Counterpoint

by Anna Zabo

  Yes. And no. Adrian mirrored Dominic’s hands, taking that sweet face into his own palms. “Right now, I’ll admit this crowd is pretty fucking terrifying.” He smoothed a thumb over Dominic’s lips. “But we’ve had privacy. We’ll have it again. Not everything is for public consumption.”

  A flicker in Dominic’s eyes, and a curve of a smile on his lips.

  “The world can have Domino. He’s pretty fucking amazing. But I want you, Dominic Bradley. And I’m not willing to give you up without one hell of a fight.”

  “I hate fighting.” Dominic’s eyes were shining. “And I love you, too.”

  Adrian stepped in, until there was no space left between them at all, and whispered against his lips, “Then fucking kiss me, already.” It came out as an order.

  A huff of laughter, then Dominic did, and the world fell away beneath the gentle pressure of his lips and the slip of his tongue. Yes. This was right. This was theirs.

  When they broke the kiss, he realized the buzzing in his head was cheers and applause, and his whole body flared with too much heat for a suit during the summer in Manhattan. “Time for you to rescue me before I pass out from the heat.”

  Dominic smiled, took his hand, and led him into the building and its air-conditioned splendor. When the doors closed behind them, Adrian shuddered and wrenched off his suit jacket. They headed toward the bank of elevators. “Please don’t ever make me do anything like that again.”

  “Declare your love for me in front of the world?” Dominic’s cheeks were red and his eyes a little moist. “I fucking hated that crowd, but that was the most awesome, greatest—”

  Adrian grabbed the back of his neck and swallowed the rest of the sentence in a kiss that had them both banging up against an elevator door. When he broke the kiss, he met Dominic’s stare. “No. Don’t you dare make me march across town with my heart in my hand to stop you from breaking up with me over something so foolish as you being a fucking rock star and trying to protect me from your life ever again.”

  “Oh.” Dominic breathed out the word. “But it is a lot to deal with. I mean, I hid from it for years.” He swallowed. “You should probably press the up button.”

  Adrian jabbed the arrow, but kept Dominic against the elevator door. “And I get why. People prying into your business, your personal life. Following you around. I’m not going to like that part.”

  Dominic grabbed his tie, pulled him in, and their mouths met in a tangle of lips and tongue. God, he felt so good, so right in Adrian’s arm. His taste, his fingers digging into his arm.

  The elevator dinged and the door to the left—not the one they were making out against—slid open.

  With a moan, Adrian broke the kiss. “Our ride is here.”

  They broke apart and stumbled into the other car. There were mirrored panels in the elevator, and Adrian saw his wild reflection. Hair destroyed and moisture dripping from his hairline. His shirt was wrinkled to hell and drenched in sweat, and his tie askew. Lips red and plump from kissing. “Well, I’m a mess.”

  Dominic hit the button for the floor that housed the studio they’d been renting. “You’re gorgeous. Stunning. I can’t believe you came here for me.”

  “Should have come sooner. That Monday, I should have been here.”

  Dominic leaned back against the back of the car. “Maybe. I don’t know. I was so out of it, then. To be honest, I’m still kinda terrified. But I can’t change any of it...and the fans don’t seem to mind. And it’s not nearly as horrible as all the nightmares I’ve had about it.” He took another breath. “I fucking walked out there as me, and saved you.”

  Adrian loosened his tie. “Yeah, you did.”

  “I was watching the feed Ray had up while we were talking and you just—you looked crushed in that crowd. Like you were gonna break open right there and then. And I realized how fucking unfair I’ve been to you.”

  That—Adrian hadn’t expected those words. “You haven’t been unfair to me.”

  Dominic straightened as the car came to a halt. “I have. I totally have.”

  But the door swung open and before them, in the hall, were the three other members of Twisted Wishes. And they were clapping, the fucking bastards.

  “Well,” Ray drawled before throwing an arm around Dominic, “for someone who hates the spotlight, that was probably your most amazing performance.”

  “Fuck you, Ray,” Dominic said. “Wasn’t a show.”

  Ray kissed him on the side of the head. “I know.” He let Dominic go.

  Mish handed Adrian a bottle of water. “You look about ready to pass out.”

  “That’s because I am.” He cracked open the bottle and drank half of it.

  “The studio’s cooler.” Zavier gestured to the door. “And more private.”

  “Except for the techs,” Dominic said.

  Ray waved a hand. “Sent them home. No way we’re recording anything else today. And Marcella’s already called. She’s on her way.”

  Because of Adrian. What he’d done. “Sorry about the sudden PR nightmare.”

  Zavier laughed. “Not a nightmare at all.” His hand fell onto Adrian’s shoulder, and slowed his entrance into the studio until they were the only ones in the hall. His eyes were bright. “What you did was astounding.”

  “What I did was nearly have a nervous breakdown and pass out on a sidewalk.”

  “You saved Dom.”

  “He saved me.”

  “Yes.” Zavier grinned. “Exactly.” He clapped Adrian on the back and pushed him into the studio.

  He didn’t understand these people—not entirely. But they felt like family.

  And when he stepped into the studio and saw Dominic smiling and laughing, looking like that heady combination of Domino and Dominic, and their eyes caught—Adrian knew he was home.

  * * *

  Dom handed bottles of water to Adrian to pass to the others as they all sat around the studio and waited while the furor of Adrian’s well-broadcast declaration of love and Dom’s “daring” rescue made the rounds on the internet. Marcella’s cell phone rang off the hook for requests for interviews. She’d headed out into the hall to field the calls. After all, they would have to address what had happened.

  At one point, Adrian got a text and scrunched his face in disgust at the screen of his cell phone.

  Dom winced. “People bothering you?”

  “No. It’s Jackson. Said he was escorted out of the office after he quit. Fucking awful way to treat him.” He looked up. “And apparently, I have a meeting with the boss tomorrow at 8:30 AM.”

  Oh. Fuck. Adrian’s work. “Um. You’re not gonna lose you job...?”

  He shrugged, his shirt untucked, half unbuttoned, and sleeves rolled to his elbows. His tie and jacket had been thrown over a chair close to the door. “Maybe. I don’t really care at the moment.”

  Ray ducked his head and turned away, but Dom saw the smile. He swung around to peer at Zavier. “Wait, what’s going on?”

  Of course, Zav raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea what you mean.”

  “Bullshit. You know everything Ray’s got his fingers into.” Dom stood and rounded on Mish. “We’re supposed to do things as a band—all of us!”

  Mish held up her hands. “If Ray’s up to something, he hasn’t let me know.”

  “No...” Ray faced Dom, his grin wide. “I’m just...thinking. That’s all.”

  “You want to hire me to work on the website,” Adrian deadpanned.

  “I’m thinking we should hire Adrian to do the website,” Ray said.

  Mish rolled her eyes. Zavier spun a drumstick in his hand and said, “It’s not a bad idea.”

  “No,” Adrian said.

  They all looked at him, including Dom.

  “Wait, you don’t want to do the website? But that list...” Ray looked lost. />
  Dom smacked his hand against Adrian’s thigh. “And if you’re gonna lose your job because of me...”

  “I’m not losing my job because of you. If they don’t fire me for unexpectedly walking out of the office today or for essentially saying that my position is a flaming pile of shit, I’m quitting tomorrow morning anyway. And I have more than enough vacation owed to me and a savings account built up. I can manage fine for quite some time.”

  “You don’t want to fix our website?” Ray said again. He pulled a chair out and flopped into it.

  Adrian waved a hand, his lips twisting up into a grin. “Oh, I want to fix your website. It needs an overhaul something awful—and it’s down right now thanks to the increased traffic.” He held up his phone. “Funny how that works.”

  Zavier stilled the stick in his hand. “I’m not following this discussion correctly. You want to fix our website, but you don’t want us to hire you to fix our website.”

  Adrian grinned at Zavier, and Dom recognized the gotcha in those lips. “Exactly,” Adrian said.

  That got a snort from Zavier.

  “Is he always like is?” Ray turned to Dom.

  “No. Yes.” Dom sighed. “Adrian?” There was a plea in his voice.

  “Sorry. I’m still a little lightheaded and giddy, so you’re going to have to put up with my mood for a change.” He raised a hand to silence any other outbursts. “I don’t want to be hired to fix your website. I want to be hired to run your IT and your social media.”

  Mish strode over, dropped a water bottle into Adrian’s lap, and punched him in the arm. “You’re going to be just as much trouble as the rest of them, aren’t you?”

  Adrian got a sly grin and cracked open the bottle. “Maybe. Depends on whether the band hires me.”

  “We’re gonna hire you,” Ray said.

  Adrian met Ray’s gaze. “Even though I’m fucking your best friend?”

  Heat shot straight to Dom’s face and balls. Yeah, Adrian was starting to feel better, that was for sure.

  “Especially since you’re fucking my best friend,” Ray said.

  Dom buried his face in his hands. “Fuck you both. And Zavier’s your best friend, too. So’s Mish.”

  “Zavier’s my husband,” Ray said. “And I can have more than one best friend. We’ve had this discussion before.”

  Adrian snorted. “Are they always like this?”

  Both Zavier and Mish answered, “Yes.”

  Dom started laughing. He couldn’t help it. Everything was wrong and everything was right. He was still Domino Grinder and he was utterly Dominic Bradley.

  And Adrian Doran was gonna work for Twisted Wishes. His Adrian. The man who held his heart and his secrets and tied him up. The love that kept him steady and let him float above all the cares in the world.

  Hands on his shoulders and then his chin, tipping his face up, and Adrian was there. “I’ll give you everything I can in this world, Dominic. Just let me be with you.”

  “You’re asking me?” Because really, if it weren’t for all the other people in the room, Dom would be on his knees right now.

  “I’m always going to ask.” Adrian’s smile was soft.

  “I want your library.” Dom met his gaze. “But it’s gotta come with you, ’cause it’s not nearly as fun without you in it.”

  Adrian’s grin was wicked.

  Somewhere behind Adrian, Ray murmured, “They’re fucking perfect for each other.”

  “Mmmhmm,” Zavier said. “And I believe this is where the three of us should go and find out what interviews Marcella’s booking us for.”

  There was shuffling, and Mish laughing, and a door opening and closing, then silence. Dom hadn’t once looked away from Adrian. Couldn’t. Not from those eyes or that smile.

  “Just the library and me?” Adrian whispered. “Nothing else?” He stroked fingers over Dom’s cheek.

  “How about the whole house and the rest of our lives? Shacking up?”

  A nod, then Adrian pulled him up into his arms, and took Dom’s breath away with a kiss that was hot and deep and utterly claiming. Dom dug his fingers into Adrian’s hair and kissed back hard, fighting for every inch of control, until they were both hard and breathless.

  When Dom came up for air, he laughed. “Did I just propose to you?”

  Adrian nipped his ear. “Yup.”

  “So you’re fine with being Mr. Grinder?”

  Adrian’s breath caught, then he huffed out a laugh before kissing Dom’s neck. “Adrian Grinder sounds ridiculous.”

  “Yeah, nearly as bad as Domino Grinder.”

  Adrian softened at that and pulled back, hands gliding down to Dom’s shoulders. “Domino Grinder is a fucking amazing man. So’s Dominic Bradley. And you’re the love of my life. My strength and my home.”

  The mirror of his own thoughts. “You’re my shelter and my refuge. You’re right. We can have our privacy. The public can have Domino. The rest of the band can have Dom. But you’re the only one who’ll ever have all of me.”

  Adrian’s smile was joy incarnate and his kiss feather-soft. “Deal?”

  “Deal.” He pulled Adrian into his arms.

  “You know, I’m kinda looking forward to eventually sending a wedding invite to sanctimonious Father Patrick.” Adrian grinned.

  Dom chuckled. “When we set a date.” He sobered. “Maybe your other siblings will be kinder.”

  “I hope so.”

  He kissed Adrian’s neck. “Let’s get out of here. Dodge the press, buy some pie, and go home so you can tie me up and feed me.”

  Adrian lifted him off the ground and swung him around completely. “I fucking love my job,” he said.

  So did Dom.

  They didn’t even bother with Adrian’s coat or tie, just took the fire stairwell down to the ground floor, snuck out hand-in-hand, and took off for the nearest subway stop, laughing the entire way.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Six months later

  “Where the hell is my black lipstick?” Dom dug around in his makeup kit, but fuck if the damn tube showed up. All the other colors were there, including the bright orange he’d been missing since San Francisco. Huh. One vanished, the other appeared.

  None of his bandmates replied, too intent on putting their own selves together.

  “Try looking with your eyeshadow.” Adrian leaned against the wall near Dom’s makeup station in the band’s dressing room, tapping away on his phone. Hadn’t even looked up, as far as Dom could tell, intent on doing the social media rounds before the show.

  A thrill to see him here, with the band. A dream. Some nights after concerts, when they’d piled into the bus, Dom wrapped his arms around Adrian and didn’t let go. In return, he’d get loving murmurs and gentle, soothing touches.

  It was better than beer. Maybe better than sex, but he wasn’t quite sure of that. He’d need much more of both with Adrian before he made up his mind.

  He checked the section of his kit with the eyeshadow and the missing tube was there, just as predicted. “How did you know?”

  Adrian did look up then, his grin perfect. “You tossed it there last show, after Ray argued with you about your high school science teacher’s favorite color.”

  “How the fuck do you remember shit like that? On the road, I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast two days ago.”

  Adrian’s eyes danced. “You didn’t eat breakfast. You never do when we’re on the bus. You just drink your coffee.”

  “And annoy the fuck out of me,” Ray said, though there was laughter there.

  Yeah, he did like prodding Ray, sometimes. “You still didn’t tell me how you remembered where this was.” He waved the tube around, then took off the cap, and applied it.

  Was a little different to see Adrian in ripped jeans and a Twisted Wish
es crew shirt. He’d taken to wearing one of Domino’s leather cuffs, too, and didn’t that pour heat through Dom when his eyes landed on Adrian’s wrist.

  Adrian pocketed his phone. “Good spatial memory. Weird brain thing, I guess.” He gave a little shrug. “Plus, it’s kind of my job to remember what you guys do.”

  “Pretty sure you’re not going to put ‘Domino lost his lipstick, what color will he choose?’ onto Twitter,” Zavier said.

  Oh, the gleam in Adrian’s eyes. “That would make a great poll.”

  Mish laughed. “Don’t give him any more ideas. Instagramming our dangerous midnight highway eating was bad enough.”

  “Everyone loves those, though,” Ray said.

  “Except my stomach.” Dom patted his midsection.

  The slice-of-famous-life shit Adrian had been posting had been a huge hit with fans. It made them feel like they were a part of the tour, too. And, in some odd way, preserved the band’s privacy. Why hunt down tabloid shit when you could hit the Twisted Wishes media accounts and see photos of the band on the bus?

  Of course, Adrian cleared everything with them before posting. But fuck, did he have an eye for what fans might like. He’d also rebuilt the website from the ground up and instituted a fan club with its own forums and exclusive perks. Shit was humming along now. Hiring Adrian had been a smart move. Even Marcella agreed.

  And Adrian seemed happy. Said he was. Laughed and joked. He wasn’t afraid to be by Dom’s side, even inviting his former co-worker and workout partner, Jackson, to their New York City show. Nice guy. Cute boyfriend. Big fans, both of them, especially of Domino Grinder. It was good meeting one of Adrian’s friends, especially now.

  Dom stared at his reflection—at Domino—in the mirror. He was with Adrian, both as Domino and Dominic, and that was pure magic. He swiveled in his chair. “How do I look?”

  “Awesome as always,” Mish said. “I envy your eyeshadow.”

  That was pink tonight, and there was glitter in his hair. Black leather pants and a red tank that wouldn’t last the first two songs completed the outfit, along with his cuffs and collar.