Page 61 of Tumbling Hearts

“Alright, alright. Sure, I’ll jam with you. Let’s go, Gene.”

Gene smiles, and damn, does that smile light up Ray’s soul. Only he can do that to him in a way no one else can.

“For sure. We’ll see you guys later, then,” Gene says, waving his free hand to Santi and Stefan.

“Don’t have too much fun, now,” Santi teases.

“We’ll be good.” Gene laughs, giving Ray’s hand a small squeeze.

“See ya,” Stefan says, getting in the last word before Gene pulls Ray toward the stairwell.

Ray shuts the door behind him as they enter Gene’s room. He makes sure to lock it, too. Granted, he figures no one would enter Gene’s room anyway since he doesn’t share it with anyone, but better safe than sorry.

Before Carol left the rooftop, Ray had told her that he’d be back in their own room later in the night. Yet as he stands in this room, alone with Gene, he honestly wishes he never fucking said that. Because of that, he’ll have to cut his time with Gene short. If only he could just stay here all night, fall asleep in Gene’s arms like he did in St. Ignace, and then wake up to his handsome face in the morning.

But he’s already walking on thin ice. Santiago basically knows something’s happening between him and Gene without them ever saying a word. Though at the same time, it almost feels… freeing, to not have to hide his affections for Gene. He knows they could never be truly publicly open, given their circumstances as celebrities now. But if their close friends knew…

“You really did that, right in front of Santi,” Ray laughs, kicking off his shoes by the door.

“Yeah. I thought it was fine.” Gene smiles, kicking his boots off as well. “Just a silly harmless kiss on the hand.”

“I mean, yeah, I get that. But you must realize he’s starting to… suspect things about us.”

Gene shrugs. “And his suspicions would be correct.”

“Aren’t you worried about it? Like, if word gets out that we…?”

“Well, of course. But it’s just Santi. It’s not like Carol or anyone else knows, right?”

“No, I’ve never told her anything. And I don’t think anyone other than Santi suspects things…”

He thinks about that a little harder. Maybe Pat is suspicious, but he hasn’t talked to her enough to really feel if she knows something about him and Gene specifically, or more just Ray being aloof toward Carol in general. The only other person that may suspect something is Maurice. As a gay man himself, Maurice would have the eye to look for something queer in Ray and Gene’s relationship. He certainly liked seeing us pose together for photos.

“Then what I did is fine,” Gene reasons, grabbing Ray’s hand. “It’s not like I made out with you in public, like this.”

He tugs Ray closer, throwing his free arm around Ray’s middle, pulling him in for a kiss. Of course, Ray can’t help but melt into Gene’s touch. He knows that another reason Gene seems so carefree is because he’s been drinking, but figures he doesn’t need to bring that up. No, maybe they can worry about that some other time. All he wants to hear right now is Gene’s moans, his sweet words tickling his ears.

Ray brings his hands up, carding his fingers through Gene’s long hair. Opening his mouth, he tastes the flavor of whiskey on Gene’s tongue. It’s tantalizing, being so close, and he grinds his hips into Gene’s, his cock thickening at the friction.

Their lips part for a moment. “Maybe we should move this over to your bed,” Ray says, his hands still in Gene’s hair.

“Definitely. Preferably with less clothes on, too.”

“We could start with yours.” He reaches down, tugging at Gene’s scarf still hanging around his neck.

“Of course.” Gene steps back for a second for some room, twirling the scarf off his shoulders. “Wait, I got an idea. What if I used this… on you?”

Ray’s heart rate ramps up. “You mean like…?”

“I could use it to tie your hands back.”

Heat bursts within Ray, a prominent flush on his cheeks. Carol had tied him up once before, and he remembers enjoying it well enough. But that was with her—with Gene, the idea sounds a thousand times better. And with using one of Gene’s scarves specifically…

“Yes. Oh my god, fuck yes, Gene.”

Gene smirks, throwing the scarf onto the bed for now, then reaching forward to unbutton Ray’s glittery blouse. He’s quick with his hands, having it undone in no time. Ray shrugs it off, letting it fall to the floor without a care in the world. At least Gene’s shirt is easier—already undone in the front, all Ray does to take it off is slip it off his shoulders, following the same fate as Ray’s shirt.

Gene undoes Ray’s pants, unzipping his fly and pulling it and his underwear down past his hips. Ray steps out of them, leaving them in the same puddle on the floor as his shirt. His cock stands at attention, achingly hard already. But before he can do the same for Gene, Gene grabs him by the shoulders, manhandling him over to the bed, pressing him down against the sheets. Oh, does he love it when Gene does that.