Free Rock Stars Do It Harder by Jasinda Wilder Page A

clawed hand into the muscle of his arm. “It’s him .”
    Lane looked at her as if she’d sprouted horns. “Retract the claws, kitten, you’re hurting my arm.” Jamie forced her hand to her side, and Lane shook his arm, wincing. “Damn girl, you got some grip. Now what the hell are you talking about? You know him? I admit, he’s one fine-ass piece of man-meat.”
    “It’s Chase. Chase . Anna’s Chase.”
    Lane’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit.” Lane looked from Jamie to Chase, who was standing at stage-edge, his eyes locked on Jamie, never missing a beat of his Kid Rock-style rap number. “Wait. You said ‘him’ like he meant something to you.”
    Jamie turned away, realizing she was dangerously close to admitting something no one could ever know. “No. Never mind.”
    Lane leaned back, examining Jamie as if seeing her for the first time. “Girl, you’re lying through your teeth. It’s me we’re talking about here. If you can’t tell your gay husband about it, who can you tell?”
    “No one. Never. It’s nothing. There’s nothing to tell.” She drained her rocks glass and shook it. “Whaddya know, I’m empty. How about another round?” She turned away to escape to the bar.
    Lane grabbed her by the shoulders and span her around to face him. “I don’t think so, sweetheart. You’re not getting out it that easy. Now, let me see if I have this straight. He’s your BFF’s ex. If I remember correctly, that was a messy situation, in which he ended up with a broken heart. Yes?” Jamie nodded. “And you’re in love with him. I can see that much for myself. You don’t even have to say it. The question is, does he know? Does he love you back?”
    Jamie licked her lips and squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to let her emotions fly away from her. “It’s impossible, Lane. Impossible . Completely and totally. There’s no point in even discussing it.”
      “Nothing is impossible when it comes to love, kitten. Trust me on this. Matty is as far away from my type as a man can get, but it works. It may seem impossible, but you never know what can happen, right?”
    Jamie shook her head, staring at the ceiling, refusing to even blink. When she had control over herself, she said, “No, Lane. He and Anna…they can’t see each other. It would cause both of them too much pain. I just…I have to get over him.”
    Lane’s voice was achingly tender. “Jamie, baby. You know I love you, so you know I’m saying this out of an attempt to help you. You’re seriously about three seconds away from ugly crying over this guy right here in the middle of Harpo’s. That’s not something you can just get over.”
    “I have to,” she whispered.
    Lane shook his head. “No. Live your life for you. Anna’s your BFF, she’ll understand. She may not like it. It may be awkward, it may break every rule in the girlfriend handbook, but when love comes knocking, you answer.”
    “Lane—”
    He cut her off with a palm over her mouth. “You listen to me, Jamie Grace Dunleavy. Go down there and do something. Just talk to him. Ancient Chinese proverb say, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’ So take a step.” He pushed her gently backwards, turned her toward the stairs leading to the pit and slapped her ass. “Go. And if things go FUBAR, you can blame me.”
    Jamie hesitated, then glanced at the stage. He was prowling across the stage like a caged lion, growling a metal number, but his eyes never left her. She made her way through the jostling, moshing crowd to the very front of the stage and stared up at him, her hands at her sides, perfectly still amidst the chaos of the pit. The song ended and their signature ballad “Far From You” started, a haunting guitar refrain under-laid by a grumbling, chugging bass and almost jazz-like snare-drum taps. Chase sang entire song crouched at the edge of the stage, his eyes locked on Jamie’s.  
    She looked at him unflinching, watching a bead of sweat