Shifting my eyes, I spotted Kiera instantly. She was standing with Jenny, a few rows back. Tuning out everyone and everything else, I focused on my girl. God, she was beautiful. Even in this heat, she’d left her long, brown hair down around her shoulders, and her hazel eyes sparkled with joy as she smiled at me. Her cheeks flushed red as our eyes locked, and I reveled in the fact that I could still do that to her. I hoped she never stopped blushing around me.

I love you, I mouthed to her. Some of the girls behind Kiera went crazy, like they thought I was speaking to them. Ignoring the women, even though she had to have heard them, Kiera mouthed that she loved me too. I never thought that simple phrase would mean so much to me, but now that I had someone who genuinely cared for me, it meant the absolute world.

Kiera gave me two thumbs up after her statement, like she was wishing me luck, and a laugh escaped me. She was so freaking adorable—that had been a major part of my undoing in the beginning. I just hadn’t been able to resist her innocence. Maybe that was because I’d left mine behind so very long ago.

Slipping my guitar over my shoulder, I wrapped my hand around the microphone and leaned in to address the crowd. I swear the screams grew ten times louder when they realized I was about to speak. If they didn’t quiet down, they’d never hear me. “Hello, Seattle!” I said, a little louder than necessary. “We’re the D-Bags…in case you didn’t know.” The shriek that followed told me they knew exactly who we were. Good. I loved playing for diehard fans. “And we’ve got something for you…if you want it.”

Focusing on some women in the front row, I gave them a seductive I’m yours if you want me expression. Aside from singing, this was my job in the band—engaging the audience, making them feel as included in the performance as possible. At a D-Bags show, everyone was my best friend, my potential lover…an integral member of the band. No one here would leave feeling they were just observers, watching a group of guys on a stage. Not if I could help it anyway.

I knew the flirting bothered Kiera, but I also hoped she understood that it was all an act now that we were together. While before my seductive stares had been an open invitation to anyone who wanted to approach me, now they were just a ploy, a ruse to make the women in the crowd feel something. And as much as Kiera probably hated to admit it…it worked. I had the rapt attention of every female in the crowd.