Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(4)

10



Sighing as I watched Evan and Matt disappear from the stage, Griffin leaning over to suck face with some blonde before he too vanished, I again wished my sister was here. Anna was hot, by most men’s standards, and she could get into places closed off to plain-Janes, like me.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kellan came out, sans guitar, sans the rest of the guys. Rushing up to me, he leapt over the metal rail. The security guards glanced at him, but they were more interested in keeping people out, not in. A small scream erupted from the knot of people also waiting for their rock-god, but this god headed directly for me.

Immediately his arms were around me, sweeping me into a hug. With his exuberance I thought he might sling me over his shoulder and twirl me around. If I also hadn’t been sure that he’d smack my bottom a few times, turning my face beet-red, I might have let him do it. But I’d prefer it if those sorts of things were done in a more private setting. And Jenny and I weren’t the only girls waiting around back here for the band.

So, giggling as he lifted me up, I made sure to sling my arms firmly around his neck so he couldn’t get too carried away. His smell hit me instantly. That undeniable aroma that was purely him. Clean, manly, seductive…it was a scent that lingered with me, even in my dreams.

Kellan laughed and squeezed me tight, the air compressing from my lungs until he set me down again. Pulling back, his impossibly blue eyes glowed at me. “That was so much fun! I’m so glad you were here…did you like it?”

His eyes sparkled in a shaft of sunlight as he grabbed my shoulders and squatted down to look me square in the eye. I giggled more at his question. Really? Of course I liked it, I loved watching him perform. His expression was so sweet, in his joy. Almost innocent. Cupping his warm cheeks, I nodded. “I loved it. You guys were amazing! I’m so proud of you, Kellan.”

His face beamed even more at my praise, then he seemed to notice something that he hadn’t before. His fingers around my arms pushed me back a smidge and his eyes traveled down my chest. I swear I felt the heat increase in a straight line down my body by his gaze alone. Stopping at my exposed navel, his lips twisted devilishly and he peeked up 11



at me from under his so-long-it-wasn’t-fair eyelashes. The smoldering desire in his gaze was enough to quicken my breath. Kellan’s innocent moments never lasted very long.

“I like your shirt.”

His voice was melted sex. Yes, melted…sex.

I flushed all over. He could still make me feel like he was looking at me for the first time, not the thousandth time. He still gave me butterflies.

Just as I was about to come up with some response to his comment, Kellan was attacked. Not literally, but female hands did grab his arms and twist him around. Laughing adorably, he let go of my shoulders and basked in the affections of his fans. Some of them looked at me with raised eyebrows, but then I was ignored. That was fine by me. I’d rather not be in Kellan’s spotlight, if I could help it.

As Kellan started signing things and getting his picture snapped with cell phones, I shook my head. It was so weird. I constantly forgot that he was a little famous. I mean, I was used to the girls at Pete’s, but we weren’t at Pete’s. Watching that fame follow him to such a public venue was kind of hard to wrap my head around. As I watched, the next girl in the crowd clamoring for him to notice them pulled down her tank top to expose the cups of her bra. She begged him to sign her chest. He glanced back at me really quick, but then he did it…and he had plenty of room to sign his name, if you know what I mean.

My cheeks flamed hot and I felt a knot of tension in my stomach. Yeah, I tried to be cool with his life, but his face in her chest while he signed away with a sharpie was a little much. As was her hands on his ass. Just as I thought to shove the vixen away, a firm hand rested on my shoulder.

“He loves you, Kiera. He’s just playing.” I looked over my shoulder at Evan. He’d come out from behind the metal fence while I’d been preoccupied with watching Kellan. Kellan could do that to me—make me oblivious to the world. My habit of 12



getting so wrapped up in him that everything else around me blurred in-to the background was sort of a weak point in me. I was working on it.

Evan’s jovial face was grinning at Kellan as he slung his tattooed arm around Jenny’s waist. The perky blonde gazed up at Evan with adoration. Being the front man, and drop-dead gorgeous, Kellan got a lot more notice than the other guys, but Evan certainly had his followers, too.

They were behind him now, waiting for the sweet, teddy bear of a man to disengage from his girlfriend.

His warm brown eyes glancing down at me, he pointed his other tattooed arm at my boyfriend. “It’s sort of his job, you know, to keep the fans wanting more.”

I glanced over at Kellan, now smashed in-between two girls kissing his cheeks while a third forever captured the moment with her camera. I was certain the photo would be on the internet within hours. I sighed. At least he drew the line at them kissing him on the lips since we’d gotten together. He didn’t used to. And yes, those pictures were on the internet too.

Looking back up at Evan, I shrugged. “I know…I just wish he wasn’t so good at it.” My voice came out a little sullenly and Evan chuckled, clapping my shoulder as he finally twisted to acknowledge his fans.

With Jenny by his side, Evan signed autographs and made playful small talk with complete strangers. Jenny did too. Standing back from the mayhem a bit, I marveled at how comfortable they both looked. Me?