by Ann,Brooklyn
Would everything change between them now?
She buried her face in her hands as confusion overtook her. Her hair fell forward, and his scent overtook her, making her mind swim.
I’ll think about it tomorrow, she said silently, tossing her hair like Scarlett O’Hara as she tried to muster her courage. For now it would be enough to savor the pleasure of his embrace.
She emerged from the bathroom, surprised to see that Dante was still awake. After sex, which she didn’t even bother deluding herself to call lovemaking back then, her ex-husband had always rolled over and was snoring within seconds.
Her cheeks burned as she met Dante’s slumberous eyes. “I, um, don’t have any pajamas,” she said lamely.
Dante’s chuckle was low and sensuous. “I don’t mind.”
He lifted the blanket, and she climbed in beside him, startled when he put his arm around her and pulled her close. Though her book characters often cuddled afterward, it had never happened to her in real life.
I should be taking notes, she thought drowsily, but the warmth and safety of Dante’s embrace carried her off to sleep before she could savor the experience for very long.
Chapter Twelve
Shayna awoke the next morning to the sound of the shower running. Dante’s scent of subtle spice was everywhere. In the sheets, in her hair, in the very air. Memories of his lovemaking crashed down on her with earthshaking force. Today she’d have to face him and endure his reaction. What if he regretted it?
Sweat broke out over her skin. She wasn’t ready yet. Before Dante emerged, she jerked on her clothes and darted out of the room.
Her bedroom door was open. Instead of Zander being there, one of the Rosa’s daughters—the three came once a week to help with the dusting and heavier work, and also apparently when Dante had guests—was finished making the bed. She greeted Shayna with a shy smile on her way out.
Shayna showered and dressed, then went down to the dining room. Her heart froze in her chest as she saw Dante seated at the table with a cup of coffee and a plate of bacon and pancakes. His damp hair glinted in the morning sunlight, and she wondered where the other guys were.
“Good morning.”
He gave her a broad smile and gestured at a platter of enough food to feed an army. Though her stomach revolted at the thought of eating, Shayna filled up a plate, desperate to keep herself occupied. She sat and forced herself to nibble on a bit of bacon, occasionally darting nervous glances at Dante, waiting for his reaction to their intimacy and dreading it.
Dante’s eyes met hers, and her stomach clenched.
“About last night,” he began.
Oh God, here comes the regretful apology and it’ll-never-happen-again speech. Maybe he’d even ask her to leave.
Suddenly, Dante’s cell phone rang. He gave Shayna an apologetic smile, which darkened when he glanced down. His brows drew together as he swiped the screen to answer, and then he put the phone to his ear.
“Collette,” he said flatly.
Shayna jerked in her seat, feeling like she’d been punched in the gut. Her breakfast churned in her stomach as she heard the famous Collette’s musical voice trilling faintly through the phone speaker.
Dante’s expression softened, and he suddenly looked contrite. “Yes, I didn’t forget. I booked a room and I’ll meet you at the White House two hours before the ceremony.” He paused as Collette said something else. “Yes, we’ll make it so romantic they won’t forget.”
Cold chills marched down Shayna’s spine. Dante and his ex were doing something with the President? He’d “booked a room”? And how could he talk about making it romantic after what he’d done with Shayna last night?
Her heart shrieked with so much pain that she didn’t hear what Dante said after that. She inwardly debated asking just what he and his ex were doing together or remaining silent, but then the band saved her from making a decision as they came in through the door, carrying holders loaded with coffee from some place she’d heard them raving about last night. Dom and Alex passed out the cups, and everyone sat at the table, grabbing food off the platters.
Dante hung up and looked over at Dom. “Did you remember to book your flight for the wedding?”
Shayna’s frown deepened. Wedding? What wedding?
Dom nodded. “Yeah.”
“Right.” Dante looked down at his coffee but didn’t drink. “Collette just called.”
The keyboard player gave him a surprised look. “You forgot, didn’t you?”
A slight flush crept up Dante’s face. “Yeah. I feel like a total ass. It’s just that I’ve been distracted lately. And I’d appreciate it if you kept that information to yourself.”
Alex stroked his lower lip. “So, I meant to ask. Collette really agreed to do this? That’s a surprise. I thought she was set on staying retired.”
“Yeah, well, Quinn’s a close friend of ours, and she can’t resist a bride’s wish.” Dante shrugged. “Still, he didn’t tell Kinley about it. He wants to surprise her.”
“Cool,” Alex said through a mouthful of bacon. “Then we better get back to work. If we hope to have that new song ready in time. If you want to use it.”
“Okay, but I want to talk with Shayna for a moment,” Dante said. Shayna felt like it was almost an afterthought. He rose from the table and beckoned her.
Oh, God, he and his ex were doing something at a wedding at the White House. And they were leaving in a couple days. What if that meant he was now going to tell her to leave? What if he’d only slept with her because she was available, but now he and Collette were getting back together? With dragging steps and an aching heart, Shayna followed Dante upstairs.
He led her into his bedroom and sat on the bed, patting the spot next to him. She sat down, too, inhaling his subtle but intoxicating cologne, prepared to have her heart broken.
Dante sighed. “Some close friends of mine are getting married, and the guys and I are going to be part of the live music.”
“And your ex,” Shayna said. The words slipped out without her thinking.
He raised a brow before nodding. “Yeah. Our duet’s one of Kinley’s favorite songs. The bride. I’m honestly surprised Collette agreed to do it. She and I haven’t talked in years. But maybe she does think of others besides herself.”
Some of Shayna’s tension eased. So, this is what he’d meant about romantic?
She couldn’t keep from asking, “Your friends are getting married at the White House?” What kinds of prestigious people did he associate with?
Dante laughed. “Not the President’s home. It’s an old mansion in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where people hold weddings and stuff.” He leaned forward and placed his hand on hers, and heat filled her at his touch. “Would you like to be my date?”
Giddiness swirled in her belly at his words even as relief washed over her. He didn’t want her to leave. “I would be honored.”
Dante spoke once more. “Before we were interrupted, I wanted to discuss last night.” He turned to her, his eyes cobalt-colored and penetrating. “I’m sorry things went that far and complicated our arrangement.”
Arrangement? The clinical way he said the word made chills of dread ricochet through her.
“However,” he continued. “I can’t say I’m sorry about what happened, and I wouldn’t mind repeating the experience.”
His little half-smile, and the memory of his incredible lovemaking were almost enough to undo her. Shayna wanted nothing more than to throw herself at him, but instead she blurted, “What about Collette?”
Dante’s brow arched. “What about her? She’s my ex for a reason.” His expression sobered. “Don’t worry about any of that. Just focus on your work, and I’ll focus on mine.”
He was apparently done discussing it. He bent down and placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose, and then he headed downstairs, leaving Shayna’s mind spinning. He was sorry he slept with her, but he wanted to do it again? He was taking her to a wedding, where he and h
is ex would be singing together? His flawlessly beautiful, endlessly talented, celebrity ex?
How could Shayna compare?
***
Dante frowned as he listened to Julian’s bass line, trying to see if it fit the mood of the song. Alex had come up with a riff that had a medieval sort of flavor, and Dom did some effect with his keyboard to sound like flutes.
But…he was finding it hard to concentrate. He still couldn’t believe he’d forgotten all about Quinn’s and Kinley’s wedding. Aside from that making him feel like a total asshole, it was unnerving. He always knew what was on his calendar, sometimes six months or more in advance.
Shayna had held him completely engrossed. His quest to help her heal, his determination to get her writing again, and his desire to get to know her better had made him distracted and forgetful. He was never forgetful. But after last night he’d fallen deeper under her spell. Memories of her naked body stretched out beneath his, the scent of her skin, the way her tight sheath had pulsated around his hard cock washed over his mind and—
“Dante!” Zander broke off his thoughts. “Did you get that?”
He nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah. Let me sing the opening verse and see how it gels.” He grabbed the microphone. “From the top.”
After another two hours, they had a rough version of what could turn out to be their next hit. Dante wasn’t sure it was ready to test out at his friends’ wedding, though. Too bad, since both and Bleeding Vengeance would be there, and he could count on them to give honest feedback.
But, suddenly, only one person’s opinion really counted. And she was no musician.
“I think this is going to be great!” Zander said when Dante called a break. “It really hearkens back to our old-school stuff.”
Julian nodded. “Yeah, it still needs some work, but I think it’ll be a hit at the wedding if we get it ready in time.”
“Speaking of.” Dom wiped down his keyboard and looked at Dante. “What are you going to do with your guest while we go?”
“I’m taking her with me.” The words left Dante’s mouth without pause, and he was surprised at how firmly he voiced them. He’d never had a problem with his ex-wife or girlfriends staying home when he had a gig before, but for some reason, the thought of leaving Shayna alone was unthinkable.
Zander gaped. “Really? Some random homeless chick you rescued from the streets—”
“Who is an intelligent, talented author and not some bum,” Dante reminded him. Even if she wasn’t, he wasn’t sure there’d be any difference. He’d probably have fallen for Shayna anyway.
“I still say you’re moving awfully fast.” Zander narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t even get like this with Collette. You’ve been distracted, forgetful, missing your cues…. I’ve never seen you like this. I get that Shayna’s cute, but she’s really young—and she’s been through a lot.”
Dante nodded, rankled that his distraction was so obvious. “Yes, I’m aware of that. What’s your point?”
“My point is that you need to be careful, man. Shayna may be intelligent, but that doesn’t change the fact that she was so emotionally traumatized that she walked until she almost died. Her feet might be better, but the mind takes longer to heal from shit like that.” The drummer shrugged. “And even if everything is hunky-dory in her psyche, that doesn’t change the fact that she’s recently divorced. What if you’re just her rebound? Slow down a bit! I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be alright,” Dante said. Then he left the studio before he got any more of the third-degree.
Of course, Zander was right, he admitted grudgingly. There was a possibility that, once Shayna’s grief stabilized, she’d no longer need or want him in her life. Then again, she clearly didn’t harbor any attachment to her ex, which Zander seemed worried about. So, instead of being wary, he was more determined than ever to savor his time with her.
He went to the kitchen and grabbed some sandwiches that Rosa had set out, taking one to Shayna, who’d completely taken over his office. Pages of hand-scrawled notes, history books, and even printouts of people he assumed modeled the characters littered his desk. She was thoroughly engrossed in her writing, typing furiously on her new laptop, and he couldn’t wait to read the next chapter. She’d left the hero in quite a bind, and he couldn’t imagine how the character would get out of it.
Despite her focus, Shayna glanced up at him with such a dreamy smile that he couldn’t help but bend down and claim her lips.
The kiss left them both breathless. He was playing with fire, but he didn’t mind getting burned.
Chapter Thirteen
As Shayna rode with Dante and Dom in a luxury shuttle to the Coeur d’Alene resort, she felt like a rock star herself. The thing had a flatscreen TV and a fridge full of drinks. And this had been her first time flying first-class.
Ever since Dante announced that he was taking her to his friends’ wedding, he’d been giving her the celebrity treatment. Before they left Sacramento, he took her shopping at an upscale store for something to wear to the wedding, as well as to buy a few other outfits for the trip. As she’d stood before the dressing room mirror in a burgundy Sue Wong gown that made her look like Roman royalty, she couldn’t help but hope it was as nice as whatever Collette would be wearing. Now, pulling up to the Coeur d’Alene resort, her worries and insecurities came back full force. Would Collette be staying here too? Would Dante just dump her off in their room and meet up with his ex? What if they reconciled despite what he’d said? What if, what if?
Dom leapt out of the shuttle, grabbed his bag and took off, muttering something about finding out how he could go fishing. Was he trying to get away before something awkward happened?
Her racing thoughts halted once they rode up the elevator to the penthouse and entered the resort suite. The place looked more like a high-class condo than a hotel room, with its separate kitchen area, living room with a fireplace, and adjoining bedroom. The white and blue chairs and ottoman, and the cream-colored walls accented the swanky, resort vibe. There was even a Jacuzzi on the balcony overlooking the lake.
She couldn’t suppress a gasp. “Wow. Do rock stars always get to stay in places like this?”
Dante laughed. “No. When we’re on tour, the record company deducts expenses like this from our royalties. A lot of new celebrities end up in debt if they’re not careful. The smart ones share one room and either rent cars or take cabs. Dom’s staying in one of the regular rooms. I’ve gotten to the point where I always get my own, and this time I felt like spoiling us.”
Us. The word made a tendril of heat coil in Shayna’s belly.
With a low growl, Dante pulled her into his arms and trailed hot kisses along her neck. His hot breath blew over her sensitive flesh as he whispered, “Let’s try out that big bed, shall we?”
“Mmm-hhhm,” she murmured, dizzy with desire.
His fingers locked on the waistband of her pants, slowly pulling them down her hips. His lips trailed along every new inch of exposed flesh.
The phone rang.
“Fuck,” Dante said through his teeth.
Just as Shayna had dreaded, Collette’s voice came from the phone when he answered. This time she didn’t sound so dulcet and pretty, either. Whatever she said was rapid-fire and shrill with irritation.
Dante covered the microphone on his cell and laughed. Regaining composure, he told her levelly, “You’re at the wrong White House. That’s in Post Falls. Damn good place, though. I ate there after a show in Spokane a few years back.”
Collette’s tone sharpened, and Shayna was able to hear her say, “Get to the point, Dante!”
Dante chuckled. “Calm down. You just need to head east on I-90, take the Sherman exit, and turn right. It’s an old Victorian mansion, and it’ll be on the right.… Yeah, on the corner of Seventh, I think.”
This time, Shayna couldn’t decipher the response.
“We’re at the resort,” Dante
said. “Where are you staying?”
Shayna prayed silently. Please not here. Please not here.
Again, he covered the phone and laughed before speaking again. “I hear that’s a nice place. But could you meet me in a couple hours? We just got into town. Dom’s scoping out the lakes and rivers in the area—you remember his obsession with fishing—and I want to shower and grab something to eat first. Okay, so five-thirty then? Great, I’ll see you there.”
After he hung up, he was still laughing.
Fighting back the urge to prod him about how great it would be to see Collette again, Shayna opted for a safer topic. “There’s another White House in this area?”
“Yeah, it’s a Mediterranean restaurant. If she even walked into the place for a second, she’s going to reek of garlic. No wonder she sounded pissed.” Grabbing Shayna’s wrists, Dante pinned her on the bed. “Now, where were we?”
Just as he bent to kiss her, the phone rang again. They both groaned.
Dante’s weight lifted from her as he got up and grabbed it. “I swear to God, if it’s her again, I’ll—” He glanced at the screen and grinned before answering. “Quinn! What’s up?”
Shayna heard a deep voice talking excitedly.
Dante nodded. “Yeah, we’re in the Jagger suite. The pass-code is 0919.” He set the phone down and sighed. “The groom and best man are coming up to visit.” He kissed Shayna long and hard. “I guess I’ll have to ravish you later.”
Shayna bit back a frustrated whimper and jerked her pants back up. The news that more famous rock stars were on their way up had her hurrying to the bathroom to fix her hair and makeup.
She was just touching up her lip-gloss when there was a knock on the door. Dante’s excited voice rang out as he greeted his visitors.
“Quinn, Klement! Long time, no see.”
Slowly she opened the door to see Dante hugging two men. One was about Dante’s height, with wavy black hair and brilliant green eyes. Shayna had seen him on a magazine cover before. The other was freakishly tall and lean, with blonde hair and blue-green eyes. Both carried themselves with confidence and authority.
