by Kylie Scott
“Hmm.”
Mal cleared his throat, leaning closer. “Thing is, even scared shitless of my small innocent child, that’s the happiest I’ve ever seen him. Not that you can be personally responsible for someone else’s happiness in life, etcetera. But if he makes you half as happy as you obviously make him, might be worth hanging around for a while. Seeing where things go.”
“Huh,” said Lizzy. Because this obviously wasn’t an even remotely private conversation. “That was almost wise, Mal.”
He sniffed as if insulted. “I’m wise. I know stuff. Tell them what I know, pumpkin.”
“Stuff,” she dutifully once more repeated with a smile and a wink.
“Hey. Psst. Want to run away from the party and go have sex in our apartment while our friends watch the baby?” he whispered far too loudly in her ear.
Lena snorted. “Go do it, you crazy kids. We’ve got Tommy.”
“Yes!” Mal jumped to his feet, hands raised in the air like a boxer in his moment of victory. “Sex. Quick, pumpkin. Let’s go.”
There was laughter and drinks and food and music. Lots of music. Most of my friends were swinging single, living their best lives. Going to parties and having fun being free. It was interesting to be around a slightly older group who were all coupled up. Back when we were together, I’d enjoyed having a partner most of the time. Some of the time. Like Adam, he’d been my first real major important relationship. I hadn’t lived with anyone else before. Not a someone I was in love with.
The more I thought about it, the more I wondered why I’d never told him I loved him. Maybe I didn’t feel safe enough in the relationship. Certain enough of his attention and intentions. I didn’t know.
He sat on the floor near Jimmy and David, a guitar in his lap. As Mal had said, despite being about to start his first European tour, he did indeed look relaxed and happy. And he kept looking at me. Swift glances to keep checking on me. To ensure I was okay and having fun.
“What’s your next album going to be about?” asked Ben, Tommy gently being rocked to sleep in his arms.
Jimmy quirked a brow. “You’ve done the brokenhearted rage thing. What’s next?”
Adam shot a look my way and I made sure to be busy inspecting my nails. Definitely not listening into anyone’s conversation because…rude. He swallowed. “Wrote a love song this morning. Kind of more upbeat but with a blues background. Feels like that’s going to set the tone for things on the new album.”
“Sounds good,” said Jimmy.
A nod from David Ferris. “Can only write what you’re feeling.”
“I wanna do something different.” Adam picked out a melody on the acoustic guitar. “Going to give the other couple of rage songs I wrote to Martha to sell.”
“Good money in it if you’re not interested in releasing them yourself,” said Ben.
My heart, meanwhile, hammered inside my chest. Adam had written a love song this morning? Something upbeat?
His head turned to the side, his gaze sliding over me. There was knowing in his eyes along with a question. I hadn’t fooled him in the slightest. He knew I’d been listening and wanted to know my reaction. Apparently, mouth gaping and eyes wide was good with him. While I didn’t want this to mean anything, I couldn’t help but feel that it did. Adam had written me a love song. Holy shit. Just the fact turned my world upside down. With a brief satisfied smile thrown in my direction, he turned back to his friends.
Okay then. No big deal.
Deep even breaths, that was the answer. When that didn’t work, I downed my half-glass of wine in one fell swoop. The man was pulling no punches. So walking away from him was going to be nigh-freaking-impossible this time around. Good to know.
With a faint smile, Ev reached over and patted my hand. “You okay?”
“He just…” Words. I had none.
“Yeah, I heard.”
Nice to know I hadn’t been the only one eavesdropping.
“It’s big, isn’t it? Looks like he’s throwing it all at your feet,” she said, tone low. Just between the two of us. “You just need to decide if you want it or not.”
I said nothing.
“It’s interesting. You have to be a certain kind of determined to make it in the music business,” she continued, calm as can be. “I like seeing that focus and determination turned to other areas in their lives, you know? Can’t help but feel like it means good things. A well-rounded existence or something.”
“I don’t know what it means. But it’s freaking me the hell out.”
She grabbed the bottle of white wine out of a tub of ice on the coffee table and poured me a fresh glass. “To life and love.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Lena raised her glass.
Anne had gone to have sex and Lizzy was standing beside her husband, one hand resting on his shoulder. They were so obviously together. A unit. I didn’t need that. My life would go on regardless. But I wanted that with Adam. I think I always had.
Still strumming the guitar, he glanced my way once more. I’d never had so much of his attention. Before, there’d always been other things, more important things. Now he had everything except me and I got all of the devotion I could ask for. But how long would it last?
“To life and love,” I repeated and drank. What the hell?
* * * *
Adam had no sooner gotten the front door open than I was on him, tearing at his shirt, unbuttoning his jeans.
“You want something, baby?” He laughed, kicking the door closed and ripping the shirt off over his head because he was helpful like that. A couple of buttons went flying, but whatever. The boy could always buy himself more.
I had no time for words. Discussion was not required. Besides which, further talk would only complicate matters. Sex, however, could be remarkably simple. And fun.
“How drunk are you?” he asked, toeing off his boots.
“The buzz from your famous friend’s expensive booze is starting to wear off, so hurry up.”
He grinned. “Got it.”
Goddammit. His smile was so potent. The joy in his beautiful face was sheer bliss. I couldn’t not smile back at him, couldn’t resist. But I could grab his hand and drag him into the bedroom at light speed because…priorities.
“Get naked,” I ordered, half twisting to undo the zipper on the back of my fancy dress and get free of the gorgeous thing. Same went for the tiny fancy underwear and chunky ass designer combat boots. While I wanted to be buried in the outfit, right now, it all needed to be gone.
Thank goodness he had gotten the message. Boxer briefs gone, he crawled onto the big bed before collapsing into the center on his back. “Have your way with me, woman.”
“Just a second.”
With his gaze on my naked body, his cock was already starting to swell and harden. A sight so pretty it made my body weep with need. I crawled toward him across the mattress, a pleased smile on my face. “You kept watching me at the party.”
“Just checking if you were okay.”
“You wrote me a love song.”
Hands behind his head, he watched. “Yes, I did.”
“Are you going to play it for me?” I took him in hand, giving his dick a squeeze and a stroke, cupping the softness of his balls, just generally appreciating his goods. There was a lot to be grateful for when it came to this man.
“Whenever you want,” he said, voice husky. “Just not right now.”
“Hmm.”
I licked my lips and took the head of his cock into my mouth, rimming the crown with a swirl of my tongue, teasing him gently with my teeth. The muscles in his thighs tensed, and his gaze darkened. When I slid him in farther, sucking long and hard, he swore harshly and low. “Fuck. Jill.”
The nice thing about sucking on Adam was how wet it made me. Every little thing he did had an answering reaction in me. He groaned, and my nipples hardened. A hand grabbed hold of my hair, urging me to take him deeper, to suck him harder, and my tummy tensed, my pussy tighte
ned. From the scent of him to the sight of him, the feel of him in my mouth and hands, it was all so good and real. Blood surged through him, making him heavier and harder. And the salty taste of pre-cum slipped onto my tongue.
“Baby,” he panted. “That’s enough. Up and on.”
With a final kiss to his cock, I climbed up his body, positioning myself just so. He guided himself into me with one hand, the thumb of the other playing around my clit, like I wasn’t swollen and wet already. Given the looks both heated and caring he’d given me all day, it was a wonder I hadn’t dragged him into a bathroom at David and Ev’s. Not that I thought his friends would have minded if we too had disappeared for conjugal relations.
But for some reason, I wanted him here in his bed all to myself. No need to hurry. No distractions.
The wide head of his cock pressed in as I pushed down slowly, savoring the feel of him. So thick and hard and… I gasped as he lightly pinched my nipples. I swear I blacked out for a moment. As if the fading high of the alcohol and the thrill of having him ready and willing beneath me wasn’t enough. His hands on my body, ramped my need even higher, just about driving me over the edge. I’d never gotten this hot for anybody before. Not even him.
“My beautiful girl,” he muttered before slapping me on the ass. “Ride me, Jill. Take what’s yours, baby.”
And I did as I was told. Slow to start with, rocking on him, taking my time. But that didn’t last long. The friction was too good. The sight of him sweet and obscene. Sweat beaded on both our skins, and his hands grabbed my hips, urging me on. Harder, faster, more. I slammed my pelvis down on him, taking him sure and deep each time. Electricity arced up my spine, my whole body alive with sensation. And the tension just built higher and higher. The pleasure seemed insurmountable, taking me over and driving me ever onward. I never wanted it to end. But I couldn’t hold it back either. The wave crashed over me, claiming me, body and soul. I was lost. Blind and broken. There were no other words for it. My body now limp and weak against his chest with his arms around me tight, it was all I could do to keep breathing.
“I think you needed that,” he said, voice low. Fingers stroked my spine, tousled my hair. They never stopped moving, soothing and exciting me both. Though that might have been the feel of him still hard and ready inside me.
Though I’d dragged him into the bedroom in search of sex. No confusing emotions needed or wanted, thank you. Penis in vagina fun times here only. It didn’t matter. I’d never felt so much before. Safe. Adored. Wanted. My fingertips skimmed over the firm warmth of his lips. The sharp cut of his cheekbone. The smooth soft skin of his temple. He watched me all the while. Just waiting.
“Adam…”
“Hey,” he said. “Everything okay?”
I nodded. I’d lost my words again. Hell, I’d lost my mind.
Which was about when he flipped me, raising his big strong body above me, resting on his forearms. “Jill. Baby. You know I love you, right?”
I nodded, because I did know. I couldn’t look at him and not know it. It would be impossible. His love was obvious now in every look. In everything he did. There could not be one iota of doubt inside me regarding Adam’s love.
“Good,” he said.
And then he proceeded to fuck me into oblivion.
Epilogue
The roar of the audience filled the night, the strains of an electric guitar and the deep primal beat of the drums the perfect accompaniment. I sat on an amp to the side of the stage, watching it all. Sweat dripped from Adam’s long lanky frame, the smile on his face all-encompassing. Until he turned my way, that is. Then it got bigger, better, as he blew me a kiss.
“Thank you, Berlin!” He held his guitar aloft, starting on the opening of Mine. My new personal favorite from his next album. Not so much a love song as a having-sex-with-my-girlfriend-makes-me-very-happy kind of song. Each and every track on the album was about me and how I made him feel—in ninety-nine percent positive terms. Every couple had the occasional fight, after all.
In the three weeks we’d been on tour, things had been nonstop. Shows, promotion, and travel filled up almost every day. Occasionally, he’d get a morning or afternoon off to go sightseeing with me. Or we’d manage to slip away for a romantic dinner out somewhere. The other night, he’d wrapped a guitar string around my ring finger and tied it off before slipping it into his pocket. A measurement of my finger’s circumference. Paris was in a few days. I had a really good feeling about France. A scary large level of commitment that thrilled me as well. There was no turning back now. Not for me and apparently not for him either.
He finished up the song, and the crowd roared some more. When they started stamping their feet it sounded like thunder.
“Goodnight!” Adam raised a hand, giving his guitar to a roadie and coming toward me with a grin. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I answered back, smacking a kiss on his sweaty face. “That was amazing.”
“Eh. That was fun. You’re amazing.”
“You going to the festival afterparty?” asked Martha, appearing out of nowhere as was her way. The woman had skills. “There’re a few people I wouldn’t mind introducing you to.”
“We’ve got plans,” he said with no hesitation.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I don’t mind either way.”
He just shook his head, slipping a hand around to the back of my neck and giving it a squeeze. Odds were, I knew exactly what our plans were, and I couldn’t wait.
Martha just shrugged. Then she shot me a sly smile. “Have fun, kids.”
Adam leaned in, resting his forehead against mine. “Dinner. Bath. Fucking. Lots of fucking. Maybe even some lovemaking. We’ll see how we go for time.”
“Sounds good.”
“I love you, you know?”
I smiled. “I know. I love you too.”
His big frame relaxed at the words like it had undone something within him. “Got another song in mind for the album.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. It’s a love song.”
“You’ve written a lot of them lately.”
His gaze warmed even more. “And I show no signs of stopping. It’s a beautiful thing, baby.”
“It is, Adam. It really is.”
THE END
* * * *
Also from Kylie Scott and 1001 Dark Nights, discover Closer and Strong.
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When a stalker gets too close to plus-size model Mae Cooper, it’s time to hire some muscle.
Enter former military man turned executive protection officer Ziggy Thayer. Having spent years guarding billionaires, royalty, and rock’n’roll greats, he’s seen it all. From lavish parties through to every kind of excess.