Alluring Temptation (Bayou Stix #3) (20 page)

“Oh, well of course he did. You are an amazing chef. He’s lucky to have you.” I sound fake.

She looks at me dubiously and smirks. “Stop.” She kisses my nose. “You’re a terrible liar! I didn’t accept it.”

I let out the breath I was holding and mutter, “Oh, thank God!”

She chuckles. “I didn’t accept it… yet.”

Well, fuck me. She’s messing with me. I have to act supportive. Even if I hate it. We just got together. Don’t act like a douchebag, Liam. Son of a bitch. She’s going to work for James Black for six months. Fuck me.

She’s watching my face. I hope she can’t read me. Shit.

She smiles at me and says, “I have two offers actually. Right before I met with James and Hugo, his manager, Bradi and Blue talked with me.” She’s tracing the pattern on my t-shirt as she talks. “Blue wants to start her own blog. Kind of a freelance type of thing. She wants to interview musicians and bands and write music articles and post them online. She already has several magazines and papers wanting to sign on to run her articles.”

I’m trying to follow her. That sounds amazing for Blue. Perfect for her and what a way to give an old “Screw you” to the Jagger’s and Rock Hard Magazine. Stupid assholes never should have fired her for refusing to take her ex-fiancé back after she caught him screwing an intern on the desk in his office. They banished her; forcing her to come on tour with us. That backfired too, since that’s when she and Jessie hooked up. I’m really happy for her. That sounds like a dream, but what does that have to do with Clove?

She keeps talking. “She wants to basically make her blog a one-stop-shop for everything Bayou Stix related. Since she’s also going to have tons of traffic from all of the interviews and articles she’s going to do with anyone and everyone in the industry, she asked me if I’d mind sharing “Rockin’ Recipes” as well. I could cook and take photos. I would have to include the recipes and the photos and I could do it from here or well, from anywhere really. Anywhere I can find a kitchen. People would pay a subscription to enter the site and have access to her articles and my recipes.”

Wait, what? She wouldn’t take the job with James Black and if she does this she can work from here? She could also do it with the baby. That sounds like the perfect job. And with Blue behind it, it’s sure to be a success. She’s the best rock reporter around. Her contacts and friends will keep her hopping. I think that would be perfect for Clove.

Perfect for Clove or perfect for you, Liam? Shut up. Of course for her… ok, maybe for me too. Ugh, I am an asshole.

She’s looking at me expectantly. Did she ask me something? “What do you think?”

Is she asking me my opinion?!

I look at her and ask, “What are you asking me, Clove?”

She chuckles. “I’m not really asking you anything. I’m kind of using you as a sounding board.” She shrugs. “I can usually think things through better when I say them out loud. On the one hand, having ‘Personal Chef to James Black’ on my resume would be amazing, but on the other… this idea of Bradi and Blue’s sounds inspired and I would have total freedom. I could also do it from anywhere and I can still do it once I have the baby. Blue has the funds and she already has people wanting to invest. Bradi is going to set up the website and handle the running of it. She’s great at that stuff anyway…”

I don’t even think she’s talking to me anymore. She’s kind of just talking to herself while she sits on my lap and I pray that she picks Blue and Bradi over James Black.

Finally, after about twenty minutes, she looks at me. “Liam?”

I have been watching her the entire time and the play of emotions on her face is obvious. I already know what she’s chosen just from watching her. I could see it on her face as soon as she made her decision. I respond, “Yeah?”

She smiles at me and says, “You can breathe now.”

What? She can tell I’ve been on edge?

She chuckles. “You’re sitting here as stiff as a board. I’m in your lap, silly. I can feel the tension in your body.”

Did I say that out loud?! Shit!

Leaning in, she kisses my neck, whisper soft. Leaning back and looking into my eyes, she smiles brightly. “I’m going to work with Bradi and Blue.”

Standing up so quickly, she shrieks and grabs ahold of my neck in fear, I spin her around and exclaim. “That is excellent news! I love it! Best news I’ve heard all day. In fact, I think we should celebrate.”

She’s laughing at me. “Gee, show some restraint. Were you really that worried about James Black?!”

Shaking my head, I smile at her. “No. Not really. But I’m glad you picked Blue and Bradi. I think this is an amazing opportunity for all of you.”

She chuckles and mutters, “Uh, huh.” before grabbing my face and planting a kiss on me that makes my knees weak.

We fall back into the couch and she snuggles up against me. We decide to order in and she calls Bradi and Blue to let them know her decision.

I can hear both of their squeals through the phone.

Once she’s done with that call, she decides that she’ll call James’s manager tomorrow and let him know she won’t be taking the job after all.

The delivery guy shows up with our food and we decide to eat in the kitchen. If it was just me, I’d eat in the media room, but Clove wants real plates and the comfort of the kitchen. I shamelessly agree with her choice. She lights a few candles and we sit and eat in the cozy kitchen while we talk.

Talking to her is so natural. I forget that, for the past few years, things have been so awkward with us.

She asks about my call today and I tell her about the arena tour starting up in a couple of months and that Devil’s Lair is going to accompany us on a few stops. I’m really excited about the one in New York in April. New York is one of my favorite cities and we’ve never played at Madison Square Garden before.

Clove tells me she’s never been to New York and before I realize it, I ask her if she’d like to accompany us on the trip. Her face tips me off to her shock at my question. “What? You want me to go to New York with you? In April? Like over two months from now?”

Laughing, I hug her. She’s so refreshing.
Why exactly is she surprised?! Oh wait, because you’ve been a dick to her for five years now, Liam!

“Yeah. If you want to.”

She pulls back and looks at me. She searches my face and I hate that she’s so uncertain of my intentions. It doesn’t make me feel good to know I’m the reason this beautiful woman isn’t sure what to think.

She licks her lips. “I’m going to
look
pregnant then, Liam.”

What? I know that. What the hell?! People who are pregnant generally look pregnant at some point. I’m not following this conversation.

“I know that, Clove. Do you not
want
to come with me?” I sound a little perturbed. I don’t mean to, but is she not wanting to be seen with me or something?!

Her brows draw together and she frowns. “What?” She shakes her head as if to clear it. “No, I do want to come with you. But are you sure you’re going to want me there with
you
?! It’s going to be obvious I’m pregnant by then, Liam.”

I snap out. “I know that. I’m with you. I know you’re pregnant. I don’t care!”

Her face shows her apprehension. “You say that
now
… What’s going to happen when my stomach starts showing and people start saying you’re with me because I’m knocked up? They’re going to think you did it. They’ll think the baby is yours, Liam.”

So fucking what?! I’ll be with her. The baby WILL sort of be mine, right?! I mean I won’t have any like claim to it, it’s not really mine, but I don’t care if people think it is, do I? Calm down, Liam. Why are you getting so worked up!?

I don’t like this. It feels like she’s the one who doesn’t want people to think that, not me.

Taking her hands, I just talk. No thinking, just talking. “Clove, I’m trying to do this right. I’m with you. I’m figuring it out, but I like it. I know that you’re pregnant. I know that. I went into this, knowing that. Honestly, I don’t think I care if people think the baby is mine. You can tell them whatever you want to. No one will disrespect you. I promise you that. And if they do, I’ll handle it.” I sigh and let out my fear. “I’m wondering if you don’t want people to think that… That you might be… That it could be mine.”

Her face is full of astonishment. “You
want
people to think it’s yours?!”

Shrugging, I say, “I don’t know. Maybe. I’m not opposed to it. If they say it, I won’t correct them… unless you want me to that is. I’ll say whatever you want me to, Clove. I’ll protect you.”

She gasps. “He’ll protect me…” She launches herself at me and kisses me with a passion that makes me want to ravish her. We make-out like teenagers for a long time.

Sometime later, she pulls back. “I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow… Do… do you want to come with me?” The vulnerability on her face just from her asking pulls at me.

Grabbing her face and kissing her one time, I mutter against her mouth, “Yeah. I want to come with you.”

She sighs and melts into me and we watch the movie, Footloose, her pick, not mine, until she falls asleep. I pick her up and carry her to my bed. She can sleep with me tonight.

I lie awake for a long time, just looking at her, and memorizing the planes of her face. As I fall asleep, her face is firmly cemented in my head.

Clove

I
wake up and realize a warm arm is around my waist and I’m pulled flush against a firm chest. Smiling, I turn slightly and take in the male perfection that is Liam. God, he’s gorgeous. He’s still asleep, so I’m able to just look my fill and I do.

His brown hair is mussed up in his sleep, his chiseled jaw and cheekbones are relaxed, though they are so perfect they look like they were carved from stone. His jaw has a slight dusting of scruff and it wakes up my body.

Liam told me that he would wait until I was ready for sex. I can’t believe he said that. My body wants it
now.
But my head is saying no, not yet! Looking at the muscles in his chest and abs and watching them ripple as he breathes has my body screaming at my head to shut the hell up.

Without conscious thought, I’m reaching out and my hand is lightly trailing over Liam’s ripped abs. As my fingers trace the “V”, a gruff voice says, “Why are women so fascinated with that spot?”

Damn, I’m caught red handed. Looking up, I meet sleepy blue eyes, but they’re twinkling. I smirk. “My bad. Sorry, your male perfection was just too much for me.” Leaning down, I kiss his stomach and his body jerks. I chuckle. “And because it’s perfection. Not every man has the ‘V’, so for the ones who do and when they look like this… It makes smart girls stupid.” I wink.

He laughs. “Yeah, well you are welcome to explore it and every other part of me whenever you want to. However, since I’m not allowed to sink my very hard, very willing dick into your sweet, softness… don’t touch there.”

I’ve never been spoken to like that before. It’s so hot. It’s dirty, but not degrading. I feel moisture flood between my thighs.

Suddenly, I very much want to pleasure him like he pleasured me yesterday. I’m not very good at it, and I’ve never really enjoyed it, but I really want to with Liam.

Smiling shyly at him, I run my nails up and down his stomach and stop where the sheet lays over his hips. I can see it tenting.

He’s watching me with bated breath. My hand slips under the sheet and grazes over the hardness contained by his boxers. He inhales.

Chancing a glance at him, I see him biting his bottom lip and he puts his hands behind his head and locks them. My brow raises in a silent question.

He exhales and says, “This is your show. I’m not touching you. Though, I’m telling you I can only take so much, Clove…”

Did he just give me free reign to explore!? Oh, goody. I’m not sure what to do though. I don’t want to do it wrong…

I’m chewing on my lip as I try to decide where I want to start. He says, “Hey, look at me.” I do. “You don’t have to do anything, Clove. I’ll never pressure you for anything, ok?”

My heart accelerates. I know he won’t, and that’s even more reason that I
want
to do it. I let out the breath I was holding and look at him through my lashes. I feel my cheeks darken with my confession. “I know that, Liam. I want to… I want to pleasure you like you pleasured me. Only- only, um, I’m not that experienced. I mean I’ve done it, but… well, I’m not that good.”

He looks at me in shock. “What?”

I smile in embarrassment. “I’m not that good.”

He clicks his tongue and mutters at the ceiling. “She’s not that good?! What the hell is she talking about?”

He’s talking to the ceiling… Should I ask him what he likes? Should I just start? I don’t want to do it wrong. Ugh…

“I don’t want to do it wrong. Will you- will you help me? Tell me what you want. What you like?” I’m mortified, but I so want to do this.

He bangs his head against the pillows and then looks at me incredulously. “Um, you can’t really do anything wrong, Clove.”