The Complete Groupie Trilogy (77 page)

His hand slipped up her leg and over her hip as he pressed against her. His fingers continued their journey until they landed on her full breast, which he cupped gently. She moaned in her sleep as she turned toward him.

He placed tiny kisses along her jawline toward her ear and nuzzled her neck softly. She groaned a bit as she started to waken, her body coming alive with his mouth against her skin. It was like a dream to be in his arms. She couldn’t believe it every time her eyes opened and he was there with her, for real… forever.

It made all the struggles they had been through worthwhile. He was worth any price she had to pay over the years. “Vanni,” she whispered. He groaned as he pulled her to him.

His body was bare and hard and she fit every rigid contour like a sexy glove. She was warm, full, inviting. His hand slid between their bodies and disappeared between her legs as he drove his tongue between her full, parted
lips.

She moaned in his mouth as she trembled against his fingers. He knew just where to touch, how firm, how light, how fast and how deep. He mastered her body in ways she had never believed possible, and it responded to his touch quickly and powerfully.

She pulled him on top of her and welcomed him between her quivering thighs. He buried himself inside of her as he whispered her name against her mouth. “I love you,” he’d repeat. “My Andy.”

Her fingers dug into his muscular back as her legs crossed his hips. She urged him on, consumed with her need for him. There were no barriers anymore, no reason to hold back. She bucked against him with abandon t
hat fueled his mounting desire.

It was never more complete, never more perfect, than it was when they were together.

She had already come twice by the time he collapsed on top of her, spent and happy. He brushed the hair from her face as he gazed down into her eyes, overwhelmed that life had given him the gift of her. “Morning,” he said with that smirk she loved so much.

She wrapped herself around him. “No,” she said softly. “I’m still dreaming. I have to be.”

He held her tight. He was ready to promise her an entire lifetime of mornings just like this. This was their fairy tale, and he was ready to give her a happily ever after. “You are my dream,” he said. He kissed her deep and slow. “And we never have to wake up again.”

She liked the sound of that. “Good. Then that means I don’t have to share you anymore.”

He grinned. “Only with our little bean,” he said, referring to his nickname for the baby. “How’s she doing this morning?”

Andy had to laugh. He was convinced they were going to have a girl. “
He’s
doing fine,” she retorted playfully. She really didn’t care if they had a boy or a girl; she just loved teasing him about it. Her stomach rumbled a bit in response, which made them both laugh. “And apparently hungry!”

He rolled away to retrieve the tray beside the table. “Good thing I came prepared,” he said. She scooted up into a sitting position and he placed the tr
ay across her lap.

“You spoil me, Vanni.”

He planted a kiss on top of her head. “Get used to it.”

She didn’t eat much, her stomach was still getting used to her pregnancy. Some days she couldn’t eat anything more than a piece of plain toast, but so far the morning sickness had been mild. It really only bothered her toward the end of the day, but Vanni had been waiting on her hand and foot to mak
e sure she had the proper diet.

While she showered he changed the sheets and made the bed, then washed their breakfast dishes. She looked rosy and happy when she descended the stairs in a sunny, breezy sundress and bare feet. She found him enjoying a cup of coffee on the deck. His hair blew from his bare shoulders, so she cuddled him from behind as they drank in the
sea breezes.

They heard a slight rustling from the brush below, and dutifully Andy escaped back into the house. Ever since they had returned from New York, PING and its dedicated paparazzi had been trying to s
nare a pic of the happy couple.

Andy was frustrated as she flopped on the sofa. She loved their cocoon but she missed being able to come and go as she pleased. “Isn’t there any other news in this town to cover?” she pouted.

Vanni sighed as he joined her, taking her into his arms. “They’ll get bored and leave us alone,” he promised. “Don’t feed the beast and it’ll go away.”

She nodded as she cuddled in his arms. She wasn’t quite sure she believed it, but once again she knew there was a price to be paid for being in love with a rock star. As much as she wanted him all to herself, she knew she still shared him with the world. She glanced back up into his dark eyes and knew it was worth it. She was hopelessly in love with him… she had been for years. She would rather be here in his arms than anywhere else
in the world.

He pulled her close and planted a kiss on her head. “Then again,” he mused. “Maybe we should just come out. Say we’re together. Say we’re going to have a baby. The only reason they stalk us is because they want breaking news.”

She shook her head. She was fiercely protective of the baby in her womb. She wasn’t quite ready for her child to become public domain. “We already discussed this,” she said. “I know things can never be normal, but I’m not ready for all the attention.”

What she didn’t say – what she wasn’t ready to admit – was that she wasn’t ready to be skewered in the press yet again. Vanni was engaged to be married to someone else not even a month ago, and she had been living with Graham Baxter, the powerful C.E.O. of Vanni’s record label. If they released the news they were together and she was pregnant, it would once again paint her as the heavy – which would go unchallenged for the sake of his career. They’d already been down that road, only this time she’d be a home-wrecking whore instead of just a gold-digging social climber.

She was just grateful Holly and Vanni had never released the news about Holly’s “pregnancy,” otherwise she’d never live it down.

He sighed. He knew it was a lot to ask anyone to take on, especially someone like Andy, who didn’t give a rat’s ass about his celebrity. She loved him, not his image. It wasn’t like it was with Holly, who made sure her name was linked
with his at every opportunity.

Of course, Andy had already paid a heavy price for his notoriety when she had a gun pointed in her direction from a crazed stalker. It only made sense she’d want to protect their child from the ugl
iness that surrounded his life.

He wouldn’t have loved he
r if she had any other impulse.

But it did make things a bit more challenging. He couldn’t just walk away from his career, especially now that he had a family to support. And, truth be told, he wouldn’t have wanted to give up his hard-won success anyway. They’d have to find a way to make it work. Touring, however, was out for the foreseeable future. The band was in flux due to Julian’s departure… but he would have never left Andy while she needed him close by.

Suddenly Iain’s departure in London the year before made a whole hell of a lot of sense.

Vanni wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Dreaming in Blue, but he knew he wasn’t ready to hit the road again and be thousands of miles away from Andy while she was pregnant. He wasn’t sure yet how he’d juggle the two commitments, but his finances were such he didn’t really have to worry about it for the immediate future.

The biggest variable was how much of his nest egg he’d have to fork over to the Wilke family, to satisfy them after he nearly killed their daughter, Baylee, in the accident where he had been driving drunk. Graham had already obtained a lawyer to deal with their preliminary demands, which had reached into seven figures for things like life-long healthcare.

Baylee still lingered in her coma, and her medical bills were racking up by the day.

His stomach recoiled every time he thought about it. God, he had been so stupid, so careless. He wanted to punish the world simply because he couldn’t get what he wanted. He had been an emotional infant and cost someone her life. Though she was at least legal age by the time he propositioned her on a Hollywood boulevard, Baylee had lost her entire future just by stepping into the wrong car. She had been doing what she could to survive, and all he could see was his own selfish, primal need.

He had wanted to go see her but everyone discouraged him. He certainly didn’t want to run into Baylee’s family – specifically her unhinged brother, Donny. After what had happened with Talia in 2010, he knew he couldn’t risk stoking the crazy, especially now that he was going to be a father.

This was the main reason he didn’t push Andy to announce the pregnancy. He was just as worried as she was about the safety of their child.

Their child
, he thought with a smile as he gathered Andy close. It was still so surreal to think this amazing woman was carrying their baby, a baby conceived when they had loved each other most and best – when she had healed the wounds of his past in her arms. No matter what else was going on, he knew that life had more meaning than ever before. He’d do anything for either of them.

He’d give up his career. He’d give up his money.

He’d even give up his very life.

All that mattered were the two women who now held his heart securely in their collective grasp – his Andy, and their daughter.

He knew it was a girl because he’d always dreamed of a chubby-cheeked little girl with brown curls and big blue eyes. She was the playful little cherub who would bounce on his knee and look at him like he could do no wrong. The specter of fatherhood had scared him for so long, he was terrified he could never live up to the title. This was the future he never thought he deserved and now Andy had given him the greatest gift of all. He’d dreamed of this moment for far too long. He knew he’d never, ever let them go.

In fact, it was suddenly his mission in life to make sure both his lady love and his child would never want for anything. Eventually this would mean resuming his career, but for now he focused on the little things. He threw himself into making a home for Andy, which showed her a side of him she’d
never really seen before.

She sat at the counter near the kitchen as she watched him prepare a grocery list. He had memorized the list of foods her doctor had recommended for her to eat, and avoid, during her pregnancy. He had even taken over litter duty, now that Simon had joined their happy little beachfront home. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but I really wish
I could go with you,” she said.

He gave her a smile. They’d already done their paparazzi test for the day when he went out for his morning run, he knew that shutterbugs would be waiting for him the moment he walked out his front door. They wanted to know what happened to Holly, and when they’d get to see Andy. They really weren’t fooling anyone, but Andy was reticent to put her face in the papers for good reason.

The Internet still buzzed from the last time she’d been caught with Vanni. Women who already believed they held a claim to Vanni because he was their idol had bashed her openly and viciously.

“Like I said, they’ll find something new to gossip about in the next week or two. Then you can take care of your man, like a good woman should.”

He gave her his trademark smirk and she giggled as she stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed as he rounded the corner to kiss her nose. “You’re adorable,” he said. “Be naked and ready for me when I come back,” he teasingly instructed as he grabbed her boob.

She laughed out loud before she stifled a yawn. She was so tired lately. “Naked and unconscious is more likely.”

He wrapped her in a hug. “That’s okay. I know how to wake you up.” They shared a deep kiss, reminded of their early morning aerobics.

“Then I’ll look forward to it,” she whispered. “Now go get my yogurt covered pretzels.” It had been her one craving so far; she couldn’t get enough of the sw
eet/salty combination.

“Yes, Bean,” he said as he bent to kiss her tummy, which had a pleasant curve but no hint yet of all the magical transformation taking place inside. When he rose he caressed Andy’s face tenderly. “Love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” she responded happily. It felt so good to say it – and hear it – as much as she wanted.

He had a skip in his step as he left for the store, and Andy went to cuddle Simon on the couch as they listened to the waves crashing against the shore.

Not even five minutes after he left, someone knocked at the door. Andy knew better than to answer, so she kept low on the couch until long minutes after the knocking had subsided. When she was certain whoever had knocked was gone, she went to long windows on either side of the door to check if the coast was clear.

A package sat on the welcoming mat on the doorstep. Her brow furrowed as she tried to make out the sender’s address, but it was blank. Even more curious she noticed that there were no markings of postage of any kind.

Someone had just come up and left an unmarked package on their doorstep. She backed away from the door and reached for her phone.

CHAPTER TWO

Malibu, California

January 10, 2011

“Just a couple more steps,” the redhead urged from her spot at the other end of the parallel therapy bars. “You can do it, Graham. Come on.”