Fused (Lost in Oblivion #4.5) (12 page)

He dropped his hand immediately. If he didn’t have shitty luck, he’d have none at all.

Time for serious damage control.

“You need to leave,” he told Lila. He kept his voice calm. As calm as it could be when his perfect Christmas gift was about to be ruined.

That wasn’t even taking into account she might not want his present. Or anything to do with him at all.

He wasn’t known for his fits of optimism. Man, he’d picked a fine time to start.

“Excuse me?” Lila lifted one wispy blond brow and adjusted her hold on her shiny red purse. Jazz would’ve called it power red. He’d obviously been spending too much time with chicks if he knew that. “I do believe this store is open to all and I have free agency to do as I please.”

“Mrs. Shawcross, so lovely to see you again. What might you be in the market for today?”

“Hi Lila. Killer purse. New?” Jazz’s perky question might’ve saved the day if not for the fact he just wanted to make his purchase and leave. What the hell good was Christmas if he couldn’t hide the gift until it was time for the big unveiling?

And at that price, the unveiling was gonna be frigging ginormous.

“Hello Jasmine.” Lila gave Jazz a thin smile. “No, I’ve had the bag for a while. Just thought it fit the holiday.”

With nary a glance in Nick’s direction, she then strode toward the erstwhile Steve. “I’m actually here to pick up something I reserved over the phone.”

“Ah, yes, Mrs. Shawcross. Wonderful. Let me go get it out of the back.”

“Hey, hello, mid-purchase here. Big money. What the hell?” he muttered, narrowing his eyes at Steve’s retreating back.

Cash might talk, but evidently, Lila’s spoke louder than his.

Not that he could fully blame good ol’ Steve for jumping when Lila snapped. To say she was gorgeous was an understatement. With all that long blond hair falling down her back, those shrewd blue eyes that assessed everything in a minute flat and a body that wouldn’t quit, she was the kind of woman who drew second and third looks. But her mind, wit and heart drew him even more than the external. Pretty wrapping paper didn’t mean shit if the inside didn’t match up.

“Guess she’s not leaving,” Jazz mumbled, running a finger over her new bracelet.

“Sorry if I interrupted,” Lila said coolly, flipping her hair back without sparing him a look. She rarely wore her hair down, and the sight just made him want to mess it up. To pull on those wavy strands while he feasted on her neck and teased out those moans she gave him so readily when they were alone.

“Interrupted what?” Jazz asked, glancing between them in confusion.

Nick smothered a groan. Christ, Lila was never going to give it a rest when it came to him and Jazz. He didn’t really get how Lila could still be jealous of his extremely brief—and extremely in the past—thing with Jazz when she’d all but told him
she
didn’t want to see him anymore.

She
being Lila, that is.

Which sucked, but he could be okay with some in the dark action. Lights weren’t always necessary. If she wanted to go back to secret screwing, he could get on board with that.

For a while anyway.

“Lila seems to still think we’re harboring feelings or some shit for each other.” He didn’t want to embarrass Lila, and he definitely didn’t want to extend this encounter any longer than necessary, but it had to be said.

Jazz boggled for thirty seconds, her eyes huge. “You’re kidding, right?” She started to laugh so hard that she had to drop the bags she was carrying in favor of clutching her stomach. “Oh my God. That’s awesome.”

“I do
not
think that, thank you very much, Nicholas.” Lila’s focus remained on Jazz’s fit of hysterics. “Though you certainly seem amused by the idea.”

“Him? Me? Still? Noooo. Oh my God, no way.” Jazz let out another snorting laugh. “We were a thing for like a nanosecond. We only slept together that one time, with Gray.”

Naturally, Steve picked that moment to reappear. He faltered at Jazz’s latest declaration then straightened his shoulders and soldiered on. “Mrs. Shawcross, here’s your purchase, already boxed and ready for you. Incredible selection as always.” He passed her a small black bag and cast a sickly smile in the direction of Nick and Jazz. “How do you know these two…fine individuals?”

Nick coughed into his fist. Still smarting from Jazz’s fit at his expense—yeah, they were so far beyond over it wasn’t worth mentioning, but she didn’t have to find the idea
that
entertaining—he had to hold his tongue from truly blowing Steve’s mind.

Hey, remember that wife I was buying the pearls for? You know, my secret lover? You’re looking at her, bub. Don’t look too hard either.

Lila’s lips twitched. She must’ve picked up on Steve’s tone too. “I’m their manager. They’re part of Oblivion.” At Steve’s blank look, she prompted, “The band?”

“Oh. Uh, yes, that’s right. They mentioned that. How nice.”

Lila nodded and gripped her bag. “Thank you for your help as always. I’m sure I’ll be back soon.”

“Oh, please return anytime. We truly appreciate your business. Happy holidays!”

“Wait,” Nick said, gripping Lila’s arm as she turned to walk away.

“
Now
you want to talk to me?”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake, I always wanted to talk to you. I just didn’t want you to see your Christmas gift.”

“My lord,” Steve gasped. He recovered marginally as Nick and Lila glanced back at him. “Sorry. I felt a sneeze coming on.” Quickly, he turned away from the counter and busied himself doing something else. Probably writing up his resignation letter.

At this point, Nick almost couldn’t blame him.

“My Christmas gift?” Lila’s low question brought Nick’s attention back front and center.

He dipped his hands into his pockets. “Yeah. Don’t tell me not to buy you one, because I am. I have to. I saw something and it’s just you. And it’s for me to give to you, so don’t argue. Please.”

“Aww.”

They frowned in Jazz’s direction but she swiftly turned her head away to admire some dangling earrings hanging off a display.

Lila frowned and stared at the floor, giving him no choice but to tuck her hair behind one ear so she’d look at him again. Startled, she glanced around to make sure they hadn’t been seen by anyone else, and then let out a sigh. “I got you something too.”

He wanted—needed—to see her smile again. It had been too long since he’d experienced the simple enjoyment of watching her big blue eyes soften with pleasure. “Let me guess. These tasteful diamond earrings?” He tapped the box in the bag she was carrying. “I’m not pierced yet, but for you, I just might think about it.”

Steve crept closer, daring to tuck away a tray of rings. It was probably getting close to the store’s early closing hours due to the holiday.

A slight flush tinged Lila’s cheeks. “Not pierced where? Ears or elsewhere?”

Nick didn’t even bother glancing at Steve. Anytime now he’d probably drop to the floor.

“I have no piercings anywhere.” He lowered his voice. “Have you forgotten so soon?”

Her lips trembled. “I haven’t forgotten anything.”

“Me either.”

She swallowed hard enough to make her throat ripple. “So what kind of piercings do you favor?”

He had to chuckle. She certainly seemed to have leaped upon that idea. He leaned close enough to murmur against her hair, “Maybe I’ll get a Prince Albert, just for you.”

Not bloody likely, but it was fun to tease her, especially when her eyebrows drew together and that little wrinkle appeared above her nose.

“If you don’t know what that is, Google it,” he suggested. “Then we’ll chat.”

Talking about dicks had to be a good start toward a night of romance, right? As long as it didn’t lead to anyone coming at him with any really sharp and painful implements. He nearly shuddered. The thought of that was almost as disturbing as large heads protruding from tiny openings.

Lila nodded and stepped back, then she tilted her head in that adorable way she had. And if he was thinking anything his dragon lady manager did was adorable, he was clearly losing his mind.

Or else he was just lost. Over her.

“I’ll see you tonight?” she asked.

He smiled. She was coming over. Everything would be okay. He’d make sure of it. “Yes.”

She nodded again and glanced past him to Jazz. “See you later, Jazz.”

“Sure thing. And make him pierce his dick!”

When Steve dropped his tray of rings, scattering them all over the floor, Nick only laughed.

Damn, his life was a freaking circus.

Once Steve had recovered from his latest indignity, Nick paid for the pearls with Jazz’s credit card, though she made sure to call Gray first to warn him about their “recent expenditures.” On the way home, he made Jazz stop at a nearly deserted tree farm and grabbed a small Charlie Brown-sized one for his bedroom. Gray had dragged in one for them earlier in the month and it loomed large in the living room, and Jazz had added a ton of decorations to the windows and around the mantle, but the rest of the house was largely undecorated.

He was no dummy. Christmas lights made women feel romantic. It was practically a statistic.

And maybe he felt the need for a little extra Christmas cheer too.

After dragging it into his room, he realized he hadn’t bought extra ornaments.

“You didn’t remind me I’d need ornaments, dammit,” he called down the hall to Jazz, who made a sound equivalent to “too bad for you” right before the baby started to cry. Again.

So he went downstairs and borrowed a few from the main tree. And one of the strands of lights. The bald spots and lack of lighting in one section added character, as far as he was concerned.

Their tree had been too California-perfect before. This suited them more. Besides, he hadn’t borrowed any of the musical-themed ornaments, had he?

Well, minus one mini black-and-white Stratocaster that played actual music. Because that fucking rocked.

After he finished outfitting his new tree, he sprawled out on his bed and took a nap for a couple of hours. Shopping and shit was hard work and he still had to wrap the crap.

When he woke up, the house smelled freaking amazing and the sun was definitely a lot lower in the sky. He sat up and clutched his growling stomach, then eyed the pile of junk he’d bought with equal parts misery and disdain.

All this Christmas business was just a consumer racket. No one cared about the true meaning. Hell, most people probably didn’t even
know
the true meaning.

He wandered out into the hallway and headed toward Jazz and Gray’s room. The pluck of strings combined with Gray’s low, husky voice reached him just before he knocked.

“Simple Man” was one of his favorites. Gray appreciated classic Lynyrd Skynyrd just as much as he did.

He rapped his knuckles on the door, then opened it when Gray replied. He started to razz him about his playing when his gaze fell on the bed. Jazz and the baby were curled up asleep together, looking stupidly cute.

Something shifted inside him, and it wasn’t due to Jazz. He cared about her a lot, even loved her as a friend, but he didn’t see her as anything more than that now. No, it was more that her and the baby stirred feelings inside him he didn’t know what to do with. Didn’t know how to process.

He wasn’t the daddy type. He’d always known that about himself and hadn’t bothered thinking about it overmuch. But maybe the fact that babies were all around him now due to his bandmates settling down, or perhaps Lila’s obvious love of them had screwed up his head somehow because a part of him was starting to wonder.

What would that be like? Just to look at that little face and think “hey, I had a part in creating that”? There were fun aspects to being a parent too. You know, like getting to buy the kid a KISS costume to wear on Halloween and teaching him “Stairway to Heaven” to impress all his kindergarten buddies.

“You need to get the kid a guitar,” he told Gray, nodding to the bed.

“I think he has a little time yet,” Gray said drily, continuing to strum through the end of the song.

“Nah, man, you can’t wait on it. He’s already been exposed to all that prenatal drumming from Jazz. You’re going to lose him to the other side if you don’t start now.”

“The other side being drums?” Gray jerked a shoulder, his fingers moving without cease. “Eh, if he likes them better, fine. It’s his choice. He may not even want to do the music thing at all.”

Nick’s eyebrows lifted. “What the hell kind of father are you, saying crap like that?”

Gray shook his head, a faint smile playing around his mouth. “If you came in here to try to con her into wrapping your presents, you’re out of luck, dude. She’s wiped out.”

Nick scratched his chin. “Huh. Never thought of that. Would she have?”

“After she just put up with all your last minute shopping? Doubtful. And pay up, son. We’ve got a college education to start socking away for, not to mention house stuff.” Gray held out a hand.

“Oh yeah. Sorry. Forgot. One second.” Nick jogged down the hall to his room to take out the money from between his mattress and box spring, tucked beside his worn copy of The
Catcher in the Rye
.

He really needed a safe. This hiding money holdover from their days of living underneath the Fluff ‘n Fold Laundromat was getting old.

Also, maybe he needed to stop squirreling away so much money in the apartment, period. Ricki was doing better now. He didn’t need to have so much cash on hand to help bail her out anymore. His money guy was investing in the stock market for him, and maybe it was time he grew up a bit and actually used his money market account now and then.

He grabbed the cash and returned to Gray and Jazz’s bedroom. Jazz and the baby were still out cold. “Thanks, man,” he said, handing the wad to Gray.

Gray blinked. “Dude, ever heard of a check?”

“I have a checking account. But I have some cash here too, so why bother with all that?”

“Yeah, try a bank. They’re awesome.” Gray set aside his guitar and rose to go to the dresser. He grabbed his wallet and shoved the cash inside, then shook his head and grabbed an envelope off the desk. “So much it doesn’t even fit. Damn.”