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“Oh, I'm sure it’s fine.” Mickey flashed Chris a warning look.
Chris made eye contact with Anthony and smiled apologetically. “Have fun.”
“We will.” Tobias stood up. He was almost as tall as Anthony, but much leaner, like the kind of person who could eat without ever getting fat.
Tobias walked away, and Anthony followed, keeping his distance. He noticed looks aiming their way from other club members, but unlike earlier, no one touched Anthony as he walked close to Tobias. They climbed a flight of stairs to the second floor, which had a few tables and even fewer people. Two men sat close by. Their cigarette smoke clustered above them like a small cloud. A naked man sucked one of them under the table, not disturbing the flow of conversation.
Tobias walked to one of the doors and placed his palm over a pad in the wall. A bright line of light moved to scan his palm, then the door slid open. Tobias stepped inside with Anthony gingerly following. The room had a wide bed and little else. Anthony stared at New York through the curtain wall, only noticing the door closing when he could no longer hear the club’s music.
Tobias went to a small minibar and poured himself a drink. “What’s your poison?”
“Water.”
“Water is the source of life. Gin and tonic?”
“Okay.” At least he liked it more than bourbon.
Tobias prepared their drinks in silence, his long fingers moving elegantly. He handed Anthony his glass, holding his gaze like he had before. The drink was strong but good, a bit on the sweet side.
Tobias took a sip and said, “You and Chris are more than just sexual partners.” It sounded more like a statement than a question.
Anthony lowered his drink, not sure what to say and how much he should reveal. He settled for, “How can you tell?”
“It was in the way he looked at you, the fondness.” Tobias cocked his head. “You, on the other hand, are madly in love with him.”
“I…” The alcohol burned his stomach. “Maybe. I don’t know. Is it that obvious?”
“I’m afraid so. Is he married?”
“Yes.”
Tobias nodded, not surprised. “Seal your heart, or have it shattered. No other way for this to go.”
“I know.” But it was easier said than done. Logic played no part in those precious times Anthony and Chris were intimate. They would never have a happy ever after, but their present was too good for Anthony to care.
“Do you work?” Tobias took another sip.
“I have my own business.” That brought a pang of worry since his business currently hung by a thread. He wondered if Tobias’s opinion of him by the end of the night would play a role in Mickey’s willingness to leave Anthony’s business alone.Am I being tested now?
Tobias raised an eyebrow. “You have your own business? What do you sell?”
The way he asked that implied Anthony might be selling himself. “I renovate houses.”
“That explains your physique. Being independent is challenging. Why not work for someone else and have a simpler life?”
He’d been asked that question many times. “My father and grandfather both worked for different factories in Connecticut, and both were skipped over for promotions for years. When they grew too old, they were let go.”
“Isn’t that life?”
It irritated him hearing a rich man dismiss the injustice both his father and grandfather had endured. “It’s not how I want to live my life. When I finally stop working, it won’t be because of some suit. No offense.”
“None taken. Finish your drink.” Anthony did, and Tobias asked, “Do you feel lightheaded?”
“A bit. I probably shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach.”
“That has less to do with your stomach and more to do with the drug I slipped inside.”
Anthony froze. “Youdruggedme?”
