Chapter 8 – David #2
“Most of the time I don’t really need to be at the races. I’m just head of driver training, after all. Vincent has other people he relies on on race days. And we could spin it that I’m taking a stand with my friend, not the boss.”
“You really have thought about this.”
“Yeah.”
“Since when?” Wondering how long I have been in his thoughts.
“Constantly, since Spa,” Richard states matter-of-factly. “Up until that point I had decided that us breaking up was a good idea. But I wasn’t prepared to admit just how much I missed you. Missed being with you. That night at Spa confirmed everything that I felt. I wanted you back so badly.”
“But you pushed me away.” If he wanted me so much, why lie about his feelings for me?
“I did. I wish I could tell you rationally why I did that, but I can’t. I did what I thought was best for the both of us.”
“I wish you hadn’t,” I say to him.
“Yeah, being back in your bed sooner would’ve been better,” Richard replies.
“Actually, I was thinking more along the lines that I wouldn’t have been distracted and totaled a car costing millions of dollars, causing Vincent to be pissed at me.” I can feel the smirk on my face and Richard looks over to me and pretends to be shocked at my words.
“But then you wouldn’t have your new BFF, Lars. So, every cloud, etc,” Richard says, a smirk now playing on his lips.
“But jokes aside, we need to talk about logistics.” I need to get things settled in my mind. We need to have a plan on what we’re going to do. “I’m guessing you’re still going to be working closely with Otis, which means that you’re coming to most of the upcoming races, right?”
“Yes.”
“My plan is that we act like we always have around other people. We have always been good at keeping us a secret. Then, after the final race, we meet up,” I explain.
“Only if you’re not tired. Don’t forget there are some races coming up where you only have a couple of days for a break. Those are the times when you’re going to need to concentrate on your health.”
“Just because we are in the same hotel room together, doesn’t mean we need to have sex.”
Rich’s eyes widened at my words, and I think that I’m going to have to explain that things between us are going to be very different from here on out.
I want a relationship. I don’t just want nights where I string out his pleasure.
I want nights where we sit and talk, like now. Where we are just together.
“Rich. This,” and I point to him and I, “is more than just sex. Don’t get me wrong, the sex is great, but I want more, and I think that you do, too.
But, yeah, I think you’re right, those races are going to be tough, and it might be better to spend some extra time apart.
We do have a two-week break, and my place in Monaco is very well protected.
We can have some fun before the final push of the season. ”
Rich just keeps looking at me, and I think that he’s digesting my words. We both knew that when I said ‘I love you’, it changed things. Well, I have just admitted how much I have changed them.
“That sounds good to me,” Rich whispers back.
Rolling onto my back, I stretch my arm out and invite Rich into my side.
A place where I can hold him all night and just feel his body next to mine.
Rich shifts himself so that his head is resting on my shoulder, and I wrap my arm around him to hold him in place.
I gently turn to place a kiss on his head.
“So, it’s official then. You’re my boyfriend.”
Rich jumps out of my arms so quickly I wonder if he’s been electrocuted or bitten by something. For a second, I look around to see if I can see any wires or bugs that have suddenly appeared.
“Boyfriend,” Rich repeats, and I’m not sure if he hates the word, or is just trying it out.
“Yeah.” Wondering where on earth this is going to go.
“I’m too old to be someone’s boyfriend. I’m fifty-two for fuck’s sake.”
“There isn’t an age limit.” I’m trying my best not to laugh at his statement.
“There is. Teenagers, people in their twenties and thirties have boyfriends or girlfriends. Not people my age.”
“So, at thirty-eight I can be described as your boyfriend, but I cannot call you that?” I ask, needing to confirm that I’ve heard him right.
“Exactly.”
At this point, I lose it. The laughter I’d managed to suppress bubbles to the surface. I thought he might like the fact that we’re labelling what we are now. Not complaining that I was calling him my boyfriend.
“So,” I get out, while I try to get myself under control. “What are you? My man friend?”
“Oh God.” Rich groans at my words. “That somehow sounds worse. Can’t we be partners?”
“No,” I state, and I have a feeling that my next few words are going to make him laugh. “Partners are people in law firms or business. Not relationships. To me, you are someone’s boyfriend or girlfriend until you become someone’s husband or wife.”
“So, if we are still together in ten years, you’re still going to call me, at sixty-two, your boyfriend?”
“No,” I say, and see the shock in Rich’s eyes at my words, my guess is he’s thinking that we’re, at some point, going to split up. “By ten years from now, you will be my husband.”
“Oh,” Is the only reply he gives me, and I have to admit that I get a little kick knowing that I made him lost for words, other than when he’s tied up.
A silence falls over us, and Rich moves back into my side, and I wrap my arm back around him, holding him tight, and I soon feel my eyes getting heavy, and sleep takes me.
The shrill of my alarm wakes me from the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.
I stretch out my arm for Rich, but there is nothing but the cold mattress.
Suddenly, very awake, I sit up in bed and listen, hoping that he’s in the shower, but the room is quiet.
Looking over to the desk, his pile of clothes are gone.
He didn’t stay the night.
I had been looking forward to waking up with him. Maybe going down to breakfast together, there would have been nothing strange about the two of us entering the restaurant at the same time. We could have bumped into each other by the lift.
I look around the room, hoping that maybe he left me a note as to why he didn’t stay, because at the moment, it feels like last night was just one beautiful dream.
But there is nothing. I flop back down onto my pillows and try to figure out what to do next, when my mobile phone beeps, letting me know I have a new message.
Picking up the phone and unlocking it, I see there is a message from Richard and one from Vincent. I quickly read the one from Vincent, congratulating me on my win, and saying that he’s looking forward to the next race.
Then, taking a deep breath, I open Richard’s. Mentally keeping my fingers crossed that, in the few hours that we were asleep, he hadn’t changed his mind.
R: I didn’t want to wake you. You looked so peaceful, fast asleep. I wished I could’ve stayed, but didn’t want to risk being seen coming out of your room. I can’t stop staring at your mark. I think it needs a friend. X
I can understand Rich not wanting to be seen coming out of my room, but still wished he had woken me to say goodbye.
D: I think a friend for the mark can be arranged, but if you leave my room without waking me again, there will be consequences.
I keep hold of my mobile in my hand, waiting for Rich’s reply, which comes a few minutes later, just two little words, and I cannot help the smile they put on my face.
R: Yes, sir.