36. Because of you #2
Hunter got up to use the bathroom. Colby watched him go under the protection of a pair of Versace sunglasses someone had put on his head for some reason.
A very pretty, very blonde model/influencer/dancer/spokesperson/whateverthefuck plopped herself down in his lap and started talking about how she played the guitar, and they should do a couple of TikToks together.
Her arm was slung over his shoulders, her fingers danced over his breastbone, and all Colby could think was that he wished it were Hunter.
And that was dangerous. He knew it. He felt it anyway.
She pulled the sunglasses off his face and put them on her own.
Colby blinked and readjusted to the glow of the pool lights, and that’s when he saw Hunter standing on the other side of the pool.
Back from the bathroom? Or maybe he’d never made it there?
He was talking to a server in the standard white shirt and black dress pants that they all were wearing.
It was a female with long dark hair pulled back in a high pony.
Something about the look on Hunter’s face made Colby want to get up, so he did.
The model didn’t seem to mind, moving to a different lounger with a dude from a TV show on it.
As Colby rounded the pool, he saw the server’s face and his heart dropped into his boots. Leandra. Hunter noticed him before he could get the fuck out of there. He waved him over. “You can tell him yourself.”
“Tell me what?” Colby said, the reluctance in his voice thick and obvious.
“Congratulations,” Leandra said, and her smile was small but genuine. “I love your band. And that song that won the Oscar is incredible. So was the film. So yeah. Good job. Congrats. You both did it, and I’m happy for you.”
“Why are you serving? I thought you were a nurse?”
“I am.” She nodded, then stared at the tray she held, which had one lone champagne flute left.
“But Estelle died last month, and her son fired me. And dumped me. Again. We’ve been on and off the whole time, and when we’re off, I stay in hotel rooms. So I don’t have enough cash for a deposit on a new apartment of my own.
I’ve been crashing with two other girls I teach yoga with and…
I’m doing this part-time during award season to try and get my own place that much quicker.
And I’m back at the hospital working in the dementia ward. ”
“Oh.” Colby swallowed. “Sorry?”
Leandra laughed. “No, you’re not, and I don’t blame you. Or Hunter for that matter.”
“Leandra, I don’t wish this on you. Or anyone. You’re talking to two guys who spent a lot of time on the struggle bus, remember?” Hunter said softly. His voice was nothing but empathy, and it made Colby want to hug him. He was such a good person. He forgave so easily.
“I lived in a crushed van, remember that?” Colby added. “And whatever happened between all of us in the past, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
“You two look good together. And happy,” she said suddenly, and they both bristled. She noticed and smirked. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
“There’s no secret. We’re friends,” Hunter said firmly as his eyes bounced around to see who might be watching or listening.
“Ex-roommates, yeah, I’ve read the articles.
” Leandra nodded, her long pony swishing like a horse’s tail.
“But I know you, Hunter. You’ve told me about your experiment in high school, and I felt a vibe before I moved out.
It’s not at all why I moved out. I was cheating before Colby showed up but…
I gotta tell you, if you’d looked at me the way you look at him, I might have…
No. I still would have cheated because I’m an idiot.
But I feel a little better knowing that I didn’t break your heart that badly.
Because I didn’t have it. Not like he does. ”
They stared at each other, watching the color drain from each other’s faces. “Anyway, again, congrats. You two are proof dreams do come true.”
Leandra walked away. Just like that. Hunter and Colby looked at each other for exactly two heartbeats, and then Hunter rubbed the back of his neck, and Colby cleared his throat.
“I’m gonna call it. I have a flight to Croatia tomorrow afternoon.”
“More superhero business?” Colby asked.
Hunter nodded and turned toward the entrance. Outside his SUV was waiting. And so were the photographers who were still looking for pap shots. “You staying? Or do you want a lift back to the hotel? We’re both staying at Beverly Wilshire.”
Colby smiled but not deep enough to show off the dimple. “Yeah. You’re in 234. View of Tiffany’s. Briar made sure to let me know.”
Hunter huffed out a laugh. Colby’s dimple finally appeared. “Let’s go. I’ll text Hannah and tell her to share my SUV with Mikayla.”
Back at the hotel, no one paid them much attention. They stepped into the elevator together, and Colby punched his floor. Hunter didn’t punch his.
“You’re staying alone? In a suite?”
“Yeah. The label bought it for me. I had to do one of those Get Ready With Me viral videos for Rolling Stone, and they wanted it to look baller, I guess,” Colby replied. “But now I’m all alone in a massive suite with a king-sized bed and a shower built for ten.”
Hunter side-eyed Colby and smiled. That smile made Colby’s dick grow so fast he was surprised he didn’t get dizzy.
Their fingers brushed as they clocked the security camera in the corner of the elevator, knowing they couldn’t do more.
The doors opened on Colby’s floor, and they both walked out.
Hunter walked a half step behind Colby, as casual as ever.
Hunter pulled out his phone and pretended to be enthralled with something on it as Colby dug out his room key and swiped it.
Colby held the door open for Hunter. Never taking his eyes off his phone, Hunter stepped inside.
Hunter walked leisurely into the suite, but as soon as the soft click of the door closing hit his ears, he let his phone fall from his hand, making a soft thump on the lush carpet, and he turned, grabbing Colby by the shoulders and pinning him against the back of the door.
His mouth crashed down on Colby’s, his tongue slipped into his mouth, and he kissed him until they ran out of air.
Colby used his fingers, which had somehow found their way into Hunter’s hair, to tug his mouth free.
“I missed you too.” He panted.
“Get naked so we can show each other how much,” Hunter said, and he was already undoing his shirt.
Wordlessly, they both stripped. Once naked, their bodies crashed together again.
They kissed, tongues battling, leaning into each other so their naked bodies pressed and touched everywhere.
But the urgency of their kisses started to wane, and suddenly they became soft, thoughtful, deep.
And then they stopped altogether as Hunter pulled back and picked up the key that dangled around Colby’s neck.
He smiled. Colby wrapped his arms around Hunter’s shoulders, buried his face near his collarbone, and gulped in some ragged breaths.
Hunter wrapped one arm around Colby’s bare waist and slipped a hand into his hair.
They held each other—tightly, desperately—in the middle of the dark hotel suite, like they were each other’s lifelines.
Because they were. Hunter closed his eyes and inhaled the scent that was Colby.
God, he missed this man so much. More than he’d ever missed a girlfriend.
“Who have you been with since me?” Colby’s voice was soft, not accusatory, just curious.
“Two firefighters. A nurse. A pizza delivery guy who likes to greet every guy in the frat house he’s delivering to with a blow job,” Hunter murmured, and Colby pulled his head back so their eyes could meet.
“Porn. That’s it. No time for anything else.
I mean, there’s a cute makeup artist who flirts with me on set but…
this shoot is so horrible already I don’t want to make it worse. ”
Colby tilted his head in confusion. “It’s not good?”
Hunter shook his head. “The Byrne brothers are toxic nightmares. The director is at her wits' end. So is the crew. And those dudes treat me like I’m a glorified extra. They toss around words like homo and faggot even though they’ve been chastised by everyone, even studio execs.”
Colby’s fingers ran over the short hairs at the back of Hunter’s neck, giving him gooseflesh. “I’m sorry.”
“They can’t all be winners.” Hunter tipped his hips so their cocks would brush, and Colby pulled him into a hug again. “And you?”
Colby squeezed him tighter. “I’m gay, Hunter. I don’t want to fuck around with women, and I can’t risk fucking around with men. If I could, I’d risk it with you.”
Hunter palmed Colby’s round ass in both hands and rasped into his ear, “Let’s risk it tonight.”
Colby took a breath so desperate his torso shook.
“Baby?” Hunter’s brow furrowed with worry, but Colby didn’t respond except to kiss him again.
And the passion was back, and intense, and Hunter’s dick was leaking and aching.
He couldn’t take it anymore. They need to be horizontal.
He needed to take Colby in his mouth, he was salivating for it.
Tightening the arm around Colby’s waist, Hunter lifted him an inch and a half off the floor and walked them toward the couch.
It made Colby giggle. “This is some superhero shit, isn’t it?”
“Consider it your sneak peek.” Hunter let Colby’s feet hit the ground again when they were next to the couch. He pressed his mouth to Colby’s ear. “Baby, bend over the couch.”
Colby obeyed immediately, draping his torso over the back of the couch until his ass was tipped up and his forearms were planted on the seat cushions.
Hunter danced his fingertips down Colby’s spine, and when he ran out of spine, he traced his crack.
Colby shuddered. Hunter lowered himself to his knees behind Colby, palmed each firm cheek, then pulled them apart.
“What are you… Are you going to… eat me?”