Good Love - Chapter Two
Chapter One
Chapter Two
The girl at the front desk’s eyebrows rose when she saw them, and Nick could tell she was trying really hard not to freak out. “It’s true…” she said quietly, finally, and Nick shrugged, not knowing what she was talking about. She was a teenager and this was probably her summer job. “Sorry, I mean, Don told me you two were here and not to bother you and congratulations!” she rambled as she handed Joe the bill.
He paid it, an amused expression on his face and he gave her an extra two-hundred. “Um, if it costs more to fix the room, call this number.” He reached into his wallet for a business card and she pushed the money back at him.
“Oh, no, that’s okay! Really!” Joe looked like he would protest and she blushed, “I’m pretty sure just cleaning it will do, I have a feeling that room might be popular after, uhm, last night. I mean you two staying in it, and all.”
“Oh, God,” Nick said, rolling his eyes. “Well, thanks for your generosity, we’ve got to go.”
“Sure, want me to call you a cab?” she asked, obviously trying to do her job and be helpful.
“Sure, we’d really appreciate that.” He didn’t tell her where they were going because he didn’t even know where they were. Nick grabbed a business card and noticed they were in Atlantic City . Great, they were over two hours away from the Marriott they’d started at in their home town of Wyckoff. Well, his money had probably gone to a cab ride and into the casinos, nothing he could do about it now but at least he knew what had happened. “All set, it should be here in a few minutes!”
“Thanks,” Joe said simply and they both turned to wait outside.
“Oh, and congratulations again!” she said and Nick turned to her, confused.
“For what?” he asked, chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully.
“Oh, well, getting married…” Well, that made sense considering they were both getting married that day. He blushed as Joe pulled him out the door.
The cab really did arrive within minutes and Joe opened the door, letting Nick slide in first before settling next to him. The driver viewed them with disinterest which was refreshing as they sat there in silence. It was a whole half a minute before Nick asked, “What do you remember from last night?” He kept his gaze out the window on all the flashy lights that blinked and looked just slightly less dull in the glaring sunlight.
Joe grinned at Nick and leaned over to whisper in his ear. “You screaming my name, us fucking all over that hotel room…and how I told you I love you.” Nick’s face flushed and his breath hitched in his throat because each word of Joe’s brought a memory that seemed to go straight to his groin. At those last few words, though, Nick gasped and took his brother’s hand.
They were with their friends in a park, everyone just relaxing and Joe was with Nick by the swings. The younger musician was sitting on one of them while Joe pushed him from behind. Abruptly, the swing stilled and Joe bent down, lips just touching Nick’s ear and whispered, “I wish I was marrying you.” Nick’s eyes closed and Joe continued, “I love you.”
Joe pulled away and they rode the rest of the way in silence, fingers interlaced as the older man’s thumb traced lazy patterns on the younger’s palm.
Nick woke up half an hour before they got there with Joe’s head leaning heavily on his shoulder, mouth open and snoring just a little. He smiled and put an arm around Joe, pulling him nearer and his older brother smiled, cuddling closer as if he’d been waiting for this. “Joe,” he whispered just to make sure the other man was actually sleeping, but he just got some nonsensical answer about monkeys. Joe was definitely sleeping and it took a bit of effort to wake him once they had reached the Marriott.
They got out at a back entrance and walked into the hotel, going to Nick’s room and he let them in quietly. They were booked for tonight as well as the night before; both honeymoons were going to start the day after the weddings. Thankfully it was deserted and Joe picked up the room phone and called the front desk.
Joe hung up and said, “They have our phones.” Nick closed his eyes in relief but they widened comically a moment later when his brother added, “They were found in the fountain.” Nick just shook his head and sat on the bed, rubbing his eyes and Joe sat next to him, an arm going around his shoulders. “Stop freaking out,” Joe said and Nick pouted. It only made his older brother laugh. “No one has to know what happened but us…”
Nick knew it was true but he felt a pang of loss nonetheless. They were both going to marry other people in a matter of hours; it didn’t sit well with him for some reason. Joe kissed his cheek and said, “I’m going to go change…and take another shower,” before leaving to go to the room next door. Once Joe was gone, Nick let himself lie down on the bed, just splayed on his back and feet dangling off the end as he let himself feel guilty for cheating on Miley. Worse yet, he’d cheated on her with his brother.
He’d committed adultery, had sex before marriage, had sex with another guy who was his brother. Well, he was pretty sure he had a one-way, non-refundable ticket to Hell. He ordered them some breakfast and also took another shower, feeling like he couldn’t get clean enough, and then he dressed in fresh clothing. The food came just before Joe did and Nick got the door, leaving it open for his brother and taking a seat by the coffee table in the suite.
“I got breakfast,” he said as Joe came back in.
“Mmmm you are the bestest little brother, ever.” Nick chuckled and checked his levels before digging into the omelet while Joe went straight for the coffee.
“I’ll have to tell Frankie you said that,” Nick retorted between bites and Joe chuckled, digging into his pancakes.
“You do that…” he said quietly, closing his eyes and enjoying the taste.
When they were done, Nick got up and sat on the bed, grabbing his shoes. Joe came over and sat next to him, curling into his side and Nick did what he always did: he let him. He moved his arm around his brother’s shoulders so they would both be more comfortable and Joe let out a content sigh. “What are we doing?” he asked and felt the older man tense. “Sorry, I mean, I shouldn’t be sorry or wait, maybe I should be.” Joe pulled away, face down and angled so Nick couldn’t see it, but not before he saw the hurt expression. “What I mean is,” he grabbed Joe’s chin and forced their eyes to meet. “I just mean that I should feel sorry about what I did with you, but I don’t.”
“Me neither,” Joe said with a sad smile. Nick closed his eyes when Joe leaned forward and their lips connected gently, those pretty lips massaging his own as they moved against each other, neither making it deeper as they just enjoyed the feeling of being with each other like this. The world seemed to hold still as if it were important for them to have these moments. “Love you, Nicky…” Joe whispered, breath ghosting along the younger man’s lips and Nick let out a soft whimper.
They pulled away from each other slowly and Nick blinked back tears, feeling the bed move as his brother got to his feet. “This is such a mess…” he said quietly and Joe just nodded, hands in his pockets as the older man began to pace. Nick got up, too, and grabbed Joe’s arm and said, “Just stop. Stop pacing because…” but his words got caught in his throat at the tears falling down his brother’s cheeks silently.
“Let’s not get married today,” Joe said quickly, an urgent undertone to his voice making it almost desperate. Nick flinched and Joe pushed on. “Come on, Nicky…please. We’ll cancel the weddings and it’ll just be you and me.” It was tempting, too tempting, and Nick pushed Joe away reflexively. Demi and Miley would be way too hurt if they did that, and they deserved better. Besides, it wasn’t like he and Joe could ever really be together, anyway. Hell, it wasn’t even legal for them to be together in most states.
“Joe…” he said, voice a bit strained. “We can’t do that and you know it.”
“So, what? Are you saying that we go and get married today and sneak behind their backs forever? Secretly meet up and fuck?” Nick flinched again and took another step back, away from Joe. He opened his mouth to protest, but Joe just moved closer, backing Nick up until the younger man’s back was to the wall. “Because I don’t wanna live like that, but if that’s all you’ll give me then I’ll take it.” Joe grabbed both of Nick’s shoulders a bit roughly and the younger song-writer swallowed visibly, Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion. “I just wanna be with you.”
Nick was crying now, too, and he shoved Joe away hard. He felt like a little kid that just wanted his older and favorite brother to hold him tight and tell him everything would be okay, but it wouldn’t and nothing Joe was saying made him feel anything but despair. No one would let them be together, he knew this, and it didn’t matter that that was what he wanted because he had a fiancée waiting for him to marry her and he did love Miley. Maybe he didn’t love her the same way he loved Joe, but she didn’t deserve what he’d done to her - didn’t deserve what he was doing to her. Because Joe was right, it wouldn’t end now, they’d just keep doing…whatever they were doing in secret. That had to be better than breaking up both weddings and the world potentially finding out the truth, right?
He didn’t say anything for a long time, letting the silence thicken uncomfortably as their eyes locked together, both blinking every once in a while as they waited for the other to say or do something - anything. Finally Joe dropped his hands and took a step back, giving Nick some room he no longer wanted. “Fine…have it your way,” Joe muttered and looked away, continuing in a slightly monotonous tone as if he didn’t dare put any emotion into it for fear of which one would come out. “We have to get ready for the concert we’re putting on for that cancer research charity.”
Nick nodded and stepped away from the wall, putting a hand on Joe’s shoulder but removed it when the other man flinched. “Yeah,” he said softly, “I’m gonna go talk to Miley about the duet she and I are doing.” A bunch of their friends were going to be performing with them. The concert was two hours before the actual wedding and both events would be broadcast live.
“Great,” Joe said, putting on a fake smile. “I’m gonna go talk to Demi and some of the others. I think Taylor wanted to do a song with Demi and me.” Nick smiled, too, but it didn’t reach his eyes, either. Taylor was Demi’s best friend and oddly enough, she and Joe were friends now, too. Joe cleared his throat nervously and then put his hands up as if he was surrendering or giving up, and then he walked out without even saying good-bye, arms dropping back to his sides as if defeated. Once he was gone, Nick took a deep breath, collected himself, and then followed.
Chapter Three
Chapter Two
The girl at the front desk’s eyebrows rose when she saw them, and Nick could tell she was trying really hard not to freak out. “It’s true…” she said quietly, finally, and Nick shrugged, not knowing what she was talking about. She was a teenager and this was probably her summer job. “Sorry, I mean, Don told me you two were here and not to bother you and congratulations!” she rambled as she handed Joe the bill.
He paid it, an amused expression on his face and he gave her an extra two-hundred. “Um, if it costs more to fix the room, call this number.” He reached into his wallet for a business card and she pushed the money back at him.
“Oh, no, that’s okay! Really!” Joe looked like he would protest and she blushed, “I’m pretty sure just cleaning it will do, I have a feeling that room might be popular after, uhm, last night. I mean you two staying in it, and all.”
“Oh, God,” Nick said, rolling his eyes. “Well, thanks for your generosity, we’ve got to go.”
“Sure, want me to call you a cab?” she asked, obviously trying to do her job and be helpful.
“Sure, we’d really appreciate that.” He didn’t tell her where they were going because he didn’t even know where they were. Nick grabbed a business card and noticed they were in Atlantic City . Great, they were over two hours away from the Marriott they’d started at in their home town of Wyckoff. Well, his money had probably gone to a cab ride and into the casinos, nothing he could do about it now but at least he knew what had happened. “All set, it should be here in a few minutes!”
“Thanks,” Joe said simply and they both turned to wait outside.
“Oh, and congratulations again!” she said and Nick turned to her, confused.
“For what?” he asked, chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully.
“Oh, well, getting married…” Well, that made sense considering they were both getting married that day. He blushed as Joe pulled him out the door.
The cab really did arrive within minutes and Joe opened the door, letting Nick slide in first before settling next to him. The driver viewed them with disinterest which was refreshing as they sat there in silence. It was a whole half a minute before Nick asked, “What do you remember from last night?” He kept his gaze out the window on all the flashy lights that blinked and looked just slightly less dull in the glaring sunlight.
Joe grinned at Nick and leaned over to whisper in his ear. “You screaming my name, us fucking all over that hotel room…and how I told you I love you.” Nick’s face flushed and his breath hitched in his throat because each word of Joe’s brought a memory that seemed to go straight to his groin. At those last few words, though, Nick gasped and took his brother’s hand.
They were with their friends in a park, everyone just relaxing and Joe was with Nick by the swings. The younger musician was sitting on one of them while Joe pushed him from behind. Abruptly, the swing stilled and Joe bent down, lips just touching Nick’s ear and whispered, “I wish I was marrying you.” Nick’s eyes closed and Joe continued, “I love you.”
Joe pulled away and they rode the rest of the way in silence, fingers interlaced as the older man’s thumb traced lazy patterns on the younger’s palm.
Nick woke up half an hour before they got there with Joe’s head leaning heavily on his shoulder, mouth open and snoring just a little. He smiled and put an arm around Joe, pulling him nearer and his older brother smiled, cuddling closer as if he’d been waiting for this. “Joe,” he whispered just to make sure the other man was actually sleeping, but he just got some nonsensical answer about monkeys. Joe was definitely sleeping and it took a bit of effort to wake him once they had reached the Marriott.
They got out at a back entrance and walked into the hotel, going to Nick’s room and he let them in quietly. They were booked for tonight as well as the night before; both honeymoons were going to start the day after the weddings. Thankfully it was deserted and Joe picked up the room phone and called the front desk.
Joe hung up and said, “They have our phones.” Nick closed his eyes in relief but they widened comically a moment later when his brother added, “They were found in the fountain.” Nick just shook his head and sat on the bed, rubbing his eyes and Joe sat next to him, an arm going around his shoulders. “Stop freaking out,” Joe said and Nick pouted. It only made his older brother laugh. “No one has to know what happened but us…”
Nick knew it was true but he felt a pang of loss nonetheless. They were both going to marry other people in a matter of hours; it didn’t sit well with him for some reason. Joe kissed his cheek and said, “I’m going to go change…and take another shower,” before leaving to go to the room next door. Once Joe was gone, Nick let himself lie down on the bed, just splayed on his back and feet dangling off the end as he let himself feel guilty for cheating on Miley. Worse yet, he’d cheated on her with his brother.
He’d committed adultery, had sex before marriage, had sex with another guy who was his brother. Well, he was pretty sure he had a one-way, non-refundable ticket to Hell. He ordered them some breakfast and also took another shower, feeling like he couldn’t get clean enough, and then he dressed in fresh clothing. The food came just before Joe did and Nick got the door, leaving it open for his brother and taking a seat by the coffee table in the suite.
“I got breakfast,” he said as Joe came back in.
“Mmmm you are the bestest little brother, ever.” Nick chuckled and checked his levels before digging into the omelet while Joe went straight for the coffee.
“I’ll have to tell Frankie you said that,” Nick retorted between bites and Joe chuckled, digging into his pancakes.
“You do that…” he said quietly, closing his eyes and enjoying the taste.
When they were done, Nick got up and sat on the bed, grabbing his shoes. Joe came over and sat next to him, curling into his side and Nick did what he always did: he let him. He moved his arm around his brother’s shoulders so they would both be more comfortable and Joe let out a content sigh. “What are we doing?” he asked and felt the older man tense. “Sorry, I mean, I shouldn’t be sorry or wait, maybe I should be.” Joe pulled away, face down and angled so Nick couldn’t see it, but not before he saw the hurt expression. “What I mean is,” he grabbed Joe’s chin and forced their eyes to meet. “I just mean that I should feel sorry about what I did with you, but I don’t.”
“Me neither,” Joe said with a sad smile. Nick closed his eyes when Joe leaned forward and their lips connected gently, those pretty lips massaging his own as they moved against each other, neither making it deeper as they just enjoyed the feeling of being with each other like this. The world seemed to hold still as if it were important for them to have these moments. “Love you, Nicky…” Joe whispered, breath ghosting along the younger man’s lips and Nick let out a soft whimper.
They pulled away from each other slowly and Nick blinked back tears, feeling the bed move as his brother got to his feet. “This is such a mess…” he said quietly and Joe just nodded, hands in his pockets as the older man began to pace. Nick got up, too, and grabbed Joe’s arm and said, “Just stop. Stop pacing because…” but his words got caught in his throat at the tears falling down his brother’s cheeks silently.
“Let’s not get married today,” Joe said quickly, an urgent undertone to his voice making it almost desperate. Nick flinched and Joe pushed on. “Come on, Nicky…please. We’ll cancel the weddings and it’ll just be you and me.” It was tempting, too tempting, and Nick pushed Joe away reflexively. Demi and Miley would be way too hurt if they did that, and they deserved better. Besides, it wasn’t like he and Joe could ever really be together, anyway. Hell, it wasn’t even legal for them to be together in most states.
“Joe…” he said, voice a bit strained. “We can’t do that and you know it.”
“So, what? Are you saying that we go and get married today and sneak behind their backs forever? Secretly meet up and fuck?” Nick flinched again and took another step back, away from Joe. He opened his mouth to protest, but Joe just moved closer, backing Nick up until the younger man’s back was to the wall. “Because I don’t wanna live like that, but if that’s all you’ll give me then I’ll take it.” Joe grabbed both of Nick’s shoulders a bit roughly and the younger song-writer swallowed visibly, Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion. “I just wanna be with you.”
Nick was crying now, too, and he shoved Joe away hard. He felt like a little kid that just wanted his older and favorite brother to hold him tight and tell him everything would be okay, but it wouldn’t and nothing Joe was saying made him feel anything but despair. No one would let them be together, he knew this, and it didn’t matter that that was what he wanted because he had a fiancée waiting for him to marry her and he did love Miley. Maybe he didn’t love her the same way he loved Joe, but she didn’t deserve what he’d done to her - didn’t deserve what he was doing to her. Because Joe was right, it wouldn’t end now, they’d just keep doing…whatever they were doing in secret. That had to be better than breaking up both weddings and the world potentially finding out the truth, right?
He didn’t say anything for a long time, letting the silence thicken uncomfortably as their eyes locked together, both blinking every once in a while as they waited for the other to say or do something - anything. Finally Joe dropped his hands and took a step back, giving Nick some room he no longer wanted. “Fine…have it your way,” Joe muttered and looked away, continuing in a slightly monotonous tone as if he didn’t dare put any emotion into it for fear of which one would come out. “We have to get ready for the concert we’re putting on for that cancer research charity.”
Nick nodded and stepped away from the wall, putting a hand on Joe’s shoulder but removed it when the other man flinched. “Yeah,” he said softly, “I’m gonna go talk to Miley about the duet she and I are doing.” A bunch of their friends were going to be performing with them. The concert was two hours before the actual wedding and both events would be broadcast live.
“Great,” Joe said, putting on a fake smile. “I’m gonna go talk to Demi and some of the others. I think Taylor wanted to do a song with Demi and me.” Nick smiled, too, but it didn’t reach his eyes, either. Taylor was Demi’s best friend and oddly enough, she and Joe were friends now, too. Joe cleared his throat nervously and then put his hands up as if he was surrendering or giving up, and then he walked out without even saying good-bye, arms dropping back to his sides as if defeated. Once he was gone, Nick took a deep breath, collected himself, and then followed.
Chapter Three