Who He Is (FireNine, book 1) (23 page)

That was it.

The fans of Kentucky were rowdier than the other cities, but the band seemed to love their hollering and enthusiasm. It allowed them to play louder and for Gage to sing louder. I sang along to a few of the songs I knew, and it surprised me that every so often, Gage would steal glances to his left at me and wink. Smooth heat would creep up from my neck to my cheeks and I would wink back.

After the boys finished their performances, they decided to grab a bite to eat. I wasn’t sure what they were going to be doing that night, but since I was going to be with Gage most of the time, I was kind of thrilled. I knew I shouldn’t have been because he could still do whatever he wanted. I frowned when that thought came to mind.

I frowned even more as I slid into my booth across from Ben and Cal, who were talking about the boys’ performances and the upcoming songs they had planned. The diner was connected to an arcade. The waiters and waitresses wore roller skates and bright colors. It was pretty spiffy.

After the boys downed their food, they rushed for the
arcade in a heartbeat and hollered like idiots. If they all didn’t have facial hair and nice bodies, I would’ve considered them a load of sixteen and seventeen-year-olds instead of twenty-three and twenty-four-year-olds.

A few girls were giggling in the corner, desperate for some attention. My gaze paused on Gage, who took a quick look over his shoulder and winked at one of them. They giggled even harder and my eyebrows drew in. I turned quickly. I couldn’t become
that
girl… but then again, we did have to establish some rules if I wanted this to go correctly and be as fun as possible.

Ben and Cal
finished their food and stood from the table to walk outside and meet with the crew, and I sighed, digging into my satchel for my book. I hadn’t read a book in a while with all the partying, going out, and being stuck on…
him
. I figured a good romantic novel would do until it was time to go.

The only negative thing about books was I would get so sucked into them that I didn’t pay much attention to anything outside of me. I didn’t feel anyone moving up on me from behind. Usually I could feel the presence of another without even seeing them, but not this time. I didn’t fully snap out of it until a pair of
warm, damp lips pressed on the back of my neck, and I burned from head to toe. The hair on my back spiked and prickled at my skin. My legs clenched, heat bombarded my lower belly, and I gasped, holding back on a moan.

He
kissed me again and this time there was a mixture of ice that made my toes curl. I gripped the edges of my book, his lips moving across my skin rather seductively up to the lobe of my ear, my jawline, and then down to the crook of my neck. I moaned and he chuckled deeply, sending another shot of heat between my legs.

“Hey, Ellie,” Gage murmured, kissing my cheek. He stepped back to get into the booth with me and I sighed as he hooked an arm around my shoulders.

“Hey, Gage.”

“Why are you sitting here alone?”

“I don’t play video games… sorry.” I shrugged.

“You read?” He pointed at my book.

“Yes,” I blurted. I felt kind of stupid afterward because of my abruptness. “There’s nothing wrong with reading. Maybe you should try it one day.”

“Nah.” He leaned back against the booth. “Reading was never my thing. I’ll write without a problem, though.”

“I guess that’s just as good.”

I looked into hi
s eyes and he smirked at me. He inched in closer, but I backed away a little, pressing the palm of my hand against his firm chest. “What’s wrong?” he asked, looking down at the hand on his chest and then into my eyes again.

“I think if we want this to be equally fun between us, with no drama, we have to make some things clear.”

Gage looked me over briefly before clearing his throat. I dropped my arm as he sat up straight, stood, and moved to sit across from me. Leaning against his seat with his arms folded, he said, “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“Number one, just because we aren’t involving more than benefits doesn’t mean we should mess around with other people while we’re hanging out. If we’re really doing this for the next few weeks, our attention should be on each other… even if it’s just for fun.”

Gage raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like you’re trying to make this sort of a… relationship.”

“No.” I shook my head quickly. “No, I don’t want that. I just… It won’t really be fun knowing you’re sleeping with other girls when
we’re
supposed to be having fun together. It’ll make me wanna stop, ya know?”

“So you’re pretty much say
ing I can only fuck you? Nobody else?”

I scowled as he smirked. “Gage, I’m being serious.”

“Okay, okay.” He chuckled, holding up his hands innocently. “All right, so no fucking around with other girls while we’re doing this thing. Okay. I gotcha.”

“Another thing… Penelope. What do you plan on doing with her?”

He looked me over, his eyes expanding. “I don’t know. I’ll most likely drop her… for you.”

“Are you sure?”

His lips curled into another smirk. “Positive, Ellie. I’ve had more fun with you in one night than I’ve had with her in the past three years.”

I smiled at his compliment. “All right. That’s all. Besides those two things, we’re good. Nothing too serious.”

“I have one,” he said, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table.

My eyebrows lifted. What could he have to ask me? I hardly ever did anything.

“Cal…” He trailed off and I grinned.

“What about him, Gage?”

“I notice how he flirts with you. He jokes around a lot with you and since you’re on the same bus as him, it makes me think he might try something and eventually you’ll give in.”

“Cal’s a nice guy. I’m sure he wouldn’t try anything like that.”

“He can be nice, but he’s still a guy. A guy will do anything for some ass… especially an ass like yours.”

I burned scarlet. “Oh, whatever.” I waved him off.

“I’m serious.” He grabbed the pepper and sprinkled some on the table. “I’d rather you not… flirt back with him if you can.”

“How is it fair that you can flirt, but I can’t?”
I asked as he ran his finger through the pepper and spelled out his name.

“
I sing for a band, Ellie. It’s almost natural for me now.”

I frowned, my eyes swinging down to my book again. I pretended to read the words and not become upset over his cocky, arrogant statement, but I couldn’t think straight, especially by how quiet it became. Outside of hearing Montana, Roy, and Deed yelling from the arcade, it was dead silent between us.

Finally he sighed and placed his hand on top of mine. I looked up as he pulled my hand to his lips and kissed the flesh on top. “But if it really bothers you and you want me to calm down on it, I’ll do it… for you… for now.”

“Okay.” I could deal with that. After I was gone from the tour, he could start his flirting again. At least he was going to try. It’s all I was asking.

“We’re going to a bonfire at the lake a little later.” He sighed, releasing my hand. “They’ll be roasting marshmallows, making s’mores, drinking a few beers, dancing… It’ll be chill.” He took a look down at my book and I lifted my elbow onto the table, placing the palm of my hand beneath my chin.

“And?” I urged.

His eyes hardened and I smirked. “Eliza, I’m not used to asking girls to come out with me. I’m telling you to.”

“You’re
telling
me I should come… with you?”

He nodded.

“What if I have plans?”

His lips pressed together, his eyes full of doubt. “Doing what exactly?”

“Reading. Maybe some painting.”

“There’re plenty of other nights to read and paint.”

“Maybe if you
ask
nicely, I’ll consider it.” I teased him, but he wasn’t smiling. I hated getting on his nerves, but I was getting a kick out of it. I wasn’t about to be walked over like a doormat.

Here was another thing about Gage I’d noticed: how he always
told
me to join him. He never
asked
me and it kind of bothered me because he was so used to telling girls what to do that he probably became spoiled in his own kind of way.

“Eliza, you have to come with me—”

I held up my hand, stopping him. “I don’t
have
to. If you want me to, why don’t you just
ask
me?”

“‘Cause then it’ll feel like a date… We aren’t dating, remember? Just flinging.”

I laughed softly, focusing on my book again. He was definitely confusing me with the easy girls he usually dealt with.

“Eliza…
please?”

I looked up slowly, staring into his eyes. He grabbed my hand again and squeezed it. “Is this what you want? For me to beg with puppy-dog eyes?” He grinned.

“Not beg.” I giggled. “Just ask politely instead of
telling
me I’m gonna do something with you.”

“All right,” he sighed. “Can you please come to the bonfire with me tonight?”

“Yes, Gage.” I beamed. “I
can
come with you to the bonfire tonight.”

He laughed, pulling his hand away to rake his fingers through his tousled ha
ir. A few pieces dropped onto his forehead, and I had the urge to reach forward and push them back. Unfortunately, before I could will myself to do it, he brushed them away. “You’re seriously gonna make this tough for me, aren’t you?”

“No, it won’t
be all tough.” I smirked. “It’ll be more fun than anything.”

“You’re trying to punk me out. It’s cool. I can deal with it. Besides…” He sighed, sitting back. “Sooner or later you’ll be the one begging
me
.” He winked, sliding out of his bench to stand.

A few girls sitting at separate booths caught the sight of Gage and literally stopped eating. One of them was nearly salivating on her French fries while ogling him. Gage noticed and gave them a wink and they giggled girlishly, but I sighed, knowing his flirting wasn’t going to stop completely. Not anytime soon, anyway.

Hooking his thumbs through his belt loops, he turned around and walked for the arcade but took a quick glance over his shoulder at me, winking again. Why was I still watching him? I sparked with heat, biting on a smile as I stared down at my book. I really had to get used to his charm.

The bonfire hadn’t started yet, which left Gage and me lounging around inside the lake house. The house was huge
, built with stone and expensive wrought iron, and I wasn’t sure who it belonged to, but they were pretty lucky to have it.

Gage and I sat on the sofa in front of a tall arched window. He’d pushed the curtains back so we could watch the sunset. It was beautiful. A few streaks of yellow and orange cascaded beneath the hovering dark blue. The moon was just rising as the sun was sinking, creating a view of simplicity.

Gage shifted beneath me and I moved so he could hook his arm around my middle, the back of my head against his chest. He had a beer in his free hand and drank from it. A part of me wondered why he wasn’t downstairs with his band brothers partying and drinking some more until it was time for the bonfire. I wanted to ask, but I didn’t because it was too comfortable to sit like this.