Keith Bond
“Jake pressed the doorbell to the top flat, number 4. He could hear loud music, voices and laughter coming from inside the flat. A man wearing a black open neck shirt with white trousers, showing a hairy chest with a gold medallion opened the door. Jake thought he must have poured himself into his trousers as they left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Jake thought to himself, he must have certainly been at the front of the queue when they gave cocks out.
The man smiled at him and said in a very loud Australian drawl of a voice, “Ah, hello darling, you must be Jake. I’m Toby, Ricci’s boyfriend.” He shook Jake’s hand. “Ricci said you were a looker. Come on in, let me take that bottle from you.” He looked at the bottle label with knowledge and admiration.
“Thank you, gosh that’s class. I’ll put that to one side for our cellar, it’s much too good for these philistines!” Laughing he asked, “What would you like to drink?”
“I’d love a whisky and dry ginger please, if you have some.”
“Oh a man with taste eh. One whisky and dry ginger coming up, would you like ice in that?”
“Yes please,” Jake replied.
While he was waiting for Toby to bring his drink, he gazed around the kitchen. It was exactly the same layout as his own but the walls had been decorated in a mid-shade of green and the paintwork a bright white, which gave it a very fresh look. The door to the living room was partially open and Jake could see a few of the other guests’ faces, talking animatedly, laughing, enjoying themselves.
“Here’s your drink darling. Now, I’ll introduce you to everyone and leave you to fend for yourself, so that you can get to know folk. Don’t be shy, just enjoy yourself.”
Toby pushed open the living room door to reveal it packed with at least twenty people. As he did so, he announced, “Darlings, this is Jake, he’s our new neighbour, he moved in earlier this week. Be gentle with him, he’s just a shy country boy.” He gave a cheeky little laugh and just left him standing there.
Jake felt himself colour up, he thought he would die of embarrassment.
“Hello everyone,” was all he could think to say.
“Jake darling!” Ricci shouted across the room waving a gloved hand with several sparkling rings on top. He was in full make-up with pink and green eye shadow, sweeping eyelashes, a pleated turban on his head, and wearing a flowing pink and silver kaftan. Jake thought he looked like a glamorous actress.
He made his way over to Jake, pushing and sweeping through his guests to get to him.
“How lovely of you to come,” he said as he kissed him on the cheek. He smelled heavily of expensive perfume. “I have a delightful young man I must introduce you to, before the wolves devour him. Come with me, I’m sure you’ll like him.”
He took hold of Jake’s hand and tugged him into the mêlée. He found the guy he wanted Jake to meet; he was a tall, slim, dark-haired handsome man with a ‘Viva Zapata’ moustache, deep smouldering brown eyes and thick inviting lips. He looked to be around thirty-five. Jake thought, Cor, what are you doing the rest of my life, and what do you like for breakfast! He would have said it out loud but he didn’t have the nerve.
“Jake, this is Jim, Jim meet Jake, now you two Js have fun!” Ricci giggled mischievously and flounced off to join two girls who Jake presumed were lesbians as one of them looked very masculine.
A popular hit tune began playing as Jim held out his hand to shake Jake’s.
“Hello Jake,” he said in a deep manly voice. “It’s very nice to meet you. Ricci was telling me you only moved in on Monday, I hope you’ve settled in.”
“It’s very nice to meet you too, Jim,” Jake replied, feeling an instant frisson between them. “Yes I have settled in thanks, I think I’m going to like it here.” He placed his glass on the fireplace surround behind them.
“Where have you moved from? I can’t place your accent,” Jim asked him.
“A village called Grendore, in Warwickshire. Have you heard of it?”
“No, can’t say I have. Where’s it near?”
“Addleston.”
Jim looked puzzled so he ventured, “Haneaton?”
“Oh yes, Haneaton rings a bell, though I’m not sure why!”
The music changed to a slow romantic ballad, sung by a woman with a soulful, sultry voice, and even though there was hardly room to move, Jim said, “I want to dance with you.” He slipped his arm around Jake’s waist, gently pulling him closer. Jake put his arm on his shoulder and their other hands’ fingers entwined, their bodies closed in and they moved sensuously together, oblivious of anyone else in the room as the haunting words of the song swept over them both.
Come closer to me love
I’ve been waiting so long,
Come closer and kiss me
This feeling’s so strong,
Be mine now, forever
Our hearts are as one
Come closer my darling
Let our kiss linger on.
Jake could feel the warmth of Jim’s breathing close to his ear and he so wanted to kiss him, but he didn’t want to appear to be too forward or eager and was hoping Jim would make the first move, but he didn’t attempt to kiss Jake at all.
When the song had finished playing, Jim still held onto Jake, reluctant to let him go and the beautiful moments they had shared to disappear.
He looked into Jake’s eyes and said, “That was lovely, and you’re lovely too Jake. I wish we were alone and not in a room full of people.”
“Thank you, you’re not bad yourself,” Jake replied, “but the night is yet young Jim, let’s enjoy the party, you haven’t got to dash off anywhere soon, have you?”
“No I haven’t Jake, I’m not going anywhere,” he said pointedly.
Jake picked up his drink and finished it off. “Would you like me to get you a drink? I need another one,” he asked Jim.
“Yes please, I’ll have a Bacardi and Coke, if you can manage to get into the kitchen to get them.”
“Oh I’m sure I’ll manage. Don’t go away, will you?” Jake said smiling.
“Like I said, I’m not going anywhere, hurry back.”
Jake began to ease himself through the people in the room, who he felt sure had grown in number since he arrived. As he moved through them, several pairs of eyes latched on to him, looking longingly at him. He had to ask the people by the door to move aside so that he could get out and he heard one of them say, “Not leaving already I hope darling?” but he didn’t see who said it.
Gosh, Jake thought, I’m in great demand tonight, but I already know who I’m going home with thank you.
There were quite a few people in the kitchen, including Mr Costa.
Jake said, “Hello Mr Costa, nice to see you.”
Mr Costa smiled, “I thinka you ada better calla me Lorenzo now we ava met socially, OK.”
“Yes, OK Lorenzo,” Jake replied smiling.
It was a struggle to pour drinks, but Toby spotted Jake and asked him what drinks he wanted and as he was pouring them for him he cheekily whispered, “I can see Jim’s got the hots for you Jake,” handing him the drinks.
Jake thanked him and said, “The feeling’s mutual, Toby.”
Toby winked at him and smiled. Jake pushed open the door and started to negotiate his way back to where Jim was waiting. He heard a voice say hello but he was concentrating hard not to spill the drinks or get bumped into, so he didn’t get to see who it was. Tonight he only had eyes for Jim anyway.
“Here you are Jim, phew, that was fun!” Jake said as he handed him his drink.
“Thanks,” Jim said. “I was thinking someone had whisked you away and you weren’t coming back!”
“I did have a couple of serious offers worth considering, but I turned them down,” Jake said laughing. “What say we grab a bite to eat, finish our drinks then we can make our escape and you can whisk me away?”
Jim laughed and replied, “That’s the best offer I’ve had all night, no, all year actually.”
“I’m sure that isn’t true,” Jake replied, smiling.
They managed to move to the buffet table with their drinks to get some food. When they had eaten and finished their drinks, Jim thought that they should find somewhere quieter where they could talk. So Jake suggested that they leave separately, not because he was embarrassed in anyway, but he just didn’t want everyone knowing his business. Jim agreed, so Jake left first as they’d arranged. Jim was to wait for about five minutes, then join him outside. Jake would wait for him on the landing.
Jake squeezed through the crowd and as he entered the kitchen he saw that Toby was busy serving drinks; he had his back to him, so he quickly slipped out unnoticed.
At least that’s what he thought. When the door opened some minutes later Jake expected it to be Jim but it was another older guy.
“Not going yet, are you darling? How about a bit of fun?” He said, slurring his words drunkenly and lurching towards Jake, grabbing hold of his arm, then trying to grope him. Jim realised this was one of the people who had spoken to him as he fetched the drinks.
“Bloody get off!” Jake said, avoiding the claw of his hand aiming for his groin and pushing him away. “I’m not interested.”
“I can make you interested,” he said in a threatening tone. “You don’t know what you’re missing.” He clutched his own groin and leered at Jake. “You’d love this.”
“You’re drunk mate. I’ve told you I’m not interested, I’m waiting for someone.”
“Yes me,” the man replied as he made another attempt to grab Jake. “C’mere.”
Jake wasn’t quick enough to avoid him and with a vice-like grip, the drunk caught hold of his arm, tugged him towards him and started slobbering all over his neck trying to kiss him.
“Bloody let go of me, piss off!” Jake protested, struggling to break free of him. He could smell the vile stench of beer and stale cigarettes from him and he felt sickened by it. Jake was just about to bring his knee up into the man’s groin, when the man was suddenly pulled back off him. Jake saw Jim had grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.
“What’s your bloody game? Leave him alone,” Jim demanded, still holding on to him.
“Mind your own fucking business you!” And the drunk aimed a punch at Jim’s chin. He dodged it by stepping aside and pulling the man past him, letting the force of the man’s thrown punch propel him into the kitchen door with a loud thump. The man crumpled to the floor with a groan.
Jim looked at Jake. “Are you OK love?” he asked as he put his arms around him and hugged him close.
“Yes, thanks Jim, I’m fine,” Jake said as the kitchen door flew open and Toby and some of his guests stood looking at them questioningly.
“What’s going on?” Toby asked.
“Oh just a drunk trying it on with Jake,” Jim said. “He fell over against the door.”
Toby looked at the man sprawled on the floor and said in an exasperated tone, “Brian, not you again, this is the last party of ours you’ll be coming to. We had problems with you the last time when you’d had too much to drink. C’mon, get up, I’ll call a taxi for you.”
“I’m alright. I want another drink.”