“I can’t get enough of you, Valerie. I know I keep saying it, but you’re so fucking addictive. I swear I get high on you.”
“Good. Keep it that way,” I stated seriously.
We were great together. I felt heady whenever he walked into the room, and the way he looked at me like he wanted to devour me, never failed to set my heart on fire. When I was beside Flynn, it never felt close enough. I’d never felt contented unless we were physically touching. Since he’d come back into my life, we had seemed to be so in tune and I always sensed when he was near me. I wondered if it would always be like that.
Chapter 8 ~ Flynn
Band practice
I’d woken up in a pool of sweat. It was still the middle of the night, and Valerie’s limbs were tangled around me, her soft, hot skin plastered to mine. With gentle, slow movements, I gradually slipped from under her and padded to the bathroom. After relieving myself, I slid back under the sheet, tempted to enjoy her body again, but she was sleeping so peacefully, I just lay staring in wonder at her by the light of the moon instead.
My heart ached when I looked at her perfect half-open mouth, and I enjoyed sharing every breath she exhaled in my direction. That was the moment I knew I’d die for her. I never wanted her to feel another day’s hurt for as long as she lived. They say no one is perfect, but I’d argue that if God meant for just one person to be, he’d made that person Valerie.
Watching her I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her relaxed, peaceful expression. Dark eyelashes fanned her face, and her cheeks had a slightly flushed appearance from the heat we’d generated between us. The way her dark brown hair framed her face while wild, loose dark unruly curls spread over her pillow, made her look so enticing. Eventually, my eyes drooped closed, and I lay my head beside hers. I was lulled into a peaceful, contented sleep by the sound of her steady, soft breaths as I held her tightly against me.
Lee rang my cell, and I woke with a start four hours later, “It’s 8:30 am, boss, you have rehearsal in a couple of hours.” My bed was empty apart from me, and I leaned up on my elbows listening for Valerie in the bathroom. I was met with silence, and I realized that her day had already started.
After I showered and shaved, I headed for the kitchen and the smell of fresh coffee and bacon. “Flynn!” Teague, my housekeeper, Naimh’s six-year-old boy, came bounding over and threw his arms around my thigh in a vice-like hug. Reaching down I placed my hands under his armpits and hauled him up my body until he clung like a baby monkey with his small arms around my neck. He’d kissed my cheek, and I kissed his back.
“Can we play ball today?” he asked, his big blue eyes pleading expectantly for my attention.
“No can do, little buddy, I’m working today, but if you want you can come and hang out for a bit, and tell me what you think of my new songs.”
Teague’s face went from rejection to elation in one second during my sentence.
“Yeah? Can I play something with you?” he asked, his excited question taking his voice a pitch higher. I’d been teaching him a few tunes on the guitar, and he’d been doing well. I’d figured I could easily have shown him the ropes to rock stardom, he was that good.
“Sure. Bring your guitar, we’ll do that if you come over right before lunch, how does that sound?”
“Sounds like a plan,” he’d said mimicking what I would normally reply to him when he was successful in suggesting something we’d done in the past. I coughed past a chuckle and smirked at his mom.
Valerie sat working on her laptop as I’d entered the room, but had stopped to observe the interaction between us, so I’d wandered around the table, and bent over to kiss her upturned face looking back at me. “Good morning, my beautiful girl, I missed your gorgeous body in my bed when I woke up,” I whispered.
Teague immediately embarrassed her, “Eww, you have sleepovers in the same bed?”
I smirked at Valerie because she’d instantly blushed, and I swung Teague from my hip to place him back on the floor, “Trust me, little man, there’s no better way to have a sleepover than with a hot girl in your bed.”
“Oy, Flynn, hello? He’s six years old,” Niamh scolded.
I ruffled Teague’s hair and slid into the seat next to Valerie, who shook her head and tried to conceal a smile. “So, are you having another sleepover at mine tonight, Valerie?” I asked in a playful tone while I bumped her shoulder with mine and waggled my eyebrows.
“Can I have one too?” Teague piped up, placing his arms on the table as he rested his head on his hands.
“Nah, buddy, you have to be an adult for that kind of sleepover, and you have to ask your own girl.”
Niamh distracted him when she took some hot cinnamon rolls from the oven, “Are you helping with the frosting or what, Teague?”
His head snapped around in her direction followed by the rest of his body before he almost fell over his own feet in his effort to get to her.
I nudged Valerie’s shoulder, and her eyes darted up from her laptop to meet my heated gaze, “You never answered me,” I prompted playfully.
“If you don’t stop trying to get a rise out of me, and get your butt down to rehearsal your manager will beat it with a paddle,” she said, the sides of her eyes creased with her smile. They quickly darkened and she wriggled in her seat when I stared pointedly until she realized her connotation.
“Fuck, Valerie. Handcuffs and floggers, and now you’re talking paddles? Is it any wonder a guy can’t keep his mind on the job?” I whispered huskily, as I glanced to ensure that Teague was out of earshot.
Standing she snapped the laptop closed, scooped her notepad and shit up from the table, and stuffed it into an oversized leather bag, “Seems to me the only way I’m going to get your butt into gear is for me to get the hell out of here. I can’t work with you next to me.”
She pecked my cheek and began to step back, but my arms circled her waist, and I pulled her down onto my lap. My dick was as stiff as a board, and her soft ass landed squarely on top of it adding to my agony.
Valerie instinctively adjusted her position, and I didn’t miss the torn look she gave me about not being able to do anything with my blatant want for her.
I kissed her as modestly as I could with Teague in the room and pushed her off my lap. “Get to work, lady, before I do something to the boss that gets me fired.”
As soon as she’d left the room, I instantly missed her presence, so I made my way to rehearsal. Everyone else was already there and waiting when I arrived. Simone wandered over and gave me a hug. “Morning, Flynn, where is that good woman of yours?”
“I think she thinks we achieve more if we’re not working in the same room.”
“I can relate to that with Craig. I hope she shows her face at lunch, we have a lot to discuss but I wouldn’t dare disturb her,” she said, and wandered over to sit on one of the benches.
Turning to the other band members, I asked, “How are we all feeling today? Ready to spread our genius, are we?”
Jonah was already sitting behind the drum kit and waved his sticks at me. Lexi had been sitting on a chair texting when I’d entered the gym, but as soon as I’d opened the door her eyes were immediately on me, and she slipped her cell into her leather bomber jacket pocket. I was vaguely aware of her shrugging it off and turned to see her more than ample tits barely covered by a tiny white tank top. As soon as I saw how she was dressed, I knew that Valerie would have something to say about it.
I ignored how she was dressed as best as I could, and we settled and started our rehearsal. Practice flew by and by the time it was 1.30 I had the feeling we were going to be better than Major ScAlz. Another ten minutes passed, and I knew Valerie had entered the gym before I’d seen her. I always seemed to sense her presence. My eyes instinctively went in search of her, and I saw her sat on the bench press.
Teague had brought his little half size guitar I’d gifted him for Christmas, and he was clambering up beside her. He hugged her left arm and laid his head a
gainst her. Something about the scene of Valerie and him together made me stare hard and stop playing. “Okay, just a sec…”
Making my way over to them, Teague let go of her arm, jumped down to the floor, and ran over to me, “Can we play now?”
“Sure, buddy, name your tune.”
“Umm, We Will Rock You?”
“Great choice, you know Queen is one of my favorite bands, right?”
Teague nodded eagerly and got busy attaching his strap to his guitar.
We played for about fifteen minutes as the guys in the band clapped and hollered at the end of each song. Teague’s little handsome face beamed with delight. Afterward, I stood outside to grab some daylight while Valerie finished speaking to Simone. When I turned to go back inside, Lexi was pushing through the door saying she needed some air.
“You’re fantastic with kids, Flynn. You’re going to be one hot daddy someday,” she said by way of a compliment.
“Indeed, he his, Lexi,” Valerie said pointedly from behind, and slipped her hand under my t-shirt as she squeezed in between us.
“Hey, babe,” I said, smiling, as my voice dropped lower at the way her hand was wandering around under my shirt. She found the little trail of hair that grows down between my belly button and my pubes and made scissor grips with her fingers over them, tugging them gently.
“Mmm,” I smiled as I leaned in to catch her bottom lip, and lightly nibbled on it. “You’re too distracting, Valerie,” I told her quietly like we were the only two people there.
“Then don’t start something you can’t finish,” she giggled sweetly.
Valerie took her hands out from under my shirt and snaked them up my body to the back of my neck. Her fingers fanned in my hair and tightened, trapping some between them. My dick was instantly rigid and ready. ”Damn,” I muttered gruffly, unable to keep my mouth from hers a moment longer.
Our tongues danced as we feasted on the taste of each other until someone’s throat cleared. “Erm, you guys want to take that somewhere else?” Craig’s eyes darted down toward Teague, who luckily, had his back to us.
“Nope, we’re good to go,” Val smirked after replying in her singsong voice. I loved how sassy she was. I noticed Lexi standing with her hand on her hip as she took in the whole scene between us.
I realized my girl was very astute because when I glanced at her, a look passed between her and Simone that told me Valerie knew exactly what effect she’d had, and on whom. Chatting cordially with Craig and Jonah, when Val was finished she turned to face Lexi.
“So are you settling in okay? It must be difficult for you coming into a set up that’s already tight, but Simone and I are there for you, hon. Oh, and another thing I want to say, we may be harsh with you at times, but everything we say will be for the good of the band. Never take what we say personally, any advice we throw your way will be due to business decisions.”
Lexi smirked and eyed Valerie in a less than respectful way, pursing her lips in a kind of who-do-you-think-you-are glance that also never got past my girl. “Simone here will take you shopping, and get you styled with a new wardrobe this week, Lexi. I can’t have you seen in those tank tops. Selling your body to promote your music demeans your talent. We want RedA to exude class and have a sophisticated image…in a rock genre way of course.”
Valerie may as well have throat punched Lexi because I saw her gasping for breath at the slap down my innocent looking little pistol had unleashed on her with such precision. Without waiting for her to reply, Valerie turned to face me.
“Can’t stop any longer, my 3:00 pm will be waiting for my conference call. Remember Flynn, you’re not here tomorrow. Simone, you can take the guys and Lexi shopping instead, please? Teague, let’s go sweetheart, Valerie has to go back to work,” she said matter-of-factly to Teague, and stuck out her hand in his direction.
Teague quickly went over to the bench press and stuffed his guitar into the stiff case, clicking the fasteners closed, “I’m ready, see you at the house, Flynn,” he said and slipped his hand into Valerie’s. “Come on, Valerie, can I play a game on your phone again later?” I didn’t hear her reply as she ushered him out of the door.
I stood staring at the empty doorway for a few seconds. The space instantly felt like something was missing, and I felt that loss immediately. Strange that I’d gotten so attached to her presence in such a short space of time. When I’d turned to look back at the band, I noticed Jonah was staring at the door as well. I couldn’t blame him. Valerie was a stunningly beautiful girl, but that hadn’t meant I’d tolerate someone lusting after her.
“Fucking awesome, isn’t she, Jonah?”
Like a kid caught reading after lights out, he had no idea what to do when I’d busted him. I watched him have a minor meltdown before he nodded, and cleared his throat, “I can’t deny she’s a fine looking lady, Flynn, you’re a very lucky man.”
“Indeed, and I’m going to stay that way, you get me?”
Jonah chuckled nervously, and chewed on his bottom lip, “Oh, jeez, Flynn, I’m not interested in meddling in your love life, I’m just trying to figure out how the fuck I got so lucky to have an awesome kick-ass boss like her.”
When I heard his reply, I exhaled heavily and felt my jealousy ebb away. I was nuts about her, and maybe just a little paranoid that something would happen to disturb the sudden equilibrium I felt I’d finally found in my life once Valerie was a part of it.
Lexi chuckled at Jonah and muttered, “Yeah, I hear you, I’d had similar thoughts myself on that one,” but the way she said it, and the look she gave me, I had a feeling she wasn’t talking about Valerie. My girl was right. Lexi was one to be watched because she was already trying to set her sights on me.
My subtle messages and Valerie’s more overt ones were falling on deaf ears with her so I knew I was going to have to be far more direct in my approach to quash any hint of a signal she could misconstrue as me coming on to her.
“Alright, guys, let’s pick it up from where we left off. Suddenly I’m finding it hard to concentrate on music when my mind is already following my girl out the door. We have to nail this song in the next two hours because after that I have to give Valerie all my attention for the next few days. I think you guys here at least will appreciate my willingness to do that.”
Lexi’s lips pursed together and twisted as I saw the impact of my words on her, and I almost had something to say, but it was early for us as a band, and I figured she’d settle down once she understood anything we had was purely business. If not, I had no doubt Valerie would deal with her without mercy.
Chapter 9 ~ Valerie
Twisted
Walking back to the house with Teague, my body may have been moving on to the next task on my schedule, but my mind was still on Lexi at the gym. She was an essential part of the band, and Flynn’s choice. I had to trust that he knew what he was doing by selecting her. Despite knowing Flynn and I were together, and I was her boss, she’d continued to create an uncomfortable vibe between us.
After her display that lunchtime I knew I’d have to clear the air once and for all. Otherwise, I ran the risk of becoming a vindictive and nasty person who bullied their employee to control her. I had not wanted to be that girl.
In my head, I decided I’d wait until after I’d taken Flynn home to broach Lexi. I’d been too excited to share what we’d achieved with the studio for my rock star, and I couldn’t wait to see his reaction, to let Lexi mess with my mind anymore at that point.
Flynn had no idea what I’d managed to do, and I was ridiculously smug that we’d pulled it off. The music suite was almost ready, and the team I’d put together had worked around the clock. Fourteen men from electricians, noise reduction specialists, carpenters, builders, sound and music technicians, producers and a consultant from a record production company had all given their time and attention to detail to my investment when they’d found out Flynn was their client.
For the previous day and a half, they’d be
en testing the acoustics, and Ryan and James said they were amongst the best conditions they’d ever worked in. Interior designers were putting the finishing touches to the restrooms, and the small rest area at the back that day, and by the time we arrived everything the team had strived for, would be ready to go.
The Martin Adams recording studio and independent record label was ready for RedA’s debut album. The home recording studio had cost $2.3 million, and I’d beefed up the security by putting some electronic gates in place at my parent’s home. The one thing I hadn’t wanted was my parent’s home to be turned into a spectacle. I secured a domain name and had a web designer on board to discuss images and graphics for the website for the band. Once the band was up and running, I’d made a note to figure out the marketing side for the website as well.
Flynn came home around 7:00 pm. When he hadn’t returned to the house by 5:30 pm, I’d decided to work on some images I’d taken the previous morning, and found three shots I’d sent home to be framed. Kayden told me he’d already hung them on the wall in the reception area of the studio in preparation for our arrival.
I realized that Niamh hadn’t called us for dinner, and when I couldn’t hear a sound from the kitchen, I headed in there to see where she was. Flynn was opening the fridge when I entered. “Where is Niamh? Isn’t she cooking tonight? If you’d told me she wasn’t here, I’d have—”
Flynn had reached me and silenced my lips with his fingers. “We’re going out tonight.”
“We are? But I’m not—”
“Dressed? You won’t need fancy clothes where I’m taking you. We know the people there. Grab your shit —we’re leaving in half an hour.”
“You could at least tell me what kind of place it is, Flynn.”
“It’s… homely. You’re perfect as you are.”
No matter what he’d said I still changed into a fresh pair of jeans and a sleeveless ruby red silk top. I’d left my hair in wild curls that day because I’d had no intention of leaving the house, so I figured there was no point in even trying to put it up. When I reached the bottom of the stairs in the hallway, Flynn was coming through the front door.
Ready For Flynn, Part 2 : A Rockstar Romance (The Ready For Flynn) Page 8