by K. C. Wells
Chris’s eyes widened, and Jase had to laugh. “I think that counts as jumping the gun a little.”
Chris stared at him for a second, then joined him in laughter. “How about some more champagne?”
Jase nodded eagerly, and Chris led him by the hand to their table, amid people patting them on the back and offering congratulations. When they reached their seats, Jase sat down, amazed by the outpouring. He sipped his champagne, letting his heartbeat return to normal.
“I think it’s safe to say this is going to be a memorable convention,” Chris said with a wry smile. “It’ll go down as ‘the con where that gay couple fell in love.’”
Jase gave him a speculative glance, his heartbeat quickening again. “And is that what we did? Fall in love in the space of five days?”
Chris’s smile sent warmth flowing through him. “I think we’d already laid the groundwork by the time we got here. This week just cemented everything into place.” He shook his head. “Listen to me. It sounded like we’re building something.”
“Maybe we are,” Jase said suddenly. He met Chris’s gaze head-on. “How about building a future together?”
Chris slowly raised his glass. “I’ll drink to that.”
Jase joined him, their flutes clinking together. “To love winning.”
“When you look at me like that, all I want to do is kiss you,” Chris murmured.
“Then kiss me.”
Chris put down his glass, curved his hand around the back of Jase’s head, and closed the distance between them with a kiss that made Jase’s toes curl in his shoes. When they parted, Jase’s heart was beating fast.
The music changed to something louder and faster, and Chris winced visibly. Jase leaned close and covered Chris’s hand with his. “Do you think anyone will notice if we take our champagne and get out of here?”
Chris smirked. “Oh, they’ll notice. After that kiss? Are you kidding? But screw ’em. I’d rather be somewhere quiet where I can hear myself think.”
“And where we can dance in private,” Jase added, smiling.
Chris laughed. “Oh, I like this plan. Let’s go.” He picked up the ice bucket and Jase grabbed the glasses. They weaved their way through the crowd, and as they neared the door, Jase saw Dean standing with a group of five or six women. He looked up at that moment and smiled, nodding.
As they made their way to the elevator, Jase sighed. “Your beautiful tux. You didn’t get to wear it for very long.”
Chris squeezed his hand. “I don’t have to take it off right away. We can find some music to dance to on our own.”
Jase said nothing but stared at him, doing his damnedest not to smirk.
Chris rolled his eyes. “Okay, who am I kidding? We both know what’ll happen once that bedroom door closes behind us.” He let go of Jase’s hand and put his arm around Jase’s waist, pulling him closer. “I can’t keep my hands off you,” he said roughly in a low voice.
Jase waited until the elevator door slid open and they got onto it. As the doors closed, he smiled. “Then don’t,” he said simply.
The heat in Chris’s eyes told him to expect a long night of… dancing.
Chapter Twenty
Sunday
CHRIS opened his eyes, aware of Jase’s warm body curled around him, his arm draped over Chris’s waist.
This is definitely the way to wake up.
Then he remembered. It was the final day of the con, and they were flying home to New York. Together.
Well, I certainly didn’t see this coming. He might have hoped, but….
“Morning.” Jase stirred behind him, moving his hand higher to stroke Chris’s chest. “What time is it?”
Chris didn’t know and didn’t care. “Early, I think. And we have nothing to get up for. Checkout isn’t till midday, and you don’t have to be at the airport until one.” The good fortune that had brought them together on their flight out had not extended as far as the return flights: Chris was leaving later that evening.
“Cool. In that case….”
Chris caught his breath as Jase moved beneath the sheets, chuckling. When a gentle hand curled around his dick and warm breath tickled the shaft, Chris spread wide to give him more room.
Okay—this is the way to wake up.
“SO when will I see you next? Have you got a lot of work at the moment? When are you gonna start work on your exhibition?”
Chris laughed. “Which of those questions would you like me to answer first? And before or after I finish my eggs, sausage, and hash browns?”
Jase’s flush was adorable. “Sorry. It’s only just dawning on me that I have a boyfriend.” He helped himself to more coffee.
“For the record? I want to spend time with you too. Tell you what. When we get home, we’ll meet up for dinner and synchronize our schedules.”
Jase narrowed his gaze. “You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?”
“Maybe just a little.” Chris couldn’t bear to tease him. “To be honest, I’m just as excited about all this as you are. I’m used to being on my own, I guess. Having someone in my life is….”
“Scary? Exhilarating? Miraculous?” Jase let out a sigh. “Or how about all of the above?”
“Then let’s take things slow, all right?” Chris put down his fork and took Jase’s hand in his. “I’m not in any hurry. Are you?”
“No, I’m not.” Jase smiled at their joined hands. “I’m not trying to gate-crash your life or anything like that. And I don’t want us to be living in each other’s pockets either.” He took a deep breath. “Slow makes a lot of sense.”
“Of course it does.” It was Day One, for Christ’s sake. Too soon to be doing anything like moving in together or making long-term plans. They still had to learn about each other, right?
Jase cleared his throat. “Well, seeing as I’m first out of here, it might be a good idea if I went up to my room and packed.”
“Good idea. Then come along to my room when you’re done.”
Jase’s eyes twinkled. “To help you pack—or distract you?”
Chris gave a mock gasp. “As if the idea of doing anything other than pack had crossed my mind.” Judging by Jase’s eye roll, he wasn’t buying it. “Okay, you got me. I’ll go pack too. That’ll give us more time to spend together. And we do have the rooms until noon, right?”
Jase shook his head. “Sure. And I’m the incorrigible one.” He removed his wallet from his pocket, but Chris stopped him.
“Breakfast is on me. You go pack. You can treat me to a coffee later, okay?”
Jase agreed. He wiped his lips on the napkin, then got up. Before leaving, he came around to Chris’s side of the table, bent down, and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll see you when I’m done. Just make sure you are too.” And with that, he straightened and walked out of the restaurant, waving as he passed the window.
Chris ate the last of his hash browns, then finished his coffee. He signaled for the check and leaned back in his chair.
Jase wasn’t the only one finding it difficult to come to terms with his change of status. The whole situation still had a surreal quality about it. He smiled to himself.
I have a freaking boyfriend!
Chris had so much to look forward to—his new project, for one thing—but having Jase in his life was the best part.
JASE did one last check of the room, content that he hadn’t missed anything. Then he remembered the kilt. Damn it. Chris had brought it in his bag. Jase didn’t think he’d mind taking it back to New York, but that still left the rest. Far from being lighter, Jase’s luggage might have gained a few pounds since he arrived—there was his swag bag, for one thing.
The bag he hadn’t even looked inside since he’d collected it. The bag that he hadn’t packed yet.
Jase grabbed it, sat on the bed, and emptied its contents. A colorful array of pens, bookmarks, cards, books, and any number of different items covered the sheet. He sorted out the books and pens first, astonished to find he had
eight paperbacks in there. He spent a minute or two scanning the back covers. There were a couple of romantic suspense novels, two historicals, and five contemporary titles.
Jase’s gaze went from the books to his bag. Nope. Ain’t gonna happen. He’d have to prevail upon Chris and hope he had more space in his bag. And as for the rest of the swag….
Just then his phone buzzed in his pocket.
Probably Chris checking up on me to see if I’m done yet.
He pulled out the phone, peered at the screen—and froze. Juliet. His hand trembling, he accessed her text.
Call me when you get this!!!!
Jase’s stomach did a slow roll, and he took several deep breaths to get his heartbeat under control. It might be nothing. No point getting excited.
Those four exclamations marks were shouting at him that of course it was something, so call her.
Jase inhaled slowly, then hit the Call button. Juliet answered almost immediately.
“Are you sitting down? Because you need to be.”
CHRIS zipped up his bag and then placed it by the door. Plenty of time to grab a drink at the bar with Jase—whenever he showed up. He was about to call him when there was a knock at the door.
Chris grinned as he crossed the floor to open it. “What kept you?” he said as he flung it open. “You—”
Jase’s eyes were wide, his breathing rapid. “You are not gonna believe this!” He entered the room, then paced up and down between the beds and the desk. “Juliet called. I got the part. I got the fucking part!” He ran his fingers through his hair, staring at the carpet as he paced. “I can’t believe it! She said they don’t even wanna do a second audition. The part’s mine. And I start shooting next week!”
Little by little, his words sank in. Elation filled Chris, and he interrupted Jase’s pacing to seize him in a tight hug. “That’s fantastic news! Why did it take them so long to get back to you?”
“She said they got all the auditions out of the way before offering any parts. So I guess everyone heard today.” Jase’s eyes were wild. “I got it, Chris! Can you fucking believe this?”
“Of course I believe it,” Chris said softly, aware of the tremors that rippled through Jase’s body. “Here, sit down.” He eased Jase onto the bed, then put his arm around Jase’s shoulders. “No wonder you’re excited.”
Jase put his head in his hands. “I just can’t believe it. I’m going to LA. Hollywood! This is such a trip.”
Chris stilled. “LA? That’s where they’re shooting the movie?”
Jase raised his head. “Didn’t I mention that part? Yeah. I gotta be out there by the end of the week. Jesus! I’ll have to find a place to stay.”
“How long will shooting last? Did they say?” Chris fought to keep his voice steady.
Jase shrugged. “Hell if I know. Could be a month, six weeks, two months, maybe longer. How would I know? I’ve never done a freakin’ movie before.” His breathing was less erratic, and he seemed calmer.
Chris’s mind slipped into overdrive. It doesn’t matter. So we’re going to be apart. We can do this.
The light touch of Jase’s hand on his knee had him almost leaping out of his skin. “Hey. You okay?”
Chris pasted on a bright smile. “Of course I’m okay. You just got a part in a movie!”
Jase sucked in a deep breath. “Oh God. Talk about bad timing. We just got together and I have to go to the other end of the country.”
“You’re going to shoot a movie, not move there permanently, right?” Chris stroked his hair. “And when you’re done, I’ll be waiting for you.”
“You do understand that I have to do this, right?”
Jase’s anxious expression had Chris’s stomach in knots. He took hold of Jase’s hands and looked him in the eye. “Now listen to me. This is your dream. This is what you’ve always wanted. Why on earth would I not want that for you? Of course I’ll miss you. That goes without saying, doofus. But there’s FaceTime. Skype calls. And I’ll come out there to see you too.”
Jase stared at him. “Really?”
Chris laughed. “Of course. I don’t want to run the risk of you falling for some hunky costar, right?” He snickered. “Seriously, though. I’ll fly out there as soon as I can. Out of sight is not out of mind, sweetheart. You’ll see. Time will fly by, and then you’ll be coming home to me.” He kissed him on the lips. “You don’t get rid of me that easily, Jase Mitchell,” he whispered.
Jase flung his arms around Chris and held on to him, their cheeks pressed together. “Love you,” he said quietly.
Chris’s heart soared. “Love you too. And don’t you forget it.” His initial fears quashed, he concentrated on calming Jase’s. “It’s going to work out just fine.”
Jase straightened. “I guess I’d better finish packing.” He bit his lip. “I was nearly done when Juliet’s text came through.”
“Then how about I come and help you? We need to make sure you get your flight. You’ve got a lot to do once you get back to New York.” A brief pang lanced through Chris, but he pushed aside his own feelings. “And listen. Don’t worry about seeing me before you go. What matters most is that you get out there and find a place to stay. All right?”
Jase slowly lifted his chin. “And miss out on a goodbye scene? I don’t think so.” He grinned.
Chris rolled his eyes. “Once an actor, always an actor, I guess.” Inwardly he was relieved. He wanted one more chance to spend time with Jase before he flew off to the West Coast.
It’s going to be okay. He’s going to come back to me.
If he kept repeating it enough times, maybe he’d believe it.
Chapter Twenty-One
One month later—end of June, 2018
CHRIS thanked the Uber driver, then got out of the car, gazing up at the building on Manor Drive. He wasn’t sure where he’d expected Jase to be living, and Jase had been fairly quiet about the place. Hawthorne seemed a pleasant enough neighborhood. It was close to LAX and what felt like a long way from Hollywood. The street was residential, and Jase’s building was one of two identical apartment blocks. At street level, there was a grassed area with raised beds and four flagpoles. The two-story building’s cladding was dark brown, with cream-painted walls above the first floor that caught the fading evening sunlight between the windows.
Chris walked along the side of the building to where several cars were parked. Palm trees gave the apartments a pleasant appearance. Chris climbed the stairs to the second floor, searching for apartment twenty-two. Jase had said he’d be home by now.
A whole weekend with him. Chris had been buzzing all week. Sure, they’d talked every night—well, Jase had done most of the talking, which was to be expected. Little had changed in Chris’s life in the intervening weeks, whereas Jase’s had changed beyond recognition. His excited chatter was all about filming schedules, learning lines, early-morning starts, late-night rehearsing with his costars… and he was loving every second of it.
When Chris had finally gotten a break in his schedule, he’d suggested the visit, and Jase hadn’t hesitated. The eagerness in his voice had Chris booking the first flight he could find that Friday.
He paused at Jase’s door, his heartbeat quickening. Why the hell am I nervous? He’s not going to have changed since I last saw him. Except deep down, he knew why. Being separated when they’d only just gotten together hadn’t been ideal. Some small part of him was scared to death that Jase would find someone else, would fall in love with LA… that he’d decide Chris wasn’t the guy for him.
Chris shoved his fears aside and rapped on the door. Seconds later it flung open and Jase stood there, beaming.
“I was starting to worry. I thought you’d be here sooner than this.”
Chris snorted. “Blame the lines at LAX. And I had to wait a while for an Uber. I could probably have walked here faster.” He tilted his head to one side. “Okay if I come inside?”
Jase rolled his eyes. “Get in here.” He grabbed Chris by
the arm, tugged him into the apartment, then shut the door behind him. Chris didn’t have time to register any details about the interior before Jase pinned him to the wall, causing him to drop his bag. Chris enfolded Jase in his arms and kissed him, pouring all the love he possessed into that kiss. Jase clung to him, soft cries tumbling from his lips.
Chris broke the kiss, breathless. “Wow. That was some welcome.”
“I’ve missed you.” Jase caressed his cheek. “And FaceTime is no substitute for the real thing.” He took a step back. “I kinda pounced on you, didn’t I?”
Chris laughed. “I like the way you pounce.” He gestured to the apartment. “Now do I get the tour?”
“Sure. It’ll take all of ten seconds. There’s this room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the bedroom.” Jase grinned. “There’s not much in the way of furniture, right? But I don’t spend a lot of time here.”
Chris glanced around the living area. There was a table and an armchair that had seen better days. Behind them was a tall lamp. The floor was laminate. Next to the chair was a pile of books and papers. “Going for the minimalist look, I see. I think you’ve nailed it.”
Jase snickered. “I got those from Goodwill, plus a stool for when I want to eat in the kitchen.” He took Chris’s hand and led him through a door into what was obviously the bedroom. A mattress lay on the floor, another smaller lamp beside it.
Chris smiled. “At least you went for a decent-sized mattress.”
Jase’s eyes gleamed. “I had to plan ahead for when you visited, right? Besides, this is all short-term. I’m not gonna be here that long.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and peered at the screen. “You hungry? There’s a great diner over on Hawthorne Boulevard. It’s got this whole fifties feel going for it, and the food’s amazing. They do a fantastic steak and eggs.” Just then, Chris’s stomach growled, and Jase laughed. “I guess that answers my question. Come on. We can talk while we eat. Then we can come back and… get reacquainted.” A flush rose up his neck and stained his cheeks.
