"Sorry!" My racing heartbeat continued to pound as I tried not to squeak. The surprise of being caught didn't at all lessen the sweet ache between my legs. "I'm-"

The words died in my throat as he narrowed his eyes at me. "Fans aren't allowed backstage."

"I'm not-" I paused. I couldn't exactly say I wasn't a fan. I didn't want Jayce's first impression of me to be a negative one.

"I suppose I can let this one go," he continued. "If..." A small smirk crossed his lips.

"If...?" I clenched my purse tight in my hands, trying not to sound breathless.

"You tell me what you thought of the song."

I blinked. "What?"

Jayce shrugged, deceptively casual, but his eyes burned into me, dark and intense. "It's new. We haven't played it in front of an audience before. The execs weren't sure, but Kell insisted."

I had barely paid attention to the song, too wrapped up in our staring contest. I thought back to the bits I'd heard at the beginning.

"I liked it."

"That's it?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Fighting against all my instincts to swoon on the spot, I somehow managed to answer. "For all that you guys love flair, the song was surprisingly subtle."

"Subtle?" His brows furrowed.

"I'm not saying it's boring!" My inner fangirl was gibbering at me. My rock star idol was standing only a few feet away, asking my opinion on his new song. Was this really happening? "It was catchy. The chorus had a good hook."

"But how did it make you feel?"

I struggled to think, contemplating his question for a moment. "It was... sad. There was a sense of loss. The song had an almost anguished feel. But there was an undertone of anger, too. Fury. No one could accuse you of cliched teenage angst, though. There were complex layers to it."

"Complex layers..." Jayce tapped one thumb against his bottom lip, eyes unfocused and staring off into the distance. "That sounds familiar."

It was something I'd written about Feral Silence online before. All of their music had weight, a depth to it that should have been incongruous with their catchy hooks, but somehow they made it work.

"And of course, there was an undertone of seduction that's unique to your sound."

Eyes focusing back on mine, Jayce flashed me a considering look. I flushed, wondering if I shouldn't have said that last part.

"And were you seduced?"

That rough voice turned smooth, the words crashing over me, turning my insides into liquid. I let out a small, choked noise, nearly swallowing my tongue. Jayce just laughed.

"Thanks for the insight." He strolled toward me. The hallway was wide but he made sure to brush by close enough for our chests to nearly touch. I shivered, a wave of warmth rushing through me. "I'll be sure to tell the guys we've got the approval of our fans."

He pushed open the next set of doors and was gone. I collapsed against the wall, letting out the breath I'd been holding.

I'd told Jayce Evans of Feral Silence that I found him seductive.

No, I reminded myself. I told him I found his music seductive.

Same thing, a small voice inside me piped up.

I took slow breaths in and out. When I came back from my Jayce-induced stupor, I saw a flurry of text messages on my phone from Deena Malik. I texted back furiously, letting her know I was here and just trying to find my way around. I didn't want my new boss to think I was late.

My head was still down, focused on my phone, when a voice spoke up from behind me.

"What are you doing here?"

I jumped and whirled around. Another person with a clipboard and headset frowned at me.

"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be here. I just don't know where to go."

"Name?" She spoke in a clipped, harried tone.

I hoped I wasn't still flushed from my encounter with Jayce. I pushed all thoughts of my rock star crush out of my mind. I was here to do a job.

"I'm Ailey. I'm probably on your list as Aimee Lee."

She nodded, not consulting her clipboard as she motioned for me to follow, leading me away from the stage and through a side door. We walked without speaking, taking me through corridors that I assumed led backstage. I began to worry. Was the stage off limits during rehearsal?

The woman was on the short side, even with her black heeled pumps, dark hair pinned up in a messy bun, as if she hadn't had the time to do more with it that morning. Her grey pantsuit looked a bit rumpled, but still professional. I'd tried to dress the same-professional but chic-in a black pencil skirt and white silk blouse. I wondered if I should have dressed up a bit more, maybe paired my shirt with a blazer.

"I'm sorry if I wasn't supposed to see the band practicing. I'm looking for Deena Malik."

"That's me."

I cringed, shoulders hunching over my ears. I'd already made a mistake at my new job in front of the band's manager, who was also my boss. I'd screwed up on my first day. Anxiety pushed away the excitement Jayce's gaze stirred up inside me.

She turned and gave me a smile. I relaxed, relieved I wasn't in trouble.

"So you're my social media intern."

I straightened and held out my hand, determined to make a better impression. "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ms. Malik. I look forward to working with you."

"Just Deena is fine," she said, returning the shake. "I'll admit, I was surprised when I saw your application. An internship seems a bit below someone with your online following."

I shouldn't have been surprised she'd checked me out. It made sense. Deena would want to know whether I could do what I said I could. "Lots of online followers doesn't always translate to employable skills."

"It does in this industry. As a new music label, we need someone like you. Traditional PR isn't enough these days. We need to be social. It's your job to be our online hype girl. Give people a taste of our inner workings, help our musicians interact with fans, tease at our upcoming events and releases. That sort of thing."

Deena led me to a private office, maneuvering through the dozens of people milling about, most with headsets, all with staff badges around their necks. I glanced around, trying to be discreet, but I didn't recognize any other rock stars or musicians.

When we were alone, she shut the door and handed me a stack of papers.

"Standard non-disclosure agreement. You agree not to blab about things you're not supposed to, et cetera, et cetera."

"What things am I not supposed to talk about?"

Deena tapped the papers and handed me a pen. "Sign and you'll find out."

I quickly signed, not bothering to read it. I didn't care if I was selling my soul. It would be well worth it. She filed them away in a folder.

"Sit down."

I sat.

"Feral Silence is holding a secret country-wide tour this summer."

I shot up straight in my chair, trying to calm my fangirl heart. "What about their next album?" I asked.

"That's a misdirection. They're already finished. They'll be doing secret shows in a variety of cities. We'll release clues online the days leading up. It will be up to fans to puzzle out where and when the concert will be."

"That's awesome!" I blurted out. "This is all to drum up attention for their new album, right?"

"Exactly. There will also be a film crew following them around. We'll be shooting the concerts and some backstage footage. At the end of the summer, we'll compile it together into a great behind-the-scenes video for our fans. We'll release it online for free."

"I'm sure they'll love that." I knew I would. "That's some awesome promo."

"This summer, your job duties will be as follows." Deena held up a single finger. "One: post our secret clues and tease our fans with the answer. We need to make sure people actually figure them out in time for the shows. No one wants an empty venue. Two: Post teaser pictures to get our fans excited. Pics of our boys practicing, getting ready for rehearsal, hell, even sleeping in the back of the tour bus. Give fans a real behind-the-scenes look. Get creative with it."

"Wait. I'm going to be with them on the tour?" I'd thought I'd be stuck around the studio offices, maybe attending the occasional concert.

"Of course. You'll be following us around all summer."

I swallowed heavily. Following Feral Silence as they toured across the country?

"Job duty number three: Monitor user posts about the band and respond when appropriate. Let's say someone asks Jayce a question. If it's interesting enough, ask him to answer it and reply for him."

"Ask him? Directly? I'm allowed to talk to the band members?"

Deena squinted, giving me a puzzled look. "Of course. You'll be working closely with them. You'll be the band's connection to their fans."

I tried not to choke on my own tongue. I'd thought I had been lucky enough to get a glimpse of Jayce even once all summer. I'd barely been able to keep myself together during the few minutes we'd spoken.

Now it turned out I was going to be interacting with him every day. Taking pictures of him. Asking him questions.

Maybe I really had died back there in front of the stage.

@POINTSHOOTNEIL: SO HOW goes your first day?

@AudioAiley: It's awesome so far.

Do anything cool?

I can't say.

You working for the CIA or something?

No. I had to sign an NDA. I can't even tell you where I'm working.

So you're a super secret spy, huh? That's cool.

Even better.

Better than being the next Bond? Wow, you must have scored a sweet gig.

You don't even know.

How busy are they keeping you? Can I still message you?

Of course! I'm not going completely MIA.

See, you're already using code words. You sure you're not a spy?

If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

I was dying to tell Neil all about my new job, but I risked being fired if I told anyone. The tour, the filming, all of it was hush-hush until the label decided to do a big marketing push.

I was allowed to continue posting on my own account as long as I didn't talk about anything I shouldn't. I was infinitely glad I'd never fangirled too hard about Jayce online. I liked to think I kept it mostly professional. I doubted I would have gotten the internship if they knew I was halfway in love with one of their rock stars.

"Here's your new phone and tablet. It's already set up with all the apps and accounts you need." Deena handed me the latest model of both, shiny and sleek. "You're only allowed to use these devices for work. Your own device is for personal use. No overlapping. We can't risk a personal post accidentally ending up on the band's account."

"I'll be careful," I promised.

"We'll be doing a show tonight, then taking off for our next city in the morning. The secret posts have already been sent out. You don't officially start until tomorrow. We need you to show up at our offices at six a.m. sharp. We'll be loading up the tour buses and taking off at seven. You know where we're located?"

"Downtown at Maple and Front." I nodded. "How much traveling will we be doing?"

"We'll stay in each city for a few days, but we'll be on the road for weeks at a time. I assume the travel is okay with you?"

"Yes! Yes, of course. I'm totally cool with traveling." I got a little car sick sometimes, but there was no way I was telling Deena that.

"I think we've covered everything important. If you have any questions, ask. I'd rather you ask than do something wrong and have to fix your mistake. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that sending the wrong post at the wrong time could be a PR disaster."

I shoved the phone and tablet in my purse. The tablet barely fit. It was one of those huge, laptop-sized ones, not a mini version. I'd have to buy a new bag before tomorrow.

Deena stood up and adjusted her headset, tilting her head, eyes unfocused as if listening to something. "Okay, rehearsal's over. Time to meet the band."

I let out a small whimper. Deena paused and gave me a reassuring smile.

"Nervous?"

"Just a little."