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Or maybe Z was just made for me.
His lips and tongue move soft and slow against mine, savoring. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced.
It’s everything.
When he breaks the kiss, his forehead rests against mine. His voice is dipped in pain. “Why am I so captivated by you?”
“I think you’ve got that backwards, Z. It’s you who holds me hostage.” I steal another kiss, trying to ignore my straining dick, begging for more. We don’t need to give London an exhibition.
My lips hover over his. “Agree to work with me.” Another kiss. “You can call our band whatever you want. We can play anything. We can just record in the privacy of our homes. Or we can play a few little venues like you do here when my tour is done. I’m down for anything, as long as it involves you.”
His fingers glide into the longer hair at the top of my head, stroking gently against my scalp. I shut my eyes and hum in approval.
“Okay,” he whispers.
My eyes snap open, and I try to decipher the emotions warring on his face. Sadness. Panic. Excitement.
“And what if I want you to travel with us?” My heart slams against my ribs, ready to break shit if it doesn’t get its way.
His mouth opens, rejection sitting visibly on his trembling bottom lip, so I fight harder. Wrapping a hand around his wrist, I raise it to press a kiss to his palm.
“What’s stopping you, Z?”
“So many things,” he replies. With a heavy eye roll, his shoulders slump. “The most pertinent being I need a job.”
I straighten up. “Liam just fired his guitar tech. We need somebody to step in through the end of the tour. I’ve seen how well you play. And you already know him. Sort of.”
Z brushes locks of hair from his face, tugging on the ends like he’s in agony. “I don’t want handouts, Hail.”
“Liam won’t give it to you if you’re not a good fit. He’s too much of a control freak to let anyone touch his instruments.” I scrunch up my nose. “Just promise me you won’t fall for his seduction.”
This gets a small laugh out of him, and I wrap my arms fully around his waist, burying the side of my face against his rapidly beating heart.
“Only if you promise not to influence his decision.”
“Done deal. There’s no influencing Liam to do anything. Trust me.”
After a few moments of silence, his fingers return to my hair. “This… between us, it’s not a good idea.“
“I’ve not been known to make good decisions,” I admit with a chuckle. “But I’ll accept whatever you’re comfortable giving me. Just know that this is new for me, too. You’re the first guy I’ve been into.“
The doors to the pod open, signaling the end of the ride. However, I’m not done with him. Easing my hand into his silky dark hair, I admire him properly. Even without his hood and mask, he’s still hiding. No fooling me, though. I can see the beauty beneath. The quiet strength. He just needs the right environment to channel it, one where he’s lifted up. Encouraged.
I kiss him one more time, relishing in the softness of his pouty mouth. It’s the little sigh he lets out that seals my fate.
There’s really no coming back from this.
Twelve
Z
Afterinterviewingwiththevery intimidating Liam, their band manager, Sondra—a woman I recognise having mothered me a few nights before—and two other techs to see if I can vibe, I sign a short-term contract to tour with Atonement as a guitar tech. Short-term because this is Liam’s last tour with the band. I have to sign an NDA about that, too.
Hail wasn’t kidding, though. Liam didn’t give me any special treatment. He asked difficult questions, spending hours with me on FaceTime while they continued their tour to assure I could handle his tuning and preferences for the stage. I’ll have to keep three of his guitars in top shape, polished and restrung. I’ll have to help move equipment, too, sometimes early in the morning, almost always late at night.
Not to mention, Liam stares at me as if he’s trying to get a deep read of my soul, which makes me itch in my own skin. But if I’m confident in anything, it’s playing and caring for instruments. As long as I can maintain focus, I know I won’t fuck this up.
Before the ink on my contract even dried, Sondra had me flown out to Atlanta to meet up with the band. France was their last European stop, and now they’re on to sweep the United States.
