Be My Companion

Alexis

Julian hadn't provided me with a reason for this spontaneous trip to the other side of the country. But at the same time, he wasn't obligated to give me a reason. As his sober companion, I had to accompany him to any places where his sobriety may be compromised, and The City That Never Sleeps would be the perfect example of this.

Like the compliant sober companion I was, I packed for the trip the night before and included as much warm clothing as possible, as instructed by Frank. As I had never experienced the weather in the north east, a huge part of me was excited to see New York City in person for the first time but was worried about just how cold it might be.

I moved from Melbourne to Los Angeles and after a brief stint there, eventually relocated to Orange County. I never had enough time in between clients to really travel around the USA, and none of my clients prior to Julian had the expendable budget to randomly whisk me away around the country. And after the blowout from mine and Julian's explosive interview with Sabrina, I definitely needed this break.

After a delicious breakfast served by Frank, I gathered my luggage and waited by the front door for Julian. My client emerged from his side of the apartment in a navy long sleeve top that clung to his muscles and a pair of beige chino pants.

I internally sighed. Even his casual, effortless looks were just so damn handsome.

"Are you all packed and ready to go, Lex?" he asked me.

I nodded my head and offered a well-practiced smile; one that said that this was strictly a professional trip together and nothing more. And also one that disguised my childlike excitement to go to NYC for the first time.

I followed Julian into the elevator and stood to the side, keeping my eyes off him as we rode down the building. We were immediately greeted by the driver who eagerly took our luggage off us and placed it in the boot - sorry, 'trunk' - of the car.

"Have you been to New York before?" Julian asked me as we sat in the back of the car together.

I simply shook my head and kept my gaze out the window, trying to ignore the obvious distraction of Julian's charm.

"I'm excited to share this first with you, Lex," he said. The way his voice coated around those words suggested he was purposely implying a double entendre that made my heart flutter.

We rode to the airport in a peaceful silence, interrupted only by the sounds of the quiet radio the driver was listening to. When we bypassed the usual drop off point to the airport, I sat up in my seat and looked around in a panic, wondering if the driver had accidentally missed it.

"Lex," Julian said, a sweet-like-honey tone colouring his voice, "it's fine. We're going to the private hangar."

"Private?" My eyebrows shot up almost as high as the pitch in my tone.

Julian chuckled. "Yeah, Lex. You're travelling with the best defensive end in the league." He hit me with a double bicep flex as an exclamation point to his humble brag.

Before my mind could even fathom what was going on, we had arrived next to a private jet and the driver had stopped the car. Julian got out of the car and opened the door for me to follow.

"I don't often travel like this," he said with a more serious tone, "but for interstate trips like New York, might as well splurge a bit."

"Julian," I mumbled, "this is..."

He shrugged his big shoulders. "I want you to be as comfortable as possible."

I looked up into Julian's baby blues and a wave of emotion crashed over me.

How could I not be in love with this man?

A flight attendant greeted us at the bottom of the steps with a picture perfect smile on her face.

"Welcome Mr. Mendes and Mr. Ambrose. We'll have the plane prepped and ready to go shortly."

I watched Julian stroll up the steps and turn to face me. With a gentle affection that only he could muster, Julian held his hand out for me to take with the most charming smile on his face.

Going against my better judgment, I took his hand as he helped me up the few steps into the plane. My hand in his felt so natural, like the inevitable coming together of two parts that made a whole. This simple yet warm embrace sparked something inside of me, and my legs almost became jelly at the sensation.

"Are you alright?" he asked me, noticing my wobbly stance.

I nodded my head and willed myself to keep it together.

Regrettably, Julian let go of my hand, and while I regathered the use of my legs, I looked around at the opulence that was flying private.

There were four white leather reclining chairs facing each other at the front of the plane, and then a matching white leather sofa behind it, facing a flatscreen TV that was bigger than the one I had in my own apartment. A dining set with four chairs sat behind the lounge area and was adjacent to, if my eyes didn't deceive me, a private bedroom that I could partially see through the open door.

"Is that a whole ass bedroom?" I said blankly, pointing to the open door.

Julian laughed and nodded his head. "It's a pretty long flight. It's nice to have the option to sleep on a proper bed if you want."

Not knowing what to do, I followed Julian into the plane and sat down on one of the chairs next to him.

---

Julian

Watching Alexis behave on the plane like a scolded child who was too scared to touch anything was adorable. He sat next to me on the comfortable leather chairs and had his hands clasped together on his lap, his curious brown eyes darting around the plane as the attendant readied us for take-off.

"Relax, Lex. You should be comfortable here."

I knew that it was incredibly easy for me to say that as someone who was used to opulent things like hiring private air travel, but the stiffness in his shoulders and the way he refused to let his back sink into the cushioning of the sofa gave his position away.

"I've never been on a private plane before," he said quietly.

I smiled, resisting the urge to place my hand on his thigh in a comforting manner. "There's a first time for everything, Lex. Do you want me to get you anything?"

Alexis shook his head and let out a deep breath. Finally, he sank back into the chair and allowed his legs to stretch in front of him in a relaxed manner.

The plane had been prepared for departure, and Alexis followed my lead and buckled his seatbelt. After the seatbelt lights switched off, I got up out of my seat and fell onto the lounge.

"Come on, Lex," I coaxed him.

An unusually mild Alexis tiptoed over and sat next to me. He clasped his hands together and placed them in his lap.

"Relax, Lex. You're allowed to enjoy the moment."

While I was intentionally referring to enjoying the benefits of a private plane, I hope he caught onto the double meaning of my words.

Ever since that glorious morning we spent together in my bed, all I wanted and craved for was his touch. It had been weeks since his lips, his hips, his entire being set my soul on fire, and no other joy in this world could ever compare to how I felt when I made love to him and melted into him.

I had entertained this ridiculous agreement of keeping a strictly professional relationship at first, but now I was becoming frustrated. Surely we could work out an agreement where we behaved in public, but as soon as we were alone, we could embrace each other without any restraints or inhibitions. I didn't see anything wrong with that, as long as we played it safe.

Alexis let out a breath next to me and allowed himself to sink into the cushioning of the sofa, stretching his legs out in front of him.

The attendant brought around a tray of non-alcoholic drinks and an assortment of snacks. She disappeared back into her cabin and once she was out of sight, Alexis allowed himself to eye the assortment in front of him and he slowly picked up a flute of orange juice and a couple of peanuts.

"Do you know why we're going to New York?" I asked him.

Alexis politely shook his head and took a sip of his drink.

"We both needed this break," I explained to him. "I know the media are trying to spin that stupid interview like I'm some ticking time bomb and that you've got something to hide, so I figured you needed a getaway as much as I did."

A grateful smile touched Alexis's full lips. "I appreciate that. I thought you were just taking a break and I needed to accompany you as your sober companion."

"Technically you are working," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Only you get to enjoy some much needed R&R as well. Plus, my family is in New Jersey, so I thought we'd stop by and see them as well."

I watched Alexis's face to see how he would react to that last statement. While the original plan was just to take a break from everything, I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to see my family. I had hesitations knowing I had never brought a girl back home to meet my family, but Alexis wasn't just someone I was bagging. He was... special.

"I'm excited to meet them," he replied.

Alexis turned the TV on and changed the channel to a sci-fi movie I had never heard of before. While sci-fi wasn't particularly my thing, I enjoyed being close to Alexis and watching him become totally engrossed in the screen. Slowly but surely, he became more and more relaxed, and he eventually kicked his shoes off and brought his feet onto the sofa underneath him.

The fatigue from my short sleep last night began to catch up to me and, coupled with the fact that I had no interest in whatever show was playing right now, I felt my eyelids getting heavier and heavier.

Just as I felt myself almost drift off to sleep, Alexis's head landed on my shoulder. Jolting awake, I looked over and saw my sober companion had beaten me to the punch and fallen asleep, his body weighing him down onto my shoulder.

With a smile, I stroked the strands of hair out of his face and wrapped my arm around him, pulling him into my chest. I missed the feel of Alexis next to me. Hell, I missed everything about being intimate with Alexis. That smell of him was so intoxicating, and having that sweet scent invade my nostrils once again was such a welcome sensation.

I leaned my head down and, after checking the coast was clear, pressed my lips against the soft skin of his forehead.

Shit. He was so fucking beautiful.

Suddenly feeling more comfortable than ever, I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, my breathing hitting a similar rhythm to that of Alexis as I slipped into unconsciousness.

---

Alexis

As soon as I woke up, I knew I had fallen into a compromising situation. My eyes blinked open and as soon as they had adjusted to the light, I realised my head was in Julian's lap. One of his arms was draped over me and held me tightly against him like I was his own personal plush toy. Even though I couldn't see him, I could tell by his slow and steady breathing that he was still asleep

My instincts told me to get up, retreat from him as discreetly as possible, and maintain that professional relationship while hiding behind the wall I had worked hard to build over the past couple of weeks.

Come on Alexis. You can do it. Move. Get away from him. Separate yourself from this man that you are foolishly in love with.

Every muscle in my body and every fibre of my being was screaming at me to create distance. But I stayed in my position, with my head comfortably laying in his lap. I reached up and, with my heart almost beating out of my chest, gently grazed Julian's arm, my fingers sliding down his bare forearm. I continued rubbing soft circles on his skin with my thumb.

Oh how I craved the touch of this man. My body yearned to be in contact with his.

My electric touch must've sent shockwaves coursing through his body, because I felt Julian's body shuffle under my weight as he awoke.

"That feels nice," he mumbled.

"Sorry for falling asleep on you," I whispered.

"Don't be."

Julian pulled his other arm around me and held me close to him.

"Are you comfortable, baby?" he asked me.

My heart skipped a beat as I heard him break one of my conditions in our strictly professional relationship. But here I was, laying in his lap, stroking his arm because my body yearned for this man's touch, so it’s not like I was innocent exactly.

"I'm okay," I said.

"Go make use of that big bed over there."

I wasn't sure whether this was an invitation to join him in the bed, or if he was doing the responsible thing and sending me away to sleep by myself. Either way, the fatigue that I was still feeling took over, and I slowly pushed myself off him and up onto my feet. I made my way towards the bedroom and quickly glanced out the window, silently summoning all of the leftover courage I had in me.

"Well," I said, looking over my shoulder at Julian. "Are you coming?" 

 

After having a well-rested sleep inside the arms of Julian, and eating one of the best airplane meals I've ever had in my life, we touched down in New York City. The friendly flight attendant, who luckily had the decency to knock on the bedroom door before barging in on Julian and I cuddling, bid farewell to us as we stepped out of the plane. A black SUV was already waiting to collect us. I don't think I was ever going to get used to this luxury life that Julian Ambrose lived.

Julian and I had a silent agreement that we wouldn't acknowledge the amazing snuggling we just shared in the private plane, and as we sat in the backseat of the car, I kept my hands in my lap and looked out the window.

The hustle and bustle of New York seemed so different to the chaos that was LA. Only ten minutes into my drive was I totally lost in the awe of the concrete jungle.

"I hope you like where we're staying, Lex," Julian said. "If you have any issues, let me know and I'll work something out."

I glanced over at Julian whose gaze beheld me like I was a precious painting in an art museum.

"Given that I just had one of the best sleeps on a whole ass bed in a private plane, I'm going to guess that the accommodation you picked will also be more than satisfactory."

Julian chuckled, with his smile that lightened up his entire face.

This man's entire being was so fascinating to me. He could charge through a football field and take another grown man down with a vicious tackle, and then turn around a minute later with the sweetest smile on his face and ask me if I needed anything. His arms were bulging with muscles that would intimidate anyone on sight, and yet he would wrap them around me so gently as he held me in the night.

Julian Ambrose was almost like a walking contradiction, and I loved every aspect of him. The sweet and the sour; the day and the night.

"What are you thinking about over there, Lex?" he asked me sweetly.

"Just funny how life works," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

We pulled up to our accommodation and before I even had the chance to realise what was happening, a valet had opened my door.

"Welcome to the Ritz-Carlton," he greeted me.

I stepped out of the car and turned to look at Julian who had a sheepish grin on his face.

"We'll bring your luggage inside for you, Mr. Mendes. We hope you enjoy your stay with us."

Julian walked around to join me. "Is this alright b-". He cleared his throat to stop himself from breaking rule number three again. "Lex," he corrected himself.

"Is the Ritz-Carlton alright? Of course it is, Julian! I've only ever heard of this place in movies."

Julian leaned down so he could whisper into my ear. "I aim to please you, Lex."

A sensual shiver ran up my spine as we walked into the lobby. Julian often chose his words particularly, and when he uttered them in that low, husky whisper, they had such a profound power over me.

We were greeted by another hotel worker and were personally guided to the reception desk. Julian began the check-in process while I looked around the lobby in awe of the immaculate opulence of the design. The tiles were a clean, white marble that reflected the light underneath the grand chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

"Here are your keys," the receptionist said, breaking my concentration. "We have you in our Presidential Suite. We will take your bags up for you, and our concierge here will escort you up to your room. If you need anything, please let us know. We hope you enjoy your stay here."

I was too stunned to formulate a sentence, so I let Julian do all the talking and silently followed the concierge onto the elevator.

I was used to staying at cheap motels and hostels whenever I travelled, believing in the mantra that so long as you had a bed and a roof over your head, then you were fine. Being personally escorted to my Presidential Suite by the hotel concierge was not something that I was accustomed to.

We followed the concierge into the suite, and I looked around in wonder as I drank in the sheer size of the suite, which was bigger than every apartment I had ever lived in. The two bedrooms sat on opposite ends of the suite with their own ensuite bathrooms, sandwiching a dining area, fully equipped kitchen, study area, and two separate lounge rooms.

"Your luggage will be up here shortly. Enjoy your stay."

The concierge bowed his head at us and left the room, closing the door behind him. After the initial shock had worn off, I fell onto the sofa and stretched my legs out in front of me.

"Welcome to New York, Lex," Julian said.

---

Julian

I didn't know that watching Alexis take in New York City with a pure excitement, like a child walking into a theme park for the first time, would be such a wholesome experience. If I knew that his joy would fill me with such pride and happiness, I would've done this weeks ago.

After taking him to dinner, we took a scenic walk through Central Park before heading back to the hotel. The cold New York weather definitely didn't want to be friendly with us; Alexis had his arms folded tightly against his body, and his blonde hair was flattened in his grey pom pom beanie.

"Do you want my jacket, Lex?" I asked him.

Even though I was almost shivering on this cold night, I knew that Alexis's delicate figure needed this coat more than I did. And I was helpless when it came to protecting him.

"I'm fine," he said through chattering teeth.

Without a word, I shrugged my jacket off and wrapped it around his frame. While he resisted at first, he eventually thanked me and wrapped my coat around his body with a sweet smile on his face.

We silently strolled through the park, with Alexis taking in the sights that he had seen on movies or TV shows. We passed by groups of friends, families, and couples also enjoying the cold New York night.

A few people approached us and asked for a photo which I was happy to oblige. Some even spoke to Alexis about his recent appearance in the media and they appeared to side with the truth, that my sober companion had done nothing wrong and was being unfairly targeted.

"It's so wild to me that people on the other side of the country are still big fans of you," Alexis said with a chuckle.

"You know football is an American sport, right? Like it encompasses all 50 states."

Alexis lightly shoved me. "I know! I just figured that people in New York would just be fans of their own gridiron team and hate someone from Orange County."

I pulled my arm around Alexis and brought him close to me in a cheeky manner. "You have so much to learn, young one!"

Alexis started laughing - his true, deep belly laugh that I loved - and tried to push himself away from me, but he was no match for my strength.

"Julian!"

I brought my other arm around him and held him in an almost bearhug. His body was writhing in my grip as he simultaneously tried to break apart from me, and also laughed so hard that his chest was heaving.

Taking advantage of this very rare moment that we shared, I held him close to me and inhaled that sweet scent of his that I was addicted to.

"You smell so good, Lex," I whispered in his ear. “Fuck I’ve missed it.”

Alexis stopped laughing, and the tension between us immediately increased tenfold.

"I want to hold you in my arms tonight, Lex."

Alexis shuffled around in my grasp and looked around nervously. "Julian, people might see us."

"Then you better respond to my request."

Alexis sighed. "You don't know how much I've wanted to cuddle you in bed, Julian."

I used an enormous amount of willpower to not plant a big ol' kiss on him right then and there for everyone in Central Park to see.

"Well then, we better get back to our hotel."

Letting go of Alexis for now, we quickly scurried through the park and back to the Ritz-Carlton. As we rode the elevator up to our suite, Alexis's brown eyes looked a whole shade darker as he eyed me suggestively. His gaze told me that he had more than just cuddling in mind. He was teasing me, and I was going to fucking cave.

The elevator door pulled open, and I almost fumbled the key card on my way to unlocking our door. As soon as we were inside, I turned to face Alexis immediately. He pulled my coat off him and then removed his own jacket before he jumped into my waiting arms, wrapping his legs around my waist. His lips crashed into mine, and a soft moan escaped his lips as his tongue thrashed with mine.

Against my better judgment, I pulled away from Alexis's passionate kisses.

"Wait," I said breathlessly. "I want to take this slow. I haven't been able to hold you or kiss you in weeks, and I want to enjoy every moment of this."

Alexis smiled down at me. "In that case, I would like to take a shower before we go to bed. And I best not be showering alone."

Moments later, I was standing in the shower with Alexis and had his naked body pressed up against mine as the warm water cascaded down our bodies. He had his arms wrapped around my neck, and my soapy hands began exploring his shoulders, down his back, appreciating the curve of his spine, and finally rested on the mounds of his ass. My cock was rock hard and standing at attention, and it stood proudly next to Alexis's own erection.

I had to take a moment to think about just how quickly things had changed in my life. It seemed like it was only yesterday that I was a regular heterosexual man, plowing through any pussy that came my way without any commitment or connection. Now, I craved the intimate connection that I had with one man, and my body yearned for his touch in every waking moment of the day.

Alexis turned the water off and stood on his toes to plant a kiss on me.

"Dry me off and let's go to bed," Alexis said.

I quickly patted myself down with the crisp white towel and helped dry off Alexis. As soon as I was satisfied, I lifted his body into my arms and carried him into the master bedroom, gently placing him down on the soft cushioning of the mattress.

Alexis shuffled backwards until his head was on the pillow, his eyes never leaving mine. His seductive gaze was taunting me, and his teeth drew over his bottom lip as his gaze slowly trailed down my chest, my abs, and down to my rock hard cock.

I brought my knees onto the mattress to begin crawling towards him, but Alexis shot his bent leg up and pressed his foot against my forehead, stopping me dead in my tracks.

“You’ve had your fun taking control of my body,” he said, shaking his head with a smirk on his face. “Now it’s my turn.”