RIDE: The Complete Delancey Brothers Trilogy (31 page)

"It's mistletoe."

He stepped closer. I could feel the heat coming off of his body in waves. It felt nice. Very, very nice.

"What's it for?"

He grinned at me and slid an arm around my waist.

"It's for kissing."

He yanked me against him and lowered his head to mine. I inhaled sharply at the contact. He didn't waste any time, kissing me hard right off the bat. His lips felt silky smooth and soft against mine. As good as I remembered them. Better even. He angled his head, nudging my lips apart.

The moment I opened my lips, the kiss exploded.

I moaned as our tongues tangled in a primal dance. A dance Jake seemed to excel at. He used his tongue to stroke, tease and caress me as I stood utterly helpless in his arms.

Damn but the man could kiss!

Finally he pulled back, leaning his forehead against mine. We were silent as we both struggled to catch our breath. He stroked my hair as we stared into each other's eyes.

"Come upstairs with me."

"I can't."

"Please Elle..."

"I'm working. Let me go Mr. Delancey."

I stood there, watching him do as I asked him to. Even though what I really wanted was him to pull me into his arms again, to kiss me, to drag me upstairs. I did not say a word as he slowly stepped back and walked away.

It took all my strength not to call him back.

Chapter Eight

Jake

I rubbed a brush over Thunder, one of the newer horses they'd brought in for breeding. He was a young horse, beautiful but still more than a little bit untamed. I had taken an immediate shine to him and vise versa. In fact, I was the only person who could really get close to the horse at all, let alone ride him.

It seemed that one discipline case recognized another.

It would be a shame for the horse to be used as breeding stock and little else. He had potential, even if I was the only one who could see it. I was thinking that maybe I would stick around... long enough to set things right with my father and work the stallion.

Long enough to get to Elle.

Thunder tossed his head and kicked the back of the stall. He wasn't trying to hurt me. He just wanted to run.

"Easy Thunder. I'll get you out there, I promise."

I knew exactly how the horse felt.

I'd been like a caged tiger all week, keeping away from everyone except my father and the horse. The old man was getting worse. I had taken to reading the papers to him in the afternoons. But it was hard to keep still. I wanted to move, fight, fuck.

I wanted
her
dammit.

She wanted me too. I knew it, especially after that kiss. But she was being elusive as hell. And now she'd taken a day or two off to do something mysterious- I just had to find out what. I put down the brush and headed back into the house. Mrs. Garretty should be up by now. She would know.

I knocked softly on her door.

"Enter."

I opened the door and smiled endearingly at the family's long-term housekeeper. The woman had been a second mother to me and one of the few who had never lost hope or faith in the youngest Delancey brother. She smiled warmly as I sat in the spare chair by her desk.

"Hello handsome."

I bussed her cheek and grinned at her. She smiled back for a moment. Then she gave me a look.

"What do you want Jake?"

"Can't I just stop by to see my favorite lady?"

She rolled her eyes and went back to making lists. The woman was always making lists. It took incredible organizational skills to run an estate this size. Mrs. Garretty had those in spades.

"You can. But you didn't. You are up to no good again, I can tell."

"I'm just looking for some intel."

She leaned back in her seat, staring at me over her glasses.

"Alright. Shoot."

"The new maid- Eleanor. She took a few days off. I want to know why."

Mrs. Garret's eyebrows shot up.

"You like her do you?"

I nodded eagerly, sure I was going to get what I was after.

"So do I."

She pushed her glasses back up her nose and resumed her list making.

"But-"

"Let me ask you this Jake. How much do you like her? I don't want you trifling with my staff. I don't care how pretty she is, the girl has grit. She deserves better than to be another one of your castoffs."

"She won't be. Anyway, she keeps turning me down."

Mrs. Garretty let out a belly laugh that would have been insulting if I didn't know the old woman adored me. I frowned.

Actually, it was still pretty insulting.

"Please, just tell me. I'll be good I swear."

She stared at me searchingly then sighed and pulled out a pen and a piece of paper. I leaned forward to see her writing down the address of a nightclub. She handed it to me.

"She's got a gig tonight. 10 pm."

I snatched it up eagerly and pressed a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh and Jake. It's not really a secret. You must be the only one who doesn't know about it. Half the house is going to see her perform tonight."

"What, even Jackson and Daniel?"

She nodded slowly.

"You're all just messing with me all the time aren't you?"

She grinned and winked at him.

"It's all in good fun Jake. Have a nice time tonight."

"Thanks Mrs. G, I owe you."

Elle

"You ready?"

I stared into the mirror without really seeing my own reflection. I was wearing a short shredded denim skirt and a black corset top. My sheer black stockings were tucked into knee high black boots, on loan from Shirl. Eye makeup and bright lipstick completed the look. My hair was long and loose, with a couple of wild curls thrown in for good measure.

I was 100% pure rock and roll. It was a costume of course. But it made me feel like another person.

A person with loads more confidence that regular old Elle.

"Yeah, let's do this."

I followed Mark the bassist out onto the stage. The theater was surprisingly full for our first gig. Tom must have been promoting us hard. I knew without a doubt that he'd add that to the list of things that I "owed him."

He hadn't tried to cash in yet. Hopefully I could avoid him indefinitely. The key was not to be alone with him.
 

I shook my head. I had to focus. I had too many men on the brain this week. The band was what was important.

We were good. Really good. I knew that. But the solicitous way Tom was acting was about me. I'd already felt like I'd been slimed when he came over to say hello to me tonight. The difference between Jake and Tom was stark. The two men who were courting me were as different as night and day.

Jake could be annoyingly persistent but he never made me feel like I owed him anything. And he gave me goosebumps and butterflies. Tom just made me want to run and hide.

This was not good.

Thankfully I knew the guys would look out for me. I'd already told them not to leave me alone with Tom. That way I wouldn't have to get into it with the guy and potentially make an enemy.

That would be the end of my music career in Nashville. Not just mine either. Ours.

I had to avoid alienating him at all costs. Well, almost all costs. There was one thing I would not give him.

Myself.

Tom was on now, standing towards the edge of the stage in a tight spotlight. He was talking to the crowd, pumping them up for the next act. He wore a thousand dollar suit with cowboy boots peeking out. And sunglasses. Who the hell wore sunglasses at night anyway?

"Give it up for
Black Diamond!"

He pumped his fist and ran off the stage. The lights came up and I stepped forward and gripped the mic in my hand.

The next hour went by in a haze. The crowd responded to us as if we were world famous. For that hour at least, it felt like we were.

I let everything else go as the music moved through me. I felt an electric current passing between myself and the audience. Back and forth the energy zapped us all with its power, gathering force until I could almost see it.

I had never felt so alive in my life.

By the time we finished our second encore the crowd was going wild. I released my grip on the mic and realized my hand had cramped into place from holding it so tightly. The band ran off the stage to the green room. Immediately we were hugging each other and laughing with the euphoria of it all.

There as no question about it.

We were a hit.

I chugged a bottle of water as everyone kept jumping around. I felt limp, like a wet noodle. But it was more than that.

In that last moment, as the house lights came up, I'd seen him.

Jake Delancey.

He was here. He'd seen the whole show too, I could tell. Something about the fact that he'd seen me like this made me feel exposed, vulnerable in a way I'd never felt before.

Naked.

"I have to get out of here."

"Wait- Elle where are you going? We need to celebrate!"

"I just- need some air. I'll be back."

I brushed past Tom and ran out into the alley behind the club.

I was bent over, trying to catch my breath when I heard footsteps behind me.

"You were great tonight."

Oh fantastic, now Tom was standing behind me in a dark alleyway. Why the hell had I come out here again? My whole body tensed up, ready to fight or flight. I didn't think he'd get too aggressive with me but I couldn't be sure. And I was really, really not in the mood for this right now.

I turned and gave him a half hearted smile.

"Thanks."

"I'm serious Elle. With the right help, you are going to be a big star. You've got 'it.' In spades."

I took a deep breath.

"Yeah, well you were a big help. Thanks for packing the house."

He stepped closer, running his hand over my shoulder. I knew rationally that his hand was warm but it felt like ice. Cold, slimy ice.

"All I had to do was put a picture of you on the flyer. You're so beautiful."

I swallowed and stepped back a little.
 

"Thanks Tom. I think I need to get out of here. I just want to go home."

His eyes narrowed and he grabbed me. He moved so quickly I barely had time to react.

"I don't think so babe. You still have to pay the piper. I was going to take you someplace nice to celebrate but a brick wall will do just as well."

"That's not funny Tom."

He smiled at me coldly.

"I'm not joking."

I started to scream as he pushed me up against the wall. I felt his breath against my ear as he pressed against me, his hands on my ass and my tits.

"Get off me!"

I was trying to kick him, to fight, but he was too strong. He laughed as I hit his shoulder in vain.

"Relax sweetheart, I just want a taste."

That's when I heard the voice. The low, deep, angry and blissfully familiar voice.

"I don't fucking think so."

The next thing I knew I was leaning against the wall and Tom was lying unconscious on the ground.

Jake Delancey had just laid him out with one punch. It was that fast. One, two. You're out.

"Are you alright?"

I stared into the bluest eyes this side of the Atlantic. Had I noticed how blue they were before? They practically glowed in the dark alleyway.

"Elle? Come on Honey you are scaring me."

"I'm alright. Thanks."

He smiled and took my hand.

"Let's get the hell out of here."

"Yes."

His bike was parked at the mouth of the alley. I climbed on behind him without a word. I noticed that he'd brought two helmets this time.

Confident bastard, wasn't he?

It didn't matter though. Right now, I wanted him. Cocky or not. I needed something solid to hold on to, and only Jake would do.

I leaned forward as he revved the bike. This time I didn't have to be told to wrap my arms around him or hold on tight. I pressed my chin onto his shoulder, raising my voice so he could hear me.

"I still don't like you Delancey."

He glanced back at me and winked. Right before he pulled into traffic.

"I know."

Chapter Nine

Jake

I paced around my bedroom, feeling something I'd never felt before. Not once, in my entire life. It was a feeling as foreign to me as French, a language I didn't speak a lick of.

I was nervous.

Not just nervous, I was fucking
on edge
.

I had never felt anything like this, particularly when it came to women. But now that I had the girl alone in my bedroom, I wasn't sure what the hell my next move was. I'd been dreaming just this moment for so long. Now that the moment was at hand, I was frozen. Part of me wanted to just jump on her, but that didn't seem right after what she'd just been through.

Yeah, that wasn't going to work.

Another part of me just wanted to hold her and make her feel safe.

These two parts were doing battle inside me, really duking it out. I had a feeling it was going to get bloody in there if she didn't come out of the bathroom soon. I paced back and forth, staring forlornly at the bathroom door.

Damn.

Elle was in the adjoining bathroom cleaning up. My house. My room. I glanced over my shoulder.

My bed.

I'd brought her home to my place without thinking. I'd given her a stiff drink and sent her straight to the shower. She'd been calm but I knew inside she must be angry.

I knew I was. The way that guy had manhandled her... it made me see red. I'd taken care of him right quick. Now my mind was on other physical activities.

She was here. Finally. She was naked. Mere feet from where I stood, pacing back and forth like a lunatic. I closed my eyes and immediately a vision of Elle lathering up her breasts sprang to mind. I groaned and tried to clear the vision.

It worked. I closed my eyes again.

This time I saw her leaning her head back, letting the water pour over her hair and down her back to her sweetly rounded bottom...

The water stopped running.

I stopped pacing and braced my fists on the windowsill. I was not going to fuck this up. If she wanted to cuddle and watch movies then... I would attempt to cuddle without poking her with the massive erection that was growing in my pants.