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Cassie must have sensed his disquiet because her lips were pressed together, eyes searching his.
“Is this okay?” she asked.
“Of course.” He forced his mouth into an insincere smile. And really, what the hell was his problem? He’d sung with plenty of women before. They were even planning a damn duet on the upcoming Crossfire album.
But in a very short space of time, playing music with Cassie, listening to her poetry, hearing her sing had become personal. Something she shared just with him. And singing this song with her? He just wanted to get it over and done with, then go back to the booth and order another drink.
He grabbed the microphones and handed one to Cassie. The music started, the notes of the guitar intro echoing in the suddenly quiet room. Cassie took a deep breath and looked at the prompter. She sang with her head tipped down, her lips almost touching the microphone. Her clear voice cut like a bell through the dim, smoky atmosphere of the bar.
Even though she was looking at the prompter, it was clear she knew the words because she didn’t falter. She was deliberately avoiding looking at him.
Zac sought out his friends sitting at the back of the bar. They were staring, and he spotted a few raised brows. They were probably wondering why the two of them were acting so awkwardly. He was a damn professional, for fuck’s sake.
He shifted, angling himself toward Cassie, drawing her attention. Their gazes met and locked. Her eyes shimmered in the low light as she sang the words of the song. The ones that told him she’d been waiting for him all her life. That she’d been made just to love him. That begged him not to hurt her.
Zac’s grip tightened around his microphone.
He was so distracted by the emotion in her voice, he almost missed his cue to cut in on the second verse. She watched him, her lips parting as his voice deepened when he sang the lyrics asking her not to let him go, letting her know he’d been waiting for her too—promising he wouldn’t hurt her. On the second chorus, her voice joined his, the harmony sending chills down his spine.
Without noticing when it had happened, he found himself closer to her. So close, she’d tipped her head back to look at him. Everything surrounding them faded, and all he could see was the lights reflecting in the depths of her sapphire eyes, the graceful arch of her dark brows, the faint spray of freckles over her nose. His gaze dropped lower to the soft fullness of her lips. She was almost whispering now. The catch in her voice made the words she was singing all too believable.
When it was his turn to join in again, the tightness in his throat caught him off guard. His voice cracked.Fuck. When was the last time that had happened?
Cassie’s eyes were wide and dark as they sang the last line of the song. Their voices trailed off as they reached the end and stood, staring at each other. The last note faded into silence. Zac swallowed, then looked away from her to the audience. All he could see were stunned faces and cell phones held up, recording.
After a few long heartbeats, the place erupted in cheers and claps. Zac searched for his friends. The men were all grinning like idiots, while Lexie, Eden, and Summer were smiling and wiping their cheeks.
Feeling strangely exposed, Zac took Cassie’s microphone and placed it down with his. He reached for her hand and headed for the edge of the stage.
“Zac, is something wrong?” she asked, as she almost had to jog down the stairs to keep up with his rapid strides. Zac slowed so that he didn’t drag her off her feet.
“No, I just need a drink.” She said nothing else as they wound their way through the tables to get to the back. A few people reached out to touch him as he passed. He gave them a tight smile and kept going. Being groped by random people was a hazard of the job. It didn’t mean he had to like it.
When they got back to the booth, Eden jumped up and threw her arms around him, then Cassie. “That was so beautiful,” she gushed. Lexie and Summer echoed the sentiment.
“Damn, you two have some fantastic on-stage chemistry,” Noah said, a wide grin creasing his cheeks.
“Have you ever thought about becoming a professional singer, Cassie?” Tex asked once they settled back in the booth.
Cassie gave a little laugh and shook her head. “I love singing, but it’s not really something I want to do professionally.”
“You don’t want to always be a guitar tech, though,” Zac said.
She shot him a look.
“What do you want to do then?” Summer asked.
Zac kept his eyes on Cassie, enjoying the way her cheeks tinted pink as she spoke about herself to the others. As if she wasn’t used to people taking an interest in her. And she probably wasn’t, having been around Bryan all the time. He was sure her ex-fiancé probably sucked up all the attention in any room he was in.
He picked up his fresh beer and leaned back in the chair, catching Connor’s eye across the table. The lead singer arched a dark brow and gave him a too-knowing look. Zac schooled his expression into practiced impassivity.
The last thing he wanted was to encourage his friends’ speculation.
His eyes drifted back to Cassie, just as she twisted her hair off her shoulders and somehow pinned it on top of her head, exposing the smooth column of her neck. The memory of pressing his lips there as he moved inside her slammed into him and his body pulsed with sudden hunger.
Worse than that was the ache that grew deep in his chest.
He took a big swallow of his drink.
