Page 6 of Hard Rock Sin
"You know why I did that," I told him reasonably. "If I hadn't, you would have kept me locked away like Rapunzel. I've had enough of that already." The all-girls boarding school I'd attended through high school hadn't exactly let me spread my wings.
"After what happened last time…" he began.
A small spike of adrenaline hit me. Anxiety raced through my body. I twisted my hands together to hide the shaking.
"I can handle myself," I said with a surety I didn't feel.
Noah looked doubtful and opened his mouth to argue. Before he could, one of the assistants ran up with a bottle of water and a towel. He eyed me for a moment before taking the towel. While he soaked up the sweat droplets in his hair and chugged down his water, I surveyed the backstage.
The place was even more crowded now that the concert was over. Roadies and crew took down the equipment for my brother's band and set up equipment for the band going on after them. There were a few bands playing at the venue that night, which explained why I'd seen more leather pants and eyeliner than usual.
Across the room my eyes caught Cameron's. His attention immediately switched from the girl in front of him with a water bottle and onto me. Our eyes locked. A wicked grin crossed his face.
My heart thumped loudly in my chest. Those butterflies were starting to become a familiar companion.
Cameron strode over with confident steps.
Now hydrated and dried, my brother turned back to me.
"How did you even get backstage, anyway?" he asked.
"I had help." I nodded to Cameron, who was now steps away from me.
"Hey there, Angel," Cameron said with a teasing glint in his eyes.
"You helped Lily get backstage?" Noah asked him. "Thanks for that."
Cameron stared at me with confusion. He turned his gaze to Noah. Recognition dawned on his face.
He went pale.
"Shit."
Chapter Three
"Now that Lily's back, I want to introduce her to Jen," Noah continued, not seeming to notice Cameron's terrified expression. "You mind watching over my sister? I don't want any of the assholes here hitting on her."
"Ah. Sure," Cameron croaked. "No problem."
Noah gave me a one-armed hug around the shoulders before leaving to find his girlfriend.
"Lily?" Cameron asked, almost cringing.
I hadn't thought he'd be so taken aback. "Yeah, it's me."
"You look…"
I raised an eyebrow. "You better think carefully about the next words that come out of your mouth."
"Different."
"You mean I look like an adult now and not the little girl you remember?"
"I'm so fucking sorry," he blurted. His face was tinted vaguely green. "I never would have talked to you like that—"
"It's okay," I interrupted. "I know you're a flirt. Besides," I flushed, but forced myself to meet his eyes. "I liked it. It was flattering."
His eyes flicked down my body, as if seeing me for the first time. His gaze honed in on my legs. The ill look on his face slowly melted away, replaced by a simmering heat.
