Adam checked his small chrome suitcase to make sure he had what he needed for the journey to London. He had spent some time submitting tedious legal forms and checks for his flight out of the country in the weeks and days prior.
He owned his modern and sparse single-bedroom apartment, so decided to just have it cleaned and locked up whilst he was away. He would only be gone for the three-month project anyway. Details had been briefed to him by his company's secretary, Angela Parker. Along with some advice about how he was going to meet up with Joel, who was the CEO equivalent for T-Strike in Eurasia. The man who would be his direct boss during that time.
"5:30 AM flight." He sighed, not looking forward to the mad Sydney airport rush so early in the morning.
To endure packed lines through check-in, baggage drops and customs screening was taxing. Being up at 3:00 AM was horrendous enough.
He stared at his tired face in the bathroom mirror. People regarded him as a soft-face pretty boy with round brown eyes, stylish short brown hair and features more demure than most girls. Especially his lush lips. Having a medium, slim and slightly curvy body (in the right places) also made him attractive to men. But, beneath his pleasant looking exterior was a biting attitude steeped with years-worth of harsh family experiences.
"I feel like shit." And likely most people who knew him saw him that way. Except, Bradley and Jace. Because even after his unrequited love had learned of his actions, both the man and his younger brother still chose to be his friend.
"But a friend is not what I desired from Bradley." He sighed on the loss.
No matter what, both of them had made their choices. And after what he had caused upon Bradley, he would suffer the inconveniences.
It was a mad rush out of his apartment once he had locked up and caught a taxi. Fortunately, he didn't live too far from the airport from his place in the Eastern Suburbs. Sydney in the morning was still a sleepy city, but busy enough to cause a slow crawl along the motorway. At one point, his tensions rose when the taxi stopped in traffic and the meter was running close to time.
But, the gods seemed to want him to catch his flight, for he arrived at the airport early enough and tediously checked in, cleared customs, and made it to his gate with enough time to rest before boarding. Everyone had been frantically trying to reach their planes. The noise of chatter and announcements slowly eased out of his ear space when he was able to reclaim a calm moment. With a steaming coffee in one hand and his smartphone in another, he relaxed in a waiting chair and allowed his body's tensions to ease whilst checking through news and information.
As he was flicking through articles on screen, he heard an unexpected announcement overhead.
"Attention all passengers. 5:30 AM flight to London has been delayed."
Adam grumbled but decided there was nothing he could do about his situation, so rose and made his way to the nearby bar instead. Swapping his coffee for a schooner of beer once he had eased onto a stool before the bar counter.
The flight boards weren't far from his line of sight, so he relaxed and mulled over recent life.
Bradley James. The man he had loved for so long was now engaged to his company's CEO. There had been quite a buzz in the media about their modest wedding plans and Bradley's long-term model contract for the company.
All he could do about the open gossip was sigh since he had played a hand at seeing those two together. Although, his aims had been for the opposite. His sabotage made matters for him worse, and he was too stupid to see his actions causing a wedge between him and Bradley until it was too late.
"Can I get another?" he called out to the bartender, who nodded and refilled his glass.
"I'll have what he has," a man smoothly said as he occupied the barstool next to him.
Adam didn't think anything of it and completely ignored the man to return his attention to his phone.
However, the man regarded him from his spot whilst sipping his beer. It wasn't long until Adam felt his heated gaze burning at his cheek.
"Um, can I help you?" Adam rudely said, hoping it would deter the man from conversation and move away.
Instead, the man grinned in a friendly manner and started to make small talk, which Adam wasn't interested in.
"Look. I really don't want to be bothered right now. So, please, if you don't mind, leave me be." Adam frowned and turned his attention back to his emptied glass. He ordered another top-up.
"You're quite attractive." The man continued to pester him. Appreciating Adam's pretty and delicate features.
Adam frowned and glared at him. He took note of the man's face for the first time and saw he was attractive himself. Slightly older. Handsome with smooth, clean-shaven skin of angled features: squarish jaw, shapely nose, and natural eyebrows over almond green eyes. His lips were stretched in a cocky smirk, which added to his overconfident charms and accentuated his simple yet wealthy image.
He huffed at the man's slim-fit chinos, which were rolled up at the hem to show his bare ankles and tanned sneakers. His beige jumper hung smoothly over his torso yet the contours of his toned muscles were noticeable. Naturally, the man's wrist had a brand watch of the latest smartphone kind, dumb down with a tanned leather wristband.
There was nothing cheap about this guy, for sure. And, there was something familiar about him, which he couldn't put his finger on.
Adam wondered why he would take interest in him, who was basically dressed in skinny jeans, a bland t-shirt, and a buttonless sports jacket, where the colors were so dull it matched his mood.
Besides, after the whole Adrian Master's issues and his family affairs, he wasn't interested in men with wealth.
"That's nice, but I'm not interested." Adam bluntly turned the man down, who chuckled in response.
They both continued to drink their beers in silence. Adam glanced at the flight board and cursed when his flight had been delayed for about twelve hours. Seriously, twelve fucking hours of his chances for a new life were gone.
Just as well he didn't rent out his place, which looked like he was destined to return.
"Twelve hours, well, that's not good. So much for the journey home." The man sighed.
Adam noticed the man's Oxford-type accent for the first time. It wasn't as strong as some of the people he knew, so it hadn't registered to him at first.
"You're from London?" He blurted and sipped his beer to shut himself up.
"Yes and no. But I've been living there for some time." The man smiled again. "Are you sure you're not interested? You seem guarded for some reason. Lost love?"
Adam groaned and rose to move away. The questions were too much for him. And he didn't need to put up with the harassment any longer.
"I'm sorry. I offended you." The man sincerely apologized. "I just wanted to talk."
"By asking about my love life? Who does that?" Adam soberly noted.
The man chuckled. "Oh, but that's because I have an ulterior motive to get to know you better. And maybe we can move from stranger to casual acquaintance."
"You're weird, you do realize that?" Adam wryly stated, which had the man laughing.
"I'm Joel, actually." Joel took the opportunity to drop his name. "Please, allow me to buy you a drink as an apology."
Adam sighed. He had twelve hours to kill anyway, and despite being weird, he didn't sense the man was dangerous. If he was, well, he could be considered deadly himself.
"Ok. Let's grab a table." Adam picked a table spot where they dumped themselves down and began a deeper conversation.
More drinks were ordered, and their conversation had taken a lighter and livelier turn, which Adam was surprisingly enjoying. Despite not being interested in rich men, Joel was the type of man who could help him forget his love sorrows for one night.
"Well, shit." Adam slurred when his blurred vision saw that their plane had been canceled, with many others flying out of the country.
So he took a risk and invited Joel back to his place. "I guess I could be the good citizen for one night."
Joel readily accepted and followed him out of the airport to take the taxi from the rink out front.
Sydney outside the window was packed, as per usual, with the wound down window bringing in the stink of gas and multicultural foods. The taxi ride back to Adam's apartment was a slow crawl along the motorway towards suburbia. They eventually arrived at his building hours later.
Adam didn't even say make yourself at home when he opened the door to his place. But Joel decided to do that. Dumping himself on the man's leather two-seat sofa to rest. He glanced around the modern-white, simplistic room. Within an arm's reach of a functional small round table and two chairs closest to the kitchenette with its single-door fridge, cleared granite bench, unused oven, and barely any cooking utensils. His feet rested on a neutral brown carpet.
"Do you even live here?" Joel noticed that the apartment was as clean as a rental.
"You can stay in a hotel if you're not happy with the place," Adam wryly answered.
"Nah, thank you," he said and closed his eyes.
"You sure are trusting." Adam parked his bag near the door and headed for the kitchen to grab a beer bottle from the fridge.
He hadn't even bothered to empty his fridge, figuring it would be okay since the electricity would still be running.
"So are you, to let me into your home. A rare breed of man these days." Joel sighed, still with his eyes closed.
Adam shrugged and dumped himself down next to him to enjoy his beer.
"None for me?" Joel asked with a tease in his voice when he opened his eyes.
Adam took a swig, then offered the bottle. Joel took a taste from it with such a seductive gesture that it had Adam's lust meter go up.
Joel offered the bottle back and licked his lips when Adam coyly sipped from it.
Their bodies yearned for passionate touches. Joel took the bottle from Adam's hands again and wet its long neck with his mouth; circling the glass head with flicks of his tongue.
It was enough for Adam to replace the bottle with his lips. They passionately kissed, tasting beer from each other.
The night passed with them getting naked, hot, and sweaty in each other's embrace. Roles were quickly established. Adam didn't mind the receiving end one bit. The raw and animalistic sex was making him feel good. It was just as well that he still had his cookie jar of condoms stocked. He burned through his supplies like no tomorrow.
They didn't stop until the dawn of the next day broke through the sky.