Page 101 of Counterpoint
There was a little thump on a drum. “So, Dom, this is your gentleman friend?” Deep voice. Black hair, and a really fucking knowing grin. That was Zavier Demos, and he looked even more familiar than he had in the photo spread. Sounded familiar, too. Damn. Adrian racked his brain.
“Yeah,” Dominic said. “This is Adrian.”
“Adrian Doran,” he said, introducing himself. “Hello.”
Ray Van Zeller eyed him, his arms crossed. He still held a mic in one hand. “You’re wearing a suit.” Those words were almost accusatory. “Dom said you were a computer engineer.”
“I am.” Then it hit him. “Oh! I work for a bank. There’s no such thing as business-casual, let alone jeans and T-shirts.”
Ray uncrossed his arms. “Oh shit. That must be hell.”
“Sometimes.” Like today.
Dominic unslung his guitar and put it on a nearby stand. “Hey. Um. Can I have a moment before you all mob him?” He closed the distance between them. “Don’t mind them. They’re overprotective.”
“So am I.” Adrian couldn’t help reaching out and cupping the side of Dominic’s face. Yup. Dominic was real and here. He leaned in for a quick kiss. Tasted good, too. “It’s not a bad trait for friends to have.”
Behind Dominic, Ray swallowed a laugh. Heat touched Adrian’s cheeks.
“Nah, he’s not making fun of you. He’s commenting on Zav and his behavior.” Dominic drew him over to a table with water and food debris and chairs.
“I’m not overprotective at all,” Zavier murmured.
“Oh, bullshit,” Ray said.
“Boys...” That came with an exasperated sigh from Mish.
Suddenly, the memory was there in Adrian’s mind. A brief glimpse of a younger version of the Twisted Wishes drummer and that sassy deep voice. There’d been a BDSM party years ago, during one of his visits home from California, and he was sure he’d seen Zavier there, only he’d been a student at the time.
Adrian shrugged off his satchel, then took off his coat and tie, trying to figure out if he should even say anything. A touch redirected his attention to Dominic.
“What’s wrong?” Soft words. “I know this isn’t your element, and they’re a bit much sometimes, but these are myfriends. They’re safe.”
And wasn’t it perfect that Dominic was looking after him? Making sure he was comfortable? Adrian laughed. “I’ve had a long day and Iamoff-kilter a bit.” He glanced over to where the rest of the band was milling, trying not to watch them or listen in. “But it’s not that. It’s that I’ve met Zavier Demos before. I just didn’t realize that until now.”
“Wait, what?” He rotated toward Zavier. “You know Zav?”
Zavier had come out from behind the kit, and his smile was a small, sly thing.
Ray gave him a shove. “Wait, you know Dom’s dude?”
Dom’s dude.Adrian rather liked the sound of that. He cleared his throat. “We don’t know each other. We crossed pathsyearsago, that’s all. But I remember faces.”
“Janelle’s party,” Zavier said.
Adrian nodded. “And you were that kid from Juilliard.”
Zavier gave a little bow.
Ray’s eyebrows arched. “So you’re into the same stuff as Zav?”
“Will you boys just say BDSM?” Mish set her bass down and strode to the table to snag a bottle of water. “Stop being so coy. There are parental warnings on our albums, and it’s not like I’m a petite and delicate fucking flower.”
Adrian burst out laughing. Couldn’t help it. Maybe it was the stress or the relief or just seeing Dominic so...himself...but the laughter poured out until he thumped into one of the chairs and stared back at Mish. “I like you.”
She grinned. “You’re gonna like us all by the time we’re done here.”
Dominic had that sunny smile on, and he looked light as air with buoyancy and energy.
