Page 54 of Half Notes and Highlights
“Eventually.”
“One more thing. I asked Wolf to tone it down. I want you two to get along. Can you try too? Please?”
Tyler gave Ethan the side eye for a quick second before his face returned to its usual carefree expression. “Of course, I’ll try to get along with him. I always do.”
Ethan sighed, unsure if anything would ever change between the two people he cared about most in the world. “Thanks. I know this isn’t easy for you. It’s not easy for him either. Or me.”
Tyler paused to look at Ethan, his face now serious. “I know that seeing you and I together is hard for him. I understand that you’re in the middle and don’t want to take sides. I’ll try to be patient with him if he gets testy, but I’m not going to be ridiculed or be on the receiving end of snide comments without standing up for myself. I’m not anyone’s pin cushion.”
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right.” Heaviness weighed on Ethan’s head and heart, because he knew he couldn’t force Wolf and Tyler to be friends. He only hoped that they could be civil to one another.
“Now, let’s move on.” Tyler waved his hand through the air, as if to wipe away the tension, and his eyes took on their usual brightness. “What’s the plan for the rest of the day? I saw signs in the lobby for one of those paint things going on here this afternoon.”
“What paint things?”
“You know. Where you drink wine, and an instructor teaches you how to paint a cool landscape or bird or something.”
Ethan had zero artistic talent. “You paint?”
“No. But it’s supposed to be easy because the instructor tells you exactly how to do it. Like a paint-by-number but without the numbers.”
“That doesn’t sound easy, but I’m up for it. I’ll have Zoe look into it and figure out how we can attend without causing a scene.”
“Life with you is always a scene. But I like it.”
Zoe was able to sneak Ethan and Tyler into the paint class early, and they sat in the back of the room, almost unnoticed. The event was in one of the hotel conference rooms, so only those with paid tickets were allowed on the floor and able to enter. As the room started to fill, a few stares came Ethan’s way and he saw a phone or two click a photo, but once the artist started giving out instructions, she held everyone’s attention.
“She’s going too fast,” Tyler commented. “I’m still painting the shore and she’s already on the boat.”
“Tell me about it,” Ethan mumbled. “I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. I’m just painting.” It was kind of abstract, but he could tidy it up at the end. Right now, he was trying to keep up.
It turns out, he didn’t have time to fix some of the mistakes he made because as soon as the instructor painted the last element on the beachscape, Zoe slipped in and sat at the table with Ethan and Tyler.
“The instructor is going to detain everyone for five minutes. Come with me.”
They followed Zoe, and a bubble of security accompanied them back to the suite without anyone noticing.
“That was so stealthy,” Tyler commented. “Do you get tired of it?”
“Dodging the fans so I can leave my room and walk around at will? Hell yeah. But it’s better than the days when no one knew who I was.”
Tyler stepped back and admired their paintings which were side by side on the credenza, drying. “They’re so different, but they’re both amazing.”
“You’re amazing.” Ethan cupped Tyler’s face in his hands and kissed him. The touch of his lover’s lips stirred every inch of him, just like they always did. He couldn’t believe they’d been together all day and hadn’t made love yet. What the hell was wrong with him? He couldn’t wait another second and broughtTyler into the bedroom where they spent the next forty minutes reacquainting their bodies.
“You kill me,” Tyler panted when they were done. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“You kill me too.” Ethan traced a finger down the perimeter of Tyler’s beautiful face. His complexion was perfect, with a slight tan and healthy glow. His soft honey eyes were breathtaking. And his perfect heart-shaped lips were intoxicating. “That mouth.” He kissed Tyler, probing his tongue deeply. “The things you do with it.” He placed another penetrating kiss on Tyler’s gorgeous mouth, tasting every inch of it.
“And the places I put it?” Tyler asked, coyly, then laughed.
A reminder of where Tyler’s mouth had been a very short time ago, made Ethan’s butt cheeks clench, and then he let out a small laugh. “I don’t care.” And he kissed Tyler again, his tongue invading every inch of that delicious mouth.
“I’m glad you’re open-minded.” Tyler snuggled into Ethan, and they languished in bed until they needed to get up.
Part of Ethan wanted to stay in bed all night, since Tyler was leaving in the morning, but he also wanted normalcy between Wolf and Tyler, and the only way for that to happen was for all of them to spend time together. On the other hand, the whole thing could backfire again. One sure way to start the night off wrong was to be just rolling out of bed smelling of sex when Wolf arrived, so Ethan nudged Tyler. “Let’s get cleaned up. The guys should be here soon. Race you to the shower?”
Another thing about Tyler that shouldn’t have been a surprise is that he had a super competitive streak, and at the mention of a race, he was out of bed and in the bathroom turning on the shower jets before Ethan had his feet on the bedroom floor.
