Dance (10 page)

Jared
jolted awake, disoriented. What the fuck?

Shit!

The contractor.
Jared was
supposed to set his alarm for 8:00 am to be up and ready when the contractor
arrived at nine. And now he was here and Jared was still in bed.
Naked.
With Fenix.

He
swore a few more times and jumped off the bed, hastily putting on his sweat
pants and a t-shirt he found on the floor, praying it was clean. He padded barefoot
to the door and pressed the intercom button.

“Hello?”
he
rasped,
his voice still heavy with sleep.

“Jared
Hartley? It’s James Seymour.
The contractor?
We were
supposed to meet today, right?”

Jared
closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. How could he have forgotten that?

“Yes,
of course. Come on up, I’ll buzz you in,” Jared said and pressed the button for
the main entrance.

Jared
estimated he had about two minutes before James was up here, ringing his
doorbell. He hurried back to the bedroom.

“Fenix.
Fenix! Wake up,
baby.” He shook Fenix’s shoulder and he stirred awake. “You have to get up. The
contractor is here.”

Fenix
grunted so unhappily that Jared was almost tempted to let him sleep.
Almost.
If he had an actual separate bedroom he might have.
But he didn't, and he didn't want James and whoever was with him to gape at
Fenix’s sleeping form.

“Come
on, love,” he coaxed as he helped Fenix off the bed and collected his clothes
from the chair nearby. Ushering him in the bathroom and thrusting the clothes
in his hands, Jared said,

“Here.
Take as long as you need. They’ll want to take a look at the bathroom, but I’ll
stall them.” Fenix looked so cute and dazed that Jared couldn't resist taking
him into his arms and giving him a long, wet kiss. Fenix responded
instinctively even though his brain was not entirely awake yet. The front door
bell rang and startled Jared out of the kiss. With one last squeeze at Fenix’s
ass, he shut the bathroom door and went to open the front door.

There
were two men staring back at him when Jared swung the door open. He recognised
James Seymour from their previous meeting a few weeks ago – he was a tall, lean
man, probably in his fifties, with closely cropped black hair and intelligent
dark eyes. Jared had never seen the other man before – he was probably in his
twenties, with dark blond hair and honey coloured eyes that studied Jared
unflinchingly.

“Hi,
come on in,” Jared said, ushering them in. “Thank you for coming on such a
short notice, James.”

“No
worries. You’re in luck – we just finished a project the day before yesterday,”
James said, smiling and running his hand over his short hair. “That’s Phil,” James
said, pointing at the younger man. Jared shook the extended hand and introduced
himself. Phil smiled at him, those unnerving light brown eyes still studying
him intently.

They
proceeded to discuss what Jared wanted done as he offered them both cups of
coffee. Jared took out the architectural plans for the bedroom he wanted done
as a mezzanine level where his current ‘bedroom’ was and James nodded, saying
it shouldn't be a problem. They talked some more about re-plastering, rewiring,
plumbing, and installing new hardwood floors with heating panels, when Fenix
walked out the bathroom in all his glory. Freshly showered, dressed in his
jeans and t-shirt, his blond hair still wet and looking darker than usual,
Fenix sauntered towards them. Jared could not take his eyes off him.
That man – that gorgeous, sweet, talented man – was all his.

Jared
cleared his throat and glanced sideways at James and Phil, noticing that while
James looked unaffected and unsurprised to see a man walking out of his
client’s bathroom, Phil was gaping at Fenix with open appreciation.

Hell
no.

Jared
had never been possessive of anyone in his life. He’d always thought that was
the way he was. But the possessiveness that flared through him at that moment
burned that notion to ashes. He was ready to punch Phil in the face until he
closed his mouth and stopped staring and Fenix.
Indefinitely.

“I’m
Fenix, nice to meet you, guys,” he said easily as he approached the table littered
with architectural plans. Fenix shook hands with James who didn’t show any
particular interest in him and continued to mull over the plans. Phil, however,
kept staring at Fenix with such undisguised appreciation that Jared was a
second away from pulling Fenix in his arms, kissing him senseless and growling
‘mine’.

“Fenix
Bergman, right?” Phil said as he shook Fenix’s hand, managing to form words.

“Yes,”
Fenix replied with a smile.

“I’m
a fan. I saw your show
Poison
a
couple of months ago. Can I just say – you can dance, man! The show was
amazing! Can’t wait to see it at Queen Victoria,” Phil gushed.

Great.
A
fan.

“Thanks,
Phil. Glad you enjoyed it. I’m sure we’ll be able to score some tickets for you
guys to see it at Queen Victoria, if you’re interested.”

Did
he have to be so damn pleasant? Wasn't he aware that guy was imagining how
Fenix’s cock would feel in his ass right now?

“Hell
yeah, I’m interested! That would be awesome! Thanks, man,” Phil said excitedly.

“My
wife would love that, thank you, Fenix. Let me cut you a deal – you get us some
tickets and I promise we’ll finish work here on time,” James said, winking at
Jared.

“Aren’t
you
supposed
to finish on time? Isn’t
that what I’m paying you for?” Jared asked, sounding a bit more annoyed than he
intended.

“Things
can always go
wrong,
slow the initial schedule
down...” James drawled and chuckled.

“No
problem. Since I’m housing Jared for the duration of the renovation, don't
worry about finishing on time,” Fenix joked. “I’d rather have him for a week or
so longer.” He fixed his impossibly ice blue eyes on Jared and he felt the
irritation melting away as Fenix smiled lazily. Phil huffed next to Jared as
his annoyance crept back in full force.

“Jared,
let’s go take a look at the bathroom. I want to see what I’m working with,”
James suggested as he pushed his chair back and stood up.

They
went to see the bathroom and Jared explained what he wanted – new tiles on the
walls, shower enclosure with a power shower, new fittings. James explained that
they probably wouldn't need to replace the whole plumbing system but couldn't
be sure until he took a better look at the pipes. Jared was only half
listening. He was acutely aware of Fenix and Phil talking animatedly in the
kitchen – Fenix was leaning back against the counter, sipping from his coffee
mug, looking impossibly handsome.
Phil,
was standing
in front of him, making it extremely obvious that he was very interested in
helping Fenix get undressed as quickly as possible. To his horror, Jared saw
Phil take out a business card and slip it in Fenix’s pocket. Fenix didn't show
any particular interest but didn't throw it away either.

Jared
saw red. He wanted Phil out of his house right now.

“OK,
I think we’re pretty much done for now. If you leave me a key we can start
early tomorrow morning. I’ll keep you updated on our progress and I’ll be in touch
if something comes up.”

They
arranged the rest of the details quickly and Jared walked them to the door,
after Phil miraculously managed to unglue himself from Fenix. Jared rummaged
through the drawer he kept his spare keys in, and, to his incredible relief, he
saw Fenix discreetly take the business card out of his pocket and throw it in
the rubbish bin under the sink. Jared gave James the spare key and couldn't be
happier to send them on their way.

He
walked to Fenix and wrapped him in his arms, kissing his neck.

“I
hate that guy,” he murmured against his skin.

“I
know. I think they caught your scowl on Google Earth,” Fenix laughed and Jared
drowned in the sound, allowing it to sink in every cell of his body.

And
just like that, all was well in the world again.

Fenix went to
the theatre for his staff meeting while Jared stayed behind to pack his stuff.
There wasn’t much he owned anyway – all his possessions could fit in two
duffels. He’d given James permission to throw everything that was left behind
away. His phone rang just as he was emptying his wardrobe and folding clothes
in neat piles.

Adam.

“Hey,
you home?” he asked.

“Yeah.
I’m packing. The
contractors are starting work tomorrow.” Jared hadn’t spoken with Adam for a
couple of days and was suddenly aware he had no idea Jared had started the
renovations.
Or gotten the loan.
Or that he was going
to stay with Fenix.

Shit.

“Um, what?”
Adam asked,
clearly confused.

“I
guess we have to catch up. I need to tell you some stuff.”

“Clearly.”
Adam did not sound
happy.

“Where
are you? Why don't you come by? You can make me lunch while I pack.”

“Your
boy toy doesn’t cook?” asked Adam, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“He’s
not here. And don't call him that,” Jared scowled without too much heat. He’d
been on the receiving end of numerous offensive nicknames coming from Adam's
mouth so he knew he didn't really mean them.
Mostly.

“Fine.
I’ll be there in
fifteen,” he said and clicked off.

“Are you
completely out of your fucking mind?” were Adam's first words when Jared
finished relaying the story of the last two days. “You took out a loan to fix
this place for
him
? You’re going to
move in with him after knowing him for three days?”

“First
of all, I didn't take out the loan to fix my flat for
him
. I did it for me, because it was time. I’m tired of living in a
dump. You know as well as I do that I had plans to do this,” Jared spoke as he
moved around the flat, gathering the last of his belongings and zipping up the
duffel bags. “I had already spoken with James Seymour, the contractor, a couple
of weeks after I moved in, and I had an architect do the plans for the
bedroom,” he continued. “I’m not
moving
in
with Fenix. I’m just
staying
at his place until my flat is habitable again,” Jared explained as patiently as
he could manage. He hated justifying his decisions to anyone and Adam was the
only person who got away with it.

“Why
don’t you stay at my place? You lived there up until a few months ago anyway.”

“Because
I’ll get much less sex if I do that,” Jared joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

“So
in the end it all comes back to that, doesn’t it? What’s the matter with you,
Jared? Has he discovered some magical way to suck cock? Because it looks like
your brain is completely sucked out!” Adam was furious. His dark eyes shone
with anger as he banged his fist on the table.

“Adam,
you need to shut up and back off,” Jared said through gritted teeth. He was
starting to get angry himself – it was one thing to be a concerned friend, but
completely different to meddle in his business.

“He’s
an opportunistic whore! How can you not see
that!
”
Adam yelled, standing up abruptly, shoving his hands in his hair.

“How
is that even true?” Jared yelled back. “I’m staying at
his
place! He didn't have to offer, he knew perfectly well I could
stay with you!”

“You’re
a well-known name in the business, Jared. You’re the star of the theatre, the
person that everyone respects...” Adam began.

Jared
laughed humourlessly, cutting him off.

“Are
you even hearing yourself? Fenix will be a much bigger star than me very soon
and he definitely doesn’t need my help with that.”

Adam
shook his head and glared at him, not saying anything.

“What’s
your problem with Fenix, Adam? I’ve never seen you react to someone like that!”
Jared asked, trying to get to the bottom of the problem.

“I
told you what my problem is – the little piece of shit is using you and messing
up with your head...”

Jared
stood up so abruptly that the chair clattered to the floor with a loud bang,
cutting Adam off.

“I’ll
let that slide because of our friendship. But don't say anything we won’t be
able to recover from, Adam. Don't make me choose between the two of you because
you’re not going to like the outcome,” Jared said, his voice low and deadly. He
was prepared to kick Adam's ass out the door if he
so
much as pronounced Fenix’s name incorrectly.

Fortunately,
Adam thought better than to test Jared’s patience right now and didn't say
anything more. He shook his head in disgust as he walked out, slamming the door
behind himself.