Lily Adile
Lamb
Published: July 25th,
2015
Publisher: Encompass
Ink Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Gay Romance, M/M
Content Warning: Explicit
sexual content, mild violence
Recommended Age: 18+
It has been weeks since Curtis first saw the young waiter
with the haunted eyes. No matter how often he went to the café to find the
right opportunity to introduce himself, that moment simply did not come that
quickly.
Joseph was aware of the gentle giant who quietly came to
have his lunch and then left day after day. Fearing his father’s wrath and
under his ever watchful eyes, he made no moves nor overtures. Until one day
when the other man approaches to him…
His colleague Jason spoke highly of the little corner café
at the mall. Curtis decided to try the food during his lunch break, since he’d
left his sandwiches on the kitchen bench-top at home that morning. Bugger, he
thought sourly, because it was a typically hot Aussie day, and he wasn’t in the
mood to walk to the mall. Perth had always been sweltering in the summer, but
today, it was humid as well. He hated the thought of sweating and then having
visible wet patches painting the fabric under his arms.
He didn’t want to give the impression of being a sweaty, smelly, big bear.
Curtis was slightly overweight, and at just over six-feet, it made him feel
visible and a little self-conscious in the crowd.
He waved at everyone as he left. At the bank where he worked as a teller in
central Perth, he got on well with everyone. His colleagues often teased him
about choosing to work longer hours, but he took it on the chin. Of course,
they’d tease him because he couldn’t hide his shyness.
Emerging from the building, he felt the scorching heat instantly. He quickly
walked, using the shade of other buildings. His wallet was in his pocket, and
he carried his Kindle. Curtis was a voracious reader and hooked on the newest
thriller/suspense novel by his favorite author, Dorien Grey. He’d left his
mobile phone behind, so he wouldn’t be distracted by phone calls.
As it was a Friday, the mall was busy. He looked around curiously before
climbing down the stairs to the Asian café in the corner. It was busy and had a
long queue. Fuck. I hope I won’t spend my lunch break standing here, he thought
irritably.
Waiting at the counter to order his meal, Curtis glanced at a short, slim Asian
waiter, taking a steaming hot bowl of some epicurean delight to a lucky
customer. He couldn't see the man’s face, but something about his general
demeanor caught his attention. He moved deftly through the crowds carrying the
bowl to its intended customer. What caught Curtis’s attention was the way he hunched
his shoulders as if he didn’t wish to be noticed by anyone. No one that young
should walk like the weight of the world rests on his shoulders. Curtis
couldn’t take his eyes off the man with the fragile appearance.
“What can I get for you?” the elderly attendant asked, looking directly at
Curtis.
“Huh? Oh! I’d like to order a small size of your special fried rice, please,”
Curtis said. He paid for it and was given a number to pick up his lunch when it
was called. He walked away from the counter, but stood close enough to collect
his meal. He waited for a while, but grew tired of standing like a beanpole
among those much shorter than him, and looked around for a free table.
He again found himself watching the waiter. This time, he had a better
opportunity to look at him, noting the man’s full profile. He had short, dark
hair that complemented his pale complexion and the pixie-like, fragile bone
structure of his youthful face. Curtis sat down but didn’t open his Kindle.
Instead, he watched the waiter, whose face appeared sad and pale, as if he
didn’t see much sun, despite the sunny days of summer. Curtis sighed and
finally opened his Kindle to read. Immersed in the story, he forgot about his
surroundings and got caught up in the adventure. Since he had a thing for
wounded male heroes, he could already visualize the character, John, in the
story.
Excuse me? Did you order the fried rice?” asked a quiet voice.
Curtis looked up and found the waiter he’d been checking out earlier holding
his food. “Oh! Yes, that's what I ordered.” Curtis felt bad for forgetting to
pick up his lunch. It was clear the guy was extremely busy. “Sorry, I forgot to
come to the counter.”
The man smiled reassuringly at Curtis before he dropped his gaze. “It’s fine.”
Then he walked away.
For the first time, Curtis had been able to look directly into his eyes. He had
delicately exotic Asian features. His eyes are amazing, nearly black in color,
yet lack any sparkle. In fact, they looked haunted. He had a cute little nose
and his lips were full, almost pouty. Curtis continued to watch the man who was
much shorter compared to Curtis’s big frame. He felt suddenly protective toward
him.
By the time Curtis finished his fried rice, his lunch break was nearly over. He
wiped his mouth with the tissue and stood up to leave, but couldn't resist the
urge to look back at the man one last time.
Chapter One
A month had passed since Curtis first saw the waiter. He wasn’t sure whether he
should continue going to the café each day for lunch because he hadn’t found
the courage to approach the guy. He was worried people had begun to notice and
felt nervous that his behavior was stalkerish. He tried to appear as though he
went there for the good food only and not for the man himself. The waiter was
certainly cute, but more than that drew Curtis in. The sadness that overlaid
the sweetness caught his attention and held it. That was what kept him coming
back again and again.
It made his heart heavy to think people might’ve noticed his behavior and think
he was creepy. Who wanted to be known as a creepy stalker-bear guy?
He prayed he was being subtle and hoped he wasn’t receiving any speculative
looks from anyone. But he really had to make a decision soon—either strike up a
conversation with the guy, or stop coming for lunch and torturing himself.
There he was, wiping a table for a couple of customers. He was wearing the same
style of clothes as before. The jeans he wore looked old and frayed, but they
hugged his cute little arse as he bent over, took a swipe at the table with a
damp rag, and collected the dishes. When he stood up, it was obvious the shirt
was as old as the jeans. It was thinned to nearly nothing from frequent
laundering. So transparent, it could have been made of gauze—it did nothing to
hide the guy’s ribs.
Curtis didn’t even realize he stood stock-
still, staring at the man until his
eyes caught the old man at the cashier’s desk glaring at him with a clenched
jaw. His deep frown made Curtis feel awkward to the point where he felt his
cheeks burning. He looked at his phone and checked for messages but still
furtively watched the waiter. He saw the expression he’d come to recognize as
sadness, but this time, there was more to it. He looked like a man who’d lost
all hope. He was also limping and dragged his feet at times.
Is he injured? Why does he look like he’s in despair? Fuck. What’s happening in
his life? .....
Lily
Adile, a Turkish writer, lived in the UK for many years before emigrating to
Australia. She visits her family in Turkey regularly and travels to other
countries, like Singapore, to visit other family members.
She
is blessed with three grown up children and a furry child, Sir JJ Basil.
Encompass Ink Publishing
Links:
Giveaway Details:
Giveaway Details:
There is an international tour wide
giveaway. Prizes include
the following:
- 2 Kindle copies of Stay with Me
