My Stardust Melody, Chapter 6
Instead of heading directly toward the ocean as before, Reid took Luke on a paved path diagonally through the gardens.
"Where are we headed?" Luke asked.
"Just a place I saw from the terrace earlier. It looked interesting."
Walking for another minute, Reid tugged Luke briskly along the pavement. They made a turn into a series of wooden arbors, each draped with red climbing roses and white lights. At the end of the tunnel was a neoclassical rotunda with ten round pillars supporting the domed, wrought iron roof. It, too, had roses and tiny lights spiraling up its columns that left a celestial impression.
Reid slowed down, signaling to Luke that they had reached their destination. The younger man released his hand from Reid's and climbed the three steps onto the floor of the rotunda. He walked the circumference of the structure and realized that they were now on the easternmost end of the estate by the water. Here, the murmur of the Sound was quieter and the ragtime music from the festivities could be heard clearly.
Luke spoke first. "I meant to tell you that Tom is no longer at the party. I spoke with security."
Reid snorted. "Yeah, I know. I saw him being escorted out earlier. It looked like the guard was planning on putting him in thumbscrews before he was done."
"It would be no less than he deserved," Luke replied darkly. He started to feel angry again over Tom's actions in the garden.
Reid shrugged and said, "True." He paused and gave Luke a lopsided smile. "I never did like guys called Tom, anyway. I should have kicked him and run the moment he told me his name."
"Bad experience?"
Nodding, the doctor answered, "Yeah. The first Tom I ever knew stole my heart. The guy turned out to be a complete jerk. He had no sense of humor either, which I don't know why I thought I could tolerate."
"Sounds painful," Luke responded with a frown.
An irreverent smile played on Reid's lips. "Eh. We were eleven."
Luke snorted. "Eleven, wow." He pretended to think and asked in a mock-serious tone, "Was that your last relationship?"
"Very funny, Mr. Snyder. Maybe you can tell me about your first relationship once you've hit puberty."
"I know your eyesight has probably started to go at your age, but I think you can see I'm all grown up now."
"That you are, Luke. Definitely," Reid replied in a low voice that seemed to travel up Luke's spine and make the younger man shiver.
Luke responded with a half-smile of acknowledgment, and Reid stared at him for a long interval before finally averting his gaze uncomfortably.
Abruptly, the doctor announced, "I can't believe I'm standing here in a garden outside a mansion at night. With roses, no less." Reid waved his arms disgustedly at their surroundings, causing Luke to stifle a laugh.
The blonde tipped his head to the side and asked, "Not usually your scene?"
"Nope," he assured Luke quickly. "I'm more of a dive bar with baseball on the flat screen and a beer in my hand kind of guy. So, is this what you do most weekends?
"No, I've been working too much lately to get out."
Reid rubbed his hand against his temple as he said, "I understand that."
Luke regarded Reid curiously, wondering what the social life of a surgeon might entail. "I guess you must work a lot in your profession. Much time to meet guys?"
"Nope." He paused and returned the question."You?"
Luke shook his head negatively. "No. I'm from a small town, so there aren't that many gay men to begin with."
"What was that like growing up? Being gay in a small town?" Reid honestly seemed interested in Luke's answer as he appeared to be watching Luke closely.
Luke debated how much information he should share. While Oakdale as a whole had been reasonably supportive of his coming out, there had certainly been some pretty awful moments with a few people. He decided to keep his answer truthful but to skirt some of the worst. No need to scare the guy off with tales of my mom and Damian. "Well, I didn't come out until high school, but actually the town was pretty cool with it. Some kids in high school weren't so great, and my parents struggled, but it probably would have been the same for me anywhere."
Reid nodded, appearing satisfied with the answer. "Yeah, my parents were okay with me being gay. They died, though, when I was twelve and I went to live with my uncle who was not exactly about to march in any gay pride parades."
Though Reid had made his last comment unceremoniously, Luke sensed a lot of pain. "I'm sorry. About your parents and your uncle, but I meant mainly your parents. Mine died a few years ago. I can only imagine how hard it would have been at a young age, and then to go live with someone who didn't accept you would seem doubly unfair."
Reid snorted. "I plan to put it in my angst-ridden tell-all book, one day."
Skeptical and affronted, Luke asked, "You're not even serious about this?"
In a more earnest tone, Reid replied, "It's not important anymore. And I'm not one to spew my emotions on every passer-by. I had my days of grief and anger and moved on. I'm only serious about the things that are important now."
The bit of anger he had felt assuaged, Luke inquired, "Like what?" He truly did wonder what this man did treat seriously, although he didn't believe for a second that Reid's parents' deaths were not important to the doctor anymore.
"Saving people--that's what's important to me now."
That was certainly a good answer in Luke's mind, but he wondered aloud, "Nothing else?"
"I could be enticed," Reid said huskily, his blue eyes looking straight into Luke's brown.
Not missing the innuendo, Luke took a shaky breath. "I think I'd like to see that."
In the distance, the band began playing Stardust, and Reid pinched the bridge of his nose. He rolled his eyes and said with repugnance, "Wow, we're in a garden, there's starlight, and now this song. If a nightingale starts singing, I'm out of here."
Luke laughed and pushed some hair that had fallen forward back behind his ear. "Afraid a mutant flying monkey might be about?" He made a show of looking at Reid's feet and said, "Those do look like dance shoes."
"In this case, a nightingale is a mutant flying monkey as far as I'm concerned," Reid replied wryly. He stepped closer to Luke, which the younger man immediately registered and felt his breath quicken in response.
To Luke, this was the most amorous romantic setting with the least romantic conversation he could imagine. Flying mutant monkeys? Why on earth do I just want to grab and kiss this man? The answer, Luke found, wasn't hard to uncover. Oh, I don't know, maybe because there's starlight and roses, he's dedicated his life to saving other people, and did I forget to mention he's ridiculously handsome?
A bird tweeted from a nearby bush.
Luke threw his head back and laughed when Reid whirled around in the direction of the bird. Reid couldn't believe this bizarre situation. Starlight, "Stardust," singing birds, and a handsome blonde. This is SO not me.
Luke's joyous laughter penetrated through Reid's inner grumblings. The doctor slowly turned back around as if he were being lured in by the smell of freshly baked cookies. His eyes seemed to find Luke's face of their own accord and devour his smile. Reid drank in the crinkled corners of Luke's eyes, his broad shoulders that his black coat perfectly molded, and the trim waist. He wouldn't have minded taking a bite out of that waist.
Reid raised his eyes back to Luke's, and something in them must have alerted Luke to how he was feeling. The smile slid off of Luke's countenance and the blonde looked at Reid questioningly. Reid extended his hand and grasped Luke's. He felt a tremor run through the other man and gave him a reassuring smile.
"I thought you didn't do dancing?" Luke asked in a near whisper.
Looking straight at Luke, Reid replied, "I do when he's important." He was watching Luke so carefully that he saw the astonished gasp come from the young man's lips.
Reid pulled Luke in close to him, and they both fell silent listening to the lyrics. Reid started to move effortlessly to the music and smirked when he saw the look of surprise on Luke's face. Just because I don't like to do it doesn't mean I'm not a good dancer.
With nothing to say, Reid thought about the man in his arms. Luke had been surprising in so many ways tonight--his unexpected savior, the rich kid who took life seriously, a freaking Adonis who actually could stand more than three minutes of conversation with Reid. Maybe this was the "more" in his life that his friend Nathan had been urging him to find. Maybe now, when he was on the cusp of achieving his professional dream, he was going to be find someone to share his life, to be "more" than a doctor. Hell, hadn't Luke suggested to him that it took more than work to find happiness.
Reid knew he shouldn't get ahead of himself, but he couldn't shake the feeling of rightness. He watched as Luke listened to the sad lyrics of the song and thought he even saw a few tears leak from the blonde's eyes. He found it surprisingly endearing.
The dance became unsteady, solemn. When the last few notes of the song faded away, Reid leaned back and tensed as Luke wet his lips with his tongue. They stared at each other, heat burning its way down Reid and settling in his stomach as Luke's eyes widened and mouth parted. It was a moment of mute confession.
Frozen temporarily, Reid shook off his daze and finally said, "A ladybug is on your cheek." Reid pointed at his own cheekbone to show Luke where. A voice in Reid's head told him he should have kissed Luke, but the doctor was unusually nervous.
Luke started wiping at his cheek, and Reid warned, "Hey, hey, you're going to kill it!"
An amused eyebrow quirked upwards. "You care about the life of a ladybug?"
Reid grimaced and brusquely ordered, "Just hold still." His palm rested on Luke's cheek as his thumb brushed under his eye. "There," he said softly, but he didn't move his hand.
Reid yet again felt a little foolish standing there and gaping at Luke. He didn't think he could handle many more of these instances, but he just hadn't quite summoned the nerve to do what he really wanted.
"Reid? Was there really a ladybug?" Luke whispered.
Quietly, and embarrassed that he'd been caught in such a dumb plot, Reid said, "No. I--I just wanted to touch you."
"Oh," Luke replied, startled by the honest answer.
They stood there in silence, Reid's hand resting upon Luke's face. Reid could feel Luke start to tremble, or maybe it was Reid--he wasn't sure-- just before the blonde finally reached up and wound his fingers around Reid's forearm. Luke turned his head, keeping his gaze focused on Reid's blue eyes, and gently kissed the inside of Reid's wrist, his tongue lightly flicking over Reid's pulse.
Reid froze for a second, shocked by the erotic moment. He then said a silent prayer of thanks for Luke having the nerve that had deserted Reid. A groan escaped his mouth as warmth shot up his arm and spread over his body. He moved his hand, briefly breaking the contact with Luke, to the back of the younger man's head. He couldn't help the shiver of anticipation as he dragged Luke toward him for a slow and sultry kiss.
Reid brushed his lips over Luke's, rubbing lightly. Luke's mouth opened and caused Reid's heart to beat faster, almost painfully. With one hand still at Luke's nape, the other found its way into Luke's coat. He splayed his fingers across the firm plains of Luke's chest feeling the heat through the thin white shirt.
At first, Luke's response was fiercely shy. Reid nearly let out a growl from the guileless ardor--it was intoxicating. Reid gave Luke a quick smile of reassurance and saw the nervousness evaporate into a smoldering flame.
The change in Luke was abrupt. Suddenly, Luke was the aggressor, taking control of the kiss. He pushed Reid backwards until the doctor felt one of the pillars behind him. With one hand on the stone column and one holding Reid captive by his hair, Luke deepened their kiss, his mouth slanting demandingly over Reid's. It was frenzied and rushed until Luke unexpectedly slowed the pace, as if he realized all at once that the entire night was theirs.
Reid's body reacted helplessly to the agonizing sensuality. His entire frame clenched in response to Luke fitting his entire length snugly against his own. He wound his arms around Luke's neck and briefly opened his eyes, catching a glimpse of blonde hair and twinkling lights. He shut them back, surrendering to the vibrant feelings that were beyond his control. Even his imagination had never prepared him for this. No man had ever sparked this kind of lust in him with one kiss.
Luke pulled back without warning and took a shuddering breath. "I can't do this," he said, appearing to gasp for air.
Reid couldn't fathom the expression on Luke's face, but he had one single thought that mattered: The hell you can't.
"Where are we headed?" Luke asked.
"Just a place I saw from the terrace earlier. It looked interesting."
Walking for another minute, Reid tugged Luke briskly along the pavement. They made a turn into a series of wooden arbors, each draped with red climbing roses and white lights. At the end of the tunnel was a neoclassical rotunda with ten round pillars supporting the domed, wrought iron roof. It, too, had roses and tiny lights spiraling up its columns that left a celestial impression.
Reid slowed down, signaling to Luke that they had reached their destination. The younger man released his hand from Reid's and climbed the three steps onto the floor of the rotunda. He walked the circumference of the structure and realized that they were now on the easternmost end of the estate by the water. Here, the murmur of the Sound was quieter and the ragtime music from the festivities could be heard clearly.
Luke spoke first. "I meant to tell you that Tom is no longer at the party. I spoke with security."
Reid snorted. "Yeah, I know. I saw him being escorted out earlier. It looked like the guard was planning on putting him in thumbscrews before he was done."
"It would be no less than he deserved," Luke replied darkly. He started to feel angry again over Tom's actions in the garden.
Reid shrugged and said, "True." He paused and gave Luke a lopsided smile. "I never did like guys called Tom, anyway. I should have kicked him and run the moment he told me his name."
"Bad experience?"
Nodding, the doctor answered, "Yeah. The first Tom I ever knew stole my heart. The guy turned out to be a complete jerk. He had no sense of humor either, which I don't know why I thought I could tolerate."
"Sounds painful," Luke responded with a frown.
An irreverent smile played on Reid's lips. "Eh. We were eleven."
Luke snorted. "Eleven, wow." He pretended to think and asked in a mock-serious tone, "Was that your last relationship?"
"Very funny, Mr. Snyder. Maybe you can tell me about your first relationship once you've hit puberty."
"I know your eyesight has probably started to go at your age, but I think you can see I'm all grown up now."
"That you are, Luke. Definitely," Reid replied in a low voice that seemed to travel up Luke's spine and make the younger man shiver.
Luke responded with a half-smile of acknowledgment, and Reid stared at him for a long interval before finally averting his gaze uncomfortably.
Abruptly, the doctor announced, "I can't believe I'm standing here in a garden outside a mansion at night. With roses, no less." Reid waved his arms disgustedly at their surroundings, causing Luke to stifle a laugh.
The blonde tipped his head to the side and asked, "Not usually your scene?"
"Nope," he assured Luke quickly. "I'm more of a dive bar with baseball on the flat screen and a beer in my hand kind of guy. So, is this what you do most weekends?
"No, I've been working too much lately to get out."
Reid rubbed his hand against his temple as he said, "I understand that."
Luke regarded Reid curiously, wondering what the social life of a surgeon might entail. "I guess you must work a lot in your profession. Much time to meet guys?"
"Nope." He paused and returned the question."You?"
Luke shook his head negatively. "No. I'm from a small town, so there aren't that many gay men to begin with."
"What was that like growing up? Being gay in a small town?" Reid honestly seemed interested in Luke's answer as he appeared to be watching Luke closely.
Luke debated how much information he should share. While Oakdale as a whole had been reasonably supportive of his coming out, there had certainly been some pretty awful moments with a few people. He decided to keep his answer truthful but to skirt some of the worst. No need to scare the guy off with tales of my mom and Damian. "Well, I didn't come out until high school, but actually the town was pretty cool with it. Some kids in high school weren't so great, and my parents struggled, but it probably would have been the same for me anywhere."
Reid nodded, appearing satisfied with the answer. "Yeah, my parents were okay with me being gay. They died, though, when I was twelve and I went to live with my uncle who was not exactly about to march in any gay pride parades."
Though Reid had made his last comment unceremoniously, Luke sensed a lot of pain. "I'm sorry. About your parents and your uncle, but I meant mainly your parents. Mine died a few years ago. I can only imagine how hard it would have been at a young age, and then to go live with someone who didn't accept you would seem doubly unfair."
Reid snorted. "I plan to put it in my angst-ridden tell-all book, one day."
Skeptical and affronted, Luke asked, "You're not even serious about this?"
In a more earnest tone, Reid replied, "It's not important anymore. And I'm not one to spew my emotions on every passer-by. I had my days of grief and anger and moved on. I'm only serious about the things that are important now."
The bit of anger he had felt assuaged, Luke inquired, "Like what?" He truly did wonder what this man did treat seriously, although he didn't believe for a second that Reid's parents' deaths were not important to the doctor anymore.
"Saving people--that's what's important to me now."
That was certainly a good answer in Luke's mind, but he wondered aloud, "Nothing else?"
"I could be enticed," Reid said huskily, his blue eyes looking straight into Luke's brown.
Not missing the innuendo, Luke took a shaky breath. "I think I'd like to see that."
In the distance, the band began playing Stardust, and Reid pinched the bridge of his nose. He rolled his eyes and said with repugnance, "Wow, we're in a garden, there's starlight, and now this song. If a nightingale starts singing, I'm out of here."
Luke laughed and pushed some hair that had fallen forward back behind his ear. "Afraid a mutant flying monkey might be about?" He made a show of looking at Reid's feet and said, "Those do look like dance shoes."
"In this case, a nightingale is a mutant flying monkey as far as I'm concerned," Reid replied wryly. He stepped closer to Luke, which the younger man immediately registered and felt his breath quicken in response.
To Luke, this was the most amorous romantic setting with the least romantic conversation he could imagine. Flying mutant monkeys? Why on earth do I just want to grab and kiss this man? The answer, Luke found, wasn't hard to uncover. Oh, I don't know, maybe because there's starlight and roses, he's dedicated his life to saving other people, and did I forget to mention he's ridiculously handsome?
A bird tweeted from a nearby bush.
Luke threw his head back and laughed when Reid whirled around in the direction of the bird. Reid couldn't believe this bizarre situation. Starlight, "Stardust," singing birds, and a handsome blonde. This is SO not me.
Luke's joyous laughter penetrated through Reid's inner grumblings. The doctor slowly turned back around as if he were being lured in by the smell of freshly baked cookies. His eyes seemed to find Luke's face of their own accord and devour his smile. Reid drank in the crinkled corners of Luke's eyes, his broad shoulders that his black coat perfectly molded, and the trim waist. He wouldn't have minded taking a bite out of that waist.
Reid raised his eyes back to Luke's, and something in them must have alerted Luke to how he was feeling. The smile slid off of Luke's countenance and the blonde looked at Reid questioningly. Reid extended his hand and grasped Luke's. He felt a tremor run through the other man and gave him a reassuring smile.
"I thought you didn't do dancing?" Luke asked in a near whisper.
Looking straight at Luke, Reid replied, "I do when he's important." He was watching Luke so carefully that he saw the astonished gasp come from the young man's lips.
Reid pulled Luke in close to him, and they both fell silent listening to the lyrics. Reid started to move effortlessly to the music and smirked when he saw the look of surprise on Luke's face. Just because I don't like to do it doesn't mean I'm not a good dancer.
With nothing to say, Reid thought about the man in his arms. Luke had been surprising in so many ways tonight--his unexpected savior, the rich kid who took life seriously, a freaking Adonis who actually could stand more than three minutes of conversation with Reid. Maybe this was the "more" in his life that his friend Nathan had been urging him to find. Maybe now, when he was on the cusp of achieving his professional dream, he was going to be find someone to share his life, to be "more" than a doctor. Hell, hadn't Luke suggested to him that it took more than work to find happiness.
Reid knew he shouldn't get ahead of himself, but he couldn't shake the feeling of rightness. He watched as Luke listened to the sad lyrics of the song and thought he even saw a few tears leak from the blonde's eyes. He found it surprisingly endearing.
The dance became unsteady, solemn. When the last few notes of the song faded away, Reid leaned back and tensed as Luke wet his lips with his tongue. They stared at each other, heat burning its way down Reid and settling in his stomach as Luke's eyes widened and mouth parted. It was a moment of mute confession.
Frozen temporarily, Reid shook off his daze and finally said, "A ladybug is on your cheek." Reid pointed at his own cheekbone to show Luke where. A voice in Reid's head told him he should have kissed Luke, but the doctor was unusually nervous.
Luke started wiping at his cheek, and Reid warned, "Hey, hey, you're going to kill it!"
An amused eyebrow quirked upwards. "You care about the life of a ladybug?"
Reid grimaced and brusquely ordered, "Just hold still." His palm rested on Luke's cheek as his thumb brushed under his eye. "There," he said softly, but he didn't move his hand.
Reid yet again felt a little foolish standing there and gaping at Luke. He didn't think he could handle many more of these instances, but he just hadn't quite summoned the nerve to do what he really wanted.
"Reid? Was there really a ladybug?" Luke whispered.
Quietly, and embarrassed that he'd been caught in such a dumb plot, Reid said, "No. I--I just wanted to touch you."
"Oh," Luke replied, startled by the honest answer.
They stood there in silence, Reid's hand resting upon Luke's face. Reid could feel Luke start to tremble, or maybe it was Reid--he wasn't sure-- just before the blonde finally reached up and wound his fingers around Reid's forearm. Luke turned his head, keeping his gaze focused on Reid's blue eyes, and gently kissed the inside of Reid's wrist, his tongue lightly flicking over Reid's pulse.
Reid froze for a second, shocked by the erotic moment. He then said a silent prayer of thanks for Luke having the nerve that had deserted Reid. A groan escaped his mouth as warmth shot up his arm and spread over his body. He moved his hand, briefly breaking the contact with Luke, to the back of the younger man's head. He couldn't help the shiver of anticipation as he dragged Luke toward him for a slow and sultry kiss.
Reid brushed his lips over Luke's, rubbing lightly. Luke's mouth opened and caused Reid's heart to beat faster, almost painfully. With one hand still at Luke's nape, the other found its way into Luke's coat. He splayed his fingers across the firm plains of Luke's chest feeling the heat through the thin white shirt.
At first, Luke's response was fiercely shy. Reid nearly let out a growl from the guileless ardor--it was intoxicating. Reid gave Luke a quick smile of reassurance and saw the nervousness evaporate into a smoldering flame.
The change in Luke was abrupt. Suddenly, Luke was the aggressor, taking control of the kiss. He pushed Reid backwards until the doctor felt one of the pillars behind him. With one hand on the stone column and one holding Reid captive by his hair, Luke deepened their kiss, his mouth slanting demandingly over Reid's. It was frenzied and rushed until Luke unexpectedly slowed the pace, as if he realized all at once that the entire night was theirs.
Reid's body reacted helplessly to the agonizing sensuality. His entire frame clenched in response to Luke fitting his entire length snugly against his own. He wound his arms around Luke's neck and briefly opened his eyes, catching a glimpse of blonde hair and twinkling lights. He shut them back, surrendering to the vibrant feelings that were beyond his control. Even his imagination had never prepared him for this. No man had ever sparked this kind of lust in him with one kiss.
Luke pulled back without warning and took a shuddering breath. "I can't do this," he said, appearing to gasp for air.
Reid couldn't fathom the expression on Luke's face, but he had one single thought that mattered: The hell you can't.