Theo
I pretended to adjust the reverb settings, which were perfect, actually.
Everything else was not.
I could still feel Cameron’s gaze on my skin like sun through glass, bright, warm, and piercing.
I lost timing.
Ineverlost timing.
I heard Cameron’s footsteps before I saw him. I didn’t turn around.
“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to distract you.”
“You didn’t.”
Pants. On. Fire.
Cameron stepped closer. “Theo. Youcanlook at me, you know.”
So I did, and regretted it instantly. Cameron’s face was open, earnest, flushed from the heat of the studio. His eyes were warm.
My stomach pulled tight in a knot of desire and fear.
“You sing like that,” Cameron said in a low voice, “and you expect peoplenotto stare?”
Words deserted me.
“I like watching you like this. You’re freer.” His fingers were warm against mine. “Remember what I told you?” He took a step forward, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him, until all that existed was the space between his inhale and my restraint, taut as a wire. “You don’t have to hide from me.”
I swallowed. “We need to get on with the rehearsal.”
“Okay.”
Everyone went back to their places, and we had another run. I didn’t lose timing, but I did catch my breath, every time Cameron looked at me.
There were some things I wasn’t good at, things I didn’t know how to share.
But maybe it was time I did.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cameron
He’s hiding something.
That ‘something’ could’ve been any number of things, but whatever it was, it had meant a backward step.
Uh-uh. Not now.Not when it felt as though we’d come a long way in such a short space of time.
I waited until we were back at the flat before tackling him.
Look at me.I never thought I was particularly bold, but something about Theo brought it out in me.
Whatever it was, it made me want to fight for him. I’d spent years believing what I wanted could never happen, but we were here now and no way was I going to give up.
I don’t want to lose him.