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Eighteen
Halo
TWO MONTHS FLEW by in the blink of an eye. We’d been working nonstop in tour rehearsals, and there was always something to do once we’d finished for the day: fittings, recording special segments that would be posted on the screens behind us onstage, doing radio interviews. We’d even managed to squeeze in time to shoot the “Dark Angel” music video, having used Brian’s sneaky footage of our rehearsal for the “Invitation” video that came out a few months earlier.
I never imagined all the work that went on behind the scenes, though I’d been in the music business for years and had seen what my mom went through to get ready for a show. Going on a stadium tour with four other guys and countless crew members? It was a whole different ball game, one that left me exhausted after sixteen-hour days and wondering how the hell I was gonna make it through a months-long tour. Maybe by then adrenaline would kick in and all these gym workouts would pay off.
But for tonight, all thoughts of work and the tour were pushed aside. Because tonight, Viper was taking me out on a proper date, something we hadn’t had much time for lately. Not that I was complaining—I saw him all day, every day, and still spent almost every night in his bed. It wasn’t like we weren’t able to steal away a few private moments here and there, but I was looking forward to an evening of just the two of us.
I tugged the cuffs of my suit jacket down and looked myself over in the mirror. I didn’t know where we were going, only that Viper had suggested I wear something nice, which I took to mean a suit. I supposed “nice” could’ve meant no clothes at all, but since we were going out in public, I nixed that idea.
My phone chimed, Viper’s text that he’d arrived lighting up the screen. I did one last once-over, making sure I looked okay, and then grabbed my phone and my wallet, shoving them both in my pocket as I headed down the stairs of my apartment building. I didn’t stay here much anymore, and while most of the reason was because I hated sleeping without Viper beside me, another reason was because of what I knew would be waiting outside when I opened my building’s front door.
“Halo, how’s the tour coming?” one of the paparazzi stationed on the sidewalk said, as camera flashes lit up the dark night.
“Good, thanks,” I said, making my way to the SUV idling by the curb, but I stopped when I saw a few fans clustered on the outskirts, Sharpies and photos in hand. I walked over and smiled as they jumped up and down. I quickly signed their items—the Rolling Stone cover and the Corruption CD insert. “Will we see you on tour?”
“Yes!” one of them squealed. “We’ve already gotten our tickets for the show at MetLife.”
“Hell yeah.” I leaned in so they could take a couple of selfies with their phones. “See you guys soon.”
I walked off to a chorus of “Thank you, Halo” and “We love you!” but before I could reach the SUV Viper was waiting in, another couple of paparazzi jumped in front of me.
“All dressed up tonight,” one of them said. “You got plans?”
“Yup,” I said.
“Care to tell us about them?”
I grinned. “Nope.”
The door to the SUV opened, and Viper stuck his head out. “It’s fuckin’ date night. Bugger off.”
As the paparazzi turned to get a picture of Viper, I moved past them, rounding the back of the SUV to get in on the other side. Once I was inside, Viper slammed the door shut, and I laughed.
“‘Bugger off’? What are you, British now?”
“I like to know how to say ‘fuck off’ in every country. I should’ve thrown in a ‘wanker,’ too.”
I shook my head as Viper reached for my hand and tugged.
“You’re too far away.”
When I scooted closer, he put his hand on my thigh and inclined his head toward mine. His breath was a whisper on my lips as he said, “You look devastating.” Then his mouth was on me, and I opened immediately, savoring the slow, thorough way his tongue explored every inch of me as if he’d never kissed me before. When I shivered from the contact, Viper pulled away long enough to say, “I love that,” before he took my lips again.
I let myself get lost in him, in the way his mouth moved against mine and the way he cupped my neck, holding me to him like I was a valuable he couldn’t bear to part with.
“Damn. You have a way with welcomes,” I said, when I finally pulled away to catch my breath.
Viper grinned and ran his thumb over my swollen lips. “I plan on giving you one hell of a finale later.”
