I flinch. Am I that easy to read? “No, of course not. I just don’t want to be in your way.”

He cups my face and gives me a quick peck on the lips. “Kitten, you’d never be in my way. I wish you would stay, but if you insist on going inside without me…here. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a golden ticket. “The guys know this means you’re with me and will get you access to all the areas I can be in. Don’t lose it, because I’m not finished with you yet.”

A thrill shoots through me at the idea of spending another night tangled up in his sheets. I smile up at him. “Okay, then. Find me later.”

He gives me a genuine smile before kissing me hungrily right in front of the women standing beside us. After he’s fully satisfied, he lets me go. “That’ll tide me over for a little while.”

He winks at me before he turns and heads into the back of the trailer with the road crew.

I touch my slightly swollen lips with my fingertips and then notice the evil stares I’m receiving from the women he left me alone with. The urge to stick my tongue out at them and sing “Nana-nana-boo-boo” overwhelms me, but I know that will probably end up with me in a fight. So, I decide to take the classy route and turn and walk away.

Two nights with him doesn’t constitute a relationship in any form, merely a man I enjoy having sex with and want to do again before we part ways.

Who the hell am I kidding? If this keeps up, my heart is going to be in some serious danger here. If I’m not careful, I’ll be heading towards the same path I’ve sworn never to go down again.

Chapter 9

AUBREY

Backstage is absolutely insane. Lanie is back here somewhere. I have to find her in this madhouse. I spot her instantly in the crowd. Her beauty stands out everywhere. She has it in her mind that she’s an average looking girl. She never pays attention to the way people look at her. Her flawless skin stands out in her tank top and cut off jean shorts as she does her best to fade into her surroundings and become invisible. She flips her long, brown hair over her shoulder as she turns and I catch her eye.

“Hey, girl!” I wrap her in my arms.

She grins. “Hey, yourself. Nice of you to finally come up for air long enough to visit me for a while.”

I roll my eyes at her. “Don’t hate because I know how to let loose and have a little fun.”

“I bet he got you loose,” she snickers.

I smack her arm. “Oh, my god. I can’t believe you.”

“So, how did it go?”

My eyes roll back in my head. “Riff is amazing. Best sex I’ve ever had.”

“Riff, really? Usually cocky men can’t deliver.”

I shake my head. “This one can.” I hold up six fingers.

She shakes her head. “You two are perfect for each other. You’re both machines.”

I laugh and give her a playful shove. “So you’re telling me nothing happened with you and Noel last night? You two were pretty cozy on the way back.” Lanie sighs dramatically, and I’m instantly thrown into a giggling fit that she’s finally let her guard down with Noel. “I knew it! Tell me!”

Lanie holds her hands up in surrender. “Okay. Okay. Jeesh, get a grip. We kissed.”

I raise my eyebrow. “A kiss? Was it like a polite peck or was it full on tongue I-want-your-body make-out?”

She frowns. “It definitely wasn’t polite.”

A kiss, really? That’s all. “Lanie, god, sometimes I swear for someone so smart, you sometimes act like an idiot. You should be ecstatic right now. Reconnecting with your first love is something people dream about and you’re getting that. I don’t see why you don’t just let loose and let it happen.”

“But the job—”

“But, nothing. Don’t make me give the ‘jobs aren’t everything’ speech. Jobs don’t keep you warm or make you feel sexy, but Noel Falcon totally can. Anyone can see the guy is crazy about you.”

I don’t know why she can’t see that everything she’s ever wanted is right in front of her. What I wouldn’t give for a package of tattooed sexiness to be madly in love with me. Stuff like that only happens in fairy tales, and she’s wasting her chance at pure happiness.

The wheels turn in Lanie’s mind, I can see it all over her face. I stare at her expectantly. “Quit doing that.”

She flinches. “Doing what?”

“Overthinking things. You’ll never know until you let down your walls a little.” I hate it when she gets so uptight she can’t see past the wall she’s built around herself.

She runs her fingers through her hair. “Why are you pushing this? You hated him before.”

I shrug. She’s right. When he called her a ball busting bitch to a crowd of twenty thousand people, I wanted to kill him, but I’ve seen a different side of him now. He was hurt before because she left him once. I can totally relate to having a broken heart. Mine’s been stomped on more times then I care to admit. “Because you’re my best friend, and I love you. I want you to be happy. Plus, he’s not the asshole I thought he was.”

She gives me a weak smile and then wraps her arms around me. It’s good to see I’m getting through to her a little bit. She’ll end up driving him away and then hating herself for it if she doesn’t stop rejecting him.

“Hey now…” We both turn and find Riff staring at us. “Nobody gets this girl’s lovin’ but me.”