“But look at how excited you are!”
“I’m excited because I finally get to sing my own songs,” she said coldly. “We could have gotten here years ago if you’d just listened to me.”
His eyes softened, and she realized for the first time that he really was sorry. Sometimes she forgot that in addition to being the man who protected her, he was also a ruthless businessman. Still, she wasn’t ready to forget their conversation so easily. “Let’s just see how the next few days go.”
“I want to run through the full track today and give you my thoughts. I trust that you and Kade will be able to be civil for the next few weeks as we record the demos?”
“I plan on being sweet as sugar, but I can’t guarantee how Kade will react,” she said with a sly smile. Peter gave her a startled look, and his frown deepened as his eyes swept over her outfit. She didn’t date much. Between recording albums and her tours, she never had much downtown, and she never had any interest in spending time with a stranger during her precious alone time. Whereas Peter spent an obscene amount of money covering up scandals with his other artists, she was always on her best behavior.
Now it was time to test her wild side.
“Mr. Homes, Kade Hardy is here,” a woman’s voice announced through the intercom.
“Send him in.”
Addilyn stood, and a minute later, the door unlocked, and Kade strode in. Her heart skipped a beat as she took in the tight black t-shirt and sexy pair of jeans. It was almost unfair. She’d meant to take his breath away, and here she was, struggling not to run into his arms and wrap her legs around his waist.
His eyes swept over her, and she recognized the registered surprise. His eyes darkened with lust, and she gave him a slow smile.
The next few weeks were going to be fun.
“Kade,” Peter said gruffly. “I hope you enjoyed your time off because we’ve got a lot of work to do. As I just explained to Addilyn, I want to hear the full track today, issues and all. We’ll talk out the problems before I go, and then I want you both hard at work on a flawless demo with the guitar. I want to be able to start recording with the rest of the band next month, so I need you to focus.”
Kade cleared his throat. “Shouldn’t be a problem.” He met Addilyn’s gaze, and she read the warning in them.
“Great. I’ve got a conference call in fifteen minutes, so I want you two to practice. I’ll be back in, say an hour? Then we’ll go through everything.” Peter checked his phone and muttered under his breath as he left the recording studio. Alone, with Kade, she sat in the chair and crossed her legs. Her dress rode just a little higher up her thigh, and he opened stared. Picking up the guitar, she settled it on her lap and smiled.
“How was the rest of your vacation? Restful?” The unspoken questions circled her mind. Did you think about me? Did you wish I’d stayed? Did you have someone else over?
He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her. “I spent most of it thinking about your album. I think you’ll find these lyrics for the third stanza of Homegrown might work a little better.”
As she took the paper, she deliberately let her fingers slid over his hand. A jolt of electricity sizzled at the contact, and he inhaled sharply. Unfolding the paper, she glanced over it and hummed the bars out loud as she sang the words in her head. It was cleaner. Crisper. Taking out her own notes, she crossed out the original lyrics and wrote them in. “You are a genius,” she muttered.
“How did your interview go over with Peter?”
After Peter had threatened to withhold credit on the songs she’d co-written, she casually mentioned on television in front of millions how Kade had just helped a little with the songs. He’d hit the roof, but it was nothing to how Peter had reacted. “He’s agreed to put my name on as a co-writer for Sweet Desire and the Art of Love.”
“That’s good,” he said. His voice thickened just a bit, and she watched as his gaze slid down her body. “You’re thinking of going for a more sultry image? It’s certainly working.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” she said huskily. “Aren’t you going to ask me how the rest of my vacation went?”
“I think maybe we should just focus on the work.”
Standing up, she took a few steps towards him. She saw the hesitation in his eyes, but he didn’t back away. “Addilyn,” he warned. “We need to practice.”
“We are. I just need to get my guitar.” With an innocent look, she brushed past him, casually running her fingers over his arm. It was almost freeing to be this bold, and she reveled in every second of it.
To keep him on his toes, she was on her best behavior as the ran through the songs, but when Peter returned, the sexual tension hung thick and heavy around them. Her whole body pulsed with desire, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her.
Peter handed her a bottle of water. “All right. Let’s do this.”
Chugging it down, she handed the guitar to Kade, and they headed to the recording booth. Out in the hall, he grabbed her arms and pulled her hard up against him. “What do you think you’re doing, Addilyn?” he whispered. His lips were only inches from hers, and she closed her eyes as his heat surrounded her. “You’re playing with fire.”
“You want me,” she murmured. “Why are you holding back?”
“We are working.” Even as he spoke, his hands slid down her dress, and for a moment, she thought he was going to lift the hem right there.
“And when you aren’t working? Tonight? Are you going to go home alone?” Ever nerve in her body screamed for him to kiss her, but he still just teased her.
“I won’t be alone tonight. My daughter is home, and Christopher is coming over. Tomorrow night he’s got some musicians coming over, and he wants to purchase some music for them.”
She reached up and stroked his cheek. “Tomorrow night? That sounds like a party. I like parties.”
“You need to go home alone and lock your door.”
“Are you sure? I’ve got a particularly fun dress that I’ve been waiting for just the right occasion to wear it to.”
Suddenly, he released her and stepped back. Without another word, he opened the door to the studio and stepped in. She needed a few seconds to compose herself. Drinking the rest of the water, she tossed in the recycling bin and followed him in.
It was a grueling session, but having Kade next to her made it all worth it. She could barely take his eyes off him, and whenever she got a particularly sexy line, heat rose to her cheeks.
When it was over, she took off her headphones and stepped away from the microphone. Kade put his guitar away and hit the mute button in the studio. “I’m renting an apartment in the city,” he said quietly. “Come over at eleven-thirty tomorrow night. I’ll text you the details.”
A thrill of excitement raced up her spine, but he was already walking away from her. She thought about his kiss and touched her lips. Tomorrow night, would she finally be able to get her fill of Kade Hardy?
“It’s good,” Peter said quietly when they joined him back in the studio. “I’ll make some notes tonight and send them to you tomorrow. Addilyn, can’t I have a minute?”
Nodding, she grabbed another bottle of water from her purse. It had warmed slightly, and it was easier on her vocal cords as she chugged it down. Tonight’s she’d make some tea and try to relax.
When Kade closed the door behind them, he whirled around with fire in his eyes. “What in God’s name are you thinking?” he hissed.
Blinking, she stared at him. “I thought you just said you like the music.”
“This isn’t about the music! This is about you screwing around with Kade Hardy!”
Inhaling sharply, she drew herself up to her full height. “Excuse me?” she asked in a low voice. From the very beginning of her relationship with Peter, she’d always made it very clear. As long as she stayed away from drugs and excessive drinking, her personal life was hers.
“Don’t think that you can hide it from me. I saw the way you two
were looking at each other. Have you been fucking him from the very beginning? Do you have any idea what would happen if the press got wind of this? He doesn’t sleep with singers because he likes them! He does it so that his name is attached to theirs in the press! He does it for the publicity!”
“I highly doubt he does it for more than companionship. It’s not his fault the press gets ahold of every little tidbit. Besides, he can’t be that bad. He has a daughter, and maybe I’m not looking for a love match,” she shouted. “Did you ever think of that? Peter, I’m going to be thirty years old this year, and I feel like I’ve lost all control of my life! Maybe I don’t care if Kade is using me because maybe I want to use him. Maybe I want to have a little fun.”
“For the love of God,” Peter shook his head. “And you think now is a good time for your little rebellion! You’re an adult, Addilyn. Surely you can see that all eyes are on you right now. If there was ever a time for you to stay away from scandal, it’s now.”
She shook her head. “Why don’t you focus on managing my music, and I’ll go back to managing my life. Obviously, this is a conversation that we should have had years ago.”
Livid, she shouldered her back and marched from the room. Peter was still calling her name, but she had no intentions of going back and apologizing. For the first time in her life, she finally felt like she was gaining some control, and she wasn’t about to let anyone take it from her.
Chapter 8
The next morning, she met her friend Phoebe for brunch. The tall and leggy raven-haired beauty towered over as she reached down to give her a hug. “I was starving, so I went ahead and ordered. You’ve lost weight. Tell me everything,” she demanded.
Addilyn laughed and sat down at the expensive cafe. They had a table overlooking the river, and the early afternoon sun glittered on the surface. Phoebe was the type of woman who always tested the boundaries, and today she wore a classy pink dress that fit her slim body with cute little cap sleeves, but it had a slit in the skirt that dared to go just a little too high. Addilyn was envious of her friend’s freedom. She’d never let someone tell her who she could and couldn’t see.
“I’ve just been a little stressed over the new album, and I feel like I’ve been working non-stop on it. I may have forgotten to eat a few meals.”
“You’re lying to me,” Phoebe demanded with narrow eyes. “You never lie to me. What is going on?”
Glancing around to make sure that there were no reporters or photographers hiding at any of the nearby tables. “I’ve been working with Kade Hardy,” she admitted.
“Hmm,” Phoebe mused. “I think I heard a rumor about that. It doesn’t explain your weight loss unless you’ve been spending meal time snacking on him.”
Addilyn sighed. “Gia says he has a reputation for sleeping with female artists, and the chemistry between us is so hot that I’m pretty sure one of us is going to combust, but other than one mind-blowing kiss, he’s kept me at arm’s length.”
The waiter returned with a couple of mimosas. Phoebe sipped hers and stared at Addilyn over the top. “Do you want to have a dirty affair with Kade?”
“Did you have to call it dirty?”
“I’ve seen pictures of that man. I doubt he does anything that isn’t dirty. He’s also not the kind of man that you have a relationship with. You do understand that, right?”
Addilyn wrinkled her nose. “I’m not secretly hoping that he’ll fall in love with me if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Really?” her friend raised an eyebrow. “Addilyn, you don’t have affairs. You barely date. In fact, I don’t think we’ve ever had a conversation about you and a man before unless it’s me telling you to get laid. Forgive me I’m concerned about this new interest of yours. I mean, I think you need a little action. It would do you good. I’m just not so sure you should have it with Kade Hardy. That man could be a little too hot to handle.”
“Well, hopefully, you’re going to get your wish. Peter hit the roof when he found out. He thinks I’m already sleeping with him. He practically forbid it.”
Phoebe sat the champagne glass down and frowned. “Is this just about a little rebellion? I’d be happy to set you up with someone who isn’t going to cause some much public attention.”
Addilyn wrinkled her nose. “It’s not that. Phoebe, I need to do something for me, and this is it. I don’t follow through on impulses. My life is disciplined and bland, and that’s insane because I travel the world. I don’t want to sleep with Kade to rebel. I want to do it because I’ve never wanted a man the way that I want him.”
“Are you prepared for the fallout?”
“There isn’t going to be one because this isn’t about a relationship. This is just about a few months of nothing but fun and pleasure. Plus I’m dying to see him lose a little bit of control.”
“And if he’s not as honorable?”
“Honorable?” Addilyn laughed. “Are you listening? I’m not looking for a wedding ring.”
“But you clearly want to keep this quiet. What if he doesn’t? What if he wants to use the publicity and scandal of an affair to get more attention?”
She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The thought had occurred to her, but it wasn’t something that she wanted to entertain. “If he wanted to use me like that, he would have seduced me. Instead, I feel like I’m seducing him, and I rather like it. Besides, he’s a family man. Did your tabloids tell you that?”
“Family man? I hardly think so.” She laughed like it was the most unbelievable thing she’d ever heard.
“Well, apparently he managed to keep many things discreet despite the press. It’s true. He has an eleven-year-old daughter.”
“Lord, I had no idea. ” Phoebe fanned herself. “ Just promise me that you’ll be careful and that you’ll bail the minute it looks like things might get complicated. Especially where there’s a kid involved. I bet he keeps her on the down low, so she doesn’t ruin his chances. Now I know why it never works out. What if he’s looking for a mommy? Maybe we’re all wrong about him.” She sipped her drink and gave a wink over the rim of her glass.
“I doubt that.” She tried to push aside those thoughts and focused on her seducing him. It was a much more appealing thought. She couldn’t imagine herself as a mother to an eleven-year-old.
The waiter returned with their food and sat the plates down. Addilyn stared at the two heaping plates of pancakes. “You really are hungry, huh?”
“You need to gain some weight back, and I am just here to support you,” Phoebe winked and dug in. Feeling better than she had in days, Addilyn did just the same.
They spent some time shopping. Phoebe insisted that Addilyn needed some sexy flannel shirts and a pair of short jean shorts, but Addilyn ignored her. She did indulge in a few sexy shirts and a pair of tight jeans. Her friend teases her about whether she was shopping for herself or the man she wanted in her bed, and Addilyn had to admit that she did like the way Kade had looked at her yesterday.
That afternoon, as she was lugging the bags to her condo, her phone rang. Recognizing her mother’s ringtone, she groaned and dropped the bags as she dug in her purse for her phone.
“Hello?” she asked hastily as she bent down to gather her things. Her keys fell.
“Hi Addilyn, it’s your mother!”
“I know, Mom. We’ve talked about this before. You live in a world of caller ID.” She loved her mother, but the woman just couldn’t catch on to technology.
“What is all that racket?”
Groaning, she dug through the bags. “Nothing. I dropped my keys. Aha!” Triumphant, she snagged them out of the bag and opened her door. Nudging the bags in with her feet, she closed the door and sighed.
“Sweetheart, you should not be dropping your keys. You live in a dangerous city, and you could use your keys to defend yourself. You can hold them between your knuckles and use them to poke someone in the eye if they attack you.”
Addilyn decided not to mention that
her mace and high-pitched panic alarm would probably work better. “I’ll try to remember that, Mom. How was bingo night? Did you win anything?”
“Your father won a gift certificate to Cheddars. I think he’s going to take me this weekend.”
Shaking, her head, Addilyn couldn’t help but smile. She’d paid off her parents loans and paid for a standing reservation at the nicest retirement center in the state of Illinois, but her parents didn’t want to move. She had no idea what they did with the money that she sent them every month, but she suspected that they simply put it into a saving’s account. No matter how successful she grew, her parents never changed, and that always helped ground her.
Part of the reason that she’d so fiercely protected her image after she’d reached stardom was that she hadn’t wanted to disappoint her family. They were middle-class, but they worked hard for their money. They paid for her singing classes, and they paid for her college. Addilyn would never be where she was today without her parents, and she wanted to honor them for that.
“That sounds great. You should totally have some cheese fries and think of me.”
“Lottie showed me some pictures today and said that you were seeing someone. Is that true?”
Lottie was her parent’s nosey next-door neighbor, and she loved to gossip. Normally, Addilyn would just brush it off, but Lottie’s gossip was always rooted in some kind of truth. “Pictures?’ Addilyn echoed as she put her mother on speakerphone. Googling her name, she groaned when she saw the most recent pictures. Someone had caught her outside of Kade’s home last week. The night of the kiss.
“Oh, that?” Addilyn tried to laugh it off. “Mom, that’s Kade. I’ve been working with him for the past several months on my new album. He’s a songwriter.”
“He’s very handsome, Addilyn. I get worried about you, sweetheart. I know that you love your music, but I also want you to enjoy your life.”
“I’m fine, Mom. Really. Kade and I are just friends, and I promise that when the right man comes along, it’ll all work out. Now, whenever Lottie starts talking about me, I want you to tune it out. I warned you before that the media can jump to conclusions and be judgmental.”
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