Burchester Tales 10: Ready to Party

Lee is looking forward to Davy's party, but what is Gus going to wear?

Burchester Tales: Episode 10

Ready to Party by H. Lewis-Foster

“So what happened?” Lee kicked off his shoes as he bounced onto Gus’s bed. “Did he say anything?”

“I didn’t think he was going to at first.” Gus unzipped his pale blue jeans, and they crumpled to the floor. “He hardly even looked at me through the whole tutorial. Then he called me back into his study when the others had gone.”

Lee watched Gus as he wandered across the room, and tried not to stare too intently at the tantalizing bulge in his boxers. He still couldn’t believe he was in a real relationship with someone like Gus. Until a few weeks ago, the closest he’d got to a gorgeous man in his underwear was ogling swimwear models in magazines. Lee tore himself from his reverie and returned to the subject of Gus’s professor.

“Were you nervous? I would have been.”

“Honestly?” Gus opened the small wardrobe in the corner of the room and perused the sartorial selection inside. “I was scared shitless. He was so out of it the other day in the park, I had no idea what he might do.”

“What did he do?” Lee grabbed a bottle of water from the bedside table and took a sip. “Did he swear you to secrecy?”

“Weirdly, no he didn’t. But he did apologise for behaving so unprofessionally.” Gus took a deep green shirt from the wardrobe and held it up for Lee’s consideration.

Lee wrinkled his nose and shook his head. Stunning as Gus was, green wasn’t his most flattering colour. “What did you say?”

“What could I say? I told him not to worry about it.”

“Did he just let you leave after that?”

“I wish he had.” Gus pulled a close-fitting purple top from the wardrobe, and Lee nodded enthusiastically. “He clearly thought he owed me an explanation, so he told me about Ben.”

“Ben? Is that his boyfriend?”

“Was his boyfriend. He sounds like a complete bastard.” Gus eased his white t-shirt up over his head and dumped it on the floor. “He’s a geography postgrad, who basically sponged off the prof until he finished his course, then started screwing around. Now he’s found himself some rich businessman who’s going to fund him through his PhD. Bought him a fancy apartment, new car, the lot.”

The sight of Gus’s bare body sent shivers skating across Lee’s skin, but he forced himself to concentrate on the professor’s plight. “That’s awful. Did you tell Prof Watkins he was better off without him?”

“As it happens, I did.”

“Seriously? I wouldn’t have had the nerve.” Lee took another mouthful of water to cool himself down, and Gus thankfully covered his naked chest with the purple top.

“It was the only thing I could say to the poor bloke. He’s obviously gutted.”

“Did you give him any other wise advice?”

“Well…” Gus smiled as he grabbed a pair of black jeans from a chair.

“Gus, what did you say to him?”

Gus grinned as he wriggled into his jeans, hitching them up over his too-tempting boxers. “I suggested he go to Stan’s.”

“Oh my God.” Lee lay back and laughed, as Gus joined him on the bed and took a gulp from the bottle of water. “Why on earth did you do that?”

“Because as well as making the best breakfast in Burchester, Stan is also the uni’s best matchmaker.”

“Stan? I don’t believe it.”

“Think about it. He sees all sorts of people in the café. Students, academics, admin staff. He knows who’s single, what kind of men they like. He’s fixed up half the couples on campus— or at least the gay ones anyway.”

“Who’d have thought it?” Lee genuinely couldn’t picture the tattooed café-owner assisting in anyone’s romantic affairs, but he was curious to know what kind of couples he’d created. “Will any of them be at the party?”

“One or two.” Gus suddenly looked uneasy. He gently stroked a finger along Lee’s thigh. “Lee, are you sure you want to come tonight? You don’t have to, you know.”

Lee’s stomach knotted queasily. Even though he was a bit nervous, he was looking forward to Davy’s party. Lee also knew, however, that he wasn’t the first person anyone would invite to a student get-together. “I-I don’t mind if you want a night out with your mates. I don’t want to cramp your style by being a boring tee-totaller.”

“Of course I want you to come.” Lee’s lips tingled as Gus placed a tender kiss upon them. “You know I couldn’t care less that you don’t drink. To be honest, it’ll be a nice change to wake up after a party without a hangover. I just don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“You mean with Davy?” Lee couldn’t deny he felt inferior to Davy Maynard, with his striking looks and pots of money, but the truth was Lee had liked him when they met that day in St Martha’s quad. He was funny and honest, and he clearly cared a great deal about Gus. Lee smiled reassuringly. “He may be your ex, but he’s your friend too. I don’t want you to stop seeing him just because we’re together.”

Gus smiled back at Lee. “You’re amazing. Do you know that?”

Before Lee could give a suitably modest reply, Gus consumed him in a kiss so intense, Lee’s head began to whirl. Gus finally pulled away with a breathless grin.

“We’d better go before we get carried away.” Gus gave Lee one last kiss, then he slipped from the bed and pulled Lee to his feet. “Come on. It’s time to party.”

© H. Lewis-Foster 2015. All rights reserved.