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I shrugged. “A little.”
“Let me get your coat.”
When he snagged the denim from the hook and draped it around my shoulders, his scent washed over me, invigorating citrus, warm amber, soothing sage. My knees wobbled as he withdrew.
“We should probably get going,” I said, hitting Rachel with alet’s go before I faintlook. “Thanks for inviting me ... I mean, us.”
“Don’t thank me.” Andy hooked a thumb at his best friend. “Collin wanted me to ask you. I just wanted to invite Rach to join our band.”
While my mind went haywire as I tried to figure out if that meant what I thought it did, Collin reached out to snag a lock of my hair and tuck it behind my ear. “Come with your sister tomorrow,” he said low, his gaze locked on mine.
“Okay,” I said, my voice breathy.
The shell of my ear and the rest of my body humming from his electrifying touch, I didn’t care that Collin could have any girl, including a rich and beautiful one like Miranda.
I just wanted a chance to be one of them.
“This is a kickass space,” Rachel said the next day, setting her guitar case on an oriental rug inside a large garage that had been converted into a rehearsal space.
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s way cool.”
“Collin and I soundproofed the walls and outfitted it.” Andy shrugged, but I could tell he was pleased by our praise.
“What do you guys wanna play first?” Collin asked, glancing at me.
He seemed as eager to play as Andy. The lead singer had rushed Rachel and me through his grandmother’s modest foursquare that was lavish by Southside standards.
Even more compelling to me than the house or the rehearsal space was Andy’s grandmother. She’d smiled warmly at us when we entered her house, and served us cookies before sending us back here. I didn’t know anyone who had a grandmother like that, or even a parent.
“You guys pick.” Rachel crouched to open the latches on her guitar case.
“Hold up.” Collin snagged his ebony ESP with a sunburst finish from its stand. “Don’t worry about the acoustic for now. Let’s do a number with you on bass first.” He gestured to a Fender.
“Sure.” Rachel picked up the red-and-black instrument, strummed it, then adjusted the tuning. She plucked a couple of chords and glanced at me. “Sweet bass.”
I smiled. On anything with strings, my sister was amazing.
“You girls like the Goo Goo Dolls?” Collin asked, recognizing those chords.
“Yeah, who doesn’t?” Rachel said, and we shared a smile.
Andy groaned.
“They’re not so bad.” Collin threw a woven guitar strap over his wide shoulder. In a tight black T-shirt, his muscles flexed.
Just looking at him made my heart race.
“You told me they’re too pop.” In a loose gray T-shirt with jeans, Andy arched a brow at his friend. “You girls just like John Rzeznik.”
“He’s handsome.” Rachel nodded, then scanned Andy from his head to his black boots. “You sorta look like him.”
“You think?” Andy threw his shoulders back and beamed.
Oh shit. My sister was interested in Andy. I hadn’t seen this coming. I’d been too busy swooning over Collin.
“Rach.” I moved behind Andy, slashing my hand across my neck in warning. He was a senior, too old for my little sister, and way too experienced. He was into serial hookups, just like Collin.
Ignoring me, Rachel said, “With a few highlights in your hair and the right accessories, the girls will go nuts over you.”
