“Why don’t you join Mel and Kevin while I talk with Hayden?”
“Sure.” She giggled. “Kevin totally looks embarrassed out there. He definitely has two left feet.”
I glanced at Kevin and chucked at his clumsy dance moves. “Yeah. And Mel doesn’t help.” I grinned. “She’s had so much to drink that she doesn’t even notice.”
“I better help him before he runs away.” She winked at me and ambled away in their direction.
Hayden’s eyes blazed as I approached him through the throng of teenagers blocking the way, scanning all of me. When I reached him, he yanked me toward him, and I fell sideways into his lap. His arms wrapped around me to hold me close to him.
“If you only knew what you’re doing to me right now,” he said into my ear and nibbled my earlobe. “That dress fits you too well.”
“Maybe you can take it off me later?” I flirted back.
He groaned and squeezed my butt. He traced my neck with his warm lips, and I had to bite into my lip to stop myself from moaning. “If you keep talking like that...”
“You two can’t stay off of each other,” Steven slurred from the other side of the couch. “You’ve completely changed him. Now he’s a pussy.” All the guys except Hayden laughed.
“That’s not true!” I defended Hayden as he frowned. “Hayden is Hayden, and that will never change.”
Blake cocked his head to the side. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
All eyes were on me, but that didn’t prevent me from pouring my thoughts out, encouraged by the alcohol in my system.
“It means that Hayden will always be that unique, smart, brave, and talented guy who’s ready to do anything for the people he loves. Yes, he has a lot of flaws and he’s far from perfect, but I’d pick him over everyone else any day.”
I cupped Hayden’s cheek and looked earnestly into his eyes. I whispered the next part so only he could hear me, never looking away from him, “I’ll always glue back his broken pieces and shower him with love. I’ll always pick him up whenever he falls.”
He was spellbound, telling me so much with his gaze and a subtle curve of his lips. I felt so high on him.
Steven’s clapping burst our bubble. “Wow. That’s a devoted girlfriend! Where can I find one?” His words were rich with sarcasm. “Can someone give this girl a Nobel prize for devotion?”
Hayden stretched his arm over Blake who sat next to us and punched Steven in the shoulder. “I’ll make you eat those words.”
“Hey!” Steven recoiled, rubbing his shoulder. “You really don’t hold back, do you? I was just joking, all right? It was so emotional I even had a tear coming out of my eye.” He sniffed and wiped away a non-existent tear.
Hayden hit his shoulder again before Steven could even react. Steven jumped up and glanced at Masen as if looking for support.
“Keep talking and you’ll be eating through a straw,” Hayden growled at him.
“We don’t need any more visits to the ER, thank you,” Masen replied with an amused smile.
Blake snorted. “That’s true. I’ve seen enough of that hospital to last me a lifetime.”
“Joking aside, you two look good together,” Masen said.
I hadn’t expected such honesty from Masen, whose serious face spoke of respect and approval. Before my surprise could wear off, Blake managed to intensify it by saying, “True. You make him happy, so we give you our stamp of approval.”
My eyebrows winged up. “Geez, you’re not our parents,” I replied, masking just how happy their words made me feel. The guys around us let out a spurt of laughter.
Hayden nuzzled my neck and gripped my waist with his hands, which gave me an idea.
“Let’s dance,” I whispered into his ear.
He groaned. “I don’t dance.”
“Oh come on. We’ve never danced, and I really, really, really want to dance with you.”
“Nope.”
“Please! Just this once and I’ll never ask you to do it again. Okay? Pinky promise?” I offered him my pinky. “Pretty please?”
He ran his hand across his face, and another groan left his lips. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” He pulled me to my feet, standing up.
“Pussy whipped,” Masen sing-sang and raised his thumbs up at us.
Hayden slapped the back of his head. “Do you want to be kicked out? Shut your trap.”
Masen was about to reply, but Hayden flipped him off in his face and pulled me away to the band, who was taking a break between songs.
“Since you want to dance, I might as well give you my last gift now.”
“Last gift? But you’ve already given me more than enough and—”
He tapped my nose. “Didn’t I already tell you it was never enough?”
He let go off my hand and moved to say something to Cameron, the lead singer. Cameron nodded to Hayden and turned around to his band members. “Okay, guys. ‘Everlasting Black and White’ is next.”
Goosebumps erupted all over my arms when I heard the title of the song. That was the title of the poem Hayden wrote for me when I was in the hospital after the incident with Josh.
Hayden took my hand again and led me to the dancing crowd.
“Hayden? Is that the poem you gave me?”
Stopping, he turned around and placed his hands on my hips, drawing me closer to him. “I called them some time ago and offered to give them my lyrics for one of their songs. I wanted it to be my gift to you, so I’ve reworked some lines.”
Cameron approached the microphone and cleared his throat, drawing attention back to him before I could even express my surprise.
“The next song is a rock ballad, and it’s our new song. It’s the lead single from our debut album Bleeding Promises, which will come out at the end of the year. We hope you’ll like it.”
“You rock, Cam!” a tall girl with glasses standing close to Hayden and me shouted, staring at Cameron with adoration.
Cameron smirked at her, and I could guess he was making her and the most of the female population here swoon. “Thanks, sweetheart.” He sent her a kiss before he turned his attention back to all of us. “You’ll be interested to know that the lyrics were written by one of our hosts tonight, Hayden Black! This is for you, Sarah.” He looked directly at me and winked. “Happy birthday!”
I pressed my hand against my pounding heart, melting under Hayden’s hands that held me against him. The keyboard player started the melody, which was followed by the mellow bass. They created a slow-paced emotional intro that gradually progressed into the first verse, and Hayden moved slowly with me. Our bodies swayed in unison to the beautiful melody that stole my heart from the first note. Cameron’s deep voice filled the room, charged with emotion.
“A long time ago, he was my only light,
Until you arrived and brought more dark.
The night he left brought havoc and pain,
Erasing my love. Making me insane.
Completely insane.
Without you I’m lost,
But with you I’m crushed,
You’re my everlasting sorrow
And my sweetest rush.