His mouth moved lower, across my stomach and the curve of my hips. He tugged my panties down slowly, until I stood naked in front of him. Completely exposed and on display while he still had most of his clothes on. And somehow that brought back all my worries, all my fears, all my insecurities about the two of us.

I dug my fingers into his shoulders. “Jared,” I said, my voice hesitant.

He pulled back to scan my face. “What’s wrong?”

I bit my lip and looked away. Kyle’s words came back to me: how his brother didn’t do serious relationships, how I’d promised not to get involved with Jared. Next came Lacey’s proposition to Jared in the elevator, followed by that text message from the girl wanting to hook up, and a never-ending stream of other girls I’d seen flirt with him. Jared might be mine tonight, but would he be mine tomorrow? And if not, was this night together worth the risk when it could cost me everything with the band and cost us all the win?

“We don’t have to do this,” he said when I didn’t answer.

“No, I want to. It’s just…” I tried to figure out how to word my thoughts without sounding completely lovesick and pathetic. If we weren’t in my room, this would be the point where I would run away. Instead, I moved to the bed and pulled the covers up to my chest, so I wasn’t quite so bare in front of him.

I took a deep breath and tried again. “I know you’ve probably been to a dozen other girls’ rooms while on the show and that you don’t want anything serious, but I don’t know if I can do a casual hook-up, and I don’t want this to ruin things with the band and the show and…”

He raked a hand through his hair, his mouth twisting. “Is that what you think this is? A casual hook-up?”

“No!” This was spiraling out of control fast, but now that it was out there, I couldn’t take it back. “I don’t know. You’re always surrounded by girls, and there are so many rumors, plus that whole thing with Becca… Even Kyle and Hector joke about all the girls you sleep with. What am I supposed to think?”

“All of that is an act, just part of the image for the band. I know what other people say about me, but I thought you saw past all that shit.” He shook his head, his voice pained. “Maddie, I haven’t so much as kissed another girl since I met you.”

“You…what?” Warmth rushed through me, a relief so strong it almost knocked me back.

Jared sat beside me on the bed. “Yes, I used to mess around a lot. But that’s over now. That’s not me anymore.”