"Damn, internet girl, you pull off that sexy look real well. I'm going to be beating guys off with sticks all night."

I couldn't help but preen at the compliment, though a blush still rose in my cheeks. I'd rarely been called sexy before. Cute, sure, and pretty sometimes, but rarely sexy.

"You look very nice, Ailey," Ren said with a smile. "If this deviant gives you any problems tonight," he jerked his thumb toward Kell, "I'll put a fist through his skull."

"Get in line," Jayce muttered.

We arrived at the club, a different one in a different city, but had no problems getting waved through the red velvet rope and being seated at another private booth.

Once we all had drinks in our hands, the conversation turned to my work.

"How are the fan reactions so far?" Ren asked. "Are they liking our behind-the-scenes stuff?"

The guys rarely asked about what I did, and aside from Jayce, I didn't think they even checked their social media accounts to see what I'd posted. They answered questions and posed for pictures, but that seemed to be the extent of their interest.

"Everyone's eating it up. Fans can't enough of you guys. They all want to know more about you. In fact," I said thoughtfully, "a few people have even sent nasty messages my way. They don't even know who I am, but they're dying of jealousy. People would kill for the kind of access I have."

"So that's how you got the job," Ren said with a grin. "Who'd you kill? Come on, you can tell us."

I laughed. "No killing involved. I just happen to live on the internet and have no real life. Apparently that's the kind of thing Deena was looking for in a social media intern."

"You've got a life!" Kell protested. "You've got the best life. You get to follow me around."

Ren snickered. "And by best, you mean worst, right? After all, who'd want to stick around you if they didn't have to?"

"You guys do," Kell pointed out.

"Yeah, but we're used to you. I'm surprised you even have fans."

"Actually, Kell has tons of fans," I said. "Some people really appreciate his... outgoing nature."

"How diplomatic," Morris drawled.

"There's a whole continent of bloggers who've made it their mission to capture every self-absorbed Kell quote and turn it into a meme."

"Meme?" Ren asked.

"It's a..." I thought about how to answer and couldn't for the life of me figure out how to explain images with funny captions without making it sound lame. "Never mind. It's an internet thing."

"Are there bloggers who even care about the stuff we do and say?" Ren asked.

"Yeah, there are tons. I've actually got some friends who blog about music. One in particular is going to be so mad I didn't tell her what I'm doing. If Emily could follow you around, she'd probably end up writing ten blog posts a day."

"Why don't you have a blog?"

I wrinkled my nose at Morris in disgust. "Too much work. If you want to be taken seriously as a blogger, you've got to be really professional and write serious, in-depth pieces. It's too much like writing for a magazine or newspaper. I much prefer posting pithy one-offs from my phone in the middle of lecture halls whenever I get an idea."

"You? Texting in the middle of class?" Kell shook his head in mock disappointment. "What a bad girl. And here I thought you would be a diligent college student."

"Hey, at least I pretend to pay attention. I hate those kids who have their headphones over their ears with their heads buried in their laptops. It's like, why are you even here? Just stay home."

"When you're done with us, you should ask your friend about doing a blog post on your internship."

I looked at Kell in surprise. "You think Deena would be okay with that?"

"Sure. It'd be great publicity."

"I guess it would be fun to talk about my experience following you guys around," I mused. Jayce gave me an almost panicked look. "Of course I'd make sure to keep a lot of stuff private, too," I said, wanting to reassure him without giving too much away to the guys. "I don't want to do some kind of tabloid expose or anything. I'd probably talk more about the internship and the work part of it. Less about you guys."

"No, man, if you're going to blog about us, you should talk about everything! Including how awesome I am."

"I'll be sure to give everyone a rundown on every one of your awe-inspiring moments, Kell."

He lifted his chin up in a smug grin while the others just shook their heads.

After several more rounds of beers, the guys got deep into conversation about the proposed set list for the next few days, so I ventured down to the dance floor to get myself another drink. I waited for the bartender to notice me, but kept on getting pushed out of the way by bigger and taller people. I was starting to get miffed when someone sidled up next to me and called the bartender over.

"Beer for me and a whiskey sour for the lady."

Surprised, I looked up to find Neil at my side. He was as gorgeous as ever with those piercing, light blue eyes. He had done something with his hair to tame it, put in some kind of gel. I didn't like it. It made him look different, not himself. I much preferred his messy hair, like he'd just fallen out of bed.

"Whiskey sour is okay, right?"

Neil sounded almost nervous.

"Yeah, it's perfect." The bartender brought the drinks over and I took a sip. "Thanks."

Neil held his beer in his hand but didn't drink.

"I'm surprised to see you here," I said.

"The film crew has been working hard. I decided we needed a break. How have you been?"

"We see each other every day, Neil."

"Yeah, but-" He cut himself off, then seemed to switch gears. "We haven't really worked together since..." he trailed off.

It was true. We had seen each other in passing, but that was it. Every so often I would feel eyes on me and I would turn to find Neil staring. He always turned away as soon as I caught him. I couldn't help but think he looked almost heartbroken.

"I hope things haven't been too awkward," he continued.

"We're all professionals here." That sentence had become a staple in my vocabulary.

He nodded and took a sip of his beer, looking up at the second-floor balcony.

"You here with Jayce?"

Did he know we were together? The two of us didn't want to broadcast our relationship to the world, but maybe Neil had found out somehow.

"I'm here with all the guys."

We were both silent for a moment before he spoke up.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make the time to be with you."

I stopped with my glass half-raised to my lips, surprised that he was bringing it up.

"I know I should concentrate on my work. I'm trying to move up in the film industry. I won't have a lot of free time."

"It's all right, Neil. I understand."

"But I can't stop thinking about you."

Neil looked lost, unsure of himself. I'd never seen him that way before. He always looked in charge, commanding. It was odd to see him so adrift.

"I still want you, Ailey." His eyes met mine. My breath hitched at the look in those bright blue eyes, earnest and sincere. "But I know it's not fair to you. You were right."

"Right about what?" I murmured into my drink, not knowing how to respond.

"Maybe a relationship is just too much to ask for." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

I looked down at my glass and swirled the liquid around. Neil had been a constant presence in my life for months. We used to talk online every day, but he'd stopped sending me messages. The lack of alerts on my phone had been starting to get to me. I checked every five minutes by habit, always forgetting for a moment that the man I'd walked out on at the hotel bar was the same man who'd been messaging me for almost a year.

"You should probably get back before Jayce starts wondering where you are." Neil raised his glass in farewell. "I'll see you tomorrow." I followed him with my eyes until he disappeared among the crowd of dancers.

I was happy with Jayce, I really was. But I had to admit it, if only to myself.

I still had unfinished business with Neil. I didn't want to say goodbye. Not yet.

THE GUYS AND I stumbled back to the hotel, mostly under our own power, although Kell needed to be dragged between Morris and Ren's shoulders. The three of them took off to Kell's room to lay him down, so Jayce and I took the opportunity to sneak into his hotel room together. I gave Jayce what I hoped was a sexy look and pressed myself up against him.

"I think you're overdressed." I reached for his belt buckle, but he moved away, walking toward the hotel room window. I followed him, confused.

"What's wrong?

He was silent for a moment before speaking. "I saw you with Neil."

I froze. I knew I hadn't done anything wrong, but I still felt like I'd been caught doing something bad, like a naughty child.

"We were just talking. Catching up. Nothing happened between us."

"I know."

"Then what?"

Jayce rubbed at his jaw. I could hear the stubbled bristles scratching against his skin.

"I can't help but see the way the two of you look at each other. The way he looks at you."

I glanced away, not wanting to meet his eyes. Even Jayce had noticed Neil was always staring at me.

"Do you like him?"

"Of course I like him. He's a good guy."

Jayce turned and quirked a small smile. "You know that's not what I'm asking."

I shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"You're always looking down at your phone as if you're waiting for a message from him. Sometimes we'll be together and your mind will wander off like you're not paying attention. I can't help but wonder if you're thinking of him when you're with me."

"Whoa. Wait. That is absolutely not true. I've just got a lot of my mind, what with the job and everything..." Now I sounded like Neil, making excuses.

"I'm not saying it to make you feel bad. I understand. You two have known each other for months. Almost a year. You told me yourself. And then you just happen to end up on the same tour?" Jayce shook his head and stuck his hands in his pants pockets. "Of course you'd want to see if there's any chemistry."

"Where is this coming from?"

"I want you to be happy. I'd prefer if I was the only one who could make you that way." His eyes flicked to me, an unreadable expression on his face. "But if you and this Neil guy have something, maybe you should explore it."

I gaped at Jayce, not believing the words coming out of his mouth. Was he telling me to go be with Neil?

"I want to be with you," I insisted.

"And I want to be with you. I'm not saying we have to break up."

I gaped, completely lost. "Then what are you saying?"

The corner of Jayce's lip twitched, almost as if he was holding back a smirk, the beginnings of that familiar smoldering look crossing his face.

"Sometimes I forget you're only twenty-one."

"I'm almost twenty-two." I frowned. I didn't understand why he was bringing up my age. I didn't understand the conversation we were having at all.

Jayce gave me a soft smile and kissed my forehead. "It's nothing. Really. Forget I said anything." He took my hand and led me away from the window and toward the bed. I was still confused, but was willing to let him take the lead.

"You know what I've been thinking about all night?"

"What?"

His eyes flashed with heat and a thrill ran through me. "Ripping off that dress and fucking you till you scream."

Chapter Twenty.