They bought their tickets, and the lady at the booth arranged her glasses to peer closer at Luc. "Oh, it's you," she said in recognition. "I thought you wouldn't come back."
She looked at his hand entwined with Dury's and her face fell. "So that's how it is. I'm sorry."
Luc shrugged. "It happens."
Dury didn't comment on the exchange, and Luc wondered how much exactly his plot bunny—and wow, that sounded weird—understood of it. Then again, how much did Dury even know about Luc? Barring the spicy food, he seemed to have the uncanny knack to figure out all of Luc's preferences. Was it some supernatural creature thing? Luc would have to remember to ask.
Then again… If Dury did know all about Luc's past, he was bound to be aware of Simon's existence as well, and maybe even that they spent time in this park. Luc felt a surge of annoyance flow through him. Dury had no right to poke and prod into his heart like that.
"Don't look so angry," Dury said. "You'll get wrinkles."
"We shouldn't be here," Luc replied snappishly. "You know why, don't you?"
Dury nodded. "It's okay. We're not doing anything bad. You and he had wonderful times together. It's only natural that you want to remember them. And it's not like you and I are lovers or anything like that."
At that, Luc felt a small pang of hurt. He didn't even want to consider why. Dury was right. They weren't lovers, but what did that make them? Friends? They barely knew each other. God, Luc didn't even know anymore.
"Right," he replied half-heartedly. "If you say so."
Dury pulled him away from the path behind a popcorn stand. "Hey. If you want to go, we'll go. We can do this another time, or go someplace else if you'd rather."
Luc shook his head. "You brought me here for a reason, didn't you? Let's stick to the plan. I trust you."
Dury stared at him, as if in disbelief. "All right," he finally said. "Let's go."
After that, Luc surrendered to Hurricane Dury and allowed himself to be swept away. Dury took him on every possible ride, from the most dangerous, nauseating ones, to the kiddy merry-go-rounds. They ate cheap ice-cream and Luc shot at moving ducks, winning a teddy bear, much to Dury's delight. By the end of the day, Luc found himself falling back into the past with a smile, remembering doing the same things with Simon. He probably should've felt guilty for thinking about another man when he was with Dury, but for some reason, he knew Dury wouldn't mind.
Finally, they stopped in front of the haunted house, the same place Luc and Simon had many times made love in. This time, though, Dury didn't go inside the ride. He sat down on the grass and patted the ground next to him. Luc obeyed the silent command and joined Dury.
"Tell me about him," Dury said.
"You know already," Luc replied. "Otherwise you wouldn't have brought me here in the first place."
Dury shook his head. "It's not the same. I want to hear it from you. If you'd like to share it with me, of course."
For a few seconds, Luc didn't speak. Few people knew the true extent of his feelings for Simon, perhaps not even Simon himself. Maybe letting go and getting it off his chest would do him some good.
Luc took a deep breath and started to speak.
* *
The Past
Luc stole a glass of champagne off a waiter's tray and took a sip of the delicious liquid. So far, the best part of the evening had been the booze. He was bored and tired and he wanted to go home. At least the champagne made him feel a bit less frustrated with this pointless, time-consuming thing.
In celebration of his first book hitting the bestseller list, his publisher had given him free tickets to an art gallery that night. Or so she'd claimed. Luc knew the truth, of course. Her brother, Joshua, begged her to come, since Joshua's fiancé was displaying his art at the gallery. Luc had debated the merits of refusing her, but Dana's insistence eventually determined him to accept. Dana may have been a hard ass, but her little brother was her weakness, and she'd brought Luc along to make Josh happy.
Luc genuinely liked Josh. They didn't cross paths often, mostly because both of them had busy schedules. Back when they'd first met, Dana introduced Josh as "a big fan" and "a rising star of violin music". They'd just stared for a few moments, then admitted that they'd never heard of each other and proceeded to go out for a drink while leaving Dana behind.
In spite of that, though, the evening had quickly turned into a marketing nightmare. The few moments he managed to steal away with Dana and Joshua were interrupted when others popped up, having recognized him as the newest star of fantasy publishing. They must have thought that if they pushed enough, they could get him to purchase something. Tough luck for them. He preferred to spend his money on books, not on paintings that looked like the random drawings of a child. Modern art. Who understood it?
As quickly as he could, he retreated to a hidden corner of the room, too tired to talk to other aspiring artists. As he turned, his eyes fell on a sculpture he hadn't originally seen. How had he missed it? It seemed impossible. It was right there, in front of his very eyes, a lifelike depiction of two lovers entwined, both faceless, and yet painfully expressive, and both very male.
Luc stared at the sculpture for the longest time, occasionally looking at the tag to check on the price. The cost made him wince, but as Luc continued his admiration of the sculpture, it seemed to dwindle, or rather, become entirely justified. Surely he could indulge himself with one single sculpture. After all, it was a celebration night.
"Do you like this sculpture so much?" a male voice asked behind him.
Luc jumped, startled, and he somehow managed to spill his glass of champagne all over his jacket in the process. "Fuck," he cursed to himself. The plausibility of him buying the sculpture dwindled as he computed the costs of sending the jacket to the cleaners.
"Oh, dear," the voice said again. "I made you spill your drink."
He sounded vaguely amused and in Luc's intoxicated state, it seemed like a very rude thing to do. He turned to look at the culprit, and found himself facing the most handsome man he'd seen in his life.
Beautiful blue eyes twinkled at him, their depths holding a dark, sexual promise. Light auburn hair tickled the man's nape, framing his face and curling around the white collar of his shirt. His body looked as beautiful as the sculpture in front of them, clear muscles visible through the material of the expensive tuxedo.
"Do you need a hand?" the man asked, his sensual lips twisting into a smile.
"Sure," Luc replied. "I guess." Luc would take a hand, a mouth, an ass, and anything else the stranger would offer.
"Come along," the man said. "I'll help you clean up."
Luc followed the handsome stranger to the bathroom. He was too busy staring at the other man's ass to register the way they were going, but thankfully, the other man didn't seem to have any ill intentions. They soon reached the men's room and the stranger gestured Luc inside. "After you," he said in that intoxicating, purring voice.
Luc stared at him and, taking the other man's hand, pulled him inside the bathroom. The moment they were safely out of the corridor, he took the other man in his arms and pressed their lips together. The stranger came willingly, surrendering his mouth to Luc's exploration. Their tongues dueled for domination, neither of them willing to allow the other to win their silent battle. Luc gasped as the other man's erection came in contact with his own. God, that felt good. He rubbed against the stranger wantonly, aching for more contact, more skin. He distantly hoped no one needed to go, because if so, they would give the poor soul quite a shock.
As it turned out, they were in luck. The bathroom was empty and Luc blindly searched for the lock, trying to make sure they wouldn't be disturbed.
They broke apart for a few seconds to breathe, and Luc stared at the other man, amazed at his own behavior. He'd never felt such all-consuming lust before, and he wasn't one to act like a slut. Hell, he didn't even know the man's name and he was ready to spread his legs and take it up the ass.
As if
guessing Luc's thoughts, the man extended his hand in greeting. "Simon Roth," he introduced himself, panting.
"Lucas Black," Luc replied before pressing his lips to Simon's once again.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Simon said against Luc's mouth.
The world turned into a frenzy of rushed kisses, passionate touches, and desperate moans. Finally, Simon tore his lips from Luc's and gave him a heated look. He knelt on the bathroom floor, and Luc mentally winced, knowing that even the most sanitary of bathroom floors couldn't be considered clean. That thought vanished when Simon unzipped Luc's pants. His hand dug inside the material of Luc's briefs and closed in on Luc's hard shaft. Luc groaned and leaned against the wall, his knees buckling as pleasure invaded his body.
"Fuck, yeah."
Simon grinned at him, and proceeded to push Luc's briefs down, releasing his hard cock from its confines. He moved his hand up and down Luc's shaft, rubbing the leaking tip.
Luc clenched his hands, struggling for control. "God… suck me. Do it."
Simon chuckled, but obeyed. Luc watched his lover one-handedly retrieve a foil package out of his trousers and rip it open with his teeth. As Simon rolled the condom on his cock, Luc felt a small pang of regret. He'd have liked to feel Simon touching him without the barrier.
Simon gave him a neutral look, and Luc wondered how the other man could read him so well. "No offense," the man said, "but I always play safe."
Luc nodded. He could appreciate that. After all, one couldn't trust easily, not with something as important as health and life. Maybe one day, Simon and he could go without the condom. And where the fuck did that thought come from? This was just a one-night stand at best, nothing more.
And then, Simon's hot mouth enclosed on Luc's shaft and Luc forgot everything that wasn't the sheer carnal pleasure. Even through the latex, it felt better than any other sexual experience Luc could remember. Simon swirled his tongue around Luc's dick in a corkscrew motion that drove Luc wild. Luc tried to hold back, to let his lover do what he liked, but his control snapped. He started fucking the other man's face, increasing the speed of his motions as Simon moaned. His lover took him with ease, allowing Luc to use him, making soft noises of pleasure.
Through the haze of lust, Luc heard the sound of a zipper being lowered and practically felt Simon's pleasure increase. The realization that Simon was jacking himself off drove Luc even closer to the edge. "I'm close," he groaned. "So close."
Simon started sucking Luc in earnest, bobbing his head up and down the hard shaft. Finally, he took Luc deep in his throat and swallowed around the head of his dick. That was all she wrote. Luc came, screaming Simon's name as he filled the condom with his seed.
It took a few seconds for Luc to regain his breath and clear his mind. When he did, he realized he'd somehow ended up on the floor next to Simon. Oh well. The mind-blowing orgasm was worth a few germs and a ruined suit.
He reached for his lover, decided to give Simon the same pleasure he'd received. Simon shook his head. "It's okay," Simon said. "I'm good."
Luc felt disappointed and just a bit guilty. He'd wanted to reciprocate, to blow the other man's mind just like Simon had done for him. Simon must have read his mind once again, because he grinned. "Seriously. Don't worry about it. I came when you did. You're just that hot."
The teasing remark lightened Luc's mood. "Yes, well, what can I say? It's a curse."
They cleaned up in companionable silence and arranged their clothes. When they were finally presentable, Luc opened the door and exited the bathroom, with Simon behind him. Outside, a couple of men gave them disgruntled looks, but didn't comment. Maybe they were used to these things happening at art galleries. Who knew modern paintings were such a turn on?
Then again, it hadn't been the paintings that caused all this, but the sculpture. It wasn't hard to guess the identity of the artist. "The sculpture is yours, isn't it?"
Simon nodded. "One of my favorites. I wouldn't have sold it, but unfortunately, it's a commission."
"It's already sold to someone?" Luc asked, feeling regretful.
Simon looked confused. "Yeah. Didn't it say so on the tag?"
Luc shook his head. "No. It was marked with a price. A very high price."
"I see," Simon said with a smile. "So were you tempted?"
Lucas grinned, no longer referring to the sculpture. "Very."
"Yeah," Simon replied. "Me too."
* *
Chapter Three
The Present
Still in the amusement park, Luc stopped speaking as he realized he'd gotten lost in the tale. So much time had passed since that day that he'd almost forgotten that first, explosive encounter. Or rather, he'd forced himself to forget. The idea made him feel awful. The moments he'd spent at Simon's side were too precious to cast aside just like that.
"And what happened after that?" Dury asked, sounding fascinated.
"By the end of the evening, we ended up in the bathrooms again. We exchanged phone numbers and I lasted exactly two days until I called him."
* *
The Past
Luc held on to the phone like a lifeline as he waited for Simon to pick up. He really wanted to see the other man. The chemistry between them had been explosive, but Luc thought it was more than that. He felt he could build something more with Simon.
Maybe he was just deluded and mistaking great sex for love at first sight, but Luc wanted to try, just to be sure.
Finally, after a few rings, an irritated voice answered, "Simon Roth's studio, this is Simon speaking."
Luc hesitated. "Hi… Lucas Black here. From the art gallery."
"Right," Simon's tone changed into a seductive purr. "Hello, Lucas. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I was wondering if you might like to grab a cup of coffee one of these days," Lucas replied. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach, but Luc didn't want to dwell on the reasons of his nervousness too much.
"I'd love to," Simon answered, but the regret in his tone told Luc something else followed, "but I'm struggling with something now."
"Oh…" Lucas said, unable to keep his disappointment from his tone.
After a short pause, Simon let out a disgruntled noise. "You know what, fuck it. I deserve a break. When and where?"
Luc blinked in surprise at the sudden change. "Umm… do you know where Café Mont Blanc is?"
"Not a Starbucks man, I see," Simon noticed, voice filled with approval.
Lucas snorted. As if any self-respecting artist would be caught dead in a Starbucks. "Of course not."
Simon laughed. "Two hours, at Mont Blanc, then."
"Done."
The next few hours passed by in a flurry of preparation. Luc changed three outfits before deciding on a pair of tight jeans and a loose green shirt that matched his eyes. Trying too hard on a first date was a no-no. Then again, did this count as a first date? They'd already fucked. Damn. Why did Luc have to overanalyze things like this?
He got to the café fifteen minutes before the set time. He found Simon already waiting there, absently flipping through a menu. "Wow, prices have really sky-rocketed," he said as Luc approached.
"Some things are worth the extra effort," Luc replied.
Simon looked up at him and smiled. Getting up from the chair, he greeted Luc with a kiss that made his toes curl. They clung together for the longest time, until they had to break apart to breathe.
"You know what?" Simon said. "I have good coffee at my place."
Luc's dick went rock hard in a few instants. "That sounds great," he replied. He'd wanted something else from this date, but hey, he wouldn't complain about this development. Talking could wait. From Simon's heated gaze, Luc knew what they were about to do.
A taxi took them to Simon's studio, located in an area of newly converted warehouses. They spent most of the ride making out in the back, uncaring about anyone who could see them.
Finally, when they reached their destination, the driver offered them
a warm smile. Just for that and the genuine kindness in the man's eyes, Luc left him a tip.
At first, Luc felt a bit concerned at the look of the neighborhood. He caught sight of gangs of suspicious-looking individuals skulking around the corners of other buildings and wondered if Simon was safe here.
"Do you live here?" he asked Simon.
Simon turned toward him and arched a brow. When, Luc detected a flash of anger in the other man's eyes, he clarified, "It just seems a bit dangerous, that's all. I don't want you to get hurt."
Simon's expression softened. "That's sweet." He brushed a kiss across Luc's lips then took a step away from Luc. He waved at the gang, shouting, "Oye, chicos, como va todo?"
A tall guy waved back. "Bien, bien, señor Simon. Pero usted, mejor, no? Su novio esta…" He made a lascivious gesture and stared at Luc. "Delicioso."
Simon shook his head at the man. "Todo mio, chico. Lo siento."
"Ay, que pena," the man said regretfully "Have fun," he finished in a lightly-accented English.
"Gracias," Luc replied simply. After all, the man had complimented him, albeit in a slightly unique way. He seemed to get along with Simon well enough, and that meant a lot to Luc.
"They're good boys," Simon said as they entered the building. "Mostly, they stick together because the families they come from don't."
Luc nodded, feeling a bit guilty that he'd judged the kids by appearances. "I'm glad to hear that."
Simon led him to an old-style elevator that looked like it would stop working any day now. Luc didn't comment, though, having already exhausted his misjudging chances for the day. He didn't want to fuck things up with Simon and look like a snob.
In spite of its looks, the lift worked fine. It led them to the upper floor and when Simon opened the elevator grating, Luc stepped out to an amazing sight. He had no words. The place simply was Simon.
The main room held a few low couches spread out, with dark-wood coffee tables in the middle. Huge shelves filled with books sat across from the couches, and next to it, an old gramophone rested. The remaining walls were actually three quarters glass, the rest of the space occupied by paintings or framed photographs. To the right, a beautiful piano waited, shining in the overflow of lights. Other shelves were spread throughout the room, some with artistic supplies, others with books. And, of course, there were plenty of sculptures, some of which seemed Simon's, others with a different style. How come Luc had missed it from the ground? Perhaps the place looked shabby on purpose, given all the valuable items inside.
The Plot Bunny Page 3
