The Other Side of Wrong

by Christi Barth

  She pulled his hand down from where it tugged at his spiky, unruly hair. “You don’t have to decide your whole future on this bus. Just one concert. One concert that could easily accomplish what you’ve been working towards for eighteen months. One night for total redemption.”

  Cassidy left unsaid “you owe them that much.” She knew everyone was thinking it, though. The words practically hung in the air like a cartoon thought balloon.

  Now Jake was the one staring a triangle between Cam, Jones, and Cassidy. He had to be weighing how his presence at a concert guaranteed to be legendary would play with the MCQ board. Weighing it against how his presence at that concert would matter to Riptide.

  Finally, he moved to stand between Cam and Jones. “I shouldn’t have ghosted you guys. I had my reasons, but it was still shitty to put you through. I’m sorry. How about I make it up to you? How about we rock the Garden?”

  There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation before they piled hand over hand over hand, grinning like crazy. And then Jake looked at Cassidy in invitation.

  She placed her hand on top of all of theirs. Triumph tightened her throat. “We need to choose a song to perform together. As a closer.”

  “I’ve got just the one.” Jake started humming. To her surprise, it was a song from the night they’d spent together six years ago. A song they’d harmonized under the desert stars in that tent. You Really Got Me by The Kinks.

  It was perfect.

  This concert would be perfect.

  Too bad, no matter how hard Cassidy tried, she couldn’t think of a perfect solution to let she and Jake stay together...

  CHAPTER TEN

  Jake pushed back his plate. Only a few crumbs remained of the rum-soaked tiramisu that had ended their meal. That meant he couldn’t stall any more. It was time for him to make the Big Romantic Gesture.

  Or…what might turn out to be the big, weird gesture that fell flatter than a poorly tuned G string.

  Yeah, he was nervous. Cassidy gave them the freaking Garden. He wanted to give her something, but what could compare? His idea was either brilliant or stupid. Definitely no gray area in between.

  Was the six-year age difference between them too much? Not quite different generations, but too different to guess things like good presents?

  The expiration date on their time together was so close Jake could almost feel its hot breath on his neck. So why the hell potentially ruin the little time they had left?

  Cassidy smiled at him as she licked the tines of her fork. That smile, man, it made him feel the excitement of Christmas morning. The thrill of the moment he got his first Grammy. The serious bliss of lying under a heavy comforter on a cold morning. That smile made Jake feel good. Happy. Satisfied.

  It wasn’t how beautiful she looked, sitting there in a simple orange silk sundress that looked more like a slip than a dress…not that he was complaining. It was her attention and care and interest that made Jake feel like he was the handsomest, most talented, most awesome man in the world.

  She made him feel more himself than he had in almost eight weeks.

  And there was his answer. Because Cassidy made him want to go big. She made him want to go the extra mile just to get her smile to last an extra few seconds.

  Because she was worth everything.

  Jake smoothed a hand down the brown piping of his cream Cuban shirt. Don’t be a fucking coward. Clearing his throat, he said, “I have a present for you.”

  “And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Being with you without looking over my shoulder for the press, or your band mates. The view from this deck is so beautiful.” She trailed a hand over their private balcony to indicate the wide spread of blue harbor abutted by huge gray ships and the curve of downtown Baltimore.

  “This isn’t the present. This suite—that’s just the date. The real date, that I promised you.”

  “You’re pretty great at the real deal.” She hitched herself up to lean across the table and give him a kiss that tasted of espresso and sugar and rum. Which was almost enough to make Jake give up on the present and sweep all the dishes to the ground and take her right here on the draped table. “It sounds ridiculous, since we’ve spent most of our lives apart, but this is a much-needed break from Sarah.”

  Nothing stopped spontaneous table sex like mentioning a sister. Jake rubbed at the back of his neck. Somehow the muscles there seemed to tighten at just thinking about Kimberly. “I feel the same way about my sister. I love her, but we butt heads harder than two rams in mating season.”

  Laughter pealed from Cassidy’s glossed lips, the same color as the inside of an apricot. “That’s very urban cowboy of you.”

  He shrugged. “Didn’t have much to do for the past few months. I’d just finished binging a bunch of classic Westerns when you showed up.” At least he hadn’t accidentally admitted how he hate-watched Family Feud. Because holy shit, the families on there were all dumber than a box of microphone cords.

  Cassidy held up both hands to stop him. “Wait—you have a sister? I haven’t read any mentions of her online.”

  Wasn’t that interesting? Smug at the knowledge he’d haunted her over the years as much as the reverse, Jake asked, “Do you stalk my fan sites?”

  “No.” And when he just looked at her, arms crossed, Cassidy crinkled her pert little nose. “Not anymore. Not now that I’ve got the legendary Jake McQuinn in the flesh. You really have a sister?”

  Why was that surprising? “Yeah. She’s in R&D at MCQ. Kimberly was the poster child my parents always wanted. Straight As, all the legendary McQuinn brilliance to carry the family company into new and profitable directions. Even a boring but nice tax lawyer husband, and two kids.”

  “I’m so confused. Why on earth isn’t anyone hassling her to take over for your dad? If Kimberly’s already in the company, wouldn’t she make more sense to lead than someone with no science background at all?”

  “She’s—and I quote—too valuable an asset to waste as a figurehead.”

  Cassidy’s chair grated against the slate floor as she shoved to her feet. “Who said that? Who had the temerity to value her talents over yours?” Her voice was loud, and her expression promised bloody vengeance on whoever he named.

  God, he was crazy about her.

  “The whole Board. The family lawyer. The head of R&D. My mother. I’m sure if you polled the entire company, they’d agree from the janitors to the sales execs.”

  “Well, they’re wrong. That’s incredibly insulting to you.”

  Huh. That was the same thing Jake had thought. At first. But how was he supposed to fight against literally everyone else in his life taking the other side?

  “Let’s not get bogged down in my shit. Tonight is for us. Just the two of us. And the very important matter of your present.” Jake got up. He detoured to give Cassidy a hug because her eyes were still huge, cheeks still flushed with temper. “Thanks for sticking up for me.”

  “Clearly somebody has to. Since it doesn’t seem you’ll do it for yourself.” She wound her arms around his neck. The short hug turned into a sinuous dance to the faint strains of steel drums at the street festival below. A few gulls soared past. The lapping of the water grew louder in the wake of the touristy pirate boat chugging by.

  It was one of those romantic movie moments he’d gagged at in high school. Except it was better. Way better.

  Everything with Cassidy was better.

  Jesus, he was pathetically head over heels for her. Which complicated the shit out of an already impossible situation.

  Jake maneuvered out of her embrace and went to the closet where he’d stashed the hard-to-hide gift. “Since this is a real date, I thought I should get you flowers.”

  “That’s quite traditionally sweet—oh!” she gasped as he set a pot on the table. It held an entire rosebush, about two feet tall. Blooms exploded off the stems, but not run-of-the-mill roses. No, these looked like moonlight had washed out a deep purple rose. The petals teetered right o
n the edge of whitish gray that deepened to a pale lavender in the middle. “That’s not traditional at all. It’s absolutely beautiful.” Cassidy traced the edge of a petal with her finger. “What is that unusual color?”

  “It’s a blue moon rose. Because the chances of us getting together again after Coachella? Well, it could only happen once in a blue moon.”

  Her head canted toward him. Dampness at the corners of her eyes made them shimmer. Guess it hadn’t been a stupid idea after all. She swiped at the tears with long, glittery nails that made him think of champagne.

  “This is the most romantic thing I’ve ever received. The most thoughtful. Thank you, Jake.”

  “Thank you for pushing your way back into my life.” They stood there, staring at each other, for a long beat.

  And then another. And another. The air was charged with…something. Could she tell how hard—and how easy—it had been for him to make this gesture? Could she tell that he never wanted this night to end?

  Could she tell all the things Jake was tempted to say, but knew would just make splitting up after the Garden a million times harder?

  Cassidy’s whole body jerked, as if she’d needed to physically break away from their long, deep, look. The tension also broke faster than a snapped guitar string. In a teasing voice she asked, “Does this mean you’ve forgiven me for that? For being so forward that day in your garage?”

  “Come here and find out.” Jake backed across the living room of the enormous suite. He put a deliberate swagger in his walk. Whatever had or hadn’t just passed between them, he knew damn well what Cassidy wanted now. So, he unbuttoned his shirt, a slow strip tease that didn’t need any music.

  Cassidy followed, an extra swing in her sassy hips, too. Then she stopped, right in the doorway, with one hand on the frame way above her head. It lifted the hem of her dress high enough to show off the under curve of her sweet, sweet ass. “Is that a bed? An actual bed? We’re going to have sex in a bed?” She slowed the last three words down in exaggerated emphasis.

  “I promised you a real date. Dinner, flowers, and now, yeah, sex in a bed. We’re going old school tonight, Cass.”

  “I like it.” She kicked off her high-heeled sandals to trail her fingertips along the deep brown comforter on the king-sized bed. “What will we do with all the extra room?”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got plans.” Jake tapped on the player he’d specially loaded earlier. A slow, smoky ballad backed by a sax filled the room. “We may both live and breathe rock, but at times like this, jazz is the only way to go.”

  “Times like this? You mean this ultra-romantic moment?”

  “I guess I do.” The singer would croon all the things Jake wanted to say to Cassidy but couldn’t. “Most of all, I want to take my time. To not rush before we’re discovered. I want to learn every inch of you with my tongue.”

  “That’s an excellent goal.”

  “That’s only part one.” Jake carefully removed the clip from her hair. He loved running his fingers through it. Loved even more knotting it in his hand while he kissed the nape of her neck and watched goose bumps bloom on her skin. “That should get us to about midnight. But we’ve got all the way to tomorrow.”

  Cassidy slowly ran her fingers up his exposed chest. Suddenly everything was happening slowly. Like they were both stringing this out as long as possible. She pushed the shirt off his shoulders and then stood on tiptoe to bury her face in his neck. “I love to smell you.”

  “I’d say I chose the right cologne.”

  “It’s not that. Anyone in the world can listen to your music, or stare at your hotness in pictures. Nobody else gets close enough to smell you. It’s so intimate.”

  She’d managed to ping on exactly what he was thinking as he sniffed at the beachy, coconut scent of her hair. And felt a surge of…not ownership, but pride in knowing he was the only one who got close enough to know that small part of her.

  “Let’s get even more intimate.” The spaghetti straps slipped down her arms with a shrug, and he helped the dress the rest of the way to the floor. He’d been wildly aware all through dinner that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Still, the sight of her in just a scrap of peach silk between her legs was a punch to the gut that literally took Jake’s breath away. “You’re beautiful, Cassidy.”

  “You make me feel beautiful.”

  As much as Jake planned to take his time, he couldn’t shuck his linen pants fast enough. Naked, he lifted her into his arms. And wasn’t that something he’d remember for the rest of his life? Her long legs, draped across his forearm. Her hard nipple poking at his chest. The curve of her ribs against his palm. The reflection in the mirrored closet doors of Cassidy, curled against him, so trusting, so open, with such a look of adoration on her face that it almost broke his self-control. That he almost admitted how much he cared.

  But that honesty would only hurt her more in the long run, when he left. So, he just stared at the mirror for another second, burning the sight into his brain. Then he carefully deposited her in the middle of the big bed.

  Jake kept hold of her hand. He started by pressing a kiss into her palm. A kiss that hopefully shared all the tenderness he felt. Then he kissed, licked, nibbled his way up the inside of her arm.

  By the time he hit the crook of her elbow, Cassidy’s legs were shifting restlessly. When he lingered to bite at the curve of her breast out from her shoulder, her head was tossing back and forth. And as his palm circled over her engorged nipple, a cry broke from her throat.

  “Jake, please. Not so slowly. I need more.”

  “That’s the idea. To make you need.” To make you need me, he thought.

  She turned on her side, leg twining over his. Her hand stroked up and down his back, and then down to squeeze his ass. “You, too. Let me get you worked up.”

  “Honey, look at me.” He pulled back to indicate his already hard and pulsing cock. “I could go off in you right now. But I want to wait. I want to worship your body tonight. Let me.”

  Cassidy’s gorgeous, melted-chocolate eyes softened. “I can honestly say that’s an offer I’ve never gotten before.”

  To stop her from talking, from asking any questions he couldn’t answer, Jake covered her mouth with his own. It was a different kiss than any they’d shared.

  Gentler. Slower.

  Meaningful. Jake poured his whole heart into that kiss. And it sure felt like Cassidy responded with equal care, tenderness, knowing of what he was trying to tell her with his body.

  When he broke off, they were both panting. He couldn’t look at her eyes. He couldn’t risk it. Jake slid down her body, kissing from freckle to freckle, breast to breast, licking along each rib until his tongue fluttered into her belly button.

  At that point, her hips rolled rhythmically up towards him, matching the slow beat of the brush against the cymbals. It reminded him they were musicians. It reminded him how well-matched they were. That Cassidy “got” exactly why he was moving at the same beat of the music.

  That she “got” him.

  Jake lunged for the condom he’d left on the nightstand. Cassidy beat him to it.

  “This is a fun part for me,” she said with a wicked grin. Her slender fingers teased and tortured him with whisper-soft strokes around his painfully tight balls. There was more stroking up and down his shaft that had him jerking in her grasp before she finally got around to rolling the condom all the way to the base.

  Payback was a bitch, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

  They shared another kiss then. Another wide-mouthed, deep-tongued unspoken promise of something that almost shifted the blood out of his dick and back up to his heart. Then Jake pressed her back into the pillows. He pushed into her slowly, inch by quarter inch, savoring everything about the moment. Memorizing everything about the moment.

  The way her throaty groan was preceded by a series of short, fast pants. The way the gathering twilight darkened her eyes. How her skin, everywhere they touched, was softer t
han the silk he’d peeled off her earlier.

  And then he was in all the way. That thread of control he’d held onto so ruthlessly snapped. Jake pumped in and out, hard, fast. He shifted his grip from her hips to around to her ass, lifting her even closer to him. Her nails dug into his back as they both furiously arched and writhed against each other. Jake lifted his head to kiss her once more, right as Cassidy’s silken walls tightened and pulsed. As the climax poured out of him, he kissed her with a desperation he couldn’t even name.

  Shaken to his core, he wordlessly gathered her and rolled to his side. Their racing heartbeats pulsed together. Jake caressed her back, wondering what she was thinking, if she’d felt it too.

  Wondering how on earth he could ever let her go…

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  As nice—well, fantastic, earth-shatteringly amazing—as their night at the Sagamore had been, Cassidy was eager to get back on the Riptide bus.

  There’d been a shift last night between she and Jake. A shift from a fun, frantic fling to something much, much deeper. An acknowledgement of the connection they’d felt from the start but had tried to ignore.

  Three or four times she’d almost let slip that she was falling in love with him.

  And there’d been just as many times where she’d thought Jake might give in and say he felt the same way.

  Cassidy had no idea what she was supposed to do with these feelings. Fight for him? Was she supposed to care enough to support him even if he threw his career away and buried himself doing something he hated? Stick to their original agreement and just walk away once this mini-tour ended?

  Or was she supposed to forget that being with Jake felt righter than anything else in her life except for standing on stage with a microphone in her hand?

  It was confusing.

  Hard, too, because with their relationship still a secret, Cassidy couldn’t exactly reach out to anyone for advice. The only person she could talk to was Jake. But she didn’t think she could bear to lay all of this out for him and then hear him turn her away.