Waiting for Rain (16 page)

One evening, in the quietness of the hotel office, Tammy and I sat talking. She’d gotten into the habit of staying longer at work to avoid Neil. I was waiting for Rain to pick me up to go back to his place. He was out with a client somewhere, giving them a quote for a study.

“You were right all along, Toby. I’m going to tell Neil on Saturday that I don’t want to see him anymore,” she said quietly as we drank our coffee. “Lucas said he’d be there with me if I wanted him to, but I thought that would be a bit off. So Rachel said she’d be there with me, because Neil won’t try anything if there are two of us.” Rachel was her best girlfriend.

I nodded. “I guess you wouldn’t want me there adding fuel to the fire,” I joked. “But you know I would if you wanted me to, right?”

She nodded. “I know.” We sipped our drinks in companionable silence.

I looked at her over the rim of my cup. “So things with you and Lucas are going okay? You two have hit it off pretty well.”

Tammy smiled, her face transforming into that of someone on their way to falling in love. I knew what that looked like. I saw it in the mirror every morning and night.

“Yes, we’re doing fine. I just hope Neil doesn’t make things difficult for him.”

I snorted. “I’d like to see him try. Lucas is a big bloke, and Neil won’t stand a chance.”

She giggled. “Yes, Lucas is big.”

I raised an inquiring eyebrow. “How big is he, then?” Her face blushed beet red.

“Toby, stop that! God, you have a one-track mind. We’re not like you and Rain, who go at it like bloody rabbits.”

She sounded a little jealous, and I chuckled. “Can I help it I have an insatiable boyfriend who loves my body? And my mouth and my big—”

Tammy reached over and placed a finger on my lips. “I get the picture. Keep the rest to yourself.”

“There was a time, young lady, when you wanted to know all the sordid details. But now you have your own fantasy, I guess mine aren’t as interesting anymore….”

I ducked as she threw a book at me. It narrowly missed my head. I laughed.

Tammy laid a warm hand on mine. “Anyway, how are things between you and Rain? You two have really become a couple in the last few months. I’m so pleased for you, Toby.”

I sighed. “Yeah. But sometimes I’m not quite sure where we’re going with it all. Sometimes I feel just like his fuck buddy. Then other times he surprises me and does something really thoughtful. I have no idea what the man’s feeling. He’s a man of action—he thinks by screwing me senseless he’s communicating his feelings. It would be nice to hear him say something romantic once in a while.” My tone was wistful.

“Rain isn’t one for emotions, Toby. But you’re wearing him down slowly.” She glanced at me. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you? It’s all over your face.”

I nodded. “I think so. God help me, as the man’s as frustrating as hell. He blows hot and cold. But when he’s blows hot, my God. He’s incredible.”

We grinned at each other.

“Simon called yesterday. Did you speak to him?” Tammy picked at a pink Post-it stuck to the desk with the words “Meat carvery—check menu” written on them. I wasn’t sure what that was all about. It wasn’t one of mine.

“Yes, we had a chat. He seems to have found someone out there—a chap called Luis? He hasn’t said much about him, but I get the idea he quite likes him. I’m glad. He deserves to find a nice bloke. He’s coming back soon for a visit. I’m looking forward to seeing him.”

There was a loud knock on the door. I looked up to see the smiling face of my boyfriend.

“Hey, you two. I knew I’d find you here. You’re like a couple of old women, sitting comparing your stories in front of a fire. Except in your case it’s a couple of PC monitors.”

I scowled at being called an old woman and stood up. He moved over to me, giving me a quick peck on the lips before turning to Tammy and doing the same. He seemed extremely hyped up.

“Are you ready to go?” He motioned eagerly to the doorway, hopping from one foot to another. “After you, Toby. Beauty before brains and all that.”

I looked at him in suspicion. “What’s up with you? You’re like one of those bloody meerkats we were watching on the Discovery Channel the other night.” Rain had introduced me to these little animals from his birthplace, along with a running commentary that had more than once made me want to stuff one down his gullet. Rain could be a real smug know-it-all.

“You’ll have to wait until we get to my place,” he said with a sly smile. “I think you’ll enjoy what I have set up there. I was working on it yesterday when you were at work all bloody day and night.”

“Sounds interesting,” Tammy murmured. “I’d get off if I were you, Toby. He may turn into a pumpkin or something at midnight.” She giggled.

I smiled, leaning down to kiss her good-bye. “See you in the morning, then.” I turned to the man still bobbing excitedly before me. “Let’s get off before you self-combust with excitement.”

He grinned slyly. “No, that would be what a haystack does.” His face brightened. “Did you know they can catch alight from the fermentation inside at their core and set themselves on fire? Thank God it didn’t happen the night we—”

I leaned in, kissing him fiercely. I had no intention of letting the wide-eyed Tammy know what we’d gotten up to in the farmer’s field. “Shut the hell up and let’s go.”

I was intrigued by his secret. When we finally reached his place around ten o’clock and went into the cool, dim entrance, he was skipping like a little kid.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” I laughed as he grinned and laid his shoulder bag on the floor. He took my hand, leading me into the lounge. “You’re like a child with ADHD. I think you need to cut down on your sugar intake.”

He reached out and pulled me to him, his lips taking mine in a possessive kiss that made my cock curl upward just by the taste and smell of him, and my heart beat faster.

“I have no intention of cutting down on my sugar,” he drawled when he released me to finally breathe again. “Not going to happen.”

He pulled me into the lounge, and I stood stock still in disbelief at what I saw there. In the middle of the small room there was a six- or seven-foot-long pole, made out of aluminum or something similar. It was fixed into what looked like an outside umbrella stand, the kind you use to anchor large patio umbrellas. He was practically giggling at the look on my face, a very un-Rain-like sound which was a little disconcerting.

“What the fuck is that all about?” I exclaimed, nonplussed as he nudged me closer. He smiled, a sight of sheer decadence coupled with the glint in his eyes.

“It’s my Rain dance pole,” he said sultrily as he grabbed the pole and swung around it with what were very practiced burlesque dance moves. My jaw dropped. He grinned as he shimmied around it. Even fully clothed he made my groin ache and my throat dry. God knows what he’d look like doing what he was doing half-dressed or—Mr. Cocky gave a lurch—naked with his fine arse and the rest of him hanging out. I swallowed. He stopped causing havoc to my nether regions and my heart rate and came over to me, his face alight with mischief.

“What do you think?” He waved at it, as proud as punch. “I put cement in the bottom so it holds the base and the pole securely, and I can do what I like with it.” He flashed his teeth in what I imagined was to be a sexy grin but made him look as if he wanted to eat me. Not that I had a problem with that but… this whole thing was just so out of the blue.

I nodded dumbly. “It’s very nice.”

Rain scowled. That obviously wasn’t the reaction he’d expected. “Very
nice
? Christ, Toby, you are the fucking master of understatement.” He looked extremely put out. I hastened to reassure him I did indeed like his unusual present to me.

I growled and reached over and kissed him, my mouth grinding against his, my groin pressing against his now hardening member. “It’s bloody amazing is what it is,” I managed to get out in between hot, wet kisses and a sword parry of mutually greedy tongues. “I love it, Rain, as long as it’s only for me to watch you.”

He looked more pleased at my blatant action of gratitude as he unzipped and slid my chinos down my legs until my pants landed in a heap on the floor. “Oh, you’re the only one I’ll be putting on a floor show for,” he said as he knelt down before me. His blue eyes regarded the evidence of just how pleased I was, and he smiled, licking his lips, making it even more evident. Then his warm, hungry mouth enveloped me, and I decided it was indeed bloody amazing.

After he’d finished with me, we cuddled up on the couch, observing his “brain wave” with dreamy eyes. The recent activity had mellowed us, especially after I’d returned the blowjob favor.

I eyed the pole warily. “You do realize that it’s very ‘in your face’ in the middle of your living room, and from the feel of it, it’s not going to be moved easily? What will your landlord think when he comes around to inspect the property for his three-monthly check?”

Rain’s face fell. “I hadn’t thought of that. Hell, the guy’s going to think I’m some sort of bloody stripper, isn’t he? Do you think he’ll kick me out of here?”

The woebegone expression on his face made me chuckle. “I doubt it. He’ll probably want a show himself. Talking of which, exactly how do you manage those moves you did earlier around that thing—you seemed pretty experienced.” I leaned over, nibbling his earlobe, tugging on it with my teeth. Rain smiled loftily.

“I found myself quite partial to the pole when I used to go clubbing with Tommy back in London. I learned a few tricks.” I scowled at hearing name of his ex-boyfriend and bit his ear harder.

He yowled. “Stop that. You’re like one of those bloody vampire bats.”

Another Discovery Channel episode he’d forced me to watch. I licked the inside of his ear, feeling the tremor run through his body, watching as goose bumps formed on his bare arms. His smoky eyes narrowed.

“Toby, you’re bloody insatiable.”

“And you love it,” I murmured, my tongue delving deeper into his ear, then tracing a wet line along his jaw. He hitched a deep breath, swallowing. I nibbled the fine hair on his neck, and his body tensed.

“God, you drive me crazy,” he managed to get out as I slid my hand down to his crotch.

I smiled against the warmth and vanilla scent of his skin. “Count on it. I’m in the mood for some more loving. And then you can give me a show on that pole of yours.”

He grinned as he pushed me roughly back on the couch, crawling up and over me like a tiger about to devour its prey. His eyes darkened as his hands took mine and pushed them up above my head, pinning me in place. “Toby, this pole of mine is about to get real busy. Lie back and enjoy, lover.”

I did what I was told.

O
NE
NIGHT
Rain left the hotel to go home after promising me he might swing by later. I couldn’t spend the night at his place tonight—I just had too much on the go. We had a party of twenty people in from the local RAF Wittering air base, a birthday party taking place for one of the medical staff. Tammy stayed an extra shift to help, and Chris was doing his best to manage the front of house while I tried to make sure the party got everything they needed. We were fully booked that night on rooms as well. Tammy winked at me as I passed her, making my way to the kitchen to check on their meals.

I looked at her. “What’s the wink for?”

She grinned. “Mikey is with the party tonight, and I overheard him saying he’s going to ask you out.”

I groaned, feeling a sense of despair. “Oh hell. I haven’t done anything to encourage him, and I don’t want to have to turn him down. What am I going to do?”

She shrugged. “Just be nice to him. Explain to him you have a boyfriend now. That’s all you can do. I just thought I’d forewarn you.”

I nodded. “Thanks, Tammy.”

Around 11:30 p.m. the party was drawing to a close, twelve drunk and exuberant men and women getting ready to leave for the night. My feet hurt, my back ached, and my temper was frayed. I was so tired I wanted to creep into a dark hole and just sleep. Even the memory of Rain’s sexy dancing on his new toy, something he’d done a few times to great effect for me, didn’t do its usual cheering up. I was seeing most of the party out, waving good-bye, and looking forward to my bed, when I spotted an inebriated Mikey making his way toward me. He looked very determined, his cheeks pink with alcohol. God, I don’t need this now. Please, Mikey, just go home.

He continued on his path to where I stood, his brown eyes regarding me with determination and boldness.

“Toby? I was looking for you. I wanted to talk to you.” His speech was slurred, but I didn’t think he was too pissed to have a decent conversation. I smiled at him as he weaved closer to me and stood in front of me. I tried not to wince at the beer blast on his breath.

“Mikey, did you have a good time tonight? You seem to have enjoyed yourself.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I had a good time.” He reached out a hand and stroked my suit sleeve lingeringly.

I smiled and moved away. “What can I do for you, Mikey?” I didn’t know him that well. I’d seen him in the pub now and then again with his mates, and he seemed to be a nice enough bloke. They didn’t come in all that much, maybe every few weeks. Now that he was closer to me, I could see that he was probably in his early twenties—maybe about twenty-three, older than I’d thought. He had a number-two brush cut, with pale, freckled skin and huge brown eyes that were looking at me with something close to adoration. I felt very uncomfortable being stared at as if I was some delicious morsel on a plate. He was about five six in height, well-built and attractive if you liked that sort of sweet farm-boy look. I was definitely more into the bad-boy persona myself.

“I wanted to see if you would go on a date with me?” There it was, out in the open, and now I had to let the youngster down gently.

I adopted a rueful smile and slowly shook my head. “I’m sorry, Mikey. I have a boyfriend, and I doubt very much he’d be okay with that. But I’m flattered you asked me.”

He blinked. “You have a boyfriend?”

I nodded. “Yes, we’ve been together a while now. I haven’t seen you lately, so I guess you didn’t know. No harm done.”