by Jet Mykles
Reese wrapped his arms around Luc’s waist. “I know that.”
God, they fit so well together. Didn’t Reese feel that? Luc lifted Reese’s chin with a finger, tilting his face up to look at him. “You sure?”
Reese gave him a small but genuine smile. “Yeah. But you see where I’m coming from, don’t you?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Not really but he wasn’t going to get anywhere arguing right now. Luc kissed him softly on the lips. “Come see me tomorrow.”
He hesitated.
“Please? I’ve got nothing else to do in this big house all alone.”
That made him laugh. “Bullshit. You could have hundreds of people here with a snap of your fingers.”
He trailed his fingertips along Reese’s barely stubbled jaw. “Just want you.”
Closing his eyes, Reese shook his head. “Damn. You talk a good game.”
Not a game. “Come see me tomorrow.”
“What about Brent? Darien? Jo…”
“Brent and Darien are staying with their families. Johnnie’s doing God only knows what with Tyler.” He put on what he hoped was a really over-the-top pout. “I’m all alone.”
And the laugh was back. “Pathetic.”
“Yep.” He brushed his lips on Reese’s cheek. “Stay with me tonight.”
“No.”
“Come back to me tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Yes! He pulled up to give Reese a dazzling smile. “Cool. I’ll order from this Italian place. The rental agent says it’s to die for.”
“Sounds good.”
After a searing kiss that unfortunately did not convince Reese to stay a little longer, Luc pulled on his pants then walked him to his car, barefoot. He eyed the crappy little Nissan, wondering how old it was. Then he realized. “Shit, is this Reegan’s old car?”
Reese chuckled as he sank into the driver’s seat. “Yep.”
“How’d you end up with it?”
“Mine died and Dave got her a new one, so I got this one for a steal.” He closed the door. “It still works fine.”
It probably did, but Luc was offended. Reese should be driving something better. But he said nothing. “If you say so.”
“I say so.”
Folding his arms on the open window ledge, Luc took a lingering look at the face of the man who captivated him. “Promise you’ll come back.”
He didn’t like the flicker of pain in those crystalline eyes but Reese put a smile over it and said: “I’ll come back.”
“I’ll miss you.”
That made Reese laugh. “Okay.”
Hurt that Reese didn’t take him seriously, he hid it behind a matching smile. “I will.”
He was encouraged when Reese leaned toward him for a kiss, one which he gladly gave. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With that, Luc was forced to back up so Reese could drive away from him. It hurt something awful.
Back in the house, he paced for probably a half hour before he finally gave in. From the porch, he called Brent.
“Don’t tell me he left? It’s not even midnight.” Brent, of course, knew every step of Luc’s progress with Reese. This was too important to try and navigate on his own.
“How’d you know he left?”
“Would you be calling me if you had Reese naked in that house somewhere?”
“Good point.” He lit the cigarette that had been dangling from his lips. “He left.”
“Damn. You losing your touch?”
He didn’t rise to the bait, instead he leaned on the porch railing, staring down the drive after Reese’s long-gone piece of shit car. “This is bigger than I thought.”
Pause. “Meaning?” All mirth was gone from his tone.
“I think I’m in love.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
He blew out a breath. “You weren’t going to tell me?”
“You needed to get there on your own.”
“I’m fucked.”
“He’s not biting?”
“Oh, he’s biting all right, but he’s not giving up this whole I’m not gay thing.”
“You haven’t figured out why?”
“He says it’s his job and it’s not his life anymore, but that’s bullshit, right?”
“Well…”
“In this day and age? Being gay can’t possibly mean your job.”
“Maybe not directly, but it could make things hard for him.”
Luc grunted reluctant agreement. “He can get a new job.”
“Why would he?”
“Why would he deny what he is?”
“Does he have a reason to come out?”
“Of course he does!”
“You?”
“Sure.”
“Right. And you’re leaving in a few days.”
He was silent a moment. Brent waited. Three drags on his cigarette later, he blurted: “I asked him to come to Italy with me.”
“Wow. And?”
“He accused me of trying to make him a whore. Or something like that. Kept woman. Some bullshit.” He was babbling.
“Well that’s twisting it.”
“Right?”
“So he said no.”
“He said no.”
“Too bad. Would have been fun to have him around.” Brent’s tone was entirely too light. He was filling the void, letting Luc think, come to conclusions.
Another draw of comforting smoke. “What do you think?”
“I think a lot of things.”
“Asshole.”
“I’m not the one in love.”
He waited.
“Fuck.” Another sigh. “You’ve never been like this for anyone else. It’s more than obsession and you don’t do obsession very well. You don’t have the attention span for it.”
He let the mild insult slide over his skin, intent on Brent’s words.
“There was a chance that getting together with him this week would end it. That’s why I didn’t say anything. But it doesn’t look like you’re going to get over him.”
“Ever,” he added, in agreement. Brent was the thinker, he was the do-er. Brent would think about something too long and lose it while he did that, while Luc would jump off a cliff to reclaim a quarter. They balanced each other well and had learned to listen to each other. Mostly.
“Ever.”
“I’m in love.”
Silence. Then: “So now you’ve got to figure out two things.”
“Only two?”
“At least two. One, what’s it mean to you? Do you want him with you? Do you want to take on his life? Do you think he can take on yours?”
“That’s one?”
“That’s one.”
“That’s a really long one.”
“Fuck you. Two…”
“Yeah?”
“Does he love you?”
Chapter Eight
The city looked gorgeous at night, lights arranged in jigsaw puzzle pieces across the valley in between the shadows of the hills. Reese had never known this community existed, never having any rich friends who might live in or near the area. He was astounded by how removed he felt here, in this ridiculously expensive house. With Luc. He could get used to this.
But he couldn’t. Shouldn’t. Luc was going away and all this would be gone. Even if, by some chance, Luc wanted to come back around to see him again, who knows when that would be? He was off to record an album, then Heaven Sent would no doubt embark on another tour in Japan or China or Russia or God’s knows where, on the other side of the globe from where Reese would have to live his normal life. As for the offer of the all-expense-paid trip to Europe… yeah, he couldn’t think about that.
His phone, sitting on the banister next to a half-finished glass of wine, binged with a text.
Reegan: How’s Luc?
He laughed.
Reese: How’s the honeymoon?
Reegan: Fine. How’s Luc?
&nbs
p; Reese: Luc who?
Reegan: Don’t tease me.
Reese: But it’s so easy
Reegan: I will kick your ass when I get back
Reese: This is news?
Reegan: REESE!!!!!
Reese glanced over his shoulder, into the kitchen were Luc was cooking—cooking!—dinner. Not only cooking but had shooed Reese away from helping, banishing him to the porch with wine. The pasta sauce smelled divine. He would never have guessed Luc had it in him.
Staring at the glow of his phone’s screen, he thought of how to respond.
Reese: We’ve hung out a few times.
Reegan: Just a few?
Reese: A few
Reegan: And…?
He sighed. Teasing her was fun, but he didn’t want to tell her that they were sleeping together. He didn’t want her to make a big deal out of it. She obviously had her suspicions from the call the morning after the wedding, but he refused to confirm.
Reese: And he’s leaving at the end of the week.
Pause. He watched the little three-dot icon blip, showing that she was typing. It took a while.
Reegan: I’m sorry.
He swallowed a lump in his throat.
Reese: I’m enjoying it while it lasts.
Reegan: So you ARE sleeping with him!
Reese: Signing off now. Say hi to Dave.
Grinning, he switched the phone to vibrate, pocketed it and ignored the series of buzzes as he went inside to watch a gorgeous man cook.
◆◆◆
Fuck!
If it wasn’t for the sandstone wall of the shower, the strong body behind him and the cock still buried deep inside him, Reese would have fallen to his knees. Every bone in his body was mush, ground to nothing by the relentless pleasure Luc had thrust into him. He struggled to pull hot humid air into his lungs and loved every second of it.
Luc’s teeth dug into his neck, one arm wound about Reese’s chest and the other braced on the tile above their heads. “Fuck.”
Reese chuckled, glad that he wasn’t the only one lost in mono-syllabic cursing after that. “Yeah.”
“I can’t move.”
“Me either.”
“We’re doomed.”
He rested his forehead on the cool tile. “Pretty much.” But, man, what a way to go!”
“Mmm.”
Luc kept grazing Reese’s shoulder until they were both breathing normally again. Then, groaning, he managed to ease back, his cock slipping from Reese’s body. Reese managed to brace himself on the wall, but it was a near thing to stay upright. The shower in the rental’s master suite was a gorgeous thing of gray sandstone tiles and deep bronze fixtures with a massive square shower head that dumped like rain from above. Without Luc hovering over him, the deluge was back and it felt wonderful on his heated skin. He pushed on the tiles, thankful that his legs did, in fact, work, and tipped his head back into the water.
“God, you’re beautiful.”
He froze, then blinked into the water before turning his head to see Luc leaning just inside the open door, watching him. “Me?”
“There’s no one else here.” His words were soft and his gaze was so much softer.
An all-too-wonderful heat burst from within and it scared the hell out of him. Reese forced himself to stand, reaching up to run fingers through his hair. “Thanks.” The word was stilted since had trouble getting it out over the lump in his throat.
Nothing else was said while he rinsed off but he was aware of Luc watching him. Eventually he turned off the water, grateful to take the huge, fluffy towel Luc held out for him.
“You are.”
God, that softness was still in his eyes. “Okay.” He pushed past Luc, passing the towel over his head to catch most of the water dripping from it.
Luc caught his arm, forcing him to spin around. “Okay?”
“What do you want me to say?” He glared up into dark eyes, conviction in his tone. “You’re beautiful too? You already know that.”
Confusion pulled down dark red brows. “What crawled up your ass?”
“You. Obviously.” With that crude comment, he pulled his arm from Luc’s grip and left the bathroom for the nearly empty bedroom. There was furniture here, unlike downstairs. A gorgeous cherry wood bed set for a California king mattress. A heavy armoire was open to reveal a television and matching dressers lined the walls. The bed itself was wrapped in cool blue silk sheets with a swanky spread. Even though it was extremely comfortable, they still slept downstairs on the futon, but had their clothes up here, mainly because of the kick-ass bathroom.
“O-kay.” Luc drew out the two syllables as he followed. “Want to tell me what happened between here and the shower besides me giving you a fucking compliment?”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t give me compliments.”
“What?”
He delayed answering by ripping open his duffle. He was just as pissed as Luc to have gone from bliss to this. “Just don’t. I’m a sure thing. You don’t need to.”
“Don’t need to.” A statement, not a question.
“No.”
“What if it’s true?”
Shorts in hand, he stood, hand up to rub at his eyes. “Don’t make this more than what it is.”
“And that is?”
“A hookup.” Jerkily, he bent to put on his cargo shorts, not caring that he forgot underwear.
“Is that what this is?”
He rounded on Luc, furious at the man for fanning that tiny little spark Reese had successfully managed to ignore. The little bit of hope left over from when he’d first loved the man. That this might be real. That something might come of it. “Of course it is. You know you can have me. I have no resistance when it comes to you. Don’t make this more than that.”
“Except, here you are. Resisting me.” Luc looked just as furious, arms over his chest as he leaned in the doorway, still very naked, slightly damp and achingly gorgeous. Everything Reese had ever wanted and he knew he couldn’t have, not for long. “I’m guessing from the clothes that you’re leaving me. Again.”
He shook his head, grabbing a T-shirt from his bag. He had to get out of here.
“Shit. All this because I said you’re fucking beautiful? When it’s Gods’ damned true?”
It hurt to hear those words. Hurt to want to believe them. “Look. Let’s just do what we’ve been doing. Then you’ll leave and I can get back to my life.”
“Jesus. That’s fucking romantic.”
“I don’t need romance!” He shouted, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. “I’m yours while you’re here, however you want me. It’s fine.” He headed out the door. “But I need to go on after you’re gone.” He said the last very quickly, hoping that Luc didn’t hear him but needing to say the words.
A frustrated roar followed him as he hurried down the stairs, his way lit by the dimmed light from the chandelier that hung level with the second floor balcony. Then, “Reese, wait!”
He didn’t. He was at the bottom of the stairs before Luc left the bedroom. His shoes were just inside the front door. He considered just snatching them up then driving barefoot, only to realize that his keys and wallet were across the room between the arches that led into the kitchen and dining room.
“Fucking, wait.”
Luc grabbed his arm when they both reached the middle of the room. He was still naked and too tempting so Reese kept his eyes averted.
“Reese.”
“I’ve got to go home.”
“Just—”
“I’ve got work in the morning.”
“—stop!”
Luc yanked the bag from his hand, dropping it to the hardwood as he turned Reese to face him. Childishly, Reese closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry, okay.” His tone was placating, his fingers tight on Reese’s shoulders. “I still don’t really know what I did wrong, but I’m sorry I hurt you.”
Fuck. Reese fel
t like one of the eleven-year-old girls that he taught, pitching a fit about feelings and… ugh!
“Reese, look at me.”
“No.”
“Seriously?”
An unexpected laugh burst from him at the incredulity in Luc’s voice. Groaning, he bent his head forward to thunk his forehead against Luc’s sternum. “Can we forget the last ten minutes?”
Hands slid down his arms then up his back. “No.”
“Please?”
Luc sighed, rubbing his back, easing him closer. “Stay and I’ll try.”
He laughed, shoring enough courage to place his hands at Luc’s waist. He smelled so good and he was so warm and his fucking magnificent cock was right there. But it was nearly one in the morning and it’d take him a half hour to get home. He eased away. “No.”
Thankfully, Luc let him go. He watched as Reese scooped up keys and wallet then headed back for his bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Straightening, Reese found himself fighting back a yawn. “I don’t think so.”
“Reese…”
He grabbed the hand that was headed for him and looked up into those beautiful eyes. “Look, I want to soak up as much of you as I can, but I’m wrecked. I almost fell asleep during one of my classes today. I need a break, especially with this weekend coming up.”
Luc’s frown showed his displeasure.
“I’m sorry, but us mortals need some rest.”
The frown deepened.
He took a chance, smiled up with promise. “I’m all yours Friday after the show and for as much of the weekend if you want me.”
“If I want you?” Luc shook free of his hold, grabbed his jaw with both hands and kissed him. Kissed the fuck out of him. His knees went weak again and he had to wrap his arms around Luc to stay upright.
“I want you,” Luc assured him, words against his lips.
“Good.” He forced levity into his tone. “I’ll see you at the show.”
The growl was sexy as hell, but he had to stand firm.
“Please?”
The fight went out of Luc all at once. His arms dropped and all he gave Reese was a mutinous glower.
Reese smiled. “‘Night.”
Before he could think better of it, he took his bag, grabbed his shoes, and escaped heaven.
◆◆◆
Luc stood naked in the middle of the room, fully aware that Reese could see him as he started his car. He turned to give a full frontal when headlights came on and he didn’t wave as the car drove away.