"Sure. I'll bring them through next time I come to hassle you about your boyfriend." She winked at him and then left the room.
Luc slumped back in his chair. Would there ever be a time and place where he and Adam could be open about their relationship? He'd thought sneaking around would be exhilarating, but it was just plain tiring. Maybe they needed to go somewhere new together, where no one knew them. Somewhere they could get a fresh start. Except it was way too soon in their relationship for him to suggest something like that. Instead, he'd just have to make sure he was careful not to betray their relationship to anyone.
Chapter Twenty-One
Adam
Adam was glad he had been busy because it helped to dampen down his yearning for Luc, which was made all the worse by the distance between them. He'd loved doing the nursery workshops and had been especially proud to receive a pat on the back from his dad when enough toddlers had shown up on the Saturday to require two teachers to take the class. Luckily, they'd been able to delay one of their senior classes, so Adam's mum could help him. The seniors didn't care. Most of them were there all day, so staying an extra hour was as simple as dropping a text to their parents to ask for a later pick-up, or to tell them they'd be catching a later bus home. A couple of the seniors also helped with the lesson.
Although it was great for the dance school, it meant Adam had had no hope of catching a train to see Luc that evening. Not that he'd mentioned it to his parents, or even bought a ticket. He'd intended on making it look like a spur of the minute thing, even though he'd secretly been checking train times through the week. But his plans were dashed and he realised he was more disappointed than he'd imagined he would be. He'd only be going for the sex, right?
If he got a train on Sunday morning, they'd have half the day together. And the night. God, how desperate was he for a fuck? Except, he also missed seeing Luc's face. Missing being able to talk to him. Hell, he was missing just being in the same room as Luc. Whatever he felt for his brother, he had it bad.
He woke up on Sunday morning, ready to tell his parents he was going to hop on a train and visit Luc. But his dad railroaded him with looking at the dance school timetable before he had a chance to open his mouth. They had to assume that most, but probably not all, of the new pupils would return; some of the parents had already set up direct debits for payments. That meant they needed to look at permanently changing the timetable on a Saturday and that was going to take some juggling, so they weren't all working an extra hour on top of an already long and gruelling day.
Adam was pleased things were looking up for his parents' dance school. The added monthly income would be a big boost. He had no idea if it would be enough, but it was a hell of a start. And it was all because of Luc and his ideas. Despite the distance between them all, Luc had dropped everything to come and help and he'd put the business back on track. Adam felt a sense of amazement at that, coupled with pride, which only served to make his heart swell further for his stepbrother.
By the time they'd sorted out the timetable, any hope of catching a train had faded.
"I'm sorry," Adam told Luc over the phone.
He'd gone for a walk and had found a quiet area of the park where he could talk freely. He was sitting on a bench, leaning forward onto his arms.
"I'd really hoped I could see you this weekend, but things at the dance school were crazy."
"Crazy good?" Luc asked.
"Yeah." Adam smiled. "And it's all your fault."
"The nursery sessions were a hit, then?"
"You could say that. We had twenty-one kids show up."
"Wow." Luc inhaled. "I'd say that your brilliant teaching was at fault, then."
Adam chuckled.
"Hey, do you think you could make it over next Saturday?" Luc asked. "By six?"
Adam shifted on the bench. "I teach until five..."
"Oh." The disappointment was clear in Luc's voice. "Yeah, I should have known that. Sorry."
"You had something planned?" Adam asked.
"Yeah, but it doesn't matter."
Adam picked at his jeans. It did matter. He could hear that it mattered to Luc. Besides, Adam wanted to be with him.
"Let me see what I can sort out. I might be able to figure something out."
"Really?"
"Maybe." Adam wasn't very confident. They needed an extra teacher to help spread the load, but their parents couldn't afford it, even with the surprise—and hopefully lasting—success of the toddler sessions. "I'll talk to Mum and Dad and let you know."
"I wish you were here," Luc whispered.
Adam wished he was too. His body hungered for Luc at the very thought of being close to him.
"That probably sounds really fucking needy," Luc added.
"If it is, I'm needy too." Adam rubbed the back of his neck. "I wish you'd never felt the need to go away," he admitted. "Maybe then..." he sighed, not really sure he should put it into words.
"We'd have been together sooner?" Luc asked, obviously not quite so wary.
"Yeah."
It was weird. Despite the time they'd spent apart, it still felt like they were a perfect fit for one another. He'd felt that way when they were kids: that they were a team, that they'd always be together, always be friends. Maybe, on some level, he'd had deeper feelings for Luc for a long time. Maybe that's why it had hurt so much when Luc had pushed him away and why his desire for Luc had been so quick to kick in, once he realised that he could feel that way about him. And maybe, just maybe, it wasn't only lust he felt for his brother. Was love really that much of a stretch? How could he not love the man he'd known for most of his life? The years they'd spent distant and estranged saddened him. They felt like wasted time and energy. He'd been so angry, when he could have been in his brother's arms, if only Luc had been honest.
The irony of that thought hit him like a sledgehammer. It wasn't as if he was tripping over himself to tell their parents, or anyone else for that matter. He'd had to leave the house, just so he could talk to Luc on the phone, without having to censor any of his words. He knew why Luc had felt like he couldn't be honest. Christ, he'd reacted badly enough as it was to Luc's admission. He could only imagine what he would have done if, as a teenager, he'd discovered his older brother fancied him.
He also wasn't letting those three little words fall off his tongue. Why not? Because they were on the phone? Or because he still wasn't sure that it was love, rather than lust?
A small part of him had actually hoped that his feelings would wane the moment Luc had got on the train. That, with temptation out of sight, he'd be able to put his lust out of mind. Everything would have been simpler if that had been the case; if they'd both felt that way. But, if anything, he needed Luc more now that he wasn’t around. He sighed.
"You okay?" Luc asked.
"I just miss you," Adam admitted. "This whole situation is so fucked up."
"Yeah, it is. I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For starting all this. I shouldn't have said anything to you."
"I'm glad you did." That was the honest to God truth. Sure, he'd have carried on living his simple life, angry and pissed off at Luc forever. But he would have missed out on the raw and wonderful connection he had with Luc.
It felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs. Their connection was truly wonderful and the ache he’d had in his chest all week wasn’t just the product of lust; he felt so much more than that for Luc. He felt… love? It was the only name he could put to the emotion that was swelling up inside him, making him feel light and his lips curl upwards into a stupid grin. Everything made sense when he was with Luc and, at the same time, nothing made sense. Being with his stepbrother was both grounding and insane at the same time. The realisation that he could love Luc… no, that he did love him left him staring wide eyed at nothing, the park blurring into a hundred shades of green that swirled around him, as though he were on a merry-go-round that left him laughing and feeling slightly sick at
the same time. He loved his stepbrother, but he wasn’t sure that would be enough.
“Adam? Are you okay?”
"Yeah, I just wish things were simpler,” he admitted. “I wish we could tell Mum and Dad and know they would be okay with us being together."
"Me too. Maybe they would be."
"And maybe pigs will fly." Adam inhaled, to try to curb the flash of bitterness that had surged through him.
He loved their parents; he wouldn't be able to stand it if he hurt them. But he would. Sooner or later, they would find out. There was no way he and Luc could hide their affair forever.
"I've got to go," he said. "I'll let you know about next weekend, okay?"
"Yeah," Luc said. "Adam..."
"Yeah?"
Adam held his breath as Luc paused.
"Take care, okay?" Luc said eventually, his voice wavering slightly.
"Yeah, you too." Adam hung up the call and stared at his phone. Maybe one day—hopefully soon—he'd have the courage to tell Luc he thought he loved him.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Luc
Luc wasn't sure how Adam had managed it, but his brother's train would be pulling in just before six. He'd known since midway through the week that Adam would be visiting and it had been hard to keep his excitement to himself. Somehow, he'd succeeded. But now that he was staring at the arrivals boards in the train station, he couldn't stand still. As soon as the train's arrival was announced over the tannoy, he headed towards the barriers that prevented people without tickets from gaining access to the platforms. It only took a couple of minutes for him to spot Adam striding towards him, with a rucksack on his back.
They embraced and kissed, their reunion far more physical than their parting.
"I've missed you," Luc breathed.
"Ditto." Adam grinned at him. "So, what was so important that I had to get here this evening?"
"You'll see." Luc threaded his fingers through Adam's. "Come on, you can leave your bag at my office until after."
"After what?"
Luc chuckled. "You'll see."
"You remember I hate surprises, right?" Adam asked, as they left the train station and started heading down the street.
"I remember, but you'll like this one, I promise. Have you eaten?"
Adam shook his head.
"There's a couple of places close to where we're going that do decent fast food."
They chatted about everything and nothing as they walked, catching up properly on the last couple of weeks. They held each other's hands the whole way and, every so often, one or the other of them would dip their head onto the other's shoulder. It felt so good to be able to act like a normal couple, without fear that someone they knew might see them. The only worry Luc had was running into Jane. Not that it was likely and he knew no one would be in the office on a Saturday. He was the only person aside from Adrianna who had a key and that was only because he always worked so late.
"So, this is where you work?" Adam asked, as they ducked inside long enough for Luc to put Adam's rucksack in his office.
He didn't even flick the lights on, so it was hard to see much, but there was a little light seeping through the blinds from the street.
"Looks nice."
"It's a good place to work," Luc agreed.
"Maybe one day I can meet some of your work mates?"
"Maybe."
Adam squeezed his hand. "What's up?"
"Jane—the designer I got to help with the website and promo stuff—knows you're my stepbrother."
"Ah. And she's seen those photos of me dancing."
Luc nodded miserably. "I'm sorry."
Adam shrugged. "We knew what we were signing up for when we decided to be together." He didn't sound any happier about the secrecy than Luc felt.
After setting the burglar alarm and locking up, they headed onto the high street to get something to eat. They ended up with a couple of burritos, which they ate whilst sitting on tall bar-style stools, looking out of the window onto the busy street.
"How did you manage to catch a train to get here in time?" Luc asked.
"I moved some of my senior lessons to during the week. They didn't mind staying an hour later three nights, which meant I got to get away at two, inside of five. I won't be able to do it regularly, though," he said, regret lacing his voice. "It was just a one off."
Luc understood. Teaching was Adam's career. He couldn't just chop and change when he taught to suit his sex life; especially when their parents didn't know anything about it.
"So," Adam said, as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Where are we going?"
"You don't let up, do you?"
"Nope."
Luc grabbed his hand again and dragged him off the stool and out the door. "It's just around the corner and we'd better get a move on."
He watched Adam's face as they wandered up to the theatre, with its elaborate façade. The door was framed by two columns, reminiscent of Ancient Greek doric ones. A red carpet, with gold poles to keep it secure, ran down the marble steps that led inside. Posters advertised Don Quixote and people were crowding around the entrance, slowly filtering inside as security guards checked their tickets and bags. Adam's expression lit up as his eyes widened and his jaw became slack.
"You got us ballet tickets?" he asked.
"Yup."
"I didn't think you liked going to the ballet."
"You do."
Adam hugged him and then kissed him passionately. "You're amazing."
"I know."
Adam play-punched him in the shoulder. "And big headed."
"I know that, too." He wrapped his arm around Adam's shoulder. "Come on, let's go find our seats."
Whoever had given Adrianna the tickets hadn't skimped. They were on the very front row of the dress circle, right in the middle. Adam hadn't stopped grinning since the moment they'd sat down. He sat, poised on the edge of his seat, staring intently at the stage, even though the house lights were on and people were still making their way to their seats. Not that Luc was surprised. He remembered vividly how much Adam had loved going to see the ballet. He knew how Adam had dreamed of being up on stage himself. Hell, he'd even auditioned for companies, alongside Mason and Luc knew he'd been accepted by at least one. But he'd turned the place down, to help their parents. Luc respected the hell out of Adam for the sacrifice he'd made, but he also felt a deep sense of sadness and regret on behalf of his brother. No matter how many times Adam told him he was happy teaching, that he no longer wanted to perform, Luc wasn't buying it. He hoped that watching the ballet would rekindle Adam's desire and that maybe, just maybe, he'd be selfish enough to finally put his dream into reality.
"It's starting," Adam said, bouncing slightly in his seat as the orchestra started up and the house lights went out.
Luc put his hand on Adam's knee and sat back to watch. He spent half his time studying Adam's face, rather than watching the ballet. The awe was palpable in Adam's features, in the way his eyebrows were raised and the way his lips moved to mouth the dancer's steps.
At the interval, Adam couldn't stop talking about the performance. Luc didn't understand half of what Adam said, but he listened intently, allowing Adam to gush happily.
His brother was just as mesmerised during the second act and, when the curtain went down and the dancers took their bows, Adam stood and pounded his hands together for a straight five minutes.
"You enjoyed that, then?" Luc asked, as they walked via his office back to his apartment.
"Yes," Adam said. "Thank you so much."
"Worth shuffling things around for?"
"More than!"
As soon as Luc shut the door, Adam grabbed his coat in his fist and dragged him close for a kiss.
"Nice place," Adam murmured against Luc's lips. He shrugged his backpack off his shoulder and dropped it onto the floor.
"You haven't had a chance to look at it," Luc replied, amused.
"We can be alone, that's all that matte
rs. You can show me around tomorrow, after you've fucked me tonight."
"I have another surprise for you first."
"Sex first," Adam told him. "Surprise later." His eyes gleamed. "You were going to make sure I couldn't walk properly, remember?"
Luc was definitely up for that challenge. He pulled Adam's coat and T-shirt off, so he could press his hands all over his brother's taut muscles. They were kissing again, tongues waging a war for dominance.
"Are we going to make it to the bed?" Adam gasped, as he unbuckled Luc's belt.
"That's where my supplies are, so we'd better." He grabbed Adam's hips and, still kissing him, walked him backwards through the open plan apartment, to the steep stairs that led up to the mezzanine bedroom.
"Fuck, that's posh," Adam said, as his calves hit the steps and he was forced to stop and glance around. "You're going to have to let me go so we can get up there, though."
"Let's finish getting naked first," Luc said, smiling.
Adam tipped his head to the side a little, confusion and curiosity waging war on his face. But then he shrugged and, with frenzied movements and stolen kisses, they stripped each other bare. Luc turned Adam around and slapped his arse. He loved the feel of hard muscle and soft skin beneath his hand.
"Now get up there."
Adam chuckled and began to climb, giving Luc a wonderful view of his brother's crack. When it was just the right height, he leaned forward and ran his tongue down it, feeling Adam shiver.
"Cheeky bastard," Adam hissed, stopping. His hands gripped the rail tightly.
"You loved it," Luc said, before repeating the action, this time going bottom to top more slowly.
"Fuck, yes."
"But I want you upstairs," Luc told him. "On the bed."
"Once more," Adam whimpered, his voice almost pleading.
Luc laughed and obliged, allowing himself several seconds of lapping at his brother's crack, before slapping his butt cheek again, to encourage him to carry on up the steps.
Love on Pointe Omnibus Page 14
