Back To You (In Tune Book 1)

by Jessica Ruddick

  “All I’m saying is that being hungover on live TV is not fun. Been there, done that.”

  A crease formed in Liam’s forehead. “The interview at the Macy’s Day parade?”

  “I admit nothing,” Gabe said with a neutral expression. Even I couldn’t tell if Liam had gotten it right.

  “Come on,” Ellie said. “If you’re both done here, we can go to my hotel. It’s only a few blocks away, and I have wine.”

  “Are we talking good wine or the box stuff?” Liam asked.

  “Who do you think you’re talking to?” Ellie shot back. “But does it matter?”

  Liam grinned. “Not one bit.”

  We stayed in Ellie’s hotel room for hours, sipping expensive wine. It was good, but to be honest, I couldn’t tell that much difference from the cheap stuff I normally had at home. And yes, box wine was included. I kind of felt bad that Ellie was wasting the expensive stuff on me.

  Hanging out with two celebrities—plus Gabe—demystified their mystique in a way I hadn’t expected, though I supposed I should have. At the end of the day, they were people, just like the rest of us. The friendship between the three of them reminded me of Gabe, Tyler, and me, albeit in a classier location and with more expensive booze.

  Ellie noticed my glass was empty and refilled it, finishing off the bottle. “Thanks,” I said. She was a hostess who would make any Southern woman proud.

  Liam lounged on a chaise. “Do you remember the time when that chick threw her bra on stage?”

  Gabe groaned. “That was the worst.”

  Ellie laughed. “I haven’t heard this one, but usually, guys don’t complain about girls stripping off their bras and launching them onto the stage.”

  “See, this is what you’d understand if you would actually perform your own songs,” Liam said. “Sometimes, the spotlights are so damn bright, you can’t see a damn thing. A woman could be showing off three tits, and I wouldn’t know.”

  Ellie tapped her chin. “I was under the impression that men had super laser vision when it came to boobs. Nothing could obstruct their view.”

  “I wish,” Liam muttered.

  Gabe chuckled. “It was only my second show after I signed with Killjoy. Some girl threw a bra, and the damn hook got caught on a guitar string. That sucker was stuck on there. What are the fucking odds? I had to switch guitars in the middle of the song.”

  Liam nodded. “You handled it like a pro, though.”

  Gabe snorted. “I’m glad you think so. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, it wasn’t funny.”

  “It is pretty funny,” Ellie admitted. “I’m surprised you haven’t told the story in an interview.”

  “I don’t want to give anyone any ideas.” Gabe rested his hand on the inside of my knee and winked at me. “Besides, there’s only one bra I want anything to do with.”

  Ellie laughed. “How romantic,” she teased. “I bet you’re swept off your feet, Leah.”

  I laughed, but I sort of was. Not because of the story but because Gabe had done this all night. I wasn’t able to join the conversation much because I couldn’t reminisce with them, and I certainly didn’t know the same people, but Gabe made sure I felt like I belonged. Liam and Ellie were both warm and genuine, and they were also really good at making me feel included, even though they’d just met me. I was Gabe’s, and that was good enough for them.

  The three of them continued reminiscing, and though most of the stories were comical, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. I’d missed out on five years of Gabe’s life, and it hadn’t had to be that way. I didn’t want to miss more. I wanted to be by his side, making our own memories.

  Gabe had been telling me all along that we belonged together, and for the first time since he came back into my life, I was starting to believe we did.

  Chapter 17

  Gabe

  In the cab on the way back to our hotel, I could tell Leah’s demeanor had changed. She was antsy and on edge, much different from how relaxed she’d seemed in Ellie’s room. Damn. I wondered if she’d felt out of place. I hadn’t thought so, but maybe I’d been so caught up in reminiscing with Ellie and Liam that I hadn’t paid enough attention to her.

  As we walked through the hotel lobby, I laced my fingers through hers and brought them to my lips. “I’m glad you’re here with me.”

  “Thanks.” Her response was clipped, taking me aback. What the hell had changed in the last half hour? At least she wasn’t pulling away from me. Quite the opposite, in fact—she was leaning into me.

  Maybe it was all in my head. Hell, we’d both been awake for almost twenty-four hours. The day had been fantastic, but sleep deprivation wasn’t good for anyone. I would know. I suspected Leah would too.

  It was just that this trip was an unspoken test. I was exposing her to my crazy life, and I wasn’t sure how she’d take to it. Before, when we’d been planning to follow my music together, neither of us realized the reality of life in the music industry. I’d had time to get used to it as I climbed the ranks from unknown to multi-platinum-selling artist. But Leah was being thrust into it all at once. So far, she’d only experienced the fun parts, but there was a darker side to stardom, one I hoped she’d never see. If she stuck around, though, it was bound to happen eventually.

  If she stuck around…

  The longer I stayed in Cedar Creek, the more I was starting to realize that maybe she’d been right to send me away. Music was part of me. My life wouldn’t have been complete without it. If I’d given that up to stay in our small hometown, that part of my soul would have withered and died. I could see how that would have eaten away at me until maybe I would have come to resent Leah. I’d like to think I was better than that, but I couldn’t be sure. It pained me to admit it.

  For us to be together, Leah would have to leave the only home she’d ever known. She’d been willing to do it before she realized she needed to stay with Lacey. Was she willing to do it now? I’d been betting on yes, but that was before Leah had seen this part of my life. I eyed her perturbed expression. It didn’t bode well.

  We made it to our room, and I tossed the key card on the side table. “Is everything okay, Leah? You’ve been quiet.” I turned to face her.

  She fidgeted with the ends of her hair. “I’m tired.”

  “It was a long day,” I agreed, hoping that was all it was, but I didn’t think so. Something was going on with her.

  “And there’s this…”

  A knot formed in my stomach as I waited for her to finish her thought. “What?”

  Taking a deep breath, she closed the distance between us. Draping her arms around my neck, she went onto her toes and pressed her lips to mine. The kiss was soft, hesitant. I let her take the lead.

  She put her fingers in my hair and deepened the kiss, her tongue tentatively sampling mine. I raked my fingers up her rib cage, and she sighed into my mouth. We stood there, holding one another, kissing lazily.

  “Leah…” It was a question and a plea, wrapped in one. I couldn’t do this with her then leave her behind. It would break me, and if I wasn’t mistaken, it would break her too.

  She met my gaze, her eyes wide and vulnerable. “I want you. Not just for tonight or this weekend. I want forever with you.”

  I let those words wash over me and seep into my heart, where they filled the cracks that different words had once formed. She healed me. She was my muse. She was mine.

  “I’m yours.” I swept my arm under her knees and lifted her. I carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed. I took off her shoes and socks then toed off my own shoes before joining her on the bed. I braced myself over her, raining kisses on her face and throat.

  Noticing tears in her eyes, I paused.

  Her chin quivered, and she shook her head. “I was so stupid, Gabe. How could I do that to you? You were my everything. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

  “Shh.” I brushed the hair away from her face. “I forgive you. And even when I was mad at you
and thought I hated you, I never stopped loving you.”

  With a sob, she took my face in her hands and kissed me. “I love you so much.”

  I moved down her body so I could lift her shirt, inch by glorious inch, trailing kisses along her creamy skin. When I got to her bra, I reached underneath her to unclip it, freeing her breasts. I sucked one perfect nipple into my mouth. Gasping, Leah arched her back and threw back her head. Her hands gripped my shirt and pulled it up. Her fingers were clumsy, so I took it the rest of the way off.

  Gazing up at me, she ran her hands down my chest, ending at my jeans. She undid the top button, but I grabbed her hand to stop her. “I don’t want to rush. I want to enjoy this. I want to enjoy you.”

  Her eyes met mine meaningfully. “I want to enjoy you too.”

  I let her unbutton my pants. She pulled down the zipper slowly then pushed the jeans down my hips. She reached into my boxers and took me in her hand. My body jerked at her touch, and blood pounded through my veins.

  Gently, she pushed me onto my back. Then her mouth was on my chest and she was moving down, slowly, slowly, until her mouth was on me, around me. Oh, God. It was all I could do to keep from thrusting my hips and burying myself deeper. My hands fisted in her hair.

  But this wasn’t how it was supposed to be—it was supposed to be about her.

  I nudged her off me and flipped her to her back. I undid her pants and slowly pulled them down her legs, kissing her thighs and calves as I went. I slipped a finger under the sheer pink fabric of her panties, and she lifted her hips so I could drag them down her legs.

  Then I sat back and admired her. God, she was gorgeous. The perfect combination of smooth skin and soft curves. My gaze raked over her body, from her erect nipples to the curve of her hips to her lean thighs. She had a body that inspired songs. I would know—she’d inspired mine.

  She smiled up at me, and there was no awkwardness or insecurity. I loved how comfortable she was. It came from our years of being together. And just as her body had amazed me when I was a teenager, I was still awestruck by it. There were slight differences—her hips a bit fuller, her legs leaner—but just as she had been perfect then, she was perfect now.

  “I could look at you forever,” I said, my voice filled with awe.

  “Forever sounds perfect.”

  I kissed her ankle, then her calf, then her inner thighs, until I finally reached the apex of her legs. I pressed my mouth against her, using my tongue until I felt her hips buck. Her hands fisted the sheets, and she moaned my name. Using my thumb, I rubbed her clit. A moment later, she tightened, her whole body shuddering. Once she was still, I moved up her body and took her in my arms.

  “I want you inside me,” she whispered.

  Before positioning myself between her thighs, I touched her, stroking her clit and slipping a finger inside. She buried her face in my neck, and her hips arched off the bed.

  I retrieved a condom, quickly sheathed myself, then moved over her. Her eyes met mine and held my gaze as I pressed against her, then into her, until I’d filled her completely.

  It was like coming home, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was where I belonged.

  I moved slowly, wanting it to last. Soon, though, I was pumping my hips while her fingers dug into my back. When I was getting close, I reached between us and pressed a fingertip to her clit. Her body spasmed, tightening around me.

  As I let go, I said her name and buried my face in her hair.

  “I love you, Gabe Gagliano.” It was the sweetest thing I’d ever heard.

  Leah

  We made love twice more before finally collapsing into sleep as the sun was rising. It was as if we were trying to make up for years of lost time. We couldn’t get enough of touching one another. Even in sleep, our bodies stayed intertwined.

  I awoke before Gabe and carefully extricated myself from his arms so I could use the bathroom. When I came back into the room, sunlight was breaking through the curtain and illuminating him. He was sprawled on his back with the sheet bunched around his waist and one leg on top of it. Awestruck, I admired him. In many ways, he was exactly the boy I remembered, but there in the light, I was reminded he’d lived five whole years that I wasn’t part of. His new tattoos were a stark reminder. In the dark, I hadn’t been able to see them clearly. Now, I studied them.

  His right shoulder and bicep were covered with intricate markings. I stepped closer so I could see better. Guitars and music notes were interwoven with vines and tree branches, almost as if the instruments were growing out of the greenery. The one on his chest confused me, though, because the tribal-looking compass didn’t suit him. Or maybe it did, and I didn’t know that part of him yet.

  Yet… The thought of not having to part from Gabe made me giddy. I had no idea how we were going to make it work, but that was tomorrow’s worry. Today, I was going to enjoy the feeling.

  “I’m awake, you creeper.” Gabe peeled open his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows. His mouth spread into a lazy grin. “Come here.”

  Smiling, I climbed into bed beside him.

  He played with the hem of my T-shirt. “Why did you get dressed?”

  “I don’t usually run around naked.”

  Lying back, he put his hands behind his head and grinned. “We’ll have to change that.”

  I ran my fingers along the words tattooed around his forearm. “What does this say?”

  “It’s some of my song lyrics in Latin.” He paused. “At least, I hope it is. I’m not entirely confident that the person who translated them knew what they were doing.”

  I laughed. “Why don’t you find someone who actually knows Latin and find out?”

  “If it’s wrong, I don’t want to know.”

  I traced the compass on his chest. “What’s up with this one?”

  He groaned. “This one’s a worse story than the one on my arm. I made a bet with Liam, and I lost.”

  “This doesn’t seem bad for losing a bet.”

  “No, this is the after. I had to live with an onion on my chest for an entire year.”

  Now that I would have liked to see. “Why did he choose an onion?”

  “Hell if I know. It was probably the most random thing he could come up with. Neither of us was in our right mind at the time.”

  I smirked. “You still got lucky. Have you ever seen the pictures of bad tattoos online? He could have ruined you.”

  “I think he took pity on me. As far as onion tattoos go, it wasn’t bad. The artist I went to could have made anything look good. Still, it was a stupid onion. But I waited a full year to fulfill the terms of the bet before having it changed. I think it was more like fourteen months, actually. My schedule was so damn busy, I didn’t have time to get it fixed right away.”

  There was the Gabe I’d fallen for—his word was his bond, even when it came to something as stupid as an onion inked onto his skin. “Why a compass?”

  “I was so sick of the onion at that point that I told the tattoo artist to do whatever he wanted, as long as it was better than the damn onion. In retrospect, that was another stupid decision, but it turned out okay.” He paused. “I notice you aren’t asking about the one on my arm.”

  I shrugged. “That one is self-explanatory.”

  “You mean cliché.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “It is cliché, though. A musician getting a music-related tattoo. It was the first one I got. I figured since I had music inside me, I might as well have music on the outside as well.”

  It was totally Gabe to combine symbolism with the literal. I’d never been tempted to get a tattoo because I’d never felt strongly enough about something to get it permanently marked on my body.

  “What time do you have to be at the Garden?” I asked.

  “Around six.” He glanced at the clock on the end table. “Shit, it’s already noon. I know you wanted to walk through Central Park. We still have some time to do that if you want.”

 
; “Or…” I shot him a mischievous look.

  He picked up on my meaning immediately. “Or we can stay in bed.”

  Grinning, I nodded.

  He grabbed me around my waist and hauled me on top of him. “You’re going to have to lose some of those clothes first.”

  I happily obliged.

  Chapter 18

  Leah

  We stayed in bed so long that Gabe had to leave without me or risk being late. He hadn’t wanted to, but I assured him that I was more than capable of summoning an Uber by myself. It turned out I didn’t have to, though. As soon as I emerged in the lobby, someone was waiting for me with my name on a sign, like at the airport. Damn, Gabe works fast.

  “Right this way, Miss Jacobson.” The woman ushered me to a waiting car, and I was on my way. At the Garden, I was greeted by yet another sign. The man handed me a lanyard with a pass on it to put around my neck. I expected to be escorted backstage, but instead, I was taken up to one of the VIP suites. I hesitantly pushed open the door and had a mild panic attack when I saw a room full of people I didn’t recognize.

  “Leah!” A voice carried through the din. “It’s about time you got here!” Ellie emerged through the crowd, carrying a flute of champagne high in the air so it didn’t get knocked out of her hand. I let out a sigh of relief.

  “Gabe was running late, so I sent him ahead without me,” I explained.

  She took a sip of champagne. “He told me.”

  I hesitated, wondering if he’d told her anything else. Gabe wasn’t one to kiss and tell, and when would he have had time? “Are we going backstage?”

  Ellie shook her head. “Oh, no, no, no. Watching a show from backstage is overrated. It’s crowded and hectic, plus the view isn’t that great. Shows are meant to be seen from the front. Through that door and up some stairs are VIP seats in the arena. Way better. Trust me.”

  “You would know,” I said easily, but I was disappointed I wouldn’t be backstage. I wanted to judge for myself whether it was overrated. I supposed I needed something else to compare it to. If things worked out, I would have plenty of opportunities to judge the best seats to watch Gabe perform. Warmth filled my belly at the thought.