Dorian Seacrest owns a music store and performance venue with his friend and business partner, Evan Harper. When Evan rushes into the stockroom a week or so before Christmas to tell him Caesar's Flame is booked for New Year's Day, he goes into shock. Many years have passed since Dorian has seen Laramie Treble, the drummer and leader of the now globally successful alternative rock band. Their erstwhile relationship -- mostly about sex -- deteriorated once Laramie became famous, mainly because he wanted to sleep with everything that moved. So Dorian left him to it. He wanted monogamy and forever, or nothing at all. Now Laramie is back and in hot pursuit of Dorian once again. But Dorian is not making it easy. He can't, because his heart won't survive another round, especially if all Laramie wants is something casual like before. He's just not built that way. It seems, though, that Laramie is determined to prove Dorian wrong, and there might be a little drummer boy in his future, after all. Dorian just has to decide whether to let his heart beat to Laramie's drum.

The Beat of His Drum

He sauntered up to the counter where I sat. “Dorian.”


He searched my face, taking in my haggard appearance. “You all right? You look a little…”


He sighed. “Right. Business. Sol forgot to buy bass strings when we were here the other day. Can I get ten sets, please?”


I knew good and well that the bass player had bought some. “He purchased a bunch yesterday.”


“He wants more. He likes to be reallyprepared for an emergency.”


“If you say so.” I got the strings for him. “Anything else?”


“A late dinner? Once you’re done here?” He mustbe joking.


“Thanks, but I didn’t sleep well last night, so I probably wouldn’t be good company.”


“Why couldn’t you sleep? Was it something I said?”


“Fuck you, Laramie. Everything’s not about you, okay?”


He was stunned at my outburst. Okay, so was I, and maybe I was being a little harsh. In my defense, I got irritable when I didn’t get enough rest.


Chapter 7