Naked Hero - The Journey Away

probably right.”
    “There will be fewer men like the ones in white trunks... and maybe that is better for you now. No?”
    “Now there speaks a happily married lady,” replied Lewis, as he cast his eye around the room again, seeking the tall guy he thought he recognised, still wondering where they might have met. Given his height it was easy to spot him, and once again Lewis was treated to the sight of those imperfect teeth as another invitation was made with a crooked smile.
    “ I wonder who they are,” he said absently, puzzling over the man who had just raised the stakes to an interesting level that screamed of trouble.
    “Oh, they are from England,” said Chantal. “Their manager spoke to me before you arrived. He was very charming. He’s standing over there talking to your red-haired friend.”
    Lewis looked across the room and spotted Joey from Thailand who had greeted him at the door. With the guest of honour now arrived, Joey had joined the rest of the hired help in porting drinks and canapés around the room. But at that moment he had halted his tour to chat with the man that Chantal was referring to. Someone that Lewis had not previously noticed.
    Suddenly the mystery fell into place – where Lewis had seen the guy with the crooked smile before. It was on a UK based website he had stumbled upon whilst checking out some tasty looking men. The guy hadn’t made that much of an impression, lost as he was amongst all the quality flesh on display. But someone had stood out as the clear star of the group in young Mr. Macleod’s impressionable eyes – the website owner no less, a certain Lee Porter, who also managed the group of male models come go-go dancers that was tantalisingly featured on the site. What some of them were doing in Sydney, Lewis had no idea, nor was he particularly bothered. He was feeling too flustered seeing Lee Porter in the flesh – more formally dressed than the crew that he ran, in a tight fitting tee-shirt and a pair of fawn slacks, but still winning the ‘Stunning Hunk’ battle by quite some way without needing to expose his impeccable torso. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before Lewis turned away – a flush of colour hitting his cheeks, and his heart suddenly racing with the guilty secret it held.
    “Lewis, are you okay?” enquired Chantal on seeing the shocked expression.
    Macleod took a deep breath as he tried to regain a degree of composure – something that didn’t come easy. “Erm... Yeah! Yeah! I’m fine. I was... I was just trying to place him. You say he’s from England, so it’s possible I might have seen him before... maybe, then maybe not.”
    “Well he’s certainly seen you before, on the television at least. And he’s taking the opportunity to have another good look at you now, and I’m guessing he likes what he sees. Perhaps it’s fate that you meet so far away from home. Maybe you should go over and talk to him.”
    Lewis spluttered a cough. “Talk to him! No! No! Trust me, Chantal! That would be a really bad idea. But I’ll tell you what - I’ve changed my mind. I do want one of the men in white trunks after all... I need another drink!”

Chapter 4
    At the other side of the room, Lee Porter and the latest recruit to his crew watched Lewis as he ordered his desperately needed drink.
    “Did he say anything to you when he came in?” enquired Lee.
    “Oh yes, we have long talk,” Joey answered, beaming his cheesy smile. “He say he like my hair, and I look good in the white trunks; better than other boys. You think also?”
    “Cut out the crap, Joey! What did he really say?”
    Joey let out a clack of indignation. Where was the crap in what he’d just said – it was a perfectly feasible lie, and almost certainly what the tennis player had been thinking. He was about to protest then thought better of it – the boss wasn’t a man to be messed around with, so he offered up some truth. “He very quiet really; not say much. Just want get drink on his own; not want me get for him. I sure he like me, though. I see him looking. Maybe he want go to nightclub later. I ask him. What you think?”
    Lee threw the lad a scowl that carried a clear warning. “I think he’ll run a mile if you go anywhere near him again. Mr. Macleod needs a low profile right now, and being seen out with you isn’t exactly going to do that for him.”
    Joey nodded, appreciating this wisdom. “Yes, you right. Maybe just invite him back to apartment.