Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:43:52 +0200
From: Leo C. <lcwrite@gmail.com>
Subject: Just Like a Dream 1

Just like a dream -- or Fly into the Sun.

Hey everybody. I'm new at this, but reading other peoples stories has often
given me a lot of fun, so I thought it was time for me to contribute. I
hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't know any of the persons in the following and have no
idea what so ever of their sexual orientation. That's strictly their own
business -- and this is purely fiction -- not intended to offend
anybody. If it does anyway: I'm sorry, but a guy's allowed to dream, right?
................

Chapter 1 -- An unexpected encounter

One night a few months ago I woke up in a sweat at 3 a.m.. Woke up from a
dream that was both delightful and troubled me at the same time. Usually I
don't think I have dreams like that. It was almost painfully real, and it
stayed with me even after waking up. I dreamt of me and a man. He wasn't
someone I know - and yet he did seem familiar to me. I was with him in
every sense of the word, and all the time I felt both pleasure and
anxiety. The pleasure I could understand: I am gay, right, so that should
be no surprise. But the anxiety I really didn't understand, because there
was nothing in my dream to provoke it. Anyway, my heart was pounding way
too fast, and I felt like I was on an adrenalin rush.

It took a while for me to go back to sleep again, so when the alarm buzzed
the next morning I was totally beaten. I still remembered the dream quite
vividly, though. Who was that guy? I was sure I had seen him somewhere, but
I really couldn't remember where. As I sat in the kitchen drinking my
coffee, I started daydreaming -- going over the dream again. Remembering
the intimate little details of it all.

How I suddenly found myself in a beautiful garden with this incredible
guy. He was probably a bit younger than me (26), short -- only about 5
ft. 7, messy dark hair, tanned skin. He wore a thin cotton button down
shirt, open enough to show his nice, smooth chest muscles. He was slim, but
with a muscular build. Not too muscular, though -- only just the way I like
`em. Bodybuilders never really turned me on. The sight of his butt and
thighs in those slim blue jeans really lit a spark in me. But the best
thing about him was his eyes. Hazel brown, warm and caring eyes deep enough
to drown in.

He came towards me, and very confidently he pulled me into a tight
hug. When we let go again, he kept his hands on my shoulders and looked at
me with those incredible eyes of his. Then he leaned in again and kissed
me, like I've never been kissed before. He poured everything I need from a
lover into that kiss. Caring tenderness, devotion, craving curiosity and
passion -- all in one kiss. I never knew it could be that good.

"Shit!!" I jumped to my feet. My eyes had evidently glanced at the clock on
the wall, and my brains -- though occupied with other and more important
things -- had decided to stop my daydreaming -- cause if I was going to
make it to work in time, I had to rush for it!

Getting into City with the rest of the morning crowd is always a
challenge. I live in a quiet residential area in Notting Hill, and it's
only about 20 minutes with the tube to where I work in central London. I
own my own business -- a bookshop. I'm doing quite well. The shop gives me
a comfortable income, enough to afford my house in Notting Hill, a nice
car, a holiday abroad every year and the daily necessities of living --
like going out, buying fancy clothes etc.  And my two housemates Minerva
and Albus -- who are my two gorgeous Norwegian forest cats, named after two
of my favourite Harry Potter figures. My parents died way to early in a car
crash, leaving me the house and a small fortune at the age of 20. After
fooling around for about a year, I decided, that the rest of the money had
to be used to earn me a living. So I went back to school. I worked my way
to a B.A. degree at the Business school at the East London University, and
decided to use the rest of my inheritance to buy a bookshop, as books and
reading are probably my greatest passion. I found a nice shop with a good
location, bought it, and worked my butt off to make it what it is today. I
now have nine employees, whom I have chosen very carefully. They are all
about my own age, presentable and with a passion for literature, just like
me. My business philosophy is, that you have to be passionate about what
you work with. You've got to want to give the costumer all your special
attention and all your knowledge and love for the product. If you can't do
that, you might as well get a job as a cashier in a supermarket!

Anyway -- even if the shop is doing quite well now, I like to come in
before opening hours in the morning to make sure, that everything is ready
and presentable for the costumers, and to have a chat and a cup of coffee
with the morning staff, before we open the doors. We're all in this
together and work as a team, and I consider most of them some of my closest
friends.

That day the morning team consisted of Ana and Nigel. As I rushed in like a
storm ten minutes before opening hours and tried to start my usual morning
routine at maximum speed, Ana came over and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Easy now, Nicky, everything is just fine." she said with a teasing, sweet
smile. "Come and have your coffee. I think you might need that."  "But..."
I started, before she cut me off.  "No buts. Come on now!" She said,
pulling me out to the staff room in the back and got me seated with my
coffee mug.

"But what about..." I started.

"Already done!" she stated.

"But I need to..."

"No you don't. We did that too, so just cool off. You need to calm down and
find that usual costumer friendly smile of yours!" she said with a
smirk. "What got you so worked up anyway?"

"Well" I said, finally starting to relax. "The short version is that I
didn't sleep well last night and got going too late. I really hate
that. And I had that dream of some gorgeous...hnng!"

She looked at me over the coffee mug speculatively. "Hm! You need to go and
get laid!"

"Do not!" I fired back.

"Yes you do -- and I need to go and unlock the doors!" she said getting up
from the chair.

I started to get up too, but she looked at me with a bidding expression,
and I slumped back again.

"OK, OK, Mummy, I'll just stay here and finish my coffee!" I said with a
pout.

"Good boy!"

So I leaned back and started to relax. What a girl!  If I hadn't happened
to be gay...

But then again I was. I knew it, and she knew it, and there was nothing
more to say about that. Except she was completely right: I needed to get
laid.

I don't believe in what people seem to think is the gay lifestyle. The idea
of fucking around all the time just doesn't appeal to me. I want something
solid. Something safe. Something where love comes first and then sex as a
natural follow. And I hadn't had the time to look for that in years -- well
actually not since I accepted, that I was gay. I definitely have been
attracted to some odd guy from time to time, but I never put in the time to
find out, if there could be more to it. So actually -- I've never really
been laid. And now I wanted to. I wanted...him!

My god, was that pathetic. I was falling in love at first sight...with a
dream image! How sane was that?

I realized then, that I had to do something about it. And taking a vacation
would be a good start. I needed to forget about the shop for a while and do
something else. And this time of year would be a good time. The springtime
is never the busiest time of year in London. The tourists don't start to
really pour in before June, and people are starting to think about other
things than reading. So now was actually a great time. And Ana and the
others could easily manage on their own for a couple of weeks.

So I went to my office and turned on the computer and started looking at
travel sites on the Internet to get some idea of where to go. I had just
found something interesting, when the bell rang, to tell me, that I was
needed in the shop.

I immediately went in there. And the shop was indeed unusually busy for a
Thursday morning -- meaning that there were eight costumers at the same
time. Ana and Nigel were both occupied, and another couple of costumers
were waiting at the desk while yet some more were browsing on their own. So
I started to serve the waiting costumers at the desk. Twenty minutes later,
the last costumer waiting to be served was a young guy, who'd found a book
on his own.  Or more correctly -- a cute young guy. He was kind of a short,
with messy blond hair and somewhat sharp features - and a nice mouth. He
sported a small beard on his chin, and he was lean, wearing denim jeans and
jacket and lightly shaded glasses.

"Hello Mate, what can I do for you?" I greeted him.

"I found this book, that I'd like to buy" he answered, laying the latest
novel of one of my favourite writers -- Paolo Coelho -- on the desk. The
Zahir.

"Well, that's an interesting choice" I said "If you like a good story with
a spiritual message, that's really the best choice at the moment! It's
actually one of my all time favourites!"

"Really?" he asked with an interested smile.

"Oh yes!" I said "It really gives you something deep to think about, like
the nature of love and the meaning of life in general. And he really is a
gifted writer. Once you get started, you can hardly let it go again, until
you've finished it."

"Oh! I like that!" he said. "Do you have anything else like it?"

"Well...I think we should have a few other books by Coelho. He's actually
written quite a few others with a similar twist, but there's also ..."

And we started an animated conversation about interesting books. I was
definitely dealing with a passionate connoisseur here. The kind of costumer
that really makes it worth the while to run a bookshop.

"What else do you like?" He asked at one point during the conversation,
removing the shades - and I nearly had a heart attack. Suddenly I found
myself staring into the eyes of my dream lover !!

"You!" I said, almost in a whisper, before I had a chance to pull myself
together.

"Well, thank you" he said with a short laughter "It's always nice to meet a
fan. Hello -- I'm Jon Lee." he continued, reaching out his hand. Nice hand.

I took it. "Nick Turner" I replied automatically, while my brains were
racing beyond the speed limit. Jon Lee...oh good Lord...JON LEE. The S Club
Jon Lee? The guy of my dream was Jon Lee??? No wonder I thought I should
know him from somewhere. I'd had a crush on him for years while he
performed with the S Club 7. And now he was standing there in front of me,
a little older than I remembered, not a scrawny teenager but a real man,
talking literature with me. Oh God!"

"Turner? Like in "Turner's Books"?" he asked with a smile. "Wow, this is
your shop?"

"Yes, it is actually" I answered. Realizing I was still staring into his
eyes, I looked away. "Look...I'm sorry about that, it's just..."

"No worry!" he said with a grin. "It happens regularly, so I'm used to
it. But right now I just happen to be an ordinary guy having an interesting
conversation about books with the nice owner of "Turner's Books". Now,
where were we. Oh yes. So. What else do you like?"

I grinned back at him, and forced myself to relax. "Well, I hate to admit
it, but I really like Fay Weldon. I think she writes in a unique style, so
witty, and razor sharp at the same time."

"Really? Me too. Which book do you like best?"

And so we were at it again. And it felt so natural, that I almost forgot
who he was. But those eyes, and that voice. I just savoured it all along
with the conversation.

"Oooops!" he suddenly broke of the conversation after glancing at his
watch. "Look, I have to be somewhere in a moment. But I really enjoy
talking to you. How about if we continue over lunch?"

Needles to say, I agreed immediately. He would be back to pick me up at one
o'clock.

When he was on his way out, I spotted the book on the desk. "Hey
Jon. Remember your book!"

"Oh yeah! I wouldn't want to miss that! How much is it!" he said, pulling
out his wallet.

"Never mind -- it's on the house!" I said.

He looked at me with a sort of tired expression. "Nick, you don't have to!
I wanna pay like anyone else!"

I had to think fast to wiggle myself out of that one without being too
obvious. "I know -- but I want to. Consider it a gift from one lover of
books to another."

That made him smile again. "OK. Thanks! See you in couple of hours!"

And then he was gone - and I was in Heaven.

Ana immediately came over. "Wasn't that..."

"Yes! That was Jon Lee!" I interrupted her with a silly grin. "And guess
who's having lunch with him later!"

"WHAT!" she almost screamed -- and realizing that the few odd costumers in
the shop turned around and stared at her, she quickly smiled at
them. "Sorry!"

And back to me"You are what?!" This time at a lower volume. "Staff room!
Now!"

So we left Nigel to look after the shop and went out back.

"You must be joking, right?" she asked.

"Nooo -- I'm not!" I answered "He's a really, really nice guy -- and anyway
it was his idea!"

She looked at me and seemed to consider the silly grin on my face.

"Oh my God. It's a kind of date, isn't it?" she then asked, looking
worried.

"I don't know" I said "So far it's just two literature freaks discussing
books -- but there might be more to it."

"Hmm! Just be careful Nicky. I don't want you to get hurt. I think you're
already falling in love with him, aren't you?"

"I don't know yet!" I said. "But I have a really good feeling about
this. How do I look?"

She checked me out. "You look just fine" was the verdict. "I suppose you're
not going anywhere posh?"

"I wouldn't think so. There's nothing posh about Jon!" I smiled.

"Well, then you'll do just fine -- as always!" she said. "And don't worry
about getting back here. Michael and Lynn are perfectly capable of closing
up without you here!"

...

I checked myself in the restroom mirror at least twenty times during the
next hour. I guess my looks are OK -- well, OK plus then. I dress pretty
sharp and my dark hair is usually newly cut and rather short. I have good
regular features, though slightly exotic due to a Chinese ancestor. But my
eyes are very blue. I'm slim but fit and not very tall. Only a couple of
inches taller than Jon. And I came to the conclusion, that my looks
wouldn't be the reason, if he didn't want me.

A quarter to one I was ready to go. At five minutes to one I was really
nervous. At five minutes past one I was slightly worried, as Jon hadn't
shown up yet.  At a quarter past one I was on the verge of despair. And
just before he rushed in at 25 minutes past one I was ready to jump in the
river.

But the sight of him washed it all away.

"Sorry Nick!" he exclaimed, as he entered the shop "I really am sorry I'm
late!" It was clear that he meant it, and just one look into those deep
brown eyes, and I was ready to forgive him for anything.

"It's OK!" I said with the sweetest smile I had. "Easy now. You're here, so
don't worry. Just let me grab my jacket, and we're off."

"Where do you want to go?" I asked him, when we got out of the shop.

"Actually, I've already made arrangements." He said, laying a hand on my
shoulder -- which of course caused my heart to jump."Come this way!"

He lead me over to Covent Garden and into one of the old streets of central
London.

"Here it is" he said and stopped in front of an old fashioned pub. We went
inside, and he greeted the keeper. "Hello Mason. Is my table ready?"

"No problem, mate" was the answer, and Mason led us to a table in the
back. "What will you have?"

"I could do with a pint of lager." Jon said "How about you Nick?"

"Just fine with me. I'll have the same."

We ordered some food too, off course, and it was on the table shortly
after.

During lunch we talked mainly about literature, but gradually we moved on
to getting to know each other. Talking about what was going on in our
lives, what we liked and didn't like to spend time doing, which values
ruled our lives, etc.

I think that he was pleasantly surprised, that I was not at all updated as
to what he'd been doing since S Club 7 split a few years ago. I guess it
proved to him, that I was there mainly because of Jon, the nice guy -- and
not to obsess over Jon, the pop star. And that was the truth anyway. I mean
-- I did have a idol crush on him years ago when we were both teenagers,
but right now I just happened to really, really like the person sitting
across the table.

We had another pint and the conversation continued. Flowed freely, as if we
were two old friends updating each other. The were lots of laughs and
smiles -- but also serious and passionate moments, when we talked about
things that mattered to either of us, or both of us. During the
conversation it became increasingly clear to me, that I might have found my
soul mate. We really related well and had many common views on different
subjects. And it didn't take long, before we had started finishing each
others sentences. It turned into a game of "I start and you finish". As if
by mutual agreement we didn't touch the subject of romantic relations,
though. But from some of the things he said I got enough hints to know that
he was single. I dropped a few hints too completely on purpose, and that
was that.

Before we knew it, it had become late afternoon. I guess we wouldn't have
noticed if it hadn't been for the gradually growing crowd in the pub. But
when we did, I could sense, that Jon was getting increasingly restless.

"Should we get out of here?" I asked him, expecting him to be a bit uneasy
because of the crowd.

He smiled a slightly sad smile. "Yes. I have to get home and walk my dog."
And realising that it sounded like a cliche of a lame excuse, he laughed at
himself and continued "Honestly! I do. She's and old girl, my Molly, and
she's got to get out before an accident might happen! But I do have to see
you again soon. This has been a really great afternoon." He paused for a
while and our eyes met.

"Me too!" I said with she sweetest smile I could muster.

"On second thought" he said shortly after "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing really! The great thing about cats is, that they can take care of
themselves for a while!"

"Then why don't you come with me." He continued "We can cook dinner at my
place and play a video game or whatever."

"I'd love to!" I said "But Jon: How do you know that you can trust me? You
really should be careful who you invite in. I might be a vampire!"

He just looked at me with a teasing smile. "I might be one
too!......Anyway, I know we just met, but I think I really know you too
well already not to trust you, right?"

"Point taken -- and of course you can!" I said "I just didn't want you to
have regrets on the way to your house!"

He tilted his head and looked at me. "That's sweet!" he said "Now let's
swoosh out of here. The sun's almost down now!"

That sent me laughing all the way out of the pub. My god, he's fun to be
with.

...

That's it for now. Chapter 2 will be ready shortly.

If you need to find out who Jon is, you can check his website at
jonleeofficial.com.

If you have comments or suggestions, I would be very happy to receive them
at lcwrite@gmail.com