Plastic Confidence (Good Bye Trilogy #1) by Alisa Mullen

, and turned our hands around in examination, a face flashed into my mind. A little twelve year old boy. I saw him there, smiling at me, as we headed down to the canoes at camp. Fred? Frank? Frank! He was the first boy I held hands with. The first boy I kissed. It was also the beginning part of the dream, that I could never remember when I woke up.
    I remembered that part now because holding hands with Frank was the last time I recall having this feeling of excitement for a boy. It was thrilling and new. It was fresh, like cut green grass, and yellow butterflies looking for the flowers on the edge of the large lawn. It smelled delicious. It looked brand new. Only amazing things happen in this feeling and I never wanted to let it go.
    “ Julia?” Brennan broke into my thoughts.
    “Hm m?” I hummed, looking up into his dark eyes.
    “Where did you go, Julia?” I closed my eyes, inhaled the cold air, and his sweet scent of attraction in one breath. I am right here. I am letting you in.
    “I was thinking about the last time I held a guy’s hand and when it made me feel this ... this special,” I answered quietly. I felt like a little girl, vulnerable, and naïve. Something in the back of my mind screamed that this wasn’t me. I am Jules, the lead singer of a rock band. I can have anything or anyone I want. I am a bad ass, bitchy, slut.
    “I like your hands,” he smiled as he took both of them into his. “They are small and very beautiful.” And just like that, listening to his words and holding hands, Brennan erased that rocker girl and replaced her with the little girl once again.
    I looked at him and squeezed his hands . I didn’t want to break our moment so I cuddled back into his chest, over our adjoined hands.
    “Tell me, Brennan. Why are you here? Don’t you have to work tomorrow?” I probed. I knew what I wanted his answers to be and I sent up a silent prayer that he would tell me he quit his job to be with me. He was in love and wanted me all the time. Damn. Did I just think that? I must be going crazy.
    “Well, like I said, I came here for you . I want to spend time with you . Let me spend time with you . As for work, I own a graphic design company and work from home. As long as the hotel has internet, I can work from here,” he stated. He moved his lips to my ear and kissed them softly, making them warm. “The answer to your questions will always be because of you, Julia.” This was so deep. It caught me off guard and I remembered that we were standing here, practically feeling each other up in public.
    “Graphics?” I asked, pulling back and trying to regain composure for public. I adjusted his shirt sleeve to see his tattoos. “Did you design these?”
    Brennan hesitated , took a piece of my black hair, and tucked it behind my ear. I knew he wanted to tell me more but he simply nodded.
    “And you met Lizzie’s Sean at a tattoo show? Are tattoos all that you do?” I asked.
    “Yeah. I met Sean at a design convention. Tattoos are small jobs. I design logos, album covers, book covers... you know, lots of different stuff. I have a partner and we split the work,” Brennan informed me like he was rattling off something he had said a million times. It felt bland. He didn’t seem passionate about his work. I didn’t want to pry too much. I suppose when you do something so long it becomes so familiar that there isn’t any more excitement. I know playing music is exciting and I felt it. But what so many people didn’t know is that I am most passionate when they lock me in the vocals booth and I sing my heart out just for myself.
    “Album covers? Have you approached Nick yet?” I asked, poking him in the stomach. He winced but then smiled.
    “If I made your album cover, Julia, Johnny and Dex wouldn’t even be on it,” he said in a low, husky voice. He closed into my face and placed his lips on mine. We leaned into each other’s lips like they were supposed to be attached in a sensuous play of