Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) (39 page)

“
Of course. The CD inserts have already been printed, and your name is there with the lyrics. I wasn’t sure you would want that, but Gavin was adamant. He said your bridge was vital, in that it gave him the inspiration for the rest of the song.”

I nod slowly. “Wow. Thank you. That’s nice, but totally unnecessary.”

“
Why? You helped write the song, and Gavin insisted. That’s okay, isn’t it? Your name won’t show up on Wikipedia or anything. It’s just in the liner notes.”

I sigh happily. “Okay.”

***

When we walk into the hospital room, four perplexed members of Downstair Alley are staring at us.

“
You came with him? Why? What … ? Huh?” Gavin stammers.

Linden smirks. “Yes, she came with me, because she gave me a ride. Nothing happened.”

“
Hi, guys,” I greet them shyly.

Alexis rises from the chair in the corner and approaches me. Then he pokes me in the arm with his forefinger. “Yeah, she’s real. Not an apparition.” He grins and hugs me briefly. “Good to see you again, Thally.”

“
Good to see you, too.”

“
That didn’t seem to be true at your dad’s company,” he whispers.

“
Things change.”

He steps back and sits down again. I approach the bed and gently take Gavin’s hand in mine. “How are you doing?”

“
I have a massive headache, and my foot hurts a little, but that’s about it,” he answers.

“
Thank God it wasn’t worse,” Azer says. “I just hope they get the guy who did this.”

Linden chimes in, “It was a hit-and-run. Such a jerk. None of us wrote down the license plate number, we were too concerned about Gavin.”

I shake my head slowly. “That happens far too often. People go way over the speed limit, and when they hit someone, they’re scared of the consequences. The same thing happened to a friend of mine, but she was far less lucky.” I’m thinking of Cami’s horrible accident. She can’t remember much of it, just that she was trying to save her neighbors’ little daughter, who had run into the street. And while she was able to push the girl out of the danger zone, she was hit badly, shattering her leg. She was very brave. I hope I would do the same in a similar situation.

“
Maybe the guy will come forward and turn himself in,” Steve speculates.

“
I wouldn’t count on it,” I say.

“
One can always hope.” Azer grins.

“
Of course,” I concede and sit down on the edge of Gavin’s bed. “When will they let you go?” I ask him.

“
They said I’m allowed to leave tomorrow. These guys have come to bring me some decent food.”

“
Yeah, I remember my sister-in-law complaining about the food, too. She said it tasted like the insoles of old shoes.” I giggle.

“
I guess that could be true, though I can’t say for sure, because insoles aren’t normally part of my diet,” Gavin says, trying to maintain a deadpan expression. In the end, we all laugh loudly.

***

Half an hour later, I rise from the bed. “I’m sorry, guys, but I gotta go. Are you taking Linden with you later?”

Alexis nods at me. “Sure.”

“
Thanks. Then I guess … I’ll see you,” I say with a wave of the hand.

I leave the room and walk to the elevators, then press the down button.

“
Can I call you?” Linden asks behind me.

I turn around. “I’m getting the feeling you’re a stalker.” I smile. “But anyway. Yes, you can call me.” I take out a pen and a piece of paper so I can write down the landline of my room at home. I hand him the slip. “I should be available in the evenings.”

“
Thank you, Thally.” He takes a step toward me and gives me a hug. We’re both feeling a little awkward and tense now.

“
Go for it, dude,” I hear Azer call behind us.

We jump apart, startled. When we look back at Gavin’s room, Azer, Alexis, and Mike have stuck their heads out the door to stare at us.

I blush. “See you, Linden.”

“
Yeah, see you soon,” he replies and buries his hands in his pockets.

For a long moment, we look into each other’s eyes, but then Azer calls again, “We don’t have all day. Come on, dude, do it!”

Linden all but swallows me with his eyes, and then he grabs me and pushes me against the wall, kissing me frantically. I’m unprepared and let it happen, but then I catch myself … and take part in it.

“
That’s what I’m talking about,” Azer laughs.

I open my eyes and see Linden give him the middle finger over his shoulder. He grins into our kiss, but doesn’t break it. I feel the tip of his tongue, gently pushing for entry, caressing my lower lip, so I close my eyes again and slowly part my lips. Our tongues start to play with each other, hesitant at first, until a shrill beep makes us stop.

I pull away a little. “That’s the elevator,” I breathe.

“
How can I persuade you to go see your friend tomorrow instead of right now?” he murmurs.

My breath hitches as his velvety whisper seems to constrict my throat. He is so unbelievably sexy. “Kiss me again the way you just did.”

I’ve barely said the words when his hands slide around my butt and he lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his hips and cross them at his back, and then I let him kiss me almost senseless, while he carries me into the elevator. I squint to see the buttons and press 1, and then I focus only on Linden, and the sensations his kisses spark. My hands are at the back of his neck as he presses me against the wall of the elevator, his kiss urging me to feel what he feels. The way he touches me sends warmth to my crotch, and I feel my arousal mount. His teeth start to softly nip my lower lip.

“
You wanna come to my place?”

I nod, breathless for a moment.

“
Are you speechless?”

I shake my head.

“
Out of breath?”

I nod again.

Linden smiles and sets me down slowly. I have to lean on him, since my legs feel all wobbly. My head rests against his chest, so I can hear his racing heart. It beats a fast tattoo under his ribcage, similar to mine. I gave him my heart when we met, had it broken and shattered, and now I can feel it healing. Nobody has ever made my heart beat as fast as he does.

“
What is love for you?” I ask softly.

“
What?”

“
What does love mean to you?” I clarify.

“
When I can be with someone who makes me feel as unbelievably good as you do. That’s love. What does it mean to you?”

“
I’m still trying to figure that out,” I choke out.

***

The band is staying in a simple townhouse. I expected them to rent—or own—one of the large mansions in South Austin, but it seems they don’t want to draw attention or cause a stir. Fans are nowhere to be seen, and neither is security, though I expect they’re close at hand.

We’re sitting in Linden’s room. Nothing has happened since we left the hospital and came here. I have taken a seat in a comfy armchair, while he sits on the bed. “I should … get going,” I say quietly, without looking at him, and rise slowly.

Linden jumps up and looks at me with a shake of the head. “Please stay.”

“
But you’re not talking. You say that’s what you want, but every time I try, you torpedo the attempt.”

He approaches me with both hands held out, and then he takes mine. Linden pulls me to the bed with him and makes me sit down on it. “No. Let’s talk.”

I nod slowly.

“
All I want is another chance to be your man, and judging by the way you reacted to my kisses, I think you also want us to be together again.”

I take a deep breath. “I doubt we have a real chance. You’re always on the road, and I need to stay in Miami and at school, at least for another while. It would mean we rarely get to actually be together,” I explain. “I can’t afford to fly around the country to be with you. My dad wouldn’t pay for those flights, either, and I wouldn’t want you to spend that much on me. It would feel as if I were taking advantage of you.”

“
I could just as easily come see you,” he throws in.

“
I know, but that doesn’t work when you’re on tour, for example,” I point out.

“
True. That doesn’t work. But I can’t just give up because it’s a little complicated.” His eyes are full of hope as he looks into mine. I rub the back of my neck, unsure of what to think.

“
You’re not giving up?”

“
Never in a million years.” He smiles and pulls me close.

I stop him, because damn it, we were trying to finally talk. “Linden, remember we said we’d talk about this, not do anything else.”

“
But at first we came here to do something else,” he says with a wink.

I rise with a sigh. “I should go.”

“
Why?”

“
Because you … because we can’t spend five minutes in serious conversation.”

“
But we’re trying. What do you want me to do, Thalia?” Linden snaps, obviously irritated. “I’m really at a loss here. You find the problem in everything.”

“
Oh, am I getting on your nerves?” I ask rhetorically.

“
Right now? Yes!”

I grab my purse and leave the bedroom because I’m starting to get pissed, too. Our passionate affair seemed so simple, but taking the step to a functioning relationship seems impossible.

“
Thalia, let’s keep talking. It’s just so damn hard to get through to you, because … ” He hesitates.

“
Because what?” I want to know.

“
Because you just don’t trust me,” Linden answers defensively.

“
I trusted you then. At the moment I find it hard to trust you—or anyone, I guess—because I keep remembering that morning in New York. Dammit, Linden, that literally broke my heart. And yes, I know it was a mistake not to listen to you when you came banging on Delsin’s door, but what was I supposed to think? Pierce was very convincing!”

“
I’m trying to prove to you that all that shit isn’t real, but you won’t let me,” he barks back.

“
Why should I?” I yell at him. “All of it seems to just be based on sex, and that isn’t my idea of a relationship!”

“
You never gave me a chance to start a genuine relationship with you. When we were in New York, I spent the day showing you Manhattan. We danced in the rain and walked through Central Park. Was that all about sex?” he asks angrily.

“
No,” I reply in a small voice.

Linden grabs me and pushes me against the wall. I gasp when he presses me against it with his body. “It’s all just based on sex? Say that again!” he demands gruffly.

“
You scare me, Linden,” I whisper.

He loosens his grip, and I draw a shaky breath. I look at him and notice that his eyes are wet with unshed tears.

I swallow. “It isn’t all just based on sex,” I whisper hoarsely.

“
Then why do you say a thing like that?” he asks, calmer now.

I’m glad he’s back to normal, because I was close to crying again myself. “Because I am frustrated. It all started out so beautifully, if slowly, and then it ended awfully, and now you reappear in my life and say you want me back.

“
Yes, I believe you when you say you didn’t know about Pierce’s shitty scheme, but what am I supposed to do about how I’m feeling? I can’t forget all that so quickly. I’m scared something like that may happen again. I’m afraid someone will put obstacles in our way to tear us apart. I’m so very much in love with you that it hurts, and the separation nearly killed me. I suffered, I cried almost every night, and I’ve had nightmares for weeks, if I slept at all. So how am I supposed to forget what hurt me this badly when your very face reminds me of that hurt, over and over again?”

I’ve spoken all my fears, and now I can only hope he understands.

“
So it’s only your fear that’s holding you back?” he asks quietly.

“
It’s not just my fear.”

“
What else is it?”

“
I … I told you everything.”

“
Either we try it, or you’re leaving now,” he finally says. “I can’t do this anymore. I can no longer wait for your decision, just because you’re unsure, Thalia.” His eyes bore into mine. “What do you want, Thalia?”

I want to evade the question. I want to run away. But he has me cornered. I can’t dodge him this time. “I want you, but I want you without having to be afraid.”

“
I’m a pop singer. There will always be people trying to drive a wedge between us. There will always be jealous people who envy our happiness. And there will never be any guarantee we can make it,” he lists, insistent. “But I love you, and I want to be with you.”

I lower my eyes for a moment, looking at his broad chest, which is directly in front of my nose. Then I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “I love you, too.”

Linden takes my face in his hands and forces me to look into his eyes again. “Then why don’t we just try to be together?”

“
Because my fears are still there,” I breathe.

“
We’re going to make it, you hear me? We won’t let anyone tear us apart again, Thalia. Please, babe.”