Jasper’s face heated, but he couldn’t pull away. Not when Vincent had him trapped in that intense gaze of his. He wasn’t used to being subjected to it outside of scenes.
Vincent traced his thumb back the other way, and Jasper couldn’t help the shuddery breath as he tipped closer, hardly caring that they were in public. Not like they were beingindecent, even if Vincent was watching him as if planning how to undress him and have his way with him.
A moan built in his throat that he couldn’t quite stifle, and Vincent’s eyes darkened before he flicked Jasper’s nose and pulled his hand away. Which, unfair. He sat back with a huff. “You’re not allowed to get me riled up in public,” he muttered.
“No?” Vincent asked, amusement thick in his voice. “I don’t recall that being in the contract.”
Jasper wanted to say that it should be, but he couldn’t make the words form. He refused to admit why as he shifted in his seat.
The lights flickered, and he turned his attention to the stage as the theater settled. The support orchestra finished setting up on one side, but his attention caught briefly on the man who sat at the piano before Ugetsu stepped onto the stage and applause rippled through the theater.
He practically vibrated in his seat with excitement as the lights dimmed. The moment Ugetsu put his bow to his violin, goose bumps burst across his arms and neck. Hearing this music through his headphones was one thing, but here, the rich violin music resonating and vibrating through the cool air directly from the source, was transcendental. The addition of a piano was new, but it worked to deepen and brighten the melody.
He closed his eyes for a long moment as he let the music crash over him. One song flowed into the next, and he pried his eyes open to watch, nearly falling out of his seat as he leaned forward as far as he could, transfixed by how such small adjustments of the bow changed the violin from remorseful to haunting. How the piano swelled and lifted it to hopeful. Ugetsu’s rich voice melded with the music, its own counterpoint that sucked Jasper in even deeper.
He could have sat there listening forever, all the stress and anxiety and doubts melting away until all that was left waswhatever feeling the music evoked in the moment, and Ugetsu was a master at evoking them all. From pits of despair so deep Jasper could see himself in his father’s closet with a gun in his hands to regret so profound he could taste it on the back of his tongue to effervescent euphoria that left him breathless with yearning.
Two hours passed far too quickly, and Jasper couldn’t quite comprehend it was over even as most of the audience surged to their feet in a standing ovation. He should get up and join them, but moving was beyond him at the moment. All he could do was sit and breathe as reality crashed back in around him.
Vincent’s fingers in his hair worked to ground him, and he leaned into the touch with a deep sigh of pleasure. “Ready?” Vincent asked, still sitting despite those around them already slowly filing towards the exits.
“Mm, I guess.” Vincent curled his fingers tighter but immediately released them, so quickly that Jasper could have believed he’d imagined it if not for the tingles along his scalp and the burst of heat in his gut. His hand found its way into Vincent’s as they joined the procession, and he was almost scared to ask, “Did you enjoy it?”
“Yes.” Vincent squeezed his hand, rubbing his thumb against the back of Jasper’s. “Not nearly as much as you did, though. You seemed to be in a trance.”
Jasper ducked his head and used the crowd as an excuse to press closer and hook his other hand beneath Vincent’s arm. “I’ve never been to something like this.”
“Do you want to do it again sometime?”
He jerked his head up in surprise. “Really?” He tried to keep the eager excitement under control but failed miserably.
Vincent glanced at him in obvious amusement and squeezed his hand again. “I’m sure we can find another we’d both enjoy.”
Jasper grinned and didn’t even try to hide the bounce in his step.
Getting out of the building took far longer than getting in, and the traffic wasn’t any better, but it gave him time to come down from the high of seeing his favorite artist live. He was simultaneously buzzed and limp with catharsis, not unlike after an intense scene that pushed him into subspace.
By the time Vincent parked in the garage Jasper was yawning, his eyes drooping, and not even the knowledge that they’d be on a plane in a few hours could fully wake him up. He trudged upstairs where Vincent undressed him and tucked him into bed, and he sank into the deep sleep of the blissfully exhausted.
Chapter 5
MORNING CAMEfar too early in that it was still dark outside when their alarms went off. Vincent may have ensured they were properly packed the day before, but he couldn’t help the need to double-check they had everything while Jasper made a quick breakfast of toast. He would have preferred a more substantial breakfast with several hours of flying ahead of them, but he didn’t want to leave a mess that would sit for two weeks, and it was too early to stomach much of anything.
He’d paused his cleaning service and given his driver paid time off, starting the moment they were dropped at the airport. He wasn’t entirely worried about forgetting something that couldn’t be picked up at a local store, but he’d prefer not to have to make any detours.
He checked the drawers to grab a few more pairs of boxers and socks, just in case, and paused at the manilla envelopes tucked to the side. Their blood test results. He’d gotten them back weeks ago but hadn’t bothered to bring them up since Jasper had been anxious about the changes they might bring. Maybe Vincent should have addressed it again when he’d first received them, but Jasper’s exams had taken priority. And then the end of semester, Jasper’s birthday, and this vacation.
Vincent grabbed the envelopes, tossed the extra clothes into his suitcase, tucked the test results into the front pouch, and zipped it up. Once he was sure he had his phone, wallet, and keys, he grabbed both their suitcases and rolled them out of the bedroom. He didn’t dare risk breaking a limb by taking them both downstairs at once and by the time he had everything piled by the door, his driver was waiting at the curb.
“Ready?” he called, heading to the kitchen where Jasper had a piece of toast with melted peanut butter waiting on a plate for him.
Jasper shoved the last bit of his own toast in his mouth. “Yup!” he said brightly, rinsing his plate before quickly leaning in to plant a kiss on Vincent’s cheek. “I’ll get the bags,” he said, already out of the kitchen.
Vincent grimaced at the greasy residue from a smear of peanut butter Jasper left behind. “Damn brat,” he muttered under his breath. He folded his toast in half and ate it in a few bites, drained a glass of water, and headed after Jasper, making sure all the lights were off as he went.
He grabbed his laptop bag and was about to lock up when Jasper raced back inside, muttering about his phone charger. Vincent shook his head and waited the few seconds it took for Jasper to return. “Got everything?”
“Think so.”
