like old times.” Tanner said that mainly for Zoe’s benefit, because honestly she was feeling freaked out, too.
Zoe nodded, looked over at the bouncer, and nodded once more. “You’re right, I’m sure.” Zoe smiled, closed her eyes for a second, and breathed out. Then she turned around, and they moved past the bouncer and into the lounge where Twisted Feather, the most sought after, and one of the most talented bands to hit the world, were sitting.
2
Tanner stopped when she saw Jacks, Beats, Marcus, and Matty all sitting around the back lounge. Cases of beer were scattered around the floor, but it looked like Rosco, the owner of the bar, had brought in a portable bar for the guys. It sat in the corner, and a young man with white and black attire stood behind it.
Jacks and Matty were on the couch, which put their backs toward them. Marcus was sitting on a leather chair with a girl in his lap that had her boobs nearly hanging out of her top, and Beats was twirling a drumstick in his hand as he pressed his phone to his ear with the other one.
“Holy fuckin’ shit,” Marcus said, and when he went to stand the blonde that had been perched on his lap nearly fell right on her ass from the sudden motion. Marcus tipped back his beer bottle until he had consumed all of it, and then handed it to some guy with a pass hanging from his neck.
The other guys had since turned in their seats to look at them, and Tanner locked eyes with Jacks. He stared at her over his shoulder, and although he kept his expression stoic for several seconds, she saw something flicker in his eyes.
And then he stood, followed by Matty and Beats. They all walked over to them, but she and Zoe hadn’t moved. There was this strange atmosphere that had suddenly filled the space around them.
“You guys look exactly the same.” Marcus grinned, and his bottom lip ring glinted.
She would have said the same, but honestly they didn’t look the same, yet at the same time they did. There was this clear confidence that surrounded the guys. It wasn’t arrogance, but it was thick, heady, and mixed with something else. Tanner’s whole body became heated, and she cleared her throat when Jacks took a step closer.
Now he was standing right beside Marcus, with the other two guys behind him. And then as if that string that was pulled taut between them snapped, Marcus embraced Zoe. There was a flurry of loud voices, laughter, and movement from the other guys.
But Jacks still stood in front of her, only a few feet away. His shirt was still damp from sweating up on stage, and if she had thought the material had outlined his chest when he had been performing she hadn’t seen anything until this moment.
The ink on both of his arms was bright, with artistic designs, swooping lines, and abstract shapes. But, thanks to the damp fabric of his shirt, she could see that he had ink on his pecs as well.
The tattoos that covered his upper chest also snaked up his neck. Tanner had never been one that thought tattoos were especially attractive, but seeing them on Jacks made that change drastically.
“Hey.” His voice was so deep and low, so heated and powerful.
She snapped her eyes up from his chest to his face, and instantly felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment. She replayed that one word he had just said over and over again, and dammit she actually felt herself grow pliant for him. The way he grinned at her, with those straight white teeth, told her that he knew she had been checking him out. And honestly, that had been what she was doing.
“Hi.” She was so nervous, but this was just Jacks—kind of—one of the four guys she and Zoe had grown up around. There was nothing to be nervous about, she told herself repeatedly. She smiled and pushed away the awkwardness that Tanner was sure she was the only one feeling. She moved closer to Jacks so she could wrap her arms around him, and pressed her chest to his.
Instantly she smelled his clean sweat and the saltiness that seemed to come from it. There was also the scent of his spicy cologne, and Tanner actually found herself closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.
“Are you smelling me?” There was amusement in Jacks’ voice.
She snapped her eyes open and tried to