Page 47 of A Love Song for Dreamers

I cut him a look, but my retort dies on my lips. My roommate’s the one person other than Annie and Jax who can see through mybullshit.

Still, I’m not about to tell him I lost control the moment she peered up at me with those doe eyes wanting to collect on what I owedher.

Turned out I was on the receiving end of somethingpriceless.

I’m man enough to admit that the best moments of my life have been spent holding thatwoman.

And yesterday, she was wild. From the second I found her under those tight shorts, soaked and squirming, it was a breakneck descent intomadness.

I wanted nothing more than to free my swollen cock and sink into her as far as I’d go, to see her beautiful body arch and writhe on that dark woodbackdrop.

But I spent the last two years knowing Annie and I ended because she got over mefirst.

Still, the way she looked at me, the way she asked me forit…

It took everything in me to remember we’re nottogether.

Beck squeezes a stuffed toy hard enough it squeaks. “I’m relieved to hear it’s nothing serious. Because you were fucked up after it ended. Youbothwere.”

I round on him, boxing him in against the shelf. “Goon.”

“She couldn’t go with you, and you couldn’t stay. Someone had to be the bad guy. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have moved on—not just from her, with yourlife.”

Hearing it spelled out is bringing up oldfeelings.

Not even the bitterness of leaving, but the things it’s taken me two years toappreciate.

How fucking incredible sheis.

How much I lovedher.

How much she lovedme.

“You didn’t tell me she was seeing someone,” I say. “Did you think I’d bejealous?”

“Did I think you’d look like you’re looking right now?Yes.”

“But they broke up,” I say,pouncing.

He frowns. “I heard. He’s some big producer type. And—please use this for good, and not evil—apparently he cheated on her. A casting couch situation with some actress.” Beck reads the disbelief on my face. “Fucking tool, yeah. You know our girl has always had some issues believing she was enough. With all she’s accomplished, I hope she sees it and never gives the guy anotherlook.”

I turn that over as I start toward the cash register, dump truck intow.

I hope to hell she didn’t fall for Ian because she thought she needed him. The fact that he hurt her makes me want to crush the only good fist I have left into hisface.

But thinking of the ex has a dark thought occurring tome.

I liked the idea she wanted me yesterday, wanted another shot at how we’d endedthings.

Was he the reason she was questioning herself in the firstplace?

I’m not stupid enough to think what happened between us was some kind of a sign—we’ve both moved on, I’ve got an album to make and she’s finishing a show—but fuck it, I need toknow.

* * *

“Tyler.”Zeke walks into my dressing room after sound check, and I shift back in mychair.

The guys from the band are around me, talking amongst themselves, but when he enters, they nod deferentially before ducking out into the hall to make themselvesscarce.

---