Crash and Burn (Love You Like A Love Song #1)

by Michele Callahan

  “She’s older. Trust me. She watches his back.” Derek’s gaze settled on the waitress that Erin had slipped money to…and lingered. “Takes care of his problems. Cleans up after him. I see the signs.”

  “You would know.” Derek was the oldest, and he’d bailed every single one of his brothers out of trouble more than once. Hell, he’d even gone to jail for six months to protect Mitchell. Chance sipped his lemon water and leaned forward to watch Eva sing. She looked everywhere but at him, which meant she knew he was there. “This is stupid. I’m obsessed.”

  “Yep.”

  “Shut up, man.”

  “Look. The girl is not your type. Look at her, Chance. Really look at her.”

  Oh, he was looking, and he had to adjust the boys below to keep things comfortable. “I’m looking.”

  Derek leaned back and sighed. “Dude, look with more than your dick. That girl will leave you behind, she’ll wreck you. You can’t handle that.” Derek lifted his whiskey toward the bar and outlined her curves with his glass as he continued. “She’s too ambitious for you.”

  “I like ambitious.”

  “No you don’t.”

  That one hurt. “What the hell are you talking about? I want a woman who knows what she wants. Confidence is sexy. You’re a shit if you think I don’t know that.”

  “Bullshit, Chance. You want a fucking housewife, a traditional woman. You want a wife who will support you in your career, not drag you all over the world to follow hers. You told me years ago that you want a half-dozen kids. Those kids are going to need a mother. Not that.” Derek tilted his head toward the stage to indicate exactly who he was talking about. “That is not a mother. That is not a proper, socially acceptable wife for a future partner in a law firm.”

  Derek slammed his shot and set it gently down on the counter. “That girl is trouble, Chance. She’s talented. She’s ambitious and she’ll never quit. She’ll get a record deal, move to New York or California or fucking London, and never look back.” His brother’s hand came down to rest on his shoulder. “Not for anything.” He squeezed. “And especially not for a little cock.”

  “You’re a dick.”

  “I tell the truth, and you know it. But hey, if you just want to have some fun for a couple weeks, go for it. Just remember that it won’t be more than that. Not for her.” Derek pointed across the bar to two men who were watching the set. “You see those guys?”

  “The jerks in the sunglasses?” The two men looked about his age, but they stood out like sore thumbs in sunglasses and suits. And they were both watching Erin like they had a vested interest in her. Chance knew that look. They wanted her, too.

  “That’s Axel Thomas and Wesley Shipton.”

  “Who?”

  Derek’s chin dropped to his chest and he sighed in disgust. “Jesus, you are so far out of your league with her, it’s scary. Don’t you read?”

  “Every day, for fucking hours.” Legal briefs, depositions, and an occasional article about his favorite sports teams. “Come on, Derek. Stop playing games with me and just tell me who they are.”

  “I built a bike for Axel Thomas last year. He’s the taller one, blue suit, dark hair. The blond is his best friend, Wesley Shipton. Axel ordered a bike to celebrate their record label’s first Grammy. Those two boys have one of the hottest new independent record labels out of L.A. And, the way they’re watching your girl, I’d say she’s going to be wearing a bikini on the Cali beach sooner rather than later.”

  Shit. Derek was right. The two men had their eyes glued to the stage, just like everyone else in the damn place. Eva James’s voice had a haunting quality that he just couldn’t shake. Apparently, they thought so, too.

  Chance looked down at his clothes. Some days he really wanted to hate his brother. But as he looked from Eva James’s electric-blue hair, sexy see-through top and the four-inch heels on her white, knee-high boots, to his own button-down shirt, black pants and black leather shoes…he looked like a fifty-year-old lawyer, not a twenty-seven-year-old single man that a siren like her would waste time with.

  Still, there was that blazing, hot-as-hell kiss.

  Screw Derek and those sunglass-wearing jerks from California. He didn’t care. He wanted her, whether it was for a week or a month. And he intended to have her, no matter how hot she made him burn, or how much it would hurt to let her go. He was done playing it safe, especially when it came to her.

  Derek left him alone at the bar half an hour later, claiming he had to get up early for work. Whatever. Chance nursed his ice water and a bad attitude while Erin and the band finished their set.

  He sat, and he watched the two men Derek had pointed out to him approach the band as soon as they had finished playing. AJ pushed to the front of the conversation and grabbed a business card from Axel Thomas’s outstretched hand. AJ’s chest was puffed out and he had a sloppy grin on his sweat-soaked face. Erin, however, made Chance grin. She took the card offered her, smiled politely, and looked mildly disinterested in the entire conversation.

  “Thata girl, make ’em sweat.” Chance wanted to pump his fist into the air and sweep her up in a hug, but kept his seat and waited. His patience was rewarded when the two men ambled off and she looked from the business card in her hand to him. He lifted his glass in salute and she walked toward him.

  He froze for a heartbeat before the manners his mother had beat into all of her boys took over and he stood to greet her.

  “Hi.”

  “Hi.” She stared up at him as he tried not to get lost in her electric-blue eyes. And failed. What was going on with her? The last time he’d seen her, she’d had long blonde hair halfway down her back and amber eyes that glowed like a jungle cat’s. Today she had on a powder-blue wig, the straight hair just brushed the tops of her shoulders. Her eyes were lined with bright purple and black stripes and the blue of her irises was closer to neon than sky blue, and definitely the result of contact lenses.

  “What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting later.” She tilted her head to the side as if he were a puzzle she was trying to solve and flicked the business card in her fingers back and forth with a loud clicking noise. He wanted to take it from her and lift her hands up around his neck…

  He cleared his throat. “I didn’t want to wait.”

  That brilliant statement earned him raised eyebrows and a shy smile as the real Erin peeked out from behind the costume. “Oh.”

  He pointed to the card. “Congratulations. Those two are big news these days?”

  “Who?”

  “Wes Shipton and Axel Thomas. I’ll bet you guys are excited. Did they come all the way from California just to catch your show?” Shock rounded her eyes and he was grateful, not for the first time, for his memory. He rarely forgot details if they were important. And this felt important. He’d have to thank Derek later for cueing him in on those two. And he’d research their label, find out what kind of reputation they had, if they had any pending legal actions…

  “You know about Shipton Records?”

  “I hear they’re one of the hottest independent labels right now.”

  “Wow.” She smiled straight at him, a real smile, and it sucker-punched him. All he could think about was kissing her again. “Guess I underestimated your interest in the music business.”

  “I’m interested in you.” He stepped forward and crowded her, waited to see if she would retreat. When she stood her ground, her lips inches from his own, he lifted his hands to her hips and held still, even though it was torture when he really wanted to pull her into full body contact. “I need to kiss you again.”

  “Okay. But it’s been so long, I’m not sure you’ll remember how.”

  “I remember that you smell like wildflowers…” he trailed kisses over her cheekbone, “… and taste like candy.” He nibbled his way to her ear and pressed his lips to the outer edge. “And that I never wanted to stop.”

  “Me either.” Her breathless confession shot a bolt of lightning throug
h his system. She wanted him just as badly as he wanted her.

  “Didn’t get enough last time?”

  “Not even close.”

  He kissed his way to the corner of her mouth and brushed her lips with his. Their breaths mingled and she stared into his eyes with both a challenge and a dare in her own. That was one dare he intended to take.

  The noise of the bar faded to the background until nothing existed in the room but her. The soft curves of her hot-pink lips, the faint wildflower scent of her skin and the crazy-blue brightness of her eyes.

  He nibbled at her bottom lip, pulled the soft flesh into his mouth and held it there with his teeth as he explored the plump fullness with the tip of his tongue.

  And every second, he watched her. He knew the moment she swayed toward him in surrender. He heard the quiet stillness of her as she held her breath and waited for his touch. He wanted to grin in satisfaction when her eyelids drifted closed and she surrendered to the moment. To him.

  Then her hands lifted to his chest and he gave in to temptation. He closed his eyes and plundered her mouth the way he’d dreamt about almost every single minute since he’d seen her last, giving her no room to run and no safe place to retreat.

  She moaned into his mouth and he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close until she came to rest against his throbbing cock. He’d never wanted any woman like he wanted her.

  “Jesus Christ, E. Get a room.” AJ’s snide comment intruded and he wanted to punch the mouthy kid. Her bastard of a brother didn’t bother Chance, but Erin flinched in his arms like she felt embarrassed or guilty about kissing him. And that pissed him off.

  He pulled back gently and ran his thumb across her cheek before softly settling her in the crook of his arm. He turned his body to block her brother’s view of her face. Her lips were puffy, her cheeks were blushed a beautiful pink and her eyes were glazed with desire. She was too vulnerable right now for AJ to see her. He wouldn’t allow it.

  “You better back off, AJ. Leave her alone. You’ve done enough damage for one night.”

  “Get the fuck off my sister, man.”

  “She’s staying right here, with me, and you’re going to go take care of your gear.”

  “No. Let her go.”

  “I’m fine, Chance. Just let me go. It’s not worth the fight.” She tugged at him to get away, but Chance was having none of that. He knew how this game was played. The little prick would make her feel guilty and ashamed, then use her again. Take advantage of her over and over. Use her love against her like a weapon. He’d seen it before, dozens of fucking times.

  “You’re so wrong.” Chance tightened his hold and turned to look down at her. She was worth whatever he had to do to keep her with him, and keep her happy. The instinctive need to protect her burned through him like a welder’s torch that cut him to pieces on the inside. “Let me take care of this for you. You don’t have to do everything, you know.”

  She shook her head in denial, but he saw the truth in her eyes. She knew the score, and she was used to being in charge. AJ was a leech, and had been for too damn long.

  Anger boiled up through his gut like venom and he didn’t try to hide it from her. Not in his gaze, his frown, or the stiff and unyielding set of his shoulders. “I got you. Okay? Let me take care of you tonight. It won’t kill you. Please.”

  “Fine. But only because you said please.” She rewarded him with a watery smile and a nod, but it was the small hand that slid into his that sealed the deal. She needed someone to give a shit about what was going on with her, and her mangy little brother wasn’t even close to measuring up to the job.

  Chance returned his gaze to AJ. “I’m driving her home.”

  “But…” AJ started to protest but Chance didn’t give him the opportunity to complete whatever idiotic thought was going through his mind.

  “Get out of here before I punch you, kid.”

  “I’m not a kid.”

  “Well, you sure as hell aren’t a man. No real man would pull the bullshit you pulled with that waitress before the show.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” AJ blanched and Chance stepped forward.

  “The whole damn bar knows, AJ.” Chance allowed his voice to become quiet but knew the look in his eyes was anything but soft. “If you’re going to pay a girl to get you off, at least have the balls to use your own fucking money.” AJ took a step back and Chance pressed his advantage. “Now get the hell out of here. I’m driving your sister home.”

  Chapter Eight

  “E?” AJ leaned around him to check on his sister. So, the kid might be salvageable. He just needed an older brother like Derek to kick his ass back into line. Since AJ didn’t have an older brother, Chance would do the job.

  “Go, AJ.” She peeked out from behind his shoulder and told her brother to take off. The satisfaction he felt at her choice hit him over the head like a club. The feeling was primitive, protective, and possessive. All three words embodied emotions he tended to avoid at all costs. But with her, he reveled in the feeling. He must have completely lost his mind.

  “Whatever. I’ll see you at home.” AJ scowled at him and slinked off like the rat he’d acted tonight.

  When he was sure AJ wasn’t going to come back for more, he turned to the woman in his arms and wrapped her up in a hug. “You okay?”

  “Yes.” Her arms came around his waist and he wanted to lock them in place.

  “Good. You shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

  “How did you know?”

  Chance tilted his head, annoyed that she was still trying to cover for AJ. “He’s not exactly discreet. He needs to get his shit together. He’s your brother. He should protect you, not hurt you.”

  She pressed her forehead to his chest and shook her head. Great. He’d caused a scene and now she was upset. Open mouth, insert foot. Way to go, genius. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I know it’s not my place…” But he wanted it to be…with a vehemence that shocked him. “But you’re too easy on him.”

  Her body shuddered and she stepped back. “No. You’re right. I know you’re right.” She looked up at him and bit her bottom lip for a minute as she watched the other band members work to pack up their gear. “But things are complicated.”

  “You can tell me on the way. Let’s go. I’ll take you home.” Her hand still rested in his and she didn’t pull away, but let him lead her out of the bar to his car. He opened the door for her and hurried around to the other side. The scent of her perfume once again teased his senses as he slid into the driver’s seat and got the car started. “Where to? Straight home? Or do you want to go get a drink?”

  He turned toward her slowly, allowing himself the pleasure of starting at her ankles and tracing every curve of her leg, the soft, exposed skin of her thigh, the curve of her hip, her waist. He didn’t linger on her breasts, but he would take his sweet time once she let him kiss her there. Hell, he planned to linger…everywhere.

  “I don’t drink.”

  “Ever?”

  “Not anymore.”

  The tired sigh behind the words sent up warning signals, but he wouldn’t push. Not tonight. She looked ready to collapse in the seat next to him.

  “How long has it been since you slept?”

  She chuckled. “Do I look that bad?”

  “You look tired, Erin.”

  “I got another job.”

  Oh, hell no. “Doing what? Where?”

  “Waiting tables. It’s no big deal, just long hours.”

  Chance ground his teeth and kept his mouth shut. He wanted to tell her to quit that fucking job, that he’d take care of her, financially and in every other way. But that was more than he could commit to right now. He’d known her for a little over a week. He didn’t have the right to order her around. But damn if he didn’t want to tell her to drop everything and move in with him. He’d take care of things, and she could focus on her music.

  Which was irration
al and stupid, after a week.

  “Did you eat anything for dinner?”

  “I’m fine.”

  And that was a no. The woman needed a keeper.

  He picked up his phone and called the bar they’d just left to place a to-go order. They told him it would be ready in ten minutes and he disconnected the phone to stare at her.

  “Really, I’m fine.” She protested, but her cheeks pinkened and there was a hint of laugher in her voice. She faced him and he took the opportunity to study her features. Her eyes were unique, and even though she wore the colored contacts, he saw flashes of intelligence and drive. He studied the fine arch of her brow and the smooth curve of her cheek. He glanced at her mouth, but abandoned that almost immediately. Too distracting. All he could think about was kissing her again.

  “Thanks, Chance.” Her guarded look turned soft and that was all the encouragement he needed. He couldn’t help himself. He leaned over, lifted his hand to her chin and traced her full lower lip with the pad of his thumb.

  Still as a deer in headlights, she froze beneath his touch, but her pulse pounded at the base of her neck and she shuddered.

  Hell, yeah. She wanted him, too.

  She opened her mouth and rolled her tongue over the edge of his thumb, tasting him. Her eyes drifted closed and a small sound escaped from the back of her throat. He doubted she was even aware of making it.

  Claiming her mouth once more, he gave himself completely to the sensation of her soft mouth and the strength in her arms as she tugged and pulled at him, trying to get closer.

  Stick shift and emergency brake be damned. There was no room to pull her onto his lap in this car.

  But he did it anyway, and she came willingly.

  She turned into him, chest to chest, and held him with a fierceness that made him feel like she never wanted to let go. His left arm held her back off the steering wheel, but his right…oh, fuck, yeah. His right was free to explore, and that skirt was so very short.