Chapter 35

Jace removed his sling and stretched his injured arm above his head. There was barely any pain now, but his strength had diminished significantly since he'd been wearing the damned thing. It was time to become proactive in his recovery so he could get back in the show. Screw Jon. This was Jace's band now. He was fucking sick of taking the backseat, not pursuing what he wanted, worrying about how everyone else felt. Jace left the tour bus and went to find Sed in the back of the equipment truck. Sed could usually be found there lifting weights, especially when he was sexually frustrated. Since he hadn't seen his fiancée in almost a month, he was bulking up like a Mr. Olympian contestant.

Jace climbed into the back of the truck. Though it was chilly outside, the air inside was stifling, thick, and moist. It smelled like an unwashed gym sock. Sed was bench-pressing twice Jace's weight, his bulging muscles straining against his skin.

Jace moved to stand at Sed's head and peered down at his red, sweaty face. "Need a spotter?"

Sed lifted an eyebrow, but instead of pointing out that Jace would make a piss-poor spotter, he nodded. "Sure."

Jace watched Sed do a couple of reps, hoping to God he never actually needed a spotter. With one useless arm, there was no way Jace could possibly hold that much weight, much less lift it off Sed's chest.

"Did you come in here for a reason?" Sed asked.

Jace shrugged.

"Hiding from your chick or something?"

"Nah, she's an angel."

"Eric?"

"Nope. We're cool." For once.

Sed grunted and lifted the metal bar to rest on the bench's stand. The truck rocked slightly with the shift in weight. Sed sat up and wiped his face on a towel. "Got a problem?"

"Kinda. I need to build up the strength in my arm. It's about healed, but…" He shrugged.

"Aren't you supposed to wear that sling for two more weeks?" Sed acted more like his father than Jace's actual father ever had. Jace had always found it comforting. He never wanted to let this guy down.

Jace ducked his head, disappointment sinking low in his chest. "Yeah."

Jace turned to leave the truck, but Sed caught him by the back of his shirt. "Let's see it."

He hesitated and then pulled his shirt off his arms and let it hang around his neck. The puckered skin of the scar on his upper arm looked a little less angry every day. He needed a mirror to see the one on the back of his shoulder, but it had healed shut as well. They no longer required bandages. The problem wasn't the wounds though. It was the loss of muscle mass from wearing that sling so long. Jace could see the difference in the size of his two arms, and apparently, so could Sed. He poked Jace's right biceps.

"You should start out pretty light and build up to heavier stuff. We'll get you evened out, but I don't want you to hurt yourself by rushing this. We've got Jon until you're better."

Jace pulled his shirt back in place, embarrassed by his puny arm in the company of ripped-beyond-belief Sed. "That's why I'm ready to get stronger. Now." Jace lifted his head, forcing his gaze not to waver. "I don't want Jon to take my place anymore."

Sed smiled, which always made him look less tough and reminded Jace that Sed really was a nice guy and genuinely cared about people. "I guess it would be boring to be stuck on the tour bus for a month and not get to be onstage. We'll get you back out there soon."

"I never wanted Jon to take my place," Jace clarified.

Sed scratched his head, looking perplexed. "But you wouldn't have been able to play a month ago. We would have had to cancel tour dates."

Jace's heart thudded. He knew his next words would make his feelings perfectly clear, and he had no idea how Sed would respond. Jace expected him to tell him to get lost. Permanently. "You did it for Trey."

"But there was no one readily available to take Trey's place like there was with you." A look of realization crossed Sed's face. "Oh." Sed blushed. Jace didn't know that Sed was capable of blushing. "If you felt that way, dipshit, why didn't you say something sooner?"

Jace rubbed the hoop in his earlobe. "It's selfish of me to feel that way."

"So what. We're not going to know how you feel about stuff unless you tell us. It doesn't mean it will change our decisions, but at least we'll understand where you're coming from. You're part of this band, too, you know?"

Sed hadn't told him to get lost. He had sort of chastised him though. Jace soaked it up like a sponge.

"I want back onstage as soon as I can get my strength up," Jace said, "but I don't want to suck. I want to play properly. I know I'm not ready for a full show yet. Maybe I can play half of the next show. A few songs at least."

"Whatever you think you can handle." Sed went to a rack of hand weights and lifted a set of fifteen-pounders. He handed them to Jace and selected forty-pound weights for himself. "Let's get busy then."

Sed put him through the ringer with repetition after repetition. The weight was far too light for Jace's left arm, but he struggled to lift even fifteen pounds with his right. He'd never let Sed know that though. He worked until his muscles refused to contract.

"You're done," Sed said.

Sed set his weights on the rack and took Jace's. Good thing. Jace probably would have dropped it on his foot. Sed set the weights down and then cuffed Jace on the side of his head. "Go rest for a while. We can work out again tomorrow."

"How about later tonight?" Jace should have recovered enough to move by then.

"You shouldn't overdo it, Jace."

Jace lowered his gaze. He preferred to work out with Sed. The guy was a body builder. Sed knew what he was doing, but Jace could do this on his own if necessary.

Sed chuckled. "You're really determined to get stronger, aren't you?"

Jace met his eyes. "Yeah."

"Then it's a date."

"A date?" a feminine voice said from the end of the truck bed. "Sorry, Jace, but I'm the only one he's dating for the next forty-eight hours."

Sed gasped, his eyes widening with shock as they located their guest. "Jessica."

"Hey, baby," she said, with a beautiful smile on her face. She climbed into the truck and dusted her hands off on her frilly white dress. The woman was amazingly sexy. No wonder Sed was already racing toward her. "Did you miss—"

Her words were cut off by Sed's enthusiastic kiss. He was hugging her so close Jace wouldn't be surprised if he broke her ribs. After a long moment, Sed pulled away and looked at her as if unable to believe she was really there. He touched her face, her long, strawberry blonde hair, and then settled both hands on her shoulders, tilting her back slightly so that her belly brushed against his sweaty, naked torso. "How did you get here?"

She laughed and cupped the side of his face. "Brian sent me a plane ticket. He told me to ditch school and get my ass to Canada before you spontaneously combusted. I'd have been here sooner, but I needed a passport."

"Brian did?"

"You're welcome," Brian said from the ground at the end of the truck. He had his arms crossed over his chest and looked pleased with himself. Jon stood beside him grinning, but when he noticed Jace, he scowled and slinked away.

"You two better make good use of that bedroom tonight," Brian added, "because Myrna will be here tomorrow, and we won't be leaving that room for two days."

Jace wasn't sure if Sed and Jessica even heard him. They were lost in each other's eyes. "You're all sweaty, baby," she murmured. "And damn, you're ripped. What have you been doing with yourself?" Her hands stroked his bulging biceps with obvious appreciation.

Sed's hold loosened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get my stink all over you."

Jessica leaned closer and licked the sweat off his collarbone. Sed's body tensed. "I want all of you, Sed. All over me." Her hand disappeared between their bodies, and Sed gasped brokenly when she found her target. "Inside me."

Sed growled and claimed Jessica's mouth again. He turned, pressed her against the steel wall, and slid a hand under the hem of her skirt. He grabbed her thigh and lifted it to his hip, before grinding himself against her.

Jace doubted these two were going to make it to the bedroom.

He grinned. Sed was so in love with Jessica. It was wonderful to see. It was even more wonderful to experience it himself with Aggie. Yeah, he loved her. He wondered what she was up to. He hopped out of the truck, landing next to Brian, and left Sed and Jessica to get reacquainted in semiprivate.

"Put it in, Sed," Jace heard Jessica cry against Sed's lips as they walked away. "I can't wait…"

"That was a nice thing you did," Jace said to Brian.

Brian chuckled, and they made their way back to the bus. "I knew Sed was too damn stubborn to tell her how much he needed her here. And Myrna's too damn stubborn to come here no matter how much I tell her I need her."

"So how did you convince Myrna?"

"I made it seem like it was her idea. I think I've finally figured out how to get what I want. She's a psychologist, so she usually sees my manipulative methods coming from a mile away." Brian laughed.

Jace smiled, holding Brian's gaze. His intense, brown eyes were so much like Kara's it stole Jace's breath. And apparently, his ability to reason. "I probably shouldn't tell you this."

Brian paused. "Tell me what?"

"I dated your sister." He wasn't sure why he wanted to own up to it all of a sudden.

"Not possible. My sister has been dead for ten years."

Jace nodded. "Yeah. We were teenagers. We broke it off a few weeks before she…"

Brian's eyes narrowed suddenly. " You're Jason?"

Jace's heart skipped a beat. "Huh?"

"Are you the asshole who took her virginity and then never called afterward?"

Brian knew ? How could he know? He'd never told anyone—with the exception of Aggie.

"I-I guess so."

Brian took a swing at him. Jace ducked instinctively.

"You fucking jerk," Brian growled. "She cried for weeks over you."

"She did?"

Brian's next swing hit home. Jace gladly took it in the chin.

"I thought she hated me," Jace murmured.

"No, she loved you. I hated you."

"I'm sorry, Brian. I had no idea. I never meant to hurt her."

"Well, you did." Brian considered him for a long moment. Jace wished he'd just hit him again and get it over with. Brian relaxed his stance instead. He cracked his knuckles. "God, that felt good. Do you know how long I've wanted to punch this Jason jerk in the face?"

"Ten years?" Jace guessed.

Brian laughed. "Yeah." He thumbed the bruise forming on Jace's chin. "You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm glad you hit me. I feel better now. That secret has been eating me alive."

"We'll never speak of this again. Got it?"

Jace nodded. "Got it."

They started toward the bus. "So are you and Aggie going to tie the knot?" Brian asked unexpectedly.

Tie the knot. As in marriage ? Jace was so stunned by the idea he stopped walking in mid-stride. He stumbled, bumping against Brian's shoulder. Marriage had never crossed his mind. Not once. But wasn't that what a couple did when they were in love?

"No?" Brian squeezed Jace's shoulder. "I guess you're still pretty young. No need to rush it."

"Do you think she would?" Jace sputtered. "Marry. Me?" Why did his voice sound like he'd reentered puberty?

"You'll have to ask her."

Jace's brow crinkled. "Yeah. Maybe I will."

***

Aggie grinned when Jace came up behind her and wrapped both arms around her waist.

"I'm starving," he murmured. "Whatcha cooking?"

"Spaghetti. We have a guest." She covered his entwined hands with hers. "Jessica's here," she told him. "Brian just brought her in from the airport."

"Yeah, I saw her."

"Where've you been anyway? You were gone when I woke up." When she'd opened her eyes, Eric had been cuddled up against her naked body. She hadn't been comfortable being left alone with him and had been a little put off that Jace had abandoned her and not made Eric leave.

"I was working out with Sed."

"Is your body up to that?"

"It's up to fucking you a couple times a day. I think I can handle lifting fifteen pounds."

What had him out of sorts? "What's the matter, baby?" She reached behind her to run a hand through his soft hair. It was getting long, and his brown roots were showing again. She was glad he hadn't spiked it with gel today. It felt like silk against her fingertips.

"How do you feel about marriage?" he asked.

Her heart skipped a beat. "Marriage?" she sputtered breathlessly.

He stood there silently for a long moment. When she didn't say anything, he released her and backed away. "That's what I thought." He disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door before she could get a handle on what had just happened.

Did Jace want to marry her? Her? A trashy dominatrix from Vegas. As a doting wife? Surely he was just asking what she thought about marriage in general.

The stove hissed as her pot of spaghetti boiled over. She grabbed the handles and sloshed the excess water in the sink before returning the pot to the burner.

Marriage?

Where had that come from?

In all their time together, marriage had never crossed her mind. She felt kind of guilty about that. How long had he been thinking about this? She walked down the hall and stood outside the bathroom door with her knuckles raised to knock. The sound of the shower being turned on made her pause. She didn't want to leave him to fester. She knew how he internalized the things that hurt him, but she needed time to think about this. She didn't think she'd ever get married. It hadn't been on her life's to-do list. But she loved Jace. Adored him. She didn't want to lose him. But marry him? She wasn't sure if that was best for either of them.

Eric leaned against the wall next to her. "What did he do now?"

Aggie glanced up at Eric's twinkling, blue eyes. "Who?"

"Jace."

"Nothing." She spun away from the door and returned to the stove to stir the spaghetti sauce. She checked the meatballs in the oven. Glanced over her shoulder at the bathroom door. Stirred the sauce. Checked the meatballs. Glanced at the bathroom door.

Eric hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter between the stove and the sink. "He did something," Eric insisted. "I've never seen you this upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Are too."

"Not."

"You can tell me," Eric said. "I'll help you straighten him out."

"He doesn't need straightening out."

Eric clung to the edge of the counter and swung his long legs, his heels bumping against the lower cabinet repetitively.

"Stop fidgeting," Aggie demanded. "You're driving me insane."

"Someone is cranky." Eric hopped off the counter and stood behind her to massage her shoulders. "Chillax. Everything will be okay."

As his strong hands worked her muscles, Aggie tensed further. She twisted away and brandished her spaghetti spoon at him. "Just go over there and sit down."

"Jace and I can work all that aggression out of you, sexy. Let's start without him."

When his mouth descended on the side of her neck, she tensed. Exactly what kind of claim did Eric think he had on her? He cupped her breasts and pulled her back against his hard body. She jerked away, spun around, and shoved him with both hands.

"I didn't say you could touch me, Eric."

His brow knitted. "I need permission?"

"Not only mine. Jace's too."

Eric grinned. "I'm sure Jace won't mind."

Aggie lowered her gaze. Eric was probably right. And why was that exactly? Shouldn't Jace be at least a little jealous of Eric touching her? Kissing her? Coming on to her? She knew if it ever came down to Jace choosing between her and his band, the band would win, hands down. Not that she would make him choose—but if he had to. He said he loved her. Most of the time, he acted like he did. But sometimes, she wasn't sure. She was so confused she felt like crying. Her lower lip trembled.

She squared her shoulders, turned her back on Eric, and returned to the stove. Forcing her turbulent thoughts from her mind, she drained the spaghetti and added it to the sauce. The meatballs went in next. She turned off the burner, grabbed the nearest jacket, and headed for the bus exit. "Dinner's ready," she mumbled to Trey and Brian as she passed the sofa. They watched her pass, and then exchanged troubled glances.

"Eric, what the fuck did you say?" Trey asked as Aggie stepped off the bottom step.

"Nothing, I swear! Let's eat."

Aggie slipped into the jean jacket she'd borrowed and headed toward the woods past the bus. She needed a moment away from the guys to collect her thoughts. She wasn't running away. She wasn't.

She entered the woods, autumn leaves crunching beneath her feet. She circled behind the nearest thick tree and leaned against it, staring up at the darkening sky. What was she going to do? She never liked to think about the future. It never did what she expected—what she planned. She had to live in the now. She didn't know if she had a future with Jace. She was afraid to dwell on it too much in case things didn't work out with him. Why did he have to bring up that possibility now? Leaves crunched beside her. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet.

He stopped next to her.

"That's my jacket."

Not Jace. Jon.

She leaned away from the tree and started to remove the jacket, but Jon caught her arm. "It's okay. I don't mind if you borrow it."

She felt like she was wearing the opposing team's game jersey, but if she took it off, she knew she'd have to go back to the bus immediately. The temperature was dropping rapidly as the sun sank behind the horizon.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" he asked.

"Getting some fresh air."

He leaned back against the tree beside her. "Stifling in there sometimes, isn't it?"

She nodded slightly.

"I know you don't like me."

It was that obvious, was it?

"I'm not always an obnoxious jackass. That's just what the guys expect. Can't let them down."

"I think they've grown up since you were with them originally."

Jon pulled a hand through his collar-length, wavy black hair. "I guess. I don't have much to offer. I know that."

He huffed a breath and stared at the few leaves still clinging to the barren branches above.

"Your guy," he said. "He has a lot of talent."

Aggie glanced at him, wondering what he was getting at.

"The band isn't ever going to take me back, are they? Not for real."

Aggie felt no need to protect this guy's feelings. "Probably not."

"Not unless something happened to Jace."

Aggie's heart thudded. "Is that some kind of threat?"

He rolled his smoky gray eyes and shook his head. "If it was a threat, would I have told you?"

His words didn't make her feel better. She needed to tell Jace what Jon had just said. Warn him that he needed to watch his back.

"I'm going inside," she said. "It's chilly out here." She headed around the tree and almost ran into Jace.

"What are you doing out here with Jon?" Jace asked from the near darkness.

She didn't know why she felt like she'd been caught cheating. Probably because she knew how much Jace disliked Jon.

"Nothing important."

"Why are you sneaking around in the dark? Tell me that."

Wait. Was Jace jealous? Of Jon? Aggie chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Don't you trust me, Jace?"

He hesitated. "Yeah, I trust you. But why were you out here alone with Jon? And isn't this his jacket?"

"I didn't know it was his when I grabbed it. Let's go talk inside. I'm cold."

"The guys are inside."

Aggie grinned at her sweet, predictable, tough angel. "Are you afraid I'll embarrass you?"

"Well, won't you?"

"Yeah, probably." She looped her arm through his. They had a lot to talk about, whether she was ready to face the future or not. That was what had her so freaked out. Mentioning marriage suggested Jace was thinking of the future in a big way. "I suppose Sed and Jessica are occupying the bedroom."

"Obviously."

"Where should we go so we can talk and I don't embarrass you in front of the guys?"

"We don't have to talk."

"Yeah, we do. You brought up marriage."

"It was a question, Aggie. I just wondered what you thought about marriage. I didn't mean—"

She found his lips in the moonlight and covered them with her fingertips. "We still need to talk. It makes me nervous too."

"It does?" he murmured against her fingertips.

"You're trapped by your past. I'm afraid of my future."

"Afraid?"

"Terrified."

She suddenly found herself in his arms, his lips against her forehead. "Don't be afraid, baby. I've got you."

But would he always? She snuggled closer. She actually found herself hoping—for a future. With this guy. Her heart thudded faster as her mind raced through possibilities, the good and the bad.

"Maybe both of us should concentrate on now ," she suggested. "Forget the past. Don't worry about the future. Just be ."

"If that's what you want."

"I'm not sure it's what I want, but I think it's all I can handle."

"Okay."

"But we still need to talk."

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," she agreed. "Let's go eat, and then you can take me to your bunk and have your way with me."

"The guys will hear us."

Aggie chuckled. "Like they don't hear us when we're in the bedroom."

"Just don't call me anything embarrassing like Sweet'ums McSugar Bear."

"I'd never called you that. What if I call you Huge Cock Master Pussy Delighter? Would that be okay?"

He laughed, and her heart warmed at the sound. "I guess I could live with that."

They entered the bus. Aggie took off Jon's jacket and tossed it on the sofa on her way toward the kitchen. The rest of the band was squashed together in the small booths surrounding the square table eating spaghetti. Jessica was sitting on Sed's knee. His hand rested against her lower back. He might as well have been growling mine, mine, mine under his breath. Aggie smiled, happy to see Jessica, but more happy to see her glowing. She'd always been a beauty, but with Sed beside her, she was radiant. Sed fed Jessica from his plate while she talked animatedly to Trey.

"I can't really talk about it, but Dean Taylor is still denying all fourteen counts of sexual harassment. If he was smart, he'd plea bargain. We have an incredible case against him." She accepted half a meatball into her mouth, chewing slowly.

"Do you think you're going to get through that class you had to retake then?" Trey asked.

Jessica swallowed and nodded. "Ellington and I had a long talk. She's transferred her hatred to the appropriate party. We get along okay now." She turned and rubbed her nose against Sed's. He grinned, showing a pair of dimples Aggie had never realized existed. He poked the other half of the meatball in her mouth.

"Eat faster," he whispered and glanced eagerly at the bedroom door.

She chewed and swallowed.

"I'm glad everything is working out," Brian said, looking ill as he watched Jessica steal Sed's lips for a tender kiss. "I can't wait until tomorrow," he grumbled under his breath.

Jace handed Aggie a plate full of spaghetti and meatballs. She smiled with gratitude. "Thanks."

Jessica glanced up at the sound of Aggie's voice. "There you are," she said, with a bright smile. "I wondered where you'd disappeared to. Trey said Eric pissed you off."

"Not really." Aggie shrugged. But she needed to talk to him too. About their nonexistent relationship.

She looked at Eric, who sat in the booth lodged between Sed's big body and the wall. He concentrated on his meal and didn't acknowledge his name had been spoken. His dark brows were drawn together, his thin lips set in a harsh line as he chewed. Aggie had never seen Eric upset. He shrugged everything off as if life was some big joke. She hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings, because if she had that meant he had feelings for her, and she didn't want to deal with that. And she sure didn't want to become a rift between Eric and Jace.

As there was no room at the table, Aggie leaned against the counter, balanced her plate on her chest with one hand, and used her other to eat. With one arm trapped in a sling, Jace stood beside her and stared at his plate as if hoping his food would jump into his mouth.

"I'm full," Jessica declared.

"Finally." Sed rose from the table, tossed a giggling Jessica over one shoulder and rushed to the bedroom.

Brian shifted to the opposite side of the table so Aggie and Jace could sit next to each other and Jace could actually eat. They were halfway through their meal before Aggie noticed that Eric wasn't really eating. He was repeatedly stabbing one of his meatballs with his fork.

"What's wrong, Eric?" Aggie asked.

"He got his period," Trey said.

"Fuck you," Eric grumbled.

"Are you still moping, Eric?" Brian asked. "Trey didn't mean to hurt your feelings, bro."

"I was just fucking with you, dude," Trey said. "Some lucky girl will eventually fall for you. Marry you. Give birth to your ugly kids. You'll live happily ever after and all that shit."

" You'll probably find someone serious before I do," Eric grumbled.

"Party boy?" Brian jabbed a thumb in Trey's direction and laughed. "I don't think so. Who'd be crazy enough to get serious with him? He's about as monogamous as a salmon."

"A salmon ?" Trey burst out laughing. Aggie chuckled with him and shook her head.

"I mean, even Jace is getting married," Eric complained.

Jace stiffened. Aggie's laughter died. They exchanged nervous glances.

"I am ?" Jace said, his voice uncharacteristically squeaky.

"Since when?" Aggie demanded.

"I heard him ask you, Aggie," Eric said, looking annoyed by her obvious stupidity.

"He wasn't asking me to marry him." At least that's what he'd tried to tell her outside. Aggie's eyes widened with realization. Maybe he had been. Jace wasn't good at expressing himself verbally. She was well aware of that fact. Aggie's head swiveled so she could look at Jace. His face was the color of cranberries as he examined his plate with uncommon interest. "You weren't, were you?"

" What? " He glanced at the wall. "No. I already told you. I just wanted to know…" He squirmed against her, trying to push Aggie out of the booth. "Let me out. I need to go to the bathroom."

Trey laughed. "He was. Oh my God, Jace, how did you manage to fuck that up so spectacularly? She didn't even know you were asking her."

"Shut up, Trey. I wasn't." He surprised Aggie by lifting her hand to his lips. He kissed her knuckles gently. "If I was asking her, she'd know it."

She smiled, her heart melting. She leaned closer to kiss him, but hesitated when she realized it would embarrass him in front of the guys. He closed the distance, his lips stroking hers with incomparable tenderness. Her toes curled in bliss.

"Ha!" Brian said. "You owe me twenty bucks, Mills."

"Damn it." Trey pulled out his wallet and handed over a twenty.

Brian kissed it and slid it into his pocket.

Aggie leaned away from Jace and turned to scowl at the two guitarists. "What exactly did you two bet?"

Brian winked. "That Jace would never get mushy with you in front of us."

Wincing, Trey ducked to avoid Jace's gaze. "Sorry, Jace."

Jace laughed. "Why would you bet that?"

"He thought it was a sure win," Brian said. "But Trey's never been in love, so he doesn't know how it changes a man."

"I have too been in love."

Brian lifted his brows. "With who?"

Trey flushed and lowered his eyes. "No one you know."

"That's what I thought," Brian said.

Was Brian really that dumb? It was obvious who Trey was in love with. The only one who didn't recognize it was Brian. Aggie watched Trey hide his feelings behind a mischievous smile.

"Do you think Myrna will be in the mood for another one of our famous threesomes?" Trey winked at Brian.

Aggie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. From offhand remarks, she'd always assumed Myrna was straightlaced and prudish. Apparently not.

"Don't get your hopes up, Mills. I don't plan on sharing her with anyone this weekend," Brian said. "Besides, she's off birth control now. I don't want you guys naked within a hundred yards of her."

"Uh, how are we supposed to shower?" Trey asked.

Brian rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You can shower, dumbass. Just make sure you wear a condom."

Jace's lips brushed the back of Aggie's ear. Her amused grin faded, and she shuddered, goose bumps rising along her neck and shoulder.

"Let's go to bed," he whispered.

Oh, hell yeah.

Aggie took Jace's hand and tugged him out of the booth behind her.

"You kids keep it down in there," Trey said. "I don't think Brian can handle the sounds of two couples getting laid when he gets none."

"Abstinence is so not my thing," Brian grumbled.

"I told you I'd help you with that."

Brian shook his head. "I can help myself just fine, thankyouverymuch."

Aggie kicked off her shoes in the aisle near the sleeping area. "Which bunk is yours?" she asked Jace.

"Depends on who is in the bedroom. Since it's Sed, that would be the bottom bunk next to the bathroom."

She hesitated. "You don't have your own bunk?"

He shook his head. "There are only four, and we take turns in the bedroom, so I sleep wherever there's an open bunk."

She didn't know why that made her sad, but it did. That familiar need to hug him gripped her.

Before she could embarrass him by locking him in an affectionate stranglehold, he grinned. "Since you've been here, I've been getting way more than my fair share of the comfortable bed."

"I'll say," Trey said. "You dudes with the steady girlfriends always hog the bedroom."

At the mention of the bedroom, Aggie's attention focused on the sounds filtering through the door. Sed and Jessica were not shy about anyone hearing them, that was obvious. Jessica was particularly loud and enthusiastic, but it was Sed's low growls of appreciation that had heat flooding Aggie's loins.

Eric pushed Brian out of the booth. He threw his plate into the sink before storming out of the bus.

"What's eating him?" Brian asked.

"He likes Aggie. And what's not to like." Trey winked at her.

"Yeah, and he liked Myrna too," Brian said, "but he never got so bent out of shape about it."

"I'll go talk to him," Jace said.

Jace was going to talk to him? But what about…? She glanced longingly at the bottom bunk.

"I'll just be a few minutes," he murmured into her ear. "Will you wait?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "I'm pretty turned on right now. I might start without you."

She'd been teasing, but his little growl of torment set her systems to go. "I'll hurry."

He kissed her and headed out of the bus after Eric.

Aggie climbed into the bunk and tugged the curtain shut. She struggled out of her pants and tossed them onto the floor. Her shirt next.

She heard Brian curse under his breath. Poor guy. She couldn't resist making it worse for him. She slid out of her panties, and after twirling them around outside the curtain, dropped them on her growing pile of discarded clothes.

"Ah God, I can't take this anymore," Brian groaned.

When she dropped her bra on the floor, someone ran into the bathroom and shut the door.

"Brian, you should save that for Myrna," Trey called down the aisle. "Or me," he added too quietly for Brian to hear, but Aggie heard it.

***

Jace stood outside the bus, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. This roadside park really was in the middle of nowhere. If it were a little warmer, he'd have asked Aggie to lie out under the stars. The brilliant flecks of white stood in stark contrast against the dark sky. A sliver of moon gave shadowy forms to the surrounding trees.

The gravel beside him crunched.

"Eric?"

"Not quite," Jon muttered and pushed past him to get on the bus.

Jace noticed a strange scent around Jon, but couldn't identify it. Not marijuana—something more chemical. Maybe he'd been cleaning a toilet.

Jace caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Eric stood leaning against the side of the bus sipping from his flask. The slim, silver container glinted in the limited moonlight.

Jace leaned beside him against the bus. The chill of metal at his back seeped through his T-shirt. He shivered. He missed his leather jacket. "You okay, man?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Eric took a long swallow from his flask and gasped when he drew it away.

"I didn't think you'd get attached to Aggie. I just thought…" What had he thought? "She'd get more pleasure if you participated. I wanted her to enjoy really great sex. It wasn't supposed to mean anything."

"I'm not in love with her, if that's what you think."

Then what was his problem? Jace tugged on the earring in his right earlobe.

"It's…" Eric took another long drink. "I want what you have. What Sed has. What Brian has. No one has ever loved me. Not really."

Jace loved him—in a platonic way. He just wasn't drunk enough to say it.

"My mother abandoned me when I was four. She gave birth to me, and even she didn't love me." Eric scoffed. "You'd think at least her love would be guaranteed."

Jace considered telling Eric about his mother—how she hadn't loved her son much either—but he couldn't find the words. "The guys care about you." They were family. The only family Jace had. Didn't Eric see them that way too?

"It's not the same. I don't really matter—to anyone." Eric took a deep breath. "I appreciate that you came out here to cheer me up and shit, but I'll get over it. Tequila fixes everything." He attempted a sip, tipping his head way back, and then upended the flask over the ground. "Figures I'd run out of numbing juice this far from civilization."

"Wanna beer?"

"Nah. I need a few minutes to get my head on straight. Go back to Aggie." He attempted another sip from his empty flask, sighed, and then tucked it into the inner pocket of his leather vest. "Go on. You're bothering me."

Jace hesitated, wanting to make Eric feel better. He knew it was stupid to feel that way, but he didn't like Eric to be upset. "There's something you should know about me."

"I already know that you're short." Eric chuckled halfheartedly.

Jace took a deep breath. Everything was a joke with this guy. Jace pushed forward with what he had to say, even though he knew Eric would use it to make fun of him in the future. "You are the reason I am who I am today. You, Eric. You turned my life around. So if you think you don't matter to anyone, you're wrong. You matter to me."

Jace pushed off the side of the bus and walked back to the entrance. He blew into his hands and clenched them into fists for warmth. The tips of his ears tingled, and his butt was numb from the cold. There was a warm and willing woman waiting for him inside. He wondered why he'd stayed in the chill for this long.

"Wait. Jace?" Eric called after him. "What do you mean I turned your life around?"

Jace had already said too much. He lifted a hand in farewell and climbed the steps to enter the bus. He was looking forward to crawling into bed with Aggie. Or he had been, until he saw Jon sitting on the floor outside her bunk with his back pressed against the wall. He was talking quietly through the curtain and toying with her discarded panties with one finger.

Jace didn't need this shit right now. He didn't want to fight Jon anymore. He wanted him to go away—for things to go back to the way they used to be before he got shot—before he met Aggie. Everything had been a hell of a lot easier to deal with back then. He just had to regress inside himself, and everyone left him alone. Back when he'd played with the band, but not as one of them. Yeah, easier.

But lonely.

He sighed. He didn't want to go back to that place. Things weren't easier now, but they were better.

Jon noticed Jace standing at the top of the steps. He said something to Aggie, stood, and brushed past Jace on his way outside. Jace wondered what kind of lie Aggie would fabricate to explain herself. The traitor.

She pushed the curtain back and peeked into the aisle. When she spotted him, she smiled and beckoned him closer with a wave. Like everything was fine. Everything was not fine. She knew how much Jace fucking hated that guy.

On his way down the aisle, Jace passed Trey watching his Greatest Moments in Baseball DVD. Jace could hear the quiet rumble of Brian's voice from his bunk as he talked quietly on his cell phone. Sed and Jessica had fallen silent in the bedroom, which meant everyone would hear him when he confronted Aggie about Jon.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Waiting for you."

"With Jon?"

She covered her lips with one finger. "Get in here," she whispered. She shoved the curtain back, giving him a glimpse of her curvy, naked body. His thoughts grew thick with lust, but not so thick that she'd get off the hook that easily.

"I want a straight answer, Aggie."

"And you'll get one. Get in here with me."

He sat on the edge of the bunk, slumped forward so he didn't hit his head. "Why were you talking to him?"

"Take your boots off."

"Aggie," he said impatiently.

She sat up and leaned close to his ear. "Just get in here, and I'll explain."

He kicked off his boots and climbed into the bunk. It was a tight fit for two people, so after scooting and rearranging he ended up on his back, with Aggie on her side next to him, her back to the wall, her warm breath against his ear.

"I didn't really want to talk to him, Jace," she whispered. "I knew you wouldn't like it, but I was trapped in here naked. He wants to ask you something, but he's too afraid, so he wants me to ask you."

"He's afraid? Of what?"

"Probably that you'll punch him in the face again."

"Smart dude. So what is it?"

"Eric told him you were playing piano on the new album."

"A couple songs. So?"

"So if you're playing piano, who's going to play bass?"

"I'll record the two tracks separately, and then they'll mix them."

"But who will play it live?"

Jace's brow furrowed. He hadn't thought of that. "I don't know. The album isn't even done yet. Why is he asking about this now?"

"He doesn't want to lose the band. Not entirely."

"So I'm supposed to extend a hand of welcome?"

"That's up to you. He said he didn't want to go to the rest of the guys. He wants you to make the decision."

"That's weird," Jace said. "Why should this be my decision?"

"You're the bassist. He said after he heard you play live that he knew he was grasping at straws. He was hoping you might give him one last straw to cling to."

"I'll bring it up with the guys," Jace promised.

Aggie snuggled against him. "I love you."

Jace wasn't sure why throwing Jon a bone had her all sentimental, but he'd take it. He touched her soft breast with his fingertips.

She yelped. "Your hands are freezing!"

"Then warm them up."

"I'll warm you up," she said in a threatening tone.

He chuckled. "That's the idea."

Apparently, his idea of the best way to create warmth and her idea weren't quite the same. She tickled him until he laughed and squirmed himself off the bed. He hit the floor with a thud. Still laughing, he rolled over to climb to his feet. Unexpectedly, he found himself airborne as someone lifted him off the floor and tossed him back into the bunk.

"You lost something, Aggie," Eric said with a grin.

"Thanks, Eric. I wouldn't want him to get away."

"Keep him on a shorter leash."

Aggie's devious smile instantly had Jace warm and his pants tight. "Now there's an idea," she murmured.

He was glad she was already naked. It made it easier to fill his hands and mouth with warm, inviting flesh.

"I guess there's no room in there for me," Eric said and drew the curtain closed.

"Is Eric going to be okay?" Aggie whispered.

Jace released her nipple and slid up her body to look her in the eye. The light in the closed bunk was limited, and he couldn't gauge her expression. "He'll have to be. Call me selfish, but I'm not sharing you anymore. I'll have to be enough to feed your insatiable sexual appetite."

Aggie grinned, buried her fingers in his hair, and kissed him hungrily. When he tried to pull back to ask her about her lustful enthusiasm, she held him fast, her lips sucking on his, fingers digging into his scalp, mound gyrating feverishly against his rock hard cock. All rational thought escaped him. He immersed himself in the delight of Aggie's curves. Well, as best he could with the fucking sling pinning his arm against his body.

Her hands moved down his back to tug at his shirt impatiently. When she found her progress impeded by his sling, her hands slipped between their bodies and unfastened his pants. Both hands thrust into his open fly and pulled his cock free. She stroked him up and down vigorously between her palms, her fingertips dancing against his flesh. Jesus, he liked it rough like that. His breath caught in the back of his throat.

"God, baby, don't make me wait. Take me," she pleaded, squirming beneath him.

Why was she so eager? He didn't get it. He understood when she got this way after he spent hours teasing her body, but he'd barely had time to touch her. Hell, he was fully clothed. Was her excitement due to the guys being outside the curtain and able to hear her? Or because Brian was talking dirty to Myrna, jerking it, and groaning quietly in the bunk across the way? Or because Sed and Jessica had begun round two of their "who can vocalize the loudest" contest?

"Aggie? What's goin…"

He lost his train of thought as she slipped his cock into her warm, slick core and arched her back to drive him deep. He sucked a breath between his teeth. She bucked her hips against him, urging him into a deep, hard rhythm. The bunk had little room to maneuver, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He planted his feet against one wall, and she lifted her arms above her head to hold herself stable against the other as he plowed into her with increasingly hard thrusts. He growled as instinct took over. All he could think about was claiming her, making her feel him. Taking her and all that she gave him, which was so much more than this. But God, this was what he wanted—to be inside her—part of her body. It couldn't get better than this. She lifted both legs and planted her feet on the bunk overhead, tilting her pelvis to increase the friction on the head of his cock. Wow. God, he'd been so wrong. It could get better. He thrust into her harder. Faster. His nuts were heavy, full to bursting, but he didn't want it to end. He wanted to fuck her like this forever.

She rotated her hips, rubbing her swollen clit against him, her hands somehow finding their way around his body to his ass and encouraging him to pump into her harder. She came with a startled cry, her entire body going rigid as her pussy clenched around him in hard spasms. Yeah, baby, come for me. Come. He almost followed her, but that would mean this would end, and he wasn't ready to stop.

"Jace," she called to him desperately. "Jace. Oh God, I love you. I love you."

And he didn't care that everyone on the bus could hear. He wanted them to. Wanted them to know that he'd somehow won this sensational woman's affection even though he knew he'd never done anything to deserve it.

Her hands moved from his ass to cup his face, and she kissed him passionately, still grinding her hips against him as he thrust into her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I got carried away. The guys probably heard that."

"I don't mind," he assured her.

She paused. "You don't?"

He shook his head and nibbled on her chin while he continued to thrust into her body. "You know what I do mind though?"

"What's that?"

"That you stopped doing that thing with your hips. Feels real good."

She gyrated, squeezing his cock, releasing, squeezing, as her pussy muscles clenched with her motion. "Like this?"

His breath caught. "Ah God, Aggie."

"What about this?" She tilted her pelvis up and down, which changed the friction on the head of his cock from one pleasure point to another.

"Yeah, feels good too."

She worked her hips against him, the pleasure so intense, he knew he wasn't going to last much longer, but he was ready now. He wanted to let go and fill her with his seed. Find the release only she could offer. Not just the physical release, but the emotional one he'd never found with anyone but her. With Aggie. His Aggie. Sweet, tough Aggie.

"I'm coming again," she gasped. "Oh Jace. Jace. Jace!"

When her body went rigid this time, he thrust deep and let go. Muscles at the base of his cock contracted with rhythmic pulses of pleasure, bathing her insides with his fluids. His good arm gave out, and he collapsed on top of her. She wrapped both arms and legs around him and held him tightly as he trembled in the aftermath.

"I love you, Aggie," he whispered.

"What was that? I didn't hear you."

"I love you."

"Again. Louder."

"I love you!"

"Did you hear that guys? He loves me," she called.

"Oh, we heard that, and a whole lot more," Trey said from somewhere near the dining table.

"My balls hurt so bad," Eric moaned. "You realize there isn't any available pussy around for miles."

"I do realize that," Jace murmured. He brushed Aggie's hair from her cheeks and slid his slackening cock in and out of her a couple times. "Because this is mine."

"Fuck, yeah, it is," she murmured and kissed him.

"Will everyone shut up?" Brian called miserably from his bunk. "I can't do this with all that yammering."