His mouth covered mine in a searing kiss. “I love you. Don’t ever doubt that.”
“Never again.”
His teeth nipped my bottom lip and as my mouth parted on a gasp, his tongue slid inside. Only the vibration of his phone prevented things from getting too heated.
“Come on. I’m needed back in the meeting.” His hands gripped my hips and lifted me to stand. “We’ll pick this up when we get home.”
My purse had been knocked to the floor, and after bending to pick it up, I swayed on my feet. Thankfully, Jaxon reached to steady me.
“You okay, baby?”
“Yeah. I just got lightheaded for a second.” I recognized the feeling and knew the cause. It wasn’t the first time I had skipped a few meals.
“When’s the last time you ate?”
“Lunch yesterday,” I admitted. A low growl was his only response. “I’m fine,” I assured him as I leaned into his arms and rubbed his chest.
After a kiss to my forehead and making sure that I wasn’t going to keel over, he left to go collect my shoes in the hallway. With the grace of Prince Charming, he slipped them onto my feet and led me back to the elevator. I smiled the whole way, knowing that I owed Tanisha a phone call.
We arrived back at the conference room to find everyone finishing lunch. Food had been catered in, so Jaxon directed me to sit while he prepared my plate. I was perfectly capable of doing it but didn’t fight him. He enjoyed doing it. And to be honest, it felt really good to be taken care of sometimes.
The conversation around the room was relaxed as we ate. Derek was more subdued than usual, but otherwise, everyone was in good spirits.
With a few hours to fill while their meeting finished, I opted to explore Nashville a little. Natalia’s driver took me up and down Music Row and showed me around the downtown area before I decided to visit a nearby shopping mall. Suddenly, I knew exactly what I wanted to buy.
Ecstatic about their new contract, including my permanent role with them, the guys were in full celebration mode during our trip home. As soon as we got back to the lodge, Lance opened a bottle of champagne to go with the pizzas we had picked up in town. I took the opportunity to snap a few pictures of the band together to post online with a teaser of exciting news to come.
Wanting the fun to continue, Lance texted a few nearby crew members and headed out to meet them at the local bar. Eli and Shawn agreed to tag along while Derek retreated to his cabin.
Outside Jaxon’s door, he swept me up in his arms and carried me inside. Standing beside the bed, he continued to hold me, our mouths coming together slowly. It was thorough, deliberate, and ten times more passionate than any fiery, frantic kiss we had ever shared. Love fueled the slow burn between us, creating a smoldering heat that could stay ignited for hours.
Laying me down, he blanketed my body with his. Tonight, there was no rush. His mouth made love to mine before he slowly removed each piece of my clothing to explore the exposed flesh. Not a single inch was overlooked. Sliding my panties down my legs, he kissed his way back up one thigh and then the other. He parted my legs and hesitated, his breath teasing my core. I squirmed and gripped the sheets, but he stayed just close enough to stoke the flames that were beginning to flicker in me.
When I thought I would go mad with want, the flat of his tongue blazed a trail through the center of me. Reaching the sensitive peak, he licked and sucked with an intensity that had my head thrashing on the pillow. My legs instinctively pulled together to lessen the assault. Firm hands pressed into my thighs to open them wide and take all he had to offer. Sensation overtook all reason, and I felt myself start to tremble. The pleasure was too great, too consuming until a final surge of desire sent me soaring. I cried out over and over as I fisted Jaxon’s hair and rode every last aftershock.
Trailing his tongue, he made his way back up my body. I pulled at his clothing until they joined mine in the pile on the floor. Shifting me on top of him, the slickness on my thighs and center coated his cock as I rubbed against it.
Lifting my hips, the head of his cock aligned with my opening. I hovered there, payback for his earlier teasing. Taking him in, just the tip, I continued to toy with him. I trailed kisses across his face, down his neck, and behind his ear before I tugged the lobe with my teeth. His cock jumped under me, and the halting of his breath told me that he was already close to the edge. I circled my hips and eased up and down just enough to have him gasping with anticipation. As soon as he grew accustomed to that and began to relax, I slammed down on him. His back arched off the mattress and a shocked moan was expelled from his lips. After a few long strokes, I repeated the process again and again until he couldn’t take any more.
Flipping me to my back, he hooked his arms under my knees to hold me open as he took over. Every inch of him filled me deeper than he’d ever been before. His hips thrust long, hard, and unhurried. With each stroke, he pressed into me and swiveled his hips, reigniting my pleasure. Soon we were both on the brink. His movements became faster, and I raised my hips to meet each thrust, needing more contact. Releasing one of my legs, he reached between us and circled my clit with the pad of his thumb. The new angle caused a sharper sensation deep inside of me. Within seconds another orgasm rocked through me, pushing him over the edge with me. His rhythm became erratic for a few more strokes as his release overtook him and my body milked his release. Almost involuntarily, our hips continued to move as we chased each final wave of bliss.
Collapsing on top of me, his weight a comfortable pressure, he guided my face to his and gave me one more hot, open-mouth kiss.
“I love you,” he panted against my lips.
“I love you.”
“Damn, that was hot. It’s going to be hard to top make-up-celebration-I-love-you sex.”
“I’m sure we’ll come up with something,” I hinted, already knowing what I had in mind. “How about a bath first?
By the time we finally got clean, the water was growing cold. There had been lots of touching and kissing but mostly talking. We discussed all of the ways we could improve our communication to avoid another mishap like we’d just had. Most importantly, we both promised to always find a way to talk to each other, even when the conversations were tough.
“There is something I need to have clarified,” I said, facing my fear as I leaned back into his chest.
“What’s that?” He ran the sponge down my arm and kissed the side of my head.
“Where am I going to live?” It was a bold question for me but one that had been plaguing me since I’d overheard him with his mom. Even knowing they weren’t talking about me, his feelings on the matter were still unclear. “You invited me to stay here for the break, but should I be looking for my own place now that I have a job?”
“Absolutely not!” Half of the water left the tub as he abruptly turned me to face him. “This is your home now, and I want you to feel comfortable here. We can stay in the cabin or build a house along the lake, whatever you want as long as you’re happy here with me.”
“I’m very happy here,” I assured him, as awareness hit me. “I hope you meant that because I invited Miss Molly to come for the weekend. She offered to make the drive so we could spend some time together before the tour starts back up.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
Dried off and dressed for bed, him in boxer briefs and me in panties and his t-shirt, I grabbed the little box that I’d gotten at the mall. Climbing into bed, I tucked it under my pillow. Under the glow of the bedside lamp, we cuddled together as I rubbed my hand over his heart. I knew what I wanted, and it was within my reach.
“I have one more question.” I rolled onto him, folding my arms to rest on his belly while my lower body was cradled between his legs. Jaxon folded his arms behind his head, raising it to better see me.
“You can ask me anything, baby.”
“Will you marry me?”
He froze, everything about him going still except for the rapid rise and fall of hi
s chest. His eyes remained locked on mine as he swallowed hard. “What?”
“You are the love of my life, and I want to spend forever with you. It doesn’t have to be right away, but I want us to belong to each other in every possible way. Jaxon Dominic Hartley, will you marry me?”
He scrambled to sit up, bringing me to straddle his lap. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, I will marry you!”
I reached for the box under my pillow and opened it to reveal a ring. It was black tungsten with a sparkly, brushed silver inlay. Sliding it onto his finger and seeing it there brought me such a sense of completeness.
“Whenever you look at this ring, I want you to know that I choose you. Always.”
He took my head in his hands, and I felt the infinite love in his kiss. Then he climbed out of bed and went to the dresser, leaving me a bit flummoxed. After reaching into the back of a drawer, he returned to stand beside the bed with a small box of his own.
“I saw this when I bought the jewelry for your birthday and knew it was meant for you. But I was afraid I would scare you away if I told you I was already thinking about forever. I decided to wait until you were ready and should have known better than to hold back.” He dropped to one knee and opened the box. A delicate silver ring with a pink oval-cut center stone was surrounded by a halo of diamonds extending down the sides of the band. “You are the love of my life, and I want to spend forever with you. Annalise Corinne Taylor, I would be honored to marry you.”
He pulled the ring from the box and slowly slid it up my finger. It was an exhilarating feeling. “Every time you look at this ring, I want you to remember that wherever we are, that’s where you belong. I choose you. Always.” I barely had time to enjoy the look of the ring on my finger before he was kissing me again. We kissed until we were both dizzy and falling back into bed.
“We’re getting married,” I said in awe, watching the stones sparkle in the light.
“We are. Is tomorrow too soon?” He sounded so serious that I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes! I’m only doing this once and want a real wedding.” The slight pout on his lips had me taking pity on him. “I have a way to make it up to you though.” My hand slowly roamed down his abs and into the front of his boxer briefs.
His groan filled the cabin as his cock began to rise. “Oh, yeah?” he asked.
“How do you feel about engagement sex?”
“I think that sounds like a very special occasion, requiring very special attention.”
His hands began a reverent exploration as I had a flash of our lives together. A lifetime of special occasions, holidays, and happy memories awaited us. And I couldn’t wait to get started.
Epilogue
Jaxon
Looking around the dressing room at all of my family and friends, I paused to appreciate how fortunate I was. Everyone was mingling and laughing, happy to support each other along life’s journey.
The weekend had passed all too quickly. Anna’s reunion with Miss Molly had been seamless, with the two women instantly reconnecting. Molly and my mom had also become fast friends, and mom had been thrilled to have a fourth person to even out their numbers for card games. Pops had seemed smitten with Molly as well, a fact that Anna had pointed out to me with a giddy smile.
Now we were kicking off the final leg of the Dark tour in Charlotte, the base for some of our most dedicated fans. And they’d never let us down.
Anna’s impromptu food drive had been a huge success, so much so that the food bank had needed an extra truck to collect it all. Incorporating a drawing for participating fans to win upgraded tickets along with meet-and-greet passes seemed to be a nice motivation; one we were more than willing to provide.
The guys from Borrowing Trouble had joined us to welcome our guest openers, The Strutting Penguins. Natalia and Shawn had come up with the idea to search out local talent ahead of each show and offer them a thirty-minute time slot for the night. A quick knock at the door sounded just before Mitch, one of our new security guards, ushered the local band in.
Their eyes went wide as they took in the members of both bands. Arm in arm, Anna and I welcomed them with enthusiasm as Shawn stepped forward to introduce them to everyone else. The poor guys looked terrified. Remembering how intimidating it was to be the new guys, we all did our best to make them comfortable. Naturally, it only took a few minutes for Lance to have them laughing at something ridiculous.
As it got closer to show time, the noise from the crowd could be heard from the dressing rooms, filling the air with added energy. Before The Strutting Penguins hit the stage, Anna took pictures of all of us together and posted them to the band’s social media accounts, making sure to tag all three bands and promote The Strutting Penguins’ upcoming local shows.
The night progressed as usual, but there was an added layer of excitement in the air. Anna and I had already shared our engagement news with our family and the crew, who all agreed not to post anything until after we made an official announcement. And by the middle of our set, I couldn’t contain myself any longer.
“How are you, Charlotte?” I barely got out before the deafening roar filled the arena. “I’m glad everyone is having a good time out there. As you know, we’re from a little town not far from here, so we consider this our hometown show.” Again, the crowd went wild. “Well, since we’re among friends tonight, I’ve got some exciting news and wanted you to hear it first.” I glanced to the side of the stage where Anna stood. The rest of our family had opted to sit in the control booth while she had stayed behind to continue our tradition. “The most amazing girl in the world asked me to marry her, and I very happily said yes.” The decibel level in the arena instantly doubled. “Come here, baby,” I urged, waving her to me.
As our publicist, she had encouraged the announcement and felt it was more genuine coming from me rather than a press release. Still, a shy smile covered her face as she stepped out onto the stage. Worried about how it might affect my image, she’d offered to let me tell people that I had proposed to her. No way. I was damn proud of her and the fact that she had been confident enough to ask me. Other people might not understand that, but to me, it meant the world. I was not about to downplay it or cheapen it in any way. And I was especially done pretending to be anything other than myself for the sake of my image.
When she finally reached me, I swept her up to kiss her long and hard for the whole world to see. When we finally eased apart, she buried her face in my shirt as catcalls and whistles filled the air.
During my speech, the guys subtly made adjustments and switched guitars for our next song. While Anna had known that I was going to announce our engagement, I held back a little surprise. To keep her from going back off stage, I held her hand tightly in mine.
“One of the reasons I’m looking forward to getting married is because of the example my parents have set. They celebrated their thirtieth wedding anniversary this year and are just as in love today as when they got married.” The lighting tech beamed a spotlight on them, and my dad planted a kiss on my mom before they waved in response to the applause. That gave me time to strap on a portable mic pack and headset microphone.
“Along with filling our house with love, there was always music. I grew up listening to a wide variety of musicians and appreciating all of the ways that music could make an impact in someone’s life. So the next song we’re going to play is a bit of a classic. The first time I heard it, I remember coming downstairs late one night for a glass of water and finding my parents dancing to this song. Since then, every time I hear it, I’m reminded of the kind of love they have. It’s the kind of love I’ve been looking for. That song was “The Air That I Breathe” by The Hollies. Tonight, I would like to dedicate it to my beautiful bride-to-be.”
The lights dimmed as the first note on the guitar rang out. Gathering her close, I bowed my head just enough for us to be cheek to cheek. Pressed together, we danced as I sang the heartfelt lyrics. The fli
cker of lighters and phone lights swayed back and forth in the distance as other couples rocked in place. Anna’s fists gripped the front of my shirt, and I could feel the shudder in her breath as she was overcome with emotion. My voice only cracked once as the song began to fade out, and I considered myself lucky that I had held out that long. With the final note, I wiped Anna’s tears as I cupped her face and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. A sound tech retrieved my wireless mic, giving me time to clear the tightness in my throat.
The crowd was still going wild as the lights readjusted and everyone got set back up to resume our show. Our fans were usually good for a slow song or two, but then they were ready to rock again. Once I was composed, I turned, prepared to pump the crowd back up. However, Lance sauntered up center stage and leaned into my mic stand before I had the chance to speak.
“Don’t worry ladies, the rest of us are still single,” he rumbled in a low, throaty voice.
High-pitched squeals pierced the air, followed by a few pairs of panties that were sent his way.
“Marry me, Lance!” a woman’s voice rang out.
“Sorry, honey. I’m just not that type of guy,” he replied with feigned modesty before turning serious. “Honestly though, we couldn’t be happier for Jaxon and Anna. Since the minute we first met her, she has made all of our lives better. She’s as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside and has the most generous heart of any woman I’ve ever known.” A stagehand arrived with a tray of shots, passing them all around. “Everybody raise whatever you’re drinking and toast the one you love.”
“To forever,” I said before Anna echoed the sentiment and we tapped our glasses together. We followed the shot of whiskey with a taste of each other.
“That was so sweet,” Anna said, as the women all continued to swoon over Lance’s speech. Her amazement at his ability to be sentimental was as apparent as my own.
“Where did my friend Lance go?” I joked.
Lance, however, wasn’t through. “For all the other single guys out there, join me in a toast.” He held his shot glass high as a large portion of the audience copied him. “To all of the kisses we’ve snatched. And vice versa!”
Changing the Key: A Detrimental Rock Star Romance (Book 1) Page 29