I nodded. “Really. We can spend more of Jacks’s black card money.” I didn’t really figure that he would mind. He wanted to take care of her, and she needed something else to do around here besides watch documentaries.
Lexi looked over at us. “I want to get in on that.”
I clapped my hands together. “That settles it, we’re going shopping.” I made a mental note to stop by the grocery store as well; this house needed more kid-friendly food. I stood and held my hand out for Landry. “Let’s go get that card.”
Landry smiled and put her hand in mine, and the three of us girls—well, four if you counted the baby girl in Lexi’s tummy—headed to the studio. When we walked in, we were greeted with the wail of a guitar. Jacks was standing in the center of the room, his eyes closed and his fingers flying. My mouth became dry, and my heart did that little flutter thing again. Holy hell. My best friend looked hot. I’d seen him play before, in New Orleans, but damn. The way his tongue darted out to wet his lips, the way his hands on the strings seemed to mimic his hands on his cock. Not that I’d ever seen his hands on his package, but still…it was almost too much. He opened his eyes and winked when he caught me watching.
Dash held his hand out and pulled Lexi down to his lap. “What are you girls up to?”
Jacks quieted the strings and then sat his guitar on a stand, taking a few steps in our direction. It was nothing, a causal movement. But I couldn’t help but feel that there was purpose in his steps. That he was stalking toward me.
“We are going shopping.” Landry’s hand was still in mine. I gave it a little squeeze when she leaned her head against my hip. I was surprised by the gesture; it was so natural.
Jacks got down eye level with her. “You need some black card money?”
Landry nodded shyly.
Jacks stood and took his wallet out of his back pocket. He removed the card and handed it to her. “Here you go, Buttercup.” Then he looked at me, a cocky smile on his face. “Get yourself something pretty.” Damn. He was too cute for his own, as well as my, good.
I smirked. “Oh, don’t you worry, I intend to.” I held my hand out. “I need car keys.”
Jacks’s smile fell. “You want to drive the Tesla?”
“What else am I supposed to drive?” I played it nonchalant, casual. But hell fucking yeah I wanted to drive the Tesla. I had a need, a need for speed.
“It’s a really fast car, and if you aren’t used to driving it…” He was trying to think of a reason not to give me the keys.
Luke expertly twirled his drumsticks around, one in each hand. “You know, Jacks, you really need to get a more family-friendly car.”
Jacks whirled around, glaring at Luke. “You bite your tongue. The Tesla is the safest car on the market; it has all those sensors and stuff.”
I nodded, hand out. “Which is why you want us in it, right?” Thanks for the setup, Luke.
Jacks hung his head in defeat.
***
He was right; that car was FAST. Driving it was the most fun I’d ever had in a car. And I’d had plenty of fun in cars, if you catch my drift. The three of us had gone from store to store buying everything a kid could ever want or need. We got bags of books, tons of board games, coloring books, paints…you name it? We got it. And on the way home I ran into the grocery store with Landry while Lexi napped in the car. I got all her favorite foods. Which consisted of a lot of canned pasta and macaroni and cheese. Now we were back at the house, and it was just before dinner. Landry was exhausted; she and Lexi were in the living room playing some electronic version of Go Fish on Landry’s new iPad. I was making my favorite childhood meal: crunchy beef tacos.
“That smells amazing, baby doll.” Jacks came up behind me, tugging lightly on my dark hair. He seemed to like touching my hair. Not that I’d noticed or that I’d intentionally worn it down for him or anything. “Where’s Landry?”
“In the living room playing on her new iPad.”
He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat down at the island. “How was your day? Is my car okay? Did you get a speeding ticket?” He didn’t ask how much I spent, evidently unconcerned about the money. He didn’t even ask for his card back.
I scoffed, “Of course not.” I actually had been pulled over, but he didn’t ask that and I’d only gotten a warning. So there was no reason to tell him. I really didn’t want to hear an I told you so. “Did you guys get a lot done in the studio?”
He ate a pinch of shredded cheese out of the bowl I’d placed on the counter. “We got started, and that’s always the hardest part.” He took a pull off his bottle. “The label wants more of what we’ve always given them, but we want to try something new. It’s going to be a fight.”
I turned off the burner under the skillet of ground meat. “Will they drop you?”
“Maybe. They’ve mentioned it, but I think it’s more a scare tactic at this point. And it’s not going to work.” He stood. “Do you need help with anything?”