Amber’s mask of serenity cracked as she slanted her gaze to Brad, who made no attempt to deny it. But instead of giving him a piece of her mind, she turned her fury on Lily. “That’s pathetic, Lily. Almost as pathetic as dragging your one-night stand to the ballet and trying to pass him off as your boyfriend. Clearly you’ve been sniffing too many paint fumes.”
Lily’s throat bobbed as she fought to find the words. They were there. I could feel them. But when she couldn’t get them out, Amber smiled. And I saw red.
“I think it’s about time you two go find your seats. Or better yet—” Pulling our tickets from the pocket of my jacket, I shoved them at Brad. “Take ours. I’m sure they’re better. I don’t think I could stand sitting in the same room with y’all, and I sure as hell don’t want you anywhere near my girl.” I looked Amber in the eye. “Lily’s a brilliant artist. So I’d think twice before putting her down, because one day she’ll be able to buy and sell your ass. And probably mine.”
Shifting my focus back to Lily, I found her blinking at me in disbelief. And in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to get her alone so I could prove every word I’d said.
“Let’s get out of here, baby. I think we’ve had enough culture for one night.”
Lily smiled. Not the one she’d plastered on for her parents, or the idiots in front of us. The one that was just for me. And she nodded.
Turning her toward the door, I jerked when Brad’s hand came down hard on my shoulder.
“You want to step outside?” he bit out.
Step outside? Was this guy for real?
“You’ve been watching too many movies, son,” I said with a smile. “I’ll save you the trip outside and drop you right here. How’s that?”
Lily tugged at the back of my jacket. “C-Cameron! N-no!”
After a beat, I heard heels clicking against the marble floor, and when I glanced over my shoulder, Lily was racing for the exit. I’d never been the kind of guy who chased after a woman. But when Lily slipped through the door and into the night, my feet moved of their own accord.
Brad’s laughter rose up behind me. “Just remember. I got there first. ’Course, I wouldn’t touch her now. If she let you hit it, no telling how many guys have had a go at her.”
He’d said the one thing that could make me reverse my course. Fist cocked, I spun around, freezing in my spot when my gaze collided with Marcus Tennison hovering a couple of feet behind Brad. His eyes weren’t the only feature he shared with his daughter. The crease on his brow, deepened by age, showed the extent of his displeasure.
“What’s the matter, chickenshit?” Brad snarled. “Cat got your tongue?”
Even the great Marcus Tennison wasn’t going to keep me from pounding this motherfucker into next week. But when I lunged, Lily’s dad beat me to it, yanking Brad backward and out of my reach. “You better quit while you’re ahead,” he growled close to Brad’s ear.
The douchebag deflated the moment he realized who had a hold of his collar. “Marcus—”
“Shut up, Bradley,” Marcus spat, all his attention on me. “Cameron, if you wouldn’t mind finding my daughter. Maybe you can salvage your evening.” His face contorted with so many emotions. Regret. Sadness. Resignation. “Don’t tell Lily I intervened. It’s an empty gesture, at best. But rest assured, I will deal with this.” Brad winced when Marcus gave him a firm shake. “I love my daughter, and I want her to be happy. She deserves it.” He gave me a shadow of a smile, grim as it was. “If you’ll excuse us.”
My instincts told me that punching Brad in the face was no longer an option. So I nodded. “Yes, sir. I can do that.”
Amber stood frozen, watching as Marcus dragged her boyfriend toward the theater like a whipped dog. She jerked her gaze my way when I stepped to her side.
“I was more than willing to put your boy in the hospital, but I think Marcus has that handled. And we both know Brad is the only one who has a problem with his tongue. Mine works just fine.”
The flush that crept into her cheeks rivaled the color of Lily’s dress. But I didn’t bother waiting around to see if she burst into flames.
Jogging for the door, I scanned the area in front of the building. Spotting Lily on a stone bench under a tree, her gaze firmly planted on the ground, I blew out a relieved breath.
“C-Cameron.” She jumped to her feet when I strolled up, flinging herself into my arms. “W-what happened? Please tell me you d-didn’t hit him.”
I cringed, because hitting Brad was exactly what I’d intended to do. “Lily—”
“We’ve got to get out of here.” Grabbing my hand, she yanked me in the direction of the limos. “He’s going to call the p-police. You could go to jail.” Her eyes widened with panic when I didn’t budge. “Please, we have to g-go.”
“I didn’t hit him, baby.”
“You didn’t?”
Shaking my head, I laced our fingers, and slid our joined hands behind her back. “Nope. I just talked to him. We came to an understanding. Your name stays out of his mouth, and he gets to keep his teeth.”
Eventually, I’d tell Lily what happened. But not now. Because she was looking up at me like I was a hero. The champion she never had. And I was all about it.
“Th-Thank God. I couldn’t handle it if you went to jail b-because of me.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Well, shit. That had sounded better in my head. Lily wasn’t the kind of woman to be impressed with my brawling skills. Or maybe she was, because she beamed up at me.
“Well, I’m glad I’m the g-girl who got the benefit of your gallant behavior tonight.”
There was only so much hypocrisy I could take, so I touched my forehead to hers. “I’ve never gotten into a fight over a woman. But I don’t think I’d be able to control myself if someone ever tried to hurt you.”
She melted against me, and I could feel the rise and fall of her chest. Her gentle heartbeat.
“Come on, baby.” I brushed a kiss to her lips. “I’m tired. And I’m dying to find out what you’ve got hiding under this dress.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
* * *
Cameron
Sprawled on her stomach beside me with the sheets tangled around her hips, Lily sighed in her sleep. Content. Sated. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get my mind to shut down.
My gaze flicked to her burgundy dress, crumpled on the floor next to the bed. And I smiled. The little firecracker actually took me to the Dallas Ballet wearing nothing but that dress and a pair of heels, and lace panties that didn’t survive the limo ride back to the Mansion.
She was perfect for me in every way. So perfect, the thought of leaving after the show tore a hole in my gut.
I ran my hand over her ass, and she settled on her back. My fingers danced along her stomach, coming to rest on her breast. Her nipple pebbled under my touch, and a ghost of a smile curved her lips.
Yeah, she was perfect.
Snuggling next to her, I continued exploring her body. Soft hips. Delicate wrists. Slim shoulders.
Her eyes fluttered open. “What are you doing?”
“Looking at you.”
“Like what you see?”
“I love what I see.”
My heart stalled. Love. Did I love her? Was that even possible? We’d known each other less than a week. And we were so different. Except that we weren’t. We were alike in all the ways that mattered.
Tracing a finger across the smooth skin on her stomach, I tested it out. I L-O-V-E Y-O-U. To my surprise, it felt right. Easy.
“Come to Austin with me.” I peered up at her.
“You mean, like, to v-visit?”
If visiting meant that Lily brought all her stuff, moved into my loft, and never left—then, yeah, that’s what I wanted.
Lacing our fingers, I rolled onto my back. “Sure… for now.”
She sighed. “I can’t. I have school.”
“But you finish in May, right?” The thoug
ht of going three months without seeing her—no, I couldn’t do it. “And there are no classes on the weekends.”
“I have to work.”
Lily hadn’t opened up to me about losing her job at the Mansion. And I had no idea what her plans were for the future. I only knew that I wanted to be a part of them.
“Come here.” I tugged her hand. “Talk to me.”
Snuggling close to my side, she tucked her head under my chin. “I’ve been trying to f-find a job in a gallery. But my mother is on the board of the Fine Arts League. They run the fundraisers for all the m-museums. Coordinate all the events. I think she’s blocking me from getting a position here. I m-may have to start looking… elsewhere.”
“She would do that?” After witnessing the contempt on Abigail’s face, I knew the answer. “But why?”
“To prove a p-point, I guess. I didn’t follow the plan.” She nuzzled her nose into the crook of my neck. “She wanted me to marry B-Bradley, even though I didn’t love him. Even though she knew he was c-cheating on me with Amber. I guess she thought, with my speech problem, I was l-lucky he paid me any attention at all.”
Her speech wasn’t a problem. Not to me. It was a part of her, like her expressive brow and the sky-blue depths of her eyes.
Lifting her chin, I smiled. “Maybe the words don’t come because they don’t want to leave these beautiful lips any more than I do.” Twining my fingers in her hair, I pulled her mouth to mine. “If I could live here—right here—I would.”
She blinked at me. Like she didn’t believe it. Like she couldn’t. “But m-my mother doesn’t see it that way. She thought that Bradley was my best hope of s-salvaging the life I was supposed to lead. When I refused to go along, she cut me off cold. Took my car. I had no m-money. No job. But I made it work. Tess let me sleep on her couch until I c-could afford to chip in for rent, and we got a two bedroom.” She bit her lip. “But now that we’re graduating, she wants Bobby to m-move in. Maybe it would be b-better if I found something outside Dallas. I could start over.”
Hope bloomed in my chest. “Then come to Austin. After you graduate. You can start over there.”
“I can’t let you support me.” Cupping my cheek, a smile wobbled on her lips. “We barely know each other. I want to be with you…please believe me.”
“I do. But I wouldn’t be supporting you, baby. Just taking care of things until you find something.”
Rather than answer, she hitched a leg over my waist and pushed herself up, straddling me. “I don’t want to t-think about this right now.” She slid my palm to her breast. “Just…love me, Cameron. Please.”
Capturing her mouth in a searing kiss, I rolled her under me. She asked me to love her. And I did.
CHAPTER TWENTY
* * *
Cameron
I groaned when my phone vibrated for the second or third time. Rolling onto my side, I was surprised to find Lily next to me.
After our talk and the marathon sex that had followed, I’d passed the fuck out. But she was up all night. Pacing. Fiddling with her phone. Picking through the leftovers on the tray of midnight snacks we’d ordered. If my mama was to be believed, I could sleep through a tornado. But not last night. Every time the bed dipped, I was wide awake, reaching for my girl. It was like I couldn’t rest comfortably without her. Weird.
When I couldn’t put it off any longer I sat up and scrubbed a hand over my face. With the blackout drapes pulled tight, the room was dark. Eerily quiet. But the glowing numbers on the alarm clock read 11:25.
Grabbing my phone, I shot the guys a group text on my way to the bathroom to jump into the shower.
Meet you out front at 1:30
When I finished getting ready, Lily was in the same position, curled on her side in a ball. She looked so peaceful, I couldn’t wake her. Snatching my boots from the floor, I headed to the living room before I changed my mind.
Since I still had a lot of time to kill, I flopped onto the couch with my laptop to check my messages. And that’s when I saw the email from Abigail. Lily must’ve used my computer to check her webmail. And for a split second I was relieved. I thought maybe Marcus had told his wife about the confrontation with Brad, and Abigail was writing to offer some kind of support.
But no.
I scanned the first line and my heart sank.
Lillian,
After the spectacle you made of yourself at the ballet, it has become apparent that your father and I have made some grave mistakes. Your dalliance with that musician is nothing more than a cry for help. Help that we are prepared to offer.
I would be remiss if I did not point out that I feel you have chosen a career path that is an utter waste of time and completely without merit. I am a supporter of the arts. After all, it was I who sought out the art-centered therapy to help you with your handicap when you were just a child. Not that it did much good. I couldn’t help but notice during our brief interaction that your speech impediment is more pronounced than ever. Are you taking steps to rectify the situation, Lillian, or have you chosen to embrace your disability and give up?
As I understand it, there is $24,800 that is due and payable before you will be eligible to graduate. It is unfortunate that your indiscretion with your musician friend cost you your job at the Mansion. Their $10,000 employee contribution would have gone a long way toward reducing your debt at the university. I dare say that your job as a barmaid will not go far in helping you meet your goal.
Your father and I have generously agreed to wipe this debt from your record. In addition, we will purchase a car for your graduation as a gesture of good will. I will use all my resources to persuade the museum or gallery of your choice to hire you.
As for the terms, they are simple. You will move back home, enter an intensive program for your speech impediment, and above all, you will cease all contact with Cameron Noble. You know as well as I that he will do nothing more than use you, possibly passing you off to one of his friends when he is through. And while you may be fine with that, I simply won’t allow you to ruin your reputation, and our good name.
Should you choose not to accept the help I offer, the degree you worked so hard to pursue will slip from your grasp.
In the end, Lillian, you’ll come to realize that I’m doing this for your own good. Someday, when you have children of your own, you’ll thank me.
Stunned, I slumped against the cushions. Marcus had said that he wanted Lily to be happy. Obviously, we had different ideas about what happiness meant. Locking Lily up and forcing her to live by their rules would never bring her any joy.
Is this what her life had been like?
The band around my heart pulled tight, and I knew it was Lily, calling to me without words. I wasn’t an artist, not like her, but I could paint a portrait with my music. And sinking onto the floor beside the bed, with only Lily’s soft breath for inspiration, that’s exactly what I did.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
* * *
Cameron
Slumping against a pillar in the lobby, I glanced over the lyrics of the song I’d written for Lily. Since Christian had to be checked out by a doctor before the promoter would allow him to take the stage, he was already at the venue. Sean tagged along to make sure Lindsey didn’t rope him into any interviews. We’d agreed to a press conference after rehearsal. And that was it.
I looked up when Logan sauntered into the lobby with Greg on his heels. Schooling my features, I pushed off the pillar. Greg had his reasons for firing Lily, but it was still a dick move.
“Ready to roll?” I said to Logan as I turned for the door.
“Cameron, can I talk to you for a second?” Greg asked, falling into step behind me.
“Not a good time.”
Logan gave me a sidelong glance as we walked, a brow raised in question. But he didn’t say anything.
“It’s about Lily.”
Hearing her name on Greg’s lips, my anger bubbled up, and I spun around. “Think very carefully before y
ou open your mouth,” I warned. “The life you save could be your own.”
Greg shifted his gaze to Logan, looming behind me with his arms folded over his chest. Logan didn’t know the details. Not yet. But he had my back. Always.
His focus back on me, Greg cleared his throat. “I just wanted to explain,” he began, his voice as thin as his smile. “We have rules here. And Lily broke them. She was a good employee, and I liked her. But—”
“Liked her?” I growled. “You were practically humping her leg in the lounge not five days ago. You wanted to take her to my show and who knows what else. How many rules did that break?” Greg’s righteous indignation melted before my eyes. “That’s what I thought.” Pointing a finger at him, I stopped just short of poking him in the chest. “Keep my girl’s name out of your mouth, and if you see her—walk away.”
Before he could offer up more bullshit excuses, I marched out the door. Ducking into the waiting limo, I sank onto the plush leather seat and let my head fall back.
Logan slid in across from me. “You want to tell me what that was about?”
Sighing, I dug my fingers into my eyes. “Lily got fired over those pictures in the paper.”
He laughed. “So? We’ve got contacts. Have Chase work his magic. Hook her up with something else.”
I tipped forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “I take it you didn’t read any of the articles that accompanied the photos.”
Shrugging, Logan gave me a bland stare. “Nope.”
“Lily’s father runs the Tennison Foundation. He is the Tennison Foundation. She’s—”
“Marcus Tennison’s daughter?” he interjected, and when I nodded grimly, he sat back and shook his head. “Shit, that dude is major. I’m glad I didn’t fuck his daughter.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “It wasn’t like that,” I bit out.
Rock Star Romance Ultimate: Volume 1 Page 65