Page 31 of Conquest

His phone silenced, and he shifted back into Evan. A pleased groan rumbled in Evan’s throat. He nuzzled into Jesse’s hair and gave him a squeeze. Jesse smiled and began to doze off when his phone started buzzing again.

“Are you going to answer it, or do you want me to chuck it in the lake?” Evan mumbled, his voice deep with sleep.

“Chuck it,” Jesse grumbled. He stretched for his phone, refusing to move from his position in Evan’s arms. He dragged it across the nightstand and yawned as he flipped it open. His eyes fell on the time. “Shit!”

Evan rested his chin on Jesse’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nine-thirty. I was supposed to be at work an hour and a half ago.”

Evan yawned, flicking a nonchalant hand in the air. “It’s just a bookstore. Forget about it.”

“That’s easy for you to say. Who’s gonna pay my rent when I get fired?”

“I’ll pay your rent.”

“Yeah? Are you my sugar daddy now?”

“I’ll get my money’s worth.” Evan yanked Jesse closer by his hip and gave his shoulder a firm bite.

“Oww, vampire!” Jesse laughed, playfully shoving him away.

Evan flopped onto his back. “In all seriousness, you should quit that job. It does nothing but take time away from your music.”

“I’ll call in sick today, I’m just the stock manager so they can survive without me, but I can’t survive without a paycheck, and even though I appreciate your offer, there’s only one thing I want to suck off you and it’s not money.” Jesse flipped toward him and lay on his side with his head on Evan’s pillow as he scrolled through his missed calls. “Damn, everybody’s been calling me. Kenny called three times just this morning. That’s not like him to be awake before noon. I hope everything’s okay.”

Evan read Jesse’s phone, seeing the number fifteen next to Brandon’s name. “Your brother’s called you fifteen times since yesterday.”

“Yeah, he’s a psycho. It’s not my fault he didn’t answer his phone when I tried to call him. I left him a message letting him know I was fine, but it appears he’s decided to keep freakin’ out that I’m with someone he hasn’t met yet. He’s a really huge fan of yours, like scary huge, so when he does meet you he’ll probably warp into fanboy mode.”

“So long as he doesn’t maul me, we’ll be cool,” Evan said, climbing out of bed.

Jesse sat up, his eyes on Evan’s tight butt as he walked into the bathroom. “Has that ever happened before?”

“A lot of fans get overly touchy,” Evan called from the bathroom. “I do okay if it’s just a few people, but when I’d get surrounded by hordes pushing and screaming through security to get a grope in, that makes me nervous. I’d say it’s part of the reason why I get claustrophobic in crowds, but I’ve always been that way.”

Jesse quit scrolling through his phone, surprised by Evan’s statement. “Is that why you quit performing?”

Silence from the bathroom answered him.

Jesse sat quiet, wondering if Evan hadn’t heard him and was about to ask again when Evan’s subdued voice responded, “No. The crowds didn’t bother me when I was on stage. It was different.”

Jesse stared toward the bathroom. Why was it every time he brought up Evan’s career, Evan’s whole tone and mood changed? He became quiet and distant, and either dodged the question or replied as if in an interview with a polite response that still didn’t answer the question. It was as though Evan looked at music as something he did for a while, and now he had closed the book on that part of his life. He couldn’t understand how someone as gifted as Evan could turn his back on it.

He sighed and called Kenny’s cell. Maybe he expected too much. Even though he felt he’d known Evan forever with all that had happened between them, he shouldn’t expect Evan to feel the same way.

His thoughts halted as Kenny’s voice yelled through his cell phone without a hello.

“You bastard! I don’t even know where to begin with all the things I’m pissed at you about! Where the hell are you and where the hell are my guitars? I’m gonna kick your ass as soon as I see you for keeping them from me for two freakin’ days!”

Jesse held the phone away from his ear and Kenny’s screeching. When Kenny’s voice quieted asking if he was okay, Jesse put the phone back. “I’m great, awesome, and incredible!” He listened to Kenny take a deep breath, and as Kenny spoke again, he could tell it was through clenched teeth.

“Wonderful. I’m not even gonna get into it right now. We’ve got more important things going down. The secretary of that Greg guy from Phoenix Records called and said he wants us to come down to their offices today at two o’clock and bring a demo.”

Jesse bolted upright. “Are you serious?”

“I wouldn’t joke about this, man,” Kenny said, no traces of irritation left in his voice. “She tried to call you, too. This is it!”

“I can’t believe it! I’ll be home by noon!”