Waiting for Rain Read online

  I sighed. “That’s no excuse. Just because I’m gay myself, I shouldn’t have taken it so personally.” I shrugged. “She obviously didn’t know that, or I doubt she’d have spoken to me for fear of getting contaminated.”

  “Never mind that stupid woman. You’re the best manager this hotel has ever seen, and we all adore you. Now, get out there and go and find someone else to piss off. You’re good at that.” She smiled cheekily. Warmth flooded my body at her ever-present way of making me feel better. I reached out and drew her to me, hugging her tightly.

  “Thanks, Tam. If I get a chance tonight to have a break, maybe we can go down to the pub and have a drink?”

  She looked at me. “Toby, since when do you give yourself a break? You have no idea how to bloody relax. If I know you, you’ll still be up wandering around this place long after everyone else had gone to sleep.” She hesitated. “Besides, Neil’s taking me to dinner at The Swan tonight.”

  She glanced at me, and I pursed my lips. Neil Haydock was her live-in boyfriend, a man I didn’t like. They’d been together about four months. He was a total prick and didn’t like me at all. He was good friends with someone he thought I’d wronged years ago and it rankled with him. He wasn’t so keen on the fact that I was gay, but that wasn’t really the reason, although he needled me about it constantly. I thought he had an underlying streak of violence that Tammy didn’t seem to see. He’d never hit her to my knowledge, or I’d break the man’s legs, but he treated her like dirt. I let her comment pass and noticed the look of relief on her face.

  “I do so take a break,” I exclaimed in an injured tone.

  Why did people always tell me that? Yes, I worked long hours and was up at the crack of dawn, but—oh, who the hell was I kidding. She was right as usual. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been out on the town with friends or had time to myself. Unless you counted when I was in bed, and even then my mind didn’t shut down. Lately, neither did my hand. It was too busy trying to alleviate the pressure in my cock from nearly a month of celibacy.

  “Yeah, right, maybe when you sleep.” She grinned. “Actually, I think that young man from the RAF base may be coming in tonight, the one who fancies you? Cute little Mikey? I think you should definitely take him in hand later and bend him over or let him bend you over—” Her double entendres were not wasted on me.

  “Right, that’s enough,” I said coolly even as my face flushed. Tammy giggled, her hands waving around in glee, her dark-brown bob shaking as she laughed.

  “He just loves you, Toby. His eyes follow you everywhere you go. We all think it’s really sweet.”

  “He’s only about twenty years old, for God’s sake,” I said in exasperation. “It’d be like fucking a kid.”

  Tammy’s eyes widened, and I bit my tongue. One of the things I did not share with her were my sexual exploits, minimal though they were at the moment. Her insatiable questions about who was on top and who was on the bottom and what exactly did we do as gay men when we were in bed together were a constant source of discussion. “So you—err—you actually penetrate—” Her words were cut off by my hand across her mouth.

  “Never you mind, missy,” I said silkily. “I need to get back to work.” I removed my hand and walked toward the door.

  “God, that is so hot,” she breathed. “The thought of you and some guy actually going at it like that.”

  I shook my head, looking at her in disbelief. “What is it with you straight women and your fascination with gay-man sex? I’ve seen those bloody books you read. What’s that all about?”

  “Don’t knock it till you try it, buster,” she giggled. “The reading, I mean. Suffice it to say that they are scorching, and we ladies can’t get enough of them. Straight men like woman-on-woman action—what’s wrong with it being the other way around?”

  “When I’m in your fantasies” was my parting shot. “It makes me feel a little uncomfortable, Tam.” I walked out into the reception area, nodding at the relief receptionist, Stacy, sitting behind the desk. She smiled. Tammy continued with her diatribe in earshot of anyone close by.

  “Toby, darling, you know you look so hot in my fantasies. You have the tightest arse I’ve ever seen on a man. You’re a real dreamboat, you are, my little Max.”

  I chuckled at that even as Stacy’s eyes grew rounder. I swore she eyed my arse as I walked away into the foyer. So did the guy standing behind the reception desk waiting to be served. Oh, the joys of having a decent rear. Her reference to Max was one I’d been told before. Some people thought I looked a lot like the actor Max Irons, which was a great compliment, I thought.

  I looked at my watch. It was almost 7:00 p.m. Simon would be at me to take the time off and leave the nighttime running of the place to the evening duty manager, the man I thought of as my “understudy.” Chris Mortimer was a decent enough fill-in, but I still didn’t let go of anything that was going on. I saw Chris chatting to someone over in the lounge. He nodded at me, and I nodded back.

  Tammy waved as she left to go home. “See you tomorrow, Toby,” she said cheerily. I waved back, making my way up the winding staircase of the lobby to the second floor. My self-contained living quarters were on the opposite side of the hotel, in a small wing that overlooked the street. I let myself into my comfortable but spartanly furnished two-room “suite,” heaving a sigh of relief as I loosened my tie. I had a comfortable, open-plan lounge/bedroom, with space for my double bed and a couple of large beanbags on the floor. I sat there when I wanted to watch my big-screen telly mounted on the wall. If I didn’t get to record The Walking Dead I was inconsolable. There was something about mindless zombie movies I enjoyed, and I had a real man crush on Andrew Lincoln. There was a small dining-room table in the corner with a chair covered with clutter. I had a bathroom off the living area, with a shower, a bath, which was a real luxury, and the usual amenities. I moved to the window, gazing down into the street below. It was still light outside, and sunset wouldn’t be for another couple of hours.

  I changed into a pair of sweats. I sighed, noticing they hung off my hips rather loosely. I thought guiltily I really wasn’t eating properly and had probably lost some weight. All I wanted to do now was order room service, watch the evening news and unwind. As I changed, I wondered how things had gone with Simon and Mrs. Mountjoy. I still felt angry. Most of the staff in the hotel knew I was gay. I’d never hidden it, but I didn’t broadcast it. Since I’d broken up with Trevor, the pickings in town for gay-men hookups were slim. I’d intended going into Leicester to one of the gay clubs to find like-minded males, but I’d never really had time. If truth be told, I wasn’t into the whole nightclub and bar thing anyway. Of course, there was always Mikey. But I’d feel like a chicken hawk taking that one down. It depended, I supposed, on how desperate I was getting. I wasn’t far off level five, which was the highest in my book.

  The TV was on the Gold Channel, and I watched, intrigued, as a bunch of half-naked men cavorted on the beach in some volleyball tournament. It looked like Baywatch. The men’s well-oiled muscles glistened as their arse cheeks tightened, and I could definitely see myself taking a fancy to one or two of them.

  “Down, boy,” I murmured as I caressed my rapidly rising erection. “Time to play later in the shower. I need to eat now. How does a Brie and crispy bacon sandwich take your fancy?”

  Being Mr. Cocky, he didn’t reply, but I decided his silence was acquiescence. I ordered food from the kitchen and sat down to read a book. About fifteen minutes later there was a knock at the door. I looked up in surprise. Normally it took at least half an hour for Jerome to fix me up, seeing as how I was staff and took second place behind customers’ orders. I opened the door in just my sweats, expecting to see the cheeky face of the young busboy, Alan, standing there. It threw me when I found my boss on my doorstep. It was a rare occurrence, probably only about the third time he’d been up here. He glanced briefly at my naked chest, and I felt a little exposed. He regarded my low-slung pants fleetingly
, and I thought he swallowed. I felt a shimmer of apprehension in my belly at the greedy look in his eyes. That and a frisson of something else that wasn’t entirely unwelcome and started in my groin. My world tilted.

  “Simon? Come in. I didn’t expect to see you.” I stood awkwardly, not really knowing how to handle these new emotions surging through my being.

  Christ, what the fuck is wrong with me? I must be really bloody desperate.

  He smiled and walked into my room. “Obviously. I’m sorry to interrupt what you were doing.” He raised an eyebrow at me, and I felt like a small boy who’d been caught masturbating in his bed. This man had that effect on me.

  “Uhm, I’ll just get a tee shirt on—”

  He waved an airy hand. “Don’t bother, Toby. It’s your time off. You don’t have to stand on ceremony for me.” He plonked himself down in my easy chair, leaving me to hastily drag on a shirt out of respect, then sit down on the bed. I noticed a slightly crestfallen look in his eyes as I did so.

  Christ, did he just look disappointed I got dressed? Crap. I must be seeing things. At least that’s what I wanted to believe. The fact I was finding my boss attractive was really starting to scare me. I hadn’t felt this before in our years together.

  He spoke gently. “I wanted to check on you. That bloody woman downstairs was being a real pain, and I could see you were getting riled. Are you okay?”

  I nodded. “I’m fine, Simon. I shouldn’t have let it get to me. I thought I was beyond all that shit.”

  “One is never beyond ‘all that shit,’ Toby. That horrible woman was testing even my patience.” He smiled like a shark about to bite a surfer’s leg off for fun. “But I think I managed to placate her. She got a free stay here, an invitation to the Butterfly Dining Room for dinner, and a few choice phrases from me from the Bible about suffering one’s unfortunate fellow man to live.” He grinned, his face looking younger. “I find that always helps when dealing with people like her, however distasteful it is pandering to their whims. It’s the nature of the beast we find ourselves with, unfortunately.” He leaned back comfortably and observed me.

  “So, you’re okay then? I can’t have my right-hand man in a state about homophobic comments made by a stupid, ignorant woman.”

  Warmth surged through my chest at his words about being his right-hand man. Or perhaps it was the phrase “right hand” which brought visions of his hand around my cock as he jerked me off. I tried to focus.

  “Yes, Simon. I honestly should be used to it by now—”

  He stood up and leaned over me, placing his hand on my shoulder again. I could smell his aftershave, the aroma of sweat on his body, and the masculine scent of him. My cock stirred again, and I swallowed. “Never say that, Toby. You should never have to get used to things like that being said. I know I hide who I am, but you know I have my reasons.” His voice was a growl, and I looked at him in surprise. He removed his hand, sliding his fingertips along my shoulder as he did so.

  “You know my views. My private life is my own, Toby. I don’t like hiding, but this hotel is my life. I want nothing to prejudice that. And if that means concealing certain things about me, so be it.” He sighed ruefully. “As you know, there are quite a few councilmen in the local municipality who would make my life a misery if they knew. And I need to keep them on the right side for the sake of this business and everyone who’s employed here.”

  Simon had been out and about with various women over the years, some young, some closer to his age. He made quite a splash in the local papers whenever he squired anyone new. Some of the stories we’d shared in the bar about both his male and lady friends were downright lascivious. I could understand why he chose to hide who he was, but I couldn’t come to terms with it. I was out and proud of it. It had caused problems for me in the past when I’d first moved here. But I’d managed to resolve those issues with the people concerned, some of them through a good fight outside the hotel grounds. But then I didn’t own a business and have employees who depended on me for their livelihood.

  He chuckled. “Sorry. She’s got me wound up now too. But you are what you are. Never apologize for it.”

  I nodded. I was definitely feeling a little out of my depth. Simon had taken me in four years ago when I’d been fired from a job in a hotel in Lincoln for smacking my boss. The boss had been a lecherous fool, and I’d fought back. At my interview, Simon had listened to my story, nodded sagely, and employed me on the spot. I’d been flabbergasted. He’d smiled and said it wasn’t the first time Landon Murphy had been caught harassing his staff. He’d believed in me. Now that same man sat in front of me, and I felt disrespectful thinking about him sexually. It seemed… dirty.

  “Well, I’d better get off.” He turned to me. I didn’t want to stand up because my nether regions were in no condition to be seen. Looking around for something to cover my traitorous groin—a Roman shield, a dustbin lid—I settled for a cushion and fondled it nervously.

  “Thanks for coming by. That was very kind of you.” I stood up, holding the cushion in front. If he noticed my discomfort, he ignored it like the gentleman he was. He looked as if he were about to say something, then changed his mind. He nodded as he made his way to the door. “No problem. I’m very fond of you, Toby. You do a great job for me here, and I want you to be happy.”

  I walked over to the door behind him, heaving a sigh of relief. He was about to open the door when he turned suddenly. His move made him stand very close to me, our fronts almost touching. I could smell his scent and feel the heat of his body. He smelled like warm man and something spicy. I swallowed in horror as my cock grew harder.

  Dear Jesus, this couldn’t be happening. This was Simon, for fuck’s sake!

  His gray eyes bored into mine, and I felt slightly faint at their intensity. Something was happening here. The man was simply exuding sexual tension in my direction.

  “You are happy here, aren’t you?” he asked softly. “At this hotel, with me?”

  I swallowed again. “Yes, Simon. I’m happy. You gave me a chance here when no one else would, and I’ll always appreciate that.” I held the cushion tightly in front so he didn’t notice the tenting of my sweatpants and the slight wet patch on the front.

  What kind of sicko was I that I was getting the hots for a forty-year-old man who was my boss and who I’d known for years?

  “Appreciation,” he murmured. “Hmm.” He sounded disappointed. “I had rather hoped—”

  I had no idea what he was going to say because there was another knock on the door. He opened it. Alan stood there with my sandwich. The look on his face at finding the two of us in my small room together was nothing short of gob-stopping. His face went beet red as he looked at my relaxed state of dress, the cushion I held, my sweats hanging low on my hips with a slight sight of belly and hair, and the fact I had a man in my room, behind closed doors, the hotel owner no less.

  “Alan, my boy. Give me Toby’s dinner before you drop it.” Simon chuckled wickedly. He took the plate, looked down at the sandwich and sniffed, then looked at me. I was still standing there, trying hard to fight the heat in my groin.

  He tsked as he passed the plate on to me. “Toby, you really need to eat properly. This isn’t a meal. Honestly, you youngsters think anything between two slices of bread is sufficient to keep you nourished. Alan, my boy, stop looking at me as if I’ve grown another head. This is purely an innocent visit, I can assure you, and I’ll count on you to keep it as such or else.” His threatening tone left no room for doubt as to what the “or else” might be. Death might be preferable.

  Alan nodded. “Of course, sir. I didn’t think anything else, I promise.” His panicked eyes found mine, and I tried to smile reassuringly.

  I’d certainly grown another head, was still growing in fact.

  I held the plate in one hand, the cushion in the other. The hand with the plate was shaking slightly, and I saw the sandwich slide down the plate, as if wanting to escape. I cursed silently, willing
it to stay captive.

  “Well, let’s be off, young man, and leave Toby to enjoy his nutritional meal in peace.” Simon clapped Alan on the back, holding his shoulder tightly as they walked down the softly lit corridor. Alan winced. Simon waved a hand in my direction. “Toby, thanks for the chat. I’m glad you’re okay. We’ll chat more later. I have something I need to speak to you about.” I nodded dumbly.

  He turned as if remembering something. “By the way, there’s a team coming in tomorrow to start building the Canterbury Bar. I took the quote from that carpenter who lives outside of town. He seems like a nice enough chap, and his price was reasonable. So he’ll be moving his equipment and team in tomorrow morning.”

  I nodded feebly, managing to squeak out, “Sure, Simon. Thanks for letting me know and for stopping by.” After closing the door, I set the plate and the cushion down on the bed and took a few deep breaths to try and center myself. I looked down at my hardened cock and gave it a light slap. It felt really good, despite it supposedly being a punishment.

  “What the fuck was all that about?” I asked. “Are we that far down the abstinence line that I get turned on by my boss? God, the way he was looking at me. I had no idea….” My voice rose to a slight yowl. “Christ, what if he bloody saw it? What the hell then?”

  I was hyperventilating by this time, deciding a cold shower would probably be torment enough for us both. I stalked into the small bathroom with its shower, turning the nozzle full on to cold. Dropping my clothes, I stepped in, yelping as the cold water hit my skin. But it did no good. My cock still stood rampant and needy. I took hold of myself and stroked it gently, from root to tip, closing my eyes, trying not to think of Simon. Instead I thought of the brawny men I’d watched on the television. Before long, I was spurting all over the shower wall with a chest that heaved with the intensity of my climax. I moaned loudly, leaning my forehead against the tiles, my hand still clasped around my semiflaccid member. I closed my eyes.