by Heather Long
“Fair.” Even if I hated every part of it. “But you know you can rely on us. Even if you thought you couldn’t rely on me, you can rely on them. They’d never let you starve or lose your place or anything.”
“I know,” she said, touching the side of her head. “In here? I know it. But here?” She touched her heart. “And worse here?” She touched her stomach. “It just makes me sick thinking how easily this could all get screwed up. I have a job that I can’t do, and my boss won’t let me do while I’m injured, and I know she means well but…”
“You’re scared.” I sighed, then reached over to take her hand. “I’m sorry, Angel. I’ll back you on whatever you want to do and whatever you need from me, you say the word. It’s yours.”
Her smile reappeared. “I’m so glad we made up.” Then she flushed, and I had to grin. “Okay, that sounded a little weird.”
“Nah, it sounded magical to me. And while I’m totally willing to sit here with you all night, you ready to go in?” I wanted to cheer her up for real.
“Are you seriously going to make me sing?” She made a face.
“I’m not going to make you do anything, though I might beg,” I teased gently. “But you have a gorgeous voice when you stop thinking about it.”
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I already said I’d go on dates with you again. You don’t have to butter me up.”
“I am not buttering you up.” I chuckled, then caught her nape and pulled her in for a fierce kiss. It wasn’t gentle or slow like our kiss before we got in the car. This was a lot more teeth and heat. The little bite she left on my lower lip had me panting. There was a confidence in her kiss that was sexy as hell, and at the same time, the blush turning her cheeks a deeper pink delighted the hell out of me. “It’s the fucking truth,” I told her, keeping our faces close so she couldn’t look anywhere but at me. “But I’m not going to make you.”
Another kiss, and I slipped out, but not before she let out a slow exhaled, “Okay,” that quivered a little and went right to my dick, who stood right the hell to attention. This was my penance for being an ass.
I would suffer it gladly. Especially since we were making progress and I got to have the time with her.
Once inside the school, I picked up my keys for the practice room and studio after I signed in. Then led the way. Frankie glanced around again, and I loved the way she looked at everything as though she needed to catalogue it for later. Once in the room, I set the guitar down and started getting set up.
“Before we dive in,” I told her as she eased out of my jacket. I paused a moment because, hell yes, I liked seeing her in it. She’d worn Jake’s a lot, and yeah, I’d been all kinds of jealous. Now we were going to have to make sure she wore mine as much as she wore his. “Mom invited you to Thanksgiving, and she promised Dad would be on his best behavior. I know you’ve already got plans or at least invites to Coop’s and Jake’s, but you’re welcome at my place, too.”
She turned those wide-eyes on me. “Um…”
“No pressure,” I said, taking the jacket and hanging it up. “Seriously. None. It’s going to just be the three of us.” It was one of the first years we weren’t going to visit family elsewhere. “And I’d love to have you there that day. Bring Archie, too.” I know he didn’t have anywhere else to go. He’d made it clear he’d rather drill his teeth rather than go to dinner with his parents, if they were even in the state.
“I have no idea what I’m going to do yet,” Frankie said slowly. “Everyone has asked, but you’re right I don’t want Archie being on his own either.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I suggested. “I just wanted you to know. And if Dad starts, we’ll ditch and go grab Chinese food or something.”
She laughed, which was the whole idea.
“Okay, now that we have that out of the way.” I sat down at the piano and patted the bench next to me. “Come here, Angel. Come listen to me play for a bit and we’ll go over that song.”
The third song was one I’d written a long time ago. Long enough it was a little embarrassing. I’d tweaked it some, on and off, then reworked it the week after Halloween. I’d recorded it during my last studio time so she could hear it.
“Oh,” I said sliding off the bench just as she sat down to grab my backpack. I pulled out the lyric sheets and the music. I handed her the first, then I handed her the big envelope.
She stared at it.
The label’s name was on it.
“Ian?” Startled, she stared at me.
“I sent that demo you helped me make to a few different labels, scholarships, and contests.” They’d called me the week before, and I’d had some time to get my head around it.
“Holy crap.” Her mouth formed this delightful circle.
Settling back on the bench next to her, I nodded to the packet. “Open it?”
“Do you know what it is?”
“I have an idea,” I told her. “But it’s the kind of thing I need my green-eyed girl to help me with…”
Her hand was shaking as she slit open the envelope, and I helped brace it so she could pull out the thick wad of paper. There was a CD in the mix, too.
My CD.
I set it on the rack next to the music sheets, and she turned the packet right side up to read the cover letter.
Mr. Rhys,
Per our conversation, I’ve included a sample contract for your attorneys to look over. We think you’d be a good fit, and we would like you to consider working with us to develop an album. You’ve got a great sound, and we think you can do great things with it.
She jerked her head up and stared at me. “Ian, they want you to record with them.”
I cleared my throat. “Yeah,” I said slowly. “It’s not a guarantee of anything. I’d have to write some new stuff and get it recorded, and they’d want to give me feedback and I’d probably have to go to them at some point. I don’t even know if this is…”
She didn’t let me finish the thought, her lips on mine burned the words right off my tongue. Packet dropped into her lap and half-forgotten, she had her hand in my hair, and I twisted to pull the rest of her right up against me and into my lap.
The clang of the keys broke us apart, and Frankie stared at me, almost glassy-eyed. “Do you want to do it?”
I hesitated.
“Don’t think about it. Just first reaction. Is this something you want to do?”
“Only if you’ll do it with me,” I told her. That was my first reaction. I loved the music, I loved playing. I loved writing it.
I loved her more.
“You know I’ll help you,” she said, staring at me like I was an idiot.
“No, I mean, I want you to sing with me.” I had thought about this. Especially after I caught her singing along one day, unaware anyone was listening. When she forgot about everything else, she had the most gorgeous voice. All she needed was a little faith in herself and a little practice. “I want you to help me pick the songs, tell me what you think. I want you.”
Her eyes widened, and she said, “Ian…”
“No pressure,” I promised. “We have time to think about it. And I haven’t talked to anyone else about this either. Just you.”
“Your secret is safe with me.”
That hadn’t even been a question.
With some reluctance, I settled her back on the bench and then turned to the keyboard. From the corner of my eye, I caught her staring down at the letter and then looking up at me. I meant it when I said I wanted her with me.
“Okay,” I said, flexing my fingers. “I’ll play it through a couple of times, and you follow along. Then when you’re ready, jump in and sing.”
“And when I butcher it?” She made a face.
I chuckled. “We’ll fix it.” I bumped her hip. “Trust me.”
Even if she rolled her eyes, she moved the packet so she could look at the lyric sheet.
It took me three passes, but she joined me singing on the fourth.
> By the fifth pass, her voice gained confidence.
On the sixth?
I let her do all the singing, and it was everything I could want it to be.
For Your Consideration
Archie: What are you guys doing for the holiday break?
Jake: Next week? Probably spend it with Frankie.
Dinner with my mom and the girls on Thursday.
Bubba: Pretty much the same.
Mom asked Frankie over to TDay too.
Archie: No, Christmas break.
I know what we’re doing next week.
Bubba: Usually we drive to my grandparents.
Not going with them this year.
Jake: Nothing that I know of.
Coop: Why?
.
Bubba: Thanks for joining.
Did we wake you?
Jake: Considering he’s got Frankie to himself?
I’m surprised he’s even on here.
Coop: She’s asleep. Fuck off.
What was so important you started texting
at almost midnight?
Archie: I want to take Frankie away for Xmas.
Bubba: What?
Jake: Excuse me?
Archie: Keep your panties on.
You guys are invited, if you can get away.
Coop: Details.
Jake: Yeah. Explain.
Archie: Still working it out. We get
2 weeks. She can’t go back to work yet.
Holidays suck as it is. Don’t want to deal with
her mom on top of it.
Bubba: Makes sense.
Coop: Following. Trips are expensive.
Archie: My treat.
Jake: …
Bubba: Explain.
Archie: If you can take the 2 weeks,
It’ll just be the five of us. Away from here.
We can celebrate Jake’s birthday and Xmas.
Jake: Not hating it.
Coop: Not sure Mom will go for it.
Bubba: I’m in.
Who is convincing Frankie?
Archie: It’s a surprise.
Jeremy will watch the cats.
Jake: LOL
Coop: You like to live dangerously.
Bubba: Maybe.
If we’re all in. Maybe not.
Jake: I’ll convince Mom.
Coop: Fuck, I’m not staying here
for two weeks without all of you.
Archie: Excellent. Just remember,
not a word. I don’t want her stressing about it.
Jake: Yep.
You want to live dangerously.
Coop: This will be all of us living dangerously.
Bubba: Yep.
Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Chapter Nine
5 Courses, 4 Boys, 3 Moms, 2 Turkeys, and Me
Frankie
The best part of Thanksgiving break was just hanging out with the guys. We didn’t date so much as just spend time together. Archie practiced new chores. Dishwashing? Nailed it. The night for experimental cooking?
Well, it turned out that we needed to air the apartment out, and we still hadn’t been able to get the stench of burnt onions and garlic out of the kitchen. Coop and Jake decided that Archie and Ian were no longer allowed to cook anything but boxed stuff.
No way that could go wrong, right?
Fortunately, I had another skillet, because the last one was not going to survive. No amount of scrubbing could get the burnt residue off of it. Despite the various disasters—and yes, I totally took pictures of Archie cooking to send to Jeremy—I hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time. The downtime also let me get caught up on homework and start my new delivery job.
True to his word, Ian backed me when I told the guys what I wanted to do. Jake and Coop immediately began to list the different services and the pros and cons of them. Signing up to do the job was a lot easier than I expected. Coop and Jake went with me the first time, then Ian jumped in to go on the second. Archie came along for the third.
His running commentary on the orders and the app nearly had me running off the road, until I told him he wasn’t allowed to talk anymore.
By the night before Thanksgiving, though, I had earned about three hundred in tips from working several long shifts—well, long according to Jake and Coop, but the only thing in danger of hurting on me was my ass, so I didn’t listen to their assessment. The three hundred would be deposited the following Monday, and there were bonuses if I continued delivering over the holiday weekend.
The only day the guys pretty much argued with me about was Thanksgiving itself, and I could handle that. I figured if I tried to work the way I had my Mason’s shifts, that would be fair. They debated that, but we’d figure it out.
Ian and I did get more studio time on Tuesday—where he confessed he would be teaching kids to play instruments in the spring to help offset his studio use. I also got to learn a whole second chord on the bass, which was good because I couldn’t actually hold it yet, but Ian braced it in my lap while I sat in his.
The night before Thanksgiving, Archie and I left to stay at his house. I’d be having breakfast with him and Jeremy. We’d worked out a whole schedule for the day, and I’d made a bet with the guys because they didn’t think I could eat as much food as I was going to be offered. Particularly since I had plans with everyone.
Call me weird, but I was looking forward to the challenge. That, and being woken by Archie before the sun was even up, his hands on my thighs as he buried his face against my pussy. I was halfway to an orgasm before my eyes even opened, and my whole body curled up to the stroke of his tongue.
A string of curse words spilled out of me as he thrust two fingers into me and curved them upward at the same moment he locked his lips around my clit. The whole world fractured and split right down the middle as pleasure swamped me. I was still panting when he eased his way up to smile down at me, all kinds of proud of himself.
Not that I had any complaints. He cupped and teased my breasts, the stroke of his thumbs over the nipples making me squirm. “You back with me yet, babe?” The soft invitation in his voice added another caress to my senses.
Still looking for the words to answer, I let out a squeak when he pinched one nipple and bit down lightly on the other. My hips bumped up against his, and his cock left a damp stripe across one of my thighs.
“There she is,” he murmured, nuzzling the tip as they strained tighter, then he sucked one against his teeth and anticipation pooled in my belly. I went from replete to desperate and needy as he took his time lavishing my breasts. “Good morning…”
I huffed out a laugh and carded my fingers into his hair. He answered the tug to rise up and kiss me. There was the barest hint of mint on his breath, but the rest of him tasted like me.
“Hi,” I told him between blistering kisses that had my toes digging into the bed as I lifted my knees to cradle his hips against me. The weight of his erection pressed against my stomach, and I ground against him lightly.
“Hope you don’t mind the early morning wake-up,” he teased, sitting up abruptly and leaving me gasping as he reached to the side of the bed. “But you looked so fucking beautiful, and it’s been forever since I had you in my bed.”
A shiver went all the way up my spine, of desire and guilt. “I’m sorry…”
“Shh,” he told me, his dark eyes fixed on me as he opened the foil and then rolled the condom on. “I’m not blaming you. I like sleeping in your bed, too.” Then he dropped back down until his nose brushed mine. “I like sleeping with you.” Kiss. “I like touching you, too.” Kiss. “I really like it when I have you all to myself.”
He stroked his cock against my pussy, slicking himself up. Then, holding my gaze, he lined himself up and pushed in, filling me in one relentless thrust that had my head tipping back. Oh, that felt better than I even remembered it. I dug my fingers into his shoulder and started to bring up my right hand, but he caught it gently and eased it back down.
“Let me do all the work, babe,” he teased before kissing me again. I wrapped my legs around his hips, arching my back, and because I loved the way it felt to rub against him.
“Archie,” I groaned and granted, I’d just woken up, but my voice sounded far huskier than usual. “I want to touch you, too.”
“I promise, you can touch me whenever you want, babe. I just need you right now.” The last six words broke me. No way I could tell him no, not when he strained into me and then locked his mouth over mine as his hips began to piston. The angle was perfect and he felt amazing, as did the way he hooked my shoulders and kept me from sliding as the tempo he rocked into me at increased.
My orgasm raced up at me at a startling pace, and all I could do was suck on his lower lip and dig my fingers in to hold on as he toppled right over the edge. I clenched down around him, and his hips stuttered, then he bit my shoulder as he came.
Still panting, we lay there in a tangle of limbs, and Archie pressed his face into my throat. “So,” he said after several long minutes. “As I was saying…good morning.”
Giddy laughter erupted through me, and he raised his head, his own lips twitching. His hair was tousled, and shadow of stubble on his cheeks had left a little burn on mine, but I seriously didn’t care. “I think I said ‘hi.’“
“You did,” he agreed, still grinning. The twinkle in his eyes just made me laugh harder, though we both hissed as he eased out of me. I missed him almost as soon as he was off the bed. After disposing of the condom, he came back with water and offered me a drink.
