Page 7 of Bad Habits
“Unfortunately,” she muttered before closing the door on him.
I patted the two seater sofa beside me and flipped my notepad over. I wasn’t ready for her to read my song lyrics yet. We’d worked on a few songs together over the years and she could probably help me flush this one out, if it wasn’t about her.
“Come here, you. Tell me about your date.” I only wanted to hear about it if it sucked, but I couldn’t tell her that. I had to take the good with the bad if I still wanted to be the guy she confided in. And I did. I wanted that more than anything. Auden may be the guy she was sharing her body with, which I hated, but I was the one she shared everything else with.
She sighed before dropping down beside me and kicking her feet up on the table. She’d traded the cowboy boots for colorful canvas sneakers, rolled and ripped jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt. She wasn’t trying hard to impress because a girl like Cece never had to try. She was always on trend… and always hot.
I put my arm around her, pulling her against my chest. She sighed contentedly, curling into me as we got comfortable. We’d sat like this a hundred times, just talking, having a few drinks, watching some chick flick, or listening to tunes. I’d taken it for granted before but tonight it felt like the best part of my day. Beat the hell out of fifty thousand screaming fans and that said it all.
“Where’s Auden?” I asked, kissing the top of her head. I didn’t want to talk about him, but if they’d gotten into it and she’d bailed on him and his friends I wanted to hear about that.
She sighed, plucking at the threads on the thigh of my torn jeans. Damn. It was an innocent gesture, and being all touchy-feely was nothing new for us, but tonight my body was stirring and the last thing I needed was to get aroused when I was trying to pretend nothing had changed between us.
“I told him to stay and hang out with his friends. I was tired.” She stifled a yawn behind her hand while I kissed her forehead. “What were you and Leo talking about when I came in? Looked intense.”
“Saying all the things I should have said to him before.” Her lips were a few inches away and I wanted to taste them. It wouldn’t be the first time, but neither one of us was drunk tonight, and we hadn’t crossed that line in a long time. Too long, as far as I was concerned. “Hopefully he’ll heed my warning and back off now. I hate that he’s been harassin’ you.”
She curled her arm around my stomach, tucking her head under my chin. And I was done. Feeling this girl wrapped up in my arms felt so right. How could I have been so oblivious to that before?
“I know, but don’t worry. I can handle him.”
“So, what were his friends like?” I didn’t know why I kept circling back to Auden. Maybe because I was waiting for her to tell me she was having second thoughts about him.
“They were nice. They went to college together.” She tipped her head back to look at me. “Did you know he went to Belmont? Studied composition.” She smiled. “He loves classical music.”
The way she talked about him had that uneasy feeling spreading in my gut again. “Yeah, he mentioned something about that when I brought him in the first time.” I’d liked the kid. My team and I had been following his career for a bit and felt he’d be the perfect fit for this tour. But there was no way I could have known then that Cece would fall for him. Or that I’d fall for her. I couldn’t say for sure, but it felt like that’s what was happening. I was falling for my best friend and I didn’t know what the hell to do about it.
“I like him, Knox.” She settled in again, absently skimming my abs with her fingernails through my cotton t-shirt. “He’s a sweet guy. But not like Leo. He’s sincere, real, ya know?”
“Hmm.”
She looked up at me. “What? You don’t think he is?”
This was my chance to plant that seed of doubt so she wouldn’t keep thinking crazy thoughts about Auden, babies, and her future. All I had to tell her was that I got a bad vibe, that I thought there was something off about him, and I knew it would be enough to make her think twice. But the words got stuck in my throat. I couldn’t lie to her.
“If he says he likes you, I have no doubt he does. Hell, who wouldn’t?” My voice was raspy, laced with emotion, when I said, “You’re the closest thing to perfection I’ve ever met.”
She laughed, slapping my stomach. “You’re such a liar.”
“No.” My voice was serious when I whispered, “I’m not lyin’, Cec.”
She looked up at me, her eyes swimming with questions. My eyes kept drifting to her lips and she licked them, probably without meaning to tempt me, but that’s exactly what she was doing.
A knock on the door made me swear softly because I didn’t want anything or anyone to interrupt us right now. I wanted to talk to her, kiss her, make her realize that things were changing, even if I couldn’t define the how or why.
“Come in,” she called out.
Auden stepped inside, his smile slipping when he spotted us wrapped up in each other’s arms.
I had no doubt he knew we were close, but probably didn’t realize how close. Or how much I wanted her right now. “What’s up, man?” I asked, holding on tighter when I felt Cece tense up in my arms.
“Uh…”
His gaze drifted to Cece and I could tell he had questions. I would too if I were him.
“Leo told me you guys were in here,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “My friends wanted to go bar hopping but I wasn’t feelin’ it. I was hoping we could talk, Cece?”
“Sure.” Her smile was forced as she sat up, patting my leg. “Knox, I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Sleep tight.”
