Thomas & January Read Free Page B

small of my back, pressing me deeper into his chest and hips, inciting a slight moan from me which only spurred him on more.
    Suddenly, his eyes shot open in realization. He broke it abruptly, pushed me away lightly and set me right on my feet. I felt bereft of something but didn’t know what that something was. I didn’t know this guy, didn’t know his name, yet it didn’t scare me or make me feel ashamed in any way. It felt right, so very right.
    We both stared at the other deeply, panting from the exertion of our unbelievable kiss. I opened my mouth to speak but closed it, breathing deeper through my nose to control my nerves. Nobody had ever made me feel the way this stranger did. He was like electric fire on my skin. I needed to know his name but the silence between us seemed impenetrable, neither of us wanting to break the charged calm that separated us.
    Unexpectedly, his eyes became hard, his stare admitting… disgust ? His jaw clenched harshly. He turned and walked away from me into the crowd, leaving me alone with myself, alone with my thoughts. My eyes began to water as the final comprehension of what I’d just done washed over me in shameful realization. I blinked and a single tear came cascading down my cheek. I wiped it away just as I looked back up toward the stage, Casey’s face held an expression of concern, but I smiled at him just as I signaled to the bassist to begin his new entrance. Perfect timing , I thought absently.
    I was no longer interested in seeing the rest of the set nor willing to endure Circumvent’s. I didn’t want to wait for the guy Jason from the bar either. I wanted out of there. I was humiliated and shunned and an idiot. Self-inflicted bad decisions seemed to be at the top of my list that day. I shoved my way through the crowd and finally broke free at the back on the verge of a sob. I went left into the bar just as someone grabbed the back of my shirt. I tried to ignore it, but the person insisted I turn around, so I did, ready to give them a few choice words but discovered the guy from the bar standing in front of me.
    “I told you to stick around,” he said in a friendly tone.
    “I know but I’ve gotta jet. Something’s come up,” I said vaguely, tensing my expression to avoid shedding the tears that wanted so badly to come flooding at that moment.
    “No, you’re staying,” he said, ignoring me and offering his arm. I opened my mouth to tell him to screw off, but he gave me a look that shut me up. “Trust me, January,” he whispered kindly. “You are not going to want to miss this.”
    “Fine,” I said, a little peeved but more sad than anything. I took his arm and we worked our way to the edge of the crowd as The Belle Jar’s set came to an end. The crowd went berserk. “Told you,” I said to Jason.
    “You’re right. They were different and talented.”
    “I know.”
    “But I want to see Circumvent now. I want to confirm what you’ve said.”
    “Why?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in suspicion.
    Jason’s eyes lit up when he noticed someone behind me. “Ah, there you are,” he said, physically turning me around to meet whomever he was talking to. My stomach dropped when I saw who he meant for me to meet. The scout from Seven. The asshole I kissed(who kissed me back!) and left me in the middle of a crowd. “January, this is Tom. Tom, this is the girl I was telling you about.”
    Tom’s eyes grew sarcastic, his mouth tilted to one side. “You move fast, little girl.”
    My mouth dropped open in shock. “ Excuse me ?”
    All earlier sensations of sadness left me in a whoosh and replaced with anger. I could work with anger.
    “Nothing,” he said, a soft snort escaping. “Are you seriously wasting my time with this, Jason?”
    “I’m not wasting your time, Tom.”
    My hand balled tightly formed before I could grasp what I was doing. Circumvent began playing just as I was about to bring my fist into Tom’s mouth but Jason stopped my hand from