The following is a short story featuring Beau and Wade from the book, Room for Recovery. You can find their full story on Amazon.

Beau was trashed. Eyes glazed, words altered, inhibitions gone. Full-on trashed.

He danced on a tabletop, out of sync with the music, and it took Wade right back to the year they first fell in love.

Beau had no rhythm then either.His hair was a little less frizzy tonight. Beau had gotten better with using products to tame his hair, a curly, challenging mix of textures thanks to his heritage. His face was just as flushed, though, and his smile — fucking gorgeous.

The biggest difference between tonight and three years ago, though, was that Wade could watch him, eat him up with his eyes, without fear or shame.

“Go, Beau! Shake it!”

Beau’s best friend, Ker, laughed. She and her boyfriend, Nate, who’d been Beau’s best friends all through high school, had come down from Manhattan for the weekend to help celebrate Beau’s twenty-first birthday.

Nate shook his head. “Don’t encourage him.”

“How many shots did he have?” Wade asked.

“Two lemon drops,” Ker said.

“I thought he had a kamikazi?”

“That too. And some Jager bombs.”

Jesus fucking Christ. Beau was going to have a hell of a hangover. Didn’t he know not to mix so many damn liquors?

“Hey, I should get him a Blow Job,” Shane said with a snicker. “He probably needs one with you for a boyfriend. Maybe one of those orgasm shots?”

Wade shoved Shane’s shoulder. “Shut up, asshole.”

He should have taught Beau better. Truth be told, they didn’t go out all that much. Beau had nursing school and Wade’s pay as a music tutor wasn’t exactly outstanding. They scraped by enough to pay the rent and ate a lot of cheap spaghetti and hamburger helper. Buying cocktails? Way too expensive.

Tonight, Beau wasn’t buying, but he’d be paying. Of that, Wade was sure.

Beau did a spin and tipped over the edge of the table. Wade lunged forward, catching him before he hit the floor.

“My hero,” Beau said, batting his eyes in an exaggerated fashion.

“You’re so wasted,” Wade said, flushing a little as everyone watched them.

Despite the therapy and the self-affirmations, and the best fucking relationship he’d ever had, Wade felt a little uncomfortable with PDA. It was ironic — fucking bullshit, really — considering the hallway make-out sessions he’d had with girls in high school.

But he hadn’t been revealing his feelings to anyone then. He’d been hiding them. With Beau, anyone could see that Wade was hopelessly in love.

Beau was his hero, and Wade was only half the man he should be. Beau deserved everything. But Beau wanted Wade, and he’d told him that it was enough, even if Wade was never really as comfortable with his sexual identity as Beau was.

“I’m just a tiny bit tipsy,” Beau said, then gasped. “The room is spinning.”

Wade kissed him gently, because the only way to keep the old internalized fears at bay was to confront them. Also, Beau’s lips were a good incentive.

Beau wound his arms around Wade’s neck and opened his mouth, encouraging Wade to deepen the kiss. There was a wolf whistle, and Wade disengaged. Rome wasn’t built in a day — or three years. But Wade had won some important battles. He’d danced with Beau tonight. He’d kissed him in front of their friends. One day, he’d say his vows in front of the world. Beau was it for him.

“I’m horny,” Beau said, trying to feel Wade up. “Take me home.”

Wade felt his face heat. He glanced at Nate, who was carefully looking in the other direction, and Ker and Shane, who were both laughing their asses off. Yeah, it was time to go home.

***

Beau felt wretched when he woke.

His stomach rolled uneasily despite being empty. He had vague, horrifying memories of throwing up … five times? He blinked at his bedside table, where half a bottle of water remained. Wade had forced a few sips into him before he passed out the last time.

“Blergh.”

“It lives.”

Beau turned his head, even that feeling like a chore. “Barely.”

“Aw, babe. You look awful.”Beau huffed. “Some birthday night. I didn’t even get laid.”

“You don’t remember?”

Beau’s heart lurched. “We didn’t!”

Wade’s lips twitched, and Beau slapped his arm before burying his face in the pillow and groaning. “Don’t torture the hungover guy.”

Wade ran his hand over the back of Beau’s head, petting him in smooth strokes. “What do you need? Food?”

Beau shook his head. His stomach hated the idea of anything. “Queasy.”

“Still?” Wade moved his hand to Beau’s back, rubbing in soothing circles between his shoulder blades. “Well, sip some water and try some crackers at least.”

At Wade’s gentle nudging, Beau migrated from the bed to the sofa, where he nibbled crackers and questioned his life choices. He knew he was a lightweight, but he’d been having too much fun to consider the consequences. He really should have considered the consequences. Missing out on a birthday blow job was a cruel fate to endure.

Wade was taking care of him, though, bringing him a throw blanket and pillow; turning on “The Witcher” so he could marvel over Henry Cavill with white hair and the many nuances to the word “Fuck.” He wondered, briefly, how Wade would look with his hair bleached of all its gold, but nah. Bad idea. Wade was perfect as is. But that outfit… Wade could definitely be improved by wearing that.

He dozed off and woke to the quiet murmur of voices from Wade’s music room followed by the tinkle of the piano keys. Beau smiled to himself, snuggling deeper into the couch and closing his eyes as he listened. Wade was always in a good mood when he made music. He’d come so far since the days of locking down his passion — all his passions — when his father died.

Halting melody tinkled, then stopped abruptly on a wrong note. Wade must have a student, probably Margo. She was enthusiastic, but she struggled with technique. A moment later, a beautiful, flowing melody that put Beau in mind of a river trickled out of the room. That was Wade. Beau could swear he could recognize his boyfriend by his musical style alone. Wouldn’t that make for interesting reality TV?

His stomach had settled a little, and Beau managed to grab a shower and eat a sandwich. By the time Margo said goodbye, he felt human again.Wade slid his arms around Beau from behind as he rinsed his plate at the kitchen sink.

“Aw, I was hoping you’d still be on the couch.”

“You want me to feel awful?”

“No,” Wade murmured in his ear. “I want to take care of you.”

Beau turned in his arms, kissing him gently. “You did more than enough. No man should have to see that much barf come out of his boyfriend.”

Wade laughed. “We’re keeping the excitement alive in our relationship.”

Beau was not impressed. “I can think of better ways to do that.”

Wade wiggled his brows. “Yeah? Like what?”

“Let’s go back to the sofa, and I’ll show you.”

“No, I’ll show you,” Wade countered. “After all, we had to leave the bar before you could get your blow job last night.”

“A blow job at the bar?”

“Yep. Shane was going to get you one.”

Beau blinked. “This just got weird.”

Wade snorted and pushed Beau down on the sofa. “The drink, you perv.”

“Oh, so you’re about to make me a drink?” Beau spread his legs, sinking back into the sofa, and watched Wade’s eyes go to his crotch. “Not sure I’m in the mood for any more liquor.”

“How about a belated birthday BJ?”

Beau smiled. “That sounds much more appealing.”

Wade dropped to his knees, which still stunned Beau silly, even now. That such a gorgeous guy would go to his knees for him, would want to pleasure him, love him? There had been a time that he’d thought he’d never have this. Never have Wade, not all of him.

Wade tugged down Beau’s sweats, dipping down to lick the head of his cock as it peeked out. Beau let his head fall back against the sofa, eyes closing. He sighed as moist heat enveloped the head of his cock, blood rushing south as he hardened in Wade’s mouth.

Wade took him deeper, sucking, and Beau whimpered. His boyfriend had gotten so good at this. He’d gotten so good at everything.

“That’s it,” he rasped out loud as Wade brought him to the brink, licking, sucking, rolling his balls in one hand, until orgasm crashed over Beau hard enough to steal his breath.

When he blinked his eyes open, the room seemed brighter than before. Spots danced before his eyes. And Wade grinned up at him, lips red and slick, eyes as blue as a sunny sky. So much lighter than they used to be.

He still carried burdens, Beau knew. Burdens that would never leave him. Questions about his father’s death that would never be answered. Doubts about what his father would think of his relationship with Beau.

But in the end, Wade had chosen. And he’d chosen Beau.

“Happy birthday, babe,” Wade said. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Beau said, his heart so full he couldn’t suppress a goofy grin. “Now get up here, so I can show you how much.”

Wade stood, tall and broad, the golden gorgeous boy that Beau had thought untouchable. Now all his. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Enjoy the short story?