I applaud as the rest of my bandmates cheer. Doesn’t matter we’ll all be twenty-six by the end of the year, there’re some things that never change. Getting excited when you swoosh trash into a basket is one of them.
Of course, Keat and Big John turn it into a contest, stealing the remaining trash on the table to try to replicate Matty’s shot.
Lucas stands and catches my gaze. “Let’s go find some music fans.”
I follow him away from our friends and down a flight of stairs. The place is pretty crowded, and I feel good about tonight’s show. Lucas and I will talk to anyone, and our charisma is usually good for a few ticket sales.
“You look like you have good taste in music.” I stop and point to a woman walking with her friends before they pass by.
Her brows lift in surprise and she glances at her girls, making the universal “Save me from the stranger” eyes.
“Not interested!” One of her friends yells. She doesn’t slow her steps or give us a second glance.
“Sorry!” The other friend pouts her lips and gives us a sympathetic smile.
“Jesus,” Lucas says under his breath.
“That’s cool. Maybe next time!” I lift my hand and shout after them.
“Really, dude.” Lucas chuckles and nods to a storefront. “There.”
It’s a clothing store, and several of the mannequins in the window are dressed in vintage rock tees. Promising. We step inside and the blast of A/C sends a shiver down my spine. The pretty brunette smiling near a rack of clothes lifts her gaze and stops me dead in my tracks. The hair on my skin raises with another shiver.
I’ve seen beautiful girls before. But there’s something about this woman that steals my complete attention. I’m bowled over. Shocked from the inside out. Maybe it’s the way her eyes hold mine before she shyly glances away. Or that the grin on her lips doesn’t feel forced or fake. Those lips. I could write songs about them.
“You good?” Lucas says from a few feet away.
I shake off the weird trance and meet his stare. “Yeah, sorry.” I catch up to his side before chancing another look at the girl. But she’s talking to her friend, and apparently not as affected from our mini stare down.
Lucas chats up a group of guys, then a kid shopping with his mom, and all the while I try not to stare at the woman. An irrational fear that she’ll leave before we get the chance to talk keeps my mind distracted.
“What gives?” Lucas says after we hand out another two flyers and make our way toward the back of the store. “You’re being a horrible wingman today.”
“Sorry.” I want to explain. I would; it’s not as if I keep much from him or the rest of the guys. Only, I can’t because the person who has somehow shorted my brain cells is walking straight toward us. “Hey.” I don’t even try to fight the smile that pulls at my lips when she meets my gaze. “I need to know you.”
“Um . . .” She laughs lightly and glances at her friend before honoring me with a flirty smile. “Okay.”
“Wow,” Lucas says under his breath, and by his tone, I surmise he’s attempting not to laugh at my poor attempt at flirting.
“Do you ladies live around here?” I ask, and flash a smile at the friend to not be rude.
“Yeah,” pretty girl says, humor in her tone.
“We both go to UC Riverside. I’m Jenn,” the friend says, giving a flutter of her fingers. “And this is Simone.”
Simone. Fuck, even her name is beautiful.
“Nice to meet you ladies. I’m Lucas.” My friend nods his chin to me. “And this is Wild.”
Pulling my head out of my ass, I angle my body a little closer to Simone and turn my back to Lucas, who’s the best freaking friend in the world, already striking up a conversation with the friend. “What kind of music do you like, Simone?”
She hesitates before answering, and I wonder if she’s as knocked over as I am right now. “I listen to everything.”
“Everything?” My brows shoot into my hairline.
“Okay.” She grins, crinkling her nose. “Not big on country.”
“What about alternative rock?”
“Depends on the band.”
“Do you like Weezer? Fuel?” At her blank expression I continue. “Foo Fighters?” This poor girl has no clue who I’m talking about. “At least, tell me you’ve heard of Pearl Jam?”
“That’s Eddie Vedder, right?” Her face lights up. “I loved ‘Singles!’”
“You know him from the movie.” I laugh heartily. This chick is a breath of fresh air. “I’m worried about your taste in music. Seriously, I know we just met, but I’m staging an intervention.” I hand her one of the flyers. “My band is playing tonight and I’d love if you came by to catch the show. Maybe we could grab a drink after?”
Lucas claps me on the shoulder. “My man here is wicked talented. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
Her eyes scan the details.
I wait with nervous anticipation. I can’t monopolize her time much longer—not when we have a stack of flyers to distribute and sound check in a few hours. But if she comes to the show, I’ll have another shot.
“Which one are you?” she asks, lifting her eyes back to mine as her friend takes the flyer.
“Wild Knights.”
“Oh.” She meets my gaze with a smile that sends a rush of nerves straight through my body. “Like the name. That’s cool.”
I don’t bother explaining the rest, because that’s a story that makes me exponentially less cool. “So, you’ll come? The venue’s only a few miles from here.”
Her lips press together and she glances at her friend. God, I wish I knew the reason for her indecision. Because I really, really want more time with this woman. There’s something about her—a sizzling connection between us that’s hooked my soul, and I can’t let her go. Not yet. I wait for her answer, but she doesn’t give it.
Her friend interrupts with a slight roll of her eyes. “She’ll be there.”
Simone
“Maybe,” I interject as soon as Jenn makes a promise I can’t keep.
“I hope so. I’d really like to see you. Again. After right now. That is, it’d be cool to hang out later.” It’s sort of adorable the way his words stumble out of his mouth. I much prefer this to the practiced pick-up lines one comes to expect from such a hot guy’s lips.
His buddy, Lucas, slaps his back and clasps his shoulder. “What my friend is trying to say is that we better see you lovely ladies tonight.” He glances over his shoulder at the door. “But we have a few more flyers to hand out before sound checks, so we need to head out.”
“What he said.” Wild chuckles, granting me another view of his dimpled smile. He’s exactly the kind of guy I’m attracted to—even if he’s also the kind I’d never date. Too good looking; he must know it. Not to mention, he’s in a band. If that’s not rebellious enough, his sleeve of tatts completes the look. Trouble is not what I need.
Stable. Practical. Responsible. These are the cornerstones of what I’m searching for in a boyfriend. But Wild’s smile and the glint in his hazel eyes—a little pleasure mixed with mischief—suck me in regardless.