An escort and his client...could it ever be more than just a business transaction?
Takashi never imagined that a simple call to an escort service would result in meeting Zander. What started out as a date to the winter gala at his office, morphed into a series of paid dates that offer him several unique opportunities to get to know the handsome, enigmatic escort.
Zander hates feeling like an ornament. After four years he’s ready for a new occupation. Unfortunately, he isn’t skilled enough for any job that would pay him the money he needs to make to support himself and his family. So, he stays with Mateo’s agency and keeps on taking clients, refusing to call them dates because that’s too personal.
Until Takashi.
Now they're both trying to make the best of the brief moments they have together, blurring the lines more and more with every passing night. Takashi wants more. Zander wants to give it to him, but only after he gets the rest of his life worked out. The only problem is, he has no idea how.
“I still wish you’d tell me what he said.”
“I thought we’d agreed on the drive over that you
were going to drop it.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m simply concerned for
your well-being.”
“Don’t be,” Corban said. “Mateo isn’t going to
scuff the merchandise, that would be money out of his pocket.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Trust me, I know him. I know how he works. He’s
annoyed, he’ll get over it. Now please, drop it like you promised or take me
home. I don’t want to spend the rest of the night talking about him.”
“Consider it dropped.”
Corban smiled, faint, but it was enough to make
Takashi vow not to bring it up anymore this weekend, even while he made a
mental note to learn what he could about Mateo. The last thing he wanted was to
ruin their time together.
“What will it be, music and some dancing, or a
movie and maybe some relaxing in a blanket nest?”
“Blanket nest?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve never just piled blankets on
the floor, curled up in them and vegged out.”
He chuckled at that. “Sure, I have, sort of, but
we called it a pillow fort and we had piles of pillows with just a blanket to
pull over us.”
“Us? Do you have siblings?”
“No, thank God, my um, folks don’t have the best
lifestyle for raising kids, but Ainsley and I have been close ever since her
family moved here from Vancouver. She’s got siblings, too many sometimes and
they are always in each other’s business and competing with one another. She
was always sort of the odd one out, doing her thing and keeping a low profile
about it. Pillow forts were our place to hang out and make plans, talk about
our dreams and just be ourselves or who we wanted to be when the world wasn’t
watching.”
“It’s wonderful that you had someone like that.”
“Yeah, it really is. She’s closer to me than I am
to my family.”
Takashi nodded. “How about we combine ideas. We
can take the cushions off the couches and chairs and I’ll get the blankets and
we can have a blanket nest in a pillow fort.”
“I like that idea, and I’d really like to see one
of those musicals you’re always talking about.”
“Any one in particular?”
“Surprise me, put on one you really like,” he said.
Takashi grinned, pleased that he had the
opportunity to introduce Corban to something new. They made short work of
creating their nest fort and soon, Takashi had loaded West Side Story in the DVD player, and they’d both settled down to
watch.
Corban turned out to be the perfect movie partner.
Takashi was shocked when he asked no questions, just sat with the blankets
wrapped around him, brilliant green eyes on the television. Takashi found
himself once again watching Corban instead of what was taking place on the
screen. Particularly his expressions to see how intently he got into the movie.
About halfway through, he sniffled, and Takashi slung an arm around him and
squeezed.
“That voice,” Corban muttered, eyes never leaving
the television. “So sad.”
“Yes, you can feel her pain in every word.”
“I see what you mean, about musicals, the emotions
that come through the songs.”
“In part. It conveys a depth that spoken words
simply cannot touch, and look at her eyes, the way she looks so beseechingly to
the heavens and how her every note is like a plea.”
“Yes, it really wouldn’t come across the same if
she were just delivering lines in a monologue.”
“Now you’re beginning to get it.”
They fell silent again, with Corban pressed tight
to his side, his head coming to rest on Takashi’s shoulder. He gasped at the
fight scene, hand flung up to cover his mouth when the blade came out. It was
all over in a moment and then the retaliation came, and Takashi heard him sob.
Before he could turn to hug him, Corban had buried his face against Takashi’s
arm.
“Want me to turn it off?” Takashi offered.
“N-o, was just, oh my God, what a waste. Why!”
“Exactly,” Takashi remarked, kissing the top of
his head. He admired the way Corban pulled himself together, turning back to
the television and wiping the tears from his eyes. He cried again at the end, swiping
at his tears as the final moments unfolded.
“Do you think all gangs start that way, fighting
over a little bit of real estate they don’t even own, looking for things to
hate about one another so they don’t have to notice how alike they are?” Corban
asked.
“It wouldn’t surprise me. For some reason, humans
seem to think that having ownership over something gives them some measure of
control. The more they own, the more power they think they have. Most never
realize the only thing in life they can truly have ownership over is
themselves.”
“That’s…really sad and pathetic when you think
about it that way.”
“I’m sorry for choosing such a downer of a movie,
I just wanted you to see the kind of impact a musical could have. Not to
mention the message,” Takashi said, feeling horrible about the way Corban had
reacted to seeing the events playing out on the screen. Yet Corban surprised
him when he turned to him and hugged him hard.
“No, don’t be sorry. It was amazing. I didn’t
expect to get so emotional over it, but you’re right, it was powerful. It’s
kind of got me interested in seeing more of them tomorrow. Just, promise me one
thing.”
“Anything.”
“They won’t all be that depressing.”
Takashi burst out laughing and hugged Corban
closer, kissed the top of his head and chuckled a bit when Corban wiggled free.
“I promise to put on some fun ones, as well as a serious one.”
“Thank you.”
Corban licked his lips and Takashi leaned in,
brushing his lips against Corban’s gently. “I’ve wanted to do that all night,”
he murmured.
“Me too.”
Midnight Musicals and Coffee Ice Cream can be found here!
No comments:
Post a Comment