Zach held Brandy’s arms, drawing him more firmly against his back. “It must have been the song I sang for you.”
“‘I’m Yours’ certainly cemented the idea in their heads. The misunderstanding about bands before that started it. Also there was a part where you worried after my backside and made sure I got a cushion—”
Laughter toppled out of Zach, like the sudden call of a lark at dawn. “Are you aware you’ve fallen for a clueless idiot?”
“Mmm, but you’re my clueless idiot.”
Zach spun around and gripped the lapels of Brandon’s suit jacket. “All those times you were sad . . . I thought it was because you wanted to find love too. Not because I was the one you—” He cut off abruptly. “I mean . . . I’m sorry I ever made you sad.”
“I only ever wanted you to keep smiling. To be happy. Zachary, I need you to know I would’ve supported you if you’d chosen . . .”
Zach glared at him. “Don’t lie. You would have fought. I saw a glimpse at the ball.” He stood on his toes, meeting Brandy eye-to-eye. “I liked it.”
Brandy kissed him, hard, and Zach felt it everywhere.
“I suddenly don’t feel like pie,” he murmured.
Brandy hummed in agreement, then stepped back. He straightened himself and herded Zach back into the car.
Only, they didn’t drive in the direction of home.
“Brandon, where are you taking us?”
Brandy smiled quietly, and five minutes later Zach was staring out over moon-milked sand, reflections shimmering on the calm ocean. “I mean, I can do it pretty much anywhere, but unless you carry” —Zach opened the glovebox and laughed so hard his stomach cramped.
Brandy waited, shaking his head. “Just in case.”
“Did you grab this in your lunch break? Is that why you were too busy?”
Colour touched Brandy’s face, but he kept his eyes on Zach in a way that turned laughter to something nervous, shivery. “Out.”
“Should I bring this?”
“No.”
“Aw man. Here I thought you had a spontaneous side after all.”
“I told you, I’m a planner. And it’s romantic.”
“Is it?”
Brandy leaned over him, opened the door, and paused, effectively caging Zach in his seat. Dashes of silver glinted in his eyes. “There’s something powerful in taking the time to appreciate an upcoming moment.”
Zach legit got so hard, he was pulsing against his jeans.
He croaked, “Talking can do that?”
Brandy shifted the blanket draped over his shoulder. “Handstands again?”
Procrastinating. No other word for it.
“There’s nothing like nosediving towards the ground in the dark.”
Brandy’s laugh crackled and when Zach came up dusting sand off his hands, he pulled him close. “I can think of something better.”
“We’re going in the wrong direction for that.”
“Are you sure?”
Zach was not.
Talking in the sheltered darkness of the cave was . . . weirdly thrilling and . . . exposing. Stretched out on Brandy’s picnic blanket, his head in Brandy’s lap, the wind a light echo outside, Zach’s heart raced. His jeans tightened toward torture.
His eyes were shut.
“I mean, I guess I’m scared you’ll wake up after we do it and realise I’m too immature for you? Too much of a dreamer? Too dramatic?”
“And I’m afraid you’ll wake up and see new lines around my eyes and wish for someone younger. More carefree. Someone who lives for the moment.”
“What if you meet someone better? Smarter, sexier, more sensible? Oh fuck, you’ll let me down so sweetly it’d break my heart for good. I’ll never trust anyone again. Promise if you do dump my arse, you’ll be horrible about it? So I can hate you forever and focus on that rather than on losing the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Waves rushed rhythmically against the shore, and Brandy dipped down and kissed him again, nose bumping his chin. Upside down kisses were surprisingly, um, hot. He never knew. He’d never played around with kisses beyond what was required to get a guy into bed.
“I like this,” Zach murmured. “Just this is enough.” He paused, pushing Brandy back up, glaring.
“But we are doing more tonight, I hope.”
Brandy laughed and stroked his hair again.
“I’d like that. I’d really like that.” Brandy spoke softly. Candidly. “I’m a little nervous. I haven’t been with a man before.”
“Shy, are you? Don’t worry, I’ll be confident enough for the both of us.”
Brandy tugged lightly on his hair. “I said I was a little nervous. That’s not the same thing.”
“What are you saying?”
Brandy told him exactly what he was saying, and in a detail that had Zach’s lungs working faster.
“Okay, so you’re not shy. That’s what you w-want?”
“Only the parts you want. And of course not all in one night.” Brandy’s fingers combed some sort of magic spell through him.
“Um, all that sounds . . .” incredibly not shy. And God, he was so hard he might come in his pants. All this. Just from talking. “Yes.”
