Parker

When we finish out set, I stash my guitar with Sia’s keyboard behind the stage. “Lookin’ good,” the manager calls to me with a sly grin and a thumbs-up.

Like he’s—like he’s hitting on me.

Seriously? No way. “The crowd was great,” I call back.

We’ve been playing here most Saturdays for the last two years, and it’s usually crowded, but never this packed. Not that I would’ve cared tonight if it was a one-person crowd or a fire hazard.

Knox is here.

And I’m taking him home with me tonight. And my brothers can suck it.

My besties and I head out to the dining room to join our fan club. More specifically, our favorite fan club members, because we’re damn popular tonight. We weave around the tables, taking high-fives. Sia stops to sign one guy’s forehead. Her brothers are falling behind, because they’re the size of small houses and can’t fit between the tables and keep getting stopped for fist bumps and signatures and challenges to see who can slam a kale quinoa mango berry smoothie fastest.

We reach the table, and Sia slides into Chase’s lap with a wide smile. “Hey, you ugly jerk.”

While I try to avoid watching them go all kissy-face, Knox pulls me into his lap. “Loved the show.” He presses a kiss to my cheek while he slides a hand down my spine, and I suddenly don’t care about getting my complimentary sprout bowl and juice.

As if I cared in the first place. I give my little brother a finger wave. “Quit scowling, Gavin. That’s no way to make a good first impression.”

“He’s looking at your boobs.”

If that’s the biggest objection my brother has to my fake fiancé—whom he doesn’t know is my fake fiancé yet, I hope, and I’m planning to keep it that way—I’m doing something right.

Except…

Knox is peering very intently at my boobs, with a frown drawing his brows together.

Heat flushes out from my nipples to my belly.

And not only is he peering, he’s brushing the swell of my left breast. Holy hot chachas. As if I haven’t figured it out already, I’m starting to see why Sia gets off on doing it in public.

“Is that an ape?” Knox asks.

“What? No, that’s—huh.” I tilt my head and pull my Backstreet Boys tank top out for a better view, then push my boob toward Sia while Knox keeps me firmly planted on his lap. I smack her arm to get her attention. “Hey. Quit sucking face and look at this. Who is he? The one who looks like an ape?”

Willow and Eloise are leaning in for a closer look at my chest. So is Gavin, who’s apparently forgiven Knox for being aware of the fact that I have boobs. Sia’s brothers are still near the stage, signing autographs and knocking over chairs as they try to demonstrate their dance moves again.

“Kevin Richardson,” Sia declares after a quick glance. “You washed off part of his outline and ruined his forehead line. Isn’t that the third shirt this month you’ve desecrated? At this rate, we’re going to have to start going to more recent boy band concerts to get new stage wardrobes.”

Knox rubs a hand down my bare thigh, and more sparks explode across my skin. He grins like he knows what his touch is doing to me, and—whoa. Either he has a third leg sprouting under my ass, or he’s getting turned on by touching me too. I wiggle in his lap, and—yep, definitely enjoying this.

“How often do you go to boy band concerts?” he asks as though he’s not pulling my hips tighter against that hard bulge in his pants.

“As often as humanly possible,” I declare. “You want to come next time?”

“Not if you’re not playing.”

“Aww, you two are adorable,” Eloise says. “Get a room.”

That sounds like a fantastic idea. “You want to meet Sia’s brothers, or do you want to get out of here?”

“You have to ask?”

There’s a possibility walking will be awkward for him, so yes, I do. “I know. There’s something irresistible about the twins.”

“Fuckin’ right,” Eloise says.

Sia wrinkles her nose. “You’re all disgusting.”

“Okay, pot,” Willow chimes in, and everyone cracks up.

But as much fun as this is, I’m about done for the night. I rise and pull Knox up with me. “We’re heading out. Catch you guys later.”

“Obvious much?” Sia teases.

I flip her off, much to the further amusement of everyone at the table, and follow it with a pointed glare at my brother. “Stay. Here.”

“He’s got reading to do,” Knox says, and look at that—the birds are flying tonight.

Knox ignores Gavin’s middle finger and slides a hand around my waist. “Let’s go get your guitar and get out of here.”

Sounds perfect to me.