This Is Our Song

by Samantha Chase

  She studied him for a minute. “Oh. Okay.”

  “If you need my help with lunch, I can stay and then just go up and shower afterward if you’d prefer.”

  “It’s just sandwiches,” she said evenly, although her expression was a little unreadable. “I’ll be fine.”

  He nodded. “Okay then. Just give me about fifteen minutes to shower and—”

  “I get it!” she snapped. “You’re going to grab a shower. Sheesh! Do you have to keep saying it?” Then she turned away as if she was embarrassed by her outburst.

  Riley reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, and she hissed and pulled away. “Savannah? What? What did I say?”

  “It’s…it’s nothing. Just go do what you gotta do.”

  He wasn’t a fool. Something was bothering her. This time he wasn’t so gentle when he put his hand on her shoulder and spun her around. “Did I do something wrong?”

  She shook her head furiously. “No. You’re fine. Really. I…” She shook her head again. “It’s nothing. Go. I’ll have lunch ready by the time you’re back down here.”

  For some reason, Riley didn’t believe her. There was a slight tremor in her voice and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. He reached up with one hand and cupped her face. “You don’t have to wait on me. You’re not here for that. I can put my own lunch together when I’m done if that’s what’s bothering you.”

  Now she did look up with him, her eyes dark with irritation as she shoved his hand away. “You think this is about a sandwich?” she snapped. “Geez, that just goes to show how clueless men are!”

  “Now you’ve lost me,” he said with a nervous chuckle. “Savannah, seriously, what’s going on?”

  She sighed loudly and moved away from him. “Nothing. Really. I’m sorry. Just ignore me.”

  “That’s not likely to happen,” Riley said darkly. “Not ever.”

  Her eyes widened as he stalked her from across the kitchen.

  “There is no way I can ignore you—it’s impossible. Just like it would be impossible to stop breathing.” And then, because he figured they were already fighting, he might as well poke the bear a little more.

  So he grabbed her and kissed her.

  Hard. Wet. And wild.

  Savannah’s arms instantly went around him at the same time Riley’s banded around her. Tongues dueled as they did everything they could to get even closer. One of Riley’s hands came up and fisted in her long hair, gently pulling it. She gasped but her lips stayed with his.

  Riley knew he was close to losing all control, and if he didn’t release her soon, he’d end up taking her right there on his father’s kitchen table.

  And there was a bucket of cold water for you.

  Pulling back, they both gasped for air. Savannah’s lips were red from the force of his kisses and it only served to turn Riley on again. He wanted to touch her, soothe her, hold her. But right now, he knew what he needed most was to put some distance between them before they did something stupid.

  On his father’s kitchen table.

  “I…” He cleared his throat. “I’m going to take that shower. I’ll be back down in a few minutes.”

  Savannah nodded mutely and watched him go.

  With each step Riley climbed, he cursed himself. How could they keep ending up like that and not talk about it? Maybe he was beating himself up for nothing. Maybe he was pulling back when she really didn’t want him to.

  God knew he didn’t want to.

  Especially right now.

  The shower would feel good, but Savannah in his arms would feel a hell of a lot better. They were alone and if she was worried about his father or anyone finding out, he could assure her that no one had to know.

  With his mind made up, Riley decided that after lunch, they would finally address the elephant in the room. He wanted her, she wanted him, and he was tired of trying to pretend otherwise.

  In his room, he stripped off his T-shirt and jeans before walking into the adjoining bathroom. Turning on the water, he gave it a minute to get the temperature right and wished he was home in his own spa bathroom. The shower was easily four times the size of this one and had about a dozen different jets. He sighed, knowing it would be at least another couple of weeks before he had that luxury again.

  Pulling open the glass door, he stepped inside and let the hot water pound on his back.

  It didn’t feel as good as he’d hoped.

  Not when all he wanted was Savannah’s hands on him.

  Leaning back, he stuck his head under the stream of water and raked his hands through his hair. They were shaking. He never should have kissed her again. Hell, he never should have kissed her that first day at his house—they didn’t even know each other and yet he couldn’t find the will to care. He quickly washed his hair and then his body as he tried to push the image of the two of them together out of his head.

  It was impossible.

  Granted, over the course of his career Riley had to admit he had slept with women he had known a lot less than Savannah, but he’d never wanted one this much. And somehow he doubted it was possible to want any other woman more than her ever again.

  Shit.

  He couldn’t even argue it.

  It wasn’t so long ago he had given his brother Hugh a lengthy speech about going after what he wanted with Aubrey. And his brother—being the type of guy who planned everything—couldn’t wrap his brain around falling for someone so fast. Riley had been the one to push him out the door that night—forcing him to face what he wanted and take it. So what the hell was he waiting for? If Hugh Shaughnessy—the man who planned his life down to the minute—could simply knock on the door of the woman he wanted and finally make her his, why was Riley agonizing over it?

  He wanted Savannah.

  He needed Savannah.

  Shutting off the shower, he reached for a towel and immediately began drying himself off.

  He was going to have Savannah.

  * * *

  Lunch was the last thing on Savannah’s mind. She stood in the kitchen and heard the shower turn on and all she could do was stand there and imagine Riley naked.

  And she was certain her imagination wasn’t doing him justice.

  It took a minute for her to realize she was pretty much mindlessly staring into the refrigerator. Slamming it shut, she cursed. Wandering around the kitchen, she knew she didn’t want food. That wasn’t what she was hungry for.

  It was him.

  As crazy as it was, it had been Riley since the moment they shook hands while sitting in her Jeep that night in the rain.

  She could argue all she wanted to how getting romantically involved with Riley was going to be a distraction to the interview process, but it wasn’t true. Not becoming romantically involved with him was proving to be the bigger distraction.

  For most of her life, Savannah had played it safe—at least where relationships were concerned. Well, for once in her life, she was tired of taking the safe route. She wanted to be wild. She wanted to go after what she wanted with no regrets.

  She wanted Riley.

  Now.

  Before she could change her mind, Savannah strode from the kitchen and marched up the stairs. The shower had been turned off and she knew Riley was probably drying off or already getting dressed. Not that it mattered. He wouldn’t be that way for long.

  Knocking loudly on his bedroom door, she tapped her foot impatiently.

  “Just a minute!” he called out.

  “Riley? I need to talk to you right now!”

  “I just need a minute—”

  “This can’t wait!” she called back and gasped when the door immediately opened. There, before her, was Riley. With nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and droplets of water making their way down his chest, he was breathtaking.

  “Ar
e you all right?” he asked cautiously.

  She stared at his chest, mesmerized by the sculpted muscles and the way the water was playing on them. “You have a tattoo,” she said quietly, almost sounding surprised. It was a tribal tattoo of a cross with a blue diamond in the middle.

  “Savannah? Is everything okay? What did you need? I…I just got out of the shower and…” He took a step back to partially hide himself behind the door.

  She couldn’t speak. Her mouth had gone dry at the sight of him. The urge to reach out and touch him was enough to make her tremble.

  As if sensing her thoughts, Riley let go of the door and stood in front of her—his own body trembling. “What is it you want, Savannah?” His voice was so low it was almost a growl.

  She looked up at his face finally as she licked her lips. He was going to make her say the words—to tell him why she was up here, knocking on his door and ogling him like the world’s greatest treat.

  “You,” she said, her voice barely audible.

  He closed the distance between them. “Tell me again.”

  She swallowed hard and seemed to stand a little taller. “You, Riley. I want you.”

  In the blink of an eye he took her hand and tugged her into the room and slammed the door behind them. “Thank God!” he groaned and hauled her into his arms.

  She went willingly and it was a slow dance across the room as he tugged her tank top over her head before he started to kiss her. And then his hands were everywhere. For her part, Savannah kept her own hands anchored on his waist for a minute before she let them travel up his bare chest. He was wet and warm and so hard and muscular she couldn’t help but moan at the feel of him.

  “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to feel your hands on me,” Riley whispered as his lips traveled down her jaw and her throat before dipping his head to kiss the swell of her breasts over her lace bra.

  “Yes, I do, because it’s just as long as I’ve waited to feel your hands on me,” she told him and chuckled as she moved her hands to help him get her bra off.

  With the towel still wrapped around him, Riley took a step back and simply looked at her. Savannah felt hot under his gaze and while he stood there, she shimmied out of her jeans but left her panties on.

  “Yeah,” Riley hissed, reaching for her and pulling her flush against him until they were skin to skin. He cupped her cheek and studied her face. “I’ve been going out of my mind with wanting you, Savannah. Are you sure about this?”

  “I can’t focus on anything anymore,” she said honestly. “Not on writing or the interview. Nothing. All I can think about is you. Just you and how much I need you.”

  Those words seemed to please him because a slow grin crossed his face. “I like that,” he said. “I like the fact that you need me.”

  “I do, Riley. Let me show you how much.”

  His smile grew. “How about we show each other?”

  Now she smiled. “I like that even more.”

  * * *

  “I feel bad.”

  “Not exactly the words a man wants to hear after making love to a woman.”

  Savannah chuckled. They were spooned together in Riley’s bed—her back to his front—after a long afternoon in each other’s arms. “We’re supposed to be working.”

  “I think you learned more about me in the past two hours than you would have all day,” Riley teased.

  “Sure, but I can’t put any of that into a magazine article. It would just be wrong.”

  He laughed and nuzzled her neck. “I wouldn’t let you put any of this into any article. It’s private.”

  “And fairly X-rated.”

  “Well…that too.”

  She turned in his arms and smiled up at him. “I wouldn’t share this with anyone. I want you to know that. What happened here has nothing to do with a story I’m writing. It’s about you and me.”

  Riley’s expression turned serious too. “I know that, Savannah. And I know you have a job to do and we haven’t been doing a very good job at doing it.” Then he chuckled.

  “What?” she asked suspiciously.

  “Doing it…” He laughed harder. “Get it?”

  Playfully, she smacked his shoulder as she laughed too. “Grow up!”

  Pulling her tight against him, Riley kissed her deeply until she melted in his arms. When he lifted his head, his expression was just as blissful as hers. “Not that I’m complaining, but what made you change your mind and come up here today?”

  Savannah placed a hand on his chest and gently traced the tattoo there. “I’m normally very reserved,” she said quietly, “especially where sex and relationships are concerned. But from the moment we met, I felt out of my comfort zone. Everything about you just called to me.” Her eyes met his. “That’s never happened before.”

  His gaze scanned her face. “I feel the exact same way.” His voice was rough as he spoke. “I’ve had plenty of women throw themselves at me in situations like ours and I never found it appealing. But being with you? You made me laugh and think and you challenged me. At first, I thought it was about getting you to like me,” he admitted honestly. “But every time we were together, I realized it was so much more than that. You’re smart and sexy and beautiful and on top of all that…I genuinely like you, Savannah. You wouldn’t be here meeting my entire family if I didn’t.”

  “I thought it was a diversion tactic to keep us from being alone,” she said, blushing.

  He kissed her again. “Yeah, it kind of was. But I wouldn’t have thought to use it unless I wanted you here with them. If all I wanted from you was sex, I wouldn’t have needed a diversion. I would have pounced that first day and gotten it out of my system without giving the interview a second thought.”

  “Can I tell you something?”

  He nodded.

  “I probably wouldn’t have minded all that much if you’d pounced that day.”

  Riley burst out laughing. “Now you tell me! You mean we could have been naked for a week already?”

  She struggled to get out of his arms as she laughed with him. “Maybe!”

  Finally, he pinned her beneath him, both their breathing ragged. “I don’t doubt for a minute it would have been amazing if you’d stayed with me that night, Savannah. But this? What happened here today? This was perfect. I’m glad we waited until now.”

  She frowned a little. “It’s only been a week. It’s not like we’ve been practicing abstinence for any extreme amount of time.”

  “Every moment I wasn’t with you? Every time I couldn’t touch you? It was torture.”

  Sighing, Savannah reached up and touched his cheek. “Tell me about the tattoo.”

  Rolling off her, Riley tucked her in close beside him. “It was one of those things I did when I first moved to L.A. I went to one of the most well-known places and had it done. It’s a tribal cross. All the guys in the band were getting something and I had never really thought of getting one. It just wasn’t on my radar. But after our first late-night talk show appearance, we decided to do it.”

  “It’s very sexy,” she said, her hand instantly going to touch it again.

  “I can get another one if you really think so.”

  Savannah picked her head up off his shoulder and looked at him. “Tattoos should be about you and for you—not anyone else. And being as you only have one and the talk show was several years ago, I can tell it’s not something you’re really into.”

  He shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad. Like I said, it’s just not something I think about. The guys all make fun of me because—as I’m sure you’ve seen—they’re all heavily tatted. We keep threatening to do an intervention on Dylan because of his obsession. I’m okay with it, though. I wouldn’t mind getting another one. I just haven’t figured out what. Any ideas?”

  She shook her head and relaxed against him again. “Not
my call to make. It’s your body, your decision.”

  He rolled his eyes and groaned. “Okay, spare me the politically correct answer. If you think this looks sexy, I would get another one right now.” In a flash he rolled over and had her beneath him again. “I want you to think I’m sexy, Savannah. I want you to be so distracted by it that you’re knocking on my door at all hours of the day and night because you need to touch me.”

  “That’s already the case,” she said softly.

  His grin was slow and sweet. “Yeah?”

  She nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Prove it,” he whispered as he bent his head and began to kiss her cheek.

  Wrapping her arms around him, Savannah pulled him down on top of her and showed him just how distracted he made her.

  * * *

  “So by the time the tour ended, I think I was just burned out. We had been on the road for almost eighteen months and I just couldn’t stand the thought of another hotel room, another airport, or any of it. I just wanted to be home.”

  “What about the rest of the guys? Did they feel the same?”

  “Yeah, we were all on the same page and really, it seemed like they all had other things lined up they wanted to do. I was the only one who just wanted to veg out and do nothing. At least that was the plan. Julian’s the one who ended up vegging.” He shook his head. “I still can’t believe he’s getting married.”

  Savannah scanned through some of her notes. “They all had some pretty big things planned—movies, Broadway, festivals, different music projects with other well-known musicians. Is that what made you decide to do a solo project, or was it something you had been thinking of?”

  “No, it wasn’t anything I thought I’d ever do. I’m in a band. I planned to continue playing in a band. We’d always been in sync and it kind of blew my mind when they told me all the things they’d each lined up. All I wanted to do was sleep for a week, and as soon as the plane touched down in L.A., they were hopping other flights to go on to their next big thing.”