Impulsive (22 page)

His hot, dirty words spurred a frenzied need inside her. She tightened around him, clutching and quaking. He braced his arms on either side of her, tendons strained, muscles flexing with every thrust. Her eyes squeezed shut, overcome by the sensations firing through her body. It was too much, too powerful, too raw.

“Look at me, Tasha,” he growled in a throaty rasp. “Don’t shut your eyes. You stay right here with me. Feel me.” She opened her eyes and felt the sting of tears at the sight of him, dark-eyed and tense above her. “I’ve got everything you need right here, baby. Everything. I’m giving it all to you. Do you understand me?”

She nodded once, her throat thick with emotion, her heartbeat banging in her ears. Comprehension dawned. She didn’t need to keep pushing him away. He was already inside her heart and her head. He’d been there since the beginning, and he was still there.

Chapter 32

The week passed, and Luke spent every minute with Tasha, guarding their time together like a precious secret. He’d seen the way she’d looked at Elijah, the flicker of interest. If it was anyone but Elijah, he’d be sick with worry. Elijah might be a manipulative asshole, but he knew better than to push Luke too far. He understood the pull, the way Elijah could spin like into lust and desire into need. Tasha and Elijah were alike in so many ways: impulsive, edgy, always searching for something more. If he wasn’t careful, Elijah might tempt her over to the dark side. Hell, he’d been tempted there a time or two.
 

If she wanted Elijah, Luke had to let her go. But he could at least be there to bring her back when Elijah self-destructed like he always did. Something had shifted between the three of them that night in the limo. Mutual desire pulsed between them, hot and needy. And since then, Tasha looked at Elijah like he was a fucking god, hazel eyes on fire, burning for him.
 

He’d let her go, but she wasn’t going there alone.
 

By the next Monday, Luke had the more pressing matter of Mr. Belden on his mind. Alone in his office cubicle, he contemplated the email in front of him and felt a hot flush of anger rise from his collar into his cheeks. Apparently, Mr. Belden had stolen Luke’s artwork and presented it to the president of the company as his own. As a result, Belden would receive a new title and a healthy raise to go along with it, while Luke got nothing. Again.

Happy birthday, Jameson.

He had worked on the logo for weeks in preparation for the newest ad campaign for one of their clients. The plan was to present it to the president, get a leg up in the company and out from under Belden’s thumb. Belden had beaten him to the punch.

He wasn’t sure why the guy had it in for him. He went out of his way to be considerate and polite. He did more than his fair share of work and never complained when he had to work late or on the weekends, which was often.
 

Angry, irrational thoughts swirled through his mind. He considered storming into Belden’s office and kicking his ass, but it would only get him fired or land him in jail. He could take it to the president, but he really had no way to prove the design was his and not Belden’s. Or he could call Caroline, accept her job offer, and turn in his notice.

Caroline’s offer was more than generous. Better hours, bigger office, more money. The only thing holding him back was their past relationship. She assured him it wouldn’t be an issue. They’d be in different departments, and he would report to someone else. He was still contemplating the option when a low buzz of excitement washed through the office.

One of the perks of being friends with a rock star was watching other people’s reactions to him. Luke looked up to find Elijah striding in his direction. Curious eyes peeked over the tops of cubicle walls. A few co-workers ventured into the aisles to watch him pass.

Elijah loved every minute of the attention. He wore a bright Hawaiian shirt, unbuttoned to his waist, over a pair of board shorts. His blond hair stuck out all over his head, and black shades covered his eyes. He stopped and scanned the room. When he caught sight of Luke, he smiled and made a beeline for his cubicle.

“What are you doing here?” Luke asked, and shook Elijah’s hand.

“It’s your birthday, man,” Elijah replied. “Grab your shit and let’s get out of here.”

“I can’t just leave, you dumbass,” Luke said. A few of the more adventurous co-workers were snapping pictures of Elijah with their cellphones. He seemed oblivious to the turmoil he caused.

“Sure you can.” Elijah fingered the sticky notes on Luke’s computer, grabbed a pen, and doodled a peace sign on a piece of paper, then opened the drawer next to his leg. “I can’t wait for you to see what I bought for your birthday.”
 

“I get off at five. We can go out then.” Luke snapped the drawer shut and gave him a warning scowl.

“Come on,” Elijah said in the same tone he’d used when they were kids and he’d wanted to get his way. “I’ve got a special surprise for your birthday. Something you don’t want to miss.”

“If I leave, I’ll get fired.”

“So, who cares? You said it’s a shitty fucking job. Quit. You can come work for me. Or go work for Caroline.” Elijah cocked an eyebrow. His mouth widened into a huge smile.

“What’s going on here, Jameson?” Belden came to a halt at the threshold of his cubicle, his face flushed with anger. “You know visitors aren’t allowed up here. Get back to work.”

Elijah turned the full force of his megawatt smile onto Belden. He tugged his sunglasses down on his nose and peered over the tops. The bold blue eyes raked over the man from top to bottom. He shoved the glasses back up his nose and popped his chewing gum with a snap of his jaws. Belden took a step backward.

“I don’t think we’ve met,” Belden said, extending his hand. “I’m Jonathan Belden, Vice President of Marketing, and Luke’s boss. I won the Martin-Bennett Award last year.”

Elijah stood, towering over the shorter Belden, and pumped his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Elijah Crowe, rock star. I’ve won seven Grammys, eleven MTV Music Awards, and some other stuff.” He waved a dismissive hand in the air.

“Seven Grammys?” Luke asked. “Really? How did I not know that?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Elijah furrowed his brow in contemplation. “Or maybe it’s eight. I don’t know. I can’t remember.” He turned back to Belden. “So it’s Luke’s birthday, and I’m going to take him out today. You got a problem with that?”

An hour later, they arrived at the marina. Elijah refused to tell him where they were going or what they were doing until they pulled up in front of a giant white boat. It was double the size of anything else at the pier, ridiculous and ostentatious.

“Happy fucking birthday,” Elijah said and slapped him on the back.

“You got me a yacht for my birthday?” Luke asked, feeling his eyebrows lift to the hairline.

“No. I got
me
a yacht for your birthday.” He lifted two fingers of each hand into the air and put air quotes around the words
your birthday
.

They got out of the car and headed down the pier. The sun blazed overhead in a brilliant blue sky. The scent of freshwater and fish and summer wafted on the breeze. When they got closer to the boat, Tasha came out of the cabin and waved. Luke felt his chest tighten the way it did every time he saw her. She wore a tiny scrap of a bikini, all legs, colorful tats, and sexy brown hair piled high on her head.
 

Luke put a hand on Elijah’s arm. He rarely touched him but deemed it necessary this once. Elijah turned to face him, a questioning lilt to one eyebrow. He had to make sure Elijah knew exactly where he stood. For once, he was going to set the rules of the game and not Elijah.

“You can do whatever she wants,” Luke said, “and I’m good with it. But you can’t fuck her. Understand?”

The customary smirk slid from Elijah’s face. He studied Luke with somber eyes. Luke refused to look away or blink. This was important, and he needed Elijah to understand. Otherwise, this would never work.

Elijah swallowed and nodded. “I’m good with that, man. You’ve got my word.” They shook hands and proceeded to the boat, where the hottest girl he’d ever known waited for him.

This was going to be the best birthday ever.

Tasha loved the feel of the wind blowing through her hair and the spray of water over the bow. They’d been up and down the length of the lake a half-dozen times. The sun had reached midday when Elijah pulled into a secluded cove and dropped anchor. They were alone except for the rush of wind through the willows lining the shore and a house crowning the hill above them.

“So what do you think?” Elijah asked. He sat on the bench across from them, arms stretched across the back of the seat, legs crossed at the ankle.
 

“About what?” Luke asked. He emerged from the cabin carrying an ice bucket full of beer and handed them each a bottle.

“About the house,” Elijah said and nodded toward the shore.

Tasha flattened a hand above her eyes and peered at the steel-and-glass mansion overlooking the water. Four stories of windows reflected the sky. She could just discern the glimmer of a swimming pool, multiple terraces, and landscaped lawns. This was the elite side of the lake where professional basketball players, high-priced attorneys, and other disgustingly wealthy people lived.

“It’s amazing,” she said.
“I bought it,” Elijah replied. “It’s a good investment and a great location.” The beer bottle hissed in his hand when he twisted off the cap. “Now I’ll have somewhere to go when I get off tour.”

The weight of his tour loomed ahead of them like a storm cloud. In just a few weeks, he’d be heading out for three years of non-stop performances. Tasha had grown accustomed to his meddling and actually looked forward to seeing him. He added spice to an otherwise drab day. She was going to miss him when he left.

Under the hot August sun, she stretched out on her stomach on the deck and untied the string of her bikini top. The boat rocked gently beneath her. Water lapped at the hull. Birds chirped and squeaked in the distance. The coconut scent of suntan lotion mingled with the scents of the lake and fresh-cut grass from the house on the shore. Luke and Elijah’s deep voices rumbled in conversation, broken by occasional chuckles of amusement.
 

Relaxed by the beer and warmed by the sun, she drifted into sleep. A series of loud whoops, followed by splashes, woke her later. She lifted from the deck to see Luke and Elijah frolicking in the water beside the boat. Sunlight glimmered like diamonds over the water, but there was no mistaking the flashes of their naked flesh as they dove and splashed.

“Come on in, baby,” Luke called to her.
 

Without hesitation, she joined them. The water was cool and felt good on her heated skin. They swam and played until the sun began to drop on the horizon. Luke went back to the boat first and extended a hand to help her up the ladder. Elijah followed and grabbed towels for them. After the chill of the water, the lake breeze raised gooseflesh on her skin and brought her nipples to tight points. Elijah wrapped the fluffy towel around her and rubbed her down, driving heat and blood back into her limbs. Luke dried his hair and watched them, moving the towel in long sweeps over first his arms and then down the stretch of his legs. There was no mistaking the heat in his eyes. A small thrill of anticipation shivered through her.

Chapter 33

Elijah docked the boat and took them on a tour of the house. Cool marble floors and whitewashed wood gave a light and airy feel to the rooms. The house came fully furnished with soft, overstuffed sofas and king-size beds. He opened a door to one of the bedrooms furnished in pale blue with a walkout balcony and spacious bathroom.

“You guys can stay in here,” he said.

“Very nice,” Tasha said, trailing a hand over the claw-foot tub and brass fixtures. She’d thought his penthouse hotel suite was opulent, but this house far exceeded anything she’d ever experienced. It must have cost him a ton of money. “But where are you going to stay?”

He waggled his eyebrows. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, baby. I’m upstairs.”

Luke entwined his fingers with hers for the climb up the curving staircase. She gripped his hand and smiled at him, pleased by the sparkle in his eyes. The master suite encompassed the entirety of the upper floor. A bank of sliding glass doors offered an unobstructed view of the lake, where the sun had just begun to touch the water. They lined up at the railing of the balcony to admire the slashes of purple and orange shimmering across the water.

Elijah moved behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. They slid down the length of her arms and back up again. Luke turned to face her and leaned his elbows on the railing. Her heart hammered in her chest as she locked gazes with him, wondering what he was thinking.
 

One of Elijah’s hands swept the hair from her neck. He bent and placed a kiss where her pulse fluttered in the tender space beneath her jaw. The stubble of his chin grazed her skin, his lips hot and moist. Luke’s eyes darkened. His chest rose and fell with each breath. The slight nod of his head was almost imperceptible.

A muted sigh slipped from her throat at the feel of calloused palms skimming around her bare waist and along her rib cage. Although Elijah was touching her, she couldn’t look away from Luke, mesmerized by the desire in his eyes.

The press of solid, lean muscles against her back tripled her heartbeat. She could feel every inch of Elijah, rippled abdomen, long legs, and the hardness between them. She reached behind her and pressed her palms to his thighs. A flick of his skilled fingers released the tie of her bikini top. It floated away, leaving her bare. The tips of her breasts tightened in the cool evening air. Luke’s gaze stroked over her, devouring her and heating her with every caress of Elijah’s hands. After a beat, Luke came away from the railing and extended a hand to her. His fingers slid between hers, warm and strong, before he pulled her into the bedroom.
 

No one spoke, but they didn’t have to. Tasha’s throat tightened with anticipation. By the way Luke and Elijah moved together, each complementing the other’s actions, she was pretty sure they’d done this before, and she was fine with it. All the better for her. They left her standing alone in the middle of the bedroom while they stripped out of their board shorts.