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“Hi.” We were so close I could feel his breath on my skin, could see the anxiety in his eyes beneath the veneer of confidence. “Hux. What’s…what’s happening?”
He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. His gaze darted to the crowd behind me and then back again, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips as he exhaled shakily. “I think I just told you how I feel about you in front of two hundred and fifty strangers.”
“Is it true?” My mind couldn’t process this, trying to reconcile the Huxley I knew with this man who would share his feelings with the world.
One trembling hand cupped my cheek. “Yes,” he whispered, and I couldn’t take it anymore, winding my arms around him, guitar and all, and slanting my mouth across his.
It felt like coming home. It felt like everything.
“I love you,” I rasped against his lips, so choked up that it was a struggle to get the words out. “I love you, and I want to be with you. Even if it’s hard. Even if no one understands.”
“I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore, Cole. This is worth it.” He kissed me again, so fucking soft and sweet, and it was like a moment in a film or something, right up until the loud screech of feedback from a mic had us springing apart.
“Congratulations to our lead singer and his boyfriend.” Tom smirked at us both. “You can thank me later for making sure that Cole was here tonight to witness this moment.” He raised his voice, speaking directly into the mic. “Now…who wants to hear “Never Enough” again?”
“Me.” I raised my hand, and I suddenly became aware of the audience behind me, almost deafening in volume. How had I missed that? Slowly spinning on my heel, I turned to face them, dropping into a deep bow. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Huxley’s bright smile, even as he rolled his eyes at my antics, and it warmed me all the way through.
Moving to the side of the stage, I held out my hand to the band, and the cheers sounded even louder. Tom shook his head, grinning, before he indicated that the song should begin. As Huxley started singing, his hand caressing the stand like a lover, his lips so fucking close to touching the mic, my mind was blown all over again that he’d just done that, right in front oftwo hundred and fifty people. And now those people were excited for more from him, and from his band.
I was so proud of him.
I wanted to let him know how much I loved him.
31
The roads were quiet. There was something peaceful about being out late at night in London, away from the busy centre, after all the tourists had disappeared. Winding our way higher, out of the city, I navigated the streets with ease, my confidence finally restored after that first drive since the crash. I’d never have made it through that drive without Cole. Now, he was a reassuring presence at my side, strong and supportive, and I was hit all over again with the knowledge that he was so fucking special to me and I was so lucky to have him.
I’d purposely brought my car tonight instead of travelling to the gig with the rest of the band. When I’d taken my idea to Tom and the rest of the band, they’d been all for it, but none of us had known how it would turn out. There were no guarantees, and I’d still been half expecting Cole not to show up, even though Tom had assured me he would. Tonight had been a gamble, but it had paid off, and now here I was, with Cole next to me.
“I didn’t mean it. What I said to that guy in the pub before about you being tone-deaf.” The words fell from my lips without thought. I wanted there to be no more barriers between us.
Cole chuckled softly, his hand sliding onto my thigh and briefly squeezing, making my breath hitch. “I know. Want to tell me about your pierced nipples?”
“You know I wanted to get them done.” Lifting one hand from the steering wheel, I brought it down to slide my fingers between his. “Thinking of how much you’d like them was an extra incentive.”
He squeezed my hand as the familiar sign appeared up ahead, almost glowing in the beams of my headlights. Flipping the indicator on, I turned off the road and onto the bumpy track that led to the small car park on this side of the hillside park. When I switched the headlights off, the darkness enveloped us, with the city lights stretched out below, sparkling in the night.
Turning off the engine, I unclipped my seat belt and opened my door, swinging my legs around to the outside of the car. Across from me, I could hear Cole doing the same thing, and when his door slammed, I exited the car.
Cole met me around the front of the car, reclining against the bonnet with one leg casually crossed over the other. “They’re sexy as fuck.” When my gaze shot to his, he smiled. “Your piercings.”
“Glad you approve.” I came to a stop next to him, leaning back against the front of the car and staring straight ahead. “What do we do now?”
He was silent for a while, and then his hand slid across the car bonnet, his fingers covering mine. “We have to tell our parents. But before that…” There was a long pause, and then he said, “Hux?”
I turned my head to his. “Yeah?”
His eyes were dancing with humour as he glanced around the empty car park. “You didn’t bring me to a dogging spot, did you?”
“What?Fuck, no.”
Now he was openly grinning at me. “Just checking. You know. Late night…a deserted car park…seems a bit suspicious. I keep expecting someone to turn up and shine a light in my face or something.”
There was only one way to shut him up. “Believe me.” I curved my fingers around his jaw, bringing his face in line with mine. “I don’t want an audience for this. Just you.”
Then I kissed him.
We ended up with me standing between his spread thighs, my arms wrapped around him, while he gave me the softest, deepest kisses I’d ever had in my life, his hands cupping my face.
