Emily

I stood beside the stage, screaming and singing and jumping around like a crazed fangirl—which I was—while the guys went through their set. Ethan was bare-chested behind his drum kit, arms flying, legs pumping, sweat rolling. And the entire time, he was smiling.

I’d never been to a TotC concert before, and I’d only seen them practice a couple of times, so I couldn’t be sure, but I didn’t think he usually grinned like that while he played.

Between songs, when he was rushing to grab a drink from his bottled water, his eyes strayed to me, and I blew him kisses. Their music was amazing. I’d been listening to it for years. But seeing them live was a whole different ballgame. They were so pumped, so full of energy. Kane and Jared laughed and battled back and forth on their guitars. Lennox bounced on his heels with pent-up energy as he strummed his bass. Kade’s signature menacing voice made you shudder as he stared down the crowd.

It was so intense.

Almost sexual.

I could feel every word; every guitar riff and drum beat thrummed through my whole body like little electrical charges.

Watching them on stage, I wondered if I’d be able to look at any of them again without blushing.

Even Ethan, who I should have no embarrassment left with after some of the things we’d done.

“This your first concert?” Aubrey called, close to my ear, startling me. She handed over a fresh bottle of water with a knowing look.

“My first big one, yeah,” I admitted, straining so she could hear me as the guys thrashed on stage. I’d seen some acts at festivals, fairgrounds and stuff when I was younger—long before I moved to New York—but nothing like this.

She nodded to the insanely cold bottle in my hand. “That’ll help cool you off. You were looking a little flushed.” She smirked, and her eyes strayed back to the stage, locking on her massive, gorgeous husband.

I resumed watching Ethan. Though I tried to enjoy the entire performance, somehow I couldn’t tear my gaze from him for very long, not even for Lennox’s antics or the amazing guitar battles between Jared and Kane.

The muscles in Ethan’s chest were going to be so sore—there was no way around it. Abs, too. Maybe even his back from sitting on that stool for so long, leaning forward.

Someone was getting a nice, long massage as soon as we got back to his loft.

“You going with us in the morning?” Aubrey asked, leaning in.

“Hell yeah. Wouldn’t miss it.” The truth was, they were going to be hard-pressed to do any band stuff without me, as long as Ethan wanted me there, but this particular excursion was special.

It was another reason to adore them all, especially Ethan, who’d had the idea to begin with.

I thought about what was to come as I watched the rest of the concert—what was to come in the morning, and in a week, and in a month, and in the next year.

And for the first time, that little nagging voice was drowned out.

By the sound of the music.

By my feelings for Ethan.

By the hope that this was the beginning of something amazing.

For both of us.

* * *

The hustle between the concert and the late show appearance was insane. The guys fled the stage in a flurry of excited chatter and started stripping off their shirts even before they hit the dressing room. Ethan, of course, already had his off and led the pack, gripping my wrist and pulling me along behind him.

“I always get first shower. If I had more time, I’d ask you to soap up my back but Kade would probably assassinate me for making us all late.”

“Damn right, I would,” Kade’s gravelly voice cut in.

“You’re gonna need that throat soother tea tonight, babe,” Aubrey said as they hurried along behind me and Ethan.

“Nasty shit.”

I glanced over my shoulder at Kade, who was making a finger-down-the-throat gesture.

“Just drink it, you big baby.” Aubrey patted his bicep with the hand he wasn’t holding. “It’s not that bad.”

Ethan hit the dressing room door, and it bounced off the wall behind it. “I’m scrubbing up. Out in five.” He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it, then gave it a little nip before dropping it to dart off to the attached bathroom. “And don’t be flexing your damn muscles at my girl, Lenn, or I’ll burn your nipples off with a blowtorch.”

“I’d never!” Lennox sounded all offended, even as he made his pecs dance and flashed me a shit-eating grin.

Jared reached over and thumped Lennox’s Adam’s apple, making him cough and flinch away. “Back off Ethan’s girl, dickhead.”

“It’s okay, Jared. Lennox is just fishing for compliments,” I chirped, beaming at Lennox. “Those are great muscles you have there, little fella. You keep eating your vegetables, and one day they’ll get big and powerful just like Ethan’s.”

The entire room erupted with laughter.

With the exception of Lennox, of course, who just scowled at me and went to grab a beer from the mini-fridge.

Jared walked over and patted me on the shoulder, still chuckling. “He’s speechless, which almost never happens. Good job.”

It wasn’t much, but those words from Jared, accompanied by the nod of approval he followed them with, meant more to me than if he’d waxed poetic all night.

Turned out Jared really didn’t need to say much to make himself heard. And I heard him loud and clear. I was wrong about him.

He liked me just fine.

Which was good, since Ethan loved me. Was in love with me.

This was by far my favorite Thanksgiving ever.