I stiffened.
“Hate. Such a strong word. A word I think you can only truly understand and use when you’ve loved like we have… and lost. Hate happens when there’s loss.”
I turned in his lap, my legs dangling off the side of the chair. “What do you think about the stars now?”
Will tucked my hair behind my ear and said in a husky voice, “I think they pale in comparison — to the real thing.”
“You gonna kiss me again, Will Sutherland?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Nope. I had something else in mind.”
I hauled in a breath and tensed.
He explored my breasts, as he moved me, and nudged my knees apart. He invaded me. Filled me. My body gave way to his maddening movements. Waves of pleasure crashed, they pulsed.
I greedily took them all in.
Every sensation. Every feel of his muscled body as he focused on me and only me.
I wrestled with the need to touch him, as tremors built, causing me to gasp and grip his hands.
His voice quivered as he kissed down my back reverently, then rested his cheek against my skin. “Marry me.”
Tears filled my eyes.
And when they spilled over.
I realized.
I didn’t need him to kiss them way. To catch them.
Because I knew who I was.
Whose I was.
His.
“Yes.” I breathed. “Yes.”
Hours later, I was almost asleep in his arms when he whispered, “What was the condition?”
“That we move in together.” I yawned. “But this…” I scooted closer as he wrapped his arm tighter around my body. “So much better.”
“Sleep.”
“Okay…”
He relaxed.
“Will?”
“What?”
“We should have a no door rule…”
He tensed. “Why?”
“So we remember.”
“Remember?”
“How it started — that no matter what it started rocky, it may get rocky, but it’s good… so good.”
“Messy. Chaotic. Perfect. Us.”
“I CAN’T HEAR you, Chicago!” Zane yelled. “I said are you ready for some Adrenaline?”
The roar was deafening.
We’d sold out across the US and had to move to larger arenas, it was unreal.
And I’d missed it so damn much that I was having a hard time wiping the grin from my face, though part of that could be because of Ang.
She agreed to sing on some of our newer tracks.
And I’d coerced her by way of sex into performing a few of them with us.
It was what people wanted, especially after seeing the music video from the film, and even more so, after seeing the opening scene, the raw emotion in her eyes.
And knowing our story.
The whole story.
The whole damn thing.
Word for word. Written out in our new album, for the world to see.
Andrew wrote half.
I wrote half.
And then we traded, added things to each other’s riffs, made sure the lyrics worked, and then very amicably went into the studio to record with the rest of the group.
It was intense.
We still barely spoke any words to each other beyond “hi,” and “did you see Wes Michels throw that touchdown last week?”
That was it.
I know it hurt Ang just as much as it hurt me, because even though our story had a happy ending, Andrew was still suffering with even living his own out.
“One more time!” Zane yelled.
Ty grabbed his drumsticks and did a countdown.
I pulled my guitar over my shirtless body.
Andrew put in his headphones.
“It’s all yours.” Zane ran off stage, sweat sticking to his body. “I’m ready for a cheeseburger.”
“You eat all the burgers, I’m short sheeting your bed!” Ty yelled. “You know they order those for me.”
“All that gooey cheese.” Zane sighed.
Fallon smacked him on the back of the head. “Stop provoking him!” She turned to us, “Okay guys, you have the first three songs in a set, no intros until after, Zane said the noise was deafening so if all else fails just wing it…”
“God, you’re amazing.” Zane kissed her.
I groaned and shook my head. All the wives, girlfriends, and significant others had jobs. It was easier to hire them than a tour company; it kept everyone in check.
Something hit my ass.
“Hey big star, can I have your autograph?” Ang’s eyes glittered as she pulled me in for a kiss. “Thought I’d take some time away from all the food to show you guys something.” She pulled out her cell and turned it toward us her giant four karat diamond glistening in the lights. “Number one on the Billboard charts!”
The drumsticks fell out of Ty’s hand.
None of us thought it was possible.
There was too much competition, and we were old for crying out loud!
Okay, not as old as some musicians but still.
“Ohhhh yeah.” Zane hung his arm around me. “Alec’s going to be pissed, they held that spot for eight weeks.” He called back. “Hey Demetri, tell Alec he sucks!”
The crowd started chanting our name.
I kissed Ang one last time and locked eyes with Andrew.
He gave me a nod, a ghost of a smile on his face as we both walked out first.
Always first.
The leaders.
And when he stopped in front of his mic.
When I stood in front of mine.
He turned at me and smiled a real smile.
I strummed my guitar, he followed. The music flowed.
The intensity of the crowd was so tangible that it was hard to breathe, it hurt your chest, like people were screaming against your body, so when it was time for AD2 to pop on stage and do their set, I thanked the music gods and went in search of my girl.
I knew where she’d be.
Backstage with the fans.
Keeping the groupies in line.
Making sure nobody approached us.
Her resting bitch face easily did the trick with the ladies, and to think all this time we used guys to keep them away.
Besides that, she was pregnant so people didn’t mess with her.
I didn’t mess with her.
She held a cheeseburger in one hand and was signing an autograph with the other.
“More adoring fans?” I crooned.
Girls screamed.
I only had eyes for her.
She held the cheeseburger between us. “I don’t know what I want more.”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “You can have both, I know the caterer.”
She kissed me and then took a huge bite out of her burger and winked.
More screaming ensued when the rest of the guys made it to the backstage area.
Andrew took one look at all the girls and went in the opposite direction.
Ang’s smile fell. “He needs… someone. Something. Help. Anything.”
“Someone say help?” Jay walked up and handed her a napkin. “Because I find I’m quite the matchmaker.”
“Bullshit, you’re a meddler.” I groaned. “And the last thing Andrew needs is… you.”
“My heart.” Jay pounded his chest, a nearby girl fainted. Sad to say it was normal, all of us in one place, people passing out, girls having to take the ambulance away.
I didn’t even flinch, just made sure she was okay and sighed when Andrew walked back in, grabbed food, and left.
“Okay,” I sighed, “I’m listening.”
Jay crossed his arms. “Send his ass to Seaside.”
“That place is cursed.” Linc tried to steal Ang’s hamburger. “Send a dude there and guarantee he’s going to find a girlfriend.”
Ang gave me a hopeful look.