Page 85 of Bulletproof
Derek was flabbergasted. Hard rock to country music. The two were on the opposite ends of the spectrum. “You’re singing country music now?”
Travis answered with a booming laugh. “No. I’m not singing country music. I am playing the guitar now, though. A little. I’m learning through on-line courses. But . . .” he tugged on Derek’s hair. “Maybe a guitar god could give me a few lessons.”
“I’d love to, Travis!”
“There’s more. I’m writing country music and selling it to Nashville’s biggest stars. I got a new gig – Travis Fontana, country music songwriter.”
“That’s unbelievable. But don’t you want to sing anymore?”
“I’ll get back to singing one day. And performing. But not right now. The pressure of the tour was too much for me.I couldn’t handle it. Everyone was breathing down my neck. Deadlines. Answering to the label and my bandmates. I hated it. Apparently, I don’t work well with others.” Travis laughed at that. “I work at my own pace now. No pressure. And I’m battling my stage fright.”
“And the label?” Derek asked. “They’re OK with you walking away?”
“Lawyers took care of it. I gave themsome lyrics I wrote for Reckless’ new album. I still owe them two more songs, but I got time to hand them over. I got a manager, too, so I don’t have to deal with any of the bullshit.” He shrugged. “And that’s where I’m at.”
“I’m so fucking proud of you, Trav.” Derek wrapped his arms around Travis in a congratulatory hug that quickly turned into something much more. Strong arms huggedDerek back, while Travis pressed his face into the arc of Derek’s neck, leaving hot breath on his collarbone that brought back a ton of memories which left Derek’s legs weak.
“I missed you so much.” The words left Travis’ lips on a quivering exhale. He pulled back to look into Derek’s eyes, never letting go. “I’m so sorry about everything I put you through. I never wanted to exposeyou to any of it.”
“I wanted to help you. Didn’t you know that?”
The crinkle between Travis’ brows deepened. “Of course I did. I couldn’t have gotten through the tour without you. But even with you to hold me up, I was still falling. I needed more help than you could give.” Travis swallowed, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “I got the help I needed, and I’m here now,ready to give myself to you completely. No baggage. No bullshit. Just me and all the love I have to offer.” A lone tear fell down Travis’ cheek. “Please say you still want me. I’m sorry if I—”
Completely unable to control how much he wanted this incredible man, Derek pressed a vehement kiss on Travis’ mouth, silencing him. Derek’s insatiable tongue probed with possessive force andvoracity before he backed off and slowed to almost a halt, remembering how soft and tender their kisses had always been, never hard or hurried.
Travis pulled away, a questioning squint permeating his furrowed brows. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just thought I was being too rough.” Derek’s head was still reeling, unsure about a million things when it came to Travis. Theman was an enigma, in the most marvelous and wonderful way.
An amused smile lit up Travis’ face. “Today is one day I don’t mind a hard impatient kiss. I’ve waited a long time for this day, Derek. I honestly didn’t know if you’d want to see me again.”
“What are you talking about?” Hadn’t Travis known how much Derek cared? Hadn’t he made it crystal clear? “I love you, Travis.I’ve never been in love before. I love you so much my chest felt like it was caving in when you were gone.”
Tears welled on Travis’ lower lids, then gently fell one by one, like two lone drops of rain. “I’m so sorry. You’re the one person I never wanted to hurt. I hate myself for doing that to you.” He sniffed and tightened his jaw. “Staying away was the hardest thing I ever had todo. But I had to do it. And I did. I know what I want in life. Nothing is going to stop me from going after it ever again.” He smiled through teary eyes. “And right now, I want you. Naked. In bed. Will you let me back in your life?”
“Do you really need to ask?”
“Yes. I don’t take you for granted, Derek.” He stared at Derek, expectantly. “I’m waiting for your answer.”
“FUCK YEAH!” Derek shouted toward the sky, at the top of his lungs. He brought his mouth down on Travis’ in an unyielding heavy kiss, tasting the man that eluded him for weeks. The familiar scent of Travis’ skin and the flavor of his lips sent a burst of endorphins coursing through Derek’s bloodstream. “I don’t know how I survived without you.”
“Back atcha, MacAlister.”Travis smiled against Derek’s lips. “Take me upstairs already and make love to me.”
They raced into the house, took the stairs two at a time, hands interlocked and never letting go. Once inside the bedroom, they discarded their clothing, neither waiting for the other. They jumped onto the bed and rolled into each other’s arms, where their lips found one another and engaged in a lustfulkiss. Stubble rubbed against stubble, reminding Derek how much he missed this man. Never wanting to be apart again, he pressed himself against Travis, aligning their bodies to form a perfect silhouette of one.
A shy finger traced down Derek’s spine, sending a flutter of gooseflesh over his skin. The way Travis touched him, so lightly, yet so purposeful, ignited an inferno of want.Now that they were finally reunited, the time apart seemed magnified, and the pain of Derek’s broken heart permeated his memory. Relief that Travis had come back, and their lives were about to move forward as he had envisioned, saturated him with a joyful hum. Overwrought, he suddenly wanted to cry, and buried his face in Travis neck. “Never leave me again,” he whispered, realizing he sounded asfrail and vulnerable as Travis used to.
Travis lifted Derek’s chin and gazed at him. “I’m in a good place now, but it’s likely that at some point I may backslide. My medication may need to be adjusted, and I won’t know it until the symptoms present themselves. I can handle it now. I know how to deal with it. I promise, as long as you want me in your life, I’m here. I’ll never leave.”
Derek didn’t know the tear had spilled down his cheek until Travis wiped it away with his thumb. Travis’ lips moved to Derek’s neck and placed a tiny kiss just below Derek’s ear. One by one, Travis left a trail of light kisses along Derek’s collarbone. They were soft, barely-there dots of fire that burned Derek to his core. He leaned his head back and sighed up to the ceiling, rollingover on his back and throwing his free arm across the bed. He lay still while Travis languished his chest and torso with nips and licks as soft as a butterfly. He expected the next kiss to fall just below his navel, but it landed directly on the tip of his cock. The rush of endorphins and the bolt of electricity made Derek gasp. When Travis sucked the head into his mouth and fiddled with the tipwith his tongue, it was as if a live wire sent a current to the ends of Derek’s fingers and toes. He lifted his hips, pushing himself deeper, and Travis responded by taking him all the way to the back of his throat before placing a row of mouthy kisses up and down the shaft.
“Oh my God.” Derek breathed heavily, arms out to his sides as if reaching for the corners of the room.
Travis smiled against Derek’s cock, never slowing the gentle tickling with his tongue, which drove Derek crazy. His sac tightened, and pressure built inside him as the start of an orgasm ravished him. Recognizing the signs, Travis sat back on his knees, and then crawled up the bed to lie alongside Derek.
Face down on his stomach, Travis placed a delicate kiss on Derek’s shoulder.“Make love to me.”
Too flushed to answer, Derek rolled on top of Travis in one motion, sliding his hard cock against the seam between Travis’ butt cheeks. Without moving or slowing, he reached for the nightstand and retrieved a condom and tube of lubricating jelly.
