“Shh.” He pulled her against him. How was it possible that his arms alone could provide solace while everything crumbled, including her sanity? “It’s going to be okay. They’re going to take care of her.”
She swiped away the tears. Air blew from the overhead vents, chilling her from the outside in. “You don’t know that. She might not make it. It should have been me!” A throbbing sensation between her temples persisted. “I should be lying on that gurney!”
Daxton tilted her chin, concern shadowing his features. “You’re not making sense. What does this have to do with you?”
“I can’t…please…you need to get away from me. Gia got hurt because of me and I don’t want…”
“Dax! What the hell happened? I just saw the ambulances take off. Coop, Liam, and Finn followed them to the hospital. Don’t you think you should have gone, too?” Merrick nodded toward Sara. “I’m sure your publicist would agree.”
“Fuck off, Merrick. She’s upset. And yes, I am going to the hospital.”
“Good. It’s the right thing to do, considering you’ve been nailing Gia every third day since this tour started.”
Sara flinched at Merrick’s acidic tone. Why was he looking at her like that? What about that fist-pounding crap? Just when she thought things between them were trending toward civil, too. Did he get pleasure out of yanking her heart out of her chest, spitting on it, then clubbing it until it was flatter than a pancake with no hope of ever regaining shape or function? Did she really need to hear the sordid details? Even though deep down, she’d known this was the life Daxton had chosen, regardless of what he claimed otherwise.
Daxton’s arms dropped from her waist. Coldness snaked through her insides, as if her body sensed his lack of presence, craving any reassuring touch, confirming she wasn’t alone, exposed and vulnerable. She hugged her arms tightly around her own waist, stray hairs blowing around her tear-streaked face.
“Don’t fucking talk to me like that. And there’s no need to be so crude in front of Sara.” His voice was low and menacing, the tone alone making Merrick stumble backward.
Merrick’s eyes narrowed, dark as the ace of spades in the dim lighting. “You’d better watch yourself, Dax. I won’t hesitate to knock you on your fucking ass.”
Daxton inched closer to him, fists clenched. “Leave. Now.”
Merrick’s face twisted into an evil grimace. “Just get to the hospital,” he muttered before turning on his heel and storming toward the exit.
Daxton grabbed her hand, leading her out of the arena. The crowds had dispersed, and the corridors were near empty, save for a few cops gathering reports on the accident from the equipment teams. He stopped short and twisted toward her, his fingertips caressing the side of her face, swiping at the tears that fell. “Sara, about what Merrick said…”
“Can we please just go?” She shivered against him. “I don’t want to be here right now.”
“Yeah, of course.” He grasped her hand, leading her through the maze of hallways toward a blocked off exit. Her eyes darted in all directions as Daxton spoke to the head of security. Nobody had followed, and nobody was coming for her…yet.
DAXTON PULLED OPEN THE DOOR of the tour bus and guided Sara up the steps. They’d managed to avoid the press on their way out, since everyone with a camera was fixated on what had happened inside the arena and who had been loaded into the ambulance. The guys were all at the hospital, leaving them alone on the bus for the foreseeable future. He closed the door to his bedroom and flipped the lock. With a slow turn, he pulled Sara tight into his arms. “Okay, you’re safe now. Tell me what’s going on. Why are you so freaked out? Why should it have been you?”
“Daxton, please. I can’t tell you. It’s bad. God, it’s so bad, and I thought I could escape. I figured they’d never find me here, but I was wrong. And now, Gia—”
“Shhh. Take it easy. Sit down for a minute.” He walked over to the bar, poured an amber-colored liquor into a glass, and then handed it to her. “Drink this.”
“Thank you.” Her hand trembled as she raised the cool crystal to her lips. At least her teeth had stopped chattering for a few seconds, allowing her to gulp the liquid.
Daxton watched as her shoulders stopped quaking. “Sara, I didn’t want you to find out about Gia that way. Merrick is an insensitive asshole. It didn’t mean anything, and I never meant to hurt you. I thought you were still with Eli and I…I just couldn’t handle being around you. You were all I thought about.”
Sara hugged herself, her body still visibly shaking. “Dax, it’s fine. I understand. I’m not mad, and you don’t owe me any explanations. Whatever happened between you guys was your business. And I did have Eli. It’s just that…” She took a deep breath. “…from the moment we met, I haven’t been able to think about anyone but you. I should have ended things with Eli a long time ago. My heart has been telling me to run to you for a while. I was just too stubborn to listen. But I am listening now.” She gnawed her lower lip, studying her hands.
“It’s about damn time.” The corners of Daxton’s lips curled upward. He caressed the sides of her face, the pained expression visibly calming under his touch. “How about we forget the past? I only care about what happens next, as long as it involves you.”
“That’s the problem, Dax; my past won’t let me forget. I can’t escape it.” The fear was back, washing over her features. “There was an accident. A guy I was dating back home…Brian…he was bad news, mixed up with drugs, dropped out of school, couldn’t hold a job. My parents never cared about me, only about their image. My dad’s the mayor, so appearances are everything. I got tired of being the trophy daughter and started sneaking around with this guy. One night, we were at a party on the lake. He’d gotten pretty trashed and we fought. He accused me of cheating on him. I tried to convince him it wasn’t true, but he was high and irate. He shoved me onto a boat and rowed us to the middle. It was so dark, and everyone had left by then. No amount of screaming would have helped me. He tried…he tried to rape me. We struggled, and I grabbed an oar and swung it as hard as I could, knocking him out of the boat.” Tears pooled in her eyes, her voice trembling. “He couldn’t swim. I didn’t know that, and I…I…”
Daxton wrapped his arms around her, stroking the small of her back. “It’s okay.”
She pulled away, swiping at the tears now streaming down her face. “No. I let him drown. I didn’t help him. It’s my fault he died.”
“You were in shock, trying to protect yourself. Didn’t you tell your story to the cops?”
“No, the police only know that it was a drowning accident. I lied and told them he was goofing around and fell out of the boat. That’s it. Not that he was wasted and tried to rape me because I told him it was over between us,” she whispered. “That’s why I left. My parents sent me away, telling everyone that I was too traumatized by the accident, when in reality, they sent me away because of what it could do to my dad’s career. He was in the middle of re-election. If his daughter had been brought up on murder charges…“ She shook her head. “It wouldn’t have mattered if it were self-defense or not. And now, I’ve been getting threats. Somebody knows what really happened, and they’ve found me. I thought I could escape, but it’s too late. Gia’s in the hospital. That wasn’t an accident. It was supposed to be me, not her!”
“Sara, you didn’t do anything wrong. It was self-defense. You did what you had to do.”
“I still should have saved him.”
“Why? So he could have killed you?” He cupped her chin. “You had to protect yourself.”
“Somebody is threatening me, Dax. I don’t know who, or how they know, but they want me to suffer. I don’t know what to do.”
“Nobody is going to hurt you. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. And what happened to Gia was an accident. You don’t know that it was meant for you.” His thumb wiped away a tear. “But just in case, I’ll take care of security. You’ll be safe.”
“You kn
ow, you’re the only person who makes me feel that way.” She bit her lower lip. God, he wanted her with every fiber of his being. He was desperate to stroke her hair, to drag his fingertips down the slope of her back, and to feel her body pressed against his. The emotion in her gaze morphed into something very different in that instant…need, lust, desire…or some combination of the three. “I’m sorry about before. I shouldn’t have let you leave like that. That kiss wasn’t a mistake. It was incredible, and I just…“
Dizzy. So much so, he could barely think. His body had taken over, commanding his every movement - hands acting of their own accord were now lost in her thick blonde hair, lips crushing against her grape-flavored ones. Pipe dreams were overrated. He needed this…her…even if it were the only opportunity he got before they both acknowledged none of this was real, or that the tour was some kind of alternate reality where life was lived within a self-indulgent bubble. Screw it; he’d deal with that another time. Now wasn’t the time to obsess, not when they’d finally given in to the fantasy. A delicious ache had settled in his groin, one that only she could ease. Her mouth was so hot against his own - determined, insistent, and hungry. She drank him in like a plant in need of water and sunshine and dammit, he wanted that mouth on so many other places.
He slid off her jacket, grazing the soft skin of her shoulders, as his lips trailed the smooth column of her neck. The scent of spun sugar hit his nostrils, so sweet and pure. She melted against him, arching her back, making the tight t-shirt stretch against her pert breasts.
Rock solid. She hadn’t even laid a finger on him and his cock throbbed, straining against his jeans, ready to erupt like Mount Saint Helens. Firm thighs straddled him. Blood rushed to his cock, the ache intensifying with each hip roll. The globes of her ass were so perfect – tight and smooth. He grasped them, squeezing a mewl out of her before his hands slipped into her shorts and skated over soft, flimsy lace that barely covered places he longed to taste and touch. She was wet, so fucking wet for him. The thought of driving himself into her heat could make him blow like a teenaged boy jerking off for the first time.
Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on his jeans. He was dying a slow death from the torture of restraint. Dammit, he’d burn every single pair of those button-flies later. Seconds felt like hours, until she’d freed him from the confines of fabric. But, oh God, it was worth the wait. A few pumps of her hand and he was ready to combust. The head of his cock rubbed against her soaked panties. They were drenched because she was every bit as hot for him as he was for her. Fuck, yeah.
He slid his fingers under the lace, plunging into her slick opening. It was so soft and warm, the walls quivering as he stroked her clit before delving back into her core, over and over. A soft sigh escaped her swollen lips, so juicy and bitable. A tingling sensation deep within his balls was enough of a warning. He was hovering on the brink, and dammit, he wanted her to fall over the edge right alongside him.
With one swift movement, he had Sara on her back, resting on the plush red comforter. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was mussed, and her porcelain complexion was a stark contrast to the vibrant color surrounding her. She was so beautiful, vulnerable, and…real. She lifted her arms, a smile playing with the corners of her mouth. “Don’t stop now, you’re on a roll.”
His cock twitched, still stiff, still aching with need. He pulled off her shirt and tossed it aside. Her breasts, plump and heaving, were squeezed into a black sports bra. With the flick of his fingers, they were free - perfect, lush, and all for him. Her deep pink nipples were taut, begging to be teased, and he was all too willing to comply. But he wanted, no, needed, so much more…everything she had to give.
His tongue traced a path to her navel, halting at the waistband of her shorts. Knowing what waited for him beneath the layers of clothing was maddening, and he couldn’t yank them off fast enough. The shorts and panties dropped to the floor, allowing her creamy thighs to fall open, inviting and taunting him at the same time. Every nip, lick, and suckle made her writhe against his greedy mouth, mewls fast becoming pleas for more. Tearing himself away was pure agony, but knowing he would soon be buried deep within her was the only consolation. And fuck him if he couldn’t wait one more second.
He yanked open his shirt, buttons popping through the air. His jeans pooled around his ankles until he kicked them across the room.
Sara sat back on her elbows, a teasing smile on her face, her green eyes dark with lust. “How much longer are you going to make me wait?”
He crawled onto the bed, shifting her onto his lap. “Depends. How much do you want it?”
Her skin was so soft, plastered against his. The head of his cock grazed her opening. With one arm still holding her in place, he grabbed a condom from the drawer, bit open the package, and rolled it on. Tricks of the trade. Can’t always have use of both arms. Gotta improvise.
He knelt in front of her and pulled her legs around his waist, gathering her in his arms. Warmth encased him as she slid onto his aching shaft, her walls clenching around him. Heat emanated from her core with each thrust, suffocating him with a seemingly insatiable craving. Her body pulled him deeper into the abyss where he was drowning in all that she was, no lifeboat in sight, and no desire to be rescued.
Their bodies rocked together, slick with sweat, unwilling to part. He eased her back onto the comforter, his length pulsating deep within her center, each intense movement powered by all the unresolved emotions coursing through him. This girl, their unlikely connection, his heart…everything that had made sense before was now in upheaval. And he didn’t know if he ever wanted things to be set right again.
He lowered his head, staring into those vibrant eyes before pressing his lips to hers, needing that final connection before they tumbled over the edge and into the unknown. The coiling heat of her tongue swirled around his own, sending shudders rippling through his body. There was no such thing as being too close. With Sara, he could never be immersed enough to feel completely sated. Her muscles clenched and squeezed until tiny sparks deep within his core ignited, a slow explosion rumbling, gathering force until the blast shot into his extremities. Every nerve ending fired at once, toe-curling sensations tearing through his limbs, singeing everything in their wake. He wanted to scream, laugh, and cry at the same time, never having been touched at this level by another. Swells of pleasure crashed over him, while white light blinded him, overtaking all rational thought. Hell, his mind was such an empty canvas, he might have even blacked out from the intensity. Un-fucking-believable.
He collapsed onto his elbows, hovering over her heaving body. “You’re still conscious. I didn’t do my job.”
“Clearly not.” She let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes. “Disappointing. I expected more.”
“Can I get another shot?” He smoothed a damp strand of hair away from her face. “I’ll do better next time.”
“I don’t know. What if you expended all your energy running this morning?”
“Screw cardio. I’d rather find other ways to exercise.”
“I can definitely think of some creative ways to get your heart pumping.” She tightened her arms around his waist.
His lips brushed against her forehead. “I want to try every single one. We won’t leave any stone unturned. All in the name of health and wellness.”
Her smile faded. The expression, which had been happy and relaxed only seconds earlier, was again clouded by fear. “Later. You need to go to the hospital. And I need to deal with the press.”
“After a quick nap. Hey,” he murmured against her ear. “I’m not leaving you, okay? We’ll take care of this together. Don’t be scared.”
“Promise?”
“Yeah.” Because being without her just wasn’t an option. Not anymore.
A BLARING NOISE PUNCTURED SUCH a delicious dream; the one where Daxton stripped her down to her most vulnerable, and rocketed her body to another galaxy with his massive—
Strong arms tightened around
her, a warm breath fluttering against her neck like feathers. She bit her lip and released a deep sigh. Daxton pulled her closer. Sweet Jesus, it had been real. She didn’t think those sensations were even possible outside of a dream sequence.
“Are you going to answer your phone?”
“If I don’t, it’ll just keep ringing.”
His lips nuzzled her ear. “Ignore it. I like taking midday naps with you.”
“But if we don’t get up now, we’ll never sleep tonight.”
“That’s a problem I’d really like to have.”
She giggled and grabbed her phone. “Seriously, though. You need to get to the hospital, and I need to call my boss Jake before I get fired.”
“Correction, you are coming to the hospital with me, and you can call Jake on the way.”
Sara flipped over. His hair was mussed, flopping over his half-hooded eyes. His lips curled into a wicked smirk. “Unless you decide to stay right here and let me do very bad things to you. That would be my vote.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist, running her fingers down his muscular back. He smelled so good. Jeez, what kind of soap did this guy use? Whatever the scent was, she needed it bottled. Like, yesterday.
“You know we can’t stay in here forever. There’s so much to do. I need to put a press release together, contact all the local and national media outlets, arrange a press conference…”
“Don’t worry about it. And that’s not all your job. Your only job is worrying about me, remember? The other crap is what managers are for. Let Merrick and Eli take care of everything else.”
Warm lips brushed hers, the mere taste of him igniting her desire as if she hadn’t just been catapulted into the land of Ecstasy only an hour earlier. Every cell in her body was alive and awake, craving everything and anything Daxton had to offer.
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