Sinners On Tour 02 Rock Hard (33 page)

“Is she going to quit that sex professor job of hers, then?” Eric asked.

Brian sighed. “She wants to finish this year first. We’re trying to time her pregnancy so she’ll deliver at the end of next May. She wants to write nonfiction books for a while and might move out to LA while the baby is small. Maybe, she said. The woman is stubborn. You know?”

Eric laughed. “You think?”

Brian glanced over his shoulder at Trey, who quickly covered his horror-struck look with an indulgent grin. “Don’t plan on me babysitting while you and Myrna disappear into the bedroom for hours at a time.”

“You aren’t planning on living with us, are you?”

Trey’s face fell. He swallowed his horror and then laughed. “Of course not. Hard to party when a baby is crying all hours of the day and night.” Trey nodded toward the studio. “Ready to record the next track?”

“Yeah. Let’s do this. If we get done early, I can go visit Myrna in Kansas City for a couple of days.” He balled his fists, bit his lip, and demonstrated his pelvic thrusts. “Practice my baby-making techniques.”

“Practice makes perfect,” Eric said and nudged Brian in the ribs with his elbow.

“I think he’s had enough practice,” Trey grumbled. “Let’s just get back in the studio.”

Brian clasped Trey’s shoulder and followed him into the booth. “You’re a fuckin’ slave driver since you got full mobility back in your fingers.”

Eric took the seat next to Sed, acting a bit too nonchalant for sincerity. “I think you should wait a while before you ask Jessica, man. Don’t rush it. Do you even have a ring?”

Sed reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded scrap of paper. He unfolded it and dumped Jessica’s ring in his hand. He pinched it between his thumb and forefinger and held it up for Eric to see.

“Kind of small, don’t you think?”

Sed scowled. True. But it was hers and it belonged on her finger.

Eric snatched the tattered paper out of Sed’s hand. “What’s this?”

“Nothing.”

Eric turned his back on Sed and held the paper up above his head so he could read the lines of scarcely legible scrawl.

“Is this a song? Did
you
write it?”

Sed yanked the paper out of his hand and stuffed it and Jessica’s ring into the front pocket of his jeans.

“I didn’t know you could write sappy love lyrics, Lionheart.”

“Shut up,” Sed said, hoping Eric would forget about his stupid, mushy song. He didn’t know why he was still carrying it around. At least Eric didn’t know that he and Brian had recorded an acoustic version of it two years before. He’d never live that one down.

Eric rested his elbows on the soundboard with its hundreds of equalizer sliders and knobs. “She’d like it, you know.”

Sed pretended to be deaf.

“Even though it’s obvious that a pussy wrote it.”

Ignore him.

“You should record it for her when you get your voice back.”

That was a good idea, actually.

“So how do you plan to get that ring on her finger? Come on. You can tell me.” He nudged Sed in the ribs a couple of times with his elbow.

Why did Eric care so much all of a sudden? Had Jessica put him up to this?

“Very carefully,” Sed said and covered his mouth with a piece of tape so he wouldn’t have to talk about this embarrassing shit with Eric anymore.

Jessica took a seat directly in front of the instructor’s podium so Dr. Ellington wouldn’t be able to miss her. Curtis, the guy who had hit on her last class, sat beside her and leaned close. Jessica’s instinct was to draw away, but she forced herself to remain where she was, even when his fingers brushed her wrist.

“I’m surprised you returned,” he said.

She turned to find his eyes trained on the swell of her bustline. Typical jerk. He chomped his gum, his fingers stroking her skin now. When she didn’t respond, he lifted his gaze to hers.

“Why are you surprised?”

He shrugged. “Most girls would be too ashamed to show their face after being seen in such a compromising position. Or in your case… positions.”

“I’m not most girls.”

“I’ll say.” His gaze moved back to her chest.

“Would you mind giving me some breathing room? There’s this thing called personal space and you’re invading mine. Big time.”

He leaned back a couple of inches, but grinned at her suggestively. “I was wondering if you do private parties.”

Her brow furrowed. “What?”

“You’re a stripper, too, right? Me and my friends can come up with a couple grand to pay you. You interested?”

Her jaw set in a hard line, she folded her desk back and moved over a seat. Curtis stood to slide next to her again. Before he could sit down, a young woman hopped over the back of the chair and sank into the seat. “I’m sitting here.”

Curtis scowled and moved to take the vacant seat to Jessica’s right. Another young woman shoved him aside and sat down.

The chairs surrounding Jessica filled with other women. Curtis rolled his eyes and stood directly in front of Jessica. “So, are you interested?”

“Get lost, jerk.”

He curled his lip at her. “Slut.” Curtis crammed his hands in the pockets of his khakis and took a seat on the other side of the room.

The young woman who’d hopped over the chair back touched Jessica’s sleeve. “I’m glad you came back. What Dr. Ellington did to you the other day was wrong. All the women in the class think so.”

“Most of the men, too,” the woman seated directly behind Jessica said. They all turned their heads to glare at Curtis. “With a few slimy exceptions.”

Jessica could barely speak through the lump in her throat. “You don’t think badly of me?”

“For sleeping with Sed Lionheart? Eh, no. A bit jealous, maybe.”

She couldn’t believe they weren’t all pointing fingers and calling her names. She was suddenly glad she’d decided to come back to class, even though it meant entrusting Sed’s care to Eric when she’d left that morning.

“You’re not in our year, are you?” the first girl said.

“No, I’m a third year. Ellington failed me on my final paper last year, so I’m supposed to retake the class.”

“Are you really engaged to Sedric Lionheart?”

Jessica flushed. “Engaged? Not exactly. Maybe someday soon.” If she could find the courage to ask him. “We’re dating. Um. Exclusively.”

“No kidding? Wow, what a babe. He’s the reason God gave women eyes.”

The door at the front of the room opened and Dr. Ellington stepped up to the podium. She looked haggard and tired, not at all like her usual, polished-ice self. She glanced around the room suspiciously. “Do we have an experiment on gender segregation going on here, or what?” Her gaze landed on Jessica. “Oh, I see. Class is dismissed. Work on your midterm paper. First draft due Monday.”

The entire class gasped in horror.

Dr. Ellington turned on her heel and strode from the room.

Jessica sat there dumbfounded for a few seconds and then rose from her chair and headed after the woman. Trotting several yards behind her down the corridor, Jessica followed Dr. Ellington to the dean’s office. By the time Jessica stopped at the receptionist’s desk, Ellington was already inside Dr. Taylor’s personal office.

“I need to talk to the dean,” Jessica said.

“He’s busy at the moment. Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but I’ll wait until he’s free.”

“Take a seat.”

Jessica sat next to his closed door. She could hear Dr. Ellington yelling in the office and she watched the shadows of her pacing feet under the crack of the door. “I want her out of my class. She’s nothing but trouble. A stupid little whore who has no right to continue at this institution.”

The dean’s voice was muffled by distance. Jessica strained to hear his reply. “Mary, you know we can’t expel her. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Either she goes or I go!”

“Do you know how many students were in my office complaining about you yesterday?” Taylor said. “More than twenty. What you did was way out of line. To save my reputation, you should be the one to go.”

“What? You’re siding with her? How can you even consider such a thing, Harold?”

“You know I want you to stay, baby. Come here.”

Jessica heard Dr. Ellington sniff her nose. The dean’s chair creaked. “That’s better.”

“You’re not really considering firing me, are you?” Dr. Ellington’s voice sounded needy.

“I am. But you know how to change my mind, don’t you?”

The chair creaked again. Jessica heard… a zipper being released? She leaned closer to the door.

“That’s my girl. Suck it how you know I like it. That’s it… Jessica.”

Jessica?
Ellington’s name wasn’t Jessica. Why would he call her—Oh…

Jessica’s eyes widened.
Oh!
She jumped to her feet, her focus darting around the room. She met the receptionist’s gaze and the woman shrugged as if to say this kind of thing happened all the time.

Jessica moved to stand before the receptionist’s desk. “I don’t think I need to talk to the dean after all.”

The secretary nodded, her uncomfortable gaze trained on her desk. As Dean Taylor’s vocalizations grew increasingly enthusiastic, his receptionist’s cheeks grew increasingly pink.

“How does listening to that make you feel?” Jessica nodded toward the closed door.

The receptionist hesitated and then spoke in a whisper, not meeting Jessica’s eyes. “Physically ill. I’ve been looking for another job, but haven’t found one yet. And I can’t afford to just quit.”

“You need to file a sexual harassment suit against him.”

The secretary’s eyes widened and met Jessica’s directly. “Oh, he’s never touched me. A couple of students. Dr. Ellington. And—”

“He doesn’t have to touch you. The fact that you’re being forced to listen to that while you’re trying to work is enough to win a sexual harassment case. And working here, I’m sure you can find a good lawyer.”

“I can’t afford a lawyer.”

The sounds of Dr. Taylor getting off came through the door. “Yeah, yeah, suck me, Jessica. Oh God. Swallow it. Swallow it. Yes!”

While Taylor shouted in triumph, Ellington choked. Gagged. Then all was quiet. Jessica held her breath. She didn’t want Taylor and Ellington to realize she was out there listening.

“Why are you crying, Mary?” Taylor asked, his voice muffled through the door. “You’re getting what you want. Your job is safe. I’ll make sure of it.”

Jessica’s heart twanged with empathy. For Dr. Ellington. She didn’t really know why. The woman had treated her like garbage. The ice queen was probably getting exactly what she deserved. “You should take this straight to human resources,” Jessica whispered to the receptionist. “They’re required by law to investigate.”

“That’s how his last receptionist got fired,” she whispered. “
False
accusations. Dean Taylor has too much clout at this institution. They’ll never do anything about him.”

Well, maybe
they
wouldn’t do anything about the pig, but
she
would.

“I don’t have my degree yet,” Jessica said, meeting the receptionist’s dark brown eyes and holding her gaze, “but I’m sure I can find someone to represent you in court. For free. It’s time to take him down a peg or two.”

“You’d do that?” the receptionist said. “Go against the dean? For me?”

“For you,” she said. “And for me. And every other woman he’s ever harassed. Including Dr. Ellington.”

When Jessica heard the front door open, she hurriedly lit the candles she’d arranged on the dining room table to set the mood. She leaned to the side so she could watch Sed approach around the two-story high pillar in the foyer, but stayed in her chair and waited for him to join her. That had been a close call. Jace had left less than ten minutes ago. If Sed would have caught him here, she knew it would have gotten ugly. And ruined Friday’s surprise.

“What’s all this?” Sed murmured.

“I thought you’d be hungry.”

When he noticed she sat waiting for him in the tiniest of pink lace negligees, he growled in appreciation. She indicated the seat to her left. “Have a seat, sweetheart.”

Sed kissed her temple and then sat beside her. “Is this my surprise? You look beautiful.”

She flushed with pleasure. “Part of it. And thank you. How’s your throat feeling?”

“Not bad. I heal quickly. I can talk okay now.”

“No, you can’t.” She reached under the table and retrieved the gift bag she’d stashed at her feet. “Your surprise is in here. Have you been good for Eric today?”

He hesitated, looking at the ceiling in deep concentration, and then nodded.

Somehow she doubted he was being sincere, but she handed the gift bag to him.

“What is—”

She covered his mouth with her hand. “No talking, Sed.”

He reached into the gift bag and pulled out a small dry-erase board and marker. He didn’t even try to hide his disappointment. “I thought you’d get me something sexy.”

“If you use that to communicate instead of talking, I have another surprise for you.”

“Yeah?”

“You’ll probably like this one better.”

He uncapped the marker and wrote
OK
on the board.

She reached up and cupped his face in her hand. His cheek was rough with a day’s beard growth and she took a moment to enjoy the texture against her fingertips. She then kissed him tenderly. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll be a very naughty girl.”

VERY naughty?
he wrote.

“Very, very naughty,” she murmured and kissed him again.

His gaze caressed her skin in a most distracting fashion. She was determined to get through this meal without pouncing on him, but now that he was here, she doubted they’d make it all the way to dessert. He’d be lucky if she let him finish his appetizer. Or start it.

School?
he wrote.

“I’ve decided to finish law school—I have important work to do—but I’ll tell you about that later. Right now, you need to eat. Are you hungry?”

He nodded earnestly.

She removed lids from the containers of food scattered across the table. “I tried to think of things that wouldn’t hurt your throat.”

He watched her reveal one dish after another.
You cooked all this?

She read his message and laughed. “No, sweetheart, it’s take out. I wanted you to enjoy it, not have to choke it down and pretend I’m not poisoning you.”

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“So what are you hungry for?”

You
, he wrote.

“That’s dessert.”

Let’s start with dessert.

“Don’t tempt me. I’m trying to take care of you. Help you build up your strength for your concert next week. And our little side trip on Friday.” The one Jace had helped her plan while Eric kept Sed distracted in the recording studio.

His eyebrows shot up.
Trip?
he wrote.

“You didn’t think I was going to be very, very naughty in the privacy of our own home, did you?”

He grabbed her off her chair and pulled her onto his lap. “How naughty?” he murmured against her throat.

“Unbelievably naughty. But only if you follow doctor’s orders to the letter. No more talking, okay?”

He blinked—meaning yes—and opened his mouth wide.

“You want me to feed you?”

He blinked again.

She reached for the bowl of macaroni and cheese. She turned to straddle his lap on the chair, holding the bowl between their bodies, and offered him a bite from the plastic serving spoon. While he chewed, she took a bite herself. Since she was feeding him, his hands were free to explore her body.

He seemed to like her new pink nightie. He traced the top of the frilled bodice, which was cut so low it barely covered her nipples. And with an expert flick of Sed’s thumbs, it no longer did.

He stroked both nipples in maddening circles while she fed him another bite of overcooked mac and cheese.

After he swallowed, she leaned closer and claimed his mouth in a passionate kiss. “I love you,” she said against his lips. It felt good to say it. Without hesitation. Without regret.

“I—”

“Shhh. Don’t talk. You don’t have to say anything. I feel it.”

He shifted his hips and she really felt it then. Hard, attentive, and pressing against her mound. And since they weren’t in a restaurant, she could ride him at the dinner table like a bronco all night if she felt like it. Jessica fed him another bite and rocked her hips to rub herself against him.

Sed stared into her eyes, his gaze so intense it made her heart throb. “I need to tell you something.”

“Write it down.” She tried to feed him another bite, but he turned his head to one side.

“You need to hear it.”

“Sed, don’t make me resort to duct tape.”

“I haven’t kissed another woman since I met you.”

She snorted with laughter. “Yeah right.”

“It’s true.”

“Sed, I caught you naked with three girls the night we got back together. I’m not stupid.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t have sex with other women, I said I haven’t
kissed
another woman.”

“Oh.” Her gaze dropped to his chin. Why did he think that was so important? “Why not?”

“I only kiss women I love.”

Her brow knotted with confusion. “But you kissed me that first night in the strip club and then again when you said you hated me on the tour bus.” And pretty much constantly ever since.

“I only kiss women I love.” He cupped her cheek in one hand and pressed his lips to hers. “Only you.”

She supposed that was his way of being true to her. She wondered why he’d waited so long to tell her. “I’m glad,” she whispered.

“Have you?”

When she opened her mouth to speak, he covered her lips with two fingers. “Never mind.”

“You act like you know what I’m going to say.”

“It’s none of my business.”

She captured his wrist with her free hand and pulled his hand away from her lips. “I
have
kissed a couple of men.” Jessica held his gaze so he’d know she was being serious.

He winced and she was pretty sure it wasn’t due to throat pain.

“But I didn’t enjoy it. There was no passion. Not like with you. Not even close.” She smiled at him gently, as both of his dimples made an appearance. And while she was making confessions… “For the record…” She took a deep breath. “I haven’t had sex with anyone since we broke up.”

“
No one?
”

Unable to meet his eyes, she shook her head. It was kind of embarrassing to admit how much he’d affected her. How he’d ruled certain parts of her life, even in his absence.

“Not once in two years?”

Her nostrils flared. “No! I said I haven’t. What? You don’t believe me?”

He took the bowl from her and set it on the table before wrapping both arms around her and hugging her against his chest.

“I should have never let you go, Jess. I should have gone after you. I should have fixed it. Whatever I had to do, I should have—”

She pulled back to look into his eyes. His watery gaze drifted to the ceiling as he tried to get a handle on his emotions.

“I have plenty of regrets of my own, Sed, but I’ve decided to let them go. You should too. We can’t change the past, but we can move forward.”

“So much wasted time.”

She shook her head. “No regrets.” She grabbed his chin to gain his attention and gave him a stern look. “And you’re talking way too much. If you say one more word, I’m cancelling our trip next week.”

That shut him up, but it didn’t stop him from expressing his feelings with his hands and lips. He suckled the pulse point beneath her ear and she gasped, her body instantly igniting with need.

“Before you get me too worked up, I should warn you that I have the first draft of a paper to write this weekend, so you’re going to have to entertain yourself while I hit the books.”

He pulled back to look at her, scowling.

“You’re the one who insisted I go back to school. Remember?”

He sighed and nodded.

“But tonight, I’m yours.”

He grinned and reached for the dry erase board.
You don’t want to be a nurse anymore?
he wrote.

She flushed and shook her head. “I was just afraid to go back to law school. The way Dean Taylor made me feel and that whole failure thing… I’m over it.” She grinned at him. “But I can still be
your
nurse. Tell me how I can make you more comfortable, Mr. Lionheart.” She ran a finger down the center of his chest.

Feed me
, he wrote. Not the request she’d had in mind, but okay.

“What would you like? Mashed potatoes? Cheese soup?”

Something cold.

“Your throat’s really bothering you, isn’t it?”

He nodded. She shouldn’t have let him talk as much as she had. She would be a more attentive nurse from this point forward.

She scanned the table for something cold and soothing. “Gelatin? Or I can get a Popsicle out of the freezer.”

His hand tightened on her hip, telling her he didn’t want her to get up.

Jell-O is fine.

She claimed the bowl of orange gelatin cubes and fed them to him with her fingers.

Tell me about school today,
he wrote and set the dry erase board aside.

“Um, okay. I found out I’m not the only one the dean has propositioned sexually. I also found out how Dr. Ellington gets her way and the reason she probably hates me in the first place.”

Sed lifted an eyebrow in interest, his tongue teasing her fingertips as he accepted her offering of gelatin.

“Ellington sucks the dean’s cock in his office. And I’m pretty sure it pisses her off that he calls my name while she does it. I heard him.”

Sed choked on the jiggly orange cube he’d just slurped down his throat. Before he could vocalize a protest, Jessica covered his lips with her fingers.

“He’s no threat to you, sweetheart. And now that I know what a slime ball he is, I’m no longer intimidated by him. I’ve dealt with his kind before. He can’t get to me. I won’t give him that power ever again.”

She could tell Sed was struggling with his strong protective instincts. He probably wanted to pound Dean Taylor into the ground which, honestly, she wouldn’t mind watching. After several deep breaths, Sed nodded at her to continue. She smiled and offered him another cube of gelatin.

“So I’m building a sexual harassment case against him. A big one. You might call it huge. His secretary knows all kinds of things that go on behind closed doors and she was happy to share information. She told me about a student who graduated a few years ago who is now a practicing lawyer. Apparently, Taylor harassed a friend of hers until she dropped out of school. Sound familiar?”

Sed cupped her cheek, sympathy in his blue eyes.

“Anyway, I went and talked to her lawyer friend this afternoon. She agreed to take on the case
pro bono
. I’ll be doing a lot of the leg work—building the case, contacting witnesses and stuff—because she’s so busy with her current case load, but I cannot
wait
to get to work on this. Taylor is not going to get away with that kind of behavior anymore. I wish I was done with school so I could cross-examine that bastard on the stand. One more year and I can put slime balls like him in their place. I had planned to become a defense attorney, but this is what I want to do. Protect women from jackasses who use their positions of power to sexually harass them. It pisses me off to no end.”

Sed surprised her by kissing her until she was breathless. When he pulled away, he gazed into her eyes with a new awareness.

“You get off on this shit,” he murmured.

She laughed. “Well, yeah, I guess so.”

“I get it now.” She could practically see the light bulb go on over his head. “God, baby, I’m sorry I ever asked you to give it up.”

He kissed her again, starving for her mouth. And she didn’t have to wonder if he kissed other women like this. He didn’t kiss other women at all. Only her. The bowl of gelatin slipped from her grip and landed with a ploppy-clatter somewhere on the marble floor. She didn’t care. She had to keep kissing him. Kissing him and holding his handsome face while she sucked at his lips.

She rocked her hips against him, rubbing her mound against the hard bulge in his pants. Too many clothes. Too many. She needed him. Inside. Desperately. Now.

Thank God he was a mind reader.

Sed reached between them, unfastened his pants, and released his cock. She cried out against his lips, unwilling to separate their mouths even when he slid the crotch of her panties aside and directed his rigid member into her throbbing flesh. She sank down, shuddering with delight as he filled her. Her feet found the rails under the chair and she used them for leverage to rise and fall over him. Faster, she rode him. Faster. Fueling her need. Still kissing him.

His cock, hard and thick, rubbed her in exactly the right spot each time it plunged into her body. He felt so good inside her. Perfect. Her pleasure built quickly to its climax. Pulsations of sheer delight rippled through her insides. She cried out into his mouth and shuddered against him.

Jessica stopped, unable to move. After a moment, Sed wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her onto the edge of the table. She cried out in protest as his cock fell free from her body and their mouths separated. He stood and pushed his pants down to his knees. She slid her hands beneath his shirt and lifted it to expose his tight abs.

“Nine more?” he murmured as he directed his jutting cock back into her eager body.