Page 202 of Becoming Us

We’d also agreed to go to a meeting the day after every show—to keep ourselves grounded.

Atty stood front and center again, and through every song, I kept my eyes on him. He was my focal point. Singing to him made it easier—not for the crowd, but for us. Still, the energy in the room was electric. Unmatched. And when we finished, I found myself pressed against a wall, getting the freaking life kissed out of me. Again.

The crowd’s roar still rang in my ears, but it all dulled the second Atty’s mouth found mine. My pulse was jackhammering. I was sweating through my shirt. Everything was heat and static and the feeling of his lips moving against mine like I was something he’d craved all night.

“We’re going back to your place, right?” I asked as he trailed kisses down my neck.

“Whatever you want.” His words were hot and ragged against my skin. “I just want you.”

He kissed me again, and I tangled my fingers in his hair, driving all the leftover adrenaline into the kiss.

I barely noticed the footsteps until the sound of Ezra clearing his throat cut in like a splash of cold water. I didn’t pull away so much as surface. Breathing hard. Half-drunk on Atty’s mouth.

“Got a minute?” he asked.

I groaned, frustrated. “Why do people keep interrupting us? Do we look like we want company?”

“No, you do not,” Ezra said, clearly amused. “But Paxton’s freaking out, and he needs you.”

I sighed, pulling away from Atty. “Is it a good freak-out?”

“Looks like it,” Ezra said with a shrug.

Atty kissed my cheek. “I’ll meet you there—I’m hitting the bathroom real quick.”

“Need a hand?” I teased.

He winked and walked off, and my eyes dipped automatically, appreciating how well his jeans fit.

“Are you done with the eye-fucking?” Ezra’s sarcastic drawl snapped me back.

“I’m locking you out of the house if you keep being a cockblock.”

“Please. That’s all you two ever do anyway. The results came in, and the wall thickness in your house is subpar.”

“We’re staying at Atty’s tonight anyway.” I ignored the flush crawling up my neck. Was I embarrassed? Yes. Was that going to stop me fromloudlyenjoying the love of my life? No. Not a chance in hell.

“Poor Col,” Ezra sighed. “It’s nice, by the way.”

“Hearing us fuck?”

He barked out a laugh. “No, you idiot. Seeing you two together. You really found it, didn’t you?”

I smiled. “True love?”

“Yeah. And you didn’t fuck it up! Congrats on that—for now,” he added with a smirk.

I knew him well enough to recognize the joke. Mostly. “You know I totally grew on you, Tate.”

“The house by the beach grew on me.” He tried, but failed to hide a smile. “Also, you’re not terrible at giving out advice.”

“I helped?” I asked with a grin.

“Yeah, youmighthave helped. A tiny bit.”

We reached the door and found Paxton sitting on a chair, paper-white, with Jaden fanning him and Brice massaging his shoulders.

I laughed. “What the hell happened?”