I’ve heard it whispering into my ear. I’ve felt it across my skin.
But it can’t possibly be.
The singer’s gaze sweeps over the front row and settles on us.
“You.” He points a long index finger, beckoning me over. “Come on up.”
I’m so shocked I spill my drink over my top, not even feeling it.
I stare at him, speechless, feeling the blood draining from my body, every drop of it, and yet my heart continues to race to reach what I’d guess would be a new record in the Guinness Book of Records. I’ve never felt so faint in my life, so frozen and surreal, as if I’m in a dream.
Holy shit!
He’s looking at me.
He’s talking to me.
“Ava,” Mandy hisses.
“What?” I turn to her, confused.
“I think he means you.” Even Mandy sounds awestruck. I notice she’s awfully pale.
“She can’t believe her luck,” the guitarist says, which earns him laughter from the audience.
“Come on, people,” the vocalist says. “Give this city girl a cheer before she decides to run and misses this awesome new song.”
City girl.
Oh. My. God.
His name is K. Taylor.
The K can’t possibly stand for Kellan, can it?
It’s about time I visited my therapist and asked for a mental health check because there’s no way…no way…that’s Kellan up there.
I mean, I’ve bitched about this band. Not only to Mandy, but to him.
I must have it all wrong.
It’s probably the mask that’s having this effect on me. Some weird fantasy fetish to which no woman’s immune—not even me.
People are turning to stare at me…their eyes are countless daggers that pierce my back.
“Up you go, Ava,” Josh says, grinning, and pushes me forward toward one of the security guys, who takes it from there. With his hand clamped around my upper arm, I have no choice but to climb the few stairs up.
The crowd shrieks, intermingled with a few boos here and there.
“TAYLOR! TAYLOR!”
I barely register them though. All I hear is the pulse pounding in my ears. I’m so certain I’m going to die because no heart can pump so fast and not explode from the sheer effort.
The vocalist’s hand wraps around mine, his fingers like butterfly wings against my skin. I look down and then up into his eyes. Suddenly, the lights fall on us, illuminating his face, his beautiful green eyes.
And in that moment, I know.
It’s him.
Good heaven.
Those are the same green eyes.
The same devilish grin.
The same broad shoulders I grabbed onto while he pounded into me, taking me to pleasure heaven.
The same narrow hips, hard muscles, and delicious lips.
“Holy crap,” I whisper.
My mouth is dry, my heartbeat strangely elated. I don’t know what to make of this, and yet I know.
It’s Kellan.
K. Taylor is Kellan Boyd—the guy I’ve been getting down and dirty with.
The guy I told I hated Mile High.
The mask makes it impossible to recognize him, and yet I know.
My legs threaten to buckle beneath me.
“Hello, City Girl.” He smiles at me. And then he turns to the crowd, holding my hand, and I realize what he’s about to do. But it’s too late to run. I’ve never felt so exposed in my life. Everyone seems to be scrutinizing me, and there’s a stain on my shirt.
The spotlights above us go off and on, and the background behind us changes to one showing city lights.
The guitarist strums the guitar, and the percussion joins in.
I stare into Kellan’s eyes as he lifts the mic to his gorgeous lips and begins to sing, the voice beautiful, raw and sexy, each verse sending shivers down my spine as I just stand there, mesmerized—enthralled by the words and his beautiful voice.
You’re the reason I stay
You’re the reason I wait
Behind this shell, you set me free
In your smile, I come undone
You become a mystery
To me
You twist and tear this life apart
These walls that were there from the start
You cast a light into the night
You break it up, this breathless heart
Under the starry night, I didn’t mean to fall
Time passes by and now you’re gone
You become a mystery
To me
This man of yours is going down
This man of yours is rising up
Behind this shell, there’s only you
Life’s looking up, but I’m going down
In the webs of love, in the traps of life
One day I’ll get caught
There is no doubt
But if I fall, I want to fall
With you
I hold my breath as Kellan lets go off my hand and walks around me until he’s standing behind my back, his lips and the microphone so close, my skin begins to prickle.
I’m drowning in the ocean of your body
I’m lost in the beating of your heart
I’m falling as you laugh
And yet, you walk away from me
You walk away from me
Under the starry night
You walk away from me
Days have passed Soon the weeks will turn into years
I’ll always remember you with silent tears
With a prayer on my lips that I’ll see you again
Kiss your lips, hold you tight
Coz you’re the one I want to know
You’re the one I don’t want gone