Justin
pulled the car into the driveway, killing the engine but not getting out. He sat
there for a moment, his gaze drawn to the manila envelope resting on the seat
next to him. What he and Britney had found still made him uneasy, and he
didn’t know how he was going to explain all of this to JC. Or if he’d even
believe what Justin was beginning to believe….
“Justin, when I said lunch, I was hoping for something a little more fancy,”
Britney said, digging at the box of Kung Pao Chicken Justin handed her.
“Aw, quit bitching,” Justin said, swallowing his a bite of Sesame Chicken.
“I’m feeding you, aren’t I?”
Britney looked around the dark, dusty room. She and Justin had been at the
newspaper morgue for hours. When she suggested leaving for lunch, Justin had
arranged for food to be brought in for them. “Yes, you are feeding me,” she
agreed. “But I was really looking forward to that going to that little place
on Melrose.” She speared another bite of chicken, flipping a page of a 1937 LA
Times. “Why couldn’t we have gone there, and then come back?”
“Because we’re close,” Justin said, reaching for a new stack of papers.
“I can feel it.”
As Justin had explained it when they started this morning, he was convinced
there was some link between the photograph he’d found and the original owners
of the house. The owner’s that JC said had disappeared under “suspicious
circumstances.” So he and Britney had been searching back issues of the LA
Times for any clue, starting with copies from 1928, the date on the photograph.
She laid a hand gently on his arm. “There could be nothing to find,” she
said softly.
Justin shook his head. “No. There’s something there…in the house. I can
feel it.”
“Something or someone?”
“Either,” Justin said, turning another page of the yellow paper.
“Justin, there’s no such things as ghosts, you know that, right?” Britney
asked, skimming the copy in front of her. When she received no answer from
Justin, she looked over, surprised by his pale face. He turned wide, shocked
blue eyes toward and pointed at the paper on the table. Britney leaned over to
read.
SONGWRITER’S DISAPPEARANCE STILL A MYSTERY, POLICE SAY
Police say the disappearance of Hollywood songwriter Justin Turner is still a
mystery to them, but are following every lead to find the whereabouts of the
award-winning composer. Police are unwilling to say what they believe might have
happened to Turner, but sources indicate that Josh Chambers, owner of the
popular nightclub Little Chicago, may some how be involved. Turner was last seen
at Chambers’ club, and the two men were regularly in each other’s company.
Other sources confirm this, saying that Turner and Chambers had a ‘special
relationship.’
There was a photograph under the caption. It showed two men at party smiling for
the camera. Britney watched as Justin placed the photograph he’d found at
JC’s house next to the one in the paper. It was the same two men, the same men
who looked like Justin and JC.
“This is just too weird, Justin.” Britney pulled the paper closer to her to
study the two photographs. She looked at the date. “October 26, 1938,” she
said.
“Ten years after we left Chicago,” Justin whispered, his hand reaching out
and touching JC’s laughing face. No, not we, Justin thought. That's
not my Josh. That's not me. But if it’s not us…then who is it?
“Justin?” Britney’s voice pulled him back.
“We need to find more about this, Brit,” Justin said, pushing the food out
of the way and grabbing more old copies of the newspaper. He knew Britney was
looking at him, knew she was concerned. But right now, he needed to find out
more about these two men. Needed to know if what he was thinking was right…
Justin
opened the door to the house, knowing immediately that JC was not home. He’d
always been able to tell the older man was in a room or a house or even a
building. Just something he’d always accepted about their relationship. Now
Justin wondered if it was some psychic thing, some connection he and JC had.
After what he’d found today, nothing would surprise him anymore.
Justin wandered through the house, finding the note in the kitchen JC had left.
“Gone to the studio. Be back by 6. I love you.” He smiled, looking at the
clock on the oven, noting it was only 5:30. He left the kitchen and walked into
the front room, the room with the piano. Justin walked over to the instrument,
his hand running over the wood. He sat down, frowning at the brigh white keys,
wondering why they weren’t the soft ivory color he remembered. He lifted his
hands and began to play.
JC smiled when he saw the car parked in the drive indicating that Justin was
home. It had been a shitty day all around. None of the other producers had shown
up, and for some reason, his tolerance level for Chris was at an all time low.
He’d snapped at his band mate until Chris had turned quiet, not saying
anything more, but glaring at JC with an almost palatable animosity. When JC had
called a wrap, explaining that Justin was in town and he wanted to leave, Chris
had made a comment about him going home to the little woman. JC was so startled
by the comment he was speechless, but Chris had left the recording booth before
he could respond. But now JC shook off all the residual feelings from dealing
with Chris and walked in the house, stopping in shock at what he heard.
Justin was at the piano, playing the most amazing music he’d ever heard the
boy play. JC closed his eyes, listening to the notes and melodies, wondering
where this was coming from. Justin had never played like this before. He walked
into the house a bit more, peering into the front room. JC watched as Justin
played, his body swaying with the music, eyes closed and a look of intense
pleasure on his face. JC felt his own emotions rise, both from the sounds Justin
was producing and the way he was playing.
Justin felt a tingle on the back of his neck and looked up, spying JC as he
stood in the doorway. He continued to play as JC approached, his excitement
growing by the look on JC’s face. He came to a stop behind Justin, his hands
lightly resting on the younger man’s shoulders. Justin’s playing faltered a
bit as JC’s warm, strong hands ran down his chest, his lips skimming
Justin’s neck. JC licked and nibbled Justin’s skin as his hands moved down
farther, coming to rest on Justin’s growing erection. JC moved back to
Justin’s ear, licking the sensitive shell before biting down hard.
Justin abandoned playing and turned in JC’s arms as the older man pulled them
both to the floor. JC’s mouth traveled along Justin’s jaw as the boy pushed
his erection against him, wanting more. Finally, their mouths locked. The kiss
was hard, deep, and rough. JC’s tongue pushed inside and conquered Justin’s
mouth, sweeping hotly against his teeth, shoving deep down his throat. At the
same time, JC was pushing and ripping the clothes from Justin’s body, his
hands hot and strong, divesting Justin of pants and shirt and boxers until the
boy was naked underneath him. JC ended the kiss and raised himself to his knees,
looking down at Justin. Their eyes met and locked, and Justin’s breathing
became shallow and fast as he watched JC remove his shirt, then push down his
pants just enough to free his engorged cock. Without a word, JC moved between
Justin’s knees, spreading the boy’s legs. Justin was too shocked to protest
when JC spit into his hand, rubbing the saliva onto his cock. JC leaned down and
grabbed Justin’s hands, lacing their fingers together as he entered Justin in
one strong thrust.
Justin was hot and tight and felt oh, so good. JC pulled out a bit, then rammed
back in, setting a rhythm of thrust and retreat, thrust and retreat that Justin
soon picked up on. JC felt the boy wrap his legs around JC’s hips, trying to
hold him closer and tighter. This made JC thrust faster, moving in and out of
the boy with fevered movements. Justin felt the friction of their bodies against
his own cock, and knew he wouldn’t last much longer. JC watched as Justin’s
orgasm pour out of him, the boy’s neck arching back, the fingers laced with
his grasping tighter. The sight of Justin coming under him was enough to make JC
pump even harder into Justin as he felt his own release come soon. JC saw lights
shatter behind his eyes as his climax poured forth. He collapsed onto Justin
with a shudder, holding the other man close.
They lay on the carpet, both men in a stunned silence, both realizing what had
happened was unusual, something that had hardly ever happened before. For it was
a rare day indeed when JC made love to Justin. It was usually the other way
around, and both parties were very happy with the arrangement. JC realized
something had come over him when he’d seen Justin at the piano, something that
made him want to fuck Justin in a way he’d never done before. He leaned up on
his elbow and looked down at Justin. The boy was still breathing fast, his eyes
closed.
“Are you okay?” JC asked, reaching a tentative hand toward Justin’s hair,
frowning when he found only the shaved fuzz of his buzz cut.
Justin’s eyes opened, his eyes bright. “Wow,” he said, reaching up and
grabbing JC’s hand, placing it on his chest. “My heart is still racing,”
he said, awed by what had happened.
“God, I’m sorry,” JC said, suddenly worried. “Are you hurt? Did I hurt
you?” He sat up, pulling Justin with him.
Justin shook his head. “No, of course not,” he chided, trying to calm JC
down. The older man seemed on the verge of panic.
JC sighed with relief. “Thank god,” he said, running a hand over his face.
His eyes locked with Justin’s. “I have no idea what came over me,” he
said, trying to explain.
“It’s okay, Josh,” Justin said. “In fact, it’s more than okay. It was
great!” Justin smiled, his face bright with remembered passion.
JC again sighed with relief. “It was as if I were a different person,” he
said, and then remembered what had triggered his forcefulness. “And how about
telling me why you were playing the piano like that?” he demanded, pulling
Justin to stand up with him. Both men found their pants and put them on, JC also
putting on his shirt.
“Because that’s who I am,” Justin explained. “Or rather, that’s who I
was.” He walked over to the piano and picked up the envelope with the
newspapers clippings. He returned to JC, handing him the envelope. “We’ve
done this before, Josh.”
JC raise a brow. “Done what? Fucked in the living room?” he asked.
Justin shook his head. “No,” he said. “We’ve been together before.” JC
looked at him quizzically. “Read what’s in there, and you’ll see it’s
true.”
“Justin, what are you talking about?”
Justin covered JC’s hands as they held the envelope, holding the other man’s
gaze, trying to make him believe. “You and I have lived before, Josh.”
JC looked at Justin's earnest expression and burst out laughing.