I watched Luke perform, I had been hiding the truth from myself. Scared that even for a second there might be something real between us. Something I couldn't brush under the rug and pretend didn't happen. It's different when all I can do is smile, knowing that for the last few days we've been tangled in between sheets, never leaving each other's sides.

While everyone eagerly watches him in awe, hoping that he'll pay them even an ounce of his attention, I can't help the rush of adrenaline knowing his eyes are only for me. Even from across the bar, I can see the way he watches me and it leaves me warm. Like somehow, even when he's up there, I'm the only thing on his mind. And it feels good.

He shoots me a smile as his voice coats my skin in honey.

I match his facial expression, clapping my hands as the song comes to an end. For the first time in a really long time, I'm happy. My heart beating in excitement as the next song starts. Not just any song, but our song. Dark rooms, bubble wrap and vanilla lip gloss.

The start of something I never expected.

As the night goes on, I lose myself in the music and the sound of his voice. When their set comes to an end and the crowd begins to bleed thin, I twist in my seat and turn back to the book left on the surface of the bar. The pages smooth beneath my fingertips as I open to my last chapter, scanning the page for my spot.

There once was a man.

A man who had stolen all my thoughts and taken my heart, claiming it as his own without even knowing it. Together we spent two weeks together and then that was it. He was gone. Just like that. Out of my life forever. And I was left with the fear I may never feel the same way about another person ever again.

He left me in pieces. My thoughts invaded with my heart in his hands. He blew up everything and seemingly fixed it all at once. He left me breathless.

Every day I waste time thinking back to that day and how things could have been different. If I had just told him the truth. If I had just spelt out what my heart was screaming at me to say. I love you. Eight little letters. Three small words. They held power and if I had just used them, he would have been mine and I wouldn't be left here heartbroken by his touch.

"Why am I not surprised you brought a book?" Luke mumbles as his hand smooths over the small of my back, moving his hand over my side before wrapping around my waist as he presses his lips to my jaw.

"Did you expect anything less from me?" I ask as I tuck the scraped piece of paper between the pages and turn to face him. His hand moves from my waist to cup my cheeks as he meets me halfway, my body ignited by the feeling of his lips on mine. My fingers curl into the ends of his hair as the rest of the world fades away around us.

All I feel is him.

I don't care that people can see us. I don't care that his skin is slick with sweat as he steps in between the space of my legs. I don't care about any of it because nothing else matters. I have something real and good. Something I only imagined I could have, and now that I do, I'm fully prepared to enjoy every second of it.

"Get a room, lovebirds," Jace calls out as the rest of the band makes their way to the bar counter, calling out their orders to Liz.

Luke pulls away long enough to flip Jace off before kissing me gently, his calloused fingers rough against my skin as they tangle in the hair at the nape of my neck. My lips curl up against his as he comes back to me. I trail my fingers down his chest, pinching the soft linen between my fingers as his lips move to my jaw. A bubble of laughter falling from my lips when his nose brushes my earlobe.

"Luke, we need to slow down." I giggle, giving him a gentle shove but not enough to put more than a few inches between us. "We're in public."

"Not into that?" he asks with a teasing grin, stealing one more peck before waving over Liz. "Thirsty?"

I nod my head, allowing him to order me the same thing he got me the first time he did it. "Thank you, Liz," I say when she sets the beer bottle on the bar in front of me. She shoots me a warm smile before crossing to the other side of the room as I turn my attention back to Luke. "You were really good tonight."

"Got a new fan?"

I nudge his shoulder with my hand. "I've always been a fan."

"If I recall correctly, a few months ago I was your worse nightmare."

"A few months ago, I thought you were nothing more than a player," I say as I dig his fingers into his shirt. "Now I know you're sweet, and caring, and amazing."

"Amazing?" he asks teasingly before pressing his lips to my cheek. "You're pretty amazing, too, 4A," he says before his eyes dart to my book. "How's your book?"

"It's good," I say before falling into a full on rant about the love story lost too soon. A smile creeps onto his lips as he listens to me ramble. "Sorry," I say with a shy smile. "I keep doing that, don't I?"

He shakes his head. "I like seeing you like this."

"Like what?"

"Not caring," he says. "When I first met you, you walked around carrying the weight of everyone's expectations on your shoulders," he explains as his hands move up to my shoulders, pressing his fingers gently into my collarbone. "You're a lot freer now."

"Yeah, well, I decided the only opinion that matters is my own," I tell him and reach for the beer bottle, taking a sip. "And maybe I care about yours a little."

"You shouldn't," he says. "My opinion doesn't matter. You're incredible without it."

I hum as I consider his words before grinning. "You're right."

"Nerd."

I scrunch my nose up at him as a throat is cleared behind me, earning our attention as I twist in my seat to look at him as Luke's hand moves to my thigh. He brushes his thumb over the denim fabric as we look toward the sound. An older gentlemen, likely in his early to late forties with salt and pepper sprinkled through his dark brown hair. His eyes are gentle, yet hungry. Fully ready to command the room if necessary.

"Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt," he says as he slides off the bar stool and stands tall as he extends his hand outward. "Vince Germain."

Luke narrows his eyes at his hand, but still accepts it. "Luke Alexander."

"You even got the name to go with the rock star persona," he says before extending his hand out to me. I look to Luke for a second before resting my hand in his, his handshake firm, but not in a way meant to intimidate you. It's confident without being cocky.

"Emery," I say with a small smile. "Have we met before?"

"We haven't," he says. "I actually came here tonight hoping I'd get a chance to talk to you, Luke," he explains as he reaches into the back pocket of his jeans. He pulls out his wallet and offers Luke a small card. "You've been making a lot of the noise in the New York area and after seeing a video of your band online, I had to come check you out myself."

I glance at Luke who turns the business card allowing me to the see the front with Vince's name and his title of talent scout written in italics underneath. Immediately, my heart begins to race as we both shift our attention back to Vince.

"I work for a record label out in L.A. and we host a showcase of sorts each year to celebrate the New Year and bright new artists. I know it's short notice, but I think you're exactly what we're looking for and I want to invite you out to join us this year."

"You're serious?" Luke asks, his eyes wide with surprise.

He nods. "I've got a private jet heading out tomorrow night with your name on it, so talk it over with your boys and give me a call if you're interested."

Luke nods because I'm not sure he's able to do much else.

"I look forward to hearing from you, Luke," he says, nodding his head in my direction before turning and leaving us in the quiet silence of awe.

I shift back in my seat, turning towards him and the frozen expression on his face. "Luke?" I say his name softly, hoping to gain his attention back. "Luke," I say again, this time with a little more force as I reach my hands up to rest on his cheeks. "Deep breath."

"Did that just happen?" he asks, finally lifting his gaze to meet mine.

I break out into a grin. "I think that just happened."

"Holy shit." He exhales the word as he leans forward, pressing his forehead to mine. "Holy shit," he says again, this time a little more excited as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me off my seat as he turns.

A squeal falls from my lips as I wrap my arms around his shoulder, hanging onto him as he sets me back on my feet and finds my lips. I grin into the smile as he moves his hands to my cheeks, pulling away with the same look of joy that fills a kids eyes on Christmas morning.

"You have to come with me."

My eyes widen. "You want me to come?"

"Of course, I do," he says. "I need you there with me, 4A."

"Luke, I don't know..." I trail off. "You'll be so busy and I don't want to be a distraction, and there's work, too and..."

He cuts me off before I can continue. "You aren't a distraction," he says and moves his hands down to my waist. "I want you there. You're off until the new year, right? Just come with me, and I promise I'll have you home before you need to get back to work."

"Okay."

He grins. "Okay?"

"Okay," I say with a little more excitement as he wraps his arms back around my waist, lifting me off his feet. I laugh as I wrap my arms around his shoulders, pulling my legs up to wrap around his waist as he hangs onto me tightly.

The excitement of something life changing settling in.