by Evie Drae
Was that a hint of insecurity coming from the self-avowed lifelong celebrity? Ellis couldn’t help the full-belly laughter that snapped Henry’s attention back lickety-split. “Oh, come on. I already told you I don’t know faces or names. It’s a character flaw. No need to rub it in. Plus”—he nudged Henry with his elbow—“something tells me you wouldn’t have given me the time of day if I had recognized you. So maybe it’s for the best that I was woefully ignorant to your Royal Highness’s true position before now. Otherwise, there might’ve never been a now to begin with.”
Henry narrowed his gaze, his head tilting in thought. “I’d like to think I would’ve more than given you the time of day, but maybe you’re right. It was kind of nice to meet someone who I could trust wanted my company, not to be in the presence of someone they’ve seen in the tabloids. Incidentally…” He offered a ghost of his knee-weakening smile that somehow managed to be as sexy, if not more so, than the full-wattage version. “Henry’s my real first name. In case you didn’t know that. I didn’t lie about that. Cinder’s my stage name. A nickname, you know? Couldn’t go around being the Prince of Pop with a name like Henry.”
When he shuddered like the sound of his own name was somehow offensive, Ellis frowned. “I like the name Henry. Am I not allowed to call you that anymore?”
“You know…” Henry pressed his lips together, one eye twitching as he considered Ellis’s question. “My parents don’t even call me Henry. They embrace the glitz and glamour a little too seriously sometimes.” He chuckled and angled his stare away, studying the ceiling for a moment before shifting back to meet Ellis’s gaze. “I’ve kinda liked being Henry to you.”
Ellis grinned and straightened his shoulders. “Yeah, well, I’ve kinda liked you being my Henry.”
Chapter Ten
“That sounds beyond precious.” Kumiko closed her warm brown eyes and hummed in appreciation, doing a full-body shimmy before refocusing her gaze on Cinder and grinning like a loon. “I can just picture this big, sexy stagehand tripping all over his words, trying to take back what his subconscious let slip.”
Lizbeth, uncharacteristically misty-eyed, punched Cinder in the arm as she dabbed a napkin under her lashes. “My Henry. Oh, my heart.” She released an exaggerated sob that held a little too much genuine gusto to not have a little bit of hormonal energy driving it home. “Kumi, our little Cinder’s finally growing up. He’s got himself a boyfriend.”
“It isn’t like that.” Cinder popped both brows. He hadn’t expected them to get quite so dramatic and emotional when he spilled the beans about Ellis trying to backtrack his words when he realized his possessive slip of the tongue. At least, he hadn’t expected it from Lizbeth. She was more stoic than he’d ever be. Or she had been. Until recently. Clearly pregnancy hormones were a bitch.
“Oh, isn’t it?” Kumiko pursed her lips. “That otherworldly glow you’ve been rocking all afternoon and that radiant shit-eating grin you can’t quite hide speaks otherwise, boo.”
“Ellis and Cinder, sitting in the tree. K-i-s-s-i-n-g.” Lizbeth barked out a laugh when her teasing rendition drew a glare from Cinder. Dancing lithely out of his reach, she snatched her wife’s hand and spun Kumiko into her arms to finish the taunting song with a ballroom flourish. “First comes love—”
“—then comes marriage—” Kumiko winked as she joined in the game, allowing Lizbeth to twirl her around the patio.
“—then comes baby Cinder in a baby carriage!” Lizbeth shrieked with laughter as Kumiko took over the lead and waltzed them both into the dusty, cactus-filled backyard. The setting sun provided the perfect backlighting to frame the happy couple as they finished their dance to the tune of a song only they could hear. One that ignited a tangible desire between them so hot it rivaled the sweltering Vegas heat.
“And that’s my cue to get the hell outta Dodge.” Cinder chuckled as he got to his feet, scooping an armload of debris from their late lunch off the brushed copper patio table and heading for the sliding glass door that led to the cool reprieve of the air-conditioned interior. He wasn’t surprised when Kumiko and Lizbeth didn’t follow. He knew them well enough to predict with ninety-nine percent accuracy what would follow those smoldering looks they’d exchanged while gliding over the rock-strewn dirt, wrapped in each other’s arms.
Something his own thoughts hadn’t been far from recently, only starring a certain six-foot-three wall of muscle with the most adorable grin.
What Cinder wouldn’t do to get Ellis naked.
He groaned and adjusted his belt. Now wasn’t the time to let his mind wander that direction. Not only were he and Ellis not at that stage of their—whatever it was they had—but he didn’t want to rush things. Ellis deserved better than that.
Only time would tell what their future might bring, but all Cinder knew was, he needed more. More of Ellis’s sweet smile. More of his honest charm and calm, unassuming presence. More of their easy conversation and effortless amity. Quite simply, he needed more of everything.
Thankfully, he had that to look forward to in a short couple of hours.
After Ellis had, rather adorably, tripped and stumbled over himself trying to recant the my Henry that had slipped unbidden from his lips, the two escaped his dismal sleep space and set up camp in the remodeled green room. They’d ordered food from Uber Eats and spent the better part of the rest of the day falling down a YouTube rabbit hole because neither cared enough to turn off the auto-play feature. Wasting energy on searching for a video they wouldn’t pay attention to didn’t make much sense anyway.
It had been pure and total bliss. Cinder couldn’t remember the last time—if ever—he’d shared such a wonderfully normal day with another human being. Hanging out with Kumiko and Lizbeth was anything but normal, seeing as how they both possessed fiery personalities and preferred to keep things interesting and new. The very idea of spending a lazy day in front of mindless television would be enough to set Kumiko’s anxiety to full blast and bring out the Great Throbbing Vein of Irritation in Lizbeth’s temple.
But with Ellis, it had been effortless. Simple. Filled with idle conversation and the occasional stolen touch. Nothing beyond the chaste trace of featherlight fingers over the back of a hand or an “accidental” brushing of their knees. But despite the mostly platonic appearance of their evening, lust had sizzled between them on a scale equal to or greater than any he’d felt between the doting lovebirds still spinning in their own little world under the pinks and reds and oranges of a gorgeous Vegas sunset.
Taking things slow was new to Cinder, but he had to admit there was something satisfying about the act. No momentary rush of physical pleasure had ever cranked his gears the way they’d whizzed and banged and smoked while he sat beside Ellis, fully clothed, with their legs kicked up on the coffee table. He’d never experienced anything as potent as the urges he’d fought to do something as simple as brush a kiss over Ellis’s lips or explore body parts he’d never known were sexy until they belonged to a man he wanted but couldn’t have.
Not that Ellis had come out and said Cinder couldn’t have him. But there was a distinct sense of vulnerability and innocence lingering under the surface of Ellis’s strong outward appearance. Until Cinder had a better handle on the situation, he intended to keep things as chaste as Ellis’s actions dictated.
Because, for the first time, he could. And he damn well wanted to.
Without bothering to leave a note—his hosts wouldn’t even realize he’d left until well after they woke tangled in each other tomorrow morning—Cinder bolted for his car. He tossed a wave across the street at the discreetly parked vehicle housing Emmitt and AJ, then hopped into his glossy black Jeep Wrangler, sans doors and roof, and headed for home.
Ellis had agreed to another date on their last night of freedom before the show picked back up, but when Cinder suggested they try Cabo Wabo again, or hit up another restaurant of his choice, the response had been less than enthusiastic. Which was why they’d settled on a c
hange of scenery from the theater but nothing as adventurous as a public place. Instead, another delivery service food order had been placed and the two now sat side-by-side on Cinder’s couch in the sprawling two-story living area of his very own home.
He was a bit nervous Ellis would be disappointed by another evening spent in front of the television, but he seemed as eager to veg out as Cinder was. Understandably so, considering, in order to make their date that evening, Ellis had gotten up at the ass crack of dawn to finish some project the theater owner insisted get finished before curtain call tomorrow. And since Ellis had his rigging duties to see to before the show, today was the only time he could do whatever the hell it was that was so blasted important it couldn’t wait for another day.
Not that Cinder blamed Ellis. Not at all. He was a hard worker who put in an honest day’s labor for everything he owned. Still, Cinder couldn’t help but bristle at the idea of Ellis putting in so many long, difficult hours, especially when Cinder could gift him his annual salary ten times over without noticing the slightest change to his bottom line.
How was he supposed to reconcile such a hefty imbalance of wealth when Ellis insisted on paying his own way on their dates, and as a result of his need to work so hard for such a small fraction of Cinder’s income, their time would be limited after today.
“You’re awfully quiet.”
Ellis’s soft interjection halted Cinder’s wayward thoughts and brought his attention back where it belonged. On the handsome man seated by his side. “Yeah, sorry about that. I space out sometimes.”
“’S okay. Don’t we all?” Ellis smiled and fidgeted in his seat, his fingers toying with the black and silver reversible sequins on one of Cinder’s throw pillows. “If you’re bored, we can always—”
“Bored? No way.” Cinder shifted so he could face Ellis dead-on. “My mind wanders when it’s given the space because I so rarely have free time to drift, that’s all. It’s nice. I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Especially with such high-quality company.”
Ellis laughed off the compliment, but a faint blush colored his cheeks. “Same. To all of the above. Downtime isn’t a frequent occurrence in my world, and the only people I ever really see outside of the theater are my stepfather and stepsister.” His eyes darkened, his gaze dropping to follow the absent patterns he traced in the sequins. “They aren’t really the best of company.”
Stepfamily… but no mention of a birth parent or biological siblings. Cinder filed that away for later. He wouldn’t press Ellis to talk about anything he didn’t want to, but it was good knowledge to have. Cinder would have to be careful when discussing family until he knew the full story. The last thing he wanted to do was inadvertently strike a tender nerve.
“Do you see them a lot? Your stepfamily?” He aimed for casual with his question but hoped Ellis would pump the brakes if he needed to. To be safe, Cinder added, “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, of course.”
Ellis shrugged but kept his eyes glued to the silver streaks slashing through black as he raked his fingers over the pillow. “More than I’d like to. They, ah, kinda both work at the theater.”
“Oh?” Cinder couldn’t help it, that news perked his ears. Had he met Ellis’s stepfamily at one point? Hell. If he had, he really, really hoped he’d made a good impression. He didn’t know where this thing with Ellis was going, but the butterflies doing a Cirque du Soleil act in his belly every time he so much as thought about him told Cinder he wanted far more than they already had. “Anyone I’d know?”
Another shrug and still no sign of those crystal blue irises Cinder couldn’t get enough of. Instead, Ellis sighed and closed his eyes. “Ray Brunswick’s my stepdad, and the brunette who tried to save you from me the other night? That’s Suzette.”
“Ray Brunswick? As in…” Cinder tried not to let the incredulity enter his voice, but seriously… the asshole audio engineer? That was Ellis’s stepfather?
Ellis cleared his throat and finally focused his gaze back on Cinder. “Yeah, that’s the one.”
Cinder whistled. “Okay, well, that explains your mad skills at the mixing board. I’m guessing nepotism is somehow getting in the way of your career advancement?”
Licking his lips, Ellis nodded once in response. “The old man doesn’t want to look like he’s doing me any favors, but it’s something we’re working toward. Eventually.”
Anger boiled under the surface, but Cinder forced it to a simmering scald. “Wait, isn’t—what was her name again, Suzette?—isn’t she working with him?”
“Yeah, but only as an intern.” Ellis offered a half smile that didn’t come close to reaching his eyes before once again casting that beautiful gaze to the floor. “There isn’t a spot available for a full-time assistant. Every time one pops up, there’s always a good reason why it isn’t the right time. Ray promises he’ll consider me again the next time one opens.”
Ellis was quick to downplay the complete and total injustice of the situation, so Cinder followed his lead and kept a neutral expression despite the fury heating his blood. Instead, he took advantage of Ellis’s downcast stare as an excuse to touch his stubbled chin, knuckling under it and lifting Ellis’s face until their eyes met again. “I’ve spent my life surrounded by live music. I know a talented audio engineer when I hear one, and you, Ellis Tremaine, are one of the best.”
When Ellis shifted under the weight of Cinder’s compliment and didn’t appear to have a response queued up, Cinder offered an olive branch in the form of a semi-topic change. “How old’s your stepsister? She’s younger than you, right?”
“Oh, yeah. About nine years. She’s seventeen. She’ll be a senior in high school this year.” Ellis scrunched his nose. “She’s not much better than her dad, to be honest. I pity the kid sometimes, though, because she had a rough go of things at the beginning. Ray kind of stepped out on my mom when she was sick, and he got his mistress pregnant. Then the woman dumped Suze into the system for a while before dragging her back out with the hopes of using their child to snag her hooks into Ray. Why she thought him worth all that effort, I’ll never know.”
Ellis let loose a mirthless laugh and slid further into his seat on the couch so he could rest his head on the back. “Anyway, by that point, my mom was gone, so they tried to make things work for a while. But Ray’s not the easiest human to live with, and Suzette’s mom was a hot mess. Eventually, she took off. Suze wound up under my stepdad’s custody and never heard from her mom again.”
Cinder swallowed, then risked a soft, “Your mom was gone?”
“Yeah, my ma died when I was nine. Ray had made a big show of offering to legally adopt me when they got married—mostly to appease his own ego, I think. He’s not the kind of guy to want another man’s child. He even tried to get Ma to change my last name to his, but thankfully she’d loved my old man and didn’t want me to lose that part of him. Either way, by signing those papers, it meant Ray was stuck with me after she passed. He threatened to throw me into the system time and again, but luckily never followed through with it.”
Ellis shook his head, as if trying to jiggle loose memories he’d rather not revisit. “Anyway, that’s my childhood in a nutshell. Aren’t you glad you asked?” His attempt at humor fell flat when his voice cracked at the end, and he turned away, the muscles in his jaw jumping as he clenched his teeth.
“All good superheroes have a sad origin story.” Cinder picked up the thread of Ellis’s jest with a small smile to match the one tipping up one corner of Ellis’s sweet mouth. Cupping Ellis’s cheek, Cinder leaned forward until their lips were but a hairsbreadth apart and whispered, “Can I kiss you?”
Instead of answering with words, Ellis’s hands came up to frame Cinder’s face, and in the blink of an eye, their mouths crashed together with the kind of passion and heat Cinder had only seen in movies or dreamt about on lonely nights on the road.
Their tongues clashed and swirled and danced with feverish abandon, their lips melding togethe
r only to be pulled apart and reformed time and time again. Teeth scraped over sensitive flesh. Hands, no longer relegated to drawing the other near, now had the freedom to touch and explore uncharted territory. Their moans and gasps filled the air around them until it became almost too much.
Cinder tore his lips from Ellis’s, a cry of lust-fueled rage clawing up his throat. He wanted nothing more than to take Ellis right here, right now. To bend him over the back of his couch and lose himself in that beautiful man until they both forgot their own names and couldn’t walk straight for a week.
But Ellis was worth more than that. He was worth more than a filthy fuck that stemmed more from in-the-moment desire than the care and devotion he deserved. Cinder wouldn’t let his physical cravings get in the way of the promise he’d made himself under a cooler head.
Until he understood Ellis better and could put a finger on whatever caused that underlying innocence to scream please don’t hurt me every time Cinder got close, sex was off the table.
Chapter Eleven
That familiar thrill as the opening notes of “Heartbeat Away” soared into the fly space had Ellis abandoning his current task and heading for his favorite viewing place. If he stood in the right spot, he could watch Henry saunter onstage under the veil of that moody red glow. Then, as Henry sank onto the stool and slipped the strap of his acoustic guitar over his head, Ellis could close his eyes and let the music wash over him.
It was different now than it had been before he’d known Cinder and Henry were the same person. Not better per se—because Cinder’s voice had melted Ellis’s heart from the beginning—but with that touch of something personal added in, the words sank a little deeper and his silky vibrato resonated a little stronger.
