions fans for their desks and a new fridge to stock your copious bottles of water and energy drinks. I think I’ve done my employer-ly bit.” He sniffed in satisfaction.

Naomi shook her head as she rolled her eyes. “Oh, you are indeed our gracious benefactor,” she teased. She turned to leave and glanced over her shoulder, eyes twinkling. “I give thanks to the generous being that is my boss.”

“Cheeky mare,” Lenny spluttered. He looked at Brook in indignation as his PA disappeared. “You see how my employees treat me? Not a shred of respect, nary a one.”

His grumbling was stopped by the press of Brook’s warm lips to his. The kiss was soft, sweet and over far too soon for Lenny’s liking. He blinked at Brook as his lover sat down in the visitor’s chair and crossed his legs. He looked delectable, Lenny thought dreamily, like a
G
Q model, in his blue suit and white shirt, with a striped red and blue tie.

“I was in the area so I thought I’d stop by and see what time we’re meeting at the club tonight. I managed to lose that arsehole Keith permanently to his new team in another office in the city, so it’s cause for a celebration tonight. He’s gone for good.” Brook loosened his tie, and Lenny’s eyes watched, hypnotised at that slow, sensuous action.

“I told you this morning at your place. Nine p.m. Is the heat affecting your memory?” Lenny asked. In truth his lacy panties now had another problem: the stiffy he was starting to sprout underneath his linen dress.

Ugh. Stay down, you horny little bastard.

“Oh, I must have forgotten. My bad,” Brook drawled lazily as he undid the tie completely and then loosened the top three buttons of his shirt to reveal the gleaming, muscled start of his torso. The tie lay draped around his neck and Lenny wanted to rip it off, tie Brook’s hands behind his back and have his way with him. Instead he sat down behind his desk to hide his rising excitement and raised an eyebrow at his boyfriend.

“You came down here to give a lady shit, didn’t you? This damned outfit is hot enough without you adding to the heat. I love linen, but it was the wrong choice today.” He frowned down at his slightly crumpled, pale green Ralph Lauren sleeveless, lace yoke dress. “And my tits are really irritating the hell out of me today. I think I might stop wearing them altogether.” He mused in contemplation. “They used to be fun; now, not so much.” He scowled again. “And don’t get me started on this fucking wig. Maybe it’s about time I rethink this whole thing. Maybe I can get away with growing my hair and wear it longer.” A strange sound came out of Brook’s mouth but Lenny was too preoccupied on thinking of himself with his own curls and bouncy waves to respond to it. “I like that idea too. In fact, I think that’s exactly what I might do…” His voice trailed off as Brook exploded into a fit of laughter.

Lenny stared at him in pique. “What the hell? What’s your problem?”

“Oh, babe,” Brook spluttered through what sounded suspiciously to Lenny like girly giggles. “You really don’t do heat well, do you? You are
not
a summer person. What would you do if I took you to Kenya on holiday or anywhere hotter than this…?”

Brook wanted to go on holiday with him? Well, well…

He glared at Brook and wiped a stray rivulet of sweat from his hairline. “You’re mocking me? A woman on the edge? Do you know what happened to the last guy that did that?” He moved around to where Brook sat and plonked himself down in his boyfriend’s lap. Brook’s eyes widened at being subjected to a groin-full of man-woman. Lenny latched an arm around Brook’s neck and brought his ear closer. “He fucked me then did it again. And it was
good
…” He rolled the last word out lasciviously, pleased at the response he felt under his arse.

Oh yes, that is exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Make fun of me, you bastard, and I shall make you pay…

He wriggled a little for good measure and was gratified at Brook’s low, breathy groan. Then Lenny stood up, adjusted his own package best he could, given he was in a dress, and went back to his own seat. He sat back down with a snicker. The heat in the room had definitely been turned up a few notches.

Brook’s eyes smouldered but he made no move to hide the hard ridge lying under his snug-fitting trousers. “Playing hardball, eh?” he murmured with a sensuous look at Lenny. Lenny grinned back at him but swallowed at the sexy menace in Brook’s voice. “Fine with me. Two can play at that game…”

Lenny shrugged. “Bring it on, chicken. Bring it on…” He waggled his head in true diva style and Brook’s nostrils flared. They stared at each other for what felt like minutes until an amused voice broke into their standoff.

“The testosterone in this room is stifling. I can feel the heat from here, and I don’t mean the weather.”

Lenny rolled his eyes at Leslie leaning against the door jamb, arms folded and a huge smile on his face. “What can I do for you, Leslie? My fella and I are a little busy at the moment.”

“I’ll say,” his employee sniggered as he walked unceremoniously into the room and stood behind Brook. Leslie frowned. “Laverne, darling, you need to powder. Your face is all shiny. And your mascara is running.”

Leslie sidled around to where Lenny sat. Lenny opened his mouth to ask him what the hell he was doing, then closed it in disbelief as Leslie stuck out a pink tongue, wet his thumb and proceeded to wipe the spit-laden digit under Lenny’s eyes. The same strange sound he’d heard earlier emanating from Brook was once again apparent, only louder and mixed with what sounded suspiciously like snorts. Lenny was, quite simply, speechless at the bold gesture of personal space invasion.

Leslie stood back and squinted at Lenny’s face. “Looks better,” he said doubtfully. “But you really need to get rid of all that shininess. It doesn’t become you at all, nuh-huh.”

Lenny finally found his voice. “Sweet Jesus, what the hell? You spat on my face.” The one good thing was his hard-on had subsided somewhat.

Leslie shook his head vehemently. “Oh no, I tidied up a mess
using
spit. There’s a difference. If I’d spat on your face you’d know about it, honey. A bit like if I’d given you a golden shower. Unmistakeable.”

Brook now had tears rolling down his face as he laughed without reservation. Lenny wondered faintly how anyone coped with Leslie Tiberius Scott full time. Oliver Brown had to be a saint. There was no other explanation.

Leslie trotted back over to where Brook sat. “Anyhoo, boss, I came in here to tell you there’s a Mrs Landry waiting in reception for you, for your meeting with her and Pixie. Pixie’s asked me to let you know, she’s getting coffee.” Leslie flapped a hand. “She’s weird, that girl. I’ve been trying to get to know her for ages, and she just doesn’t seem to warm to me. I can’t imagine why.”

Pixie Blenheim was a recent appointment at Debussy’s. She’d been recruited from a competitor two months ago because of her programming knowledge of the software Lenny used to design his merchandise. She was quiet, kept to herself and would have been overwhelmed by the magnificence that was Leslie Tiberius Scott. Lenny could well imagine why she hadn’t become firm friends with him. The girl was rather strange though. She never seemed able to look Lenny in the eye when he said hello to her, or sat with her about the new developments he wanted in his design package. She was also one of the few employees he didn’t know well yet and her name was on the list of people to be investigated when the security consultant came to visit next week. Lenny hated thinking of her in that way, but under the current circumstances, he felt he had no choice.

“Thanks, chicken. Tell her I’ll be there in a while. Rita is early, so she won’t mind waiting while I finish up here. “

Leslie nodded and waved a slim hand at Lenny as he walked to the door. “Make sure you tidy up before you go. Don’t want to scare the customers away with that glazed-donut look.” He gave a moue of distaste and then his face brightened. “Oh, and I’m looking forward to tonight. Everyone’s going to be there, Taylor’s dragging Draven along and Eddie’s convinced Gideon it’s for a good cause so he’s coming too. It’s so going be a hoot!”

He disappeared out of the office.

Lenny and Brook looked at each other and then both of them burst out into side-splitting guffaws. Lenny knew he had a visitor waiting and he’d need to repair his face but he didn’t care.

“How do you manage a man like that?” Brook somehow got out between heaving sobs. “He is absolutely precious, one of a kind.” He wiped his eyes and reached over to Lenny’s desk to take out a tissue from the box that always sat there. He wiped his eyes and then blew his nose.

“I know. He’s a pretty unique character,” Lenny agreed as he tried to compose himself.

“A golden shower…I mean, honestly?” Brook was off again.

Lenny grinned as he stood up, sides hurting from laughing. “Love, I have to get to this meeting. You’ll have the pleasure of more of Leslie’s company tonight at the club. He’s dragged all his friends down there, more fool them. I hope they know what they’ve let themselves in for.” He wiped sweat off his face and grimaced. “Yuck, I really need to clean up. I’ll see you later at the club then? Around nine, in case you’d forgotten again.”

Brook stood up. “No problem. I’ll be there.” His hands reached out and framed Lenny’s face. “I know you’re all shiny and that but…” he said softly and kissed him sweetly. Lenny melted against him. Brook finished driving him crazy and stepped away, a strange look in his eyes.