“Sorry,” Dom said, kissing just below my ear. “Didn’t realise they’d misbehave this badly.”
“At least no one’s punched anyone yet. The day is young though.”
“Don’t worry about them.” He gave me another kiss, drawing a shiver from me. “Let’s just enjoy this.”
“I am,” I promised, settling back against his chest. “Can you believe it’s been eleven years to the day since we last saw them?”
“I know. So much is different now.”
I twisted to kiss his lips. “The important things are still the same.”
“True. I never stopped loving you.”
I squeezed his forearm, right where his name for me was etched on his skin. “Same.”
The music caught our attention. Over the next hour, we sang until our voices were hoarse. We screamed when Luca went to his knees for his husband during “Tease,” joining the tens of thousands of others who were doing the same.
Finally, there was just one song left. I hadn’t been able to stop myself checking the set list. If this one had been missed off, I would’ve been devastated.
Luca spoke into the mic, his voice like silk even after performing. “For our last song, we want you to remember that feeling of wanting something desperately. Of yearningfor someone until nothing else exists except for them. Let’s give it up for ‘Something.’”
Tears unexpectedly pricked my eyes as the lyrics washed over me.
All because you do something to me
Something that stops me being lonely
Something that makes me need you
For the love of all that’s holy
Say there’s something
That makes you need me too
I’d always secretly thought of it as mine and Dom’s song. It had captured what I’d felt for him back then. The desperate need for him to return my feelings.
And how I’d felt when he’d returned. I hadn’t been able to admit it, not even to myself, but it was true. I needed Dom to need me. To want me. To love me.
For the rest of our days.
Suddenly, I had to tell him that. But before I could, his hold on me dropped. I frowned as both Max and Xander stepped backwards too, like there’d been some secret signal I’d missed.
Oh god, was someone causing trouble? If some fucking drunk muppet was about to ruin the special moment I wanted to have with my boyfriend, I was going to?—
I didn’t finish that thought.
Because, when I turned, there was no trouble.
Just Dominic on one knee.
A ring box in his hand.
“Shadow, I love you,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over the final notes of “Something.” Max and Xander, I realised, were using their arms to keep people back, giving Dom enough space to do this. “I’ve known you were the one for me since you yelled at me in an alley before kissing me.”
I snorted, swiping a tear away. “Not exactly how I remember it.”
Dom smirked. “I’m talking now, Shadow. Zip it.”
