Under the Covers

by K. C. Wells

  “You don’t mean sex, right?”

  Jase shook his head impatiently. “No, of course not. But you can capture their chemistry. How they stare at each other. How they can’t bear to take their eyes off each other.”

  “And all naked,” Chris repeated. The light in his eyes told Jase he was beginning to get the picture.

  Jase nodded. “Don’t be afraid to show dicks and ass. This is art, remember, not pornography. Showing men at their most vulnerable, yet capturing their essence. This is not a new idea. Heaven knows how many books are out there, filled with erotic art. It’ll need a theme running through it.” He smiled. “Call it Reflections of Gay Life, and have mirrors feature in all the photos.”

  Chris’s eyes shone. “You might have something there.” He stilled. “Oh my God. I’ve got it. We use the mirrors, but… we have how the guys look on the outside, but the mirror view reveals how they really feel on the inside.”

  “I like it. That’s different.” Excitement bubbled up inside him.

  “I already have a few guys in mind who I think would be perfect for this.” Chris’s quiet voice broke into his thoughts. “But so far it’s a short list.”

  Jase’s breathing quickened. “And am I on it?”

  “Excuse me?”

  He locked gazes with Chris. “Am I on your list?”

  Chris’s mouth fell open, but he snapped it shut. “Actually? No.”

  “Why the hell not?” Jase didn’t know if he was hurt or astounded.

  Chris gave him a gentle smile. “I was thinking of your career. Your acting career? I didn’t think you’d want these kinds of photos floating around.”

  Warmth filled him at Chris’s thoughtfulness. My career hasn’t really got started, and yet he’s still thinking about protecting it. Then Jase narrowed his gaze. “You’re talking like this is porn, for God’s sake. These would be beautiful images that capture so much. I would be proud to be a part of your exhibition.” His heartbeat raced just thinking about it.

  Chris stared at him. “Seriously?” He shook his head, smiling. “You never cease to amaze me. Okay. I’ll add you to the list, and once I start shooting, I’ll call you.”

  “What’s wrong with now?” Jase’s pulse was rapid, his mouth dry.

  Chris blinked. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, you have all your equipment in this room. You have your lights, your bounce boards, everything….” He pointed to the full-length mirror by the bathroom. “We have one of those too. Why not have a go now? We have a couple of hours to kill before your panel.” He smiled, although his heart was pounding. “Your first attempts. Think of it as a learning experience. And we don’t even have to use the mirror. Let’s just play around with ideas.”

  He was suddenly aware that Chris’s breathing matched his own. He wants this too.

  Before Chris could refuse him, Jase held up a hand. “I’m going to run to my room and collect a few… props.” He grinned. “I have some ideas too.” And before Chris could utter a word, he dashed from the room and along the hallway to his own. Once inside, he scanned the room, searching for the items he needed, then shoved them into his bag, closed the door, and headed back to Chris.

  When Jase found him still seated at his desk, he laughed. “Don’t you have things you should be doing? Like setting up lights and stuff?”

  Chris took a deep breath. “You’re serious about this?”

  Jase dropped his bag on the bed and walked over to Chris. “Of course I’m serious,” he said softly. “Now… can I help?”

  His brisk manner seemed to galvanize Chris into action. “You set up the boards the way I do in the studio. I’ll deal with the tripod and camera and the lights.”

  For the next ten minutes, they worked to create a makeshift studio, and with every passing minute, Jase’s excitement swelled even more. When they were done, he regarded Chris with a speculative glance. “Had any thoughts about how you want me?” Then he realized how suggestive he sounded.

  Judging by Chris’s brief start, he’d had the same reaction. He swallowed. “Forget the mirror for now. Seeing as we have a bed, let’s use it. Undress and then get under the sheet. I’ll move the boards and lights.” He turned his back on Jase and went over to one of the large reflective boards.

  Jase quickly slipped out of his boots, jeans, and T-shirt. He paused at his briefs, then swiftly removed them. Jase climbed into the bed and pulled the sheet up over his torso. When Chris turned around, Jase smiled. “Now what?”

  Chris came over and arranged more pillows behind him. “Lean back against them,” he suggested. “One arm up, bent at the elbow.” He grasped the sheet and rumpled it, letting it cover Jase up to the waist. “Now bend one leg. Let the sheet fall the way it wants to.”

  Jase was hyperaware of the image he presented. The sheet covered his groin, but his already stiffening dick poked up against the cotton. “You want me to… deal with that?”

  Chris glanced lower and he took another audible breath. “No, leave it. You have no idea how sexy you look right now.” He stepped back behind the camera. “Look up at the ceiling, not at me. That’s it.” He took a few shots, giving more instructions here and there, and Jase forgot his nerves and went with it. He changed position, his arms folded under the pillow, head turned toward the camera, and Chris pulled back the sheet, baring his ass. “Bring your right knee up toward you, bending the leg.” He paused, staring at Jase. “Now look at me. Right at the camera.”

  Jase focused on the lens, his expression neutral as Chris took more shots. It was a heady sensation, one that he couldn’t quite fathom. Posing naked for the camera while Chris was still fully clothed…. Jase felt exhilarated. Even though he knew the purpose of the photos, he wanted more than anything for Chris to see him.

  For Chris to want him the way Jase wanted Chris.

  Jase locked on to that camera. Here I am, Chris. Do you like what you see? Because I want to be yours. What he dared not yet say with his lips, he said with his body, praying that Chris was a proficient enough reader.

  “KNEEL up on the bed.” Chris was having difficulty keeping his voice even. Despite having worked with Jase many times, he was on edge, and a lot of that was down to the way Jase was looking at him.

  Talk about heat….

  Jase did as instructed, the sheet falling from him, and Chris couldn’t miss that gorgeous dick pointing at the ceiling, his bush neatly trimmed above it, his balls….

  Christ. An image rose unbidden in his head: Jase on his back, legs spread wide with Chris between them, his tongue gently lapping those balls, that cock….

  He cleared his throat. “Kneel diagonally, leaning back with your weight on your hands. Arch your back as much as you can. Then close your eyes.” The lovely curve of Jase’s body was truly a thing of beauty. His concave belly was taut, his nipples standing proud, and that tantalizing dick was vertical, a solid column of flesh rising from his body. Chris took rapid shots, trying to capture the moment.

  Then a thought occurred to him. “You said props. What props?”

  Jase grinned. “Can I move now?”

  “What? Oh, sure.” Jase’s unhurried crawl across the bed sent a pang of longing through his body. No matter how hard Chris tried, he found it almost impossible not to look at Jase without imagining his hands on that smooth body, caressing him, arousing him….

  “Chris?”

  With a jolt, he realized Jase was addressing him. When he saw the long, shiny black boots Jase had worn the previous night, desire speared through him. “Put them on,” he said instantly.

  Watching Jase lace himself into those high-heeled boots was an exercise in patience.

  When Jase was ready, Chris pointed to the window, covered by a gauzy curtain. “Pull it back, then place both hands on the glass, arms bent at right angles, head turned to the left.”

  Jase glanced down at his erection. “Are you trying to get me arrested?”

  Chris chuckled. “Trust me. If anyone sees you up h
ere, it’s through a telescope from the hotel opposite. And besides, we’re only on the fifth floor.” He waited as Jase got into position. “Now spread your legs wide.” He swallowed at the sight of Jase in heels, the breadth of his shoulders, his narrow waist and hips, his toned thighs. Chris clicked away, mesmerized by the view. Then he gestured to the carpet. “Lie down.” He paused, visualizing the pose he wanted. “Can you do a shoulder stand?”

  Jase smiled and rolled his body fluidly up off the floor, supporting his back with his hands. “Like this?”

  “Perfect. Now, one foot pointing to the ceiling, the other at a right angle over your head.”

  “I’ve got a better idea.” Jase pointed his right leg skyward, then bent his left, the heel resting just above his right knee. “How about this?”

  Chris said nothing but clicked the shutter, capturing the sight. Then he caught his breath as Jase pointed both feet toward his head as if he were about to roll over. Long legs encased in tight black boots, his balls showing between his asscheeks, his cock resting against his belly….

  Quickly Chris took the shots. “And relax.”

  Jase sat up, his legs stretched out in front of him. “How am I doing?”

  “Like you’ve been posing naked all your life.” Chris was amazed at Jase’s poise. “Let’s take a few more shots with the boots before we try something else.” Because those boots looked amazing.

  “This would work with the mirror,” Jase commented. “Imagine your model in a suit, but in the mirror, he’s naked but for a pair of boots. That’s how he longs to be, how he sees himself.”

  Chris liked that. He had no idea how many shots he’d taken. He was caught up in the excitement of it all, positioning Jase, turning him this way and that until they ended up back on the bed. “I think we’re done,” he announced.

  “I have an idea for one more shot. Stand on the bed.”

  Chris snickered. “So you’re calling the shots now?”

  “Humor me. I’ve had some good ideas for poses so far, haven’t I?”

  Chris had to admit that was true. He got onto the bed, camera in hand, and Jase knelt before him. Chris gazed down at him, his heart hammering as Jase’s face inched closer to his crotch. When his nose was about to touch the bulge that Chris couldn’t hide, Jase turned his face up toward him.

  “Now. Take your shot now.”

  Oh my God. Chris’s hand shook as he clicked, and he took another to be on the safe side. Jase’s eyes sparkled, his lips parted, and Chris knew exactly how it looked, knew exactly what was supposed to happen next. Do it. Do it.

  He reached down, unzipped his jeans just a touch, and a soft sigh escaped Jase’s lips. “Finally,” he breathed. Emboldened, Chris lowered it some more, revealing the root of his dick, topped by dark fuzz. Jase’s breathing hitched, and then he leaned forward and planted a gentle, almost reverential kiss there, sending a shiver of pleasure through him. He reached to grasp Chris’s jeans, to—

  His phone burst into life, the alarm piercing the quiet.

  Jase tilted his head. “And what does that mean?” He let go of Chris’s jeans with obvious reluctance.

  Reluctantly, Chris zipped up and clambered off the bed. “It means I have to pack up and get ready for my panel.” He’d lost all track of time.

  Jase glanced down at his body. “Then I’d better get dressed, too, if I’m coming with you.” He got up and grabbed his jeans from the chair beside the bed, then glanced back at Chris. “You might need to work on that before you get to your panel.” His lips twitched as he lowered his gaze to Chris’s bulge.

  Goddamn it! “This is not over, okay?” Chris had never been so unenthusiastic about a panel. Grudgingly, he packed up his camera and searched for his notes.

  “I’ll meet you down there. Let me get rid of my… props.” And with that, Jase left the room.

  Somewhere in the universe, someone is having a really good laugh at my expense. Then it hit him. That last pose had been Jase’s idea. Jase had planned it.

  What if Jase knew exactly what he was doing?

  More importantly… what would have happened if his goddamn phone hadn’t rung when it did? What would they be doing right then?

  Chris pushed such thoughts aside. Tantalizing as they were, they would have to wait. He had a task to perform.

  Dinner with Jase was looking more interesting by the minute.

  Chapter Thirteen

  TEN minutes before the panel was due to start, the doors opened and the readers started pouring in, several loud shrieks and squeals had reverberated around the small room, and Jase had been surrounded. He posed for selfie after selfie, smiling until his cheek muscles ached, and signed cards, autograph books, and book covers until his Sharpie ran out.

  Jase should have known what to expect. Hell, Chris had warned him, right?

  All the while, Chris sat at the panel table, fiddling with the laptop and ensuring the projector worked. Along with him sat Kirstin Williams from Trailblazer Press, Teresa York from Rainbow Unicorn Press, and a woman Jase didn’t recognize. The women talked quietly among themselves, casting occasional glances in the direction of the audience. Teresa’s gaze met Jase’s, and she gave him a warm smile.

  Jase’s mind was not on the panel. Mentally, he was still in Chris’s room, his lips on the soft skin of Chris’s cock, his mind locked on the luscious possibilities that were opening up for him… until that damn phone had broken the spell. He was already rethinking their plan to go to dinner. What he really wanted was a bed and room service.

  Then he reconsidered. Chris had obviously put a lot of thought into their outing. And it wasn’t as if he didn’t know what was going to happen the minute they got back.

  What was even better? Chris knew it too.

  Kirstin took up the mic. “If you’d all like to take your seats, we’re ready to begin.” Her eyes gleamed. “I’m starting to think the right cover model won, judging by your reaction.”

  What surprised Jase was the sudden burst of applause, along with whoops, whistles, and hollers. He caught sight of Chris, who was grinning. Chris inclined his head toward the empty chair next to him, and Jase darted for it, grateful for a seat.

  “I figured you’d prefer sitting up here,” Chris whispered.

  Jase leaned into him before realizing how that must look. He straightened quickly, but there were a few delighted glances from the readers nearest to him. He could almost hear the awws.

  Kirstin introduced the panel, and the third woman turned out to be another publisher, Ann Tremont. Kirstin addressed the audience. “I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying ‘Never judge a book by its cover.’ Well, out of interest, raise your hand if you’ve ever purchased a book because of its cover. Go on, be honest.” Amid chuckles and laughter, lots of hands rose into the air, and Kirstin beamed. “Yeah. Whoever came up with that saying had obviously never met a die-hard romance reader.” Her comment was met by rapturous applause.

  Kirstin glanced in Jase’s direction. “We’re delighted to have Jase Mitchell join us. I’m sure many of you have seen Jase on book covers. What you may not know is, the photographs were taken by our last panelist, Chris Tyler, a photographer from New York.” Another round of applause rang out. “Chris is going to talk to us about book covers, good and bad. And speaking of bad….” She gave Chris a nod. “Over to you.”

  Chris switched on his mic. “Sometimes you come across book covers that are so bad, they’re good. You occasionally wonder what was in the mind of the cover artist when they designed it. Like this first cover. Let Me Come In is a great title for a romance, and sure enough, there’s a handsome guy on the cover. What is surprising, though?” He clicked on the mouse, and the cover appeared on the screen. “The three little pigs that Handsome Guy is holding. Okay, so I get the reference, but really?”

  The audience reacted with chuckles and snickers.

  “Or how about this one, where the hero was obviously computer generated? There’s nothing wrong with that, by t
he way. But….” Chris clicked again. “The artist could at least have got his proportions anatomically correct. With shoulders that wide, he’d overbalance in a heartbeat. And I’m not sure they meant his skin to be quite that shade of gold.” There were more giggles. “We’ve come a long way from the romance covers of old. Then, most of the covers used paintings, and we’re back to those unbelievably wide shoulders and chests again. Every guy was a hunk, hair was long and flowing, jaws were chiseled, and shirts were usually hanging off to reveal that manly chest. Lots of kilts too.” Chris fanned himself. “Those were the days.”

  Laughter filled the air.

  “And it did mean you got covers like these.” He clicked again. “A guy riding… a whale. Impressive.” He addressed the audience. “Hands up if you’ve recently seen a book cover with a baby on it.” A forest of hands rose up. “Now keep ’em up if it was a guy holding the baby.”

  Jase looked at the hands still raised. Judging by their number, this was a popular theme.

  Chris nodded. “Yeah. Daddies and babies sell a lotta books these days. Which, personally, I think is fantastic. I draw the line at mpreg, however.” He winced. “Nope. Sorry. Guys having babies? Not gonna go there.” Several members of the audience laughed. “But if you’re going to put a guy on a cover with a baby, surely you could make sure he looks like he wants to be there?” He clicked, and Jase saw an airline pilot holding a baby against his chest. The pilot was in full uniform, and the expression on his face was priceless. He looked as though someone had just dropped a fifty-pound bowling ball on his foot. “Or how about this one?” Chris clicked again to reveal a scruffy guy holding a baby at a distance, as though it was going to pee on him at any second. “Now, maybe that expression conveys something about the plot, but be honest with me. Would you choose this book, based on the cover?” A lot of readers shook their heads, and Chris nodded slowly. “My point exactly. Publishers should know that readers do judge a book by its cover, and that first sight is make-or-break time.”