Taking Something (6 page)

I
COULDN'T
believe how easy it was to get the invite back to Casa de Sadie. I mean, I was good, but damn... It usually took a little more than a dinner and a “You're the best singer ever” to get a girl horizontal. Our conversation had started off with talk of music and
her vision.
I'd even agreed to let her record one of her songs during our next studio session. It had seemed to appease her for the moment, because our conversation had quickly turned into a flirty game of cat and mouse. Or maybe cat and cat.

I was having a hard time keeping up with her demanding attitude. But I had to admit, the girl knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. It was going to take a lot of ego stroking to get her to play my game.

As she slipped her key into the door, I took the opportunity to slide my hand under the hem of her dress, tickling her thighs with the tips of my fingers and whispering into her ear, “We are going to be amazing together.” I had the hottest girl on the planet practically begging me to bed her, so I wasn't wasting any time.

She let out a sigh that sounded a lot like a purr and leaned into me. “Musically or sexually?” Her backside pressed against me as she turned her face to mine.

“What do you think?” I teased, flicking my tongue against her neck.

“Well, if what I'm feeling between us is any indication, I think whatever we do together is going to be pretty fucking hot.” She slipped her hand between our bodies and stroked it over my hard cock.

Gia's warning of Sadie being one bad relationship away from a nervous breakdown and Lila's “think it through” speech were both running through my mind.

What do they know?

I captured her mouth with mine, tasting the cherry lip gloss I'd seen her put on at least five times that night. There was definitely a battle for control between us—both of us used to being the one who called the shots. I had no problem letting Sadie think she was in charge of her music career, but when it came to the bedroom, I was the boss.

I slipped my fingers under the edge of the lacy panties I could feel hugging her skin and found the one spot I knew would have her surrendering control to me.

“Open the door, Sadie,” I said firmly, pulling my lips from hers and gliding my fingers across her slick heat. “Wouldn't want some paparazzi getting pictures of me making you come right here on your front porch.”

She whimpered and her knees went shaky as she pushed the door handle down.

“Good girl.” I pushed my lips back to hers as we walked into the foyer of her house. I turned her in my arms and backed her into the wall as the door latched shut behind us. “You sure about this? They always say it's not wise to mix business with pleasure.”

I knew her answer before I asked the question, but making her think she was in control was all part of the game.

“I'm sure,” she assured. “I want all the benefits of our new partnership. I'm gonna need your A-game in the studio and the bedroom, Mr. Kline.”

“A-game's the only game I got, baby.” I plunged two fingers deep inside her. Taking her wrists in my free hand, I raised her arms above her head and focused my mouth on her exposed neckline. I could feel her clench around my fingers, and my cock was straining against my pants, eager to have its turn. Both of our bodies were begging for release, but if she was going to get hers, I was sure as shit going to get mine.

I took a step back, letting her catch her breath. The pleading look in her eyes was quickly replaced with a sultry stare.

“You weren't finished,” she said with a heavy breath.

“I know,” I admitted, moving toward her and unbuckling my belt. “This is fun and all, but I need to be inside of you. Now.”

She pushed the straps of her little black dress from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. No bra. Just black lace panties.

Apparently, her Maxim spread had not been airbrushed. She was flawless. Perfect round tits and a tight little stomach. She reached out and grabbed my shirt, pulling me toward her. No “Let's go in the bedroom” or a check to see if anyone from her entourage was hanging around her house. She wanted me right then and there. I wasn't about to argue.

“You look good enough to eat.” I licked my lips at the thought. If screwing her was part of this deal, I'd gladly sign on the dotted line.

Her eyes went soft and a shy smile crossed her lips.

She likes being told she is pretty. No surprise there.

She reached out, tugging my shirt up over my head. As her eyes cascaded down my collection of ink, she pushed my pants and boxers from my waist. She took my length her hand, stroking from top to bottom as she pressed her lips against my skin. I’d stroke her ego all day as long as she kept stroking me like that.

Before my pants had hit the ground, I’d pulled a condom from my pocket. I slipped it on. Not a chance in hell I was fathering a baby—even with the hot pop star who was standing close to naked in front of me. I pushed her panties down, and as soon as she stepped out of them, I lifted one of her legs up and buried myself in her.

“Jesus, Nick,” she cried out as I familiarized myself with body. I swirled my hips to see how much she could take as I flicked my tongue against her hard nipples. She could take it all, apparently. And despite how much I was giving, she kept asking for more.

“Harder!” she cried out. “Deeper. Give it all to me, Nick.”

I smirked as I gave her what she asked for and watched her eyes roll back in ecstasy. Guess her greediness covered all aspects of her life.

Her breathing quickened as I moved in and out. Each time, she rose up on her toes to meet me.

She clenched around me as I unloaded. The euphoric feeling of coming, coupled with the fact that I could see she was pleased, had me patting myself on the back. This was going to work.

I'd give her the sex if she'd give me the music.

I
WANTED
to kick myself in the balls when I saw the morning light peeking through the heavy curtains of her bedroom. Last night's rendezvous had definitely taken a lot out of me—mentally and physically—but staying the night with Sadie wasn't something I'd planned on.

After I’d rocked her world in the foyer, she’d wanted it in the bedroom. Which had somehow turned into her wanting to talk about her feelings. Wasn't the ideal place, but I hadn’t wanted her to have second thoughts about giving me, a virtual unknown, a shot. I had turned off my nail-and-bail instinct and let her drone on and on about how people didn't understand her.

“I want to connect to people,” she’d said. “Spiritually. Emotionally. I'm tired of them thinking that I'm shallow. I want them to understand that I'm more than just a great singer and actress. You know?”

“I completely understand.” I patted her back as she rested her head on my chest.

“People act like my life is so easy, and it couldn't be further from the truth,” she added.

“I want to help you find the perfect songs to express how you feel.” I looked down and saw her smile. She was buying it.

Don't get me wrong, I wanted Sadie to be happy with the music we made, but more than that, I wanted to make money. “Poor little rich girl” songs didn't work for singers like Sadie. She wanted to sing about struggles, but her entire life had pretty much been handed to her once her mom had gotten her that television show. The real musicians, who'd given their whole lives to become something, would drown Sadie. She needed to stick to what she was good at—stuff people liked to dance to and sing at karaoke bars—not deep and meaningful. But if I had to let her have a couple tracks to keep her convinced I was the right guy for this job, then so be it. I was more worried about the tracks that would actually get radio play, not the filler.

I needed to change the subject. It was a tall order. Other than music and money, we had zero in common. I racked my brain to come up with something we could talk about.

“So how did Gia end up being your assistant?” We both knew Gia. Made sense as a topic. Only problem was that, after I’d asked the question, I felt myself anticipating learning more about Gia. “Couldn't make it after the television show?”

I felt Sadie hesitate then swallow hard, like she was trying to keep something inside. “Something like that.”

“That's too bad,” I said, wondering what had made her react that way. “She's a pretty girl, and I've heard that she's talented. Has to suck for her to see you be so successful.”

Sadie sat up quickly and looked deeper in my eyes than she ever had. “Nick,” she said with an innocent smile, “there's something you need to know.”

“What's that?” I asked, hoping that maybe she was going to tell me something that deepened our connection. The sex had been great, and I could get on board with being in a relationship that had that aspect covered, but being able to be around her outside of that was going to be a stretch if she didn't give me something to work with. Something told me that she wasn't a complete narcissist. There was only room for one of those in a relationship, and I had it covered.

“If you and I are going to be sleeping and working together, I don't ever want to hear you say that you think
anyone—
other than me—is pretty.” She gave the direct order nonchalantly, as if she'd just asked me to pass her the salt over the dinner table.

It was so easy for her to demand things. Second nature. She pressed her lips to mine and then trailed her mouth down my neck. Not only was she telling me what to do, she was expecting me to just rise to the occasion for another round of sex.

Somehow I managed to deliver, but the entire time, all I could think about was exactly how pretty Gia was.

The thing that pissed me off more than anything? When I woke up, I was still thinking about the pain-in-the-ass brunette not in my arms instead of the smoking-hot redhead who was.

I slowly slipped out of the bed and left her after thirty minutes of contemplating whether or not I wanted her to wake up next to me.

I knew how a girl's mind worked. She would take me staying the night as a sign that I wanted more than what we had agreed to. We'd settled on working and sleeping together, but a committed relationship had never been on the table. No sense in throwing all the logs on the fire. I could save the relationship talk for when I needed to pull her in deeper. Like over the next couple of weeks when she was refusing to sing the songs I was asking her to.

She smiled when she slept. Each slow and steady breath she took in made her lips upturn in a cute little grin. As much as I hoped that she was dreaming about my performance last night, I was pretty sure she was dreaming about rolling around in her mounds of cash.

If I were being honest with myself, I used dreamed about the same thing. Now my dreams consisted of women I shouldn't be dreaming about. First Lila and now Gia.

What the fuck is going on with me?

“Leaving so soon?” Her voice startled me as I crept through the kitchen toward the front door. I hadn't even buttoned my pants yet. I turned on my heels to see Gia standing behind the kitchen counter, cutting up fresh fruit, and arranging a breakfast tray for, I assumed, her peacefully sleeping boss. “Got what you wanted so you're out the door?”

I looked at my watch. 7:26 a.m. Too early for snarky comments, despite the fact that she looked pretty damn delicious as she delivered them. My night had been too long, and she was part of the reason I was restless. Taking over my head with her cute, little heart-shaped face. Her almond shaped brown eyes and that sweet mouth that had done nothing but give me shit since I’d met her.

I was starting to see bits and pieces of her appeal. The few photos of her I'd seen online—the ones where she's standing behind Sadie, trying to fade into the background—didn't do her justice. She was beautiful. And not in the Hollywood glamour kind of way. The naturally pretty, girl-next-door kind of way.

Sadie hadn't been able to send her running all over town yet. Her long brown hair was still down—freshly washed and dried—not a disheveled mess from a trying day with Sadie. And her makeup hadn't yet been rubbed from her eyes as she fought the exhaustion that came with her day job. I almost felt sorry for her, but not quite. She could have been like Sadie—rich and famous. She was the one who had given up on her dream and settled for being someone's hired help. It wasn't my fault she couldn't hack it. I knew better than anyone what achieving a goal meant. Sacrifice. Dedication. Doing things you probably didn't want to do. But judging from what I’d seen online, she’d just given up.