by Cari Quinn
A knock sounded at the door and he stilled, a mischievous light appearing in his eyes. He held his finger to his lips, indicating she should remain quiet, and shifted his hips, easing the broad head of his cock into her extremely sensitive entrance. She let out a whimper and he caught it with his mouth, swiveling his hips again to push in deeper.
“Dude, you ever coming out of there? It’s almost fucking eight. We have music to make or else Dragon Lady will be up our ass.”
Nick had to be the only rocker who didn’t believe in sleeping away the day. Unless he was just being super-dickish.
“Gimme five,” Gray called back, raising his torso and plunging farther inside her clutching pussy. “I’ll be right out.”
“Sure thing. Wouldn’t want to interrupt you.” Nick hit or kicked the door before letting out an audible curse. She might’ve been able to discern what that curse was if Gray hadn’t picked that moment to suck her eager nipple between his teeth. Her attention blinked out to everything except the fullness of the cock inside her, shoving her wide open to accept his invasion.
He rubbed over her G-spot with each pass, traveling so deep that he grunted against her breast every time he bottomed out. The flashes of pain, the exquisite burn, only increased the pressure fisting in her belly, building so swiftly that she didn’t have a chance of holding on.
“Oh fuck. You’re coming again already,” he rasped. From the bliss contorting his features, he wasn’t far behind.
“Yes. Oh yes.” Rolling her hips up to meet his strokes, she watched the storm break over his face. His jaw locked, his gorgeous eyes shuttered. And her name spilled out on the shout he muffled against her hair.
Nothing could ever be better than hearing him call out to her while he came. Nothing.
He continued fucking her, his movements languid now. Somehow they tripped the tangled wires inside her even faster than his rapid strokes had. God, she couldn’t come again. She didn’t even have enough breath left to cry out. Her hips flailed, trapped beneath his as the tension gave way. So deliciously trapped.
“That’s it, baby.” He nuzzled her neck, lifting his torso to plunge into her one more time. “Give me everything.”
She reached up to cradle his head as the final punch of pleasure swept through her system and left her quaking beneath him. She bit her lip to stifle her whimpers, realizing once he eased back to give her a dazed grin that she tasted blood.
“Holy shit.” She lifted her hand to her mouth. “I think I bit through my lip.”
He bent to kiss the cut, so gently that her racing heart turned over before going still for a breathless moment while their gazes clung. She stroked the side of his face, shocked that for once, she didn’t have to look for something to say after sex.
Between them, words weren’t necessary. They had long looks and longer kisses. They’d have longer everything from now on.
This was just the beginning, and oh God, maybe even waiting had been worth it if she could get to feel like this.
“I have to go,” she whispered as the phone started again. Guilt kicked hard in her chest. Poor Harper. She was going to kill her and rightly so.
“I know. When are you coming back to me?”
She threaded her fingers through his hair, marveling at the darkness against her pale skin. “As soon as I can.”
“Not soon enough.” He pulled out of her, causing them both to moan, and bent to grab her clothes. “No underwear? I sort of vaguely remember that but…no underwear?”
“No.” She grinned. “I couldn’t take any chances.”
“Guess not. Though I would find you sexy in a parka and snow pants.” He held up her dress and lifted an eyebrow. “I’m supposed to let you leave in this? Where’d you park anyway?”
“Two blocks down, behind some bushes.”
“Damn, total spy mode. You walked two blocks in those boots?”
“I would’ve crawled on glass to get to you. Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited?”
He shifted toward her with her dress bunched in his hands. “Unless it’s the better part of a decade, you’re going to lose this contest.”
“It is. Why did we waste so much time?”
From the way he set his mouth, she didn’t get the feeling they’d be going down that road anytime soon. Maybe it was just as well. The future was what mattered now, not the past.
Swallowing deeply, she brushed her fingers over his jaw and tried again. “It’s always been you for me. Always, since long before—before he—”
The melting warmth in his expression turned glacial. “Don’t say his name. I don’t want any part of that fucker to touch us here.”
She turned her face away, hating that she’d brought even an instant of sadness into what had been such a wonderful night and morning-after. The sadness existed entirely on her part. She would never forgive herself for having any part in driving a wedge between them. From him, she felt only cold rage. “He’s your brother.”
“I don’t have a brother anymore.” He pitched what he held across the room, nailing the top of the still-open window. Her dress fluttered to the ground.
“Gray.” She cupped his shoulder. “I’m okay. I swear. He didn’t hurt me.”
“Yes, he did. I heard you screaming. I hear it in my nightmares.”
Tears filled her eyes, but not for her. His anguish ripped her open. “It was so long ago.”
“Goddammit, no.” He shoved to his feet. “It’s like it happened yesterday for me. I don’t care how many years pass, I’ll kill that bastard if he ever looks at you again.” He walked to the window and picked up her dress, clutching it to his chest before turning back and giving her a half-smile that didn’t begin to mitigate the fury vibrating off his body. “Sure you have to go?”
His rapid mood shift knocked her off-kilter but she tried to return his smile. She wouldn’t let anything ruin this, especially Brent. They’d fought too hard to get here. “Unfortunately, yes.” She rolled off the bed and winced at the first step. “Ow. Ouch. Someone broke me.”
That brought his grin back in full force. “Someone will make you better later,” he promised, returning to her side to tug her dress over her head.
“I just bet.” She yanked on her boots and zipped them up, then she grabbed her phone. “What am I forgetting?”
“This.” He hooked a finger in the bodice of her dress and hauled her close.
His tongue slipped in to tangle with hers, and damn if she didn’t still taste herself in his kiss. The thrill tingled from her nipples to between her legs, and she moaned, already halfway gone again. He grinned and kissed her harder, making her grin back even as their mouths moved together in perfect harmony.
Loving Gray was the easiest—and hardest—thing she’d ever done. But today it was easier than breathing. More right than anything she’d ever known.
Finally he eased away and nudged her toward the window. Must be the door to the deck didn’t work or something. “Tell Harper I’m sorry too.”
“Okay.” Still dizzy, she started to climb over the windowsill then smiled dopily over her shoulder. “Same time tonight?”
“I’ll be waiting for you.” He leaned his forearm on the casing and drew his fingertip from her mouth to her jaw. “Think I’m going to write your song today. All that sugar on my tongue, I can taste it now…” He sang softly, making her flush and screech as she darted out the window.
His laughter followed her off the deck.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Then
Gray watched her sleep, tracing the tangled blue-and-black swirls of hair that flowed over her shoulder. She slept like the dead, never making a single sound. Even her lashes didn’t flutter. But her heartbeat stayed strong and true under his other hand.
If that had changed for even a second during the long night he’d spent sitting with her on the lumpy couch in the Feldmans’ basement, he would’ve hauled her off to the E.R. He wouldn’t risk her health even if his parents found out and
grounded her for a century. But that steady beat never wavered, so he’d called his worried parents shortly before midnight and told them Jazz was with him. She was fine. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her, ever.
Except he already had. He should’ve known she’d be curious about the Feldmans’ party, especially now that she was friends with Stacey. That girl liked to party. Hard. He didn’t know if Stacey had been the one to slip something in Jazz’s drink or if it had been some other creep—like that jerk Toby who’d been watching her dance until Gray showed up—but he recognized the signs of a girl who’d been roofied. Jazz never drank to excess. Though there was a first time for everything, his gut told him this wasn’t it.
Someone had fucked with her, which meant they’d fucked with him.
She curled into his chest. Slowly, she opened her eyes. “Gray?”
Her weak, thready voice rekindled his anger. Whoever had done this to her would wish they’d never laid eyes on those fucking drugs once he showed them the error of their ways.
“Yeah,” he gritted out, brushing his fingers over her cheek. “How’re you feeling?”
“Stupid.” Wincing, she sat up and seemed to realize that she was on his lap. “Whoa. What’s going on? Where are we?”
Just as he’d thought. She didn’t remember the end of last night. Sure, some blackout drunks experienced the same. That wasn’t Jazz. He’d never believe it.
“You’re safe,” he soothed, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Her forehead puckered. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“We’re in the Feldmans’ basement. There was a party. Do you remember any of that?”
“Yeah. I came here with Stacey.” She glanced around. “Where is everyone?”
“It’s the next morning. Everyone’s gone. Well, except for Beth, her boyfriend and a few friends sleeping it off upstairs.”
She rubbed her temple. “My head hurts like I got loaded.” She frowned. “I only had two beers. Why do I feel like this?”
“You’re sure? You remember that part?”
“Yes, I remember. Some parts are fuzzy. The drinking part I remember, because the first beer I drank tasted funny. I took a second one, figuring that maybe I just needed to get used to the taste. The second one was even worse.”
He smoothed his hand over her knee, avoiding her gaze while he hauled his ragged emotions back into line. He wasn’t going to go off in front of her. She already didn’t feel well and she’d had a shitty night.
A coppery flavor filled his mouth and he swallowed it away. He hoped it had only been shitty.
“Who gave the beers to you? Do you remember?”
She pursed her lips and looked off in the distance as if she was struggling to line up the details. “I don’t know his name, but it was the same guy both times.”
“I just bet it was,” he said, idly stroking her jean-clad knee to keep from punching a hole through something. Anything. “Sure it wasn’t Toby? The guy who was watching you dance?”
“I was dancing?”
“Yeah.”
Her cheeks flooded with color. “Like on a table?”
“No, just here, in front of the couch. Unless…” He refused to think about any other possibilities right now. “Was Toby the one who gave you the beers, baby?”
She blinked up at him. “You just called me baby.”
“Don’t worry about that.” That was for him to worry about later—that he’d let himself slip that much—after he made sure she was okay. “If you don’t know his name, describe him to me.”
“I don’t know him. He’s a senior. He was tall with dark hair and big shoulders.” She shrugged. “That’s all I recall. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. Tell me what happened.”
“Nothing, really. He gave me a beer and Stacey took one. Then later on, he came downstairs to talk to Toby and he offered to get me another.”
“Did he touch you?” he asked sharply.
“No, I don’t think so. Toby tried to—” She broke off, her flush increasing. “You think he did something to my beers. That’s why they tasted weird.”
“I think it’s a good guess.” He fought to keep his tone level. “He probably put roofies in them.”
“Like…the date rape drug?”
“Yes.” He rubbed his thumb along the seam of her jeans, not looking at her. “You don’t remember anyone doing anything, do you?”
“Toby grabbed my boob but I think you mean more than that.” She shook her head rapidly. “No. I’m pretty sure nothing more than that happened.”
He swallowed, hating that he needed to press the subject but knowing he had to. For her. “There’s a bathroom right down the hall. Can you go down there and…check? Just make sure you don’t see any unusual bruises or anything out of place.”
“You think someone raped me and I don’t remember?” She shook her head again. “No. I’m sure that didn’t happen.”
“Jazz.” He gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. “Go check as best as you can, all right? For me. If something did happen, we have to know now so we can…” Jesus, he couldn’t do this. Couldn’t say this. “…take the appropriate steps.”
Her eyes filled. “What we? If someone hurt me, I’m all alone. I’ve always been alo—”
“No.” It took everything he possessed to keep his voice firm. She was shaking now, and he wasn’t far from it himself. “You aren’t alone anymore. I’m with you, for everything. I’ll wait for you right outside the door, and no matter what, we’ll face it together. Okay?”
She closed her eyes and nodded, then she slipped off his lap and walked down the hall with her head held high.
True to his word, he followed and waited until she came out of the bathroom a few minutes later. The relief on her face caused the knots in his stomach to untwist all at once. “Everything all right?” he asked, needing to hear her say it.
“Yes. Everything’s fine. No bruises, no…irritation or sign of anything anywhere. I’m fine.” She let out a long breath as his arms came around her, hard. “God, why do guys do that? Why would someone be that desperate for sex?” She gazed up at him, chin quivering. “You wouldn’t ever do that, would you?”
“Of course not. Never.”
“You promise?”
He set his chin on her hair and tried not to let the indignation through that she even needed to ask. She was understandably shook up. “I promise.”
“Okay.” She pressed her face into his throat and exhaled shakily. “Okay.”
“No, not okay. I get that you want to go to parties and all that, but I can’t risk this happening again. My parents would never forgive me,” he added hastily as she began to argue.
“You’re not responsible for me.”
“I damn well am. If you want to go to parties, fine. Awesome. But we’ll go together.”
She rubbed her eyes, smearing her mascara. The raccoon look only made her blue eyes more pronounced. “Why would you want to go with me? I’m a lame freshman. You’re a senior.”
“You’re not lame.” He pushed lightly at her shoulder. “Sometimes I even kinda like hanging out with you. Once a month or so.”
The corner of her mouth curved. “What about when you have a girlfriend? Won’t she get pissed you’re hauling around a spare tire?”
“Didn’t I already tell you I don’t have girlfriends? Besides, friends look out for each other. Do we have a deal?”
She studied him for a long minute then nodded reluctantly before gifting him with a gorgeous smile. His Jazz’s smile. “Deal.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Now
Jazz called Harper as soon as she hit the freeway. “I’m sorry. Hugely, fantastically sorry—”
“Jasmine Edwards, where the fuck have you been? Meet me at the Vicenza. I got a ride over to your spa shindig when my truck went missing.”
“I know I messed up, please don’t hate me.” Jazz flipped on her signal and switched lanes before bumping up he
r speed. It was handy that Harper had traveled to where they were staying. It was much closer than going all the way back to the Hollywood Hills. “Gray’s sorry too. We’ll totally make it up to you, I promise. And I swear, tomorrow I’ll get the truck back to you on time. No, I’ll get it back to you early. So early you won’t even have to think about—”
“Hold it.”
“Holding.”
“You and Gray. You wanting to borrow the truck again—not happening, by the way. That must mean that you got thoroughly plowed?”
Jazz couldn’t help the smile that stretched across her face. “Mmm-hmm.”
“Mmm-hmm?” Harper screeched. “I help you set all this up, I even loan you my spare hooker boots and that’s all you have to say? What in the actual hell?”
“You loaned me your spare hooker boots weeks ago, but yes, they were much appreciated.”
Jazz steered with her knees while she put on her lipstick in the rearview mirror. She’d left her purse in the glove compartment last night and man, when she’d checked herself out this morning, she’d looked completely fucked. Fucked squared. But there was no denying the old-fashioned sex glow in her cheeks and the love shine in her eyes, so she didn’t give a crap. Gray had seen her without makeup a zillion times, and he was the only one who mattered.
“Hello? I am waiting for details. What happened?”
“We made sweet blissful love…for a really long time.” Jazz giggled and tossed her lipstick in her purse. “All right, it was more like fucking.”
“Aw, damn, tell me more. For real?”
“Oh yeah, I’m talking serious fucking. The kind that gives you a crimp in your back and makes you walk bow-legged for three days.”
Harper let out a long sigh. “I miss Deak. I’m on the way to the suite. So far he’s not picking up his cell.”
“They’re probably in the fitness room. Deak threatened to punish Simon for getting drunk last night by dragging him to the treadmill first thing this morning.”
“I’ll check there next if they aren’t in their rooms, but if I don’t find him by the time you arrive, I have to head out. I’m catering a ladies’ lunch and they’ll revolt if I arrive a minute later than planned.”
