Page 84 of Love You Like This

Stone and Hazel are last. Her cheeks are flushed, and he’s wearing a smug grin on his face. I can only imagine what he just did to her. At least someone is getting laid.

He proves my hypothesis when he pulls her against him and kisses her like they’re going to be separated by thousands of miles, even though it’s less than ten feet. Xander looks from them over to me. A second later my phone pings with a text from him.

Deviant Edgelord

That could be us

You just have to admit you want it

Yes. I was in the middle of typing out a strongly worded text last night but thought better of it before hitting send. Instead, I changed his name in my phone.

Hazel sits down beside me, pulling her laptop out. I’ve really come to love our little work group on this tour. It’s been so fun watching her work, getting a behind the scenes view of how she comes up with her story. There are times her fingers fly over the keyboard so fast, I’m in awe. Then there are others where she’ll look over to me and ask if a sentence sounds right.

“Who is Deviant Edgelord?” she asks when another text pops up on my phone.

Xander’s head snaps in my direction, and he descends into laughter. I make the mistake of looking over and seeing the stupid dimple that haunts my dreams as he chuckles into his hand.

“Just an asshole from the past. No one important.”

Another text comes up, and I ignore it as well. I turn on do not disturb and set my phone face down. His eyes bore into me as John pulls the bus away from the curb and starts our drive. I grit my teeth, fighting the magnetic pull between Xander and me is so much harder than it was three days ago.

Xander and Stone pull out one of the gaming systems and start playing. Usually, I’m able to block them out and focus on work. Unfortunately, that’s not the case today. I ask Hazel if I can slide out for a second. She stands and, once I’m past her, slides to the window effectively trading places with me. I cross to the fridge and yank open the door, rattling the drinks and bottles inside.

“You good?” Stone asks, looking at me curiously out of the corner of his eye.

“Fine.” I slam the can of soda down on the counter harder than I meant to.

“You sure?” Xander asks. “You seem a little tense.”

I look over at him with a death glare. “I’m sure.”

“I don’t know. Feels like you’re a little tightly wound.” He emphasizes the last two words. “Should probably find a way to ease that tension. Let go and relax, you know?”

Even the first taste of a crispy Diet Coke doesn’t calm me. I drop back down onto my seat and brood about how I’m going to get him back for last night. Because I can’t just let him get away with this. There must be some form of retribution.

Thirty-One

XANDER

After a couple hours of beating Stone’s ass at video games and then another few hours of hammering out new music with him and Tobias, I’m just zoning out in the back of the bus. I’ve pushed Jade far enough today. Staying back here gives her time to breathe.

I’m skimming an article online when the door slides open. When I lift my eyes, I find Jade entering the room. I let my eyes trail from her face slowly down her body. She’s wearing a pair of athletic leggings and a matching top and zip hoodie. The material hugs her skin in the most sinfully sexy way.

“I’ve been thinking,” she says as she crosses to me.

“About?”

She takes my phone from my hand and sets it aside. “What you said last night.”

Her hands reach behind me and grab the back of the couch. My eyes widen as she slides one knee down next to my hip and then the other. She settles her weight on my lap, pussy tantalizingly close to my dick, which is now wide awake and joining the party beneath my jeans.

“Really?” My eyes flutter closed when her nails scratch along my scalp. “You seemed pretty pissed earlier.”

“Oh, I was.” She shifts her weight, dragging her center right over the bulge in my pants. “I still am, truth be told.” Her lips graze my jaw. “Especially when I realized you stole the batteries out of my vibrator.”

I smirk and tilt my head, giving her access to my neck. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’d never deny you the pleasure you seek.”

She presses her tits against my chest and rocks over me again. “Liar.” Her teeth dig into the skin of my neck.