Saved by the Music (Saints & Sinners Book 2) (17 page)

“This is different. I’ve attended a hundred of these, but never as someone’s date. I don’t know what to expect with the red carpet and the reporters. I just want to make sure I look my best.” She fixed his bow tie as she spoke.

He wrapped his hands around hers, bringing them to his mouth and kissing them. “Baby, you have nothing to worry about. I’m gonna be right there beside you. If it gets to be too much, tap my arm twice and I’ll know it’s time to get you inside.”

She smiled at how protective he was of her before softly kissing his lips, careful not to smudge her makeup. “Our own little secret code, I like that. It’s very James Bond of you, Mr. Brooks.”

“Only appropriate, considering I have a bombshell on my arm.”

She pressed her open palm over his heart. “You pull off the tux pretty well too. I’m gonna have to pry women off you tonight.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped his hand to her ass, pushing her closer to his hard body. “The only woman I care about is right here with me.”

When he talked to her like that, it was almost as good as when he whispered dirty words to her. She roamed his back with her hands; if she had her way, she’d never stop touching him. “Such a sweet talker.”

“I love you, Ashlee.” The words were enough to have her fighting back tears of joy, but the intensity in his eyes always got to her. There was something raw and primal in the way he continuously bared his soul to her; it always made it difficult for her to breathe.

Her mother had always said she could see how much her dad loved her by looking into his eyes, but she had never truly understood until Sam. “Me too, baby. Any word on your dad?” She hated to bring it up but knew it wasn’t something they could ignore, no matter how much they wanted to.

She saw the flash of hurt in his eyes, but the anger didn’t stay. He kissed her forehead and whispered, “Not yet, but I’m sure we’ll hear from him soon enough.”

“You’re not alone in this.” She kept telling him that over and over again. He needed to remember that, just as much as he was there for her, she was going to be right there by his side through whatever was coming.

“That makes me the luckiest guy in the world. Oh, I got you something.” He walked to the other side of the room, and she couldn’t stop staring at his butt.
God, the man’s turned me into a sex addict.
When he turned his head and caught her staring, he winked and she almost came on the spot.

Sam had the power to turn her on by just breathing, and there was nothing she could do about it. She looked at him as he took something out of the nightstand drawer. “Sam, you didn’t have to get me anything. You’ve given me everything I could ever want.”

He spun so fast she thought he might fall. Who was she kidding; Sam was as steady as they got in every way that mattered. He walked toward her holding a box, and her hands started shaking.

“Fuck, Ashlee, it undoes me when you say shit like that. I know I didn’t have to get you anything, but I wanted to.” He opened the box and she saw the most beautiful pearl and diamond necklace she had ever laid her eyes on.

No one had ever given her a gift like this before, and she couldn’t believe he had chosen something that represented her so well. “Oh, God, Sam, this is beautiful.” She ran her fingers over the pearls and diamonds, almost afraid to touch it.

“When I saw it, I knew it was made for you. It’s delicate and strong at the same time, just like you.” The emotion in his eyes was what did it for her.

A tear falling down her cheek, she smiled and softly asked, “Can you put it on me?”

He looked so shocked, which told her he had never given something like this to a woman before. She found comfort in that knowledge. “You want to wear it tonight?” he asked as he took the necklace from her hand.

“I’m never taking this off.” That was the truth; she was never taking it off because it reminded her of the bond they had and how, just like a diamond, it couldn’t be broken by anything or anyone.

Sitting in the back of the limousine, Ashlee couldn’t stop thinking about how hot Sam looked in his tux and how much she wanted him. She couldn’t sit still beside him and when she felt his hand on her bare leg, sliding under the material of her dress and up to her thighs, she sighed and leaned back in the seat.

She was so wound up that she knew if she didn’t take the edge off, she would never be able to focus on anything else. She felt his fingers dig on the inside of her thigh; he was close yet so far away. When he ran his knuckles over her damp panties, it was his time to groan.

She lifted her hand to his hair and ran her fingers through it. “Can I tell you a secret?” she whispered into his ear.

“You can tell me anything, Ashlee.” His voice was hoarse, and she could hear a matching need in it.

She ran her hand on the inside of his thigh, rubbing and teasing him through his pants. “I have this fantasy.”

He grabbed her hand and covered his erection with it through his pants; it was clear he needed this just as bad as she did. “Keep going.” He turned his head so he could see her face, watching her.

“I’ve never had sex in a limo before.”

Lust flooded his eyes as she spoke, and the sound of his zipper coming down made her whimper. “Is that so?” His fingers traced the outline of her breasts.

She hitched a breath when he tweaked her nipple through her dress. Looking down to see he had freed his erection from his pants, she needed him inside her right away.

“Yes, and you’re looking mighty fine tonight. I’ve been wet since I saw you in that tux. Are you going to leave me unsatisfied?”

He slid a few inches away from her, turning his body sideways. “You fucking know I’ll give it to you anytime you want, baby. Pull up your dress.”

They were getting closer to the museum where the party was being held; time was not their friend, so she didn’t hesitate to do as he asked. She grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it over her hips. “We don’t have a lot of time, Sam, please.”

“Take your panties off and touch yourself.” His tone left no room for argument, so she slipped them off as she watched him stroking himself. The view was almost too much.

Once her panties were on the floor of the limo, she started rubbing her clit, the pressure already building inside her. “Oh… I need you, Sam.”

She slipped a finger inside her pussy and heard him growl. “Come here and take what you need then.”

Moving off the seat so he could spread his legs, she stepped over him, her hand wrapped around his cock as she slowly lowered her body over his hard length.

“Ashlee, you have to hurry up, baby.” He grabbed her hips and pushed her all the way down on him.

“Shit, Sam. You’re so hard.” She grabbed the handles on the ceiling as leverage and rode him, taking him so deep she couldn’t tell where he ended and she began. She was moving fast, incredibly close.

When she looked down at his face, his jaw was tight and his eyes were glossy. He was right there with her. “Stop worrying about me and take what you need, Ashlee. Seeing you in that dress, watching you touch yourself. I’m ready to blow, baby.”

He rubbed her clit with his thumb and when she felt his other hand on her ass, spreading her cheeks, she started moving faster.

“Hmmm, one day I’m gonna take you here, Ashlee. We’re gonna work our way up, baby, but one day….”

When she felt the tip of his finger push past her barrier, everything tightened and she came so hard she couldn’t make a sound; she just kept going and going until she collapsed on top of him. He pumped his hips and when she felt him come inside her, she smiled against his shoulder.

They’d just had sex in a limo before a red carpet charity event.

“Well, fuck, Ashlee. You just keep surprising me, baby. That was… fuck.” He grabbed a napkin from the bar in the limo and when she sat back next to him, he spread her legs and wiped the insides of her thighs.

“It’s all you,” she whispered, before lowering her head to his shoulder.

When they pulled up to the museum, she could see the camera flashes and hear people screaming. It made her very nervous until Sam grabbed her face in his hands. “Are you ready for this?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She kissed him, reassuring him as much as herself.

“Remember, if it gets too much, just tap my arm twice. I want you happy, so don’t hesitate, Ashlee. This isn’t about the media; this is about you and me.”

“Okay.”

SAM

As he climbed out of the limo and helped Ashlee out, Sam couldn’t wipe the smirk off his face. Not only was he walking his first non-solo red carpet in his career with the most beautiful woman in the world on his arm, but he just got lucky in the back of a limo with a goddamn wildcat. She might look innocent on the outside, but the woman standing in front of him as the limo pulled away was a sex kitten.

“Sam, over here. Sam… Sam, look over here… To your right. Who’s the woman, Sam?”

The roar of the crowd and the bright lights of the cameras were never something he’d gotten used to, but having Ashlee by his side made it a bit easier. They stopped along the red carpet and posed for pictures. When she was asked to step aside for solo pictures, she didn’t frown or object. She was a goddamn pro.

He took a few solo shots but he needed her next to him, so he took her hand and pulled her closer. “I’m all right,” she whispered in his ear. When he kissed her, a million flashes went off, and they both laughed.

He had agreed to do one interview with an old friend from CMT. When they arrived, Ashlee was about to push away from him, but he tightened his hold on her. No way she was going anywhere in that dress without him.

When the reporter started to speak, Sam focused on the questions because the only thing he wanted to do was take Ashlee home, get her naked, and fuck her till morning light.

“Sam, the band’s been back on the road for a few weeks now. How does it feel to be back onstage?”

“We’re all happy to be back doing what we love, and the fans have been great to us. We couldn’t ask for more.”
Where the hell is Jarrod for this shit?
Everyone knew he was the media love child.

“Rumor has it that you guys are working on a new secret project. Care to give us an exclusive?”

He knew they wouldn’t be able to keep the charity a secret for very long, but they were planning a big media launch and there was no way Sam was going to alter Ashlee’s plans. He looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile, but when he expected hesitation on her face, all he saw was trust. “I can’t do that yet, but what I can tell you is that this is a project we’re all very passionate about. We can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

“We haven’t seen you walk the red carpet with a woman in years. Who’s the beautiful lady with you tonight?”

“She does look beautiful, doesn’t she?” All he wanted to say was “she’s mine” so the whole world knew it, but somehow he didn’t think she would be very pleased with that idea. He felt her squeeze his hand, telling him she could handle this. He smiled because he had no doubts she could.

“She’s stunning. Do you have a name?”

“Ashlee Daniels.” She was so confident as she spoke that you would never know she was nervous as hell. She was keeping it together, and fuck was that ever a beautiful sight.

“How does it feel to be in the middle of the media circus that surrounds these guys?”

She laughed and just like that, she had the reporter wrapped around her finger; there wasn’t a person in the world who could resist her. “It’s definitely something I’m not used to, but it’s great to see how much people love them. I’m very proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

“Spoken like a woman in love.”

She looked at the reporter and then at Sam, wearing a smile as big as the sun. “How can you not be in love with this man?”

“Well said. Well, you two have a great night. Thanks for talking to us, man, I appreciate it.”

“You got it.” Sam held Ashlee close as they walked inside, away from the circus. He gave their names to the security working the event, and when they were inside, he pulled her in a corner and kissed her like he couldn’t get enough. He was half tempted to find a closet somewhere and fuck her into tomorrow, but he had
some
self-control and he was going to use it.

When they walked into the ballroom, they were both pulled in different directions; this was her world as much as it was part of his. She had senators and philanthropists trying to get her attention, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away as he watched her work the room. She was stunning in her element, and he loved watching her do her thing.

“Looks like you’ve managed to snag one hell of a woman, Brooks.”

He smiled as he listened to the voice coming from behind him. Ian Kennedy was one of the best MMA fighters in the world, and one of Sam’s closest friends.

“She’s pretty fucking amazing. It’s good to see you, Kennedy. Didn’t know you were going to be here.” Sam took a glass of whiskey from a passing tray.

“Just got back from Malaysia. Didn’t know if I was going to be back in time myself. She’s something else.”

Sam turned his head to see what Ian was pointing at. He saw Ashlee talking to the senator but her eyes were on him. When they made eye contact, he saw her excuse herself from the conversation and walk toward him. “Yeah, she is.”

“Hey, baby, this event is crazy,” she told him before kissing him softly. “Hi, I’m Ashlee.” She extended her hand to shake Ian’s hand at the same time she pressed the other on his arm. She must have felt him tense at the idea of introducing her.

“Ian. It’s nice to meet you, Ashlee.”

“Wait, you’re Ian Kennedy.”

Shit, she knows who he is? Well, of course she does; every woman in the world knows who the bastard is.

He smiled, and Sam wanted to punch the life right out of him. “The one and only, so if you ever get tired of this fool, I’ll be happy to show you a good time.”

“Back off, Kennedy. She’s mine.” He took a step forward, but Ashlee squeezed his arm and he backed down.