Adam steps back, and two guys walk toward me, their presence engulfing the space, dressed casually in tight jeans, dark T-shirts, and boots.
Noah, the drummer, has a shit-eating grin on his face, and I can see why he’s such a lady killer. I’ve heard stories of this guy and his … let’s just call them ways. He’s not as handsome as Adam, but you can tell he thinks he’s God’s gift to women with the way he struts, his hair perfectly spiked and his shirt showing off muscular arms and abs.
Jack, the bassist, is more laid-back, and it’s obvious, just looking at the two, that he’s more into hitting the drugs and alcohol than the women, like Adam mentioned before they arrived. He looks like he’s been ridden hard, and it’s starting to take a toll on his skin. His clothes show off nothing, and if I’m not mistaken, I see a tiny forming of a beer gut.
“So, this is her,” Noah yells, eyeing me up and down. “The girl who finally caught the uncatchable.”
A surprised laugh escapes my lips. “Excuse me?”
“He’s lucky too. If he were anyone else, I’d steal your ass.” He wraps his arms around me in a hug as Adam slaps him on his back.
“Back off, asshole,” Adam says.
Noah leans back to spy on him and then winks playfully at me. “This is going to be fun. These two”—he motions to Jack and Max, who’s still outside—“only take my leftovers. I’ve always gotten first pick of the litter. Too bad Adam got to you first.”
I eye him up and down. “Don’t you worry your sweet little heart there. I wouldn’t have wanted you anyway. Have you not seen this man?” I dramatically point to Adam, playing it up for him as he was for me.
Everyone laughs, and Adam leans over to kiss me, right here in front of everyone, including Cailin.
“Yeah, you’re definitely mine,” he whispers to me before turning to the guys. “Noah here thinks he has a chance with every lady he meets—”
“I don’t think. I know.” Noah leans in, smirking.
“Oh God, go away.” Adam slaps him across the side of his head. “And this is Jack. Guys, this is my girl, Sarah.”
“And she’s my teacher too!” Cailin is quick to add in with the most excited voice I’ve ever heard from her.
“Yep, hot for teacher fits it perfectly.” Noah bites his knuckle before Adam tucks one hand around my waist and hits him in the stomach with the other.
Jack has stayed pretty quiet, and when I glance behind me to see if he’s coming, I catch him staring at me. It’s not creepy or sexual; it’s like he’s thinking about something, but when he sees me, he snaps out of it and follow us into the kitchen.
“Man, I almost forgot about your cooking,” Noah says as he inhales the spicy aroma of enchiladas. “We need to add a better kitchen to the tour bus next time, so you can cook for us.”
Adam huffs. “Fat chance. You’re lucky I’m feeding your ass tonight.”
Noah turns to Cailin. “I didn’t get my hug yet, baby girl.” She jumps into his arms. “How are you liking school?”
Cailin beams from ear to ear. “I love it! Miss Russo taught me how to read, and I can write the entire alphabet!” The excitement on her face brightens everyone.
Jack turns to me, his lips pressed in question as his eyes narrow. “Your last name is Russo?”
I nod. “Sure is. She’s doing so good in class. She’s one of my best students.”
Cailin’s face lights up, and when I glance to Adam, he’s wearing the same expression. These two constantly light up my life with nothing more than a simple smile of joy.
The additional noise must have woken up Max, and the sliding glass door opens. “Not going to say hello, fuckers?” His skin is pale, and his eyes are red.
“No, we weren’t. If it’s your dumb ass or this hot chick I get to talk to, you know which one I’ll pick,” Noah teases, faking nonchalance before chuckling and going over to slap his hand. “How’s it going, man?”
His head gives a quick nod. “Seen better days. How about you?”
“Same old shit, different day, different pus—”
“Noah,” Adam scolds.
Noah glances around, remembering Cailin is in the room. “Pus-shhes to mow. Man, the bushes in my yard really need a good mowing. A hard, firm mowing.”
Adam slaps his head again, and I get a feeling this is common between the two of them. Noah just rubs his head, laughing.
The timer on the oven beeps. I grab the oven mitts and remove our food to put on the stovetop.
“Max? Are you up to eating something?” Adam asks.
“Yeah, dish me up some. I’ll try to get it down.”
I grab the plates, handing them out one by one before I plate some for Cailin on her My Little Pony special set.
We gather around the dining room table. I sit and take in the dynamics of the group. Noah is obviously the friendly, outgoing one while Max and Jack are more laid-back, quiet in their own subtle way.
There’s no mention of why everyone is here, and they keep the conversation light while we eat. I’m sure it’s for Cailin’s sake, but I also notice Max’s shoulders loosen as the night goes on.
Stories of the tour and new music get tossed around, and they crack me up with how easygoing they are together. They really are a family of sorts.
“So, tell me how you all met,” I say once our meals are finished and we’re just hanging out.
Cailin has moved into the living room to play with her dolls again, and just us adults are hanging out in the kitchen.
Adam nods to Max. “Well, you already know Max and I go way back. Noah we’ve known since our senior year in high school, but unlike us, he had a loving family to go back to when all the shit was ending for the night.”
“I just didn’t want to go back to them.” Noah laughs. “They’re all goody-two-shoes types, and I tried like hell to make them sick of my crazy ass.”
“Seriously?” I ask.
Noah nods, leaning back while he rubs his hands up his shirt, showing off his stomach. “Yep, I’m the baby of the family. I have a brother who is a fucking insurance salesman now. We literally had the white picket fence and dog to match their perfect lifestyle. I couldn’t stand that shit.”
His face gives away that he’s obviously kidding, and I shake my head at his notions.
“No matter how much I tried to piss them off, they would kill me with their ‘love.’ ” He air quotes. “Can’t blame Mom and Dad though. At least they had the money to buy me a drum set when these two poor asses couldn’t afford one. That’s why they forced me to be the drummer. I could have been our front man.” He pauses, standing up straight, trying to act sexy with a nod to his head and rise to his eyebrows.
Adam throws his napkin at him. “Bullshit. That’s my job.” He turns to Jack. “Then, this guy actually came to us from a Craigslist ad. He’s been all over but landed here in Nor Cal to be with us.”
“Oh, yeah? Where’s all over?” I ask Jack.
He’s been fairly quiet through all of this, and I jump at the chance to engage him.
He shrugs. “I did the Austin scene, then New York, and then moved out here after some shady shit went down there in the underground music scene.”
My stomach tightens, and my heart stops. Cailin comes running in, taking all focus off what Jack just said.
“Daddy, can I put on a movie?”
Adam scoots back from his chair. “Sure, let me help you.”
I let the other guys talk and start cleaning up the kitchen.
Adam comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my stomach and leaning his chin on my shoulder. “You don’t have to do this,” he says.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind. Why don’t you guys go outside and I’ll finish up in here and get Cailin ready for bed?”
He kisses my cheek. “Thank you.”
I smile, my nerves still reeling from Jack’s mention of New York. I’m thankful I am alone for the moment to gather myself.
The guys are outside for a while, but
I don’t mind. After getting Cailin tucked into bed, I question if I should just leave when my phone dings with a text message from Adam.
Please don’t leave yet. It won’t be much longer.
My heart swells with happiness. He shouldn’t be thinking about me right now, but seeing this text selfishly makes my night. I text back.
Okay. Take your time.
I click the television to the Reelz network. Ever since I found the station, it’s been my go-to channel. I love watching the true stories of famous people and real-life situations. Breaking the Band: Fleetwood Mac is on, and suddenly, it hits me as a weird feeling surrounds me.
For years, I’ve loved these shows, but now that I know Adam and am in this situation with Max, I see just how invasive these shows are. They take private moments like this and put it out there for the world to know.
I try to imagine what they would say years from now about Devil’s Breed, if it’d be good or bad and how honest they would be.
The thought makes me mad. It’s no one’s business.
I quickly grab the remote, change it to a movie on HBO, and curl up under a blanket, vowing not to watch the show anymore.
* * *
I awaken when soft lips press against mine, holding me there as two hands wrap around my face. I lean into the kiss, loving the tingles spreading through my body.
“Wake up, sleepyhead,” Adam whispers when he pulls back.
I open my eyes to see the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. A grin covers my face. “Hi.”
His forehead pushes to mine as I close my eyes again.
“Goddamn, he’s whipped,” I hear Noah yell.
Adam picks the pillow up that I had on my lap and throws it at him.
Laughter erupts as Noah says, “Good night, Sarah. It was nice to meet you.”
Adam stands up, and I glance at the guys. “It was nice to meet you too.”
I notice all three of them are by the door, even Max. I look up at Adam, asking him with my expression how everything went.
He nods his head with a small smile on his face. “Do you mind staying here tonight with Cailin? We found a place to take him, and we’re heading there now.”
I pull the blanket off of me and stand. “Don’t worry about Cailin. I can watch her for as long as you need.”
He leans in to kiss me again. “Thank you.”
I place my hand on his chest. “I’m happy to help. Call me if you need anything.” I wave goodbye to the guys as we both walk toward the front door.
Before he leaves, he stops and turns to me, leaning in to whisper, “I never thought the first time you slept in my bed would be without me.” He softly kisses me. “Have a good night, Sarah.”
“You too.”
I close the door, locking it behind me, and take in my surroundings. Everything feels different now.
I’m going to sleep here, alone, in his house. I inhale a deep breath and head upstairs to his room.
It’s down the hall from Cailin’s, so I peek in to check on her. The sweet little girl is on her side, and her shoulders are bare, so I step into her room and pull the covers over her to make sure she’s tucked in.
I make my way to his room and push open the door. It feels almost as if I’m invading his privacy. If he hadn’t mentioned sleeping in his bed, I probably would’ve stayed on the couch.
I like the fact that his king-size bed isn’t made, and the shirt he wore yesterday is strewed across the chair in the corner. He’s a normal guy, and seeing this drives that home even more.
Atop his dresser are a few pictures of him and Cailin, and the only thing that says I’m in a rock star’s room are the gold records he’s earned over the years displayed on the walls in the corner, not even as a central focus.
After getting ready for bed and swishing with his mouthwash, I take off my jeans and T-shirt. The urge is too great to not take advantage of his shirt lying there to sleep in, so I grab it, slip it over my head, and instantly feel him with me. His scent engulfs me, filling me with tingles of happiness and need.
Biting back any more urges, I slip under the covers, pull them tightly over me, and try to sleep in a bed I never thought I’d be in, in a million years.
23
Adam
I’ve never been so thankful for having met Sarah as I was last night. I know I could have brought Cailin to Linda, but being able to have her tucked safe into her own bed made what we were doing that much easier and took away any guilt I had for leaving her to be with my band.
The rehab center we took Max to was a few hours away. I love that we all went with him. We’re his family, and he needed us tonight.
Walking in my door a little past six in the morning, I’m absolutely exhausted. I check on Cailin first. Curled up tight with her pink blanket, my sweet angel is thankfully still asleep.
I head toward my room, and when I see Sarah fast asleep in my bed, I have to pause before I rush toward her. Every part of my body is screaming to rip the covers off and take her like I’ve wanted, but if history proves anything, Cailin will be up shortly. The last thing I want is her walking in on me making her teacher scream to the gods.
I quietly toe off my shoes and make my way to the opposite side of the room. After removing my shirt—keeping my jeans on to provide the barrier I need to keep from doing something I shouldn’t—I pull back the covers and slide into bed.
My arm reaches around her waist, and she stirs, momentarily frightened until she registers that it’s me. Her sleepy smile fills my heart. When she turns back over, scooting her tight ass next to me and holding my arm firmly against her body, another part of me fills. I take full advantage and press it into her.
I hear a giggle release from her mouth at the same time I hear a little girl not quite tiptoeing.
Just as I predicted.
“Daddy, is it too early, or can I get up?” Cailin says from the hallway.
“It’s too early.” I hold Sarah tighter, grinding into her one more time. “Go back to bed,” I yell over Sarah’s shoulder.
“I saw the sun in my room. It can’t be that early …” Cailin drawls out as she opens my bedroom door. “Then, can I get in bed with you?”
Sarah’s body tenses as Cailin comes into view, and I can’t help the chuckle escaping my mouth as I hide it in her hair.
“It’s occupied already,” I say.
“Miss Russo!” Cailin whispers. “No fair. That’s my spot.”
I hide my laughter again as Sarah sits up.
“Good morning, sweetheart. Actually, your daddy just got home a few minutes ago. I’ve been here the entire night by myself.”
Seeing Sarah squirm while trying to explain why she’s in my bed is so cute. Cailin’s innocence on the matter plays in my favor—at least for a few more years. I have to save her though.
I sigh and sit up. “She’s right. We took Uncle Max to a treatment center, and I just got home a few minutes ago. How’d you sleep?” I rub my eyes while I yawn.
Cailin jumps up on the bed, sitting cross-legged at the end. “I slept great!” she says with the cutest sleepy smile. “What are we doing today?”
Sarah turns to me, placing her hand on my shoulder. “Go ahead and get some sleep. I’ll take Cailin downstairs and get some breakfast. I have no plans, so don’t worry about us.”
“Yay! Breakfast with Miss Russo!” Cailin jumps off the bed and runs toward the door.
I lean over and kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you.”
I lie back down but only after sneaking a peek of her getting out of my bed in nothing but my shirt and heading toward my bathroom. Those legs leave nothing to the imagination, and it takes all I have not to grab her and bring her back to bed with me.
When she exits, she turns and catches me checking her out. Her flush face makes my dick even harder as she pulls on her jeans.
To my surprise, instead of walking out of the room, she comes over to me and softly kisses me. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her
onto the bed over me.
Our lips intertwine as I tuck my fingers through her belt loops and pull her down against me more. I want this chick so fucking bad.
She pulls back before I lose control and slips off my bed. “Get some rest,” she whispers.
I adjust myself in my pants. “Yeah, that’s not happening now.”
She giggles as she steps out of my room, leaving me with nothing more than my hand and a memory.
* * *
Sarah
Once I’m in the hallway, I fall against the wall, needing a second to catch my breath. I hear Cailin in the kitchen and make my way to her, hoping my face isn’t flush and she can’t just tell what I was doing with her dad.
“I want cereal,” Cailin says when I turn the corner. “Do you want some too, Miss Russo?”
Hearing her say Miss Russo after I exited her dad’s bedroom in the morning makes me feel very wrong. I lean down to her level. “You know, if you want, you can call me Sarah when we’re outside of school.”
Her eyes widen with excitement. “Really?” she asks.
My shoulders bounce with how sweet this little girl is. “Yes, really. Just make sure you stick to Miss Russo in the classroom. You don’t want the other kids to start calling me that. Just you, okay?”
“Deal.”
She holds her hand out to shake on it. I do before I stand and start searching the cabinets for bowls.
We sit at the breakfast bar, both eating our cereal and mapping out our day.
“Your dad had a long night, so why don’t we go to a movie or something?”
Cailin jumps up. “Can we?”
I love how simple things like going to a movie makes kids so happy. “Sure, we can. But it’s still early, so how about we finish up our breakfast and watch some cartoons first?”
* * *
As we enter the house after I took Cailin to lunch and a movie, I call out for Adam but don’t hear anything back in return. We’ve been texting, so I know he’s awake.
Our Song Page 16