Heart's Duo (Ugly Eternity #4) (12 page)

“You don’t seem surprised Finn isn’t here.”

Maddox shrugged. “He texted me to let me know he was leaving.”

Huh. Joss hadn’t been expecting that. “Yet you didn’t rush back, expecting I wouldn’t hang around.”

“What do you want to hear?” Maddox asked, staring at the TV. “I spent twenty minutes trying to convince myself you couldn’t be trusted to stay, but it didn’t work. You might be a total ass, but you’re a loyal one.”

It was better than nothing.

*****

With the lightest pressure from his fingertips, Sophie’s nether lips parted. He’d let her sleep two hours before he couldn’t take the torment a second longer. Even though he was certain she was still more awake than asleep when she moaned, she tried moving against him. He easily held her in place, pushing her panties down her hips. Moving slow, he did everything he could to drag out the anticipation and tease her. He already donned a condom before starting this game. There was no way he was pausing in the middle of his fantasies coming true for a bit of protective reality.

“I never would’ve pegged you as cruel,” she breathed when he refused to hurry. He kissed her neck, not giving in. Sophie got her revenge. Slipping her shirt upward, she squeezed her breasts, taunting him. It was an awesome play. A drop of pre-cum beaded from his dick. The moonlight streaming through the window cast just enough glow across her body, ensuring he didn’t miss a thing. She was so freaking sexy, Benton’s mouth watered. It felt as if he’d been waiting for her forever. Now, his patience was wearing thin.

Rocking against her ass, Benton drew her thigh over his and teased her opening with his crown. His muscles clenched. Sophie drenched his fingers and dick. With her held against his chest, Benton took her lobe between his teeth, nipping lightly as he sank inside an inch before withdrawing. A whimper came from the back of her throat. He cupped her pussy, savoring the way her juices coated his fingers as she rode his palm. With the tips of his fingers, he guided his cock inside once again, sliding deeper this time. He meant to pull away, dragging out her torment, but once Benton was there he couldn’t give up his prize. Her channel squeezed him, milking him even as she tried getting off on his hand. He moved away just enough to drive her insane, forcing her to chase after his hand.

“Damn, Benton.”

“I love the sound of my name on your lips.” He pivoted his hips, pumping inside her. “We have all night. You come when I say you do.” She growled. An evil laugh rose in his throat. “Give me what I want, Sophie. I’m not content to move fast. With you, I want it to go on forever.” Her shoulders relaxed against his chest at his claim. Triumph raced through his veins. The scent of her hair. The taste of her skin. Everything about her added to his desire to possess her. At this angle, he couldn’t go as deep as he’d like. It took the bite out of his crazed lust. If he took her hard, it would be over too soon. Everything was already slipping away faster than he liked. He’d wasted a week in anger. In a few short days, she’d be thousands of miles away again. Benton needed to savor this moment.

In spite of her surrender, Sophie still continued squeezing his cock and driving him mad. Her short gasps and low moans caused electricity to crawl over his skin. The muscles in his stomach were clenched so tightly he didn’t know if they’d ever relax. The pressure in his balls begged for him to relent. He pinched her clit between his thumb and forefinger. “I dream about you,” he confessed as he drove her insane. “You’re always screaming my name.”

Sophie reached over her head and buried her fingers in his hair. His roots stung as she held him in place and pushed back against him, attempting to take him deeper. “Oh god, Benton.” Sweat glistened on her breasts, catching the moonlight. He kissed her shoulder and watched the way they moved in time with his pounding. As much as he didn’t want to lose this moment, he couldn’t hold out forever. Her body was feeding his flame. Increasing the pressure, he used every ounce of his skill to push her to orgasm—fast and hard. All Benton could do was bury his face against her shoulder when her pussy clenched around his dick, milking him. A gasp tore from his throat. Lights popped behind his eyes and the explosion rocked him when he came. She was babbling words he couldn’t hear. The blood rushing through his ears made it impossible to hear a thing. He said things he couldn’t remember the moment they passed his lips. Soon they’d have to talk about them, but for tonight, she was his.

Chapter 6

All Maddox did was rush these days. His dad was out of the hospital but not running any marathons. He still relied heavily on Maddox to do several things, and Maddox was rundown and behind on every fucking thing. But when it came to his daughter, he refused to miss a single visit. It didn’t matter what else went on his life. She was his world. Of course, he was already ten minutes late to pick her up and missing his keys, but the moment he found them, he’d be father of the year. Spotting them on the floor beneath the side table, Maddox went after them. The phone rang the moment his knee hit the floor. Shit. Why hadn’t he thought to call and let Wendy know he was running behind? It was like his brain didn’t function properly any longer.

“Hey, I was just heading out to pick up Addison.”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m calling. One of her friends is having a huge slumber party and Addison wants to stay there tonight. If that’s okay with you?”

Maddox’s chest tightened. He tried to keep it from his tone. “Sure. She’s getting older. I know she’s not going to want to hang with her daddy forever.”

“Awww,” Wendy said, letting him know she wasn’t fooled. “It’s only one night. She still has plenty of daddy time left in her. Think of this as a small blessing. You have the night off. Go somewhere. Be an irresponsible adult for one night.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Because he had so many choices. Not. “Tell her I love her and to have fun.”

“I will, and you be sure to have fun too.”

With his call at an end, and nothing except time to kill, Maddox spun his phone between his fingers. The empty space between his front door and couch kept him occupied for ten minutes while he paced. He could call Cade, but the idea of being surrounded by his blissful life with Dylan made Maddox want to growl. It was something he couldn’t stomach tonight. Had life turned him bitter? Possibly, but it didn’t change the facts. He couldn’t go there.

There was always work. He’d been neglecting some band business since his dad’s diagnosis. No time like the present, right? It happened without his permission. The phone was pressed to his ear and Joss’ voice was coming through the line before Maddox accepted it as reality.

“Hello?” Even Joss’ greeting sounded skeptical of his call.

“Hey, man. How’s it going?”

“All right, and you?”

Maddox ran his hand through his hair, wondering if this was a huge mistake. “I’m good. Here’s the thing. That guy you sent me to fill your spot isn’t working out.”

There was a moment of silence before Joss cleared his throat. “All right. Um. I guess I could look for someone else.”

“You could,” Maddox agreed. “But I was sort of hoping you’d consider coming back. I’m not sure anyone else can fill your shoes. It’s too much work trying to force someone into your slot.” The million and one ways this could blow up in his face raced through Maddox’s mind. It was too late. The offer was out there.

“I don’t know,” Joss said, and for better or worse, Maddox dug his heels in.

“I do. You’re part of Ugly Eternity. We started this thing together. If you don’t want it, I may let it go. We don’t sound the same. It doesn’t feel the same. Shit’s just off, and I don’t have time to fix it. We need you there. I need you.”

“For real, I’m out of practice.”

A smile exploded across Maddox’s face as he realized Joss would cave. “If you’re free tonight, I’ve got some time to kill for the first time in a long time. We could meet at the shop and I could whip you back into shape.” Another lengthy silence met his words. Maddox knew he was still there. He could feel him.

“What about Addison?”

“She’s staying the night with a friend, but it wouldn’t have mattered if she wasn’t.” He laughed as he added, “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve thrown some noise canceling headphones on her tiny head so we can jam.”

A low rumble came through the line, making Maddox smile. “That’s true. Okay. What the hell. I have nothing else going on. Give me fifteen and I’ll meet you there.”

*

Joss set his phone aside and stared at the spot next to his office door. The framed business license hanging there had never held him so enthralled. He was there, working on the books that were fucked up beyond all hope since Jamie refused to cash any checks Joss sent him. Not to mention, his stubborn twin kept sneaking money into his account until Joss no longer knew what he had or what he didn’t.

Maddox wanted him back in the band. The shock of hearing from Maddox had yet to wear off enough for Joss to decide if it was something he wanted as well. Unfortunately, personal preference had no foothold here. It was Maddox. Joss couldn’t say no. Instead, he’d asked for fifteen minutes. As if the compilation of eighteen hundred seconds would be enough for Joss to come to grips with he’d just done—willingly handed the reins of his heart back to his only obsession. Fucked. That’s what Joss was—totally and royally fucked. Not just temporarily screwed, but for the foreseeable future, fucked.

Before Joss had embraced the longings of his heart, and before he’d walked away from Ugly Eternity, he hadn’t realized how much those endless performances and nights of practice had done their part to keep him held captive—trapped with a man who’d never feel the same. Pounding on the back door of the shop, jerked Joss from his worries. His gaze shot to the clock. Goddamn. His fifteen were up, and he’d barely moved. Fucked with a capital F.

It was too late now. He let Maddox in. As the door swung wide, Joss held his breath. He’d seen the man thousands of times, but the last time changed something inside Joss. He was free to admit—if only to himself—the way Maddox’s eyes made him want to do something, anything to hold their focus.

“Hey.” Yeah. It was lame. He didn’t care. Maddox stepped inside. A half-smile lingered on his lips as if he couldn’t quite decide how he’d come to be there. Well. That made two of them.

“Hey,” Maddox said in return. A full-fledged smile transformed Maddox’s features, making Joss wonder if he too heard the ridiculousness in their reluctance.

“I haven’t had any time to set anything up,” Joss confessed.

“There’s no reason I can’t help.”

Like that, they fell into step, working alongside each other the way they always had.

“How’s your dad?” Joss didn’t look at Maddox a he asked the question. He didn’t want to open up a can of anything, but he needed Maddox to know he cared.

“He’s good. They haven’t released him to go back to work yet, but he’s getting there.”

Joss kept his gaze averted, hooking up his amp. It was half avoidance and half for sanity’s sake. “Good. That’s awesome.” The faded jeans with the holes in the knees that hugged Maddox’s every line were doing their best to snag Joss’ gaze. Joss fought temptation with ninja-like skill. Temptation was handing Joss his ass.

“Jamie tells me your sales are through the roof, and you might need a bigger store soon.”

That worked to pull Joss from the brink. His gaze shot to Maddox. “You talked to Jamie?”

Maddox wasn’t looking at him. He nodded as he adjusted the height on his microphone stand. “They called me a few days before Christmas. I had to stop them from coming out to help me with dad.”

“They?”

“Jamie and Hawke,” Maddox clarified.

A few days before Christmas? That was before Sophie’s confession. “You talked to Hawke?”

Maddox finally met his gaze. There wasn’t an ounce of malice or hurt in his eyes. They were okay. “Yeah. It shocked me too, but honestly, I don’t guess it should have. It’s Hawke.” If Maddox had been describing anyone else in the world, it would’ve been a piss poor explanation, but Maddox was right. It was Hawke. He wished no one harm or thought of himself first. It was why he was so easily destroyed and why he belonged with Jamie. Hawke was selfless. Jamie was all Hawke, all the time, and nothing else. “Anyhow, Jamie’s called about once a week ever since, checking in.”

“I’m glad you’ve worked things out.” He really was. Maybe there was a tiny speck of hope Joss hadn’t fucked things up for life. Maddox’s expression turned wicked.

“You ready to do this?” He spoke into the microphone, nearly blowing Joss’ eardrums. With a shake of his head, Joss tried dispelling the ringing in his ears. “Maybe that’s a little loud,” Maddox added, with a laugh, but toning it down. “Might want to put those ear plugs in, my friend.” Maddox continued, refusing to say anything unless it filtered through the mic first. “You’re getting rusty.” As Joss crammed in his ear plugs, he realized he was smiling. The unfamiliar ache in his cheeks nearly brought him up short. Shaking it off, he strummed a few chords. “Tune that shit. It sounds awful.”

Even Maddox’s bossy tone couldn’t pry the smile from his face. Joss did as he bade. Maddox belted out the first lyrics, forcing Joss to keep up. The music flowed through, soothing the final frayed nerve Joss possessed. He’d almost forgotten, or rather he’d tried to forget, the way Maddox’s voice weaved magic. It was intoxicating. Joss couldn’t stop staring. The only thing saving his ass was Maddox’s odd mood. It was like the man was incapable of settling down. Every other line, Maddox said something ridiculous in place of the song lyrics.

“Stop looking at me.”

Joss tried watching his hands instead, fighting back a grin. Barely ten seconds passed before Joss found himself staring at Maddox again. His blond hair was a mess, and the faded shirt he wore looked ready to give up the battle against the muscles of Maddox’s chest.

“Seriously, I can’t sing with you looking at me.”

A chuckle fell from Joss’ lips. If it sounded half as evil to Maddox as it felt to Joss, he couldn’t imagine what Maddox was thinking. “Dude, you’re a performer—on stage,” he added for good measure. “Everyone’s looking at you while you’re singing.” Maddox stopped trying to push through the song. Cocking his head to one side, Maddox seemed to think it over.