I simply got lost in the beauty of it.
She was like a one-person band I’d seen performing on the street once in Paris. The guy had been hooked up to drums, cymbals, and a harmonica. So many bells and whistles.
What Corrie was doing was on a whole other level. Modern. Relevant. So effortlessly cool.
Multitasking at its best.
Raw talent at its finest.
Skill honed to the point of perfection.
Corrie was right—I hadn’t seen anything yet. In fact, I’d never seen anything like it. No wonder she got the job with NTT. Her abilities were different than mine, but in my opinion, she surpassed me.
And she was right about something else. This was exactly what she was meant to do with her life.
As the entrancing performance came to a close, I found myself gripping my knees, my jaw dropped. She subtracted each layer until the song ended the same way it started with just the solo keyboard.
The last notes rang out, and she closed her eyes and smiled.
A brilliant, proud, joyous smile.
“Holy shit.” My voice cut through the silence. “Did you just produce an entire song right in front of me?”
“Not my song.” She peeked over at me as she unplugged a couple wires and removed her headphones. “That was “Faded” by Alan Walker, and I’ve spent countless hours perfecting it. It’s not like I did it on the fly.”
I shook my head. “You’re not giving yourself enough credit. That was fucking amazing.”
She was still grinning. “Thank you.”
“Do you have anything else?”
“Oh.” Pausing her mission to unhook everything, she pressed her lips together as she thought. “You want another song?”
“I’d love to hear anything from you,” I replied honestly.
Nodding, Corrie didn’t go back to the keyboard or the mixer. Instead she tapped the mousepad on her laptop a few times.
“How about something karaoke style?” she asked, seeming way more at ease now.
“I’m all ears.”
I crossed my arms and waited for her to select a song. When she finally did, soft piano came through the speakers, and I recognized it within five seconds.
Ah, shit.
It was “Send in the Clowns,” written by Stephen Sondheim and first recorded by Frank Sinatra.
And I knew it well.
Because my mother used to sing it to me. She sang a lot of songs—it’s where my love for music originated—but this one always struck a chord with me because it was so tragic. I used to think it was just a sad song about the circus, but as I got older, I learned that wasn’t the case.
And maybe that was why my mom couldn’t get through it without tears in her eyes.
Once upon a time, Sienna Briggs had almost been a star. A fashion model on her way to the top. Then she got pregnant with Theo, becoming a single mother at the young age of twenty.
The unexpected life change derailed her career.
She met and married my father a few years later—setting her up with unimaginable wealth—but she’d lost sight of her personal goals. She’d lost a part of herself and never got it back.
Oblivious to the rising lump in my throat, Corrie crooned out a beautiful cover of the anthem to the fall of my mother’s hopes and dreams, and it was like a lightbulb went off.
Theo had once brought up the theory that maybe she treated him so poorly because she resented him, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. How could she love a job more than her own son?
But now, as I absorbed the words with a more mature mind, I realized he was right.
It wasn’t a matter of loving one more than the other, but a case of letting the sorrow over a great loss consume her to the point of damaging.
I could relate. I wasn’t proud of the fact that I’d allowed my grief to dictate my life for a while, but that’s what I’d done, and I hurt those I cared about in the process.
Being able to finally understand my mother’s actions helped me to shed some of the anger I’d been holding onto. I didn’t need to be mad at my parents on Theo’s behalf anymore, and the realization was liberating.
It gave me the forgiveness I’d been withholding from people who weren’t here to receive it.
Corrie sang out the last line with the perfect amount of vibrato, and the sweet sound made my eyes sting.
When silence descended and she smiled over at me, I blinked rapidly to clear the wetness from my eyes, but it was too late—she saw it.
Her face fell. “What’s wrong?”
I cleared my throat and my voice came out gruffly when I responded, “My mom used to sing that song.”
“Oh, Aiden.” She rushed from her spot, skirting around the speaker to come stand between my spread legs. Her palms cradled my face as she gazed down at me. “I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you stop me?”
I hooked my fingers into her beltloops. “Because it was beautiful. And I’m not sad. I’m… healed. It actually gave me peace I didn’t know I needed. Thank you.”
She ran her fingers through my hair. “It’s been a long time since I sang in front of someone like that. I did it just for you.”
“I know.” Grateful for her trust, I rested my forehead on her sternum and nuzzled her stomach with my nose. I breathed in her scent, all comfort and sex and home. Happiness and love. I looked up at her, fitting my chin into her belly button. “Do you have any idea how unbelievably amazing you are? What you can do with those instruments, your voice… the sky’s the limit for you, Corrie.”
Now she was the one with misty eyes, and her lips twitched with amusement. “Are you trying to get laid? Because it’s working.”
“You know my answer to that.”
“Well… there is something else I’ve always wanted to do in here…” Her gaze bounced to the isolation booth and she suggestively waggled her eyebrows.
Fuck yes.
I was up off the stool so fast I almost knocked Corrie over. A laugh escaped her as hoisted her up over my shoulder, carrying her caveman style to the small room.
And when I said small, I meant tiny.
The booth wasn’t larger than a coat closet. Just like the rest of the studio, the walls and ceiling were covered in maroon carpet and gray foam squares to absorb sound, only this space was even more insulated. A microphone hung from above, and a small plexiglass window let light in from the other room.
I put Corrie down and pushed her up against the wall as I kicked the door shut. The lack of noise and absence of echoes was almost eerie as we breathed heavily from excitement.
Turning my head from left to right, I tried to work out the logistics in my mind of how we were going to do this. Lying down wasn’t an option because there wasn’t enough room. If I sat on the floor with my knees bent, maybe Corrie could get on top.
Apparently, she was already prepared for this scenario, because she unbuttoned her jeans, pushed them down along with her panties, and chucked them to the floor. Then she turned, giving me her backside and bracing her hands on the wall.
Knowing Corrie didn’t like the dark, I flipped on the overhead light. It wasn’t very bright, but it was better than nothing, and it lent a nice view of the tan line across her lower back and the pale skin on her supple ass.
Funny thing—I’d become accustomed to sleeping with that pineapple nightlight. I used to prefer complete darkness in my room, but the dim glow was a constant reminder of Corrie’s presence. I loved waking up in the middle of the night and seeing her next to me.
Wiggling her hips, Corrie glanced at me over her shoulder. Her cheeks were rosy from the ride on the beach and her magenta lips curved up in a naughty grin.
I unzipped my pants, giving sweet relief to my straining erection. Grabbing it by the base, I dragged the tip up and down Corrie’s wet slit, being sure to bump her clit with each pass.
“Aiden,” she whined. “Don’t play.”
So impatient.
I nudged her pussy, letting
the head slip in before pulling away, then doing it again. She let out a frustrated huff, pushing back and trying to impale herself on my cock, but I kept what she wanted just out of reach.
This drove her crazy.
As much as she complained about my teasing, it just made her want my dick ten times more. Some of her biggest orgasms resulted from this kind of foreplay.
Finally giving her what she wanted, I drove forward, anchoring her body to mine with one hand on her pelvic bone and the other feeding my cock into her tight pussy.
I was only a few inches in, but I could already tell sex felt different from behind. Snug. So fucking good.
My body quaked from pleasure, and I thrusted harder until over half of my length disappeared. Corrie moaned and hung her head.
“Am I hurting you, baby?” I held still.
“No. It’s just really intense.”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “I have a feeling this one’s gonna be quick.”
“Don’t hold back. I want it hard.”
Fuuuuck. Was she trying to make me nut before we even got started?
Bracing my palm on the wall next to hers, I slid my other hand between her legs. I gave one more powerful thrust, rooting my dick all the way.
And I didn’t stop.
I pumped my hips, rough and fast, loving the way her silky walls squeezed me.
Maybe it was because we were in a sound-proof room, or maybe it was the new position, but I’d never heard Corrie be so vocal when we fucked.
She screamed and wailed, and when I thought it was too much for her, she shouted nonsensical obscenities at me, threatening my life if I stopped.
My brain finally had enough sense to order my fingers to flick at her clit, rubbing quick circles over the sensitive flesh.
Her pussy gushed, and the wet slurping sounds combined with her moans was the hottest thing I’d ever heard. I almost wished we were recording it, just so I could play it back later for jerk-off material.
“Aiden,” Corrie whimpered. “Don’t stop. Don’t stop. Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
Sweat beaded on my forehead, and my balls drew up tight to my body.
I strummed her clit faster. The beginning spasms of her approaching orgasm fluttered around my cock. And then it happened.
Corrie’s shout got swallowed up by the sound-absorbing material, and her fingers dug into one of the foam squares as her pussy clamped down on my dick like a vise.
Just a few more pumps was all I needed.
One.
Two.
“Fuuuuck, baby.” My cock pulsed, filling her with powerful jets of cum.
I pressed her up against the wall, my front melded to her back, with my dick still buried as deep as it could go.
Humming out a sound of pure bliss, Corrie pushed back, then moved forward, sliding herself up and down my sated cock.
She loved to do this after. When she was slick from sex and I wasn’t soft yet. She enjoyed making me want it again right away. Even now, with my cum dripping down her thighs, I was already thinking about next time.
“See? You always tease me, too,” I rasped, nipping her ear.
“You love it.”
“I love you.” Panting, I placed open-mouthed kisses along the side of her neck. “Will I ever get enough of you?”
I could tell she was smiling when she replied, “You better not.”
“PSST!”
Aiden’s head whipped around, searching for the source of the sound—me—and a radiant, dimple-inducing smile was aimed my way when he saw my head poking out of the staff-only door.
We’d just seen each other this morning, but I already missed him.
The storm rolled in around five a.m. and woke us up early. After enjoying each other for about an hour, I’d tiptoed back to my room to get dressed for the day.
Not that I needed to look nice or anything. No one would be seeing me because I had the recording studio all to myself to finish the contestants’ tracks. I’d decided to go for comfortable, choosing black leggings and an old oversized Weston T-shirt.
Striding across the event room, Aiden looked like a cowgirl’s wet dream in those tight jeans and a gray form-fitting tank top. Brown boots completed the ensemble, and my libido cranked up a level with every heavy step he took.
“What’s up, baby?” Aiden bent to give me a kiss as soon as he was out in the deserted hallway with me.
I shivered, and it wasn’t just because the temperatures had dropped with the bad weather. I loved it when he called me baby with that smooth voice.
“Nothing. I just wanted to say hi before I disappear to the basement for the next ten hours.”
He frowned. “You’re working too hard.”
“I’m doing my job. And it’s actually pretty awesome to have run of the studio, so don’t feel sorry for me.”
“I wish I could hang out down there with you.”
“You’d probably just distract me anyway,” I pointed out. “When does Karaoke Roulette start?”
I threw a glance at the door leading to the event room decked out in a Hawaiian theme. Half of the crew had been up all night decorating it with fake palm trees, grass fringe, and leis. The location was originally supposed to be on the beach, but the rain and wind made the ideal setting impossible to use.
Maria wasn’t kidding when she said the storm would be a rough one. Coming from the Midwest, I’d never experienced anything like the rampant chaos outside. Even Aiden, who seemed like he wasn’t scared of much, held me a little tighter this morning while the sudden downpour pelted against the windows.
“In about an hour,” Aiden replied, his lips flattening into a thin line. “I don’t feel good about it.”
I tilted my head to the side. “The storm?”
“No. Knocking out three contestants over something so silly seems wrong.”
“Ohh.” I nodded, agreeing with him.
Karaoke Roulette was Ross’s big idea, and, yes, it was a silly contest that he and two of his colleagues from NTT would be judging.
Basically, the performers would spin a giant wheel to get a random song selection. No one knew what their choices were beforehand—even I wasn’t privy to that information. They’d have to sing whatever they landed on and do it well with zero preparation.
Only two of them would be moving forward for the finale, and it was anyone’s guess who it might be.
“When will you know who the finalists are?” I asked, soothing Aiden by sliding my hands up his chest and rubbing his tense shoulders.
“Not until early tomorrow morning. It sucks, you know? The waiting. If it’s this bad for me, I can’t imagine what it’s like for everyone else. We all need a good night’s sleep, but how are we supposed to do that while anticipating such an important decision?”
I ran my thumb along his stubbled jaw. “You know this is part of the plan to get some drama going. I mean, think about it—what kind of meltdowns will they film later? Epic ones. Ross is banking on that. And let me guess…” I tapped the area on Aiden’s face where the dimple hid when he frowned. “There’s going to be some big party tonight with lots of alcohol? Lower some inhibitions and crank up the emotions?”
Huffing out a laugh, Aiden affectionately pinched my chin. “Thinking like a true producer.” His smile faded. “At least he stopped trying to get the contestants to hit on me. I think he gave up on that mission well over a week ago.”
“Good.” My response came out grumpy, because the reminder of Twila and Dawn’s efforts gave me a sour stomach.
Aiden raked his fingers through my hair and caressed the nape of my neck. “Come to my room after you’re done.”
“Don’t I always?”
Reluctantly, I separated myself from him and walked away in the direction of the basement door. I was just about to pass the kitchen when Aiden called out, “Wait.”
“What?” I turned to see him jogging toward me.
“I forgot to give you something.”
“Is it a kiss? It better be a kiss. I think you’re only at a hundred and fifty for today so far. Majorly slacking.”
He laughed. “I think you severely miscalculated, but I’m willing to rectify this complaint immediately.” His big palm cupped my jaw as he gave me a brief peck.
But he didn’t stop there. Rapid smooches peppered my face and forehead, and I laughed when he kissed my eyelid.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Startled, we jumped apart at the deep voice coming down the hall, and a sigh of relief burst from me when I saw it was just Theo. He wore a disapproving stare as he sauntered toward us.
“Dude.” Aiden clutched his chest, because his heart was probably racing as fast as mine. “Not cool.”
“What’s not cool is you two canoodling where anyone could see you.”
“No one’s back here,” Aiden argued. “The crew doesn’t have a reason to come this way.”
“But the resort staff does. And they’ve been getting friendly with the NTT employees. People talk.” Theo’s eyes softened and he patted Aiden’s shoulder. “Sorry. I’ve been on edge ever since Hadley went back to Chicago.”
“I get it,” Aiden responded with an understanding nod.
Not more than two seconds later, the metal kitchen door across the hall swung open and several cooks were lined up behind catering carts.
I swallowed hard, because Theo was right. That was a close call. Aiden and I had gotten way too willy-nilly with our public displays of affection.
Instead of saying goodbye like we wanted to, Aiden straightened his shoulders and stated with an emotionless voice, “Miss Harper, here’s your itinerary for the day.”
He extended the dolphin notebook my way, and I scratched my nose to hide my smile when I grasped it. “Thank you, Mr. Legend.”
I sighed as I tilted my head from side to side, stretching my aching neck muscles. It was well past midnight, but these tracks had to be perfect.
And now they were. The last of the songs—Twila’s—was ready for air time.
I had no idea how the karaoke competition went. I didn’t know if Aiden was asleep already or if he was at the party. And if the storm was still pummeling the shore, I was completely oblivious.
Unattainable Page 19
