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My heart filled my chest, pounding hard and fast. My night just got better and better. I hadn’t been imagining things.

Tia was here. It had been her at the mixer, no doubt playing with the lights.

After picturing her naked body to help focus during shows, there was only one thing I wanted to do.

See it for real.

Chapter 22

LEWIS

“Happy birthday, Cole.” Over Cole’s embrace, Tia threw me a sexy wink. My hands twitched, wanting to reach out and hold her too. She hugged Cole, tight. “It’s so good to see you. Sutton and Flint have been conspiring for weeks. She’s planned a surprise party.”

“Oh. My. God. This is brilliant.” Cole swung her around in a circle then placed her on her feet.

Giggling, she wrinkled her nose and slapped his arm. “Now let go of me. You’re all yucky and sweaty. Ew!”

Cole released her and grabbed Sutton, hooking his arm around her shoulders. “You’re the best. Thank you.”

Sutton laughed. “You’re welcome. Maddy’s here too.”

Slip sucked in a sharp breath. Maddy weaved through the throng of crew and gave us hugs and said hello, but her gaze kept jumping to Slip.

Well, hot damn! They had a spark for each other.

Just like Tia and me.

How had I missed that at the launch? Oh, that’s right...I’d been too messed up over Tia.

“Great show, guys,” Blake hollered. “You’ve earned a night off. Let’s celebrate. April, Falcon, and I will meet you at the bar. Don’t dawdle.”

“Happy birthday, bud.” Flint hooked one arm around Cole’s neck and patted his chest with his other hand. “Let’s go freshen up so we can party. It’s been killing me, keeping this a secret.”

Hmmm. There were more secrets between the band than they let on. Me included.

As everyone headed toward the steps at the back of the stage area, I raked my gaze over Tia’s long, silky black skirt and crop top. It was the first time I’d seen her in a skirt. And damn I wanted to get underneath it. Catching her around the waist, I whispered in her ear, “It’s good to see you. But I hope you wore that skirt for a reason.”

“You bet I did. Want a quickie?”

“God, yes.” My dick strained in my jeans at the thought of touching and kissing her. I stopped in my tracks. “Boys,” I yelled out to them at the bottom of the steps and thumbed toward the stage behind me. “I’ll just help Joel and the crew pack up for a few minutes. I won’t be far behind.”

“Joel, hey?” A devilish grin slid across Cole’s mouth. “Don’t be long.”

“Never.” I grinned. I hadn’t missed our stagehand’s heated gazes or flirtatious comments. His interest provided a cover for me to steal a moment with Tia. I should have felt bad, but hey, I had to do what I had to do.

“Tia? You coming?” Cole waved as he walked backwards down the corridor that led to the dressing room.

“I’ll meet you out front. I’m going to the ladies.”

“All right. See you at the bar.” He turned and took off at a run, catching up to Sutton, Maddy, and the guys.

I’d taken all of three steps, past some of our crew bumping out the gear, when Tia caught my hand. She dragged me behind the wall of stage curtains and into the small narrow tech room on the side of the venue, locking the door behind us.

I barely had time to draw a breath before she kissed me long and hard. Burying my hands into her silky hair and tasting her lips had me aching all over. I cupped her face and drove her back against the wall between the six-foot high racks of AV patch bays flashing with blue and green lights. As I pressed my body into hers, my whole system hummed. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Oh. You have. I like that.”