Page 68 of The Deviation
“Besides,” he adds, squeezing back. “I know you’re happiest when you’re playing, and I enjoy hearing your happiness.” Whatever look of bafflement he sees on my face makes him chuckle. “Don’t be so surprised. I became a manager for a reason.”
My mouth is on his in the instant he finishes his sentence. I can’t help it. “You,” I whisper against his lips between kisses, “are amazing.” My free hand wraps around the back of his neck. “I don’t deserve you.”
He scoffs, pulling back to stare into my eyes, his hands cupping my face. “Forget that bullshit. It’s not about deserving or being good enough. On the night we met, there was more than one reason I hoped you weren’t all this,” his gesture encompasses the length of me, “and a musician, too.” A smileappears at the corners of his mouth. “Who you are is my kryptonite, Johnny. I’m helpless against you. You get that, right?”
“I’m starting to,” I whisper, pressing my forehead to his as I struggle to contain the fullness in my heart. “I didn’t know it could be like this. The way you see me.” As not lacking, not a disappointment, not some man-child who refuses to grow up. I’m just Johnny. “I don’t want to be your kryptonite, though,” I say, curling up closer to him. “I want to make you stronger, the way you do for me.”
His smile grows. “You do. Having you in my life, in all the ways, has been a game-changer. We’re growing together. Yeah?”
I take a deep breath, feeling contentment settle deep into my bones. “Together.”
Our lips meet and I make a silent wish for us to always be like this. Moving forwards together.
“Oh, bugger,” says a voice from the other side of the room.
* * *
We jerk apart to see Gavin standing in the doorway of his bedroom, Charmaine peeking out from behind him, her eyes wide with surprise.
“We didn’t mean to interrupt.” His eyebrows are so high on his forehead, they’re about ready to disappear.
Calum springs up from the couch like he’s been electrocuted. “We were… umm.”
“Checking each other’s tonsils?” Gavin suggests.
My eyes roll as I scoff. We’d barely even managed to get as far as opening our mouths.
Charmaine pushes past him. “Are you two a thing?”
I look at Calum. He looks at me. His mouth works as if searching for the right words before he sighs and gives me a shrug. “I guess this is as good a time as any?”
“It’s the perfect time.” Turning back to Gavin and Charmaine, I grin. “Yes, we’re very much together.”
“Oh my god, this is perfect,” Charmaine squeals before rushing over to us for hugs. “I’m so happy for you both.”
“When did this happen?” Gavin asks, moving into the kitchen. “And why the hell didn’t we know about it?”
Calum looks to me, allowing me to decide how much we tell everyone.
I open my mouth to reply, but more doors start to open. “Everything all right?” Ned asks as he joins us. “We heard a scream.”
“Sorry.” Charmaine winces, waving a hand in the air. “That was me.”
Toni wanders out, still pulling on his shirt. “Someone better be dying out here.”
Gavin snorts a laugh as he fills the kettle at the sink. “Only if you include the little death.”
Toni’s dimples leap onto his face. “Who’s been fucking on the couch?”
“No one,” I insist, only to be overridden by Charmaine’s declaration of, “It was more of a coitus interruptus.”
“There was no interruptus of anything,” Calum cries, his face turning as red as his hair. “We were kissing. That’s all.”
“Who’s kissing who?” Hannah appears behind the couch, hair sticking up every which way. Oz is a step behind her. His arms are crossed, hands tucked into his armpits.
Gavin points a teaspoon in Hannah’s direction. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
Hannah narrows her eyes at him. “Knew about what?”