Assured (Soul Serenade #2) (9 page)

Now that I’m sitting here, waiting for her to arrive so Kacen and Logan can pitch the idea, I see that it’s not exactly a great thing for me—or my cock. Stacy working for the band and going on tour is just going to make us tumbling between sheets even more complicated. I’ve ran off an assistant or two in my day, and so have Gavin and Tristan.

I know I should let it go, but that doesn’t sit well with me. I’ve never been one to back away from a challenge. Especially not one with legs for miles, light brown locks that feel like silk, and lips that taste like honey. Fuck, I can still remember how she tastes.

So, yeah, agreeing was not my smartest decision. All lust aside, she’s a nice person, and it would be good for her to be there for Logan with the baby coming and all.

The four of us watch as Kacen carries Logan upstairs. Finally, it’s Gavin who breaks the silence. “Well, I’m headed home. Stace, I hope you accept the offer.” He leans down and kisses her cheek.

I want to reach out and push him away from her. He and Tristan both know I want her. They know better.

“Thanks, Gav,” she replies with a soft smile.

Gav? What the fuck? They have nicknames for each other?

“That’s my vote as well. It’ll be good for you to be there for Logan. We don’t want all that stress on her and the baby. Not to mention the stress Kace will be under. We need you, girl.” Tristan slings his arm over her shoulders and tugs her to him, giving her a hug.

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. This is . . . different.

That same soft smile graces her lips as she looks up at him. “I’ll think about it.”

“Fair enough.” Tristan turns to look at me. He can read me like a book; I can tell from the smirk he’s now wearing. “Catch you later, C.” I watch as he kisses the top of her head before releasing her.

Thank fuck they’re both gone.

Stacy stares after Tristan. She’s standing still, lost in thought. I quietly move forward until I’m standing right behind her. Reaching out, I gently grab her hips and pull her back against my chest.

“Think of the fun we could have,” I say, my lips next to her ear. Not ten minutes ago, I was trying to talk myself out of this, but . . . I don’t want to.

I can’t.

“Cole.” She breathes my name out, and I want to ask her to say it again. “If I take this job, that’s just another reason why we can’t happen.”

“We’re both consenting adults. We’ve talked about this,” I remind her.

“Yes, we are. I also like to think that I’m rather responsible. Sleeping with the boss doesn’t fall into that category.”

“Technically, Kace is the boss. We all voted him to be the leader of the band. Your salary will be taken out of the royalties, just like ours.” I move her hair to the opposite shoulder and run my nose along the length of her neck. She tilts her head to the side, giving me better access. I don’t even think she realizes that she’s doing it.

“We can’t,” she whispers as I kiss her softly at the base of her neck.

“We can. As long as we both know what the expectations are going in, it will be fine.” I’m not above begging, if that’s what it takes. It’ll be a first for me, but this girl . . . I need her under me.

“I’m not your good-time girl, Cole.”

“It would be, you know?”

“What?”

“It would be a good time. You can’t deny this electricity that’s between us.”

“No, I’m not trying to. However, acting on it is not a good idea.” She pulls out of my arms, and I miss the feel of her against me. “I’m thinking this might be a great opportunity for me, not to mention I get to work side by side with my best friend. I can’t let my hormones mess that up.”

I can see that war raging behind her eyes. She wants me, but she’s worried. Stacy isn’t like the groupies I’m used to being surrounded with. She needs to come to terms with this, with us. I’ll give her the time she needs, and then I’m going to ruin her for all other men.

“I need to get going.”

Reaching out, I take her hand and lace our fingers together. “I’ll walk you out.” She doesn’t resist like I expect her to; instead, she falls into step beside me.

Once we reach her car, I open the door for her. “You got plans tonight?” She bites her bottom lip as those green eyes watch me. Lifting my hand to her chin, I gently apply pressure so she’ll release her lip. I should be the only one allowed to bite them. “Don’t.” My voice is soft, softer than I’ve ever used on a woman before.

“I’m just going to grab some dinner on the way home, a drive-thru or something, and then finish the book I was reading.”

“Can I take you to dinner?”

“Cole. . . .”

“We both have to eat, nothing more.” I make an X across my chest. “Cross my heart.” I wink.

“I don’t know if that’s such a great idea.”

“Sure it is. I can answer any questions you may have about being on the road and what our everyday lives are like. I’m sure Logan tells you a lot, but this is coming from a band member. Get the scoop so you can make an informed decision.”

I can tell that my excuse has her. She’s going to say yes. And I’m more excited about that than I should be.

“Okay, but nothing else. I’ll follow you.” She steps toward the open door of her car.

“I can drive us,” I offer.

“No, really, it’s fine. I’ll just follow you there.”

“Fine. At least give me your number in case we get separated, so I can reach you.”

She’s reluctant, but when I hand her my phone, she types in her contact information. I want to fist bump at this breakthrough. Instead, I smile, waiting for her to get in the car and buckle up. Once she’s strapped in, I shut the door and jog to my truck. She’s making me work for it, but it’s . . . fun. It’s been a while coming for us. She thinks she’s keeping me at bay, when really she’s just making the chase that much more exciting.

My palms are sweaty as I grip the wheel. What the hell was I thinking? I never should have agreed to dinner. It was those brown eyes that captivated me. That and it really would be nice to get an inside look at what it’s like being on the road. Logan can try to convince me all she wants, but the reality of the situation is that she really has no clue. This will be a first for her as well. She
does
have the advantage of being married to the lead singer; me, I’m just the tagalong best friend.

I’ve read the tabloid headlines. Do I want to live the life of a rock star? Do I want to be engrossed in that world? I know because of my association with Logan that I will be a little bit regardless, but being on tour with the band and hanging out with my best friend at her house with the band members is two totally different things. This is not an easy decision to make.

Cole taps his brakes and hits his turn signal. It’s not until we’re in the lot that I realize we’re at a Subway. I can’t help but grin. The famous Cole Hampton rolling up in a Subway to order dinner. It’s so hard to see them as normal, everyday people, but I have to admit they don’t live the catered life you think of when you think rock star.

Cole appears at my door and pulls it open. Reaching out, he offers me his hand. Hesitantly, I place my hand in his and he helps me from the car.

“This place looks dead tonight, and they’re cool.”

“Cool?” I ask.

“Yeah. Me and the guys come here a lot. The staff is used to us and they respect our privacy. They don’t tweet it out and ask for pictures. They let us be . . . normal.”

“That’s good that you have that here, close to home.”

“Yeah, it’s rough on the road.”

Before I can reply, his hand is on the small of my back and he’s leading me inside.

“Hey, Mr. Hampton,” a teenage boy behind the counter greets us.

“Tommy, enough with the Mr. Hampton. That’s my dad. Just Cole, my man.” He holds out a fist and the kid, with a blush on his face, connects his to Cole’s.

“Go ahead and order, sweets.” His deep timbre causes me to shiver.

“Uh, I’ll take . . . um, a six-inch turkey on wheat,” I stumble through my order. After I tell him what I want, Cole suggests I find us a table. I look around the empty room and then back at Cole. He simply grins and winks. “Here.” I hand him some money.

“Not happening, babe. We’ve had this talk and we can have it again, but it’s going to be the same outcome. Besides, I asked you here. My treat. Now, find us a spot and settle in, because I’ve got to educate you about life on the road.”

Not wanting to make a scene—not to mention it would be pointless because Cole is not the type to give in on this kind of thing—I politely thank him and grab our drinks. I pick a table at the very back of the restaurant. Hopefully, it stays slow, but if not, this should give us some semblance of privacy.

“I’m an open book,” Cole says, sliding into the booth across from me. He passes me my sandwich and a bag of chips.

“Thank you.”

He nods as he takes the first bite—if that’s what you want to call it. He looks like a chipmunk.

“I don’t really know where to start,” I confess. “Maybe you can just tell me about what goes on. What’s a normal day like?”

“It’s really just us guys hanging out. None of us have ever brought a girl on tour, so it’s going to be different this time. We all love Logan like a sister, and she makes Kace happy, but it’s just going to be different.”

“She’s going to cramp your style,” I tease him.

His grin lights up his face, and I find myself wanting to make him smile like this more often. He really is easy on the eyes.

“No, she will not cramp our style. We don’t bring girls on the bus, which is a rule we’ve all had. None of us wants to hear one of the others getting their rocks off.”

I choke on my water. “Well, okay then.”

“Being on the road is more than just singing a few songs and getting laid. This is a shorter tour, so it’s jam-packed with back-to-back concerts in different cities. We have radio spots, and I think there’s even a television appearance on the books.”

“So, why exactly do you need me?”

“Logan’s pregnant.” He says it like I should know from just those two words.

“And? Women have been having babies for a while now.” I smirk.

“Ha ha, smartass. Dealing with schedules, the label, venues—it can all get pretty stressful. We talked about it, and none of us want all that pressure on Logan. We figured we would hire someone to split the duties, take some of the pressure off.”

“I’m a teacher. Not sure how my education and experience will benefit the band.”

He shrugs. “Kace is a planner, always has been. Sounds like he expects this to be a permanent thing. Once the baby gets older, I assume they’ll hire someone to replace you and let you tutor.”

I’m surprised at his candid answers. Not only that, but he seems to understand Kacen. “That’s jumping the gun a little, don’t you think?”

“Maybe, maybe not. I know Kacen will refuse to travel without either of them.” He studies me for a few minutes, as if he needs to gather his thoughts. “The guys and I have always said if one of us wants out, then we’re all done. It’s something we started together, and it’s something we will end together. I see you as Kacen’s way of making sure his family has the best of what it needs. Logan gets her best friend, and their kid gets a good teacher—when the time comes, of course.”

“I guess I can see that. It’s just hard to believe he would be thinking so far ahead.”

“Like I said, Kacen is a planner. He’s not like the rest of us. He never was about hooking up and living the lifestyle to the stereotype that it is. He’s always just wanted to find that one person who gets him and have a family. He found that with Logan, and he won’t stop until he gives her and this baby the world.”

His words shouldn’t surprise me, and they don’t really. I know this about my best friend’s husband. He loves her fiercely. He’s why I’ve changed my ways. I don’t see the point in wasting my time with guys where I see no future; I want what Logan and Kacen have. That’s why I must avoid Cole’s advances. Well, that and the fact that I’m afraid it will be awkward as hell, and who wants to deal with that?

“And what about you, Tristan and Gavin? Do you live up to the stereotype?” I settle back against my seat, prepared for him to backpedal his way out of answering.