Under My Thumb (Serenade Series #1) (6 page)

“Thank you.”

He extended his hand. “Are you ready?”

I closed the door behind me then locked it.

“I’m glad your guard dog isn’t here today.” He said it with a smile, but his eyes said otherwise. I could tell he was annoyed with Gavin.

“I’m sorry about that…”

“It’s quite alright.” He grabbed my hand unexpectedly. The gentle touch immediately made me feel warm. But it was only a taste of everything else. I wanted more than that. And I knew it then and there. “What’s his story?”

His question brought me back to reality. “Nothing. He’s just protective.”

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. I knew he wasn’t falling for my excuse. “I think there’s more to it than that.”

I kept my eyes glued to the elevator as we walked inside.

Cash’s hand never left mine. “Is he an ex?”

“No,” I said immediately. “God, no.”

He relaxed slightly. “Good.”

The sliver of jealousy made me smile. It was immature, but I still felt that way.

“You do realize he’s into you, right?”

Cash wasn’t going to let this go. “I can deal with him.”

He studied my face. “As long as you’re aware of his intentions.”

“I’m not completely blind to the world around me.”

“I never assumed otherwise.” His confident façade was back, the jealousy gone. I missed it.

When we reached the limo, Cash opened the door for me.

“What’s the point in having a driver if you don’t let him do anything?” I asked when we sat down.

Cash sat beside me. “I don’t want him to look at your ass when you sit down.” His words came out blunt and hard.

“You think it’s better if you look at my ass instead?” A smile stretched my lips.

He gave me a hard look, one that set my
skin on fire. “Only I look at your ass like that.” He placed his hand on my thigh and squeezed it gently. The level of our affection had skyrocketed in a short amount of time. I’d only known him for a week, and the intimacy had changed between us. But I liked feeling his hand on my thigh.

In fact, I wanted to feel it somewhere else.

I looked out the window and noted the lights from the skyscrapers. London was a big place, but LA was different in many respects. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry, never slowing down. I listened to the faint classical music in the background while we drove. When I felt his stare on my face, I looked at him.

“Have you thought about our relationship?”

“I’ve given it some thought…”

“
Enlighten me.”

I didn’t understand the American phrase. “Sorry?”

“Tell me.” His voice carried the command of a Roman army.

“I don’t want to be in a relationship ever again. It’s not for me. I won’t change my mind.”

He didn’t react overtly, but his eyes widened. “That’s fine with me. I feel the same way.”

I wasn’t expecting his easy acceptance.

“Can we be exclusive?” he asked.

“I didn’t say I agreed to the arrangement.”

“Then what’s your hesitance?” He rubbed his fingers into my thigh.

“I’ve never slept with someone I wasn’t in a relationship with—or someone I didn’t love.”

His hand continued to move into my muscle, making me feel relaxed and aroused at the same time. “There’s a first time for everything.”

“I guess I feel kinda slutty.”

“You shouldn’t.” His voice was professional and calm. It didn’t seem like he showed emotion very often.

“And I don’t even know what—this—would be.”

“Hence, our date. Let’s talk about it.”

I didn’t know what to say. Since I’ve never done this before, I felt out of place.

He sensed my tension. “I’ll go first. I like to be open about my conditions. It leaves no room for misinterpretation.”

“You sound like you’ve done this before.”

“Many times.”

The idea of him having so many flings rubbed me the wrong way, but I couldn’t figure out why. What did I expe
ct? But I also loved his honesty. It was refreshing to be with someone who said exactly what they were thinking. No bullshit. No lies. It’s exactly what I needed.

“We have to be exclusive,” he said. “That’s my biggest term.”

“Why?”

“I want to be the only one inside you.”

I wasn’t planning on hooking up with anyone else, but I was curious.

“I want you all to myself,” he said firmly. “I don’t share, and I certainly don’t double dip.”

“That’s romantic,” I said sarcastically.

He smiled. “You understand my meaning.” He
rubbed his chin then returned his hand to my thigh. “No families, no friends, no introductions.”

“So you can’t be around my bandmates?”

“That can be an exception,” he said. “They’ve already seen me. But don’t expect to meet my friends.”

“So this is a secret fling?”

He shrugged. “It just makes it easier. I don’t want people to think I have a girlfriend. What’s one of your terms?”

“I didn’t say I agreed to this.”

“Which is why we’re talking about it.” He stared me down, the heat in his gaze was almost suffocating. I could tell he really wanted this to happen. But he didn’t want it as much as I did.

“No lies—ever.”

“Deal.”

“No attachments. I meant what I said. I don’t want a relationship—
not a serious one.”

“I can work with that. We’ll end it when you leave at the end of the summer.”

I wasn’t leaving, but I didn’t tell him that. “Okay.”

“Anything else?”

I couldn’t think of anything else. “No.”

“Then do you accept?”

“No.”

His
eyes darkened slightly. The frustration and desperation was evident. But he tried to hide it. “No?”

“I want to know why you want this arrangement.”

“If I answer, you have to answer the same question.”

That wasn’t something I wanted. “Then never
mind.”

He nodded. “So, do we have a deal?”

“Can I think about it for a moment?”

He pressed his mouth against my ear. “What’s there to think about? You’ll enjoy it—believe me. I’ll make your toes curl
. I’ll make you rip my sheets because you’ll scream so loud, and you’ll come more than you ever have in your life.”

Against my restraint, a slight breath escaped my mouth. Just hearing those words ignited a blaze between my legs. I imagined him on top of me, thrusting into me and making me shake. I involuntarily bit my lip, longing to feel him stretch me.
That definitely made me reach my decision quicker.

“Is that a yes?” he whispered.

“I…maybe.”

He growled at me. He actually growled. “This will happen, Prudence. I will be inside you one way or another. You should
save us both the time and frustration. The arrangement is perfect. No heartbreak, no lies. If you feel guilty for having loveless sex with me, you shouldn’t. We will build a relationship together, one based on trust and friendship, but there will be no obligation. Nothing could be more perfect. When you leave at the end of the summer, you will be a happy memory, nothing that will cause me pain. And you’ll feel the same way.”

I felt his breath fall on my skin. It took all my self-control not to run my fingers through his hair and press my mouth against his. I wanted to feel his tongue slide across me, penetrate me, and then do it all over again. When I didn’t speak, he stared me down, his anxiety becoming more prevalent. I was taking the control away, and I could tell he didn’t like it one bit. His frustration leaked out. And I liked making him wait.

He suddenly pushed me down into the leather seats then moved on top of me. The limo continued to drive through traffic, but I ignored the slight movement of the car and the music playing quietly. He separated my legs with his knees then placed his other leg on the floor. His hands gripped mine, pinning me down. I should have been scared but I wasn’t.

Cash hovered near my mouth, his lips almost touching mine. He grazed them as he moved, making my lips open involuntarily. He smiled when he saw the desire in my eyes.
That cocky asshole. Then he sealed his mouth over mine, giving me a tender embrace. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Cash was so confident and calm all the time. I was expecting him to devour me aggressively, taking me like a caveman. But he didn’t. He caressed my lips like he loved me, kissing me like he adored me. His hand moved through my hair while he took my breath away, taking any restraint I had with it. He finally released my hands, allowing me to run my fingers through his strands. They were soft.

A moan escaped my lips and I wrapped one leg around his waist. My enthusiasm even surprised me. But I wanted him—here and now. He sucked on my bottom lip before he pulled away.

“What’s your answer?”

Now I realized what he was doing. “That isn’t fair.”

“All is fair in love and war.”

What a jackass. I stared at his lips and desperately wanted more—a lot more. Perhaps my judgment was clouded, but if his bedroom skills were as good as that kiss, then I definitely wasn’t going to say no. I needed to fall into another person and let go without any worry or fear of where it might end. With this arrangement, there was no fear or hurt or sorrow. It was safe. And that’s exactly what I needed.

I grabbed his face and pulled his lips to mine, wanting to devour him. “Yes. God, yes.”

Chapter Ten

♬

Cash Matthews

I was a very happy man. I seduced my sexy musician and now she was mine. All mine. In my mind, I rubbed my hands together greedily, excited to play with my new toy. And I wasn’t sharing her wit
h anyone.

I’ve kissed a lot of women, more than I can count, but th
e kiss I shared with Prudence shattered my mind. My fingertips were lit on fire, my heart raced painfully, and my cock had never been harder. Her lips fit mine perfectly. She’s delicious and tasty. God, I could kiss that musical angel all day. And I wanted more of her, all of her.

I sat up and pulled her next to me, my arm resting over her shoulders. Now she was snuggled into me, right where she belonged. I wanted to kiss her for the entire ride, but having a permanent boner would get painful after a while. When I was
with this girl, I felt like I was on Viagra all the time.

When we arrived at the Staples Center, we handed our tickets over and took our seats in the fifth row. I was lucky
to have so many friends in high places. Of course, I had to give my buddy something in exchange—two tickets to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. But what the hell? They were free anyway.

I saw the excitement in Prudence’s eyes as we waited for the show to start. She was squirming in her seat, unable to sit still. I stared at her, entertained by her
beauty and quirks. She reminded me of an exotic tiger. I was the customer staring through the glass, watching her saunter across the cage. I was in awe of my tigress. I wondered how wild she’d be in bed.

“This is just the beginning, baby.”

She turned to me. “Baby?”

“That’s what I’m calling you from now on.”

“And what do I call you?” Her hand moved to my thigh, squeezing gently. A quiet moan escaped my lips. I wanted her to dig her nails into my back and ask me to fuck her harder.

There I go again.
I needed to stop this obsession.

“You can call me anything you want.”

“This could get interesting…”

I smiled. “Take your time.
”

She tapped her fingers against her chin. She even
made that look sexy. How? I had no idea. When she chewed her lip lightly, I wanted to bend her over and take her then and there. I was never this much of a pervert, but with her, I had a serious problem.

The concert started, and Prudence immediately jumped. She sang along with every song, swaying back and forth. I admired Adele’s remarkable vocals, but when I listened to Prudence beside me, I realized she could harmonize with anything. Her talent was unprecedented, and I had seen a lot of talent in my line of work.

I ended up staring at her the entire time. The joy and light on her face immediately sucked me in. I could stare at her forever.

When the concert was over, Prudence was exhausted. I really
wanted to get laid tonight, so taking her to a show where she’d jump around nonstop was a stupid idea.

Damn.

After we returned to the limo, we sat in traffic for a long time. That’s the worst part of LA. It didn’t matter how famous you were or how much money you had. There were certain things you couldn’t hide from. And traffic was one of those things. But Prudence made it worth it.

She wrapped her arm around my waist and leaned her head on my shoulder. Judging by her slow and even breaths, I knew she was asleep. It gave me the opportunity to stare at her all I wanted, really treating her like a muse. My fingers took advantage of her vulnerable situation and glided through her hair. Each strand was silky soft. When my fingers felt her slender neck, I trembled. I wanted to trail kisses across that fair skin. Give it a mark so Gavin would see and know I was there.

Feeling her in my arms was heaven. When I saw this beautiful girl on stage, I didn’t think my charms would work. She was too perfect, too unreal. But I’m glad I could entice her to choose me, to bed me while she was here. Imagining how she would feel once I was inside her drove me insane. I wanted to feel her wetness with my cock, sliding in and out. And I wanted to watch her come, knowing exactly who was making her unravel.

I ha
d to settle with holding her in my arms. But that wasn’t settling because I was very happy with it. The happiest guy in the world, actually. Most of my companions were tolerable, but they were still clingy and annoying. But not Prudence. She was smart, fascinating, witty, and fun. I actually enjoyed spending time with her.

When we returned to her apartment, my driver opened the door and I carried Prudence
inside. I walked slowly so I could feel her as long as possible. I wanted to take her to my place and lay her in my bed, but I thought that was too presumptuous. And the last thing I wanted to do was chase her away. I would die from longing.

I tapped on the door with my knuckles and waited for an answer. There
was a fifty percent chance it would be Desi or Mason. I sincerely hoped the odds were in my favor. But when the door opened, I realized I should never gamble. Of course, it was Gavin.

He stared at Prudence in my arms. “Is she okay?” The anger escaped his voice.

“She’s asleep,” I whispered. “We had too much fun at the concert.” I knew what my meaning implied but I did it on purpose. Instead of waiting for him to invite me in, I stepped inside and moved to the hallway. When I looked through the open doorway, I saw a stuffed teddy bear on one of the beds. I assumed this was the girl’s room. I carried her inside and set her on the bed.

She stretched then opened her
eyes, still half asleep. “Did I fall asleep?” She pulled her hair out of her face.

I smiled, bewitc
hed by her unparalleled beauty.

“I’m sorry.”

I kneeled by her bed then cupped her face. “There’s no need for an apology.” I kept my voice to a whisper, keeping her calm.

“I told you I was horrible company.”

“I loved holding you in my arms. It worked out perfectly.”

She sighed then rubbed my hand with her own. I could tell she didn’t want me to leave. Ever since we shared that kiss in the limo, she became more comfortable with me. Her nervousness was gone, as well as her vulnerability. And I liked it.

“Did you like the show?”

“It was so much fun. Thank you for taking me.” She turned her face and kissed my knuckles.

It was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. A woman had never kissed my hand before, not like that. It made my hair stand on end. I felt like she was worshipping me, cherishing me. “You’re welcome.”

“And I’m sorry you had to carry me so far.”

“You’re as light as a feather.”

She smiled. “You always know what to say.”

“I want you to feel beautiful. Because you are.”

She blushed.
“Cash…”

I liked this side of her. We needed to have more conversations when she was half asleep. “When can I see you next?”

“I have to work tomorrow. Maybe the next day?”

“I want you to come over.” My meaning was very clear. I didn’t want there to be any misinterpretation. I wanted her on her back and
in my bed.

“Okay.” She pressed her face close to mine.

“Scott will pick you up at six.”

“Should I bring anything?”

“No. I’ll have everything you’ll need.” Everything.

“Okay.”

I gave her a gentle kiss then pulled away quickly. I knew what a heated kiss would do to both of us. And I wanted to save it for when she came over. “Good night, baby.”

“Good
night, Cash.”

I stared at her hypnotic eyes for another moment before I forced myself to leave. I closed her bedroom door gently behind me then headed to the exit. Gavin blatantly stared me down, executing me with his eyes. If he wasn’t in Prudence’s band, I’d make sure he never got a contract—ever. That’s how much I hated this guy.