Rough Attraction (18 page)

“Shit.” He mumbled to himself then directed his attention back to the person he was talking to on the phone. “Toussaint, I’ll have to call you back later. Yeah, you bet. Thanks.” Maxum reached over and switched the lines, his mind as well, going from friendly to business conservative. “Mr. Glaisphmen, pleasure to hear from you. How can I be of service?”

His client didn’t waste a word on formalities, cutting straight to business. “
My wife, Coralline, and I are in town for the week and she decided to drag me to one of those wine tasting events. I was rather surprised to not see your name among the attending guests. I would like for you and Simeon to join us
.”

“Simeon?” Maxum asked in surprise, “I was not aware you knew my— him.” Maxum quickly corrected himself before making any announcements of the said ex-partner in his life.

“
Apparently he and Coralline ran into each other earlier today. She hasn’t stopped talking about him since. So she has insisted you bring him
.”

Maxum cringed at the thought, while Simeon had a way of winning the wives, which always made the husbands happy, Maxum hated bringing him to tasting events because he would inevitably complain—
incisively
— and that always ruined his own palate. Not to mention Maxum had finally called it off with Simeon.  It seemed as though his ex-partner was finding a way around the phone calls he had refused to answer.

Maxum let the phone drop away from his face a moment as he sucked in a deep breath and scrubbed over his face. He knew how Coralline was and if she wanted something, she was prudent enough to see to it she got it or take you down. Almere Glaisphmen was no small client of his and where he went, a number of others would follow. It would appear Simeon had a seed of vindictiveness in him that Maxum had never known about.

He suffered himself to swallow the growl along with his own pride and brought the phone back to his ear. Clearing his throat before speaking, “Of course, we’ll be there.”

“Good. I will be sure to let Coralline know to expect you. See you tomorrow night then
.” And just like that the puppet master hung up.

Maxum slowly placed the phone on the cradle, his mind elsewhere and racing with thoughts that could put a formula one car to shame. When the displeasure of having his hand forced came to a boiling point, his hand still hovering around the phone sent it flying off his desk. It careened into the bookcase, shattering into a dozen or more pieces of plastic that fell to the floor.

Maxum - zero
—
phones - negative two.

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

“Darko, Dane masters. You got plans for tonight?”
Dane Masters’ stern and domineering voice came over the phone line when Darko picked up. It exuded a presence that told the listener right away that turning them down was never an option. Even if he did ask politely.

“None of any consequence. What’s up?” Darko’s answer, more relaxed and informal than his caller. While he knew the tones of the Masters from the BDSM lifestyle and enjoyed the company of such, it wasn’t his kink. Therefore, the domineering commands rolled right off him like raindrops on a London Fog coat.

“I was supposed to accompany Vince to the Winter Cellars Wine Event tonight, but I had something come up. Can you accompany him?”

Darko shrugged, glancing down his body and the aroused dick he was just about to play with—
down boy
— he mentally commanded it, “Sure. I’ll take her out.”

“Him.
” Dane corrected Darko from the other end.

Darko laughed. Getting used to the new Vida-Vince was still sinking in for most of his friends and associates. Vince had been a cross-dresser and then a full out drag queen for so many years. The resurfacing of a face that had been hidden under all the false glam was breath taking and Vince still came out looking more alluring than most women were. However,
Vida
was every bit coming back to the terms that he was in fact a man and not a woman. Perhaps a little of both. But the
he-she
and name was still a matter of transition— for all of them.

“I’ll make sure
he
has a good time.” Darko assured Dane, with an added emphasis on the masculine pronoun.

“Good. But, not too much of a good time. You hear me? I mean it. No one goes to his bed without my approval.”
The possessiveness not only coming out as words, but Darko felt every tone of it. There was no denying it; Dane Masters was as possessive of his brother as Trenton Leos was of his little unicorn, Katianna.

“I know. I’ll keep him safe.” Darko assured him before hanging up then headed for a shower to get ready. He hadn’t had any plans for the night save perhaps playing with himself and missing a certain man. Therefore, he didn’t see a problem with it. He and Vida had been good friends for a number of years now and it wasn’t the first time he was asked to play the part of
date
for Vida. Especially now, after Vida had dropped all the drag queen regalia and discovered his inner beauty. The new Vida-Vince drew more heads than any man or woman combined, and Darko liked how it made him feel, claiming sole proprietorship of the androgynous beauty if only for show and for the one night.

Darko had to admit, once there it wasn’t the usual night he was expecting. Because as he had said, the new Vince just turned heads. They played around the banquet of sample foods. All while memories of Maxum feeding him at another winery event played in the back of his mind as they acted out a similar game, but more like two high school kids goofing off, than as lovers.

And while Dane would likely ream him for it, Darko gave Vida some room to let a few flirts have a chance to say hello.

A little later, they ran into Lars Mickels, attorney and friend of the Dominion Brothers so they stopped to chat a while with him. “Vida you’re looking so extravagant these days. I swear every man and woman in this room is harboring some fantasies of you right now. I confess I have some of my own. Can you imagine at the next Elysian Fields auction? Trenton having you work at his side where everyone could see you? The guests would go absolutely bulloxed.”

Darko gave a nervous chuckle, “That might not be such a great idea. The last one, Trenton had problems with the guests daring to touch Katianna and Paris. Dane would go senile.”

Lars let out a hearty laugh, “You’re probably right. Forget I mentioned it.” He turned spotting someone he knew and waved them over. “Speaking of
Salientis du Deliciarum
, let me introduce to you one of its owners.” Lars’ hand dropping on Darko’s shoulder steering him into a near about face, “Darko this is Maxum St. Laurents. Maxum, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine, Darko Laszkovi.”

Darko’s face melted at the sight of the man standing before him. He didn’t even dare meet his eyes. Unprepared to see what was there— or worse— what wasn’t. He kept his focus distracted elsewhere’s. That being which the body he craved to have pressed against him right now— yesterday— tomorrow. The black silk suit and pewter grey shirt Maxum wore were richly exquisite. As always, tailored to fit him in perfection. Only, Darko’s gaze followed the muscular arms that was dropped stiffly at his sides only for one to be wrapped by the arm another, in a rather clingy form. An arm that lead to the presence of another man.

Darko’s mouth went dry, not knowing how to respond.

If Maxum was feeling anything like he was, he managed to mask it considerably better as Maxum leaned in offering up a handshake, “How do you do?” he nodded, “Pleasure to meet you.” All business and playing as if they’d never met before.

“And I’m sure you know Vida Masters, Dane Masters’ brother.” Lars continued with the introductions, not even picking up on the cold disposition between him and Maxum.

“Vince.” Maxum acknowledge him by clasping both of Vida’s hands, following through with a lean to kiss both cheeks.

“Hon, he just said her name was Vida not Vince.” The man at Maxum’s side gave a polite scolding that was mild in comparison to the bug-eyed glare he made. Maxum’s arm moved around his backside, tightening around the man’s thin body and mumbled something at him that silenced him then turned back to Vida, “Enjoying the wines?”

“Always.” Vida forced a smile back to the familiar face.

“And—” Lars stalled a moment, “Forgive me I forgot your name?” his attention on the man with Maxum.

“Simeon. Simeon Correl.”

“Simeon—” Lars nodded, “Darko Laszkovi and Vida-Vince Masters.”

“How do you do? I’m Maxum’s significant other.” A soft hand was offered in greeting—
titles and lines drawn out and circled
— and then came on the plastered charm. “You look so familiar.” Simeon spoke toward Darko but not actually
to
him. While it made him uncomfortable, Darko was acutely aware that had the man dared to actually chat
with
him would have been welcomed with even more distain. Here was the man Maxum was supposed to have broken up with. Darko had waited days to hear back from him only to come face to face with the reason why the call never came. Darko swallowed the bile churning at his insides. In fact, he wasn’t liking having to stand here and pretend at all, but he received no signals from Maxum that there were any alternatives.
Maxum
. He stood there like a frigid statue. His hands back down at his sides. He wasn’t even drinking. Odd, since Darko knew Maxum loved these wine events, loved the sampling, loved the aroma on his pallet then testing it with a kiss. He wondered if Maxum hand fed Simeon from his fingers like he had just done so with Vince? Darko felt a sudden shame for it now. Simeon however kept on without any motivation from Darko’s part, his hand floated up to his cheek, delicate bony fingers tapped there as he playfully pondered, “But I can’t seem to place the face.” He turned to Maxum, “You? Hmmm?” Maxum’s face paled at his partner’s quizzing. “No? Oh well I’m sure it will come to me later.”

Darko hated the toying from Simeon. He hated Maxum’s ability to be so aloof toward him even more.

“So you were saying about
Salientis
? You know Maxum is the primary financial supporter for the resort.” But even as Simeon struck up the conversation back to the starting point, Darko could see the man could care less about the island and more about that Maxum had just been introduced as
its owner
. He knew by the way Simeon’s hand caressed down Maxum’s arm like—
here stands my rich boyfriend. Yes he owns an island, whatever it’s called.
“So have you ever been to it?” Simeon sipped on a glass of white wine, with a fickle twitch to his face after each one.

Though the question was posed, Darko could see the reception for an answer wasn’t there. Not particularly paying any attention of whether he said yes, no or—
I prefer jacking my dick to the national anthem
. He nearly snorted.
What the perfect question.
Darko’s gaze tightened down on the man across from him, Maxum’s own eyes burning with a warning of jealousy. “As a matter of fact, Vida and I had just come from a week’s vacation there.” Darko thought about pulling Vida in against his body, to rub it in more, but knew better than to use Vida that way. “We had to wait until after the championships, but when we won our coach gave us all a two week reprieve from practice. So Vida and I headed down then.”

“Championship?” Simeon jumped on the chance to steer away from the boring topic of the resort but showing his well-rehearsed ability to make a client feel like they were always in the spotlight with a new one.

“Oh forgive me. Let me Darko.” Lars spoke up. “Darko is a champion sculling rower. His team won the New England Masters this fall.”

“Sculling? Really?” Simeon actually perked up with some genuine interest.

“Yeah, I row on the Greenwich Queens rowing team.” Now hating the attention as much as being a pawn in a meaningless conversation, but wasn’t going to forfeit in front of everyone.

“Oh my.” Simeon face brightened as if star struck. “I’m on the rotary from the East Village. We’re big fans. We’ve even held a few fundraiser rallies to help out. Oh and you have a new teammate now. That sexy supermodel guy. What’s his name? Trojan?”

Darko grimaced, his brother’s name wasn’t that hard to remember or pronounce right, “Trofim. It’s pronounced
trohe-phem
.” All the while Maxum remained silently dormant. Practiced control and tolerance kept him from rudely walking away but evidently uncomfortable, but any attempt to lure Simeon away would perhaps lead to questions he didn’t chance to initiate between them.

“Trofim. I get it. Oh, he is so handsome. So which boat are you on?” The spotlight focused back for the game.

“The eight man and one of the single-man teams.” Darko’s gaze slowly went back to Maxum. Ironic wasn’t it? Maxum’s boyfriend, the one he was supposed to have called it off with was showing more interest in him right now than he did. Darko couldn’t stomach it any longer. He turned to Vida ducking his head only some, to whisper in his ear. “I could really use a drink.”

Vida gave him a look of pity as if he could see it on his face how much he hated the fake conversation that surrounded him. It wasn’t really that, it was but it wasn’t. He just couldn’t stand here in front of Maxum any longer. The man he’d been trying to draw into his life over the scarce time together scattered across the last two months, only to come blatantly before the reason he had been unsuccessful. It was more than just a slap in the face as to why it would never happen.

“Oh, look hon.” Simeon was pointing across the banquet hall, “There’s Coralline and Almere. Oh, we must go talk to them. Coralline told me at the tea the other day, Almere is looking into buying some European energy something or other.” And off they went. A heavy sigh from Maxum as they excused themselves and allowed his partner to lead the way to the next networking trivial conversation.

As the night rolled on, the stressful game of avoidance continued. Darko finally excused himself for the bathroom, only it wasn’t even a minute when Maxum was in there right behind him.