Page 45 of Tumbling Hearts

“Yeah. Pat’s up there with her. They’re preoccupied with tasting the different liquors they got. We got time.”

“Time?” Gene raises an eyebrow.

“Y-yeah, you know. To look for my wallet.”

Gene’s eyes widen. It’s a little hard to see, but there’s a pink tinge of blush gracing Ray’s cheeks. “Alright. Yeah, then let’s head over.”

But before he can make any move, there’s one more loud snap.

“Maurice…” Gene pouts.

“You guys looked cute,” Maurice chuckles, holding his camera by his face. “Anyway, you guys can go. Hope you find what you’re looking for.” And with that, he gives them a wink.

Gene’s cheeks burn. “Um… yeah. Okay, Ray. Let’s go.”

Ray leads while Gene follows, scurrying out of the greenroom and through a long, white-bricked hallway. The bathrooms are the first doors on the right, and a little farther down on the left are the dressing rooms. Ray stops in front of one, opening the door with the words ‘Dusty Brooms’ lazily handwritten on a thin rectangular piece of paper taped to it.

All of this really has happened before. How could Gene forget? It wasn’t this same venue, no, but Ray had forgotten the same exact item. What are the odds that he would do that again? Unless he didn’t really forget it, which Gene has a hunch that’s the case…

Ray opens the door and they both step inside, Gene shutting the door behind himself and flicking on the overhead lights. This room is somewhat spacious compared to other dressing rooms they’ve been in. It has a few assorted chairs, private lockers if they need them, and plenty of counter space for various sorts of make-up—which it’s already littered with. A large mirror on the opposite wall greets them. Ray smirks, Gene barely catching it in the mirror before he turns around toward him.

“Lock the door, if you would, please,” Ray says, a bit of a devious glint in his tone.

“Why, so we can look for your wallet without being interrupted?” Gene smirks back and does as asked, locking the deadbolt on the door.

“Oh, I already know it’s in that locker over there.” Ray points behind himself with his thumb. “It was just an excuse to get you in here alone with me.”

Without warning, Ray grabs Gene’s shoulders and pins him against the door. He leans in close—so, so very close—lips only a hair away. Gene can taste Ray’s breath. The singer’s eyes are so blue, so determined, so dazzling with that glittery eyeshadow and thick mascara—sparking a fire in Gene’s abdomen without a moment to spare.

“Taking a page out of my own book now, aren’t you?” Gene chuckles, moving his hands to grasp Ray’s waist.

“Yeah. Why not?” Ray lightly shrugs. “Finally, I have you all to myself again. I’ve missed you so goddamn much.”

“You really have, huh?” Gene rubs circles onto Ray’s waist, messing up his shimmery blue shirt.

“Yeah.”

“Prove it.”

Ray leans in, capturing Gene’s lips in a kiss.

A fluttery light feeling bursts all throughout him. He kisses Ray back, grasping him tighter, pulling his shirt out from being tucked into his pants. Their bodies are now flush together, Ray pushing his weight onto Gene, not giving him an inch to move away from the door. But this is exactly how Gene wants him. For them to be touching like this… it’s everything he’s been fantasizing about. That one kiss they shared before his trip to California wasn’t enough. No, he needs to experience more.

Their lips stay locked as their hands move, Gene feeling up Ray’s back, reaching under his shirt and touching his skin, while Ray holds Gene’s upper arms to keep him in place, thrusting his hips into Gene’s. It’s been much too long; Ray is right. Gene has missed this so goddamn much. Even when he arrived home back from Japan, they were so busy they didn’t ever have a chance to be alone, preparing for the album release, their tour, rehearsing with the band, and holding press conferences and radio talk shows. Who knows when they’ll have another chance like this, especially with Carol constantly following Ray around? He can’t wait any longer. And by the looks of it, neither can Ray.

Gene opens his mouth, and so does Ray, swiping their tongues against each other in a frenzy. Ray adjusts himself, moving his hands lower, groping Gene’s chest through the opening of his frilly shirt.

“Remember what I said that last night in St. Ignace?” Ray says as their lips part, his voice raspy.

Gene reminisces of that wonderful time they’d spent together. Lying on the cozy bed, cuddling up, whispering their desires… “You want to fuck me.”

“Yeah. I still want to. How ’bout it?”

“Right here in the dressing room?” Gene chuckles.

“Sure. You locked the door, right? Besides, you had me in that public bathroom during the last tour, y’know.”

“You’re very right about that.” Gene sighs, his body burning hot as he feels Ray’s erection pressing against him through their pants. “Then, yeah. Fuck yeah, I want you, baby.”