Taking a deep breath, I feel a new sense of confidence come over me. We're doing well. And according to what Kat just said, Dr. H's notes indicate that we are the most devoted to each other. We. That means him, too, which means he must be telling her good things.

"Kat, thank you for telling me that. It makes me feel so much better. But don't tell me anything else. I don't want anything to mar this for us."

"Okay. I understand."

I take our coffee cups to the sink to rinse them before placing them in the dishwasher. "Did you and Rob set a wedding date yet?"

"Not yet, but we're working on it. He has to coordinate with his job and all that. Thankfully, Dr. H. will be flexible with me, so I can take off whenever I want to. I'll keep you updated when we finally have a date."

"You better. I'm excited to start planning with you." I wish we could have planned my wedding a little more personally, rather than having to follow all the rules of the team for the project. I would have much preferred to get married outdoors, near a lake perhaps, or maybe even a small beach. And if I had known Talon before our wedding—wow, that sounds crazy—I think I would have liked him to wear something more his style, rather than a tuxedo. The one thing I regret the most, though, is not being able to experience a proposal. Instead of a romantic night with my guy getting down on one knee and sliding a handpicked symbol of his love onto my hand like Kat was able to experience and have memories of forever, I got a phone call from Dr. Hollister.

"You have to show me the new outfits you're making!" Kat begs. "I cannot believe you're designing clothes for Ashes & Embers and freakin' Sugar Kiss. It's too amazing for words."

"Isn't it nuts? I still really can't believe it. Talon is going to take pictures of the guys wearing some of it while on the tour. I can't wait to see."

She follows me down to my craft room to see some of the designs I'm working on, and she actually tears up as she touches all the outfits and looks at the sketches Tal and I have pinned up to the idea board.

"Asia…I am so proud of you." She pulls me in for a hug. "I could not be happier for you. In just a few months, your entire life has turned around. I always knew great things would happen for you."

Squeezing her back, I know I owe it all to her. "I wouldn't have any of this if you hadn't helped me so many times or had faith in me. I don't even know how to thank you."

She pulls away and wipes her finger under her eye. "That's bull. You would have been amazing, no matter what. I just tried to give you little shoves. Now, you can thank me by taking me to the spa. It's about time for us to leave, I think?"

Glancing at my watch, I nod. "It is. Let's go get pampered."

I never thought I'd ever be able to take my best friend for a day at the spa to get the works. It still feels surreal to me, or perhaps like a dream and I worry I'll wake up any minute and be back in my little apartment, wondering if I'll have enough money to eat next week.

* * *

From the car, I fire off a text to Talon while Kat drives us to the spa.

Me: On my way to the spa with Kat. Thank you for doing this for us. Xo

Five minutes later, he replies.

Talon: Anytime, baby. Have a great time. Loved your picture last night. Take one tonight.

Me: I will :-) Send me one of you too

Talon: Ok. We're just getting some shit set up now. I like you in my favorite shirt. I'm going to fuck you in it when I get home

Whoa! My thighs burn and clench together as I stare at the screen.

Me: I'll make sure I have it on, then.

Talon: That's my girl. Xo

Me: I really miss you :(

Talon: You sure?

Me: I'm positive

Talon: I miss you too. Text me when you get home, beautiful

"Are you guys texting? I've never seen you smile like that. And you're blushing!" Kat exclaims. "You guys are adorable."

"He's even sweet and sexy in his texts."

She shakes her head from side to side and lets out a little whistle. "You two got it bad. I love it."

I love it, too.

Chapter 27

Talon

Tonight’s show kicked ass and was our biggest turnout to date, completely sold out. We played tighter than we have in a long time, and the fans went wild over the new material. It was fucking awesome to see all my hard work being appreciated, even though the guys made some changes I didn't exactly love.

We're staying at a hotel tonight and hitting the road again tomorrow afternoon, so I ditch the party after the concert and have one of the roadies drive me over to the hotel. I've been in the band since I was eighteen years old, and this is the first time I've said fuck it to the party, the drugs, the alcohol, and the women.

Why? Because I can't wait to get to my hotel room to be alone and call Asia.

My brain is fucked, my heart is aching, and my dick is pissed off for going cold turkey.

I undress quickly but carefully, actually folding my stage clothes—because she made them. Her hands sewed all these patches, dyed the fabric, put it all together. For me. That still blows my frigging mind.

Before flopping on the bed, I grab a soda from the fridge and hit Asia's number on the main screen of my cell phone.

"Hi!" she answers happily in her little elfin voice, instantly melting me.

"Hey, baby."

"How was it tonight?"

"It was fuckin' epic. No fuckups, everything was perfect, and the fans loved the new songs."

"Of course they did. You wrote them, right?"

"Mostly."

"Then they can only be amazing. Tomorrow night is the one I can watch live, right?"

"Yup. And then the next live one is on Halloween night."

"And then you come home? After Halloween?"

The cold soda feels good on my throat that's dry and raw from singing backup mixed with breathing theatrical fog on stage. It’s only going to be worse for the Halloween show. My throat will be wrecked by then.

"Yup. Then I come home."

"And then there's another short tour, you said?"

"Yeah, I think it’s the first week of January."

"Okay." Apprehension plagues her voice.

"It's a short one. A little over a week." I'm not sure if I'm trying to assure her or myself that a week of not seeing each other again won't be so bad.

"Okay, I don't want to think about it right now."

"Me neither. I fucking miss you."

"Talon, I loved finding the note and the gifts. That was incredibly sweet."

"That's me. Sweet."

"You can be."

"Don't tell anyone, or I'll have to spank you."

Her giggle radiates from the phone. "I might like that."

I groan, adjusting my cock which has jumped to attention. I'll never get the image of spanking her sweet ass out of my head now. "Baby, don't get me going when I can't touch you."

"You got me going first."

It drives me wild knowing she wants me, but I can't stand wanting her and not being able to have her, so I change the subject to try to calm my lower region down. "How was Kat and the spa?"

"It was good. She asked me if the rumors were true."

"Which rumors?"

"About your eleven inches."

I choke on my e-cig vapor. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"I wish I were."

"Jesus. I hope you confirmed it."

"I told her the rumors were false and it's actually fifteen inches."

Cracking up, I turn off the light and prop some pillows up behind my head. "I'm sure it feels like fifteen for you, little one."

"For real. Other than asking about the size of your man parts, she kinda told me that Dr. H thinks out of all the couples, we're the most devoted to each other and taking our marriage the most seriously."

"Really? Go us."

"That's what she said. She's not supposed to talk to us about it, but she was telling me the other couples are having a ton of problems."

"That sucks. I think we're doing okay now."

"I do, too."

I take a drag on my e-cig. "Are you happy?"

My nerves fire up when she doesn't answer right away. "Aze?"

"I'm thinking, Tal."

"You have to think about this answer? That doesn't sound good."

"No…I was just thinking of the right words."

"Yes is one word, and it sounds right…"

"I wanted to say more."

"More like yes, or more like no?"

"More like yes."

"Okay. What are they?"

She sighs and does a little growl that's kind of sexy. "You ruined it now. So it's just yes."

Fuck. I want to know what she was going to say. "Tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"I want to know what you were gonna say. You can't do that shit to me, baby."

"I'll text it to you."

Text me? "What the fuck, you can't talk to me?"

"You make me sorta nervous."

Shit, if this conversation morphs into a step back, it's going to wreck my good mood. "Nervous how? You can tell me anything. Lay it on me."

"I'm happier than I've ever been. You give me butterflies all the time, and I want you to feel that way, too." She pauses. "Do guys get butterflies? Or is that just a female thing?"

Butterflies. I'm way beyond fucking butterflies with her. I feel like I've got pterodactyls taking up residence inside me.

Laughing a little, I answer her honestly. "Yeah, we get butterflies. But only when the chick is adorable and hot as hell. Like you. So stay happy, okay?"

"Do I make you happy, though? I don't mean just sex, I mean, like, everything?"

"Yes. Everything. You've redefined happy for me."