When the lights went down and The Devil’s Tattoo went on stage, it was a new Zoe the audience was getting that night, and Zoe Mark 2 was amped up and raw.

I hadn’t told the whole truth to Will—I was far from ready—but I’d let him in more than anyone. Other than Dee, who’d been my savior all these years, he was the only other person I’d let past most of my walls. He said he wouldn’t hurt me, and that was the one thing I wanted to hold on to. That and his heart.

Even when it came time for ‘Walls’ and the words that described the painful memory of my past, I didn’t flinch. I could feel Will’s gaze on me the entire time. I didn’t have to look to the side of the stage to know he was there. All of our songs were about love and sex, and I found myself singing them all for him.

We were in the middle of country Victoria, the crowd was smaller than the capital cities had been, but it was jam-packed and close. A sweaty furnace of people pressed up against the front of the stage, singing along to our songs, taking pictures on their phones, and cheering. The fact that people knew our stuff and loved it was a feeling beyond anything I could have ever hoped for, but having Will there made it euphoric.

I didn’t want this feeling to end.

‘Bombard’ was the song Will had set his video to, and all I could think of was the fact he had been watching me. It sounded creepy, but he’d done it to please me. I didn’t realize at the time, but sitting with him that day had melted something inside me. It was the beginning of the end.

As I stood on top of the bass drum, the sound of my guitar reverbing off into nothing, our eyes locked. I stared down at him, hair plastered to my sweaty face, and if I hadn’t been standing in such an awkward position, on stage no less, I would have thrown myself at him there and then. When I jumped down, it was a miracle I landed steadily on both feet.

Dee pulled me to the front of the stage, and people held out their hands, and I shook as many as I could. This was why we’d started the band. Not for the adoration but for the knowledge that the things we wrote spoke to someone.

When The Stabs went on stage, I stood in the wings as I’d done so many times in the last few weeks, but this time felt like the first. I’d been so determined to fight my attraction to Will that I’d never really paid attention to him. The others, yes, but never to their infuriatingly sexy bass player. I leaned against the wall, and my gaze never left him. I didn’t care one iota what I looked like, anymore. Dee stood with me, but he may as well have been invisible for all the attention I paid him. We were all riding high.

As each song went by, I took in everything. The way Will’s fingers slid over the strings of his bass, the way he leaned his mouth against the microphone, the way his hair fell into his eyes. Occasionally, he’d look up and see me watching, and a lopsided grin would invade his features. This time, it was unguarded and full of the things he wanted to do to me.

The stage was like a second home to him, and I understood completely. It was the same for me. He said that the real Zoe was the woman who stood front and center and gave her all to the music. I was more determined than ever to make that a reality off stage, as well.

It was like someone had flipped a switch inside me, and now that the floodgate was open, there was nothing stopping me from falling head first into the consuming passion I felt for Will Strickland. What made me reel was that he had said he felt it, too. He didn’t need to say anything. It was in everything he did.

When their set finally finished, he walked straight off the stage and crashed into me, his lips on mine, his tongue teasing. A whimper escaped me, and he pulled away, cupping my face.

“You drive a man to distraction, Zo,” he said. “Looking at me like that.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’ll see you in a minute,” he said, brushing a thumb over my bottom lip, and he disappeared with his bass into the band room.

“If you’re done sucking face,” Dee declared from beside me, “can we go get a drink or ten?”

I’d forgotten he was there, and I didn’t think he’d registered with Will, either. With a giddy smile, I threaded my arm through his, and we made our way into the crowd. When we found the others near the bar, Frank, Simone, and Chris welcomed us with knowing smiles.

“And Zoe Granger’s back in the game with a bang.” Frank chortled, pulling me into a bear hug.

“She won’t be in it for long if you don’t stop suffocating her,” I cried, my voice muffled against his chest.

“Seriously, Zo,” he whispered in my ear. “Glad you’re feelin’ better.”

“I’m sorry, guys,” I said with a grimace. I had to take some blame for what happened. After all, it was my reaction that had snowballed.

“You’ve nothin’ to be sorry for,” Chris said.

“Yes, I do. I’m sorry,” I said firmly. “I let it affect the band, and a gig suffered for it. I promise I won’t let it happen again.”

“You know how annoying it’s been watching you two pine over each other?” Dee said, puckering his lips at me and instantly lightening the mood.

That earned him a sharp slap on the arm and loud laughter and catcalls from the guys. A grin spread across my face, and the sense of euphoria that had been building inside me all night surfaced. It was such an alien feeling that at first, it felt wrong, but the look Dee gave me when he saw the smile on my face made me realize it couldn’t get any more right than it was at that very moment.

Arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and I caught sight of a black panther tattoo.

“Hey,” Will murmured into my ear as warmth spread through my body.

Looking up at him, I said, “Hey.”

His lips brushed against my forehead. “This is nice.”

“What?” I asked, knowing exactly what he was referring to, but I wanted to hear him say it.

“Touching you.”

A shiver ran down my spine, and I felt his lips curve into a smile against my skin. “Likewise.”

“Ahh.” He sighed. “This is bad.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just want to kiss you and touch you…” I felt his hand between us, moving over my ass before lightly pressing between my legs. “There.”

“Fuck,” I hissed as I felt myself clench. “I’m thinking that was payback.”

“See it how you want, Zo.”

I remembered how he called me Zo that night on the balcony of the pub in the middle of nowhere and how uncomfortable it had made me feel. Now he could call me whatever the hell he wanted as long as he kept doing that.

“You were… There are no words to describe how you were on stage tonight.”

I turned around so we were face to face, and I could see into his eyes. “You make me feel alive, Will Strickland.” There was no truer statement I could have made at that moment.

“If I make you feel alive, then you set me on fire.” He pressed his lips against mine, hands firmly on my waist.

“You know, there are other people around,” Dee said, the amusement plain in his voice. “Stop rubbing it in.”

I spun around with a laugh and thumped him playfully on the shoulder. Louie and Pete brought over a round of drinks, and we tried to spend the rest of the night socializing, but it was difficult not to disappear back to the hotel. Will threaded his fingers through mine and hardly let go all night.

I noticed Simone talking and laughing with Chris. He was standing close to her, leaning in every time she said something. I caught his eye, and he smiled slyly at me. I raised my eyebrows in question, and he nodded. Good for them. It looked like everything was beginning to work out.

It was three a.m. by the time Will and I wandered back to the hotel, his arm around my waist. Everyone else had broken off one by one and bailed until we were the last. We’d resolved to take things slowly despite the deep sexual attraction. Still, we hovered outside of Dee’s and my hotel room, reluctant to part.

“Tonight has gotta be one of the best nights ever,” he said quietly.

“It’s definitely top ten,” I joked.

“Top ten?” He feigned offence. “What else is better?”

I pretended to think. “Um… Music. Being on stage. Christmas holidays.”

“Christmas holidays are better than me?”

“I said top ten. I didn’t specify the order.”

He planted a kiss on the corner of my mouth, silencing me. “You’re my number one.”

Unlocking the door, I peered inside, but the room was dark. I could just make out Dee’s sleeping form and the pile of clothes he’d flung all over the floor.

“Dee’s already asleep,” I whispered.

“I was hoping we could boot him out,” Will murmured, hooking his fingers through the belt loops on my jeans.

“We can room tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

He pressed me against the doorframe and kissed me, slow and deep, making my insides twist with desire. My hands fisted into his shirt as his crept underneath mine.

The one thing I suddenly hated with a vengeance about being on tour was the lack of privacy.

“Goodnight.” He sighed against my swollen mouth.

“Goodnight.”

* * *

“I saw you dry humping against the doorframe last night,” Dee whispered into my ear, making me choke on the bottle of water I was trying to drown my Will hangover with.

We stood beside the bus, getting ready to jump on for the next leg of the tour. We only had three shows to do before we headed back to Melbourne for the final two.

“You were awake?” I spluttered, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

“You woke me up.”

“Dee!”

He elbowed me with a sly grin. “Don’t worry, Zo. I already arranged a room swap with Pete.”

“Uh, thanks?”

He threw an arm around my shoulder and laughed. “You need to get some.”

To his surprise I said, “Yeah. I’m so bloody horny.”

“Bloody hell, Zoe! Too much information. My ears. They burn!”

“You started it.”

“You continued it.”

Simone laughed as she passed us. “They’re at it again.”

Before she went any farther, I ran forward and pulled her to the side. “So?”

“So what?” she asked with a small blush.

“Simone.” My good mood was infectious as her face split into a grin.

“He kissed me.”

“When?”

She sighed. “Last night.”

“Good,” I said firmly. “I’m glad.”

“I think you inspired him, you know, after everything.”

I grimaced. “Well, at least it all worked out, huh?”

“I’m happy for you too, Zoe. I know I don’t know the full story, but you deserve it after everything.”

“Thanks.”

She gave me a small wave as she moved off toward the car where Dean was arranging the remaining boxes of merchandise.

“You’re beautiful, Zoe Granger,” Will whispered into my ear.

The fact he’d remembered his promise from the night before sent shivers down my spine. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me toward the bus. As I climbed into a spot at the back, he dumped his jacket on the seat across the aisle and slid into the seat next to mine. “I can’t sit next to you, Zoe.”

“Why not?”

“You know why.”

I shrugged. “Sorry, you’ve lost me.”

He wound a hand into the hair at the nape of my neck and pulled me roughly toward him, his lips crushing against mine as he slid his tongue deep into my mouth. Just as abruptly, he pulled away.

“That’s why,” he said through a heavy breath.

I gasped. “No funny business on the bus.”

“This is a G-rated bus,” Dee called from the seat in front, making everyone laugh and whistle. Bob thumped his fist down on the horn, and we collapsed against each other, unable to control our laughter.

So this was what being happy was like. It was a nice feeling, and I hoped it was going to stay around for a while.

I really needed it to stick.