ARI HUMMEDas he selected an outfit for the evening. He’d been somewhat shocked by Jax’s texts just before noon asking if Ari was free that day and would he mind if Jax came over? Jax was rather eager to try that other thing Ari had suggested.
That I suggested?
Something about my knees and ears.
Well. If you insist.
Jax had been ravenous when Ari opened the door, and Ari indeed learned what Jax looked like bent in half and begging for it. He looked especially appealing draped over Ari’s expensive couch, his pale skin contrasting with the slate gray fabric.
And it was as brutal and frenzied as the first time.
Later, when Jax had to leave for work, he kissed Ari goodbye, hard and grateful. “Thank you. I really needed that.” He ran his hands over Ari’s chest and then pressed another hard kiss to his mouth. “If you come to the bar tonight, I’ll sing something just for you.” He winked and hurried out the door.
As always after seeing Jax, Ari was desperate to write. Especially with that parting blow. Jax obviously meant something salacious. It was all too easy, though, for Ari to misremember it, to believe he intended to make a romantic gesture. It hurt, but it was the kind of hurt that led to productive time with his instruments.
Still, he set an alarm on his phone. He didn’t want to miss a personal performance.
At the Rock, Jax was already on stage. Ari greeted Murph at the bar, ordered a ginger ale, and settled in to wait.
He didn’t have to wait long.
“I promised a friend,” Jax said, leaning into the mic like he was trying to seduce it, “that I would sing this next song. I hope you like it.” Their gazes caught, and Ari’s breath hitched.
Behind him, Murph muttered, “I’m gonna have to put a leash on that b’y.”
Kayla took the lead, bashing out an ’80s beat on her drums, and soon Jax and Naomi joined in with their instruments and ahhs. Thanks to his older sister, Ari recognized the refrain. “Holding Out for a Hero”?
Ari didn’t understand this man, but Jax clearly enjoyed playing it. All three of them went hard on the instruments, and Jax brought the same intensity to the vocals as he begged the universe for a man to come save him. The song suited his brand of ham, certainly.
As always, the crowd loved it, and Jax glowed under the attention. Ari wanted to bend him over the piano.
He wondered how much damage that might do to his own instrument.
Naomi called for a break after Bonnie Tyler, and they left the stage in different directions. Jax bounced up to him and asked, “So, what did you think?”
“As enjoyable a performance as always,” Ari teased.
“I knew you’d like some ’80s synth rock.” He pressed two fingers to Ari’s knee and fluttered his lashes, a positively tame flirtation.
“Yes, you have spotted my musical weakness.”
“Well, then, you better stick around for the next number.”
Ari hummed his agreement. “I have nowhere else to be.”
“Good! Now I have to run to the bathroom because I’ve been stuck on stage forever. Rosa has the night off.” He grinned and hustled away. Ari watched him go.
“It really is a stunning view,” a familiar voice said next to him. Ari looked over and saw Kayla behind the bar, a sweating beer in her hand.
Jax had suggested once that he and Kayla had some sort of past entanglement, but since Ari didn’t know the details, he wasn’t sure how to proceed.
She turned to Ari. “You know, you two really are disgustingly cute together. Like I totally wanna barf about it, but it also makes me super happy for him.”
“Should I apologize or thank you?” Ari asked dryly.
Kayla grinned. “He told you we slept together, right?” Ari inclined his head. Not in so many words, but…. “Anyway, it was damn good, and Jax is sweet. It almost made me wish I could give him what he wants.” Ari clenched his fists in his lap. “But well, relationships aren’t my thing, and Jax is the marrying kind.” She shrugged.
Ari’s mouth dropped open.
