“Yep! Can’t believe it. It’s been so long we’ve been fighting to keep our little girl, and now they decided to drop the suit.” James’s voice dropped to a whisper as he continued. “Wish I could adopt her, but Wisconsin won’t allow gay second-parent adoptions.”
“I know, but this is great news. When you get back, we’ll all have to go out to celebrate!”
Someone tapped Chase on the shoulder, startling him out of the conversation. He blinked and looked up to see Rhys leaning over the table. “What’s going on? What was dropped?”
“Hold on, Jamie,” he said. “The custody battle for Danni, that’s what. Isn’t that great?”
Rhys jumped out of his seat so fast, Chase lost track for a moment. He scooped Chase up in his arms and swung him around. “Yes! That’s wonderful.”
“You wanna put me down now?” he asked, thrilled for James, Seth, and Danni. He was secretly pleased at how easily Rhys could pick him up, even if the coffee shop wasn’t the best place for such actions.
“Oh, sorry.” Rhys set him on his feet before returning to his seat, grinning the whole way. His cell was out before he managed to get butt to chair.
“Is that Rhys?” James asked.
“Yeah,” he sighed. “We grabbed coffee and a snack and were talking when you called. He’s telling Dal and who knows who else.”
“Great! We’ll call a few more people, but I really want to focus on my husband.” James laughed, then sighed. “Still can’t believe he’s really my husband.”
“I know, but he is, and I’m so freaking happy for you. Now, go sex your man, or let him sex you. However that works for you two, and enjoy your time away. You deserve to be happy.”
“So do you, Chase,” James countered.
“I am,” he snapped. He took a breath, annoyed with his outburst.
“Chase? What’s wrong? I thought things were good with you and Rhys.”
“They are. Forget I said that?”
James laughed loudly. “Just promise to be careful and talk to him. I still don’t know what set you off last time, but I really do think he’d be good for you. And you for him.”
“I know, and I’ll try. Now, shoo. Go do sexy things while we finish our rules listings and I get more caffeine.”
“Yes, dear, go give your obligatory prayers to the Goddess Caffeina. Love you.”
“Love you too,” he replied, then clicked “end.” Chase waited while Rhys finished his call, then grinned.
“Looks like today is a good day for the future, huh?” Rhys gave him a meaningful look, which Chase failed to ignore, making him squirm in his seat.
“Seems so. Now, did you have any rules to add?”
“Don’t think so.” He looked down at Chase’s empty cup and bare napkin. “You ’bout done?”
“Yeah. Scared you off already?” My rules shouldn’t bother him.
The deep, rumbling laugh soothed his suddenly tight nerves. “No, sweetheart. I thought we could go for a ride together. I know you rode your bike,” he continued, gesturing to the helmet on the seat beside him.
“Yeah, guess I did. Wait, you want to ride with me? On my bike?”
Rhys nodded and grinned. “It’s not as nice as my Softail, but it’s still a sweet bike. So yeah, why not?”
“Just surprised me. No need to get feisty.”
Rhys tended to their trash, and in moments they headed out the door and toward Chase’s metallic blue Sabre.
WHEN THEY stopped by Rhys’s, he ran inside and in moments came back outside, thermos safely ensconced in the backpack he carried. He paused at the sight before him. He’d seen Chase on his bike before, and it never failed to heat his blood. In a leather coat and boots, straddling his bike, Chase was drool-worthy—sex and fire wrapped up in one well-hung and handsome package. Rhys wasn’t sure if this was the best or worst idea he’d had in years.
“Well, come on, Rhys,” Chase purred, shifting to pat the seat behind him. Really, it was more of a caress, and it had him suddenly hard and needy again. “I can’t ride you, I mean, ride with you, if you stand all the way over there.”
Oh God, he was in trouble. Chase scooted forward a little as Rhys prowled toward him. “I don’t bite,” he continued, flashing a half-lidded stare that had Rhys hurrying to climb on behind the slight man now taunting him. “Much,” he added with a deep, sexy chuckle.
“My shoulder begs to differ.” He reached up to touch the neat dental impression Chase had gifted him with, thankful it was low enough no one saw it unless he stripped off his shirt.
Chase revved the motor and shifted his hips, rubbing his ass against Rhys’s groin, drawing a groan from him. “Are you complaining?”
“Never,” he said and wrapped his arms around Chase’s waist.
“Good.” Chase pulled out of the drive, merging with traffic and taking off, though he had no idea where they were going.
Rhys decided it didn’t really matter where, he was enjoying spending time with Chase. The fact he could touch the sweet yet prickly man he’d been lusting after for months was an added bonus. One he decided not to waste.
When they approached the waterfront, he tapped Chase’s shoulder and pointed, guiding them to one of the small parks along the banks where you could walk out into the water, if you were crazy enough to put one toe into Lake Michigan in the spring.
Chase shifted but didn’t move to pull away. “Why are we here?”
He smiled, amused at how Chase looked around the deserted park. “It’s a quiet place. We can hang together and drink a little more coffee.” He stood and moved a step away, not intending to allow Chase any farther away than necessary.
“Uh, I don’t see a coffee shop close.”
“Ah, as to that,” Rhys said and took off the pack he wore. He dug inside and produced a large thermos of coffee, individual packets of sugar, and portable creamer pods. Digging a little more, he finally pulled out two mugs and presented his goodies to Chase.
Chase gaped at him for a moment before snapping his jaw shut. “You…. You brought us coffee? Seriously?” he asked.
“Chase with no coffee? Um, no. That’s dangerous, and we both know it. Now, why don’t we go over there,” he explained, gesturing to a grassy area near some trees. “We can sit, chat or not chat as the mood hits ya.”
The smile Chase gave him made him extraordinarily happy he’d thought of the coffee and the park. Most guys he’d dated would have hated such a simple outing, but he’d thought—hoped—Chase would like it.
Rhys walked to one of the trees and sat, using it for a backrest. Moments later, Chase sauntered over—it was the only way to describe how he moved—and used his boot to force Rhys’s legs apart.
“Uh, what are you doing?”
“Getting comfy,” Chase cooed. He proceeded to push against Rhys, scooting until they were so close he could feel the bite of his zipper as Chase pushed into his already hard dick. “Ahh… perfect,” he added and settled against Rhys’s chest.
Torn between wanting to spin Chase around and devour him, and wrapping his free arm around his waist, he decided the cuddle would be best. Besides, what the position made him want was best left behind closed doors.
Chapter 13
“STILL CAN’T believe he talked me into a first date. I mean, isn’t this a bit bass-ackwards? We’ve already been together a couple of times and now he asks me out?” Chase paced in his bedroom, irritated at not being able to calm down. The date was a formality, wasn’t it? They already knew they liked each other, though the getting to know each other part was a sweet idea.
“What about this?” Simon asked, ignoring Chase’s meltdown. He held up a pair of low-waist herringbone slacks and a heather gray turtleneck cashmere sweater. “Wear this with a pair of your cute little boots, and he’ll be putty in your hands.”
Chase paused midstep to look at his friend, the huge smile worth any amount of teasing. Simon had been quieter than normal lately, and while he knew why—Si hated being single, and
his ex had hurt him badly—it didn’t make watching him suffer any easier. “Thanks, Si, and I’m sure you’re right. Of course he’ll be that anyway,” he teased. “I plan to make him have to work for any happy time tonight.”
“That’s my boy. Now, where’s he taking you?”
“Not sure exactly. He said dinner and to the theater, but I’m not sure if he means a movie or downtown to an actual show. I’m kind of hoping it’s the latter, though. There are supposed to be some great shows going on, and I haven’t been in ages.”
“Then we’ll hope your bad boy biker cleans up well,” Simon said, laughing by the end.
He knew Simon didn’t have the best opinion of Rhys, but he was positive once they got to know one another, they’d be friends. “From what I saw at the wedding reception, Rhys cleans up very well and is rather educated in culture.”
“Really?”
“Simon! You saw him at the reception, the same as I did, and he certainly can fill out a tux.” Chase sighed as he thought about how sexy his man had looked in that tux. He just wished he could have helped him back out of it.
“True, true. Still, he just doesn’t seem the high-society type.” Simon sat up on his bed and started ticking off points on his fingers. “Biker. Huge. Leather. Gruff. Huge. Can bench press my car. Huge.”
Chase made it just past the second “huge” before losing his composure and giggling so hard he ended up sprawled beside Simon. “Size and refinement have nothing to do with one another. Besides, he’s not that big, Si,” he choked out, and slapped Si on the arm.
“Oh,” Simon said in mock sincerity. “I’m sorry for you, then, dear.”
Chase laughed harder, tears streaming down his face until he finally managed to calm down some. “Oh God, how I love you. If we’re going with girth, then I take back my not big statement. ’Cause day-um, he’s got more than enough down there to make me wish I enjoyed bottoming.”
“Don’t tell me things like that when I don’t have anyone to play with.” Simon pulled the edges of his lips down and he got a faraway look in his eyes.
“Hey, stay with me here. No going into mopey Si mode.”
Simon looked at him and smiled, or tried to at least. “I’m fine. Now, go get dressed. You want me to stay and be your chaperon?”
Chase laughed but thought the idea sounded good—not for the reason Si thought, though. He collected his clothes and hurried to the bathroom. “Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll be out in a few,” he called over his shoulder.
Once the door closed, he set his clothes on the counter and pulled his cell from his pants pocket. He turned on the shower and hit the number for Dale, and then he waited for the call to go through.
“Hey,” Dale said, his voice bubbly.
“Hi, Dale. I need your help a minute.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Can you meet me at my apartment in the next”—he paused and checked the time—“half hour? I don’t want to leave Si like he is right now.”
“Oh, no. Back to pensive and pouty again, is he?”
“A little, but I’m hoping he snaps out of it fast.”
“Yeah, be there in a bit.”
“Cool, have to get ready fast now. TTFN.” Once he set the phone down, he hopped in the shower and cleaned up quickly, hoping the sound had drowned out his conversation.
When he entered the living room, he found Simon playing his PlayStation, sprawled out on the floor, killing evil Templars. “Make yourself at home,” Chase teased.
Simon grunted, not taking his eyes off the TV.
“Having fun?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m thinking of wearing a pink tutu tonight,” Chase continued, wondering if Si actually realized he was there.
“That’s nice.”
He stepped in front of the game. “Si?”
“Hey!” Si snapped. He tapped at the controller before finally looking up to glower at Chase. “What are you doing?”
“Me? I’m getting ready to go out with my… whatever Rhys is. What are you planning to do?” he asked, gesturing at Simon’s current position on the floor.
“Well, I was playing a game, that’s what. Why?” he asked, his tone wary.
“Rhys will be here any min, hun.” At Si’s downcast eyes, Chase grasped at what to do about his friend. “You wanna stay here?”
“I, um….” Simon trailed off.
“It’s cool. The spare room’s all yours.” The knocking at the door startled them both. Chase looked down at himself, making sure he was ready and satisfied with how his clothes fit, then headed to the door. When he opened it, Dale and Rhys were there.
“Uh, hi,” Chase said, concerned at the frown marring Rhys’s handsome face.
“Si here?” Dale asked, sauntering past them.
“Why’s he here?” Rhys asked, his tone more drawn than the look in his eyes.
“Hold that thought. Let me say g’night, and we can be off. ’Kay?”
Rhys nodded, clearly confused but, thankfully, cooperative.
Chase hurried back to where Dale and Si sat, arguing over which game to play next. “Boys? We’re going out now. Don’t stay up too late and play nice.”
They turned and glowered up at him. “You’re so funny, babe. Now, why don’t you go have fun with your hunk and leave us to kill bad guys,” Dale said. “I brought snacks and everything,” he added, patting a blue tote sitting beside him.
“All right, all right. I’m going.” He grabbed his jacket on the way out, grumbling about it being his apartment, not theirs. Both men ignored him.
He reached Rhys and exited, pulling Rhys with him. “Come on, you promised me a nice night.”
He paused a moment to take in his date: a deep blue button-down tucked into a pair of sleek dress slacks that hugged him beautifully. Rhys even wore a dinner jacket and a silver-striped blue tie. Yummy!
“Uh, yeah, but what was all that, and why are they still inside? They don’t live with you. Right?”
Chase laughed at the thought. Yeah, so not happening! “No, they don’t. Dale is there to keep Si from getting too….” He rolled his hand as he thought how to finish. “Gloomy?”
“Gloomy? What? Is he Eeyore or something?”
He giggled at the idea and that Rhys would compare his friend to a depressed animal in a children’s book. Though now he thought about it, it did seem apropos. “No, the ex ran into him recently, flaunting his new boyfriend and claiming his new toy was his one true love and how he’d finally found someone worthy of his love and fidelity. Si’s real torn up about it.”
“It doesn’t sound like you liked the ex.”
“Didn’t, but Simon refused to listen to us when we warned him the guy was a player and would hurt him.” Chase thought about the night Si had first stayed over after that horrible day. “How the man can be such a kick-ass matchmaker and romance author, but not be able to find his own HEA….” he mused, shaking his head. Seriously, a happily ever after shouldn’t be so hard for him. “I just don’t get it, but that’s our Si,” he added and shrugged.
“So he’s crashing with you?” Rhys asked, a small smile bringing out the little laugh lines around his deep emerald eyes. “That’s nice of you.”
Heat rushed down his neck and up his cheeks. “Thanks,” he mumbled, not meeting Rhys’s eyes. “He’ll be fine. Now, you gonna tell me where we’re going?”
“Nope.” He led Chase outside to a sleek white and blue Trans Am. He opened the door, held it until Chase was seated, then closed it and headed around the car. Chase leaned over and popped the door for Rhys before settling back into his seat and buckling the belt.
Half an hour later, they pulled into the Milwaukee Center underground parking area. In a few minutes Rhys parked, and they were standing outside The Rep—the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Chase looked up at the sign and gaped. “You’re taking me to the theater-theater? Really?”
“Actually, we’re going to the Stackner Cabaret first and t
hen to the theater. We even have reservations,” he added, the smile clear in his deep voice.
“Sweet, hun. By the way, whose car did we ride over in?” He had never seen the Trans Am; though, come to think of it, he’d never seen Rhys drive anything but his Harley.
“Mine,” Rhys rumbled, the word marred by the heavy laughter. “Where’d you think I got it?”
“Dunno. Just never saw you in a car. Well, one I didn’t know, anyway, though I suppose with our weather here, you’d have to have one,” he added with a shrug.
“I’ve had it two, maybe three years. Dal hates it, insisting his Mustang is better, but who doesn’t love KITT?”
“Rhys,” Chase countered as they stepped inside and up the escalator to the second floor. “KITT was a black Trans Am, not a white and blue one.”
“Just be glad I didn’t have the blinky light in the front installed like I wanted to.”
“Oh God, and you would too. Should have known you were a closet geek!”
Chase squealed when Rhys dug his fingers into Chase’s side. “Am not. KITT was cool. Now, be a good boy so we don’t get thrown out before dinner.”
Biting the inside of his cheek, he nodded and worked to calm the smirk he knew he sported as they entered the restaurant.
DESPITE TWO hours of great music, what held him spellbound was Chase. Rhys watched Chase more than the show, loving how into it he got. The wide grin and swaying of Chase’s body in his seat as the music and show played enthralled him. He’d been worried about picking the rowdy Harlem Renaissance musical revue Ain’t Misbehavin’, but now that he saw Chase loving it so much, he thought maybe they’d have to come more often.
When the last song finished and the lights rose, Rhys wasn’t ready for it to be over.
“Oh my God! I loved it. Thank you.” Chase threw his arms around Rhys, pulled him down to meet him with eager lips, kissing him like there was no one else there.
Rhys, however, was painfully aware of the people around him, jostling to get their coats and such before heading out. He pulled back and kissed Chase on the tip of his pert little nose. “Glad you liked it so much, sweetheart. Come on, I think we’re in the way.”
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