by Jet Mykles
Gladly, Danny walked backward, keeping his arms around Cash. “Ducky Cakes?”
Cash just stopped at that one. He pushed Danny to arm’s length. “Ducky Cakes?”
“Forgive me, Snookie Bear.” Danny kept moving backward, letting his hands slide down Cash’s arms until they gripped each other’s wrists. Well, almost gripped. He still had hold of Cash’s glasses. “The blood flow to my brain is kind of sketchy at the moment.”
Cash let him walk backward for a few steps, then shook his head and took over. With a good hold on Danny’s wrist, he led the way from the room. “I think I like baby best.”
“Then baby it is,” Danny declared, happily following Cash to the other bedroom. “I like the bed, by the way.”
“Mmm.” Cash led him to it and plucked his glasses from Danny’s hand to lay them on the single nightstand. Then he shoved Danny onto the mattress. He grinned. “I like it better now.”
Danny reached for him. “I can make it even better.”
“Yeah.” Cash crawled over him until they were almost nose to nose. “You can.”
Time lost all meaning. When Cash kissed him, that was all Danny wanted to do for the rest of his life. For a moment. Then he dug under Cash’s shirt to find warm, smooth skin, and he needed to taste. He wrestled Cash to his side, and they tangled together while trying to get each other naked. Lots of laughing and a few good-natured curses later, they were skin to skin, cock to cock, with four hands sliding everywhere at once.
“Please tell me,” Danny whispered in between kisses, “you’ve got lube here.”
Cash twisted his upper body to reach into the nightstand. While he was doing that, Danny took full advantage and spread kisses all over the bare chest and nipples exposed to him. Cash enjoyed it enough that he remained on his back even after he had lube and condom in hand. Amused, Danny crawled over him, still kissing as he reached for the bottle and packet.
“You didn’t do this with anyone else while I was gone?” he confirmed, trailing his way down Cash’s rib cage to the softer plane of his belly.
Hands on his shoulders guided his way down. “No.”
Danny kissed the weeping tip of Cash’s cock. “Not even tempted?”
Cash tugged a lock of Danny’s hair. “Stop talking.”
Chuckling, Danny reached down to push Cash’s leg up so his knee was bent. “Make me.”
Cash reached down, wrapped his hand around the shaft of his cock, then pointed the head toward Danny’s mouth. “Here. Put this in your mouth.”
Danny grinned. “Gladly.”
With his mouth happily occupied, listening to the music of Cash’s moaning, Danny popped the cap of the lube bottle and wet his fingers. Cash arched forward when Danny sank first one finger, then another, easily into his body. Cash was more than ready.
“Are you sure you didn’t do this with anyone?” Danny asked, careful to keep his tone light as he knelt between Cash’s legs.
Frustrated because Danny had stopped, Cash reached down to stroke his cock. “What?”
Danny ripped open the condom packet. “You’re awfully loose down there.”
Cash stilled. Then flushed and grinned. With his free hand, he reached over to the nightstand drawer and drew out a slim vibrator. “I’ve been practicing.”
Danny nearly dropped the condom. “No. Really?” He stopped Cash before he put it back. “No, wait.” He sat on his heels. “Show me.”
“What?”
He nodded at the purple plastic in Cash’s hand. “Show me what you do with it.”
With one hand wrapped around his cock and the other holding a vibrator, Cash looked a little like the cute young things Danny had often watched in porn videos. His stunned expression might have been comical if it weren’t so damn sexy. “You know what I do with it.”
Danny stroked his own cock with his still-wet hand. “I want to see.”
“Why?”
He reached for the lube and held it out for Cash. “Please?”
Hesitant, Cash released his cock and held out his palm. He watched Danny pour some out, then continued to watch as he wet down his toy.
Danny grinned. “You looked this up, didn’t you?”
Cash mirrored his grin. “Yeah. Ordered this online too.” He twisted to his side and moved his leg to get a better angle at his ass. Danny had to lean for a better view, but he saw the important part. He saw the shiny head of the vibrator penetrate that ring of tight muscle. He glanced up to see Cash’s eyes had closed and his bottom lip was caught between his teeth.
“That’s gorgeous,” Danny assured him, adjusting so he could get closer. Quickly he rolled on the condom, then reached down to tap at the fingers Cash used to push the toy in and out of his body. “Did you think of me when you did this?”
No answer. Judging from the wash of pleasure over his face, Danny didn’t think an answer would be forthcoming. So he kissed Cash’s upraised knee, took hold of the end of the vibrator, and turned it on low. Cash twisted, moaned.
“I’ll bet you did,” Danny crooned, taking over the toy from Cash. He pushed it in, then brought it out, watching as Cash writhed. “Bet you thought about me fucking you.” He wrapped his free hand around Cash’s cock. “Sorry—I can’t vibrate for you, though.”
Desperate, Cash spread his arms across the mattress and glared at Danny. “Stop talking and fuck me.”
Grinning, Danny pushed the vibrator in farther and gave it a vicious twist. “Like this.”
Cash’s eyes fluttered up, but he recovered quickly. “No.” Before Danny could protest, he sat forward. They grappled a moment, but Cash won out, turning over onto his hands and knees. “Like this.” He reached back to pull out the toy.
Danny froze, entranced. Cash’s ass beckoned, shiny with lube. The look he gave Danny over his shoulder was pure carnal invitation. Unable to resist, Danny rose up on his knees behind Cash, braced his hands on slim hips, and guided his cock easily into Cash’s slicked-up opening. They both sighed in pleasure as Danny leaned over to drape Cash’s back with his body. Cash collapsed onto the mattress, arms and legs spread. Danny wrapped an arm around his torso and planted soft kisses at his nape as he thrust slowly. In. Out. In. Out.
“I don’t want this to stop,” Danny murmured, picking up the pace. “I want you all the time.”
“Yeah.” Eyes closed, Cash gripped the pillow underneath his head.
“You and me.” Faster now. Danny propped up on his elbows to get a better angle. “I love you.”
“Mmm.” Cash’s head lifted, his neck arching as he cried out. “I…love you. Too.”
Danny kept as much skin in contact with Cash’s as he could. Sweat beaded between them, lubricating the way. He didn’t so much thrust as rock. The mattress thumped against Cash’s fancy wood headboard, and pillows, sheets, and bedspread bunched up around them. Cash shuddered when he came, burying his cry in the pillow below his head. Danny wasn’t far behind, biting into the back of Cash’s shoulder as everything he had poured into his lover.
They lay panting together for precious moments before Danny had to roll away. He tied off the condom and dropped it over the edge of the bed, promising himself he’d remember to dispose of it when his legs worked again.
Turning back, he rolled into Cash’s arms and kissed his sweaty forehead. “God, I missed you,” he murmured.
Cash snuggled in close, his arms comfortable around Danny. “Missed you too.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Europe?”
They sat at the breakfast table in Cash’s kitchen, eating a reheated dinner. Cash wore boxers with Snoopy on them—he hadn’t completely abandoned his comics—and Danny had pulled on another pair covered with X-Men logos. The food was delicious and had probably been even better when it was hot, but they were both worn-out from making love and would have eaten almost anything.
“Yeah.” Danny had decided to start this off right and admit to Cash he was going back out of town. “Then I think we go to Australia, t
hen back up through Asia.”
Cash chewed as he considered this. “How long will you be gone?”
“It’ll pretty much be a year before we’re back in the States.”
Cash raised his eyebrows and bent back over his plate.
“Does that change things? For us?”
Cash pushed green beans around the plate with his fork before scooping them up to his mouth. “No.”
“But…?”
Shrugging, Cash pushed away his empty plate. “I still have a hard time believing you just want me.”
Danny smiled. “And I have a hard time believing no one will snap you up while I’m gone.”
“Right.” Cash snorted. “I don’t ever go out.”
“There’s probably some closeted guys at your work planning to make a move.”
He paused when Cash just stared at him, drinking him in from his platinum hair to as much of his bare chest as could be seen above the table. “They’d have to be pretty good to measure up to you.”
Danny blinked. “Careful, baby. That almost sounded romantic.”
Cash sat forward and folded his arms on the table to lean on them. One lock of hair fell over his eye, but a head toss cleared it. “It’s true. When you were gone…” He thought. Frowned. Shook his head. Sighed. “It was like all the color went out of my life. I didn’t know how to handle it. You… No one laughs like you.” He picked at one of his knuckles. “No one sees things like you do. I…lost that when you weren’t around.”
“I was a phone call away,” Danny felt the need to point out.
Cash shook his head. “I didn’t think you’d want me. I was pretty sure you’d moved on at least a dozen times. When you e-mailed”—another shrug—“I was offended. Like you couldn’t let me just get over you.”
“That’s not what I wanted to do.”
“Oh, I know.” Cash laughed softly as he stood, gathering their empty plates. “I finally talked to my mom. She showed me how stupid I was being.”
“Your mom?”
“Yeah. Totally unexpected. She really listened to me.” He set the plates in the sink and just stood there, looking at the wall. “She and my dad have been great.”
Danny stood and sidled up behind Cash. He wound his arms around his lover’s middle and kissed his shoulder. “I’m happy for you.”
Cash turned in his arms. “Last night—dinner—was my idea, though. I wanted to see you again, and I thought…” He sighed and turned his face up so Danny could see his eyes. See the sincerity in them. “I decided I’d take any little part of you that you were willing to give.”
Danny smiled and pressed closer. “Baby, I’m willing to give you everything.”
They kissed, a slow drag of lip against lip.
“I still don’t know if I can handle those crowds.”
“It’s okay. I know a few people you should meet. Johnnie Heaven’s husband can’t stand crowds either.”
“Really?” Words were muffled since neither of them was willing to stop kissing.
“Yeah. Besides, being on the road is really shitty. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
“You’re still going to do it.”
“I’m still going to do it.” He swiped his tongue over Cash’s. “But it’ll be better knowing I’ve got you to come back to.”
Cash twined his arms around Danny’s neck. “I’m here as long as you want me.”
“Good.” Danny started to draw him across the kitchen floor, back toward the bedroom. “Because that’ll be forever.”
~ * ~
Chapter One
Present day, September
“Here we are,” Lance announced as he turned the car in to a tiny parking lot outside a nondescript brick building. There was no sign on the door or any indication of what might be inside. He’d had to punch in a code for the gate to the chain-link fence that was now closing behind him, and only the number above the door told him they were in the right place. A dusty blue truck was parked to the right, with a gray Mercedes and a black Corvette to the left. Outside, warm sun failed to brighten the industrial setting as cars rushed by on the busy street.
Noble didn’t make a move to get out of the car once Lance had turned the key. “You sure this is it?”
“You’re the one with the directions.”
“Yeah, but…” Bangles clacked on Noble’s wrist as he waved at the building.
Lance indicated the Corvette and Mercedes. “Someone inside’s got money.”
Noble considered the cars, brushing bright green bangs out of his eyes. “Yeah. I guess so.” Decision made, he tossed the paper with the directions and the gate code over his shoulder into the backseat, then reached up to drop his sunglasses over his eyes. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
Lance grinned as his friend got out of the car, flashing midriff between the hem of his lime-green-and-black T-shirt and the waistband of faded, torn jeans. Noble wouldn’t admit it, but he’d dressed very carefully to make a grand first impression. Lance did not dress to impress, trusting Noble to do it for them. He adjusted his own sunglasses as he exited the car, but there was no flash of skin, thanks to his worn, faded black button-down and equally faded jeans. The only little bit of nonblack in his ensemble was the blue rubber band holding his blond ponytail.
Pocketing the keys to the Porsche rental, Lance followed Noble up a short flight of cement stairs and through a rust-red fire door. A small, carpeted reception area was deserted, but there was an open door behind the empty desk, and voices could be heard down the hall beyond.
Noble did the honors, using his calling-over-the-crowd-in-a-club voice. “Hello?”
“Hey! Hello!” came a shout from the hall. “Come on back.”
Turning to Lance, Noble slid his sunglasses down his nose for a significant look under raised eyebrows. They both recognized the voice. Lance tipped his head to meet the gaze over the rim of his own glasses, giving a bland look in return. Waiting.
Predictably, Noble broke first. With a small snort, he rolled his eyes, raised his sunglasses on top of his head, then turned down the hall. Slipping his sunglasses into his shirt pocket, Lance followed, carefully giving no indication of the fact that his heart rate had just jacked up to a level where he was shocked he could even breathe around the pulsing muscle.
Gordon.
Lance had known he’d be here. Of course. They’d made plans to meet. The meet was the reason they were here. The meet was the reason he and Noble had dropped their apartment in California, put all their stuff in storage, and headed across half the country. The meet could quite possibly change his life in many ways. But that didn’t change the fact that after a year and a half, he was about to see Gordon again.
That was worth a jacked-up heartbeat.
Lance followed Noble down a hallway with gray walls and sturdy green carpet. None of the doors to the right or left were open, but the one at the end of the hall was, and as they approached, Gordon appeared in its frame. Lance swallowed but otherwise managed to contain his reaction. God, Gordon looked good. The thick black hair was cut straight to his neck and around his ears but left longer on top, spiked a little with product to make it shine. His square jaw was clean-shaven, his welcoming smile on display. Too far away to see them, Lance knew full well that in the bad lighting Gordon’s hazel eyes would look more brown than green. While he looked terrific in black T-shirt and jeans, the look was a little off to Lance, whose memories were filled with Gordon in crisp button-downs and slacks. But the atmosphere of the studio lent itself to the outfit. Or maybe Gordon was more casual these days. Time had passed. It was possible.
“Noble. Good to see you.” Gordon folded Noble into a brief, warm hug, then nudged him inside the room. “Come, meet everyone.” Changeable eyes then focused on Lance. Only because they stood face-to-face did Lance see the shadow that flashed across Gordon’s expression. All of a sudden, the smile was a little forced, and some of the warmth drained from his gaze. Nostrils flared, just a bit. “Lance.”
Gordon took a step back, turning as he did so, then reached a hand toward Lance. “Come inside.”
Lance started past him, eyes averted. He couldn’t help a small flinch when Gordon’s warm hand patted his shoulder, staying there as Lance walked by. No hug but a touch. That was something.
Later, Lance promised himself. Later he’d talk to Gordon and find his footing. Right now a potential future was in the room before him, and it deserved his full attention.
Noble had already started his own introductions, so it fell on Gordon to introduce Lance to the others. Lance recognized the original Indigo Knights’ guitarist from a little background searching he’d done online. Rabin Squire looked every inch a rock star. Thick, short chestnut hair, dark, dramatic eyes, and a killer smile. Handsome guy with that sultry, slightly dirty look that girls loved. The English accent just brought out reminders of the British Invasion from the eighties, which really couldn’t hurt a band’s reputation.
Rabin shook Lance’s hand, wearing a big smile, those eyes shining with a fire Lance often saw in hungry musicians. This one, Lance was sure, was largely responsible for the demo tracks Gordon had sent them. This one was the one to know. Thankfully, Lance felt an instant liking between them—no spot judgment or comparison, just open welcome. He could work with that.
Danny Champion was as ridiculously good-looking as any of the surfer boys Lance had seen in the few months he’d lived in California. His rich voice, expressive eyes, and charming smile displayed everything Lance could hope for in a lead singer. He too was instantly welcoming, if a little bit too excited. But excitement was okay. This guy had more spark in his left pinky than the lead man of Lance and Noble’s former band had in his whole body.
Lance knew Brent Rose on sight. There weren’t too many people involved with modern music who didn’t. He was amused at himself for a little bit of a fanboy hitch in his chest as he shook the low-key musician’s hand. Brent was the musical head and heart of a band that had accomplished everything Lance could ever hope and then some. That he contributed his talents to producing the two guys Lance had just met lent a lot of weight to Lance and Noble’s agreement to drive across the country to meet them. If Brent thought they were something, they were definitely worth a look.
