Pluck and Play by Clare London

Author:Clare London
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romantic comedy, london, gay romance, ice cream, gay erotic romance
Publisher: Clare London

Curtis’ deliveries that morning started in a confused order, and over a half hour earlier than his Saturday schedule expected of him. He was seriously out of kilter. When he stopped to recall how only an hour ago he’d been snuggled up on Riley’s sofa, blissfully planning how late he could be, it made him feel sick with regret. But he’d left Riley’s flat minutes after he got the call from Nick. He didn’t know what else to do; what to say. He just wanted to be away from people, from his memories, from his nausea–from his shock–to try and sort things out in his head.

Fuck knows if he had any idea how to do that.

By midday, he’d completed all his calls around Soho. He’d found a new supplier for the Chinese grocer and delivered a handful of boxes of dried mushrooms. He’d ferried an armful of precious costumes from Phiz’s mother–a talented dressmaker–to the comedy club for collection by various performers. She never turned a hair if they were stylish suits for the club compere Eddy, leather chaps for the managers at Master Mac’s Nightclub, or even a new clown suit for Stan, one of Lee’s friends. She was equally conscientious at making and mending them all. Then he helped Mr Amsel at the German café for an hour, reorganising his store room. Curtis was strong enough to move boxes and old kitchen equipment around, while Mr A gave instructions. Otherwise it’d never be done–Mr A was turning eighty later in the year, and although he had a couple of daughters who helped run the café, they rarely had the time or muscle power to help with the heavy jobs.

As Curtis walked up the street where With A Kick was located, all he was thinking about was his stomach: a sandwich, maybe some soup, and a large ice cream. If he hadn’t been daydreaming he’d have seen the man who approached from behind, wouldn’t he? At the very least, he’d have felt his arrival with the shudder of disgust it deserved. He’d paused outside With A Kick’s window to look at the ‘Today’s Special’ on one of Phiz and Lee’s brightly designed posters, when a hand landed lightly on his arm. It stopped Curtis in his tracks, not only because it startled him. He recognised the waft of cologne worn by the hand’s owner, and the deceptiveness of the touch. Sure enough, seconds later, the fingers curled into Curtis’ flesh far more cruelly, holding him there.

“You look good,” Nick said.

There’d been a time when Curtis was thrilled by a compliment from Nick Hutchens. The man was a few years older, much better looking and well-dressed, and with a smooth charm that had flattered Curtis when Nick first noticed him. But now?

“Leave me alone,” Curtis said. His voice sounded thick and he was scared of looking fully at Nick, but also scared not to. His gaze fixed on the With A Kick counter: Lee serving a couple of customers; a glimpse of Patrick at the back of the shop in a long apron, smiling at something Lee was saying.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.