Page 62 of The Rogues

Ethan turns to follow, but I call out to him. When he turns back to me, his brow is arched.

“If I don’t see you again…” I start, pausing to smile at him. “Good luck. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

His face softens, and he looks less like some rock star punk and more like a kid who needed a kind word. “Thank you. Take care of my boy. He deserves the best.”

“He definitely does.”

Ethan walks off in the same direction as Jamie, and I sigh. The energy starts to dissipate. Lennon looks like he has calmed down, but I still walk over to check on him while Remi and Cyrus are talking nearby.

“Is everything okay?”

“Just my… I have a…” Lennon winces, wiping sweat off his face with his bare shoulder. “Can I tell you about it later? I don’t want anyone to overhear.”

I nod immediately. “Of course. I completely get that. Do you need anything though?”

Despite still being out of breath, he gives me a naughty smirk. “There are a lot of things that I need when it comes to you, Josephine Rosewood.”

I roll my eyes, but can’t help but laugh. “Even in distress, you’re still a flirt.”

“Always, little vicious.” He pulls me to him and I fall onto his lap, my ass perched on one of his legs. I expect my body to tense, but it doesn’t. Instead, I allow myself to fall languid in his hold, onlookers be damned. “Now, when are you going to give me the time of day to explain my ailment? You’ve hung out with the rest of these knobheads.”

A laugh tumbles out of me. “All by chance, technically.”

“Well, I don’t want to leave it to chance,” he says, and my breath hitches when his scent travels to me, a strong coating of what I now know to be ginger beer floating in the air. “Maybe I can cook for you. Then, we can be somewhere private, and you can learn everything you want to know about me.”

“Hm, I guess I’m already learning. You can cook?”

“The best in the band,” he responds arrogantly. “I guess Malaki is adequate, but he still can’t make beef Wellington.”

I’m having a hard time controlling my face muscles because the smile that pops out is wide. “You don’t have to go through all that effort for me.”

His thumb brushes against my cheek. “You, my dear, deserve all the effort.”

TWENTY

BOISE, IDAHO

Group Chat

Lennon: The boys are in Boise!

Josie: How are you guys an hour behind us?

Jamie: The bus ran over a nail and the tire busted.

Malaki: it was actually a little bit traumatizing

Josie: Aw poor little rock star. want me to kiss it better?

Malaki: I know you’re being facetious but

Malaki: yes

Cyrus: we’re back on track now. good luck at the concert tonight.

Jamie and Josie

Jamie: look at what the staff brought me for lunch