Page 89 of Bulletproof
“They’re fucking awesome!” As Travis gazed at Derek, an array of emotions passedover him. He took Derek’s hand and pulled his lover close enough to whisper into his ear. “Why are you so good to me? Why are you such a sweetheart?” He swallowed to steady his wavering voice and buried his face into Derek’s shoulder. “I love you so much.”
Derek lowered the volume, and then returned his hands to softly rub the back of Travis’ neck. “You deserve it, Travis. You hada fucked up life before I met you. Now I’m here, and I want to give you everything you missed out on. I want to give you happy memories. I want to make you happy because you make me happy. Happier than I’ve ever been.”
Travis wiped the tears that leaked from the corners of his eyes and smiled sheepishly. “Only you would say something so sweet.” He found himself wrapped in Derek’sarms and suffocated by Derek’s hair. He needed to pull back in order to breathe, and when he did, he found a mischievous smile spread across Derek’s face, and it made Travis chuckle slightly. “What now?”
Derek brushed a magazine off the coffee table and waved his hand over it. “Do you want to do the honors, or should I?”
Travis laughed at his lover’s crazy habit. “Goahead.”
Derek raised the volume before he jumped onto the coffee table, as if it were a riser at the end of the stage. He jutted his hips forward, shook his hair so it flew all around his face, and played air guitar like a maniac.
Rolling up a magazine to use as a microphone, Travis joined Derek on the coffee table and sang at the top of his lungs along withGo To Warby Nothing More. When they were done, they fell onto the couch, out of breath and filled with giddy laughter. Travis watched the music pulse from the subwoofers, admiring the best birthday gift he could imagine receiving, until his belly reminded him that he hadn’t eaten breakfast. “Do you think food would magically appear if I snapped my fingers, since it’s my birthday? I’m starving.”
“It might.”
Travis hugged Derek tighter and gazed dreamily at his lover, overwrought with sentiment at his lover’s kindness. “I could forget about food and just stay here in your arms.”
Derek placed a tender kiss on Travis’ lips. “Me too, but I got another surprise, and it should be here in about 15 minutes.”
“Breakfast?” Travis asked, a hopeful liltto his voice.
“Uh-huh.”
“Oh, man! I wish every day was my birthday!”
“Today’s your day. Enjoy it.” Derek gave Travis’ thigh a squeeze. “I guess we should shower and get dressed.”
“For breakfast?” Travis asked, a quizzical tone to his voice.
Derek pulled Travis to his feet. “Let’s go, birthday boy.”
They languished inthe warm water, the scented soap filling the steam with a woodsy fragrance. Travis washed Derek’s long hair, running his fingers through it, and massaging his lover’s scalp. The sensual caress made Derek relax and fall back into Travis, but Travis was the one who let out a hedonic sigh.
“I’m supposed to be pampering you today,” Derek said, as he swayed lazily under Travis’ touch.
“By allowing me to do this, youarepampering me.”
After the shower, Travis towel dried Derek’s hair, then ran the blow dryer over it, all the while receiving an adoring gaze that turned his insides to liquid. He tossed Derek a pair of sweats and was about to step into a pair of board shorts, when Derek stopped him.
“We’re dressing for breakfast, remember?Something nice. Maybe a button-down shirt?”
Travis laughed. “I don’t own a button-down shirt.”
“You do now. And so do I.” Derek stuck his hands into Travis’ closet and pulled out two brand new shirts, pressed into perfect squares. “One for me and one for you.”
“What the hell is this?” Travis took one and examined it, then compared it to the shirt in Derek’shand. They were identical black dress shirts. “You’re serious about this?”
“Just put the shirt on. It’ll be nice.”
Travis went along with Derek’s little charade. The stiff cotton felt unfamiliar against his chest and uncomfortable. It meant something to Derek, so he didn’t complain. He turned from his reflection to find Derek staring at him.
“You clean upreal nice, Fontana,” Derek said, as he fixed Travis’ collar.
Travis couldn’t answer. He was spellbound by his lover. Derek’s midnight black hair cascaded over his shoulders and blended with the shirt so it looked like his long locks fell all the way down to the hem of the shirt. The neck was open at the center, exposing Derek’s broad pecs. Black and gray tattoos peeked through thematerial like a glimpse of draped artwork. Travis slowly unbuttoned another button and touched his lips to Derek’s. The man wilted under his touch and leaned into him.
“You’re so tender,” Derek whispered against Travis’ lips. “I never knew a touch like yours.”
Travis answered by running his hands under Derek’s shirt and lightly caressed the man’s nipples.
