Page 26

CHAPTER 26

Zeb

The hot Arizona air kisses my skin, a stark contrast to the chill from my A/C as I open my sliding glass door.

Katy is putting the final touches on the back patio with balloons and streamers while Joel sets up the grill.

Twenty-four hours.

Somehow a week has fizzled down to mere hours, and the truth is bittersweet.

I know the show is tomorrow, and Sunday morning, Geo will jump on his tour bus, and he’ll be gone, and when the tour is over, he’ll go home to L.

A.

and it’ll only be a matter of time before the next album comes out, and the next tour starts.

Because that’s his life, but it could have been mine, too.

So, I’m not going to waste the precious time I have left with him before he leaves.

After Geo left for sound check, I called Katy.

If twenty-four hours is all I have left, I want to make it the best twenty-four hours.

I never got to see his thirtieth.

I want thirty-nine to go out with a fucking bang.

But most of all, I need him to know how much I fucking love him.

“Zeb, baby, where do you want me to put this cake?” Debbie calls me from inside, pulling me from my thoughts.

I head back indoors, my gaze settling on the petite blonde woman in my kitchen, holding a giant cake box.

“I got it, Mrs. Graves,” I respond.

I move to grab it off of her, our fingers brushing.

She crosses her arms, shooting me a suspicious look.

Her bracelets clink and clang as she looks around the room.

“What?”

“You did a beautiful job,” she says, as I set the cake on the island.

I reach for the cake stand in my upper cabinet, the one I never use.

The only reason I even have a cake stand is because Katy brought it once for a picnic and she keeps forgetting to grab it every time she visits.

One glance at all the decorations that Katy and I put up, and I have to admit, my house kind of looks like Party City threw up in here, but somehow, it is perfect.

“I can’t take full credit. Katy?—”

“I’m not talking about the party, Zebulon,” she declares.

I set the cake stand down, heading for my silverware to hunt for a cake server, or at the very least, a big fucking knife.

I stop in my tracks as she comes to stand next to me as I open the drawer.

“Mrs. Graves?—”

She goes right in, pulling out a server as she flashes me a sly grin.

Her long, manicured nails tickle the back of my hand and she looks at me with glistening eyes.

“I know things haven’t been easy for you. I know this…” She sighs.

“This didn’t come easy, either. But you never gave up, Zeb.”

Her hand squeezes mine, and I feel a sense of pride mixed with validation I never knew I needed.

“So don’t give up now.” She smiles softly.

I wallow harshly as her words fall on me.

“I?—”

She removes her hand from mine.

“Don’t give up when it’s just getting good, baby.” She winks at me, just as Katy opens the door, her heels clicking on the tile as she fusses with the champagne bottle.

“Zeb! I need a big strong man to open this fucking—” She blushes for a moment, looking at her mother.

“Sorry, Mom.”

Debbie sighs.

“Not my house. Not my rules.” She smirks at me as I take the bottle from Katy, popping the cork with a loud bang, her words still heavy in the air.

Is she.

.

.

saying what I think she is saying?

I don’t have time to process her words, as fizzy bubbles spew out the top as Geo walks through the door, and time stands still.

“What the?—”

“Happy Birthday, baby!” Debbie says as she holds her arms out.

Geo looks from her to me to Katy, and I don’t miss the way his eyes sparkle or his lips twist into a grin.

“What is all of this?” he asks as she hugs him tight, letting him go only so he can breathe, I think.

Katy takes the bottle from my hand and pours the champagne.

Geo slowly walks across my kitchen, stopping at the island, leaving a modicum of space between us.

“I should have told you, I absolutely can not drink this stuff,” he says with a smirk.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Geo. Champagne is for celebrating.” She waves his off dismissively as she reaches for a glass.

“Hold up,” I say as I head for the fridge, pulling out the perfect touch.

I unscrew the lid of maraschino cherries and set them on the counter, plopping four into one flute before I push it to him with a grin.

“You are all terrible influences.” Geo smiles, and it makes my heart skip a beat as he takes my offering, shaking his head.

Katy lights the candles on the cake as Joel comes inside.

I slide a little closer to Geo, close enough that our arms touch.

It’s a subtle touch, barely perceptible in this space with his parents, but it’s enough to draw his fiery gaze to mine.

“Happy Birthday,” I sing, and everyone joins in.

“Make a wish,” Katy says with a grin.

Geo slips his arm around my shoulders, the fire of the candles dancing in his amber eyes.

He closes them, blowing the candles out, and everyone cheers.

It’s nearing ten-thirty when everyone finally leaves.

Geo strums away on my acoustic, perched on my couch.

I swallow harshly as I approach him, my heart in my throat, knowing what I’m about to do.

I settle next to him and he stops, fiery amber eyes staring up at me.

I reach for my guitar and he lets me take it.

“Any requests?” I ask.

Geo twists his lips, tapping his finger against it.

“Hmmm, let’s see...” He pretends to think, but I have a feeling I know what he’s going to pick.

“ Hellbound ,” he says, softly.

“If you still remember it, that is.”

I grin.

“Of course I remember it. I wrote it for you.”

Geo’s eyebrows furrow as the truth falls on him.

I strum out the first few chords, watching his face.

“I swear it’s destiny, I swear it’s fate

You’re all I want, but everything I can’t take

I don’t want to fight this, but I have to stand my ground

But baby, don’t you know I’m a sinner

And you’ve got me Hellbound.”

Geo’s gaze falls to my hands where I play, and then he sings.

“Heaven won’t take me because I’m a sinner

Earth won’t keep me on the ground

My heart wants to fly beyond its cage

I want to scream but I can’t make a sound

Because every time you look at me, baby, I know I’m Hellbound.”

I hadn’t expected him to remember the words.

Or to sing them to me.

My heart wants to leap out of my chest, and I layer my voice with his.

“On my knees I beg, I wish, I pray

That one day you’ll see you’re lost

And one day I’ll be found

I’ll wait here forever for my angel

Because I’m forever Hellbound.”

I close my eyes, his hand on my thigh squeezing tight as he sings the last chorus right along with me.

I strum out those last few chords, the soft melody fading into the warm golden twinkling lights around us.

My gaze settles on him as I rise, holding out my hand.

Geo takes it without question, and I lead him down the hall to my bedroom, where his gift is.

After he left this morning, I knew exactly what I needed to do.

And I’d be lying if I said I’m not nervous about what his reaction will be.

“Stay here,” I say as I take a moment to grab the small bag.

When I turn around, he’s standing against my dresser, hands in his pockets.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” he says.

“Really.”

I hand him the small bag and he takes it.

“I know. But I wanted to.”

I needed to do this, not just for him, but for myself, too.

I watch as he pulls out the small box, opening it.

And then I watch his smile fall over his perfect mouth.

“Do you like it?” I ask, running a hand through my hair nervously.

Geo stares at the velvet box, as I casually pluck it from his hands, taking out the smooth, black tungsten ring sitting inside.

A tangible promise he could feel on his skin, a reminder of my promise that I’d be here when he is ready to come back.

When he’s ready to come home.

“Thought you could use an upgrade,” I murmur, and he smiles.

He doesn’t fight me when I take his hand and slide it on.

He sets the box on my dresser as he slides his hand on my hip.

“I love it,” he says softly as he leans into my space.

I fall into him as the faint whispers of Secondhand Serenade sing like angels from my linked bluetooth speakers.

There is so much I want to say, so much I want to tell him.

I’d been running over exactly the right words all day in my head, but somehow they all disappear the moment I look at him.

Well, all except three.

“I love you,” I whisper to him, wrapping my arms around his waist, holding on tight.

He wraps his arms around my neck, our bodies nonchalantly moving to the beat, pressed together.

The fire in my heart catches everywhere.

Geo kisses me with reverence as his fingers delicately work their magic over the buttons of my shirt.

I slide my fingers in his hair, relishing in the soft feel of it against my fingertips.

I let him undress me, let him take his time.

Because I want to savor this moment, too.

The moment before everything perfect disappears.

I spin him around so his back is flush against me as I work at the buttons of his jeans, sliding them and his briefs down.

He removes his shirt with haste.

I trail my lips over his neck as I pull him against me, his bare ass brushing against my cock as I wrap my arms around him, one hand splayed across his chest, while the other holds his cock in my hands.

When I look up, I can see us in the mirror, can see him staring at our reflection, and I think there is no better sight than him like this.

Than us , like this.

He slides his hand over my right hand across his chest, his shiny new promise ring glinting in the light.

I watch his eyelashes flutter, his heartbeat racing beneath my palm.

He pushes himself against my twitching cock.

“Tell me what you want, birthday boy,” I whisper in his ear.

“You,” he breathes, reaching his hand back to slide his fingers through my hair.

His voice shakes slightly, his grip on my hair soft and reverent.

I thrust myself against him without a second thought, relishing in the little sounds he makes, the way his heart skips a beat when I do so.

“I want to feel you, ” he breathes, his voice strained.

“Everywhere.”

“Are you sure?” I ask.

I lazily stroke his cock, his precum warm as it slides along my palm and his shaft.

Geo nods against me, and I feel him beneath me, his legs parting just the slightest as he leans forward.

He looks at me over his shoulder.

“I’m sure.”

I remove my hand from his chest only to open the drawer to grab the lube, my heart in my throat.

My stomach flips with a hundred emotions.

I’ve never done this with anyone.

I’ve never wanted to.

I’ve always been more than comfortable to be the person who takes whatever someone else feels I deserve.

I’ve never been the person to give .

But I want to give him everything, even if all I have to give is me.

My heart.

The liquid is cool against my skin, sending a shiver racing through me, but Geo doesn’t even wince.

He braces his hands on the edge of my dresser, closing his eyes as I slowly slide my fingers along his seam, into his tightness.

I go slow, letting him get used to the sensation, taking in the sounds of his pleasure as I do so.

With one hand, I use two fingers to slowly stretch him, while I stroke his cock with my other hand.

His gaze catches mine in the mirror, and I know I’ll remember this moment forever.

The calm before the storm.

“If it’s too much, just tell me, okay?” I plant a kiss on his shoulder.

Geo nods as I line myself up.

I slide into him slowly, but easily, and my entire body locks up the moment I bottom out.

Geo finds my hand over his cock, leaning his head back against my shoulder as he pushes back against me and my body reacts of its own accord.

For a moment, I can’t even move, too consumed by the feel of him wrapped around my cock.

I let out a low groan and Geo slowly pushes back against me.

I pull my hips back, relishing in the feel of the drag.

I thrust myself into him, the movement easier, smoother this time, and he lets out a heavy sigh, his hand squeezing mine.

Tears threaten to escape me as I try to get a handle on the emotion that is so familiar, yet so new as the truth lands in my brain.

So this is what making love feels like.

The soft acoustic melodies of Dashboard Confessional’s Heart Beat Here is like a choir of truth as I let my lips trail over Geo’s skin, as I let myself feel all of it, all of him.

His heartbeat beneath my palm, his precum against my fingertips, his sweet orange blossom and cedar scent, his soft, breathy moans, his tongue in my mouth.

I savor the sounds he makes, the way he responds to my touch, the steady beating of his heart.

His cock pulses in my grasp, filling my hand with warmth as I empty myself inside of him.

“Happy Birthday, baby,” I whisper in his ear, glancing at our reflection.

When we finally separate, we find our way to my bed wordlessly.

Geo curls against me as I drape an arm over his hip, pulling him closer until all I can breathe is him.

And only then do I fall asleep, praying that the morning never comes.