Armand
One of myfavorite job perks was being able to travel the world while staying at Luxurian Suites Hotels. They were the ultimate luxury that money could buy, letting me live the high life while working for Arsène Devereaux, the famous fashion photographer who also was my best friend and boss. He preferred sending me ahead to new locations to scout potential places to stage photo shoots, which meant I got to see the sights under the guise of work.
It was evening by the time I arrived at the glorious Oahu Luxurian Suites Resort in Hawaii after my long flight from Sunnyside. A nightcap was the perfect way to unwind before bed, so I headed down to the hotel bar. Blue lights illuminated the dark walls, creating an underwater effect. The bar had a warm glow of amber lighting that provided a stunning contrast, backed by glass shelves that displayed only the finest liquors and wine. The floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the gorgeous ocean views, where moonlight danced on the gentle waves. Black wooden tables were scattered throughout, with couples talking by candlelight. The space walked the fine line between being high-class and pretentious, so I felt right at home.
While I was in the mood to relax, my playboy instincts did a cursory scan of the crowd to see if there was anyone to entertain me for the evening. A handsome businessman at the corner of the bar drew my attention, with his tie loosened after a long day at the office. It beckoned me to tug on it to bring him closer for a kiss. Before placing all my bets on him, something unusual caught my eye.
On the other end was a young man wearing jeans and a pink-and-purple hoodie with Japanese woodblock print clouds on it. He was the embodiment of “one of these things is not like the other,” thanks to his casual style being at odds with all the other patrons dressed in designer clothes. It was a far cry from my tight black pants and button-down shirt with a mesh front and white-and-blue rose appliqués. It showed off a tantalizing amount of skin to give a potential partner the right idea.
As I drew closer, I saw he had chestnut-colored hair with a hint of waviness that invited me to run my fingers through it. Clean-shaven with a baby face, he seemed more like a college student rather than someone who could afford to stay at such an expensive resort. It piqued my curiosity about his story. Did he design an app that he sold off for untold millions? Maybe he was a trust-fund kid? He couldn’t be a billionaire’s boy toy, because they would never allow him to be alone. I hadn’t met him yet, and I already didn’t want to let him out of my bed.
The businessman from before inclined his head to indicate I should join him. On any other night, I would have been all too happy to have him as a playmate. But there was aje ne sais quoiabout the younger man staring out the window at the beach with a small smile that filled me with a hunger that demanded I act.
There were plenty of open seats, but subtlety wasn’t my style. I sat on the stool next to him, unnoticed as he absentmindedly twisted his half-full glass in his left hand while appreciating the ocean view. Since he was oblivious, I took the moment to appreciate his long eyelashes, delicate features, and plump lips I hoped I’d get to kiss.
The bartender came over, a woman with stunning curves. “What can I do for you this evening, sir?”
It pulled the man from his reverie, who startled when he realized I was sitting beside him. His gray-green eyes flew wide as his jaw dropped in shock. His comical reaction made my ego purr.
I gave him my most winsome smile, loving how flustered he became. Since it was a golden opportunity, I asked him, “Is that any good?”
He blinked at me, the nervous fluttering of his lashes telling me that my French accent had earned me a few more bonus points with him. “What?”
I pointed at his drink. “Would you recommend that?”
“This?” He glanced at the glass he was holding, clearly flustered. “Oh, um. Yeah, it’s good.”
“Trop bien.” I turned my attention to the bartender. “I’ll have one of those,s’il vous plaît.”
“One sparkling blue Hawaiian cocktail coming right up.” Her movements were elegant and efficient as she prepared it, sliding it over to me when she finished. It was a beautiful, fizzy drink served in a brandy glass, accented with a purple-and-white flower. “Enjoy.”
“Merci beaucoup.Santé.” I lifted it to the man in a toast before taking a sip. While it wasn’t something I would normally order, the taste of pineapples was refreshing. “You’re right, it’s quite good.”
He nodded in agreement, seeming too tongue-tied to speak.
That simply wouldn’t do. I set about to do what I did best: be a charming gentleman. “Bonsoir. I’m Armand Bellamy.”
“I’m Zio Revello.” He held his hand out to shake, allowing me to notice a slight tremble of nervousness.
I captured it in mine, then brought it up to my lips to place a kiss on the back of it while looking up at him through lowered lashes. “Enchanté, Zio.”
An unintentional squeak escaped from him, which endeared him to me. His voice trembled as he said, “N-nice to meet you.”
“You have quite the unusual name.”
“That’s because it’s my nickname. My real name is Fabrizio, but Febreze kind of ruined that.” He nervously ruffled his hair. “Only my parents still call me that. Everyone else calls me Zio, unless I’m in Japan, where I go by Jio since there’s no ‘zi’ sound in Japanese.”
“Fascinating.” He intrigued me even more.
He stared at me in disbelief, almost as if he didn’t believe someone like me would ever pay attention to him. “What are you doing here? I mean, here as in Oahu, not the bar. You go to a bar to drink, obviously. Um…”
“I’m here to scout for potential photo shoot locations.”
“Are you a photographer?” He blushed at his question. “Sorry, that’s probably a stupid thing to ask.”
“Non, not stupid at all. I’m an assistant to a fashion photographer. I take care of everything behind the scenes to allow him to focus on his art.”
He sounded impressed and a little sympathetic. “That must be a tough job.”
