Page 4 of Ticket to the Stars: Part Two

Deacon was caught off-guard for a while too, because it took him entirely too long to scowl at me and demand, “What the fuck are you doing here?” As angry as he looked, he didn’t run to cover up with some clothes or use his hands to hide his length.

He was just standing there, baring it all.

I couldn’t move. It was like I was pinned where I was, frozen in place on his bed, my legs hanging off the side. “I came to say I’m sorry about last night—I didn’t… don’t normal people get dressed before they leave the bathroom?”

“Don’t normal people look away when they’re seeing someone naked that they shouldn’t?” Deacon’s typical scowl was back, although it was hard to feel like that scowlwas doing anything at all now that his dick was out. The only scowl I could currently pay attention to was apparently the one from the one-eyed snake dangling between his legs.

“Maybe you should put on some clothes,” I shot back. For whatever reason, I couldn’t look away. My skin was on literal fire, but I couldn’t drag my eyes off Deacon in any capacity—the man might be naked, but he still commanded my attention.

Or maybe I’d started to wonder what that thing dangling there looked like hard. If that’s what it looked likebeforeit got hard, I mean…

Crap. No. Definitely shouldn’t be thinking about that.

“Maybe you should stop looking,” Deacon replied. “No, you know what? Just get out. I don’t want to hear whatever stupid apology you’re trying to give. It doesn’t matter. None of this matters. I can’t believe no one else can see that.”

I wanted to strangle him. Deacon could be so impossible sometimes. I wished he’d give this, us, a chance, but it was clear his head was stuck so far up his own ass he didn’t want to put in much effort, so I shook my head, threw my hands up, and started for the door. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

He stopped me by moving between me and the door, blocking my exit with his still very naked body. “I’mimpossible? That’s rich, coming from you.”

I puffed up, angling my head back to meet his green eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?” At least he was closeenough that I couldn’t see his dick. At least now I could focus on his face and the sneer on it.

Deacon was so hot and cold. Mostly cold, but sometimes… sometimes, when that bad attitude wasn’t in the room, I saw the real Deacon. And he seemed like a good guy. I wished he’d be around more often.

“It means I’m not the impossible one, you are. I mean, you come here and fuck everything up—you have Priest and Bishop fighting over you.”

“They’re not fighting over me.” And they weren’t… were they?

“They are, even if they don’t admit it.”

I frowned at him. “So if they’re fighting over me, what are you doing? Spending all your time hating me, then? Still upset that I took your brother’s place? I never asked for this—”

Deacon interrupted, “No, maybe not, but you also didn’t say no. You could’ve. You could’ve told Ramona to fuck off when she came to you. You should’ve. It would’ve made things easier for all of us.”

“Easier for who? For me, for Priest and Bishop, or for you?”

I must’ve struck a nerve, because the glare that Deacon gave me after that was one that could kill. He took a tiny step forward, inching toward me in a way that made me both want to stand strong and match his step backward. In the end, I didn’t move a muscle. I wouldn’t let him intimidate me, not when I knew I was right.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he growled out, his bare chest rumbling with the words, so low I could feel that rumble in my core. But I didn’t back down.

“Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” As I vehemently whispered the words, I suddenly remembered that Deacon was standing less than a foot in front of me, completely naked, his hair damp and messy from his shower. Breathing hard, he looked undone, almost.

Sexy. He looked sexy.

All Deacon did to that was let out a long, aggravated breath. “I don’t like that you’re playing with my boys.” They were his best friends. Even though he might want to leave the band, they had history, so much more history than I had with Bishop. It was kind of sweet he wanted to protect them.

But, at the same time, he didn’t have to protect them from me.

“I’m not playing with them,” I whispered, wanting him to believe me above all else. “I’m not. Maybe I’m… different from the girls you’re used to, but I’m not like that.” And I wasn’t. I wasn’t the type of girl that played around or enjoyed breaking hearts.

“So, what, then? You don’t like either of them?” Deacon didn’t give me the chance to answer, because he went on, “Then go tell them that before they ruin their friendship over you. Tell them you’re not interested inwhatever they have to offer and that it’s all one big misunderstanding.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I couldn’t go to the guys and tell them that, because… because it wouldn’t be true. I couldn’t tell Priest and Bishop I wasn’t interested because I was. I was more interested in them than I’d ever been in anyone before.

Deacon appeared smug at my silence, like it was anah-ha, gotchamoment, but I couldn’t leave. I couldn’t leave it at that, so I asked, “Is that why you hate me? Because you think I’m playing with Priest and Bishop?”

His jaw ground, and his emerald stare dropped to my chin. “I never said I hated you.” At least, I was pretty sure he was looking at my chin—unless his eyes landed a fraction above my chin and were actually staring at my mouth.

In fact, the look Deacon wore right then was like the look he’d worn the night he’d spent with me in the living room on the couch. The look he’d given me once he’d woken up while I was on his chest, neither one of us moving a muscle.

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