Lick (Stage Dive, #1)(31)

I was going to kill him. Slowly. Strangle him with the overpriced thong. A fitting death for a rock star.

A couple about my parents’ age came in, laden down with pots and bottles of wine. The man, Tyler, was tall, thin, and covered in tats. Pam looked to have Native American in her heritage. Beautiful long black hair hung down her back in a braid, thick as my wrist. They both wore wide grins and gave me curious glances. I could feel my face heat when they took in the lingerie and clothing strewn about on the floor. It probably looked like we’d been about to embark on a two-person orgy. Which was the truth, but still.

“How the hell are ya?” Tyler roared in an Australian accent, giving David a one-armed hug on account of the crock-pot he held in the other. “And this must be Ev. I have to read about it in the damn paper, Dave? Are you serious?” He gave my husband a stern look, one brow arched high. “Pam was pissed.”

“Sorry. It was—ah, it was sudden.” David kissed Pam on the cheek and took a casserole dish and laden bag from her. She patted him on the head in a motherly fashion.

“Introduce me,” she said.

“Ev, this is Pam and Tyler, old friends of mine. They’ve also been taking care of the house for me.” He looked relaxed standing between these people. His smile was easy and his eyes were bright. I hadn’t seen him looking so happy before. Jealousy reared its ugly head, sinking its teeth in.

“Hello.” I put out my hand for shaking but Tyler engulfed me in a hug.

“She’s so pretty. Isn’t she pretty, hon?” Tyler stepped aside and Pam came closer, a warm smile on her face.

I was being a jerk. These were nice people. I should be profoundly grateful not every female David knew rubbed their boobs on him. Damn my screaming hormones for making me surly.

“She sure is. Hello, Ev. I’m Pam.” The woman’s coffee-brown eyes went liquid. She seemed ready to burst into tears. In a rush, she took my hands and squeezed my fingers tight. “I’m just so happy he found a nice girl, finally.”

“Oh, thank you.” My face felt flammable.

David gave me a wry grin.

“Okay, enough of that,” Tyler said. “Let’s let these lovebirds have their privacy. We can visit another time.”

David stood aside, still holding the casserole dish and bag. When he saw me watching he winked.

“I’ll have to show you the setup downstairs sometime,” Tyler said. “You here for long?”

“We’re not sure,” he said, giving me a glance.

Pam clung to my hands, reluctant to leave. “I made chicken enchiladas and rice. Do you like Mexican? It’s David’s favorite.” Pam’s brows wrinkled. “But I didn’t think to check if that was alright with you. You might be vegetarian.”

“No, I’m not. And I love Mexican,” I said, squeezing her fingers back though not as hard. “Thank you so much.”

“Phew.” She grinned.

“Hon,” called Tyler.

“I’m coming.” Pam gave my fingers a parting pat. “If you need anything at all while you’re here, you give me a call. Okay?”

David said nothing. It was clearly my decision if they stayed or went. My body was still abuzz with need. That, and we seemed to do better alone. I didn’t want to share him because I was shallow and wanted hot sex. I wanted him all to myself. But it was the right thing to do. And if anticipation made it sweeter, well, maybe this once the right thing to do was also the best thing to do.

“Stay,” I said, stammering out the words. “Have dinner with us. You’ve made so much. We could never possibly finish it all.”

David’s gaze jumped to me, a smile of approval on his face. He looked almost boyish, trying to contain his excitement. Like I’d just told him his birthday had been brought forward. Whoever these people were, they were important to him. I felt as though I’d just passed some test.

Pam sighed. “Tyler is right, you’re newlyweds.”

“Stay. Please,” I said.

Pam looked to Tyler.

Tyler shrugged but smiled, obviously delighted.

Pam clapped her hands with glee. “Let’s eat!”





CHAPTER NINE




Warm hands pushed up my tank top as the sun rose. Next came hot kisses down my back, sending a shiver up my spine. My skin came to immediate goose-pimpled attention, despite the truly horrible time of day.

“Ev, baby, roll over.” David whispered in my ear.

“What time is it?”

We’d all gone downstairs to the recording studio after dinner for a ‘quick look’. At midnight Pam had bailed, saying Tyler could call her when they were done. No one anticipated that being anytime soon, since they’d opened a bottle of bourbon. I’d stretched out on the big couch down there while David and Tyler messed around, moving between the control room and the studio. I’d wanted to be close to David, to listen to him play guitar and sing snippets of songs. He had a beautiful voice. What he could do with a six string in his hands blew my mind. His eyes would take on this far away look and he was gone. It was like nothing else existed. Sometimes, I actually felt a little lonely, lying there watching him. Then the song would end and he’d shake his head, stretch his fingers, returning to earth. His gaze would find me and he’d smile. He was back.