Playing (Inked Hearts 2)

the sound she makes when I sink

my teeth. Oh wow, those details

are mine to keep, but she's not

And suddenly I want-

Oh hell no.

This can't be.

No way I, no way she.

Anyone else, maybe,

but not me.

I don't do this kind of thing.

My body refuses to behave. It refuses to do anything but soak in Miles’s song. All the emotion in his voice is crashing all over me. He hurts. Somewhere deep inside him, he hurts, and God help me, I want to be the one to take that pain away.

Chapter Seventeen

After the set, the band reappears in the VIP area. Drew and Kara practically disappear. One second here, then they're not quite holding hands on their way out the back door.

And now I'm sitting on my stupid black cube, with the other guys from the band around me. Tom has a pretty redhead on his lap. She giggles, staring at him like he's a prize.

The dark-haired bassist introduces himself. "Meg, right?"

I nod. "Meg Smart."

"Pete Steele." He shakes his head and turns to Tom. "You do have a room."

Tom shrugs. He sips his drink, casually wrapping his arm around the redhead like she's a fancy trophy.

She looks happy. I guess it's not my place to judge.

Miles plops next to me. He spreads his knees wide like he's going to entice me to drop to my knees and blow him in front of his friends.

Not that I'm thinking about taking him back to my place and ripping his clothes off.

I can't do that. I can't touch him until I give him a chance to explain.

"Damn, you're tacky." Pete addresses Tom. "Almost as bad as Drew running off without a goodbye. Must be desperate."

Tom motions to me. "That's her best friend."

Miles smirks, trailing his fingers over my outer thigh.

I bite my tongue to keep from reacting to his touch. "I have a name and it's Meg."

"You know what's up with them, Meg?" Pete asks.

"They're only friends," I say.

Pete nods. "Yeah, I bet. With all due respect to your friend, no way I'd do anything other than drag her to the backseat if I were Drew."

"You mean, if you weren't too busy sexting Cindy?" Tom asks.