Men of London 02 - Sight and Sinners (27 page)

“I can see it in your eyes,” Draven murmured, “just as you can see it in mine. Shall I go first? Tell you how I feel about you? How you’ve taken my heart and made it feel something I’ve never had before? How the sight of your body makes me hard, makes me want to rip your clothes off and take you?”

Taylor was rock hard in his jeans now as he closed his eyes and gave into the sensations Draven was causing as he pressed close to his body. “Shall I tell you that you’re the only man I ever want to wake up to, to kiss, to make love to?” Draven’s voice deepened. “I
know
what just happened, and what I lost. I also know what I gained. A beautiful, funny, sexy, infuriating, incredible human being with a talent only the gods could give. You are something very special indeed, Taylor Abelard. And
that’s
why I love you.”

The words “I love you” were there, in the kitchen, in Taylor’s ears, cemented in his heart and the world stopped. With trembling fingers, he traced the contours of Draven’s face, marvelling at the joy filling his soul and warming him from top to bottom.

Draven’s eyes darkened and he captured Taylor’s lips in yet another rough and passionate kiss. Taylor surrendered absolutely, closing his eyes and rejoicing in the simple fact that Draven loved him. And damn the rest of world and its tragedies, its harsh reality and its blurred lines of imaginations and dreams and its ability to intrude in the moments that counted.
This—this
was the moment that Taylor knew deep in his bones and his heart that had been meant to be, a moment where he felt loved, special, and was someone’s rock, the person they depended on as much as he did them.

Draven relaxed in his arms, his eager, questing lips on his, and the feel of both his solidity and vulnerability pressed against Taylor’s body. In the warmth that followed as contentment and passion flooded Taylor’s body, he swore he heard a young man’s chuckle as warm fingers brushed his face and said goodbye.

Six months later…

Draven fidgeted as he sat at the intimate, candlelit table in a secluded alcove of Galileo’s. His fingers drummed a nervous beat on the table as he watched Taylor make his way back from the bathroom. The small box in his pocket knocked against his hip each time he moved as it made its presence known.

The box and its contents had been foremost in Draven’s mind this past week, ever since he’d picked it up from the jeweller. He smiled as Taylor sat down opposite him, dark eyes shining in the candlelight, black hair outlined in the dim light like a halo around Taylor’s head. Not for the first time Draven marvelled at the being that was his lover and hopefully, soon to be something else.

“Sorry about that,” Taylor grimaced as he leaned over and brushed long, graceful fingers over Draven’s tapping fingers. “I think that beer went right through me. I’m peeing like a bloody racehorse at a competition.”

Draven shook his head in amusement. “Thanks for that image. I plan this whole romantic dinner and all I can think of now is a bloody horse peeing in a bloody bucket.”

Taylor chuckled. “I don’t know how they actually do it, it’s just one of those sayings you hear.” He gazed around the restaurant. “Have you seen the dessert menu yet? I really fancy that chocolate thingy they had on the Specials board when we came in. Eddie’s really proud of that one; I think it’s called ‘Sublime Chocolate Overdose’ or something like that…” His voice tailed off as Draven reached over and placed a finger on his lips, effectively stopping him mid flow. Taylor’s eyes widened.

Draven smiled at him. “I have something I need to say to you, and I need to do it now before I lose my nerve.” He removed his finger and reached into his pocket.

Taylor blinked in confusion. “Uhmm, yeah sure. What is it?” His face grew worried. “Everything is okay, isn’t it? This isn’t an ‘I’m breaking up with you’ occasion, is it? Because I am
so
not ready for that conversation…just so you know. I mean, I’ve just moved in.”

Taylor had indeed moved in with Draven, giving up the house he shared with Leslie. Despite his nervousness at what he was about to do, the panicked look on Taylor’s face made Draven grin. “No, babe, definitely not that.”

His heart was racing now, his throat dry and his stomach in knots. He stood up then knelt down at Taylor’s side. He’d debated with himself how he wanted this to go down and had decided on doing it the old-fashioned way. The expression on Taylor’s face was a mix of surprise, hope and panic.

The noise in the restaurant seemed to diminish in Draven’s ears as he took a deep breath and threw caution to the wind. He’d practiced this speech in the mirror so many times and yet—now he was here, before Taylor, and his well-rehearsed words were forgotten.

“Taylor, I hope you don’t think this is too soon, but I think we’ve been through quite a lot together, and I know how
I
feel, and know how
you
feel, we say it enough to each other.” Taylor gazed at him with eyes that seemed to drink him in. His lips parted and Draven wanted to kiss them and tell him that way what he was trying to ask. He cleared his throat.

“There’s no other man I want to share my life with, and fuck, this sounds so damn mushy and sentimental, but I don’t know how else to say it.” He took a deep breath, seeing the bright, sudden, sheen in Taylor’s brown eyes and the slight flaring of his nostrils. “I love you, and I want it to be real.” He tripped over himself to amend that last comment. “I mean, it’s real, of course it is, but I want it to be even more than that. Taylor Abelard,” he brought out the small box that his nerveless fingers had been clenched around in his pocket, “Will you do me the honour of marrying me? Being my husband one day when you’re ready?” Taylor’s quick, indrawn breath made Draven’s stomach clench in fear. “I mean, only if you’re ready, I don’t want to rush into this if you don’t feel it’s the right time…”

This time, it was his mouth that was stopped by long, warm fingers as Taylor pushed his chair back and with his other hand, drew Draven up off his knees. Draven stood, slightly unsure of what the answer was going to be.

He got it soon enough as Taylor pulled him into a kiss that curled his toes, made his cock reach for the heavens and sent a tingle through his body, right into his very marrow.

Lips that tasted faintly of citrus and rocket from the salad Taylor had eaten, lips that were so sweet and welcoming that they drew Draven into them like a moth intent on suicide by flying into light and heat. Taylor had finally stopped smoking completely and his mouth was all the sweeter for it. The world stopped as Draven’s eyes closed and all he could feel was Taylor’s warmth and love flooding his soul. Finally he was released and vaguely heard a clapping sound in the distance as his senses returned to normal.

Taylor pressed his forehead against Draven’s and exhaled a sweet breath against his skin. “God, you know how to make a man feel special. That was like something out of a rom-com. And yes, my beautiful lover, I would love to be your husband. Nothing could make me happier.”

The restaurant patrons were on their feet, clapping and smiling at the spectacle unfolding before them. Taylor watched with hooded eyes as Draven’s unsteady fingers opened the box and took out the palladium ring he’d had specially designed. It was a simple band of smooth metal, with two diamonds embedded into the middle.

Draven gently slid it onto Taylor’s finger. He felt a sense of satisfaction. It fit perfectly. He took out its twin and slid it onto his own finger then lifted his eyes to gaze at Taylor.

“Now it’s official.” Out of the corner of his eye, Gideon and Eddie standing together, watching. They came over and hugged them, Gideon clapping Draven on his back as he grinned widely.

“Bloody well done, Draven. That took some guts, my friend.” He slid a sly sideways glance at Eddie. “Maybe you’ve started a trend…who knows?”

Eddie’s fair face flushed with pleasure as he reached out and pulled Taylor into a bear hug. “Yeah, you never know…Taylor, congratulations, mate. So pleased for you both.”

Draven flinched as long, muscled freckled arms headed his way and was pleasantly surprised when Eddie pulled him for a hug too. “You make him so damn happy,” Eddie whispered in Draven’s ear. “I guess my original impression of you wasn’t all that accurate. That makes me really glad.”

Gideon waved over a passing waiter as the restaurant got back to normal and guests sat back down with friendly glances their way and the occasional “Well done to you” nod.

“Brent, bring us a bottle of the good champers for these guys. I think they’ve earned it, don’t you?”

Brent nodded, his shaggy head of blond hair falling around his face as he grinned. “I think so, boss. Be right back.” He sidled past the tables as he made his way to the bar.

Gideon raised a knowing eyebrow at Eddie. “I think we’ve outstayed our welcome,” he smirked. “Let’s let the lovebirds be alone.”

Eddie grinned, his freckled face warm with affection. “Congrats again, guys. It couldn’t happen to a nicer couple.” He cast a scorching glance at Gideon who gave a heated look of his own back. Draven wondered whether there might be another wedding on the cards soon.

Eddie saw his look and smiled widely. “Now we just have to find Leslie a mate and the three of us will all be paired off.” He patted Taylor on the arm then disappeared with a smiling Gideon.

Draven saw the fleeting look of guilt cross Taylor’s face. It had worried his fiancé—how right it felt being able to call Taylor that—that Leslie had been left alone now that both Eddie and Taylor were gone to pastures new.

To put Taylor’s worries to rest, Draven had made sure he did everything he could with his and Clay’s connections to get Leslie an affordable studio flat in Kennington, not far from where the house was. Thanks to a generous boss, who seemed to adore the ground Leslie walked on, he had even got an increase in salary to help him settle in on his own. He reached out a hand and caressed Taylor’s cheek.

“Tay, babe, Leslie will be fine. He’s a spitfire of a soul and if anyone can look after himself, that man can. And just think how excited he’s going to be when he hears he has a wedding to fit us out for. The man is going to wet himself.”

Taylor nodded and looked back at him with more love than Draven knew what to do with. He wanted nothing more than to take him home, throw him onto the bed and make love to him until he forgot his own name.

He wanted to taste Taylor, feel his skin against his own and marvel at the man who’d just agreed to be his husband. Instead, he sat down and motioned to Taylor to do the same, and watched as Brent poured glasses of champagne for them then disappeared like a wraith, leaving them in peace.

Taylor raised his glass. “To my fiancé. Good health, good loving and great sex. And may there continue to be lots of that.” He chuckled.

Draven inclined his head and raised his glass, to clink it against Taylor’s. “To my sexy fiancé, definitely to the good sex and even more loving.” They drank deeply then toasts done, they set their glasses down on the table.

Taylor quirked an eyebrow at Draven.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m as horny as fuck and I really want to get you home to bed. What say we drink this champagne very quickly then get home?”

Draven couldn’t agree more with that plan. He reached over and took the bottle and topped up their glasses. “I love a man who knows what he wants. Home it is.”

The smouldering look Taylor gave him made Draven begrudge even the time it took to finish the bottle until the two of them were giggling like school boys and touching each other at a pace that was about to get them kicked out for public lewdness.

Later, as Draven watched the lean, muscled form of his lover ride him as if there was no tomorrow, his skin shining with sweat and that wicked mouth devouring his, he took time to close his eyes and simply bask in the joy that suffused his heart at having such a man in his life.

As Taylor leaned down to whisper words of love in his ear, kissing Draven’s heated flesh, Draven knew that somewhere, not too far away, Jude was happy for him. His heart still ached at what he’d lost but was overfilled with love at what he’d found.

With Taylor in his life, he’d come full circle from being alone to being complete and he had the feeling that life would never be quite the same again.

The End

AUTHOR’S NOTE

There is an element of my own experience in this story with Jude, as there are in all of my stories. I think one of the wonderful things about writing for me is the ability to take personal events and write them into a fictional account of someone else. There’s a sort of solace in doing so. You’ll also find a lot of my own beliefs and opinions squirreled away in my stories. So, not only have I been to the places my characters live and work in; I also try to impart some of the things I believe and learned along the way.

Susan Mac Nicol is a self-confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole-dancing men, a self-confessed geek and nerd, and in love with her Smartphone. This little treasure is called ‘the boyfriend’ by her longsuffering husband, who says if it vibrated there’d be no need for him. Susan hasn’t had the heart to tell him there’s an app for that.