Page 31 of Dream (Fighting Fate)

Don’t get me wrong. I was a true romantic, but I was also a realist. I wasn’t naïve about what I was feeling. It had been five days since Josh had first kissed me, so I knew it was nowhere near enough time for what I was feeling to be anything but temporary. God knew I didn’t have anywhere near enough experience to even use the word love, but I was enraptured nonetheless.

Why was I enraptured? Well, it was a culmination of many things. It was the tiny little butterflies I got every time I thought about him. It was the smile he gave me that I liked to think belonged to just me. It was the way he seemed to never be able to keep his hands off me—tiny little touches or caresses that lit my skin on fire. It was the husky sound of his voice when he told me how beautiful I was. It was the sound of his laugh, so light and carefree, when we were curled up on his couch together, listening to music. It was the encouraging words he gave me each day as I stubbornly persisted with my surfing lessons. As far as first infatuations were concerned, I knew I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Making my way up the trail to Josh’s house, I smiled at Cain, who was perched on the deck, overlooking the ocean. It had taken the guys a few days to warm up to me being around, but they seemed to be okay with it now. Thank God. “Good morning, Cain. Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

He grinned at me and nodded. “Yes, it is.”

Josh answered my knock instantaneously, his gaze roaming down my body as I stepped inside. He inhaled slowly, his gaze darkening as it focused on my mouth. “I dreamed about your lips all night.”

The laugh that came out was soft and breathy. “Did you, really?”

“Yes, I did,” he murmured, leaning forward to brush his lips over mine.

The husky sound of his voice sent shivers through my body, and I instantly melted against him. My lips parted with a sigh, inviting him in, making his hands tighten where they held me, low on my back. God, I loved being kissed by him.

The sound of a phone ringing brought us both out of the moment. Josh growled deep in his throat. “What the hell are you doing to me?” I giggled as he released me, watching him check his phone before he quieted it and slipped it back in his pocket. “Do you want a drink?” he asked, striding for the kitchen.

“Please,” I said, sinking down into the soft cushions of the couch. Gazing out at the ocean, I heard the sounds of glasses chinking and liquids being poured. A minute or so later he reappeared with two glasses of juice.

I groaned when he sank down beside me and ran his hand up my thigh. I leaned forward, needing to kiss him, but footsteps on the stairs made me pause. I didn’t know why, but I got the feeling Josh’s friends where policing us or something when we kissed. It kind of felt like they didn’t approve for some reason.

Corey’s head appeared as he ascended the stairs. “Josh, Dean and the guys are here.”

Josh looked surprised. “I didn’t think they were going to stop in?”

Corey shrugged. “Apparently, Mia wasn’t feeling very well, so she decided to stay at home.”

I wasn’t sure why Mia, whoever she was, staying home chan

ged things, but I didn’t ask. Josh sat up a little straighter, putting me back from him a little. Corey looked at me, as though watching for my reaction.

“Are they coming up?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, Dean’s just grabbing his guitar.” He watched Josh stand up. “I’ve already spoken to them, but you can have a chat too, if you’d like.”

Josh gave me an uneasy glance before nodding. “Yeah. I’ll just go help them.”

I nodded, not understanding what was going on at all. It felt like they were talking in code or something. I watched Josh disappear before turning back to Corey. He was watching me, his brow creased with thought.

“Have you heard of Fighting Fate before?” he asked awkwardly.

I frowned. “As in the saying?” I said, still feeling like he was talking in code.

“Uh, no, as in the band.”

I searched my brain. Had I? I didn’t think so. Shaking my head, I shrugged. “I don’t think so. Have they been around long?”

His eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to work out if I was telling the truth. “About a couple years or so. They toured last year with The Dark Hybrid.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “Oh, okay. I haven’t heard of either of them.” I couldn’t work out why he was asking me about them. “Do . . . uh . . . you like them?”

The corners of his mouth curved up a little. “Yeah, they’re both great.”

We were interrupted then by the sounds of more footsteps on the stairs. The accompanying voices were loud and playful. Cain appeared first, followed by Lance and Josh, then four other guys.

I stared at the newcomers in surprise. I didn’t know if they all came from Sacramento like Josh, but if they did, there sure as hell must’ve been something in the water there because, holy hell, they were all hot.

They filled the massive room, not with their bodies, but with their presence. I squirmed in my seat, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable being surrounded by eight guys.

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