Chapter 4

Chayce was wellon his way to a revolt. Waylon could tell.

They were eight dates into the tour, and Chayce had a break coming up, two weekends off that culminated in some sort of an award show appearance.

What was really grating on Chayce was there had been no new incidents after the fireworks, which the cops had called an isolated event unrelated to the attempted shooting.

That was utter BS, but Chayce was using it as an excuse to be a little reckless. He was pushing to try to get some freedom, and Waylon didn't even really blame him.

Hell, to be honest, it was more than a little hot.

"I'm going to the bar with the guys," Chayce informed him as soon as he ran off stage, the last encore really leaving everyone pumped up. The energy in the air was electric, and he couldn't stop his inhale, the burn in his lungs a real thing.

He didn't let it show though.

No, Waylon just crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.

"You know how long it's been since I got laid, man?" Chayce blew him a kiss, batting his eyelashes, teasing him but good. "I'm fixin' to explode."

"Hmm. I guess I'm just of the better-safe-than-sorry camp." Waylon knew he was going to have to give in and let Chayce blow off some steam though.

"I promise not to be sorry. Hell, I just want out of this fucking room. I want to enjoy tonight." Chayce stripped off his shirt, baring that flat, ripped belly, a set of music notes trailing all the way from collarbone to… well below the belt.

Jesus. The guy was sex on a stick with his clothes on, but like this… Waylon turned his back so he didn't jump on the guy immediately. "Sure. Let me know where you want to go, and I'll clear it ahead of time."

"Clear it? With who?" Chayce ran water in the sink, cleaning himself up.

"I just mean I'll check the exits, the security, and the temper of the crowd. That's all." Personally, he liked the way Chayce smelled as he was.

"The temper. I like it. Hand me that white button-down, would you?" Chayce asked.

"Uh-huh." He grabbed it off the hanger, careful not to wrinkle it.

"Thanks. I appreciate it. I love that one. It's super soft." Chayce turned around, jeans and belt undone, that sweet cock half-full.

He was going to just stroke out. No doubt about it. Waylon handed over the shirt, thinking about baseball scores. Rotting fruit. Anything but Chayce and how he wanted to reach into those jeans and get a handful.

"You know, I wouldn't be mad if you wanted to have a few drinks, loosen up. I'm not doing anything dangerous. Just relaxing."

"I'm fine. I might have some chicken wings." He tried for a smile, not wanting to push or seem like a starving wolf. "I'm just along for the ride."

"Chicken wings? Cool. I'm going to have a beer and keep my shirt clean."

"You ready to go, buddy?" Chayce's best friend and… something… walked in, sliding one hand around Chayce's waist. "Where are we going?"

"Grizzly Rose?" Chayce suggested.

"We can't make out there." Chris seemed disappointed, but Chayce's expression was more confused.

"We don't make out, full stop, man. I just want a beer, and Waylon here wants chicken wings." Chayce waved a hand toward him, which seemed to come to a surprise to Chris.

"Oh." Chris deflated visibly. "Waylon is going."

He kept his face immobile. "Where he goes, I go."

"So, I'll give you the night off. I'll keep him safe." Chris turned his back to him dismissively.

Chayce gave Chris an astonished glance, then turned wide green eyes to him. "Dude…"

Waylon couldn't help it then. He laughed.

Like full-out belly laugh, Jesus this kid isn't serious laughed.

Chris's cheeks went red, and he whirled before he leaned into Waylon's space. "Don't you dare laugh at me. I've known Chayce forever!"

"Hey. Hey! Stop. Just… fuck. Give me the car keys." Chayce sidestepped Chris and held out a hand to Waylon.

"Nope." Waylon gave Chayce a look that he hoped said Hang in there. "I'll drive. That way you can unwind looser than that King George song." One thing he and Chayce could bond over was music.

"Chayce!" Chris frowned deeply. "What's going on?"

Chayce shot Chris a disbelieving glance. "I want to go have a fucking beer. In a bar."

"But—"

Waylon was getting tired of this dick-measuring shit. "You're welcome to come if he wants you to, Chris. But I'm his security detail right now. Full stop. So I drive, and I stay until it's time to go home."

"I'm not leaving him alone with you, man. I've talked to his security team; they don't like you."

"Huh." He knew better. The guys all told him how nice it was that Chayce was his responsibility right now that there was an actual threat. The guy was still getting regular death threats, even if nothing else had blown up…

Chayce stared them both down. "I'm going to beat you both to death."

Waylon didn't laugh at that one. "You about ready to go?"

"I'll ride with the band." Chris turned on his heel. "See you at the Grizzly Rose."

"What the hell got into him?" Chayce asked, staring at the door as it slammed.

"I think he wants me to think you're taken."

"Chris? Dude, no. Just no." Chayce sighed and shook his head, and it was like he could see the enthusiasm leak out of the man. "Look, let's head back to the bus. I don't want any shit to go down in public."

"I'll be the soul of discretion."

"But Chris won't." Chayce's shoulders slumped. "I have some whiskey on the bus. I'll order tacos, have an edible, and go to bed. We're not on the road until tomorrow morning, so I'll just sleep."

Waylon tilted his head, not liking this one bit. "You sure? I'm not here to keep you from doing things."

"I know. Let's go." Chayce seemed like he was shrinking.

"Dammit, Chayce. Do you want to go out or not? I won't fight with your assistant. I'll just sit in the back and keep an eye on things."

"Don't you fucking snap at me. I'm trying to do my goddamn job, just like you are. My fucking life is out of control, and all I wanted was a second of peace!"

He took a deep breath, then let it out. "You're right. Come on. I'll walk you to the bus." He just wanted to get Chayce settled for the night and call the boss about reassignment. He was clearly not helping the situation.

"Thanks." Chayce grabbed a guitar and then headed for the bus, stopping short when a group of fans surrounded him.

Waylon stayed close, trying not to twitch. He didn't like this at all, but the fans needed to have access. The man had a career.

Chayce started signing autographs, and Waylon saw the flashes of phones, and suddenly the floodgates opened, the crowd doubling in size.

Nope. He moved in, cutting Chayce out like a surgeon. "Night, folks. Thanks for your time. Night." He moved Chayce toward the bus, shielding his back.

"Stay with me, man. Everyone else left."

"I got you. I promise." He wasn't going to let Chayceget hurt. Not only was it his job, but he liked the guy.

"Okay. Okay, yeah. Come on in. We'll send Kenny out for food." They got to the bus, finding the door unlocked.

"Dammit! This is my house!"

"Shit. Stay back. Kenny, where the hell are you?" He barked that into his throat mic as he keyed it up.

"Sitting in the cab waiting for the boss to load. He won't want to stay here."

"Why is the door unlocked? Was that you?" He wasn't letting Chayce on until he cleared the whole bus.

"Fuck no. I'm coming back. I got my gun."

"Be careful. Come right out and stand with Chayce. I'll go in and clear the bus then." God knew he didn't need Kenny getting shot or stabbed.

Chayce was vibrating next to him, and the son of a bitch was two seconds away from total breakdown.

Waylon gave him a clap on the back. "It will be fine."

Kenny popped out of the bus, thankfully his gun not in hand, and came to stand by Chayce.

"Be right back," Waylon said, and he did draw his weapon on the way in.

The bus had been rifled through, and he wasn't surprised at all to see two teenagers hiding in the bathrooms. Dammit.

"H-ey. You two need to get the hell out of there." He scared squeals out of them, and they would have run, but he stopped them in the little hall taking up all the room there was to take. "Empty your pockets and bags."

One of the teens gasped, heavily lined eyes going wide. "No way. That's our stuff!"

"Jenny…"

"Shut up. We got rights. Just shut up."

"Then I'll call the police." He pulled out his cell, dialing 9-1-…

The shorter of the two, a blonde with big blue eyes, shook her head. "Jenny! My mom'll kill me! I'll get thrown off the cheer squad!"

Eyeliner Jenny turned on her friend, snarling. "Oh my god, you are such a little bitch."

Christ, was he ever that young? "Y'all can settle your personal issues later. I want your pockets, purses, and phones." He wasn't budging.

"Can I have my phone back? I can't lose it. I'll be in so much trouble." Not-Jenny handed it over. "I just wanted to meet him."

"You can." He checked it for pictures, deleted a few of the inside of the bus but left the ones of the concert. "There. See? I'm not that bad. You next."

"C'mon, Jen. If you do, we get to go home. I'll buy Denny's even."

God, he remembered when life was that simple.

"Jenny" slapped her open phone into his hand. He was able to check the bags and pocket contents too, and he could see, without being pervy, that there was nothing tucked into bras or tiny denim shorts. He keyed his mic.

"Take the primary around the back, please. I'm escorting out a couple of intruders." He gave them a stern look. "Don't come back and make me call the cops."

"We won't. Christ. We just wanted to meet him. Gawd."

He was not going to laugh. Not.

"Come on." He took them out, escorting them back beyond the barrier. "Night, ladies." He knew Kenny would have Chayce on the bus.

"Night!"

"Jesus, Sophie! Shut. Up."

He chuckled, heading back to the bus. Jesus, if Kenny got them moving, he would have a damn beer too. Maybe not an edible…

"Just a couple of kids. Is anything missing?" he asked as he climbed onto the bus. The girls might not have been the only visitors and it never hurt to check.

"Not that I know of. Why the hell wasn't someone watching?"

"I don't know. I'm going to find out." It was time to bring in some reinforcements. Just a few trusted guys. Something was going on within Chayce's team, and he didn't have time to find out what it was and keep the man safe at the same time.

"Okay. I trust you." Chayce gave him a long look, then sighed like he had a slow leak. "Take me somewhere safe?"

"You got it, Chayce. Kenny, you good to go?"

Kenny's dark brown eyes flashed. "I am sick of this shit, Waylon. Let's get him somewhere he can relax until the next show."

"Let's roll." The band could take the other bus right to the next town and spend time blowing off steam. He sent Kenny coordinates on his phone. "Take us there."

"On it. I'll get us all Burger King on the way. We need salt and grease."

"Good man." Kenny he thought he could trust. He'd had no idea those girls were on the bus, and he was ready to throw in with his handgun to protect Chayce. "Come on, Chayce. On the bus. You need to rest."

"I need to hang out and watch bad TV. You in?"

"I am." Since he didn't have to drive and, on the bus, didn't have to be on guard, he could just zone.

"Cool." The bus was cushy, designed for downtime and relaxation, and?—

Chayce stripped off his shirt, leaving him to stare at that naked back and the guitar inked across the back.

Fuck him raw.

Waylon was just so damn screwed with this guy. He was good to his crew. Nice to his fans. Hot as the Fourth of July in Houston.

"You want a pair of sweats? A T-shirt? I can hook you up."

"Uh." What was the question? "Sure. Thanks." If Chayce went to get clothes, he could pull his shit together.

"Cool. Come on. I got things that ought to fit." Chayce led him into the bedroom that smelled like grapefruit and musk and tobacco and black pepper. That was Chayce, bone deep.

He looked around, the guitars and deep blue bedsheets and weird tchotchkes from all over the country just what he would expect.

"Just a sec." Chayce stepped out of his boots and jeans like it was nothing. So, boxer-briefs worn low. Pretty. His cock perked up at the vision in front of him, and Waylon was back to thinking of unpleasant stuff to get it to go down.

Chayce handed him some soft loungewear. "This should be more comfortable."

"Thanks." He wasn't modest. Never had been. He still headed for the bathroom to change. He didn't want to be waving a hard-on in Chayce's face.

By the time he got back out, Chayce was curled up on the sofa, room left for him. "I got you a beer."

"Oh, man, that sounds great." He grinned, echoing the verbal with his expression. He grabbed the beer, popping the top.

"What do you like on TV? You have a thing for reality shows?"

"Honestly? I like cooking shows. I see enough shit not to want to watch the cop ones, you know?" He settled on the couch next to Chayce.

"Cool. Cooking it is. I love the ones where they decorate shit." Chayce found a channel and relaxed, the bus toodling down the highway.

Chayce's phone rang. He glanced at it, then turned it off. "Not interested."

"Chris?" he asked.

At Chayce's arch look, he nodded. "He's very worried about me being around you."

"Well, shit, it doesn't get much more my type."

"Yeah?" He glanced sideways at Chayce. "That's nice of you to say."

"Still true. I like a broad-shouldered guy."

"I like all you got, honey. I just have to be careful not to get distracted or you could get hurt, and I take that seriously." Real serious. In this case, not just because it was a job.

"Yeah. I get it. Still. I wouldn't throw you out of bed for eating crackers."

"Well, we could always have some crackers here."

"Nah. We're getting Burger King."

He had to laugh at that. "Abs like yours, and you expect me to believe you eat Burger King?"

"Keto, man. Keto. I get the triple bacon burger with a lettuce wrap. It's the easy way for me to keep off any weight." Chayce rolled up, abs rolling like a dream.

"Ah. See, I'm a carb fiend. So I run a lot. Treadmill. Street. All over." A lot of folks were shocked that a big guy like him could move so easily, but he worked hard to keep his body in half as good a shape as Chayce. Now, he needed a little more bulk for both stamina and strong arm technique, but still.

"Mmm… you do. There's a barbell setup in the back too. I do a lot of weighted crunches while doing vocal warm-ups."

"That explains the abs." He grinned, because damn, that body was impressive.

"Right? It's work, but the fans expect it."

"I can see why." Was he flirting? He hadn't even had his beer yet. This was probably stupid.

"Good. I want to turn you on, man. Even if you don't want it, it's nice to be seen."

"Trust me, I see you." He set his beer aside, turning to face Chayce. "And I only want what you're willing to give me."

"You're off work, right? Not on duty? Not being paid to keep me busy?" Chayce's expression was serious as a heart attack.

"I am totally off the clock." That was important for Chayce to know. He was absolutely not getting paid to do this, and he would never use sex to "keep a client in line."

"Me too. And you are gay and are fully aware I am too." Chayce moved into his lap, the move smooth as silk, and how the hell was he supposed to resist that?

"Yep." He grabbed Chayce's ass, squeezing against the tight muscles he found there. "You're built like a brick house, honey."

"Skinny and solid. You are a friggin' jungle gym." Chayce pinched one nipple good and hard, utterly unafraid.

"Uhn." His nipples both drew up, and that was all the encouragement his cock needed to rise hard and hot, too. No more bad thoughts to keep it down. He was going to give it what it wanted.

"Mmhmm. So much more fun than a bar." Chayce cupped his cock, rolled his balls with those clever fingers.

"Definitely." He leaned close. "Do you kiss, honey?" He wanted to make sure. Some guys just didn't.

"Not strangers." Chayce arched into him, bringing their mouths to almost touching. "Are you strange?"

"Not anymore." He figured they knew each other just well enough. He kissed Chayce good and deep, slanting their mouths together at the perfect angle so they could breathe together, taste each other.

Chayce groaned for him, tongue sliding against his, teasing him and making him achingly hard. They moved even closer, his hands on Chayce's back, pulling them until they were chest to chest. He needed more. Like no air getting between his skin and Chayce's.

Chayce rocked up into him, rubbing them together with a hard, needy little sound. That cock pressed to his belly, and it was impressive for such a pocket cowboy.

Waylon approved.

"Want you, honey," he moaned, his body just on fire.

"It's been a little bit. I'm picky."

"Yeah? I'm honored." He was. That wasn't a line. Chayce was so much more than he'd been expecting.

"I'm horny." Chayce snuggled right in, a musical moan on the air.

"Well, yeah." He chuckled and shut Chayce up with another kiss. He wasn't all moonlight and roses, but he wanted to keep the mood going.

Chayce's hands were callused, and they made him want to sing. Which he wasn't all that good at, so Waylon kept it to himself, but those guitar ridges and scars from bull riding were damn fascinating.

Especially with the way Chayce kept working his nipples. Fuck, that was erotic and wild. He'd never given them this much damn thought.

He pushed his hand inside those loose sweats and wrapped a hand around Chayce's cock, wanting to make this man just as crazy as he felt. Because Chayce deserved to feel good.

"Oh, damn." Chayce's eyes crossed, and Waylon got a firm pinch to his nipples in response.

"What the hell, man?" He jerked, his body sawing back and forth. "No one's ever even touched me there."

"No? Hot, huh? Not just decorative."

"Yeah. I— damn." He was getting kind of incoherent, which Waylon wasn't used to. His job was to make his lovers lose their minds, not the vice versa. But he still had the best handful ever, and he rubbed up and down, massaging the tip with his thumb.

Chayce humped up at that touch, baring his teeth. "Right there."

"Here?" He pushed against the slit, getting the feeling that Chayce liked it to sting a little maybe. And why not? That felt hellacious good.

"There. Fuck me, yes. Right there."

"Hot as fire, honey. I love how your skin feels." And the way Chayce looked at him, you would think he hung the moon.

"My skin's pretty tickled with you too."

"Don't make me actually tickle you." He danced his fingers over Chayce's cock, laughing.

"Evil bastard." Chayce chuckled with him, willing to share the joy.

"You know it." He let Chayce kiss him again, arching up so he could rock against Chayce's ass. Damn, he was ready to go off like a rocket, but he still wanted more. He needed to feel it when Chayce came for him. Smell it.

"Uh-huh." Chayce's eyes rolled back in his head, and he shot, entire body convulsing.

"Fuck." He held on as long as he could, watching Chayce in his pleasure. Then Waylon lost it, too, coming so hard he saw stars.

"Damn, that is fine as all get out." Chayce's words made him shiver, another jolt of pleasure hitting him.

"Mmmhmm." Now he had babyhead. "Freaking amazing."

Chayce snorted against his neck. "Damn."

"Okay, guys," Kenny said over the intercom from the front. "I'm about to stop. What do you want to eat?"

Waylon shook his head. "Perfect timing."

Chayce chuckled softly. "He knows my order. I don't have to pretend I didn't just shoot."

"I'll call mine up." He picked up the radio. "I'll take a double bacon burger and onion rings, man. And a big Frosty." He'd worked off enough calories, right?

"You got it. I'll bring it back. I'll need you to keep an eye out when I go inside."

"Can do, man. Thanks." See him pretend not to be out of breath.

"Oh, very nice." Chayce was laughing at him, eyes just dancing. "You almost sounded suave."

"Thanks. I mean, I'm just the muscle."

Chayce sobered, meeting his gaze, that mossy green gaze serious. "Not just anything, man. Thank you."

"Anytime."

And he damn well meant it too.