This week's #midweektease #MWTease excerpt is from
A Forever Kind of Thing
Businessman Will has hoped to meet musician Josh for so long,
he’s astonished and elated when Josh finally notices and pursues him at one of
the band’s gigs.
After a heady night of love, Josh is devastated when Will
turns out to be a millionaire. He’s not a hustler. He couldn’t take and he
couldn’t compete. He retreats into his music.
Will is sure they could have something special and tries to
prove his love for Josh in the only way he knows how. Trouble is—it’s the wrong
way.
Josh is shocked to discover he can’t forget Will.
They want each other. Their chemistry is scorching. Their
encounters erotic.
But Josh is running in the opposite direction as Will longs
to love him.
Can love triumph?
Read the teaser
The server arrived at the table.
Will waited for Joshua to order what appeared to be a
favorite because he didn’t even look at the menu. Will asked for the same as
Joshua. He could eat a burger any day.
Joshua grinned at him as the server walked away.
“Sorry, the food probably isn’t what you’re used to.”
Amused, Will laughed. “Hey, I wasn’t born wealthy. I love
burgers. I don’t do fine dining that often, in fact.”
“Tell me how long it took you to make it ... really make it,
so that money wasn’t a worry any more.”
Will considered his answer to Joshua’s question for a few
moments. He moved his water glass around on the table as he wondered if he
should mention having lost track of Joshua and sunk his unhappiness into work
during that time. He decided against it. Joshua already knew he’d attended
almost every gig the band played.
“I was lucky. Just at the right time, I had
my idea for a sports shoe. The design needed a special sole and shape. I knew a
science graduate and we teamed up to make the prototype. His dad knew a couple
of big name sports stars, having grown up around their families, and they tried
out the shoes for us. Their endorsement got us funding from the banks. We’d had
financial help from my friend’s dad before that. Then suddenly we were in
business, and everything just went ahead.
Success was like a runaway train zooming along no matter
what we did. We’d what you might call, ‘made it,’ within a year. I worked hard,
though, and still do. We both did, but a lot of it was initial luck—the right
product at the right time. Life smiled on us.” He pushed his hand across the
table toward Joshua’s arm as Josh rested there listening. The desire to touch
Joshua burned in him. A sigh escaped him as he stopped with his fingertips not
even brushing Josh’s shirtsleeve.
Joshua’s eyes filled with tenderness as he saw Will’s
gesture. He looked away and gazed out across the river for a few moments before
he spoke again.
“Music isn’t so easy. It’s the visibility. Like all art, it’s
hard to locate your audience, and their regard is always subjective. Fans
sometimes turn on you, because you’ve tried a new way of arranging or tried a
different music genre.”
Will wished he could help. It was on the tip of his tongue
to offer something, but he bit it back, knowing that Joshua might spook.
Instead, he remembered the box sitting on the chair next to him. “Joshua, I
brought something for you.” He picked up the box and stood to put it on the
table in front of Joshua.
Will hadn’t even sat down again when Joshua’s exclamation
unnerved him.
“Will, you can’t do this.” Joshua held up one of the sports
shoes that he’d taken from the box. “You can’t give me things...”
Sadness rose in Will as he watched Joshua stuff the shoe
back in amongst the brightly colored tissue and jam the lid back on the box.
“They’re your size. I looked when we were together. It’s
just a pair of shoes ... the new style going in stores this week. I’m sorry...”
He trailed away as Joshua sat resolute across the table.
“I can’t take them. How would you like it if I turned up
with a gift today?”
Will gazed at the shoe box and then into Joshua’s eyes. “I
wouldn’t have minded. I’d think you loved me. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to
offend you.”
Joshua’s voice softened, but he pushed the box toward Will.
“I can’t take them,” he repeated.
Will had to put it back on the chair quickly as their order
arrived. He sighed heavily as he stared at the burger, bursting
with salad. He didn’t feel hungry now. He cast a glance at Joshua.
“Will, I have nothing to give you in return.”
Will slumped as the words hit home. He couldn’t believe how
little Joshua thought of himself. “Your presence, your time, your love ... it’s
all so much, so perfect, so good. The song you wrote and sang to me ... being
with you, it’s the best gift I’ve ever had. I saw the stacks of shoe samples in
an office today and it was just a little thought ... ‘I’ll take some to Joshua.’”
Without warning Joshua stood.
Will thought he was leaving, and sadness fell like a stone
in his chest, but Joshua pulled his chair to sit beside Will. He didn’t touch
Will, but his head was close as he spoke.
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m just prickly about how wealthy you
are, and I don’t want anyone ever saying I’m with you for your money.”
Will turned his face to Joshua’s. His heartbeat sped up.
Joshua’s breath whispered over Will’s lips, he was so close. I could kiss him. Will looked away as
the temptation nearly took over. “Okay.” He had no idea what else to say. He
wanted to say, ‘Does that mean eventually we’ll be able to tell people we’re a
couple ... does that mean that one day we can be open and shout to the world that
we love each other?’
Copyright Elodie Parkes Encompass Ink
HOP to the next #MWTease
Love the relationship building.
ReplyDeleteInteresting tease. We shouldn't be intimidated by wealth but sometimes it's hard not to be for fear of being misjudged.
ReplyDeleteThey have a lot to work through, haven't they? Great tease.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear. I can see how this would be a problem. Great teaser, Elodie!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fab read, Elodie, well done!
ReplyDeleteNice excerpt. I really get the sense of them finding their way with each other.
ReplyDelete