“Why’s that? You have a boyfriend?”

Bex narrowed her eyes on me. “It doesn’t matter if you were the last dick I had the option of having, I’d still pass.”

She was lying. I could read it in her eyes. But I’d let her have that one. “If you say so, Bex.”

“I’m here to play music, not to stroke your giant ego. Find some barfly that will be impressed by the size of your . . .” Bex paused, looking me up and down, “ . . . muscles and succumb to your every command. This girl isn’t one of them.”

She turned on her heel and walked back to the band, avoiding my gaze as I continued to watch her. So she was feisty. I liked that.

The bar broke out in catcalls and thunderous yelling and screaming as Jaded Regret took the stage. When I’d assumed it was going to be a huge crowd, I’d been correct. The entire place plus the beach outside was filled. I’d been sweating my ass off and wishing for a cold shower for hours, but now that I saw Bex on the stage, I definitely needed one.

I was wrong about her only wearing shirts that showed her stomach. Bex was wearing a tight black dress and tights. Her hair was down and framing her face, and her eyes were black with makeup. She stepped up to the mic, her dark red lips fascinating me. A small smile played on her lips as she held up a hand to the appraising audience. This was the hottest sight I’d ever seen.

“Thanks for coming,” she said, effectively silencing the crowd. “It’s so great to see such support in our hometown. Let me introduce you to my guys before we get rockin’ here tonight.” More screaming and catcalls ensued. “On the drums is my brother from another mother, Beau.”

Beau nodded, picking up his drumsticks and banging out what I could only call an epic solo. The girls screamed, some of them shouting lewd comments at the guy. I remembered this well, and my band had never been anywhere near as popular as Jaded Regret.

“Next up is Tanner on the bass. Take it away, Tan.” I’d heard some great bassists in my life, but this guy was fantastic.

When he bowed to the screaming crowd, Bex stepped back to the microphone. “And last but certainly not least is Ryver, my partner on guitar when I’m too into belting out the lyrics to play. Go on with your bad ass, Ryver.”

Ryver grinned at her. “Only if you join me.” She bumped him playfully and they counted down together, both of them playing in sync. I watched as her fingers moved deftly over the strings, her eyes looking at Ryver the whole time. I wanted to hear her sing. Right. Now.

When they finished, they fist bumped and Ryver moved back next to Tanner. “So, you guys might’ve heard our fabulous news.” A few screams and catcalls followed her statement. “But those of you that haven’t, I’m going to tell you. Next month we’re going on tour with my idols, my inspiration. The one—the only—Halestorm.”

Thunderous applause drowned out anything else she said. She nodded, soaking it up. Watching her up there was something else. “So to celebrate that, our first song of the night is going to be one of my favorite Halestorm songs. I hope you enjoy. I’ll be throwing in a few of their songs tonight as a tribute to them.”

She nodded to the guys and the music began. I sure hoped no one wanted a drink because I was going to watch every second of this performance. I recognized the song immediately as “Here’s to Us.” I loved the lead singer of Halestorm, but the second Bex started singing I was lost. Her gravely voice started out low and then lifted, singing the notes like they were made just for her. She tapped her foot on the ground as she swayed with the microphone, her guitar hanging from her, unplayed.

When she sang ‘tell them to fuck themselves’, she looked directly at me. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was on purpose. I got it. Bex was tough. But I was tougher. I never wanted her to stop singing. Her voice was like a drug. The guys stopped playing and Bex’s voice was the only sound heard throughout the bar as she finished the last line of the song. The room was silent for a moment as if spellbound by the pureness of her talent.

Seconds later they came alive, hooting and hollering at their performance. I now understood why they were opening for Halestorm and predicted they’d have a big record label coming after them very soon.

“Thank you, Outrigger.” Her voice curled down into my gut and twisted it around. “This next one is very special to me. It was our first song we did as a band. It will actually be our first single released. It’s called, ‘I Won’t Let You.’” A few screams got her attention, and she smiled. “Some of you know it. That’s awesome. Take it away, boys.”

I watched as Bex’s fingers started moving over the strings, her head down and bobbing as they played the intro together.

“They’re awesome, aren’t they?” I jumped, not expecting Cal to start talking next to me.

I nodded, not wanting to miss a second of Bex performing by talking. She started belting out lyrics about ‘not letting you hurt me,’ ‘I won’t stay,’ ‘you can’t do this to me.’ It hit me right in my core. It was like she was singing directly to me. Thankfully no one was moving from watching them, so I was off the hook with refilling drinks.

Two hours later, Jaded Regret bowed and ran off the stage. I breathed out, my chest tight. That was the most epic show I’d ever seen. And I got to see them for two more nights.

Natalie walked up. “This is a great crowd. I have the feeling this weekend will be record setting.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “They deserve it. They’re great.”

I felt her eyeing me again. I wanted her to take me back to the band, but not for the reason she might think.

“Do they want anything? Food?”

Natalie nodded. “Yeah. I put their orders in already.”

“I’ll get it and bring it to them if you want.”

“Sure, that sounds good. The setup okay there you think?”

“Yes, it’ll be okay there until tomorrow.”

Natalie leaned over and put her hand on my forearm, pressing her breasts against me. “Bring the food up to room 301, okay?”

I looked over at Cal, hoping to God he was okay with me bailing on him for a while. I had to see Bex. “Sure thing. I’ll check on it in a minute. They want any drinks?”

“There’s stuff in the suite,” Natalie answered. I watched her as she walked away. She was hot with curves in all the right places. Too bad someone else had ruined my appetite for anyone else tonight.

I may or may not have stalked the kitchen for the band’s food, ignoring Cal’s warning to leave Bex alone before I headed up to their room. When I got there I knocked, trying to balance the to-go containers without dropping anything. I wondered which one was Bex’s.

Natalie opened the door, welcoming me in. The band sat around a dining room table littered with drinks. The guys all looked at me, questions in their eyes. Bex was playing on her phone, oblivious to me.

“This is Johnny. He works for The Outrigger and makes sure the bands have what they need.”

A round of ‘Hey Johnny’ came from the guys, but still nothing from Bex. Well then. That was how this was going to go. I set down the containers, watching as the guys grabbed their respective meals and started digging in. Bex acted like she just realized someone was in the room. Lifting her eyes, she looked at me with nothing less than contempt.

She opened her container and turned to the guys, dismissing me.

“Thanks so much for bringing that up,” Natalie said, hanging on my arm again. Damn, she was just a little too clingy for me.

“You got it,” I flirted. I looked her up and down, knowing the effect it was going to have. She grinned, looking back at the band for just a split second.

“I’d like to thank you in private,” she whispered.

Bam. There was the proposition. If only it was from the other beautiful woman in the room.