“I think we should tell the guys,” he says, surprising the hell out of me. “If anything, they’re the people that love us the most, so they’re the ones who will understand us best. They’re also the people with the most to lose if this does get out—aside from us.”
I nod my agreement, swallowing down a lump of emotion. Because the fact that he wants to tell anyone at all feels life affirming. It’s like there’s a balloon in my chest with a little too much helium, and now I’m a little floaty.
“Once we’re comfortable enough, we can work on the next step, which I guess would be telling Blake and PR.”
My eyes bounce back and forth between his, as if I could detect any hesitancy or lies. If there’s anything, it doesn’t show. He looks completely earnest.
“You’re really in this.”
“I really am,” he says sincerely. “I told you, losing you put everything into perspective. And last night—kissing you, touching you—it’s like everything inside me just slid into place.”
“I really want to kiss you right now.”
He must understand how serious I am, or maybe he can feel it too, the weight of how badly I need to touch him. My lips are practically vibrating, the tip of my tongue tingling with anticipation of meeting its match.
Will’s head swivels, taking in the room and people around us. He gestures with his chin to Eric and Zane, who stand and come over, looking concerned.
“Everything okay?” Eric asks, eyeing me worriedly.
“He’s not feeling well,” Will says before I can answer. “I think maybe he drank too much, too fast. We’re out of practice.”
My eyes fall to my second drink, which I’m surprised to find is empty. It’s a plausible excuse. I stay quiet instead of attempting to act sick, because if anything, I’m feeling pretty damn pleasant right now, and I’m at risk of overselling it.
“You do look flushed,” Zane notes, holding out his hand. “Let’s go get you some fresh air.”
“I’ll go get the car,” Eric says, turning to leave.
Will pulls his phone from his back pocket and taps at the screen, presumably texting Naz that we’re heading back to the hotel because I’msick.
As we’re walking out, Kai flutters over to us. “Is everything okay?”
“Nothing a little fresh air and water can’t help, but we’re heading out. The rest of our party is staying, though. I’m sure they’ll come up for another drink after a few more songs.”
Poor Kai looks disappointed, but to his credit, when he runs off to write his number on the back of a napkin, he also brings mea cold bottle of water and apologizes for making the drinks so strong. I give him the kindest smile I can muster and tell him not to worry, that I’m just a little tired after our show tonight.
Within minutes, I’m shuffled out the back door and into the waiting stretch SUV limo. Eric drives us home, and Zane stays back to keep an eye on Naz and Scott in case Scott was too distracted by Naz to keep a proper watch.
As soon as the door shuts, a heavy silence falls on us. It fills the air and spreads, permeating the breathing space with thick tension. I’m not just aware of my body, but his as well. Like all my skin cells and hair follicles are reaching for him, the way plants turn to face the sun. Awareness blankets me, a physical warmth crawling over my skin, radiating from every spot on my body that is closest to him.
Will shifts next to me, his knee brushing mine, and my breath hitches. It’s a fleeting touch, the barest touch of fabric to fabric, but it zings through me like a lightning bolt. The jolt shoots through my bones, up my spine and then back down to my groin, settling low in my balls. My pants get tighter.
“If I kiss you now,” Will says, voice low and raspy, “I won’t be able to stop. No matter who opens that door, no matter who sees. I won’t stop.”
Inhaling a shaky breath, it takes everything in me not to jump him right here and now, but I know he’s right. This can wait—itneedsto wait.
My fingernails dig into the leather seat, and I look at anything but him. I probably should have scooted farther in, put more space between us. I look for anything to distract me from the tension radiating between us, tracing my eyes over the details ofthe stitching in the seats, the polished wood grain of the built-in minibar. I follow a small prism of light reflected off a crystal decanter and matching tumblers to the dark carpeted floor, noting an odd stain.
I stare at that stain the entire drive back to the hotel, the light and my mind forming it into different shapes the way you would a cloud in the sky. It’s a fingerprint one moment, evidence of a crime. It’s a football the next. Then a guitar pick. A thumb pressed into skin. A tiny heart turned sideways. A mouth open mid moan…
On and on the spot continues to take on different shapes, until we’re finally pulling into the underground parking garage. I stay still and silent, letting Will lead me to the elevator. I stand next to him, but not too close, as we swiftly make our way to the penthouse. I’m calm in the foyer, focusing on the sound of our steps on the marble flooring. Inside the suite, I keep my head down, not saying a thing, not walking too slowly or too quickly to my room.
Once inside, I stare out the large windows at the sparkling city lights below, until a rush of awareness heats my skin and alerts me to the presence behind me.
TWENTY-SIX
ARI
The click of the door might as well be a physical touch, the way it triggers my body to react. Heat settles low at the base of my spine, goosebumps trickling along my neck and spreading down my back, over my hips and ass, to my thighs. My toes curl in my Converse, a vain attempt to keep myself weighted to the ground in case my insides dissolve and the helium in my chest lifts me into the air.
