Love at the Right Tempo

by Michael Mandrake

  “We could listen to some music and have a drink or two, then whatever else happens…” Frederick’s voice trailed off, and he winked at Vaughan.

  “Okay. Let me help the others finish up.”

  Frederick settled back in his chair and bowed his head slightly. “And I’ll sit here with my soda and watch you work. I’m sure that would be more than enough entertainment from me.” Frederick surprised himself with that line.

  “Really?” Vaughan said. Biting his bottom lip, he made his way from behind the bar. He approached Frederick from behind, wrapped an arm around Frederick’s midsection and pressed his body into Frederick’s back. “Let me give you a little something to keep you—um—occupied.” His voice was close to Frederick’s ear, hot breath washing against the side of his face. Vaughan eased Frederick’s hair to one side and dropped a kiss to his neck just where the shirt stopped. “Do you like to be bitten, Freddy?”

  Frederick gasped and swallowed hard, leaning his head back against Vaughan’s shoulder. Earlier he’d hated the public displays of affection, but this was Vaughan. The man he wanted and needed, more than anything, despite not knowing anything about him.

  Snapping back to reality, Frederick grasped Vaughan’s hand and brought it up to his lips. He held it close to his body. “Anything you like, I like.” Frederick could barely manage the words with Vaughan’s body and arm wrapped around him so possessively.

  “That’s isn’t precisely how it works.” Vaughan caught Frederick’s ear between his teeth. “One day, when this thing pulling us together comes to a head. I’m going to strip you naked and before anything happens between us, you’re going to have to own your desires. You will tell me where you want my lips…” Vaughan paused to lick at Frederick’s ear. “My tongue…” Kiss. “My teeth.”

  Frederick closed his eyes and breathed heavily. Vaughan’s mouth on him caused more than a disturbance in his slacks.

  At the moment, he couldn’t care less who was watching him be seduced by Vaughan Singleton.

  With one hand still clasped around Vaughan’s wrist, Frederick used the other to toy with his hair. “I want them everywhere. Everywhere on my body. I…” Frederick finally opened his eyes again and turned to Vaughan, seeing the heat in his irises. Fire. Flames he couldn’t wait to be immersed in.

  “I’m so turned on right now. And you say the restaurant closes when?” Frederick managed that through hampered breaths.

  “In about half an hour,” Vaughan said. “No hanky panky when the restaurant closes.”

  “You mean until it closes.” Frederick placed a chaste kiss on Vaughan’s mouth and continued to eye him. He finally let go of his hand.

  “I’m not sure I can wait that long, but I know you need to do your job, so.”

  Frederick leaned back in his chair without another flirtatious comment to say.

  “I might need to freshen up a bit after this.”

  “Don’t tease me, Freddy.” Vaughan groaned. “I’m trying to be good.”

  “Too late for that.” Frederick reached for his palm again and ran it across his own cheek. “You started this fire. Don’t get all shy on me now when I want it to continue.”

  Vaughan laughed and kissed Frederick’s nose. “We’ll discuss this later.”

  “All right. Whatever you say … Sir.” Frederick let go of his hand.

  Vaughan growled and that look returned to his eyes. It seemed being called Sir was a turn-on for the bartender.

  Frederick grinned at him and swiped his tongue over his lips as Vaughan turned on his heel to walk away. He swiveled back around to the bar and drank the rest of his Sprite until the glass was empty. Another bartender approached him.

  “Can I get you something stronger, sir?”

  Frederick sighed inwardly and wryly smiled, thinking any one of Vaughan’s work mates had noticed the heated display he and Vaughan shared.

  “No, thank you. Another Sprite with two twists of lemon and two cubes of ice will be fine.”

  Chapter Nine

  “Call me if you need a ride home, okay?” Kelliani said, waving by wiggling her fingers to Frederick sitting by the window.

  “Thanks.” Vaughan hugged her, and both she and Scott left.

  He followed them to lock the doors. For a silent moment he contemplated what was happening between himself and Frederick. Vaughan didn’t understand it, nor did he really feel like questioning it. The attraction was there. He’d felt it earlier when he leaned into Frederick and seen the tent in the front of his pants. Vaughan had felt it the night before as they made out in Patrick’s office. But what were they really doing? What did it mean to want this man so completely? It terrified him, but the thought of not having Frederick was scarier.

  With a deep breath, he tried silencing his thoughts. They were merely putting a damper on things. Not every attraction had to have meaning—but even as he thought those words, he took one look at Frederick and the craving he had left him speechless.

  Vaughan licked his lips then grabbed a large bottle of Sprite and a couple of glasses with ice. When he approached Frederick, the violinist was standing facing the view of Cardova. Vaughan set his treasures on the table then wrapped his arms around Frederick from behind. “It may not be New York or Paris, but look at all those lights.”

  Vaughan could feel Frederick’s body twitch, then relax against his. Frederick grasped the back of Vaughan’s hands.

  “It doesn’t have to be. Every place in the world has its own kind of beauty.”

  “Mmm.” Vaughan nuzzled his neck. “We should talk. This is moving a bit fast.” Vaughan released him reluctantly and fell into one of the chairs. He instantly undid his tie and left the ends loose around his neck.

  Frederick turned to face Vaughan. His blue eyes shimmered in the moonlight, and his blond hair moved in waves over his sport coat. “From your actions, I’d gathered you liked to move fast. I don’t even know what I’m doing, Vaughan. All I know is what I feel. The things you do to me, the way you inspire me. I’m only reacting, and I’m not even thinking when I do it.”

  “Then maybe we should stop.” Vaughan draped his arm across the back of the chair. He couldn’t believe he’d said that, but an attraction shouldn’t be like this. “I don’t want you doing things you don’t want. And I’m sure you’ll be leaving soon.”

  “Don’t misunderstand what I said, Vaughan. I want this, and I want you. If I didn’t I wouldn’t have approached you in the first place.” Frederick shrugged and turned his attention back to the window. “I am going back on tour in a few days, but my first show isn’t until Wednesday. As I told Kelliani, the second I am back in town, I can invite you to my show as my honored guests. After that, I leave for twenty more cities or so before taking a break. My doctor warned me about overdoing it, but I hadn’t really taken his concerns into account. Now, I feel as if I could have a reason to slow down and enjoy that side of my life again. My reason is you.”

  Vaughan hung his head before rising and walking to the bar. He needed something stronger than Sprite for this conversation. Finding an already open bottle of scotch, he poured himself some and downed it before pouring a second glass and making his way back to the table he shared with Frederick. “I knew this would happen but…”

  “Why is there a but involved? Clearly, we want one another. It’s only a few weeks. I can’t tour months at a time anymore like I used to so now I take more extended breaks. I’m doing about twenty-six shows in thirty-two days. I will make time for us when I come back to Vermont, I promise you. Once I get off tour, I’ll be here with you or we go back to Los Angeles. Whatever you want.”

  “And in the meantime what do I do?” Vaughan asked. “Sit at home and be the dutiful—what? And I have no interest in being your part time anything. I refused to be that for Sam, and I won’t do it for you.”

  “Who is Sam? And I don’t want you to be a part time anything. Unless you want to come on tour with me. That would be a long time away from your job though.” Fred
erick looked sheepish and toyed with his necklace.

  “Maybe if you come back after your tour then I’ll tell you.” Vaughan swallowed his scotch and set the glass on the table. He’d thought he had more time. He knew Frederick would be leaving and he thought he’d come to terms with that. Then why was he acting like such a prick? This was Frederick’s life, and the last thing Vaughan wanted to do was force him to give anything. “We’ll talk when you get back,” Vaughan amended.

  “When I get back to Vermont during my tour? It’ll be only a couple of weeks. I’m starting on the west coast, then making me way back westward. It will fly by before you know it. Just please say you won’t go running off somewhere and hiding.” Frederick’s shoulders slumped. His eyes appeared as if he was tearing up.

  “I’m sorry that I can’t make the tour go away. I’m performing for a good cause. A foundation that assists LGBT children. Most of the proceeds will go to them. Those plans cannot be changed.”

  “And I don’t want you to. You don’t know me well enough for that.”

  “Why do I feel as if I do?” Frederick pushed his body off the window sill and ambled over to where Vaughan was sitting. He gently ran his hand over Vaughan’s shoulder, then back up to his cheek. Frederick leaned in closer, causing his blond strands to move in front of his face. “I want to know you better, believe me.”

  “Maybe if you were someone else.” Vaughan’s voice cracked and his closed his eyes. He tilted his head and licked his lips. Frederick smelled good—so damn good. Opening his eyes he lifted a hand and caught the loose strands of Frederick’s hair. He bunched them in a fist and met Frederick’s gaze. “You’re wearing make-up…”

  “I do. Only to enhance my look. Is that an issue? And what do you mean if I was someone else?” Frederick appeared to be hurt by that comment.

  “Nothing.” Vaughan released his hair. “Look, I’m not sure what you want me to say now. As for make-up, it would only matter if you were in my bed.”

  “I would want to be in your bed, and if it made you feel better, I wouldn’t wear any make or any clothes for that matter.” Frederick placed both hands on his shoulders and leaned in close. “Don’t do that, Vaughan Singleton. Don’t back away now when so much heat has been exchanged between us. I know this isn’t fair to either one of us, but give me a chance. Us a chance. All I want you to say you will. You don’t have to be a monk, but don’t give me the cold shoulder. I want to learn more about you, do things with you. Dirty things. And I only want you to teach me.”

  The words tumbled from Frederick’s lips left Vaughan aroused and angry at himself. Out of all the scenarios he worked out in his head, none of them ended well. He extricated his body from Frederick and pressed his back into the wall. “This isn’t easy for me,” Vaughan said. “It’s confusing and strange and…” He licked his lips. “I don’t expect you to not see other people while you’re away, but I can’t stay here and deal through that. You had a life before you accidentally walked in here, and I expect you to have one when you leave. I don’t play well with others, and I heard what you said. I—shit. I can’t do this.”

  Frederick appeared to be disappointed. “At this point I wish I did drink liquor. You seem to be making this harder than it is.”

  Frederick sat in the chair Vaughan vacated and poured his Sprite into the glass.

  “You asked me to tell you what I want. I did. That is so unlike me, you wouldn’t believe. As my friend Deena said, I am stepping out of my comfort zone because I want something to occur between us. You don’t have to worry about me seeing anyone on tour because I don’t give myself away easily, unless it’s someone I want. And knowing that I openly want you, Vaughan Singleton, and you’re here waiting for me to return, I won’t be having anyone else in my bed.” Frederick grasped his glass and took a gulp.

  “Do you think I want to make this hard?” Vaughan asked. He moved from where he’d been standing, and as he approached Frederick, he slowly undid the top three buttons of his shirt. The cool air of the air conditioner kissed his skin, and he chewed on his bottom lip. When he stood by Frederick, he trailed a finger down the side of the violinist’s face to his neck before stepping behind him to gather Frederick’s loose hair in one large fist. “Let me educate you real quick. What I want to do to you right now is tear every piece of clothing from your body. Then, I want to turn you around to face my city while I drill you from behind. Then I stop and think and it changes. I want to pull your hair as you bite into my shoulder, and if you even thought of disobeying, I would leave my handprint on your ass, marking you for any other man who got you naked. But we aren’t teenagers anymore, Frederick. You’re leaving, and as much as these urges make no sense to me, I hate that fact.”

  Vaughan heard Frederick exhale, albeit unevenly. “I … I hate it, too.” Frederick managed, shuddering under Vaughan’s touch like a leaf. “Let’s make the most of what we have right now then. Show me what you could do to me.”

  “Are you scared, Freddy?” Vaughan asked, using Frederick’s hair to pull his head to the side. Leaning over, he licked from where Frederick’s shirt ended up to behind Frederick’s neck. “You might be, but that’s what you do to me. You bring out this wild animal that has been caged since my days in Iraq. What am I supposed to do with him now?”

  Frederick’s gasped turned ragged with that maneuver. “Whatever you and your animal want to do. Our date could be the getting to know each other part, right? Tonight, you do with me what you will. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that you were a military man. It all makes sense why I am so attracted to you.”

  “I see.” Vaughan undid the other buttons on his shirt as he gripped the edge of Frederick’s chair and turned him around to face him. “What about the prospect of getting caught?” he asked, catching the back of Frederick’s head while climbing astride Frederick’s lap.

  “Caught by whom? There is no one here but you and I, and honestly, I really don’t care about anyone watching us. It might be a thrill for them.” Frederick appeared to be fascinated with the dog tags hanging from his neck. He looked up at Vaughan with a heated stare, then slowly trailed a single, calloused finger from his collarbone, down the center of his neck.

  Vaughan trembled. “There are cameras here,” he explained, lifting his mouth to Frederick’s ear. He sucked. “And I have to work in this place.”

  Frederick trembled under his affections, inhaling sharply. “And who looks at those cameras? Your boss?”

  “Yeah.” Vaughan traced Frederick’s ear with the tip of his tongue. “I like the guy, but I don’t want him to see what I want to do to you. He’d have me committed.”

  Vaughan heard Frederick gasp once more.

  “Then, perhaps we should retire to my hotel then. No cameras there unless you want there to be.”

  “You can’t begrudge a guy for wanting something to spank the monkey to while you’re away.” Vaughan dragged a hand down the front of Frederick’s shirt and pinched at his nipple. “You will be gone for a while...”

  Frederick hissed and pushed Vaughan back a little so their eyes would meet. “I won’t be gone that long.” Frederick leaned in and kissed a spot on Vaughan’s chest, then took one of Vaughan’s dog tags into his mouth, biting it.

  “There I go thinking you were innocent.” Vaughan kept eye contact as he gently pulled his dog tag from Frederick’s lips. “We should go, you’re right. Can you do up my shirt, Freddy?”

  Frederick swiped his thick tongue over his slim lips, still gawking at Vaughan with passion in his eyes. He began buttoning Vaughan’s shirt as he asked, and when he finished, he moved his head upwards until they were closer and pressed their lips together.

  The kiss was something Vaughan had been afraid of. The thought of wanting Frederick more than he already did was something that threatened to drive him out of his mind, but how could he fight this? The things he wanted to do to Frederick would have Sam sending him to a mental facility—hell, Sam would have had a heart attack at the me
re mention of a spanking. But Frederick had—

  Frederick passed his tongue over Vaughan’s, and the thought died in his mind.

  “We should go,” Vaughan rasped, taking Frederick’s hand and bringing it to the front of his pants. “I’m not blowing you off, but as you can see … well, if we don’t we’ll get into trouble.”

  “I’m ready, Vaughan. I’ll let Deena know not to be hanging around my hotel room. Who am I kidding? I’m sure my friend has found entertainment for herself by now.” Frederick eyed Vaughan, flashing him an evil grin.

  “Well…” Vaughan smiled. “We should call a cab. Kelliani was my ride today.”

  Frederick attempted to stand, stumbling a little as if he were drunk.

  “All right. Let’s do that, and promise me you will feel me up in the taxi while we ride back to my room.”

  Vaughan groaned. “You’re killing me, Freddy!”

  Chapter Ten

  Only about twenty minutes passed before the cab arrived at Prince’s to take them back to the Monarch hotel Frederick stayed at. He’d asked the driver to stop at the local drugstore so he could pick up supplies because he didn’t have any. Frederick had no reason to, because he’d never thought in a million years he’d need them when visiting his parents’ home in Reading. Then again, he hadn’t met someone as attractive or dashing like Vaughan to give him a reason.

  Once he’d gathered what they needed, Frederick hopped back in and the two of them exchanged chaste kisses while in the cab. Vaughan teased him, running his tongue over his ear then inside it. Frederick nearly lost all control with that and wished for them to be back at the hotel a lot sooner. What he’d do once he got there, Frederick wasn’t sure. He’d only follow Vaughan’s commands because he’d been looking forward to it.

  With the small bag in hand, Frederick paid the driver, and the two of them jumped out of the cab. Frederick clasped his hand around Vaughan’s bicep, leading him to the private elevator towards the back of the hotel.