I couldn’t help but smirk at her imitation of Jack. But my reaction just goaded her on.

“Sydney. What. Would. You. Like. For. Breakfast,” she said in the same pattern that Jack would have said, What. The. Fuck. And her deep voice impression wasn’t that bad either.

We both laughed hysterically, the first real laugh I’d had in the last twenty-four hours, which may have been a record for time spent with Sienna without laughing soda through my nose.

Our eyes were still tearing from laughing so hard when Sienna could finally speak again. “Seriously, Syd, you know I was worried about you jumping into anything so soon after Michael, but that man f**king loves you. I know it in my bones. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt you intentionally. You need to talk to him.”

As usual, my best friend who had a losing track record for relationships with men, was spot on in giving me relationship advice. “Thanks, Sienna.” I squeezed her hand.

When we arrived at the diner, I asked Sienna to grab us a table and stayed outside a few minutes thinking of what to say before I called Jack. After I had composed my thoughts, I called, but it went right to voicemail. I decided not to leave him a message because my thoughts were too complicated to be expressed on a voicemail and I knew whatever I said would come out all wrong.

***

Throughout the day, I tried Jack’s phone a few more times, but each time the call went to voicemail. I was starting to get nervous that he was avoiding me after I had avoided him. I knew he wasn’t happy that I’d had Kyle and Justin in my room the other night and then I had avoided his calls, which likely only pissed him off even more. Although I was confused about some things between me and Jack at that moment, there were two things I was certain of. One, I loved that domineering man with all of my heart. And two, Jack was going to be wilder than a freaking tsunami when we finally did catch up to each other.

***

Even though I was anxious and edgy throughout the day, I was oddly calm when it was time for us to hit the stage for our first performance. Our act consisted only of our original songs, so the audience was hearing them for the first time, which made it difficult for them to really latch on to. Audiences tend to like shows where they can sing or hum along; it makes them feel like they are part of the show. But after our forty-five minute opening act, the audience was generous in their applause and we were excited to have played our biggest arena ever.

Sienna and I watched Double Strife from the side of the stage, dancing and singing along. The crowd loved them and it was incredible to hear so many people singing along with different accents. Their last song for the night, Gone, was the one we had all sang together at the bar a few nights earlier. As the song began, the crowd sang along to every word. The arena was electric and I was in awe just watching from the side of the stage. A few lines into the song, I saw Justin look over to where we were standing and stop playing.

“You know what would make this song a lot better, Kyle?” Justin asked playfully — the two brothers had a great on-stage dynamic.

“If you would let me sing it alone for a change?” Kyle quickly responded, quietly playing the guitar riff for the song still in the background.

Justin smiled at the crowd and shook his head, the screams of the girls ratcheted higher. “This guy’s lucky he is my blood or I’d kick his ass.” He laughed with the audience. “What this song needs is a sexy chick, bro.” Justin lifted his chin in the direction of where Sienna and I were standing, and Kyle looked over and smiled, picking up on what his brother was planning. Justin pointed to us and crooked his one finger, beckoning Sienna and I to the stage.

Sienna and I returned to the stage and the crowd roared in response to Justin saying that we needed some encouragement to join them for the final song. Justin silently motioned to Sienna to join Kyle at the microphone and crooked his little finger for me to move closer to him. The crowd went wild, watching it all play out on stage. The man oozed confidence on stage and his simple act of calling me over with just one finger came across as oddly sexual. When Justin had the crowd in exactly the frenzy that he wanted, the band started playing the song again from the top and the four of us sang our hearts out as if we had been doing it together that way forever.

After the show, the four of us were on an insane post-show high cocktail of happiness and adrenaline and were definitely not ready to call it a night. We snuck out to the closest bar and celebrated with a round of tequila shots. We were laughing and enjoying ourselves, about to do our second round of shots, when I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist. My whole body ignited and I didn’t have to turn to know who it was. Jack’s simple touch lit my entire body on fire.

I turned and looked up at him, his gorgeous green eyes staring back at me as if I were the only one in the room. For a split second I was nervous about his reaction to my having had men in my room, nervous about how he would explain why he didn’t tell me he was the sponsor. But then I saw how he felt about me in his eyes and I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly and pulled his mouth down to mine, devouring him in a kiss. A kiss that told him everything that I felt.

I don’t know how long it lasted, but it was definitely at least a few minutes before we broke, both coming up panting wildly for air and smiling. He leaned down so that his face was in my neck and lifted me up off the ground for a hug. His arms wrapped so tightly around me that it was difficult to breathe, but I didn’t care. The warmth of his breath so close to my ear coupled with the quiet sound of his uncontrolled growl sent a shiver from the tip of my toes straight through to the swell growing between my legs.

When he finally put me down, we found my three friends watching intently. For a few minutes I had completely forgotten there was anyone else in the room but us. I looked up, embarrassed, to find Sienna was smiling like an idiot. Kyle looked intrigued at my reaction, and Justin was glaring at us.

Kyle smiled kindly as he spoke. “I hope this is your boyfriend, Syd?”

“Sorry, yes, this is Jack. I had no idea he was coming.” I stared up at Jack, smiling excitedly. “I can’t believe you’re really here!”

Jack pulled me possessively to his side, his arm wrapped tightly around my waist as he spoke. He extended his free hand to Kyle. “Jack Cole.”

Kyle nodded and smiled back. “Kyle Smith. Good to meet you, man.”

Jack leaned down to Sienna and kissed her on the cheek, whispering something into her ear that made her smile and giggle.