Staccato (Magnum Opus #2) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,32

said. “When I met you, I was nervous, because all you had was my voice—and you never once…you didn’t…I don’t know. You didn’t think I was a girl, and that was nice.”

“You just sound like you,” Nik told him. “You sound like Adam. I never gave it much thought. I’m…I’m sorry if that’s rude.”

“It isn’t,” Adam said. His body tensed for a second, then he shifted, and Nik let out a soft noise when Adam laid his head on his shoulder and pressed their bodies together all the way down to their thighs. “It’s kind of perfect.” He trailed off with a sigh, then swallowed loudly again. “I hope you want to keep me.”

Nik held on just a little tighter, shifted just a little closer. Friends was necessary—friends was the only way to have this and stop it from changing and growing ugly and broken, but it had never been so hard before. “If I have my way, you won’t go anywhere,” Nik vowed, and Adam slowly, and ever so gently, relaxed.

Chapter 9

Adante

Adam was unaware of how ridiculous he was being until his sister burst into laughter, and he turned to see her leaning against his open bedroom door. She shook her head, then strolled into the room with Evie at her heels and grabbed him by the untied bowtie at his neck.

“I’ve never seen you worked up over a guy before.” Her hands expertly twisted the fabric around itself until it resembled what it looked like on the packaging. “I also can’t believe you bought a bowtie.”

“The guy at the suit store said they were a thing now. I don’t know. I haven’t worn anything besides t-shirts and jeans in years.” He tugged at his collar, turning back to the mirror to stare at himself.

There were days his reflection was his worst enemy, and then there were nights like tonight when he wore shirtsleeves and trousers like a second skin. His beard was trimmed—though part of him was itching to just shave it off, but he’d traded all of his metal hoops for clear studs, and he’d combed his hair with product so it fell into a sort of swoop over his forehead.

With Stella next to him, he saw his reflection in her face, just with sharper curves and wider eyes. Every now and again he wondered what they might look like if he hadn’t been a boy—if fate hadn’t twisted his world around when it birthed him into the world. He liked this though, this connection with her, and the ability to exist as he was. He liked that she put an arm around him and leaned on him, and that his niece sat on the top of his shoe and clung to his calf.

They were family, even if it was unconventional. Even if it wasn’t going to be like this forever.

Stella turned and kissed his cheek. “You look handsome as hell. Your boyfriend is going to love it.”

“He’s not my boyfriend, and he’s totally blind, so I don’t know why I’m getting all worked up.” He tugged at the bowtie until Stella pulled his hand down.

“You want him to be your boyfriend, and I bet someone will tell him that the guy in the audience with the bowtie and all the tattoos is smoking hot and making moon eyes at him.” She stepped back and urged Evie to stand up, pulling her away when she refused. “Come on, Monster. We need to go make pizzas, and Adam needs to finish getting dressed up.”

“Why you dressed up?” Evie demanded.

“Remember Nik? The piano guy?”

“From Frozen?” she asked.

Adam rolled his eyes, ruffling her curls. “Yes, the one who played you Frozen. He’s having a concert tonight, and I’m going to listen to him play his piano.”

Evie wriggled away from her mom. “Okay Imma come too!”

“No, you don’t,” Stella said, catching her by the back of the shirt. “This is not a place for little Elsas.”

Evie looked horrified. “What? He played Elsa!”

“Not tonight he’s not,” Adam said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “He’s playing other stuff.”

“Moana?” she asked.

Adam shook his head as he shooed his sister toward the door with Evie trailing behind. “Nope. No Disney princesses tonight. Go make pizza, and save me some.”

Her long no echoed down the hall as she shouted it, running toward the kitchen, and Stella shrugged before walking after her. When they were out of sight, Adam shut the door and sagged against it, catching his breath before grabbing his phone from the edge