Aria (25 page)

Chapter 35

 

“SO WHAT now?” Sam asked. “Since I’ve acted like a complete fool

and you haven’t told me to go home, I’m thinking maybe you’re not so keen to dump me?” He felt shaky, having just spilled his guts. Vulnerable too. But for the first time in a long time, he felt at peace. He’d been avoiding telling Aiden about Nick for too long.

You’ve been avoiding thinking about what happened for even longer
.

 

“As if.” Aiden took his hand and squeezed it. “But we need to talk. About how to make this thing work. Because I want it to.”

“I know. I want it too.” Sam wondered if he looked as fragile as he felt. Still, he’d spent the entire night before thinking about making this relationship work, and he knew he was ready to talk about it.

He took the suitcase off the bed, then lay down and gestured for Aiden to join him. It was awkward with the cast on Aiden’s arm, but Sam helped him so that he rested on his uninjured side, his broken arm against Sam’s chest.

“I feel like a baby,” Aiden admitted. “I can’t even lie down without help.”

“I like taking care of you.” It was true, and he knew that was one of the things he’d been missing so desperately during the long separations. He wanted to feel needed. Useful.

Aiden smiled. Sam was struck by the difference between that smile and the one he’d come to expect when Aiden didn’t want him to know how he felt about something. He resolved not to let Aiden pass off the other smile again.
Never again
. Not if he could help it.

“I like it when you do.”

 

Sam kissed him on the nose, and Aiden laughed. “I also like to hear you laugh like that.”

 

“So what do we do now, Sammy? How do we make this work?” “I’ve been thinking about that. I thought about it on the flight over,” Sam said. “That and the fact that I couldn’t lose you.” “And?”

“And I know I’d probably get in your way, but I was thinking maybe I could come with you when you travel.”
“You’d do that?” Aiden looked genuinely pleased. Surprised too.

“You’d want me to?”

 

“Are you kidding? I’ve wanted to ask you to travel with me. I didn’t think you could manage… I mean, what about your job?” “Which one? The law firm? Or the magistrate job I turned down yesterday?”

“What? But the job was perfect for you.”
“Perfect for my career. Not perfect for me.”
“But you said—”

“I said it was a great career move. That doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for me.” He smiled reassuringly at Aiden.
“I don’t want to hold you back, Sam.”

Sam carefully pulled Aiden back against his chest. He closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in the feel of Aiden’s body, warm and solid against his own. “You aren’t holding me back. You never could.” He paused for a moment, then said, “I like my job. A lot. Stace and I have worked our asses off to make the firm what it is.”

“But that’s the problem.”

“No. It’s not. The firm is doing what it’s supposed to do. What we
intended
it to do—run itself. It doesn’t need me to make things work on a day-to-day basis. It’s why we’ve worked hard to hire good people, and it’s why we pay them well.” When he saw the look of confusion on Aiden’s face, he continued, “But I’ve gotten into the habit of having my fingers in everything even though I don’t need to. But that’s all it is: a habit. It’s time to step back a little. I’m not saying I could give up practicing law like Jason did, but—”
“I’d never want you to.”

Sam’s fingers brushed Aiden’s cheek, and Aiden shivered. “But I can still practice law, and I can do it when and how I’d like,” he continued. “I’m the boss, remember? Honestly, I’d have been traveling with you months ago if I hadn’t been such an idiot. Stace kept telling me I should ask you if you’d want me to come, and I kept telling her I’d be in your way. I should have asked.” God, he was such a fucking idiot! He knew two-year-olds who were better at communicating than he’d been.

“Shit. We’re a pair!”

 

“I’ve got a few other ideas too. But we can talk about those later.” He would talk about them too. He wasn’t going to screw this up again. “They’d better include letting me do some of the work around the apartment when I’m home.”

 

“I think I can arrange that.”

 

“And you’ll stop pretending you’re my butler and unpacking for me?” Aiden kissed Sam’s cheek.

“You really hate that, don’t you?”
“Makes me feel like a guest in my own house,” Aiden explained. “You got it. I like that you call it your house, though.” He really

did. The warm feeling it gave him reminded him of how he’d felt, years ago, living in Brooklyn. Aiden’s presence made the place in Philly feel like home.

“I do too.”

 

“Although I was thinking we might look for something together. A place that’s
ours
,” Sam said. “Maybe even a row house.” “You’d do that? Move?”

This time Sam kissed Aiden. “Yeah. Not that I don’t like the apartment, but I was thinking it’d be nice to have a little backyard. Maybe something along the lines of what David has here. Where we could have dinner in the spring and maybe plant flowers and—”

“I love you, Sammy,” Aiden interrupted, rolling over and wincing when he put too much weight on his arm.

“How long before that stupid cast comes off?” Sam asked as he pulled Aiden back onto his side and arranged the pillows behind him again.

“Too long.” The smile Aiden shot him was wicked. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t take care of me.”

 

“What about Cam?”

“Who?” Aiden shook his head in mock reproach. “I’ll talk to him later. He’ll be back anyhow. He always comes back.”
“I’m going to have a little talk with him.”

“Jealous?” Aiden’s tone was playful, and Sam let out a theatrical sigh.

 

“Damn straight. But don’t you dare tell him that,” Sam warned. “So I’m waiting, Sammy.” Aiden’s eyes flashed with heat. “Are you going to take care of me like you promised?”

 

“I… yeah, but….” He didn’t want to hurt Aiden, but God, he
wanted
him.

“It’s just my arm.” Aiden bit his lower lip. “There are plenty of things you can do to the rest of my body.”
“Tell me what you want me to do.” He wanted Aiden in charge.

Aiden grinned. “Strip.”

 

One word and Sam’s cock filled.
Like magic.
He laughed with the thought.

 

“Nothing funny about this, Mr. Ryan. I gave you an order.” Aiden’s smile belied the stern words.

Sam had already hopped off the bed with his shirt half-undone by the time Aiden finished speaking. He didn’t need to be told twice—he wanted this so badly he ached. The shirt fell to the ground a moment later. As he unbuttoned the waist of his jeans, he watched Aiden. Aiden’s gaze was fierce. Hungry.

Sam unzipped the jeans slowly, teasing. He knew full well Aiden knew what he was up to, though Aiden didn’t let on. Sam pushed down the heavy fabric and stepped out of the legs. His boxers were tented, but instead of giving in to the familiar embarrassment, he forced himself to look Aiden directly in the eyes.

“Nice.” Sam knew Aiden understood the significance. Aiden waited a moment, then said, “Turn around.”

Sam complied, all the while swallowing hard and sucking on his tongue to keep from moaning. His nipples hardened, though he doubted the slight chill in the room was to blame.

“Now take those boxers off. Nice and slow.”

Sam shimmied—slowly—out of the cotton boxers, keenly aware that with each movement, Aiden was studying his ass. He was leaking now. He felt a drop of wetness on his thumb as he nudged the material over his hard cock.

“No,” Aiden said as Sam began to turn around to face him. “Stay like that.”

 

Sam bit his tongue hard enough that he tasted copper. “And don’t fidget.” Sam heard the smile in Aiden’s admonition, but he forced himself to remain still.

“Better.” Another pause, then: “Now turn around and face me.” When Sam was quite literally pointed in Aiden’s direction, Aiden said, “Touch yourself, Sam. Pretend it’s me touching you.”

This time Sam couldn’t bite back the moan. The sound was pleading and pathetic to his own ears.
Holy hell!
Sam grabbed his cock and squeezed with one hand, then ran the other over the tip to wet his fingers.

“That’s it, baby. Squeeze it for me. Does it feel good?” “Fuck, yes” was all Sam could manage to say. He closed his eyes and imagined Aiden’s hands on him, making their way up and back down again, caressing him, working him. His gasps and groans broke the silence from time to time. He heard Aiden’s breathing become more

labored. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Aiden shift on the bed to accommodate the bulge between his legs.

“Now put a finger in your mouth. Slick it up good.” Aiden’s nod of approval sent shivers up Sam’s spine. “That’s it. Now I want you to put it inside yourself.”

Sam’s breath caught in his throat. For a moment, he was unsure if he could do this—not that he hadn’t touched himself there when he’d been home alone, wanting Aiden. But this way? Exposed—vulnerable? “Do it, Sammy. You know you want to.”

Aiden was right. He wanted this. Just the thought of it had him aching to come. He pulled his dripping finger from his mouth and, opening his legs slightly to accommodate his hand, skirted his hole.

Aiden smiled and nodded. “Do it, baby.”

Sam pressed at his entrance until the tip of his finger breached the muscle. “Fuck.” He pushed it farther inside, then realized he was no longer looking at Aiden. He forced his gaze back upward. Aiden’s mouth was slightly open, his breath audible. Seeing Aiden so turnedon, Sam moaned again.

“Put another one in.”

No hesitation this time. Sam withdrew and spit on his fingers, then, as Aiden watched, he worked himself open, hissing and groaning with the pleasure and the pain, all the while stroking himself.

“I want you to come now, Sammy.” Aiden’s eyes were dark, his jaw visibly tense. “I want to see you come. Come and stand at the edge of the bed so I can see you better.”

A minute later, Sam stood next to the bed, stroking himself as he shoved his fingers in and out. “Fuck, Aiden.”

 

“That’s it. You know you want to come. Let me hear you come. Tell me what it feels like.”

“Feels amazing… with you watching me… makes me want to… ah, fuck!” He spurted so hard he shot onto the sheets and all over his hand as his body shuddered. “Aiden!”

He was too far gone to remember when Aiden had moved from the head of the bed to the foot, but he was there, catching Sam’s spunk with his hand and rubbing it over himself. Sam tried to recall when Aiden had pulled down his pants to expose his cock. It didn’t matter. Because a moment later, he settled onto Aiden’s cock and began to fuck himself on Aiden.

“Christ. Aiden. You don’t even know how much I’ve missed you. Missed this.” More than that, Sam missed the way he felt when he put his trust in Aiden. Unquestioningly. Wholeheartedly.

Aiden just laughed and supported himself with his good arm so he wouldn’t fall backward with the effort of their sex.

 

“Aiden. God, Aiden. So good. So fucking good.”

“I’m coming, Sammy. Hold me tight. Tell me you love me. Say my name.”
Sam’s eyes never left Aiden’s. “I love you, Aiden. God, I love you. More than you’ll ever know. You, Aiden. Only you. Forever, Aiden. I love you forever!”

Aiden’s face was transcendent as he came with a shout. “I love you too, Sammy. So much. Only you.”

 

Chapter 36

 

New York City
September

A
IDEN walked to center stage and bowed deeply, doing his best to catch his breath and settle the rapid beating of his heart. The air around him and the floor beneath his feet vibrated with the din of applause. Even now, after six weeks of rehearsals and opening night behind him, the expansiveness of the place overwhelmed him. The Metropolitan Opera. The pinnacle of success for any red-blooded American singer.

He smiled and bowed again before picking up several bouquets adoring fans had tossed onto the stage. The crowd got to its feet, and he heard shouts of “Bravo!” throughout the hall. He looked up at the highest balcony—to the Family Circle seating affectionately called the nosebleed territory. He couldn’t make out faces from this far away, but in his mind’s eye, he envisioned himself seated there as a young singer on his first audition trip to New York. Back then he’d believed that his happiness lay in his career alone. He understood now that it wasn’t enough and never could be.