Listen With Your Heart

by Max Hudson

  Epilogue

  Nate

  “That was the best pie I’ve ever had in my entire life.” I slammed my fork down to prove my point.

  “Told you so,” Lane signed at me with a teasing grin.

  “Ms. Daughtry you are magical.”

  Ms. Daughtry blushed and played with her straw blonde hair. “You can keep this one Lane.”

  “I was already planning on it, Mom.”

  “I’m glad you both came down.” His mom over enunciated her words to make sure I caught them. It wasn’t necessary, but she was trying. “At least this year you can have a quiet Christmas. No running through crowds and no quitting your job on stage.” She waved her hand around like that was all nonsense.

  “Crabapple Records gives me plenty of time off,” Lane assured her.

  The aftermath of the pre-Christmas concert included a lot of angry voicemails and a formal end of contract negotiation. Surprisingly, what Lane was most worried about, that fans would ask for refunds, never materialized. It turned out that people were bragging about being one of the people to see everything go down.

  Speaking of Lane’s fans; they followed him to his new record label easily. He started wearing clothes he liked and instead of doing a character he just was Lane. Sometimes he was a little bit of a bad boy, you had to be one to pull the kind of stunt he did, and sometimes he spent hours signing as many posters as he could to make up for lost time. Fans loved the new era of music. They also accepted me very easily. They saw me as the catalyst for his big change that led to more upbeat hits and some of them thought I had healed his broken heart. Maybe I did. But he helped me too. The video of Lane’s declaration to me and our embrace had millions of views. If only Mr. Smart had let Lane be himself, he would be sharing in Lane’s success. Too bad for him.

  “Now you boys go back to the cabin. I have to get back to work. I also have to make sure your friend, uh Bunny was it? Stops trying to steal my line cook away. He’s got a good voice but he also makes amazing burgers.”

  Ms. Daughtry stood up and took the pie tin with her. I couldn’t wait to see the Christmas dinner she was going to make in a few days.

  “Let’s go enjoy our alone time Nate,” he said and slid his hand down my arm.

  He didn’t have to tell me twice. I stood up and followed him outside knowing Bunny would figure her own way around.

  Bunny didn’t trust Lane for quite a while after the declaration, which I felt was fair. She wasn’t as hostile with him, but she watched him carefully. She didn’t agree to sign him until she felt like he had proved he really loved me as much as he said he did.

  I felt it from all the way at the back of the crowd that he really meant it. His heart practically screamed it.

  We got to his family’s cabin which was currently empty but before we even made it to the front door, I pushed him against the wall.

  “Nate.” His blush rushed to his cheeks.

  “I can’t wait.” I leaned forward and kissed him forcefully. I moved fast, peppering kiss after kiss on his lips, down his jaw, a few teasing bites on his neck as he writhed under me.

  He gripped my waist and started teasing at my waistband already.

  “Eager?” I teased at the crook of his neck.

  He lifted a hand to my cheek so I looked at him. “You’re lucky it’s Nebraska and our nearest neighbors are miles away.”

  “I’m lucky?” I grinned showing my teeth. “I think you’ll find you’re lucky that I’m going to give you all the attention you want.”

  He shuddered under me at my words and I pulled him closer to me. I was rolling my hips into his and saw him shudder as I turned him on with our clothes still on.

  I decided to give him some release. I unzipped his pants and cupped my hand over the bulge in his boxers.

  He kissed at me neck and I felt the groans and pleas from his lips against my skin. I slipped my hand under his boxers and started teasing my fingers up and down his length.

  I let my rough fingers play dirty as I stroked him quickly and then suddenly stopped. He shuddered and I brushed one last finger against his tip. He shook under me as he came into my hand.

  He leaned back against the wall. As I pulled my hand out and wiped his come against my jeans.

  “What about you?” He signed.

  “I haven’t forgotten.” I led him into the cabin into the guest room so graciously given to us. I laid him down on the bed and started taking off my soiled jeans and pulled the flannel I was wearing over my head. On the bed Lane was also taking his clothes off.

  Once we were both naked, I climbed onto the bed over him. “I love it when you look like this.”

  “You can have it as often as you want.”

  The best part of Lane moving to Crabapple Records and telling the world about our love was we didn’t have to be long distance. Sometimes I went on a few legs of the tour with him. I just made sure Bunny watered my plants while I was gone and I always ended up bringing a few back.

  But on the parts of the tour when we were apart, I dreamed of moments like this.

  I prepared him and my cock and stared down at him. I wanted to look at him forever. But I saw his back arch in anticipation, and how could I deny him? I thrust my length forward stretching him open for me. I pushed deeper and deeper until I found the spot that made his face turn bright red. I pumped in and out and watched him grab the sheets under him as I stretched him further and further. I liked fucking him like this; his pretty face beneath me so I could see everything I couldn’t hear.

  I felt my release coming. I thrust once, twice, three times more and his tight walls around me squeezed and I came.

  I looked down to see Lane’s lips repeating my name. Who knew if the sound was even coming out or if he was just mouthing it over and over.

  The wait when he was gone was always worth what we did when we were together.

  ***

  Later that night, we laid in bed facing each other in the flickering candlelight to the sound of owls outside.

  “I’m glad you brought me here to see your home.”

  “I’m glad you like it so much.” Lane snuggled closer.

  “It’s nice. And quiet. It’ll be nice to have a normal, easy Christmas for once.”

  “Ever since I became a popstar, I couldn’t make time to come out here. I missed my mom’s turkey.”

  “You know. I’ve never told anyone this but, I found out I was completely deaf on Christmas Eve.”

  “Oh wow.”

  “Talk about a bad gift. But I can joke about it now. At the time I was inconsolable. There was a massive snowstorm outside and I just didn’t care. I needed to go for a walk. I walked blocks away to a little park where I just stood on a bridge staring ahead trying to hear anything. I even glared at a guy who was trying to talk to me. I was just so mad I couldn’t hear him. I never thought my life would be the same. And it wasn’t but, it’s better.”

  I glanced back at Lane whose jaw had dropped.

  “What?” I asked.

  “I have something I have to tell you.”

  Whatever it was would probably be something we’d laugh about later, but in that moment, I was gazing into his eyes and seeing no sadness hidden behind them. We were different people from when we met and we were always changing, but we were both so happy with who we were. Was there anything better than that?