Page 24 of Beyond the Darkness (Basic Instincts #3)

In the Star Dressing Room

“Your ex-husband is an asshole.”

Luke raised his brow in amusement. “That’s one of the many reasons that he’s my ex. You think I wasn’t aware of the fact?”

“Sorry. It’s just that the prick has really wound me up today.”

It had gone four o’clock and rehearsals were on a break.

Andie had followed Hudson’s advice to leave the set as it was for most of the day, but before they were due to have a final run-through of the second act, she’d had a complete meltdown and insisted the entire thing be redressed.

Hudson sat with Luke in the first row of the stalls, watching as the director and the set designer argued on stage over the changes.

Hudson told Luke about the visit he’d had from Benito and Kris at lunch time.

“Jesus,” Luke said. “They really are the lowest. So what if Julian was bisexual? Does it make his death less important to them?”

“That’s the impression I was left with, too. I have to keep reminding myself that they are gay themselves.”

“They are career police officers first,” Luke said.

“Climbing the greasy pole comes before all else. They want easy answers, fast resolutions and another step closer to promotion. They won’t see any kind of obligation to their community because they aren’t part of it. The force is their brotherhood.”

“It’s depressing.”

“I agree. Though I can tell you that not all officers are like that. The Blyham force is rotten to the core, no doubt about it, but there are some decent officers in there now, trying to make a difference. Unfortunately, they don’t fit in with the old boys’ crowd and aren’t in any position to influence things. ”

“That’s even more depressing.” Hudson took hold of Luke’s hand and placed it in his lap. “I’ll tell you what’s not a downer. You. I was so pleased to see you after lunch. I missed you this morning.”

Luke gave a mock-shocked expression. “Wow. Coming from the man who wanted me barred from the project a couple of weeks ago.”

Hudson leaned closer, grinning. “Yeah, well, a lot has changed in that time.” He pressed his lips to Luke’s.

“It certainly has.” Luke returned the kiss.

Hudson murmured softly, enjoying the warmth of Luke’s mouth, the tenderness of his touch. In a caring moment like this, all the stress and frustration of the day melted away, if only for a while. Hudson squeezed his hand. “Thank you,” he said as they parted.

“For what?”

“For keeping me sane in this batshit city.”

Luke trailed his fingers through Hudson’s hair. “It’s my pleasure. Though I don’t think you’ve seen the city at its best.”

“I doubt I could have experienced any worse.”

Hudson regretted the words as soon as they were out, as they seemed to manifest Corman and Amber into being. The podcasters appeared at the end of the aisle, overkill smiles firmly in place.

“Hey, guys,” Corman cheered.

“Aawh,” Amber gushed. “You guys look so adorable together. I didn’t realise you were a thing. I’m so happy for you.”

Hudson bristled, but hid his irritation with a smile as insincere as theirs.

“We saw those two detectives earlier,” Corman said. “Were they here about the murder?”

“Did they come to see you especially? Any news?” Amber asked.

Hudson ignored them. On stage, Andie was still locked in an argument with the designer, only Manuella had now involved herself in the decision-making. A lot of arms were being waved around and gesticulating. There was no way they’d be ready for the second act before five o’clock.

“Can you give us a scoop for the podcast?” Corman asked.

Hudson closed his eyes and breathed deep before speaking. “What part of stay out of my way didn’t you guys understand? I have nothing to say to you, today, tomorrow or ever.” He stood up and signalled to Luke. “Come on, let’s go.”

Hudson pushed past Amber and Corman, who were no longer smiling. He told Ruth that he would be in his dressing room once Andie was ready to start work again and headed backstage.

“Don’t you think you were a bit abrupt with them?” Luke asked, catching up with him.

“I can’t waste any more time on those people. I’ve made it as clear as the fucking sun in the sky that I don’t want to talk to them, and they keep coming back. You heard that shit they put out last week. I’m not going to be any part of that.”

“Fair enough,” Luke said. “I’m pissed off at them for spoiling a beautiful moment.”

Hudson laughed. “Yeah, if I’d started on them for that, they’d each be sporting a new asshole about now.”

Luke took a frisky swipe at his butt. “I’m not really interested in their arseholes. Not when you’re around.”

As they entered the warren of backstage corridors, they almost walked straight into Steve, who, as usual, was glued to the screen of this phone.

“Watch it,” he snapped, almost dropping the device.

“If you tried watching where you are going,” Hudson said, “you might not get in the way.”

Steve tutted, looking them up and down. “Where are you going anyway? I thought we were about to go through Act Two.”

“Taking a break. Andie is still going at it with the set designers. We won’t be getting back to work anytime soon.”

Steve brandished his copy of the script in his other hand. “I need to speak to her about Sal. I don’t think we need him in the martini scene. I can’t understand half of what he says, so the audience will have no chance. I’ve got some ideas about how I can deliver the information instead.”

Hudson jerked his thumb to the stage. “She’s that way.”

There was nothing wrong with Sal’s delivery. Steve had been trying to build his own part from day one, despite being the only member of the cast to still blank on his readings. He wouldn’t be happy until his role was big enough to claim star billing. In his own mind he already was.

They continued down the maze of gloomy passages. Hudson put his hands on Luke’s waist and shoved him against the wall. This time the kiss was deep, open and passionate. He thrust his tongue into his mouth, grinding his body against him. Suddenly, sex and Luke were the only things that mattered.

Luke moaned and pushed his hips against Hudson’s hardness. Luke was equally aroused. He gripped Hudson’s head in both hands and rivalled his passion in the kiss.

Suddenly there was a noise from the direction in which they had come. Hudson froze, turning to see. The corridor bent sharply to the right. In shadows, he thought, just for a second, he detected movement. A face darting back around the corner.

“Hello,” he shouted. “Anyone there?”

No reply.

“What’s the matter?” Luke asked.

“Thought I heard something. Saw someone.”

“Steve? There’s no one there now.”

Hudson called out again and no one answered.

“Strange. I’m sure I didn’t imagine it.”

“Maybe it was one of the theatre ghosts,” Luke said lightly. He took Hudson’s hand. “Come on. It’s probably not a good idea to be snogging out here anyway. Not when you’ve got the star dressing room at your disposal. Lead me to it.”

The room was as hot as it had been before. Regardless, Hudson shut the door behind them and turned on the two fans.

“I know a good way to cool off,” Luke said, his fingers already unfastening Hudson’s shirt. Hudson unbuckled his belt and tore open his trousers, shoving them down to reveal his gloriously hard dick. Luke grinned. “No messing about. I appreciate your enthusiasm.”

Hudson lunged for another kiss, slipping his shirt from his shoulders, standing in front of Luke, just about naked. Luke’s hands roamed across his back, pulling them together, escalating the tension.

“Andie could call me back to the stage at any minute,” Hudson gasped between kisses.

“No time to fool around. Not when I want you as badly as I do.” His hands slipped beneath Luke’s shirt.

His skin was hot, damp with a light layer of sweat.

He pressed his mouth to Luke’s neck, tasing the saltiness. “Fuck me.”

Luke hurriedly tore off his clothes, matching Hudson’s passion, tossing them without care to the floor.

Hudson stumbled out of his shoes, shorts and underpants.

His hard cock bounced against his belly as he hurried to the holdall he had stashed beneath the dressing table earlier.

He pulled out a box of condoms and chucked one to Luke, who wasted no time tearing into the wrapper.

Next, a bottle of lube. He pumped two good squirts into his hand, rubbed it around his fingers, before sweeping them through his ass crack.

He rubbed the lube all around the opening, pushing inside before reapplying and going deeper.

Luke had already fitted himself with the condom.

Hudson applied lube all over his cock. Massaging the sticky fluid along Luke’s raging length made him want it even more.

“Did you lock the door?” Luke asked.

He couldn’t remember. “Who cares? No one will come in without knocking.”

Hudson leapt onto the small sofa. He set his elbows against the backrest and pushed his ass towards Luke.

Luke needed no other encouragement. He stepped up behind him and rubbed his cock up and down the length of his crack, sweeping over his hole, teasing him with its hardness.

Hudson was excited. He shoved backwards, impaling himself on the head of Luke’s cock.

Luke let out a deep throated moan. “You really are impatient.”

“Get inside me.”

Luke held his waist in both hands and slid in deep.

Hudson groaned, surrendering to the sublime sensation, being so utterly penetrated.

Sweat stung his eyes as he rocked back and forth, arching his back, giving all of himself to Luke.

All the stress, all the complaints he’d had down on the stage were forgotten.

They were meaningless. All that mattered was the beautiful man fucking him.

Their hot, slick bodies slapped and slipped together. It would be obvious to anyone coming close to the dressing room door what was happening inside. Hudson didn’t care. He dug his hands into the back of the sofa and pushed back even harder, trying to take Luke deeper.

The frenzy could not be maintained. They were possessed by an urgency they could not control. The catch in Luke’s cries, the erratic rasp of his breath, told Hudson that he was close to the end. “Come inside me,” he demanded.

Luke cried, slamming his hips harder and harder against Hudson’s ass.

When Luke began to jerk and spasm, consumed by his orgasm, Hudson reached for his own cock.

It hardly needed any stimulation. Just the sweep of his palm was enough to send him over.

Cum spewed out of him in great, shuddering arcs.

“Oh my God,” he cried as he convulsed through one ecstatic pulse after another.

Afterwards, when they had disposed of the used condom and cleaned up, Hudson was reluctant to get dressed.

“Let’s just lie here for a little while.

” He took Luke’s hand and guided him back to the sofa.

Sex had been the stress buster he’d needed—now he wanted to relax and savour the afterglow with the man who had come to mean the world to him.

They sat side by side, their bare feet propped on the small coffee table, allowing the two fans to ineffectually waft warm air over their hot skin.

“I bet this room is freezing in the winter too,” Hudson commented.

“Probably. They spent a lot of money refurbishing the front-facing areas of the theatre, but if this is the star dressing room, it doesn’t look like the modernization made it this far.”

“I kind of like it, though. It has character. The rehearsal rooms were modern and comfortable, but they are too corporate. They’ve got no soul.”

“I agree. I much prefer it here.”

“Have you ever been in this room before?” Hudson wondered aloud.

“Well, surprising as it might sound, I don’t make a habit of sleeping with the stars who perform here. So, this is a first in many ways.”

They both laughed.

“Yeah, I don’t make a habit of sleeping with hot journalists either.”

“Given how highly you speak of the profession, that comes as no surprise.”

Hudson raised Luke’s hand to his mouth and kissed it. “It turns out, they’re not all bad. In fact, I’ve met a really sweet one.”

“That is good to hear.”

And it was good to goof around. Luke made him laugh a lot and there had not been much reason for that of late.

Hudson hoped his good mood and good fortune would continue.