Strings attached, p.16
Strings Attached, page 16
Baz’s mouth dropped open before he could stop it. “Sex parties? You seriously have sex parties in here?”
Smirking, Greg started shuffling again. “All of the members have certain . . . tastes in common. Some are a little more hardcore than others. Some participate. Some like to watch. Damn, look at that. I think you’re blushing. How cute.”
Baz was having a hell of a time wrapping his head around this. Which was stupid. Baz had his own kinks. He got off on watching. Mostly watching Nik fuck women. One or two. Sometimes three. He’d watch and join in after Nik had worn himself out. Then Nik would watch. He and Nik had double-teamed women more times than he could count.
“I’m not fucking blushing. I’m just . . . fucking impressed. This place is amazing.”
And he couldn’t help but think about all the things he could do to Tru here. Like that bench in the back. What he wouldn’t give to tie her to that, and then fuck her until she passed out. And then he’d lay her out on that chaise in front of the fireplace and lick her pussy until she came again and again.
“You bring Bree here, don’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Does Tru know about this place?”
“Nope.”
“How many other people signed that waiver?”
Greg paused for a few seconds, eyes narrowed. “About twenty, I think.”
“Do I know any of them?”
“You’ve met them all, yeah. And they all liked you or you wouldn’t be here.”
Baz shook his head. “Damn, if I’d have known I was being tested I would’ve worn my good shoes.”
“It wasn’t a test.” Greg fanned the cards on the table. “It’s more like seeing if you fit.”
“So are you going to tell me who I made such a good impression on or do I have to guess?”‘
“Ah, good. You’re here.” Jared stepped through the wall, pushing a room-service cart overflowing with trays and grinning in Baz’s direction. “Glad you signed off, Baz. Food’s hot. Ty’s right behind me. I’m ready to play cards. Belle and Kate are huddled in our room making scrapbooks, and as much as I love my wife, there was no way in hell I was getting roped into making scrapbooks.”
“The truth is she didn’t want you there to screw anything up.”
Ty smacked his brother on the back as he and Dane Connelly followed on Jared’s heels. Both men came to the table to shake Baz’s hand, who then bowed in Ty’s direction.
“Dude, this place is fucking amazing.”
Ty laughed. “Yeah, well, I really didn’t have much to do with it. This was Jed and Dane’s baby from day one.”
Baz turned to shake hands with Dane Connelly, Jared’s best friend. “How the hell did you come up with this?”
Baz didn’t know Dane well. The guy was quiet and intense and had recently fallen for Talia Driscoll, who was good friends with Jared’s wife, Annabelle, and Ty’s girlfriend, Kate. The only times he’d met Dane, the guy had been focused on Talia.
But Baz figured the guy had to be okay if these men liked him.
“Long story short,” Jared said, “I developed an obsession with Victorian erotica in college and Dane and I started a secret society based on ones we’d read about in a few classes. When Ty and I built the hotel, Dane and I came up with the idea for the Salon.”
“Well, hell, man, you’re way more interesting than I gave you credit for.”
“I guess I’ll take that as a compliment, coming from the rock star.” Jared laughed. “Come on, let’s dish up the food and get started. I’m feeling lucky tonight.”
An hour later, comfortably full of perfectly cooked Kobe beef, some kind of amazing dish with vegetables in a white sauce, and a slice of chocolate cake he was still working on, Baz was trying to keep his head in the game but had lost the last three hands. Luckily, he’d won a few of the first ones so he wasn’t out much.
Thoughts of what Tru was doing kept poking into his head, alternately pissing him off and making his stomach roll.
“Jesus, Ty, you have the fucking best poker face.” Dane tossed his cards on the table and gave Ty the finger when Ty just smiled. “Where the hell’s Cory? He can’t bluff for shit.”
“Not available.”
Something in Greg’s short answer caught Baz’s attention, and he looked up from his cards. But Greg had his gaze trained on his hand.
“Oh. Fu— Yeah. God damn it, Ty, don’t be so fucking smug.” Dane’s response pulled Baz’s attention that way, and there was something in Dane’s expression that made his gaze narrow.
“I can’t help it. I’m just that good. And you suck at cards, Dane.”
“Fuck.” Baz tossed his cards on the table. “That’s who she’s out with, isn’t it?”
Jared tossed his cards at Dane, who shrugged with a grimace. “I forgot you told me not to say anything. Sue me.”
Shit. It made sense. Cory had been all over her Wednesday night at dinner. Why the hell hadn’t he put that together sooner?
Maybe because he hadn’t wanted to think about her out with another guy.
Now he had four pairs of eyes watching him with varying degrees of “Oh shit.” But it was Greg he focused on. And it was Greg he felt most betrayed by.
Which was stupid, but still true.
Greg had the grace to grimace. “You really wanna do this? Now?”
No, he didn’t. He didn’t want to have a tantrum like a toddler but that’s exactly how he felt.
Fuck.
He took a deep breath. “Shit. I’m gonna get a drink. Anyone want anything?”
Pushing away from the table, he walked to the bar and spent a few seconds deciding against anything too hard. It was too easy to get smashed fast and that would just prove him to be unstable. He must have stood there for at least a minute before he felt Greg come up next to him.
“You want to tell me to mind my own business, do it now. Otherwise, we’re gonna have this talk. We can do it here or we can go in another room. Your choice.”
Baz turned to Greg. “You think I’m gonna go over the edge, don’t you? That I can’t handle this shit?”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about you. But it’s not because I think you’re gonna wig out. I don’t wanna see you get hurt. I don’t want Tru hurt, either. Honestly, if you two decide to date, my life will be just as screwed as yours if it doesn’t work out between you. But I can’t think of anyone I’d rather see you with.”
Greg’s quiet words eased a little of the tension in Baz’s body but . . . “The only problem is I don’t think she sees herself with me. I think she thinks Cory is the kind of guy she should be with. A businessman who’s got his shit together. Stable and dependable and, hell, even I’d take a guy like that.”
Shit, he hadn’t wanted to spill that out there, and he glanced over at the table but the other guys were playing cards again and purposely ignoring Greg and him.
Christ, now he was the special case they had to make sure they didn’t upset.
“And why don’t you think you’re any of those things?”
“Because I’m not. I’m not stable. I’m constantly going off on things that piss me off. And when I get an idea, I can be out of commission for hours. Even if—” Shit, he didn’t want to talk about last night in the music room. It was still too fresh in his head. “I go out on tour months at a time and when we record, we hole up in a studio somewhere for weeks.”
“Maybe that’s what happened before, but that doesn’t mean that’s always going to be your life.” Greg sighed. “Look, I’m not trying to get you to drop your band and be a composer for me for the rest of your life, although the thought has crossed my mind. I think you’re fucking brilliant and I think you should do whatever the fuck makes you happy. And if Tru makes you happy, then I think you need to fucking tell her that, and then make damn sure you make her happy, too.”
“And what if I don’t think I’m the right guy for her?”
Greg’s mouth twisted. “Then I think you’re pretty fucking stupid because I think you’re an amazing person. That doesn’t mean I want to fuck you”—This made Baz laugh—“but you and Tru are two of my favorite people in the world and I think you need each other.”
Need. Funny word for Greg to use. Because that’s exactly how he felt about Tru. Like he needed her.
And it wasn’t like it’d happened overnight. It’d been coming on for months now. Every time they fought, it was like she slipped under his guard a little farther. Until he wanted to pull her all the way under and against him.
But he had a feeling she didn’t feel the same. That, to her, he was just someone to pass the time with until a guy like Cory came along and they moved to the Main Line, bought a mansion, and had a few perfect kids.
“Jesus, Baz.” Greg grabbed his shoulder and shook him. What the fuck do you want?”
“I want my fucking band to be whole again. I don’t want to feel like I’m damaged. And I want Tru.”
Greg smiled and the cocky sonovabitch who made million-dollar deals in a cutthroat business showed itself. “Then don’t be a fucking pussy. Make her believe you’re the only guy she should ever want. Just . . . don’t tell me how because, Christ, I love the girl like a sister and I don’t want to know that she has actual sex.”
After he stopped laughing, Baz shook his head. “And how the fuck am I supposed to make her believe that?”
“You gotta believe it first.”
Baz rolled his eyes. “Great, now you’re spouting new-age bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit if it works.”
“Yeah, yeah. I am worthy. I get it. Next?”
“Next, you gotta show her she’s not just another piece of ass. And then you gotta make sure you don’t fuck it all up by acting like a dick.”
“You’re just full of wisdom tonight.”
“That’s because he nearly fucked up his own relationship by doing exactly what he just told you not to do.”
Baz turned to see Ty leaning back in his chair, watching them. Actually, they were all watching him now. Baz had never had stage fright. He could play in front of thousands and have a great time. This felt like torture.
Greg shrugged. “Not quite, but close enough.”
“Okay, now that we’ve told Baz how to handle his love life, can we please play some damn poker?” Jared flashed him a smile and held up the deck.
“Yeah, yeah. We’re coming.” Greg turned back to Baz. “Sometimes you just gotta take that leap and trust someone will be there to catch you. If I know Tru at all, and I do, she won’t let you fall.”
* * *
“Thank you for dinner. I had a really nice time.”
“I should be thanking you. I haven’t had this much fun on a date in a very long time.”
Tru smiled up into Cory’s handsome face, noting how his smile was so open, so relaxed.
He’d been the perfect gentleman all night, with enough of an edge that the conversation had never turned dull or rote.
But all night she couldn’t help thinking about another man.
Which was totally unfair to Cory.
“So I want to do it again. Does Monday work for you?”
She actually liked the fact that he hadn’t just asked her if she wanted to go out. He’d asked about a specific date. It was a good tactic. If she said no to Monday, he’d probably continue down the week until she said yes.
And now all she could think about was what night Sebastian might want to see her. Yes, they had a date set for tomorrow but what if he asked her out again for later in the week and what if she’d already set a date with Cory?
And that’s when she realized there would be no more dates with Cory.
“I’m not—” She smiled, shaking her head. “Thank you for asking, but I don’t think that would be a good idea. For either of us.”
Cory’s gaze narrowed, and then he nodded, as if he’d expected this. “Let me guess. There’s someone else.”
“There is but it’s . . . complicated.”
Cory’s lips curved in a truly breathtaking smile. “Relationships usually are. He’s a fool if he doesn’t realize what a wonderful person you are, Tru.”
Well, damn. Why the hell couldn’t she melt for this man the way she did for Sebastian? It just wasn’t fair.
“Then let me just say thank you again for accompanying me to dinner and I hope to see you soon. And if that guy doesn’t work out, you know where to find me.”
Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. She waited to feel tingles, a jolt. Anything at all.
Nothing. Because all she could think about was how she went wet when Baz put his mouth over hers and kissed her like he wanted to inhale her.
She nodded as he drew back, then turned to open her door and slipped through. She sighed as she leaned against the door and closed her eyes.
Damn. Damn, damn, damn.
She wanted to throw her purse across her living room but couldn’t afford to damage her phone. Not when she knew she wanted to use it to text Sebastian. To find out what he was up to tonight.
“Ooh. This sucks.”
Since it was only eleven at night—and really, who else but losers were home by eleven on a Friday night—she pulled out her phone and texted Sabrina.
As she waited for her friend to get back to her, she went upstairs to change. Yoga pants, an old, ratty t-shirt. Her hair in a ponytail, thick socks on her feet, and makeup washed off her face.
Staring into the mirror, she didn’t look at all like a woman who would attract the attention of a rock star. She should have long blond hair and a DD chest and legs that went on for miles.
Instead, she had brown hair, an average body, and a decent face.
And Baz still wanted her.
She was still smiling when she made her way back downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of wine and a few of the Thin Mints she had stashed in the freezer.
She was just about to text Sabrina again when her phone chimed.
But it wasn’t Sabrina.
You home yet?
Sebastian.
Her heart started to race. Did he know she’d been on a date with another man tonight? She hadn’t told him. Had hoped the question would never come up. But she was home and it seemed foolish not to answer such an innocuous question.
I’m here. What’s up?
Playing cards and getting my ass handed to me. What’re you doing?
Drinking wine.
Alone?
Hmm, did she want to admit she was sitting alone on a Friday night drinking? Did that make her pathetic?
Fuck it.
Yeah.
A full minute passed before she got a response. A minute where she kept checking to see if her phone still had service.
God, she was totally losing it.
And then . . .
Her phone rang. And she felt giddy excitement, like a teenager getting a call from the most popular boy at school. The phone call she’d never received in high school.
“Hey. I thought you were playing cards.”
“I was. But, for some reason, I can’t seem to keep my mind on the game and I’ve lost every hand for the past hour.”
Curling into her comfy couch, she couldn’t help her smile. “So, who’s beating you?”
“I swear Ty’s cheating. I just haven’t figured out how to prove it. And I think Greg’s determined to win back every penny he’s gonna end up paying me for the score. Dane and Jared have probably lost as much as me.”
“And here I thought you’d be good at cards.”
“I’m kind of distracted tonight.”
“Oh, yeah. Why’s that?”
“Because there’s this girl I keep thinking about.”
Her heart picked up its pace. “Oh.”
“Yeah. See, whenever I think about her, I start to get hard and it’s pretty damn difficult to think about cards when all I can see is the beautiful woman I had on my lap last night.”
Holy hell, she couldn’t breathe.
She remembered every second of last night, too. The way he’d stared at her, the way he’d felt when he’d—
“Wait, are you still playing cards?”
He laughed, low and sexy. “Would you care?”
Shit? Would she care that her friends’ guys could hear him talking to her like this?
No, not really.
“No. But what happens when I decide to return the favor and tell you all about how I can still feel you inside me when I close my eyes. And I can still taste your skin and smell you on me.”
“Holy fuck, Tru. I’d tell you not to stop because I’m alone and I can jerk off whenever I feel like it.”
She loved hearing the strangled desire in his voice. Loved that she did that to him.
“So if I tell you I want you to wrap your hand around your cock and jerk off for me, you’ll do it?”
“Damn right, I’ll do it. Hell, girl, don’t you know I’ll do anything you ask?”
Just the thought made her swallow down a moan.
She thought about asking him to come over but couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. She’d been out with another man only an hour before and to invite Sebastian over now made her uneasy.
But she didn’t want to give him up just yet.
So you’re going to have phone sex?
She shut down that little voice before it could speak again.
“Where are you?”
“In the elevator heading back to my room.”
“I’m guessing there’s no one there with you?”
“You’d be right. If there was, they’d be getting a show right about now.”
“Are you stroking yourself already?”
“Are you?”
“No. But I can be.”
“I’m still in the elevator. Don’t wanna give Ty’s security guys a thrill. But you do it, Tru. I want you to be just as fucking horny as I am right now.”
She’d never in a million years thought she’d be turned on by a man who said the things Sebastian did. “How long ’til you get to your room?”
“Almost there. Off the elevator. Door closed. Heading toward my bed. Where are you?”
“On my couch.”
“Good. Get comfy, babe, ’cause you’re gonna be there awhile.”
Already breathing hard, she resettled herself on the couch with her head on a pillow and her legs stretched out along the cushions. Her hand had already found its way to her belly and less than an inch separated her finger tips from the waistband of her low-slung yoga pants.
