Only Gay For You. (Book one of the Midnight In Rome series)

Part 11

Nico 

we pull up to the fancy-looking ice cream place, they do flavours that I didn't even know existed, we both get a double scoop cherry sundae and sit at a booth, 

 "mmm this is delicious," Aspen says enthusiastically while taking very quick bites, then he freezes suddenly. 

"you got a brain freeze?" I ask and he nods while screwing up his face like he was eating a lemon.

 "mmm this is delicious," Aspen says enthusiastically while taking very quick bites, then he freezes suddenly.

"you got a brain freeze?" I ask and he nods while screwing up his face like he was eating a lemon.

"that is so cute," I say looking at his adorable face.

"shut up," he says through a deep red blush when he is finally able to talk again, I have cheek ache from all the smiling I had been doing around Aspen recently.  

I am beginning to think that Aspen is sweeter than the ice cream I am eating. 

"There is no way I am going to be able to eat all of this" Aspen gasps between mouthfuls,

"well, allow me to help you with that," I say leaning over and plucking the sweet cherry from the top of his dessert and popping it in my mouth with a satisfied hum. 

"Hey, you took my cherry" Aspen announces loudly eliciting the looks of other customers around us.

"oh did I now?"  I say biting my bottom lip, he responds immediately with a blush only rivalled by when his dick was out in the ocean, I'm not sure why I enjoy teasing him so much but it is quickly becoming my favourite pastime. 

"that is not what I meant, that ship sailed a few years ago," he says almost choking on some ice cream. 

"not in the way I can help," I say with a wink and again am rewarded by him choking and he wriggles in his seat too. 

"can I get you anything else?" the waitress asks suddenly appearing at the table.

"no," we both say simultaneously and she scurries away to wait at another table, the spell is now apparently broken he goes back to eating his slightly melted ice cream, we ate the rest in silence but not awkward silence it was comfortable. 

"right you ready to watch me be amazing?" I ask once I had paid.

"of course I am!" he says jumping up excitedly and it makes me beam with excitement. 

we get in his car and I give him directions to park at the back, when we pull up I take Aspen's hand and lead him inside, walking into the venue I was still early, Paulie was there setting up his drums.

"Hey, Paulie" I shout, Paulie looks up and smiles, then he sees behind me. 

"Hey, my man, who you dragging along here?" 

"Let me introduce you to my friend and my lift Aspen," I say pulling him alongside me and dropping his hand. 

"Aspen, very nice to meet you," he says hopping off the stage and taking Asp's hand to his lips and kissing it, Aspen blushes under his touch and I suddenly feel angry. 

"very nice to meet you too Paulie" Aspen gushes, is this what jealously is? am I jealous?

"I am the gay member of the band" Paulie adds with a wink.

"I am the geek everyone assumes is gay" Aspen replies with a small laugh, yes this is jealousy.

"Are you not gay?" Paulie asks and I can't hold in a snort, both men stare at me for a second before looking back at each other.

"hey does someone want to help me over here? Andy the bassist says while trying to set up the guitars.

"on it!" Paulie calls back to him before turning back to Aspen.

"it was very nice to meet you, we will catch up later," he says with another hand kiss and I have never wanted to punch someone so much in my life, can you lick people to claim them as your own?

"I will be right back, I just need to go check my baby," I say to Aspen before rushing over to check my guitar.

"Hey, Nico, he's a hot one if you're not chasing that I will," Paulie says quiet enough that only I can hear, he walks away before I can say anything which is probably for the best because my first instinct was to growl, I take a moment and a few deep breaths to remind myself I am straight and as far as I am aware so is Aspen.

once I have my baby In tune and on her stand I turn to see Aspen speaking with Paulie again, I am about to interrupt when Paulie walks away laughing. 

"Okay, I am all set up," I say to Aspen with a huge smile. 

"good, I am really excited to watch," he says jumping on the spot.

"Make sure you are upfront so I can see you, I want to see if you enjoy it."

"I know I will," he says with a smile that lights up his whole face.

"better late than never I guess!" Paulie shouts over as Nathan runs in.

"Sorry guys had to take the bus,"  Nathan says rushing over to me to fist bump me.

"whos the new guy?" he asks looking at Aspen.

"This is my good friend Aspen, Aspen this is Nathan he's our rhythm guitarist, and if he doesn't hurry I think Paulie is going to hit him," I say with a laugh

"Nice to meet you," Aspen says as he rushes away. 

"that's the whole band," I say gesturing to them behind me.

"They all seem really nice," Aspen says with a smile and waves back at Paulie's over-exadurated wave with a laugh.

"you really like Paulie huh?" I say trying to hide the jealous bite to my voice. 

"he seems like a good friend," Aspen says giving no hint away in his voice.

"he is a good friend, he isn't known for keeping a boyfriend though," I say not entirely sure why I added the last bit.

"looking like that I am not sure he needs to be," Aspen says, this rubs me up the wrong way entirely, maybe I just want to protect my friends? yeah that's it I don't want them to get hurt.

"Okay, I have to go back and make sure we are prepared," I say as my band shouts me over.

"Okay, I will be waiting," he says with a big smile.