Parker tipped his bottle against Gibbo’s. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to it.”
“It’ll be good to have the little bro here,” Harvey said. “That way I can keep an eye on him.”
“Not so little,” Parker said with a mock scowl. “And that’s another reason I want to find my own place. I need my privacy.”
There were hoots around the table, and Parker shook his head at the juvenile antics. Rafe leaned in close. “I can think of a few things we can do with that privacy, and maybe we can start now?”
Parker stared into Rafe’s golden brown eyes and couldn’t think of anything better. He pushed up from the table, and the two of them made their excuses, finally leaving followed by a chorus of catcalls.
Back at Rafe’s apartment they sat on the sofa, tea in hand as soft music floated through the room. Rafe had lit some candles, and the flames flickered gently, reflecting on the dark glass of the windows. There was nothing but darkness to be seen outside, but that didn’t matter because everything Parker wanted to see was right here beside him. Parker pulled Rafe’s feet up on his lap, encouraging him to lie back, and stroked the soft skin of his arches.
“Hey, what did you think of the article that came out today?” Rafe asked. He’d sent the link to Parker earlier in the day.
“I was surprised it made the front page. I expected something brief, not a full feature article.”
“Despite the invasion of privacy, I loved the photos,” Rafe said. “I wonder if I can get the originals from Annie at the magazine. I’ll get Nigel to check.”
Rafe leaned forward and snagged his phone from the table. “This one is my favourite.” He swiped the phone and passed it to Parker. Parker put down his tea and looked at the phone. The photo was one taken at the very first interview back at the Santa Monica hotel. Parker hadn’t even realised the photo was being taken, Annie obviously sneaking around the terrace to capture some candid shots. In it, Parker was standing near a palm tree, and Rafe had a hand to his cheek. Parker could remember his stress at the both the interview and the photo session, and how Rafe had tried to calm him. The photo was full of concern. Annie had also caught the sneaky hand to the butt when they’d first entered the library, and one where Rafe was touching his knee.
“I think my favourite is the one of us dancing.” Parker loved the juxtaposition of the photo—the two of them in each other’s arms, surrounded by a wildly dancing crowd, as if they were the only people in the world.
There were other photos too—one of Rafe passing Parker a water bottle before one of the performances, and a few snaps of them on stage. Each one seemed to tell a story—a story of them both focused on each other.
He looked at Rafe. “You know, once I would have cringed at the idea of photos in the press—”
“Because of your ex?”
Parker nodded. He’d told Rafe the whole story, and it had felt good getting it off his chest, how hurt he’d been at not being deemed good enough to appear in photos at Stav’s side. “But these feel… they make me feel special. Although I still feel a bit of a fraud or as if I’m in fairy tale.”
Rafe raised a brow.
“The rock star and the average guy, remember?”
Rafe laughed. “Oh, Parker, you could never be average. Plus, as I keep reminding you, I’m just an ordinary guy too.”
“I know, an ordinary guy with an extraordinary job.” Parker smiled.
Rafe chuckled. “Oh good, it’s working already.” He moved his feet from Parker’s lap and sat up, placing a hand on Parker’s cheek. “Before you know it, I’ll even have you believing in yourself.”
Parker’s throat grew tight at the intensity of Rafe’s gaze and his words. He closed the distance between them and touched his mouth to Rafe’s. Rafe returned his kiss with a kiss so intense and full of emotion that Parker’s heart threatened to beat out of his chest.
This man, this rock star, already made him believe in so many things; most importantly, to believe in the power of love.
