Page 8 of Convenient Rivals

“Isn’t there someone else you can talk to?” he snapped.

“No. I’m having too much fun talking to you.”

“Well, the feeling is not mutual.”

Oscar couldn’t help but laugh. He might not get laid tonight, but a bit of verbal sparring with Gregory always cheered him up. They had been such close friends when they were kids. In secondary school Oscar had realised he was gay but stayed deep in the closet. Gregory wasn’t out either, probably because he knew how his parents would react, but people made assumptions. He was bullied for it, as well as for being a geek. Oscar was ashamed he’d been one of the people to give Gregory a hard time, but he’d been so terrified of anyone finding out about him. His life at school would have been unbearable. It was no excuse for his behaviour, but he’d been a stupid kid and had regretted it ever since.

He’d apologised several times, but all Gregory had done each time was say “okay” and nothing else. Yet there was still this tension between them. Oscar would prefer a different type of tension from Gregory. As they’d hit their teenage years, Oscar had become more attracted to him, which was another reason he’d kept his distance and hung out with the popular boys.

Most people weren’t wearing many clothes in the club. Oscar was wearing jeans and a tight white T-shirt – something which had been in style since the eighties, he’d been told – and Gregory had on a shirt that was buttoned to the neck. His black-rimmed glasses framed his emerald-green eyes, which had always mesmerised Oscar. To put it bluntly, Gregory Balfour was hot as fuck, and ticked all of Oscar’s boxes. He had an inkling there would be more than fireworks in the bedroom and that Gregory was one of those dynamos in the sack. He’d had many a fantasy as a teenager, but he knew nothing would ever happen between them. All he could do now was tease the man, which he intended to do more of. You had to get your entertainment somewhere.

“Do you want to come back to my place?” asked Oscar.

Gregory’s eyes widened for a second before the scowl was back. He took a sip of his drink, not breaking eye contact. Those green eyes had a hardness to them. Why was that such a turn on?

“I’d have fun taking you apart,” he added, just to see how far he could push it.

Gregory reacted too fast for Oscar to do anything as a whisky and Coke was flung into his face. They attracted a few looks, but it didn’t last long. People were too busy with their own business – one of the advantages of London. Add in the fact that the men in this place were only thinking about dick, nobody gave them a second look.

Before Oscar could say anything, Gregory leaned forward to speak into his ear.

“It’s never going to happen. But just so you know, it would bemetakingyouapart.”

Oscar’s mouth went dry, his cock plumped, and his face felt like it was on fire. The last thing he saw was a smug grin from Gregory Balfour before he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

CHAPTER3

GREGORY

Sunday morning meant it was time for their family brunch, and by family, he meant his brothers. They did this every week, no matter what was going on in their lives. Attendance was mandatory, and guests were not allowed; it was always just the five of them.

Charlie had moved out last weekend, and it had been strange meeting him at KC’s Café instead of walking over together. They were used to Jason joining them later, as he’d usually woken up somewhere else, although not today. He’d been quiet lately, and Gregory had been meaning to check in with him, but there had been a lot going on. Barty had been causing him a lot of problems, which was nothing new, but lately things had gotten out of hand.

His brother had been fired from Montgomery Equity for suspected market abuse. Gregory hadn’t seen Oscar since that night at Nerds and Jocks, which had been a month ago, and he’d be happy to never see the man again. He’d made Gregory’s life miserable in high school, and then for him to come out of the closet himself years later... What a fucking hypocrite. But he felt a pang of guilt about what had happened with his brother. Gregory had refused his parents’ demands to give Barty a job at his own company, so their mother had used her influence to get him something with Oscar. Gregory felt responsible for some unknown reason. Perhaps if he’d given Barty a chance, none of this would have happened. At least, that’s how his mother was spinning it.

Gregory had to see his family later. It was his father’s birthday, and they were having a party at the house. It was one of those occasions he couldn’t get out of, even if his father barely spoke to him.

KC brought over their breakfast. She’d had this cafe in the heart of Soho since the nineties, and they’d discovered it years before they even came to live there. It was now part of their week and they came here every Sunday.

“How has your week been, boys?” she asked.

KC always called them her boys, and she was overly invested in their romantic interests. Gregory had never seen her with a partner, but she seemed happy with her life. Not everybody needed someone else to complete them. It had never been something Gregory had wanted – well, not since he was young and deluded – but seeing Charlie with Sebastian, and Langdon with Eric, he was having second thoughts. At least he could always rely on Paolo to join him in singledom. Jason would never commit to one guy, but he was out there with his sexual expression, whereas Paolo had never been with anyone in the whole time Gregory had known him.

“Had the week off work to settle into the new place,” said Charlie.

“Got railed by this fit couple last night,” said Jason.

Paolo looked embarrassed by Jason’s antics, whereas KC chuckled.

“I swear, I thought my insides were gonna?—”

“Jason,” snapped Langdon. “We’re eating.”

“Oops, sorry.” He smiled. “Ooh, Cumberland, you know what this reminds me of?” His eyes twinkled as he speared the sausage with his fork.

“Jason!”

“That voice might work on Eric, but good luck with me,” said Jason, adding his sassy tone.

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