Pure Iron (35 page)

Her distaste stung and he tried to let it roll off. “That’s the stuff we played in the early years. Matter of fact, we play an entire album last night.”

“Oh?”

“We titled it Power Play.”

She raised her eyebrows.

“Yeah, I know. Cheesy name. And it sold maybe half a dozen copies to friends and family, I think.” He shook his head. “Anyway, the crowd seemed to like it.”

“That they did,” she agreed. “And, after watching them last night, I think you all should pay attention when Kris says an audience isn’t quite civilized.”

“That was a rough and tumble crowd. I hope Jack or Kris didn’t fuck somebody’s girlfriend. I’m sure there will be some severe damage if they did.”

She winced, thinking how utterly likely it was that one of them had slept with someone he shouldn’t. She’d grown to like them both, sure that both of them were better men than their behavior indicated.

Mick finished his breakfast and carried his plate to the kitchen counter. Turning his head toward her, he said, “If you don’t mind, I’ve got a song to work on.”

“No, not at all,” she replied and finished her juice. “I’ll tidy up in here and get some laundry done. Besides, there’s a new book calling my name.”

She smiled at him and he grinned back. He loved how she did not resent his time spent working with the music. He disappeared and Sonia did as she said she would. Then she scoured the refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards, thinking that, if they were to leave in a six days, she needed to make sure they ate all the perishable food so it wouldn’t spoil. The nonperishable foodstuffs could be packed and either put in storage or placed in whatever new house Mick bought.

Looking at what was available, she grabbed a sheet of paper and developed menus for the next several days that would incorporate almost everything. Setting the week’s menus on the counter, she texted each of the band members to invite them all for supper or lunch each day, depending upon whether they had a concert. The five men together would help greatly in reducing food waste.

Each band member replied with an enthusiastic acceptance. She wasn’t surprised.

She absently listened to the developing song as she prepped and cooked. Kris was the first to arrive for supper. He paused upon entering and listened intently. The music was good, really good.

He cupped her face with one big hand and said softly, icy blue eyes glinting, “You inspire him.”

Surprised by the affectionate touch, she stood still and just blinked. He bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead and added, “I wish I’d met you first.”

She blinked again, not quite knowing how to respond.

Kris released her and headed for the room where Mick worked. Sonia stood there for a moment and then shook her head in bewilderment. With a shrug, she returned to the kitchen only to leave it a few minutes later when Jack arrived. The flamboyant pianist wrapped her in a hug and twirled her around with a loud, smacking kiss on her cheek and a greeting of, “Hey, babe!”

Sonia laughed at his silliness and ordered, “Put me down, you goof.”

He set her back on her feet and ruffled her hair. “Excited about traveling with the band?”

“Anxious is more like it,” she admitted. Her nose twitched. “I’ve got to get back to the stove before something burns.”

She turned on her heel and returned to the kitchen to stir a simmering sauce. Jack followed her.

“Mick working on another song?” he asked.

“Yep,” she answered. “Kris is here. Do you want to join them?”

“Nah,” he replied with a cocky smirk. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Sonia just smiled and shook her head. She tapped the spoon against the pan and dipped its tip into the sauce. Holding it up, she said, “Taste?”

Jack’s eyes twinkled as he clasped his hand around hers to hold it steady. He brought the spoon to his mouth and tasted. His eyebrows rose in sincere appreciation. Licking his lips, he exclaimed, “Wow, that is fantastic. What’s in there?”

“Tomato,” she replied laconically.

“No, come on, tell me.”

“Well, there is tomato in there.”

“And?”

“The rest is secret.”

“Ah, come on, babe, you know I can’t stand secrets.”

“And that’s why I’m not giving you the ingredients list. The not knowing will do you good, build character.”

“You’re a cruel, cruel woman, Sonia.”

She grinned at him and said, “And don’t you forget it.”

“You should soothe my injured feelings,” he coaxed, coming up behind her and placing both hands on the flare of her hips.

“Uh-uh. I am never getting anywhere near that thing. God only knows where that’s been,” she retorted.

With a dramatic groan of disappointment, Jack leaned down to kiss her neck. “Since you’re set on rejecting me, I’ll go torture Mick, that lucky bastard.”

“Okay,” she said agreeably as someone knocked at the door. “Would you get that, please?”

“Sure, babe.”

She watched the undeniably handsome man strut across the floor to open the door and admit Davis inside. The big, big man inhaled deeply and sent a brilliant smile toward the kitchen.

“Hey, Sonia,” his warm voice rumbled. “Smells delicious.”

“Good to see you, Davis,” she called back. “Hey, would you guys head back and let Mick and Kris know that dinner will be ready in about five minutes?”

A knock at the door signaled the last member of the band to arrive. Jack greeted Angelo with a friendly thump on the back.

“Hi, Angelo!” Sonia call out. “Would you mind helping me set the table?”

He obeyed her request, stopping in the kitchen just long enough to give her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. “Smells good,” he complimented. “What is it?”

“Chicken surprise,” she replied evasively.

“Just like Mom used to make,” he quipped and chucked a finger under her chin. “Never the same way twice.”

“Set the table, Angelo. I think you’re the only one in this bunch who was ever taught how to do that.”

He gathered plates from the cabinet and said, “You know it. Mom made sure everyone knew his way around the kitchen.”

“You cook?”

“You sound surprised.”

“Well, I am, I guess.”

“I can do the basic stuff so I wouldn’t have to live on Chinese takeout, but my skills lie elsewhere,” he admitted with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows and a charming display of dimples.

Sonia snorted and chuckled as she began transferring food to serving dishes. The rumble of masculine voices filled the air.

“Wash your hands, guys!” she ordered. To herself she added, “I don’t know what or whom you’ve been touching.”

“Yes, Mom!” Jack called back.

With good humored grumbling, the men jostled each other for soap and water as they obeyed her order to wash up. In just a few minutes they were all seated around the table. Kris reached for a spoon and Sonia smacked his hand. He snatched it back and glared at her. Angelo grinned.

“If we’re going to be traveling together and living together like a family, then we’re going to act like a family instead of a frat house,” she said sternly. “Before we eat, we say grace.”

“Grace?” Jack mouthed silently while Angelo and Davis grinned.

Sonia bowed her head and quickly recited the simple prayer she had heard almost every evening growing up. A low, muttered chorus of amens followed. After a second’s hesitance, Kris again reached for a spoon.

“Dig in, gentlemen,” Sonia encouraged.

And they did. She watched in renewed amazement as the men fell upon the food like starving wolves. In less than twenty minutes plates and serving bowls were scraped clean. Davis leaned back in his chair and tucked his hand beneath the waistband of his jeans. Seeing that, Sonia laughed and said, “Al Bundy lives!”

“Who?” Jack asked.

“Al Bundy was a main character in a sitcom from the Nineties,” Angelo explained. “You can catch it on Netflix.”

“The Nineties?” Jack repeated incredulously.

“Yeah,” Sonia said. “And I like to watch old episodes of MASH and WKRP in Cincinnati, too.”

“‘As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly,’” Mick intoned and they all laughed. “Man, that was a hilarious episode.”

“A classic,” Kris agreed, still grinning. “And that Loni Anderson was one hot chick back then.”

Sonia could not help but agree that the actress was famed as a beauty in the Seventies. “I always liked Dr. Johnny Fever.”

“They don’t write like that anymore,” Davis lamented. “You watch TV today and it leaves a lot to be desired.”

“That’s why I like to watch the old movies from the Fifties and earlier,” Sonia added. “You know, when movies had to rely on wit and dialog rather than special effects.”

“She’s got a point,” Jack admitted.

“A few times a year my mom and sisters have a girls’ movie night and they watch chick flicks all night long,” Angelo said. “I can remember being coerced into spending the night with them watching shit like
Sleepless in Seattle
and
Room with a View.
”

“My mom had me watching
Phantom of the Opera
and
Auntie Mame
,” Kris admitted and rolled his eyes.

“So that’s what’s wrong with you two,” Jack quipped. “Dad made sure I got a good dose of action movies growing up to balance out the chick flicks. We watched a lot of
Top Gear
, too, the original British version.”

“Hey, I like
Phantom of the Opera,
” Sonia protested.

Five pairs of eyes stared at her.

“Uh, babe, you’re a chick. It goes without saying that you’d like
Phantom.
”

“Shut up, Jack.”

With that, they rose from the table. Mick shooed Sonia to the living room while the men cleared the table, washed dishes, and cleaned the kitchen.

“Hey, Sonia, what’s for dessert?” Davis called from the kitchen.

“Are you hungry again already?”

“I’m a growing boy.”

“There’s gelato in the freezer.”

“Works for me,” he said.

“Growing boy, my foot,” she muttered. “If he grows any more, he’ll be in line to audition as the Hulk.”

From behind her, Mick overheard her and laughed. He bent down to kiss the top of her head and murmur in her ear, “‘Puny god.’”

She giggled, reached up to cup his cheek with her hand, and turned her face upward. He accepted her invitation and kissed her. As always, the kiss ignited their passion and Sonia was soon lost to his touch and taste.

“Should we leave, or are you just going to fuck her in front of us?” Jack asked as he and the others approached.

Reluctantly, Mick pulled away from her and released his fist from her hair. “Fucker,” he muttered and vaulted over the back of the sofa to land on the cushion beside his wife. He caught her on the bounce up and pulled her onto his lap, partially to hide his erection, but mostly because he simply wanted to hold her.

“Have a seat, guys,” he invited and grabbed the remote. “What do you want to watch?”

The men debated for a few minutes on various movies before deciding to stream a Marvel Comics-based movie. The room went dark as lights were turned off. As always, Sonia chuckled when Stan Lee made his cameo appearance, usually in some way that poked fun at contemporary American culture. Mick shifted her on his lap so that she reclined against him, nestled comfortably within the warm shelter of his body. He ran his fingers lightly up and down her neck, across her collar bones. He sensuously massaged her hands, bringing them to his lips to kiss them and slowly suck on her fingers.

Before the movie was half over, Sonia had difficulty focusing on the television screen. Not much longer after that, she was surreptitiously squirming on his lap. She heard nothing more than the roar of blood in her ears and the rush of air in her lungs. She hardly noticed when Jack, Angelo, and Davis quietly rose and wordlessly excused themselves. Kris watched them with a hungry gaze as Mick slowly unbuttoned her shirt as he nibbled and kissed her neck. Sonia’s head leaned back, tilted to the side to offer Mick unimpeded access to the smooth, tender skin. He smoothed her hair aside, then cupped her lace-covered breasts. She arched her back, pushing herself more fully into his hands.

“She’s mine, Kris,” Mick growled in a low voice. He slid a hand down her smooth belly to the waistband of her shorts.

“So share,” Kris replied as he rubbed the bulging front of his pants.

“I shared bimbos, not my wife,” he replied.

“I love her, too,” Kris rasped.

“Would you share her if she were yours?” Mick unbuttoned the waistband and unzipped the fly. He stroked her through the lacy front panel of her panties. She whimpered and wiggled her bottom against his full-to-bursting erection trapped beneath denim and a stainless steel zipper.

Kris made a choking sound and closed his eyes. After a few tense seconds, he rose from the chair and walked slowly to the door because, no, if she belonged to him, he would never share something so precious.