Everyone looked at Derek with shock. The guy had the metabolism of a hummingbird and usually ate like he just got out of prison.
“That’s a first,” Alan commented, with a small laugh, before his heart sank at the forlorn expression on Derek’s face. He squeezed his friend’s shoulder. “Sorry, bruh. I don’t mean to make light of the fact that you’re missing your guy.”
Brandon leaned over and slapped Derek’s knee with enthusiasm. “Let’s tear up the town, Bulletproof style. See if we can cheer you up.”
Derek raised a brow, intrigued, and then he displayed a crooked smile. “It won’t be the same without my partner in crime, but I’ll give it a shot.”
Alan hated bailing on his friends, but he had other plans for their day off tomorrow. “Count us out. I want to spend some quality time with my guy tomorrow.” Everyone turned toward Alan, but it was the heart-melting expression in Jeremy’s puppy dog eyes that made Alan weak.
“You do?” Jeremy asked, his voice filled with warm surprise.
“Yeah.” Alan wanted to make up for the insensitive remark earlier by sharing a long-overdue romantic day together. “I thought we could hike along the cliffs and go to Little Italy for dinner. Just the two of us, for once.”
Jeremy leaned into Alan’s shoulder and displayed a wavy smile. “I’d love that.”
Ocean Beach was one of Jeremy’s favorite places in San Diego, not only because of the gorgeous bluffs that bordered the Pacific Ocean, but mostly because he loved spending time on Dog Beach. He had a soft spot for the four-legged bundles of fur, and watching them run free and chase the waves brought a happy smile to his face. “Look at that one!” He pointed to a French Bulldog that was digging furiously in the sand. “And that one!” It was an Australian Shepard, leaping in the air to catch a frisbee. “Oh my God! She’s adorable!” He motioned to a small dog wearing a little pink life jacket.
“Aw,” Alan chuckled. “She’s cute.” He handed Jeremy a bottle of water from the small cooler at their feet.
Even though it was December, the blaring sun made it feel like beach weather. “We’re having an awesome winter,” Jeremy commented. “I can’t believe we were freezing in Utah last week and now we’re sitting here in 80-degree heat.”
“That’s life on the road,” Alan replied. “Do you think we’ll ever get tired of it?”
“Nope. As long as we’re together, I could tour every day of the year.”
“Me too.” Alan gazed up at the sky. “This sun is really heating up my arms and legs. Do you want the pop-up? You must be dying with all that hair.”
A Pomeranian jumped into Jeremy’s lap before he had a chance to answer. “Hello there, little guy.” He patted its fluffy head. “Make yourself comfortable.” The little dog let out a few happy barks and then ran off. “That was so cool. I’d love to get a dog.”
“Really?” Alan turned in his chair so he could look at Jeremy. “Who would watch it? And train it?”
Jeremy didn’t really think it through. “I don’t know. Brandy comes on tour with us. Cam’s had her since she was a pup, and she’s well trained. He obviously knows what he’s doing. I’m sure he’d help us if we decided to get a dog.”
Alan just blinked.
Jeremy laughed. “You should see your face.”
“I’m not opposed to it. I love dogs too. A dog is a lot of responsibility, though.”
“I know.” Jeremy returned his gaze to the dogs running in and out of the water. “It’s something to think about.”
They spent the next hour trying to name the different dog breeds on the beach, then hiked along the coast on Sunset Cliffs. Since security shadowed them everywhere, it was almost comical to watch the two muscle-bound bodyguards teeter along the uneven surface of the sandy cliff. A laugh fell from Jeremy’s mouth as his personal bodyguard’s foot slipped on a rock, even though he knew it wasn’t funny. The dude was built like Mr. Olympia, and if he fell and sprained his ankle, they’d need a bulldozer to get him out of there. “Sorry,” he called to the bodyguard, who waved back to indicate he was OK. “Maybe we should tell them to wait for us in the car,” Jeremy suggested.
“Not a chance,” Alan quickly replied. “What if something happens? There’s no one around. That’s when the crazies come out. Besides, Felix would fire them in a heartbeat if he found out they didn’t tail us every step of the way.”
An hour or so into the hike, the sky turned pink with color. Jeremy paused on one of the large rocks. “Look at the sun.” It was a giant yellow ball on the horizon slowly descending into the water.
“That’s amazing.” Alan took Jeremy’s hand, and they sat on the edge of the cliff to watch the sunset.
It was an incredible display of light and pastel shadows, and absolutely beautiful. Jeremy rested his head on Alan’s shoulder and sighed. “This has seriously been one of the most romantic days we’ve spent together. Thank you for this. It really means a lot to me that you went to so much trouble.”
“I love you, Jeremy. And it was no trouble. But it’s not over. We’re having dinner in Little Italy.”
After a shower and a change of clothes, they ended up at Filippi’s Pizza Grotto. It wasn’t the fanciest place to eat, but the food was superb, and the décor was charming. Empty wine carafes, wrapped in wicker, hung from the beams in the ceiling, all bearing the names of the guests who consumed them. Candles sat on a checkered tablecloth, making their little booth in the back corner of the restaurant both intimate and cozy.
Neither Jeremy or Alan were big wine drinkers, but Alan ordered a full carafe anyway. After the waiter left, Jeremy stared across the table at the tight black T-shirt that hugged every inch of Alan’s muscular upper body. His pecks strained at the cotton material, while his shoulders and his biceps tugged at the short sleeves. If Jeremy stared hard enough, he could see the faint outline of Alan’s six pack.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Alan asked, glancing down at his torso self-consciously.
Jeremy’s eyes grazed over his lover’s physique without restraint. “Because you’re hot.” He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward. “Is that thing painted on your body?”
“It must’ve shrunk when I had my laundry done.” Alan flexed with exaggeration, causing his broad pecs and round biceps to inflate. The sound of a stitch ripping made him flinch, and he laughed as he exhaled.
“Easy Hulk,” Jeremy joked. “This is a family joint. I don’t want to get thrown out of this nice restaurant because your 24-inch pythons ripped your T-shirt to shreds and exposed your killer upper bod.”
Alan examined the small tear at the bottom of his sleeve and clucked his tongue. “I liked this shirt.”
It was from a Bad Wolves concert they attended last year in Cincinnati. Afterward, they all went to a party where Alan played beer pong with members of the opening band. That guy was Alan, not this romantic dude who was sitting across from Jeremy. It was a really nice change, though, and he was enjoying every minute of it.
The food came – chicken parm for Jeremy and lasagna for Alan – and they ate quietly for a few seconds, until a huge forkful of cheesy lasagna came into Jeremy’s line of sight.
“Here. You have to taste this,” Alan said
Jeremy was about to take the fork, which was dripping with sauce, stringy cheese, and crumbles of ground beef, but Alan extended it toward Jeremy’s lips.
“Careful. It’s hot,” Alan warned.
Jeremy slowly took the mouthful of food that Alan offered, maintaining eye contact with him the entire time.
“Good, right?” Alan asked, nodding.
“Fucking delicious.” Jeremy smiled, overwhelmed by the attention and little gestures. “What’s with the private one-on-one time today and this romantic dinner for two? It’s not like you. Don’t get me wrong. I’m floored. I love it. But . . . why?”
Alan lowered his eyes for a moment, and when he looked up, they were warm and sincere. “Because I realized I hurt your feelings last
night. I feel really bad about the way I answered the question about marriage. That was rude and insensitive of me. I’m sorry I said that. I love you, Jeremy.”
When Alan reached across the table and took Jeremy’s hand, Jeremy’s heart lurched. He felt his pulse beating frantically in his throat as his blood pumped with adrenaline. His nerves jittered, making his knee bounce, and his mouth dropped open. Was a surprise marriage proposal the reason they were sitting in a private booth in the corner of the restaurant? Jeremy’s eyes darted around the room searching for his friends hiding behind menus. Or paparazzi disguised as waiters. Or patrons discreetly recording this moment on their cell phones. Or a waiter carrying a tray with a single glass of champagne with a ring in it. But he didn’t see any of those things. He returned his gaze to Alan, expectantly, his heart still beating rapidly.
“I love what we have together.” Alan picked up his wine glass and clinked it against Jeremy’s. “To us.”
Jeremy quickly looked into his glass, but it was still half full of rich red wine. He quickly drained it, feeling around with his tongue, but there was no ring. When he set his empty glass down on the table, Alan was writing their names on the wicker that encased the carafe, so the waiter could hang it from the rafters with the others.
Jeremy read the words that Alan inscribed under their names, which couldn’t be more perfect. “My ride or die.” He waited, but Alan just went back to eating his lasagna, and Jeremy realized there was no marriage proposal. His heart fell a little, but he was unsure if he was disappointed or simply felt foolish.
The show in Albuquerque was sick. The fans were out of control and the pyrotechnics were on point. Everyone was still amped up, and the afterparty was kicking ass. Food and drinks were top notch, and the stereo system was blasting killer tunes. Right now, Fever 333’s Made in America was shaking the walls with its heart-pounding beats and adrenaline-fueled vocals. Someone screamed along with the lyrics louder than Jason Butler, which wasn’t an easy thing to do. Alan didn’t need to turn around to know it was Derek, rocking out on a tabletop playing air guitar. It was nice to see the guy having fun again, instead of sulking about missing his boyfriend.
Alan tossed back a swig of beer and glanced around the lively party. Remnants of the wild times they used to have flashed through his head. They’ve come a long way since then, but damn, they were some good times. Things have scaled back significantly over the last year or two, but that’s not to say they haven’t trashed any hotel rooms.
A small group of people wearing lanyards with VIP placards caught Alan’s attention. They were clearly fans, enamored at being in the same room with the members of Bulletproof and the guys from the opening band. They noticed he was looking at them, and their faces lit up with smiles. Alan raised his beer in greeting, and one of the girls immediately started walking toward him. Her friends looked shocked at her brazenness, but they quickly followed.
“Oh my God!” the girl exclaimed, when she was only a few feet away. “You’re Alan Delgado. It’s so nice to meet you.” She held out her hand politely. “I’m Mindy.”
“Nice meeting you too,” Alan replied, shaking her hand.
“I’m sorry to bother you. It’s just so amazing that we were invited to this party. I’ve been dying to meet you for forever. Bulletproof is my all-time favorite band. I’ve been following you since your first album came out. I can’t believe I’m standing her talking to you right now!” She covered her mouth to hide her smile, but her hand couldn’t contain it.
Alan loved to see fans gush and react with so much excitement. He never tired of it, and it fed his ego. “Do you want me to sign something and take a photo together?”
She ran into his arms, and her friends all gathered around so they could also join in the photo op with Alan.
“We need someone to take the picture,” one of the guys said.
“I’ll take it,” a passing dude offered.
The guy took everyone’s phones and started snapping away as they shuffled positions, so everyone had a chance to take a photo standing directly next to Alan. He signed a bunch of shit, and then they left. That’s when Alan noticed that the dude who took the photos was still standing there. “Hey.” Alan jutted his chin at him. “Thanks for taking the pics.”
“My pleasure.” The smile stayed plastered across the guy’s face as he shook Alan’s hand. His expression wasn’t that of a star-struck fan. It was one of familiarity, but Alan didn’t recognize him.
“Do I know you?” Alan asked. “Have we met before?”
The guy let out a small chuckle. “Yes. A few times. But it’s been a while.”
Alan met dozens of people on a daily basis, not to mention the thousands upon thousands of fans he met at meet and greets. It was impossible to remember even a fraction of them. It always left him feeling embarrassed, because fans somehow always thought that they were the one that he would remember. So, he overcompensated. “Oh yeah. Now I remember you. Sorry.” He waved his fingers up by his head to indicate he was being absentminded. “It’s been a long time. I didn’t recognize you. How are you? You look really good.”
The guy’s smile widened. “You look really good too. And I’m doing much better now that I get to see your face.” He was silent for another second as he stared at Alan. “Man, it’s really good to see you again.”
“Yeah. You too. How long has it been?” Alan still had no recollection of this dude. It was easy making conversation with people he just met, but trying to talk to someone he was pretending to remember was awkward.
“It’s been a few years.”
“Next time don’t wait so long to say hello,” Alan replied, trying to wrap up the conversation.
“You’re leaving tonight, right? I saw the tour bus waiting in the parking lot.”
“Yeah. That’s right. We’re on our way to Amarillo. The bus leaves in about an hour.” Alan pretended to wave to someone across the room. “Gotta run. Don’t want to miss the bus. See you later.”
“I’m looking forward to it!” the guy called after Alan.
Alan glanced over his shoulder. “Yeah. Me too.” When he turned back around, he almost ran straight into Jeremy. “What the fuck?” he asked, with a small laugh. Only Jeremy wasn’t laughing.
“I was about to ask you the exact same thing,” Jeremy said, his jaw tight and eyes narrowed.
“What are you talking about?”
“That fucking dude.”
Alan looked back at the guy he’d been speaking to, who was still watching him.
“What the fuck were you talking to him about? Why was he smiling at you like that?” Jeremy demanded.
“I don’t know who the fuck that dude is,” Alan admitted. “He said we met a few times and acted like we were best buds, so I pretended I remembered him.”
“Are you serious?” Jeremy folded his arms across his chest. “You don’t remember him?”
Alan shook his head. “Do you?”
“Of course, I remember him.” Jeremy let out a frustrated breath. “We double-dipped that guy, like, four times. How could you not remember?”
Alan’s brows raised high on his forehead, genuinely surprised, but it certainly explained the guy’s over-friendly behavior. “I don’t remember every guy we shared. We were with a lot of guys over the years. But it’s been a really long time since we did anything like that.” Alan shrugged. “Do you remember every guy we’ve been with?”
“No,” Jeremy admitted. “But I remember him.”
“Why? What was so special about him?”
“He was really into you. He was always all over you. And I was jealous as fuck.” Jeremy huffed again. “Like I am right now.”
Alan’s chin dropped into his chest, and he sighed. When he raised his eyes, Jeremy looked hurt, and it tugged at Alan’s heart. “I’m sorry.” He wrapped his arms around Jeremy’s neck and placed a soft kiss on his lover’s lips. “That guy never meant anything to me. That’s why I don’t remember him. And you know da
mn well I’m not interested in anybody but you. You have no reason to be jealous. Since the day we got together, since the day you told me you loved me, I haven’t thought about anybody else.”
Jeremy nodded. “I know. Me neither. If we’re being honest, I wanted to stop sharing guys and doing the group bangs long before we got together. I didn’t know how to tell you how I felt because I was afraid you wouldn’t feel the same way, and then it would be weird between us. It was exciting to be in bed with you, even if we weren’t sleeping together.” Jeremy’s lips quirked into a smile. “I got to see you naked.”
“You were peeking?”
“Shit yeah.”
A soft laugh left Alan’s lips. “I never noticed. It was a good thing that someone shut the lights and you accidentally gave me a blowjob. It rocked my world.”
“It freaked you out.”
“It did,” Alan agreed. “Because it was the best blowjob I ever got, and I started having really inappropriate thoughts about my best friend.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“Me too.” Alan slung his arm over Jeremy’s shoulder. “Let’s get a drink.”
They barely had time to finish another beer before Felix corralled them out the door. It was close to midnight, but fans still lingered in hopes of a photo or an autograph, and the usual barricades were in place. Brandon was the first to stop and greet them, which caused Felix to roll his eyes.
“Check out Felix,” Jeremy said, with a laugh. “I can see him stressing out from here.”
Bulletproof’s lead singer had a Sharpie clutched in his hand and was scribbling his name for fans, wearing a million-dollar smile, as Felix was trying to pull him toward the bus.
“Do you think Brandon does that just to piss off Felix?” Alan asked.
A Bulletproof New Year (The Holiday Collection Book 2) Page 2
