by Claire Adams
The ride was mostly silent on the drive to my place, but I noticed her looking around the car and out at the hills as we drove. When we reached the gate that led to my house, she let out a quiet gasp, and I smiled, knowing she was at least a little impressed by the size of it. This is what happened when you were successful but didn’t have someone else to spend all your money on.
I liked my mansion, but it did tend to get lonely at times. Perhaps it was even lonelier than an apartment would have been. I mean, I had a shit ton of rooms, a ridiculous span of land, and just myself to occupy them most of the time. I frowned as I thought about it, but immediately did my best to push the thoughts out of my mind. Why the hell was I feeling so sentimental all of a sudden? Now wasn't the time for such things.
“And this is my humble abode,” I commented as I opened the door for her.
“Humble, huh?” she teased, grinning at me.
“Okay, maybe not so humble. Come on. Let me show you around.” I crooked my elbow out, offering it to her. She slid her hand in and rested it on my arm. She followed along, taking in everything. I led her through the foyer, showed her the living room, the game room (mostly made for me and Talon to shoot pool and bullshit or play PlayStation), and then I showed her the practice space and the recording studio.
“So, how come you guys practiced at the record company today?”
“It’s more centrally located for the guys,” I answered, leading her upstairs. I showed her the bedrooms and the balcony upstairs that overlooked the backyard and the hills. Then led her back downstairs to the kitchen. “Do you like seafood?” I asked.
“I love it,” she replied, following me into the kitchen and letting out another little gasp as she stepped through the entryway. Even I had to admit it was fairly impressive, considering the professional setup I had going on in there.
I loved my kitchen, and I loved to cook, especially with company. So, making a meal for someone other than myself would be a treat for both of us.
“Great! I picked up salmon and veggies from the store this morning. Want to help me cook?” I asked her, pulling the food out of the fridge.
“I love cooking. Sure.”
I was getting more and more into her by the minute. The more we interacted, the more I wondered if she could have been more perfect for me. Still, I did my best to keep my emotions in check. After all, I had to be professional about this situation. Not that it was going to be easy, but I couldn’t allow anything to get out of hand.
“There’s an apron over on that hook, so you don’t get anything on your blouse,” I nodded toward the aprons just before I pulled out a few pans and utensils. She grabbed an apron, put it on, and then pulled the veggies to the area on the counter in front of her.
“So, what am I doing here? Chopping, slicing, or dicing?” she asked, waving the knife back and forth playfully.
“Well, as long as you’re talking about the vegetables, slicing. We’re going to grill them,” I replied with a chuckle.
She starting to slice them up and, while she was busy with that, I started prepping the fish. I took a break from it after a few moments to pull a bottle of wine out of the wine cooler, pouring us both a glass. She sipped hers and watched me.
“You must really love to cook to have this kind of kitchen.”
“I do. It's a great way to relax and a good way to get creative at the same time. While music is my first love, cooking is definitely high up there among my list of passions. I think if being a musician hadn't worked out for me, I might have even been a chef.” I smiled at her, seasoning the fish and placing them just so into a pan to sear.
“So, are you excited about organizing this tour?” I asked. “It should be pretty big. We’ve been getting millions of hits since we announced the tour on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, not to mention the band’s website.”
“Millions? Wow, that’s crazy. Though, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. And yes, I'm definitely excited. Maybe even a touch nervous, but only because I’m excited. All you need to do is fill me in on details, and I can guarantee you everything will go exactly as planned.”
“We’re going to start on the West Coast. Seattle is the first stop, then we’ll come down the coast, do a show here in L.A., next San Diego, then head toward the East Coast, stopping in Vegas, Dallas, Austin, and a few other spots. Then it’s on to New York for a couple of shows. After that, we'll just take it down the East Coast, with the last show being in Miami.”
“Wow, that’s quite a cross country trip. That’s going to be one hell of a drive.”
“And, that’s why we hire a professional driver and a luxury tour bus,” I winked at her. “Back when we were still indie, though, we would drive ourselves from one gig to the next in a van all day and then played shows that night. Some weeks, we had a show every single night. It was exhausting and a pain in the ass.
“A driver is well worth whatever they cost so we can focus on music and resting up for each show. Trust me, the last thing you want to do is have to concentrate on the road when you've been up half the night drinking after playing a hard show and having only had three hours of sleep—every night for a week. Looking back, it was pretty stupid, but we were young.”
Nalia nodded thoughtfully. “I can see how that might not have been the best of situations,” she said with a grin, taking another sip of wine. “But, bright side, you’ve learned a few lessons since then. Like, hire a driver and a few beds on wheels.”
I laughed, “And, an assistant who just might keep us halfway in line.”
“Oh...I have a whip, and I’m not afraid to use it,” she announced. Then her face turned a little red. “Wait. That did not come out the way I meant it.”
“Are you sure?” I joked. “Because I might be a little disappointed if you don’t have a whip.”
She tossed a piece of vegetable at me from across the counter and smiled that breathtaking smile of hers. I was rather glad that I had the counter to hide behind because everything about her was getting to me. The kitchen was heating up, and it had more to do with her than the heat from the stove.
I finished cooking, and we sat at the island on barstools, eating our dinner and discussing the upcoming week.
“Tomorrow and Thursday, we can plan to get together and go over all the details I have down on paper so you can start wrapping up the final schedule, get all of the accommodations together, and start working on the radio promotions and PR appearances for the tour.”
“That sounds great. I can’t wait to get started,” she smiled at me over her nearly empty glass of wine. I poured each of us a refill, starting to feel it just a little.
I watched her, overwhelmed by how beautiful and genuine she was. Not to mention how perfect she was going to be for the tour. This woman was the total package. She came across as being very level-headed and completely together. I had total confidence that she would really have everything under complete control. I was excited to get to work side-by-side with her over the next four months, prepping for the tour then going on the road with her. But I wasn’t looking forward to having to keep my promise to the band. The more I looked at her and the better I got to know her, the more difficult the idea of keeping that pact began to seem. Still, she was on board now, and I would just have to keep it together for four months. Then it was fair game.
Nalia looked up and caught me watching her. I just didn’t manage to look away fast enough. She tried to hide a smile by taking another sip of wine. I had a feeling she was feeling a little buzzed as well. Her eyes glistened brightly as she studied me, taking another bite of food.
“This salmon came out delicious,” she praised my culinary skills after she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “Do you plan on cooking while we’re on the tour bus? Because I’m definitely in if you are.”
“I thought you said you were already in,” I teased.
“I am, but if the food is going to be this good? That’s a huge perk.”
I laughed. For her, I�
��d gladly cook. Unfortunately, on tour buses, there was usually extremely limited space in the kitchen. Because of this, there was usually a lot of eating at restaurants and fast food joints.
We finished up dinner and the first bottle of wine, so I took out another bottle, pouring us each another glass. I liked having Nalia there, and if I hadn’t been looking forward to the tour before, I certainly was now. We talked more about random things. She told me about her older brother, as well as her best friend Grace, whom I knew of from seeing commercials for the soap opera. We headed back upstairs to the balcony off the lounge and took our wine glasses with us.
“Oh!” Nalia let out a cute little squeak as she tripped in her heels. I caught her around the waist and helped her steady herself. I was guessing she was more than feeling the wine.
I held my arm out to help her as I led her to the edge of the balcony where there was an ideal view of the sun as it set. Everything was perfect out—the weather, the atmosphere, the temperature, the scenery, and the buzzing chemistry between us. She let out a little sigh and without realizing it, leaned against me a little for balance.
“It’s so beautiful.”
Having her so close and so comfortable there with me was more than enough to lower my defenses. I leaned in, my hand still on her hip, and whispered in her ear, “You’re beautiful, Nalia.” I let my lips brush against her neck. Everything logical in me knew what I wanted was a bad idea, but logic didn’t seem to be enough at that moment to stop the words from spilling out. “Stay the night with me?” To hell with the pact.
She gasped and pulled away, the look on her face a bit more surprised than I’d expected.
I bit my lip. Had I misread things?
“You’re my boss,” she stated in a rather matter-of-fact tone. Her expression was hesitant, but she didn’t come across as repulsed by the idea.
“And?” I responded, figuring the worst she would say was no.
Chapter Fourteen
Nalia
I had no idea how to respond. Owen watched me intently, waiting in suspense for my reply, his breathing heavy enough that I noticed. Both of us had definitely had a considerable amount of wine, and as soon as I’d felt his lips brush against my skin, I’d felt an absolutely overwhelming desire to turn and press my lips to his. Hell, from the moment I’d laid eyes on him yesterday I’d wanted to.
Still, he was my boss…and as much as I hated to think of what my brother said about him possibly being true, in that moment, I realized there was definitely a chance Owen might be a player. But the way he was standing there, eyes focused on me, the warmth of his hands burning through the material of my skirt, well, there was no way I could deny that everything about him made me wet. This man was beautiful and sexy as hell, and I’d had a lot of wine. My mind was trying to argue, but the rest of me was screaming, “Fuck it. Just go for it!”
He took a step toward me and threaded a strong hand through the hair at the base of my neck. Moments later, the warmth of his lips were pressed against mine. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him gently closer and pressing our bodies together. Owen let out a soft groan, opening my mouth with his, his tongue flicking against mine, searching and hungry. His powerful arm came around my waist and squeezed me close so that I could feel the start of a growing bulge in his jeans. It made me whimper to feel the size of him, and I deepened the kiss as both of his hands moved to my ass.
“Mmm, Nalia. You’re so beautiful…and sexy…and....” He kneaded my ass in his large hands, then lifted me up. I was surprised at his strength, but wrapped my legs around his waist as he backed me up against one of the archways.
I moaned, rolling my hips against him, feeling him stiffen powerfully against me. I couldn’t believe I was doing this—and with him of all men. Still, in that moment, it didn’t matter. I just wanted Owen.
He slid me back down to my feet, smiling a dreamy smile at me, then took my hand, kissed my palm, and led me into his bedroom. As soon as we were inside, he was back on me, pulling my shirt off and planting hungry kisses over my neck and chest. I tugged at his shirt, and he hastily pulled it off for me, affording me a nice view of his sculpted upper body before he pulled me back against him, kissing me passionately.
“Come,” he instructed, his voice gruff with lust as he pulled me toward the bed. He backed me onto it and pushed my skirt up, slipping a hand between my thighs, stroking me through my panties.
With a moan, I bit teasingly at his bottom lip. I lifted my hips, letting him tug my panties off, which he did with eager haste. I was so wet it was a relief to have them gone, and I could tell by the appreciative smile against my lips he liked it. He slipped two fingers inside me, letting the pad of his thumb work my clit with gentle rhythmic strokes, each of which sent wave after wave of pleasure rippling through my body.
“Take your bra off,” he grunted in my ear, letting his full blown erection press against my thigh. I did as he instructed, reaching behind me and undoing the clasp, letting my bra fall off my breasts. Owen’s mouth went immediately to my breasts, licking and sucking at my nipples. I arched my back, letting out a full-throated moan at the delightful sensations running through me.
“Can I touch you?” I asked, letting my hand brush his full-blown erection.
Owen nodded against my breast and slid his fingers out of me, undoing his jeans and pushing them down with his boxer briefs in one motion. He sprung loose and took my hand, placing it so that my fingers wrapped around his hard cock. I gasped, feeling his size and girth in my grip as he kissed me. I gently stroked him back and forth with a light, playful touch, and he lay down on the bed, kissing and fondling my breasts, flicking his tongue against my now erect nipples.
Slowly, he moved up on the bed so that his dick was near my face. He didn’t have to say a word; I desperately wanted to taste him. I let him slide past my lips, and he let out a deep groan as I pulled him in all the way. Owen twisted his fingers into my hair with one hand, the other reaching down between my thighs with softly probing fingertips. I swirled my tongue around him, enjoying his broad girth in my mouth and using tortuously slow strokes of my tongue.
For this, I was rewarded with another deep groan as he gently thrust his hips toward me. I could feel his desire swelling almost to the point of explosion, but I continued to tease him slowly, drawing the moment of ecstasy out as long as I possibly could. His fingers tightened in my hair when I took him deeper.
“Ohhh, God, Nalia.”
I shivered at the sound of his voice moaning my name.
He pulled me back up toward the head of the bed and kissed me hard, pulling my skirt off my waist before running his hands over my body and down my legs. “God you’re beautiful,” he moaned, trailing kisses down my chest and stomach. “More beautiful than I could ever have imagined.”
Owen pushed my legs apart and flicked his tongue against my clit, sliding two fingers inside of me again. A whimper of pleasure escaped me, and this time, I was the one grabbing at his hair. He lapped at my clit, working his fingers inside me back and forth. The pleasure was so intense, I simply couldn’t hold back the moans escaping from my eager lips. He groaned against me, and the vibration ran right through me, making me writhe and twist on the bed as I reached for him.
He climbed up the bed and kissed my lips as he reached for his nightstand, pulling out a condom. He kissed me hard as he rolled it on. When it was ready, tight over his throbbing and sizable length, he positioned himself between my legs. I tried to prepare myself, fully aware of his size, but when he thrust into me, I wailed as he stretched me.
He moaned, kissing my cheek as he slowly moved inside me, letting me accommodate his size. I wrapped my legs around him, moving with him, kissing his lips as we fell into a gentle rhythm. He felt unbelievable inside me. Each thrust seemed to bring more pleasure than the previous one as his thick member continued to push me to the limits of what I could accommodate.
Owen deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around me as he thrusted har
der and more vigorously. His breathing grew heavy, and his tanned skin glistened with sweat from the effort. I dug my nails into his back, moaning and arching my back as I grasped at him. I felt myself getting close to release as I pressed my cheek against his, panting and moaning in his ear.
He seemed to be able to read me and know precisely what to do to heighten my pleasure. He lifted me up so that I was in his lap, then began to thrust even harder and with even more fervor. My moans were uncontrollable as his powerful thrusts slammed into me. I couldn't remember even having felt so full before, having felt so turned on as I was at this moment.
He kissed me hard, tugging at my bottom lip as he maintained the intense rhythm. I could no longer hold back, and I came hard, my muscles tightening around him as my thighs trembled. I felt the pulsing of his cock as he released inside me, groaning into my hair, mumbling my name as he came.
We both rode the waves of pleasure together, holding on tight until they passed. Afterward, he lay on top of me for a few moments, breathing heavily. The feel of his hard, damp, muscular body against mine was amazing. Gently, he laid me down on the bed and slid his condom off, discarding it in the wastebasket before cuddling up behind me. He kissed my cheek and wrapped his arms around me. I turned so I could look up to him.
“This isn’t part of the job, right?” I asked with a mischievous grin.
He smiled and kissed my lips again. “Not unless you want it to be.”
I smiled up at him, not sure what to say. I did enjoy it, but was this really going to be a good idea with us going on tour for three to four months? He seemed to read my unease and smiled.
“You don’t have to say anything. We can see how things go. We have a lot going on with the tour; I know that more than anyone. Still, I won’t lie. It’s going to be difficult not to want to drag you into a room alone. You’re pretty amazing. This was pretty amazing,” he said, gently brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.