“I’ve always liked everything I’ve seen,” I answer honestly, my eyes taking a sweep of her body. “I’ve never pretended I didn’t.”
Her nipples pebble under the thin cotton of her T-shirt and my dick notices, responding in kind.
But the last few weeks, Lucky and I have gotten close. We’ve spent most of our free time together and it hasn’t been about sex. I can’t speak for her, but for me it’s been about finding what I love in this business again.
The way Lucky loses herself when we’re working, her pure love of what we’re creating, has made me remember what playing onstage meant to me before it turned into a three-headed snake. There are so many distractions that it’s easy to forget that it’s really all about the music.
But here, with Lucky, I remember.
Chapter 18
Shiloh
The movie’s playing, but Tro’s eyes haven’t left me in the last hour. Every time I glance his way, he seems to be studying me. Usually it’s my face his eyes are glued to, but I’ve caught him other places too.
I’ll admit to teasing him a little—letting my T-shirt slide up my thigh so the trim of my blue lace thong shows at the side of my leg; pulling the thin cotton a little tighter across my chest when I feel his gaze on my nipples, which have been tight for the last hour with his gaze.
I will also admit to liking the attention. I’ll admit to the heavy ache low between my legs, and the bubbles in my chest, and the fact that my panties are becoming increasingly wet.
I will admit to wanting him.
Just not out loud.
I remember thinking Tro was the enemy when we started on this journey. Now I realize so much of what he does is to hide the parts of himself he doesn’t want anyone to see. But some of those parts are pretty damn incredible. I know who he is, so I have no fantasies that he wants anything other than sex from me, but I’ve decided I want to give it to him anyway.
I’ve never been the kind of girl who expects a fairy-tale romance. I don’t need to be swept off my feet. I don’t need promises or declarations. I don’t even need tomorrow. But I need to be in control of where and when it happens.
So, tonight, if it goes there, I will fuck Tro Gunnison on my terms.
When I look at him this time, his eyes are on mine. I hold them for a second before letting mine trace the lines of his neck tattoos until they disappear under the brushed cotton of his T-shirt. His nipples tighten at my perusal as my eyes trail lower, over tight pecs, and I feel mine pull into stiff peaks in response. The ridges of his eight-pack abs crease his shirt and I want to run my tongue along them. And, lower, a substantial erection strains against his jeans.
If Billie wasn’t likely to walk in here unannounced at any second, when and where would be here and now.
“How many women have you fucked?” I ask him, my eyes still on the bulge of his jeans.
“A lot.”
I lift my eyes to his face and fire burns out of those dark eyes into mine. “Put a number on a lot. Best guess.”
He shakes his head and he’s unable to hold my gaze as he answers. “Maybe five hundred.”
“When did you lose your virginity?”
His eyes lift to mine again. “You already know that story.”
“Your father’s girlfriend,” I say, figuring that must be what he means. “When you were seventeen.”
He nods, but then his gaze grows curious. “What about you?”
“Virginity? Or how many?” I ask.
He tips his head. “Both.”
“I lost my virginity when I was thirteen.”
His eyes widen a little.
I shrug it off. “Self-preservation. You do what you have to do sometimes. There was just that one for two years, then one more last year, during The Voice.”
“So…two,” he confirms.
I nod slowly and send him every watt of my stare. “So far. But I’m planning on changing that very soon.”
I’ve shocked him silent. He just stares at me for a long moment before saying, “Lucky guy.”
“You bet your sweet ass he is,” I reply, turning back to the TV.
And if I felt his hot gaze on me before, now it’s a fucking blow torch.
Chapter 19
Tro
When the bus pulls up to the venue in Miami, I say goodbye to Lucky and get the fuck off. Where Lucky’s gaze has always been a flame thrower, warning me off, today it was still flaming, but in a whole different way. Something major shifted in her between last night and this morning, and I’ve spent the last eight hours trying to see past her skin to what’s going on inside. I’ve also spent the last eight hours trying to tame my raging boner. It’s not working. Lucky sends that fuck-me look my way, you damn well better believe my cock is going to obey.
I’ve got the worst fucking case of blue balls I’ve ever had.