“I didn’t,’’ he retorted with a glance over his shoulder.
“You did, Beck, and I can’t blame ya.’’
Behind me I heard someone standing. At first, I thought Maxen was going back in the battle, but it was Harley who stood next to me with a fierce expression on her face. “Dad, don’t do this. I know you like working with these guys. No, actually you like them. I know…’’
“Don’t, Harley.’’
She crossed her small arms and turned toward me, Otis and Beckett. “He’s afraid because he lost a close friend to drugs fifteen years ago. And he was the band’s manager.’’
“Harley!’’
“They need to understand, Dad. And you need to have a little faith in them. They’re not like your average band.’’
Floyd stood up and went to look out the window of his office. His back was to us and it was difficult to know what was going on in his mind. I looked at Harley and hesitantly brought a hand to her small back. She tensed some more before she turned her head toward me, tilting her chin up to look at my face. Her cheeks turned pink and I had the urge to brush the pad of my thumb on them and feel her delicate skin.
“Make me take a drug test every month. Let’s write a contract binding me to it,’’ Maxen blurted, startling us all. We turned around at once.
“You’d do that?’’ Floyd asked, apparently surprised.
“Without a second thought. The band is more important than that shit.’’ He looked down at his shaky hands covering his thighs.
Floyd rubbed at his face and sighed. “Okay.’’ He nodded and sat back at his desk. “I’ll write down a contract because I don’t want this to get out. I’ll meet with the bosses here and our PR team to draw a statement regarding the summer tour. We won’t be able to deflect all rumors for long, but that’s not important.’’ He pointed at Maxen, eyes hard. “If you fuck up and don’t get back on the right path, I’m out and I don’t think Kinky Shine will be able to support your addiction for long. Believe me on this. The ball is in your court so don’t mess up.’’
“I won’t.’’
Floyd nodded again and opened his laptop. “Dex, Otis, Beckett you should go. I need a word with Maxen. And we need to find a rehab center as soon as possible.’’
I put my right hand in my jean pocket and grabbed the leaflet I had printed earlier. I extended it to Floyd who took it right away. “Maxen and I did some research and I placed a few phone calls. Apparently this is the best out there. They can take Maxen when he’s ready.’’
Floyd nodded and without a word we all left Maxen and Floyd after a last fist bump with our drummer.
In the hall, we all relaxed. A huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Maxen wasn’t in rehab yet and he wasn’t out of the woods, but he was on the right path. We did what we should have and that was the most important. Even though the band was one of our priorities, even if we sometimes lost ourselves to the bullshit coming with the job, it was good to see that we hadn’t lost what was most important; our friendships.
“Is your father going to talk his ears off regarding the use of drugs?’’ Beckett asked Harley with an amused smile on his face. It was always fun to us how sometimes Floyd went beyond his manager role into some kind of paternal figure.
“I’m sure. He has never forgiven himself when his friend overdosed. He…’’ She looked back at the closed door leading to her father’s office. She looked sad. “He can be tough and all, but when he works with a band, it’s because he loves the people, not just the music.’’ She gave Otis and Beckett a small smile and avoided me whatsoever. “It’s good how you all stick together.’’ She adjusted her purse and toyed with the hem of her small top, flashing a bit of her midriff. My eyes landed on that small patch of skin and all I wanted was to explore it. Fuck. I rubbed my eyes. “I don’t know if I’m going to be in LA for much longer now that Maxen is about to go to rehab so, if I don’t see him before I leave, tell him I have no doubt he’s going to get better.’’
“You’re leaving?’’ I blurted out, my eyes snapping from her bare midriff to fix on her face.
She stared at me from under her eyelashes, shyly. She flushed and then drifted her eyes over my shoulder. “There won’t be much of anything for me to shadow this summer. You’ll be working on the album and I suppose that,’’ she waved at Otis and Beckett, ‘’you guys will be joining at one point.’’
I didn’t know what to say. I looked at Otis and Beckett and they both looked from me to Harley, apparently unsure of where we were standing.
“When do you leave?’’ Otis asked.
“Hm, I don’t know yet. Not for a few days, that’s for sure.’’ She looked down at her phone when it beeped and she rolled her eyes before typing a quick reply. “I’m not leaving before saying goodbye. You’ve been a good sport with me.’’ She pocketed her phone. “I need to go. I have to write some articles and a review of the first album of a rising indie-rock band.’’
“Wait.’’ I grab a hold of her wrist to make sure she doesn’t skip away. When her big green eyes land on me, I lost my train of thoughts. Her skin was soft and perfect under my fingers and her vanilla perfume hit my nostrils, making me dizzy. Otis and Beckett said their hasty goodbyes and walked away. Funny considering how much of a gossip Otis could be. Beckett was probably towing him away.
“What do you want, Dex?’’ Her voice is low, barely above a whisper, but it went straight to my cock.
“I feel like I should apologize.’’
“Is it the guys who told you to?’’ She tugs on her arm, but I didn’t release her. She narrowed her eyes on me. “Let me go.’’
“I fucking can’t. Don’t you see it?’’ I towered over her and let my eyes wander to her cleavage. I licked my lips. When I was around her I forgot how sex was an issue with me. She made me feel normal, functioning.
“What?’’
“I felt betrayed, but I get now why you didn’t tell me earlier about Maxen. But even when I’m pissed at you I still want you. I can’t resist you, Harley.’’ I cupped her face with my other hand. “Tell me I didn’t completely fuck it up.’’
HARLEY
With his hand on my cheek and his other one on my wrist where I knew my pulse was beating at a fast pace, I couldn’t escape him and his intense eyes boring into mine. It was so hard to keep looking at him after how he hurt me and disappointed me, but something prevailed still; attraction.
I swallowed thickly, hating myself for feeling so drawn to him. My breasts were sensitive in my bra because all I wanted was to feel his big hands on them. My panties were slick and I had to battle myself against fidgeting to try and relieve some of the need I felt for his touch. It was embarrassing.
And I hated myself a little for feeling this way when he treated me so poorly. But at the same time, we’re not in a real relationship. We’re only using each other, exploring that lust running rampant between us. That was all.
During my inner debate, Dex’s face became more clouded, as if he was preparing himself for my rejection. As if it was possible. I entertained the idea of pushing him away, but that didn’t mean it was possible for me to.
“I don’t like you very much right now, but…I—I can’t push you away.’’
His hand on my face went behind my head, his fingers getting lost in my hair until they cradled my face, securing me there. His other hand on my wrist traveled up my arm, raising goosebumps on my skin when his fingers skimmed my bare flesh. I shivered and closed my eyes.
“No.’’ He brought his other hand to my chin. He traced my lower lip with his thumb and I had to press my lips closed tighter to not taste his finger, his skin. “Don’t close your eyes. I love how vibrant they turn when you’re excited.’’
His smoky voice made me shiver again and I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was his mouth and his lips I had been crazy about since I met him. Even when he pissed me the hell off. Then, my eyes went to his and I lost track of time and forgot that we were
in the middle of the hall, right outside of my father’s office and where any and all employees could see us. It vanished when all I could see and feel was that unexplainable attraction to this man.
My breathing became more labored. I put my hands on his forearms, covering parts of his tattoos, making my fair skin look more white than usual. “We need to…hm…talk.’’
His smirk came back and it wasn’t the one I loathed. This one was the light and teasing one. It was very sexy and the dimple had me hotter than I already was when it made an appearance. “Talk made us fight. I think we should skip that part and go straight to kissing.’’
“Kissing, huh?’’ I had to bite on my lower lip to prevent me from laughing. His thumb was now tracing soothing patterns on my cheek.
He nodded slowly. “Come to my place with me.’’
“You shouldn’t let Maxen be on his own. What if—‘’
“What if nothing.’’ He sighed. “Maxen fucked up and…I know I shouldn’t trust him when it’s about his addiction, but…’’
“If he told you he won’t take coke anymore or any other drug, he was honest. But that was probably not at the time when he needed it. You can’t let him be alone.’’ I pulled away, forcing him to stop touching me.
He crossed his arms in that defensive stance I came to know perfectly and looked down at his black converse. “If I call Otis or Beckett to play babysitter, will you come home with me? Or is Maxen just an excuse to avoid being alone with me?’’
I glared at him and shook my head. Unbelievable. “What do you want me to do for you to realize how far gone I am? Would stripping down to my drenched panties right outside of my father’s office be enough for you?’’
He blinked at me for a few seconds and then he chuckled, scratching his jaw as his cheeks colored in light pink. “Fuck, you’re nuts.’’ He looked me up and down and then leaned closer to my ear, breathing me in before he spoke with his smoky voice, making me squirm and clench desperately. “I make you wet already? Harley, you’re going to beg me to take you.’’
“Will you? Take me, I mean.’’ I was breathless, but I didn’t care at this point. And one look at him and his heaving chest let me know he felt the same.
“If—‘’
“Not if, Dex.’’ I brought a hand to his face and ran my fingers over his short stubble. “We both know you can.’’
He nodded slowly, but behind the lust and desire etched on his face, I also saw fear and that made me want to kiss him, touch him even more. That there, showed me my lust for him ran deeper than skin deep and a part of me was scared of it. I was leaving in a matter of days.
“Let me call Beckett.’’ His voice was rough and it made my heart flutter. Or maybe it had more to do with what I knew was coming.
We were supposed to go slow, but since the concert at the Dragonfly I had been dreaming of having sex with Dex, of feeling him inside me, of coming with him. I couldn’t remember ever feeling so eager for sex before and yet I had always enjoyed it very much. But with Dex…It felt new and different in a way. Maybe it was because of how strange his sex life, or lack thereof, was. I didn’t know, but one thing was sure; Dex with his tattoos, his nice muscles and his wonderful hands and lips made me crave him.
He quickly talked to Beckett, coaxing him but the annoyed expression on his face made me think that Beckett wasn’t keen on babysitting today. My expression fell when disappointment and a bit of sexual frustration hit me.
“Listen to me, fucker. I want you to stay with Maxen today, tonight however long he needs because I’m trying to wiggle enough time to fuck Harley, okay?’’ he growled out, not caring if his voice traveled through the hall.
My face immediately flushed when I saw three men down the hall stopping and looking at us. Oh no. I covered my eyes with one hand and willed the ground to open and swallow me. Now.
Dex wrapped up his call quickly after that. Apparently, all the guys wanted him to get laid pretty bad if they agreed to anything as soon as Dex’s sex life was mentioned.
“Let’s go now. I texted Maxen to let him know that Beckett would be waiting for him in the parking lot.’’ Dex didn’t wait for my reply, he just grabbed my hand at my side and led me out. His strides were long and purposeful and the tension in his body was hard to miss.
“Eager much?’’
“Hey now, I haven’t been with a woman in a long time.’’
“It’s always nice to be reminded that you want me for my vagina,’’ I muttered right when we reached his car.
He stopped abruptly and I bumped into his back. Swiftly, he turned around and pushed me against his car. When my back hit the SUV he walked to me, crowding me until I had to tilt my head far back to see his face. The small muscle in his jaw jumped. His eyes blazed on me, going back and forth between my mouth and eyes.
“I could have any woman I want, Harley. Don’t think I’m going to fuck you because you’re just another pussy for me. I wouldn’t have been able to come in your perfect fucking mouth if it was only that.’’ He leaned into me until our noses almost touched. “I don’t know what it is, but it feels too fucking good not to explore more.’’
*
DEX
I watched Harley looking around the living room as if she was discovering it for the first time. But it looked the same, except now one of my acoustic guitars and my lyrics journal were on one section of the couch.
“You’ve been working a lot.’’
I shrugged and took a deep breath, willing myself to calm the fuck down. Knowing why we were here made me crazy. At this point and with the way her ass and hips were moving as she walked around and how I could see her nipples poking through her bra under her thin top, I could jump on her. Funny how usually I’d be trying to run in the other direction. Harley broke the mold. She made me want her and face that desire without many doubts.
“I’m inspired.’’ I smirked at her and gestured to the bar. “Want something to drink?’’
She shook her head quickly and bit on her lip, making my cock twitch. “You make me nervous.’’
I chuckled and toyed with the barbell in my eyebrow before I swaggered to her. Her green eyes darkened when I reached for her and put some strands of her hair behind her delicate ear where a small silver loop glinted. “You’ve got this all mixed up, Harley. I’m the nervous one here.’’
“You don’t look like you are.’’ She came closer to me and stopped when her breasts teased my chest. This woman would be the death of me. She smiled shyly at me, finishing me off. “And you shouldn’t be nervous. I’m…I’m nothing special.’’
I frowned down at her and cupped her face between my hands. She felt small, delicate, fragile and yet strong. She was also the sexiest woman with the most innocent smile. That was too fucking heady.
“If you weren’t special, I wouldn’t be able to be with you.’’ I pushed my hip into her and when she felt my hard cock against her stomach, her eyes widened and she gasped. “Yeah, you get me hard. All. The. Fucking. Time.’’
“Dex…’’ she sighed my name and the way it sounded coming from her delicious mouth…Fuck, that was a promise of sex in itself.
I leaned down and took her mouth with mine, slipping my tongue in to meet hers. I growled when her taste hit me, when her breasts pushed into my chest, when her arms wrapped around my waist, tugging on my t-shirt to put her hands directly on my back. And when her palms met my skin I pushed her toward the couch until she fell on it, breaking the kiss.
We were both breathing loud. My cock was pushing painfully against the zipper of my jeans and my hands, back at my sides, were shaking from the need to explore Harley’s body, but also from nerves.
I wasn’t afraid to be unable to go through with it.
I was afraid to come too soon and fuck it up for her.
I kept on looking at her now laying on the couch. Her dark hair was all over the place around her face. Her eyes fixed on me as if I was the only fucking thing there, the only thing she c
oveted more than her next breath. I looked down her body to her top that had ridden up to expose her flat stomach and her perfect belly button I wanted to kiss. And her legs. Those shapely legs made me want to worship every inch with my mouth and fingers. She was perfection.
“Come here, Dex.’’ She held up a hand to me, her eyes soft and asking. She probably saw how unhinged I was and strangely, I didn’t feel too embarrassed. That would probably change once our clothes disappeared.
I took her hand and slowly lowered myself over her, making sure to keep most of my weight off her. Feeling her under me, looking at her eyes so dark with desire and her mouth red and parted made me harder. My hips shot into her and I groaned, closing my eyes and gritting my teeth when pleasure hit me straight in the balls. Shit, I needed more restraint.
“You okay?’’ she asked breathlessly. She weaved her fingers through my hair and the soothing caress made me open my eyes again.
I nodded and brought a hand to her left breast. “Tell me if it’s not good.’’ I barely recognized my voice. I sounded choked and wild. Exactly how I felt. Her small nipple was taut under my fingers and I teased it, applying some weight on her breast at the same time. Her breast felt as good as it looked. No in fact, it was even better.
Her breath hitched and she threw her head back, biting her lip harshly. “That’s really, really good,’’ she said, her words slow and following the rhythm of my teasing game on her perfect nipple, a nipple I was dying to put my mouth on to play.
I pushed my cock into her again and this time, her hips answered by pushing back into me, making me see double.
Fuck.
I wouldn’t be able to last long if she kept turning me on like this. I leaned down to kiss her and grabbed the hem of her top, slowly hiking my hand under it and pushing it upward until the lace and satin of her bra came into contact with my fingers. I growled again and kissed her harder, nipping at her lip.
Her hands tugged on my t-shirt and pushed it up until it reached my underarms. I knew she wanted it off, felt it in the way she kept on pushing her hips into me, the way she moaned softly in my mouth, but I didn’t want to stop touching her, kissing even for a fucking second.
Dex (Kinky Shine #1) Page 17