A/N: OK, so I know I said I was going to be working on the Love Story update (and I am) but I got distacted. My brain seems to want me to write this story a bit more so I will indulge it.
Randy groaned loudly and slowly opened his eyes. His forehead instantly creased into a frown and his eyes closed tightly as the sunlight and pain hit him simultaneously. He threw an arm over his eyes and turned over slightly, coming into contact with another warm body next to his. Randy sighed softly and removed his arm from his head, moving it to lie around the waist of his lover and burying his face against John's back as he inhaled deeply. He lowered the sheet covering John's body and frowned, his eyes coming into contact with the unfamiliar skin.
"John…"
Randy sat up in the bed and flipped a light switch on, his eyes protesting the move. He yanked the blanket roughly off the body in bed with him and his eyes widened in alarm. "Cody!"
Randy launched his body out of bed, the cool air in the room immediately hitting his uncovered body. His face reddened and he anxiously searched for something to cover up with as Cody turned over in the bed, rubbing his face. "Hey,"
Randy found his jeans partially hidden under the bed and quickly pulled them out and slid them on. His confused gaze met Cody's and he frowned. "Hey? Hey? Is that all you have to say to me?"
Cody slowly shrugged and raised an eyebrow. "Last night was fun?"
Randy's mouth dropped open in a silent gasp. His eyes scanned the room anxiously and he groaned inwardly as he saw the scattered clothes everywhere and the surefire sign of what had taken place the night before on the rumpled bed sheets, the empty condom wrappers and used condoms.
"Last night was fun? Oh my God, Cody, what the hell happened here?" Randy dropped his head into his hands and groaned. "No, I know what happened! How did it happen, Cody?"
Cody frowned and met Randy's eyes and he finally lifted his head. "What do you mean how? We wanted to so we did…" He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, shrugging once more. "Why are you freaking out about this?"
Randy held a hand up and shook his head. "Are you fucking serious? Can you put some fucking clothes on?"
Cody looked down at his body and rolled his eyes as he bent to look for something to put on. "I don't get what the big deal is. You've seen it all before and you damn sure saw it all last night. After what we did I don't think we need to act shy around one another, Ran."
"How did this happen, Cody?" asked Randy, repeating his earlier question. He began to pace around the room, his head throbbing with each step he took. "Last thing I remember is going off on Brock and you coming out into the patio. How did we get from there to here?"
Cody finally found his jeans and slid them on slowly. He met Randy's intense glare and slowly smiled. "He gave you something and it messed you up, Ran. I took care of you. I bought you up here and called John. I told him we had moved the party up to my room and you had passed out so he should go to sleep and not worry. After that, you said you wanted to repay my kindness. You were throwing yourself at me, Ran. You came up to me and started taking my clothes off…I mean, I wasn't going to stop you or turn you down. You know I've wanted this for a while now so…"
"Oh my God, stop. You're making me sick." Randy moved one arm around his waist, hugging his midsection tightly. "How could you let this have happened, Cody? You're supposed to be my friend!"
"Hey, like I said, you were throwing yourself at me!" Cody's voice rose in anger but confusion clouded his features. "You started taking your clothes off and coming at me!"
"I was drunk and high! I have never cheated on John and I never would. You know I would never do that when sober! You took advantage of the fact I wasn't!" Randy's voice also rose, booming throughout the room.
"Oh, don't give me that shit. You told me you were fine! I asked you if you were sure; if you understood what we were doing! You said you were, that you wanted it just as bad as I did. The last thing on your mind last night was John. You weren't thinking about him or anyone but me and you made it clear. Don't tell me I took advantage of you." Cody rolled his eyes, his voice full of conviction. "I know you're worried about John's reaction. I can promise you I'll be keeping my mouth shut. I didn't delude myself into thinking you actually cared about me."
"That's not the point, Cody." Randy's voice lowered slightly but the anger remained. "The point is that you knew I would never have done what we did last night. I know how you feel for me, Cody and I would never take advantage of that. Not only because I'm married but because you're one of my closest friends. I can't believe you let this happen. I thought you were better than this."
"Stop blaming me for this! You wanted it, you asked me for it! I tried to stop you but you didn't listen. What part of that don't you understand?" Cody raised his hands in frustration and reached in his pockets, searching for some cigarettes.
"And what part of I wasn't myself last night don't you understand? You know me, Cody and you know the me last night isn't who I am. Whether you admit it or not, you took advantage of a situation that you know is wrong. I'm not saying I'm innocent in this but you have made this a hell of a lot more difficult than it had to be." Randy shook his head and reached down to the ground once more, picking up his t-shirt and underwear. He slid his feet into his sneakers and glared up at Cody once more.
"I don't know how you could live knowing what an asshole thing you did but I sure cant. I will be telling John the truth no matter what it costs me. Good luck dealing with him when he comes looking for you." Randy turned on his heel and quickly walked out of Cody's room, letting the door slam behind him. He practically ran down the hall to the elevator, his t-shirt and underwear clutched in his hands. Once inside, Randy leaned back against the cool metal back, the enormity of what he had done hitting him along with the rising feeling of nausea. His eyes watered as an image of John flew past his closed eyes and Randy quickly clutched his stomach once more.
The elevator opened with it a ding and Randy wiped the moisture from his eyes as he stepped out and headed for his room. He dug into his back pocket, finding his phone and wallet and pulled out the key card for his room. Randy took a deep breath, hesitating as he stood in front of the room he shared with John. He knew the older man would be inside and didn't have any idea how he would begin to explain to him what he'd done.
Slowly pushing the door open, Randy blinked a few times as the bright sunlight lighting up the room hit him. He scanned the room for John and didn't see him but heard water running in the bathroom. Randy dropped the clothes he held in his hand onto the ground and slowly headed for the room the noise was coming from as John exited the room wiping his hands on a towel. His eyes met Randy's, his eyebrow arching when he saw the disheveled state the younger man was in.
"Well, it's nice of you to come back. I see you obviously had a lot of fun last night."
Randy shook his head, his eyes watering once more when he heard the coldness in John's voice. He took a step closer, aching to pull John into his arms. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry I didn't leave with you when you came."
John frowned and looked at Randy carefully. He scanned his naked upper half and then met his teary eyes. "What happened last night? What's wrong with you?"
Randy lowered his eyes, unable to meet John's stare any longer. A tear escaped and he quickly moved his hand to brush it away. He heard John take a couple of steps closer to him and seconds later felt his hand on his bare hips. "Ran, what's wrong?"
Randy looked up and reached for the hand John had placed on his waist. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it, meeting John's confused gaze as he did so. "I love you so much, John."
John's gaze softened and he smiled slowly. "I know you do and I love you, too, Randy. I would never stop just because you go out with the boys, if that's what you're worrying about. I do wish, though, that our love kept you home a little bit more lately."
Randy nodded, still gripping John's hand tightly. "It should. I should've been with you last night instead of with them. If I had been, then none of this would've happened."
"Nothing did happen, Ran. Let's just forget last night and promise to try to work harder on staying home from now on." John smiled as Randy quickly nodded and pulled him in for a tight hug and pressed his lips to John's in a hard, needy kiss.
John pulled back slowly and licked his lips. "I guess you did miss me last night."
Randy pulled John back in and let their lips hover together. "I'll regret last night for the rest of my life, John. I need to be selfish right now, though and kiss you one more time…" He crushed his lips against John's, tightly clutching the older man to him. John quickly responded despite wondering what had brought on the sudden neediness in his husband.
Randy drew back from that kiss, a brutal kiss that left both their lips swollen and them breathless. John watches Randy's eyes, full of sadness, and his hands rose to capture his face as their lips join once again. This time the kiss was softer, initiated by John and directed by him, and he swept his tongue in lazy, languid motions that swiped over Randy's lower lip. Randy's hands continued to grasp John's hips until the older man pulled away.
John laughed softly as he rested his forehead against Randy's. "OK, baby, this is getting a little too intense. Its making me think something is wrong. Are you sure you're OK?"
Randy kept his eyes closed, his heart racing. "No. I slept with Cody last night." His eyes opened just in time to see John's widen, his mouth falling open in a silent gasp as he moved back, away from him. Randy's lips began to tremble as he tried to keep his emotions in check and not fall apart before explaining to John what had happened. "I'm sorry, John. I was drunk and then Brock gave me something in a cigarette. I didn't know it had anything, I swear to you! Cody took me back to his room to let it pass but I don't remember anything after walking out of the bar with him. I woke up this morning in bed with him and he told me what happened. I don't remember it, John and you know if I had been sober I would never have done it! Please, John, please. You have to forgive me."
John stared back at Randy, his face devoid of emotion as he moved further away from him. He tuned to face the dresser in the room and quickly walked over to it, grabbing his wallet and phone from the top. "Pack your shit and get out. I suggest you not be here when I get back."
The loud, shrill scream of the bedside alarm clock awoke Randy with a jolt and his eyes snapped open, connecting with the ceiling of the hotel room. Despite the sudden shock of his wakeup, he was thankful to have awoken and have escaped the dream that had been plaguing him for months now. It was amazing to him that despite how good he was at burying other bad memories, this one seemed to find a way to keep torturing him.
Randy sighed as he turned over in the bed but made no move to get up, instead choosing to stare out the window. He took slow, deep breaths, willing his heart to slow down from the rapid pace at which it beat. It had become a normal wakeup for him now; to be awakened by the memory of one of his worst days ever. It had been the beginning of the end for him and John but for some reason, at that moment, he hadn't thought of it that way.
To think about it now, Randy realized he had been either incredibly naïve or just plain delusional to think John would've forgiven him. He should've known the man would kick him out of his life. Randy had left the room that day and given John all the space he'd wanted while still reassuring him of his love for him and of how sorry he was for what he'd done. John had ignored all of Randy's attempts and made it clear their marriage was over. A betrayal of that sort was unforgivable in John's book but Randy had convinced himself the older man would find a way to look past it for him. What he never expected was for John to get revenge on him in a way that would turn Randy into the same angry and bitter man John had become.
Randy groaned and slowly stood up. He walked over to the desk near the large window and fired up his iPad. The app for his favorite airline stared back at him and he tapped it, bringing it to life. He filled in the required information to book his ticket for home that following day but when it came time to type in his destination city, Randy hesitated. Did he really want to go to Tampa and attempt this relationship again with John? After all the things they had done to each other, hurtful and vengeful things, could there really be a way to still work it out? Would they be able to start anew, forgiving and forgetting?
The empty box stared back at Randy and he quickly made a decision. He would be leaving Los Angeles and getting on a flight back to home…his home in Tampa.
A/N: OK, so review and let me know what you think. I promise I will work on Love's update this weekend! Have a good one, all!
