Wishful Sinful [REVISED]

Part 3: Love Bites

Lenore introduced herself to Paul and asked him for a beer. She then remarked on all the alien-themed pins on his jacket. Apparently, he'd been to Area 51 several times, and had a story or two, of his own, from his childhood in the sticks of Arkansas.

Jared lost track of their conversation from there, as Dorian placed his hand on Jared's thigh to regain his attention. He gulped, hoping Dorian couldn't tell how much the subtle touch affected him.

"What would you like to know?"

"Everything," Jared admitted.

"That's a long conversation. Drinks?"

"Sure."

"Paul? Pass up a couple cold ones."

"Can do. You heard from Raul yet?"

"No, but he should be along soon. I swear you all have a sixth sense for coming back to the tour bus at almost the same time."

"True," Paul replied.

Paul left them alone and returned his attention to Lenore. From the sounds of it, even Haven was deep in the conversation, asking Lenore questions about the book in progress she'd mentioned to Paul, and about her beliefs in the supernatural and extraterrestrials.

"Nearly alone at last," Dorian said. "Where should I start? I already told you about Lysander. Not his real name, naturally, but he was an artist in New York, reinventing himself."

"You lived in New York?" Jared asked, popping the top of his beer can and taking a long pull.

"I've lived all over. Lot more miles on me than you'd guess." A hint of world-weariness crept into Dorian's voice. He took a swig of beer, and Jared watched the muscles in his throat work with blatant hunger.

He'd heard at the gay bars that guys gave the best blowjobs but had never been brave enough or drunk enough to find out for himself.

Dorian caught him staring and smirked, like he knew what was on his mind.

Jared picked up the thread of the conversation, hoping Dorian wouldn't call him out. "You must have a lot of great stories, then."

"Sure. Adventures in underground nightclubs all over the world. Raves in the streets of Romania. Kissing a stranger in Vlad Tepes' castle, after hours. Running through the streets of India, everyone streaked in colored powder from Holi, almost glowing in the dark under the streetlights, their skin was so bright, then partying under UV lights, at the clubs...Touring the labyrinth of Morocco on a rented motorbike. Backpacking through Tibet and Lithuania. Sleeping in concrete-boxed back rooms. I even stayed in a cottage in Ireland without any indoor plumbing or electricity. That was humbling! They gave me peat to burn in the hearth, for warmth, and a lantern. The Irish lad I met one night at the pub provided more warmth than the peat."

"Was this all before you formed the band?"

"Yes and no. I traveled some on my own, before I met the rest of the guys. Raul and I met in New York, at an open mic, while I was out on the town with Haven, not long after Lysander and I split. I showed him my lyrics, the melodies I'd written, and we floated the idea of forming the band. An ad in an entertainment magazine and many, many failed auditions later, Velveteen Slumber was born. But we've toured Europe and various parts of the world together, since then."

"Very cool. Why Velveteen Slumber?"

"It's the way I feel falling asleep in Haven's arms, like something precious, nestled in velvet. I carry that feeling with me even on the rare occasions that we're apart. It sustains me. I suppose that sounds cliché."