by T. A. Chase
“Oh, so are you going to do the dirty dancing with me then?” Raj smirked. He let go of Ajay and ran his hands along the outsides of those strong thighs up to his hips, deliberately stopping there and making no move to continue.
Ajay growled and spread his legs farther apart. No longer interested in playing coy, Rajan moved forward to press against him as their lips met. This kiss was less a stamp of possession and more of an apology, given and received.
Ajay held him gently in his arms as they kissed, and Rajan felt nothing but rightness about the two of them together. How could anything this special, this intimate ever be wrong?
He opened his parted lips more to encourage Ajay to deepen the kiss, which he did with a groan, delving his tongue into Rajan’s mouth in a breath-stealing exploration. This felt more natural, the heat building between them and Ajay taking control of their embrace. He dipped Rajan to the side, putting him off-balance, and swallowed Rajan’s gasp as he clutched at Ajay’s muscular arms to steady himself.
A moment later, he relaxed into the passionate assault, trusting Ajay to hold him, keep him safe, take him…
He turned his head, panting for oxygen. “Ajay…”
He’d turned his attention to Rajan’s bared neck and the feel of his lips moving over his tender skin sent shivers all down that side of his body. His cock was already insanely hard.
Searching blindly for counter-pressure with his hips and finding none, he tried again to distract his lover long enough to get them to a more private location.
“Let’s go upstairs,” he managed. “Ah! Don’t give me a hickey!”
Ajay gave a guttural protest, but lessened the suction on that magical place he always seemed to gravitate to, where shoulder and neck came together into a hot spot that never failed to make Rajan crazy.
“Sorry,” Ajay apologised, not sounding in the least sincere.
“Upstairs. There’s lube…” Rajan encouraged, trying to tug himself free.
That got Ajay’s attention and approval. He rose and gave Rajan a slight yank, both upwards and towards the entrance to set him into motion. He didn’t take his hand off Rajan for a second as they made their way upstairs, roaming it lovingly along his lower back and ass.
Not wanting to take the slightest chance on being disturbed, Rajan closed the door to his suite behind them and flipped the lock he rarely used.
Ajay watched with a smirk. “No one can save you now.”
Rajan grinned, turned on and so happy he thought he might burst with it. “Oh, I don’t want to be saved. Trust me.”
“I do,” Ajay vowed in a meaningful tone of voice, the double-entendre clear. Rajan acknowledged the confirmation with a nod then rewarded Ajay with the fastest strip-tease on record.
“Nice.” Ajay looked him up and down, then walked him backwards until his legs hit the bed. He kept coming, forcing Rajan to lie back while Ajay moved up over him, still fully clothed.
“Why aren’t you naked?” Rajan protested mildly, though there was something rather kinky about being the only one undressed. Ajay seemed to be on the same wavelength because he didn’t remove any of his clothing, instead rummaging around in the basket under Rajan’s lamp table until he found the lube and rubbers.
Rajan swallowed as Ajay knelt between his legs and watched him with a heated stare as he gathered some lube with his fingers then ran them across his entrance, just teasing for a few passes. Rajan opened himself up, shamelessly and fully exposing himself to Ajay’s ministrations, trying to encourage a firmer touch.
Ajay toyed with him a bit longer, so Rajan raised the stakes by reaching down and taking himself firmly in hand, pulling his foreskin up over the head of his cock then slowly exposing it again, over and over, to Ajay’s rapt gaze.
Ajay’s lips parted and his face took on a focused expression that Rajan knew meant things would start progressing more quickly. He smiled to himself, loving that he knew what drove his partner wild. Ajay had a touch of voyeur in him, though he’d never admit to it.
Rajan looked forward to bringing that side of him out more in the future, because he had no problem showing off for him.
Ajay delved two slick fingers inside him and Rajan caught his breath at the sudden welcome intrusion. About fucking time.
Ajay leered. “Anticipation is so hot, isn’t it? Just another form of foreplay.”
He barely gave Rajan enough breath to answer as he rhythmically stroked inside him.
“Mmm… Uh!” Oh yeah, that was the spot.
Ajay had a look of smug satisfaction at Rajan’s less than coherent responses. His breathing was picking up as he watched Rajan moving beneath him, jacking himself hard now.
With one last twist, he withdrew his fingers and Rajan immediately felt the loss. When Ajay stood, his eyes went wide. “Where are you going?”
“I thought you wanted me naked.”
“Well, yes, but…” Rajan thumped his head back against the mattress in frustration and tried to slow his hand on his cock. He kept his gaze on Ajay, though, as the man took a ridiculously long time to undress, fold his clothes and lay them neatly on the dresser.
“Damn it! Are you about done? Because I am.” He purposely let out a moan—well, he might have been about to anyway, but…
Ajay’s teasing expression softened. “I’ve got you, honey.” He laid himself over Rajan, warming his skin where they touched from their legs to their chests. With a long, soulful kiss, Ajay both calmed and roused Rajan’s need to fever pitch.
He knelt up, but this time didn’t draw out the process as he opened the package then slid the rubber onto his thick, dark cock, giving it an extra jack or two before adding some slick. Ajay ran his fingers with the excess lube along Rajan’s asshole for one last bit of prep, then placed the tip of his shaft at his entrance and thankfully—blissfully—entered him in a single, smooth press forward.
Their gazes locked and Rajan revelled in the pleasurable ache of being stretched open and filled. He blew out and relaxed into the sensation. When the ache had fled, leaving just want in its wake, Ajay began to move over him, in him.
Rajan rocked with him as they reconnected in the most basic and intimate of ways, something he’d needed and missed so badly. Ajay. Rajan wanted to tell him that he needn’t worry—Rajan would never leave him. He’d never wanted another man and never would.
Ajay thrust and withdrew, driving them together towards their mutual pleasure and love in each other. The strong feel of his body over Rajan’s, the commanding way he knew at just what angle to make Rajan’s cock lift, make everything else in the world fade to nothingness… It was more than a physical act. It was a meeting of their souls and Rajan threw himself into the abyss. He shot between their abdomens, the warmth of his slick cum easing the friction of his sensitive cock against Ajay.
Ajay fucked him through his climax, his balls slapping against his and sending aftershocks of pleasure through him. He stilled then gasped as he threw his head back, beautiful in his moment of bliss. Rajan moved under him and Ajay thrust again, almost involuntarily seeking his depths once more.
They stilled and Ajay dropped to brace himself over Rajan in a push-up, his muscular arms in just the right place for Rajan to slide his hands over them, tracing the hard curves of his biceps and triceps. A smile came unbidden to his lips and he chuckled before withdrawing and taking care of the rubber.
Rajan petted him as he returned to gather him against his side. Ajay pulled the cover up over their cooling bodies and stroked him lightly. Rajan relished the caring touches and soft, satisfied lines of his lover’s face.
Replete from his head to his toes, Raj tucked himself closer to Ajay’s side. One last niggling topic worried him, and though it maybe wasn’t the best time to talk, he found himself needing to clear the air of one final matter.
“You’ve gone stiff as a board, Raj. Just spit it out, whatever’s on your mind.”
Rajan smiled against Ajay’s shoulder and took a deep breath. “Okay,” he
started. “I know that I said I want to tell the world about us.”
Now it was Ajay’s turn to tense. “But?”
“But,” Raj conceded, “there are other people involved, and I was just hoping that we could maybe talk to Karishma and to Beni before we put this out there.” He sat up, needing to see Ajay’s face. “I am not trying to put it off, I just want to do the right thing. Is that okay?”
To Rajan’s relief, Ajay smiled. “Well, I wasn’t expecting you to call a reporter and camera crew in and announce I’m yours to the world. I understand that something like this needs a plan. And,” he added grudgingly, “it would be disrespectful, I suppose, to throw Karishma over for me just like that.”
“Good. I promise you the day will come, as soon as we can manage it.”
Lying back down, he thought about what Ajay had said. A reporter and camera crew?
Hmm…
Rajan couldn’t help the grin that began to slowly spread across his face.
Epilogue
Ten months later
The noise hit him as the car doors were opened at the premiere of Rajan and Karishma’s film. Beni Sharma was the first to move towards the mass of people waiting to see who was inside the vehicle.
Before he stood he turned back to the others. “Remember what to say? Try to keep the focus of the questions on the film, but if they won’t leave the relationship thing alone, just follow the talking points we discussed.”
Rajan sighed, and Karishma rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. We rehearsed it to fucking death.” She gave Rajan a thump on the shoulder as Sharma got out of the car to the flash of lights. “How do I look?”
Rajan gave her silver, low-backed gown with the halter top a once-over. “Didn’t need the tape today, I see.”
Karishma laughed. “Of course I did. All down the fucking sides. I don’t want to be flashing my pasties at the world like that Harry Potter actress, yeah? Now, are you going?”
She gave him another not-so-gentle nudge.
He took a deep breath and, with a last look of encouragement, stepped out into the fray.
The photographers immediately recognised the star and the camera flashes were blinding.
“Rajan! Rajan Malik! Look this way!”
“Is Karishma with you?”
He turned back to the vehicle and held a hand out to assist Karishma to her feet. The watching crowd went crazy as the film’s leading lady joined her co-star on the red carpet.
They posed and patiently allowed everyone to get their shots and yell out the usual questions.
Rajan passed Karishma’s hand to Beni and the two began slowly wending their way along the carpet.
Then Raj turned back to the car.
It was his turn.
Ajay took a deep breath. Facing down a stadium full of rabid cricket fans was nothing like this in-your-face media barrage. Rajan didn’t insult him by holding out a hand like he had for Karishma, he merely waited patiently for Ajay to step out, loving him with his eyes the whole time until he finally took the plunge.
As soon as he stood, though, and the photographers got a look at who had emerged, the wave of noise and light began deafening, and Ajay was grateful when Rajan took his hand in that firm and supportive grasp.
“Ajay, over here!”
“Rajan, are you gay?”
Hand in hand, they began to walk together along the red carpet, claiming one another in full view of the world.
They had all discussed at length the best way to move Rajan in the eyes of the world from Karishma to Ajay, from way back when filming was still going on. Beni had finally convinced them all that the studio would be much more supportive if the publicity for the film didn’t take a backseat to their personal lives during the run-up to the premiere.
So they had compromised and Ajay had agreed to keep a low profile, so relieved that he hadn’t lost Rajan for good that he was willing to put off the immediate gratification.
It had been Karishma who had come up with the plan for Ajay to go to the premiere, not as a guest, but as Rajan’s date. A whisper campaign to test the waters had produced surprisingly few negatives, and she’d finally sold Raj and Ajay on the plan with one last yelled observation. ‘ And what if they crucify him? So fucking what? Then he retires and you two live happily ever after, yeah? What a bloody sacrifice.’
Beni Sharma had turned into a surprisingly strong ally and had made it his mission to not only get them through the ‘scandal’ of Rajan coming out, but to turn it on its ear and make them into the new ‘golden couple’ of India. The handsome Bollywood actor and the rugged cricket superstar.
Ajay mentally shook his head at the fervour with which both Sharma and Karishma had plotted and planned their immediate futures. Even Neel had got involved behind the scenes, though not to the extent that he bucked his traditional family and came out himself. Ajay still had hopes that maybe Neel would find someone worthy of him and follow their lead. His friend deserved someone special in his life after helping Ajay to screw his head on straight and not mess up the best thing he’d ever had.
Rajan wandered nonchalantly towards the reporter who had been staged along the route, handpicked to do their main interview, supposedly off-the-cuff. In reality, they’d received what questions she would ask and had rehearsed their responses.
Raj protectively positioned himself slightly in front of Ajay, taking the lead role, though not blocking him. Their interviewer smiled at them and turned to the side to face the camera.
A big light shone on them all as they began the taped interview.
“Meera Patel, coming to you live from the red carpet. We’re here with tonight’s star, Rajan Malik, and his companion for the evening, well-known cricketer Ajay Singh. Thank you so much for talking with me tonight.”
“Our pleasure, Meera,” Raj answered smoothly with a smile. He never failed to impress Ajay, who personally hated doing interviews, especially on camera. But the camera loved Raj…though not as much as Ajay did.
“I see you’ve arrived with two dates tonight.”
“One date…and one very good friend,” Raj responded, leaning into Ajay briefly at the word date.
“So are the rumours true that your engagement to Karishma is off?”
“We were never engaged. The ring, right?” Raj laughed. “That was a special token of affection, but nothing more. You’ll see. She’ll still be wearing it even though we’re not together. She loves jewellery.”
“Don’t we all? And lucky you, Rajan, to have the handsome Mr Singh here with you.
Ajay, how are you finding your first Bollywood premiere?”
Ajay tried to keep his face pleasant, though he was afraid he was coming off stiff. “It’s very different than cricket, I must say.”
They all laughed, and though even that had been scripted, it helped Ajay to relax a bit.
Raj squeezed his hand, and Ajay turned to gaze at his handsome profile as Meera asked Raj a couple of questions about the film. Then her gaze sharpened, and Ajay braced himself, even though the question would be directed towards Raj.
Here it comes.
“So, Rajan, do you mean to tell me that, even though you are no longer with Karishma, there’s no hope for the rest of us?”
Raj smiled brilliantly and slipped his arm around Ajay’s waist, looking as though he’d never had a doubt in the world. Ajay’s heart soared at the realisation of his dreams as Raj answered, “I’m afraid I’m taken, Meera. And my partner here is rather the jealous sort.”
“Ah, I can hear the sound of thousands of hearts breaking. Well, you heard it here first.
Rajan Malik is still off the market…but all you men out there, his co-star Karishma is available. Rajan, congratulations on your premiere and both of you enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you, Meera.” Raj grinned and gave a small half wave to the camera then started moving them towards where Karishma was standing, posing for a wall of photographers.
“How do you do this all th
e time?” Ajay asked under his breath right as they reached Karishma.
“Luckily, we don’t.”
Raj went to stand next to Karishma for even more photographs, and Ajay thought he’d go blind from the burst of flashes going off. He smiled as he watched Raj lean down to kiss Karishma’s cheek.
At one point, seeing that would worry Ajay, and piss him off. Now it didn’t bother him at all because Raj was his completely, without him having to freak out about him not being what Raj wanted and being left behind again. Raj looked over at him and winked.
“Ajay, we want a picture with you and Rajan!” one of the photographers cried out.
Ajay was happy to oblige. It had taken some time, once he and Raj had reconciled, to learn how to deal with the constant media buzz around his movie star boyfriend. He’d hated all those times when Raj had to be seen in public and Ajay couldn’t be with him, but he’d figured out he’d need to compromise if he was to have Raj in his life.
He stepped in closer to Raj, sliding his arm around Raj’s waist. Ajay didn’t even look at the cameras because his entire attention was focused on the man he loved. The rest of the world no longer mattered for Ajay. All he wanted was Raj as often as he could get him for as long as he could.
Ajay had found himself in a sticky wicket of his own making there for a while. Yet, somehow—together—they’d managed to come away with a win.
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Also available from Total-E-Bound Publishing:
Ninja Cupcakes
T.A. Chase
Excerpt
Chapter One
The aroma of freshly baked cupcakes scented the air, and Ethan breathed deep, filling his lungs with the delicious smell.
“I’m still not sure agreeing to bake twenty dozen cupcakes for your brother’s convention is a good idea. A lot of those sci-fi gamer geeks should lay off the sugar if they want to get a date outside of World of Warcraft.”
