Play Your Heart Out: A Rock Star Romance (Sinful Serenade Book 4) (6 page)

And the guitarist—must be Drew—is intense, focused, and playful at the same time. His arms are thick with tattoos, his dark hair is short, his tight jeans show off a sculpted lower body.

I went to a Sinful Serenade show once with Madison. How did I not notice how hot these guys were? It was the night before finals. I was distracted, but still... how could I not have seen the way Pete's hips and hands and lips move?

***

E
than disappears in the middle of the third song. My attention stays fixed on Pete until the band finally takes their leave.

A few minutes later, he's back. Tom too. And there's another couple with them—the tattooed guitarist and a short, curvy woman in a gorgeous cream dress. She's completely clean cut except for the tattoo of an ornate key on her shoulder.

She squeezes his hand. Oh, there it is. Another shiny rock. So she's his fiancée. They are a cute couple. He slides his arm around her waist protectively, pulling her body into his.

I bite my lip, trying not to get ahead of myself wishing Pete would touch me like that. Falling for him is out of the question. Falling for him is a surefire path to my heart being torn to shreds.

Pete joins me on the couch. He nods to the guitarist. "Drew—" then to the pretty twenty-something woman, "Kara, this is Jess. My
friend
."

My shoulders relax. The truth is such a relief.

"Oh. Of course." Kara beams as she shakes my hand. "Nice to meet you. It's great that you could come to the show."

Why does everyone keep looking at me like they're already sure I'm Pete's girlfriend?

His fingertips skim the edge of my skirt. It makes it difficult to think about anything but coming on his hand.

"You want to get out of here, Kendrick?" Drew pulls Kara into a tight embrace.

"That's her last name," Pete whispers. "It's their thing. Don't ask."

"After I see the ring." She bounces to Willow. "Show me again."

"You picked it out," Tom says.

"Exactly! Need to see if it looks as gorgeous as it did in my mind." Kara takes a long moment to check out the ring then she whispers something in Willow's ear.

Willow laughs. Motions
go
. Then Kara and Drew nod a series of goodbyes and descend the stairs.

It's bizarre, being surrounded by this much affection. Even before the divorce, my parents hated each other. I've never seen two people so happy in love.

It stirs something inside of me, this empty spot that wants to be filled. There's no one in the world I trust. The only two people I love are Dad and Madison and I can't talk about my feelings with either of them.

Madison doesn't care that she hurt me. Dad still expects me to lie for him.

My eyes find Pete's. There's an earnestness to his expression. I feel like I can trust him. Like I can talk to him.

That might be worth lying to everyone else.

His hand slides under my skirt. My thoughts fade away. My shoulders and back relax. I want to feel the way I did at the park, like there's nothing in the world but the two of us.

Sex first. Decision second.

I lean in to whisper. "Do we have to stay to talk?"

"Have to clear something with Aiden but I can do it
after
."

Mmm. After. I nod. "Yes please."

"Yes please, what?"

I can hear the smile in his voice. "Yes, please... will you... Do I have to say it?"

He chuckles. "I'll get you there."

His fingertips skim my thighs as he pulls his hand back to his lap. He pulls back enough he can stare into my eyes. I still can't figure out what the expression in his deep brown eyes means, but damn if I don't like staring into them.

They're gorgeous eyes.

That vulnerability returns. He blinks and it's gone. I shift backwards, breaking his touch. But it's too loud to think. Ethan's band Dangerous Noise is in the middle of their first song.

They're good. Ethan is quite the attention whore on stage. He holds up his guitar, tugging at the bottom of his t-shirt, teasing the audience with the promise to strip.

The audience likes it.

Pete stands and pulls me to my feet. He nods to Tom and Willow. "Excuse us."

Tom raises a brow. "This is a classy place."

Pete nods.

Willow whispers something in Tom's ear.

He smiles. "After Dangerous Noise."

"You have too many pet projects," she says.

"You work eighty hours a week, kid."

"Sixty," she protests.

Tom motions for us to go. He pulls Willow into his lap and runs his hands through her short hair.

Pete slides his arm around my hips, pulling my body next to his. It's almost like he's tense over the happy couple's PDA. But that doesn't make any sense. He's not looking at Willow with any kind of romantic or sexual interest.

The man is an enigma. I want to know more.

He leads me to the back of the VIP area. There's a roped off area with a NO ENTRANCE sign. He scans the room. A cocktail waitress has her eyes on us. More likely, she has her eyes on him. She licks her lips hungrily.

He could easily take her home. But he looks at her with apathy. He doesn't want her. He doesn't want any of the gorgeous models in this place.

He wants me.

Pete leans in to whisper. "Wait for me on the balcony. I'll lose her." He motions to the closed door in the corner of the roped off area.

He wants to do this on a balcony? Damn. First the bar bathroom then this. He has a thing for public sex.

I should say no. I'm going to be a lawyer. I can't get caught having sex in public.

I try to force the word to my lips but it refuses. "What if we get caught?"

"This is private property. They'll ask us to leave. That will be it." His eyes meet mine. "We can hold off till we get back to your place."

I shake my head. I don't want to hold off. I want him. Now.

I trust his assessment of the situation.

"No. Let's do it now," I say.

He nods.

I wait for him to grab the waitress's attention and I sneak past the velvet rope. The door to the balcony is frosted glass. You can't see in or out. I turn the handle and check my footing. All good.

We're overlooking the alley. No one can see us, not from the street, not from the club.

No one is going to catch us. Not on camera—it's too dark for that.

Thoughts swirl around my brain. I like Pete. Find him interesting. Hell, find him fascinating.

Can I play his girlfriend without falling in love with him?

I press my hands into the smooth metal railing. It's the only cold thing here. The sounds of the street—conversations and cars—flow into my ears, competing with the music coming from the club.

There’s only one thing I know: I can't leave without being with him.

Period.

––––––––

A
soft breeze blows over my arms. It's still warm. The city lights blur together as I take shaky breaths. I've never been this nervous before.

The door pulls open and Pete steps onto the balcony. Already, the air feels several degrees warmer.

How can I want him this badly?

I barely know him.

He pulls the door closed behind him, and slides his hands over my hips.

Then he smiles and everything else fades away.

His hands go to my shoulders. They slide over the straps of my pastel pink dress, over the backline and neckline until one finds the zipper that runs parallel to my spine. He leans in close enough to whisper. "Turn around."

My sex clenches. His voice is deep and commanding. I want to comply.

I turn around. My back arches as a sigh escapes my lips. My thoughts fade away. Until the only thing I can feel is the tingle of anticipation.

Pete unzips my dress and slides the right strap off my shoulder. Then the left. The fabric collects at my waist.

His hands skim my hips, under the dress, just over the thin satin fabric of my thong. Then they're on my ass, on my bare skin. "Your ass is fucking fantastic."

My cheeks flush. "Thank you."

His fingers dig into my flesh. Then they're on my hips again, playing with the straps of my thong. "Look at me."

I turn so we're face to face. His expression is intense with desire.

It does something to me, the way he's looking at me. Makes it even harder to stand.

He moves closer, pinning me to the wall with the weight of his body.

Dammit, that feels so good I can barely breathe.

My eyelids flutter closed. I soak in the sweet sensation of his fingertips on my bare skin.

I barely know him. We're in a semi-public space. We might get caught. Right now, that doesn't matter. Right now, the only thing that matters is his hands on my skin.

His lips press against my neck. He kisses his way to my ear. My cheek. My lips. I rise to my tip toes, pressing my body against his.

He's hard. I can feel him through his jeans.

From the feel of things, he's massive.

I arch my back to rub my crotch against his. There's too much fabric in the way. It's not enough.

I groan as he slides his hand down my back.

He catches my lower lip with his thumb. The touch is intimate. Delicate.

I stare back at him as he drags his thumb over my lips. Then the digit is in my mouth. I press my tongue against the soft pad, sucking like I'm sucking him off.

He groans a delicious low throaty groan.

Pete pulls his hand to his side. "Close your eyes."

I do.

He plants a soft, wet kiss on my neck as he peels off my bra. His fingertips trail over my shoulders.

He's slow about exploring every inch of exposed skin. That same anticipation builds inside me. This isn't enough.

I know where I need his hands.

But I can't ask... I can't dirty talk. No way.

His kiss gets harder as he moves down my shoulders. His teeth scrape against my skin. He shifts lower, plants a kiss on my chest. Then lower. Lower. He's inches from my nipple.

Lower.

Almost.

But he moves away, does the same to my other breast. I reach for him, rake my hands through his hair.

The music from the inside of the club cuts off. The band is done. There's clapping then it's quiet enough I can hear our breath. Mine is more strained than his, but we're both panting.

It does things to me, knowing he's as needy as I am.

The way he's looking at me—he's teasing me.

Baiting me.

He wants me to ask.

Can I do that? I take a deep breath, arching my back and tugging at his hair. It does nothing to change his path.

"Please," I groan. My thighs shake with anticipation.

"Please what."

My cheeks flush. "Are you going to make me say it?"

"Hmm?" He plays dumb. Kisses his way back to my lips. Then his tongue is in my mouth, swirling around mine. He pulls back and stares into my eyes. "Say what?"

God, I'm burning up. I must be every shade of red.

He brings his lips to my ear. "You want me to suck on your nipples."

I let out a much too loud groan as I nod.

"Should've just asked," he teases. "Any other requests?"

"You're enjoying this."

"You aren't?" He presses his palm against my sex, over my panties.

My response is a low moan.

"You're wet." His voice is breathy, needy. "You want my fingers curling inside you?"

My sex clenches. "Yes. Do that. And the nipples too."

He smiles. "Close your eyes. I'll stop teasing. This time."

Thank God.

His lips sink into mine. Mmm. He tastes so good.

My hands find their way to the edge of his t-shirt. Then they're under it, on his taut stomach. His skin feels good against my hands, like it's meant for them.

Damn, he's a good kisser. He sucks on my lower lip as he pushes my thong off my hips. The undergarment falls to my feet. I step out of it and kick it away.

I'm half naked on a balcony. With a man I barely know.

I should care. I should be terrified. But I'm not. I want this more than I've ever wanted anything.

Pete breaks our kiss to press his lips against my neck. My shoulder. My chest. Lower. Lower. Lower.

This time, his lips close around my nipple. Pleasure shoots to my core. I sigh with relief as he sucks on me. Soft. Then harder. Harder.

I yelp from the pressure. It doesn't hurt but it's fucking intense.

He moves to my other nipple and does the same. I tug at his black hair, trying to keep my voice down.

His hand slides up my thigh. Closer and closer. My legs shake. I press my back against the wall to keep my balance. It's been too long. I need him touching me.

Almost.

Almost.

There. His fingertips skim my clit. He looks up at me, checking my reaction. I nod a yes. He needs to continue. All of this needs to continue.

He strokes me.

His hands are steady, the pressure light. I arch my back to pull him closer. Deeper. I need more. Need his fingers inside me.

My cheeks flush as I try to force the words to my tongue.

My hands go to his shoulders. "Please... Pete... I want you to... To do what you said."

He flicks his tongue against my nipple. Is he going to make me say it? I let my eyes close. I take a deep breath. Okay... I can do that.

In theory.

I dig my nails into his shoulder. "I want your fingers inside of me."

Immediately, one finger teases my sex. My body sighs with relief. I can do this. Can ask for what I want. Hell, I'm practically dirty talking.

Conscious thought falls away as his finger slides inside of me. I arch my hips, spread my legs wider.

I let his name fall off my tongue.

"God, Pete." I arch my back to drive his fingers deeper. "Please don't stop."

He kisses me hard. His tongue is aggressive, dancing with mine. I groan into his mouth. He needs to know how good this feels.

Tension knots between my legs. I'm close to the edge. About to spill. And kissing him back isn't enough to contain my pleasure. My lips break free of their own accord, part of their own accord.

No thinking. My hips shift, seeking the perfect angle. There. Pete stays in time with my movements, going faster, deeper.