“You are.” Brandt’s breathing was already quick, like he’d been riding the edge the whole time. Sexy as hell. Shane stretched up to nip at his shoulder as he fisted Brandt’s cock. He knew what Brandt liked, fast quick strokes and little bites on his neck.
“Fuck yes. Give me your teeth.” Moving his own hand over Shane’s, Brandt spurred him on as his head twisted to the side, baring his neck farther. He might not care about marks, but Shane tried to exercise some caution as he worked a line of love bites below where Brandt’s collar hit.
“Shane.” Brandt fucked hard into their joined hands as he shot between them, creamy ropes that made them both even messier. And happier.
“You look like a vampire snack.” It was Shane’s turn to grin and sound smug.
“Good.” Brandt gave him a sound kiss on the top of his head before wiping them both off with the towel. “I’d take being immortal if I got to do it with you.”
“That’s sweet. Volunteering to be undead just to keep me around.” Shane pulled him back down so Shane could wrap himself around him.
“I mean it.” Brandt rolled so they were face-to-face. “Love you.”
Even as his heart sung, he frowned. This might not be a tune he could trust. “What was that about not making big decisions all come-happy?”
“Not a decision.” Cupping his face, Brandt looked deep into his eyes. “A fact. Like the sunrise. I love you.”
“You’re something.” Shane exhaled sharply as hope and love and fear all wrestled in his gut. But love was winning. This was Brandt. Brandt who made him fly. Brandt who he did trust, even with something terrifying like falling in love.
“Something you can keep around?” Brandt prompted as Shane continued to breathe like he’d marched days uphill. And maybe he had, everything, every old hurt and learning experience leading him here to this moment and this man.
“Oh, I’m going to keep you. For as long as you’ll have me.”
“Forever may not be long enough.” Brandt’s voice was a whisper, but the soft kiss he pressed on Shane’s temple spoke volumes. And in that instant, Shane suddenly knew the end to the song that had been chasing him for days now. The one about Brandt that couldn’t seem to make up its mind whether it was a happy tune or not. But now he caught the melody in full, stopped fighting it and let the notes fall into place.
Leap of faith. Wasn’t that what Brandt had said on their first meeting? Shane wanted forever and if it meant going all in with Brandt Wilder, then that was exactly what he was going to do. He’d trust the music they made together, and he’d do everything in his power to give their love song the happiest of endings.
Chapter Thirty-One
Two years later
“More!” The audience roar was so loud that Brandt had to clap his hands over Jewel’s ears as the chants continued. “Encore!”
The shouts had Brandt smiling though, pride having him both impatient and vaguely giddy.
“Okay, okay, twist my arm.” Wiping sweat off his forehead, Shane still had an easy grin for the crowd. The venue was so tightly packed that Brandt bet he ended up with two Seattle shows next tour. Shane took a long drink of water before speaking more. “I guess I’ve got one more in me.”
That got a fresh round of cheers, and Shane had to make the simmer-down gesture twice so he could continue talking. His ability to banter with the audience had improved so much, and it was most evident in the looseness of his muscles as he grabbed his guitar back up again.
“And this is a special one. Going out to a special little girl I can’t wait to see soon.”
“That’s you,” Brandt whispered to Jewel, holding the toddler close. “They’re playing for you.”
“Dada sing my song?” Her whole face lit up as she did a happy humming noise. The song Shane had first performed the last time Brandt and Jewel surprised him was on constant repeat in Brandt’s car, in the kitchen, and her most requested lullaby, even when it was Brandt doing the bedtime routine on his own. And he was a piss poor substitute for the real deal.
“Yup. Listen.” He started swaying with Jewel as Shane’s baritone filled the club. God, he’d missed that voice. It had only been a few weeks this time, but being home in LA without him had sucked. Home. Shane’s winnings might have provided the down payment, and Brandt’s tools made it livable, but it was the three of them who made it a home. A place to come back to again and again and a place to miss.
“We dancing.” Jewel did a wiggle that made her pigtails bounce and almost launched her from Brandt’s grasp. He missed the days of sticking her in her sling. Didn’t miss the sleepless nights, but he was still getting used to this walking, talking little person at the center of their lives. Shane called her mini-Brandt with her blond fluffy hair and hazel eyes, but her pitch-perfect ability to hum along to her favorite song was not from Brandt at all. She had long musical fingers and high cheekbones and a temper all her own.
From their position offstage, he had a great view of Shane’s profile as he launched into the final verse. Damn. It was just another Thursday, another stop in this mini-tour, but as always, he left a piece of his soul with the audience. And the way he felt each word never failed to stir Brandt’s own emotions. He might know this song by heart, but Brandt wasn’t ever getting tired of it.
“You ready to do our surprise?” he asked Jewel as the last notes sounded.
“Ready!” Jewel crowed. The keyboard player reminded the audience where to buy swag as the band prepared to leave the stage. Shane’s friend Tim was touring with them this time and was Brandt’s inside man for this operation. He had a wink for them as he said something to Shane as they all gave the audience one more wave.
“Here he comes.”
“Dada!” Jewel’s yell turned several heads, including the one Brandt most wanted to see. Uncle Shane just didn’t seem to fit the sheer amount of parenting that Shane did, and Jewel herself was the one who’d started calling him “other daddy.” And the look on Shane’s face when she did it was all the proof Brandt needed that that was the right title for him.
Eyes widening, Shane broke away from Tim to hurry over to them. “What the—”
“Happy birthday, Dada!” Thanks to a lot of practice, Jewel delivered the line with a huge smile as she reached for Shane, stretching her little body toward him. Like Brandt, she’d missed him something fierce.
“Jewel.” Shane scooped her up with a dazed smile. “What are you guys are doing here?”
“We you birthday present. Surprise.” Her whole face glowed as she looked up at him. He was sweaty from the stage lights still and a little thinner and more tired than when Brandt had seen him last, but to Brandt, he never looked better than like this, holding their little girl with the same gentleness he handled her heart.