Double Time

Chapter 13

Trey closed the dressing room door and leaned against it. He’d like to say he was surprised to see the gorgeous, naked man waiting for him, but he wasn’t. It’s the reason why he’d had to talk Reagan into going to the bus without him. Jake had alerted him to this situation right after the show when Trey had handed his guitar to him. If it had been a woman waiting for him in the dressing room, he would have brought Reagan in to make sure his past lover knew that he was serious, but since it was a guy… Well, Reagan didn’t need to know this man rocked Trey’s world every time he came to Topeka.

Trey had spent the hours Reagan had been learning about guitar technicians contacting his usual Topeka entourage and telling them not to come backstage. He’d even taken their names off the guest list. He wasn’t sure how Xavier had managed to get past security.

“Can’t do this tonight, Xavier,” Trey said.

Xavier pouted. “What are you talking about? We do this every time you come to town.”

“I’m in a relationship right now. Put your clothes on.” Trey stared at the floor, not wanting to look at Xavier’s lean body or admit that it turned him on.

“A relationship? What kind of a relationship?” Xavier asked.

Trey forced himself to look into Xavier’s dark eyes. “A serious one.”

Xavier chuckled. “You don’t do serious relationships, Trey. If you did, I wouldn’t be satisfied having you only a few nights a year.”

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be. Get dressed and leave so I don’t have to call security.”

“Now you’re threatening to call security? You don’t have to make up stories to get me to leave. If you’re no longer attracted to me, just say so.”

The problem was Trey was still attracted to him and knowing that he couldn’t have him made Trey want him even more. The man had the most luscious and sensual lips on the planet. Trey could almost feel them against the back of his shoulder and at his nape. And Xavier’s hands. His firm grip always stroked Trey to orgasm within minutes. Trey tried looking anywhere but at Xavier’s proud, rigid cock, but his eyes seemed to have a mind of their own. Trey wanted to be possessed by this man, not in the spiritual way that Reagan possessed him, but the physical way that she couldn’t.

Xavier approached slowly. He moved like a cat, his graceful limbs drawing him across the room in long, fluid strides. A long-distance runner, Xavier had a lean, athletic build that made Trey’s belly quiver. “Why do you lie to me, Trey Mills? I see the way you look at me. I know you want me.”

Trey shook his head. “I am in a relationship,” he said. “Reagan is… Reagan is… Reagan…” Xavier was standing so close that Trey could feel his body heat, smell the mix of aftershave, cocoa butter, and arousal on him. His dark skin looked so warm and smooth and inviting, especially the hard cock situated inches from prodding Trey in the belly.

“A woman?” Xavier laughed. “And you are monogamous with her? This woman?”

Trey nodded.

“How long have you been together with her?”

Trey almost didn’t want to admit the truth. He’d only been with Reagan a short while and he was already craving some man-on-man action. It didn’t help that Xavier was one of his favorite lovers, and he usually looked forward to their times together. “Three days.”

Xavier cupped Trey’s face and ran his thumb over his cheek. “So new. How sweet. I will wait for you to return to me next time. I am a patient man, but also logical. A man who likes cock as much as you do will never survive a monogamous relationship with a woman.”

“I really care about her,” Trey said. He did. Xavier was wrong. Trey would make it work with Reagan. He just needed someone to keep the naked men out of his dressing room and things would go much better. Out of sight, out of dirty mind.

“She’s a lucky woman. You should tell her I said that.”

Not in ten million years.

Trey slid around Xavier’s tall body and headed for the connecting bathroom. “I expect you to be gone by the time I’m done showering.”

Xavier groaned. “You test a man to his limits, Trey. That might be why I’m so in love with you.”

Trey picked up Xavier’s discarded shirt and tossed it at him. “Now who’s making up bullshit stories?”

“Believe what you must.”

Trey entered the bathroom and locked the door. He wasn’t sure if he’d locked it to keep Xavier out or to keep himself from inviting him in. Trey had to take a shower though or Reagan would know he was keeping things from her. He wanted to be completely honest with her about everything. Well, except for his past attraction to men. She didn’t need to know about that, but everything else… completely honest. He was still trying to convince himself that he was being honest with Reagan when he finished his shower and found, with a strange mix of relief and disappointment, that Xavier had done what he’d asked and left.

He wasn’t prepared to find Reagan waiting for him outside the dressing room door. Had she seen Xavier leave? That was bound to bring up all sorts of questions he wasn’t prepared to answer.

“Feel better?” she asked in a clipped tone.

Shit. She knew about Xavier. Why else would she be pissed off at him?

“Not really. I’m clean now, but I need some alone time with my woman to alleviate the rest of the heat in my body.”

He drew her against him and kissed her, hoping that he could distract her enough to make her forget all those questions that must be swarming around in her mind.

She pulled away. “Is there a woman in there?” she asked. “Is that why you tried to get me out of the way?”

“A woman?” Trey said, feigning astonishment. “Of course not. Don’t you trust me?”

“You’re not acting very trustworthy,” she said, wrapping her arms around her body to shut him out. “I can’t think of any other reason why you’d want to get rid of me so quickly after the show.”

“I didn’t want to get rid of you.” He went to the dressing room and pulled open the door. “Go ahead and have a look. There are no women there.”

She didn’t look inside. She turned and started walking down the corridor as fast as her legs could carry her.

Trey jogged to catch up with her. “Why are you mad?”

“If you’re going to cheat on me, break up with me now, Trey,” she said, her eyes trained on the door that led outside. It was as if she couldn’t get away from him fast enough.

“I’m not going to cheat on you, Reagan.”

“Because trusting someone and having them cheat on you? It fucking rips your heart out.” She slammed the door open with both hands, startling several of the crew who were loading things into the semitrailer outside.

Trey finally caught up with her at the bottom of the tour bus steps. He grabbed her by both arms and turned her to face him. His heart gave an unpleasant lurch when he saw the tears swimming in her eyes.

“Reagan,” he said, “don’t be upset. I wasn’t cheating on you. I wouldn’t do that. If it came to that, I would break up with you first. Okay? I promise.”

She covered her face with both hands. “Don’t look at me. I can’t stand for people to see me cry.”

He tugged her against his chest and she buried her face in his shirt. “I can’t see,” he said, rubbing her back with both hands. “I don’t understand why you’re so upset about this though. I swear nothing happened.”

“You’re hiding something from me. I know you are.”

“I’m not.” He hated to lie, but damned if the truth wouldn’t hurt her more. He was serious about not cheating on her. He would never do that to anyone, especially not someone he cared about as much as he did Reagan.

“You are, Trey. I know you’re not telling me something. I’m not stupid.” Her arms went around his back and she drew him closer. “Just tell me. Even if it hurts. I want to know.”

“The truth?” Half-truth. “You’re right.” She made a pained sound in the back of her throat, but he pushed on with his explanation. “There was someone waiting for me in my dressing room. I didn’t go in there to fool around with them. I went in there to get rid of them. Okay? Every city I go to, I have several people who are used to hooking up with me after a show. It’s going to take a while for them all to realize I’m not available anymore. That I have a girlfriend now and I’m not interested in them.”

“So you were trying to get rid of me earlier.”

“I was trying to avoid hurting you, Reagan. I had no intention of cheating on you and I didn’t. I just didn’t want you to have to deal with a jealous ex-lover.”

She looked up at him and smiled in relief. “Thanks for telling me the truth.”

Half-truth.

“You can tell me these things, Trey. I’d rather know than have you hide them from me.”

“Okay. Next time something like that happens, I’ll tell you.” But there were things he couldn’t tell her. If she was this upset over finding out that he hadn’t cheated on her, how would she react if she knew the person who’d been waiting for him in his dressing room hadn’t been a woman as he’d led her to believe, but rather a man?