Taking it slow is fucking difficult. Especially with Violet in that tiny bikini, her body soft and pliable in my arms.

Somehow, I manage to drag myself away from her. Somehow, I manage to get back into my clothes for long enough to take her to dinner. The Mexican place we stumble into is amazing. The steak tacos are chewy and juicy with plenty of tart lime and sharp cilantro. I've been avoiding Mexican food since Violet left—a feat in southern California, where not liking tacos is akin to not liking breathing. Eating dripping street tacos with Violet is like coming home.

It feels right.

Feels comfortable the way my favorite pair of jeans does.

When we finish eating, we walk back to the hotel, hand in hand. It's like old times, when we were together.

I walk her all the way to her hotel room.

She shifts her weight between her legs as she pulls her keycard from her jeans. Her green eyes fill with desire but there's uncertainty in them too.

Not doing this until she's certain.

"Thanks, Ethan. I missed swimming." She brushes her hair behind her ears then reaches up to do the same to me. Her fingertips skim my jaw. "I can't remember the last time I had this much fun."

"Me either."

"Really?"

I nod. I love getting on stage. I do a lot of fun shit with the guys on tour. Do a lot of anonymous women. But none of that compares to Violet. When she smiles… it's like the sun is breaking over the horizon.

I've always liked to entertain. That's what drew me to the guitar in the first place. I live to get people laughing, smiling, screaming, gasping.

Always feels good to cause a reaction but Violet's reactions are in a different league.

"I… I'm glad we have these, what is it now, eight more days together?" She drags her fingertips over the edges of her keycard. "Mind if I take a raincheck on the remake of The Fly?"

"I should practice."

"Still a perfectionist."

Yes, but- "I'm filling in for Drew, the Sinful Serenade guitarist, tomorrow. His fiancée is pregnant. He's going to a doctor's appointment with her. I'm his backup."

Her lips curl into a smile. There's something in her eyes, something I can't place. It's something good. Almost like pride.

"It's no big deal." I run my hand through my hair. "Just helping a friend."

She nods, but she's still looking at me like I'm a saint. She sees through me. It is a big deal. It's a lot of work and a lot of pressure. Don't get me wrong. I can do it. I'm glad to do it.

But it's a big fucking deal.

God damn, I want her looking at me like that forever.

Or at least until I start stripping her out of her clothes.

Fuck. Need to get out of here before I forget about taking it slow.

"I'll see you at the sound check tomorrow?" I ask.

"At the show. I have to catch up on school work after I finish with the books." She looks up at me. "Don't work too hard."

"You either."

She laughs. "We're so full of it, huh?"

I raise a brow.

"About working. We're addicted."

"Yeah." But I know how to get her mind off her studies. I slide my hand around her waist and pull her into a deep kiss.

Violet arches her back as she groans into my mouth. She wants more.

Every part of me, one in particular, wants more.

Somehow, I manage to pull back. I press my forehead to hers. "Goodnight, Vi."

"Goodnight, Ethan." She looks back at me as she steps inside her room.

It takes every bit of self-control I have, but I do manage to talk myself out of knocking on her door and insisting she come on my hand again.

* * *

I've filled in for Drew twice so far. Did all right both times. But all right isn't good enough.

God damn, I'm sweating bullets here. It's three minutes until Sinful Serenade is going on stage. I should be loose and relaxed with damn, Dangerous Noise killed it energy.

But I'm not.

I go through my warm-up stretches. At this point, I'm already warm, but it gives me something to do.

Mal pats me on the back. "You okay?"

I'm not okay and he knows it. I smile back at him. "Great, thanks."

He shakes his head: one day you'll get it. "If you want to back down, I know the Sinful Serenade setlist as well as you do."

I stare daggers at Mal.

He chuckles. "Break a leg." He pats me on the back then makes his way to his Bay Area fuck buddy, a brunette in jeans and a tight red sweater.

She lights up when he greets her. He leans in to whisper—I don't need to go there.

Mal has half a dozen fuck buddies scattered around the country. He has a girl everywhere except southern California. When we're home, Mal spends all his free time with Piper.

Okay. Enough about my brother's habits.

Need my head in the game. We've got two minutes to show time. I start on another round of stretches.

A familiar voice stops me. "I've never seen you this nervous." Violet squeezes my hand. She looks up at me. "Anything I can do?"

There's a lot she can do but none of it gets my head in the game. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck." She rises to her tiptoes and brushes her lips against mine. "If luck isn't enough, take off your clothes. I guarantee that will win the crowd over."

I laugh. "Nothing to do with you wanting to see me naked?"

"Ethan, please. I'm only concerned about the artistry of your performance."

"One minute!" The stage manager, a short, balding guy named Jim with a clipboard and a bad attitude, calls out. "Where the fuck is everybody?" He hightails it to the Sinful Serenade dressing room.

Violet squeezes my hand and takes a step backwards. "I'll be watching."

That isn't helping get my head in the game either. I take a deep breath. There's Miles, the Sinful Serenade singer, offering Jim a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Poor Jim is a wreck. Miles is cool as a cucumber.

The stage lights turn off. The crowd claps and cheers. Then they're chanting. Damn, must be nice to be that popular.

Miles winks at me. "Break a leg." He makes his way to the stage.

Then it's Tom and Pete. I've known the Steele brothers since forever. We were all in a band together back in high school. Had to quit when my parents bailed to study the gorillas in Africa. They're the same as they were then. Tom is a ball of energy. Pete is stoic and quiet. When he talks, it's usually about sex. Or to fight with Tom. They bicker like an old married couple.

Tom motions for me to follow him. I do. It was barely an hour ago that I stepped onto this stage, but that can't compare to this.

I can feel the energy of the crowd in my bones. Their cheers echo around the room.

I take my place on stage, guitar around my shoulders, feet in a boxer's shuffle.

The lights flicker on. That's my cue. I'm the one who starts this. The crowd screams as I strum my guitar. My nerves make my fingers slow and stupid. Little by little, I shake off everything but the music flowing from my instrument and the energy flowing back from the crowd.

The crowd bursts into applause when we finish the first song.

Miles looks back to me and motions come here. Then he's blowing kisses to the crowd. "I'm sure you all remember Mr. Ethan Strong, the lead guitarist of Dangerous Noise."

The crowd cheers and claps for me the same way they do for Sinful Serenade. Then people are chanting my name.

Miles laughs. "He's doing us a big favor filling in for Drew tonight." He waits until the crowd stops screaming for Drew. "He wanted to be here, but his girl's expecting and he's quite the committed baby daddy."

The cheers get the loudest they've been. I guess it figures that Sinful Serenade's predominantly female fan base would swoon over a responsible rock star father-to-be.

"I know you're crying your eyes out that I'm off the market." Miles winks at me. He turns to the crowd as he holds up is left hand to show off his wedding ring. "But Ethan here is single. So how about you let him know how badly you want him… to play."

I know how to play my part. I'm the sexy manwhore guitarist. I find a girl in the general admission and wink at her. She gasps and squeezes her friend's arm.

I look back to the side of the stage. Violet is standing there, watching me with a smile spread across her face. When she catches my gaze she motions take it off.

Good advice. I tug at my t-shirt, teasing the crowd. The cheers get louder. Louder. Fuck it. I pull the t-shirt over my head and toss it into the crowd.

The woman who catches it squeals with pleasure.

Miles laughs. He motions for me to hit my cue.

And I do. This time, my fingers find their footing by the third note.

* * *

The crowd screams as the lights go off.

My hands are aching and I'm so slick with sweat my guitar won't stay in place.

Instinct is the only thing that gets me off the stage. Then I'm backstage, being ushered by Jim into a private room. It's nice for a dressing room. It's clean, bright, and empty save for a couch and a table with snacks.

Miles pats me on the shoulder. "Good job. You killed it."

Tom nods. "Fucker, that's my line." He smiles at me then he turns to Miles. "You gotta remind women I'm taken or they'll get disappointed."

"Yeah?" Miles raises a brow. "You think there's anybody alive who doesn't know you're married when you post photo by my wife next to every naked pic on your Instagram?"

"Want to show off her talent." Tom laughs. "We're a talented couple."

"Her name—" Miles motions to his hipbone "—is in half the shots. People get it." Miles turns to Pete, the Sinful Serenade bassist. "Did take balls getting Willow that close to his dick."

Pete chuckles. He brushes a long, dark bang from his face and makes eye contact with me. "You did kill it, Ethan. We all owe you one."

"You guys would have done the same." I slide my hand into the back pocket of my jeans.

Tom shakes his head. "Fuck no. You couldn't pay me to play for three hours straight." He looks to Miles. "Would you?"

Miles shakes his head.

Pete too.

"Damn, we're all old and jaded." Tom winks at me. "When I first picked up a pair of sticks, you had to pry me away from my drum kit. And Ethan jumped to fill in for Drew. Fuck, I should bow or some shit."

"You should," Miles says.

Tom does bow.

I laugh. I appreciate the positive feedback, but I don't need another three guys looking at me like I'm their little brother.

"You want to hit the town, Ethan? I know Miles is gonna say some shit about how he has to catch up on his reading. And I know my brother's about to head to his bunk for some way too loud phone sex." Tom sticks his tongue out in disgust.

Pete chuckles. "Don't listen if you don't like it."

"Don't have a fucking choice in the matter. You're loud on purpose," Tom says.

"That's how Jess likes it. Not about to leave her high and dry because you can't bother to buy ear plugs." Pete feigns innocence.

Miles says, "At least he's creative. When you do it—"

"Like you're better." Tom folds his arms, indignant. He looks to me. "What do you say, Ethan? You a boring old man like the three of us or you want to have some fun?"

Miles laughs. He leans against the wall as he turns to me. "Didn't you see the hot redhead who was staring at his ass?"

Tom nods. "I have eyes. And I know Violet. They were unstoppable together. I was sure you were gonna put a ring on that."

"With a girl that fine—you gotta let her know you're committed," Miles says.

"Give him a break. He's just a kid," Tom says.

"How old are you, Ethan?" Miles asks.

"Twenty-four."

"You're only twenty-five." Miles shakes his head at Tom. "You think you're more mature than him 'cause you convinced a nice girl to marry you?"

"Yeah. Means I'm doing something right." Tom looks to me. "You gonna make that happen?"

Last thing I need is more people getting in my business. I shrug with as much nonchalance as I can muster.

"Nobody's buying that," Tom says. "Especially not me. You looked at that girl the way that pervert over there—" Tom nods to his brother, Pete "—looks at a bass guitar."

"Why don't you say he looks at her the way Pete looks at his wife?" Miles asks.

"Because the way he looks at his wife is grosser than the way Ethan looks at Violet. Ethan's not a disgusting pervert like you two," Tom says.

"Sounds like an insult to me. Don't take shit from Sticks," Pete says. "You can be as much of a pervert as you want to be."

Miles turns to me. "Don't let the hand cramps stop you, Ethan. That's why man invented the vibrator. It's a tool. Like an amp. Doesn't make you any less of a man."

"I think the guy knows about the vibrator," Tom says.

"You're the one saying he's not a pervert," Miles says.

"Okay, sorry. Ethan's a pervert! Are you happy?" Tom asks.

"Peachy." Miles blows Tom a kiss.

Pete chuckles. He tosses me a spare Sinful Serenade t-shirt. "You gonna listen to our bullshit, or you gonna go satisfy your girl?"

"She's not my girl," I say.

"Not with that attitude," Pete says.

The man has a point.

We have a few hours until we're due back on the bus. As much as I enjoy the company of the Sinful guys, I want to spend that time with Violet.

I pull the t-shirt on.

Miles claps. "That's my boy."

I nod a thanks as I step into the hallway. It's crowded with crew and hangers-on. But I can see Violet in the corner, chatting with Joel. God knows what the drummer is telling her.

People offer congrats and good jobs as I cut through the crowd. Any other day, I'd stop to soak in the admiration. Right now, I need to be near Violet.

Fuck, I need to be inside Violet.

"Excuse me for cutting in." I slide between her and Joel.

"Hey! Don't be rude. We were just gossiping about you," he says.

I keep my eyes on Violet's. "Is that right?"

She nods. "Debating whether or not your ego will get too big to fit through the door. My money's on yes." Her voice is light. She's teasing and she's having fun doing it.

"Mine too. Not a good debate really." Joel laughs. He leans in to whisper in my ear. "I can keep Kit and Mal distracted for an hour tops if you want the bus to yourself."

Fuck, when did Joel become such a genius? "Sounds good."

Violet arches a brow. "Have I become the subject of gossip?"

Joel shrugs. "Sorry, Valentine. No one is immune. You're still my favorite." He blows her a kiss as he walks away.

She laughs. "He hasn't changed at all." Her fingers graze my bicep. Then she's tracing the lettering on my t-shirt. "I like your taste. Hot pink is a bold choice for a man."

"Thanks."

"Suits your complexion too." She looks up at me. "You know, I heard what Joel said, about us being alone in the bus."

"Just Joel, being Joel."

"Oh." She presses her lips together with disappointment.

"Vi, every inch of me wants to fuck you." I lean close enough to press my forehead to hers. "But I'm not in a rush. I want you to be sure you want it too."

She looks up at me. "I… I don't want to lead you on, Ethan. It will just be sex."

She's wrong about that. But we can start with it just being sex. "Okay." I press my palm into her lower back and pull her body into mine.

She sighs with pleasure as she arches her back. "Fuck." She presses her cheek against mine. "You're making it hard to think."

I rock my hips so she can feel my erection. "You have no fucking idea how badly I want to pin you to that wall and fuck you until you're screaming my name."

"Why aren't you?"

"Don't want an audience." I run my fingers through her hair.

She leans into the gesture. "I don't want either of us to get hurt. How about some ground rules?"

"Sounds reasonable."

"Good." She slides her hand under my t-shirt and drags her fingers over my side and back. "This is just while I'm on tour with you. When I step off the bus in New York, the two of us being friends with benefits is over."

Gives me eight days to convince her she wants to be mine again. I can do that. "Okay."

"We'll be exclusive." She looks up at me with uncertainty.

"You really have to ask?"

She nods.

"You're the only person I want." I pin her to the wall. "I'm clean. Always use a condom. Even for oral. You're the only person I've ever gone bareback with."

She groans with pleasure. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"I am too. And I still have an IUD." She drags her lips over my neck. "Okay. No condoms. I don't want anything in the way."

Damn, why did I wear such tight jeans?

I'm tempted to fuck her here. With the way she's arching her body into mine, I know she'll say yes. But I don't want an audience. I don't want anything in the way of her screaming my name.

I slide my arm around her waist and lead her to the side door.