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  “Always and Forever”

  An MM Gay Romance

  Jerry Cole

  © 2020

  Jerry Cole

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is intended for Adults (ages 18+) only. The contents may be offensive to some readers. It may contain graphic language, explicit sexual content, and adult situations. May contain scenes of unprotected sex. Please do not read this book if you are offended by content as mentioned above or if you are under the age of 18.

  Please educate yourself on safe sex practices before making potentially life-changing decisions about sex in real life. If you’re not sure where to start, see here: http://www.jerrycoleauthor.com/safe-sex-resources/.

  This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Products or brand names mentioned are trademarks of their respective holders or companies. The cover uses licensed images and are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any person(s) that may be depicted on the cover are simply models.

  Edition v1.00 (2020.05.13)

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  Special thanks to the following volunteer readers who helped with proofreading: C Mitchell, Jim Adcock, Jackie Fuchs, Earleen Gregg, RB, JayBee, AliD, Julian White and those who assisted but wished to be anonymous. Thank you so much for your support.

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  Table of Content

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  Micah

  “Here’s the usual shot.” My bandmate, Trent, set the glass in front of me, and I took a slow sip of beer.

  “Thanks.” I had been sleeping most of the day after working on a project all night for a website client, and liquor always boosted me. I reached for it and drank it down, feeling the burn in my lungs. “Shit.”

  Linger Longer was our band, but it was just a local Denver thing. All five of us had jobs apart from playing gigs, and Ryan even had a wife and toddler daughter.

  We played a mix of rock and alternative and were quite popular in the local area. All the guys had their fans, but I was the singer. I got the most attention and had the flair to keep it, but the fans weren’t usually my type. I looked around the room and noticed the crowd growing and smiled at Trent. “Looks like it’s showtime.”

  The four guys that made up Linger Longer with me were my best friends. We’d known each other since middle school, and playing music together just made sense. Ryan dated my sister Mallory back in high school, but it ended without drama, and he met his wife three years ago.

  Trent looked around the table and raised a brow. “Ready, guys?”

  “Let’s do this.” We stood and made our way to the stage where our gear was already waiting for us. I adjusted the microphone and looked around at the girls that clustered around the stage. They were hot but not my type. I managed to flirt as we performed, but it ended there.

  I was still nursing the wounds from a recent breakup. It was nothing too serious, but after a year, I felt relatively settled with Trey. We had habits and moments together that left a bitter taste in my mouth after going to his place to find him balls deep in another guy. I didn’t want to repeat that, particularly with a woman. I tried that once in high school just to test it out, and it was not for me.

  “How are you doing tonight?” I asked as I heard the guys strumming their guitars behind me. The crowd roared, and I grinned as my eyes scanned over them to the bar. “We’re going to start with Whisper tonight.”

  The drums and guitars started in sync, and I rocked forward to the beat. The music always filled me with life, and I closed my eyes as I began to sing. We didn’t advertise that I wrote most of the songs along with Trent. Mine were on the darker side while his were love and roses. I guess that’s what happened when you fell in love in college.

  I alternated between songs but chose the popular ones. We were supposed to make an album in a buddy’s studio soon and see where it went, but it just hadn’t happened yet. Everyone sang along and screamed for us, making the adrenaline rush through me.

  Did Trey do this for me?

  We finished the set and walked to the bar for some drinks. Fans followed us and told us that we sounded great, and how much they liked our music. Some told us other things, but I knew better than to get too close with fans. I didn’t want to complicate anything.

  The girls kept coming. I played nice and nursed a beer, but their blatant seduction was getting on my nerves. I finished the beer and set it down with a long look at Ryan. “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

  “Don’t forget about dinner this week.”

  I grinned since there was no way I ever could. Ryan’s wife, Trina, was a great cook and cooked for me at least once a week. “Bring Mal.”

  “But of course.” I waved to the other guys and extracted myself from the crowd as they protested my attempt to pull away. “We’ll be here next weekend.” I finally made my way out, stumbling before I made my way to the door. I walked steadily toward the wooden door, turning when I heard my name called. I narrowed my eyes to find the person and groaned when something crashed into me, and I felt cool liquid running down my t-shirt. I touched it, realizing that it was just water.

  “Oh, shit. I’m so sorry.” Someone helped me steady myself, and I found myself staring at a man just slightly shorter than I was with luminous green eyes. “I was just trying to stop you from leaving.”

  He wasn’t a blonde groupie with huge tits. That was the usual kind to try and get my attention. This man was a gorgeous specimen, and though he had blond hair, he was all man. “Were you?”

  “It’s loud in here. Do you want to get some coffee or something?” He smiled crookedly at me, and my body twitched in response.

  “That sounds good. There’s
a place across the street.” I gestured toward the door and started, grinning when he followed me. I breathed in the cool night air and determined that the all-night diner was a decent walk if he were up to it. Judging from his lean muscles under the t-shirt he was wearing, it wouldn’t be. I paused, and he stepped beside me with a curious look on his face. “Car or walk?”

  The guy looked at the large red sign and raised a brow. “That’s it?” I nodded. “Walk. It’s just over there.” We went into the crosswalk, and I pushed the button before looking at him. “I’m Micah.”

  “Everyone knows who you are.” He blushed, and I wondered if he was gay for a moment. That was a shy form of flirting but endearing. “I'm Keller. Keller Norris.”

  We shook hands and awkwardly pulled away when the walk light flashed green in the night. I led the way again, still feeling the tingles on my skin where he touched me.

  Chapter Two

  Micah

  We found a corner booth and took it, sitting across from each other. Keller seemed nervous, and I leaned back into the worn cushion as I took him in.

  “Your music is great. I’ve been to see you guys a few times now. There’s a lot of heart to your songs.”

  “Huh. Most people talk about drumbeats or the guitar. I see people singing along, but I wonder if any of them know the words.” I glanced up as the waitress approached. “Coffee and a plate of fries, please.”

  Keller looked at me with a surprised smile. “I’d love a coffee. Thank you.” She gave me a long look, and he watched as the brunette walked away. “One of your fans?”

  “I suppose. I’m fairly sure she almost always works when I play there, but she recognizes me.” I smiled. “The guys and I come here sometimes.”

  “That makes sense.” Keller sipped his water, and I looked into his eyes. They were a dark green, the color of moss, and stood out with his pale skin. He was gorgeous in that subtle kind of way that told me he read books more than he pumped iron at the gym. That said to me that he had a brain and substance behind that stunning face. “So, I’m a big music fan, and I’ve seen you perform. I am also a writer for the local Denver Times, and we’re starting a new column about music around town. You were the first band I wanted to write about.”

  “Thank you.” The woman brought our coffees and set them down, along with a metal pitcher of cream and tray of sugar packets. “What’s the column going to be about? Individual bands? Places they perform? There’s a big music scene here.”

  “There is, among other things. It’s a fun town. I moved here a couple of months ago from San Diego.” I raised a brow.

  “Land of the Golden Coast?” He nodded. “What brought you here?”

  “My stepmom got sick with the flu bug, and since my dad left her just like he did my mom, I offered to come to help her out. She has twin girls, and they’re busy. I liked what I saw and stayed.”

  “She’s better?” I checked, and he nodded.

  “Yeah. I just asked if I could stay, and she always needs help with the girls.” He smiled, and I took in the love for his family. “I was wondering how you guys got started as a group.”

  “We’ve been friends for years. I met all of them in middle school, and we all loved music. We sat around listening to it, talking about it, and started playing it. It’s not a job for us as much as it is fun, but I guess you never know what could happen. We all work, and Ryan even has a family.”

  “What is your job when you’re not playing?” I enjoyed how he asked the questions and listened to the answers without moving on too fast. The interviews in the past had been different and typically focused solely on whatever band member the women liked the most. That was often me, and I always had to shut them down.

  “I design websites for clients. It’s something I can do around the clock from home. It pays pretty well.” He smiled, and I felt my mouth curving into a smile.

  “Freelance. I get that.” I nodded and chuckled. “It’s a great gig.”

  He kept asking about the band as individuals, adding a personal touch to the article as he took notes. We shared the fries as we chatted, and I was surprised to see that two hours had passed when I looked at my phone. Keller looked at his when he saw my expression and laughed out loud.

  “It’s past two. I thought I left the bar earlier, but maybe not.” I looked at him, feeling the power of his presence. “Did you get everything you needed from me?”

  “Not everything.” A pink flush covered his skin. “I’d like your number and to see you again.” This man surprised me with his bold words, and I smiled.

  “Give me your phone.” He slid it across the table, and I opened the contacts, adding my name. “There you go.”

  “Thanks.” He smiled, and I pulled out some money for the bill. “Come on. This is a tax write off for me.”

  “My treat.” I grinned, and we stood to leave. I handed the money and bill to the waitress, telling her to keep the change. We made our way to the parking lot of the bar that was mostly empty now, and I walked him to his car. He stared up at me, and I looked into his eyes before taking in his soft lips. I had been hesitant about getting with anyone else since Trey, but I wanted to kiss Keller badly right now.

  Keller surprised me when he gripped my shirt and pulled me down. He claimed my lips in a soft kiss, and I moaned against him. I wanted more and slipped my hand into his spiky hair to pull him closer. I imagined taking him home and the trouble that I could get in before I remembered his face across the table. Keller was not that guy, and for that matter, neither was I. He pulled away first, heavily breathing as I took in his reddened face. “I want to see you soon.” I gazed into his eyes, and he nodded before stepping away toward his car. “I’ll call you.”

  I watched as he got into the small silver car and pulled out on the street. I unlocked my car and slipped inside, warming up the engine as I looked at the lights of the city. I grew up here and loved Colorado, and now that there was a new guy in town, it was looking even better.

  I headed home and pulled into the driveway, seeing that the lights of the duplex beside me were off. Good. My sister needed to sleep.

  Chapter Three

  Micah

  I got up after eight hours of sleep and made some coffee. I smiled when I heard the knock at the door and walked over to open it. “Morning, Mal.” I held the door open, and she walked in, headed right toward the coffee.

  I was teaching her the ropes of freelance work though hers was more graphic design. We always had an eye for creativity and followed our paths intending to succeed.

  Mallory had her plum hair piled into a topknot on her head and her snowman pajamas. “I see you made a lot of effort for this visit.” She turned to me with a smile on her face as she held a cup of coffee in her hands.

  “Why should I? I wouldn’t impress you even if I weren’t your sister.”

  “Touché. Want some breakfast?” We enjoyed living close to each other without being in the same space. We usually worked together after eating and spent the day together.

  “Sure.” She sipped her coffee, and we made French toast and sausage together in the kitchen, as I told her about last night. When we took plates to the breakfast bar, she was gaping at me. “He sounds so cute.”

  “He was. He listened when I talked and even grabbed some of the lyrics from the songs. Nobody does that.” I scrunched my face, and she nodded with a sympathetic smile. She knew that some of the songs were about deeper things that happened in life and not just to dance along to as I performed them.

  “That’s good. While I love the band on the surface, I also adore your writing. Both of you have your own depth that you add to the songs.” She smiled as she thought about Trent. He was like another big brother to her and protected her more than I did. She was there for a lot of writing sessions and soaked it all in like a sponge.

  “It’s a good way to release the demons, and it pays a little bit.” I stabbed a piece of bread and chewed it slowly. “I had fries last night and this toda
y. I need to go to the gym.” We had memberships at the one around the corner though I used mine more. Mallory was just naturally lean despite what she ate. “I wonder where Keller goes to work out.”

  “He works out?” Mallory looked up with curious eyes.

  “I’d say so. He was showing off last night.” I smiled as I cut a piece of sausage off and brought it to my mouth.

  “Huh. Maybe you are ready to move on.” She helped me through the betrayal of Trey and hated him like a good sibling would and should.

  “It’s just a date thing right now. Well, not even that. He’s the one that needs to call me.” The idea scared me a bit, and I reached for my coffee.

  “That is nothing for you. You already connected, and you’ll probably be on the phone forever.” She smiled, and I laughed as I thought back to the fights we had when we shared a cell phone. I got one first, but she was little enough not to be ready for her own. Mom made us share, and the battles were rough.

  “Okay. It’s time to work.” I carried the dishes to the sink, and we set up our laptops with more coffee. “How far are you with the restaurant project?”

  “I’m almost done. I’ll finish it before the deadline.” She beamed with pride, and I grinned.

  “That’s the way to start. People will say good things about you.” I pulled up the new website that I was building for a local photographer. I pulled up the notes from the client and read through them before tackling the home page. We worked quietly for a while, comfortable in our silence. My sister was my best friend, and we were close from the instant I held her at the hospital. Mom was an artist, and I helped as much as I could with the baby.

  I heard my phone ring and glanced down to see that it was Mom calling. I grinned and put her on speaker so we could both greet her. “Hello, my babies.”