Page 60 of Accidental Fire
Kit was my fire, and it was no accident.
Epilogue
Kit
We’d been home from Nevada for a month, and the holidays were racing toward us. River was still riding the high from the gold record they’d been awarded at the show, and I couldn’t blame him. It was quite an accomplishment.
Each member of the band got a smaller replica of the plaque than the one presented at Rocktoberfest, which was hanging with a bunch of others in the hallway of Sound Wave Studios in Los Angeles. River’s gold record plaque hung over the couch in our living room, and every time I noticed him glance toward it, he beamed with happiness. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
River was giving Skyler a plaque for Christmas in honor of writing the song and giving it to the band. He’d tried to give Skyler a check from the royalties the song had made to date, but Skyler refused it, saying, “I’m so happy it’s doing well. I wrote it for Sandy, and having you guys sing it is like a dream come true. Every time he hears it on the radio, I get more than money from him. Besides, I married a former football player who made wise investments. You use that money for your future. I’ve got my happy-ever-after.”
His husband, Sandy, laughed when River apologized for the band firing his brother, Marshall, but Sandy’s response was that he was surprised Marshall had lasted as long as he did before imploding. Sandy also told River that Marshall needed to finally grow up, and maybe this was the push he needed. I was grateful to the man for his kind words.
Jeanne had invited us to Cupertino for Christmas, but I had the feeling River wasn’t looking forward to it because of Regal. There was no way I was going to let his father ruin our first holiday together, and I was excited to meet his mom and brother. Arlo would be there, so it wasn’t like I wouldn’t know anyone.
“How does this look? Lauren sent each of us a garment bag of clothes to wear to the interview because they’ll be takingpictures, but I’m not sure about these pants.” I was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and working on a crossword puzzle, while River was trying on clothes for an interview at the iHeartRadio offices. Their syndicated weekend countdown show would be heard across the country, and I could tell my guy was nervous.
He needn’t be. The band members were still writing and creating great music, and their double live release, "Fan the Flames, Live," was rapidly climbing the charts. Some of the acoustic versions had crossed over to pop radio, which was why their new agent, Lerner Carmichael, suggested they take the interview with iHeart out of the many offers coming to them from across the country.
Lerner was a very professional person of thirty. They were nonbinary, so it had taken us time to adjust our pronouns, but they were amazingly patient with us if we slipped up.
The previous weekend, we had all the crew out to the cottage for a party on the beach as thanks for all their help during the tour. I had no doubt that when the next tour was scheduled, they’d all be on board for another ride with Accidental Fire.
“It looks great, but damn, sweetheart, I can tell you’re packing circumcised heat,” I joked. The pants were a cream color and skintight. I wasn’t too thrilled about the world knowing my partner was sporting a pretty sizable cock.
“They can eat their hearts out. I’m a one-person man. What time is it? I think I’ll just wear a pair of jeans,” River said.
We’d surfed that morning, River trying his best to learn. He’d been able to get up on his knees, but when we got close to the shore, he fell off the board, and he was still freezing. The water was a frigid sixty-one. He’d been wearing an insulated wetsuit, but even after a soak in the hot tub we’d had installed on the back deck, he was still cold.
“Hey, we have a couple of hours before we need to leave. Let me warm you up—or a very special part of you, at least.”
We’d shared hand jobs in the shower after surfing, but I wanted to make good on one thing I’d promised during the tour. I was going to give my cherry ass to River. Maybe it would help calm his nerves for the afternoon’s activities?
“Oh yeah? Whatcha got in mind? I don’t want to go to this interview with lube dripping out of my ass, but I’m up for anything else.” He laughed at his own joke, the little shit.
I picked him up and tossed him over my shoulder to carry him down the hall to our bedroom, flipping him onto his back on the bed. “Your ass won’t be dripping lube. It’ll be mine.” He froze for a minute; his questioning gaze fixed on me.
“Really? You want me to fuck you?” The smile was a mile wide.
“I’d prefer to call it making love, but sure. Call me a sentimental romantic, but I like to believe that when we’re together, whatever we do sexually shows each other how much love we have between us. And I want us to skip using condoms. I want you bare.” The look he gave me was akin to a deer in headlights.
“You just went for your testing a week ago when I did, and we’re both negative for any of the bad shit. We’ve been together for a while, and while we don’t have intercourse very often, I want this experience with you. I mean it when I say if we never have penetrative sex, I’m fine, but I’d really like to give you what you gave me.”
His pants came off faster than I’d ever seen since I met him. He was wearing black briefs, the top of his hard-on peeking out of the waistband. My mouth started to water at the sight of his glistening precum.
River smirked at me. “Get your pants off, please.” He sat up, reaching for the button on my pants, so I stepped closer. Ashis nimble fingers unbuttoned and unzipped my shorts, I joined him on the bed.
“I love you, River. So much.” I kissed him with all the love inside me, our tongues dancing first in his mouth and then in mine.
We took off the rest of our clothes and pulled down the bedspread and top sheet. I lay on my back, spreading my legs to accommodate him. He wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed me again.
I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t nervous, but River would never hurt me, I was sure. I reached into the drawer of the bedside table and grabbed the lube, handing it to him. “Be thorough, please.” We both laughed.
“I will. I promise. Like you tell me, if at any second you’re in pain, we’ll stop. Okay?”
I nodded and smiled. “Get on it, Riv.”
He laughed and flipped open the lube. “Whatever you say, honey.”
