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.I’m not like Stanley.I’m not like him at all.”“I realize that,” Richard replied.“I’m not a stupid man, or even unobservant.” He allowed his hand to rest on the tablecloth, close enough to touch.“I’m sure you have enough… romantic experience to understand—”“I don’t, actually.” Wallace peered through the cigarette smoke at him.“Have any romantic experience, I mean.”“None at all?”“None.I was in love with someone who… wasn’t in love with me.”“Ah.” Richard smiled wryly.“You’ll find that’s a sensitive subject.”“Oh, really? Am I to understand my rotten little cousin broke your oh-so-noble heart?”Richard burst out laughing.“My God!” he said, “You are a bitch, aren’t you?”Wallace blushed.“Well, I—if you’re going to—I mean, you—”Richard clasped his hand on the tabletop.“It’s quite alright.Really.And, by the way….” His gaze grew heated.“You’re adorable when you blush.”“I don’t blush.”“Mmm.”“I don’t.”Richard smirked at him.“Shut up, please.”“How dare you—?”Richard leaned across the table and kissed him full on the mouth.Wallace, flustered, returned the caress; the kiss was over as soon as it had begun.“I’d like to do that again,” Richard said quietly, “but not in public.In fact, I’d like to take my time and do it, possibly more than once.”Wallace shivered.“I’d like that too,” he replied.“I should tell you—”“If you tell me you’re in love with someone else, I’ll cry.I’ve done that once already today.”Wallace blinked.“I’m… I’ve never….” He laid his cigarette in the ashtray.“I’ve never—”Richard took care to be exquisitely gentle.“Ever?”Wallace shook his head, unable to meet the other man’s eyes.“Never,” he whispered.“Then I’ll have to be extra careful.”The waiter appeared, hovering over them.“Would the gentlemen care for another cocktail?”“Nothing for me,” Wallace said.Richard shook his head.“Then if the gentlemen are finished, I might gently remind them that we have to be making up the dining room for dinner….” He clasped his hands together and made the mournful face that seemed to be the province of waiters everywhere.“Wallace, my dear, I think we should let the man do his work and get out of his way.” Richard held up a hand as Wallace reached for his wallet.“No—this one is on me.” He tossed some bills onto the table and took Wallace’s elbow, steering him through the restaurant’s shady interior and out into the hot white light of the summer afternoon.“Shall we take a cab, or do you want to walk?”“Let’s walk,” Wallace said.“I’m… enjoying myself.”“So am I,” Richard said.“I’m enjoying you too.” He looked at Wallace and they burst into gales of laughter.“Careful,” Richard said.“We’ll get arrested for being drunk.They aren’t even supposed to serve us alcohol—they’ll lose their license and I’ll have to drink in my office like I usually do!”STANLEY sighed and lay back in the warm water, smiling as Nino’s arms went around him.“This is the life,” he said.“Ain’t it just?” Nino asked.He nuzzled Stanley’s neck, kissed him, and Stanley shivered as Nino’s lips touched his wet skin.“Where’s your cousin?” he asked.Stanley frowned.“Out—somewhere.I think Eli’s showing him around, actually.” He caught hold of Nino’s hand.“I think we should make the best use of our time while we’re alone, don’t you?”“Let the water out,” Nino said.He stood up, shedding water droplets around him, and reached for the huge bath sheet that was hanging on the hook by the door.“Come here,” he said as he laughingly enfolded Stanley and himself in the towel.“This is cozy,” Stanley said.He leaned in close so they could kiss.“I could get used to this.”“Mmmm,” Nino said, “and then we’d never make it to bed.” He rubbed them both dry, then dropped the towel on the floor and walked naked to the bedroom, Stanley following behind.Stanley closed the door and leaned against it, grinning.“You know something? You look real good in those sharp suits you wear, but, baby? You look even better naked….” He pulled Nino against him and kissed him.“OH GOD….” Nino was incoherent except for periodic invocations of his personal deities.“Oh God….” He was naked, trembling like a leaf as wave upon wave of mounting pleasure rolled over him.He hovered perilously close to his peak, but every time his breathing quickened, Stanley stopped what he was doing and waited ’til Nino’s pulse slowed.It was impossible to feel so much pleasure; Nino would die from it, die from the ministrations of Stanley’s long fingers and his clever mouth.“Oh, dear God… [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]