"You're right. Curiosity isn't a crime." Truth be told, I never really thought about Sinful Serenade beyond them being Madison's favorite band. It seemed like her thing. But I did spend a lot of time in her room. I did do a lot of staring at those posters. "You're all very handsome, very sexy in your own ways. I could never choose."
"None of that political bullshit." Miles raises a brow. "It can be our secret. I won't tell."
"Who did you bet it was?" I ask.
"Can't influence your decision." He throws Pete a watch this look then turns back to me. "It wasn't Tom, was it? That would be cold to your boy."
"No, it wasn't Tom. I'm not into blonds." I point to my hair. "We'd look like brother and sister."
"Was it Drew?" Miles nods to the guarded guitarist.
Drew rolls his eyes.
I shake my head. "No. Sorry, Drew. You're very attractive but a little standoffish for my tastes."
Drew shrugs, unmoved. "You should ignore Miles. He invents ways to entertain himself since he can't drink."
"I enjoy conversing with my friends," Miles says. "I know it's a strange concept for you, Guitar Prince, what with you despising everyone."
Drew smiles as he flips Miles off. His voice is light, teasing. "Fuck. You are a bigger asshole than Tom is. Why don't you tease Pete for once?"
"Cause he doesn't react. It's no fun. You and Tom rile up in a hot second," Miles says.
"Why'd you stop carrying Star Wars novels? You only started shit every ten minutes back then," Drew says.
"You really want me to get into Star Wars? Got a lot to say about the new one." Miles teases.
"Fuck, that would be worse. Save it for your Princess." Drew laughs.
Miles looks at Pete and raises a brow. Then he looks at me. "Pete that cool and collected when he's naked?"
"We know he's not," Drew says. "We've all heard."
Pete grins with pride.
My cheeks flush. "He was always my favorite. Sorry, Miles. You're very handsome but I like a man with a little more mystery."
Miles chuckles. "Forgot what the fuck that bet was for. Or what the hell I bet." He winks at Pete. "You know I'd never bet against you."
"I know. Sexiest guys goes me, you, Drew, Tom." Pete laughs.
"Put your brother last? That's cold." Miles shakes his head. "And he can't still be last now that he has that piercing."
Pete cocks a brow.
"I've asked Tom if the two of them ever shared. He says no," Miles.
"I can hear you." Drew shakes his head. "I wouldn't even think about having a threesome with Tom." He rubs his forehead. "God damn. Thanks for those mental images. You do realize he's about to marry my sister?"
Miles shrugs, feigning innocence. "If you had to pick somebody?"
"You and Meg looking?" Drew asks.
"No." Miles smiles. "Just entertaining myself. Like you said."
"One of you three?" Drew asks.
Miles nods.
"To join me and Kara or in a parallel universe before that?" Drew asks.
"Before," Miles says. "You wouldn't share Kara in a million years."
Drew nods. "Pete. No question."
Pete laughs. "Told you." He locks eyes with Miles and motions to Drew. "He need a cool down before this?"
Drew's eyes stay on his phone. "No, I'm fine."
"Kara work out all your energy this morning?" Miles asks.
Drew doesn't bat an eye. He just nods.
I smooth my sundress. The air conditioning is on full blast. Even with all the thoughts of Pete naked and groaning in my head, I'm cold.
I push myself off the couch and join Pete leaning against the wall. He slides his arm around my waist, pulls my body into his, presses his lips to my forehead. Is it for show or because he wants to hold me? His friends are still teasing each other. They aren't even looking at us.
My eyelids flutter closed. I allow myself a few moments to soak in the comfort of his body. I'm not sure what it means, but I love having his arms around me.
God, Pete smells so good. Like soap and shampoo and like him. I'm tempted to drag him to an empty office and have my way with him.
"Hello, Miles. Mr. Denton, Mr. Steele." Aiden steps into the room.
Instantly, I'm cold. Even his voice is slimy.
Pete pulls me closer. He holds me so tightly I can barely breathe. Or maybe that's how disgusting Aiden is.
"That's a nice dress, Ms. James. Do you need me to turn the air conditioning down?"
His eyes go to my chest. I look down. Sure enough, the high beams are on.
Aiden is looking at my nipples. Gross.
"No, I'm fine."
His eyes lock with mine. They're threatening.
Miles jumps in. He motions I've got this to Pete. "How's Bruce? Still fucking his assistant?"
"No. His assistant moved to another label."
"That's a shame. Rehab take this time?" Miles asks.
"How many tries did it take you? I forget." Aiden glares. "Where is Tom?"
Everybody tenses.
Pete presses his lips against my forehead. He leans in to whisper in my ear. "Give me a minute."
I nod.
He shifts off the wall. His eyes meet Aiden's with a threatening glare. "Let's speak privately."
"No need. I understand. It won't be a problem." Aiden shrinks back. "Main conference room. Ten minutes. The executives have notes on the new single."
Damn. Even rock stars have to deal with obnoxious bosses. Nobody gets a break.
Miles clears his throat. He's quick to change the subject. "You coming over after this, Jess?"
"Am I invited?" I ask.
He throws Pete a work on your game look. "I insist. Your boy is the only guy in the band who can play the piano. We're writing a new song together."
"Really?" I nearly squeal. I'm being invited to sit and listen to Pete play the piano. I might die of happiness.
Pete shakes off a frown.
Or not.
"You should go home, finish your schoolwork." Pete's eyes meet mine. "School comes first."
"I'll finish here."
"Jess—"
"I appreciate your concern for my studying, but I've got it under control."
There's displeasure all over Pete's face, but I don't know why. Does it really mean that much to him, keeping me out of his jam session?
I take my bag from him and sling it around my shoulders. Still, Miles and Drew are looking at us. The room is silent. Must be they're concerned.
I pull Pete into a deep kiss. For show, I guess. His lips are soft. He tastes good. But there's all this resistance in his body. Even as he plays up the gesture.
My stomach twists. What happened to our sweet morning together? He's pushing me away again.
I take a step backwards with my best smile. I still don't know him, don't know anything about him. "I'll be at the coffee shop down the street if you need me."
But something tells me he won't.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The inside of the mansion is just as beautiful. The ground level has an open floor plan. The kitchen, dining table, and glass door are on one side. The glass door that leads to the balcony lets in soft, white light. The other side of the room is dimmer, yellow and fluorescent. It houses two couches, a TV, a coffee table, and a piano.
Miles and Pete are sitting on the piano's bench. They're lost in their own world. They don't notice me come in.
I pour a glass of water. They seem busy. I hate to interrupt, but I'm starving.
"Do you mind if I raid your fridge?" I yell to the other side of the room.
"Help yourself to anything," Miles calls back. His voice echoes around the room.
I stay busy fixing a snack. There's plenty of food in the fridge. Actually, there's a ridiculous variety of food in the fridge. Everything from fresh pasta to Thai curry paste to vegetables I barely recognize. A water chestnut, maybe?
"Are you guys hungry?" I call back. "I can make something."
<
br /> There's murmuring on their side of the room. Finally, Miles replies.
"Make enough for four. Meg is studying upstairs." His voice softens. "Thanks, Jess. Nice to have someone who can cook around. My girl is hopeless at it, and she's never gonna learn if I keep making her breakfast and dinner."
"Does she live with you?" It's strange yelling the conversation across the cavernous room, but it's nice focusing on something besides my thoughts.
"Some of the time. She's going to med school in Irvine. It's about an hour and a half south without traffic. With traffic, could take three or four hours. She stays with her parents during the week."
"You miss her?"
"Mhmm." He chuckles. "Course she'd never get anything done if she lived here all week. She looks damn cute when she's studying. Can't resist distracting her."
"Pete's the same way with me." Sort of.
Miles tsk tsks. "Can't get in the way of an ambitious woman. Thought you had better game than that, Steele. Her career's gonna come first."
I can't quite make out Pete's reply. But it must be something clever, because Miles's chuckle fills the room.
"No wonder I don't let you write any songs," Miles says. "It'd be pure filth." He sings. "Baby you always come first, dripping on my face as I plunge my tongue into your cunt."
My cheeks flush. Did Pete actually say that?
Uhhh. Need to focus on anything else. "Do you have any dietary restrictions?"
They whisper something else and chuckle. Finally, someone calls out a no. I scan the fridge for my options. The thing is full of exotic ingredients—gangal, snapper, scallops. How the hell do you cook a scallop? I'm determined to find out.
I settle in the kitchen and browse recipes on my phone.
Miles and Pete shift back into working. By the time I've decided on a spicy stir fry dish, they're playing around with piano riffs. It sounds like they're having fun. Every few minutes, one of them bursts into laughter.
It's strange—the sad piano ballad mixed with their infectious laughter—but it's fitting. Like my mood the last few weeks.
The food cooks quickly. Everyone breaks to eat. Even Meg comes down from her room. I let her and Miles lead the conversation. They joke about little things—Star Wars, Tom's face when he's pissed, a neighbor with a ridiculous yellow SUV.
They don't press me or Pete for details about our relationship. They aren't the snooping type. That, or our lie is more seamless than I think it is.
After lunch, I set up shop on the couch with my required reading. The guys go back to work.
This time, I'm close enough to listen.
I know how to use my hands
my mouth, my hips
I know every single place that
you want my lips
baby, I know this hurts
but it could hurt worse
fallin' head over heels
baby, that's a curse
I know how to lock you out
no screams, no lies
the anguished frown as I convince
you not to try
baby, I know this hurts
but it could hurt worse
fallin' head over heels
baby, that's a curse
I know how to make you leave
can't let you stay
but do I believe myself when I beg you
to run away?
baby, I know this hurts
but it could hurt worse
fallin' head over heels
baby, that's a curse
Miles sings them with that gorgeous tortured voice of his. He never phones it in. Not even on the tenth or twentieth reading of a line. Every word flows from his lips with a wealth of passion.
After an hour, I give up on my work and listen to them piece together the song. Pete plays a few bars of piano. Miles sings. They go back and forth for a while then put it together.
"That's the chorus. That's it," Miles says.
"No. More like—" Pete sings.
baby, I know this hurts
but it could hurt worse
fallin' head over heels
baby, that's a curse
My heart rises up in my throat. Pete's not nearly as good a singer as Miles is, but there's a certain rawness to it. His feelings pour in through my ears and fill me everywhere.
The words are in my soul.
His voice is in my soul.
He's hurt. I replay the words again.
baby, I know this hurts
but it could hurt worse
fallin' head over heels
baby, that's a curse
Finally, I have some insight into his heart. It's not enough. I need more.
I turn around, peeking my head over the back of the couch, and I watch them play.
Miles takes his turn singing the chorus. He embellishes the pitch, sells the ache in the words, but it's not the same.
"Will you sing it again?" I ask.
Pete's eyes meet mine. "Thought you were studying."
Miles swats him. "Damn. It's like you don't want to get laid."
"Don't need your help with that."
Miles shakes his head. "Your girl wants to hear you sing. You know what happens after you sing?"
"Something about how she'll be convinced I'm great with my mouth." Pete makes eye contact and raises a brow. "Do I need to convince you of that, Jess?"
"Yes. Convince me." I press my fingers into the soft leather couch.
"Not gonna do it by singing." Pete smiles.
"Singing first," I say.
"You've got no game, Steele," Miles says. "I expect better."
"Don't need game." He cocks a brow. "If I ask, Jess will slide her panties to her feet right now."
"With me here?" Miles asks.
Pete nods. "I'd put a hundred bucks on it."
"Make it worth my while. Make it a thousand."
"You guys know I can hear you," I say.
"What do you say, baby?" Pete locks eyes with me. "Want to split the winnings?"
Baby. He called me baby. My heart thuds against my chest. My body refuses to contemplate whether or not this is pretend.
This isn't fair. If he's going to tease me, I'm going to tease back.
I smile back at him. "Why stop with panties? I'll take off everything. Except my glasses. You did want me to keep them on next time."
His pupils dilate. There. He's under my thumb.
Miles cocks a brow.
Pete nods a yes.
I nod back. "If you sing me the song. Please."
"Sexual blackmail. That's low, Jess. I expected better." Miles winks then nudges Pete. "Should I stay in the middle of this flirtation or you want to put the poor girl out of her misery?"
"She knows what she's doing. She enjoys the misery." Pete turns back to the piano.
Despite his protests, Pete plays what they have of the song. He sings the whole time. When he's finished, I'm equal parts turned on and torn up. It's just like his tattoo—the pain is clear but it's damn beautiful.
Miles pushes himself off the bench. "Give me fifteen minutes." He throws me a stern look. "Keep your clothes on. Keep your leverage."
He makes his way up the stairs.
Pete holds my gaze. "Was that for my benefit or his?"
"Mine." I smooth my skirt. I can do confidence too. "Unless you have a problem."
"No, I want your gorgeous pink lips wrapped around my cock." He stares back at me. "I want you aching from how badly you want to be filled as I come in your mouth."
My sex clenches. I've already lost all the power. I'm quickly losing interest in keeping it. I'm quickly losing interest in anything except our bodies connecting.
He copies my tone. "Unless you have a problem."
"No. No problem."
"You're going to come on my hand, baby. You're going to come hard enough you forget your name."
My heart pangs. It pulls me away from the ache in my core. "You called me baby again."
He cocks
a brow.
"We're alone." We don't lie when we're alone. I adjust my glasses and rack my brain for some way to explain it. "Don't call me that unless you mean it."
He pushes himself off the bench and makes his way to the couch.
Then he's next to me. He pulls me into his lap, so I'm straddling him.
His hand slides under my skirt.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Feeling how wet you are." He presses his palm against my sex, over my panties. "You want me to stop?"
I shake my head.
His fingers skim my sex. "You like thinking about sucking me off."
"Yes."
He brings his mouth to my ear. "What else, baby?"
"Why are you calling me that?"
"Cause it makes you whimper." He pushes my underwear aside and teases my sex with his finger.
"I don't care. Stop calling me that."
He just barely nods. It's not much of an agreement but it's something. It's enough.
Pete slides a finger inside me and takes my earlobe between my teeth. "Where else do you want my cock?"
My tongue is sticky. I can barely draw a breath through my nose. "Miles is coming back."
"I don't care if Miles sees. Do you?"
At the moment, no. Not even a little. In fact, I like the idea of getting caught. It makes me feel dirty.
I shake my head.
"Where do you want my cock?" He slides his finger further inside me. "Here?"
I whimper a yes.
He takes his other hand and brings it to my ass, over my panties. "Here?"
The cotton fabric presses against my entrance.
My body shudders. I do. I never thought I would, but I do. I nod. "Later."
"You think I'm a tease now?" He nips at my ear. "You have no fucking idea how badly I can tease you."
"What are you trying to prove?" I groan as he slides a finger inside me.
"This isn't about proving shit." He stares into my eyes. "I want to watch you come."
"But..."
But he's so much more aggressive than usual. He must be proving something.
I have no idea what it is. But he does. It's there, in the determined expression in his deep brown eyes.
"You want to come, baby?" he asks.
"Pete, why do you keep calling me that?"
"Didn't think about it."
"Well, stop it. Please. If you say it again, I'm done. I don't want to hear the word baby, unless it's followed by I love you and not just pretend."
Play Your Heart Out: A Rock Star Romance (Sinful Serenade Book 4) Page 18