by Jet Mykles
They could deny the inevitable only so long. Cash started to wiggle, moaning as he sucked on Danny’s tongue. Danny pulled away just long enough to twist his upper body to reach behind him to get the lube.
“Wait.” He stopped Cash when the other started to move from their embrace. “Hold out your hand.”
There was just enough light for them to see. Cash watched as Danny squirted lube onto his palm, then put the lube aside. Awkwardly, Danny rubbed his left hand on Cash’s right, smearing lube across both palms, then guided Cash’s hand back down toward their crotches. He scooted closer so he could help fold Cash’s grip around both their cocks. Then he fitted his own grip above Cash’s.
Cash tucked his head into the curve of Danny’s neck, his free hand digging into Danny’s back. “Shit.”
Grinning, Danny held him close and teased the heads of their cocks while Cash squeezed and pumped toward the bases. He thrust into their hands and clutched the back of Cash’s head, turning it so he could whisper in Cash’s ear. “Come for me, baby. I want you all over me. I want to smell like you.”
“Don’t…talk…”
“You love it when I talk. Know how I know? You get harder.” Danny squeezed their cocks for emphasis. “You grab at me. You lose your breath.”
“Do…not…”
“Do too.” He bit Cash’s earlobe, trying to keep himself from coming first. “And when I’m inside you, your ass squeezes so hard, it’s like to snap my dick off.”
Something between a gasp and a cry burst from Cash’s lips, and liquid warmth spurted onto Danny’s belly. Groaning, he pushed Cash onto his back and covered him, rubbing against him, kissing him while pumping cum from his own cock.
“Asshole,” Cash muttered, even as he slid his hands soothingly over Danny’s back.
Danny stayed where he was, letting his heart beat right next to Cash’s. Chuckling, he slid his wet hand around the side of Cash’s hip and wiggled it toward the crack of Cash’s ass. “Not sure I could do more than finger you right now. Unless you want a rimjob.”
The catch in Cash’s breath answered Danny’s wondering about whether he knew the term. He laughed. “Ah, someone’s been doing more research. You want me to lick your asshole, baby?”
Cash slapped Danny’s back halfheartedly. “No. You’re an asshole.” He yawned.
“Mmm.” Danny twisted his head enough to nuzzle the bend of Cash’s neck. “Probably. But you love me anyway.”
All he got was a grunt. Cash slipped quickly and quietly into sleep, but Danny was pretty sure he heard Danny’s words.
Danny tried to sleep, but it was slow coming. He held on to Cash and tried his best not to panic. Failed. Just because they hadn’t talked about it yet didn’t mean the storm wasn’t coming. Nothing was settled, and too many words were left unsaid.
And they’d reached Danny’s last week before the tour.
Chapter Sixteen
Danny leaned in the doorway of Cash’s bedroom. Although Cash didn’t look up, he knew Danny was there.
“What are you passionate about?”
Fingers stopped on the keyboard, and Cash’s head tipped to the side. “Huh?”
Danny crossed his arms and ankles. “What are you passionate about?”
Cash gave him an incredulous look.
“I’m serious. There’s got to be something that gets you going.” He jerked his chin toward the computer. “Is that it? Writing code?”
“Uh, sure.”
“No.” Danny pushed off the door frame and went to sit on a small cleared space on Cash’s bottom bunk. It forced Cash to turn his chair away from the keyboard to face him. “Your answer tells me that’s not it.” He folded his fingers and propped his elbows on his knees. “What are you really passionate about?”
“Why?”
“I want to know.”
“Why?”
Danny shrugged, determined to maintain his cool. Inside, his emotions were simmering, but he knew Cash would shut down if he showed any of that. It was Tuesday, and the extent of their talking about their situation had been Cash confirming the bus left on Friday. Danny had been waiting on Cash to bring it up, but nothing beyond that was forthcoming. Danny had too much time on his hands now. This afternoon had been his last shift at the pizzeria, and he had two days to put things in order. This thing between them was his first priority. “You know what I’m passionate about. I want to know what really matters to you.”
Cash frowned. His gaze fell to his knees. “I don’t have anything like that.”
“There’s got to be something. It can’t be sports. It’s not fashion design.” That got him an amused snort. “What about those games you play online?”
Cash glanced over his shoulder. “Uh, I don’t know. They’re fun.”
Danny frowned. “Do you collect anything?” He looked at the action figures and paraphernalia in Cash’s bookshelves, but there didn’t look to be a cohesive theme. “Anything at your parents’ house?”
Cash gave it some thought, his gaze roving toward the closed laptop by his elbow, but then shook his head. “Not like that. That’s all just…stuff.”
Danny had not expected this response. He’d been prepared to involve himself somehow in something Cash found exciting, but if there wasn’t anything, his idea was blown. He stared at Cash like he’d never seen him before. “What makes you happy?”
Cash was torn between a smile and a frown. “What is all this?”
“I want to know if there’s something we could share. Something we could do together or something I could get you while I’m on the road. Maybe.” Said aloud, it sounded lame, but it had made sense in his head.
Cash shook his head again. “What does it matter? You’re leaving.”
“I’m not leaving forever.”
Now there was a genuine frown, backed by more than a little anger. “You might as well be.”
“What?”
“Come on, Danny. I may not know much about the music business, but I know what I saw this weekend. You’re gonna have millions of people fawning all over you. Thousands you can take to bed. I’m supposed to believe you want me over all that?”
“Yes.” It was out before Danny could stop it.
“Please. I’m naive about some things, but I’m not stupid. You’re gonna be a big rock star. I heard all sorts of people saying it that night. I saw that gorgeous guy come on to you.” To Danny’s horror, Cash gave him an encouraging grin. “You can’t tie yourself down to a computer geek.”
Danny scowled. “Did Izzy tell you that?”
“What?”
“Or was it Gordon? Those aren’t your words.”
“Danny, all I meant was that we—”
Danny shot to his feet and caught hold of Cash’s jaw before either of them fully knew what he was doing. He drew Cash to his feet, heedless of the office chair that swiveled away and banged into the desk. “I didn’t try to fall in love with you. It just happened.”
Shock, then heated anger, made the eyes behind thick lenses spark. Cash grabbed Danny’s hands and yanked them away from his face. “Fucking quit it, will you?” Astonished, Danny stood still while Cash slid away toward the door. “God, you say you’re in love with me, that I mean so much, but we both know it’s bullshit. So just stop.”
Danny’s mouth was open to protest, but Cash rounded on him with more.
“You’re so fucking melodramatic with all your romance and shit. Okay, you got me. I fell for it. You’re amazing. You’re beautiful.” Cash’s voice caught on what might have been a sob, but he swallowed it and went on. “You got me into your bed, and I loved. Every. Fucking. Minute of it.” He took two steps toward Danny so that their noses were inches apart. “But don’t think I’m fool enough to let you make me fall in love with you. Not when you’re going on with a life I can’t be part of. You’re going to be a big huge star.” He backed away. Two steps. Three. “I’m not going to be the one who gets dumped when you move on to bigger and better things. My lif
e is quiet and boring and predictable because I like it that way. That’s what makes sense to me.” Eyes closed, he shook his head and spun away again. “What we’ve got right now is fine. You can do whatever you want with me because, yeah, I do want you.” He slashed a hand through the air. “But it ends when you go. Because it should end.”
With the glasses in the way, Danny couldn’t be sure if he saw tears before Cash disappeared into the other room. “Cash, wait.” He rushed out, but Cash was already at the front door, jacket and gloves in hand. “Where are you going?”
“My parents’. I’m gonna stay with them tonight.”
“What? No.” He managed to grab Cash’s arm before he was out the door. “We need to talk about this. You can’t just—”
Cash pulled out of Danny’s grip. “No. No more talking. I said everything I need to say. I’ll be back tomorrow after school.”
Danny stared at the door after it slammed. He wanted to go after Cash, but his feet stayed rooted to the floor. Because, as much as it hurt, Cash was probably right. Danny had no business making this about love when it was Danny’s dream that made it impossible.
Chapter Seventeen
Backpack slung over one shoulder, Cash was two steps into the apartment when he stopped. He took a moment to look around, taking in the boxes and luggage, before he lifted his gaze to meet Danny’s. “You’re moving out?”
At the kitchen counter, Danny finally turned away from the note he’d been toying with for the past hour. Toying because he knew leaving a note was chickenshit. He’d killed time waiting for Cash to come home. “Yeah.”
“You don’t have to. I said I’d keep your stuff for you.” No inflection, no disappointment or anger in his voice. Danny wanted to think he was hiding emotion, but was he really?
“Yeah. I think I do.” Danny ran a hand through his hair. “You were right. I’ve got no right to ask anything of you, and if I stay here, I know I’ll do just that.” He faced Cash, drank in the sight of that crazy mop of hair, those shielding glasses, and the most delectable mouth he’d ever tasted. “Whether you believe me or not, I really do think I love you. But”—he held up a hand to silence the words Cash opened his mouth to say—“I get where you’re coming from. With any luck, my life is about to change dramatically. And no one, especially not me, really knows what’s coming next.”
Cash let the backpack slide from his arm and looked again at the boxes. So few. Danny had been stunned at how little time it’d taken him to pack his things. “Where will you go?”
“I’ll stay with Noble and Lance.”
“And your stuff?”
“Brent’s letting me store it at his place. Rabin’s going to come back with me and his truck tomorrow. As for the furniture”—he shrugged—“you can keep it or get rid of it. Let me know if you need me to do anything.” He tapped a check he’d left on the counter. “Here’s my last month’s rent.”
Cash looked at him again. He wore the studiously blank mask that didn’t allow Danny to know what he was really thinking. “You don’t have to go.”
“This is probably for the best.”
Slowly, Cash nodded. Was it evil of Danny to be glad Cash didn’t seem pleased? Probably, but he was glad anyway.
“Okay.” Cash dug his hands into the deep pockets of his cargo jeans. “I guess that’s it, then.”
“I guess so.” Disappointed, Danny stood. He knew he shouldn’t have expected anything more. No protestations of love or begging that he stay. He’d known Cash would agree with him. He should be happy with the little bit of protest he did get. But the drama queen in him had insisted on hoping for more.
Still… He stepped toward Cash, raising his hands to cup the other’s jaw. Cash gazed at him with those big brown eyes, unreadable behind his glasses. He didn’t protest when Danny kissed him, parted his lips to receive Danny’s tongue, even did a little tasting of his own. Danny gave thought to pushing it further, to spending one last night with Cash in his bed, but it was a bad idea. If he allowed that, he’d want one more night, then one more and yet one more. Better to quit cold turkey. Cash licked his lips as Danny stepped back, but nothing more than that. His hands were still in his pockets.
“We’ll probably be by around one or two to get my stuff tomorrow.” Danny warned him, giving him the chance to not be there.
“Okay.”
I love you. He lifted his hand in a wave. “Bye.”
“Bye.”
Danny brushed past him to the door.
“Danny?”
“Yeah?”
Cash gave him what looked like a genuine smile. “Thank you.”
Danny wasn’t sure what the thanks was for. He wanted to ask but knew that was trouble. If he didn’t leave now, he might never manage it again. So he just smiled back. And left.
Chapter Eighteen
“Well done, guys,” Gordon greeted them as they paraded into the greenroom. “Great show.”
The greenroom at Club Gypsie wasn’t green—most greenrooms weren’t—but it was certainly nicer than some of the places the Knights had played at in the past two months. Gypsie was a high-end dance club in Philadelphia that hadn’t been on their original schedule. But good hype at the beginning of the tour had allowed Gordon to add some other clubs that had been doubtful when the Knights were complete unknowns.
They weren’t unknown now, thanks to Heaven Sent fans. There was little doubt where all the screaming girls—and boys—had come from. Pictures and stories about Danny, Rabin, Noble, and Lance had cropped up on almost every Heaven Sent Web site, both official and unofficial. Once Heaven Sent had made the association public, their fans were scrambling to find out all about this new band. Now that the members of Heaven Sent were all romantically attached, their fans were aching for publicly available idols. These days, the Knights needed to beef up security at many of the clubs, and some of the smaller ones had even canceled because they couldn’t afford the overhead. Didn’t matter. For every club that canceled, there were now two or three more asking to take their place.
It was a wild ride. Danny loved it. He was almost too tired and wired to care that he hadn’t had sex with another person since leaving Chicago.
With a loud sigh, he collapsed onto a plush red couch. Soft fabric over thick cushions felt good against his bare torso. He wondered where his shirt had gone, then dismissed the thought immediately. He’d lost an amazing number of shirts in the past few weeks. It was his own fault since he kept throwing them into the audience. Gordon happily supplied him with new ones, naming the others as acceptable losses.
The arrival of a towel tossed over his face blotted out the light. He rolled onto his back as he plucked it free, bending one knee to prop a boot on the couch, making room for Rabin to sit with him. The guitarist was just as sweaty and amped as he was, but the spikes of his hair were still sharp and upright.
“Here.” Rabin tossed a bit of pink and black fabric on Danny’s chest.
When he picked it up, Danny laughed and displayed a very pretty pair of panties. Difference being the front panel was bulged and reinforced, clearly designed to contain a cock. “How cute. For me?”
Rabin chuckled, mopping his face with another towel. “Dunno. Hooked on the neck of my guitar when I was leaving the stage.”
“At least they’re new and not worn.”
Noble snatched them from Danny’s hand so he could inspect. “Now, I would love to see the cute little number who tossed these up.”
Rabin wrapped his towel around his neck and sat back on the couch. “I’m sure he’s out there.”
Lance glanced over Noble’s shoulder at them. “Didn’t you used to have a pair of those in green?”
Noble sent a wicked grin after him, holding the panties up between two index fingers. “I did, in fact.” He grinned as Danny, Rabin, and the roadies hooted at him.
Laughing, Gordon raised his voice. “All right, guys, settle down for a moment. I want to show you something.”
Rabin and D
anny pushed off the couch to follow Noble and Lance to the table where Gordon had his laptop set up. The screen showed a really cool version of the Indigo Knights logo superimposed over a montage of portraits of the four of them, all with an indigo wash. That was the site’s banner. Below was a three-column page full of gold text on a midnight background.
“This our new Web site?” Lance asked, leaning over Gordon’s shoulder. Gordon had been making noises about a redesign.
“No. This is a new site that’s caused a lot of chatter about you on the net.” He used the mouse to scroll down. “It’s better than our site. A one-stop shop with your schedule, bios, and a member forum.”
“You pay someone to do this?”
“No. The webmaster e-mailed for permission to post the club dates and repost your bios, but I never expected this.”
“Who did it?”
“Don’t know.” Gordon clicked on the link for the forum, and Danny had to lean forward to make sure he saw what he saw. At least a dozen different forum topics, including one for each member of the band. The post count on every one of them was in the hundreds.
“How long has this been around?”
“A week. Whoever did it managed to get the word out fast. It helped that he—and I’m only guessing it’s a he—linked in with the main Heaven Sent forum. A lot of the traffic seems to have come from there.” He clicked on the forum for Danny Champion; a full page of posts popped up, some with rather embarrassing subjects that just made Danny laugh. “But as you can see, it’s developed a life of its own.”