I pumped my fingers in and out of her mouth while strangled words tumbled from my own. “You have no idea how sexy you are. You are amazing.”
Withdrawing my fingers, I slid my arm under her thigh. I dragged her farther off the counter and ran my fingers around where we were joined. My breaths turned ragged when I turned course, and moved to run them up and down the crease of her ass, everything going silent when I started making circles at that tight little hole.
Lust clouded her features, caramel darkening the darkest dark. A slow slide of desire. A glimpse of fear immediately was eclipsed by the fire lapping between us. Her lips parted and her energy swelled. Lifting us higher.
“Love it all,” I murmured rough as I pushed those two fingers inside.
“Sebastian,” she cried. Fingertips scraped at my skin as she clung to the bunched muscles of my back, a sharp, pleading gasp falling from that sweet mouth, my girl simmering sex yet entirely innocent at the same time.
Vulnerable.
Entrusting all her pleasure to me.
I began to pump them in time with my cock, and with every stroke, I took her deeper. “Love that you let me touch you…love you know I’d never hurt you.”
She wheezed sharp breaths. Everything tightened to a pinpoint around us, our pants and our future and the air. The girl dragging me beneath the surface, pulling me under. Her head rocked back and I took the opportunity to latch onto the dusky nipple of one of those perfect, round tits.
I bit down and she screamed. She clenched hard on my cock and my fingers, and we both let go. Let the world shatter around us. Pleasure burst, strobes of fragmenting color and light. The ground fell away and the sky drifted into nothingness.
For a moment, we got lost in it, in the depths of that place that belonged only to us. In the shadows and the light. In the power of her undying storm.
She whimpered again and again. My name. My name. My name.
My hips jerked and my body spasmed as I poured into her, praying it was taking hold. Thinking maybe I was a fool to think for even a second I deserved something like this.
But it was a true fool who rejected the gifts they were given.
“Shea…baby…Shea.”
On a shuddered breath, she slumped forward and buried her face in my chest, and I buried mine in her hair as I slowly eased out of her.
“You are incredible,” I mumbled at the top of her head. I kissed across that invisible crown, running down to her temple where I felt the strength of her pulse beat.
Inclining my head back, I studied the lines of her face. “You okay?”
Her expression one of awe, she mindlessly chewed at her bottom lip, as if she couldn’t make sense of the connection we shared any more than I could. Her tone brimmed with emotion. “I would never describe what I’m feeling right now as okay.”
I chuckled then kissed her mouth. “Come on…let’s get you cleaned up.”
I swept my girl into my arms—holding her like I was always gonna do—and strode toward the shower.
Giggles rang through the room, and I felt the carefree sound bang around somewhere in my chest. Shea’s grin brightened the entire room as she fought to break away, jerking this way and that, but totally failing considering she was wrapped back up in that sheet.
Right where I’d tossed her in the center of the bed after we’d showered.
Didn’t bother letting her get dressed.
Figured that was nothing but wasted time.
Besides, she looked damned good rolling around in that bed with nothing but a flimsy piece of fabric outlining that killer body.
“Not a chance, buddy,” she warned on a gush of exerted air when I narrowed my predatory gaze on her. She rolled, having another go at skirting my advances, but I shifted farther to the right where I stood at the end of the bed.
My hands were on the mattress, my body bent as I tracked her movements, my dick already pointing to the sky.
She shrieked when I grabbed her by the ankle and flipped her onto her back. I scrambled onto the bed, climbing over her, putting just enough of my weight on her to hold her down.
“What?” I smirked when I pressed her hands into the bed above her head.
More giggles erupted from her. Was going to be sure I coaxed that sound from her every goddamn day.
Raving, she shook her head, wet hair flying, but that grin provided me her tell. “Sebastian, you’re going to kill me,” she wheezed. “I can’t take any more.”
“What can’t you take?” I teased.
“Uh…” she groaned then laughed when I rubbed my cock against her belly. “Stop it…you’re way too tempting for me to resist.”
“Then why are you resisting?” I dipped down, pressing a smattering of kisses under her chin, causing her head to rock back and those perfect tits that were already puckered tight to press into my chest, the beat of her heart running wild against mine.
“You sore, baby? I’ll be gentle,” I cooed, trying to bite back laughter when she gave me a look that promised she knew I was nothing but a liar.
“You’re never gentle.”
“Oh, come on, Shea. I can be gentle.”
Teasing eyes went wide. “Pretty sure that’s only reserved for special occasions.”
I let that laughter roll, then pressed her hands a little deeper into the bed, rocking over her, tone going harsh. “Tell me you don’t like it.”
A seductive sound rumbled at the base of her throat, and she arched, lifting her chin. “I don’t like it.”
I began to frown, before she brushed her lips along the shell of my ear. “I love it.”
“That’s what I thought. Besides, we have something kind of important we need to work on, don’t you think?” I said with a suggestive raise of my brows.
Shea drew a shoulder to her cheek, like she was swimming in the thought. “There’s always next month.”
“And the next,” I murmured back, “and the next.”
And the next and forever.
Didn’t mean I didn’t want it now.
She flashed me another grin. “Don’t get your hopes up, rocker boy. This is probably going to take some time.”
I growled, diving in for a kiss. “And I’ll gladly oblige all the hard work it’s gonna take. Starting. Right. Now.”
She giggled again. “Pretty sure you started last night. Right here in this bed. On the bathroom counter this morning.” With each spot she called me out on, her voice grew deeper. “How about that shower?”
Hell yeah, we’d gotten a good start.
“Doesn’t mean I’m finished with you.”
Apparently my girl didn’t remember the promise I’d made her yesterday when we’d first rolled into this ridiculous suite. Seemed as good a time as any to remind her.
A shrill ring bleated from the nightstand, and my phone vibrated on the glass.
I groaned, leaned down, and nipped at her nose. “Don’t move.”
That smile only widened, and she rolled to her side to face me, clutching the sheet to her chest, watching me with deep affection while I fumbled for my phone.
Lyrik.
I flopped onto my back, couldn’t contain my own smile because I was so damned happy.
Accepting the call, I pressed it to my ear. “Lyrik, seriously, man, can’t this wait? I’m trying to get my wife pregnant.”
“Your what?” There was no missing the shocked disbelief through the phone, then his silence. For a few awkward beats nothing was said, before I felt the dark smirk slide to his face when he spoke again. “Tell me I didn’t just hear what I think I heard.”
“And what is it you think you heard?”
“Think I heard one of my asshole best friends telling me he went and got married without letting any of us know. And I think I heard him saying something about his naked ass doing some kind of filthy deed where his sweet girl would be tied to his ugly ass for the rest of her life.”
My grin just grew. “Sounds about right.”
“
Holy fuck.”
“Yep.”
Ash’s elevated voice carried across the line, like he was shouting toward the phone Lyrik held. “What the hell, dude? Tell me Lyrik is fucking with me, because this shit ain’t cool.”
Lyrik answered, “No fuckery man…asshole went and ditched us for his girl.”
“Holy fuck is right.” Ash just got louder. “You over there corrupting my girl, man? Beautiful Shea,” he hollered, “I’m coming, baby. I’ll save you.”
If I didn’t know my punk-ass friend was completely full of shit, I would’ve knocked him a week from Sunday. But that’s just the way we were. Giving each other crap every chance we got, acting like we were tearing each other down when we were just building each other up.
Shea played right along, yelling toward the speaker I tried with no avail to cover. “Save me, Ash. I’ve been taken against my will, by a sex fiend who won’t let me out of bed, no less.”
She was gonna be tied to it if she kept that shit up.
“On my way, baby girl!” Ash was shouting again, and there was a scuffle, muffled words shouted between Lyrik and Ash, and the faint inclination of Zee coming in on the conversation on the back end.
Knew without a shadow of a doubt my entire crew would have my back. That they’d support this decision I’d made to permanently make Shea a part of my life, because I no longer knew how to go on living without her in it.
Would it affect them? Yeah. You can’t make life-altering changes without it altering your life.
A door slammed and the line went quiet before Lyrik spoke again, this time subdued and without any of the prior mocking in his tone. “What are you gonna do, man?”
“Don’t know yet.”
More silence.
“I get it, Baz. Totally get it. Do what you feel you have to do. Do what makes you happy.”
“I am,” I said, completely honest.
I glanced at Shea who reflected empowering light back at me.
Happy.
For once, I felt it above anything else.
“We’ll figure this shit out.”
It was all encouragement mixed up with his own worry. For so long, it’d just been us, the band and me and my baby brother. Nothing else in this fucked-up world had mattered.
Not until now.
“Talk soon,” he said, before the line went dead and I rolled to my side, Lyrik’s questions raising my own.
A tiny frown bridged Shea’s brow, like she caught onto it, too.
Needing the connection, I wove my fingers through hers. “What are we going to do, Shea?”
Unease slithered through her, before she quietly offered an answer that had no solution. “We kind of rushed into this, didn’t we?”
Soft, admissive laughter fumbled from my mouth. “Yeah.”
No use in lying to ourselves.
We’d rushed.
The reality was we’d been rushing since the moment I’d looked up and found her standing in front of me at that horseshoe booth at Charlie’s. She’d arrived like a flood to a parched desert, quenching a thirst I’d never realized I felt, my life barren until she’d breathed across it with her life.
My voice went soft with sincerity. “But I don’t regret it. Not for a second.”
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, held it there while she gave the slightest shake of her head. “Me, neither. Not at all.”
I swallowed over the lump forming in my throat. “You know, you and Kallie were planning on coming to California to stay for a few days after we wrap up this tour.”
She nodded like she was following my mixed-up train of thought.
“Right after, we have to hit the studio.”
Another nod.
The words grew rough. “I can’t stand the idea of you and Kallie not being there. Of not coming home to my wife every night. Want you falling asleep in my arms and waking up there, too. Come. Stay with me for a while. I’ve got an extra room we can set up for Kallie.”
Mark’s room. Hadn’t touched it since he’d died. The four of us had done nothing more than figuratively board it up, yellow tape and hazard signs posted all around it, because none of us had been ready to deal with the heartbreak we knew would be waiting behind it. Once I’d asked Zee if he wanted to go in and clear out his brother’s stuff, but he’d resisted, saying he wasn’t ready to go there yet.
But maybe it was time we moved on.
“I’ll be sure the guys are all on board. Make sure there’s no nonsense going down while we’re there. We can stay there as long as we need, until you and I figure this shit out. Figure out where we want to live. Where we want to raise our daughter.”
Where we wanted to make a home. Add to it. Make a family.
God, just the thought had both fear and devotion knocking around inside me, the innate need to see it through, to protect and love them, ensure they got everything in this world they deserved.
Joy pulled at every inch of her.
“What?” I asked quietly.
Those eyes flashed. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you call her that.”
I squeezed her fingers wrapped in mine. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to be able to call her that. You don’t know what you’ve given me, Shea…bringing her into my life.”
“I’d like that,” she finally said through the emotion gathered in her throat. “I can’t wait to tell her.”
I pulled her hand to my mouth and kissed the vacant spot on her left hand ring finger. “First order of business will be puttin’ something pretty on this finger. Told you I wanted you to be showing off my ring. We’ll go find someone who can design you something special…something different. Something you can show off everywhere you go, so people are gonna know you are mine and I am yours.”
Something as unique as my girl.
Sadness traveled through her features that somehow glowed with hope, and her lip trembled as her gaze darted to the wall, before she settled her attention back on me. “I know what I’d like.”
“Anything.”
“My grandma…”
Second she said it, something deep within me tuned in, quick to listen, because I knew whatever was getting ready to pass from her mouth was important.
“You know she left me the house.”
I gave her a slight nod, encouraging her to continue.
“She also left me most of her jewelry…most importantly her wedding ring.”
Tears pooled in her eyes, and she got that expression again, eyes creasing with regret and mouth pulling with remorse. The one she got when she shared the painful moments of her past. “He…it was…it was stolen.” She winced and forced a smile. “Losing it broke my heart.”
My girl fluttered her fingertips along my jaw. “I’d do anything to replace it. To get the spirit of it back so I can wear it to honor her. To honor them.”
Her smile trembled, so full of love and loss, and I gathered her closer. “Shea,” I whispered, and she just continued on. “She and my grandpa…they loved each other unlike anything I’ve ever seen, Sebastian. In a way so pure and beautiful that I remember, even as a little girl, hoping someday I’d get to experience a love like that. My grandma always told me she’d been given a fairy tale. She told me to go out and find one of my own.”
She drew her head back to look at me. “It was unlike anything I’ve witnessed…until you loved me.”
My chest tightened.
Affection profound.
Wrapping me up, layer after layer.
Didn’t think I had the capacity to love like this.
But this girl?
She proved to me I did.
“Nothing would make me happier than giving that to you, Shea.” My smile was soft, and I kissed along the line of her temple where it met with the defined curve of her jaw, part of me wanting to jump out of this bed and track down the fucker who’d taken it from her. Take it back.
“We’ll recreate it.”
Didn’t know if I was
talking more about the ring or her grandparents.
Knew all along how much she’d adored them. It had been where she’d felt safest.
And that…that was what I wanted. For her to feel that with me.
Safe.
To know I would always protect her. Stand up for her. Fight for her.
She took my hand and held it up, like this girl was imagining what it would look like for the ring to grace my finger.
“My grandpa’s was simple. Just a platinum band engraved with the word “always” on the inside. And my grandma’s…hers was beautiful.” She squinted, lost in the memory. “Antique and delicate and somehow striking.”
“Do you remember the details?” I asked.
“I will never forget it.”
“Then we’ll make it happen.”
Downstairs, someone pounded on the door. I frowned, hating the idea of breaking up the moment.
“Just ignore it,” I told her.
Fists pounded again, although this time it sounded like a herd of wild animals trying to bust their way in.
Shea’s smile made a resurgence. “We should get that.”
“Do we have to?” I pretended to whine through my grin, and the new onslaught of battering told me we most definitely did.
“Um…yeah. I’m not sure at this point a lock would keep them out.”
I pressed a resigned kiss to my wife’s mouth and rolled from bed. I grabbed a pair of jeans from my suitcase and pulled on a fresh tee, eyeing my girl while she quickly dressed, shorts and tank and everything sweet.
God, I was done for.
I hooked her hand in mine, knuckles pressed to my mouth, before I gave it up and towed her behind me downstairs to the unruly echo of my crew getting rebellious outside.
Quickly, I undid the lock and let the door fly free.
Ash waltzed in with two champagne bottles lifted over his head, knowing smug smile denting the lines on his face. Zee followed closely behind with a handful of flute stems wound between his fingers, Lyrik riding in on all his cool intensity.
Austin came shuffling in behind.
Ash made himself right at home, popped the cap on a bottle of champagne. “Think this calls for a celebration.”
“You think everything calls for a celebration,” I told him wryly.
Drowning to Breathe Page 22
