Dangerous Hearts: Rock Star Romance, 1 (Lyric & Wolf) (10 page)

“Really?” I didn’t think that was the
case with my contract at all. In fact, I remember reading pretty hefty rules
regarding breach of contract. I’m Wolf’s until he decides to kick me off his
team.
And w
e still have nine months to go.

“Really,” he says.

I ignore the fact that I think he’s
lying. It doesn’t matter. “I’m not going anywhere.” My answer comes out so fast
that
I’m not sure exactly what I mean by it. Wolf
admitted he approved me to be on this tour. I guess that means something to me.

“Good. Get ready for dinner. I’ll swing
by to get you at seven.”

Wolf

There
are sexy women and pretty
women .
 . .
and then there are drop-dead gorgeous
,
beautiful
women. Lyric Cassidy is all of the above. She’s wearing the most unforgiving
tight jeans and
T
-shirt ensemble. Her hair is
thrown up in a ridiculous messy bun, and her face looks as though it’s just
been washed. No makeup. What a revelation. She’s not even trying, which makes
her even sexier. I’m sure it’s some ploy to d
is
tract
me from her fucktastic body. Joke’s on her.

“Where to?”
s
he
asks, shutting the door and facing me. Before I get a turn to speak, she gasps.
“Shit. I didn’t get us a car.”

“You’re fired.”

I feel like a dick when her face blanches
and her mouth falls open.

Chuckling, I offer my elbow. “I took care
of everything. You’re off duty tonight.”

She glares before taking my elbow. “I’m
never off duty. Besides, this isn’t a date.”

My chuckle rolls into a laugh. “There’s
that word again. We should get something straight right now. You don’t have to
worry. I sing. I fuck. I eat. I don’t fall in love, Lyric. I don’t date. I
don’t play games either. You can always count on me to be straight with you.
Some women find it refreshing, others hate it. You strike me as the type who
might find me refreshing.” I wink at her.

“A bad boy
who
is honest and doesn’t fall in love. Interesting combination.”

“Thanks to my amazing mother and
dirtbag
father, I’m a hybrid.”

We're
silent the rest of the walk to the car
,
which is waiting for us at the curb. I’m
distracted by Rex’s figure slipping into the passenger seat. I turn back to
Lyric and can tell she’s thinking, probably about what I confessed of my
parents. It’s not exactly a confession, but it’s telling enough, I know that.
I’ve never hidden the fact that my father was
n't
around
when I was growing up, but I usually leave my mother out of
things. It’s not her fault my father disappeared on us, although she lived her
life silently heartbroken. Mothers can’t hide much from their offspring. As
hard as they try to be perfect role models, they slip
,
and those are the moments children latch onto and spend the rest of their lives
trying to comprehend.

We slide into th
e
back,
and I tell the driver where to go. It’s then that I face Lyric and
smile to bust through the tension. “It’s nice to go to dinner with someone
other than dudes for once.”

She’s smirking, and I know whatever she’s
about to say will make me regret my last sentence. “Maybe you should rethink
your no-dating rule. You’d get out more and you know—get to know someone,
preferably before they sneak on
to your tour
bus and go down on you.”

I almost choke on my own air as I breathe.
“I have nothing against taking a girl out to dinner, but then it
might
give the impression that I want more than just
food and sex. That’s never the case.”

“You’re having dinner with
me
.”

“You’re safe.”

She looks stung but recovers quickly.
“Never? There
's never
been a girl you thought
maybe, just maybe, could turn you from One-Night-Stand
Man to Monogamy Man? I find that hard to believe.”

“Monogamy Man sounds like a disease. No
wonder I’m not suited.” She doesn’t laugh at my awful attempt at humor, so I
shrug. “You don’t have to believe it, but it’s true.”

“You use women.”

“Women use me.”

She scoffs.
H
er
mouth
is
hanging open in surprise, maybe a
little disgust. “Most of the girls you sleep with are probably hoping for
something more, but they’re content with what they’re getting at the time. I’ve
never understood how one-night
stands can end
well, ever. One person has got to be into it more than the other.”

Okay, now she’s hooked me. I give her my
bewildered stare. “You’ve never had a one-night
stand?”

She shakes her head as if I’m the crazy
one. “Absolutely not. Someone is bound to get hurt.”

“Not from one night. That’s the point.
It’s a one-time event, a release of pent up energy. It has nothing to do with
feelings. Feelings stay out of it, and it’s just a good time.” The more we talk
about sex, the more I want to prove to her how great a one-
nighter
can be.

We pull up to the curb
in
front of the restaurant before I can shove my
foot in my mouth. I help Lyric out of the car. She looks up in surprise
at
my chivalry
and
then smiles.
I’m not an asshole
. I
want to tell her this
,
but we’re escorted into
the restaurant and to our private table in the back of the room faster than I
can speak.

“Is it this bad?”
s
he asks, staring around us in bewilderment.

I cock my head
as
I
pick up the drink menu. “Is what this bad?”

“You. Getting recognized. Having to
request
special accommodations everywhere you go.”

I shrug. “If I want privacy, it’s
necessary.”

She lets out a rush of air
,
and I think I’ve finally succeeded in impressing
her. At least for a moment. “You really are a rock star, aren’t you?” She
smirks into her menu. It’s infectious. I smile
,
too.

A moment later
,
we’re ordering a bottle of wine and appetizers and talking about the tour.
Somehow we got onto
the
subject of the crew.
There are more than two dozen people on our tour
,
and she knows every single one of their names and job descriptions. I don’t
think she studies this shit. I get the distinct feeling that she simply has a
superb ability to listen and retain information.

After ordering our food
,
there’s a pause
,
so I jump in with a question I’ve been wondering since we left San Diego. “You
still writing lyrics, Lyric?”

“Don’t do that
.
”
S
he cringes. “Follow my name with its meaning.
It devalues me.”

“How so?”

“Your name is Wolf. Does that mean you
love wolves? It’s an expectation that wouldn’t exist if we were named something
else. It just so happens I love music and write songs. My name has nothing to
do with that. However, since my name is Lyric, it’s implied that I should love
music
,
I should write lyrics.”

“Names can tell a lot about a person.
I’ll have you know, wolves have a sharp intelligence and strong instincts.”

She smirks. “Wolves also symbolize fear
of being threatened and lack of trust.” She cocks her head. “Maybe you’re
right. Names do tell us a lot about a person.”

Interesting
. So, she’s been looking up the meaning
of my name. I’m certain she didn’t come up with that on the spot. My eyes
wander across her face, down the base of her throat, and to the rise and fall
of her chest before returning to her lips. Those are kissable lips. I shake my
head, biting back another laugh as I clear my thoughts. “I see you’ve put a lot
of thought into this. How about you just answer the question?”

“I am always writing lyrics.” She
says it quietly, confessing
. “Since I was a little
girl. I never kept a journal. I wrote poetry and lyrics.”

“Do you have any musical talents besides
writing?”

She freezes. I catch the moment of fear
that splotches her chest, and then she breathes through it as if it
were
nothing. “It couldn’t be avoided when I was
younger. Usually when parents shove something down a kid’s throat, the kid
rebels. Not me. I learned piano first and then guitar, and I loved every second
of it. But I haven’t played in a while.”

“You really are a marvel, aren’t you?”

Lyric makes a face. “Not quite.
D
isappointment is a better word for it.”

I want to lean over the table
,
take her face in my hands, stare deeply into her
sage
-
colored eyes, and tell her she’s crazy.
Instead of scaring her, I remain
in my
seat
,
but
I
decide to
let her know what I’m thinking. “You, Lyric, are the furthest thing from
disappointment. Whoever helped you reach that conclusion is the problem, not
you.”

She takes a sip of her wine, not tearing
her gaze from mine. “My parents had expectations. I couldn’t
fulfill
them.”

“Couldn’t
—
or
didn’t want to?”

“Does it matter? Perception is
everything.” Her eyes gut me. They’re terrifying and beautiful and honest. I’m
not sure if Lyric could hide an emotion if she tried. Not with such transparent
armor.

“There’s a difference. You could have
fulfilled their expectations, but maybe you realized you’d rather
fulfill
yours.”

Her cheeks turn a rosy pink. “That’s what
I’m doing. At least I think that’s what I’m doing. I don’t really know. It’s
nice being around the music 24-7, but I’m not sure what’s in my future.”

“Don’t worry about that. You’re doing
what you love now
;
the rest will fall in
to
place.”

She seems to be taking this in
,
and I just watch her, wondering how on earth her
douche of an ex could
have
trade
d
her in for someone else. Whoever it
was
must have
had
some
magical pussy juice because Lyric is insanely hot, smart, and fun to be around.
I’ve never felt so comfortable around a chick before. Not like this. Sleeping
with someone is one thing, but talking to
her
and hearing
her
vulnerability is a whole other
level of friendship I’ve never had with the opposite sex. I can already see
that Lyric will change my opinion of the female species. Maybe she already has.

Conversation flows through dinner as I
learn about the places she’s been and the things she’s never had time to do but
wants to. She tells me about the first song she ever wrote.

“It was called Star Light, and I was
eight. The song was about the beauty of the night and how there are messages in
the stars.” She was all about inspirational messages at
a
young age. It seems she still is. Inspired, that is.

“Where do you get your inspiration when
you write?” She asks.

I shrug. “It depends. You know well that
inspiration can strike at any time. I’ve actually been having trouble writing
lately. I think because I’ve been off the road. I’m hoping it comes back. The
guys are begging for more.”

She seems to be considering my words. “It
will come back.” She smiles, stealing my breath. “I can feel it, Wolf. Your
inspiration will be found on this tour. You’ve only just begun.”

Funny. As she say
s,
this I realize I’ve already found my inspiration and she’s sitting across
the table
from me.

Lyric

It’s late when we arrive back at the
hotel, but we’re both wide awake. Derrick, Stryder, Lorraine, and Hedge pass us
in the lobby. They’re already drunk and heading out to a club.

“There aren’t any clubs around here,” I
say, panic rising in my chest. If they think they’re partying all night and
waking up
for
a six
a.m.
roll call
,
they’re crazy.

“Why do we have to leave at six
tomorrow
, anyway?” Wolf asks before they can tell me where
they’re going. For a second, I wonder if he’s considering taking off with his
band.

I hesitate to respond. There’s no reason
,
exactly, except to stay on the schedule I created,
which minimizes our risk of a late arrival to the venue on Saturday. “We can
budge a couple
of
hours, but that’s all. I’m
not your babysitter, but I will be a bitch if we’re any later than that.”

Wolf chuckles
,
and the rest of the crew joins him.

“You coming, Wolf? It’s not even a club.
There’s a bar about ten minutes out,” Derrick explains. “Lyric, you should come
,
too.”

I shake my head. “Not tonight guys.”

Wolf looks at me
as if
debating something
and
then waves
a hand at his band. “Go on ahead, I’ll catch up with you at the bar. Text me
the address.”

The guys leave
,
and Wolf’s expression turns to amusement. “I think you should come with me.”

My mouth drops open. “It’s already late.
I can’t go out partying with you guys. You’re beginning to make me forget I
have a job to do.”

“Good,” he says. “You should be having
fun with us, and I want you to come.” There’s a gleam in his eyes at the last
word
,
and I’d like to feel awkward about it
instead of turned on.

I narrow my eyes. “You want me to sit
around watching you all hit on
the
locals all
night?”

“No, I want you to drink, dance, smile,
and laugh. I’ll hit on you if it will make you feel better.” He laughs at his own
joke. “Just come hang out with us for a little bit. If you want to leave, I’ll
make sure you get back here safely.”

“Fine. But I want to change first.”

He throws his arms up in victory.
“Finally, she’s giving in.”

I laugh, feeling a flurry of nerves react
like Pop Rocks in my chest.

Shit.

Wolf
is surprisingly attentive to me all night. The moment we
arrive
,
I expect to see his show with the ladies.
Frankly, I’m curious how he does it. Do they just start lining up, or does he
give them the wink and nod to let them know he’s interested?

I chase back a shot of tequila and take
the slice of lime from Lorraine’s lips. The guys go insane. Not just the band,
but everyone standing around our VIP lounge. Turns out the little bar down the
road was
,
in fact
,
a club. The merchandise team and some of the road crew
have
joined us out
,
and I’m surprised by how
much fun I’m having. Melanie, who looks hot with her death-defying heels, short
skirt, and plain tank, is becoming a fast friend as we trade ex-boyfriend
stories and pop culture gossip.

I’m standing near the couch, dangerously
close to Wolf, when I set my drink down, having to bend over slightly to reach
the table. Wolf takes the opportunity to grip me by my waist and pull me
to
the
spot
next to
him. His arm snakes around my shoulders
,
and
he grins before burying his nose in my hair. “You’re sexy as sin, you know
that?”

We’ve both had a few drinks by this
point, but I’m alert enough to know I can’t take the compliment to heart. I
smile anyway. It’s hard not to in Wolf’s presence. “Thanks.”

His nose runs a line from my ear to the
base of my neck, and then he presses his lips into the soft spot. I try to
ignore the shiver that ripple
s
through me. I’m
laughing while trying to push him away.”

“Where are you going?”
h
e asks, trying to reach for me as I finally break
away and stand. I’m too quick, stepping out of reach and smiling down at him.
His eyes move to my bare legs below the bottom of my jean skirt.

“I’m calling for our ride. We should go.”

He groans as I walk away to see if our
driver is still outside
, which
he is.

I call the taxi service to schedule rides
for the rest of the crew and then step back inside to our roped
-
off section.

My excitement from the night immediately
dissolves when I’m faced with the sight of an unfamiliar girl straddling Wolf,
her hair shielding his face from me. My stomach flops like a fish trapped on
dry land. He’s gripping her waist and she’s grinding on top of him, the crowd
around them cheering
. There’s
a dull ache in
my chest telling me I’ve seen enough.

Quick
ly
,
before I pull another move like I did when I found him with Jenn, I make plans
to leave.

Lorraine approaches, throwing her arm
around my shoulders. “What’s up, sexy?”

I laugh. “Time to go. I’m rounding
everyone up. Can you help me?”

Lorraine looks back toward our section
and frowns. “Wolf looks busy. I’ll stay back with Rex and make sure he gets to
the hotel okay. I’ve done this before. You get the other boys.”

Part of me wants to resist this idea
until I realize it’s because I don’t want Wolf to go home with anyone but me.
This tour is too long for me to begin thinking like this. I agree with her and
let her take care of Wolf while I grab Derrick, Stryder, and Misty. Melanie
rounds up her crew
,
and we take the cars back
to the hotel. I strip my clothes the moment I’m in my room, too tired and drunk
to change into something else.

The moment sleep begins to carry me away
there’s a commotion at my door. “It’s my room.” A drunk Wolf is arguing with
someone. And then I hear the door to my room open.

I hold my breath as he stumbles inside
and comes into view. Only slightly. The room is mostly dark except for a
thin
strip of light coming through an
opening
in the curtains. Wolf gets to the edge of my
bed and sits down. His hands brush through my hair and he strokes my cheeks.
“Lyric,” he whispers.

I slam my eyes shut,
trying to understand
what the hell is going on. I’m
torn between wanting him in my room and needing him to leave. The breath I’m
holding is released when a hand brushes across my bare chest. “Fuck, you’re
naked.”

I make no move to pull up the sheet. My
breaths come out raggedly, each one pressing my breast into his palm, and my
eyes flicker to his. We’re staring at each other when his hand strokes the tip
of my nipple, thumb circling
as if
silently
asking for permission. I know I should speak up now, object to whatever he’s
about to do to me, but I absolutely want this.

He looks back
at
my bare chest and slides the sheet
down
until
it’s below my waist. His fingertips brush the top of my thighs and drag them up
to my belly button. When they get back to my
breast
,
he’s taking a handful into his palm and squeezing. I moan with him. It’s been
so long since anyone touched me like this. I feel a pinch as he tweaks my
nipple and then a zing of heat straight between my legs before his mouth is on
my skin. His magical tongue swirls circles around the sensitive peak before the
flicking begins. My legs open instinctively to invite him in. He moves in a
rush, planting his shaft right where I need him. Fuck
,
his jeans. I want to rip them off
,
but I’m too
afraid to move. His mouth is busy ravaging my breast while his hand tweaks my
other nipple. Our breaths are escaping in heavy pants, filling the room with
our need.

“You’re so fucking sexy.” His mouth
switches to my other breast
,
and his other
hand slides down to my waist and grips it.

“Ah,” I moan, unable to contain the
noises. How is this happening?

We’re
drunk.

That little reminder is all I need, even
in my state, to know what we’re doing is wrong. When a hand slides below my
waist and a finger moves between my wet folds, I know it’s too late to do
anything right. I’m too horny to stop this
,
and every fiber in my body is screaming for more. He presses his thumb down on
my clit before moving it in gentle circles. “You want me, baby?”

I don’t have the strength to respond. I’m
totally aware of his movements. He’s so turned on. I can feel the heat radiating
from his cock. Wanting me. His breath is lingering over my nipple for just a
moment before he plants his mouth on me again and sucks while torturing me with
his tongue. Suddenly, I’m spiraling over the edge and he hasn’t even hit my
O
-zone. What the fuck?

What comes out of me is half-scream,
half-moan as I ride the wave of my orgasm. He bites down gently in response
before removing his mouth from my sensitive skin. I don’t have to wonder long
what he’s going to do next. He stares into my eyes as one finger, then two
plunge into me. I swear I see his eyes roll
back
in
his head as my tightness squeezes around him. “I’ve been wanting to fuck you
since you barged into that elevator. My fingers are made for your pussy, too.
Feel that?”

I let out a strangled cry in response.
“Yes,” I breathe.

He moves slowly, pumping his fingers as
he watches for my reactions. Every time he eases into me
,
my hips move to greet him. “Do you want to make you come
again?” His voice floats over me. I’m in such a daze I almost miss his
question.

“Hmm.” My voice is strangled, too
distracted by his ministrations.

He buries his mouth in my neck and licks,
his hot breath tickling my thoroughly teased skin. His pumping grows faster and
the pleasant burning begins. It starts below my pelvis and holds for a minute
before the heat begins to spread. “Wolf,” I cry.

“What is it
,
baby?” he asks knowingly as he increases the speed of his fingers, plunging and
twisting and flicking until I’m begging for another release. “Come for me.”

At his demand, I explode around him and
convulse for what seems like eternity. I reach for his hand, shoving it deeper
into me and locking it there as I thrust with my hips, allowing the sensation
to take over, and using his thick fingers for every inch of my release.

When I let go
,
he growls and slides down my body so his face is resting between my legs. His
mouth is on me while I’m still recovering from my first two orgasms. His
experienced tongue dips into me before going to town on my clit, sucking and
flicking
,
and then
his fingers are back inside of me. I think I’m going to burst as the fire
starts back up again. He’s like the Energizer Bunny of oral sex. His head is
furiously moving
—
as if he’s conducting a
symphony and his tongue is the master. My pussy is his orchestra. This time
when I convulse around him, he’s drinking me dry until he’s drained everything
that once existed inside of me. Sensibility included.