Chapter Nine
G abriel woke slowly , feeling rested in a way he had not felt in more than two years. Not since the last time he and Sam had shared a bed. Opening his eyes, he looked around, surprised when he found himself alone in the big bed. With the blackout curtains in place over the windows, he could not tell what time it was, or how long he’d been asleep.
He thought for a moment maybe he had dreamt the entire encounter. But if it had been only a dream, why was there a lingering scent of sex in the air? And he would not feel so relaxed that his muscles felt sore at the release of long held tension.
Sitting up, he looked around the room but could not see any signs that his memories weren’t just his sometimes too vivid imagination, and long ignored libido, running wild. But there was still the scent of sex in the air.
“Good afternoon.”
The deep dark voice had him looking at the doorway to the hall. There was a man standing there. The light from behind him outlined a big, well-built bear of a man. Though his face was in shadow, Gabriel knew who it was.
Sam.
His memories of hot sex from the night before were actual remembrances and not wishful dreams.
“What time is it?” His voice was scratchy, so he swallowed and tried again. “Good morning. What time is it?”
Sam leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “2:17 in the afternoon. You slept for about thirteen hours. How do you feel?”
“I need to pee.”
“I’ll make you some breakfast while you pee. Then we need to talk,” Sam said before turning and walking away.
As he scrambled out of bed and headed to the bathroom, Gabriel had to fight the urge to throw up. We need to talk were four words no one ever wanted to hear the morning after the night before.
Gabriel took his time in the bathroom, washing his hands, combing his hair, and brushing his teeth before he returned to the bedroom. He grabbed the last pair of clean boxers out of the drawer before pulling on the clothes he’d worn after the concert. He would need to find a laundromat soon. At least they had a three-day break before his next series of concerts in Oklahoma, so there was plenty of time to do all the errands and chores.
Once he was dressed, Sam wasted a few more minutes making the bed. He knew it was a stalling tactic, but didn’t care. The last thing he wanted after waking up feeling good was to have Sam tell him that last night was a mistake.
The scent of bacon pulled him from the bedroom and toward the front of the trailer where he found Sam in the kitchen area, standing in front of the stove.
“Drink this,” the man handed him a glass of orange juice.
Gabriel did not argue, just drank the juice down before setting the glass in the sink. He had a feeling after their confrontation the night before, Sam would become a mother hen, demanding he eat every few hours, sleep more regular hours, and take better care of himself.
While he would not mind such attention, he also knew he needed to man up and take care of himself without Sam hovering.
“What are you making?” he asked as he went to the refrigerator and grabbed a soda.
Sam frowned at him over his shoulder, but did not scold his drink of choice, for which Gabriel was grateful. “I thought you might like pancakes with your bacon.”
“Ooo, yum. Yes, please.” Gabriel said as he stepped up behind Sam. He wrapped his arms around and gave him a hug as he pressed his suddenly hard cock into the man’s ass. “Then maybe after breakfast we can go take a sleepless nap?”
“A sleepless nap, huh? Is that what it’s called these days?”
“I have no idea. But it sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”
Sam did not answer as he scooped the pancake out of the frypan and added it to the stack on the plate on the counter. Handing Gabriel the plate, he pulled one piled high with bacon from the microwave and carried it to the table.
That was when he noticed Sam was walking tentatively, as if he were in pain. When he sat down, he sucked in a breath and shifted several times before finally stilling.
“What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked as he slid into the seat across the table.
Sam’s cheeks grew pink as he shifted several pieces of bacon onto his plate. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit. You’re in pain. What’s wrong?”
He met Sam’s gaze with one that he hoped showed his concern, and determination to find out what was going on. It took several seconds before Sam blinked and shook his head.
“My ass hurts, okay? I’ve never had a log shoved up there before last night and I’m feeling it today.”
“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry,” Gabriel immediately apologized, even as he fought down laughter at the man’s annoyed expression.
“Yeah, well, I’ll fuck you tonight and we’ll see how you’re walking in the morning.”
“Yes, please,” Gabriel agreed immediately, his cock thickening at the thought of this big man fucking him even as the muscles of his back hole tightened.
Though it had been a threat, his quick acceptance had Sam staring at him in shock. A moment later, the big man threw his head back and began to laugh.
Gabriel could not help but join in as he added two pancakes and a half dozen pieces of bacon to his own plate. They did not talk as they ate, but Gabriel couldn’t help groaning at the deliciousness of Sam’s light and fluffy pancakes.
Only when the food was all gone and his belly was full did Gabriel decide it was time to get whatever talking Sam wanted to do out of the way.
“You wanted to talk,” he said as he piled the dishes together and rose to carry them to the sink. His shoulders tensed as he waited for Sam to tell him they couldn’t continue as lovers.
Sam did not immediately respond, which added to the tension in his body. He jolted when Sam pushed him out of the way and took his place in front of the sink.
“You have a three-day break before you need to be in Tulsa and I was wondering if there was anything you needed to do.”
Gabriel grabbed a dishtowel and began to dry and put away the dishes after Sam washed them.
“I need to do some laundry and find a branch of the bank where Alan set me up an account so I can deposit the money I’ve made so far. The water and sewer tanks probably need to be filled and emptied, too. And I’d like to take you out to dinner, that is if you’d like to go?”
Sam nodded with a warm smile that had his heart turning over and his cock plumping up. “I’d love to go out to dinner with you.”
****
“A re you Gabriel Park , the singer?” A woman stepped up to their table that evening looking excited and nervous and shaking. “You are, aren’t you? You’re Gabriel Park.”
Sam took a sip of his iced tea before nodding when Gabriel looked at him with a fearful expression. Having fans bother them constantly when they were out had been one of the issues that had come between them two years ago. In the time since, Sam had come to understand that going out to dinner, or to the movies, or really anywhere other people would see them was a time for Gabriel to engage with his fans and he would have to suck it up and be supportive.
At least she had waited until they had finished eating and were just talking as they waited for the bill.
When Gabriel didn’t say anything, Sam spoke for him. “Yes, he is Gabriel Park. Would you like an autograph or a selfie?”
The woman’s eyes went wide as she looked from Gabriel to him and back again. “Really? That would be okay? I loved the concert last night, and bought a dozen copies of your CD last night after the concert. I’m going to give them to all my friends and family for Christmas.”
Sam watched with pride as, after another few seconds, the old social butterfly Gabriel broke through. By the time he finished with that woman, three others had lined up, all fans who had attended his concert the night before.
The waitress finally arrived and looked at Sam. “Dinner’s been paid for,” she said softly as Gabriel posed for one last picture. She then handed him a receipt before slipping away again.
Sam left some money on the table as an extra tip before standing. While Gabriel had always loved his fans, he was looking a little freaked out at the attention after such a long time off the concert circuit.
“Ladies, it’s been wonderful, but we need to go now,” Sam said as he met Gabriel’s eyes and tilted his head toward the door.
“Thank you for your love, ladies,” Gabriel said as he stood and followed Sam out of the restaurant.
Sam slowed until Gabriel caught up and then they began the three-block walk back to the church. That was the only problem with driving an eighteen-wheeler. Nicer restaurants had few parking spaces big enough for a truck and trailer.
“Thank you,” Gabriel said as they left the restaurant’s small parking lot and started walking along the edge of the road.
“Comet, I knew two years ago that the fans come first. I don’t have a problem with you hugging and taking pictures with women like that. Just don’t go home with any of them.”
Gabriel giggled and ended up tripping over a high spot in the curb.
“Careful there, or you’ll end up breaking something and we don’t want that,” Sam pulled him back.
“No, a broken arm is the last thing I need right now.”
Sam smiled into the dark as Gabriel began to edge closer to him. While he knew they should not be too overt in their love, Sam could not take the rock star’s hand and lace their fingers together. Just that simple touch settled the uneasy feeling in his soul that had begun when the first woman approached their table.
When he heard Gabriel sigh, he knew holding hands was the right thing to do at the moment. Tomorrow they would move to Tulsa, the next stop on the tour, and stay at the RV park they had found online that had a space big enough for their vehicle, as well as everything else they needed. Alan had even arranged to have a rental car delivered so they would not have to move from one church to another while they were in the area.
“Tired?” he asked as the church came into view.
“I know I slept a lot already today, but yeah, I think I am. But I don’t know that I’ll be able to sleep without snuggles,” Gabriel said softly just before he rested the side of his head against Sam’s shoulder.
Sam sighed as his cock filled. Holding his man, with or without sex, was just fine with him. “Snuggles sound good.”