by Layla Hagen
Several fans had commented that they ate the same thing and then asked what the others ate.
That was exactly what I’d hoped to achieve: giving fans something they could relate to.
I scrolled down the screen, smiling at the trivial questions in the comment section. Fans were craving mundane details, like what movie the band watched or if they ordered takeout a lot. This was good—really good. I was hoping the record company would see it that way too.
The car slowed in front of the gates, where there were two security guards. All my nerve endings snapped. We’d arrived at the cottage! The gates opened, and he drove inside on the alleyway. Last time, there were no cars in front of the cottage, but now I counted twelve pulled next to the manicured lawn.
“Thanks,” I told the driver, who merely nodded at me in the rearview mirror.
I got out of the car, walking with shaky legs toward the entrance door, which was slightly open. I nodded to the two guards posted on either side. Music and voices were filtering out of it. The cottage was honestly incredible. I hadn’t had a chance to explore the garden yet, which was huge and had an opening on the Hudson River. Enormous old trees lined the property and made it impossible to pry inside.
When I pushed the door open, I was surprised to notice only a few people in the lobby, and no one from the band.
I moved to the living room, not bothering to take off my shoes because no one else had. Besides, my sky-high heels were part of the outfit. The beige dress was understated, but my shoes were black leather peep toes with straps that crisscrossed my leg until mid-ankle. They were sexy, just like the red nail polish I’d used on my toes.
A bunch of people stood around in the living room. I immediately headed to the buffet. As I approached the table, my stomach rumbled. They had everything from guacamole to tabbouleh salad and smoked salmon. I headed straight to the dinnerware, taking a small bowl of tabbouleh on a plate.
“Someone’s happy,” a deliciously seductive voice said from behind me.
My entire body hummed as I slowly turned around. Brayden was standing a few feet away, unabashedly inspecting me. His eyes widened when he glanced down at my shoes, and he drew in a sharp breath. When he glanced back up, his pupils were a bit dilated.
Licking my lips, I held up my plate. “The food is great.”
“I made sure there was something from your list of restaurants.”
My eyes widened. “Why?”
“I wanted the foodie in our midst to be happy.” The corners of his mouth twitched. His eyes were fixated on me, as if he was making great effort not to glance back down at my shoes. I felt utterly naked.
“Where’s the birthday boy?” I asked.
“Come with me. I’ll bring you to him.”
I took my food with me. As we walked, Brayden’s arm brushed against mine a few times, and my whole body warmed. He led me to yet another room, one I hadn’t been in before. It was another living room of sorts, with shelves full of books on one wall and comfortable-looking armchairs spread around the room.
Lars was surrounded by a large group. He winked when he saw us coming.
“I’ve got a present for you.” I rummaged in my small bag with one hand, pulling out a book by my favorite mystery author.
Lars’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, you bought me a gift?”
“Err, yes. That’s what birthdays are for.”
Brayden seemed as surprised as Lars, which made me think this wasn’t the case with them.
“Besides, I want you to like me for something other than bringing Brayden bad luck,” I added on a wink.
Lars laughed, introducing me to the group. Brayden touched the small of my back as we made the rounds. I didn’t even try to remember everyone’s names. One particular blonde stood out, because she looked at me with disdain when Brayden introduced us. She certainly didn’t seem to like the way he touched my back. I, on the other hand, was enjoying it immensely.
After he introduced me to a bunch of people, he excused himself, saying he had to check on some guests.
I returned to the buffet, loading my plate yet again. The blonde with the upturned nose appeared while I was pouring myself a Coke.
“So, how do you know Brayden?” she asked without touching the food.
“I’m consulting with Sasha, their manager, on a few things.”
“I know who Sasha is,” she said dismissively. “So, you spend a lot of time with them?”
“Who’s asking?”
“I’m Brayden’s friend.”
“Didn’t look like it,” I challenged. I got a good read on her. She was trying to intimidate me, for whatever reason, and I wasn’t having it. “He barely looked at you.”
She bristled, blinking fast. No one has tried to knock her down from her high horse before? I’ll volunteer for the job.
I always gave everyone the benefit of the doubt—it was a residual effect from my profession—but I had no tolerance for mean people. This woman needed to know she wasn’t going to intimidate me.
“Do you know who I am?”
“No, and I’m also not interested.”
Her jaw dropped. I shrugged, turning my attention to the buffet. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her turn and leave.
Of course, now that she was gone, I couldn’t help but wonder exactly who she was. I didn’t much care about her job, but was she really Brayden’s friend? Or friend with benefits? I told myself it didn’t matter... only it did.
Where was he, anyway? I didn’t have a chance to actually look for him, because Lars pulled me to one side, asking me if I had a chance to look at the video.
“I did. I really liked it. And I glanced at the comments—I think it was exactly what fans were asking for. I’ll give it forty-eight hours to gather more comments, and then I’ll send my observations to Sasha.”
“Okay. It felt good doing it. Like sharing something personal, but not overexposing.”
“I’m happy you were comfortable with it.”
Lars grinned widely. “I can’t believe we were so hard on you that first day. You’re not some whacko trying to convince us to sell our soul to the press or whatever TV network offers the most for a reality TV show.”
My eyes bulged. “Why did you even expect that?”
“Experience.”
“I see. Well, glad I’m not on your shit list anymore. Hey, who is she?” I pointed to the annoying blonde.
“Lilian. She’s a concert promoter. It’s the fifth time she’s collaborating with us. Mind you, she seems more interested in Brayden than the band.”
My stomach dropped. “By the way, do you know where he is? Haven’t seen him in a while.”
Lars cocked a brow, and I smiled nervously. Could he tell there was something going on between us?
“Probably hiding somewhere. He’s not a big fan of parties. Now, I have to go back to my guests. You’ll be all right on your own?”
“Yeah, sure.”
But the second he moved away, I texted Brayden.
Isabelle: Rumor has it you’re hiding from the party.
Brayden: Inspiration hit. I’d love for you to join me.
I licked my lips, wondering if I was playing with fire. I felt as if we were on the edge, and we might fall over it any second now.
Isabelle: Where are you?
Brayden: In my personal rehearsal room.
I hesitated, letting my fingers hover over the phone’s screen without typing a reply.
My heart was beating fast, then even faster when he sent me another message.
Brayden: I’ll sing it just for you.
Isabelle: Now that’s what I call an effective bribe.
No one paid attention to me as I followed his directions and headed upstairs. I gripped the bannister, walking slowly, feeling as if I was on a clandestine mission. Even as the music from below faded and I approached the rehearsal room, I couldn’t hear anything from inside. That padding was great.
When I was right in front of t
he door, I heard the piano. It made no sense to knock, since he knew I was coming. I opened the door and quietly watched him.
Brayden had his back to me, his hands nearly flying over the piano. I felt as if I was witnessing something intimate.
“Come in,” he said, startling me. I’d been certain he hadn’t heard me enter, but I did as he asked and stepped farther inside the room.
I noticed he had a few snacks on a table next to the piano, plus a bottle of wine. I snapped my gaze back to him as he started playing again. He looked incredible. Passion poured out of him. He was so damn sexy, moving those muscled arms over the keyboard. Even his back was sexy. I stood a few feet behind him, not daring to move. What if I messed with his creative muse? I had no idea how that worked, but I didn’t want to risk distracting him.
Once he was done, he spun around to me, straightening up.
“What did you think?”
“It’s beautiful. Is this from the new album?”
“No, it’s something that came to me tonight. I don’t have lyrics to it yet, just a rhythm and general beats. It still needs a lot of work.”
“Really? I couldn’t tell. It sounded great to me.”
He looked at me intently without replying.
“You have your own mini-party?” I asked, gesturing to the table with snacks.
“You could say that. I’m not a fan of crowds. Or parties. I usually only stick around to welcome people. This time I actually lasted longer than usual.”
“Because it’s Lars’s birthday?”
“Because of you.”
I licked my lips, averting my gaze. I had no idea what to say to that, so I simply smiled and headed to see what kind of snacks there were. I felt him come up right next to me. He was close enough that his arm nearly touched mine, and I was very aware of the warmth of his body.
“Thank you for coming upstairs,” he said in a low voice.
“Well, you do know how to win a girl over.”
“Is that so?”
He was closer now. I wasn’t even pretending to be interested in the snacks anymore. I waited for his next words with bated breath.
“I keep telling myself that I can be around you and not want more. But the truth is I can’t. I like you, Isabelle. The way you always speak your mind. Your appetite for life. How passionate you are about everything you do. That you do things on your own terms.” He paused, taking in a sharp breath before adding, “I like how you look at me.”
“How?” I whispered.
“Like you see me, not just what I am.”
He was right behind me now, one hand on my waist, his mouth to my ear. He touched his lips to my earlobe, and my senses exploded. Goose bumps broke out on my entire body: my arms and neck, on my belly too, and between my thighs.
He feathered his fingers over the sensitized skin on my arms, swallowing hard. He placed a kiss under my ear, and I gasped at the shock of pleasure that coiled through me.
“Isabelle.” His voice was barely a groan. He clasped my waist tighter before turning me around slowly. He trailed kisses from my ear, over my jawline, until reaching the corner of my mouth. My whole body was shaking slightly. I wanted him to kiss me, even though I knew we couldn’t go back once we’d crossed that line. I shouldn’t want him, but I did.
He moved his mouth slowly over mine, so slowly that it drove me crazy. I was hyperaware of every fraction of an inch where our mouths were touching. He parted my lips with his just as slowly. I was completely lost in his kiss, the way he savored me. He tasted amazing. Deepening the kiss, he explored me with more urgency.
He moved his hands from my waist to my shoulders, then down again, this time cupping my ass as he pressed me against him. My knees turned weak when I felt his erection pushing straight against my center. Then the kiss became fierce and wild.
He moved us through the room. I wasn’t sure where we were headed until I felt the wall against my back.
Groaning, Brayden kissed down my neck, pushing my hair out of the way. He lifted my dress with one hand, touching my outer thigh up until he reached my hip, then dropping it altogether. He rested his head in the crook of my neck, possibly trying to regain his composure. But he was doing away with mine, because feeling his breath on my skin was pure torture.
“You taste amazing,” he growled.
“You’re driving me crazy.”
He straightened up, watching me intently. “Not more than you drive me, Isabelle.”
There was something about this man; he was like a magnet, and I couldn’t pull away. I knew this was crazy—I mean, seriously, what could the outcome possibly be? He was a rock star, I was a counselor, but what did that matter? I could have fun.
Isabelle, it’s time you throw caution to the wind.
He moved his thumb from one corner of my mouth to the other, as if now he suddenly had free rein to touch and kiss me. I’d been right. Now that we’d crossed that line, it would be easier to keep crossing it.
But we didn’t get a chance, because someone knocked at the door.
“Brayden, move your ass downstairs. They’re bringing out my cake, and I’d like for the whole band to be there.”
“Saved by the cake,” I whispered.
Brayden smiled at me.
I pointed at him. “What’s with that look?”
“I’m not sure you want to know.”
“Try me.”
“I’ve been imagining your legs wrapped around me, wearing only your heels, since you arrived tonight. Now I’m still imagining that, but you’re covered in frosting, and I get to lick it all off you.”
Holy shit! I cleared my throat. “Shall we go downstairs?”
“Too many details?”
“Far too many. Besides, now my dirty imagination is filling in more details.” I wiggled my eyebrows.
He blew out a breath as his pupils widened. I’d always been feisty, but Brayden brought out that side of me even more.
“You never make things easy, do you?”
“Not my MO,” I agreed. “Though now I was just trying to get a rise out of you.”
He grinned, stepping back and pointing to the door. “After you.”
“Who serves the cake so early?” I asked as we descended the staircase.
“Lars. He says people are too drunk later on, and he’s right.”
Everyone had gathered in the main living room, where the buffet was. Lars gave me a glass of champagne. Brayden was nodding and smiling at everyone, wearing that charm like an armor. The only time he seemed to lower it was when we were alone. I longed for more moments like that: raw and honest. I was also longing for more of those delicious kisses, but all instincts warned me to stay away.
Lilian was shooting daggers at me. I felt oddly proud, flashing her a satisfying smirk.
Thomas wheeled out the cake a few minutes later. It looked more like a wedding cake, with three levels and figurines of the band on top. There were also a billion candles.
“Folks, don’t count the candles,” Lars said loudly. “You don’t have to know how old I am.”
Everyone laughed before they started to sing “Happy Birthday.” The crowd formed a half circle in front of him. Lars ran a hand through his black hair, flattening it. He was wearing a blue shirt that highlighted his eyes. He looked elegant. Next to him, Harvey couldn’t look more different, with his light blond hair messed up in every direction and a ragged T-shirt. Thomas was like a mesh between the two with a buttoned-up black shirt and rugged jeans.
Where is Brayden? He hasn’t left, has he?
A second later, I realized he was right beside me. I smiled and was rewarded with one of those gorgeous, real smiles I’d only seen on him when we were alone. This was just for me. It didn’t even matter that we were surrounded by a bunch of people. Everything seemed to fade away... at least until they started clapping after they finished singing.
Lars blew out the candles, and then everyone lined up for cake. I hurried to get a paper plate, but not befor
e hearing Brayden whisper in my ear, “Don’t go after the cake. We’re leaving tomorrow, and I want to spend a few more hours with you.”
“Where are you going?” I asked. My stomach bottomed out. Sasha hadn’t mentioned it, and I’d hoped to find out a few more general things about the band.
“Nashville. It’s always a hotspot for creating buzz around new albums.”
“When are you coming back?”
“Friday.”
I couldn’t shake off the feeling of disappointment, even though that was ridiculous.
And while I totally planned to make the most of the evening, we never got the chance.
Once everyone had eaten cake, Lars demanded we all go to the entertainment level.
“I want everyone to play a round of darts. Yes, that includes you, Brayden. No sneaking up to the rehearsal room.”
The look on Brayden’s face was priceless. He clearly didn’t want to tell Lars off on his birthday, but the prospect of spending the night surrounded by guests clearly wasn’t thrilling him. So I set out to make this as pleasant for him as possible.
“Hey, come on. Don’t spoil the fun. I’ll cheer for you again.”
Brayden grinned. “So I’m being bossed into playing darts and I’ll lose? How can I say no to that?”
“How indeed?” I said.
Lars winked at me. Brayden laughed, shaking his head as we all followed Lars upstairs.
The whole night, I felt tethered to Brayden, even in the huge darts room, as if our kiss had sired a physical connection between us. Every time our gazes met, I couldn’t help smiling. I felt butterflies in my belly.
We didn’t even get one chance to be alone for the rest of the night, but I had no doubt that once he was back from Nashville, all bets were off.
Chapter Seven
Isabelle
I spent half of my Sunday sleeping, because I’d gotten home from the party at three o’clock in the morning. When I woke up, I already had messages from Josie, Tess, and Skye. I punched my pillow into a comfortable position and read them while lying in bed. I planned to be lazy the whole day.