Essence of Time (25 page)

“Nearly. I got up to take a call, wandered back into an empty office, turn around and there she is, wet and ready. I tell you my friend. I can’t walk for tripping over willing women.”

“And that is different from usual because…?”

“Oh hell I don’t know. I’m not going to club anymore. Got a little sick of that scene. I bought a house, working on a major reno, plus I’ve got a sweet long-term downtown development idea.”

“Well, sounds like things are good for you my friend. I’m glad to hear it.”

“And you? How’s Chicago? How’s life?”

“Oh,” Rob glanced over at Blake who’d managed to fling the cover off again and had tossed and turned himself half hanging off the bed. Rob stood, stuck the man’s bare legs back on the bed and covered him up once more. “Life is pretty good right now.”

“I’m calling for a reason you know. I’ve got a business proposition for you.”

“Really.” He sat, put a hand on Blake’s cheek, willed the man to settle down. He smiled as Blake’s breathing evening out and his stiff jaw relaxed under Rob’s touch. “I’m listening.”

“There is a great location on the corner of Liberty and Division, smack middle of downtown coming up empty once the deadbeat restaurateur gets his shit out of there in another month or so. I’m buying the building.”

“Wow. You can buy a downtown building?”

“Told you man. Kicking ass. So, what I think is that you get yourself back to A-squared, let’s open a brew pub.”

“Hold on, you want to compete with Evan and Suzanne?” Rob stood, started pacing, his brain already spinning with possibilities.

“No, no, I’ve already talked with him about it. Different concept. Brew Pub. No bottling, no wholesaling, a straight up gastro pub with a semi-famous chef…”

“Fuck you, I’m for real famous.”

“Exactly. So?”

“What about the ‘brew’ part? You find a brew house for me? Fermenters? License? And someone to run that shit? Jesus Jack. I wish you hadn’t called me.”

“I knew you’d love it. Listen, Frietag, I will charge you a dollar a month rent, just write me in as a silent partner. I know you can make it work. You find a brewer, all the brew equipment. You’ve still got cash in the bank I know you do, Scrooge.”

Rob ran a hand down his face, his pulse racing. “Well, I might know a guy for the brew side...”

“Yeah, I thought you did.”

“But I want him in as partner.”

“Is he any good?”

Rob looked over at the bed. Blake had burrowed under the pillows, and the cover had slipped and revealed a luscious ass cheek. “Ask Evan. He’d know.”

“Dude. That guy? Really?”

“I won’t do it unless it’s with him. He is the absolute best.”

“At what? Sucking your cock?”

“Yeah, that too. I’m telling you, ask your buddy at Big House. He can tell you if Blake is any good or not.”

Jack laughed and when he returned to the phone his voice was a little tight. “I’m glad you found somebody man. I hope it works out for you. Even if it is way closer to home than may be comfortable for some people.”

“Frankly Jack, I don’t know if it will. But even if we don’t work out he is hands down the best brewer in the state, if not the region. You want him.”

“My man.” Jack’s voice warmed again, making Rob smile. “Okay, I trust you on this. Will he jump? Isn’t he next in line out at Foundation in Grand Rapids?”

“Maybe.” Rob sat on the edge of the bed, stared at the young man another minute. “Give me a few days.” He put a hand on Blake’s exposed hip, making him stir again, flip over and crack a huge yawn. “Talk soon, my friend. Thanks.”

****

The room pulsed with sweaty bodies and music. Rob was tired, but Blake had wanted to hit this club and he was finding that what made Blake happy did the same for him. He lifted his glass as Blake looked over at him, and then was swallowed up by the undulating crowd. Attractive men, women and everything in between moved as one body and he tried to repress a surge of jealousy as hands groped all over Blake’s form. The guy looked damn good, in dark denim jeans, bright white shirt that hugged his strong frame like a sexy glove. “Hey, handsome.” A lovely female with long black hair slid in alongside him leaning on the rail, mirroring his stance. She held out her beer bottle, and Rob touched his to it. The soft heat of her very exposed skin made his body snap to attention. He shot her a glance that would speak volumes, if she were receptive.

She turned, leaned against the rail and let her hair tumble down her back, the incredible perfection of her breasts clearly exposed to his gaze.
Yeah,
he thought,
she will do very well.
He moved closer, touched the top of her cleavage, pleased at the quick pebbling of her skin. She smiled at him, stepped close and cupped his hardening cock. “Mmmm….” She sighed, covered his lips, probed with her small tongue. The soft curves of her fit nicely against him, but he opened his eyes and spotted Blake sandwiched between a couple of lovely women. He broke the kiss, cupped the girl’s chin, his brain a whirl of possibility and his whole body zinging with desire.

“Hey,” he whispered close to her ear. “You up for some fun tonight?”

“
Mai oui
,” she bit his earlobe, making him shiver. Putting his hands on her bare arms, he held her back a minute, shoving down the sudden urge to yank her into the back room and fuck her silly. 

“Okay. You game for two of us.” He ran his finger down her neck, across the tops of her breasts.

“Depends. The other one look like you?” She licked her plump lips, took a step into him and covered his zipper again with her hand. He let himself enjoy it a half a second, then smiled, turned her around, pointed over her bare shoulder at Blake, still stuck between the two supermodels, writhing in time to the pounding techno music. She sucked in a breath. “Really?” Rob leaned in, kissed her neck, ran a hand up her thigh, found her as pantiless as he figured she’d be. She kept her back to him, arched into him a little, her breath coming in small gasps as he licked his way up her neck and slipped a finger between her wet waiting thighs.

“Really.” He pressed his cock against her leg, relished the soft wet folds at his fingertips. Her clit pulsed under his touch and she moaned when he gave it just the right amount of pressure and speed. “Come for me,
ma petite
.” She stiffened, put a hand over her mouth. Rob smiled as her pussy spasmed against his palm. “
Oui
, just like that.” He bit down on her shoulder, slid his fingers from between her legs and sucked them into his mouth as she gripped the rail, still gasping for breath. He cupped the back of her neck, tugged her close, kissed her hard, fast, then released her and pointed her out onto the dance floor. “Now,” he cupped a breast, ran his thumb over the peaking nipple. “That’s him. Go, dance, seduce. I’ll be watching.”

She smiled, grabbed his hand and sucked the fingers he’d just used to bring her to orgasm in this room full of people into her small, pert mouth. Then bit his fingertips and released him before sashaying out onto the dance floor, leaving him standing, his brain humming with anticipation.

Over the next half hour or so she delivered, in spades, inserting herself between Blake and one of the chicks dripping off him with ease, wrapping herself around him pulling him close, whispering in his ear. Rob leaned on the rail and watched, mesmerized as Blake laughed, danced, and let the girl tease, touch and dirty dance with him. His cock ached, trapped behind his zipper. He grabbed another beer from a passing tray, and then caught the two of them in an incredible kiss, Blake’s hands roaming all over her half-dressed body. Just as Rob started to cut it short, not sure if he could handle sharing at that point, Blake opened his eyes and stared straight at Rob. He broke the kiss, turned the girl around and danced more, grinding into her from behind. Rob lifted his beer bottle as Blake reached around and cupped a breast, leaned down to lick her neck. Rob smiled, relaxed, and let himself be calmed. Blake wanted this. So, he did too.

He put his fingers to lips again, tasting her, finished the beer, then stalked out onto the floor, entered the fray and broke a solid sweat sandwiching the girl between them, sneaking kisses with Blake over her head. At one point the girl, Juliet, reached up and grabbed his neck, laid a kiss on him that made him breathless. “You guys are hot as shit. We gonna do this, or what?” He nodded, grabbed her hand and Blake’s and pulled them out into the warm Parisian night.

They fell into the room, tangled up in each other, arms, legs, lips, hands all over the place. Rob pulled away, stepped back. Juliet let go of Blake, slipped the silky excuse for a dress off her shoulders, exposing the exquisite perfection of her body to them both. Blake wrapped his arms around her, kissed her neck as she leaned back into him, his hands cupping both breasts.  Rob sat, poured a glass of champagne for himself, unzipped his jeans and fisted his aching shaft. He nodded to Blake.

“Fuck her baby. I wanna watch.” Juliet opened her eyes, took a step over to him and leaned on his knees.

“But I want this,” she nodded to his cock, “in my mouth while he fucks me.” He groaned and watched as she slid her lips over it, sucked hard, then swallowed him all the way down. He grabbed her hair, slid his fingers though its dark spun silk while Blake grabbed her hips, positioned his now condom clad cock then thrust into her, keeping his eyes on Rob’s. The orgasm gripped him hard, made Rob cry out, his hips bucking and pumping against her. Blake reached over her shoulder, held out a hand and Rob grabbed it, threaded their fingers together a moment.

Rob gasped, realizing he’d yelled Blake’s name when he came. Juliet propped her hands on the chair arm, arched her back and let Blake pound into her. Rob smiled at her, kissed her lips and slid his fingers down to her hard clit, rubbed and teased dropping down to suck one of her nipples into his mouth. “Ah,
oui, oui, oui
!” she yelped, and coated his hand just as Blake grunted and gave a last thrust.  Rob smiled, licked his way up her neck, to her lips, capturing them as Blake finished. Blake leaned down over her slim back, and met Rob’s lips over the girl’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” Blake whispered, between kisses, then slipped out of her and made his wobbly way to the bathroom. Juliet stood, stretched, and fell back onto the bed, propping a foot on the bed and giving Rob a lovely show of her amazing pink sex. He tugged her to her feet, offered her a drink of champagne, and then took a drink from the neck of the bottle. Blake wandered back in, that adorable, goofy, post-orgasm look on his perfect face.  Rob grabbed his hair and shoved his tongue into the other man’s mouth, needing to transmit how he felt with his lips and tongue, needing Blake to understand how deeply he needed him.

“My love,” Blake whispered, as Rob released his lips and put the champagne bottle to them, letting the expensive French bubbly leak down the sides of his mouth.  Juliet wrapped her arms around them both.

“You guys are so fucking hot.” She giggled, nuzzling into first Blake’s then Rob’s torsos. “Come on, let’s get in the bed.”

Blake raised an eyebrow at Rob. “You game?”

“I was born game,” he lifted Juliet up and dropped her on the bed, then dove between her legs.

The next morning, Blake groaned, rolled and found himself caught up in multiple arms, legs, breasts and asses. He disentangled himself, stumbled to the bathroom, emptied his bladder and stared at himself in the mirror. The ménage had been accomplished, no less than three times, and in pretty much every configuration he could imagine. But it was over and what he wanted more than anything was for the girl to go and leave him and Rob alone.

He splashed water on his face, brushed his teeth, pulled on some jeans and slipped out onto the tiny balcony, watching the last morning of his Paris vacation emerge below him. After a while, he sighed, and closed his eyes, letting the cool morning breeze ease his now crazed and heated thoughts. Rob. Damn. The man was fucking amazing. It terrified him. Complete nauseating terror enveloped him. His heart pounded, breath caught in his throat, his vision dimmed from the outer edges. He hadn’t had a panic attack in years, but he still remembered it for what it was.

A hand on his shoulder made him jump. “Hey, relax.” Rob kissed the top of his head, slid into the small chair next to him. “Coffee?”

“Where’s…” Blake kept his eyes trained on the street, unwilling to look at the man who had rescued him once, then again, then plucked him up and spirited him here, and turned his life inside out again. 

“She’s gone. Had to get to work.” Rob smiled, as Blake made the mistake of looking at him. His heart nearly stopped; he knew then what he had to do.

But, Rob surprised him, and Blake would later look back on the moment on the cramped balcony as a turning point. “So, I have a proposal for you.”

Blake sipped the strong espresso. “Well, gee honey, this is sort of sudden.” He gulped to cover the anxiety coursing through him over how much he wanted to hear the words “Live with me. Never leave me,” come from Rob’s mouth.

“No, no, not that.” Rob sat back, crossed his ankles out in front of him. “I mean, well, not yet.” He put a hand on Blake’s arm. “Please just relax Blake. I’m not gonna bite you.”

Blake forced himself to be calm, to listen to Rob’s soothing voice and not run back into the room and away from the intensity of his feelings. He nodded.

“So, my friend Jack, Jack Gordon, I think you know him from, um, you know, he’s a friend of Suzanne’s too.” Blake nodded again, remembering how close he’d come to punching that know-it-all asshole in the face in a hospital hallway. “He’s found a prime location for a brew pub. He’s gonna buy the building, give me a token rent in exchange for a silent partnership.”

“Hold on,” Blake shook his head as if to clear it. “Since when do you want to open a brew pub?” A strange sense of rightness settled over him, but he resisted it. He’d wanted something this badly once before in his life, a few years ago. Her name was Suzanne, and that had nearly killed him.

“Since always. I’ve always wanted my own place. It’s a perfect moment.” He grabbed Blake’s hand, startling him. “I want you to do it with me, Blake. Be the brewer. I’ll do the kitchen. We can do this.” The look in his eyes was pure, raw need. Blake stood, walked back into the room. His throat tightened at images of them together, at work, at home. Together. He propped his hands on the wall.