by HJ Welch
“It’s a really good one,” Kimmy said, grinning at Reyse.
“Aww, that’s so nice,” Joey said fondly.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Reyse said. Ashby was extremely independently wealthy, as well as owning a now thriving resort in Wyoming. But it didn’t seem right for him to splash out like that. “I could book something-”
“Dude,” TJ said, rolling his eyes. “That’s the point.”
“Oh, smashing idea,” Evangeline agreed, also on her phone. “Let me book you a car.”
“We’ll escort you for the drive,” Levi said, then he turned away and spoke into his team’s radios.
“Oh, if everyone’s getting involved,” Elion scoffed, whipping out his own phone out. “How do you guys fancy room service? Champagne and steaks, don’t you think, Blake?”
“Strawberries for the Champagne, too,” Blake suggested.
“You’ll need supplies for the evening,” Bella nodded. “I can have a delivery made of pajamas and bubble bath and other lovely things.”
Reyse looked from Corey, who was equally speechless, to all his friends. “You guys,” he protested weakly.
“Shush,” Joey said firmly. “Let us spoil you a bit. Make up for a bunch of lost time. I’m just not sure what there is left for us to give you.”
Reyse looked between him and Gabe, each still holding one of their sleepy kids. “How about a hug for Uncle Reyse?” he asked tentatively.
Joey broke into the sweetest, goofiest smile. Then he stepped closer, gently handing Hai over to Reyse. Reyse cradled the chubby baby to his chest, allowing his pudgy hand to grip one of his fingers.
Reyse felt like the luckiest guy in the world as Corey hugged his side, looking down at Hai as he kissed Reyse’s cheek. He really had hit the jackpot in life. But it wasn’t the thousands of fans that was making his heart sing right then, although they were amazing. It was seeing so many people he loved, all standing by him. Most of all Corey.
His Corey. Reyse had found him.
And he was definitely never letting him go again.
33
Corey
The hotel was gorgeous. Marble floors, sleek light fixtures and chrome finishes everywhere. It was even in West Hollywood, so Corey didn’t feel self-conscious checking in with Reyse. Not that traveling with him anywhere was inconspicuous. But it made him relax more knowing he was in a gay-friendly neighborhood.
However, he felt he couldn’t really appreciate any of the niceties as much as he should have, as he only had one thought on his mind.
Reyse was really here with him, now. They were together.
And Corey had to get his hands on him to prove it.
It was like every cell in his body was crying out to touch Reyse, to assure himself he was really there. As much as Reyse seemed to need reassuring that Corey wasn’t going anywhere, Corey required the same thing.
In all the time they’d been together, he had always known the clock was ticking. He could never fully give himself over, because at some point, everything was going to fall away under their feet. And that was just with their physical relationship. He’d never been prepared to emotionally open himself up all the way, because he’d never done that with anyone, let alone unattainable megastar Reyse Hickson.
But for some unfathomable reason, the universe had smiled down on him. Somehow, Corey had found himself with this kindhearted, talented, crazy-sexy sweetheart of a man all to himself. Reyse was his. Just as he was Corey’s. Despite everything that could have imbalanced them, they were here, as equals.
Corey didn’t want there to be anything between them. Not literally or figuratively.
By the time Reyse and Corey stepped inside the penthouse room Ashby had organized them, their deliveries of food, wine, clothes and toiletries for their overnight stay had already been delivered. The damn room was even covered in rose petals. It was the kind of thing Corey had only really seen in the movies.
“Whoa,” Corey breathed out as Reyse locked the door behind them.
“Do you like it?” Reyse asked, looking around their suite. The view over nighttime LA was stunning, reminding Corey of Reyse’s apartment and their first time together.
Reyse had a simple satchel bag with him that he let drop onto the floor. Corey turned and slid his arms around his boyfriend and picked him up, laughing as Reyse squeaked and chuckled as he wrapped his legs around Corey’s waist.
Corey hummed. “I could be in a field in a tent and I wouldn’t care,” Corey said, kissing Reyse’s neck. “So long as I’m with you, it’s heaven.”
Reyse moaned and ran his fingers through Corey’s hair. “I’ve missed you, Corey,” he said. “To the depths of my soul.”
Corey paused in his kisses to look into Reyse’s beautiful blue eyes. He shook his head. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I left you with nothing. I didn’t miss you, because you were everywhere. And it killed me.”
“I had that one photo we took,” Reyse said. “It saved me.” He touched his fingertips to Corey’s cheek. “I’m sorry, too, though,” he whispered. “If it wasn’t for me, we would never have had to split up. But that’s done now. I’m going to tell the whole world you’re mine. If…if that’s what you want?”
Corey blinked at him. “Of course that’s what I want,” he cried. Icy coldness rushed through him at the mere thought of backing out now.
But Reyse bit his lip and caressed the back of Corey’s neck. “But…the fame,” he said. “You’ll have to deal with assholes like Dez all the time.”
“Will I have you?” Corey asked, completely serious. “Will you be faithful to me like I’m going to be faithful to you? Will you share your bed and your life and your heart with me? Will you be proud to have me hang out with your super famous friends?”
“Yes,” Reyse said without pause, his eyes filling with tears. “One hundred percent, all those things. Baby, I’m in. I know it’s fast, but I’m giving you – this – us – everything.”
Corey pressed Reyse against the wall and hugged him so tightly he was worried he might leave bruises. “Then I don’t give a crap about the bad stuff. Every relationship faces hard times. For normal people, it’s paying the bills. For us, it’ll be the fame stuff. But I’ll take it all if I’m with you.”
He heard Reyse hiccup. For a few moments, they simply clung to each other.
“I love you,” Reyse mumbled. “I meant that, on the stage before.”
Corey smiled, tears in his own eyes. “I love you, too, gorgeous. I can’t believe how lucky I am fate brought you to me.”
“I’d argue fate brought you to me,” Reyse said, wiping his tears away and smiling. “But I think we’re both right. You’re one in a billion, Corey Sheppard. You don’t need any platinum records for me to figure that out.”
“Neither do you,” Corey said, turning them around and walking to the bed. “But it is kind of nice, you know?”
Reyse laughed and lightly smacked Corey on his arm. Corey retaliated by dumping him onto the bed and crawling over him. “Damn,” he breathed. “I couldn’t stop thinking of all the chances I’d missed to fuck you. I can’t believe I’ve got them back.”
Reyse smiled and bit his lip, looking up at Corey. “As much as I have a bucket list of filthy things I want you to do to me,” he said. “Can we just keep it simple tonight? Make love?”
Corey’s heart ached. He leaned down and captured Reyse’s lips with his own. “I’ll make love to you forever,” he said, not caring how corny it sounded. “Filthy or sweet, it’ll always be making love. But tonight, I’ll take care of you as much as you want, treat you like a prince.”
“I love you,” Reyse said, the words thick with emotion.
Corey nuzzled their noses together and kissed him tenderly. “I love you too, Reyse,” he said.
He slowly peeled both their clothes off, taking his time. There was no rush. He wanted to savor their first night together as a real couple. No more secrets. It was incredibly liberating.
>
Corey knew Reyse felt the same way, because he couldn’t stop smiling. Every kiss was free for him to give, every touch allowed. Reyse was out and proud and it was like his true self was able to finally shine all the way through. Gone were the worried frowns and hesitations. This was the real Reyse Hickson, and Corey loved him.
Until now, Corey had always thought love was a myth made up by Disney and Hallmark. An idea people were encouraged to chase to support the stability of society and the economy.
He didn’t understand what it was like to need another person so badly it hurt your bones. To inhale their unique scent and know you were home. To feel like you were enough, just as you were, no matter what.
Now he did.
He and Reyse didn’t bother untucking the bed, they just rolled around naked on top of the comforter, the rose petals sticking to their damp skin. Corey laughed as he pulled Reyse over him, running his hands down his spine and making him shudder.
“Do you want to ride me?” Corey asked. He knew before, Reyse had preferred being underneath. But Corey got a good feeling about tonight.
Sure enough, Reyse nodded and hopped from the bed to find Bella’s gift basket. Corey watched him, feeling like his heart was going to burst at Reyse’s easy confidence moving around the room without a stitch of clothing on, his hard cock standing proudly to attention. He wasn’t shy in front of Corey. There was nothing to hide between them.
He’d worried for a second whether they’d have the supplies they really needed, but Bella had shooed him away when he’d opened his mouth to ask what she was ordering them. “I’ve sorted it, darling,” she’d told him. “Don’t worry about a thing.” It would suck to get this far and not be able to go all the way.
However, Bella hadn’t let them down. She’d actually gotten them a gift pack of different flavors of lube to try, which made them both laugh. Reyse held up a few packs of condoms. “We don’t need these, do we?”
Corey grinned. They had come so far since their first night together. “Not unless you want to get tested together to make absolutely sure,” he said. “But I don’t think we do, no.”
Reyse placed them back in the basket, bringing the box of different intimate lubes over for Corey to see.
“No pizza flavor, I see,” Corey said with a sigh, making Reyse laugh. “How about strawberry? Sweet, like you.”
Reyse leaned down to kiss him gently, then plucked the pink tube from the box. “Sounds good.”
He straddled Corey’s hips while he concentrated on squeezing out a dollop of shiny lube onto his fingers. Corey hissed as he reached back and rubbed it over Corey’s hard, sensitive shaft. “Cold,” he said with a grin.
“Sorry,” Reyse said, not sounding all that sorry.
He added another load of lube to his fingers, then reached around to stretch himself out. Corey crooked his finger, encouraging Reyse to lean down and kiss him. It was difficult when they were smiling so much, but Corey didn’t mind.
He ran his hand down Reyse’s right arm, following to where it led behind his back. Reyse already had a single finger inserted into his slippery ass, so Corey covered his hand with his own, adding his middle finger next to Reyse’s, helping to stretch him a little more.
Reyse moaned. “Does that feel good?” Corey asked between kisses.
“Yeah,” Reyse said, nodding. “Want you inside me, Corey. Want to feel you.”
They removed their fingers and Corey helped Reyse reposition himself. He held his cock steady while Reyse pulled his cheeks apart, angling his hole against Corey’s tip. Then he slowly began to slide himself down.
They were making a mess everywhere, but Corey didn’t care. He cradled Reyse’s face with his sticky hand as they kissed and then smeared the lube in his lovely blond hair. He ran his hands down Reyse’s perfect abs and gripped his hips, helping him bottom out.
Reyse panted and bit his lip as he accommodated Corey’s cock inside him. His cheeks were flushed and his skin glistened with perspiration and the lubricant Corey had gotten on him. He looked so gorgeous and felt so damned good around Corey’s cock. Corey wrapped his fingers possessively around his erection between them.
“Are you okay?” he asked, leaning up to kiss his neck, jaw, then the corner of his mouth.
Reyse nodded. “Good, feels so good,” he uttered.
“You look perfect,” Corey panted. He trailed his fingers up and down Reyse’s arms, braced on either side of Corey’s shoulders. “So hot, Reyse. I love you.”
Reyse grinned and caught Corey’s lower lip between his teeth. “Love you too, gorgeous,” he said. There was a mischievous tone to his voice.
Corey liked it.
“Are you going to ride me, then?” he rasped, squeezing his fingers into Reyse’s thighs. “I want to you come all over me, Reyse.” He loved seeing how dirty talk made Reyse’s eyes dilate. “You’re so beautiful, baby. Come on me, don’t hold back. I want to see you having fun on my big cock.”
“Jesus!” Reyse spluttered with a laugh. “Shut up and let me fuck you.”
Corey laughed too, looking up at his lover with marvel. “I think you promised to make love to me, sweetheart.”
Reyse bit his lip and started to roll his hips. “Like that?” he asked.
Corey nodded. “Just like that.”
Reyse’s lithe, slim body moved on top of Corey’s with the precision of a trained dancer, every muscle working together to keep his pace just right as he pleasured himself. Corey let go of his thigh to lift up Reyse’s right hand, placing it on his weeping cock.
“I want to watch you jerk off,” he said. He was so turned on it was unreal, but watching Reyse rub his own cock and drop his head back in ecstasy made it even better. “Holy fuck, yes, Reyse. You’re gorgeous.”
“I’m going to come,” Reyse cried in alarm, but Corey shook his head.
“Come, baby. It’s okay, I want you to.”
Reyse quivered as he began to shoot his load all over Corey, just like he’d asked him to. Some even hit his chin and went into his hair. Despite still needing to orgasm himself, Corey chuckled and wiped his face as Reyse gasped for breath.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly.
Corey frowned at him, reaching up to pull him in for a hug. “Never, ever apologize for having fun during sex or for coming, okay? You looked stunning and I loved it.”
“But I came first,” Reyse said.
Corey brushed his knuckles against the side of Reyse’s cheek. “That’s allowed, you know,” he teased gently. Thankfully, Reyse laughed. “Now, do you want to help me finish? Or you can lie back and just watch me jerk off, too?” He waggled his eyebrows. “I bet I can get cum in your hair as well.”
Reyse snorted and kissed Corey’s lips sloppily. “Can I suck you off?” he asked. “I…I want to swallow it.”
Lust fizzed through Corey’s belly. “I love it when you get shy about sex stuff,” he said honestly. “You can ask me anything, though. I’ll try anything with you, baby. A blow job would be amazing.”
Reyse grinned and kissed him more slowly. “I want to do everything with you,” he said. “All the stuff I’ve been missing out on.”
“It’ll be my pleasure,” Corey murmured.
He watched Reyse carefully ease himself off from Corey’s cock, then he kissed down Corey’s chest, reaching his rock-hard, glistening member. He wiped the mess from before off with his hand, then wasted no time swallowing Corey down as far as he could.
Corey grunted and remembered when they’d done this before he’d lamented he wouldn’t get time to teach Reyse how to improve his technique. Now he had all the time in the world. Not that it was going to take him long to come right now. But the realization warmed his heart.
“That’s it, baby,” he said. “Just relax, feels so good.”
Reyse moaned and caressed his balls, massaging them in his palm. Corey bit his lip and breathed heavily. He had already been so close, and now Reyse’s hot lips and tongue were unraveling his last b
it of composure.
“I’m going to come,” he gasped.
Reyse nodded, hardly pausing at all before increasing his speed. It was all Corey needed.
He arched his back, grabbing the bed sheets with one hand and Reyse’s hair with the other. The climax ripped through him, robbing him of his breath for a second. Then he flopped back onto the mattress, gasping.
Reyse popped off his cock before it started softening, wiping his mouth and grinning. Sleepily, Corey brushed a rose petal off Reyse’s shoulder he hadn’t noticed had gotten attached there. “Fuck,” he said, then laughed.
“Good?” Reyse asked.
Corey motioned him to come back up the bed and cuddle him. “Perfect.” He sighed. “You’re perfect. God, I’m so happy. You make me so happy, Reyse Hickson.”
Reyse kissed Corey’s chest, above his heart. “You make me so happy, Corey Sheppard.”
Corey knew they’d sleep a little now. But the guys had booked them the whole weekend in this suite. Corey had plans for the enormous tub sunken into the bathroom. And room service. So much room service.
But after that…they had everything available in front of them. At some point, Corey would have to contact his work and give them the lowdown. But he and Reyse had lives here in LA and for the first time there was no reason they shouldn’t intermingle. There was no ticking clock. Corey didn’t have to sneak out or worry if he should fall asleep or hide under the bed.
“What are you smiling about?” Reyse asked.
“Us,” Corey said, kissing him, then reached for the box of tissues conveniently on the nightstand. He mopped Reyse’s mess from his chest, then hugged him again. “It’s amazing to just…be us. I’m not worrying about the future. In fact, it’s kind of exciting.”
Reyse smiled at him. Then his eyebrows shot up. “Oh,” he said. He hopped off the bed, brushing away rose petals, and fetched his satchel. “I thought I might end up in a hotel, so I brought a couple of things. I was going to sleep in this, but, well…” he handed Corey a plain white T-shirt. “It’s not mine.”
