The Arrangement (8 page)

To his shock, Carter pulled him to the entrance.

“Let’s go inside.”

Confused, Reed dropped his hand and held back. “You want to go in here? I don’t know how to dance.”

Carter had already taken out his ID for the bouncer at the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll show you whatever moves you need to know.” His infectious grin drove away any doubts from Reed’s mind, and he followed Carter into the club.

On one side behind a tinted glass door was a dance floor, and Reed’s body shook from the pounding beat. Peering through the glass, he could see the swaying bodies pressed together, and Reed imagined a hot and sweaty Carter hard up against him, their hips gyrating to the slow pulse of the music. Maybe the time had come for him to learn some moves.

On the other side, raucous laughter and loud, off-key singing could be heard, and Reed guessed that was the karaoke club.

Carter tugged at his hand. “Let’s listen to some karaoke before we dance.”

Giving Carter a surprised look, Reed huffed out a laugh. “You? Karaoke?”

Without answering, Carter led him inside the room, still holding tight to his hand. They followed the hostess to a small round table for two, set with a flickering candle on top of a glittering cloth. The room was half-empty; there were around fifty people seated at the same small round tables scattered about the room. A waitress appeared in a scanty black tank top and leggings, accentuating her lean, muscled body. If Reed were to hazard a thought as to her day job, he’d pick dancer or maybe personal trainer.

“Good evening, gentlemen. What can I get you?” The lights picked up the slash of her bold red lipstick and the colorful feather earrings sweeping her shoulders.

“I’ll have a Grey Goose on the rocks. Reed, what do you want?”

Because of all the medications he took, Reed didn’t often drink, but tonight, being here in public with Carter for the first time, he felt a little reckless and decided to indulge.

“I’ll have a Sam Adams.”

The waitress left, and he and Carter soon became so engrossed in the hilarious karaoke, neither noticed the waitress setting their drinks down on the table. An unexpected, flirty side of Carter emerged, and Reed enjoyed the neck nuzzling and Carter holding his hand and toying with his fingers. His heart lurched with a happiness he hadn’t felt in years, and he struggled to remember it was all a fantasy.

Without even realizing it, he’d finished his first beer only to find it replaced with another. It slid down his throat cool and easy, and to his surprise he watched Carter take a big gulp of his own drink.

Maybe he was nervous too.

And somehow that small chink in the armor, letting in the tiniest light of vulnerability to shine through, endeared Carter all the more to Reed.

When the group on stage had finally finished, a lull fell over the now-crowded room. Carter nudged his thigh and whispered in his ear. “Want to try?”

Reed almost choked on his beer. “Me? I sound like a dying chicken when I sing.” He wiped his chin. “Do you sing?”

Carter downed his drink and stood. “Guess you’re about to find out.”

‡

W
hen Reed had
asked for a night out, Carter’s first inclination was to refuse. He had no desire to go out in public together; after all, their arrangement had been to spend their time having as much sex as they could possibly cram into their weekend. But the disappointment in Reed’s pretty golden eyes bothered Carter more than he imagined it could, and he found himself agreeing simply to keep Reed happy because he liked to see Reed smile. Another alien concept Carter mulled over as they walked together in the cold.

Once they were out and strolling through the city, Carter admitted to himself he enjoyed it. It was a rarity for him to take the time and wander about, look at restaurant menus or simply people-watch—he and Reed had even played a fun game of
Guess Where the Tourist is From.
Once Jackson had come to live with him, Carter had thrown himself headfirst into work, pushing all thoughts of personal pleasure out of the way. Jackson had to and always did come first. Carter had promised himself his brother would never end up feeling unloved and unwanted like he did.

But for this night Carter gave in, not only to Reed’s wishes but his own desire to be part of a crowd; a desire he didn’t know existed until he walked with Reed amid the throngs of people in Times Square. The usual hawkers were about, shoving pamphlets in their faces encouraging them to take a tour bus ride around the city or listen to a comedy act. Carter ignored them and chose to focus strictly on Reed: his animated voice, the excited sweep of his hand as he pointed out something of interest, and the sweet curve of his smile.

With some difficulty Carter forced himself to look away from Reed; not an easy task with the man so close he could see the smattering of freckles along the bridge of his nose and the vivacious sparkle in his eyes. Happier than he could recall in recent memory, an idea popped into his head as they walked up Broadway toward 50th St. A client had recently opened a nightclub that featured both karaoke and dance, and watching Reed walk slightly in front of him, Carter pictured them with their arms around each other, dancing to a slow, rhythmic beat. Inside of twenty minutes, they were seated at a cozy table, having a drink and listening to terrible singing, with Carter enjoying himself more than he thought possible. He ordered a second round, figuring it would loosen Reed up for the dancing he had planned. And, God knows, he needed the buzz.

So this is what regular people do on dates
.

Casting a sly look at Reed, he whispered in his ear, feeling him shiver and loving how affected Reed was by his simplest touch.

“Want to try?”

Reed almost choked on his beer. “Me? I sound like a dying chicken when I sing.” He wiped his chin. “Do you sing?”

Carter downed his second drink and stood. “Guess you’re about to find out.”

What did it matter the problems he had waiting for him when he came home after this weekend? Tonight, with Reed unable to keep his eyes off him and alcohol and anticipation buzzing through his veins, Carter felt almost invincible when he took the stage. He hit the button on the machine, almost laughing at the song that popped up, “Trapped Again” by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

How appropriate.

In the early days when Jacks had first come to live with him, Carter had spent many nights singing him lullabies to ease whatever fears he might have. He soon had the crowd clapping and singing, forgetting about their drinks when they realized he could not only sing but sing well. But Carter wasn’t interested in the crowd. He kept his gaze firmly trained on Reed who, when Carter began singing, set his bottle of beer on the table and stared at him, open-mouthed, his eyes round with wonder. Shocked surprise—exactly the reaction he’d hoped for.

Carter grinned inwardly and finished the song with a loud flourish and fist pumps, then jumped off the stage to thunderous applause, striding over to a still-stunned Reed who stood along with the rest of the people in the room. To the delight of the whistling, clapping crowd, he grabbed Reed around the neck and kissed him full on the mouth, leisurely at first and then with increasing fervor. Curbing his desire to drag Reed off to a dark corner and do lewd things to him, Carter vowed to save it for the privacy of their hotel room.

“I didn’t know you could sing,” said Reed, breathing hard into the curve of Carter’s neck. “That was amazing.”

“I’m a man of many talents—some hidden, some not.”

That brought a smile to Reed’s lips, which remained pressed against Carter’s throat. The mere touch of Reed’s wet lips against his burning skin fired Carter’s lust all over again.

“Let’s go next door and dance. We can be amazing together.”

Reed sat in his seat, and Carter took his own chair, hitching it close enough to keep nibbling kisses along Reed’s jawline. Carter could tell Reed wanted him by his rapidly heaving chest and how the bottle of beer shook in his trembling hands. He loved setting this man on edge. It made their short time together explosive and an unforgettable memory he could hold onto in the long weeks until they came together again.

“I already told you I don’t dance.”

Adrenaline continued to hum through Carter’s veins, and he laughed. “I’m offering to be your tutor. You can pay me later for the lessons.”

Reed swallowed and breathed deeply several times. Carter, sensing this was more than mere nerves, massaged the back of his neck, attempting to soothe him. After a few moments, Reed let out a shaky laugh that sounded anything but happy.

“I’ve never felt comfortable dancing; I’m clumsy, and don’t have rhythm, and step on people’s toes, and—”

“Shh.” Carter placed his fingers across Reed’s mouth. “This is supposed to be fun, not a chore. Let’s try it, and if you don’t like it, we’ll leave, okay?”

When a moment passed and Reed still didn’t answer, Carter sighed and cupped Reed’s chin, forcing him to meet his eyes.

“Come on, just one song, and then I promise we’ll go if you say the word.”

At Reed’s hesitant nod, Carter kissed him again and put a few twenties on the table to cover the drinks and the tip. He then took Reed’s hand, and together they walked across the hall where the flashing lights and pounding music consumed him until his bones rattled under his skin. Carter stood close behind Reed and rested his hands on Reed’s slim hips, both of them swaying slightly to the beat. The couple right in front of them on the dance floor drew his attention, and he nudged Reed.

Oblivious to the crowd, the two men had their eyes closed and their arms wrapped around each other, swaying back and forth. The sight of them, so free and beautiful with their love, gave Carter hope for a future where this would be the norm and not something for people to stare at like a science experiment.

“That’s going to be us.” Carter slipped his arms around Reed’s waist and snuggled his pelvis in the tempting curve of Reed’s ass. They fit together perfectly, and Carter closed his eyes for a moment, losing himself in a world he never gave himself permission to enter.

“I—I can’t do that.”

Feeling Reed quivering in his arms, Carter took his hand and led him to the far corner of the dance floor where tall columns as well as the thicker darkness hid them from sight.

“Is this better?” He smoothed the hair from Reed’s damp face and kissed his cheek. He didn’t understand Reed’s fear over a simple dance, but he wouldn’t push him to a breaking point or give him an ultimatum. If he’d learned anything from living with Jackson, it was to introduce new experiences one small step at a time. Anything too overwhelming and Jacks shut down, and it seemed Reed might have that same issue as well.

The song ended, and new music came on. A slow, rhythmic beat pulsed through the air. All the lights in the club dimmed, and Carter took advantage of the darkness to pull Reed close. At first he stiffened, and Carter whispered encouraging words in his ear. “Come on, baby. It’s only you, me, and the music. That’s all you need to remember.”

Reed glanced up, almost shyly it seemed, then pressed himself tight against Carter’s chest, burying his face in his neck. Confused as to Reed’s response, Carter held him close, and they simply stood and rocked together, the music enveloping them. He hummed the tune in Reed’s ear and settled his arms around his shoulders, their hips matching the beat.

“See? You’re doing it. That’s all there is to dancing. Letting the music come alive inside you. The rest is all instinct.”

Reed nodded, his cheek lying flat against Carter’s shoulder now. A small shudder ran through his body, and Carter pulled him closer, molding their bodies together, and smiled to himself as the unmistakable hard ridge of Reed’s erection brushed up against him. Reed’s brain might not think he knew what to do, but his body certainly did. And Reed’s body wanted him as much as he wanted Reed.

They stayed hidden behind the columns, Carter holding on to Reed until the flow of the music took over and the motion of Reed’s hips began to match his, roll for roll. Their bodies picked up the beat, arms twining around each other, and Reed leaned his head back, opened his eyes, and gave a smile of such pure, unfettered joy, Carter’s heart surged. It seemed like years since happiness had touched him, sweeping against him like a paintbrush colored with all the pleasures of life.

He grabbed Reed by the waistband of his pants and popped the button tab while at the same time brushing his lips to Reed’s smiling mouth. “I want you,” he said, the pace of his breathing quickening as his hand swept across the warm smooth skin of Reed’s firm stomach. “Right here. Right now.” Carter unzipped Reed’s jeans halfway, slid his hand inside Reed’s boxers, and grasped his thick cock.

And apparently Reed wanted him as well—the wide head of his cock slick and sticky with precome was all the proof needed. It coated Carter’s fingers, making it wonderfully easy to slide his hand up and down the hot soft skin of Reed’s cock. It was dirty, illicit, and Carter’s dick ached, tightly encased in his jeans.

“Fuck,” moaned Reed, throwing his head back while grasping hold of Carter’s biceps for support. “What the hell…” He bucked against Carter, thrusting into his hand, while his breaths came in short, hard pants. “Faster, damn you.”