Page 105 of A Duet of Darkness and Dreams

“Will you all just fuck off?” I say loudly. “I can’t even be chivalrous now?”

Key narrows his eyes. “When have you ever been chivalrous?”

I grin. “I always make sure the woman comes first.” The less-than-impressed looks on all of their faces makes my smile disappear. “What? She’s my friend. She was cold. I got her a coffee—”

“You got her a coffee?” Joel asks aghast. “I’ve known you for three years and you’ve never once gotten anything for any girl unless she asked for it.”

“She’s living on our bus!” I say, pissed off by how long this interrogation is lasting.

“Can you just admit you like her?” Key pleads. “It’s so fucking obvious to everyone but you and her.”

I toss my drumsticks to the floor and step backward. “I thought this was a fucking sound check. NotLove Connection.”

Turning my back to the group, I stomp off the stage and head outside for a smoke, ignoring the sound of them calling after me. I’m so annoyed that it takes me a solid minute in the freezing wind to finally get my cigarette to light. But as the smoke fills my lungs, I’m already calming down. And really, I’m not mad at them. I’m mad at myself.

Because I do like Isabella. A lot. Way more than I thought possible.

I glance back at the theater doors, but shake my head and walk away. God, if they only knew how much I like her. How I barely slept last night thinking about her sleeping mere feet away. How I wanted to be next to her. Not even to have sex . . . just to hold her and feel her against me. How when I woke up, I watched her beautiful face sleeping for longer than I care to admit before deciding to bury the hatchet with the help of a peace offering.

Then next thing I know I’m buying her clothes and loving every second of it. I could watch her try on dresses all day but . . . what the hell am I doing? She knew something was off. Friends don’t do that. To be honest, I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to just be friends.

The bus is gone now, probably parked around back, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to sleeping in an actual bed tonight—the bonus of back-to-back shows in a single city. I’ll be able to fully stretch out, have a shower, walk around naked if I want to and jerk off without the bunk squeaking.

And Isabella will be there. In her own room. Alone. I wonder if she touches herself and thinks of me. The image of her naked on a bed, fingers disappearing inside that dripping pink pussy has me hard and straining against the tight confines of my jeans in the middle of the street. I let out a long breath and try to think of literally anything to deflate my raging boner.

“Dave?”

Looking up, I see Isabella standing in front of the theater with her camera slung around her neck, all wrapped up in her new navy coat. Perfect, now how am I going to get that image of her out of my head? Hopefully she won’t notice the bulge in my jeans from this angle. “Hey.”

She frowns. “I thought you guys had rehearsal. What are you doing out here?”

Walking toward her, I rub the back of my neck. “Had a disagreement with the guys and needed to walk it off.”

“Oh.”

“How’s the coat?” I ask. Anything to change the subject.

She looks down at it. “It does the job. Warm. This one doesn’t smell as good though.”

As though she hadn’t meant to say that out loud, the smile drops off her face and her eyes widen. “I mean . . . I—shit.” She sighs and closes her eyes.

I can’t help the smile that stretches my lips. “You think I smell good?”

She places her hands on her hips and vibrates her lips together. “Yeah.” She pauses. “Yeah, of course I do.”

“You smell good too.”

“Me?” she asks in a low voice.

Her chocolate eyes look up at me from underneath long dark lashes. Maybe I can do this. Maybe it won’t all fall apart if I give this thing with her a real shot. But an iron grip suddenly tightens around my heart. My breath halts in my chest and the memories of my mom leaving, of Emily’s abuse, Sam’s betrayal . . . It comes rushing back in an overwhelming wave. All of that heartbreak and guilt and darkness flooding me at once.

I step back and clear my throat. “I just mean, all chicks smell good, you know?”

My heart aches at the way her face crumples. “Oh?”

“Way better than four guys living on a bus, that’s for sure.”

Her eyes search mine for a moment that feels like it’ll go on forever. Like I’ll be stuck feeling like the biggest piece of shit on earth for eternity. Then she does something I never would’ve expected. She smiles wide and lifts her chin.

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