Page 84 of Sycopation
“Green,” Ray murmured.
This man was too much. Zavier took that mouth until Ray moaned, then broke the kiss. “Let’s go kill ’em tonight.”
They did exactlythat until they were drenched in sweat and exhausted. Zavier’s back burned and Ray looked like he mightfall over, though his smile was so bright they could use it as a spotlight. Carl lurked in the wings, frowning, and once the encores were over he marched into the green room, where the band had collapsed, and pointed at Ray. “What the hell is that?”
Ray followed the path of Carl’s pointing finger to his shoulder. “It’s a hickey. A bite mark.” Carl stared. Ray stared back before lifting an eyebrow. “Yeah, I got it during sex. You got a problem with that?”
Rather than reply, Carl stomped out of the room.
Dom shook his head, finally not blushing at the mention of sex. “You’d think he’d never met rock stars before.”
“He’s probably going to try to figure out who gave it to Ray.” Mish rubbed her feet. “Which is idiotic, ’cause Zav’s right here.”
Zavier couldn’t help laughing. If Carl didn’t want to put two and two together, well, he wasn’t about to help him.
They cleaned up for the signing lines—Ray back in a T-shirt—and managed to get through everyone before midnight. Then it was back onto the bus and off to Utah. Long trip, but one with a hotel room at the end and a day off from playing. Even with Ray giving him those long, hooded looks, Zavier didn’t have much energy left, either to dominate or fuck. Still, when Ray headed toward the back of the bus, he followed.
Mish and Dom both had smirks. Zavier rolled his eyes at them, but smiled anyway. He pulled the privacy curtain closed.
Ray stood in the space, swaying with the bus, and staring at the couch on which they’d taken so much pleasure. “I had to ditch the bracelet. It was pretty disgusting by the time the concert was over.”
“That’s fine.” Zavier swept a hand over Ray’s back. He felt the shudder when he cupped Ray’s neck. “Figured that might happen.”
“Hence string and not leather?” Ray met his gaze. There was a hunger there, a deep, deep hunger. But none of the other signs that meant Ray was a live wire of lust.
“Exactly.” He let his hand fall away. “Is there something you want?”
Ray nodded slowly. “It’s—not sex, though. I’m beat.”
“Ditto.”
“But my mind won’t stop. I—god. Do you ever get music and words and everything just—tangled up in there?”
“No, but other things, yes.” He pulled Ray toward the couch. “Tell me about it.”
Ray sat and dropped his hands into his head. “The words are easy to get out. I write them down, even if they’re shitty. But the music—the colors and the shapes and the lines—I can’t stop seeing them. Feeling them in my blood.” He lifted his head. “I bet that makes no sense. I’ve tried to tell Mish and Dom, but they don’t get it.”
“Don’t worry about it making sense to me.” Zavier focused on Ray, whose gaze shifted from object to object in the room. “Tell me anyway. I want to know.”
“I...see music, Zav. Likeseeit. Shapes and colors and...” He shrugged. “Been that way forever. I put hues and forms together on the guitar until they look right.”
Fuck, Ray really had been a musical prodigy.Hell. Someone should have noticed. “Synesthesia,” he said.
Ray nodded. “Yeah. I found out there was a name for it on the internet.” He laughed. “Was kind of a relief.”
One Zavier knew well, for different reasons.
“I do note things down with colored pens and stuff. But sometimes my brain gets so fuckingfull.” Ray sighed and collapsed against the back of the couch. “Would it be weird if I—knelt at your feet? Like the first time? Not for sex. Not even tosubmit or whatever it is I do when I get all out of my head to obey you—but just to be here? With you?”
The worry there. Warmth spread through Zavier, and his chest ached. “Ray, you can always kneel like that if you need to. Or we can sit. Whatever you need from me.” He dropped his hand on Ray’s knee. Kept it there.
Ray relaxed under his touch. “Told you I was a burden. Just ask Dom.”
“Shush. I bet Dom would disagree.”
“Oh, he would, just to spite me.” Ray rolled his head and met Zavier’s gaze. “He’s put up with my antics for years, but we’re not like this.” He gestured between the two of them. “He’s not touchy-feely. You like touching me.”
“Like I said, not entirely altruistic on my part.”
