To Win Her Heart (Players)

by Mackenzie Crowne

  Frustration deepened his voice. “I’ll talk to Jessi, but if I do this, I do it my way. Without interference from the family.” He turned a challenging stare on Tuck. His friend held up both hands. Turning back to Ryan, Max narrowed his gaze so there would be no misunderstanding. “As for the Jersey business, keep it to yourself and stay out of it.”

  Chapter 4

  “What if we throw in a key change there? Bump it up.” Jessi tucked the tip of one booted foot behind the rung of the high stool and reached for the water bottle on the shelf behind her.

  “That might work.” Spence plucked out several chords, adding the change. Leaning over the stand to make several notes on the sheet music, he tossed his head, dislodging the lock of gilded blond hair that slid into his pale blue eyes. He straightened and adjusted the guitar on his thigh. “Let’s try it. Starting at the second verse.”

  Ear trained on the change as they ran through the chords, Jessi hummed in lieu of the lyrics. When they’d finished and he nodded, relief made her smile. Spence was a creative genius when it came to laying down a tune, but he could be a temperamental pain in the ass when things didn’t go his way.

  He’d been a complete asshole since she’d agreed with her father and refused two of Spence’s songs for their upcoming CD. As usual, he’d forgotten all about the songs of hers he’d denied over the years. Since they shared creative say so on what was released, there was nothing he could do about it but bitch…and throw out nasty insults. In her present mood, she was glad she wouldn’t have to deal with another heated argument.

  He struck the beginning chords for a full play through, and she joined him. Her mind, however, was not on the music. Embarrassment flared in her soul every time she thought of how Max unceremoniously tossed her out of his condo. Bruised and battered, her heart wept at the loss of a dream while her feminine ego demanded pay back for his careless dismissal, but how was she to go about paying back a man intent on ignoring her? For that matter, how was she supposed to face him the next time he showed up at a family event with one of his bimbos?

  Okay, that wasn’t fair. A couple of the bimbos he’d brought along over the years had been very nice, but still. What was wrong with her, damn it?

  Jaw clenched, she plucked at the strings absently. At least her father had backed off on his security team demand, but how long would that last? With Max a definite no, she’d have to find some other guy to help her with her plan, but who?

  He’d have to be someone gorgeous…and built. Maybe she should talk to Tuck after all. One of his football buddies with shoulders a yard wide and bulging arm muscles would be perfect. She added a pair of sexy, lower back dimples to the image forming in her mind and smiled.

  Oh, yeah. She’d drag her hunky dream-man along to the next family party and make sure to personally introduce him to Max. The rat.

  “Where the hell is your head?”

  She blinked and her fingers stilled on the strings. “Huh?”

  Spence frowned and jerked his chin toward the music stand. “What’s the point of me writing down the chords if you’re going to make up your own?”

  Her gaze flew to the music sheet. She stared as if she’d never seen it before. “Uh, sorry. I have a lot on my mind.”

  He set aside his guitar and stood. “Yeah, well, so do I. Thanks to you and Daddy, we’re two tracks short.”

  A headache bloomed in her left temple and she sighed. Apparently, she hadn’t escaped the argument after all. “Spence—”

  “Save it. I’m taking lunch.” He turned toward the glass wall separating the studio from the control room. “Looks like we have company, anyway.”

  She followed Spence’s gaze and slapped her hand over the strings of her guitar. With the sound crew off for the day, the control room should be empty but for Dan, who’d been slouched on the couch with a book for the past four hours, waiting to take her home. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone. Max looked straight at her through the glass panel. He dropped his chin in a silent greeting.

  “What’s he doing here?” Spence turned back.

  She glanced down at her lap and hoped he didn’t notice the blush heating her cheeks. “I have no idea.” Crap. What was Max doing here? Hadn’t he humiliated her enough yesterday?

  “Is he hassling you?”

  Her head jerked up and she stared at her partner’s intent face. “No. Why would you ask that? He’s a friend of the family.”

  Some of his earlier animosity slid away as he studied her face. “I know he is, but you’re not yourself lately. Something’s wrong, and to my knowledge, Max has never come by the studio.”

  She didn’t know what to say. Working as closely as they had for so many years, Spence knew her as well as anyone, but something had been wrong with her for months. If he’d noticed, he hadn’t mentioned it before. “I don’t know why Max is here, and as for the other, I’m just tired, I guess.”

  Doubt shown clear in his squinted eyes, but she spoke the truth. She was tired. Tired of being unhappy when she’d been given so much. Tired of yearning for something she couldn’t quite name, and tired of wanting a man who didn’t want her in return.

  Spence slung the strap of his satchel over his shoulder. “I’m out of here. I told Alicia I’d meet her for lunch.”

  Jessi sat up straight and a surprised smile spread on her lips. Her assistant had been drooling over Spence since she’d first taken the job three months ago. Jessi understood and could commiserate with the young woman’s frustration when Spence failed to pick up on the inviting smiles and blatant invitations she sent his way. Apparently, he’d finally taken notice.

  “Well, it’s about time. Alicia’s been crushing on you for months.”

  “It’s just lunch.” Annoyance flashed in his eyes. “Your head’s not in the music this morning. I’m calling it a day. We’ll pick up fresh in the morning.”

  She locked her jaw to keep it from dropping open. In all the years they’d worked together, Spence had never called a session short. Never.

  “Don’t look at me like that.” His lips compressed in a tight line. “I’m worried, Jessi. I’ve never known you to be distracted the way you’ve been the last couple months. The schedule ahead of us is a bitch. Between the CD, the tour dates, and the Super Bowl gig at the end of the month, neither one of us can afford to lose focus.” He crossed the room and paused at the closed door to glance back. “I don’t care what you have to do, but for Christ’s sake, fix whatever is bothering you and get your head on straight.”

  He yanked open the door and stormed through the control room on his way out.

  Max shifted his gaze between Jessi and Spence’s retreating back before he stepped through the open doorway. Dark brows arched above his watchful eyes. “Artistic differences?”

  He shut the door behind him, and she stiffened her spine.

  “Something like that.” Her gaze slid to the control room. No help there. Figures, the one time she wanted him to interfere in her business, Dan left her hanging and buried his nose in his book.

  Clamping down on a frustrated growl, she turned back to Max. There was nothing she could do about her flaming cheeks, but she’d be damned if she’d cower beneath his steady gray gaze. They were on her turf now. If anyone was going to be tossed on their ass, it was him.

  She stuck out her chin and went on the offensive. “You’re the last person I expected to see.”

  “Yeah, I—”

  “What’s wrong? Did you stop by to remind me of how foolish I was coming to you for help?” She slid from the stool to store her instrument in its case then snapped back around. “Believe me, there’s no need. You made yourself more than clear yesterday.”

  Beneath his bomber jacket, his soft gray jersey shirt stretched against his muscular chest as he shoved his fingers into the back pockets of his jeans. “Actually, I came by to apologize.”

  “Apologize?” She crossed her arms and hid her surprise. “Are you saying my pr
oposition wasn’t as screwy as you made it sound?”

  A wry smile curved his lips. “Hell no. Your plan is full-out nuts, but I shouldn’t have shut you down the way I did without hearing you out.”

  Renewed anger simmered in her belly and her laugh was harsh. “My plan was nuts, but you should have asked for details? Right. Don’t patronize me, Max. I get it. You think I’m a silly little girl who has nothing else to do but come up with ridiculous larks to fill my time. Believe what you want. I don’t care.”

  Pulling his hands from his pockets, he closed the distance between them in four long strides. She took a tentative step back and her gaze skidded briefly to Dan. He didn’t look up from his book, and she didn’t bother calling out to him. The studio was soundproof with the intercom shut off. He wouldn’t hear her, anyway.

  Her pulse sped up as Max dipped his head until his face was only inches from hers.

  His sober expression held no hint of humor. “First, don’t put words in my mouth. A silly little girl is the last thing I see when I look at you, and second, you do, too, care.”

  She yearned to ask what he did see, but crowded between the keyboard at her back and his big body, she was too flustered to pull off the question. She settled for a blatant lie. “No, I don’t.”

  “If you don’t care, then why this angry little wrinkle?”

  The breath caught in her throat as he touched a fingertip to the space between her brows. Shaken, she jerked her head back. “Because I don’t happen to like you anymore.”

  He dropped his hand to his side, but didn’t step back. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad. He smelled delicious, but her heart tended to overreact whenever he was near. This close, that foolish organ was going bonkers.

  His deep chuckle made her shiver. “Liar. You’re pissed. With good reason. I acted like an asshole.”

  She blinked. Apologizing was one thing, but admitting he’d been an asshole wasn’t Max’s style. Confused and off-balance, she ratcheted her chin up another notch. “Yes, you did.”

  “I’m sorry.” He rubbed a hand down her arm, and the warmth of his wide palm seeped through the weave of her sweater to scald the blood in her veins.

  What the hell? Max had always been one of those touchy-feely guys, forever tweaking her cousin, Patty’s hair or hugging the female members of her family, but never with her. What was going on?

  She shifted to the side and away from him. “Apology accepted.”

  One of his dark brows winged up, and she rolled her eyes. It wasn’t her fault she sounded suspicious. Including yesterday, when he grabbed her wrist to pull her into his condo, she could count the number of times he’d touched her on the fingers of one hand. Something wasn’t right here.

  Nerves on high alert, she jumped when the studio door suddenly opened, then relaxed as Craig, their sound manager’s teenage son, stopped in the doorway.

  “Excuse me, Miss Tucker. Is everything okay?” Craig shifted a distrustful gaze to Max. “Is this guy bothering you?”

  On the couch behind him, Dan finally looked up. He shrugged a shoulder as if to say, what are you gonna do? Amusement tugged at Max’s lips.

  She ignored him to offer Craig a smile. At seventeen, the boy was still growing into the lanky body he’d inherited from his father. More long bones and knobby knees than bulk, he wouldn’t stand a chance against the honed muscle of Max’s fighter’s body, but she appreciated the unspoken offer.

  “I’m fine, Craig. Mr. Grayson is,” she turned a pointed gaze on Max, “one of my father’s friends.”

  Max shook his head and silent laughter sparkled in his eyes.

  She looked away, focusing on Craig. “What are you doing here? I thought today was your day off?”

  He swallowed heavily, making his prominent Adam’s apple bob. “Dad said you and Spence were working today so I came in to, uh,” he hesitated, as if searching for a reason, then punched a thumb over his shoulder, “organize the instrument storage.” Subtle color flushed his cheeks and he shuffled his feet. “I was just going to go pick up some lunch, and thought I’d ask if you wanted anything.”

  “I brought my lunch.”

  He dropped his gaze to the floor, and she heaved an inward sigh. Painfully obvious in his interest, his embarrassment each time she spoke to him squeezed her heart with sympathy.

  “Thank you, though. It was very sweet of you to ask.”

  “Yeah. Well.” He avoided her gaze and turned toward the control room. “I gotta go.” He shut the door behind him and quickly disappeared down the hallway.

  “He’s got it bad.”

  “He’s a good kid.” She met Max’s gaze with a tight frown. “I’ve accepted your apology. Why are you still here?”

  He propped his hips against a long table against the wall and crossed his arms. “This plan of yours. How did you see it playing out?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Okay, who are you and what have you done with Max?”

  He grinned and twin dimples creased his cheeks above the short bristle darkening his jawline. “I’m curious.”

  She propped her fists on her hips. “You’re up to something.”

  “I’m trying to understand.” The smile slid from his handsome face and his intent gaze held her in place. “Security is an unavoidable evil in your position, and yet I’ve never known you to complain about the necessity. What’s changed?”

  She stood rooted to the spot, a captive of the slate gray eyes that had starred in her dreams for years. From the night he’d first walked into her dressing room, she’d yearned for the day he’d look at her and see more than his friend’s little cousin. He looked at her now, a man watching a woman with a clear desire to understand in his long lashed gaze. She wanted nothing more than to bask in the moment, to savor the warm glow, but his sober study wouldn’t let her.

  “I’m suffocating, Max.” The admission sprang from her lips before she could think.

  His brows slammed together and concern sharpened his features.

  What the hell? He wanted to know? She’d do her best to explain the unexplainable.

  “Do you know, I can’t remember the last time I was alone? While I’m on tour, I understand, but here at the studio?” She shot an annoyed glare at her uncharacteristically inattentive driver before meeting Max’s gaze once more. “I’m never alone. I can’t go shopping or to a movie without someone tagging along. Even in my own condo, there’s always someone else around. Someone who reports back to my father. How pitiful is it I look forward to going to the bathroom, just for a moment’s solitude?”

  She rubbed stiffened fingers over the dull throb in her left temple. “I’m surrounded by people who are living their lives while I’m marking time as mine passes by.” There wasn’t a thing she could do about the threatening tears burning at the back of her eyes and nose. Though she tried to stop it, a sob hiccupped in her throat. She pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut.

  “Jessi.”

  His low croon wrapped around her and jostled the control that held on by a thread. She dropped her hand and dragged in several deep breaths, then opened her eyes. Other than uncrossing his arms, Max hadn’t moved. Understanding darkened the slate of his eyes.

  She shook her head. “Contrary to what my father thinks, I’m not stupid. I know he and the family care about me and are doing what they think is best to keep me safe, but lately, it’s like I can’t breathe.”

  A muscle twitched along his jaw. “Have you told him how you feel?”

  Her laugh was more of a choked cough. “I’ve tried.” Convinced the reference to Suzie in that creepy fan letter was a definite threat, her father wasn’t about to back down. A ragged sigh shuddered through her lips. “It’s complicated. In the meantime, I’m about to explode.”

  Max nodded, hands propped on the edge of the table, bracketing his hips. “What about this fictitious boyfriend you’re planning to acquire? I assume you m
ean to move in together, which means you won’t be alone there either. Aren’t you trading several pairs of watching eyes for another?”

  Put that way, it sounded as if she’d gain nothing for her efforts, but at least she’d be out from beneath her family’s collective eagle eye. “That’s the beauty of my plan. Dad will be happy knowing I have a big strong man watching over me.” She rolled her eyes. “But since the relationship won’t be a real one, my boyfriend won’t be scrutinizing my every move, nor will he care what I do with my time. He’ll have his space, and I’ll have mine.”

  Max crossed one booted foot over the other. “Knowing your father, any man you choose will be in for a hard time.”

  “Probably, but I’m a grown woman, and it’s about damn time I started living my life on my own terms. Dad will simply have to accept that things have changed.”

  A doubtful scoff flared his nostrils. “How long do you think it’ll take him to get the message?”

  She shrugged. First she had to find her fictitious lover, and with Max out of the running, her search had lost much of its appeal. “Once I find my man, I’d give it a couple of weeks. A month at the most.”

  He stared at her in silence for several heartbeats. “You really plan to go through with this?”

  She crossed her arms and nodded. “It’s crazy, I know, but it’s either this or leave town and not tell my family where I’m living. I’m not willing to do that.”

  His eyes slid shut briefly. He straightened away from the table and scrubbed a palm over his bristled chin. “I know I’m going to regret this, but if you’re determined to go through with this nutty plan, I’m your man.”

  She managed to choke back her gasp before it could escape, but it was a close thing. Giddy excitement warred with mistrust. Hidden beneath her arms, she curled her suddenly numb fingers into clenched fists. If he was teasing her, it wasn’t funny, and she was going to slug him.