Page 42 of The Deviation
“Yep.” Better to be curt than ramble my way to an invitation he doesn’t want and won’t accept.
He nods. Licks his lips. Fuck, I wish he wouldn’t do that. It’s been three months now since I tasted him. Since he touched me. Since that stupid handshake.
I cast my gaze about, hoping to see one of my band mates, staff from the venue, anyone. Every shadow is dangerously empty.
“Well, I won’t keep you.” He nods again. Waits for me to turn and leave.
I don’t.
There’s no other viable choice. Ihaveto go. But I can’t seem to move.
I’m kind of pissed about it, actually. After the absurd lengths I’ve gone to, ensuring Calum and I are never alone together, he has to catch me here. In this darkened sliver of space between the two halves of my life—the stage and the world outside.
He should know better.
My feet move, finally, but instead of heading for the exit, they take me deeper into the shadows.
Cal’s brows lower into a frown. “Johnny?”
“Come with me.” The words are low, secretive.
He takes a step. “We can’t—”
“We won’t.” Lowering my bag to the floor, I lean back against a wall. He follows, stopping with a professional distance still between us. “I’m not asking you to… do anything.”Like kiss me, hold me, let me sink to my knees and suck the come out of you. Oh god, please.I shake my head, rejecting the fantasy. “Stand here with me,” I whisper, the break in my voice revealing my desperation. “Just for a minute.”
There’s a moment’s hesitation, and then he turns to join me against the wall. We stand there, shoulders almost touching, listening to each other breathe.
“Thank you for talking us into booking this place,” I murmur. “You were right. It was totally worth it.”
“Of course, I was right. You boys have a tendency to underestimate yourselves. I don’t have that problem.” He’s all smug now. It looks good on him. “The crowd was awesome tonight. They went feral for you guys.”
I smile, turning my head towards him. “Ned really nailed his whole succubus thing.”
“Nailed it so hard,” he agrees. “But he wasn’t the only one.” He looks straight at me, and I can make out the teasing glint in his eyes. “Don’t tell me you didn’t love how nuts they went during your solo for ‘Anywhere but Here’.”
My chuckle is quiet in the darkness. “Yeah. It was pretty wild.”
“You were so sexy up there.” The words are barely out before he gasps.
We both freeze.
My gaze flits between his parted lips and wide eyes.
“Johnny, I’m so sorry.” His quickened breaths rush towards me, dissipating as they reach my mouth. I fight back a moan at how desperately I want to lean closer, chase the disturbance in the air. “I shouldn’t have—”
“It’s okay,” I whisper, drinking in the sight of him. It’s something I haven’t allowed myself to do in the last few months. He looks good. Relaxed and confident, though his face is now flushed from his slip. His ginger hair has grown since the last time I raked my fingers through it. He also smiles more often. I’ve seen those green eyes gleam with excitement, determination, and patience. He really is everything we could have asked for in a manager. He’s come through for us in so many ways. Now, I need to come through for him.
“Our minute is up.” I bend down to grab my bag before gesturing to the small space. “Thank you, for this. And for saying you think I’m sexy.” My laugh has him grinning, rolling his eyes. It’s the single most honest moment we’ve shared since the last time I fell asleep in his arms, and my chest aches with everything I can’t change. “Goodnight, Cal.”
Without waiting for a reply, I force myself to turn and walk away. His gaze is heavy on my back as I yank the door open and return to the world outside.
* * *
CALUM
“Ned’s working at the pub on the night of the fourteenth,” Toni says, scrolling through their shared calendar on his phone, “but he’s free on the fifteenth.”
Charmaine scans the wall calendar she laid out on the table after the dinner dishes were cleared away. “That works for Gavin.”