To-Do Him List

by Denise Marie

  He laughed and sat up, leaned into her for a light kiss. He tasted sweet, like vanilla cream. “Don’t forget it, baby. But, maybe think of something a little more rough around the edges when others are around?”

  He winked and her stomach fluttered like a teenager all over again. There was something pure and genuine about him. He didn’t just care about the list; he cared about everything he set his mind to, even her.

  He kissed the tip of her nose and stepped out of the bunk, hiked on his pants like he were on a mission. “You know, image and all. I’ll give you some privacy. I need to make some arrangements anyway.”

  She bent forward while he strutted away with a gloat, sans shirt. His muscles flexed with every step and when she closed her eyes, she could still feel them use her body for pleasure. When she opened her eyes, Drew trapped her in his sight, but his face said worry, not joy. She plucked the edge of the curtain and closed it.

  The tap of her pen to her book echoed in the confined space, but her gaze continued to drift to the curtain, in the direction where Drew lay. From the thump on the floor after she closed him out, he chased after Cole. She took another cookie from the hidden spot, their spot, and opened her journal. She needed to get things out of her head and if she were being honest, which she could on paper, she’d scared herself with that last blackout.

  With the last of her messages to the girls sent, she slid the curtain back and climbed out. Cole, Drew, and Brett stood at the front of the bus with Derek, all on cell phones.

  I wonder what’s up?

  Her stomach chose that moment to growl. The four men jerked in her direction with raised eyebrows and smiles. She shrugged; she would never make a good ninja. He glared and pointed to the fridge, still on his phone.

  Point taken.

  There wasn’t much in it since the men ate like pigs. A bowl of cereal was the only decent option, unless she chanced the mysterious take out containers.

  She jumped when Cole wrapped his arms around her waist. He laughed in her ear and kissed her neck. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. Is that all that’s left?”

  She cocked her head at him as if to say, does that surprise you? He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. “We’ll send one of the roadies out for groceries later. We have a video to shoot today, interested? It’s going be more fun for us than it will be for you though, so I understand if you’d rather not.”

  The milk she’d drained from the container spilled over the edges of her bowl when she spun too fast. “Duh. Of course I want to watch.”

  She offered him bites from her spoon, and he accepted them with a smile, caressed her body with his hands while he did. He lifted the T-shirt she wore, his T-shirt, so he could feel her bare skin, and give the others a perfect view of her naked body. Her heart raced. The shared bowl of cereal not only made the start to her day perfect, but something about it combined with the erotic interaction in front of the guys, sparked her uninhibited desires.

  ****

  She sat in the car and observed what she could only describe as organized chaos. With a subtle prod, the guys gave her privacy and entered the large warehouse without her. The last message she sent to the girls suggested an increase in symptoms, so if she didn’t let them know she was fine, they’d panic. More than anything, she should let her mom know she was okay. She’d avoided this call and the chance it would break her heart and make her regret her choice. Before she changed her mind, she sat back and held the phone to her ear. The ring on the other end didn’t last long.

  “Isabelle Maureen Chambers, if it weren’t for the beautiful and caring women you have as friends, I would be calling the police to look for you.”

  She winced. “Mom, I’m sorry. Katherine assured me she would keep you updated. I should have called sooner, I just—” She squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose. She regretted nothing about the choice she made, but it took time away from her mom, which didn’t make it any easier.

  “Isabelle, I get it. A mother wants nothing more than to see her child happy. If this is what makes you happy—”

  The quiet sob through the phone was what she avoided until now. A knot formed in her throat, made it difficult to speak from the heart without the onset of tears. “Mom.” The one she held back slid down her face. “I wish I could be everywhere, with everyone. Yes, I am having the time of my life, I won’t deny that, but I miss you and the girls.”

  “I hear there is a handsome, tattooed man wooing my daughter?”

  Crap. I’m going to make Katherine pay for this.

  “Mom. Wooing. Really?” The sound of her mother’s giggle confirmed what she needed to know; she was doing the right thing. Her mother’s voice, her acceptance, motivated her to move forward. She sized the warehouse with her gaze, the next direction she now itched to experience.

  “Mom. Thank you. I love you so much, and will see you soon.”

  She caught sight of a tall, familiar man at the side of the building and leaned into the window in time to see him scurry inside. Cole. The glances he gave her when convinced distractions held her attention were easy to read. Concern. Nothing came to mind about how to ease that for him. She’d have to give it more consideration later.

  She stuffed her phone into her purse and rushed into the warehouse. Their success made sense now, and tired her out. How do they do it? City to city, one way or another, they performed. Concerts, public appearances, video shoots, and recording studios, wherever and whenever they were told.

  Their manager must have one hell of a sequential brain to map this out. In five days, she’d traveled to four cities, with very little time to enjoy the amenities of their surroundings. But, they loved it. From where she stood in the open doorway, the commotion resembled the format of one of their performances. The set up for the video, so detailed you wouldn’t be able to distinguish between real and make believe, drew her attention away from the vacant areas off to the sides. Lights of all colors flooded the place and people scurried around to complete what was already, to her, finished. Instruments and speakers filled the stage while beams of light scanned what would’ve been the crowd, groupies nowhere to be seen. She smiled.

  “Pretty spectacular isn’t it?” Zander wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed.

  She swayed in admiration with him. Being friends with such a unique group of men wouldn’t be possible in her everyday life. She crooked her head up at him, his face covered in perfectly applied make-up. Impossible to contain, she burst out in a howl and held her stomach without shame.

  He winked, used his thumb to wipe away the dampness on her face she forgot about from earlier. “Way to bruise a man’s ego, hot stuff.” He slapped her ass hard enough to make it sting.

  She rubbed her behind but still needed a moment before she could control herself enough to talk. “I’m so sorry. The make-up—” She covered her mouth with her hand, muffled her giggle as she righted herself.

  Warm arms wrapped around her, not Cole’s. She took a deep breath, Drew. She liked knowing them so well. It wasn’t just Cole and Drew, whether by voice or scent, she could identify any of the men without laying on eyes them.

  “Behave, little girl. Your turn is coming.”

  With another smack on the opposite cheek, Drew and Zander strode away. Their superb backsides she’d expected, but their cockiness, didn’t match its usual form.

  What does he mean by that?

  ****

  Five hours later, Cole’s attention shifted to her, up from her chair again to pace.

  Every so often their gazes met, and he’d mouth the words “you okay?” while they paused to change the background or before singing the song for the millionth time. When the director on set said, “I think we’ve got enough.” She sighed, but it didn’t faze them.

  If anything, they could have continued, but he needed to get to her. That was the longest he’d gone without being close to her in days and he could feel his mood shift with the distance. The smile on her face made it
difficult to focus; her beauty compelled his attention. Flashes of their pseudo private time together on the bus kept his libido at a low simmer. He could feel her, taste her. Her desire had drenched his fingers when he latched on and marked her. His leather pants, already too snug, became painful and didn’t accommodate the erection he still couldn’t control in her presence.

  When they were cut loose, he strode to her with long even strides. Not easy in restrictive material. As he neared her, her hands twisted in her lap. “Bored?” He waited for his sham of an annoyed tone to make her jump. It did.

  “Not at all. You guys are amazing. I can’t take my eyes off you.”

  Something about her genuine admiration made the day’s hard work and distance from her a little more bearable. He leaned down and kissed her, but not hard; he was covered in sweat and make up. He didn’t want to get her messy—with make up anyway.

  “I have a surprise for you.”

  She shifted in her seat and bit her lip. His pulse sped with the direction of her mind. He’d be more than happy to fulfill any of her sexual needs.

  “You’ll find out soon. We have to go wash up first. Do you mind?”

  She shook her head and lifted her thighs one at a time, to place her hands on the chair underneath. The demands of his lifestyle didn’t faze her, not at all like the other women he’d seen fall apart over it. The rest of his life…he could do this, her, for the rest of his life. He took a step back and shoved his hands in his pockets, with his gaze at the concrete floor.

  Where did that come from?

  The guys shoved him aside to kiss her cheek, one at a time before they scooted off to the change room. The ritual developed on its own, all of them showed her affection. He smiled when the last loud smack landed. He leaned in for his own, held out his hand, and tugged when she placed hers in it. They strolled along with their fingers laced and swayed, their unbreakable hold between them.

  He couldn’t get enough of her; his days centered on her. She chose to sit on a chair in the hall and wait, which helped. He needed to get his head on straight, and being close to her made it impossible. ‌He rushed through his shower and threw on a black T-shirt and faded jeans. The lust in her eyes whenever his tats were exposed amused him. He smoothed his still damp hair back, put his ball cap on backward and smiled as he rushed to the door.

  “Cole.” He spun around at the sound of Drew’s voice.

  “What?”

  Drew took a step back with his hands up. He squeezed his eyes shut. “Sorry, didn’t mean to snap.

  What’s up?”

  “You’ve planned things to happen pretty fast from here on out. Is there something more we should be aware of?”

  Drew stared at the floor, hands in his pockets and voice uncertain. The sight damn near killed him. He was falling for her, hard, but he hadn’t considered the impact of her presence on the rest of them.

  “I think it’s worse than she’s letting on, but I’m not a doctor, so unless she admits it, we won’t know. What I do know is she will finish her list.”

  He blew out of the room with his palm on the top of his head, and mood a little deflated until he spotted, her. Gabrielle. What he’d planned could go wrong so many ways, inviting a woman you’ve slept with back into your life with your current girlfriend.

  He smiled, and his heart raced. Girlfriend. Gabrielle was dressed to kill with long legs that wrapped around a man’s waist just fine. That’s what lured him in the first time. And the second, if he was being honest. But this time, nothing.

  “Gabby, thank you for coming.” He held out his hand, but she leaped in for a hug.

  “Hey, handsome.”

  He rolled his eyes and squirmed out of her embrace. A quick glance in Isabelle’s direction revealed what he’d expected, given Gabby’s ability to draw attention to herself with enthusiasm. Isabelle’s gaze was fixed toward them.

  “It’s been a long time, Cole Davies. I was surprised to hear from you.”

  She clung onto him, but he ignored it and waved at Isabelle to join them. “Gabby. You are here for a favor for my girlfriend, not the usual. It will never be that again, sorry. My heart belongs to her.”

  As Isabelle neared, the pieces of the puzzle had connected together from the fake smile on her face. The temper behind it scared him, and he would have to fix things quick if she were going to enjoy what he’d planned next.

  “Isabelle, I would like you to meet Gabrielle.” He stepped beside Isabelle and put his arm around her shoulders, gave her a little hip check. “Gabrielle, this is my girlfriend, Isabelle Chambers.”

  The tension in her shoulders deflated and she smoothed her hand around his lower back, to pinch his side until it pained him. He used his free hand to lift her chin and kiss her before he addressed Gabrielle.

  The smile Isabelle tried hard to maintain softened when she stepped forward and shook hands with her. “Hello Gabrielle, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  The unease was written all over her face; it was adorable. She was jealous, had a right to be. His reputation, his past, wasn’t spotless. He forced her hand out of its curled up fist and laced his fingers with hers. Linked tight, he raised their joined hands up to his mouth and kissed the back of hers, hoping to calm her. “Gabrielle is your surprise, sweetheart.” Yes, he laid it on thick. “She’s here to teach us how to tango.”

  The deer in the headlights expression on her face couldn’t have been mimicked even if she tried. And for sure, he would have fun with the wicked things he could do to make it happen.

  “T-tango? N-now?” she sputtered.

  When the sound of laughter erupted behind her, she whipped around to see Zander, Drew, and Brett with grins like they’d just gotten away with something sneaky. She whirled around so fast she lost her balance and grasped his hand when he offered it. “Wait. Us?”

  He leaned into her ear and nipped at it. Her instant tilt into him, with her eyes closed, aroused him so much that a slight breeze would make him come in his pants. He checked his watch and winced. Excusing themselves to another room wasn’t an option.

  “The guys have this crazy idea it may help them with the, ladies.” He winked, gripped the hem of her shirt with his fingers, and tugged her into his chest, to face him.

  “And you?”

  “Well…” He kissed her and the scent, her mixed with spicy vanilla, stirred his addiction for her. How could he let her know he wanted her forever without too much pressure? Life never seemed so calm until she entered the picture. He could balance the rock star image and still have a relationship based on trust and love. Not experience more chaos and hurt, like the past with Alexis.

  He didn’t want to think about Alexis while he kissed the woman he was falling in love with. Although, he’d have to tell her soon if they had a chance at something more committed. He deepened the kiss, explored every inch of her, and enveloped her in an intimate embrace so loyal it’d leave no doubt in her mind that he was here for her alone.

  “Ahem. Cole, we should really get started.”

  He broke away first. He didn’t like to ignore the sting of disappointment in Gabby’s voice, but his past was behind him.

  “Sure thing, Gabrielle.”

  ****

  The entire stage vanished, dismantled by experts in no time. A few lights and one lone tripod stood untouched. Did they forget it? Now, it resembled the warehouse she’d expected when she entered. The men ribbed each other about dancing, called each other “twinkle toes.” They surrounded her with their bodies while Gabrielle set up her music. Huh. Whether they shielded her on purpose or by unconscious effort, their natural vigilance to protect their own was a lot like home. She missed the girls. Some of the backup dancers hung around, and strolled over to join as partners for the other guys. She giggled at Brett, who’d already hit on the young girl beside him.

  When everyone stood with a partner, he guided her over to the other side of the temporary dance floor. Did Gabrielle affect him that much?

&nb
sp; “Why are we moving?”

  He shrugged. “The lighting is better over here. I love looking at you.”

  The sensual music played and Gabrielle jumped right in with their first instruction. She delivered the lesson tough, critiqued their form, and made it obvious she had a successful career in dance. Isabelle scanned the group, in awe of the tattooed rockers gone ballroom style. She leaned back and laughed as the girls screamed the occasional “ouch.” when the guys stepped on their toes.

  As seriously as Gabrielle took her job, the group before her didn’t. Everyone poked fun at her instructions with exaggerated motions, and made fun of Gabrielle, to her back. Being a nice person most of time did get tiresome, so Isabelle found herself in the midst of the not so hushed banter as an active participant.

  The petty behavior eased the slight sting of anger over her suspicion Gabrielle and Cole once hooked up. There were only a few people who straggled in and out while they laughed and danced. She glanced over to the man beside the camera. He fixed something on it. She searched the group of them, to ensure no one bumped into it while they fooled around. Synchronizing this group of amateurs would take a lot more than one lesson. They were all over the place, beyond help.

  The sexual nature of the dance drove Cole insane and she loved it, took advantage of it. She rubbed her body against his with a devilish grin, again. He broke form, wrapped his arms around her waist, and hauled her in for a kiss, tender and soft. The world around them slowed and melted away as their lips continued to dance. She massaged her hands up his hard and defined chest. A mold of perfection.

  “Ahem, Cole?”

  His muscles tensed around her, not pleased. He solidified his annoyance, and loyalty, when he broke the kiss. The slight distance he allowed between them was only enough to speak. He stared at her with seduction in his eyes, as if they were alone. “Yes?” His gaze didn’t wander, not once.

  “I am all done with the lesson. My purse is in the other room if you want to come with me, we can figure out payment?”

  Even though he made it obvious he was not in the least bit interested, it troubled her to think he gave up things in his life he found joy in before her. She squirmed to get space, but he wouldn’t let her.