Perfect Imperfections

Until he met Reg, who genuinely enjoyed sitting around hotel rooms or airplanes or busses, chatting about nothing or everything, and was equally happy vegging out in front of the TV, being quiet for hours and yet remaining very noticeably present. Reg went to press junkets without complaint, lending quiet support but never vying for the limelight. And when there was time and energy to mingle with the world, Reg was always full of ideas for adventures and new experiences. The man was a great friend and the perfect companion to have on tour, at a dinner function, and probably everywhere else too. And after the unexpected performance Reg had put on for the press at the radio station, Jeremy wondered whether that perfection could be improved even further.

“You were awesome out there tonight,” Reg said when they were finally alone in their hotel room.

“You say that every time.” Jeremy did his best to muster up a smile, but even his lips felt tired. He tried to kick off his shoes, almost tripped, and gave up, leaning against the wall instead.

After the show, there had been two hours of answering questions from reporters and meeting fans and shaking hands and posing for pictures until Jeremy thought he was going to collapse. And he had three more nights of that to look forward to because he had back-to-back shows in four different states, giving him barely enough time to sleep and travel each day before he had to be on stage again.

The second he had a chance to breathe, he planned to call Bill to tell him something had to change. He wasn’t twenty anymore. His shows started late and ran even later, and the last thing he wanted to do when they were over was promotional work.

“That’s because it’s true every time.” Reg wrapped his arm around Jeremy’s waist and tugged him close. “Come on, superstar. Bedtime.”

Their hotel room was similar to those in every city they’d stayed—a suite with a separate living space and sleeping space. Reg walked Jeremy through the suite and over to the bathroom. “You okay to brush your teeth and drain the lizard solo, or are you going to fall into the toilet if I leave you alone?”

“Ha-ha.” Jeremy lightly smacked Reg’s muscular chest and stumbled into the bathroom. “I’m fine.”

“Good night, JJ.” Reg smiled and turned to leave. “Get some sleep.”

“Wait.”

“You need help?” Reg asked, flipping around right away and stepping toward Jeremy. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Jeremy shook his head. “But I was wondering—” He swallowed hard and lowered his gaze, trying to gather the courage to make his unusual request. No matter how many times he’d gone over it in his head, it still sounded weird. But he trusted Reg not to get angry or offended. “Earlier, you said—” He licked his lips and breathed rapidly.

“Hey,” Reg said soothingly as he reached out and pushed Jeremy’s hair back.

Needing to cool down and wash the sweat off before meeting people, Jeremy had showered after the show, so the makeup and styling products he wore on stage were gone. But he’d put a bit more on after the shower because pictures were being taken. So while Reg was able to move the locks that had fallen into his eyes away, he couldn’t run his fingers through it and massage Jeremy’s scalp the way he had when Jeremy was sick. That memory at the end of a long day, combined with what Jeremy had been craving since he realized it might be an option, made Jeremy shiver.

“You’re shaking. What’s wrong?” Reg grasped his chin and lifted it, forcing Jeremy to meet his gaze. “Talk to me, JJ.”

“Nothing’s wrong. Sorry.” Jeremy blinked rapidly. “I’m beat, really beat, and earlier you said you wouldn’t mind—”

He closed his eyes and bit his lip, intending to take one more deep breath before finishing his sentence, but Reg beat him to it.

“You want me to hold you?”

Sighing in relief, Jeremy nodded. “You don’t have to. I know it’s weird and—”

“No, it isn’t,” Reg assured him. “Everyone needs to be touched.” He cupped Jeremy’s cheek. “You more than most, I think. But that’s a good thing, not a weird thing.”

“So you don’t mind?”

“I don’t mind.” Stepping closer, Reg pulled Jeremy into his arms and hugged him tightly. “In fact”—he hunched down and buried his face in Jeremy’s neck—“I think I’d enjoy it just as much as you.”

“Yeah?” Jeremy could feel a smile forming. “So I’ll finish up in here and meet you in bed?”

“I didn’t shower at the stadium, so I’m going to grab a quick one after you’re done in the bathroom. After that”—Reg squeezed Jeremy’s shoulder—“you’re on.”

“Thanks.”

“You’ve got to quit thanking me for doing things I like.” Reg chuckled and backed away, giving Jeremy his privacy in the bathroom. “Getting to share a bed with you might be the one thing I’ll enjoy more than listening to you play.”