Page 190 of Silver Sweet

It’s such a dirty secret that the song lands way up in my top three. Watching Phoenix try to avoid the truth behind the title is going to be one of my greatest pleasures.

We finish up with photos and a couple more questions, but before we leave, the shorter girl asks, “Are you two…um…dating? Is that okay to ask?”

“We’re not,” Phoenix says so fast.

It’s a knee to the ribs, even if we agreed to not follow our publicist’s suggestion. She wants us to not outright deny and to just stoke the mystery. Keep suspicions alive.

Instead, I’m also announcing, “We’re just friends.”

He side-eyes me really hard. Like he’s saying,We’re just friends who fuck. That’s it, right?

No.

Not even close.

Phoenix faces forward to tell her, “We’re best friends.”

“Love the upgrade, dude.” I pat his shoulder. He’s stiff as a fucking boulder.

“Cool.” The girl nods with more flushed cheeks. I definitely don’t want her to feel embarrassed asking us anything. I want her to come away from tonight with no worries. The best time of her life. Memories that’ll last decades.

So I make sure to meet her eyes before I say, “Those were really great questions.”

She smiles softly. “Thanks.”

“Enjoy the show tonight.” I wave my hand to them as Phoenix and I step away. It hits me that they never asked about the Cobalt Empire. They didn’t want details about Charlie or Jane ortheRose Calloway and Connor Cobalt. It was all about the music.

Yeah, okay, there wasonequestion about our personal lives, but can I hardly blame her? She’s probably seen the many recentvideos circulating where Phoenix’s hand slides against my bare waist at the very end of our Spokane show.

It was an innocent touch—that, yes, I burned into my memory—but people are freaking out like it’s the most salacious thing in the world.

Phoenix flips his sunglasses to the top of his head, pushing back the longer strands of his hair. “You’rereallygood at that, by the way. Did you get training as a kid to deal with fans of your family?”

“No,” I say into a laugh. “I guess I just picture how I’d want an interaction with my favorite singers to go, and I do that.”

Phoenix’s sharp gaze descends, easing with tender affection.

“I think you’re in love with your best friend,” I tell him into a wider smirk.

His expression flatlines. “Wow, you really know how to fuck a moment.”

I grin. “So we were having a moment? Brought to you by me?”

“God, I love how you turn everything into a back-pat. You keep it up and you’re going to fall the fuck down.”

“You’ll catch me though.”

“No, you’re going face-first in the floor.”

“I break my nose and we ruin the whole tour,” I argue. “You have to catch me, dude.”

He almost smiles.

“Youwant to catch me,” I tease.

“Shut the fuck up.” He pushes my arm, but then fists my sleeve, bringing me closer.

It hitches my breath.