How Sweet It Is

Copyright © Shermaine Williams, 2008
All Rights Reserved, Total-E-Ntwined Limited, T/A Total-e-bound.

Excerpt from: How Sweet It Is

As steam gradually filled the room, Ben stuck his hand under the stream of water to test the temperature before getting in.

“Ben, hurry up and get out of the bathroom.”

Even with the water running and the door closed, the voice of Andrew, his best friend and flatmate, easily carried to his ear. They had known each other for ten years, and Ben had gradually watched him become a metro sexual, spending an endless amount of time preening and posing. Of late, it had gotten worse.

“Piss off! I just got in here.”

It had started after Ben introduced him to his boss, so he knew he only had himself to blame. As a jobbing actor, Ben had been finding it hard to make ends meet until he began working as a male escort. Now he found it easy and no longer had to worry about money. Once he’d decided to do it, he’d also decided he wasn’t going to tell anyone except Andrew, whom he knew wouldn’t judge him.

His assumption had been correct and Andrew hadn’t judged him. However, he was incurably inquisitive and seemed unable to stop himself bombarding his friend with questions whenever he returned from a ‘date’. Finally unable to take any more, Ben invited him to meet Jacqueline, the owner of the escort agency he worked for and, before he knew it, Andrew had given up his job as a bank clerk in order to become an escort as well. It had only been four months, but he had been impossible ever since, spending a ridiculous amount of time and money on his appearance and generally being really annoying.

For his part, Ben had been working as an escort for ten months and loved it. As he thrust his head under the jet of water, he thought back over the many events he had attended, restaurants he’d eaten at, plays and operas he’d seen, all on the arm of a woman who was paying for the privilege of his company. Before he’d started, he’d assumed the only women who would want an escort would be lacking in the looks department, but he was pleasantly surprised. Not that all of the women were good looking, and some were a few years older than he would normally go for, but he didn’t let any of that faze him. He remained charming and attentive no matter the circumstances.

Ever the professional. That was probably one of the reasons he was so popular.