I clenched my jaw. “Used to be,” I said flatly, then took a drink.
She brightened up. “I love you guys! You’re amazing live. I used to go every chance I could when I was still back in Nashville. All my friends, too. Everyone is talking about the new album.”
Shawn cleared his throat. “I’m just going to get some water,” he said quickly, then placed his darts on the table and rushed away.
I blew a slow breath out my nose. I would have much rather he stayed around and saved me from this conversation, but there was no way he could know that. “I’m really not a part of the band anymore,” I said to her. “But I’m glad you’re a fan.”
She pouted. Her lips were painted purple, and they formed a perfect circle. “Too bad they kicked you out,” she said.
I chuckled. “They didn’t kick me out.”
“You just decided to leave the second they made it big?” She crossed her arms. “Yeah right.”
“Is there anything else I can help you with?” I said, narrowing my eyes at her.
“Don’t get upset,” she laughed, then stepped closer and laid her hand on my chest. “I’ll still show you a good time.”
I stepped back, and her hand slid off my shirt. Quitting Twice Shattered was supposed to save me from awkward fan interactions, but if they really did become mega famous, I might be screwed. “Maybe try the lead singer next time you catch a show,” I said. “He loves a groupie.”
She grabbed my shirt and twisted it in her hand. “You sure? My friend might want to join in, too.”
I put my hand over hers, then pushed it away. “Not tonight,” I said firmly. “Sorry.”
After she walked away, I looked around the bar for Shawn. He was leaning against one of the side tables, staring at his phone. I grabbed my beer and crossed over to him. “Sorry about that,” I said. “Happens sometimes.”
“It’s okay. I just didn’t want to interrupt.” His voice was strained, but I could tell he was trying to act normal. “You should take her number. She was pretty.”
I turned to the fan, talking to her friends across the bar. Her feet were shoved into a pair of old black boots, and the back of her head was shaved. “I’m not sure she’s going for pretty.”
“Hot?” Shawn asked.
I shook my head. “I’m not interested.”
I noticed his shoulders relax. I appreciated that Shawn didn’t want to get in my business, but I could tell he was bothered by the flirtation, too. “You want to get out of here?” I asked. “We should probably get on the road.”
We paid up, splitting the bill down the middle, and walked in silence to the car. I could tell Shawn was still thinking about the woman. Not wanting us to slip into awkward quiet again, I stopped at the truck and decided to say something. “That kind of thing used to happen to me all the time,” I said.
Shawn folded his hands behind his back. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t want to get in your way.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I corrected quickly. “I hate when people only talk to me because of the band. It’s like they don’t care about the real me at all, just some fantasy they have.”
“So next time a hot girl tries to pick you up, I should butt in and ruin everything?” he asked, then fluttered his eyelashes at me, teasing. “I guess I can try. I might feel guilty, though, if I spend the whole summer cockblocking you.”
I chuckled. The parking lot was almost empty, and we stood beneath a redbud tree, blooming pink petals for the spring. There was a breeze in the air, tousling Shawn’s hair, and when he leaned up against the back of my truck, I noticed all over again how pretty he was.
An instinct grabbed me, urging me to step forward. Shawn’s lips parted, and I took his chin in my hand, then pulled him into a kiss.
His lips were soft, like silk pillows, and he rose up on his toes to greet me. We explored each other, our tongues meeting and parting again while I shivered from the sensation. One of Shawn’s hands landed on my side, and the other reached around, grabbing my shoulder as he bit softly on my bottom lip. It wasn’t different than kissing a woman, but it wasn’t the same, either. In some way that I couldn’t describe, it just felt like kissing Shawn, the way it should feel.
“Cass,” he whispered when I pulled back, a string of saliva glistening between our lips until it fell away.
“There,” I said with a grin. “Now you don’t have anything to feel guilty about.”
Chapter Eleven
Shawn
The morningafter our trip to Louisville, I could still feel Cass on my lips. The heat of his stubble warmed my skin, and my bottom lip felt loose and plump, like he had just sucked it into his mouth.
