Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

HENDRIX

Watching Art take in the view was just as good as seeing it for myself the first time. He looked so enthralled, his eyes wide and wonder struck. I was a little jealous he didn't look at me that way. I snagged his attention, waving the sandwich in his face, and grinned when he finally pulled his eyes away from the view and back to me.

"Finally remembered you're not here alone?" I snickered.

He ducked his head, a sheepish look on his face. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if there was an actual light up here instead of just the glow from the city, I'd see the blush staining his cheeks. Art blushed at the drop of a hat. It was cute, and I loved how easy it was to read his emotions when they were written on his face like that. He shoved his glasses up his nose, focused on unwrapping his sandwich to hide his embarrassment. I followed suit, always hungry after a show.

"Do you think… Will it be hard to find another guitarist?"

I took a big bite of my sandwich, tipping my head side to side as I chewed. "Yes, and no. I'm sure there will be people who will want to give it a go, but it's not easy finding someone who will mesh well with the whole group. Zion is a good example of what happens when we're too focused on filling a slot instead of finding someone who fits. He's a talented guitar player, but not really a team player."

Art nodded slowly, nibbling at his own sandwich. I put my hand on his knee, squeezing gently.

"I promise, him leaving was inevitable. You're not at fault here. He is. He was already on our last nerve. If it were Ruby or one of the other guys who got upset about us refusing that contract, I would've tried harder to explain it and gotten them to understand where we were coming from. Zion wasn't worth the fight."

Letting out a breath, he nodded. "Okay. But if I overstep, you should tell me. I was just trying to help, but Zion was right. I'm not part of the band."

I didn't fully agree with that, not after everything he'd done to help us, but I got the feeling we'd go in circles all night if we didn't move on from the conversation. I nodded to appease him and let it go, relaxing in my seat as I turned toward the view. We ate in silence for a while, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Art looked more at ease than he did when we first arrived, and after he finished eating, he fished his phone out of his pocket and started snapping pictures. I watched him with a smile on my face, just enjoying his excitement. He stood to get a better angle, snapping a few more, before tipping his head.

"You know, this would be a really good place for an album cover."

Pursing my lips, I looked around. None of us had ever thought about album covers before. We just assumed the label would think up most of that stuff. I raised my eyebrows at Art.

"What'd you have in mind?"

It turned into a mini photo session, him adjusting my posture on the bench and moving behind me to get the view in the background. He made little comments, like how he wished I had my guitar, or how it'd look better with the whole band, but he seemed to be having fun and I liked being his model.

"If the bench didn't have a back, then laying down with your guitar would look nice too," he murmured. Some of his comments I felt were more for himself than for me, and he never seemed like he needed me to reply. I smiled to myself, letting him nudge me into lying across the bench with my head resting on the arm as he tried something new. "No… The back ruins it. I can't see enough of you."

"Then why not come over here and join me? You can see me better up close."

He huffed out a laugh, moving to stand behind the bench, and looked down at me. "Not what I meant. I was mostly thinking out loud."

Grinning, I grabbed his hand and tugged, leading him around the bench so he was standing in front of me. "I know. But I've got a different idea for the cover."

His brows furrowed, but before he could ask for an explanation, I pulled him down until he was lying on top of me. He looked surprised, his body stiff like he didn't know what to do with himself.

"See, with the back covering us, people will wonder what we're doing," I murmured, sliding my hands down his back. "Where I'm touching you and how." My hands moved over his ass, squeezing the tight globes. His breath caught in his throat, encouraging me to keep going. "All they'll see is you on top of me, your lips on mine, and teasing them with what if."

His eyes dropped to my mouth, and I could see the want there. The orange glow from the city barely lit up his face, but I could see just fine in the dark. His pupils were blown and his glasses only made his eyes seem bigger, emphasizing the needy look. I was curious if he'd make a move, but the longer I waited, the more tense and nervous he got. He wasn't ready to take charge yet, not without a little encouragement. I cupped the back of his head, drawing him closer, and whispered against his lips.

"Kiss me, Art. Give the audience what they want."

"There is no audience," he whispered back, his breath intermixing with mine, he was so damn close. "I didn't even set up my camera."

I hummed, lifting my head enough to barely brush my lips against his. "I guess we'll just pretend then."

He closed what was left of the distance between us, pressing his lips to mine. It started off soft, hesitant, but with enough coaxing, he came out of his shell little by little. Shifting himself into a better position moved his body perfectly over mine, chest to chest, pelvis to pelvis. His kisses turned needy and frantic when I lifted my hips to grind against his. We made out like teenagers, tongues tangled, hands everywhere, until I had to pull away or risk coming in my jeans. The bench wasn't big enough for any real action, so I sat up, dragging Art with me, and nipped at his bottom lip to get his attention.

"Time for your next lesson. I'm gonna introduce you to the joys of sucking cock."

He shivered, his eyes heavy lidded and lust fogged. It was his turn to be the model, and I arranged him how I wanted, legs spread to make room for me, pants undone, arms on the back of the bench, head thrown back as I stroked him. A quick wardrobe change and he'd look like a prince waiting to be devoured by the devil.

"Now this would be one hell of an album cover."

His strained laugh broke the quiet, his head dropping forward to look at me. "I think producers might have an issue with it."

I shrugged, shooting him a wicked grin. "Not as long as they can't see the goods. It's a tease, remember? The bench is short enough that they can see I'm here, but not what I'm doing. I think that cover would be hot."

Art swallowed hard, staring at me, his glasses slightly askew. "I… I've never done this before."

I'd been about to lick him, to taste the precum already seeping from his cock, but I froze at his words, looking up at him.

"With another guy, you mean?"

He shook his head, his breath uneven. "No. Val never– She said it was gross, so we never–"

He looked embarrassed, and I didn't want to ruin the mood, so I picked up where I left off, stroking his cock just enough to give him friction without actually getting him off. I leaned over, lapping at the head, and earned a shout from Art, his hips bucking automatically. I drew back, teasing him with a few more light strokes.

"Well, she was missing out because you're fucking delicious."

I didn't give him time to argue with me, drawing his cock into my mouth. I wasn't lying to him. He really was delicious. I always enjoyed giving head, making my partners feel good. I wasn't a selfish lover. But damn, Art made it so much better. With just a few sucks, he was falling apart at the seams, his moans loud and unfiltered. His arms on the back of the bench were straining, like it took effort to keep them there, and when I took him to the back of my throat, his hands moved to my hair automatically.

"Hen–"

His words cut off when I suckled on his tip, wringing a strangled moan from him. His fingers dug into my hair and it seemed like it was impossible for him to sit still, his hips jerking and his body writhing from the assault. When I sucked one of his balls into my mouth, he stopped breathing for a second, his face twisted in ecstasy. I felt his cock twitch, warning me of how close he was. I dove back onto his cock eagerly, sucking him down to the back of my throat. His dick pulsed a few times on my tongue, and Art babbled randomly, cutting off into a shout when he finally exploded. I pulled back a little, eager to taste him, and hummed at the salty sweetness that hit my tongue.

Art slumped, breathing heavily, and shivered when I finally let his cock slip from my lips.

"Damn. Watching you fall apart almost got me off," I chuckled, helping him tuck himself back away since there was a chill in the air. My dick throbbed in my jeans, demanding attention, but I wasn't going to push Art too far. It took him a minute before he could look up at me, his face a cross between shock and desire.

"That was–" He shook his head like he was at a loss for words.

"I take it you liked this lesson?" I smirked.

His eyes snapped down to my lap and back up, his brow furrowing. "It's not done yet. I haven't gotten a turn."

Well, I sure as hell wasn't going to say no to that. We swapped places, Art a little wobbly as he sank to his knees in front of me. I wanted to feel smug about it, but I was too damn focused on the man in front of me, watching him slowly unbutton my jeans and free my erection.

Like the first time, I expected him to be more tentative and was taken off guard when he dove on my cock like a starving man at a buffet. He licked and stroked, running his tongue over every inch of me before attempting to suck me down. He kept shoving his glasses back up his nose, so I plucked them off his face, setting them next to us on the bench. My claws carded through his hair, encouraging him as he bobbed along my length. When he gagged, the sound sent a thrill up my spine and I was too mind-blown to explain that he didn't need to go so hard. I kind of doubted he'd listen to me anyway. He was too enthusiastic, mimicking moves I used on him, licking my balls and sucking the tip.

"Art… You're gonna get me there…"

I was trying to warn him. It was too good for me to last. A little sloppy and inexperienced, but he made up for it with raw enthusiasm and I was close to exploding. My hips moved in micro thrusts, the base of my spine tingled, and when Art moaned in response, the vibration drop kicked me over the edge. It actually felt like I was in a free fall, my stomach flipping and my heart thundering in my chest. He didn't stop sucking until he got every last drop and I had to push him away because I was too sensitive.

"Holy… shit…" I breathed between pants.

"Did I get a good grade?" he teased, his voice gravelly. I shivered, my cock twitching at the sound.

"Babe, you passed with flying colors." Seriously. I was just teasing with the lessons thing, but if this was what I had to look forward to, then I wanted to teach Art every damn thing I could.