Page 13 of More Than a Spark

I dropped my mouth open. “Does everyone in the band have a boyfriend except for you?”

Rubbing his hands together, he said, “Yeah. We call the boyfriends the band wives.” He huffed a laugh, then bit his lower lip.

“Guess I can be your band wife tomorrow night.” I rounded my eyes. Shit, why did I say that? “I mean, unless you decide to invite Archer.” Then I’d be a third wheel. I let out a forced chuckle.

He squeezed my hand and released it. “I won’t invite Archer.”

With my heart warming, I shrugged a shoulder. “Okay, up to you.” I should play this cool. I side-hugged him, then left for my truck, the glow of the moon lighting up the yard and trees around me as I strolled. It was going to be a long night. I was going to be picking apart everything that had happened with Milo tonight. I had to get my head together and I certainly didn’t want to lose my best friend because I was being a dumb ass.

FIVE

MILO

My phone buzzed and I picked it up from my dresser in my bedroom. “Shit.” Another text from Archer.

“Who is it? Ryder?” Cash pushed hangers in my closet, then eyed me, his yellow jeans hugging his narrow hips and bright blue shirt pulling tight across his chest. He had such a way with clothes. “And if it’s Ryder why are you swearing?”

“No, it’s that guy I’ve been hooking up with. Archer?” I opened the text message.

Archer

Isn’t your band playing tonight? I’d like to come and see you play.

I planted my hand on my hip and shifted my stance. “He wants to come to the gig tonight, but Ryder’s coming and shit, I don’t know.” I huffed. I’d told myself I needed to find someone to give my heart to and Archer was a nice guy. Okay and had an amazing ass.

Twisting his lips, Cash stepped to me. “What doyouwant?” He narrowed his eyes.

“I want to hang out with Ryder, and I want to find someone to take my mind off Ryder.” I hung my head. “That sounds impossible, doesn’t it?” I focused on him. It was so nice to get Cash’s perspective on all of this. With everything he’d been through, he always had good advice. “I also told Ryder last night that I wouldn’t invite Archer.”

“Okay, why did you do that?” He tilted his head and cupped his chin.

“Because he said he could be my band wife tonight.” My cheeks heated. Yeah, that had gotten me. Things felt different between us, but I couldn’t put my finger on what or why exactly.

“Really…” Cash raised the corner of his lips, then touched my chest. “Let’s find you something fabulous to wear tonight and tell Archer to show up, but maybe later. Let Ryder be your band wife at dinner and let’s see what happens when Archer shows up.”

I wrinkled my brows. “Why would I do that?” I did not follow him at all.

“There’s no better way to see if a guy likes you than when the competition shows up.” With a flick of his wrist, he twisted around. “Now, let’s see what we’ve got to work with here.”

“B-but Ryder is just a friend. And even if he did, in some weird alternative reality, like me more than that, wouldn’t it ruin our friendship if we started dating?” My heart pattered in my chest. Did Cash see something I couldn’t? This felt like a potential shitshow. But if Ryder was just a friend, he should be happy to meet a potential boyfriend, right? God, I was a hot mess. I strode to Cash, who was now perusing the shirts in my closet.

“The man I met yesterday wasn’t looking at you like a friend.” Cash pulled out my white sequined crop top and scanned over it. “No, he was looking at you like a thirsty man in the desert who’d just found water.” He held the shirt up to my chest. “You still have those tight, silvery shorts, right?”

“I do.” I puffed my chest out. Could I let myself believe what Cash was saying? But he was never wrong. He’d seen Silas’ affection for him through all of the sarcasm.

He set the shirt on my bed and strolled to my dresser, then opened my underwear drawer.

“What are you doing?” As a grin crept over my mouth, I came up behind him. All the guys knew I liked lacey underwear, but nobody had ever just opened up my drawer. Leave it to Cash.

He plucked a pair of black lace thongs out and held them up. “Can you pull these up over your hips?” He hooked a brow.

“Uh, yeah.” I snatched them from him. “I think so, anyways.”

“Go put them on with those shorts and pull the shorts down low on your hips, then pull the sides of the panties up, so they show.” He clapped his hands over his chest and squealed. “You’re getting a man tonight.”

With a soft snort, I grabbed the shorts from a drawer, then the shirt and strode into the hallway bathroom. Cash was a genius.

After putting the clothes on, I turned in the mirror, admiring the curve of the black lace over my hip bones and the waist band of the silver athletic shorts. This was more like something I’d wear at the gay bar, but I could get away with it at the casino gigs and if it felt weird, I could always adjust things or bring my jeans. I popped the door open and strutted into the hallway.

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