RP LOG with tweedjocks | Forward planning
It had been one of those days where it felt like everything that could turn into an issue, did. Rian's feet had hardly touched the ground as she met with clients and investors, complete with a celebrity or two who wanted her to them her for upcoming awards ceremonies or dinners. Sometimes, she really took pride in turning the famous clients down in favour of a much sweeter, more appreciative buyer. It was her little piece of smug satisfactory heaven in an otherwise cutthroat industry. But right now, her focus was on one celebrity who had the capacity to bring women - and gay men - to their knees just as much as he could fly under the radar and blend in. It was the latter that was making him as easy to negotiate with as getting into skinny jeans on a fat day.
Rian sighed in frustration as she flipped through a glossy copy of Braden Evans' modelling portfolio. He was exactly what she was looking for as the face of her new line of menswear. Blond, blue-eyed, a slight rough and ready look about him, like a cheeky farmer that a girl would just want to throw in the hay and ride like there was no tomorrow. There was a cheeky glint in his eyes, too, and that hint of a smirk he got when he was posing in some of the more revealing outfits. But apparently he wasn't as open and confident as his pictures suggested. In fact, her digging revealed he was probably the most modest and shy model to walk the earth.
Fuck it.
She needed a coffee, a large one, with maybe a shot of Scotch in it. She took her stylish slim-framed red glasses off her nose, placing them on top of the portfolio so she could rub her eyes. What was it about bloody Scotsman that just managed to rile the female population up? And she hadn't even seen him in a kilt yet. She just knew she wanted him, and if she had anything about it, she was going to get him, too. If he had been gay, she would have sent Joe in all guns blazing to do her dirty work for her, too. He could be pursuasive when he wanted to be, and looked really hot in tight jeans.
Joe had almost decided to stay just one more whole day with Liam. It was sorely tempting after waking up next to him. They still hadn't shagged properly, but there had been some very hot and heated handjobs. Joe had never been so satisfied from a handjob in all his days, but mutual masturbation with Liam was just... something else. Maybe it was the fact that they'd agreed to pursue a something, and that all the snuggling and talking and general hanging out seemed to be helping the younger man. Joe had even witnessed him eating more than just half a piece of toast.
Now that he'd made it out of the Williamson house, and into the greater world he was carrying two giant cups of coffee and pastries as he walked through Rian's studio wearing tight jeans, a leather jacket and sunglasses. He couldn't help it if getting even a little action shook him out of the tweed. He mostly dressed down for work to avoid situations like what had happened with Liam, but now he was embracing.
He smirked at Rian as he slid the incredibly late breakfast onto her desk and sat across from her. "You've got bloke face. Who is he, and do I need to smash him?"
Rian huffed out a long-suffering sigh and threw her long, dark hair over her shoulder. She contemplated her favourite non-boyfriend, head tilted a little. As she picked up the coffee and cracked the lid off, not doubting for a minute he would have gotten it exactly how she loved it, she pointed a perfectly manicured finger at him. "You got laid, and I fucking hate you for it," she stated succinctly and then took a long sip of the coffee with a pleasured moan at the caffeine hit. They were like an old married couple, only way hotter and absolutely no sex. Which was fine for them, because it meant they also skipped over the complications that a relationship with sex could bring. They had the best of both worlds, they both just liked dick, plain and simple.
She set the cup back down on the desk, eyeing the portfolio again before she turned it around and pushed it over the sleek surface so he could see. "Like most of the male prospects in my life, gay or taken, he's spoken for, as far as I hear. I don't want his cock inside me, I only want it inside my pants."
"Braden Evans?" Joe knew the name. He didn't always follow everything in Ri's world, but he did at least know the hot models. And he also knew after talking to Liam a bit more about the almost extended family that this was the lawyer's ex-fiancé's brother. He regarded her over the top of his own coffee before reaching into the paper bag and pulling out a croissant. "Huh. Small world. His brother's the cop that was engaged to the lawyer that Liam didn't blow. And I didn't get laid laid. Just had my balls fondled. And fondled his balls..." he trailed off as he sucked on his bottom lip. "So what's the problem? Does he not want in your pants?"
Rian raised her eyebrows, her green eyes bouncing between the portfolio and Joe's face. "Bloody hell, why does it never mean good things when someone says it's a small world? How am I supposed to try and woo him now? You're doing the bloke that everyone thought was doing his brother's fiancé? Fucking hell, darling. You're supposed to make a fag hag's life easier, not more complicated. At this rate, I'm going to break a nail tearing my hair out." She flipped open a couple of her own catalogues showing pictures of her new line that hadn't been released to the public yet. "Tell me you can't see that gorgeous arse in those pants. His colouring is just... those eyes, and look at the blue pinstripe. I'm nearly having an orgrasm here, sweetheart, and you're off getting your balls fondled? Wait. What the fucking hell? When did this happen? Is this why you were ignoring my calls again? I was about to divorce you, you know. I had the papers all drawn up. I was going to take you for half. Your lower half, preferrably." She picked a little at the pastry, but didn't eat it straight away. "It's not that he doesn't want to, I just don't think I'm offering him enough. He lives in Edinburgh, and I need him here. It will be a regular contract. How the hell do you lure a Scot out of Bonnie Scotland? It feels like trying to pull the gay out of Elton."
Joe's eyes looked between the catalogues and the photos of Braden as he gave a nod. He could see that arse in Rian's clothes. "This is business. And if I am sort of fucking Liam than that just means he's staying away from the fiancé, doesn't it? No complications. I'm sure he's professional enough to realise a job's nothing to do with what else is going on. Besides, as if I'm even on their radar. The only ones who know about me are Liam, his brother-in-law, and two of his sisters. I think. I'm not going to ruin this for you, Ri. Promise. You can still woo him." He pushed the papers back towards her and smirked as he took his sunglasses off. "You would never divorce me. I'm too much of the perfect for you. And it happened a couple days ago. I'm sorry about your calls, I really am. I was with Liam. He's still not quite right. He managed to get himself sick because he hasn't been taking care of himself. Some TLC was required." Joe tilted his head. "I think half the brothers are here anyway. You might be able to get him to stay if you act now."
Rian shrugged and shook her head helplessly. "No idea, darling. I get a feeling his other half lives in Scotland too. He wasn't going to make any decisions without her, which is... fuck it, Scottish loyalty. I have heard about it, but never had to deal with it in the flesh, meaning he might also be loyal to his home too. It's all well staying in London to visit family with view to eventually going home, but there is a whole other story asking him to stay for this. Modelling isn't even his main job. He's a paramedic, and that takes priority. I can tell by the way he talks. Gorgeous accent, too. My god, could he woo some of my investors. But another roadblock, he's unassuming and modest. Out of all the Scots on the face of the earth who like to get their kilt up, the one I want is like fucking Mr Darcy." She leant back and swivelled in her chair a little, swinging back and forth as she thought, watching him closely. "Your story is all full of holes, sweetheart. Don't think I won't get the details out of you. Where is he now?"
Joe chuckled as he shook his head in amusement and pointed at her with his pastry. "Ri, it's not just Scottish loyalty. It's the loyalty of someone in love. When you're involved with someone, then of course you want their input on decisions. And for the record, he's no Mr Darcy that I can tell. He's actually amiable and friendly from all reports. Mr Darcy was uptight and disagreeable. You really need to re-read your Austen. Look, I have no idea how you can woo him over, but maybe you need to think about something that you can give him that no one else can. Doesn't he have an agent, anyway? Have you even tried to put an offer on the table? I realise you might have a small heart attack at your first rejection but there's no negotiating if someone doesn't kick things off." Joe took another bite of his food before following it up with a sip of coffee. "I know, I know. Just give me a moment to get my head together, yeah? It's been a while since I've felt this shagged without actually getting properly shagged. He's at his sister's. The eldest, the one married to Williamson."
"Fuck Austen," Rian replied with a slight pursing on her lips. "I hate history anyway. I live for the present, darling. You know that. No offense. You still love me because of it. I just like my love affairs to be in the present, not mashed between the pages of some odour-filled book that was written a billion years ago. Not that I have any love affairs on the go right now. I'm still recovering from the last guy. Hopefully so are his nuts. No guy tries to grope me in public without my permission and walks away from it without a limp." She paused and sighed, running her thumb along the rim of her cup. "I don't know what to do about Braden. He might be too normal to be thrust into this fashion world head first. Not that I expect him to embrace it. I don't. In fact, I discourage it. This place can ruin people, and even I only walk in it when I need to. He can still keep his private life, and still keep his other job. I don't want him full time. I just want his arse in my work. He is going to make it look spectacular. I have given him an offer, an extremely generous one and he hasn't turned me down. He just said he had a lot going on right now and needed some time. I understand that, but I don't know whether he was was just feeding me a line to be polite. Nice guys do that, before they let you down gently. My catch is, I want him exclusively. He would have to get rid of his agent, and not take deals with any other lines. Have you met him? Met any of his family?"
She went back to her coffee and had a small bite of the pastry. She flicked to Braden's underwear shoot with a smirk, holding it up. "That's no pair of socks down there, sweetie pie," she said, impressed and then waved her hand casually in his Joe's direction. "I'm wondering why this Williamson BIL has gotten you so riled up. I haven't seen you like this in, well, forever. Not even that cutie journalist you had on the go for awhile there had you this all over the place. Are you just more favourable to the younger arse, baby? Or is it a blonde thing? Scrubs, maybe? I'm still surprised Ethan Williamson let you anywhere near his gorgeous wife's flesh and blood. You won't be wanting to put a foot wrong there, sweetie. He could ruin you in the blink of an eye. I've heard the stories."
"So, have I. Besides, he threatened me himself. And smiled the whole time. Just like he was having a normal little chat. He really is a smiling assassin. He just... He came to sus me out while telling me about Liam. Figured I might actually be worried about him. I really was peeing my pants by the end of it. Don't think I know what a huge deal this is. I don't want to hurt Liam, and I don't want the BIL hurting me." He sighed as he rubbed his fingers against his chin. "He doesn't want exclusive which is understandable. We barely know each other as it is. He's still young, I'm not looking to tie him down. I just want to get to know him. I like him. I don't think it's the young thing, the blond thing, or the scrubs thing. Not that any of it hurts. It's just a him thing."
Joe gave a shake of his head. "Don't know him, don't know any of them. I haven't had anything to do with them. Liam just seems to know a bit about him. It's not like he'd escape the notice of a gay man with a genuine package like that."
Rian had fallen silent and was looking between the picture of Braden and Joe, and then back again. She tilted her head in contemplation, eyes narrowed a little. "What does Liam look like?" she asked lightly, her creative mind already ticking over at a smooth pace. If she nabbed Braden, she suddenly had a wonderful idea how she could launch her new mens' line with him at the helm. She cleared her throat. "You know, just out of curiosity. So, if it's just a 'him' thing and not his appearance, what is it about him that got you hooked and why can't you shake yourself free of it?"
"Probably because he seduced me in the one place I never thought it would happen. You know me, I don't do my students. Or any students. Liam was just... Liam. He's thin, blond, gorgeous. He could be a model. He's just skinnier than he has been lately because of not eating, and getting sick. He's a hairdresser as well as a med student. He just wants to be a surgeon more than anything. He can look quite... brooding. I have to admit I've never seen him smile very often." Joe shrugged his shoulder slightly as he snorted. "I think I want to make him smile."
Rian smirked and made a couple of notes on her filofax so she could speak to her photographer. "You never did tell me much about that classroom thing. You kept it all very hush, I feel highly cheated, darling. What good is having a fag hag if you won't give her any of your glorious gay arse details that she can live vicariously through? I want to see a photo of him. Call it creative curiosity." She studied Joe for another moment with a nod. "Extensive curiosity. Brooding is never a bad thing. Look at Braden there. The brooding thing is immaculate. Doesn't mean he is like that when he's not in front of a camera. Make the lad smile, for god's sake. It sounds like he really fucking needs it. Talk about ostracised. Not that anyone was at fault with it, but he must be feeling like he was pushed in front of a red double-decker for a few rounds. Holding a job, studying, and on a medical placement? It sounds like he needs someone on hand to take care of him," she added, quirking her eyebrow at her best friend, her green eyes shining.
Joe narrowed his eyes at her when she asked for the photograph. "What are you planning, Ri? You're never innocently - or creatively - curious about anything without it meaning something for your business. You have an idea, and I think it's going to involve Braden and Liam. Which gets me worried. I kept it hush because I was embarrassed I'd crossed the line and not really cared. I pride myself on my professional integrity. All the other professors don't seem to mind bonking their young female students, but they also don't seem to suffer as many consequences as when a professor is found to have fooled around with a male student. It's bullshit. You need to get some of your own arse stories, love. Why let that one arsehole keep you down? You've never gone through a drought before. There was a Frenchman as well, wasn't there? Was he before, or after the barman? He was... is... confident. He knows what he wants. He said I was a challenge. He wanted to see if I was more than the tweed. I wasn't sure at first if that meant he was done with me." Joe set down his pastry and focused on the coffee in his hands. "What if I don't know how to make him smile? He really does need it, though. He needs it more than anything right now. Between not eating and the emotional onslaught of what had happened... He's a wreck. He's more fragile than he seems. He's got seven brothers and sisters," Joe pointed out as he looked back at her.
Rian smiled at him with feigned innocence. "Not just Liam and Braden, sweetheart," she returned and then sipped her coffee casually, swivelling back and forth in her chair a little again. She put her legs up on the table and crossed them over at the ankles. "Just because you haven't heard about any of that doesn't mean it's not happening. In fact, I bet it happens extensively. But college isn't high school. Everyone in college is a consenting adult. It is probably just a lot more discreet, especially in a place like the University of London. It's not like you have technically done anything wrong, either. He isn't your student. He is never going to be your student. The only error in judgment was probably having sex on college grounds, but if you don't do that again, you are free to see him if you both want it. You're not pressuring him into anything, and even if he seduced you, you still consented, and you still wanted it. If he's confident, he more than knew what he was doing. Maybe just relax and enjoy it? Sure, he's poorly now, and he has a billion siblings. But one of those is the cause of all this, and the other is tied up in it because she's married to the other guy's best friend. Maybe he would welcome some TLC from an independent source? He didn't tell you to go fuck yourself, did he?" She scrunched her nose up a little and shrugged, pushing her hair back. "Phillipe Chevalier. A sweetheart, hot, amazing in bed. We're both ambitious, though, and extremely busy. Our lives would have clashed and I'd rather keep him a friend than an ex that failed miserably. He was a bit of fun, we were for each other. End of story. No other guy has piqued my interest lately."
"You could always try your own Morgan," Joe suggested with his own feigned look of innocence. "There's enough brothers to go around, older than Liam. And trust me, if his dick is anything to go by - his brothers will be just as well-endowed. Not just Braden and Liam? Ri, I love you but if you push my new... whatever he is out into the public and get even more men drooling over him, I will hurt you. Just because we're not exclusive, that doesn't mean I want to encourage any sex with older men who aren't me. He'll get more than his fair share of offers after doing whatever it is you have in mind. I can tell. I've fucked one of your models before..." He cleared his throat as he rest his head back against the chair and slipped down further into it to stretch out his long legs. "No, he didn't tell me to fuck off. He's let me stay with him for a little while. He's been very... He's easy to take care of. The TLC isn't hard even if he clearly doesn't like being sick. I'm happy to be his independent party. I suppose I'm still cautious because he's not quite a hundred percent at the moment."
Rian snorted, waving her hand as she shook her head. "No, and fuck you. Do you realise how fucking complicated that could get, darling? You might get off on having angry billionaires on your arse, but I don't, and I am not risking my reputation for that. The guy is wonderful in the area of medical pharmaceuticals, MS treatments, cancer treatments..." She paused and cleared her throat. "He has a gorgeous wife, but that is not a family I want to dip my wick into. London can be a very, very small place sometimes. Not just any other men, darling. I don't think you'll have any issues who I get him out with, and you know Braden is already taken, and straight for that matter." Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh really, have you just? I didn't hear any complaints, so you can't deny I know a look when I see it, hm? No one likes being sick. It's if we have the mojo for being taken care of. Not everyone does. You don't. You get shitty and difficult when you're ill. You make me tempted to drug your chicken soup. Liam's the family baby, he probably naturally falls into the niche of being taken care of because he's so used to it. The only thing is, his older brothers and sisters will probably always see him as a baby, and that's another hurdle you'll have to jump."
"Alright, alright. I'm just trying to help. You know I'm no good with setting you up. We quickly killed that when I tried with that photohrapher. I blame the journalist. He was blinded by cock fever. That's the problem with blokes who suddenly think they're gay. So don't dip your wick in that family. But you will have to meet them if me and Liam somehow last. I don't want to have to keep you seperate forever. Although, I'm still worried about what you're planning. Yes, but straight doesn't matter when it's a modelling assignment." Joe nodded slowly. "I wouldn't try and deny it. Much. Hey, I'm gay. Doesn't mean I'll be a saint all the time. I still suffer from man flu. I'm not the baby, I'm just the only. Because he won't ever be seen as a grown man?"
"You're banned from setting me up, darling. You have no mojo for straight dating, and I do not need anymore wankers not out of the closet. I will dress them, just not fuck them, plain and simple," Rian stated with a nod and then she waved her hand at Joe again. "Meeting the family can get messy. Sure you want to bother with any of that. My clothing will look smashing on any male arse, sweetheart, no matter the background. What better to emphasise that with a spread to show it's versatility." She placed her hand on Braden's portfolio. "Gorgeous blond, blue-eyed straight paramedic family man with a winning smile." She put her other hand to the side of her desk near her coffee. "Hot young early twenties gay doctor-to-be with the world at his feet." Then she pointed at Joe with a devious smirk on her red lips. "Sexy academic gay thirty-something university professor who is made to break out of the tweed and into a Rian Ambrose ensemble and make it look fabulous."
Joe opened his mouth to retort before closing it immediately and just started at her. He held his hand up, finger pointed at the ceiling before he started to laugh. "Me? You can't be serious. You can't really want me in your clothes. I'm not a model. I know you've always loved me in jeans, but this is just... I love you, but no, Ri. I'm not flashing my arse to the camera."
"If you're flashing your arse, you're wearing the clothes wrong, sweetness." Rian smiled at him, shifting so she was sitting forward and resting her arms on her desk. "And you know I always have a trump card, baby. Think about it. Wouldn't a photoshoot for your darling best friend in the whole wide world as a precious favour for her be an interesting place to coincidentally meet a young gay doctor-to-be who just happens to be a student at the University of London? What a surprising coincidence that you just happen to work there too. Lots of conversation in a photoshoot, how easily for people to just randomly hit it off..." She watched him, wondering if the penny would drop.
Joe stopped pointing to use his hand to rub at his short hair, pressed his lips together as he just gazed at her while he listened. The penny was spinning in his mind as he considered the scenario she was placing in front of him and after a moment he let out a slow breath. "It's abnormal just how devious you can be, love. I almost think it's a waste you were caught up in the fashion business. You would have been one hell of a spy."
Rian sat back with a smug smile, indulging in just a small hint of preening at his comment. "I would say call me Rian Bond, but that would just be too fucking weird," she joked and folded her hands in front of her. "I just don't think it's healthy for you to be trying to keep anything completely on the hush, darling. It will only create even more shit and more troubles if you ever get found out. People will point fingers saying you deliberately kept it quiet. This way, you and Liam don't have to hide. It can be out in the open, without crossing any student-teacher boundaries. If he is how you say he is, too, he's going to be a hard one to conceal... pardon the pun."
Joe allowed himself a small moment of picturing Liam hard before trying to bite back a grin. "He really would be that. Pun and all. I think you're right. I already hurt from trying to imagine how I'm supposed to pull off a relationship on the hush. I really would rather be out and proud. I mean, it's why I've never tried to deny anything. It's not like I make a big deal of it, but people already know I'm gay. I just don't want them thinking I'm some sort of... kiddy fiddler as well." He winked at her. "If a woman was ever going to carry my last name, I'd want it to be you."
Rian made a kissy face at him. "I love you, darling. Why the fuck aren't you straight? Bane of my existence, I swear. No man is ever going to live up to you, they're all fucking doomed. I would offer you my uterus if you ever need it, but you know..." She pressed her lips together and then shot him a fond smile. "You don't have to hide anything, and I want to help you be happy. If Dr Babycakes does that for you, so be it. I'm all for it too. But I don't fucking want you hiding anything. You're better than that, and you're not doing anything wrong."
Joe got up onto his feet and rounded Rian's desk to place a kiss on his forehead. "Thanks, love. And I know you would give me your uterus if you could. I guess we'll just wait and see what happens, and if I ever do need a uterus. If I ever wind up calling him Dr Babycakes to his face I might just have to divorce you, you know. That's just too much. So do you want me to talk to him about the campaign, or should I just drag him in to see you? And for the record, I do want to do the meet the family thing. It's important to him, so it's important to me."
Rian started to laugh, an image of a petite gay hairdresser belting Joe in the facing for getting called Dr Babycakes. It was highly amusing to her. "It could lead to some interesting angry sex, though, and then you would have to thank me," she reasoned with a wicked grin. She looked over her desk for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to tackle this. She had until late the following week to set the campaign rolling, or at least sign Braden Evans. If she could get the rest of the stuff into motion, it would just be a matter of getting the shoot set up then. "Bring him to meet me. I'm curious about your wee piece of arse because you're clearly smitten. You're willing to put your arse on the line, despite Ethan Williamson threatening to tear you a new one. This is serious stuff."
"Or maybe it's just my midlife crisis kicking in early? Instead of a new car, I go and get a young lover." Joe smirked before he kissed her again and rounded the desk to take his place as he picked up the croissant and finished it hungrily. "Alright, I'll get him here. I don't know if he'll jump at the opportunity, so I might just have to talk about it being more to do with meeting my best friend. And if it does result in angry sex, I'll be sure to call you after and give you all the gory details."
Rian blew him a kiss, more than satisfied by his bargain. "I would suggest you film it, but even I'm not that evil."
Word Count | 5,210
Rian sighed in frustration as she flipped through a glossy copy of Braden Evans' modelling portfolio. He was exactly what she was looking for as the face of her new line of menswear. Blond, blue-eyed, a slight rough and ready look about him, like a cheeky farmer that a girl would just want to throw in the hay and ride like there was no tomorrow. There was a cheeky glint in his eyes, too, and that hint of a smirk he got when he was posing in some of the more revealing outfits. But apparently he wasn't as open and confident as his pictures suggested. In fact, her digging revealed he was probably the most modest and shy model to walk the earth.
Fuck it.
She needed a coffee, a large one, with maybe a shot of Scotch in it. She took her stylish slim-framed red glasses off her nose, placing them on top of the portfolio so she could rub her eyes. What was it about bloody Scotsman that just managed to rile the female population up? And she hadn't even seen him in a kilt yet. She just knew she wanted him, and if she had anything about it, she was going to get him, too. If he had been gay, she would have sent Joe in all guns blazing to do her dirty work for her, too. He could be pursuasive when he wanted to be, and looked really hot in tight jeans.
Joe had almost decided to stay just one more whole day with Liam. It was sorely tempting after waking up next to him. They still hadn't shagged properly, but there had been some very hot and heated handjobs. Joe had never been so satisfied from a handjob in all his days, but mutual masturbation with Liam was just... something else. Maybe it was the fact that they'd agreed to pursue a something, and that all the snuggling and talking and general hanging out seemed to be helping the younger man. Joe had even witnessed him eating more than just half a piece of toast.
Now that he'd made it out of the Williamson house, and into the greater world he was carrying two giant cups of coffee and pastries as he walked through Rian's studio wearing tight jeans, a leather jacket and sunglasses. He couldn't help it if getting even a little action shook him out of the tweed. He mostly dressed down for work to avoid situations like what had happened with Liam, but now he was embracing.
He smirked at Rian as he slid the incredibly late breakfast onto her desk and sat across from her. "You've got bloke face. Who is he, and do I need to smash him?"
Rian huffed out a long-suffering sigh and threw her long, dark hair over her shoulder. She contemplated her favourite non-boyfriend, head tilted a little. As she picked up the coffee and cracked the lid off, not doubting for a minute he would have gotten it exactly how she loved it, she pointed a perfectly manicured finger at him. "You got laid, and I fucking hate you for it," she stated succinctly and then took a long sip of the coffee with a pleasured moan at the caffeine hit. They were like an old married couple, only way hotter and absolutely no sex. Which was fine for them, because it meant they also skipped over the complications that a relationship with sex could bring. They had the best of both worlds, they both just liked dick, plain and simple.
She set the cup back down on the desk, eyeing the portfolio again before she turned it around and pushed it over the sleek surface so he could see. "Like most of the male prospects in my life, gay or taken, he's spoken for, as far as I hear. I don't want his cock inside me, I only want it inside my pants."
"Braden Evans?" Joe knew the name. He didn't always follow everything in Ri's world, but he did at least know the hot models. And he also knew after talking to Liam a bit more about the almost extended family that this was the lawyer's ex-fiancé's brother. He regarded her over the top of his own coffee before reaching into the paper bag and pulling out a croissant. "Huh. Small world. His brother's the cop that was engaged to the lawyer that Liam didn't blow. And I didn't get laid laid. Just had my balls fondled. And fondled his balls..." he trailed off as he sucked on his bottom lip. "So what's the problem? Does he not want in your pants?"
Rian raised her eyebrows, her green eyes bouncing between the portfolio and Joe's face. "Bloody hell, why does it never mean good things when someone says it's a small world? How am I supposed to try and woo him now? You're doing the bloke that everyone thought was doing his brother's fiancé? Fucking hell, darling. You're supposed to make a fag hag's life easier, not more complicated. At this rate, I'm going to break a nail tearing my hair out." She flipped open a couple of her own catalogues showing pictures of her new line that hadn't been released to the public yet. "Tell me you can't see that gorgeous arse in those pants. His colouring is just... those eyes, and look at the blue pinstripe. I'm nearly having an orgrasm here, sweetheart, and you're off getting your balls fondled? Wait. What the fucking hell? When did this happen? Is this why you were ignoring my calls again? I was about to divorce you, you know. I had the papers all drawn up. I was going to take you for half. Your lower half, preferrably." She picked a little at the pastry, but didn't eat it straight away. "It's not that he doesn't want to, I just don't think I'm offering him enough. He lives in Edinburgh, and I need him here. It will be a regular contract. How the hell do you lure a Scot out of Bonnie Scotland? It feels like trying to pull the gay out of Elton."
Joe's eyes looked between the catalogues and the photos of Braden as he gave a nod. He could see that arse in Rian's clothes. "This is business. And if I am sort of fucking Liam than that just means he's staying away from the fiancé, doesn't it? No complications. I'm sure he's professional enough to realise a job's nothing to do with what else is going on. Besides, as if I'm even on their radar. The only ones who know about me are Liam, his brother-in-law, and two of his sisters. I think. I'm not going to ruin this for you, Ri. Promise. You can still woo him." He pushed the papers back towards her and smirked as he took his sunglasses off. "You would never divorce me. I'm too much of the perfect for you. And it happened a couple days ago. I'm sorry about your calls, I really am. I was with Liam. He's still not quite right. He managed to get himself sick because he hasn't been taking care of himself. Some TLC was required." Joe tilted his head. "I think half the brothers are here anyway. You might be able to get him to stay if you act now."
Rian shrugged and shook her head helplessly. "No idea, darling. I get a feeling his other half lives in Scotland too. He wasn't going to make any decisions without her, which is... fuck it, Scottish loyalty. I have heard about it, but never had to deal with it in the flesh, meaning he might also be loyal to his home too. It's all well staying in London to visit family with view to eventually going home, but there is a whole other story asking him to stay for this. Modelling isn't even his main job. He's a paramedic, and that takes priority. I can tell by the way he talks. Gorgeous accent, too. My god, could he woo some of my investors. But another roadblock, he's unassuming and modest. Out of all the Scots on the face of the earth who like to get their kilt up, the one I want is like fucking Mr Darcy." She leant back and swivelled in her chair a little, swinging back and forth as she thought, watching him closely. "Your story is all full of holes, sweetheart. Don't think I won't get the details out of you. Where is he now?"
Joe chuckled as he shook his head in amusement and pointed at her with his pastry. "Ri, it's not just Scottish loyalty. It's the loyalty of someone in love. When you're involved with someone, then of course you want their input on decisions. And for the record, he's no Mr Darcy that I can tell. He's actually amiable and friendly from all reports. Mr Darcy was uptight and disagreeable. You really need to re-read your Austen. Look, I have no idea how you can woo him over, but maybe you need to think about something that you can give him that no one else can. Doesn't he have an agent, anyway? Have you even tried to put an offer on the table? I realise you might have a small heart attack at your first rejection but there's no negotiating if someone doesn't kick things off." Joe took another bite of his food before following it up with a sip of coffee. "I know, I know. Just give me a moment to get my head together, yeah? It's been a while since I've felt this shagged without actually getting properly shagged. He's at his sister's. The eldest, the one married to Williamson."
"Fuck Austen," Rian replied with a slight pursing on her lips. "I hate history anyway. I live for the present, darling. You know that. No offense. You still love me because of it. I just like my love affairs to be in the present, not mashed between the pages of some odour-filled book that was written a billion years ago. Not that I have any love affairs on the go right now. I'm still recovering from the last guy. Hopefully so are his nuts. No guy tries to grope me in public without my permission and walks away from it without a limp." She paused and sighed, running her thumb along the rim of her cup. "I don't know what to do about Braden. He might be too normal to be thrust into this fashion world head first. Not that I expect him to embrace it. I don't. In fact, I discourage it. This place can ruin people, and even I only walk in it when I need to. He can still keep his private life, and still keep his other job. I don't want him full time. I just want his arse in my work. He is going to make it look spectacular. I have given him an offer, an extremely generous one and he hasn't turned me down. He just said he had a lot going on right now and needed some time. I understand that, but I don't know whether he was was just feeding me a line to be polite. Nice guys do that, before they let you down gently. My catch is, I want him exclusively. He would have to get rid of his agent, and not take deals with any other lines. Have you met him? Met any of his family?"
She went back to her coffee and had a small bite of the pastry. She flicked to Braden's underwear shoot with a smirk, holding it up. "That's no pair of socks down there, sweetie pie," she said, impressed and then waved her hand casually in his Joe's direction. "I'm wondering why this Williamson BIL has gotten you so riled up. I haven't seen you like this in, well, forever. Not even that cutie journalist you had on the go for awhile there had you this all over the place. Are you just more favourable to the younger arse, baby? Or is it a blonde thing? Scrubs, maybe? I'm still surprised Ethan Williamson let you anywhere near his gorgeous wife's flesh and blood. You won't be wanting to put a foot wrong there, sweetie. He could ruin you in the blink of an eye. I've heard the stories."
"So, have I. Besides, he threatened me himself. And smiled the whole time. Just like he was having a normal little chat. He really is a smiling assassin. He just... He came to sus me out while telling me about Liam. Figured I might actually be worried about him. I really was peeing my pants by the end of it. Don't think I know what a huge deal this is. I don't want to hurt Liam, and I don't want the BIL hurting me." He sighed as he rubbed his fingers against his chin. "He doesn't want exclusive which is understandable. We barely know each other as it is. He's still young, I'm not looking to tie him down. I just want to get to know him. I like him. I don't think it's the young thing, the blond thing, or the scrubs thing. Not that any of it hurts. It's just a him thing."
Joe gave a shake of his head. "Don't know him, don't know any of them. I haven't had anything to do with them. Liam just seems to know a bit about him. It's not like he'd escape the notice of a gay man with a genuine package like that."
Rian had fallen silent and was looking between the picture of Braden and Joe, and then back again. She tilted her head in contemplation, eyes narrowed a little. "What does Liam look like?" she asked lightly, her creative mind already ticking over at a smooth pace. If she nabbed Braden, she suddenly had a wonderful idea how she could launch her new mens' line with him at the helm. She cleared her throat. "You know, just out of curiosity. So, if it's just a 'him' thing and not his appearance, what is it about him that got you hooked and why can't you shake yourself free of it?"
"Probably because he seduced me in the one place I never thought it would happen. You know me, I don't do my students. Or any students. Liam was just... Liam. He's thin, blond, gorgeous. He could be a model. He's just skinnier than he has been lately because of not eating, and getting sick. He's a hairdresser as well as a med student. He just wants to be a surgeon more than anything. He can look quite... brooding. I have to admit I've never seen him smile very often." Joe shrugged his shoulder slightly as he snorted. "I think I want to make him smile."
Rian smirked and made a couple of notes on her filofax so she could speak to her photographer. "You never did tell me much about that classroom thing. You kept it all very hush, I feel highly cheated, darling. What good is having a fag hag if you won't give her any of your glorious gay arse details that she can live vicariously through? I want to see a photo of him. Call it creative curiosity." She studied Joe for another moment with a nod. "Extensive curiosity. Brooding is never a bad thing. Look at Braden there. The brooding thing is immaculate. Doesn't mean he is like that when he's not in front of a camera. Make the lad smile, for god's sake. It sounds like he really fucking needs it. Talk about ostracised. Not that anyone was at fault with it, but he must be feeling like he was pushed in front of a red double-decker for a few rounds. Holding a job, studying, and on a medical placement? It sounds like he needs someone on hand to take care of him," she added, quirking her eyebrow at her best friend, her green eyes shining.
Joe narrowed his eyes at her when she asked for the photograph. "What are you planning, Ri? You're never innocently - or creatively - curious about anything without it meaning something for your business. You have an idea, and I think it's going to involve Braden and Liam. Which gets me worried. I kept it hush because I was embarrassed I'd crossed the line and not really cared. I pride myself on my professional integrity. All the other professors don't seem to mind bonking their young female students, but they also don't seem to suffer as many consequences as when a professor is found to have fooled around with a male student. It's bullshit. You need to get some of your own arse stories, love. Why let that one arsehole keep you down? You've never gone through a drought before. There was a Frenchman as well, wasn't there? Was he before, or after the barman? He was... is... confident. He knows what he wants. He said I was a challenge. He wanted to see if I was more than the tweed. I wasn't sure at first if that meant he was done with me." Joe set down his pastry and focused on the coffee in his hands. "What if I don't know how to make him smile? He really does need it, though. He needs it more than anything right now. Between not eating and the emotional onslaught of what had happened... He's a wreck. He's more fragile than he seems. He's got seven brothers and sisters," Joe pointed out as he looked back at her.
Rian smiled at him with feigned innocence. "Not just Liam and Braden, sweetheart," she returned and then sipped her coffee casually, swivelling back and forth in her chair a little again. She put her legs up on the table and crossed them over at the ankles. "Just because you haven't heard about any of that doesn't mean it's not happening. In fact, I bet it happens extensively. But college isn't high school. Everyone in college is a consenting adult. It is probably just a lot more discreet, especially in a place like the University of London. It's not like you have technically done anything wrong, either. He isn't your student. He is never going to be your student. The only error in judgment was probably having sex on college grounds, but if you don't do that again, you are free to see him if you both want it. You're not pressuring him into anything, and even if he seduced you, you still consented, and you still wanted it. If he's confident, he more than knew what he was doing. Maybe just relax and enjoy it? Sure, he's poorly now, and he has a billion siblings. But one of those is the cause of all this, and the other is tied up in it because she's married to the other guy's best friend. Maybe he would welcome some TLC from an independent source? He didn't tell you to go fuck yourself, did he?" She scrunched her nose up a little and shrugged, pushing her hair back. "Phillipe Chevalier. A sweetheart, hot, amazing in bed. We're both ambitious, though, and extremely busy. Our lives would have clashed and I'd rather keep him a friend than an ex that failed miserably. He was a bit of fun, we were for each other. End of story. No other guy has piqued my interest lately."
"You could always try your own Morgan," Joe suggested with his own feigned look of innocence. "There's enough brothers to go around, older than Liam. And trust me, if his dick is anything to go by - his brothers will be just as well-endowed. Not just Braden and Liam? Ri, I love you but if you push my new... whatever he is out into the public and get even more men drooling over him, I will hurt you. Just because we're not exclusive, that doesn't mean I want to encourage any sex with older men who aren't me. He'll get more than his fair share of offers after doing whatever it is you have in mind. I can tell. I've fucked one of your models before..." He cleared his throat as he rest his head back against the chair and slipped down further into it to stretch out his long legs. "No, he didn't tell me to fuck off. He's let me stay with him for a little while. He's been very... He's easy to take care of. The TLC isn't hard even if he clearly doesn't like being sick. I'm happy to be his independent party. I suppose I'm still cautious because he's not quite a hundred percent at the moment."
Rian snorted, waving her hand as she shook her head. "No, and fuck you. Do you realise how fucking complicated that could get, darling? You might get off on having angry billionaires on your arse, but I don't, and I am not risking my reputation for that. The guy is wonderful in the area of medical pharmaceuticals, MS treatments, cancer treatments..." She paused and cleared her throat. "He has a gorgeous wife, but that is not a family I want to dip my wick into. London can be a very, very small place sometimes. Not just any other men, darling. I don't think you'll have any issues who I get him out with, and you know Braden is already taken, and straight for that matter." Her eyebrows shot up. "Oh really, have you just? I didn't hear any complaints, so you can't deny I know a look when I see it, hm? No one likes being sick. It's if we have the mojo for being taken care of. Not everyone does. You don't. You get shitty and difficult when you're ill. You make me tempted to drug your chicken soup. Liam's the family baby, he probably naturally falls into the niche of being taken care of because he's so used to it. The only thing is, his older brothers and sisters will probably always see him as a baby, and that's another hurdle you'll have to jump."
"Alright, alright. I'm just trying to help. You know I'm no good with setting you up. We quickly killed that when I tried with that photohrapher. I blame the journalist. He was blinded by cock fever. That's the problem with blokes who suddenly think they're gay. So don't dip your wick in that family. But you will have to meet them if me and Liam somehow last. I don't want to have to keep you seperate forever. Although, I'm still worried about what you're planning. Yes, but straight doesn't matter when it's a modelling assignment." Joe nodded slowly. "I wouldn't try and deny it. Much. Hey, I'm gay. Doesn't mean I'll be a saint all the time. I still suffer from man flu. I'm not the baby, I'm just the only. Because he won't ever be seen as a grown man?"
"You're banned from setting me up, darling. You have no mojo for straight dating, and I do not need anymore wankers not out of the closet. I will dress them, just not fuck them, plain and simple," Rian stated with a nod and then she waved her hand at Joe again. "Meeting the family can get messy. Sure you want to bother with any of that. My clothing will look smashing on any male arse, sweetheart, no matter the background. What better to emphasise that with a spread to show it's versatility." She placed her hand on Braden's portfolio. "Gorgeous blond, blue-eyed straight paramedic family man with a winning smile." She put her other hand to the side of her desk near her coffee. "Hot young early twenties gay doctor-to-be with the world at his feet." Then she pointed at Joe with a devious smirk on her red lips. "Sexy academic gay thirty-something university professor who is made to break out of the tweed and into a Rian Ambrose ensemble and make it look fabulous."
Joe opened his mouth to retort before closing it immediately and just started at her. He held his hand up, finger pointed at the ceiling before he started to laugh. "Me? You can't be serious. You can't really want me in your clothes. I'm not a model. I know you've always loved me in jeans, but this is just... I love you, but no, Ri. I'm not flashing my arse to the camera."
"If you're flashing your arse, you're wearing the clothes wrong, sweetness." Rian smiled at him, shifting so she was sitting forward and resting her arms on her desk. "And you know I always have a trump card, baby. Think about it. Wouldn't a photoshoot for your darling best friend in the whole wide world as a precious favour for her be an interesting place to coincidentally meet a young gay doctor-to-be who just happens to be a student at the University of London? What a surprising coincidence that you just happen to work there too. Lots of conversation in a photoshoot, how easily for people to just randomly hit it off..." She watched him, wondering if the penny would drop.
Joe stopped pointing to use his hand to rub at his short hair, pressed his lips together as he just gazed at her while he listened. The penny was spinning in his mind as he considered the scenario she was placing in front of him and after a moment he let out a slow breath. "It's abnormal just how devious you can be, love. I almost think it's a waste you were caught up in the fashion business. You would have been one hell of a spy."
Rian sat back with a smug smile, indulging in just a small hint of preening at his comment. "I would say call me Rian Bond, but that would just be too fucking weird," she joked and folded her hands in front of her. "I just don't think it's healthy for you to be trying to keep anything completely on the hush, darling. It will only create even more shit and more troubles if you ever get found out. People will point fingers saying you deliberately kept it quiet. This way, you and Liam don't have to hide. It can be out in the open, without crossing any student-teacher boundaries. If he is how you say he is, too, he's going to be a hard one to conceal... pardon the pun."
Joe allowed himself a small moment of picturing Liam hard before trying to bite back a grin. "He really would be that. Pun and all. I think you're right. I already hurt from trying to imagine how I'm supposed to pull off a relationship on the hush. I really would rather be out and proud. I mean, it's why I've never tried to deny anything. It's not like I make a big deal of it, but people already know I'm gay. I just don't want them thinking I'm some sort of... kiddy fiddler as well." He winked at her. "If a woman was ever going to carry my last name, I'd want it to be you."
Rian made a kissy face at him. "I love you, darling. Why the fuck aren't you straight? Bane of my existence, I swear. No man is ever going to live up to you, they're all fucking doomed. I would offer you my uterus if you ever need it, but you know..." She pressed her lips together and then shot him a fond smile. "You don't have to hide anything, and I want to help you be happy. If Dr Babycakes does that for you, so be it. I'm all for it too. But I don't fucking want you hiding anything. You're better than that, and you're not doing anything wrong."
Joe got up onto his feet and rounded Rian's desk to place a kiss on his forehead. "Thanks, love. And I know you would give me your uterus if you could. I guess we'll just wait and see what happens, and if I ever do need a uterus. If I ever wind up calling him Dr Babycakes to his face I might just have to divorce you, you know. That's just too much. So do you want me to talk to him about the campaign, or should I just drag him in to see you? And for the record, I do want to do the meet the family thing. It's important to him, so it's important to me."
Rian started to laugh, an image of a petite gay hairdresser belting Joe in the facing for getting called Dr Babycakes. It was highly amusing to her. "It could lead to some interesting angry sex, though, and then you would have to thank me," she reasoned with a wicked grin. She looked over her desk for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to tackle this. She had until late the following week to set the campaign rolling, or at least sign Braden Evans. If she could get the rest of the stuff into motion, it would just be a matter of getting the shoot set up then. "Bring him to meet me. I'm curious about your wee piece of arse because you're clearly smitten. You're willing to put your arse on the line, despite Ethan Williamson threatening to tear you a new one. This is serious stuff."
"Or maybe it's just my midlife crisis kicking in early? Instead of a new car, I go and get a young lover." Joe smirked before he kissed her again and rounded the desk to take his place as he picked up the croissant and finished it hungrily. "Alright, I'll get him here. I don't know if he'll jump at the opportunity, so I might just have to talk about it being more to do with meeting my best friend. And if it does result in angry sex, I'll be sure to call you after and give you all the gory details."
Rian blew him a kiss, more than satisfied by his bargain. "I would suggest you film it, but even I'm not that evil."
Word Count | 5,210