Page 45 of Bad Habits
“I’ll try.” I owed him that. To take a risk and give this thing between us a real chance. He’d never hurt me before. I had no reason to believe he would now. And if that’s the way it ended… with pain and heartbreak? At least I could say I’d taken a chance instead of living in fear, in my comfort zone. “I will.” I grabbed his hand. “I mean it. You deserve that. We deserve that.”
He grinned before brushing a kiss across my cheek. “I’m glad to hear you say that, sweetheart. I won’t make you regret it. I promise.”
* * *
After the show we met up with James and his friends backstage and Knox was territorial, to say the least. Which was amusing, since my ex had a beer belly, receding hairline, and some really bad ink. Hardly a threat to the demi-god who’d just commanded the stage for two hours.
“Well girl,” James said to me, while his friends met the band. “I guess you really made it, huh?” He chuckled. “Crazy to think we shared the same dream, but you were the only one with the guts to pursue it.”
Guts. That’s what it took to get me where I was and that would no doubt see me through whatever the future had in store with Knox. I had to start channelling my nineteen year-old self whenever I got scared, and remember how courageous she’d been when pursuing her dreams.
“Young and dumb,” I said, smiling at the first boy who ever told me he loved me. “That can be a lethal combination, but in my case, I guess it worked out.”
Knox squeezed my neck and brushed his lips across my temple. “Sure as hell worked out for me. Can’t imagine you not being in my life.”
James looked from Knox to me and back again before he said, “I didn’t know you guys were a thing.”
I should have known we wouldn’t be able to keep this under wraps with James. Knox was trying to make a point and it was obvious.Mine. Back-off.I tried to be mad, but I knew I’d feel the same way if he were making nice with the girl who took his virginity.
“We’re…” I looked up at Knox, and shook my head, as a smile teased my lips. How could I explain my relationship with this larger-than-life beast of a man who oozed talent, sex appeal, and… love for me? “Tight. Have been for a long time.”
Knox’s smile was strained when he said, “That’s one way of puttin’ it.”
“Nice.” James asked me, “You still write songs?”
“I do, when I have the time.” I tucked a lock of hair behind my hair. “In fact, Knox and I have written a few together.”
“You don’t say.” He inclined his head, respect in his eyes. “That’s amazing. Remember how we used to write together?” He laughed. “Up in my bedroom, when my parents were out, between… sessions.”
Sessions. He clearly wasn’t talking about jam sessions with his shitty garage band. And Knox wasn’t stupid. He scowled, like he couldn’t believe my ex was stupid enough to allude to sex in front of him. I couldn’t either. I didn’t mind taking a trip down memory lane, but I wasn’t interested in an X-rated version with a man who’d barely been a blip on the radar screen of my life, compared to Knox.
“Listen,” Knox said, offering his hand to James. “It was nice to meet you, but it’s been a long night and Cece and I need to chill for bit so we’re gonna head back to my bus now.”
“Oh sure, that’s cool.” He pumped Knox’s hand. “Uh, great show, man. Seriously. It was worth the drive.”
“Glad to hear it.”
I gave James a quick hug, promising to keep in touch, through social media, before allowing Knox to lead me towards his bus.
“Asshole,” he muttered, when we were out of earshot.
I stifled a laugh as I backhanded him in the stomach. “He is not. James is a nice guy. He just—”
“Doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut?” He opened the exit door and waited for me to pass through before he took a quick look around before closing it.
He grabbed my arm, jerking me back against his chest as I let out a little yelp.
“Hey, what—”
He cut me off with a kiss, thrusting his hand into my hair and angling his mouth over mine as he curled his other arm around my waist. Everything else receded. The only thing I could think about was his hard chest pressed against mine, his hands and mouth owning me as he reminded me why no other man mattered.
His smile was slow as his forehead touched mine. “That’s better. I’ve been dyin’ to do that all night. Couldn’t wait another second.”
I rested my hand over his heart. It was beating hard and fast, reminding me that he was only human and we shared the same fears. “I’m glad you didn’t.” I rolled up on my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck, needing to hold him and remind myself this was real. “I’m sorry James made that dumb comment about—”
“I don’t care about that.” He picked me up so we were eye level. “I don’t care about your first, Cece. You were just a kid then. I’d much rather be your last.”
My last? Damn. Forever had never sounded so good.
