Page 25 of Forever Flames: Padraig & Stevie
Padraig goes quiet. His hand slips into my hair. “I think what happened last summer broke him a little.”
“It broke Liam, too.”
He nods.
We lie there for a while. The room is quiet save the slight hum of the mini-fridge.
I press a kiss to his chest, right above his heart. “You and Liam sounded tight last weekend, we could all spend the summer doing some gigs up and down the coast. Could be fun.”
“You’d be up for that?” Padraig’s mood shifts. “We’ve settled on a name. Connor-approved.”
“Wait, really? You picked one without me?”
He arches a brow. “You vetoed Tin Bastards, remember?”
“Obviously.”
“We’re going with Fireball.”
I roar with laughter. “Because of your temper or his?”
“Because Liam thinks the name is cool and will inspire us to live up to it.” Padraig chortles.
I roll my eyes. “Tracks.”
He leans in and kisses me slow. Deep. When he pulls back, his expression shifts. “I know being on the road isn’t your thing. It means a lot you’d want to hang all summer. The time with Connor makes me realize something. I’m dedicated to making the band work.”
My heart swells and sinks at the same time. “How so?”
His hand cups my cheek. “I want to make Connor proud. Play music with Liam as my job. I do want to tour and it might be selfish, but I want you to be with me. I can’t imagine not waking up next to you every morning.”
I stifle a cough.
“Once we get it out of our system…” he continues. “I want a house of our own filled with our kids and maybe a dog who hates the mailman. I want to eat dinner with your parents on Sundays. I want you to yell at me for leaving socks everywhere.”
“Padraig.”
“I want you.” He swallows. “Forever.”
My pulse hammers.
His eyes are wide open. Scared. Brave. “When we graduate, I’m gonna marry you, Stevie.”
Emotion claws up my throat.
“Don’t say anything, this isn’t your proposal,” he clarifies. “I want this. All of it. You and me. Every day.”
I kiss him because I don’t have the words. Actually, no words will do.
Lying in his arms, I think of Connor and how love made him give up everything so his brothers could survive. How he’s trying to do the right thing, but might be oblivious to the men Liam and Padraig are growing into. How much they can handle.
More troubling is, somewhere deep inside, I know no matter how I love him, I’m not cut out to live on the road. What happens if they become famous and he won’t be able to take a step back?
Padraig may not crave the spotlight.
Liam does.
As much as he’s committed to me, one thing’s for sure.
