“Well, don’t.”
“What’s new?” His eyes were concentrated on his food, and he tried to act like he didn’t just piss me off.
I decided to play nice. “My sister’s birthday is coming up. I have no idea what to get her.”
Parker smiled. “She’s cute.”
I glared at him.
“I’m with Lacy, remember?”
“Then don’t eye-fuck my sister.” McKenzie was a few years younger than me, and I naturally felt the need to look out for her. She got her looks from our mom, and she was definitely a perfect 10. I had to threaten a few guys when she was in school, so I was used to men gawking at her. But that didn’t make it any easier. My brother was the same way.
“All I said was she’s cute.” He finished his plate then placed it on the grass. “Is everything alright? You’re wound tight today.”
I was eager to be with my muse. I was sexually frustrated to the point of insanity. I never had so many hard-ons in a small period of time. And ones that were never relieved. Prudence was the sexiest creature I’d ever seen, and I was desperate to be inside her. I was always on the edge of blowing my load. And a week was a long time to go unfulfilled.
A long time.
“I’m just having a bad day.”
“Apparently.”
♫
When I reached Prudence’s apartment that night, excitement coursed through me. I thought about her all day, eager to have her in my arms. I hoped she planned on spending the night. If she held an overnight bag, I’d be ecstatic.
She opened the door and gave me her beaming smile. Every tooth was perfectly spaced in her mouth, and her teeth were pristine white. She could be in a toothpaste commercial. I stared at her, unaccustomed to her remarkable beauty. I’d never get used to it.
“Always punctual,” she said.
“I’m a punctual man.” I kept my hands in my pockets so I wouldn’t grab her. I wanted to wait until the door was closed.
She grabbed her purse then stepped through the door. The yellow dress she wore was slightly longer in the back than it was in the front. It clung to her chest tightly then billowed out around her. Her heels made her ass stick out. She was dressed classy, but still looked sexy as hell. Her hair was in a loose braid that went over one shoulder. I’d never dated a girl who did her hair this way, but I loved the way it looked. I imagined grabbing it to hold on. She looked beautiful, outshining everything in her vicinity. But then my heart fell when I realized something. She didn’t bring a bag. Damn.
She locked the door then turned to me. I hid my disappointment then placed my hand on her hip. “I love that dress.” My face was pressed close to hers, invading her space.
Her breath fell on my lips. “Thank you.”
“It’s a good color on you.”
She didn’t blush. That was a first. “Thanks.” She eyed my chest. The shirt I wore was tight on my torso, showing the muscles I worked so hard on. “You look nice too.”
I knew she was complimenting my body, not my clothes. But that was fine with me. This was the first time she saw me in jeans and a shirt, but I knew she wasn’t disappointed. “Are you forgetting anything?” That was my subtle hint for her to grab some extra clothes.
Please bring a bag. Please.
“No.”
I stopped myself from growling. “Okay.” I grabbed her hand and led her back to the limo. Her hand was small in mine. I noticed she didn’t have any nails. They were filed down to the tip. I wanted to feel them dig into my back when she screamed. But I guess that wasn’t going to happen. She’d probably satisfy me anyway. I knew her long legs would.
Once we were in the limo, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. That was a dead giveaway she was nervous. Which could be a good or a bad thing. I grabbed her hand and held it on my thigh.
“How was your day?”
“It was good. I got to rest my voice.”
She wouldn’t be resting it tonight if I had my way. “Warm water and lemon always works.”
She smiled. “That’s what I did.” Her fingers moved within mine, caressing me. I wanted to feel her fingers touch me everywhere. “Does your driver always use a limo? It seems difficult to maneuver in the city.”
“No. I just want to impress you.”
“You’ve succeeded.”
Good. And I planned to impress her even more later tonight.
“How was your day?” she asked.
It wasn’t my favorite topic. Work was stressful, and I constantly had a hard-on from my musician. “Fine.”
“You don’t say much.”
“I don’t have much to say.” I leaned closer to her. “And I’d rather hear you speak. Your voice is beautiful.”
“You’re such a gentleman.”
Ha. If only she knew. “Only with beautiful and delicate things.”
“I’m not delicate,” she said automatically.
Her defensive response told me she was. I wondered why but it didn’t feel appropriate to ask.
“Where do you live?”
“In Malibu.”
“Where’s that?”
I forgot she didn’t know the area well. She didn’t even know the country. “It’s by the beach.”
Her eyes lit up. “You live close to the ocean?”
I smirked, feeling my cockiness come out. “I live on it.”
“You have a beach house?” she asked incredulously.
“Yep.”
“Wow. You really must have some lucrative clients.”
Since I promised I wouldn’t lie to her from this point on, I didn’t respond. I just hoped she didn’t ask me anymore about work. If she did, I’d have to come clean, which I really didn’t want to do. Because this girl turned my world upside down.
But I loved every damn second of it.
“When’s your next show?”
“In a few days.”
“You have a lot lined up?”
She nodded. “We aren’t wasting our time while we’re here.”
“And what do you hope to achieve?”
“They hope to get a record deal.”
“They?” It seemed like she didn’t care either way.
“The rest of the band.”
“You seem doubtful.”