Assured (Soul Serenade #2) (30 page)

“I figured.”

“I need the number to the relator you used when you bought your house.”

“Buying, are you?”

I nod. “I want to. It’s time to sell the condo and buy a home. One I hope Stacy will be living in with me.”

“It’s something else, isn’t it?” he asks.

“What do you mean?”

“Getting serious. When you’re single, you look at all the guys who are tied down and wonder what the hell they were thinking. Why pass up new ass every night?” He finishes off his bottle of water in one long gulp. “Then you meet her. The one person you can’t seem to spend enough time with. The one you can’t seem to hold long enough, kiss long enough. That one person makes all those other guys look like fools.”

“Pretty much,” I confirm.

“Good talk.” Kacen laughs as he taps me on the shoulder and walks off.

“Hey!” I yell after him. “I need that number.”

“Check your phone.” He smirks and keeps walking.

Digging my phone out of my pocket, sure enough, he texted me the information for the realtor. I quickly save the contact, type a message, and hit Send. No point in putting this off. I know what I want.

I set up a conference call tomorrow to go over the contract details and gave the realtor some specs for what kind of house I’m looking for. With a little more pep in my step, I make my way backstage. Sound check should be starting soon. Just a few more hours and this tour is over. Our time with Stone Records and our connection with that fucker Wilson will be finished.

Time for new beginnings.

This show, like all the others on this tour, is electric. The crowd is wild, and we as a band are feeding off their energy. As we get ready to sing the last song, Kacen hesitates, and I know it’s because we don’t know what’s next. Everything is changing. We’re starting our own label, so who knows if we’ll tour again.

This could be it.

Glancing over at Stacy, I know I have no regrets with that decision. And I know Kacen feels the same. It’s Gavin and Tristan I worry about. Although, the duo seem to be taking this all in stride. I think it helps that as a band, we’ve talked about this forever, almost since the day we were signed. We didn’t want to be washed-up rock stars—we wanted more out of life. Kace more so than the rest of us. He used to tell us that we would come to his way of thinking. If it were any other man, they would have already been saying “I told you so.” Not Kacen. He’s just that guy. The one who has a good head on his shoulders, the protector.

He gets it.

“This is an emotional night for us,” Kacen says into the microphone. “You see, there are some big life changes coming our way. I, for one, am about to be a father.” The crowd roars their approval. “Life is a roller coaster, and we’ve enjoyed every fucking minute!”

Gavin, Tristan and I speak our agreement into our mics.

“This is the last night of the ‘Make Love’ tour.” The crowd goes crazy. “How many of you out there plan on making love tonight?”

The response is deafening.

“Let me get some love for my man, Tristan, on the drums.” He holds his mic out to the crowd. “How about a little for my man, Gavin, on bass?” Again, he holds the mic out to them, and they don’t hesitate to show their love. “And over here.” He points to me. “We have my man, Cole, on lead guitar.” Kacen holds his hand out to the crowd again. “And, of course, I saved the best for last.” He smirks as he points to himself. “What do you say, Michigan? Do we want to bring this fucking house down?”

Earsplitting, thunderous screams erupt. “We are Soul Serenade!” Gavin’s deep voice booms through the arena.

Tristan taps off the beat to our very first single, “Even Matter,” and you can barely hear it over the crowd. The feeling that gives me is a rush like no other. To know they’re cheering for us and our passion, for the music. It’s an awe-inspiring experience. The only thing that has ever come close to that for me is being inside Stacy. Watching her fall apart at my touch.

“Does it even matter,” Kacen starts to sing, and I let myself get lost in the moment, my hands sliding over the strings. I just play.

Three minutes and forty-six seconds later, it’s over. The Soul Serenade “Make Love” tour is complete. It’s been a wild ride for sure.

Instead of rushing off to the girls, we all just stand in our places in the dark, listening to the crowd yell our names.

Bittersweet.

We all must be thinking the same thing because before I know it, we’ve all gathered around Kacen.

“One hell of a show,” Tristan states.

“Fucking nailed it,” Gavin adds.

“The crowd was on fire,” I say.

‘We’ll be back.” Kacen’s comment has our attention. “I don’t know in what capacity, but it’s in our blood. We’re going to give other bands this same opportunity to see what it’s like to be up here in the lights with thousands screaming their name. However, we’ll be back. Even if it’s just an award show, or a local charity event. We will be back. I want my son to see this. I want him to strive to reach for his dreams.”

“I hear ya, man,” Gavin agrees.

“Holy shit! You guys kicked ass.” Logan rushes into Kacen’s arms. Well, as fast as her eight-months-pregnant body allows her.

Stacy wraps her arms around my waist from behind. I’m sweaty as hell, but my girl doesn’t seem to mind. She locks her hands around my waist and I cover them with my own.

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this shit,” Tristan speaks up, “but my ass is beat. I am so ready to be at home in my bed. Let’s do this.” He motions to the exit sign at the back of the stage.

He gets no argument. I turn to face Stacy and give her a quick kiss, pulling away before I lose myself in her. Tristan leads the way as we leave the “Make Love” tour behind us.

“Home sweet home,” Tristan mumbles as the bus rolls past the Welcome to Nashville sign. We drove through the night, but it’s hard to sleep when the bus is bouncing down a construction zone. For me, it’s more than that. Cole and I haven’t discussed how things will be now that the tour is over. He’s finally convinced me that he’s in this, but all we’ve ever known in our relationship is the tour bus. I’m nervous and don’t know what to expect now that we’re home. On the bus, there was no space; he may want that now that we’re back. I’ve gotten used to his arms around me at night and waking up to him each day. I don’t want that to change, but I don’t want to turn into a stage-five clinger. I do not want to be that girl.

It’s only been three months. Sure, I’ve known him longer and he chased me longer, but still . . . only three months of really knowing him.

“Hey.” Cole pulls me onto his lap from where I’m sitting beside him on the couch. “You coming home with me?”

Can he read my mind? “Is that what you want?”

“Yes.”

No hesitation. “I’ll need to go visit my parents.”

“We can do that. Later today?” he asks.

“No, not today. Can we go tomorrow? I really just want a nice, long, hot shower and to lounge on a big bed or full-size couch. Anything that is not on this bus.”

He chuckles, hiding his face in my neck. “Done.”

Just like that.

When the bus pulls into Kacen’s drive, there are already three cabs waiting. Cole told me to grab my essentials and we would get the rest later. The driver will park the bus out back; apparently, he has a car here. This business is so different, and there is still a lot to learn.

The cab ride to Cole’s condo is short. As he unlocks the door, I have butterflies in my stomach. This is not a hotel room, or the bus. This is his space.

This is real.

Opening the door, he holds it, ushering me in before him. “Make yourself at home. I’m just going to throw our bags in my room.”

He strides off toward the hallway while I take in my surroundings. Dark leather couch, big-screen television—and when I say big, I mean takes-up-one-wall big. There are a few awards and pictures of his family. If it weren’t for those few pictures, this would be the normal bachelor pad—the clean version, of course.

“No food since we’ve been gone for so long. You want takeout? I can order groceries online so we don’t have to go out.”

“I’ve heard about that new service in some areas, but I’ve never used it.”

“Yeah, it’s nice for the most part. I’m not a big fan of people knowing where I live, but the place prides itself on confidentiality. Or so they say.” He grins. “So far, no issues. So, what will it be?”

“I’m good with whatever.” I smile.

“Hey, now.” He walks to where I’m standing and wraps me in his arms. “Where’s my girl? You’ve never had a problem telling me what you want before. What’s wrong?”

I return his hug and sigh against his chest. “I don’t know. Nothing, really. I just don’t know. . . . We’re no longer on tour.”

He stiffens. “What the fuck does that matter?”

“I don’t know if it does.”

“Sweets, you’re going to have to break it down for me.”

I can tell that I’ve upset him, and that’s not what I want. I need to get out of my own head. He wants me here. “It’s just . . . I don’t want to be in your way. On the bus, you didn’t have an option—there was no getting a break from me. Now that we’re home, you can.” I shrug. Once the words leave my mouth, I know how idiotic they sound, but it’s been an emotional few weeks and he’s right—I need to tell him what I’m thinking.

“Come here.” Lacing his fingers through mine, he guides us to the couch. He sits and pulls me onto his lap. “You want to know what I want?” he asks.

I give a slight nod, while those chocolate-brown eyes of his bore into me.

“I want you. All the time. I want your life so goddamn intertwined with mine that I don’t know the difference between you and me. I want it to be us. So to answer your question, no, I most certainly do not want space from you. My goal is to eliminate that space as much as possible.”

Then he kisses me.

Slowly at first, but then his soft yet firm lips demand a response. I immediately open for him, allowing his tongue to push past my lips. Cole’s hand rests on my thigh; he begins to caress it, and the simple act sends currents of desire through me.

He lifts me in his arms and we’re moving. I assume we’re headed to his bedroom. It’s the touch of the soft mattress against the back of my thighs that confirms my suspicion.

“Beautiful,” he says as I slide back on the bed. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve imagined you here?”

I shake my head. I have no idea, but if the look in his eyes tells me anything, it’s been a while.

“I need you naked, sweets.”

Losing all inhibitions, I reach for the hem of my shirt and pull it over my head. I toss it on the floor and look up at him from under my lashes. My silent taunt telling him it’s his turn.

He doesn’t take the hint; he just stares at me as if he can’t believe I’m actually here. That alone sends my desire for him into overdrive. Climbing to my knees, I move to the edge of the bed. His hand cups the back of my head as he moves in for another kiss. This one is frantic and messy and perfect. It matches my craving for him.

“This needs to go,” I say between kisses, pulling his shirt up his toned abs.