Page 80 of Fractured Frets

“Slip and I have never done that.”

“You will.” She rubbed my arm. “Isn’t that exciting? That you have another step to look forward to?”

“Kinda.” Yeah, it was.

“Slip loves you. Being hurt in the past sucks, but Slip isn’t Noah. That man up there would do absolutely anything for you. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Yeah. It is.”

As another wayward two bras were thrown onto the stage. Flint played up to the attention, signing them and tossing them back into the crowd. But I couldn’t let Flint have all the fun.

I touched Sutton’s arm. “Stay here. I’ll be back in a sec.”

I scooted over to the shadows, reached beneath my very short, A-line leather skirt, and wriggled off my panties. With a skip in my step, I dashed toward the band. I flashed my pass to security and made my way along the front of the stage between the crowd control barrier and the riser. Right in front of Slip, I waved. His eyes widened and a cool grin lit his face. He stepped toward me and loomed over the edge of the stage. Concern flickered across his eyes. “Mads? What’s up?”

“I love you.” I threw him a cheeky smile and tossed him my panties.

He caught them against his chest. His eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Laughing, he scrunched them into a ball, smelled them, and tucked them into his pocket. Ew! But whatever.

He formed a heart shape with his hands and blew me a kiss. “Love you.”

Lewis chuckled into his mic. “Mads, did you just toss Slip your panties?”

Heat flooded my cheeks. The whole auditorium didn’t need to know that, but what was done was done. I winked at Lewis and nodded.

Slip’s smile was as big and bright as the sun. “Fuck yeah.” He pumped his fist in the air as he stepped back behind his mic. “They’re from my gorgeous wife, folks.”

“Who’s gonna get lucky tonight?” Flint hollered into his mic while pointing at Slip and making his way back toward the guys. He smiled and shook his head at me. “You just made Slip’s year, Mads. Now, let’s get back to the party. Who’s ready to rock the roof off this place?”

Cole tapped his sticks together, then hammered on the drums, breaking into the intro for another song.

Still shocked that I’d actually stripped off my panties and tossed them to Slip, I scooted back to Sutton, clutching my loose skirt around my thighs. Going commando wasn’t new but it still felt weird. Cool in the air-conditioning. And sexy.

“Oh, my God.” Sutton burst out laughing and hugged me. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Me either. But Flint can’t have all the fun.”

“I’m sure they all do. But see what you just did?” She thumbed toward Slip. “You do fun, crazy, wild things together. He makes you smile and happy. You shine when you’re with him. Stop looking for a reason to leave him and focus on the ones that keep you together.”

Sutton was right. “I will. Promise.”

“Slip will treasure those panties. Forever.”

“I hope not.” Giggling, I wrinkled my nose. “They’re old ones.”

“Guys don’t care about that. He’s stoked he’s got your panties in his pocket. Look at him!”

The goofiest, sweetest smile had embedded onto his lips. His eyes smoldered as he glanced in my direction. Warmth flooded my chest. He always looked at me like that. Like I was the most beautiful person he’d ever met. Like he couldn’t wait to get me alone. Like he wanted to do dirty, wicked things to my body.

God. Now wasn’t the time to get even more turned on.

But watching Slip, it was hard not to.

For the next hour, the guys entertained the crowd.

Sutton and I met them backstage after they’d finished their encore.

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