Rainbow Blues (5 page)

When yet another person crowded next to Jimmy, blocking Luke’s view, he shifted restlessly trying to find a break in the crowd to keep his eye on Jimmy.

“See something you like?”

Bennett’s hand on his shoulder made him jump.

“What? Oh, nothing. Thanks for getting my coat.”

Bennett handed the coat over but tilted his head, inspecting Luke. His ears heated, but there was no way Bennett could know Luke had managed to develop a sudden, intense crush on an absolute stranger. Much like the days when he’d pretended to like Duran Duran just for their music, but oh, it was even more for their eyeliner and tight, slender forms. Pathetic for a man, a father, of his age, wasn’t it?

“It’s more than acceptable to introduce yourself to the cast. That’s why they come out like this.” Bennett waved a hand toward Jimmy and the rest.

Luke’s ears got hotter, and his cheeks joined in.

“Is it? How do you know?” Not that Luke was going to do that. There was no way. The way he felt now, like his skin was too tight and his heart racing, he’d probably spring wood and drool, and there was no way on God’s green earth he was setting himself up for that sort of humiliation.

Bennett rolled his eyes. “This isn’t my first rodeo, pardner.”

A laugh escaped at his polished, urbane friend attempting a Texan drawl. Poorly. But Luke had forgotten Bennett had grown up in privilege, and still had enough money from an inheritance to never work again if he so chose. Bennett had been to tons of plays.

“Let’s go introduce ourselves,” Bennett urged.

Luke glanced over at Jimmy. He was gorgeous, happy, and animated. There was no way he was going over there. What would he say? “No, no.”

“So… you want to leave now? Go get something to eat.” Bennett grinned and shoved Luke’s coat and scarf at him.

“Now?” He wasn’t quite sure he was ready to give up his view of Jimmy. “We could have a drink first.”

Luke had seen enough fresh drinks to know there was a bar serving in the foyer somewhere.

Bennett’s grin morphed into a knowing smirk, but Luke was okay as long as he didn’t actually admit anything.

“You could head closer to the actors while I go grab us a couple of beers.”

“That’s okay.”

Bennett wended through the milling crowd and Luke pressed back against the wall. Holding his coat felt weird, so he slipped it on, bunching his scarf in his hands as he returned his gaze to Jimmy.

A moment later, Jimmy’s gaze roved over him. Panicked, Luke looked away. What the fuck was the matter with him? Oh, yeah, he’d never really done much with another guy except anonymous pickups at a few clubs… where he was pretty sure the guys were either desperate or they felt sorry for him. He’d never caught the gaze of a guy he really liked. Not that he knew anything about Jimmy aside from what he saw on the stage, but he was infatuated nonetheless.

After a minute or two, he dared another look. Jimmy was no longer looking at him, and he breathed a sigh of relief—until Jimmy glanced his way again and smiled. Luke averted his eyes and ducked behind another group of theatergoers, his heart pounding.

Then he shook his head. There was nothing to be afraid of, no reason to act like a child. But he couldn’t stop that breathless gasp when Jimmy looked at him a third time.

“Come on, we’re going over there.” Bennett waved an opened beer bottle in front of him.

“Christ, Bennett, don’t scare me like that.” Luke hadn’t noticed Bennett’s return, so intent he’d been on Jimmy and his gorgeous smile.

“Let’s go.”

“No, no, we don’t need to.”

“Luke, you were interested in coming to this play with me, but the second the character of Gary strode out onto the stage, it was like you’d been electrocuted. We’ll go over there. Introduce ourselves. It’s only polite to tell him how much you enjoyed his performance. Actors really appreciate that, trust me.”

“I don’t know.”

Bennett gave him a reproachful look. “Surely you don’t want him to think he did a bad job, do you?”

Well, no, he didn’t want that. But he wasn’t sure he was ready for this today.

“I….”

“Nope. We’re going. If you don’t come with me, I’ll make up a totally embarrassing story about you. Got it?”

Luke took a deep breath. He really needed to man up, because this was unacceptable. He’d been the sole support for his family for many years, he and Kelly had raised a self-sufficient college-age son, and he had a good job where he oversaw a number of employees. He could handle a simple introduction to a man and a compliment about his work, even if he was the most compelling man he’d ever seen.

Find your fucking balls, Luke.

J
IMMY
DARTED
another glance at the broad, auburn-haired man. The guy had been sending dark looks his way ever since Jimmy stepped out into the room, and he made Jimmy nervous as hell. Maybe the guy’s wife was talking to the actors? If the guy hated the play so much, why was he sticking around? It wasn’t fucking fair that straight guys could be so gorgeous even when they hated you.

With effort, he dragged his attention back to another well-wisher. When he let himself glance back, he hated himself for the little niggle of disappointment that the guy had finally taken his leave. Jimmy’d taken leave of his fucking senses if he thought a big, muscled straight guy was going to want Jimmy drooling over him anyway. Then, an older couple shuffled a few steps, and Jimmy sucked in a quick, surprised breath. Hot guy at two o’clock and closing in fast, with a fierce, determined look on his face.

Desperately, Jimmy tried to follow the conversation with… with…. He couldn’t even remember who he was talking to, so he just smiled and nodded like an idiot. Surely even a straight guy wasn’t going to cause trouble here in the foyer if he’d been comfortable enough to watch a play about a guy coming out and finding love with another man. Unless. Oh. Unless he somehow hadn’t realized what he was getting into. Sometimes people didn’t bother reading descriptions. This guy was so damn sexy and built, and Jimmy was probably going to cry if he got yelled at. Jimmy didn’t spend a lot of time working out or taking self-defense classes. This guy could sweep the floor with him if it weren’t for the fact he was surrounded by friends and fans.

Only a few steps away now, and Jimmy would have to face the guy. Who darted out a tongue to lick sharply defined lips. Jimmy’s heart hammered, and his palms dampened. He wasn’t sure if he was going to run away or drop down on his knees, mouth open, when confronted with one of the sexiest men he’d ever seen. He squared his shoulders and prepared to be harangued.

An urbane dark-haired man stepped in front of him, just as Jimmy had plastered on a wide smile, hoping it would hide his jitters.

“Hello. I’m Bennett. Terrific performance.”

Jimmy smiled and nodded, somehow unable to formulate a response since he’d been gearing up to defend himself or maybe faint.

“And this is my friend, Luke.”

The dark-haired man shoved a darkly scowling Luke in front of him, and Jimmy couldn’t breathe.

“Uh, hi. You were… really great.”

Jimmy blinked, trying to process the words while simultaneously wondering if he’d already passed out and conked his head.

“Thanks.” Jimmy wrinkled his nose. His voice wasn’t normally quite so breathy. Luke wouldn’t meet his gaze, but that was okay.

Jimmy glanced down and noticed the rainbow scarf Luke gripped in his hands. A rainbow wasn’t definitive proof, but it was a good sign and restored some of his customary confidence. He took two small steps, enough to encroach on the border of Luke’s personal space.

“I like your scarf.” This time his voice had dropped and was breathy in a good way. Startled, Luke lifted his head and stared at him. Wide hazel eyes framed by short blond lashes ensnared Jimmy in the very best way. Freckles scattered across pale skin, making Luke appear younger than the crinkles at the corners of his eyes attested.

“Thanks.” Red stained Luke’s cheeks, and he almost defiantly wound the scarf around his neck, while his pupils expanded.

Now that they were looking in each other’s eyes, Jimmy didn’t want to look at anything or anyone else, and based on Luke’s focus, he felt the same electric connection.

Luke swallowed heavily and took a tiny step closer. “I don’t suppose you’d want to have dinner with me?”

“Tonight?” Jimmy didn’t care who else wanted to meet with him or that he’d been planning to head straight home to avoid the oncoming storm.

“If it’s a good time.”

“Yes. Come with me backstage? I’ll grab my jacket, and we can go somewhere.”

Just like that, Luke’s frown smoothed out and in the face of Luke’s smile, Jimmy’s knees wobbled.

“I’ll just head on home, then, will I, Luke?”

He and Luke both turned their attention to the dark-haired man who’d introduced Luke. Barry? Ben? Jimmy didn’t quite remember. Everything aside from Luke had receded from his awareness into the haziness of a dream.

“Uh. Oh. Bennett. Did you want to…?”

Right. Bennett.

Bennett laughed good-naturedly. “Not a fucking chance. You have fun and give me a call tomorrow.” He clapped Luke on the shoulder, shook hands with Jimmy, and left in a swirl of expensive cologne.

“Come on.”

Luke glanced around. “Don’t you have to stay and mingle?”

Jimmy stepped even closer, enough to tell that Luke didn’t wear cologne but smelled clean and male and warm.

“Not necessary.”

He grabbed Luke’s hand and pulled him through the crowd. Jimmy made sure to keep a smile on his face, but he wasn’t about to stop and talk to anyone. If they stopped, this strange magic spell might be broken and Luke would suddenly remember he was a straight man. Or even just change his mind about leaving with him. When he was younger, he could pass for a twink, but at thirty-eight he found it more difficult to attract guys who attracted him.

Backstage in the dressing room, Jimmy’s navy peacoat waited for him. Perhaps it wasn’t quite as warm as it could be, but he looked hot in it. As long as he didn’t get himself trapped in a blizzard, he’d be just fine.

He snagged it off the hanger and turned around, only to find Luke right in his face. The silence in the dressing room made it seem like they were the only two people in the world.

A tiny sound, a cross between a gasp and a squeak, emerged from his lips. The spell, the bond between them, intensified with the speed of a lightning strike. He let his coat fall to the floor and curled his hands around the open sides of Luke’s jacket, pulling the man closer.

Meeting with no resistance, Jimmy paused, lips almost touching Luke’s.

“I don’t normally do this,” Jimmy whispered before he gently pressed their lips together. He didn’t. He wanted to be a good role model, so his days of anonymous fucks dried up as soon as he’d been hired by Rivercrest High School. But it had been even longer since he’d wanted someone so intensely at first sight.

Luke exhaled, and wrapped his arms around Jimmy’s waist.

The kiss stayed soft and gentle for a few moments before Jimmy parted his lips and licked at Luke’s lips. With a gratifying moan, Luke opened his mouth and let Jimmy in.

Jimmy’s breath came faster, and he used his body to guide Luke back against the door. Didn’t matter that their mouths were fused together and their tongues twined. He needed to be closer. Needed it more than the breath he was having trouble drawing.

When Luke couldn’t move back any farther, Jimmy let go of the death grip on Luke’s lapels and moved them up to his cheeks and wedged himself between Luke’s legs. God. He was so fucking hard. Between both sets of jeans, though, he wasn’t quite sure if Luke was as into this, although the guy wasn’t trying to get away or anything.

Like his thought had spurred Luke into action, he wrenched his head out of the kiss. Jimmy had never been more disappointed by the loss of a kiss.

“I… I’m sorry. I just couldn’t help myself. But I wasn’t lying. I don’t usually just pounce on guys I’ve known for a minute.” Jimmy was embarrassingly close to panting. Guess there was no chance of getting naked right here in the dressing room. He stepped back, just a bit, to give Luke some room.

He hadn’t misread the situation too badly, had he? After all, Luke’s pupils were blown out, almost obscuring the hazel irises, and he, too, was breathing heavily.

The wide smile made him relax, just a bit. Maybe he hadn’t fucked this up too bad.

An adorable flush darkened Luke’s cheeks. Jimmy didn’t know how old Luke was, but between the blushes and freckles, most people probably pegged him younger than he was—which happened to Jimmy all the time, although in Jimmy’s case, it was the combination of his name and his manic energy that made him appear youthful. Was he younger than Jimmy? Younger guys didn’t go for him often, at least, not once they realized he wasn’t in a position to support a boy toy. Luke, though, looked like a practical soul who maybe worked with his hands. Not a typical mani-pedi-ed, highlighted boy-toy wannabe.

“I don’t either. It’s just, uh….” Luke’s gaze dropped, and Jimmy’s automatically followed. Luke adjusted a healthy erection that had obviously been trapped in an uncomfortable position. There was no stopping Jimmy’s smug smile, and when Luke lifted his eyes again, he drew in a sharp breath.

This time, it was Luke pulling them together, their clothes the only barrier from hip to chest. Jimmy moaned, and this time the kiss was wild and wet and deep. He’d cracked the seal on some untapped well of Luke’s passion, and he was reaping the benefits while Luke fucked his mouth with his tongue.

He didn’t want to push Luke into something he didn’t want, but Jimmy needed more skin. He scrabbled with Luke’s sweater and got his hands underneath to the warm, lightly furred chest. He couldn’t suppress a shiver of delight. There wasn’t much better than rubbing up against a guy with enough hair that you could tell he was a man. It made Jimmy feel safe and protected in some indefinable way, while making him desperately, desperately horny.

Luke’s hands inched down over his ass and gripped, firmly enough that Jimmy had to pull his mouth out of the kiss and bite back a yowl. So fucking perfect.