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Eric followed with his own cup and plate. “Sounds great.”
“Leave in a couple of hours?”
“It’s a date.” Eric frowned. “I mean, it’s not—you know what I meant. I’m not implying we’re dating. Just using the figure of speech. That’s all.”
Adrian tried to hide a sudden, stupid swell of affection behind a wink. “Please clarify—did you mean to imply we’re dating? Because I don’t think I quite got the message.”
Eric’s frown smoothed out. He joined Adrian at the dishwasher, pausing for a light kick of Adrian’s foot. “You know, I don’t think making fun of your employees sets the right example.”
Adrian turned to face him, openly letting his gaze skim down the length of Eric’s body. “I think we can relax the rules a little given I had you naked in my bed last night.”
It was quiet enough that Adrian didn’t miss Eric’s small, sharp intake of air. “Did you?” Eric asked, low. “Not sure I remember.”
Adrian took half a step closer. It hadn’t occurred to him when Eric had mentioned that Adrian’s parents were gone, but fuck, they had the entire building to themselves, at least for the next few hours. Tomorrow, Kojo would return, and Martin the day after, and then hotel guests would arrive for Christmas—they might not get a chance like this again.
“Are you asking for a refresher?” Adrian let his mouth curl into a deliberate smile, dipping his head so he could send Eric a look from underneath his lashes. Some lessons you didn’t forget, and Adrian had listened when photographers told him how to maximise his appeal. “Because not gonna lie—when I saw you at the piano thismorning, I thought about getting right between your legs. Ask you to keep playing while I get my mouth on you.”
“Fuck.” It was hardly more than an exhale, Eric’s body swaying slightly towards Adrian. “Yes, please?”
Usually, Adrian would have come up with something smart and funny—usually. This time, he drew a blank because for maybe only the second time, it was Eric who closed the gap between them.
Adrian leaned back against the kitchen counter and let himself be kissed.
In his years with ErosElite,Adrian had been to several Mediterranean mansions and a gigantic villa in Hawaii, to an actual castle in Croatia, and to several one-off locations, from beach houses to cottages to outdoor spaces that guaranteed plenty of privacy. He couldn’t remember any of them having come with a grand piano.
A gross oversight, clearly. Because he doubted he’d ever filmed an opening that could compete with the sight before him—Eric, bathed in the honeyed warmth of the morning sun, eyes half-lidded as his fingers moved across the keys.
Fucking gorgeous.
As the melody faded out, Adrian pushed away from where he’d been reclining against the elegant curve of the instrument and circled closer.‘The panther walk,’was how Martin had once described it, laughing.‘Makes a guy feel like he’s the juiciest gazelle in the savannah, and that’s just what you’re after.’
Directors had loved it. If the way Eric’s gaze clung to Adrian was any indication, he wasn’t immune either, the piano silent now, the building breathing around them.
“Throwback.” Adrian stopped just out of reach and smiled, slow and deliberate. He let his voice dip into a low murmur. “You played the piano when you first, ah … met me. Right?”
Eric’s eyes widened slightly, his fingers hovering over the keys. “Uh, well. Yeah. Been playing since I was six. So … yeah?”
Adrian moved to stand behind him and bent over, mouth just shy of brushing Eric’s ear. “Ever thought of me when you were practising? Once you found the site, that is.”
Eric’s shoulders rose on a deep intake of air. “Possibly? I mean, I was a teenager.”
“Good.” Adrian placed his hands on Eric’s shoulders, lowering his voice to a murmur. “I’m gonna need you to walk me through that fantasy.”
He was close enough to feel Eric’s almost imperceptible shiver, a response that went straight to Adrian’s gut. “I thought”—Eric glanced back, cheeks faintly flushed—“you didn’t want me picturing Kevin Pine?”
“I don’t.” Adrian dug his thumbs into the corded muscle where Eric’s neck and shoulder met. “Nothing wrong with temporarily reviving a teenage daydream, though. Is there?”
Eric turned his head to press a kiss to the back of Adrian’s left hand, their eyes meeting briefly. Eric’s mouth curved up. “Well, they do say that you should never outgrow your dreams.”
“That’s what I thought.” Adrian let a teasing grin show in his voice. “So, what’s the setup? It’s your fantasy, remember? I’m just here to follow your lead.”
Eric’s chuckle melted into the quiet morning. “Not exactly your area of expertise, is it? Following anyone’s lead.”
“Oh, excuse you. I can perform five-hundred sixty-two tricks on command.” Adrian paused. “I just don’t want to.”
“Surprise.” Eric’s tone implied the opposite. He glanced back with a smile that sat mostly around his eyes and leaned slightly into Adrian’s touch. “All right—teenage fantasies. It’s a piano practice. So obviously, I’m playing some kind of piece.”
Adrian opened his mouth against the back of Eric’s neck and pressed a wet kiss to his skin, right above the collar of a cashmere jumper that fit him just right. “Why don’t you start with something familiar?” Adrian murmured.
