Strum Your Heart Out (Sinful Serenade #2)

by Crystal Kaswell

  My body goes into overdrive. Heart racing. Lungs stalling. Knees buckling.

  His voice washes over me, mixing me up and making me warm all over.

  I have nothing to hold onto, no way to steady myself. Drew is on a stage, singing for me. It shouldn't be this novel, what with him being a rock star. But he doesn't sing. He never sings. And he's interrupting his fucking concert to sing for me.

  Drew's voice picks up, louder, dripping with even more feeling. He sounds good. Not like a professional singer. Rawer. Realer.

  He plays the outro. His eyes blink open. He sets his guitar on the ground and grabs the mic.

  He's five feet away.

  His eyes are glued to mine. "Kara, I’m sorry this took me so long. I was terrified of ruining things. Terrified I’d lose you. Once I worked it out, it was obvious.”

  I take a deep breath.

  “I'm sure this isn't the best place to profess my feelings for you. But that's too bad because these words have been burning a fucking hole in my gut the last few days."

  He takes a step, so he's two feet away.

  “I love you. I’m madly in love with you.” His voice is sweet. “You are my everything. You mean more to me than anything in the fucking world. Hell, I’d give up the guitar before I’d give up you.”

  There’s a mix of aww and no fucking way from the crowd.

  Drew blushes. He turns to the audience. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” His eyes connect with mine. “I want you to be my girlfriend. I want the whole fucking world to know how much I love you.”

  There's an aww from the crowd. People are clapping and cheering, but the only thing I can see is Drew.

  The sincerity in his eyes.

  The smile on his lips.

  Drew. My Drew.

  I take a step toward him. "Say it again."

  "Answer first," he says. "I know it's high school and it's cheesy, but I want everything official. Will you be my girlfriend?"

  "Yes. Of course."

  He smiles. "I love you."

  "I love you too."

  He slings the mic over his shoulder. Then his arms are around me, pulling me close.

  His lips press into mine.

  He's mine.

  All mine.

  Always.

  EPILOGUE

  "Drew, I can't leave my graduation party."

  This does not stop Drew. He squeezes my hand and sneaks me out the side door.

  God, he looks good in a suit, cleaned up like the nice boy next door.

  "We have a very important appointment." He presses his lips to mine. "And only an hour to catch up for the last two weeks."

  "Why did your flight have to get in late? It's been torture seeing you in that suit all day."

  "You like it?"

  I nod, licking my lips like a puppy waiting for a treat.

  "Not as much as I like that dress."

  He holds me against the wall. His hands skim the neckline of my dress then dip below it. Oh God. The brush of his fingers against my nipples is enough to make my sex clench. Has it really only been two weeks? Feels like it's been two years.

  He sucks on my neck. "Better stop before I fuck you right here."

  "Where are we going?"

  "That's a surprise before the surprise."

  "And you're still not going to tell me?"

  He nods with this mischievous smile. What am I getting myself into?

  Drew's car is parked around the corner. Far enough away that no one will hear us leave. The man thinks of everything.

  "You want to give me a hint?" I ask.

  "It's for us."

  "A better hint."

  "It might hurt."

  I stare at him, but there are no clues in his expression.

  He squeezes my hand as he drives.

  Actually being boyfriend/girlfriend is amazing. He's been on tour the few months, but we haven't been apart for more than two weeks at a time. He visits or sends me a ticket to come for the weekend.

  On other days, we make do with our cell phones and web cams. Drew can put on quite the show when he wants to.

  And now that I'm officially done with my undergraduate degree, I'm coming on tour with him. The tour is over weeks before I start my UCLA teaching program.

  "You have everything packed to leave in the morning?" He pulls onto Wilshire and drives twenty miles over the speed limit.

  "Everything."

  "I better find your suitcase and toss all the underwear."

  "You really want me going without panties at a bunch of sweaty rock concerts?"

  He nods. "My hands deserve a reward for all their hard work."

  Dammit, he still makes me blush. He still makes my body go into overdrive. It's better now that I know he's really mine.

  We drive for ten minutes and park at a hotel valet. Drew grabs an overnight backpack from the backseat and rushes out of the car. I nod to the valet as I step out. Between my royal blue commencement dress and his black suit, we stand out. At least no one will recognize Drew like this.

  Nothing to delay our reunion.

  He squeezes my hand all the way to the registration counter. He gives his assumed name—Bruce Wayne—and checks in. The clerk slides us two keys. We don't wait for the details. We go straight to the elevator.

  The second the doors close, my hands are on him. I kiss him hard, sucking on his lip, plunging my tongue into his mouth. God, he tastes good. Familiar. Like Drew. Like home.

  He slides his hands under my ass, lifting me and pressing me against the wall of the elevator. I wrap my legs around him, slide my arms around his shoulders.

  "There's a camera in the ceiling." I press my neck against his lips.

  "And?" He sinks his teeth into my skin. His hands get lost in the fabric of my tea-length dress. "Tell me you're not wearing panties."

  "Only one way to find out."

  The elevator dings at our floor. Drew groans. He shifts so I can feel his erection, then sets me down on my feet.

  "Fuck, Kara. I missed you. I can barely walk."

  I smile and look at the room information. "The room is only twenty feet away. You’ll make it.”

  I find our suite and open the door with the electronic key. Drew whisks me inside, immediately pressing me against the door. He tugs at the skirt of my dress, still lost in the fabric.

  "Well fuck this." He drops to his knees and ducks under the skirt. His fingers trail up my thighs. His mouth follows their path.

  Then his mouth is on me. I'm not wearing any panties. He flicks his tongue against my clit. I'm so keyed up that it pushes me to the edge.

  I find the dress's zipper, undo it, and pull the whole thing over my head.

  Drew looks up at me. His eyes go wide. His hand trails up my stomach to my chest and toys with my nipples.

  "You taste so fucking good." He flicks his tongue against my clit. "Better than I remembered."

  I tug at his hair. It's a shame. This is the only time his hair has ever been neat and I'm making a mess of it. Somehow, I'm sure he doesn't mind.

  Pleasure builds quickly. A few more flicks of his tongue and I'm there. I tumble into an orgasm. All that pressure releases in wave after wave of bliss.

  "Drew," I groan. "Get the fuck out of those clothes."

  He scoops me up and brings me to the bed. I undo the knot of his tie as he shifts his jacket off his shoulders. The shirt comes off one button at a time. There's a black belt holding up the black slacks. I unbuckle it then pull the pants to his feet.

  He kicks off his shoes. Then the pants. He's wearing nothing but boxers and black dress socks.

  "Sexy look?" He pats his crotch like he's telling me to sit.

  "Yeah." I slide his boxers off his hips and bring my body into his. "But white socks would be better."

  "How about Argyle?"

  "I'm already wet, baby. You don't have to try harder to get me there."

  He smiles. He grabs my hips and wrestles me onto my back. With one violent
thrust, he enters me.

  "Oh God." I wrap my legs around him, shifting my hips to meet his movements. "I missed you."

  "I missed you more."

  His lips close over mine. I slide my hands into his hair and hold his mouth against mine, exploring his mouth like it's been years instead of weeks. His tongue dances with mine, playful and aggressive.

  He thrusts into me. I match his rhythm, pushing him deeper. He groans into my mouth. I groan back. I've already made a mess of his hair, so I go crazy.

  We stay locked together, rocking into each other's bodies, need pouring back and forth. Pleasure builds inside me. I resist. I want to come with him. It's been too long.

  I bring my mouth to his neck and suck on his skin. Until he's groaning. Until his hands squeeze the sheets. There. He's close. I let go of control, moving faster and harder.

  An orgasm rises up inside me. I groan. I pull one hand free and intertwine it with his.

  I stare deep into Drew's eyes, at all the love and affection and desire in them. He stares back and I know we'll be locked like this until we're there.

  A few more thrusts and we're coming together. My sex clenches around him. His cock pulses inside me. Pleasure spreads to my fingers and toes as he fills me.

  Fuck yes.

  I collapse on the bed.

  He lies next to me, bringing my body into his, wrapping his arms around me. "I love you."

  "I love you too." I turn my neck to press my lips to his. "How long do we have?"

  "About ten minutes until we need to get dressed."

  "Can I have a clue yet?"

  "No." He slides his hand below my waist. "You can have an orgasm."

  His fingers graze my clit.

  It would be silly to waste ten perfectly good minutes.

  "I accept your offer."

  I press my body into his. He strokes me until I’m there, moaning his name as I come.

  ***

  We wash up, dress, and make our way to the street. Drew leads the way on a walk of unspecified length.

  He stops at the corner. "Close your eyes."

  "We have to cross the street!"

  "You trust me?"

  I do. I press my lids together. It amplifies the sound of traffic. The heat of the sun. The softness of his lips on my neck.

  The light changes. We cross the street, walk straight for one block, turn right.

  "Open your eyes." Drew points to the shop in the middle of a strip mall.

  It's a tattoo parlor.

  "Our appointment starts in ten minutes," he says.

  "What kind of appointment?"

  "The couple's tattoo. You think I'd joke about that?" He slides his arm around my waist. "You can back out if you're scared. It does hurt."

  I slide my arms around his neck and look him dead in the eyes. "Makes sense, because loving you hurts."

  "A good hurt?"

  "Very good."

  He presses his lips into mine. "Do you want to do it?"

  A tattoo with Drew? It's terrifying and exhilarating all at once. So much more permanent than anything else, even marriage. He'll never be able to unmark his body. I'll never be able to unmark mine. But then, it's not like there's anything I could do to convince my body it's not addicted to Drew.

  "Let's do it," I say.

  "I have a design picked out." He leads me into the shop and waves at one of the artists. "You'll like it."

  The tattoo artist, an inked-up man in a black t-shirt and skinny jeans, introduces himself. "You must be Kara. I'm Ed. I've heard a lot about you."

  "That so?" I ask.

  Ed nods. He pulls out a sketchbook and flips to a page. There's a drawing of a matching set of tattoos—an ornate key and a heart shaped lock. "Drew wants the lock."

  I turn to Drew. "You do realize the phallic implications of the key?"

  He plays dumb. "You should explain them to me. Preferably with a demonstration." He looks to Ed. "You guys have a bathroom, right?"

  "No way in hell," Ed says.

  "That's one of our songs. About another girl though." Drew turns to me. "I figured I'd get it on my other shoulder. Instead of a broken heart, I have one that can only be unlocked by you."

  I swear to God, I melt. I have the key to Drew's heart. It's cheesy, but it's perfect. "I want mine on the opposite shoulder."

  He slides his hands into my hair. "You sure?"

  "Positive." I kiss him so hard I can't breathe. It doesn't help the nervous feeling in my stomach, but it still feels so damn good.

  A tattoo. This is going to hurt.

  "I can go first," Drew says. "In case you chicken out."

  "I want to go first."

  Drew winks at Ed. "She always does."

  "Shut the fuck up, Denton. You come first plenty."

  Ed smiles. He points to a smooth leather chair. It looks like something out of a dentist's office.

  "Make yourself comfortable," he says.

  I do. Drew sits next to me, squeezing my hand hard enough to cut off circulation to my fingers. His eyes find mine. Those brown eyes are wide with excitement and wonder.

  "You don't have to do this," he says.

  "I want to."

  "Good." His smile gets wider.

  Ed returns. He rubs my arm with some kind of antiseptic and shaves the area with a safety razor. Then he sprays water on my arm, then slaps something there and peels it off.

  It's a stencil of the design.

  He does the same to Drew.

  I check our reflections in the mirror. I'm the key and he's the lock. There's no doubt they're matching, that they're for us.

  "You have any ink, Kara?" Ed asks.

  "None."

  He grabs a tattoo gun and prepares the different colors of ink, separating them into small, individual cups. "It hurts, but it's not too bad. Like a shot at the doctor. Let me know when you're ready."

  "I'm ready," I say.

  The tattoo gun turns on with a rhythmic buzz. Drew offers his hand. I take it.

  Ow. That hurts like a bitch. I close my eyes, focusing on the pain. It's familiar, good and bad all at once. I squeeze Drew's hand a little tighter. I open my eyes and stare into his.

  It's enough to get me through this.

  It's about thirty minutes, on and off. The shading hurts the most, but it's nothing compared to how exhilarated I feel when I look at my new tattoo in the mirror.

  Drew presses his lips against my forehead. "You were right. We should get back to the party. Your mom is probably missing us."

  "Your sister is probably flirting with Tom."

  "Not if he wants to live through the tour."

  "She wants his bod."

  "Better stop that from happening." Drew smiles. "You're not buying this bluff, are you?"

  "Not a chance."

  Drew goes next. His tattoo takes longer. An hour maybe. The whole time, he holds my hand. No squeezing necessary. He doesn't seem to mind the pain.

  When we're finished, Ed wraps our new ink and gives us instructions on how to take care of it. He looks at Drew with a serious expression. "Make sure she follows procedure."

  "He thinks you're trouble," Drew says.

  "Because he knows you're trouble."

  Drew smiles. This flush spreads across his cheeks. Almost like he's nervous. He checks something on his phone then turns back to me.

  "Meet me outside," he says.

  I raise my eyebrow as if to ask why.

  "It's a surprise," Drew says. "And I have to settle up with Ed. Go."

  Okay. I like the surprises so far. I make my way back to the car. Our graduation ceremony was early. It's still light out. Another hour or two to sunset even. I bring my gaze to the sky.

  Oh my God. There in tiny little clouds, it says "Kara, will you marry me?"

  I rub my eyes again to make sure I'm not dreaming.

  I'm not.

  The door to the tattoo shop opens and Drew steps outside. "They wouldn't give me enough letters to write 'Kara Kendrick
, I love you more than life itself, will you marry me?'"

  He makes his way to me. Right here, in the parking lot, he drops to one knee.

  My mouth goes sticky. I can't talk. I can't think. Drew is proposing to me. He's really mine.

  "Isn't Miles going to hate you for stealing his thunder?" I ask.

  "You want to do this or you want to talk about Miles?" Drew pulls a ring box from his jeans. "I asked for his blessing. He said Meg won't discuss it until after her first year of med school."

  "Oh."

  "I asked for your mom's blessing too." He looks up at me. "She said that we're too young, but you should do whatever makes you happy."

  Drew pops open the ring box. It takes great effort, but I manage to breathe.

  "You're really doing this?" I ask.

  He nods. "I don't have any doubts about wanting to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you now. I'm going to love you forever." His eyes meet mine. "Kara Kendrick, will you marry me?"

  "Yes." I barely manage to get the word out, but there it is. My body is light again. It's so much more exhilarating than the tattoo. It's the best thing I've ever felt.

  He slides the ring—a completely enormous but completely perfect ring—onto my finger and rises to his feet. His lips meet mine. Once again, I melt.

  "I love you," he says.

  "I love you too."

  The End

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  Sing Your Heart Out - Miles

  Strum Your Heart Out - Drew

  Rock Your Heart Out - Tom

  Play Your Heart Out - Pete - May 2016

  Rock Your Heart Out Teaser

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  The room is dark except for the yellow light streaming from under the closed bathroom door. Quiet except for the tap-tap-tap of the shower.

  Then there's no more tap-tap-tap. The shower is off.

  I grope the wall for the light switch. Nothing. Still dark.