Page 8 of Dark Promises

As he neared and took aim at a seat close by, I grasped and hurriedly removed those eyeglasses, and tucked them back into my suit pocket. I didn’t want to signal nerd, but I guessed I was, and wearing glasses came as a result from reading too many books in college, not books from my classes, but comic books and Science Fiction. Because of my interests, I dropped out in my last year, and the fact that I didn’t have enough credits to graduate.

I could feel my heart beating through my shirt as I got up the nerve to march over to him. I needed more time to calm down and get myself together for a conversation. It had been a while since I’d picked up a man. Two years to be exact. Although it was cool inside, I had beads of sweat on my forehead, and I knew this wasn’t the right time.

In the dimly lit room where I made out his outline, a lean muscular body, delicate dark features, with a strong jawline, and narrow nose with thin plump kissable lips, my pulsed raced. His hair was black and curly, his eyes blue, and tanned smooth skin that sparkled, and he appeared to be twenty-five if a day.

My heart thundered when a guy stepped close to him, and whispered in his ear, and the sexy young man swiped his tongue over his lips and placed his hand around the guy’s waist. The bartender poured him and his friend a drink, as if he knew them. Did the two know each other? Did the three of them have some dealings in the past? Had they engaged in a threesome? Did my bartender know them, or was he just acting friendly for a better tip?

Those were the questions of a desperate man who had waited too long to make his move.

It was too much for me to think about now, because I’d had enough of trying to figure out how I would get him into my bed without his friend fucking that up.

When the friend embraced and kissed the gorgeous guy on the cheek, was he welcoming him back? One thing I knew, he was gay, and he was going to be mine. There was only one man I’d met that I felt like this from locking eyes with him, and that was Cole.

I wanted this guy in my bed, if I had to blindfold and handcuff him. That was my kink. When the glasses came off, and I put the business guy to rest, it was playtime. However, getting a young man to play with me had proven difficult, because of Cole’s puppy who now was a dog with a problematic personality.

If I was going to invest time in this man, I had to consider a lot of things and the number one thing was Sam?Oh fuck, there’s the problem of Sam in all my relationships, but that’s where Ryan came in, I thought.

I turned to get Ryan’s attention, waved my hands in the air at him, and still he didn’t look around. Someone touched him on the shoulder just as I was contemplating walking to the back of the bar, but they pointed my way. Finally, Ryan turned around and spotted me waving and sauntered over to me. When I turned to eye the handsome dude, my heart sank, because that gorgeous dude and his friend were gone that fast.

“What is it, Daniel?” Ryan asked. I raised my hand and shook my head.

“I’ll be back. Just wait here because I have to ask... no, tell you something.” I hadn’t planned on giving him an option because he owed me.

“It’s not about my boyfriend?” He appeared worried. And I would be too if I was afraid Jay, who seemed to be up to all kinds of shenanigans, could cost Ryan his job.

“No. Nothing like that,” and I rushed out of the bar, out into the building. Standing in the lobby I looked around and turned in a circle wondering where he’d gone. My heart sank and my face soured. He and his friend were nowhere to be found.

Stopping at the security desk with monitors, I questioned, “Did you see two well-dressed men pass?”

“No sir. I was reading and had my head in the books for a second. And no one passed at least that I noticed.”

“Could you look on your monitor.” He turned and tried to peruse his monitors. Then he glanced up at me. “You know you haven’t told me anything about the two men. Did they forget to pay their checks?”

“No. Nothing like that. One had on a dark blue suit with a white shirt opened and no tie. His eyes blue and his hair dark and curly.”

“You’ve just described half the men who work in this building,” the security guard said, as if I had wasted his time and he wanted to get back to his book.

“But you would know him if he’d passed and if you’d seen him. He’s gorgeous.”

“I guess I don’t see men the way you do, Mr. James. I’m not gay.” He shook his head and furrowed his brow. “I don’t look at dudes.”

Don’t be a dick,I thought, but I did add. “What does that have to do with seeing a beautiful man and appreciating one whether you’re straight or gay?” I walked away and then turned back. “You know you haven’t lived long enough. You never know. What are you, twenty?” And I smiled. He glanced up at me and furrowed his brow.

I strode in the direction of my club, and before I disappeared behind the elevators to my left, I heard someone call out.

“Daniel.” In my mind all I saw was the handsome man calling out my name, but how did he know who I was? I turned and my nightmare started all over again. “Daniel. I kept your dog and I thought about how you must have missed him, and therefore, I brought him back. I expect to get paid of course.” I’d been hoping he’d keep him longer and send me a ransom note where I could decline his offer, but no such luck.

“Of course. Come with me.” I led the limo driver into the side door to my office and when I strolled in, there was Ryan in my office again and arguing with his boyfriend, Jay, who was supposed to be manning a bar for an impromptu party.

“Can you follow orders for once, and why did I give you your own office if I find you in mine all the time?” I was upset and I let him have it with my strongest voice.

“We were just talking, and your office is soundproof and I had to get something off your computer.” I didn’t believe it, but I had no proof, unlike the time I caught them bare assed in the act. It seemed you had to catch someone and then prove what they were doing. I hadn’t thought about putting in a camera until now.

“Don’t you have a computer? I gave you one. And remind me to redecorate and start with the walls.” I reached, for the petty cash in my desk after opening the drawer with a key and paid the limo driver. I gave him extra, because I knew the hell he’d endured with Sam.

“Before you go, could you drop off Sam to the trainer’s tomorrow morning, and pick him up.” I saw a little hesitancy, and I said, “It will be worth your while. I’ll text you where to collect him.”

“In that case I’ll do it.” And he left, but Ryan and his friend, Jay, stayed, but when the two saw the displeasure covering my face, they turned on their heels ready to leave. Sam glanced up at me with sad eyes—the kind he used to give me when he was a puppy—but now he was no longer a puppy, but he was still playing with my heart strings and this time it wasn’t working.

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