"You better be nice to her," Cameron warned Damon.

"When am I ever not nice?" the twin replied, sounding affronted.

"You can't tell me you're not already thinking of putting a dead frog in Hope's bedsheets."

"I'm not that immature," Damon protested. "At worst, it would be a live frog."

Cameron snorted.

Ian was on his way back from the airport after picking up his girlfriend, and was due any minute. The others had taken to warning Damon to be on his best behavior.

"Just don't be a dick to her," Noah said.

"Like you can talk," Damon retorted.

"That's different," Cameron said. "Noah's a dick to everyone."

Before the lead singer could defend himself, the hotel suite door opened and in walked Ian with his arm around Hope's waist. From their messed hair, flushed cheeks, and red lips, I had to assume there had been some making out on the elevator, and possibly even some groping.

Ian's face was alight with a wide smile. It was a great improvement on the wounded eyes and concerned looks he'd been throwing August's way ever since his fall.

"Hey gorgeous," Cameron grinned at Hope and gave her a tight squeeze. "How are things back home?"

"Lily's doing fine," she replied, answering his unspoken question. "She wishes she could be here, but with school and everything…"

Cameron's wide grin faltered, expression turning glum, before he plastered the smile back on.

"You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder."

He tried to sound chipper, but couldn't hide the dejection in his voice.

"She did give me something to give to you." Hope pulled out an envelope from her purse and handed it over. "It's one of her sketches. Lily said not to open it in public."

Cameron's eyes lit up with naughty mischief. "So it's tasteful nudes? I like."

Noah grumbled from where he sat on an armchair in the corner. Cameron smirked at him.

"It's nice to see you again, Hope," August said before the two of them could get going.

"Good to see you, too." Her smile didn't waver, no concern or worry in her tone. I had to wonder if Ian kept from her what happened with August.

"Yeah, it's good to see you again," Damon said. "How was your flight?"

Everyone in the room stared at Damon. Ian looked taken aback. Hope's eyes went wide with shock, before a pleased, bright smile crossed her lips.

"The flight was good. Short." She looked around the room, meeting everyone's eyes with a questioning look. No one explained Damon's politeness. "I hope I'm not intruding too much by joining you guys for a few days."

"Nah, it's cool," Damon said with a careless shrug. "I'm sure Cassie will appreciate the company. Might get tiring, being around all this testosterone."

That bright smile turned to me.

"Cassie! How are you enjoying tour life so far? Have the guys driven you insane yet?"

"Not yet." Hope really did seem like a sweet girl. "Maybe give it a few more weeks."

Cameron continued to pepper Hope with questions about back home, no doubt wanting more details about how his girlfriend was faring.

I eyed Damon. He looked vaguely unsettled, like something was itching under his skin.

Ian was glancing at his brother quizzically, as if trying to figure him out. Hope asked Ian a question, drawing his attention back to her with a doting smile.

Damon saw me staring at him. He raised an eyebrow.

What? He mouthed silently.

Nothing, I replied, suppressing a smile.

It looked like Damon had taken my words to heart. He was trying, for Ian's sake, to be pleasant around his brother's girlfriend.

"We were thinking of hitting a club," Cameron told Hope. "Get a few drinks to celebrate your arrival."

"You don't need to celebrate just because I'm here," Hope said.

"Shh," Cameron said in a fake whisper. "We're just using you as an excuse to get hammered."

Hope laughed.

"Do you really need an excuse for that?"

"We haven't gone out on this tour yet," Cameron said. "We've been too busy. But I know a guy who owns a club in this town. I can get us the VIP treatment."

Ian turned questioning eyes to Hope.

"I know we were planning on spending some alone time together…"

"No, it's fine. Besides—" Hope leaned up to whisper in Ian's ear. His grin turned wicked. I was pretty sure I didn't want to know what she was telling him. Probably something dirty.

Normally I would have been uncomfortable at the thought. Now that August and I had been together, I couldn't help but wonder what sort of dirty, naughty things we could get up to in the dark, secluded corners of a busy club.

The thoughts made me flush.

"What are you thinking right now?" August asked me in a hushed, teasing tone. "Your face is red."

I let my fingers wander, briefly brushing his.

"Maybe instead of telling you, I can show you later?"

I was amazed at my own audacity, but the fiery look that flared up in August's gaze made me glad I'd said it.

I turned back to Ian and his girlfriend, only to find Hope staring at me and August, a small smiling playing on her lips.

I quickly brought my hands back to my lap.

August and I hadn't discussed whether we would tell anyone about us. I was perfectly content with the two of us keeping it quiet for now. I didn't know how the other guys would react. It could have been judgment, disapproval, or teasing. Either way, I didn't want to deal with that while I was still navigating this new relationship.

But from the way Hope's eyes were shining as she looked at the two of us sitting together on the sofa, I had a feeling at least one person had figured it out.

"If we're going out, let me get dressed up into something appropriate," Hope said.

She was wearing a blue cotton dress with tights. Did that mean I should change, too? I hadn't packed anything I would imagine girls wore to clubs; no short skirts or tiny tops.

"Cassie, let's get ready together," Hope chirped.

I blinked.

"What? Why?"

"'Cause it's fun. We can do each other's hair and makeup. Come on."

I was still flummoxed as Hope grabbed my hand.

"Great," Cameron moaned. "This is going to take hours."

"Give me thirty minutes," Hope promised.

She dragged me to one of the large bathrooms, lugging her suitcase behind her. Shutting the bathroom door behind us, she turned to me, eyes sparkling.

"So. You and August?"