Page 32 of Between Never and Forever
Until I felt a whole slew of new things that made my head spin.
Her hands on my body, squeezing my biceps, her lips on my ear.
Damn.
I spent a whole year with her in my bed, sleeping most nights with her tucked close to my chest, yet none of it compared to those first few seconds of contact in that club. I felt like my body was on fire. I thought I would die just from that.
But because she’s Savannah, she had to go and take it further.
How ‘bout a dance, big boy?
I’m going to be playing that memory over and over for years to come.
A chorus of greetings snaps me from my thoughts when we reach the back of the bar, and I watch as Sav hugs and high fives a group of people. Three guys and a girl. The guys are wearing ripped skinny jeans and torn band tees. One has a short green mohawk, one has a buzz cut, and one has shaggy brown hair falling into his eyes. The girl has long black hair with pink streaks, and she’s wearing leather pants and a black mesh top with a neon pink bra underneath. The bright pink eyeliner lining her almond-shaped brown eyes matches her bra and hair perfectly, and when I glance at her feet, she’s wearing a pair of bright pink Chucks.
I immediately feel out of place in my khaki shorts and polo shirt, but Sav fits right in.
Savannah steps back so she’s standing next to me once more, then introduces me to her friends, gesturing to each person like she’s Vanna White and they’re a car I just won.
“Levi, this is Torren, Jonah, Sean, and Mabel. Everyone, this is my friend Levi.”
“What’s up, man,” Jonah, the guy with green mohawk says, putting out a fist for me to bump.
His nails are painted a sparkly pink and he’s wearing about a dozen colorful friendship bracelets. I nod and bump his fist with mine. The contrast between my hand and his is almost comical.
I turn to the other guy, Torren, expecting the same sort of hello, but he just looks me over with a stony face. I nod awkwardly. Sean gives me a nod and a smile, and then I turn to Mabel.
“Hey.” She smiles and gives me a small wave. “Nice to meet you, Levi.”
“You too, Mabel.” I turn back to Savannah and find her beaming up at me with a look that tells me she’s got a secret, and she’s excited about it. “What?” Her smile grows. “Sav, what?”
“This is my band.”
My reaction must be exactly what she was hoping for because the triumph she’s exuding almost knocks me over.
“Yourband?”
She nods, then gives my shoe a nudge with her black boot.
“We got a gig tonight.” Her tone is steady, unbothered, as if this is just another day at work, but I see the excitement sparkling in her eyes. “If anyone asks, you’re a roadie.”
“Wow.” I blink a few times and pan my attention back to her bandmates. They look the part. “Wow, Sav. That’s really awesome. What’s y’all’s name?”
Torren snorts, and Mabel smacks his arm. He raises a pierced eyebrow at me.
“Y’all? So, you’re a good ol’ country boy?”
I jerk my head back, screw up my face, then dart my eyes to Sav.
“Savannah and I grew up together,” I say slowly.
It’s not like I expected them to know who I am, but the fact that they don’t know where Sav grew up gives me pause.
“Southeastern North Carolina. So, I guess you could say country?”
Torren’s eyes fall to Savannah and the way he looks at her makes me clench my fists. He looks at her like she’s more than his bandmate. He looks at her like she’s justhis.
“North Carolina, Savvy?”
