Page 11 of Ticket to the Stars: Part Two

I bit my bottom lip. “It’s not that I don’t feel anything.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s… it’s just weird, right? A group of guys doesn’t always date the same girl.” Unless we were talking about my sister’s reverse harem books, then you’d think men outnumbered women ten to one with the number of harems being formed left and right.

Bishop’s shoulders went up and down once. “Who says it has to be weird? I mean, sure, it’ll take some getting used to, but it’s only weird if we make it weird, right?”

In a way, he was right, but that wasn’t my only trepidation. “What if something goes wrong and one of you decides you can’t share, or if I decide I don’t want to do it anymore? What if I’m just a wrecking ball, here to destroy what’s left of Black Sacrament?” I only said the band’s name because we were alone in the giant, semi-dark room.

“If one of us decides that, then it’s on us, not you. And like I said, you can always say no. We’d never hold it against you.” His hand squeezed mine again, and he leaned over the armrest, inching closer to me as he added in a whisper I barely heard over the volume of the advertisements playing, “And you’re the furthest thing from a wrecking ball.”

I turned my head toward him as I asked, “What am I, then?”

The smile Bishop gave me right then was the gentlest, yet happiest smile I’d ever seen on him. It made the butterflies go crazy in my stomach. It even made my heart flutter. “I’m still figuring that out, but when I do, I’ll let you know,” he whispered.

Before I could say anything back, his other hand lifted and tucked some of my hair behind my ear. That same hand drifted lower, dropping to my jawline, where a single finger traced its edge all the way to my chin, leaving tiny sparks in its wake.

My breath caught when that same hand swept around the side of my head, his fingers entwining in my hair. Bishop leaned closer. His lips pressed against mine with a slow and steady eagerness I felt in my core.

Kissing Bishop was like coming home. His lips, the way he held onto me; every part of it was warm and kind, a place you never wanted to leave.

And I didn’t. The last thing on my mind as Bishop kissed me was pulling away. Now that I knew what kissing him was like, it was so unbelievably easy to lose myself in it, in him, in the way he could so effortlessly consume me.

Bishop pulled his mouth off mine to pant, “I swear I could kiss you forever, Maggie.” My heart leaped when he used my real name, swooning. It was a good thing I was already sitting down, otherwise my knees might’ve grown too weak to be of use.

“Is that why you brought me here? So we could make out?” I grinned against his lips, and he responded by nipping at my bottom lip.

“I wasn’t expecting the theater to be empty, so no, this is just a welcome surprise,” he said, and then he kissed me again—but harder this time. So hard my head spun from the power of his hunger and passion.

Kissing Bishop, kissing Cody… that’s when I knew. That’s when I had my answer. Or, really, the guys’ answer. I couldn’t say no. I couldn’t ever walk away from them. Maybe it was naive of me to think, even more naive of me to want them, but I couldn’t imagine a life where I never kissed any of them again.

I wanted them all. I needed them all. My heart constricted any time I thought I might have to choose or, worse, walk away from the three of them. Priest’s flirtiness.Bishop’s familiarity and warmth. Deacon’s hot and cold exterior that only hid the depths of his true emotions. I couldn’t pick one.

I had to have them all.

I… I think I might have more than silly crushes on them.

Bishop only tore his mouth off mine once the actual movie started, but even then, about five minutes through, we decided we’d rather kiss than pay attention. By the time the movie was done, my lips were sore, but you know what?

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chapter Six – Bishop

I stayed out with Angel until seven-thirty. We’d skipped dinner, on purpose, although she had munched on the candy we’d been too busy during the movie to eat on the ride back to the Redborne.

Not going to lie, I was very satisfied with myself. How could I not be? I’d pretty much had my lips locked to hers during that whole movie. Hell, I didn’t even know what it was about. It didn’t matter. Obviously, kissing Angel took priority over damn near everything.

We went upstairs, and during the whole walk, the entire elevator ride, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She was… God, she was so stunning, even in leggings and a baggy t-shirt. Every time she looked at me, my body reacted. I couldn’t help it.

I think I might love her. Was that too soon to think? Whatever. I didn’t care. I was flying high with her at my side, even if it meant the others might date her, too.

I didn’t know how it was going to work, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized letting jealousy take over wasn’t healthy. It’d destroy our friendship and Black Sacrament. Jealousy was a gut reaction you had, sure, but it was something you could work on, something you could overcome.

And I would. I had to. I didn’t want to lose my friends. We’d already had to cut ties with Pope. I couldn’t lose Priest and Deacon too.

Plus, it was obvious Angel liked them, too. She liked all of us, so why couldn’t we do something a little unconventional? We were a rock band who painted themselves before going on the stage. We were already unconventional.

When the elevator’s doors opened and we stepped out onto our floor, I took Angel’s hand in mine as we walked to our front door. I pulled the key card out of my back pocket. Angel had no idea what she was about to walk into, AKA the reason why we didn’t stop anywhere for dinner.

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