Series Starter : Firsts in Series Collection

by Kaylee Ryan

  “You know, we really just hang out here all day. You don’t need to dress up. I’m good with you wearing jeans and a t-shirt. No need for formality unless it’s for an event. You can’t be comfortable being dressed up all day just hanging around the house.”

  “It doesn’t bother me. I’ll confess, it feels strange to cook in a skirt and heels. Usually at home I’m in yoga pants and a tank with my hair all pulled back.”

  “Then wear that here. If you’re going to be spoiling us by cooking us meals instead of just ordering takeout, you need to be comfortable. Besides, this isn’t exactly a formal job.”

  I’m trying to convince her, but it’s solely for selfish reasons. I don’t know if I can keep my hands off her in those sexy-as-hell getups she’s been wearing. This is only day two and I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle with my dick. He doesn’t seem to understand that we can no longer have her.

  “Thanks, maybe I’ll keep a dressier outfit in my office in case the need arises.”

  Thank you. My dick thanks you. “You’re welcome.”

  Chapter 15

  Logan

  “Come and get it,” I yell so the guys can hear me. Kacen stayed in the kitchen the entire time. He kept the conversation flowing, but I could feel his eyes on me every time I turned away.

  “All right, well, I have to stop at the post office and pick up the fan mail, and then I’m headed home. I’ll be back in the morning. Is nine okay?” I direct the question to Kacen.

  “Yeah, nine is fine,” he assures me.

  “See you all in the morning.” I wave over my shoulder and rush to my office. Quickly, I shut down my computer, grab both cell phones, my purse, and keys, and I’m out of the house. Day two has been a weird one at best.

  The post office opens at eight, so I decide to leave that for first thing in the morning. There always seems to be a long line at closing time. Everyone is rushing to get in last minute business.

  I beat Stacy home, so I start making us dinner. We’re having macaroni and cheese with bacon and broccoli. It’s one of Stacy’s favorite dishes, and it’s easy to make. Once that’s in the oven to bake, I grab my Kindle and settle on the couch. I try to read, but the effort is pointless as my earlier conversation with Kacen is on replay.

  He’s a great guy. I can tell just from the conversations we have, not only here but in Hawaii, that he’s loyal. He really doesn’t give off the ‘I’m a rock star and the master of the universe’ vibe that one might expect. None of them do really. They’re just a group of friends who found fortune and fame doing what they love. I admire them for not falling to the dark side of fame, as many do.

  Stacy walks in just as the timer goes off on the oven. “Perfect timing. Dinner’s ready.”

  “You are the best!” She throws her purse and keys onto the table and follows me into the kitchen.

  “So how was your second day?” I inquire.

  “Good, it’s a lot to learn as far as the material. One of the physicians who we called on today was a jerk. He refused eye contact, and just as I was about to finish the spiel, he interrupted me saying he was out of time and had patients. I mean, I get that the guy saves lives, but he could have said it a little nicer. Lisa, she’s the rep I’m shadowing, says I need to get used to it. She said over 50 percent of the physicians I call on will react that way. She says it’s just the nature of the business.”

  “Wow, I mean, like you said, you know they’re busy saving lives, but being rude is unnecessary,” I agree.

  “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll get used to it. How about you? How was day number two with the boys?” She giggles.

  I made the mistake of calling them that last night and, apparently, the title has stuck. “Good, my day was uneventful. I cooked for them instead of ordering out. Yesterday they made the comment that they only get home-cooked meals when they make it home to see their mothers, so I figured since I love to cook and the kitchen is beyond words, why not? This keeps me from running all over town picking up takeout.”

  “Damn, I’m jealous. Do they need another assistant? Maybe a maid?” She wags her eyebrows.

  “No.” I laugh. “Nancy is the name of the very nice lady who cleans for Kacen twice a week. She’s probably in her late fifties and super sweet.”

  “Just my luck,” she says, taking a big bite of her pasta. “You know,” she takes a drink, “you should make this for them one day. I swear this is the best ever!”

  “I’m sure I will. I’m eventually going to run out of recipes. I figure I’ll add a few meals of takeout to mix it up.”

  “You’re going to spoil them, is what you’re going to do.” We both laugh at that because she’s right. “So what are the rest of them like?”

  “They’re all great guys. They all have similar personalities. I’m pretty sure they all know about Hawaii.” I can feel the flush of my cheeks.

  “Really? What makes you think that?”

  “Cole, especially, likes to make suggestions, nothing over the top but when Kacen is around. It’s almost like he’s trying to rile him up on purpose. All of them have said or done something in some manner in the past two days in that aspect.”

  “So, Kacen is taking the bait?” she questions.

  “I guess,” I say with a shrug. “I can’t really tell. There have been a few instances where he insists they cut the teasing. I’m trying not to think about him caring. I need to focus on Kacen my boss, not Kacen the fling.”

  “Meh.” She waves her hand in the air. “I think you need to focus on what makes you the happiest. If bumping uglies with bossman does it, then I say go for it. Life it too short.”

  “Stacy! Seriously? Okay, say I start whatever it is you’re suggesting with him, and then he decides he’s done with me. Then what? I find a new job. One where I have to tell them the reason for leaving my most recent position is because I slept with my boss. I’m good,” I tell her.

  “You can’t let what other people think influence you. You need to do what you want, what makes you happy.”

  “I hear ya,” I tell her.

  “Well, thank you for dinner, but I’m exhausted. We’re leaving earlier than normal tomorrow because the physicians we have to call on are further away. Lisa wants to beat the morning traffic.”

  “I don’t have to be there until nine, but I’m going to stop at the post office on my way and pick up the fan mail. I was supposed to do it tonight, but opted for coming home a little early instead. Same reason to avoid the afternoon rush, I might head to bed myself.”

  “The dishes can wait,” she says as she places the casserole dish in the refrigerator. “Let’s call it a night.”

  I give my best friend a hug goodnight as we both head to our separate rooms.

  Just as I’m about to fall asleep, my work phone rings. I know it’s my work phone from the Soul Serenade song blaring from its speaker. Not willing to open my eyes, I reach for it and blindly slide my finger across the screen.

  “Hello?”

  “Logan?”

  “Yeah?” I recognize Kacen’s voice, which causes me to open my eyes. I’m now suddenly awake.

  “Hey, sorry if I woke you. I just wanted to tell you that the guys and I are doing another late night writing session, so you could come in a little later tomorrow if you wanted.”

  “Uh, okay. What time do you want me there?” I ask.

  “Sleep in, maybe start at ten? If you could swing by and pick up something for breakfast, that would be great. I assume Cassidy gave you your AmEx?” he asks.

  “Sure, ten is fine, and yes, she did. Anything else you need?”

  “No, I’m good.” He’s quiet on the other end and so am I. I don’t know what to say.

  “Logan?” His voice is soft.

  “Yeah?” I almost whisper just from the softness of his voice.

  “Sweet dreams.”

  Just like that, he’s gone. The silence on the other end of the line is because he ended the call. His voice was so sincere. I lie awake
for the next several hours contemplating what I’m doing. Was it the right decision to keep the job? To work for him? I’m still attracted to him, and just the sound of his voice and those sweet words “sweet dreams” has my body feeling all warm in places that should not be reacting.

  In the early morning hours, I decide that tomorrow I will use my extra time before heading into work to apply for a few positions online.

  Just in case.

  Chapter 16

  Kacen

  I’m kicking myself in the ass for calling. Why did I call? I should have just texted her. Nope, I called, and her sleepy, sensual voice has me wound tight. She took that from me. She left my bed before I could wake up next to her and witness it firsthand. Not only that, but her sexy sleep-laced voice has me hard as a rock, and for the second night in a row, I’m taking matters into my own hands. I feel like a randy teenager all over again.

  After a quick, necessary shower, I lie awake in bed staring at the shadows on the ceiling. We had a good session tonight. We’ve almost got a complete song, lyrics and music. They guys kept making comments about Logan. How good of a cook she is, how pretty she is, how sweet she is. I surprised myself when I wanted to strangle all three of them and tell them she’s mine. I’m man enough to admit that the green-eyed monster of jealousy was rearing its ugly head.

  Jealously. It’s a new emotion for me. In my past relationships, if the guys would have said those things, I would have just laughed or agreed and went about my normal day. Tonight, it took all my patience to not throw down my guitar, stomp my foot, and declare her all mine. I believe that would be called a temper tantrum, and I was ready to blow.

  She’s not mine.

  My curt, “Knock it off, I thought we were writing,” must have been a big enough clue to my bandmates that Logan was not up for discussion. Now that I think about it, those fuckers were trying to get a rise out of me. I fell for it, but how could I not?

  It’s Logan.

  I wake to a smell that has my stomach grumbling. I slip on a pair of basketball shorts and head for the kitchen. Surely the guys are not cooking. It’s nine-thirty, so Logan is not due for another thirty minutes. I reach the kitchen and stop dead in my tracks. Logan is bent over looking into the oven. Her ass is in a pair of those jeans, you know the ones with the bling on the pockets. I’m not much up on brand names, but those jeans . . . they made those with Logan’s ass in mind. I swallow back the moan that tries to escape.

  “You’re early.”

  Logan jumps and then turns to face me with her hand over her heart. “You scared the hell out of me,” she scolds.

  My eyes follow her hand as it rests against her breast. She’s wearing a tank top, not too tight or low-cut, but it makes a soft silhouette of her breasts. I quickly avert my gaze. I do not need to remember her pert nipples or how soft yet firm they felt under my touch. Nope, do not need to go there.

  “Sorry. I smelled whatever it is you got going on there.” I point to the oven.

  “Yeah, I went to the grocery store and decided to make a breakfast roll.”

  “Breakfast roll?”

  “Yeah, it’s croissants with sausage, cream cheese, and shredded cheddar cheese. You layer it and then roll it and bake it. It’s good, I promise.”

  “I have no doubt from the smell. How much longer?” I ask as I make my way toward the coffee pot, which is also next to Logan.

  “Just about ten more minutes.”

  I busy myself making a cup of coffee. Leaning back against the counter, I cross my legs and take a sip. My eyes follow her as she bustles around my kitchen. She chose to wash the dishes by hand instead of placing them in the dishwasher. My guess is that she’s trying to keep the place decent for Nancy.

  “So, what’s on the agenda for today?” she asks as she leans against the island, facing me.

  “Writing.”

  “How’s it going?”

  “Good, last night we pretty much finished an entire song. We usually work on each one until we get it perfect, well, perfect for us. We’ll fine-tune it a little today, and then move on to the next one.”

  “Do you all just stop at a certain number of songs?”

  She seems to be genuinely interested. I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation like this about my passion with anyone other than the guys or our parents, definitely not with a woman.

  “Not really. We have several that we’ve written in the past, but we decided not to record them on the album. We usually have between ten and fifteen songs on each album.” I take a drink of my coffee. Her eyes stays glued to me; I have her undivided attention. “We usually write ten or so more than we will need. Then we even go back to old works and combine everything to determine what will go on the album. Sometimes we change a few lyrics and the beat on something we wrote two years ago, and it makes the cut. All four of us get to choose one each that we insist goes onto each album. The rest of the songs have to be mutually agreed upon by all four of us.”

  “That’s awesome! I love how you each get to have your own pick, your mark on the album. I mean, your mark is there because it’s your material, but to know that you can pick one song that really speaks to you, you’re lucky the label lets you have that freedom.”

  “They pretty much let us have all the say. We’ve made them a lot of money. Actually, the guys and I have thought about starting our own label.”

  “Really? Wouldn’t that take time away from touring?” she asks.

  I nod. “It would, but we all agree that being on the road all the time is not what we want to do forever.”

  “No?”

  I take another sip of my coffee. I’ve already given her more than most. Then again, the others have never asked, not like Logan did. There’s just something about her.

  “So, what is it you want out of life, Kacen?”

  Lifting my head, I capture her gaze. Those big brown eyes are watching me, waiting for an answer. Logan is a ‘what you see is what you get’ kind of girl, the girl next door. She doesn’t play games, and she doesn’t care what my net worth is.

  She’s real.

  She deserves nothing but the same in return. Real. So I give it to her. “I want to make music. The writing process is what I love. It’s always been a passion of mine. Don’t get me wrong, I love performing, but the constant travel and being shoved into the limelight gets old quick. I could do without the groupies.”

  She chuckles at this. “Come on, really?” she asks.

  “Yes, really. Do you know what it’s like to never know if the person you’re with is with you for the right reasons?” I watch as her cute little button nose scrunches up as she processes my words. Might as well go all in. “I hope to someday be married and have a family. How is that supposed to happen when I can’t trust anyone around me? Fame brings deceit, and even though that same fame has given me a comfortable life, I find myself more often than not wishing for the normalcy.”

  “Wow,” she whispers. “I guess I’ve never really thought of it that way. Your life, the lives of other musicians and celebrities, just seems so glamorous. I guess what they say is right: the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”

  This causes my lips to tilt up in a smile. “Have you been hanging out with my mother?” I ask her.

  “Uh . . .”

  Her response only makes my grin grow wider. “I’ve heard her say that exact phrase my entire life.”

  I see understanding cross her face. “Well, she must be an amazing woman, your mother.”

  The oven timer goes off and Logan springs into action, our conversation over. “Should I go wake the guys?”

  “Nah, they’ll smell it and wander in.” I’m not ready to give up this time with her. I really like talking to her. From the moment I met her, there has been this . . . magnetic field that pulls me toward her. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced. It’s also hard to fight. I have to continue to remind myself that she’s now my employee.

  Chapter 17

&n
bsp; Logan

  Saved by the timer. Kacen, at first glance, is eye candy. Kacen opening up, admitting that he wants a wife and kids in his future, that Kacen, he’s captivating. The combination is lethal.

  I pull a knife from the butcher’s block on the counter and start slicing the breakfast roll. I freeze when I feel his hand on my body. He places it gently on the small of my back as he steps around me. His feather-light touch lingers as he reaches in the cabinet and pulls down five plates and places them on the counter next to me.

  “Thank you.” My voice is breathy. I need to get myself together.

  Must not lust after the boss.

  I feel his breath against my cheek. “You’re welcome,” he says, leaning in close, his front is pressed against my back. His voice is deep and sexy as hell. Is it normal to be turned on by just his voice?

  He slowly steps away and I miss the feel of his body pressed against mine.

  “Fuck, that smells so good,” Cole announces as he strides into the kitchen and straight to the stove to see what I’ve made. “What is it? You know what, it doesn’t matter. It looks as good as it smells.”

  I smile and hand him a plate. “You’re the best, Log,” he says, kissing the top of my head.

  “Damn, girl, I could get used to waking up to you,” Tristan says, joining us.

  “We may have to draw straws,” Gavin says as he follows Tristan to the stove.

  “Enough!” Kacen barks.

  I don’t turn around. Instead, I hand Tristan and Gavin their plates and then make one for Kacen. I turn to take it to him and he’s there. Our chests bump into one another and he reaches out his hand to steady the arm that holds his plate, while his other hand locks around my hip, holding me to him. I look up to find his eyes, those cerulean orbs, filled with heat. My breath catches in my chest.