Page 55 of The Only Thing That's Real
Ryan
If I’m not mistaken, Knox McKinnon is having the time of his life on stage tonight.
The brooding rock star is nowhere to be found. Instead, he’s smiling and interacting with the guys. During one of their songs, that has a ska feel to it, he danced. Like shook his ass to the crowd and danced. The crowd lost their ever-loving minds. And what did he do when his rabid fans were screaming at his antics? He found me and winked.
He. Winked.
He found me in the wings of the stage and locked eyes on mine after every song. I didn’t sit or write the entire show. Watching Knox enjoy himself was too much fun.
I’m howling for the guys when they leave the crowd screaming for more to take their four-minute break before their encore, when Knox comes straight for me. I’m about totell him how phenomenal the show has been, but talking doesn’t appear to be at the top of his mind. He pulls me behind a heavy black curtain where there are no prying eyes and kisses me like he wouldn’t survive another minute without doing so.
This kiss isn’t gentle like before.
It’s reckless.
Knox is flying high and I’m soaring right along with him. We’re hidden in plain sight, and neither of us care. His hands slide into my hair and mine roam his back. He’s a sweat-drenched mess, but who cares? I wouldn’t put this moment on pause for anything.
He kisses me like he had lost me and now that he’s found me, he can’t get enough.
Kissing him, and touching him, is the most natural thing I’ve ever done. The way he holds my face as though he’s cherishing me, while his tongue tastes me like a man starved is intoxicating.
“One minute!” someone yells in the distance.
Pulling back, he rests his forehead against mine like he did the other night, winded from the ninety minutes spent on stage and the ravenous kiss we just shared.
His heavy breath dances across my face when he says, “Thank you.”
Before I get the chance to ask why I deserve his thanks, he places one last kiss on my lips before disappearing on the other side of the curtain.
What in the world just happened?
How did we go from linking pinky fingers to the hottest kiss of my life? Not that I minded, but there was no warning. He’s thrown me completely off-balance. My fingersmove over my swollen lips, searching for proof the kiss actually happened. Not only do my lips tell the story, but my entire body is on fire. I’m so wet with desire, I press my thighs together to quell the sensation.
Thank goodness the girls weren’t here to witness what happened. They would have lost their minds.
Staying hidden behind the curtain, I allow myself a moment to bask in the passion coursing through my body. My body that wants much more of Knox McKinnon.
When the stage lights go back up and the first notes of “Settle Down”fill my ears, I emerge from my secret cocoon. My lust-filled haze is quickly extinguished, because Trevor stands next to my director’s chair, and he doesn’t look happy.
Instead of staying to chat about what he thinks happened, I walk right past him, grabbing my computer as I do, and make my way to the after-show space to find the girls. I shouldn’t be surprised to find at least twenty or thirty people already there. Most of tonight’s guests are recognizable faces. Paparazzi would have a field day with the group of socialites, actors, fellow musicians, and even the news anchor present. The bigger the city, the bigger the friend list, and since we’re only a few hours from New York, the friends are abundant.
When the encore is over, the guys make an appearance to say hello to friends. But as they leave to get cleaned up, Knox gets my attention, keeping his eyes on me, a smile beaming across his face as he walks backwards out of the room.
Laughing, I spin around to find Marie, Kristen, and Jenn standing behind me. Their faces havewe told you sowritten all over them.
“Told you we were witches. We know everything,”Kristen says, draping her arm over my shoulder. “Let’s have a chat, shall we?”
For the first time in weeks, Knox socializes after the show. He chats with his celebrity friends, has a couple of beers and his eyes follow me wherever I go. Mostly, I stay in the background, doing my best to keep out of the way. The band and their friends deserve to have fun without worrying that the things they do or say will be reported in one of the biggest magazines in the world.
On the bus, the partying continues for another hour or so, but eventually, everyone goes to sleep. Once the bathroom is free, I get ready for bed. Face washed, hair in a bun, plaid pajama bottoms and a hoodie on, I tiptoe to my bunk. I’ve just tossed my cosmetic bag on my bed when my phone vibrates in my pocket.
Knox
I’m not tired. Wanna play a game?
My body heats from the implication ofplaying a gamewith him. My stomach flips and I’m wishing I looked a little less like a teenage boy in my oversized clothes. But it’s not gonna stop me from seeing exactly what kind of game Knox has on his mind.
Instead of replying to his text, I shuffle my Ugg coveredfeet to the main cabin of the bus where he waits at the small dining table with a board game set up in front of him.
