Chapter 20 #2
“Well, I guess if I can’t make you reconsider keeping your position at Pickering Jones, then that’s the end of that,” Albert said, extending his hand to Desmond. “But I trust that you’ll continue to think of me as a friend, even though we’re no longer colleagues.”
“That’s very generous of you, Albert,” Desmond said, taking the man’s hand.
They said a few parting words, then Albert went on his way, leaving Desmond and Javier standing alone at the edge of the rose garden.
“This has been an interesting party,” Javier said, breaking the potentially awkward silence.
Desmond laughed and shook his head, rubbing his face. “It’s been a bit of a ’mare, if I’m honest.”
Javier stepped closer and pulled him into a hug. Considering that all he wore was a tight bodysuit and a kilo of glitter, the hug was almost indecent. But Desmond definitely liked it that way.
He liked it even more when Javier said, “What say we ditch this party and go home?”
Desmond pulled back, staring up at him. “Aren’t you on the clock? This is a job for you, not a social event.”
“What are they going to do if I leave early?” Javier asked flatly. “Cancel all future contracts with my business?”
Swirls of guilt filled Desmond’s gut. “Once again, I’m so sorry things didn’t work out with your agency.”
“It happened,” Javier sighed, sliding his arm around Desmond’s waist and starting to walk back toward the house.
“It did,” Desmond said, the seeds of his idea popping and fizzing again. “But perhaps there’s a way to learn from the whole experience to do better next time.”
Javier eyed him warily. “Is this what you meant when you told your ex-boss you have an idea? Because I still refuse to accept money from you in order to keep beating a dead horse.”
“No, that’s not it at all,” Desmond rushed to say, taking a half step away from Javier so he could send him a serious look. “I have an entirely different idea. A mad idea, but one that you might be on board with.”
“Okay, now I’m curious,” Javier said as they neared the house. “But maybe we could hold off discussing this until I’ve de-flowered and we’ve gone home.”
“Who is it you’re going to deflower?” Desmond teased, shocked that he was capable of making a joke.
Javier looked at him like he was a prize rose that had suddenly burst into bloom at precisely the right time. “I love you, Desmond White.”
Desmond nearly tripped over his own feet. There was a chance Javier was joking, but an even greater chance that he was dead serious. “I love you, too,” he replied with way more seriousness than he probably should have.
Javier stopped as well and turned to him, surprise and affection blooming in his eyes. “Sweetheart,” he said in the softest, most sentimental voice. He stepped toward Desmond, clasped his face in both hands, and leaned in for a kiss.
Before their lips could meet, the trio of boys who had stolen Javier’s juggling balls earlier tore around the edge of the house close to where they stood, screaming and whooping like heathens. The burst of noise and movement nearly gave Desmond a heart attack and ruined the mood entirely.
“Let’s get out of here,” Javier said, eyes wide and wary.
“I’ll fetch the car and pull it around front.”
Just over an hour and a half later, Desmond pulled his car into its spot in the private parking area behind his townhouse.
The drive back into London had been a joyful one, which had surprised him more than he thought it would.
He and Javier held off on talking about anything important and instead shared how miserable they’d been during the week without each other.
The topic shouldn’t have been a happy one at all, but the two of them were so happy to be together again that it was a relief to discover they’d been on the same page all along.
“I feel like a right fool for letting Matthew get so far under my skin for so long,” Desmond said with a sigh once they were safely inside the place that felt like both of their home, not just his.
He headed into the kitchen. “I might be good with numbers, but I feel completely incompetent with people and emotions. You’re much better at these things than I am. ”
“It’s because I’ve been in a people-focused business for all of my adult life and some of my adolescence,” Javier said, walking right up to Desmond as he reached the counter with the kettle and tea things.
He didn’t stop there. He turned Desmond so his backside was against the counter and crowded against him, gathering him in his arms.
“Would you like some tea?” Desmond asked, his pulse already pounding, sending blood to all the best places.
“No,” Javier said, then rested a hand on the side of Desmond’s face to kiss him.
It was the kiss they should have had near the rose garden.
All of their walls had come down, and there was nothing left anymore but the feelings they had for each other.
Desmond circled his arms around Javier’s solid body, holding him like he would never let go, and letting Javier plunder his mouth.
Javier still had enough make-up on to really get Desmond going, and for the moment, he didn’t need to assert himself or do anything but let Javier have his way with him.
“Is it too early to fuck?” Javier asked between kisses.
Desmond made a sound deep in the back of his throat as Javier attacked his mouth again, and when he let Desmond come up for air, he shook his head and said, “Never.”
They headed upstairs, grinning at each other and buzzing with excitement over everything that was still to come. Both of them needed to clean up a bit before they could jump into bed for fun, but the quick, shared shower was amazing foreplay, and even the more practical prep flew by quickly.
Once they were naked and tangled up in Desmond’s bed, everything felt the way it was supposed to.
“I love you,” Desmond repeated as he and Javier touched and kissed each other everywhere they could. “In case I wasn’t clear about that earlier.”
“Babydoll, trust me, I’m clear on that score,” Javier said from between Desmond’s thighs, sending a glance and an arched eyebrow at Desmond’s rock-hard cock.
Desmond laughed, but that turned quickly into a groan as Javier took his dick into his mouth.
They took their time, touching, kissing, sucking, and treating each other as if they were kings who deserved the absolute best in life.
Desmond loved the way neither of them felt rushed.
They had all the time in the world to give each other pleasure and edge until they were both aching for it.
They had more than just that afternoon, that weekend, they had the rest of their lives.
By the time they moved on to the endgame and Javier had Desmond’s ankles up over his shoulders as he sank slowly home, Desmond was ready to devote his entire life to being so much more than just a boyfriend.
He nearly lost his mind as Javier picked up the intensity of his thrusts, hitting his prostate with every stoke.
“Javier, fuck!” he gasped as he started to come. “I love you, I love you!”
“Oh, God, baby!” Javier shouted as he came, too.
It was definitely up there in one of their top ten times together, but the best part came after, once they were spent and limp and wrapped in each other’s arms.
“This is perfect,” Javier said, burying his face against the crook of Desmond’s neck, still a little breathless. “I don’t ever want to leave.”
“You don’t have to,” Desmond said, too sated to even feel awkward about making the bold offer. “Stay forever. Please.”
Javier lifted himself up a bit to look down at him. “Seriously?”
A pinch of worry hit Desmond. “If you’d like,” he said. “I would love to have you here. You don’t have to move in officially, but I…I want you here as much as possible.”
“I want to be here,” Javier smiled, then settled down against Desmond’s side again.
They were silent for a few minutes. Desmond closed his eyes and just breathed into the moment, but he didn’t doze. If anything, he came alive more and more as the prospect of their future stretched before him.
“Do you want to hear my idea?” he asked at last, knowing his lover would know what he meant.
“Absolutely,” Javier said, then kissed the side of Desmond’s neck. “Lay it on me.”
Desmond smiled, then rolled in Javier’s arms until they were face to face. “I want to do something that brings people together,” he said.
“Uh huh.” Javier nodded, encouraging him.
“And you have experience running an agency, finding talent, and dealing with people.”
“I do,” Javier said, a touch warier.
Desmond didn’t let that deter him. “What if we set up some sort of business to bring people together that way? Like we came together the first time, for the concert.”
Javier’s brow furrowed. “I’m not sure I follow. Are you talking about a dating service?”
“Not entirely,” Desmond said, ideas popping so fast in his brain that he couldn’t grasp hold of all of them. “More like…like a talent agency for people who need someone to be there for them for important life events.”
“An escort service?” Javier was more skeptical than ever, but with a hint of teasing in his eyes.
“Absolutely not an escort service.” Desmond shut down that idea right away. “Something more like a way to connect people who need someone, even if just for pretend, for a weekend.”
Javier’s confused expression suddenly morphed into a smile. “Like if someone needs a date for a family wedding because their parents keep pestering them about getting married?”
“Yes, exactly, I think,” Desmond said, brushing a hand up Javier’s side, glad he understood. “Or if they just wanted someone to, I don’t know, go hiking with because none of their friends are into that sort of thing.”
“Right.” Javier nodded, eyes losing focus as he thought. “Not exactly a matchmaking service, but something that would do what we did, only deliberately.”
“Bringing people together so they can help and support each other,” Desmond said, finding Javier’s hand and threading their fingers together. “And if it leads to something more, well—”
“Results not guaranteed, but definitely possible,” Javier finished the thought with a smile. “I like it.”
“Now would be a good time to give something like this a try,” Desmond said. “Since we’re both at loose ends.”
Javier inched in and planted a soft kiss on Desmond’s mouth. “I’m not at loose ends,” he said, gazing deeply into Desmond’s eyes. “I’m right where I want to be, right where I belong.”
“So am I,” Desmond said, brimming with happiness. “And I love it. I love you.”
“I’m so glad we found each other,” Javier said, then gave Desmond a deeper, longer kiss. “Even if we had the world’s worst meet-ugly.”
Desmond laughed. “I don’t know,” he said, heat infusing him. “I adore you in glitter.”
Javier laughed, then said, “Good, because you’re probably going to be finding glitter in your bed for a long time now.”
“Perfect,” Desmond said, hugging Javier close. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”