by Jennifer Ann
“I know that feeling,” I say, catching Mick’s gaze across the bar and beaming. Mick throws me a sinfully sexy smile and winks. I become putty just imagining all the things we’ve done together and what I’d like to add to the list.
Gavin laughs heartily at my side. “So I see.” He pulls his wallet from his pocket and throws a $20 bill on the bar. “My treat this time. I gotta get some sleep. I’m meeting James and Theo early in the morning at the gym. I figure I’ll butter up to Theo first and make sure he’s okay with me before I Gwen out. Last thing I need is that big guy on my ass thinking I’m going to use his baby sister.” He slides from the stool, stopping to kiss the top of my head. “Love you, sis. See you tomorrow at your place for the game. Want me to bring anything?”
“Just your happy self and your Giants jersey. I’m trying to get Mick into the spirit of American football. He’s obsessed with the Irish version and refuses to acknowledge there’s any other kind.”
“Will do.” He waves Mick’s way. “See ya, Mick!”
Mick waves back as Gavin heads up to the back stairway, then saunters to my end of the bar. “I love seein’ that lovely face all lit up after yer brother stops by.” Leaning over the bar, he gives me a soft, lingering kiss. “I’m done in an hour. Meet you at our place then? I have a surprise for ya.”
I wrap my fingers in the thick of his hair. “Ooo, baby, I like the sound of that. I have a little surprise of my own. It involves me, naked.”
“Ah, do ya have to say such things? It’s going to be hard t’ ignore that visual while I’m finishin’ up my shift.”
“Who said you have to ignore it?” I give him another kiss before pulling away and hopping off the stool. “See ya at home!”
I race back to the apartment, lighting candles and tiding up the place before fixing my hair, then putting on my sexiest makeup and the new corset I bought a few days ago in Mick’s favorite shade of blue, which coincidentally became his favorite color because of the streak I’ve restored in my bangs. By the time he makes it through the door, I’m calmly sitting on my leather couch, smirking like the cat that ate the canary, until my eyes fall down to the object in his hand.
The air whooshes from my lungs. “What’s that?” I ask.
He crosses the room, his eyes lit with raw excitement as he takes me in. Setting the guitar case down, he pulls me into his arms and breathes in the scent of my floral perfume. “Just when I think ya couldn’t possibly be any more beautiful. Do ya have any idea what you do to me?”
I stiffen under his embrace. “Baby, I can’t—”
He stops me with a kiss, then takes my face in his hands, running his thumbs along my jaw. “I know yer gonna say ya can’t play again after what happened to Blue. I didn’t get ya another electric, sweetheart. Open the case an’ see.”
Shaking, I reach down for the case and undo the locks. Inside there’s a brand new, acoustic Fender. It’s beautiful. And blue. Tears fill my eyes as Mick sets it in my lap.
“Ya can’t stop playing because of what happened. You’d only be lettin’ him win. It’s a part of who you are, sweetheart. Time you took the advice you’ve been givin’ your brother. Ya gotta move on.” He kisses my hand as it wraps around the neck. “And I’m still waitin’ on those jam sessions you promised we’d share in our new apartment.”
My fingers caress the strings, the sound sending shivers through my core. It’s been ages since I’ve touched an acoustic guitar. Closing my eyes, I strum out a few riffs of a Nirvana tune and hum along. Deep pangs fill my chest until they settle with a spreading warmth. It feels so right.
“There’s my girl,” Mick whispers, sliding in next to me and nibbling on my neck. “Lord knows I’ve missed her.”
I stop playing and arch my neck, giving him full access. “You shouldn’t be spending your money on me, baby.”
“I’m investin’ in my sweetheart’s future. Our future. Now if ya don’t mind, I'm gonna enjoy every inch of this beautiful creature in front of me.” His thumbs push down on the corset before his head dips down to my breasts, trailing his lips along their swells. He takes his time swirling his warm tongue around each of my nipples. “So subtle,” he whispers in a throaty tone.
Gasping, I nearly come undone. The things that man can do to me! “Stop trying to distract me. I told you, Mickey, I’ve let go of that dream. For us. It’s time I stop chasing ‘what ifs’ and focus on real things, like my reputation as a tattoo artist. I can’t expect you to follow me around while I go after something that may never happen. And now that I don’t even have a band anymore—”
“Now’s not the time for conversation,” he mumbles against my skin. “Can’t ya see I’m enjoyin’ my surprise?”
“This isn’t your surprise, baby.” I stretch back on the couch, raising one leg and draping it on his shoulder, giving him full view of the inked flowers trailing up my other leg, running my fingers along his real surprise. I’d found creative ways to avoid letting him see my naked thigh over the past few days, waiting for my new ink to heal.
Mick runs his thumb over my nickname for him branded in royal blue, expertly fused with the flowers like the six letters were meant to be there all along. Lexie had given me grief the entire time she worked on it, reminding me how much I despised customers having their lover’s name permanently embedded in their skin. It dawned on me then how cynical I had become of love before Mick came into my life. “I’m yours forever, baby,” I say, touching his tattooed arm.
“My sweet, sweet Chloe,” he whispers, carefully lowering my other leg and moving his lips down to my new tattoo. “My heart is full.” His kisses don’t stop there. His lips trail back up to my breasts before he grabs me with sudden urgency, crushing my lips against his and sliding his tongue into my mouth. I sink my fingers into his hair and grind against him, anxious to feel his fantastical length inside of me. Mick’s fingers fumble around the back of my corset. “How do ya get this bloody thing off?”
Giggling, I guide his hands to the front where dozens of eye hooks trail down the center. Mick grunts, quickly releasing them as fast as possible until my stomach and breasts are exposed, giving his warm lips free range. I moan with each sweet caress of his mouth, fisting his hair as his head becomes lower.
I pull his head up so I can nibble on his lips. “I’ll never get enough of you touching me. Make love to me, baby.”
With impressive speed he stands to remove his jeans and boxers, slipping a condom from his pocket and rolling it on before lowering down to fill me with a gentle thrust. I yell his name and dig my fingernails into his luscious ass, coaxing him to move faster, harder. We lock gazes as we often do while making love, his ardent desire stealing what little breath I have left to give. He lifts one of my legs up into the air, slamming harder into me.
“I’ll never let you go,” he tells me in a throaty voice. “I’ll love ya ’til the day I die.”
I melt with his declaration, flashing a ridiculous smile. Until I met Mick Flanagan, I never thought I’d get married. Now, however, I can almost envision myself in a somewhat traditional dress, holding a bouquet and walking down some sort of aisle. Maybe in Vegas. Or even in Central Park. The kid thing, not so much. But we have more than enough time to work out the details.
Gently pushing him away, I laugh at his confused expression when I turn around and settle on all fours, wagging my ass in front of him. He’s quick to fill me again, pressing his thumb against my already sensitive spot, coaxing a whale of an orgasm from deep within. He caresses my breasts with his other hand, teasing my nipples and calling my name as his thrusts increase. I lose myself with every touch and caress, closing my eyes and tilting my face to the ceiling as the delightful sensation bursts through me, shooting through my core and down my legs.
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” Mick cries out, shuddering as he explodes. Wrapping his arms around my middle, he pulls us together down to the couch, huffing against my ear. I giggle, having never heard Mick say such a cliche thing, and sta
rt to turn to him when I catch movement outside of the window.
Beckett’s stands on the balcony looking in with a horrified expression.
Chapter 10
“How long do you think he was watching you?” Kelly asks, her eyes darting between me and Mick as he finishes talking to the second set of officers that appeared a short while after we called 9-1-1. “I mean, do you think he’s been spying on you ever since the night he attacked Mick?”
“I can’t even think about that without wanting to throw up.” I say, taking the glass of water Glori offers me before she sits at my side. “Thanks. You ladies really didn’t have to come over here tonight. It’s Saturday night. You should be out dancing your luscious asses around. I’m assuming that’s why you’re dressed like a couple of killers in those hot dresses.”
When they first appeared in sequined dresses, their hair in sexy waves and faces done in dramatic makeup, I figured they were coming to drag us out clubbing. It was embarrassing when they caught me red-eyed, wearing my old robe from the thrift shop.
“When Mick called me he said you were pretty upset,” Kelly says quietly. “I think you really freaked him out. I don’t blame you though. After this, I’d be upset too. We weren’t about to just blow you off.”
“Where were you, anyway?” I ask, tugging on one of Kelly’s long brown locks. “I thought soon to be married people were supposed to be boring, watching movies at home and shit.”
“That’s a Jewels and Adam thing,” Kelly teases, rolling her eyes. “Theo and I have no intention of slowing things down because of a legal piece of paper.”
I tilt my chin at Glori. “What about you, miss sexy thing? Find any potential suitors yet?”
“That’s a story for another time,” Kelly grumbles, pushing into her sister with her shoulder. Glori bites her lower lip and flashes her eyes wide at me, begging me not to get into it.
“Oh no you don’t, I need a distraction,” I say, waving at her to continue. “Tell me now before I go crazy wondering what Beck is going to do next.”
“Erik was at the club,” Glori blurts, glancing at her sister like a puppy dog who just had her nose rubbed in an accident.
I’m reminded of the forlorn looks Erik gave me before the wedding when he asked if Kelly and Theo were happy together. “Oh, don’t tell me,” I say, closing my eyes. “Poor guy was all torn up that you had moved on without him, Kel. He begged me before the wedding to tell you how sorry he was.”
“Wait, what?” Kelly asks, touching her forehead as if suddenly warm. “No…it wasn’t like that. You mean he actually begged you?”
We don’t get a chance to finish the conversation. Mick closes the door behind the officers, his gentle, worried eyes finding me. “They still say they can’t do anythin’ since it was dark and we don’t have any proof he was really out there.”
“Baby, I’m gonna be okay,” I coo, motioning for him to come over to me. I stand and wrap my arms around his neck. “Go put on something sexy…maybe that button-down you wore to Kel’s wedding. I’ll change and touch up my makeup so we can hit the club with these guys as soon as Theo comes back. It’d do us good to get out and let loose for a while. We need to get away from this place.”
He runs a strand of my hair through his hand. “Are ya sure you wanna go out?”
“I just need a few cocktails to calm my nerves. If we stay here I’m going to be a wreck and won’t get any sleep. Please, baby, we haven’t danced since the wedding.” I press a soft kiss on his lips. “I want to see more of the moves your nana taught you.”
“Ya ya, I suppose I could suffer through a little dancin’ with you.”
I slap his ass and grin. “That’s my man.”
He’s hardly out of the room when there’s a knock on the door. Theo enters huffing for breath, and hands me a paper sack. “You should’ve had this a long time ago. It’s pepper spray and an irritatingly loud whistle. Should get Beckett’s attention if he gets that close to you when you’re alone.”
Kelly stands from the couch, rolling her eyes. “Before you go feeling all special, you should know he makes me and Glo carry them around in our purses at all times.”
Theo pulls her into his arms and plants a slow kiss on her lips. “None of you girls are big enough to fight off a determined asshole who wants to attack you. It wouldn’t hurt you three and Jewels to take some self-defense classes. I made Gwen go to several over the years. Never can be too safe.”
“I’m perfectly safe with you at my side,” Kelly says before kissing him again.
“Until I’m not around,” Theo grumbles once they part.
“I appreciate that you’re always lookin’ out for me, Theo, I really do. It’s sweet and I know it’s because you care.” I tuck the gift under my room and turn to the bathroom. “If you guys can just give me fifteen minutes, we’ll be ready to go.”
Before I close the door to the bathroom I hear Kelly explaining that Mick and I are tagging along. I collapse against the door, sinking my butt down to the cold tile and holding back a sob. Why was Beckett here? What is he capable of doing? If anything were to happen to Mick, I don’t know how I’d live through another day.
The days that follow, I’m on edge with every slight noise, every shift of shadows. Mick senses my fear and doesn’t let me far from his sight. He escorts me to and from the shop on the days I work and insists that if I’m not hanging at Flanagan’s during his shift or while he’s at school that I’m with Gavin, Theo or Adam. Since I’m more worried Beckett would harm Mick before he’d do anything to me, I stick close to Mick’s side at the bar.
Kelly’s wedding plans serve as a decent distraction and Mick agrees I can spend the time without him so long as I go with the entire group. So I join Jewels and Glori, running around the city with Kelly, picking up the wedding dress she first tried on, filling out her registry, selecting a high-end button down and dress pants for Theo that cost more than our flight to the Virgin Islands along with a dozen other little things.
The night before we fly down for the wedding, Glori decides to throw an impromptu bachelorette party in the city. There’s already one planned for when we get down to the island with all of Kelly’s sisters and Gwen, but Glori insists we have one with just the four of us since we’ve become so close the past few months. Getting Mick to agree to it takes a bit of convincing, however, so we plan for the guys to join us later in the night after we’ve had our fill of drinks.
Theo hires a limo to take us to the exclusive Avenue night club where we’re surrounded by beautiful people. Kelly’s already sexy gorgeous in a short pink number that shows off all her curves, but Glori gave her a tiara and sash announcing she’s getting married and the guys flock to her at the club. After numerous shots are bought for all of us, Kelly’s dancing on the stage with two gay men who are more into each other than the bride-to-be, and I lose sight of Jewels and Glori.
Panic sets in when I’m met with unfamiliar faces and can’t even find my way to the stage because I’m too damn short. As I reach for my phone safety tucked into my bra, a hand clamps around my wrist.
“Chloe.” Beckett’s voice is choked, filled with desperation. “Baby, I just want a chance to talk to you.”
I whirl around to see the man who used to be a dear friend, loyal bandmate, my lover has fallen apart. Dressed in wrinkled clothing, his strawberry blond hair looks neglected and frayed, and there’s a wild look to his blue eyes that makes me take a step back. “Beck, you need to go,” I say, shaking my head. “You can’t talk to me.”
“Because of him! I know you’d never do this to me, make me stay away from you! He’s controlling you, Chloe! He’s brainwashed you into thinking I’m bad for you because he knows we’re meant to be together.” He tries pulling me close. “Baby, I love you! I’d never hurt you, you know that! I know you love me and not him!”
I twist my arm away and search the crowd for one of the girls. My heart stills when I realize I forgot the pepper spray at home. We’re su
rrounded by people, yet no one seems to care that we’re arguing. “Mick has nothing to do with any of this! You destroyed the only material thing I ever cared about to pieces! You’ve clearly lost touch with reality, Beck, and you need help!”
“What about the band? Our dream?” His eyes are still wild when he slips a hand beneath my jaw. “You can’t just throw it all away because some Irish prick is a good lay! You think you’re going to settle down with this joker and have a few kids? Go to PTA meetings? That’s not who you are, Chloe! You were meant to perform! You’re just with this guy because you’re afraid of what will happen if you put yourself out there!”
Staring back at Beckett, I can’t speak. I’m well aware that he’s become unhinged, but his words attest to a bit of the truth. And it hurts. I’m giving up who I thought I was meant to become by agreeing to be with the man I love, even though Mick doesn’t agree with it. What if there comes a day when I resent choosing him instead of following my dream? What if I become bitter, angry by what could’ve been?
“Chloe!” Kelly charges our way with Theo and Mick trailing behind. The moment Mick sees Beckett, he blasts through the dance floor, shoving people out of his way. Theo skips ahead to catch up. Beckett doesn’t see them until he turns around, just in time for Mick to tackle him to the floor. Theo moves in to pull the two guys apart, helping Mick to his feet. Beckett stays on the floor, holding his arm over his head like he’s worried Mick is going to start throwing punches.
“Why won’t ya leave her alone?” Mick yells, veins popping from his neck. I never would’ve guessed he’d be capable of knocking another man to the ground or looking so…enraged. “She’s made it clear she doesn’t want t’ be with you!” When he starts after Beckett again, I throw myself into his arms.
“Mickey, no! Stop!” I doubt he’s ever punched another man in his life and can’t stand to see him hurt again. Besides, I’m afraid if the cops are called that they’ll arrest him for assault. There are too many witnesses around to let it slip past.