33

My man is a rock star.

A legitimate rock star.

It looks as though he doesn't belong to this world. He's too beautiful, too perfect, with his eyes closed and angular face illuminated by the lights. Aaron nudges me as I watch from the side stage, unable to pry myself away.

"Never thought I'd see you standing there making heart eyes at a dude," he teases.

My body tenses, my arms crossing over my chest as I turn to him. "For your sake, I hope that's not judgement in your tone."

Aaron's gray-blue eyes widen, and he takes a half step backward. "No, no, not at all. I would never… You know I'd never… Love is love, and, and all… that..."

"Damn straight." I clap him on the shoulder with a force that makes him wince.

From behind him, Bruce chuckles. "Stop scaring him, Jugs. I don't want to deal with a grown man shitting his pants in the middle of a job."

"Speaking of job," I say, raising my eyebrow at both of them, "how about you two do yours? Scan the audience, then check the exit where the vans are parked to make sure no one has snuck back there."

"Yes, boss," Aaron chirps immediately, and flutters off like a muscle-bound butterfly. Bruce shakes his head in amusement and gives me a pointed look before joining him.

As soon as they disappear from view, I allow my smile to form and let out a quiet chuckle. I loop around the stage, acknowledging the venue staff with a nod as I pass by. The music is deafening, with heavy beats that I recognize as one of their popular songs.

I frown, wondering if Tai should wear more protective gear on his ears.

Aaron returns first with a thumbs up, and Bruce is a few minutes behind him. We repeat this routine several times until the show reaches its end, the audience's cheers somehow overpowering the ear-splitting amplifiers. The band waves to the crowd as they exit the stage, then exchange a round of high-fives and fist bumps once they're out of sight.

The exhaustion on their faces is more pronounced than it usually is after a performance. Constant travel is getting to them.

Our eyes meet, and Tai makes his way towards me, gasping in surprise as I swoop him into a hug. I bury my face in his neck, kissing his throat as it vibrates with his laughter. "Stop! I'm sweaty!" he shouts, swatting me away.

"Always loved a salt lick," I murmur, dragging my tongue up his skin as he laughs harder. My grin widens as I stand tall, leaning in to drop a sweet kiss on his lips before getting to work clearing the equipment from the stage. The staff helps load the vans while the band cools off and hydrates, huddled with Monica. Dante has his signature clipboard pulled out, and I can't help my quiet chuckle when I see it.

How a man that rigid ended up with Theo, I'll never understand.

Their energy is waning, and Monica wraps up when she's interrupted by Eric's massive yawn that seems to swallow his entire face.

The security team waits at the exit as they approach, and Aaron leads the way to the vans while I stay in the middle and Bruce brings up the rear. The air is thick and muggy as we step out into the night, and Tai weaves his fingers through mine as we walk.

Bright lights snap me into focus, right as a woman squeals, "There they are!" A group of roughly fifteen people rush us, pushing and pulling at each other as they try to get closer to the band. Aaron and I form a barrier as Dante forces himself in front of Theo.

"Back up!" I shout as Bruce corrals the guys towards the vans, keeping them behind me and Aaron. When the crazed fans don't budge and try to push forward again, I glance over my shoulder at Bruce, who rushes to reinforce our defensive line.

"Get in the vans!" I order as I scan the band. Eric and Dmitri square their shoulders, their stubborn asses prepared to dive into the chaos and provide support. Of course those two would be ready for a brawl. Dante is only concerned with keeping Theo protected, and Tai stares with wide eyes, frozen.

"Go!" Bruce yells, and this time they listen, letting us guide them towards the vehicles.

A woman rushes forward, shrieking, "I love you, Sticks!" while two more push their way into the scene with her. Another screams for Eric and tries to duck between us to reach him. I throw my arm out to stop her, but the force of her momentum causes it to snap backward. Pain radiates through my elbow as it collides with something hard, a shocked grunt reaching me over the chaos.

After I shove the girl backward, I twist and my eyes land on Tai, my heart plummeting straight to the ground. His hand clutches his nose, trying to stem the flow of blood that seeps between his fingers. It paints a vivid contrast against his pale complexion, a crimson stain on alabaster skin.

A tear slips from his eye, and any grip on my composure snaps.

Rage and guilt turn my stomach into concrete as I whirl around and make myself as large as possible. "If you don't get the fuck back right now, you'll be leaving in fucking pieces or on a stretcher!" I bellow, and the small mob hesitates. My lip pulls up in a snarl as I charge forward, and they scatter.

Filled with a burning anger unlike anything I've ever experienced before, I usher everyone into the vans, grouping Eric, Dmitri, and Tai together in one, and Dante, Theo, and Monica into the other. "Bruce, Aaron, you go with them," I bark as I toss Bruce the keys, "and I'll drive the others."

Everyone is silent as we pull out onto the roads, and my molars are grinding as my eyes sting. I can't stop looking at Tai in the rearview mirror, a small smear of blood lingering on his skin even after wiping it away. Once the initial shock fades, the three of them talk in a rapid-fire exchange. Eric is the loudest in his outrage, but by the time we make it to the hotel twenty minutes later, they've quieted.

"Don't get out yet." I pull to the rear entrance of the hotel, surprised by the roughness of my voice. "Let me check that it's clear." I don't wait for a response as I exit the vehicle and walk the length of the building, checking around the corners and shining my flashlight into the parked cars.

When I'm satisfied there's no cause for concern, I open the van door as Bruce does the same, and we lead the group to their rooms. Bruce and Aaron wait until everyone is behind closed doors before they say their quick goodnights and do the same.

Tai waits for me inside his doorway, exhausted, with a bloody smudge still on his lip. The adrenaline I have been riding comes crashing out of me, and without it, only my guilt remains. My emotions on the brink of collapse, I close the door with a shaky hand and pull him into my arms.

"I hurt you," I whisper, the tears I've been fighting finally pooling in my eyes. "Fuck, I hurt you, sweetheart."

"Whoa, hey, big guy, slow down," he says, wiggling in my hold, but I only hug him tighter. "That was an accident."

"One that shouldn't have happened if I was doing things right. It was my fault, and I'm so sorry—"

"Connor." He uses his stern voice, and I let him break free from my grip. His gentle hand reaches up and delicately swipes at the tear, preventing it from escaping my eye, and his thumb soothes my trembling lip. "Look at how fucking sweet you are," he breathes, letting his fingers dance across my face. "My big teddy bear of a man. So sensitive."

"I'm sorry," I repeat, kissing his thumb as it drags over my lip again. He gasps as I pick him up, carrying him into the bathroom and sitting him on the counter. Another pained whine leaves me at the blood on his skin, and I twist the tap and grab a washcloth.

He covers my shaking hand with his as I put the cloth under the running water. "Connor, I'm fine."

"Just… let me do this." I wring the water out and carefully clean his face, cradling it in my hands and examining it for any signs of injury.

"You punch guys in the face every day," he reminds me with an amused smile. "Probably see more blood than most doctors."

"Yeah, but I'm not in love with them," I mutter, still dabbing at his nose, when his hands catch my wrists. My eyes get wide as I realize what I've said, flying to his as I freeze.

"But you're in love with me?" he asks, devastatingly gentle as I nod, unblinking. "Tell me."

I take a deep breath, drowning myself in his cognac eyes. "The first time the words tried to leave my lips was our last night at the resort. It was too soon—I knew it was too soon—but God, I was so sure, Tai. So fucking sure. It's why I left, because my heart would never recover from the devastation of losing you if we spent any more time together."

Another small droplet of blood pools under his nostril, and it breaks my heart as I reach with the washcloth to wipe it away. "I thought I'd have to live my life without you. Thought it was my punishment for leaving—for hurting you. Fall in love, but never get the chance to tell you." I cup his jaw, and he leans into my touch. "Never be able to show you how much you fucking mean to me."

"So why am I just now hearing about it?" His voice is rough as he grabs my shirt and tugs me closer. "Why not say something sooner?"

"I didn't want to scare you away. You have pointed out over and over again that I'm chaos… I'm impulsive and loud, and everyone knows I lead my life with my heart, not my head. You're the opposite—you need a chance to think, to process. Time to be sure."

"I am sure," he says with no hesitation, and the thudding in my chest increases to a dizzying beat that slams against the cage of my ribs. "I've been sure, Connor. Ever since you swiped that bottle of rum from behind the bar and flashed me those ridiculous dimples…" My smile spreads, and his thumbs gently touch the dips in my cheeks.

"There they are," he whispers, leaning forward and touching a kiss to my lips. "Those things make me stupid."

"Stupid enough to love me back?" My voice quivers as I say it, and Tai's dark eyes crinkle in a sweet smile.

"Yeah." He gives me another soft kiss. "Stupid enough to love you back."

I close my eyes and bring my forehead to rest against his, a flood of relief coursing through my body as I cling to him. "I love it when you're stupid," I whisper, and he laughs against my lips. His shoulders shake as he tries his best to keep kissing me, but soon I'm laughing, too.

When I pull back, my gaze drops to his nose that's sure to swell tomorrow, swiping my thumb underneath to check for more blood. "I'm sorry. I would never in a million years lay my hands on you, Tai."

"What if I want your hands on me?" He ghosts his lips over mine before trailing them to my neck. Teeth scrape over my skin, and I shiver. "Your hands… your mouth…"

"My dick?" I blurt, and he laughs again, his breath hot against my throat.

"Yeah, that too." He pulls back and wraps his arms around my neck, nuzzling his nose against mine. "Take me to bed, cowboy."

"Is this supposed to be roleplay?" I ask, and he tosses his head in another laugh as I lift him off the counter. "Because I don't have a cowboy hat, but I can yee-haw with the best of them."

"What about riding me like a horse?"

"Mmm," I hum as I walk us to the bed. "I think I can handle that. You going to buck me off?"

"What I'm about to do definitely rhymes with buck, and includes getting off, yes."

I snort as I place him on the mattress. "So witty."

"Come here and kiss me," he says, and our moods instantly somber as I crawl over him. My lips drop to his as his hands drag up my back, grabbing the hem of my shirt and tugging it over my head. I smile as he tosses it aside and rakes his fingers through the hair on my chest. He tugs, and I flinch, the pain going straight to my cock.

Piece by piece, our clothes make a pile on the floor, and then we're naked, tangled on the bed. My leg nestles between his as he rolls his body against me, his cock hard against my hip, while mine grinds against his thigh. I pull away from our kiss, tracing a path along his jawline and relishing the faint thump of his pulse against my lips.

His heart beats only for me, and knowing that…

"I love you," I whisper, and he whimpers and rocks his hips forward. "I need you like I need air in my lungs. More than I need the sun in the sky." My lips continue down his neck, and he tilts his head to give me access as I lightly suck on his Adam's apple. "If it meant I get to love you until I leave this world, I'd spend the rest of my existence in the dark, choking on my breath, and I would cherish every second of that life because you'd be mine."

Rough fingers entangle in my hair and yank my head back, and then he forcefully kisses me, his lips harsh and his tongue determined. I roll us until I'm on top, both of us panting as we grind against each other. "Bag," he murmurs, then tears his lips from mine. "Lube. In the bag."

It takes another few minutes until we separate long enough for me to dig through the side pocket of his suitcase. Bottle in hand, I climb back onto the bed and drop beside Tai, handing it over. The lid snicks open, and he pours some over his fingers, rubbing them together as he meets my eyes.

"On your back and spread your legs." I immediately obey, letting my knees fall away from each other as I open myself up to him. His arm brushes my cock as he moves past it, spreading lube over my hole as my head thunks against the pillow.

As he slides a finger inside me, I can't help but emit a soft groan, enjoying the sensation of being stretched and his slow, deliberate movements that have become a nightly routine. He introduces a second, and my hips flex forward as he scissors them, welcoming the burn as he preps me. "Feels so good," I murmur as he sinks knuckle deep.

He squeezes more lube and adds a third finger, and I suck in a sharp breath as he works it inside. My cock strains, my balls drawn against my body as he patiently fucks me with his hand. "Goddamn, you're still so tight," he mutters, meeting my eyes. "I don't want to hurt you again."

"Please?" I whimper, mindlessly reaching for my cock and giving it a tug before he knocks my hand away. "Please, just fuck me. I need to feel you, sweetheart. It won't hurt, and even if it does, I'll love it… I want it. Please?"

"Such a beautiful fucking beggar," he mutters, and I gasp as he pushes all three fingers inside me, keeping them deep. "Are you ready for me?"

"Yes," I hiss as he pulls his hand away, leaving me empty without him.

He rolls onto his back and coats his cock in lube. "Get up here, cowboy." I scramble off the bed, swinging my leg over him and straddling his hips, his erection pushing between my cheeks. Reaching between our bodies, he grips himself and lines us up, the head of his cock sitting against my prepped hole.

"You have more control this way, so you set the pace, okay? Lower yourself, and take whatever time you need." I nod, letting my ass drop as the pressure builds. "Bear down for me." Breath blows through my nose as I push, leaving me in a whoosh as he slips inside.

"Oh, fuck," I whimper as the fullness makes me shudder, a faint sting shooting through my nerves. Pleasure and pain battle for dominance as I sink my weight, taking him deeper. It's a beautiful contradiction. A loud, desperate moan crawls from my throat, morphing into a raspy shout as I take him fully.

"Slow down, don't hurt yourself!" My thighs tremble, a dull ache throbbing through my cock as a pool of pre-cum leaks onto his belly. "Oh, shit, you're tight," he gasps as I lift and lower myself.

The thrill of having him inside me has me spun up and frenzied. His hips are flush against my ass as I rock, the underside of my shaft dragging against his stomach. Electric sparks shoot through me as I release a helpless moan and do it again.

And again, and again.

"Look at you, riding me like you were born to do it," he mutters as I find my rhythm, thighs flexing and abs tightening as I move, the burning sting morphing into pure, hot pleasure.

"Fuck, you feel so good inside me." I gorge myself on each little grunt that he releases as my body meets his. "So big, so fucking deep." His hands trace patterns around my thighs, inching closer to my cock but denying me his touch.

"Tai," I whimper, my hands dropping to either side of his head while I grind against him. The angle has him brushing my prostate, and I call out as I shove my mouth to his. It's messy and desperate, sometimes nothing more than open-mouthed panting against each other than actual kisses. "Tai, it's too much… I'm not going to last."

"It's alright, I'm there with you. Right here, just me and you."

"Me and you," I repeat, teeth clanking as our mouths fight to take charge. Every muscle in my body tightens and coils as the bed slams into the wall. My hips drive forward, faster and faster, the thudding of the headboard becoming a rapid series of thumps as our lips separate, hovering just millimeters apart.

Tai's fingers dig into my hipbones as he meets me thrust for thrust, driving into me as my rhythm falters. "I'm going to come, sweetheart. Come with me, okay? Fill me until I can't hold anymore… wanna feel it pour out of me. Breed me, please?"

"Fuck, that mouth ," he snarls, pinning my cock to his stomach with his palm. I thrust forward and tunnel through, pleasure sparking through my body like someone doused me with lighter fluid and left me to combust.

He's the match, and I'm the flame, but together?

Nuclear.

Catastrophic.

My movements become jerky as my whole body tenses, and then my back arcs as I let out a crackling, raspy shout. I'm weightless, stuck in a moment of delicious torture as my body curls in on itself, and then all at once, a blinding orgasm rushes through me.

Hot bursts of my cum explode over Tai's stomach as I continue to ride him, my ass clenching around his cock as he groans. "That's it," he rasps, his fingers forming pits in my hips as he fucks up into me and then bottoms out, holding me there as he moans and pumps his release deep inside me.

Heat licks over my limbs until my toes curl, the heavy thudding of my cock sending shockwaves of pleasure through my core. Tai grips my length, and another small wave of white-hot ecstasy rushes through me as a fresh rope of cum shoots across his skin.

"Lie back," he commands and pushes my shoulders, and I feel drunk as I obey. My body flops into dead weight on the bed as he kneels between my legs. I shout as he shoves back inside me, my cum dripping down his slender stomach and catching in his happy trail and pubic hair.

He withdraws and maneuvers my knees against my chest. "Push it out, sweetheart." I nod and bear down, and he moans as a hot rush streams out. He rubs the tip of his cock through it and thrusts inside me once more with a wet, slicking sound.

"Again," he says, pulling out, and I whimper as more heat trickles from me. "Fucking beautiful." He uses his fingers to shove his cum into my twitching hole as his erection fades.

Tai sucks my softened cock into his mouth, still fingering me and spreading cum over my ass. When my body quivers with overstimulation, he releases me and climbs up my torso, claiming my lips in a long, passionate kiss. After our pulses return to normal, he pulls away and tucks my face into his neck, wrapping his arms and legs around me as we both settle.

"How are you doing?" He drops a series of kisses along my hairline as his fingers skirt over my skin. "Are you okay?"

"Fantastic," I mumble against his throat, ghosting kisses there. "We should do that again… just give me a minute."

His chest lifts with a chuckle. "A minute, huh?"

"Or two," I admit, a smile spreading across my face. "Possibly three."

"Tell you what, you see how sore your ass is tomorrow and we'll decide how long of a break you need."

"You don't tell me what to do," I grumble, and he laughs again.

"Seriously, though, was that okay?" He scoots back just enough to grip my chin and tug me to look at him. "No lies, remember?"

My smile softens as I stare into those deep brown pools, full of affection and concern. "That was amazing, Tai. Anything with you will always be amazing."

He smiles and kisses the tip of my nose. "I love you, Connor."

I snuggle back in, every inch of our bodies touching as I hold him against me. "I love you, too."