Page 62 of Creed

They answer at the same time, and my heart flutters in my chest. The affirmation brings a smile to my face. A smile that shows my gratitude, my relief, my hope. “Thank you.” I whisper. “It feels good, you know? To be cared for. Looked after.” I breathe out, some of the weight of independence I’ve been carrying for years falling off my shoulders. Not all of it, but enough for me to feel lighter than I have in years.

“Collins…” Creed says, his voice low and thick with emotion. His shoulders slump and his eyes shine with such sadness and regret that it makes my heart clench hard at the sight. It takes all of my control to not crawl back into his lap and just hug the shit out of him until we both feel better.

I take a deep, cleansing breath, feeling an odd sense of relief in my resolve waning, “So,” I smirk, loving the peace of the tender moment the three of us just shared, but ready to lighten it before my traitorous heart gets any delusional ideas. I stand and ball the damp towel up in my arms. “I guess if you’re dragging me along with you, I’ll need to get my things before we leave, huh?”

I watch as both guys’ expressions morph into various forms of happiness and excitement, no doubt glad that I no longer refute the idea of leaving. Now that I’ve had time to settle my emotions, going with them does seem like a safer route than isolating myself and practically throwing myself to the wolves. Not that it’s the sole reason for changing my mind. The thought of getting to travel with Creed, staying in such close proximity to him?—

“Wait, where would I sleep? Do you still have the spare bus?”

Creed is shaking his head before I even finish my question. “No fucking way. Not only are we reducing the number of buses and are basically bunkering two members per bus because we don’t want extra wear and tear on our vehicles, but you’re also not sleeping alone. Especially when we’re in cities that are foreign to you. You’re staying with me on my bus, where I can keep a close eye on you, Stardust.”

“But, what about…” I stop myself. How would I finish that? What about…groupies? I keep that thought inside because I don’t think I actually want the answer to that. Creed raises his brow in question and I sigh, rerouting what I want to say. “I won’t invade your space any more than I already have. I can stay?—”

“You’re staying with me, Collins.” He repeats, deadpan. Leaving no room for argument. “And Riley.” He tacks on as he tips his head in the direction of his friend, who is watching me, wide-eyed, like he’s as surprised as I am by Creed’s declaration.

I can’t just leave it alone. I was an inconvenience to Creed and Asher when I was a kid, no matter how much they deny it. I refuse to fall into that label again. “Don’t you two need, I don’t know…privacy? A-after the shows?”

“Privacy for what, Collins?” He teases, narrowing his eyes, the bright blue orbs filled with a playful, yet heated challenge for me to specify my question.

Riley’s cheeks and neck flush a bright pink again and he visibly swallows as he rubs the back of his neck with one hand, suddenly very fascinated with the ground between his shoes. He’s so bashful about the insinuation that I almost wonder if he’s a virgin. That, or he’s at least super reserved about his sex life, considering he’s never been seen with any other women that aren’t Bear’s sister when traveling.

Well, considering the way I was wrapped around him last night and again in a whole other way this morning, there’s no point in pussyfooting around the subject. So I blurt out, “privacy so you can have sex.” My eyes widen at the way my words sound so lame. But evidently spewing word vomit is my nervous tick because I plow on. “Y-you know, with…groupies, women. Or men. Whatever.” I correct and squeeze my eyes shut, willing the blush to stay away from my face, too.

“Hmm,” he hums so casually like I just told him the sky is blue, and I want to punch him in his painfully beautiful face for being so blasé about it. “I don’t think so.”

“What?” The word flies out of my mouth before I can stop it and I open my eyes to see him staring at me with such a calculated look that it makes me want to squirm in my seat. It causes a rapid pulsing between my legs that I suddenly feel the need to alleviate.

“I won’t need privacy to fuck other women because not only do I not bring women onto my tour bus,” he pins me with a glare before the corner of his lips turns up, “I also have no intention of sleeping with women while on this tour. Not while I’ve got you with me.”

Now it’s my turn to blush and all that squeaks out is a raspy, “Oh,”.

Creed’s expression morphs into a full-on wicked smile, telling me that his double innuendo of teasing words hit their mark. Asshole.

Should I feel guilty about what he said? Yeah, probably.

Do I, though? Nope.

In fact, a sick sense of satisfaction settles over me and I revel in it as the feeling sinks lower into my belly.

Okay, fine. My pussy. The traitorous bitch throbs at his words, even though I’m sure he doesn’t mean them in the way my lady bits have interpreted it.

My eyes roam over to Riley, who’s just been sitting quietly for a good majority of this conversation since I got out of the pool. I turn my attention towards him. “You really sure you’re okay with me tagging along? You and Creed will already be sharing, and I don’t want to cramp your style, Riley.”

His sweet brown eyes soften, roaming over my face as he smiles at me. He huffs a laugh before speaking. “Like I said, we don’t know each other well yet, but judging by the amount of fun we had just making breakfast this morning? I don’t think I’m worried about you cramping my style. I actually look forward to having someone to talk to in the mornings that isn’t this grumpy asshole.” He jokes, jabbing a thumb over at Creed.

Creed scoffs and shoves his shoulder, and jokes back. “Maybe I’m a grumpy asshole on tour because somebody fucking hogs the bed when we have to share a bus.”

Riley jabs at Creed’s ribs, and he winces playfully. “I don’t hog the bed, you fucker!”

Creed wrestles Riley in a headlock and his laugh is muffled as he’s forced to fold over. “Like fuck you don’t.” Creed grumbles.

I jump back out of the way when the two man-children start wrestling for dominance in this argument over the bed hogging. I know there’s no ire in their clouded words and aggressive actions by the way they’re both laughing between grunts and groans with the blows landed on one another.

“Oh, my god!” I shout and start belly-laughing to the point where I can’t breathe as Creed shoves Riley in the pool then proceeds to try and cannon ball on top of him. I’m clutching my stomach as my laughter ebbs and I push myself to stand, gripping the damp towel to my body once more. I make my way to the edge of the pool and wait for the boys to resurface. The moment they break through the water, I call out to them, the most genuine smile on my face as they both turn to me with a new lightness in their eyes and boyish grins on their faces. “Hey, boys, I’m going to change and I’ll need to get my things from my place if I’m going to do this with you two.”

“Alright, Snow.” Riley says, splashing Creed. “Loser rides back seat!” he cackles as he shoves Creed under the water and takes off, paddling hard toward the edge of the pool.

I turn to enter the house, shaking my head, smiling at the sound of their laughter and playful banter.

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