Laurence and Eduardo have been lovers for ten wonderful years, but in the past few months Eduardo has become distant. Still madly in love with his Brazilian hunk, Laurence tries everything he can think of to win Eduardo back. When he catches Eduardo being unfaithful with one of the young servants, Laurence’s world is turned upside down. An argument ensues and Eduardo disappears during the night.<br><br>On his own for the first time in his life, Laurence decides to escape his memories of Eduardo by visiting Paris indefinitely. He stays at the new, opulent Hotel Regina where he meets Brenton, a fellow Brit. They visit the Moulin Rouge and afterwards, Brenton takes him to a club in the backstreets of Montmatre. Le Cul Noir is a men’s club where Laurence discovers he hasn’t been as outrageous as he previously thought.<br><br>He grows to care for Brenton, but he’s surprised to find himself thinking more and more about Eduardo. He knows he can’t have them both, but does he try to forget all about the love of his life and stay in Paris? Or does he have to find the courage to say goodbye to Brenton and go in search of Eduardo -- a man who may be lost to him forever?

Erotique

I wait for a “ta-da” which never comes and laugh as I feel the weight of Eduardo’s arm being draped over my shoulder.


“Brenton, this is Eduardo. Remember? I told you about him.”


The two men shake hands though I can see Eduardo is suspecting the worst. He has every right to, although thankfully he could never fully imagine the debauched time Brenton and I shared in Paris.


“Come in and we’ll have some coffee. Or tea if you’d rather.”


“Coffee’s fine,” he says. “I can’t stay long. I don’t want to impose, but since I was travelling to Bath anyway, I thought I could go the extra few miles and see where it is you live.”


We sit down in the drawing room and I ring for Taylor.


“What brings you to Bath?” asks Eduardo, making sure he sits beside me; a not very subtle display of possession.


“I have some business, some family business, there. In fact, a funeral. Not very pleasant, but we all have one sooner or later.”


Chapter 28