Waiting for Rain (12 page)

I gazed at her in horror. “You watched us while we were
in
there?”

Could this get any worse?

She shook her head, tears still streaming down her cheeks. “No, you idiot. We’re not that bloody voyeuristic.” Her voice was musing. “Although, as you know, I have this fascination with gay-man sex, so that might not be such a bad idea….” Her voice trailed off at the murderous look on my face.

“Seriously, Tammy. Who else knows?” I could hear the panic in my voice.

“No one else. Both of us have been keeping an eye out on the area when you two are in there, and we try and keep people away so you can have your little tête-à-têtes undisturbed.” She eyed me lasciviously. “You’re both pretty needy, aren’t you?
Every day
, Toby?”

I blushed then, something I wasn’t in the habit of doing. “Are you sure Eddie doesn’t know? He winked at me when I came in.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Eddie just thinks the two of you together is really sweet, but I don’t think he’s figured out the garden shed element yet.”

I groaned loudly. “Great. Just great. Now we’ll never be able to use that place again in case you or Lucas decide to set up bloody cameras in there and YouTube us.” I scowled. “What did you tell the customers that heard me in there?”

She smiled innocently. “Oh, there were no customers who heard you. I made that up just to see what you’d do.”

My eyes narrowed. “You are a bitch, Tam.”

She shrugged. “Guilty as stated, my love.” Her eyes softened. “I think it’s great that you and Rain have a thing going, Toby. You look very good together. The whole hotel knows you two have something happening.”

“As do you and Lucas,” I said slyly. “The two of you seem to be hitting it off.”

Since the incident in the car park with Neil, Tammy hadn’t said much other than she was deciding what to do about it. I’d got the impression she was warning me not to push her, and I was happy to oblige. At least she was thinking about it. Her face went pink. “Lucas is a nice person,” she said primly. “We’re friends.”

I kept my face bland. “Would you like to borrow our garden hut? It’s going cheap at the moment.”

She giggled. “Stop being so dreadful.”

We grinned at each other. I was relieved, actually. It made the fact that Rain and I were going to have to find another place to develop our relationship that much more necessary.

Chapter 8

Rain

I
LOOKED
at Lucas in horror. “What the hell are you saying? You’ve been
watching
us?” I stood in the bar room, feeling the earth shifting beneath my feet.

My best friend had just laconically told me he knew about my and Toby’s little “fuck nest”—his words, not mine—in the garden. Apparently he and Tammy had been “protecting us”—again, his words, not mine—from curious onlookers wondering why the hut seemed to move and shake with such regularity. I couldn’t believe that story. I was sure he was baiting me. But Lucas had always been a very good poker player.

“No, mate, not
watching
you,” he explained patiently. “Watching out
for
you. Keeping the beasts at bay, so to speak.” He smirked. “Although I think the beasts were probably
in
the hut, not on the outside, if the rumors of the amazing shifting hut are anything to go by. How the hell did you two actually manage to fuck each other in such a small space, anyway? Are you both double-jointed or something?”

I was speechless, something which didn’t happen often. This all-too-frank discussion of mine and Toby’s supposed sexual exploits was a conversation I’d never envisaged having with anyone else outside the two of us.

“But, honestly, really? People saw the hut moving?” I knew that was probably the lamest thing I’d ever said. I watched Lucas’s face crease as he let loose, his mirth too much to hold in any longer. I watched with a face I imagined looked like thunder, if my mood was anything to go by, as my friend howled in laughter. His large body shook, and he held his sides as the tears streamed down his face.

“Oh, God, Rain, your face. You should have seen it. I bet Toby’s looked the same when Tammy told him the same thing.” He lost it again, and I stood, fuming, my arms folded in front of me, as I waited for his little bout of fun to end.

Finally, he got himself under control and stood up, his chest heaving, his face crinkled with laughter. “Rain, I was joking. Nobody saw the bloody hut move, mate. Christ, you can’t be that bloody good!” He chuckled, and again I watched him enjoy himself at my expense.

“You’re a bastard, Lucas, you know that?” I growled when I could finally be heard above his merriment.

He nodded his agreement. “But it was too good an opportunity to pass up,” he sniggered. I finally gave a smile. He had definitely got me. “So are you and Toby getting serious?”

I fidgeted a little. “Not serious, no. God, it’s only been two weeks. But I like the guy, and we have fun together so….” I shrugged. “Let’s see what happens.” I scowled. “But now we’ll have to find somewhere else to go to be alone. The hut is definitely a no-no.”

“Rain, you have a cottage. Take him there. It’s comfy and private. For God’s sake, let your guard down and let the guy in a little.”

I sighed. “He’s such a bloody workaholic. Toby’s life is that hotel. He lives it. But I suppose my place is going to need to become the next fuck hut if I want to see any action anytime soon.”

Lucas looked at me knowingly. “Is that all he is to you—a fuck buddy? I would have said he was a little more than that.”

I looked at him. “Christ, I hardly know the guy yet. Don’t go marrying me off to him or making more of this than it is.”

Lucas shook his head in resignation, picking up his treasured plane and making his way over to the frame we were building for the bar. “Right, now we’ve established all that, Mr. ‘I don’t want to get involved ’cause I’m fooling myself,’ we’d better get back to work. This bar isn’t going to build itself.”

I picked up my drill and followed him, his words echoing in my ears. I’d only been working half an hour when my mobile rang. Thinking it was Toby, I answered. “Hey, hotshot. I’m glad you called. I wanted to ask you something.”

“Rain, I’m impressed. How did you know it was me?”

The teasing tone echoed down the phone, and my jaw dropped. “Tommy? What the hell are you calling me for?”

My ex-boyfriend’s voice was a little colder when he spoke again. “Nice welcome, lover. If not me, then who were you expecting?”

“It doesn’t matter.” The familiar sound of his voice did something to my insides. “Where are you calling from—are you back in the UK?”

He laughed. “God, no. I’m still in Monte Carlo. But I’m coming over for a visit in a couple of months, and I wanted to see you. I don’t have much time right now. I’m due back on the floor in a few minutes. Just wanted to touch base, tell you I’ll be over in September sometime. I’ll give you a ring closer to the time or text you my flight details. Don’t worry about picking me up. I’ll make a plan to get down to you in that godforsaken place you’ve moved to. I’m looking forward to seeing you, Rain. I’ve missed you.” I stood, gobsmacked at the one-sided conversation. It was so like Tommy to take charge and simply tell me what he was doing. “Anyways, I’ve gotta go. See you soon. Keep your cockles warm for me.”

There was a chuckle, and then the phone went dead. I stared at the phone as if expecting him to materialize out of it at any time. He had sounded so close, so familiar. I didn’t quite know how I felt, knowing he was coming over. Part of me was feeling pretty good; another part felt torn apart. I needed to focus on what I had now, which was Toby. The chances were Tommy would have changed his mind by the time September came around. It was another habit of his to change his plans at a whim.

Later that evening, after Lucas had left for the day, I hung around to try to catch up with Toby. I had no intention of telling him about Tommy’s call. There was no point in worrying anyone unduly. I hadn’t seen my lover all afternoon, not since the session in the hut. He normally finished at seven, but knowing Toby, he’d still be wandering around, unable to let go. I finally tracked him down in the Orchid Lounge, where he was trying to placate some woman who’d found out her coffee hadn’t been caffeine-free after all. He looked harassed and tired. Seeing me lurking, he gave me a weary smile. He managed to soothe the woman’s ruffled feathers with the promise of another definitely caffeine-free coffee and cake and then ambled over to me. I wanted to kiss the strain of his day away and make him smile. That emotion alone made me worry about what I was getting involved in here with him.

“Hey.” He nodded. “What are you still doing here?”

“Waiting for you.”

He smiled, and my insides jellied.

“What’s up?” he asked.

I looked at my watch. “Aren’t you supposed to be off duty now? It’s almost eight. Don’t you have that other guy taking over for you?”

“Chris? Yeah, he’s here. I was just sorting out some stuff. Then I was going to head upstairs. Have a shower and get into bed.”

“Do you want to come back to my place?” I asked. “You can bring some stuff over, have a shower there, and we can hang out for the evening.” I hesitated. “You can stay over. It beats the hut, I promise. We need to find somewhere else to make out.” I grinned at him, waiting with butterflies to see what he said. His sudden intake of breath told me he was surprised. I don’t think he’d expected to see the inside of my place anytime soon. I don’t think I’d ever even told him where I lived.

“Stay at your place? I have to be here at seven tomorrow morning, so it depends how far away you are. I don’t want to wake you up too early.” He sounded awkward.

I shrugged. “I’m an early riser. I’m only about fifteen minutes away, anyway. You’ll have plenty of time to get here for seven. You can follow me home if you like so you can get away tomorrow. Or we can drive home in my car together, and I’ll bring you back in the morning. If it’s earlier than usual, I can hang out and drink coffee until Lucas arrives.” I knew I was blabbering a bit, and he looked a little flustered.

“I do want to come.” He flushed at how that sounded, and I raised an eyebrow at him in what I hoped was a sexy move.

“I’m pretty sure we can make that happen,” I said wickedly. He smiled, hitting straight at my heart and making it beat faster.

“I mean, come to your house, you pervert. I don’t mind coming home with you if you’re happy to bring me in to work in the morning. I don’t have my own car, and I think Simon’s using the work car I’d normally drive when I need to.”

I smiled. “So, go grab your stuff, and let’s get off. We can grab something to eat on the way if you’re hungry and then see what happens.”

His face lit up. “I’ll go get some clothes and my toothbrush and other shit and see you down here. Don’t go without me.” He turned and bounded away like a puppy chasing a ball. I watched the twin globes of his arse as he left and hoped like hell I’d be between them tonight. We stopped off first and got Chinese takeout from one of my favorite shops. Half an hour later we’d arrived at my cottage and were walking up to the front door. Toby had been talkative on the way here, and we’d chatted about our respective friends yanking our chains about the garden hut and its use as a sex palace. I opened the door and led the way in.

My cottage was in the small town of Oakham, just outside of the village. I’d been lucky to get this place, as it also had a small barn on the premises which I used as a workshop. It was a two-bedroom stone cottage, set on a couple of acres of land out in the middle of the countryside. There was a dirt road off the main road leading up to the house. It was private and secluded, and I loved it. I switched on the lamp, flooding the room with warm, dim light. Toby moved forward, deeper into the lounge.

“You’re not scared of dogs, are you?” I asked, laying the takeout on the small side table and shrugging out of my jacket, hanging it up on the hook on the wall. “I’m not sure where she is. Probably sleeping on my bed, but you can bet she’ll be here soon when she smells the food.”

Toby looked around with appreciation at the low-beamed, wood-paneled, and comfortable living area. It was scattered with various African prints and knickknacks sent over from my mother, who loved sending me things to remind me of my birthplace. Despite the fact I only spoke to them once or twice a month, I knew my parents were always there for me. The trinkets reminded me of them, brought them closer. This place was a haven to me, and I was glad Toby seemed to like it.

“I love all your stuff. I like dogs. Never had one, but I like them.” He grinned. “She’s not much of a guard dog, is she?”

I laughed. “Her bark is definitely worse than her bite. Sheba’s a real softy.”

Toby set his small overnight bag down on the floor, that small gesture sending a tingling through my body. He slung his suit jacket over the back of a dining-room chair and moved around, looking at things, picking up odd items with curiosity and examining them. His eyes lit up in wonder when he spotted the huge print on one of the walls. It was a print of a painting by Naples-born artist Sabatino Cersosimo. Tommy had bought it for my birthday a few years ago, and it was one of my favorites. It depicted a man’s face looking out and was quite striking.

“I love this picture. It’s amazing.” He peered at it closely. “It makes you wonder what he’s thinking.”

“I know what I’m thinking,” I murmured cheesily, moving up behind him and wrapping my arms around his waist. Physical action always calmed me down, grounded me. He leaned back with a sigh, and I kissed the side of his neck. “I’m glad you’re here. It feels good having company.”

Toby turned around and kissed my lips. “I’m glad you asked me over. It’s so bloody difficult with me only having that small room at the hotel. I don’t take my dates up there. It just doesn’t feel right.” His voice was apologetic. “So I’ve always had to rely on the other man’s place, and that doesn’t always happen.” He chuckled. “Some guys seem to think that it means more than it does.”

He looked at me, and I saw the teasing light in his eyes. I pulled him closer, already feeling the swell of my cock in my trousers just at his nearness and the scent of him. I took his mouth fiercely, feeling his lips open as I pushed my tongue inside, meeting his. He wrapped his arms around my neck as he pressed his own hardness against mine, and we rubbed together wantonly. We were both really getting into each other when we were interrupted by a loud bark, which made us both shoot two feet in the air. My heart pounded as we pulled apart.