During the last few weeks I had been getting more and more offers from Rock America for freelance jobs. But the last time I had talked to the editor, he had told me that he had a position opening up and that he was really considering me for the job. I hadn’t really let myself think about it simply because I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

But if he was calling me now that had to mean something major… Right?

I picked up my phone and hit connect, my heart shaking my chest from excitement.

Rock America was a major magazine that was published monthly but also had web publications weekly. The magazine was based in California, but its journalists could work from anywhere. The editor told me again how much he liked my work, especially my photos. Then he made me an offer I really couldn’t turn down…

Fifteen minutes later I left my room feeling as if I was walking on air. I wanted to tell Shane and share my news. When I found him in the kitchen with Dallas, some of my excitement evaporated. I could feel the tension in the air, knew that they had been arguing. Dallas and Shane normally got along well.

“What’s going on?” I asked, standing in the kitchen doorway and glancing from my best friend to my boyfriend.

I saw the hard look that Shane gave Dallas and the glare she shot at him before forcing a smile. “Nothing. Just being my usual morning bitchy self.”

Knowing my friend like I did, that excuse more than explained the tension in the air. I could only imagine the treatment Shane had to withstand while I was talking to my new boss. “Try not to bust his balls so much,” I told her with a warning frown.

“I’ll do my best,” she assured me with a grin, which told me that she wasn’t going to try at all.

Rolling my eyes at her, I crossed to Shane and wrapped my arms around him. “Guess what?” I commanded with a grin.

I felt the tension leave him and he dropped a kiss on the end of my nose. “What, baby?”

“I just accepted an offer from Rock America!” I squealed.

“Baby, that’s great.” He pulled me close, holding on tight. “I knew you could do it!”

“That’s great news, Harp!” Dallas exclaimed from across the kitchen. “We should celebrate.”

“Yes, definitely.” I nodded, liking the idea. “Maybe drinks later?”

“After a celebration dinner.” Shane kissed my lips lingeringly, and I almost forgot what we had been talking about by the time he pulled back. “I want to take you out.”

Behind me I heard Dallas mutter something under her breath and then she spoke up. “Linc and I will meet you two later at the club then.”

“Sounds good.” I shot her a smile. “We’re going to check on Lana. Want to come?”

“No, not right now. But tell her I will stop by later. Text me if there’s anything she needs and I’ll bring it with me.” 

Chapter 14

Harper

Making sure Lana was still doing well was at the top of my priorities. Of course I shouldn’t have worried about my friend. When we walked into her private room an hour later, she was snuggled up in bed with Drake beside her.

It was kind of bitter sweet to look at them. They looked so content to be in one another’s arms, but so sad too. The loss of their baby was hitting Lana hard, and I ached for my friend.

Shane had stopped in the gift shop and picked up a load of balloons that had Lana smiling as she watched him fight with the dozens of strings attached to them. He was melting my heart, watching the way he was so tender with his sis, as he liked to call Lana.

We had only been there about half an hour when Layla and Emmie joined us. Layla was all about Lana, making sure she wasn’t in any pain. Shane took Emmie out into the hall for a long while, but I didn’t question either of them when they returned separately. Shane just kissed my cheek and pulled me close.

I was pretty sure that I was in love with this rock star, and that didn’t scare me like it might have a month ago.

We left the hospital later that afternoon and returned to my apartment to get ready for dinner. It was still too early to go out, but that was the excuse I gave Shane when I tugged him from Lana’s crowded hospital room. I knew that Lana was going to be taken care of, and I needed some alone time with Shane before we went out later.

As soon as we walked through the front door, I was already tugging at his T-shirt. He made a growling noise and lifted me effortlessly into his arms. “I hope you aren’t too sore from last night and this morning because I really don’t think I can be gentle, beautiful.”

I grinned at him as he practically jogged through the apartment toward my room. “Good.”

As soon as the bedroom door was shut and locked behind us, he tossed me on the bed and jumped in beside me. The bed bounced, causing me to giggle. The giggles quickly died when his lips captured my own.

Even as he devoured me with his sensual lips, he was stripping me with his talented hands. Sneaky fingers tormented me, pinching my sensitive nipples and spreading the lips of my sex but not entering me. I didn’t have time to think, could barely comprehend what I was feeling before he made me feel something more mind blowing.

His hot mouth left mine and swallowed one of my tiny breasts, making me cry out in pure elation. Fingers found my throbbing clit, making me whimper for more. I could feel my sex flooding with proof of my arousal, dampening my thighs and his hand.

“Fuck, baby!” he exclaimed when he felt how ready I was for him. “You are drenched.” I watched as he licked his lips like a man dying of thirst. “I’m going to eat you until you beg me to stop.”

Shane’s mouth was on me before he even finished speaking. My body was his for the taking, my hips arching up to meet his seeking tongue. Strong fingers gripped my hips, holding me in place as he buried his face in between my wet folds. I lost control fast, my climax washing over me within less than a minute of his tongue working me over.

I was helpless to stop the small screams that escaped me as I fell apart, but he wasn’t finished with me. His tongue never stopped, only intensifying my orgasm, pleasuring me through the peak. As soon as I fell off the edge of the precipice, he was working me toward another one. My fingers fisted the covers, holding on as he pushed me harder and faster toward the abyss of pleasure that awaited me on the other side of a second climax in as many minutes.

I cried out his name when I fell again, the orgasm lasting longer this time. Still, he didn’t stop but added his fingers to the equation. Two thick fingers thrust into me as his mouth sucked on my clit. The growling noises he was making letting me know that he was enjoying the taste of me only made me wetter for him.

“Shane!” My voice was broken, hoarse from the screams that he had ripped from me with the two orgasms he had already given me. “I want you, Shane!”

“Not yet.” His voice was rough, raspier than I’d ever heard it. “I love the taste of your need for me. Want more of it, baby. Give me more!”

His words only made me come apart fast as he flattened his tongue against my clit and held it there as he finger fucked me. I came for the third time and he ate it all up. Finally, he lifted his head and I could see my desire damp on his face. Maybe I should have been embarrassed, but I wasn’t. Not with Shane, who had awoken all of this passion in me.

I watched as he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. His groan stirred something deep between my legs back to life again. “I hope you liked that, baby. Because I plan on doing it often.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t. Instead, I grabbed his arm and pulled him down on top of me. “I want you inside of me. Now.”

The way his eyes darkened only increased my need for him. “Whatever you want, beautiful.”

His clothes were gone in seconds, and he was finally on his knees in front of me, naked and aroused and beautifully male. I grasped his dick with both hands, loving how he felt against my fingers. Hot, hard, silky. Spreading my legs wider for him, I guided him to my entrance.

Balancing his weight on his wrists now, he paused as the head of his big cock entered me. “I’m yours, Harper. And you are mine.”

I blinked, unable to understand his words at first. “What?”

“I belong to you. Tell me you know that.”

My breath felt like it was trapped in my lungs all of a sudden. “Shane… I…”

“I love you, baby.”

Tears burnt my eyes and I quickly blinked them away. “Don’t say that.”

“Why not?” he asked softly.

“Because… Because…” I broke off, not completely sure why he shouldn’t say those words to me. “Because I want to believe you.”

A smile teased his lips. God, I loved it when he smiled. I felt like everything in the world was perfect when he smiled at me. “Believe it, beautiful. I love you.”

Heart pounding, I covered his mouth with my hand. “Prove it.”

He did. For hours he showed me by making love to me until I was sure I was going to expire from the sheer pleasure of it all.

--

After an afternoon full of nothing but lovemaking, all I wanted to do was sleep until it was time to meet Dallas and Linc later that night. I was sure that Shane and I had more than celebrated my new job, but he had other plans.

“Get your sexy ass up!” he commanded, jumping out of bed with more energy than I would have thought possible after just spending hours proving that he was indeed a sex god.

I groaned and rolled over, hiding under the covers. “Sleepy.”

A firm slap to my bottom made me squeal. “Get up and shower or I’ll do it for you.”

When I didn’t bother to move, he lifted me, covers and all, and carried me into the bathroom. I struggled in his hold, laughing and kicking. “Shane! Put me down!”

Suddenly, I was on my feet in the shower and the covers were stripped away from me. His mischievous smile made me melt for him all over again. “Do I need to wash you too?”

I gave him a mock glare. “Tyrant.”

Laughing, he turned for the door. “Better get to washing, beautiful. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

Forty-five minutes later we were stepping out of the back of a town car and into one of the most extravagant restaurants in New York City. Luckily, I had dressed with this possibility in mind because I knew that Shane liked these types of places just as much as he liked little mom-and-pop eateries.

There was a line but when Shane approached the hostess and gave his name the woman told him his party had already arrived. I frowned up at him. “Are your friends joining us?” It didn’t bother me if they were, but I’d thought it was going to be just the two of us.

I saw something like uncertainty flash across his face for a moment. He turned to me and cupped my face tenderly in his big, callused hands. “I love you, Harper.”

“Shane…”

“Just trust me… Okay?”

His words only confused me, so I said nothing as he took my hand and linked our fingers as the hostess showed us to our table. The place was full of familiar faces, none of whom I knew personally but from celebrity gossip pages instead. Some of them turned to watch as Shane pulled me through the masses, others didn’t find us interesting enough to bother.

I was too concerned about what Shane could have possibly meant to care or to notice the two women sitting at one of the best tables in the restaurant, watching us make our way toward them. It wasn’t until we were mere feet away from them that I realized my mother and stepsister were about to pounce.


Shane

I felt Harper stiffen beside me and knew that she had spotted her family. Dallas’ warning that I could possibly lose the best thing to ever happen to me echoed in the back of my mind. My stomach clenched with what could only be fear, but I pushed through it.

If I was to understand the girl I intended to spend the rest of my life with, we had to deal with this now.

Harper suddenly stopped and I was forced to turn and face her. My heart ached at the sight of her pale face and the hurt shining at me through those glasses I loved so much. “I don’t want to be here,” she whispered so softly I had to strain to hear her.

My fingers tightened around hers, and I bent my knees so that we were on the same eye level. “Why?”

She glanced over my shoulder for a moment, taking in her mother and stepsister. Before my eyes I saw her transform from a scared little kitten to a very sexy, very angry tigress. Her jaw clenched and those incredible violet eyes grew cold. I wasn’t confident that was a good thing, but at least she no longer looked like a kicked puppy.