Page 45 of Asking For a Friend

The music fades away, and we’re still staring at each other. I can reach him in a couple more steps, but it feels like we’re separated by a canyon. A ravine so deep I can easily fall in. If I touch him, I’ll tumble again. But this is Lando, and I’m lost without him.

Lando makes the first move. In two strides, he closes the gap. The fragrance of his cologne fills my nostrils; the heat of his body sears my skin. He’s trembling, but his gaze is steady, imploring me to do something.

As I stroke my knuckles down his cheek, he exhales a breath as shaky as mine. Half a second later, I crash my mouth onto his, and that one touch brings him back to me. The softness of his lips and the mild taste of his cherry lip balm are so familiar, so right. I can’t deny him any longer. I snake my arm around his waist and pull him into me, deepening the kiss. And when the tip of his tongue touches mine, I’m home.

The room disappears as I sink into the taste of him. Everything feels right again. My muscles loosen, and all the tension I’ve carried since that last dreadful call from him dissipates, leaving nothing but peace.

I hold his face, his stubble rough on my palms, and stroke my thumbs over his cheeks, wiping away his tears. I pull back and look at him. “Hey, don’t cry, baby. It’s okay. It’s all okay.”

“I’m sorry, Hesketh, so bloody sorry.” As he buries his head in my neck, I wrap him up in a tight embrace.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m the idiot here. This was all my fault. I hate that I hurt you. I hate that I didn’t have the balls to face you and tell you the truth.”

“Can we promise never to go silent again?” His eyes still swim with tears, but he’s trying to smile.

“I promise never to give you a reason to doubt me.” I kiss him again.

I’m in his arms, his mouth on mine, and I feel like I’m home again.

The applause brings us back to the present. It’s embarrassing how many people came to watch me lay myself bare for the man I want to love for the rest of my life.

Sophie rushes to me and hugs me tight. Tears track down her cheeks as she congratulates me and kisses my cheek.

“Hey, cut that out. I’ve only just got him back.” Hesketh laughs, pulling me away from her. He looks so handsome in his tux. I can’t wait to peel him out of it later.

“Look at you all dressed up. I look a mess.” Even my friends are in posh clothes, the gits. Sophie told me just to be me, and she was right.

“You look perfect,” Hesketh says.

Ellis walks over to Hesketh and claps him on the shoulder. “Good surprise?”

“The best. I’m happy you chose to ignore me and kept meddling. Thank you.” He looks over to me and mouths, ‘I love you’.

I want to drag him home. Fuck the club and the partying. The heated look he gives me says he’s thinking the same thing.

Hesketh winks and cups his mouth. “As much as we’d love to spend the evening with you losers, we’ve got some catching up to do.”

More hollers. I’m sure someone calls the time. The fuckers had a sweepstake on us, but at least it was for us leaving together rather than not getting together again.

As we say goodbye and head to the exit, a sharp-dressed man approaches us with a bottle of champagne in one hand. “Congratulations, gentlemen. Please accept this from us. We wish you a long and happy life together. Also, Lando, if you ever want a gig here, give me a call. You have an exquisite voice.”

He hands over the bottle and a business card.

As soon as we get outside, we grab a cab. I give the driver my address and settle back in the seat, content with my man’s arm around my shoulder. “My place okay?”

“Absolutely, mine is farther away.” He presses his lips against my temple. “I can’t believe you did that. I didn’t even know you could sing. It was incredible. I couldn’t have done that, been so brave in front of everyone.”

“I was nervous as hell, but your friends assured me you wouldn’t turn me down. And Sophie promised to break your fingers if you did.”

“She would too. You should see her when Ellis has pissed her off. It’s frightening.”

We’re quiet for the rest of the way home, but it’s a comfortable silence. He laces his fingers through my hair, and I rest mine on his thigh. I’m not teasing him. We won’t need anything to turn us on. He’s as eager as me to tumble into bed.

As soon as the cab stops, I thrust money through the gap and open the door. We rush inside. I hold up a finger. “Close your eyes and stay there for a minute.”

I race up the stairs and into my bedroom, light the candles, and scatter rose petals on the bed, then, on my way back down, light each of the tealights on the stairs. “You can open your eyes now.”

He blinks a couple of times as if he doesn’t believe what he sees. He smiles with heat in his eyes. A look I’ve missed as much as I’ve missed every other part of him. “You’re amazing. God, no wonder you write bestsellers if this is how romance works for you.”

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