Page 36 of Flames and Flowers
I was still holding Ash’s hand, and Danica’s.
I started to pull away, but they both held on.
So I held on, too.
I looked into Ash’s eyes, and he looked back at me, steady, like he didn’t care who was looking.
I’d accepted this going public. Made peace with it. But as they both held on to me in that moment, I realized that maybe all I really needed to accept was that this was meant to be.
It was real, and it was lasting, and that was all that really mattered.
They weren’t going to abandon me. They weren’t going to turn on me, even if it took me way too fucking long to get my shit together.
Because they loved me.
“Uh, we’re about to drop the lead single,” Brody informed us. “It’s almost midnight. Everyone’s looking for you guys.”
“Sure,” Ash said. “We’re coming.” He released me and so did Danica, and we all turned to head back into the ballroom as I tried to discreetly adjust my fading hard-on in my pants.
As we walked past, Ronan tried to look like a security guy just doing his duty, like he hadn’t seen anything at all—but failed.
Brody glanced at the sky, like,Give me strength to deal with this shit show, and he didn’t even try to hide it.
Xander slapped me on the back. “Having a good night?” he asked me kinda under his breath. He fell in step with me, behind Ash and Danica, as Ronan and Brody brought up the rear.
“Pretty fucking great night, actually.”
“Huh,” he grunted, with a mixture of grudging amusement and wonder.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “A throuple is my limit.”
And when I glanced at him, he cracked a small smile.
ChapterEight
Matt
So, no one screamed. No one freaked out. No one dumped me or fired me and I didn’t have to learn “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)” and change my name.
My life didn’t fall apart.
It all came together at that party, and in the months that followed.
Before dawn, I’d moved in with Ash and Danica. I still had an apartment, but other than picking up some clothes, I didn’t have any plans to go back there anytime soon. I planned to stay right where I ended up that night: in Ash and Danica’s king sized bed.
My favorite things about that holiday season?
Spending Christmas with Ash and Danica. Band rehearsals. Prepping for the Players’ tour.
Watching our album climb the charts.
And the long, long hours in bed that were somehow never enough.
Piled under the two of them, in the middle, hanging off the edge, whatever. Ash was a hell of a bed hog when he slept, Danica was a cuddler, and I’d happily take it all. Even waking up with her body sprawled over mine, making me all sweaty, and his knee in my balls.
I woke up every morning with a smile on my face.
They actually thought I was a morning person or something, like I must’ve always woken up that way, before I was with them. They hardly even believed me when I tried to tell them otherwise.
