I only then notice the girls closing in on him, their smiles hopeful and eyes bright with ideas. Some of the braver ones start to even approach him with grazing touches and flirtatious looks. He smiles politely, and gently turns away from them. Hardly batting an eye. If I wasn’t watching so closely, I’d miss the subtle sharpening of his jaw. The way his eyes would dim just ever so slightly.

He’s more uncomfortable with the attention than he leads on.

“You being nice, Ives?” Mason calls out.

Ivy throws him an unimpressed look as she goes about pouring out a round of tequila shots for a group of girls nearby. Her mouth tilts up in a smile that is anything but innocent. “I’m always nice.”

He snorts, and I suck in my smile.

Another body joins us, and I start to tense, only to relax when I realize it’s not who I thought it was.

“Hey, man,” Mason says to the guy I’ve so far only seen from afar. The mysterious third member of the band. Mason gestures to me. “This is Will. Will, this is Shawn.”

Right. I forgot he mentioned him. Roommate and bandmate, it would seem.

“Hey,” I say, reaching out a hand.

The guy is quick and firm as he shakes it, lifting his chin in silent greeting before sidling up to Mason’s other side. His large frame boxes him in somewhat, and I wonder if it’s intentional.

Not going to lie, the dude’s a little intimidating. Where Mason is all light and smiles, Shawn is dark and broody with coffee-bean hair and eyes to match. A fine dusting of scruff covers his chin, outlining what appears to be a perpetual frown that’s only enhanced by his deep-set brows. Mason and I are about the same height, just over six-feet. This guy’s got at least two inches on us.

I’m not the only one who seems to know this guy isn’t someone to be fucked with. Because unlike Mason, he’s not fazed in the least by the hive of drunken groupies. In fact, no one even tries to approach him. It’s almost as if his presence repulses them.

Which is odd, considering he’s got that whole tall, dark, and dangerously sexy thing going on—I can even admit that much, not that I would say it to his face. I like my nose just how it is, thanks—but the girls, who were only moments ago alight with excitement, start to scowl and slink away.

It’s as if there’s some invisible shield hugging his body, warding everyone away. Making him and whoever’s in a foot-wide radius untouchable.

“Where’s Way?” Mason asks, glancing around. I don’t miss how his shoulders have loosened somewhat now that no one’s vying for his attention.