38. Travis

THIRTY-EIGHT

SILVER ZIPPERS ALL around the waist to wear it as a trench or a cropped jacket— Wait, no. I leaned back against the arm of the couch and held the sketchbook out, analyzing what I'd drawn with a critical eye.

"Nope. Gold. Definitely gold," I muttered to myself before ripping the page out and flinging it aside to start over.

I switched out my colored pencils and began the outline again, using my now-intimate knowledge of Caleb's body as a starting point. Because why not? He was gorgeous, even if he wasn't built like a fashion model. It was entertaining as hell to style him in something that was the polar opposite of his usual look, but he'd still rock this jacket.

Though he'd probably only agree to wear it on Halloween.

After making the zippers gold, I held the sketchbook out, pursing my lips as I looked it over and then grinned.

"I'm a fucking genius. Just give me all the awards now."

Flashy. Fun. Sexy as fuck. That pretty much summed up my style.

Hell, that should be my tagline.

Finally satisfied, I went to work on the rest of the small details as Caleb strolled down the hall with his cell phone attached to his ear.

"Uh huh… Try not to murder anyone… Well, if you need help hiding a body, I'm sure I know a few people." He smirked at me as he stopped behind the kitchen island. "Yeah, I'll tell him… Love you too."

He ended the call and grabbed a couple of sodas out of the fridge. "Dad says hi."

"He trying to get rid of Mom already?"

"Hah. No." After popping the tab, he handed me the Coke. "More like Vera could use your pranking skills on her leading man. You know that guy who was in the Lethal Weapon reboot? Paul something."

"Uh oh," I said. "What's he done? Do we need to take a little trip for some fuckery?"

I moved my feet so Caleb could sit on the other side of the couch, and after he sat down, he pulled my legs onto his lap. The move wasn't anything major, but it made my stomach flip just the same.

"Dad said the first day of filming, Paul refused to come out of his trailer because one of the crew members was wearing a Lakers jersey, and it held everything up for hours." Caleb rolled his eyes. "The ultimatum was either they fire the crew member or make him wear a Celtics jersey, which he refused to do."

"So, what, they fired him?"

Caleb took a sip of his drink and nodded. "Yep. Paul's number one on the call sheet, so whatever he says goes. Apparently it just got worse from there, but they're both pissed."

"Sounds like I need to call her later and give her a few fun ideas." I grinned, already thinking up a few.

"I figured you would." He ran his hand absently along my calves. So casual. So natural.

So right.

I took a swig of my soda and then switched it out on the table for a black pencil. "So did you mention…anything else?" You know, like being hot for your stepbrother—no biggie.

"Yeah, actually. I told him you took me to a brewery for my birthday."

"To drown you in a keg?"

"No, to do something nice for me."

My eyebrows shot up. "And he didn't think that was suspicious?"

Caleb shook his head, a line forming between his brows. "He seemed…relieved and kinda glad, actually. It makes me think…" He didn't continue that train of thought, and I wiggled my foot in his lap.

"Makes you think what?"

He lifted his eyes to meet mine. "That you might be right. About them having a clue about us."

"Yeah?" I watched him carefully, trying to read into every little twitch and move he made, constantly waiting for the ball to drop. "How does that make you feel?"

"I think we passed any last freak-out stage last night, don't you?" The wicked curve to his lips made my shoulders instantly relax, even as my dick jerked beneath my sketchpad. Jesus, that memory was seared into my brain for life. Just thinking about being inside Caleb made me desperate to have him again, but his ass needed a rest after his first time.

It would happen. The way he was looking at me told me that much.

"Guess he doesn't think I'm such a bad influence after all," I teased, nuzzling my toes between his thighs to massage his cock.

Caleb groaned and rolled his head on the back of the couch to look at me. "Really? You call this being a good one?"

"A very good one, yes."

His eyes sparked with amusement as he stilled my foot. "Maybe he figures you'll be less of a shit if we're getting along."

"You should've told him just how well we're getting along. And how many times."

"Have you told Vera?"

"Not yet."

"Not yet?"

"What? You don't think she'll want all the juicy details?"

"Oh my God."

I laughed at the horrified look on his face. "I'm kidding. We're close, but not give-her-sex-details close."

"Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if you did. You've never exactly been quiet about your sex life."

"Just letting everyone know what a catch I am, can you blame me?"

Caleb's lips twitched. "Not even a little bit."

It was rare to find someone willing to accept all of you, quirks and all, but that was how it felt with Caleb, why I'd gravitated toward him right off the bat after meeting him, even though our friendship never should've worked. Why it had hurt so much when he wasn't part of my life the last few years. I craved his acceptance. His opinion mattered more than anyone's, and it'd been a stab in the gut every time he ignored me or glared my way.

That shit was never happening again, not if I could help it.

Leaning over, Caleb set his drink aside and picked up one of my discarded sketches. "I was wondering if you still did these."

"Ugh, don't look at that one." I snatched it out of his hands, crumpled the paper into a ball, and tossed it across the room.

"Seriously, Travis?" He picked up another one. "If you hate it, why do you keep drawing the same design over and over?"

My jaw hit the floor. "The same design? I thought someone with such an expert eye would know the difference between disgusting and"—I flipped my sketchpad toward him—"perfection."

Caleb frowned, glancing between the two like he couldn't see any difference whatsoever, which would've made me lose all faith in his taste for fuck's sake."Ohh, I see it now. Gold not silver, right?"

I huffed. "I mean, it's so obvious."

"You're right. This is trash." He tore the paper in half, then into quarters, and tossed the pieces into the air.

"Smartass. You of all people should know it's the details that matter."

He shifted on the couch to face me and rested his arm along the cushion. Without his slouchy beanie, his brown hair was wild and sticking up in random places, though running my fingers through it was probably the biggest culprit. I couldn't decide whether I liked the fact that he'd thrown on one of my vintage Queen t-shirts or if I hated that he wore any clothes at all.

Then again, he'd make the shirt smell as good as he did, so I'd be wearing that to school tomorrow so he'd be all over me all damn day.

"I can't wait to photograph some A-list celebrity in a Travis McKinney original. We'll make that shit go viral."

"Yeah?"

"Hell yeah. Who could you see wearing that one?"

"Me." I glanced up from the drawing and winked. "But maybe someone else with a rock kind of vibe. One of those Fallen Angel guys, maybe."

"Ooh yeah. Viper would kill in that. He scowls almost as well as you do."

I went to kick him in the thigh, but he caught my foot and laughed.

"I always reserved my scowls for you," I said. "And my…sexy smolders for the camera."

Caleb laughed even harder, his head falling back against the couch. "Pretty sure that's the same thing."

"It's not, and you know it. My intention for the audience is to make them want to fuck me. My goal for you was to piss you off so you'd be thinking about me all night."

"Well, it worked. Everyone wanted to fuck you, and I could never get you out of my head." He trailed his fingers up the inside of my calf and then my inner thigh. "I still can't."

I tossed my sketchpad and pencil aside and grabbed Caleb's arm, pulling him to my side of the couch to straddle me. I couldn't help it. I wanted to touch him all the time. He was just as much of an enabler to my greedy ways, though, taking my hands and placing them on his ass.

The loose sweatpants he wore were thin enough I could feel that he wasn't wearing any boxer briefs under them.

Dammit, I was trying to behave myself.It was an impossible ask.

As I kneaded the curves of his ass, he ran the pad of his thumb along my lips.

"Thank you," he said. "This weekend was perfect."

"Was?" I arched a brow. "It's not over yet."

"Well, no, but you're going out?—"

"So are you."

Caleb's lower lip disappeared behind his teeth. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea after last time."

"Of course it is. I'll be there to make sure East doesn't feed you tequila all night."

"They'll all think something's up if you don't encourage East to get me fucked up."

I rubbed my hands over his hips and down the front of his thighs. "You worry too much."

"From what I heard, I tried to give someone a beatdown for dancing with you. You don't think I'll have a similar reaction if some guy's all over you?"

I lifted my hips so my cock grazed the crease of his ass. "Jealousy looks so hot on you."

"I'm serious."

"So am I. Such a turn-on."

Caleb narrowed his eyes and slowly moved up and down along my dick. "Then I guess I'll see you on the dance floor. Find some stranger to rub his hands on my?—"

I shot up so fast I almost knocked him off me. "Over my dead fucking body."

He smirked. "Thought so."

"That was mean," I grumbled, settling back down to rest my head against the arm of the couch. "No dancing with anyone."

"You gonna abide by that rule too?"

"I can't dance?"

Caleb angled his head, thinking it over. "You can with one of the others. Gavin, maybe."

My brows shot up. "And have Daire literally crush me in his fist? I like being manhandled, but that's where I draw the line."

"Fine. Donovan, then."

"You think his boyfriend is any better than Daire? The guy's six-five and has a dick the size of an elephant trunk."

Caleb made a face. "I don't even wanna know how you know that."

Grinning, I linked my fingers through his and tugged him forward so his lips hovered over mine. I stole a quick kiss and then said, "Tell you what. We'll both promise to be on our best behavior. No other guys, or girls for that matter. It'll just be a fun night out with friends. It's still your birthday weekend, so we can make it all about you."

"You had me until that last part."

"Okay, we'll make it all about you when we get back home," I amended.

"That's more like it."

"Mhmm." I grazed my lips along his jaw and back down to his mouth. "So you agree to the terms?"

He angled his head and leaned in toward me, but I drew back to wait for his answer. "I agree."

"Good. Then shut up and kiss me."