Eight Nights (5 page)

They descended in the elevator in silence, listening to the chatter of a group of German tourists, and the black cloud hanging over them didn’t dissipate as they headed up West Thirty-fourth Street. Instead of suffering through an awkward lunch, Lucas faked a headache. Nate felt like a stranger on the ferry back to Staten Island, and Lucas happily accepted an invitation from Sam for pizza and poker with him and his friends that night.

Before they left, they dutifully participated in lighting the menorah. It was the fourth night, and after lighting the middle candle, Mrs. Kramer lit the four candles to the right.

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Nate disappeared as soon as they were done, and Lucas tried to brush it aside. He actually had a good time with Sam’s friends, and almost forgot about the tension with Nate.

Almost.

They came home late, smelling of smoke and the can of beer that had been shaken and sprayed on everyone in attendance. Lucas pushed open the door to Nate’s darkened room as quietly as he could, tiptoeing inside. Nate slept, curled toward the windows.

After weighing his options -- go to bed reeking or risk waking Nate by having a shower -- Lucas crept into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Stripping his clothes off, he jumped into the shower, enjoying the hot water.

He was on his second shampoo when he realized he wasn’t alone. Through the transparent curtain, he saw Nate closing the bathroom door behind him. Leaning against it, he watched Lucas.

“Sorry. Did I wake you?” Lucas shifted uneasily. He felt like he was on display in the bright light of the bathroom and resisted the urge to cover himself with a towel.

Nate took his boxers off, sliding back the shower curtain. The shampoo trickled down Lucas’s forehead, and Nate washed it away with his palm. Stepping back, Lucas silently invited him into the shower. They kissed, tongues winding together as their hands explored.

Lucas wasn’t sure when Nate had picked up the soap, but he leaned into his touch as Nate lathered him.

His cock was at full attention, and Lucas could feel Nate’s hardness against his ass as Nate turned him around to face away from the spray of water. His hands still roamed over Lucas, and then one of his fingers slipped just inside Lucas’s hole. Lucas tensed, his eyes popping open.

“Relax.” Nate whispered in his ear before sucking the lobe gently.

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Lucas tried to do as he was told, and Nate’s finger probed a little deeper. It felt…God, it felt good. Really good. He must have said it out loud, because Nate chuckled. “Just wait. It gets better.”

“What are you --” Lucas’s heart hammered wildly. He knew he was entering uncharted territory.

“I’m going to eat your ass.”

The words sounded so dirty as they dripped from Nate’s tongue. Lucas had read about rimming, but reading and experiencing were two very different things. He took a deep shuddering breath, excitement thrumming through his veins as Nate knelt behind him, spreading open his cheeks.

At the first touch of Nate’s tongue against his hole, Lucas thought he might come right then and there. He leaned forward, bracing his hands wide on the slick tiles as Nate licked and nibbled at his ass, thrusting his tongue inside. If Nate hadn’t held him up, Lucas was sure his legs would collapse as flashes of pleasure shot through his whole body, all the way to the tips of his fingers.

He moaned, breathing heavily as Nate worked magic with his mouth and tongue.

When Nate’s hand snuck around to stroke Lucas’s cock, Lucas felt a shower of sparks, and his balls tightened. His orgasm shook his body, and he cried out as the pleasure overtook him, centered on his cock and his hole, where Nate had his head buried.

Propped up by the wall, Lucas tried to catch his breath. Nate’s tongue traveled all the way up his spine until Nate nuzzled at the back of his neck.

“Like that?” Nate whispered, nipping at Lucas’s shoulder.

Lucas tried to respond, and could only nod. He felt Nate’s erection against his ass and thought about what it would be like to bend over and let Nate fuck him, to feel his hot cock pressing inside. Before he could do anything, Nate turned him around and put Lucas’s hand 36 Keira Andrews

on his rigid cock, urging Lucas to stroke him. He did, and Nate leaned into his touch, his eyes drifting shut.

Nate didn’t take long to come, and when he was done, they cleaned up under the hot spray of water, neither in a rush to go anywhere. Lucas was just finishing rinsing the conditioner out of his hair when Nate said, “Sorry about today. I was a jerk. I can get like that sometimes.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t mean to push or whatever.”

Nate turned off the water and stepped out onto the bathmat, wrapping a towel around his lean hips. “It wasn’t your fault. It’s just…” He stopped, his hand on the doorknob.

“What?”

Nate met his eyes. “No one’s ever read me that easily before.” Then he was gone, leaving Lucas alone in the steam.

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When the phone rang in the kitchen, Nate snapped it up off the cradle. “Hello?” He was silent for a moment. “Mom, you know we’ve got tickets for Wicked. In fact, it was you who bought them and insisted I take Lucas to this stupid musical in the first place.”

Lucas shifted uncomfortably in his chair at the kitchen table. He hated witnessing fights, even if they were one-sided. They’d been waiting for over half an hour for Mrs.

Kramer to return home, since she’d requested they light the menorah with her before going into the city.

“Okay, Mom. I know.” After a beat he added, “I love you, too.” Nate hung up and turned to Lucas. “Come on, we’ve got to light this thing and hit the road.”

Lucas followed as Nate went to the living room, pausing to stick his head down the hall toward the den. “Dad! Mom says we should just light it without her tonight.”

“Oh.” There was a pause, and Lucas could hear the familiar sounds of football on the TV. If his dad was still around, they’d be watching together… He quickly shook off the memories of his father, not allowing himself to dwell. “You boys go ahead without me. And take my car into the city if you want.”

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Nate’s eyebrows raised. “Yeah? Okay, Dad.” At the front window, he whispered to Lucas. “He usually doesn’t let us within a hundred yards of his Audi.”

He struck a match, and Lucas blinked in surprise. “Don’t you have to say those things first? The blessings?”

Nate sighed, smiling. “You’re worse than my mom.” He closed his eyes and spoke the two blessings quickly, and Lucas told himself he shouldn’t find it hot. Nate opened his eyes.

“Okay, now you can light the candles.”

“Me? I’m really not qualified.”

Laughing, Nate struck another match, lighting the middle candle. “This is the Shamash, which means guard or servant. So we take this” -- Nate picked up Lucas’s hand and put it on the candle, his palm warm as he covered Lucas’s hand with his own -- “and then light the other candles with it.”

Lucas let Nate’s hand guide his as they lit five other candles, ending with the one on the far right. Standing so close to Nate, Lucas felt the warmth of his body and yearned to touch him. They placed the Shamash back in its place, but still held it as their eyes met. In the soft, flickering light, Nate had never looked so gorgeous, and Lucas wanted to kiss him more than ever.

“You should get going. Traffic’s always bad getting to the theatre district.” Mr.

Kramer’s voice boomed out from the hallway, and Lucas and Nate sprang apart.

Mr. Kramer rounded the corner. “Ah, candles lit. Very good.” He pulled his wallet out.

“Here’s some money for gas, and to have a bite after the show if you want.” He handed Nate a wad of bills. “It’s very nice of you to entertain Sam’s friend.” He turned to Lucas before going back to the den. “Merry Christmas.”

Lucas tried to smile. “Thanks.” Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself once more.

He’d almost gotten through the day; he just needed to keep occupied.

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In the car, they were quiet as Nate headed to the Verrazano Bridge. Finally Lucas said,

“If only your dad knew just how nice you’re being.” They laughed, and drove toward the lights of the city.

When the play let out a few hours later, Lucas and Nate walked into the crisp, clear night. Cabs zoomed in and out of traffic, and the city was alive with light and sound. Lucas had never seen anything quite like it. After a minute, he realized Nate was chuckling.

“What’s so funny?”

“You look like Dorothy arriving in Oz.”

“Don’t make me start singing.” Lucas put on a mock serious expression.

“Start? You’ve been humming and skipping since we left the theater!”

Lucas shoved Nate’s arm playfully. “So I like musicals, okay? Besides, don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it. You know you got verklempt at the end.”

“Ohhhh, busting out the Yiddish! Impressive. Very impressive.”

“Your Bubbe taught me a thing or two the other night.”

Nate’s cell rang, and while he talked, Lucas gazed around as they continued walking.

Manhattan at night was as vibrant and intoxicating as he always imagined. He thought fleetingly of the sleepy little college town to which he’d soon be returning, and lost a bit of the spring in his step.

Snapping his cell shut, Nate turned to Lucas and eyed him critically, unzipping Lucas’s light jacket. “You’ve gotta lose the plaid.”

“What?” Lucas glanced down at his outfit of jeans, black tee, and open plaid shirt. “You said this was fine.”

“I believe my exact words were that you’d fit in with the other tourists,” Nate teased.

“Okay, so where are we going now?”

“To a flannel-free zone.” Nate grinned slyly. “Don’t worry, you’ll like it.”

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* * * * *

The neon sign on the building screamed Gomorrah in scarlet. Lucas was amazed how many people were clubbing on Christmas. Leaning in close, Lucas whispered, “Have I mentioned I’m not twenty-one?”

“Shhh. Just look cute. I’ll handle the rest.”

Their turn came at the front of the line, and Nate handed two pieces of ID to the bouncer, who looked them over carefully before giving them back and miraculously waving them inside. In line for coat check, Lucas tried to play it cool, but couldn’t.

“What did you give him?”

The thumping bass was muted in the vestibule, but still loud. Nate put his lips right up to Lucas’s ear, sending a shiver down Lucas’s spine. “My driver’s license and my library card, plus fifty bucks from my dad.”

Lucas didn’t stop laughing until they pushed open the doors to the interior of the club, and he gazed around, speechless. The cavernous, multilevel circular space was full of men.

Young, hot men. Strobe lights pulsed in time to the deafening beat, and Lucas could barely hear himself think.

A few women were here and there, but by and large it was the most male place Lucas had ever been. The most gay. It was like heaven. Granted, a very loud, crowded, and sexed-up heaven.

Nate must have spotted his friends, because the next thing Lucas knew, Nate was pulling him along as they weaved through the crowd surrounding the dance floor. Lucas didn’t mind; as long as Nate was holding his hand, he’d go anywhere.

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“Hey!” A very good-looking guy with light brown skin and the clearest eyes Lucas had ever seen waved to them. Those eyes raked over Lucas, taking him in from head to toe. The man winked at Nate before dropping a quick kiss on his lips. He then turned to Lucas, extending his hand and speaking loudly over the din. “I’m Yaman.”

Four cute young men sidled up, all also kissing Nate on the mouth in greeting, which surprised Lucas. It also made him ridiculously jealous. Nate had dropped his hand when they’d found their little space in the crowd, and Lucas fought the urge to sling his arm over Nate’s shoulders possessively.

After Lucas was introduced to Jamie, Ryan, Gord, and Dave, he tried to pay attention as they all chattered about people he didn’t know. It was strange to see Nate with his friends, talking and laughing and being so much more outgoing and confident than he was with his family. Lucas had glimpsed this side of him, but it was startling to see him so relaxed.

He tried valiantly not to obsess about whether or not Nate had slept with any of his friends. He knew it was none of his business, but his mind kept returning to thoughts of Nate with other men. He wanted him all to himself.

When everyone else ran to the dance floor for a hot new song, Nate shouted to him, “I don’t dance, but go ahead!”

Shaking his head, Lucas drew Nate near. “I just want to watch.”

With a nod of his head, Nate led Lucas upstairs to the second floor. A railing ran all the way around, and they looked out over the dance floor. Nate stood behind Lucas, his arms around Lucas’s stomach. Lucas tingled at Nate’s touch.

A mass of male bodies writhed as one below them, bare skin glistening with sweat and glitter that rained down at regular intervals. Some men simply danced, but others rubbed against each other, limbs tangled, kissing desperately. Lucas realized he was half hard, and he wiped sweat from his brow. “It’s hot in here,” he shouted.

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“How’s that song go? I think you’re supposed to take your clothes off now.” Nate nipped Lucas’s earlobe.

On impulse, Lucas peeled off his T-shirt, hooking it through one of his belt loops.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Nate’s expression suddenly grow serious, his eyes dark with desire as he descended on Lucas’s mouth, kissing him thoroughly.

Catching his breath, Lucas turned back to the dance floor as Nate moved in even closer, his hands drifting upward, caressing Lucas’s chest. Nate raked his short nails through the sprinkling of chest hair before teasing Lucas’s nipples, one and then the other. As he sucked at the juncture of Lucas’s neck and shoulder, Lucas felt adrenalin sing in his veins.