The Rocker's Muse

Because I’m not really that hungry. I just wanted an excuse to see you. “Yeah, maybe. I’m sure catering has something for me to eat back on the bus.”

She arched a brow. “Not a woman, I presume?”

Emily’s innuendo gave me a visual of eating her that I had no business entertaining, even in my imagination. I cleared my throat. “Not a woman, no.”

“Not tonight at least.” She winked.

If she only knew how uninterested I was in anyone else right now.

I glanced up to find Veronica shooting daggers at me. “Why is she looking at me like that?”

“Because she’s the den mother of the crew, and she probably doesn’t trust you.”

She shouldn’t.

I guess I wasn’t as nonchalant as I’d hoped. “Does this seem suspicious? Me talking to you?”

“A little,” she answered.

“I don’t care what they think, if you don’t.”

“I do like talking to you,” she said.

That sent a jolt of excitement through me. “I like talking to you, too, Emily.” I smiled. “A lot.”

Which is exactly why I should go.

I reluctantly stood. “Well, I’ll let you get on with your night. Don’t want to overstay my welcome. You were reading a book.”

She picked it up and flipped it over. “It’s not that good.”

“Kind of like my performances lately.” I winked and took a step back. “Have a good night.”

“You, too.”

I saluted her. “See you in Chicago.”

“Yeah. See you there.”

I couldn’t help myself. “Maybe I can convince you to get a bite to eat with me there?”

She rolled her eyes. “Maybe.”

I inwardly fist-pumped. “Cool.”

High off the way she made me feel, I tripped on something as I walked away backwards. Real slick. Veronica gave me the stink eye one last time on my way out. She could probably see through my intentions better than I could. I’d tried to convince myself I just wanted to talk to Emily, but there was a lot more I wanted to do with her. But I can’t. She was too good for me. That’s one thing I knew for sure.

I headed back to my bus as if it were some kind of punishment.

Thankfully, the girls Atticus and Ronan had invited over earlier were gone. Good riddance.

“Where the fuck were you?” Ronan asked as I walked past.

I stuck my middle finger up and continued to my bedroom in the back. I most certainly wasn’t going to admit where I’d been. Atticus and Ronan would give me so much shit.

Back in my room, I tossed off my shoes and lay down on the bed. My stomach grumbled, reminding me that I should probably eat something. But I didn’t feel like talking to anyone long enough to go back out there and dig through whatever catering had brought to the bus.

I turned to my side and placed my hands under my head. That’s when I smelled it—a flowery scent that was all too familiar. Fuck. Why did I smell like her? Emily. Then I noticed it.