Riding in Cars with Boys
by Karen and LB
© 2002
Lance relaxes on the couch next to Joey, riveted to Wayne Isham's every word. This is the first video they're doing that involves a big production . . . and a lot of money. Trains, fast cars, some good special effects. They've finally hit the big time and Lance couldn't be more thrilled. Especially since, judging by the storyboards, he'll get to do some stunts. His mom wasn't too thrilled when he'd told her the concept, but he assured her it would be perfectly safe. At least that's what everyone kept telling him.
He, Joey, and Chris were going to do the train sequence. Lance tingles with anticipation when he sees the images of them being dropped onto the train and then running from the "psycho girl." Justin will have his own sequence, involving large dogs, and JC will be driving the fast car. It seems fitting, since JC is the only one who would look hot driving the sports car. Lance watches JC's face as Wayne describes that scene and smiles as he pictures JC looking as cool as JC always looks, his foot pressing the pedal to the floor and the wind whipping at his face. Yeahhh, baby.
JC watches Wayne paint a picture of the video, as much with his storyteller's words and manner as with his boards. It sounds amazing. One thing worries him a bit though . . .
"Um, Wayne? How much training am I getting with the car?"
"You'll get to work with it a day or two before the shoot. Don't worry, we have a professional driver for you to work with. You do drive, don't you, JC?" jokes the director.
"Nope. But a day's training should be plenty," JC shoots back.
Wayne crumples a piece of paper and tosses it at JC and everyone laughs. "Let's get to work. We're getting the green screen set up right now--we'll do the puppet shots after that and shoot the train tomorrow."
As they're changing for the shoot, Lance sidles up to JC. "You're gonna look hot in that car."
JC smiles self-consciously. "You think?"
"Definitely. I get all hot and bothered thinking about it. Maybe we can borrow it."
"Maybe if we like it I should buy one."
"Yeah? We could go test-drive one."
"Consider it a date."
*****
The next day begins at the crack of dawn. Lance heads over to the location with Joey, coffee in hand, yawning as they approach the train where they'll be doing today's action sequence. They've rehearsed it on the ground several times, and now it's their first run-through on the top. Joey, Lance, and Chris take their places and soon they're off. But after the first take, Wayne shakes his head. Lance is out of the frame and they have to reset. Again, they hit their marks and again Lance is out of the frame. Wayne works out a different arrangement and they try it, but the boys get confused and end up running into each other. After about an hour, Wayne calls for a break. "This isn't going to work," he announces.
JC has just arrived, fresh from his first driving lesson. He's exhilarated, and not a little nervous. "What's up?"
"A little snag. We're not getting Lance in the frame. There's too many guys on the train." He scratches his beard. "What are we gonna do with you, Lance?"
Lance smiles nervously. He really wants to be on the train but also knows that for a successful shoot everyone has to be cooperative. And Justin wants to do his bit by himself, so it's not like he can do the dog scene.
"Let's get this done today and I'll think about what we'll do with you later."
JC turns to Lance. "They're letting me drive the car by myself in a while. Wanna come?"
Lance's eyes light up. "Yeah!" He's deeply disappointed that he won't be doing any stuntwork today, but watching JC drive the car might take his mind off it.
"I can't believe they're even letting me do this," JC says excitedly as they walk to the training area.
"_I can't believe they're letting you do this," jokes Lance. As they approach the car, he adds, "You're probably the best driver out of all of us." This is the first time he's seeing the car up close, and he whistles, running his hand along the smooth hood. "Sweet."
"Well, don't smudge it," JC says, teasingly.
Lance grabs a corner of JC's shirt and rubs it against the spot he was just touching. "Happy?"
JC looks the car over critically. "The wheels could use a little polish."
Lance yanks JC down to the ground and rubs his shirt around the perfectly polished hubcap. "How's that?"
"Goof." JC gives Lance a quick kiss in the protective shadow of the car.
"JC? Let's go," his instructor calls.
"Yeah." Both boys pop up like guilty jack-in-the-boxes. "Lance is gonna watch, okay?"
"Hell, he can ride with you if he wants. That is, if he wants to risk his life."
Lance looks at JC. "Heck, yeah."
"Cool!" JC says with a grin and opens the door with a flourish. "Just settle yourself into the rich Corinthian leather."
"Thanks, Ricardo. Just keep your eyes on the road, okay?"
"You got it." JC starts the car and signals to the instructor that he's ready.
"Peel out!" yells Lance.
JC smirks at Lance then hits the gas, driving confidently around the designated course. He's a little nervous--this is the first time without the instructor by his side and he also wants to impress Lance.
"Woo hoo!" Lance hollers. "Faster!"
The second time around the course they do go faster--still in control but definitely faster and more exciting.
It's thrilling to be in this car driving fast with JC. Lance's adrenalin is pumping by the time JC slams on the breaks, sending them into a half-spin. "Do it again!"
JC looks up to see the instructor signaling him to come back to the starting point. "Hang on, buddy."
"You're doing great, JC. Time to try it with another car in the picture. You staying in, Lance?"
Grinning, Lance shrugs. "Sure, if you don't mind."
"No, it'll be good to see if he's easily distracted."
"No way," JC insists. "I can do this."
"Good. Nice and slow the first time." They're off, moving around the course slowly at first, then more rapidly as JC becomes more comfortable.
Lance hangs his arm out the window, fully confident of JC's driving abilities.
In spite of his deep concentration, JC is very aware of Lance's presence next to him. It's a good feeling, a comfortable feeling. And with it, an idea is born.
Lance holds his arms in the air as JC gains speed. "This is great!"
"Keep your arms inside the vehicle at all times," JC intones, mock- sternly. Lance throws his arm over the back of JC's seat. "Is this better?"
"Always." At a signal from the instructor, JC brings the car to a screeching halt.
"That was good. Just watch the clutch when you go into the spin." The instructor checks his watch. "You're supposed to be back on set soon, so we'll get the car ready for tomorrow."
"I'm ready?" JC says, with a hint of tentativness.
"No sweat. You're a pro."
"If you say so." JC turns to Lance. "Ready?"
*****
Back at the warehouse where a rotating room has been constructed, Lance changes into his outfit for this part of the shoot. He can't stop thinking about how sexy JC looked, shifting gears and taking control of the car. While they're waiting for the shot to be set up, JC sidles over to Lance. "Hey, I had an idea. We could ask Wayne if you could be in the car with me."
"What would I do?"
"Keep an eye on the crazy chick? Keep us from accidentally going over the cliff?"
"Guys, we're ready for you," the PA calls out.
"Think about it," JC says as they take their places. "You know you had a blast today."
"Lance," Wayne approaches, throwing his arm around the smaller man. "How about you do the dog scene tomorrow with Justin?"
JC looks sharply at Lance, but any response Lance might make is interrupted by Justin. "That's LAME!"
"You're lame!" Chris calls out from across the room.
"I was just, um, saying that Lance could be in the car with me," JC says quietly. "I mean, if he wants to." Wayne looks over his notes, mulling over JC's suggestion. "Yeah, that would work--it would balance things out. Joey and Chris on the train, Justin in the middle with the dogs, you and Lance in the big chase scene at the end."
"But if Lance doesn't want too, that's cool too," JC says carefully.
"No, I like that," Wayne repeats. "What's better than a hot chick chasing two guys in a hot car?"
"Two HOT guys," JC corrects, playfully.
"I stand corrected." Wayne goes over to where the storyboards have been set up and looks at the scene. "Yeah, this will work because we already green-screened you guys falling so we'll just do the drop in the car tomorrow. We won't have to reshoot anything."
Chris wanders over, looking over Wayne's shoulder. "Hey, you know what would be funny? If they drop in the car and then JC pulls out a CD and dusts it off. Like, the music can stop while he's doing this until he puts it in the CD player."
Wayne laughs. "That's good, I like that. Kind of like James Bond taking a break from the action to straighten his bow-tie."
"Hey!" Justin protests. "How come everyone gets to do cool stuff but me?"
"Can it, infant," Chris replies. "You get a whole story to yourself. With cool dogs."
As Justin stalks away, plotting his strategy, Lance, Wayne, and JC huddle to go over the basics of tomorrow's shoot. "I'm depending on you, Lance, to make this look exciting," Wayne explains. "JC's gonna be busy driving the car. You've got to be looking around, watching for the other car, pointing out the curves when JC gets distracted. You're what's gonna make someone watching feel like they're part of it, dig?"
Lance listens attentively--it's going to be like acting. Like they're really doing a chase scene and he'll get to act. He nods, eager for tomorrow to come. When the idea was first presented, there was a part of him that felt JC only offered because he felt sorry for Lance.
"This is gonna be SO cool!" JC says as they get down to work on the rotating room sequences.
"Yeah, I want to see it flip over."
"I want to see us NOT fall on our butts."
"That's half the fun."
"No, the fun part is watching the OTHER guys fall on their butts."
"Who's falling?" Joey asks, as he trips up the steps to the box.
Lance slaps his leg. "YOU, dude!"
"Bet I don't. Anyone wanna get in on this action?"
"Um, nope," JC says seriously. "Just make sure you don't fall on me. WHEN you fall."
"Tell you what. We do one complete rotation--whoever's still standing wins."
"I'm in," blurts Lance.
"Me too," Chris says as he approaches.
"In what?" asks Justin, returning from the dressing area.
"JC and Joey are gonna do one rotation and whoever falls first loses," explains Chris.
"That's a sucker bet. Of course Joey's gonna fall. But I'm in."
"Hey, Tony, can we get this thing going so we can practice?"
"Only if I can put 20 bucks on Joey."
"Deal."
The boys climb into the huge contraption and signal Tony when they're ready. And the room starts to spin.
Lance watches, transfixed as JC gracefully follows the room's rotation, his long legs stretched from wall to wall. "Go, C!" he yells.
Gratified by Lance's cheer, JC almost loses his concentration and slips. But he hangs on, oblivious to Joey's struggles.
As expected, as the room is about to make its final turn, Joey slips and lands flat on his butt. Lance almost damages a major organ laughing so hard. "Do it again, Joey!"
"Some best friend YOU are," Joey grouses, rubbing the afflicted area. "You bet against me, too, didn't you?"
Lance walks by Chris and subtly takes his winnings. "Me? No way. Would I do that to you?" He winks at JC as he passes him.
"Okay, enough fun and games," Wayne announces, and they settle down to several hours of work that is both fun and challenging. Finally, they get a break. With the car shoot only hours away, Lance decides to catch a catnap on the couch. Justin is following Wayne around, trying to get him to listen to his ideas. Joey's ordering pizza, and Chris is on the phone with Dani, so JC settles in a nearby chair and watches Lance sleep until he gives in to sleep himself. Not long after Lance begins to dream he's nudged awake by the PA. They only have a few hours to shoot, so he's given a few minutes to freshen up before he and JC will be driven to the location for the morning's shoot.
On his way to the bathroom, he shakes JC gently. "It's time," he says quietly, resisting the urge to add "darlin'."
"Hmmmm?" JC murmurs sleepily. "Oh, yeah. Hey, you."
Lance looks down at JC so his head appears upside down. "Hey. We have to go." He wants so badly to kiss that sleep-shrouded face.
JC shakes himself awake. "Yeah. You. Me. Car."
"Driving fast." Lance whispers the last word so it lingers in the air.
JC feels the word shiver through him. "Remember, we have a date for a test drive. Several test drives."
"So let's just consider this practice."
"Practice is good," JC says, getting up and stretching.
They reach the shoot with a few minutes to spare, so they test out the bar they're going to drop from, Lance hanging off it swinging his legs. Soon, they're set to go. On the first take, Lance's foot hits the visor, knocking it off. Embarrassed, he giggles while the crew sets about trying to fix it.
"Lance broke the car," JC says, on the verge of giggling.
"Ah did," Lance says conspiratorially to the MTV camera crew, who are filming this for a "Making the Video" special. He enjoys sharing these secret jokes with JC, much in the way he shares special moments with Joey, although Joey's are without the sexual undertones. "I guess I should be punished," Lance whispers in JC's ear when the camera crew wanders off.
"I'll see what I can, um, come up with," JC growls back.
Once they've done the close-ups while the car is hitched to a trailer, JC is let loose and the fun begins. Kim gets into it as much as the boys, and anyone watching from far away might actually believe there's a real chase taking place. By the time Wayne shouts his final "Cut!" Lance whines for him to let them do it one more time. But time is money, and Wayne still has to do the stunts with the professional driver, so the boys are set free. "Let's watch," Lance tells JC.
"I LIKE to watch," JC leers, and the boys find a place out of the crew's way. It's almost as exciting as being in the car, and they're cheering by the time everything's filmed.
"That was AMAZING!" Lance exclaims as they head back to the hotel, done for the day.
"It sure was. And," JC drops his voice. "You were totally HOT in that car."
Blushing, Lance looks out the window. "Was not. I probably looked like a dork. Besides, how could you tell? You were supposed to be watching the road."
"Corner of my eye, babe. And I know hot when I see it."
"How could you notice anything while driving that car? THAT was hot."
"When it comes to you, babe, I'm always noticing."
"You're a horny dude."
"Is that a complaint?"
"Seems like a waste right now."
"We'll be at the hotel soon. Just in time for a nice . . . hot . . . shower."
"I could use one. Look at all this dust."
"You're disgusting," JC purrs.
"I'm dirty, heh heh."
"And don't forget smelly," JC adds innocently.
"I don't know how you can stand being in the same car as me."
"I don't have to." They've just pulled up to the hotel.
"Better get as far away from me as possible."
"Better get in there and shower so we can go out and play."
"Play?"
"You do want to go test drive cars, don't you?"
"Are you serious? Heck yeah!" Lance practically does the hundred-yard dash to his room, showers in record time, and is at JC's room before his hair has had time to fully dry. JC has been sitting with the phone book in his lap, looking up car dealerships. He lets Lance in. "We've got a couple of possibilities. We can go test drive cars. Or I found a place that will rent us a nice red sports car and we can have it all night."
"Start dialing."
"I kind of already told them to bring it over unless they heard from me in the next ten minutes."
"What'd you get?"
"Maserati."
"Woo hoo! Um, can I drive?"
"No way!" JC shouts. "Dork. Of course you can."
Lance gives JC a quick kiss, then takes his hand, pulls him to his feet, and leads him down to the lobby. It's privileges like this, being able to rent an expensive sports car, no questions asked, that make his job even more worthwhile than it already is.
They sign off on the paperwork and in a few minutes JC has the keys in his hand. They walk outside and stop to admire the car. Then JC tosses the keys to Lance. "Let's go."
Lance snatches the keys midair and saunters to the driver's side. He puts on the sunglasses that were in his jacket pocket, strikes a debonair pose, then removes them and giggles. "Now THIS is a Bond car." When he starts the engine, he guns it, listening to the whir of the turbines until, finally, he puts the car in gear and they're off. It's a warm enough California night that they ride with the top down, the wind blowing back his hair as they speed up the canyon to the hills overlooking Hollywood.
JC watches in admiration as Lance smoothly pilots the powerful machine. Somehow, a part of him still thinks of Lance as the gawky, awkward kid he'd met on that very first day. That this newer Lance-- confident, assured and all man--is still the same kid that JC fell in love with fills him with pride and wonder.
Lance pulls up to a spot on the Hollywood Hills overlooking the valley. He's seen this spot many times in many movies and has always wanted to come up here to see if it's really as expansive as it appears on screen. And it is, even more so. "I think I can see our hotel," he jokes, as he puts the car in Park and shuts off the engine.
"Wow," JC says, looking at the city spread out before him. "We should, I mean one of us should get a house that looks down like this."
"You could. Your house in Orlando is so small and this way we could use my house in Florida when we're out there and your house in LA when we're out here."
"Perfect," JC says dreamily. "Once we're done test driving cars we can start looking at houses."
Lance stares at JC, then breaks into a fit of giggles. "And you would, too."
"What?" JC says. "You wouldn't?"
"I'd go anywhere with you."
"Even if I never buy a Maserati?"
"Even if you were driving a Pinto."
"They don't make those any more. They exploded or something."
"See? So that says something."
"I would never put you in a car that might explode."
"Then we don't have anything to worry about."
"Nothing," JC agrees. "Except the biggest video of our lives, and the biggest song of our lives. And the biggest album of our lives . . . "
"That worries you?"
"Yeah, a little," JC confesses. "A lot."
"The single's already a hit. The video's gonna be great. And if it's not, you can always go back to Disney."
"And be what? The world's oldest Mousketeer?"
"Nah. Goofy."
"I knew I shouldn't've let you drive."
"I'm an excellent driver."
"K-Mart sucks."
Lance laughs again. Something about being up in these hills inspires movie dialogue, and having done the video shoot today it's no wonder that's his frame of mind right now. "It's like being in a movie."
"And I've got the sexiest leading man."
With his arm stretched behind JC's seat, Lance leans in and kisses him.
JC moves closer to Lance like a sunflower turning toward the sun as he opens his lips and invites Lance in. Lance brings one hand to JC's face, caressing it like it's made of porcelain. JC leans farther across the gearshift, gripping the leather seat on either side of Lance's head as he explores every inch of Lance's warm, wet mouth with his tongue.
As if the excitement of driving this sports car wasn't enough to arouse Lance, JC's kisses certainly do the trick. His heart pounds as he leans back in his seat, letting JC's tongue probe his mouth.
The warm evening breeze stirring the air, the scent of the leather surrounding them and the taste of Lance combine to arouse JC quickly and thoroughly. Already his pants feel uncomfortably tight and this beautiful car feels impossibly confining.
Lance turns in his seat so he's leaning against the door, but the handle presses into his back and he shifts some more, trying to find a comfortable position.
"Come here," JC says, breaking their kiss. He coaxes Lance out of the driver's seat and onto his own lap. "Better?"
"Yeah," Lance breathes, touching his forehead to JC's. He slips his hand inside JC's jacket to touch the warm body inside.
JC smiles, enjoying the weight of Lance on his thighs, the closeness. He lets the anticipation build for a moment before once again bringing his mouth to Lance's.
Lance kisses back with equal ardor. "I'm crushing you," he whispers, when they finally break for air.
"No, you're not. And if you were, I wouldn't care."
"If it gets uncomfortable tell me and I'll move."
"Something's uncomfortable. But I don't want you to move."
Lance reaches down and squeezes his hand between JC's leg to rub his hot crotch. "This?"
JC's head falls back against the headrest with a soft thud. "That."
"What do you want me to do about it?"
"You really have to ask?"
"Tell me."
"Rub. Touch. Kiss. Stroke. Lick. Caress. Any or all of the above."
With a seductive leer, Lance does as JC commands. First, he kisses him, passionately, then he trails his lips down JC's cheek to his neck, which Lance licks and gently sucks, while his hand flicks open the button to JC's jeans and slips inside to caress the trapped heat of JC's throbbing organ.
JC stifles a moan as his head rolls against the headrest. With one hand, he grips the front of Lance's shirt, guiding him back up so JC can claim the hot, delicious mouth. The other hand plays seductively down Lance's back to curve around his tight, round ass.
Lance grunts in JC's mouth and increases the pressure of his hand against JC's hardness. He strokes insistently, the adrenalin from driving fast still coursing through his bloodstream.
JC releases Lance's shirt, sliding his hand down his chest and abdomen to cup Lance's own erection, rubbing it through the tight denim, using the seam to add extra pressure.
Despite the lack of space between their bodies, Lance moves against JC's hand as he quickens his strokes on JC's heat. JC's breath is coming in little gasps, and he finally has to break away from their kiss. His hand becomes more insistent on Lance's firm bulge and JC can hear Lance's breathing quicken as well. It's as if they come alive under one another's touch.
Lance keeps his face close to JC's so his breath fans his lover's face. He squirms on JC's lap while trying to concentrate on pleasing JC, his own pleasure a secondary concern.
JC thrusts hard into Lance's hand--hard enough that he would have dislodged Lance from his knees were he not gripping Lance so firmly. His fingers dig into the firm flesh of Lance's perfect ass and his other hand continues to press against the hot bulge.
The whole car shakes with their movements, but Lance is completely focused on the power of having JC's erection in his hands and the tightness in his own crotch that he doesn't even notice. Sweat trickles down his face and he breathes hotly against JC's skin.
"Lance," JC gasps and then smiles naughtily. "We're gonna mess up the CAR." The warning comes too late, though, and he's coming, hard and sweet.
"Oh, shit," exclaims Lance, trying to keep his hand over JC's eruption, but smiling all the same. "Good thing there's no cops around."
"Good thing I have two shirts on," JC grins back, still panting. "One to clean up with, one to wear back."
"Better your shirt than this upholstery. I don't even want to think about what they'd charge for . . . this." Lance holds up his hand, demonstrating the substance in question.
"Maybe it's good for leather."
"This car has a LOT of leather."
"We've got a lot of . . . I better not say that."
"Ew!" Lance laughs, then kisses JC. "Yes, we do."
"And we've got more," JC says, resuming his massage of Lance's crotch.
Lance nuzzles JC's neck, moaning a vibration into JC's throat.
JC opens Lance's jeans, then urges Lance into a kneeling position, straddling him. He lowers Lance's jeans and boxer-briefs enough to free his erection, then scrunches himself down in the seat until he's facing the twitching member.
Lance can only imagine how strange this must look but he doesn't care. He grips the back of the seat, relieved to finally be free from his jeans, the soft breeze cooling the sweat on his face. JC cups Lance's ass in both hands, pulling Lance toward him. He nuzzles his face against the smooth, hot flesh, the soft curls, breathing in a scent that is both fresh and musky. Then he runs his tongue slowly up the length of Lance's erection.
Lance wriggles in JC's hands, wanting more, needing more, knowing that JC's is going to drag this torturous pleasure out as long as he can.
"This is why I wanted you in the car with me," JC says, between licks. "So we can think about this every time we see the video."
"I don't think I'll be able to drive my own car without thinking of this," Lance groans, as he feels his climax build.
"Good," JC says, deciding he's tortured Lance long enough, giving Lance what JC knows he wants. He plunges his warm mouth down onto Lance's waiting, aching erection.
Lance gasps and digs his fingers into the upholstery. He thrusts his hips in quick, easy movements, his release near at last. He doesn't have to wait long. With JC's warm, wet mouth engulfing his heat, Lance cries out and comes, convulsing against JC in short bursts.
JC holds Lance up with strong arms until Lance is finished, then simultaneously sits up and lets Lance slide down so he can wrap his arms around the younger boy and feel his heart slowing to normal. "I think you're going to have to drive us home," Lance whispers, when he can finally talk again.
"You're going to let me drive?"
Lance flings open the door and steps out, holding it open for JC. "Being a passenger isn't so bad. Not when you've got a great driver."
JC stands and strips off both his shirts. He uses the wifebeater to clean up any evidence of their activity, then puts on and buttons the other shirt. "You don't want to go back to the hotel so soon, do you?"
"No. What do you have in mind?"
"Drive around some more. Get dinner? Enjoy the car while we've got it."
"Wanna reenact the chase scene?"
"Who's gonna chase us?"
Lance leans close, bringing his lips to JC's ear. "Let's say a tall, dark, mysterious man is stalking me, trying to take me away, and you're the only one who can save me."
"Gee, you should share your ideas with Wayne," JC says as he puts the car in reverse and peels out of their parking spot.
"Only some of them," replies Lance, as they speed down the hill to the magical lights below, full of promise and adventure.