Page 27 of Poles Apart
“All right, if you insist, but next time.” Jacob didn’t finish the sentence and left it in the air between them. The insinuation that there would be a next time.
Jacob placed his card on top, and he instructed the server to split it fifty-fifty.
“Satisfied, Mr Tyler?” Jacob handed Dom his card as they stood to leave. He didn’t want the night to end but wasn’t sure what else they could do.
Thankfully, Dom decided for them. “Would you like to go for a drink, or do you need to get back for Abby?”
“She’s staying with Lindsay and Colin tonight, so we could go to a bar if you want.” He really hoped Dom would say yes. He wanted to spend more time with him.
“I know just the place. Come on.” They stepped outside into the cool air, and after the warmth of the restaurant, it was a welcome reprieve. Dom bumped his arm as they walked. Jacob had forgotten how small Dom was compared to him. There was a good six-inch difference, but Jacob didn’t care, and he was damn sure Dom didn’t.
They walked in silence for about five minutes, neither of them knowing what to say and finally arrived at a club called Heaven. Jacob had heard about it, being new, but he’d never been in. Actually, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to a club.
After queueing for a little while, they got inside and headed for the bar.
“Fucking hell. Just what I need.” Dom’s displeasure was evident.
“What’s wrong? He’s not here as well, is he?” Jacob scanned the club, looking for Noah’s dad, but didn’t see him.
“No, not him, but I was hoping not to see those guys tonight. I should have taken us somewhere else.” Dom carefully pointed out a couple, clearly together, at the bar. He recognised the look in their eyes when they spotted Dom as he was pretty sure it was the same one he used to have when he saw him. One of pure lust.
“Will you play along? Please?” Dom looked Jacob in the eyes, pleading for him to agree as the couple sauntered over.
Jacob nodded and was stunned when Dom grabbed hold of his face and kissed him. He was shocked, to say the least, but soon relaxed into the kiss, bringing his hands to Dom’s hips and holding him there.
It was just as he remembered and more. The softness of Dom’s lips, the taste of spice from their food, and the bitter tang of the beer they’d drunk. He could have stayed there forever. He heard Dom moan, and he slipped his tongue inside his mouth, hooking his fingers in his belt loops, pulling him closer.
He groaned at the feeling of Dom’s hardness against his leg. Fuck, this was how he wanted to be kissed for the rest of his life. Dom started to pull away but continued with sweet, tender kisses to his jaw and face. If this was ‘playing along’, he was happy to oblige.
“Well, well. Who’s this then, Dom? We didn’t realise you had a boyfriend. I certainly wouldn’t have offered if I knew you had someone waiting for you at home. Unless, of course, we could tempt you both?”
Jacob had no idea what this grease ball was talking about, but he could guess. He put his arm around Dom’s shoulder as they turned to face the intruders into their little cocoon.
Both men were similar in height to him, if a little taller. One wore a black shirt open almost to his navel, a gold chain around his neck and an impossible amount of hair on his chest. The other was primped and plucked to within an inch of his life, wearing skin-tight leather pants and a trendy, ripped, pink T-shirt. They were like light and dark; both had slicked-back hair and well-trimmed beards. Jacob was inexplicably wary of the two of them.
“Sorry. Toby, Owen. This is my boyfriend, Jacob. Jacob, Toby and Owen, owners of this fine establishment.” Dom swept his hand around, indicating the club.
Jacob shook both of their hands, and the urge to wash was overwhelming. Warm, sweaty palms and limp handshakes. Was there anything worse?
“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Dom. Have you been together long?” Jacob was tempted to punch the sneer from Toby’s face.
“We’ve known each other a while but have reconnected after a time apart.” Jacob looked at Dom and smiled.
Dom reached up, stroking his face, continuing the ruse. “Yeah, it was great to meet up again after so many years, and we realised what we’d missed. Getting back together is the best thing to have happened.” Dom looked over at Toby. “Well, that’s what I think anyway.”
Jacob took his lead from Dom. “Me too. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed him until we met up again.” Jacob was sincere with his words but wasn’t sure whether Dom was doing this for show or whether he meant what he’d said.
“Such a sweet tale. You couldn’t make it up, could you?” Toby smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Jacob didn’t think he believed them, and to be honest, he didn’t actually know what was going on. He was going along with what Dom wanted.
He kept his arm around Dom’s shoulder and brought him in close to his side. Dom put his arm around Jacob’s waist and rested his head on his chest. If this was real, it was the best thing that had ever happened to him, but if it was, as he suspected, a charade for Toby and Owen, he’d play along, but it didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt when Dom no longer wanted to pretend.
Toby turned to the barman. “Can we get some drinks over here, please? What do you want, gentlemen?” He turned back to Dom and Jacob. “We have some lovely whiskeys if you’re into that or if you’d prefer some other spirits or wine. You choose.”
“We’ll have a couple of beers, please, if you don’t mind.” Jacob didn’t want to take anything from this guy, but beers would be polite. “That OK with you, Dom?”
“Yeah, great, thanks.” Dom squeezed his waist, but he was not sure if it was in support or not.
“You sure? You can have anything you want.” Toby asked again, a hidden meaning in his words, maybe?
