The Bird and the Worm

I settled onto the couch, watching Brian as he made his way upstairs, scratching his head, and I dialed the number on the card Jace had given me.

“Hello?”

“Yeah. Jace.”

“Ah, Mrs. Haner. You’ve made a decision, eh?” I laughed softly. “And what conclusion have you come to?”

I smiled to myself- Brian hadn’t stopped on the stairs, so he wasn’t listening in, and the rest of the downstairs was empty, which meant that I didn’t have to speak quietly due to nervousness. “I talked to Brian a little, and he had nothing bad to say about the music business, so I do believe I’m in.” Jace seemed excited. “And considering this is the first job offer I’ve had in over a year, I’m free all next week.”

“Well as the bosses would like to see you in the middle of the week, how about a 3:00 on Wednesday?”

I smiled. “I can definitely do that. I only have a couple of questions for you, Jace. The rest of them can wait until next week.” His silence told me that he was ready. “Well, my first question is about the whole ‘audition’ thing. What can I expect?”

“Well, like I said before, the bosses want to hear your voice, get a feel for your style, and then they’ll want to start talking band members, but that can wait a little while, after you’ve decided that our company is the way you wanna go.”

I nodded. “Okay. The second question. Would it be alright if I brought my husband with me? He knows the music business, and I would probably be much more at ease with him there.”

“Of course. We’ve seen Brian a couple of times. We would love it if you brought him along.”

“Alright then. Thank you Jace. Very much.” Even though I knew he was only doing his job, he had still offered me a very big chance. “You and the bosses may actually help me make a name for myself, other than being Brian’s unknown wife.”

He chuckled. “Well, if you stick with us long enough, there’ll be a point in time where you won’t be the unknown wife of mister Brian Haner anymore.” He chuckled again. “We’ll be seeing you next week, Mrs. Haner,” he said.

“See you next week, Jace.” He hung up, and then I hung up as well, setting the phone back in the cradle. My heart fluttered nervously, and then I rose from the couch, Just as I’d poured myself a cup of coffee, Brian was walking down the stairs, and I took a sip of the drink as he pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me and kissing my hair. “You won’t believe what I just did, love.”

“What did you just do?” he asked, his voice soft. “Am I going to like it?”

I nodded against his chest. “Yep. I just called Jace back. I’m slated for a 3:00 next Wednesday to meet with him and his bosses.” I peeked up at him, and he was practically grinning. “And you’re coming with me to help me not feel like such a noob.” He laughed, brushing my hair from my face. “Have I mentioned lately that you’re an amazing husband?”

He shook his head. “No, but given the shit start at the wedding,” he smiled a little, “I’m glad you think so.” He sighed. “I’m just really glad things are working out well for you. Your mom hasn’t been bugging you since we got married, and Vengeance’s sex drive is, I hope, more than satisfied, so neither of us have to hear about it.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “You forgot Gina complaining about my being with a rock star and her being stuck staring from afar.” He laughed a little. “And the fact that your sex hair is ridiculous but still looks good on you.”

“I have sex hair? Really?” I nodded. “Fuck. I was gonna take you to hang with the parents for lunch, but it looks like it’s gonna have to be dinner.” He quirked a playful smile. “Wanna shower? Cuz I think we both kinda stink a little.” I nodded, wrinkling my nose. “I wish sex didn’t smell so bad afterward…”

“Yeah. But at least I won’t have to do much laundry this time.” He laughed. “Mkay, stud. Shower, clothes, and then your parents.” He groaned. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Quickies don’t work well after the shower. Especially not if I’m going to willingly do laundry when we get home.”

He slid his arm around my waist, tugging me close as we made our way up the stairs. “You treat me too well, kid,” he said, kissing my temple, and I leaned against his side more, my own arm around his waist.

And it was kind of a sensual experience, showering with Brian. It always had been, but this morning, I was feeling more appreciative of what he had to offer- the sinuous muscles of his arms, rippling beneath his skin even as he ran the shampoo through his shaggy black hair, his back as the rippling muscles beneath shifted every time he turned or changed the angle of his torso, even a little, and the slight rise and fall of his flawless chest as he breathed in the scent of the shower instead of the stench of what was our bedroom.

This was one of the few times I ever saw him without his wedding ring- the tan line on his finger made it obvious that he’d been tied down for a while now, and even I felt unnatural without my engagement ring or my wedding band snagging on my hair. I wasn’t sure if other married couples wore their rings in the shower, but I wasn’t about to lose mine in the drain, and neither was Brian.

He waited silently as I washed him, and I bit my lip as my fingertips grazed the most powerful part of his body- his unfairly strong legs.

And after he’d stepped under the showerhead and allowed the water to rinse the soap from his body, he took the washcloth from me, giving me a sly smile.

And then he washed me.

Needless to say, I wasn’t bored.