Still Water (13 page)

She giggled against my mouth. "What?" I lifted my head from hers to give her my full attention.

"I could, too." Lily's lips pulled into a megawatt smile that was so big it actually hurt my heart. I was confused though.

"You could too what?" My left eyebrow rose in question.

"Stay like this all night." She held my incredulous stare.

Shit.
"I feel like an idiot. I-I didn't mean to say that out loud." I grinned at her reaction to my little slip.

"I'm glad you said it. I needed to hear it." Her smile fell. "Jace made me feel cheap tonight, Todd. You have a… reputation. It's — it's just not fun to hear." She moved her eyes away from mine. I was going to kill that asshole.

"Lily, I can't change my past. The more you get to know me, the more you may start to rethink this whole… whatever this is we have going on between us. But just know that I like you. Can we just start from there?" I prayed her answer would be yes. I needed her answer to be yes. Because being inside her was something I never wanted to forget. I had experienced the incredible feeling of being so deep between her legs; there was no turning back. Lily, in that fleeting moment, had turned her body and trust over to me completely, and that was something I'd never had. She had possessed me that night, and I couldn't see a way forward without her.

She finally met my nervous stare. "All right." Lily's smile was small. She lifted up onto the tip of her toes and kissed me on the cheek. I couldn't help the stupid ass grin on my face. She was destroying me, but it never felt better. "I better get out there before Frank leaves."

"Yeah, you're right. You ready?"

"One hundred percent." She turned away and walked through the door. "I have to be." She said so softly that I didn't think I was supposed to hear it.

I
WAS SITTING IN
the booth with Frank and Seth. Graden and Jack had left early, and I couldn't say I really cared. Lily stepped on stage, the bright lights made her hair look as if it were on fire. She was a sight on that stage. Frank would be stupid not to sign her. The family tie they had only secured her spot as a new artist at Blue Bar Records. I wasn't really sure what she was worried about. Lily bypassed the guitar and sat at the piano. I tried to hide the surprise on my face, but Seth gave me a look like he couldn't believe it either. She was more talented than anyone could have guessed.

She adjusted the microphone and glanced over at our table. "Hey Seth, can I borrow you for a moment?" She spoke with a smile right into the microphone. Seth looked at me like he was waiting for me to give him the okay. I shrugged.

Seth stood and moved rapidly to the stage. I watched as Lily whispered in his ear. Seth's face broke into a wide ass smile, and I hated him for about two seconds before I realized he was headed for his drum set. I felt dumb for being jealous. Seth would never do that to me. Lily played a quick scale on the piano before she spoke again.

"I'm going to play "
Medicine"
by Broods. Thank you to Seth for knowing this song, you really are a rock star." She beamed at him, and that twinge of jealousy returned. I needed to get it together.

Lily brought the microphone right to her lips. She started humming the first haunting notes of the song before her fingers pressed the keys, beginning the melody. At first, it was just her deep soulful voice and the piano, and then Seth picked up on the beat creating this incredibly sensual arrangement of notes.

"Damn," I whispered as Lily's body moved to the beat, her lips brushing against the microphone, the words from the song hanging in the air creating this dark, evocative moment. Heat radiated through my entire body while watching Lily's hips rock. She was so deep into the music. I didn't think listening to someone sing could get me so damn hard. I shifted in my seat. I was suddenly envious of her microphone.

"Wow, she's amazing." Tiffany took a seat at our booth, breaking me out of my lust-induced state.

"She sure is." Frank had a smile on his face that could only be described as something a proud father would have. "Get her in the studio this week, Todd. You hearing me?"

"Sure, sure. You're leaving?" I asked as Frank stood. "You don't want to congratulate her?" I furrowed my brow.

"I'll let you do that." He smirked, and Tiffany laughed.

"Um, okay?" I wasn't sure what was going on, but I was annoyed. She had been worried about tonight, the least he could do was tell her himself. "I mean, Frank, I think she'd like to hear it from you."

"Look kid, I need to go. I don't want a big emotional scene, and it'll be better coming from you. That way she won't think I'm giving her special treatment." Frank glanced back at the stage as the entire bar erupted into applause.

"Special treatment? What are you talking about, Frank?" Tiff's face crunched into a confused pout. I guess she didn't know about Lily and Frank's relationship. I suddenly wondered if Jace knew.

"Don't worry about it, Tiff. I gotta go, okay? Studio this week. I mean it," he shouted as he walked to the back office.

"What's he talking about?" Tiffany persisted.

"Give it a rest, will you?" I stood quickly from the booth. Seth's arm was draped over Lily's shoulder, and they were both smiling like goofballs as they walked toward us.

"You're a fucking genius!" Seth pulled away from her and smacked her on the ass. What the fuck! I'm going to junk punch him for that later. "She's a musical genius," he continued. "Where's Frank? Awe hell, please tell me he didn't miss this shit? We need to record that, like tomorrow. I'll get my mixer—"

"He didn't miss it," I interrupted Seth's ramblings. Lily's elated mood started to fall when she noticed Frank was gone. "He had to jet, but he loved it. He wants you in the studio this week. Lily that was… un-fucking-believable." I took her hand in mine and pulled her close to me. Sweat glistened on her forehead, her cheeks were flushed, and she looked so damn beautiful. "You did it. We're going to make you an album." I couldn't contain my smile as I bent down and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"For the record, I had no doubt. After hearing you the other night, I knew Frank would be shitting himself to sign you." Seth gave me a smug grin.

Tiff cleared her throat. "Wait a freaking minute, did you just kiss her? He just kissed you. Why do I feel like I never know anything? Can someone please—"

"Tiff, if you make me a drink, I'll give you answers." Seth grabbed Tiffany's wrist and dragged her to the bar. It was probably a good thing, Jace looked like he was drowning and needed help. Not that I gave a shit about him, I was worried about the customers.

"You did good, Red." I smiled at her scowl. I loved that she hated that name.

"Thanks, I should get back to work."

As she turned to head to the bar, I took her hand. "You free tomorrow?"

"You want to get into the studio tomorrow?" She asked disbelievingly. I wanted to see her. I could care less if it was in the studio, here, or at my place; as long as she was there, I was down.

"Can I take you to breakfast first?"

"Like a date?" She scrunched her nose; it was so damn cute.

"Yeah, like a fucking date." I laughed and shook my head. "That sound okay to you, Red?"

She rolled her eyes. "On one condition." She smirked.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" I stepped back and folded my arms across my chest giving her a cocky grin.

"One, stop calling me Red, and two—"

"Hey, you said one condition." I chuckled at her obvious irritation with me. I had her scowling now.

"
Two…
" She said with a defiant tone. "…You record a song with me. I want to sing with you." Her cat eyes casted down with… insecurity?

"I'd love that, Lily." Her eyes darted up to mine, her face breaking into a sincere smile.

"Yeah?" She sounded unsure.

"Of course, I'd be lucky to sing with you." I shook my head and took her hand in mine leading her to the bar.

"I don't know how lucky you'd be, but it would be fun."

I nodded and gave her my best grin.

She didn't realize how damn lucky I was to have
any
part of her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Lily

T
ODD:
Y
OU READY FOR TODAY?

I was still half asleep; Todd's text message was blurry as my eyes adjusted to the light. I laughed out loud once I realized it was only eight in the morning. I quickly tapped out a reply.

Me
:
Eager much?

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Last night was so busy I could still feel the ache in my feet. Once the excitement of my performance died down and the reality of work set in, the night took a turn for the worst. The crowd had been rowdy, and then Seth and Jace got into it about something and almost came to blows. If it wasn't for Tiff getting in between them, I had a feeling Jace would have ended up in the hospital. Seth was a physical presence. He was at least six-foot-two and all strength. He was broad and so traditionally tall, dark, and handsome, I had no choice but to think he was attractive. I sure as hell could tell Tiffany was all about that man. The look in her eyes when she stepped between him and Jace solidified, at least for me, that she had feelings for Seth. My phone chirped breaking me from my thoughts.

Todd
:
Who wouldn't be?

I chuckled. Todd wasn't what I was used to. I always went the safe, boring route when it came to men. Easy, dependable, and tame is what I thought I always wanted. Derrick proved me wrong. It didn't matter whether or not a guy had been a playboy, college graduate, rich, or came from a stable family. If he was going to screw your best friend in the back stairwell of the bar where you worked, there was nothing you could do to stop it. I shook my head trying to erase the visual I had of my best friend, Becca, taking it up against the wall by my boyfriend. My mood darkened just as my phone chirped again.

Todd
:
Be ready in thirty. I'm starving.

Holy crap, I needed to hustle.

Twenty-five minutes and a quick shower later, I was somewhat presentable. My crazy curly hair was pulled back into my usual thick ponytail. The weather was still chilly so I decided to wear a peach hoodie and jeans. I slipped on my gray chucks and looked at myself in the mirror. If I was being honest with myself, I looked tired. I didn't really have time for make-up, but I didn't think Todd cared about that crap. My lips turned up into a smirk as I thought about how he looked at me last night. He lit me up every time his eyes grazed my skin. How was I going to make it through a whole day of that penetrating stare? I took a deep breath, grabbed my phone, and headed up the stairs.

My nephew was crying loudly from the living room, and I wasn't looking forward to the interrogation Eve would surely give me.

"Hey, buddy. Where's your mom?" I bent down and picked up Christopher from his Pack-'N-Play in an attempt to calm him down. Tears and snot poured down his face like he had been crying for a while.

"
Eve?
" I called out. Nothing. What the hell? I needed to leave soon. I walked toward her bedroom and heard her crying. As I slowly pushed open the door to her bedroom, I could see Eve's strawberry blonde hair was ruffled and tears stained her face.

"Eve, what's going on?" My sister was as hard as nails; she never cried.

Eve gave me a look like she wasn't sure she wanted to tell me the truth. It was then I realized what she was crying about. "Is it Pam?"

She nodded. "I haven't heard from mom for five years, Lily." She sniffled and rubbed her tissue across her nose. "I mean where the hell does she get off calling me? Who the hell does she think she is?"

Pam was our mother. I wasn't sure if I could call the woman who left me at the age of three to go live another life — live a life with her other daughter and husband — a real mother. She disappeared five years ago with some biker. Simply left Frank, Eve, and me behind. We meant shit to her, and I could give a crap about what she wanted now.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. You going to be okay?" Eve stood and ran her fingers through her hair, trying hopelessly to tame the wild curls. We got our hair from our mother. She ran the palms of her hands down the front of her shirt in an attempt to pull herself together. Her nostrils flared, and she laughed bitterly.

"No, Lil, I'm not okay. She wants money, can you believe the nerve?" My sister reached out for Christopher.

I wish I could say I could, but I hardly knew the lady. I handed her the baby and quickly checked for stray snot on my clothes. Pam was never a mother to me. At least she got some time with her. I didn't know what to say to comfort her. I was at a loss.

"I—I don't know what to tell you. Did she sound like she was in trouble?" I prayed that Todd would get here soon. It was too early for this drama.

"She's always in trouble, Lily." My sister's tone was scolding. I didn't let it bother me; it wasn't me she was mad at.