With Me in Seattle Bundle One (125 page)

“Hey, it’s Eric.”

Leo smirks at me briefly. “Wassup?”

“Do you have an hour? The manager of that studio you called the other day just called me, and they have time to show us around tonight, if you can make it. Jake and I are in.”

He glances at me, his eyebrows raised in question, and I nod. “Sure, I can swing over there. I have someone with me. Be nice.”

“That’s cool. I think Rick is coming, too.”

“Okay, see you soon.” He disconnects the call and grimaces. “I’m sorry, babe. We shouldn’t be there long.”

“It’s cool.” I shrug and then can’t help but tease him. “But I thought you didn’t want me to meet your band.”

“Are you going to flirt with them?” he asks with a sigh.

“Probably.”

“Shit,” he mutters under his breath, and I laugh, enjoying him.

He pulls up to the curb in front of the red-brick building just across from my cupcake place. Eric and Jake are climbing out of Jake’s black Jeep Wrangler and cross to us.

“Hey, man.” They all do the man handshake-hug thing that’s always confused me, and then both sets of eyes rest on me, waiting for an introduction. Leo wraps an arm around me and smiles.

“This is Samantha. Sam, these are a couple of the idiots in the band, Eric and Jake.”

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I’m meeting Nash.

“Hey, guys.” I smile warmly and shake their hands and keep my face completely neutral. I’m used to celebrities. I’m related to them.

For God’s sake, I’m sleeping with one.

But I can’t help but do a little, tiny happy dance in my head.

“Come on, let’s look around and see what’s what.” Eric leads us inside, where a middle-aged, partially balding man in a plaid shirt and khaki pants is talking with a younger, superskinny guy in skater gear.

“Thanks for coming, Rick.” Leo glances down at me and gestures to the balding guy. “This is Sam. Rick is our manager,” he informs me with a smile.

I nod and smile and we’re all introduced to Skip, the skinny guy who manages the studio.

“So, what can I do for you guys?” Skip asks.

“We just want to take a look at the studio space, talk with you about setting up recording time, stuff like that,” Jake tells him with a grin.

The female fans adore Jake. He’s tall and muscular and has a killer smile. He always wears the same pair of sunglasses.

“No problem. There’s no one here now, so feel free to walk around and just ask me questions when you have them.” Rick turns to chat with Skip, and the guys wander back toward the sound booths. Eric turns back and eyes me appreciatively, and I immediately realize he finds me attractive.

This could get awkward.

“So, are you from Seattle?” he asks with a grin.

He really is cute. His jet-black hair is too long, and his eyebrow is pierced. He’s slim with strong arms. He’d have to be built to play as vigorously as he does for up to two hours at a time.

“Yep, born and raised.” I smile.

“Cool, me, too.”

“Yeah? What part?” I ask, truly interested.

“Bellevue area,” he responds.

“Me, too!” I lay my hand on his arm and grin. “What high school did you go to?”

“Excuse me,” Leo interrupts, and I glance up into angry gray eyes.

What the hell?

“Skip, is there an office I can quickly use? I need to speak with you,” he murmurs to me.

“Sure, it’s down to your right,” Skip responds and returns to his conversation with Rick.

Leo links his fingers through mine and pulls me behind him to Skip’s office, shuts the door behind us and locks it.

“What’s the problem?”

He doesn’t answer, he just grips my upper arms in his hands and kisses me, hard, ravenous.

And I’m immediately caught up in him. I practically climb him, trying to get closer to him, to feel his skin on mine.

God, it’s always this way. One touch, and I can’t get enough.

He lifts me against the door and grinds his cock against my center, kissing me to muffle my moans. His hands are rough, harsh. Hurried.

This is new from him.

I grip his hair and pull his head back from mine, both of us panting and gasping for breath.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

Still no words, he spins with me in his arms and lays me across Skip’s desk, not bothering to move papers. He unfastens and yanks my jeans over my hips, freeing only one leg, frees himself and pulls a condom out of his pocket.

“You’re going to fuck me here?” I hiss at him, shocked. “There are people thirty feet away!”

“Stop talking,” he commands, his eyes feral and jaw tight, and damn if he doesn’t turn me the fuck on.

I’m already soaking wet.

I lean up on my elbows as he grips my hips and pulls me onto him, ramming himself inside my wetness.

“Oh God,” I whisper, my gaze caught in his as he pushes in and out, hard, fast, over and over.

“Mine,” he whispers and clenches his eyes closed. “Mine.”

“Damn, Leo.” I grip his face in my hands.

He pins me again with those eyes. “You. Are. Mine.”

And with that I come apart, biting my lip until I taste blood so I don’t cry out, spasming around him, and he follows me, coming hard and grunting softly.

He gasps for breath and leans down to whisper in my ear, “Do you have any idea how twisted up you have me? You’re mine, goddamn it.”

“Leo,” I begin, but he pulls out of me and tucks himself back in, watching me stoically.

I adjust my clothes and clear my throat. “Were you trying to mark me?” I ask quietly, trying to understand what just happened.

“I don’t need you flirting with my band, Samantha.”

“Leo, I was being friendly.”

“You touched him.”

“So?” I look at him like he’s gone mad.

“Eric will—”

“Eric isn’t an issue,” I interrupt, pissed off. “Unless you let him become one.”

He raises an eyebrow and then laughs.

“Leo, I get along well with men. I always have. If you have issues with that, we need to talk about it now.”

He eyes me for a minute and, with a muttered curse, scrubs his hands over his face.

“I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah, but you’re hot, so I’ll overlook it this time.” I smirk and lean my ass against the desk, my arms folded over my chest.

“I didn’t like it,” he whispers.

“So noted.”

We eye each other for a minute longer until he steps forward and wraps his arms around my shoulders, trapping my arms between us.

He kisses my forehead softly and smiles ruefully down at me. “Is this how you’ll feel about groupies?”

“Probably not,” I respond with a frown. “I don’t give a shit about groupies.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You don’t?”

“No.”

“Why not?” He looks almost insulted, and I can’t help but smirk.

“Do I have a reason to worry about groupies?” I ask sarcastically. I know I don’t.

“Hell no.”

“That’s why I don’t give a shit about them, babe. They’re nothing.” I shrug and kiss his chin. “I’ve been around crazy women fans for far too long to let them worry me.”

“That’s right.” Realization dawns, and he smiles. “I bet Luke had his share.”

“Luke had a woman kill herself in his house, Leo. I know all about women fans.”

“Holy fuck,” he sputters, appalled.

“Yeah. I’m not a jealous person. I never have been.”

“I never have been either, until you. Seeing you put your hand on him made me crazy.”

“So noted. You could have calmly talked with me about it later, you know.”

“I liked this better.” He winks and kisses me playfully just as there is a knock on the door. “Come on, let’s finish this so we can get out of here.”

Leo opens the door to find Eric standing on the other side, about to knock again. “Are we going to work or are we going to fuck?” he asks with a scowl.

“Fuck off,” Leo mutters and pushes past him.

Eric grins down at me suggestively. “I could take you back in that office…” he begins.

“Stop,” I tell him and face him square-on. “You and I will be fine as soon as we get one thing straight: I enjoy you visually, but I don’t now, nor will I ever, want to fuck you. I’m with Leo. He’s your friend. That’s it.”

Eric sobers and shoves his hands in his pockets, rocks back on his heels, and then a slow grin spreads across his face. “I like you.”

“Glad to hear it. Get to work.”

“I like her,” he announces happily as he turns down the hallway.

“I do, too.” Leo’s eyes are dancing, watching me.

I roll my eyes. “You get to work, too.”

“You’re awfully bossy.” He grins.

“A little,” I concede.

“We’ll do something about that later.” He swats my ass and leads me to join the others, discussing the space and schedule.

“So, we can begin in about two weeks.” Skip is consulting his iPad. “You can have the studio three times a week, four hours a day.”

“We’ll take it.” Leo pulls his phone out of his pocket to add the appointments to his calendar.

“Great. Thanks, guys. I’m looking forward to working with you.” Skip shakes their hands and shows us out.

“Have you talked to Adam and Jason about coming up here from LA for recording?” Jake asks.

“Yeah, they’re good.” Leo exhales. “They’re going to bring the families with them and rent some houses.”

“Good.” Eric nods. “It’s good to be writing and recording at home again.”

“It is,” Leo agrees and waves as Jake and Eric pull off.

“I want to talk to you,” Rick begins when it’s just the three of us left.

“Okay.” Leo frowns.

“Alone,” Rick clarifies, gesturing toward me.

“I’ll wait in the car.” I begin to walk toward the curb, but Leo interrupts.

“No. Stay here.” He glowers at Rick. “Whatever you have to say can be said in front of her.”

“Is she going to be a problem?” Rick asks bluntly.

“What are you talking about?”

“You weren’t even here five minutes before you had to pull her into a locked room and fuck her. This album is a big deal. Your cut alone is over ten million, and that’s before royalties.”

I feel my cheeks heat and my mouth drop.

“Hold it.” Leo raises a hand, shutting him up, and my wide eyes find his before he turns back to the asshole. “You may have forgotten, but it’s never been about the money for me, Rick. It’s the music. The fans love the music. If you have a problem with my girlfriend, I’ll find another manager.”

“I’ve been with you since you were singing in dumpy little clubs in Bothell,” he sputters.

“Yeah, and you’ve gotten greedy.” Leo gets in his face. “Don’t ever disrespect my girl again, Rick. She’s not the problem.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, I’m laying it out for you, man. She’s not just one in a long line. Get used to seeing her around.”

Rick glares at me and then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Fine.”

Leo tightens his hand around mine and leads me to the car, settles me into his front seat, climbs in himself, and speeds away from the studio.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur when I find my voice.

“Why?”

“I don’t want to cause any issues for you.”

He laughs humorlessly and shakes his head. “You are not an issue. Half the guys in the band are married, Sam. Rick’s just an asshole and doesn’t like change.”

“Okay,” I whisper and clasp my fingers in my lap. He’s right. Rick is an asshole. But I really don’t want to be the cause of any issues in the band. In one hour I managed to make Leo jealous, set his drummer straight and piss off his manager.

I’m just a real charmer.

“Stop it,” he murmurs and pulls my hands apart, links his fingers with mine and kisses my fingers. “Trust me, you’re not an issue.”

“Okay,” I mutter and trace the tats on his fingers when he rests our hands in my lap. “Are you excited to get back into the studio?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fun.”

I nod and look out the window. Darkness has fallen. It gets dark quickly in the winter in Seattle.

“So, I don’t think we’re going to make it to dinner before we go to the club.” Leo gives me an apologetic smile. “But I’ll buy you bar food.”

“I love bar food!” Just the thought of it has my stomach growling. “I want potato skins and buffalo wings and nachos.”

“Is that all?” He asks with a laugh.

“And deep-fried mozzarella sticks. I’ll share with you.”

“Okay.” He shrugs and laughs again.

“How do you know the band we’re going to see?” I ask.

“I met the lead singer back in the day when I played the Seattle circuit. He’s had opportunities to come to LA, but his family is here, and he’s content here. I haven’t seen him in years.”

“Cool. Are they good?”

“Pretty good, yeah. They do mostly covers, but they throw in some original stuff, too.”

“Does he know you’re coming?”

“Yeah, I called him the other day.” Leo frowns and glances at me.

“What?”

“I’ll probably be recognized tonight.”

“I figured. You’re not in your usual disguise.” I snicker and kiss his hand.

“You’re okay?”

I love that he’s worried about me. “I’m fine.”

“Really?” He looks surprised.

“I don’t trust the fame,” I remind him. “You know this. But it’s part of who you are. I’m excited to go listen to the band with you. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, thank you.”

He parks, tugs his beanie low so it covers his eyebrow and exhales deeply. “Here goes nothing, sweetheart. Let’s go get your bar food.”

“Don’t touch my nachos.”

Chapter Twelve

“I’ll open your door.” Leo pins me with a firm look. “Wait for me.”

I frown and watch him pull himself out of the car and walk around the front end to my door. He grasps my hand firmly, tucking me close to his side.

Two tall, bulky men are standing stoically on the sidewalk, waiting for us.

“This is Stan and Henry. They’re security for tonight,” Leo murmurs and turns to the men. “You don’t let her out of your sight, ever. Got it?”

“Got it, sir,” Stan replies, and they both nod.

“Uh, Leo…” I look up at him with a frown. “Is this necessary?”

“Yes,” he replies and cups my cheek in his hand. “It’s a packed house, and I won’t take any chances with your safety.”