vigorli

Title: Another Year, Another Valentine’s Day Surprise
Author: Artemis Allen
Rating:NC17ish
Pairing: Orlando/Viggo
Beta: The lovely

silvan_lady; but I have messed with it, so all mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction; unfortunately.
Summary: Another day in the life of ‘The Conductor & The Concert Violinist’
Word Count: 5,200

Viggo is a conductor and composer and Orlando is a concert violinist. They live in London and have been together for several years. Orlando is in his mid-thirties and Viggo, his early fifties.

Monday January 31st 2022

“So, that’s the February schedule confirmed, excellent.” Viggo glanced down at the papers on his desk and back up at the computer screen where Liv, his PA, was nodding in agreement. “I fly out to Copenhagen on the fourth, fly back on the eleventh and then I have nothing until the seventeenth which is the Royal Festival Hall, then up to Liverpool on the twenty-third and back in London on the twenty-seventh and you’ve booked all the necessary trains, planes, hotels, cars, etcetera, etcetera.”

“I have, the tickets and reservations are all on your phone.”

Viggo sighed. “I liked it better when they were all on separate bits of paper.”

Liv pursed her lips. “So you could lose them.” Her boss didn’t so much lose tickets as use them for bookmarks in novels or as scribble pads for music.

“I could lose my phone,” Viggo pointed out.

“It’s all backed up on your iPad.”

Viggo sighed again. “It takes away all the excitement of searching through every pocket at the barrier.”

“I’m sorry that your life lacks excitement,” Liv deadpanned, she’d been with Viggo for many years and wasn’t afraid of teasing him a little. “But everything is set up and if there are any last minute changes I can handle them from here; as always.”

“I know, I know,” Viggo acknowledged quickly, and then, as he often did, he began to wonder how the hell he would manage without all the various women in his life; Liv, his super efficient PA, Miranda, his hard-working and very understanding managing agent and the indomitable Mrs Jones, his completely unshockable housekeeper. The only area of his personal life that didn’t contain a woman was his bedroom; he had a sexy violinist with fuck-me eyes for that.

Liv coughed, and when Viggo’s eyes refocused on the screen he could see she was trying not to laugh. “What?”

“It’s not that I don’t love the face you make when you’re thinking of Orlando but you do tend to wander off-piste and I would like to wrap this up before five.”

Viggo was not disconcerted by her observation. It had happened too many times over the years for him to be embarrassed any more. And anyway, he was in an especially good mood this afternoon because his lover would be home in a couple of hours and he had missed him while he’d been away playing in Birmingham, even though it had only been for a couple of days.

“I think we’re done here,” he said, “unless there’s anything else you’d like to beat me up about.”

“Well,” Liv said hesitantly, scrunching up her face. “I almost don’t want to ask this, but, is there anything else you’d like me to book for you during February?”

“Like what?”

Liv huffed dramatically. “Like for a fortnight today? I don’t really want to take the bullet, but on the other hand….”

“On the other hand what?” Viggo frowned at her in confusion.

“February the fourteenth Viggo, Valentine’s Day? I know Orlando will be at home, he’s in London all that week.” Liv knew this for certain because, even though she had access to his engagement schedule, Orlando had informed her himself before he’d departed for Birmingham; he’d suggested she tell her boss that Valentine’s Day was his responsibility this year and then apologised because he knew that would effectively make it hers. “I think you may need to do something about it.”

“Ahhh!” Viggo said, with obvious alarm. “Yes, of course, I realise that, I just haven’t finally decided on anything yet.” But he was floundering.

As England and other countries were now emerging from the two years of COVID lockdowns and restrictions, his professional life, which had still been quite active when restrictions allowed, was becoming hectic and he was having to get used to a full programme of engagements again and all the travel that involved, so the year already seemed to be flying past and Valentine’s Day hadn’t even registered in Viggo’s mind. He was, irrationally, beginning to miss the lockdowns; they had kept him and his lover in the same place for long periods of time, something they hadn’t experienced before and Viggo had enjoyed that very much. They had both still been at home for Orlando’s birthday this year but instead of the usual party, and Orlando was a big fan of parties, it had been a Covid compliant dinner a-deux at one of their favourite restaurants and an early night; not that Orlando wasn’t a fan of them having early nights together but in his world birthdays equalled parties whenever possible. Viggo preferred quieter, more intimate celebrations but, as in all things, he was always prepared to indulge Orlando’s desires if he could. Sadly, his record with Valentine’s celebrations was not good.

Two years previously Viggo had ruined Orlando’s surprise Valentine’s dinner by turning up late and semi-drunk. He had also inadvertently disrupted Liv and David’s dinner at the Ritz and whatever Elijah Wood, Sean Bean’s unfortunate young diary secretary, had been doing that evening. Although he had blamed Sean for insisting on taking him to a pub the incident had, in Viggo’s opinion, proved that trying to surprise one’s partner was not a sound strategy. Orlando had forgiven him but Viggo had felt his lover’s disappointment that the evening hadn’t gone quite as planned. In 2021 England had locked down for a third time in early January. Unable to go out, he and Orlando had attempted a decadent Valentine’s evening at home; lazing in warm bubbles in the huge, freestanding, claw footed bath with a bottle of very expensive champagne. Sex in the bath was something they had enjoyed quite often in the early days of their relationship but less so recently. After many years of standing on the podium conducting an orchestra, the muscles in Viggo’s back were not as forgiving as they once had been so they had planned to soak for a while, indulge in some gentle foreplay, drink the champagne and retire to their comfortable, king size bed for a lengthy bout of tender lovemaking. It would have been a perfect evening had Viggo not suggested opening another bottle. They emerged from the bath relaxed to the point of boneless and, even though the second bottle hadn’t been emptied, floating happily on a champagne cloud. Viggo was already yawning as they wrapped themselves in the warm, fluffy towels. When they reached the bedroom he crawled into bed mumbled, “Have I ever told you that I love you?” and immediately rolled on to his side and fell asleep. Orlando had been trying to hide his amusement when he’d brought his lover coffee in bed the next morning but had nevertheless informed Viggo that he was chalking it up as another romantic fail for him. Viggo needed a spectacular win this year.

“But you do have some ideas?” Liv prompted, hopefully.

“Er, yes, yes, of course,” Viggo replied hurriedly.

“You don’t, do you?”

“Not really, no.” He had been quickly running favourite scenarios through his head. If they were both home all day it could be a champagne brunch, some leisurely afternoon sex then dressing for dinner; he loved watching Orlando dress, especially in a smart suit and tie, was that a fetish or was it just appreciation? Then out for cocktails, dinner, a shamelessly juvenile make out session in the taxi home and bed for some more, possibly explosive, sex. Perfect! But even the best and most expensive restaurant in London or even the Home Counties probably wasn’t going to be enough. He turned his attention back to Liv, she was biting her lip, quite hard, her eyes were almost watering; he wondered in a horrified flash if he had a specific ‘thinking about Orlando naked and on his knees’ face. God he hoped not! He tried to collect himself, giving silent thanks for the benefits of meetings on Zoom, where his inconvenient erection wasn’t visible to the other participants. “It needs to be something out of the ordinary,” he blurted. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Damn!” Liv sighed heavily; she could have handled booking the swanky restaurant, hotel combo she’d imagined Viggo would eventually request, but ‘out of the ordinary’ was another level entirely, especially as Viggo and Orlando were unlikely to be on the same page themselves regarding the definition. She vaguely wondered if there was a sex dungeon in London, then reflected that there probably was but she’d rather not have to call them. “No, I don’t have any ideas. But, I know a man who does.”

**********************************************************************

“I know I said that,” David protested, after Liv had marched purposefully into their sitting room where he had been happily watching a replay of the Australian Open men’s tennis final, and reminded him that he had previously threatened to arrange Viggo and Orlando’s Valentine’s Day entertainment himself because they kept bloody well messing it up for themselves and more crucially messing it up for him too, “but I didn’t mean it.”

“But you’re so good at it, darling,” Liv coaxed her partner. “You always think of wonderful things for Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s because I can organise things and even get myself from A to B without any assistance, unlike your boss who may be a musical genius but is bloody useless at anything that requires practical organisation.”

“He’s not that bad, it’s just he concentrates on his job and not so much on the mechanics of getting to wherever it is he needs to be.” Liv felt compelled to defend her boss, he could be moody and definitely got distracted but he was always quick to appreciate her efforts and he paid her very well. Furthermore she knew David was just blustering for effect; he liked Viggo, they got along very well and he and Orlando shared a wicked sense of humour.

“And will I get paid for essentially doing something that isn’t even really in your job description either?”

Liv rolled her eyes. “When I tell Viggo it was your idea, assuming it is good and he does like it, I think I can guarantee that there will be a case of one of your favourite reds delivered straight to our door.”

“Could you specify that I’d like some more of the burgundy, we drank our last bottle over Christmas.”

Liv laughed. “I’m pretty sure I can arrange that.”

“I’ve been thinking about the Valentine thing,” David said, an hour later, muting the TV. Liv already knew that he had been thinking about it because, a, he enjoyed a challenge and b, he had been frowning. “Orlando is expecting to be surprised, yes?”

“Absolutely,” Liv confirmed.

“But Viggo needn’t actually know what the surprise is either, need he?”

“You mean neither of them would know what was happening?” Liv gasped. “That’s a terrible idea!”

“Is it though?” David grinned, “I see it as a win, win, situation. Viggo has no hand in it so cannot possibly balls it up. He also can’t accidently drop any hints, you know in a post-coital haze.”

“David!” Liv exclaimed. It was bad enough having to endure Viggo’s, ‘I’d rather be shagging my boyfriend right now,’ face when they were in meetings with dull opera boards; she didn’t need to imagine them basking in the afterglow.

“But at the same time,” David continued, unrepentantly, “if Orlando doesn’t like it, then the fault is all mine and he can’t blame Viggo.”

Liv thought about it. “That’s true, but it’s very risky. Viggo might sack me.”

“And pigs might fly.”

“But still.”

“No, I think I have the perfect solution, it could be killing a lot of birds with one stone, well approximately thirty or so birds anyway,” David mused. “I’ll have to check that. I just need to speak to Sean.”

“Sean!” Liv’s squeak could have shattered glass. “Not Sean Bean?”

“Yes, of course Sean Bean, how many other Sean’s do we know?”

“You can’t!” Liv gasped in a lower key. “You absolutely can’t! Just no! Sean is useless at romantic stuff. How he’s managed to get so many women to marry him is beyond me. Except he has money, of course. But I’m pretty sure it’s Cate who reminds him about birthdays and anniversaries and has someone pick out the presents.”

“I absolutely can,” David assured her. “It ties in to something we’re both already involved with.”

“Wait! This is some kind of a business thing?”

“No, in this case we’re both Patrons of…, well never mind what, but I would like to use his influence.”

Although not quite in Sean’s league David was a successful businessman and he and Sean often found themselves on the same boards and committees and so they knew each other quite well.

“Nooooo,” Liv wailed. “I withdraw my request for help. I’ll find something with a Valentine’s theme for them and book that, maybe Legoland.”

“No, this is perfect for all of us. I’ll need the contact information for some people though.”

“What people? What do you mean, all of us?” Liv demanded, panic rising. As Orlando had said himself two years ago, Viggo didn’t really like surprises, her partner was more like Orlando and loved them. What had she done?

For the first time David paused and seemed to rethink his strategy. “Ah, right, no, good point, I don’t want to involve you in this, I’ll get Billy to do it.”

“David, this all sounds very dubious.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. ” He jumped up from the sofa and kissed her on the cheek before heading to the study. “I’ve got this, Orlando will love it.”

“Orlando isn’t the one who employs me!” she wailed at his retreating form.

***********************************************************************

Monday February 14th 2022

Orlando was absurdly excited but also a little apprehensive.

Viggo was a thoughtful and romantic lover but, except for his tendency to take on concert engagements at the last minute and thereby ruin their personal plans, he wasn’t inclined to spring unusual surprises on his partner. Orlando had fully expected that with Liv’s assistance he would definitely have managed to organise something for Valentine’s day; he had half hinted to her that a night at the Shangri-La hotel in the Shard would be acceptable and well within Viggo’s idea of civilised extravagance. They’d done that for Viggo’s fiftieth a few years ago; their room, with its spectacular views over the city, had been amazing and the food in the restaurant incredible. Orlando had often thought about going back; although he suspected that their Valentine’s package, and yes, he’d checked it out, was rather OTT for Viggo’s more reserved sensibilities. But he had very much expected that Viggo would inform him well ahead of time about whatever arrangements he’d made; a, to ensure that Orlando was aware Viggo had taken care of it, b, so that he could be certain Orlando would like it and c, so there would be no slip ups this time.

However, the text he had received on the subject while Viggo was in Copenhagen had been succinct and mysterious - I have made arrangements for the fourteenth, we need to leave the apartment at 5.15 pm, dress code is casual but wear a warm coat. Orlando read it several times and then couldn’t stand the suspense and face-timed Liv.

“What has Viggo got planned for Valentine’s day?” he demanded.

“Hello, Orlando, I’m fine, how are you?” Liv chuckled.

“Oh, sorry, yes, hi,” he mumbled guiltily. “But I’ve just had a very odd text from Viggo. I’m guessing you know all about it and I am prepared to bribe you. Name your price.”

Liv laughed, sighed and then laughed again. “I couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to,” she said, “which is a shame because I need new running shoes, but I honestly don’t know what it is.”

“You must do!” Orlando protested.

“Nope. You’ll just have to ask him yourself. Sorry.”

Orlando scowled at Liv. He had expected her to say she wouldn’t tell, and he’d been prepared to beg but not that she didn’t know; she was unlikely to be lying but she did look a little guilty. “You know something though.”

Liv hesitated before answering. “Honestly, I wish I did know more because I am as worried about it as you are.”

“Worried? I wasn’t worried, I was just intrigued, but now I’m worried,” Orlando spluttered.

“No, it’ll be fine, I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Liv said reassuringly. But she still looked anxious.

When Viggo arrived back from Copenhagen on the Friday evening, Orlando behaved like a good boyfriend and shagged his lover senseless before asking about the plans for Monday.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” Viggo had replied from his prone position on the mattress.

“I could torture you,” Orlando offered.

“You could,” Viggo agreed, “but I thought you liked surprises.”

“I do, usually, but Liv seemed worried.”

“Did she?” Viggo sounded curious rather than anxious but, draped across him, Orlando picked up on the sudden tension in his lover’s body and worry began to border on panic but then he reflected that Viggo really wouldn’t plan anything outrageous, and both he and Liv were probably trying to wind him up as part of whatever the surprise was; fine he’d know soon enough.

Now Monday had arrived and after a pleasant day, including a long lie-in and a late lunch, they were in a taxi heading towards central London. The taxi driver had not requested a destination so Orlando guessed that he already knew where they were going, but when he glanced over at Viggo he was frowning and checking his phone.

When the taxi stopped close to the old Aldwych tube station the driver turned to them and said, “This is the best place for me to drop you, Sir, now that the Strand is shut to Waterloo bridge. You just need to walk to the top of this street and St Mary Le Strand is on your left, that’s where you’re going. Will you be alright, Sir?”

Viggo assured him they would and they both got out.

“We’re going to a church?” Orlando said as they walked towards the main road.

“Umm, yes,” Viggo agreed.

Viggo had become increasingly anxious himself during the journey into town. David had promised that he would text him at 5.30 with their destination; so far there had been no text. He couldn’t imagine why they might be going to a church.

“We’re not getting married are we? You would have mentioned that,” Orlando said jokingly.

Viggo halted mid-step. For a blood freezing moment he wondered if David was about to try and exact some weird kind of revenge for his monopolisation of Liv’s life; but staging a wedding? Surely not. David was not a malicious man. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said sharply just as the phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text as he continued to walk - Meet on the front steps of St Mary Le Strand. Meet? Meet who?

“Are you sure we’re not getting married?”

“I’m positive,” Viggo snapped, as he texted a reply to David. “But someone may be getting buried.”

“Then why are all our friends here?”

Viggo looked up. Orlando was right, they had rounded the corner and were approaching the church now and under the trees in front of the steps he could see Sean and Ashley, Cate and Andrew, Richard, Aiden and Evie and several other people they both knew and although he had always thought that David was a decent guy, he was now beginning to question that.

“Viggo, what have you done?” Orlando asked, there was a real edge to his voice and Viggo was at a loss for a reply but he summoned up the commanding persona of the maestro and turned to Orlando, grasping his hand tightly.

“Whatever happens next,” he said firmly, looking Orlando in the eye and refusing to betray how worried he was himself. “Please remember that I love you very much.”

“What did you do?” Orlando demanded.

Viggo dipped his head. “I outsourced,” he confessed.

Orlando wanted to laugh, of course Viggo had outsourced. “To Liv?” Orlando asked hopefully, knowing that at least if it was in her hands whatever this was would be within the bounds of reason.

Viggo shook his head. “To David.”

“Okay,” Orlando dragged out the word. David was a nice guy, he was wonderful to Liv, Orlando liked David a lot. But as he glanced over at David he saw him deep in conversation with Sean; there was a lot of nodding and laughing and they were both surveying the assembled groups with an air of satisfaction. “Is it at all possible, that Dave outsourced to Sean?” he asked.

“They do a lot of business together, but I hardly think…,” Viggo trailed off. “Oh God, no, please, no!”

As they reached the little crowd and people saw them there was a lot of waving, but given that they hadn’t been out with many of their friends for some time Viggo wasn’t sure if they were excited or just pleased to see them. Then David moved forward to the top of the steps and everyone gathered closer.

“Firstly, thank you all for coming this evening. I know Valentine’s dates usually just involve two people who want to spend the evening gazing into each other’s eyes across the dinner table then go to bed and screw, but over the last two years that’s all most of us have done in the evenings anyway.” He grinned at Liv, who shook her head despairingly, she loved David but sometimes he went too far. There was a ripple of laughter from his audience though.

“And that’s been great. But what we haven’t been doing much of is getting together as friends and showing our love for them as well and since the Covid restrictions were dropped that is now becoming an option again and I thought it would be great to get together as a group of couples and celebrate love and friendship and having bloody well made it through the last two years. So tonight we are attending a recital of romantic classics in this beautiful church, which is in the process of being restored and is part of the whole Strand Aldwych regeneration project. I’m sorry if the pianist or the programme isn’t to everyone’s taste, I don’t know as much about classical music as most of you but this is all about sharing an evening together and celebrating love. This was originally billed as a public event but my friend here,” David gestured to Sean beside him, “as you all know, has enormous influence and has bought out this performance just for us. The public can still attend a second performance later this evening so don’t feel too bad that we have this one to ourselves. There is plenty of space so you can sit as close together or far away from others as you feel comfortable with. We expect to finish around 7.15 and then we will move across the road to One Aldwych where we have organised a private room and a champagne buffet. Again it is a large function room with plenty of space so hopefully no one will feel unsafe or confined. After dinner we have arranged a showing of the film ‘Notting Hill’ in the hotel’s own cinema, Sean assures me it is suitably romantic and he bawls his eyes out every time he sees it but we’re not forcing anyone to stay that long. We just want you to enjoy the evening and enjoy doing something that we’ve all had very little opportunity to do recently. So, shall we go in?”

The recital was a great success; the pianist, being fortunately very experienced, was not at all unnerved by having an intimate audience that included, the leader of a major London orchestra, two well known concert pianists and a famous conductor. The smallness of the audience did not dampen the atmosphere and everyone seemed to have enjoyed the selection, although Viggo thought that Elijah might have had his earphones in but his, surprisingly tall, girlfriend had been totally immersed and gushed happily about the performance as they left, genuinely moved. It must have affected everyone a little because all the couples crossed the road to the hotel arm in arm. Viggo was quite pleased to see that the decorations in the function room were reasonably subtle considering the occasion and that although there was obviously pink champagne there was ordinary champagne as well. Orlando had immediately picked up two glasses and brought them over so that he and Viggo could toast one another but then he’d fidgeted and said, “Do you mind if I just?” Viggo knew he had been itching to talk to friends and he shook his head, “Go, enjoy.”

David had been consulting with the catering staff who were now bringing in the hot buffet items but he peeled away and came to stand beside Viggo. “So, Viggo, what do you think? Not too far off the chart?”

Viggo smiled and then looked fondly over to where Orlando was laughing with Aidan and Evie. “I was a little bit concerned when I saw the crowd and the church, but it’s perfect David, Orlando has missed this kind of thing and it was a brilliant idea, thank you.”

David let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good because Liv kept reminding me her job depended on this being a sucess.”

“I’m pretty sure it didn’t,” Sean remarked as he joined them.

“I take it you’re paying for all of this,” Viggo said with a wry nod to his friend.

“Yes, of course I am. I really felt I ought to after I’d messed up Orlando’s dinner plans by taking you to meet Ashley.” He shrugged. “And it meant I didn’t have to make any plans myself.” He nodded over to where Ashley was in conversation with Cate and her husband.

“Exactly! Me too,” David said. “We didn’t tell anyone, even Liv and Cate, what was happening, we just sent invitations, so it was a win all round.”

“You devious bastards.” Viggo laughed. “And exactly how much is it costing, Sean?”

Sean guffawed. “A little bit more than a Greggs Valentine’s dinner in Manchester,” he teased, “but not that much more. Although you will need to settle Dave’s consulting fees yourself.”

“Consider it done.” Viggo laughed and turned to David. “Do you want to bill me?”

“No, I’m happy with our usual arrangement.” David grinned.

************************************************************************

“Dave has the besssst ideas, doesn’t he?” Orlando slurred as he leant against Viggo in the taxi home.

“He certainly does,” Viggo agreed. Although his initial fear that David might have arranged something completely bizarre had probably added a few more grey hairs.

“Send him lots and lots of wine,”

“ I will, of course.”

“An’ you deserve something for getting him to do it,” Orlando added magnanimously.

“I really don’t,” Viggo confessed. “That was Liv’s idea. And she will be getting flowers.”

“No!” Orlando sat up suddenly. “She wants running shoes.”

“What?” Orlando had consumed a lot of champagne so Viggo wasn’t sure he’d understood.

“Running shoes, needs new running shoes, we have to get those.”

“Alright, running shoes.” Viggo felt it best to agree with his lover.

“But you can have something tooooo.” Orlando’s hand had already been resting on Viggo’s knee but now it slid towards his groin and squeezed.

“When we get home though, hmm?” Viggo replied, moving Orlando’s hand back to his knee. He wasn’t entirely sure that his lover would manage to stay awake long enough to make good on his promise once they got home.

The taxi driver, the same taxi driver in fact, David had been exceedingly thorough in his preparations and Viggo mused how Liv and David’s home life must be incredibly organised, dropped them off and Viggo made sure he had a firm grip on Orlando as they made their way up to the apartment. It took a while as Orlando pinned Viggo against every convenient wall and kissed him sloppily. By the time they got inside Viggo was half aroused, half exasperated. As soon as the door closed behind them Orlando wobbled in the direction of the bedroom removing his clothes as he went. Viggo took off his outdoor coat, retrieved Orlando’s from the floor and hung them both up, then followed his lover to make sure he reached the bed before he passed out. When he got there he discovered Orlando had managed to get himself completely undressed and was spread out on his back in the middle of their bed lazily stroking himself. Viggo had to admit he was a glorious sight; the slender body, the olive toned skin, the tousled curls; his own penis hardened in appreciation.

“C’mere,” Orlando suggested, waving his free hand vaguely in Viggo’s direction. “Want yoooou.” Viggo continued to gaze at his lover and Orlando’s brow wrinkled. “Want meeee?” he asked with a pout.

Viggo laughed and started to undress; he did want, he always wanted, but he preferred Orlando fully conscious and was convinced that despite the drunken enthusiasm his lover would crash within minutes. But Orlando watched him with hungry eyes and Viggo, and more pertinently his dick, began to think they might get some satisfaction after all. Orlando reached for him the minute he got into bed. “Want you,” he repeated, sliding a hand between their bodies and grasping Viggo’s penis. His grasp was rougher and more uncoordinated than usual and had an inflaming effect on Viggo.

“Tell me how you want me,” he growled into Orlando’s ear, deciding that if he got a reasonably coherent response he would feel justified in continuing. Orlando mumbled something unintelligible against his shoulder but before Viggo could ask him to repeat it the grip on his penis slackened and there was a low snore from his lover. Viggo groaned in disappointment; as predicted, Orlando was out for the count. He pulled the covers up over them both, turned out the lights and settled back down with Orlando nestled in his arms. He lay in the dark listening to his sleeping lover’s soft breathing and reflected on their evening. It had been lovely to see so many people, and very romantic snuggling together in the beautiful old church as they listened to the ‘Moonlight Sonata’, then stealing occasional kisses as they watched ‘Notting Hill’ hand in hand. Orlando was a social animal and had thoroughly enjoyed himself, and Viggo had enjoyed watching Orlando enjoying himself. Frustratingly though, on a day dedicated to romance and lovers there had been a complete absence of sex and he wondered if he could complain to his event organiser, so, David, about the non-fulfilment of contractual Valentine’s Day obligations. But, as he drifted towards sleep, he felt confident that in the morning a contrite Orlando was definitely going to be very eager to atone for this omission. And Viggo was going to be very happy to let him.