Chapter 6
Sam
The whole situation was crazy how the two of them ended up sharing a room. It seemed like the universe was conspiring against Sam. He shook his head as he took his camera equipment out of his bag. He carefully laid out the lenses and camera onto the small table in the corner of the room.
Sam held up the lenses to check for smudges. His head turning to see Paul laying down on the bed. His legs were crossed at the ankle with his head upon the pillow. He wasn’t sleeping though. The man had a book in his hand and had it held up so he could read. The occasional sound of a page being flipped was the only sound that came from that direction.
The camera equipment didn’t need to be checked. Sam had already done it before he left his apartment. It was just something to keep his mind occupied. He picked up the camera to make sure he had an empty memory stick in it. He carried many spares in case one got full. Higher resolution pictures meant that only a few shots may fit on one memory card before he had to change it out.
Sam had planned on getting dinner when he ran into Paul and Dan in the lobby. He delayed it to help them out with the current situation being the result. He placed the camera onto the table and looked over at Paul. “You said there was a Chinese restaurant nearby, right?” Sam rose up from the table, placing his hands into his pockets.
The handsome figure on the bed sat up at those words. The book folding closed and placed beside him on the bed. Paul swung his legs around to stand up from the bed. “Yes. Ming Garden. I’ve eaten there a few times when I have come up here. We can go and grab a bite right now if you are hungry?”
The thought of food sounded like a great idea for Sam. He picked up the keycard from the table and motioned to the door. “I’m ready now. I was going to get food when I ran into you in the lobby.” Sam opened the door to the room to exit out into the hallway. He turned his head to make sure that Paul followed. “I think you should lead the way since you know where this place is. I don’t know my way around.”
Paul laughed. “I don’t know my way around very well either. I tend to wander around until I find something that looks good. I’ll show you the way. It is not far from here.”
They rode the elevator down to the lobby floor. Paul lead the way and Sam followed along behind him. Under other circumstances, Sam would be very attracted to him. He had a great build and the dark brunette hair combined with his height just did it for Sam. Who was Sam kidding? He was definitely attracted to him. The man had so much confidence in his stride and the way he talked. His voice had a deep, rough bass tone to it that came across as sexy.
The restaurant was a block away from the hotel. The building had two stories and the outside was decorated in red and black. Two gold lion statues stood guard at the front doors. Paul opened the door for Sam. “He was a gentleman after all.” Sam thought to himself.
This restaurant was nicer than most Chinese places that Sam had visited. The ones that he tended to go to had buffet lines. Honestly, they may not even be considered Chinese with the exception of some of the dishes they served. A waiter seated them at a table and handed them both menus to look over.
“This place is fancier than I thought it would be. It is a pleasant surprise. Thanks for dinner.” Sam perused the menu to make up his mind. Spicy beef with wanton soup and water to drink.
Paul folded his hands over his lap. “I remember the first time I came here. I didn’t expect it to be this nice either. The food is good and the company is even better. That’s what counts.”
Sam nodded his head. “I don’t consider myself good company, but I appreciate the compliment.” He sat the menu down onto the table.
The waiter came over to take their orders and Sam recited off his decision. Paul ordered a honey chicken dish with egg rolls and water. The waiter took the menus from them to return to the kitchen.
Sam picked up his glass of water to sip from it. “How did you end up not having a room for the night? If Dan is your manager, shouldn’t he have made those reservations weeks ago?” Sam watched the alpha with curiosity.
The handsome man leaned forward at the table. His elbows on the table top and his hands folded together in front of him. “Yeah. About that. Dan is a good guy but he tends to wait until the last minute to get things done. He probably didn’t think of a situation where rooms wouldn’t be available.”
The explanation made sense to Sam. “That seems like poor planning on his part. I think it would have been better to reserve the room in advance. You could have always cancelled if you didn’t need the room and get a refund for your deposit.”
Paul lowered his hands, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “That would be the smart thing. Dan is a good guy and he means well. He takes care of the leg work while I show up to swim. It’s a good arrangement between the two of us.”
The waiter returned with their meals and placed them onto the table in front of them. The smell of the spiced beef strips filled Sam’s nostrils. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and took up a bite of the beef. The flavor burst into his mouth. The spice and succulent flavor of beef made a great combination. “Oh, this is great! I am going to remember this place if I ever come back.”
Paul picked up a fork, motioning over to Sam. “I don’t see how you eat with those things. I’ve tried to get the hang of chopsticks before. It makes more sense to eat with a fork.” Paul speared a piece of the honey chicken onto his fork and took a bite from it.
Sam laughed at Paul’s admission to not being familiar with how to use chopsticks. “Are you serious? It is easy once you get used to it. Here. I can show you.” He opened his hand to show how to place the first chopstick against the base of the thumb and against the ring finger. “Place the first chopstick like this. Now the second one, you want to put that in your hand with your thumb pressing near the base like a pencil. Use your thumb, index and middle finger to move the upper chopstick.” He demonstrated by moving the chopsticks together.
Placing the fork down onto the table, Paul took up the chopsticks and attempted to mimic what Sam had shown him. His fingers awkwardly moving the chopsticks. He lost his grip on one and it fell back onto the table. Sam laughed and reached over to take hold of Paul’s hand. “Like this.” He positioned the chopsticks for Paul, showing him how to move his hand with slow movements to control them.
“Your hand feels nice. They are warm and smooth.” Paul still gripped onto the chopsticks but his left hand placed over top of Sam’s hand. Sam felt his heart race with the slight touch. His eyes locked with Paul’s gaze. It felt like those brown eyes were staring right into his soul.
Sam pulled his hand away from Paul’s grip. His head turned down to look at the beef on his plate. With his heart racing from the touch and his words, he was no longer thinking about the meal. His mind started to imagine a different kind of beef. The handsome alpha in front of him naked on a bed with his muscled physique showing and his hard cock.
The image that Sam painted in his mind disappeared when Paul spoke to him. “Are you alright? You were staring off into space.” Paul had an eggroll between his fingers and took a bite from it. He pointed his finger toward Sam. “Is the food good?”
Sam nodded his to the question. “Yes, sorry. I am fine. I got lost in thought. The food is great. Thanks for bringing me here.” Sam liked the alpha sitting across from him, but it was too soon. He didn’t want a rebound relationship where he went after the first person that caught his interest. It would be a fleeting affair and those never ended well. He did not want to end up more hurt when the relationship lasted a few months. He decided to remain friends with Paul for now. When he healed, he would see if the handsome alpha was still available.