Читать книгу Reid's Deliverance - Nina Crespo - Страница 7

The lead singer of Thane’s Redemption jumped on stage. He grabbed the mic and blended his rich baritone with the edgy rock beat.

Waves of sound filled The Song, and the packed audience of mostly women cheered.

Up-tempo guitar riffs and pounding drums brought them to their feet.

Lauren Blake danced. Audible sweetness and the dark-haired keyboardist intoxicated her.

Muscles flexed underneath the clean-cut hottie’s navy button-down shirt. The rock and thrust of his jean-clad hips inspired fantasies of holding on for a sinful ride. As he played a rapidly building chord, he scanned the crowd. His gaze lingered where she jammed with Ari and Celine.

Her heart rate ticked up.

Silly, he’s not staring at you. Interacting with the crowd was part of the gig.

The band launched into a cover of a popular song.

Lauren plopped down in the curved, faux leather chair at the table.

Celine sang the lyrics along with the band. Dark hair skimmed her shoulders as she shimmied to the beat. Finally, she was enjoying life.

As Lauren fanned her face, she winked at Ari.

Plum-colored lip tint complimented her friend’s light brown complexion along with her smile. “Mission accomplished.”

Celine had given them hell about going out tonight. Still, they’d zipped her into a killer red dress and dragged her from the apartment. Her having a good time now made up for the massive attitude. Not to mention, she’d snagged Thane. The tall lead singer had a silky-looking mane most women would die for; a muscular build, and, from what she’d heard, mesmerizing golden eyes. He was the sexiest guy in the band. Well, one of the sexiest.

Thane sat down on a stool center stage with an acoustic guitar. He dedicated the next song to Celine.

The sensual rumba-styled melody captivated most of the women in the audience. The rest shot eye-daggers in their direction. Lauren flipped her hair and gave the haters pointed looks. Please. They needed to get over it. Celine more than deserved the attention.

Lauren immersed herself in the lyrics. They were an invitation for one night of passion. The chords hummed through her veins. Images drifted in of the keyboardist wrapping her in his arms. His caresses floating over her. His wicked, tantalizing kisses weakening her knees.

Prickles gathered along her spine.

He looked her direction.

Her face grew hot, and she squeezed her thighs together, quelling the ache. It was dumb to entertain the illusion, especially with her good-man indicator on the fritz. Hadn’t she learned her lesson after consistently picking out so many duds? Her handy hell-no list did ferret out the worst. Mama’s boys and cable sports junkies. In-between-jobs types who wanted to use her as their personal ATM. Commitment-phobes who didn’t “do” relationships. Courtesy of the last loser, double hell-no to self-centered pricks. No amount of talented cock could make up for pure asshole. And, of course, no heroes committed to protecting the world—military, police, not even those cute firemen at the local station. Nothing against dedication, but the sacrifices they made for their jobs ruined relationships.

The ballad ended to thunderous applause.

At the end of the show, a server dropped an envelope next to Celine. She opened it and pulled out three blue tickets.

Ari’s brown eyes widened. Lights from the stage shimmered in her metallic top as she wiggled in her seat. “We’re going to the after-party!”

“It’s late. I need to go home.” Celine shot up from her chair and rushed out.

Bright fluorescents flickered, erasing the muted glow of bar neon. The Song transformed into gray walls, dark floors, and steel. The lingering crowd skirted past round, red tables littered with used glasses and crumpled napkins.

“Shit.” Ari swept dark bangs into her short cut. “I thought we’d made a breakthrough. You know what this means—we have to convince her to go to the party and hook up with Thane.”

“Nope.” Lauren finished the last of her tangy-sweet mangotini. “You heard her snap my head off earlier when I suggested she talk to that guy at the bar. I’m done with matchmaking. It’s your turn.”

Ari sighed and grabbed her purse. “Wish me luck.”

Lauren stood and picked up her green clutch. No need to hurry. She had the keys. Hopefully, World War III would end before she got to the car.

Laughter came from the stage.

The members of the band were breaking down their equipment and talking with fans. A group of women surrounded the keyboardist. One of them wore a tiara and a “Finally 21!” sash over a form-fitting, pink minidress. He draped an arm around her and posed for pictures. The redhead practically swooned. Who could blame her? Six years ago, at that age, she would have done the same. His wide shoulders were made for holding onto, and the way he filled out those jeans screamed hot body. Not to mention that orgasm-inducing grin. He turned up the wattage on said grin and chatted with his admirers. At least a ten-year age difference existed between him and the birthday girl. The way he flirted with her and her friends, maybe he preferred to date younger.

His eyes locked on Lauren. Even from a distance, she could see his gaze roaming over her from head to toe and back up again. He smiled and her short, white dress grew as warm as a parka. Caught staring, could she look more pathetic?

Steps from the exit, a drunken guy staggered into her path. An abrupt halt left her teetering in her stilettos. A strong, masculine arm wrapped around her waist. Lauren’s heart jumped.

“Careful.” His breath ruffled the hair near her cheek. “I’ve got you.”

People squeezed by to get to the door.

She didn’t budge. The keyboardist’s clean, woodsy scent surrounded her as she leaned against hard chest muscle.

“Time to move. We’re about to get trampled.” He rested his hand on her back. Confidence and his long stride sliced through the crowd. They walked out and moved to the side of the door.

Too much space allowed cool night air to steal his warmth. Exhaust fumes from departing cars snatched away his appealing scent.

More people piled out of the club.

He turned his back to the door. Lights near the awning illuminated the clean-shaven lines of his face. “I’m Reid, by the way.”

Intense hazel eyes robbed her of speech. Her, lost for words? That never happened. “I’m Lauren.”

“Nice to meet you, Lauren. So, are you coming to the after-party?”

Across the parking lot, Ari begged and stamped her feet. Inches shorter than Celine, she resembled a child throwing a tantrum.

“My friend Celine is tired. She wants to go home.”

Reid stepped into her space. Close enough for warmth and deliciousness to return and kick up her heart rate. “What do you want?”

To stay out of trouble. After three failed relationships in five months, she was taking a break from men, dating, the whole shebang. “It isn’t about what I want.”

“It should be.”

“When we’re out together, if one of us doesn’t want to do something, we all take a pass.”

He flattened her hand to his chest. “You’re breaking my heart. I can’t believe fate brought you to me tonight just to take you away.”

With each hard, steady thump against her palm, her brain circuits sizzled. Lush warmth spread through her breasts and the lace cups of her bra grew uncomfortably small. It was too easy to imagine him inching up her dress, stroking gently, pressing firmly. She tugged her hand from his grasp. “Sorry. Girl-code solidarity trumps fate.”

Ari squealed and happy-danced. She must’ve worn Celine down, but that wasn’t surprising. No one refused Ari. Most gave up because they couldn’t get past her unique logic.

Reid intertwined their fingers and flashed a grin. “Looks like fate is working in my favor after all.”

* * * *

Lauren plucked strawberries from the tray on the table and put them on a plate. In the middle of the upstairs room, Reid played a song on the baby grand. The fluid chords wove into the laughter and conversations.

Muscle on top of muscle. That’s what it had felt like when she’d touched him. And the remarkable-looking bulge pressed against his zipper was the perfect match to the way he’d moved his hips on stage.

Ari joined her at the buffet. “I can’t believe Thane hasn’t shown up yet.”

“I can’t either.” Lauren dropped mini tacos on her plate. “He didn’t come across as a jerk.” And neither had Reid.

“What’s our next move?”

“Find him and rip his head off.”

“Calm down, Blondie. No need to shed blood. Yet.”

“We worked hard to break Celine out of her shell, and now he’s ruining it.” Too good to be true, a primary jerk-alert sign. How had she missed it? As Lauren loaded up on brownies, Ari stole her tacos. “Hey.”

“Stop giving me side-eye.” Ari held her plate out of reach and pointed at Lauren’s. “You only scarf down that much when you’re worried or frustrated.”

“I’m upset over what’s happening to Celine.”

“Doing something about it is better than gaining a bazillion pounds.”

“Aside from stringing up Thane, what can I do?”

They inched through the crowd to the side of the room. A picture window overlooked the pool.

Ari munched a carrot stick. “Thane went all out for Celine tonight. He wouldn’t have done that unless he was interested. Something happened. You need to get the scoop from Reid.”

“Why me? You can do it.”

“I’m not the one fantasizing about him.”

Typical Ari. Somehow she sensed things before anyone else did. “Point your matchmaking mojo elsewhere.”

“I saw you at the club. You’re into him.”

“I’m on man hiatus. Just me and my battery-operated boyfriend. It’s safer that way. No more disappointments.”

“Do you want to know what I think?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“That hell-no list of yours has made you jaded. No wonder you can’t find a decent guy. There’s more to it than whether or not he lives with his mother or turns on SportsCenter during sex. You need to add important questions to your criteria.”

“Go on. I can’t wait to hear the rest of this.”

“Basic things like, can he hold a conversation? Would you share a meal with him in public? Can he focus on what pleases you in bed without a detailed map? Is he someone you’d want to cuddle with for more than two whole minutes after an orgasm? You have to find a guy who’ll deliver what you want and more.”

“Gee, that technical, huh? I never would have guessed.”

“You’ll catch on with practice, but there’s no rush. Think it through during your hiatus. You’ll see that I’m right. Now that we’ve got you straightened out, what are we doing about her?”

Celine rifled through her clutch. Her hair almost hid her anxious expression.

“Don’t look at me. You’re the one with all the solutions.”

Ari looked heavenward. “Give me strength. Weren’t you listening? I already told you what to do. Talk to Reid.”

“Wait a minute. Didn’t you just say I shouldn’t rush into your suggestion?”

“Exactly. Keep it flirty and casual. Information only.”

Reid was playing haunting notes. Each keystroke was like an intimate caress.

Talk? Yeah right. She couldn’t stop envisioning him naked. Celine, however, hadn’t reacted to a guy like this since losing her fiancé. Sweet-talking Reid would help her discover the truth about Thane. If she didn’t, Celine could miss out on the best night of her life. She handed her plate to Ari. “I’ll be right back.”

* * * *

Reid transitioned the slow opening of “Shadows on the Road” into a faster tempo. As his fingers picked up speed, lingering adrenaline stirred from the night’s performance. Whenever they played the band’s signature song on stage, West drove the beat on drums. Colby’s bass brought a heart-bumping rhythm. Mace on electric guitar twanged out soul-stirring chords while he blended in on the keyboards. Thane captivated the crowd with his stage presence and resonant voice. “Shadows” always seemed to put emotions in sync. Everyone could relate to heartbreak and discovering their dreams in the unexpected.

A path opened. Lauren stalked forward in a pair of gladiator-style stilettos. Her dress billowed and formed over her breasts and hips. She sat next to him on the polished bench seat, facing the opposite way. He’d made the right choice by not crowding her space. Despite their attraction to each other, she had been skittish at the club. He had to let her come to him.

She crossed her long, toned legs, and the hem of her dress inched up her tanned thigh. “I don’t know who Thane thinks he is, but the game is over. Celine isn’t waiting. We’re leaving.”

“Hold on. He’s not playing games. A group of fans swarmed him for pictures.” Reid switched to a smooth, seductive melody. “He’s on his way. Ask Celine to wait.”

“Nope.”

“Come on. Give a guy a chance.”

“Are we talking about you or Thane?”

He returned her smile. She knew how to flirt. Unlike most of the women he’d met, she had the confidence to do it well. “Both of us.”

“Then you’ve got a problem. He’s not here.”

“But he will be.” Reid leaned closer. “What’s that look about?”

“I’m trying to decide if I should trust what you’re telling me.”

She flipped her hair, and perfume drifted over him. Soft, floral, wholly feminine and warm like the sun.

“You absolutely should.”

“Why?”

She rested against him, and her soft breast cushioned his arm. Blood coursed from his head, starving his brain as it flooded downward. “He really likes Celine.”

“Then he should have gotten his butt here sooner. I can’t make her stay.”

“What about us?”

“I guess that’s your loss for having a friend who sucks at handling time.”

Handle time? They mastered it with every leap into the future to change fate and right wrongs. Her leaving with Celine would top the list of major wrongs. He had to capitalize on the moment. Once he jumped forward in time, she wouldn’t remember he existed. “Give her your car keys.”

“What will that do?”

He leaned in and breathed more of her wonderful scent. “Make it hard.”

She glanced past his waist and his cock responded. Her cheeks grew pink. “That’s an interesting proposition, but I honestly don’t understand how that helps Celine with Thane.”

Warmth lured him in, and he skimmed his lips below her ear. “It’s simple. You’re not forcing her to stay. Celine’s interested or she wouldn’t have come here in the first place. She won’t leave.” And they could continue in a quieter place where he’d follow the trail of her perfume. Throat to breasts and over her belly. From supple calves up her thighs. Tasting, teasing, driving her wild until she begged him to stop.

Lauren released an unsteady breath. “I see where you’re going with Celine, but we can’t—”

He kissed her, claiming the objection with the slip of his tongue over hers. Mouthwatering. Addictive. She was more inviting than anything he’d tasted. Her low moan more captivating than any piece of music he’d ever played. It took every bit of control not to haul her up on the piano, lift her dress, and extract every beautiful sound she could make. A shudder reverberated through him. He had to stop, but one kiss wasn’t nearly enough. He needed to touch her, hold her, have her.

Her gaze reflected what he wanted, but uncertainty shadowed her expression. She shook her head as if to clear it. “What am I doing?”

Not leaving, for one thing. The sight of her tongue painting a glimmer over her lower lip drew him back. Each restrained brush against her lips made him insanely harder. If Thane blew his chances with Lauren, he’d kick his ass. “Give Celine the keys, and find out.”