Page 47 of Patchwork
“You are a godsend, man. You don’t need me to hang around while you negotiate all that, do you?”
“As long as you promise to answer my calls, I don’t need you in the city.”
“You got it.” I hold out my hand to shake on it, and then I stand back up.
I feel lighter as I make my way back to my apartment. I take the stairs two at a time up to my floor, debating whether I should call Hero or just head straight to the airport and get on the next flight back to Wisconsin to tell him the good news in person.
I reach my floor and stop in my tracks. My heart stutters to a pause and then breaks into a gallop, a grin forming on my face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask gleefully, jogging down the hallway.
Hero barely manages to make it to his feet before I crash into him, wrapping my arms around him and burying my face in the crook of his neck. It’s only been a day and a half since I saw him last, but I feel whole again having his sturdy body against mine.
His arms around me set off that same low beat ofhomein my ears.
“Wait, you didn’t come because you thought I wasn’t coming back, did you?”
A laugh rumbles in his chest and he squeezes me a little harder.
“No, I came because I didn’t want to wait. Can we talk?”
I kiss the tip of his nose. “Yeah, sweetness, we have a lot to talk about. Come inside.”
HERO
I’ve seen pictures and videos of Onyx’s apartment, but the thing that hits me as soon as I step inside is that it’s nothim. Everything is black and white, no color whatsoever, all sharp angles and sleek design without any coziness or hint of his personality. He said as much a couple of weeks ago, but I really see what he means now. I can see how he doesn’t fit into this life he’s been living for too long.
He kicks off his shoes then turns to face me, looping his arms around my neck and crashing his lips into mine. I sigh against his mouth. Part of me was worried we’d still be fighting, or that he’d find it creepy that I came all the way here just to talk to him. But there’s nothing but eagerness and affection in the sweep of his tongue against mine and the curve of a smile on his lips.
“Kaiden,” I say as soon as he breaks the kiss.
He arches an eyebrow at me. “Did you just call me by someone else’s name or…?”
I sputter a laugh. “No, dumbass, my name is Kaiden.”
“Kaiden,” he echoes, testing the shape of my name on his tongue. The sound of it sends a happy shiver down my spine. I want to hear him whisper it while I swallow his cock. I want him whining my real name as I fuck him right here on the floor. I want it rasping in his throat as he comes.
But first…
“I haven’t touched anyone else since we met either,” I confess.
He laughs, but the look on his face is pure relief. Onyx threads his fingers through mine and leads me over to the couch so we can both sit down.
“Why didn’t you just say that a couple of weeks ago when I told you the same thing?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. You asked why I’ve been pushing you away since you showed up this time, and honestly, it was purely to protect myself. You’re right, I wasn’t seeing you, not the realyou. I couldn’t stop telling myself that I had nothing to offer a rockstar, that I needed to keep my cards close to my chest so you wouldn’t know how gone I already am over you. But you’re more than just a rockstar… You’re Onyx. You love quiet mornings, and you can’t sleep with dirty dishes in the sink. You bought treats to win my cat over and taught Milo how to play the guitar. You’ve had your heart on your sleeve this entire time, and I just wasn’t paying attention, because I knew if I believed all the incredible things you kept telling me, I’d fall hopelessly in love with you.”
His breath catches, and when I meet his gaze, I see tears shining in his eyes. He nods slowly, tugging his lip ring between his teeth.
“I’m glad you’re finally pulling your head out of your ass, sweetness.”
We both chuckle.
“I am.” My throat tightens with emotion, and I inch closer on the couch, pulling his legs over my lap. “And I was thinking…” I swallow around the lump in my throat and hold his gaze. “I talked to the guys at Four Bears Construction about adding on a sunroom to the back of the house. That way you’ll have somewhere nice to enjoy your morning coffee and write your music, even in the winter when it’s too cold to sit outside. Because I want you at my place in the winter too. I want you there whenever you want to be. I know you’ll still be gone a lot, but maybe if Fall Crosse was your home base, we could see each other more? I want to make this work, Onyx. I want you in my life, as my partner.”
Onyx makes a choked sound and threads his fingers through my hair again, tugging me in for another kiss. I can taste the salt of tears on his lips, and we both sink into the slow rhythm for a minute. Instead of speeding up, my pulse slows, like I’m relaxing for the first time in fuck knows how long.
He sniffles when he pulls away and wipes the back of his hand across his cheeks to clear away the tears.
