Page 61 of Faking It With the Small-Town Bad Boy

“It’s club soda with lemon,” she says, grinning wider. “Don’t worry. I

tried it myself, just to be sure.”

“Thank you,” I breathe.

I take a sip and pull her up on stage with me, my hand grazing her

lower back. She rests her cheek on my chest, no matter how sweaty I

am, and I keep her there firmly with my arm behind her. Her little

exhale of relief matched mine eventually, my heart finally coming

down from a heavy pumping that had my blood running hot.

“You played really well, Percy.”

Kissing her forehead casually, like it’s second nature now, I nod.

“Thanks, Leah. It was our best show yet. I think we played our asses

off.”

“You did great. You had everyone cheering and clapping for more.”

I look out at the crowd that has broken off into factions to talk

amongst themselves. Still, the exes in the back of the room don’t

seem to be much happier than when they walked into this place. If

anything, they both seem pissed to see me up here with Leah, like it’s

not the same thing as me and Leah seeing them out and about on a

date together.

I end up looking away at last, shaking my head while I try to relax

with Leah in my arms. “I think we’re pissing them off,” I whisper into

her ear.

Her eyes flicker up before returning to my bare, tattooed chest.

“Yeah, I think so, too.”

“What should we do about that?”

She shrugs it off. “Ignore them, Percy.” Playing with her hands, she

turns her fingers over and adjusts the ring on her middle finger, lost

in thought with the pressure of her ex-boyfriend watching us so

intently. “I just hate when he stares at me like that.”

“I know how you feel.”

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