Saving Alexander (4 page)

There was an awkward bit of silence broken by Sage, who regarded him thoughtfully. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, inclining his head. “I wasn’t trying to probe. I can see I hit a nerve there. I won’t do it again.”

Jenny watched Alex curiously and his heart sank. He’d stupidly overplayed that out of fear. The last thing he wanted to have was anyone wonder about him and try to investigate his past.

“I suppose that’s it for today then?” Sage picked up his envelope, waving it with a flourish. “I have my usual
Mission Impossible
self-destruct manila envelope with all the script and the paperwork.”

Jenny nodded. “That’s it, I think. We’ll start the publicity as soon as the contracts are signed. I hope you’re ready for this, both of you. It’s going to mean a lot of appearances and talk shows. Sage, my darling, I need you to be your charming Irish self and get everyone interested in Carter West, photographer extraordinaire. This role will put you a lot more in the public eye so you’ll need to manage the paparazzi when they start hounding you.”

Sage chuckled, kissing her cheek. “I’ll try my best to live up to your expectations. As for the reporters, I’ll sort them out, have no fear.” His tone was slightly threatening.

Jenny sighed. “You do realise you need them, Sage? Please be on your best behaviour. I know you’re not fond of having everything splashed out there after the last time but you need this exposure.”

Sage nodded, his eyes flinty. “I’ll be a good boy, Jen. Just as long as they know their boundaries.”

Alex knew Sage had taken a lot of flak some years ago. He’d thrown his then-fiancé out of their shared flat after finding him in bed with another friend. Unfortunately, a reporter had been nearby. The incident had made most of the newspapers.

Alex stood watching them both as Sage turned to him and extended his hand politely. He noticed with a pang he seemed a lot cooler that he had been.

“Alexander. It’s been a pleasure meeting you. I imagine I’ll be seeing you on set in a few weeks’ time.”

Alex shook Sage’s hand, watching as he left the office. He turned to Jenny with a smile. “I suppose I’d better get off too. Thanks for the coffee and biscuits.”

Jenny grasped his arm softly. Alex stifled a moan of pain. She hit one of the spots Eric had bitten last night.

Thank God he could wear long sleeves and shirt collars to hide the bite marks and bruises. He tried to move his arm away without seeming rude.

The agent smiled at him. “We’re probably going to be seeing a fair bit of each other. I want you to know that I’m a good listener in case you ever want to talk. I understand your views on being in the public eye. I’ll try not to make you uncomfortable.”

Alex smiled. “Thanks. I appreciate the offer.” He knew he’d never take Jenny up on it but there was no point in being churlish. Alex left the office conscious of Jenny’s eyes boring into his back.

Chapter 4

Sage boarded the tube on the way to Chelsea to meet Dan for a drink at lunchtime and plan Sage’s move to London. He held onto the rail, thinking about Alexander Montgomery as the tube hurtled toward Sloane Square. The novelist was certainly a very attractive man and had the bonus of batting for his side to boot. Sage had watched the re-run of the man’s last interview on the television last night in an effort to see whom he was getting involved with. Montgomery was about thirty, he guessed, with short, brush-cut black hair, pale skin and those incredible eyes in an extremely sexy package. Tall and lithe, his shoulders broad and taut from what Sage had managed to see despite the closely buttoned up shirt. He’d been very aloof and contained. Sage’s comment about googling him had certainly made the man uncomfortable. Sage wondered what he was trying to hide.

He’d been very attracted to the other man, the spicy smell of his aftershave alluring, the intense and brooding expression on his face one that Sage would love to replicate in a film scene.

Well, he wasn’t going to lose sleep over it.

He’d sworn off relationships for the short term. The only men he was interested in were the ones who serviced his needs and went home in the morning.

Dan Costyn was waiting for him at the Chelsea Brasserie in Sloan Square. From the looks of him, he’d already had one too many. Sage sighed. Dan could be a lot of work when he was this way. He walked over to his friend, who was currently chatting up the blonde waitresses giving him what was obviously at least his third drink.

At the sight of Sage, Dan stood up, waving his drink around in abandon, narrowly missing sloshing it all over the man seated next to him on the barstool.

“Sage, buddy. Come and have a drink.” He turned to the bartender. “Whisky for my friend, please, and make sure it’s Irish.”

Sage sat down on the barstool on Dan’s other side and set the manila envelope on the bar. “You look as if you’ve had enough for both of us,” he remarked drily as Dan struggled to stay balanced on his stool. “Please tell me you won’t do anything yet that’ll get us kicked out of here.”

Dan chuckled, punching Sage on the arm. “You worry too much, old son. I was just asking this lovely lady over there—” he waved vaguely in the general direction of the waitress, “if she wanted to come back to our place for a bit of you-know-what.” He leered. “She even has a friend for you. Caitlin says he’s blond, hung like a gorilla and she can
so
see the two of you together.”

“Jesus, Dan, don’t start that malarkey. That’s the kind of thing that got us into trouble last time.” Sage shook his head in irritation. “Can we not just sit and have a drink without you wanting to fix me up with every guy you hear about?”

Dan was very adventuresome in his sexploits and always wanted to include Sage in them. His friend chortled and took another gulp of his drunk.

Sage sipped his whisky, regarding his friend thoughtfully. “I take it you’re still happy for me to stay with you whilst I’m filming?”

At the word “filming” Sage noticed the waitress turn and smile at him. Sage knew he was fairly well known but not yet a mainstream presence. It was amazing though how even a minor celebrity seemed to attract people.

“Are you a film star then?” She batted her eyelashes at him. “My friend loves film stars.”

Sage was about to answer her when Dan threw his arms around his shoulders and gestured expansively. “This man is about to become an even bigger force to be reckoned with. He’s just landed himself the leading role in the new
Double Exposure
TV series.” He smiled proudly at his friend.

The waitress’s eyes went even bigger. “Oh my God. I’ve just read two of those books. They’re amazing.” She looked at Sage. “You’re going to play Carter West?”

Sage nodded, feeling a little uncomfortable as he wasn’t quite sure when it was to be announced. He’d been so distracted by the sexy author he’d forgotten to ask. Jenny would kill him if she found out he’d leaked something he shouldn’t.

Dan and his bloody big mouth!

The waitress leaned forward, muttering in Dan’s ear before walking away saucily. He grinned widely.

Sage looked at him suspiciously. “What did she say?”

Dan hooted. “She really wants to come home with me now so she can say she’s been in the flat with somebody famous. She’s gone to tell her friend. I think we both just got really lucky.” He raised his palm in a high five.

Sage slapped it. “Sorry to disappoint you but I’m not participating in any bloody foursome tonight. You can have them both.”

Dan looked crestfallen. “But I’m not gay, Sage. I just want her. I think they’re a package deal though.”

“I’m going back home tonight, alone,” Sage said firmly. “I have a ton of stuff to sort out and a script to start reading. I can’t do that when I’m playing top to someone’s bottom.” He chuckled at his friend’s disappointed expression. “Sorry, old lad. It’s just not going to happen.”

Dan scowled. “I hope you’re going to be more bloody fun when you’re staying with me or you’re no use to man or beast.”

Sage laughed as he ordered himself another whisky. He’d have one more then get on his way. An hour later, all good intentions of script-reading forgotten, he was still sitting bleary eyed at the same bar stool, with his fourth empty whisky in front of him, telling Dan all about Alexander Montgomery.

“I mean, the man is absolutely gorgeous, Dan, especially with those odd eyes. But he’s a real cold fish. He got all uppity when I told him I’d googled him. You’d have thought I’d told him I was a stalker or something, the way he looked at me.”

Dan held up a finger, wagging it in Sage’s face. It made him feel ill and he reached up and grabbed it.

Dan giggled. “Sage, you’re my best friend, you know that. But you worry too much about what goes on in men’s heads and less about what goes on down there. I mean their ‘down there,’ not yours, although that counts as well.”

Sage found this rambling discourse from his very drunk friend highly amusing and snorted with laughter.

The two men giggled drunkenly as they balanced unsteadily on the barstools. Sage had already seen their prospective dates leave earlier with a dirty look at them both as if they’d been cheated out of their night’s entertainment. He hadn’t quite fancied the look of the man anyway. Much too butch for his tastes.

The barman, busy polishing a glass, approached them with a resolute look on his face. “Lads, as much as I always love your combined company, I think you two have had enough. Can I call you a taxi to get you somewhere?”

Sage looked at him, trying to be as serious as possible. “Dan has a flat not far from here. I think we can walk.”

The bartender didn’t look convinced but shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I suggest you both have a quick cup of coffee, on the house, seeing as how you’re both regulars. Then you’d better get home. If you can find home the state you two are in.”

He grinned and walked off, still polishing his glass.

Sage looked at Dan. “He’s always pretty nice to us. Shall we take him home for me?”

Dan howled at this and they rolled around on the stools, tears streaming down their faces until the bartender put two cups of black coffee in front of them.

“Drink,” he said and it wasn’t a request. The two picked up their cups, still trying to stifle the giggles that threatened to choke them.

Five minutes later they found themselves staggering down the road in the late-afternoon sunshine toward where they thought Dan’s flat was. What should have been a brisk ten-minute walk took them nearly half an hour and they finally found themselves at the entrance to Dan’s apartment building. On the fourth floor, after fumbling about for about five minutes, Dan managed to get his flat door open and the two men stumbled inside.

“You have the spare room,” muttered Dan. His face looked a little green. “Feel free to make it yours. I really need the bathroom.”

Sage nodded then wished he hadn’t. The room spun and the contents of his stomach threatened. Other than the biscuits he’d had at Jenny’s office that morning, he’d eaten nothing and he was certainly feeling the effects of four double whiskies. Dan was in the bathroom and Sage heard him retching. He swiftly made his way to the kitchen sink where he too promptly vomited. He could have kicked himself for getting into this state. He’d feel like crap in the morning. Sage groaned loudly as he was sick again. Finally, his heaving finished, he rinsed the kitchen sink, making his way over to the spare room. He didn’t bother getting undressed, just flopped down on the bed, closing his eyes.

* * *

Alex awoke in a cold sweat, painfully aroused, sitting bolt upright in his bed. He couldn’t remember what had woken him up, just that it had been something he needed to leave behind. His heart raced and he swallowed, feeling the dryness in his throat as if he’d been talking or snoring in his sleep. His bedroom was quiet with just the ticking sound of the Arti and Mestieri clock on the bedroom wall cutting into the silence.

He leaned back against the wall, passing a trembling hand across his eyes. God, he needed a drink. He looked at the bedside clock. Two A.M. Late and early enough to have one, he thought as he got out of bed, looking around for his robe. He slept naked, not liking the touch of clothing whilst he slept. He found it and slipped it on, enjoying the feel of the silk against his skin as he moved over to the minibar he kept in his room, opening the fridge, taking out a bottle of ice-cold peach schnapps. Alex poured a tumbler full and drank it in one swallow. He poured another one, walking to the window as he sipped. He stared out into the darkness beyond.

His groin ached, his erection swollen and throbbing. He felt a sense of unease and need in his mind and chest like an oil slick that slowly threatened to suffocate him. His hands trembled as he held the glass, the clear liquid shuddering gently. He watched the movement for a minute, then in a fit of violence threw the glass at the wall, smashing and splintering it into pieces. He choked back a sob, his eyes filling with tears as he slid down against the cool wall. Sitting on the floor, tears trickled down his cheeks and he tasted their saltiness. An essence of spilt peach permeated the room.

His hand slipped beneath his robe and he grasped his cock, moving in slow strokes as he pleasured himself, thinking of the man he’d met that day, the broad shoulders, the smiling eyes and the lips that just begged to be kissed.

He kept up his frantic movements, then his legs tensed against the cold floor, thighs like steel cables as he came with no sound, biting his lips to keep the sound inside. His ejaculate coated his hand and robe, slippery and warm, the room scented with its familiar smell.

Alex closed his eyes, hitting the back of his head, once, twice against the wall, then continued, the action growing in intensity and violence until finally he could no longer bear the painful throbbing in his head. He curled into a foetal ball on the hard stone floor, wrapping his thin robe tightly around his shivering body, closing his eyes, willing the night to be over.

Chapter 5

Seated at the kitchen breakfast table, Christopher Sage’s head was splitting and his stomach queasy while the dryness in his mouth rivalled the Sahara. He groaned, wishing he was dead as he looked at the equally stricken Dan Costyn seated across from him.