9. Nine
Nine
B en self-consciously tugged at the hem of his long-sleeved T-shirt as he made his way down the short hallway to the kitchen area. The tile floor was cool under his feet, making him think he should have slipped some socks on.
He came to an abrupt halt when he found Jamie sitting at the breakfast bar, nursing a mug of coffee.
“Morning, Ben,” Jamie greeted him. “Didn’t expect to see you up so early. Did you sleep well?” There was a knowing gleam in Jamie’s eye, and Ben felt his face flush.
“Um. Yeah. I did. Thank you.” He felt tongue-tied. It wasn’t every day that you found yourself chatting casually with the lead singer of one of the biggest bands in the world. And that conversation was taking place in the same man’s kitchen.
“Can I make you a coffee?” Jamie offered, nodding towards the coffee machine that sat gleaming in the early morning sun.
“Actually, we have a similar model in my dorm, so if you’re okay with me using it, I can make my own.”
Jamie gestured for him to carry on as he took another mouthful from his own cup.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you. I didn’t expect anyone else to be awake.”
“No. I’ve always been an early riser. Kellet and Wil, not so much,” Jamie replied dryly.
“I… ah… wouldn’t know what Wil’s sleeping habits are,” Ben admitted.
A brief laugh had him glancing over his shoulder at Jamie.
“Let me guess. Part of the reason you’re awake and up is that you woke up cold because your bed partner had burritoed himself in all the blankets?”
Coffee made, Ben turned and nodded. “Yeah, how’d you know?”
“That boy is a replica of his father in just about every way. There is very little of his poor mother in Wil. He’s all Kellet.”
“So, you mean Kellet is a cover hog, too?” Ben grinned delightedly at the snippet of unknown information.
“We have our own duvets, otherwise, I end up like you did last night,” Jamie said with a wink.
Ben was still laughing when the subjects of their conversation shuffled into the kitchen. Ben noticed just how much of a carbon copy Wil was of his father. They both sported mussed curls—although Kellet’s were shorter and tidier—and dark stubble framed strong jaw lines. They were even dressed alike in sleep shorts and ratty t-shirts.
Ben caught Jamie’s eye, and they both laughed harder.
“What’s so funny?” Kellet asked his husband curiously.
“Just the delight that is the James men, Drummer Boy,” Jamie replied affectionately as he accepted a soft kiss.
Ben glanced away to give them a modicum of privacy and found Wil looking at him.
“Morning,” Ben said. “Do you want a coffee?”
“Hey,” Wil replied. He shuffled over to where Ben was leaning against the counter. “Did you sleep okay? I got worried when I woke up and found you gone.” Wil traced a finger down Ben’s arm, sending a tingle down his spine.
“Son, if you and Ben are going to be a couple, you need to add extra blankets to your bed,” Jamie said.
A frown line appeared between Wil’s eyebrows as he looked at Ben in askance.
“You like to roll yourself in the sheets like a burrito.” Ben coughed and glanced over at Wil’s fathers. “Apparently, you take after your dad in that respect.”
“JJ, have you been telling tales again?” Kellet growled, mock-glaring at Jamie.
“It’s not a tale if it’s the truth,” Jamie retorted, standing up. “Let me make us all some coffee while you and Wil work your magic and make us breakfast.”
“I’m sorry,” Wil whispered to Ben. “I’m not used to sharing a bed.”
“That’s okay. We’ll add an extra blanket to the bed tonight.”
After a breakfast of pancakes and bacon, Ben sat nursing his second cup of coffee. Conversation had flowed during the meal, with gentle teasing from all three men showing their close bond.
“Wil says you’re doing a creative arts and media degree. What are your plans when you graduate?” Kellet asked him.
“I’d really love to get into special effects and set design, but it’s a cut-throat industry, as you can imagine. I’ll be applying to a couple of places for an internship, but so will everyone else. I do some graphic design work on the side, so that’s another avenue I can explore.”
“You should talk to Cal,” Kellet said. “He used to work for one of the gaming developers, but now has his own company, CSW Consulting. He may be able to put you in touch with people in the industry.”
Ben darted a look at Wil, who nodded in agreement. “That’s a great idea, Dad.”
“I have them occasionally,” Kellet mused dryly.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” Jamie asked.
“We were just going to hang around here, until it’s time for the party,” Wil said. “Unless there’s something you want to do, Ben?”
“No. Just chilling here sounds pretty cool. I’ve got some schoolwork to look at, so I can do that.”
“We’ll leave you boys to it then,” Kellet said.
“Where are you going?” Wil asked.
“Nowhere, unless you want to count the studio to play with the melody Seth came up with yesterday.”
“How far away is the studio?” Ben asked, interested in what process the band used to create their hits.
Wil nodded towards the garden at the back of the house. “About fifty feet that way.”
Ben turned and looked out the large kitchen window that overlooked the pool and manicured gardens. He could see a low stone building tucked away amongst the foliage.
“Oh, I thought that was the guest house.”
“It is. The studio is just behind it.”
“Come on over later and we’ll give you the tour,” Jamie said.
“What time is the party tonight?” Ben asked.
“A car is collecting us at nine. We’ll have an early dinner before we go, because there’s never enough food at these things,” Wil told him.
“Glad to see you’re keeping us organized, son,” Kellet said, patting Wil on the shoulder as he passed him on his way out of the room. “Miles will be happy.”
The comment made Ben curious, and as they headed back to their room, he asked Wil what his dad had meant.
“Oh. You know I said I was originally going to study music at Wyndham? Well, after I convinced Dad to rejoin Larkspur as their drummer, he took me along as his PA. I spent the summer on tour and as much as I love playing music, being behind the scenes, organizing Dad and the guys, just felt right. I’ve spent the last three years doing the same for either Larkspur or Eclipse, and Miles has offered me an entry-level job at CMM when I graduate.”
“Wow! That’s amazing,” Ben told him. “You’re really lucky to have that connection.”
“I know I am, but I’ve earned it. I’ve worked some really long hours to learn everything I can. I don’t want people to presume I’m a nepo baby, and that I got the job just because of who my dads are.”
Ben slipped his arms around Wil’s neck, nuzzling under his jaw. “They’ll see you’re a hard worker and that you got there on your own merits.” He whispered his lips along Wil’s stubbled jaw to his ear. “Now, wanna scrub my back in the shower?”
***
Wil shot Ben a glance as the SUV pulled up in front of The Bamboo Club. As expected, a crowd of people gathered outside the famous venue, hoping to spot celebrities, and Wil worried about Ben being overwhelmed.
They’d spent a relaxing day, starting out with mutual blowjobs in the shower after breakfast, and then lounging by the pool, both catching up on schoolwork. Later in the afternoon, Ben had sat in on an impromptu jam session. Wil had been quietly proud to show off his own musical prowess alongside his father and stepfather, which had earned him some heated looks from his newly minted boyfriend.
“In a moment, Brad, one of the security guys, will open the door, and Dad and Pa will get out first. Once they’re clear of the car, I’ll get out and then you,” Wil told him. “While they distract the crowd, we can sneak in.”
“Okay,” Ben said softly, eyes wide as he looked through the window.
“Put your sunglasses on,” Jamie told him. “It will help cut the glare from the cameras.”
Ben fumbled to pull the glasses from his pocket, and Wil took them from him, noting how much Ben’s hands were trembling. He slid the glasses onto Ben’s nose, brushing a stray curl away from his brow.
A knock at the door gave them a five-second warning before Brad opened it. The sound of cheering fans and shouting photographers increased from a dull roar as first Jamie stepped out, followed closely by Kellet.
Wil watched proudly as his father grasped Jamie’s hand while waving with the other. Just four years ago, this was all foreign to Kellet, but now he walked a red carpet like a seasoned professional.
As Kellet and Jamie advanced up the red carpet, Wil slipped out of the car, reaching a hand to Ben to help him out. Brad closed the SUV door and gave Wil a chin-tip before the SUV moved off to allow the next vehicle in.
“Come on, we can go this way,” Wil said, tugging Ben behind him.
Keeping as far back as they could, they skirted the edges of the carpet, dodging PR people as they herded their charges into the building.
At the door, Wil gave the doorman their names, and within moments they were inside. Moving to the side of the foyer, Wil stopped to check on Ben.
“You okay?”
“Wow! Yeah. That was intense, and we weren’t even the focus of the crowd. How do your dad and the rest of the band cope with it?” Ben asked, removing the sunglasses he’d worn and tucking them into a pocket of his loose-cut pants that made him look hellishly sexy. The soft black t-shirt he paired them hugged his torso, and Wil couldn’t wait to peel him out of it later.
“Eh,” Wil shrugged. “It freaked Dad out at first, but now he just goes with it. The others have been doing it since they were our age, so it’s second nature to them.”
“Where do we go now?” Ben asked, looking around.
“We’ll wait here for Dad and Pa, then we’ll head into the club’s main area,” Wil slipped an arm around Ben’s waist, pulling him close. “Have I told you how damn sexy you look tonight?”
Ben grinned up at him, eyes dancing in the lowlight, as his hand splayed on Wil’s stomach. “No, you haven’t.”
“Well, you do,” Wil told him, tracing a finger softly over Ben’s eyebrow and down his cheek. “I didn’t expect the guyliner and blush, but I really, really like it.”
“You do?” Ben asked, his tone uncertain, his hand bunching the material of Wil’s shirt. “You’re not just saying that?”
“Hell, no.” Wil dipped his head and pressed a lingering kiss to Ben’s mouth, hoping to dispel some of the nervousness Ben was desperately trying to hide.
Ben sighed and melted into him. Before it could go any further, a teasing voice interrupted them.
“Ah, young love.”
Wil lifted his head and smirked at Seth.
“Uncle Seth. Are you allowed out of the retirement home past nine o’clock?”
“You used to be such a nice young man,” Seth shook his head sadly, even though his eyes were full of amused affection. “What happened?”
“My father agreed to be your drummer, and I got to hang out with you for a summer or three,” Wil retorted with a laugh.
“Come on, we’ve got people to meet,” Cal said, tugging on his husband’s hand and preventing any further snark, as Jamie and Kellet joined them.
With a grin, Wil led Ben into the bar.