Page 10 of Reckless

“You were on fire tonight. Holy shit. Good job,” she told him with a smile that made his stomach tighten. “Fans loved it. An excellent start to this tour, yeah?”

He took her hand. “Thanks. It felt really good. You were all amazing too. What are you up to right now?”

“Grabbed some food so we’re headed back to the hotel.”

He wasn’t ready to let her go for the day.

“Did you need something?” she asked once she saw his expression.

“If you want to wait about forty-five minutes or so, we can all ride together,” Miles said.

“Thanks for offering, but Phil’s arranged a car for us. Enjoy your night. Celebrate this! You deserve it. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

He frowned again. Normally people did what he suggested. There was chemistry. As he still held her hand and she looked up into his face with an openness he knew wasn’t manufactured, he was certain he wasn’t imagining it.

Harlow called out her congratulations to the others and then slipped her hand from his.

“Oh! Wait. I forgot to tell you what I thought of your show,” Miles said with a grin, pleased he’d found a way to keep her there just a little longer.

“Terrible right? You’re going to fire us?” Harlow teased and damn if he didn’t want her even more because of it. She knew they’d done well and wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.

“Really awful. I’m sorry you’re so out of tune and homely.”

That made her tip her head back to laugh and he arrested his attempt to step forward and kiss the exposed skin of her throat.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Miles.”

She caught up with Nora and Brian and Miles stood there watching her walk away until she’d turned the far corner.

CHAPTERFOUR

Two days later they needed to drive from San Francisco to Sacramento for the next show, so Harlow had packed her stuff and been ready but when she checked the peephole and opened the hotel room door, it was Miles standing there.

“Hi! Are you lost?” she asked, stepping aside to admit him.

“Your ride is here,” he told them.

“I thought you’d be flying or something,” Harlow said.

“We’re driving between cities for most of the shows. Makes more sense that way and I’m going to be honest and admit that it’s just so much less costly in most cases we prefer it.”

True or not, what Harlow wasn’t sure of was why he was there. Surely, they didn’t want to share their private transport with their opening band and she said something like that but nicer.

“We’re just musicians like you are, Harlow. It’s a seriously nice bus we’ll be using the whole tour and you’re invited. You’re three people, not forty.”

“Stop trying to talk him out of it, for fuck’s sake,” Nora said as she hefted her small suitcase and overnight bag and went into the hall.

“Yeah, stop trying to talk me out of it,” Miles said with a smile, liking Nora more every moment. He bent close to Harlow’s ear. “I already told Phil you’d be coming along with us. He says he’ll see you in a few hours. I want to hang out with you. I like being around you.”

Oh.

She hoped she wasn’t blushing but the heat on her skin told her that was a vain wish. She wore her emotions on her skin. Mad, happy, or sad, she blushed, flushed, and got splotchy.

“Is that okay with you?” he asked oh so quietly like he hadn’t just snuck under her defenses and gotten right up in her space. And he was so big. In more than only physical terms.

Miles was used to being in charge. Used to people following his leadership. Getting involved romantically or sexually with someone like that was something she usually avoided. Harlow was her own strong personality used to being in charge.

For the last few days, she’d been thinking about that. Thinking about the way he made her react. The way she sought him out when they were at the venue and the way he did the same. This was dangerous territory. They were on tour together and letting herself get caught up in Miles was a hugely ill-advised idea.

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