Free Out Of Place (Face the Music Book 2) by Shona Husk Page B

managed to put away a few more slices than her. She’d seen him half naked already and she knew they wouldn’t show. The memory of him standing by his car with the sun catching the water glistening on his skin was one she had recalled more than once, and it had made her smile every time.
    Ed had told her a little about what it was like on the road—she was sure that he’d given her the clean version—but she couldn’t imagine being away from home that long. This fling would be over before he went away. She didn’t see how it could be anything more. He’d lose interest when he realised she couldn’t go out and party every weekend. But at least she’d have had fun along the way.
    She was tempted to ask about Gemma, but she’d never really come up in conversation except as one of the guys. Maybe she was one of the guys and there was nothing to say.
    “Are you sure you didn’t want the last piece?” Ed said, dragging her out of her thoughts.
    Olivia blinked. “Sorry. I was thinking, not staring.” Her cheeks warmed. Had he thought she was watching him hungrily? Her gaze skimmed over him. It wasn’t his pizza that she wanted.
    “Sure.” He winked.
    She looked away and shook her head. He could have anyone and he was here with her. Her heart gave a flutter of excitement; the rest of her was more practical.
    This was short-term.
    Possibly one date once he went home and came to his senses.
    It was probably better it was only one date. She didn’t have time for a fling right now, no matter how tempting. Her body didn’t agree. Here was someone she could sleep with, if only a few times. She needed that. Her body craved to be touched. She wanted to feel his hands on her and put her hands on him. The urge to lean closer and kiss him and feed the shimmer of lust was strong. But she didn’t.
    She wasn’t a groupie and it would be too mortifying if he turned away.
    “Are you doing anything next Friday night?”
    “Um…” Was this his way of asking her out on another date? Already? Of course she was free, as long as her mum would babysit. Damn. No, she wasn’t. Disappointment flooded her veins.
    Ed shrugged as though her pause in agreeing meant nothing. “It’s fine. I know it’s getting close to Christmas.” He seemed more wary now, as if worried she’d knock him back. She was willing to bet that never happened.
    “I have my sister’s hens’ night.” Which she didn’t want to go to anyway, but couldn’t get out of.
    “That’ll be far more fun than watching us make a hash of a cover.”
    That was unlikely. Julie was sucking the fun out of everything at the moment. It had been ages since she’d gone to a concert of any description.
    She frowned. “Why are you doing a cover?”
    “It’s a thing. Successful local artists get invited to perform. Our name got mentioned and we said yes. It’s a bit of fun.” He smiled but she wasn’t sure that he did think it was fun. “Shall we get going?”
    She checked her phone. “Yeah, I have to pick Ethan up.”
    And remember to put the ring back on. That was one conversation she hadn’t been ready to have, so the ring was in her purse. It felt wrong to be putting on at all. Not wearing it was liberating in a way she hadn’t expected; the past was truly behind her.
    “Thanks for coming.”
    “Perhaps next time you play local I’ll come?”
    The last concert she’d been to had been with Miles, before she’d discovered she was pregnant. It had been a two day event down south. She’d got sunburnt and drunk too much. She couldn’t remember the bands that had played.
    “You’ve never seen us? That sounded a bit wrong. You’re not in the select few who have seen us?”
    She shook her head; she had downloaded a couple of songs to her phone. When he sang, his voice was even better. “I’d like to, and I’m not saying that to pat your ego.”
    “It’s all festivals over summer and we have to get the second album finished so I don’t know how many local