Music of the Heart (19 page)

his hands over his face and furrowed his eyebrows at the feeling of the crusty, puke stains. “I was so

fucked up earlier.”

“It’s okay. Sit down.” My caring instinct kicked into overdrive as I pushed him into one of the

captain’s chairs. After I grabbed a fresh cloth out of the drawer, I ran it under the warm water while

trying not to let my mind wander to which part of our earlier conversation he was most regretful about

—the wanting to screw me or wanting me to like him.

Instead, I rinsed out the rag and then took it over to Jake. “Um, would you mind doing it for me

since I don’t have a mirror?” When I gave him a skeptical look, he laughed. “This isn’t a come on,

Angel.” He held out his hand to show me the slight trembling. “I’m not sure I trust my ass walking to

the bathroom.”

“Fine then,” I muttered. In long strokes, I started washing his face.

He closed his eyes and sighed. “Damn, that feels good.” I tipped his head back and scrubbed down

his chin. Squinting one of his eyes at me, he asked, “Why are you always taking care of me?”

“You’re always a mess,” I countered.

“I know,” he murmured. Sadness swept across his face. “I think you’re a masochist.”

“Huh?”

“You know, someone who likes pain.”

“And why do you say that?”

“Because even though I treat you like a total dick, you’re still nice to me and still want to help

me.”

“You’re not always a…” I wrinkled my nose before replying, “dick.”

Jake gave me a half-hearted smile. “Mostly I am. Especially to you. And I’m sorry for it. I really

am.”

I froze in mid-scrub at his apology. It was certainly not what I was expecting him to say, and when

I searched his eyes, I saw the sincerity in them. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Silence echoed around us until Jake cleared his throat. “After everything, you really don’t think I’m

a total asshole?”

I laughed. “Well, not all the time. You were a giant one this afternoon.” At his grimace, I added,

“But you’ve also given me brief glimpses of the guy deep down inside you. You have your redeeming

qualities too.” I left him to go rinse out the rag again. “And I don’t know about being a masochist. But

I do know about trying to be the good person my parents raised me to be.”

Amusement replaced the anguish in his eyes. “Ah, yes, an allegedly good girl with a heart of gold

but who also has the mouth of a sailor.”

I couldn’t help laughing at his summation of me. “Yep, that’s pretty true. But hey, I don’t drink or

sleep around. I should be able to have one vice, so I guess a potty mouth is it.”

I trailed the rag down his chest, swiping the puke off the intricate tattoos inking his skin. “So many

tattoos,” I murmured.

“You don’t like them?”

“No, I do. My brothers have some. In fact, I was thinking about getting one.”

Jake howled with laugher. “You cannot be serious.”

“Well, I am,” I huffed smacking his arm with the rag.

“Oh Angel, I would love to see that.”

“Fine then. Maybe you can take me to get one.”

A mischievous glint twinkled in his blue eyes. “Are you about to make another bet with me?”

“Maybe.”

He shook his head slowly back and forth. “I don’t think so, babe. If you go back to your brothers

inked up, they’ll kick my ass.”

I rolled my eyes. “Leave my brothers out of this.”

Jake held his hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay, I’ll take you to get a tat.”

My eyes widened. “Really?” I squealed.

He winced and cupped his ears. “Jesus, ease up with the screeching.” When I glared at him, he

grinned. “Yeah, I really will. My guy, Adam, is the only one I would trust your delicate skin to. But

you better not pussy out on me.”

I knew he expected a reaction out of me because he had used a word I hated. But I kept my

demeanor calm. “Awesome.” I then turned my attention back to cleaning him up.

When I skimmed above the waistband of his jeans, he grabbed my hand. “I can take it from here.”

He winked at me. “You’re getting a little too close for comfort, Angel.”

“Oh, um, sorry,” I replied. Trying to hide my embarrassment, I whirled around and went back to

the kitchen. While I tried busying myself with putting away the clean dishes, Jake rose out of his

chair.

“I probably should grab a quick shower.”

“Okay.”

As he handed me the rag, a sheepish look came over his face. “When I get out, you think you could

fix me some of that chili you made for the guys.”

“Are you sure your stomach can handle it?”

“Oh yeah, once I puke it all out, I’m usually good to go and starving a few hours later.”

“Ew,” I murmured.

He grinned. “Sorry. But that’s the truth.”

“Fine. Go shower, and I’ll fix you some dinner.”

“Thanks, Angel,” he replied before pulling me to him in a chaste hug. When he kissed the crown of

my head, I tried not to shudder at the tingly feeling it sent racing throughout my body. My mouth hung

open in shock as he padded into the bathroom and closed the door.

“Wonders never cease,” I murmured under my breath. I then busied myself with reheating some

dinner for Jake.

At the sound of the bathroom door opening, I whirled around. Jake stood there with just a tiny

towel wrapped around his waist while water dripped off his body. He glanced down at his lack of

attire. “Sorry. My booze-head brain forgot to bring my clothes in with me.”

“Um, no, it’s okay. I’m just heating up the chili for you. It’ll be ready when you get dressed.”

“Great.”

Even though I shouldn’t have, I stood watching him as he walked down the aisle to the bedroom.

The fluttering of my heart and churning of my stomach made me realize I was in serious trouble.

I turned my attention back to setting the table for Jake. He appeared a few moments later in a t-shirt

that was entirely too small for him because it highlighted every rippling muscle he had along with a

pair of ratty boxer shorts.

Frozen, I stood staring at him like he was a vision or something. His hair was still damp, and a few

droplets glistened on his face. When he caught me, warmth burned across my cheeks.

“Were you just ogling me, Angel?”

“No, I wasn’t.”

He chuckled. “I think you were.”

I whirled around and swept my hands to my hips. “Fine I was ogling you. Happy now?”

“Actually I am. I like it when you look at me like you want me. Like you think I’m… handsome.”

My brows rose in surprise. “Handsome? That doesn’t sound like the way you would describe

yourself.”

With a grin, he asked, “And just how would I describe myself?”

“Hmm, sexy, hot as hell, and panty melting?” I challenged as I handed him a Coke.

“Yeah, you’re right. Those really describe me better.”

I set a glass of water down. “Make sure you drink all of that and the Coke. You’re probably

dehydrated.”

“Yes, Dr. Renard,” he replied, amusement twinkled in his eyes.

“The nurse in me would say for you not to eat anything, least of all chili.”

“Trust me, I know my body, Angel.”

“Whatever.”

After he took in a large spoonful of chili, he closed his eyes and moaned in appreciation. “Damn,

this is really good.”

“Thank you.”

“So you can cook too?”

“A little. My grandmother is a diehard Texan, and that’s her secret recipe.”

“It’s fucking amazing.”

I grinned. “I’ll be sure to tell her just that.”

He snorted. “Yeah, right. Although you have a potty mouth, I can’t see you dropping the f-bomb in

front of your grandma.”

“True, very true.”

We sat there in silence for a few minutes while he devoured the chili like he hadn’t eaten for days.

I couldn’t possibly see how he was going to keep it all down or how sick he might be tomorrow, but I

kept my mouth shut.

Finally, Jake glanced up at me. “Abby, we need to talk about earlier.”

“We do?” I asked, playing with a frayed string on the placemat.

He bobbed his head. “I know I was totally fucked up this afternoon, and I don’t know what all I

said to you.” He winced like he was in pain. “I have a pretty good idea that I was a disrespectful

douchebag to you about Bree. I should have never brought her on the bus with you here. I’m sorry.”

I think my mouth dropped so far open it banged against the table at him once again giving me such a

heartfelt apology. Just when I thought I couldn’t get any more shocked, he continued on. “You’ve been

nothing but caring and compassionate to me even when I didn’t deserve it. And trust me when I say it,

that I really and truly am sorry.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“So are we good? No hard feelings and all that?”

I laughed. “You believe in instant forgiveness and no grudges, huh?”

“Not exactly, but I hope you won’t hold what happened against me for long.”

“I’ll try, okay? I mean, you just can’t act the way you did to me and expect me to fall into your

waiting arms.”

His brows furrowed. “I can’t?”

“Um, no, it doesn’t work that with me. Maybe with your harem of female admirers, but I’m

different.”

“You can say that again,” he murmured. As his spoon scraped across the bottom of his bowl, I rose

up to get him some more. “No, I’m good.”

“Are you sure?”

He smiled. “Don’t want to overdo it.”

I laughed. “I would think even two spoonfulls was overdoing it, but I don’t know your body,

right?”

When Jake widened his eyes slightly, I knew I had made a mistake even innocently mentioning his

body.

“Listen, I need to ask you something else about earlier.” My breath caught at the thought of even

remotely revisiting what happened before. “Did I say something embarrassing to you before I puked

and passed out?”

“Jake—”

His blue eyes blazed with emotion when he finally met my gaze. “I remember some of it. I know I

said I wanted to fuck you, but didn’t I say something else? Something more…heartfelt, I hope?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“What was it?” he prompted.

Somehow I remembered everything he had told me verbatim, so I repeated it. Jake’s eyes widened,

and he sucked in a sharp breath. “But don’t worry about the wanting someone-like-me-to-love-you

part. I mean, I know you were drunk,” I quickly added. I popped out of my seat like a Jack-In-The-

Box and grabbed his bowl. After hustling over to the kitchen, I put it in the sink and turned on the

water.

I gasped when Jake’s body pressed into my back. “Angel,” he murmured, his breath hot against my

neck. I shivered in spite of the heat. “I meant every word of what I said—the good and the bad.”

Spinning around, I stared into his eyes. When I saw the sincerity in them, my heartbeat accelerated.

“You did?”

“Yes, I really want to have sex while you’re wearing cowboy boots,” he deadpanned.

I laughed in spite of myself. I knew for someone like Jake, all the feelings stuff was getting too

intense for him, and he needed to lighten it. “That’s good to know, but sadly, I don’t see it happening

any time soon.”

“Bummer,” he replied. He reached over to sweep a lock of hair out of my face. Once he pinned it

behind my ear, he smiled.

The sound of my phone ringing brought me out of the moment. When I glanced at the Facetime

request, I grimaced. “Sorry. I have to take this.”

“Your parents?”

“No, it’s the guy opening for my brothers. We’re supposed to be singing a duet my first night and

throughout the tour.”

“Hmm,” was Jake’s reply.

As my thumb reluctantly slid across the button, I plastered a smile to my face. “Hey Garrett.”

His smiling image reflected back at me. In some ways, Garrett reminded me of a late 20’s version

of Justin Bieber, although he was a lot more talented. “Hey beautiful. How’s it going?”

“Good thanks. You?”

“Just ‘good’ is all I get? I mean, your brothers told me all about your little adventure on Runaway

Train’s bus.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure they did. I’m kinda the family black sheep at the moment.”

“You’re kinda my black sheep too. I mean, I’m going to be denied precious rehearsal time with

you for our duet.”

I gasped. “Oh no! I totally forgot about that. I’m so sorry. Listen if you don’t think I’ll be ready, I

don’t have to do it.”

Garrett chuckled. “Abby, I’m only teasing you. I know you’ll be fine if we get only one run

through.”

“Oh,” I replied before exhaling in relief.

“I’m just bummed I miss out on all that time with you.”

As my cheeks warmed, Jake muttered, “Douchebag,” under his breath.

“Excuse me?” Garrett said.

“Oh nothing. Must’ve been the TV on in the bedroom.” Trying to change the subject, I asked, “So

are we still on for Sunday night?”

“Hell yeah. I can’t wait to have you on stage with me. I mean,
Don’t You Wanna Stay
is a hot song,

don’t you think?”

I nodded my head.

“Maybe as the tour goes on we can add a few more duets in there.”

“Sure. That would be great.”

“Five minutes, G,” a voice came from over Garrett’s shoulder.

“I gotta go Abby. I just wanted to call and check-in on you.”

“Thanks. But I’m fine. I promise.”