Excerpt for Abi …..she knows who she is :)

Waiting for Rain – Dreamspinners – Feb 2014
Quick intro – Rain has arrived at the Duck and Drake Hotel in Stamford with his friend Lucas.He’s about to begin work on a custom built bar for the hotel.

“Hi, Tammy. My name is Rain Engel and I’m here to start moving my gear into the Canterbury Bar Room. Is it okay if I go ahead? I know where it is.”
“Oh, Mr. Engel. Yes, we’ve been expecting you. Mr. Winslake said you’d be by.” Her eyes batted at me, and there was a sexy smile on her face. I smiled inwardly.
Sorry, sweetheart, I don’t bat for your team. But you are cute. Now my friend here on the other hand is definitely the right man for you….
“Please go ahead and do what you have to. I assume you know where the tradesman entrance is?”
I nodded. Nothing like coming in via the tradesman entrance. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
“If you need anything at all, let me know.” She batted her eyelashes again at me and I grinned. Lucas chuckled beside me but I ignored him. “I’ll do that. Thanks.”
We walked down the long corridor, through a set of double doors – more cherry wood from the look of them – down past a lounge that looked like it belonged in an exclusive man’s club, then a large library which was filled wall to wall with books. It looked incredible, like a bibliophile’s wet dream. I stopped to peer in and heard Lucas’ knowing sigh at my side.
“Rain, if you go in there, we’ll never see you again. Come on, let’s start getting the gear out.” He scowled. “And can you just leave the straight ladies to me? Christ, it’s no fun going anywhere with you. You give off sex pheromones like nobody’s business, man or woman.”
I raised my eyebrows at that comment and he blushed. “You know what I mean. I don’t mean I’m affected by them, it’s just-“ I was laughing now at his discomfort and he scowled. “Fuck off.”

He almost pushed me into the large room at the end of the corridor which spanned the whole end of the wing. The room itself was just over a hundred square metres, measuring about twelve by nine. It was a comfortable, intimate venue to put a bar. I felt the usual avaricious thrill as I surveyed the area that was at my mercy. I’d noticed the service entrance not too far away. The room was perfectly positioned to come and go without disturbing what I imagined were the privileged residents of this rather luxurious hotel too much. I thought drily that Simon Winslake had probably planned the whole thing to a tee. He struck me as a man that left nothing to chance.

The next couple of hours were spent dragging equipment from the van into the bar room. Lucas and I were sweating like the condensation on an ice cold Coke by the time we’d finished. I’d just finished straining to put down a particularly big saw blade. As I let it drop to the floor, there was a loud ripping sound and I felt a cool breeze where no breeze should blow. Lucas broke into peals of laughter as he pointed at my back.
“Fuck, Rain, you’re showing your skin, mate. Your bloody shirt has just ripped in two right down the middle!” His hilarity was not only off putting it was also really not on. I was standing in the middle of a swanky hotel with a shirt on my back that was ripped in half, flapping like wings on my back.
“Christ, what do I do now?” This denim shirt had definitely had its day. “I don’t have anything else to bloody change into.” I looked at Lucas in dismay. He was laughing so hard now the tears fell down his ruddy cheeks. I was going to get no help from him.
I growled at him. “I suppose I’d better see if I can find the manager or someone and see if they have a lost property section. Maybe they can loan me a shirt or it’ll mean driving home to go get one. I don’t fancy that much.”
I walked to the door and down the corridor, shrugging my shirt off as I did so. I rolled it up into a ball, about to throw it in a rubbish cart in the corridor on my way to the reception when I heard a soft cough behind me. I turned to find a man about my age staring at me. His right eyebrow was raised questioningly and his face was very polite. He was well dressed, in a suit and tie, his mid length dark blonde hair artfully mussed and gelled. He was lean and wiry and very bloody sexy. My groin twitched in interest. I gazed at him and he gazed back warily
“Sir, we don’t generally allow people to wander around the hotel shirtless. It’s hotel policy. May I ask what’s wrong?” His voice was quite deep, a mix of Cambridge posh and something else. I scowled.
“I don’t usually make a habit of walking around half naked. Not in public in hotels anyway.” The other man’s eyes narrowed slightly and his nostrils flared as I continued.
“I can assure you that if I had a choice, I’d still be wearing a shirt. It ripped in half so it was no bloody good to man or beast. I was going to ask the management staff if they had an overall or something I could put on. Maybe something from lost property- I assume you have one of those?” I raised an enquiring eyebrow at him. He licked his lips. He had very nice ones, I noticed distractedly. Full and pouty, definitely good for kissing.
Christ, Rain, get a grip, man! Stop ogling the staff. I was twenty eight years old but I was acting like an adolescent kid.
“I see.” He moved forward and extended a hand. “Toby Prentiss. I’m the General Manager here. I’m sure we can find you something to wear, Mr?” He raised his eyebrows again, looking very alluring and I gave a mental groan.
It had definitely been too long since I’d gotten laid.
“Rain Engel. I’m here to build the new bar you guys ordered.” I shook his hand. An electric current run through my palm as he shook it. He pulled his hand away quickly. He tried hard not to stare but his gaze seemed hypnotically drawn to my hairy, bare chest. I suppressed a grin. This could be fun. I felt the thrill of the chase. My instincts at spotting other gay men were normally spot on.
“Rain? That’s an unusual name.” He swallowed as I moved a little closer to him. I wanted to test my theory.
“It’s a long story. My name is Reinhardt, it was shortened to Rhine mostly. But my last boyfriend didn’t like it. He said it was too Germanic. So he called me Rain and the name stuck. ”
I knew I smelt rank but his pupils dilated slightly. He nodded. He’d definitely noticed the word ‘boyfriend’.
“You have a slight accent too. Where’s that from?”
I moved a little closer, watching his lips. He seemed mesmerised by my slow dance forward. “South Africa. I was born in Durban then moved over here when I was ten. Eighteen years ago. I never seem to have lost some of the accent though.” I cocked my head at him. “Are we done with the inquisition? I’m getting a little cold.” I looked down pointedly at my nipples which were indeed hardening- but not from the cold. He cleared his throat as his eyes were drawn them and his pale cheeks grew rosy. He looked absolutely fucking adorable. I felt the stirring in my groin and smiled slightly.
Chalk one up to me.