Page 94 of Don't Bang a Bandmate

August points at me and Bronson. “You guys have to use your tongues this time,” he says. “That’s the rule!”

I make eye contact with Bronson across the circle and shrug. He shrugs as well, then sits forward, making his way over to me. As we meet in the middle, the circle suddenly goes quiet, laughter and titters dying down to witness exactly how far this second tier kiss is going to go.

When our lips meet this time, Bronson’s are softer, smoother. He’s letting me lead, letting me decide how open our mouths will be or how deep our tongues should go. With friendly gentleness, I part my lips, allowing for his to cradle mine.

For the softest of moments, I feel the tip of his tongue caress mine and, just like that, it’s over. We back away. We open our eyes and shift back to our spots in the circle.

“Wait a second,” Knox says accusingly. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”

“No,” I answer.

“Yes,” Bronson says.

Eyes widen around us as I stare at Bronson, my gut twisting as I wonder if he’s really using this moment to tell everyone what we’ve been up to after hours.

“No,”I say again.

“I kissed you after prom,” he says nonchalantly. “Remember?”

“Oh.” I sit back. “Right. You did.”

“He did?” Addison asks, her brow arching.

I nod. “My date bailed on me and Bronson went stag, so he hung out with me the rest of the night. He drove me home after and kissed me goodnight.”

Bronson nods.

“Aww,”Harmony says. “I didn’t know that. That’s so sweet.”

Knox scoffs. “That doesn’t count.”

“Thatsocounts!” Katrina says, offended, her eyes getting that swoony shimmer to them.

“Yeah, yeah,” Christian says next to me. “How about someone who hasn’t gone yet spin? Addison?”

Addison reaches out and spins the bottle.

The game continues. My lips go unkissed the rest of the night, though they tingle slightly from Bronson’s lingering touch.

One-by-one, the couples of the group break off, wanting to continue their own games in their own suites downstairs. They stumble onto the elevator with yawns and smiles, and I make them promise to be on the bus tomorrow by noon.Ish.

Philadelphia is our next stop. Not a long ride at all, so I’ll excuse a bit of sleeping in this time.

“Come on, Christian!” Chrissy says, hooking her arm around his. “I’ll walk you to your cab.”

He briefly glances at me before reluctantly letting his former manager pull him with her toward the elevator.

“Goodnight, guys!” I say.

“Bye-bye!” Chrissy says, waving, with August on one side and Christian on the other.

“Goodnight,” Christian says to me, the doors closing on him.

Standing in the center of my comically large suite, I exhale a deep breath and turn to face the windows. It’s still night, but the night sky is hidden away, blocked by the constant shine of city lights and skyscrapers and traffic down below.

It is soothing, though.

“Are you okay?”

---