Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(118)

“Because I really didn’t expect much. I didn’t think she’d pick us…and…” His voice trailed off and I stopped hitting him. Sighing, he grabbed my hands and peeked up at me from under his lashes. “I didn’t want to disappoint you…if she wasn’t interested in us. I know you think I’m going to go all the way… I didn’t want to let you down…” He looked down and I instantly felt like an idiot. Slinging my arms around him, I hugged him tight. “God, Kellan, I’d never be disappointed in you…ever.” Pulling back, I cupped his cheeks, my eyes hazy with tears. “I’m so proud of you, of everything you do, and even if it ended right here, I’d be anything but disappointed in you.” He exhaled, seemingly relieved. Sniffling, he looked around the hall.

“Well, I haven’t even told the guys yet…I didn’t want to jinx it, so we need to find them and get them upstairs to sign the legal stuff.” He looked back at me, raising an eyebrow. “That’s what’s going down on the conference room table…not sex.” He grabbed my hips, pulling me in-to him. “But if you wanted to, once everyone was gone…I’d never tell you no.”

He chuckled and I grabbed his face, kissing him hard. I might take him up on that offer. I was just so relieved that he didn’t seem to be sleeping with her. And so very proud of him for what he was doing.

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Pulling apart from me, he reached down and picked up my forgotten bag. “Come on, we’ve got to take care of this before it’s our turn on stage.” Holding his hand out for me, he smiled like a little boy. “They bumped us up the lineup; we play right under Justin’s band now. Pretty cool, huh?”

Leaning into his side, I giggled and nodded. “That’s amazing, Kellan.” Feeling better about a lot of things as we walked around the halls, looking for D-Bags, I considered all the videos I’d seen her in. That’s why she’d been around, she’d been scoping out the band. And that’s why they’d seemed friendly. She was wooing him…in a way. Lana? Seemed like a respectable enough name, not that names really meant anything, but still…

As I processed this new information, Kellan smiled down at me. “Hey, what did you mean when you said she’d been stalking me for weeks?

How did you know about that?”

Biting my lip, I took tiny peeks at his face. “Uh, Rachel put up this website, and fans have posted videos of your shows. I’ve been watching you…” My voice trailed off and I had the weird sensation that I had been the stalker, not the other way around.

“She finally got that up and running, huh? Well, that should make Matt happy.” Releasing my hand, Kellan slung his arm around my shoulder. “So, you’ve been checking up on me?” I stared up at his face, his eyes amused as he searched for his friends.

“No…” His dark blue eyes swung down to mine, even more amused. I sighed. “Maybe…a little.”

Tilting his head, he squeezed me tighter. “And was I being good?” Not sure how to answer that, since I’d sort of been thinking he’d been diddling the record rep, I floundered for words for a second. Luckily, Griffin and Anna appeared from around a corner. I smiled at seeing them, which was a strange reaction to have at seeing Griffin. Anna had a 330



dopey, satisfied look on her face while she adjusted her hair and clothes.

I figured they’d already gone a round then…maybe two.

Slapping Griffin on the shoulder, Kellan filled him in on what was going on. Griffin was naturally over the moon and took off to grab his cousin, who had apparently been working out a section of the music with Evan in a quiet space. I smiled as I thought over them practicing before playing, instead of flirting with the ample amount of eager women that seemed to be around. Rachel was right, it was all about the music with Matt. Evan too, in a way.

Kellan shrugged and led us to an elevator being blocked by a security guard. Backstage clearance didn’t get you upstairs, apparently. With Anna giggling and clutching my arm, the three of us got waved past the guard after Kellan said a few words to him. He gave Kellan an approving look as the elevator doors closed behind us, like he thought Kellan was about to have a threesome with me and my sister. Ew.

While Anna reached into her bag, grabbing a sucker, and I did not want to know why, Kellan dropped my bag and wrapped his arms around me. Kissing me a little too passionately, considering my sister was watching, he murmured, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this earlier…but I’m glad you’re here.”

I sighed, running my fingers through his hair. “I’m glad I’m here, too.” All the stress of the last few weeks washed off of me as his mouth explored mine. I was just wishing we had some more privacy when the elevator stopped and the doors dinged open. Anna smiled at us around her lollipop before stepping out.

Kellan grabbed my bag again, as well as my hand. “So,” he asked merrily as we exited, “anything you’ve been holding off on telling me?” He laughed as he said it, so I was sure he didn’t actually know anything. Anna frowned as she gave me a pointed look. She obviously wanted me to tell him. And I would…I should. He should know Denny had reappeared in his absence. But just like me having to deal with the swarms of women downstairs, Kellan was going to have to trust me.