My Stardust Melody, Chapter 25
Snuggled between the fire and Reid, Luke felt cozy and warm as he and the doctor continued their afternoon of "Top Ten" lists. He'd managed to have fun despite his worry over his siblings' reactions to him being missing. Luke could only hope that Nathan had made it to Oakdale and had time to call Jack before the storm had struck. Otherwise, it was going to be a long night for his sisters and brother. From what Reid had said, it sounded like Nathan would be okay even if he couldn't make it to town--apparently, Nathan had some serious MacGyver-like wilderness skills. That didn't stop Reid from worrying, however, which Luke found understandable. A lot could go wrong in a storm like this one.
Luke hadn't intended to open up as much as he had about his past earlier in the day. The question about his kidney was so direct and seemingly motivated from concern that Luke had quickly made the decision to divulge the story about his transplant. He couldn't see what harm could come of it. So much of that story was old gossip that Reid could have pieced it together anyway.
When Reid had asked him if he'd orchestrated the attack at the party, however, Luke had felt such shame over his own actions and compassion for the other man that the tale of his kidnapping came rushing out of him. Reid surprised the blond with his kindness. Luke hadn't expected that. He wasn't sure what he had envisaged, but it wasn't the open sympathy he received.
If anything astonished him more than Reid's sheer decency, it was the fact that Luke continued to be attracted to the doctor, probably more so now than ever. They had laughed and argued playfully all morning and afternoon long, and Luke felt a rare camaraderie with Reid. It felt easy. A few times, he even thought Reid was looking at him with a little more than friendship on his mind. Certainly, there had been no mistaking Reid's desire when the doctor had run his finger along Luke's jaw. Luke's lustful craving in return was just as obvious to him as well.
Luke had almost given into his own longing then--he had come so close--but he'd managed to hold back at the last second, forcing himself to turn away from Reid. For Luke, kissing had consequence. He didn't want to kiss a man with whom he couldn't envision a future. Could there be one with Reid? The answer was murkier than it had been a day ago because Reid was proving to have unexpected layers. Luke realized the significance of Reid sharing that his parents had cheated on each other. Sure, it wasn't a prolonged discussion, but Luke had the remarkable feeling that he might be the second person Reid had ever willingly shared that information. Luke didn't sense that Reid ever divulged a great deal of personal history, and the blond respected that. Life may have been a lot easier for Luke if his life wasn't common knowledge for everyone in Oakdale.
The fact that Reid shared even a little of his past with Luke was flattering. It was a sign of respect, the very thing that Reid had not given Luke since the party. Luke wasn't entirely sure what to make of it other than Reid's feelings towards him were obviously changing. And as Reid's feelings changed, Luke felt increasingly drawn to the handsome doctor.
Feelings aside, nothing had changed with regard to Luke's concerns about Reid being around his siblings. The mercurial temper of Reid's was a force Luke was still unwilling to expose them. If Luke were to give him a chance, Reid would have to show some ability to control himself. Restraining himself from hastily giving Reid that chance was proving difficult, particularly when Reid was holding him in his arms all afternoon. Just the spicy smell of Reid was enough to tempt a saint, and Luke was far from a wearing a halo. It had been a long time since he'd felt another man's touch.
Since Christmas was the next day, Luke thought "Top Ten Christmas Traditions" would make a good choice for discussion and a decent distraction from his attraction to the doctor. Reid hadn't looked too thrilled with the idea but had gone along with it. They had given up using paper and pens since they were curled up together in front of the fire. The logistics of writing in that position were too difficult.
Luke opened with one of his favorite holiday customs. "Hanging the star on the tree. My grandma had a homemade one that we’ve used in our family for forty years. You?"
"No trees at my house," Reid stated evenly.
"Oh!" Luke had to ignore the reverberating feeling along his back from Reid's voice to concentrate on the words. When they registered in his mind, he could hardly imagine not having a tree at Christmas. It was such an essential part of his happiest holiday memories.
Reid must have sensed Luke's dismay. He said, "It was a small apartment, and we didn't have room. Don’t get weepy."
Luke wasn't certain that was the entire truth, but he guessed it wasn't his place to pry. "Okay, so what traditions do you like?"
"Fruit cake," Reid said immediately.
Luke frowned and turned his head to look at Reid. "Fruit cake? Really?" He caught the humor in Reid's eyes and started smiling in return.
Reid grinned. "They make great doorstops. I get some from my patients every year and don't worry about a door swinging shut on me for at least half a year."
Luke snorted but tried to be stern. "Reid! Be serious."
"I am. So what’s next on your list?"
"Caroling." Who doesn't love caroling?
Reid grimaced. "Caterwauling in a group at strangers’ doors? I never saw the appeal."
Maybe Reid missed the point. Luke replied, "It’s fun to surprise people with music. It cheers them up."
Reid raised a doubting eyebrow. "Do you sing well?" he asked.
Luke shook his head and laughed. "No, but I was never so bad as my grandmother, Lucinda. She kind of sounded like a bullfrog."
"The mighty Lucinda Walsh sang carols?" Reid asked, amused by the idea.
"Only because Grandma Emma goaded her into it every year. Every now and then Grandma got it in her head to challenge Grandmother’s maternal instincts, which would tick her off. Somehow caroling became a yearly contest. I don’t think Grandmother ever realized Grandma was doing it just so she could laugh at Grandmother’s rendition of 'Frosty the Snowman.'
"Now you. Another tradition-a real one please."
Reid thought for a moment and said, "People taking pictures of their stupid pets in red hats and sending them as Christmas cards."
Luke asked dubiously, "This is one of your favorite things?"
"Yep. You might like all that gooey holiday stuff, but I enjoy the ridiculousness of it. Oh, and we can add uncomfortably revealing pictures of people’s daughters to the list, too. What’s next for you?"
Luke groaned but persevered. Surely, he'd find one real Christmas tradition that Reid liked. "Opening one present on Christmas Eve."
"You probably had a few million," Reid sniped.
Luke ignored him. "Did you all do that?"
"Us? No."
Luke was surprised by the curt answer and decided to move on. Obviously, he was treading on some dangerous ground. "Um, okay. So what else do you enjoy?"
Reid counted on his fingers and said, "Bratty children complaining that they didn’t get enough gifts. Chopping down trees to turn them into lighted fire hazards. Drunken office parties and women dressing up as 'sexy elves.'"
Luke chuckled. "You and I clearly have different ideas of what favorite Christmas traditions means."
"So, what other sappy traditions do you like?" Reid asked, shifting his weight behind Luke.
"Snowball fights." Luke tried to move so that Reid would be more comfortable but he somehow seemed to plaster himself against Reid's chest.
"I could see some enjoyment in hitting you with a ball of ice," Reid said cheerfully.
"Right back at you," Luke gritted out. He could feel Reid's groin against his ass and was thinking that some ice might be useful right about now.
Reid snapped his fingers on his right hand. "I've thought of another of my favorite things. The annual suggestion that I get visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. That has to be near the top of my list."
"You like getting compared to Scrooge?"
"That guy was a badass until Dickens had to go and ruin it all by turning him into a sentimental chump at the end."
Luke closed his eyes and stifled a groan. "I'm not even sure where to begin. There is so much wrong with that sentiment that I don't think I can help you."
"No need to change perfection," Reid said smartly, pointing a finger at himself.
"Says the guy who couldn't build a fire this morning," Luke jibed.
"Funny," Reid replied. "So what else is on your list?"
"Christmas sweaters. My grandma used to knit the best ones." Luke smiled in recollection.
Reid asked , "You like wearing homemade Christmas sweaters? Is insanity a family trait?"
Luke laughed at the joke and explained, "Hers weren't too bad--it's not like they lit up or anything. And, she'd smile every time she saw you wearing it."
"Your grandma knit?" Reid asked.
"She did, but she didn't have a lot of time for it. Cooking was more her thing when she had free time away from working on the farm."
"Cooking?" Reid asked, perking up with interest.
Luke picked up on the fact that this was a subject dear to Reid's heart. "Yeah, she made the best pies in the county. And you should have tried her Thanksgiving turkey! Neither Jack nor I have been able to reproduce her dressing exactly. It had sausage and cranberries and was the perfect amount of moistness--neither too dry nor too soggy."
Reid sighed dramatically. "It's cruel to mention that to me when all we've had is soup and granola bars."
Luke laughed. "Sorry."
"Any other favorite traditions?" Reid asked.
"Mistletoe."
"Hey, me too!" the doctor exclaimed.
Luke felt a bit of dread pass through him at Reid's enthusiastic response. "Why do I get the feeling you don't like it for the same reasons I do?"
"Aren't you a cynic suddenly?" Reid jabbed.
Carefully, Luke replied, "I like the idea of romance behind it, but I'm guessing you view it differently."
"It's community-sanctioned germ-spreading and sexual harassment," Reid said bluntly.
Luke wondered if he'd ever see mistletoe the same way again. "Oh, good God," he groaned. "How about Christmas cards? Surely those don't offend you?"
Reid shrugged. "Canned sentiments expressed on overpriced cardstock? Or, better yet, cards that light up and blare such treats as 'Last Christmas' or 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.' What celebrates the Christmas spirit better than that?" he questioned with sarcasm.
"We always made homemade cards at our house. But I'll admit that George Michael's 'Last Christmas' is one of the world's most annoying Christmas songs."
Reid gasped. "I think the angels are weeping. Luke Snyder doesn't like something about Christmas."
Luke narrowed his eyes and said, "I don't like that song. The whole message is annoying."
"Yeah, it's kind of like listening about a guy who gets his heart broken by some jackass but can't get over it, and then he drunk dials him a year later just to let the jackass know he's moved on."
Nodding, Luke replied, "You're right. I always imagine that the guy singing sends pictures to the jackass of his new lover hoping to make him jealous."
"Precisely. He's one of those 'I'm so over you that I just have to rub your face in it' types."
"Yes, and it completely proves that he's still totally obsessed," Luke agreed.
They fell into silence for a moment before Reid asked, "So, new list?" He was enjoying these "Top Ten" lists and finding out how Luke's brain worked.
Luke shook his head and leaned it against Reid's shoulder. "Actually, I'm a little tired. Would you mind if we took a break?" he asked politely.
A little disappointed but not dismayed, Reid replied, "Nope. Go to sleep. I'll wake you if the roof caves in."
"Gee, thanks. I'm sure I'll sleep well on that thought."
To Reid's amazement, Luke fell asleep within minutes. He ended up nodding off for a while, too, and only woke as the sun was setting outside. He gently slid out from behind Luke to put another log on the fire and light some candles. Then he managed to reposition Luke in front of him again. Luke was an incredibly sound sleeper, he thought, but he supposed the other man was probably pretty exhausted from all the turmoil of the past day.
Unfortunately, Reid realized he hadn't planned what to do while Luke still slept. He looked around and there weren't many options given that Luke was resting on him. The only thing within sight was the copy of Taming the Cougar that he'd been using to write his lists on earlier. Sighing, Reid picked it up and started thumbing through it.
About twenty minutes later, his chuckling must have woken Luke up.
"Are you reading what I think you're reading?" a sleepy-sounding Luke asked.
Reid knew Luke was incredulous but didn't care. The book was the best literary (and he used that word loosely) entertainment he'd had in ages. "This thing is pure gold. I would swear the author actually hates the heroine in this story if I didn't know better."
"What? I thought it was a romance novel," Luke said in confusion.
Reid nodded. "Well, it is, but I have no idea how it got published as one."
"Why?"
Reid thumped the book's tawdry cover with his index finger. "Just read it. You'll understand why."
"Okay," Luke replied a little hesitantly. "I'm sure it's not as bad as you say, though. It's usually pretty hard to get published."
Reid snorted. "Wait and see. The writing is atrocious."
Luke read the first line aloud, "The swelling waves on the immense, aquamarine ocean sent a salty shower over the white stern of the towering yacht, dappling drops of water on the uncovered, dry skin around the diminutive bikini of the average-height, dyed chocolate-haired woman who paced silently crying on the deck, her fabricated saline tears mixing with the tempestuous sea."
"See," Reid said.
"Wow, that's a lot of adjectives. And, are her tears made from Visine or is she just fake crying?"
"I have no idea. I also don't know if 'dry skin' means 'not wet' or just 'flaky.'"
The two men read silently together until they came to the next line that made them laugh:
Yes, she was a woman who was no longer a girl, but she could still play the innocent to draw in unsuspecting men.
"Ick," Luke commented. "I guess it's obvious who the cougar is in the story."
Reid concurred. "I think 'ick' should be the official review. But wait, we haven't even gotten to some of the worst stuff. I caught part of a sex scene that was hilarious."
"Okay, let's turn to that," Luke said gamely. When Reid found the page, Luke read aloud, "Enrico liked to fuck." It seemed to take a moment for Luke to find his voice. "Now that's romantic," he said sarcastically.
"Yeah, that one doesn't bother me so much. Look at the next line," Reid said.
Babs was on him like a piranha on raw meat.
"Yes, most men look forward to sharp-teethed fish devouring them during sex," Luke said with a laugh.
They continued reading until the next ridiculous line.
Enrico grabbed her like she was the winning Powerball ticket, and he, and the office staff from a pencil company in Milwaukee, was the winner.
"What the hell is that about?" Reid asked, pointing at the line. "Why are we suddenly talking about people in Milwaukee?"
Luke appeared flabbergasted. "I have no idea. And I have no idea why any woman or man would want to be grabbed like a lottery ticket either. Is this what heterosexuals do?"
"Don't look at me for answers there," Reid remarked. "But given what I've seen in the movies, I'm guessing the answer is 'no.'"
Luke read the next line, "His breath smelled of pepperoni and sausage, her favorite combination."
Luke and Reid were too busy laughing at that to comment for a few minutes.
"You're right," Luke said. "The author really seems to hate the heroine, and I think she might even be mad at Enrico."
Reid traced his finger down the page. "Look down here, it gets worse." He read to Luke, "His hand lazily trailed down her stretch marks like lines on a map leading to the canyon of her pleasure."
Luke snorted. "I don't know much about this, but I'm pretty sure that women would rather not have their stretch marks pointed out."
Reid remarked in return, "I'd think they'd be more offended by their vaginas being referred to as canyons."
"Oh geez, listen to this," Luke said in disgust. "'He screamed like a howler monkey, turned from a hairless ape into a man at her simple touch of his manhood. He offered her his banana and she greedily sucked on his fruit.'"
"I think that's the most disgusting description of oral sex I've ever heard," Reid said with feeling.
"I noticed it was written anonymously, but who published this?" Luke asked. He was clearly of the opinion that this book was not fit for print.
Reid replied, "The Oakdale Press." He eyed the sentence a few lines down with a shudder: "He moved against her like the tide against ancient rocks."
Luke peered around the edge of the book at the spine. "Really? I didn't know they even published romance novels. What's this thing supposed to be about?"
Reid replied, "It's convoluted. From what I can tell, Babs is some older woman who somehow seduces the younger Enrico while his Mom, Audrina, puts him up to it for her own sordid reasons. Then his former lover, who the author describes in glowing terms, comes back to town. Babs gets kidnapped--there's something about a clown that I completely skipped over--and Enrico ends up choosing Babs over the pretty ex--Venice or Paris or something. The little bit I read makes it seem like the ex was the author's best friend. It's all really strange and bad if you ask me, but I guess the Oakdale Press doesn't have high standards."
"That story sounds famil--" Luke broke off what he was going to say. An inexplicably amused glint entered his eyes. "Hey, let's read some more, and maybe avoid the sex scenes. I'm not sure I can take more."
Still entertained, Reid agreed and they flipped back toward the beginning of the book and amused each other with pointing at more awful lines. Luke turned so that he was resting sideways against Reid with his legs carefully draped over one of the doctor's. He leaned his side into Reid who absentmindedly rubbed Luke's arm as they read.
Eventually, and with no warning or prelude from the author, they came to the beginning of another sex scene.
She straddled him on his bed, the scent of Vodka wafting up from his sheet. She was an animal following her instincts, a pig in a pigsty. Her razor talons clawed into his chest as he flipped her onto her back. He dipped his head to hers. His tongue lapped at her open mouth like a cat dipping into a can of sardines.
"Hold the phone," Reid said with revulsion.
Luke appeared to agree with Reid's sentiment. "If anyone ever described me kissing like that I'd go jump off a bridge."
"If I ever got kissed like that I'd have to wash my mouth out for an hour. That sounds terrible," Reid replied.
"Why would anyone ever write that?" Luke asked with amused puzzlement.
Reid had no answer. "What the hell is that guy doing with his tongue?"
"Searching for car keys?" Luke joked, smiling into the doctor's face.
Reid laughed. "That would probably be more romantic."
Luke shook his head and turned his head to look at Reid. "I can't take anymore. Kisses should knock you off your feet, not make you think of cat food."
Reid nodded. "I'm pretty sure even I could write a kiss better." He thought for a brief moment before saying, "There should be anticipation and longing."
"Maybe a little surprise," Luke added.
"Every second should count, no matter how long or short."
"Though it shouldn't feel hurried," Luke suggested.
"Of course not. Each person needs to be attuned to the other. You should try to give the other guy what he wants while filling your own desires."
"Hands are important, too. No steering or forcing, just holding and caressing. Well, unless the moment calls for a little more."
Reid wondered if Luke was aware that the blond was rubbing Reid's thigh just above the knee. The doctor swallowed and tried to concentrate on what he was saying. "Yes, and there's a rhythm to it that's different with each person and each kiss."
"And you shouldn't try to control the kiss. It should be simple and sexy," Luke said. Huskiness barely laced Luke's voice, but there was just enough that Reid noticed it.
"It should be--" the older man began. Reid couldn't finish the sentence as he stared into Luke's brown eyes. The color seemed to have darkened and Reid wondered if they wanted the same thing. It seemed so unlikely given their history, but the longer he looked, the more he felt like they were being drawn together.
Carefully, giving Luke plenty of time to back away, Reid raised one hand to Luke's cheek. They breathed each other in for several heartbeats, neither man moving. Reid wasn't sure who moved first, but their lips met in an explosion of burning heat. As Reid clutched Luke's waist over the top of his sweater, the blond settled tightly against him. Reid pressed kisses along the roughened line of Luke's jaw before returning to his perfect lips. Luke's tongue drove him wild and the feel of Luke's hand running inside the collar of his shirt sent chills down Reid's spine that made the competing warmth coming from every other part of his body deliciously exciting. Reid pulled on Luke's hair to deepen the kiss in response.
Shifting so that Luke didn't have to turn his body as far to meet his lips, Reid cupped the back of Luke's neck to keep him in place. Time lost meaning as Luke sucked Reid's upper lip, lightly biting it and eliciting a groan of pleasure from the older man. Reid was a tangle of emotion, the images of firelight and Luke overwhelming in the brief moments Reid opened his eyes. Amazement at how good and right this kiss felt flashed through his mind. While everything else with Luke was complicated, this was simple, easy, and completely arousing.
Reid was acutely aware of Luke's exquisite rear pressing down into his groin. Because Luke was on his lap, Reid had to angle his head back to reach Luke's mouth with his own. Usually, Reid preferred to have the dominant position when kissing, but with Luke, he reveled in the feeling of being underneath him. Reid liked to be in command, to set the pace. He wanted to cause reactions rather than be subject to someone else. With Luke, as ever, it was different. He couldn't control his own response any more than he could stop himself from breathing. He luxuriated in every burst of desire that the blond elicited with the simplest of touches across Reid's cheek and down his chest.
Reid became desperate, trying to savor every moment because he could almost sense the end approaching. Craving more, he moved his hips restlessly against the blond and felt the vibration of a moan, a warning rumble, in Luke's chest. Luke pulled back, which provoked a burst of acute disappointment within Reid, the intensity of the feeling taking the doctor by surprise. Then unfortunate words from the past spilled from Luke's lips: "I can't do this."