by David Horne
“In Your Arms Again”
M/M Gay Romance
David Horne
© 2019
David Horne
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This book is intended for Adults (ages 18+) only. The contents may be offensive to some readers. It may contain graphic language, explicit sexual content, and adult situations. May contain scenes of unprotected sex. Please do not read this book if you are offended by content as mentioned above or if you are under the age of 18.
Please educate yourself on safe sex practices before making potentially life-changing decisions about sex in real life. If you’re not sure where to start, see here: http://www.jerrycoleauthor.com/safe-sex-resources/ (courtesy of Jerry Cole).
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Products or brand names mentioned are trademarks of their respective holders or companies. The cover uses licensed images and are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any person(s) that may be depicted on the cover are simply models.
Edition v1.00 (2019.08.12)
http://www.DavidHorneauthor.com
Special thanks to the following volunteer readers who helped with proofreading: RB, JayBee and those who assisted but wished to be anonymous. Thank you so much for your support.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter One
Jason took a last glance at his leather wristwatch before gulping down the remains of his drink. He was quite tipsy already and the day was almost over. All he had to do was take the five minutes’ walk to his hotel and sleep the night away, forgetting the fact that in a few weeks, all he ever held dear would be taken away from him.
"Would you mind if I join you?" a soft voice said behind him.
"Why would I mind? This is a bar," he retorted just as a tall redhead dressed in a pair of tight leather pants and cropped leather top sat next to him.
"You’re not from around here, are you?" the beautiful lady asked him.
Jason took a good look at the woman before him. She should be in her early twenties.
"What makes you think so?" he asked with good humor.
"I've seen you come into this bar for the past few days. Perhaps, you’re a tourist?" she asked him with a smile.
Jason only nodded.
"Care for some company tonight?" she asked in a seductive tone.
"No thanks." He immediately rejected her advances and immediately got to his feet.
"Too bad, because you’re really a handsome man." She smiled again, revealing a set of perfect white teeth.
Jason had no time for her. He dug his hands into his breast pocket and retrieved some dollars. He placed them on the table and began walking out of the Starlight bar.
"Mr... You look awfully familiar. Have we met before?" the lady asked.
For a moment, Jason's heart missed a beat. For a whole week, no one seemed to recognize him, but this lady had managed to find him familiar. He turned, stared at her and said: "I don't think we've met before."
"You looked so much like Jason Sawyer, the business tycoon."
"Look at me closely. Do I look like a billionaire?" he asked her.
The lady was a little drunk. Sure, there was a resemblance but Jason Sawyer according to the news was vacationing in Africa and this man looked too plain to be Jason.
"Jason Sawyer is more handsome and younger than you," she finally concluded.
"Good," Jason retorted and swiftly turned. He walked out of the bar and into the cold night.
As he walked, he tried all he could to not remember the fact that life had been so unfair to him. His mistake in this life was the fact that he trusted one wrong person, Shane.
The streets of Hawaii were almost deserted, but at the moment, he cared about nothing.
He was at the exquisite hotel in five minutes. The hotel was the perfect place for him to hide from the media and the public. The hotel wasn't expensive and he had checked in under the name of Jason Smith. No one seemed to have recognized him but the lady at the bar.
"Welcome, sir," the Receptionist greeted him as soon as she spotted him.
"Thank you," he answered back.
"Room 305, please," he added without smiling.
The receptionist nodded and retrieved the key to his room. He collected the single key from her and began walking toward the elevator. On second thought, he changed his mind and decided to take the staircase.
A few minutes later, he was in front of his room. He hastily opened his door and stepped into the medium-size room. As he locked the door, he heard his cellphone began to beep.
Jason ignored the beeping phone. He hastily undressed and took a warm shower. When he returned to the room again, the phone was still beeping. This time, Jason took the phone from the bed and pressed the receive button.
"What do you want?" he asked Sarah, his personal assistant.
"I'm so sorry, sir. I know you gave specific instructions that no one should disturb you but..." she began but he cut her off.
"What do you want?" Jason barked.
"The collectors were here this morning. I've been trying to reach you..." she stopped and took a deep breath.
Jason sighed sadly. "How much time do we have left?" he asked her.
"I'm afraid, we have less than two months to pay our debts or go bankrupt."
"Sarah?" Jason said, suddenly feeling too tired.
"Yes?"
"Don't you think it’s over?" he asked her.
"Jason, you've fought for six months. I don't know you to be one that gives up," she answered quite honestly.
"I know when I've lost. This is the time," he told her.
"If only we could get our hands on Shane Hilary, I'm sure we..." she began.
"Shane doesn't want to be found. I don’t have enough money to look for him," Jason told her.
"How could your childhood friend suddenly collect loans from banks, clear out the company's account and disappear while you were at the hospital recovering from an accident?" Sarah had asked herself this question over and over again but still couldn't find an answer.
"I guess, I trusted him too much," Jason retorted, almost to himself.
"Sir..." she began.
"I’ll be back next week," he told her and ended the call.
Jason sat on his bed and thought about the good old days. In two months, all thanks to his friend and Partner, he would lose all he had ever worked for.
"Well, I'm about to be poor, again," he smiled sadly.
When he lay in his bed for what seemed like an eternity and still couldn't sleep, Jason left his bed and dressed casually in a pair of chinos and redshirt. He wore his boots and walked out of his room again.
Once out in the street, he began walking without really knowing where he was going to. He walked for
about half an hour trying to think. He had come to Hawaii to think of the best way to save his company, but it has been a week already and he couldn't think of a solution to his problem. His friends had turned their backs on him. It was as if they had been ardently waiting for his downfall.
***
In another part of town, two well-known men were sharing a bottle of wine to celebrate the evening
"You have so much money to last you a lifetime," Ben told Fred with a grin.
"Yes, I’m just twenty-eight but I have everything I've ever wanted," Fred happily retorted.
"You have everything Fred, but not love," Benjamin reminded Fred.
Fred took a good look at his manager and good friend. Ben was a cute man in his late forties. He had been Fred's manager for seven years and the two had become solid friends.
"Who needs love? I have money, I have fame, I have a doting sister, a beautiful niece, and loving parents. What else would I ever ask for?" Fred asked the man.
"It’s time you find love again," his manager reminded him.
"I loved only once. I’m incapable of loving again," Fred said, smiling sadly.
"It has been seven years, Fred. Maurice has moved on with his life. Don't you think it’s time you move on with yours?"
Benjamin knew this was a soft spot. Maurice had dumped Fred seven years ago for a British playboy.
"Love is for fools." Fred had vowed to never fall in love again.
"When you find that special someone, you’ll realize that love is the most beautiful thing that could happen to a person," Ben added.
"Don't you think I need a vacation?" Fred asked his manager.
"Not yet, man. You still have to go on that tour first."
Fred chuckled. "You’re right. I need to make more money and fame."
Ben wisely didn't say a word. He saw Fred went quiet and knew he was thinking about Maurice.
"You know what?" he said, quite suddenly
"What?" Ben asked him.
"I need a drink."
"But we only just got back. You've worked too hard already and you need a rest."
"I need no rest."
He got to his feet.
"See you in the morning man."
"It’s morning already."
Fred chuckled. He was still in his pants and shirt. He picked up his SUV keys and hastily walked out of the house. It had been seven years since Maurice had walked out of his life but Fred had sworn to never let anyone hurt him again.
"Your poor background would shame me." Maurice had told him.
As he was driving, he was so deep in thought he almost hit a man who came out of nowhere. In a panic, Fred stepped on the brake and the car came to a halt.
"Are you drunk or are you blind?" the husky voice asked him.
"I'm so sorry Mr. I..." The man was dressed in an old pair of chinos and a shirt.
"If I hadn't jumped, you would have run into me." The deep voice sounded angry.
"For crying out loud, I didn't run into you." Fred managed to swing open his door and walked out of the car. The man was already standing at his door. He was looking so angry, Fred knew if looks could kill, he would be dead already.
"You..." Jason began put stopped mid-way when his eyes met with Fred. For the first time in his thirty-two years on earth, he was spellbound.
Fred stood five foot eleven inches. His golden-colored hair was curly, almost like a child's. Jason looked down at Fred's blue eyes and wondered why a man would have such perfect hair and eye coloring. His nose was small and his full lips were pink.
Jason fed his eyes on Fred, never ever wanting to stop looking. He had never seen such a perfect man. His shirt clung around his muscular body. He looked not only handsome, but rich as well.
"Can you hear me?" Fred asked him
"What did you say?"
"Are you hurt?" Fred asked. He didn't understand why the stranger before him managed to make him feel uncomfortable. At that moment, Fred wanted something he didn't seem to know.
"I... I’m not hurt," Jason retorted.
"My name is Fred." Fred offered his hands. For some reason, the anger in the man's voice and eyes had disappeared.
"I’m Jason." For some reason, both men were trying hard to hide their identities from each other.
"Nice meeting you," Jason added, taking the hands that Fred had offered.
"The pleasure is mine." Fred smiled.
"Next time, drive carefully," Jason warned him.
"I’ll. Thank you," Fred said.
"Well, I guess, I should be on my way." Jason managed to say. He wanted to be as far away as he could from this stranger he had just met.
He didn't wait. He swung around and began walking away.
"Mr. Jason... please wait." Fred's voice stopped him.
Jason waited but he didn't trust himself to resist the urge of making a complete and utter fool of himself by not kissing the beautiful man before him.
"How about we have drinks later this evening?" Fred asked without thinking.
"I... I... don't think it’s a good idea," Jason said and walked away into the quiet night.
It wasn't until Jason was gone that Fred realized that his heart was racing. He got in his car and hastily drove away.
"That man is the most handsome man I have ever seen," Fred muttered to himself. And his grip was so powerful and strong, but I still don't understand why he seemed so familiar to me."
Chapter Two
It had been two days after he was nearly run into by the SUV and Jason had replayed the scene over and over again in his mind.
"I nearly punched the poor guy until my eyes locked with his." Jason told himself.
He walked to the Starlight bar for the first time since the incidence, for a couple of drinks to help clear his head.
"Welcome, man." The bartender smiled as soon as his eyes rested on Jason.
"Thank you. Give me a bottle of scotch," he ordered and sat down.
The bartender nodded and turned toward the bar. Suddenly, the lady from the previous night sat beside him. Today, she wasn't alone.
"Hi," she greeted him.
"Hi" he said back.
Today, the lady seemed preoccupied.
"You’re kidding me, right?" the other lady asked her.
"I'm dead serious girl. Fred Jacobs is in Hawaii."
"Joss, be serious," her friend pressed.
"Look here Ellen, it was on the news this morning. I heard he arrived two days ago to..." Joss was trying to convince her friend.
"You seriously mean that Fred is here in Hawaii?"
"He isn't just here, he’s going to perform at the Ritzy tomorrow," Joss revealed. She seemed so proud of her knowledge.
"Who told you all this?" Jason heard Joss' friend asked her.
Joss shifted in her chair. "You know, Tim is my boyfriend. He works at the Ritzy."
"Oh my goodness Joss, I’ll finally get to meet my idol and see him perform live." Ellen was beside herself with joy.
Jason listened to the women talk about the popular musician, Fred Jacobs. He had heard about the man but he wasn't a fan of his.
"You know, I’ll try to get him to spend a night with me," Ellen vowed.
"How would you do that?" Joss asked, laughing.
"I’m a beautiful and sexy lady with seductive talents. That man is a star and I want to be in his bed."
Jason couldn't help but smile. He pitied the so-called musician. As a public figure himself, he knew how hard he had to fight females who would do anything to get into his bed. They were always determined and focused. He had spent the greater part of the last twelve years running away from men and women like Joss and Ellen.
By the time the ladies took their leave, Jason was almost done with his bottle. He had spent the entire day staring at his computer. Trying one more time to save his company but all efforts seemed futile.
He had placed two houses in the market. The thing was, even these houses wouldn't be able to pay back the
loans.
"Where are you, Partner?" he wondered.
Taking a long gulp at his drink, Jason left the bar. He walked to his hotel room. His phone beeped once. It was a mail.
Hi Jason, I've read your mail and I’m so sorry for my late response. The thing is, my bank won't be able to give you the loan you seek. I’m so sorry. Your father was my friend but this is beyond me.
He read the mail over and over again. All the people he had reached out to had refused to help him. They all came up with excuses and this was no different.
The following evening, dressed in another pair of faded jeans and a white t-shirt, Jason made his way to the Ritzy club. He needed to be out of his room.
The club was big and already filled up. He tried not to look out of place in the club. After tonight, he had vowed to cut off his vacation and return to New York.
Since the dance floor was filled already, Jason quietly got a seat and sat down. The noise in the club was a welcome distraction from the quietness of his hotel room.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we’ve all been waiting for..." A young man of about twenty, standing on the stage began.
There were loud cries and jubilation from the crowd.
"Let's put our hands together for the king of R&B, America's sweetheart, and a star, Freddie..."
The whole club went ballistic. Jason wondered what he was doing at the club. He wasn't one who paid attention to music. As a little boy, he had always loved drawing and his parents had not supported him.
Soon, a tall man appeared on stage. He was dressed simply in brown pants and a red sweatshirt. He had the best smile Jason had ever seen and the man looked awfully familiar.
"Damn, he looks more handsome every day." He heard a female exclaimed.
Jason looked again and was surprised to find himself staring at the man he had met four days ago.
"Goodness, he’s a musician." Jason wondered out loud.
"Good morning everyone," The musician said in a deep voice. Of course, it was morning, it was already two in the morning.
"I’ll sing In Your Arms Again.”
As soon as the crowd heard the name of the song, they went wild with excitement. The song was obviously loved by the people.
