Page 108 of Vespertine

“I don’t know.” Nicky stretched luxuriously, hands skimmingthe headboard before he let them drop down and gently stroked Jasper’s nakedback. “About ten or something. Don’t worry they won’t be here for another houror—”

“Ten?” Jasper scrambled out from under the sheet. “Oh no. Ohno, no, no.”

“What?” Nicky sat up and yawned. “What is it? What are you—”

“It’s Sunday, Nicky.Sunday.”Nicky gave him a confused look. “Sunday Mass?”

“Oh.” Nicky bit his lip but it didn’t do much to hide thesmile, and Jasper took some time out of his underwear hunt to scowl at him. “Well,you’re screwed.”

“It’s not funny, Nicky.”

“It’s a little bit funny.” Nicky sniggered.

“What the heck did you do with my underwear? I can’t—how canit be ten o’clock and still be so dark in here?”

“Blackout curtains, my friend. When I’m on tour, I do mostof my sleeping during the day, so mom installed them in this room too in case Istopped by for a visit.”

“I really wish I could swear up a blue streak right now.”Jasper yanked open the curtains and flinched at the bright sunlight thatspilled through. Yep. Definitely not eight in the morning anymore. Behind himNicky whistled.

“Go for it, baby. Swearing’s the least of your sins rightnow.” Nicky flopped back down on the bed. He let his hand trail over his chest.“I think your underwear is under the sideboard by the door.”

Jasper hurried over and bent down. “What? I don’t—”

Behind him Nicky laughed. “Just bend over a little more andyou’ll see th—”

“Nicky!” Jasper tried not to laugh, but he couldn’t help it.He jumped onto the bed and mercilessly tickled Nicky until he was laughing sohard he had tears running down his face.

“Okay, I surrender, fuck. Isn’t there some sort ofcommandment preventing priests from torturing innocent people?”

“Innocent?” Jasper dropped down and framed Nicky’s head withhis forearms. “You are many things, Nicholas Blumfeld.” He kissed the end ofNicky’s nose. “Many, beautiful, clever, talented things. But innocent isn’t oneof them.” He groaned when Nicky pushed his hips up, feeling the bulge of hismorning erection through the thin sheet. “I really can’t, Nicky.”

“Hmm, why not? Mass is over by now.” Nicky ran his handsover Jasper’s bare shoulders, down his flanks, and over the swell of his ass.They kissed languidly, sweetly, and it didn’t taste like goodbye at all.

“Because,” Jasper murmured. “All my parishioners might beout there. Maybe they’re starting a search and rescue. They’ll be here anyminute.”

Nicky’s eyes widened comically and he shoved Jasper off him.“Yes, you’re absolutely right, you should get out of here right the fuck now.”

Laughing, Jasper rolled onto his back, and in a swift, giddymove, onto his feet at the other end of the bed. “Oh, so now you’re kicking meout.”

“Uh, yeah.” Nicky swung his legs out of bed too, and walkedover to where Jasper finally managed to locate his underwear underneath thebedside table. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want you to come back as soon as it’s dark.”He trailed his finger down Jasper’s spine, and Jasper shivered. “My illicitlover.”

Jasper stilled. He turned, caught Nicky’s hand, and presseda kiss to the center of his palm. “Come to my house tonight?” he whispered.

He didn’t say,we need to talk. Hedidn’t have to. It was in Nicky’s eyes. It had been there since the moment they’dkissed for the first time on the island, and Jasper understood theforeshadowing of pain Nicky had seen. And he’d tossed it aside and taken theleap anyway.

Nicky nodded. Jasper closed his eyes and pressed Nicky’spalm to his mouth again.

“I love you,” Jasper whispered.

Nicky offered him a small, sad smile. “I know.”

After a whirlwind of finding his clothes all over the house,getting dressed, and stopping time to kiss Nicky into sweet oblivion, Jasperfound himself standing on Nicky’s doorstep.

“I feel like a kid,” Jasper said. “Having to do something Idon’t want to do. It’s been a long time since that happened.”

Nicky tugged at a loose thread on Jasper’s sleeve. “You tryingto tell me you don’t want to go, Father Jazz?”

Jasper grinned, cupped the back of Nicky’s head, and kissedhim lightly. “I don’t want to go, Badger.”