“Wow. You are good.” Gerald shook his head as he accepted the cigar.
Lyndon set his tray on a side table and quickly assisted his customer in clipping and lighting his cigar for him while Spencer returned his attention to him. Just like he’d hoped.
“And what did you choose for me?” Cole asked as Spencer sat close to him on the love seat, which earned him more curious stares from his coworkers.
Spencer made a sexy show of dragging his bright blue eyes up and down Cole’s torso before he leaned in and slowly stroked the silk fabric of his tie until his thin fingers were carefully loosening the tight Windsor knot at his throat. He’d done it so reverently that Cole couldn’t take his eyes off Spencer’s face as he worked his collar until he was comfortable. He was so used to the restriction that he rarely noticed it anymore.
“How’s that feel?” Spencer asked in a hushed tone.
God, where did this man come from? Cole was eating up every bit of excessive friendliness Spencer was giving him as if this guy was genuinely concerned with Cole relaxing after such a trying day. He could close his eyes and get lost in this fantasy all night. How could this all be a gimmick? How could Spencer look at him with such heat and not feel it in the same places he did?
Cole cleared his throat. “It feels good. Thank you.”
“Wonderful. That’s what I wanna hear.” Spencer crossed his long legs and turned his body toward him as if Cole was the only one who mattered in that dark lounge. “I want you to feel that way all evening, Cole.”
Cole draped his arm across the back of the leather cushion and daringly touched the velvety fabric of Spencer’s sweater. Though the reaction was subtle and controlled, Cole saw that his touch had an effect. A good one.
Spencer ran the backs of his fingers down Cole’s tie, his lids heavy, his drawl lazy. “I have a feeling you’re a fragrance man, Cole.” Spencer held his hand in the air, and Lyndon appeared as if out of nowhere and slid a gold-foil-wrapped cigar in between his fingers before disappearing. “For you, I brought only the best.”
“That does smell nice,” Cole murmured since he and Spencer were close enough to hear each other’s whispers. “I don’t think I’ve had it before.”
Spencer slowly slid the length of the cigar just beneath Cole’s nose, encouraging him to inhale the robust scent of the premium tobacco. Cole licked his lips and nodded in approval as oak, spice, fig, and mint all flooded his senses, making him feel heady and excited. “I’ve yet to try this brand. They’re always out of stock in New York.”
“Well, here in Virginia, you’ll find we have exactly what you’ve been looking for.” Spencer eyed him a long moment before he expertly clipped the end with a cutter and removed an S.T. Dupont torch-lighter from his pocket and readied Cole’s cigar for him. He repeatedly rotated the end as he lit it, even wrapping his plump, pink lips around the mouth and taking a few puffs, before he finally placed it between Cole’s thumb and pointer finger. “If you’ve been wanting a quality lounge, that is.”
Cole took a shallow puff and held the smoke in his mouth a few seconds before he blew it in the opposite direction of Spencer’s face. “Damn. That’s good.” He sighed after another exhale.
“Do you taste the chocolate and the lingering spice on your tongue?” Spencer asked, watching him intently as if smoking turned him on.
“I do. I can taste so many flavors I can’t keep up.” Cole laughed, feeling more relaxed than he had in years. Since his big brother passed two years ago in a helicopter crash, he hadn’t smiled or laughed much.
“Now. Have a sip of this.” Spencer winked, and Lyndon appeared with a tumbler of amber-colored liquid swirling in a unique pattern at the bottom of the glass. “It’s Havana Gran Reserva rum. The brown sugar and dark chocolate in it will help bring out the stronger flavors in the cigar.”
“Holy shit. That’s amazing.” Cole frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything so delicious.”
Spencer’s crooked smile was sexy and mischievous. “Well, that’s a shame.”
Five
Spencer
Spencer was nervous to return to the back of the house where he was sure most of his staff was gossiping like little old hens at his behavior tonight. It’d been a long time since they’d seen him working the floor and even longer since he’d cozied up to a customer. They all had to be harassing the heck out of Lyndon with questions when he’d gone back there, poor thing. It was amazing he was still hitting his points on time.
They were allowed to drink and eat with the customers, in moderation of course. It made the staff seem more like company instead of servers. Spencer’s responsibility was the front of the house. Sergio paid him a generous enough wage for managing the staff that he didn’t worry much about earing commission. However, Lyndon loved him whenever he did. It meant a grand payday for him.
They sat in companiable silence for a moment, sharing the cigar and the expensive rum from the same glass. Spencer licked his lips when Cole set the glass on the table and glanced around the room, watching a few of the customers conversing near the fifteen-foot Christmas tree on the other side of the bar. The heir to the largest jewelry company in the world was sitting beside him, flirting openly and clearly interested, but Spencer’s mind was battling with his body. He’d moved so close until he could smell Cole’s expensive cologne, the powerful scent meshing intoxicatingly with the dark liquor. He shouldn’t be getting so personal again; he was no longer separating the business from the pleasure, and he’d promised to keep it strictly professional in the lounge. And he had for the last four years—until Cole showed up.
Cole was handsome and charming like a lot of men he saw on any given weekend, but after sitting with him for a couple of hours, he also saw humbleness in him. He wasn’t flaunting his station, demanding better seating in VIP, or making outrageous requests that even Sergio couldn’t meet. No, instead he sat relaxed as if he was simply happy to have Spencer’s company.
“So, Mr. Burbank, tell me some—”
“I told you already.” Cole brought his finger up and touched it to Spencer’s parted lips. “I’m Cole. My older brother, Coleman the Fifth, died a couple years back. He was the heir and CEO. He was Mr. Burbank, always will be.”
“I’m sorry.” Spencer blinked at the emotion he saw in Cole’s eyes before he had to look away. “I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay.” Cole seemed to plaster on a phony smile as if he was used to it. “People still mistake me for him, and it’s been years.”
“They were big shoes to fill, brother, but you’re doing a great job. And the literary collection is amazing,” Gerald chimed in. “Just ask your admirer.”
Spencer had almost forgotten Cole wasn’t alone, and he hoped he wasn’t being rude and neglecting his other customer, but when he saw Lyndon was currently massaging Gerald’s shoulders, he winked at his assistant in thanks.
Cole nodded, but he didn’t add anything, and Spencer found himself wanting to replace his saddened smile. “Have you eaten? We can order food, or we have a sampler platter our house chef puts together. They’re really good.”