Open Seating (13 page)

“You okay with this?” Bryce asked gently.

Seth nodded, too moved to say anything else. Seeing the interested glances from fellow passengers was reassuring as well. It was comforting to be part of a couple again, even if it was only temporary. For the moment, he didn’t feel like a lost soul. He and Bryce were growing on each other in tiny increments, and even if nothing came of it except a deeper, more meaningful friendship, it was still better than being alone.

They walked into one of the boutiques on the Promenade Deck and were immediately drawn to the display of fine leather products. They had different designer brands, including Hugo Boss. Bryce whistled when he saw the price tag of a black bomber jacket similar to the one that had been stolen.

“Is it too expensive?” Seth asked, seeing the look of surprise on Bryce’s face.

“No, on the contrary. It’s cheaper than the one I bought back home.”

“That’s because it’s tax free,” Seth said. “You should grab it while you can. They probably don’t have a large supply since space is limited.”

“How do I look?” Bryce asked, turning this way and that in front of the full-length mirror against one wall.

“Great,” Seth said. He didn’t have to lie. Bryce was gorgeous, especially in black.

“I’ll take it.” Bryce slipped off the jacket and laid it on the counter. Addressing the salesman, he asked, “Can you deliver it to our stateroom?”

“Certainly. May I have your ID card, sir?”

Seth watched as the salesman swiped it through the machine like a regular credit card. It spit out the confirmation slip, and Bryce signed it with a flourish. “Is that it?”

“Yes, sir. It’ll be delivered shortly.”

“Thank you.” Looking at Seth, he asked, “Did you find anything?”

“I think I’ll wait and see what else is out there.”

Bryce nodded. “Let’s go.”

Seth followed him out the door, and after checking the ship directory, strategically located on a bronze plaque beside the elevators, they determined the casino was two decks down.

“You want to hoof it or wait for the elevator?” Bryce asked.

Just then, the elevator dinged and the doors swooshed open, making the decision easy.

Seth reached for Bryce’s hand and stepped into the glass-walled enclosure. There were three passengers who moved aside to make room for them instead of stepping back. Bryce and Seth turned face-out to take in the view of the lobby and atrium. It seemed like everyone on board was prowling the ship tonight to get a feel for their surroundings. Seth looked at Bryce in surprise when the elevator went up instead of down.

“I guess we’re taking the scenic route,” Bryce teased.

“Apparently.”

The elevator stopped on the deck where the main dining rooms were located. The trio walked out, wishing them a good evening, and just as Seth was about to move to the front of the elevator, a group of seven who’d just finished dinner shoehorned themselves into the tight space, pushing Seth and Bryce back again. This time he found himself facing Bryce, who didn’t seem in the least bit perturbed by the tight squeeze. He wrapped his arms around Seth’s waist and pulled him closer, all the while smiling like he’d just won a Ferrari. They were chest to chest and hip to hip, close enough to savor the rising tension as their bodies reacted to the friction. Seth could smell Bryce’s breath, pleasantly laced with the Calvados brandy he’d had with his dessert, a combination of smoky apples and alcohol. As luck would have it, the elevator stopped on every damn floor, and they were so caught up in sensation they missed their stop.

“Bryce?” Seth whispered as the elevator plunged downward again.

“Yeah?”

“I think we passed our floor.”

“Don’t care.”

“Are we going to do this all night?” Seth asked, moaning softly when Bryce took handfuls of his ass and pressed Seth tightly against his groin. They were both hard, and the slightest shift in position was excruciatingly pleasurable in an urgent sort of way. Seth wanted to beg Bryce to drag him to their cabin and tear his clothes off, but the words were trapped in his throat. Terrified of coming in his pants and making a fool of himself, he reluctantly pushed Bryce away.

“Aren’t you feeling this?” Bryce asked, looking surprised by the rejection.

“Too much,” Seth said pointedly. “In case you forgot, we’re in a glass bubble in plain view of the entire ship.”

“And your point is?”

“Are you an exhibitionist on top of everything else?”

“I can be anything you want,” Bryce said, smiling.

“Oh my God.”

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Seth stepped out, not really sure what floor he was on, but determined to get out of public view. If he was going to disgrace himself, he wanted to do it in private. Bryce was right on his heels, and before Seth had time to object, he took the lead, dragging Seth by the hand down the long corridor. Spying a restroom, Bryce pushed Seth inside and turned the lock on the door. Assured of privacy, Bryce turned his attention to Seth. Pinning him up against the wall, he wrapped his fingers around Seth’s neck and leaned in for a kiss.

“Speak up if you want me to stop.”

Seth was too far gone to protest. All he could do was stare into the dark blue eyes that were blazing at him with single-minded purpose. His knees buckled when Bryce crushed his mouth possessively, but Seth righted himself within seconds, locking into place and relishing the feel of the warm mouth pressing against his. After kissing the same person for twenty years, it felt oddly wonderful to taste someone completely new. And truthfully, he and Mark hadn’t ever kissed like this. They had cuddled and embraced till the very end, and pecked each other on the lips all the time, but this… what Bryce was doing? No. God, no.

Bryce possessed him with sweeping strokes, nibbling and sucking, running his tongue over the soft contours of Seth’s inner lip, then sucking his tongue again. He was fucking Seth’s mouth, thrusting and probing, owning him without compunction, all the while moaning and grinding against him. Seth wanted this to go on forever, but when he felt Bryce fumbling with his belt buckle, he was more than eager to move on to the next step.

“Let me take care of you,” Bryce said gruffly after he broke the kiss. “I’ve wanted to do this for days.”

“Oh God.” Seth shuddered involuntarily, watching in fascination as Bryce shoved his pants and briefs down his legs, and his cock sprang up, rosy red and oozing droplets from his slit, all but begging to be sucked.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Bryce said with satisfaction. “You want me as bad as I want you.”

“Yes.”

“Say it, Seth.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Seth asked incoherently. He was about to lose his mind, and Bryce wanted reassurance?

“Tell me to suck you off.”

“Do it.”

“Beg for it.”

“God, Bryce.
Please
.”

Bryce got down on his knees and looked up at Seth. “Promise me one thing, Seth.”

“What?” he asked, desperate to get off. Bryce’s warm breath against his stomach was making him crazy. He wanted to grab that gorgeous head, force his rigid cock past those full lips, and fuck Bryce’s mouth until he shot ropes of hot cum down his throat. He moaned just thinking about it.

“No tears, no regrets.”

Seth leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. “I promise.”

THEY STOOD
side by side over dual sinks, silently washing their hands. Neither man looked at the other’s face, choosing to keep their eyes lowered as they processed what just happened. Bryce was certain Seth was going through some inner turmoil, but he resisted the urge to take him in his arms and console him with empty words. Promises made at the height of passion held no sway in the cold morning light, and Seth had to realize that even though they’d been leading up to this moment for days, it meant nothing permanent. If given the choice, Bryce would have preferred an intro conversation laying out the rules of engagement, followed by a quiet seduction in their cabin, instead of this frenzied groping in a public restroom, but the human psyche didn’t follow any agenda but its own.

Still tasting Seth, he cupped his hand and drank from the faucet, rinsing out his mouth before splashing his face and neck with cool water. He looked up, and Seth was staring at him in the mirror. His lips were kiss-swollen, and there were pink spots along his neck where Bryce had passionately branded him. The deer-in-the-headlights look was on full display, and Bryce wasn’t sure how he should react. Stalling, he snatched several paper towels from the dispenser and blotted the water from his face. As he threw the used towels in the garbage, Seth spoke.

“I didn’t… reciprocate,” he said, stammering slightly. “I’m sorry.”

Bryce raised his eyebrows, caught by surprise. He’d expected many things, but that wasn’t one of them. He shook his head. “It’s not a problem.”

Frowning, Seth asked, “Would you like me to take care of you now?”

“No.”

“Why not?” Seth wondered. “Don’t you want to get off?”

“I don’t want you to feel obligated, Seth. For the moment, I’m quite content knowing I gave you a few minutes of pleasure.”

“What if I insist?”

The sincerity in Seth’s voice shouldn’t have made a difference to Bryce, but it struck a chord and was almost as good as sex.
Almost.
Taking a deep breath, Bryce reassured him. “I would never push you away, if that’s what you’re asking, but I’d rather we take this to our cabin.”

“Whatever you want.” Turning back to the mirror, Seth raked shaky fingers through his disheveled hair, trying to tame the unruly mass. He looked a little shell-shocked, but at least he hadn’t run out the door.

“You look great,” Bryce said softly.

“Do I? Everyone will know what we did in here the minute I walk out that door,” Seth said primly, reverting to form.

“Don’t be an ass,” Bryce scoffed, reaching for Seth’s hand and pulling him toward the exit. “Come on.”

Bryce was certain Seth’s conscience would start bothering him as soon as the endorphin rush began to fade, which was any second now. It was only natural, considering his very vocal disdain for meaningless hookups. Still, he’d obviously enjoyed Bryce’s stellar blowjob, judging by the hair pulling and heartfelt cum sounds. And amazingly, he’d offered to return the favor, giving Bryce a little more insight into a personality that was turning out to be quite a challenge.

So they weren’t in a romantic relationship. So what? As a writer, Seth had to know some of the most famous unions in literature started out as random encounters. Friends to lovers was a well-used trope, from what Bryce had read in the historical romance genre, and he could name at least two of Seth Wilder’s novels employing that very arc. If Seth could write about it, then he should own it. Not that Bryce was remotely interested in turning this… whatever they called it… into a love story.

Bryce was to romance what ketchup was to a Chicago hot dog. They didn’t go together no matter what the rest of the world said. He had to make sure Seth didn’t get ideas. Pursuing their bedroom connection wasn’t a problem if Seth kept his heart out of the equation. Bryce didn’t want to be a Mark rebound or some fantasy come to life. He genuinely liked the guy, and he’d be the first to admit the chemistry between them was powerful and impossible to ignore, but that’s where it had to end. As soon as they landed at O’Hare, it would be business as usual.

They walked through the casino on their way back to the elevators. Since it had been their original destination before they’d been pleasantly sidetracked, Bryce decided to check out the different slot machines and table games. He could easily envision whiling away the hours in front of the one-armed bandits. Gambling wasn’t Bryce’s passion, but he enjoyed it on occasion, even knowing the odds were stacked against him. It was a numbers game, and he considered it a personal triumph whenever he walked out of an establishment a winner rather than a loser. Setting financial limits for the evening always kept him out of trouble and allowed him to enjoy himself and maintain control.

“Well, fancy meeting you here.”

Bryce heard the clichéd greeting, and he turned away from the poker machine he was studying to see the couple who’d arrived late for dinner chatting it up with Seth. He’d been too busy conversing with Jeannie to pay much attention to the pair, who were mismatched to say the least. The female looked like your typical cougar, hanging on to her ginger boy in case someone planned on stealing him. The guy in question paid far too much attention to Seth for a straight dude. Bryce was catching a vibe—bisexual or bi-curious—and didn’t like it one bit. Determined to establish some boundaries, Bryce stepped forward to join the group.

“Hi there,” he said, stretching out his hand toward the creep. “I don’t believe we met at dinner. Bryce McFarland.”

“Matt Crawford,” the ginger answered, “and this is my wife, Glynis.”

Wife? Bryce wasn’t expecting that. “Sorry we didn’t get a chance to chat at dinner,” he lied.

Glynis interjected. “Are you an author like Seth?”

“No, ma’am. I’m a contractor.”

“Please call me Glynis. Ma’am sounds so formal.”

“I was taught to respect my elders,” Bryce said with a smile to lessen the sting.

“Come now, Mr. McFarland. You and I are about the same age.”

“Are we?” Bryce asked, waiting to see if she’d disclose a number. When she didn’t reply, he turned his attention to Matt. “Are you one of Seth’s fans?”

“I’m afraid I’ve never read any of his books,” Matt admitted, “but now that I’ve met him in person, I have every intention of picking up a copy of his latest release.”

“I’m sure he’d appreciate that,” Bryce said.

“Are you two partners?” Matt asked.

“How’d you guess?” Bryce replied.

Seth’s eyes widened in shock, and he opened his mouth to refute the claim; then, obviously having second thoughts, he snapped it shut.

“You seem very protective,” Matt observed.

“Writers are always being stalked by crazy readers. Haven’t you read
Misery
by Stephen King? It’s a prime example of a deranged fan. I’m just making sure Seth is safe from the crazies.”