Page 47 of Snared

“Yeah, I don’t trust that,” she said. “Don’t make me a joke, Josh.”

I grabbed her elbow. She tried to pull free, but I didn’t let go.

“I’m not hooking up with Molly. First of all, I don’t hook up with employees—ever. And second, you and I are seeing this ruse through till the end of the tour. You can trust me on that. And last, you never were and never will be a joke.”

“Whatever,” she said before pulling free of me and walking into the dressing room. The intensity in her eyes as she looked at me made me question everything.

Was she jealous? Maybe.

Was that wishful—and stupid—thinking? One hundred percent.

But my brain focused on her maybe-jealousy, and I bit back a smile.

Yep. I was definitely stupid when it came to her.

“Yo, CH. You got everything on my list for the bus?” Jax asked when I walked into the room.

Both bands were spread out in the large dressing room. Tristan was sitting next to Jax and shaking his head, a common occurrence when dealing with Jax. Charlie sat on a loveseat across from them, with Savage’s bassist next to her.

Connor shifted away from her when he spotted me, his eyes wide—as they should be—but Charlie didn’t notice, she was too busy looking at me, daring me to say something.

“It wasn’t that hard of a list, CH,” Jax drew out, and I turned to look at him. Why the hell was he smirking at me?

“Yeah. Got everything, including an extra-large package of Depends.” Then I turned toward everyone else and lowered my voice conspiratorially. “He has some bed-wetting issues right now.”

“Fuck right off with that bullshit, CH,” Jax barked out. “There is nothing wrong with me, especially my downstairs plumbing. What he meant to say was extra-large condoms. Ribbed forherpleasure, of course. I’m a giver like that.”

Then he wiggled his brow at no one in particular.

“Gross. Please tell me you are not sending Josh out to buy you condoms,” Tristan said.

Jax shrugged. “He told us he’d do anything for us.”

“Anyway. Yes, I got everything. And if you’re all set now, I’ll see you back on the bus in an hour,” I said.

“Hey, stay a bit and have a beer with us,” Tristan said. “I’m sure you already took care of any last-minute needs for us to head out tonight.” He held out a cold bottle.

I grabbed it. Why the hell not? I may be their manager and their tour manager this go-round, but we were friends—at least, I hoped we still were after all my fuckups. And there was nothing wrong with hanging out and having a beer with them if they wanted me here.

I should have walked out of the room and plopped my ass on the bus, but instead, I sat down on the couch, Charlie in my line of sight, and tipped the bottle back, letting the cool, hoppy liquid fill my mouth and wishing I was tasting her and not the alcohol.

Fuck. I wanted to kiss her again.

I shifted in my seat, willing my brain and my cock to knock it off. Conversation flowed around me, and I tried to keep my attention away from Charlie, but it always went back to her.

To mywife.

Chapter 10

CHARLIE

“Iwasthinkingmorelike this,” Tristan said, plucking at his bass as we rolled down the highway toward Sacramento a few days later.

“Sweet, MB,” Jax said.

“Yeah, that works,” Bash agreed, strumming on his guitar.

I wished I had my kit to play along, but there was no room on the bus for my full set. And nobody wanted to hear me banging away in such cramped quarters anyway.

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