Chapter 3

As Lance waited for the guys to show up, he plugged in his computer and connected to the Internet as he dressed. He had some business to take care of with one of the artists he managed, so he thought he'd get that out of the way first thing. He pulled up his email account and began to methodically go through the mail. He automatically deleted all the junk mail, not even bothering to open it. He saved the messages from his family for last, knowing that if he had that to look forward to, the work wouldn't seem so bad.

As it turned out, the business that was at hand ended up being pushed back a week, due to lawyer negotiations. He sighed as he read the email. He really wanted to move this along. His one act was already in the studio, working on her album, and he was eager to see his other act move to that point as well. He pushed the business out of his head as he opened an email from his sister, Stacy.

He smiled as he read her short note. She was going to be on vacation the same time that the band was on a break, so she would be able to come and visit him after all. Her husband, Ford, was going to be on a business trip, so he wouldn't make it. Lance frowned as he read that, he really liked his sister's husband and was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to see him with his sister. He replied to her email, giving her specifics as to when he would be home, and turned off his computer just as there was a knock on his door.

Actually, it was more like a frantic pounding. He crossed the room to the door and heard laughter that was distinctively JC's outside. His heart skipped a beat as he unlocked the door. He tried to slow it down as he pulled the door open.

JC didn't even realize the door was being opened, since his head was turned, looking down the hall towards Justin's room. His pounding fists met with air, and the momentum carried him forward and sent him crashing into Lance. The two fell on the ground, JC landing with an “oomph,” on top of Lance.

Lance looked up to see JC's blue eyes dancing with laughter. JC rested his elbow next to Lance's head and propped his head on it. “Fancy meeting you here,” he laughed.

Lance couldn't answer, as his breath was caught in his throat. He was so close, he could feel JC's breath on his face. He stared up at JC, who was grinning down at him, and God, was he close. Lance could feel a tightening in his groin as he lay there. He immediately came to his senses and pushed JC off of him. Standing up, he grinned, “What's the rush?”

JC's eyes grew wide, and he sprang up from the floor, lunging towards the door. Slamming it shut, he locked the deadbolt and turned around to see Lance leaning against the desk, his arms crossed over his chest, and looking at him expectantly. He casually shrugged as he walked towards the bed.

“No rush,” he replied innocently, but he could not keep the grin from spreading across his face. “Justin's a little pissed at me,” he admitted.

Lance laughed out loud as he studied JC. He was dressed casually, in a pair of loose khaki's and a white T-shirt covered by a blue flannel that was unbuttoned. Lance tried to ignore how the flannel brought out JC's already bright blue eyes. “What did you do?”

JC lie back on the bed and rested his hands behind his head. His feet stayed on the floor as his body stretched out on the bed. He sighed as he stretched and answered Lance. “I woke him up, using ice.”

JC suddenly sat up, and he grinned as he spoke to Lance. He spoke quickly, like a child who was telling a story. “Yeah, you know how I said I was thinking of ways to wake up Justin?” He waited for Lance to nod before continuing, “Okay, well, one of the ways was ice. So, I get some ice in my ice bucket and go to his room.”

“Anyway,” JC stressed, getting back to his story, “I go to his room, and it couldn't be more perfect if I planned it. He's laying on his back, one arm over his head, covers kicked off to his knees, and no shirt on.”

JC started laughing, “So, I go next to the bed and take out a cube of ice. I started at his head, I really did,” he looked at Lance, who suddenly felt as if he had to sit down. “So, I run the ice cube along his forehead, and nothing. He didn't even move. So, I move to his nose, nothing. His neck, he stirred.” JC met Lance's eyes, his own dancing with the memory. “So, what was I supposed to do?” JC raised his hands, palms up, as if asking a serious question. “I did what anyone would have done.” He grinned, “I moved the ice down his chest, and over his nipple.”

Lance grinned at JC, trying to keep the mental image of JC above him, moving ice along his chest, over his stomach, leaning down, following the cold trail with his warm mouth. Lance closed his eyes and forced himself to focus on the present. “You woke him up, then, right?” JC didn't answer. “Right?” Lance repeated.

“Well, kind of,” JC said, shrugging. “I let him enjoy it for a while, and when he was enjoying it enough, if you know what I mean, I dumped the whole bucket of ice right on his pants, above his crotch.” JC shook his head, “I just can't believe he didn't wake up before, you know? I mean, really, Lance, I would like to think that if someone is moving ice on my body, I would know it.”

Lance's mental image shifted. He was suddenly the one above JC, moving the ice over his full lips, down his strong jawbone, over his Adam's apple, and across his chest. Lance swallowed thickly, “Yeah,” he responded, hearing the lust in his voice.

JC apparently didn't notice, because he just plowed on. “I wonder what he was dreaming of,” he mused as he lay back on the bed. “He didn't moan anyone's name, though. That would have been cool,” he smiled at the ceiling, “maybe we would have found out something we didn't know about Justin.”

JC shrugged, his motioned hindered because his hands were folded behind his head. “I don't know, nothing really.”

Lance closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to calm down. Lance himself had only completely put the pieces of the puzzle together last night. Hadn't that been the first time he really admitted to himself that he had feelings that ran beyond friendship for JC? If he only figured it out last night, there's no way anyone else would know. And by acting jumpy and nervous, he was only going to tip them off.

“Or Chris, or Joey, or the food,” Lance countered as he stood up. He was thankful the jeans he had chosen that morning were loose, or else something may have been noticed. As his back was turned to JC, he discretely adjusted himself before opening the door.

A hotel employee was standing with a room service cart. Lance stepped back to let him enter, and heard a door open down the hall. He stuck his head out to see Chris walking towards him. Chris lifted his hand in greeting and paused briefly to bang on Joey's door. Immediately, it opened and Joey stepped into the hallway. They greeted Lance as they walked into the room.

After the bellhop left, Lance left the door open slightly so he wouldn't have to get up when Justin arrived. He walked back into his room to see that Joey and Chris now claimed the chairs. He looked around the room to see he would either have to sit on the floor, or on the bed with JC. Lance sighed heavily. This couldn't be easy, could it?

Lance helped himself to some pancakes and bacon. He poured a glass of orange juice and set it on the nightstand. JC had propped the pillows up against the headboard, and Lance leaned against them as he sat down, his legs stretched in front of him, the plate on his lap. Beside him, JC chewed quietly, occasionally laughing to himself.

“Gross, JC!” Lance complained as it hit the sheets of the unmade bed. “You know I have to sleep here tonight.”

JC took a sip of his drink, “Oh, stop complaining. If the maids don't change the sheets, you can stay in my room tonight.”

JC retold the story, waving a piece of bacon he stole off Lance's plate in the air. It wasn't easier the second time around for Lance, because this time, he didn't have to pay attention to the story, he could concentrate on JC's face while he told it.

A quick glance told Lance that Chris and Joey weren't taking their eyes off JC, reaffirming his security that he could watch him now without being obvious. Lance studied his profile as he spoke. His grin was wide, and it grew wider at the parts he found unusually amusing. He made eye contact with Chris and Joey, occasionally glancing at Lance to see if he was listening. Those times when his eyes flickered over to him, Lance caught the different shades of blue that made up the color of JC's eyes.

When JC was done telling his story, Lance looked away, over at Chris and Joey to see their reactions. He was surprised to see Joey looking at him instead.

The door suddenly opened and Justin entered, immediately seeking out JC. His eyes narrowed in anger but he ignored him. JC burst out laughing.

Justin headed to the cart and poured a bowl of cereal, drenching it with milk. He sat at the foot of the bed and began to eat in silence.

Lance shrugged, biting off a piece of bacon, “No, I was just wondering, because I did. And I had no hot water. It was freezing.” Lance grinned, “Cold as ice, you might say.”

The other started laughing, and Justin turned red. “Lance, I can't believe you! I expected that from Joey or Chris, but not from you.” He slumped against the foot of the bed, “And you're supposed to be the nice one.”

JC hit the side of his leg, “Way to go, Lance. It's about time you joined in on the party. See how fun it is to make fun of Justin?”

Justin pointed at JC with his spoon, “You just wait, JC. I'll get you back for this morning. When you least expect it, I'll be there.”

JC rolled his eyes at him and turned his attention back to his food, “Whatever, J.” He looked at Lance and grinned.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Secret Desires Chapter 3 I ALWAYS WAKE UP AT THE CRACK OF ICE. *JOE E. LEWIS CHAPTER THREE - ICE As Lance waited for the guys to show up, he plugged in his computer and connected to the Internet as he dressed. He had some business to take care of with one of the artists he managed, so he thought he'd get that out of the way first thing. He pulled up his email account and began to methodically go through the mail. He automatically deleted all the junk mail, not even bothering to open it. He saved the messages from his family for last, knowing that if he had that to look forward to, the work wouldn't seem so bad. As it turned out, the business that was at hand ended up being pushed back a week, due to lawyer negotiations. He sighed as he read the email. He really wanted to move this along. His one act was already in the studio, working on her album, and he was eager to see his other act move to that point as well. He pushed the business out of his head as he opened an email from his sister, Stacy. He smiled as he read her short note. She was going to be on vacation the same time that the band was on a break, so she would be able to come and visit him after all. Her husband, Ford, was going to be on a business trip, so he wouldn't make it. Lance frowned as he read that, he really liked his sister's husband and was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to see him with his sister. He replied to her email, giving her specifics as to when he would be home, and turned off his computer just as there was a knock on his door. Actually, it was more like a frantic pounding. He crossed the room to the door and heard laughter that was distinctively JC's outside. His heart skipped a beat as he unlocked the door. He tried to slow it down as he pulled the door open. JC didn't even realize the door was being opened, since his head was turned, looking down the hall towards Justin's room. His pounding fists met with air, and the momentum carried him forward and sent him crashing into Lance. The two fell on the ground, JC landing with an “oomph,” on top of Lance. Lance looked up to see JC's blue eyes dancing with laughter. JC rested his elbow next to Lance's head and propped his head on it. “Fancy meeting you here,” he laughed. Lance couldn't answer, as his breath was caught in his throat. He was so close, he could feel JC's breath on his face. He stared up at JC, who was grinning down at him, and God, was he close. Lance could feel a tightening in his groin as he lay there. He immediately came to his senses and pushed JC off of him. Standing up, he grinned, “What's the rush?” JC's eyes grew wide, and he sprang up from the floor, lunging towards the door. Slamming it shut, he locked the deadbolt and turned around to see Lance leaning against the desk, his arms crossed over his chest, and looking at him expectantly. He casually shrugged as he walked towards the bed. “No rush,” he replied innocently, but he could not keep the grin from spreading across his face. “Justin's a little pissed at me,” he admitted. Lance laughed out loud as he studied JC. He was dressed casually, in a pair of loose khaki's and a white T-shirt covered by a blue flannel that was unbuttoned. Lance tried to ignore how the flannel brought out JC's already bright blue eyes. “What did you do?” JC lie back on the bed and rested his hands behind his head. His feet stayed on the floor as his body stretched out on the bed. He sighed as he stretched and answered Lance. “I woke him up, using ice.” “Ice?” Lance asked, the corners of his mouth twitching into a smile. JC suddenly sat up, and he grinned as he spoke to Lance. He spoke quickly, like a child who was telling a story. “Yeah, you know how I said I was thinking of ways to wake up Justin?” He waited for Lance to nod before continuing, “Okay, well, one of the ways was ice. So, I get some ice in my ice bucket and go to his room.” Lance held up his hand, “How did you get in?” JC shrugged, “We have connecting rooms.” Lance nodded at his response. What he would have given to have that room. “Anyway,” JC stressed, getting back to his story, “I go to his room, and it couldn't be more perfect if I planned it. He's laying on his back, one arm over his head, covers kicked off to his knees, and no shirt on.” JC started laughing, “So, I go next to the bed and take out a cube of ice. I started at his head, I really did,” he looked at Lance, who suddenly felt as if he had to sit down. “So, I run the ice cube along his forehead, and nothing. He didn't even move. So, I move to his nose, nothing. His neck, he stirred.” JC met Lance's eyes, his own dancing with the memory. “So, what was I supposed to do?” JC raised his hands, palms up, as if asking a serious question. “I did what anyone would have done.” He grinned, “I moved the ice down his chest, and over his nipple.” Lance pulled out the chair and sat down. JC was rocking on the bed in laughter, “You should have seen it, Lance! He actually moaned! He was enjoying it!” Lance grinned at JC, trying to keep the mental image of JC above him, moving ice along his chest, over his stomach, leaning down, following the cold trail with his warm mouth. Lance closed his eyes and forced himself to focus on the present. “You woke him up, then, right?” JC didn't answer. “Right?” Lance repeated. “Well, kind of,” JC said, shrugging. “I let him enjoy it for a while, and when he was enjoying it enough, if you know what I mean, I dumped the whole bucket of ice right on his pants, above his crotch.” JC shook his head, “I just can't believe he didn't wake up before, you know? I mean, really, Lance, I would like to think that if someone is moving ice on my body, I would know it.” Lance's mental image shifted. He was suddenly the one above JC, moving the ice over his full lips, down his strong jawbone, over his Adam's apple, and across his chest. Lance swallowed thickly, “Yeah,” he responded, hearing the lust in his voice. JC apparently didn't notice, because he just plowed on. “I wonder what he was dreaming of,” he mused as he lay back on the bed. “He didn't moan anyone's name, though. That would have been cool,” he smiled at the ceiling, “maybe we would have found out something we didn't know about Justin.” Lance glanced sharply at JC, “What do you mean?” JC shrugged, his motioned hindered because his hands were folded behind his head. “I don't know, nothing really.” Lance closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to calm down. Lance himself had only completely put the pieces of the puzzle together last night. Hadn't that been the first time he really admitted to himself that he had feelings that ran beyond friendship for JC? If he only figured it out last night, there's no way anyone else would know. And by acting jumpy and nervous, he was only going to tip them off. There was another knock on the door and JC sat up. “That might be Justin.” “Or Chris, or Joey, or the food,” Lance countered as he stood up. He was thankful the jeans he had chosen that morning were loose, or else something may have been noticed. As his back was turned to JC, he discretely adjusted himself before opening the door. A hotel employee was standing with a room service cart. Lance stepped back to let him enter, and heard a door open down the hall. He stuck his head out to see Chris walking towards him. Chris lifted his hand in greeting and paused briefly to bang on Joey's door. Immediately, it opened and Joey stepped into the hallway. They greeted Lance as they walked into the room. After the bellhop left, Lance left the door open slightly so he wouldn't have to get up when Justin arrived. He walked back into his room to see that Joey and Chris now claimed the chairs. He looked around the room to see he would either have to sit on the floor, or on the bed with JC. Lance sighed heavily. This couldn't be easy, could it? Lance helped himself to some pancakes and bacon. He poured a glass of orange juice and set it on the nightstand. JC had propped the pillows up against the headboard, and Lance leaned against them as he sat down, his legs stretched in front of him, the plate on his lap. Beside him, JC chewed quietly, occasionally laughing to himself. “Where's Justin?” Joey asked, just as JC put a bite of eggs into his mouth. JC laughed, causing egg to fly out of his mouth. “Gross, JC!” Lance complained as it hit the sheets of the unmade bed. “You know I have to sleep here tonight.” JC took a sip of his drink, “Oh, stop complaining. If the maids don't change the sheets, you can stay in my room tonight.” Lance began fervently praying that the maids all called in sick. “So,” Chris said, “where is he?” JC retold the story, waving a piece of bacon he stole off Lance's plate in the air. It wasn't easier the second time around for Lance, because this time, he didn't have to pay attention to the story, he could concentrate on JC's face while he told it. A quick glance told Lance that Chris and Joey weren't taking their eyes off JC, reaffirming his security that he could watch him now without being obvious. Lance studied his profile as he spoke. His grin was wide, and it grew wider at the parts he found unusually amusing. He made eye contact with Chris and Joey, occasionally glancing at Lance to see if he was listening. Those times when his eyes flickered over to him, Lance caught the different shades of blue that made up the color of JC's eyes. When JC was done telling his story, Lance looked away, over at Chris and Joey to see their reactions. He was surprised to see Joey looking at him instead. The door suddenly opened and Justin entered, immediately seeking out JC. His eyes narrowed in anger but he ignored him. JC burst out laughing. Justin headed to the cart and poured a bowl of cereal, drenching it with milk. He sat at the foot of the bed and began to eat in silence. Chris and Joey shared a look and then it began. “So, Justin,” Chris said, “sleep well?” Justin shrugged in response. Joey picked it up, “Have nice dreams?” Justin glanced up at them, confusion on his handsome features. “What are you two up to?” Joey shrugged, “Nothing,” he said, moving his fork up to his mouth and chewing, as if to prove it. Chris echoed his statement, “Yeah, Just, we were just being nice. Jeez.” Justin glanced back at JC, who was grinning. Apparently deciding JC didn't tell anyone, he went back to his cereal. “Hey Justin,” Lance said. “Yeah?” “Did you take a shower this morning?” Justin craned his neck to look at Lance, “Why? Do I still have soap in my hair or something?” Lance shrugged, biting off a piece of bacon, “No, I was just wondering, because I did. And I had no hot water. It was freezing.” Lance grinned, “Cold as ice, you might say.” The other started laughing, and Justin turned red. “Lance, I can't believe you! I expected that from Joey or Chris, but not from you.” He slumped against the foot of the bed, “And you're supposed to be the nice one.” JC hit the side of his leg, “Way to go, Lance. It's about time you joined in on the party. See how fun it is to make fun of Justin?” Justin pointed at JC with his spoon, “You just wait, JC. I'll get you back for this morning. When you least expect it, I'll be there.” JC rolled his eyes at him and turned his attention back to his food, “Whatever, J.” He looked at Lance and grinned. Lance grinned back, mentally kicking himself the whole time.