Page 60 of Fractured Heart

“Oh.” My brain tries and fails to catch up. All I can focus on are his lips.

He starts to lean in, but then abruptly pulls back. “We should focus on the song.”

“Right.” I nod. “The song.”

“Will you let us audition with it?” He stares at my lips. “With the song from our first kiss?”

My heart pounds loudly in my chest. My lips suddenly feel swollen with longing for his. Charles continues to stare at them, and I barely suppress a whimper of need.

“Well?” he asks.

“W-well what?” My voice squeaks.

“Will you let us use the song from our first kiss?”

I nod absently, not even all that sure what I’m agreeing to. I’m not sure I even care. Then, it’s like a dam breaks. All the tension seeps out of Charles’s huge frame and he pulls me into a hard, all-consuming kiss.

Chapter 29

Shaking with every step, I exit the elevator and force myself to walk to the rehearsal room. I’ve had two days to figure out how to turn my Beauty and the Beast song into an a cappella audition. Two days to find a way to meld four unique voices into one cohesive, mind-blowing routine.

And I’ve failed. Miserably.

I feel like I’m being escorted to my own execution. Charles’s huge form looms over me on my right and Tate on my left. JJ brings up the rear, leaving me no choice but to move forward.

“Ready?” My Prince Charming smiles at me. I falter.

I should have used a different song. Something I submitted with my college application or one of my newer compositions. I wanted to—I even pulled them up on my phone—but each time I was about to play some of my best work for the guys, I froze up.

Maybe I should have written an entirely new song for them, instead. At least then I could have given them all fitting parts.

They don’t have those now.

My Beauty and the Beast song is meant for one guy, not four. Maybe it could also use a princess, but there’s no girl in the group. And even if the guys wanted to add a new singer to their group, where would we find a girl who can sing? It doesn’t matter anyway. My song was never meant for an all male a cappella group and the modifications I made over the last few days are amateur at best.

The guys could still make it work—their voices are that good—but I have no idea how to get them to sing the version I keep hearing over and over in my head. It’s one thing to compose a song, but I don’t know how to run a rehearsal and choreograph their performance. No amount of a cappella videos could prepare me for that!

“I can’t do this.” I shake my head and stop outside the doorway.

“Yes, you can.” JJ squeezes past Tate and moves in front of me. He stands entirely too close and I’m pretty sure he’s doing it on purpose. My heart flutters. “Your song is amazing, Roonie. Writing it was the hard part and you did that. This?” He wraps a strand of my hair around his finger. “It’s just a rehearsal.”

“You’re going to do great,” Tate adds, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

Charles grunts in agreement and places his huge palm on the small of my back. Warmth seeps in through the yellow silk blouse Charles got me to wear to the rehearsal. The material caresses my skin and I shiver.

“How about…” JJ tugs on a strand of my hair, “…I take you out after rehearsal? We can grab dinner.”

“Like a date?” My eyes widen.

I’ve never been on a date before. A kaleidoscope of butterflies dances in my stomach. Then Tate’s grip on my hand tightens and Charles goes visibly tense.

I flush scarlet.

How could I forget they were standing right there? And how could I even consider going on a date with JJ when I’ve been making out with Charles and Tate every night? Both guys have been sneaking in kisses whenever I’ve found myself alone with them. I’ve been feeling enough guilt about kissing the two of them. How could I even consider adding JJ into the mix?

“The three of us will take you out for dinner.” Charles scowls at JJ, who smirks.

“For burgers.” JJ grins.