The Next Stage - 45. Get Laid or Get Paid?

“I can’t believe this,” Ryan scoffs, looking away from his phone as though repulsed by the review he’d just read.

Jasper contains his amusement, knowing Ryan’s far from finding the loss of his job funny. “I can,” Jasper says, leaning over and kissing Ryan’s shoulder, hoping it’ll be some comfort.

“I helped him. I did him a favor.” Ryan’s taking the betrayal way too personally.

“It’s Broadway, baby. You gave Elliott a space to shine, and he took the opportunity. Are you really surprised?” Jasper asks with a smile as he takes Ryan’s phone from him and sits on his lap, hoping to at least cheer him up.

Ryan’s hands go immediately to holding Jasper’s waist, gently. “Well, no,” he sighs, sounding defeated. “But I thought this would help. That he’d stop hating me and not see me as his enemy anymore.”

“You were never his enemy, Ry. You were his competition, and he won,” Jasper says with a grin.

“Yeah, by stabbing me in the back,” Ryan scoffs, looking towards his phone on the bedside table.

“In his defense.” Jasper turns Ryan’s head back to face him, holding his eye contact. “You called in sick to a show on Broadway where you were a main cast member, because you wanted to tie me up and ‘try something different’. You weren’t actually sick. The only thing you were sick of was not getting to fuck me.”

A smile breaks over Ryan’s annoyed expression. “And I have no regrets. I just kinda wish anyone else was my understudy now.”

“Ry.” Jasper smiles, running his fingers all over his husband’s tone torso. “Have you read the reviews?”

Ryan nods. “I have.”

“And even though you lost your position in the show, you’ll get cast again in something else. What you did for Eli is incredible and has likely changed his whole career, and some of the hang-ups in Broadway.”

“I know,” Ryan says, looking dejected again.

Jasper leans down and kisses him lightly on the lips. “Broadway doesn’t play fair,” he whispers. “And right now, Eli is taking full advantage of that.” Jasper kisses him again. “But one day he’s going to realize he got there because of you, and he might not thank you for it, but he may pay it forward. Don’t be bitter. Be proud. Not everyone would risk an opportunity like that to right a wrong, and in all fairness, he was Rocky first. He just stole back his part. Reviewers are eating his performance up, and it’s been overwhelmingly positive.”

Ryan smiles, though it’s obvious he’s forcing it. “The director is getting all the credit for it though. The same people who replaced him with me for being trans, are taking the credit for putting a trans lead in the spotlight. That’s what I’m bitter about.”

“Yeah, that is pretty shitty. But what can you do?” Jasper shrugs.

That comment makes Ryan laugh, and the shine in his eyes as his gaze meets Jasper’s is almost as mesmerizing as the way his lips look when he smiles like that. “Coming from you, that’s a dangerous question,” Ryan says.

Jasper laughs. “I swear I’m not encouraging revenge this time.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Ryan says, running his fingers through Jasper’s hair and grabbing a handful, tugging his head back a little roughly. He runs his lips up Jasper’s neck, sending a shiver through his body, then whispers in his ear, “I enjoy seeing you get revenge on people.”

Jasper closes his eyes and grins. “Too bad. I’m trying to be a good role model for our daughter. Can’t have her going online and finding nothing but me being a petty bitch to everyone that’s wronged me. What kind of example does that set?”

“Don’t bring up our daughter while I’m trying to seduce you,” Ryan answers, placing soft kisses along Jasper’s jaw before collecting his lips in a hot kiss that takes Japer right back to last night, in Leo’s apartment, experimenting freely with the various new toys and equipment.

It’d been weird, mostly. They were definitely two amateurs trying to be sexy while they fake their way through kink play. Turns out the sexiest thing about failing to tie a knot, is laughing together when it unravels and ruins the moment. Bondage hadn’t suited either of them too well. Wax play, though, Jasper had definitely enjoyed after a few too-close-to-the-skin burns. He might have even liked the burns, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to say that out loud because of how guilty Ryan had acted every time Jasper had hissed and flinched, and over every little mark left behind.

Jasper’s not even sure if it was the little bites of pain, or the loving kindness Ryan had shown him in response that made him enjoy it. For Ryan’s sake he’s hoping it’s the latter, but he’s undoubtably more curious about just where his boundaries are between pleasure and pain.

This morning though, Ryan deserves the sweetest sex. He deserves it to be full of loving caresses, tender kisses, and compliments. After indulging in fantasies so much last night, it’s reassuring to know they both find it just as good when they are making love in a polarizingly soft way. The orgasm feels different, like it’d built slower and it was almost peaceful in it’s release, unlike the intensity of the night before.

After a shower and a quick clean up of the room, Jasper and Ryan walk out of Leo’s apartment hand-in-hand, feeling refreshed and ready to deal with the day.

 ****

Jasper crosses his arms as he enters the office Leo has set up for himself.

It’s professional in some ways. There’s a busy-looking calendar Jasper can’t bring himself to look at, as Leo’s only client and likely the reason so many dates coming up have red pen writing on them. Leo’s desk is set neatly. A single pen and an untouched notepad sit beside a macbook that Leo is typing away on. Again, as his only client, Jasper doesn’t want to know what Leo is so busy typing.

Jasper relaxes on the ridiculously fancy chaise lounge. He’s sure this is in here for some kind of kinky roleplay next time Kevin visits, but today Jasper is using it like he’s here for a therapy session, not a meeting with his manager.

“How are you this morning?” Leo asks, looking up from the macbook at last. He looks absolutely stunning in a pair of reading glasses Jasper has never seen him wear before.

“Leo, yesterday I told you we need a more professional working relationship, and you arranged for my husband and I to spend a night in your sex dungeon.”

“It’s only inappropriate if I ask how your night was.”

There’s silence as parts of Jasper’s night come to the forefront of his mind. Realistically, Leo’s the only one he can talk to about his sex life. Especially the kinks he and Ryan had experimented with. It’s actually difficult to accept he can’t discuss the things hot on his tongue and tormenting his thoughts with his only sexually open-minded friend. God knows he can’t talk to Grace, Beth or Flynn about his experience with a sex swing.

Jasper takes out Leo’s key and tosses it his way.

Leo catches it with a cheeky smile, but pockets it and moves along. “So, you should enjoy this few weeks with Ryan at home, because the schedule for The Voice is going to keep you very busy.”

Jasper groans. Though he’s excited for this new step in his career, he’s also a little nervous about how different this will be. He’s way out of his depth. The last time he coached someone on how to train their voice, he’d ended up a married father.

“You’ll be great, Jasper,” Leo says, like he’s reading his mind.

“I pay you to say that.” Jasper rolls his eyes.

“Complimenting you isn’t in the contract.”

Jasper looks over at Leo and smiles. “How’s it feel to be the boss of me, instead of my personal bitch?”

Jasper can see the mental restraint as Leo tries to answer that question without sexualizing it. “Congratulations, Jasper. After all these years of dealing with you, you’ve finally broken my brain. I can’t answer that question and keep my employment,” Leo admits.