(no subject)
Jul. 21st, 2021 11:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
artemisallen posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
vigorliTitle: A Touch of Orlando. Part 2/4
Author: Artemis Allen
Rating: NC-17 (in later parts)
Pairing: Orlando/Viggo (mention of other partners)
Beta: And banner makersilvan_lady; Thank you. Obviously I have tampered with it because I can’t leave well alone, so all mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction.
Dedication: A continuing Birthday present forgattodoro.
Word Count: 2,770
Summary: There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken on the flood, leads on to fortune.
Notes: I have shamelessly ‘borrowed’ the main plot from a film but I have reworked it so that it’s nowhere near as smart and funny as the original and Orlando probably won't get an Oscar for it. Anyway, apologies to anyone who is at all unhappy about this travesty.
Part 1
Chapter 2
During his meeting with the curator of the exhibition at the V and A, Orlando’s mind was only half on the costumes; although his hands moved instinctively over the rich fabrics, deftly tugging and smoothing the lines of the garments until he was satisfied. The other half of his brain was engaged by Viggo Mortensen; unusual name but given the blonde hair maybe he had Scandinavian origins. He’d only had time to glance at Viggo’s business card, but it announced him as the VP of Engineering and Technology for the European division of ME Aerospace. Orlando wasn’t quite sure what that meant. Even in fashion design companies like his own, people often had fancy titles that didn’t particularly explain their day job. But Viggo had an air of power and authority, he was obviously used to issuing orders and expecting them to be promptly obeyed and he had clearly been surprised when Orlando had insisted on paying for lunch, presumably people didn’t often argue with his plans. And that was Orlando’s next dilemma; where the hell should he take the man for lunch? It needed to be smart enough for Viggo but within Orlando’s more modest budget. But as he tweaked one of the glamorous creations they had lent to the V and A he wondered if he really did need it to be smart; this was just a friendly lunch, he wasn’t trying to impress the man, it was just food and some pleasant conversation; there was no way he intended to build on the spark that had been ignited in the park; no way.
Eventually, Orlando booked one of his favourite restaurants, a small French bistro close to his own place of work in Covent Garden. He was familiar with the staff and if Viggo turned out to be an insufferable bore at least the food would be enjoyable. He was still nervous though and he arrived early and was already seated and fidgeting with the menu when Viggo weaved his way towards him between the tables. Orlando stood up and offered his hand; he was determined to treat this like a formal lunch; this definitely wasn’t a date.
Viggo smiled wryly at the gesture but shook his hand before sitting down. “Good choice,” he said, glancing around the restaurant. “Unpretentious and excellent food.”
“You’ve eaten here before?” Orlando was slightly surprised; the place wasn’t flashy or spacious enough for business meetings.
“Yes, my offices are on the Strand and this is convenient.” Viggo smiled. “And intimate.”
Bugger! Did Viggo regularly bring his conquests here? If so then he’d just ruined the place for Orlando, his cheeks flushed at the thought. “Our design studios are only a few streets away so it’s convenient for me as well,” he said, stiffly. “And I need to be back there before two.”
Viggo nodded his understanding and leant back in his chair. “In that case, I’m assuming you’ve already researched me so I can skip the bio, but is there anything else you’d like to know about me before we go any further?”
Orlando blushed again. Any further? God, the man was brazen; there wasn’t even a pretence that this was anything but a pick-up. They’d have lunch, Viggo would suggest dinner, maybe for tomorrow, at a small hotel somewhere inconspicuous and after dinner they would go up to the room which was already booked and have sex. How corny. So much for romantic gestures. On the other hand, maybe he would get some raw and satisfying sex out of it; but… was it really worth the subsequent self-loathing? He stared at the attractive man across the table; Viggo was smiling, completely at ease, confident that he was in control of this situation. Of course, he’d googled the man’s bio; the top-level engineering training he’d received, the high profile projects he’d managed, the beautiful homes, the clever son at college and the stunning wife with a thriving law career.
“Does your wife know that you pick up random young men in the street?”
Viggo’s smile widened, he didn’t seem unnerved by the question. “My wife and I have an arrangement; if we’re not in the same city we’re both allowed to sleep with other men.”
Orlando wasn’t sure if he believed this but he was also curious. “Is it ever the same man?”
“We have different tastes, so no.” Viggo shrugged. “At least not as far as I know. My wife likes athletic men, tennis coaches, ski instructors, I prefer the more creative types. And I didn’t really pick you up in the street did I? I met you in the park and then we had a friendly exchange through a bus window. By the time I ran into you again yesterday, when technically, you picked me up, we were practically bosom buddies.”
Orlando couldn’t help laughing, “I’m English, we don’t usually make friends that quickly.”
“That’s certainly what I’ve found while I’ve lived here, and that’s why I suggested lunch, I was hoping we could get better acquainted before I decide whether I want to pick you up or not.” Viggo grinned at him mischievously.
As Orlando sat there, open-mouthed at this audacious statement, the waiter appeared and Viggo ordered without even consulting the menu; Orlando managed to collect himself and make his own choices but he was even more convinced now that this was where Viggo often brought his ‘other men’.
“Is your wife ever in London?” he asked, still very much not at ease with the situation.
“Yes, but not often, so I am at leisure to spend my free time however I like.”
“Don’t you love her?”
Viggo frowned, obviously puzzled now by Orlando’s persistence on this subject. “Is my wife a problem for you?”
Orlando chewed on his bottom lip for a moment but decided he might as well be frank.
“Honestly? Yes, I wouldn’t be comfortable dating a married man.”
Viggo laughed. “We’re not going to be dating, Orlando.”
“OK, I wouldn’t have an affair with a married man.”
“I don’t have affairs either, I have…, brief encounters if you like.”
“Quickies?”
“Not that brief.”
“How long then?”
“You ask an awful lot of questions.”
“You asked if there was anything I wanted to know.” Orlando scowled.
“I was thinking more along the lines of how I take my coffee and which side of the bed I prefer.”
Orlando’s face must have registered his shock at this trite response because Viggo started laughing again. “I’m sorry, but most other guys don’t usually take this so seriously.”
“Maybe I’m not like most other guys,” Orlando said through clenched teeth, wondering if he should leave right now before he could get any more annoyed; this was so not what he had expected.
“Yeah, that’s pretty clear,” Viggo raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, “and I already figured that out, so I probably shouldn’t have been so flippant.” He paused for a few seconds, then adopted a more serious expression. “OK then. Here’s the deal. My wife and I have been married for more than twenty years, we raised our son, built our careers and we make a good team. Our mutual happiness is achieved by not spending too much time together. I think you’ll find that many couples make these kinds of arrangements. We’re not unique. We both try to be reasonably discreet in our alternate lives, so…, no affairs as such, just occasional lovers. If that doesn’t work for you, then we’ll eat our lunch, talk about the weather and the vagaries of London transport; I will pay the bill and you need never see me again.”
As Viggo eyed him expectantly, Orlando pondered this speech. He’d been battling his own rules about married men ever since Viggo had walked in. The suit today was a charcoal three-piece, perfectly cut to fit the man’s lean frame. Orlando would have liked to slip the jacket off his shoulders, feeling the lightness of the fine wool and then run his hands down Viggo’s arms, to experience the softness of the cotton lawn shirt beneath before loosening the blue silk tie and unfastening the supple leather belt; and he could already vividly imagine slipping his hand inside the silk boxers and taking hold of Viggo’s hot, heavy penis. He’d been kidding himself that he didn’t want this to happen. In fact, if Viggo suggested they go to the hotel in the next street right now, he would have gone; to hell with the designs on his board that needed finishing this afternoon.
“So, roughly how long do these… associations last?” Orlando said, brusquely, he was unwilling to plunge over the edge of the cliff just yet, although he was hanging by his fingernails.
Viggo pursed his lips, he seemed to be trying to control his annoyance. “Sometimes it is only once, sometimes it’s…,” Viggo shrugged, “I really don’t know, I don’t keep count, maybe half a dozen times over a couple of months.”
“In hotels?”
“Yes, in hotels,“ Viggo sighed, obviously losing patience now. “Orlando, I find it hard to believe that as a good-looking single guy living in London you’ve never done something like this before. Otherwise, I would never have…”
“Picked me up?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry I don’t fit your criteria,” Orlando said, indignantly.
Viggo looked exasperated but after a moment he started laughing again. “I really like you, Orlando, you’re funny, and spirited and you absolutely exceed my criteria. I’d really like to have sex with you because I think we'd both enjoy it. But, if you are not happy with that, just tell me now because I want to enjoy my steak.”
“What I want,” said Orlando resolutely, “is a little more than a couple of hours in a backstreet hotel room.”
“I don’t usually…”
Orlando raised his hand to stop Viggo’s interruption. “No, I don’t usually either, so just listen and if you don’t agree, then we’ll have lunch and shake hands and go our separate ways.”
Viggo raised his eyebrows in surprise but then nodded. Orlando took a deep breath, this was way outside of his experience but what the hell? He thought that at least if he could make some of the ground rules he wouldn’t feel quite so much like a pushover. “I’m not suggesting a long term relationship, or even a brief affair but I’d really like to at least spend a weekend with you, somewhere outside of London, in a decent hotel, maybe with some interesting places we could visit during the day.”
Viggo looked slightly stunned, and again Orlando supposed he wasn’t used to having someone else set the terms. “Just a weekend?” he asked finally.
“Yes, just one weekend, so, I guess that’s two nights of us having sex, although,” Orlando smiled cheekily, “I quite like having sex in the afternoon as well.”
Viggo shook his head, smiling. “Alright. Why not? I’m always open to new suggestions. It’s a couple of days in the country, I like the idea.”
Orlando nodded and tried to control the excited butterflies in his stomach. “Right, OK, that’s a deal then.”
“And would you like to pick the destination?” Viggo asked, dryly.
“Ummm.” Orlando hadn’t thought that far.
Viggo looked uncertain again. “Orlando, this isn’t going to be a romantic weekend.”
“No, I know that,” Orlando replied firmly. “It’s just sex, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t get some nice scenery and some decent meals out of it as well.”
Viggo’s brow furrowed and he studied Orlando for a few moments. “You’re really sure you’re happy with that?.”
“Yes, I’m happy with it. Do you need me to sign a contract?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Viggo said emphatically. As he continued to stare at Orlando with a thoughtful expression, the waiter arrived with their food. By the time he’d left again Viggo seemed to have come to a decision and he continued with a practical, “OK, so we have a deal then. Now let’s eat, I don’t want to make you late back to your office.”
Overall, Orlando enjoyed his meal; the food was good as always and, even though they’d both settled for water rather than alcohol, they managed to find it easy enough to talk. Having got the negotiations out of the way, Orlando had been able to discover a little more about what an aerospace engineer did and how much the man liked living in London. Not that Viggo monopolised the conversation, he asked about Orlando’s work and education and with a grin enquired if the friend he’d collided with in the park had recovered from the experience. Orlando didn’t feel the need to tell Viggo that if Dom had known about this lunch he would be slapping him on the back and congratulating him. They ordered dessert and coffee and it was past two when they left the restaurant. Orlando had seen Viggo check his watch and smile but he hadn’t commented. As they parted Viggo promised to find a suitable destination for their weekend and be in touch shortly. Orlando set off towards Covent Garden and resisted the temptation to look back at Viggo as he walked in the other direction to the Strand. He still wasn’t sure this weekend arrangement was a good idea, but life was for taking chances, wasn’t it? And Viggo Mortensen was a chance, however brief, he couldn't pass up.
A couple of days later Orlando was at his board working when his mobile rang. The display announced that the call was from Viggo and he answered it with a feeling of excitement. “Hi!”
“Hi.” Viggo sounded a little impatient and there was no preamble. “Can you get a week’s vacation? Next week.”
“What?”
“Are you, or rather can you, be free for the week of the 18th?” Viggo said, more precisely.
“A week?” Orlando queried, “I thought we agreed on a weekend?”
“Yeah, we did,” Viggo acknowledged. “But there is an,” he paused, “an opportunity to take a week. Are you interested?”
“I can’t just drop everything at a moment’s notice,” Orlando said indignantly. “We have commissions.”
“Right, of course not. Stupid of me. So that’s a no then?”
“Umm, well, I don’t know, I might be able to rearrange stuff,” Orlando conceded. “I would need to talk to my boss.”
“Ok, do you want to do that and call me back?” Viggo said briskly.
“Well, OK, but what’s the opportunity?”
“Ah, yeah. We are about to finalise the acquisition of an engineering company in Northumberland. It’s only a minor deal and my number two was going to handle it but he cleverly managed to break his leg while out mountain biking, I’m not convinced he didn't do it deliberately to annoy me. Anyway, he’ll naturally be out on sick-leave for a while so I’m going to have to go myself.”
“Well that sounds like lots of fun,” Orlando said flatly.
Viggo laughed. “The contracts are almost complete, it will only take a couple of days to finalise the terms. I thought we could drive up on Sunday and then stay till the following Saturday. It’s near some kind of wall so apparently there are plenty of things to see.”
“Hadrian’s wall?” Orlando suggested, with a chuckle.
“Yeah, that was it,” Viggo said. “So you know it? That’s good.”
“Yes, it was built to keep the Scots out of England.”
“Oh! That’s interesting, if a bit unfriendly.”
“It’s like you Americans and the Mexicans.”
“Touché. Anyway I’m sure you can find things to do while I attend to business and then we’ll have a few days of sightseeing walls.”
“There are forts and castles up there too,” Orlando added, feeling he needed to defend England’s famous ruins. “But it actually sounds like fun, I’ll speak to Stefan now and get back to you.”
“Great, just text me and I’ll make arrangements.”
Viggo ended the call but Orlando continued to clutch the phone in his hand. A week was, well, more than twice as long as a weekend. He was aware that Viggo was a man who liked to get his own way and probably not easy to be around. On the other hand, he’d never visited Northumberland and this was a good opportunity to do so and if anything went badly wrong he was surely within taxi range of Newcastle and from there he could catch a train back to London. He slipped the phone into his pocket and made the short trip to his boss’s office next door.
Author: Artemis Allen
Rating: NC-17 (in later parts)
Pairing: Orlando/Viggo (mention of other partners)
Beta: And banner maker
silvan_lady; Thank you. Obviously I have tampered with it because I can’t leave well alone, so all mistakes are mine.Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction.
Dedication: A continuing Birthday present for
gattodoro. Word Count: 2,770
Summary: There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken on the flood, leads on to fortune.
Notes: I have shamelessly ‘borrowed’ the main plot from a film but I have reworked it so that it’s nowhere near as smart and funny as the original and Orlando probably won't get an Oscar for it. Anyway, apologies to anyone who is at all unhappy about this travesty.
Part 1
Chapter 2
During his meeting with the curator of the exhibition at the V and A, Orlando’s mind was only half on the costumes; although his hands moved instinctively over the rich fabrics, deftly tugging and smoothing the lines of the garments until he was satisfied. The other half of his brain was engaged by Viggo Mortensen; unusual name but given the blonde hair maybe he had Scandinavian origins. He’d only had time to glance at Viggo’s business card, but it announced him as the VP of Engineering and Technology for the European division of ME Aerospace. Orlando wasn’t quite sure what that meant. Even in fashion design companies like his own, people often had fancy titles that didn’t particularly explain their day job. But Viggo had an air of power and authority, he was obviously used to issuing orders and expecting them to be promptly obeyed and he had clearly been surprised when Orlando had insisted on paying for lunch, presumably people didn’t often argue with his plans. And that was Orlando’s next dilemma; where the hell should he take the man for lunch? It needed to be smart enough for Viggo but within Orlando’s more modest budget. But as he tweaked one of the glamorous creations they had lent to the V and A he wondered if he really did need it to be smart; this was just a friendly lunch, he wasn’t trying to impress the man, it was just food and some pleasant conversation; there was no way he intended to build on the spark that had been ignited in the park; no way.
Eventually, Orlando booked one of his favourite restaurants, a small French bistro close to his own place of work in Covent Garden. He was familiar with the staff and if Viggo turned out to be an insufferable bore at least the food would be enjoyable. He was still nervous though and he arrived early and was already seated and fidgeting with the menu when Viggo weaved his way towards him between the tables. Orlando stood up and offered his hand; he was determined to treat this like a formal lunch; this definitely wasn’t a date.
Viggo smiled wryly at the gesture but shook his hand before sitting down. “Good choice,” he said, glancing around the restaurant. “Unpretentious and excellent food.”
“You’ve eaten here before?” Orlando was slightly surprised; the place wasn’t flashy or spacious enough for business meetings.
“Yes, my offices are on the Strand and this is convenient.” Viggo smiled. “And intimate.”
Bugger! Did Viggo regularly bring his conquests here? If so then he’d just ruined the place for Orlando, his cheeks flushed at the thought. “Our design studios are only a few streets away so it’s convenient for me as well,” he said, stiffly. “And I need to be back there before two.”
Viggo nodded his understanding and leant back in his chair. “In that case, I’m assuming you’ve already researched me so I can skip the bio, but is there anything else you’d like to know about me before we go any further?”
Orlando blushed again. Any further? God, the man was brazen; there wasn’t even a pretence that this was anything but a pick-up. They’d have lunch, Viggo would suggest dinner, maybe for tomorrow, at a small hotel somewhere inconspicuous and after dinner they would go up to the room which was already booked and have sex. How corny. So much for romantic gestures. On the other hand, maybe he would get some raw and satisfying sex out of it; but… was it really worth the subsequent self-loathing? He stared at the attractive man across the table; Viggo was smiling, completely at ease, confident that he was in control of this situation. Of course, he’d googled the man’s bio; the top-level engineering training he’d received, the high profile projects he’d managed, the beautiful homes, the clever son at college and the stunning wife with a thriving law career.
“Does your wife know that you pick up random young men in the street?”
Viggo’s smile widened, he didn’t seem unnerved by the question. “My wife and I have an arrangement; if we’re not in the same city we’re both allowed to sleep with other men.”
Orlando wasn’t sure if he believed this but he was also curious. “Is it ever the same man?”
“We have different tastes, so no.” Viggo shrugged. “At least not as far as I know. My wife likes athletic men, tennis coaches, ski instructors, I prefer the more creative types. And I didn’t really pick you up in the street did I? I met you in the park and then we had a friendly exchange through a bus window. By the time I ran into you again yesterday, when technically, you picked me up, we were practically bosom buddies.”
Orlando couldn’t help laughing, “I’m English, we don’t usually make friends that quickly.”
“That’s certainly what I’ve found while I’ve lived here, and that’s why I suggested lunch, I was hoping we could get better acquainted before I decide whether I want to pick you up or not.” Viggo grinned at him mischievously.
As Orlando sat there, open-mouthed at this audacious statement, the waiter appeared and Viggo ordered without even consulting the menu; Orlando managed to collect himself and make his own choices but he was even more convinced now that this was where Viggo often brought his ‘other men’.
“Is your wife ever in London?” he asked, still very much not at ease with the situation.
“Yes, but not often, so I am at leisure to spend my free time however I like.”
“Don’t you love her?”
Viggo frowned, obviously puzzled now by Orlando’s persistence on this subject. “Is my wife a problem for you?”
Orlando chewed on his bottom lip for a moment but decided he might as well be frank.
“Honestly? Yes, I wouldn’t be comfortable dating a married man.”
Viggo laughed. “We’re not going to be dating, Orlando.”
“OK, I wouldn’t have an affair with a married man.”
“I don’t have affairs either, I have…, brief encounters if you like.”
“Quickies?”
“Not that brief.”
“How long then?”
“You ask an awful lot of questions.”
“You asked if there was anything I wanted to know.” Orlando scowled.
“I was thinking more along the lines of how I take my coffee and which side of the bed I prefer.”
Orlando’s face must have registered his shock at this trite response because Viggo started laughing again. “I’m sorry, but most other guys don’t usually take this so seriously.”
“Maybe I’m not like most other guys,” Orlando said through clenched teeth, wondering if he should leave right now before he could get any more annoyed; this was so not what he had expected.
“Yeah, that’s pretty clear,” Viggo raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, “and I already figured that out, so I probably shouldn’t have been so flippant.” He paused for a few seconds, then adopted a more serious expression. “OK then. Here’s the deal. My wife and I have been married for more than twenty years, we raised our son, built our careers and we make a good team. Our mutual happiness is achieved by not spending too much time together. I think you’ll find that many couples make these kinds of arrangements. We’re not unique. We both try to be reasonably discreet in our alternate lives, so…, no affairs as such, just occasional lovers. If that doesn’t work for you, then we’ll eat our lunch, talk about the weather and the vagaries of London transport; I will pay the bill and you need never see me again.”
As Viggo eyed him expectantly, Orlando pondered this speech. He’d been battling his own rules about married men ever since Viggo had walked in. The suit today was a charcoal three-piece, perfectly cut to fit the man’s lean frame. Orlando would have liked to slip the jacket off his shoulders, feeling the lightness of the fine wool and then run his hands down Viggo’s arms, to experience the softness of the cotton lawn shirt beneath before loosening the blue silk tie and unfastening the supple leather belt; and he could already vividly imagine slipping his hand inside the silk boxers and taking hold of Viggo’s hot, heavy penis. He’d been kidding himself that he didn’t want this to happen. In fact, if Viggo suggested they go to the hotel in the next street right now, he would have gone; to hell with the designs on his board that needed finishing this afternoon.
“So, roughly how long do these… associations last?” Orlando said, brusquely, he was unwilling to plunge over the edge of the cliff just yet, although he was hanging by his fingernails.
Viggo pursed his lips, he seemed to be trying to control his annoyance. “Sometimes it is only once, sometimes it’s…,” Viggo shrugged, “I really don’t know, I don’t keep count, maybe half a dozen times over a couple of months.”
“In hotels?”
“Yes, in hotels,“ Viggo sighed, obviously losing patience now. “Orlando, I find it hard to believe that as a good-looking single guy living in London you’ve never done something like this before. Otherwise, I would never have…”
“Picked me up?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry I don’t fit your criteria,” Orlando said, indignantly.
Viggo looked exasperated but after a moment he started laughing again. “I really like you, Orlando, you’re funny, and spirited and you absolutely exceed my criteria. I’d really like to have sex with you because I think we'd both enjoy it. But, if you are not happy with that, just tell me now because I want to enjoy my steak.”
“What I want,” said Orlando resolutely, “is a little more than a couple of hours in a backstreet hotel room.”
“I don’t usually…”
Orlando raised his hand to stop Viggo’s interruption. “No, I don’t usually either, so just listen and if you don’t agree, then we’ll have lunch and shake hands and go our separate ways.”
Viggo raised his eyebrows in surprise but then nodded. Orlando took a deep breath, this was way outside of his experience but what the hell? He thought that at least if he could make some of the ground rules he wouldn’t feel quite so much like a pushover. “I’m not suggesting a long term relationship, or even a brief affair but I’d really like to at least spend a weekend with you, somewhere outside of London, in a decent hotel, maybe with some interesting places we could visit during the day.”
Viggo looked slightly stunned, and again Orlando supposed he wasn’t used to having someone else set the terms. “Just a weekend?” he asked finally.
“Yes, just one weekend, so, I guess that’s two nights of us having sex, although,” Orlando smiled cheekily, “I quite like having sex in the afternoon as well.”
Viggo shook his head, smiling. “Alright. Why not? I’m always open to new suggestions. It’s a couple of days in the country, I like the idea.”
Orlando nodded and tried to control the excited butterflies in his stomach. “Right, OK, that’s a deal then.”
“And would you like to pick the destination?” Viggo asked, dryly.
“Ummm.” Orlando hadn’t thought that far.
Viggo looked uncertain again. “Orlando, this isn’t going to be a romantic weekend.”
“No, I know that,” Orlando replied firmly. “It’s just sex, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t get some nice scenery and some decent meals out of it as well.”
Viggo’s brow furrowed and he studied Orlando for a few moments. “You’re really sure you’re happy with that?.”
“Yes, I’m happy with it. Do you need me to sign a contract?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Viggo said emphatically. As he continued to stare at Orlando with a thoughtful expression, the waiter arrived with their food. By the time he’d left again Viggo seemed to have come to a decision and he continued with a practical, “OK, so we have a deal then. Now let’s eat, I don’t want to make you late back to your office.”
Overall, Orlando enjoyed his meal; the food was good as always and, even though they’d both settled for water rather than alcohol, they managed to find it easy enough to talk. Having got the negotiations out of the way, Orlando had been able to discover a little more about what an aerospace engineer did and how much the man liked living in London. Not that Viggo monopolised the conversation, he asked about Orlando’s work and education and with a grin enquired if the friend he’d collided with in the park had recovered from the experience. Orlando didn’t feel the need to tell Viggo that if Dom had known about this lunch he would be slapping him on the back and congratulating him. They ordered dessert and coffee and it was past two when they left the restaurant. Orlando had seen Viggo check his watch and smile but he hadn’t commented. As they parted Viggo promised to find a suitable destination for their weekend and be in touch shortly. Orlando set off towards Covent Garden and resisted the temptation to look back at Viggo as he walked in the other direction to the Strand. He still wasn’t sure this weekend arrangement was a good idea, but life was for taking chances, wasn’t it? And Viggo Mortensen was a chance, however brief, he couldn't pass up.
A couple of days later Orlando was at his board working when his mobile rang. The display announced that the call was from Viggo and he answered it with a feeling of excitement. “Hi!”
“Hi.” Viggo sounded a little impatient and there was no preamble. “Can you get a week’s vacation? Next week.”
“What?”
“Are you, or rather can you, be free for the week of the 18th?” Viggo said, more precisely.
“A week?” Orlando queried, “I thought we agreed on a weekend?”
“Yeah, we did,” Viggo acknowledged. “But there is an,” he paused, “an opportunity to take a week. Are you interested?”
“I can’t just drop everything at a moment’s notice,” Orlando said indignantly. “We have commissions.”
“Right, of course not. Stupid of me. So that’s a no then?”
“Umm, well, I don’t know, I might be able to rearrange stuff,” Orlando conceded. “I would need to talk to my boss.”
“Ok, do you want to do that and call me back?” Viggo said briskly.
“Well, OK, but what’s the opportunity?”
“Ah, yeah. We are about to finalise the acquisition of an engineering company in Northumberland. It’s only a minor deal and my number two was going to handle it but he cleverly managed to break his leg while out mountain biking, I’m not convinced he didn't do it deliberately to annoy me. Anyway, he’ll naturally be out on sick-leave for a while so I’m going to have to go myself.”
“Well that sounds like lots of fun,” Orlando said flatly.
Viggo laughed. “The contracts are almost complete, it will only take a couple of days to finalise the terms. I thought we could drive up on Sunday and then stay till the following Saturday. It’s near some kind of wall so apparently there are plenty of things to see.”
“Hadrian’s wall?” Orlando suggested, with a chuckle.
“Yeah, that was it,” Viggo said. “So you know it? That’s good.”
“Yes, it was built to keep the Scots out of England.”
“Oh! That’s interesting, if a bit unfriendly.”
“It’s like you Americans and the Mexicans.”
“Touché. Anyway I’m sure you can find things to do while I attend to business and then we’ll have a few days of sightseeing walls.”
“There are forts and castles up there too,” Orlando added, feeling he needed to defend England’s famous ruins. “But it actually sounds like fun, I’ll speak to Stefan now and get back to you.”
“Great, just text me and I’ll make arrangements.”
Viggo ended the call but Orlando continued to clutch the phone in his hand. A week was, well, more than twice as long as a weekend. He was aware that Viggo was a man who liked to get his own way and probably not easy to be around. On the other hand, he’d never visited Northumberland and this was a good opportunity to do so and if anything went badly wrong he was surely within taxi range of Newcastle and from there he could catch a train back to London. He slipped the phone into his pocket and made the short trip to his boss’s office next door.
no subject
Date: 2021-08-30 05:26 pm (UTC)