The Rhythm

by Moira Callahan

  Lowering her arms, he trailed his fingers over her skin. Goose bumps rose in the wake of his mildly rough touch. Up her arms he went, over her collarbones, and then a teasing touch along the outside curve of her breasts to her waist. More teasing along her waistband until he reached the front. Quickly he undid her jeans, and hooking his fingers inside her panties, he pulled both items down her legs.

  She’d ditched her shoes and socks when they’d returned to the suite, leaving him nothing to resist his progress in getting the two items off. When he stood slowly, Jen had to fight hard not to shield herself from the too-hot gaze of his.

  “Holy shit you are gorgeous,” he told her in a gruff tone.

  “You don’t need to say things like that, Lance.” It made her uncomfortable, and yet also warmed her on a level she’d never experienced.

  His hand moved to wrap around her throat, forcing her chin up. She didn’t feel threatened. It had her knees wobbling and her pussy throbbing in need. “I actually do need to say them, Jennifer. It’s a driving need to try and explain to you what I’m thinking and feeling.” He stroked his thumb over her pulse tenderly while staring down at her.

  Swallowing, she pressed her hands lightly to his chest, her fingers stroking over the tight muscle until she settled them on the waist of his jeans. “Why?” she asked. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was asking either. Popping the top button loose, she worked her way down the line of buttons until his jeans gaped open. She quickly discovered he was going commando under his jeans when she rubbed a finger to the short curls at his groin.

  At her throat, his hand flexed. His pupils dilated, and his breathing turned sharper. “Because we’re connected. On a level I can’t begin to describe, in a way I’m not sure I can comprehend. All I know is that you are important and that means you need to know exactly how I feel about you. All of you.”

  His words hit her hard. No one had said anything of the sort to her before. There was a deeper meaning behind them. She wasn’t ready to dissect them yet, but later she knew she would. All she could do right then was fist the front of his jeans and push to her toes to kiss him. She didn’t have any words to give back, her mind, and tongue too tied in knots to try. But she could maybe make him understand that she got it with a kiss.

  The hand at her throat slid around into her hair as he deepened the kiss. His tongue slid over hers to tangle with it. Moaning into the kiss, she pushed at his jeans until gravity took over.

  She felt him shift to kick them away, and then his body was pressed up tight against hers. With the hand in her hair and the other that landed on her ass, he began to move her. Until she felt the bed at the backs of her legs, she hadn’t cared where he was guiding her. In that moment, she needed him with a growing ferocity that scared her.

  Twisting, she pushed him to his back on the mattress. A knee next to his hip helped her up to straddle him. Then their mouths were fused together again. Another moan tore from her as he rolled, and pushed them further up on the bed. The sensations bombarding her when he settled his body to hers nearly had her coming apart at the seams.

  It had been too long since she’d had the intimate touch of a man. But never, not once, had she truly felt this in tune with another person as she did with Lance. Both a terrifying and extremely liberating sensation. Now if only she could convince him to move things along.

  Chapter Twelve

  It was all happening too fast. Lance wasn’t sure he could, or if he truly wanted to slow it down. He was fucking desperate for Jennifer that he seemed to be devouring her. The tug of her fingers in his hair only spurred him on.

  Tearing his mouth from hers, he sucked in a breath before burying his face in her throat to lick at the thundering pulse. She tasted womanly, warm and with a hint of spice. He couldn’t wait to truly taste her. To lick and suckle as she came apart on his tongue.

  His cock throbbed with need. Moving his mouth over her skin, he continued to lick at her flesh and gave tiny nips of his teeth as he journeyed lower. He had to pause at her breasts. One in each hand he gave them a squeeze before sucking hard on first one, then the other nipple. She let out an incoherent sound when he did it a second time pushing him to do it yet again.

  With a final flick of his tongue to a tight nipple, he turned his attention back to his task. Working his way down her gently rounded belly¸ Lance stroked his hands down her waist and hips. His mouth eased down to the seam where her torso met her legs. She twitched under him and tugged on his hair.

  “That tickles,” she said in protest.

  Smiling against her flesh he filed the information away for later. He turned his head to nuzzle the neatly trimmed patch of tight curls with his nose. Easing her legs apart, he stroked his fingers over the inside of her thighs.

  About to dive into what he was sure would be nothing less than nirvana, his fingers found something out of place. He frowned as he turned to see what it was. The partially raised flesh was two inches above her knee to the inside of her left leg. “What’s this?” He asked the question as his curiosity momentarily diverted his attention.

  “What?” She sounded thrown for a loop. “Oh, when I was six the young boy up the street and I were out playing by the pond. Hoping to get frogs if I remember right. I slipped and ended up gorging myself on a piece of rebar that had been dumped there in the long grass. He ran back for help. Out of the two of us my mom said I was the most calm. I was crying from pain, obviously. But she told me I had the oddest look like I was trying to solve a problem. It missed the bone on its way through. There’s actually a bigger scar on the back of my leg from where the surgeon went in to check for damage. I missed the artery by millimeters from what my records say.”

  “Jesus.” He breathed out. Leaning over, Lance pressed a kiss to the decades old scar. He closed his eyes for a couple of breaths as a dozen different thoughts whirled through his head. None of them mattered right then. Shaking them off, he got back on task.

  Brushing his lips up her inner thigh, he dropped kisses to the smooth skin on her mound surrounding the strip of hair. Her folds were completely bare and smooth under his fingers as he stroked the skin lightly. Jennifer wiggled as a low moan sounded from her throat.

  Lance slipped his finger between her folds to find her soaked. She wiggled once more. Drawing one of her legs over his shoulder, he pressed his arm to her hips to still her movements. No way in hell was she coming before he was ready for her to. He had plans for her, for them both actually.

  With a flick of his tongue, he took his first taste of her. Her hips tried to shoot off the bed with a strangled sound, but he pressed her back down. Smacking his lips he went in for a second, third, and many more tastes of her.

  Gently spreading her folds, Lance latched onto her clit and suckled. Then he began to stroke his finger over and around her opening as she tried desperately to rock her hips. Somehow she managed to get a hand into his hair. She held on for dear life, tugging on the strands while fighting the hold he had on her hips.

  “Lance, oh hell.” She let out a choked scream when she came.

  More liquid drenched his finger as he contemplated her hair trigger. Easing his finger in, he let out a groan at the feeling of her inner muscles desperately trying to pull him deeper. He couldn’t wait to be buried inside her.

  Adding a second finger, he began to pump them in and out drawing her orgasm out longer. She tossed her head side to side, her nails lightly scraping over his scalp as she fought for control he was attempting to wrestle from her. Gently, he used his teeth on her clit. Like an electrical charge had gone through her, her body tensed before she let out another scream. Her pussy tightened hard around his fingers as she climaxed again.

  After pulling his fingers free, he lapped at all the wetness she’d given him making sure not to miss a single drop. Licking his fingers clean, he eased up her body, dropping kisses on her flushed skin as he went. While she sucked in air, Lance grabbed a condom and rolled it down his aching cock.

  Se
ttling back on top of her flushed body, he brushed strands of her hair off her forehead. Her eyes were unfocused and glazed over. Her swollen lips parted to take in great gulps of air. She was so damn sexy he could have stared at her all night if not for the insistent part of his anatomy making complaints.

  Lance braced on an elbow to slip his other hand between them. A couple strokes to her pussy had Jennifer snapping back to the present to look up at him. Then he took his dick in hand and pressed it to her opening. She let out a gasp before her eyelids dropped to half-mast. She bit her lower lip in an enticing way he was sure she wasn’t aware of.

  Slowly, he eased in deeper, fighting for control as her tight heat wrapped around his latex-covered cock. What he wouldn’t give to take her without it. That was a discussion for later, when both their heads were clearer. Pushing in until his groin rested against hers, he let out a shuddering breath.

  He brushed his lips over hers lightly but was caught by surprise when she wrapped her arms around his neck to press their lips together tighter. Her legs wound around his waist, pushing him in deeper. Sucking on her lower lip he nipped lightly before he let go.

  Adjusting a little, he put his weight on one elbow freeing up a hand to slide over her skin to her ass. Another kiss to her lips he began to move slowly.

  “Oh,” she whispered. “That feels amazing. You feel amazing.”

  Pretty much what he’d been thinking about her. “This is us, together.”

  Jennifer’s arms tightened around his neck. “Kiss me.”

  “Gladly.” Taking her mouth, he thrust his tongue in to tease hers.

  The slight bite of her short nails along his upper shoulders spurred him on. Thrusting faster, he wrapped an arm around her and grabbed hold of the bedding with the other hand. He matched the movement of his tongue to what he was doing with his cock. A low moan from her had him smiling against her mouth.

  Lifting his head when she started to clamp around his cock, he met her gray-blue gaze. He gave another couple of hard thrusts before she arched her back and let out a scream of release. Lance picked up the pace and moments later followed her over the edge.

  It took him a while to pull his head up from beside hers where he’d collapsed. Easing from her body, he brushed a kiss across her lips when she protested. After promising his immediate return, Lance stumbled his way into the bathroom to dispose of the condom. A few gulps of water from the tap later, he returned with a glass for her. But she was already out cold.

  A smile pulled at his lips. She was draped exactly where he’d left her. Chuckling softly, he set the glass aside, got her shifted to under the blankets, and joined her. Off went the lights, and he settled down with her in his arms. She shifted a bit to throw a leg over his thighs. A guy could get used to this sort of thing. With a gentle kiss to her temple, he whispered a good-night to her before closing his own eyes to let sleep come.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The first thing she noticed on waking was the hot press of flesh to hers. It took Jen only a couple seconds to figure out where she was, or rather, who she was with. Once her brain clicked into gear, she smiled. Carefully she rolled over to look at Lance. He was still sleeping soundly providing her the perfect opportunity to take him all in without the intensity of his gaze distracting her.

  Strangely enough, the first thing she noticed was his spectacularly long lashes. The sort that women would kill to have. They were darker than his hair by several shades with tips that looked bleached. She knew he wasn’t the sort to have it done cosmetically which meant it had to be natural.

  Scrunching up her nose, she reached up to gently and slowly move the long strands of hair at the front of his head off to the side more. She didn’t want anything obscuring her first true chance to study him unobserved. Which is how she discovered how damn soft his hair was. Seriously, did the man have it all and then some?

  Hot body, stunning and expressive features with interesting angles all softened by his full lips, and then of course his unbelievable talent. He was the full package deal. The thought had her wondering once more what he was doing being interested in a girl like her.

  Okay, she was pretty damn cute in her own way. She could potentially score herself a few wolf whistles if she let the swagger out. But this was Lance West, drummer for Victorious. The hottest fucking band around right then, and for the past decade. He could do a hell of a lot better.

  “You’re thinking too hard.”

  His rough voice startled her into actually producing a squeak of sound. Then his eyelids popped open, his gaze pinning her in place, and all Jen could wonder at was the fact she wasn’t a melting pile of goo under his regard. The man should damn well be given a warning label for the safety of females everywhere. Immediately, to prevent all women from coming to harm. There would, of course, be the added bonus that they might avoid him, and, therefore, keep him in her life a while longer.

  He let out a yawn while rolling to his back to stretch. Dropping a hand to his chest, he turned his head back to look at her. “Out with it. What’s going through that gorgeous head of yours?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Considering I’m ninety-five percent sure I have the same hideous bed head I usually wake up with, haven’t brushed my teeth, and quite likely still have the impression from the pillow on my cheek, it may be an idea for you to get your sight checked.”

  Almost instantly, she was under a couple hundred pounds of solid, warm, male flesh. “Don’t do that,” he said quietly. His expression was serious. “I don’t know who hurt you or made you ever doubt yourself, but I have this serious urge to rearrange his nose. Or their faces if there’s more than one idiot out there. I realize this may be morning after panic setting in, but please don’t. You are a beautiful, smart, sexy woman, Jennifer Mitchell. One I am thrilled to have met and gotten to know better.”

  Jen knew her cheeks were completely red. Given the heat she could feel radiating off her, she was most definitely blushing. He was also right. “I’m sorry. I’m not exactly used to the compliments, and they completely embarrass the crap out of me. For you I will try to do better. Please don’t go spouting them off in front of the others if you wouldn’t mind. At least not for a while. It’s going to take me a bit to process all this. But,” she held up a finger, “be honest. I have horrifying bedhead.”

  Lance’s gaze flickered away before coming back to mesh with hers again. His lips twitched in a suspicious manner leading her to believe he was fighting a smile. “I wouldn’t necessarily say the term horrifying is completely befitting. I will say it’s a bit wild.”

  Bursting out laughing, she covered her heated cheeks with her hands. “Diplomatic of you kind sir.”

  “Hey, I’m nothing if not diplomatic.”

  That had her snorting and letting her hands fall to the pillow under her head. “Yeah. I’ve heard that about you.”

  “You sound like you don’t believe me. I’m wounded.”

  “Puh-lease,” she said dramatically. Looping her arms around his neck she pulled him in close enough to press a kiss to his cheek. “I doubt anything to could poke holes in the legendary ego surrounding the almighty and amazing Lance West.”

  His entire body stiffened and had her pressing her head deeper into the pillow in an attempt to see his expression. “What did I say?” she whispered. Jen had the horrible feeling she’d hurt him in some way. Something that didn’t sit well with her.

  “Nothing, old wounds,” he muttered.

  He went to pull away, but she held on not ready to let him go until she’d apologized. For whatever she’d done. “I’m sorry, Lance.” She swallowed hard while fighting tears she felt attempting to get loose. “I would never hurt you. I need you to know that.”

  “Shh,” he said breathily. Brushing his fingers to her cheek she realized she’d been unsuccessful in stemming the flow. “Damn, now I’m the one who’s sorry. That was cold of me. Shit.” Dropping his forehead to hers, he wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed.


  “Tell me what I said because I don’t do it ever again.”

  Lance was silent for such a long time she figured he wasn’t going to share. “The word almighty,” he finally gave her.

  Turning her head she hugged him to her and rubbed her cheek against his. “Got it, stricken from my vocabulary.”

  “Fuck,” he grumbled. “Don’t. I want you to be you. I’ll explain everything one day, I promise. It’s not a conversation for first thing in the morning without a lot of coffee and many shots of liquid courage. Don’t let this change who you are or what you say. We’re in a learning curve still, Jennifer. It means we’re both going to say or do things that are going to occasionally make things a bit awkward or uncomfortable.”

  She knew that all too well from a few too many first dates before she’d ditched that plan. Jen didn’t know what to say. Instead, she squeezed him closer. They would have more than a few bumps in the road she was sure. Hell, they lived two polar opposite lives and lifestyles. They would occasionally clash, but if they kept talking to one another, they could work through it. “We talk about it,” she said aloud. “Something we both will have to work at, but we can do it if this is truly what we both want.”

  Lifting his head, he stared down at her. “I want this with you, Jennifer.”

  A sigh of relief whipped through her at his words. “I want this with you too, Lance.”

  His smile was like the sun appearing in the midst of the darkest day. “Look at that. We survived the first bump in things. Now we definitely need coffee.”

  “I need a brush,” she muttered. Shoving a hand through her hair, she groaned. It was worse than she’d assumed she realized as she hit numerous knots. Jen had to start remembering to braid it at night, especially when sleeping with Lance. She had a feeling they’d be rolling around the sheets many more times to come during the tour.