Star Struck (19 page)

Star’s hand finds mine. “Is Tate still using?”

“No, he’s clean now.”

“That’s good.” Star rests her head on my shoulder. “I guess that’s why you’re such a stickler for your no drinking or drugs rule with the band, huh?”

“That’s part of it, yes.” My stomach clenches when I think of the other reason. That’s a story I’m not quite ready to share. “It’s just that everyone in my family let something derail their chances of making it big in the music industry. And it’s a shame too, because they were so talented.”

“I’m sorry, Beckett.” Star’s fingertips trace the inside of my palm
, and the motion drives me wild.

I clear my throat. “Nothing to be sorry about.”

“It’s okay to admit that something upsets you, Beckett.”

I shrug. “Well, that’s enough of all of this serious talk.” I drop Star’s hand and then stand up, wiping my hands on the back of my pants. “I don’t think I’ve jabbered this much about my life to anyone ever. I think I’m dangerously close to breaking out in hives.”

Star giggles that amazing giggle of hers while she stands up too. “Well, I appreciate you telling me.”  Then she narrows her eyes. “Why did you tell me, Beckett?”

“Because I wanted you to know.”

“Why?”

“I care about you, Star.” I move closer to her. “More than I should.”

“You do?” She looks up at me with those crazy innocent eyes, and I crumble.

Reaching up, I gently run my fingertips along her chin. Then I cup her face with my hands and lean close until my lips are almost touching her cheek. She smells like honeysuckle. “Yes, I do. No matter how hard I’ve tried to fight it, I just can’t help myself when it comes to you.”

She inclines her head toward mine, her eyelids fluttering. My heart picks up speed, and I lower my face to hers. I want so badly to kiss her, but something stops me almost like there is an invisible wall between us. With a jolt, I back up.

Star’s shoulders slump and she sighs. “I don’t get it, Beckett. One minute you draw me in
, and the next you shut me out. I can’t keep doing this with you. Either you want to be with me or you don’t.”

I run a hand over my head. “It’s not that simple.”

“It is for me.” She whirls away from me.

Desperation blooms in my chest. “Where are you going?”

“Back to the car. I want you to take me home,” she calls over her shoulder.

“Star,” I call after her
, but she starts walking faster. I jog to catch up. “C’mon, don’t be like this.”

“Please just take
home,” her voice wavers.

It breaks me
, and I can’t take it anymore. I don’t want to hurt her. Grabbing her arm, I spin her toward me. With swift movements, I wrap my arms around her and pull her close. “Dammit, Star, I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’ve never done this before.”

“What?” she murmurs into my chest.  “Hugged a girl?” 

“No, I mean I’ve never chased anyone before. I’ve never had a problem with a girl walking away from me. But you, Star, you’re different. You’re worth running after.” I brush her hair away from her face. Her head tilts up toward mine, her lips pursed. I swallow hard and move back a little.

Her face hardens
, and she pushes me away. “I’m worth running after, but you don’t want to kiss me.”

“Believe me, Star. I want to kiss you.”

She places a hand on her hip. “Then why don’t you?”

I hesitate. “I’m scared.”

“Why? I brush my teeth,” she says with a slight smile, breaking through the tension.

“No, I’m not scared to kiss you. I’m just scared of what I’ll feel when I do.” I sigh, pressing my forehead against hers.

“Is it so bad to feel something, Beckett?” Her voice is soft, her breath sweet as it feathers over my skin.

Without thinking on it any further, I reach up and cradle the back of her head with my hand. I pick my forehead off of hers
, my gaze traveling down to her lips. I curl my other hand around her waist and pull her hips toward mine. Then I press my lips to hers. I had every intention of starting off softly, but the minute my mouth touches hers desperation fills me. I force her lips open with my tongue and slide it inside her mouth. She tastes faintly of cherries or something equally sweet. Her arms come around my waist, her hands skimming up my back before stopping at my neck. Star’s fingers dance along my flesh, causing chills to brush over my skin. I kiss her even more firmly, and a satisfied sound comes from the back of her throat. I rub my hand over her neck and tighten my hold on her waist. Her lips grind against mine, her tongue exploring my mouth with vigor. Every time I’ve kissed a girl before, it was just a precursor for something else. This is different. This means something else entirely.

When we finally part, Star’s lips are swollen and red, her cheeks flushed. She’s never looked more beautiful. “Wow,” she breathes.

I press my nose to her temple and speak into her ear. “That was the first kiss to top all other first kisses.”

“That wasn’t your first kiss
, Beckett.”

“It was the first kiss I’ve had like that.” I pull back, searching her eyes. “And after this, we’ll have many more firsts.”

“I have a feeling that you’re all out of firsts.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Star.
Very wrong.”

25

Star

I wake up with a giant smile on my face. By how sore my cheeks are, I surmise that I must’ve been smiling while I slept. Not that I’m surprised. Last night was one of the best nights of my life. Reaching up, I run my fingertips over my lips remembering how it felt when Beckett’s lips were on them. Kissing him was unlike anything I’ve experienced. My memory flies back to my first slobbery messy kiss with Spencer, and I wince. Beckett’s kiss was perfect, even better than I imagined it would be. Everything about last night was like my wildest fantasy finally coming to life. I can hardly believe it really happened. I’m still grinning like a stupid idiot when I sit and stretch my arms.

“Someone woke up in a good mood,” Lola croaks from her bed. Her hair is sticking up everywhere
, and lines from her pillow are painted on her face. “I guess the date went well.”

I nod, the smile still pasted on. I’m beginning to wonder if it will ever go away.

“I tried to wait up for you so you could tell me all about it, but I ended up crashing.” She lifts her brows. “You were out late. Please don’t tell me you already slept with him.”

“No.” I shake my head. “But we did kiss.”

“Oooh, how was it?”

“The best.” My insides soar, but when the reality of the situation hits me I feel my high withering. Last night was amazing, but will it last? I mean, what’s going to happen now? Will Beckett wake up this morning and regret opening up to me the way he did?

“What’s going on? Your smile just totally went away.”

“I was just thinking.” I chew on my bottom lip.

“Are you having second thoughts about Beckett?”

I run my fingers over the covers that are bunched up to my waist. “Not at all. I’m just hoping it’s the same for him.”

“You’re worried that he’s going to go back to being cold and distant like before?”

I nod. “Am I just being paranoid?”

Lola sits up, brushing her unruly hair away from her face. She pushes her covers down and shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know. I mean, up to this point he’s been all over the map.”

My stomach knots. “Thanks. That was really helpful,” I say sarcastically.

“Would you rather I lie to you?” Lola swings her legs off the bed and stands up.

“No, I guess not.” I sigh, laying my head back down on my pillow. “I just hope we’re wrong.”

“Well, now’s your time to find out.”

“What?” I sit back up.

Lola tosses me my phone. “It looks like he’s calling you.”

I catch the cell in my hand, my heart pounding. “Hello,” I answer.

“Good morning, Star.” His incredibly sexy voice is even more raspy in the morning.

“G-good morning, Beckett.”

“Sleep well?”

“Um…yeah I did.” The smile is back.

Lola rolls her eyes, grabs her towel and toiletries bag and leaves the room, no doubt heading to the restroom.

“I didn’t,” he says.

“Why not?” I scoot back and rest my head against the wall.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

My stomach flips. “Really?”

“Yes, really. So, do you have any plans tonight?”

“No,” I say, and then mentally chastise myself for answering too quickly. Does that make me sound desperate?

“Good, because if you did I was going to tell you to cancel them.”

“Why?”

“Because after last night, I’m not sure I can ever go a day without seeing you again, Star.”

“Well, you might sometimes have to survive a day without me. It’s not like we’re conjoined twins,” I tease.

“Thank God. That would just be gross.”

I giggle.

“Wanna go out tonight?” he asks.

“I’d love to.”

“Great. I’ll be by at six to pick you up.”

“Sounds good.” I throw off my covers and get up.

“Oh
, and Star?”

“Yes?”

“This time it’s not casual. Wear one of those sexy skirts I like.”

“With the strappy sandals?”

“You better stop talking like that or I’m coming over right now,” he growls.

“Promise?”

“You want me too?”

“No,” I say quickly
, and then scramble to fix it. “I mean, yes, I want you to, but I promised Lola I’d hang out with her today. We’re going to breakfast and then doing a little shopping.”

“You sure know how to ruin a moment,” he says.

“Sorry. I’ll see you tonight, Beckett.” I hang up, the smile still lingering on my face.
 

By Thursday night’s rehearsal I realize that Beckett has held to his statement of never going a day without seeing me. We’ve been out every night this week. He’s taken me to dinner, to a movie, and one night we even just hung out at his house and talked. Okay, we may have made out a little too, but mos
tly we talked. Even so, I am excited when I pull up in front of his parent’s house. I wonder if I’ll ever get tired of spending time with him. I sure hope not.

I grab my sheet music and purse off the passenger seat and hop out of the car. After closing the driver’s side door, I turn toward the house. That’s when I’m hit with a moment of hesitation. Things have been so amazing with Beckett and me all week, but we’ve been alone. This will be the first time around other people. Will it be uncomfortable? Will Beckett slip back into the old Beckett, or will he be the same sweet guy he is when it’s just us? I’m almost afraid to find out. I freeze, unable to move forward. The garage door opens with a loud rumble and I flinch.

“Star?” Beckett spots me. “Are you coming in?”

I take a deep breath. I’m late like always so the other guys are already there. Before I can force my legs forward, Beckett swaggers toward me.
I take a few steps until we meet. My heart is hammering in my chest, awaiting his first move.

“I was wondering where you were.” He wraps his arm around my waist, and nuzzles my cheek with his nose. “I missed you.”

I smile, inhaling his familiar scent. Bringing my arms up I hug him tightly. His mouth brushes over my cheek until it reaches my mouth. He kisses me tenderly, slowly, softly. My knees soften.

Pulling back
, he looks into my eyes. “I hate to hold up the practice, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus until I got that out of the way.”

“Me neither.” With his arm around my waist
, we walk into the garage together. I can tell the other guys are surprised. The only one that seems slightly less stunned is Ryker, which makes sense because I’m sure Lola’s filled him in on what’s happening. Still they recover quickly and we get practice rolling. The festival is only a week away, so rehearsal runs a little long. We all know how much is riding on this, and we want to sound perfect. When Beckett and I sing together I marvel at how our chemistry has grown even more since the last time we practiced. I had been a little nervous that our spark would have dwindled since we got together. But no, it seems that the spark has grown into a full blown flame.

Everyone is exhausted by the time w
e finish. Ryker yawns, Pierce rolls his neck, and Jimmy shakes out his arms. However, Beckett appears to have all the energy in the world. “Okay, guys. Only one more practice until the festival. I can’t wait.” He rubs his palms together in anticipation. Then he unhooks his guitar, sets it on the stand and rushes toward me. Taking me in his arms, he says. “You sounded so amazing tonight.” Lowering his lips to my ears, he adds, “And you looked so damn hot too.”

“You too.” I kiss his cheek.

He squeezes me tighter. “Where do you want to go tonight? You choose.”