Rocking Kin (Lucy & Harris, #3) - Terri Anne Browning Page 0,54

reluctantly shrugged the coat off and then cradled my sore wrist against my stomach so no one could see the red welts or bruises. “Thanks, Tiny.”

His gaze was on my hand, but he didn’t comment on it. “Mr. St. Charles said he would be waiting for you at the bar.”

Thinking of Jace waiting on me perked me up a little more and I couldn’t help the new smile that tilted my lips. “Thanks. Let Lucy know I’ll be up front when the show starts, will you?”

“Of course, Miss Montez.”

Wanting away from Georgia, I practically skipped into the downstairs part of First Bass and moved through the thick crowd to get to the bar. I wanted to talk to Jace. I needed a friend right then to unload on, needed someone to wrap their arms around me and tell me it was all going to be okay.

Marcus stuck close even with how fast I was moving and I heard Georgia complaining so I knew she was following me too.

“I thought we would be up in the VIP?” she whined as I neared the bar.

I ignored her as I glanced around for Jace. My eyes caught sight of him almost instantly. He was standing at the end with a beer in one hand and a glass of what looked like ginger ale in the other. He was leaning back against the wall, his eyes skimming over the crowd looking for someone.

Looking for me.

My heart skipped a beat and I paused long enough to make sure my hands weren’t trembling before I headed toward him. I knew the instant he spotted me. Even from the distance that still separated us I could tell his eyes had darkened to cobalt and a half grin lifted his lips. He nodded his head, beckoning me to hurry up since his hands were full.

Pushing through one last group, I reached him and he moved away from the wall to lower his head and kiss my cheek. I wasn’t expecting that, and my heart did a funny little twist in my chest that was both painful and exciting. Jace lingered for a moment longer, his nose sliding to my ear to inhale the scent of my hair.

“I don’t like your new shampoo,” he told me with a slight frown as he handed over the glass of ginger ale. “Your hair looks beautiful as always, babe, but it doesn’t smell like you.”

“It’s just the products Jillian left in my bathroom,” I told him as I took a sip of my drink. “It makes my hair feel really soft though.”

With his free hand he grasped a few strands and rubbed them between his thumb and forefinger. “Yeah, it’s silky. I like that, but I miss the smell.”

I didn’t know what to say to that so I took another drink of the cold ginger ale.

“Jace!” We both turned to find Kale and Cash waiting at the stairs that led to the stage. “Come on,” Kale called and waved one of his drumsticks at me. “Hey, Kin.”

“Hey, Kin!” Cash called before he stepped on stage.

Cursing, Jace swallowed the rest of his beer in one gulp, then leaned down to brush his lips over my cheek again. “Wait for me after the show? I really want to talk, babe. Really talk. About us.”

I nearly dropped my glass. About us? No. No. No. I couldn’t talk to him about us. There was no us other than friendship. He’d said. He’d agreed, damn it. “Okay,” I found myself whispering, however. “I’ll wait.”

He brushed one more kiss over my cheek, skimmed his hand down my arm, which instantly produced gooseflesh, and then ran up on stage. Ah, damn. I wasn’t going to give in. I couldn’t give in. I had too much on my plate. Too much swirling around in my head making me lose my sanity a little more with each passing day.

I needed a friend. Not a boyfriend who had a history of breaking my heart.

There wasn’t much left of my heart to break this time around, but I wasn’t about to risk it again.

A soft, warm hand touched my arm and I was so surprised I nearly spilled my drink all over myself. Lifting my head, I found Lucy standing just a few inches away. Marcus was now her shadow, I realized, while Georgia looked like a little girl who was about to start chasing any hot guy who looked rich enough. It kind of reminded me of a little girl chasing butterflies