Uncertain Fire, page 7
Over the following week, however, Bradley wasn't able to see Kamil nearly as often as he would have liked and anytime they were apart for even a day Bradley felt bereft, overcome with a longing that mere phone calls couldn't assuage. It wasn't simply physical, although the passion between them seemed to know no bounds. The very presence of Kamil was like soothing to Bradley, lightening his heart more than he could ever have imagined. He hadn't realized how his overall behavior had changed until one day Norm remarked that he looked as though he's won a million quid.
Bradley laughed a little, somewhat surprised that others noticed the change in attitude. "Things are going pretty smoothly lately, is all."
"Uh-huh!" Norm gave him a knowing look. "So it had nothing to do with the marks I've been seeing on your neck or the long, hushed phone calls you've been making on your lunch hour, eh?" Norm was often annoying, he could be loud and boisterous but he was keenly observant and had a heart of gold. "Well, I say it's about damn time you let yourself have a bit of fun, mate! If I didn't know, better I'd say you're a man in love!"
Bradley was disconcerted, not sure he liked the fact that someone had read him so accurately. Norm slapped him on the back, laughing. "Never mind, Bradley, never mind! Just good to see everyone smiling around here! Aaron told me this morning that him and Denny are looking for a flat together now."
Bradley was surprised things were developing so quickly between those two, but then he realized it was much the same for him and Kamil. He hadn't pressed Kamil any further about moving in with him, however. He knew that Kamil would think things through at his own pace.
Bradley was unable to give Kamil a ride to Rod's that night, he had to wait at the hangar for the final flight of the day to arrive, and when he arrived at the club Kamil was already dancing. The regulars were all circled around his stage like predators and Kamil was ignoring them all, but he sensed when Bradley arrived somehow and looked out at him, snapping his hips at the exact same moment and making Bradley hard so quickly he thought he would get lightheaded from the blood rushing to his nether regions. It had been days since they had been together, almost unbearably long for Bradley. After the show Bradley waited outside at the employee's entrance as usual, leaning against the brick facade of the alley next to the club. After a minute, though, he became aware of two or three other men lingering in the area. He thought nothing of it, assuming they were there for a similar purpose as him, to pick up a friend after work, but when the door opened and Kamil came out, one of the men approached the dancer before Bradley could reach his side.
"I'm back, gorgeous, and this time I won't take no for an answer!"
With a start, Bradley recognized him as the man he had an altercation with two weeks before.
"The answer is still no, so leave me alone!" Kamil made to sidestep around the man, but the man blocked his way. Bradley approached quietly until he was just behind the man, Kamil saw him but the man was unaware of his presence. Kamil's eyes showed alarm but it was more out of concern for Bradley than for any other reason and Bradley knew his lover's peaceful nature was dreading another scene.
The man made a grab at Kamil but the dancer nimbly darted away, and when he moved to grab for him again Bradley roughly grabbed his wrist, twisting it behind him.
The man was taller than Bradley but Bradley was stronger and he wrenched the man's arm up between his shoulder blades painfully. "I'm not going to tell you again, asshole! If I ever see you at the club again I'll have you arrested!"
Bradley was furious but Kamil tugged at his sleeve. "Let's just go, Bradley. I'll tell the bouncers about him, he won't be allowed in again."
Bradley didn't want to let it go that easily, he gave the man's arm another sharp jerk. "You better hope I never set eyes on you again!" and he let go with a hard shove, pushing the man into the wall.
"Bradley, please!" Kamil implored. Bradley wanted to beat the man within an ounce of his life but he took a breath, restraining the impulse with difficulty. Since he was no longer concerned about anonymity Bradley had been driving his own vehicle to the club recently and Kamil took his arm, steering him to where he had parked.
"I can't do this anymore, Bradley," Kamil said as soon as the two were in the vehicle. "I can't handle this. Being hit on is one thing, but if you hadn't been there tonight......" he left that unfinished but they both knew full well what could have happened. It made Bradley's blood run cold. He didn't say anything; he didn't trust himself to speak. He was still shaking with rage as he fitted the key into the ignition and pulled out, driving toward his own flat.
"Bradley?" Bradley looked over to Kamil, seeing the distress in his face. He forced himself to smile and reached across to take Kamil's hand in his own. They drove in silence for a few minutes before Kamil spoke again. "Is .....is the offer of being your roommate still open?"
Happiness immediately replaced the anger. "Of course it is! I've been wanting to ask you every time we've talked but I didn't want to press you. I want you with me all the time!"
Kamil turned his hand over and threaded his fingers through Bradley's. "I want to be with you, too, and I don't want to have to dance anymore. I'll still be able to pay my share of the expenses with what I earn tutoring....."
"Don't worry about that, we'll work all of that out. I'll move your things over to my place, tomorrow if you like...."
Kamil laughed softly at Bradley's ill-disguised eagerness. "My rent is paid up until the first of the month, but that's next week. I...I just want to be yours, I don't want to have other blokes ogling me anymore. It feels like cheating on you."
They had arrived at Bradley's now and after he parked the car Bradley seized Kamil in a searing kiss. "You are mine, and I'm yours!" He kissed Kamil again, the kiss being returned with fervor, and the two barely made it inside Bradley's door before clothing was discarded and hands were exploring. Bradley had been somewhat surprised but very pleased to discover that Kamil had a voracious sexual appetite once he got past his initial reserve, quickly being caught up in the physical sensations as well as the emotional connection that seemed to grow ever stronger between them. That night as they lay together, still breathless and coming down from the heights of their orgasms, Bradley noticed that Kamil's face was glistening with tears. Their passion was overwhelming for him and Bradley was touched deeply, kissing the damp cheeks tenderly as Kamil clung tightly to him. "How did I get so lucky?" he whispered.
They moved Kamil's belongings to Bradley's place the next day. Other than his clothes, guitars, and record collection he didn't have much and by the evening he was officially moved in. The two of them decided to go out for dinner, and after their meal, they found a nearby pub Kamil was familiar with from his days playing with the band. There was no live band this night, only a DJ, but the place was busy nevertheless and the only seating available was at the bar. Bradley was at the point of suggesting they go home when he heard someone call Kamil's name. He turned to see a man threading his way through the crowd toward them.
"Phil!" Kamil greeted the newcomer with a quick hug. "I haven't seen you in..., what has it been, a year?"
"Longer!" the other man grinned. "I'm glad I ran into you, man, I couldn't believe it when I saw you !"
Kamil quickly remembered Bradley. "Bradley, this is Phil, he was in the band. We're from the same town, actually."
The man greeted Bradley with a genial grin, taking a stool just vacated on the opposite side of Kamil. As the two old friends caught up, Bradley reflected that he actually hadn't met any of Kamil's friends. The people Kamil occasionally mentioned seemed to all be from his home town or from his time with Blue Banshee, which was understandable. Other than his fellow pilots, Bradley had few social contacts of his own and he was content with that, especially now that he found Kamil. He felt that even if he and Kamil were the only two people on earth he would have been perfectly happy. Phil didn't stay long but Bradley noticed Kamil had a thoughtful look on his face after the man left. Driving back to his flat - now their flat - he mentioned it to Kamil. "Your friend didn't have any bad news, did he? You look lost in thought."
"No, no.....he gave me some things to think about, though."
"Oh?" They had arrived home now and Bradley unlocked the door, making a mental note to give Kamil the spare key.
Kamil sat on the sofa and accepted the beer Bradley handed him. "He told me he's playing bass for a different band now and that they're looking for a guitarist. He said I should try out."
Bradley sat next to him. "And you're thinking about it?"
Kamil shrugged. "It's tempting, but I'm not sure. It would be a lot to handle on top of everything else. If it would bring in some money, though, it would be easier to quit Rod's."
Bradley nodded. "I know you miss being in a band, and I know you're very talented." Kamil had played several times for Bradley, never failing to impress him, making every note he played seem to flow effortlessly from his fingers. "Maybe you should try out, see what happens."
Kamil looked over at him, "You think so?"
"If it's what you want, then yes, I do. I want you to do anything that will make you happy."
"Anything that will make me happy, hmm?" Kamil slid closer to Bradley and kissed him. "Do you know what will make me happy right now?"
Bradley returned the kiss with fervor. "I think I can guess!"
Kamil's lips were on his again, insistent and urgent, making Bradley dizzy with want as he parted his lips with his tongue. "I want to go in the bedroom," he murmured against Bradley's neck as his kisses trailed down his jaw, "and I want you to take me over," a kiss, "and over," another kiss, "and over again all night!"
Bradley wordlessly stood and took Kamil's hand, leading them to their bed. Their lips were crushing together even as they sank down onto the mattress, Bradley grasping Kamil's arse and pulling him tightly against his groin. Kamil's hands were running up his sides beneath his tee shirt, his lips following as he tugged the shirt over Bradley's head. The sensation of the blonde's lips against his skin caused Bradley to groan aloud. Kamil seemed to have a natural knack for teasing Bradley and he loved it, loved feeling Kamil softly kiss then unexpectedly lick his skin and even catch some chest hair in his teeth, tugging lightly. Kamil was eager to learn more about pleasing his lover and worked his way lower and lower on Bradley until he was at his goal, teasing the hardness with light licks followed by engulfing him completely in his mouth. He could feel Kamil pressing against his leg and he moved his leg to rub against him, causing him to moan around Bradley, which nearly made him come instantly. He had never imagined himself feeling so uninhibited but it was impossible to restrain himself when with Kamil, he was eager to try anything and everything with him. He had to stop the blonde after only a few minutes, he didn't want this to be over so soon. He pulled Kamil up for a prolonged kiss.
"Get undressed....," He tugged at Kamil's shirt and Kamil stripped himself naked in a matter of seconds, lying back full length against Bradley, who couldn't keep himself from gliding his hands over the smooth, lean muscles of his back. "I want to do so much with you, things I never imagined myself doing....."
"Oh?" Kamil's voice was teasing even as he nuzzled behind Bradley's ear, causing shivers to run through his body. "You know I'll do anything you want me to!"
The soft voice in his ear was almost a purr and Bradley couldn't restrain himself any longer, he flipped the other man onto his back, nipping at his throat while he blindly reached for the lubricant. Their coupling was fast and frantic and Kamil was becoming very vocal during their lovemaking, which Bradley found incredibly hot. At his moment of orgasm, the blonde let out a strangled scream of Bradley's name, triggering his own blindingly intense orgasm. Twice more before morning the two made love, Kamil was seemingly insatiable and Bradley amazed himself with his own stamina. It had certainly never been this way with his ex-wife.
It was obvious to Bradley's coworkers that something had put their boss into an incredibly good mood, even the imminent visit of Harry Howell didn't dampen his spirits. They had rescheduled the aborted meeting from the day Howell had joined them for lunch, Harry had been running late by the time they had returned to the hangar, but now Bradley didn't know what to expect. It was entirely possible the man had regretted showing his weakness and felt it had been a bad move to socialize with them.
He need not have worried. He wasn't aware of when Howell arrived, he came out of his office mid-morning to discover Howell and Norm exchanging photos of their children. It seemed that Norm's two daughters were approximately the same age as Howell's and that Norm had invited Harry's daughters to his own little girl's birthday party the upcoming weekend. And to his astonishment, Bradley overheard Harry accept.
The investor was more subdued and less heavy-handed than usual as they discussed business, not once using the superior tone of voice Bradley had grown accustomed to, and when the meeting concluded he dared hope that perhaps he could learn to work more agreeably with Howell one day.
That evening Bradley came home to find that Kamil had left a love note before catching the bus to the university that morning. It wasn't long, merely saying that Bradley had changed his life and that he loved him, but it was the first love letter of any kind Bradley had ever received. Kamil had two students to tutor so he didn't return until after seven that evening and when he saw that Bradley had made dinner his jaw dropped.
"Brad!" he tossed his backpack in a corner, "I didn't know you could cook!"
"It's only steak and potatoes, nothing fancy. Hey," he approached Kamil, taking him into his arms, "don't I get a kiss?"
Kamil complied, doing a very thorough job of it. Bradley thought he could definitely get used to this domestic life. Over dinner, Kamil told him he had called Rod's that day and put in notice he was leaving.
"They weren't happy, but after I told them about that guy in the alley they understood. They promised me they would never let that guy in the club again but it doesn't matter, I'm still quitting. Next weekend will be my last."
Bradley smiled across the table at him. "I hope you'll still dance for me! Maybe I can even convince you to strip!"
Kamil gave him a naughty smile, "Oh, I think that's quite possible!"
Chapter Seven
On the one month anniversary of Kamil moving in with him Bradley turned over the reins to Denny so he could leave work early. He wanted to do something special for his lover to celebrate and to thank him for making him happier than he had thought possible. He knew that Kamil had only one student to tutor after his last class that afternoon so he drove to the campus. He had some difficulty locating the music lab where Kamil tutored but he arrived just as the lesson was to wrap up. Bradley leaned against the wall outside the room, glancing through the glass top half of the door and catching sight of the shining amber - gold hair of his beloved. He sat with his back to the door, an acoustic guitar held in front of him, obviously still instructing even though Bradley couldn't see the student from his angle. He smiled to himself, even seeing Kamil from afar was enough to fill his heart with warmth. He leaned his head back against the wall and waited.
Five minutes later the rattle of the door broke into his reverie and he looked up to see a slim girl with long dark hair standing in the doorway looking back into the room.
"I'll see you next week, Kamil. I'm looking forward to it!" Bradley saw Kamil then, though the blonde didn't see him yet; then, to his consternation, he saw the girl lean forward and kiss Kamil's cheek. A mix of feelings he couldn't analyze hit him but first and foremost was jealousy. This girl was attractive and she was blatantly flirting with Kamil. She flounced off down the hall, not noticing Bradley, but Kamil spotted him at that very moment.
"Brad! I didn't expect to see you here!" His smile was genuine, but Bradley hadn't missed the flush in his cheeks after the girl's kiss. So distracted was he by his thoughts that it took him a moment to respond.
"It's our anniversary, sort of. I wanted to take you out to dinner."
"That sounds wonderful." Kamil quickly looked down the deserted corridor then slipped his hand into Bradley's. "It's the anniversary of when I moved in, right?"
Bradley squeezed his hand. "That's right. Umm....so that girl was one of your students?"
"Yeah."
"Very attractive."
Kamil didn't reply directly. "She's been taking lessons since the first of the term. She can play well enough but she insists on coming back every week."
