I don’t let myself think. I just reach out, twine my fingers with his, and hang on for dear life.
“Together.”
Chapter Ten
ryder
I wasn’t goingto touch her. I really wasn’t.
But,fuck, she looked so fragile standing there on the sidelines. Lost and alone, like her whole world was coming undone at the prospect of stepping on that stage. And when she glanced up at me with those liquid gold eyes, so goddamned beautiful with her hair finally back the right shade… she looked so much like her old self it was easy to imagine, just for a moment, that nothing between us had changed. That we’re stillWildwood— still young and in love, still America’s favorite couple instead of a pair of exes forced to go on tour together out of contractual obligation.
The crowd goes absolutely nuts when we step onstage, their cheers and whistles splitting the air. When they see we’re holding hands, the wave of sound crescendos to a deafening roar. I wave as I lead Felicity to the white couch, where Eileen is waiting for us. There are homemade signs dotting the audience, their permanent marker messages easy to read even from this distance.
WE ♥ WILDWOOD!
RYDER + FELICITY FOREVER
WILD FOR WILDWOOD
Felicity is stiffer than a botox injection at my side as we take our seats, squeezing my fingers so hard they’re going numb. When she realizes, she shoots me an apologetic glance as she extracts her hand from mine and settles back against the cushions.
As if I’d ever be upset about her touching me, under any circumstances. As if I haven’t missed the addictive feeling of her skin far more than the pills or the whiskey or any other vice on this earth.
The loss of contact hits me like a punch to the stomach, but I paste a smile on my lips and settle by her side, leaving a careful margin of space between our bodies. I try not to look directly into the cameras as they pan from stage left to right, zooming in on our faces for a close-up from every angle imaginable. The crowd continues to scream their support until Eileen gestures for silence.
“Well, well, well! I guess I’m not the only one excited to see Wildwood back together after all this time!” she exclaims, grinning broadly. “Welcome back to the show, Felicity and Ryder! I’m so thrilled to have you here.”
My smirk drips with charm. “It’s great to be back, Eileen.”
“Back in LA, back on the show… or back together?” Her eyebrows waggle suggestively. “Come on, we’re dying to know more about this reunion! Aren’t we, folks?”
The audience screams their agreement. From the corner of my eye, I see Felicity’s hands are clenched in a white-knuckled grip. Her face bears an easy grin, though — from a distance, you’d never know how nervous she is.
“Eileen, we just sat down! ” I laugh as though it’s all one big joke. “Give us a minute before the interrogation starts, will you?”
“All right, all right. Can’t fault a girl for trying to get some answers after two years in the dark.” She winks playfully. “You know, it’s a point of pride for me — I was the first interview you two ever did, when you got to Hollywood. Do you remember?”
“Of course we do,” Felicity chimes in, smiling through her nerves. Her voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper. “You never forget your first, Eileen.”
The crowd roars at the innuendo, but the humor is lost on me as I’m flooded with memories without warning.Her first time.Moonlight and music in a dusty bedroom above a bar. A split lip and scribbled lyrics. Her spine arching under my touch. My head buried between her legs. Her lips wrapped around my cock as my fingers fisted in her hair.
Fuck.
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, an inconvenient erection suddenly straining against my zipper. It takes all my energy to focus on the words coming out of Felicity’s mouth instead of the things I’d like to do to it, alone with her in the dark.
Christ. I’m worse than a fifteen-year-old kid with a crush.
“Jokes aside, we’re so happy to be back here in LA — back with all of you!” Felicity beams out at the crowd and they beam right back. “I know it’s been a long time in the making, but we hope y’all will come out to see us on tour!”
“Ah, yes, the tour!” Eileen jumps on the topic. “So exciting. Tell us about it, Felicity.”
“Well, we’re on the road for four months, hitting twenty-five cities all across the country. It’s going to be great.”
“And it leaves soon, isn’t that right?”
“In just under two weeks,” I confirm, breathing harder than usual as I try to rein in the desire galloping through my veins. “Our first show is right here in LA, then we’ll work our way east, hitting all the major cities.”
“Any shows you’re particularly excited for?”