Hearts Divided

by Masters, Ellie

  “I don’t know what you think we’re going to do, but I can say that sex is most definitely not on the table.”

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure it is, but if you’re not interested in the table, the wall will do just fine. Or the floor.”

  “I’ll scream,” she counters, struggling to maintain control.

  “Oh, you’ll definitely scream,” he says with smugness.

  She’s never met a man with the confidence this one exudes. He shows no sign of leaving and blatantly checks her out from crotch to tits. And the scariest thing is she believes he can do exactly as he claims.

  “I’m serious,” she says.

  “So am I.”

  He doesn’t move, but then he doesn’t need to. His entire presence fills up the small room made much smaller and more intimate with the blinds pulled down.

  A knock on the door makes her jump. Bill, the store manager, pokes his head inside. The expression on his face is unsure, switching between protectiveness and embarrassment. Does she really look like this is what she wants?

  “Everything okay?” Bill asks.

  “Yes! I’m finished.” She takes the lifeline Bill provides and ducks around her sexy stranger.

  Bill lifts his wrist and stares at his watch. “You still have the booth for another hour. You sure?”

  She doesn’t look back. She can’t. If she does, temptation will make her stay and she’ll do something she’ll regret forever. The wall? Would he really fuck her against the wall?

  “I’m good. I need some fresh air.”

  Bill steps to the side as she slips out and goes to collect Ranger. Her dog is a welcome visitor at Grady’s, but his sensitive ears can’t handle the booth and the drums inside. He’s curled up behind the counter, but he alerts to the distinctive tread of her feet. Tail thumping, he lifts his head and stares at her with the most adorable doggy eyes. Love shines in them with absolute and unwavering devotion.

  “Come!” She commands and Ranger springs to his feet, tail wagging, tongue lolling, and with his doggy expression full of the most intense love. His nails click on the polished concrete flooring as he trots to her side where he nuzzles her palm.

  She heads to the checkout counter and reaches over to grab her backpack. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she spins and is surprised to see her stranger scratching between Ranger’s ears. An ex-explosives dog, Ranger doesn’t let people he doesn’t know touch him, but he’s sitting, ears perked up, eyes bright, and tongue flopping out the side of his mouth. Traitor!

  “Nice dog,” her stranger says. He straightens and Ranger lifts a paw, scratching at the man’s faded jeans.

  “Ranger doesn’t like people he doesn’t know touching him.”

  To prove her wrong, Ranger whines and paws at the man again. The traitor demands to have his front leg scratched.

  “I’m not most people.” Her sexy stranger kneels down and grabs Ranger’s paw. A devastating wink makes her knees weaken and nearly buckle. “I guess he likes me. You should listen to your dog.”

  Ranger sniffs the guy’s face, licks his cheek, and destroys her dramatic exit.

  “Hup!” She calls her traitorous dog to her side. Exceptionally well trained to voice and hand commands, Ranger pops to his feet and comes to heel on her left side.

  “Good boy.” She reaches into her backpack and retrieves Ranger’s leather lead. Unsure how to make her exit, she debates her options. Storming out seems overkill and rude. She’s a nice person, with good manners, but what is she supposed to say?

  Nice meeting you?

  See you around?

  Thanks, but no thanks for the proposition?

  What is proper protocol when running from a sex god?

  “I didn’t mean to scare you off,” he says, rescuing her from the dilemma of what to do next. He steps close, his voice deep and serious. “Let me buy you a coffee.” His lips nearly brush her ear as he speaks.

  “I don’t drink coffee.”

  “I’ll buy tea.”

  “I don’t drink tea.”

  His brows twitch as he tugs on the brim of the ball cap. Undeterred, he continues, “Well, I bet you eat. Everyone eats. How about dinner?” The promise for more than dinner simmers in his gaze and makes her want exactly what he promises.

  “I’m sorry,” she says, “but I don’t know you. You could be a serial killer for all I know.”

  “A sexy one.” He beams a smile. “I do believe you said I had a sexy ass. Trust me, you’ll have the time of your life, and for the record, I’m not a serial killer.”

  Cocky bastard. And did she really say he has a sexy ass? She replays their conversation in her head and sucks in a breath when she realizes she did in fact say just that.

  “That’s not what I meant.”

  “It may not have been what you meant, but you were definitely thinking it. Now, I say we explore this attraction—”

  “There’s no attraction.”

  “Hun, the air is crackling between us. I felt it the moment I saw you playing the drums. How about we go back to that booth and lay down a beat. I’ll teach you a thing or two about the drums.”

  Back to that, were they? She could probably teach him a thing or three or four about the drums.

  “Naw. I’m good.” With a tug to Ranger’s leash, she heads out of the store.

  “What’s your name?” He calls out.

  Bristling with undeserved indignation, she wants to turn around and tell him, but foolish pride keeps her feet moving toward the front door. The overhead bell jangles as she opens the door and a solid whoosh seals her stranger inside.

  Without thinking too hard about it, Holly lopes into a jog. She’s not running away. No, she’s simply allowing Ranger to stretch his legs. And she’s not going to glance over her shoulder to see if Nameless Guy is following, because that’s creepy. And, if he is, she won’t find the strength to say No again. She wants everything he offers, but can’t afford the risk that comes with it. And really, would it be that bad? A nameless hookup with the most attractive man she’s ever seen?

  Yes! It really is that bad! Her conscious refuses to let her forget the past.

  With a shake of her head, she increases her speed. Her wild curls spring and bounce over her shoulders. Normally, she ties her hair up when she goes out for a run, but there’s nothing normal about running away from…him.

  What’s his name? She bets it’s something cool like Jake or Derek, maybe Drake. Those are her favorite names, book boyfriends who stole her heart. Her curiosity almost turns her around, but the jangle of Ranger’s collar brings her back to the here and now. No-name sexy guy is a stranger. A dangerous man. One she needs to stay far, far away from.

  Two blocks down, she passes the dog park and decides to let Ranger off the leash. He needs a good run. Ranger’s tail twitches with excitement as she jogs up to the gate guarding the park. His excitement is palpable as she commands him to sit while she removes the long leather lead.

  Pulling his face close, she gives him a kiss between his adorable brown eyes and then gives the signal he’s free to run. Ranger takes off while she heads to an empty bench. With her time in the booth interrupted, there’s still a lot of work to get done for her students in the community center. Getting twenty plus kids to play one drum set is not an easy task, but she’s done it before and is determined to do it again. Angel Fire’s Insanity is the perfect piece with a kick ass drum solo.

  4

  Bash

  What the hell just happened?

  Bash peers down the sidewalk, loving the way the red head’s tight ass sways as she jogs away. Her dog trots beside her, holding a perfect heel, never once lunging ahead or dragging behind. The two of them move together, and the sight is nothing short of mesmerizing. Without understanding why, Bash heads after them, intent on following the girl. He stays far enough behind, needing to keep her in his sights, and not really understanding what it is about her that makes him follow. It’s a bit creepy to be honest, and is probably
the first time he’s ever literally chased a girl, but he can’t seem to let her go; like, he’s literally chasing a girl, jogging behind her.

  What the ever-loving fuck?

  Did she recognize him in the music store? Initially, he thought so. Ash might be Angel Fire’s front man, but Bash’s face is easily as recognizable, despite his attempt to disguise his identity with a ball cap lowered over his eyes. Not to mention, her body gave off all the right signals.

  Her pupils blew out the green of her eyes. Her breathing hitched in all the right places. She nibbled on her lower lip, practically begging him to come in his jeans. The girl is male kryptonite, made all the more potent because she’s a knockout.

  Other than the obvious physical cues, the girl didn’t take him up on his proposition. Maybe he’s getting cocky with the never-ending sea of willing female flesh available at the concerts and pretty much…everywhere. He can’t remember a single woman in the past decade who said no to a chance to ride his cock.

  Is that why he’s chasing her? Injured pride? He’s not exactly trying to catch her. Her jog takes her several blocks down the street, and he isn’t narrowing her lead. He’s content to watch from afar as his brain picks apart the mystery this girl represents. He doesn’t even know her name and yet he can’t stop himself from needing more.

  The fiery sprite retreats and he’s in pursuit. It makes no sense, but his pace doesn’t slow. It doesn’t increase. He stalks from a distance, and that alone rings alarm bells in his head. He’s ignoring those triggers, not stopping, although he slows his pace when she stops in front of a dog park. She doesn’t look over her shoulder. Doesn’t seem aware of him at all. How can that be when his skin practically crawls with the need to devour her, taste her, and stake his claim?

  She opens the gate and slips inside. A quick kiss to her dog’s head and she lets Ranger loose. Then she sits on a park bench and pulls out a pad of paper from her backpack. Bash wants to join her, but that’s creepy. He needs a way to grab her attention, then he can work out the fire raging in his blood.

  An idea pops into his head. He pulls out his phone and sends a text to Noodles that he’ll catch up with him later. It’s still an hour before the sun sets. Noodles will surf long after the sun fades beneath the waves. They have a suite reserved for the night. Plans are loose for the evening. Head to a bar, grab some chicks, fuck their brains out, and pass out. Right now, that holds little interest for Bash; not with a mystery sitting in front of him. But how to get this girl?

  He mulls over that question while watching her on the bench. Ranger runs around the park, playing with other dogs. Her dog finds a fallen limb and carries it to the redhead. It’s not a stick, but a honking limb the dog half carries, half drags back to her. She puts down her paper and gives a laugh, hugging her dog, and crouching down for the limb. She places one end on the bench and steps down on the middle of the branch. A loud crack breaks it in half and she picks up the smaller of the two pieces and tosses it for her dog.

  There’s a freedom in her movements, and the few glimpses he gets of her profile reveal an expression of unadulterated joy. When was the last time he felt that carefree? Years it seems. With the meteoric rise of Angel Fire, he’s constantly working to keep the band hitting the charts. Whether it’s creating new music with Ash, practicing with the band, or keeping up with their non-stop tour schedule, he barely finds time to breathe. There’s simply no downtime. No time to do anything as carefree as playing fetch with a dog.

  That’s his ticket with the girl.

  First things first, where does she live? The manager at Grady’s seems to know her. Bill tried to protect her, although he backed down easily enough. Bash can go back to Grady’s and dig for information.

  Fortunately, she doesn’t stay long at the dog park. Bash ducks into a grocery store as she exits and heads back in his direction. She scans the streets, hyper alert. Is she looking for him? Or, is she always this nervous? With a loyal German Shepherd at her side, she shouldn’t have much to worry about on the streets. She ran away from Grady’s without this tension. He didn’t remember her scanning the streets then, but with the sun going down and streetlights turning on, she keeps to the inside of the sidewalk, placing Ranger to the street, and hurries back the way they’d come.

  He’s afraid she might spot him and ducks further into the store. She passes without looking inside, but he catches the tightness of her expression and can’t help but follow. There’s no reason for her to worry for her safety, at least not tonight. He’ll make certain she makes it home safe.

  He’s surprised when she stops back in at Grady’s and blows out a breath of frustration. He doesn’t have all night to loiter outside, and there isn’t a good place for him to wait without being seen. Fortunately, there’s a panel van parked down the street. He settles in, determined to wait as long as it takes.

  This protectiveness is new for him. He never cared how a girl got home before, but there’s something about this fiery vixen which ties his guts in knots. It’s important she remain safe.

  His wait is short-lived. She reappears a few minutes later and gives Bill a hug. Bash sucks in a breath, not liking how tight Bill wraps his grubby paws around her waist. He wants to charge across the street and yank her away. Fortunately, Bill releases her and holds the door as she leaves with Ranger in tow.

  Prepared to continue shadowing her at a safe distance, Bash decides it crosses the line into creepy.

  Now what?

  5

  Bash

  A quick conversation with Bill reveals several interesting facts. Top on that list is the lack of anything going on between Bill and the redhead. He completes his evening with a purchase of a box of drum sticks which brings a questioning look from Bill. Nobody in the store seems to recognize Bash. He likes this, it makes the whole thing more calm and comfortable. Grady’s Music is a relaxing place. There’s no high-pressure sales from the staff. Despite the box of sticks he bought, Bill doesn’t try to upsell him on a set of drums, stands, or any of the other paraphernalia that a drummer might need.

  After leaving Grady’s, Bash joins Noodles for dinner, but isn’t up for a night of carousing. While Noodles heads out to hit some clubs, Bash paces the confines of their suite. When Noodles returns with two women draped over his arms, Bash doesn’t feel one bit of temptation to join in on the fun. He leaves Noodles with the girls and spends a couple hours down at the bar, flipping through his phone and wondering about a girl.

  Inspiration strikes and he lays down a few lyrics. Not long after, he works out the bones of a new song. When he sees Noodles’s conquests crossing the lobby and leaving for the night, Bash closes out his tab and heads upstairs. It’s late and his mind is spinning.

  Not unexpectedly, Noodles is crashed on his bed. Bash should grab some sleep, but he can’t get this song out of his head and he doesn’t want to lose the creative flow. He calls Ash.

  “Hey,” Ash says, “what’s up?”

  “You answered?”

  “Yeah? What did you expect?”

  “You haven’t exactly been picking up.”

  “Well, it’s one in the morning. You only call this late when you’re fucked up and need help.”

  “Asshole.”

  “It’s true.”

  Ash is one hundred percent right about that. Truthfully, Bash tries to respect Ash’s privacy, or rather Skye’s. Bugging Ash at one in the morning is no big deal, but bothering Skye makes him feel like a dick.

  “Did I wake Skye?”

  “Nah. She’s passed out in the room. I couldn’t sleep. I’m sitting by the pool.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Just thinking. You know, about stuff.”

  Yeah, stuff like kids and family. Ash is moving on and Bash hates it. It’s good for Ash to have the things he wants in his life, but Bash feels left behind.

  “Well, sorry then. Didn’t mean to intrude on you and stuff.”

  “Dude!” Ash calls out. “What’s cra
wling up your ass?”

  “Nothing. I have a song in my head and I didn’t want to sleep on it and lose it. I thought we could work on it, but if you’re busy…” It wouldn’t be the first time they worked on a song through the night. Distance meant nothing when it came to their collaborations.

  “I’m not busy and could use a distraction. Show me what you’ve got.”

  “You sure you have time?”

  “Yeah, let’s do this.”

  Bash should ask what kind of stuff is getting Ash down, but his need is more pressing. Truthfully, he doesn’t want to spend an evening talking girl problems with Ash, because he’s one hundred percent sure that’s what’s going through Ash’s mind. It’s not Skye’s pregnancy, which is enough all on its own. Those two are fighting about the medical team she’s putting together for Forest.

  Ash thinks it’s too dangerous. Skye disagrees. It doesn’t help that her best friend, Tia, is leading the team. But Tia is ex-military, ex special ops; fierce and highly trained. Ash is pissed Skye is willing to put herself in harm’s way. Actually, pissed is the understatement of the century.

  But that is not Bash’s problem.

  He’s got a feeling stuck in his head, one he doesn’t understand, and needs to exorcise from his mind in the form of a song. There’s a restlessness in his gut, an itchy sensation he can’t seem to scratch, and his thoughts keep turning back to the redhead who refused to give him her name.

  Valerie is always on his mind; smothering him in the devastating pain of her betrayal. Everything had been perfect, until the day she left without so much as a goodbye.

  No time to wallow in the past. He gives an irritated shake of his head and turns his attention to Ash and the song.

  “I don’t have a name for it yet,” he says, “but it’s going to be kick ass, furious and sexy as shit.”

  Ash is used to the attention of screaming fans. Women want to sleep with him and men want to be him. Ash handles the attention well, even if he no longer takes advantage of the women literally throwing themselves at his feet.