Adam was in the cellar when Luc decided to approach his parents. They were both in the sitting room, cuddled up on the sofa watching a black and white movie on the TV. They didn't have cable, Sky, or Netflix, only the Freeview channels, which Luc found pretty limiting. He'd been grateful for his laptop to help entertain him when he hadn't been able to find anything else on.
"Hey, I was thinking, when was the last time you two went out on a date?" he asked, as he sat down in the armchair opposite the sofa.
Ken's eyebrow arched. "How old do you think we are? Sixteen?"
Luc chuckled. "You know what I mean. When did you last go out, just the two of you. You know, for a meal, or to see a film or something?"
"That sort of thing costs a lot of money," his mum said quietly. "We don't need to do things like that."
"Well, I think you should," Luc said. "And I want to treat you." He shifted so he could pull his wallet out of his back pocket.
His mum waved her hand. "You don't need to do that."
"I kind of do, Mum. I know I hurt you when I left home and didn't call much. This is my way of apologising to you." He looked at Ken. "To both of you."
"I don't know..." Ken began.
"You deserve some quality time together," Luc said. "You've been working really hard with the dance school and you've been putting up with Adam and I being at loggerheads. Please, let me treat you."
His mum squeezed Ken's hand and turned, so she was staring into her husband’s eyes. Luc crossed his fingers behind his back, which was a childish gesture but one he hoped would work.
"Okay," Ken said. "Thank you."
Luc grinned and pulled some bank notes out of his wallet. He handed them over to his dad. "Go out, have a good time and don't hurry back."
He hung around in the sitting room until they'd got ready to go and left the house, then he went down to the cellar.
Adam was dancing, wearing only jogging pants, but he stopped the second he noticed Luc.
"What?" he asked, before clenching his jaw so tightly it made his cheek muscles twitch.
That wasn't a good sign.
"Mum and Dad have gone out for the rest of the day," Luc said. He forced a smile to his lips and wandered closer to his brother. "I thought we could pick up where we left off on Friday."
Adam narrowed his eyes.
"Unless you've changed your mind about wanting me?" Luc was close enough to touch Adam, so he did. He ran a finger down Adam's sweat soaked chest and then put it into his mouth, sucking his digit slowly, his gaze holding Adam's. "I love the way you taste," he said in a husky whisper. "I want to lick you again."
"Fuck," Adam hissed.
"Yes, please."
Adam scowled at him. "That isn't... I don't..." He shook his head and turned away.
"You don't want me anymore?" Luc kept his voice light and teasing, but inside he was secretly panicking, his pulse rate spiking as he waited for Adam’s response.
When Adam looked back over his shoulder, the pained expression on his face told Luc that his brother did still want him. But it also told Luc that Adam was trying to fight his desire. He debated backing off, it would be easier, but was denying what they both clearly wanted healthy for either of them? He knew how frustrated he was; he could only guess at Adam's levels of frustration.
He closed the distance between them again and draped his arms over Adam's shoulders, rubbing his hands over his stepbrother's chest.
"I want you," he whispered into Adam's ear. "No one is going to disturb us this time."
Adam stiffened, but didn't pull away. Luc took that as a positive sign. He stepped closer, so his body was pressed against Adam's back and inhaled deeply.
"God, you smell so good."
"I stink," Adam muttered.
"Of dancing," Luc agreed. "Of the thing you love doing. Besides, doesn't the smell of a man's sweat drive you wild?" He chuckled when Adam didn't reply and kissed his bare shoulder. "It drives me wild. You drive me wild."
"Do you always talk too much?"
"Do you always make a man try so hard?"
Adam twisted round to face Luc. They were so close, their lips were only millimetres apart, but Luc forced himself not to kiss Adam. He'd made his intentions clear, now it was up to Adam to decide what happened next.
Adam curled his hands around Luc's shoulders and propelled him back against the wall.
Luc chuckled as the air was knocked out of his lungs. "You like to play rough, do you? Like when we wrestled as kids?"
"Apparently that gave you a hard-on."
Luc liked where his brother's words might lead to. "Looking at you gives me a hard-on. You're irresistible."
Adam rolled his eyes. "You talk a lot of shit. I'm pretty sure I told you enough times on Friday: stop talking."
He kissed Luc hard, the pressure of his lips bruising Luc's. Not that Luc minded. He was more than open to playing rough with any man, but especially with Adam. They grabbed each other and wrestled for dominance, first Luc twisting them so it was Adam pushed up against the wall, then Adam tipped them both onto the floor. Their lips didn't part as they play-fought one another, arms sliding all over each other's bodies.
It took seconds for Luc's cock to become erect and only a few more before he could feel his stepbrother's hard-on too. Fuck, he wanted to get his mouth around Adam's cock. He pinned Adam to the floor and raised himself up on one arm, so he could easily stare down into his stepbrother's eyes.
He tugged on Adam's waistband. "Take these off. I want to blow you."
Adam didn't move. Luc tugged again; his patience was starting to wear thin. Their wrestling had only served to amp up his frustration. He needed release and not the kind he could get from whacking himself off, whilst alone in his room. Adam's lips parted a fraction as his forehead crumpled. Shit. Was he going to freak out again?
"It's just us," Luc reminded him.
"And you're happy with skulking around behind our parents' backs, are you?" Adam shot back.
Luc sighed. "No. But I very much doubt you want to sit down and tell them we want to screw each other, do you?"
His arm was starting to shake from holding his body up, but he kept himself still, neither wanting to move away or allow his body to sink down onto Adam's.
"Do you?" Adam asked. "Is that a conversation you'd be willing to have?"
Luc pursed his lips. Would he? It felt like coming out of the closet again, only more terrifying. Their parents were pretty open minded, so announcing he was gay hadn't been that huge of a deal. Yes, he'd been nervous; he'd figured that was natural. But this? Telling them he was in love with his stepbrother? He doubted their parents were that open minded. And yet he knew that keeping secrets didn't help, either. He only had to think of the years he'd wasted, separated from his stepbrother, to realise that.
He inhaled slowly. "I'd rather be honest than hide. I know telling Mum and Dad will be difficult and that they might not understand, but I'm sick and tired of hiding how I feel. I'm also not going to do anything that might stop something happening between us. So, if it's secrecy you want, that's what we'll do. I want you, Adam. I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you that."
Adam stared at him, his expression conflicted.
"You kissed me," Luc reminded him. "I get this is confusing for you, but you also can't keep blowing hot and cold on me." He moved to sit beside Adam, with his legs splayed out. "You need to make your fucking mind up and decide what it is you want."
Adam sat upright, looping his arms over his knees. He clasped his hands together, staring at the sprung floor rather than Luc.
"I get that your head is a mess right now." Luc ran a hand through his hair. "Because I'm confused as all hell, too. Do you think this is easier for me?"
Adam shook his head.
"I've spent years fighting my attraction for you and now... now..." He threw his hands up in a hopeless gesture. "Either you want me, or you don't."
There was a long pause, during which it felt
like his heart was pounding in his mouth.
"I don't," Adam said eventually.
Luc pinched his lips together as his heart slammed into the pit of his stomach. "You said you did."
Adam shook his head fiercely. "I was feeling horny and wasn't thinking straight. What happened on Friday was a big fucking mistake."
"And just now? When you were all over me?"
Adam nodded. "That too. And I know you think the same way, or you wouldn't have been in such a hurry to get your clothes back on when Mum and Dad came home."
Luc shrugged nonchalantly. "I would have done that no matter who was in my room with me. There's no bigger cock-block than having your parents show up."
Adam snorted and shook his head.
"When was the last time you brought a guy here?" Luc asked. "When was the last time you gave someone a blowjob, knowing Mum and Dad were downstairs? Hell, when was the last time you fucked a guy with them in the house?"
"Never."
"Exactly," Luc said, a note of victory giving buoyancy to his voice. "Just because Mum and Dad might not understand, it doesn't mean it's wrong." He adjusted his jeans so they weren't chafing his hard cock as badly. It was clear he wasn't going to get any release from Adam. "Either you want me, or you don't. But don't mess around."
Adam opened his mouth to speak but shut it again. He clutched his head, tipped it back and growled at the ceiling. "I don't know what I want," he breathed. He dropped his hands to his sides. "It's not that simple, Luc."
"Nothing worthwhile ever is." Luc tried to smile, but he felt his lips droop instead.
"Do you think it's wrong?" Adam asked.
"We're not blood brothers," Luc said, his words slow and careful. "I don't think being together is incest. But I know that's how pretty much everyone else would see it. There are people who don't realise we're not flesh and blood. Mum and Dad probably won't look past the fact that we've grown up together. Do I think it's wrong? No. Will everyone else? Probably. Does that mean I want to walk away from how I feel? Fuck no. The question is, do you?"
Adam stared directly ahead. "I don't know." He tapped his temple. "I can't make sense of anything right now, Luc. I want you and then I hate myself for wanting you." He turned his head to meet Luc's stare. "I'm sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear."
It wasn't, but it was the truth and Luc had to handle it. He was thankful that Adam had been honest with him. He needed to think with his head, not his dick, or he'd scare Adam off for good. Now that he'd tasted his stepbrother, he really didn't want to do that.
"Take as long as you need to think things through," he said. "But when you make your decision, it has to be the final one. Either you decide to give us a go, or we both walk away. No more games and messing around."
"You make it sound so fucking simple," Adam grumbled.
"It's not," Luc sighed. "If I could make it any simpler, I would." He stood up. "I meant what I said. Take as much time as you need."
Chapter Fourteen
Adam
By ten p.m. Monday night, Adam was standing outside the backstage door, waiting for the members of Emotion In Motion to start leaving the theatre. Mason was one of the first to come out, carrying a rucksack over one shoulder. He bounced up to Adam, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull him into a hug.
"Did you get here in time to see it?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Adam couldn't be sure if his friend was excited, nervous or some amusing combination of both. Either way, Mason stared at him with wide, bright blue eyes, waiting for his answer.
"I did. It was great." Adam dug his fingers into Mason’s ribs. "You were great."
He meant it. It had been too long since he'd seen Mason dance. As far as he was concerned, Mason had been the most exquisite dancer on the stage, but he knew he was biased. He probably needed to see the ballet again the next night to take in the whole performance, rather than just concentrating on watching his friend.
Mason's lips spread into a wide grin. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." He was still moving, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as though he couldn't stand still. "I've got the munchies. Are you hungry? If we walk a couple of streets we should find something."
Adam laughed. "Are you high?"
"Of course not. Just..." He pointed towards the green backstage door. "High from being on stage I guess."
Adam carried on laughing. He knew Mason would never put that crap into his body.
"Come on. Food," Mason said, grabbing Adam's arm so he could drag him away from the theatre.
As they walked, Adam took a good look at his friend. It had been too long since they'd seen each other, but Mason hadn't changed that much. The curls at the tips of his dirty blond hair were a bit more pronounced, thanks to sweat from dancing for two hours under hot stage lights. He was possibly a bit thinner than he had been, but Adam couldn't be sure. Mason still looked like a fucking choirboy though, with his angelic face and ridiculously blue eyes. His skin was flushed, either from exertion or from scrubbing it clean, but there were still traces of thick grease-paint make-up around his hairline and jaw. The clothes he was wearing were fairly scruffy: a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, both of which were faded, and a blue jacket with a couple of rips in it that he hadn't zipped up. The soles of his boots were starting to come away, but they looked well-worn and comfortable. Adam wasn't sure if Mason had embraced the Boho look through choice, or if it was a money issue. He made a mental note to ask later.
They ended up in a little tapas restaurant and found a table in the corner, beside some plastic plants and a set of signed theatre posters; they were all for musicals, Adam noted. The restaurant was trying to look upper class but didn't quite manage it. The plastic plants didn't help. They enthused about the show whilst looking at the menu, Mason asking for a detailed account of Adam's thoughts and his feelings as he'd been watching.
"What's wrong?" Mason asked, once they'd ordered a selection of dishes between them.
Adam had got a little carried away with all the options and had ordered far too much food, but he figured he could treat himself once in a while. Mason had been much more restrained and had limited his choice to three dishes.
Adam shifted and stretched his legs in response to Mason's question. Part of the reason he'd come to visit his friend was to clear his head, but he hadn't expected Mason to home in on the fact something was wrong quite so quickly. But he could tell from the intensity of Mason's stare and the firm set of his chin that he wouldn't be fooled if Adam tried to fob him off with lies. They knew each other too well, and Mason had always been able to see right through him.
"Not here," Adam said, glancing around. "It's too public."
Mason scrunched his mouth up. "I'm not convinced anyone is paying any attention, but okay." He waved a finger at Adam. "I'm not letting you off, though. Something's clearly bothering you and I'm going to find out what it is."
Adam laughed, but it came out forced. "I can't get away with anything around you, can I?"
Mason shook his head firmly.
"How have you been?" Adam asked.
"What? Since the last time I sent you an email?"
"Yes, since then." He tilted his head as a pang of jealousy made his chest ache. Though he kept it well hidden, he longed for Mason’s life. Dancing every day, being on stage… it was everything he’d ever wanted, but couldn’t have. "Is being a professional dancer everything you thought it would be?"
Mason's face lit up. "And more." He smothered his smile by pressing his lips together. "Sorry."
"For what?" He stared at Mason, saw the worry wrinkling his friend's brow. "For living your dream?"
Mason dipped his chin a fraction.
"I chose to teach instead of dance. You've nothing to be sorry for."
"You regret it though, don't you?" Mason asked quietly, his voice and face about as serious as they ever got. "Sometimes."
"Yeah," Adam admitted. "Sometimes. But it's not your fault. You shouldn't feel bad." H
e leaned over the table and prodded Mason's knee. "Don't feel bad. Okay?"
Mason stared at him and then turned to acknowledge the arrival of their waitress and the first of the dishes they'd ordered, a fresh grin lighting up his face. They chatted as they ate, mostly catching up on the things they'd both been doing since they'd last managed to see each other, which had been several months ago.
"I have to ask you a favour," Adam said, as he polished off the remnants of his food. His stomach was satisfyingly full. The rich spicy flavours of the sausage dish he'd just finished still lingered on his tongue. "Mum and Dad are doing a bit of a marketing drive, to drum up new business. Luc is helping them and—"
"Luc?" Mason sat up straight, his face tense, eyes narrowed.
"Uh... yeah."
Adam should have known Mason wouldn't be massively receptive to anything relating to Luc. It had been Mason who had picked up the pieces when Luc had turned into a massive jerk. It had been Mason who he'd turned to when Luc had moved away for good and the tension at home had become too much for Adam to bear.
"Luc is helping them," he picked up. "He wants you to be the dance school poster boy."
"Me?" Mason jerked his head back a little as he spoke. "Why?"
Adam stared at him for a second, dumbfounded. "Because you're the school's success story."
Mason sucked his lower lip in, an action which dimpled his chin in the most adorable way. For a moment, Adam's body remembered all the things it had loved about Mason, but he pushed those thoughts away. He and Mason hadn't been together for a long time and he knew neither of them were interested in revisiting what they'd once had.
Love on Pointe Omnibus Page 9
