Disasterology 101 (30 page)

Cedric sneered at his reflection while he put on running pants and a t-shirt. He’d gone barmy. It was the only explanation for his irresponsible behavior.

Once he was dressed, he went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water. He put the apple he found on the counter back in the refrigerator, and after making sure the rest of the house was in order and the front door locked, he went upstairs to check on what he thought of as Kevin’s bedroom. It was empty, but his boots were next to the bed, and his sweater thrown over a chair. Too weak—and happy—to get mad about his laziness, Cedric put the items in their rightful place, and headed toward the media room.

An episode of Doctor Who was playing on the telly, which meant Kevin had only fallen asleep at some point in the past forty minutes.

Cedric let his eyes slide over him.

Navy blue and white plaid pajama bottoms, but no t-shirt. He was pretty sure Kevin wasn’t wearing underwear either. One of his legs was stretched out, the other bent at the knee and resting against the back of the couch. One arm was draped across his stomach, and the other folded behind his head, showing off thick, silky tufts of armpit hair. His mouth was slightly open, and he was snoring softly.

Beautiful.

Titillating.

He looked strong and inviting; every detail of him blunt and masculine, and mouth-watering.

Cedric backed out of the media room and rushed to his bedroom.

He’d been convinced his condition would always make it impossible for him to sleep with anyone, and cuddling was unfathomable. But that was before Kevin showed him how different things could be if he’d only trust him to know what Cedric needed.

The man sleeping in the media room had ripped a veil from the world as Cedric knew it. Thanks to him, everything was better and brighter, and Cedric had never felt so intensely alive.

So normal.

But tonight he felt unglued. After spending several nights with Kevin without having any major incidents, he perceived the anxiety attack as a setback. It scared him to death, and he craved Kevin’s protection.

He put on a thick pair of socks, a long sleeve t-shirt and a hoodie. The hair he secured under a beanie, and finally added a scarf for good measure. Once he made absolutely sure his skin was completely covered, he put on his gloves and grabbed a comforter from the linen closet.

Kevin hadn’t moved an inch by the time Cedric got back to the media room, but his eyes snapped open the second Cedric stood next to him.

“Hey.” Kevin rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand and squinted. “You okay?”

He didn’t look upset. He didn’t demand an explanation for being left alone. There were no traces of recrimination on his handsome face.

“Honey?”

Not babe, or oddball, but honey.

Honey.

Cedric shivered, and pressed the comforter to his chest.

After a big yawn and a swift scratch of his bollocks, Kevin hoisted himself up on his elbows and smiled in his direction. “What time is it?”

Don’t know, don’t care.

Time and place were irrelevant.

Kevin was
there
. Oh, God, was he ever.

Giving and affectionate. Mature and reliable. A sensual delight. Attractive in every way possible.

Kevin Morrison was larger than life, and the mere sight of him made Cedric’s lungs constrict, and his heart skip a beat.

“Come here.” Kevin held out his hand to him, and Cedric seized it immediately. “Lie down with me.” He turned on his side, and Cedric aligned his body in front of Kevin’s. Thankfully the couch was big enough for both of them. “Okay if I put my arms around you?” When he nodded, Kevin hugged and pulled him closer. Then he covered them both with the comforter. “You feel any better?”

“Still a little shaky,” Cedric croaked. “Have a headache.” But he was in heaven. “I like this.”

“You mean spooning?”

“Uh-huh.” He covered Kevin’s hand with his own, then sighed deeply when Kevin lifted his other hand and started massaging his scalp through the beanie.

“No cornrows tonight?”

“Took them out when I got home,” he mumbled. “They’re too tight, and make my headache worse.”

Kevin kissed the back of Cedric’s head, and increased the pressure of his fingers.

“What happened?”

“Anxiety attack.” His words prompted Kevin to hug him tighter and throw a leg over his hips. Was he trying to shield him? To make Cedric feel protected? Tears stung his eyes, but he smiled happily. “Thanks for waiting, pet.”

“It wasn’t a favor.” Kevin kissed him again, and intertwined their fingers. “I told you I’d wait, didn’t I? I’ll be here, no matter what.”

Cedric knew this now. If actions really spoke louder than words, then Kevin was screaming to the world he cared about him. But Cedric wasn’t up to getting into it. “Let’s sleep now,” he said, Doctor Who and the TARDIS becoming blurrier by the second.

“Sleep? Like—I mean…” Cedric heard Kevin’s gulp loud and clear. “
Together
?”

“Yes.”

Kevin cleared his throat. “Wow… That’s…”

“Unexpected?” he asked, amusement making his tone lighter.

Kevin’s chuckle sounded heartfelt as he nuzzled Cedric’s neck. “Wanna go to bed?” Kevin asked him tenderly.

“No.” Cedric kissed the back of Kevin’s callused hand, and snuggled closer to him. “Here’s perfect.”

* * *

Kevin wasn’t surprised when he woke up alone at seven o’clock the next morning, and even though he was also disappointed, he didn’t dwell on it. He’d be an asshole if he did. Timed activities gave Cedric some sort of a safe feeling, and he was more than grateful the guy had risked having an episode just so he could sleep for three hours with Kevin.

He wouldn’t bemoan the absence of Cedric’s warm body pressed tightly against his chest. Instead, he’d bask in the fact that the Brit boy trusted Kevin to respect his boundaries, and had come looking for him.

Kevin slipped out from under the fluffy comforter, and swung his legs over the side of the sofa. He stretched his arms over his head, and yawned so widely he almost dislocated his jaw.

He’d barely slept. Unlike Cedric—who was out for the count before Kevin had time to process his presence—he’d had a hard time going back to sleep. Literally. As usual, once his cock took notice of Cedric’s proximity, it was almost impossible to get it to behave.

But their shared time on the couch wasn’t about sex. It was about support, company, and Kevin trying to figure out what the hell he could do to make Cedric feel better. The last thing on his mind was getting laid, so he got hold of himself and spent the next two hours thinking while holding Cedric, before he finally conked out.

He didn’t even get three hours sleep, yet he felt rested. He was more than ready to tackle a new day, and eager to find Cedric and start their weekend together.

He slid one hand down his pajama bottoms, wrapped it around his morning wood, and squeezed it lightly as he made his way from the media room to his bedroom. He showered and brushed his teeth within ten minutes, but needed another five to take care of business. After putting on sweat pants, socks and a t-shirt, he hurried downstairs to find Cedric. It was eight-thirty. He’d surely find him having some tea in the kitchen.

There was a cup and a plate with a few of the scones Cedric baked himself abandoned in the breakfast nook, but no sign of the guy.

“Crap.”

Things left out of place could only mean… Well. He had no idea what the hell it meant. Did having anxiety attacks affect Cedric’s normal behavior? Or was he so out of sorts he hadn’t realized he’d left crumbs all over the table?

Kevin looked around the penthouse. The gym. The library. The Spa room. Cedric’s office. All quiet. All frighteningly empty.

He ran upstairs to the media room, then headed toward Cedric’s bedroom. He knocked on the door, crossed his arms over his chest, and hunched his shoulders while he waited. Where the hell was that cold air draft coming from? He needed to get a sweater.

“Of course.” Kevin lowered his arms and rushed to the end of the hallway. “Should’ve known.”

Sure enough, there was Cedric… like he’d never seen him before.

Nothing was different about his clothes. Sweatpants and hoodies were Cedric’s standard ensemble whenever he was home, although the gloves were missing, and the black beanie was a new addition.

Yeah. The outfit was the same ole’, same ole’.

It was the hair that had Kevin gaping like an idiot.

Instead of tight cornrows, an almost waist-length, silky-looking mane hung down Cedric’s torso, with a few strands floating around his pretty face. Dark pink lips and shiny soulful eyes completed the picture. With nothing but Manhattan’s sky as his background, Cedric looked like a fallen angel.

“Hey,” Cedric said with a wave of his hand. “When did you wake up?”

“Not too long ago. Is everything okay? You left stuff on the breakfast nook.”

“I’m supposed to leave things out of place, and work on delaying my responses to the mess. If I can wait thirty minutes without rushing to fix it, I’ll buy myself this new album I’ve been wanting as a reward.”

“Oh.”
Thank God
. “Which one?” he asked, not surprised by Cedric’s choice. The guy could buy a recording studio, but the rewards he chose rarely cost more than twenty bucks. It wasn’t about the price, he’d told Kevin, but about getting things he really wanted. It made the reward all that more valuable.

“Nicky Minaj.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” he asked as he put a Listerine strip in his mouth.

“She’s not that bad.”

“You’ve got terrible taste in music.”

Cedric’s smile was adorable.

“Are you done smoking?” Kevin rubbed his arms and stepped out onto the rooftop terrace. “It’s kinda cold out here.”

“Join me?” Cedric lifted his hand and showed him his cigarette before taking a long drag from it. “I want to greet you properly.”

Jesus, but he loved the teasing smile on Cedric’s lips. “You bet I will.”

Kevin closed the door behind him and approached Cedric slowly. Right before he reached the outdoor sofa where Cedric was sitting, he took his cell phone out of his pocket and snapped a picture.

“Are you photographing me?”

“I need to capture this moment.” He snapped another picture, then another when Cedric’s smile changed from teasing to timid, and he looked up at Kevin from under his long eyelashes. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“What moment?” Cedric said with a deep chuckle. “I’m just sitting here doing nothing.”

Kevin smiled at his Brit boy and switched his camera phone to the video feature. “You call taking my breath away nothing?”

“Are you always this romantic in the morning?”

“Only when you’re around, honey.” He kneeled on the cold floor and aimed his phone at Cedric’s face. “So don’t underestimate the power of your beauty.”

“You and I have completely different ideas of what’s breathtaking.”

“Oh yeah?” Kevin’s eyes darted between Cedric and his phone’s screen. “Care to elaborate?”

“Your commitment to your life goals,” Cedric said without taking any time to think about his answer. “Your sound character….” Cedric took the phone from his hand and turned it on him. “The look in your eyes when you talk about your children.” Kevin held his breath when Cedric brought his free hand up to his face. “Let’s not forget your strong body….” Kevin closed his eyes when Cedric caressed his face with his fingers, and placed his hand over his. Was he dreaming? He had to be. “Or your delectable back side.” Cedric leaned closer and slid his pierced tongue between his lips. “Good morning, pet.”

Kevin licked his lips and touched his forehead to Cedric’s. “Good morning to you, too.” He stole another peck, and gave the guy an Eskimo kiss. “How come you’re letting me be so close?” He rubbed his cheek against Cedric’s, but stopped when he remembered he hadn’t shaved. He didn’t want to scratch Cedric’s delicate skin. But apparently he didn’t mind, because
he
rubbed their cheeks tenderly one more time before pulling back. “And where are the gloves?” Kevin whispered, mesmerized by the silky hair brushing his forearms.