Page 6 of Holding On

CHAPTER THREE

"Do you want another drink or do you want to dance?” I lean down dangerously close to Tinsley’s ear as she turns to look up at me.

When my assistant Jett mentioned Tinsley’s performance was part of the award show tonight, I asked him to change my schedule so I could not only be in town but also be at the award show to watch her perform in person. It had been a few years since I watched her perform live, and I forgot how absolutely breathtaking she is on stage. It felt like she was singing just to me, and I’m sure every other asshole in the place felt like that, but there’s a part of me that wants to believe it was true and maybe she was singing those words just to me.

Tinsley is insanely talented, but she’s also so damn likable. It’s easy to understand why her fans adore her. She has a wonderful heart in addition to her incredible talent, and she lights up any room she is in.

She’s magnificent both on and off the stage, and I want to be wherever she is.

“Honestly? I need to chug this water and then I want to dance! But will you dance with me?” She takes my hand and squeezes it, not waiting for an answer before she downs the almost full glass of water. “Please, Jack?”

As if I would ever say no to this girl—if she only had any idea of what lengths I would go for her, but that statement is a circular reference as the limit does not exist.

Not when it comes to Tinsley.

I squeeze her hand and nod, waiting for her to finish her water, before I lead us out to the dance floor. We’re in a private area of the club and the mezzanine is much less crowded than the rest of the club, but the music thumps so loud the walls and floor vibrate in tempo. As soon as we step onto the dance floor, Tinsley turns and puts her hands around my neck, just as a slow song comes on. I don’t think I’ve heard a single slow song tonight, but glancing at the DJ booth, I see Tinsley’s cousin Allie clearly flirting with the DJ. She catches my eye and gives me a thumbs up, making me laugh.

Maybe I haven’t been as stealth as I thought I was.

“What’s so funny?” Tinsley stands on her tiptoes to be closer to my ear, causing her lips to brush along my jawline.

I nod toward the DJ booth. “I think your cousin is trying to set us up. Or is she insinuating I’m not a good dancer? Because if so, that’s rude.” I wink at her and Tinsley giggles.

Fuck. Me.

I make a mental note to send Jett a bonus for making sure I knew about tonight because right now, I have Tinsley in my arms, and while we’ve had a few cocktails, we are both still sober enough. One of Tinsley’s hands trails up my neck until she’s loosely playing with my hair, just above the collar of my shirt. She runs her hands through it a bit firmer, and when she grips and tugs at it, an accidental groan escapes. But she doesn’t stop, in fact, her eyes light up with glee and she does it again.

I pull her flush against me so she can feel all of me, and when she feels what she does to my body, she lets out her own moan of delight. “I’m so glad you came tonight, Jack. I’ve missed you.”

“I know, Tins, me too. It’s been way too long, but I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.” I softly kiss the top of her head as the song changes and I grin at her cousin. “But first, I need to prove my dancing skills to Allie. Hold on, baby.” I take her hand and spin her away and out from me, before guiding her to spin back to me and into a full dip. Tinsley squeals in delight and throws her head back in laughter, tossing her hands around my neck and pulling herself into me. I straighten us and am about to lean into the kiss, when I see it out of the corner of my eye—the reflection of glass and quick movement of a lens.

Damn paparazzi.

“What do you say we move this party back to the hotel? I think the VIP area has been infiltrated by press,” I tell Tinsley as I slightly nod to where the photographer is trying to blend in but is clearly failing. Her smile disappears and she turns away to hide her face from them. She gives so much to her fans and the press—she should be able to enjoy a night out with her friends without being on display twenty-four seven, but we can control the access in my own hotel suite.

And then I hear what I just said and think of my best friend—her big brother—and my own sisters and realize that so easily could’ve made me sound like a creep. “Hey everyone, let’s head back to my suite,” I call out to our entourage, refusing to make Tinsley feel like I was pushing her to come back to my hotel room after a single dance. I’m not that guy.

But I’m also not willing to let go of her hand.

At least not tonight.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Bumblebee banana boats.” I blow a raspberry and laugh at my own joke. I don’t know how we started on this game of words that don’t work together except for their alliteration, but it’s something Allie and I always end up playing after a few drinks.

“By black bubbles!” Allie cries out and joins me laughing as she snuggles into a pillow. We left the club and came back to Jack’s penthouse suite at the bougie hotel where talent and VIPs were put up for the award show. Allie is curled up on the couch and I don’t think that girl is moving until the sun comes up. The other people in our group filtered out in the last hour, but I’m more focused on one of my favorite treats that was sitting on the dining room table prior to our arrival.

I open another pink Starburst—my favorite flavor and the only color in the large bowl sitting in the center of the table—and play with the wrapper after popping it in my mouth. “I thought you didn’t really eat sweets or junk food?” I ask a very relaxed Jack who is sitting next to me at the dining room table.

“I don’t, but I figured you would want some munchies after performing and then a few cocktails.” Jack waves his hand like he didn’t just rock my world again. He knows my favorite candy and snacks? Since when? “¿Tenía razón?” Was I right?

I smile as I respond in Spanish, “Sí, tenías razón.” Yes, you were right.

Having a brother that is over ten years older than me and an actual genius made it challenging at times for us to connect. When I was four or five, I asked him to teach me Spanish after learning how to count to ten while watching a Sesame Street episode. Learning different languages is a hobby of my brother’s and it’s something that brought us together, it became our thing. Our mother always laughs and thinks we’re silly, and Rick hates it because he doesn’t understand the language, which makes me love the entire thing a little bit more.

“Come here, I want to show you something.” Jack nods to the balcony and I follow him before gasping at the amazing view of the city’s skyline.

“Whoa, this is amazing, Jack!” I shiver slightly as a few snowflakes fall, making it feel even more like a scene from a movie.