Blurb
Leon wanted the same thing everyone else wants: a loving
relationship lasting beyond a few weeks. All he’d ever been able to find,
however, was a few weeks hot on sex, but cold on romance. The day he walks into
the local pub and sees a newcomer sitting by the window, he hopes his luck is
about to change.
As he and Simon spend time together, Leon realizes not
everything is as perfect as he’d thought it would be. Experiencing love also
means experiencing the ups and downs of a new relationship.
When Simon tells Leon they need to talk, Leon is forced
to wonder... is he going to be unlucky in love yet again?
Chapter
One
Sitting in the park enjoying the
scorching sun, my attention was drawn to the couples there. Lying around, walking
hand in hand, they were everywhere. I found myself wishing life had been kind
enough to grant me a relationship like theirs. It wasn’t as though I hadn’t
tried to have something like that in my life. I’d done everything to find the
right person and settle down. But they had all been meaningless, intense
passion and nothing else, fizzling out after months, sometimes weeks. Try as I
might, no one I had ever met seemed to want to commit to a long-term
relationship. Don’t get me wrong, the sex was fucking great, always the star of
a relationship, but some nights I would have liked someone to go out with. A
meal, the cinema, or even a concert, and then home like a loving couple.
Someone who didn’t just want to fuck, but someone who liked to kiss and cuddle,
someone to wake up with and make breakfast for.
Just watching the crowds started to get me down and I stood
up, making my way out of the park, aimlessly wandering to anywhere I didn’t
have to stare at all the happiness around me. Staring in shop windows at fancy
designer gear I could easily afford, but had no reason to own, pissed me off
even more. I made my way to a small bar by the river I knew wouldn’t be
over-crowded with more couples.
Once there, I ordered a pint and sat outside by the river’s
edge, just watching the barges trundle by and the handful of fisherman
desperately trying to outdo each other with their catches. Smiling to myself, I
felt a lot more relaxed than I had at the park and as the afternoon drew toward
evening, I started to think about the long walk back through town to my
apartment. I knew I couldn’t put it off, even though I would happily have
stayed where I was, watching the world drift by forever. I drained my glass and
headed back into the bar. As I leaned over to set my empty pint on the counter,
I saw him, sitting alone by one of the windows. Suddenly leaving seemed like
the last thing I wanted to do. I situated myself on a barstool, ordered a coke,
and tried not to look like I was watching him, only glancing over every now and
again.
I guessed him to be around thirtyish, half a dozen years or
so younger than me, and I was instantly drawn to how impeccably dressed he was.
Unlike a lot of the males in my town, he wasn’t in torn jeans, combat-style
trousers, or t-shirt. Instead, he was wearing black dress trousers, a light
blue long-sleeved shirt which was unbuttoned at the neck, and well polished
shoes.
Not only was his dress nice, but the way he looked was as
well. Slightly tanned, shaved with just a hint of light brown stubble, and neatly
styled, not too long or too short, brown hair. A small, gold sovereign ring
adorned his left little finger, and a diamond earring sat in his left earlobe.
As I watched him, I noticed he never turned to face the
rest of the pub. He kept his eyes firmly on the window as though waiting for
someone, sipping from his glass.
Now although where I lived was classed as a city, it wasn't
much bigger than a large town. Every time someone new appeared, they always
drew attention. This man was no different, I noticed, for I wasn’t the only
person keeping a close eye on him.
On the opposite side of the bar were a group of the local,
so called, ‘hard’ men. They were also keeping their eye on this new stranger
and seeing as I knew them as well as I did, I knew their reason would be
totally different from mine.
For a few minutes I continued to shift my gaze between the
stranger and the thugs, and as they stood up to leave, I decided I had a
decision to make. I could either let the man leave, knowing full well the thugs
would be waiting for him to step outside the pub, or I could go over, introduce
myself, offer to buy him a drink, and maybe get to know him.
Keeping my eye on the man to make sure he didn’t just get
up and leave, I called the barman over.
“Get me another coke please, and whatever he’s drinking.”
“Are you sure? He’s having double scotch.”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
I paid for the drinks and took both glasses over to where
the stranger was sitting.
“Hope you don’t mind, but I saw you alone and got you
another,” I said, placing the scotch on the table.
“Oh thanks, that’s very kind of you.”
“Well, you’re new in town and I just thought it would be
nice for someone to welcome you.”
“Don’t get too many places like that nowadays.”
“I know, but I remember what it was like when I first moved
here,” I told him. “My name’s Leon by the way.”
“I’m Simon, but you can call me Si. Won’t you join me?”
“Thank you,” I said, sitting on the small stool by the
table opposite Si. “So are you just passing through?”
“Hopefully I’m going to buy a place, if the property prices
here aren’t as outlandish as the last two towns I looked in.”
“I guess that depends on what you are looking for.”
“Ideally a two bedroom apartment, or house if possible.”
“There’s a fair few of those at the other end of town,” I
told him. “Is it for just you, or do you have a family that will be joining you
once you have found a place?”
“Just me. I have no family.”
“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” I replied, lowering my
head, slightly embarrassed at my clumsy attempt to find out more about him.
“No need to apologize, you weren't to know.” He lifted his
hand to wave away my apology. For the next few minutes the two of us sat there
sipping our drinks, when Si finally broke the silence.
“So tell me, Leon, what do you do around here? My guess is
there’s not much in the way of employment to be had.”
“No there isn’t, but I’m lucky enough to work from home as
a graphic artist.”
“Wish I could work from home. Mind you, I wish I had a
home, but it’s too late to find something now, I guess.”
“I wouldn’t say that. You did happen to choose the one
place in town that does bed and breakfast.”
“Ah well that’s lucky then! Would you give me a moment to
get set up?”
I watched Si walk over to the bar and begin chatting with
the barman. I found myself staring intently at his muscular physique and firm
ass, hoping, praying he was gay and wondering what my chances would be with him
if he was.
“Thanks for letting me know. He only had one room left,” He
sat back down, draining his glass.
“No worries.”
“So, apart from saying you wanted to give me a warm welcome
to your small town, what was the real reason for buying a stranger a drink?”
“No other reason,” I lied. I couldn’t tell him the truth,
not now that he was thinking of moving to the town. I wanted him to feel
welcome, not frightened off by potential danger from local thugs.
“Well maybe I can return the favor another day,” Si smiled.
“How about tomorrow? I’ll buy you lunch.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t, but I want to.”
Being asked to lunch by the hottest guy I had seen for ages
seemed too good to be true, and I felt my cheeks begin to flush with
embarrassment.
“Okay what time?” I mumbled under my breath before
repeating myself a lot clearer.
“Why don’t you meet me here about one? Gives me time to
have a look around at property.”
“One it is then,” I said, then drained my glass. “Anyway, I
better go and let you get settled. Besides, I have a design I have to finish
tonight.”
“Oh okay, see you tomorrow then,” Si replied sullenly, and
I was sure I could see a look of disappointment in his eyes at the thought of
me leaving. But work was work, bills had to be paid, and anyway the date for
the next day was arranged and by now I knew the thugs would have finally given
up waiting, calling it a night as well. As I stood up, Si offered me his hand
and I gave it a gentle shake instantly noticing how soft his skin was. I turned
and headed out into the night, a slight smile on my face. If he does hang
around I am definitely going to get to know him a lot better, I thought. I
walked past where the group of thugs had been hanging out, the cigarette butts
and discarded beer cans giving them away, and I continued toward my place.
About
the author
Julez S. Morbius is the pseudonym
of an engaged father to nine children, four of his own and five stepchildren.
He is also partially disabled, having been born with a neurological condition
that has caused his nervous system to deteriorate over the years and finds
writing to be the way to express his feelings, and fantasies.
Having been writing for less than five years, Star Search,
published by Naughty Nights Press in November 2011, was his first release. This
was followed by an appearance in the gay male anthology The Boy's Club, also
published by Naughty Nights Press, where he had two stories, Opposites Attract
and Room for Two.
His second stand-alone release, Addicted to Charlie, came
out in June 2012, quickly followed by Naughty Hot Shots - Reunited at a
Reunion, which earned him his first ever bestseller certificate from his
publisher, NNP, and then shortly after that his next Transgender release,
Naughty Hot Shots - Top Of The Class, which earned him yet another silver star
at All Romance Ebooks on the very first day.
Julez has several stories, both gay male and transgender,
currently on the editing table of his publisher that he hopes will be out to
his fans shortly. A recent surgery to assist him in his mobility has added to
the unfortunate delayed releases, but now that Julez is on the mend he has jumped
back into the wonderfully busy process of working with his editor to cultivate
his upcoming works.
Julez now considers writing to be his main occupation, and
continues to write, mainly in gay male, transgender and cross dressing genres.
http://morbiussworld.blogspot.com/
Where to buy:
Thank you for featuring me on your blog, Beth :)
ReplyDelete