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Tommy Nguyen, who I remembered from the party, stepped closer to the tank, laughing hard. “We brought it with us. We want you to turn a nice Smurf blue.”

Thatcher and a few of his colleagues high-fived and picked up baseballs from the basket next to the donation bucket. Thatcher tossed in a twenty-dollar bill and began throwing baseballs toward the target. He had a hell of an arm, prompting me to ask if he played baseball in high school.

“All-County MVP pitcher.” That made me laugh as well.

The director of the youth center stepped up to Goldie’s mic and waved. “Welcome! Welcome. I want to take the time to thank everyone who made today possible. Lerner Carmichael, who liaised between our organization, Station 2, Accidental Fire, and the city of El Segundo to ensure we have a fun and safe day.

“Now, let’s get our dancing shoes ready to rock out to Accidental Fire.”

We’d changed clothes in the back of Kit’s trailer, and it was hot as fuck in there. I’d already sweat through my shirt, and we hadn’t even started performing.

Nate had arrived with some other folks I hadn’t met yet. I had to give him my final answer regarding leaving the band, but I hadn’t changed my mind. I was definitely quitting the band.

“Come on,” Lerner hissed at us as we stood behind our backdrop and walked out to the area where we were going to perform.

River stepped up to the mic and waved, as did we all. “Thank you all for coming. Here’s how this is going to go. We’re going to play three prerecorded songs from our new album, Smoke Show, and while you listen, we’re going to give away albums to all of you. While the songs play, we’ll sign the album covers, and when those are done, we’ll play a few songs for you, live.

“As many of you may know, we lost one of our bandmates earlier this year. Hardy Boyer, our drummer, was killed in an accident, and we still miss him. We’re fortunate to have Skylar Ashe, my brother, playing with us. He also recorded the album with us.

“Also, JD Horn, our bass player”—Riv turned to me and smiled—“was injured in the accident. He’s still recovering from his injury, but he’s here to sing the songs.”

Riv turned to the DJ and snapped, and the roadies brought out boxes of albums, a box of Sharpies, and some chairs for us to sit in as Lerner organized a line.

As “When Summer Fades Away” began playing, we talked to our fans and signed albums for the masses. It was absolutely incredible, and I didn’t have an anxiety attack because it wasn’t a club or theater full of judgmental fans. It was a parking lot full of kind folks who had come out in support of the youth center. That didn’t make me nervous at all.

When Thatcher stepped forward with a copy of the album, my heart sped up. “And what is your name?” I teased him.

“The man you’re going home with tonight, where we’ll be making sweet, sweet love until the early morning hours.”

His firefighter brothers laughed. “You want all of that on the album jacket?”

The light in Thatcher’s blue-gray eyes said he wasn’t kidding.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Thatcher

“Fuck, get up here, baby. I want you to ride me.”

We were in a hotel in Las Vegas the morning after Arlo and Goldie’s wedding. It had been a nice affair as far as those things went. His mouth connected to my cock was a great way to start the day.

When Jordan and I got married, I wanted our ceremony at home on the beach behind the house. It wouldn’t be a huge affair, but it would be filled with the love of our families, which was exactly what we’d decided we wanted when we were whispering during Goldie and Arlo’s vows. They were long-winded assholes.

“I don’t know for sure if we have time, baby. Lerner texted that we’re supposed to be in the lobby by nine. Our flight leaves at ten, and we land in Reno just after eleven. Kit and Riv left last night after dinner to drive up with the equipment. Clancy went with them so he could rent a bus to take us to Black Rock. We perform at two this afternoon,” Jordan explained.

“We should have skipped the strip show,” I responded.

It was late by the time we got back to the hotel after the wedding and dinner. When Goldie mentioned the male strip review, JD and I both said no, but everyone else was going—except for Kit and River, who were driving the equipment up to the festival venue. We went along because Jordan didn’t want to piss off Arlo and Goldie and because River and Kit weren’t able to go. I wished to fuck we’d just said no. None of the guys in that show were as hot as my Jordan.

“God, fine.” I got up from the bed, pulled my underwear up to cover my aching dick, and went to turn on the shower.

Jordan came into the room and held up a condom and a bottle of lube. “Okay, I’m too horny not to fuck before we get on with the day. I love you, but I don’t want your cum leaking out of me while I’m wearing leather pants, so I’m sorry, but do you mind wearing a condom?”

I laughed. “No, I don’t mind, but what if I pull out and paint your ass instead? We have a shower. If you’re going to wear leather pants for that concert, I’ve gotta get off now because the idea of it has me throbbing.”

“Aw. I can finish the phenomenal blowjob I started in bed earlier.”

“You know, we could have already fucked by the time we were done with this argument.” Yeah, I shouldn’t have said that. It really pissed him off.