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Her brows lift in surprise before she nods. “Okay.”
When I look away from her, I notice everyone watching me. They always act surprised when I’m gentle with Tinsley, like they’re waiting for me to grow too rough with her the way I am with others. It should sting, but their opinions don’t mean anything when it comes to us. I’ve always believed that.
I would rather die than hurt her.
“We’re going to bed,” I announce.
Goodbyes come rushing at me. Mom hugs me again, and Adalyn sneaks one while I’m recovering. Dad doesn’t try for one. We haven’t hugged since I was a child.
Justice is in his bunk above Paisley’s, leaving us alone. I don’t know where Josh and Dagger are. As long as they’re at the show in Vancouver, I don’t care where they sleep tonight.
Once everyone is cleared out, it’s quiet again. I don’t feel as if I’m going to suffocate.
Tinsley releases a tired sound, and I quickly lead her to the back of the bus. She’s worked herself hard, and it’s late.
I push open the bedroom door and help her sit on the edge of the bed. Her mouth is tilted in a smile too soft for my darkness.
So much has happened today. Things I want to bring up but don’t. Would she even talk about what happened earlier? Is she mad at me for it?
I should be mad at myself for losing control. Fuck, it was worse than a loss of control. I pushed too hard. But I couldn’t help myself. Watching her grow so jealous at the meet-and-greet made me feral. Every savage part of me came unleashed, and I wasn’t strong enough to cage myself back up.
I press my back against the wall across from where she sits on the edge of the bed and suck in a sharp breath. Memories of earlier barge through my mind. My pulse kicks up, thumping so hard in my throat I wonder if she can see it.
She felt so good against me, soft and warm andmine. Fuck, my cock grows so hard it hurts, just like it did in that hallway. It would have been so easy to press between her legs and make her feel what she does to me. How badly she makes me ache.
She looked just as wild as I felt. I didn’t misread that. I couldn’t have. Something has begun to change in her. And I want to explore whatever it is. Learn what it will take to make it grow.
I told her I was done waiting.
I meant it.
It’s finally time to take her for myself.
17
TINSLEY
The room feels so incrediblysmall as I stare up at Noah. He leans back against the wall with a deceptive calmness. It’s his eyes that give him away. The flaring of them as he watches me like a panther stalking its prey, muscles coiled and ready to pounce.
I know he has to be upset about his parents showing up tonight, but whatever has him so eerily still is overshadowing that pain and frustration. That in and of itself makes me nervous. A flapping sensation comes to life in my stomach.
I force my tongue to unstick to the roof of my mouth. “What are you thinking right now?”
“You don’t want to know what I’m thinking.”
“I do.” Fisting the comforter on either side of my thighs, I nip at the inside of my cheek before adding, “We’ve never had problems talking to each other before.”
He rolls his jaw. “You need to sleep.”
My stomach fills with rocks. My worst fear is something coming between our friendship. I’ve been terrified of losing him my entire life, and this . . . this damn tension between us right now is fuelling that worry. If his inability to feel emotions the way I do wasn’t enough to keep me from considering taking the terrifying leap into something more with him, what’s happening to us right now—already—is.
One confusing encounter with him and things are changing. Becoming awkward and tense.
I drop my head back and stare at the ceiling as a ragged exhale escapes me. “You told me nothing would change between us on this tour. This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen.”
His scoff is mean. “This doesn’t have anything to do with the tour.”
“Doesn’t it, though? This wouldn’t have happened at home.” I tip my head forward and tighten my gaze on him. He doesn’t back down from my glare. If anything, it makes his intensify. “Don’t break your promise.”
