Epilogue: Dom

EPILOGUE – DOM

Eight Months Later

Watching Cam on stage is like a religious experience. I don't think there's anyone in the world that wouldn't agree. Especially no one in this audience.

After his award-winning performance at the World Ballet Competition—best male dancer in the professional category and best choreography overall—the Los Angeles Ballet invited him to perform as part of an avant-garde exhibition with several other solo artists. I have a strong feeling they're going to ask him to stay and dance with the company permanently. While we're here for the majority of the spring, I've got some property tours planned—just in case Dwayne might be interested in expanding Connor Bro's Boxing Gym and opening a location here in LA.

Not that Los Angeles is the only city we might end up in. Since the news of Alistar's trial went public, and footage of Cameron's first performance as a principal dancer went viral on the internet, he's been getting a lot of attention in the dance world. Then after the stunning performance at the World Ballet Competition, the calls started rolling in. Cam could literally go anywhere in the world, and I'm fully ready to follow him wherever he goes.

I have a feeling that Los Angeles might be a winner, though. Not only does the ballet company offer free classes for children and adolescents, but one of Cameron's very favorite people on earth happens to live here. I had the pleasure of meeting Antoni once before, but I've gotten to know him a lot better since we got to LA. He and Cameron could easily pass for brothers, although Antoni's features are a not as soft. He's an editorial and runway model and is married to an eccentric fashion designer. Their swanky penthouse apartment is full of some of the most random and confusing art I've ever had to pretend to enjoy looking at, but the photos from all the really cool photo shoots he's done for magazines and big brands are hung everywhere, too. There's even a print of the portrait he did with Ellis Hope, the same guy who came to Atlanta to photograph and sketch me for the article in Sports Unleashed . I appreciate how comfortable Antoni is with having his own face and body plastered all over his walls. Meanwhile, I'm mortified every time I walk into the gym and see a seminude portrait of myself, no matter how flattering the artist made it. I can't decide if I'm hoping the massive print will come with us or stay in Atlanta when we eventually move. The one Ellis made of the two of us, however, stays wherever we go.

I'm confident LA is going to be our new home, at least for a while.

At intermission, I take my phone from my pocket. It was buzzing during the show, but I didn't want to distract anyone around me with the light from my phone. Just because I've seen the show a dozen times already doesn't mean I'm about to ruin the experience for anyone else. If Cam signs with the Los Angeles Ballet, I might look into the cost of season box seats. Then I can have snacks and work on my business plan whenever Cam isn't on stage. Not that everyone else isn't super talented—they are. But Cam's the only one I'm interested in seeing repeat the same performance over and over again. He's the only person I'll never get bored of.

Dwayne: Just landed. We'll see you soon.

My heart skips a beat. After this performance, the company will have a few hours to rest and stay warm, and then they have their last performance of the week tonight. Cam doesn't know it yet, but we have some special guests coming to see him perform. And then Antoni has helped me plan a surprise. I'm excited and nervous as hell.

Me: Meet me in the theater. I have a surprise for you.

Tiny Dancer: We can NOT have sex in the theater, Dom!

Me: So you don't want a blowjob behind the curtain?

Tiny Dancer: …

Tiny Dancer: If we get caught, I'll never be able to show my face in this city again.

Tiny Dancer: I like it here, Dom! Don't ruin this for me. Behave!

Tiny Dancer: Where are you?

Tiny Dancer: Are you seriously waiting for me in the theater?

Tiny Dancer: …

Cam walks through the main doors to the theater, looking down at his phone. When he looks up, he gasps.

"Mom? Dwayne?! Oh my God!" Cameron's eyes immediately fill with tears as he launches himself into his parents' arms. "What are you doing here?!" he cries, hugging them tight. We're loving LA, but living this far away from family is definitely something that will be hard to get used to.

"Dom invited us," Cora says, smiling softly at me.

She and I have come to an understanding ever since that night at the hospital. She understands that I love her son fiercely, and that I'd do anything for him. When I asked for her blessing, she gave it freely—after promising that I won't agree to anymore stupid fights, or let anyone make Cameron feel like he isn't the most amazing human being on earth.

"And by invited, he means sent us plane tickets and didn't give us a choice." Dwayne snarks.

My brother and I have made up. There have been a few awkward moments where he's been forced to witness Cam and me flirting, or accidentally walked in on us in a compromising position. Hello, knock much? He still thinks I'm too old for Cam and reminds me of it often. But he likes that we support each other, and that we're both so obviously content. He's let go of the idea that Cam might be a passing phase and has come to terms with our relationship as a permanent reality.

"That was my idea," Antoni interjects. "I knew you'd try to stay home and work, even though we both know your manager is capable of handling everything for a few days."

"Oh, yeah?" Dwayne says sarcastically. "Where's your husband, by the way?"

"Milan, why?

"No reason," Dwayne says, laughing, and pulls him in for a hug.

"I can't believe you're here! Did you like the show?"

"Cami, it was wonderful! It was so different, and I mean that in a really, really good way."

"You're getting a lot of time in those toe shoes, yeah?" Dwayne says, and I'm proud that he noticed. Part of the exhibition includes a five dancer chorus of all men in pointe shoes. It's a really impressive show and perhaps my favorite outside of Cam's solo.

"I really love LA," Cameron admits.

He catches up with his parents for a few more minutes before noticing that I haven't joined them. In fact, I've backed a few steps further down the aisle, hoping to lure Cameron away. Smirking, he finally approaches.

"I hope you're not trying to run off and hide behind the curtains still," he says. "It might be a little obvious."

"Meh," I say, shrugging my shoulders. Watching him laugh, seeing the twinkle in his eyes when he's happy like this—I might like it even more than watching him dance.

"Actually, I have something else for you."

Swallowing nervously, I turn and walk towards the stage, keeping Cam's hand in mine. There's a curtained area off to the side of the stage, and a small set of stairs that leads to the main stage. I pause behind the curtains and pull him to me, palming his ass in those salacious leggings of his that will never fail to turn me on. It doesn't matter that he wears them every day, his ass and package are goddamn perfection in these things.

Ugh. I have to let him go. Why did I invite people for this, again? If I'd been smarter, I could have done this naked. Asking him to marry me while he's bouncing on my cock, or balls deep inside me? Now that's a proposal.

But here we are.

"Quit distracting me," I say, slapping his butt to get him to move ahead of me. I need to readjust before I frighten his mom.

Cam walks out on stage and waves to his parents awkwardly, having no idea why we're up here.

I give Antoni a signal, and he starts the music.

Wrapping my arm around Cam from behind, I start to sway with him. Sometimes, when he'd practice this choreography at the gym studio, he'd make me do some of it with him. It was silly, and I always botched it. I'm botching it now, even though I've been practicing for weeks. Cam, however, remembers it all seamlessly. And when he turns into my arms, I hold on to him, lifting him and then gazing up at him like I did the day Dwayne and I showed him the studio. Back then, I was shocked at my feelings, confused, but also obsessed. I'm just as obsessive these days, but I have zero doubts when it comes to Cameron Stevens.

He stares down at me, then slowly slides down my body. Unlike that day, I take advantage of having him so close and kiss him. I kiss him for long enough that throats clear and I remember, once again, that we aren't alone.

"The first time I saw you, you were on stage. And I knew… something. I didn't know what it was at the time, but I was lost in you. You became the center of my dreams, my fantasies, all my thoughts. I was fucking obsessed with you, in a way that should have creeped you out more than it did."

Cam giggles. "If you weren't so damn hot, it might have been."

Antoni snorts and sing-songs, "Daddy issues!" in a voice that pretends he's trying to be quiet when he's really not.

"I don't have any issues with this Daddy," Cam snarks back. Dwayne coughs. Cora covers a laugh.

"Do you mind?" I say.

Antoni laughs. Cam says "Yes, Daddy," under his breath and bites his lip.

"Later," I say, pinching his belly button.

Where was I? Right…

"Anyway. I thought that since our whole sordid story started on a stage, that maybe the next chapter should, too."

Cam cocks his head, but then his eyes grow wide and round when I sink to one knee.

"Cameron Rae Stevens-"

"Yes! Fuck. Sorry. Go ahead. But yes. Yes. Fuck, yes."

Before I can even get the question out, or fully pull the ring from my pocket, Cam drops to his knees in front of me and wraps his arms around my neck. I don't know whether to laugh or cry, so I do a little of both. Fucking Dwayne takes pictures, that I'm sure the entire gym membership will get to see.

"I love you," I say between Cam's aggressive kisses.

"I love you. So much." He takes a breath, then launches himself at me again. "When? Where? How? When do I get to marry you, Dom Connor?"

My chest shakes with laughter. These days my cheeks don't hurt so much when I laugh, because it's constant. He makes me feel like this every single day.

"Whenever you want. Wherever you want. However you want. As long as you're mine, tiny dancer."

Cam stands up abruptly. "Who feels like flying to Vegas tonight?"