Half Notes and Highlights (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2024)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Eight a.m. on a Saturday morning was obscene. Tyler almost hit the snooze button on his phone but remembered his date with Ethan. That was reason enough to make him roll out of bed at this ungodly hour. He washed his hair and showered, using his new body wash that left his skin smooth and luxurious with a hint of wildflowers and hoped Ethan liked it. Next, he finger-combed product through his long hair, trying to decide what to do with it. He pulled out the hair dryer and decided to freestyle it. It ended up cascading over his shoulders and framing his face in a cocoon of light brown waves.

He chose a pair of dark blue leather pants that made his butt look extra sweet, and he decided to wear a lavender button down graphic silky shirt opened to his navel, so it revealed tons of skin. The open shirt also showed off the tiny curve of his pecs, which he’d worked really hard to get that way in the last few months, so he enjoyed putting them on display.

When he got downstairs, a big black SUV was just pulling up in front of his apartment. The rear window lowered, and Ethan’s smiling face appeared. “Need a ride, gorgeous?”

“I do!”

“Then get that sweet ass in here.” Ethan opened the car door, grabbed hold of Tyler’s wrist, and pulled him inside.

Tyler fell into Ethan’s lap, laughing, wrapped his arms around the rock star’s neck, and gave him a deep kiss with all the passion in his heart—and then some more for added effect.

Ethan smiled under the kiss and let out a small moan. “I missed you too, but let me shut the door.”

“Are we giving my neighbors a show?”

“Not yet.” Ethan slammed the door, pushed Tyler flat onto the back seat and hovered over him while nuzzling his neck.

Tyler wiggled out from underneath the feisty rock star. “Patience. I’m not in the habit of fooling around in the backseat of a car.” He smiled flirtatiously. “Not lately, anyway.”

“Spoilsport.”

Tyler straightened his shirt and fixed his hair. The car was already in motion, obviously on the way to a pre-determined destination, so he asked, “Where are we going on our first official date?”

“You’ll see.”

The mystery date held an air of intrigue. Tyler had never been taken on a surprise date before. “How exciting. Should I wear a blindfold?”

“Only if you’re into that sort of thing.”

Tyler grunted and smiled out the window, but didn’t elaborate.

The SUV turned off an exit and Tyler leaned closer to the window. “Van Nuys Airport?” He spun around to face Ethan. “Where are you taking me? I have to work tomorrow.”

“We’ll be back by then.”

He had no idea if Ethan was joking or not, but he didn’t care. The adrenaline spike brought out his adventurous side, and he couldn’t wait to find out the details of their date. But when they left the car and were escorted to the runway full of tiny private planes, he looked at Ethan quizzically. “What is this?”

“I’m taking you on a plane ride. I have my pilot’s license. Don’t worry. I have a lot of experience. I wouldn’t put you in danger.”

“That’s the plane you want me to fly in?” Tyler stopped dead in his tracks, despite Ethan’s reassurances, and eyed the small jet. It wasn’t much bigger than a bus. He looked around the private runway. “Where’s the co-pilot?”

“You’re the co-pilot,” Ethan teased.

“Don’t count on me. I’m grabbing my parachute and jumping at the first sign of trouble.”

Tyler followed Ethan into the plane with a mixture of excitement and nerves. He settled in the co-pilot’s seat, but before he had a chance to click his seatbelt closed, Ethan’s arm reached across his body and secured it. The slight brush of fingers against Tyler’s side made his pulse quicken. Ethan paused and smiled at him, only inches from his face, then leaned into a pocket near the seat and handed Tyler a folded piece of paper.

“In case you want to see this.”

A strong laugh bellowed from Tyler’s lungs as he read the pilot’s license. “Thank you. I feel totally at ease now.” If only it were true. Tyler’s heart was beating furiously with anticipation, but he couldn’t decide if it was nerves about the flight or because Ethan’s body was so close to his.

Ethan handed Tyler a headset, and then the engine started with a loud thunder. Tyler held his breath, and his stomach flip-flopped as the plane rose at a steady pace, and minutes later they were high in the sky. He tried to act like his heart wasn’t about to jump out of his chest and attempted to loosen his grip on his knees, but all he could do was smile.

Ethan periodically glanced at the dash. There were more switches and gauges than anyone could possibly keep track of. He pulled back on the control wheel, and the plane sailed a little higher.

“OK, hot shot,” Tyler teased. “I think that’s high enough.” The blood was rushing through his chest so loudly it pounded in his ears, but it was more from excitement than fear at this point.

Ethan placed a firm hand on Tyler’s thigh. “Relax. Enjoy the ride.”

Tyler’s eyes dropped to Ethan’s hand, still resting on his thigh. It was high enough to be more than a reassuring gesture, and it sent a tingle up Tyler’s leg. Ethan gave Tyler’s thigh a quick squeeze, and then returned his hand back to the controls. They could have been flying upside down, plummeting to their death, and Tyler wouldn’t have cared. He wanted that hand back on his thigh, between his legs and anywhere else Ethan’s fingers wanted to explore.

Ethan slowly turned to face Tyler with an intimate smile on his lips and his dark eyes covered in a warm haze. He touched a switch on the dash. “Autopilot.” He leaned over and pushed his fingers through Tyler’s long hair and gently massaged the knot of muscles on the back of Tyler’s neck that were tense with nerves.

They gazed at one another, their eyes occasionally dropping to the other’s lips. The plane was soaring on its own, and Tyler’s heart was sailing right next to it.

Ethan moved closer, eliminating the space between them. A small gust of warm breath was on Tyler’s cheek, and the heat of Ethan’s mouth made Tyler’s lips draw closer. Their mouths met with a magnetic force, and their tongues twined in slow circles, tasting each other’s flavor. The kiss grew heated, and their mouths pressed together harder, seeking deeper exploration. Both of Ethan’s hands were in Tyler’s hair. One held the back of his head firmly against Ethan’s lips, the other hand was entwined in his free-flowing locks. The two of them were enclosed together in the small plane like their own private little bubble where nothing else existed except the kiss they shared above the rest of the world.

Their lips slowly parted, and they pulled back just enough so they could see each other clearly. Ethan’s deep brown eyes stared intently back at Tyler. Maybe it was the altitude or the exhilaration of flying freely through the air, combined with a kiss that just about knocked Tyler off his seat, but his blood was coursing through his veins at a million miles an hour. He couldn’t contain his smile. “This is some first date.”

Ethan smiled, leaned back in his seat and returned his hands to the control wheel. “There’s more to come. This is only the pre-curser to our date.”

“I’m not sure what could top this. I’m literally on top of the world.”

Ethan turned humble. “It’s really not that big of a deal. Just someplace special I want to take you for lunch.”

They ended up at Ethan’s sprawling mansion in Hollywood Hills. Secluded and set high above its neighbors, the private, luxurious hideaway overlooked a magnificent view of Los Angeles. Tyler stood on the deck and inhaled the fresh air. He had been enamored at the small glimpse of the Hollywood sign his balcony offered, now it seemed pathetic. This was heaven.

Still high from the plane ride and a kiss that left him breathless, and now invited to see Ethan’s home, he felt like he could reach the clouds. Ethan could have taken him anywhere. He could have flown them to another state, landed on a mountain, or on a seaside cliff, but bringing Tyler to his home was so much more intimate than any of those things. It meant that Ethan trusted him.

Ethan came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Tyler’s waist. He sighed and leaned into the hard muscles of Ethan’s chest. “This is a gorgeous view. How long have you lived here?”

“A couple of years. It’s lonely sometimes. I have this big house and no one but me to wander through the rooms. Can I show you around?”

Tyler turned to face Ethan. Before he could say anything, Ethan pinned him to the railing with an impatient kiss. Ethan was much taller and broader, so he was cocooned in the rock star’s strong arms and succumbed to his embrace. Ethan moaned into Tyler’s mouth as their tongues twisted and turned, now with familiarity.

“Let’s go inside,” Ethan said, softly.

“Are you going to take me on that tour of the house now?”

“Yes. And I’m going to start with the bedroom.”

Tyler barely glanced around the large, impressive master suite with its fancy décor and enormous flat screen on the wall. His focus was clearly on Ethan, and he could care less about the size of the rooms in the mansion. Tyler ran his hands over Ethan’s shoulders and rested them behind Ethan’s neck. Offering his mouth, he tilted his chin up, and Ethan gave him an insatiable kiss. The kiss was thirsty and impatient, the way new lovers craved each other.

Without breaking the kiss, Ethan caressed the length of Tyler’s throat. He ran his fingers over the delicate flesh, which was smooth and silky and so pleasing to the touch. Tyler moaned at the intimate touch, and the erotic sound spurred something in Ethan’s body. He needed to take this man with an urgency. Feverishly, he pulled Tyler’s shirt off his shoulders with both hands, causing one of the buttons to pop with little resistance and bounce across the floor.

“My shirt!” Tyler exclaimed with a laugh.

“I’ll buy you a new one for every day of the week.”

“Just don’t rip my pants. They’re special.”

“I’ll try not to, but I’m not making any promises.” Ethan pushed Tyler onto the bed, tugged off his boots in record time, tossed them to the floor, and attempted to do the same with the leather pants but struggled with the laces and texture of the material. They wouldn’t budge, and he let out a frustrated growl. “I can’t get these things off.”

“Patience, darling. I can assure you, I’m worth the wait.” With slow purpose, Tyler loosened each rung of the laces while Ethan watched with a predatory look in his eyes and feeling in his gut. Once the laces were undone, Tyler shimmied the pants down to his thighs. He extended his legs while leaning back on his hands and smiled coyly. “May I ask for your assistance?”

Ethan reached for the pantlegs, ready to tug them off in one quick sweep, but Tyler pulled his knees back.

“Slowly, rock star,” Tyler cautioned. “This isn’t going to be a whirlwind, full-throttle, lightning strike. It’s going to be a slow, sensual, languorous exploration that you’ll savor and enjoy.”

Ethan’s head was spinning from anticipation. He wasn’t used to taking his time in bed. He always wanted it fast and hard, but the way Tyler described it sounded incredible. With forced restraint, Ethan gently took hold of Tyler’s pantlegs again and slid them toward him, revealing a sexy, tiny, hot pink G-string. A smile spread across Ethan’s cheeks as soon as he saw it.

“I hope you like it,” Tyler said, lowering his lids sexily. “I picked it out just for you.”

“I love it.” Once the leather pants were off, Ethan tossed them aside. “Wait.” Remembering to go slowly, he took Tyler’s hands and pulled him to a standing position. Tyler watched, quizzically, as Ethan pulled the comforter down to the bottom of the bed, exposing the exquisite silk sheets he instructed housekeeping to purchase and dress the bed with, specifically for this moment.

He picked Tyler up and gently placed him in the center of the bed among the array of extra fluffy pillows. Ethan took a moment to wash his eyes over this adorable man. Tyler’s gorgeous light brown hair cascaded over his shoulders and across the bedding. His face was beautiful, a little androgynous, but with a strong jawline, covered in sparse light brown hair, and perfect lips. Although his body was slim, it was well toned with small dips and arcs that defined his muscles and created a shapely and attractive appearance. The only thing Tyler was wearing was that hot pink G-string, and Ethan wanted to rip it off with his teeth.

Remembering to go slowly, he crawled on the bed and nudged his way between Tyler’s legs. Leaning down, he licked a small slice of skin on Tyler’s thigh, causing a gasp to escape Tyler’s lungs, and took the thin material of the thong between his teeth, purposefully nipping the soft flesh of Tyler’s lower abdomen. This time, Tyler shuddered. With the tiny G-string in his mouth, Ethan pulled it down as far as he could before he needed to use his hands to remove it.

Finally, Tyler was totally naked, but Ethan realized he was still fully dressed. He stripped off his clothing as quickly as he could, not bothering with the slow routine, and crawled on top of Tyler, covering his body. Their hips gyrated together, back and forth, up and down, but in a slow dance, while they maintained eye contact and their breath warmed the other’s face.

“You’re driving me crazy,” Ethan said, in a breathy whisper.

Tyler grinned. “I haven’t even started to drive you crazy yet. Roll over so I can show you how good it can be.”

Intrigued, Ethan rolled over so their positions were reversed.

Tyler straddled Ethan’s legs, sitting on his thighs so their lengths touched. “Close your eyes.”

“But I want to see you,” Ethan protested.

“You will.” Tyler tapped his temple. “In here. I want you to feel me.”

Ethan’s pulse quickened, unsure but eager, and he closed his eyes.

“Good boy.”

The bed shifted, and Tyler moved off Ethan, leaving him feeling alone. Where’d he go? He wanted Tyler back, touching him. He wanted to feel Tyler’s skin against his own. Warm breath suddenly ghosted over Ethan’s neck, sending a shiver down to his toes.

“I’m here,” Tyler whispered. “Feel me. But don’t touch me. And don’t open your eyes.”

Wispy breath moved to Ethan’s chest, covering the right side and then the left. Heavier now, gusts of breath left a heated trail down the center of Ethan’s body and hovered over his length. Deep husky huffs of breath covered his tip, hot and forceful, but didn’t touch him. He whimpered, begging for contact and jutted his hips upward in hopes of even the slightest contact, but all he felt was hot breath.

“That’s it,” Tyler said, softly, panting harder. “Fuck my breath.”

Oh my God. Ethan never felt anything like this. His entire body was tingling. His erection twitched and his pelvis squirmed, seeking the heat and exquisite pressure Tyler’s hot breath offered. “What are you doing to me?” he gasped. Tyler’s exhalations became deeper and more forceful, creating heavier sensations, and Ethan felt as if he might orgasm just from the insane pleasure of Tyler’s hot breath. What kind of voodoo magic is this?

Hot breath gusted up Ethan’s body like a gale wind and settled on his lips. Just when he thought he was going to be rewarded with a kiss, Tyler’s warm breath ghosted down his chest again. It was heavier this time, with a panting urgency, as Tyler huffed loudly.

Static electricity, or some kind of magnetic force, had the tiny hairs on Ethan’s body standing on end as Tyler’s breath made a steady descent. It stopped on Ethan’s tip again with pulsing hot gusts, making Ethan groan and silently beg for contact.

The warmth of Tyler’s breath made a trail upwards over Ethan’s torso, chest, and neck. Without warning, Tyler’s tongue swiped a wet stripe across Ethan’s mouth and then invaded it with possession. Finally able to feel this man’s touch, Ethan grabbed Tyler’s face in his hands and pressed his lips and mouth and tongue against Tyler’s, delivering a kiss that exuded all the pent-up passion in his body. Only, their lips were the only thing touching. He reached for Tyler’s body, but Tyler shifted his hips out of Ethan’s grasp. He reached for his own length, but Tyler pinned Ethan’s hands to the pillow above his head with more force than expected. “What are you doing?”

“The next time you touch me, will be when you’re inside me.”

“When’s that going to be?” Ethan asked, frantically, eyes still closed.

“I don’t know. Are you there yet?”

“Where? Yes!” Ethan wasn’t sure where Tyler was referring to, but wherever it was, Ethan was definitely there.

“Is your body reverberating with desire? Do you feel like you can cum from the slightest touch?”

“I feel like I can cum without even being touched. Just thinking about it has my dick throbbing.”

“Then you’re there. I’m ready. I’ve been preparing myself while I breathed my pleasure over your body.”

Ethan’s eyes opened wide at hearing the last part of that sentence. “You were pleasuring yourself?”

Tyler moved to a sitting position on the bed with his legs crossed underneath him, his erection sky high. “I was. Back there,” he clarified, wiping his hand on a towel and motioning to an open bottle of lube on the bed. “I’m ready to explode, but I refrained. I want us to release together.”

The image of Tyler opening his body and readying himself for Ethan was too much to handle, and he needed to take this man. Now.

Tyler got to his hands and knees and wiggled his gorgeous little butt. “No need to go slow any longer. Now’s the time to lose all restraint and seek immediate gratification.”

Ethan couldn’t get the condom on fast enough and moved behind Tyler as quickly as he could. He slid inside with ease and was instantly rewarded with the heat of Tyler’s body pumping him from the inside. He thrusted his hips with wild freedom, giving in to his needs. Lights flashed behind his closed eyes and his entire body tingled, while his lower half pulsed with sensations that made him feel as if he was catapulting into another galaxy. His body started to convulse as waves of pleasure rocked him to his core. He reached for Tyler’s length and found Tyler stroking himself. Pushing Tyler’s hand aside, he took over, stroking him hard and fast while his own orgasm had him rocking the bed.

Tyler’s cries of pleasure and heaving breaths outdid Ethan’s, and before long, they were both spent and exhausted, and collapsed on the bed.

“Oh my God,” Ethan panted. “I never experienced anything like that. Was that some kind of tantric exercise?”

Tyler shrugged. “I don’t know. I just like it like that.”

An incredulous chuckle left Ethan’s lungs at the simple explanation. “Me too.” He stared at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath, not wanting to come down from an unbelievable high. After a long while, he went to the bathroom and cleaned up.

The earth just tilted on its axis. Tyler never felt like this before. Ethan Jones literally just rocked his world. As he snuggled into the luxurious fluffy bed with ginormous pillows, he wondered what universe he was in. Wherever it was, he never wanted to leave because this was pure euphoria.

Ethan returned from the bathroom, looking extra hot with his tousled sex hair, and handed Tyler a wet towel. “You’re welcome to use the bathroom or shower, if you want.”

“This is fine.” Tyler took the towel and wiped himself clean, then put on his tiny thong, while Ethan slipped into his briefs and returned to the bed. With his head resting on Ethan’s chest, he heard Ethan’s stomach rumble. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving. Are you ready for lunch?”

“Sure. What are we having?”

“My chef is making us a gourmet meal.”

Tyler bolted upright. “Someone’s here? In this house?”

“I have staff. Who do you think takes care of this place?”

“I didn’t think about it.” Tyler had never been shy a day in his life, but if he’d known people were in the house, he might have at least tried to tone down his moans, grunts of pleasure, and exclamations. Then again, considering the staff surely heard plenty of noises coming from Ethan’s bedroom in the past, he hoped his vocalizations outdid his predecessors.

“I probably should have asked if you had any dietary restrictions.” A crease formed between Ethan’s brows. “I’m sorry. The chef is making steak, but I can tell him to make something else if you don’t eat meat or dairy.”

Tyler waived his hand. “I eat plenty of meat.” Realizing the double entendre, he covered his lips with his fingertips and snickered, while Ethan chuckled.

“I’ll take you on the grand tour before lunch.” Ethan leaned over the side of the bed and touched the intercom on the wall. “Ravi?”

“Yes, sir?” a formal voice replied through the speaker.

“We’ll be ready for lunch in about an hour.”

“Perfect. I’ll have everything ready on the deck.”

Tyler watched, marveling at the idea of having someone at your disposal with only the press of a button. “Is that your chef or your butler?”

“Butler? Like Alfred in Batman?”

“Are you one of those comic book geeks? Do you go to Comic-Con dressed as Chewbacca so you can walk around without being recognized? Do you have a game room? Wait! Do you have a Ms. Pac-Man? Because if you do . . .” Tyler made a circular motion with his index finger and pointed it at Ethan. “I may have just fallen in love with you.”

“Yes, to all of it.”

“Oh my God!” Tyler exclaimed, struggling to pull himself out of Ethan’s grasp and jumping out of bed. “I need to see Ms. Pac-Man. Now!”

Ethan stood and slipped on his jeans and T-shirt. “It’s down the hall.”

“Are you serious? Or are you just messing with me?”

“Come on. I’ll show you.”

Tyler narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “I think you’re messing with me.”

“See for yourself.” Ethan motioned toward the door.

“It better be a full-size Ms. Pac-Man. Like the arcade game,” Tyler clarified, pulling on his leather pants and his silk shirt, which was now missing a button or two. “Not one of those miniature replica kids’ games.”

“Do you really think I’d have anything except a regulation-size Ms. Pac-Man?”

“You have a point. You’re rich. I get it.”

Ethan threw his arm over Tyler’s shoulder and led him down a long hallway with beautiful wood flooring and moldings. He stopped in front of a doorway and paused. “This is my game room.”

First a plane ride and now a special room. A crooked smile pulled at Tyler’s lips. “Why am I having red room of pain vibes right now?”

A laugh made Ethan’s shoulders bounce, which made his manly chest inflate and deflate, and that’s all Tyler could focus on.

Ethan opened the door, revealing something that looked like a small arcade. It contained several pinball machines, about a half dozen arcade games, and an air hockey table. “I don’t believe it.” Tyler stepped into the room, trying to take it all in. “This is incred—there she is!” Tyler ran to the Ms. Pac-Man machine and did a little happy dance in front of her, and then hugged the machine. “I’ve missed you Ms. P!”

“Ms. P?”

“We’re on a cute nickname basis.” Tyler quickly turned back to the machine and checked the front of it. “Do I need quarters, or can I just play?”

Ethan hit a button, and the screen came to life. The familiar fun little jingle played, and then it switched to the fast static beat as Ms. P made her way around the track and gobbled up little ghosties.

Tyler brought his fingers to his cheeks and watched, in awe, as the adorable little lady munched her way through the dots. “Look how cute she is!”

“You better hurry before she gets eaten.”

Tyler quickly grabbed the controller and fell into a rabbit hole that brought him back to his teenage years. He could have played all night, but the butler’s voice came through a speaker and announced that lunch was ready. “I can’t believe I hogged the machine this whole time. I’m sorry. That was rude. Why didn’t you tell me? I didn’t even let you play once.”

“Are you kidding?” Ethan wore a mesmerizing smile, and a light flickered in his dark eyes. “I loved watching you. I always love watching you. You bring life to everything you do. You’re vivacious and filled with energy. And you’re so positive. It’s really a pleasure to be around you.”

“Thank you.” Tyler stood there while he absorbed the lovely compliments, his heart filling with warmth.

Ethan laced his fingers with Tyler’s, they walked back down the long hallway, descended the winding staircase, and returned to the outside deck with the magnificent view. A table for two was set with a crisp white covering and two dome-covered plates. A server stood next to it in a black suit and assisted Tyler with his chair.

“How polite,” Tyler commented. “That’s very nice of you.” To which the server, or butler, or whatever this man’s job title was, responded with a nod.

The man lifted the domed lids and described the meal in amazing detail. In short, it was a porter house steak with a red wine and cherry sauce, glazed carrots, and fancy potatoes. The server also poured wine for Ethan to taste, and upon approval, filled two glasses, then disappeared into the house so they were alone.

Ethan held up his wine glass but didn’t make a toast, so Tyler did. “To this wonderful day we’re having. I hope there are many more just like this one. I know it’ll be hard to live up to such a magnificent and romantic day, but that’s OK, because I’ll never forget this one.” They clinked their glasses together, sipped their wine, and dined on the spectacular meal.