The Boy Next Door

In any case, when she had asked if I wanted to go see the band play that night, I had been secretly relieved, in spite of how nervous I’d been. Yet it hadn’t taken two minutes of being there before I regretted letting her drag me along.

It had definitely been a mistake, that much was clear. I didn’t want to watch him flirt with groupies, but already there was a crowd gathered around the stage, most of them thin, young, sexy women.

My mouth twisted as I watched one blonde in particular. She was standing off to the side of the stage, chatting with Jayson as he finished setting up his things for the show. I hated her immediately, and I didn’t even know her. Still, I could tell from the way she smiled at him and flipped her hair back that she wanted him.

I didn’t want anyone else to have him.

I wondered where the jealousy was coming from. I wasn’t sure I had ever felt that way before. Did it mean I had feelings for him? What was I going to do about it if so?

Piper rapped her fingers on the table in between us. “Those girls have nothing on you,” she said seriously as I turned back to her. I gave my friend a smile, even if I didn’t feel the same sense of assurance. Surely if Jayson didn’t want the attention, if he wasn’t interested in her, then he would have shut her down by now?

My thoughts were thankfully interrupted by the sound of the band beginning their show, Mark starting to talk to the crowd through the mic and Carter starting to strum a few aimless and wandering chords.

It wasn’t just coincidental that my jealousy subsided as the blonde girl fell back with a small frown on her face, Jayson clearly having said something to disappoint her.

The band was every bit as good as they had been the previous time I had seen them, but in light of what Jayson had told me the night we had slept together on his rug, I couldn’t help watching everyone a little more closely than before. I could see signs of the undercurrents he had mentioned. I could see that Mark flirted with the crowd with more relish than he seemed to put into any of their songs. I could see Carter’s small stumble that nearly took him off the stage in the middle of a particularly tricky solo.

They were talented, and I knew I wouldn’t have picked up on it if I hadn’t known to look for it. At the same time, it was only a matter of time before things went too far, before it all boiled over.

I hoped for Jayson’s sake that that wouldn’t happen. I hoped that the guys could get it together for long enough to hit the big time.

As the show went on, I started getting into the music as did everyone else. The girls at the front of the stage were all dancing seductively, drawing the attention of the band. Mark was only encouraging them. My jealousy flared up again. How could I possibly hope to hold Jayson’s attention in light of all of that? I didn’t even know how to play the game.

Fortunately, Piper seemed to realize just what I was thinking. “Come on,” she said, suddenly grabbing my hands and dragging me out to the dance floor. “I know how to deal with girls like that,” she breathed into my ear. She gave me a wicked smile as she pulled back a little, her hands catching my hips and moving me along with her.

She danced with me, and I tried my best to keep up with her, to match her move for seductive move. I knew that I probably looked stiff and awkward, like I had no idea what I was doing. At least at first. But then the music took over, pounding through me, and I let myself go. It wasn’t long before I spun away from Piper. When I turned toward the stage, Jayson’s cautious attention was trained on me.

I smirked at him, doing everything in my power to make him lose his concentration as I swung my hips to the beat. He didn’t mess up, but from the smoldering heat in his gaze, as well as the way his eyes never left me, I knew I was having an effect on him.

Maybe Piper was right. Maybe I could have him if I really wanted him. The thought sent a thrill through me.

The set eventually came to an end, and the crowd erupted with noise. I grinned ruefully at Piper as she gave me an “I told you so” look. “I guess I owe you a drink,” I shouted above the applause.

Piper laughed and we headed toward the bar. I glanced back over my shoulder, but Jayson was already preoccupied in breaking things down. Still, it was only a matter of time before he found me.