With the Band

by Natasha Preston

  Clenching my fists under the table, I give her a once-over. "I like the shorts."

  "Thought you might, pervert."

  "Ah, so you admit, you only wore them to drive me crazy?"

  "I never attempted to deny it."

  At least she's honest.

  "Consider it, mission accomplished. I'm hard."

  Her eyes flush with lust, and I groan. She takes an unusually long sip of her drink, scrunching her nose as she does. The thing reeks of vodka, so no doubt, she's got a double or triple.

  "Drinking it away?"

  She cocks her head and tilts her glass in my direction. "Yep. You?"

  "I think I've got at least five on you. Shouldn't drink your problems away, Tex."

  "Why not? You do. And if it's good enough for Kitt Daniels, why can't it be good enough for me?"

  "Why are you on the attack?"

  She drops her eyes and snaps her teeth together. "It's not easy."

  "Oh, I'm well aware of that, but you don't see me being bitchy."

  "I'm sorry, okay? This is so stupid, and I don't know how to make it better," she says.

  "We're not broken. We had an argument. It's not like it's our first."

  Her eyes go wide and afraid. "But it's the first time since we've been together."

  "Are you pushing me away, Tex?" I put my drink down and take the glass from her hand. "Is that what this is about? You're preparing for the end? What part of 'I'll never get bored of this' did you not understand?"

  I reach out and take her hand, not giving a fuck if we're photographed like this. "We are going to argue--every couple does--but that doesn't automatically signal the end."

  She gives me a smile and moves her arm back. My hand drops on the table, and I clench my jaw shut. I'm aggravated, confused, and lost. My first instinct is always to make her okay. It's all her, but part of protecting her is giving us the start that won't fuck up her relationship with her dad.

  "Sorry," she mutters. "There are tons of people here, and a lot of them are watching you."

  "Fuck them. What are you thinking about us?"

  "I think I overreacted, and I'm sorry. But you have to give me a little space if I need it. That doesn't mean I'm going to freak out. It just means I need to get my head straight. I'm not getting bored of this either."

  "Fair enough." I can give her that. I hate to leave things on bad terms, leave an argument unsettled, but maybe that's better than having the cold shoulder for a fucking day. "We okay?" You rational?

  She rolls her eyes. "Obviously."

  "Good. Now, are you going to do tequila with me, or are you pussying out?"

  "Bugger off. I'm not being beaten by a wannabe rock star."

  "Oh," I say, clenching my heart and pretending to be wounded. "Coming from my wannabe groupie..."

  Her arm flies out, and I block it, laughing.

  The humour and fire are back in her eyes. This is how we're supposed to be, always like this.

  "You're a dick, and I hate you."

  I smirk. "I love you, too, baby."

  She narrows her eyes, and then something catches her attention on the dance floor. "Oh my God, do you think she's actually going to sleep with him?"

  I follow her gaze. Coop is pawing at Pey. No surprise there. But one thing that isn't at all the norm is Pey's reaction. She's pulling him closer. About time.

  "Yes. If Coop wants to sleep with someone, he's going to."

  "But they're so..."

  "Different? Maybe that's a good thing."

  Her eyes tighten. "Right, because people who are perfect for each other always have it easy. And it's not like it took you years to figure that one out." She groans. "Sorry. Sarcasm is kind of a default."

  It's how she deals with anything she doesn't like, anything she doesn't understand, and anything that hurts her. It's why she jokes about her mum. She wouldn't admit that Jennifer giving her up has left her with serious insecurities that she feels the need to conceal with sarcasm. It's all a facade.

  "Can we do that tequila now, please?"

  Getting up, I say, "Sure."

  I order two each, and we down them, one after the other. She hates the taste, but she'd never back down. Her eyes water a little as she sucks on the lemon. I pay too much attention to the way her lips cover the yellow skin.

  Fuck, don't go there. You've got ages until you can get her in your bed.

  "We doing another one, Kitt?"

  I lift my eyebrow.

  "Good." She giggles. "I think I'm getting a bit drunk."

  Yeah, no shit. She's had at least two shots of vodka and two tequilas, and she's a lightweight, you know. I'm surprised she's not on the floor. Tex isn't a big drinker, so when she toughs it without the mixer, she's done for. I, on the other hand, could have whiskey in my cereal, and it wouldn't affect me.

  Another important thing Mark taught me was, learn how to fucking handle your drink because, as soon as you start getting a name for yourself, they turn up for free. Not that I couldn't handle it before, but now, I'm pretty certain my liver is pickled.

  "Come on, little drunk," I say, taking her hand and pulling her up. "To the bar."

  Laughing, she rests against my shoulder as we walk. "We should just stay at the bar."

  I lean against the chunky glass top, and she sits on the only free stool. Resting her chin on her hands, she watches me. Women look at me that way constantly. I've grown accustomed to it, but with Texas, it knocks my feet from under me every time.

  "Your staring is weird," I say, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye.

  Shrugging her shoulder, she runs her eyes over my face.

  The bartender stops in front of us.

  "Water, please."

  Tex laughs. "I do hope you're not ordering that for me."

  "Why? Don't you think you've had more than enough?"

  "No, I don't. We're having fun here, and I like the buzz."

  "You won't like it tomorrow when there's less buzz and more puke."

  "I'm not that bad."

  "I bet you a grand that if you keep drinking, you'll be sick tomorrow."

  Her back straightens, and she folds her arms. "I'll take that bet. And another drink, please."

  My grin widening, I order a couple of tequilas, too. "You ready to lose, baby?"

  "I don't lose."

  "We'll see."

  We down another three shots, and I'm absolutely going to be a grand richer tomorrow.

  She tilts her head back and laughs. "You're funny."

  I haven't said anything.

  I love my girl drunk.

  She lays her head on my shoulder and sighs. "Sometimes, I wish my dad wasn't who he is. My life would be less complicated."

  "You could be the most famous person on the planet or a normal person with a nine-to-five, and nothing about your life would be easy. Complicated is built in from the moment we're born. If something is easy, Tex, you don't want it."

  "Tequila is easy, and I want that."

  I laugh and lay my head against hers. "Yeah, your opinion on that one is going to change in the morning."

  "I guess, by those standards, we're going to be together forever then? Because there is nothing easy or straightforward here."

  "Do you honestly think I'm in this for anything less than forever? We said no getting bored, remember? I don't like to waste my time, Tex. It's why I kept women to one night and nothing more."

  "You're always so sure of yourself and what you want."

  "Yep." I down another shot and run my finger around the rim of the glass.

  "At least you're not making it obvious," Peyton says, interrupting us.

  Tex and I sit straighter.

  Peyton rests her arms on the bar. "As far as covert goes, you both need a lot of work."

  Tex rolls her eyes. "You've been dry-humping Coop on the dance floor."

  "Yeah, that one kind of crept up on me." Her mouth twists from unsure to excitement. "He's yummy though. In a gross way."


  "You often grind on the cock of someone you find gross?" I ask innocently.

  Peyton looks at Tex while jabbing her thumb towards me. "Him? Really?"

  I laugh. "The real question is, why would it be anyone else?"

  Tex gives me a sultry smile. "I've developed a very useful tool. I can now block out the cocky."

  I nudge her arm. "Shut up. You love the cocky."

  Her eyes drift back to Pey.

  Tex only left it there because she can't lie. She loves it when I'm cocky, and I love it when she's angry and unreasonable.

  We're perfect together.

  Coop wraps his arms around Pey's waist, and the blonde's eyes darken. Oh, yeah, she really finds him gross.

  "Hey, man, we're going to take off. Can you get Tex back safe?" Coop asks me.

  "Tex, you okay with that?" Peyton asks.

  "Yep, I'm good," she replies. "You two go and have fun."

  "We intend to," Coop replies, wiggling his eyebrows.

  Peyton used to be immune to Coop's charms. He'd tried it on her so many times before, and every time, he would be met with a brick wall. I have no idea what's going on, but she's obviously had a change of heart. The way she's looking at him now is incredibly inappropriate for a public place.

  "You sure?" Peyton presses, giving Tex a pointed look.

  "Totally. Make sure he wraps up, yeah?"

  Coop rolls his eyes and leads Peyton to the exit. Rule one for all of us is, where women are concerned, be careful. We didn't need to learn that from Mark, but seeing his struggles sure helped.

  Texas gets off the stool and takes a deep breath. "We should leave, too. I'm tired."

  I nod to Ted, who stayed behind for Tex, and Hank, who shadows me. One of the temps, Marco, left with Cooper. Hank is wise to Coop's shit, so when he can, he always makes someone else go with Coop.

  Thank fuck none of them would talk about what they'd witnessed tonight.

  "Come on." I take Tex's hand and raise it over her head.

  She tilts her head back and laughs as I spin her on the spot.

  Tucking her into my side, I hold on tight around her waist, and we follow Ted. At least this way, she's not stumbling, so those pictures won't be all over the Internet tomorrow. We will be anyway, but it's not like it'd be the first time, and we're not in some incriminating position.

  We get back to the hotel, and Ted and Hank make their exit, knowing we want to be alone.

  "Are you going to let me stay with you tonight, Tex?"

  "Dumbarse question, Daniels." She shoves the key card in the door--the wrong way around--and frowns. "Huh?"

  I whip it out of her hand and do it fucking properly.

  She looks up. "Oops. Come on, bedtime."

  Kicking the door shut behind us, I grab her around the waist, and she squeals. Fuck, she's loud.

  "Shh," I playfully growl in her ear.

  When I hug my arms around her waist, she giggles.

  "I thought you liked it when I screamed," she says.

  "I like it when I'm inside you, and you scream." And I fully intend to do that in about ten seconds.

  "You still feel like a dream," she whispers as I walk us toward her bed.

  "Really do have it bad for me, sweetheart, didn't you?"

  She'll never know how good that feels. For the past few years I've known her, I've wanted her. How could I not? She's gorgeous and funny and challenging. I was okay with never being able to have her. I didn't think about it much, and there were always plenty of women willing to get down and dirty. But when she told me she'd liked me for a while, fuck, it was like she shoved open the door, and all these feelings came pouring out, feelings I hadn't known I had.

  Stumbling under my arms, she laughs and nods her head.

  God, I love this little pisshead so fucking much.

  "Okay, into bed." I turn her around.

  Her eyes are glazed over from the alcohol, and her cheeks have a light blush. I'm not sure if that's from the booze or the fact that we're going to be naked soon.

  "Kitt, the room is spinning," she says seriously, like she believes there's a reason for it that isn't vodka or tequila.

  "Close your eyes," I say, laughing.

  Her eyes flicker shut, and she raises her arms for me to undress her.

  My breath catches. I know what's under the material wrapped around her body, but it still makes my brain short-circuit when I see how beautiful she is.

  Yeah, right here is where we belong.

  TEXAS

  TUESDAY, MAY 19

  LISBON, PORTUGAL

  Kitt is sleeping when I wake up the next morning. His arm is around my middle, and his leg is slung over mine.

  And he's naked. Win.

  I've missed this so much.

  Get a grip. You were in a fight for one day!

  Oh, shit, I'm one of those girls, the ones I make fun of for being so bloody ridiculous.

  That's just great.

  I've always prided myself on my ability not to need a boyfriend to determine my happiness, but the little bastard next to me has done that to me. When we're not okay, I'm not okay. That's probably normal when you love someone, and they hurt you hurt, right?

  But Kitt isn't hurt. We only fought.

  Yeah, fabulous. I can't even find a way to talk myself out of being a man-needy twat.

  Kitt stirs in his sleep and tightens his arms around me, burying his head in my hair.

  Best. Feeling. Ever.

  "Are you awake?" I whisper.

  "No," he mutters, his chest rocking with silent laughter. "Go back to sleep."

  It's only six a.m., so we can afford another couple of hours in bed.

  Kitt is breathing heavily, so I know he's drifted back off. I can't. My heart is thumping, and I have butterflies. He's here, allowing us some comfort. It's perfect.

  My phone starts to ring on my bedside table, and I know what little ho is calling me at this hour. I can't wait to speak to her. I reach across, stretching my arm to the max, trying to grab it without disturbing Kitt. I scrape it closer with the tips of my fingers and swipe my thumb across the screen.

  "Good morning, Peyton," I say with a grin. Oh, yes, enjoying this already.

  "Don't use that tone, whore."

  I laugh and relax back into Kitt's chest. "How was your night of hot sex with Jack Cooper?"

  "You're a total bitch, and I hate you. But I'm also really sorry. I left you with Kitt, which confirms that I'm the worst friend in history."

  I place a kiss on his knuckle. "Actually, it all worked out just fine."

  "It did?"

  "He's wrapped around me in my bed."

  She squeals down the end of the phone. "Thank God! Should I let you go then? Do you have more catching up to do?"

  "Like you're going anywhere before you tell me what the hell last night was. I thought you were absolutely not interested in Coop?"

  "I wasn't, and I'm not."

  "You have no idea how much I wish we were having this conversation face-to-face."

  "Don't need to. I can practically see your fucking smile," she mutters.

  "Nah, Pey, this is what besties do. Now, spill the beans. I want to know everything."

  Well, I think I do. Coop is probably into some weird things, sexually, and I definitely don't want to hear about that.

  "I don't know. We had a few drinks, a dance, and then all of a sudden, I wanted him. A lot. It hit me like a bloody bus and surprised the hell outta me because I know what he's like. I'm so not interested in being just another notch on the infamous man-whore's bedpost. But everything in my life has kind of been running away from me, and I've been feeling like I'm just along for the ride. Last night, I felt in charge. It was my choice, and I chose to have a one-night stand with a rock star."

  "You've so made it," I say dryly.

  "You're sleeping with one, too, lady."

  I laugh, and that's when Kitt stirs again. He presses his erection into my backside, and I have to bite my
lip to stop myself from moaning down the phone. I'd like to be sleeping with one right now.

  "Pey, can we meet up in, say...twenty minutes?"

  "Thirty minutes," Kitt corrects, groaning into my hair I wince because Peyton definitely heard that.

  "You got your thirty minutes, lover boy!" she shouts to Kitt. "Meet for breakfast, Tex, okay?"

  "Yep, see you down there."

  Kitt takes the phone off me and hangs up.

  "Well, that was rude," I chastise over my shoulder.

  He gives me an adorable smile that melts my heart into a puddle.

  "I don't care. We're both naked here, and this body is driving me insane," he breathes, running his hand down the outside of my leg.

  Closing my eyes, I tilt my head back and bite my lip to stifle a moan. I start to pulse between my legs. Damn, he's barely touched me.

  "Kitt..."

  His breathing gets heavier, and he curls his hand to the inside of my thigh. "I've never needed anything more than I need you," he says roughly.

  "You said..."

  His hand grazes my entrance. The touch is so light, but I feel it everywhere.

  What was I saying? Did you even speak at all?

  "I said, what?" he asks.

  His husky voice drives me crazy. I'm too hot, too riled up, and I need to come. Right the fuck now.

  "Kitt!"

  He delicately rubs his finger in small circles. I need more. He knows that. I grind myself on his hand, and he moves it back, not allowing me what I want.

  "Don't. Kitt, please. I need this. Please."

  He groans in my ear. "So fucking hot when you beg. Touch yourself with me, baby."

  Holy...

  This would never have happened with Xander. He would never have even asked me to, but also, I didn't feel this confident before. It's like Kitt extinguishes any inhibitions I have the moment he kisses me. I love it. I love that I can ask for whatever I want, and he'll give it to me. And not only will he grant my every wish, but it also turns him on, too.

  Without another thought, I lower my hand and touch myself. His fingers guiding mine is twice as erotic, and I feel like I'm going to explode the second his finger brushes mine.

  "God, Texas," he groans.

  It sends a bolt of pleasure from my toes to my core.

  "Kitt, I'm close."

  I grind myself on our hands, and Kitt presses his erection into my leg, breathing hard and biting down on my shoulder.

  "Shit, that's it." My body shudders, and my eyes fall shut. "Kitt, I can't..."

  "Let go. Come for me," he rasps, arching his hips against my butt.

  I feel the dampness at the end of his cock, and that's what sends me over the edge. I ride out my orgasm on our interlaced fingers.