AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I wanted to thank him for talking to me and not giving up on me. For never making me feel bad when things overwhelmed me or because of my issues with sex.
One of the only ways I could think of to do all that was to get up there and play with him. And deep down, it was something I was doing for me too.
Charles glanced at me, shooting me a small smile. “What? You’re staring at me like you have something going on in that head of yours.”
“I wanna play…with you…”
“Music play or sex play?” He cocked a brow.
“Both, but one will have to wait till we get home.”
“Those can both be arranged. What are your thoughts on Chris Stapleton?”
I grinned. “‘Tennessee Whiskey’?”
“Obviously.” He stood. “I’ll go sign us up.”
The fuzz was back in my ears, my heart trying to beat out of my chest. I did my best to ignore it, and when Charles came back, he sat beside me instead of across from me, his hand on my thigh, soothing the panic that had become a part of my life.
When they called our names, I wasn’t sure I could make it to the stage, but Charles took my hand, and that made it easier.
People stared at us, questions in their gazes, but no one said anything, and like I’d said earlier, I was proud he’d chosen me.
Charles sat down at the piano, me lingering beside him. He started to play first, and a second later I joined in. The moment my fingers plucked the first chord, everything else was forgotten, and I lost myself to the song and the man singing at the piano. His voice wrapped around me, the music a thread tying us together.
Charles was bringing me back to life.
I wasn’t sad, lonely Brian on that stage. I was a man, with a guitar, making people fall in love with music, and maybe falling in love myself.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Charles
We stumbled out of the bar together, laughing. It was Brian who started it, who couldn’t seem to contain the joy inside him. He leaned against the building, guitar case in hand, breathing heavily. “That was amazing,” Brian said, a large, goofy smile still on his face, making one curl my lips too. “Feel my heart.” He grabbed my hand and pressed it against his chest. There was an excited thud, thud, thud against the palm of my hand. “Feels like it’s gonna burst outta my chest.”
I nodded. Damned if my heart didn’t feel the same.
“I think it’s ’cuz of you,” he added.
“Your heart, or what you did in there? Because that was all you, sweetheart. I don’t deserve the credit for that.”
“Both,” Brian replied.
I was surprised when Brian leaned forward and took my mouth. I pressed his body between mine and the building, reaching up to hold his face while slipping my tongue into his mouth. He tasted slightly of beer, but mostly of comfort—comfort and passion.
Brian groaned into my mouth. Blood rushed to my groin, making me plump up. This wasn’t the best place for what we were doing, so as much as it killed me, I pulled back. “We should be careful.” He was riding the high of the night, his excitement from being onstage fueling him, but going at it in the parking lot wasn’t a good idea.
“Shit. You’re right. Got lost in the moment. I just like kissin’ you so much. I didn’t know it could feel that way.”
I swear as wild as it sounded, I got dizzy. “You’re killing me.” I moaned, leaning in and nipping at his neck. “Don’t apologize. Let’s just go home so I can ravage you properly.”
“Okay.” He nodded, trust and want making his eyes turn even darker.
We headed to my SUV, and I drove us back to his place. Electricity bounced between us the whole ride as we talked and laughed and relived the night.
The second we were inside, I huffed when Brian pushed me back against the door. “Want ya so bad. Never felt this needy for someone. It’s like I can’t control it, and I’m scared it’s gonna go away, that I won’t be able to keep opening myself up to how good you make me feel.”
“Then we’ll stop, and I’ll just hold you all night. But for now, why don’t you take my clothes off?”
I wanted to go with the flow. I wouldn’t let myself question him or coddle him. If this was what Brian wanted, he deserved it, and I’d do anything to make sure he had it.
“Right here?” he asked.
“Yep. Unless you don’t want to.”
“I want,” he replied.
I lifted my arms, and Brian pulled my shirt over my head, dropping it to the floor. He brushed his thumbs over my pebbled nipples, making me hiss.
“I like it when you do this to me. Never woulda thought about a man enjoying this.” He leaned in and flicked his tongue across the peaks. “Do you like it?”
