Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(162)
As his hands threaded back though my hair, his body inching forward to press against the length of mine, I slowly started to remember that we were in a very public place. I didn’t stop the kissing though. I even managed to ignore the catcalls and whistles as people watched us. I really only decided to put a stop to it when Kellan’s hands started drifting down my body.
When his fingers squeezed my bottom, I pushed back from him. Smiling, but breathless, I raised an eyebrow in warning. Equally breathless, he shrugged, like he just couldn’t help himself. Giggling, I gave him a soft, public-friendly kiss.
“You’re here,” I breathed.
He matched my gentle kiss. “There was nowhere else I wanted to be.” 458
Knowing that he had so much to do in the next few weeks, preparing his band’s very first album, I shook my head and smiled. Maybe seeing that our intimate moment was over, regulars in the bar started coming up to Kellan, congratulating him on the band’s success. He shook hands left and right, smiling and making conversation like he’d never been gone.
Smiling to myself, I left him to it. Kellan was getting a bear hug from Sam when the front doors opened again. I’d been standing right in front of the doors when they’d started opening and I hastily stepped back so I wouldn’t get smacked. When I saw who’d just entered the bar, I wanted to freeze in place or run and hide. Knowing that I was overreacting, that people were just people, regardless of what they did for a living, I slapped on a smile and approached the second band of rock stars entering the bar.
“Hello, Justin. It’s good to see you again.” Scanning the five twenty-something guys standing before me, smiling as they looked around the bar, I asked, “Can I get you guys something to drink?” Justin’s pale eyes met mine, and he nodded. “Yeah, we’ll take a pitcher of whatever you’ve got on tap. Thanks, Kiera.” He tapped me on the shoulder as he walked by.
Immensely proud of myself for sounding more like an adult and less like a teenage schoolgirl, I watched the two bands meet up. Kellan and Justin shook hands and sat near each other at the boys’ favorite table.
The rest of the guys spread out near the table, talking to fans or to each other. Even with the addition of Justin’s band, it was so natural to see the D-Bags here, and yet unnatural at the same time, since they’d been gone for so long. I loved having them back.
I repeated the order to Rita, who was staring at the combination of Kellan and Justin like they were both sitting at the table completely naked. Some things never change. As I waited for her to make the guys drinks blind, since she wouldn’t take her eyes off the group, I felt someone approach me.
Grabbing my arm, Kate pulled me over to her. “Do you know who that is with Kellan, Kiera?”
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Smiling at her overwhelmed face, I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve met him a few times…he’s nice.”
Her topaz eyes widened as far as they could go. Staring at the pitcher that Rita was slowly putting on my tray, she stammered, “You have to introduce me…seriously.”
I nodded at the tray, indicating with my head for her to take it. “No problem, follow me.”
I grabbed Kellan’s bottle of beer, since he preferred his beer bottled, while Kate followed me with the pitcher and glasses. With a confidence that surprised even myself, I led Kate back to the rock stars and introduced her to the visiting band. She was as much of a nervous, babbling wreck as I’d been when I’d first met them. It made me smile as I sat on Kellan’s lap, completely comfortable.
An hour or two later, everyone in the bar was comfortable, and the laughter and conversations were flowing as freely as the drinks.
Someone put some fast songs on the jukebox and a group of girls grabbed Justin and his band mates to dance with them. It didn’t take Rita long to ditch her duties at the bar and join them for a song or two. The grinding that the over-tanned, over-bleached, middle aged, married woman did with that rock star made me horribly embarrassed. Kellan was right—some women really would do anything for attention.
Kellan and I were taking a moment to twirl around the end of the crowd when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Seeing Griffin standing there, I instantly got a ball of ice in my stomach. He wasn’t trying to cut in, was he?
Sniffing, a disgruntled Griffin looked around the bar. “Hey, where’s your sister?”
Holding Kellan’s hand, I bit my lip. Once Anna had learned that the guys were coming up here for a few days before heading to Los Angeles, she freaked out. She was definitely showing now, and she wouldn’t have been able to hide it from Griffin. And since she still hadn’t told him, she 460
hadn’t wanted to see him. She’d hopped a flight back home. Yeah, she’d rather tell our parents, than her boyfriend.
Kellan glanced down at me and raised an eyebrow. I knew he wanted Griffin to know, but we’d both agreed that Anna had to tell him. To Griffin, I shrugged and said, “Sorry, she had to go back east for a few days, to see our parents.”
Griffin frowned, then tucked his chin-length hair behind his ears.
“Really? Now?” He shook his head, his light eyes confused. “I told her we were coming up this weekend. She couldn’t wait?” I sighed, hating that I couldn’t tell him. “Sorry, family thing.” Griffin rolled his eyes, seemingly disappointed that his f-buddy, as he referred to Anna, wasn’t available. Hating that he sort of used my sister, even if she was completely willing, I muttered, “Well, I’m sure you could find someone else to…hang out with this weekend.” Griffin shrugged, still looking forlorn. “Yeah, sure…but Anna’s the best, though. She knows just what I like.” His sullen expression took in the clumps of girls around the bar. “These girls, they’re all too…giddy. It can be annoying…sometimes.”