Thorned Heart (Cash Me Outside 2)

“How have I never seen you naked before? We’ve been on tour busses. We’ve shared hotel rooms.”

“I made sure you never saw me like that.” He wipes down my chest, my abs, and then the bed beside me. “Fuck, you came a lot.”

I smile like it’s something to be proud of. “I’ve had complaints before.”

“Why? It’s hot.”

“You should try swallowing it all.”

His blue eyes fill with heat. “Challenge accepted.”

“Later. Right now I want cuddles.”

His eyebrows rise. “You’re a cuddler?”

“Not usually. It’s weird asking randoms for a hug after sex. But, I mean, we’re doing this properly, right? I want some damn perks.”

“I just cleaned up after your perks.” Thorne smirks.

That’s what he thinks, but it’s so not. I can get sex anywhere—maybe not as mind blowing as what we did—but intimacy? I haven’t had anything remotely close to that for years.

Thorne drops the cum-soaked towel and climbs back into bed with me, pulling me close. He smells like sex and aftershave, and as he holds me, I’m probably the most settled I’ve ever been in someone else’s arms.

I needed this more than the sex.

Chapter Nine

Thorne

This isn’t real life. It can’t be. Seb’s in my arms, we’re half cleaned up but still sweaty messes, and I’m tracing circles on Seb’s shoulder like we’ve done this a million times. I’m still not entirely convinced I’m not dreaming.

“Are you ready to face what’s out there?” I ask because I’m not sure I am.

“No. We live in this room now.” He snuggles in closer.

“Sounds good to me.”

“I do need to piss though, and you don’t have a bathroom. We should’ve done this in my room.”

“I’m not going to sleep with you in a bed where you’ve fucked another man.” My chest tightens at the thought of what Seb and Lemon got up to.

“I didn’t have sex with him,” he says quietly.

“Wait, what?” I move and roll onto my side because I need to see his face when he says that again.

“We made out in the club when we met, but as soon as I saw how disappointed you were when we showed up at the airport, it felt … wrong. I don’t think I even kissed him the whole time he was here.”

“Really?”

Seb traces his finger over my chest. “I hated how you looked at me, and then on the plane I knew I’d made a mistake, but by then, I didn’t know how to tell Andrew he needed to go right back home again, so …”

“So you pretended you were sleeping together.”

“Hey, that was Andrew’s idea. He had this crazy notion you had a thing for me and wanted to prove it.”

I snort. “Totally crazy.”

“How long …” Seb doesn’t finish his question.

“Hmm?”

“Have you felt this way about me?”

I purse my lips. “I’ve always thought you were hot and charismatic. From the day I met you, the attraction was there for me, but it was just that—a controllable emotion that could easily be squashed by my work ethic.”

“When did it change?”

“About two years ago.”

Seb sits up. “Two years?”

I nod.

“How … how did I never see it?”

I sit up with him. “I never let you see it. I never thought this would even be a possibility. Not like this. I was always careful not to show any interest because I knew how easy it would be for us to fall into bed and have it not mean anything.”

“Are you calling me easy?”

I cock my head. “Are you saying you’re not?”

Seb laughs. “No.”

“I wanted more than that with you. All or nothing.”

“I want it all,” he whispers. “I promise. I just … I don’t know how.”

“You’ve been in your famous rock star bubble for a few years, so I know to give you some leeway.” I lean in and brush my lips against his before forcing myself to pull back. “And I guess we better get back out there and tell them what’s going on.”

Seb’s stomach rumbles. “And get that dinner we skipped.”

“That too.”

We both climb out of bed, and I watch Seb’s naked form as he picks up his clothes from the floor. He looks thoroughly fucked. Which he is. I can’t wait to do it again.

I grab a fresh pair of jeans out of my luggage.

“Nuh-uh,” Seb says. “Sweatpants.”

“You don’t think I should look semi-professional to tell my other clients I’m sleeping with their bandmate?”

“No. You should look sexy as fuck so they can see how irresistible you are and forgive me for possibly screwing things up with you professionally.”

I drop the jeans and put on the sweats. For him. “Are you worried about the guys’ reactions?”

“Nah, they’ll be happy for us, but if you’re under the impression I won’t be threatened about ruining this, you’re delusional. You’re an amazing manager, and if this doesn’t work out, we’re all screwed.”

Seb’s experiencing the exact fear that’s held me back from taking this step for so long.