Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

waiting for Stone Sutton to come on stage. Earlier in the evening at the club, there'd been a press conference announcing the band's new record deal and reporters had packed the place, eager to ask questions of the two beautiful gay men who led the group.
    Stone dominated as usual. His presence was bigger than life and he seemed born to be in the spotlight in some fashion. Stone certainly handled the reporters with an ease Daren envied. The few times a reporter had cornered him, he'd not known what to say. He didn't understand why they'd even want to talk to him. He and Taylor lived a pretty boring life when it came right down to it. Even if he answered some of the questions that were far too personal to answer, the reporters probably wouldn't believe him. They seemed to think that he and Taylor's disgustingly happy life hid some sort of secret.
    But as secrets went, they were all out of the bag now. Taylor had come out, and the public knew that he was gay and in a long term, committed relationship. They knew who his parents were. They knew how he'd met Stone. That story would probably fuel the tabloids for awhile and Daren resigned himself to being splashed all over the newsstands as part of "Stone Sutton's Secret Love Triangle!"
    Despite the fact that he and Taylor had to face down the press more often as Stone Sutton's popularity grew, Daren thought it brought them closer. The united front that they presented to the public at all times was just an extension of their commitment to each other, a commitment that grew with each day they were together. Even with Stone Sutton's new recording contract and planned tour on the horizon, Daren knew the additional pressures on Taylor wouldn't affect their relationship. After five years of suffering, neither of them would ever put anything else in front of what they had. When the contract and tour had come up, Taylor had told him point blank that they had to make the decision together because, if it was a question of Stone Sutton or Daren, Taylor would choose Daren every time. His career was important, but he couldn't live without his heart.
    Thinking about Taylor's words brought tears to Daren's eyes. Never in his life had he felt so cherished and beloved. An out of the closet Taylor had been a miracle of publically demonstrated affection and possessiveness. Daren couldn't have asked for more from a partner.
    The lights went down and Wes fidgeted beside him. Daren patted him on the shoulder, feeling the tension in his friend. No matter how many times they watched Stone Sutton perform, Wes always got excited for that first glimpse of Stone in the spotlight. Daren understood. He felt the same about Taylor although not with quite so much over the top energy.
    The wail of a guitar punctuated the lights coming back up and Wes bounced in his seat as Stone appeared. Daren smiled, his own gaze riveted to the man he'd kissed passionately backstage not fifteen minutes before. With the stage lights in his eyes, Daren knew Taylor might not be able to see him, but Taylor knew he was there. He swiveled his hips a little as he played, rubbing them against the body of his guitar suggestively. Daren shivered, knowing the move was meant for him. Taylor often had little signals in his performance, some move designed to let Daren know he was playing for him.
    When the set ended, Daren and Westley made their way backstage. By the time they got to the green room, the band had launched into their encore. Daren picked up a bottle of water and settled on a loveseat to wait for Taylor while Wes prowled the room talking to the band's crew. As the encore ended, the crew filed out as the band arrived. Stone rushed in, filled with an exuberance that could only come from a performance high. He swept Westley into his arms and dipped him, kissing him dramatically. Wes giggled.
    Daren laughed at the other couple's antics, then oofed a little as Taylor threw himself onto the loveseat, their bodies slamming together.
    "Did you miss me?" Taylor growled in his ear.
    "Sexy thing. I always miss you when I'm not with you," Daren said with a laugh.
    Taylor's arms came around him in a hard hug. "I played for you, you know."
    Daren waggled his brows suggestively. "I know. I saw." He let Taylor press a brief, rough kiss to his lips. "The after party's at that record exec's hotel suite, isn't it?"
    "Yep. Why?" Taylor's words vibrated the sensitive skin of Daren's throat.
    "Maybe we could find someplace in the hotel to