Eric groaned. “I want to stay and talk to the pretty lady. Nothing but the same boring dudes at this table al night.” Despite his protests, Eric slid from his end of the bench and hauled Brian to his feet.

“I’l stil be here when you get back,” Myrna promised.

“Buy her a drink, Sed. Or, since they’re al on you tonight, buy her two.” Eric looped Brian’s arm around his shoulders and walked his staggering friend toward the bathroom.

Myrna watched them go, her appreciative eyes on Brian’s perfect, black-denim-encased ass.

“Don’t hold it against him, Myr. He’s not usual y like this. He just… uh… got out of a relationship,” Sed said. Trey rol ed his eyes and shook his head. “Yeah, you might say that.”

“Not sure why this keeps happening to him.” Jace Seymour, the bassist, massaged the silver hoop earring in his earlobe. He was the only blond in the group—bleached, if his dark brows and beard stubble were any indication. The smal est member of the band, he had a James Dean tough guy thing going on. Probably trying to understate his natural cuteness. Myrna just wanted to squeeze him.

“Dude gets dumped more than any guy I know.” Trey just looked damned sexy. Whenever his sultry bedroom eyes met Myrna’s, a tingle settled at the base of her spine.

“That’s because he’s a f**king retard when it comes to women.” Sed ran a hand over his shorn, black hair. “He fal s for these bimbos one right after another. He’l never learn.”

“Or maybe his problem is that someone keeps f**king things up for him,” Trey said. “Just a thought.”

“That bitch wasn’t worth his time. Brian’s way too good for her,” Sed growled.

Myrna looked from one man to the next. There was something more to this story than they were saying aloud. Or maybe…

“Brian’s a hopeless romantic, isn’t he?”

Sed leaned close to her ear. “Shhh. That’s a secret.”

A thril raced up the side of her neck. She turned her head and found Sed’s nose less than an inch from hers. She could see the fringes of his lashes just behind the mirrored surfaces of his shades. Finding it disconcerting to be stared down by a guy in sunglasses, she reached up and slid his eyewear down his nose. She’d like to think it was better to look him in the eye, but his probing blue-eyed gaze made her heart go pitter pat. He grinned, undoubtedly aware of the affect he had on women. Sed lifted his arm in the air to signal the cocktail waitress. “What’s your poison, Myrna?”

“Just water for me.”

“Don’t you need something stronger to loosen up a little?” Cocking an eyebrow at her, his eyes scanned her conservative suit.

“Total y unnecessary. I’m always loose.”

“You don’t look loose.” He fingered the top button of her jacket. It just happened to be situated directly between her br**sts. This guy was trouble with a capital T.

Must. Avoid. Hot. Vocalist.

“Looks can be deceiving.” She twisted away from him to look up at the waitress and break the contact between their knees. Sed chuckled. “Somehow, I believe that in your case.” To the waitress, he said, “Two waters, please.”

“Oh, I just need one.”

“The other one is for Brian.”

Myrna flushed. “Of course.”

The waitress set a glass of water before her. Myrna gazed towards the men’s restroom and hoped Brian would be okay. He hadn’t looked wel at al . And she’d much rather concentrate on him instead of Mr. Player here, who was currently rubbing his knuckles against the side of her knee. When his fingers found their way under the hem of her skirt, her eyes widened and she shifted sideways a few more inches. Trey looked safe lounging across from her, sucking on his red lol ipop. Maybe she should move to the other side of the table. She lifted her glass of water to her mouth.

Sed squeezed her knee. Myrna choked and reached beneath the table to remove his hand from her leg. Undeterred, he leaned closer. She got the feeling this guy wasn’t used to being rejected.

“Would you like to go upstairs with me?” Sed whispered into her ear, his nose brushing against the side of her neck as he lowered his head.

“Uh…”

Chapter 2

Brian flushed the toilet and leaned against the stal door. He pressed the back of his wrist against his mouth and swal owed several times to fight his nausea.

No good.

He rushed forward and vomited into the toilet again. One day he would learn the limit of his alcohol tolerance. Apparently, today wasn’t the day.

“Dude, do you need me to hold your hair for you?” Eric cal ed from outside the stal . He snickered.

“Fuck you,” Brian gasped, and threw up again.

“That’s a lot of perfectly good beer you’re wasting.”

“If you want it, come get it.”

Brian leaned against the cool, metal partition and flushed the toilet with his foot. He stood there for a moment and final y decided he felt wel enough come out of the stal .

Eric looked at him hopeful y. “Better?”

Brian nodded slightly.

“You’ve gotta stop letting chicks get to you.”

Tel him something he didn’t know.

Brian moved to the sink and rinsed his mouth with water several times before glancing in the mirror. Bloodshot eyes. Pale and waxy skin. He ran a hand over his slack face. “God, I look like shit.”

“I don’t notice any difference.”

Brian held up the three centermost fingers of his right hand. “Read between the lines, ass**le.”

Eric looked more puzzled than usual. “I never learned to read.”

“Here, let me help you.” Brian bent his ring finger and index finger down, leaving his middle finger extended. “Do you know sign language?”

“Nope. Sorry.” Eric punched him in the arm, thumbed his nose, and punched him again. Brian knew he’d feel those in the morning. Eric never held back in his blows. “You ready to go back? You sure made an ass of yourself in front of that classy babe.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” Luckily, Brian probably wouldn’t remember any of it tomorrow.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

“What’s your rush?” Brian asked.

“How often do you get to hang out with a sophisticated sexpot like her?”

“Besides last night when I boned your mom?”

“Dude, if I had a mom, I might take offense.”