“Just an idea,” I comment casually and squeeze his hand reassuringly. “I mean eventually when you go back to school, you’ll have to perform your own stuff so I just thought, this might be a good opportunity to test it out. The bride and groom probably won’t even notice. And if they do notice it’ll be because they love it.”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay. No biggie. You don’t have to do it. I honestly think we’re good with the songs we have,” I tell him and it’s not a lie. We’ve got a lot of material.
“You really think I could pull it off? In front of people.”
“I know it.”
And then I kiss him, hoping I can quell his fears that way. We make-out standing there in the middle of the room for so long that there isn’t time for any more conversation. We have to rush downstairs and meet Joe and Grant.
The gig goes without a hitch. We play three sets, which are interspersed with DJ sets. Halfway through the last set when we’re supposed to do “Heaven” by Bryan Adams, Chase turns his back to the dance floor and his eyes lock with mine and I know. I stand up from the drum kit. “Guys, he’s gonna do an acoustic number. Let’s take a minute.”
Joe and Grant look slightly confused but put down their instruments and follow me to the back corner of the stage as Chase says. “Let’s try something new here. Since we’ve got this amazing ocean front location, I thought you might enjoy a song I wrote inspired by the ocean. So grab someone you love and hit the dance floor for this one.”
The song, in its entirety, is simply amazing. Chase’s voice is strong, the lyrics are beautiful, and the melody brings almost every single guest onto the dance floor. The people without partners are swaying in their seats or on the side of the dance floor and I swear they clap louder for his original tune than they have for any of our covers.
He doesn’t react though when it’s over. He just motions for us to come back. As I sit down and pull my sticks out of my back pocket, I’m more than ready for this night to be over so I can get back into that motel room and show him exactly how incredible I think he is.
17
CHASE
I’m nothing but adrenaline and lust when we get back to the motel. All I want to do is grab Bowen and lock us away in my room, but of course I can’t. Joe and Grant want some celebratory beers so we all gather in Grant’s room, on his balcony facing the ocean, and sit and toast a great night.
“I’ve never heard the whole song you sung tonight,” Joe says. “I’ve only heard bits of it over the years. I wasn’t even sure you had a whole song.”
“I’ve never played it in its entirety for anyone until tonight,” I admit. “Bowen thought it was time and he was right.”
“He was,” Grant adds and smiles at Bowen, clinking the tops of their beer bottles together. “You’ve got a magic touch, Bo. He’s been refusing to play his originals in public for almost a decade.”
Bowen shrugs and his eyes meet mine as he lifts his beer bottle to his lips and takes a slow pull from the bottle. I grin because I’ve never felt like this before and I’m pretty sure it isn’t just because I bared my soul on that stage when I performed that song for the first time. It’s because I’d already bared my soul to him. “He does have a magic touch. You should give up bartending and become a therapist.”
Bowen laughs. Joe puts down his empty beer. “Speaking of therapy, you know what would really help me sleep right now?”
Bowen’s grin deepens and he pulls his cigarette pack that doesn’t contain cigarettes from his pocket and tosses it at Joe. “Be my guest.”
“Thanks man.” Joe promptly lights up one of the joints, tosses the box back to Bowen and after a long drag, passes the joint to Grant.
After a good long inhale, Grant passes the joint to me but I shake my head. “I’m actually not ready for sleep. I want to enjoy the moment a little more.”
I also don’t want to be too buzzed when I’m alone with Bowen tonight. I want to feel everything and forget nothing. I blink, because I know my gaze is getting heated, and stand up, finishing what’s left of my beer in one big gulp. “I’m gonna head to my room, and maybe fuck around on the guitar a little. I’m wired.”
Joe smiles, shaking his head. “Creative bug stronger than ever, huh? Good for you, Chase. I can’t wait until you’re a zillionaire and can do this full-time.”
“Yeah, me too,” I reply and leave my bottle on the small table. “See you all in the morning for the trip home.”
“Hold up,” Bowen says casually. “I’ll walk upstairs with ya. I am dying to take a long shower and catch some Zs. Unlike the rest of you I have to work when we get home tomorrow afternoon. My brother and I have to install a new watering system for the fields.”
“Party-poopers!” Grant calls behind us as Bowen follows me out the door.
We don’t speak or touch until we’re on our floor. He leans on his door next to mine as I swipe my keycard and push it open. And then I leave it open for him to walk through behind me. I don’t turn on the lights, I just open the curtains so the moonlight bouncing off the roaring ocean can fill the room. I hear the door click shut and then feel his hands snaking their way around my waist. And when his lips ghost over my neck, I shudder in relief. “Fuck I have been thinking of this all night.”
I turn in his arms and he kisses me. It’s aggressive and dominating and I am fucking here for it. Our tongues slide across each other and I fist his hair and he grabs the hem of my T-shirt and yanks it up. Our kiss breaks. “Too many fucking clothes.”
He growls those words and I feel it in my balls. I don’t think I’ve ever been this turned on. But I think that every time Bowen and I are together. I’m going to have a really hard time not telling the world how I feel about him for another six stupid months. My shirt is suddenly up over my head, and he reaches behind his back and yanks his own up and over his head while my hands make quick work of his battered old brown leather belt. I get it undone as he toes out of his brown boots, which I’ve noticed he hardly ever ties up properly. I unzip his pants and he runs a hand over my hair and then down my back. “You really were amazing tonight. That song is fucking gorgeous. Like you.”
“I’m glad you like it so much,” I whisper as my lips graze across his and then I press them to his ear. “It’s about the man I want to be… that I will be one day.”
