Twenty year old Corey Evans is one-half of 2ICE, the biggest duo on the radio at the moment. Pronounced twice, they're number one on the Billboard charts this week with their latest single. And number one in download sales, with two albums that have already gone platinum, to hear their manager tell it. And currently on their second U.S. tour, which has sold out stadiums across the nation. Despite this, there's an emptiness inside him which Corey can't seem to fill, no matter how many groupies he takes to his bed. He sees this same emptiness mirrored in the eyes of his band-mate, Ian Coltraine, who drowns his evenings after each show with a bottle of whiskey. Ian's the one Corey turns to when he wakes beside an unknown fan, still asleep in his bed and needs help evicting her. He's Corey best friend, the only person on the tour he can confide in, who he really trusts ... The one, Corey finally realizes, with whom he is madly, deeply, terribly in love. And he suspects Ian might feel the same. But his recent string of one-night stands makes Ian cautious about Corey's true feelings. He's wanted Corey for so long, and has watched him go through countless fans in search of ... what? Ian doesn't know. And he doesn't yet believe Corey when he says Ian might be it. Ian hopes so, but can't bring himself to believe Corey's fickle desire won't be gone in the morning. Can these two young men somehow move beyond Corey's past and Ian's pain to embrace a love they both so desperately desire?

Beautiful Disaster

Ian nodded. Of course he was fine. Everyone was fine. Even Ian lied and said he was fine, but he wasn’t, not in the least. How could he be fine when every waking thought, every sleeping dream, somehow came back to Corey? Corey, who always had a girl in his room when they were on tour. You’d think I’d be used to it by now but I’m not. I’m not. It hurts every time I think about it—


Behind him he heard that voice, hisvoice, and Ian closed his eyes in frustration.


“Corey.” Ian rubbed his temple with one hand. He wasn’t in the mood for this, not right now.


Corey stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Ian looked up into those dark, haunted eyes and saw…what? Concern? Sympathy? Nothing more. Nothing Ian wanted to see. “Corey, please. Just let me leave.”


Chapter 14