Epilogue

TOMMY

A YEAR LATER

" B aby, are you done packing?"

My question went unanswered. That was odd.

Until I walked out of the bathroom and realized why.

I found my boyfriend sitting on our bed, in nothing but jeans, his guitar in hand, humming and strumming a new tune. I knew from working, and now living, with a rockstar, that when the muse strikes, you don't interrupt.

Leaning against the doorjamb, I soaked up the sight of my beautiful, incredible man. Nate glanced up and gave me a wicked smile, never losing his rhythm, playing only to me.

"You like?" he asked.

I nodded, sitting down beside him, pushing his long hair off his shoulder, and giving his skin a teasing kiss.

"I love. What's it called?"

"I don't have a name for it yet. I still need to work on the lyrics."

"Well, the sound is intense. Passionate."

"Well, I'm very inspired," he replied, leaning over to take my lips.

He wasn't the only one. Nate filled up my life this past year with so much color, laughter, and love.

He'd moved into my condo the day after I'd asked him, and he hadn't left. Well, of course he'd left, for weeks, for his shows. But I was on the road too, and taking courses in my spare time. Time was tight. But whatever we had, we found a way.

And he always came back to me. We came back to each other.

And there'd been lots of changes this year. Not just me and Nate, but also his band. Killmine wrapped up their second album a month ago, with a different label (that's a story for another day) and now they were getting ready for a world tour headlining with Wayward Lane. A major career accomplishment for any band. It meant an eight month journey—with breaks, of course—so me and Nate could travel together.

And some day, in the not-too-distant future, I was going to be a full-time sound engineer. It didn't mean that I'd leave my roadie life behind. I'd still be traveling with band tours. But it did bring more opportunities. For me personally, and to work with Nate. Something I really, really wanted to do.

The world tour started in a month, in Japan. But first, Nate and I were off to Hawaii for three weeks. The trip that we were now packing for. After our vacation, we'd fly directly to Tokyo to meet the rest of the guys.

It was the first time in a year that Nate and I had three full weeks together, uninterrupted. I couldn't wait. The only other vacation we'd taken together was a three-day trip to NOLA this past Halloween, the one-year anniversary of the day we met. I'd met his family, too. Just like Nate, they were warm, kind, and welcoming. I felt right at home.

Nate kissed me one more time and put his guitar aside. "Can you grab my jacket from the closet?"

I chuckled. "Isn't Hawaii a bit warm for leather?"

"I don't leave home without it." Nate winked at me. "Besides, it's not the only leather piece I'm bringing."

What? Fuck the rest of the packing.

I pushed him down on the bed, blanketing his body, my lips teasing his. "Tell me more. Or, better yet, show me."

Nate's big blue eyes stared up at me. "We have a plane to catch, remember?"

"But—"

"I'll model my surprise for you as soon as we arrive in Honolulu."

"Or better yet, on the plane?"

Nate laughed out loud, and the sound had me reaching for him again. I could never resist this man.

"Je t'aime, mon cher," Nate whispered to me. "Toujours, je t'aime."

"I love you, too, beautiful. Always."

Then I showed him exactly what I meant.

Until the blaring sound of my phone buzzing interrupted our kiss. It was the car service. And shit, Nate was half-dressed. And our suitcases were still open.

"You get a shirt on. I'll finish packing," I directed, reluctantly tearing myself away from him.

"Yes, boss."

I turned and playfully swatted his ass in retaliation.

"We'll pick that up on the plane, too," Nate teased.

"I'm holding you to that."

Falling for a rockstar?

I wouldn't have it any other way.