Men of London 06 - Flying Solo (11 page)

Gibson here. Hope you don’t mind. Wanted to say hi.

Maxwell chuckled.
Hi. How are you?

Ok. Wondered if you wanted to get together for a drink?

Maxwell couldn’t type fast enough. This was encouraging.

Sure. When and where? I’m flying long haul this week. Back in town Monday.

Oh. I see.

Maxwell waited in anticipation for the next text. It was a long time coming.

I guess maybe we could do the Tues night? Do you know Galileo’s Restaurant in Soho?

Yep. I’m with someone now who knows the owner. Want me to get us booked in?

Maxwell waited smugly. He could imagine sitting across a table from Gibson, with some fine wine, great food, candles on the table, as they stared into each other’s eyes…

His romantic dream was somewhat shattered with Gibson’s next text.

Oh only for drinks. Not dinner. That ok?

Maxwell scowled. Fine, if that’s all he wanted, he could do that. Gibson obviously didn’t see this as a ‘dinner date.’

Sure. Say 8 pm then?

He was so fixated on watching his phone and waiting for the beep of a received text he didn’t notice Oliver and Leslie arrive back at the table. His friend gave a low chuckle and gave him a hard punch to his arm.

Maxwell glared at him. “Stop bruising the merchandise.” He glanced down at his phone. No reply.

“You had this look on your face like Santa had told you that you got that anatomically correct G.I. Joe with the nine-inch dick you always wanted.” Oliver smirked. “Is there someone special on the other end of the phone?”

Leslie laughed softly and raised one immaculately plucked eyebrow in Maxwell’s direction.

Maxwell flushed. “It’s Gibson.”

Oliver’s eyes widened. “The geeky guy you’re hung up on?”

Leslie slapped Oliver’s arm with a snort. “Don’t call him a geek. It’s rude.”

Oliver stared at him in confusion. “Why? It’s what he is, isn’t it?” He turned to Maxwell for confirmation.

Maxwell huffed. “Yes, he’s a geek, but he’s my geek and I’m the only one allowed to call him that. He asked me to drinks at Galileo’s.”

Leslie leaned forward, hand on Maxwell’s arm. “Oh, I’ll call Eddie, get him to ask Giddy to set you up a nice, quiet table somewhere where you guys can get to know each other. Anything special you want, tell me. I know Eddie does this fabulous beef dish—”

Maxwell leaned across and laid a finger across Leslie’s lips. “Slow down, Patti Stanger. He doesn’t want dinner, only drinks, so I guess we’ll be sitting at the bar.” He removed his finger.

Leslie looked dumbfounded. “Honestly?” he pouted. “That sucks.”

Maxwell had to agree. But he’d take what he could get. “It’s fine. At least he texted me.” He smirked. “The boy’s been thinking about me.”

Oliver looked amused. “Maxwell, if I didn’t know you better, I’d say you’ve not stopped thinking about him too. I never thought I’d see the day someone on your spreadsheet made a return entry.” He winked. “Apart from me of course. I think I rated four and a half in technique.” The smirk on his face made Maxwell grin.

Leslie gave a soft snort. “Do you mind? I’m right here, hello.” He mock-glared at Oliver, whose face fell.

“Oh hell, sorry beautiful. I meant, you know, when you weren’t in the picture, not now of course.” Oliver reached over and cupped Leslie’s chin. “You know you’re all the man I ever want.”

If it hadn’t been something Maxwell himself pined for, the look of adoration between two men would have made him barf right then and there at such sweetness.

Maxwell cleared his throat. “God, you two. Stop it. You’re giving me a woody. I—”

His phone pinged and he hastened to check it.

Eight pm is fine. See you then.

Maxwell knew he was busted when he looked up to see both his friends staring at him in amazement. He immediately tried to lose the goofy grin he knew he wore. But it was too late.

“Did you see your face?” Leslie said breathily. “Oh-My-God. Our Maxwell is in L-O-V-E if my romance radar has anything to say about it.”

Oliver nodded his head. “Oh yes. I saw it too. My friend, you have it bad.” His slow glance was assessing and if anyone saw right through him at this moment, it was Oliver.

Maxwell shrugged. “So I like the guy. Sue me.”

Oliver smiled. “I like this new Maxwell. It’s about time you found someone special.” He waved over a waiter. “Could we have a bottle of champagne please? I think we have a little something to celebrate. My friend here found out what his heart is for.”

Maxwell sighed. He was
so
never going to live this down.

Maxwell waited at the bar in Galileo’s for Gibson to arrive. He looked at his watch. Seven fifty-five. He’d been sitting there close on half an hour, knocking back a beer and trying to look as if he wasn’t anxiously waiting for his date to show.

He loved this restaurant. The ambience was welcoming, the staff professional and friendly, and the owner of the place wasn’t half bad either.

Leslie gushed about his best friend Eddie and his partner Gideon Kent, and Maxwell had to say, Gideon was very easy on the eyes. He watched in day-dreamy lust as Gideon strode around the restaurant being all bossy and macho. A polite cough brought him back down to earth. Maxwell blinked and looked into amused green eyes framed with thin black spectacles. The glasses looked different to the ones he’d seen before and he wondered how many pairs Gibson actually had.

“Am I disturbing you?” Gibson asked drily, but his eyes were amused. “I can leave if you’ve seen something else you’d rather have.”

Maxwell knew there was no one else he’d rather have than the sexy man standing in front of him. Gibson’s hair shone like spun white gold. He wore tight black jeans, with a thick belt and buckle, a tight, dove-grey shirt with a darker grey collar and open cuffs to his forearms, and black boots. The man took Maxwell’s breath away and did nothing to ease the ache in his cock, an anticipatory ache he’d had since getting to the venue. The appreciative look his drinks partner gave him as he ran his eyes down Maxwell’s body made his trousers feel even tighter. Maxwell thought he rocked it dressed in butt-hugging camel chinos and a white button-down shirt teamed with his dark brown leather bomber jacket.

“God, no,” Maxwell said breathlessly. “No one here could possibly have anyone better than what I’m looking at.” Too late he realised that probably sounded a little presumptive but Gibson didn’t seem to mind. His face beamed at the compliment and his pale skin went rosy.

“Thanks,” he murmured as he struggled onto a high barstool. His feet barely touched the footrest and he scowled briefly. “They always make these damn things too high for people like me. Someone should tell them we’re not all six-foot monster men.”

“Shall I ask them for a booster step?” Maxwell laughed at the fierce glare directed at him. “Or not. It’s good to see you.”

“Yeah, you too.” Gibson beckoned to the bar lady. “How was the flight? Where did you go?”

“I was in New York again. Had a layover, met some old friends and now I’m back on the shorter routes.”

Gibson nodded. “Cool. What can I get you to drink?”

“I’ll have a screwdriver, please.” Maxwell watched as Gibson gave the order to the bar lady, including a Jack Daniel’s for himself.

“Are those new glasses? I don’t think I’ve seen them before.” Maxwell peered at them.

Gibson shook his head. “Nah. I have five different pairs. I like to change the frames around depending on what I’m wearing.”

“You don’t do contacts then?”

Gibson frowned. “Can’t abide them, they make my eyes water and I get too much eye strain, especially working on a computer all the time. I have this thing about my eyes—worry about losing my sight one day—so I try and keep them happy.”

Maxwell was intrigued. “Where does that fear come from?”

Gibson shrugged. “I saw this film once when I was a kid about a guy going blind and since then it’s been something I worry about.” He made an adorable moue. “I know it’s crazy. My optometrist says my eyes are healthy, but that’s me.”

Maxwell huffed. “Huh.” The bartender put the drinks down on the bar and Maxwell picked his up. “I was surprised to get a text from you.”

“Not as surprised as I was I sent it,” was the quick reply. “Jack and Cruz have been pestering me ad nauseum to get in touch, and don’t even let me get started on Jack’s girlfriend Beth.” He rolled his eyes but Maxwell did a double take when he saw the flush staining Gibson’s cheeks.

“What?” Gibson said defensively. “I told you I don’t do repeats, yet here I am. What does that tell you?”

“I don’t know,” Maxwell said honestly. “I’m not great at reading between lines. I prefer a full-on direct approach myself. Sounds like your friends forced into you something you don’t want.” His chest tightened at the thought.

Gibson’s eyes darkened and he licked his lips as he glanced around the restaurant. “That’s what you think? I make my own mind up, Max.” He grinned. “A bit like this.”

He reached over and pulled Maxwell’s face to his, sliding his mouth over Maxwell’s willing lips and kissing him hungrily with the skill of a porn star. Maxwell wasn’t quite used to this sort of display in public, especially when it wasn’t even in a gay bar. As his mouth was assaulted, all he could think of dreamily was, ‘God, he’s a great kisser.’ When Gibson released him, he stared around in a dazed stupor. The bar lady was grinning widely, her face indicating her approval.

“Was that a bit more direct?” Gibson’s mouth was swollen, probably much like his own. His face was pink, the hunger in his eyes unmistakeable.

Maxwell simply nodded, dumbfounded. “As long as we don’t get kicked out,” he finally squeaked.

Gibson grinned. “The guy who owns this place is gay, half his friends are gay and they often indulge in a little tonsil hockey themselves at the tables. I’ve been here and seen it and let me tell you, it’s quite a show.”

“Yes, I know Gideon is gay. I know most of his friends as well, but still, he might take exception to two guys swallowing each other’s tongues in his place.”

Gibson snorted softly. “Better than swallowing something else in public,” he murmured. “I’m rather hoping that might come later though, in private.”

“Oh, God,” Maxwell said faintly. “You are the wicked poster child for the sexual frustration of men everywhere, I swear.”

Gibson raised two fingers to his mouth, sucked on them a couple of times, drew them out with a pop then held them in front of his mouth like the smoking barrel of a revolver. He blew on them and Maxwell truly believed he might come in his pants.

“You know Gideon then?” Gibson sipped his drink, seeming to be unaware he’d caused grievous bodily harm to Maxwell, and yet the glint in his eyes and smirk on his face indicated otherwise. “I’ve been here a couple of times. He seems like a nice enough guy. Sexy too.”

“Not personally, only by name and conversation. I know his partner Eddie’s best friend, Leslie, and I used to sleep with
his
guy.”

Gibson looked confused, so Maxwell elaborated. “Leslie is now going out with my ex-fuck buddy Oliver, although you probably know him better as Nicky Starr, the porn actor.”

Gibson’s eyes bugged out. “You used to fuck Nicky Starr? No way, José.”

“Way.” Maxwell sipped his drink, taking great delight in Gibson’s astonishment. “Oliver and I go way back. Obviously we don’t get together anymore that way, as friends.”

“Oh fuck. That’s hot. Thinking of you and him…” A shudder racked Gibson’s body. “Is he as good in person as he is on camera?”

“Better,” Maxwell said with a smug grin. “Oliver is inventive yet he cares about his partner.”

Gibson took a deep slurp of his drink. “Sweet.”

“Not to harp on it, but why
did
you call me?” Maxwell was harping on it. He couldn’t help himself.

Gibson rolled his eyes and threw him an exasperated glance. “You’re a bull terrier, you know that? Why can’t you accept I’m here and let it be?”

Maxwell shrugged. Honesty was probably the best policy. “I’ve no desire to invest more of myself in someone who’s playing me. It’s not where I want to be. Either we see each other simply as friends and that’s it, or if we sleep together sometimes, it becomes something that might become more. I know it’s early days and I don’t want to scare you off, but I am not being a notch on someone’s bedpost. Not anymore.”

Gibson was quiet and Maxell wondered if he’d come on too strong.

But he was the one who contacted me, and he knew how I felt about being casual. At worst, we can maybe stay friends without benefits. It’ll be tough but I’d do it.

Gibson looked up from the silent contemplation of his half-empty drink. “I liked spending time with you. I don’t usually have guys on my mind afterwards, but you, I do. I thought maybe we could get to know each other better, see where this goes.” He grinned. “I’m not lying when I tell you I like you, I want you, and I hope mad, animal sex is on the cards.”