Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(117)

Biting my lip, I stepped closer to his body. “Could it maybe wait just a little bit?” I whispered, my eyes locking onto his mouth.

Understanding what I needed, his lips were instantly on mine. I wanted to groan and clutch him to me. It was the first part of March. It had been over two months since our last kiss, back in December…and I had missed this so much. His arms wrapped around me, his hand cupping my cheek moving back to cradle my neck. My arms slipped up his 326



chest, one continuing on to tangle in his hair. His tongue slid against mine, tasting me, teasing me. The chaos of the world slipped away as we melded together, and for a few long seconds, it was just the two of us in this packed room.

But then Kellan’s shoulder was tapped on and he grudgingly pulled away from me. Hiding a scowl, I looked over at who couldn’t wait a few moments to have his attention. Thinking that maybe the buxom blonde on the counter was going to try something a little more aggressive, I fully expected to see her there. But when Halle 2’s eyes met mine, I wished to God that it had been the blonde.

The actress’s lookalike glanced at me, then focused on Kellan. “Kellan, I’m ready for you.”

My mouth dropped open as wide as Kellan’s had when he’d first noticed me here. Had she seriously just propositioned him right in front of me? Who the hell was this chick?

Expecting Kellan to stutter and stammer and flail about for a lie that made sense, I was a little surprised when he only nodded at her and said, “Okay, I’ll need a minute, though.”

The statuesque woman looked me up and down, shook her head a little, then smiled back at him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she leaned in so he could hear her over the music and laughter in the room.

“The conference room upstairs…when you’re ready.” Kellan nodded, still smiling warmly at her. I wanted to punch the jackass in the face. She smirked at me, then turned and walked away. I just stood there, my arms falling off of Kellan to hang loosely at my sides.

That didn’t really just happen, did it? I dug my nails into my palms, trying to wake myself up. I had to be dreaming. This was just another nightmare about her…that’s all.

But I didn’t wake up and Kellan twisted back around to face me. He didn’t seem chagrined at all about being caught. Of course, he didn’t know that I knew she was his stalker. He didn’t know that I’d watched the videos, that I’d seen her hanging around, that I knew he knew her.

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As he watched my blank expression, he bit his lip, finally seeming nervous.

“I need to tell you something…can we talk?” I briefly closed my eyes at those hated words, then nodded and twisted away from him. I aimlessly walked towards the hallway that Anna and Griffin had disappeared in, not really knowing where I was going, just hoping that there was enough privacy back here so that I could murder him without attracting too much attention.

When we got to a spot where the crowd had thinned out, Kellan grabbed my elbow, making me stop. I wanted to pull away. I wanted to keep walking. If I kept walking, then I wouldn’t have to hear him say that he’d fallen for someone else…and he was about to go have sex with her in a conference room. God, how tacky.

Bunching his brows as I stiffened in his arms, he asked, “Hey, are you…mad at me?”

Bristling, I stuck my chin out and threw my bag on the ground. “No, why would I be mad?” He shook his head and was about to answer, but I stupidly answered for him. “You’re only about to dump me for the hot celebrity lookalike that’s been stalking you for weeks. You’re only about to go have sex with her on an office table. You’re only about to crush me into a thousand pieces, and right after I exposed my chest to some jackass just to see you, too!”

He blinked and gaped at me as I started breathing heavy. I really hadn’t meant to say any of that. I had been planning on letting him hang himself. “Wait, you think…?” He stopped and tilted his head. “You did what to come see me?”

Irritated,

I

shoved

his

chest

away

and

started

storming

off…somewhere. Sighing, he grabbed my shoulders and twisted me around. Backing me into a wall, he stared me down. “I am not dumping you. I am not about to have sex with her. And I am not going to crush you.”

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He gave me a minute to calm down. When I was breathing regularly, I searched his face. “Then what…is going on?” Releasing my shoulders, he shook his head. “Well, what I had been going to tell you, before you leapt to that wild conclusion, is…” he bit his lip, his face beaming underneath it, “…we got signed.” He nodded his head upstairs. “That’s Lana. She’s a rep from the record company. She’s been following the tour, examining the bands…and she wants to sign us to her label.” He laughed a little, shaking his head. “We’re going to have a record, Kiera, an actual, professional record…can you believe it?” My mouth dropped open again as my eyes watered. My mind hadn’t gone down that path at all. I’d automatically assumed the worst. I shoved his shoulders away from me. “Why didn’t you tell me you were being scouted, jackass!”

He cringed away from me, frowning as I started smacking his chest.