29. Caleb

TWENTY-NINE

WELL, THIS WAS going to be interesting.

A last-minute change in Vera's shooting schedule had pushed family dinner to tonight, which meant all I was going to be able to think about when I looked at Travis across the table was how much I would rather be eating him.

Going down on a partner had always done it for me, but sucking Travis's dick, wrangling those shouts out of him, was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. Even on my knees, I'd felt so fucking high. I loved the way he tasted. How his cock was both velvety soft and hard as steel on my tongue. I wanted to tease that piercing of his again just to see if I could get him off with a few focused flicks, then give in to all the untamed thoughts that were running through my mind now. And I wanted him watching me with those hungry eyes that urged me on.

"You've got to stop looking at me like that." Travis glanced up at the private elevator's camera in the corner as we headed up to our parents' penthouse.

Right. And I couldn't exactly touch him here. This should've been the slap in the face that I needed to remind me I really shouldn't be touching him at all, but something about this being a secret only the two of us knew had all the blood rushing from my head into my dick.

Travis groaned and closed his eyes. "I fucking mean it. This is already gonna be torture."

With his head back and the normally smooth lines of his neck corded with tension, I had to bite back a smile. I made him as riled up as he did me, and that was a boost to my ego. Finally we were on the same page, and I would've given anything to have taken things further once we got out of the shower.

"I was just thinking about…later," I said.

"Later?" He licked his lips like he already knew what I was thinking. "What do you?—"

The elevator dinged, cutting off his question.

Travis shook his head at me, like I'd been the only one to start this up, and ran a hand over his face. He muttered, "Jesus Christ," and then pushed off the wall of the car and stalked into the penthouse.

I didn't think he could hear my answering chuckle at his frustration as I followed after him, because a few seconds later he put on an utterly charming tone as he greeted Dad and Vera.

"Daaamn, Mom, look at you. You could be my sister with those bangs."

"You like them? They're for a new role, and I wasn't sure if they fit my face or not," she said.

"You look stunning, as always. Well, maybe not including the wig you had for Maybe, Baby. Short red curls are not your thing."

"I don't think I saw that one?" Dad said, and Vera shook her head.

"And you won't." Her expression changed when I walked into the room and she smiled. "Caleb, hi, honey."

I greeted her with a kiss to the cheek. "Travis is right, you look great."

Vera's lips pursed as she exchanged a glance with Dad. "Did he just say Travis is right?"

"Did they just come in together?" Dad added.

We'd definitely come together in all the ways. But if I thought about that too long, things would get embarrassing fast. Instead, I focused on my dad's face, because the only other option was to look at Vera, and Travis was standing with her, which would bring me right back to thinking about the two of us coming together.

"Caleb?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you and Travis arrived together?"

"Oh, yeah." I shrugged, trying for nonchalance. "Not all that crazy, since you forced us to live together."

"Forced is a little harsh, don't you think?"

"You sold my place."

"Something that was necessary. We explained that. And anyway, you two haven't killed each other yet, so I think we're onto something. Travis?" Dad turned in his and Vera's direction. "I hope you've welcomed Caleb and not made the move too hard on him."

"I've been nothing but…welcoming."

Was it my imagination, or did he emphasize coming? I chanced a look at our parents, who didn't seem bothered at all. But one look in Travis's direction told me he'd definitely added that for my benefit.

"Trust me," he continued, "I didn't make things any harder for him than he did me."

A strangled kind of cough left me.The sexy fucker was paying me back for the elevator.

"Oh no." Vera frowned. "Are you coming down with something?"

"No, just, um… Got a tickle in my throat," I replied.

Travis eyed me with a devious twinkle. "That's what's down your throat?"

"Travis, don't start." His mom admonished him. "What else would it be?"

Travis shrugged, trying for the innocent act. Though I wasn't even sure he knew what that was. "I don't know. Maybe he put something in his mouth that he shouldn't."

"He's not five."

"Okay." Dad finally stepped in, likely thinking he was preventing some kind of blow-up. But what he was really stopping was an explosion of a different variety. One that happened whenever I thought about Travis's dick down my thro?—

"Why don't I get us all a drink?" he asked.

"Perfect," Vera said, and moved toward the bar, my dad following.

Travis lingered behind, so I made my way over to him, wanting to get as close as I could without touching.

"You're an asshole," I muttered, and he chuckled.

"I'm just paying you back. You shouldn't start something if you aren't prepared to see it through."

"You don't think I can keep up with you?"

"Oh, I know you can keep it up with me. I've seen the proof. But can you sit through a whole family meal that way?" Travis leaned over and put his lips by my ear. "Little secret? I've been doing it for years now, so I'm a pro."

Fuck, that was hot. The idea he would sit across from me, wanting me that way. Jesus.

"Come on, stepbrother. Dinner's about to be served."

I CUT INTO the chicken parmesan and brought it up to my lips, only to hesitate when I remembered Vera was into saving the chickens now.

Travis smirked at the forkful hovering in front of my mouth. "Still on the plant-based kick, Mom?"

"It's not a kick, it's a way of life," she said, before taking a sip of her wine. "But since you two seem to have an aversion to something better for you, yours are the real thing."

I narrowed my eyes, not sure I believed that. Travis shrugged, took a bite, and then gave me a quick nod to go ahead.

I still didn't trust it, since that shit tasted real last time, but fuck it.

"I've gotta say, I'm pleasantly surprised not to get any phone calls from Astor or the Towers recently," Dad said to Travis, and then he gestured toward me with his knife. "See? Good influence."

Oh, I was a fucking great one. And thinking of Travis's words about giving me a little payback only made me want to make sure he knew I could more than hold my own when it came to him. I moved my foot up the inside of Travis's calf, rubbing it up and down, and his head shot up.

He lifted his napkin to his mouth and cleared his throat. "Yes, he's definitely been rubbing off on me."

I kicked him in the shin for that, but Dad and Vera seemed only too pleased that we were getting along.

"As a matter of fact," Travis continued, "he actually got me to go to the library."

Vera's eyes widened. "You? In a library?"

"I know. I was surprised too, but he really gave me the helping hand I needed."

I choked on my beer and had to cough into my napkin to keep it from dribbling down my chin. That fucker. He was too good at this.

He brought another bite of chicken to his lips. Under the table, his foot found mine, and he left it there to drive me crazy.

"So, Vera, when do you leave?" I said, ready for a subject change that didn't have me needing to shift in my seat to ease the pressure on my restrained cock.

"Tomorrow. Your dad's coming with me for the first couple of weeks?—"

"That's great."

"—which means we won't be here for your birthday next week. We'd love to plan something for when we get back?—"

"No, no, don't worry about it," I said, waving her off. "We don't need to do anything."

"Of course we do. Tell him what we were thinking, Richard."

Dad set his fork down and gave his wine a swirl. "It would be closer to the end of October before we get back, but the weather should be great then. We can rent the rooftop bar at Le Bain, invite all your friends?—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." I shook my head. "I appreciate the thought, but I really don't want to make it a big deal."

"Oh." Dad frowned. "Some place smaller, then?"

"Or we could just put a candle in the tiramisu tonight and be done with it."

I could feel Travis's eyes on me, and when I didn't look at him, he rubbed his foot up my leg.

That got my attention.

"You don't want a party?" he asked. "Not even with a bunch of hot blondes and an open tequila bar?"

He was such a shit. But two could play at that game. "The blondes could be fun. But the last time I had tequila I woke up in a strange bed, so?—"

"You what?"

My dad's shocked voice had my smartass retort coming to a screeching halt.I was supposed to be the good influence.

"Uh, well, it's not as bad as it sounds."

"Oh?" Travis slumped down into his chair and rolled his eyes, playing up his disinterest. But the foot he slid up my leg so he could toe my balls told a completely different story. "Sounds pretty bad to me. What kind of respectable man wakes up in a stranger's bed?"

I grunted to stop the groan that wanted to escape and did my best to glare him to death.

"Travis," Vera said, "I don't think we need your input on this. It has nothing to do with you."

Travis tongued his lower lip but nodded. "You're right. I'll behave."

Sure he would. I doubted Travis even knew the meaning of the word unless it was preceded by mis.

"Caleb." My dad's voice took on that low, serious tone that he usually reserved for telling Travis he was a complete and utter delinquent. If he'd been able to see what Travis was doing at this very second beneath the table, I had no doubt that's where his attention would be focused.

However, I was the one who'd put my foot in my mouth for everyone to see. While Travis was the one with his foot in my lap for no one to see.

Yeah, he was sooo much better at this than me.

"We didn't send you to live at the Towers so you could start acting like—" He paused and looked over at Travis, who pointed to himself, eyes wide.

"Me?" He shook his head, but his foot kept on fucking moving. "I don't think so. Remember, not one call."

"You're right."

Travis's foot angled forward then, applying pressure to my throbbing cock, and my utensils clanged to the table as I grunted in an effort to smother a groan.

Vera looked over at me. "Caleb, honey, are you sure you're not coming down with something? You seem so out of sorts tonight."

"I'm fine." I glanced at Travis, who was looking at me over the rim of his glass. "But you might be right. I am feeling a little bit hot."

"Oh no." She brought a hand to my forehead and nodded. "You do seem a little flushed."

"Yeah," I muttered, promising myself I was going to make Travis pay for this. "I feel it."

"Well, that's a shame. We have box seat tickets for all of us to that new Broadway show tonight."

Travis slid his foot to the ground and jackknifed up straight in his seat, whipping his head in his mom's direction. "A show? Tonight?"

Had I not been busy trying to calm the pounding hard-on he'd stroked to life beneath the table, I might've laughed at how put out he sounded by Vera's suggestion, at the idea of having to sit next to each other through an entire show and not touch.

It seemed his little tease-and-torture session might've just bit him in the ass.

"Well, not anymore. I think we should stay in, make sure Caleb is okay."

"Oh, he's fine." Travis waved me off without even looking my way. "Why don't you and Dick go?"

"But—"

"I'll make sure Caleb is…taken care of."

Would it have been too obvious if I groaned right then? Because I knew exactly what track Travis's mind was on, and it wasn't the "check his temperature and bring him a washcloth" kind.

Vera looked up the table to where my dad had just finished his meal. "What do you think, Richard?"

"I think they're old enough to look after each other and get home. Or you could stay here in your old rooms."

A hint of a wicked smile tugged at Travis's lips. "Yeah, we'll work it out. Caleb can rest up a little while I…clean up."

"Okay." Dad looked to me and shook a finger. "But I don't want to hear any more stories about you waking up in stranger's beds. You two seem to have worked things out, and I'm pleased about that, but I don't want you to lose track of your studies."

"You're right. I'll be sure to only fall asleep in our condo every night."

I was sure not to specify my bed, because if I didn't have to lie, I wasn't going to. But when I looked at a smirking Travis, it was clear he knew what I meant.

"Very good," Dad said, and pushed back from the table. "Well, Vera, it looks like you and I are going on a date."

"So it does." She got to her feet, and as the two of them left to go and freshen up before leaving, she called back, "You two behave yourselves, and Travis? Be sure to look after Caleb."

Travis looked at me across the now-empty table and licked his lips. "Oh, I'm gonna take good care of him tonight."

My dick jerked behind my jeans, and with our parents in the other room, I could finally reach down under the table and rub my palm over it. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, real fucking good care."