Chapter Nine -- That Makes Two Of Us
Adrian studied the expensive pen in his hand, seemingly fascinated with its craftsmanship. Edward had nothing to worry about. During the week, Adrian was mostly all work and no play, but, of course, that was not at all why he cared about keeping his promises. Just like the luxury item in his hand, Edward was intriguing him and very much pleased him, which was not something he could say about any partner he had ever shared fleeting moments of pleasure with.
If someone had asked what he liked so much about Edward, he would have been hard-pressed to define it. Maybe Adrian hadn't been challenged in a while, and that was all there was to it. But there was also something else. Despite the stern facade, despite the cool control Edward tried to project, Adrian felt he could read something else beneath the surface. That made him curious and want to learn more about Edward. In a nutshell, the man was a mystery, and Adrian found himself quite taken with that.
It didn't hurt, of course, that Edward had a fantastic body and knew what to do in bed. Adrian had decidedly felt rewarded when Edward had given in each time. The game of push and pull was enough to make him get a boner right that moment, and, seeing how he was at work, that wasn't such a great idea.
Maybe after fucking a different guy weekend after weekend, everyone had started blending into plastic faces that no longer meant anything to him. Things were different with Edward. Adrian could recall if he only closed his eyes, how Edward's upper lip curved enticingly, how his skin felt smooth under hurried fingers, how his eyes flashed with reined-in emotions, giving away their owner and what he truly felt inside.
Adrian wasn't the betting type, but he was willing to believe that Edward must have had some rigid upbringing. He was operating within the borders of an existence someone else had drawn for him, and trying desperately, even at his age, to go beyond them. That must have been why Edward was part of some selective club of perverts, or it was all just speculation, and Adrian was getting a bit too interested in another man, more than he had been in years.
That didn't mean that his fingers didn't itch to call Edward. It was late, and while Adrian was putting in the hours, maybe Edward had finished his workday and didn't mind a bit of chatting before the usual time they held their conversations. Adrian didn't want to be trained like a puppy, to salivate once the clock struck the hour his owner chose.
He was about to call when his assistant, Rachel, rushed through the door. "Adrian, we are in trouble!"
"The prints look good," Adrian said as he browsed through the folder on his desk. "What's the trouble?"
"Antonio is just scared of dogs! We can't get a shot right! We might have to consider tying him up."
Adrian sighed. "He's scared of dogs? Didn't he know what the shoot was all about?"
"He thought he would deal with pugs or something cutesy like that," Rachel replied promptly.
Adrian began rubbing his forehead. "Someone should have notified him that we were using Rottweilers in the shoot."
Rachel moved nervously from one foot to another. "I'm sorry, chief. I guess it's my bad." Rachel was a great assistant, but she tended to apply her own set of values to the most surprising situations and circumstances. "I think Bane and Blaze are uber cute. But Antonio is afraid they might kill him."
Adrian knew the pair of Rottweilers came highly recommended, and their owner was present, so Antonio should have proven already that he was a pro and could shoot a damned commercial without pissing his pants. However, that was an unexpected drawback. It had been a bit of a hassle to book Antonio, as he was a model in high demand right now, and his brooding dark looks were an excellent match for what they had in mind.
Now, he would just have to postpone the shoot and find someone else, which was unfortunate, seeing how everyone worked so hard to meet deadlines and go beyond the call of duty for their clients. In this case, the company selling premium food for dogs, and an important one at that, couldn't be too happy with the delay.
"Rachel, please, comfort Antonio, while I try to solve this."
"Yes, boss," Rachel said, military style, and then ran out of Adrian's office.
He hesitated for a few moments, but then he grabbed his phone. Edward answered on the second ring. "Could it be that my watch no longer shows the time correctly? I thought you would still be at work."
"What can I say? I'm an unpredictable man," Adrian said. "Actually, I was wondering how good you really are with dogs."
"Are you gagging for your collar that much?" Edward teased.
"Gagging." Adrian chuckled. "Sometimes, Your Majesty, your vocabulary surprises me. No, I'm not gagging for anything. It's only that I'm shooting a commercial right now, and my first choice for a model is terribly afraid of the two Rottweilers that should star in the shoot with him. Or the dogs don't like him. I'm not exactly sure, but this is messing up my schedule big time."
"That's terribly unfortunate. Is there anything you wanted to ask me?"
"Yeah. Do you know someone who's good looking, doesn't mind starring in a commercial that pays pretty well and also has a love for dogs?"
"Is this your trying to avoid to ask me the question directly? I am not interested in monetary compensation, but otherwise, I believe I fit the description."
"I thought you might be busy," Adrian said and smiled to himself. "Oh, so you consider yourself good looking?"
"I am a bit better than average; I like to think. Of course, if it's an Adonis you want for this commercial of yours, I will politely decline."
"Nah, you're perfect. It would really help me if you came down here right now."
"You're as demanding as ever. How did you know I would say 'yes' to such a thing? After all, it's as remote as possible from my line of work, and I don't think I made myself as available as you believe me to be."
"I think, Your Majesty, that you have a hidden desire to do things that are out of your comfort zone just so that you can prove that you can, and nothing and no one could ever stand in your way."
"You shouldn't have worked in advertising, Adrian. I believe that it would have suited you better if you played the shrink, seeing how you have a knack for psychoanalysis."
"It helps, though, even where I am," Adrian said. "So, you're willing to work for nothing? That's not exactly possible."
"Just write down whatever you want. No, better, write a check for one dollar. I will make sure to collect from you the due payment."
"Hmm. Sounds promising. How long until you get here?"
"Not long. Just wait for me."
"I won't do anything else in the meantime," Adrian promised courteously. He called for his assistant as soon as he put the phone down. "Rachel, you can tell poor Antonio that he's free to go. Also, make sure to be tough about negotiating how much of the fee he's still paid."
"Oh, he said he just wanted out of here. I think I negotiated pretty well," Rachel said with a large smile.
"Ah. I see. Most probably, you played with the dogs and tried to convince him to do so, too."
"That must have had a role in how fast he wanted out of here. He'll be happy when I tell him he can go. So, did you solve the problem, chief?"
Adrian's reply was a knowing smirk. Rachel showed him two thumbs up.
"Who's the model? Don't tell me you managed to get Bruno! OMG, I love Bruno! He's just so my type!"
"And also very much married," Adrian said.
Rachel's face fell comically. "A girl can still fantasize, right?"
"Our model for the shoot will be here soon, so you don't have to worry about a thing."
