In this scene from my novel Shattered Glass Milo's unreasonable jealousy fed by drummer Bart Hedge led to an argument with Liam.  What follows is Milo's apology and Liam's reaction.


“Milo, we’ve had this discussion before. He’s no longer jailbait. What’s wrong with being with
the guy you love?”


“Everyone will know. It wouldn’t be good for the band.”


“Milo, Elton John is openly gay and it hasn’t affected his record sales. For Christ’s sake, he
does work for Disney. It’s not the band, Milo, it’s you. You have been fighting what you are for years
for no good reason. Your true friends already know. The roadies know. There are always rumors in the
media. Liam is obviously gay. We spent years trying to tone it down because of where we were raised,
but we’re not there anymore. The entertainment industry is a big tent, and no one is going to throw you
out because you and Liam are lovers. This is your macho bullshit talking.”


“He says I put him on a shelf and just take him out to perform or fuck and then I lock him away
again.”


“Do you? Ask yourself that question and answer it honestly for a change.”


“I don’t know.” Milo checked the door to make sure he was still alone.


“Milo, have you ever taken him out dancing? Do you go to dinner, or a movie?”


“I haven’t got a lot of time with the band—”

“Cut the crap. I played in and managed that band for years, and yet I had time to finish law
school. I only asked for a break to study for the bar. I passed the bar three years ago, opened the firm,
and yet even though Shattered Glass is one of my most important clients, you won’t let me do my job.


You insist on handling everything yourself. What the fuck are you really hiding from?”
“I think I’m afraid to lose him. He’s still so young. I’m scared he’s going to go out and find
someone else.”


“If you keep pushing him away, it will only happen faster. Fuck, you need to get the hell out of
the closet. Your father’s dead, he can’t do you any damage. If you still have issues with that, see a
counselor. You need to do something or you will push everything and everyone you love so far away
from you that you’ll never get them back.”


“I’ll think about it.”


“You better do more than think.”


Milo sat in the study and stared at the wall. Was Sam right, could it be him? But Bart had toured
with a few other bands and knew how much all of this took out of a man. He said Liam just didn’t
understand how much it took to keep it all together. Milo didn’t know, and his ignorance of his own
feelings had caused a rift between not only himself and Liam, but between him, Sam and Rick. He
wished it could be simple. All he wanted to do was love and take care of his baby in peace.
Milo went back upstairs to the bedroom. Liam lay on his stomach, with the cats sleeping on the
pillow above his head. Milo looked at him longingly. He had to stop running from his heart. He crossed
the bare wood floor and sat on the edge of the bed. He was determined to make it up to him somehow.
Lifting the covers, he slid in beside him.


“Baby,” he whispered as he began to stroke his back. “Baby, I need to talk to you.”


“You’re here. I dreamed that you left.”


“No, love, I’m right here beside you. Come into my arms, and let me love you.”


“You’re not mad at me anymore?”


“No, I’m mad at myself for being an unreasonable, jealous prick.”


Liam rolled over on his side and the sheet slipped down below his waist. Milo kept stroking his
skin.


“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Liam said. “I swear. I just needed to talk to someone. I know you
need to run the band. I don’t want to be another burden. I’m so lonely sometimes. Danny’s just a friend.
He’s as het as you can get. I didn’t want to spend the evening feeling sorry for myself.”


“You’re right. I haven’t been putting the time into our relationship that you deserve. I have been
taking you for granted. I promise, I’ll try and do better. You are still so young. The thought of you
finding someone else makes me crazy.”


“I keep telling you, you are it for me. There will never, ever, be anyone else. If you believe
nothing else I tell you, believe that.”


“I’ll try, baby.”


Milo’s hands moved down Liam’s torso, stroking him into arousal. He tried to be as gentle this
morning as he was rough the previous evening. He worshipped Liam’s body with his mouth, moving
down his chest to his now blatant erection.


Placing kisses on Liam’s long, slender shaft, he wrapped his mouth around the mushroomed
head and began to suck with a soft motion that caressed his lover’s organ in his warm mouth. He
fondled Liam’s balls, licked, and sucked around the head, deliberately avoiding his lover’s ass because
he thought Liam would still be sore from his rough treatment of last night.


Liam moaned, “Please, love, more.”


Milo worried at the tip of Liam’s erection with his teeth, building up the tension gradually,
making his lover feel every swipe of his mouth and tongue.


“Milo, I’m gonna—”


Liam spurted into Milo’s mouth. Milo swallowed all his lover had to give him.


"Come up here, love,” Liam begged. “I want to make you feel good, too.”


“No, baby, this time was just for you. Let’s get a shower and go out for breakfast. Then we can
shop for a bench for the garden. I haven’t spent any time there either, and I want to watch you play the
guitar as I tend the flowers. I want to do so many things, baby, but I only want to do them with you.”

Shattered Glass is available in paperback and e-format from Captiva Press at www.captivapress.com.  It is also available in paperback and for the Kindle at www.amazon.com.  If you wish to know more about my novels and views, check me out at www.ackatt.com.