Chapter 21 - Plans Change
The next few days were a bit of a blur for both of them.
They’d planned for a training session on Tuesday evening at the office, but Julian ended up having to cancel, called to Minneapolis for some issue with a deal there.
That session was rearranged for Thursday.
Whilst they were in constant touch via WhatsApp and spoke regularly, Callum found he was really missing him.
He arranged a night out with Sophia for Wednesday and at the last minute at work, when chatting to Jack and Rosie about it, Jack invited himself along with Rosie. Jack knew Sophia from long ago; they even dated at one point. Rosie had met Sophia at the gym twice when she’d visited, but that was it.
They met up at a local Mexican restaurant called The Three Amigos, just off Lafayette. Margaritas were ordered and they were soon chatting and laughing.
At a convenient lull in the conversation, “So, Cal,” asked Sophia, “are we allowed to discuss the elephant in the room?” She gave Callum a knowing look.
He knew full well she was referring to Julian’s large dick, which he’d told her about, as they had no secrets, but he rather hoped Jack and Rosie wouldn’t work that out.
“Yes Cal, please give us the gossip,” purred Rosie. “I saw him through the car window. My God, he looked so handsome in his suit.” Jack’s eyes rolled at this point, less interested in this discussion than the girls, but still keen to hear more.
“It’s all going well thanks, but it’s still early days. I’ve only known the guy for two weeks, and we’re dating.” Callum hoped to get away with that update but felt that he wouldn’t. He was right… the investigation continued.
“So, what’s he like? Is he really rich?” Rosie asked, a cheeky grin on her face.
Whilst Callum loved Rosie, she wasn’t as close to him as Sophia or Jack, and he didn’t want to give too much away.
“He’s CEO of a big company downtown, so yes, I believe he’s quite wealthy [white lie told: I know for a fact he’s massively wealthy!], but he’s just a great guy. I really like him, he’s into me, we’re dating and we’ll see where it takes us, I guess.”
At this point, Jack interceded, “So is he going to whisk you away from us, Cal, and you’ll soon forget who your old friends are?”
This annoyed Callum. “What a shitty thing to say Jack, and no, he’s not whisking me anywhere. My roots are still here, and nothing will ever change that.”
Jack snorted and turned back to his margarita.
The rest of the evening flowed better. Callum noticed that Sophia and Jack were quite flirty. He wasn’t sure, but he thought Jack was dating someone currently. He’d check with Rosie later, but then, that had never stopped Jack in the past.
Callum and Rosie chatted about her husband, and an accident he’d had at work which meant his arm was in plaster for six weeks. Food came. They ordered more drinks and it was a nice evening. Callum was annoyed though that he didn’t get to talk privately with Sophia.
As they left the restaurant, he let Jack and Rosie go first so he could grab Sophia on her own. They arranged to meet tomorrow lunchtime, just the two of them, for a real catch-up.
***
Thursday 23rd January 25
The next day, Cal had a free morning, so he took his time heading into midtown to meet Sophia.
Her boutique was called Atelier 4507, harking back to the apartment they shared, where their friendship developed; they were both sentimental.
The store was on W. 37th Street, in the heart of the garment district, right in the hustle and bustle of the city.
Sophia’s store was quiet, her tailors working industriously in the back.
Callum admired some of their recent creations showcased in the window and on the racks at the front.
Sophia spied him and grabbed her jacket and bag, and they made their way to Liberty Bagels, one of their regular haunts.
They ordered quickly and grabbed a quiet table.
Callum asked her, “So, what’s going on with you and Jack then? You seemed a bit friendly last night.”
She smiled, “I still fancy him, but I know what a player he is. I’m interested, but not sure I should be, if you know what I mean.” Her eyes had a sparkle that led Callum to think they would be having this conversation again soon.
“So, what’s going on with the CEO then?” she asked, a smile on her face. “Why didn’t you want to talk about him last night?”
Callum made a face. “It was just awkward with Jack there and Rosie. I really wanted us to chat, and they invited themselves along. I’m not going to talk about it with Rosie. Love her, but world’s biggest gossip, duh!” He laughed.
“Are things going okay though?”
“Things are going more than okay Soph. I don’t really know where to begin. We’ve had four training sessions now and two proper dates and I’ve stayed over at his. You should see his apartment; it’s beyond beautiful!”
Her eyes widened. “What, like some penthouse or something?” she said jokingly.
“Penthouse, nah, he owns the whole building. He’s got a ballroom, a business centre, an original Banksy for God’s sake. He’s seriously wealthy.” He paused.
“…and the problem with that is, Cal?” she interjected, eyes wide.
“I’m struggling to understand, with all that he has, why he wants me Soph? I’m nothing special really. He could have his pick of any rich gay guy, but he seems to want to hang out with the broke trainer from Brooklyn.”
She sat back in her chair and gestured to him. “Cal, the broke trainer who happens to also be a beautiful and amazing guy. You are a catch. Look at you! You have so much to offer any guy. He obviously really likes you. Can’t you just accept that for what it is, without overthinking it?”
“That’s the trouble. I over-process everything, you know I do.”
“Yes,” she admitted, “you do. So, stop doing it, just relax and enjoy it.”
Callum frowned. He knew the advice was sound, and he was his own worst enemy.
He lurched from periods of being okay with it, to panicking.
This must also be annoying for Julian, he thought.
But even thinking about him, a smile crept over his face, remembering last night, the kissing, the bath, the waking up.
“So how is the sex?” Sophia asked, bringing him back to earth, just as their food arrived.
“It’s really great. He’s a very caring lover. Really open and genuine. He asked me to be his boyfriend, and we are officially dating.”
“Wow. Monogamous, the lot?” she asked over a mouthful of bagel.
“Yep.” But, knowing Julian, Callum couldn’t imagine he would ever not be monogamous; his values and principles wouldn’t allow it.
“And how does he say he feels about you, Cal?”
“We’ve both been really honest all the way along. He said last night that he wants us to live a happy and fulfilled life together. Something like that.”
She looked thoughtful. “Shows he’s thinking long-term, Cal. Sees you in his future; that’s the sign you need.”
“Well, that and the,” he lowered his voice, “constant erections. We both get so turned on by each other, all the time. It’s almost a problem,” he added, exasperated.
Sophia laughed. “Well, what a lovely problem to have,” she smiled. “Just relax and enjoy it and let ‘it’ lead you.”
“One thing I am worried about though, Soph, is me working at The Vault.” He looked worried.
“We’ve never properly talked about it. I think he knows that I dance.
He saw me in my leather gear going to work one night, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise, but I wonder if, when I explain what it is and what I do, whether he’ll be cool with it? ”
“What if he does have a problem with it?”
Callum took a moment to think about it before responding. “I don’t have anything to hide. I don’t do the private dances that the other guys do. I dance at my pole, take the tips; it’s just a way of making money for me, and I enjoy it.”
“Then explain that to him, Cal. He’s a smart guy, he’ll understand,” she said, tucking into her bagel. She added, “If he sees what it’s all about, maybe he’d understand?”
As Callum bit into his own bagel, he thought about how Julian reacted when he saw him in the gear. “If he sees me in my gear up on the pole, I think he would probably go sex crazy!”
“Yes, but imagine the dollars he’d drop into your podium,” she retorted. They both laughed. It felt good to get her perspective, although she didn’t seem as worried as he was.
He did need to tell Julian what The Vault was all about, and the sooner the better.
***
Later that day, the silver elevator doors opened on the 50th floor, and this time Callum felt less like a trespasser. He stepped onto the polished marble, gym bag slung over a shoulder, but he’d left the professional trainer mask he usually wore back home.
He wasn’t just the Trainer now; he was the boyfriend of the CEO.
In fact, not that many hours ago he’d woken up with the Titan wrapped around him, his dick pressing along his ass crack. He smiled to himself, thinking how lucky he was.
When he entered the gym area, Julian was already there, standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over the city. He wasn't in his suit today, just a pair of black athletic shorts and a T-shirt that stretched tight across his shoulders.
“Hey trainer, you’re late,” Julian said, in his deep, sexy voice, in an ‘as if I don’t know every inch of your body’ tone. His eyes scanned Callum’s frame with a possessive heat that made Callum’s skin prickle.
“Traffic was a nightmare, sorry,” Callum replied, stepping into Julian’s space. “I need to check your heart rate Mr Newman, before we get going… He left those words hanging in the air, an innocent look on his face.
He pressed against the skin of Julian’s neck, feeling both the client’s pulse, but also his own, speeding up. He felt himself already getting aroused. Julian wanted to role-play, so Callum decided he would too.
“So, Mr Newman, if I could ask you to bend over and touch your toes, I just need to check your thighs for any… misalignment.” He struggled to keep a straight face.