Saving Alexander (8 page)

Alex also had the strangest feeling that he had seen the woman before but he couldn’t think where that might have been. “Thanks, Sarah. That’s very sweet of you. You really don’t have to do this for me, you know.”

Sarah shook her head emphatically. “It’s the least I can do for you. Your books are a wonderful inspiration to me and you’re such a talented writer. You also need to keep your strength up to write that next novel you’re busy with.”

Sage so far had kept quiet. Alex presumed he was as much in awe of Sarah as the next man.

At the implication Alex was writing another book his ears pricked up. “You’re writing another book? I didn’t know that. What’s this one about then? Or is it a secret?”

Sarah scowled at him. “If he wanted anyone to know he’d tell them. Don’t be so bloody nosy. Alex, don’t forget your sandwich.” She turned and left.

Sage watched her go with an open mouth. “Jesus. Is it just me she doesn’t like or is she that way with everyone?”

Alex was nonplussed at her rude behaviour. “She’s a little bit overpowering, I confess. But her heart seems to be in the right place.”

“I’d say. I think it’s in bloody Hades with Satan.” Sage frowned, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Alex had just taken a sip of coffee and at Sage’s words he laughed and spluttered his coffee all over his chin and the keyboard in front of him.

Sage came over to him, chuckling at his predicament, taking his shirt out of his jeans and offering it to Alex as a cloth. “Sorry about that.”

Alex accepted the oddly intimate gesture and dabbed his mouth with Sage’s shirttail, glimpsing Sage’s naked torso as he wiped his mouth.

Alex definitely liked what he saw.

Taut stomach muscles and the indentation of Sage’s hip bones in their V shape as they disappeared into the waistband of his jeans, a line of hair down to his groin that looked very inviting for either his hand or mouth to trail down. The man had an amazingly sexy torso. Alex’s cock moved in his pants like a small animal trying to get out. He was glad he was sitting down, hidden from view.

Sage said teasingly, “I can take the shirt off if you like and you can wipe down the computer?”

God, had he seen him looking?

Alex found his voice. “Sage, I think that might be taking it too far, as much as I’d like that. I’ve got tissues somewhere in the drawer; I’ll use those.”

He scrabbled around in the desk drawer, becoming aware Sage had gone quiet. Alex looked at him and saw Sage regarding him with eyes that suddenly looked quite sultry.

“Really?” Sage’s voice was now an even more pronounced soft Irish lilt that turned Alex’s bones to jelly. “You’d like to see me with my shirt off? Is that an invitation?”

Alex swallowed, not sure what to say. This sudden openly uber-sexy and flirtatious Sage was someone he wasn’t sure about, although he was causing havoc with his nether regions.

Sage moved around to Alex’s side, taking the tissues from his clenched hand and slowly wiping the keyboard free of coffee. Alex leaned back in his chair, breathless. The pressure between his legs grew in intensity. Sage was so close to Alex he could smell his aftershave and see the dark hairs on his arms at his wrists. Alex could also see the hardened ridge of Sage’s own erection lying against his leg in his tight jeans.

God, he must be able to smell how bloody aroused I am. And he feels the same about me, obviously, if that monster in his pants is anything to go by.

They were both aware of the effect they was having on the other. Alex saw it in the slight smile on Sage’s face and the way he deliberately moved closer to him as he used the last of the tissues.

Sage threw the sodden lump accurately into the wastepaper bin on the other side of the desk. “There. All cleaned up. Now where were we before you so rudely expelled everything in your mouth over the desk? Oh yes, you were going to tell me about this book you’re writing.”

Sage still stood close, not moving, watching Alex’s face with intense eyes that made Alex’s insides churn and his mouth dry.

“I’ve only just started it,” Alex said huskily, looking up at Sage’s unwavering stare. “It’s another romance trilogy but it’s quite different than the last one. This one’s a little darker and much sexier.”

“I like the sound of that. Is there a part for me in it again in case they make another TV series?” Sage said teasingly.

Alex was a little unnerved at both Sage’s statement as well as the mischievous expression on his face. “I haven’t thought that far ahead yet. Like I said, it’s in the early stages.”

Sage nodded. “Have you got a name for it yet?”

“Only a working title. I’ll probably change it later as the story develops.”

“What’s it about?” Sage asked curiously.

Alex shook his head firmly, trying to get back on safer ground. His insides churned at Sage’s nearness. “You are so quizzy, aren’t you? You’ll find out when you read it one day. Do you ask an artist to tell you all about the painting he’s doing whilst he’s busy? No, you wait for it to be finished. Well, you’ll have to do the same with this one.”

Sage stepped away from him and Alex could breathe again.

“Well, that’s telling me,” Sage murmured with a smile on his face. “I suppose I’ll have to wait then, won’t I?” To Alex’s relief, Sage tucked his damp shirt back into his jeans.

Luke Belmont appeared in the entrance to the office. “Sage. We’re all ready to rock and roll, old son. Get yourself geared up. We’ll start in about an hour.” He grinned. “Give you plenty of time to get that ugly mug all made up and pretty for the cameras.”

Sage grinned back. “I’ll be there.” He took one last lingering look at Alex and disappeared behind Luke. Alex sat there, feeling slightly shell-shocked.

What the hell had just happened?
To put it mildly, Sage’s sex appeal had just flared like a flame turned up on a Bunsen burner. Alex had simply folded like a newly laundered sheet.

He turned to his computer, hitting the
esc
button to awaken the system. The cursor on page eighty of the new story winked at him, inviting him to write more words. He swallowed, shifting uncomfortably in his chair to relieve the tension in his groin.

Perhaps he’d jump straight into the sex scenes. They’d be as hot as hell the way he felt right now.

* * *

Sage had a distinctly uncomfortable feeling down below as he made his way to the studio makeup room. He hoped like hell no one else noticed the bulge in his crotch. He knew Alex had. The man’s eyes had widened and he’d licked his lip, almost causing Sage to come in his jeans. He’d have to try and conceal his arousal somehow until it subsided.

What the hell had possessed him to approach Alex all “come hither” like that? Jesus, he’d been like some sort of male escort tempting a customer. What was it about this man that bought out the man-slut in him?

He’d got the distinct impression Alex had felt the same way from the way his nostrils flared when Sage was near, and the needy expression in his eyes took his breath away. He’d quite enjoyed testing Alex’s reaction to his nearness.

I could have swept everything off the desk, ripped his trousers right off that sexy tight arse of his and taken him right there. God, that would have felt so good.

He sat in the chair with a towel in his lap whilst Amy did his film makeup. She chatted, keeping him distracted whilst he went over his lines in his head, trying to get back into character. By the time the hour had passed he was feeling more comfortable, the steady mantra of lines he repeated in his head keeping him focused. He was ready to start filming. He sighed. It would be a long day but he was ready for it. There was time enough to think about Alexander Montgomery later tonight when he was alone in his room.

Chapter 10

Three weeks later, Alex sat in Melanie’s room, his hands gesturing animatedly as he talked to his therapist.

“He’s driving me crazy, Melanie. He’s funny, he’s pretty cute and he’s sexy as hell. I hardly ever think about anything bad when I’m with him. He makes me laugh. And we haven’t even slept together. But we have been spending quite a lot of time together on set and having the occasional evening drink.”

He wasn’t going to tell his therapist about the fantasies he’d been having or the fact the man made him want to rut like an animal. The last drink he and Sage had shared together, he’d been sure Sage had been about to kiss him. Instead Alex had gone to bed so sexually frustrated he’d jacked off twice to get his satisfaction, all the time imagining Sage’s naked body and his hot, greedy mouth.

All Alex could think about was the feel of Sage inside him, filling him and the taste of the man on his lips.

Melanie smiled in pleasure. “I’ve never seen you this animated about someone before. I like the fact you’re not obsessing about Eric or your needs. Every little moment you aren’t thinking about that is a step forward. It just goes to show that perhaps you’re ready to have a relationship with a man other than Eric.”

Alex’s face shadowed. “I wouldn’t go that far.” Then his expression changed. “I can tell he definitely likes me. He can be quite a flirt, which seems to surprise him.” He grinned. “He’s been a complete gentleman so far, unfortunately.” He smiled ruefully.

“You need to trust your instincts. From what you tell me, he’s not really the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am type. His last relationships were long term and committed. I don’t know why they broke down but I’d imagine there was a good reason.”

Alex shook his head stubbornly. “I shouldn’t get emotionally involved. You know I can switch off. It just needs the right trigger and I’ll bury the emotions.”

Melanie sighed wryly. “By trigger, I assume you mean when you find a man you could care about you find an excuse to sabotage the relationship.”

She smiled as Alex scowled at her words. “I think you might be misleading yourself on this one. I don’t think you’ll find it as easy with Sage to push him away.”

She took a sip from her water glass. “When was the last time you saw Eric?”

“Three days ago,” Alex said without meeting her eye. “I tried so hard not to. I’m trying to reduce them. Eventually it got too much and I needed a session.” He frowned. “But something was different. I didn’t feel as committed as I normally do. Even Eric asked me what was wrong. He said I seemed to be more distant, less participating. He actually sounded worried about me.”

“Alex, I think you actually need this less than you think you do. You’re punishing yourself for something you haven’t shared with me yet.”

Alex felt his face flush.

“I think Eric is less worried about
you
than the fact that he’s had you to himself for two years now and he sees you almost as a relationship in itself. He’s a purist when it comes to what he does for a living. He needs to be totally in control. He won’t like the fact you might be seeing another man, if it eventually happens.” Melanie spoke softly, her concern for Alex evident in her voice.

Alex waved a hand. “Nonsense. I’m just a paying client, nothing else. He does what the customer wants and he’s got no emotional investment. What I do outside of Scarlet is of no concern to him.”

Melanie was quiet for a while. Finally she spoke. “I disagree. But we’ll leave it there for now.”

“I googled Sage.” Alex picked at a piece of imaginary fluff on the couch arm. “I remembered he said there was some invasion of privacy in his past life and I wanted to find out about it.”

“And what did you find out?” Melanie made a notation in her pad.

Alex looked down at his trendy designer loafers. “It was all over the news at the time. He found his fiancé in bed with one of his friends. He kicked them both out. A journalist who had followed him home caught it all on camera, him shoving the guy out of the apartment with his then-fiancé, both of them half-naked. The papers made quite a big thing about it. Apparently they were due to have their civil partnership in a month’s time.”

He shook his head in sheer disbelief and continued. “Why would you want anyone else if you could have that man all to yourself? He split up with his current lover about eight months ago. He seems to have a run of back luck. I hope he’s not some sort of freak.” Alex smiled slightly.

Melanie nodded her head. “Poor man. Maybe he just chooses the wrong partners.”

Alex looked at her carefully. “He’s had some bad times too. When he was nineteen, both his parents were killed in a plane crash. His father was an amateur pilot and the plane they were flying in had an engine failure when they flew into a flock of birds.”

Melanie pursed her lips as she looked at Alex. “So he’s had his fair share of drama then as well. Perhaps not as horrific as yours, but he knows tragedy and heartbreak. Perhaps that’s formed some sort of kinship between you.”

She looked at Alex in compassion. “Have you thought about what you’ll do if this relationship goes to the next level and you decide to act on the attraction you both seem to have? What will you tell him about the scars you have? And if you’ve been to see Eric recently, how will you explain the marks away?”

Alex looked down at his feet again. When he spoke his voice was sombre. “I have rules to help me with that, Melanie. No lights on, always in the dark. I try keep to my place where I can control the lighting. I insist on keeping my shirt on so no one sees the scar tissue. As for Eric—I’ll make sure I start to heal up. Eric can switch to the chamois flogger. I’ll limit where he hits me. It’s not ideal but”—he shrugged—“it sort of gets the job done. I’m thinking of jumping Sage’s bones soon, which, God help me, I really want to do. I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out. The man’s a bloody sex bomb.” His smile was twisted.

Melanie was out of her depth. She had no idea that there were different types of floggers. But in some bizarre way, she knew Alex was actually moving forward. He’d actually accepted that he might start a normal relationship and was willing to take steps to reduce both the number of visits and his level of discomfort at the sessions with Eric in order to do so. That was definitely a step in the right direction. It still remained to be seen how Eric would feel about that. Melanie still had a feeling of unease, despite Alex’s assurances, that Eric might just be the thorn on the rose that ended up drawing blood.