Page 21 of Reckless

But Harlow wasn’t an unstable fame-hungry monster wearing a pretty face. She was something else. Something he’d never experienced before. Something he wanted more of so much his skin itched.

Something so far away from what it was with anyone before he popped up into her life, he could do nothing but pursue it. Because this was lightning in a bottle. A unique combo he knew to his toes was special. And, perhaps, fate.

This recklessness was in him not waiting. Like he should. Omar hadn’t been the first to bring it up, Maddie had too. And they were right to call him out. But anyone who knew him as well as they did would see the difference.

“Just, she’s maybe not at the Miles Brown level of involvement. Don’t break her,” Omar added.

It was his baby sister who came to his rescue. Poppy turned to glare in Omar’s direction. “I like her.AndMiles isn’t a dickbag. He’s not going to use his power to sex up some helpless person and then walk away.”

Omar’s hands went up immediately. “Obviously I trust and respect Miles, and don’t think he’d take advantage of Harlow to get laid. I like her too. I promise! It’s just we’re all together for the next eight weeks. What if it goes horribly wrong? We all remember whatsherface,” Omar said.

Miles snickered at Omar’s continued refusal to use his ex’s name. “She wasn’t on tour with us. She’s not anything like Harlow. And she wanted to cause drama so she could get clicks. Harlow has a job she seems to do really well. Without my influence or involvement. The Miles and Harlow deal is on equal ground.” Which had turned out to be more important than he’d realized until it was happening, and his soul was happy about it.

“We don’t need to worry about Miles breaking Harlow. Sophie broke you,” Maddie said softly. “Sophie took something private and turned a spotlight on it. She took your trust and she hurt your family and friends as well as you. You felt responsible for that.”

“She didn’t break me permanently. Just for a while. Maybe to get me ready for Harlow.” Miles paused as he realized maybe that part wasn’t a joke after all. “As for what Sophie did and how it blew up all over my family and friends? It’s my fault. Iamresponsible for it.”

Omar made a rude noise, and a drumstick sailed his way that Miles was barely able to avoid. “How the fuck are you responsible for what she did? That’s totally on her and I’m not going to let you wallow in something you didn’t do. When you fuck up, I’ll say so. You drank too much with her. You did too many drugs. You forgot yourself for a while. I assume the sex was fantastic.”

“Why didn’t you all say something then?” Miles demanded.

“Ha!” Silas shouted. “Fuck off. You weren’t up for hearing anything anyone had to say about her. So, we called you out when you showed up to work high. We called you out when you invited her fucked-up friends to stuff. But you had to find your own way out of your relationship with her. The Miles you were at that time wouldn’t have heard a damned thing we said.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You apologized back then. There’s no need for you to keep doing it. Who among us has not fucked with some folks we shouldn’t have? And found out?” Maddie snickered. “All of this is just us making sure you’re thinking about outcomes with Harlow that might affect the tour. We like her and we love you.”

“All right. I did think about waiting. And then I kissed her the first time and now I want more. Not just the sexy stuff, but I want to know her better. I promise you all I’m doing my best to think about how this might impact everything so I’m stepping carefully.”

At his side, Poppy huffed a quiet breath of impatience and he loved her for it even more. Still, his friends were being his friends. Keeping an eye on him and speaking up when they were concerned. Which, given what they’d just said about why they didn’t call him out over Sophie, meant they trusted him more than they did then.

Shame washed through him. No matter that they’d all told him he wasn’t responsible, nor did they hold him so. The way Sophie had exposed their private life to the world, the way she’d taken the small things she knew about his family and had used that to raise her own profile, not caring about the wreckage it might have left was enough for him to finally let the dying gasp of their relationship go.

Still, she’d been allowed access into his inner life and he’d trusted the wrong person. And he hadn’t been the only one to be punished for that mistake.

“Folks are queued up outside if everyone is ready,” Poppy called out after she squeezed his shoulder briefly.

They headed backstage and at his back, Miles heard the beginning of what would be a packed show at an intimate venue. He could see faces and interact more. The pressure still there, but different because these were their most active fans. Many had been with them since the very first few months of their fan club. Miles and the rest of the band wanted to give their all to these people who’d been supporting them since the start.

And afterward, he’d seek Harlow out even if just to say good night in person.

She got his text at nearly midnight. Harlow was still awake and waiting and at the buzz of her phone, happiness rolled through her.

Are you around?

She typed back,Yep.

I know you’re sharing a room with Brian and Nora and I don’t want to disturb them. Would you be weirded out if I asked you up to my room?

No. But I’m not fucking you tonight.Frowning, Harlow deleted that last bit. Though it was true, and she was for sure not going to do the sexytimes with him that night, it seemed a bit presumptuous.

She settled on,No.

I’m in 2401.

Be there soon.

Brian was still up reading so Harlow told him she was going out but would be back shortly.

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