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He held out his bass, and she reached for it with her empty hand, passing him the one she’d been holding. Their fingers brushed, and her eyes flicked up to meet his.
For a beat, they stood there, Zac staring down at her while the lights flared behind him, her frozen with her pulse going haywire. Then he slipped the instrument over his head and returned to the stage. With the exchange made, she could breathe again.
She just had to remember what this was, and she’d get through it with her heart intact.
Cassie turned away and did her best to focus on her job.
Later, after finishing the load-out, Cassie headed into the crowded after-party. She spotted Tex and Noah first, surrounded by a group of fans. Summer and Eden were nearby, and Cassie made her way toward them. Their warm smiles reassured her she wasn’t intruding. It was the first time she’d seen them since they’d arrived from LA earlier in the evening.
They exchanged hugs. Although she wasn’t completely used to their casual affection, she was getting there.
Tex and Noah were signing merchandise as they chatted easily with the excited fans. As the last few moved away, throwing lingering, yearning gazes over their shoulders, the two men turned their attention back to their women. Noah hooked his arm around Summer’s waist and pulled her into him, smiling down into her upturned face and dropping a tender kiss on her lips. He murmured something in her ear. A lump formed in Cassie’s throat at the joy on Summer’s face. She looked away, only to be faced with Eden wrapped in Tex’s muscular, tattooed arms.
She felt like a fraud standing with them, looking in at their happiness from the outside.
Cassie scanned the room, the air escaping her lungs in a rush as her gaze collided with Zac’s. She couldn’t look away from the heat of his stare. Warmth blossomed in her chest, licking out to her extremities as his eyes seared into hers. Memories surged to the forefront of her mind, echoes of pleasured gasps and moans. Her body thrummed with awareness.
Someone stepped into her line of sight, and the connection was severed. She took a deep, steadying breath.
Friends. Just friends.
She dragged her attention back to the others, but a too-familiar presence behind her had butterflies winging around her stomach. She squeezed her eyes closed. When she opened them again, Noah was watching her. The corner of his mouth quirked up, and he gave her a wink. God, how embarrassing that he’d seen her reaction to Zac’s presence.
“Everything okay?” Zac’s warm breath tickled her ear, and flames lapped across her skin. She looked at him over her shoulder.
His gaze was intent. Too intent. Her body pulsed with hunger—tingled with remembered caresses. She focused on his mouth as she recalled how it had felt pressed against hers. Without conscious volition, her tongue darted out to wet her lips.
Zac’s eyes flared and his hand curled around her hip. He leaned closer. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Play with fire.”
She hadn’t meant to. But at his words, at the knowledge she wasn’t the only one struggling with this, recklessness ripped through her. “What if I want to?” What if she wanted to burn under his touch again? What if she wanted to throw herself into the fire just to be with him for a few hours?
His fingers tightened, his head lowering until his mouth was right by her ear. “You’d regret it.”
“Would you?”
For a few seconds, there was just the heat of his body enveloping her. Then his grip on her hip was gone, and her body cooled as he stepped back.
Disappointment cut through her arousal. She turned back to the group, ignoring the various raised eyebrows and knowing smirks directed at them.
“So, I was thinking,” said Noah.
“You know how we feel about that,” drawled Tex.
Ignoring him, Noah continued. “It’s been ages since we’ve been to karaoke. We used to go all the time, but since Zac started satisfying his exhibitionist urges as Crossfire’s front man, he’s given up his favorite pastime. I think we should resurrect the tradition.”
A chorus of agreements rang out. Cassie tugged at the hem of her T-shirt and shifted on her feet.
“You’ll come, won’t you, Cassie?” asked Eden.
Uncertain, she twisted around to seek confirmation from Zac. After everything that had happened, would he rather she didn’t join them?
Zac’s brows lowered, and the skin around his eyes tightened.
Cassie’s stomach dropped.He didn’t want her there. She glanced away, preparing to excuse herself for the night.
