What the Heart Wants (37 page)

Her back pressed against his chest as she lay in the bend of his arm, sleeping peacefully. She looked like an angel when she slept. The contrasting hues of her chestnut colored curls and dark lashes stood out against the dark green sheets.

His eyes continued to roam over her beautiful body, noticing every detail. Luscious lips called his name. Sweet sandalwood lingered on her neck. Tender shoulders begged for his touch, as did succulent breasts. Continuing down, his other arm held her tiny waist. Long legs stretched toward the foot of the bed, and made Dylan hard when he thought about them wrapping around his waist.

Neither had bothered dressing after making love the night before. Instead, they had snuggled for the rest of the evening. It felt good to hold her close to him without the confinements of clothing.

She was his, and he loved touching every inch of her.

He pressed his lips to her shoulder, gliding them across her skin and up her neck with each kiss. He projected his desire toward her, hoping the stir in their connection would wake her.

It worked. She stretched her legs and then her arms.

He couldn’t wait for her eyes to open, and when they did, the smile she gave him lit the room even more than the sunrays filtering through the blinds.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered, caressing her cheek with his fingertips.

“Good morning. Have you been awake long?”

“No, I woke just a few minutes ago, but I’ve been staring at you ever since. I think I could stare at you for hours.”

Heaven turned to face him. She winced. He noticed and cupped her cheek. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just a little sore this morning.”

His heart plummeted like an anchor in a harbor. “I hurt you, didn’t I?”

“No,” she whispered, stroking his shoulder with warm fingers. “My muscles are a little tender, that’s all. I don’t think I’ve ever moved my body the way I moved it last night.”

“Your body…” he released a sigh, “it moves perfectly with mine.”

God, he wanted her. He leaned in for a kiss, loving the way the heat of last night’s passion resurfaced. They’d never get out of this bed if she kept looking at him with those beautiful eyes. Not that he’d mind.

But others did.

His cell phone vibrated against the nightstand. He broke their kiss, leaning his forehead against hers as he exhaled.

“You better get that,” she whispered, brushing her lips across his.

Damn…

He rolled over, gripping the phone in his hand. A text message flashed across the screen.

Come to the office, ASAP. We have some things to discuss. Don’t forget that demo CD.

Suppressing a growl, he laid the phone on the bed and sighed. His dad had the worst timing in the world.

“Who was it?”

His eyes met with hers, lingered, and then fell to her lips. Focusing on anything but her would definitely be an issue now. “It’s my dad. He wants me to come to his office.”

“Think you’ll be gone long?”

Not if he could help it. “Trust me. I will do my best to make it as short and sweet as possible.”

“Take your time. Chelsea gets back today. We’re supposed to go out for coffee. She wants to show me her honeymoon pictures.”

The thought of releasing her body had his chest tightening. Why couldn’t the rest of the world disappear? He had everything he needed curled up beside him.

Screw his dad. He could wait a little longer.

He leaned in, brushed his lips across hers as he stared into her eyes. “Wanna take a shower with me?”

* * *

Nate McBride barely acknowledged his son when he walked into his office. He knew this meeting wouldn’t go well. Not with the way Dylan had been acting lately.

Females…they always had a way of screwing up a good thing.

“Your punctuality is much appreciated, Son.” Nate said as he pushed the pen across the paper in front of him. At least he’d attempt to be cordial.

“Why are you working on a Sunday?” Dylan asked, as he placed a CD at the corner of his desk.

“I’m getting everything ready for my meeting with Phil Robins in the morning,” Nate answered, still looking through the papers in front of him.

“Why is this meeting more important than any other?”

Nate raised his head, watching Dylan fold his arms behind his back and pace the floor. Would his son ever let him into his personal life? Probably not. Hell, he’d only been here a minute and he was already looking at the clock. Was Dylan in that big a hurry to get away from him?

This was all over that girl, and as much as he wanted to speak with his son regarding the situation, he couldn’t focus on it today. Truthfully, he didn’t want to think about it any day.

When he caught Dylan’s sideways glance, Nate cleared his throat. “This meeting is about your future. I’m getting your studio time lined up for the new album. Phil and I are deciding on press releases, TV spots, promotions, tour dates—”

“So you’re planning out my life, as usual,” Dylan grumbled. His brow pinched as he glanced around the room, again.

“Hardly, Dylan, I’m planning out your career.”

“My career is a big part of my life. I don’t like it when you plan things without consulting me first.”

“I’m your manager; that’s what I do.”

Dylan’s lips pressed tight, as though he were fighting back the urge to shout. “From this day forward, consult me first.”

“Fine,” Nate barked. His pen plopped against the papers on his desk. “Then I’ll start consulting you now. I think we should schedule the European tour for next month. It will help promote the upcoming album and please the fans at the same time.”

Dylan’s eyes smoldered with annoyance. He turned away from the desk again. “It’s not a good time for me and the guys.”

“It will only be a couple of months. You boys aren’t that busy.”

“That comment just proves how uninvolved you are in my life. Outside of this office, I don’t matter to you. Sorry, but Sliders will not be going to Europe next month.”

“I don’t get you, Dylan. What’s the big deal? Kyle’s going on tour.”

Dylan’s spun around. His eyes were as wide as his mouth. “I can’t believe you convinced Kyle to go on tour so soon after marrying Chelsea.”

Nate glanced back down at the papers. “Don’t blame me for Kyle’s choices. He wants to go.”

“I’m sure you didn’t give him any options.”

“Dylan, we talked about this tour before you finished the last one. You said you needed a couple months off before we went back out. Next month will be the end of that allotted time.”

“My life has changed since the last tour.”

Nate studied his son for a moment, dreading the topic that was coming. He hoped he could talk some sense into him. “Is this over that girl?”

“Yes, Dad, it’s about
Heaven
. Her name is
Heaven
.”

“Humph,
Heaven
,” Nate grumbled, turning to look out the large picture window behind his desk. “She’s brought me nothing but hell since she arrived.”

“Like it or not, she’s in my life. I’m not going to shift my focus from her to a tour that’s not necessary. At least, not right now.”

Nate kept his eyes focused on a skyscraper next to the building that housed his office. His son’s words grated on him, as did his ignorance about love. “How are things going with you and your
girl
?”

“If you really want to know, everything is going great. I’m finally happy.”

“How…
romantic.
”

“I am a romantic, no thanks to you,” Dylan snorted. “Heaven makes me want to be the best that I can be. I didn’t think it was possible to love someone so much.”

Nate swung his chair around as he met his son’s eyes. “Are you telling me that you’re in
love
with this girl?”

“Yes, Dad, I’m in love with her. I plan on asking her to marry me.”

“Are you crazy?” He ran his fingers through his hair, trying his best not to rip any out. “How can you be thinking about marriage?”

“I’m in love with her, Dad.”

“You’re infatuated. That’s not love. You’re letting the heat of the moment control your emotions and rule your decisions. You’re just like your mother, sometimes.”

“Good!” Dylan snapped, gripping the back of the chair in front of the desk. “I’m glad I’m like Mom. Growing up, she gave me all the love and support I needed. God knows you didn’t.”

“I’m sorry, Dylan. I tried, but my life and my job were hectic.” Nate pushed his chair back and stood up.

Dylan’s eyes raked him from head to toe. His son was angry, but Nate could see pain there, as well. “You couldn’t make more time to be with your son? Everything else was more important than your own kid?”

“I didn’t want kids in the first place. Your mom made that choice.”

“Great!” Dylan shouted as he threw his hands in the air. “So now you’re saying that you didn’t even want me. Thanks, Dad. Maybe I should just start calling you Nathaniel.”

Dylan’s cell phone buzzed at his side. Nate waited until he finished checking it to respond. “Quit twisting my words around, Dylan.”

Anger filled Dylan’s eyes as he stared back at him. Tough shit. His son was going to listen to what he had to say. His face softened. “Granted, I didn’t want to start a family so soon after your mother and I married, but I was thrilled when you were born.”

“Spare me. You weren’t thrilled about my birth because you didn’t stick around after I was born. You left us.” Dylan’s nostrils flared as he turned away. “If Heaven got pregnant, I wouldn’t leave her or our child the way you left Mom and me.

Damn it! What had his son gotten himself into?

“Is that why you want to marry her so soon? Is she pregnant, Dylan? You know there are alternatives.”

Dylan drew closer to the desk, balling his hands into fists. He didn’t bother looking at his cell phone when it buzzed for a second time. “Heaven isn’t pregnant, but if she were, there would be no alternative. I actually want kids, someday.”

“God, you are so difficult,” Nate grumbled, covering his eyes with his hands. “Why won’t you listen to reason?”

“I would listen…if you were being reasonable. Why is it so hard for you to believe that I’m in love with her?”

“Love is overrated,” Nate said, dropping his hands from his face. “Besides, you haven’t known her long enough to love her. That sort of love takes time, not a few short weeks.”

Dylan exaggerated his laugh. “Is that so? You’re an expert on love, now?” He snorted. “Love doesn’t have time restraints. Some people just know when it’s real, that they’ve met
the
one
.”

“I’m trying to save you from heartache. I don’t want you to make the same mistake that I made.”

Dylan rolled his eyes. “It’s nice to know that Mom and I were a mistake.”

“There you go, twisting my words around, again,” Nate chided, leaning on the desk with his knuckles. “You weren’t a mistake, but rushing into marriage was.”

“So you’re saying Mom was the mistake.”

“I didn’t say that, either. When I first met your mom, she blew me away with the feelings I had for her. After we started dating, I was so sure that she was all I needed. That isn’t how life works.”

“It may not have worked like that for you, but Heaven and I have something…special.”

Nate shook his head, letting a long sigh rush from his lungs. “Are you listening to your mother’s mystical madness, again?”

“I know you don’t believe what Mom believes in. Hell, I didn’t at first. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t real. I know what I’ve experienced, and I sure know how I feel.” Dylan’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe that’s the difference. I know myself better than you knew yourself, back then.”

“You may know yourself, Dylan, but you barely know this girl. How can you marry her?”

Dylan silenced his phone for a third time. “You know what,” he began, as he took a step back from the desk. “I’m tired of arguing about this. Just because it didn’t work out between you and Mom doesn’t mean it will be my fate, as well. Heaven is my life. Get used to it. If I had to make a choice between her and all of this,” he paused as he spread his arms out to the room, “I would choose Heaven in a heartbeat.”

“You’re being foolish about that girl,” Nate retorted. “You need to get your priorities straight and soon.”

“My priorities are straight, Dad. I refuse to be a bachelor for the rest of my life. That may work for you, but it doesn’t work for me.”

Nate sat down in his chair, looked over some paperwork, and jotted a few notes. “Dylan,” he replied, after an awkward silence. “I only have your best interest at heart.”

“If that were true, you’d stay out of my life. I won’t be like you and make myself a slave to this industry.”

Nate pointed over to awards hanging on his wall. Music awards that Sliders had won. “You enjoy all the things that this industry gives you. You don’t want for much.”

“You’re right. And now that I have Heaven, I have everything I need.”

Nate met his son’s dark, brooding eyes once more. “If it wasn’t for your celebrity status, she wouldn’t have given you a second thought.”

“You’re wrong. You don’t know her, so don’t pretend that you have her pegged.”

It was Nate’s turn to laugh. “What makes you think you know her so well? You’ve barely known her a month, and you want to marry her?”

“Yes, I want to marry her, and I will. You can’t do anything about it. Get used to seeing Heaven at my side.”

“We’ll see about that,” Nate snorted, moving his eyes away from his son and back to his paperwork.

“Is that a threat?” Dylan shouted. He slammed his fists on the desk, overturning a paperclip container.

Nate picked the container up, focusing on it instead of his son. “I’m only saying that time will prove you’re wrong. Something else will come along, and she will leave.”

Dylan shook his head. “I can’t wait to prove you wrong.” He gritted his teeth and turned to leave.

Nate watched him disappear behind the door as he shook his head, too. He picked up the phone, pressing a series of numbers.

You’ll thank me one day, Son.