Playing (Inked Hearts 2)

A dozen steps and he's next to me. He slides his arm around my waist and leans in to whisper in my ear.

"Let's go out back. Won't be able to think until I'm inside you." He drags his fingertips over the waist of my skirt. "You look fucking amazing."

"I know."

"Damn, I like when you're confident." He nods to the stairs.

"Is there time?" It's eight-thirty. He's due on stage in half an hour.

Miles nods. His eyes are heavy. It's like he wants me so badly he can't articulate a single word.

"Hey, Megan." A familiar voice interrupts.

It's the blond drummer. Tom.

"It's Meg," I say.

Miles throws his friend an incredulous look. "Can't this wait?"

"No, it can't." Tom offers me an apologetic smile then he's back to Miles. "Now."

Miles frowns. He's upset. As upset as he was on the beach. More even.

He shakes off his expression, but it's still there in his eyes and his posture. He's unsure of something.

I want to know what it is.

I watch Tom pull Miles aside. There's not a lot of room up here. They're almost within earshot. I take a seat on the couch and scoot closer. Until they are within earshot.

"You're fucking her?" Tom asks.

"You take issue with casual sex all of a sudden?"

"Does she know?"

"No."

"Fuck, Miles. You trying to give me a headache?" Tom shakes his head. "Are you going to tell her?"

"How the fuck is that your business?" Miles asks.

"If you don't tell her, I will," Tom says.

Miles's voice is low, angry. "Fuck off."

There's a weight shifting on the couch. Someone sits next to me. It's an older man in a bright orange suit. He's balding but he still keeps his hair in a ponytail.

"Meg, right?" He offers his hand. "I'm Aiden. I'm the Sinful Serenade manager."

Okay… I don't see what I could possibly have to say to this guy, but I can be polite. "Yeah, Meg. Nice to meet you."

He looks to Tom and Miles, still in a heated debate. "There's no polite way to say this, Meg, but I need you to go away."

"Excuse me?"

"Miles can't have a girlfriend. He's never written a love song. Girls like that. They like that he's broken, that he's unconquered territory. But now he's writing this song. It's not quite a love song. But it's too close." There's no self-awareness in Aiden's beady eyes. He delivers his suggestion like he's reciting the weather report. "He's going to be the next Adam Levine. Do you want to stand in his way?"

"We're…" Not friends but we're not together. "We're not boyfriend and girlfriend. But that's really none of your business."