Facade

slid off the bed and waved at them playfully before walking away.
    “I’ll move,” Jonas said, looking for a sheet to cover them with as they were cooling off quickly.
    “We better go back to our room,” Nicky agreed. “Although I like the way this feels too.”
    Nicky was looking away shyly and Jonas wondered if Tanna was right. Was Nicky falling in love with him? The last thing he needed was love. This was all fine and good the way it was. A most pleasurable business arrangement. The last thing he needed was the illusion that his feelings were returned.

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    THE next morning, Nicky seemed distant somehow, although he wasn’t dressed up to his usual peacock level yet. Jonas couldn’t blame him. He wasn’t the type to prolong the agony with one last hug or kiss either.
    “I’ll call you when things settle down in Paris,” Nicky said while he gathered the last of his things. Then something seemed to occur to him. “Do you like the suit I made you? We’re getting new fabrics for the men’s line and I could make you another one. I still have your measurements so we can make a mock-up, and then you’ll have an excuse to come by the atelier to have it fitted.” Jonas looked at Nicky for a few moments. So he needed an excuse now? What happened to “I need you here, come over?”
    “I’d love another suit,” Jonas answered, his voice strained.
    “Call me when you’re ready.” There wasn’t much more to say.
    Jonas knew he couldn’t lay claim to Nicky. He was a client and the client dictated when he wanted to be seen, that’s all.
    They walked downstairs in silence and said goodbye in the hallway. Tanna kissed Jonas on the cheek and gave him a hug. “I’m sure he’ll call you soon,” she whispered in his ear. “And if he doesn’t, I will.”
    For a moment Jonas saw the unashamed lust in her eyes again, and then it was gone and replaced by her professional look. He Façade
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    looked over at Nicky and saw him become insecure again, something he hadn’t seen a lot of in these past days.
    “I’d better go. Hiding away for a week means I have a lot to catch up on,” Jonas said in an attempt to rescue Nicky from an overly emotional farewell. He put his hand on the designer’s back as he walked past him toward the door and let their eyes meet only for the briefest of moments. His jacket seemed too warm and he felt the sudden need to get out of there as quickly as possible. Handle gripped firmly and one foot out the door, he turned around once more.
    “Tanna, thank you for organizing everything. Nicky….” Jonas didn’t know what to say. His heart was screaming out to tell Nicky that he hoped he’d call again soon, but the blank expression on the younger man’s face left no place for emotions, so he nodded at him, picked up his bag and stepped out into the cool air of the London morning toward his waiting chauffeur-driven car.
    “Where can I drop you off, sir?” the driver asked him, holding out his hand to take his bag from him.
    Jonas gave him the address to his apartment and got in the back. “On second thought, could you wait for ten minutes when we get there? I won’t take long. And then can you drop me at Heathrow?”
    “Certainly, sir,” the middle-aged man answered, directing the car into the busy morning traffic.
    Jonas knew Tanna would have given instructions to take him wherever he desired. The man was probably hired for the entire morning. And he needed to get out anyway. London was becoming way too stuffy already.

    IT TOOK a week at his Madrid villa for Jonas to feel like himself again, to start appreciating the freedom of not having to share his bed with anyone, to enjoy his solitude as he had most of his life.
    Even a month later, he still caught himself checking his cell phone 108
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    to see if Nicky had called, but it remained silent. In four weeks time, he had an appointment with Christopher in New York, but it wouldn’t be a long trip and after that Scott and Ally were coming over to stay for a week of leisure. He resolved to have a good talk with Ally about the recommendations she had given Nicky, but since she could charm her way out of anything, he was sure they’d all end up laughing about it afterward.
    Jonas looked up from the book he was reading underneath the magnolia tree in his city garden because he thought he’d heard a door close. Sitting still for a few moments, he tried to hear if there was something else moving in