And then the magic of the stage took over, and Sam stood on the stage.
“Hi,” she said. “I’m Sami Jo, and I wanted to sing a little something for my boyfriend. I think you might know him.” She pointed to Tanner. “He’s the cute drummer back there.”
Tanner gave a salute of acknowledgment, and then Linx started the song.
Sam belted it like a professional. A song about cheese and happiness was going to bring down the house at Brek’s. Go figure that one out.
The crowd sang with her.
Bax sang with her.
Fuck, all the guys of Dimefront sang with her, even Tanner.
The sweat from the lights dripped into Tanner’s eyes as he played for her. Played for Sam.
She thought she sang for him. But he knew better.
Sam sang for herself.
And, with that, he understood that he’d won.
Scratch that. Love won.
He fucking loved being in love… with her.
Chapter Twenty-Six
SAMANTHA
She understood nowwhy people did this. The rush of being on stage was like a drug.
“Fucking stellar.” Bax wrapped her in a hug, lifted her right off the stage.
That was super sweet, but she wished he was Tanner.
The bouncers were working double time at the moment, keeping the crowd from the stage. Because they were cheering and clawing at the air. They were cheering for Sami Jo. For her.
Bax set her down, and the grin on his face was magic.
“I did okay?” she asked.
“Tanx.” He turned and pulled Tanner in front of him. “Tell your girlfriend she’s a fucking rock star.”
Tanner stared at her like she was an apparition that would disintegrate at any moment. She reached her hand up to touch his cheek. To show him she was real. This was real.
She was Sami Jo, and she owned it, and the world still spun. Everyone was okay. And she was on a concert high she didn’t want to come down from.
“I did it,” Sam said, gripping the microphone and tuning out everything but the way Tanner looked at her. The way he smiled. The scent of him—musk and rock star and sweat and everything Tanner.
“I’m gonna kiss you,” he said. “In front of all these people. You good with that?”
“Okay.” She nodded.
He winked. Then he pressed his mouth to hers, took over the kiss before she ever even had a shot at an attempt for control.
That did it, snapped whatever thread of control the crowd had up to that moment.
Tanner seemed to sense the change, and he pulled her behind him, moving to the edge of the stage. Soon it was Hans, Tanner, and two bouncers pushing her into the kitchen area, out the door, and into a waiting car.
