Page 90 of Taste of Surrender
I expected a brief peck, so it took me by surprise when his tongue met mine, and he proceeded to devour my mouth. It was the most toe-curling, delicious kiss I’d ever experienced, and I was left breathless when he eventually pulled away.
The crowd erupted in cheers, likely having seen the moment play out on the screen behind the band, and I could feel the positive energy surrounding us vibrate through the entire venue. I knew if Malachi had any lingering doubts about how our relationship might affect the band, the acceptance we received from their fans would have immediately erased them.
After the show,I was still buzzing from Malachi’s very public display of affection. I headed backstage, where the guys would host a meet and greet. When I reached their dressing room, I slipped inside and went right to Malachi.
“You were amazing out there tonight,” I said, kissing him.
“I don’t know what the crowd liked more: our concert or the show you two put on.” Silas chuckled.
“Yeah, everyone enjoyed my best friend making out with my brother.” Jesse rolled his eyes. “But we don’t have time for a repeat performance. Rina wants us ready in five minutes.”
With a final press of my lips against his, I told Malachi, “I’ll see you out there.”
I made my way to the area, which was already filling up with fans eager to get autographs and take pictures with the guys. I had managed to get tickets for Ryan and his sister, Morgan, so I started to search for them.
“Hey, you guys made it,” I greeted when I found them not too far from the dressing room.
“Jasper!” Morgan shrieked when she saw me and then hugged me. “Thank you so much for getting us backstage passes. I can’t believe you’re dating Malachi Danvers.”
“Sometimes I can’t believe it either,” I joked.
They asked me what it was like traveling with the band while we waited for the guys to come out, and then Ryan’s phone started ringing.
“Oh, man. I’ve been waiting for this call all day. I gotta take this somewhere quiet.”
“I’ll hold your spot in line,” Morgan said.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get to meet everyone,” I added.
Ryan nodded and took off down the hallway. A few seconds later, the guys came out of the dressing room and headed over to the table set up for them to sign whatever merch people wanted to get autographed. I followed them over but stopped in my tracks when I heard Malachi growl, “What the hell is he doing here?”
I turned in the same direction he was looking and saw Donnie Pierce, who we all went to high school with. He’d been inthe same grade as my brother and his friends, but his reputation was well known around school for dealing drugs. And given that Silas had just ended a stint in rehab, I understood Malachi’s reaction to seeing him backstage.
“You didn’t invite him, did you?” Elliott asked Silas gently but filled with concern.
Silas shook his head. “I haven’t talked to him in a while and definitely didn’t expect to see him tonight.”
“Do you want us to ask him to leave?” Jesse asked.
“Nah. There’s no reason to cause a scene in front of the fans,” Silas replied. “If he causes any problems later, we can get security involved.”
After that, the meet and greet went on as scheduled, and by the time the last picture was taken and the final item signed, everyone was ready to head home.
“Tonight was great,” Rina said as we all walked toward the parking lot. “I’d like to meet with you guys tomorrow to discuss the rest of the tour dates. I want you guys to start up again as soon as possible.”
I knew they were all eager to make up for the canceled shows, but it was Silas who had the biggest smile on his face. When we reached our rental car, we said our goodbyes and climbed inside.
“So, are you ready to get back on the road with us again?” Malachi asked as he shut his door.
I grinned. “I’m ready for anything with you.”
28
MALACHI
Four MonthsLater
As I stoodwith the Pacific Ocean behind me at Cypress Sea Cove in Malibu, the sea breeze blew against my face, doing nothing to cool me off under the late October sun. It was at least twenty degrees hotter than what I remembered Boston to be when I was growing up. While I missed Massachusetts, my heart was no longer there.Hewas standing next to me while we waited for Olivia to walk down the aisle.
