I saw the same hunger reflected back at me.
My body sucker-punched my heart and mind, sending the two of them reeling with wicked glee, leaving it in sole control.
The song ended. The concert was over. We threw guitar picks, drum sticks, water bottles and towels at the audience, giving a few lucky fans a literal piece of the band.
As we left the stage to a cheering crowd still shouting for another encore, Liam put his lips to my ear.
"I don't care what the others are doing after this concert," he murmured. "But you and I need to talk."
Talk? My body whined and squirmed inwardly. The last thing it wanted to do was talk. It wanted arms and legs tangled together. It wanted hands roaming my body. Liam's hands.
Nevertheless, the six of us headed back to the artist lounge. I wondered how in the hell I'd get Liam alone.
"Hey," Gael said to me. "Nate wants to go clubbing."
"Morris said there's an awesome place a few blocks from here," Nathan added.
I saw an opening. I seized it.
"You go ahead," I said. "I need to talk to the venue manager. Business stuff."
That wasn't unusual. Sometimes there really was stuff to discuss. Like handing over the money they owed us. There was no worry of being stiffed now that we had a label, but Gael wouldn't think to connect the two.
"I need to make a few phone calls first," Liam said.
It was a pathetic excuse. What was so urgent that he had to make a phone call after midnight on a Saturday?
None of them questioned it.
"Cool, see you there," Gael said, just like I knew he would.
They gathered their things and soon left.
We were alone.
I stared at Liam. His skin still glistened with sweat from the stage lights. His t-shirt clung to his chest, every peak and valley on display. His dark denim hung low, exposing a bare stripe of slim toned torso.
"Cerise…" he said, still slightly out of breath. He stopped there, as if he didn't know how to continue. He swiped his hand down his face and rubbed at the stubble on his jaw. When his eyes met mine again, my heart clenched in my chest.
I'd been so adamant in my resolve. So sure that turning Liam away was the right thing to do.
The way those green eyes were gazing into mine, so full of hunger… but also something else. Patience. Awe.
My body had shoved aside my mind and my heart, but now those two forces were pushing their way to the forefront.
I'd been so worried what people would think. So worried how this would affect the band.
But if I was being honest with myself, I knew those were just excuses.
"Cerise, you keep on saying this is a bad idea, but—" Liam started.
I stepped forward. He cut himself off.
So what if gossip mongers speculated about my personal life? They talked trash about every celebrity. Their opinions didn't matter. All that mattered were our fans — and deep inside I knew that.
I pressed myself against him. Liam's eyes narrowed.
So what if he was on tour with us? Like he kept saying, it was temporary. We wouldn't be working together forever.
