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  “Sweet Desire”

  An M/M Gay Romance

  Max Hudson

  © 2020

  Max Hudson

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is intended for Adults (ages 18+) only. The contents may be offensive to some readers. It may contain graphic language, explicit sexual content, and adult situations. May contain scenes of unprotected sex. Please do not read this book if you are offended by content as mentioned above or if you are under the age of 18.

  Please educate yourself on safe sex practices before making potentially life-changing decisions about sex in real life. If you’re not sure where to start, see here: http://www.jerrycoleauthor.com/safe-sex-resources/ (courtesy of Jerry Cole).

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Products or brand names mentioned are trademarks of their respective holders or companies. The cover uses licensed images and are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any person(s) that may be depicted on the cover are simply models.

  Edition v1.00 (2020.11.11)

  http://www.maxhudsonauthor.com

  Special thanks to the following volunteer readers who helped with proofreading: E. W. Gregg, RB, Big Kidd, Jennie O., and those who assisted but wished to be anonymous. Thank you so much for your support.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter One

  Charles had hopped off the plane in a rush, still disoriented from the eight-hour flight from New York to Zurich. Although the flight had taken off early in the morning, the sound of the flight attendant’s cool voice and the movements of the aircraft had slowly lulled him into a deep sleep. When he had awakened, the screen in front of him displayed that there were only a few minutes before the plane would land. With a snarl, Charles groggily sat up in his seat. He hated waking up from long naps. In his mind, they were unnecessary and simply interfered with his fast-paced schedule.

  Reaching into his suit pocket to pull out a small comb, the American businessman quickly entered the airport restroom and combed back his hair. To Charles, appearance was important. Especially as a businessman, not only was his negotiating skills one of his most important aspects, but his charm was also a significant portion of his skill. With one deep breath, Charles looked himself in the mirror and made sure his suit was clean and that not a single stray hair was out of place. Perfect. Everything looked perfect.

  After exiting the airport, Charles hailed a taxi. Switzerland was quite different from the States, Charles would soon realize as he spoke in broken German to the driver and embarrassingly pulled out his phone to show what hotel the company meetings would be held at. With a warm smile, the driver nodded and continued on his way. Shaking his head, Charles made a mental note to catch up on his vocabulary. It had been too long since he had last visited the quaint European country.

  Arriving at the hotel, Charles quickly thanked the cab driver, tipping the old man generously and then the car sped off. Surveying his surroundings, Charles nodded to himself. He was satisfied with the arrangements the company had given to him. Prior to arriving, the businessman had searched through a few travel review sites and seen that the ratings of the establishment were nothing short of amazing. Needless to say, Charles had not expected anything less for someone in his position. After all, he was an important part of the company- there was no way they would have given him anything less.

  “Mr. Armstrong, right? We have your room already prepared for you. This way, if you may.” A young-looking lobby girl approached Charles as he entered the building. With two braided pigtails that rested on her chest, the girl looked as if she had barely just graduated from high school. Charles chuckled to himself. In a way, her accent was quite endearing.

  A few moments later Charles found himself alone in his hotel suite, waving off the girl as soon as he had swiped his keycard and opened the room’s door. With a sigh of relief, Charles quickly undid his tie, roughly pulling it away from his neck in a strained effort to rid of it entirely. When that was done, the man slumped down into a small loveseat that stood in the middle of the living room. Finally, Charles was at peace.

  Still, something nagged at Charles. Yes, he had arrived in the country rather smoothly, with only a few minor bumps and mishaps on the way. Yet, Charles felt as if there were still things to do, actions to take. The last time he had last set foot in Switzerland had been a high school trip with his family. Surely, the country had changed drastically since that time.

  With this mindset, Charles hauled himself out of his chair and gave way to a small sigh. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, was it? Charles knew that he could not stay cooped up in the hotel any longer. He had to get out and fully experience the city.

  Reaching into his suitcase, Charles dragged his hand around the bottom of the case until he felt a small book, roughly the size of the palm of his hand. As he grabbed the book out into the light of the room, the cover was clearly illuminated by the sun that bled through the translucent curtains. It was his German-to-English pocket dictionary, given to him by his father almost ten years ago. Although he seldom used the book, too confident to be able to admit that he sometimes needed it, the book was always nice to have as a resource on hand. If he was to be walking around the city by himself, it seemed to be a proper decision to take it with him.

  As Charles walked toward the door, the man stopped by the full body mirror on his way out. If he was being honest with himself, he looked like a hot mess. It seemed as if the long flight had taken a toll on his appearance, much evident by the dull look of his skin. Shaking his head, Charles opened the door. It did not matter. He did not know anyone in the city, so there was no one he would particularly need to look good for, anyways.

  In the historical district of Zurich, the streets bustled with bursts of energy. Although there were a few tourists here and there, it seemed that plenty of locals occupied the streets. A few shop owners stood outside their own establishments, peddling whatever they had to sell to curious foreigners and accustomed residents alike. Walking down the street in search of a restaurant that suited his tastes, Charles declined the occasional shop owner that offered him free samples of soap or cologne.

  After what seemed like hours of searching the city, Charles came across a restaurant that seemed casual enough for him to have a quick dinner. The sun had yet to set, but Charles had begun to grow impatient from the amount of time it had taken him to find the restaurant. Not bothering to look at the menu, Charles entered the establishment.

  “Oh, willkommen- ah, Charlie? Is that really you?” The moment Charles had entered the store, the bright voice of a female server sounded throughout the area. Recognizing the voice, Charles looked up with furrowed brows. Where exactly did he recognize the voice from?

  “Oh my, it really is Charlie. How did you guess I worked here?” The voice spoke in almost-spotless English. Following where the voice came from, Charles locked eyes with the woman in front of hi
m. Only a few months younger than himself, Charles was looking directly at his cousin, Andrea.

  “Andrea? No, I think you are mistaken. I just entered a random place by chance and-”

  “Ah, no need to be polite about it! Tell me, how have you been?”

  Setting down the stack of menus in her arm, Andrea came up to Charles and enveloped him in a tight hug. Despite her being younger than Charles, her strength seemed unparalleled to any member in their families. There was a certain air to Andrea that made Charles feel calmer and at least not like he was about to combust from anxiety and stress. Seeing family had that effect on him, whether he realized it or not.

  “It’s been rough. Had an emergency business trip, so now I am back here. It’s been a few years, hasn’t it?” Charles sighed as he was ushered to the side of the restaurant where the two could talk without any curious eyes on them. “I still can’t believe I’m back. My German is, quite frankly, shit now.”

  Andrea could not help but laugh at the latter statement.

  “Oh really? I could not tell. It’s not as if you were basically fluent back in high school but won’t even converse in German now.” Andrea spoke between chuckles, earning a sharp look of disapproval from the man in front of her. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. But really, you used to insist on only speaking to me in German. I wonder what happened in the past few years.”

  Ignoring her point, Charles changed the topic at hand.

  “So, you work at this restaurant now? I would have thought you would have gone to a university, or something similar. I don’t imagine this job pays that well.” Charles crossed his arms and frowned. Their families had always been quite well off, and Charles had been pushed from a young age to pursue higher education. In fact, as a child, it was almost like a life goal of his to attend a prestigious school. Needless to say, Charles had accomplished that goal with hard work and effort.

  “I don’t need a degree to be happy, Charlie. I think I’m living perfectly fine right now.”

  Andrea shrugged. To her, the question was almost unnecessary, but understandable. Charles had always been like this.

  “But anyways, if you’re here to eat, I’m sorry to tell you but we have a wait time of about…” Andrea looked back over her shoulder at the busy restaurant. Although diners had periodically come and gone, there was still a large line of patrons waiting to be served. “An hour or so? Either way, it may take a long time. I really don’t want to push you away, but since I know you’re so meticulous with time, I don’t want to get your expectations up.”

  Somehow, this answer had been predictable. Charles should have expected it the moment he laid eyes on the packed dining area.

  “Oh well.” Charles imitated Andrea’s shoulder shrug and laughed dryly. It looked as if he was stuck with hotel food for the time being.

  “But hey! After I get off work, let us talk a bit more, all right? Do you mind coming back to the restaurant around eight? I’ll be done sometime around then. Seriously, Charlie. Don’t make me wait!”

  Andrea pointed an index finger toward Charles and waved it as if scolding a misbehaved child. The scene would have been entertaining to watch if it were not for the wave of nostalgia that suddenly hit Charles. Somehow, this scenario felt all too familiar to him.

  “Yeah, yeah. Got it. Eight PM, sharp. Roger that.”

  After saying his goodbyes to both Andrea and her boss, Charles made his way out the entrance again. Oddly, the flow of customers had begun to trickle down, and the reason for the sudden change was only made clear once Charles opened the door. Of course. It had started to rain.

  Not just rain, Charles thought, but pour. Frowning slightly, Charles wondered what to do. There was no way he was going to stay in the restaurant, having grown a bit too crowded for his liking. Still, was he really going to run into the rain like a madman, without a single piece of protection? Charles had brushed off the sight of the dark clouds as just a sign of the passing time. Now, Charles knew how idiotic he had been to dismiss the weather forecast.

  Struggling to reason with himself, Charles sighed. At a time like this, it was probably better if he followed his gut. Bracing himself for impact, Charles mustered up the courage and stormed into the rain, wincing only slightly as hard drops of water pelted his clothes and face.

  With no clear direction in mind, Charles wound up ducking under the cover of a small alleyway a few moments later. The man had become out of breath, disappointed at how quickly it had taken him to grow so tired. Charles made a mental note to start working out more when he arrived back in the States. It seemed that he had neglected that part of his routine for too long.

  Looking around, Charles came across another man who had quickly entered the alleyway. Probably with the same goal in mind, Charles watched as the man quickly set down a few boxes that had previously been in his arms. The man had dirty blond hair, ruffled into a mess of knots and tangles, presumably by the rain. Shifting his position, Charles kicked at a few rocks on the ground. The sound, although not deafening, signaled the man to look over in Charles’ direction. The two men were now looking at each other, each surprised at the other’s action.

  “Oh, excuse me.” Charles managed to choke out in broken German. The sudden interaction had surprised him. Charles was sure that the man could tell as he felt his own face flush in embarrassment. It was not like him to get so easily flustered.

  The stranger looked curiously behind Charles’ shoulder, as if there was something there. Then, with a single glance toward the boxes he had just set down, the man approached Charles.

  “Ah, are you a foreigner? Don’t worry, I speak some English.” The man smiled a toothy grin, extending a hand toward Charles. “I can tell by your accent that you are American, right? I am sure it is common courtesy to shake hands when meeting back in America. I am Henrik. Henrik Wagner.”

  Charles looked at the extended hand with apprehension. He had not expected the other to approach him so suddenly. With hesitation, Charles took Henrik’s hands in his and dutifully shook it, trying to ignore the fact that Henrik’s hands were warm and briefly heated up Charles’ own body with his warmth.

  “O-oh, I am, um…” Charles could not help but stutter, avoiding further eye contact with the man. “I’m Charles. People call me Charlie, however. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

  Henrik hummed, a bit delighted at the positive response he received. Although a bit shorter than Charles, the confidence that Henrik radiated was nothing Charles had seen before. As Charles was usually a stoic person, only commenting when necessary, the contrast between his and Henrik’s personality was almost black and white. Charles smiled to himself. He had just met the man, yet here he was, analyzing his every move. Admittedly, it was a bit childish on his part.

  “No need to be so formal. You will find that Swiss people are very friendly. Much more than the Austrians, anyways.” Henrik rolled his eyes jokingly, waving his hand in the air as if to dismiss the claim. “Ah, but I joke, I joke. Welcome to Switzerland. I’m sorry that your first impression of my country has been a bit…” Henrik looked behind his shoulder and into the main street, water still pouring heavily from the sky as he did so.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve been here before.” Charles smiled. “Switzerland is beautiful. It’s always a delight to be back here.”

  “Oh? You have been here before? I’m sorry for assuming you hadn’t.” Henrik looked surprised as he shifted his stance. Suddenly the two men had both become awkward and flustered, though Charles was sure they both had two different reasons.

  Shaking his head, Charles let out another small chuckle. His deep voice bounced off the walls of the alleyway, briefly echoing through the area.

  “It’s fine. My father’s side of the family is from Zurich, so I used to come here frequently when I was younger. I even spoke German. Although, I haven’t used the language in so long, so my skills aren’t as good as they used to be.”

  Henrik tilted his head, interest piqued by the sudd
en revelation. Although Henrik had no problem speaking in English, he was curious as to how Charles’ German sounded. After all, he took pride in his mother tongue and loved to hear when foreigners learnt the language themselves.

  “Oh! Then could you perhaps say a sentence in German? I promise I won’t laugh.” Henrik clasped his hands together, smiling until his cheeks hurt in an effort to get Charles to accept his request. Charles, on the other hand, had not expected this, and quickly turned his head the other way to avoid eye contact with Henrik. Admittedly, the other man was quite cute, and this fact was only accented in Charles’ mind by his actions.

  “It’s… It’s really nothing special, I tell you.” Charles murmured. “Even my mother has better German than me and she grew up in the Deep South. Louisiana too, of all places.”

  Henrik shrugged. “That does not matter to me. I would still like to hear you speak at least something- a word!”

  Scratching his head, Charles sighed. This man was quite persistent, was he not? Although, he definitely liked that in a man… Shit, he was getting ahead of himself. He was supposed to be on a business trip, not a leisurely vacation.

  “Fine. Just this once though- I’m sure my cousin would tell me my German has truly gotten worse over the years, too.” The latter part of the statement was muttered under his breath, just quiet enough that Henrik would not be able to hear it over the sound of rain hitting the roof that covered them. Taking a deep breath, Charles quickly introduced himself in German, taking note of small differences between standard German and the Swiss-German dialect his father had pointed out to him on his first trip to Switzerland. Although he had tripped over his own name, Charles found that the words flowed smoothly from his mouth. He was satisfied.

  Politely, Henrik clapped with a huge grin plastered to his face.

  “That was delightful! Why did you say you were not that good? I think you could pass as a German if I was not too keen on the details.” As Henrik said this, the man put his hands behind his head and winked at Charles. Slightly taken aback, Charles stepped back and grasped onto a part of the brick wall next to him. “Oh, be careful.” Henrik reached out toward Charles’ wrist but stopped before his hand got any further. It did not seem like the right time.