by Green, Maree
“Thanks.” Kaeli didn’t sound too flushed, so I guessed not.
“We’ll be out in the lounge waiting then.”
“Okay. Is Jace here?”
“Yeah, he’s out in the lounge.”
I heard the door close and came out of hiding.
“Here, put these on,” Kaeli said, throwing me a silver chain necklace and thick bangle.
I didn’t argue and just did as I was told, watching Kaeli do the same with a few long necklaces and bangles. We both slipped into our shoes and grabbed our phones, officially ready.
We stood there and stared at each other. I bit my lip, suddenly nervous as hell. “Do I look okay?”
Kaeli gave me a kind smile. “Beautiful.”
I gazed at Kaeli for a few long moments then took a deep breath. “Okay, let’s do this.”
The carpeted hall concealed my footsteps, so the boys didn’t hear me coming. I could tell the exact moment when they saw me though, because their conversation stopped so abruptly it was like someone had pushed a mute button. I quickly searched their faces, seeking the approval I needed before I’d step foot outside the house.
Aiden’s eyes were wide and his jaw seemed to have gone slack, so I couldn’t exactly tell if that was a good sign or not. Jace on the other hand, his eyes flashed dark with hunger for a second, but then his whole face shut down, showing no emotion what-so-ever.
Aiden stood up and glared at me. “You can’t be serious, Mia. You’re not coming to the gig looking like that!”
My self-conscious meter instantly shot through the roof. “What? Why?”
Kaeli stepped out from behind me and put her hands on her hips. “Like what? She looks amazing! Doesn’t she, Jace?”
Aiden turned to glare at Jace. “Don’t tell me you’re okay with her stepping foot outside the front door like that?”
Jace looked from me to Aiden and back again, weariness spreading over his face. “Uh...”
All of a sudden, I was angry. I had no idea what the hell was going on. “Okay, all of you know I’m not very good at this, and I have no idea what I’m doing, so I need someone to tell me why I look so bad, right now!”
Aiden growled and rubbed his hands over his face. “Fuck! It’s not that you look bad, Mia. It’s more that you look...too...”
He left his sentence hanging open, confusing me even more. Jace looked at me and took a step forward. “What he’s trying to say is, you look too…sexy...”
Kaeli laughed. “That’s the whole freaking point!”
I tried to comprehend what they were all saying. “I don’t understand. Aiden, are you saying you think I look like a slut?”
His eyes widened. “No, of course not, you just look too...good.”
“You look gorgeous, Mia,” Kaeli said, flashing both of the guys a warning glare. “The only problem Aiden has, is that he doesn’t want any guys checking out his sister, and the only problem Jace has, even though he’s more than happy to show up with such an incredibly beautiful girl as his girlfriend, is that he doesn’t want her to look so good that every other guy will go home and fantasize about her.”
Everyone went silent after Kaeli’s accusations. I glanced from face to face, trying to work out what all of it meant. “Okay, I’m still confused. Do I look acceptable or not?” I pointedly looked at Jace, because at the end of the day, it was his opinion that mattered.
“Okay, this is the only way I can explain this,” Jace said, stepping up to me after a second’s silence. “If you come to the gig dressed like that, just be aware that I will not let you out of my sight for even a second, and if anyone so much as looks at you like he’s about to go home to fantasize about you, I will beat the shit out of them. Does that make it a little clearer?”
I grinned sheepishly. “Yes, thank you.”
Jace grinned back at me before pulling me in for a hug and brushing a quick kiss across my lips. “You’re welcome.”
Chapter 34
Jace
I couldn’t stop stealing glances at Mia standing in the wing the entire show. I’d been fucking stunned when she’d walked into the lounge back at her house. I was literally speechless, standing there just fucking gawking at her like a virgin geek or something.
Every time I saw her I didn’t think she could get any hotter, but then she walked out looking like a fucking supermodel, showing me just how fucking wrong I could be.
All I wanted to do was drag her off to her room and devour her, but then I remembered we were about to go out in public, and the thought of all the hungry looks she was bound to get suddenly set me on edge. I really wanted to tell her to go put on a pair of jeans or something.
I was fucking ecstatic when Aiden practically said what I was thinking, but then she got that damned sad, worried look and I just wanted to let her do whatever it was that would put a smile back on her face.
I knew the other guys had been worried having her at the gig would affect our concentration. Hell, I’d been worried. Not only was it going to be the biggest fucking crowd we’d ever played to, but Rich and the guy from Leighton’s were going to be there. We needed to make sure we left it all over the motherfucking stage.
But it seemed we had no need to worry. Once we hit that stage and heard the crowd screaming our name, there was no fucking way we were playing bad. In fact, I think it was the most intense set we’d ever done.
It was obvious we had a lot of our YouTube supporters there too, because the crowd hit it fucking hard, getting in and singing along with us, cranking up the fucking atmosphere until it was ready to fucking explode.
The second our set was done though, I threw my pick into the crowd and walked straight to where Mia was standing, passing Ryan my guitar as I went.
The smile on her face made me feel like a fucking king, and when I reached her, she threw her arms up and jumped at me. I caught her and squeezed her hard against me as she wrapped her arms around my neck. “I’m all sweaty, babe,” I warned her.
She giggled. “I love you all sweaty. You stink good.”
I groaned. She wasn’t going to make this easy for me. My dick was already twitching and her fucking mom was standing right there! God fucking help me.
Aiden stepped up beside us, beaming like a man on top of the world. He looked at his mom. “So? What’d you think?”
She gazed at the both of us and shook her head. Her eyes were wide with wonder. “When did you turn into superstars? I mean, all those people knew all the words to your songs. That’s insane.”
We laughed. Yeah, it was pretty insane.
“So, what are you doing now?” Aiden asked her. “Are you staying for a bit?”
Her eyes darted out to the crowd beyond the stage. “I think this crowd’s a little bit too young for me. I might just head home.” She looked at Mia. “Did you want to come with me?”
Mia shifted in my arms. “I’d like to stay for a bit if I could,” she said softly.
I instantly tensed, as did Aiden and Lillian. The memory of her panic attack still had me tied up in knots.
Mia licked her bottom lip nervously. “I want to try.”
Aiden gave her a hard look, ready to say something, but Lillian jumped in first. “You’ve already had such a big day, baby. I don’t want you to push yourself too hard.”
“I’ll be fine. All my safe havens are here.” She looked between me, Aiden and Kaeli. “I won’t stay long. Baby steps, right?”
Lillian sighed. I knew she wanted to say no, but I guess it was Mia’s choice at the end of the day. No matter how much the rest of us wanted to keep her far away from that crowd.
“You don’t have to do this, Mia,” Aiden said. “It’s fucking huge that you got this far. It’s okay if this is as far as you get.”
“Language, Aiden,” Lillian warned.
Mia ignored her. “I know, but I want to try. Please?”
His jaw clenched as he gave her a hard stare, but then he sighed and I knew she’d won. “Fine. Wait here. I’ll just wa
lk Mom out and see if I can grab us a spot that’s not too crowded.”
Kaeli stepped forward. “I’ll come with you. I just want to get my jacket out of the car.”
I watched Lillian give Mia a pointed look. “Be careful.”
She smiled angelically and pulled Lillian into a hug. “I will. I promise.”
The second they were gone I pulled Mia harder against me and kissed the top of her head. It felt like forever since I’d had her alone. Her body was almost rigid there was so much tension inside her. She was usually so soft and relaxed. I wondered if it was from the noise of the crowd or something else. My arms tightened around her reflexively, the need to protect her too strong to ignore.
She tilted her head back, her gaze questioning, so I lowered mine to give her a soft, reassuring kiss. Her hands instantly tensed against my back, her fingers digging in to hold me close, and she sighed against my mouth, her lips parting as she quickly deepened the kiss.
I responded to her need without question, suddenly realizing I needed this as much as she did. What happened in the halls that afternoon had really shaken me up. It had crushed me to see her that way. It made my heart ache in a way I’d never experienced before.
I thought all the playing I’d done that afternoon and night would’ve ridded me of the tension, but as she kissed me, I knew it hadn’t. I could feel it there – feel her drawing it out, mending the hurt. I knew it was the same for her too, because slowly, her body began to relax against mine.
I moved a hand up to caress her face, my fingers tangling in the soft waves of her hair as her tongue glided over mine, igniting every part of my body. She sighed into my mouth, causing me to groan with the desire it brought, but then I heard a loud clearing of a throat.
We both looked up to see Aiden standing there, beside a slightly amused Carly. “Are you done?” he asked acidly.
Mia cocked her head to the side. “No, can you give us a minute?”
Her response was the last thing I’d expected, and I burst out laughing as I pulled her closer. Aiden was trying to repress a grin, but I could tell he was amused just the same. “Yeah, yeah, she’s fucking hilarious.”
I looked down at Mia, still smiling, but when I thought of taking her out into the crowd, I quickly sobered.
“Aiden’s right, you know. It’s okay if this is as far as you get. It won’t bother me if you want to go home.” I smiled again, trying to lighten my words. “I wouldn’t mind checking out this dress of yours in private.”
Aiden growled. “Knock it off, Jace. Just because Mia’s decided she wants to go out with you, doesn’t mean I still won’t beat the shit out of you.”
Mia giggled and snuggled into my chest. “I’m okay.”
Aiden huffed. “I found some seats near the back that are kind of away from the thick of it. Kaeli’s waiting there with Dean and Matt. You’ll have to walk through the crowd to get there though.”
Mia nodded, her face set with determination.
“If you can manage to make it there, I think you’ll be fine. And it’s not as hot either.”
Carly giggled. “I don’t think that’ll matter. It looks as though Jace will keep her overheated anyway.”
I smirked at that. Hell, yeah I would.
Aiden groaned. “Just stop. I don’t need those kinds of thoughts about my sister.”
Mia grinned cheekily at her brother and squeezed me tight. The look on Aiden’s face was priceless. I was going to enjoy stirring the fuck out of him. Bending down to kiss the top of Mia’s head, I breathed her in. “Let me just change my shirt.”
Getting through the crowd wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. With Aiden, me, and Carly flanking Mia the whole way, we made it pretty much unscathed, although she did look a little pale from the experience.
I would never say anything to Mia, but I actually thought it might’ve been the few girls that tried to come on to me along the way that had distracted her. I thought I might love that possessive side of my little wild cat.
Finding a seat near the corner, I sank down and pulled Mia onto my lap. I had many excuses for doing it. Limited seats. Making a statement so every other girl would stay away. Making a statement so every other guy would stay away. But the one that mattered most was the fact that I just wanted to hold her. I needed to feel her, to know she was relaxed, to know she was okay.
We sat there and listened in to the conversation going on around us, happy to just be with each other.
“How’s Seth going, Amy?” Matt asked her over the music. Seth was Amy’s older brother. He and Matt’s brother, Paul, had gone to school together. Last I heard about him, he’d gone off somewhere to study medicine.
Amy’s eyes widened with excitement. “He loves it. Next year he gets to go work at the hospital and try all the different areas of specialty.”
Amber shook her head. “I can’t believe your brother’s almost a doctor. That’s just surreal.”
Dean laughed at her. “You can’t talk. What have you got? One brother who’s a pilot, one that’s a major software designer, and one that’s a fucking property tycoon.”
Amber grumbled. “Yeah, it’s great. Try living up to all that expectation.”
Jess laughed. “Yeah, well my parents are still grumbling about Austin’s career choice. Poor guy can’t catch a break.”
Dean gaped at her. “What do you mean? He’s playing for the god damned Rangers. And at twenty-one! How can they grumble about that? That’s huge.”
Jess just shrugged and laughed. “Don’t get me wrong, they’re proud, but Dad still has fantasies about ‘Montgomery and Son’. He wants to be able to hand the business down the generation chain.”
Kaeli thumped her glass on the table and frowned. “Man, I so lucked out in the sibling department. All I’m stuck with is a loser step brother who prefers to live his life leeching off anyone he can.”
“You can have one of my brothers,” Amber said. “Take Alex, he’s in need of someone to watch out for him.”
“Why, what’s going on?” Jess asked.
She glanced over at the bunch of girls who were doing everything they could to get one of us guys alone. “See the skank squad?” she said. I almost spat my drink out at that one. The name suited them. “Put them in designer clothes and Alex in the middle. The only women he seems to get are those with dollar signs in their eyes. I nearly bitch slapped the last one. Ran up over fifty thousand dollars on the home shopping network and wacked it on his credit card.”
Mia’s jaw dropped open. “Are you serious?”
“Oh, yeah. There are some real freaking leeches around.”
Mia looked at me with horror in her eyes. I gave her a look which I hoped told her I had no fucking intention of going anywhere near the skank squad.
After that we spent most of the time just talking quietly to each other. At some stage Rich and Gary, the guy from Leighton’s, dropped by to talk to us, but other than that, I didn’t give a fuck who else was around us. I knew people were curious about what was going on with me and Mia. I could almost feel people’s eyes boring holes into me, but they could all go fuck themselves. They didn’t matter. Mia did.
We’d been sitting there for over an hour when Mia leaned back and gave me a little teasing smile. “Dance with me?”
Oh fuck no. My eyes narrowed slightly as I returned her gaze. “Uh-uh. I don’t think so.”
The smile left her face and her eyes grew all wide and fucking pleading. “Please?”
I dropped my head back against the seat and groaned.
She shifted on my lap and suddenly stood, holding onto my hands as she went. I looked up at her blinking at me all sweetly. “Please?” she said again.
I glanced out to the sea of bodies on the dance floor. This was a really fucking bad idea. “Mia…”
She tugged on my hands, trying to encourage me. “Come on. We can dance just over there – on the edge…”
I let her pull me up, knowing I should be saying no, but it seemed
I had no fucking balls when it came to Mia.
She hesitated when I was up, her courage seemingly faltering. I took her hand and led her to the edge of the dance floor, hoping Aiden wasn’t about to come knock me out. Pulling her into my arms, I held her closely, trying to gauge how she was coping by the tension in her body. She was tense, but I couldn’t feel her heart thumping out of control.
She gazed up at me and smiled. “Thank you.”
I didn’t say anything, I couldn’t. I just gazed at her, wondering how she’d suddenly become the center of my world.
Chapter 35
Mia
I’d never been more proud of myself in my life. I’d actually made it through a whole night at a crowded club without having an anxiety attack. Well, maybe not a whole night, but an hour and a half was like a lifetime to me in a situation like that. Go me!
As Jace walked me out to the parking lot, I beamed. Dancing with him had been the ultimate. Not because of the dancing per se, but because I got to mark my territory.
I was amazed at how brazen some girls could be. Jace actually had a total of five girls, on five separate occasions, approach him like I didn’t even exist. All during the twenty minutes we were on the dance floor. When he just outright ignored them, I could’ve kissed him. In fact, I did. Again, go me!
I smiled as I thought about the kiss we’d shared in front of all our friends. It was hot to say the least. Aiden had looked at me despairingly, but he didn’t say anything. After that, I decided I’d had enough and asked Jace if we could leave.
When we reached the car, Jace opened the door for me and I happily slipped inside. As he moved around the front of the car, I watched him pull his phone out and read something off the screen.
“Mom and Mark are staying at Aunt Kelly’s tonight,” he said, sliding into the driver’s seat. “Apparently Mark’s too tired to drive, and Mom’s had too much to drink to drive, so...” he continued, looking over at me. “Do you think your mom’d be okay with you staying the night?”
I smiled, my insides already fluttering with the thought of being alone with him. He looked so hopeful. “I’m not sure. Maybe. I’ll text her.”