Luke entered the kitchen, looking disoriented and cranky. He stopped in the middle of the room, like he was lost, and frowned. “What time is it?”
“Three o’clock,” she replied before handing him a cup and two caplets of pain reliever.
“In the afternoon?” He stared at her like she spoke a foreign language then shrugged and slid onto a stool at the island.
Unshaven and rumpled, he bore an air of delicious rebellion, one she’d never seen on him before. Her gaze roved over his hard chest and the trail of hair leading into his boxers. When she found his face, she realized he was staring at her with identical interest, one of his eyebrows lifting. A quick glance down reminded her she was wearing only a bra and a pair of skimpy red lace panties. She eased onto a stool across from Luke and bit her lower lip.
“Am I crazy, or did we give a ride to a homeless dude with a pet pig last night?” Elijah sauntered into the kitchen, still wearing her ridiculous pink running shorts. They were too short and too tight, outlining every square inch of his impressive package. He rubbed his hand across his belly and contemplated the coffeemaker.
Tasha blinked and dropped her eyes to her coffee cup.
He poured some coffee and joined them. “What?” he asked, returning her stare.
Luke lowered his face, laughter shaking his shoulders.
“Um, you might want to take a look in the mirror,” she said.
He swiveled on his stool and bent to catch his reflection in the toaster. “Oh, shit,” he said and scrubbed a hand through the freshly dyed platinum blond locks of his hair. “That’s interesting.”
“Are you going to get in trouble?” she asked, biting back a frown. He answered with an apathetic shrug.
They sat at the kitchen island in silence for a few minutes, taking in the events of the night. Tasha peered at them over the rim of her cup. They were also watching her from the safety of their cups. Luke’s eyes met hers. One of his eyebrows flicked up. Elijah’s eyes were wide and deceptively innocent. Under her gaze, one corner of his mouth curled upward, devilish and unapologetic. She smiled back at him then blinked her focus to Luke, uncertain of his thoughts. They searched each other’s faces, each assessing the other.
Slowly, very slowly, he smiled back.
CHAPTER 31
LATER IN the evening, Elijah left for the airport to spend a few days in Los Angeles with his band, but he promised to return on the following Tuesday for Luke’s birthday. Tasha and Luke took a shower together, ordered takeout, then went back to bed. Luke stretched out on his side to watch her. His fingers stroked along the length of her arm.
“Last night…” she began then stopped, wondering how to ask the question perched on her lips. “Did we…?”
The bed shook with Luke’s chuckle. “No. We all passed out before it got too far. Besides, both of us were too drunk to get it up, I think.”
She blew out a sigh of relief but felt a small kernel of disappointment. The idea of the two sexy men in her bed piqued her imagination. “I remember parts of it but not everything. I wasn’t sure.”
He lifted to an elbow and propped his head on his hand. “I remember everything.” The color of his eyes darkened and his voice lowered. “I liked watching you with him.”
The blood in her veins turned hot like lava. His big hand moved to her bare belly and smoothed over her skin, sliding up to cup one of her breasts. She caught her lower lip between her teeth and watched his fingers tweak one of her nipples. Desire hummed through her.
“Aren’t you the dirty boy,” she whispered on a sigh.
His gaze followed his hands as they swept over her body, caressing every inch of her. The scent of shower gel and shampoo drifted to her nostrils. She lifted his hand and pressed a kiss to the palm, tasting his skin, enjoying the brush of his rough callouses against her lips.
“If you wanted to be with him, I’d be okay with it,” he said, meeting her gaze and holding it. His touch smoothed along the inside of her thigh. “As long as you keep this for me.” One of his fingers dipped inside her, and she shuddered. He added a second finger and curled them, sending spikes of pleasure down her legs and into her toes. “Can you do that, Tasha?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Say it for me.” His lips and teeth nipped and kissed along her neck.
“My pussy is only for you,” she replied, knowing the implications of the statement and happy to comply.
The mattress sagged when he shifted his weight onto her. Her knees fell open, inviting him between them. She ran her hands over the smooth curve of his back, warm and damp from their shower. The ends of his hair tickled her chest as he bent to suck a nipple into his mouth.
“Can I have you bare?” he asked. The steel and velvet of his erection throbbed against her belly. When he swirled his hips, her core clenched, needing him inside her, drawing him closer. “I haven’t been with anyone but you, and I’ve been tested.”
“Me too,” she said. “And I’ve got an implant.”
The head of his cock nudged her entry while his mouth took hers. This wasn’t like their other kisses. This one dove deeper until she thought of nothing but the rise and fall of his chest against hers and the fullness inside her. He rocked against her, fucking her with slow thoroughness.
“Take my cock, Tasha. I’m going to fuck you like you need it. Make you come so hard.”
The entire time, he stared into her eyes. She stared back, unwilling to look away for even a second. Every thrust claimed her and marked her as his. He filled her with his scent and his cock, made her ask for things she didn’t even know she wanted.
“You’re so wet. Is that for me, baby?” he whispered in her ear. “Do you want me? That’s right. Claw my back. Hold on to me. Squeeze me with those long fucking legs of yours.”
His hot, dirty words spurred a frenzied need inside her. She tightened around him, clutching and quaking. He braced his arms on either side of her, tendons strained, muscles flexing with every thrust. Her eyes squeezed shut, overcome by the sensations firing through her body. It was too much, too powerful, too raw.
“Look at me, Tasha,” he growled in a throaty rasp. “Don’t shut your eyes. You stay right here with me. Feel me.” She opened her eyes and felt the sting of tears at the sight of him, dark-eyed and tense above her. “I’ve got everything you need right here, baby. Everything. I’m giving it all to you. Do you understand me?”
She nodded once, her throat thick with emotion, her heartbeat banging in her ears. Comprehension dawned. She didn’t need to keep pushing him away. He was already inside her heart and her head. He’d been there since the beginning, and he was still there.
CHAPTER 32
THE WEEK passed, and Luke spent every minute with Tasha, guarding their time together like a precious secret. He’d seen the way she’d looked at Elijah, the flicker of interest. If it was anyone but Elijah, he’d be sick with worry. Elijah might be a manipulative asshole, but he knew better than to push Luke too far. He understood the pull, the way Elijah could spin like into lust and desire into need. Tasha and Elijah were alike in so many ways: impulsive, edgy, always searching for something more. If he wasn’t careful, Elijah might tempt her over to the dark side. Hell, he’d been tempted there a time or two.
If she wanted Elijah, Luke had to let her go. But he could at least be there to bring her back when Elijah self-destructed like he always did. Something had shifted between the three of them that night in the limo. Mutual desire pulsed between them, hot and needy. And since then, Tasha looked at Elijah like he was a fucking god, hazel eyes on fire, burning for him.
He’d let her go, but she wasn’t going there alone.
By the next Monday, Luke had the more pressing matter of Mr. Belden on his mind. Alone in his office cubicle, he contemplated the email in front of him and felt a hot flush of anger rise from his collar into his cheeks. Apparently, Mr. Belden had stolen Luke’s artwork and presented it to the president of the company as his own. As a result, B
elden would receive a new title and a healthy raise to go along with it, while Luke got nothing. Again.
Happy birthday, Jameson.
He had worked on the logo for weeks in preparation for the newest ad campaign for one of their clients. The plan was to present it to the president, get a leg up in the company and out from under Belden’s thumb. Belden had beaten him to the punch.
He wasn’t sure why the guy had it in for him. He went out of his way to be considerate and polite. He did more than his fair share of work and never complained when he had to work late or on the weekends, which was often.
Angry, irrational thoughts swirled through his mind. He considered storming into Belden’s office and kicking his ass, but it would only get him fired or land him in jail. He could take it to the president, but he really had no way to prove the design was his and not Belden’s. Or he could call Caroline, accept her job offer, and turn in his notice.
Caroline’s offer was more than generous. Better hours, bigger office, more money. The only thing holding him back was their past relationship. She assured him it wouldn’t be an issue. They’d be in different departments, and he would report to someone else. He was still contemplating the option when a low buzz of excitement washed through the office.
One of the perks of being friends with a rock star was watching other people’s reactions to him. Luke looked up to find Elijah striding in his direction. Curious eyes peeked over the tops of cubicle walls. A few co-workers ventured into the aisles to watch him pass.
Elijah loved every minute of the attention. He wore a bright Hawaiian shirt, unbuttoned to his waist, over a pair of board shorts. His blond hair stuck out all over his head, and black shades covered his eyes. He stopped and scanned the room. When he caught sight of Luke, he smiled and made a beeline for his cubicle.
“What are you doing here?” Luke asked, and shook Elijah’s hand.
“It’s your birthday, man,” Elijah replied. “Grab your shit and let’s get out of here.”
“I can’t just leave, you dumbass,” Luke said. A few of the more adventurous co-workers were snapping pictures of Elijah with their cellphones. He seemed oblivious to the turmoil he caused.
“Sure you can.” Elijah fingered the sticky notes on Luke’s computer, grabbed a pen, and doodled a peace sign on a piece of paper, then opened the drawer next to his leg. “I can’t wait for you to see what I bought for your birthday.”
“I get off at five. We can go out then.” Luke snapped the drawer shut and gave him a warning scowl.
“Come on,” Elijah said in the same tone he’d used when they were kids and he’d wanted to get his way. “I’ve got a special surprise for your birthday. Something you don’t want to miss.”
“If I leave, I’ll get fired.”
“So, who cares? You said it’s a shitty fucking job. Quit. You can come work for me. Or go work for Caroline.” Elijah cocked an eyebrow. His mouth widened into a huge smile.
“What’s going on here, Jameson?” Belden came to a halt at the threshold of his cubicle, his face flushed with anger. “You know visitors aren’t allowed up here. Get back to work.”
Elijah turned the full force of his megawatt smile onto Belden. He tugged his sunglasses down on his nose and peered over the tops. The bold blue eyes raked over the man from top to bottom. He shoved the glasses back up his nose and popped his chewing gum with a snap of his jaws. Belden took a step backward.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” Belden said, extending his hand. “I’m Jonathan Belden, Vice President of Marketing, and Luke’s boss. I won the Martin-Bennett Award last year.”
Elijah stood, towering over the shorter Belden, and pumped his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Elijah Crowe, rock star. I’ve won seven Grammys, eleven MTV Music Awards, and some other stuff.” He waved a dismissive hand in the air.
“Seven Grammys?” Luke asked. “Really? How did I not know that?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Elijah furrowed his brow in contemplation. “Or maybe it’s eight. I don’t know. I can’t remember.” He turned back to Belden. “So it’s Luke’s birthday, and I’m going to take him out today. You got a problem with that?”
An hour later, they arrived at the marina. Elijah refused to tell him where they were going or what they were doing until they pulled up in front of a giant white boat. It was double the size of anything else at the pier, ridiculous and ostentatious.
“Happy fucking birthday,” Elijah said and slapped him on the back.
“You got me a yacht for my birthday?” Luke asked, feeling his eyebrows lift to the hairline.
“No. I got me a yacht for your birthday.” He lifted two fingers of each hand into the air and put air quotes around the words your birthday.
They got out of the car and headed down the pier. The sun blazed overhead in a brilliant blue sky. The scent of freshwater and fish and summer wafted on the breeze. When they got closer to the boat, Tasha came out of the cabin and waved. Luke felt his chest tighten the way it did every time he saw her. She wore a tiny scrap of a bikini, all legs, colorful tats, and sexy brown hair piled high on her head.
Luke put a hand on Elijah’s arm. He rarely touched him but deemed it necessary this once. Elijah turned to face him, a questioning lilt to one eyebrow. He had to make sure Elijah knew exactly where he stood. For once, he was going to set the rules of the game and not Elijah.
“You can do whatever she wants,” Luke said, “and I’m good with it. But you can’t fuck her. Understand?”
The customary smirk slid from Elijah’s face. He studied Luke with somber eyes. Luke refused to look away or blink. This was important, and he needed Elijah to understand. Otherwise, this would never work.
Elijah swallowed and nodded. “I’m good with that, man. You’ve got my word.” They shook hands and proceeded to the boat, where the hottest girl he’d ever known waited for him.
This was going to be the best birthday ever.
Tasha loved the feel of the wind blowing through her hair and the spray of water over the bow. They’d been up and down the length of the lake a half-dozen times. The sun had reached midday when Elijah pulled into a secluded cove and dropped anchor. They were alone except for the rush of wind through the willows lining the shore and a house crowning the hill above them.
“So what do you think?” Elijah asked. He sat on the bench across from them, arms stretched across the back of the seat, legs crossed at the ankle.
“About what?” Luke asked. He emerged from the cabin carrying an ice bucket full of beer and handed them each a bottle.
“About the house,” Elijah said and nodded toward the shore.
Tasha flattened a hand above her eyes and peered at the steel-and-glass mansion overlooking the water. Four stories of windows reflected the sky. She could just discern the glimmer of a swimming pool, multiple terraces, and landscaped lawns. This was the elite side of the lake where professional basketball players, high-priced attorneys, and other disgustingly wealthy people lived.
“It’s amazing,” she said.
“I bought it,” Elijah replied. “It’s a good investment and a great location.” The beer bottle hissed in his hand when he twisted off the cap. “Now I’ll have somewhere to go when I get off tour.”
The weight of his tour loomed ahead of them like a storm cloud. In just a few weeks, he’d be heading out for three years of non-stop performances. Tasha had grown accustomed to his meddling and actually looked forward to seeing him. He added spice to an otherwise drab day. She was going to miss him when he left.
Under the hot August sun, she stretched out on her stomach on the deck and untied the string of her bikini top. The boat rocked gently beneath her. Water lapped at the hull. Birds chirped and squeaked in the distance. The coconut scent of suntan lotion mingled with the scents of the lake and fresh-cut grass from the house on the shore. Luke and Elijah’s deep voices rumbled in conversation, broken by occasional chuckles of amusement.
Relaxed by the beer and warmed by
the sun, she drifted into sleep. A series of loud whoops, followed by splashes, woke her later. She lifted from the deck to see Luke and Elijah frolicking in the water beside the boat. Sunlight glimmered like diamonds over the water, but there was no mistaking the flashes of their naked flesh as they dove and splashed.
“Come on in, baby,” Luke called to her.
Without hesitation, she joined them. The water was cool and felt good on her heated skin. They swam and played until the sun began to drop on the horizon. Luke went back to the boat first and extended a hand to help her up the ladder. Elijah followed and grabbed towels for them. After the chill of the water, the lake breeze raised gooseflesh on her skin and brought her nipples to tight points. Elijah wrapped the fluffy towel around her and rubbed her down, driving heat and blood back into her limbs. Luke dried his hair and watched them, moving the towel in long sweeps over first his arms and then down the stretch of his legs. There was no mistaking the heat in his eyes. A small thrill of anticipation shivered through her.
CHAPTER 33
ELIJAH DOCKED the boat and took them on a tour of the house. Cool marble floors and whitewashed wood gave a light and airy feel to the rooms. The house came fully furnished with soft, overstuffed sofas and king-size beds. He opened a door to one of the bedrooms furnished in pale blue with a walkout balcony and spacious bathroom.
“You guys can stay in here,” he said.
“Very nice,” Tasha said, trailing a hand over the claw-foot tub and brass fixtures. She’d thought his penthouse hotel suite was opulent, but this house far exceeded anything she’d ever experienced. It must have cost him a ton of money. “But where are you going to stay?”
Felony Romance Series: Complete Box Set (Books 1-5) Page 69
