Love Is Always Write Volume 4

willingly, not wanting it to end. He could feel Zeb's breath at his ear, tickling and teasing, and then came the words.
    I cry
    I cry as I walk the sands
    Remembering our shore where I held you
    Never wanting to let go
    Always wanting to let you know
    As the waves crashed around us
    I cry
    As the seagulls screamed their chorus
    I cry
    In the cold November air
    Zeb's voice filled the small kitchen, low but so powerful. It filled Chad as well; with joy and sad memories, love and pain. Now that he knew for sure the words were about him, they held a whole new meaning.
    "It's alright to cry you know?" Chad was startled by Zeb's words, almost in a trancelike state. "I cried a lot." Zeb admitted softly, slowing their dance to a stop, but not letting go. "Hell, I wrote a whole song about it."
    Chad laughed under his breath, but Zeb must have felt the movement in his chest.
    "Oh, you think that's funny, huh?" He could hear the teasing note in Zeb's voice, smiled and shook his head. "The odd thing is, I never wanted that song recorded. The others, well, I knew they probably wouldn't ever be played on the radio so I wasn't worried. It never occurred to me you'd come to a concert so I thought it was safe to play them there."
    Chad could feel Zeb's fingers in his hair now, carding through it, the calloused tips rubbing against his scalp, and it felt so good. "I almost didn't. I came close to chickening out a couple times, but I just wanted to see you. I wasn't planning on talking to you at all."
    "You really weren't?"
    Chad shook his head against Zeb's neck.
    "Then why did you?" Zeb stepped back just enough to look Chad in the eye, waiting for his answer.
    "The songs. I suppose the same reason you didn't want me to hear them. Because they showed you cared." Chad broke eye contact and focused on Zeb's shirt instead, playing with the collar as he spoke. "Even hearing them I wasn't completely sure. But if you hadn't played those songs that night, I wouldn't have walked up to you at the end. I would have slipped out and been happy just to have seen you." It felt strange admitting all this to Zeb. He'd implied the same thing after the concert, but this was different.
    "If I would have known that they would bring you back into my life, I would've had them played on every radio station the second I finished writing them." Zeb's voice was warm and husky and sent a shiver down Chad's spine. "Hey, since you're hugging me, does that mean you're going to give me another shot?"
    There was a smile on Zeb's face and Chad laughed. It was a little on the watery side, but it felt good. "I don't know. Are you going to behave?"
    "I never behave, baby, you know me." It sounded teasing and wonderful, and Chad felt Zeb's arms tighten around him.
    Chad looked up then, deep into Zeb's eyes, and sighed. "Yeah. Cuz the thing is – I love you, too." Zeb's smile bloomed, big and bright and Chad wasn't sure if he'd ever seen that exact smile on his lover's face before. "So, are you going to stand there smiling at me all day? Or are you finally going to kiss me?"
    Zeb laughed. "Damn, I missed you."
    The heat in Zeb's eyes made Chad feel powerful, bold. "Yeah, well do me a favor and show me how much." Before he could even think to make the request again – or breathe – Zeb's lips were on his.
    Light and oh so soft, they explored and Chad responded, relearning Zeb's taste, his touch. His breath was shallow and coming fast. Chad couldn't believe this was happening. He framed Zeb's jaw, felt the way it moved, how smooth it was from a fresh shave, and pulled him in closer.
    Hot damn, this is real. Oh so real, and oh so good.
    Needing to touch everywhere, Chad lowered his hands, feeling the soft skin at Zeb's neck, those strong shoulders and arms. They traveled still to slide against all those wonderful muscles, down to Zeb's hips and pull him closer. Their bodies flush, Chad could feel every inch of the other man and for one long moment, forgot to breathe.
    When he did finally take in a quick breath Zeb deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue in and making Chad's head spin. All Chad could think about was his lover. His closeness, his heat. How he felt and tasted.
    Nothing else mattered.
    Zeb's hands warmed his back where they firmly held Chad to him, a hard length pressed against Chad's hip. Chad remembered that touch. And the memories only made him want more. He rocked his hips against Zeb, pressing in nice and tight and making sure Zeb knew exactly what he was