Screwing the System (29 page)

Maybe he should take up Freddie and Cerys on that offer to call round. Or perhaps invite them here instead. And they weren’t the only ones he owed a bit of hospitality towards. He should have Mavis around for dinner one evening. And Sadie too. The idea was strangely appealing. Doing something cosy, with people who’d accept Cosmo readily. People who made him smile. Yes. He’d do it.

He undid the top two buttons of his shirt. Screw it. If Roger’s lot were freaked out by his tattoos, that was their problem. He was done hiding away behind a respectable façade.

“Whoa, boss! You look amazing,” Cosmo said as Alasdair walked down the stairs. “Are we taking the bike?”

“It’s only a few minutes down the road.”

But at Cosmo’s pleading pout, Alasdair relented. “Fine, we’ll take the sodding bike. Just don’t blame me if your legs get cold, all right?”

“I’ll just get you to warm them up again if they do.”

Alasdair harrumphed. “I don’t know what you’re expecting, but this really isn’t going to be one of those kinds of parties.”

“What, no chucking your keys into a bowl at the beginning? Aww, your friends are no fun.”

“Honestly, I’m not even sure most of them are my friends. Roger and Tori are, but the rest of them…” He should warn Cosmo what he was walking into
.
“Some of them are pretty conservative, and I don’t know how they’re going to react to finding out I’m gay, let alone you putting on some kind of public display.”

Cosmo’s eyebrows shot up. “They don’t even know?”

“I’ve not denied it. It’s just never come up.”

“So, you’ve decided to come out in style now, have you?”

“Looks that way, doesn’t it?”

“Then I reckon we should definitely turn up on the bike.”

Should they? Oh fuck it, in for a penny and all that. “Yeah, all right then. Why not?”

They shared a smile.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The ride to Roger’s took a little longer than it should have done, Alasdair taking a quick detour around the village to calm his nerves.

Nerves. It was stupid, but he felt more nervous than he ever had before a business deal. Even more nervous than the first time he’d wielded a flogger, staring down at Jon’s pale back. He didn’t care if any of Roger’s set were shocked, but he should have called ahead to warn Roger, at least. It was his party that would potentially be ruined. And what if someone talked down to Cosmo? He tried to explain once he’d parked the bike on Roger’s driveway. “Just be yourself,” he said after they’d stowed their helmets in the top box. “Anyone who acts like a snob, that’s their problem, not yours.”

“So I’ve got permission to act however I like, have I? No orders to behave?”

“You can behave however makes you feel comfortable.”

Cosmo gave an evil grin and loosened his studded belt a notch, so the jeans hung even lower on his hips. Fuck. The lad was sex on legs. Anyone could see that. What was he letting himself in for?

Cosmo’s mouth fell open as they strolled up the brick driveway. “This place is even bigger than yours.”

Alasdair looked up at the three-storey Georgian façade. He’d always liked Roger’s house for its orderly symmetry and lack of pretension. You didn’t need fancy ornamentation when you had size on your side. “It’s got ten bedrooms, apparently.”

“Wow. I reckon I’d get lost living somewhere like that.”

“Yeah, well, don’t go getting any ideas. I don’t think you’re Roger’s type.”

Cosmo bumped hips with him, and Alasdair threw a possessive arm over his shoulder. They walked past a half-open window, raised voices and soft music spilling out through the gap. His arm twitched instinctively, but he made it lie still. Bugger it, no point pretending they weren’t together, was there?

He took his arm from its resting place only when they reached the front door, and even then, he took hold of Cosmo’s hand. “Promise you’ll stay with me in there.”

“Worried I’ll embarrass you if you don’t keep an eye on me?”

“No.” Actually, right now he was more worried someone richer and classier might make a play for Cosmo, but how could he put it without sounding ridiculous? “I just want to spend my evening with you.”

“You say the sweetest things.” Cosmo’s tone was half mocking, but his pleasure leaked out anyway. “I always knew you were just a big teddy bear inside.” He looped an arm around Alasdair’s neck to pull him down into a kiss.

That was when the door opened, and Alasdair looked around to find Roger staring at them both, his mouth hanging open. Well, that was one way to wipe the suave urbanity off his face.

“Roger, I’d like you to meet my partner, Cosmo Rawlins. Cosmo, this is Roger Montague, our host.”

“Pleased to meetcha, Roger,” Cosmo said, and Alasdair could swear he was putting on his most council-estate accent. “Alasdair’s told me all about you.”

“I wish I could say the same in return,” Roger murmured, but he blinked, visibly gathered his wits together and held out his hand to Cosmo. “Well, do come on through, both of you. I’m sure Tori will be charmed to meet you. She’s always been on about Ali bringing a date, but he’s never obliged before. I think I’m starting to understand why.”

Alasdair squeezed Cosmo’s hand once and glared at Roger for the barb, but the man just raised a quizzical eyebrow and tilted his head in the direction of the study.

Yes, they’d have to talk it through later. Alasdair at least owed him some kind of explanation. Not for being gay, but for letting Roger believe he was straight all this time.

“Wow, awesome pictures, man,” Cosmo was saying, pointing up at the portraits on the wall. “Is that you in fancy dress, Rodge?”

Roger clenched his jaw. “That’s my great grandfather.”

“Dead spit of you, he is.” Cosmo winked at Alasdair. Alasdair glanced up at the constipated-looking, whey-faced ancestor and grinned.

“We need to talk,” Roger said, sotto voce. Alasdair’s gaze followed as Cosmo swaggered off through the open doorway and into the throng.

“Later,” Alasdair said. “I’m busy right now.”

Roger nodded once, and a reluctant smile tugged at his lips. He glanced down at Alasdair’s neck, no doubt getting a good eyeful of the ink. “You are a dark horse, aren’t you? Come on, then. The business can wait, as I can see we’re going to have to keep an eye on young Cosmo. He’s going to make quite a splash. Let’s introduce him to Tori first. She’ll know how to show him to his best advantage. She’s going to be thrilled, you know. She’s always wanted a gay best friend, for some unknown reason.” Roger halted and shot Alasdair a worried glance. “Not that I meant any offence by that, of course. Your sexuality is no concern of mine.”

Alasdair watched his normally unflappable friend squirm for a moment, before taking mercy. “None taken, Roger.”

Shocking posh people was fun, Cosmo decided after watching yet another middle-aged man’s eyebrows bounce off the ceiling. What a bunch of fuddy-duddies they were. All Cosmo had suggested was that Waterstones should start selling handcuffs and ball gags, seeing as how they’d made a bomb out of that
Fifty Shades
book.

A firm hand landed on his lower back. Alasdair’s hand. “Excuse me, James, I need to steal him away from you.”

Posh James positively wilted with relief, and Cosmo gave him a little finger wave and a smirk. “We’ll talk again later, okay?”

It clearly wasn’t okay, judging by the look of terror that passed over James’s face.

“You are a right little mischief maker, aren’t you?” Alasdair muttered into his ear, steering Cosmo out of a pair of french windows and onto a patio lit by strings of paper lanterns. There were only a few smokers out here braving the cool evening air, and Alasdair led Cosmo down a set of steps onto a wide lawn where they’d be out of earshot.

“Want me to tone it down, do you?”

Alasdair’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Maybe just a little. I reckon you had James convinced you were coming on to him there. I’ve never seen the old windbag at a loss for words before. You should be congratulated, really.”

“So no flirting with the natives. Gotcha.”

“I didn’t mind you flirting with Tori.”

“Yeah, she’s a cutie.” Roger’s wife had turned out to be a real diamond, her initial surprise quickly transforming into a delight at having Cosmo there to show off. He got the feeling she was thrilled to have a chance to prove how cosmopolitan she was, and they’d had a nice chinwag about
Brokeback Mountain
and how “utterly charming” it was. Not that Cosmo had read the book or seen anything more than the trailer for the film, but he could certainly appreciate the way Heath Ledger filled out a pair of Levis. “So, what did you really drag me out here for?” Cosmo asked, taking a step right up close and personal. “Whatever it was, I think you’d better make it quick, or everyone’s going to think we’re jumping each other’s bones out here.”

Alasdair made good on that, giving Cosmo a kiss that left him panting. He went for more, but Alasdair stopped him with a finger to his lips. “Later. I just wanted to let you know I’m going to have to disappear for ten minutes or so. Roger has some contracts he wants me to look over.”

“Contracts? You’re not buying this place off him, are you? I mean, it’s impressive, but I like your house better.”

“That’s good to hear. No, just business. Roger owns a chain of hotels, and I’m taking on the cleaning contract.”

Alasdair fixed him with the strangest look then. Cosmo had seen him jumpy and worried earlier when they were getting ready. But this was different. Was that guilt? What did Alasdair have to feel guilty about?
Cosmo’s guts stirred uneasily.

“Something you want to tell me?” Cosmo asked.

Alasdair opened his mouth, but before he could start talking Roger called his name from the patio.

“Ah, there you are, old chap. Come on, this will only take a minute. Hope you don’t mind me borrowing your date, Cosmo. Tori is keen to introduce you to a few people, though, if you don’t mind.”

Nice of him to ask, even if it was in a tone that suggested Cosmo had better not mind. “Nah, that’s fine,” he called, turning back to Alasdair. “We’ll talk about this later, yeah?”

“Later, I promise. And you’ll have to promise not to be mad at me. I honestly didn’t know until last week.”

Mad at him? Why on earth would he be mad at something to do with his business deal? Unless it meant a whole lot of extra work or business trips, but somehow Cosmo didn’t think it was anything that straightforward. What hadn’t Alasdair known? And why had he waited a whole flipping week to mention it?

Cosmo puzzled it over as he trailed up the steps behind Alasdair.

“Ah, there you are, darling. I missed you.” Tori’s plummy tones carried in the cool night air. When she hooked her arm through his companionably, Cosmo realised she’d been talking to him.

He looked after Alasdair’s broad back disappearing through a door in the opposite wall.

“Don’t worry about them. Just another bit of horribly dull paperwork. I swear, sometimes I wish Roger had never bought these awful hotels, but then again, the spas are rather lovely. You’ll have to join me and the girls one day. The seaweed wraps are marvellous, and they have the cutest masseurs.”

Cosmo tried to picture himself bundled up in a towelling gown, hanging out drinking cocktails with a bunch of posh girls. Something about the image didn’t compute.

“Sounds lovely, but I don’t think Alasdair would want me staying away overnight.”

“Oh, darling, it’s fine, really. Dashwood Hall is only a few miles away. We could just make an afternoon of it. Do say you’ll come, please.”

Cosmo nodded, his brain whirring. Dashwood Hall. Where his nan worked. And Alasdair was taking over the cleaning contract.

No wonder the fucker looked so bloody guilty.

“Are you all right, Cosmo?” Tori was staring into his face, her perfectly plucked brow ever so slightly furrowed in the middle. “You’ve turned awfully pale.”

“I’m fine.” Cosmo made an effort and pulled himself together, before snagging a glass of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray. “Just fine. Tell me more about these spas, then. No, wait, tell me about the masseurs. I bet they’re hot, right?”

He let her babble wash over him, concentrating only enough to make sure he nodded occasionally. His eyes kept straying to the door he’d seen Alasdair walk through.

When he got that lying fuck back home again, he was going to give him what for.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Alasdair had assumed the paperwork story was simply a ruse to get him out of the way for a ticking-off about Cosmo, but it turned out there genuinely was something for him to look at. Roger’s lawyer had recommended he include a new clause in the contract to protect his client’s interests in the event of Sanco going bankrupt. It seemed perfectly reasonable to Alasdair, but he read it through carefully several times, swilling the brandy Roger had offered him.

“Looks good to me,” he eventually agreed. “Not that you’ll ever have cause to need it.”

“I should hope not, but Curtis does his best to cover my back.”

“I’ll just need to get it checked out before I agree to sign.” Maybe he needed to take on a proper lawyer himself. Up until now, he’d paid only for the occasional consultation when absolutely necessary, but with a growing business came growing complications.