Thorned Heart (Cash Me Outside 2)

I’m so keyed up. I want to keep yelling at Thorne. I want him to see …

See what?

I want him to see that I’m not just his client. I never have been. Maybe in the beginning, but since then we’ve grown close. And okay, sure, I can see why Lemon would think it was more than it is, but if Thorne can’t even admit to being my friend, what in the world makes Lemon think he’d be in love with me?

Then I think about what Locke said—how Thorne watches me from the side of the stage. I think about all the times Thorne has called me his client. It’s always when I’ve shown him any kind of affection. As if he needs the words to keep that barrier between us.

Or am I now reading into everything?

I wish I had some fucking answers.

The memory of waking up next to him the other morning reminds me of my exact thoughts.

Thorne would make the perfect partner—you know, if he wasn’t straight.

Did gay Christmas elves sprinkle gay fairy dust to make my ideal guy a reality?

This train of thought is dangerous because if Lemon’s wrong, and I’ve already built this all up in my head, finding out Thorne isn’t in love with me won’t only disappoint me, it will crush my soul.

Does that mean what I think it means?

Is Lemon right?

I need to find out.

Chapter Seven

Thorne

I tell myself not to read into Seb’s reaction to me being gone. He was being considerate and nothing else. But as he runs upstairs to his and Lemon’s room, I can’t help noticing how everyone is staring at me now, as if waiting for me to say something. What, I don’t know.

“Lemon?” I say as politely as I can. “We have business we need to discuss.”

“I bet we do.” Lemon prances, yes fucking prances, toward me.

“Dining room. I’ll go get the laptop.”

It’s been a while since we’ve had to ask someone to sign an NDA, but as soon as Seb asked for one last night, I emailed the label’s lawyers.

As I get the laptop and go back to the kitchen alcove where there’s a large twelve-seater cedar dining table, Lemon blinks up at me with an innocent yet somehow condescending smile on his face.

He bounces in his seat. “Is this where you tell me to stay away from your lead guitarist and put me on a flight home?”

I wish.

“Nope. I’m here to get you to sign a nondisclosure agreement. It basically says you can’t repeat anything that happens on this trip to anyone. Especially the media.”

“Pfft. Like anyone will believe me anyway.”

“That’s not really the point. I’m trying to ensure you’re not going to make a quick buck out of Seb like the last guy.”

“I’m not here for a quick buck, but I’ll take something that rhymes with that.” The little smartass smirks.

“That’s yours and Seb’s business. I don’t need to know.”

He clasps his hands together. “You mean you don’t want to know.”

I grit my teeth. “Read over this and sign it when you’re done.” I turn the laptop over to him.

Lemon settles back in his seat and folds his arms. “And if I don’t?”

“Then this is where I tell you to stay away from my lead guitarist and put you on a flight home.”

He leans forward, skims the document, and then uses his finger to scribble an electronic signature. “Done.”

I take it back and email it off to the lawyers. “You can go now.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Don’t want to what?”

“What if I want to stay here and talk to you?”

“I’d say your time with Seb is short, and if I were you, I’d make the most of being with him instead of being in here talking to a no one.”

Lemon stands and makes his way around the table to my side and leans his hip against the wood. “You’re not a no one to Seb.”

I scoot my chair away to put a bit of space between us. “That doesn’t mean we need to bond or some shit. You’re temporary. They all are.”

Lemon frowns. “How can he not see how in love with him you are?”

“Excuse me?”

He stands upright. “You’re completely in love with him. It’s obvious. Well, to everyone else except him. And Cash. But if Cash paid attention, he’d see it too.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I take my laptop and hurry to leave the room, but Lemon’s voice follows me.

“You can’t run away from your feelings forever!”

He’s right about that, but I’m not going to pour my heart out in front of everyone where there’s no escape when it inevitably blows up in all our faces.

I make my way back into the living room and am met with a billion stares in my direction.

Greg and his hookup have resurfaced. Jasper’s girl is by his side. With Cash and Locke all cuddly on the couch, the couples are easy to bypass.