24. Dylan
Chapter 24
Dylan
W hen Jake comes back to stand by the fire, his shoulders are tense, his hands are in his pockets, and his gaze is locked onto the flames like he’s hoping they’ll reveal the answers to all of life’s questions. Politely excusing myself from my current conversation, I walk behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him into me.
“What’s wrong?”
He leans his head back until it rests on my shoulder. I love how he feels in my arms. I move my hands to his chest just to feel him breathing and he closes his eyes like he’s not going to tell me what’s bothering him.
“Jake, talk to me.”
He takes his phone out of his pocket and hands it to me. In a monotone voice he says, “I think I just told my father we’re dating.”
Keeping one arm around him, I read through the brief conversation and try to reassure him, though the attempt falls flat even to my ears.
“I don’t think so. It just sounds like you’re sticking up for me, reminding him I’m more than what I do for a living.”
Jake turns into me, away from the fire, placing his hands along my jaw while his thumbs brush over my bottom lip.
“This is going to get way worse before it gets better,” he says, staring at my lips. “You know that, right?”
“You’re worth fighting for,” I whisper, trying to keep this moment private even though the guys and their spouses have all faded into the background already. If Jake needs this moment, then he gets it, regardless of who’s around.
“I’ll probably lose everything. I don’t mind starting over though. I mean, I have a good portfolio and my cars alone are worth—”
“Hey,” I cut him off and throw his own words back at him. “I don’t need that stuff. I just need you.”
I’m sure it’s scary as fuck when you’re talking about losing however much money he has, but I’ve never had that kind of money so I’m far more concerned about losing him. His socioeconomic status has never mattered to me, but I’m learning it’s how he gauges his own value. Thanks, no doubt, to his father’s voice on repeat in his head.
I’m all too familiar with those disapproving voices.
Jake leans forward and seals his mouth over mine. When he breaks the kiss, he grips the back of my neck and keeps our foreheads pressed together.
“I think I’m in love with you,” he admits. My heart pounds in my chest as I process his words, but before I can say anything, he keeps talking. “I know it’s fast and I don’t expect you to say it ba—”
I swallow his words into my mouth, chasing his tongue, needing his flavor on my tastebuds. I nip at his lips with my teeth the way I know he likes and smile when his hands start wandering across my ass, squeezing and pulling me into himself seeking friction as our growing cocks rub against each other.
Remembering where we are, I reach behind me to still his hands and pant against his mouth. “Maybe we should save this party for when we get back to our room?”
“I’m not sure I can wait,” he says, his face showing no traces of joking.
I love that Jake loses his mind when it comes to me. No one has ever made me feel seen or heard the way he does and I hope like hell, I give him a fraction of that in return.
But I must because he said he lov—
“I love you too,” I blurt out, remembering I had yet to say it back. The light in his eyes is enough to punch me right in the chest and if I didn’t already know I’d walk through fire for this man. I sure as hell know it now.
After our declarations of love, Jake and I rejoined the group around the bonfire. I sat in awe, listening to the banter and conversations taking place around me. I was a little afraid that meeting my idols, my favorite band in the world, people I admire and respect, would somehow be a letdown. Like I’d built them up so much in my mind there was no way the real version of them could compare.
But the guys of Beautiful Deceit were even more amazing in person and that bonfire was an experience I’ll never forget.
Rolling over to face him now, muted sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains in our room, I take a moment to study his face. Even in his sleep, worry pinches his brows. I smooth the crease with my thumb, willing him to relax.
His facial muscles twitch once before the worry melts away. The scruff on Jake’s face does make him look slightly older — which, according to him, is good in his field of work — but it isn’t him. Jake is a clean cut, classically handsome man with a gorgeous jawline and…
“I can feel you staring,” he mumbles, not bothering to open his eyes.
“Might as well get used to it.” I grin even though he can’t see it.
“What time is it?” he groans.
“Seven-thirty.”
We stayed at the bonfire until two a.m., but even still, my internal alarm says it’s time to wake up.
Jake throws his arms overhead to stretch, causing the sheets to reveal more of his naked torso and I rub my hand across the expanse of skin. He hums in contentment.
“I don’t know how I ever survived without your touch,” he says, finally opening his eyes, holding me captive with those dark chocolate orbs.
“Tell me we don’t have to hide when we go home.”
I don’t mean to say it out loud, but my insecurity gets the best of me. The road trip up here, the surprise of meeting the band, introducing me to his brother, and having Jake’s head on my chest all night have me ready to give this thing a name. He’s called me his boyfriend to everyone here and he’s broken up with Cora.
I want this to be real. To be permanent. I want him to be mine and I want everyone to know it. Including his father because fuck him for making Jake live a lie.
Jake sits fully upright and runs a hand through his hair. What is it about that action that sends my libido into orbit?
He and I had decided not to talk about his father for the remainder of the trip after the texted conversation last night. He even put his cell phone on do not disturb and has left it on ever since, but I have to know where we stand. With each passing second, I fall more and more in love with him and I don’t see that changing.
He hesitates and I feel my heart falter.
I move to turn away from him and get out of bed, fleeing before he denies my plea…but he catches my wrist before I can escape.
“Hey, don’t run from me,” he says.
“I’d call it more of a protective stance than running ,” I counter.
He pulls hard, damn near dislocating my shoulder, and I fall onto my back on the mattress. Immediately, he moves on top of me, pinning my arms to my sides with his thighs on either side of my torso.
“Could you give me a second to find my courage? Christ, it’s not even eight o’clock yet, I’ve had no coffee, and I’m a little slow this morning after being fucked to within an inch of my life last night.”
“Courage for what?”
He drops his eyes to my tattoo like it’s a place of comfort for him. His fingers trail mindlessly over the ink, causing goosebumps to break out on my flesh. I gently buck my hips to regain his attention.
“ Hey . Courage for what?” I ask again.
“I want to move in together.” My eyes widen in surprise because that’s not where I thought this was going. “Just hear me out,” he continues. “I’ll sell the penthouse. Being with you and being here with you, has made me realize I want a home , not an extension of my sterile office. I’m done with that chapter of my life and whatever that looks like moving forward, I want to come home to you every day.”
“Jake, I…” his thighs squeeze harder with his rising anxiety, waiting for my answer. “I’m starting to lose feeling in my hands,” I laugh. He slides down my body, releasing my arms, but continues straddling me. “I want that too. A lot actually. But it’s enough for me just to be near you and know you’re mine so there’s no pressure to—”
“Is that a yes?” he asks excitedly, making my smile widen.
“It’s a yes.”
He leans down to kiss me before jumping off the bed. “Get dressed! Let’s look at some properties. I’m calling my realtor on our way home tomorrow.”
When we amble into the kitchen twenty minutes later, there’s a note from Tim on the counter. He’s gone with Ryan to Brett’s house to start loading gear and get everything ready for tonight and wants us to text him when we get to the arena so he can come get us and bring us backstage.
The day passes in a blissful blur of touches, caresses, kisses, and a lot of conversations about financial expectations, home location, and plans for the future. Sure, there are a fuck-ton of bridges to cross, but today isn’t the day to focus on the reality of our situation. Today is the day to bask in the progress.
That voice. My dick throbs from the amount of testosterone flooding my system at the sound of Noah Kinkaid’s voice. Seeing these guys in their element up on this stage has had me dizzy with lust for the last two hours.
Sweat is pouring off their bodies. Sloan and Brett, their drummer, are both shirtless. Sloan’s military dog tags catch the stage lights every now and then, calling my attention back to him if for some reason it had wandered from my idol. The passion they all display is surreal and I wish I could have seen their first major headlining tour. I’ve seen the YouTube videos and the aerial dancers look sick on stage.
Jake and I are standing on the inside of the metal barricades at the foot of the stage with no one to block our view. A place coveted by every single person in this venue.
Beautiful Deceit is starting their encore for fifty-seven thousand salivating fans when one of the arena security guards comes over to Jake and I and hands me a napkin.
“It’s from the blonde on the front row,” he says stoically before moving back into place.
Unfolding the napkin, I let out a bark of laughter when I see the messy handwriting scribbled in black ink: You look like a ride I’d never forget. Meet up after the show? Her phone number is at the bottom.
Jake grabs my hand and pulls me along the barricade until we’re right in front of the girl who’s clearly been drinking the entire time the band has been playing. He crumples up the napkin and throws it over the barricade back to her. As soon as it’s in her hands, Jake grabs my face and kisses me hard and deep, exerting more control and possessiveness than ever before.
It scares me how much I like being possessed by him. I’ve never allowed any of my boyfriends in the past to take from me physically like this.
When we break apart, the girl reaches across the barricade and hands the napkin back with a new message. I can take you both.
Jake smacks his palm against his forehead and laces our fingers, walking back to the side of the stage.
A minute later, during Sloan’s guitar solo in the final song of the night, the security guard at the back corner of the stage looks over at me and winks. Immediately, Jake’s voice is at my ear.
“Oh, hell no. What is going on tonight?”
I can’t help my laugh. I get hit on fairly regularly, but Jake and I don’t spend a lot of time together in public since we both prefer quiet, private places after a long day at work…and because making out in public hasn’t really been an option for us, staying in has been the more appealing choice.
Wanting to placate his jealousy, I grab Jake’s arms and wrap them around my torso, lacing our fingers together, and placing our hands on my chest. I may be the one getting hit on currently, but I’m as desperate for people to know he’s mine as he is for them to know I’m his.
I can’t help but move my body in rhythm to the song. I wouldn’t call it dancing exactly, but it’s enough movement to have Jake’s cock digging into my ass in a short amount of time.
Unable to help myself, I push into him and groan, the sound being swallowed by the final notes of the song. The heat of the stage lights and all the moving bodies in the arena have Jake and I both sweating. If I wasn’t already riding a high from hearing Jake say he’s in love with me, wanting to move in together, and starting to feel like my future holds more than just the shop, I’d be rapidly approaching cruising altitude.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long before life reminds us the higher we fly, the farther we fall.