Page 6 of Flames and Flowers
And they’d gottenmarried.
All I could hear was Axl Rose screeching in the background, pulling me back to my body, while I tried to find my mouth to make appropriate words likecongratulations. “Reckless Life.” That was the song. I saw Danica’s blue eyes, blinking at me. And then her voice faded in.
“… Matt, your eggnog.”
I glanced down and caught it just as it dribbled over. “Shit. Sorry.”
She smiled. “You okay?”
“Uh, too much punch at that last party.” I set the mug down and reached to give her a hug. “Congratulations, you.”
“Thank you.” She squeezed me; she was soft and warm in my arms and she smelled like flowers.
I released her quick, then gave Ash a hug. “Congrats,” I said, and then right in his ear, “she’s incredible.”
His eyes met mine, and he wasn’t smiling. He gave me that soul deep, serious look of his—the same one he used when he told me he wanted me to join his band. “Thanks, Matty.”
Then… he didn’t let go.
I was in his arms, and heat rushed through me. This feeling…intoxicatingwas the only word for it. It was dizzyingly familiar, since I’d replayed it on endless repeat in my fantasies for the last six months.
Every time I got myself off.
His body against me. His eyes on mine. The way he called meMattyin that slightly rough, slightly cocky, totally smoldering voice.
I pulled away so Danica could slip into his arms. Blood was thudding in my dick, and I helped myself to another shot as I put some space—and the kitchen island—between us.
We all listened as Ash and Danica told us about the private, mountaintop, marriage-proposal-turned-wedding-ceremony, with a few extra details thrown in by Taylor, who was there. And the very special heirloom ring that Ash had gotten from Danica’s aunt for her. The tattoo he’d gotten on his inner thigh for her. And the whirlwind honeymoon they were going on before they headed out on tour in the New Year with Dirty.
And with me.
We did another shot to celebrate that. Xander’s idea.
And to cope, I started drunk fantasizing about how completely and utterly motherfucking awesome next year was gonna be; five-and-a-half more months of touring with Dirty, then going into the studio with my new band, the Players.
Yup. Fucking awesome.
Had to be.
Because this year was definitely ending on a really fucking disappointing note.
I didn’t even realize—or want to realize, maybe—how much I wanted something to happen between Ash and me, or Ash and Danica and me, until they stood in front of me and told me they were newlyweds.
I didn’t do married couples. It was a policy. A moral thing.
I had a few, believe it or not.
I may have been a bad boy by reputation—kinda came with the rock star gig—and polyamorous by nature, but even bad boys had morals. Limits. Lines they didn’t cross.
I was all for messing around with more than one person at a time, couples included. But messing around with a married couple was a complication I didn’t need. I had no desire to be the other man in that situation, or some toy on the side of their sacred union.
I didn’t mind taboo hookups.
I didn’t mind “forbidden” hookups.
I didn’t mind secret hookups.
But the fantasy in my head was rapidly dissolving at the sight in front of me. Danica’s eyes were gleaming as bright as her antique diamonds. And Ash, at her side, was obviously on fire for her in a way I’d hoped he’d be for me.
