Page 221 of Goodbye Note

I groaned, getting half-hard. Then I had an idea. “Want me to blow you while you do your vocal warmups? I can help you hit those high notes.”

“Fuck.” He throbbed. “Let me text the nanny to make sure she’s keeping track of Nova. Lock the door.”

I did as he asked, but when I turned back around, he stared at his phone. “What?”

“Lindsay agreed to make the dual statement. She said she doesn’t want to fight any place that Nova will eventually see it or have it get back to her at school. That I’m a good dad and she doesn’t want to come between Nova and I, even if she’s hurt, and I ‘emotionally cheated’ with you our whole relationship.” Varian rolled his eyes at the last.

I grabbed his face, kissing him hard. “Holy shit.”

“I know.” The smile on his face was better than anything else. Varian had backtracked on his one-day deadline, giving her a week to decide on the joint statement, and I was glad he had.

“You deserve this.”

“Thank you for saying that.” He put his hands over mine. “Not many people get a do-over. I’m really thankful we are getting one.”

“We are lucky.” I stroked my thumbs over his cheeks.

“As long as we don’t fuck it up this time.”

I laughed and pulled him closer. “Are you worried about fucking it up?”

“A little, yeah. It’s a lot to live up to. A lot I know I have to lose.”

“You aren’t going to lose me this time,” I whispered into his cheek as we swayed to the music again.

“You can’t know that.” His words trembled.

“No more goodbye notes. So unless you’re leaving me, I’m going to be here.” I looked into his dark eyes. Steady.

“What if I fuck it up again?”

I took a slow breath, centering my fear to deal with it. “Promise me no matter how bad it gets or how dark either one of us is, we’ll figure it out together.”

“I promise,” he whispered.

“Me too.”

“If I fuck up this soft launch thing, will you forgive me?”

“Fuck it up how?”

He brushed our lips, and all I could do was smile. “I’m going to end up kissing you in public.”

“Not if I beat you to it.” I laughed. “The moment one of us slips, everyone will know. They are going to be all over us even more than they are when you put out that statement.”

“You don’t think we could get away with denying it while we hang all over each other?” There was a glint of amusement in his eyes.

I shook my head with a smirk. “Just best friends.”

“Who live together?” he asked.

My heart stopped. “Is that what you want?”

“I do,” he said carefully.

“I want that too.” I rubbed our noses together. “Also very normal, straight behavior to live with your best friend.”

He nodded, then kissed me again. “Just like this. Also straight behavior.”

---