Chapter 7
At first, Lance had worried that things might be strange between them. They’d jumped from friendship to attraction, to romance in a very short span of time, and he’d expected there to be a few awkward moments here and there. Two weeks later he was still waiting for them to appear.
Lance was finding that in relationships, like everything else, once JC made up his mind that he was going to do something, he gave one hundred percent of himself to it. That didn’t mean that they’d jumped from friendship to kisses and directly into bed, because to date- and much to Lance’s frustration- that hadn’t happened. He had to be honest though, and admit that he was just as much to blame for that as JC. Lance hadn’t wanted to rush things until they were both ready for it; it was just that a relationship-involved JC was a very affectionate JC. Rarely did he miss an opportunity to pull Lance in for a hug, and he was immensely fond of dropping whatever he was doing and finding Lance to share a kiss, or two, or several. Watching movies together never failed to turn into cuddle fests, so there’d rarely been a night since they’d moved forward with this new aspect of their relationship that Lance hadn’t crawled into his bed, alone, needy and frustrated.
It didn’t take much for him to imagine that JC was feeling the same, yet neither of them made a move to change the status quo. They were both too content with their newfound connection to screw it up by rushing things, and they had time, lots and lots of time. Except that after tomorrow, that time would be spent- at least for the next little while- apart. Having already spent way more time in Monterey than he’d initially anticipated, Lance needed to get back to L.A. His partners were getting antsy, and he needed to get home and take care of a few things, except that L.A. no longer felt like home to him, not the way JC’s house in Monterey did.
In the countless hours they’d spent talking about pretty much everything, they’d avoided discussing what would happen once Lance had to leave. It had been there, hovering on the outskirts of their conversations, but they’d yet to address it. But it could no longer be avoided, and as they sat, sprawled over the couch, their limbs tangled, Lance decided it was now or never and brought it up.
“So, Wendy called earlier.”
JC took a sip of wine, then shifted to rest the glass against his stomach. “She needing you to come back?”
“Yeah, there’s some stuff that I’ve been putting off taking care of, that I really need to get to.” He watched as JC idly took another sip out of his glass, stretched to place it on the table, and then moved so he was sitting on the edge of the couch near Lance. “I have to head back sometime tomorrow.”
JC turned at that. “Wow, that’s quick.”
“I probably should have headed on back already, but I’ve been putting it off.” It was Lance’s turn to move when JC swung his legs around so that he was now lying beside Lance, facing him.
“You want me to come back with you?” JC laced his fingers through Lance’s. “Or maybe I should just call Wendy back and tell her, sorry, but you can’t have him.”
Their foreheads touched as Lance leaned in for a kiss. “I wish I could let you do that, love, but I can’t. I’d love for you to come with me if you want to, but I have to warn you, I’ve got so much shit to catch up on, I’m not sure how much you’d see of me.”
“Well, that wouldn’t be any fun then.”
“Nope, it sure wouldn’t,” Lance answered, his disappointment showing in every word.
“I’ll tell you what, if you’re going to be that busy, why don’t you leave Sadie here with me, we’ll keep each other company until you free some time up and then I’ll bring her down to L.A. with me.”
“Yeah?”
“Mm hmm,” JC managed between the pecks he was placing over Lance’s chin. “I will tell you though, if it takes you more than four or five days, we’ll be coming whether you’re ready for us or not, because I don’t think I can go much longer than that without doing this.” As kisses went, this one would go down as one of the hottest they’d shared to date. When they parted, faces flushed, and chests heaving, Lance wasn’t sure he’d make it one day, never mind four.
“Three days, tops,” Lance promised, knowing he’d have to work his ass off to keep it.
JC sighed, “I’m going to miss you.”
There was no doubt he’d gotten used to having Lance here in his house. Even when Lance was ensconced in the office JC had temporarily set up for him, reading scripts, JC had been acutely aware of his presence, especially over the last couple of weeks. Truth be told, JC couldn’t remember a relationship he’d had where he’d been so aware of the person he’d been involved with as he was with Lance. Maybe it was because they’d known each other for so long, but JC didn’t think that was all of it. Being with Lance had brought about a myriad of feelings that he’d never experienced, and their relationship was only just beginning.
“You’re being awfully quiet.” It had been enlightening, watching the expressive play of emotions over JC’s face over the last few minutes. Over the years Lance had spent a great deal of time observing JC from a distance, so he was pretty good at reading him, and what he’d seen seconds ago had pleased him. JC might not love him, yet, but he was emotionally invested in this relationship, and that…that was more than what he’d hoped for when he’d come to Monterey.
“I was just thinking about how much I’ve gotten used to having you underfoot.” JC’s eyes twinkled with a teasing light as he continued; “It’s going to be weird not to be tripping over you every time I turn around.”
“I think you’re forgetting who was the one doing all the tripping around here just a few weeks back,” Lance shot back, and then to his delight watched as JC’s cheeks flushed pink. “I seem to remember someone who shall remain nameless tripping over his own feet a time or two in his hurry to get away from me.” Lance’s eyes shown with mirth and memory as he dipped his head down to catch JC’s eye. “Hmm, I wonder who that could be?”
“Yeah, well you confused the hell out of me, dude. I wasn’t sure if I was going crazy or what, because one minute you were all up on me and shit and then you were just normal Lance. It was scary.”
“Aww, poor baby,” Lance teased.
“Hey man, you were freaking me out, seriously.”
“I was trying to get you to notice me,” Lance confessed.
“Well, it worked, babe, because I couldn’t get you out of my head.”
“Good, and you’d better keep me there too when I’m gone.”
Now it was JC’s turn to tease. “Well, I’ll try, but you know, I’m going to be kind of busy, too. There’s my painting, the tracks I’ve been playing with for J, and then ya know, there’s Ben.” He knew by how utterly still Lance became then that he’d completely said the wrong thing.
“Lance,” JC shifted his weight so that Lance was firmly trapped between his body and the back of the couch. “I’m sorry, I was just fooling around, but I shouldn’t have said that.”
Lance shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but he refused to look up from JC’s shirt. “We never said we wouldn’t date other people, so it’s cool if that’s what you want to do.” He was lying through his teeth, and scared to death that JC would agree.
“Is that what you want Lance?” JC asked, not anywhere near as good at reading Lance as Lance was at reading him.
“Sure, why not, right? We haven’t made any sort of commitment or anything, so…”
“Fuck that,” JC growled. They’d been practically living together for the last two weeks, and yeah, so they hadn’t slept together yet, but it was understood that they would. They were just taking time to get to know each other in this new capacity, and the fact that they hadn’t had sex yet, didn’t make them any less of a couple, or any less committed. “You’d better get that idea out of your head right now, Lance, because I don’t share.”
“I’m not an object JC…”
“No, you’re not. You’re my boyfriend.” They both grinned then, at the silly, old-fashioned word.
“I am?” Lance knew he was beaming like a complete and total dork but he didn’t care.
“You are,” JC slithered around so that he was now resting under Lance. He ran his hands down Lance’s side until he came to his waist and warm bare skin. “And you’d best not be forgetting it either or I’ll have to kick your ass.”
“Hmm.” Lance moved just enough to have JC’s hands shifting from his waist to the aforementioned ass. “I’m thinking that as you’re the one who brought another guys name into this conversation, that maybe you’re the one who should get his ass kicked, not me.”
“I think,” JC arched his back to rub against Lance, “that there are other things that I’d rather have you do to that…ahh, particular part of my anatomy.”
“JC,” Lance breathed as they ground together.
“I want you, Lance. I really,” JC paused to enjoy the delicious sensation of having Lance’s erection rubbing against his, “really want you.”
Lance didn’t ask if JC were sure, in fact, he didn’t say a word. There was no need for them as he rose and took JC’s hand to pull him from the couch. They kissed, drawing it out, each unwilling to rush this moment now that it was upon them. When they paused, it was JC who took Lance’s hand in his and led him up the stairs to his bedroom. He wanted Lance there, in his bed, so that when Lance was gone, he could lay in it and remember him there.
In the room, they took their time undressing each other, learning the contours of each others body as first time lovers do. Their fingers traced over planes, lingered over curves, and then linked again as JC lay back on the bed and pulled Lance to him. He’d imagined this moment countless times, what it would be like, but his dreams had never compared to the reality of having Lance’s warmth surrounding him. The night went on around them as they moved over the bed, touching, tasting, and finally, after what seemed like forever, becoming one.
“I love you.” Lance whispered when they were fully joined. He couldn’t have stopped himself from saying it, even if he’d wanted to.
JC shivered as the words washed over him, and he wished that he were sure enough of his own feelings to return them. “Lance…”
“Shhh…” Lance placed a finger over JC’s lips. “Just make love to me, okay? I just,” Lance grasped JC’s hips, guiding him, “want you to make love to me.”
“Oh…oh…” Lance moaned as JC began to move. His hands fisted in the pillow under his head as sensation after sensation rolled through him. He couldn’t think or breathe; all he could do was feel JC over him, in him, around him. A part of him wished, just before his climax slammed through him that he could keep his eyes open so that he could watch JC, and then as he felt JC follow him, he stopped wishing and let himself go.
JC wasn’t sure if it were moments or hours later when Lance hoarsely asked, “Are you okay?” but he did know the answer to the question, “Oh yeah.”
Lance chuckled and then began to place tiny kisses over JC’s skin.
“I should move.” JC shifted his weight. “I’m too heavy.”
“No, you’re not,” Lance assured him, but he didn’t stop JC when he eased away. Nor did JC protest when Lance left the bed and headed for the bathroom. He knew Lance would be back and when he did come back, crawling under the covers to settle beside him, JC scooted over and snuggled under Lance’s arm, stretching languidly under the hand that he began running up and down his spine. “Why is it,” JC asked, his voice husky with sleep, “that we waited to do this?”
“Because the timing wasn’t right until today,” Lance told him.
“I’m not so sure our timing’s all that great right now either, because now that we have, I’m really not going to want you to go back to L.A. tomorrow.”
“We still have tonight.”
“Yeah, but we have to sleep.”
Lance leaned over him and grinned, “Who says?”
Bleary-eyed and cranky, JC watched Lance throw his bags into the trunk of his car. Even with sleeping for only a few hours, the time had still gone by much too quickly for his liking and he wasn’t in any way ready to see Lance off.
“You’re going to scare the neighbors if you keep frowning like that,” Lance told him as he made his way over from the car.
“I don’t have any neighbors.”
“It’s a good thing, too,” Lance teased, “what with all the noise you were making last night.”
JC laughed, as Lance had wanted him to, and then sighed when Lance’s arms wrapped around him for one last hug.
“I love you,” Lance told him, “and I’ll call you tonight, after I meet with Wendy, so stay up and wait for me, okay?”
“Okay,” JC agreed, and then before he let Lance go, softly told him, “I miss you already.”
“It’ll go by fast,” Lance assured him. “You’ll see.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah,” Lance leaned in, stole one final kiss, “I promise.”
“Okay, now get.” JC made a shooing motion with his hand. “Before I tie you up and lock you in the closet.”
“Ohhh, kinky.” Lance propped his chin on the hood of the car and winked at JC. “I think I might like that.”
“Perv,” JC taunted, though he was grinning as he did.
“That’s me, baby,” Lance shot back, his voice threaded with laughter. They stood like that for several heartbeats, smiling across the car at each other, until Lance sighed and whispered, “I have to go.”
“Three days,” JC reminded him, as Lance slid behind the wheel.
“Three days,” Lance repeated as he started the car.
They stared at each other through the open window until JC took a step back and ordered, “Go.”
Lance put the car in gear, touched his fingers to his lips in a final gesture of farewell and then took off down the drive. JC watched him until he rounded a curve in the drive and was out of sight, then turned to make his way back into the house. Though he tried hard not to, he couldn’t help but think as he closed the door behind him, that these were going to be the three longest days of his life.