Under the Covers

by K. C. Wells

  “It’s been a while since I heard seventies rock music. There were some fantastic bands back then.” Barry Gibb’s distinctive voice came out of the speakers, and he smiled. “The Bee Gees. The theme music from Staying Alive.”

  Jase shook his head. “Never heard of it.”

  Chris sighed. “Eat your quiche.” Glancing around the room, he was amazed at some of the costumes. The colors were vibrant, and nearly everything he could see clashed. It was so seventies.

  Jase picked up a small card from the center of the table. “Hey. Now I know what else we’re eating. The entree is steak and baked potato, and for dessert, there’s something called a Black Forest cake.”

  Chris laughed. “My God. They even stuck with the theme for the menu.” Not that he disliked the choices. He only hoped to God the steak didn’t resemble a piece of boot leather.

  “This is really good,” Jase said, indicating the quiche with his fork. “Only, it needs to be bigger.”

  “If you’re still hungry after dinner, I’ll buy you a pizza at the sports bar.”

  Jase groaned. “Don’t say things like that. Do you know how hard I have to work out after pizza? And besides, I’ll be dancing until midnight.”

  “Then you’ll burn off this awesome dinner, won’t you?” he said with a grin. He caught sight of Jase’s bag slung over the back of his chair. “So now can you tell me what you’re wearing tonight?”

  Jase tapped the side of his nose. “It’s a surprise.” He gestured to Chris’s plate. “Eat your quiche.”

  Chris ate what remained in two mouthfuls, then finished the salad. He intended on staying until the end of the night, or until Jase finished, whichever came first.

  He couldn’t wait to see Jase’s outfit.

  “WELCOME to the sounds of the seventies!” a voice called out over the PA system. “Get down and boogie to the music! Our entertainment tonight will be four of our cover models, who are going to dance just for you. Introducing….” A drumroll sounded. “Darren, Gabe, Nick, and Jase!”

  “Boogie Nights” filled the air as the four men entered the room, waving to those seated at the tables and those already on the small square dance floor that had been set up. At each corner was a round podium about three feet across and two feet high. The models made their way to these, each one taking their place to more applause.

  Chris collected his glass of wine from the bar and wandered toward the dance floor. He could already see Gabe, who was wearing the shorts he’d worn for the contest. Chris had to admit, Gabe was an excellent dancer, moving fluidly to the music, hips swaying, his arms curling in the air above his head. Ladies had already begun to cluster around his podium, and Gabe looked like he was in his element.

  Darren wore a pair of faded jeans, and his feet were bare. His chest glistened in the colored lights, and Chris suspected the judicious use of baby oil. Nick was the tattooed model. He wore yet another tie-dyed shirt, rolled up and tied in a knot at the waist, and a pair of denim shorts. Both men were good dancers with natural rhythm. They bent down to talk to the ladies dancing at their feet.

  Chris headed for the farthest podium, which was hidden from view by a group of ladies. He caught sight of Sean in a pair of orange pants and a bright yellow shirt, dancing with his mom and clearly having a good time. As Chris eased his way through the dancing throng, Jase was at last revealed, and Chris’s heart did a little flip-flop.

  Jase wore a pair of tight silver shorts that clung to his lower body like a second skin. What stopped Chris’s heart for a second, however, was the sight of the shiny black high-heeled boots that reached just above his knees. They were laced up the front, with side buckles, and they were just as tight-fitting as his shorts.

  Jase in heels made Chris’s mouth dry up and his dick hard. He’d never had such a visceral reaction to a man in high heels, and it took him completely by surprise. His jaw dropped and he stared at Jase, unable to move, painfully aware of his erection encased in its tight prison.

  The song changed to a slower number, and the change in Jase was dramatic. He undulated to the music, hips moving sinuously, his arms weaving a languid pattern through the air in front of him, his gaze locked on Chris. Jase’s lips glistened, and Chris realized he wore lip gloss. Black liner accentuated the shape of his eyes, and under his brows he’d applied a pale blue color. The overall effect was so striking and so goddamn sexy that Chris was lost.

  Jase smiled at him, beckoning him to step closer, and Chris couldn’t help himself. He walked up to the podium as if in a trance, unable to tear his eyes away from Jase. When he reached Jase’s feet, Chris stared up at him.

  “I didn’t know men wore makeup in the seventies,” he said at last, raising his voice to be heard above the music.

  Jase grinned. “If it was good enough for David Bowie….”

  “And what do you know of David Bowie?” God, Jase looked absolutely delicious.

  “I might have had a few suggestions from a friend when it came to the makeup.” He bent down and looped his arms around Chris’s neck, and the intimacy of the gesture sent yet more blood heading south. “Do you like it?”

  Chris couldn’t resist. “That depends on what you’re asking my opinion of.”

  Jase laughed. “Very clever.” He removed his arms, straightened, and did a slow turn around, still moving his hips in that leisurely, sensual fashion. Chris swallowed at the sight of Jase’s firm ass. When Jase had gone full circle, he raised his arms high above his head, stretching his body. “Do you like the outfit?”

  There wasn’t a strong enough word in Chris’s vocabulary to convey what Jase’s outfit did for him.

  “Have you worn high heels before?” It was the safest thing he could think of uttering at that moment.

  Jase nodded. “In a high school production. It’s surprising how comfortable they feel after a while. Mind you, I was practicing walking in them in my room before dinner.” He chuckled. “I don’t think I could do it all day, but it makes me feel amazing.”

  Chris was in awe. “You truly rock those boots. And I love the makeup.”

  Jase bent over, crooking his finger. When Chris got closer, Jase whispered into his ear, “If I’m gonna do this all night, I’ll need a drink. Would you get me a vodka and Diet Coke?”

  Chris laughed. “For tonight, think of me as your personal servant. Whatever you want, you shall have.” Jase’s musky scent invaded his nostrils and stirred his senses.

  Jase grinned. “If that includes a foot rub when this is over, you’re on.” He straightened as the music changed, his movements faster as he gyrated to the pumping beat.

  Chris chose that moment to head to the bar. He needed a stiff drink himself.

  Some parts of him were already stiff enough.

  JASE moaned. “Oh Lord, that feels good.” He lay on Chris’s bed, still in his shorts but his boots discarded, as Chris manipulated and kneaded the soles of his feet. “You’re good at this.”

  “That’s what comes of having flexible fingers,” Chris told him. He rubbed his thumb over Jase’s arches, moving in slow circles, pushing deeply into the flesh.

  Jase groaned even louder. “Oh yeah, that’s it. Remind me never to wear six-inch heels for three hours again. At least not if I’m dancing in them.” Still, it had been worth it. Chris hadn’t taken his eyes off Jase all night. He’d brought water and alcohol when required, and the rest of the time he hadn’t strayed from Jase’s podium. The best part had been that first moment when they’d locked gazes. There had been no disguising the heat in Chris’s gaze. Not to mention the bulge in his jeans.

  Victoria would be proud of me.

  Chris’s manipulations changed gear, moving into a far gentler, lighter mode, and Jase found himself slipping into that warm, cozy state that preceded sleep. “Need to get back to my own room,” he murmured.

  “No, you don’t,” Chris said quietly. “I have two queen-size beds. If you want to fall asleep, just go ahead.”

  “Have to take my mak
eup off,” Jase muttered drowsily.

  “You did that before you came to my room,” Chris said with a chuckle. “Now go to sleep. It’s late.”

  “’Kay.” If Chris said anything else, Jase didn’t hear him. He let himself drift down, down, down into the waiting arms of a deep sleep.

  Chapter Ten

  Friday

  JASE opened his eyes groggily. The room was in darkness, and for a moment he forgot where he was, until he caught the soft sound of Chris’s breathing from across the room. Jase reached under the covers, and his fingers touched the soft cotton of his briefs, his morning wood pushing against the fabric.

  He undressed me.

  Well, it wasn’t as if Chris hadn’t seen it all before in a photo shoot.

  Then he recalled Chris’s foot rub from the previous night. He’d all but melted Jase into the mattress. Jase hadn’t slept that well in ages.

  His phone buzzed, and he reached out, feeling for it on the nightstand. It was a message from Victoria.

  OMG you were AWESOME. And those heels!!!! I never knew you had it in you. Did it work?

  Jase glanced at Chris’s sleeping form. It got me a mega foot rub at least. What came to mind, however, was Chris’s face as he’d stared at him on the podium. His obvious erection.

  He wanted me. Of that, Jase was certain.

  His fingers slid over the screen. Let’s just say he couldn’t take his eyes off me.

  Seconds later her reply popped up. Score. Now what?

  He tried to clear his mind. First thing was the Bridesmaids and Best Men event, where Chris would get to see him in a tux—assuming he came. Then he remembered. Sightseeing and dinner in Vegas that evening.

  We’re having dinner in LV tonight.

  Her reply was swift. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to find out how he feels about you. Take advantage of it.

  Jase wasn’t so sure about that. It wasn’t as if he could casually drop his feelings into the conversation. Will play it by ear, okay?

  Fine. Let me know how it goes. I’m on panels all day.

  “Good morning. What time is it?” Chris sounded half-asleep.

  Jase checked his phone. “Six thirty. I’m just chatting with a friend.”

  Chris gave a sleepy chuckle. “A friend who’s an early bird, I take it.”

  “Apparently.” Jase listened as Chris’s breathing changed, becoming more even as he slipped back into sleep. Jase threw off the sheets, got out of bed, picked up his bag, and went into the bathroom. Once inside, he got dressed quickly, thankful to have his outfit from the disco event dinner. He didn’t really want to walk through the hotel in his shorts and heels, even if his room was only along the hallway.

  When he was dressed, Jase crept out of the bathroom with his bag and stuffed his boots and shorts into it. Before he left, he scribbled a note on the hotel stationery, using the light from his phone, then left it on his pillow. He wanted a shower, but there was no way he was going to disturb Chris. As quietly as he could, Jase exited the room, closing the door carefully behind him.

  Minutes later he was under the jets of water, washing away the remnants of his night. Into his mind drifted an image of Chris, fresh from his own shower, that white towel snug against his body. He pictured Chris naked from the waist down, bending over to step into his jeans, revealing the firm globes of his ass, covered with a soft-looking down of hair, his toned thighs, and the curve of his calves. Jase reached down and stroked his dick, only it was Chris’s dick he held in his hand, Chris’s asscheek that he cupped and squeezed, Chris’s crack through which he slid a single finger, brushing over his hole….

  Need barreled through him, and he gave his cock a few hard tugs before he shot against the tiles, his legs trembling from the unexpectedly swift climax. The water removed all traces, and he finished cleaning himself, the fantasy still right there in his thoughts.

  What would I give to have that become a reality? It didn’t help that it was easily six months since he’d gotten laid, and that had been a blip on the sexual horizon. But he knew in his heart that he wanted more than a sexual encounter with Chris.

  Jase wanted something that would last.

  CHRIS opened his eyes and instantly realized he was alone. The bathroom door was open, and Jase clearly wasn’t in there. Then he spotted the piece of paper on Jase’s pillow. He threw off the covers, got to his feet, leaned over the empty bed, and picked it up.

  Hey. I need a shower but I don’t want to disturb you. Want to meet up for breakfast before my event? That starts at ten, so I’ll need to eat, then get changed into my tux.

  BTW you give AMAZING foot rubs.

  Jase had drawn a smiley face at the end.

  Chris smiled. He is so considerate. The Jase he’d seen on that podium had been a revelation, and not something he could easily push aside. Then he thought about Jase’s message. Jase in a tux was a sight he didn’t want to miss. He clicked open his agenda on his phone and checked to see if he was available at ten. To his pleasant surprise, the slot was empty. The only events scheduled for that day were a lunch meeting with a publisher and the panel on book covers, which was one of the last events of the day, at four o’clock. That would give him ample time to meet up with Jase and take him to the strip on the hotel shuttle. He didn’t have a lot of places planned, just enough to give Jase a taste of Las Vegas.

  Besides, he wanted to leave enough time for a leisurely dinner before the highlight of the evening. He couldn’t wait to see Jase’s reaction.

  He’ll love it. I hope.

  Then he remembered. It was Friday. Shane wants an answer. The only trouble was, Chris didn’t have one.

  Yet.

  I’d better come up with something before we go to dinner. Where the hell was that flash of inspiration he’d been waiting for?

  “SO, about those boots….” Chris’s eyes twinkled. “That was a surprise.”

  “The fact that I brought them, or how I looked in them?” It was a bold thing to ask, but Chris’s reaction the previous night had given Jase’s confidence a much-needed boost.

  Chris took a drink of his coffee before answering. “Both, I think. You looked….” He faltered, and Jase regarded him closely. Chris appeared to be lost for words. He was about to change the subject when Chris said suddenly, “That was new for me. I mean, I’ve seen guys in drag, sure, but seeing you in those heels was…. I can’t explain how it made me feel.”

  “You liked it?” Jase asked quietly, his breakfast forgotten.

  Chris simply nodded. “More than I can say. You looked… oh fuck, you looked sexy as hell. And with the eye makeup and the lip gloss… wow.”

  Something stirred deep in Jase’s belly, and warmth radiated out from his center, spreading to his fingers and toes. “Sounds like I achieved my goal.”

  Chris blinked. “And what was that?”

  Jase couldn’t back down now, not when he’d gotten this far. “To make you notice me.”

  Chris’s eyes widened and his breathing hitched. “As if anyone could ever miss you,” he said softly.

  That inner warmth gave way to heat, and Jase’s cock thickened. Now it’s really time to change the subject. “Will you be coming to my event?”

  Chris nodded. “I’m free for that slot. I was going to ask you a favor. You know I’ve got my panel on what makes a good book cover this afternoon? Would you be willing to come along and say a few words? In case anyone wants to hear from a model’s perspective?”

  Jase beamed. “Sure. I can do that. What time is the panel?”

  “It starts at four, but it’ll be over by five. I thought I’d put all my stuff in my room, and then we could catch the shuttle that goes to the strip.”

  “Are we going to a casino?” Jase had often seen the Vegas casinos on TV, with their countless slot machines, spinning wheels, and roulette tables. He wanted to see the inside of a real one.

  Chris laughed. “There’s a casino right here, remember? You can’t miss it.”

 
Jase shook his head. “That doesn’t count. It’s not a real casino. They’ve just filled the first floor with slots and tables. I want to see a famous casino.”

  Chris smiled. “I promise you, that’s on the agenda. I’m also taking you to one of the most iconic places in Vegas. You won’t see the whole strip, just enough to give you an impression. Because believe me, when you’ve seen one casino, you’ve seen them all.”

  Jase glanced at his plate of scrambled eggs, sausage, and hash browns. “I don’t seem to be hungry this morning.”

  “Stop by the shop and pick up some snacks,” Chris suggested. “That way, if you do get the munchies, you’re prepared.”

  “There’s a shop?” Jase had only been to the sports bar. The rest of the time, he’d been in the convention center or along the hallway that led to it, where the restaurant and Starbucks were located.

  “Near the main entrance to the hotel,” Chris told him. “They sell the usual items: snacks, drinks, tourist stuff, gifts…. Plus anything else you might need on the practical side: shampoo, razors, stuff like that.”

  What came to Jase’s mind was not something as mundane as shampoo, but possibly essential if he was to be prepared for all eventualities. When he’d been packing for the trip, condoms had been the last thing on his mind.

  Then he mentally added lube to his shopping list. Just in case.

  There is nothing wrong with wishful thinking.

  Chris reached for Jase’s plate and helped himself to the sausage and hash browns. “You may not be hungry, but I am.”

  Jase chuckled. “You’re welcome to them.” He glanced at his phone. “I need to go get ready anyway.” He placed his napkin on the table and got to his feet. “I’ll see you in there. I’d say I’ll be the one in a tux, but I suspect I won’t be the only one.”

  “I’d spot you anywhere,” Chris said in a warm tone.

  Jase didn’t know how to respond to that except to offer a smile. He walked away from the table, heading for the exit.