The bartender returned with our drinks and handed them to us. I supposed I could have ordered something fancy and non-alcoholic but I didn't feel in the mood for some sugary sweet mocktail.
Liam took a sip. He eyed me over the rim of his glass.
"Have you been working with the other guys for long?" he asked.
"My brother and I have been playing together since we were teenagers," I said. "I've met the other guys along the way. I'd immediately known they were special. Everything kind of fell into place. All the pieces just fit together like a puzzle. I'm sure you've experienced the same thing with your other band members?"
He nodded shortly.
"Yeah. We used to have a great thing going." Liam took a quick sip of his drink. "So you and the guys are close?"
"They're like my brothers," I said. "We've been through a lot together. There's nothing I wouldn't do for them and nothing they wouldn't do for me."
"That's pretty great that you feel like your band is part of your family." Liam looked down at his drink, staring into it as if it held the answers to the universe. I waited for him to continue, but he didn't.
Seth came over and draped himself over my shoulders, resting his chin on the top of my head.
"What are you two doing sitting here all by yourselves?" he asked.
I tugged him down to poke him in the nose with my index finger. "We're talking business. You know, that stuff you always ignore?"
"You should join in on the fun," he said. "We're going to start a game of Poker Face."
"We'll be right over," I said.
"If you lose, I'm going to make your punishment even worse than last time." Seth grinned and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
I blanched. I didn't think it was possible for anything to be worse than the shot he'd made me the last time we'd been in this club.
Seth made two fake finger-guns with his hands as he bounced off. He pointed them at me with a cheeky grin, as he was going to shoot me dead with whatever concoction he came up with.
I turned back to Liam with a laugh.
"Looks like we're going to have to join the party after all," I said.
"I thought you said they were like your brothers," he said. "Kid seemed pretty touchy-feely with you."
"He's like that with everyone. Why, are you worried you're horning in on someone else's territory?" I asked playfully. "Maybe I should have said I'm with Seth. Maybe that would stop you from coming on to me."
"Nothing in the world will keep me from coming on to you," Liam said. A slow grin crossed his face. "You're just too cute and sexy for me to resist."
"Use the C word to describe me again and I'm going to kick you in the nuts with my boots."
Liam laughed, not deterred in the slightest.
"Let's not join them yet," he said. "I want to talk some more shop. Let's go somewhere quieter."
Somewhere quieter. Was that his way of trying to get me alone?
I should have been alarmed. And a part of me was alarmed.
But despite my better instincts, I wanted to get to know him more.
Liam stood and took my hand with a gentle touch. The tips of his fingers against my wrist made my chest squeeze. His good-natured smile made my stomach flutter.
I didn't want to give in to him, but he was making it damn hard for me. Every moment I spent with him made my reasons for resisting seem less and less important.
That should have freaked me out.
That should have been the moment I shut him down and ran away.
Instead, the thought was almost freeing.
The feelings I'd experienced since meeting Liam had been long forgotten, but I was enjoying their return.
As much as it scared me, being around Liam was liberating in a way that I hadn't felt in a long time.
