Sexier When Wet

Gage strolled along the edges of the room with his friend Mindy at his side. “Who is he?” he asked when he saw the man he’d been watching earlier come into view again. The vibrant red hair, pulled back in a ponytail, set him apart from every other man in the room. Despite the dark tuxedo, Gage saw him in color in his mind’s eye, something to match the energy that seemed to roll off him. At least a head shorter than Gage, the man was sexy and built to please his lover. Slender but with defined muscle, he guessed. Green eyes to go with the hair, he was sure. “I want to meet him.”

“Forget it,” Mindy warned. “He’s Ashelon Gibson’s bitch.” Gage sneered at her insult of the man. She held up her hands in defense. “Whoa, partner, I didn’t say it. That’s what people in the industry call him. Everyone says he bends over for no one but Ash, and Ash would kill any man who touches him. Even with all that, I can’t help thinking it’s not a love match between them.”

Gage’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding, why?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean they’re not all lovey-dovey.”

“Everyone isn’t affectionate in public like you and yours.”

She grinned and patted his arm. “Don’t be jealous.”

Gage had introduced her to her husband years ago, but as a potential boyfriend for himself. He’d completely missed the signals Jeff had given him. Gage was openly gay, and when Jeff friended him, he assumed it was because he was interested in the two of them getting closer. Later, he’d learned that Jeff knew how close he was with Mindy and hoped for a good word. Gage had been pissed for a while, but he couldn’t stay angry forever. For Jeff and Mindy it had been love at first sight. After threatening his life if he hurt his friend and observing him for a while, Gage came to the conclusion Jeff wasn’t a bad guy.

Mindy was right though. Everyone couldn’t be like them. She and Jeff went everywhere together and finished each other’s sentences. They were in perfect synch and almost never argued. Gage and everyone around them were constantly gagging from the sweetness of it. Although he wouldn’t admit it, Gage longed for the same deep, abiding relationship. He’d had many affairs, but none had led even in the ballpark of love. Maybe he didn’t have the capacity for it.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that love doesn’t exist for me,” Gage admitted. “But I can play with him. He looks like something I’d enjoy for hours on end.”

“TMI, buddy,” Mindy quipped. “Keep it in your pants. Like I said Ash doesn’t share, and he can be vindictive when people cross him. He doesn’t play fair."

Gage snorted. “Should I be afraid?”

She eyed him. “You? No way, but what about him?” She pointed her chin toward the object of Gage’s desire.

“I don’t get your meaning,” Gage said. He studied the man, imagining what it would be like to have him in his bed. “What’s his name by the way?”

Mindy sighed. “You are the most stubborn….fine, his name is Reed Nevil, age twenty-two. Although his name sounds all nice and British-y, Reed has no idea where he comes from. He was an orphan brought up by the state until he was seventeen.”

Gage swore. “Is there nothing you don’t know?”

“Nope, nothing,” she said primly, and then her face lit up as she spotted her other half making his way through the crowd.

Gage left them to their ohhing and ahhing over each other as if they’d been separated years rather than minutes while her husband visited the men’s room. He worked his way around the room in the opposite direction but still kept Reed in sight. Gage recalled that the other man had blocked Reed’s view of him. He shifted his gaze to Ashelon Gibson. He’d heard of him, a rare antiquities dealer. Gage owned a few commercial buildings among other holdings for which he’d had to purchase art pieces, but antiquities weren’t his expertise, nor was decorating of any type. He left that kind of thing to Mindy, and she was good at it.

The sole reason he’d heard of Ashelon was because the man’s name was on the lips of those with money, as it should be for Ashelon’s business. However, Gage hadn’t heard of his lover. I would never forget that face had I seen it before now.

He waited for Reed to separate himself from Ashelon which took quite a while, but then Reed appeared to head toward the restroom. Gage followed. Rather than go inside, he waited in the hall, pretending to have an interest in the flower arrangement on the table there. When Reed came out of the men’s room, Gage stepped into his path. Reed must not have been paying attention because he barreled straight into Gage’s chest.

Gage brought his hands up to Reed’s waist and gladly steadied the younger man. “I apologize. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you okay?”

Reed looked up at him, and his mouth dropped open. Gage couldn’t help the attraction he felt drowning in those wide innocent eyes. Green, he noted. Of course they would be. But he must have intimidated Reed or he was painfully shy, because he stammered before finding his voice. “It was my fault. Excuse me.”

He went to step around Gage, but Gage wasn’t willing to let go just yet. From the first contact his cock had gone hard. He did allow Reed to take a step back but not to pass. As if he sensed Gage’s reaction to him, Reed glanced down. He gasped seeing the obvious tent in Gage’s pants.

Gage cast his tone lower so no one could overhear. “I apologize again. The body wants what it wants.”

“I’m taken,” Reed croaked, but he didn’t flee, giving Gage all the more encouragement. He knew he was being outrageous. He usually had a lot more finesse when wooing a potential lover, judging how strong to come on. This situation was going all wrong, but he couldn’t stop himself.

Gage put a hand out and ran the back of his finger down over Reed’s stomach. Desire curled in his own belly like a snake, ready to devour this little hare. Hunger overwhelmed him. “Leave him, and come to me,” he commanded.

Reed gaped. “I can’t do that!”

At the moment, no one was in the hall with them. Gage knew that wouldn’t last. He circled around behind Reed and crowded close. Leaning forward so his chest brushed Reed’s back, he whispered in his ear. “I notice you’re not running from me. Admit that you’re attracted to me too. I know we could have fun together.” Gage took a chance and kissed Reed’s ear. “You do want me inside you, don’t you?”

“I have to go,” Reed all but shouted.

He rushed a few feet in the direction of the party room, but Gage called after him. “Have lunch with me.”

Reed didn’t answer. A second later, he was swallowed up in the crowd. Gage clenched his hands into fists. He had come on too strong. The last thing he’d meant to do was scare Reed, but he knew when another man wanted him. There was no mistaking that Reed was gay of course since his current lover was a man, but even without that, Gage would know. The way Reed’s pulse quickened, evidenced by the panting and other signs, his emotions went beyond fear. Giving up was not an option, and if Mindy was right that the connection between Ashelon and Reed wasn’t love, then he had nothing to feel guilty about if he took Reed for himself.

Soon enough Gage would be buried as deep as he could get into Reed’s sexy, tight ass.