Strung Out (2 page)

He grimaced. “My accountant would agree.”

“Only you would put a price tag on commitment. And at this rate, by the time you finally have the stomach to pop the question, your investment will outweigh the returns from the merger.”

He didn’t bother to correct her. The truth was that if Courteney and Colton Electronics hadn’t come as a complete set, he would never have considered proposing marriage. She was an ambitious social climber who knew her way around a balance sheet. The moment they’d been casually introduced by his youngest sister, Courteney had been scheming her way into a wedding. He’d managed to avoid her trap until she’d enlisted her father and sweetened the deal with a billion-dollar merger his stockholders didn’t want to pass up.

“Your mother and Sebastian seem happy enough,” Courteney said as she approached Erik and Desiree.

He cast a glance at the dance floor where his mother and husband number five were sashaying around the ballroom to the melodic strains of Mozart.

Thoughts of the music sent his gaze questing automatically to the trio playing unobtrusively in the corner. Nobody seemed to notice that they were down to a duo. The cello and violin blended beautifully in the rising melody. It was the first time within recent memory that he felt a desire to kick back and listen to classical music. Though the musician was just as enjoyable as the sound of her instrument.

A smirk kicked up one corner of his mouth. He wasn’t surprised that Dylan was missing. If the guy knew what was good for him, he was packing his shit and vacating Talia’s apartment at that very moment. It occurred to Erik that he shouldn’t have any interest in her situation. Yet he did.

Talia seemed unperturbed by the status of her relationship, though it was hard for Erik to know exactly what the nature of it was from his limited contact. If he took into consideration the emotional impact their conversation had seemed to make, he suspected they’d been more than friends and possibly more than lovers. He frowned. It bothered him to think of that weak-minded little shit with Talia.

He gazed at her again. The cello was nestled firmly between her legs. Curling tendrils of her sable hair fell over her shoulder as she bent her head to the music. Her fingertips wavered on the strings, hand gently gripping the fingerboard as she gracefully slid the bow back and forth. It was strangely…erotic.

“Erik?” Courteney tugged at his sleeve.

“I’m sorry; were you saying something?”

“I wanted to know who designed your mother’s engagement ring. It looks custom.”

She sighed, casting an envious look at the rock on his newly married mother’s finger. Her hungry expression was no surprise. The woman spent half her time making a checklist of fashionable designers. But somehow her constant fixation on expensive possessions grated on his nerves.

“At least she’s learned the importance of custom ordering prenups to go with her engagement rings,” he muttered.

Murmuring his apologies and ignoring his sister’s murderous expression, Erik pulled his arm from Courteney’s hand and stepped away on the pretense of speaking to an acquaintance across the room.

* * *

Talia tried not to watch him making his rounds about the ballroom as the party wound down. But it seemed no matter how ardently she tried to focus on the music, her gaze kept drifting in his direction of its own volition.

Her curiosity was killing her. Who the hell was he? He seemed important from the way everybody sought his attention. But she half suspected he could be nobody and everyone would still pander to him. Something about that man appealed to the animalistic side of human nature. Some men beat their chests and acted like assholes to show their dominance. Men like him proved they were alpha with one expression.

He kept returning to a blonde who watched him with the hopeful possessiveness of a crazed Hollywood stalker. She was the type who’d been born beautiful and had spent every moment since having people confirm it. She had a tiny waist and legs a mile long, like any runway-worthy female. Though Talia couldn’t see from her seat across the room, she knew in her gut that the girl’s eyes were blue. It just fit the whole picture.

Tall, Dark, and Handsome would marry Pale, Blonde-haired, Blue-eyed Princess and have spectacularly beautiful babies with dark hair and blue eyes. It was so predictable Talia could even think up names for their perfect children.

Sick was what she was. It wasn’t as if she had any right to him. He’d never even officially introduced himself. In fact, her only claim to him was that he’d been present to hear her ex make an embarrassingly ugly comment about her performance in bed. What did she want? A chance to prove him wrong?

“I know you’re upset,” Leslie muttered. “But could you try to pay attention?”

“Sorry.”

“Only five minutes left, Tallie. After that you can shed a few tears for Dylan.”

“Other than hoping he’s gone by the time I get home, I’m not worried about him.”

“Then what?”

“Who is that guy?” Talia lifted her chin and jerked it in Tall, Dark, and Handsome’s direction.

“Oh.” Leslie hissed an oath. “That’s the bride’s son. I think his last name is Aasen. I don’t remember what his first name is.”

“Nice.”

“I suppose. If you like that kind of man.”

“What kind of man?”

Leslie shot her a dark look. “C’mon. Rich, powerful, probably snobby as hell with a serious reputation as a player.”

“Oh, that kind of man.”

“Yep.”

Talia pondered that thought for several moments. She didn’t remember ever hearing about a man named Aasen, though that didn’t really mean anything. Her life was so damn busy she never had a second to worry about anything outside of her little sphere of existence. But he hadn’t seemed like that kind of guy when he’d played the unwitting part of knight in shining armor in the alley.

Though he
had
mentioned he didn’t have to chase women.

Of course, there was a distinct difference between not needing help to find a date and fucking anything with a hole between its legs. And if he was involved with the golden princess, he could’ve simply meant he wasn’t in the market for a relationship.

Talia threw off her contemplations with effort as she drew the bow across the cello strings one final time. In her personal opinion, it was damned difficult to look dignified when playing the cello. She had to shift the skirt of her dress several times before she could set the thing aside and stand up. When she did, Talia found herself face to chest with Tall, Dark, and Handsome himself.

Chapter Two

“I was under the impression that we’d hired a trio to play tonight,” Erik told her, trying to keep his tone light.

She froze when she saw him, and Erik felt a moment’s uncertainty. Then she lifted her blue gaze and dazzled him with a grin.

“Under the circumstances, a duo in place of a trio is much better than option three.”

“Which would be?” He quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m not altogether sure, but I know it involved unconscious people, smashed instruments, and blood.”

The bark of amusement that escaped his chest took Erik by surprise. It continued, mingling pleasantly with Talia’s husky laughter. Finally he put his hand out toward her. “I’m Erik Aasen, by the way. Sorry I didn’t properly introduce myself earlier.”

“All things considered I think I’m glad you waited,” she teased, taking his hand. “My name is Talia Davies.”

Her grip was firm, her hand warm and slender against his big palm. Erik’s heart thundered wildly against his rib cage. Her touch was electric. Not just attraction but something far more, like a force of nature.

“Can I buy you a drink after you finish up here? I could drop you home afterward.”

He heard the words come out of his mouth. Erik understood them, knew they were what he wanted. Yet there was still a meager part of his brain screaming that he was insane. He had responsibilities, and none of them included spending time with some strange woman, a musician no less, regardless of the inexplicable attraction between them.

If Talia’s expression was anything to go by, she was just as shocked as he was by the invitation. Somewhere behind her, the violinist was determinedly not paying attention as she packed away her things. Erik could easily read her. She was dying to know how they knew each other and why he’d made Talia such an offer.

“I hadn’t much thought about what I’d do after we finished here.” Her brow furrowed as she considered his invitation. "It might be wise to let a little more time pass between now and going home.”

Erik’s face began to arrange itself into a disgustingly pleasant smile he seemed unable to control. What the hell was the matter with him? It was as if his brain and mouth had ceased all communication.

“What about you, Les? Want to tag along?” Talia tossed a glance over her shoulder at her redheaded friend.

“I’m going to have to pass this time, Tallie. I’m meeting Niles in a half hour to go over some sheet music for next weekend. We both appreciate your filling in for him tonight.”

A loaded look passed between the two women. Erik had always marveled at such things. He’d seen his sisters do it countless times. One series of glances and they knew who, what, when, where, and why.

“Tell Niles I said hey and bring him up to speed on the Dylan situation, would you?” Talia asked, nibbling her lower lip.

“Of course,” the redhead agreed. “You’re the only reason we hadn’t fired him months ago. You know how Niles feels about him.”

Talia grimaced.“Which is why I’m happy to have other plans.”

Erik caught sight of Desiree over Talia’s shoulder, her face carefully hiding a good amount of shock. Cringing inwardly, Erik wondered how much of a tongue-lashing he was going to have to endure in order to get her cooperation.

“Would ten minutes be enough time to finish up here?” Erik asked.

“I think I can manage.”

“Could I meet you by the side door?”

Her expression shifted, a darkening of the eyes and thinning of her full lips that prodded Erik’s conscience. He knew instinctively that she was reconsidering, wondering if he was too embarrassed to walk out the front door with her. Of course, the reality was something else entirely, though just as complicated.

“My sister’s driver is waiting for her on that side of the building,” Erik told Talia quietly. “I need to make certain she gets to her car with all of the wedding gifts.”

“Oh, okay. Do you need me to help?”

It was a relatively simple offer. It shocked Erik to his core. He couldn’t remember the last time any woman of his acquaintance had voluntarily offered to help with anything. Sometimes they offered their staff or possibly a donation to hire staff. But offer to actually lift a finger to help somebody? Never.

Talia waited, interested to see what would happen next. She’d have to admit to being a little miffed by the idea of meeting him at the side door. As if taking the hired help out for drinks was a dirty little secret he didn’t want his other rich friends to know about. He’d known her assumptions. His hasty explanation had been proof enough of that. But why a simple offer of help was so shocking, she hadn’t a clue.

“I appreciate the offer.” His green eyes were as warm as his voice. “But I think we’ve got it covered.”

Talia shot a dubious glance at the mountain of gifts covering three tables and littering the floor like post-New Year confetti. “Whatever you say, but I’ve got no interest in watching you drown yourself in matching sets of towels.”

“That is quite a haul,” Leslie commented. “Is this the happy couple’s first wedding?”

Talia almost missed the brief look of pain that creased Erik’s handsome face before his pleasant expression reasserted itself. Wasn’t he happy about his mother’s marriage? Or did he disapprove of marriage in general?

“No. This is my mother’s fifth wedding.”

Leslie made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat. “Not so unusual these days.”

“Serial brides,” Talia agreed.

“Is that the term?” Erik deadpanned. “I’d been struggling for the politically correct way to discuss this habit with my mother.”

“I’d at least wait until after the honeymoon to open that topic,” Talia commented.

He snorted. “If I wait that long, she’ll open it herself.”

Talia swallowed a giggle while Leslie pressed her hand to her face to hide her laughter. Erik’s devilish expression was breathtaking. Heat lanced through Talia’s body, making her light-headed and giddy. She could only nod and smile like a simpleton when Erik excused himself.

“Leave out a few things, Tallie?” Leslie chided once Erik was out of earshot.

“It didn’t seem important at the time.”

“Well now I think it does.”

Talia sighed. “He was out there, by the back door, when Dylan and I were fighting.”

“Fighting? You said you told him off, broke it off, and then he left to get his shit.”

“Maybe it wasn’t quite that easy.”

“How ugly did it get?”

Talia’s eyes drifted toward Erik. “It didn’t really, because he was there.”

“Erik Aasen watched you break up with Dylan?” Leslie obviously needed confirmation.

“He was having a smoke. I didn’t see him when I dragged Dylan out there or we would’ve found someplace else to clear the air. But Dylan got a little…belligerent.”

“How belligerent do you think he would’ve gotten if Erik hadn’t been there, Tallie?”

She shrugged. It was hard to say what Dylan would’ve done. He’d never been the predictable sort.

“What did Erik say to him?”

She hesitated. She didn’t care to rehash the nasty words Dylan had thrown at her or the insinuations he’d made about Erik. “He wasn’t happy.”

“Did either of you actually say anything about the engagement?”

“I told him to move out. I don’t think I could have been much more specific, Les.”

“This is Dylan. You can’t leave loopholes.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t start. I’ll handle it. Okay?”

Leslie swung the shoulder strap of her viola case over her head and reached for the violin.

“You don’t have to get all this, Les.”