The Law of Attraction

CHAPTER ONE

Alec Rowland leaned back against the wall of the bar, a drink in his hand. He rolled his shoulders to ease the tension that had accumulated in his muscles throughout the long working day. He’d put in another twelve-hour stint at the office, and he needed to be distracted. The usual drinks with his coworkers wouldn’t cut it this evening. Alec felt bad about lying to them, claiming he had a headache and pretending to go home. But it had been too long, and the pull was too strong to resist.

It was a very particular type of distraction he was looking for tonight.

Alec picked out the guy as he watched from his place in the shadows. He was average height and slimly built; his hair was an indeterminate colour in the dim lights at the edge of the still mostly empty dance floor—light brown, perhaps, or maybe blond? It was his smile that drew Alec’s attention. He was with a group of friends, who looked like they could be students—young, casual, carefree. They were talking and laughing, and when this guy grinned at something a girl said, his face lit up.

Alec watched them for a while, sipping at his whisky while he assessed his chances. As they were in a gay bar, it was likely that the object of his interest swung his way, but he didn’t look like he was here to hook up. He didn’t have the roving eye that Alec knew meant an easy target. He was focused on his friends, not eyeing up the talent.

Alec liked a challenge.

His opportunity came when the guy broke away from the group and headed to the bar. His arse was as beautiful as his smile, curving sweetly at the top of his slender legs. Alec followed him, draining the last of his whisky as he went. He stepped in behind his quarry, noting he was taller than the younger man by a good couple of inches. Alec’s gaze skated over the snug T-shirt that showed a lean frame and wide shoulders tapering to slim hips. A flash of skin above the waistband of his jeans made Alec long to touch, to run a fingertip along that smooth expanse and make him shiver.

Alec raised his eyes and found blue ones looking back at him from the mirror behind the bar. A smirk curved the guy’s full, pink lips as he met Alec’s eyes, then he turned slowly around to lean back against the bar. He folded his arms over his flat belly and looked Alec up and down appraisingly.

“Are you going to offer to buy me a drink, then?” He raised his eyebrows. “Or didn’t I pass muster?”

Cheeky. Alec could handle cheeky.

“What are you having?”

“Rum and Coke, please.” His face remained expressionless.

Alec caught the eye of one of the guys behind the bar and leaned in to make himself heard over the background noise. “Double rum and Coke, and double scotch—neat, no ice.” He could smell the other man’s sweat, fresh and clean. Alec’s cock started to react. He put his hand in his pocket and made a subtle adjustment as he drew back. He was still in his suit, and the fabric didn’t do much to hide a hard-on. Good thing he was wearing snug boxer briefs to keep it in check.

His companion was still watching him, seemingly waiting for him to make his move. Alec felt irrationally irritated. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Even though he only did it occasionally, picking up men was easy for Alec. Buying a drink was more than he usually bothered to do for the twinks he hooked up with when he was in the mood for a warm body to fuck. Alec was well aware of his own attractiveness and used it to his advantage. A crook of a finger, a tilt of his head, or even just a look was usually enough to make them come running.

But this guy didn’t seem to know the rules of the game.

“Strong, silent type, huh?” He suddenly grinned at Alec, all neat white teeth and dimples. “You could start by telling me your name. Mine’s Ed.”

“Alec.” He handed a note to the barman as he came back with their drinks. “Keep the change.”

“Cheers, mate.” The barman winked as he pocketed the tip.

Ed’s eyebrows lifted. “Change from a twenty? You must have money to burn.”

“Something like that.” Alec let his gaze rake deliberately down Ed, examining him from the front this time. His arms were still folded over his chest and his T-shirt had ridden up enough to expose a feathered line of hair on his belly, leading down to a nice-looking package in obscenely tight skinny jeans. “I hope you bottom?”

Ed blinked and choked on his mouthful of rum and Coke. Alec suppressed the urge to grin, enjoying the fact that Ed had momentarily lost his cool.