Faded in to You Read online

  Thaddeus walked to the large floor-to-ceiling window and rested his shoulder against it. He thought back to kissing Ravinder and smiled. There was something so endearing about Ravinder’s reaction to their intimate connection—however brief it had been. Though Thaddeus had no idea what had gotten into him, he had to admit he’d enjoyed it. Ravinder had tasted like peanuts and lemon vinaigrette. Thaddeus’ stomach growled and he turned to look at the clock. He did have a dinner ultimatum—one he absolutely would make sure he showed up for.

  While he called Ko on Facetime, he made his way up the stairs to what would be his bedroom for the next ninety days, at least.

  “Hey, brother,” Ko greeted him. “How are you?”

  “Good. I found us a place,” Thaddeus said. “So whenever you’re ready, just come on down!”

  “You’d suck as a game show host.” Ko chuckled. “And I should be ready in about a week. I’m helping Dad launch.”

  “I thought you weren’t going to do that again? How’d he talk you into it?”

  “Guilt.”

  Thaddeus laughed. “Of course.” Thaddeus hunched down beside his suitcase and unzipped it. He found a couple of pairs of boxers, his swim trunks and a large towel. Setting those on the bed, he turned his attention to his suits. “So, aside from the house, I wanted to talk to you about Ravinder.”

  “The stud you’re obsessed with?”

  “I’m not obsessed!” Thaddeus arched an eyebrow as he held up a black Armani suit to see how it looked. “He’s just sexy and I’m very interested.”

  “Boy, please! We both know if stalking wasn’t illegal…”

  Thaddeus groaned and hung the suit back in the closet. He peered at a Steve Harvey blue set but eventually gave in and grabbed a Hansamu one and nodded. It had been designed by his best friend and he knew it would be perfect for whatever the delectable Ravinder Raja had planned. He smirked and set it out beside his towel.

  “What about him?” Ko pushed.

  “He invited me over for dinner,” Thaddeus said. “Right after we kissed.”

  Ko whistled. “How was it?”

  “Enlightening.”

  Ko snorted with his mirth. “You know you’re a black guy, right?”

  “Yes.” Thaddeus stopped fidgeting with his colognes and knitted his eyebrows. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you can’t say a kiss was enlightening to your best friend and expect me not to die laughing!”

  Thaddeus frowned. “Ass.”

  “Why, thank you.”

  Thaddeus sighed. “Really? Focus for a second.”

  “Okay…” Ko chuckled. “I shall make your words enlighten my mind and fill me with spectacular enlightenment.”

  Thaddeus pressed his forehead to the wall and tapped it gently. He couldn’t help laughing at that. “Listen, I’m calling for some advice here.”

  “What do you want me to say?” Ko asked. “If Ravinder swings our way, and he’s interested, show him what you’re workin’ with.”

  “You know you’re Japanese, right?”

  “Yeah. And?”

  “You’re not allowed to say ‘show him what you’re workin’ with’.”

  Ko groaned. “Ass.”

  Thaddeus grinned. “So, you think I should try this?”

  “Of course. Thaddeus, you’ve been paying attention to your life, right? You deserve a little happiness, even if it’s only a little slap and tickle.”

  “The fact that he’s Hindi scares me a little.” Thaddeus settled on a bottle of Boss and pulled it to the front of the dresser.

  “Why?”

  “His culture isn’t notorious for dating outside the box. You know what I mean? As if being gay isn’t bad enough, his parents would not be ready for me.”

  “True, that could be a downside.” Ko nodded. “But who knows? Maybe he’s not like that. How did he react to you kissing him?”

  “How’d you know I did the kissing? Maybe he started it.”

  “Uh-huh. When you see something—or, in this case, someone—you like, you’re like a dog with a bone.”

  Thaddeus chuckled. Ko knew him too well. “He kissed me back then ran like I lit his pants on fire.”

  “Maybe you did.”

  “I doubt it. I got worried, so I went into the bathroom to see if he was okay.”

  “Let me guess—he was jerking off?”

  Thaddeus choked on his breath and shook his head before leaning in to peer closely at his best friend through the screen. “What? No! Why would he be jerking off in the bathroom at work! How can you ask that with a straight face?”

  Ko grinned. “That’s what I would be doing after a smoldering kiss.”

  Thaddeus thought about it for a second. Would Ravinder do that? When his brain answered yes, Thaddeus found the idea of Ravinder holding his dick and leaning his back into the stall did more to turn him on than any other thoughts he’d had of Ravinder.

  “I see you like that idea.”

  “Oh, you have no idea.” Thaddeus looked down. “Shit. Need a cold shower.”

  Ko snickered. “When’s this dinner?”

  “Tonight. My car is coming for me in about forty-five minutes.”

  “Then what’re you doing talking to me?” Ko asked. “You have a date and I have venues to research. Call me later and let me know what happened.”

  “I will…”

  When Ko disappeared off his screen, Thaddeus plugged his iPhone in to charge and headed straight for the shower, stripping as he went.

  * * * *

  Ravinder peered into the wine cooler. There was a bottle of red and one white. He’d also gone out to the local stores around the house and picked up beer. On his hunt, he found a store selling beers from all over the world, so he grabbed a box of Heineken, one Guinness and two Molson. Those he stocked in the fridge before putting a whole chicken into the slow cooker that morning with a whole assortment of spices. Four hours later, the meat was tender, fragrant and delicious.

  Satisfied, he rushed to take a shower. When he was dressed, teeth brushed, cologne on and hair brushed, he descended the steps with only fifteen minutes before Thaddeus was supposed to arrive. Would he show up? That question played through Ravinder’s mind like a CD stuck on replay. He’d just assumed that because he’d told Thaddeus to be there for eight, he would, in fact, come.

  Feeling like an idiot, he looked at the food he’d prepared and frowned. He’d gone too far overboard with it all to be stood up. He contemplated making rice, but shelved that idea for couscous instead. He’d prepare it if Thaddeus showed up. That way he wouldn’t have to waste more food if Thaddeus decided to be the same kind of ass Ravinder had been for their club night.

  A little past eight, after Ravinder had downed a bottle of beer, the phone rang. He fully expected it to be Thaddeus going ‘ha ha sucker!’

  “Hello?”

  “Ravinder? I’m at the gates.”

  “Oh!” Ravinder said. He’d forgotten that Abhay could come and go, but he’d need to buzz anyone else in. “One second.”

  His hands shook as he rushed to the window. When he saw the headlights, he entered the code on the phone to open the gates. They rolled open slowly, and the black car with the tinted windows eased through. Ravinder waited until the doorbell sounded before hanging up the phone and pacing leisurely to the door. He straightened his dress shirt, smoothed his hand over his head and stopped behind the door to inhale and exhale.

  Finally, he opened it and stepped aside to permit Thaddeus in.

  “I come bearing gifts,” Thaddeus said once Ravinder had closed the door to walk him into the kitchen. “It’s a bottle of wine. I didn’t want to come empty-handed.”

  Ravinder accepted the beautiful brown bag. “Thanks. I have more alcohol in this house than I know what to do with. But if you come over more often, I’m sure we can drink it or have a party at the end and use it all up.”

  “Of course. Something smells delicious.”

  “
I’m trying out Indian spices for the first time.” Ravinder pulled the wine out and set it in the holder.

  “You’ve never used spices from India? How does that work?”

  Ravinder laughed. “My parents weren’t particularly…um…cultural, if you know what I mean.”

  “Ah, I see. I brought my swim trunks and a towel. I figured I could get some laps in?”

  “Sure. Maybe after dinner. Do you want beer or wine?”

  “What kind of beer do you have?”

  “Come take a look.” Ravinder stepped aside to allow Thaddeus access to the fridge as he dug for a pot to make the couscous.

  “Wow.”

  Ravinder caught water in the pot but turned to glance at Thaddeus to see he’d settled on a bottle of Guinness. “Yeah. I wasn’t sure what you liked.”

  “I see. Do you have an opener?”

  “In this drawer,” Ravinder said, trying to open the box. Didn’t they think he’d want to actually get to what was inside? It was as if he needed the Jaws of Life to pry the damn thing open.

  Thaddeus pressed a large palm to the small of his back before reaching around to pull the drawer open. Ravinder’s fingers lost control. The box he held slipped and fell to the counter. He gasped softly as heat trailed down his body. Closing his eyes, he turned his head to rest his chin against his right shoulder, the side where Thaddeus leaned, smelling like Hugo Boss and radiating the most wonderful heat.

  There was no way he could control what happened inside him. Thaddeus made every part of him tingle in the best ways. Though it terrified him, Ravinder shifted, even as the sound of the drawer closing scraped through the silence of the kitchen. Thaddeus’ heated breath washed over his face, making him moan. They didn’t touch, but Ravinder knew he was near. So close, Ravinder’s heart raced almost painfully.

  “I don’t want to overstep again,” Thaddeus said. “Tell me you want it.”

  Ravinder exhaled long and loud. “I…” Then he remembered the advice he’d given Alfred when it came to Darius. Taking his own words of wisdom, he inched closer. “I want…”

  “Yes…”

  “I want—”

  The house phone blared then, jerking them apart. Ravinder groaned and took a step back. He kept his eyes averted from Thaddeus and somehow managed to get to the phone in the living room without falling over.

  “Hello? Ravinder Raja speaking.”

  “Ravinder—it’s Paresh.”

  “Hi.”

  “Sorry to bother you, but what’s the password for the office email again?”

  “Um… Gimme a second to find it.”

  Ravinder hurried into the kitchen, danced around Thaddeus and grabbed his phone from where it had been charging. He made his way back to the living room while scrolling through his emails until he found the password. He gave it to Paresh and hung up. Then he knew he had to go back and face Thaddeus, who would no doubt have some smart-ass comment about what had almost happened.

  Still, he couldn’t hide out in the living room all night. When he arrived back into the kitchen, however, Thaddeus wasn’t there. The beer he’d grabbed was still sitting, unopened, on the counter.

  The back wall was ajar, so he assumed Thaddeus had gone for a swim instead. The water on the stove had boiled down to very little, so he added more and stared into it until it began bubbling again. He then added salt, ground pepper and a little slice of butter. After stirring it, he measured some couscous into the liquid, dragged a fork through it then covered the pot and removed it from the heat. Ravinder left it there to finish and stepped through the back doors onto the deck. He watched Thaddeus’ dark skin move through the water, powerful arms making waves and propelling him forward. When he flipped and started back the other way, Ravinder took a seat and merely stared at him.

  Finally, Thaddeus stopped, gripped the wall and pushed upward. He rose out of the pool like Poseidon from the waves.

  All supernatural.

  All powerful.

  All sexy.

  Clear droplets trickled down his body to disappear into his trunks. Ravinder stared at his muscles, perfectly formed and tensing with each movement. He licked his lips and trailed his stare upward to Thaddeus’ tight nipples then back up to his full lips.

  A massive tattoo of two dragons designed to be the yin and yang symbol sat on Thaddeus’ left pec. It was elegant and detailed and sexier than any ink he’d seen on a man. Ravinder had never liked tattoos. He couldn’t understand a person’s need to carve crap into their skin. But on Thaddeus, all the ink did was make his hole throb sweetly.

  Ravinder cleared his throat. This is stupid.

  Thaddeus said nothing. He approached Ravinder slowly. Every step he took, Ravinder’s heart raced a little faster. By the time Thaddeus was standing before him, beautiful abs within licking range, Ravinder swore his heart would jump through his throat. Helplessly, he leaned forward and trailed his tongue from where Thaddeus’ trunks started at his hips, upward to his belly bottom then as far up as his position would allow.

  A soft hiss filled the air and Ravinder leaned back. It made Ravinder brave, seeing the way Thaddeus dropped his head back. He licked at the droplets on Thaddeus’ flesh again, twirling his tongue in lazy circles until Thaddeus clutched the side of his head. Ravinder looked up at him from beneath heavy eyelids and smiled.

  “Damn,” Thaddeus whispered, sinking to his haunches before Ravinder. “Your tongue is amazing.”

  Ravinder smiled and lifted his head to accept Thaddeus’ descending lips. He moaned and tangled his arms around Thaddeus’ neck. This time, he knew the kiss was coming, so he leaned into it, enjoyed it and deepened it when he felt he wasn’t getting enough.

  Thaddeus eased him back into the seat then climbed on to kneel astride him. Unable to stop himself, Ravinder used that moment to push his fingers down the back of Thaddeus’ trunks to fondle his ass. He was amazed at how perfect it felt.

  But before he could get a finger where he truly wanted it, Thaddeus grabbed Ravinder’s wrist and pulled his hand away.

  “Thad…”

  “I would love to give you what you want, Ravinder,” Thaddeus whispered. “But things are moving much too fast right now.”

  Ravinder swallowed the lump in his throat and bowed his head to rest his forehead against Thaddeus’ chest. He inhaled deeply and held the breath, mentally counted to ten then exhaled. “You’re right.”

  “We should have dinner.”

  “Agreed.”

  Thaddeus dropped a kiss to Ravinder’s head then eased away from him. Ravinder hurried into the house and pressed his back to the counter in the kitchen. He listened to Thaddeus’ footsteps move by him then return.

  “Bathroom?”

  Ravinder looked up. “There’s one down the hall and a couple upstairs.”

  “Okay.”

  Thaddeus was gone again. With shaking hands, Ravinder dumped the couscous into a large bowl and put it in the microwave to reheat it. Once it was finished, he carried the bowl to the table then went back and forth until everything was ready for dinner. Thaddeus returned and helped him to open a bottle of wine. Soon they were sitting at the table, eating silently.

  “Let me guess,” Thaddeus broke the silence. “You’re ashamed of what we did on the deck and you wish the memory would go away.”

  Ravinder shook his head. “Not what I was thinking.”

  “Why the silence, then?”

  “I’m trying to make a few decisions inside my head,” Ravinder answered. “I’m trying to figure out if I should give in to the arousal I feel for you, or run as fast as my feet can carry me in the opposite direction.”

  Thaddeus smiled. “And what conclusion did you get to?”

  “I’m not sure yet.”

  “Okay.” Thaddeus sipped from his wine glass and, after setting it back on the table, he wiped his mouth and dropped the napkin in his lap again. “I’m going to ask you a question.”

  Ravinder looked up from his plate and nodded.
r />   “Do I turn you on, Ravinder?”

  “I’m not answering that,” Ravinder said. “I’m not giving you ammo to use on me later.” He chewed a piece of chicken, trying to keep his cheeks from exploding with heat.

  “Do you think I’d do that to you?”

  “Then why are you asking?”

  Thaddeus smiled, lifting a fork with couscous on it. “What can I say? I’m possessive,” he said. “It does something to me knowing my body makes my man hard.”

  “I’m not your man,” Ravinder said emphatically.

  Thaddeus shoved the food into his mouth and smiled. “Not yet.”

  Chapter Eight

  Ravinder was amazed at the number of entries to the Rajput contest. The winners would get two hundred thousand rupees, a tour of the Rajput facilities and dinner for two at the Sona Restaurant. He didn’t think anyone would go for it, but so far, his inbox was busting at the seams with all the entries.

  His phone rang, breaking through his thoughts, and, without checking the display, he grabbed it, if only to bring silence back.

  “Hello?”

  “I’m calling for Ravinder Raja.”

  “Speaking. How can I help you?”

  The man on the other line cleared his throat. “I’ve seen the work you’ve been doing to get Rajput back on its feet. Do you guys have any room for a new investor?”

  Ravinder’s heart skipped a beat. He smiled. “Always. Let me get you the number for the man you should talk to.”

  When the conversation was over, Ravinder checked his computer once more. He had a little over a thousand entries for the contest.

  Satisfied, he ignored the flashing light on his voicemail and turned to the window. He leaned his shoulder into the wall and dragged his fingers through his hair.

  ‘I’m not your man.’

  ‘Not yet.’

  Those two words left Ravinder trembling, yearning for a man he had no right to want. Still, he couldn’t forget the overpowering way Thaddeus had taken control of their little make-out session. His presence, his scent, his taste—all of it swirled around inside Ravinder’s head. Groping for his chair, he fell into it. His knees trembled so badly that he knew for sure he’d fall over. He really needed to stop being such a wimp. He wanted Thaddeus—no, want was too tame a word. He craved Thaddeus.