“Well, you pulled that off, sweetie.” My future sister-in-law gave me a sly wink and turned back into the bedroom. “Now let’s get your hot little ass to that bar and make Zander Brockman sweat until he can get you alone later.”

My blush only intensified at the thought of being alone with Z later, but I had a silly grin on my face as I followed Chelsea out of the apartment and down to Noah’s truck. She climbed up into the jacked-up monster without any problems whereas I had to struggle to hold on to my dignity as I attempted to get up into it in the heels I was wearing. Finally, with a muttered curse, I tore off the high heels—also borrowed from Chelsea—and tossed them onto the floorboard of the truck before climbing in.

Chelsea was still laughing her head off at me when she pulled my brother’s truck into the over-crowded parking lot of Floyd’s Bar. I put the damn heels on again as I got out of the truck and reached back in for my purse. We were running late, and it was all my fault. By the time we entered the bar through the back door, OtherWorld was already out on the small stage Floyd set up for them every Friday night.

Noah was waiting for us in the back room. He kissed Chelsea hello before turning his gaze to me. When he did, his eyes almost popped out of his head, his jaw dropped and it took him several attempts before he could speak. “Um…” He cleared his throat. “You…? Wow, Annabelle.”

My brother’s reaction made my silly grin return and I took his offered free hand as he led us out to the bar. As the parking lot had suggested, the place was packed to capacity and then some. Between the two hundred or so people talking and singing along with the band, plus the loudness of the music, I could barely hear myself think.

There was barely any room to move between people, but Noah guided us through the thick crowd to the front where OtherWorld was playing. I took a quick glance around, noticing how many chicks were in the front row. All of them were chicks except for Noah, who stood like a bodyguard between Chelsea and me. I saw girls crying as they shouted out at the band, some of them already without their bras on because they had tossed them onto the stage. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at that. Really? Did these chicks think that by giving some guy their bra they would pick them out of the throng of other females around them?

I was the stupid one for even thinking that, of course. That was exactly how Wroth and Devlin had actually picked some of the chicks they had hooked up with over the past year. They picked whichever bras they liked the most and left with their owners. I was pretty sure Z had done that same thing a few times before I’d started slipping into his window most nights.

I knew the instant that Zander saw me. His playing turned to pure shit and I glanced up at him to see why. His eyes were glued to me and he was barely playing his bass. The way his gaze was raking over me, I knew he liked what he was seeing and that made me start to tremble. Ah, Christ. I wanted him so badly.

Liam drifted across the stage, still playing his own bass, and bumped his shoulder against Zander’s. Zander didn’t even move, just continued to stand there staring hungrily at me. My panties grew damp, my nipples aching in the pushup bra I’d bought earlier that week at the mall in Nashville. Would it hurt anyone if we left right then? I mean really?

As the song came to an end, Zander finally seemed to come out of his daze. He shook his head a few times and muttered something to Wroth, who was giving him a questioning look. I couldn’t hear anything he said over the noise of the crowd around me, but whatever he said had Wroth grinning. Moving toward the edge of the stage, Zander cocked a finger, waving me over, and I went without the slightest hesitation.

Bending, he brushed his lips over mine in a quick, soft kiss that made my heart shudder in my chest. I wanted to linger but, behind him, the guys were already starting up the first chords of the next song. I started to back away, but Z stopped me. His hand caught mine and he tugged me closer as he pressed his lips to my ear. “Was that the reaction you wanted?”

Blushing even hotter, I nodded. “Definitely.”

I felt more than heard his chuckle. “As soon as this show is over, you’re mine, Anna.” He pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot just under my ear, causing me to shiver deliciously. With a grin he straightened and easily started playing along with the others.

For the rest of the show his eyes never strayed from me, but his playing didn’t turn to shit again. I couldn’t keep my gaze off of him any more than he could me. Tomorrow didn’t matter right then. All I could see was that night.

Our night.

C HAPTER T HIRTEEN

Annabelle

I wanted to leave as soon as Zander stepped off stage, but my brother grabbed my hand and held on to it tightly before I could follow after them. I pouted up at Noah, but he just grinned and pulled Chelsea and me through the sea of fans to the back room.

Several other girls had already followed the band back, but Floyd’s one and only bouncer was keeping them at bay. Noah gave him a small nod as he pulled us past the whining chicks. The door to the back room was closed, which confused me. That door was rarely closed.

Using his foot to push the door open, Noah stepped in, only then releasing my hand as he and Chelsea turned to face me. Behind them, OtherWorld was already waiting, grins on everyone’s faces. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.”

I didn’t know why, but tears instantly burned my eyes. I tried to blink them back, but it was no use. One tear spilled down my cheek followed by ten more. My heart was full in that moment. With all of my old friends, plus one new one, singing “Happy Birthday” to me, I realized that I was going to miss more than just Zander. I’d miss Liam calling me Anna Banana and Devlin’s smiling aquamarine eyes as we teased each other. I’d miss Wroth’s scary scowl that lightened every time he saw little Marissa. Hell, I’d even miss Axton, whom I’d only known a week but had somehow become someone I counted as a friend.

Stepping around everyone else, Zander produced a cake with a candle shaped into the number 17 while he and the others continued to sing. Lighting the candle, he stopped in front of me just as the last ‘happy birthday to you’ was being sung. “Make a wish, Anna.”

Ignoring my tears, I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. I wish for more of this. More of my family and friends and times like this. Opening my eyes, I blew out the candle to the cheers of everyone around me. Zander shoved the cake into the hands of the closest person behind him, which happened to be Chelsea. “Okay, we did the cake and song. Now I’m taking the birthday girl out for dinner and her present.”

Before anyone could even open their mouths he grasped my hand and pulled me out of the room and then through the back door. Biting the inside of my cheek to hold back the excitement that was starting to bubble over inside of me, I remained silent as he practically dragged me toward his truck. With his big, quick steps I couldn’t keep up in my heels.

Noticing that I was having trouble keeping up, Zander stopped and swung me up into his arms. A giggle spilled out of me and I wrapped my arms around his neck as he jogged the rest of the way to his truck and opened the driver’s side door. Placing me on the seat, I scooted over toward the passenger side but didn’t get more than a few inches before Zander was beside me.

“No,” he growled when I started to move over again. “Stay close.” He caught my hand and brought it to his lips. From the glow of the parking lot lights, I could see that his eyes were green with only a few flecks of gold shooting fire down at me. This wasn’t my OCD messed-up Z staring down at me; it was my hungry Z, and from the looks of it he was starving. “I don’t think I can breathe if you don’t.”