The Carpenter's Prince

by Jayce Ellis

  “Oh, just out in my car.”

  “But it’s cold.”

  “I have a heater, and I’m a big dude anyway. I’ll be okay.”

  One of Keni’s brows rose as his gaze trailed down Sean’s frame. Thank God Cameron had run off with his friends and wasn’t paying attention. “That you are.”

  Oh boy. Sean stepped back, right into a mother sprinting down the halls.

  “Oof! Oh my God, watch where you’re going.”

  Keni stepped from around him and stared at her. And kept staring, until she ducked her head and mumbled an apology, skirting around them and dipping into one of the studios.

  Keni reached out and touched Sean’s arm gently. “You sure you won’t stay? If you don’t want to watch the rehearsal, there are a couple of rooms you can use. I don’t want you to be out in the cold.”

  No way could Sean stay in this place and resist the temptation to watch Keni dance. “I’m sure, but thank you so much. You have a good rehearsal.”

  “If you change your mind, we’re in the large studio at the end on the right.”

  “I’ll remember that.” Sean turned before Keni could say something else and escaped to his car. He needed to get his head on straight. The bite of the winter cold against his overheated skin cooled him, and he shivered, though whether from the cold or from thoughts of Keni soaring through the air, he didn’t know.

  “BIEN. THIS is very good. We rest, do more. Take break, fifteen minutes, we come back and continue, yes?”

  Elenor, Naveed’s right-hand woman who handled the rehearsals, said that like it was a question. Keni glanced up at the wall. Christ, they’d been here for two hours, and at this rate wouldn’t be leaving until close to ten. His legs wobbled, and he needed food. He darted to the dressing room, grabbed a protein shake and bar, and walked out. He wanted to check the waiting rooms, but sheer stubbornness stopped him. Sean was gorgeous, had clear affection for his nephew, but didn’t seem to particularly care for Keni. The sharp slice of sadness at that thought stunned him, and he pulled up short. Right in front of Cameron and a friend.

  “I gotta run outside and tell my uncle we’re staying late.”

  “Hey, Cameron, I can do that for you. You don’t need to be out in this weather.” What the hell are you doing?

  Cameron turned and looked him up and down, his eyes far too knowing for someone Keni was pretty sure wasn’t a teenager yet. “Okay, sure. You know what my uncle’s truck looks like?”

  Keni paused. “Not a clue.”

  Cameron and his friend laughed. “Big white Silverado. That sucker’s huge. You can’t miss it.”

  Keni nodded and jogged outside. Jesus Christ, it was cold as a witch’s tit out here. And there, all the way at the end of the parking lot, was a big white truck. And Keni was in his ballet shoes. Not smart, a whole bunch of piss-poor planning on his part. This was stupid. Sean wasn’t interested, and Keni had never fashioned himself a masochist.

  Still, he jogged down the steps and sprinted across the parking lot until he came up on the passenger side of the door. He tapped lightly on the window and Sean jumped. Why was he always sneaking up on this man?

  Sean hurriedly unlocked the doors and opened the passenger door from the inside before Keni could get a good grip on it. “God, get in here. It’s freezing outside. What are you doing?”

  Keni climbed into the cab and shut the door behind him. He shivered. It really was cold out there. He took a moment to enjoy the warmth of the cab before filtering through the rapid-fire questions Sean had thrown at him. A mix of scolding and caring and Keni kinda liked it.

  “We’ve got a few more hours to go. I didn’t want Cameron out here in the dark.”

  Sean stared at him for a moment before nodding. “Thank you. But are you okay? Aren’t you going to get tight in this weather?”

  “Oh, I’m sure you can find ways to keep me warm and limber.”

  Sean’s eyes widened almost comically before he coughed and turned away. Goddammit. Sean was hot, sexy as hell, and not interested, and Keni was sitting here making him uncomfortable.

  “I’m sorry, really. I didn’t mean to say it out loud.”

  Sean paused, his eyes searching Keni’s face, his expression considering. “But you meant it? You were thinking it?”

  “That I’m mad attracted to you? Yes. But making you uncomfortable was not my plan.”

  Sean stared at him like he had two heads. “It’s not that. I’m surprised is all. I mean, I thought that was the vibe you were giving off, but I don’t understand it. At all,” he finished, more to himself.

  Keni could do a deep dive into that statement, because he sensed an insecurity, almost a fragility, in Sean, or he could change the subject. He gestured to the phone in Sean’s hand, resting on his thigh. “What were you watching?”

  Sean startled at the shift in conversation and cleared his throat before answering. “Looking at a couple of toy soldier performances. Trying to decide how I want that prop to look. It’s always interesting the way different places stylize their costumes, you know? I want something the kids will really enjoy.”

  Keni had no idea how much Naveed was paying Sean for his work, but it was clear the man was dedicated to it. And to his nephew, sitting out in the cold for hours waiting for him to finish practice, rather than leaving and returning like many parents did. How he could think he wasn’t desirable boggled Keni’s mind.

  He motioned at the phone. “Can I show you something?”

  Sean hesitated but handed it over. Keni pulled up a video and handed it back to him, which Sean accepted without a word and pressed Play. It was their studio’s performance of the Nutcracker from the last year, specifically his performance as the Prince. Keni rarely talked about his unadulterated love of dance. Most men laughed or joked about what his flexibility meant for sex but didn’t care at all about the performing itself. It was juvenile, and it got old quick. But something about Sean made him want to show what he could do.

  Sean sank against the seat, his eyes transfixed on the screen. He used his fingers to zoom in, and Keni couldn’t stop the staccato rhythm of his heart. What was he thinking? Did he like this, or did he think it was… whatever?

  Sean ran a thumb over the screen, right over Keni’s face. “Beautiful,” he whispered, so softly Keni almost didn’t hear it. But inside he preened. This stunning man thought he was beautiful. Didn’t get better than that. When it ended, Sean looked up at him. Keni shuddered under his gaze, fighting the heat creeping up his cheeks.

  “You’re still cold. Here, take this.” Sean reached into the back seat and grabbed a blanket, fastening it around Keni’s shoulders. “That better?”

  Keni nodded, though the temperature had nothing to do with his body’s reaction. But the blanket smelled of Sean, his cologne ingrained on it, the faintest smell of wood chips that probably never quite dissipated on top. It was rich and warm and Keni wanted it for himself.

  “Did you like it?”

  “Like it? It was amazing. You’re amazing.”

  Keni’s breath stuttered out of him. He stamped down his doubts and leaned across the cab. Sean sucked in a breath, his shoulders tensing for a moment before he made what looked like a conscious decision to relax. Keni ran a hand over his face, feeling the flutter of Sean’s lashes as his eyes closed. Down his cheek, his fingers tangling in the thick beard, his thumb over Sean’s bottom lip. One, maybe both, of them moaned at the touch. God, what he wouldn’t do to spend more time with this man. To climb across the seat, to straddle him, to feel those strong arms wrapped around him, that beard tickling his chin.

  A vibration lit Keni up and he closed his eyes against the sensation, until Sean cursed and pulled back. “My phone.” He fumbled for a second before he answered.

  “Yeah?” A pause. Then a chuckle. “Okay, I’ll tell him.” He hung up and looked at Keni.

  “That was Cameron. He wanted to know where you were. Said they’re about to start up again.”

 
For the first time since Keni could remember, he had no interest in going back inside. Dance, which had taken precedence over almost everything else, didn’t hold a candle to staying right where he was and learning more about the man sitting next to him.

  “There’s plenty of parking now. Why don’t I drive back up there so you don’t have to walk.” Sean shifted gears and drove up to the entrance, but Keni saw that his body was tight. Coiled. Ready to strike. Hopefully all over him.

  “Thanks for showing me that,” he continued, pointing to the phone, oblivious to Keni’s wayward thoughts. “If this year’s as good as the video, I can’t wait to see it.”

  Keni beamed, his smile stretching so hard it hurt. “Are you going to be here to work again?”

  “Yeah. I need to size things to scale so they’re not too big or small from the seats, so I’ll be here Thursday or Friday to check that out.”

  “Good. Then I’ll plan to be here both Thursday and Friday, so I don’t miss you.” Keni ignored the slightly dumbfounded expression on Sean’s face as he got out of the truck and shut the door, waving to Sean as he walked back inside.

  ON FRIDAY, Sean parked around the back of the lot and used the key Naveed had given him to open the padlock to the back door. Butterflies had taken up residence in his stomach, and he inhaled slowly and deeply before crossing the space and opening the door that led into the main hallway. It was after hours but, sure enough, light filtered into the hall from one of the studios. Keni was here. The knowledge set his heart to thumping, and he closed his eyes, reveling in the foreign sensation of excitement. Over a man. His last real relationship had ended when Sean got more involved with Cameron’s care, his ex having an issue with coming second to a then eight-year-old, and he’d long since let go of the idea of having more.

  Determined to get some work done, Sean turned to the stacks of toy soldiers he’d finally gotten around to making. Three separate pieces, a combination of designs from various performances he’d seen on YouTube. Naveed had given him full creative license, and he was planning to use it. Thankfully, tonight was about painting, not sawing, and the concentration that required would keep his mind occupied.

  The time passed quickly as he brought the soldiers to life. In a flash of inspiration, he’d carved more into the wood, making the soldiers and rats 3D. Just enough to make them more lively, and as he painted the broad strokes, a sense of pride swelled through him. These were coming together nicely. When he stepped back to take a break, needing to let the paint dry before moving on to the detail work, he heard a soft, almost tentative rap at the door. He smiled, his heart fluttering as he looked over his shoulder.

  “Hey there,” he said as Keni walked in, a towel draped over his shoulder, his skin glistening, his chest expanding as he sucked in deep breaths. That probably wasn’t attractive to most people, but Sean couldn’t help but think how well that body had moved in the video. Keni was fantasy made real.

  “Your eyes are very expressive,” Keni said, a smile tugging at his lips. He walked until they stood mere inches apart and ran a hand across Sean’s temple.

  “Are they? What are they telling you?”

  “That you’re happy to see me, even if you don’t want to be.”

  “Good thing I want to be, then, huh?”

  Keni’s smile stretched clear across his face in what could only be described as joy, and Sean loved knowing he was the cause of it.

  “I don’t want to disrupt you. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

  Sean did need to start on the next set of soldiers. That made sense and kept him from doing something potentially stupid in a semipublic place. That he didn’t expect anyone to interrupt them was irrelevant. He turned, grabbed the second piece, and started painting the uniforms red with broad strokes.

  “So, tell me about your family.” Keni’s voice filtered behind him, and Sean figured it was as good a time as any to get to know each other.

  “Born and raised here, me and my sister. The whole family’s still around, and we live pretty close by each other.”

  “Where’s Cameron’s dad? If you don’t mind my asking.”

  Sean shrugged but didn’t turn around. “War vet. Didn’t make it home from his last tour.”

  “Man, I’m sorry.”

  “Me too. He and my sister were high school sweethearts and he was a good guy, but at least I don’t have to fight him to let Cameron dance. He was on a real macho trip about that.” It had been their only real disagreement, and Sean would forever regret they hadn’t worked it out, though he knew Cameron’s dad would be proud watching him now.

  Keni grunted. “Cameron’s an amazing dancer. If he sticks with it, there’s no doubt he’ll be taking my place sooner rather than later.”

  “High praise coming from you. So what about you? What’s your family like?”

  “Mom’s Korean, Dad’s black. Been together forty-some-odd years, still act like teenagers.”

  A laugh bubbled out of Sean. “My parents too. They didn’t have a problem with you dancing?”

  “No, they loved it. Mom said better this than boxing, which Dad was into. Said I was too pretty to be hit.”

  Sean swallowed the words that tickled at the back of his throat and turned. And nearly swallowed his tongue. Keni was lying on the ground, one leg straight down, the other pulled back by his head. Mother of God, that shouldn’t be possible, and it shouldn’t look as delicious as it did. He moved smoothly from that position into the splits, leaning to one side, then the other, before dropping to the center and flattening his chest to the floor. Keni was facing away from Sean, minding his own business while Sean hardened, his dick throbbing painfully against his thigh. He crossed the room in short order.

  Keni’s eyes were closed. “Everything okay? You went quiet on me….” Keni’s words trailed off as he opened his eyes to find Sean standing over him. His eyes latched on Sean, then traveled down to where Sean knew his desire was unmistakable. Keni’s mouth fell open, but no words came out.

  “You’re stunning. Anyone ever tell you that?” Sean’s words sounded like gravel to his own ears.

  Keni swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing, then shook his head. “No. I, umm….”

  “I didn’t mean to startle you. But my word, you look so, I don’t even know how to describe it.”

  Keni dipped his head and looked away before rolling to the side and sitting up. “Thanks. I wasn’t trying to tease or anything, but—”

  “But you did it anyway. And I couldn’t be more grateful.”

  Keni laughed, the sound loud and boisterous, the polar opposite of what Sean expected. How had he not heard that gorgeous sound before? “Oh!” Keni exclaimed, breaking Sean’s wandering. “I have something for you. Stay there. I’ll be back in a few.” He jumped to his feet and took off down the hallway, and Sean couldn’t help but stare at his ass as he went.

  Alone in the room, Sean said a silent prayer that he was doing the right thing. Keni was into him. Really into him, and that left no room to be afraid. Sean nodded to himself. If Keni wanted him, he had him.

  The most amazing smell wafted into the room. Sean turned to find Keni holding two buckets of food and a bag. “Korean barbecue and double fried chicken,” he said. “I also have some kimchee in the bag if you want a vegetable to go with all the protein.”

  Did he look almost shy? Like he wasn’t sure whether Sean would approve? “You’re feeding me?”

  Keni grinned and stared at the floor, and Sean could see the faintest hint of color marking his cheeks. “Yeah. I told my mom about you and she insisted on cooking. Said you always have to cook for the guy you like.”

  Notwithstanding the pep talk he’d just given himself, Sean was stunned. Whether it was that Keni had talked to his mother about him or admitted that he liked him, Sean wasn’t sure. And he wasn’t questioning it. “C’mere,” he said, taking the containers from Keni’s outstretched hand and setting them down on a chair next to them. He pulled Keni close and cupped
his face in his hands. “Thank you.”

  Keni’s hands fell on his chest and circled up around his neck as Sean pulled him closer and took his lips. Soft, warm, eager. Keni’s tongue snaked out and Sean opened to let him in. Keni groaned, and Sean flexed his fingers around Keni’s waist, holding himself back from what he really wanted.

  “Touch me,” Keni whispered when he pulled away. “I need you to touch me.”

  Sean growled and wrapped his arm around Keni’s waist, pulling him flush against his body. Keni rocked into him, his hands traveling everywhere they could reach while Sean kneaded and massaged him. The frantic kiss softened and turned leisurely, like they had all the time in the world, until one of their stomachs grumbled. They laughed and Keni released him. If he hadn’t looked perfect before, he did now, his lips swollen, his skin reddened from Sean’s beard, his breaths more rapid than after his workout. “I don’t know if that was me or you,” Keni said, running a hand through his hair, “but I think it’s telling us something.”

  “Feed the beast?”

  Keni hummed. “Yes. Feed the beast.” He took his time looking Sean up and down before giving him a wink. “Both of them.”

  KENI EXECUTED his turn and stood in position to allow Allison to finish her combination, catching her when she leaned into him and holding the pose. His heart raced, thumping in time to the music, and he felt like flying. It wasn’t only the routine finally coming together. These past three days had been perfect. Time spent with Sean, no sex, just getting to know each other. He and Allison rehearsed on their own time, and then he’d go down the hall and watch Sean work. They’d eat—his mother thrilled at the prospect of cooking for “Keni’s special man”—make out a little, and then head home. Mom’d even remarked on how happy he looked. Funny that, Keni had never thought he was unhappy. But he couldn’t deny that Sean filled part of him in a way that nothing, not even dance, had been able to do.

  Looking up from his position, he saw a now familiar pinched look on Allison’s face. He’d gotten that more and more lately, but every time he’d tried to talk to her, she’d swear everything was fine. And it should be, since they’d finally nailed the combination that had been plaguing them. They were firing on all cylinders, but from her attitude you’d think she was dealing with a beginner. Keni wanted to press but wasn’t sure he wanted to know.