AFTER ONE of the most drama-filled days of his entire life, Silas was ready for some peace, but first he had to run his plans by the guys and Jessica. Thankfully they all seemed to realize a little space would do them all a world of good. Brains told him to get the fuck out, as Silas had assumed he would, and Los and Jordan were already making plans to go blow off some steam at some trampoline park nearby. Jessica was all too happy to call Alt-Scene and get him an appointment for a photo shoot with the magazine.
“After this fiasco, it would be nice to have something positive about the band in print. Although with your shiner, I don’t know if you make the best ambassador.”
Brains had additional reasons to want Silas out of his hair for the next twenty-four hours. “It’ll give me time to coach Bowie and to reassure Paul that sending his only begotten son off with a bunch of heathens is actually a great idea. With you here, you’re bound to screw it up, especially the way you’re eye-fucking your boyfriend.”
“Wouldn’t you?” he asked. Boyfriend. Silas liked the sound of that.
Brains shook his head. “Yeah. Probably.”
Silas wondered if he might return tomorrow to find Brains doing a little eye-fucking of his own with a certain sailor.
“Hey, what are we going to do without Mischa?” Los asked.
“Fuck,” Silas said. “I’d almost forgotten we were out our merch girl.”
They all sat quietly for a few minutes until Brains once more lived up to his nickname.
“What about your brother, Jordan? Wasn’t he talking about sales plans and marketing and shit when we were on the bus?”
Jordan looked baffled. “Yeah, he was. I don’t know. Krish? Did he have something lined up for this summer?”
Krish shook his head. “No, not that I know of.”
Brains snapped his fingers and clapped his hands together. “Then Barrett, my friend, I think you have a call to make.”
Jordan pushed his hair out of his eyes and laughed. “He’s not even home yet. So what, like, have him meet us in Phoenix?”
“Get on it. Get Barrett Junior to come be our merch girl.”
Jordan stood and saluted. “I’m on it. Hey, does that mean I get to call him Merch Girl all summer? It’s a step up from My Bitch, which he’s always hated.”
They all laughed, and Jordan left the room to call their parents.
Jordan and Los agreed to help Brains on his mission to convince Paul to let Bowie come with them for his indoctrination into heathenhood. Then they would head out to find some trouble. Jessica promised she would supervise when Silas started to protest.
“It’s fine,” she said. “We’re in fucking San Ramon. How much trouble can they possibly get into?”
Bowie and Paul returned a short time later, and they both appeared as worn out as the band. Bowie dropped Silas and Krish off at Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton and gave them instructions on how they could catch the Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART, to the city and showed them which stop to exit the train. Krish and Silas found the address of the magazine office and the nearest hotel and made a reservation. Bowie loaned them both beanies—Krish so he wouldn’t look like Frankenstein’s monster and Silas so he’d be less likely to be recognized. Krish nixed Silas’s plan to wear sunglasses, since all he had were aviators and that made him look even more like a rock star, and he suggested Silas leave the makeup off as well, especially with his still-angry shiner. Silas reluctantly agreed and even wore a long-sleeved shirt to cover his tattoos.
The mall trip proved to be a success. Silas took Krish into Nordstrom and they both walked out with new suits and shoes as well as some new casual clothes, only getting a few wary looks from employees. At one point a security guy started shadowing them, which pissed Silas off. Krish had to hold him back from making a scene. Instead, they were followed to the cashier, where Silas made a big production of pulling out his Black Amex card. The customer service women fell all over themselves asking if they wanted their purchases gift wrapped, did they want any other accessories, and would they like some personal assistance. Krish bit his lip as Silas slid his hand around to Krish’s ass and let it stay there as he continued to flirt with them.
“You’re too much,” Krish said as they walked out.
“What? That?” Silas’s innocent act was so full of shit, and Krish told him as much.
“I can’t help fucking with people,” Silas admitted. And Krish was so fucking gorgeous, Silas couldn’t help how much he enjoyed watching other people gawk at him, knowing he’d finally be alone with his boyfriend that night.
Boyfriend. Sounded so good to Silas.
A stop by Sephora scored Silas the makeup he wanted and almost got them discovered when the guy working the Urban Decay aisle seemed to have recognized him but chose to stay quiet.
Silas behaved when they were in the dressing rooms, but he was anxious to get Krish out of the mall, into the city, into a hotel room, out of his clothes, and….
“You all right? Your leg hasn’t stopped bouncing since we got on the train.”
Krish placed his hand on Silas’s knee and applied pressure enough to make Silas realize he was that keyed up.
“Sorry. I’m just anxious to get you alone.” He linked his fingers with Krish’s and sighed. “And maybe I’m a little anxious, period.”
Krish squeezed his hand. “You have every reason to be anxious. Tomorrow is going to happen regardless of what we do. And the next day and the next. I’m anxious too, but having you beside me helps keep me in the moment.”
Silas felt some of the tension bleed out of his body. “You really are a smart little old man in there, aren’t you?”
They both laughed, and Silas leaned a little more into Krish’s side. The train sped under the bay, it grew too loud to hear each other talk, and then they were in the city. They took the Montgomery Street exit and used Krish’s phone to guide them on the four-block walk to the Omni hotel. Krish had bickered with Silas over paying for the hotel, but Silas won when he said it was a business expense and he’d write it off. Krish seemed to take several calming breaths, but he allowed Silas to win. They were probably the first of many Silas would see him take.
The walk from the front desk, past the ornate staircase, to the elevators that would take them up to the third-from-the-top floor was painfully long. By the time they made it to their Signature room, both Krish and Silas were tired, but the thrill running between them was a live wire with nothing to ground it. Silas couldn’t keep his hands to himself. Even if it was simply a touch to Krish’s arm or a squeeze of their hands, he had to be in contact with Krish. But he had to put down his shopping bags to unlock the door, and he gestured for Krish to step inside first.
“Wow,” Krish said, looking around with wide eyes. “This is incredible.” He walked to the window, looked out over the bright lights of San Francisco, and took a deep breath. “It’s so beautiful,” he said.
Silas closed the door and flipped the lock. In the faint light from the desk lamp and the city skyline, Krish’s features were illuminated in a manner that made him look even more alluring. His long, thin nose, his thick lashes above high cheek bones, and the silhouette of his lips all made Silas desperate to touch him.
“Did you want to order room service? Or shower or anything? Did you need to sleep?” He hoped the answers to all of those questions would be no, but a shower might be fun.
Krish turned to face him with a lust-filled gaze. “Does this count as not being on tour?”
Silas approached him slowly, removing the long-sleeved shirt and beanie in one tug over his head. “That rule doesn’t matter anymore. Not with you. This isn’t just some tour fling. This means way more to me.”
Krish smiled shyly and slid his own beanie off. “And you’re sure you want to make it with the monster?” He touched the bandage they’d carefully put over his staples and then dropped his arms at his side.
“I want us to fuck, Krish. I want us to be as close as we possibly can. I need that. I need you.”
Silas placed his hand on Krish’s cheek and caressed his lip. Krish turned his face to kiss his thumb. He closed his eyes and took the thumb into his mouth and sucked. Silas’s eyes rolled back in his head.
“I want you to fuck me,” Silas whispered.
Krish opened his eyes with a questioning gaze. “Are you sure?”
Silas nodded. “Yeah. And I want to fuck you. I want it all with you.”
Krish smiled. “Oh. I assumed—”
“Yeah, I know I can be bossy, but you also know I like to be held. I need that closeness, Krish. Does that make sense? If I’m going to be intimate with someone, be in a relationship with someone, I’m all in when it comes to sex. I trust you with my body and my heart, Krish. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here.”
Krish pulled Silas in for an embrace and sighed. “I trust you too, and I love that you’re so affectionate. I’ll give you whatever you want,” he said with a smile.
“Yeah, you will,” Silas said, kissing his neck. “But first, let’s get horizontal. You’re too fucking tall.”
Krish laughed. “And let’s shower. I really want to shave or you’ll be covered in beard rash tomorrow for your photo shoot.”
“That’s what makeup is for, but yeah. A shower sounds great.”
The bathroom wasn’t as huge as Silas would have liked, but it would do. They undressed completely in front of each other and Silas couldn’t get over how gorgeous Krish was, nor how self-conscious he was. His skin was so beautiful. Without his hair to hide behind, his big brown eyes seemed to glow with the warmth of his personality, and he smiled so brightly. Silas was determined to keep him smiling. They stared at each other for a long time, giggling nervously but not touching.
“I can’t believe we’re here and alone,” Krish said.
“I know, right? Bus living leaves something to be desired when you’re getting to know someone.”
Krish ducked his eyes away and looked at himself in the mirror. “Geez, I need to shave. Mind if I shave first?”
Silas shook his head. He laid a towel out on the counter and hopped up to sit next to the sink. “Nope. As long as I get to watch you.”
“You’re going to give me a complex,” Krish said as he took the few toiletry items they bought out of the bags—small can of shave cream, disposable razors, lotion, lube, condoms. Silas had a Pavlovian response to seeing the lube and condoms. He couldn’t wait to use them.
Krish ran the water in the sink until it was warm and then lathered his face up with cream. The only razors they could find were kind of shitty ones, but Krish had said he’d make do.
“You’ll have to let me do that for you sometime,” Silas said.
“Yeah? You did a good job on my head, so maybe I will. Sorry, I have to shave every day unless I want to grow this thing out.”
“I think it looks sexy as fuck. Either way, you’re gorgeous. But I like having easy access to your lips and your neck.”
Krish looked down at his semierect self and back to Silas. “You’re making it very difficult to concentrate.”
“Sorry,” Silas chuckled. “But damn, I can’t wait.”
Krish seemed to pick up the pace with his shaving. He peered down at Silas, who was fully ready to get things moving, and he smiled. “I could shave you. You ever have someone shave you?”
Silas’s eyes flared. “Ooo that’s hot. And no, I’ve never let anyone near my balls with a razor, but I might change my stance on that for you.”
Krish laughed and made one last pass with his razor. “That will have to do.” He rinsed his face with water, and before Silas knew what he was doing, Krish bent over and rubbed his face on Silas’s cock. “How’s that? Smooth enough?”
Silas leaned back to give him more access. “Mmmm, I’m not sure. Maybe you better—ah!”
Krish swallowed him down until Silas couldn’t breathe. God, this man was so good with his tongue. He reached for Krish’s head but paused when he remembered Krish’s injury. He was surprised he could remember anything as Krish’s mouth did such astounding things that Silas couldn’t concentrate on anything except the feel of Krish against him, around him, over him. He loved all of the sensations. Krish kissed his way up Silas’s torso, spending several long moments worshipping his nipples and tugging on the piercings. Silas never wanted it to stop, never wanted Krish to let him go.
Krish stopped long enough to lead them into the shower, and once in there, he cleaned Silas lovingly and then turned Silas to face the wall. He stroked Silas’s cock gently while eagerly attending to his hole with his tongue. Silas’s legs shook so badly he could barely hold himself up. When he started to collapse, Krish’s strong hands held his hips in place.
“God, Krish, I need—”
“I need you,” Krish said, slowly and gently pressing a finger inside Silas when all Silas wanted was to feel Krish’s length inside him.
“Now. I need you to fuck me.”
Krish pulled away only long enough to turn off the water and grab towels for them. Once he wrapped Silas in one and helped him step from the tub, Krish pushed him up against the wall and kissed him deeply.
“How do you want me?” Krish asked. He caressed Silas’s face while brushing their arousals together. “Tell me how you want me.”
“Bed,” Silas answered, breathless. “I want to be on a real bed with you where we can be as loud as we want without having to worry about who’s outside the door.”
Krish chuckled. “Bed sounds good, but I’m game for anything. I want to be inside you.”
They made it clumsily to the bed, and Silas pushed Krish down onto his back.
“Shit. I didn’t dry off,” Krish laughed.
“It’s okay. I plan to mess up this bed good with you tonight.”
“Let’s get started, then. Where’s—”
“On it.” Silas dashed back into the bathroom, slipping on a towel on the floor and nearly crashing into the counter.
“Be careful in there,” Krish called out. “We don’t need any more injuries.”
Silas trotted back to the bed laughing, dropped the lube and condoms on the bed, and then straddled Krish’s hips. He leaned down to suck Krish’s bottom lip into his mouth. “God, you taste good. I want to taste all of you, but right now I need you in me.”
Silas was so ready to go. He crawled off Krish long enough to roll a condom onto Krish’s dick, and then he was right back on top of him, loving the feel of taking all of Krish, slowly and steadily.
Krish grabbed on to Silas’s thighs and sucked in a long breath, his body straining underneath Silas.
“God, that feels divine,” Silas said as he was fully seated.
“I can’t breathe,” Krish said. “So intense.”
“Yeah,” Silas said as he began to move. Krish let him set the pace, and soon he was rocking back against Krish and moaning.
“It’s too much. I can’t… I’m going to—”
He came in a rush, covering Krish’s chest with his load. Krish’s answering smile kept him moving until Krish took over. He gripped Silas’s hips and pulled him down hard until Krish came just as strong, his back lifting off the bed with the force. Silas couldn’t even hold himself up. He collapsed onto the bed next to Krish and threw an arm and leg over him.