I shot a warning look at Dec as I leaned forward to set my glass on the bar. “We’ve known each other for a while. That’s all.”
“Yeah, T and I were best buddies when we were kids,” Dec blabbed.
She widened her eyes. “Oh, wow! I had no idea! Charlie didn’t tell me. Does anyone know that?”
“Uh…I don’t know,” I stammered.
“I heard you didn’t get along well. Is that true?”
Dec grinned and set his arm over my shoulders. “T’s a tough nut to crack, but he’s a good guy. Mostly.”
“Oh, my gosh! Tell me everything! Off the record, if you want,” Petra assured him emphatically before launching into a barrage of questions. “Did you go to elementary school together?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you live?” she asked.
“Long Beach.”
“How old were you when you first met?”
Dec cocked his head and shot a playful look my way. “I think we were four. Right, T?”
What the fuck was wrong with him? I furrowed my brow and studied Dec carefully. He looked normal, aka hotter than other mere mortals. His longish hair brushed the collar of the snug-fitted button-down he wore. The funky pattern went well with the strategic rips in his designer jeans.
I stared at his bare knee before resurfacing. “Uh…”
“That’s so cool,” Petra gushed. “I had no idea. No wonder Gypsy Coma was so explosive.”
Declan’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “We don’t want to focus on old drama, but if you want a real scoop, I can tell you about the time I put a frog in Tegan’s shoe and—”
He’d officially gone too far. I yanked Declan’s elbow hard enough to knock his drink. Vodka splashed over the rim of his glass, dousing the front of Petra’s blouse. She jumped backward and bumped into the guy behind her.
“Oh, no!” she cried, her pretty mouth making a perfect O of horror.
I apologized profusely but when she paused, I took advantage of the interruption to grab a few napkins from the bar and pulled Dec aside.
“What are you doing?” I hissed.
“What did it look like, asshole? I was talking to an influential music reporter.” He looked over my shoulder and squinted. “I have to smooth this over. We need to be on her good side.”
I huffed. “Yeah, I bet you want to be on her good side.”
“Are you jealous?”
“Are you high?” I countered irritably.
He rolled his eyes dismissively. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
“No. I’m going home and so are you. You’re done giving personal details to the reporter. And why the fuck are you smiling at me?”
“Because you’re ridiculous.” Dec’s gaze flitted to the bar. “Hmm. She’s talking to someone else. It would be weird to apologize for you now.”
I narrowed my eyes and growled, which he somehow found hysterical. Yep. I had to get the hell out before I hurt him. “Later, Dec.”
“Wait. I need a ride. Wanna take me home?” He laced his fingers with mine and tugged me out of the bar.
I smacked his hand away when we reached the wide corridor leading to the lobby. The lighting was brighter out here. And Declan was closer than necessary. I gave him a small shove and pointed at his chest.
“Cool it. Why are you following me?”
“I’m not, but…” Declan glanced over his shoulder. “Petra’s following us. I think she’s trying to keep her distance and get a few candid shots. We could get in a crazy-ass fight right now or make out against the wall. What do you say?”
I shot a “What the fuck?” look at him and kept walking. “I need to get out of here before I strangle you in public.”
Dec followed me through the corridor. “Ooh. Kinky. That would definitely make the headlines. Have you ever tried that with a partner?”
“I know what you’re doing. Stop.”
“What am I doing?”
“Trying to make me nuts. It’s working.”
“Glad to hear it. Do you mean nuts in a horny, sexy way or—”
“No. And quit messin’ around,” I said gruffly.
He winked, then snort-laughed when I gritted my teeth at him. “Okay, okay…I’ll be good. But c’mon, what difference does it make if Petra or anyone else in the world knows that you asked Mrs. Phillips if you could switch seats so we could sit next to each other in third grade?”
I stopped abruptly, pulling him out of the way of a few patrons heading toward the elevator. He leaned against a pillar and fixed me with a lazy grin. I told myself I wanted to punch him, but truthfully, I wanted things I couldn’t believe I had to remind myself I should never in a million years want with Declan McNamara.
“Here’s the deal, Dec. I don’t want anyone to know I ever knew you.”
“That’s stupid,” he scoffed. “They’re gonna find out when we’re famous.”
“What makes you think you’re going to be famous?”
“I just know it. You will be too…in a drummer kind of way. Not that it matters if—” He held up his hand like a stop sign. “Hang on. Are you saying no one knows we grew up together?”