My stomach roiled at Emily's words. Disappointment and not a bit of disgust swept through me. Is that all anyone cared about? Who everyone was sleeping with? It was supposed to be about the music, not about sleazy gossip.

Liam shifted on the sofa and eyed me carefully. I bit my tongue to keep my fit of pique under control. I didn't want to cause an outburst.

But then Emily followed up with a second question and my raised hackles began to lower.

"It must be hard for your loved ones," she said. "Everything is changing so fast. You're getting media attention, you're going to be on tour."

My tensed muscles eased. So it wasn't about tawdry rumors. It was about something deeper. I could understand where she was coming from with a question like that.

"I can jump in and answer," Gael said. "I'm in a serious, committed relationship. And I have to admit it's hard sometimes. But my girlfriend knew what I was from the start."

"And what would that be?" Emily asked with a teasing tone, as if she knew exactly what answer she was going to get.

"A rock star god, that's what." My brother gave a cheeky grin. "And Jessie wasn't impressed by that one bit, let me tell you."

Emily looked to Nathan expectantly. "And you?"

A slow, lazy smile crept across his lips. "I'm still just looking for that one special girl," he drawled.

I nearly snorted. If by looking, Nate meant sleeping his way across the city, then he sure was.

"Liam, as the newest member of the group, you've been pretty quiet," Emily said. "Can I ask why you've joined as a session guitarist? I'm sure your fans would love to see you form another band."

Liam's lips pressed together. "I'm just looking for something temporary right now."

"Any thoughts about starting your own after this? Or maybe even joining Cherry Lips full time?"

Liam's face turned pained. "No," he said shortly. "No plans for that."

Emily blinked, taken aback at his curt tone. I was a bit taken aback as well. Liam hadn't shown any interest in joining the band, but I hadn't thought he'd be so completely against the idea.

She changed tracks. "And do you have a special someone waiting at home for you?"

"Not in that sense," Liam replied, leaning back into his chair. "But there's this girl I’ve been pursuing. I think she's pretty amazing but she keep shutting me down."

My previously relaxed shoulders bunched up.

"That must be different for you," Emily laughed. "I'm sure it's usually the opposite, right?"

"I'm not used to being shot down so quickly and with such force," Liam said. "But she's in the music industry, so I hope we can continue working together closely."

It was like he wanted people to realize he was talking about me. I narrowed my eyes at Liam but he didn’t glance my way.

“She sounds feisty,” Emily said.

I fought the urge to recoil. Liam just laughed.

“That’s a good word to describe her. But she's also beyond talented. Hard working. She's extraordinary, really." His grin faded into a smile as his gaze went soft. “I actually ran into her a couple of times but I suppose the timing wasn’t right. We just recently reconnected. I’m hoping this time both of us stick around longer. Or at least long enough to convince her to give me a shot."

“I’m sure there are plenty of girls out there who wouldn’t mind giving Liam Knight a chance to woo her,” Emily said.

“None of them are her,” he said.

If Emily were any less professional, I would have thought she’d faint into a swoon at Liam’s declaration.

If I were any less professional, I might have done the same. Liam Knight knew how to lay on the charm.

But the irritation rising in my chest shoved away any thoughts of swooning or wooing. Instead, all I felt was the urge to be sick.

I couldn’t understand what the hell Liam was thinking. Couldn’t he see how people might put two and two together and figure out he was talking about me? There was no way he could think I’d be okay with that.

“Thanks guys, I think that’s all I need.” Emily got up and did the rounds again, shaking everyone’s hand. When she got to me, she cracked a small smile.

“Thank you for your candid responses,” she said. “Would you like me to send you the final draft before it’s published? Just to make sure I represent your words correctly?"

“I’d like that, thank you.” She probably wouldn’t let me veto anything, but at least I’d get a heads up if she were going to release something that would give me heart palpitations.

The minute she left, I followed, intending to get a drink. I needed to get away from Liam before I said something I'd regret.

But of course, I soon heard the footsteps of him following me out the door. I tried to ignore him, but the steps got closer and closer, until I knew he was right behind me. I could practically feel the heat radiating off him.

I whirled around. We were nose to nose. I almost stepped to the side, but something inside me refused to back down. "I'm sorry, did you need something?"

"You running again?" he asked.

"I'm getting a bottle of water."

"Why are you upset?"

"Why do you think?"

He tilted his head at me. "Nothing I said was untrue."

"That's the point." I inhaled deeply, ready to rail at him. I slowly let it out, forcing myself to relax. I was going to have this conversation, calm and collected. "I don't want you insinuating there's something between us."

"I didn't." He quirked a smile. "I insinuated there's nothing between me and the girl I'm pursuing because she keeps rejecting me."

"And why do you think that is?" I asked. "Could it be because the last thing I need is for people to start speculating about who I'm dating? Could it be because the last thing I want is for people to shove me into that shallow celebrity box that makes everyone forget about the music and instead turns me into some sort of sex symbol as if the only thing that matters is how many guys I'm fucking?"

I had to pause as I ran out of breath. So much for calm.

"Is that really what you think is going to happen?" he asked.

"Yes," I said firmly. "And you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's the Taylor Swift effect. She's in the news all the time not because of her latest album, but because she's broken another guy's heart. No one cares about the true meaning of her lyrics; they just try to decipher which ex-boyfriend she's singing about. You think I want that for myself?"

Liam's eyebrows drew down into a frown. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't think of it like that."

"Of course you didn't. You're a guy. You don't have to think about these things."

"I was just playing around in the interview. I didn't mean to make things harder on you. I'm sorry," he said again.

The irritation tingling through me began to fade. "Apology accepted."

"But I meant what I said," he continued. "I really do think you're extraordinary. And talented. And hard working."

He had said all that, hadn't he? I'd been so upset at the rest of it, I'd almost forgotten he'd said those words. A faint glow began to take hold in my chest.

"You're amazing," he repeated quietly. "There's something different about you. You've got this fire inside you. This drive. You're going to achieve incredible things."

Liam put a finger on the tip of my chin, tilting my head up. I met his eyes.

"You wonder why I keep pursuing you even though you always shut me down?" he asked. "It's because of that fire. That radiance. You're going to burn like the sun. And I want to catch one of those rays. I want to feel that warmth, even if it's just for a minute."

My breath hitched in my throat.

"You're going to explode like a supernova, Cerise," he said. "And I want to be there to see it."