Starting From Somewhere (Starting From 4)

I kissed his temple and held him closer. “I knew you’d love this.”

Cody snort-laughed as he wriggled to face me. “I’m pretty sure this was my idea.”

“C’mon, we went halfsies on this one. You said, ‘Let’s drive to the desert and see the stars at night.’ And I said, ‘Are you fucking nuts? It’s freezing.’ I was right about that part, by the way,” I groused playfully.

“True. So which part was your idea?”

“Leaving our tent at home and making the hotel reservation five miles away in Palm Springs. We can save sleeping under the stars for summertime when the cold doesn’t steam up my glasses.”

Cody pursed his lips in amusement and adjusted my glasses before kissing my nose. “Cold doesn’t cause steam. Vapor is caused by—”

“The phase change of matter.”

“God, I love it when you talk dirty,” he gushed.

“Makes you horny, doesn’t it?”

He nodded enthusiastically. “Yes. I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Hang on. I have something for you.”

I handed over the thermos, slipped out from under the blanket, and jumped off the hood of my car. I zipped my puffy winter coat to my chin as I hurried to open the trunk. I pulled my guitar from its case, slung the strap over my shoulder, then skirted the car again.

Cody grinned. “What are you up to?”

“Well, this is a first for me. I’ve never gone stargazing in the desert. I’ve also never played a song for the guy I love while he sipped hot cocoa and dreamed of interplanetary conquests on the hood of my BMW. I’m thinking it’s a first for you too.”

“It is,” he said softly. “What will you play?”

I strummed a few chords and squinted thoughtfully before breaking into an old Eagles song. I switched up the lyrics to “Peaceful Easy Feeling” to fit our current situation…you know, freezing our balls off under a billion stars…that kind of thing. Cody’s laughter rang out like a bell in the night, lighting me up from within. I couldn’t contain the ridiculous grin on my face, ’cause dammit, it just didn’t get better than this.

He hopped off the hood, clapping wildly when I took a bow.

“Thank you. Try the veal. I’ll be here all week,” I joked, pushing my instrument behind my back as I pulled him into my arms.

“You know, you’re kind of a geek,” he said affectionately.

“Yeah. You don’t mind, do you?”

Cody shook his head. “I love you just the way you are.”

“I love you too, baby.” I pressed kisses all over his face to make him laugh, then squeezed him in a bearlike hug and glanced up at the heavens again.

Funny things happen when you least expect them. A year ago, I’d thought being a guitarist for a rock band on the rise would be my great adventure. I’d thought I had my new path figured out. It hadn’t occurred to me that my dreams weren’t big enough. Or that there was someone out there who so perfectly understood me, accepted me, and encouraged me to grow, learn, and challenge myself. I was in awe of this man. And more grateful than I could say that he was mine. We started from somewhere unexpected, and now anything seemed possible. Even forever.