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“Yeah.” Ryan nodded to the end of the hallway. “Lauren’s got that look in her eyes.”

West’s attention was instantly on his girl. Man, to have that. A gnawing of something burned in Ryan’s gut. Longing? No. Hell, maybe. He didn’t know what it was like to really pine for a woman.

Until now. And it fucking sucked.

What was even worse was owing a friend. Owing Denver, of all people. All he needed was one good night and he could get flush again.

He changed course. “You guys getting a game together?”

The older guy gave him a long look before shrugging. “We’re happy to take your money, buddy.”

“Where’s it going to be?”

“What’s your number?”

Ryan rattled it off.

The man’s stubby fingers flew over his screen and he nodded. “We’ll text you with a location.”

“Hey, thanks, man.”

“Don’t thank me yet.”

Jules and Molly came down the hallway and Ryan gave the man a salute before he fell into step behind them.

That burning in his gut was climbing higher now, sneaking into his chest. It was either heartburn or he was on the verge of making another decision.

Good or bad remained to be seen.

Chapter Six

A while later, Ryan broke away from the party backstage long enough to make his way to the lockers. He needed a shower badly, but that would have to wait.

As would deciding how to handle the text he’d received. One location of a poker game, coming up.

It was his own fault for asking that older guy for info. Wanting to make a clean break from bad habits didn’t change that he owed Denver for his rent. Shit, he even owed her for leaving behind fucking pocket money after she’d fucked him senseless. Or vice versa.

That might have been a mutual fucked senseless in that case.

All he needed from her was her sweet-as-hell body and her laughter and her. Just her.

Money he was used to doing without. Being in a successful band should’ve changed that, but they were still on their way up and he’d gotten in too deep.

It happened. Lots of things did, most of them unplanned. Including sleeping with his best friend and hearing her say she didn’t want it to happen again.

But he was trying not to focus on that anymore. She’d come to the show and sh

e’d stayed for a while. That was the part he was going to think about for a while.

He reached behind his head and yanked off his sweat-soaked shirt. He dumped it in his duffel and grabbed a clean Godsmack one, tugging it on just as West appeared in his line of sight. His buddy smacked the locker beside Ryan’s and let out a howl of laughter. “Fucking awesome, right?”

“So says the guy who’s got a pretty girlfriend ready to show her appreciation for your latest display of insanity. Though after the way you rushed off to see her, I figured you’d be humping in a closet by now.” Ryan thumped his friend in the gut and bent to grab a fresh pair of socks and a clean pair of jeans. He’d sweat through everything.

“Discretion, dude. We have some now and then.” West tapped his head on the locker door and looked over Ryan’s shoulder to where Lauren was probably standing with everyone else. The pining expression the guy wore was a strong clue. “She’s amazing, just like we were tonight. Finally, we’re coming together, man. The whole group is just…” He flexed his fingers and fisted them. “Gelling.”

Ryan grunted in agreement. West wasn’t wrong. With every show, they were more in sync.

However, he didn’t have a long night of sex waiting for him back at the hotel as West surely would, so his own mood wasn’t quite as cheery.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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