Chapter 10
TEN
MICAH
Ifroze at Kaylee’s words.
Did you really think I’d forgive you?
It hadn’t worked. I’d tried so hard, but it hadn’t worked.
Despair began to fill my chest.
“Really Micah,” she continued, her expression stern, unyielding. “I expect better from you. Rhyming along with belong? That’s so basic and bland.”
I blinked.
What?
I looked down at Kaylee. She couldn’t hide the beginnings of a cheeky grin.
My despair was soon overtaken by disbelief and then amusement. I felt color return to my face as I shook my head and laughed.
“Remind me why I put up with you again?” I asked.
“Because you love me,” Kay said smugly.
I reached out and enveloped her in my arms, so quickly she let out a squeak, and held her tight.
“That’s right,” I said, voice thick with emotion I couldn’t suppress, and didn’t want to. “I love you.”
She rested her head against my chest. She couldn’t quite tiptoe high enough to nestle her head under my chin. She wasn’t wearing her usual chunky heels today.
“I love you, too,” she whispered. “And I forgive you. Of course I forgive you.”
I tightened my arms around her, grip strong but gentle, the way you would hold something precious and breakable, like antique glass. Because she was. Kay was utterly precious to me.
I inhaled deeply, my chest expanding into her, pressing us even further together. We’d been close before, but not like this. Not with the knowledge that my feelings had grown, expanded, and shifted completely. Not with the knowledge that hers had done the same.
“I really did like your song,” she said softly. “Especially the part about you being fearless.”
“I was never scared of us.“ I placed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in deeply as I buried my face in her red curls. “I was never scared for myself. I was only ever scared about what could happen to you. I thought I had to protect you.”
“I know you’ve always thought you needed to protect all of us, to take care of all of us,” she said. “But you don’t need to put that burden on yourself. We can take care of each other now.”
I slumped against her, the heavy weight I’d been carrying for years finally lifting.
That was when Kay stilled in my arms.
“Micah…” she started, sounding reluctant.
Now it was my turn to go stiff, suddenly worried again about what bomb she might drop.
“I know I told you not to burden yourself, so I hate to add to it, but we need to talk about something,” she continued. “Now that the two of us are together, things are going to change.”
“Of course they are,” I said, worry turning to confusion. “That’s the point, isn’t it?”
“The band,” she clarified. “What are we going to do about the band?”
Right. The band. The two of us weren’t the only people this relationship would affect.
I paused, wanting to think through the question thoroughly.
“You said before that it was obvious to everyone how we felt about each other,” I replied. “How obvious? How many of them know?”
“Anya knows,” she said. “I’ve confided in her a lot.”
“What does she think?” I asked.
Kay smirked. “She thinks you need to get your head out of your ass. But you’ve got that covered now,” she said sweetly while giving me a mocking pat on the arm.
“Good to know,” I said dryly. “Chris told me pretty much the same thing. He’s an observant guy.”
“I don’t think Finn knows for sure,” she said. “He might have sensed something is up, though.”
“Zain knows,” I said. “We had a talk a while ago when he was having trouble with Grace. I think…” I hesitated, mouth twisting as I thought back. “Based on how our conversation went, I think he might not be so hot on the idea.”
“So that’s two for it, one against, and one unknown,” she said with a quick laugh. “I like our odds!”
I let out a wry snort.
“It’s not a lottery,” I said. “This is the band. Our family.” I turned somber. “I don’t want to start a fight over this.”
“There’s nothing to fight about,” Kay said. “We tell them that we’re together now. That we’re in love. And they learn to deal with it.”
“That simple, huh?” I said with an indulgent smile.
“It is,” she said with a happy nod. “You always think too much and overcomplicate things.”
“And you don’t think things through enough,” I countered on instinct. It was a common refrain between the two of us.
“It’s perfect then,” she said, beaming up at me with a smile full of promise and hope. “We balance each other out.”
My arms tightened where they were still wrapped around her. I looked down, gaze falling to her lips. I wanted to lean down and kiss her—our first kiss—but somehow, I knew that wasn’t enough. Something primal inside me needed more. Needed her. Needed her entirely, completely, without reservations.
I whirled around to yank her down onto the sofa with me. She landed on my lap with an oomph and had to clutch my shoulders to keep her balance.
I gripped her hips as her legs splayed on either side of me. She had the height advantage now. Without waiting for me to settle back, she gripped my shirt and pulled me toward her, our faces mere inches apart.
I looked into her eyes, desire roiling up inside me, but I didn’t move. I was waiting for her.
Anticipation shuddered through her body, and I knew she wouldn’t wait any longer. She dove forward and slotted our mouths together with a moan.
I’d been thinking about this, dreaming of this, for so long. I’d lost count of the number of times I’d taken my cock into my hand while imagining this exact scenario.
But no dream could have prepared me for the absolute heaven of pressing my lips against hers, the heaven of prying her mouth open to deepen the kiss.
I couldn’t do gentle. I couldn’t do sweet.
This was fervent, and hungry, and a long time coming.
Kaylee sank into my arms and I drowned in the taste of her.
The door to the studio opened. Kaylee and I jumped, our kiss breaking, as Zain and Finn walked through. They both halted abruptly, eyes going wide. Anya and Chris nearly walked into their backs.
Kaylee tried to scramble up but I tightened my arms around her. I didn’t want to hide anything. I didn’t want to hide us. I was willing to risk it all for her, and I wanted her to know that.
Kay’s cheeks burned bright red, but she looked pleased that I wouldn’t let her go.
“Fucking finally,” Finn blurted out. “I thought you two idiots would never figure things out.”
“Who’s calling who an idiot?” Zain muttered. There was a twist to his mouth, expression not entirely pleased.
“I’m happy for you,” Anya said softly.
“Me too,” Chris said chuckling, “but maybe next time find a more private spot before you, ah, make sweet music together?”
“Don’t quote Micah’s own words back at him,” Kaylee groaned, her legs still straddling my hips, making no move to get up, face still flaming. “You’re only going to encourage him.”
“I just have one request,” Zain spoke up.
“I promise we won’t have sex in the practice room,” I said, utterly unswayed. Kaylee looked torn between chuckling and cringing.
Zain grimaced, but shook his head.
“No,” he said. “Just promise me you won’t go all Fleetwood Mac with this shit. We all know about the drama that happened during the recording of their Rumours album. Fights, break ups, sleeping with each other’s partners, divorces.”
Kaylee and I both went still.
“Everyone knows the horror stories of what happens when relationships get in the way of the music,” Zain continued bluntly.
I was about to speak up, but Finn beat me to it.
“Did you forget that Rumours is one of the best albums of all time?” he said with a sly grin. “Who’s to say all that drama wouldn’t be great for the band?”
Relationship drama could be good for a band, but terrible for a couple. And a couple working together could cause a rift between the band members if it turned into two against the rest.
I’d promised her I was willing to risk the consequences, and I meant it. But still, there was a part of me that couldn’t help but keep wondering what if?
What if our relationship caused trouble for the band? What if the two of us being together hurt the others? What if we ended up ruining everything we’d all worked so hard for?
I tightened my arms around Kaylee even harder and forced my thoughts to stop spiraling.
No. I promised I’d be fearless. No more what ifs. No more worst-case scenarios.
I was going to keep Kaylee and the band safe, no matter what happened next.