Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75916 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“Oh, well, Tommy always needed a drink in between his sets, so we got into a routine,” I explained, feeling stupid that I’d even offered. But thinking of Tommy reminded me to double check with Craig about seeing him in the Rent production soon. “No need to take it if you—”
“I could totally use it,” he said, reaching for the glass, then downing the entire contents. “Thanks.”
The regulars, still planted on the same barstools, started up a conversation with him, telling him how amazing he sounded, and when his cheeks flushed, it was sort of adorable. He was polite and demure, and damn, it felt like he was a different person altogether.
When his break was about over, he leaned over the bar. “I didn’t mess up too badly, did I?”
I shrugged, automatically reverting to my nonchalant stance where he was concerned and our usual banter. It was a hard habit to break. The tension still buzzed between us like a live wire.
“I dunno, wasn’t really paying attention.” I motioned to the full bar. “Was working.”
His face fell, and I felt like such an asshole.
“Yeah, okay. Whatever.”
But as he turned away, a boulder lodged solidly in my throat, and I grabbed hold of his wrist across the bar. “Hey, wait.”
And as he turned to me with such an earnest gaze, I couldn’t deny him the compliments bubbling to the surface. “Actually, you were great.”
“Yeah?” A glimmer of that cocky gleam resurfaced in his features. “Does this mean you finally like something about me?” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I mean, I know you like my ass, but my voice too?”
I rolled my eyes, sorry I said anything, but I also couldn’t help smiling at his ridiculousness. “It’s all right.”
He beamed, then walked back to the microphone with a bit more swagger. Christ, I might’ve just created a monster.
15
Jesse
I frowned when I woke up and felt the heat of another body beside me. Had I taken someone home with me last night? No, I couldn’t have. I’d spent my night in the Underground, freaking the hell out, before finally getting into my groove. Hooking up had been the last thing on my mind. I hadn’t realized how important it truly was for me to do well. Sure, I always wanted to do well and all that, but from the moment I stepped onto the floor, I’d realized I wanted to fucking kill it.
Really, I’d wanted to impress Dane, the grumpy fucker. Why in the hell it mattered to me if he thought I could sing or not, I didn’t know, but it had. And I was pretty sure I’d impressed the shit out of him, given the way he’d had his eyes on me all night. Point for me.
I rolled over to see Seth’s innocent face, lax in sleep. I really wished I knew this kid’s story. He was hard to figure out, and as giving as he was in some ways, I knew there were things he hid—maybe a lot of them.
His eyes fluttered. “Sorry. Bad dream,” he said sleepily.
“There’s no reason to be sorry. A man in my bed is one of my favorite things,” I teased.
“Yes, but one you had sex with.”
“Nah, having a friend here is even better.”
He yawned and smiled. “How did it go last night?”
I pushed up and lay on my side with my elbow bent and my head resting in my hand so I could look at him. “It was really fucking cool. I was tripping out a bit at first, but then got into it. I basically slayed the whole damn thing. Even Dane couldn’t keep from telling me I did a good job.” Which had been…surprising. And it had felt better than it should. I didn’t know why I cared so much what he thought, but…I did.
“Grumpy Storage-Room-Sex Guy said you did good?”
“I believe the word was great.” I winked. It had looked like maybe it hurt for him to say, and there was a good chance he regretted telling me, but he had told me, and that was all that mattered.
“Oh my God. You like him!”
Um…huh? “What? No. You’re crazy. I don’t do crushes, and if I did, it wouldn’t be on him. I like to drive him up the wall, and fucking him was pretty great too, but I don’t like him. I don’t even know him.” Not really. Outside the fact that he was grumpy, obviously struggling a bit to make ends meet, had a cute-as-hell niece he doted on, and was ultimately kind, even though he kept himself at arm’s length. I thought the main reason he told me I did well was because he knew I needed it. That wasn’t something I wanted to unpack at the moment, though.
“Well, something seems different.”
Oh, what was I going to do with him. “Sweet boy, that’s all in your head.” I kissed Seth’s temple. I mean, I couldn’t like Dane. What I said was true. I didn’t know him well enough to like him, and honestly, I was serious about never having done the crush thing. I’d hooked up, yes. There were even people I’d hooked up with more than once and enjoyed hooking up with, but there were never those feelings I knew Seth meant when he said I liked Dane.