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Alex discovered a hallway in the back leading to offices and storage. He tried a couple door knobs, and when one finally opened, he pushed me inside, shutting us in the dark closet. He found the light, and I blinked as my eyes adjusted. He was closer than I thought, his body inches from mine.
“I flew here from Texas. I lied to your brother and the band about where I was going. All for you. All because you sent me a text and you never send me texts. You asked me to be somewhere, and you’ve never asked me to be anywhere for you.” He brought his hand up to my hair, rubbing a wave between his fingers as his eyes trailed over my face. “Tell me, Cool Girl, why wasIthe one you wanted here tonight? Why did I lie, spend money I can’t afford to spend, so I could be the one person here for you?”
I shook my head, heart and throat squeezing in equal measures. “You’re the only one I wanted here tonight.”
“But why?” The fingers holding my hair fisted, tugging the strands to the point of pain. I wasn’t sure he was even aware of what he was doing. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist, not to stop him, but to tell him it was okay.
“Does it matter?”
“Yeah. I gotta say it does matter.” He opened his fist, shoving his fingers into the side of my hair. “Why did you want me here?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I just don’t. What do you want me to say?”
“The truth, Yael.”
I backed up a step, and he followed, gripping my hair and holding my pulse hostage. My back collided with the door. There was nowhere else to go. Alex’s chest hit mine, my breasts flattening against his weight. In my heels, he only had a few inches on me, but in that moment, he made me feel small and timid—not scared of him, but of what might happen—of what I might do.
“You’re the only one who knows me,” I forced out.
He cocked his head. “Mo knows you.”
“No.” I brought my hand up to his neck, curling around the side of it. “Not like you do.”
That was the scariest truth of all. Whether we were friends or enemies, Alex Murray saw me. Maybe he didn’t understand me, but he saw past my pretty dresses and snarky comebacks. When I’d been thinking of who I could invite tonight, my boyfriend had barely crossed my mind. My friends hadn’t been a consideration. Alex had been it.
Even scarier: he came. He’d flown across America to show up for me.
“Ask me why I came.” His voice dropped low, turning demanding. He’d changed since going on the road with the band. His confidence had grown tenfold, and an evil worm of jealousy slithered through me when I considered how many women were responsible for that growth.
“No.” I pressed my lips tight and shook my head. If he told me, it would ruin everything. I shoved at him, but only half-heartedly. I wanted him away from me, but I couldn’t stand the idea of him not being near.
“Ask me, cool girl.” His gaze flared and sparked, frustration cracking and popping in the air around us. “Ask me.”
Both of my palms braced his chest, intent on pushing him away for real, but my brain went haywire.
“Shut up, Alex.”
My lips collided with his, and he finally went silent. At first, my lips moved over his, sucking and biting while he remained impassive and quite possibly stunned. When his lack of response registered in my misfiring brain, I pulled away, ashamed.
Alex didn’t let me go far. One breath, then he was on me, slipping his tongue between my lips and kissing me like he never had before. Like I was air. Like I was the answer to a question he’d been asking his entire life. Like I was the dynamite he’d been longing to light so we could burn this world to the ground together.
My skull knocked into the door at the force of his kiss. He slid his hand up to cup my head, protecting me while he kissed the ever-loving hell out of me.
His hips pressed into my stomach, his length hard and thick against me. I could almost feel how he’d stretched me more than any other man ever had. The heat between my thighs became nearly unbearable with each slide of his tongue over mine.
I wanted Alex Murray more than I’d ever wanted anything. More than art. More than my parents’ approval. More than my brother’s trust.
That realization was enough to sober me and tear away from his mouth. I turned my head to the side, panting, wanting his lips back on mine the moment they were gone.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.” Still looking to the side, I stepped out of his embrace and worked on straightening my clothing and hair. But Alex didn’t let me get away so easily. His chest aligned with my back, arms circling my waist.
“You’re gonna have to tell me why. About thirty seconds ago, we were on the same page, and now you won’t even look at me.” His lips touched the side of my neck, and his voice softened. “I didn’t bring you in here for this.”
“I know.” I sucked in a breath, smoothed out the disappointment and desire from my face, and twisted around to face him like it didn’t tear at my heart to meet his eyes. “I’m sorry, Alex. I’m seeing someone, and I—”
His hand came down hard on the door we’d been kissing against moments ago. “You have a boyfriend?” he seethed.
“Yes.” I blinked, my breath stuttering. “It’s new, but yes. His name is Harris and—”
