stories.
She laughed.
Sometimes she shook her head.
A few times she told me I was gross.
We finished the bottles of beer and I really wanted nothing more than to just stand there with her all night, drinking and talking.
“I’d offer you another beer, but we have to go,” I said. “Our ride is waiting outside.”
“Do you ever drive anywhere?” Bree asked.
“Sometimes,” I said. “But when you’re famous, it’s so much cooler to be driven around.”
Bree shook her head again. “What a dick.”
I put my arm around her. “And you’re my sidekick. Just wait until the paparazzi take your picture and write stories about us.”
“What?” she asked. “Is that true?”
I laughed. “Sort of. Just as long as we aren’t caught hugging, holding hands, kissing, or fucking.”
Bree stepped away and put her hand out. “Keep that far back. I do not want to have my pictures posted online. Got it?”
“But we’re in my house,” I said. “We’re safe. We’re alone.”
I moved her hand out of the way and got close to her again.
Our eyes met and my mind gave me three seconds to pick one of three choices.
Get another beer.
Leave.
Or kiss Bree.
I turned and knew we had to leave… right now.
12
BREE
When I considered who I was and where I was going, it was very intense.
I was being given an all access pass to the band.
I was going to get to see Filthy Line in a way that not many did.
There was a fleeting moment when I realized there were people that would pay a lot of money to be in my shoes, or to hear about anything I would see or hear.
Not that I would ever do that to Sab or the band.
It made me feel as though he trusted me.
That was a good feeling.
“So what’s the dating world like back in that shitty, small town?” Sab asked with a smile.
He broke up my thoughts.
And his smile threatened to break my heart.
Which - for the record - was a big reason why we were always better off as friends. Us together as anything but that would end up with both of us hurt.
“I’m sure your dating life here is much better than mine,” I said.
“I’m just running through some names in my head… trying to picture you with them…”
“You’re picturing me with other guys?” I asked. “Weird.”
“Not like that. You know, like I used to do. To protect you.”
I laughed. “You didn’t protect me. You got jealous and wanted to beat people up.”
“No,” I said. “I just knew who the douchebags were.”
“You think that.”
“I know it, babe.”
“How?” I asked.
“Because I’m a douchebag,” he said. “Or I was.”
“Now you’re not a douchebag?”
“Well, with money, fame and power… it’s considered having an attitude.”
I shook my head. “I’m just going to say it. You cock-blocked me a lot.”
“I kept you from getting hurt,” he said. “There were a couple nights…”
“Like I didn’t know what I was doing?” I asked.
Sab touched his jaw.
I had him.
I pushed at his shoulder. “You realize that was like three hundred years ago, right?”
He looked at me. “Yeah. I know. I’m just chipping away at the ice here.”
“Ice? Between us? Never.”
“Look, Bree, we stayed in touch, but did we?”
“I did with you,” I said. “I followed your entire career. You might laugh at me…” I groaned. “Never mind.”
“What?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Bree.”
“Sab.”
“Come on, babe. Tell me.”
“Maybe after a few more drinks, I will,” I said.
Sab reached under the seat and produced a bottle of whiskey.
“What the hell?” I asked with a laugh.
“Cars need gasoline for fuel,” he said. “Rock stars need whiskey.”
“I’m not getting hammered in the back of an SUV with you,” I said.
“Why not?” Sab asked.
“I have to meet the band.”
“And they’re going to be sober?” he asked.
“You’re a bad influence already,” I said.
“I’m just living my life,” he said. “And I want you to tell me whatever you were going to say.”
“Give me that whiskey… and maybe I’ll talk.”
The practice area for the band was secluded.
We were in some parking lot that had zero frills or thrills.
It almost felt industrial where we were.
Which made sense.
It wasn’t like they were going to have flashing neon signs announcing where they were writing music.
It was a far cry from the busy city and the expensive houses up in the hills.
I wasn’t drunk. But I wasn’t sober either.
I was comfortably in between and that was fine by me.
The SUV stopped and when I reached to open the door, Sab leaned across me.
His face was close to mine.
His lips were a few inches from mine.
His eyes were…
“You’re