Available July 2019
Exclusive on Amazon as an ebook. Also through Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Lending Library
EXTENDED REMIX!
Includes the short story Sexy Spring Surprise.
The remix includes scenes from Luc’s point of view!
BLURB:
Lucas Sloane defines beautiful for Reese.
Tall and sleek with gorgeous red hair and deep, dark eyes to drown in, it’s no wonder that the famous bass player of Heaven Sent is the hero of many a starry-eyed teenager’s dreams. Reese used to be one of those teens back when Heaven Sent was no more than the house band for the local club, Purgatory. Back then, Reese found the courage to confess his love to Luc…only to be soundly rejected. Luc wasn’t gay. Not long after, Heaven Sent left town and skyrocketed into rock and roll stardom.
Now, four years later, Luc is back in town for a visit and more gorgeous than ever. Surprisingly, he not only apologizes for his treatment of Reese years ago, he comes onto him. Luc’s discovered the pleasures of being with a man and wants to know what it’d be like between the two of them. But Reese can’t. He lives the straight and narrow, teaches high school…he’s even got a girlfriend. He has a normal life. He can’t be gay. But it’s hard to deny the man who’s defined everything beautiful in Reese’s artistic mind.
No one has to know about it, right?
****************
©2019 Jet Mykles – all rights reserved
Reese stretched his legs before him, staring at the squared toes of his shiny black leather shoes. That perverse need to talk that takes you over when you’re drunk grabbed him by the balls. “After you guys left, things just weren’t the same.”
Luc said nothing, so Reese continued. “Parties just weren’t all that much fun anymore. At first they were all about what you guys were doing and being happy for you. We had some ragers when your first album came out.” He smiled at the memories, most of which were hazy and melancholy. He’d been joyous for the success of people he knew, but he’d also been sad. “But you weren’t ours anymore, y’know? You belonged to the world.” A glance up showed those dark eyes on him. Gentle, patient, waiting. For what, he didn’t know and currently didn’t have the brain capacity to contemplate. He shrugged. “We all… oh, I don’t know. We all felt part of it somehow, at first, but then —” He shook his head, eyes on the moon. “— then it was just empty. Just didn’t seem a reason to go out anymore. The only thing left was to grow up.”
“Fuck that.”
Reese blinked out of his reverie and smiled. “Yeah,” he agreed sadly. “Fuck that.” He scraped a hand over his face and sat up. The world was still spinning, but more slowly than before. “So, did you see Reegan when you were in there?”
“You mean the girl in the big white dress? Yeah, I think I saw her.”
“What was she doing?”
“Dancing.”
He stared at the arched doorway leading into the main hall but he was at the wrong angle to see into the main room. “I wonder if I can bow out of here.” If no one else was leaving, he could get a Lyft easily enough.
He turned to reach for his phone, only to find Luc there, picking it up.
“Hey.”
The bass player pocketed his phone. “Come on.” He held out a hand.
Reese looked up without taking the hand. “What?”
“You can’t leave yet. You’d break Reegan’s heart, and you’re in no shape to drive.”
“I can get a Lyft if you give me back my phone.” What an odd thing to do.
“Take a break instead. Walk with me.”
Words, tone, intimacy, moonlight. Lucas fucking Sloane and enough alcohol to slow his thoughts. All combined to make a walk suddenly the best idea in this world. Reese took the hand — warm and strong — and allowed Luc to draw him to his feet. Luc’s other hand came up to steady him and he stared at the V of pale peach flesh exposed by Luc’s collar. Luc topped his height by nearly a head, making the crook of his neck at just the right height to nuzzle. Reese had to close his eyes and take a moment to stop himself from doing just that.
They headed through the narrow opening at the corner of the balcony. It led under a row of fragrant trees. A mossy rock path wound under the balcony of another banquet hall, then trailed out into a garden area. Abundant trees and manicured bushes made for seclusion; their greens muted by soft, hidden lighting. Neither Reese nor Luc spoke, and it was okay. It was comfortable. It was nice.
They reached an alcove just beside the bank of a koi pond. They stood a moment, looking at the milling orange and white fish exposed by sunken lights.
“How long were you together?” Luc’s voice was soft, almost blending with the delicate rustling of leaves overhead.
It took him a second. “Me and Piper?”
“You got another girlfriend?”
Dear God! “Nope.” He braced his shoulder against the trunk of the sturdy but slender tree that hovered over the pond. “Just a few months.”
“She the one you said might become your fiancée?”
He remembered that? “Yeah.”
“Well, you’re better off without her.” Luc stood a mere step away, hands in his pockets, staring at the fish. “She isn’t right for you.”
Reese laughed. “You sound like Reegan.”
“Oh?”
“Reegan doesn’t like Piper. No, scratch that. Reegan likes Piper just fine. She doesn’t like Piper with me.”
“Your sister’s a smart lady. Always has been.”
“She dumped your ass, you cold, heartless bastard.” Reese glanced sidelong and caught Luc’s grin.
Luc held up a finger. “That’s cold unfeeling bastard. Get it right.”
An ache he hadn’t recognized eased with more laughter. “Of course. I stand corrected.”
“And, like I said, smart lady. Even back then.”
Sobering to hear him admit it. “She regretted it, you know.”
“What?”
“Dumping you.”
“Back then, or after I made it?”
“Well, back then.” He snorted. “And later.”
Luc chuckled. He turned to face away from the pond. His shoulder brushed Reese’s. “Well, she’s damn beautiful, but she’s not quite my type.”
“Nah. She’s Dave’s type. They’re happy together.”
“Are they?”
“Yeah. He’s a good guy.”
“Good. She deserves to be happy.”
Reese nodded. An orange koi popped its big mouth up over the top of the water to gulp down a bug that had landed on the surface.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You happy?”
No. But he couldn’t admit that, so he shrugged. “I’m okay.”
Luc turned again. Reese’s heart began to pound when he realized that the rockstar stood right behind him, his hand braced against the tree right behind Reese’s head. He could feel the man’s warmth at his back. He swallowed and kept his gaze on the fish. What was going on here? Curiosity and shock kept him immobile.
“Are you?” Luc’s low voice was right next to his ear.
He shuddered, trills racing down his spine. “Yeah.”
He saw the hand come up. Saw those elegant, long fingers just before they cupped his chin. He felt the slight pressure of calloused fingertips on the side of his jaw, encouraging him to face Luc. Dazed, he twisted his head, obedient to the gentle pressure on his jaw. His eyes immediately sought the hooded sable of Luc’s eyes.
Eyes looking at his lips. “Are you?” Luc asked again, leaning closer.
The meeting of lips was a natural thing. So natural, so right, that it didn’t occur to Reese to pull back. His eyes closed. He lifted his chin to allow better access. The tongue that gently prodded his mouth open was wet and delightfully flavorful, smoke and coffee and Luc. He sucked it in without thought, sinking against the tree trunk and turning more toward the other man.
The fingers on his chin fanned out over his cheek, then sank into the curls behind his ear. They took hold of his hair, controlling his head, keeping him still as the lips opened wider and the tongue sank deeper into the recesses of his mouth.
Reese sighed, his hands coming up to clutch Luc’s shirt at the open collar, pulling him close. Luc. Lucas Sloane. His dream. His…
Wait. His dream. Oh no!