Disasterology 101 (19 page)

“I was informed you’d be coming here straight from work, and that you’d probably be tired and hungry,” the concierge added. “Cedric said I should send you right up so he can feed and take care of you.”

Kevin tapped Jeffrey’s name plate with a finger and let the man’s words sink in. He kept calling Cedric by his first name, and there was unmistakable affection whenever he did.

“He stopped by to talk to you, didn’t he?”

“Indeed.” Jeffrey nodded slowly. “And now it’s my turn to ask you, sir. How did you know?”

“Your name plate is exactly three inches from the edge of your desk.”

Jeffrey’s smile could only be described as delighted, and at that moment Kevin
knew
it pleased the man that Kevin was familiar enough with Cedric to be aware of his particular brand of quirks.

Habits.

Compulsions.

Condition.

Shit.

Kevin had no idea what to call it. He’d better learn soon, though. He didn’t want to have a slip-of-the-tongue and end up offending Cedric.

He tapped on the name plate one more time and stepped back from the desk. “Is it okay if I go up now?”

“Like Cedric said….” Kevin didn’t think it was possible, but Jeffrey’s smile got wider. “You’re a very special guest, sir, and we must not make you wait.”

“Thanks, man,” Kevin said, his own smile as wide as Jeffrey’s. “But please, call me Kevin.”

“Thank you, Kevin.” Jeffrey nodded in acceptance of his request and extended his arm toward the left side of the lobby. “Cedric’s in the penthouse. Take elevator number eight. It’s private and it’ll take you straight to the top.”

“See you around.”

Kevin didn’t mind being the only person inside the top-of-the-line elevator, he used the time to get his heartbeat under control and make sure he was presentable. As per Cedric’s instructions he’d packed a change of clothes, but he wanted to at least look clean when he first saw him.

He zipped up his sweater to keep his work shirt out of sight, wiped off his face and hands with the same antibacterial towelettes he’d seen Cedric use, and put a Listerine strip in his mouth. He wanted a kiss, and he wasn’t waiting for it.

He bumped his hard hat against his thigh and tapped the floor with his foot. The damn elevator moved so slowly, Kevin could’ve taken a shower and thrown a frozen dinner in the microwave in the time it took to get to the thirty-fifth floor. Or that’s what it felt like to him, anyway. Kevin was ridiculously anxious to see Cedric, and in such a hurry to get to his destination that a Lamborghini Murcielago would not have been able to take him there fast enough.

Kevin leapt out of the elevator the second it stopped. The thick carpeting concealed his advance through the private hallway, but the door to the penthouse opened before he could reach it.

There stood Cedric, dressed in dark gray sweatpants, a black, long sleeve pullover, a white soccer jersey and full leather gloves. No shoes or socks. No sign that he’d changed his mind about having Kevin over.

Kevin’s heart raced at the sight of him. His mouth went dry and his body tingled when Cedric leaned a shoulder against the wall and his lush lips parted in the sweetest, sexiest, most inviting smile anyone had ever given him. Kevin realized he was there for more than just sex. He wanted… Jesus… he wanted everything Cedric would give him.

The effect Cedric had on him was unnerving. It only took a sloppy blowjob, a couple of mostly innocent kisses, and a heartfelt conversation for Kevin’s mind to discard their age and social status differences as inconsequential. His body craved Cedric’s, and his heart soared at the mere thought of him.

The intensity of it all scared Kevin a little, but fighting it had proved futile. He had no choice but to accept his thoughts and feelings, and hope the gleam in Cedric’s eyes meant he felt the same.
Hang on tight and go with it.

Cedric wasn’t the only man to look at him like he wanted to fuck his brains out, but he was the first one to make Kevin want to spread himself open and offer his ass, no questions asked.

Since entering the gay scene, Kevin had been subject to some really blatant, crude, and even obscene looks and propositions. As a result, he’d gotten hard and been tempted to take a couple of the guys up on their offers. He might’ve wanted to establish some kind of connection with whomever he ended up fucking, but Kevin was a man, and men were very in tune with their sexual needs, and more often than not, focused on doing something to satisfy them.

Now he was glad he’d resisted. He was happy to be able to offer something to Cedric that nobody else had had before, because he suspected Cedric had done the same by inviting Kevin to his place, and trusting him with details of his condition. That alone sent this visit to special and treasured territory, and put it in Kevin’s never-will-forget list.

“You’re here.” Cedric’s words were accompanied by a tremulous, relieved smile, and Kevin realized he hadn’t been sure Kevin would come to his place until he showed up.

“There’s no other place I’d rather be, oddball.”

Kevin winced. Talk about slip-of-the-tongues. But going by Cedric’s mildly amused smile, he understood Kevin only used the word to acknowledge Cedric was different in many ways, and he didn’t seem to mind Kevin calling him that. Thank God. He’d not meant to disrespect or offend. He would never do that.

“Have any trouble finding the place?”

“Nah.” Kevin cleared his throat and slowed down his steps. He needed a few extra seconds to get his heartbeat under control. “I met Jeffrey,” he said when he was a couple of feet away from Cedric. “Friend of yours?”

“Yes.” Cedric scrutinized Kevin’s body, starting with his work boots and ending at his now flushed face. “I’ve known him since my first visit to New York.”

The guy’s hot stare made Kevin jumpy and needy, but he managed to keep his voice from cracking when he spoke again. “How long ago was that?”

Almost there…just a few more steps…

“I was four years old.”

He’s so damn beautiful.

And the metal only added to it, Kevin wanted to ravish those pierced lips and swallow Cedric’s studded tongue. He was dying for a kiss that was over three seconds long.

He swallowed hard and raked his fingers through his hair before stopping in front of Cedric. “He seems like a good man.”

Cedric narrowed his eyes and inched his torso backwards. Kevin’s anxiety met surprise when their eyes locked.

Shit
.

Was he standing too close? Had he breathed on the guy? Kevin hoped not. The last thing he wanted was to ruin the night before it even began by—

“You brushed your teeth.”

Cedric’s whispered words against his lips caught Kevin by surprise. He’d been so intent on reading the guy’s expression that he hadn’t sensed him move. “Listerine,” he heard himself say. “I also bought some of those towelettes I’ve seen you use, and wiped off my arms and face as best as I could.”

He cleared his throat, hoping his admission wouldn’t get him sent away. He wondered if there was a “right way” to address such things. He didn’t want to pretend that he wasn’t highly aware of Cedric’s condition, but he didn’t want the guy feeling self-conscious, or worse.

Incapable of fighting off the temptation, Kevin lifted one hand and quickly brushed the soft braids resting in the middle of Cedric’s back.

Cedric blinked a few times. He propped one shoulder against the wall, but he didn’t pull away. He didn’t seem bothered at all by Kevin’s words and touch. “You did, huh?”

Encouraged by the hunger he saw in Cedric’s dreamy brown eyes when his gaze dropped to Kevin’s mouth, he swallowed hard and decided to go for broke. “I figured the only way you’ll touch me as much as I need you to touch me is to always make sure I’m germ-free for you.”

Cedric’s reaction to his confession was unexpected. His expression softened and his lower lip trembled. He made a harsh sound deep in his throat, and one second later Kevin got slammed against the wall.

But the kiss he gave Kevin was feather soft and lingering; almost tentative. Delicate brushes of his lips, as if Cedric was testing how much he could take or how far he’d be able to take things with Kevin. He remained still and let him. His guess was they were already past the three second mark. They were making progress.

There was a slight hesitation, but when Cedric
finally
stroked his tongue against his lips, Kevin opened his mouth immediately and tilted his head to offer better access. That’s when the real kiss began. Hot, devouring and intoxicating. Then Cedric sneaked his arms between Kevin and the wall, grabbed Kevin’s ass with his hands, and hauled him up against his groin.

Kevin was shocked at the feel of him. At how perfectly they fit together, and how right they felt. He dropped his backpack and hard hat on the floor, and tightened his arms around Cedric’s narrow waist with steely strength. Not even hydraulic pliers could’ve made him let go of the man.

Cedric clutched at him, and Kevin’s lust shifted into overdrive. He plunged his tongue into Cedric’s mouth and groaned when Cedric sucked at it and gave Kevin his own.

Jesus
.

That damn stud was going to be the death of him.

He fell headlong into the voracious energy of the kiss and Cedric’s eagerness. The rough sound Cedric made sent a shiver down Kevin’s spine and into his heart. He never expected this. He never thought seeing Cedric out of his mind with desire would be anything but a dream of his. But the Brit boy was bold and delicious, and when Cedric ground him against the wall with his lean hips, Kevin jerked against the guy’s crotch and almost came.

Jesusfuckingchrist, I’m worse than a teenager.

Kevin wrenched his mouth away from Cedric’s, and buried his nose in the curve of his neck. As much as he liked kissing the guy, he wasn’t ready to come yet. Not in the hallway and not in his damn pants. Hell, not even tonight.

As much as he wanted to get hot and heavy with Cedric, he hadn’t come to his place to jump him the second he saw him. Conversation was priority, and he was resolved to only do things they would have done had they gone out to a restaurant.

“Good thing the kissing time is limited,” he said huskily. “That tongue of yours makes me lose perspective.”

“Perspective of what?”

“Of what tonight’s all about.” Though it was one of the hardest things he’d ever done, Kevin forced his hands to open and pushed Cedric until he was at arm’s length. “You think I can take that shower now?”

“Of course.” Cedric stared at him for a few seconds. Blatant invitation was written all over his pretty face, and Kevin felt his resolve falter.

How was he supposed to do the right thing when those brown eyes were eating him alive? Then he noticed there was something else mixed in with the lust. Surprise. Perhaps bewilderment. That was fantastic. It meant Cedric had been expecting a full-blown assault, and resisting got a whole lot easier. He wanted to surprise Cedric. He wanted to be his kind of “different”.

He cleared his throat then picked up his backpack and hard hat off the floor. “After you.”

And welcome to the life of the rich and famous, whose apartments were the size of football stadiums and their backyards were heaven.

As Cedric lead the way through the gazillion square feet of space, Kevin caught glimpses of vaulted ceilings and large windows, living rooms and a dining table that could probably seat a hundred, expensive vases, sculptures and chandeliers, and paintings he wouldn’t be able to interpret if his life depended on it. There was a grand piano, a library and a pool table, and something that looked like a spa area.

And that was only the first floor.

Up the grand staircase flanking the amazing fireplace were bedrooms, sitting areas, a movie theater, a gym, and Jesus, was that a swimming pool out there on the terrace?

“This place is incredible,” Kevin whispered, completely in awe of a penthouse the likes of which he’d only seen in magazines and on television.

“Thank you.” Cedric flashed him a content smile and slid his hand over a cream-colored wall. “I really love this flat. Most of the furniture was here, but I changed and updated several rooms before moving in. My mum has a more traditional taste, but she hasn’t been here in years, and I needed to feel at home.”