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Something warms inside me as I witness their interaction. This is the first time I’ve seen Jess seem completely at ease with anyone. I can tell he respects him.
“Well, then I’ll let you two catch up.”
“One sec,” Jesse says, holding up a finger. He pulls me off to the side, catching me off guard as he grasps my chin, angling my face toward him, then kisses me hard, sliding his tongue into my mouth. It feels like my stomach is being attacked by a swarm of angry butterflies and I press up onto my toes, sliding my free hand up his chest.
A forced cough from Coach Standifer has me pulling away abruptly, cheeks burning.
“I have some stuff to do today, but I’ll see you tonight,” Jesse says, his voice quiet and deep.
“Okay.” I nod. “Nice meeting you,” I say to Coach Standifer with an awkward wave before turning to walk away.
* * *
“RELAX,” DYLAN SAYS FOR THE eight-hundredth time, his hands squeezing my shoulders in an effort to loosen me up. “The hard part’s over.”
“Seriously,” Halston agrees. “Look around. You killed it.”
I suck in a lungful of air, taking it all in. The place is packed, way more than it was the first night I came, and way more than I could’ve hoped for. The only thing that could make it better is if my dad were here.
“It’s go time,” I say. “You guys ready?”
Dylan nods before joining the rest of the band on stage as the DJ wraps up the last song. Halston wraps her arms around me, giving an excited squeal as he takes the stage.
Swinging his guitar over his shoulder, Dylan curls one hand around the mic stand. “We’re The Liars.”
Halston and I exchange looks when he doesn’t elaborate, silence falling over the crowd.
“Not much of an intro, but okay,” I say, clapping. Halston quickly follows suit until the audience joins in. The music starts, then everyone resumes their dancing, awkward introduction be damned.
They play perfectly. Dylan looks like he’s born to be on stage, looking every bit of the quintessential tortured rock star.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Halston all but growls a few songs in. I follow her gaze, landing on Sully, of all people. And right behind him?
Jesse.
He spots me at the same time, my insides warming at the sight of him. His eyebrows pinch together, looking me up and down with heat in his gaze, and that look alone was worth letting Halston doll me up.
After an hour of back and forth, we settled on a short red skater dress with tiny white flowers. It’s low-cut, showing more cleavage than I’m used to, flaring out just below my butt. I drew the line at heels, much to Halston’s dismay, settling on my black Docs instead.
Jesse pushes through the crowd, stalking toward me. My stomach flips as he gets closer, and when he’s within arm’s reach, he curls a hand around the back of my head, leaning down to kiss me without a single fuck given as to who sees. I stumble back, caught off guard, but he holds me in place as his tongue slips into my mouth, dancing with mine. My hands fly to his waist, holding on as he kisses me slow and hard, as if we’re not in a crowded venue.
“Why are you here?” Halston’s voice breaks through the trance, and I pull away, breathless.
“It’s a free country, last time I checked,” is Sully’s smart-ass response.
I shake my head at their bickering as Jesse moves behind me, his front to my back. “You look beautiful,” he says, bending down close to my ear. “I want to fuck you in this dress later.”
A thrill rolls through me at his words, but when I glance up toward the stage, I see Dylan scowling at us, concern painting his features. I try to send him a reassuring smile, but his expression remains the same. Jesse’s hand comes around me, his palm flattening on my stomach as his lips meet my neck.
“We’re going to play a cover for you all. Hope you don’t mind,” Dylan announces. Caleb and Hunter exchange confused looks. I frown, not remembering a cover on his setlist.
When I hear the into for “Jessie’s Girl,” my jaw falls open.
What the fuck is he doing?
He tosses me a wink, and then starts to sing about wanting someone else’s girl. I feel the moment Jesse catches on,
his body stiffening behind me at the sound of his name coming from Dylan’s mouth.
