Page 97 of A Love Song for Dreamers

I glance at the clock. “We have at least tenminutes.”

Annie’s lips curve. “Well, in thatcase.”

I fuck her against the floor-to-ceilingwindows.

I will never, ever get tired of her sounds, the way she feels aroundme.

This woman ownsme.

She’s built me up, made me more than I thought I couldbe.

And everything I am, everything I will ever be, I’d give it toher.

I didn’t think it was possible to love another person the way I love her, but she’s shown me giving your heart can be worth it if you give it to the rightperson.

When we finish, we clean up quickly and track down her phone before our guests startarriving.

“This building is beautiful, Annie. I swear the entire thing is windows. And you!” Haley gushes as we open the door to the hallway, Sophie bounding beside her. Jax has the baby carrier in hisarms.

“You’re glowing,” Haley goes on as she stepsinside.

Annie’s face goes red. “Thanks.” She passes me the huge flower arrangement Haley gives her. “Can you take these to the diningroom?”

“Sure.” But I can’t resist brushing my lips over her ear. “I love thatnowyou’re blushing when I was inside you ten minutes ago against thosewindows.”

And as I head for the kitchen without waiting for her response, I love that I’ll be inside her tonight after everyone goes home, that I’m the one who gets to make this beautiful, strong womansoft.

Over the next hour, everyone filters in and mingles around our newapartment.

Elle’s here, plus Rae, plus Pen, and Beck. Elle catches us up on her stand-up performances and the news that she’s made it to the third round of a nationwide comic breakout competition. Rae’s been DJ-ing in New York and Miami but made sure she could be here for ourparty.

Even Beck’s sister, Serena, came since she lives in New York, with her boyfriend,Wes.

“Holy shit,” Wes states, unselfconscious as he takes in the views. “How big is thisplace?”

“Two thousand square feet,” Isupply.

“My bedroom could fit in your bathroom,” Raedeadpans.

Annie doesn’t feel badly in the slightest. “Hey, that was my bedroom,” she points out to the woman who took over her spot in Elle’s apartment when Annie movedout.

“This is what Broadway money buys you,” Beck jokes. “And you’ve only started previews for theshow.”

In reality, a good part of our income is from my royalties, including the new album that’s set to drop next week and is the best music I’ve made to date. The surgery helped with the pain in my hand, but not my ability to playguitar.

Still, I care less than I used to. Annie helped me realize I can write amazing music and let other people help me performit.

Serena laughs and shoves at her brother. “You can’t talk. I have people texting me photos of you from online magazines every other week naming you the hottest new actor inHollywood.”

“Hottest,” he points out with a grin. “Notrichest.”

His show started releasing weekly last month, and it’s all anyone can talk about. It’s all but guaranteed to get renewed for a secondseason.

Annie sneaks up on me with a glass ofchampagne.

I make a face at the drink. “Do I have to?” I joke as I take it fromher.

“I know you hate bubbles. But Dad wants to make a toast.” Shesmiles.

---