Page 56 of Bulletproof
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The incident with thepills scared the hell out of Derek. For the past few nights, Derek insisted that Travis stay with him in his suite, despite grumbling protests. The man was so damn headstrong and independent sometimes, preferring to deal with his dysfunctional nocturnal habits on his own, but at least Travis had been compliant. For now, anyway.
Derek hugged the pillow to his chest, rolled over andreached for his lover, but met a cold, hard sheet.
“I’m over here.”
Derek lifted his head, rubbed a weary eye, and found Travis across the room, in the dark, staring out the window. “Did you sleep at all?”
“I’m a vampire. I don’t go to sleep until the sun comes up.”
“Come back to bed, Dracula.”
“I’ll just keep you awake. That’s whyI stay in my own room. Over there, not only do I get to stare at the walls, but I get to listen to Ricky snore in the bed next to me.”
Derek stretched his arms over his head and roared like a lion. “Now I’m up.”
Travis sighed. “That’s exactly what I didn’t want to do. You need to sleep. We’re heading out tomorrow.”
“I can deal with it. I’ve been functioningwith no sleep my entire life. I’ve been staying out all night, partying, drinking, getting high and going straight to sound check. I’m no Boy Scout.”
“I don’t doubt it. You’re the great Derek MacAlister,” Travis said, with admiration. “Never lets the fans down. Never lets his bandmates down. Or his friends.”
“Stop.” Derek felt his cheeks redden. “I just roll with thepunches, that’s all.” He scratched his belly and looked at the clock. “It’s 1:45. Why the fuck am I asleep? This is pathetic! Let’s get some eats. I’m hungry.”
Travis smiled. “I like you.”
“You like me?”
“Yeah. We have the same crazy appetite. It’s a wonder we don’t each weigh 300 pounds.”
Derek pulled on his jeans. “Get dressed. We’re goingout.”
They exited the bedroom and were met with dark silence. The suite was empty, everyone asleep behind closed doors. “What the fuck is this?” Derek asked into the quietude. “It’s 2:00 in the morning and everyone’s asleep? What are we, a bunch of old fucking farts? Wake the fuck up!”
Brandy barked behind Brandon and Cam’s closed bedroom door.
“Shut thefuck up!” Jeremy yelled from his room.
“We’re going to breakfast. Get your asses out of bed!” Derek yelled back.
“If you wait three more hours,” Cam called through the door, “I’ll be up for the day and I’ll make a frittata!”
Travis burst out laughing. “A frittata? What’s a frittata?”
Derek rolled his eyes. Cam and his God damn healthy food. “Thanks,but we’re hungry now.”
“We’ll be happy to try it when we get back, though,” Travis promised.
“Be quiet!” Alan’s grouchy voice yelled from his room. “Some people are trying to fucking sleep!”
“Fine. Sleep like little babies.” Derek went to the door that led to the hallway and pressed his ear against it, listening for sounds of the bodyguards lurking on theother side. When he didn’t hear anything, he cracked open the door and peered out. One bodyguard sat in a chair a few feet down the hallway, chin tucked into his chest, fast asleep. The other wasn’t around. Derek covered his mouth to stifle a laugh, ready to make a break for it. He just wanted to go out one night, alone, without a bodyguard. Without being tailed. Without being followed.
He put his index finger to his lips, indicating for Travis to be quiet, and gently closed the door behind them. They tiptoed down the corridor to the elevator bank, each glancing at the other. It was hilarious, and a soft chuckle escaped Travis’ mouth before he quickly covered it with his hand. Derek grabbed Travis’ arm and they raced down the hall. Once safely inside the elevator, they bothfinally let laughter consume them.
“That was so fucking stupid.” Derek wiped the corner of one eye.
“Why didn’t you just tell him you didn’t need a bodyguard and you were going out without him?”
