Songbird (Songbird, #1)

by Lisa Edward

  He gave me a hearty laugh. “Well, it does have a mind of its own.” He shrugged. “The girls have named it The Prince because of my piercing.”

  I grimaced. Was he seriously implying he had a Prince Albert piercing?

  “Well don’t let me keep your,” I pointed again, “from saying hello to the bimbo.”

  He chuckled. “I have no intention of meeting her out the back. I’ve already done her, and I never do the same girl twice.”

  I looked at him in stunned silence.

  “What?” he asked, shrugging. “Well, okay, I may have on occasion done the same girl twice, but that’s only because I didn’t remember the first time.”

  I wondered how many girls he had actually been with if it were so difficult for him to remember them all.

  “I hope you use protection,” I said, furrowing my brow and grimacing again.

  “Always. If it’s not on, it’s not in.”

  Shaking my head, I tried to stifle a giggle. At least he was upfront and honest about it.

  Kelli and Jay sniggered beside me, and I discreetly whacked Kelli on the leg with the back of my hand.

  Another floozy momentarily distracted Cole, and I took the opportunity to turn to Kelli. She bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to stop laughing, but it didn’t work.

  “Remember, Tars, if it’s not on, it’s not in.” She giggled at me.

  I rolled my eyes at her. “I don’t really care if it’s on or not. We’re just talking, Kell. I can talk to a hot guy without falling into bed with him,” I said in a hushed voice. My voice wasn’t hushed enough, though.

  “So you think I’m hot?” Cole asked cockily as he leaned in towards me.

  Resting my chin in my hand, I slowly ran my eyes over his broad shoulders, insanely defined arms and up to his hypnotic eyes.

  “Nah, not particularly,” I replied, screwing up my nose playfully.

  The corner of his mouth twitched, and his eyes gleamed. “Thank goodness for that. I didn’t want you throwing yourself at me, especially as I don’t think you’re hot either.”

  He brushed his fingertips over the back of my hand as he spoke, sending invisible sparks through my body. I could tell we had both felt it. I pulled my hand away quickly, and for the briefest of moments Cole dropped his guard, and I saw a flash of surprise pass over his face as he drew a sharp breath.

  I gave Jay my phone number and asked him for his. I would speak to Marcus as soon as possible and give him a call to see if we could line up an introduction.

  “Can I have your number too? Maybe we could catch up for coffee sometime?” Cole asked as he watched the exchange between Jay and me. He seemed to be fidgeting as he asked, which I found strange from such a confident, cocky guy.

  Jay laughed. “Boy that must have hurt; having to ask a girl for her number.” He turned to me. “You’re an anomaly. Usually he just stands back and they flock to him. He actually has to put in some work with you.”

  I smiled at Jay, then turned to Cole. “Um, I don’t think so. If you need to get in touch with me for anything you can do it through Jay.”

  Besides, if I want to see you I can always do so at the gym. I pretty much have your schedule down pat. I smiled; something told me that I wouldn’t be dodging him anymore.

  In the end, Kelli made a move and dragged me out of my chair.

  “Nothing’s going to happen with Mr Hotbod, right?” she said a little too loudly, and I cringed as she held my hand and pulled me towards the door.

  I managed to give Jay a one-armed hug, and promised to call him the next day after I’d spoken to Marcus.

  Then I turned to wave goodbye to Cole. He was standing with his hands in his pockets, and a huge sexy grin on his face.

  “I’ll be seeing you, Tara.”

  I WENT into Songbirds before opening the next day to see Marcus and talk to him about Jay’s band. As luck would have it, Marcus had been thinking about having a band play, either the same band week in, week out if they were any good, or different bands, but always on the same night of the week. After minimal persuasion on my part—in fact, it didn’t really take any effort at all—he agreed to hear the guys play as soon as I could get them in.

  I called Jay right away and told him the good news, and he said they were free that night to play a trial. Alternatively, if Marcus wanted to hear them first, they could come in and play for him when the bar was closed. Karaoke was doing well on Thursday and Friday nights, but Saturdays had dropped off, so Marcus decided to take a chance and have the band play that night.

  I think I was as nervous as Marcus when the band arrived an hour later to set up. I introduced everyone, and left Jay and Marcus to discuss their terms while I tinkered on the piano.

  Cole sauntered over and sat on the stool next to me while I worked out a song I had heard on the radio a few times. I had always been able to play by ear, usually only needing to hear a piece two or three times before being able to play it myself. The song was ‘Jar of Hearts’, and although it was a sad song, it reminded me of my past, and I wanted to add it to my set if Marcus liked it.

  I started playing and singing quietly to myself before, to my surprise, Cole started playing with me and harmonising.

  “I didn’t think this would be your type of music,” I said to him, amazed that he would even know the song.

  “I like all types of music, not just the rock stuff that we play.”

  He continued playing and was surprisingly really good, picking up the melody easily.

  “Okay, Cole, Marcus wants to hear a couple of songs before the bar opens.” It was Jay. They had finished their discussion, and both he and Marcus looked pleased with the outcome.

  “Later,” Cole said as he rested his hand on my knee and gave it a little squeeze before getting up and heading to the stage.

  Marcus was watching him like a hawk as he swaggered past, then he gave Jay a discreet nod.

  “Just one extra clause in the contract,” Jay said, directing the comment to Cole. “No trying to get into the pants of any of the staff at Songbirds, or we’re out.”

  Cole looked at Cassie who was polishing glasses behind the bar. She was a cute little blonde, but he could live with not sleeping with her. He looked at Monique, who was setting up the tables. She was in her mid-thirties and from the rock on her finger, already spoken for. Then he looked at me and stopped for a moment, before shaking his head and slapping Jay hard on the back.

  I shrugged and smiled to myself, not sure whose idea that was. It was definitely a good one.

  I went over to the bar, and stood next to Marcus while the band played a couple of songs. Marcus couldn’t help himself; he bopped along to the music with a huge dimpled smile on his face. They were awesome, and would be good for business.

  “Thanks,” he whispered, leaning over towards me and putting his arm around my shoulder.

  “Thank you for trusting me,” I said and I gave him a huge hug and kiss on the cheek.

  Turning, I stood in front of him while he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, squeezing me tight and resting his chin on the top of my head.

  “Hey, does the no-boning rule apply to all of us?” Cole said into the microphone as he watched our embrace, making Marcus step away self-consciously from me. I laughed, if Cole knew the truth, he would know there was no way there would ever be anything between Marcus and I other than friendship.

  There hadn’t been any advertising for the band, and it was seriously short notice. We sat down together at a table to try to figure out how to approach it.

  “Don’t worry about that,” Cole said as he sat down next to me.

  He pulled out his phone and started scrolling through phone number after phone number of girls he had probably slept with. He sent out a broadcast to about fifty of them, telling them to tell their friends. As he was scrolling through I noticed he had brun and blon next to each name, and I asked him what that was about.

  “They’re abbreviations for brunett
e and blonde,” he replied, and then shrugged. “I never know when I’ll feel like a brunette or a couple of blondes, so it’s like my filing system.”

  “What about redheads?” I asked, fascinated by this insight into the mind of a womaniser.

  “Nah, I don’t do reds,” he said dismissively.

  “Really? That’s a whole demographic you’re missing out on,” I said sarcastically.

  He chuckled. “If I ever run out of blondes and brunettes, I’ll think about it.”

  I raced home to get changed into what I thought Marcus would want me to wear for waitressing at the bar. I had offered to help out if it got busy, not knowing how many of Cole’s admirers would turn up.

  I picked up the phone to call Kelli and invite her along to see the band again, but then thought better of it. I knew she wouldn’t approve of me hanging around Cole, even though there was a no-boning rule in place, as Cole had put it, which should put her mind at ease.

  I was just debating what to wear when Jason walked in.

  “Where are you off to?” he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed, while I stripped off and rummaged through the wardrobe to find something suitable.

  “Oh, pretty bra, Tars, I love the delicate embroidery.”

  I was wearing a black lace bra and matching thong with tiny embroidered pink flowers. It was pretty, and I thanked Jason for his comment, allowing him a few moments to examine the fabric more closely. It didn’t bother me that he was a guy looking at my underwear; he was, after all, just like one of the girls.

  I quickly told him about the band and helping out at Songbirds while I threw on a black skirt and black T-shirt, then pulled my long curls back into a ponytail.

  There was a line of people—mainly girls—that reached to the corner of the block by the time I got back to the bar. Cole’s text had gotten the word out, and it was a testament to his fan base that they could be there at such short notice.

  I reported for duty to Marcus. He looked me up and down, then said, “Follow me.”

  He took me into the back room and pulled out three Songbirds tops in red, black and grey.

  “Pick a colour,” he said. “Any colour looks good on you, so you can decide.”

  I pulled my black top off over my head.

  “Red please,” I said, and stood waiting in my bra for Marcus to hand me the top.

  He stood there for a moment, staring at my bra, and not moving.

  “Do you like it?” I asked, sticking my chest out a little. “Jason thought it was very pretty.”

  “Ah, yeah. They’re really … impressive,” he muttered as his eyes swept over my chest again, before handing me the top.

  I helped bus the tables, as I was pretty useless at pulling beers. I had lost track of time when I felt my phone buzz in my skirt pocket. I raced into the back room and just managed to answer the call in time. It was Riley, and my heart melted at the sound of his voice.

  “Where are you?” he asked, obviously able to hear the band playing in the background.

  I told him excitedly about catching up with Jay and lining up the band to meet Marcus, and how I was now bussing tables at the bar. For some reason I felt the need to avoid mentioning Cole, but Riley could hear him singing in the background, and commented on his voice.

  “Ah, yep he does have a great voice,” I said, feeling guilty, even when I hadn’t done anything to feel guilty about.

  Then I changed the subject, and asked Riley what he had been up to. We had only been speaking for about fifteen minutes when the band stopped for a break, and then the door opened and Cole was standing there.

  He could see I was on the phone but didn’t seem to care, as he came in and pulled off his sweaty T-shirt, before rummaging in a bag and pulling out a clean one.

  I looked at his shirtless body in awe. Not only did he have the full sleeve of tattoos up his left arm, but he had angel wings, or was that eagle wings, across his shoulder blades.

  He turned around to face me and saw me looking at him, so he stood still and cockily held his arms out to the sides so I could get a good look, watching my expression.

  I couldn’t help it. I exhaled loudly at the sight of his ripped body.

  Finally, I managed to tear my eyes away from his amazing physique and turn my back to him. I heard him chuckle softly. Then, realising that the bar would be busy with people buying drinks now that the band was on a break, I reluctantly told Riley I would have to go.

  “I’ll see you in a week,” Riley said as he was getting ready to hang up. “I miss you, babe. I think about you all the time.”

  “I miss you, too,” I said quietly into the phone. “I love you. See you next week.”

  “I love you, too.” Then he was gone.

  “Hmm, I take it that wasn’t your mum,” Cole said. “Boyfriend not around at the moment?” he asked with a smirk.

  “He’s in the army, based in Sydney,” I replied as I headed for the door.

  “Must get lonely,” he said with a glint in his eye as he pulled his clean shirt on over his head.

  RILEY WAS finally due back this evening, and I was dancing around the living room in my underwear, tidying up as I went. Jay had made me a CD of some of the band’s songs, and I was playing it as loud as I could without feeling guilty, considering I lived in a block of apartments. The ballad that was the standard make-out track came on, and I did my version of a sexy stripper dance, wiggling my bottom around as I tidied up my books and put my DVDs and CDs away.

  Turning around mid-hip-swivel, I stopped dead in my tracks. Riley was leaning up against the doorjamb, watching me with a huge smile on his face. I squealed and took a running leap into his arms.

  “What are you doing here? I was going to pick you up!” I exclaimed, still wrapped around him and covering his gorgeous face with kisses.

  “I managed to get on an earlier flight and thought I’d surprise you, and I’m glad I did. I wouldn’t have missed that dance for anything,” he said with a cheeky grin.

  “How did you get in?” I asked, realising he didn’t have a key.

  “Your security door downstairs was wedged open. You really should lock this door, it’s not safe,” he said, suddenly sounding very serious.

  I nodded in agreement, but I wasn’t worried. I’d been taking self-defence classes at the gym for weeks, and was confident I could throw a man the size of Riley over my shoulder without putting a hair out of place.

  Unwrapping my legs from around his waist, I went to turn the music down. He followed me in to the lounge room.

  “Is this Jay’s band? I didn’t know they had a CD,” he said, dumping his bag in the corner before taking a seat on the couch.

  “They don’t have a CD. Jay just burned some demo tracks for me to listen to.” I sat myself down on Riley’s knee and he wrapped his arms around me, nuzzling his face into my neck. “They’re playing tonight, but I told Marcus I couldn’t work because I was picking you up.”

  I had agreed to work on Saturdays until Marcus could hire someone extra. We knew it was going to be really busy, and I felt bad that only two weeks in to the arrangement I was taking the night off.

  Riley shrugged. “We can go if you want. I’d like to meet the guys you seem to be hanging out with.” He said it casually enough, but the thought of introducing Riley to Cole made me nervous. You never knew what Cole was going to say or do.

  We had a couple of hours before we needed to be at Songbirds, and I still had some last-minute Christmas shopping to do, so I got dressed and we headed into town.

  The streets were decorated with fairy lights in all the trees and giant red, green, and gold baubles were hanging from the streetlights. We walked hand in hand through the central mall, stopping to look at the nativity scenes set up in the windows of one of the major department stores. Finally, we found the little cobble-stoned arcade I was searching for, and headed for the music memorabilia store at the end.

  I knew I wanted to buy Marcus something to do with Jimi Hendrix, bu
t I didn’t know what exactly, until I saw it. Hanging on the wall they had a signed concert tour T-shirt from 1969 in a simple black frame. It was perfect. It was also quite expensive.

  Riley looked at me when I pulled out my credit card to pay for it.

  “Are you sure, Tara? It’s a lot of money,” he said quietly, as the guy behind the counter wrapped it in tissue paper.

  I nodded. I knew it was a lot, but I also knew I could afford it. Tips from playing at the bar were growing, and Marcus had paid me for working last Saturday night as well, even though I had told him it wasn’t necessary.

  Next we walked to the Arts Centre and Concert Hall. I had invited Jay to join our group for Christmas lunch on Wednesday, because he wasn’t going to Sydney to see his parents. I didn’t want him to be the only person to not get a gift, so we stopped in and I bought him two tickets to see the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

  As soon as the tickets were in my hand I exhaled, relieved that all my shopping was done.

  “Now,” Riley said, when we had reached the apartment and closed the door behind us, “there’s something I’ve wanted to do for the last five weeks.”

  He scooped me up and carried me into the bedroom.

  Rushing into Songbirds, I apologised to Marcus for being late, which was a bit pointless, seeing as I wasn’t expected there anyway. He went to give me a hug as was our normal greeting, but saw Riley following me in and stepped back, choosing a smile instead.

  I hurried down to the back room and dropped off my bag, then checked my hair and make-up in the little mirror on the wall before heading back out to the bar.

  The band was all sitting at a table near the stage, so I took Riley over to meet them.

  Jay recognised him straight away, and stood up to shake his hand. Mitchell and Ethan, the drummer and other guitarist, smiled and gave Riley a nod, not really that interested in meeting my boyfriend. Then I turned to Cole who was watching Riley, sizing him up. They greeted each other reservedly at first, until Riley complimented Cole on his voice, telling him that I had been playing their CD earlier in the day.