The White Party

Chapter 2

Having just spent a few leisurely hours tanning on the beach and trolling for potential tricks, Brian went back to his hotel room and showered. He was just finishing drying off his body, when his cell phone started to ring.

"Hey, Mikey," Brian answered.

"Brian, I cannot believe this room!" an excited Michael exclaimed. "It's incredible!"

"Yeah, it's not bad," Brian said, and slipped on the complimentary fluffy white terry cloth robe the five-star hotel offered. He walked over to the sliding glass door that led to the balcony, and went outside, taking in the gorgeous oceanfront view, and breathed in the scent of the salty ocean air. "Not bad at all," he smiled, relishing the warm breeze on his face.

"The fucking bathtub is, like, ten times the size of ours at home," Michael added.

"Uh-huh," Brian said, only half listening to Michael as he continued to enjoy the view.

"And there's mirrors... there's fucking mirrors on the ceilings above the bathtub and the bed! Ben and I just --"

"Please spare me the gory details of your sexcapades, Mikey," Brian said, rolling his eyes.

"Like you don't want to know," Michael laughed.

"No, I really don't," Brian said dryly, then turned and went back inside. If he didn't get ready soon, he'd be late for his business dinner.

"So where are you and the good professor off to for dinner tonight?" Brian asked, as he perused through the clothing that he'd hung up in the large walk-in wardrobe of his suite.

"I don't know. We were thinking of just eating at the hotel's restaurant. It's supposed to be pretty good."

"Oh, come on, Mikey. Live a little. Make it a night out on the town," Brian told him, finally deciding on a burgundy dress shirt and black slacks.

"Well, it's been a while since Ben and I have really had some alone time, so we just wanted to stay in tonight," Michael explained. After Hunter had moved out to go to college, Ben had expressed a desire to adopt another child, and they'd gotten involved in being foster parents. They ended up taking in a two-year-old little girl named Haley, and were eventually given the green light to adopt her. Haley was now six years old, and extremely bubbly and energetic. Ben and Michael really had their hands full with her, and it was rare that they got a chance to go out of town together.

"Jesus, you and Ben have gotten even more boring than I thought was possible."

"It's just for tonight, Brian. Tomorrow the White Party starts. We'll be ready to party tomorrow," Michael promised.

"Whatever you say, Mikey," Brian smirked. "I've got to go. The client I'm in Miami for said they wanted to meet for an early dinner tonight."

"But I thought you weren't supposed to have your meeting until Monday?"

"Yeah, me too. This sort of thing happens, though. It's part of the job. Later." Brian hung up and finished getting ready.
 

*****

Brian quickly stepped out of his cab and arrived at the restaurant at 5:45. He hoped that Mr. Bradley was running a little late as well. Brian was usually punctual when he met with his clients, but he'd been stuck in traffic on the way to the restaurant.

He made his way through the tall, fancy, glass double doors and was greeted by a hostess. "I'm Brian Kinney. I have a reservation for 5:30."

The hostess smiled at Brian and nodded. "Yes, Mr. Kinney. The gentlemen in your party have already arrived. I'll show you to your table."

"Thank you." Brian frowned, noticing the hostess used the word "gentlemen" as in more than one person. He'd been made to understand that he would only be meeting with Darren Bradley, who was the president of the computer software company MicroTech. As he approached the table, he saw Darren looking over the menu.

"Darren," Brian said, holding his hand out. Darren Bradley was a handsome dark-haired man in his forties. Brian had met Darren a couple of times before, but usually he met with Darren's partners, since Darren actually lived in New York and was sometimes too busy to travel. Brian had always thought Darren was very attractive, and he knew the man was gay, but ever since the Kip Thomas fiasco all those years ago, he'd learned a hard lesson and made it a rule to not mix business with pleasure -- even though he'd been tempted.

Darren looked at Brian and greeted him with a firm handshake. "Brian, good to see you again. I trust you had a good flight?" he smiled.

"Yes, thank you. I arrived this morning. I apologize for being late. We ran into some traffic on the way here," Brian explained, and waved the waiter over to their table.

"Not a problem. We just arrived here a few minutes ago ourselves," Darren replied. The waiter arrived then and asked if they were ready to order. Brian took charge of ordering the drinks and told the waiter they still needed a few minutes to look at the menu.

"I noticed you said 'we'. I assume one of your colleagues will be joining us?" Brian asked, eying the steak dinner on the menu.

"Actually, I hope you don't mind -- I don't usually do this, but I invited my partner to join us."

"Not a problem at all," Brian replied.

"We both have pretty busy lives, and haven't spent too much time together lately, so I surprised him with this trip to Miami," Darren explained.

"Great. I hope you two have a good time while you're here. I know I plan to," Brian grinned, thinking of the White Party starting the next day.

"So where are you staying while you're here in Miami?" Darren asked, closing his menu.

"My friends and I are staying at The Ritz-Carlton."

"Oh, what a small world! That's where we're staying too."

Brian nodded. "So where's this partner of yours?" Brian asked, looking around.

"He just stepped into the restroom -- oh, here he comes now," Darren said.

Brian looked up, stunned, as he saw a familiar blond approach their table.

"Justin, I want you to meet Brian Kinney. Brian, this is Justin Taylor," Darren introduced them.

Justin stood frozen staring back at Brian in shock. "Brian," was all he managed to whisper.

"Well, this day is just full of surprises," Brian said quietly, refusing to break eye contact with the other man.

Darren noticed the tension, and frowned. "Do you two already know each other?" he asked.

"You could say that," Brian stated, and quickly knocked back the glass of Jim Beam he'd ordered earlier. He waved the waiter back to their table so he could keep them coming.

“May I freshen your drink?” the waiter asked as he quickly returned to the table.  Brian was about to strongly suggest the waiter return with the bottle when a set of concerned blue eyes caught Brian’s.

“Wine list?” Brian politely asked.  He received a barely perceptible nod from Justin which told Brian he had made the right decision.  Brian handed the list to Darren.  “Please.”  Darren smiled as he took the list then chose a crisp summer white.

Over dinner Darren and Brian talked business while Justin sat quietly taking it all in, smiling and nodding at the appropriate places.

“When did you two meet?” Brian asked as he carefully sipped his wine.  Darren jumped at the chance to speak while Justin remained uncharacteristically quiet. That worried Brian. 

“It was eight months ago at Justin’s opening at an uptown gallery,” Darren proudly boasted.  Brian inwardly winced.  He had received an invitation to that opening and had all intentions of going, but a last minute snafu with a major ad requiring Brian’s attention changed all that.  Brian headed west rather than east.  He did eventually get to see the exhibit but weeks after the hoopla had died down.  Brian recognised a few pieces, sketches really.  Studies of himself that no one else would have known, but unmistakeable to Brian.  He couldn’t resist, he had purchased a small sketch of his feet.

“There was one very unusual painting.  It looked like a large dark brown swirl with a greenish center.  I’ve been trying to get Justin to explain it to me but he won’t reveal its secrets.  No matter, it was marked artist’s own collection so I’ll have the rest of our lives to figure it out,” Darren said smugly.

“Dessert?” the waiter announced as he produced the dessert menu which he handed to Brian.  Brian quickly perused the menu and smirked.

“May I?”  Asking his guests for permission to order. Darren nodded.  “Fruit compote for my friend here,” Brian indicated Darren.  Darren smiled approvingly at the choice.  “Tiramisu for the young gentleman and I’ll have a small vanilla ice cream.”

As they waited for their desserts to arrive, Darren explained the humble beginnings of his company. Brian and Justin’s eyes met as they sipped from their water glasses.

“Wonderful choice,” Darren said around a spoonful of fruit.

“Yes, it is,” Justin finally spoke as he savored the flavor of his favorite dessert.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Brian murmured as he raised a spoon of ice cream to his lips

*****

After saying goodnight to his guests and watching Justin walk off toward the elevators with Darren, the latter’s arm wrapped possessively around his boy’s shoulders, Brian took the stairs to his room on the tenth floor. It was bad enough knowing that the two of them were going to be in the same luxury hotel for the next few days; there was no way he was going to share an elevator and find out exactly what floor they would be on while they fucked each other’s brains out. He was beginning to think that this trip had been a serious mistake - except that he did not make mistakes.

After a long, cold, shower, Brian stood by the large glass doors that opened out onto a balcony and contemplated his next move as he gazed out over the moonlit ocean. Suddenly, a spot of red ten floors below caught his attention. It was a slim figure dressed in white shorts and that red hoodie that he’d mistaken for Justin’s once already. All he could see from this far away was a flash of blond hair but he was certain it was Brandon - that swagger hadn’t changed over the years even if the hair had gotten a little brighter, he thought, smirking to himself. A cock of the walk swagger, even among all the peacocks of White Party Week. He was surprised that Brandon was just dressed in that beat-up old hoodie though; night-time was usually the time to strut one’s assets and a hoodie was not a particularly fetching article of clothing for anyone.

Well, not for most anyones, Brian amended his thought ruefully, but for some ones, they could make your heart skip a beat. That thought made him think of just where his particular someone was, and what he was likely doing, and his jaw tightened. Turning abruptly, he grabbed a pair of jeans and a wifebeater off the bed where he’d tossed the contents of his suitcase earlier. He headed for the door. Maybe Brandon’s plan could help him get what he wanted.

Brian made it outside in record time. Ignoring all the tricks who tried to get his attention, he headed toward the beach at a fast walk, almost a run. He could see the blond in the red hoodie standing alone, back toward him, looking out over the waves. When he was still several feet away, Brian called over to him, taking advantage of the fact that there was no one else within earshot, to say: “I’m up for the challenge if you still are.”

The blond laughed and Brian’s blood ran cold. His eyes went immediately to the ass in the white shorts—surely he would recognize that ass anywhere? But the man on the beach was already turning around and there was no possibility of mistake - the red hoodie this time was with Justin. Or rather, Justin was the person in the red hoodie. Brian ran his hand through his hair and tried to regroup while Justin looked at him, amused.

“When haven’t you been ‘up’ for anything, Brian?” Justin asked, smiling sweetly. “But are you talking about anything specific that you find challenging right now?”

Brian drew his brows together. The best offence and all that. “What are you doing out here? I thought you and Darren had plans for tonight. A little soon for you to be out enjoying the beautiful moonlight and ocean view on your own, isn’t it?” He kept his tone lightly teasing but his gaze was sharp as he looked his boy over closely.

Justin turned back toward the water, his expression suddenly pensive. “The water is beautiful, especially with the moon’s light reflecting on it.” Just as quickly as he’d grown somber, he had turned and was flashing his bright sunshine smile at Brian. “Don’t ever tell Darren I said so but he isn’t really the type to share a beautiful moon with. Maybe someone to share mooning a group of people with, but this type of moon…no. Definitely not his thing.”

Brian laughed; it was impossible not to, Justin’s grin was that infectious. Without actually saying anything specific, they found themselves walking along the beach and talking about nothing in particular. About everything. For over an hour. For what seemed like no time at all.

Until Justin looked at his phone and made a face.

“Damn. Getting late. I really need to get back. It’s been great though.”

“Wait, is that it? Are you….”

“I’m heading in, I’m bushed and have a full day tomorrow. I’m sure you do too, and you never did get started on that challenge you mentioned. What was that about?”

Justin smiled at Brian and Brian felt like his brain melted. He just shook his head. Justin leaned up and kissed him lightly.

“Well, whatever the challenge is, I’m more than sure you’re up for it.”

With that, Justin turned and lightly ran off down the beach, back toward the hotel. Brian just stood on the beach bemused.

As soon as he was sure that he was out of Brian’s sight, Justin stopped running and slowed to a walk so that he could make a call on his cell.

“Hey, did I wake you?” He laughed. “Yeah, stupid question. You’ll sleep when you’re dead. Like Brian….Yeah, it went well, just as we planned. He definitely thought I was you. Said he was going for the ‘challenge’ even before he got close enough to see it was me. No, really….You’re right, I owe you an apology, I never thought anyone could mistake us. But it was dark and….and yes, I have lost weight to put a nicer spin on it…thanks, Brandon.” Justin laughed. “Yes, saying my ass is less fat is a nicer spin. Shut the fuck up….where do you want me to leave the hoodie for you to pick up?....You got it. He’ll have more of a challenge than he’s expecting. …Don’t worry about Darren. I can handle him….If I can’t, you get to handle him.”

Laughing softly, Justin pulled off the red hoodie. Giving it a fond look, he tucked it under one of the beach chairs that the hotel provided for their guests and then sauntered into the hotel. He didn’t notice Michael watching him from the lobby’s gift shop where he’d gone to get Ben some aspirin.

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