tone from his voice. Drew dipped her head in apology, then disappeared into the house.
Gev returned a moment later, a sheepish look on his face. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. That was rude of me,” he said softly as he took his duffel. “I don’t want you
to wish you were anywhere but here.”
“It’s all right, really.”
“You should’ve said something. I want you to be—” But whatever Gev was about to say
was lost when Drew emerged from the kitchen, wallet in hand. “Off to get doughnuts. Got a
preference?”
Gev put a hand on his stomach, but his gaze was still on Lee.
Drew eyed him. “I know, I know—you don’t eat doughnuts. But you do today. What
kind?”
Lee gave him a “might as well” look.
“Cinnamon roll?” Gev said, shoulders slumping in mock defeat.
“Good. What about you, Lee?”
Lee wasn’t in the mood, but he figured Gev wouldn’t eat alone. “Plain’s fine.”
Drew pressed her lips together. “Come on, where’s your sense of adventure? This is not
your typical doughnut place. They make the best cinnamon rolls ever. Gev’s succumbed, so you
have to too.” She leaned closer, eyes gleaming. “They have them with pecans.”
Lee couldn’t fight the grin on Gev’s face. He wondered if this was the start of a lifetime of
doing what made Gev happy.
He wondered why the hell the thought made
him
happy.
“Fine. I’ll have one.”
“With nuts? You like nuts, don’t you?”
What the fuck
? His face heated. “Uh, yeah.” He wouldn’t look at Gev, but he could sense
his amusement. Marvelous. And he didn’t mind, not really.
“Thought so. I’ll be right back. Trish is going to make some coffee, so make yourselves at
home.” She looked down at their things. “Uh…share a room? Or one of you can sleep on the
couch.”
Gev flushed. “We’ll figure it out later. Go. I’m starving.” He put down his duffel and
started to reach for his wallet, but Drew waved him off.
“I’ve got this.” She headed out.
Lee set his things down next to Gev’s in the hallway.
“We don’t have to stay here,” Gev said. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “But I kinda
want to, at least one night…if that’s okay with you.”
Lee heard Trish moving around in the kitchen. A door opened, followed by the clatter of
paws. Curious, Lee looked toward the sound. He liked dogs, wondered if Gev did too. “We’ll
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stay here. I don’t think whoever tried to mow you down saw us leave with them, so it’s as good a
place as any. We’ll let Detective Ramirez know where we are. We’ll be okay.”
They stood awkwardly in the hallway, Gev looking far from reassured. Lee wasn’t sure
what the best thing to do was, so he went for his instinctive reaction—he pulled Gev into his
arms. When Gev grabbed hold of him and buried his face in Lee’s shoulder, a slight shudder
rippling through him, Lee realized then how exhausted, how tired and scared Gev was.
He ran his hand up and down Gev’s back, bent down as Gev raised his head. Their lips
grazed. Gev’s hold tightened, and Lee kissed him for real this time, closing his eyes, wishing
they were alone, as he dared not release his grip on his body’s reaction—and dammit, he was
going to explode right there in the hallway if he wasn’t careful. The muscles beneath his hands
relaxed, rippling a thrill through Lee. He wanted nothing more than to slide his hands all over
Gev’s body, explore the softness of his skin, every dip and curve. Just
everything.
That he would do so, and soon, nearly undid him on the spot.
The rushing sound of paws on a wooden floor broke the spell. Gev pulled back, laughing
as an Australian shepherd, tail stump wiggling, snuffled at them. As Gev reached down to pet the
dog, his other arm remained wrapped around Lee, and he met Lee’s gaze, his own full of
promise.
Damn.
Trish joined them, grinning as she noticed their flushed faces and the lingering evidence of
their embrace. Lee was damn glad he had a coat on. “So, I was right. That’s what I thought.” She
cocked her head to the side. “That’s what I
hoped
.”
“Hoped what?” Gev said, still petting the dog.
“That you two were doing each other.”
“Trish!”
“She found us out,” Lee said, clearly not upset.
“She did?” Gev said, his voice hoarse.
“Can’t keep any secrets from her, it looks like.”
Gev laughed. Lee loved hearing it. “Yeah, I guess not.”
“You guys are adorable.” To the dog she said, “Come on, you mongrel. Want some
cookies?” The dog immediately lost interest in Lee and Gev. “This is Khyra, by the way. You
guys need anything else? Other than some privacy?”
“Showers?”
“Sure. We have two—one upstairs, one down—unless one will be enough.” She raised her
eyebrows.
“That coffee made yet?” Gev asked.
She waved a hand at them. “Fine, fine. But clean up after yourselves, okay?”
When she and the dog had returned to the kitchen, Gev said, “She’s enjoying this too
much, I think.”
He started to move away, but Lee stopped him, pulled him closer again, and kissed him
again. This wasn’t as hard as he’d thought it would be, and the way Gev felt against him, the way
he looked up into Lee’s eyes… It felt good. Damn good. And right, in a way being with Maya
had never been. The long list of things he owed her an apology for just kept getting longer.
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Maybe this was what he’d really been waiting for all these years—not so much to deny himself,
punishment for Stefan, but to wait for the chance to get Gev back into his life.
No. He’d been punishing himself.
A worried look edged into Gev’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Lee said.
Gev looked away. “Nothing.” He moved out of reach and grabbed the duffel. “I’ll take the
downstairs bathroom.”
“Okay.” Lee picked up his bags and headed for the stairs, a little disappointed. He found
the bathroom and locked the door behind himself. Despite that “nothing,” something was clearly
bothering Gev, and the only thing Lee could think of was Stefan.
Staring at himself in the mirror, Lee didn’t like the guilt that outlined his face. Hell yes,
Stefan was between them, hovering over them. If Ramirez was right and Stef was alive, Lee
couldn’t help but wonder if he was actually threatening Gev. Why would he want to hurt his
brother, though? Why would he want to stay hidden? Then again, he’d warned Gev twice now. It
had been someone else behind that wheel.
The possibilities weighed heavily on Lee’s mind. That wasn’t the Stefan he had known.
Stef had been a loving, caring kid, protective of his little brother. The only person Stefan had
ever argued with was his mother, and that wasn’t anything abnormal. At least, not to Lee.
Too many puzzle pieces didn’t fit.
What if he did see Stefan again? What would he do? There was no going back; he knew
that. He’d taken this step with Gev while knowing Stef could be out there, and Gev… Gev was
pretty damn awesome. Lee knew the memory of him dancing would never fade, nor would the
memory of how Lee had been slammed while watching him. The desire to take him, possess
him, had rocked Lee hard, but he wasn’t fool enough to deny himself what was being offered.
Even knowing Gev wanted him—and had for a long time—wouldn’t make him treat this whole
thing lightly, though. If Stef was alive, that would be the most incredible thing in the world. But
the time they’d had together was in the past.
Lee turned on the bathroom faucet and waited for the water to heat so he could shave. Nick
had always insisted they stay clean-shaven on tour. The fans wanted to be able to see their
expressions, and it made them look younger. Long as they didn’t look too close. Lee peered at
his reflection—there were definite lines creeping onto his face, and no way would he use Botox,
no matter how Nick swore by it. Like he needed it. He was barely thirty.
As Lee shaved, his mind played over what was going on. He almost couldn’t believe he
and Gev were, it looked like, becoming a couple. Becoming like Nick and Brandon, something
he’d never thought he’d have. Mostly because he’d held on to Stefan for so long. Gev’s face
flashed into his mind.
Too
long.
He hadn’t known how to let go—and hadn’t tried, because there hadn’t been anyone he’d
wanted to get serious with. Someone he cared for enough to end his years-long charade of being
the straight man to Nick and Brandon.
Not that he’d given anyone a chance to get that close. Not even Maya.
He was seriously fucked up. That needed to end, whether or not things worked out with
Gev. Lee splashed his face, wiped it off with his hand, and set the razor down.
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He hoped the house had a good water heater, what with them both taking a shower at the
same time. Wishing he’d been bold enough to say “one shower” to Trish, he turned on the
shower and stuck his hand in the spray, waiting until it warmed before he stepped in.
As the hot water sluiced over him, taking away the aches and roughness of the previous
hours, he admitted there really was no question of what he would do. He wanted Gev. And
despite all the painful things in both their pasts, Gev wanted him too. It wouldn’t be easy, but he
was sure it would be worth it.
He’d reached for the shampoo when his cell phone went off. A text message. He hesitated,
but curiosity got the better of him. Few people other than Sam texted him, though Marisa had
been known to now and then. Nick just called if he wanted to talk. But it was too early for any of
them. He stepped onto the bath mat, steam billowing around him. The cool air of the bathroom
prickled his skin.
He pulled his cell out of his jeans. Gev? He opened the message. For a moment, he was
confused about what he was looking at. Then an incredulous laugh burst from him. It was a
picture, kind of blurry, but what the fuck—it was Gev. Naked, almost—close enough—a white
towel draped low around his hips. Very low.
The little bastard.
Lee’s mouth went decidedly dry, despite the steam. That flat stomach, carved and perfect,
dipping down and cutting off right above Gev’s cock… “Fucking hell,” he ground out, his own
cock throbbing. He stroked himself, his breath coming in quick gasps. Shit.
He caught a glimpse of the mirror. Steam had started to cloud it, encroaching on his
reflection. He couldn’t believe he was going to do this, but what the hell. He thumbed the camera
button, holding his cock with his free hand, and took a picture, the steam doing little to hide the
subject. Feeling light-headed and ridiculously giddy, he hit Send.
Shivers ran through him, the cooling of his body a sharp contrast to the hot heaviness of
his cock in his hand. What the hell had gone through Gev’s head to make him send that picture?
What the hell was
he
thinking, sending one back?
Lee set his phone down when there was no response and had started to step back into the
shower—intent on finding release to the image of Gev’s body burned into his mind—when there
was a knock on the door.
His heart leaped. Feeling weirdly disembodied, he reached over to unlock the door, then
stared at the knob, mesmerized, willing it to turn, his heart racing, acutely aware that he stood
naked and dripping on a bath mat with his cock at full-mast, and he didn’t give a damn. Gev
pushed the door open and looked in, his face flushed and his green eyes widening as his heated
gaze fell on Lee. He slid in, bare except for a towel around his waist, locked the knob behind
him, and leaned against the door.
Lee couldn’t breathe as he drank in Gev, flushed and anxious, the towel around his hips
tenting. They stared at each other, both frozen. Mentally shaking himself, not taking his gaze
from Gev, he took the two steps forward that put them within inches of each other. Gev licked
his lips, and his green eyes shone dark as a soft “Oh hell yes” escaped him. Lee reached out and
slowly pulled the towel away from his hips. Gev let it drop to the floor.
In a flash, he all but leaped for Lee. Lee wrapped his arms around Gev, pushing him
against the door, which rattled with their weight, then yanking him against the sturdier wall, their
mouths meeting with ravenous hunger. Skin against skin—Lee’s damp and Gev’s getting that
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way fast—their cocks trapped between their bodies, Lee held Gev captive against the wall, his
knee spreading Gev’s legs, his mouth and tongue exploring Gev’s mouth, kissing him, the
roughness of Gev’s early-morning beard scraping across Lee’s lips, his own freshly shaven face.
Gev kissed him back like he was drowning.
Low, panting moans escaped Gev, moans that made Lee growl deep in his throat. Near
mindless with the fiery need to consume Gev, he tasted him, sucked on his neck, nipped at him