Play Hard (The Devil's Share Book 5) (15 page)

“My suit is wet, I’m taking it off.” She tossed her top into the bathroom and then shimmied out of her bottoms.

“Are you trying to kill me?”

She laughed. “No. I’m trying to get comfortable so I can help you with the baby.” She walked toward me, completely naked. “Why? Is me being naked a problem for you? You’ve seen it all before, remember?”

How could I not? I shifted on my feet, trying to adjust my boner. “In case
you’ve
forgotten, someone took sex off the table.”

She rubbed her hand on my abs as she walked past me to the closet. “Oh I haven’t forgotten.” She came back out wearing one of my t-shirts. She took Halen from me and cradled her to her chest, kissing her head. “You getting hungry, sweet girl?”

I watched as she held Halen in one hand and grabbed a bottle out of the diaper bag. She moved like she had done this a million times. It had to be a girl thing, that innate ability to take care of a child. I crossed the room and mixed the formula and water for her. “You want me to feed her?”

“Nah, we got it. You’ve been up since five. Why don’t you lie down and rest before it’s time for dinner?”

She settled on the club chair and put her feet up on the ottoman. She positioned Halen in the crook of her arm and then fed her the bottle. I stretched out on the bed, watching the two of them. Harlow was so beautiful, so good. After a while I couldn’t stop the words from coming out of my mouth. “Thank you.”

“For what?” She sat the empty bottle on the little round table and then moved Halen to her shoulder to burp.

“For having a panic attack on the plane. For staying in this hotel. For agreeing to help me. For everything, I guess.” I scooted over to my side of the bed, making room for Harlow and Halen. “You want me to change her?”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t mind.”

While Harlow changed the baby’s diaper, I pulled all the covers back except for the sheet, giving Halen a safe place to nap. “She doesn’t like to rock, she likes to bounce and—”

“Luke. Really. I’ve got this. Just relax.” I held my hands up in surrender then lay back on the pillows, putting them behind my head. I stared as Harlow danced around the room with Halen on her shoulder. I was surprised when she started to sing.

“You know that song?”

She smiled with her cheek against Halen’s temple. “Yeah. I’d forgotten all about it until I heard you humming it to her at the restaurant. My mom loves this song.”

I watched quietly for another minute or so, and when I couldn’t help myself anymore, I got up and crossed the room. I pulled them both into my arms. The three of us danced, and Lo sang to Halen.

Well, it’s three o’clock in the morning, and baby, I just can’t do right. Well, I hate to leave you, but I really must say, good night, sweetheart, good night.

After about five minutes she was out and Lo laid her down between us. I looked over my goddaughter to find Harlow looking at me. The moment we’d just shared, it was important. It was a sweet, quiet moment, and for the first time in a really long time there was no one else I would have rather shared it with. I took a deep breath. “I like you, Harlow. I like being here with you.” Jacks’ advice had been so on point. I didn’t have to let go of Lexi before I could hold on to someone else. I didn’t have to let her go at all. I just needed to change my perspective.

Her eyes went wide. “Luke, I—”

I put my finger to her lips. “I know that I’m not perfect. And I know that I’m not completely whole. I don’t deserve you. But I want to and I’m working on it.” I closed my eyes for a second, gathering strength. “Just don’t give up on me yet, okay?” Asking her to wait for me was selfish, but the more time I spent with her the more clear everything became. It was like everything around me had been blurry, but the second she’d stepped onto that plane things started to come into focus. My family saw it, and now I did too.

She nodded. “Okay.”

I didn’t sleep. I watched Halen and Harlow while they did though. And that was pretty damn peaceful in itself. I hadn’t spent a lot of time with Lexi since I’d been back, and I hadn’t been alone with her once. I knew we needed to talk; there was stuff we both needed to say. But Harlow was right last night: I needed to stop running and start living.

“Hey, Lukey, what’s up?”

I smiled; just hearing her voice always made me smile. “I’m in.”

“What?”

“They picked me. I’m the newest member of the Devil’s Share.” It was hard to contain my excitement. I was trying to act all cool about it, but inside I was doing cartwheels. This was what I’d always wanted—this life. Getting paid well to do what I loved.

“Shut. Up.” She squealed on the other end of the line. “Luke, that’s so amazing Congratulations. You did it.”

“We start rehearsals next week and then we go on tour this spring. You’ll come see me, right?” It’d been months since I’d seen Lexi. She was in Austin and I was in Dallas. I’d been giving drum lessons in between auditions and gigs, living with my sister and Patrick to save money. It’d been hard to find my place after my first band broke apart. But all the searching had paid off. I was the drummer for the Devil’s Share. It didn’t really get any bigger than that.

“Of course I’ll come see you. You couldn’t keep me away if you tried. I miss you, Lukey.”

“I miss you too, Lex.” I did. I missed her so much. She was my best friend. She was the love of my life. And now she’d see, she’d see that I was good enough for her. Old enough. Successful enough. Strong enough. Talented enough. She’d come see me play and that would be the beginning of us.

I came back from my trip down memory lane, a sad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I thought that concert was going to be the beginning of mine and Lexi’s future. But it ended up being the end.

My phone vibrated on the nightstand, speak of the devil. I answered it quickly so it didn’t wake up the girls. “Hey, Lex.” I was whispering.

“Hey.” And so was she. “Halen okay?”

“Yeah, she and Lo are sound asleep.” I smiled, looking at them. What was it about babies that softened your heart? Halen could turn stone into mush.

“Harlow is amazing, Luke. I love her, we all do. She’s perfect for you.” She paused for a second. “I know why you left. And I know that coming back wasn’t easy. But I’m glad you’re home. I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too. I missed everyone. It was harder than I thought it would be, being gone.” Which was why I’d distracted myself with every vice I could get my hands on.

“You have everything you’ve ever wanted, Luke. It’s all right in front of you now. Yours for the taking.”

“I hope so.” I really did. I wanted to be happy.

“There are clothes in her bag for dinner tonight. We’ll meet you in the lobby around six-thirty.”

Chapter Twenty-four

Lexi

“Was that Luke?” Dash’s voice was rough with sleep. “Is Halen good?”

I set down my phone and then cuddled up next to him. “She’s napping.” He’d only been asleep for about thirty minutes. I hadn’t been able to rest; my mind was working a mile a minute.

He kissed the top of my head. “You’re meddling.”

I propped myself up to look at him. “I am not meddling. I found us a sitter so we could have very loud, very vulgar sex.” I pinched his nipple. “You should be thanking me.”

He smiled. “Thank you, Kitten.” I lay back down and he wrapped his arms tightly around me. “But we both know that you left Halen with Lo to get Luke’s attention.”

I struggled to sit up again so I could properly debate his assertion, but he wouldn’t budge. I sighed and gave up. “Luke hasn’t seen his goddaughter in three months, and we haven’t been alone in a hotel room together since before Halen was born. It was a win-win.”

He snorted. “It was a win-win-win, and we both know it.”

“If seeing Harlow being all beautiful and maternal snaps Luke out of his funk, that’s just an unexpected bonus.” I kissed along his pec.

He shifted underneath me, arching his back slightly, ready to go again. “So they are keeping her until dinnertime?” He rolled over, positioning his body on top of mine.

I nodded. “We’re meeting them in the lobby at six-thirty.” I glanced over at the clock by our bed. “Which gives us another forty-five minutes before we need to get up and get dressed.”

He reached down, running a finger through my folds. “You ready for more, Kitten?” I was always ready for this man and I loved him with every part of me. I wanted that for my best friend. I wanted him to know a love like mine and Dash’s. And I’d do everything I could to make sure that happened.

Chapter Twenty-five

Harlow

I woke up to the sweetest sound in the world: baby giggles. Luke had Halen in just her diaper on the bed and he was tickling her tummy. Lexi wanted me to use her daughter to get Luke to see me, but now I was the one looking at
him
with stars in my eyes. “How long was I asleep?”

He looked up. “Couple hours. She just woke up about five minutes ago. Lexi sent clothes with Halen for dinner tonight, but she needs to be the last one dressed. There are all kinds of liquids that can come out of her at any moment.” He blew on her tummy. “And we don’t want to ruin your pretty dress, now do we?”

She flailed her arms about, cooing at her him. I sat up, stretching my arms over my head. Luke’s eyes went to my stomach when his shirt rode up. “I’m going to hop in the shower.” I made sure to remove my shirt before I made it all the way to the bathroom. I knew he wanted my body, and I knew he got a kick out of my mind. That just left my soul. I’d seen his face while I’d fed Halen, and when he heard me singing to her, he’d practically melted. But I wasn’t always going to have Dash and Lexi’s baby strapped to me. I needed to find another way.

When had I decided I wanted this
for real
? Probably when he stuck his tongue down my throat on a plane.

I took my time blow-drying my hair and putting on some makeup. His words were playing on a loop in my head.
I like you, Harlow
. I liked him too. When he’d gotten up and danced with us, I was pretty sure my ovaries burst.

Once I was done, I wrapped myself in a towel and headed back into the bedroom. “Your turn. I’ll watch Halen.”

“Don’t you want to put on some clothes first?” His eyes were on my bare thighs.

“Nah. Like you said, babies are messy. Might as well just wait until it’s time to get her dressed too.”

“You’re literally trying to kill me. Was this your plan all along? Did someone put a hit out on me? Death by blue balls?”

I snorted. “Blue balls never killed anyone. And besides, if I wanted to off someone, I’d poison them. Clean and often untraceable.” I plucked Halen from his arms and lay down on the bed, buzzing her around above my head. My towel had ridden up so far I felt a draft on my girly bits but I made no move to cover up. Luke growled and stomped into the bathroom, shutting the door harder than necessary. I sat my little partner in crime on my stomach. “Your mommy might just be on to something, kid.”

***

Dinner was at a really nice restaurant, expensive but with a laid-back vibe. I picked the shortest dress I’d brought and the highest ankle boots. It was chilly outside, but worth it every time I saw Luke adjust his crotch. We were at a large rectangular table. I was on an end cap with Luke to my left.

“Harlow, what is it that you do? You were in Costa Rica with Luke and now you’re on this promo tour. When do you work?” Smith moved his hands with such grace that even watching him cut into his steak seemed like art.

“I don’t work. Well, not really anyway. I made a lot of really great investments when I turned eighteen, so now I spend most of my time doing charity.” I could feel Luke staring at me. He’d never asked me what I did with my time; all he knew was that I had a lot of money.

Bryan took a sip of her wine. “What kinds of charities? I’ve been trying to figure out what to do now that I’m living in Texas. I’ve been looking into some nonprofits.”

I finished chewing my chicken before answering her. “I head a reading program that matches high school kids with senior citizens in Miami. Also, I sponsor this great event every summer called Cocktails and Canines; it raises money and awareness for local shelters. And I volunteer at the children’s hospital. I’m actually on the board there.” I shrugged. “Really, I just go where I’m needed.”

Lexi grinned at me from across the table. “That’s amazing.”

I brushed her off. “It’s the least I can do. I’ve been fortunate, and giving it back as much as I can just feels right, you know?”

Lexi reached across the table and pinched Luke’s arm. “Did you know she did all that? Why didn’t you tell us that your girlfriend was Mother Teresa in Julianne Hough’s body? Well, Julianne Hough with much longer legs.”

She was laying it on pretty damn thick.

“I knew she did charity work.” No he didn’t. “I just didn’t realize how much.” He reached under the table on put his warm hand on my bare thigh. I wanted him to slide it up higher. There was little under this dress between where he was touching me and where I needed him to touch me. Luke was hot. And it seemed like forever since I’d let him put his hands on my body. I was starting to fold like a stack of cards.

Dash stared at me. “You know, you do sort of look like Julianne Hough. Your legs are killer compared to hers though.”

Was the whole damn family in on Lexi’s devious little plan? Jacks scooted back and looked under the table. “How is it possible that you have better legs than a dancer?”

Luke flipped him off with his hand still resting on my thigh, “Would get your eyes off my girl’s legs please?”

Landry leaned under the table as well. “Uncle Luke, we aren’t allowed to make that hand gesture. Are we, Momma?” She sat up and looked at Bryan.

She shook her head. “No we aren’t.”

Lexi snorted into her wineglass, but then set it down and composed herself. I was starting to get uncomfortable with all this attention on me. “I, uh, I used to be a dancer. When I was younger, I mean. Never professionally. More of a hobby. I took ballet for years.” I took a gulp of my gin and tonic. “When my mom and I moved to Miami, I decided to take a break. It was a bit of a culture shock. Before that I’d only ever been in L.A. or New York. So, uh, I took salsa lessons for a while. That was fun.” I wanted to stop talking, but everyone was still staring at me. Which was making me nervous, so of course I continued my stupid word vomit. “We danced, in Costa Rica. Luke’s a great dancer. He, uh, really took to salsa and—”